A05817:186

The Practice of Piety

Name: The Practice of Piety
Author: Lewis Bayly

The practise of piety directing a Christian how to walk that he may please God.The practise of pietie directing a Christian how to walke that he may please God.

Lewis Bayly d. 1631London: printed for John Hodgets, 1613London: printed for Iohn Hodgets, 1613

[36], 1031, [1] p. · 116k words · STC 1602 · ESTC S1173

Title page: Internet Archive scan of the Early English Books microfilm (opens the Internet Archive in a new tab)

THE PRACTISE OF PIETY. › Meditations of the misery of a Man, not reconciled to GOD in Christ. › Meditations of the misery, of the body and soul in death.THE PRACTISE OF PIETIE. › Meditations of the misery of a Man, not reconciled to GOD in Christ. › Meditations of the misery, of the body and soule in death.

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.

[ Earlier:183–198 of 1,315

:183p. 104

The wretched soul seeing her self thus desolate, and altogether destitute of friends, help, and comfort; and knowing that within an hour she must be in everlasting pains: retires her self to the heart (which of all members is Primum vivens, & ultimum moriens) from whence, she makes this doleful lamentation, with her self.

The wretched soule seeing her selfe thus desolate, and altogether destitute of friēds, helpe, and comfort; and knowing that within an houre shee must be in euerlasting paines: retires her selfe to the heart (which of all members is Primum viuens, & vltimum moriens) from whence, shee makes this dolefull lamentation, with her selfe.

:184p. 104–108

O miserable caitiff that I am!¹ How do the Sorrows of death compass me! How do the floods of Belial make me afraid! Now have indeed, the snares both of the first and second death overtaken ⟨p. 105⟩me at once! Oh how suddenly hath death stolen upon me with insensible degrees? Like the Sun which the eye perceives not to move, though it be most swift of motion. How doth Death wreak on me his spite, without pity! The GOD of mercy hath utterly forsaken me, and the Devil, who knows no mercy waits for to take me. How often have I been warned of this doleful day, by the faithful Preachers of Gods word. and I made but a jest thereat? What profit have I now of all my pride▪ fine house, and fair apparel? whats become of the sweet relish of all my delicious fare? All the worldly goods which I so carefully gathered, would ⟨p. 106⟩I now give for a good conscience which I so carelessly neglected. And what joy remains now, of all my former fleshly pleasures, wherein I placed my chief delight? Those foolish pleasures were but deceitful dreams, and now they are past like vanishing shadows: but to think of those eternal pains, which I must endure for those short pleasures; pains me an Hell before I enter into Hell. Yet justly I confess, as I have deserved I am served; that being made after Gods Image a reasonable soul, able to judge mine own estate, and having mercy so often offered, and I entreated to receive it; I neglected Gods grace, and preferred the pleasures of sin,

[ Earlier passages Later passages ]

The Practice of Piety

Meditations of the misery of a man after death, which is the fullness of Cursedness.

Meditations of the misery of a man after death, which is the fulnesse of Cursednesse.

Reformers309

Puritans1,782

Westminster Assembly24

Evangelicals36

Meditations of the misery of a man after death, which is the fullness of Cursedness.

Meditations of the misery of a man after death, which is the fulnesse of Cursednesse.