A62050:44
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.
What is the reason that men put God off, either with no service or worship at all, or else with a few cold superficial lazy duties, without either heat or life, but their ignorance? They know not the Majesty, purity, jealousy, and severity of God; they worship they know not whom, and therefore they worship him they care not how; their Altars are of any slight form or fashion, because (like the Athenians) they are dedicated to the unknown God; they that know not their masters will, cannot obey it. Some cry up their good meanings to excuse their ignorance; but ignorant devotion is like feet without eyes, which the farther they carry men, the greater is their wandering and woe.
What is the reason that men put God off, either with no service or worship at all, or else with a few cold superficial lazy duties, without either heat or life, but their ignorance? They know not the Majesty, purity, jealousie, and severity of God; they worship they know not whom, and therefore they worship him they care not how; their Altars are of any slight form or fashion, because (like the Athenians) they are dedicated to the unknown God; they that know not their masters will, cannot obey it. Some cry up their good meanings to excuse their ignorance; but ignorant devotion is like feet without eyes, which the farther they carry men, the greater is their wandring and wo.
What is the reason that men take up short of Christ, and renewing grace, that they please themselves with the shadow instead of the substance of Religion, that they cry peace, peace, to their souls only upon some outward privileges or a few inward good meanings (as they call them) when they are in a most damnable condition, and sudden destruction is ready to seize on them (as travail on a woman with child) which they cannot escape; surely it is ignorance of the nature of Christianity and sanctification; they know not what regeneration is, and what faith and repentance are, which are the conditions upon which salvation may be had; therefore they rest in forms (which will fade) when their hearts and lives deny the power of godliness. This, this is (not as Papists would persuade their deluded votaries the mother of devotion, but) the monster which causeth such hideous births of corruption. This is the epidemical disease that reigneth all the year long, and killeth (I fear) more souls then any of our new distempers doth bodies: For the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God,