A62050:183
Ouranos kai tartaros= heaven and hell epitomized. The true Christian characterized. As also an…
Ouranos kai tartaros= heaven and hell epitomized. The true Christian characterized. As also an exhortation with motives, means and directions to be speedy and serious about the work of conversion. By George Swinnocke M.A. sometime fellow of Balliol College in Oxford, and now preacher of the Gospel at Rickmersworth in Hertfordshire.Ouranos kai tartaros= heaven and hell epitomized. The true Christian characterized. As also an exhortation with motives, means and directions to be speedy and serious about the work of conversion. By George Swinnocke M.A. sometime fellow of Baliol Colledge in Oxford, and now preacher of the Gospel at Rickmersworth in Hertfordshire.
London: printed by E.M. for Tho. Parkhurst, 1659
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.
But this conceit, Reader, if thou art such an Atheist, proceedeth from thy blindness and unbelief. Thou art probably in the chamber, when a drunkard, a swearer, or a civil moral, yet unsanctified, neighbour departeth this life; thou seest his body trembling, panting, groaning, dying; but thou doest not see the ten thousand times worse condition his poor soul is in: thou seest his kindred or relations weeping; but thou doest not see the infernal spirits rejoicing; thou dost not see the greedy Devils, that waited by the bed-side, like so many roaring lions for their desired & deserved prey: thou doest not see when the soul left the body, how it was immediately seized on by those frightful hell-hounds in a most hideous horrible manner, and haled to the place of intolerable and eternal torments; thou doest not see the shoutings of those legions in hell, at the coming in of a new prisoner, to bear a part in the undergoing of divine fury, in their blasphemies against heavens Majesty, and in their estate of hopelessness and desperation.
But this conceit, Reader, if thou art such an Athiest, proceedeth from thy blindnesse and unbelief. Thou art probably in the chamber, when a drunkard, a swearer, or a civil moral, yet unsanctified, neighbour departeth this life; thou seest his body trembling, panting, groaning, dying; but thou doest not see the ten thousand times worse condition his poor soul is in: thou seest his kindred or relations weeping; but thou doest not see the infernal spirits rejoycing; thou dost not see the greedy Devils, that waited by the bed-side, like so many roaring lions for their desired & deserved prey: thou doest not see when the soul left the body, how it was immediately seised on by those frightful hell-hounds in a most hideous horrible manner, and haled to the place of intolerable and eternal torments; thou doest not see the shoutings of those legions in hell, at the coming in of a new prisoner, to bear a part in the undergoing of divine fury, in their blasphemies against heavens Majestie, and in their estate of hopelessnesse and desperation.
Men, saith a modern writer, like silly fishes, see one another caught, and jerked out of the pond of life; but they see not (alas) the fire and pan into which they are cast, who die in their sins; Oh it had been better surely for such, if they had never been born, as Christ said of Judas, then to be brought forth to the murderer (that old man-slayer) to be hurled into hell, there to suffer such things as they shall never be able to avoid, or abide.