lost O ur good God takes it in a foule scorne to speake and not be heard to be heard and not minded R eligion promiseth no worldly pleasures but contrary they shall whip and scourge you they shall binde and lead you whither you would not D oe as the most doe and fewest will finde fault with you but God chargeth us not to follow a multitude in evill E very mans hand is not an able instrument of mischiefe but whosoever the instrument be the consenter is as deep both in the sin and the penalty R ighteous men shall never be swept away for company yet the unrighteous are often spared for company F ew words to the wicked in the latter day but full of bitternesse depart word of separation ye cursed words of malediction into everlasting fire words of desolation prepared for the Devill and his angell words of exemplification I n many things familiarity breeds contempt but in these things strangenesse and ignorance hath made men prophanely insolent E very man hath his knowledge from nature but the Christian his from grace one is from earth the other from heaven L et no man cast with himselfe how old he may be before he returne from his sinnes lest he reckon without his host S inne is like Stibium it will tarry with no body up it must either here by an humble confession or hereafter by a wretched confusion T here can be no full satisfaction or consolation in the minde of any knowledge but of Ghrist O utward crosses and calamities may take from us our goods of this world but it can never take Christ Jesus from us T he contempt of the truth makes it not worse but thy selfe and the advancing of it makes it not better but thy self H ee that is alwaies for the time nothing for the truth is like a top that goes alwayes round never forwards unlesse it be whipt E very worldling is left-handed he will be doing though hee have no thanks for his paines R eligion derived from Christ preserves unity with Christians he that will not keep the peace of God shall not be kept by the peace of God I t is easie for the greatnesse of authority to beare out the smalnesse of piety and commonly the sins of the mighty are mighty sinnes therefore their destruction is answerable to their presnmption G ods children have three suits of apparrell blacke white and red here we are blacke with mourning red with parse cution and shall be white only glorified H ee that mournes for the cause of his punishment shall mourn but a while but he that mournes for the punishment and not for cause shall mourne for ever T he good man looks into himself not into another and therefore thinks best of another not of himself O bedience it selve would lose a reward by comming short but for perseverance for no vertue can expect eternall blessednes but that which holds out to the end R emember O man how short thy time in and be not weary of thy pains for what cause can be long in that which is so short of it selfe L ooke where the glory of this world ends the glory of heaven begins but riches are here to day and gone to morrow E very service in the end brings wages but the wages of sinne is without end F lattering up others in their sinnes is the very next way to make them our owne T he Word of God sets down the wages of sin and tyes punishment to it as an inseparable effect to the cause H ee that chose us when we were not called and called us when we were nought and hath justified us being sinners will glorifie us being Saints A man may partake of one nature of Christ and be cursed but if of his divine then most blessed N ature created and nature corrupted is the difference between Gods workmanship and ours D eath is fearfull wages when it is paid in the proper coine without the allay of Christs death to qualifie it O ne that will plead Christs cause without a fee or he that will say with Job Though he kill me yet I will trust in him shews the heart of a Saint R esolve with Hester If I perish I perish for nothing can be lost that wee piously trust God withall F aith goes along with Christ from his cradle to his crosse it sees him doing good and suffering ill R ecrant souldiers first forsake their courage and the last thing that forsakes them is their heels O ur backwardnesse requires continuall provocation to be good is a thing hardly gotten quickly forgotten M ans habitation pleaseth him his gold bewitcheth him a womans beauty tempteth him and yet all is but earth T ruth is never to be numbred by the pole for it is not numbers but weight that should carry it H e that mouths a Pater noster while his heart is in his coffer as if he would at once serve God and mammon in vaine thinks himselfe godly E arth will to earth an earthly desire to an earthly center so man lives till earth bee turned into earth so he dyes till earth be turned out of earth their earthly soule into hellish torments such a life is base and brutish C omplaine not