A Christian Library, Chapter 23 – Colophon 4
CHAP. XXIII.
Sect. 1. SEcondly, Are the joyes of Heaven so unspeakable and glorious? How then should we admire the love and bounty of God, and bless his Name, who for the performance of so small a work, hath proposed so great a Reward? And for the obtaining of such an happy state, hath imposed such an easie task. Yea more, is Heaven so unspeakably sweet and delectable, and Hell so unutterably dolefull? Then let nothing be thought too much, that we can either do or suffer for Christ, who hath freed us from the one, and purchased for us the other. Though indeed, nothing that we are able to do or suffer here, can be compared with those woes we have deserved in Hell, or those joyes we are reserved to in Heaven. And indeed, that we are now out of hell, there to fry in flames of fire and brimstone, never to be freed, that we have the free offer of grace here, and everlasting glory hereafter in heaven; we are onelyonly beholding to him. We are all by nature, as traytors condemned to suffer eternal torments in hell-fire, being onelyonly reprieved for a tim… : But from this extremity, and eternity of torment, Iesus hath freed and delivered us.
O think then! yea, be ever thinking of it, how rich the mercy of our Redeemer was, in freeing us; and that by laying down his own life to redeem us. Yea, How can we be thankfull enough, for so great a blessing? It was a mercy bestowed, and a way found out, that may astonish all the sons of men on earth, and Angels in Heaven! Which being so … can any one in common reason, meditate so unbottomed a love, and not study and strive for an answerable and thankfull demeanour. If a Friend had given us but a thousand part of what God and Christ hath, we should heartily love him all our l…ves, and think no thank… sufficient: What price then, should we set upon Iesus Christ, who is the life of our lives, and the soul of our souls? Do we then for Christs sake, what we would do for a Friends sake: Yea, let us abhor our selves for our former unthankfulness, and our wonderfull provoking of him. Hearken we unto Christs voyce, in all that he saith unto us, without being swayed one way or another, as the most are? Let us whom Christ hath redeemed, express our thank…ulness, by obeying all that he saith unto us, whatever it shall cost us, since nothing can be too much to endure for those pleasures which shall endure for ever. As Who would not obtain Heaven at any rate, at any cost or trouble whatsoever?
In Heaven is a Crown laid up for all such as suffer for righteous…ess, even a Crown without cares, without rivals, without envy, without end; And is not this reward enough, for all that men or Devils can do against us? Who would not serve a short apprentiship in Gods service here, …o be made for ever free in glory? Yea, Who would not be a Philpot for a monethmonth, or a Lazarus for a day, or a Steven for an hour, that he might be in Abrahams bosome for ever? Nothing can be too much to endure, f…r those pleasures that endure for ever. Yea, what pain can we think too much to suffer? What little enough to do, to obtain eternity? for this incorruptible Crown of Glory in Heaven? 1 Pet. 5.4. where we shall have all tears wiped from our eyes. Where we shall cease to sorrow, cease to suffer, cease to sin. Where God shall turn all the water of our afflictions, into the pure wine of endless, and un…xpressible comfort.
You shall sometimes see an hired servant, venture his life for his new Master, that will scarce pay him his wages at the years end; and can we suffer too much for our Lord and Master, who giveth every one that serveth him, …ot Fields and Vineyards, as Saul pretended, 1 Sam 22 7. &c. nor Towns and Cities, as Cicero is pleased to boast of Caesar; but even an hundred-…old more than we part withall here in this life, and eternal Mans… ons in Heaven hereafter, John 14.2.
St. Paul saith, Our light affliction which is but for a moment, causeth us a far most excellent and eternal weight of glory; 2 Cor. 4.17, 18. Where note the incomparable and infinitive difference, between the wo…k and the wages: light affliction receiving a weight of glory; and momentary affliction, eternal glory. Suitable to the reward of the wicked, whose empty delights live and die in a moment; but their unsufferable punishment is interminable and endless. Their pleasure is short, their pain everlasting; our pain is short, our joy eternal. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the Crown of life, …am. 1.12.
… what folly is it then, or rather madness, for the small pleasure of some base lust, some paltry profit, or fleeting vanity, (which passeth away in the very act, as the taste of a pleasant drink, dieth so soon as it is down,) to bring upon our selves in another world, torments without end, and beyond all compass of conceit?
Fourthly, Is it so? that God hath set before us life and death, Heaven and Hell, as a reward of good and evil; leaving us as it were to our choyce, whether we will be compleatly and everlastingly happy or miserable: with what resolution and zeal should we strive, to make our calling and election sure? nor making our greatest business, our least and last care. I know well thou hadst rather when thou diest, go to reign with Christ in his Kingdom for evermore, than be confined to a perpetual Prison or Furnace of fire and brimstone, there to be tormented with the D…vil and his Angels; If so, provoke not the Lord, who is great and terrible, of most glorious Majesty, and of infinite purity; and who hath equally promised salvation unto those which keep his Commandments; and threatned eternal death and destruction to those who break them. For as he is to all repentant sinners a most mercifull God, Exod. 34.6. so to all wilfull and impenitant sinners, he is a consuming fire, and a jealous God, Heb. 12.29. Deut. 4 24.
There was a King, who having no issue to succeed him, espied one day a well-favoured and towardly youth; he took him to the Court, and committed him to Tutors to instruct him, prov…ding by his Will, that if he proved fit for Government, he should be crowned King, if not, he should be kept in chains, and made a Gally-slave: the youth was m…sled, and neglected both his Tutors good Couns…l, and his Book, so as his Master cor…ected him, and said; O that thou knewest what honour is prepared for thee! and what thou art l…ke to loose by this thy idle and loose carriage! Well, thou wilt afterwards when 'tis to late, sorely rue this. And when he grew to years, the King died, whose Counc…l and Executours perceiving him to be utterly unfit for State Government, called him before them, and declared the Kings will and pleasure, which was accordingly performed: for they caused him to be fettered, and committed to the Galleys, there to toil, and tug at the Oa…s perpetually, where he was whipt and lasht, if he remitted his stroke never so little; where he had leisure to consider with himself, that now he was chained, who might have walked at liberty; now he was a slave, who might if he would, have been a King; now he was over-ruled by Turks, who might have ruled over Christians. The thought whereof could not but double his misery, and make him bewail his sorrow with tears of blood. Now this hereafter will be the case of all careless persons, save that this comes as … of that, as earth comes short of heaven, and temporal misery, of eternal. Wherefore if thou wouldest have this to become thy very case, go on in thy wilfull and perverse impenitency; but if not, bethink thy self, and do thereafter, and that without delaying one minute: For there is no redemption from hell, if once thou comest there: And … thou canst swallow thy spittle, if thou diest this day in thy natural condition.
Many men take liberty to sin, and continue in a trade of sin, because God is mercifull: b…t they will one day find that he is just as well as mercifull. There is mercy with God (saith the Psalmist) that he may be feared, not that he may be despised, blasphemed, &c. Psal. 130.4. Yea, know this, and write it in the Table-book of thy memory, and upon the table of thy heart; That if Gods bountifulness, and long-suffering towards thee, does not lead thee to repentance; it will double thy doom, and encrease the pile of thy torments. And that everyday which does not abate of thy rec…oning, will encrease it: And that thou by thy hardness and imp…nitency, shall but treasure up unto thy self wrath, against the day of wrath, and the declaration of the just judgment of God, Rom. 2.4▪ 5, 6.
Now this Iudg hath told us, that we must give an account for every idle word we speak, Mat. 12.36. much more then for our wicked actions; therefore beware what thou dost against him.
Men may dream of too much strictness in holy courses; but they do not consider the power, the purity, and strictness of the Iudg: He who bri…gs even idle words to judgment, and forgets not a thought of disobedience; How will he spare our gross negligence and presumption? How our formality and irreverence in his service? much more our flagitious wickedness, Heb. 12.29.
Sect. 3. Wherefore as you ever expect or hope for Heaven, and Salvation; as you would escape the tormenting flames of h…ll-fire; cease to do evil, learn to do well. For Sanctification is the way to Glorification, Holiness to eternal Happiness. If we would have God to glorifie our bodies in Heaven; we also must glorifie God in our bodies here on earth.
And now for conclusion: Are the Ioyes of Heaven so unspeakable and glorious? the torments of Hell so wofull and dolo…ous? then it behoves all Parents and Governours of Families, to see to their Children and Servants souls; and that they miscarry not through their neglect. As tell me, Will not their blood be required at your hands, if hey perish through your neglect? Will it not be sad to have Children and Servants rise up in judgment against you, and to bring in evidence at the great Tribunal of Christ? saying, Lord, my Father never minded me, my Master never regarded me; I might sin, he never reproved me; I might go to Hell, it was all one to him: Will not this be sad?
Secondly, If it be so, Let Children and Servants consider, that 'tis better to have lust restrained, than satisfied; 'tis better to be held in, and restrained from sin; than to have a wicked liberty. Be not angry with those who will not see you damn your souls, and let you alone: they are your best Friends. Fear the strokes of Gods anger, be they spiritual or eternal▪ more than the strokes of men. What's a setter to a Dungeon? a Gallows to Hell fire.
Give not way to imaginary, speculative, heart-sins: Murther in the beast, uncleanness in the eye, and thoughts given w…y to, will come to actu… he get but in, he will be to hard for you. And let so much serve to have been spoken of Heaven and Hell.
Upon the one I have stood the longer, that so I might, if God so please, be a means to save some with fear, plucking them out of the fire of Gods wrath, under which (without Repentance) they must lie everlastingly.
And for the other, I have like the Searchers of Canaan, brought you a cluster of grapes to give the Reader a taste thereby, of the plentifull vintage we may expect, and look for in the heavenly Canaan.
Now if any would truly know themselves, and how it will fare with them in the end; let them read the whole Boo…, out of which this is taken, viz. The whole duty of a Christian. Which Book is licenced by Iohn Downame and Thomas Gataker.
What follows, is both to fill up the sheet, and to occasion or forewarn Swearers, (who swarm so in all places) and ignorant persons, (whose number is numberless, and who of all others are most confident that they shall do well enough) not to forget, what they have herein heard of Heaven and Hell. And to these, their faithfull and impartial Monitor (the Book giver,) presents a few Considerations.
EVen such is the power of sin, that it made God become man, Angels become D…vils, and men become beasts. For each man by nature, every one, whose heart is not changed by the Loadstone of the Gospel, is a very beast in condition, as Ieremy affirms, Ier. 10.14. and St. Peter, 2 Pet. 2.12. But that's not all; for when the custom of sin, hath so brawned mens hearts, s…ared their consciences, and blinded their minds, that they can Swear and Curse, as familiarly as dogs bark: When the just and true God, hath for their rebellious wickedness in rejecting him, and despising all good means of being bettered; given them up to their own hearts lusts; and to Satan the god of this world, to be taught and governed by him: even as a just Iudg, having passed sentence upon some hainous Malefactor, gives him up to the Iaylor, or Executioner: (as you may see by sundry places, 2 Thes. 2.10, 11, 12. 1 Kings 22.20, 21, 22. 2 Tim. 2.26. Ephes. 2.2. Iohn 13.2. Acts 5.3. 1 Chron. 21.1. Gen. 3.1. to 6. Revel. 2, 10▪ 3, 15. Iohn 8.44. & 12.31. & 14, 30. 2 Cor. 4.4.) Then they become so devilized, that as Paul being guided by the good Spirit of God, could say, I live not, but Christ lives in me, Gal. 2.20. so may, they say, we live no…, but the Devil lives in us. For he is not onelyonly their Father, Gen. 3.15. Iohn 8 44. But their God, 2 Cor. 4.4. And their Prince, Iohn 14.30. And works in them his pleasure, Eph. 2.2. 2 Tim. 2.26. So that they are ready and willing to say or do, what he will have them: as you may plainly read Ioh. 13.2. Acts 5.3. & 12.1, 2, to 12. 1 Chro. 21.1. Gen. 3▪ 1, to 6. Rev. 2.10.
And these you may easily know by their language: For Swearing and Cursing, is the very language of the damned: as you may see, Revel. 16.1. 21. OnelyOnly they learn it …, before they come in Hell. As whence do … Devils learn this their damnable Cursing and Swearing? Are not their tongues fired and edged from Hell, as St. Iames hath it? Iames 3.6. And doth not experience shew, that the language of hell is so familiar with many of them, that blasphemy is become their mother tongue?
Tr…e, these poor simple souls, know none of all this: as those four hundred of Ahabs Prophets, in whom this …vil Spirit spake, did not know that Satan spake by them, 1 King. 22.22. Neither did Iudas know when he eat the sop, that Satan entered into him, and put it into his heart to betray Christ, Iohn 13.2. Nor do Magistrates, when they cast the Servants of God into Prison, once imagine, that the Devil makes them his Iaylors, but he doth so. They are his Instruments, but he is the Principal Authour; as is plain by Rev. 2.10. Neither did Annanias and Sapphira once think, that Satan had filled their hearts, or put that lye into their mouthes, for which they were strook dead, Act. 5. yet the Holy Ghost tells us plainly, that he did so, vers. 3. Nor Eve in Paradise, had not the least suspition, that it was Satan that spake to her, by the Serpent: Nor Adam, that it was the Devils mind in her mouth, his heart in her lips; when tempted to eat the forbidden fruit. Nor did David once dream, that it was Satan, who moved him to number the people, 1 Chron. 21.1. Much less did Peter, who so loved Christ, imagine that he was set on by Satan, to tempt his own Lord and Master with those affectionate words, Master pitty thy self: For if Christ had pittied himself, Peter and all the world had perished. Yet it was so, which occasioned Christ to answer him, Get thee behind me Satan. Matth. 16.22, 23.
Much more is it so with you, who tare Heaven with your blasphemies, and bandy the dreadfull Name of God, in your impure and poluted mouthes, by your bloody Oathes and Execrations. For how else could you Swear and Curse as if he that made the ear could not hear? or as if he were neither to be feared nor cared for, who for sin cast the Angels out of Heaven▪ Adam out of Paradise, drowned the old world, rained down fire and brimstone upon Sodom, commanded the earth to open her mouth, and swallow down quick Korah and his company? He who smote Aegypt with so many plagues, overthrew Phoraoh and his host in the Red Sea, destroyed great and mighty Kings, giving their Land for an Inheritance to his people: and can as easily with a word of his mouth, strike you dead while you are blaspheming him, and cast you body and soul into Hell for your odious unthankfullness: yea, it is a mercy beyond expression, that he hath spared you so long.
When a dog flyes in his Masters face that keeps him, we conclude he is mad: Are you then rational men, that (being never so little crost,) will fly in your Makers face, and tare your Saviours-Name in pieces with Oathes and Execrations, which is worse than frenzy? No, you are demoniacal, obsessed or rather posessed with a Devil: and more miserable than such an one, because it is a Devil of your own choosing, as Basil speaks. Or if you have any spark of reason left, o… do in the least love your selves; leave off your damnable, and devilish Sweating and … God hath made, and set down in his Word against this horrid sinne; and against all those that so daringly and audaciously provoke him, lest you be plagued with a witness, and that both here and hereafter: for God (who cannot lie) hath threatened that his curse shall never depart from the house of the Swearer, as it is Zach. 5.1, to 5. And I doubt not but you are already cursed, though you know it not: That either he hath cursed you in your body, by s…nding some foul Disease; or in your estate, by suddenly consuming it; or in your name, by blemishing and blasting it; or in your seed, by not prospering it; or in your mind, by darkening it; or in your heart, by hardening it; or in your conscience, by terrifying it; or will in your soul, by everlastingly damning it, if you repent not. Wherefore take heed what you do, before it prove too late. Yea, my Brethren, bethink your selves what God and Christ hath done for you. It is his maintenance we take, and live on. The air we breathe, the earth we tread on, the fire that warms us, the water that cools and cleanseth us, the cloathes that cover us, the food that does nourish us, the delights that chear us, the b…asts that serve us, the Angels that attend us, even all are his. That we are not at this present in Hell, there to fry in flames, never to be freed; that we have the free offer of grace here, and everlasting glory in Heaven hereafter, we are onelyonly beholding to him, And shall we deny this Lord that hath bought us? Shall we most spightfully and maliciously fight on Satans side against him with all our might, and that against knowledg and conscience? I wish that you would a little think of it
Neither object that ye are so accustomed to Swearing that you cannot leave it; for this defence is worse than the offence. As take an instance: Shall a thief or murtherer at the Bar alledge for his defence, that it hath been his use and custome of a long time, to rob and kill, and therefore he must continue it? Or if he do, will not the Judge so much the rather send him to the Gallows? And so much the rather, for that of all other sins this sin of Swearing is the most inexcusable. First, Because it is a sin from which of all other sins we have most power of abstinence: For were you forced to pay three shillings four pence for every Oath you swear, (as the Law enjoyns;) or if you were sure to have your tongue cut out, which is too light a punishment for this sin, damnation being the due penalty thereof, as the Apostle sets it down, Iam. 5.12. you both could and would leave it. Secondly, Because it is a sin to which of all other sins we have the fewest temptations; for all thou canst expect by it, is, the suspicion of a common Lyar, by being a common Swearer; or that thou shalt vex othe…s, and they shall hate thee: for it bringeth not so much as any appearance of good unto us to induce us: For whereas other sins have their several baits to allure us; some the bait of profit, some of honour, some of pleasure; this sin is destitute of them all, and onelyonly bringeth much loss here, namely, of Credit and a good Conscience; and the loss of Gods Favour, and the Kingdome of Heaven hereafter, which … of more value than ten thousand Worlds; which shews, that thou lo…lice to, and contempt of God, which is most fearfull, and (as a man would think) should make it unpardonable: I am sure the Psalmist hath a terrible word for all such, if they would take notice of it: Let them be confounded that transgress without a cause, Psal. 25.3. Wherefore no longer continue it, but repent of it, and forsake it, lest the Lord should deal by you as he hath threatned, Deut. 28.58, 59. That if we do not fear and dread his glorious and fearfull Name, the Lord our God, he will make our plagues wonderfull, and of long continuance, and the plagues of our posterity. Besides, how frequently doest thou pollute and prophane Gods Name, and thy Saviours? The Jews grievously sinned in crucifying the Lord of Life but once, and that of ignorance; but the times are innumerable that thou doest it, every day in the year, every hour in the day, although thy Conscience and the Holy Spirit of Grace hath checkt thee for it a thousand and a thousand times. Doest thou expect to have Christ thy Redeemer and Advocate, when thy Conscience tells thee that thou hast seldome remembred Him but to blaspheme Him? and more often named Him in thy Oaths and Curses, than in thy Prayers?
True, thou takest so little notice of the number of thy Oaths and Curses, that thou wilt not acknowledge thou didst Swear or Curse at all▪ Yea, though thou beest taken in the manner, and told of it, thou wilt not believe it: But all that are present can witness the same, and Satan also; as also the searcher of hearts, who himself will one day be a swift witness against swearers, Mal. 3.5. For of all other sinners, the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his Name in vain, as the third Commandement tells you, Exod. 20.7.
But wo is me, it fares with common Swearers as with persons desperately diseased, whose excrements and filth comes from them at unawares▪ For as by much labour the hand is so hardened that it hath no sense of labour; so their much swearing causeth such a brawny skin of senslesness to overspread the heart, memory and conscience, that the Swearer sweareth unwittingly; and having sworn, hath no remembrance of his Oath, much less repentance for his sin.
Wherefore I beseech you by the mercies of God (who hath removed so many evils, and conferred so many good things upon you, that they are beyond thought or imagination) to leave it; especially after this warning, which in case you do not, will be a sore witness, and rise up in judgement against you another day.
Or if you regard not your self, nor your own souls good; yet for the Nations good, leave your Swearing and Banning: For the Lord hath a great controversie with the Inhabitants of the Land, because of swearing, Hos. 4 1, 2. Yea, because of Oaths the whole Land (even the three Nations) now mourneth, as you may see, Ier. 23.10.
But thou (who art a little civilized) wilt alledge, That if …hou doest swear, it is but Faith and Troth, by our L…y, the Light, or the …
Answer: True, blind sensualists, (that have no other guide but the flesh,) may deem or dream it a mite, a moate, a matter of nothing. But hadst thou the least knowledg of the Law of God, or s…ill in Scripture; thou wouldest know, that God expresly forbids it, and that upon pain of damnation, Iames 12▪5. And that Christ commands us not to swear at all, in our ordinary communication: saying, That whatsoever is more than Yea Yea, Nay Nay, cometh of evil, Matth. 5.34, 35, 36, 37.
If the matter be light and vain, we must not swear at all; if so weighty, that we may lawfully swear, as before a Magistrate, being called to it, then we must onelyonly use the glorious Name of our God in a holy and religious manner, as you may see, Deut. 6.13. Isa. 45.23. & 65.16. Iosh. 23.7. Exod. 23.13. Ier. 5.7. And the reasons of it are weighty, if we look into them; for in swearing by Faith, Our Lady, The Light, or any other creature, you ascribe that unto the said creature, which is onelyonly proper to God, namely to know your heart, and to be a discerner of secret things; Why else should you call that Creature as a witness unto your conscience, that you speak the truth and lye not, which onelyonly belongeth to God? And therefore the Lord calls it a forsaking of him; as mark well what he saith, Ier. 5.7. How shall I spare thee for this? thy children have forsaken me, and sworn by them that are no gods? And do you make it a small matter to forsake God, and make a God of the creature? Will you believe the Prophet Amos? If you will, he saith, (speaking of them that swore by the sin of Samaria,) That they shall fall, and never rise again, Amos 8.14 A terrible place to vain Swearers.
Yea, in swearing by any Creature whatsoever, we do invocate that Creature, and ascribe to it divine worship; a lawfull Oath being a kind of Invocation, and a part of Gods worship: Yea, whatsoever we swear by, that we invocate both as our witness, surety and Judg, Heb. 6.16. and by consqeuence deifie it, by ascribing and communicating unto it Gods incommunicable Attributes, as his Omnipresence, and Omnisciency of being every where present, and knowing the secret thoughts and intentions of the heart: and likewise an Omnipotency, as being Almighty in Patronizing, Protecting, Defending and Rewarding us for speaking the truth, or punishing us if we speak falsly: all which are so peculiar to God, as that they can no way be communicated or ascribed to another. So that in swearing by any of these things, thou committest an high degree of gross Idolatry, thou spoilest and robbest God of his glory (the most impious kind of these) and in a manner dethronest Him, and placest an Idol in his room.
Neither are we to joyn any other with God in our Oaths, for in so doing we make base Idols, and filthy Creatures, Corrivals in honour, and Competitors in the Throne of Justice with the Lord, who is the Creator of Heaven and earth, and the supream Judg and solo Monarch of all the world.
… Lord and by Malcham, which Malcham was their King, or as some think their Idol, Zeph. 1.4, 5.
But as if swearing alone would not press thee deep enough into Hell▪ thou addest Cursing to it, a sin of an higher nature, which n…ne use frequently, but such as are desperately wicked▪ it being their peculiar brand in Scripture; as how doth the Holy Ghost stigma…ize such an one? His mouth is full of Cursing, Psal. 10.7. & Rom. 3.14. or he loveth Cursing, Psal. 109.17. And indeed, whom can you observe to love this sins, or to have their mouthes …ull of Cursing? But Ruffians and sons of Belial, such as have shaken out of their hearts the fear of God, the shame of men, the love of Heaven, the dread of Hell, not once caring what is thought or spoken of them here, or what becomes of them hereafter; yea, observe them well, and you will find, that they are mockers of all, that match not under the pay of the Devil. Besides, it is the very depth of sin, roaring and drinking is the horse-way to Hell; whoring and cheating the foot-way; but Swearing and Cursing follows Korah Dathan and Ab…ram. And certainly if the infernal Tophet be not for these men, it can challenge no guests.
Again, Why dost thou curse thine enemy? (if he be so) but because thou canst not be suffered to kill him. For in heart, and God account, thou art a murtherer, in wishing him the pox, plague, or that he were hanged, or damned. Nor will it be any rare thing at the day of judgment, for Cursers to be indicted of murther. For like Shimei and Goliah to David, thou wouldst kill him if thou durst; thou doest kill him so far as thou canst. I would be loath to trust his hands that bans me with his tongue. Had David been at the mercy of either Shimei or Goliah, and not too strong for them, he had then breathed his last.
Such as would know how witless, graceless, and shameless, even the best are that use to curse; (for I pass over such as call for a Curse on themselves, saying, God damn me, confound me, The Devil take me, and the like; which would make a rational man tremble to name; because I were as good knock at a dead mans grave, as speak to them: let them read my larger piece, entituled, A hopefull way to Cure that horrid sin of swearing, page 8, &c. In the mean time take notice what will be the issue? The causeless curse shall not … where the Curser meant it, Prov. 26 2. yea, though thou cursest … God will bless, Psal. 109.28. but thy Curses shall be sure to … back into thine own brest, Psal. 7.14, 15, 16. Prov. 14.30. Cursing mouthes are like ill made Peeces, which while men discharge … others, reco…l i… splinters on their own faces. Their words and … be but whirlewinds, which being breathed forth return again to the same place. As hear how the Holy Ghost delivers it, Psal. 109 … he loved cursing, so shall it come unto him; and as he loved not blessing, so shall it be far from him. As he cloathed himself … cursing like a garment, so shall it … into his bowels like water, and … … into his … be unto him as a garment to cover him, and for a …rdle wherewith he shall alwayes be girded, verse 17, 18, 19. Hear this all … whose tongues run so fast on the Devils errand; you loved Cursing, you shall have it, both upon you, about you, and in you, and that everlastingly, if you persevere and go on; for Christ himself at the last day, even he which came to save the world, shall say unto all such, Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the Devil and his Angels, Matth. 25.41. where they shall do nothing but curse for evermore. And indeed, who shall go to Hell, if Cursers should be left out. Wherefore let all those learn to bless, that look to be heirs of the blessing.
Consider what hath been said, and the Lord give you understanding in all things.
II. To all that in the midst of such plentifull means of light and grace, are ignorant of these three main points, which every one must of necessity know, or he cannot be saved. viz.
How man was at first Created.
How he is now Corrupted.
How he may be again Restored.
Without knowledg the soul cannot be good, Prov. 19.2.
This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil, John 3.19.
If our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: whom the God of this world hath blinded, &c. 2 Cor. 4.3, 4.
Pour out thy …ury upon the Heathen that know thee not; and upon the Fa…lies that call not on thy Name, Jer. 10.25. Psal. 79.6.
It is a people of no understanding: therefore he that made them shall not have mercy on them, and he that formed them, will shew them no favour, Isa. 27.11.
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledg: because thou hast rejected knowledg, I will also reject thee, Hos. 4.6.
The Lord Iesus shall be revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them which know not God, 2 Thes. 1.7, 8.
Take special notice of these Predictions and Testimonies, touching ignorant person… for they are a notable proof of the very small number of those that shall be saved (set down Mat. 7.13, 14. and 20.16. 1 Iohn 5.19. Rev. 20.8 …. 13.15, 16, 17. Isa. 10.22. Rom. 9.27.) For consident I am, out of sufficient experience, that nineteen of twenty, all the Land over, are ignorant of the very first principles of Christianity. Of which more in a …, …tituled, A short and sure way, to grace and salvation.
London, Printed by D. M. to be sold by Henry Crips in Popes-head-alley, by …
The Blemish of Government, the Shame of Religion, the Disgrace of Mankinde; or, a Charge drawn up against Drunkards, and presented to his Highness the Lord PROTECTOR, in the name of all the Sober Partie in the three Nations. Humbly craving, that they may be kept alone by themselves from infecting others; compelled to work and earn what they consume: And that none may be suffered to sell Drink, who shall either Swear, or be Drunk themselves, or suffer Others within their Walls.
By R. Younge of Roxwell in Essex.