A15000:199
A godly treatise, entitled the view and down-fall of pride Wherein is declared the…A godlie treatise, intituled the view and down-fall of pride Wherein is declared the…
A godly treatise, entitled the view and down-fall of pride Wherein is declared the cause of Babylons destruction, and Nebuchadnezzars subversion. Set forth by William Wheatley Master of Art, and preacher of Gods word.A godlie treatise, intituled the view and down-fall of pride Wherein is declared the cause of Babylons destruction, and Nabuchadnezzars subuersion. Set forth by William Wheatley Maister of Art, and preacher of Gods word.
London: printed by Thomas Creed for John Deane and John Baily, 1602London: printed by Thomas Creed for Iohn Deane and Iohn Baily, 1602
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.
The consideration of this, is a wounding woe; which if thy conscience tell thee cannot be helped, it forceth thee to this out-cry with Cain: 1My sin is greater then can be forgiven. Then the devil will be ready to persuade thy conscience, that thou art partaker of that great offence: which is, if we sin willingly; that is,2 Nobis in voluntate peccandi manentibus: We continuing in desire to sin, and forsake Jesus Christ, as Judas, Saul, Arrius, & Julian the Apostate did.3 After we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no ⟨p. 133⟩more sacrifice for sins, but a fearful looking for of judgement, and violent fire which shall devour the adversary. And this also know, that as the candle stinketh more, being blown out, then if it had never been a light: so they that once have had the truth, and wilfully reject and turn away from the truth, shall have greater judgement, and are more odious in the sight of God, then if they had never known the truth. For it is written: It had been better for them, not to have known the way of righteousness, then after they have known it to turn from the holy commandment given unto them. 2. Pet. 2.21. This doubtless doth make men tremble & quake to remember death, when they consider how far they have gone into sin, and can find no way out. Then perhaps they begin to flee and to run, like the Egyptians pursuing the Israels through the read sea: but the waters overwhelmed them before they could get out. Exod. 14.35.28. And so may death thee: for it is written; Thou hole, this night will I fetch away thy soul from thee. Luk. 12.20.
The consideration of this, is a wounding woe; which if thy conscience tell thee cannot be helped, it forceth thee to this out-cry with Caine: 1My sinne is greater then can be forgiuē. Then the diuell will be ready to perswade thy conscience, that thou art partaker of that great offence: which is, if we sinne willingly; that is,