Mans Aim Third Emanuel or Miracle of Miracles By Richard Sibbs D.D. 4to An Exposition on the five first Chapters of Ezekiel with useful observations thereupon By Will. Greenhil 4to The Gospel-Covenant or the Covenant of Grace opened Preached in New-England By Peter Bulkeley 4to God's Holy Mind touching Matters Moral which himself uttered in ten words or ten Commandments also an Exposition on the Lords Prayer By Edward Elton B.D. 4to A plain and familiar Exposition of the Commandments By John Dod 4to Fiery Jesuite or an Historical Collection of the Rise Increase Doctrines and Deeds of the Jesuites Exposed to view for the sake of London 4to Horologiographia Optica Dyalling Universal and Particular Speculative and Practical together with the Description of the Court of Arts by a new Method By Sylvanus Morgan 4to Praxis Medicinae or the Physicians Practice wherein are contained all inward diseases from the head to the foot By Walter Bruel Regimen Sanitatis Salerni or the School of Salerns Regiment of Health containing Directions and Instructions for the guide and government of Man's Life 8vo Ames on Peter and on the Psalms Christ and the Covenant the work and way of Meditation delivered in ten Sermons Large Octavo By William Bridge late of great Yarmouth Heart-Treasure or a Treatise tending to fill and furnish the head and Heart of every Christian with soul-inriching treasure of truths graces experiences and comforts to help him in Meditation Conference Religious performances Spiritual Actions Enduring Afflictions and to fit him for all conditions that he may live Holily die happily and go to Heaven triumphantly By O.H. with an Epistle presixed by John Chester The sure Mercies of David or a second part of the Hearts-Treasure Closet Prayer a Christians Duty All three by O. Heywood A Glimpse of Eternity By A. Caley A Practical Discourse of Prayer wherein is handled the Nature and duty of Prayer By Tho. Cobbet Of Quenching the Spirit the evil of it in respect both of its causes and effects discovered By Theâ—â—hilus Polwheile Wells of Salvatioâ—â—â—â—ened or Words whereby we may be saved with advice to Young Men. By Th. Vincent The Re-building of London encouraged and improved in several Meditations By Samuel Rolls The sure way to Salvation or a Treatise of the Saints Mystical Union with Christ wherein that great Mysterie and Priviledge is opened in the nature properties and the necessity of it By R. Steedman M.A. Sober Singularity By the same Author The greatest Loss upon Matth. 16.26 By James Livesey Moses unvailed By William Guild The Protestants Triumph being an exact answer to all the sophistical Arguments of Papists By Ch. Drelincourt A Defence against the fear of Death By Zach. Crofton Gods Soveraignty displayed By Will. Geering A sober Discourse concerning the Interest of Words in Prayer The Godly mans Ark or City of Refuge in the day of his distress in five Sermons with 〈◊〉 Moor's Evidences for Heaven By Edw. Calamy The Almost Christian discovered or the false Professor tryed and cast By Spiritual Wisdome improved against temptation Both by M. Mead. The true bounds of Christian Freedom or a Discourse shewing the extents and restraints of Christian Liberty wherein the truth is setled many errours confuted out of John 8. ver 36. A Treatise of the Sacrament shewing a Christians Priviledge in approaching to God in Ordinances duty in his Sacramental approaches danger if he do not sanctifie God in them Both by Sam. Bolton D. D. The Lords Day enlivened or a Treatise of the Sabbath By Philip Goodwin The Sinfulness of Sin and the Fulness of Christ two Sermons By W. Bridge The Treatises next following are Written by Mr. Thomas Watson The Doctrine of Repentance Heaven taken by Storm Mischief of Sin A Divine Cordial A plea for the Godly The Holy Eucharist or the Sacrament of the Lords Supper The Life and Death of Mr. Tho. Wilson of Maidstone in Kent The Life and Death of Dr. Samuel Winter of Dublin The Conversion of a Sinner The day of Grace A Covert from the Storm Worthy walking pressed upon all that have heard the call of the Gospel All three by Nath. Vincent The Duty of Parents A little book for Little Children A Method and instruction for the Art of Divine Meditation All three by Tho. White The Childs delight togather with an English Grammar A plaine and Familiar Method of instructing the younger sort according to the lesser Catechism of the late Reverend Assembly of Divines Both by Tho. Lye The inseperable Union between Christ and a Believer By Tho. Peck A Practical Discourse of Prayer wherein is handled the Nature and duty of Prayer A Treatise of quenching the spirit the evil of it both in respect of its causes and effects A Defence against the Fear of Death By Zach. Crofton Esops Fables in English and Latin Verse Meditation upon Mr. Baxter's Review of his Treatise of the Duty of Heavenly Meditation By Giles Fermin A Discourse of Excuses setting forth the variety and Vanity of them the Sin and misery brought in by them By John Sheffield Invisible Reality set forth in the Holy Life and triumphant Death of Mr. John Janeway A Discourse concerning the Education of Children By R. Kedder The Saints perseverance asserted in its positive ground against Jer. Ives By Thom Danson
