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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A52818	A spiritual legacy being a pattern of piety for all young persons practice in a faithful relation of the holy life and happy death of Mr. John Draper / represented out of his own and other manuscripts containing his experiences, exercises, self examinations and evidences for heaven ; together with his funeral sermons ; published by Chr. Ness.	Ness, Christopher, 1621-1705.; Draper, John, d. 1682.	1684 (1684)	Wing N464; ESTC R29558	57,400	206

comforted Isa 54.11 till God brought him to the Haven● Man's Life as a Ship before the Wind passeth on without any stay until it come to Shore Whether the Marriners in the Ship be sleeping or wakeing working or eating she runs on her course So doth Man's Life run on however he spends his time whether he sleeps or wakes serves God or serves the Devil the Wind of Divine Power and Providence is carrying our Ship of Life nearer its Port while I am thus Speaking and you Hearing God grant it may be the Cape of Good Hope Heaven to wit the best landing place Secondly As Man's Life is likened to a Pilgrimage by Land so this likewise declares it to be a Perilous Passage and Path-way We must not take the Word Pilgrimage in the Text either strictly or Superstitiously in the sence of the Popish Votaries Jacob was not to be looked upon no not by Pharoah himself to be a Popish Pilgrim nor any of the Holy Patriarchs his Predecessors The Popish Pilgrimage to Jerusalem is a Ridiculous as well as a Superstitious Practice for no one place can bring a Man nigher God than another all parts of the Earth have an equal distance from Heaven though the Romanists plead that Father Cyril went thither yet he himself professeth that he went not upon the account of any private Pilgrimage to Jerusalem but as he was ordered by Publick Authority to visit the Eastern Churches and to establish them in the Truth But we must understand Pilgrimage here largely for a Path-way a Thorough-Fare a Course Race or Journey from one place to another Thus a Pilgrim in Scripture-Sence is all one with a Traveller a Stranger and a Sojourner Man's Life is but his walk and way There be many Congruities betwixt them which I shall reserve to discourse upon in handling the Sixth Observation as being their proper place adding only here that there is a Two-fold Pilgrimage First A Natural Pilgrimage Secondly A Moral Pilgrimage First The Natural Pilgrimage is the course that a Man rides the Race that he runs even the whole Passage and Progress of his Life of Nature ab Vtero ad Vrnam from his Birth to his Burial for till then he comes not to his Journeys end or to the Period or full Point of his Pilgrimage There be two Terms in this former to wit the Grave of the Womb is the Terminus a quo or starting place Man begins this Pilgrimage as soon as he is Born of a Woman and comes out of the Womb into the World and he never rests from his Travel but is a poor Pilgrim sleeping and waking until he come to rest in the Womb of the Grave There the weary be at Rest Job 3.17 that is His Terminus ad Quem There is Secondly a Moral Pilgrimage wherein likewise there are two the like Terms This is a walking from our selves and from our Sins up unto God and unto Godliness The beginning of this Pilgrimage Morally taken is the privative part a ceasing from Sin or departing from Evil and the Accomplishment of it is the positive part a Learning to do well and not only a pursuing but also an overtaking of that which is Good Isa 1.16 17. and Psal 34.14 and Amos 5.15 And this is a Metaphorical Walk non Pedibus sed Affectibns as saith the Father with our Affections Those Feet of the Soul whereby it goes forth after Objects more than with those of the Body I. VSE Seeing your Life is but a Pilgrimage a coming and a going as David's Phrase is and of Joshuah before him Behold I am going the way of all the Earth 1 King 2.2 and Josh 23.14 that is The way of all the Men upon Earth who are all doom'd to go that way Hebr. 9.27 Oh consider both you young and you old your Life is a Path-way either to a Prison or to a Pallace it is a Thorough-Fare either to Heaven or to Hell Bethink your selves in time Be Men and Women of Consideration for that is it which distinguishes Men from Beasts c. II USE Then Agree with your Adversary an angry God for your Sins while you are in the way of your Life Matth. 5.25 While you are going your Pilgrimage before you come to the Judges House who will certainly send you if unreconciled into an Everlasting Prison If you walk in the broad way being all for Elbow-room to Sin and leading loose and Licentious Lives you are hastening down to the Chambers of Eternal Death Matth. 