A resemblance of this we have in the Jews before they entered into the land of Canaan, when they refused the offer that God made to them, nothing angered God so much as this, they had committed gross idolatry, and many great rebellions, yet the refusing of Gods mercies in offering them that good land provoked God more to wrath then all the rest, and now he swears in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest, and so cut them off, but Caleb and Joshua, and God was angry afterwards with them many times, yet his wrath came not upon them to the uttermost till they had refused Christ, because the Gospel was preached so freely, and Christ offered unto them, and they refused it, therefore the wrath of God came upon them, as it is to be seen at this day. This is a point that we had need to put you in mind of, because many when they look back upon their former ways and see what they have done, consider not what they do when they do refuse Christ Jesus, and the pardon that hath been offered, how they have taken the grace of God in vain, whereas I assure you, whatsoever your sins be, sins often committed against conscience and knowledge, which are the circumstances that aggravateth sin, they are nothing to the refusing of the pardon offered in Christ. To this end consider, that when Christ is offered, it is not such an offer as when a man offereth a thing, if it be not taken the party offering looseth nothing, but it is such an offer as when the ⟨p. 428⟩thing offered is spilt and lost, if it be not received and taken, not as when a man inviteth another to a feast and he cannot come, the master is at no charge, but when the promise is made, and the dinner prepared, and then the guests not to come, it is loss, so it is in this offer of Christ, all is ready Christ is slain, and his blood is poured out, if you do not come and take it, you put away from you the blood of Christ, and so in as much as in you lieth you make the death of Christ of none effect, and so by consequence you shall be guilty of the blood of Christ, and therefore the Apostle saith, 1 Pet. 1. 19. You are not redeemed 1with silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ.
A resemblance of this we have in the Iewes before they entered into the land of Canaan, when they refused the offer that God made to them, nothing angered God so much as this, they had committed grosse idolatry, and many great rebellions, yet the refusing of Gods mercies in offering them that good land provoked God more to wrath then all the rest, and now he sweares in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest, and so cut them off, but Caleb and Ioshua, and God was angry afterwards with them many times, yet his wrath came not upon them to the uttermost till they had refused Christ, because the Gospel was preached so freely, and Christ offered unto them, and they refused it, therefore the wrath of God came upon them, as it is to be seen at this day. This is a point that we had need to put you in mind of, because many when they look back upon their former wayes and see what they have done, consider not what they do when they do refuse Christ Iesus, and the pardon that hath been offered, how they have taken the grace of God in vain, whereas I assure you, whatsoever your sins be, sins often committed against conscience and knowledge, which are the circumstances that aggrevateth sin, they are nothing to the rfeusing of the pardon offered in Christ. To this end consider, that when Christ is offered, it is not such an offer as when a man offereth a thing, if it be not taken the party offering looseth nothing, but it is such an offer as when the ⟨p. 428⟩thing offered is spilt and lost, if it be not received and taken, not as when a man inviteth another to a feast and he cannot come, the master is at no charge, but when the promise is made, and the dinner prepared, and then the guests not to come, it is loss, so it is in this offer of Christ, all is ready Christ is slain, and his blood is poured out, if you do not come and take it, you put away from you the blood of Christ, and so in as much as in you lieth you make the death of Christ of none effect, and so by consequence you shall be guilty of the blood of Christ, and therefore the Apostle saith, 1 Pet. 1. 19. You are not redeemed 1with silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ.
- 11 Pet. 1. 19.
