A64979:190
Christ's certain and sudden appearance to judgment
Christ's certain and sudden appearance to judgment by Thomas Vincent ...
London: printed for George Calvert, 1667
Christ's certain and sudden Appearance to Judgment. › Chapter 8
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.
15. Come forth all ye envious and malicious persons; you that have grieved at the good of others, which they have had, or done; that have grieved at the good estates of others, and that they have thrived faster than you in the world; that have grieved at the sweet and comfortable relations of others, and that yours have not been like to them; that have grieved at the beauty or strength of body, the gifts and endowments of mind of others, beyond what your selves have had; that have grieved at the honour of others, that they have been esteemed and preferred ⟨p. 107⟩before your selves; that have grieved because others have done more good, and been more useful than your selves; and hence have secretly and deeply hated them, and born malice towards them in your minds; and have entertained thoughts and desires of doing them some mischief, and were glad when any mischief did befall them: You, you have been children of the Devil indeed, and the likeness and lusts of your father you have had: Was your eye evil, because God was good? did not God put the difference between them and you? and should not you have been contemned? was not God good to you, and had not you reason to be thankful? did not you put a stop to the current of Gods goodness by your envy? did not you lose the comfort of the good things you had, by this sin? did not you hereby loose the benefit you might have had by the good things of others? should not you have rejoiced in their good things? if you had loved them indeed, would not you have done it? did not you rack and torment your selves by your envy? had you been humble, would you have been troubled? had your affections been set upon things above, would this sin have so much prevailed? had you been sincerely desirous to promote Gods glory, would you have been so much concerned, that your glory should be clouded, when Gods glory was advanced, though by others more than your selves? were you not warned to lay aside all envy and malice, if you would be Christians indeed? if you had put your spirits under my government, would not I have conquered by my Spirit their inordinate motions? should not you have found sweetness and comfort in love, if you had laboured after, and lived in the exercise of this grace? Did you not know that these were works of the flesh which would exclude you the Kingdom of Heaven? ⟨p. 108⟩Take them Devils, bind them hand and foot.