And sneaking Envie runs at honours heeles At length it mounts upon the Mount Parnasses Then brought down head-long with a Teame of Asser O wretched man The Vse the Devill he is too cunning He never tells thee that thy Glasse is running That Ignorance is no excuse at all Delaying time oft proves thy fatall fall The VVorld a VVitch drawes men into a Maze That still he runs untill he run his dayes Turne backe betime Repent and Cry for Grace VVhen Christ appears sinne hath an ugly Face Now last of all grim Death must yeeld his Power This glorious King will make that Tyrant cower Death Devill and Sinne must all be forc'd to yeeld And King of Kings have Glory in the Field Thus all his Foes being troden under Feet He sits triumphing in a glorious Seat An Admonition for Children LOve and obey thy Parents in thy heart Prov. 6.20.21.22 23. where ere thou goest they 'l leade thee on thy way VVhen thou dost sleep they will not from thee part and when thou wakes they 'l move thee for to Pray That God will blesse them and increase their store That is the way to make thy blessing more Feare their Commands they are a lampe so cleare that they will make thee vertuously to live Thy Fathers Care and Mothers Love is deare and good Instructions they are bound to give VVhich being followed mittigates all strife And brings the Child into the way of Life Luke 1.60 BLest be the God that 's Israels Lord for his kinde Visitation VVho sent to us his Divine VVord that wrought our Soules Salvation From Davids Loynes and Jesses Root a Vine did spring upright That spread all Israel about a glorious Lampe of Light Thy holy Prophets did declare that we should saved be To keep that Promise that thou Sware thy Covenant to free Vs to deliver from the hand and feare of all our Foes In holinesse upright to stand till Death our Dayes inclose And thou O Child and Prophet Great prepare the way thou must Through sorrows sad and bloody sweat for to Redeeme the just Through tender mercy God gave Grace from Darkenesse Day to bring And made our way to perfect Peace from Jessâ—â— Root to Spring 2 Ep. Tim. 2.8 Meditations of Saint Steven POndring with Admitation how Paul was wrapt to Meaven I had a Meditation upon the Death of Itoven All faithfull Martyrs may by Faith see all things fitting Heaven ope more cleare then Day and Christ ia Glory sitting Acts 7. â—5 This Martyr was the first that see from Earth to Heaven A Comfort to the rest that sheds their blood like Steven The Glory of the Trinity SAint John came poor had neither Gold nor Mony but yet he had the Spirit of Elias His Meate was Locust and a little Honny Mat. 3.4 he Preached Repentance and Cured Hezekiah I never Read he ever Preached of Merrit or workes of men could Heavenly joyes inherit In Jerdans Flood John did Baptize indeed Ver. 17. and thither did our blessed Saviour come From Heaven a Dove descended on his Head ver 16.17 a Voyce was heard this is my loved Sonne Blest Eyes and Eares that there did heare and see without dispute the blessed Trinitie Herod that Fox accuseth John the just Mat. 14.3 for speaking truth to Prison he must goe A Dancing Damsell and unlawfull Lust ver 6. joyn'd joyntly both poor John to overthrow A damned Beldame of a cursed Seed ver â— 10. betraide poor John and made him lose his Head The Guides to Heaven VAine-glory Honour Pleasure Pride Psal 45.10.11 Idolatry and Lust VVhen Pharaohs Daughter is a Bride She must lay in the Dust Then Marry her to Canaans King She will content his mind Such vertuous Beauty for to bring leaves Egypts sinnes behind Even so my Sovle thou Christ shalt take thy Husband for to be And all thy former sinnes forsake and make thy Conscience free Not giving way to any one for one thy Soule may kill But give to Christ thy Soule alone who will all joyes fulfill Though Flesh be fraile Fight doe not yeild give no Consent be sure Unfaigned Faith must be thy Sheild it shall thy Soule secure True Charity must be thy Guide hold Hope fast by the hand Thy holy Angell Guards thy side so walke to Canaans Land Pauls Counsell to the Gentiles SAint Paul was Call'd the Gentiles for to Call 1 Cor. 11.18 And to Convert them to the Christian Faith He Preach'd with Power to Comfort them with all And gave them Counsell as the Scripture saith First try themselves by true Examination And then to take the Signes of their Salvation Forget forgive