A01980:107
A recovery from apostasy Set out in a sermon preached in Stepney Church near London at the receiving of a penitent renegado into the Church, Octob. 21. 1638. By William Gouge D.D. and min. in Black-Friars London Herein is the history of the surprisal and admirable escape of the said penitent.A recovery from apostacy Set out in a sermon preached in Stepny Church neere London at the receiving of a penitent renegado into the Church, Octob. 21. 1638. By William Gouge D.D. and min. in Black-Friers London Herein is the history of the surprizall and admirable escape of the said penitent.
London: printed by George Miller for Joshua Kirton, 1639London: printed by George Miller for Ioshua Kirton, 1639
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
If it be said that all Apostates have not such torturing consciences, I answer,1 that then they have a seared conscience, which is much worse. A restless conscience, though for the time it be even an intolerable burden, yet may it prove a means to bring the tortured soul to deep humiliation for his sin, to sound repentance, ⟨p. 28⟩to an earnest desire of pardon, yea and to faith in Christ Jesus: and thereupon be pacified, and quieted, as his was, who came trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas,2 and sa•d, Sirs, what shall I do to be saved? B•t a senseless conscience never works any remorse, or restraint: but is an occasion of mens giving themselves over to work all wickedness with greediness. Thus after their hardness and impenitent heart they treasure unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath (Rom. 2.5.) In this respect a conscience past f•eling casts a man into a more desperate condition,3 then a conscience destitute of all comfort. And of the two, it is better to live and die in despair, then to live and die in an impudent remorselessness: greedily committing sin without any trouble of conscience. Surely in the day of judgement it will be easier for the conscience which is restless here, then for the senseless conscience.
If it be said that all Apostates have not such torturing consciences, I answer,1 that then they have a seared conscience, which is much worse. A restlesse conscience, though for the time it be even an intolerable burden, yet may it proove a meanes to bring the tortured soule to deepe humiliation for his sinne, to sound repentance, ⟨p. 28⟩to an earnest desire of pardon, yea and to faith in Christ Jesus: and thereupon be pacified, and quieted, as his was, who came trembling and fell downe before Paul and Silas,2 and sa•d, Sirs, what shall I doe to be saved? B•t a sencelesse conscience never works any remorse, or restraint: but is an occasion of mens giving themselves over to worke all wickednesse with greedinesse. Thus after th•ir hardnesse and impenitent heart they treasure unto themselves wrath against the day of wrath (Rom. 2.5.) In this respect a conscience past f•eling casts a man into a more desperate condition,3 then a conscience destitute of all comfort. And of the two, it is better to live and die in despaire, then to live and die in an impudent remorselesnesse: greedily committing sinne without any trouble of conscience. Surely in the day of judgement it will be easier for the conscience which is restlesse here, then for the sencelesse conscience.
1Be wise now therefore all ye that may be brought to the trial of cruel mockings and scourgings. yea moreover of bonds and imprisonment, and of all manner of tortures: be well instructed in the difference betwixt such things as man can inflict upon the body, and such as God can inflict on body and soul: that ye be not worse then the foolish fish, which leap out of the warm water into the flaming fire. Such are they, who to escape the hands of mortal men, fall into the hands of the living God, not considering the weight of that which the Apostle ⟨p. 29⟩saith (Heb. 10.31.) It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
1Be wise now therefore all yee that may be brought to the triall of cruell mockings and scourgings. yea moreover of bonds and imprisonment, and of all manner of tortures: be well instructed in the difference betwixt such things as man can inflict upon the body, and such as God can inflict on body and soule: that yee be not worse then the foolish fish, which leape out of the warme water into the flaming fire. Such are they, who to escape the hands of mortall men, fall into the hands of the living God, not considering the weight of that which the Apostle ⟨p. 29⟩saith (Heb. 10.31.) It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
The fears which usually most affright men, and draw them to be Renegadoes are but of such things which the Apostle (1 Cor. 10.13) styled [Greek or Hebrew] humane or common to man: Such as by man are inflicted, such as by man may be endured.
The feares which usually most affright men, and draw them to be Renegadoes are but of such things which the Apostle (1 Cor. 10.13) stiled 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 humane or common to man: Such as by man are inflicted, such as by man may be indured.
I suppose greater and crueller tortures cannot in these days be by mans wit invented,1 then were of old inflicted by spiteful persecutors on the Jews in the days of Antiochus, and on Christians in the time of the ten notorious persecutions under the Roman Emperors.
I suppose greater and crueller tortures cannot in these daies be by mans wit invented,1 then were of old inflicted by spitefull persecutors on the Iewes in the daies of Antiochus, and on Christians in the time of the ten notorious persecutions under the Romane Emperours.
bSo cruel was the sight of those tortures which persecutors inflicted, as exceeds all expression.
bSo cruell was the sight of those tortures which persecutors inflicted, as exceeds all expression.
cConstant Christians had their flesh torn from their backs with rods, scourges, whips, and cords, so as their bones lay bare, and the raw parts of their body were washed with vinegar and salt.
cConstant Christians had their flesh torne from their backs with rods, scourges, whips, and cords, so as their bones lay bare, and the raw parts of their body were washt with vineger and salt.
eThey were stretched on racks.
fTheir legs were broken, and they so left miserably to perish.
lTheir tongues were cut out by the roots, and pulled out of their jaws.
lTheir tongues were cut out by the rootes, and puld out of their jawes.
nTheir bodies were rent and pulled to pieces by strong boughs, ⟨p. 31⟩forced together by instruments, and let loose when the limbs of the bodies of Martyrs were tied fast unto them. Their limbs were also pulled to pieces with wild horses.
nTheir bodies were rent and pulled to peeces by strong boughs, ⟨p. 31⟩forced together by instruments, and let loose when the limbs of the bodies of Martyrs were tied fast unto them. Their limbs were also pull'd to peeces with wild horses.
