must prey They thinke not how theyr hungry Soule doth pine They count not of theyr reckoning at last day But time of Grace once lost is without call So headlong to destruction they doe fall Pride of all other sembleth most the Divell 'T was Pride threw Sathan downe from Heaven to Hell 'T was Pride that Author was of all mans euill 'T was Pride made EVE desire still to excell When Sathan said as Gods you then shall be Incontinent she tasted of that Tree This Lep'rous sinne infected so the bloud That through her off-spring it hath who ly runne Before the child can know the bad from good It straight is proud Nature this hure hath done A female sinne it counted was to be But now Hermaphrodite proved is shee Like IVDAS Sathan with each mortall deales His haile is Hate his flattering kisse is death He every where still watching creeping steales With armed troupes to stifle his soules breath His Syrens songs mans mortall Death intends And hee must Dye that thereto his care lends As a Physition with his Patient still Applyes his potion as he findes it fit Giuing to some more strong because theyr ill Disposed body oft requireth it Euen so doth Sathan with each Creature deale But his is meant for death and not to heale Nature and Sathan are sworne Brothers still For neyther of them moveth man to good By Nature we incline to all that 's ill Which runneth through our body with our blood And by our Nature oft he vs assailes And through our weaknesse he oft times prevailes He by our Nature sees to what we bend Whether to goodnesse or to mischiefes run And if he sind man ayme at the best end Then strives he for to marre all he hath done And by a pride of Goodnes makes him be Towards his God like the proud Pharisie The blessings God to man doth often giue As beautie health riches honours and fame That he in thankefulnes for them shouldst liue Still vsing them to glorifie his Name Sathan transeformeth all this vnto sinne Through vilde abuse or considence therein This thing the Scripture euidently showes By DAVIDs numbering of Israell Whereby he thought more trust for to repose In his great army this to sinne befell And drawing on Gods Iudgement for the same A heavy plague he on his Realine did gaine There is a sinne on which small count is made And that is Disobedience for which sinne SAMVEL the Prophet vnto SAVL once sayd From being King God had reiected him When as he AMELECK all should have slaine Sathan mov'd him to let the best remaine This sinne so great in Gods pure sight doth seeme As that the Prophet plainly doth him tell The Lord no better of it doth esteeme Then of vild Witchcraft which in Israel The Lord commanded banish'd quite to be This like to that and to Idolatrie This onely sinne on all Mankinde did draw Gods heavy wrath for this we suffer still By ADAMS breaking Gods commanded Law Sinne with a poysned dart our soules did kill For through the breach thereof there entred death For so 't was sentenced by Gods owne breath O this same sinne as an accusing one On all occasions still it guilty sayth Fulfill Gods Law who did nere yet was knowne But CHRIST who came for to appease Gods wrath Then by his Law we all convicted stand And howerly may looke for Gods wrath at hand Deferring off Repentance is a bayte So closely layd by that old Enemy That sew doth diue the depth of his deceit But vnprouided many men doe die He bids them on the good theefe their eyes cast Who neuer did repent him till the last O slye deceitfull cruell enemy How deadly is thy hatred to vs all Thou EHVD like hides that will cause vs dye And sith thou fell'st thou aym'st still at our fall In Paradice the Tree death did vs give But by the Tree in Golgotha we live From a decline in goodnesse let each Soule With heedfull care still study to beware Least in the end for it he doth condole When as his foote is fettered in the snare Who once his hand vpon the Plough doth lay Must by no meanes looke backe another way Easie it is to plunge our selues in sinne But O alas hard to get forth againe If by our faults our Soules be black with in We then shall finde all his delusions vaine His voyce of peace all peace doth from vs take Then shun that hearbe where vnder lyes the Snake Man ought at all times have a carefull eye For many are the Snares which Sathan layes When least he thinketh on to cause him dye He hides the bayte the which mans soule betrayes Of ease and pleasures he will alwayes tell But his smooth path the brode way is to Hell Who on this Panthers skinne doth gazing stand Had need beware who lyes in wayte to catch Who holdes a Woolfe by th' eares but with one hand Must with the other muzzell vp his chaps If better thou dost get leave not off so But of all meanes to hurt deprive thy Foe That man the which his Enemy foyl'd hath Must straight vnarme him least he gather strength BENHADADS servants after AHABS wrath With feyned words did come to him at length And from his kindnesse they advantage draw For he that fear'd to dye now made a Law By his Example let vs warned bee Gods Prophet vnto AHAB straight doth come And sayd Because from death thou didst him free Be sure thy life shall stand in his lifes roome Leave thou not Sathan till thou seest him dead And IABL like kill SISERA in the head He aymes not at thy slips but overthrow Small hurts content him not he life would spill With slight advantages he will not goe When thou securest art he waites to kill And IOAS like of thy health he 'll inquire But 't is not life but death he doth desire Can this old Serpent this deceiuing Divell Get in his head then follow shall his tayle If man but yeeld a little vnto evill Sinne will increase though creeping like a Snaile And if vnto a Custome it doth come He feeles it not his soule is now growne num All Sathan baites are glittering to the eye He leades man on in a delight some traine Till death arrests them saying thou must dye And then he lets them see all was but vaine Then in the vgli'st forme hee shewes them all That into Desperation man may fall Now having such a strong and powerfull foe What need hath Man with heedfull care to watch Least on a suddaine he from hence doe goe For Death as well doth lye in wayt to catch Who proves a welcome guest to a good man For vnprovided come he never can Deaths ghastly lookes to a gtod man seemes sweet Who still prepared hath for that his end As ESAY IACOB did embracing meet So doth he death accounting him his friend If teares doe fall they are not shed through feares For ioy he 's