7 13. but if in the Narrow-way of a strict Conversation Then are you going to a Pallace not to a Prison ver 14. a good Life always bespeaks a good Death and all Persons are passing either to Heaven or Hell while they live and when they Die their Death is but a flitting to the one place or to the other c. Having thus far discovered the Nature of Humane Life defined or described in the Text to be not any Royal Progress which is constantly carry'd on and manag'd after a Splendid manner every way adapted to the Grandeur of Majesty No the Life of Man hath no such stately Prospect in this Holy Patriarchs eye but 't is a poor Pilgrimage twice inculcated here and as oft aggravated with contemptible Circumstances relating to both the Quantity and the Quality of this poor Pilgrimage From tke former of these two to wit the Quantity ariseth my Fift Observation Doctr. 5. The Pilgrimage of Man's Life is but a short Pilgrimage Thus this Blessed Patriarch computed his own Life in the Text to be but a short Life consisting only of a few Days though he had now attained to the Age of an Hundred and Thirty years Few and evil c. To speak distinctly of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it is so of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why it is so and of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manner how it is so cannot be expected in this short Discourse save only some promiscuous Intimations of them all I. REASON The shortness of this Pilgrimage is Demonstrable three ways First In as much as Man's Life is measured by Days one of the least Computations of time not by Weeks or by Months much less by Years Thus Jacob computeth his own Life by Days in the Text twice over as he doth also the Lives of the foregoing Patriarchs Thus Job likewise numbereth his Life by Days over and over again as Job 7.1.6 and 14.1.5 and many more places too long to enumerate So David 1 Kings 2.1.4 and Psal 103.3.11 c. yea and all the most Mortified Men in Scripture do unanimously concur in the same Computation of their Lives by Days II. REASON The Second Demonstration that Man's Life is short as it is measured so it is numbered by his Days yea to be but as one day Because it consists only of a few Days This Epithet is expressed in the Text Few are my Days c. Man's appointed Time is but a few

Days Job 7.1 and 14.13.14 A few Days are the number of his Life Psal 39.4 Yea the Days of an Hireling who is hired only for some few Days to do some Jobb of Work which requireth haste and is but for a Spurt not lasting Nay Sometimes the Hireling is hired but for one single Day as Matth. 20.1 2 c. where the Parable calls Man's Life but one particular Day consisting of twelve Hours And what a poor part of time is one Day especially when the Sun Sets at the Noon of that Day Amos 8.9 This makes it a very short Pilgrimage indeed as was that of this Young-man III. REASON The Third Demonstration is drawn from Scripture Metaphors which Illustrate the swiftness of Man's Life in its Passage through the World all implying the shortness of that Passage for the swifter that the Motion of the Runner is the shorter is the time wherein the Race is run I might Re-assume here the Philosophical Allusions of Man's Life As First Plato's Game at Dice is soon play'd out Secondly Seneca's Flash of Lightning soon vanisheth Thirdly Pythagoras's Stage play is soon Acted Fourthly Symonide's shewing his Face soon shewed his Back and was gone Fifthly Epictetus's Voyage is very short and all the former are short none of them long abiding So likewise the Theological As l. James's Vapour soon Evaporaeth 2. David's Smoak soon Dwindleth 3. Job's Shadow soon Vanisheth 4. Hezekiah's Tent is soon taken down 5. And both Job and Hezekiah's Shuttle hath both a swift and a short Motion c. 6. The Prophet's Grafs soon withereth and his Flower soon fadeth The Time for all these is but a short Time as saith the Apostle The time is short 1 Cor. 7.29 But to insist only upon those three great Metaphors that Job seriously plays upon all together a Post a ship and an Eagle Job 9. 25 26. to shew the swiftness and thereby the shortness of his own Life or Pilgrimage The Improvement of these three Points must stand here for a Third Application The First Simile The First Metaphor Resembleth Man Riding Post My Days an swifter than a Post c. which Allusion hath a fourfold Congruity First As the Post-Boy is one that Rides upon Swift Horses spurring them End-ways and sparing no Horse-stesh Riding always upon the Speed with Haste Haste Haste for His Majesties Service from City to Country and from one Kingdom to another carrying always Matters of Great Concern along with him So every Man is Riding Post in this Life carry'd in the Chariot of Time which is drawn by the swiftest Horses even such as be Winged Horses like Pegasus and so Flee faster than any Post according to Job's Phrase My Days are swifter than a Post They flee away c. They run faster and outrun the Post Oh that Men would consider the great Concern of the Pacquet they carry and the Tendency of their way c. Bethink your selves 2 Chron. 