Making Light of Christ and Salvation Too Oft the Issue, Title page – To the reader
Making Light of CHRIST AND SALVATION Too oft the Iſſue of Goſpel-Invitations. Manifeſted in a SERMON Preached at Lawrence-Jury, in London. By RICH. BAXTER.
Heb. 2. 34.
How ſhall we eſcape, if we neglect ſo great Salvation?
The Second Edition.
LONDON: Printed for Nevil Simmons, and ſold by moſt Bookſellers, 1691.
To the READER.
READER,
BEing called on in London to Preach, when I had no time to ſtudy, I was fain to preach ſome Sermons that I had preached in the Country a little before. This was one, which I preached at S. Lawrence, in the Church where my Reverend and faithful Brother in Chriſt, Mr. Richard Vines is Paſtor: when I came home, I was followed by ſuch importunities by Letters to Print the Sermon, that I have yielded thereunto; though I know not fully the ground of their deſires. Seeing it muſt abroad, will the Lord but bleſs it to the cure of thy contempt of Chriſt and Grace, how comfortable may the occaſion prove to thee and me! It is the ſleighting of Chriſt and Salvation that undoes the World. Oh happy man, if thou ſcape but this ſin! Thouſands do ſplit their Souls on this Rock which they ſhould build them on! Look into the World, among rich and poor, high and low, young and old, and ſee whether it appear not by the whole ſcope of their Converſations, that they ſet more by ſomething elſe than Christ? and for all the proclamations of his Grace in the Goſpel, and our common profeſing our ſelves to be his Diſciples, and to believe the Glorious things that he hath promiſed us in another World, whether it yet appear not by the deceitfulneſs of our ſervice, by our heartleſs endeavours to obtain his Kingdom, and by our buſie and delightful following of the World, that the moſt who are called Chriſtians do yet in their hearts make light of Chriſt? And if ſo, what wonder if they periſh by their contempt? Wilt thou but ſoberly peruſe this ſhort Diſcourſe, and conſider well as thou readeſt, of its truth and weight, till thy heart be ſenſible what a ſin it is to make light of Chriſt and thy own Salvation, and till the Lord that bought thee be advanced in the eſtimation and affections of thy Soul, thou ſhalt hereby rejoyce, and fulfil the deſires of
Thy Servant in the Faith, RICH. BAXTER.