Davids Psalms along with him the first thing he did in a morning was to read a portion of Scripture which was matter of meditation and communication also all the day after When he was to seek for matter of good discourse which was not often or when no apt occasion was offer'd otherwise then you should hear him speak of some Scripture that he had read that morning from which he would raise some usefull observations or propose some practical questions to the instruction of the Company And at night when he went to bed he would search out some Scripture or other which suited his present thoughts and that was the subject or matter of his meditation in his waking houres He seldome wrote any letter but he added three or four or more Scriptures for a Postscript and those very pertinent either to the occasion of his writing or the condition of the person to whom he wrote or it may be they should respect the times and the providences of God therein How many letters have I received from him subscribed in that manner He selsome visited or met any friend but he would at parting leave some Scripture or other with him Pray he would say let me leave one Text of Scripture with you and thinke of it when I am gone 5. His giving himself to Prayer He was the most praying Christian that ever I was acquainted with Ps 109.4 Ego oratio ve Tig. vir orationis eram Pagn Vitus Theodor. Once it fell out sayes he I over-heard him but good God with what a spirit what a confidence was in his expressions with such a reverence he sued as one begging of God and yet with such hope and assurance as if he spake to a loving father or friend What David said of himself may be affirmed of him that he gave himself to prayer One sayes of Luther that no day past wherein he did not spend three houres at least in this duty I can't assert so much of this reverend person but this I dare averr that no day past wherein he restrained it or slightly past it over His manner was when ever he came to lodge at any friends house after he had saluted those that were in his way immediately to betake himself to his Chamber where he would spend an houre more or less by himself before any friend could speak with him At night again he would be shut up in his Chamber a considerable time before any servant could be admitted He would often say to his Godly friends that came to visit him Joach pa. Virg. Mar. Mihi cibus et pitus est oratio Come must not we pray together before we part indeed it may be said of him what was said of another that prayer was his repast Nor did he slubber over this duty as many doe but he did it with all his might he prayed in prayer he wrestled with God as our Father Jacob did and he wept for the most part when he made his supplication to him He was not onely affectionate in prayer with others but when he was alone by himself This passage I find under his own hand The Glory be Gods where I have shed one tear in prayer with others I have I think I speak within compass shed two in secret betwixt God and mine own soul One thing I had almost let slip that in prayer alone or with others if he could have room he would perform the duty kneeling on the ground yea though sometimes he was almost lost in the croud by so doing he would say the humblest gesture as well as spirit became the duty of prayer and that he knew no way of wrestling with the Almighty like that of lying at his feet and prostrating our selves before him Of old when the question was propounded Servasti Dominicum the answer was Christianus sum intermittere non possum 6. His Sanctification on the Lords Day the Christian Sabbath He was a strict observer of the Lords day and indeed he is no true Christian that is careless therein Some have observed that the Sanctification of the Sabbath is one of the first things a converted person makes conscience of this good man was every day watchful over his thoughts words and actions but on this day more especially It was rare to hear him speak one idle word or see him do one unnecessary action on the Sabbath day The Jewish Talmud proposeth this question why God made man on the Sabbath Eve and gives this answer that he might presently enter upon the sanctification of the Sabbath and begin his life with that work which was the main end of it His strictness was such herein that some have wondred at it and some too hastily have censur'd him for it I can remember I have kept some Sabbaths with him but alas I could by no means keep pace with him he went from duty to duty as Bees doe from Flower to Flower from publique duty to family duties from family duties to closet duties finding sweetness in them all he would say we must alwayes be good husbands of time especially of holy time we must not spend that time which is not our own about our own things 7. His keâ—…g dayes of prayer and fasting alone and with his Family Ne. 1.4 Dan. 9.3.2 Sa. 12.16 Est 4.16 Mat. 18.19.20 v. Clarks Marrow of Eccl. History p. 932. He accustomed himself to keep private fasts a practise out of use amongst Christians though much commended in the Scriptures This good man sometimes by himself alone and sometimes with his little family kept many whole dayes of prayer and humiliation This he