Human nature in its fourfold state ... In several practical discourses

5thly, They will remember that time was, when they might have been made partakers of the blessed state of the facts, in their enjoyment of God: and this will aggravate their sense of the loss. All may remember, there was once a possibility of it; that sometime they were in the world, in some corners of which the way of salvation was laid open to mens view; and may wish they had gone round the wor••. ⟨p. 328⟩till they had found it out. Despisers of the gospel will remember with bitterness, that Jesus Christ with all his benefits was offered to them; that they were exhorted, entreated, and pressed to accept, but would not; and that they were warned of the misery they feel, and obtested to flee from the wrath to come, but they would not hearken. The gospel-offer slighted, will make a hot hell; and the loss of an offered heaven will be a sinking weight on the spirits of unbelievers in the pit. Some will remember that there was a probability of their being eternally happy; that sometime they seemed to stand fair for it, and were not far from the kingdom of God; that they had once almost consented to the blessed bargain, the pen was in their hand (as it were) to sign the marriage-contract betwixt Christ and their souls; but unhappily they dropped it, and turned back from the Lord to their lusts again. And others will remember that they thought themselves sure of heaven but, being blinded with pride and self-conceit, they were above ordinances, and beyond instruction, and would not examine their state, which was their ruin: but then they shall in vain wish, they had reputed themselves the worst of the congregation in which they lived; and curse the fond conceit they had of themselves, and that others had of them too. Thus it will sting the damned, that they might have escaped this loss.

5thly, They will remember that time was, when they might have been made partakers of the blessed state of the facts, in their enjoyment of God: and this will aggravate their sense of the loss. All may remember, there was once a possibility of it; that sometime they were in the world, in some corners of which the way of salvation was laid open to mens view; and may wish they had gone round the wor••. ⟨p. 328⟩till they had found it out. Despisers of the gospel will remember with bitterness, that Jesus Christ with all his benefits was offered to them; that they were exhorted, intreated, and pressed to accept, but would not; and that they were warned of the misery they feel, and obtested to flee from the wrath to come, but they would not hearken. The gospel-offer slighted, will make a hot hell; and the loss of an offered heaven will be a sinking weight on the spirits of unbelievers in the pit. Some will remember that there was a probability of their being eternally happy; that sometime they seemed to stand fair for it, and were not far from the kingdom of God; that they had once almost consented to the blessed bargain, the pen was in their hand (as it were) to sign the marriage-contract betwixt Christ and their souls; but unhappily they dropped it, and turned back from the Lord to their lusts again. And others will remember that they thought themselves sure of heaven but, being blinded with pride and self-conceit, they were above ordinances, and beyond instruction, and would not examine their state, which was their ruin: but then they shall in vain wish, they had reputed themselves the worst of the congregation in which they lived; and curse the fond conceit they had of themselves, and that others had of them too. Thus it will sting the damned, that they might have escaped this loss.