SOME WORTHY PROVERBS Left behind by Judith Zins-Penninck To be read in the CONGREGATION OF THE SAINTS Translated into English by one that testifieth That God is no respecter of persons for whosoever worketh righteousness and feareth him of what Nation Countrey Tribe or Language soever he or she be such find acceptance with the Lord. W. C. LONDON Printed for William Warwick 1663 Some Worthy Proverbs left behind by Judith Zins-Penninck c. Friends and Brethren GOD Almighty hath appeared in his unexpressible love to a chosen Generation among whom he will have his glorious and everlasting Name to dwell for to make it the praise of the whole Earth And this chosen Generation will he govern in Righteousness and his Scepter shall remain for ever and ever For he the Lord is King and his Spirit is the fulfilling of all things and it is the Lot and Inheritance of the Chosen for ever Therefore then Love Righteousness and despise Infidelity for she leads unto destruction and her Root cannot remain stedfast Embrace Wisdom and let her dwell in your inner Chambers that she may preserve you in the time of tribulation yea in the time of Oppression when the Anguish seems to take away the glorious splendor of the everlasting Gospel of peace Therefore put on Wisdom in her appearance for she is the beginning of all things and by her were laid the Foundations of the Earth and after this hath my heart sought from the days of my youth and my soul hath found her to her satisfaction And through this viz. Wisdom is the Lord pouring forth these Proverbs to the end that the ignorant should understand and the simple observe Wisdom Forget then the House of your Father that the Pilgrimage may be brought forth by which you may be made Heirs of the everlasting Kingdom which God hath prepared for his chosen where flesh and blood hath no Inheritance Treasure up Innocency and let Simplicity be your Companion Then will the Lord have respect unto you Exercise your minds in fear that looseness may never seduce you For the fear preserves and where the fear of God is there is the blessing Take heed unto the Lord and hearken unto his Counsel and obey his Instructions for his ways lead unto life He then that loveth Life abstains from the Evil and he putteth off the Corruption that he may be swallowed up of Life Take hold on Virtue and let the same be your Teacher that your dayes may be prolonged in the Land of the Living Righteousness and Folly meet each other He then that discerns the one from the other is wise Humility is born in the House of peace and Equity is the Mother of it He that loveth Wisdom forsakes the evil and he takes hold on that which will remain For the paths of Death are meerly folly Support them that are stumbling and rear up them that are bowed down and remember that you have had need of the hand of Love then will the Lord do good unto you Faith and Confidence shall possess the Land and Love shall be the Rule or Bond of Concord and the Bride shall dwell in the inner Chambers They that support that which is broken shall receive blessing and an upright mind shall the Lord enrich Maintain not loosness nor satisfie that mind which invents vanity for the Lord hates them both He that holds sottish company gathers anger and he hath no reward He that loves Wisdom gathers Riches And he that loves Instructions he is wise The foolish come to fall and they that uphold them partake with them of their portion therefore let them perish in their birth for the Lord hath prepared no place of peace for them their reward shall perish with them and their expectations shall be vain Accompany them that fear the Lord and know that the Lord hath chosen such Pour out your heart unto the needful then will the Lord multiply your treasure for the reward of the well-doers is returned into their bosome Praise is the white upon which the eye looketh and it is the sweetning of the Labour Even so is the Lord unto all his children Reward the good through obedience and the well-doing through mercy then will the Lord be gracious unto you Support the weak in the time of need that he through want of help do not come to perish For now will the Lord require the sheep from the hand of the Keeper Wait upon the Lord and trust in him in the time of tribulation for he is long-suffering and he hath no pleasure in that mind that is unstable The serious are wise and the long-suffering judge of things that come to pass He that loveth judgement despiseth the reward and doth not respect any mans person for that is abomination to the Lord. He that casteth his care upon the Lord he is holpen in due time Open thy heart unto the Lord and receive his tender speeches in the time of youth when instructions are given unto the good for the Lord he accompanieth the Infant and he calls the Lamb while it is yet at his Mothers breast Therfore you children put not the time of old age afar off but know that the Lord loveth the tender and that he hath a delight or pleasure in the young branches which may be bowed to his obedience Further the Work of the Lord in one another and obstruct it not in any When any ones heart is drawn to the Lord let him be obedient to the Lord that draws him that he may instruct him through his Light and then shall his Church be prosperous whose building is like unto the precious stones which are made ready for the builders and for the perfecting of which the Corner-stone is preserved that all through him might be made perfect for he is the Author and the Finisher of all his works and through him are all things made manifest that have been hid from the foundation of the World to the end of the same For the Lord hath laid by him the foundations of the earth and the Heavens hath he prepared through him even him who is the Counsel Providence of God the first-born of every creature and therefore is he made of the Father Wisdom Strength and Glory that all through him might be perfected Here is the Wisdom He that hath an understanding let him understand that he may render all unto the Lord that belongs to him viz. Praise Honor and Glory from everlasting to everlasting Watch then all and pray and reward no man according to your opinion but rather submit your selves unto the Lord that he may give you wisdom in all things his Counsel will remain unalterable Open your hearts unto the oppressed and give unto him of your inheritance that he may be partaker of your mercy then will the Lord be magnified in his house Praise is given to the victorious and his glory to his chosen Judgement is in the hand of them that fear the Lord
