A39678:558
The reasonableness of personal reformation, and the necessity of conversion
The reasonableness of personal reformation, and the necessity of conversion; the true methods of making all men happy in this world, and in the world to come Seasonably discoursed, and earnestly pressed upon this licentious age. By J.F. a sincere lover of his native country, and the souls of men.The reasonableness of personal reformation, and the necessity of conversion; the true methods of making all men happy in this world, and in the world to come Seasonably discoursed, and earnestly pressed upon this licentious age. By J.F. a sincere lover of his native countrey, and the souls of men.
London: printed for Thomas Cockerill, 1691
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.
III. Supposition.
Suppose God did but give you a fore-sight or fore-taste in the Terrors of your Consciences of that Damnation you have jested at, and so often imprecated upon your selves; did you but lie one Night in that Plight poor Spira and many others beside him have done, with the terrors of the Lord upon your spirits, under horror and remorse of Conscience, which are the first nibblings and bitings of that Worm that shall never die, —Tum pallida m•ns est, Criminibus, tacitâ sudant praecordia culpâ. Paleness and horror, fear and trembling upon the outward and inward man, whilst God is making the immediate impressions of his wrath upon the Conscience; seeming to want some one to let out that miserable wretched Soul, that is weary to stay any longer in the Body, and yet afraid to be dislodged, lest its Condition be made worse by the exchange; do you think you would ever imprecate Damnation any more? and yet all these terrors and horrors upon the Conscience are but as the sweating of Marble-Stones before the great Rain fall.
Suppose God did but give you a fore-sight or fore-taste in the Terrors of your Consciences of that Damnation you have jested at, and so often imprecated upon your selves; did you but lie one Night in that Plight poor Spira and many others beside him have done, with the terrors of the Lord upon your spirits, under horror and remorse of Conscience, which are the first niblings and bitings of that Worm that shall never die, —Tum pallida m•ns est, Criminibus, tacitâ sudant praecordia culpâ. Paleness and horror, fear and trembling upon the outward and inward man, whilst God is making the immediate impressions of his wrath upon the Conscience; seeming to want some one to let out that miserable wretched Soul, that is weary to stay any longer in the Body, and yet afraid to be dislodged, lest its Condition be made worse by the exchange; do you think you would ever imprecate Damnation any more? and yet all these terrors and horrors upon the Conscience are but as the sweating of Marble-Stones before the great Rain fall.