for death that ends other miseries begins his that falls away from God R emembrance of one daies sin brings to minde how great a masse many dayes have made up too great a bottome for one houres sorrow to ravell out I n youth I was too yong now I am too old between both these time I had other businesse so to shufflle off repentance is very dangerous G ods patience invites our repentance his sparing us so long is that our amendment might proeure him to spare us for ever H ee that hath any motion of repentance in his soule or but a touch of sorrow a sparke of hope a graine of saith be comforted the God of mercie will not have him perish T his is our day the next is the Lords if we do not in this day provide for that that day shall condemne us for the losse of this H ee that hath a secret pride root out that or a secret infidelity cast out that strive not to know where or when we shall be judged but how we shall answer the Judge A s no day without sin so let no day passe without sorrow such showres kill the weeds of lust and spring the herbs of grace N ot a Lot in Canaan without a Joshua our Captaine no roome in heaven without a Jesus our King D oe not protract thy conversion for if thou repell or neglect one good motion thou art not sure of a second W ithout some sawce of sorrow all worldly delights are but like delicate meat to a man that hath lost his taste give God leave to scrourge us so long as he doth save us H ee that is lowest in the World if his conversation be in Heaven is the highest let his feet stand upon the earth his head is in heaven E very one puts off conversion and at twenty send Religion afore them to thirty from thence forty and yet not pleased to entertaine it at threescore at last comes death and allowes not an houre E very man repent while he lives that he may rejoyce when he dyes L et every man be sure to repent one day before his death but hereof thou canst not be sure unlesse thou repent every day E arth must do something to bring it selfe to heaven Gods bountifuluesse is beyond our thankfulnesse then looke to thine owne duty T o speake of vertue is nothing the labour of it is to shew the power of it in vertuous actions O ur conversation is the Index of our estate if that be bad the credit of our profession is lost and we are broke in our Religion T hat heart that conceives grace will bring it forth for he that gives strength denies not strength to bring it forth H ee that is truly called hath a sincere devout affection to Christ and above all things loves the place where his honour dwells E vill men may shew the good they have not but good men cannot hide the good they have L et thy life grow white thy haires lest thou be full of daies and fuller of sinne E very mans conscience testifies that there is a rule which if he follow hee does well and is at peace if not he findes trouble with feare of punishment F aith is the foundation of a Christian but that once lost all is desperate T he good man sleeps more secure in his tent then a sinner in his barracadoed fortifications H appy is the man that cares not to call any thing his owne save Jesus Christ A righteous soul is alwayes like the body of a square figure lay it how you list it will still be constant and like it selfe N o neighbourhood is able to make the Serpent and the Woman the cursed seed of the one and the blessed seed of the other agree D eath is contrary to life and commonly they that live like Laban dye like Nabal which is but the same word inverted W hen man turnes himselfe out of Gods service all the creatures serving him are turned out of his service H ee that plaies on purpose to lose is not like to win therefore be resolved against transgression as you would be resolved of your salvation E ither never chuse me or never lose me this is vertues charge to begin in the spirit and end in the flesh in Pauls sense is folly E very man must fall and as the tree falls so it must lye and commonly it falls to that side which is most loaden with fruit the fruit of obedience to the right hand and of wicked nesse to the left L et us eat to live not live to eat for when we have devoured the most delicate creatures the wormes shall devoure us E very man that lives dishonestly will dye shamefully Saul so bloudied against David that the Priests became unmercifull to him T he lesse space a man hath allowed him for his businesse the more let him ply it the fewer dayes the fruitfuller lessons O sinner thy life is short the world is not long but hell is eternall of whose torment there is no cessation and from which there is no redemption T i me past is irrecoverable the future to us is contingent and our very now is slippery and transcient this is all the terme we have we must enjoy this or none H oly David ran the way of Gods Commandements it is but folly to ask why he made such haste when we know he would faine be at home E very day will I blesse and praise thy name saith David the day will have an evening if his praise should last no longer night would bring in silence but for ever and ever R I de faire and foftly is the weary travellers rule when he comes near his journeyes end but if we lag so in the way of godlinesse we shall never come to the end of our expected journey I s there fulnesse of joy in Heaven yes but thy laughing and singing in a Taverne is no paterne of it G reat honour and glory is in heaven