Eternity contain So great will be mans weal so great mans wo None ever did or shall on Earth it know Exceeding mind surpassing memory Transcending reason is Eternity Observation XV. What metaphor or figure can be found Whereby Eternity for to expound Save Sun and Moon Globes Circles Sphears and Rings Lustres Olimpaids Jubile's which things Are all uncertain that none can descry By transcient things what is Eternity Observation XVI Eternity does evermore abide And there are no Eternities beside For were there more Eternities to be Time with Eternity would thus agree Beginning and of end it would admit But it is only one that 's Infinit Observation XVII Thus much is said and now I know no more To say unless what I have said before Of this Grand Subject which secludes mans heart Deluding Humane Reason Wit and Art To search its nature where confusion's found Impossibilities so much abound Observation XVIII Eternity some knowledge now I have Of thee thou dos't reside beyond the grave Thou art not to be found this side the same Thy natur'es there although we have thy name Thou art mens Portion they must thee possess Beyond the grave in wo or happiness Observation XIX Terrour thou art to some to others joy Aud thus thou canst both comfort and annoy Because thou dost for ever more abide Where sorrow and where solace is beside Where sorrow is thou dost augment the grief And that is Hell from whence is no relief Observation XX. Of vast Eternity I this can tell What thing it is not that I know full well But what it is my Reason do's extend It s boundless limits do my thoughts transcend Though 't is resembled oft to this or that It s true resemblance is I know not what SUBJECT III. Of Time and Death with the Vncertanty And the Certanty of them both Both Death and Time are certain things to be Yet make my life uncertain unto me WHen God began all Creatures to Create The space of Time did these Anticipate Or else God could not properly begin For to Create had no beginning been And this beginning was the very prime Or first production of the space of time This modicum of Minutes Hours and Dayes God made for to perpetuate his praise And for the greatest Creation he requir'd But six dayes space the more to be admir'd Accomplishing what things himself thought best In these Six dayes the Seventh day to Rest Time is an Infinite thing for time began Not long to be e're God Created man And has a termination to decay With man again at Gods great Judgements day Without permission to endure for aye Time is that space or circumstance wherein Angels and men acquaintance got with sin 'T was in this space both Heav'n and Earth did err That Adam fell and lofty Lucifer All good and evil acted is in Time Which will diminish or increase mans Crime This time although a pittance or a span Yet 't is a mercy lent to mortal man When man in Time against God did rebel He might have turn'd Man from Time to Hell But God who did Eternally decree The great Messiah of mankind to be Forbore this rigour and exalted Man The universal Metropolitan And gave man means whereby he might repent And through Repentance to be Innocent Thus for this end this interim of time Enjoyes fall'n man to make him more sublem But so uncertain's Time not one can say With safety he shall see another day Time steals away and takes its flight with speed Of transient Time may Mortals take more heed It is a Thought a Shadow and a Dream A Bubble that soon glides along the Stream So short is Time its length is but a Span And yet of greatest consequence to Man God oft sollicits man Time to redeem As if Time precious were in Gods esteem From which we might derive this inference Time is regain'd by double diligence That is by taking care and minding more The things of God hereafter then before He that does thus no doubt but every crime By him committed perish with his Time And when the Term of Time Man thus expires Eternity compleats all his desires What 's Time but Finite and do's soon decay As when the Sunshine drives the shade away With some declining thing I might it stile To be and yet is not within a while Minntes and Hours Dayes Weeks Months Years It spends it self and yet has not to spare declare And when it 's fully spent no more appears This season to supply the place of years Methinks the true description of Time is A circumstance in a Parenthesis It seems to be beset as in this kind Eternity before it and behind And yet the stile remaining still the same Eternity nor Time will bear the Name * God Created some things in the space of time which shall in duration exceed some other things though from all Eternity Though God in Time did every thing Create Some things with Time shall never terminate As Angels and Mens Souls these shall exceed What God from all Eternity decreed Some things God did before Times space ordain Which after Time were never to remain There were decrees e're time which did relate To man in Time with Time to terminate For instance God appointed Christ to be Mans great Messiah by Divine Decree For sin to suffer on a Cursed Tree His merits may be pleaded during Time But afterwards they expiate no crime Marriage ordain'd has been e're Time began But there 's no Marriage after Time for man And thus I prove some things to be decreed Eternally yet shall not Time exceed * Some things there are that have neither beginning nor ending as God himself Again some things there are and these admit Of no beginning nor of end to wit As God himself Eternally to name From everlasting evermore the same Eternity it self is God alone He no beginning had nor end has none And hence we learn time's temporality Bears no proportion to Eternity But is so short a space describ'd to man Its Longitude and Latitude a span And this small Circumstance of Time has bin The stage of mans transactions and mans sin And will be while that mortals do traverse The great Theatre of this Universe By wilful Sports and Comick Tragedies Or other mischiefs which from sin arise Until the final fatal overthrow By Death and Time of mankind here below Death is uncertain and 't is sure no doubt Times torch-light wasts and quickly will be out Both Death and Time unconstant are to men In every Circumstance how where or when That still at unawares men are bereav'd Of life and so by Time and Death deceiv'd * Death varies oft and is full of uncertanties As for example he that is but Young So surely dyes as he that lived long And thus we see mortality presage Our Infancy Youth Manhood and old Age. Somtimes our sinful Lives we do expire In floods of waters or in flames
that fell with Lucifer Ibid Lucifer Tempted Adam and Eve in Paradice p. 73. Since the Devil must remain in Hell he would have all in his condition p. 74. The difference betwixt Lucifer and Adams ambition p. 76. Every Soul alive may be capable of Salvation p. 78. * Christ dy'd for every Soul alive Ibid The damn'd might be saved could they but repent p. 81. * This side the Grave the vilest wretch may be freed from sin Ibid * Mans election considered Ibid. Predestination and Gods rigorous decree qualified p. 82. The Arguments drawn from the strictness of election and reprobation Ibid * An objection arising from the position of Gods decree and the Solution thereof Ibid All mankind fell in Adam p. 83. * The elect must be sinners by nature as well as others For all sinn'd without exception Ibid * An opinion of the Heathen World as how judged and how saved p. 85. 1 God stampt a law in mans heart which is the law of nature Ibid 2 God made a Law of works and delivered it to Moses writ in Tables of stone p. 86. 1 Faith the Tenor of the Gospel Ibid 2 Gods Covenant with Abraham p. 87. 2 Whom the Law convicts the Gospel will reprieve Ibid 2 Some derive ill consequences from the doctrine of predestination p. 88 Cain no Reprobate by positive decree p. 89. 1 Esau no Reprobate by predestination p. 91. Election and Reprobation depending on Mans penitence or his presumption p. 93. 1 God intended the Salvation of all by the mission of Christ p. 94. 1 The Christian his behaviour towards God p. 96. 1 His deportment towards Man p. 97. His decency towards himself p. 98. 1 His carriage towards the World Ibid 2 The Christian resembles the Publican p. 100. He will not bring forth Fruit to himself p. 102. 1 He hath content in every State Ibid 2 He hath nothing yet possesseth all things Ibid 3 His life is hid with Christ in God p. 103. 1 No weapon formed against him shall prosper p. 104. Monarchy Metamorphosed to Democracy p. 108. Obedience deniable to the Vsurpers of Authority p. 109. Ministers ought to be paid their Tribute p. 112. Man ought to be really holy and not so thought of p. 122. A Brief Table of additional observations pertinent to this Book DIvine Ejaculations or pious breathings p. 154. A spiritual Hymn to the praise of God p. 147. The various significations of the word World in Scriptures p. 156. On the words Exploration Deploration Imploration Ibid On the words Easeless Endless and Remediless Ibid On Faith Hope and Charity p. 157. On God the King and the Church Ibid Of God viz. the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost Ibid Of Gods afflicting man for evil p. 158. Of Gods not regarding sometimes the prayers of his own Servants Ibid On Mat. 6.33 But seek ye first the Kingdom of God p. 159. On the the word Amen and its significations Ibid On the happiness of him that truly fears and serves God Ibid On Servitude and Freedom p. 160. An Inference touching Mortality drawn from the temporality of the Popes Holiness Ibid PARADOXES On the righteousness of man in Christ p. 161. Of death either in sin to sin or for sin On mans Birth Death and Buriall as naturally and spitually considered Ibid On Gen. 31.5 And Jacob sware by the fear of his Father Isaac On the words of David in Psalm the 47. v. 8. Awake up my glory Ibid Vpon this expression of the Prophet Jeremiah Jer. 51.16 Thy words were found and I did eat them Ibid The conclusion p. 163. The Authors Apology for himself to God GLorious and Grations thou great God of might Assist me by thy Spirit to Indite Some extract from thy Book and this Rehearse Though thy Divinest Prose in Divine Verse Perchance hereby it may take some effect In Verse on those that all the Prose neglect Yet I expect not to attain this end Vnless thy Blessings do the means attend Permit me Lord if it thy pleasure be To ponder what may render praise to thee Vouchsafe me thy assistance so each Line Shall have dependance on what is Divine For 't is my Aime I speak it without shame I this request to magnifie thy Name But as I should I dare not say I can Without thy Aid because I am a man Consider my defects be pleas'd to guide My Head Heart Hand lest my Penslip aside Grant whilst I study in thy Word thy Will I may my self the same seek to fulfill And through thy Grace prevent my doing ill Oft have I crav'd thy pardon for my Crimes Again the same committed divers times Offend and pardon crave crave and offend Will be I fear my course to my lives end But not without a willingness to be From all offences Innocent and free And whilst my will and my acknowledgment To my transgressions render no assent Thus I conclude though seeds of sin remain Within me over me sin shall not Reign E're death begins my fleshly Veil to Rent By true Repentance make me Innocent Good God my maker I thee humbly pray That Hallelujahs I may sing for aye To thee with those thy Mercies