and make thy Conscience cleare Thy Darling Sinne pull up and throw away A Contrite Heart joyn'd with a godly feare Will worke this Faith that Christ thy debts did pay Upon the Crosse have but this strong beleife This saving Faith redeems thee from thy greife Sinne was the Cause thy sorrows are so great Let godly sorrow drive away thy sin It is but folly for to chafe and fret Rely on Christ and put thy trust in him Repent in Heart and Christ thy Soule shall feed VVith Angels Food in Signes of VVine and Bread Holy Advice BY holy VVrit I heard it prov'd at large That we our selves to God should reconcile 2 Cor. 5.20 Not to delay the time was given in charge But to Repent and drive sinne to Exile For Christ our Christ for sinne hath borne the smart The Nayles his Flesh the Speare did pierce his Heart Iohn 19.34 Ver. 21. He had no sinne for me he was made sin Christ onely Christ must pacifie Gods wrath Angell nor Man nor any thing but him This to beleeve is true effectuall Faith Lord I beleeve help thou my unbeleefe Make strong my Faith like to the dying Theefe Luke 23.43 A true Faith TAke time before for he is bald behind Stretch forth thy hand and take him by the locke Be strong in Faith and thou shalt Comfort find Gates being shut it is too late to knocke Mat. 25.10.12 Christ lov'd me so when I was at a losse To gaine my Soule he Dyed upon the Crosse Thus he the Just for me unjust was slaine The Righteous for the unrighteous Dyed The way to Heaven a fixed Faith makes plaine If that thy Faith be the right way applyed I doe beleeve that Christ did Dye for me Doe thou the like and then he Dyed for thee A holy Desire SEarch thou Psal 139.23.24 O Lord my heart at ground and rip it up in every Vaine All wickednesse that may be found pull up by roots I feare no paine And if I harbour any thought that is contrary to thy will Grant me that grace to count it nought and banish it for being ill Lord let me see my wicked wayes and grace for to abhorre the same All Glory Honour Laud and Prayse ascribe I will unto thy Name
life Lord heare my Prayer take fleshly lusts away 1 Ep. Pet. 1.2 and give my Eyes no power to lust at all But on such things as lawfully I may use for to make the pride of lise to fall Quit of all these take heart be of good cheare Run forth thy Race Psal 37.1 be patient doe not feare Christs Love to Man THe true Elect Heb. 12.2 by true effectuall Faith beleeves that Christ by death hath them redeem'd A Prophet Priest and King all three he hath perform'd in Office so deare he us esteem'd That nothing should be wanting for our good His Fathers wrath he hath appeas'd with blood Dare mortall man be bold as to desire but that the God of gods hath it reveal'd His working spirits makes mortalls to admire that our Salvation should not be conceal'd For wretched man had neer thought to have sought it Had not Gods love and Christ with blood have bought it This blessed Jesus the Author of our Faith with Heavenly joy did guide the way before And finish all for so the Scripture saith that on the Crosse with shame he clear'd our score For he doth fit upon a glorious Sear 1 Ep. Pet. 3.22 One Gods right hand for our poor Soules to pleat An Article of our Faith He suffered under Pontius Pilate MOurne mortall man in dolour of thy heart with sorrows sad and sighes lament thy sin Christ Heaven forsakes Isay 53.4 He suffered to beare a hellish smart and took our base infirmities of him And for a time he made the Earth his stage To free us mortalls from his Fathers rage Tiberius then in Rome did beare the sway and had the Jewes obedient to his power Under Pontius Pilate Sent Pontinus Pilate his Debuty away whose strict commands made all the Jewes to lowre Yet for to please his Conscience did Condemne unjustly judging led by wicked men Ioh. 19.16 The Lord of Life he did condemne to dye 1 Cor. 2.8 by providence he judged unto Death That no Death else but that could testifie VVas crucâ—fied the Lambe of God deprived of his breath All former Types and Prophesies of him He did fulfill and clear'd the Just of sin For to make good his Death he buried was Dead and burâ—ed Ioh. 19.41 within a Tombe where never none was layd To make it safe a Guard on it did passe a jealious feare did make the Jewes afraid That his Disciples his body should convay Mat. 27.64 And on the Night should steale his Corps away But by his Power