A30736:13
A Serious advice to the citizens of London
A Serious advice to the citizens of London by some ministers of the Gospel in the said city upon occasion of the horrid murder and dreadful death of Nathaniel Butler, an high malefactor.
S.l. : s.n., 1657
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.
We would exhort you in the first place, To be thankful to God for his Restraining Grace; which though it be short of his Renewing Grace, yet tis with all thankfulness to be valued: Oh! bless the Lord, who keeps you from those sins which this poor Wretch was guilty of, that you are not Adulterers, Thieves, ⟨image 4⟩nay, Murderers and Malefactors, to be punished by the Judge; this is the Lords mercy. 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who makes you to differ from others? Have not you the same Natures? Have not you the Seed and Spawn of all wickedness in you? And should God leave you to the baseness of your own hellish hearts, would not you also run to all Excess of sin, and that with Greediness too? When you read over this sad Story, we beseech you lay your hands upon your hearts, and say, What a mercy is it, I was neither the Murderer nor the Murdered!
We would exhort you in the first place, To be thankful to God for his Restraining Grace; which though it be short of his Renewing Grace, yet tis with all thankfulness to be valued: Oh! bless the Lord, who keeps you from those sins which this poor Wretch was guilty of, that you are not Adulterers, Theeves, ⟨image 4⟩nay, Murderers and Malefactors, to be punished by the Iudge; this is the Lords mercy. 1 Cor. 4. 7. Who makes you to differ from others? Have not you the same Natures? Have not you the Seed and Spawn of all wickedness in you? And should God leave you to the baseness of your own hellish hearts, would not you also run to all Excess of sin, and that with Greediness too? When you read over this sad Story, we beseech you lay your hands upon your hearts, and say, What a mercy is it, I was neither the Murderer nor the Murdred!
We desire you to mourn over the crying sins that are to be found amongst us. Oh! the Scarlet sins that swarm in London, even in London! Swearing, Drunkenness, Uncleanness, Profanation of the Lords Day, Contempt of the Gospel, and of the Ministry thereof; nay, even Blood-guiltiness is to be found amongst us! Should not your Souls, like the Soul of Righteous Lot, be vexed within you for these things,