did translate From Earth to Heaven there to contemplate Thy Glory and thy Greatness where among Ten thousand times ten thousand Saints is Sung The Song of Moses and that of the Lamb Which th' Prophets bore a part and Miriam So full of Triumph so Harmoniously That Angels Eccho'd forth its Mellody Oh! could I but obtain my sweet desire To Sing my part with this Caelestial Quire Then I thy greatness greatly should admire And were I but prepared for Heavens mirth My Gladness should transport me there from Earth Where Choristers of Saints and Cherubims Angels Archangels Sacred Seraphims Each in their order warble forth and Sing Caelestial Hymns and Anthems to their King And Christ their Saviour for his Suffering That I might sing in Heaven evermore I fain would try to Sing on Earth before Thus I ambitious am to find my Tongue By thee refin'd to sing a sacred Song Vnto thy Holiness whilst here below Thou dost my Being Lord to me bestow A Song of Recantation from each sin To Sanctitie Salvation for to Win And that I may thy Servant ever be Thy Blessing and thy Grace confer on me The Weakness and the Errors Lord are mine But all that 's Good to thee I re-assigne And let the Praise and Glory all be thine The Authors Apology for himself to Men. THe Reason why on Divine things I write Is that my Subjects will my pains requite I dare affirm who best perceives the cause 'T is not conceited nor to gain applause They are allow'd the contrary will judge While these pass Censure I 'le forbear to grudge I can discern it does exceed the Pen Of the most skilful for to please all men One likes not this another likes not that The Writer's mean or 's writing dull
of fire Somtimes for horrid deeds we recompence Our selves by doing wilful violence Somtimes Gods Judgments for mans sins are found Like Pharohs Hoast it 'h Oacen men to drownd Some wicked men the Lord comits in Ire With Nadab and Abihü to the fire Others there are whom Death doth thus deprive Like Sechems men are Swallow'd up alive Others again like Sisera were brought To death by Starrs which in their courses fought And some we read another way are Dead By Houses overwhelming on their head Which Sampson and Job's children did devour With those Eighteen interr'd by Shiloams Tower Some with wild Beasts there are in pieces torn As were those scoffing boyes in Bethel born And some are found like Achan ston'd to Death That 's presently bereft of mortal Breath Again we find that Justice often times Hangs men like Haman for malignant crimes And there are men by their acquaintance slain As Abner or as Abel was by Cain For Abel as he walked in the Field Through Cain's assault his life to death did yeild To shew the uncertainty of Death the more It slew old Eli sitting at his door To Eglons Summer Parlor death retird And Eglons life by strange surprise requir'd Betwixt the Temple and the Altar Death Met Zachary there him depriv'd of Breath Senacharib of life likewise was Rob'd By Death in Nisrah's house though 't was his God Again 't is said whils't sleeping Isboseth In his Bed-Chamber was surpriz'd by Death Death the Philistines smote in their resort To the Theatre there themselves to sport And stately Herod he within a Trice After Deaths Summons was destroy'd by Lice An Archer from his Bow did let to flie An Arrow which Josiah's caus'd to die A Prophet of the Lord we find again Was by a Lyons Teeth both torn and slain The falling of a Stone did break the head Of stout Abimeleck and made him dead And cruel Jezabel as strangely dy'd Entomb'd by Dogs for her accursed pride Zimri and Cozby for their wicked Fact Were slain by Phineas in the very Act Two Captains with their fifties bore Gods Ire And were consum'd by his Caelestiall Fire Curst Ananias and Saphira dy'd Because against the Holy Ghost they Ly'd Thus Judas who betray'd his Lord that Elf Withdrew from Christ went forth hang'd himself To Period these examples who from hence * It is hard for a man to foresee what-manner of death is ordain'd for him Is' t can derive the proper inference Of his own death fith these mutations are So incident to men in them to share Thus may the question be resolved then Those that fear God shall die like Godly men That is a timely death in mans full Age Or when some sickness does mans death presage There is a certain Time for man that 's born Like Harvest season for the Shock of Corn And ther 's a death untimely that doth lop Mans life like to the Ears of Corn men crop And there 's a Lingering death which seems to be A Prison to the Soul till it gets free So there 's a sudden death which gives a blow Without its warning and this death is wo There is a tranquil death to die in peace As not perceiving of the souls Release And there 's a death attended with distress As raving raging and unquietness What man is he that can the knowledge have Which of these deaths shall bring him to his grave Thousands of deaths there are that men befall And yet no man can tell which of them all Belongs to him these Issues do depend On God alone the lives of Men to end Thus all transactions acted from the prime Of mans Creation periods death and time As touching man both time death might wel In some opinions thus run Paralell Yet Death and Time from Paralells have ran In a Parenthesis to limit man Time past behind him Time to come before Where death arrests him to pay natures score But not to leave till render'd Time its due Great benefits to men herein ensue If that but seriously we recollect What God for mans salvation did effect The accomplishment of every thing was done By Gods Incarnate word or Christ his Son The best production of the space of Time Was mans Redemption from each mortal crime By our Emanuel which