Whilst he is thus summoned to appear at the Great Assizes of God's Judgment• behold a Quarter-Sessions, and Gaol-Delivery, is held within himself, where Reason sits as Judge, the Devil puts in a Bill of Indictment, as large as that Book of Zechary, 1wherein are alleged all thy evil deeds that ever thou hast committed, and all the good deeds that ever thou hast omitted, and all the Curses and Judgments that are due to every sin. Thine own Conscience shall accuse thee, and thy Memory shall give bitter Evidence, and Death stands at the Bar ready, as a cruel Executioner, to dispatch thee.2 If thou shalt thus condemn thy self, how shalt thou escape the Just Condemnation of God, who knows all ⟨p. 48⟩thy misdeeds better than thy self? Fain wouldst thou put out of thy mind the remembrance of the wicked deeds that trouble thee: but they flow faster into thy remembrance, and they will not be put away, but cry unto thee, We are thy works, and we will follow thee: and whilst thy soul is thus within, out of peace and order, thy Children, Wife, and Friends, trouble thee as fast, to have thee put thy goods in order; some crying, some craving, some pitying, some cheering; all like Flesh-Flies, helping to make thy sorrows more sorrowful. 3Now the Devils, who are come from Hell to fetch away thy Soul, begin to appear to her, and wait, as soon as she cometh forth to take her and carry her away. Stay she would within, but that she feels the body begin by degrees to die, and ready, like a ruinous House, to fall upon her head. Fearful she is to come forth, because of those Hell-hounds which wait for her coming. O she that spent so many days and nights in vain and idle pastimes, would now give the whole world, if she had it, for one hour. delay, that she might have space to repent, and reconcile her self unto God. But it cannot be, because her body which joined with her in the Action of sin is altogether now unfit to join with her in the exercise of repentance, and repentance must be of the whole Man.
Whilst he is thus summoned to appear at the Great Assizes of God's Judgment• behold a Quarter-Sessions, and Gaol-Delivery, is held within himself, where Reason sits as Judge, the Devil puts in a Bill of Indictment, as large as that Book of Zechary, 1wherein are alledged all thy evil deeds that ever thou hast committed, and all the good deeds that ever thou hast omitted, and all the Curses and Judgments that are due to every sin. Thine own Conscience shall accuse thee, and thy Memory shall give bitter Evidence, and Death stands at the Bar ready, as a cruel Executioner, to dispatch thee.2 If thou shalt thus condemn thy self, how shalt thou escape the Just Condemnation of God, who knows all ⟨p. 48⟩thy misdeeds better than thy self? Fain wouldst thou put out of thy mind the remembrance of the wicked deeds that trouble thee: but they flow faster into thy remembrance, and they will not be put away, but cry unto thee, We are thy works, and we will follow thee: and whilst thy soul is thus within, out of peace and order, thy Children, Wife, and Friends, trouble thee as fast, to have thee put thy goods in order; some crying, some craving, some pitying, some chearing; all like Flesh-Flies, helping to make thy sorrows more sorrowful. 3Now the Devils, who are come from Hell to fetch away thy Soul, begin to appear to her, and wait, as soon as she cometh forth to take her and carry her away. Stay she would within, but that she feels the body begin by degrees to die, and ready, like a ruinous House, to fall upon her head. Fearful she is to come forth, because of those Hell-hounds which wait for her coming. O she that spent so many days and nights in vain and idle pastimes, would now give the whole world, if she had it, for one hour. delay, that she might have space to repent, and reconcile her self unto God. But it cannot be, because her body which joyned with her in the Action of sin is altogether now unfit to joyn with her in the exercise of repentance, and repentance must be of the whole Man.
- 1Zech. 5. 2. Exek. 2. 10.
- 21 Joh. 3. 20.
- 3Luke 12. 20.