6.37 as the Hebrew Reading is and consider 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Septuagint Reads Psal 119.59 Make a Dialogue with your own Hearts commune with them upon your Beds as David did Psal 4.4 Excutite Excutite Zeph. 2.1 Shake your selves from Sluggishness as Sampson did Judg. 16.20 Consider and better consider Hagg. 1.5 7. do it not to half part Secondly The Post Rides Night and Day without either stop or stay making no long Meals any where but takes a Bit and away c. So Man's Life is ever in motion it makes no stands at any place or time but every Moment he is yielding some little unto Death his Life is passing towards it while he is sleeping in his Bed He is ever Riding Post be it Winter or Summer time or be his way and weather fair or foul in Prosperity or Adversity Oh that there were such an Heart in Men Deut. 5.29 to consider their latter end Deut. 32.29 Seeing every Year Month Week Hour and Minute you are riding Post to your Graves They that do not Remember their latter end are to be lamented because they will come down wonderfully Lament 1.9 Thirdly The Post is Betrusted with Matters of weightiest Moment sometimes the saving or sinking of a Kingdom depends upon the Posts Carriage or Miscarriage he therefore in such a Case is commanded to Ride upon pain of Death and dare not loiter or linger carelesly till he come at the end of the Stage and till his Pacquet be carefully delivered So Man in his Riding Post is betrusted with a concern of Infinite and everlasting Consequence to wit his Pretious Soul which is a Jewel of more worth than the whole World Christ who is Truth it self saith so and he is best able to know the worth of Souls because he alone paid the price of Souls Matth. 16.26 and 20.28 Oh consider how everyone of you are Riding Post with this Pearl of great Price in your hands take heed of scattering it or trucking it away for Trash and Trifles you Ride upon pain of Death be not careless your Life Spiritual and Eternal lies at Stake how can you be too careful beware of Spiritual Slumber until your pretious Pacquet be delivered upon a Dying Bed and you then be able to say with the Proto-Martyr Stephen Lord Jesus Receive my Spirit Act. 7.59 or better with your Blessed Redeemer saying Father into thy hands I commend my Spirit Luke 23.46 Thus David was careful to deliver his Pacquet into Right hands both Living and Dying Psal 31.5 c. Fourthly Some Posts Ride longer Stages than others and some shorter with their Mail and Errand yea some are stopp'd and Robb'd of their Charge c. Thus no Man knows the length of his Post-Stage We know that it is but short in General but alas we know not how short it may be in particular We are bid not to Boast of to Morrow for we know not what a Day may bring forth Prov. 27.1 Jam. 4.13 Matth. 6.34 We know not what lies hid in the Womb of Time one Big-belly'd Day may dismount us as young as we as strong as we have been dismounted yea some we see daily are unhorsed assoon as thy set out dying in their Child-hood God call'd from Heaven to Abraham saying Stay now thy striking Gent 22.10 11. and he may call upon any one of us this or the next Moment saying Stay now your Riding God indeed gives to some enough of Riding Post they are weary with Posting weary of the World and the World as weary of them they live undesired and die unlamented But all must wait till their change come Job 14.14 The Second Allusion in Job 9.26 is a Man Sailing in a Ship Mark the Gradation The Second Simile First A Ship is swifter than a Post and thence Job riseth higher there but an Eagle is swiftest of all the three A Ship passeth swiftly before the Wind and stoppeth stayeth not till she come to the Shore some one Port she is Bound for and rests not strikes not Sail

evil but as he was Israel so his Days were many and good He had two Names Jacob and Israel Genesis 49.1 2. both given him from his Wrestling the farmer Name was given him for wrestling with his Brother for the Birth-right in the Womb wherein he Miscarried but the latter for his Wrestling with his God for the Blessing at Penuel wherein his Valour through Divine Condescension obtain'd the Victory When the Messiah saw Jacob's undaunted Courage in resolutely detaining him Asks him his Name Gen. 32.24 26 27. As if he should say Thou art such a Fellow as I never met with who though thou be lamed and laid Hard at yet wilt not let me go without my Blessing Thou hast let thy Flocks go and thy Herds go Thou hast let thy Wives go and thy Children go yet thou wilt not let me go nor my Blessing go I will not let thee go except thou Bless me saith Jacob v. 26. Hereupon He Honours Him as it were with the Honour of Knighthood saying to him Kneel down Jacob Rise up Israel for as a Prince thou hast had Power with God and with Men and hast prevailed Gen. 32.28 Hos 12.3 4. Now Jacob is a Name of Weakness the poor Worm Jacob Isa 41.14 Trampled upon and trodden under foot This Afflicted State made Jacob sigh out those Sad Words All these things are against me Gen. 42.36 and those of my Text also Few and Evil have the Days of the Years of my Life been But so far as he had Princely Power as Israel signifies both with