The black hand—must then part with its white glove!
(William Secker, "The Consistent Christian" 1660)
There is in the same rose—honey for the bee, and poison for the spider.
The same Jesus who shall say, "Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world!" will also say, "Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels!"
As both blessing and cursing proceed out of the mouth of the same man—so both blessing and cursing will come out of the mouth of the same Christ! Man's curse is a curse of wicked execration—but Christ's curse is a curse of righteous execution.
As the same wind—may send one vessel into the haven, and sink another in the ocean; so shall the same voice of Christ—doom the sinner to eternal damnation, and welcome the saint to eternal salvation! That same gate which is opened for a citizen to go abroad for recreation, may also be opened for a malefactor to go out to execution!
Reader, how sad is that tragedy—which shall never be ended! Ah, how can you hear the doleful knell—of an everlasting funeral! Will those transient glances at former prosperity, lessen the intolerable weight of eternal calamity? The wheat and the chaff may grow together—but they shall not always lie together. There may be but of a few moments of breathing, between the sinner—and his everlasting burning! The day of separation, will prove to him a day of retribution. While the wheat is secured in the garner—the tares are consumed in the fire!
Sinner, you would then give a thousand worlds—to be the companion of the godly! Then their enjoyments will be incomparably pleasant—while your torments shall be intolerably painful. The sea of damnation—will not be sweetened with a drop of compassion! If once you fall into hell—after millions of ages have elapsed—you will be as far from coming out, as you were at going in! There will not be a sinner in heaven—to interrupt the joys of saints; nor will there be a saint in hell—to soften or soothe the anguish of sinners!
How will those ministers appear—who like the dog and wolf—combine to macerate and fleece the flock! Who instead of nurturing the child—have strangled the child!
How will fair-faced, gilded professors appear—when they shall be found no better than hell's freeholders! How will they appear—when the painted sepulcher shall be opened—and the dead men's bones disclosed! They will not be judged by the whiteness of their hands—but by the blackness of their hearts! The black hand—must then part with its white glove! That solemn day of judgment, will be too critical—for the hypocritical.
(William Secker, "The Consistent Christian" 1660)
There is in the same rose—honey for the bee, and poison for the spider.
The same Jesus who shall say, "Come, you who are blessed by My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world!" will also say, "Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels!"
As both blessing and cursing proceed out of the mouth of the same man—so both blessing and cursing will come out of the mouth of the same Christ! Man's curse is a curse of wicked execration—but Christ's curse is a curse of righteous execution.
As the same wind—may send one vessel into the haven, and sink another in the ocean; so shall the same voice of Christ—doom the sinner to eternal damnation, and welcome the saint to eternal salvation! That same gate which is opened for a citizen to go abroad for recreation, may also be opened for a malefactor to go out to execution!
Reader, how sad is that tragedy—which shall never be ended! Ah, how can you hear the doleful knell—of an everlasting funeral! Will those transient glances at former prosperity, lessen the intolerable weight of eternal calamity? The wheat and the chaff may grow together—but they shall not always lie together. There may be but of a few moments of breathing, between the sinner—and his everlasting burning! The day of separation, will prove to him a day of retribution. While the wheat is secured in the garner—the tares are consumed in the fire!
Sinner, you would then give a thousand worlds—to be the companion of the godly! Then their enjoyments will be incomparably pleasant—while your torments shall be intolerably painful. The sea of damnation—will not be sweetened with a drop of compassion! If once you fall into hell—after millions of ages have elapsed—you will be as far from coming out, as you were at going in! There will not be a sinner in heaven—to interrupt the joys of saints; nor will there be a saint in hell—to soften or soothe the anguish of sinners!
How will those ministers appear—who like the dog and wolf—combine to macerate and fleece the flock! Who instead of nurturing the child—have strangled the child!
How will fair-faced, gilded professors appear—when they shall be found no better than hell's freeholders! How will they appear—when the painted sepulcher shall be opened—and the dead men's bones disclosed! They will not be judged by the whiteness of their hands—but by the blackness of their hearts! The black hand—must then part with its white glove! That solemn day of judgment, will be too critical—for the hypocritical.