for he himselfe was Power Ioh. 10.18 The grave is sometimes takâ—n for Hell Mat. 28.6 Act. 2.24 Psâ— 16.10 Hâ—â—eâ—cended into hell not locally Hos 13.14 he from the Grave did powerfully arise Mans Enemy grim Death he made to lowre triumphingly the Grave he did despise For none but Christ he had the power alone Free from Corruption was this holy one Then it is said to Hell he did descend by Hellish paines he must worke mans salvation Not locally for then I should offend among the damned doom'd unto damnation As man being there be never could returne But evermore in fiery torments burne Where shall we finde that Christ perform'd his Passion not with the Damned Christ in his passion neither in the Grave But Praying in the Garden as it was his fashion paine prickt his heart sweat blood and there to have The paines of Hell Gods wrath within a Cup VVhich could not passe before he drunke it up This was not all much more then this must be mockt Indured the shame despised the crosse All is finished Mat. 27.46 Psal 22.7 Rev. 5.1 Gen. 49.9 Rev. 5.5 and arraign'd condemn'd his Life to lose Most shamefully be nayl'd unto a Tree and Crucified upon a wooden Crosse There finisht all that he did undertake When he did cry My God doth me forsake This crying Lambe he undertook Seaven Seales to open and the book Of Judahs Tribe this was the Lyon That brought all joy and peace to Syon This holy Lambe Ioh. 19 16. our soules to gaine Was by the Jewes and Pilate slaine Gods onely deare beloved Son Sinne Devill and Death did overcome Look on him Lord yet bleeding see It is his blood that saveth me I thanke my God Eph. 3.6 this Faith I hold Thy promise Lord doth make me bold A Heaven on Earth REading an Author that I will not name who saith the Elect beginneth Heaven on Earth And for my part I will beleeve the same for joyes are great that 's found in a new birth VVhen God grants grace to rule and guide the heart There is no feare true Faith will doe his part VVhat comfort more when Saints by Faith doe hold that God in glory fills the heavens with light No Summers heat to feare nor VVinters cold the Sonne of Sonnes is ever in their sight There joyes and dayes are endlesse in their length Seen of all Saints but not with equall strength God in his mercy will our workes regard but for our merits they are nothing worth Cold water in a Cup he will reward and Martyrs blood by Tyrants powred forth They both shall be content to their desire But for desert they nothing can require Strive then on Earth in Heaven to have a place effectuall Faith and Grace will guide the way Let hope thee help be sure in any case and love of God will force thee for to Pray Then Pray in Faith it will thy soule prepare The world to scorne in Heaven to have a share The Soules Complaint O Lord when I doe summon up my sins they mount to be in number numberlesse Psal 50.17 Isay 57.15 Psal 50.1 Then godly sorrow in my soule begins and cryes for mercy in my great distresse For mercy Lord for mercy I intreat Thy mercy farre exceeds my Sins though great Look on the wounds before thy face that bleeds it was my sins that made those mortall wounds Thy heavenly food my soule with comfort feeds thy blessed Promises in all my sences sounds Joh. 6.47 My sinnes are pardoned for I trust in him VVhose bleeding wounds doth wash away my sin And now my soule prepare thy selfe to take those sacred signes that Christ hath Instituted Receive by Faith they will thee joyfull make his righteousnesse be to thy selfe imputed That is the Robe that makes us Rich in Grace And shine like Saints before his glorious Face The Soules request toGod before the Communion TRy Heart Mat. 5.8 and Reignes without within Lord cleanse them cleane and make them pure Plucke up by Roots all sorts of sin thy blood Isay 53.5 Isay 43 4 O Lord my wounds must cure And being cured Lord by thee My soule shall live eternally As sure as I doe Eate the Bread My inward thoughts at the Communion Ioh. 6.51 and in my stomacke it disgeast By Faith upon Christs Flesh I feed a misticall and holy Feast And when I doe receive the Cup and Drinke the VVine my Heart doth say It is Christs blood by Faith drink 't up then I give thanks and thus I Pray Now then in me and I in thee Iâ—h â— 56 My Prayer after the Communion Joyn'd fast in Faith knit one in one Lord let us never parted be Till heaven take soule and earth