A26701:160
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.
Doth not thy unbridled tongue, thy brutish intemperance, thy wicked company, thy neglect of prayer, of hearing and reading the word, now witness against thee, and say, We are thy works and we will follow thee? Or if I have not hit the right, doth not the bird within ⟨p. 42⟩tell them, there is such or such a way, that thou knowest to be evil, that yet for some carnal respect thou dost tolerate thy self in, and art willing to spare? If this be the case, thou art to this day unregenerate, and must be changed or condemned.
Doth not thy unbridled tongue, thy bruitish intemperance, thy wicked company, thy neglect of prayer, of hearing and reading the word, now witness against the, and say, We are thy works and we will follow thee? Or if I have not hit the right, doth not the bird within ⟨p. 42⟩tell them, there is such or such a way, that thou knowest to be evil, that yet for some carnal respect thou dost tolerate thy self in, and art willing to spare? If this be the case, thou art to this day unregenerate, and must be changed or condemned.
Secondly, Satan. Conversion binds the strong man, spoils his armour, casts out his goods, turns men from the power of Satan unto God, Acts 26. 18. Before, the Devil could no sooner hold up his finger to the sinner, to call him to his wicked company, sinful games, filthy delights, but presently he follows, like an Ox to the slaughter, and a fool to the correction of the stocks, as the bird that hasteth to the prey, and knoweth not that it is for his life. No sooner could Satan bid him lie, but presently he had it upon the top of his tongue, Act. 5. 3. no sooner could Satan offer a wanton object, but he was stung with lust. The Devil could do more with him than God could. If the Devil say, away with these family duties, be sure they shall be rarely enough performed in his house. If the Devil say, away with this strictness, this preciseness, he will keep far enough from it. If he tells him there's no need of these closet duties, he shall go from day to day and scarce perform them. But now he is converted, he serves another master, and takes quite another course,