but our base covetous desires of the riches of this world are no paternes of it H eavenly musicke and harmony is above but our wanton sonnets and drunken carches are no paternes of it T here is peace and rest above but mans idle security and slippery neglects are no paternes of it H eavenly beauties with clarity are above but mans peecing the defects of nature with art dressing up of dust in rich atires are no paterns of it A great light shines above but the workes of darknesse that is in man is no reflection of it N othing but pure innocencie is above but mans rapines rage and bloudinesse are no resemblances of it D oubtlesse there is perfect obedience above but mans rebellions are no modules of it O ther language then the praises of Christ is not heard in heaven mans oaths curses and blasphemies are not like those sounds R epent and for sake your sinnes while it is called to day remember the covenat we made
no evill matters O nce God spake it another time performed it a third time redouled it therefore none can plead ignorance that they want instruction U ngodly men may taste of the waters of life by chance as a dog laps at Nilus but his voyage is bound for mischiefe W hile the Devill can busie men with ceremony and circumstance he hopes well and will let them alone about faith and manners E xternall prosperity is no good marke of our election the fairest beasts are kept for slaughter R emember alwayes the house of mourning is not for mirth Christ turned the Musitians out of doores E very judgement we see should make us wiser in the feare of God every mercy we feele wiser in the love of God H ee that thinks to asswage the anguish of one sin by doing another preseribes to himselfe a remedy far worse then the disease A faire carriage keeps temptation out at staves end but lightnesse of presence lets it into the graple and gives encouragement to lewd desires L ove is commended like water it neither makes a man in debt nor in drinke so love is neither hard to get nor costly to keep F alling from Christ can be incident to none but Christians for they that were never up can never be said to fall F or knowne diseases there be knowne medicines but hypocrisie prevents all wayes of remedy I t is better with Philosophers to have honesty without Religion then with wicked Christians to have Religion without honesty L et men turne from wickednesse to piety and God will turne judgement to mercy Solomon and Idolater Zacheus an extortioner Noah drunke yet all these went to heaven E xpectation is sometimes of feare so the timer ous traveller looks for the theef and so the conscious malefactor looks for the comming of the Judge Saul is tempted sinneth and sleepeth his last David is tempted sinneth and sleepeth not his last T he lesse space a man hath allowed for his businesse the more he should ply it the fewer dayes the fruitfuller lessons O h that my people would have heard these are royall and sweet speeches but to the wicked God changeth his speech into sharpnesse T he more a man fears God the lesse he fears any thing else for all the fear of Satan ariseth from the want of the due feare of God H ee that loves God only for temporall blessings and faile him when those blessing faile is like mutinous souldiers no longer pay no longer fight E ndeavour to keep thy shield of faith and thou shalt victoriously march with the Saints on earth and triumphantly with Angels in heaven L et Princes boast of their delicacies Christ liveth in me this be the food of our soules E ndeavour that your faith be encreased and grow still from faith to faith F aith is a fundamentall grace and should overcome the World yet it will prove a coward without servencie T here is no poverty of estate or consumption of body to a leane starved soule which neither knowes nor cares to know Christ H ee that loves God for himselfe and goodnesse because it is goodnesse can God A s God will crowne the faithfull above their deserts with glory so hee will load the wicked according to their deserts with eternall torments N ot to have no spots here but to have no spots imputed to us hereafter is the happinesse of Christian D arknesse of nature must have its due course by creation yet no darknesse shall afflict thy body while there is saving light in thy soule D esire more grace seeke more never thinke you have enough be still poore that you may be rich rich that you may be full full that you may be glorious O h that men could see how much better it is to be poore then evill and that there is no comparison between want and sin U se the world but enjoy the Lord be thankfull for outward blessings but rest thy heart on Jesus Christ B etter are the troubles and differences of righteousnesse then the peace of wickednesse L et nothing pierce your hearts deep either in griefe or feare but sin and unbeleefe E nvy not the gifts of God in any neither thinke hardly of their infirmities nor fret at the prosperity of the wicked Y f we be departed from Babylon let not a rag or relike of superstition abide with us for it is proore comfort to escape in Sodome and perish in the Playnes O ur conversation to God must be with a whole heart without exception without hypocrisie without delay without apostacie and without despaire U nstable men are in a wretched estate their Religion is yet to chuse they know they shall dye but know not what faith to dye