the World c. found in God to feed upon especially upon the new Covenant in Christ's Blood and in the end he said God hath comforted me greatly with what hath been now spoke And going to rest chearfully intreated that company might not have recourse to him saying he would keep his strength now for the next day to enjoy the benefit of some Friends who intended Prayer in his Chamber and he had a good night On the twentieth he was comfortable in the morning and brake fast chearfully with his Father and a Friend returning thanks very graciously and then reverently attended in Prayer the most of that day being filled with the sence of the love of God and saying sometimes to his Mother fervently God loves me Mother and sometimes I love the Lord. But in the afternoon the Friends retired into another room that he might take rest but his little Sisters remaining in that room he called to the eldest of them being seven years old and said unto her Mary come hither have you got any good by being prayed for to day observing to her she had been particularly mentioned in prayer She answered I hope I have Said he Mary if you should dye now what do you think would become of you She said I do not know He replyed it is your great concern to follow God that so you may know with many other words inforcing it and it is observable that from that time she hath been serious so as never before and pondred his sayings in her heart At night his Father supped with him upon a small Bird and afterward he returned thanks a Physician coming in whilst he was speaking and looking in at the Beds feet with his hat on he enlarged his desires that God would strengthen him his poor creature that he might never be ashamed to confess him before men who-ever they were and desired his Parents might be helped to resign him up to God and that he might alwayes have refuge for rest unto Christ being earnest for Sion with sence of her low estate as he was almost in every prayer and that night he rested well Some Friends had thoughts on the advice Iam. 5. 14. compared with Mark 6. 13. wherewith his Father acquainted him and he desired time seriously to consider of it and the next day being the 21 of the ninth month he seemed yet more hopeful and then desired a dayes time longer to weigh it but being told a Friend that might be concerned about it would not be in Town after that day he then gave his thoughts by way of Query humbly Whether it should be administred when one was mending before being careful lest it should reflect on so solemn an Appointment for he felt himself now mending and therefore had the less clearness therein but if he grew worse he should have further thoughts of it And after he invited that Friend and his Father to Breakfast when he prayed and praised God to the great refreshment of their souls His Mother being gone down with his Father and he feeling some weakness desired then to rest but noise being made among the little ones to his disturbance and his Mother coming up heard him speak to the Maid and them with some trouble in these words The Word of the Lord saith To him that is in affliction pitty should be shewed by his Friends but you take the ready way to hurt me It is well for me I have such a tender Father and Mother or else it might be worse and complained a little of them to his Mother which he never did before and said his strength failed him but God would never fail him His Mother reproving the disturbers left him to rest which he did but awakening towards night exprest much admiration at the goodness of God to such an one as he and said his bodily strength was little he was upon the brink of the grave and his breath almost gone if he spake but a little but he knew if he should die he should be received into the Arms of the Lord. And after a little time grew pretty chearful and desiring to sit up in his bed called his Cousin and little Sisters about him who had partly occasioned the noise of his disturbance and with his own hand cut out some of his Jelly and gave unto them intending himself to sup with his Father but he being prevented of coming up to him he gave some of his small Bird also to them all and then spake to them when they had supped in these words O the sweetness of the Love of God did you experience it as I do you would esteem it more than all the pleasures you can enjoy And with vehemency to his Mother Servants Cousins and Sisters admiration said further O my dear Sisters I long to see you converted O the damned in Hell how would they improve it but it is too late O therefore whilst you have time before the evil day comes take hold of the Righteousness of Iesus Christ and make sure of the Love of God What will you do upon a sick bed without it O my dear Sisters my bowels yern for you I hope I am sure of the Love of God and if I dye this night I shall go to the Lord and be with him for ever O that you knew the sweetness of the