Thus wicked men are oftentimes the worse by Gods Providences. But if this be thy case that readest these Lines, that wast a drunkard before, and wilt be drunk more frequently now; that wast a lukewarm Formalist before the Plague begun, but now thou art quite cold in the matters of Religion; I charge thee in the Name and fear of the Eternal God, that thou presently bethink thy self, what an aggravation this will be of thy continued and increased wickedness, and that thou turn from it, least God turn thy body into the grave by some other distemper, as an Ague, or Fever, or Consumption, though he did not by the Plague. Oh think with thy self, God hath taken away some of thy sinful Companions, that were wont to be drunk and swear with thee, who if God should bring them back again from the dead, would tell thee that they are damned for their Drunkenness, and that they have been in Hell among Devils, and have felt the wrath of God to be heavy and intolerable, for those very sins they have committed in thy company, and thou with them: Would not they tell ⟨p. 45⟩thee, if they had thy time, they would pray, but swear profanely no more, if God had suffered them to out-live the Plague; or would after death and trial of the torments of Hell, entrust them with life again, they would be better. Remember, some of them that the other day were drinking unto drunkenness in the Ale-house, dying in final impenitency, are now damned with the Devils; that some of them that the other day thou hadst by the hand, and drunkest unto in the Tavern, and did sing and roar together at your Cups, are now howling and roaring amongst the damned, and are scorched in those flames, and rolling in that Lake of brimstone, where there shall be no mercy, no mitigation, no cessation of their torments: And know thou, whoever thou art, that if thou dost not speedily return to God, if thou dost not mend thy life, and that quickly too, if thou dost not repent and reform, and that quickly too, thou shalt be a companion with them in torments, with whom thou wast companion in sinning: It was but a few days since, that they were with thee upon the earth, and if thou art not changed, it will be but a few days hence, and thou shalt be with them in Hell, and when thou art there remember, once thou readest such lines that told thee so.
Thus wicked men are oftentimes the worse by Gods Providences. But if this be thy case that readest these Lines, that wast a drunkard before, and wilt be drunk more frequently now; that wast a lukewarm Formalist before the Plague begun, but now thou art quite cold in the matters of Religion; I charge thee in the Name and fear of the Eternal God, that thou presently bethink thy self, what an aggravation this will be of thy continued and increased wickedness, and that thou turn from it, least God turn thy body into the grave by some other distemper, as an Ague, or Feaver, or Consumption, though he did not by the Plague. Oh think with thy self, God hath taken away some of thy sinful Companions, that were wont to be drunk and swear with thee, who if God should bring them back again from the dead, would tell thee that they are damned for their Drunkenness, and that they have been in Hell among Devils, and have felt the wrath of God to be heavy and intolerable, for those very sins they have committed in thy company, and thou with them: Would not they tell ⟨p. 45⟩thee, if they had thy time, they would pray, but swear prophanely no more, if God had suffered them to out-live the Plague; or would after death and tryal of the torments of Hell, entrust them with life again, they would be better. Remember, some of them that the other day were drinking unto drunkenness in the Ale-house, dying in final impenitency, are now damned with the Devils; that some of them that the other day thou hadst by the hand, and drunkest unto in the Tavern, and did sing and roar together at your Cups, are now howling and roaring amongst the damned, and are scorched in those flames, and rowling in that Lake of brimstone, where there shall be no mercy, no mitigation, no cessation of their torments: And know thou, whoever thou art, that if thou dost not speedily return to God, if thou dost not mend thy life, and that quickly too, if thou dost not repent and reform, and that quickly too, thou shalt be a companion with them in torments, with whom thou wast companion in sinning: It was but a few dayes since, that they were with thee upon the earth, and if thou art not changed, it will be but a few dayes hence, and thou shalt be with them in Hell, and when thou art there remember, once thou readest such lines that told thee so.
