as'twere by chance Others in downy beds their spirits expire Some 's vitall powers may be benumd retire To th' heare those are not dead for put a glasse Thus triall 's made against their mouth and face Breath being found thereon aliue they seeme If not them to be dead doe all men deeme Death seizeth on the body Not on soule That must liue aye death can it not controule But yet the soule is dead too spiritually When as vpon its face you shall apply Christs righteousnes but it like a dead stone Breaths not thereon That man is such a one In whome's noe spirituall life nor living grace For this Divines count life in the last place And this rule 's certaine If there shew no breath No truer signe can be of life or death Therefore though I be wounded like to die I am not dead yet for the whilst that I Breath at my Christ I liue and shall liue ever I'n ghoastly breath which shewes I shall die never Christ is the glasse thy sinnes doe cause the sound If breath of faith then life of grace is found M. F. 11 The sacrifice of the Masse THe Law Leviticall to know's much worth For that the offices of Christ sets forth And manifestly shewes the Papists Masse A needlesse Ceremonie euer was For why They offer Christ continually Which you shall see confuted presently The Preist was one who onely was to enter Into the holy place none else might venter Where for the people he did sacrifice And they without God worshipt otherwise But might not make an offering that alone Concern'd the Priest that in to God was gone When all was done within and he come out He streight in peace dismissed all the rout Thus Christ our high Preist enter'd is within Holy of holiest offering there for sinne His merrits with an incense doth afford Sweete smellings in the nostrills of the Lord. The world 's the outward court where we remaine Whose duties are to prayse and laude Gods name Not doe the Sacrificing worke at all For Christ that same performed once for all And when himselfe He offerd vp that day All sacrifices else tooke end for aye Leaue off then Masse and such like trumperies Vnlesse Christs offring will not you suffice Who as he is that one so he 's the best Yea to this end is entr'd in that rest While Nadab and Abihu brought strange fire God cut them off in his provoked ire Then feare ye Papists while you are at Masse You be not slayne for God is as he was M. D. 12. A remedy against spirituall pride THe grasse hearbs to looke on cheares the sight So doe the flowers and fruits t is mans delight He takes great comfort and can glory much To see them greene and sprout his joy is such He thinks one well could liue by these But when He veiwes the sunne the case is alterd then For though he gaze vpon them nought he spies That seemeth pleasant or can glad his eyes Cause now a while he 's blinded though he tooke That great delight before on them to looke This is the cause why Christians are so proud Of their transcendent grace God hath bestowd For they themselues doe with themselues compare And many times with those that weaker are And see not how farre they of him come short Who knew noe guile and had in sinne no part When one shall wisely see what God desires What himselfe wants and what the Law requires Hee 's strucken blind who did before behold Such graces in himselfe he grew so bold To vaunt of them This rule to make thee humble be sure thou take and then thou shalt not stumble Vpon the Rock of thine owne haughty mind If thou 'lt see what thou wantest and what 's behind M. B. 13. Some time spent in holy duties hinder not a mans perticular calling THe Swayne that with the sweating of his browes Food to himselfe and family allowes Who Digs and Delues and mowes the Corne and Grasse And will no precious time in vaine let passe Yet whets his sythe and time to make it keene Spends daily much for thereby it is seene He cuts the Corne more smoother and a pace And rids more worke And counts it no disgrace Ost so to doe and that way further gaines Then if he vs'd in cutting greater paines So knowes the true Nathaniell Israelite By taking paines in good things his delight He looseth not by that but double gets First comfort to his soule and yet not lets His owne peculiar calling That day more He speeds then worldlings doe with labour sorr And I for my perticular can say I gaine more then Then any other day The Lords Commandement was to Israell When they did come in Canaan land to dwell All their male Children thrice should in the yeare Before the Lord of Lords goe vpt ' appeare And while they so would worship oft The land None should assay to get from out their hand But each thing prosper and succesfull proue And all occurrents turne to their behooue On Christian practises whet oft thy sythe And take 't for certaine thou and thine shall thriue M. D. 14. The way to please God in all our actions THat Archer will not ayme with both his