A00564:35
The black devil or the apostate Together with the wolf worrying the lambs. And…The blacke devil or the apostate Together with the wolfe worrying the lambes. And…
The black devil or the apostate Together with the wolf worrying the lambs. And the spiritual navigator, bound for the Holy Land. In three sermons. By Thomas Adams.The blacke devil or the apostate Together with the wolfe worrying the lambes. And the spiritual navigator, bound for the Holy Land. In three sermons. By Thomas Adams.
London: printed by William Jaggard, 1615London: printed by William Iaggard, 1615
Title page typeset from the transcription.
THE BLACK DEVIL OR The APOSTATE.THE BLACK DEVILL OR The APOSTATE.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
The Occasion was so material, that it hath led me further, then either my purpose or your patience would willingly have allowed me. What soever is written, is written either for our instruction, or destruction: to convert us, if we embrace it; to convince us, if we despise it. Let this consideration quicken your attention, enliven your meditation, encourage your obedience. You demand viu•m vocem: it is then a Living voice, when it is a voice of life to the believing hearers. Otherwise there is vox mortifera, a voice that brings death to disobeyers. ⟨p. 6⟩The word that I have spoken, sayeth Christ, shall judge you in the last day.
The Occasion was so materiall, that it hath led me further, then eyther my purpose or your patience would willingly haue allowed me. What soeuer is written, is written eyther for our instruction, or destruction: to conuert vs, if we embrace it; to conuince vs, if we despise it. Let this consideration quicken your attention, enliuen your meditation, encourage your obedience. You demaund viu•m vocem: it is then a Liuing voyce, when it is a voice of life to the beleeuing hearers. Otherwise there is vox mortifera, a voice that brings death to disobeyers. ⟨p. 6⟩The word that I haue spoken, sayeth Christ, shall iudge you in the last day.
The White Devil, the Hypocrite hath been formerly discovered, and the sky-coloured veil of his dissimulation pulled off. I am to present to your view and detestation a sinner of a contrary colour, swarthy rebellion, and besmeared Profaneness: an Apostate falling into the clutches of eight unclean spirits. Needs must he be foul, that hath so many foul devils in him. Mary Magdalen had but seven, and they were cast out: this hath gotten one more, to make his soul the blacker, and they keep in. If Hypocrisy there, were justly called the White Devil; Apostasy here may as justly be termed the Black Devil. In the former was a white skin of profession drawn over an ulcerous corps: here hide and carcass, hand and heart, shadow and substance, seeming and being, outward profession and inward intention, are black, foul, detestable. Therefore we will call him the Apostate, or black Devil.