profession I esteem it a calling most subject to temptations and therefore spiritually dangerous if not with most serious care performed Luk. 3.14 Wherein I doe not condemn or wholly disallow in any case the taking up of Arms but I counsell and advise that it be not undertaken without most pious care and circumspection which may by the mercy of the God of hosts obtain his blessed guidance and direction and preservation from those manifold dangerous allurements and temptations incident to that imployment which strongly presse to the distraction of the soul with which the body must participate Time is a root that certainly brings forth many branches many casualties and changes it doth produce to all mortality and nothing befits a man better to entertain such passages then such a calling and imployment as when evill presents it self to us we may have ready at hand honest and just actions to assist pious and holy meditations from which we by the gracious mercy of God shall receive much comfort and never be ashamed whereas idlenesse and want of good and honest action is a root for any evill Psal 103.26 All of them shall wax old as doth a garment and as a vesture shalt thou change them and they shall be changed Hos 4.7 And they sinned against me therefore will I change their glory into shame Isa 65.21 They shall build houses and inhabit them and they shall plant vineyards and cat the fruit thereof And 66. v. 2. For all those things hath my hand made and all those things have been saith the Lord but to this man will I look even to him that is pure and of a contrite spirit and that trembleth at my word 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us cleanse our selves from all filthinesse of the flesh Gal. 5.16 Walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Ver. 19. Now the works of the flesh are manifest which are those adultery fornication uncleannesse lasciviousnesse c. Prov. 19.14 Houses and riches are inheritances of the fathers but a prudent wife is from the Lord. Ver. 2. The contentions of a wife is a continuall dropping 1 Cor. 7.8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widdowes it is good for them if they abide as I. Ver. 9. But if they cannot contain let them marry for it is better to marry then to burn Matth. 19.12 And there be Eunuches which make themselves Eunuches for the kingdome of heavens sake Psal 106.39 Thus they were defiled with their own works Prov. 11.14 Where no counsell is the people fall but in the multitude of counsellors there is safety And 15.22 Without counsell purposes are disappointed but in the multitude of counsellors they are established Psal 1.1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsell of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the scornfull And 73.24 Thou shalt guid me with thy counsell and afterwards receive me into glory Jer. 40.7 Is counsell perished from the prudent is their wisdome vanished Psal 106.13 They soon forgat his works they waited not for his counsell Ver. 14. But lusted excredingly in the wildernesse and tempted God in the desart Ver. 15. And he gave them their request but sent leannesse into their souls Prov. 8.11 Wisdome is better then rubies and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to her And v. 14. Counsell is mine and sound wisdome I am understanding and have strength Ver. 19. My fruite is better then Gold yea then fine Gold and my revenue then choice Silver Ver. 20. I leade in the way of righteousness in the middest of the paths of judgement Prov. 7.1 c. My Sonne keepe my commandements and hide my words with thee keepe my commmandements and live and my law as the apple of thy eye binde them upon thy fingers write them upon the tables of thy heart say unto wisedome thou art my Sister and call understanding thy Kinswoman that they may keepe thee from the strange woman from the stranger which flattereth with her words Ver. â— I descried among the youth a young man voide of understanding Ver. 10. And behold there met him a woman with the attire of an Harlot and subtile of heart she is loud and stubborne hâ—r feet abide not in her house for she caught him and kissed him and with an impudent face said unto him I have peace offering with me this day have I paid my vowes therefore come I forth to meet thee dilligently to seek thy face and have found it Ver. 18. Come let us take our fill of love Ver. 21. With much faire speech she caused him to yeeld with the flattering of her lippes she forced him Ver. 22. He goes after her straight way as an Ox goeth to the slaughter or as a foole to the correction of the stockes Ver. 23. Till a dart strike through his liver as a bird hasteth to the snare and knoweth not that it is for his life Prov. 6.23 The commandement is a lampe and the law is light and reproofes of instruction are the way of life Ver. 24. To keepe thee from the evill woman from the flattery of the tongue of the strange woman Ver. 25. Lust not after her beauty in thy heart neither let her take thee with her eye-lids Ver. 27. Can a man take fire in his bosome and his cloathes not be burnt Gal. 5.6 This I say walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Jam. 1.4 Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts and entised Ver. 15. When lust is conceived it bringeth forth sinne and sinne when it is finished bringeth forth death 1 Joh. 2.16 17. For all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but of the world and the world passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever THe next Age still goeth on in Manhood although in it if we observe we shall finde of necessity many extraordinary changes and alterations therefore now we are entred into this promised Land of our pilgrimage and have in some measure destroyed the wicked it is convenient in this place to seek out a fitting habitation that so we may plant a Vineyard and drink the wine thereof with thankfullnesse here is the blessed gift of Chastity much required about this time and before this too oft and too soon fond youth is apt to think it is not good to be alone there is much promised relicity in a married life but how narrow is the way that leads to this most difficult happinesse how many thousand wayes are there that lead to misery in it If thou meanest to take upon thee a married life seek earnestly by prayer and true reason for heavenly guidance in it that which can be but once done how great need is there that it be well done
glory but confound his creatures Teach my endeavours Lord thy works to read That learning them in thee I may proceed Give then my reason that instructive sleight Whose weary wings may on thy hands still light Teach me to soar aloft yet ever so When near the Sunne to stoop again below Thus shall my humble feathers safely hover And though near earth more than the Heavens discover And then at last when home-ward I shall drive Richly with the spoiles of nature to my hive Then will I sit like that industrious fly Buzzing the praises which shall never die Till death abrupts them and succeeding glory Bids me go on in a more lasting story Naturall actions are much beyond our reason and Man is an epitome and compendium of all the terrestriall creatures There are two books that discover our Maker to us viz. holy Writ and Nature those which never heard of one have discovered him in the other the Almighty very much walketh in the path of reason when otherwise it is a miracle for nature is as it were the Art of God The absolute and incomprehensible providence of the Almighty is the disposing of all things that appoints our heirs and doth the works fasly ascribed to Fortune Blessed are those praying conquests of the objecting doubts in Divinity the devil will never end those disputes while we are in his Principality but while we build up our reason he endeavoureth to pull down our faith There are severall sorts of hainous blasphemies but an Atheist playes at all and at once denies there is a God I beleeve there is many an accepted faith which cannot endure fire and faggot and know not but Countries and particular persons too may have their tutelar and protecting Angels nor that the Saints departed may not know the passages of their friends on earth for that it is said at the conversion of a sinner the Angels of Heaven rejoyce for being that man is not only in the bulk and lump of the creatures but lives the life of plants animals and spirits it is a mighty priviledge and favour from our Creatour and may be a hierogliphyck of supernaturall knowledge The mistery of the Creation is very great but more particularly of man at the bare word the creatures were made of nothing but man was first made of earth and afterward the Image of his Maker by more sacred institution therefore he must not doate of life nor fear to die for to be too sensible of life and hopelesse of death becomes no man much lesse a Christian for although death soon layes our honour in the dust and changes us from commanding men into submission to the beasts yet we that is our souls are immortall and if not our own faults not subject to so vile allotment I cannot finde life worth the wish unlesse thereby we may serve our Maker and therein profit or promore our blessed eternity but if our sinnes grow numerous with our hours and so outgrow our despised repentance where is then that profit of our many years therefore it is that there is a secret end and bottom of our dayes his wisdome hath determined them his waking providence doth fulfill them wherein the spirits our selves and all the creatures of the Almighty in a secret and undisputed way perform his pleasure Another hand twines the thread of life than that of nature Lucan Victurosque Dei celant ni vivere durent Faelix essemori We' are all deluded vainly searching wayes To make us happy by the length of dayes For cunningly to make's protract this breath From us is hid the happinesse of death To avoid death in a miserable life is Christian fortitude it is a very great blessing that although the weakest hand may take away our life yet the strongest cannot deprive us of death for seeing this corrupted life cannot be without sinne happy is death that puts an end to it the devill therein was deceived for that his envy in bringing us into sinne hath by the Almighty mercy likewise brought upon us naturall death whereby we are freed and secured both from him and it Now our certain and eternall habitations are those incomprehensible scituations Heaven and Hell which none define or tell what and where they are a negative is the best we have bye hath not seen nor ear heard nor can mans heart conceive but Heaven may be the satisfaction to the soul wherein it desires neither addition nor alteration and the unsatisfied knowing appetite after vanity may be said a hell therefore let us fear the Almighty but not be afraid of shine let rather his mercies make us ashamed of our sinnes then his judgements afraid thereof I think few are scared into Heaven they goe the fairest way that would serve the Almighty without a Hell those mercenaries that crouch unto him for fear of Hell though they terme themselves the servants are indeed but the slaves of the Almighty The severall afflictions of the Saints are improved and doe prove the secret favours of the Almighty it is a singular piece of wisdome to distinguish the justice of the Almighty from his mercy and not miscall those his mighty attributes who is mercifull to all and better to the worst then the best deserve the most perfect actions on earth having no title or claim to Heaven for while we keep guard against one vice we commonly lye open to the attempts of another Acts 10.35 I like not that opinion which tieth salvation to the pale of any Church least we erre as much in our own as in another judgment We are commanded not to judg any but our selves and saving humility casts us lowest and will make us acknowledge our unworthinesse so much as to bring up the rear in Heaven Charity is a heavenly and absolute vertue the true effect whereof giveth Almes more out of obedience to the Almighty than out of commiseration on our brother for his sake that enjoynes it rather than for his that asks it He that relieveth out of bowels of compassion only doth it only for his own sake and perhaps because it may be his own case which is a sinister and politick charity this duty extends into all the wayes of doing good both to soul and body and by well instructing others upon an opportunity of charity we perform a double duty to be reservedly a niggard in this part of goodnesse is the most sordid piece of covetousnesse and in some sort more contemptible than pecuniary avarice No man can justly judge another because no man can justly know another nor truly himself Adams faith could not convince himself of murther untill Cain actually shewed it upon his brother A contemplative and solitary life avoideth many common and publike temptations yet hath the devill such advantage through our corruption that if we doe not withall valour and watchfullnesse resist both our selves and these allurements even in our most retired thoughts we shall thereby become the most abject piece of
non habent 1 Thos 4. Melior est dies mort is Eccl. 6. die nativitatis laudavi mag is mortuos quam viventes Mors est munus necessarium naturae tam corruptae quae non non est fugienda sed potius amplectenda Qui credâ—t ei qui misit me habet vitam aeternam Joh. 5. et non in judicium veniet sed transiet á morte in vitam Cum infirmor 2 Cor. 11. Jam. 1. tunc potens sum Reatus qui suffers tentationem quoniam cum probatus fuerit accipiet coronam vitae quam repromisit Deus diligentibus se Estote misericordes Luk. 6 sicut pater vester celestis misericors est Estote imitatores Dei sicut filij carissimi Christianus christi nominis similitudinem tenet Aug. morum quoê™ similitudinem habere debet nam Christiani nomen ille frustra sortitur qui Christum minime imitatur Judicium sine miserecordiâ ei fiat qui non fecerit misâ—ricordiam Da pauperibus habebis thesaurum in caelo Mat. 9 Prov. 14. Mat. 5. Mat. 25. Qui miseretur pauperis beatus erit Beati misericordes quoniam misericordiam consequentur Veuez bien heureux de mon pere entrezeu la possession du Royaume qui vous est preparé dés la creation du monde car i' ay en faim vous m' auex donné a manger c. Quod uni ex meis minimis fecistis mihi fecistis A subitaneâ improvisâ morte libera nos Domine Non potest malé mori qui bené vixerit Aug. vix bene moritur qui male vixerit Vobis datum est non solum utin Christum credatis Phil. sed ut pro ipso patiamini Cupio dissolvi Phil. 1. 1 Cor. 2. esse cum Christo Oculus non vidit auris non audivit nec in cor hominis ascendit quae praeparavit Deus diligentibus se Quelle chose y a il en ce monde pour contenter l'ame Aug. rien de tout il n' y a que Dieu seul Inquieâ—um est cor nostrum donec quiescat in te Ps 6. satiabor cum aparuerit gloriatua Deus fecit hominem Aug. ut summum bonum intelligeret intelligendo amaret amando possideret possidendo fueretur Gaudium in caelo erit super una peccatore paenitentiam agente Luk. 15. quam super nonaginta novem justos qui non indâ—gent panitentiâ Jesus Christus venit in hunc mundum peccatores salvos facere 1 Tim. 4. Dimissa sunt â—i peccata multa qui a dilexit multum Luk 7. Jam non est is hospites Eph. 2. advena sed est is cives sanctorum domestici Dei. Beati servi illi quos cum venerit Dominus invenerit vigilantes Luk 2. Nihil occultum quod non seiatur Mark 4. nihil opertum quod non revelatur De die illâ nemo scit ne quidem Angeli Calorum neque filus hominis Talem te judicat Deus Mat. 24. Cyprian Luk. 12. qualem te invenerit cum vorat Beati servi illi quos cum venerit Dominus invenerit vigilantes scilicet in statu gratia in peccatis non dormientes Ante juditium Eccl. 8. Joh. 14. Psal 110. para justitiam tibi ante languorem ad hibe medicinam Diligamus Deum quiaipse prius dilexit nos Initium sapientiae timor Dei qui timet Deum faciet bona A timore tuo concepimus spiritum salutis Quoties in quit Hier. diem judicij considero toto corpore contre misco sive enime comedarn sive bibam sive quid aliud faciam semper videtur illa tuba terribilis insonare auribus meis surgite mortui venite ad juditium Non intres in juditium cum servo tuo Domine Psal 104. quia non justificabitur in conspectu tuo omnis vivens Vix justus salvabitur miser peccator ubi parebunt Nolite omni spiritui credere 1 Pet. 4. 