Love of God as I do Christ will make you rare without compare And now I call to minde some of Mr. Chares Verses saith he whereof having many more in his memory he repeated to them these If comliness I want His Beauty I may have I shall be fair beyond compare Though cripled to my grave And if above it all To Christ I married be My living Springs O King of Kings Will still run fresh in thee His Mother then said And do you remember Child what he saith of young â—saacs Yea Mother said he and then â—urther repeated some of these concernâ—ng youth Young Isaacks who lift up their eyes And meditate in fields Young Jacobs who the Blessing prize This Age but seldom yeelds Few Samuels leaving youthful playes To temple-Temple-work resign'd Few do as these in youthful dayes Their great Creator mind How precious Obadiahs be That feared God in youth How seldom Timothy's we see Vers'd in the Word of Truth Few Babes and Sucklings publish praise Th' Avengers rage to bind O then in these your youthful dayes Your great Creator mind Few tender-hearted Youths as was Josiah Iudahs King Hosannah in the high'st alas How seldom Children sing Youths rarely ask for Zions ways Th 'had rather pleasure find But O in these your youthful dayes Your great Creator mind What Children Pulse and Water choose Continually to eat Rather than Conscience should accuse For tasting Royal meat Should you not bow a King to please Though tortures were behind Oh then in these your youthful dayes Your great Creator mind Much more with affection
CALEB VERNON Anagram Bor'e unclean Nue clean Robe Through Adams nature I Unclean was bor'e Through Grace betimes Christs Nue clean Robe I wore BY Nature in my first estate A wretched Babe was I In open field deserving hate In blood and filth did lie And in that state I did delight As in my sport and play And therein would with all my might Have wallow'd night and day And though from gross enormities I might by men be clear'd Yet to my Maker's searching eyes Defil'd I all appear'd Though Nature with a pregnant wit And comliness adorn'd me And Education adds to it To teach restrain reform me What prov'd it but a feigned paint On much defiling sin It did not kill but lay restraint Where outrage would begin A pleasant picture to the eye I hereby might appear By which to close Idolatry Some might be drawn I fear But God that faithful he might be That deadly snare would break And that right early unto me His Grace and Peace might speak With tenderness on these intents He strips me of my Vail My costly Cov'rings all he rents My Countenance makes pale My Comliness to rot he turns My witty words to groans My moisture up with drought he burns Discloseth all my bones And in a day of publick ire Me these rebukes did meet When Pestilence as burning fire Slew thousands at his feet I who to blossom did begin With such fair paint before Now as the early fruit of sin This character I wore Despised Idol broke to earth A potsherd no way fit To take up fire out of the hearth Or water from the pit But though near corruptible dust This curious Frame was brought By gracious pleasure stay I must Till noble works were wrought Till deep convictions of my sin Till Jesus form'd in me Till as my portion I begin The Lord 's dear Christ to see Till all my sins were done away Till terrors made to cease Till heart and mind could sweetly stay In thought surpassing peace Nay till in an accepted day My homage I could bring And in his instituted way Devote me to the King Till Christ put on his Truths allow'd His dying marks imbrace His Cause confest his Works avow'd His Sufferings boldly face His Promises for a portion took Saints for companions chose And on him set a fixed look For future free dispose Since then in an unusual way Rich Grace hath thus array'd me And in my young yet dying day With glory overlaid me What properly could I desire But now dissolv'd to be And in this Marriage choice attire My Bridegrooms face to see In Kedar who would not bemoan If there he must reside Ah wretched man who would not groan In sinful flesh to bide Who ' ld lodg in such a nasty shade As torturing tottering stands That hath a Palace ready made Not with polluted hands Where sin temptation suffring strife shall fully be destroy'd All dying swallow'd up of life And God at full enjoyd What aile my Parents then to weep My friends to be dismayd Relations such a do to keep To see a Child unray'd It s filthy garments layd in dust It lay'd repose to take Until the morning when it must With Royal Robes awake May this a witness be to Truth In this backsliding day A Christal Mirrour unto Youth How to amend its way A. C. By an old and honorable Disciple of Christ in the same Congregation who dearly loved him and is since also himself fallen asleep in Jesus and in the Hope of the Resurrection to glory by him I Cannot I adorn thy Sable Hearse With any lofty straind Heroick Verse Nor blaze thy