the bone And both at Resurrection Rise Ioh 19.27 By Gods great power made one againe Then I shall see thee with these Eyes And ever prayse thy holy Name All Glory be to God above That fills my heart with joy and love A Friendly Admonition to the Quakers O Lord my God give grace to guide my Pen To write the truth of these vild wicked men VVhich doting drives into the Hunters snares To breathe out Curses when they should use Prayers Confound their Pillars or convert their Rockes Mis-leading Leaders cursed Nayler Fox False Zeale and Spirits makes them boast and cracke For Gilpin said they have both White and Blacke These men take pleasure on the Sabbath Day To trouble some almost as bad as they Those that dare Preach not Call'd by holy order Mat. 7.15 With Hands layd on approv'd by Heavens Recorder Doth runne themselves in danger of their Maker For to be punish'd equall with the Quaker These hold that they once call'd can sinne no more Though Thiefe or Robber Traytor or a Whore Against all truth and Conscience they aspire To guard damn'd Doctrine and make truth a lyar Ioh. 1.8 That crys we are damn'd in every Towne and Street This bids Repent I hold that Doctrine sweet But both are led with such a subtile guide That shoots the strait Mat. 7.13 and runs the way that 's wide Lord cleare their Eyes that they may see the evill And save their soules from running to the Devill They say the day of Judgement is at hand That I beleeve for I doe understand That Christ himselfe fore-told of such a Sect That should deceive but never his Elect. This Sect lay close six hundred fifty Yeare One thousand more yet never knowen here Audatious Rebels that wrongs our Heavenly King Assumes that Honour that is due to him You say you are the Life the Truth the Way What have you left to whom are we to Pray What doe you thinke we take you to be gods Presuming thus there is but little odds O wretched wretches know you are but men And dye you shall take heed of Judgement then Christ is the Life which life he freely gave His faithfull servants and Elect to save Christ is the Truth you dare it not deny He led the Way when he was plea'd to dye Was Buried Rose Assend then seen no more Be faithfull follow the way is made before Stand still and study and blush you are amisse And cry for mercy while there mercy is Love not that Spirit that maketh all this strife Confesse you are no way no truth no life FINIS
With Angels I will then rejoyce in time of all Eternity When thou admits my Soule and Voyce to Sing and see the Trinity A Conscience quiet not good LOrd keep me from a Conscience free from griefe That ever liv'd in joy and worldly pleasure But never sorrow felt untill the Death To sighe for sin he never took the leisure Yet he presumes Gods mercy is so great He shall be sav'd though he doe not intreat A Conscience never quiet yet good LOrd look upon a Soule that sighes for sinne And mournes in secret with a heart sincere That Sathan seeks to catch within his Ginne But hath no power to quench his godly feare He grieves and waits when God will comfort send And so at length obtaines his wished end A Conscience neither good nor quiet OWofull wretch whose Soule is never quiet Whose Conscience fryes him in a fiery Flame Yet drinks and drabs sweares and feasts with ryot Till Deaths dart strike him in a mortall vaine Then cryes and cries will this paine last for ever VVhen will it end A Voyce doth Answer Never A Conscience quiet and good O Happy he whose Conscience telleth him That goodly mones hath wrought effectuall Faith Beleeves Christs blood hath wash'd away his sin That his deep wound appeas'd his Fathers wrath And doth desire and Pray and Pray againe That never sin have power in him to raigne God guard and watch my thoughts from steps and falls For sinners feet stand oft one tottering balls No help in Man Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon Earth that I desire besides thee Psal 73.25 VVHen I collect all faculties I have I can find nought but worthles worth in man No power at all he hath himselfe to save his Birth is painefull and his Life a span As fraile as Grasse let him doe what he can Who puts his trust in any Man at all Leanes on a Reed and 's sure to catch a fall Take Man alone as meerly he is Man for help and counsell he is far to seek In his Conceit he thinketh now and than that every words a sentence