The Worm that Dieth Not, Title page – To the reader
THE Worm that Dyeth not, OR, HELL TORMENTS, In The CERTAINTY AND ETERNITY of Them. Plainly Diſcovered in ſeveral Sermons, Preached on Mark Chap. the 9th and the 48. v.
By that Painful and Laborious Miniſter of the Goſpel, William Strong.
And now publiſhed by his own Notes, as a means to deter from Sin, and to ſtir up to Mortification.
LONDON, Printed, by T. R. and M. D. and are to be ſold by Fra. Titon, at the three Daggers in Fleet-ſtreet. 1672.
GOOD READER,
A Diſcourſe of Hell cannot be unprofitable and unſeaſonable, in an age wherein many deny the eternal recompenſes; others live, as if they did not believe them; yea, among thoſe that take on a ſtricter form of living, many carry it on with ſuch coldneſs and deadneſs that their converſations no way look like a flight from wrath to come, or a purſuit after eternal life, and therefore they need to be awakened, Sermons of Hell may keep many out of Hell; yea, it concerneth the beſt and moſt ſerious, to know what wrath they have eſcaped, to quicken their thankfulneſs, for that they are as brands plucked out of the burning. As it heightned the ſence of their deliverance to the Iſraelites, when they looked back, and ſaw the Egyptians tumbling in the waters of the Red-Sea, which they paſſed through without harm: ſurely they that cannot endure to hear of Hell, or read of Hell, diſcover too much of the guilt and ſecurity of their own hearts, preſumption is a coward and a runaway, but Faith ſuppoſeth the worſt, Pſal. 23.4. and ſo encountreth its enemy in the open fields, if the torments prepared for the diſobedient and impenitent, be ſo …orrible and grievous, we all need to be more ſrious in ſettling our e…er… intereſts upon a ſure bottom and f…undation; and to learn that holy mixture of ſerving God with fear, and rejoycing with trembling; and ſo to take ſanctuary at the Lords Grace, and enter our ſelves heirs to the priviledges of the Goſpel, that our claim may never be diſproved, nor our hope leave us aſhamed. This is the deſign of theſe Sermons of the reverend Author, which were tranſcribed from his own Notes, not indeed prepared for the Preſs but the Pulpit; and if they want any thing of that accuracy, which might be expected from one ſo able in the work of the Miniſtry: The Candid Reader, will diſtinguiſh between what is intended to be ſpoken to one Auditory, and written to the World: and how much is reſerved to be uttered on the ſuddain, in the heat and vigour of ſpeaking for enlivening and poliſhment on ſuch occaſions: What is left was conceived uſeful, and therefore put into thy hands. The Bleſſing of God Almighty go along with it, and ſanctifie it to thy Soul, which is the hearty Prayer of
thy Servants in the Lords Work. Tho. Manton. J. Rowe.