praise with Heraldry Divine This thou at chievd'st among the Saints betime And left'st thy Name an Odour sweet to those That with Christ Iesus and his Truth did close Thou likewise an Example wast to all That knew thee rightly were they great or small Christ gave thee grace by grace thou didst conceive A saving Faith by saving Faith didst live At twelve years old indeed thou couldst dispute And readily some learned ones confute A truly Calebs Spirit was thee given To follow Christ on Earth and into Heaven We now thy Heavenly glories may recite Oh that in us might be the joyes we write That what thou dost enjoy in full a taste Have here we may to stir us up to haste To be with thee that so from troubles here In bliss we may be plac'd where is no fear What lowder grief with such an Emphasis Struck through some Ears to hear what Corps is this What flocks of Saints were crowding oh what storms Rest in their looks Grief wandred through all Forms For thee dear Soul But seeing that the Loss Is only ours let us the grief ingross And fly to Christ with whom is all relief That by him stayd may be our flowing grief Now judge Spectators if you do believe Whether all those that knew him may not grieve Parents and Brother Sisters and Church Members For this great loss both sighs and sorrow tenders There 's cause enough yet friends be all content And make his Life and Death your President John Symonds Senior Prov. 23. 23 24 25. Buy the Truth and sell it not also Wisdom and Instruction and Understanding The father of the Righteous shal greatly rejoyce and he that begetteth a wise Child shall have joy of him Thy father and thy mother shall be glad and she that bare thee shall rejoyce To all that love the Lord Iesus in sincerity The Testimony of two or three Witnesses to the truth of the fore-going Treatise THis that now comes to your hand is a little part as a few fragments of that full table those were entertained with that had the blessing of being nigh that little one which is here presented to you the truth of which for the most part we can testifie having been eye and ear witnesses of these things What it is we truly desire it may be blest unto you to the ends designed by the Author of this little Book It being the main If not the only end why this little follower of God desired to live It may be the breathings from that heart that so much longed being converted to convert others may be of use though imparted at the second hand we have seen made good Pro. 14. 27. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of Life c. And He that believeth in me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water John 7. 31. Some of us have been much convinced by what we saw what bare conversions there are in the world and how far short of believing as the Scripture hath said most men and women are that leaves them so short of the Spirit hinted 1 Pet. 2. 7. We have been too much strangers to that Faith that worketh by love and puts us under Gospel-constraints To live to him that died for us and rose again God hath rebuked this Generation
than a Congregation of Christ How few hereby find a Wife as Solomon speaketh Prov. 18. 22. that is to the end God instituted them but seeking money as a HELP-MEET to them get a Woman with the World and the Devil with her unawares as Eve when the mouth of the Deceiver to a bitter day perhaps a Saphira helping by hypocrisie to save their earthly Estates and lose their Souls Herein Parents add to their prayer for Childrens Conversion their pains to effect their Perdition as one that prayeth a fire may go out adding fuel thereto so are these provisions for Lust under prayer for Life Did not Solomon King of Israel sin by these things yet among many Nations was there no King like him who was beloved of his God and God made him King over all Israel Neh. 13. 26. Nevertheless even him did outlandish-women cause to sin But lastly How doth neglect of Parents instruction of families or ill example therein before their Childden either in pride covetousness wrath lightness or other ill carriage unbecoming profession in Parents expose their observant Children and make fruitless and frivolous their performances amongst them when they shall discern them to fulfil Tit. 1. 16. before them Beware therefore of this above all that you lay not a stumbling example before them but that in simplicity and godly sincerity you shew them your good conversation in Christ filling up faithfully every relation in secret according to your open profession that they be not stumbled by finding the contrary for O the wound which Christ anâ— Truth and souls have received by eminent lâ—â— gifted Professors of contrary conversations 〈◊〉 little have either the lusts or Inhabitants 〈◊〉 world fallen before them How would Abraham be ashamed of such Children who so have shamed their profession in their opportunities Heb. 11. 