he doth speak And to excell he oft his braines doth breake Great Counsels now that hath the ratest wits Their witty wisedome proves but foolish fits Now Man I leave thee for thou art but vaine unlesse a Power from Heaven doe thee direct For by that Power thou knowledge may obtaine to know thy selfe and God for to affect To him alone give love and true respect VVhom have I then in Heaven and Earth but thee For all things else are fraile and vanity The Vanity of the World THree things there are that 's counted faults in men And worldlings hates them to the very Death Honour offered Honour VVrongs Fashions and refused again And VVrongs received yet cannot urge the breath Counts worldly Fashions like an Aspen Leafe VVhom these affect the worldling holds as Fooles And fit to live obscurely like to Owles The first they hold a basenesse in the Spirit The second sencolesse a food or stupid humour The third a scorne to time deserves no merit And thus poor Soules they bide the worlds rumour Thus worldlings love that is the worlds consumer Thou Wretch thou 〈◊〉 thou 〈◊〉 hast lost thy sight Thou art so blind thou knowes not Day from Night The first doth hold with God a true content The second hath a care to live secure The third holds Fashions vaine and follies vent For Fashions are for sickle fooles a lure Fooles and Fashions are tyed together sure Observe these signes you shall perceive it plaine These three things good it is the world that 's vaine My Lent Labour or Prayers or Meditations O Lord set thou my heart upright Psal 119.52 and let my Meditations be To Pray to thee both Day and Night for to obtaine Eternity And that with Christ I may ascend Io. 20.17 Into those joyes that never end Teach me O Lord in Faith to Pray Psal 86.11 with holy feare and godly groanes That my poor soule may finde the way with sighes and sobbs and mourning moanes My glorious Fathers Face to see Psal 17.15 And sing Songs with felicity Deare loving Father doe not frowne Psal 30.7 but in thy mercy look on me Least my sad sins doe sinke me downe and so I lose Eternity But still in Christ I put my trust Ioh. 3.26 That he will place me with the just It was my 〈…〉 Death It was my sinnes that made him Dye It was my sinnes that stopt his breath It was my sinnes that cruelly Did put the Lord of Life to paine But I was sav'd 1 Pet. 2.2 when he was slaine It was his Love Ioh. 15.13 not my deseart It was his Love that set me free For this his Love I give my heart It was his owne he gave it me My heart Prov. 23.26 Pâ— 15.28 Job 19.30 O Lord thou dost require Accept it then whole and intire I thanke the Lord for this thy Death I thanke the Lord that thus did Dye I thanke the Lord that lost thy breath I thanke the Lord Luke 23.46 Psal 31.4.5 that patiently Upon the Crosse did pay my debt And broak the Coards of Sathans Net Thus for my Soule Lord I doe pleat Now for my Body I intreat My wants good God for to supply And Cure thy servants mallady I need not tell Mat. 6.11 thou knowes my need Give me my God my Dayly Bread Cherish no Sinne. IF Pagan Princes Heb. 12.1 for their Olympian sports did spare no cost vaine-glory to obtaine By Running Tilting and Games of divers sorts feeding the fancies of a franticke braine Found ought they thought their foolish fits would hinder Though nee'r so rich would burne it to a Sinder If these from whom was hid all saving grace would burne to nought all that their pleasures crost What must we leave that runs a godly Race but all our sinnes fast tyed to a Post Let none be lost no not in thy desire But freely throw them Post and all in th' fire O thou my Soule a blessed Race to runne throw every weight away that troubleth thee If fleshly Lusts seeke thee to overcome 1 Ep. â—â—â— 2.11 bid it avoyde I hate thy company Thou art a weight that I must throw away God give me grace to make it good I Pray Still I am bound to make all speed I can to run my Course with patience to the end More stops I find so vaine a thing is Man lusts of my Eyes my Conscience doth offend They spie strange objects that sets my heart a flote For to desire things farre above my lot And now my heart begins to mount aloft the world is all too little to content it It feeds on dainties lyes on pillowes soft thus wealth breeds woe unlesse a man repent it Though all these lusts I finde in me too rife Good Lord defend me from the pride of