A00888:469
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.
1. She knew not her own sickness. We say, the first steppe to health, is to know that we are sick. The disease being known, it is half cured. This is the difference betwixt a Fever & a Lethargy: the one angers the sense, but doth keep it quick, tender and sensible: the other obstupefies it. The Lethargized is not less sick, because he complains not so loud as the Aguish. He is so much the nearer his own end, as he knows not that his disease is begun. Israel was sick and knew it not; or as Christ said of the Pharisees, would not know it. There is no surer course for the devil to work his pleasure on men, then to keep them in ignorance. How easily doth that Thief rob and spoil the house of our souls, when he hath first put out the candle of knowledge? That tyrannical Nebuchadnezzar caries many a Zedechias to his infernal Babel, when he hath put out his eyes. No marvel, if the Gospel be hid to them that are hid to it:1 Whose minds the God of this world hath blinded, ⟨p. 255⟩least the light of the glorious Gospel of God should shine to them. Who wonders, if the blind man cannot see the shining Sun?2 When Antiochus entered to the spoil of the Sanctuary, the first things he took away, were the golden Altar, and the Candle-stick of light. When the Devil comes to rifle Gods spiritual temple, Mans soul, the first boot•e that he lays his sacrilegious hands on, are Sacrifice and Knowledge, the Alter and the Lamp. That subtle Falconer knows, that he could not so quietly carry us on his fist, without baiting and striving against him, if we were not hooded.
1. Shee knew not her owne sicknesse. Wee say, the first steppe to health, is to know that we are sicke. The disease being knowne, it is halfe cured. This is the difference betwixt a Feuer & a Lethargie: the one angers the sense, but doth keepe it quicke, tender and sensible: the other obstupefies it. The Lethargiz'd is not lesse sicke, because hee complai•es not so loud as the Aguish. He is so much the neerer his owne end, as hee knowes not that his disease is begunne. Israell was sicke and knew it not; or as Christ said of the Pharases, would not know it. There is no surer course for the diuell to worke his pleasure on men, then to keepe them in ignorance. How easily doth that Thiefe rob and spoile the house of our soules, when hee hath first put out the candle of knowledge? That tyrannicall Nebuchadnezzer caries many a Zedechias to his infernall Babell, when hee hath put out his eyes. No meruaill, if the Gospell be hid to them that are hid to it: