An Infallible Way to Fare Well, Chapter 33
CHAP. XXXIII.
Now what heart would not bleed to see men, yea multitudes run headlong into these tortures, that are thus intolerable? da…ce hoodwink'd i…to this perdition. O the folly and madnesse of those tha… prefer earth, yea, hell to heaven! time to eternity, the body before the soule; yea the outward estate before either soule or body. These are the worlds fooles, meer children, that prefer an apple before their inheritance: Besotted sensualists, that consider not how this life of ours, if it were not short, yet it is miserable: and if it were not miserable yet it is sho…t▪ that suffer themselves to be so bewitcht with the lo…e of their money, and their hearts to be r…veted to the earth, to be so inf…aved to coverousnesse, as to make gold their God? C…rtainly were they allowed to have but a …ight of this Hell, they would not do th… ▪ if they did but either see or foresee, what they shall one day (without serious and unfeigned repentance) feel, they would not be hired with all the worlds wealth, to hazard in the least the losse of those everlasting joyes before spoken of, or to purchase and plunge themselves into those ease lesse and everlasting flames of fire and brimstone in hell, there to …ry body and soule, where shall be an innumerable company of Devi…s and damned spirits to affright and torment them, but not one to comfort or pity them. But O that thou who art the Sacred Monarch of this mighty frame! wouldst give them hearts to believe, at least, that the soule of all sufferings, are the sufferings of the soule; that as painted fire is to materiall, such is materiall to hell fire▪ That things themselves are in the invisible world: in the world visible but their shadowes onelyonly: And that whatsoever wicked men enjoy here, it is but as in a dream, their plenty is but like a drop of pleasure, before a river of sorrow and displeasure; and whatsoever the godly feel, but as a drop of misery before a river of mercy and glory. Then would they thinke it better to want all things, then that one needfull thing; whereas now they desire all other things, and neglect that one thing which is so needfull: They would be glad to spare something from their superfluities, yea if need requ…re even from their necessaries, that they might relieve and cherish the poor distressed members of Jesus Christ. And let so much serve to have been spoken of the reasons that concern our selves in particular, and how God hath promised to blesse the merciful man in his soule, body, name, and estate. I should now go on to declare, that what the liberall man gives, his seed shall inherit: But I consider, that if for the increasing of their estates, for the obtaining of heaven, and the avoyding of everlasting destruction of body and soule in Hell, will not prevail with rich men to do some good with their goods while they live; wharsoever else can be spoken, will be lost labour, and to no purpose. I grant there are some of them such despera…e doting fools, that they can find in their hearts to damn their own souls, and go to hell, to leave their sonnes rich: and therefore it will not be amisse to set down (or poynt them to) a few of those promises which God hath made to the mercifull or liberall mans seed, and posterity after him. I'le alleadge but three places onelyonly.