N00946:65
Soul-saving Gospel truths. Delivered in several sermons, wherein is showedSoul-saving Gospel truths. Delivered in several sermons, wherein is shewed
Soul-saving Gospel truths. Delivered in several sermons, wherein is showed: I. The unreasonableness of those excuses which men make for their delaying to come to the Lord Jesus for salvation. II. That for men to despair of the forgiveness of their sins because they have been great, is a great evil. III. That every man in the world is going into eternity. / By Increase Mather. ; [Eight lines of Scripture texts]Soul-saving Gospel truths. Delivered in several sermons, wherein is shewed: I. The unreasonableness of those excuses which men make for their delaying to come to the Lord Jesus for salvation. II. That for men to despair of the forgiveness of their sins because they have been great, is a great evil. III. That every man in the world is going into eternity. / By Increase Mather. ; [Eight lines of Scripture texts]
Boston : Sold by Eleazer Phillips., 1703
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 Reason why sinners do not come to Christ when invited, It is because they love him not. No man will choose to be a Scholar to a Master that he hates. Sinners are so far from loving the Lord Jesus Christ, as that they do indeed hate him. Joh. 3. 20 He that hates the light does not come to the light. Christ is that light which sinners hate, therefore they do not nor will come unto him. It is a sad word to be spoken, but alas a true one, That men by Nature are haters of God, and therefore will not believe on him who is the Son of God. This reason Christ gives why the Jews did not believe on him, Joh. 5. 42. You will not come unto me that ye may have life: You have not the love of God in you. They hated God & ⟨p. 53⟩therefore would not come unto the Lord Jesus Christ. He that hates God the Father, hates the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Son of God also, and must needs do so because he is so like unto his Father. Joh▪ 15. 24. They have hated me and my Father, says Christ. He that hates the one will hate the other. He that hates Christ will hate God even the Father, and he that hates God the Father will hate Jesus Christ too. Wherefore Christ speaking concerning those Jews the• were invited to come to him, but did not, nor would they come, says Their Soul loathed me, Zech. 11. 8. Because Christ is holy therefore the unholy hearts of men do not love him. As the Evil Spirit once said in a po••e••ed Man, What have we to do with thee thou holy one of God? M••. 1. 24. So it is with sinners, Christ is the Holy one of God, & therefore they don't desire to have to do with him. ⟨p. 54⟩He is too holy for them. They would willingly have a Christ that should save them from Hell and yet allow them to live in their sins: such a Christ would please them. But Christ is He who is Holy, and will not allow men to continue sinning against God. Hence they hate him, Joh 7. 7. The world hates me (says Christ) because I testify of it that the works of it are evil: