The Great Salvation Revealed and Offered, Outline
The General CONTENTS.
TEXT. HEB. 2.3.
DOC. The Salvation reveal'd and offer'd in the Goſpel is Great and Glorious, and the neglect of it will bring upon Men great and unavoidable miſery. p. 5
PROP. I. That Men need Salvation, even ſuch as the Goſpel reveals. p. 6 Clear'd by conſidering,
1. What Mans natural eſtate at preſent is, how depraved & ſinful; In ſeveral particul. p. 8 to 16
2. What is like to be conſequent upon it, here, and hereafter; Evils, Temporal, Spiritual and Eternal. p. 16 to 20
3. Man's impotency to relieve himſelf under his preſent miſery, or prevent what is future. p. 20
Application.
USE 1. To Reprove the ſecurity and careleſsneſs of ſuch who live as if they had no need of Salvation. p. 23.
Several Conſiderations offer'd to promote their Awakening. p. 24 to 28
USE 2. To perſwade Men to endeavour to get a right underſtanding, and thorow conviction of their need of Salvation. Urg'd,
Becauſe, 'Till they have ſuch a ſenſe they will not be in earneſt concern'd to obtain it. p 29
To further which ſenſe and conviction, ſeveral Directions given. p. 31 to 42
PROP. II. There is a way of Salvation revealed and propoſed to Men, in and by the Goſpel. p. 43 Q. How the Goſpel reveals a way of Salvation?
A. 1. It reveals the eternal purpoſe and counſel of God concerning Man's Salvation. p. 44
2. It reveals that God has provided a Saviour for periſhing Sinners. And ſhews us WHO and WHAT He is, God and Man in One Wonderful Perſon. p. 45 to 49
3. The Goſpel makes an offer of Salvation to all that enjoy it. p. 50.
5. It propounds the Terms upon which it may be had; Faith, Repentance, A life of ſincere Obedience. p. 50 to 54
5. It is the great Inſtrument and Means God uſes for the Application of Salvation. p. 54, 5, 6, 7.
Application.
USE 1. How exceeding thankful ought we to be for the Goſpel. p. 58 Our Obligations to thankfulneſs are very great.
1. In that it is an act of ſpecial Mercy. p. 59
2. Diſtinguiſhing Mercy. Not the common lot of Mankind. p. 61
3. A Mercy which we had abſolute need of. p. 62
4. Is continued after it has been much neglected and diſregarded. p. 63
USE 2. Let this put you upon Enquiring, what are you the better for it? Several Enquiries propos'd. p. 65 to 72
PROP. III. That the Salvation reveal'd and offer'd in the Goſpel is very Great and Glorious. p. 73
1. If we conſider how great Difficulties lay in the way of it. And what a glorious Diſplay of the Divine Attributes there is, in bringing it to …aſs. p. 74
2. If we conſider how Great and GLORIOUS A PERSON was employ'd in purchaſing Salvation. p. 76
And what he did in order to it. Several Particulars. p. 78, to 84
3. Argued, From the neceſſary gracious operations of the Holy Spirit, in applying it to the Souls of Men. p. 84
4. If we conſider from what Evil and Miſery we are ſaved. From Sin, from Hell, &c. p. 87 to 91
5. If we conſider, What Bleſſings it contains in it, and what Priviledges it intitles Believers unto. p. 91 to 94
Application.
USE 1. Inf. How greatly ſhould Men be concerned for the Salvation of their Souls. Three Conſiderations. p. 94 to 98
USE 2. How much reaſon we have to admire the Riches of Divine Wiſdom & Grace herein. This is one ſpecial way of honouring God for it, and will be greatly ſubſervient to our own Comfort. p. 99 to 103
USE 3. Exhortation, To ſecure an intereſt in this Great Salvation. Enforc'd by ſeveral Arguments. As, Man's abſolute neceſſity; the compleatneſs of this Salvation, &c. p. 104 to 113
PROP. IV. How Great and Glorious ſoever this Salvation is, it is by too many neglected. p. 114 Here ſhewn, 1. That it is ſo. 2. Whence it comes to paſs.
