A41649:291
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.
I. The miserable and cursed estate of the unregenerate consists in their privation of all that happiness which believers do enjoy in the presence of God, 1in whose presence there is fullness of joy, and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Were there no positive sensible misery, this privation of Gods presence were enough, (if they understood it) to make the damned's future estate most accursed, to make Hell to be Hell without any other fire. For as fullness of joy and pleasure is had by the enjoying of Gods presence; so fullness of grief and sorrow doth possess the hearts of all those who are deprived thereof. Couldst thou but for one moment be wrapped up into Heaven, and see a glimpse of that infinite glory ⟨p. 73⟩which God hath prepared for all that love and fear him, thou wouldst soon acknowledge as much.
I. The miserable and cursed estate of the unregenerate consists in their privation of all that happiness which believers do enjoy in the presence of God, 1in whose presence there is fulness of joy, and at whose right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Were there no positive sensible misery, this privation of Gods presence were enough, (if they understood it) to make the damneds future estate most accursed, to make Hell to be Hell without any other fire. For as fulness of joy and pleasure is had by the enjoying of Gods presence; so fulness of grief and sorrow doth possess the hearts of all those who are deprived thereof. Couldst thou but for one moment be wrapt up into Heaven, and see a glimpse of that infinite glory ⟨p. 73⟩which God hath prepared for all that love and fear him, thou wouldst soon acknowledge as much.