A09473:94
Two treatises· I. Of the nature and practise of repentance. II. Of the combat…Tvvo treatises· I. Of the nature and practise of repentance. II. Of the combat…
Two treatises· I. Of the nature and practise of repentance. II. Of the combat of the flesh and spirit.Tvvo treatises· I. Of the nature and practise of repentance. II. Of the combat of the flesh and spirit.
Cambridge: printed by John Legate printer to the University of Cambridge. 1593., 1593Cambridge: printed by Iohn Legate printer to the Vniversitie of Cambridge. 1593., 1593
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 this be the misery wherewith the careless man is sieged & compassed about every way, & that for his sins, why do men lie in the dead sleep of security? ô! it stands them in hand to take up the voice of bitter lamentation, & for their offences to howl after the manner of dragons. If men could weep nothing but tears of blood for their sins, if they could dye a 1000 times in one day for very grief, they could never be grieved enough for their sins.
If this be the miserie wherewith the careles man is sieged & cōpassed about every way, & that for his sinnes, why do men lie in the dead sleepe of security? ô! it stands them in hand to take up the voice of bitter lamentation, & for their offences to howle after the manner of dragons. If men could weepe nothing but teares of blood for their sins, if they could dye a 1000 times in one day for very griefe, they could never be grieved ynough for their sins.
The second motive to draw men to repentance, is the consideration of the wretched estate of an impenitent sinner in his death,1 which is nothing but the wages & allowance ⟨p. 47⟩that he receives for his sin: and it is the very2 suburbs, or rather the gates of hell. S. Paul compares death to a scorpion, who carieth a sting in his tail, which is sin. Now then when impenitent3 & profane persons die, then comes this scorpion & gripes them with her legs, & stabs them at the hart with her sting. Wherefore the best thing is before death come, to use means to pull out the sting of death. And nothing will do it, but the blood of Christ: let men therefore break off their sins by repentance: let them come to the throne of grace, & cry: yea let them fill heaven & earth with cries for mercy. oh! pray, pray, pray for the pardon of thy sins. If thou obtain but one drop of Gods special mercy in Christ, all danger is past. For death hath lost his sting: and then a man without danger may put an ugly serpent in his bosom.