did ordinarily before the Lords Supper and often as he found any corruption to grow or get head in his heart There are some devils and devillish lusts that will be cast out or kept under no other way This particular experience he himself records That when he was a young Preacher he found himself very prone to be puffed up and exalted and indeed it was a common saying with him that Spiritual pride is the special sin of young Ministers whereupon he set apart a day to seek God for strength against that sin and from that day forward he felt 't is his own expression the neck and heart of it was broken And to speak truth which might have been another head he was a most lowly minded Christianâ— He was clothed all over with humility 1 Pet. 5.5 Fuit in honore sine tumore in elatione sine praelationâ— Bernard Clem. de correct Eccl. Stat. c. 22. Aug. de civit Deil. 14. c. 13. that Treasury of grace that ornament of Religion neither his Parentage nor his parts nor his applause nor any thing else did to appearance any way elate or puff him up though he was lifted up in the eyes and hearts of others yet he was lowly in his own how often have I known him to esteem others that were abundantly worse to be better then
continue and abound This is the old and the new Commandment There is no duty more prest in the Word of God and no duty less practis'd by the people of God Surely the end is at hand because of the flaming out of sin and of the freezing of love These last dayes have introduc't a great many love-killing principles that former Ages were ignorant of we want the Apostle John amongst us or some of his spirit to stir up Christians to love one another Remember wherein the duties of brotherly love consist in relieving instructing admonishing exhorting comforting and bearing with one another He that sayes he loves his brother and lives in the neglect of these is a lyar and the truth is not in him VII Let your Conversation in the world be with simplicity and godly sincerity this is the way to have favour with God he hath pleasure herein 2 Chron. 29.17 he desires truth in the inward parts and reckons sincerity for perfection yea this is the way to have rejoycing in your selves Sincerity affords comfort in every condition of life and in the hour of death A sincere person if he lives in trouble he ordinarily dyes in peace He 's sure to find acceptance for all his services and indulgence for all his offences Oh that it may be said of you as of another in Scripture-story that you are men and women without guile VIII Set the Lord alwayes before you Remember he sees you when you are most out of sight his eyes are never off from you let your eyes be ever towards him One thought it would awe the Romans and make them serious if they did alwayes apprehend that Cato was in company with them It would certainly have a good influence upon our hearts and lives if we did apprehend that God was alwayes at our elbows and that his eyes are upon all our wayes and doings It is an excellent preservative against sin and provocation to duty to carry a remembrance of God about with us into all places and companies IX Fill up all your particular relations with duties Relative duties are better known than practised nature it self teacheth them the very Heathen have excelled herein surely if our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees it must not fall short of that of Heathens and Infidels it sounds like a contradiction for one to be a good Christian and a bad husband or wife father or child master or servant c. X. Promote the power and practice of Religion in your several Families Remember who said he would walk in his house not only in Gods but in his own house with a perfect heart Psal 121.1 resolve with Joshua not only to engage your persons but your houses and families in the service of God Of old the Families of Christians were call'd Churches but now many of them are rather Synagogues of Satan than Churches of Christ not Bethel's but Bethaven's houses of vanity and sin It is commonly said That Governours of Families as well as Pastors of Churches have curam animarum the charge and care of Souls and if any perish through your neglect their blood will be required at your hands How many of your Children and Servants may say to you another day bloody Parents and bloody Masters you have been to us and may they not now say Fathers Masters care you not that we perish Oh let your Families be instructed do I require this or doth God require it Deut. 6.6 7 8 c. Eph. 6.4 who will one day require an account of your doing of it Let there be morning and evening sacrifices of praise and prayer offered up to God in your dwellings God forbid there should be one prayerless habitation in Kingston XI Walk humbly with God Micah 6.8 This is the main thing that he requires of you without this let your other excellencies be never so many they are of no account with him A proud persons graces and good works do him hurt whil'st an humble man is made better by his evil deeds a proud man is made worse by his good deeds Oh pray God that saith he will give grace to the humble to give you that excellent grace of humility You may be brought low and yet not be lowly many are humbled that are not