15. wherein else they might have shined to the conviction and conversion of many Mat. 5. 16. 1 Pet. 3. 16. O tender Parents for the Lords sake then and for the sake of the soules under your charge pray for your own return to the attaining again the holy Examples of Fathers in Christ that they who dwell under your shadow may revive as the Corn and grow as the Vine the sent whereof shal be as the Wine of Lebanon Hos. 14. 7. That your Children and Servants may bless you in the name of the Lord and add not to their corrupt Nature any of these hazards aforesaid under your education in the sence whereof and how many poor Children lately may have been carried Christless thither and like sheep layd into the grave whose Parents thought it time enough perhaps to teach them soul-concernments at leisure this earnest of encouragement to poor endeavours for the souls of Children is published in love which its hoped by your acceptance and help may provoke very many to the salvation of souls And a special double Note is placed in the Margent pointing to the sick-bed lamentation of â—â—â—s little one for the loss of first convictions in 〈◊〉 most harmless manner of trifling away his 〈◊〉 with his most innocent School-fellows choaking for a season the tender Seed in his soul the reviving whereof by especial grace in an acceptable season stood him in so much stead as you will see in the face of Death and Iudgment whereunto none of his great natural parts nor School-attainments durst approach Be pleased to peruse it therefore and improve it unto the most special care of your Childrens eternal welfare and pursue your frequent prayers for their conversion in the paths thereof so as by all means to promote and by no means to betray your prayers that the account of them may not be with grief but joy which is the earnest prayer indeed of Your and your Childrens wel-wisher in the Gospel of Christ I. V. In Commemoration of our Friend and School-fellow the truly virtuous and Religious Youth CALEB VERNON An ELEGY CALEB Ah peerless Caleb art thou dead No no thou art not but thy soul is fled To Heaven thy better part shall never dye But shall survive yes and thy memory Shall ever live and though thy life expire Yet shal all those that knew thee thee admire And honour thy remembrance Worthy youth Whose chiefest love was Piety and Truth Who tho so young and tender yet didst chase Away the thoughts of sin and didst embrace Sincerity and with an upright heart Didst God 's Commands to chuse the better part A second Timothy I well may stile thee Of which true title none can ere beguile thee Which thou deserv'st and hast an ample share In his perfections although so rare I' th Scriptures from a child he knowledg had And stuck close to the good shuning the bad Even so didst thou whose chief sole delight Was for to serve the Lord thy God in spight Of all the opposition which was made By Satans instruments to make to fade Thy hot love t'wards thy Lord fervent zeal Unto good works which no vain thing could steal He in the graces of his Parents dear Enjoy'd a very large and ample share So thou the virtues of thy Father and Thy gracious mother at the second hand Deriv'st A rare example he did prove Others for to provoke his God to love So thou a holy pattern didst appear Although so young while that thou livest here And though th' art dead thy soul doth sore on high Death wher 's thy sting Grave wher 's thy victory Caleb blest Child the Victory is thine Who like an other Sun in Heaven dost shine O Child belov'd of God admir'd of men For all thy virtues and thy graces when Shall we again thy like behold whose Spirit A beautious Crown of Glory dost inherit O wonder of our iron age wh'ast left Something of which the world can't be bereft Let us lament our losse whilst he above Sings holy praises to the God of Love W. D. Another AH cruel Death that no one dost regard But unto all entreaties still art hard It is thy sting that makes so many grieve 'Cause mortals of their lives thou dost bereave It is thy deadly Spear that doth divide Poor Children from their Parents thou dost guide Thy piercing Iavlin to the mortals heart Thou strik'st ev'n Youth it self by thy keen Dart. Couldst thou not stop thy hand O greedy Death But with thy mighty stroak must stop his breath Who in his youthful dayes did flourish much O Death why didst thou rob the world of such A Iewel which with few I might compare One that in time might been the Son and Heir Of Learning one beyond his age endu'd Wisdom and Virtue were by him pursu'd O Death couldst thou not execute thy rage On other men that feeble be with age Or on some other youth in whom such rare And virtuous qualities did not appear But must so soon deprive us of a Iewel Oh envious Death What i' st makes thee so cruel Such a most pretious Iem all ought to
