While I am speaking, and thou art hearing, Hell-fire is burning, and the Devils are waiting, and thy blinded soul is posting on, and for ought thou knowest, may be there this night. Poor sinner, for my part, I know thee not! and therefore cannot justly be suspected to bear thee any ill will, or to speak these words with a desire of thy hurt. I know this is language that the guilty do not love to hear. But I must tell thee, that reproachest or deridest a serious holy life, that except the Blasphemers of the Holy Ghost, there is few in the world in more certain misery then thou. Other sinners, though miserable, ⟨p. 186⟩may have some more cloak to hide their misery. Though the drunkard shall not enter into Heaven, he may flatter himself with the remembrance that Noah was once overtaken with that sin. Though the Fornicator or Adulterer shall not enter into the Kingdom of God (Eph. 5. 5.) he may cheat himself awhile, with the remembrance of Davids guilt. Though the false-hearted, temporizing, self-saving Hypocrite, shall not be saved, he may deceive himself by the instance of Peters denying his Master, and his dissimulation, Gal. 2. But what cloak hast thou to hide thy misery! Did ever any true Disciple of Christ, either hate or reproach his servants and his ways! What godly man hath made a mock at godliness, (unless it were when he was ungodly.) If any should think, that an act of drunkenness, or fornication, ⟨p. 187⟩might consist with grace; no man that understands himself can think, that a scorner at an Holy life, hath himself the Holiness which he scorneth! I would not for a world be in the case of that wretch, that speaks well of Holiness in others, while he lives in fornication, luxury or worldliness himself, though he think that he cuts scores by daily crying to God for mercy. But I would much less for a thousand worlds be in the case of him that neither is godly, nor can speak well of it: that is not only void of the Spirit of Christ, but speaks against it: that is not only void of the Holy Image of God, but hateth it, and reproacheth it in others. O rather let me have no tongue to speak, no soul to think, then ever I should speak or think thus maliciously of the Image, and ways, and servants of the Lord!
While I am speaking, and thou art hearing, Hell-fire is burning, and the Devils are waiting, and thy blinded soul is posting on, and for ought thou knowest, may be there this night. Poor sinner, for my part, I know thee not! and therefore cannot justly be suspected to bear thee any ill will, or to speak these words with a desire of thy hurt. I know this is language that the guilty do not love to hear. But I must tell thee, that reproachest or deridest a serious holy life, that except the Blasphemers of the Holy Ghost, there is few in the world in more certain misery then thou. Other sinners, though miserable, ⟨p. 186⟩may have some more cloak to hide their misery. Though the drunkard shall not enter into Heaven, he may flatter himself with the remembrance that Noah was once overtaken with that sin. Though the Fornicator or Adulterer shall not enter into the Kingdom of God (Eph. 5. 5.) he may cheat himself awhile, with the remembrance of Davids guilt. Though the false-hearted, temporizing, self-saving Hypocrite, shall not be saved, he may deceive himself by the instance of Peters denying his Master, and his dissimulation, Gal. 2. But what cloak hast thou to hide thy misery! Did ever any true Disciple of Christ, either hate or reproach his servants and his wayes! What godly man hath made a mock at godliness, (unless it were when he was ungodly.) If any should think, that an act of drunkenness, or fornication, ⟨p. 187⟩might consist with grace; no man that understands himself can think, that a scorner at an Holy life, hath himself the Holiness which he scorneth! I would not for a world be in the case of that wretch, that speaks well of Holiness in others, while he lives in fornication, luxury or worldliness himself, though he think that he cuts scores by daily crying to God for mercy. But I would much less for a thousand worlds be in the case of him that neither is godly, nor can speak well of it: that is not only void of the Spirit of Christ, but speaks against it: that is not only void of the Holy Image of God, but hateth it, and reproacheth it in others. O rather let me have no tongue to speak, no soul to think, then ever I should speak or think thus maliciously of the Image, and wayes, and servants of the Lord!