a Philosopher sayth Hee that seeketh for true Happines in this world followeth a shaddow which when hee thinketh hee is surest of vanisheth and is nothing and the Apostle PAVL sayth If in this life wee were onely happie wee were of all men most miserable Seeing then it is so Iob. 14. That man which is borne of a woman hath but a short time to liue and that few and euill are the dayes of his Pilgrimage pointed out but to Threescore and tenne and if Nature befriend him so farre as to affoord him life till Fourescore yet is it so full of infirmities that it becomes a burthen to him Life being a briitle and miserable fetter which chaineth the pure and everlasting soule to the vile sinfull and corruptible body Yet where is hee that takes the Wise mans counsell Eccles 12. To remember his Creator in the dayes of his Youth before the evill day comes and the time approach in the which he shall say I have no pleasure in them for if a man live many yeares and rejoyce in them all yet let him remember the dayes of Darknes for they are many the Sun sets and riseth againe but thou alas when thy glasse is run and the short gleame of thy Summers Sun is spent shall never returne againe How soone alas is thy span grasped thy minute wasted thy flower dead thy vapor of life gone without thought without dread eyther of sinnes past or accompts to come Where is there one that lookes into the estate of his Soule with a serious eye that examines his conscience unvayleth his heart and considereth his wayes and how that he is every day of his life a dayes journey nearer his end and nothing is wanting for the expiration thereof but the stroke of death which commeth in a moment and then thou art gone eyther to unexpressable end lesse Ioyes or caselesse and endlesse miseries For no sooner art thou borne to possesse this World but death issueth forth incontinently out of his Sepulcher to finde thy life neyther doth he alwayes send his harbinger before to acquaint thee with his comming but many times entreth unexpected unlooked for and yet darest thou rest in security me thinkes it should make thee tremble were not thy conscience seared to think of the divinenesse of that Iustice before whom thou art to stand being in the day of his Wrath and at the barre of his Iudgment canst thou thinke then to bee able to indure his angry eye whose sight will pierce to the very centure of thy heart and soule and rip up every festred corner of thy conscience O then bethinke thy selfe in time before that gloomy day comes that day of Cloudes and thicke darkenesse that day of desolation and confusion approach when all the Inhabitants of the Earth shall mourne and lament and all faces shall gather blacknesse Joel 2. Because the time of their Iudgment is come alas with what a fearefull hart and weeping eyes and sorrowfull countenance treÌ„bling loynes wilt thou at that last and great assize looke upon CHRIST IESVS when he shall most gloriously appeare with innumerable Angels in flaming fire to render vengeance on them that know him not What a cold dampe will seaze upon thy soule when thou shalt behold him whom thou hast all thy life long reiected in his ordinances despised in his members and neglected in his love what horror and terror of spirit will possesse thee how wilt thou cry to the Rockes and Mountaines to fall upon thee and cover thee from the fiercenes of his Wrath when thou shalt behold the Heavens burning the Elements melting the Earth trembling the Sea roaring the Sunne turne into darknes and the Moone incobloud how will thy numberlesse sinnes in hideous formes appeare before thee every one of them bearing the Ensignes of Gods heavie displeasure dipped in a bloudy coloured dye and crying out for vengeance against thee alas if thy faultring tongue should go about to faine some seeming shew of a colourable excuse how soone would it be stopped all thy actions both for thoughts words and deeds being registred in a booke and kept within the Court of Heaven Oh remember how terrible his voyce was when he gave his Law to his chosen people and thinkest thou it will bee lesse terrible when he shall demand an account of that Law which thou hast so many times carelesly broken Oh then whether will his wrath carry thee where will the blast of his breath hurry thee it was thy sins that inflamed his wrath his wrath will inflame that fire which will never goe out Oh then alas whil'st thou hast time become thy own friend looke into thy selfe and by a serious examination prove the Pilot of thy owne Ship which now lyeth floating on the Seas of this troublesome World ballanc'd onely with cares and disquieting pleasures of this life and how thou sayl'st with a full course towards the haven of endlesse Happines yet one blast of unprepared death will turne thy sayles and plunge thee irrecoverably into that bottomlesse Guife where one houres torment will infinitely exceed all the pleasures thy whole life contained and wilt thou now standing upon the very brim of Hell melt in thy delights Alas slippery is thy footing and thy hold but by the thread of life which stretched to the length soone crackes yet how triflingly spendest thou thy pretious time tyring out thy spirits and robbing thine eyes of their beloved sleepe for those things to the which the time will come that the very remembrance of them will be bitter and to the which thou must bid an everlasting farewell Yet not considering these things how many are there that only spend their time in jollity and sodainly goe downe to the Grave they cry to themselves Peace peace when sodaine Destruction overtakes them not once thinking of IEREMIA'S lamentation for Jernsalem wherein hee complaines That shee remembred not her last end Lamen 1. Would they but consider that as the Tree falleth so it lyeth and as Death leaves them so shall Iudgement finde them they would not draw Iniquity with cords of vanity nor sinne as with cart-ropes did they thinke upon the reward of Sinne did they consider how full of griefe and misery how short and transitorious this present life is and the vaine Pleasures thereof how on every side theyr enemies compasse them and that Death lyeth in wayte against them every where catching them sodainly and unawares Did that saying often sound in theyr eares Arise and come to Judgement they would not deferre theyr Repentance to theyr last end or their old-age when it can not be sayd that they leave Sin but sinne them Shall they offer to the Divell the World and their owne flesh the flower and strength of theyr yeares and serve God with the lees and dregs â—al 1. when the Prophet MALACHY complayned of the peoples evill Offerings hee sayd Offer it now unto thy Governour will hee be pleased with
