A10338:65
The prophecy of Obadiah opened and applied in sundry learned and gracious sermons preached…The prophecie of Obadiah opened and applyed in sundry learned and gracious sermons preached…
The prophecy of Obadiah opened and applied in sundry learned and gracious sermons preached at All-Hallows and St Mary's in Oxford by that famous and judicious divine John Rainolds D. of Divinity and late president of Corp. Chr. Coll. Published for the honour and use of that famous University, and for the benefit of the churches of Christ abroad in the country, by W.H.The prophecie of Obadiah opened and applyed in sundry learned and gracious sermons preached at All-Hallowes and St Maries in Oxford by that famous and iudicious divine Iohn Rainolds D. of Divinity and late president of Corp. Chr. Coll. Published for the honour and vse of that famous Vniversity, and for the benefit of the churches of Christ abroad in the country, by W.H.
Oxford: printed by Joseph Barnes, 1613
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.
Livy 1misliketh this punishment as over sharp, and saith that there was small regard of humane laws had in it. But Virgil weighing better the greatness of the fault, 2alloweth it with grave censure, At tu dictis Albane manners. Traitors in our days, though they be not torn 3with horses as Metius, yet are they rent in pieces, as Metius was, and quartered. The Papists complain thereof to foreign nations, as of outrageous tyranny, when they are put unto it for traitorous facts against our Prince. But it is usual and lawful for the Pope (as Leo the tenths practise in Gu•ciardin doth witness) to quarter men for treason wrought against him. Now, 4this severe punishment, which hath bin thought fit by mortal Judges to be laid upon unfaithful debtors, upon treacherous persons, upon rebellious Traitors, is the same, that Christ the immortal judge denounceth unto you, if ye be disloyal to God, your Sovereign Lord, if ye break promise with him and his servants, ⟨p. 40⟩if ye pay them not the debt, which ye owe them, & give them their portion of meat in due season. A very grievous punishment: yet nothing to that, which Christ importeth by it. For he doth import (as the words following show) that ye sh•ll have your portion with the unbelievers. And the unbelievers shall have their portion 5in the lake, that burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. Of Damocles a Heathen man it is recorded, that when Dionysius the Tyrant entertained him magnificently and Princely, although at the first he thought himself happy, respecting the train of men, attendant on him, the plate of gold and silver, the gorgeous cloths, the sweet perfumes, the Viands most delicate, all furniture rich and royal: yet after, seeing a sword hanging by a thread let down over his head, he could take no joy of his entertainment, nay he took grief, and desired earnestly to be dismissed from it. How much less joy should you take in your eating, your drinking, your pleasures, with which, as worldly baits, the Prince of this world doth pamper your flesh against the day of slaughter: sith there hangeth over your necks an axe of vengeance, not that may perhaps, but that will assuredly, not kill your bodies only, but both bodies and souls, not with temporal death, but with everlasting into hell fire; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.