1 Joh. 4. Aug. Heb. 11. sed probate spiritus si ex Deo sint Noll intellegre ut credas sed crede ut intelligas Fides est substantia rerum sperandarum argumentum non apparentium Quod fui Domine ignosce quod sum corrige quod cro dirige Serva comissum expecta promissum cave probibitum Adversa corporis animae remedio sunt agritudo carnem vulnerat sed mentem curat For the mortification of the flesh VVHat man is he that liveth and shall not see death It is decreed in our first parents so to have been instituted that if they had not sinned they should not have died In what hour thou eatest thou shalt die Man when he was in honour understood not but is compared to the beasts that perish and is made like unto them The envy of the devill brought death upon all the earth The devill is the murtherer from the beginning A man is fallen into the hands of thieves c. that is to say into the hands and power of devils which spoiled him of his garment of originall justice of the robe of grace of innocence and of charity and by the wounds of sinne left him half dead but Jesus Christ our good and true Samaritane As in Adam all are dead even so in Christ shall all live It is appointed to all men once to die We die daily and continually our life in some part diminisheth and while we increase our lives decrease As the Hart desireth the rivers of waters so desireth my soul to come to thee O God My soul thirsteth to God the living fountaine when shall I come and appear before the face of my God The Apostle St Paul saith My desire is to be dissolved from this flesh and to be with Jesus Christ which is much better After this the judgment Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints The just shall be had in eternall remembrance The death of sinners is the worst death The face of the Lord is against those that doe iniquity The sinners shall be blotted out of the book of the living and with the just they shall not be written Live thou to say with St Paul I have fought the good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith therefore there is reserved for me a Crown of justice the which my God the just Judge shall give me in that day and our good God of his infinite pity shall say to thee Thou hast called to me out of the deep and I have heard thee c. Remember the end in all things and thou shalt not sinne to death Ye have said we have made a league with death and with hell an agreement The Prophet answers them Your Covenant with death shall be dissolved and your agreement with hell shall not stand By the envy of Satan and by sinne death hath taken dominion
for the blessed vineyard of our Creator ready to every good and perfect work with unspeakable joy and gladnesse I do also believe the immortality of the soul as certainly as the mortality of the body and that as soon as it parts with the body by death it doth participate in a great measure of misery or mercy of joy or sorrow according to what it hath done in the body whether the deeds were good or evill I believe there shall be a restauration of bodies at the resurrection and degrees of perfect joy to all those that in their earthly tabernacles truly desired to be righteous and perfect misery to wilfull negligent and contemptuous sinners in which both soul and body shall be for ever partakers I do believe afflictions and corrections to be so necessary for us in this life that I scarce think any can be saved without them and also that much affliction in this life is or at least if well used may be a great means sign and token of salvation for that afflictions are the cords and scourges of the Almighty to draw and drive us on in the way of salvation they are his sweet and blessed surveyors to purge our souls from our bodies pollutions and make us of a fit alloy for his heavenly Treasure they which wound the flesh and sad the countenance make the heart the better And from the very being engaged under an affliction for life may be reaped sweet and joyfull comfort both in life and death Therefore thus Some see the root yet on it take a fall Like those that see the door yet push the wall And having fallen upon the rock they saw Receive more good then though they 'd scap'd the blow The Farewell ADieu fond world of vain delight the messenger of Love To me hath shew'd an inward sight of joyes that be above And me hath summon'd to appear before the mercy-seate Of him whose justice is most clear most eminent most great Whose love is fully shew'd to mee in pardoning my sinne And passing by the vanity that I have lived in Whose love hath also conquered both death and hell for me And from my soul hath vanquished fear of death's tyranny Who of free grace hath given me a willing wish to right And doth accept this willingnesse as perfect in his sight Farewell all you that truly love the God of my Creation Do not ye mourn as those that have no hope of their salvation We know the generations that before us have been Have had their alterations which we in part have seen We also trust that joyes increase after this life to those That truly will'd from sinne to cease and evill did oppose Then moderate your tears among true joyes and smilings sweet In full assurance that ere long we shall together meet Comfort your selves with words as these and of a certain know That by this change true peace and ease God's mercy doth bestow On those that keep his testament his Laws and Statutes just From principles of true intent in him that put their trust Sigh for your selves sigh not for me death unto me is best My serious thoughts convinced be that therein is my rest From fancies that oppresse the minde from lusts of flesh and blood From sins assaults of every kinde most hard to be withstood From warr's effects from tyranny from sword-like tongues that smite From torments sicknesse maladies and sorrowes infinite From doing ill I would not doe from not doing the good Which surely I should will to doe if that I understood The judgment that to both is due by Heavens fixt decree And that I could at all times shew what good and evill be From Sathans rage and cruelty taking advantage great Finding my imbecillity and opposition weak This happy way doth safely guide to neignbours and allies Who while with me they did reside did joy my heart and eyes I do believe I now shall know how God in every Land His saving mercy doth bestow on the works of his hand And I believe to be resolv'd of doubts that here below Distract the wisdome of the world where least we do not know Is more then all we can attaine though art and age unite Such misteries for to explaine passeth mans judgment quite What reason is' t that I should will a moment to my dayes Except I could avoiding ill spend it in perfect praise Of my Creatour wherefore I do clearly finde it best To cast my soul eternally upon my Saviours rest And also from a perfect thought to pray thy Kingdome come And as our Saviour further taught pray Lord thy will be done And as for you that longer live and sojourn here below Imbrace true peace avoid all crime so Heaven will bestow Such passages of providence upon your hearts most pure As shall even in this life commence joyes that shall aye endure A CATECHISME QUESTION WHat is the duty of a man to know and believe in this life A. That almighty God is and that he is the rewarder of all them that diligently seek him Q Who is the Creator and Maker of all things A. This Almighty God Q. What is Almighty God A. He is the onely and perfect Good and the wise disposer of all things for the best for them that love him Q. What comfort may we learn from that A. To be well content in all the accidents and conditions of our lives knowing that they are from his providence and appointment and therein for the best for us Q. How doe we know that there is a Creator A. Because no creature can create it self and every mans soul speaks it to him Q. What is good in man A. To fear almighty God and work righteousnesse Q. What is our duty towards almighty God A. To love honour and obey him and heartily to seek after his will to do it Q. What is our duty to all men A. To endeavour their good both in soul and body and to do right unto them Q. What is righteousnesse A. The doing right unto the creature out of a principle of obedience to the Creator Q. What is our duty to the Creator A. Humbly to extoll laud praise and serve him with a perfect heart Q. What is the duty of man to the creatures that be subjected to him A. Thankfully to use them without the least abuse Q. How shall we look at the good of a man A. At the good both of soul and body Q. What is chiefly good to a man A. That which is good to the soul Q. What is chiefly evill to a man A. That which is evill to the soul Q. How shall we know good from evil A. Good is suitable to the Word of almighty God and agreeth to certain foot-steps or shadowes remaining of uncorrupted nature in us and it is contrary and displeasing to our corrupted natures and desires Q. How is evil known A. By being contrary to the Word of almighty God by being much unnaturall and by the suiting
severall Mothers yet let your love and unity be one in faith and truth and the One eternall God will undoubtedly give you the incomprehensible blessing both of temporall and eternall peace and will strongly fortifie you against any dejection at the deprivement of any temporall blessings whilest you truly consider the uncertainty of them the difficulty in well using of them and the danger if abused and that nothing is worthy our serious thoughts but what accompanies us to our eternall habitation and goeth with us to that admirable perfect and happy estate we shall most certainly arrive unto if we wean our selves from these worldly impediments that here deface and clogge our souls and only endeavour and esteem that good which tends to the good of our eternity The inward endowments of the minde are by far more excellent than the outward adornments of the body therefore let the bottome and foundation of all thy endeavours be laid in pure and undefiled religion truly grounded upon the sacred Scriptures rightly understood Sint cast a deliciae meae scripturae tuae nec faller in eis O Deus meus nec fallam ex eis August Confess For except the Lord build the house the workmen labour but in vain We must all acknowledge and beleeve a most sacred heavenly Deity for whosoever come to almighty God aright fitting for his mercifull and saving acceptance must first know and beleeve that he is and that he is the rewarder of them that serve him True religion consisteth in the knowledge of God and of our selves for it is a relative action between both the office thereof is to extoll God to the utmost of our power and to beat down man as utterly lost and then to furnish him with means to rise again to make him feel his misery and his weaknesse to the end he may put his whole confidence in God alone Religion should knit and unite us to the author and principall cause of our good and re-unite us to our first cause and root where if we continue firm we are thereby preserved in our perfection and contray if we separate we instantly faint and languish True Religion doth make us give all honour to almighty God and receive all benefit to our selves Glory be to God on high and peace with men on earth Almighty God must be served with our hearts and spirits it is the service answerable to his nature he is a spirit then worship him in purity of spirit this he requireth and it pleaseth him the Father desireth such worshippers the most acceptable sacrifice unto his sacred Majesty is a pure free and humble heart this he will not despise A pure heart is a sacrifice to God an innocent soul an innocent life A holy man is a true sacrifice to God his body is his Temple his soul is his a Image his affections are his b offrings his solemne sacrifice is to imitate serve and implore him God is rich and therefore giveth unto us poor and therefore aske Although all true worship be from the inward spirit yet neverthelesse we must not contemn or disdain outward and publick service which must be an assistant to the inward truth by observing ceremonies orders and customs with moderation without vanity ambition hypocrisie or covetousnes as they may and doe tend to the advancement of true devotion in us alwaies remembring that God will be served in spirit and what is performed by us otherwise is rather for our selves then for God for humane respects and formall observances then divine verity which rather belongs to manners and customs then the thing it self Our vowes and prayers to almighty God should be alwaies with this submission Thy will be done O Lord and not mine Tua voluntas Domine mea sit mea voluntas tuam semper sequatur optimè ci concordet saith a pious and ancient Father Take great heed of asking any thing against the determination of his revealed will his will is that we ought to fit our selves to receive We must think speak and deal with almighty God as if all the world did behold us and live and converse with the world as if God did behold us We must take great care not upon any slight occasion or cursorily to use the most sacred Name of God but with premeditation obediently and reverently to speak and use it his Name is holy and all honour is for ever due unto it The divine providence being well learned by us doth administer sufficient upholding comfort in all the chances and changes of this life We are most thankfully to acknowledge and submit to this providence which disposeth all things to the best to them that truly and obediently acknowledge it without which a Sparrow falls not and with whom our hairs are numbred this is the staff of life the blessed stay of comfort on which we safely rest in all the passages of our pilgrimage this inward spirit works quite contrary to the outward man it makes us truly say Thy will be done O God and not mine and not only say so but heartily and thankfully rejoyce that so it is knowing that it is best and only good for us this clears thy soul of grief and trouble and fills thy heart with joy and gladnes knowing that is done which is only good for thee and that thy will is not done for had it been against divine providence it would have produced thy utter ruine and destruction therefore for ever blesse that most gracious providence that hath avoided it Be diligent to finde out the good of necessity it is a sweet herbe but growes not in every garden it is an especiall branch of true wisdome and teacheth to take every thing by the right end the righteous and the wicked the wise and the foolish the true contented and discontented doe all the same things but not after the same manner not with the same apprehension understanding and judgment neither intending or conducing to the same end and purpose and therefore the operation in them is not the same but quite contrary Nothing in this world is perfect therefore there is both good and evill a right and a wrong use of them the first tending to true joy and comfort the latter to sorrow and discontent Correction upon search discovereth sinne and moveth to repentance and prevention Not to rejoyce after serious thoughts at the chastisements of Gods providence is a very evill signe of a wicked heart we must be truly sorrowfull for sinne which is the only cause of correction not for the correction for the cause of the disease not for the cure Before I was corrected I went astray but now have I learned thy word O blessed and sweet correction that leads and holds us in the way to eternall happinesse if correction bring thee not comfort with resolution by the gracious assistance of almighty God and joy in amendment search narrowly thy wayes for it is greatly to be feared they lead thee to eternall death