thee or accept thy person and can they thinke this great GOD will bee pleased with them King 18 If RABSHECHA and HOLOFERNES Iudith 5. but Messengers for theyr Lords tooke it so ill that the Iewes came not forth to make theyr peace with them that they threatned nothing should pacifie their furie but theyr Destruction How much more shall this King of Kings and Lord of Lords whose wrath is so kindled for theyr wickednesse condemne them into utter Darknesse where shall bee wayling and gnashing of teeth for no dead carrion so lothsomly stinketh in the nostrils of an earthly man as doth the wicked abhominable unrepentant man in the presence of God yet not considering this they goe on in a carelesse security heaping one sinne upon another till the burthen become unsupportable and the vials of Gods wrath ready to bee powred on them not once calling them to theyr remembrance or if they doe it is so farre from Contrition that it is rather a delight to them often glorying in the often cōmittings therof they neyther thinking of theyr account nor their end wherein yet they might haue some happines if death were the dissolving both of their body soule For being rid of their bodies they should also be rid of theyr Soules and Sinnes But forasmuch as it is evident that the Soule is immortall there is left no comfort for the wicked to trust in Therfore let such remember ESAV Who hauing once rejected the Blessing Gen. 27. could not after obtayne it though he sought it with teares when it is too late with the fiue Foolish Virgins they may cry Lord Math. 25 Lord open to vs but the gates of Mercy will bee shut and it will be answered I know you not Then woe bee to the sinfull wicked men that haue not power to turne from the filthy workes of this finfull and wretched World that hindereth them from the blissfull state and keepeth backe theyr Soules from the presence of God For when Gods Serjeant Death shall arrest them and they shall bee summon'd to appeare before the Tribunall of the Almighty with what terrible feare will that Soule be shaken and smitten and with how many speares of a piercing Conscience is hee gored and thrust through he will thē begin to thinke of the time past present and that to come the time past he may behold with astonishment to perceiue how fast it fleeted and the multitude of sinnes therein committed the which were accounted pleasures but are now terrors for every one of which he must answere for as saith a Philosopher An accusing Conscience is the secret most terrible thing that can bee at the approaching and cōming of Death and infinit vnspeakable are the feares and griefes it will bring with it for then hee will grieve that the time of Repentance hath beene so ill lewdly past he seeth the divine Cōmandements which he hath contemned he is aflicted because he seeth the inevitable houre approach of rendring an account of the divine just vengance he would tarry still but he is constrained to depart he would recover that is past but time is not granted if he looke behind him he seeth the course and race of his whole life led as a moment of time if he looke before he beholdeth the infinit space of Eternity which expecteth him he sorroweth and sobbeth because he hath lost the joy of euerlasting Eternity which hee might haue obtained in so short a time hee tormenteth himselfe because he hath lost the ineffable sweetnesse of perpetuall delight for one sensuall carnall and momentany pleasure he blusheth considering that for that substance which is Wormes-meat he hath dispised that which Angels prize so highly and weighing the glory of those immortall riches hee is confounded that he hath changed them for the basenesse and vildenesse of Temporall things but when he casteth his eyes upon things below and seeth the darke and obscure valley of this world and beholdeth above it the shining brightnesse of eternall Light then he confesseth that all that he loved in this world was blacke night and ugly darknesse To behold the time present is as ill for there hee can finde nothing but weakenesse and paines his friends eyther mourning by him or else not able to stay with him to see his torments which in this life God hath begun to let him taste having painefull Limbes darke Eyes a faultering Tongue hard browes short breath and a panting heart hasting to appeare before God whō he must behold not as his Father but a most feirce Iudge whose pure eyes beheld all his actions and that through all his life saw nothing but wickednesse no sorrowing teares to wash away those pollutions and therefore that leporous life must receiue a heauie condemnation there will not be any to speake for him neyther will he be able to answere one word for a thousand all those pleasures now stand up to accuse him and his owne Conscience giues in evidence against him saying to himselfe the words of SALOMON Pro. 5. How haue I hated instruction and my heart despised reproofe and I haue not obeyed the voyce of my teachers nor enclined mine eare to them that instructed me woe is me poore wretch into what a laborinth haue my sinnes led me how suddenly and thinking nothing lesse hath this houre intrapped me how hath it rushed vpon me I never dreamed of it what doe now my Honours profit me what doe now all my Dignities helpe me what doe all my friends for me what profit doe now my servants bring mee what fruit doe I now reape of all my riches and goods which I was wont to possesse for now a small piece of ground of seaven foot will containe me and I must be content with a dwelling in a narrow Coffin and with a lodging in a poore Winding sheet my riches shall remaine here behind mee which I scraped together with so great toyle and sweating others shall enjoy them and shall spend them on theyr pleasures onely my sinnes which I haue committed in gathering them wayte upon me that I may suffer deserved punishment for them what can I make now of all my Pleasures and Delights seeing they are all over-past onely theyr dregges are my Potion which are scruples and bytings of Conscience which like Thornes doe pierce me and runne thorough my miserable heart In what taking is this poore Soule if time were now againe with what an austere kinde of life would hee passe it how would hee shun all those alluring Syrens sower sauce findes he for his sweetes and for a minute of Pleasures must possesse a world of Woes nay woes without end soone ended those delights endlesse are those miseries O thou wretched man thou that didst chose rather to sit by the Flesh-pots of Aegypt then by induring a little wearisome travailes to enter into the promised Land which floweth with Milk and Honey See! O see now what a long chayne of
