Captives bound in chains, made free by Christ their surety

4. What if God should send one of thy Acquaintance and Companions that hath been in Hell a year or two, a month or two, one that thou wast wont to swear and swagger with, to drink with and carouse, whose Corps not long since thou followest to the grave; whose soul when separated from the body, went down to Hell; should come to thee and say, I was wont to be merry and jovial in thy company; with thee I was wont to game and sport, and waste and spend my precious time, and I hoped I should be saved when I died, as now thou dost: But woe is me, I was mistaken to my everlasting shame and sorrow; I find I was deceived; I find I did but flatter and delude my self; I would not believe it, but now I find it; I would not believe it, but now I feel it. Ministers did warn me of this place, and told me I was going thither, but I would not be convinced till I came to Hell: I hoped still I should go to Heaven, but now I am convinced, alas, when it is too late to be converted; I am at last convinced. Believe me, though a damned soul, believe me, the Word of God is true, the threatenings of God are true, and what your Ministers preach out of God's Word concerning sin, and misery by sin, it is all true; believe me now, that have been in Hell ever since the ⟨p. 121⟩I died, that the bondslaves of the Devil, that dye in their captivity, do all go down to this dark and dreadful Dungeon. If one of thy Neighbours not long since departed and damned, should thus appear to thee in thy Chamber in the silent night, and bring thee such tidings as these, wouldst thou believe him and repent, and refuse thence forwards to be a Servant and Slave unto the Devil? It may be thou thinkest thou shouldst believe this Doctrine then, and take warning and reform and mend thy ways. Tell me then, Should not the True Eternal God of Heaven be believed sooner, rather, more, than a damned soul in Hell? But certain it is, if thou wilt not believe the Scriptures, nor the Ministers of God that preach the Truths of God unto thee, nor repent and turn from the drudgery of the Devil to the service of the Lord, neither wouldst thou do it if one came to thee from the dead, Luk. 16.27, to the end.

4. What if God should send one of thy Acquaintance and Companions that hath been in Hell a year or two, a month or two, one that thou wast wont to swear and swagger with, to drink with and carouse, whose Corps not long since thou followest to the grave; whose soul when separated from the body, went down to Hell; should come to thee and say, I was wont to be merry and jovial in thy company; with thee I was wont to game and sport, and waste and spend my precious time, and I hoped I should be saved when I died, as now thou dost: But wo is me, I was mistaken to my everlasting shame and sorrow; I find I was deceived; I find I did but flatter and delude my self; I would not believe it, but now I find it; I would not believe it, but now I feel it. Ministers did warn me of this place, and told me I was going thither, but I would not be convinced till I came to Hell: I hoped still I should go to Heaven, but now I am convinced, alas, when it is too late to be converted; I am at last convinced. Believe me, though a damned soul, believe me, the Word of God is true, the threatnings of God are true, and what your Ministers preach out of God's Word concerning sin, and misery by sin, it is all true; believe me now, that have been in Hell ever since the