eyes Which shooteth in a game to winn a prize But lookes with one eye narrowly to hit That pinn or marke he shootes at in the white So he that God will please serue and obey That eye must shut that vseth to survey Honours or prayse of men or worldly pelf And thus he good may purchase to himselfe Good things then for themselues must freely follow Or else Gods name aright thou canst not hallow If I should seeke to please men saith S. Paul Then were I not Gods Minister at all Who doth an heart and heart with hate detest The single eye and simple heart are best While men doe seeke the loue of men to gaine They saile of that and loose the Lord the maine The Lord with him Corrivall will haue noue But who alone Him loues is blest alone O let my heart be in thy statutes sound That shame may not my soule or face confound The Lord all creatures for mans vse did make But for himselfe vouch safed man to take Sith so 's Gods minde let man to God surrender Himselfe and leaving all God only tender And when these two shall meet My profit ease Gods glory will Let this downe to their pease The while Gods glory mans selfe th' eye shut quite Disclaimst thy selfe in all Thou 'st hit the white M. S. 15. The cause why wicked men die either suddenly sullenly or desperately THe Parents to their Children wont each night To deale out some convenient jnch of light That seemelier they might to their rest resort Who fall parchance to wrangle or to sport And so their peece of candle vainly wast Which being out themselues in bed they cast They know not how one runns in at the feete Another hawles
the blancket for the sheete And commonly that night no rest they take Because no better vse of light they make Like to these foolish Children most men are Who though the Lord them time and health doth spare And little light of life affords them heere To serue Him still in trembling and in feare This precious time mispent to graue they goe As men bereau'd of sence they care not how But though this life 's a moment yet depends Eternity heereon which never ends Statutum est That thou as all must die And after that to Gods Tribunall hie See therefore what the prisoners doe that heare Deaths doome Noe more themselues deboist they beare But pensiuely tow'rd execution goe Take patterne then by them and doe thou so Doe not the Candle of thy life extinguish Before thou grace pursue and sinne relinquish Least thou cry lockt in sable bed of Hell To late Ah had I life now I 'de line well M. D. 16. The impediments of Christian conversation THe Citizens for most part Hacknies hire And none so soone as they their horses tier Which riseth hence With full career they Ride And in their Innes the beasts to th' Rack are tied Meateles vndrest yet are they switcht and spurrd If on their way they haue a whit demurrd But cause they provender with-hold them from They grow vnable through to bring them home Like vnto these are some those Christians sad Who looke not on the Gospell which makes glad But on the Rigour of the Law their eyne Doe fix and on their faults their soules to pine Considering not what Christ for them hath payd And what is beate vpon so oft and sayd Reioyce ye Righteous and againe Reioyce And ye of perfect heart life vp your voyce Those seest thou not But tiest thee to the Rack Of the lawes Curses which doe make thee slacke Thy pace vnto thy home in heaven attending And so before thy time thy zeale hath ending When Sampson dranck that mistick spring amaine His spirits refresht and he reviu'd againe Vnto the house of David opened is A fountaine for their fowle vncleanesses A proclamation's made Ho he that will Come wine to buy without price Take your fill Who hath no power and 's faint He maketh strong And strength vnto the strengthlesse doth prolong As Eagles mount to heaven So shall they flee And in that walke or race vnwearied be Drinck then of these Rich promises Collection And thou shalt strengthned be vnto perfection M. F. 17. The cause of ignorance in lay Papists THose Theeues that vse to pilfer hate the light And seeke by all meanes to extinguish quite What light so ere they see For that discouers Their mischeife which else in the darkenes houers Therefore before they 'le act their wickednes All light shall surely out both more and lesse Then they no consctence make but all they can They steale against the lawes of God and man Those theeues are Popelings and this light the word Which they obscure and will it not afford Vnto the people least it should discry Their double dealing and their villany For when the people nought thence see or know They make them deeme what they say must be so Elisha once the blinded Syrian hoast Diverted from along the Dothan coast Into the midst of Samar's dreadfull bands Where they together by their foes strong hands Might soone haue perisht ere they were aware Thus Papists by the Pope perverted are