though other men blanch thee so long as thou hast fellowship with Jesus Christ E very man be contented with his owne measure of good things vouchsafed him for God will not be prescribed N one but the King of Kings hath right to the stile Imperiall I will or I will not without limitation because his will and power are matches only T o obey well is as great as to governe well and more mens duties they that thinke otherwise know not the Christians part which is to suffer E nter not into a restlesse course of life for honour for a Princes breath blowes is up and the Peoples breath blowes it away R eady for honour ready for disgrace for poverty for riches for joy or sorrow for life or death for all such a Christian will hold out to the latter end O ur grace is Gods glory the more we are amended the more he is commended thus the truth appeares greater in us though it cannot bee made greater by us P erseverance is the queen of all vertues and the master of all temptations commands to sight against none but those that persevere in goodnesse E vill men may shew the good they have not but good men cannot hide the good they have N othing but grace can satisfie the soule of man give him grace and then be goes away springing like Joseph and singing like David T here cannot be a greater argument of a foule soule then the deriding of religious actions O ther sins have but three enemies to deale withall but a backslider hath a fourth a hard heart Y f we receive not the blessed Gospell with faith and feare Sodome and Gomerah never sinned as we sin nor were never so plagued as
truth which we have rejected with tongue and hand justifying and defending mischievous opinions against the Gospell of Christ is a deniall of Christ in judgement R eligion in an unstable man lyes alwaies in wait for the inclination of his Prince as a Spaniell hunts according to the face of his Master F easting sinners doe little know how neare jollitie is to perdition judgement is often at the threshold when drunkennesse is at the table I n vaine doe they flye whom God pursues for there is no mountaine so high but God can reach it no depth so low but his eye sees it and power reaches it L ying and false teachers are amongst us by Gods permission that the true only might more painfully and patiently exercise their knowledge E very one that desires to be true to himselfe and free from all errors let him be sure to be true to Christ S uperstition first loves and then beleeves but true Religion first beleeves and then loves S inne at first was the cause of ignorance now ignorance is the cause of sinne as long as we thinke we see we continue blinde when we perceive our blindnesse then we begin to see T he first punishment of sinne is blindnesse of minde and that blindnesse is the cause of future sin A lewd man is a pernitious creature that the damnes his owne soule is the part of his mischiefe for he commonly draws vengeance upon a thousand either by desert of his sin or by the infection of it N ever was any man so desperately wicked but he had some followers Lucifer fell not alone from heaven D estruction should teach us to thinke of our sins doe we marvell at this distracted age every man look to his own sins and cease marvelling R ankmirth with full bellies with gaming and wine hath laid us all open to the Divell I t is just that they who have made themselves partners in sinning should not be separated in suffering G od is not just without mercy nor mercifull without justice slow to anger yet he will not acquit the wicked H ee that will not take Gods word for good shall feele his sword for evill so near is unbeleef to Atheisme as the word of God is to the noblenesse of his Majesty T he Almighty hates to be disturbed and accounts infidelity so much a greater sin then another I t is ridiculous for a man to professe he is going to heaven when his whole life is forwarding him to hell N o man can charge God with over hastinesse for if he should be angry as often as we sin and strike as often as he is angry what man could escape Y f the summons of vengeance should awake us to repentance we shall no sooner change our mindes but God will change his sentence O pennesse of sinne hath saved justice a labour of inquisition there needs no hue and crie after the thiefe that presents himselfe V engeance is alwaies Gods owne weapon so appropriated to his hand that no creature can meddle with it R oot out all corruption out of thy heart or else it will root thee out of the land for concupiscence is to a man as Peter to the Maid that made him deny his Master R ighteous art thou O Lord and just in thy judgements no man can confesse this but such as live uprightly and truly as he hath commanded A ll complaine yet every man addes to the heap of sin redresse stands not in words but each man amend one and we may all live N ever did