The Practice of Piety

TO conclude all: for as much as thou seest, that without Christ, thou art but a slave of sin, Deaths vassal, and worms meat, whose thoughts are vain, whose deeds are vile, whose pleasures have scarce beginnings, whose miseries never knows end: what wise man would incur these hellish torments, ⟨p. 291⟩though he might by living in sin, purchase to himself for a time, the Empire of Augustus, the riches of Croesus, the pleasures of Solomon, the policy of Ahithophel, the voluptuous fare, and fine apparel of Dives? for what should it avail a man (as our Saviour saith) to win the whole world, for a time; and then to lose his soul in Hell for ever.

TO conclude all: for as much as thou seest, that without Christ, thou art but a slaue of sinne, Deaths vassall, and wormes meate, vvhose thoughts are vaine, vvhose deedes are vile, whose pleasures haue scarse beginnings, whose miseries neuer knowes end: vvhat wise man would incurre these hellish torments, ⟨p. 291⟩though hee might by liuing in sinne, purchase to himselfe for a time, the Empire of Augustus, the riches of Croesus, the pleasures of Salomon, the policie of Achitophel, the voluptuous fare, and fine apparrell of Diues? for what should it auaile a man (as our Sauiour saith) to winne the whole world, for a time; and then to lose his soule in Hell for euer.

And seeing that likewise thou seest how great is thy happiness in Christ, and how vain are the hinderances that debar thee from the same: beware (as the Apostle exhorteth) of the deceitfulness of sin. ¹For that sin which seems now to be so pleasing to thy corrupt nature, vvill one day prove the bitterest ⟨p. 292⟩enemy to thy distressed soul: and in the mean while harden unawares thine impenitent heart.