Miseries those thy short Pleasures have wrought thee O thou foolish and sencelesse hadst thou no respect to the death of CHRIST who dyed to redeeme thee but that by thy sinnes thou must anew Crucifie him and make his Wounds to bleed afresh Thou hast againe nayled him to the Crosse by thy pollutions thou hast againe pierc'd his side not with one but many speares of Blasphemy and as it were piece-meale tearing him from Heaven thou hast grinded him by thy oppressions which thou didst to maintaine thy superfluous delights It was his love that caused him to undergoe his Fathers wrath for thy sake but what one sinne hast thou left for his Canst thou say and that truly that thou hast spared one dish from thy Belly to feed his hungry Members or one Garment from thy excessive apparell to cloth the naked or one houres sleepe to meditate on his miseries a poore requitall of such infinite Love Was CHRIST stretched on the Crosse and couldest thou recount it nothing to stretch thy selfe vpon thy downy Beds of sinne Did CHRIST suck downe Vineger and Gall for thee and couldest thou without pricke of Conscience surfeit with overflowne Boles Was CHRIST crowned with Thornes and couldest thou crowne thy selfe with ease and pleasure Then now behold O thou rich Glutton thou who wouldest never cast up thine eyes to behold the true happines till it was too late and consider what the allurements of the Flesh now profit you which you then so much delighted in What is become of your Riches where are your Honours where are your Treasures where are your Delights were are your Ioyes the seaven yeares of Plenty are past and other seaven yeares of Dearth and scarcity are come which have devoured up all your Plenty no memory or footsteps being left of it Ioh. 24. As it is in IOB Drought and heate consume the Snow waters so doth the Grave those that have Sinned your Glory is now perished and your Felicity is drowned in the sea of Sorrowes not onely your delights have not profited you which you injoyed in this World but they shall bee the causes of greater Torments witnesse the Glutton in the Gospell who fared deliciously every day being in Hell was not that member his Tongue most tormented which gave him the greatest delight in Sin Nay speedily and unexpected this horror rusheth upon them for as everlasting Felicity doth quickly follow the Godly in the short race of theyr Misery so everlasting Misery quickly followeth the ungodly in the short race of theyr worldly Felicity It were better therefore for a man to live poorely being assured of the bliste of Heaven then to be deprived thereof though during life hee possesse all worldly riches for intollerable are the burthens they bring with them seeing that the Scripture sayth Where much is given much is againe required besides the memory of the ungodly shall perish as saith IOB The pitifull man Ioh 24. shall forget him the Worme shall feele his sweetnesse he shall bee no more remembred and the Wicked shall bee broken like a Tree II. Motives and Inducements to true Godlinesse HAving already spoken of the unstability of Mans life the wretched estate the Wicked is in at the houre of his Death I will now also set downe some Motives for incouragements to true Godlinesse wherin it shall easily bee discerned that Godlinesse excelleth Wickednesse as farre as Light excelleth Darknesse It is a thing both usuall and lamentable to see how men goe on in wickednesse and can neyther bee drawne to thinke of theyr end by the dayly examples of Mortality nor wonne to remember the infinitnesse of Gods Love by their dayly preservations they call not once to theyr remembrance the saying of the Apostle PAVL wherein hee admonisheth them to worke out theyr Salvation with feare and trembling by which hee depriveth them of all kind of security and the Prophet IEREMIAH cryeth unto them and sayth Jerem. 22. O earth earth earth heare the Word of the Lord. Shewing thereby that howsoever they esteeme of themselves yet they are but dust whose glory is but for a moment and all theyr Pleasures but Deceptio visus For that there is no Peace saith the Lord of the Wicked Esa 48. Wherefore consider this yee that forget GOD least he teare you in pieces and there bee none to deliver you feare this God for he is iust love this God Psal 4. for hee is Mercifull stand in awe and Sinne not commune with your hearts consider your wayes make your Peace with him seeke the Lord Psal 2. whilest he may bee found If his wrath be kindled yea but a little blessed are all those that puts theyr trust in him O taste and see how good GOD is he is a God of Mercies and delights not in the Death of a Sinner as hee sayth Have I any pleasure at all Ezech. 18. that the Wicked should dye sayth the Lord and not that hee should returne from his wayes and live hee will bee found of them that seeke him hee hath ingaged his word for it and againe he saith Those that come to mee I will not cast away nay hee calleth with aboundance of love Come unto mee Math. 11. all yee that are wearie and heavie laden with the burthen of your sinnes and I will ease you hee is that good Samaritaine he may powre in Wine to make those wounds of your Sinnes to smart but hee will againe refresh you with the oyle of his Mercies O then prostrate thy selfe at his feete creepe under the wing of his compassion for he is slow to wrath Ioel. 2. and of much mercy and repenteth him of the euill alas it was thy weakenesse that made thee sinfull and thy sins haue made the miserable thy miserie must now sue to his mercie if thy misery were without sinne then thou mightest pleade before his Iustice and his Iustice would releeue thee but for that it proceedeth from sinne approach the barre of his mercy and thou shalt finde the lustre thereof to shine through all his workes remember Christs owne words were Math. 15. I am not sent but to the lost sheepe of the house of Jsrael what though with the woman in the Gospell he call thee dogge wilt thou therefore leaue off thy sute consider that the tender mother many times for faults committed by her childe hideth her louing countenance and as it were altogether reiecteth it not for any hatred she beareth to the childe but thereby to indere the obtaining of his favour and to cause the greater feare of offending if then thou seasing thy sute goeth without mercy whome wilt thou accuse Christ sayd to Ierusalem Thy destruction is of thy selfe O Jerusalem but in me is thy saluation Christ came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance Hee is infinitely good and hurteth no man vnlesse the blame be in himselfe through his owne default for as the Sunne beame is
to provoke him to anger through whose Gates thou must enter before whose feet thou must lye prostrate will thou nill thou whose mercy thou must sue and deplore Thou art piunged in the Gulfe of sinne he onely must rayse theee thou art wounded he onely can healt thee thou art sicke to the death hee onely can give thee life Oh then feare to offend him of whose helpe thou standest in need every moment Isa 30. tremble to provoke him to anger who hath for unrepentant sinness prepared a deepe and large pit the Piller thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a streame of brimstone doth kindle it beware of going on in delights without remembring your end lest you be like the Fishes that sports themselves so long in the delightsome streames of the River Jordan that unawares they plunge themselves in Mare mertuum from whence there is no Redemption many are the baytes and snares which are layd for man in this life covered over with glittering wealth and delightsome Pleasures but bare these deceits and cause them to appeare in their own likenesse and thou shalt finde this World to bee a Casket of sorrowes and grievances a Schoole of Vanity a laborinth of Errors a dungeon of Darknesse a Market-place of Cousonages