God so irrevocably threaten judgement for sin but the penitent confession of the sinner cancels and avoids the sentence K nowing the sweetnesse and excellencie of Christ we cannot but love him and if we love him it must needs be grievous to us to lose him S inners may so weary the invincible patience of God that he may say of them as he did to Ephraim Ephraim is joyned to Idolls let him alone T he Divell is let loose for a season to try the patience of Gods Church yet let falsity vomit her poyson for a while we shall finde saving health in Christ O ur enemies O Lord are near us to hurt us but thou art near to helpe us thou art Judge of the whole World therefore deliver thy people T he sword never prevailed but sin set an edge upon it God indeed is judge of all but sin is the cause of all H asten from the company of the wicked that there may be no stay in your passage to heaven for feare judgement overtake you E ven as our teares must slacken Gods bow so our prayers must get out his arrows when they sticke fast in our sides R ipenesse of sinne makes ready Gods wrath so that neither greatnesse nor strength can protect us I t is a grievous judgement upon a Nation when teachers sent for mans salvation shall become meanes of their confusion G od is angry against all sinne but his wrath is most hot against universall sinne thousands or a whole Army falls then in one day H umble confession and devout penance cannot alwayes avert temporall judgements David spent three daies in sad contrition yet in that short time Gods Angell destroyed 70000. T he desolating actions of Gods justice is not to destroy and deprive of being but to further the growth of his Church as men root weeds out of a garden that the hearbs may grow the better H oly men out of their acquaintance with their Master foresee punishment but fooles run on and are punished A sinfull Commonwealth cannot live unlesse it bleed in the common vein neither is there a better sacrifice to God then the blood of malefactors N o target no corslet nor armour of proofe nor banks nor fortifications can withstand the hand of the Almighty D readfull blasphemy desperate sacriledge apostacie covetousnes drunkennesse luxurie prophanenesse and excessive pride has provoked Gods wrath therefore mourne for them that will not mourne for themselves A ll Gods blessings all his judgements all his creatures are as so many Sermons and Trumpets to bring man to repentance S hall a land mourne for the inhabitants and not the inhabitants for the sinnes of that land God forbid Y f we doe not perish every mothers son and daughter by the sword as the old world did by the deluge it is not because we are lesse wicked but because God is more mercifull O England the Gospell of Christ is fittest to lead our times and as that is either distressed or prosperous so let us frame our mirth or mourning U ngodly policies may bring a Kingdome to desolation because they are contrary to repentance W ee have suffered the mischiefe of a long peace and our estates are not the better but through security much worse and for our sinnes God hath sent his bloody arrow amongst us E very man is a limbe of the Community and must be affected with the estate of the whole body whether
like a pulley that keeps reason in the right wheel and cashiers mutinous affections or executes Marshall law upon them S uch as turne grace into wantonnesse deny Christ for he that calls himself Christian and teaches that in Christ is granted liberty of finning denies his Redeemer Y f thou buy honour thou callest it thine indeed thy friend thou calst him thine purchasest a house thou calst it thine but Christ hath bought thee with his blood yet thou deniest to be his O ur inward sincerity is not without externall profession but externall profession may be without inward sincerity V ertue is ever full of proselt enemies darknesse is not more contrary to light nor sicknesse to health nor death to life then vice to goodnesse W hat meanes the worldling in our birth we had but swadling clouts and cradle in our death we shall have but a winding sheet and a coffin E very man is a soole that forgets his owne name that are the sonnes of Adam the son of dust R iches are but for this world yet God is both Lord of this world and of that to come and where the glory of this ends the glory of that begins E very mans death is the punishment of his first birth if faithfull the glory of the second not a dying but a departing life with some sorrow laid off but with much joy said up R achel weeping for her children because they were not and shall not we can we see the Churches teares and not doe our utmost endeavours to comfort her A prayer made in confidence that God will hear us because he hath heard us may obtaine mercy then approach boldly to the Throne of Grace N o shame sorrow or misery should ever put any Christian