God and with Men In this Sence his Days were many and good One Day with God is a Thousand elsewhere VSE Hence learn we the Reason why the Church is called Jacob through out the Scriptures when Speech is of her Weakness and Calamity But she is frequently call'd Israel to signifie her Splendour and Glory and as it is thus with the Church of God in General so it is with the Children of God in Particular Some times they are run down with strange Temptations and with strong Tribulations then are they the poor Worm Jocob Isa 41.14 The Shulamite found two Armies Warring in her The Army of the Flesh and the Army of the Spirit Cant. 6.13 When the Army of the Flesh or Amalek prevaileth as Exod. 17.11 then the Seed of Jocob droops but when they are made strong in their Weakness 2 Cor. 12.9 Strengthned with all Might Col. 1.11 and made able through the Supplies of Christ's Spirit Phil. 1.19 to Tread down Strength as Judg. 5.21 even the strongest Temptation without then are they called the Israel of God Gal. 6.16 for their Prince-like prevailing over Flesh World and Devil III. Observation From the Circumstances of the Text. The Third Observation ariseth from the Conjunction of these two Parts This Question and the Answer to it which is 'T is a Duty Incumbent upon all Mankind to be Asking and Answering How the Days of the Years of their Lives do pass away It was Moses's Prayer Lord teach us to number our Days that we may apply our Hearts unto Wisdom Psal● 90.12 In which Psalm it being ● Meditation of Man's Mortality corresponding with my Text therefore Mark 1. Moses mentions the Brevity and Uncertainty of Man's Life comparing it to a Watch v. 4. which is but the fourth part of a Night Mark 13.35 Then he goes on and compares it to a Sleep to a Dream all vanishing things and to a Tale that is soon told and is as soon forgotten lastly to Grass which we well know if it be not cut down in Summer or Autumn doth wither in Winter So such Mortals as are not cut down with the Sithe of Death in their Youth do yet wither away in the Winter of Old Age. Quid est Vita nisi quidam Cursus ad Mortem said the Ancient Father Life is nothing but a Posting to Death The 2d Occurrence in this Meditation of Moses upon Man's Morality is his assigning the proper procuring Cause of this Humane Mise●y to wit Divine Displeasure ●gainst Sin which causeth God to ●urn Man to Destruction ver 7 8. Man at the first was made Immortal he had then an Immortal Body a Suitable Companion for his Immortal Soul These two Sweet Associates had never been severed each from other if Man had not sinned against his Maker Had Adam stood on his State of Innocency He should then have rendred to the Lord a time of perfect Obedience and Service here upon Earth and when that Homage to his Great Landlord had been accomplish'd he should then have been Translated from Earth without the least taste of Death to Heaven the Soul should never have been separated from the Body as now it is for the Wages of Sin is Death Rom. 6.23 It was that one Man's Offence that pulled up the Sluce and let in Death as a Deluge with a Regal Authority over all the World Rom. 5.14 to 17. and Sin did not only let in Death but also all sorts of Sicknesses Sorrows and Sufferings that are Forerunners of it Then 3ly Moses Condemns Mans Dulness in taking no more notice of this Divine Displeasure ver 11. All other Creatures know their Times and their Seasons Jerem. 8.7 but Man knoweth not the Day of his Visitation till He come to be Snared in an Evil Net c. Eccles 9.12 Though Man's Life be a Life full of all Inconveniencies of Indignities of Injuries of Infirmities and of Iniquities also yet such is the Stupidity of the Fall'n Nature that Man puts the Thoughts of these things far from him Amos 6.3 Fourthly Hereupon Moses begs God for Illuminating Grace wherewith to make a more Distinct Discovery of all Humane Frailty Lord teach w to number our Days c. ver 12. And the Sweet-Singer of Israel David will be of the same Chorus with Moses sighing as well as singing out these Synonimical Sentences Lord make me ●o know my end and the Measure of my Days what it is That I may know how frail I am c. Psal 39.4 5. Thus likewise Jacob in my Text carries on the like Concord and Consort to compleat the Harmony complaining here Few and evil have the Days of the Years of my Life been c. Adding only this one Note of Discord for making better Musick that God had taught him this great Truth concerning his own Frailty He had seen it for time past and He would be sensible of it for time to come his Days had been few and Evil Now they might be fewer and worse seeing He and all his were famished out of Canaan the Land of Promise into Egypt the place where his Posterity would be evilly intreated Gen. 15.13 VSE Moses teacheth us what use to make of the knowledge of our own Frailty It should strongly stir us up to an earnest imploring of Divine Mercy He maketh a loud Out cry after Mercy Crying Return O Lord How long c. Oh satisfie us early with thy Mercy