cherisheth A christians heart and gives him life in death So that he 's willing to dismiss Times Span Since life Eternall purchas'd is for Man As much as in us lyes let 's all apply Our hearts in time to gain Eternity I mean this present space although that some Will say if time is past there 's Time to come But when the time to come likewise is past Through carelesness great proves the loss at last If we regard our Time but Righteously Our sure reward will be Eternity Neglect we Time Eternity we gain In everlasting torments to remain Improve we Time and doubtless we shall find Joyes to Eternity remain behind Thus of a Truth Eternity rewards Him that esteems it or it disregards Sith thus it is I am resolv'd therefore Betimes in Time the grace of God t'implore That after Time I may my soul supply With life and joy in blest Eternity Of which through mercy may all men partake When Time 's no Time for Mans Messiah sake SUBJECT IV. A prospect of the Great Creation And the Creator understood by the Creatures All living Creatures most apparently A God that is Omnipotent descry O What contrivance I behold When seriously I gaze On Gods Creation wrought of old Such as my mind amaze II. Methinks Gods wisdom did fore-run His might when as I see Above and eke beneath the Sun Such wondrous works to be III. The Lord did by his prudence frame And by his word has wrought All things to Glorifie his name And fram'd the same of nought IV. All things that are once nothing were Which nothing every thing At Gods command was made to bear What he to pass should bring V. Then how might mortal men admire The wisdom of the Lord Who at his pleasure and desire Made all things by his word VI. The Earth which is through wisdom was Made uniform in frame Of that Rude Lump confus'd when as It from the Chaos came VII So was the world although so wide Of nothing made to be So great a Bulk 't is not deny'd By God and none but he VIII * The Wisdom of God Created man an Epitom of the great World and made man the great Ruler of it Which Macrocosm was since comprizd Or modeliz'd to man This Microcosm Epitomiz'd It s Metropolitan IX Lo here 's prudence most profound Discretion to behold And understanding to a bound By wisdom manifold X. These are Gods works and they do seem Most wond'rous in the sight Of Prudent man and his esteem That ponder's them aright XI * God may be understood by every Creature God may be seen in every thing All Creatures comprehend Some sign of
it is but just To punish those Christ's merits do distrust He has repair'd our loss by Adans sin Through his obedience mankind Heaven win Or Adams race had ever wretched been When Adam dy'd his seed in him did die Death was his Portion to posterity Till Christ from death brought life and liberty If all did die all may be made alive By him that did our life from death retrive The Second Adam Adams seed revive All shall be made alive this all is meant An all so wide and large in its extent As Adams all shall die since Christ was sent Christ was Gods word incarnated decreed T' assume mans flesh conceiv'd a womans seed To suffer both for mans and womans deed This God and man or this Emanuel Did conquer death likewise the Grave and Hell That all true Christians might in safety dwell But to explain what I have said before All shall be made alive implies far more Than these true Christians that this Christ adore This all imports the men that ever were Since Christ on Earth that are or shall be here But not the damn'd in Hell confined there * The damned might be saved could they but repent They should come thence if they could but repent There grace is wanting this does prevent Their freedom makes them more impenitent * This side the grave the vilest wretch may be freed from sin This side the grave the vilest wretch may be By true repentance Friends with God and he From all offences quitted fully free * Mans Election considered Which brings me to consider what 's impli'd By mans Election since Gods Son ha's di'd And how mans reprobation to decide Election then I understand by those Whom God in Christ unto Salvation chose Before the world when neither Friends nor Foes * Predestination and Gods Rigorous decree qualified Predestination seems t' have this event To save the just and unjust that repent Else to what end was Christ Mans Saviour sent If God did limit by a strict decree A certain number that should saved be What are the merits then of Christ to me * The arguments drawn from the strictness of Election and Reprobation If I am found but one of Gods Elect For his names sake his mercy will accept Of me my Soul and body to protect Again if I am found a reprobate For my repentance 't will be found too late Unto Eternity God will me hate And neither of these cases do rely On Christ his merits since that misery And mercy God decreed Eternally * An objection arising from the position of Gods decree Suppose that God by positive decree Ordained men both sav'd and damn'd to be What Souls are they Christ from defaults do free To answer this objection thus I say God Christ design'd to save men Souls that stray I mean those Souls out of Salvations way But first I shall be cautious and take care For to enquire and know whose Souls they are In Adams sin that had and have their share As foremost then with Adam I begin Who was the fountain source and origin Of that distemper Epidemick Sin This root was rotten we the branches all Did fade our leaves of Holiness did fall Because our Bud and Blossom brought forth thrall * All mankind fell in Adam We all alike in Adams fall have fell The best and worst did equally rebel Gainst God in him that all deserved Hell In sin's and tresspasses by nature dead Is every man since Adam