to any desperate attempt for there is more valour to endure a miserable life then to imbrace a wretched death K eep thy shield of faith and thou shalt victoriously march with the Saints on earth and triumphantly sing with Angels in heaven S uch is the sincerity of Christian Religion that it not only imposeth upon us pure innocencie but also profitable honesty T he feare of God and the love of God are inseparable he doth neither that doth both he omits neither that doth one O fall the medicines administred to us by our spirituall Physitian love is the sweetest bitter pills will downe when they are made up in love T he rules of our faith and life are manifest if we would study enough study them and practise H ow poore soever thy cottage be set thy prayers as a guard without and thy faith as a locke within the sevenfold walls of Babylon cannot bee so strong E very man hath his owne faith yet all men have but one faith by which they must be saved L et thy thoughts examine thy thoughts for thy conscience must not only extend to deeds and words but even to secret thoughts E ndeavour to be thrifty husbands of time and meanes to bee spiritually rich for if man neglect the occasion will neglect him F eare God as Noah Noah beleeves he shall be saved why he above the rest because he beleeved with feare T he inseperable effect of justification is obedience then we follow Christ when we follow his H ee that preserves the truth from the malediction of men preserves himselfe from the malediction of God and he that vindicates the truth from present blasphemy tha truth shall preserve him from everlasting misery A threefold lot belongs to all faithfull men the lot of suffering the lot of happinesse and the lot of salvation N o man will hardly brooke wounds that cannot endure words for the cause of his Saviour David had a great company of Souldiers at his backe yet he slew Goliah alone thus Faith alone conquers the Devill D estruction is alwayes incident to opulent Cities and delightfull places Sodome abounded with all delights and pleasures O ur sinnes greedily heare that the mercies of God endureth for ever but they shall all sensibly heare that the wrath of God endureth for ever U nthankfulnes is the sole witch and sorcerer whose drousie inchantments have made man forget God himselfe B ee not such sinnes rather the image of hell then of heave neither measure the joyes of heaven by our owne corrupt and sensual pleasure on earth L et us appeale from mens lips to their lives he that obeyes not Christ knowes not Christ it is fruitfulnesse in good that setles him in our hearts E vill hearts have corrupt hands for if the hand grope for a bribe as Felix did of Paul there must be an unjust heart A wicked man thinks he may be out of danger of the Law if either he have agreat man to his friend or have not a great man to his enemy S inne with a voice is sinne in action sinne with a cry is a sinne in presumption Y fone act of filthinesse doe so distresse us that we would give all the World for a pardon what torture will the same sin bring being committed againe O ur dayes are evill whether we respect their troubles or that which troubles them our sinnes and not likely in either of them both to amend U ntill knowledge and goodnesse goe together we may be doubtfull for knowledge will fall from us when we fall from goodnesse W oe to those that call evill good woe indeed for refusing the right way for approving the wrong woe for they have erred woe because they will not be converted E rrors are infinite and but one truth God chargeth us to refuse all waies but one but the Devill bids us refuse that one R eason will memory imagination affection and sense by one act of rebellion put all their noble family into a shattered disorder E very corruption is so pleasing to the wicked that they thinke it health it selfe for every heart overruns with sinne is all sinne F orget all sinne in respect of continuance but remember them in respect of repentance I n the last dayes we live on the last dayes we doe not meditate so the last dayes falls upon us whilest our first and last and all our sinnes are found in us L et us be so kinde to our selves as to thinke doomes day is not past there is a day an evening and a morning we shall finde no peace unlesse wee provide for it in the day E ndeavour to run so much the faster as we run for the better prise S o far as holy joy is entred into us so far are we entred into the everlasting Kingdome of Christ T o begin in the spirit and end in the flesh is in Pauls sense folly but to begin with grace and end with wickednesse is malicious impiety O ur troubles are felt without but our peace of conscience is alwayes felt within T he right way to heaven is by the signified will of God revealed in his Word and whatsoever repugneth that is the wrong H appy repentance is sorry