holyness and pyetye My dryed bones doe not despise For I expect a call to rise Life 's gone on th' one side on th' other it run's fast Life's time that 's present death is time that 's past thereof which surely tends to the salvation of our souls therefore although our souls be properly us yet while we are in the body our bodies as may be said had need watch over them or more properly over themselves for that the sinne of the body destroyes the soul Now because this watch may be rightly ordered let us consider some of those particulars it is to be set over and first let us begin this watch over our wills because the greatest part of those impieties heresies and errors in our faith and religion is sprung from our wicked and corrupt wills from a violent and voluptuous passion which afterward draweth unto it the understanding it self this is a main wheel in all our actions and if it be evill then it is the chief enemy that commands against us whose Officers and assistants in this warfare against us we may mention afterwards in some particulars But first to the Will Imagination opinion and will is the guide or foot of the vulgar as reason is of the wise and prudent and men are tormented by the opinion they have of things and not by the things themselves Will is a great part of the reasonable soul of very great concernment and it principally behooves us to study how to order it and set a watch upon it for that thereupon dependeth almost our whole estate of happinesse this is truly ours at our command Understanding memory imagination and the like may be taken from us changed and annoyed with many accidents and yet the will remain at our dispose he that hath parted with and given away his will is no more his own man by this we are made good or evill and that will is only excellent where goodnesse and vertue lodgeth not he that knowes good things but he that wills and in a right understanding desires them is good and vertuous The will is happy that loveth God and to will evill things is wicked In the next place set a watch over thy eyes thy ears thy tongue these are three most dangerous and desperate enemies if left at liberty but if well kept to strict command and order the most serviceable souldiers in all the muster the abused and common eye is moved with the present object but a wise foresight considereth the matter The ear is a principall agent to the understanding and by the well ordering of it saving faith is obtained speech is the messenger of the heart and interpreter of the soul and is chiefly ordained to edifie and instruct to salvation it doth discover our mentall secrets and men judge very much by it One said well Speak that I may see thee that is know thy heart like golden Apples in pictures of silver so are words spoken in due season But because our duty is in all our waies to have a constant watch over our selves we will endeavour to mention some few more of those particulars we are to watch over First Over all vain idle and ambitious desires and thoughts they are by nature innumerable in us Ambition is a folly and a vanity like catching of smoake instead of light the shadow instead of the body it is to fasten contentment upon the opinion of the vulgar voluntarily to renounce ones own liberty to follow the passions of others to displease ones self for the pleasure of the beholders to let our own affections depend on the eyes of others and so farre to love vertue as may like the vulgar to doe good not for love of good but reputation this is either to be filled with nothing but winde or else to be empty Ambition hath no limits it 's a gulf without brink or bottome fire that increaseth by it's own nourishment it is it 's own punishment and excecutioner and is only just in that True humility is a chief Embleme of honour the higher the Sunne is the lesser shadow it maketh the greater the vertue is the lesse glory it seeketh Commonly honour is truly compared to a shadow which follows those that flie it and flieth those that follow it Let us receive our charge modestly and exercise it sincerely knowing that almighty God hath placed us to stand centinell that others may rest in safety under our care Parchment-honour or by descent onely without desert is shamefull and ignoble it is greater honour not to have the mark having deserved it than to have it it is more honourable to be asked why thy statue is not set up in the market-place than why it is it is not the honour commonly given of Princes to their subjects who give it most oft to them that deserve it least and can give that shadow neither but upon that little ground and that little ground and those few hearts they command whereby it becomes a shame and reproach to those that have it that almighty God seems actually to guide or very favourably to allow but true wisdome is true honour and thereby we honour aright our neighbour and our God and therefore to attain this wisdome ought to be our care and study Let thy watch likewise take heed of covetousnesse and prodigality to love or affect riches with too much care to get or keep them is covetousnesse for they are not worthy our earnest care and attention the desire of goods and our pleasure in them is only opinion what we necessarily use not are a burthen Covetousnes is a wrong estimation and use of riches it is a passion that respecteth riches as the principall good of a man and feareth poverty as the greatest evill nature hath placed it under us and we esteem it above our selves it is ordained to supply necessity and we covet it without occasion Prodigality is the contrary passion and it is likewise very vitious for in despising or misusing the gift we doe the same to the giver to spend prodigally is to refuse the means to doe well to fling away the staff and then complain because we fall he that hath the least Talent hath least burthen least account yet take heed for the least must be accounted for and therefore not misused nor rejected Psal 107.36 37. And there he maketh the hungry to dwell that they may prepare a City for habitation and sow the fields and plant vineyards which may yeeld fruit of increase Ezek. 28.26 And they shall dwell safely therein and shall build houses and plant vineyards yea they shall dwell with confidence when I have executed judgments upon all them that despise them round about them and they shall know that I am the Lord their God Isa 11.2 3 4. And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the spirit of wisdome and understanding the spirit of counsell and might the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord and shall
sight This rock of comfort rightly built upon is not impeach't by any battering storme It 's still the same in its salvation though with the world it 's desolate forlorne This lightens darknesse perfumes the dungeons foule feels not the tortures of the Tyrants rage It 's food in pinings cherisheth the soule in strangest torments where they tyranage What 's scorching heat what 's icy freezing cold what 's wildernesse or banishing from home What 's boilings scaldings torments manifold what 's all we comprehend by martyrdome If I but know that I am not my own But my Creatours and it is most right That he dispose for ever reason 's showne I must submit to his most perfect sight That sees what 's only good unto my soul to fit it for eternall Paradice And only orders what without controule doth onely fit my soule for sacred blisse Which if once known welcome the swiftest speed that brings me tydings of the blest decree That these sharp scourges are no more then 's need and after death my ever blisse is free Then cast me from most towring rocks amongst fair Neptune's poudred locks And let my next remove be set within the Ocean's Cabinet Or place me on the Lybean plaine which raging windes to wrath constraine Or let my habitation be in depth of black obscurity Or if the thirsty wretch for blood must torture me to meit's good More wrong for good we here endure the more is our salvation sure Well suffering wrong is surely blest with promise of eternall rest This promise fails not know you this Yea and Amen this promise is If I could knowingly but see how all things work the best for me And if I were to perfect love converted then I should not move Though Neptune's foaming wave did burn though mountains over mountains turn Though humble valleys should deride the lofty hills in seeming pride Though man unto his neighâ—our be as raging wolves in tyranny Though foaming floods usurp the place of Ceres with her wonted grace Though Neptune Juno Vulcan's flames part Tellus from her Comely Dames Though flaming Meteors joyn their force with warlike furious language hoarse Though lyes and home-bred foes take place and have the power of my disgrace Though civill warres and forraigne might take from my life all earths delight Though plagues and famine sinnes desert my comforts to distresse subvert Though my Creators love correct and for my sinnes my soul deject Yet while my God is all and chief I have my peace I have relief A Discourse Shewing Honour dangerous Earthly things empty Order of Estate and Family Education of Children The golden mean What tends to eternall happinesse onely good A competency the best Great Estates have great troubles Our Saviour refused earthly Treasure Disposall of Estate in life or Death Respect the Righteous Duty in using the Creatures They exceed in sense we in reason Some liberty from necessity Titles of Honour unprofitable Court Honour is rarely Vertues character TItles of Honour usually proceed from vain glory and doe much advantage the design of flatterers thereby they breathe their fond deceit knowing this winde rests onely in the fame of others and of it self is onely profitable to them that have it not many evill effects proceed from it as pride covetousnesse c. but one of the best effects therefrom that I know is the reproving a fool by his folly thereby shewing him how little I am profited or he prejudiced by my superiority of going before him but rather that I have inconvenience and danger thereby This gilded Apple most deceives their vain and shallow judgements who love to spend their precious time in visits and excesse but with the wise in their constant necessary and solid imployments it is little or nothing worth Earthly things empty I advise you not to be too solicitous for the outward profits or pleasures of this life for if thou doe obtain them thou shalt finde them in use beyond expectation empty Order Live soberly under and within the compasse of your Estate in your Family if the Almighty give you any and keep them in constant duty once a day at least in publike prayer together and in private advise them all to use it twice every day at least Education Bring up your Children if God shall give you any in learning and education suitable to the severall Portions you are able to give them and so order them that they may have no idle time and as little as may be for vain imployments Avoid idleness and vanity Be sure neither to live thy self nor bring up your Children above your present Estate for that almost enforceth to pride and then covetousnesse must maintain for observe one vice is alwayes borne up by another and so also is Vertue although they may seem to intermix they very seldome or never doe A mean necessary Love the golden mean in all earthly things use this present world as if thou used it not and so endeavour to order and teach thy family that your great joy may be from your hopefull assurance to live together in eternall happinesse for the fashion of this world vanisheth away and there is nothing good or worth desiring That onely good which tends to eternall happiness but what tends to the good of our eternity or at least not to the hurt thereof and nothing can be evill that tends to our eternall peace Selah A competency the best A competency of earthly things is the request of Agur's prayer What a competency is under the true notion of neither poverty nor riches is to be resolved I conceive that whatsoever doth or may preserve and satisfie nature is a competency What it is and in that sense is almost every mans present estate wherewith he ought according to right and justice to be content But if I be asked what in my opinion a sussicient competency is in England for a Person of quality to live handsomely upon What in England I conceive 500lb or 1000lb per Annum to be sufficient from well ordering of it to have many opportunities to give almighty God much honour and thereby to doe much good to men and I am sure a great account must be made of so great a Talent Great Estates cause great sorrow What is there from such vast Estates as vain and unsatisfied desires wish for but great care both in getting and keeping of them They have more servants more diet more vain-glory and more trouble and sorrow therewith but what is there more usually for the almighty giver surely very little and often nothing save cause of anger for the bad ordering or misusing of it which if not in time repented of causeth and will produce a certain and eternall destruction Our Saviours portion Then love the Golden mean the competent easie load and Talent which being wisely ordered with honest care and industry may give thee more true and lasting comfort then any excesse in earthly things
them that goe down into the pit Cause me to hear thy loving kindenesse in the morning for in thee doe I trust cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my soul unto thee Deliver me O Lord from my enemies viz. from my sinnes I fly unto thee to hide me teach me to doe thy will for thou art my God thy Spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightnesse Quicken me O Lord for thy Names sake for thy righteousnesse sake bring my soul out of trouble And of thy mercy cut off my enemies viz my sinnes and destroy all them that afflict my soul for I am thy servant I will rejoyce to work in thy vineyard O my creatour and in the strength of thy mercies will attend thy call to rest as thy most obedient servant Amen V. Comfort Take comfort in a constant thirsting to be dissolved and to be with Christ as his servants are who be already dissolved if almighty God in Christ Jesus were so pleased Read Gerrards Meditations Though death as to us is bitter yet in from pag. 268 unto pag. 302. our trust on almighty God in Christ it is sweet For who keepâ—th his word shall never see death Joh. 8.51 The misery of a Christian dieth but not the Christian man we lose not our friends at their death but they goe before us to the place of our enjoyment of them in Christ Jesus for ever as we may well beleeve Luk. 2.29 Simeon saith Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace And Phil. 1.23 The Apostle desires to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all Rev. 7.9 The elect have robes in token of innocency and palms in their hands in token of victory therein are all tears wiped away from our eyes Ver. 17. And therein is no mourning nor grief nor any cry heard but rest from labour Chap. 21. v. 4. and 14.15 Our blessed Saviour shews the great benefit of being dissolved when his Disciples were sad at it he said Joh. 14.28 If ye loved me ye would rejoyce rather Phil. 1.21 Death is gain The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to his Sonne therefore rejoyce in thy true belief to goe to that judgement For Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne that who so beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Matth. 