a way beset with Theeves a ditch full of mud and a Sea continually tost and troubled with stormes and Tempests what other thing is the world but a barren Land a field full of Thistles and Weeds a Wood full of Thornes a flourishing Garden but bringing forth no fruit a River of Teares a Fountaine of Cares a sweet poyson A Tragedy pleasantly framed a delightfull Phrenzie the Worlds rest hath labour the Security of it without ground the feare of it is without cause the Labour of it without fruit the Teares without purpose and the purposes without successe the Hope of it is vayne the joy feyned and the Sorrow true the Glory of this World is but the singing of Syrens sweet but a deadly Potion a Viper artificially painted without but within full of venemous poyson If the World fawne upon thee it doth it that it may deceive thee if it Exalt thee it doth it that thy fall may bee the greater if it 〈◊〉 thee merry it doth it that it afterwards with sorrow may breake thy heart it giveth all her goods with a mixture of incomparable heavinesse and griefes and that with the greatest usurie if a Sonne bee borne to thee and soone after dye thy sorrow will be seaven fold greater then was thy Ioy the thing lost more afflicteth then found joyeth Sicknesse more excruciateth then Health gladdeth Injury more tormenteth then Honour contenteth to conclude what good things are found in the World which are not counterfeit and what 〈◊〉 vill which are not 〈◊〉 deed If these things he so indeed as they are wherefore should man desire to stay any longer in this land of Aegypt to gather stubble who would not flye out of this Babilon who would not desire to be delivered from this fire of Sodome and Gomorrah seeing therefore that the World is beset with so many snares and that so many downfals and break-neckes are in the way and the flame of Vices doe so burne us who at any time can bee secure and safe as the Wise man sayth Prov. 6. Can a man take fire in his bosome and his cloathes not be burnt or can a man goe upon Coales Eccles 13. and his feet not burnt he that toucheth Pitch shall be defiled with the same estrange then thy minde from these ycie Vanities listen and thou shalt heare CHRIST who seeth the danger thou art falling into calling unto thee that hee may teach thee a way to prevent thy hurt and saying Behold I stand at the doore and knocke runne and open to this Physitian of thy Soule O refuse him not neyther delay his entrance for thou art sicke and he will give thee to drinke of the water of Life neyther for money nor by measure but freely and taking thy fill without limitation and freely too being of his owne Grace and Mercy Can you then knowing to whom you are to open stand with delayes as I cannot yet I will anon but this I cannot yet I will anon is deferred so long that this heavenly ghest goeth away without a Lodging by reason of which he will hardly bee brought againe without many teares Oh then I be ready at the first knock to open I meane the first good motion so shall you receive a ghest whose company is sweeter then the honey and the honey Combe On heart more hard then stone that can refuse him if considered who it is it is CHRIST the well-beloved Sonne of his Father it is hee in whom God the Father is so well pleased that all thy sinnes are forgiven being covered with the robe of his Righteousnesse it is he that suffered Rebukes Buffetings Scornings Spittings on and at the last death I and that the most cursedst death even the death of the Crosse as it is written Cursed are every one that hang on a Tree Galat. 3. These things being so have you not hearts harder then an Adamant thus to oppose his entrance Oh doe not deferre this purchase to the time to come for one minute of this time which now vainely slydeth from thee is more precious then the Treasure of the whole world Be like unto a wise Marchant Math. 13. that having found a precious Pearle goes and sels all he hath to purchase it what thing more precious then the Sonne of God which heere offereth himselfe unto thee why art thou so slacke in giving him entertainement thinkest thou him not worthy because thou beholdest him in his Humility poore and despised or doth thy flesh puffe thee up with a conceit beyond thy merites if it doe cast thy eyes upon thy selfe and consider what thou wast before thou wast borne what thou art now being borne and what thou shalt bee after Death before thou wast borne thou wast filthy and obsceane matter not worthy to be named now thou art dung covered over with snow and a while after thou shalt be meat for Wormes why then shouldest thou bee proud seeing thy Nativity is sinne thy Life misery and thy End putrifaction and corruption Having considered thus with thy selfe tell mee if thou hast not the greater reason to open with the more celerity Semel hee of himselfe being willing to passe by these thy Infirmities wouldest thou not account that man most heathenish who having a Friend that had indured seaven yeares imprisonment to keepe him from that bondage at the last payed his Ransome at so deare a rate as thereby his estate were for ever ruined otherwise hee himselfe to indure perpetuall Slavery if this man I say should come and knocke at the doore of his Friend desiring admittance and acquainting him with who it was and hee for this his love should seeme not to
to cause him to become weary and backward in well doing Therefore thou O man I that wouldest doe the good thou doest not but through the deceiveablenesse of thy flesh standeth loytering and with SALOMONS fluggard cryeth Yet a little sleepe a little slumber a wake and behold CHRIST comming in the Clouds Stand up and gird thy selfe like a man lift up thy eye of Faith and behold thy Saviour whose merits plead for thee See him dying for thee and thereby paying thy debts See thy Iudge a just one and therefore will not require that againe which Christ hath already satisfied hee hath beheld the thoughts of thine heart and found thy desires are to serve him concerning the inward Man and though thou didst fall into sinnes most offensive to the eyes of his Divine Maiesty yet hee knowes that the evill thou didst hate that thou didst But it was a Law in thy Members that ledde thee captive to the Law of sin Rom. 7. then if as a Captive forc't it was no longer thou but sinne that dwelled in thee Let the remembrances of these Mercies waken thy Soule from the drowsinesse of Sinne and remember who hath sayd Awake Ephes 5. thou that sleepest and arise from the Dead and CHRIST shall give thee light Hee calleth thee Hee biddeth thee awake let not these sweet calles strike thee dead Math. 20. as his presence did the Keepers who became astonished and were as dead men but rather let that voyce bee of as great power to thee as it was to LAZARVS not onely to rayse thee from the sleepe Iohn 11. but also from the death of Sin And bee as ready to entertaine this love as THOMAS was who no sooner touched his Saviour but cryed out Iohn 20. My Lord and my God Neyther deceive thy selfe with a soothing conceit of what is not in thee Iâ—th 7. For the Tree is knowne by the fruit for men cannot gather Grapes of Thornes nor Figs of Thistles A good man out of the good Treasure of his Heart Math. 7. bringeth forth good things and an evill man out of the evill Treasure of his heart bringeth forth evill things so that howsoever thou mayst seeme to the World yet as a shadow doth alwayes follow the body so feare and desperation will at all times and in all places wayte upon an evill Conseience Let not thy Faith be as a House built upon the Sands which will shake with every blast of Temptations or Afflictions but found it upon the Rocke CHRIST IESVS against which whatsoever beateth shall returne with a greater repulse to it selfe as not being able to move it and having once attayned this perfection take heed of recoyling for CHRIST sayth He that layeth hand upon the Plough and looketh backe is not meet for the Kingdome of Heaven Luke 9. What though the way to Heaven be narrow and full of Difficulties Wilt thou not therefore beeing entred perseuere Who would wish or desire to walke in a way strowed with Roses and planted with divers fragrant Flowers if the assured end of it be death and who would refuse a rough and difficult path that leadeth unto life is it not commonly seene that many men to attaine to Preferment run into most apparent dangers and hazard the losse of theyr life nay I know thou wouldest doe it thy selfe and shall it bee troublesome and grievous to thee to doe that for thy Soule which thou refuseth not to doe for thy Body Shall it seeme a great thing unto thee to suffer a little trouble heere that hereafter thou mayst escape eternall torment What would not the rich covetous man buryed in Hell willingly doe if he might have licence to come into the World againe that he might amend his errors Is it meet that thou shouldest doe lesse now then he would doe seeing that if thou dost persever in thy wickednesse the same torments remaine for thee He that runneth a Race leaveth not till hee come to the Gole So run as you may obtaine Remember LOTS Wife who looking backe became a Piller of Salt so take heed lest thou by looking backe upon the vanities of this life forget the care of thy Soule commanded thee by God so of his child become not a Piller of Salt but a child of Perdition a man having much riches is still â—â—vetous of more and what wealth to be compared to the Soule A thing so great in it selfe that what gayneth hee that getteth the whole world and looseth his Soule even as great a purchase as hee who having with much Labour and great charge obtayned a precious lewell straight giueth it for a trifle Nay were it so it were the lesse for that were but the undoing of the body this the losse of the Soule that friends againe may rayse this is a losse irrecoverable Wherefore thinke no paynes wearisome no labours irksome nor any troubles grievous to attaine true happinesse For our light afflictions 2. Cor. 4. which is but for a moment worketh for us a farre more exceeding eternall weight of Glory while we looke not at the things which are seene but at the things which are not seene for the things which are seene are Temporall but the things which are not seene are Eternall wherefore setting all hinderances apart with cheerefulnesse of spirit take up the Crosse of CHRIST and incourage thy feeble spirit with the saying of the Apostle PAVL The troubles of this Life are not comparable to the joyes that shall bee heereafter 2. Cor. 6. having therefore these promises cleanse your selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting Holinesse in the feare of GOD. VI. That Man ought to bee wonne to follow Godlinesse in respect of the Eternall Happinesse HAving now set before thee Deut. 30. Life and good Death and evill I defire thee to choose Life that both thou and thy seed mayest live for having beheld the deceiveablenes of worldly pleasures and how this momentany felicity is attended on by sorrow and her Confederates me thinks thou shouldest be weary of this house of Clay scituated in a Wildernes of miseries which hourely produceth Monsters that ravenously seeketh to prey on thy destruction and withdrawing thy mind from these fleeting delights elevate thy thoughts to Heaven and contemplate with thy selfe of those Coelestiall pleasures note the beauty of the place the gloriousnesse of the company and the durablenesse of that Happinesse which is Eternity for the beautie of this place this Heavenly Ierusalem looke into the Revelation Revel 21. and thou shalt finde It hath the glory of GOD the light thereof to be like a Iasper stone cleere as Chrystall glorious must it needs bee when the Wall is of Iasper and the City of pure gold cleare like glasse and the Foundations of the Wall garnished with all manner of precious stones the twelve Gates were twelve Pearles every severall gate was of one pearle Revel 15 for the company there are
wretched state The more he rues his fact but all too late Whereas he was created King of all The Creatures God on Earth created had His Glory bated is by this his Fall No creature now on Earth remaines so bad The sencelesse Beast the sence of this hath found And having Man possest with death doth wound The Earth disdaines to yeeld to him her strength But pricking Thornes and Brambles forth doth send Till with his sweat and labours she at length Onely for sustenance some food doth lend Thus he that was a heauenly Creature form'd By disobedience to a wretch is turn'd Of all the Trees that in the Garden grew He onely was forbidden that alone His Wife from that obedience soone him drew And taste thereof he did although but one O wretched man what hast thou lost hereby Wicked woman to cause thy husband dye T' is not saying the Serpent thee deceiu'd That can excuse the fault thou didst commit For of all Ioyes thou hast thy selfe bereau'd And by thy Conscience thou dost stand convict Thy husband not alone the fault must rue A punishment for sinne to thee is due For as thou now conceiues thy seed in sinne So in great sorrow thou must bring it foorth The gaine which thou by that same fruit didst winne Thou now dost find to bee but little worth Obedience to thy Husband yeeld thou must And both must Dye and turned be to Dust The Truth sometimes is vsed by the Divell When as he sayd Your eyes should opened bee And that you should discerne the good from euill When you the Fruit had tasted of that tree But hee told not your actions should be sinne And Death should be the good which you should winne For now your strength to weakenesse turned is You know the Good but have no powre to chuse't Your eyes is ope to see your owne amisse And to behold the blisse you have refus'd You see your nakednesse made vilde by Sinne And now seekes for a place to hide you in But O alas your deeds discover'd are You naked