humble Plectuntur sed non flectuntur Salvian XII Follow the good examples of others There are many patterns for imitation in Scripture there 's the example of our Lord Jesus Christ himself be as he was in the world The Word of God aboundeth also with many other excellent instances and presidents it shews you many evil examples which are as Sea-marks to forewarn you and many good examples which are as Land-marks to direct you you have other excellent patterns too besides those upon record in Scripture Take my Brethren your old Pastor whose Life I have here delineated and who hath spoken to you in the Name of the Lord for an example of patience and all other branches of piety Therefore is the story of his Life and Death dedicated to you that it may be imitated by you But of this I spake somewhat before Let us remember here That I am writing an Epistle and not a Treatise ergo manum de tabula Though it were easie to give you many dozens more of such directions as these I have been longer because though I have often Preach't to you yet I never wrote to you before As I have often suggested the counsels of God to yous ears so I would set some few of them before your eyes I have an ardent affection for you you have had Ministers that have Preach't and liv'd better than I have done but never any that lov'd you better than I do I love your Souls and their eternal welfare and would be loth to meet any of you at Christs Tribunal in an unregenerate and Christless condition I would not the many Sermons I have Preach't to you should be at that day as so many Bills of Indictment against you Finally Brethren farewell be of one mind live in peace and let me close this Epistle as Jude doth his build up your selves in your most holy faith pray in the Holy Ghost keep your selves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life Vnto his grace and favour I commend you all and subscribe my self Your unworthy Minister And Well-wisher Richard Mayo Nov. 29. 1672. THE LIFE and DEATH OF Edmund Staunton S. T. D. IT is usuall even in the Holy Scripture when mention is made of any persons of Note to record their Genealogy Parents do sometimes bring lustre unto their Children and Children do sometimes bring renowne unto their Parents This excellent person who is the subject of the ensuing narrative was borne Anno 1600 of the Ancient and worshipfull Family of the Stauntons in Bedfordshire his Father Sr Francis Staunton had several sons of whose Education he was
blessing be an incouragement to this too much neglected duty of Christian Conference There is an honest able Minister who within these two years told me it for a piece of News and indeed it was welcome newes to me and it was this That in the Knights Family with whom he liveth the Knight is of good quality and repute there was a maidservant he verily believed fearing God in that family which to use his own words dated her Conversion from my discourse with her walking up Highgate Hill together whereupon I remember'd that about four years since I came from London in an Hackny-Coach for St. Albans and there was a Gentlewoman I 'le spare her name with this her maid and others the Gentlewoman was able and willingly maintained good discourse on the way and it being a cold morning I at the bottom of the Hill went out of the Coach to walk up the Hill and warm my self thereby when I was out the Maid asked leave of her Mistriss who stayed in the Coach that she being cold might go up the Hill also which she did and we talked together as we went and I think the summe of my discourse was our misery by nature our disability to help our selves by any thing we could do or suffer that there was an absolute indispensable necessitie of getting an interest in Christ who was infinitely able and willing to save every poor lost soul that came unto him by believing and to this purpose both in Coach and in walking which the onely wise and infinitely gracious Lord God it blessed for the Spiritual and Eternal good of this poor handmaid for which let his Holy Name be for ever glorified and let all good Christians take from hence incouragement to be yet more and more abounding in holy talk and Conference sowing this seed in the morning and in the evening not withholding their hands who knoweth but the gracious Lord our God may bless and prosper both the one and the other The weak strengthened And fourthly if the Holy Word of God rightly managed in Christian Conference be efficacious for the inlightning of the ignorant the reducing the erronious and the converting of stout-hearted sinners then by necessary and undeniable consequence it must be also soveraignly efficacious for the strengthening of the feeble minded and comforting of such as are cast down 1 Thes 5.14 Brethren comfort the feeble minded concernes all and how can this be better done then in Christian Conference and again in the same place support the weak is the common duty of all believers but how support even as a Crutch doth a lame body or as a beame doth a ruinated and tottering house the word significantly imports the holding up one that 's ready to fall by a hand reached out to help him or the assisting any who are lifting and heaving at what 's weighty but have not