A Christian library, or, A pleasant and plentiful paradise of practical divinity in 37 treatises of sundry and select subjects ... / by R. Younge ...

MEMB. 1.

1. §. Messenger.

NOt to admonish our brother is to hate him, as the Holy Ghost witnesseth, Levit. 19.17. But to scorn our brother should admonish us, is more to hate our selves. That little which Cresus learned of Solon, saved his life. And had Pilate taken that fair warning, his wife gave him: it might have saved his soul; which once lost, cannot be redeemed with ten thousand worlds: no not with the enduring of ten thousand thou∣sand years torments in Hell. When a Dog flies in his masters face that keeps him; we conclude he is mad; are they then rationall men, that (be∣ing never so little crost) will fly in their Makers face, and teare their Savi∣ours name in peeces, with oaths and execrations? which is worse then Frenzie. Yea, this is to send challenges into Heaven, and make love to destruction! And certainly it is Gods unspeakable mercy, that every such oath & blasphemy, proves not a Benoni, the death of the mother, Gen. 35.18▪

§ 2. Think me not too bold, or over harsh: for I speak to you both for and from my Maker and Redeemer. Yea, he perswaded to hearken a while unto me, as you would have God another day, hearken unto you. Are you Christians, as you call your selves? if you be, you have at least heard what God and Christ hath done for us. How when we were in a sad condition; when by sin we had forfeited our selves and all we had, and wilfully plunged our souls and bodyes into eternall torments: When nei∣ther heaven, earth, nor hell could have yeelded any satisfactory thing be∣sides Christ, that could have satisfied Gods justice, and merited heaven for us; then, O then! The eternall God would dye, viz. so far as was possi∣ble or necessary, that we might not dye eternally, Iohn 3.16. A mercy bestowed, and a way found out, that may astonish all the sons of men o•• 〈…〉〈…〉

were his enemies, mortally hating him, and to our utmost fighting against him, and taking part with his only enemies (Sin and Satan) as now you doe, not having the least thought, or desire of reconcilement: but a per∣verse and obstinate will, to resist all means tending thereunto.

3. § O my brethren! bethink your selves; It is his maintenance we take, and live on. The air we breath, the earth we tread on, the fire that warms us, the water that cools and cleanseth us, the cloaths that cover us, the food that does nourish us, the delights that cheer us, the beasts 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 only 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 knowledge and conscience? I wish you would a little think of it.

4. § For favours bestowed, and deliverances from danger, bind to gratitude: or else the more bonds of duty, the more plagues for neglect. The contribution of blessings, requires retribution of thanks; or will bring distribution of judgments. And certainly, if a friend had gi∣ven us but a thousand part of what God hath, we should heartily love him all our lives, and think no thanks sufficient. And in reason, Hath God done so much for us, and shall we denye him any thing he requireth of us? though it were our lives, yea our souls; much more our sins; most of all this sottish and damnable sin, in which there is neither profit, nor pleasure, nor credit, nor any thing else to provoke, or intice us unto it, as in other sins; for all you can expect by it is the suspicion of common Lyers, by be∣ing common Swea••ers: Or that you shall vex others and they shal hate you. Whereas if we could give Christ our Bodyes, and Souls, they should be saved by it, but he were never the better for them. Yea swearing and cursing are sins from which of all other sins we have the most power to abstain. For were you forced to pay three shillings four pence for every oath and curse you utter, as the Law enjoins▪ 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 Iames 5.12. you both could and would leave it, which alone makes it altogether inexcusable. And this know, that the easier the thing commanded is, the greater guilt in the breach of it: and the lighter the injunc••ion, the heavier the transgression, as Austin speaks, and Adams eating the forbidden fruit, sufficiently proves. So that it is evident you love this sin, meerly because it is a great sin, and blaspheme out of meer malice to, and contempt of God, which is most fear∣full, 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 transgresse without a cause, Psal. 25.3.

And no marvell that this fearfull imprecation should fall from the Pro∣phet•• mouth; for that man is bottomlesly ill, who loves vice meerly because 〈…〉〈…〉

digious, damnable wretch, who (rather then not die) will anger God on set purpose. Wherefore looke to it, and think of it, you cursing, and cursed Swearers; You swear away your salvation, curse away your blessing▪ Howling and Cursing shall be your chief ease in Hell, to whom blasphemy was an especiall recreation on Earth.

5. §. Argue with all the world, and they will conclude, there is no vice like ingratitude. And meer ingratitude returns nothing for good, but you return evill▪ yea, the greatest and most malicious evill, for the greatest and most admired love. It was horrible ingratitude for the Iewes to scourge and crucifie Christ, who did them good every way: for he healed their dis∣eases, fed their bodies, inlightned their mindes, of God became Man; and lived miserably among them many years, that he might save their souls: (though in killing him, they did their utmost to sinke the only ship that could save them) but you are more ingratefull to God and Christ then they were, or can be exprest by the best Oratour alive. For which read more, in a Treatise intituled, Gods goodnesse, and Englands unthankfulnesse, from Chapter 4. to Chapter 7.

6. §. O that you would but consider, that the Lord Iehovah, who is a God, great, and terrible, of most glorious majesty, and infinite purity; hears and beholds you in all places, and in every thing you think, speak, or do who is a just Judge, and will not let this cursed sin go unpunished: then would you keep a narrower watch over your thoughts, then any other can do over your actions; yea, you would assoon stab a dagger to your hearts, as let such oaths and execrations drop from your mouths: whereas now 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 Hea∣ven, Adam out of Paradise, drowned the old world, r••••••ed down fire and brimstone upon Sodome, commanded the earth to open her mouth, and swallow down quick Corah, and his companie; he who smote Egypt with so many plagues, overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea, destroyed great and mighty Kings, giving their land for an inheritance to his peo∣ple: 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 odi∣ous unthankfulnesse: yea, it is a mercie beyond expression, that he hath spared you so long. Consider of it I beseech you, lest you swear away your part in that bloud which must save you, if ever you be saved; yea, take heed lest you be plagued with a witnesse, and that both here and hereafter: for God (who cannot lie) hath threatned 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 bodie by sending some foul disease, or in your estate by sud∣dainly consuming i••, or in your name by blemishing and blasting it, or in your seed by not prospering it, or in your minde by darkning it, or in your heart by hardning it, or in your conscience by terrifying it, or will in your soul by everlastingly damning it, if you repent not. Wherefore take ••eed what 〈…〉〈…〉

〈…〉〈…〉 our smart) 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. Neither object that ye are so accustomed to swearing that you cannot leave it, for this defence is worse then 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 custom 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?

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 doe not, will be a sore witnesse, and rise up in judgment against you another day.