interceding for the mitigating of your travel For the love of my God shall never be forgotten by me and therefore saith my heart and my soul often to the Lord Turn Lord turn to the helpless yea to the tender and weak that they all may be experienced with thy goodness and that thy Name who art in Heaven may be glorified Hearken then unto the Instructions of thy Father and forsake not the Command of thy Mother that thou mayest be freed from the sore servitude Therefore labour according to thy ability and dwell with the Father that he may give thee an inheritance Glorifie the Lord through obedience and answer his Love through subjection for obedience subjection pacifieth wrath Offer thanksgiving from a pure heart and pay the Most High with purity For what are words with the Lord And what is lip-service with him who sees through the heart Prove your selves before the Lord and appear not before him with a double mind Fear the Lord and tremble at his counsel then will he have mercy upon you Search your mind in uprightness and let not judgement weary you that you may become wise And cast not the Law behind your backs neither glory you in that which you have not wrought for it is of the Lord. Care is in the heart of the fearful but the Lord gives a chearful mind to the upright He that is wise is acceptable and he is refreshment to all that know him The Lord is his Portion and the Highest is his Inheritance He that dwells in the house of the upright becomes wise The Counsels of the Lord are in the heart of the upright and the mysteries thereof are revealed to them that fear the Lord. He that is wise keepeth his foot for the Lord is his portion The stumblings are in the heart of the weak but the Lord sees the same He that is of a broken heart shall obtain mercy Treasure up Righteousness and embrace the Truth then shall you live for preservation is in the same When you have sinned hide not your infirmities but seek the face of the Lord. Be still in the time of your visitation that you may become rich He that distributeth while that he is defective he becomes poor therefore treasure up in the blessing that you may have abundance Distribute to the needful you whom the Lord hath blessed and stretch forth your hand to them that are in distress Strengthen the weak and he will praise you Peace is laid up in the house of him that doth well but desolation comes upon the unmerciful One thing I have seen and therein did my heart rejoice viz. that the righteous shall always dwell in peace and that they shall remain for ever in the Tabernacle of God The Tabernacle of the Lord is like to Mount Zion and the Most High dwells there Rejoice you chosen of the Lord and be exceeding glad ye that are of his Family Rejoice ye children who are come to the Immortality the Lord is your portion for ever your Tent shall never wax old for the builder thereof is Immortal Oh that the hearts of those that know this might be alwayes taken up with the glory of the same to the end that the glory of the Creator might be more and more manifested among them that are yet in the earth For who are they that shall glorifie the Lord And who are they that shall magnifie his praise Are they not such as are made alive that are risen again with Christ whose life is not dear unto them whose Crowns are laid down before the Lamb and him that sits upon the Throne Glory and praise be to our God for ever and ever This dear Friends hath flowed forth to you all as out of a rich Treasure which the Lord hath opened to the satisfying of my soul And for a token of my love to you hath the Lord opened my heart and poured forth these wholsome exhortations and in the humility of my heart before the Lord have I communicated them unto you all to the end that my fellowship which I have with you in the Light might be so much the more manifested and the Love which I have to all the Saints Now the God of Peace who hath brought again the great Shepherd of the sheep make you all fit for his own glory to do his will in all things to whom be glory honor and praise for ever and ever Bear one another in love together with my self and let this my Paper be unto you as a true Salutation of my dear and unfeigned Love the which I leave behind me for you all not knowing whether I shall see your faces again or no. My Love remain with you and among you all that are faithful and in that which is infinite and everlasting and will remain for ever I hope ever to be found Colchester the 2. of the 6. month 1663. Your Friend and Sister Judith Zins-Penninck This is to be sent among the chosen Generation in England but especially in Essex London and about Kingstone THE END