18.14 Neither is it the will of our Father that one of the little ones should perish Ver. 11. Our Saviour came to save that which was lost He takes away the sinnes of the world He died for the sinnes of the world He hath a gracious call for us as Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you He maketh intercession for us and hath blotted out the hand-writing which was against us Joh. 5.24 He that heareth his word and believeth on him that sent him hath life everlasting and shall not come into condemnation O my Saviour I beleeve yet help thou my unbelief and increase thou my faith Eph. 5.29 30. That I may truly and as I ought beleeve my self to be and be a member of thy body of thy flesh and of thy bones O my Saviour in the power of thy might and as thou diedst to save sinners make me holy is thou the Lord my God art holy The dayes of my pilgrimage are few and evill My conversation is in Heaven and I desire to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the living When shall I appear before thy face O God As the Hart panteth after the fountain of water so doth my heart after thee O God At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore I shall be abundantly satisfied with the plentifullnesse of thy house and thou shalt give me to drink of the brook of thy pleasures for with thee is the fountain of life and in thy light shall we see light Thou O Lord art the portion of my inheritance and my exceeding great reward Thou shalt of thy free love to sinners shewed in Jesus Christ cover me with the garment of salvation and cloathe me with the white robe of righteousnesse where there is no hunger nor thirst nor scorching Sunne Of the fruit of the vine shall I drink in thy Kingdome for thy words are spirit and life therefore shall death be swallowed up in victory and thou O Saviour shalt for thy free merit in the blessed mercy of our eternall Father wipe away all tears from my eyes for ever for thou art my all-sufficient Lord God While we live we cannot hope to cease from sinne but when we die we hope to sinne no more which consideration doth administer great comfort in the remembrance and appearance of death to those that are truly weary of sinning against their God VI. The first Comfort in the pangs and passages of Death First Because the will of God is therein done in Jesus Christ which is certainly the best for us It is appointed to all men once to die and after that comes the judgment Heb. 9.27 2 Cor. 4.14 Knowing that he which hath raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise us up also by Jesus therefore we faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed daily Ver. 17. For our light afflictions which are but for a moment causeth unto us a farre more excellent and an eternall weight of glory while we look not on the things that are seen but on the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporall but the things which are not seen are eternall Read Gerrards Meditations p. 109. praying for a blessed departure out of this life and a blessed resurrection unto life ever lasting And Read the fift Chapter of the 2d Cor. in which is admirable comfort in the passages of death that we may be present with the Lord. Jam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptations for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Then present thy sould a true devotary unto our most gracious Father in Jesus Christ and say with David Psal 31.5 Into thy hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth Ps 71.23 My lips will rejoyce when I sing unto thee and my soul which thou hast delivered And rejoyce with Paul Gal. 3.13 saying Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law when he was made a curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Then gathering thy spirit freeing thy soul of worldly thougths say in faith and true repentance in full assurance that our good God is all-sufficient and that his mercy endures for ever and that in Jesus thy Saviour he hath elected and adopted thee his sonne Come Lord Jesus my most dear Saviour come quickly Amen VII A second Comfort in the passages of Death Take
comfort in this That his mercy endures for ever therefore rejoyce alwayes and in all things give thanks for that is the love of God to thee in Christ Jesus Isa 43.25 Thus saith the Lord I even I am he that putteth away thy iniquities for mine own sake and will not remember thy sinnes Isa 53.4 Fear not for thou shalt not be ashamed neither shalt thou be confounded for thou shalt not be put to shame yea thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth Ver. 7. For a little while have I forsaken thee but with great compassion will I gather thee Ver 8. For a moment in my anger I hid my face from thee for a little season but with everlasting mercy have I had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy redeemer Ver. 9. For this is unto me as the waters of Noah for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah should no more goe over the earth so have I sworn that I would not be angry with thee nor rebuke thee Ver. â—0 For the mountains shall remove and the hills shall fall down but my mercy shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my peace fall away saith the Lord that hath compassion on thee Ver. 13. And all thy children shall be taught of the Lord and much peace shall be to thy children Ver. 17. But all the weapons that are made against thee shall not prosper and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgement thou shalt condemne this is the heritage of the Lords servants and their righteousnesse is of me saith the Lord. Eph. 2.8 For by grace ye are saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Sing praises unto the Lord ye his Saints and give thanks before the remembrance of his holinesse for he endureth but a while in his anger but in his favour is life weeping may abide at evening but joy cometh in the morning 1 Chron. 16.34 Praise the Lrod for he is good for his mercy endures for ever Ver. 41. And they were appointed to praise the Lord because his mercy endures for ever 2 Chron. 5.13 And they praised the Lord saying for he is good because his mercy lasteth for ever Chap. 7. ver 3. And they bowing themselves worshipped saying for he is good because his mercy lasteth for ever Ver. 6. And the Priests waited to praise the Lord because his mercy lasteth for ever Chap. 10. ver 21. And they went before the men of Arms saying Praise ye the Lord for his mercy lasteth for ever Ezra 3.11 Thus they sang when they gave praise unto the Lord For he is good for his mercy endures for ever Psal 118.4 Let them that fear the Lord say that his mercy endures for ever Psal 106.1 Praise the Lord because he is good for his mercy endures for ever Read Psal 136. Psal 117.12 For his loving kindnesse is great towards us and the truth of the Lord endures for ever Psal 138.8 Praise ye the Lord the Lord will perform his work towards me Psal 28.21 O Lord thy mercy endures for ever forsake not thou the works of thy hands forsake me not O Lord be not thou farre from me my God Psal 71.9 Cast me not off in the time of age forsake me not when my strength faileth Amen VIII A third Comfort in Death Thou maist rejoyce because blessed are they which die in the Lord even so saith the Spirit for they rest from their labours and their works follow them Rev. 14.13 Say thou with Paul Phil. 1.21 Christ is to me both in life and death advantage Ver. 22. And whether to live in the flesh were more profitable for me and what to chuse I know not Ver. 23. For I am greatly in doubt on both sides desiring to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of all Eccl. 4.12 So I turned and considered all the oppressions that are wrought under the Sunne and behold the tears of the oppressed and none comforteth them and loe the strength is of the hand of them that oppresse them and none comforteth them wherefore I praised the dead which now are dead above the living which are yet alive Numb 23.10 Let me die the death of the righteous and let my last end be like unto his the death of the righteous is greatly to be desired Psal â—8 14 God is our God for ever an ever he shall be our guide unto death Psal 116.15 Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Prov. 14.32 The wicked shall be cast away for his malice but the righteous hath hope in his death Love the Lord thy God and therein thou shalt have comfort and great joy in all conditions whatsoever for love is stronger then death and our God will destroy death for ever Isa 25.8 Hear with great joy the word of the Lord to them that love him Hoseah 13.14 I will redeem them from the power of the grave I will deliver them from death O death I will be thy death O grave I will be thy destruction repentance is hid from my eyes Rom. 5.10 For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his life Chap. 8. ver 2. For the Law of the spirit of life which is in Christ Jesus hath freed me from the Law of sinne and of death Psal 42.1 2. As the Hart brayeth for the rivers of waters so panteth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God even for the living God when shall I come and appear before the presence of God IX A fourth Comfort in Death Our Saviour Jesus died in pain farre greater then ours and also a most ignominious and shamefull death and all for our sinnes it were happy for us that we could imitate in some measure his sufferings for us because his purity in the least degree or part we cannot He suffered most freely for us contrary to the cry and call of our rebellions even at that time against him when he could have got as much honour in our condemnation and have been rescued from those sufferings by more then twelve legions of Angels He hath willingly suffered to parchace eternall life for us as we ought truly to beleeve Therefore this being his appointed Crosse for us let us take it up carry it and follow him therewith rejoycing that we through his mercy are accepted of him as worthy to obtain and doe his service much more may we rejoyce that we in his goodnesse should have promise to raign with him for ever Amen Besides our blessed Saviours incarnation in coming from his Throne of eternall God-head to take upon him the form of a servant his being laid in the manger not having whereon to rest his head his many weepings and sorrowings for the sinnes of the world Read with true sorrow and repentance that thy sinnes should cause him such a death
or indeed the least sorrow Matth. 27.27 Then the souldiers of the Governours took Jesus into the Common-hall and gathered about him the whole band Ver. 28. And they stripped him and put upon him a scarlet robe Ver. 29. And platted a Crown of thorns and put it upon his head and a reed in his right-hand and bowed the knees before him and mocked him saying God save the King of the Jews Ver. 30. And spit upon him and took a reed and smote him on the head Ver. 31. Thus when they had mocked him they took the robe from him and put his own raiment on him and led him away to crucifie him Ver. 33. And when they were come unto the place called Golgotha that is to say the place of dead mens sculls Ver. 34. They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall and when he had tasted thereof he would not drink Ver. 35. And when they had crucified him they parted his garments and did cast lots that it might be fullfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Psal 22.18 They divided my garments amongst them and upon my vesture did cast lots Ver. 36. And they sate and watched him there Ver. 37. They set up also over his head his cause written This is Jesus the King of the Jews Ver. 38. And there were two thieves crucified with him one on the right hand and the other on the left Ver. 39. And they that passed by reviled him wagging their heads and Ver. 40. Saying Thou that destroyest the Temple and buildest it in three dayes save thy self if thou be the Sonne of God come down from the crosse Ver. 41. Likewise also the High-Prists mocking him with the Scribes and Pharisees and Elders said Ver. 42. He saved others but he cannot save himself if he be the King of Israell let him now come down from the crosse and we will beleeve him Ver. 43. He trusted in God let him deliver him now if he will have him for he said I am the Sonne of God Ver. 44. That same also the thieves that were crucified with him cast in his teeth Ver. 45. Now from the sixth hour was there darkness over all the land untill the ninth hour Ver. 46. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice saying Ely Ely lamasabachthani that is My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Ver. 47. And some of them that stood there when they heard it said This man calleth Elias Ver. 48. And straight way one of them ranne and took a spunge and filled it with vinegar and put it on a reed and gave him to drink Ver. 49. Others said Let be let us see if Elias will come and save him Ver. 50. Then Jesus cried with a loud voice again and yeelded up the ghost Now then let us be glad and rejoyce to goe to him our Saviour our joy our peace what way soever he is pleased to call us through the most bitter torments of minde or body by weaknesses sicknesses and imperfections and let us be most assured that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 2 Tim. 2.3 Let us therefore suffer afflictions as good souldiers of Jesus Christ For it is a true saying If we be dead with him we shall also live with him if we suffer with him we shall also raign with him if we deny him he also will deny us Yea 2 Tim. 3.12 All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecutions Here have we no continuing City but we seek one to come Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to him in well doing as unto a faithfull Creatour knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in our brethren which are in the world As many as our Saviour loveth he rebuketh and chasteneth Be zealous therefore in the truth and amend and rejoice alwayes that the will of God in Christ Jesus thy Saviour is therein done which is the best for thee Amen X. A fift Comfort in Death Rejoyce Because it is our going from sorrow to joy Isa 17.1 The righteous perisheth and no man considereth it in heart and mercifull men are taken away and no man understandeth that the righteous is taken away from the evill to come 2 King 22.19 20. But because thy heart did melt and thou hast humbled thy self before the Lord when thou heardest what I spake against this place and against the inhabitants of the same to wit that it should be destroyed and accursed and hast rent thy clothes and wept before me I have also heard it saith the Lord behold therefore I will gather thee to thy fathers and thou shalt be put into thy grave in peace and thy eyes shall not see all the evill which I will bring upon this place this was the great love of God to King Josiah See 2 Chron. 34.28 Luk. 16.22 Lazarus by a blessed dissolution is eased of all his pains sores diseases fears and troubles is called for out of the prison of the body and presently by the happy messenger of death is made fit and carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome where all the elect are in joyes incomprehensible freed from sinne and sorrow forever Amen XI A sixth Comfort in Death Rejoyce Because it is our being gathered to our nearest alliance our kindred and our parents 2 King 22.19 20. Josiah was gathered to his fathers in great abundant mercy as I mentioned before See the most sweet and gracious call of the eternall mercy to Moses Deut 32.48 49 50. which I lately mentioned And the Lord spake to Moses the self same day saying Goe up into the mountain of Abarim unto the mount Nebo which is in the land of Moab over against Jericho and behold the land of Canaan which I give to the children of Israell for a possession and die in the mount which thou goest up unto and thou shalt be gathered unto thy people as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor and was gathered to his people Gen. 25.8 The Abraham yeelded up the spirit and died in a good age an old man and of great years and was gathered to his people Numb 20.26 Almighty God commanded Moses to take Aaron and Eleazer his sonne and to bring them up into the mount Hor and to cause Aaron to put off his garments and to put them upon Eleazer his sonne saying Aaron shall be gathered to his fathers and shall die there Numb 30.1 2. Almighty God doth bid Moses avenge the children of Israel of the Mideanites and in token of acceptance and reward faith afterwards thou shalt be gathered to thy people Gen. 15.17 And Ishmaell yeelded up the spirit and died and was gathered to his people Chap. 35. ver 29. And Isaak gave up the ghost and died and
