N01667:64
Practical truths, plainly delivered
Practical truths, plainly delivered: wherein is showed, I. That true believers on Jesus Christ, shall as certainly enjoy everlasting life in heaven, as if they were there already. II. That there is a blessed marriage between Jesus Christ the son of God, & the true believer. III. That men are infinitely concerned, not only to hear the voice of Christ, but that they do it, to day. IV. The work of the ministry, described, in an ordination sermon. / By Increase Mather, D.D. ; [Seven lines of Scripture texts]Practical truths, plainly delivered: wherein is shewed, I. That true believers on Jesus Christ, shall as certainly enjoy everlasting life in heaven, as if they were there already. II. That there is a blessed marriage between Jesus Christ the son of God, & the true believer. III. That men are infinitely concerned, not only to hear the voice of Christ, but that they do it, to day. IV. The work of the ministry, described, in an ordination sermon. / By Increase Mather, D.D. ; [Seven lines of Scripture texts]
printed by B. Green for Daniel Henchman, 1718
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.
1. There is a Negative Unbelief; which they that never had the Gospel Preached to them, are subject unto. Rom. 10.14. How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a Preacher? Thus it is with the greatest part of Mankind, poor perishing Creatures, they sit in darkness, and in the Region of the shadow of death. What a dreadful Scripture is that, in Psal. 9.17. The wicked shall be turned into Hell, and all the Nations th•• forget God. But this sort of Unbelief, none that hear me this day are concerned in. The Gospel has been Preached, and the Great Salvation offered to every Soul among us.
2. There is Positive Unbelief, which is a disobedience to the Calls of the Gospel. This Unbelief is the most damning Sin that ever any Man has been guilty of. Joh. 3.19. And this is the Condemnation that light is come into the World, and men love darkness rather than light. Christ is the most glorious ⟨p. 42⟩light that ever came into the World, but Men prefer Sin before Him. This brings them under the heaviest Condemnation that possibly can be. The Unbeliever is not as yet Executed, but he is Condemned. Joh. 3.18. He that believeth not is condemned already. And what Punishment is he Condemned unto? To nothing less than death. And what death? A death not of the body only, but of the Soul; He is Condemned to suffer the pains not of the first death only, but of the Second Death. What is the Second Death? Rev. 21.8. The Unbelieving shall have their part in the Lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. And that which makes it to be a death indeed, is the Everlastingness of it. The thought of it is amazing. Despairing Spira said, If I were to be in Hell but for a thousand Years, methinks it might be endured, but when I think of Eternity, I am amazed Ah! Woeful Unbeliever, if thou were told that thou shouldst be in Exquisite Torments for a few Years, how would it astonish thee? But will it not affect thee, that GOD Himself declares to thee, that if thou persist in thy Unbelief, thou shalt be in Endless and Easeless Miseries, in Torment the Smoke whereof shall ascend for ever and ever. For the Lords sake Consider of it before it is too late. Know it of a certainty, That Unbelievers who have disobeyed the Gospel, will fall under the saddest Sentence, at the last day, of any Sinners