Who suffers not the Gospell of our Christ To shine But his inventions gloomy mist Misleades them for the God of this world blinds The hearts of them and darkeneth their minds Wherefore with this ye shauclings be asham'd And Antichrists vild brood for ere be blam'd That hide from people that which should afford Them light of life to bring them to the Lord. For as a lantharne serveth shining bright In places darke so doth Gods word giue light As curst he was of old who drew astray The blind man which was going in right way So curst for ever be that man of sinne That thus doth mens damnations travell in M. D. 18. The Reprobates vtmost bounds AForraine Chapman from the Country comes To buy much wares to disburse such somes Of money as necessity doth craue And heere and there he seekes about to haue That which is good and good cheape as he can And where he lookes and likes he cheapens than And likewise mony bids and faine them would Haue at his price if possibly he could But deeming them held at too deare a rate Goes thence comes back t is gone then greiues too late To Christ the yong man comes and thus he sayn Master What shall I doe heaven to obtayne Commandements keepe saith Christ steale not ne kill These from my youth I haue observed still Replies he Then Christ one thing lack'st thou more Goe sell what e're thou hast and giue the poore And thou in heaven shalt haue abundant treasure Take vp thy crosse come follow me such measure For this ere long vpon thee I le bestow Of good as having thou would'st not forgoe At thesed epe words the man departed sad If at this price Gods Kingdome must be had He rather from his first speech will digresse Then leaue his Mammon of vnrighteousnes The Formalist or Reprobate thus farre Goes tow'rd the purchase of this heavenly ware To tast the swectnes of the word some deele And of another world the powers to feele Put rather then he all his sinns will flee At length his soule he damns Eternally And like the foolish shapman though too late Mourns that he hath lost heaven though at that fate M. C. 19. The first false putting on of Christ THe Simplest or vnmannerliestrude Clowne That meets his friend in feild or in a Towne Or farther off if any he espie He mooues his hat that must of presently If in one day a hundreth friends he meets Off goes his hat to every one he greets Like to this hat that 's oft put off and on Are such as falsly Christ rely vpon And such are they who only Christned are And being no more in Christ haue no true share These seeme to haue him on but curse drinke sweare And to dishonour God nor care nor feare This makes so many Whores and Rogues increase Because they put off Christ they never cease For sanctitie Him did they ne'r assume And therefore falsly say thy king dome come Simon the Sorcerer so far proceeded He made profession with some faith was speeded Became baptiz'd for Christ with Philip stayd And saw what workes and miracles he made Wondring thereat But Peter playne him told He was not of Christs flocke but Divels fold In gall of bitternes thou art saith he And in the bondage of iniquitie As Paul of Circumcision once did say To thee concerning Baptisme so I may The Ceremonie nothing doth availe If thou in keeping of Gods lawes dost faile Flesh of thy slesh make Christ Bone of thy
every day To Set thee onwards on thy Christian way Or Heare or reade Conferre or meditate But if thou let these passe thou shalt feele streight Such a benumdnes o're thy heart to fall That then if thou wouldst pray heare reade or all Thou canst devise with ne're so great Devotion It may be hardly thou shalt get the Motion Of Gods good spirit thy heart to soften so As formerly before thou let'st him goe How prayd King David to ' th' Almighty Lord That hee againe his spirit would afford Vnto him when through negligence and pleasure He might what earst he counted all his treasure What duties promis'd when thou wert first calld Be sure by sloth thou let not be for-stalld For what thou faylst of them who ere thou art So much of Ioy be sure thou shalt come short As heere this man by clearing of the way Daily with ease come to the Water may So if thou let good duties no day lie Thou a soft heart shalt hold inseprably M. F. 6. The tryall of a true broken heart AS two men passing on the Kings high way Should be surpris'd by theeues that would them slay But through much strugling are not kild out right For both haue yet some life and little spirit Yet one in mad despayre doth dying lie Because he will not seeke for remedie But tother crawles as weaknes will permit him To some good Chirurgion timely help to get him Which Chirurgion doth to him his health restore And makes him sound as ere he was before Of these two men one 's good but tother vild The Divills owne and not Iehovahs Child These both hath Sathan wounded in the soule With some grosse raigning sinne that