forfeited His Innocence for which Christs blood was shed * The Elect are siners by nature as well as others for all sined without exception If dead without exception every man Through Adams sin by nature who is' t can Prove Gods elect free from all mankinds ban From sin originall they were not free If that from actuall they so could be Therefore not righteous by divine decree Elections limit doubtless does include All persons with Gods grace should be endu'd Before and since Christianity ensu'd As well the Penitent that has transgrest As he that legally his life exprest To be religious and therefore was blest And this depending by divine decree On Christ his merrits which God did foresee On mans account most needfull things to be Let us make man sayes God Christ was in place Though not incarnate yet as God the case Of Uncreated man foresaw most base He who beheld the matter and the frame Of Adams substance did assume the same And so a man like other men became Mankind's election doubtless did relate To Christ before God Adam did Create Else why should Christ in wo participate All Adams seed God of a truth design'd Unto Salvation thus was he enclin'd Or who Christ's mission could have right defin'd Since Adam sin'd the Scriptures say that none Of Adams Race are Righteous no not one Save Christ according to the flesh alone The sacred Records give out this Report Of Adams seed they sin'd in such a sort That of Gods glory all mankind came short Since all thus sin'd in Adam all have need Of Christ his merits if they would be freed From that destruction due to Adams deed * An opinion of the Heathen world as how judged and how Saved But of the Heathen world some thus might say These know no Christ in what a case are they That have no Faith nor Gospel to obey * God stampt a Law in mans heart which is the Law of nature This query I thus briefly answer then God stampt a Law within the hearts of men Commands in nature not the moral Ten. In Adams heart God did create a Law To keep his Soul and conscience in such aw That from his God he might dread to withdraw And this the Law of nature we do name Whereby some shall be judg'd to suffer shame Some justifi'd that have omitted blame 1 God made a Law of works and delivered it to Moses writ in Tables of Stone Another Law deliver'd God alone To Moses hand in Tables made of stone A Law of works fulfill'd entire by none 2 Faith the Tenuer of the Gospel Mercy to many God did freely give According to this Law do this and live But now thou shalt be sav'd if thou believe E're God to men the Gospel tidings sent Not many knew who the Messiah meant Patriarks and Prophets these knew Gods intent Abram rejoy'd Messiah's day to see And Job foreknew who should his Saviour be Whereto the Prophets by consent agree 1 Gods Covenant with Abraham With Abraham God made a Covenant And with his Seed that none of them should want Through Faith Salvation that from sin recant The Angel of this Covenant is he Whom Abrahams seed their only Saviour see Through that belief requir'd in them to be For to comprise the Gospel scope in brief Repentance from all sin and true belief In Christ his merits are mens Souls relief 2 Whom the Law
condemns the Gospel will reprieve He whom the Law condemns let him but grieve No doubt the Gospel will find a reprieve For such if but the Gospel he 'l believe Although Gods justice does mans deeds require Gods mercy will accept of his desire Therefore Gods mercy should all men admire Since mercy thus Gods justice do exceed Let none suppose God evermore decreed Mans reprobation that repents his deed Nor yet that mans Election stands secure Because he some temptations may endure Sin 's mans infection penitence his cure I am afraid too many men defin'd Election stricter than God e're design'd By his decree concerning humane kind God by predestination left a space Wherein Christs merits might for man take place Since evermore he saw mans wretched case Election thus consider'd does repaire Mens hopes prompts them unto frevent prayer And proves their Antidote against despair But when deliver'd in a stricter sense It has Created fear and diffidence By its possessing men with negligence 1 Some derive ill corsequences from the Dectrine of predestination How many Persons now a days declare Who be Elected such sure saved are Let them sin on Election will them spare Again one man will to another say Some hear Sermons every Sabbath day I hear none am sav'd as well as they For ought I know the Preacher may be one Design'd of God for reprobation What need of Preachers Sermons will save none Thus will the vulgar and Illiterate men Dispute the case and argue now and then Enquiring who are sav'd who not or when Which thus Creates destruction in the brain Some bless'd as Abel are some curst as Cain To those damn'd by decree Devotion 's vain 1 Cain no Reprobate by positive decree Who can affirm or for a truth dare tell Cain by decree was reprobate of Hell When God would him accept had he done well Mercy was offer'd unto Cain when he Had Abel slain sayes God shalt thou not be Accepted if thou dost but well by me To say that God did Cain commiserate And prove that Cain was then a reprobate Seems from Gods justice much to derogate Cain in his wrath did first his Brother kill And cause his blood upon the Earth to spill Then vengeance overtakes him for the Ill. From which I might attract this inference Just Abel dy'd was sav'd through Innocence And Cain condemn'd for his Impenitence Had Cain repented of his crime and sin This homicide and fratricide had bin An object doubtless should Gods favour win Therefore his Condemnation I believe Was not so strict but mercy might reprieve His Life from death did he