sufficient strength to move or remove it as they desire Thus by Christian Conference many gracious soules full of doubts and fears ready to fall into dreadfull despairs of mercy have been held up and cheared sometimes by laying before them the precious promises or the great ability and willingness of Christ to save sometimes by imparting to them our own experience how we were cast down and raised up again telling them what God hath done for our Soules or for the soules of others in the like sad and dejected condition as they are in I 'le leave one instance in this case also It 's near twenty years since that several Travellers of us passing between Oxford and London supped together at an Inne in Great-Wickham one of the company carried himself so untowardly and offensively that others at the Table wondered at me for my not rebuking him whether thinking it prudence to forbear at supper time or rather through my want of zeale for God I know not but supper being fully ended I addressed my self as well as I could to speak to this vaine person which accordingly I did laying first the Law before him and the sadness of his condition at present and that if he died impenitently he was like to perish eternally after which I opened the Gospel to him with as much tenderness and compassion as I possibly was able acquainted him with the readiness that is in God and Jesus Christ to receive penitent sinners and how those that came to Christ he would in no wise cast out and many such expressions to this purpose that grace discovered might win and allure him to Christ and to repentance Yet what impression all that was spoken had upon that vain person I know not It seems that there was a Scholler in the Company whom I think then I was altogether unacquainted with he is now an honest able Minister who lay under a spirit of bondage had great feares and troubles upon him he hearken'd attentively and I have cause to be perswaded that by the wise and gracious providence of God much of the Gospel Consolations fell upon his spirit to his great refreshing not unlike that spirit of Adoption which teacheth believers to Cry Abba Father you shall have his own words in a late letter to me This I can unfeignedly say that amongst my spiritual benefactours I do heartily bless God for you and do look upon it as a very good providence I was cast into your Company at that time 5. The strong quickend In the fifth and last place That Christian Conference hath been and still is very beneficiall not only for strengthning those who are weak in the faith but for edifying and quickning even the strongest and most grown in Christianity the Holy Scriptures right reason and sweet experience give in abundant testimony thereunto It 's a Soveraign antidote against Apostacy and defection in Religion and that both as to understanding and affections The Apostle prescribes it Heb. 312.13 Take heed brethren least there be in any of you an evill heart of unbeliefe in departing from the living God But how shall it be prevented he answers Exhort one another dayly while it is called to day least any of you be hardned through the deceitfulness of sin Exhort one another The duty is mutual concerneth Christians of all sexes and sizes dayly that is frequently not by fits and starts while it is called to day to wit presently and speedily delayes in this case are dangerous do not put off for a month a fortnight a week no not for a day and the reason is weighty from the danger of the hearts obduration by the deceitfulness of sin It deceiveth the understanding with errour for truth darkness for light the will with evil for good the heart and affections with what 's loth some and to be abhorred insteed of what 's lovely and to be desired And again the same Apostle to the same purpose Heb. 10.23 25. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is
not exclusive of mirth natural and civil for there was feasting The Jewes had joy Est 8.17 Neh. 8.10 and gladness a feast and a good day and in their feasts did eat the fat and drink the sweet And let me adde this that even civil mirth well ordered and regulated is a good natural preparative for rejoycing in a more sublime and holy manner And the reason is because of the Spirits which are in men natural animal and vital spirits ingendred in the Livers heads and hearts of men which being kept up lively and agil by civil mirth are as wings to the Souls even of Saints in their sublimer higher and nobler operations And herein I may appeal to the experience of the choicest servants of God who find when their spirits are down and low an indisposition in them thereby for holy duties The disciples themselves when they should have been watching and praying Jesus Christ found them sleeping for sorrow But when our Spirits are up lively Luk. 22.45 and cheary they dispose for duty and our heads and hearts as wheels oyled move more nimbly 2. As for the usefulness and expediency of mirth and lightsomness I say not levity of spirit 2 Vseful 1. Preservation of the bodies health It 's not only serviceable to the soul in its gracious actings and operations as I said before but to the body also for the preservation of health and strength vigor and activity by the multiplying and