A26701:10
The way to true happiness in a serious treatise /
The way to true happiness in a serious treatise / by Joseph Alleine.
London : Printed and are to be sold by Nevil Simmons, 1678
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.
Did you but see your selves what we see by faith (believing God) and at once beheld the Saints in Heaven, the lost despairing Souls in Hell, and the senseless sensual sinners on earth, that yet will lay none of this to heart, sure it would make you wonder at the stupidity of mankind. Would you not say, O what a deceiver is the Devil that can thus lead on souls to their own damnation? Oh what a cheater is this transitory World, that can make men so forget the World where they must live for ever! O what an enemy is this flesh, that thus draweth down mens Souls from God! O what a besotting thing is sin that turneth a reasonable soul into worse than a beast! what a bedlam is this wicked world, when thousands are so busily labouring to undo themselves and others, and gratifying the Devil, against the God and Saviour, who would give them everlasting blessed life.
Did you but see your selves what we see by faith (believing God) and at once beheld the Saints in Heaven, the lost despairing Souls in Hell, and the sensless sensual sinners on earth, that yet will lay none of this to heart, sure it would make you wonder at the stupidity of mankind. Would you not say, O what a deceiver is the Devil that can thus lead on souls to their own damnation? Oh what a cheater is this transitory World, that can make men so forget the World where they must live for ever! O what an enemy is this flesh, that thus draweth down mens Souls from God! O what a besotting thing is sin that turneth a reasonable soul into worse than a beast! what a bedlam is this wicked world, when thousands are so busily labouring to undo themselves and others, and gratifying• the Devil, against the God and Saviour, who would give them everlasting blessed life.
And as we have such a sight as this by Faith to make us pity you, so have we so much taste of the goodness of God, the sweetness of his ways, and the happiness of believers, as must needs make us wish that you had but once tried the same delights, which would turn the pleasures of sin into detestation. God knoweth that we desire nothing more for our selves, than the Perfection and Eternity of this Holiness and Happiness which we believe and taste. And should we not desire the same for you?