A55752:1318
Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…
Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity and duty of Gods children by the late Reverend and Faithful Minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston ...Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity and duty of Gods children by the late Reverend and Faithfull Minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston ...
London: printed by J.T., 1658
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The condition of the gospel is, Believe and live. The condition of the law is much more difficult, the condition of the Gospel is more easy, and therefore the sin committed against the Law is less heinous then the sin against the Gospel.
The condition of the gospel is, Believe and live. The condition of the law is much more difficult, the condition of the Gospel is more easie, and therefore the sin committed against the Law is less hainous then the sin against the Gospel.
Secondly, the command in the Law cost God nothing but his word, but the command in the Gospel cost him the Death of his Son.
Thirdly, when we broke the Law we did it in the loins of Adam, with whom we accompanied our voices and consent, but when we reject the Gospel we do it in our own persons.
Fourthly, when the Law was broken there was but one breach to God, but in rejecting of the Gospel there is a is a double Law transgressed, for when we had cast our selves into a desperate condition with Adam, God offered us an help and means of recovery, now the refusing of this makes sin the greater, by how much the more the mercy is the greater, with the Angels Gods intent was to exercise only a single, mercy, and therefore a peremptory command was given them; If you will obey you shall live. But now this was not only offered to mankind, but a second mercy was also offered a greater then ever was offered to the Angels, now God offereth thee a board to swim upon, after ship-rack; to the Angels God would show but one kind of mercy, to mankind a double mercy, a sparing mercy, a merciful mercy, and so a severer kind of justice upon the refusal of it; and therefore the reprobates that live in the Church shall exceed the Devils in Hell in judgement, because they have had more mercy tendered to them then ever the Devils had, and therefore in this respect God will exercise on them a more severe kind of justice. Let all these things teach you how dangerous it is to disobey the Gospel and to refuse Christ.