A92857:330
The riches of grace displayed in the offer and tender of salvation to poor…
The riches of grace displayed in the offer and tender of salvation to poor sinners. Wherein is set out, the gracious behaviour of Christ, standing at the door and knocking for entrance. The dutiful behaviour of sinners in hearing Christs voice and opening to him. And the comfortable event upon them both. / By Obadiah Sedgwick. B.D. and late minister of the Gospel in Covent-Garden.
London: printed by T.R. & E.M. for Adoniram Byfield, 1657
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.
2. It comes off to Christ freely ⟨p. 87⟩and electively: There is (to our conceit and apprehension) a twofold opening of the will to 1Christ.
- 1A twofold opening.
One arising from the mere urgency of an anguished conscience, which may make a man willing to subscribe to any course (for the present.) As in a storm, the Mariner is willing to cast out all his lading to preserve himself, so a sinner may be willing to give up all, and to give way to Christ in the tempest of a vexing and tormenting conscience, to procure a little ease and calmness; All which springs only from self-love, and looks upon Christ, not so directly as one to make peace with God; but reflexively as one to make peace and ease in the conscience. And this exigence being once removed, the heart of a sinner (having served its turn of Christ) expels Christ, and closeth up it self against him: Like the Athenians and others, ⟨p. 88⟩who made use of brave Commanders, when an enemy brake in and endangered their Cities, but being once secured, they grew weary, picked a quarrel and banished them.
One arising from the meer urgency of an anguished conscience, which may make a man willing to subscribe to any course (for the present.) As in a storme, the Marriner is willing to cast out all his lading to preserve himself, so a sinner may be willing to give up all, and to give way to Christ in the tempest of a vexing and tormenting conscience, to procure a little ease and calmness; All which springs only from self-love, and looks upon Christ, not so directly as one to make peace with God; but reflexively as one to make peace and ease in the conscience. And this exigence being once removed, the heart of a sinner (having served its turn of Christ) expels Christ, and closeth up it self against him: Like the Athenians and others,