Ambrose - BT200 A42 1658

BookV. Look#ng rmto :fe{t#. Chap. 1 .sea-.6· but my defigne w.1s to fright rhem out of hell-fire, and knew~ ing the r:errpurs of rhe L0rd, to have perfwaded them towards . heaven, and heaven!y rhings ; but now if If peak condemnation, no fooner i11all•l fpeak,. but rheir foules wiH link down to hell ; 0 miferable foules, what JhalU fay? or what can you fay for your felves? Then Jhall rhey anfwer; Oh Sir, do not you· aa"r<ware rhe torment by YQur condemnation; the weight of C'6riH:s doome is already urifupportable, but will you adde more· weight? why remember, we are fome of w; (it may be) of your.fle01 and blood; many atime you told us rhat you unfeignedly loved us ; and rha:r we were dearer to you than ·all worldly enJoyments; many a rime you told us that you were willina to !pend your felffor us, aHhe ·candle that•·burnes it felfto giv~ · others light ; you.were pleafed to bellow your prayers, reares, fishs, groanes for our foules; your very books and writings · were high exprefli.ons; and abiding monuments of your deare love ro us ; you weighed not your flren-7th , and fpirirs in · comparifon of our foules; and Jhall this faire commical · fcean end in a difmal, doleful, bloody tragedy? would you do or fuffer any thing to fave us, . and will .y .)U now c.ondemne us ? oh· forbear 1 ' • Ah n;, (faith the Minill:er) I cannot forbear; allis true that you fay, . I loved you dearly, and I w,1s willin5 to fpend, or to · be fp.enr for you; but chis aggravates the more; ah my travaile, paines , books, writings, w0rds, teares, lighs, groanes are i1r one volume together, and this volume has been -opened this day, and now is the queLlion put, what have you profited by all ' my words,prayers,teares, lighs, and groanes? is not all loft? and are not ymtr foules loll:? and now d0 you tell me of love? what, did I eyer love you more than Chrifl loved you? were the drops ofmy reares to be co:npard wirh1:he Jhowers of his blood?were my paines for you equal to·rhe paines of his Croile?and hath not· he condemned you to hell?and Jhall not I be like-minded to Je- {us Chri!l:?Surely the Lords will.mull: be my will; he hath already ;udged you,and he will make me to judge you;fo farre am I from pitying you, that if he th,lt formed you vY.ill {hew you no mercy, if he that faves me,and all the elect peopl~ ofGod, will not fave you, can I pity you, or fave you, or diffenc from Jefus in his fenrenee upon you?fpeak no more of fleJh and blood, of labours 'Of · love~ .

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