A41649:214
A word to sinners, and a word to saints The former tending to the…
A word to sinners, and a word to saints The former tending to the awakening the consciences of secure sinners, unto a lively sense and apprehension of the dreadful condition they are in, so long as they live in their natural and unregenerate estate. The latter tending to the directing and persuading of the godly and regenerate unto several singular duties. As also a word to householders stirring them up to the good old way of serving God in and with their families, from Joshua's resolution, Josh. 24. 15. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Set forth especially for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of St. Sepulchres Parish, London by Tho. Gouge, late pastor thereof.A word to sinners, and a word to saints The former tending to the awakening the consciences of secure sinners, unto a lively sense and apprehension of the dreadfull condition they are in, so long as they live in their natural and unregenerate estate. The latter tending to the directing and perswading of the godly and regenerate unto several singular duties. As also a word to housholders stirring them up to the good old way of serving God in and with their families, from Joshuah's resolution, Josh. 24. 15. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Set forth especially for the use and benefit of the inhabitants of St. Sepulchres Parish, London by Tho. Gouge, late pastor thereof.
London: printed for George Sawbridge, 1668
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
IF this were the conclusion of Unregenerate men, that death did put an end to all their miseries, happy were it for many. But this is their grief and sorrow, their woe and misery, that all this is the beginning of their sorrows: that after all this, there is a reckoning to be made for what is past.1 For as it is appointed to men once to dye, so after this cometh the judgement. Where by the Judgement that immediately followeth after death, the Apostle meaneth the particular judgement, which is at the end of each mans life, as is evident by this phrase,2 after this, which intendeth the time of a mans death. For as there is a general judgement at the end of the world; So there is a particular judgement that passeth upon each man at the end of this life. Ah sinner! so soon as thy breath departeth out of thy body; it fareth with thy soul, as with that man of whom the Prophet Amos speaketh,3 who did flee from a Lion, and a Bear met him. In like manner thy soul is no sooner escaped out of a miserable World, but in a moment it is plunged into another and greater misery.
IF this were the conclusion of Unregenerate men, that death did put an end to all their miseries, happy were it for many. But this is their grief and sorrow, their woe and misery, that all this is the beginning of their sorrows: that after all this, there is a reckoning to be made for what is past.1 For as it is appointed to men once to dye, so after this cometh the judgement. Where by the Iudgement that immediately followeth after death, the Apostle meaneth the particular judgement, which is at the end of each mans life, as is evident by this phrase,2 after this, which intendeth the time of a mans death. For as there is a general judgement at the end of the world; So there is a particular judgement that passeth upon each man at the end of this life. Ah sinner! so soon as thy breath departeth out of thy body; it fareth with thy soul, as with that man of whom the Prophet Amos speaketh,3