1. That many do neglect the Salvation which the Goſpel offers. This is the caſe,
1. Of thoſe that ſlight and diſregard the offers of it. p. 115
2. Of thoſe that dont make it their great concern to get a right underſtanding of the way of Salvation; and to be intereſted in it. p. 117
3. Of thoſe who thruſt it from them. Two ſorts of Perſons here comprehended. p. 118, 119.
2. Whence it is that ſo many neglect Salvation. p. 120 Many blameable Cauſes, the more General hinted.
1. A prevailing love to ſome Luſt. p. 121
2. An inordinate love of Earthly Enjoyments. p. 122
3. Cauſleſs prejudices, which Men take up againſt the way of Salvation, or the means of it. p. 124
4. From the influence of bad Examples. p. 125
5. From a legal ſpirit and temper prevailing in them. p. 127
6. From the influence of Satan in blinding the minds of Men, and ſetting them againſt their duty. p. 128
USE 1. This ſhows what cauſe there is of Humiliation & Mourning, that this Salvation is ſo much neglected and undervalued in our Days. p. 129
Upon ſeveral Accounts.
1. Conſidering the greatneſs of the Sin. p. 130
2. The ſad effects it is attended with in this World. p. 132
3. The certain danger ſuch are in of Eternal Judgments. p. 134
4. The great hazard that their Opportunities will quickly be gone. p. 136
USE 2. Of Examination. Whether you are not guilty of this Sin of neglecting the Great Salvation. Enq. Whether you have been brought thankfully to receive the Bleſſings offered, and ſubmit to the Terms propoſed in the Goſpel? p. 138 If you have,
1. You do indeed value the Priviledges of it.
2. You will fetch the ſweeteſt comforts from the hopes of it. p. 141
3. You will make it your care to anſwer the deſign of it. p. 142
USE 3. To adviſe all that have neglected Salvation, now to imbrace it. p. 144
1. Shake off preſumption and ſecurity. p. 145
2. Get the knowledge of your abſolute and preſent need of Salvation.
3. Labour after an underſtanding of the ſufficiency of the Saviour, and the ſuitableneſs of the Salvation which the Goſpel reveals. p. 146
PROP. V. The neglect of this Great Salvation will expoſe Men to great and unavoidable miſery. p. 148
Two Queſtions here conſidered.
1. How doth it appear, that ſuch will be expos'd to great and unavoidable miſery?
2. Why will this neglect have ſuch a fearful Iſſue?
For the Firſt it is evident,
1. Becauſe they will have none of their Sins Pardoned, but muſt bear the guilt of them all. p. 149 And this will be terrible and inſupportable.
(1.) Becauſe Sinners will have a much clearer ſight of their ſins than now they have. p. 150
(2.) Becauſe then they will have another manner of ſight of the majeſty and terror of God againſt whom they have ſinned. p. 152
(3.) They ſhall have no hope of ever being Pardoned.
2. They muſt bear the wrath and curſe of God which belongs to the tranſgreſſion of the Law. p. 153
3. They will ſuffer it in a greater and ſorer degree than others who have not been ſo priviledg'd. From their own Conſciences. From the Devils. And from Chriſt himſelf. p. 156
2. Why will this neglect of Salvation iſſue in ſuch terrible puniſhments? p. 157
1. Becauſe it is an abuſe of the greateſt love and mercy that God ever manifeſted to the world.
2. Becauſe ſuch are guilty of refuſing the only remedy. p. 159
3. Becauſe the juſtice and truth of God requires it. p. 160
USE I. Inf. The fearful blindneſs and ſottiſhneſs of many ſinners who enjoy the Goſpel, but neglect Salvation. Their folly is manifeſt alſo.
1. In that they act contrary to what they profeſs to be their intereſt. p. 163
2. In that this is the only way in which they can hope for Salvation. p. 164
3. God has given as clear proofs of the certainty of this, and of his readineſs to give it, as can be deſired. p. 165
USE 2. To awaken and reprove ſuch as neglect the Great Salvation. p. 166 Conſider,
1. How great contempt of the Grace and Mercy of God you are guilty of. p. 167
2. The inexpreſſible wrong you do your own Souls. p. 169
3. You oppoſe the great deſign which God has been carrying on from the beginning of the World. p. 171
4. You reſiſt & oppoſe the Spirit of GOD. p. 173
USE 3. Of Warning to all who have hitherto neglected Salvation, not to continue in ſuch neglect any longer. Several Conſiderations to enforce it. p. 175 to 181
USE 4. A Concluding Exhortation, To all who have profeſſedly imbraced the Great Salvation offered in the Goſpel, to live accordingly, to walk worthy of their Priviledge and Profeſſion. p. 181 Particularly,
1. Live in the daily exerciſe of Faith in the Lord Jeſus Chriſt for all the parts of this Salvation, as you ſtand in need. In ſeveral Inſtances. p. 183 to 189
2. Live a Life of univerſal Obedience, walk holily before God continually; ſo as to Adorn the Doctrine of God our Saviour. p. 181 ad finem.
End of the text · William Williams, The Great Salvation Revealed and Offered (1717)