repent and grieve My reason is because I no where find His doom precede his deed but come behind His Brothers murther whereto he inclin'd If Cain was reprobated ever more Should mercy say that sin lay at his door Since so decreed he could have not forbore 'T would seem Injustice in our God should he First damn this Cain then him Create to be A man of mischief from sin never free This circumstance proves God the Origin And fountain of corruption whence mans sin Since Adams days derivative has bin 1 Esau no reprobate by predestination Let 's take a view of cursed Easau's state and see if God this Creature would Create To be an everlasting reprobate This inconsistent doubtless needs must be With him that 's mercy in the high'st degree Then for damnation none Created he God by his life hath sworn that his delight Is not in sinners death but that they might Return and live religious in his sight He would have all men to be sav'd and they To understand the truth and it obey Thereby salvation to secure for aye Jacob I lov'd and Esau did I hate These words some wrest and wrongfully translate To mean this Esau born a reprobate Of Easau's reprobation by decree I never read nor of his doom till he To Jacob sold his Birth-right for a Fee No more then of Cains doom before he slew His Brother Abel which doom did ensue The murther as the stipend that was due The Potter he hath power o're the clay This is a truth that no man need gain-say But who made Pots design'd to cast away 'T is like the Potter may somtimes mistake In temp'ring mould and so a vessel make Fit for no use or in its forming break But God admits of no mistakes for he Was all-sufficient when he did decree What matter and formation man should be Now for to honour God and reprehend Their Judgement who to know Gods will pretend Yet bound his boundless mercies without end Mercy and Meekness Justice Truth and Grace Could not admit not in the least embrace Damnation for his un-born Creatures case This is foreseen if prudetnly men pause God will not execute without a cause All his commands are true and just his Laws But yet this truth is not by me deny'd By mans damnation God is glorifi'd By mans salvation more and more beside The one God from his presence does expell For his transgressions to the pit of Hell The other suffers with himself to dwell And both these persons represent his might That goes to Hell where 's everlasting night To Heaven this where is eternall light And thus I have endeavour'd to express Gods Acts of mercy and his righteousness The harmless state and their state that transgress Predestination's danger to allay Pass lightly o're this bogg thou canst not stray Faith and Repentance miss not Heavens way I know I shall be either damn'd or sav'd And shall be Judg'd as I my self behav'd Yet hope for mercy which I ever crav'd I 'le Judge my self and will my self condemn My frailties urge me to it now and then Not damn my self least God should me contemn 1 Election reprobation depends on mans penitence or his prisumption Mans Reprobation and Election dreams Appear to some to others strictest theams To me a medium 'twixt these two extremes My reason prompts me that all persons may Obtain salvation that repent and pray In faith to God through Christ their crimes t' allay 1 God intended the Salvation of all by the mission of Christ Salvation to all mankind was Gods aim In sending Christ the Appostles do proclaim Christ has a balm for each believers maim Then blessed Jesus who for man didst die Grant me thy grace for ever to relie Upon thy death until I live thereby So shall I render praise for evermore To thee whom I in spirit do adore With heart and voice according to my Lore SUBJECT X. The Right description of a true Christian and those qualifications pertinent to this believer in his state of Grace and Christianity A Christian is a man that is sincere And honour's God with reverentiall fear One who believes in Christ as crucifi'd For his transgressions all his sin 's to hide One that declares he nothing does possess As rightly his save what 's unrighteousness One that
gave it to maintain The Preacher as his Payment for his pain Them to defraud no doubt our God will Ire The labourer is worthy of his hire And God his due will at our hands require O let us not detain the Preachers mite Since Gods commands confirms the same his right But with his Tribute freely to impart To him as his not ours with all our heart For he takes pains and so 't is his desert So Honour to whom Honour every thing Commanded from the Beggar to the King As loving Subjects then God will us own Both to this Crown and that of Heavens throne And shall adopt us children of his own Implore we then his grace to live thereby While here on Earth in Love and Amity Endeavoring and daring to be true And to our power render all their due Pleasing our God and bearing right regard To his commands that will us sure reward SUBJECT XIV Gods love to mankind and the Terms of of Salvation consider'd from John 3.16 God so loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Man sin'd Hell gain'd and Heaven was his loss Christ to save men from Hell dy'd on the Cross GOds goodness did behold mans wretch'd case Since Adams fall in sin and void of grace This mov'd his mercy to commiserate Poor mans condition in so curst a state When welt'ring in his blood through sin he lay Gods bowels yearn'd that he consults a way For his salvation that so vile did seem In his pure eyes and how him to redeem From that so base a case in Gods esteem The means whereby he mans redemption wrought Was by his death mans life that dearly bought And that was God himself becoming man Who made Eternity to seem a span For God incarnate did