is most foule The wicked crying mightily so lies Vnder the feare of wrath dispayrs and dies Gods servant cries yet comes to God aboue That he would for Christs only sake and loue Heale him from this his sinne his soule distressing And from that conflict giue him due refreshing And ne're will leaue him till he hath attaind Pardon for 's sinne and Gods sweete favour gaynd If thou canst say why did I thus offend Against this gratious God thus good thus kind And canst withall to that rich fountaine goe From whence all mercy comfort grace doe flow Though sinne thy soule hath smitten greviously Thou shalt not for it be condemnd to die For then assure thy selfe soft is thy heart In that thou goest for ease of this thy smart False Iudas had a torturde heart and said Oh I haue sinn'd in that I haue betrayd My Master innocent and Caine was driven To cry My sinn's more then may be forgiven Whil'st they for grace and mercy ne're did call Which had they done they ne're had felt their thrall Sue thou for grace Then art thou in the number Of those whose hearts are rightly rent in sunder M. F. 7. A Caveat against raigning sinne THe Hog tyd by th'leg with a small cord Is to the slaughter driven to be goard Thus every man may to himselfe apply Though not in all grosse sinnes I live and die Yet brought I may be to ' the depth of Hell With some one raigning sinne with one as well As if my soule with many more were fraught And cry with Caine This my damnation wrought The Ships at Sea are made most tite and sure From every little leake to be secure Least one as well as more them cast away As one disease in stead of more will slay The impotent For there 's not any sinne That thou canst say Gods not offended in Then thus I argue If God be displeas'd That wrath of his must some way be apeas'd Which only comes by faith and sinne forsaking Which if thou giue not o're there is noe slacking But die thou must for that fowle darling One Though all the others thou hadst long for-gon With a small Cord the Swine's to slaughter driven By one grosse sinne the soule 's of heaven depriven M. T. 8. The vse of the failings of Gods Children THe Marriner when Beacons he perceiues Or Boyes before him warily them leaues On either hand For well he knowes that if They be not shun'd he hazardeth his life The true converted Christian likewise knowes Gods Children falls and errings scripture shewes Not to be followed but forgone with heed For to this end they re given vs to reade May be thou lt thinke why may not I as they So sinne and liue For those were saved they le say Yes truth they were But that with much adoe Before they came to heaven they hell past through I roar'd all day for the disquieture Of soule which I for sinne did aye endure Saith David All my bones are broke and bed I wash with teares distilling from my head If thus thou like to morne then like to sinne For none hath pardon ere repented beene The wayes of sin ne're yet produc'et true pleasure Whose seed is quickely sowne but brings full measure Of greife paind woe What 's good that imitate Nor let vaine hope seduce thee till too late Many haue stumbled at this stone that now In torments are which sayd Thus so mayst thou If thou wilt tread the by-paths they haue tryd The bitter cup of theirs too thou must bide Looke how on sea markes sea men will not runne So faylings of good Christians Christians shun M. D. 9. Reconciliation to God HE that some frame of divers peeces makes Of one he can doe nought but two he takes Or more according as the frame is high And each by other layeth them to try If they will fit if not even then he squares The one and some-thing from the other payres That done he takes the glew and joyns them fast And so of two makes one long time to last So God and man disparted are and twayne And cannot of themselues be joyn'd againe They both are ruff vnequall to be one And joyn'd together they can be by none But Christ the skilfull Carpenter doth set On this great worke and throughly finish it He takes from God his wrath by suffering And sinne from man his grace attributing Then by his spirit that combining glew Sweetly vnites them which before were two This playne similitude beare still in mind Who sorely art vnto despaire inclinde Thy sinnes doe vex thee Christ doth them deface In stead of sinnes he giveth thee his grace But Oh I feare the Ire and wrath of God Christ also that remooues he bore his Rod. But how shall I this know He giues his spirit That knitteth both in one Thou shalt inherit Heaven in this life and when this race is or'e Thou shalt be joynd in blisse for evermore M. D. 10 The Touch-stone of Spirituall life MOrs is a morsell whereof all must tast Some soone come to it others make no hast But all at last must die for'tis sinnes due Noe man can sinne escape nor death eschew Yet dies not every one alike a Traunce Some seizes on some slayne