A62047:48
The fading of the flesh and flourishing of faith, or, One cast for eternity…
The fading of the flesh and flourishing of faith, or, One cast for eternity with the only way to throw it well : as also the gracious persons incomparable portion / by George Swinnock ...The fading of the flesh and flourishing of faith, or, One cast for eternity with the only way to throw it vvell : as also the gracious persons incomparable portion / by George Swinnock ...
London: printed for Tho. Parkhurst, 1662
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.
Naturalists tell us of a Cockatrice, that if men see it first, that dyeth, if that seeth a man first, the man dyeth. Its most true of Death, if we see it first by an holy preparation for it, we kill it, it cannot hurt us; but if Death see and seize us first, it kills us eternally. O believe it sirs; Its another manner of thing to dye well, then the sleepy World dreams of. The lustiest of you all must expect that ere long Death will trip up your heels, and give you a fall. Ask your souls whither you are ready for it; Will it not prove your downfall? When Death throweth you, will it not be your eternal overthrow? Its possible ye think, of preparing for Death hereafter, but why not now? Do any of you say, To morrow I will repent? What if God say, Thou Fool this Night thy soul shall be required of thee? Where are you then? Its one of the greatest stratagems of the Devil, whereby he hath undermined millions of souls, by prevailing with them to delay till it was too late. O Consider, Death like Thunder and Lightning blasteth the green corn, and consumeth the strongest buildings, Job 21.23, 24. One dyeth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet. His breasts are full of Milk, and his bones are moistened with Marrow. The Cock in the Arabic Fable, having overcome another Cock in a Battle, thought now that he had no Enemy,1 and therefore got to the top of an House, and began to crow and clap his Wings in token of Triumph. When behold on a sudden, a Vulture cometh and snatcheth away this bragging Champion and Conqueror. If nature in any of you have mastered one distemper, it gives you not leave to be secure, for an ⟨image 11⟩outward accident or inward disease will on a sudden Master you.
Naturalists tell us of a Cockatrice, that if men see it first, that dyeth, if that seeth a man first, the man dyeth. Its most true of Death, if we see it first by an holy preparation for it, we kill it, it cannot hurt us; but if Death see and seise us first, it kills us eternally. O believe it sirs; Its another manner of thing to dye well, then the sleepy World dreams of. The lustiest of you all must expect that ere long Death will trip up your heels, and give you a fall. Ask your souls whither you are ready for it; Will it not prove your downfal? When Death throweth you, will it not be your eternal overthrow? Its possible ye think, of preparing for Death hereafter, but why not now? Do any of you say, To morrow I will repent? What if God say, Thou Fool this Night thy soul shall be required of thee? Where are you then? Its one of the greatest stratagems of the Devil, whereby he hath undermined millions of souls, by prevailing with them to delay till it was too late. O Consider, Death like Thunder and Lightning blasteth the green corn, and consumeth the strongest buildings,