in R ight holinesse is true nobility for without goodnesse there can be no true glory F aith working by love performes all duties to God and man but false faith is like sandy earth which never brings forth fruit R eligion and true Piety is the readiest way to the highest advancement therefore above all treasure set your hearts thereon O ne sparke of true Religion is far beyond a whole flame of secular wisdome N eeds must that vertue be fruitfull that is stirring and needs must that be stirring that is living and needs must that be living that is quickned by Jesus Christ T he neglect of resolution to enter the way of righteousnesse is the forlorne state of a sinner for what hopes can be had of him that hath not so much as a purpose to be holy A good man lives after death but the name of the wicked is rotten before their carcaste is cold S inne like a viper may hang upon Pauls hand and not poyson it it may bring a potentiall guilt not an actuall Y f mans heart be divided if sinks to confusion but keep it whole to the way of truth and it shall be saved O ur eyes be good we know our hands be good God grant our hearts be good that we may defend Christs cause U ntill a man seele his owne want and that feeling breed sorrow that sorrow desire that desire prayer that prayer increase of faith that prayer of his shall never bring downe Gods mercy W retched are they that flatter themselves but blessed are they that can prove themselves to be out of the ranke of the ungodly E xamine thy selfe whether thou hast suffered an heavenly holy violence or whether grace hath wrought upon thee if not thou livest the life of nature R emember to walk in a measure of holinesse answerable to Gods mercy for if we turne his grace into wantonnesse he will turne his mercy into judgement E very argument is shut up with an ergo and is the knowne note of a conclusion thus may the syllogisme be framed but whosoever would escape destruction must adhere to the truth T he greatest shew of sanctity that error puts on the more fuller of suspition therefore beware of the
in baptisme forbids it L ooke to the innumerable savours where with God hath blessed us graced and honoured us and we shall find them sufficient to oblige us to obedience E ither the name of Saviour in our salvation or the name of Judge in our confusion some way this honourable name will strike upon us F eare God more and we shall feare all other things lesse turne all thy feare into the feare of God for he will honour them that honour him T ill we have put our sins to the worst we shall never get the better of our enemies for God will not be wanting to us if we be not wanting to him and our selves W hen rebellions abound punishments are full of variety God destroyed Corah by fire the Canaanites by the sword the whole earth by water H ee little loves Christ that will not love him without company and his zeale is cold to heaven whom the example of numbers can turn away E very true childe is obedient and will follow his fathers directions then if we follow not God we are bastards E very promise of God is a cordiall able to fetch backe a swooning soule there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ is a sweet cordiall L et every Christian soule on the holy feet of faith and obedience travell towards Jerusalem then Christ will say thou shalt have my company E arth is more honourable and brave in the spectators then in the spectacle but the glory of new Jerusalem the splendor of righteousnesse is farre more honourable A s a traveller passeth from Towne to Towne till he come to his Inne so the Christian from Grace to Grace till he come to Heaven B lessed is that man that is holy nothing can make that man poore for he graceth all conditions honours and places O ne grace opens the doore for another for God is never weary of blessing where he hath once begun V ivification and living unto grace comes only by mortification and dying unto sinne for by the death of the body comes the life of glory T here is nothing for which Christ will reward us but that whereby his glory is the greater for us such as in great tribulations confesse him R eprobates and wicked men if their bodies were like their soules they would grovell like beasts A s God shews mercy to some in their salvation so it is fit he should shew justice upon others in their damnation N othing can defend against the arrows of God neither are the strongest Cities shot-proofe for things ordained for refuge are by his justice made destructive K nowledge neglected brings great judgements for he that cloaks error with ignorance binds two sins together and receives double vengeance S innes of ignorance stand in need of mercy but what cloake is long enough to cover sinnes against knowledge O f servants they are in worst case that are sold but worse that do service in prison worst of all bound in fetters such is the condition of the ungodly P estilence should not be more avoided then the conversation of the mis-religious or openly prophane E xpiation was offered for the world and offered to the world but those that are blessed by it are separated from the world N othing so sure as there shall be a judgement such as is the conscience such shall be the sentence B oasting of sin when it is done doubles the lewdnesse wicked men glory in that which shall everlastingly cast them from glory A Canon doth not