lye to those all-seeing eyes He viewes your actions and doth see you bare Bare of all Goodnesse vilde deformities And in your selves you have no power to mend For all your strength is sinne Sathan doth lend Now seizes on your sicknesse Griefes and Feares Which night and day with trouble will torment Your sweet Delights are turned all to teares And now what you haue done with woerepent Nothing but Griefes and Feares and sad annoyes You now possesse in stead of endlesse Ioyes You were immortall but are mortall made You were created pure but now are vilde Your splendant Glories turned all to shade Your Innocence the Deuill hath beguilde You were created Children of the Lord But now are loathsome Dung to be abhorr'd Which way can you recouer this your losse What friend have you that will this great debt pay Can you gaine pure gold from filthy drosse Or have you power to call againe that Day No you are in a laborinth of woe And endlesse is the maze in which you goe Yet courage Woman whose weake spirit 's dead GOD in his love a helpe for thee hath found Bee sure thy Seed shall bruise the Serpents head CHRIST by his Death shall Sathan deadly wound This Lyon of Iudea resist who can In him is blest the whole Off-spring of man This Promise in due time fulfill'd hath GOD Vnto the comfort of each mortall weight CHRIST payes our Debt hee 's beaten with that rod That doth belong vnto our Soules of right His Fathers wrath was powred vpon him Which doth belong as due to vs for Sinne. Hee dy'd vpon the Crosse and conquered Death That though wee dye yet live againe wee must He buried was and risen is from Earth And raignes with God in Heaven amongst the Iust With him our Soules and Bodies rais'd hath hee And from deaths thraldome now hath set vs free This causeth Sathan stir himselfe amaine To see if he can winne what he hath lost He strives to make our overthrow his gaine He stormeth now that he by CHRIST is crost And to his ayde he all his forces drawes That he may cause vs to obey his Lawes Whole Armies of his Furies forth he sends In shape transformed to delude our mindes And vnto them his greatest force he lends To seize where fittest for his turne he findes He marks to what men are by nature given And vnto that he turnes his Compasse euen Sathan's deceipts are covered all with smiles That sinne seemes pleasing which our Soules destroyes With quaint allurements hee man still beguiles With sweet delights he breeds Mans sad annoyes He imitates a Poyson rarely framed But once being taken all the life blood 's stained Old and craftie is our Enemy growne He knowes all Fish at one baite will not bite Hee 'l try a thousand wayes to gaine his owne He will not leave till he the marke hits right Some with Drunkennesse Murders Lust beside Others with Idlenesse exessive Pride BACCHVS that drunken God from Hell comes forth And reeling here and there few scapes his knockes Who shunnes his blowes esteem'd are of no worth One Drunkard at anothers weakenesse mockes What ISAIAH saith thereon they never thinke Woe bee to them are strong to pw'r in drinke GOD in his love form'd all things for mans vse That for his Comfort they might daily be But they prove poyson through mans vilde abuse Sinne changeth all into deformity PAVL for mans health to drinke Wine doth advise But through excesse both Soule and Body dyes Man by this Sinne more vile is than a Beast For but sufficient they will never take Mans sences fayles him sinnes are still increast He tracing vices doth all good forsake In Drunkennesse LOT doth to Incest fall NOAN in his Wine his secrets shewes to all Then Lust and Murther hands together take Like full fed Beasts they neigh at neighbours wife Stolne bread is sweet hid water theyr thirsts slake They fall to Murther through discord and strife For when mans reason fayles to guide his will He into mischiefe runneth headlong still Most people takes Idlenesse for no sinne Thus in Simplicitie Sathan deludes That precious time is lost that Grace might winne And want of action many sinnes includes That minde which vnto Idlenesse giues way Doth open lye to bee the Devils prey When DAVID vnto ease himselfe had giuen His eyes extravagantly looke about VRIAH's wife he spyeth in the Even He must and did enioy her without doubt Sathan by this his fall more strength doth gaine For DAVID bids VRIAH should be slaine Thus by one meanes or other Sathan snares Mans soule in Sinne and hudwinck'd tills him on His cup of Gold is filled vp with teares A bitter pittance to theyr sweetes belong Pride in it selfe doth beare a poyson'd breath No Sinne so small but punisht is with Death That sinn's thought least that 's spent in trimming fine That Carkasse vilde on which the Wormes
come forceth from him those teares Can he expect Death Enemie to be Who by his Present hath his force alayd He sent before good workes much Charity Blessings of Orphants which for him have pray'd His sighs and teares appeased hath his King And this supposed Foe glad newes doth bring Death is our guide vnto Eternall blisse Portall of Heaven by which we enter must The Ladder reaching a true happinesse Which bringeth man to live amongst the Iust By him we come Gods glorious face to see From which by life deprin'd we still shall bee Our flesh a prison is vnto our soule Which doth deprive it of that heavenly light With spirituall groanes sighs it doth condole Till it attaine vnto that wished sight Death is the key vnlocks our misery Looseth our bonds and gives vs liberty Death's fangs are par'd his bitter potions sweet His edge abaited all his hurt is done A godly man most kindly he doth meete And of a Foe he is a Friend become His strooke is like the striking of a veine By which small smart sick men theyr health doe gaine Death is the ending of our dayes not life For having clos'd these eyes we wake to live Death having finisht once this mortall strife Our Faith in CHRIST new life to vs doth give Our Night is past our Day star doth appeare Our Cloud is vanish'd and our Morne shines cleare Now ends all sorrowes now all griefes are done Sinne takes his leave and weaknesse hath his end And now behold our Iubilee is come The Haruest of our labors we attend Death's potion onely bitter is in show The taste once past no operation so Mans Glasse once run his flower of Life once dead That vapor vanish'd and that span once grasp'd His breath once failing all his body's Lead In sencelesse coldnesse all his parts are clasp'd He came from earth earth house-roome now him gives His spirit from God with God for ever lives The carnall wicked worldly minded men Who in this life their whole content have plac'd Doth tremble when Death mention'd is to them Because by him all Ioyes from them are chased Their ease and pleasures changed quite will be All mirth is dash'd by present miserie The sight of him vnto their mindes doe bring Remembrance of their sinnes they slightly past The which with woe their soules