thee and to try what course thou 'lt chuse to steer And which way venture Therefore sit down at last consider let thy heart Advisedly forecast and chuse the better part Before thou venture Make good use of this season look how thou chusest now For so shall be thy portion in endless bliss or wo This is thy venture Then take the safest course for thy Eternity Thou canst not be the worse for living virtuously If so thou 'lt venture 'T will be no cause of grief at last when thou must dy In holiness of life that thou didst patiently Trust God and venture Though it be somewhat hard as a poor Pilgrim here His law still to regard and mix thy joy with fear While thou dost venture To bring thy will to his and thy dear lust forsake To bear thy daily cross and suffer for his sake And thus to venture Yet know the trouble 's short here is no lasting pain 'T is but a moments smart it cannot long remain Take heart and venture Joy and eternal Rest will afterward succeed When thou in heav'n art blest thou wilt confess indeed 'T was a safe Venture 'T was a brave Venture Advice to Youth GIve him the morning of thy youthful days Who did create and form thee for his praise God made thee for himself that he might be Thine and thou his there 's thy Felicity 'T will be lost time and labour to attend What er'e diverts thee from this blessed end Hearken to day he calls thee and doth make Tenders of Grace mind it the blessing take This is thy golden season in thy prime To make him thine and give thy self to him Oh! miss not this fair opportunity Least thou lament it to Eternity 'T is but accepting what he proffers bow Thy will to his Oh seek him seek him now Come while he calls to day for why to morrow Who knows but thou maist end thy days in sorrow This present moment which we now possess Is all we have t'ensure our Happiness When death hath cut this lif 's small thred in twain 'T will be too late to call time back again Youth stain'd with vice and lost in vanity Unfits for God ripens for misery Hardens the Heart to slight its chiefest good Therefore despis'd because not understood Ten thousand worlds can make no recompence For Gods lost favour and times ill expence Before the world and lust prevail Oh give Thy heart to him by whom thy heart doth live The longer sin takes rooting in thy heart The hardlier 't will come out and with more smart Delay of seeking thy eternal bliss Leaves still less hope thou 'lt find more fear thou 'lt miss Now heav'n and Christ who purchas'd that sweet place Are the fair prize of this thy lifes short race Oh set out then betimes hold on thy way That thou maist win this prize make no delay Thy days are few thy tryal cann't be long Quit thy self bravely play the man be strong Watch pâ—ay strive hard ' gainst devil world and lust For daily help in God through Christ still trust Then let the grim-fac'd Messenger appear Pale Death to thee will bring no cause of fear But as thy friend and fathers servant come Both to invite thee and attend thee home Where thy thrice happy soul Heav'ns Majesty Shall see love praise admire eternally Ravish'd with pure delights rivers of pleasure From Gods sweet presence which shal flow for ever An Humble Acknowledgment of Gods free goodness and our own vileness and wretchedness LOrd what I am I am alone by thee The most free author of all good to me What I find better than the worst of ill Is from thy favour and thy meer good will The worst of punishments I have deserv'd Whose heart from thy just Law hath ever swerv'd No villany so base but I do find A proneness to it in my wretched mind Shouldst thou not punish my offences yet On mischief is my nature so far set That I my self-destroyer soon should be And find a way to my own miserie Shouldst thou but leave me to my own hearts evil My mind a Hell my will would prove a Devil So that I do not now the utmost know Of wretchedness to thy meer grace I ow Which still forbears my sins due punishment And doth my utter ruine yet prevent The Paradox LOrd must the best fare worst the good just By great afflictions humbled are toth ' dust Mean while the wicked prosper they who God Contemn yet seel not his afflicting Rod Can all this be and thou yet God above Who hat'st the wicked and the just dost love Thy Providence is strange yet thou hereby The just mans Faith and Patience dost try Of the World THe world 's a large and publick stage whereon All act their sev'ral parts and then are gone Nought else are acted here but