A88578:198
A Christians duty and safety in evil times Delivered in several sermons, upon four…A Christians duty and safety in evill times Delivered in severall sermons, upon four…
A Christians duty and safety in evil times Delivered in several sermons, upon four texts of scripture, viz. Christ's prayer the saints support, on John 17 15[.] A divine balance to weigh all doctrines by, on 1 Thes.5. 21[.] A Christians great enquiry, on Acts 16.30, 31[.] A description of true blessedness, on Luke 11. 28[.] By that faithful messenger of Jesus Christ, Mr Christopher Love, late minister of Laurence-jury, London. Whereunto is annexed The saints rest, or Their happy sleep in death. As it was delivered in a sermon at Aldermanbury, London. Aug. 24. 1651. By Edmund Calalmy. B. D.A Christians duty and safety in evill times Delivered in severall sermons, upon four texts of scripture, viz. Christ's prayer the saints support, on Iohn 17 15[.] A divine ballance to weigh all doctrines by, on 1 Thes.5. 21[.] A Christians great enquiry, on Acts 16.30, 31[.] A description of true blessedness, on Luke 11. 28[.] By that faithfull messenger of Jesus Christ, Mr Christopher Love, late minister of Laurence-jury, London. Whereunto is annexed The saints rest, or Their happy sleep in death. As it was delivered in a sermon at Aldermanbury, London. Aug. 24. 1651. By Edmund Calalmy. B. D.
London: printed for E. Brewster and George Sawbridge, 1653
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
But there are few in the World who have a lively precious unfeigned faith, which the Scripture doth indeed account believing in Christ, & which whosoever hath shall never perish but have everlasting life. Few there are that are willing to receive Christ as he is tendered in the Gospel, to receive Christ as a King to rule them, as well as a Jesus to save them: Few that are willing ⟨p. 127⟩to receive a naked Christ, Christ with his Cross as well as Christ with his Crown: Few that are as ready to give up themselves to Christ for Sanctification, as to take Christ for justification. Most people love the Priestly office of Christ, to purchase Salvation for them, but they do not love the Kingly office of Christ, to conquer Corruption in them; they would be willing to have Christ receive them into Heaven, but they are not willing to receive Christ into their hearts. In the day of their calamity when they lie upon their sick beds, and the terrors of death take hold upon them, then none but Christ, none but Christ: But in the day of their prosperity, when the World smiles upon them, and Riches & Health surrounds them, then Christ is disesteemed by them, they see no beauty in him, why they should desire him. For there is no wicked man in the World will take Christ upon Gospel terms in the time of his health, and outward ⟨p. 128⟩prosperity. And moreover, most people think that it is the easiest matter in the World, for to believe, that it is but Believing, that it is in their power to believe at any time, when they will, and that they can believe time enough when they lie upon their Death-beds. Not considering, God puts forth the same almighty power when he works faith in the soul, as he did when he raised up Jesus Christ from the dead, as the Apostle shows, 1Eph. 1.19.20. And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead. It is as impossible for a man, by his own power, to make himself to believe, as to create a world, or give a being to himself. And here consider, that every assent unto the Word is not believing; Bellarmine indeed saith that believing is only a bare assent to the Word, but if saving faith did only consist in a bare assent to Scripture truth, then