was gathered to his people And Chap. 49. ver 26. Jacob saith I am ready to be gathered to my people bury me with my fathers Observe There is no sign or shew of sorrow in him for he might well rejoyce to exchange earth for Heaven And Ver. 33. Then Jacob made an end of giving charge to his sonnes and plucked up his feet into the bed and gave up the ghost and was gathered to his people It is an infinite and an incomprehensible mercy of God that his love in Jesus is to call us in his good time from our disserving rather then serving of him here and that with thousands of fears cares and griefs to be gathered to his servants our fathers and nearest friends in peace XII A seventh Comfort in Death Rejoyce Because it is our entrance into the true communion of Saints By the Gospell we are joyned to the Angels and Patriarchs even in this life much more shall we be united to the true heavenly serving our eternall mercy with them when we shall cease from sinne Heb. 13.22 23. Ye are come to the mount Sion and to the City of the living God the celestiall Jerusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels and to the Congregation of the first-born which are written in Heaven And to God the Judg of all and to the spirits of just and perfect men Ver. 24. And to Jesus the mediator of the new Testament Col. 1.9 The Apostle saith For this cause we pray for you and do desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdome and spirituall understanding Ver. 10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitfull in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God Ver. 11. Stengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfllunesse Ver. 12. Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Ver. 13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darknesse and hath translated us into the Kingdome of his dear Sonne Ver. 14. In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgivenesse of sinnes Ver. 15. Who is the Image of the invisible God the first-born of every creature Ver. 16. For by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him Ver. 17. For he is before all things and by him all things consist Ver. 18. And he is the head of the body the Church who is the beginning the first-born from the dead that in all things he might have the preheminence Ver. 19. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullnesse dwell Ver. 20. And having made peace through the blood of his crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himself by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in Heaven Ver. 21. And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minde by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight 1 Thes 3.12 13. The Lord increase you and make you abound in love one towards another and towards all men to make your hearts stable and unblameable in holinesse before God even our Father at the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ with all his Saints Jude ver 14. Behold the Lord cometh with thousands of his Saints Rev. 7.9 I beheld saith the Apostle and behold a great multitude which no man could number of all Nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lambe clothed with long white robes and palmes in their hands Ver. 14. And an Elder said unto me These are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their long robes and have made their long robes white in the blood of the Lambe Ver. 15. Therefore are they in the presence of the throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple and he that sitteth on the throne will dwell amongst them Ver. 16. They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sunne light on them neither any heat Ver. 17. For the Lambe which is in the midst of the Throne shall govern them and shall lead them unto the lively fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes XIII An eighth Comfort in Death Rejoyce Because it is our ceasing from sinne and the entrance into our eternall rest and peace Heb. 4.9 10. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God For he that is entred into his rest hath also ceased from his own works as God did from his Chap. 6. ver 20. Let us study therefore to enter into that rest least any fall through disobedience Into which peace the fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus that is made a High-Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedec Job 3.13 For so should I now have lyen and been quiet I should have slept then and been at rest Ver. 14. With the Kings and Counsellors of the earth which have builded themselves desolate places Ver. 17. The wicked have there ceased from their tyranny and there they that laboured valiantly are at rest Ver. 18. The prisoners rest together and hear not the voice of the oppressors Ver. 19. There are small and great and the servant is free from his Master XIV A ninth Comfort in Death Rejoyce Because it is our going to doe the will of God our most loving and mercifull Father in Jesus Christ without sinning against his most blessed and sacred Majesty In dying we doe the will of God Heb 9.27 For it is appointed to all men once to die and after that comes the judgement Rom. 6.7 For he that is dead is freed from sinne Joh. 14.28 When our Saviour had acquainted his Disciples of his departure from them by his passion they were sorrowfull For which our Saviour seemed to reprove them and said If ye loved me ye would rather rejoyce because I said I goe unto the Father for my Father is greater then I. XV. A tenth Comfort in Death It is the love of our good God unto us to take us away from the evill to come therefore rejoyce at this his gracious call of infinite mercy to that heavenly mansion which our blessed Saviour hath prepared for us in his Fathers house Joh. 14.2 In my Fathers house are many mansions or dwelling places if it were not so I would have told you I goe to prepare a place for you 1 King 11.11 12. The Lord said to Solomon I will surely rend the Kingdom from thee and will give it to thy servant Notwithstanding in thy dayes I will not doe it because of David thy Father but I will rent it out of the
hand of thy sonne 2 Tim. 3.1 This know in the last dayes shall come perillous times Ver. 2. For men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud cursed speakers disobedient to parents unthankfull unholy Vor. 3. Without naturall affection truce-breakers false accusers intemperate fierce despisers of them which are good Ver. 4. Traiterous heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a shew of godlinesse but denying the power thereof turn away therefore from such Nah. 1.7 Say thou with the Prophet Nahum The Lord is good and a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him In thee O Lord doe I trust let me never be ashamed O my God Amen XVI An eleventh Comfort in Death Rejoyce Because it is the going to the place where our Saviour is according to the call and being of his servants Joh. 14.3 And though I goe to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there may ye be also Phil. 1.21 For Christ is to me both in life and death advantage Ver. 22. And whether to live in the flesh were profitable for me or what to choose I know not Ver. 23. For I am greatly in a straight on both sides desiring to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of all Psal 50.5 Gather my Saints together unto me those that make a Covenant with me with sacrifice Isa 40.10 11. Behold the Lord God will come with power and his arm shall rule for him behold his reward is with him and his works before him he shall feed his flock like a shepheard he shall gather the Lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosome and shall guide them with young Matth. 3.12 He will gather the wheat into his garner Eccl. 12.7 And dust returns to the earth as it was and the spirit returns to God that gave it XVII A twelfth Comfort in Death Rejoyce in the Diseases pains pangs and troubles in thy minde or body because the way to Heaven is through many afflictions and it is the way our blessed Saviour went before us let us rejoyce then to follow him in it Luk. 6.46 Our blessed Saviour saith Why call ye me Master and doe not the things that I speak Psal 34.19 Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all Rom. 8.35 Who shall separate us from the love of God in Christ Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword 2 Tim. 3.12 All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecutions Isa 48.10 I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction saith the Lord And 1 Pet. 5.8 9. Be sober and watch for your adversary the Devill as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may devour Whom resist steadfast in the faith knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren which are in the world Remember the love of our Saviour Jesus in his taking upon him our sinnes our flesh c. See his love to us his suffering for us from his cradle to his grave Read the Scriptures See some notes thereof in the title true love to God in this book Psal 119.49 Remember thy promise made to thy servant wherein thou hast caused me to trust it is my comfort in my trouble for thy promise hath quickned me Ver. 92. Except thy Law had been my delight I should have perished in my affliction I will never forget thy precepts for by them thou quicknest me I am thine save me for I have sought thy precepts Behold my affliction and deliver me for I have not forgotten thy Law Plead my cause and deliver me quicken me according to thy word XVIII A thirteenth Comfort in Death Rejoyce because it is our going to enjoy such as were our nearest friends in this life in unexpressible heavenly enjoyments according to our heavenly Fathers will in Jesus without any fear of losing them or those joyes for ever It is our being gathered to our Fathers and then surely to all our friends which are the servants of our Saviour Christ The joyes of Heaven are such as eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive for that the flesh cannot discern nor punctually understand the spirit Who knowes a man viz. the soul save the spirit c. The change in death is our being gathered to the place where our Saviour is that we may see his glory then certainly no joy or comfort can possibly be wanting neither can there be any fear of losing them any more he is the sure foundation of eternall comfort and a building set thereon cannot fail Hear what St John saith Joh. 8.51 Verily verily I say unto you if a man keep my word he shall never see death God is most gracious his mercy endures for ever he is onely good he accepts the will for the deed if we truly will to obey and love his word although we doe it not Rom. 7.20 It is not us but sinne that doth offend And certainly the authour and actor of sinne in us our old enemy that old and lying Serpent the devill shall in the justice of God to him and the loving mercies of God to us in Christ bear the burthen of our sinnes which deserve and shall have upon him eternall death A fourteenth Comfort in Death Rejoyce For that after a short time those friends left behinde us in this world shall be in Jesus gathered to us to our eternall communion and praise of our everlasting most dear and loving Father with them without offending or danger to offend his most blessed and sacred Majesty for ever Job 14.1 Man that is born of a woman is of short continuance and full of sorrow James â— 14 For what is your life it is even a vapour that appears for a little time and afterward vanisheth away Job 10.20 Are not our days few Chap. 14. ver 5. Are not his days determined the number of his moneths are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds which he cannot passe Psal 103.15 The dayes of a man are as grasse as a flower of the field so flourisheth he Man is like to vanity his dayes are like a shadow which vanisheth Rom. 6. â— For he that is dead is freed from sinne Ver. 11. Like wise also think ye that ye are dead to sinne but are alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Rev. 15.2 3 4. And I saw as it were a glassie sea mingled with fire and them that had got victory of the beast and of his Image and of his mark and of the number of his name stand at the glassie sea having the harps of God and they sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb saying Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God almighty just and true are thy wayes
thou King of Saints Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name for thou only art holy and all Nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgments are made manifest Psal 112.6 The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance A fifteenth Comfort in Death We may well rejoyce at Gods gracious messenger of Death because it is the wiping of all tears from our eyes and the finall end of all our troubles and sorrows the world the flesh the devill shall no more oppresse distract and hurt us with their distractions delusions and deceits Eccl. 4.1 So I turned and considered all the oppressions that are wrought under the Sunne and behold the tears of the oppressed and none comforteth them Ver. 2. Wherefore I praise the dead which now are dead above the living which are yet alive Hos 13.14 Hear what comfort our loving God gives us I will redeem them from the power of the grave I will deliver them from death O death I will be thy destruction repentance is bid from mine eyes A sixteenth Comfort in Death Rejoyce Because it is the imitating of our Saviours passion as farre as we are able that we may see his glory Matth. 10.38 He that taketh not his crosse and followeth after me is not worthy of me And Chap. 16. ver 24. If any man will follow me let him forsake himself and take up his crosse and follow me And somewhat more Luk 9.23 If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his crosse daily and follow me And Chap. 14. ver 27. Whosoever beareth not his crosse and cometh after me cannot be my Disciple 2 Tim. 2.12 If we suffer we shall also raigne with him if we deny him he also will deny us Joh. 17.24 Father I will that they which thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world Matth. 10.24 The Disciple is not above his Master nor the servant above his Lord it is enough for the Disciple to be as his Master and the servant as his Lord. If they have called the Master of the house Belzebub how much more them of his houshold A seventeenth Comfort in Death It is our freedome from sinne death and hell and all our enemies The day of death saith Solomon is better then the day of birth therefore is that day a day of rejoycing to us St Paul desireth to be dissolved and to be with Christ and saith it is the best of all Rom. 6.7 He that is dead is freed from sinne Ver. 11. Likewise think ye also that ye are dead to sinne but are alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. An eighteenth Comfort in Death It is our taking possession of the fullnesse of rest in the communion of Saints in the love of the eternall God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost and therein peace for ever therefore rejoyce Lazarus is said to be presently carried into Abrahams bosome where most sure he had immediate possession in a high degree of eternall peace Gerrards Meditat. p. 25. Death is the beginning of a holy life Isa 57.1 2. The righteous perisheth and no man considereth it in heart and mercifull men are taken away and no man understandeth that the righteous is taken away from the evill to come Peace shall come they shall rest in their beds every one that walketh before him Matth. 11.28 29. Hear our gracious Saviour Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will ease you Take my yoak on you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall finde rest unto your souls 2 Thes 1.7 And to you which are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall shew himself from Heaven with his mighty Angels And if then surely also from our severall changes till then Heb. 4.3 9. For we which have beleeved doe enter into rest There remains therefore a rest for the people of God for he that is entred into his rest hath also ceased from his own works as God did from his let us study to enter into that rest Job 3.12 13. Why did the knees prevent me and why did I such the breasts for so should I now have lyen and been quiet I should have slept then and have been at rest A nineteenth Comfort in Death Jesus Christ is in Death and Life to us gain and causeth death to be to us advantage the end of unexpressible evils the beginning of unexpressible and eternall joy Phil. 1.21 For Christ is to me both in life and death advantage All the miseries of Lazarus end in his death and his eternall joyes begin in Abrahams bosome Our Saviour Jesus entred by the gate of death into his glory and thereby hath prepared joyes 2 Cor. 2.9 such as eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive for them that love him Isa 35.10 Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with praise and everlasting joyes shall be upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladnesse and sorrow and mourning shall flee away A twentieth Comfort in Death Doubt not of the all-sufficient love of God to thee in his Sonne Jesus He that gave thee a body when thou hadst none can give thee a heavenly body so soon as thou art at liberty from this of earth and will most certainly dispose of thee in Jesus as of his servants which is the best for thee His power and his will is sufficient to give thee joyes beyond thy thoughts Have thou true faith and true belief that God is and that he is the rewarder of them that seek him Give him thy whole soul and spirit and humbly crave the assistance of the eternall God that he will for his Sonne Christ Jesus his sake fully and freely enable thee to give to the Sacred Trinity in Unity three Persons but one Almighty God Father Sonne and holy Ghost all honour glory and praise as his most obedient servant for ever And say with true faith and love O gracious Father Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven And in thy most free and gracious love to a poor sinner in Jesus Christ thy only Sonne my Saviour doe thou compell my unworthy and corrupted will to doe unto thy most Sacred Majesty true and perfect service Doe thou O blessed Father for thy free goodnesse sake convert me wholly into that service for thou art my only Lord God and I am thy servant so come Lord Jesus come quickly and receive my spirit Amen Amen Matth. 19.26 With God all things are possible Gen. 17.1 I am God all-sufficient walk before me and be thou perfect Chap. 15. ver 1. Fear not I am thy buckler and thy exceeding great reward Psal 50.7 Hear O my people and I will speake hear O Israell and I