Tragedies For in the close of all each Actor dies Of the same THe World 's a Sea mens passions are the winds Which belching from their fierce and boistrous minds Such tempests cause that many being tost In storms which they themselves have rais'd are lost Of Sin SIn is the Creatures will opposing Gods The Subject with the Sovereign at odds Whereby proud man exalts his own base lust Above Gods Law most holy good and just Of the Law SInners toth ' Law of God do offer force Gods Law to sinners doth denounce a curse The sinner breaks the Law and God doth thwart God and the Law will break the sinners heart Of Death DEath is the King of Terrors with his dart Taking his aim at each mans trembling heart A Dragon whose envenom'd fatal sting Strikes all and spareth not the greatest King Death is sins brat mans bane Gods curse hells gate To all while in their unconverted state But to the just by faith in Christ who live And seek their chiefest good in things above Death 's a safe passage into heav'nly bliss The Gate of Life the door of Paradise Of Christ GOds Son became Man and the Law obey'd Its curse he bore and for our trespass dy'd By his death Sinners live and have access To God though Infinite in Holiness Of Faith FAith is the Eye whereby we Christ perceive Faith is the Hand whereby we Christ receive God freely offers Christ Faith takes the gift As seeing it mean't to all who it accept Of pardon upon going to Christ WHen once the Sinners guilty troubled Soul His lost estate comes to see and bewail And by conviction sensible is made That he a Saviours Righteousness doth need And is made willing from his very Heart With his own Works and Righteousnes to part And he beholding to free Grace alone For his forgiveness and Salvation And as a weaned Child is well content For to receive Christs Kingly Government And become subject to his Royal will Ceasing henceforth his own Lust to fulfil And so in his own Breast a Law doth finde In some sort ruling his
rebellious Minde That notwithstanding Folly doth remain Yet in his Heart Wickedness doth not reign When Sin Committed moves him to Repent And Siâ—â—â—â—emb'red makes him to Lament When to be Holy is his Hearts desire And in his Actions strives to be sincere Though failings very great sometimes appear And weaknesses too often here and there Do shew themselves which yet are not approv'd But truth still in the inward parts is lov'd And after perfect Grace his Soul doth groan And for that end would fain to Heaven be gone And yet submits to stay Gods leasure here And serve him as he can till he come there When Sin his burthen is become and he Would fain like Christ in Grace and Glory be Whose failings keep him humble and thereby Self-emptied he more need of Christ doth see Who though he perish cannot yet afford While in this World quite to forsake the Lord And cast away his small degree of trust And wholly turn from God unto hâ—s Lust But would be kept from Sin and stand in awe And honour in his heart Gods holy Law And though his Faith and Hope be often low Yet he would venture still on Christ and throw Himself a wretched Sinner at his feet And self-condemned mercy still intreat The humble Soul which God hath brought to this Surely can never of it's Pardon miss Of Vnion with Christ And our advantage thereby NO sooner Sin and we do part but Christ And we are one and thus in Union blest For all his blessings ours do become While all our Sin and Curse he takes on him Of Holiness THe Grace of God reveal'd for our Salvation Merits from us a Holy Conversation They most indebted are who are best us'd Love deserves to be serv'd and not abus'd Of Repentance REpentance is a change of Mind and Heart Whereby the will from its own will doth part Sin is our own will pleas'd Gods disobey'd Repentance Gods Will pleas'd and ours deny'd At least in the desire this will be found And true endeavour if the Heart be sound Grief Tears and Conscience troubles after Sin Make no Repentance untill this come in Of Time WHat thing Time is can hardly be defin'd 'T is gone while 't is but thought of in the minde Time is that in which all things else are done And yet of all things is it self least known If 't were a Body surely then it would Be seen felt heard our Sense perceive it could If 't were a spirit 't would immortal be But Time spends and will shortly cease to be What then is Time which all the good and wise So much esteem of and so highly prize 'T is neither Silver Gold nor