A64984:27
The death of ministers improved. Or, an exhortation to the inhabitants of Horsley on…
The death of ministers improved. Or, an exhortation to the inhabitants of Horsley on Gloucester-shire, and others, on the much lamented death of that reverend and faithful minister of the Gospel, Mr. Henry Stubs By Tho. Vincent, John Turner, Rob. Perrott, M. Pemberton. To which is added a sermon upon that occasion, by Richard Baxter.The death of ministers improved. Or, an exhortation to the inhabitants of Horsley on Glocester-shire, and others, on the much lamented death of that reverend and faithful minister of the Gospel, Mr. Henry Stubbs By Tho. Vincent, John Turner, Rob. Perrott, M. Pemberton. To which is added a sermon upon that occasion, by Richard Baxter.
London : s.n., Printed in the year 1678
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.
Our design is not to drive you to despair, only to awaken you, who have been so long and so fast asleep under such an awakening Ministry; if you sleep still and are not startled by the loss of your Minister, we much fear the next thing will be the loss of your Souls. Awake! Awake! Ye drowsy, secure, sleepy sinners, God calls upon you once more, by us he calls you to awake, to repent and turn from sin before it be too late, and the door of mercy be shut, and death hath unexpectedly surprised you in your sins.
God by us doth command the vilest of you to repent, Act. 17.30. And he threateneth death if you disobey him: should an earthly King command you to come out of a dirty way into a clean path, and that upon pain of temporal death, would not you obey? And when God who is the King of Kings, doth command you to repent, to come out of the dirty ways of sin into the clean ways of holiness, and that upon pain of eternal death, ⟨p. 22⟩of everlasting torment and punishment in Hell will you not obey, will you not repent? Will you choose to dishonour God, and damn your own Souls rather than to repent of your sins? Shall the threatenings of a weak man have more force with you, than the threatenings of the great and glorious Jehovah who made Heaven and Earth? Shall the threatenings of lesser evils which are but for a moment, have more place with you, than the threatenings of the most dreadful evils and eternal plagues shall have?
God by us doth command the vilest of you to repent, Act. 17.30. And he threatneth death if you disobey him: should an earthly King command you to come out of a dirty way into a clean path, and that upon pain of temporal death, would not you obey? And when God who is the King of Kings, doth command you to repent, to come out of the dirty ways of sin into the clean ways of holiness, and that upon pain of eternal death, ⟨p. 22⟩