The justice of God in the damnation of sinners. Illustrated in a sermon

Here therefore I would endeavour to convince you, that you are under a gross mistake in this matter. And, 1st, I would endeavour to show the weakness of the grounds of your mistake. And 2dly, To demonstrate to you, that you have rejected, and do wilfully reject Jesus Christ.

Here therefore I would endeavour to convince you, that you are under a gross mistake in this matter. And, 1st, I would endeavour to shew the weakness of the grounds of your mistake. And 2dly, To demonstrate to you, that you have rejected, and do wilfully reject Jesus Christ.

1. That you may see the weakness of the grounds of your mistake, consider,

1st, There is a great deal of difference between a willingness not to be damned, and a being willing to receive Christ for your Saviour. You have the former; there is no doubt to be made of that: Nobody supposes that you love misery so well as to choose an eternity of it; and so doubtless you are willing to be saved from eternal misery. But that is a very different thing from being willing to come to Christ: Persons very commonly mistake the one for the other, but they are quite two things. You may love the deliverance, but hate the deliverer. You tell of a willingness; but consider what is the object of that willingness: It does not respect ⟨p. 50⟩Christ; the way of salvation by him is not at all the object of it; but it is wholly terminated on your escape from misery. The inclination of your will goes no farther than self, it never reaches Christ. You are willing not to be miserable; that is, you love yourself, and there your will and choice terminate. And it is but a vain pretence and delusion to say or think, that you are willing to accept of Christ.