precious Stone Above them all yet 't is prefer'd alone 'T is that of which all stand in so great need And yet from all it flies with greatest speed Swifter then Foot or Wing or Winde or Tide Or hasty Streams along the Bankes which glide 'T is a short space wherein each one doth treasure Up for himself Eternal Woe or Pleasure 'T is but a moment which spent ill or well Brings endless joyes in Heaven or pains in Hell Of Eternity WHen this short space of Time 's expir'd then we And not before shall know Eternity God no beginning knows nor end shall see He was from and is to Eternity But Men and Angels did begin to be They are not from but to Eternity So Man being born his Life hath here a date Which done he goes to his Eternal state Wisdome VAin Man Wouldst thou be wise know Wisdom lies In things Divine in Sacred Mysteries To know the secrets of thy own vile Heart So skil'd in Sin so learn'd in that Black Art To seek and finde thy everlasting Good In Christ who purchas'd thy bliss with his blood To steer thy course of Life in ev'ry action Unto Gods Glory and thy own Salvation Hereby thy Soul thou shall 't secure And future happines make sure Folly Wouldst thou see Folly in it's deepest dye A Fool in grain then such an one is he Whose wit 's a servant only to his will Contriving how he may his Lust fulfil Whose chiefest good is but himself to please And melt away his dayes in sloath and ease Who wasts his precious hours in Vanity And sleights God Christ Heaven Hell Eternity Who lives as if he had no Soul to save And mindes not that he 's hast'ning to his Grave Close prisoner there in darkness to remain Till God to Judgement call him forth again A wretch he lives a wretch he 'l dye Snatcht hence to Endless Misery An Exhortation to all LO Mortal Men of ev'ry rank and state High low rich poor young old both small and great Wisdome and Folly Life and Death are set Before your Face and to your choice do yet Expose themselves O Man while thou art here Be well advis'd how thou thy course dost steer What guid thou chusest now while in the way Unto that place where thou must ever stay And ne're return to mend what was amiss Here in thy Life 's short race to Woe or Bliss Take Wisdom for thy guid thy self commit To her safe conduct she thy minde will suit To walk in Virtues path and in the way Of Grace to Glory will thy Soul convey O trust not blear-ey'd Folly which doth see Only things present as they seem to be If Folly guid thee know that thy own Will Blinded by Lust will lead thee into Hell FINIS
The Great VENTURE SHEWING That Man's Life in this world is a Venture wherein he runs the hazard of an Everlasting Estate of Happiness or Misery in another world according as he behaves himself here Also Advice to Youth with several other things profitable for all who will seriously read and mind them Discite justitiam moniti non temnere Divos Se'ng here y' are warn'd learn rightousness thereby And slight not Gods thrice Sacred Majesty By E. A. a Well-wisher to the Souls of Men. LONDON Printed for Hen. Million at the Common Huntsman in Chancery-lane Anno Dom. 1668. EVen as a Tennis-ball Man in this world By various changes up and down is hurl'd Objects of sense his own lusts and the Devil Do dayly toss and bandy him to evil Where will he fall at last ah he must dy And drop i' th' Hazard of Eternity The Great VENTURE SHEWING That Man's Life in this world is a Venture wherein he runs the hazard of an Everlasting Estate of Happiness or Misery in another World according as he behaves himself here O Man thy God thee made for an eternal state Where both the good and bad have their appointed fate And thou must venture What is ordain'd by Him cann't be made void by thee Thou must submit to Him and stand to his Decree And thou must venture He hath determined and in his Word reveal'd Sin shall be punished this Word cann't be repeal'd But thou must venture Yet He will pardon sin be'ng punish'd in his Son For those who here begin their lives to mend and turn And thus will venture He tells thee he doth hate sin and will vengeance take Upon the hairy pate of those who him forsake And thus will venture But if a sinner will believe his word and grace In Christ accept now while 't is offer'd for a space And thus will venture What 's past he will forgive and for the time to come As they to him will live so he will favour them Who thus do venture 'T is left now in thy hand and choise what thou wilt do To obey his command