will testifie unto thee for I am God even thy God Against Presumption and Despair at all times but especially upon the Death-bed Sathan that old and lying Serpents suggestion to Presumption COme now thou mayest eat drink sleep and be merry because thou hast lived according to Gods commands and now art going to thy masters rest whom thou hast truly and punctually served farre above the service of thousands that doubt not at all of their salvation the due reward of their godlinesse of living For thy Originall sinne which thy Father Adam committed thou didst it not therefore in justice God cannot charge thee with it and he will not visit the sinnes of the Fathers upon the children As for thy actuall sinnes of ignorance that cannot in justice be laid to thy charge which thou knewest not to be a sinne nor the time of its commission Thou hast lived so carefully to please thy God that few have been so strict in walking in his Laws thou maist professe to have kept all his Commandements from thy youth thou hast had no other God nor worshipped any graven Image and hast not delighted to take his Name in vain Thou hast constantly kept the Sabboth hast honoured thy Parents hast not murthered nor adulterized nor stollen nor borne false witnesse nor covered but hast been contented with thy portion therefore so long as life is in thee eat drink and be meery for certainly the Angels are charged to keep thy soul and body to eternall life as thy fellow servants of God for ever The Souls Answer Avoid thou old and lying Spirit truth cannot proceed out of thy mouth without defilement am not I from Adams loynes and can I then be clean Did not his sinne that thy envy brought him into corrupt his whole body and am not I as part of it proceeding from it Could I doe all that I am commanded of my God were I not still an unprofitable servant Doth not my least sinne in thought word or deed besides my originall corruption deserve punishment infinite as my God whom thereby I rebell against is infinite Can a clean thing proceed out of an unclean Instead of keeping have I not broken all the commands of my God times without number and in degrees infinite As thou wast a lyar to Adam the first man upon earth so thou art for ever and as it was then said The seed of the woman shall break thy head so shall it be for ever to my salvation in the free love and mercy death and passion merit and redemption of Jesus Christ my Lord. Sathan his motives to Despair I was deceived indeed and turning over another leaf in my black book there I finde a quite contrary character of thy life I see thou hast imitated and added to all Adams rebellions he disobeyed and broke one Commandement once and therefore had that terrible sentence pronounced against him by Gods own mouth to be cast from Paradice he and his posterity for ever But thou hast broken all Gods Commandements times without number and in degrees beyond expression infinite Thy life hath been nothing else but a constant breaking of them unlesse thou look for salvation from these breaches which is a way impossible thou hast no hope therefore satisfie thy self with what thou canst not help and cease to aske or seek or knock any more at Gods gate of mercy for it is fast shut against thee and sinners cannot enter in at it now thou and I must burn together in hell for ever from which there is no redemption for us I have recorded against thee in places infinite that thou hast made thee many Idoll gods in hearty seeking of vain earthly things and thou hast loved and worshipped them as Images of thy desired lusts The Name-of God thou hast repeated invain and no one Sabboth hast thou truly kept Thou hast not reverenced nor honoured thy Father and Mother but in thy thoughts at least hast them despis'd and murthered them or others Thou also hast adulteriz'd in heart and in thy faculties stollen thy neighbours goods Thou hast coveted and borne false witnesse too against thy neighbour Almighty God gave his Angels charge to keep his servants from wrongs and hurts but thou hast not served him therefore thou belongest only to me whom thou hast punctually served The Souls Answer O my Enemy thou sayest thou wert mistaken and so indeed thou wert and art and ever wilt be in seeking to snatch the servants of my God out of his hand for although my God suffer thee a while to walk the earth his pleasure is in a good time appointed to cast thy chains upon thee in a place prepared from which thou maist not move for ever I most humbly confesse and have so I trust confessed all my sinnes and more in number then what I can comprehend infinite such I acknowledge are my wounds my sore disease proceeding from thy hate and envious gulf Yet know I have a medicine I have a salve sufficient a Jordan stream to make me clean if not more clean then if I had not sinned and this my cleansing is more my certain life then was my standing clean if then I had not sinned so that thy envy now is my advantage thou knowest it well but lovest not to remember that my precious Antidote whereby I am secured from thy Aspish poison so closely carried under thy lying tongue it is that free redeeming love and bloud of that most valiant Sampson whose Name is Jesus Christ that quickly snapt in sunder thy treble corded lye of vain deceit he is my Captain that never lost nor will lose any of his souldiers without his word I move not at his command I le gladly meet thee with million of Juries of my sinnes before the judgment-seat of God and when thou hast proved me guilty as I doe confesse thou wilt soon appear the Serpent and principall authour of my great offence and I an accessary by thy deluding lies perswading and to thy uttermost power compelling me to doe the evill that I would not doe and hindring me from doing good therefore know that my Saviour Christ my Captain and my God will plead his death and then I live and thou shalt bear the due deservings of my sinnes for ever in eternall flames for they are thine therefore Sathan in humble reverence to my Saviour avoid get thee behind me my good God hath provided a place in Heaven with his servants for me that I may be even where he is and as his servant see his glory and this notwithstanding all my sinnes and ill deserts onely of his free love and mercy whereby he hath with his bloudy sufferings redeemed my soul from hell my just desert because he is good and his mercy endures for ever so come Lord Jesus come quickly even as thy will may be done with the Father and the holy Spirit three persons but one eternall God for ever Amen True Love 1. TO love our good God
that thou wilt turn me from all my evill waies and give me true repentance from the bottome of my heart so I shall be turned unto thee in true love for thou art the Lord my God and thy mercy endures for ever Selah Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart Psal 19.14 be now and ever acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my redeemer Incline not my heart to evill that I should commit wicked works with men that work iniquity Set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keep the door of my lips so shall my mouth speak thy praises for ever Amen O my sweet eternity and my eternall Saviour in thy love to poor sinners in Jesus and for his sake I only beg of thee trusting that in him thou wilt not deny me notwithstanding all my sinnes for thou art good and thy mercy endures for ever And first my most humble petition unto thy most sacred Majesty is that thou wouldest of free and perfect mercy pardon all my breach of Covenants with thee or men as thy mercy endures for ever Secondly To pardon accordingly my vowing and not paying for thou art good as thy mercy endures for ever Thirdly to pardon of thy like goodnesse all my hypocrisie towards thee and man as thou art good and as thy mercy endures for ever Fourthly To pardon all my blasphemies against thy Majesty any manner of way as thou my God art only good and as thy mercy endures for ever Fifthly To pardon all my Lies wherewith I have given thee cause of Anger against me as thou art good and as thy mercy endures for ever Sixthly To pardon all my relations speaking absolutely yet beyond my certain knowledge at that time when I spoke them as thou my good Lord art onely and perfectly good and thy mercy endures for ever Seventhly To pardon all my Oathes and taking of thy Name in vain as thou art good and thy mercy endures for ever Eighthly To pardon all my vain and idle speakings as thou art good and as thy mercy endures for ever O my mercifull and loving Father I humbly pray thee for thy Sonne my Saviours sake and in his Name be graciously pleased to pardon and forgive all the sinnes of all my senses I humbly acknowledge I have been dull to listen to thy commands but most ready and open to receive vanity to the corrupting and as much as in me lieth the destruction of my body and soul For give I humbly beg also the sins of my seeing smelling tasting goings and of all the members and faculties of my body and soul for they have all rebelled against thy gracious mercy to their due deservings of eternall death O Lord who knowes the errour of his heart and of his waies cleanse my soul O Lord from my secret sinnes and deliver me I humbly beseech thee from my presumptuous sinnes least they get the dominion over me O cleanse thou me and so I shall be cleansed I doubt not but thou wilt in thy infinite love to the works of thy own hands and in thy free pardoning of sinne for Jesus Christ his sake give me eternall life with thy servants and wilt not impute the guilt of sinne unto me for thou art the Lord my God whose mercy endures for ever above all thy works Selah In thee therefore I will rejoice A Confession and humble suit for Pardon in Jesus Christ O My mercifull Lord God I humbly pray thee for Christ thy Sonne my only Lord and Saviours sake to pardon and put clear out of thy remembrance that originall sinne and damnation due to me from the loynes and rebellions of my first parents O forgive thou the sinnes of my father and let the sinnes of my mother be done away I doubt not oh my Father of mercy but thou hast of thy own free goodnesse already done it for I know thou art only perfectly good and thy mercy endures for ever Selah O Father I know thou wilt not visit the originall sinne of my fathers upon me Exek 18.20 for that thou hast said The sonne shall not bear the iniquity of the father neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the sonne but the righteousnesse of the righteous shall be upon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be upon himself O Lord I know as a father hath compassion on his children so thou hast compassion on them that fear thee O my God I acknowledge that I was born in iniquity and in sinne hath my mother conceived me Psal 51.5 Exod. 34.6 7. but thou art the Lord my God strong and mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth reserving mercy for thousands forgiving iniquities Dan. 9.9 transgressions and sinnes Compassion and forgivenesse is in the Lord our God albeit we have rebelled against him O my Father Eccl. 11.10 Remember not the sinns of my childhood for childhood and youth are vanity When I was a childe I spake as a childe I understood as a childe I thought as a childe but mercy is with thee that thou maist be feared Psal 24.48 Look thou upon my affliction and my travell and forgive all my sinnes It is the joy of my soul O God 86.5 that thou art good and mercifull and of great kindnesse unto all them that call upon thee O my good Lord I beseech thee for thy goodnesse sake remember not the sinnes and vanities of my youth for only thy free mercy in Jesus my Saviour is sufficient to release me from the torments of their deservings Thou my good God in thy saving compassion and sparing us miserable men from our deservings saist Gen. 8.21 The imagination of mans heart is evill even from his youth but thy mercy endures for ever O make me not to possesse the iniquities of my youth Psal 25.7 Remember not the sinnes of my youth nor my rebellions but according to thy loving kindnesse remember thou me even for thy goodnesse sake O Lord for thou art my hope O Lord even my trust from my youth O God thou hast taught me from my youth even untill now therefore will I tell of thy wondrous works I desire most humbly to live if it were thy blessed will from this moment eternally in thy perfect service O my God I must acknowledge and confesse that my heart my will my waies my words and actions have been evill from my youth the leprosie of my sinne is only cureable by the blood of my Saviour that infinite pledge of thy blessed mercy therefore O my good God give me a lively faith to apply it to all my wounds as thou my God art only good and from thee only is the will and the deed of true faith and repentance Amen O my Father Remember not the sinnes of my man hood and riper years I acknowledge O my God when I call to minde my breach of promises and Covenants both with thee