so much hurt from a wall as a myne under the wall nor a thousand enemies that threaten so much as a few that take an oath to say nothing C hristianity is become the footstoole of policie and hath made bargaines with the World for universall Monarchy Religion being but the labell to that Indenture K nowledge is not wholly exercised with good nor wholly taken up with evill but it knows both good and evill thus man thought to have become like God and became indeed like the Devill W ee know Christ to be the best Counsellour therefore undertake nothing without consulting at his Oracle A whole garment is more hand some then a broken one but a broken heart is more pleasing to God then a whole heart R epentace is the necessary way to salvation it is the will of God that none should perish yet withall it is his will that all shall perish except they repent D estruction would not fall upon the wicked unlesse they first by their wickednesse bring it upon themselves O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self T he imitaters of evill deserve punishment the abetters more but there is no hell deep enough for the leaders of wickednesse O ur owne feet carrie us to sin we love the journey our affections seduce us and so have been our undoing Y f there will come no period to the rebellion of the wicked till they sinke downe to hell yet for shame know no date of thy obedience till thou come up to heaven O f all victories love is the greatest to overcome evill with good is to be like God whose Image we beare in our creation and to whose Image we are restored in our redemption U pright justice is without equivocation it seeks not to obey God for mans sake but man for Gods sake it obeyes men but never against God R ighteousnesse and all happinesse is in the will of God to his creature for holinesse is the daughter of repenance O ur persons are justified by our faith our faith is justified by our charity our charity by the actions of a holy life R emember that there is nothing that makes a man so unlike to God as a hard heart without pity without patience D iligence and patience with painfulnesse are good but it is the sincerenesse of the heart that commends the rest E very Christian souldiers scutchion must be patience and his motto I serve Angells are glad of this title R emember the end is neare thy end nearer whether the end of this shall not be the end of all thy dayes thou hast no assurance to day then heare his voice repent one day before thy last day O ld age were better gather grace for themselves then goods for their posterity for it is their last time of gathering R eward belongs to labourers not loyterers the Crowne is laid up not for cowards but for Conquerers O into what infortunate times are we fallen when all our wrongs must be answered in blood P ray and repent repent and pray joyne with them abstinence adde to them three patience faith obedience and amendment of life and the Lord our God will deliver us E very man kisse that hand that strikes us love God that crosseth us and trust in that power that kills us this is the honorable proof of a Christian N o man is the worse for his repentant grief if the evill do come its labour well spent if not its a labour well
lost O ur good God takes it in a foule scorne to speake and not be heard to be heard and not minded R eligion promiseth no worldly pleasures but contrary they shall whip and scourge you they shall binde and lead you whither you would not D oe as the most doe and fewest will finde fault with you but God chargeth us not to follow a multitude in evill E very mans hand is not an able instrument of mischiefe but whosoever the instrument be the consenter is as deep both in the sin and the penalty R ighteous men shall never be swept away for company yet the unrighteous are often spared for company F ew words to the wicked in the latter day but full of bitternesse depart word of separation ye cursed words of malediction into everlasting fire words of desolation prepared for the Devill and his angell words of exemplification I n many things familiarity breeds contempt but in these things strangenesse and ignorance hath made men prophanely insolent E very man hath his knowledge from nature but the Christian his from grace one is from earth the other from heaven L et no man cast with himselfe how old he may be before he returne from his sinnes lest he reckon without his host S inne is like Stibium it will tarry with no body up it must either here by an humble confession or hereafter by a wretched confusion T here can be no full satisfaction or consolation in the minde of any knowledge but of Ghrist O utward crosses and calamities may take from us our goods of this world but it can never take Christ Jesus from us T he contempt of the truth makes it not worse but thy selfe and the advancing of it makes it not better but thy self H ee that is alwaies for the time nothing for the truth is like a top that goes alwayes round never forwards unlesse it be whipt E very worldling is left-handed he will be doing though hee have no thanks for his paines R eligion derived from Christ preserves unity with Christians he that will not keep the peace of God shall not be kept by the peace of God I t is easie for the greatnesse of authority to beare out the smalnesse of piety and commonly the sins of the mighty are mighty sinnes therefore