or after thy lust go Each way to venture For shortly thou must dy and then shalt surely know How far his word is true and whither thou must go As thou dost venture Oh that I might advise thee in this weighty case Oh that thou wouldst be wise and let my words take place In this great venture My Counsel is to fear Gods Majesty and crave Mercy at his hands here that he thy soul may save At the †Which will be at the hour of death last venture Renounce thy will and lust Thy self up to him give And in his mercy trust and to his glory live And thiâ—â—ay venture Though doubtful thoughts arise and toss thy troubled mind Although thy heart no ease peace rest or hope can find Yet this way venture Though many ghastly fears thy conscience terrifie Though dreadful God appears and near despair thou ly Yet still thus venture Though blasphemy upstarts and Atheism in thy breast Though Satan shoot his darts and thou be sore opprest Yet still thus venture Though strong temptations provoke thee hard to sin And thy corruptions bestir themselves within Yet still thus venture Entertain none of these against them all still war Let no such thoughts thee please as do with Gods Law jar Thus do thou venture Canst thou do any good now while thy soul is here Cumber'd with flesh and blood to do it don't forbear So doing venture For unto ev'ry man according to his deeds Recompence shall be giv'n eternally he speeds As he shall venture Well then while 't is to day what e're thy life hath been Believe repent and pray and add not sin to sin For thou must venture If thou with crosses meet and God afflict thee here With patience submit and his great name still fear For thou must venture Rage not do not rebel blaspheme not nor despise His rod his holy will cross not in any wise For thou must venture To his sweet rest thy Lord will shortly call thee hence And with a rich reward will crown thy patience If thou thus venture Ah! an eternal state as thou ere long shalt find A business is of weight to mind it frame thy mind And wisely venture Not as some desperate fools who fondly do presume Though they walk by no rules it shall go well with them Howere they venture But he who hopes to find Heav'n in the way to Hell Is mad and in the end doth cast away his soul He doth not venture That man who in Gods way walks to eternal bliss 'T is he alone may say There 's hope I shall not miss Therefore I 'll venture Who makes Gods will his Law and truly as he can Frames himself to obey he onely is the man Who rightly ventures The wicked venture not but desperately throw Away their souls for nought into eternal wo At all adventure For they who God renounce and now cast off the bond Of their allegiance to him are lost beyond All peradventure Wherefore O man be wise consider and forbear Do not thy God despise presumptiously but fear How thou dost venture Bethink thy self a while Is thy immortal Soul A thing so cheap and vile thou needst not care at all How thou dost venture O! know that in thy breast thou hast a pearl of price And nothing here possest can to its value rise Carefully venture A Jewel of such worth is thy immortal soul That to it heav'n and earth a trifle we may call Don't rashly venture And if it once be lost alas 't is gone for ever And then no pains or cost can it again recover Oh! fear and venture Shall I a reason give why thy soul 's of such value 'T is because it must live in endless joy or sorrow As thou dost venture Then what 's a moments pleasure to endless joy or pain What is earths paltry treasure to endless loss or gain For this don't venture What is a bubble here a little painted glass A gay but fading flower a pile of withering grass For this don't venture What 's honor praise and fame from mens unconstant breath To everlasting shame attending thee in death For this don't venture Oh venture not to lose thy dear immortal soul For such poor things as these least thou in hell bewail Thy foolish venture Oh stake not heavens glory and an immortal crown For things so transitory and in a moment gone 'T were a mad venture Dar'st thou the hazard run of everlasting wo For a short dream of gain fame pleasure here below A wretched venture And hast thou not the heart a while to play the man And with thy base lusts part eternal life to gain And nobly venture Ah! thrice unhappy man and strangely desp'rate fool Who venturest to damn but not to save thy soul Oh cursed venture One of the two must be for God hath sent thee here To prove