Gospel-Worship

As you that are Merchants and dealers abroad, you are at a great deal of uncertainty what shall become of your estates. Indeed if I could send one over to the Indies to tell me how my Ship prospered, then I could be at a certainty, then I should hear whether I were a rich man yea or no, but except I could do such a thing I am at an uncertainty: Such is the expression here. As if a poor soul should say, I would fain be saved, and loth to perish eternally; But all the while the soul remains under the Law, it remains in an uncertain condition; but now saith he, The Word of the Gospel is nigh thee even in thine heart; And that is the Word that we preach, that saith, Rom. 10. 9. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. As if he should say, This word of the Gospel that is come into thine heart doth assure thy soul of thy eternal estate, so that though thou canst not go up to heaven, nor go down to hell, yet thou hast that in thine heart, that doth as it were assure thee that thou shalt be eternally saved, as if thou wert able to go up to the highest heavens and fetch news from thence. Oh now the good word of the Gospel how should we prize it, and keep ⟨p. 213⟩it in our hearts? for that's in our hearts that will assure us of our salvation to all eternity, & of Gods eternal purpose to do the good in heaven. You would account it a great happiness if there could be any art to send abroad to the Straits or to other place, to know how things fare with you: but now if thou hast the word of the Gospel within thee, if that prevails in thy Soul, thou hast always got something in thy heart that will tell thee how things are with thee in heaven, and what shall become of thee for all eternity. Oh who would not sanctify the Name of God in hearing of his word, seeing it is such a blessed word wherein the Gospel is opened with more clearness then it hath been to many of our fore-fathers.

As you that are Merchants and dealers abroad, you are at a great deal of uncertainty what shall become of your estates. Indeed if I could send one over to the Indies to tell me how my Ship prospered, then I could be at a certainty, then I should hear whether I were a rich man yea or no, but except I could do such a thing I am at an uncertainty: Such is the expression here. As if a poor soul should say, I would fain be saved, and loth to perish eternally; But all the while the soul remains under the Law, it remains in an uncertain condition; but now saith he, The Word of the Gospel is nigh thee even in thine heart; And that is the Word that we preach, that saith,