Selected quad for the lemma: death_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A60374
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A father's legacy. Sir Henry Slingsbey's instructions to his sonnes. Written a little before his death
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Slingsby, Henry, Sir, 1602-1658.
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1658
(1658)
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Wing S3995; ESTC R220066
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17,170
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98
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rejoycest in thy suffering upon such an occasion and with so dear a friend But I hope it will not hold consistent with the prudence nor justice of this State that a Fathers guilt should by way of punishment descend in a generation I shall sacrifice my life freely as one subject to an assumed authority be it their goodness to spare innocence though I should in my loyal thoughts hold such a Present a precious Pledge in relation to a just Soveraignty and a subjects duty But I hope my blood may sufficiently expiate the grandeur of my crime if it were greater without farther revenge The fortunes left you by the assistance of our friendly Trustees for I have been long time a stranger to mine own may by Gods providence appear competent for a younger brother Sure I am it is all I can do for you Be it your care by honest wayes to improve them at least to preserve them which is good husbandry in these dayes In a word if your estate be not sufficient for you be sufficient for your Estate This was the advice of a wise Statist observe it Return my blessing to your Sister my dear Bab and tell her from a dying Father that she needs no other example then her vertuous Mother for her Directory in whose steps I am confident she will walk religiously Her modest and blameless demean can promise nothing less And now my Dear ones as my desire is that you should in this last Legacy of my Love and Parental duty remember me so my request is that neither you nor any of my Relations suffer that memory they retain of me to be accompanied with immoderate grief After a troublesome voyage encountred with many cross winds and adverse billows I am now arriving in a safe Harbor and I hope without touch of dishonour As for death though it appear terrible to all flesh I have long expected it and by a conscientious consequence prepared me for it And to make it more familiar to me before I was call'd up to this City I made my Coffin my Companion that I might with more resolution looke Death in the face whensoever it should assault me An Hatchet to a weak spirit may present more fear but a Fever to a Patient more pain My peace I hope is made with God having in those solitary houres of my retirement made this my constant Ejaculation O how can we chuse but begin to love him whom we have offended or how should we but begin to grieve that we have offended him whom we love This was the solace of my choice which through Gods goodnesse shall admit no change and with this will I end drawing now towards my end A Receipt of continuall use and Application MY Heart is signed with the signet of Gods love My hatred is onely bent against sin and my self My Joy is in God my Saviour My Grief that I am not all his My Fear even in this short remainder is to offend him And my Hope is to enjoy him Devotionall ADDRESSES After his Sentence OF DEATH DEaths Doom to sensuall Ears sad tidings brings For death 's the King of fears and fear of Kings But to a Mind resign'd a welcome Guest And onely Convoy to the Port of Rest A freer from Restraint wherein I long Estrang'd from Earths content sung Sions Song BEing now to put off my Garment of Mortality in assured hope to exchange it with the White Robe of immortall glory In this my farewell to Earth it is my fervorous desire to bequeath these my last Addresses to you the dearest Pledges I had upon Earth Draw near me and heare those last words which I must ever on earth speak to you Sure I am that the dying words of an affectionate Father cannot but fasten deeper and retaine a memory longer then the speech of the movingest Orator Fear God above all things it is the beginning of wisdom and will enrich you above your Portion You are now in the ripening progresse of your Time and entring the first Lists of your Youth wherein you are here surrounded with numerous temporary tryals let good company seconded with the exercise of piety season you so shall his blessing who hath blessed me with constancy in suffering crown you Be honest in your wayes spare in your words plenteous in good workes Proportions God hath given you portions by Gods providence though lessened by these occasionall overtures I have left you enrich these with the best portion the ornament of Vertue Specious features are not to be valued to the precious embellishment of that inward beauty which accomplisheth a Divine Soul Be what you seem to be and seem what you ought to be I never loved that countenance which could promise much and perform nothing Reality is the onely Cognizance of a good Conscience Ever reslect on him that made you and make Devovotion your constant Diary to conduct you Be tender of those you rank with either to better them or to be bettered by them Dead Flyes corrupt the preciousest Ointments Be humble to all Humility is the way to Glory this it is will make you amiable to the Creature glorious in the sight of your Creator Learne how to obey that you may know better how to command In the consideration of humane felicity there is nothing becomes more incurable then what is habituate when custome of sin takes away all sense of sin Old sores require long cures Reserve Divine thoughts for sanctified roomes In holy places is the Devil ever busiest No disease more dangerous then the Lethargy of sin This sleep brings ever an heavy awake For though like a tender Nurse she sing a sweet Lullabee to her deluded child it is ever in worst case the more it sleeps for it dyes in sins-slumber and perisheth untimely by the blandishment of her Mother Consider this my dearest Ones Resist the Devil and he will fly from you Suffer not the first motions of sin to seize on you Pray continually because you have an enemy assayling you incessantly the Combat is short your Crown eternall In the heat of the day think of the Evening The earnest-penny wil recompence your pains Continue to the end and your reward shall be endless Be not too curious in enquiring what you are to receive after this life but so labour that you may receive your reward of glory after this life Many by too curious an itching after what there were to receive have deceived themselves by loving their Reward more then God Let nothing on earth take your hearts Let the Divine Love onely possess them so shall you find quietness in them That heart cannot want that possesseth God He will be a light to direct it that it stray not A comfort to refresh it that it faile not For all earthly helps they must either leave us or we them Wherein it faleth often-tims forth that we are most afflicted even in those wherein we expected most comfort It is one thing to