A41649:276
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.
Into everlasting fire.] What! into fire, and into everlasting fire? Ah wretches! cursed indeed. For as the Prophet Isaiah speaketh,1 who can dwell with devouring fire? who can dwell with everlasting burnings? which shall not be quenched night nor day, but fed continually with Rivers of brimstone, and kept still in flame and fierceness by the unquenchable wrath of the just God to all Eternity. The torment of the wicked in hell will be, as without any intermission, so without any end. After they have there been tormented hundreds, thousands, millions of days, years and ages, their torments will be as far from ending, as if they were then beginning. And is not this misery enough? to lye in fire? in everlasting burnings? this is even beyond the expression of men or Angels. If a man knew he must lye in a flaming fire but one day or hour, Oh what fear and horror would possess his soul? But what is a day, or an hour, or an age, to eternity? Oh then what stupidity and senselessness hath possessed the hearts of sinful men, who by all this are not frighted from their sins? The fear of Nebuchadnezzar's fiery Furnace made men do any thing to avoid it. And shall not the fear of everlasting ⟨p. 67⟩fire in hell, make men do any thing to escape it? this methinks should awaken them, and cause them not only to humble themselves for their sins, and to beg the pardon of them: but also to cast away their transgressions, to strive against them, watch against them, pray against them, begging power and strength from Christ, to keep down the power of their lusts, that hurry them on in their sinful ways. It is one of the wonders of the world, how men who do believe the word of Christ to be true, that the wicked shall go into everlasting fire, can wittingly and wilfully adventure upon sinful ways, the end whereof they know will be so dreadful and astonishing.
Into everlasting fire.] What! into fire, and into everlasting fire? Ah wretches! cursed indeed. For as the Prophet Isaiah speaketh,1 who can dwell with devouring fire? who can dwell with everlasting burnings? which shall not be quenched night nor day, but fed continually with Rivers of brimstone, and kept still in flame and fierceness by the unquencheable wrath of the just God to all Eternity. The torment of the wicked in hell will be, as without any intermission, so without any end. After they have there been tormented hundreds, thousands, millions of dayes, years and ages, their torments will be as far from ending, as if they were then beginning. And is not this misery enough? to lye in fire? in everlasting burnings? this is even beyond the expression of men or Angels. If a man knew he must lye in a flaming fire but one day or hour, Oh what fear and horror would possess his soul? But what is a day, or an hour, or an age, to eternity? Oh then what stupidity and senselesness hath possessed the hearts of sinful men, who by all this are not frighted from their sins? The fear of Nebuchadnezzar's fiery Furnace made men do any thing to avoid it. And shall not the fear of everlasting