their destruction is answerable to their presnmption G ods children have three suits of apparrell blacke white and red here we are blacke with mourning red with parse cution and shall be white only glorified H ee that mournes for the cause of his punishment shall mourn but a while but he that mournes for the punishment and not for cause shall mourne for ever T he good man looks into himself not into another and therefore thinks best of another not of himself O bedience it selve would lose a reward by comming short but for perseverance for no vertue can expect eternall blessednes but that which holds out to the end R emember O man how short thy time in and be not weary of thy pains for what cause can be long in that which is so short of it selfe L ooke where the glory of this world ends the glory of heaven begins but riches are here to day and gone to morrow E very service in the end brings wages but the wages of sinne is without end F lattering up others in their sinnes is the very next way to make them our owne T he Word of God sets down the wages of sin and tyes punishment to it as an inseparable effect to the cause H ee that chose us when we were not called and called us when we were nought and hath justified us being sinners will glorifie us being Saints A man may partake of one nature of Christ and be cursed but if of his divine then most blessed N ature created and nature corrupted is the difference between Gods workmanship and ours D eath is fearfull wages when it is paid in the proper coine without the allay of Christs death to qualifie it O ne that will plead Christs cause without a fee or he that will say with Job Though he kill me yet I will trust in him shews the heart of a Saint R esolve with Hester If I perish I perish for nothing can be lost that wee piously trust God withall F aith goes along with Christ from his cradle to his crosse it sees him doing good and suffering ill R ecrant souldiers first forsake their courage and the last thing that forsakes them is their heels O ur backwardnesse requires continuall provocation to be good is a thing hardly gotten quickly forgotten M ans habitation pleaseth him his gold bewitcheth him a womans beauty tempteth him and yet all is but earth T ruth is never to be numbred by the pole for it is not numbers but weight that should carry it H e that mouths a Pater noster while his heart is in his coffer as if he would at once serve God and mammon in vaine thinks himselfe godly E arth will to earth an earthly desire to an earthly center so man lives till earth bee turned into earth so he dyes till earth be turned out of earth their earthly soule into hellish torments such a life is base and brutish C omplaine not though other men blanch thee so long as thou hast fellowship with Jesus Christ E very man be contented with his owne measure of good things vouchsafed him for God will not be prescribed N one but the King of Kings hath right to the stile Imperiall I will or I will not without limitation because his will and power are matches only T o obey well is as great as to governe well and more mens duties they that thinke otherwise know not the Christians part which is to suffer E nter not into a restlesse course of life for honour for a Princes breath blowes is up and the Peoples breath blowes it away R eady for honour ready for disgrace for poverty for riches for joy or sorrow for life or death for all such a Christian will hold out to the latter end O ur grace is Gods glory the more we are amended the more he is commended thus the truth appeares greater in us though it cannot bee made greater by us P erseverance is the queen of all vertues and the master of all temptations commands to sight against none but those that persevere in goodnesse E vill men may shew the good they have not but good men cannot hide the good they have N othing but grace can satisfie the soule of man give him grace and then be goes away springing like Joseph and singing like David T here cannot be a greater argument of a foule soule then the deriding of religious actions O ther sins have but three enemies to deale withall but a backslider hath a fourth a hard heart Y f we receive not the blessed Gospell with faith and feare Sodome and Gomerah never sinned as we sin nor were never so plagued as
for ill beginnings but to dislike good beginnings is an unhappy repentance E very wise man will worke by knowledge but a foole will spread abroad his folly R ememoer that God is faithfull and will suffer no man to be tem pted above what he is able to beare I n Gedions Army all faint hearted Souldiers were commanded to stay at home no cowards get into the Kingdome of heaven G od will not be worse to them that follow him then he is to them that forsake him yet alas how doth the world ingrosse mens consciences H ee that looks up to the promised Land and sees but one glympse of those heaveny treasures will looke scornfully upon the world T he way to keep amans heart in heart is by hearty prayer meditations hearing and receiving H ee that obtained the pretious jewell of Faith let him be more thankfull because it is denyed to thousands A mans faith his credit and his eyes admit of no jest if his faith be sound though injury wound his eyes ignominy his fame yet faith shall make all whole N othing but the infallible promise of God can be the ground of our faith but the cause