A00888:388
The devils banquet described in four sermons [brace], 1. The banquet propounded, begun, 2.…The deuills banket described in foure sermons [brace], 1. The banket propounded, begunne, 2.…
The devils banquet described in four sermons [brace], 1. The banquet propounded, begun, 2. The second service, 3. The breaking up of the feast, 4. The shot or reckoning, [and] The sinners passing-bell, together with Physic from heaven / published by Thomas Adams ...The deuills banket described in foure sermons [brace], 1. The banket propounded, begunne, 2. The second seruice, 3. The breaking vp of the feast, 4. The shot or reckoning, [and] The sinners passing-bell, together with Phisicke from heauen / published by Thomas Adams ...
London: printed by Thomas Snodham for Ralph Mab, 1614
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.
TO THE TRULY-NOBLE KNIGHT Sr. Anthony Saint-John saving health.
TO THE TRVLY-NOBLE KNIGHT Sr. Anthony Sainct-Iohn sauing health.
Right Worshipful:
Right Worshipfull:
The sickness of this World is grown so lethargical, that his recovery is almost despaired: and therefore his Physicians, finding by infallible symptoms that his consumption is not curable, leave him to the malignancy of his disease. For the eye of his faith is blind, the ear of his attention deaf, the foot of his obedience lame, the hand of his charity numbed, and shut up with a griping covetousness. All his vital parts, whereby he should live to goodness, are in a swoon: he lies bed-rid in his security, and hath little less then given up the (Holy) Ghost. It cannot be denied, but that he lies at the mercy of God. It is therefore too late to tolle his Passing-bell, that hath no breath of obedience left in him: I might rather ring out his knell. Yet because there are many in this world, that are not of this world: many sick of the general disease of Sin, whose recovery is not hopeless, though their present state be hapless; and some, that if they knew but themselves sick, would resort to the Poole of Bethesda, ⟨image 110⟩the waters of life, to be cured. I have therefore presumed to take them apart, and tell them impartially their own illness. Oh that to perform the cure were no more difficult then to describe the Malady, or prescribe the remedy. I have endeavoured the latter: the other to God; who can both kill and give life: who is yet pleased, by his word, to work our recovery; and to make me one (unworthy) instrument, to administer his Physic. Now as the most accurate Physicians, ancient or modern, though they delivered precepts in their faculty, worthy of the worlds acceptance and use; yet they set them forth under some Noble Patronage: so I have presumed, under the countenance of your protection, to publish this (physical or rather) metaphysical Treatise: for as the Sickness is spiritual, so the cure must be supernatural. Assuring my self, that if you shall use any observation here, and give it your good word of Probatum est, many others will be induced the more readily to embrace it. My intent is to do good: and if I had any better Receipt, I would not (like some Physicians, I know not whither more envious or covetous, with an excellent Medicine) let it live and die with my self. God conserve your (either) health; and give you, with a sound body, a sounder faith;