Captives bound in chains, made free by Christ their surety

3. What if thou couldst with safety draw near to the gates of Hell, and take a View of those thousands there in restless torments, that lived once as now thou dost, and wert persuaded that they were redeemed and made free, and that they should be saved, as confidently as now thou art; Wouldst thou still continue in thy sinful state and course of life, and yet hope, after such a sight as this? That though thou sawest so many thousands damned before thee for the same sins as thou livest in, wouldst yet be confident, that thou shalt be delivered? Poor sinner! what shall I do for thee? What shall I say unto thee? Will nothing convince thee, nor awaken thee on this side the flames of Hell? Wilt thou believe none of these truths, till thou shalt feel them all made good upon thee? Wilt thou be more brutish than thy very Beast, which thou canst not force nor drive into a burning fire? And yet when thou art told there is a fire that is kindled, into which the slaves of sin and Satan shall be cast, will voluntarily walk in that way that leads thee to it? What if God should take thee to some place, and bid thee stand and see so many millions rolling in a lake of Brimstone, and bid thee stand, and hearken, and hear their groans and hideous howlings, their doleful outcries, ⟨p. 119⟩and dolorous complaints; one confessing, God hath justly damned me for my Drunkenness and my Oaths; and another, I am here tormented for my Sabbath-breaking, and pleasing of my flesh; and another I am suffering in these flames for my Hypocrisy and Unbelief; and a thousand thousands making of the same complaints: After thou hadst heard of such things as these, wouldst thou remain a Drunkard, a Swearer, a Sabbath breaker, an Hypocrite, and an Unbeliever; a Captive in thy bonds of sin, and yet persuade thy self that thou art free, and that thou shalt never be one of the number of this cursed Crew? Methinks such sights and hearings of such things, should awaken and alarm thee: Why, tell me then, Why, shouldst thou not believe the True Eternal God, as well as thy own Eyes and Ears? Such are there that died without Repentance and Faith, that died in their bondage-state; and the same God that hath already damned them, doth also threaten thee for the same sins with the same damnation; and yet shall Satan still keep thee bound with this false hope of a better place?

3. What if thou couldst with safety draw near to the gates of Hell, and take a View of those thousands there in restless torments, that lived once as now thou dost, and wert perswaded that they were redeemed and made free, and that they should be saved, as confidently as now thou art; Wouldst thou still continue in thy sinful state and course of life, and yet hope, after such a sight as this? That though thou sawest so many thousands damned before thee for the same sins as thou livest in, wouldst yet be confident, that thou shalt be delivered? Poor sinner! what shall I do for thee? What shall I say unto thee? Will nothing convince thee, nor awaken thee on this side the flames of Hell? Wilt thou believe none of these truths, till thou shalt feel them all made good upon thee? Wilt thou be more brutish than thy very Beast, which thou canst not force nor drive into a burning fire? And yet when thou art told there is a fire that is kindled, into which the slaves of sin and Satan shall be cast, will voluntarily walk in that way that leads thee to it? What if God should take thee to some place, and bid thee stand and see so many millions rolling in a lake of Brimstone, and bid thee stand, and hearken, and hear their groans and hideous howlings, their doleful outcries,