of our feare is our owne sinfull weaknesses D evotion honors God charity doe good to men holinesse is the image of heaven therefore beautious thankfulnesse but faith is good for every purpose the foundation of all graces D oubling and questioning of that truth we have so long imbraced is the first step of falling away from our owne stedfastnesse O ur obedience to God must not be only inward and habituall but outward in the actions of faith and of the feare of God like fruitfull trees bringing forth fruit in due season U nfruitfulnesse hath ever been held a curse for when God gives salvation he is said to take away barrennesse B ee not like Plaices blacke and white for they are such as have the faith of Christ in their mouths and the world in their hearts L et no extremity of sorrow or suffering enervate thy faith grudge not to dye with Christ or for Christ E very man is charged with every good worke all holy duties are required of all men if we know Christ we will imitate him forthwith A Souldier without courage a horse without mettall a creature without vivacitie such is a Christian without fervencie S inne upon earth in its owne soile growes without planting or any paines bestowed on it but much more when it is manured with applause and practise Y f the sword of vengeance that devoured the heathen having bin shaken amongst us amend us we shall escape Gods fury and become blessed examples of his mercie O ur expectation may be challenged with too much violence if we bee not qualified and directed by patience U nload thy conscience by repentance and the everlasting doores of heaven shall give thee entrance W hether the good we hope for be deferred or the evill we feare bee inflicted still patience is a cordiall which if God preserve to us will certainely preserve us to him E nter into the joy of your Lord saies the King himselfe thus all excuses of our not entring into the Kingdome of heaven is taken away R emember what Christ faith to thee and thou shalt be the better able to remember what he hath done for thee E ntrance into heaven consists of two things our union with Christ and communion with the Holy Ghost F ull of good works full of fruits full of blessings full of God brings to lye downe full of peace and rise againe full of glory I t is a barren mindefulnesse that does not declare it selfe in holy fruitfulnesse L et others be ambitious of great and glorious parentage only pray wee Lord make us thy sons and daughters in Christ Jesus E xpectation of heaven belongs only to Gods owne afflicted and to them that suffer much misery in this world is promised a new S ome vertues cannot be exercised but in troubles we must be poore and want before we can exercise the vertue of thankfulnesse T here could be no destruction to destroy us if there were no corruption in us neither could man or devill destroy us if we did not destroy our selves O Israel thou destroyest thy selfe if there be-any helpe it is in me Gods hand of justice strikes but man by his wickednesse draws out the sword T he tolling of a bell for a friend wakens a man at midnight yet for all the lamentable dying groanes of the Church of God with the innumerable gaspes of dying Christians we are all asleep H ee that will not be so sullen as to be holy for feare of displeasing a company of sinners shall never be so happy as to enjoy the society of God and his holy Angels E mbrace not the world for it will steale away thy faith faith obtained and faith retained shall without faile advance thy soule to glory L et no man dye in sinne for thou canst not be so quicke to dispatch thy sin as God is to dispatch thy soule E very sinfull man can no more escape his triall then a pregnant woman can escape or avoid her travell F ew men have the lucke to steal themselves into heaven in spight of hell many have the fate to cousen themselves into hell in spight of heaven T he world is not a minute to eternity mans life is but a minute to the world occasion is but a minute to our life yet we scarce apprehend a minute of that occasion H ee that made the world in six dayes and could have done it in six houres spared it above a thousand yeares before the flood A s we are sure our life shall not reach to a thousand yeares so we are not sure is shall not last out a day N oman shall ever be condemned for being ignorant of that which he is not bound to know D eare bought and far fetcht things are for rich purses and rich pallats but there is a poore herbe in the garden called Time more pretious then all D evotion of the heart profession of the mouth and conversation of life are the objects of a Christian O f the flesh comes three sorts of things some good as the knowledge of Arts some indifferent as honour and riches some evill as the works of sinne V ertue grows fastest upon us when vices decay in us it is alwayes busie but then most eager when we are most holiest B lessed is the man that is holy nothing can make that man poore he graceth all conditions honours and places L et others boast of generation but a godly man of regeneration this is the best ornament of blood the nobliest part of the secuchion and fairest flower in the Gentlemans gatland E ternall life and salvation is not allotted to every one but for the Saints he that will have a lot in Canaan let him be sure to be a true Israclite A desire of blessednesse cannot be expected where