A62050:203
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.
2. Thou shalt lose by death all thy spiritual preferment. It is now no mean mercy to thee, hadst thou an heart to prize and improve it, that thou enjoyest the Ordinances of God, the means of grace, many golden seasons, for the good of thy soul, that thou mayst sit at Gods feet, and hear his voice out of Scripture, fall down on thy knees, and seek his face by prayer; but know to thy sorrow, death will rob thee of all these Jewels; Now thou hast the tenders of mercy, the entreaties of the Minister, the motions of the Spirit, the invitations of Christ, liberty to cast thy self down at the foot-stool of Heavens Majesty, and to be as fervent and instant as thou wilt, for mercy, but then the gate will be shut, and there will be no praying, or hearing, or preaching in the place whether thou art going. Psal. 88.11 Shall thy loving kindness be declared in the grave? or thy faithfulness in destruction? the interrogation is a strong negation. There is no preaching of Gods clemency or fidelity, either in the grave or hell. All the Lectures read in the former, are by worms of mans mortality; and all the Sermons heard in the latter, are ⟨p. 74⟩of mans misery, and Gods severity. Reader, I assure thee from the living God, that though in this life thou art now and then bungling about a duty, and giving God thy stinking breath, a few cold lazy petitions, which proceed from thy corrupt lungs, thy cursed heart, thou shalt do so no more after death. As the Saints shall be above this mediate enjoyment of God, so thou shalt be below it. And truly, hadst thou ever had Communion with God in a duty, this loss would go near thee; How amiable is the worshipping of God to a gracious soul? he prizeth Ordinances, because they are the means of it in this world, above his estate, and food, or what ever is dear to him, Psa. 119.14, 72, 111. Job 23.12. Psa. 84.1.2, 3. And this privilege he shall have by death, to be employed still about the same work, (of pleasing, glorifying, worshipping, and enjoying God) only he shall do it in a more excellent and more delightful way.