refining of spirits in us A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance It doth good indeed to the whole body Prov. 15.13 but the good it doth appears and shewes it self especially in the Countenance as being made thereby more amiable and lovely the eye more lively and sharp-slighted the Cheeks more ruddy the bloud more pure and sparkling Though the countenance onely is mentioned yet the whole body is to be understood as receiving good by the hearts cheeriness for though the soul and body differ in substance as spirit and flesh yet God having joyn'd them together in so close a union as to the making up of one person they mutually sympathize each with other a sickly body makes a sad heart and a wounded spirit makes a crasie bodie and I think the body is less able to bear the souls burdens then the soul is the bodys To return to what is in hand that a merry heart countenance appears by the example of Esau none of the best whose heart being gladded by the present sent by Jacob when they met his countenance was so cheerful that Jacob said Gen. 33.10 I have seen thy face as though I had seen the face of God And by Daniel and his associates none of the worst who though they did eat pulse onely and had nothing but water to drink yet their countenances were fair and fat Deut. 12.15 Why they had merry hearts quiet consciences in their breasts and bosomes arising from their reconciliation and peace with God It 's not choice meats and drinks much less painting or dawbing with vermilions but a good conscience that makes a merry heart and so a cheerful countenance To the same purpose vers 15. He that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast By a merry heart he means not carnal mirth and jollity in eating drinking singing musick dancing this he elsewhere calls madness but the merry heart he commendeth is a good conscience sprinkled with the bloud of Christ his righteousness being imputed to us for our justification and so having peace with God Ecc. 2.2 and peace of Conscience which the Apostle expresseth by a pure heart a good conscience and faith unfained 1 Tim. 1.5 Once agâ—â—â—e the wise King tells us That a merry 〈◊〉 doth good like a medicine Prov. 17.22 and that because cheaâ—ness of spirit helps Nature's operations with its food and Physick whereas sadness and heaviness of heart hinders both I 'le close up this with a true story I was once in company at dinner where kindred and friends were met and among the rest one a learned and godly man was very merry in telling Tales breaking jests harmless and inoffensive Yet I was somewhat troubled to see and hear it and in some heat break out and asked him saying Sir I pray what is the meaning of those words of the Apostle Let your communication be that which is good to the use of edifying Eph. 4.29 to which he answered me to this purpose we have bodies to edifie as well as soules and harmless mirth doth good to both and so it doth if it be well and wisely ordered 2 Honour to Religion 2. This cheariness of spirit in Company hath its usefulness in reference to others even those without who are strangers to the work of grace and wâ—â—es of Christianity and are apt to 〈◊〉 up prejudices against the people of God as a morose and sour people and that the life they lead is but an uncomfortable life full of melancholy and they verily think that when any set their faces this way Zion-ward that they never have a merry day after but live mopishly and disconsolately all their dayes Now the harmless mirth and merriment in the communications and conversations of Christians is a practicall and reall confutation of this mistake and so is a removing of that stumbling block in their way and withall a fair invitation and allurement of them to come in and to ingage in a stricter and higher profession of Saintship when they are eye and eare-witnesses of its consistency with all possible civil mirth and merriment which is lawfull and commendable Instance Let me back this from my own experience I knew a Lawyer of good parts and practice who being naturally of a lepid and chearful spirit and possest with hard thoughts touching Religion in the strictness of it and exactness therein as necessitating the professors thereof to lay quite aside that kind of mirth which he was addicted to was thereby kept off from ingaging himself in any forwardness in Christianity but afterwards observing the carriage of some Ministers of note and eminency for piety and Ministerial abilities how pleasant they were how facetious in their discourse yet still keeping within the bounds which God in his Word had set them he changed his opinion embraced the Societie of the Saints walked with them in the wayes of God and died I believe a true servant of God and of his Christ our Jesus and that he is now in glory To strengthen this argument The mirth of a Christian life by Zac. Bogan printed at Oxford 1653. I 'le commend to the reading a little Treatise made by a learned holy man whom I knew both in his life and death 3. This cheariness of spirit hath this commendable vertue in it that it puts a shine and lustre upon duties and offered of love performed to men 3 Alustre upon duties and that in the eyes both of God and man God loveth a