vn autre fois ne craint d'y retourner Qui n' a la soy n' a rien Richesse de l'esprit ne peut jamais perdre Reprens autruy mais corrige toy mesme Repos d'esprit patience sont instrumens de la science Scavoir le mal est souuent proffitable mais en user est tousiours evitable Tout ce qui est au monde est vn ieu d'inconstance Tout ce qui prend naissance est perissable aussi Tel flurit aujourd'huy qui demain flestrira Tel flestrist aujourd'huy qui demain flurira Tant que l'ennemy vit l'guerre n' est pas morte Tout ce monde est douteux la seule heure deniere parfait nostre bon heur ou bien nostre misere Tout ainsi que le vent sans retourner s'en vole sans espoir de retour s' eschappe la parole Tout chose se passe rien seur ne demeure en ceste terre basse Trop parier nuist trop gratter cuist Tout c ' qui luist n' est pas or Une belle vie engendre belle mort Selah Wise and pious Sayings of the Ancients wherein is shown the way to Peace OFten meditate upon thy death Christs death the worlds deceit Heavens glory and Hells torments If thou knowest Christ well it is sufficient if other things thou knowest not If Christ thou knowest not it is nothing though every thing else thou knowest Thou canst not better tame thy luxurious flesh then well to premeditate what thou shalt be after death Then when we think our selves to be most miserable is God to us most favourable The body may be beautifull but the soule is farre more beautifull Beauty is the spectacle of the beauty divine To doe good to the poor deserveth double glory Give to him that asketh and let him not waite too long Banish all wicked persons from thy quarters The beauty of the body resembleth the Flower of the Spring Thrice happy is that sweet nurture which doth pollish and reforme corrupted nature That which was yesterday will not be to day That which one day giveth another day taketh away That which was is all things runne as a streame and There is nothing new under the Heavens Commonly all things doe retaine the nature of the place from whence they came Almighty God beateth those he loveth from the cradle to the grave Almighty God having strooken casts the rod in the fire Our good God beats us with a finger and not with his arme The Almighty distributeth his anger by weight and without weight his pity The Almighty hath his feet of wool and his arms of iron Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth often speaketh Of a few words comes a great effect Hearken to him that gives thee good counsell Give liberally of thy goods unto the poor sufferer For doing what we ought we need nor deserve no reward Doe as thou wouldest have done to thee He may well be called valiant which mastereth his own soul Keep close to wisdome and doe not depart from it Gain of riches often is the losse of Heaven Happy is he which desireth nothing Happy is he which is warned by the harmes of others Happy is he which can draw gain from his losse Hatred brings a man nothing but repentance There can be no perfection but after death One had better not speak than much speak There is nothing so certain as that a man must die and nothing so uncertain as the hour when There is no day so clear but hath some clouds There is nothing better then a contented minde There is nothing so certaine which cannot be changed betwixt morning and evening Never any mariner made a long voyage but he sailed both in fair weather and in foul It is hard to live well but very easie to die ill It is hard for him that liveth ill to die well Man purposes in earth but God disposeth in Heaven Heaven is not so soon attain'd as wished for Vertue flies the heart of the mercenary man A low soul may not judg of high matters Hell is in all places where God is not The anger and pity of God Almighty follow one the other The Sayler may suffer shipwrack at the haven The Rose flourisheth and withereth both to the same end Thunderbolts cast down the most high Towers A Shepheards cottage is alwayes without fear Repentance often followes short pleasures Time lost never is recovered Time flies away and never returnes A man in the morning flowes with riches who in the evening hath nothing left The flower of youth lasteth but a little while it then flieth away and never returnes A thread doth shew the weaknesse of our lives A true friend never dissembles The end crownes the work The threatning is very good which well adviseth us The least thing of what we know not is more great then all that we know Good counsell often assureth doubtfull things The Honour which one day gives another day taketh away A middle condition renders a man most happy Death followes us as the shadow the body Death doth as it were hold alwaies a knife to the throat To put Oyl to the fire is not the way to quench it To master the desires is true valour It is a very evill thing to desire and never to be content The day riseth in the morning for to let or die at night A negligent guard pleaseth the Wolfe A man is not happy till after his death We counsell others better then our selves Nurture exceedeth nature We hold in our hands neither yesterday nor to morrow One may lose the body in too much searching the spirit One may lose the spirit in overflattering the body To pardon and to save are the properties of God For the most part relapses are mortall For one pleasure a thousand sorrowes Patience exceeds knowledge Who is one time born must one time die Who loves for goods cannot be said to love He which hath but one eye had need of great care least he lose it He which seeth himself in a glasse seeth himself well He which seeth himself well knoweth himself well He which knowes himself well prizeth himself little He which prizeth himself little is wise He which will burn another mans house ought to have a great fear of his own When pride rideth before misery and disgrace followes after He which one time gives himself to doe evill willingly will not fear once and again to doe it He which hath not faith hath nothing Riches of the spirit can never be lost Reprove another but correct thy self A quiet spirit and patience are instruments of science To know evill is sometimes profitable but to use it is alwaies hurtfull All which is in the world is a game of inconstancy All that which taketh birth is perishable also That flourisheth to day which to morrow shall wither That withereth to day which to morrow shall flourish So long as the enemy liveth the warre
saved where then shall wretched sinners appeare Beleeve not every spirit but prove the spirits if they be of God Do not understand that thou maist beleeve but beleeve that thou maist understand Faith is the assurance or substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seene Lord what I have been pardon what I am amend what I shall be direct Those sharpe corrections which the body wound if rightly used do make the soul more sound The sweetest Comfort AS a deare Mother comforteth her Son whom she hath borne So will I helpe and comfort thee at evening and at morne Isa 63.13 Nay though a Mother should forget compassion to have Yet is my mercy towards thee even when thou canst not crave Isa â—9 15 Colos 3.4 When Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glory Ver. â— Mortyfie therefore your members which are on the earth fornication uncleannesse the inordinate affection evill concupiscence and covetousnesse which is colatry Ver. 6. For the which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience Ephes â— 3 But fornication and all uncleannesse or covetousnesse let it not be once named amongst you Ver 4. As it becometh Saints neither filthynesse neither foolish talking neither jesting which are things not comely but rather giving of thankes Mark 7.21 For from within even out of the heart of man proceed evill thoughts adulteries fornications murthers Ver. 22. Thefts covetousnesse wickednesse deceit uncleannesse or wantonnesse a wicked eye back-biting pride foolishnesse Chap. 4. ver 1â— The lusts of the world and the flesh enter into the heart and choake the Word and it is unfruitfull Therefore in true zeal and faith pray O Lord my God for Christ Jesus his sake Matth. 6.13 Leade me not into temptation but deliver me from evill Endure thou with patience and in the strength and mercy of thy Saviour resist thy temptations wherewith the world the flesh and the Devill joyne in desire to destroy thee Jam. 1.12 For blessed is the man that endureth temptations Ver. 13. For when he is tryed he shall receive the Crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Let no man say when he is tempted that he his tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with evill neither tempteth he any man 1 Cor. 10.13 Know that there hath no temptation taken you but such as appertaineth to man and God is faithfull which will not suffer you to be tempted above that you be able but will even give the issue with the temptation that you may be able to beare it Selah 1 Pet. 2.11 I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrimes abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soul 2 Tim. â— 2â— Flee also from the lusts of youth and follow after righteousnesse faith love and peace with all them that call on the Lord with pure hearts Amen The Sunne that 's set may rise againe and freshly gild his glorious traine But man is sicke and dies and where are all his pleasures priz'd so deare Yet a ter some few times are past he shall receive a raising blast Eccl. 7.2 Who can tell man what 's good at need in his vaine life and daies Or who shall after him succeed his works and all his waies I see Eccl. 4.8 most vaine of vanities which to relate breed's fear One spares no toyles no paines nor lies for wealth yet hath no Heire Mat. 25.26 c. O humbly begge of God most high that he would give thee grace To use thy Talent in the way of his just Stewards race Job 7 7. Remember well thy brickle life thy bubble shade-like spanne Hast fit thee for eternity ' gainst these few sands be runne Prov. 13.7 8 9. Two things I humbly begge my God do not thou me deny Before thou strike me with thy rod before I fall and die Put farre from me all vanities and all dissembling lies Feed me with food convenient thy lawes to exercise Least I be full and thee deny and say who is the Lord Least I be poor and steale and take thy Name in vaine O God Amen as is thy good will in Jesus Of worldly rest It 's good to want fly fullnesse here least here thou hast thy fill Of worldly wish that without care thou doest or good or ill For good so done is wickednesse if from a maxime right It be not with true humblenesse to God as in his sight Take heed therefore of worldly things whatever doth appeare To make thee say for they have wings it 's good for to be here Least so thou say Know it is good to fly the vaine excesse For outward joyes at highest flood are full of emptinesse Then fill thy soul with wisdome pure and thou shalt plainly see That 's onely good that doth assure good of eternity The Devill hath a secret snare in all our thoughts words and actions a tare at least among the Corne Therefore watch and care to prevent him at your perill On the L M.W. dying in Child-bed the Infant living My dearest Childe the daily growing love Of thy deare Father will not have thee stay To beate impetuous waves like wandering dove From worldly tumults I will take away My sweetest lilly yet least no Phaenix be I l'e leave a root a little branch of thee That hence may grow such fruit as thou didst beare Such hopes of piety such vertuous flowers Such innocence such humble waies to share Such piety adorn'd thy daies and houres Such full preparednesse for heavenly joyes That wrong it were to put thee off with toyes Therefore my dearest welcome to thy houre Let all my Angels shew there glad rejoyce Let thine alli'd who are and are to come Then thankes and praise send forth in joyfull voice For well you know my dearest onely Sonne No longer suffr'd then his work was done So all my Children if I take them thence Where sin doth raigne where sorrowes multiply If of my love I make them soone commence Their lasting blisse their joy eternally This they must know to be their onely good Thus would I have my actions understood Another on the same L.M.W. CAn dearest love more to the life appear Then when the Child beset with mortall dread When outward meanes will not preserve from fear Sorrow and sin will not be vanquished To take the most assured change of death Which unto Saints is perfect life and breath For in this life we nothing perfect have But sin and sorrow which bespot the soul And since our great Creatour will her save From sin which in us doth his Image foule His will be done and his dispose be blest Most due it is that we therein should rest Knowing assured here is no abide Nor solid dwelling here to habit in As Saints have gone before the Gate is wide We shall succeed her if not barr'd by sinne Then shall we meet and perfect blisse partake
the glorious fact Of constant warfare and doth thereby gaine The blessed way to living streames of life It seemes but labour lost and all in vaine That she hath hazarded by eager strife To gain no more amidst the many years Which she hath run in danger of the goale Then she might fully had sans cares and fears If she from mothers wombe without controle Had been prevented by the tender knees And breasts had not afforded Childrens food And secret helps which onely nature sees Had been by her denyed that understood How vain it was for me to venture on So long a voyage from security When I was safe and setled well upon As good a stoole as ripe maturity Could give unto me yea and better farre For that the hazard of so long a time Is infinite if they no better are That have in holy strife oppos'd the crime That watcheth every moment to destroy Them in their passage if when best is done They have no more then without this annoy They'd not been born nor had not seen the Sunne Or that had nought to doe with time or age What reason is' t such should have like perfection With those who well doe spend their pilgrimage Hating all sinne by Heavens good direction It must not so be thought that ought in vaine Is done by nature reason is the eye That tells us it and shewes unto us plaine Nature doth nought but hath a reason why For if but die and live but end and enter Into the blisse of high eternity In perfect measure full as those that venture The longest life No! wherefore should it be To wish a moment of imployment here As earthly Pilgrims onely hazarding What sure before we had as 't doth appear Most void of gain though in well ordering This reason forc'd me to but still I must My quiet in my souls belief permit What it doth truly dictate is most just And perfect rule of the most sacred spirit If through devout and wary walking here We have of our Creatours grace obtain'd This holy Spirit from our blest Saviour deare As his last Legacy to us remain'd But O how blest a thing it is to see That our immortall souls possessed are Upon our entrance on Eternity Of perfect joyes and more without compare Then we are capable to comprehend While we are wrapped in this mansion What then shall be our height when we ascend And perfect are at resurrection This we refer to the Creatours will And joy that it and onely it is done And pray that we converted from all ill May in perfection ever serve his Throne Thrice happy moments which engrosse the soul Which circle it from all the worlds assaults Which doe ingraspe it and which doth controule The foul attempts proceeding from the vaunts Of fierce temptations ravishing all sense And singling out the soul unto it self While it in blisse his Ever doth commence And of all vanities is clear bereft Blest are those soul-contents and raptures high Which thus our sacred spirits do possesse And blessed is the soul eternally That so doth leave all sinne and wickednesse And thence is entertain'd amongst the Saints A listed servant to his sacred love Where though degrees yet none complains of wants But all are filled with the holy dove And thereby fitted in perfection To serve the high and uncontrouled good And this from perfect mercies free election Which by his Spirit 's onely understood But now me thinks I see a vanity Above what tongue can speak or heart conceive Desires great beyond humanity Beyond the blessed rules our God did give The longing thirsty wishings of those men Are for terrestriall shadowes seeming goods Which false deluding pleasures are but when The body 's strong the soul 's beneath the floods Of vain deceits which no enjoyment have Out of this body yet doth hazard much Losse of eternall good if they enslave Themselves into the company of such To their last home to their eternity I cannot judge but they most certainly Passe hence into eternall misery Then O my soul make it thy chiefest care Since most of multitudes are thus deluded It doth not fall to thy unhappy share With most of men from peace to be excluded For truly I conceive the knowing will And thirsty wish of earthly things and vaine Is perfect hell as freedome from all ill And full content is perfect Heavens gaine What multitudes of wretched men I finde Some fiercely thirsting after flesh and blood Others lye gaping for the empty winde Of worldly honour and ambitious food Others do covet earth of every kinde So that I see and sigh to see mans face Thus desperately turned to his woe And must beware least this unhappy race Of wicked mortals lead me wrong to goe Well I must try and well must weigh my soule I must examine all my secret selfe My words my wayes my works I must controule Least they me of my hoped blisse bereave Which best is done by contemplation In private place from troubles of this life And where thou findes by self-examination Wants in thy self fly on with eager strife To true repentance gainst all enemies That shall oppose thy good intent herein And hate the voice of all deceitfull lies Which would excuse or seem to hide thy sinne Goe quick about this work for sinne doth grow 'Till true repentance kill it at the roote It 's hard to get yet penitents do know It is obtain'd by prayer and earnest suite And must be had else the whole fault is ours It is our crooked wayes that holds us out Our want of truth doth keep from us the showers Which would with garlands deck us round about Take heed least death this needfull balme prevent This happy salve that cures the soul of sinne ' Least point of time if th' messenger be sent As the tree falls so Ever doth beginne True reason makes up for us our accounts And shews how empty fond allurements are And how the least that we may hope surmounts The most we can expect from earth by farre In this passage to make thy soul secure Let thy chief entertainments be thy paines And count it greatest joy and highest pleasure And that there 's nought sufficient for the gaines Of well preventing such a hazard great Count nothing long count nothing misery To gain by winters cold by summers heat A happy Ever and Eternity Then doubt not but thy care shall be respected Thy pains shall bring a hundred sold increase Thy debts are paid thou need 's not be dejected Thy Saviours pains hath purchased thy ease Now thou maist truly will to be dissolved To be with Christ thy Saviour most dear Of all thy doubts thou here shalt be resolved This ends disputes this puts an end to fear Then love long life and love those many dayes That like ripe fruit makes thee securely fall Into that passage which to thy Makers praise Being duly entred secures thee from thrall And thee delivers for
