A05817:203
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.
London: printed for John Hodgets, 1613London: printed for Iohn Hodgets, 1613
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.
Prepared for the Devil and his Angels.] Here are thy ⟨p. 123⟩infernal tormenting, and tormented companions.
Prepared for the Diuell and his Angels.] Here are thy ⟨p. 123⟩infernall tormenting, and tormented companions.
O terrible Sentence! from which the condemned cannot escape: which being pronounced, cannot possibly be with-stood: against which a man cannot except; and from which a man can no where appeal. So that to the damned, nothing remains but hellish torments, which knows neither ease of pain, nor end of time. From this Judgement-seat thou must be thrust by Angels, (together with all the damned Devils and Reprobates) into the bottomless Lake of utter darkness, 1that perpetually burns with fire and Brimstone. Whereunto, as they shall be thrust, there shall be such weeping, woes, ⟨p. 124⟩and wailing, that the cry of the company of Core, Dathan, & Abiram when the earth swallowed them up, was nothing comparable to this howling; nay, it vvill seem unto thee a Hell, before thou goest into hell, but to hear it.
O terrible Sentence! from which the condemned cannot escape: which being pronounced, cannot possibly be with-stood: against which a man cannot except; and from which a man can no where appeale. So that to the damned, nothing remaines but hellish torments, which knows neyther ease of paine, nor end of time. From this Iudgement-seate thou must be thrust by Angels, (together vvith all the damned Diuels and Reprobates) into the bottomlesse Lake of vtter darknesse, 1that perpetually burnes with fire and Brimstone. Whereunto, as they shall be thrust, there shall be such weeping, woes, ⟨p. 124⟩and wailing, that the cry of the company of Core, Dathan, & Abiram when the earth swallowed them vp, was nothing comparable to this howling; nay, it vvill seeme vnto thee a Hell, before thou goest into hell, but to heare it.
Into which bottomless Lake after that thou art once plunged, thou shalt ever be falling down, and never meet a bottom: and in it, thou shalt ever lament, and none shall pity thee: thou shalt always weep, for the pain of fire, and yet gnash thy teeth for the extremity of cold: thou shalt weep to think that thy miseries are past remedy: thou shalt weep to think, that to repent is to no purpose: thou shalt weep to ⟨p. 125⟩think, how for the shadows of short pleasures, thou hast incurred these sorrows of eternal pains: thou shalt weep to see how that weeping it self can nothing prevail: yea, in weeping thou shalt weep more tears, then there is water in the Sea; for the water of the Sea is finite, 1but the weeping of a Reprobate shall be infinite.
Into vvhich bottomlesse Lake after that thou art once plunged, thou shalt euer be falling downe, and neuer meet a bottome: and in it, thou shalt euer lament, and none shall pittie thee: thou shalt alwaies weepe, for the paine of fire, and yet gnash thy teeth for the extremitie of colde: thou shalt weepe to thinke that thy miseries are past remedie: thou shalt weepe to thinke, that to repent is to no purpose: thou shalt weepe to ⟨p. 125⟩thinke, how for the shadowes of short pleasures, thou hast incurred these sorrowes of eternall paines: thou shalt weepe to see how that weeping it selfe can nothing preuaile: yea, in weeping thou shalt weepe more teares, then there is water in the Sea; for the water of the Sea is finite, 1but the weeping of a Reprobate shall be infinite.
There thy lascivious Eyes shall be afflicted with sights of ghastly Spirits: thy curious Ears shall be affrighted with hideous noise of howling devils, and the gnashing teeth of damned Reprobates: thy dainty Nose shall be cloyed with noisome stench of Sulphur: thy delicate Taste shall be pained with intolerable ⟨p. 126⟩hunger: thy drunken Throat shall be parched with unquenchable thirst: thy Mind shall be tormented, to think how for the love of abortive pleasures, which perished ere they budded, thou so foolishly lost Heavens joys, and incurred hellish pains, which last beyond eternity: thy Conscience, shall ever sting thee like an Adder, when thou thinkest how often Christ by his Preachers, offered the remission of sins, and the Kingdom of Heaven, freely unto thee, if thou wouldest but believe and repent: and how easily thou mightest have obtained mercy in those days; how near thou wast many times to have repented, and yet diddest suffer ⟨p. 127⟩the devil and the world to keep thee still in impenitency: and how the day of mercy is now past, and will never dawn again.
There thy lasciuious Eyes shall be afflicted vvith sights of ghastly Spirits: thy curious Eares shall be affrighted with hydeous noyse of howling diuels, and the gnashing teeth of damned Reprobates: thy dainty Nose shall be cloyed with noysome stench of Sulphur: thy delicate Taste shall be pained with intollerable ⟨p. 126⟩hunger: thy drunken Throate shall be parched vvith vnquenchable thirst: thy Minde shall be tormented, to thinke how for the loue of abortiue pleasures, which perished ere they budded, thou so foolishly lost Heauens ioyes, and incurred hellish paines, which last beyond eternitie: thy Conscience, shall euer sting thee like an Adder, vvhen thou thinkest how often Christ by his Preachers, offered the remission of sinnes, and the Kingdome of Heauen, freely vnto thee, if thou wouldest but beleeue and repent: and how easily thou mightest haue obtained mercy in those dayes; how neere thou vvast many times to haue repented, and yet diddest suffer
How shall thy understanding be racked, to consider, how for momentany riches, thou hast lost the eternal treasure, and changed heavens felicity, for hells misery! where every part of thy body without intermission of pain shall be continually tormented alike.
