for death that ends other miseries begins his that falls away from God R emembrance of one daies sin brings to minde how great a masse many dayes have made up too great a bottome for one houres sorrow to ravell out I n youth I was too yong now I am too old between both these time I had other businesse so to shufflle off repentance is very dangerous G ods patience invites our repentance his sparing us so long is that our amendment might proeure him to spare us for ever H ee that hath any motion of repentance in his soule or but a touch of sorrow a sparke of hope a graine of saith be comforted the God of mercie will not have him perish T his is our day the next is the Lords if we do not in this day provide for that that day shall condemne us for the losse of this H ee that hath a secret pride root out that or a secret infidelity cast out that strive not to know where or when we shall be judged but how we shall answer the Judge A s no day without sin so let no day passe without sorrow such showres kill the weeds of lust and spring the herbs of grace N ot a Lot in Canaan without a Joshua our Captaine no roome in heaven without a Jesus our King D oe not protract thy conversion for if thou repell or neglect one good motion thou art not sure of a second W ithout some sawce of sorrow all worldly delights are but like delicate meat to a man that hath lost his taste give God leave to scrourge us so long as he doth save us H ee that is lowest in the World if his conversation be in Heaven is the highest let his feet stand upon the earth his head is in heaven E very one puts off conversion and at twenty send Religion afore them to thirty from thence forty and yet not pleased to entertaine it at threescore at last comes death and allowes not an houre E very man repent while he lives that he may rejoyce when he dyes L et every man be sure to repent one day before his death but hereof thou canst not be sure unlesse thou repent every day E arth must do something to bring it selfe to heaven Gods bountifuluesse is beyond our thankfulnesse then looke to thine owne duty T o speake of vertue is nothing the labour of it is to shew the power of it in vertuous actions O ur conversation is the Index of our estate if that be bad the credit of our profession is lost and we are broke in our Religion T hat heart that conceives grace will bring it forth for he that gives strength denies not strength to bring it forth H ee that is truly called hath a sincere devout affection to Christ and above all things loves the place where his honour dwells E vill men may shew the good they have not but good men cannot hide the good they have L et thy life grow white thy haires lest thou be full of daies and fuller of sinne E very mans conscience testifies that there is a rule which if he follow hee does well and is at peace if not he findes trouble with feare of punishment F aith is the foundation of a Christian but that once lost all is desperate T he good man sleeps more secure in his tent then a sinner in his barracadoed fortifications H appy is the man that cares not to call any thing his owne save Jesus Christ A righteous soul is alwayes like the body of a square figure lay it how you list it will still be constant and like it selfe N o neighbourhood is able to make the Serpent and the Woman the cursed seed of the one and the blessed seed of the other agree D eath is contrary to life and commonly they that live like Laban dye like Nabal which is but the same word inverted W hen man turnes himselfe out of Gods service all the creatures serving him are turned out of his service H ee that plaies on purpose to lose is not like to win therefore be resolved against transgression as you would be resolved of your salvation E ither never chuse me or never lose me this is vertues charge to begin in the spirit and end in the flesh in Pauls sense is folly E very man must fall and as the tree falls so it must lye and commonly it falls to that side which is most loaden with fruit the fruit of obedience to the right hand and of wicked nesse to the left L et us eat to live not live to eat for when we have devoured the most delicate creatures the wormes shall devoure us E very man that lives dishonestly will dye shamefully Saul so bloudied against David that the Priests became unmercifull to him T he lesse space a man hath allowed him for his businesse the more let him ply it the fewer dayes the fruitfuller lessons O sinner thy life is short the world is not long but hell is eternall of whose torment there is no cessation and from which there is no redemption T i me past is irrecoverable the future to us is contingent and our very now is slippery and transcient this is all the terme we have we must enjoy this or none H oly David ran the way of Gods Commandements it is but folly to ask why he made such haste when we know he would faine be at home E very day will I blesse and praise thy name saith David the day will have an evening if his praise should last no longer night would bring in silence but for ever and ever R I de faire and foftly is the weary travellers rule when he comes near his journeyes end but if we lag so in the way of godlinesse we shall never come to the end of our expected journey I s there fulnesse of joy in Heaven yes but thy laughing and singing in a Taverne is no paterne of it G reat honour and glory is in heaven but our base covetous desires of the riches of this world are no paternes of it H eavenly musicke and harmony is above but our wanton sonnets and drunken carches are no paternes of it T here is peace and rest above but mans idle security and slippery neglects are no paternes of it H eavenly beauties with clarity are above but mans peecing the defects of nature with art dressing up of dust in rich atires are no paterns of it A great light shines above but the workes of darknesse that is in man is no reflection of it N othing but pure innocencie is above but mans rapines rage and bloudinesse are no resemblances of it D oubtlesse there is perfect obedience above but mans rebellions are no modules of it O ther language then the praises of Christ is not heard in heaven mans oaths curses and blasphemies are not like those sounds R epent and for sake your sinnes while it is called to day remember the covenat we made
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
in baptisme forbids it L ooke to the innumerable savours where with God hath blessed us graced and honoured us and we shall find them sufficient to oblige us to obedience E ither the name of Saviour in our salvation or the name of Judge in our confusion some way this honourable name will strike upon us F eare God more and we shall feare all other things lesse turne all thy feare into the feare of God for he will honour them that honour him T ill we have put our sins to the worst we shall never get the better of our enemies for God will not be wanting to us if we be not wanting to him and our selves W hen rebellions abound punishments are full of variety God destroyed Corah by fire the Canaanites by the sword the whole earth by water H ee little loves Christ that will not love him without company and his zeale is cold to heaven whom the example of numbers can turn away E very true childe is obedient and will follow his fathers directions then if we follow not God we are bastards E very promise of God is a cordiall able to fetch backe a swooning soule there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ is a sweet cordiall L et every Christian soule on the holy feet of faith and obedience travell towards Jerusalem then Christ will say thou shalt have my company E arth is more honourable and brave in the spectators then in the spectacle but the glory of new Jerusalem the splendor of righteousnesse is farre more honourable A s a traveller passeth from Towne to Towne till he come to his Inne so the Christian from Grace to Grace till he come to Heaven B lessed is that man that is holy nothing can make that man poore for he graceth all conditions honours and places O ne grace opens the doore for another for God is never weary of blessing where he hath once begun V ivification and living unto grace comes only by mortification and dying unto sinne for by the death of the body comes the life of glory T here is nothing for which Christ will reward us but that whereby his glory is the greater for us such as in great tribulations confesse him R eprobates and wicked men if their bodies were like their soules they would grovell like beasts A s God shews mercy to some in their salvation so it is fit he should shew justice upon others in their damnation N othing can defend against the arrows of God neither are the strongest Cities shot-proofe for things ordained for refuge are by his justice made destructive K nowledge neglected brings great judgements for he that cloaks error with ignorance binds two sins together and receives double vengeance S innes of ignorance stand in need of mercy but what cloake is long enough to cover sinnes against knowledge O f servants they are in worst case that are sold but worse that do service in prison worst of all bound in fetters such is the condition of the ungodly P estilence should not be more avoided then the conversation of the mis-religious or openly prophane E xpiation was offered for the world and offered to the world but those that are blessed by it are separated from the world N othing so sure as there shall be a judgement such as is the conscience such shall be the sentence B oasting of sin when it is done doubles the lewdnesse wicked men glory in that which shall everlastingly cast them from glory A Canon doth not so much hurt from a wall as a myne under the wall nor a thousand enemies that threaten so much as a few that take an oath to say nothing C hristianity is become the footstoole of policie and hath made bargaines with the World for universall Monarchy Religion being but the labell to that Indenture K nowledge is not wholly exercised with good nor wholly taken up with evill but it knows both good and evill thus man thought to have become like God and became indeed like the Devill W ee know Christ to be the best Counsellour therefore undertake nothing without consulting at his Oracle A whole garment is more hand some then a broken one but a broken heart is more pleasing to God then a whole heart R epentace is the necessary way to salvation it is the will of God that none should perish yet withall it is his will that all shall perish except they repent D estruction would not fall upon the wicked unlesse they first by their wickednesse bring it upon themselves O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self T he imitaters of evill deserve punishment the abetters more but there is no hell deep enough for the leaders of wickednesse O ur owne feet carrie us to sin we love the journey our affections seduce us and so have been our undoing Y f there will come no period to the rebellion of the wicked till they sinke downe to hell yet for shame know no date of thy obedience till thou come up to heaven O f all victories love is the greatest to overcome evill with good is to be like God whose Image we beare in our creation and to whose Image we are restored in our redemption U pright justice is without equivocation it seeks not to obey God for mans sake but man for Gods sake it obeyes men but never against God R ighteousnesse and all happinesse is in the will of God to his creature for holinesse is the daughter of repenance O ur persons are justified by our faith our faith is justified by our charity our charity by the actions of a holy life R emember that there is nothing that makes a man so unlike to God as a hard heart without pity without patience D iligence and patience with painfulnesse are good but it is the sincerenesse of the heart that commends the rest E very Christian souldiers scutchion must be patience and his motto I serve Angells are glad of this title R emember the end is neare thy end nearer whether the end of this shall not be the end of all thy dayes thou hast no assurance to day then heare his voice repent one day before thy last day O ld age were better gather grace for themselves then goods for their posterity for it is their last time of gathering R eward belongs to labourers not loyterers the Crowne is laid up not for cowards but for Conquerers O into what infortunate times are we fallen when all our wrongs must be answered in blood P ray and repent repent and pray joyne with them abstinence adde to them three patience faith obedience and amendment of life and the Lord our God will deliver us E very man kisse that hand that strikes us love God that crosseth us and trust in that power that kills us this is the honorable proof of a Christian N o man is the worse for his repentant grief if the evill do come its labour well spent if not its a labour well