doe sorely sting For that they see the count call'd on at last Which sure on earth a hell may deemed be When without mercy man his sinnes deth see Those men which onely to delights are given At the approach of death doth feare and quake What earth afforded they accounted heaven And now perforce they must those ioyes forsake Gods blessings they most vildly have abus'd And proffered time of Grace they have refus'd And now those words which ABRAHAM did say To DIVES when for water he did call He findes too true whose smarts without alay His Sorrowes farre more better are then gall His good things onely were upon this Earth But life and them are parted quite by death Terrors and feares must needs their soules affright When guilty Conscience showes Gods angry eye O how they tremble to approach that sight To whom their sinne will out for vengeance cry He who on earth to grieve they did not feare Will give a sentence which their Soules will teare O how mans sinnes that mild aspect doth change He which for man did bleed doth man condemne If by their sinnes from the right path they range Wanting their guide dangers approacheth them The Woolfe once seazing 't is in vaine to flye Theyr Shepheard heares not bootlesse 't is to cry Alas who would this world as ought esteeme If truely he consider every thing Those pleasures which to man most happy seeme Doth soonest fade and gone they leave a sting Man vpon Earth no sure abiding hath Then feare betime before thou feele Gods wrath BELSHAZAR when hee was carrousing set Amongst his Princes in his royall Throne A writing turnes those faire delights to Iet A hand then shew'd makes bone incounter bone He fearefull sits whilst thus it doth indite Thou' rt weigh'd in ballance and art found too light Mans life 's a sceane and tragic ke wo's succeed A Comet alwayes future harmes foretell The happiest life by death is made to bleed If vnprepar'd he dye he goes to hell The gate is shut and they must take their lot For 't will be answered loe I know you not Vnto a thorney field and barren land How fitly may mans life compared be What cares what feares what griefes are still at hand And for one Ioy ten discontents we see We alwayes walke as on a bridge of glasse And oft it crakes as ouer it we passe Still barren is this world of true content Fruitfull enough in procreating wees Thorny afflictions towards vs are bent But certaine Ioyes still backwards from vs goes Who thinkes to catch them doth a shadow chase And like IXION doth a cloud embrace Then why should man thus waste his precious time And triflingly let slip his golden dayes O! turne to God whilst thou art in thy prime And put not off repentance with delayes For when death comes it then will be too late By teares or vowes for to prorogue thy state Boast not of youth or honours wealth or strength Who trusts to them vpon a reede doth leane The which be sure deceiue thee will at length Then strive from these vaine thy selfe to weane And fill thy Lampe with oyle thoughts whil'st thou hast space Least afterward too late thou call for grace Breake off thy sinnes by true repentant teares And turne to God whilst it is call'd to day And rest assured he their prayers heares That vnto him vncessantly doe pray For to incourage thee he this did say Who comes to me I will not cast away Is not mans life compared vnto a flower And O how soone alas the same doth fade and dye Then let man liue prepar'd each day and houre Least vnawares the force of death he try And beare this saying alwayes in thy minde As death thee leaves so Iudgement will thee find And as the Flower in the chiefest prime Doth fade and dye when Sun his face doth hide For 't is not in the earth 's vast slippery clime An euer fading beeing to prouide No more can strength or skill preuaile at all To lengthen life when God by death doth call And as the spring the water forth doth put And by the earth drunke vp no more is seene So when by death our thrid of life is cut On earth we are as we had neuer beene Then whil'st we liue let 's striue to purchase Grace That after Death in Heaven we may have place Alas how many are the snares and bayts Which Sathan layes our poore soules to betray HIENA like he murthers by deceites Through false delights to cause us misse our way His Mermaides Songs are onely sweet in sound Approach them not lest Death thy life doth wound Therefore the safest way vnto our blisse Is meditation of our certaine Death And though we tread the steps of carefulnesse And all our life in sorrow draw our breath The guerdon of our paines our CHRIST will give In causing vs eternally to live Thus by a godly and an vpright life Man of a deadly foe may make a friend And by a wise provision stint that strife Which Sathan laid to bring vs to our end And though our flesh prove false our God is Iust By death our soule gaines heauen our body dust Be ever vigilant in all thy wayes And alwayes live as in the sight of God Performe good actions and vse no delayes Then feare not Death it brings with it no rod With care attend that sure vncertainety And live as euery howre thou shouldest dye This watchfull care wounds Sathan in the head For hee that thinkes of Death doth shun all Sinne By thought of this man to the world proves dead He counts all drosse and only CHRIST would win No earthly Ioyes can cause him life to love His Soule is fixt and nothing can him move Thus each weake Christian may this tyrant foyle For by CHRIST's Death man armed is with strength Though in this Combate he a while may toyle But Faith in CHRIST gives victory at length And with a courage hold man now may cry Death where 's thy sting Grave where 's thy victory What though we dye as dye we surely must Yet by this death we now are gainers made For when our bodyes are consum'd to dust We shall be rais'd from that Eternall shade Our mortall bodyes shall immortall be And with our Soules inioy Eternitie Our troubles in this life now changed are From tokens of his wrath vnto his love For though a while vpon the Earth me share Of griefes and troubles yet when God above Shall by death call vs from the vaile of sinne Wee shall inioy Eternall blisse with him Where all teares shall be wiped from our eyes All griefes and sorrowes then shall ended be We shall be freed from all clamarous cries No discontents nor troubles shall wee see But Peace and Ioyes and comforts shall be found And alwayes in our eares a heavenly sound Our Sences shall partake all of this Blisse Our Eyes shall evermore behold our King Our Hearing heavenly musicke shall possesse Our Tongues shall evermore his Praises sing Thus Smell and Taste thus hands and eares and sight Shall evermore inioy a full delight Vnto this Happinesse and place of Ioy In thy good time sweet Saviour Christ vs bring Where being freed from Sorrowes and annoy Wee evermore thy blessed Praise may sing Where we shall never cease but Night and Day Sing Praise and Glory vnto Thee alway FINIS