How shall thy vnderstanding be racked, to consider, how for momentany riches, thou hast lost the eternall treasure, and changed heauens felicity, for hels misery! where euery part of thy body without intermission of paine shall be continually tormented alike.
In these hellish torments, thou shalt be for ever deprived of the beatifical sight of GOD, wherein consists the sovereign good, and life of the soul. Thou shalt never see light, nor the lest sight of joy, but lye in a perpetual prison ⟨p. 128⟩of v•ter darkness: where shall be no order but horror: no voice but of blasphemers, & howlers: no noise but of torturers and tortured: no society but of the Devil and his Angels, who being tormented themselves, shall have no other ease but to wreak their fury in tormenting thee. Where shall be punishment without pity: misery without mercy: sorrow without succour: crying without comfort: mischief without measure: torment without ease: where the worm dyeth not, and the fire is never quenched:1 where the wrath of God shall seize upon thy soul and body as the flame of fire doth on the lump of pitch or brimstone: in which flame thou ⟨p. 129⟩shalt ever be burning and never consumed: ever dying and never dead: ever rowing in the pangs of death, and never rid of those pangs, nor knowing end of thy pains: So that after thou hast endured them so many thousand years as there are grass on the Earth, or sands on the Sea-shore, thou art no nearer to have an end of thy torments, then thou wast the first day that thou wast cast into them: yea, so far are they from ending, that they are ever but beginning. But if after a thousand times so many thousand years, thy damned soul could but conceive a hope, that those her torments should have an end, this would be some comfort ⟨p. 130⟩to think, that at length an end vvill come. But as oft as the Mind thinketh of this word Never, it is as another Hell, in the middest of Hell.
In these hellish torments, thou shalt be for euer depriued of the beatificall sight of GOD, wherein consists the soueraigne good, and life of the soule. Thou shalt neuer see light, nor the lest sight of ioy, but lye in a perpetuall prison ⟨p. 128⟩of v•ter darkenesse: where shall be no order but horror: no voice but of blashmers, & howlers: no noise but of torturers and tortured: no societie but of the Deuill and his Angels, who being tormented themselues, shall haue no other ease but to wreake their furie in tormenting thee. Where shall be punishment without pitty: misery without mercy: sorrow without succour: crying without comfort: mischiefe without measure: torment without ease: where the worme dyeth not, and the fire is neuer qunched:
This thought shall force the damned to cry, [Greek or Hebrew], as much as if they should say, [Greek or Hebrew], O Lord, not ever, not ever, torment us thus; but their Conscience, shall answer them, as an Echo, [Greek or Hebrew], ever, ever. Hence shall arise their doleful [Greek or Hebrew], woe, and alas for evermore!
This thought shall force the damned to cry, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, as much as if they should say, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, O Lord, not euer, not euer, torment vs thus; but their Conscience, shall answere them, as an Eccho, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, euer, euer. Hence shall arise their dolefull 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, woe, and alas for euermore!
This is that second death, the general perfect fullness of all cursedness and misery: which every damned reprobate must suffer, so long as GOD and his Saints shall enjoy ⟨p. 131⟩bliss and felicity in heaven for evermore.
This is that second death, the generall perfect fulnesse of all cursednesse and misery: vvhich euery damned reprobate must suffer, so long as GOD and his Saints shall enioy ⟨p. 131⟩blisse and felicitie in heauen for euermore.
Thus far of the misery of man in his state of corruption, unless that he be renewed by Grace in Christ.
Thus farre of the miserie of man in his state of corruption, vnlesse that he be renued by Grace in Christ.
Now follows the knowledge of Mans self in respect of his state of regeneration by Christ.
Now followes the knowledge of Mans selfe in respect of his state of regeneration by Christ.
Now let us see, how happy a godly man is, in his state of renovation, being reconciled to GOD in Christ.
NOw let vs see, how happie a godly man is, in his state of renouation, being reconciled to GOD in Christ.
The godly man whose corrupt nature is renewed by grace in Christ, and become a new creature: is blessed in ⟨p. 132⟩a three-fold respect First, in his life. Secondly, in his death. Thirdly, after death.
The godly man whose corrupt nature is renued by grace in Christ, and become a new creature: is blessed in ⟨p. 132⟩a three-fold respect First, in his life. Secondly, in his death. Thirdly, after death.
1 His blessedness during this life is but in part, and that consists in seven things.
1 His blessednesse during this life is but in part, and that consists in seuen things.
1 Because, he is conceived of the aspirit, in the womb of his bmother, the Church: and is cborne not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man but of GOD, who in Christ is his dfather. So that the eImage of God his father is renewed in him every day more and more.
1 Because, he is conceiued of the aspirit, in the wombe of his bmother, the Church: and is cborne not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man but of GOD, who in Christ is his dfather. So that the eImage of God his father is renewed in him euery day more and more.
2 He hath, for the merits of Christs sufferings, all his sins, original and actual, with the guilt and punishment belonging to them, ffreely and fully forgiven unto him. And all the grighteousness of ⟨p. 133⟩Christ as freely and fully imputed unto him: and so God is hreconciled unto him: and iapproveth him as righteous in his sight and account.
2 He hath, for the merits of Christs sufferings, all his sinnes, originall and actuall, with the guilt and punishment belonging to them, ffreely and fully forgiuen vnto him. And all the grighteousnesse of ⟨p. 133⟩Christ as freely and fully imputed vnto him: and so God is hreconciled vnto him: and iaprooueth him as righteous in his sight and account.