Give thou O God and frame thy servant thankfully to see his yearly gain for his hourly service his eternall joy for his temporall grief the infinite rest from his finite sufferings How fit is it O my Father that I should as well suffer as raigne with my Saviour and to know that the present afflictions of this life are unworthy of the joyes that in thy most free and gracious mercy shall be revealed and given unto me O my good Father give unto me thy most evill deserving childe all those sweet and blessed scourges crosses and afflictions even whatsoever is necessary and needfull to frame my impersect soul and body fit for thy eternall and most perfect service And truly O my Father although I were to have of thy justice my self-condemning sentence to all eternity so soon as this life is ended yet my serious thoughts would not make choice to spend my time in sinfull vain delights but would rather choose thy fatherly chastisement and corrections temporall although they also were to be as I deserve eternall for thy corrections as all that proceedeth immediately from thee my God are sweete they sad the countenance thereby making the heart better I submit wholly to thy will O my eternall Good To be thy servant is my Heaven for thou art the Lord my God and I am thine Thou art the will and the deed O my God guide me for thy Names sake to doe thee service and in thy goodnesse accept of my desire thy own most gracious gift suffer not sinne O my Father to raigne in my corrupted mortall body let not my soul offend my God however my body may offend him let not my will offend my God however my actions may offend thee but let the desires of my soul and the inclinations of my spirit be so commanded by thy sacred power that they may truly will and doe thee true and perfect service now and for ever and doe thou for thy own mercies sake to the works of thy own hands and for the merits of Jesus Christ thy onely Sonne my Saviour convert my most imperfect will into most perfect actions in thy most perfect and everlasting service And when these dayes of my sinfull pilgrimage are ended when I return to thee my God my hope my joy from this my earthly tabernacle doe thou O my blessed Creator re-create my soul and body that so thy blessed will may be my eternall perfect joy and comfort and that to be thy servant wheresoever and howsoever may be the blessed Heaven of my soul and body for ever O my Good Eternity I doe not onely humbly crave these mercies and what is necessary to salvation which is the perfect admittance into thy sacred service for my self and such as are near to me in this life but also that it be thy blessed will even for all that thou hast appointed to immortality in thy gracious converting of sinners from the wickednesse of their waies that so if it be thy blessed will to whom all things are possible we might be all as one flock under thee the great and gracious shepheard of our soules that so the number of thy elect being accomplished the blessed resurrection may appear before thee and we become fit inhabitants for that new Heaven and new earth which thou hast appointed and sinne and sorrow may cease from us thy unworthy servants And further my humble suit is that thou wouldest give us to see all thy gracious dispensations towards us in this life to know that nothing falls upon us by chance and fortune but by thy especiall providence and appointment Give us to know we are not our own but thine and that it is most right thou shouldest dispose of thy own for ever make us to rejoice onely in thy dispose for that thou art most good and gracious and knowest better what is best for us than we can know or aske Now O my good Creator take us into thy almighty protection and direction for ever thou hast been wonderfull in mercy and goodnesse to every one of us thou hast delivered infinite of us from infinite evils which we see others visited with which we may justly judge deserve better at thy hands then we have done we humbly beseech thee let this thy mercy lead us to repentance and make us to love thee as thou hast loved us that hath not spared thy Son to death for us that so thy justice being satisfied in his sufferings for our sinnes which could no otherwise have beene satisfied but in our damnation thy mercy may be sufficient for our salvation and although I have provoked thy justice by my daily sinnes to my just condemnation yet doe I cast my soul and body even for its eternity upon thy mercy and doe disclaime all other judgment then thy gracious pleasure in which I will in thy gracious strength with peace rejoice and therein rest for ever Wherefore to thee O gracious Father to thee O sacred Sonne to thee O eternall Spirit three persons but one everlasting God be ascribed as is most due all honour glory and praise by thy whole creation now and for ever Amen The Blessing O Blessed Childe whose parts his age out-run Whose vertues stile him man before his stature Each eye beholds him as ' the rising Sunne Each heart applauds him as a Pearle in nature Yea very strangers blesse his hopefull breeding And breathe out prayers to his happy speeding But when fresh springing budds proove canker-fretted With taint of vice or rust of happy sloth Their dearest friends that see their hopes defeated To speak them fair or deigne a look are loth But view such noysome weeds with nausious scorn Yea parents wish ill-thriving plants unborn The fear of God doth only guide aright The perfect way to sacred wisdom's treasure Then let this fear direct with powerfull might Thy twisted thred spun out by natures leasure So with thy daies thy saving health will grow To perfect joy in sins just overthrow Let Heavens powre down their sweetest influence let them enrich you with the earth's best treasures Let them withall instill Truths Quintessence heavens joyes doe far surmount all earthly pleasures Let the celestiall powers you guard and guide and countermine when wicked powers conspire Let spotlesse blood which ran from harmlesse side quench unto you the ever burning fire And let the winged Posts void of delayes from glorious Throne whom great Jehovah sendeth Translate your souls when death shall end your daies to that celestiall blisse which never endeth FINIS An Index or Table directing to severall Points and Discourses in this Book THe Authors Epistle Parents and Children travell together towards the grave Parents must give an account for their Children Children must herein assist their Parents We should live together here as we would live together hereafter Hence take comfort in the dissolution of godly friends that we shall goe to them and shall never part page 2. Our constant work Beware of
unpreparednesse Parents must chiefly take care of their Childrens soule and principle them in good Love of and in the truth most necessary p. 3. The endowments of the minde excell the adornments of the body A heavenly Deity to be acknowledged Wherein true Religion consisteth p. 4. The benefit of true Religion How Almighty God must be served A pure and true Sacrifice p. 5. Outward Ceremonies not to be contemned nor abused Submission is our duty in prayer A ask nothing contrary to the revealed will of Almighty God p. 6. Use not the Name of God without serious premeditation His Name is holy All honour is due unto it p. 7. The good of necessity and of correction p. 8. Corrections work to good or hurt Labour to be a good Text-man p. 9. In what sense Gods servants want nothing that is good but have their hearts desire p. 10. Search not over curiously into the misteries of the Almighty Take heed of infecting thy judgment with false doctrine Be not weary of well-doing Vain-glory hath at best but a worldly reward p. 11. It shall onely be well with the righteous p. 12. The first Age. The three chief destinguished Ages of mans life Infancy like the Red sea p. 13. Let not time passe in vaine p. 14. Death holds all our years in possession therefore fasten on to day Losse of time considered a great grief He that hath lived long hath often lived little Life is onely time spent with prudence and circumspection p. 15. Death is alwayes very nigh at hand p. 16. The second Age. What the action of this Age is Of what materials foundations ought to be p. 17. Learn not what must be unlearned Observing others changes fits us for our own Fly offences Corrupted nature first offereth corruption p. 18. How Tutors and Fathers of Children ought to be disposed p. 19. The third Age. Temperance necessary Passing Jorden dangerous The chiefest place is vertue The society of vertues inseparable p. 20. Vertues cannot be taken from us Earthly vanities may Quench not the spirit p. 21. A recitall of certain Vertues p. 22. The fourth Age. Wisdome and right reason necessary Prudence and humility are especiall guides to the mine Anger an enemy to reason The designes of reason and anger different Wisdome distinguisheth us from the beasts The properties of Wisdome The company and advice of wise men profitable 24 25. From Almighty Gods forbearance learn patience An honest Calling very necessary It must not hinder devotion A Souldiers life and calling very dangerous p. 26. The fift Age. Marriage dangerous Means that may make an Eunuch p. 28. Some directions in marriage p. 29. Chastity in both Sexes like laudable The inconveniences of incontinency p. 30. 31. The sixth Age. Endeavour the common good Vertue to be desired p. 32. Wise men set not their hearts on earthly things Prosperity pusseth not them up nor adversity casts them down Engage not in a croud nor in Civil warre p. 33 34. The seaventh Age. Fortitude gravity and consideration is required Wisdome is the Candle of the Lord. A wise foresight necessary p. 35. Anger a high degree of madnesse Anger onely good against thy own oversights Complements commonly guilded untruths The heart and tongue are said never to wax old Lies are abominable p. 36 37. Fortitude or valeur What difference betwixt military valour and true fortitude p. 38 39. The eighth Age. A carefull watch over our selves at all times most necessary p. 40. Over what this watch is chiefly needfull Will the guide of the vulgar Reason of the prudent Ambition full of vanity and is onely just in its own punishment Humility the true embleme of Honour p. 41 42 43 43 44 45. The ninth Age. Sound judgement and justice what Justice not to be executed by the lump p. 46. Punishment and reward the hands of justice It must begin at home as well as Charity Live not by chance We may live both seriously and chearfully Defer not justice to thy self not buying till the market be past The happy life What the right use of the creature Sound judgement what Rashnesse and self-conceitednesse what p. 47 48 49. The tenth Age. True wisdome what The practicall part chiefly profits Wisdome three wayes discovered Wisdome doth peaceably attend all things even death As necessary for a man to study and know himself as it is naturall to him to think and be near himself Know thy self is a heavenly salutation Want hereof causeth much sinne One just act maketh not a just man p. 50 51 52 53. Wisdome subdueth passion Three traps that the most are taken with No limit in what is false No happinesse without subduing corrupted desires p. 54. The multitude unconstant They praise things past desire things to come and despise things present Severall things to beware of p. 55 50 57. Wisdome governs good and subdues evill How to carry our selves in company Three considerations Beware of flatterers Marks to know them from friends p. 58 59. Beware of suretyship Of all excesse Beware of chusing friends Of Suits and of revenge p. 60. A constant preparednesse for death most necessary p. 61. The too late repentance of the wicked after death p. 63. A generall Discourse of Religion p. 66. Reason The ten Ages The Metaphor p. 71. Humility p. 72. Why Sinne is forbidden and Righteousnesse commanded p. 73. The Life and Death of E.M. p. 74 75. A Speech to the Soul p. 75 76. Civil Warre p. 77. Demeanour Upon severall Accidents and Occasions p. 78. The Resolve p. 82. A Discourse shewing Honour dangerous Earthly things empty Order of Estate and Family Education of Children The Golden mean What tends to Eternall happinesse onely good A competency the best Great Estates have great troubles Our Saviour refused earthly treasures Disposall of Estate in life or death Respect the righteous Duty in using the Creatures They exceed in Sence we in Reason Some liberty from necessity p. 84. Severall comforts from Scripture both in life and death p. 87. Against Presumption and Despair at all times but especially upon the death-bed Satans suggestions and the Souls answer p. 107. True Love p. 110. A Prayer p. 112. A Confession and suit for pardon in Jesus p. 114. A Prayer p. 117. Pious Sentences JOB Chap. 24. in Meeter p. 121. My God Righteous Hope p. 122. Wise Sayings of the Ancients p. 126. For the mortification of the flesh p. 133. The sweetest Comfort p. 140. Of worldly rest On L.M.W. dying in Childe-bed p. 142. For L.M.W. in sicknesse p. 143. The least that tends to Eternall good unestimable p. 144. A Consult with the Soul p. 145. The Offring p. 155. The Belief p. 156. The Farewell p. 158. A Catechisme p. 160. A Discourse betwixt Adam and Eve p. 167. A Prayer p. 168. The Blessing p. 172. There are divers words mistaken misplaced mispelled added and omitted some of which I here mention the Readers care must reform the rest PAge 38. line 29. for vertue read valour p. 56. l. 13. for propriety r. piety and l. 36. for at r. all p. 67. l. 13. for sleiget r. sleight p. 71. l. 17. for health r. wealth p. 73. l. 22. for wreakes r. reckes and l. 28. for yet r. that p. 74. l. 13. for be r. tree p. 75. l. 11. for see r. so and l. 27. for maketh r. masketh p. 82. l. 4. for beauty will r. cenâ—ynill p. 84. l. 10. for their r. the. p. 109. l. 29. for if then I had not sinned r. if that I had not fallen p. 121. l. 37. for tombe or r. toom'ye p. 124. l. 18. for curaces r. cutaces p. 130. l. 8. for gapde r. garde r. garde and l. 22. for soy r. foy p. 138. l. 26 for enime r. enim p. 142. l. 32 for share r. steare p. 143. l. 1. for houre r. home l. 4. for then r. their l. 31. for shew r. chere p. 145. l. 40. for jarre r. ire p. 146. l. 12 and l. 13. should change places p. 150. l. 14. for both r. what p. 158. l. 9. for roote r. rocke p. 168. l. 41. for distruction r. distraction FINIS