Sighs from hell, or, The groans of a damned soul discovering from the 16th…

But of this I shall speak further by and by. Now if this one Truth, that men must die and depart this World, and either enter into Joy, or ⟨p. 19⟩else into Prison, to be reserved to the Day of Judgment, were believed, we should not have so many Wantons walk up and down the streets as there do; at least it would put a mighty check to their filthy Carriages, so that they would not, could not walk so basely and sinfully as they do. Belshazzar, notwithstanding he was so far from the fear of God as he was, yet when be did but see that God was offended, and threatened him for his wickedness, it made him hang down his head, and knock his knees together, Dan. 5. 5, 6. If you read the verses before, you will find he was careless, and satisfying his Lusts in Drinking, and playing the wanton with his Concubines. But so soon as he did perceive the finger of an Hand, writing, then (saith the Scripture) the King's Countenance was changed and his Thoughts troubled him; so that the Joints of his Loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. And when Paul told Felix of Righteousness, Temperance, and Judgment to come, it made him tremble. And let me tell thee (Soul) whosoever thou art, that if thou didst but verily believe that thou must die, and come into the Judgment, it would make thee turn over a new leaf. But this is the misery, the Devil doth labour by all means, as to keep out other Things that are good, so to keep out of the heart as much as in him lies, the Thoughts of passing from this Life into another World; for he knows, if he can ⟨p. 20⟩but keep them from the serious Thoughts of Death, he shall the more easily keep them in their sins, and so from closing with Jesus Christ, as Job saith, Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the Rod of God upon them. Which makes them say to God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways, vers. 14. Because there is no fear of Death, and Judgment to come, therefore they do put off God and his ways, and spend their days in their sins; and in a moment, that is, before they are aware, go down to the Grave, ver. 17. And thus it fared also with the man spoken of in Luk. 12. 20. the man, instead of thinking of Death, he thought how he might make his Barns bigger: But in the midst of his business in the World, he lost his Soul before he was aware: supposing that Death had been many Years off.