and it is not broken but the wicked oppress it He that loveth Judgement is wise and he that embraceth Righteousness shall be glorified The Proverbs of the wise are Counsels and their secrets are for the Prudent Love that which is hid to the end that you may be led into the inner Chambers The Bride is the Ornament of the Bridegroom the Guests they are refreshed in her Her Mother rejoyceth in her and her Companions crown her Her Adornment is pure Holiness and her Virtues are exceeding O unexpressible Glory Who shall declare the length of thy days Who shall declare thy benefits Thou fillest the hearts of thy Children and thou givest the glory to thy chosen thou makest them to dwell in pleasure and satisfaction is their portion their inheritance is everlasting and their joy without ceasing Humble your selves then before the Lord and slight not his visitation For I have also participated of mourning and the days of tribulation have been many that the Lord might be glorified He that loveth Wisdom learns the fear of the Lord and he that follows after it obtains it Love the Truth and she will be the way of Life to thee Open thy heart to the Lord and he will instruct thee Hide not thy Counsel from the Lord lest he destroy thee for his eye seeth in secret and he knoweth the consultation of the heart A Child that loveth the Lord receiveth mercy and he is never forgotten The Crown of the Parents is the ornament of Children even so is the Lord concerning his chosen The ways of the Lord are meerly righteousness and his paths are truth He hides the same from the double-minded for his inheritance is for his chosen Love the Lord and then shall his treasure be communicated unto you Receive his chastisement then shall you become wise For Chastisement produceth circumspection and she makes wise Open your ear before the Lord then will he hear thee in the time of distress And they that he answers are holpen in the time of need For the Lord is neer unto the upright and his Love supports such He opens his treasure unto them and they are satisfied therewith He that maintains want and is not satisfied he is like the foolish that treasures up vanity therefore shall his hope perish Maintain not corruption in any man nor respect him not because of his person for consider what saves him For all flesh is as grass and the glory thereof as the flower of the same Corruption is born in the house of the foolish but the Lord he dwells not there The joy of the heart refresheth the sorrowful and the joy â—…f the Lord continues for ever and ever The Proverbs of the Lord are as honey in the mouth of the upright his Word is as Oyle to the wounded and his Image is amiable He makes joyful without trouble and he heals the miserable He that loves wisdom forsaketh vanity for understanding is born in seriousness Hide not the counsel of destroyers neither let the same lodg with you that you be not through her destroyed Righteousness and Judgement are in the House of the Almighty and he that dwells there bears the Banner of the same his Line is Judgement and his Plummet is certain he that loveth the same becometh wise Patience is an adorning Garment whosoever wears the same is made glorious Follow not the deceit of thy heart neither be thou cloathed therewith for it is an abomination to the Lord. Treasure up no vanity for who will save thee Is not vanity for judgement and carelesness for to be consumed Where are they that have stood stedfast in their vanity and that have not been broken and scattered all they that deal unfaithfully their hope comes to perish and they are no more remembred Forsake vanity and lay hold on understanding then shalt thou become excellent in glory for the Lord hath poured forth of his Spirit to the glorifying of his people therefore serve the Lord and be not weary in so doing Love Wisdom and she will preserve thee In the mind of the upright wisdom is found Forget not the Lord in the abundance of the heart but consider how that it is given thee And who is he that hath received any thing or to whom is any thing given Is not the Lord the chief Instrument thereof And is not the opening of his hand the satisfaction of all things Wait upon the Lord and put thy confidence in him then shall he make thee rich and thou shalt continue stedfast unto the end He that is impatient is as an early sprig that perisheth before the time of Harvest be come The Reaper gathers the good and the Lilly is preserved but the tare or that that is withered is to be burned Therefore wait upon the Lord in all your purposes then shall you be happy in all your ways Wisdom is the understanding and Love is the original these now are the government of all good and they dwell in the heart of the serious they that love them become their companion they preserve the heart from vanities and they are the Mother of all seriousness Be wise ye foolish and learn wisdom look unto the Lord ye flow of heart How long shall the Lord wait for you how long shall his Light manifest the darkness and how long shall his Spirit strive in your hearts Awake and go meet the Bridegroom he knocks at the inner chamber hearken unto him and let him break your peace for what have you gathered What have you laid up in store for the time of need Consider Job was it not his uprightness that supported him And was it not his simplicity that justified him in his humility What then will be thine that will preserve thee Cometh not the Almighty to judge and cometh he not to do Justice in the earth that all offences might be taken out of his Kingdom What then say I will support thee thou that hast not gathered that that is good Will not the Flame consume thee then as the stubble And wilt thou not be consumed at the chaff before the wind whose place can be no more found For the Lord is working a work in this his day which shall remain to his own glory Is not the work for the Master and the labour for him that will give the reward Therefore then let all be awakened for the Lord he calls all and his voice shall go from one end of the Heavens unto the other and his chosen shall be gathered from the four winds of the earth that all may know the one Shepherd and the one Flock and his Banner or token which is Love shall be the Tent and place of Refuge for all which God hath prepared for a habitation for ever O ye tender Plants who are sucking the Milk of your Mother and you who delight your selves in the brightness of your Father my heart travels often for you to the Lord and my spirit is often