N00341:120
The greatest sinners exhorted and encouraged to come to Christ, and that now without…
The greatest sinners exhorted and encouraged to come to Christ, and that now without delaying. Also, the exceeding danger of men's deferring their repentance. : Together with a discourse about the day of judgement. And on several other subjects. / By Increase Mather teacher of a church at Boston in N. England. ; [Six lines of Scripture texts]
printed by R.P. for Joseph Brunning i.e, 1686
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. The Light of Nature, and that Conscience which is in men, showeth that there must needs be a Judgement to come. Conscience is a mans judgment of himself, as subjected to the Judgment of God. The Apostle showeth that the Gentiles do by nature the things contained in the Law; their Conscience bearing witness, and their thoughts accusing or excusing in the mean while h. e. until the day come that God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ. Rom. 2.15.16. Before the great day of Judgment come, they are judging and ⟨p. 68⟩impleading themselves, There is a day of judgement kept in the Conscience, which proveth that God will have a Day of Judgement for all men. If men were not to be judged by God, they would never enter into judgement with themselves. Hence there are secret, awful fears upon the spirits of Sinners with respect unto this Day: Yea sometimes in the worst of sinners. When Felix heard Paul reasoning concerning Righteousness and Temperance and JUDGMENT to come, he trembled. Act. 24.25. Especially when Sinners lie upon sick-beds, and Death-beds, Conscience tells them they must appear before the Judgment seat of the GREAT GOD and answer for all the evils they have done. Or if men commit any great sin, conscience tells them they must to Judgment for that sin. He that shall tell a Lye against his Conscience, or commit any such grievous sin, has that in his own breast (a Conscience) which is a Preacher of Judgement to him, because of that Sin.
2. The Light of Nature, and that Conscience which is in men, sheweth that there must needs be a Iudgement to come. Conscience is a mans judgment of himself, as subjected to the Judgment of God. The Apostle sheweth that the Gentiles doe by nature the things contained in the Law; their Conscience bearing witness, and their thoughts accusing or excusing in the mean while h. e. until the day come that God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ. Rom. 2.15.16. Before the great day of Judgment come, they are judging and ⟨p. 68⟩impleading themselves, There is a day of judgement kept in the Conscience, which proveth that God will have a Day of Judgement for all men. If men were not to be judged by God, they would never enter into judgement with themselves. Hence there are secret, awful fears upon the spirits of Sinners with respect unto this Day: Yea sometimes in the worst of sinners. When Felix heard Paul reasoning coerning Righteousness and Temperance and IVDGMENT to come, he trembld.