himself behave As man excepting sin unto the grave Whose sinless nature never did deprave Christ was his name to death was crucifi'd Upon a cross and thus as man he dy'd To save believers that in him abide By vertue of whose death men life obtain Christ bore the loss and man enjoy'd the gain He suffer'd torments he endur'd the grief And sacrific'd himself for our relief Betwixt two malefactors as a thief The way the truth the life he since was found By those believers sin their souls did wound In him all these find mercy to abound We all things have in Christ and Christ is all And every thing to those on him that call For instance when our sins our Soul make sick Physitian-like does search us to the quick By lancing our corruptions so that we From sinful Ulcers are by him set free He pow'rs the Oil and Balm in every wound Of sin sick souls to cure and make them sound And now no more mans duty than belief In Christ repenting all his sins with grief And when this service is perform'd then he Shall to his Masters joy admitted be Will seem to God without a spot of sin As not defil'd by Adams Origin Christs blood and his repentant tears did flow To wash his Leprosie as white as Snow His crimson crimes no more their redness show SUBJECT XV. A Mediation on Esay the 55. vers 6. Seek the Lord while he may be found call upon him while he is near In seeking God by Prayer Invoke his Name And when he 's found O man extoll the same INquire my soul search earnestly and seek For him who is most mighty and most meek Use all the means thou canst till thou dost find Who is most mighty and most meek most kind Pursue thy search and doubtless thou shalt see who 's mighty most most meek most kind to thee And when thou shalt this truth experience 'T will quit thee of thy fear and diffidence By framing in thy heart a larger scope For faith to Act than was requir'd by hope Faith is that powerful grace whereby the soul Do's over all despondencies controul And does its self upon Christs merits roul But hope is oft assaulted by despair Somtimes dejections does poor hope impare Yet 't is renew'd again by fervent prayer Faith joyn'd to hope or hope in Faith to rest Are buckler's of such Armour-bearers brest These fortifie his courage so that he Will conquer more than conqueror shall be Whereas if he had neither of these twain Nor faith nor hope no conquest could he gain But Esau-like the Lord his God might seek With cares and fears and tears upon his cheek And yet in searching not find him at all Or finding of him in effectuall Because that love the best Grace of these three Within his Bosom is not found to be Where is true hope O there true Faith begins For love to cover multitude of sins This hope to no man does create a shame But rather renders credit to his name Then cease we not to seek God virtually Till sound through faith and hope and charty This is the day of grace wherein he ought For to be found and by his Servants sought Now is the accepted time when this is past No search for him no finding him at last Seek God my soul whilst thou canst not him see Least when he 's seen he 'l not be found of thee Seek him by hope and thou shalt find him near By Faith this day of grace though he appear Not to the eye of sense to see him clear All shall behold him at the Judgement day But those far off his Laws did disobey And others near to save their souls for aye If that we would not seek the Lord in vain We must seek him in Truth once and again Yea often-times or rather constantly Till with his presence he our souls supply Let us not seek an other thing to find Instead of God but God whom we design'd Nor any thing besides God wish in heart Nor yet for any thing from God depart And since that God is neer this day of grace Then let us seek the presence of his face With right regard to him and reverence Declining not this search dy deligence In Truth and Love then let us seek God ever Until we find him and when found let 's never Cleave unto what from him our souls may sever SUBJECT XVI A Contemplation on Job 20. vers 5. The triumphing of the wicked is short the joy of a Hypocrite is but for a moment An Hypocrite is not within devout All his Devotion 's visible without LO how he Tirumphs now puft up with pride Whose time is as uncertain as the Tide One day unto his dayes he cannot borrow To day he Triumphs tumbles down to morrow From goodness and from virtue he will vary Although he knows his time but momentary Thus then his Character to amplifie This is the Hyprocrites Hypocrisie 'T is said of Hyprocrites their Congregation Shall be destroy'd by certain desolation Good reason why the just is more in danger Of him although his neighbour than a stranger For
all these things shall be added unto you Gods Kingdoms and his righteousness these ought The very first things in mans life be sought First in each day of mans mortallity First in each business of each day and why 'T is Gods command that these should be the prime Of all mans enterprises during time On the word Amen and its signification Amen this word may mortall men admire Amen's a witness and Amen's desire Amen's a Truth that never will decay Amen concludes Petitions when we pray Amen procures Gods blessing or his Ban Amen shall Seal the wo or weal of man Happiness will be his Portion that truely fears and serves God O happy he that serves his God in truth Thrice happy he so serves him from youth Unhappy he that happens happiless For hapning short of this sure happiness On Servitude and Freedom Thrice happy he from Servitude that 's free'd Yet what is Freedom if not free indeed The freest Freedom's to be free with them By a new Birth of new Jerusalem The dayes of the mightiest Monarch on Earth are but the dayes of a mortall man hence I inferred an observation from the Temporality of the Popes Holiness The Pope his Period has the mightiest man Dame natures date Points him his mortall span And when his span's expir'd what is the Pope More than the meanest beyond natures scope The mightiest and the meanest thus you see Though not in Earth yet in Earths womb agree On the Righteousness of man in Christ I am Unrighteous but my Righteousness In Estimation is of worth no less Than best deserving Honour and Reward If Righteously I Righteousness regard When as not right in raged Righteousness Then am I Righteous in a righter dress Of Death either in Sin to Sin or for Sin I have been dead but am a live again Yet needs must die or else in death remain For would I live and not desire to die My doom were death to all Eternity Both death and life I highly do esteem Though this to some a Paradox may seem Of mans Birth Death and Buriall as naturally and Spiritually considered Twice born twice dead twice buried would I be The living dying death of death to flee One birth one death one buriall common are In two of each I hope to have my share Twice born to live is man once born to die The life or death that dures Eternally On Genesis the 31. ver 5 And Jacob sware by the fear of his Father Isack viz The God of his Father Isaac I am a fraid because I dread to bear What 's Pertinent unto my cause of fear I fear my fear yet not as though not true But least I fear my fear less than fears due My fear requires my fear at fears command Who fears a right these fears shall understand On the words of David in Psalm the 47. vers 8 Awake up my glory namely his tongue Awake my glory hast to glorifie Thy glorious glory in sincerity That glories and is glorying in my fear If fruits of glory plentiously I bear And glorifying cannot be deny'd Because Gods glory mortals glorify'd Upon the expression of the Prophet Jeremiah Jer. 15.16 Thy words were sound and I did eat them and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart By me thy words were found who did them eat Internally the same oft to repeat And 't is my hope with these not to depart The Joy and the rejoycing of my heart To me they are since I the same retain Within my Bosom as my greatest gain THE CONCLUSION Thus far arriv'd my pious muse and I Delighting Scripture verse to versify 'T is pity then that I should not peruse And practice what 's the precepts of my muse For she design'd that all she writ might tend Unto Gods glory e're she made AN END A Brief Alphabeticall Expositour explaining the most difficult words made use of in this Book This Table 's Trivial in the Seholar's eye Yet serves the mean and that want's Memory A ABoade A dwelling place Abound To Increase Absolute Perfect Absurd Foolish Abstain To forbear Abiss A bottomless pit Actual What is done or committed Activate To make active or lively Admit To allow of Affect To love Affirm To prove a thing true Affabillity Kindness or curteousie Allay To over power a thing Allure To entice by love Alphabeticall Belonging to the 24 letters of the Alphabet Ambitious Desirous of a thing Amity Love or Friendship Ample Full or large Amplitude Largeness Angellick The likeness of or belonging to an Angel Annoy What offendeth one Anthems Divine verses Anticipate To take place before another thing Animate To enliven or encourage Applause To clap hands in ones praise Apology What man speaketh in his own behalf Apprehend To understand Appellation To give things their proper names Approach To draw near Approvable What may be liked of Arrogance Pride Argue To reason the case or hold an argument Ascribe To impute or apply a thing to him that deserves it Astrologick Belonging to Astrology or the study of Stars Assume When one thing takes to its self the nature of another Assaulted One that 's follow'd with hatr'd Attribute To ascribe or impute Attraction To draw unto Attest To witness a thing Attempt To aim at or adventure on some notable thing Author The first that invents or maketh any thing Augment To make greater Authentique What is well esteemed of Avarice Coveteousness Awe Fear or dread B Baccus A title given the God of wine Ban A curse Basis A foundation Bereave To deprive or leave one destitute of somthing Benediction A blessing Bibbe To drink often Bliss Blessedness Bounty Goodness Boundless Without bounds or closure Bottomless Without a bottom Brief Little or short Breviate A lesser thing made of a greater Brittish Belonging to Wales or Britain Brittanick The same as British Bruits Beasts or Cattel C Candour Courtesie Canonized One declar'd to be a Saint Capable Able Capacity Abillity Captious Fantastical or quareling at others words Cardiganian Belonging to the County of Cardigan Caution A watch-word to take heed of a thing Caelestial Belonging to Heaven Censorieus A person that finds faults when he cannot mend them Characters Names or descriptions Charm To delude or allure Chaos Confusion Chastised One corrected or afflicted Christianis'd One made a Christian Circumference A Circle or Compass Circumstance A space of time or an argument Clemency Mercy or gentleness Cleave To Close unto Cogitation A thought or thinking Comprehend To conceive in mind Comprehensive What may be received in the mind Complacent Delightful Compil'd What 's fram'd or set together Commiserate To take pity Communication A partaking in talking Competent Convenient Comprize To contain or comprehend Composing Framing of a thing Commentary'd Notes made on Scriptures to explain their meaning Condescention To be humble or meek Confer To reason together Confine To limit or put in bounds Confute To disprove one Converse To discourse Controul To bear rule or