Justices for near two years more yet at last prevailed by slanders to be countenanced so by another in armes who took not such notice of the private malignity under pretence of Loyalty that the Chyrurgeon was encouraged as one of the chief in ransacking the said Vernons House and Closet which he had stored with Medicine for his Apothecary at pleasure with violence and dis-ingenuity incredible upon pretence of Armes where never was any and bruitishly frequented the house as he pleased sometimes in company sometimes alone in his drink venting his threats very absurdly to the great terror of the poor family The said Child being timerous and under a fit of sickness also at Ewel with more deep sence of sin having thus early to his care about his eternal estate the additional fears of unreasonable men so frequently was so exposed though naturally very chearful that his Father was enforced to remove the Family from thence to Newington with respect to their Schooling leaving them himself some weeks before The Child began therefore when his Father through these troubles left Ewel â—â—rst in good earnest to approach to his â—eavenly father in private and to begin a â—orrespondency with his good friend Mr. R. D. in London wherein were Christian expressions in such wisdome and knowledge as made his friend question being the first he had written whether they could come from one so young being then â—ut Ten years old whereupon the said Mr. D. sent to him as followeth Dear Caleb I Received thine without date but not without serious desire of the best things and of â—hy beginning to be instructed in them which made thy Letter very acceptable and welcome to me being willing to hope that what comes under thy hand is not only notions in thy head but something of Truth in thy heart which I desire may be more and more really wrought in thee Thy Lines savour of an honest heart and seem to come from an older head than thy own yet being informed from such as I can credit that it was thy own writing I shall make no further inquiry than to have it confirmed from thy self in thy next to me whether indeed thou hadst not privately the help of any other before the writing of thine above mentioned unto me It is a large desire exâ—ressed in thine to be filled with the Love of God and my hearts desire for thee is Thâ—â— the Lord will fulfill that Petition for thee tâ—gether with that mentioned Ephes. 3. 1â— 17 18 19. Which I desire thou mayest oâ— ten peruse ponder and be helped to prâ— in the same Spirit of Truth The coâ—ing of Christ is hastening indeed as tâ—â— Letter expresses 'T is but a little whiâ—â— and he that shall come will come and will not tarry Heb. 10. 3â— And it is a question worth all our inquirâ— who may abide the day of his coming Mal. 3â— 12. Many there are that shall not and feâ— there are that will be found blameless aâ—â— harmless without rebuke at that day whicâ— yet is and shall be the portion of some Phil. 2â— 15 16. I shall at present only desire thy answer unto two or three brief Questions following First What thou dost understand by thâ— coming of Christ Secondly What thou understandest bâ— his judging the Earth Thirdly What it is to be an outsidâ— Professor Fourthly What the Traditions of meâ— are Fifthly Whither the answer thou shalâ— return to the abovesaid questions be thâ— own apprehensions without any help from others A true and plaine answer to these things will be a further satisfaction about thy last Letter and I hope no disadvantage to thee â—ho by the serious thoughts of these things mayest be brought to a better understanding â—n them Thus with my dear love to thee and â—hy brother J. V. and Cousin Deborah and â—ll the rest desiring you may be all taught and â—nstructed in the truths of Christ as they are â—n him whom to know aright is eternal life John 17. I remain Thy assured Friend that desires thy Spiritual and temporal welfare R. D. London the 6 th of the 3 d Moneth 63. And in Answer received this following which he wrote immediately without study or prompting Ewell May 12 1663. Dear Sir I Received your kind Letter wherein you have desired me to write unto you an Answer to some certain Questions which you have hinted in your Letter which I shall answer as I hope the Spirit of Grace shall declare to me for I know and am assured that the Lord will declare his Spirit unto them that truly love him which indeed I may truly say I have not done but have erred against his word for which I have great cause to mourn for but I hope he may be my God who will be a God to them that truly seek after him in Spirit and in Truth who did put them words into my mouth which you desired me to send you word of and no body else But as for the coming of Christ I understand it to be two diverse wayes First His coming in the hearts of his People to purge and purify them Secondly His coming oâ— Earth when he shall set his People at liberty and shall destroy all Kingdomes that will nâ—â— obey him and he shall set up himself a Kingdome Dan. 2. 44. And by his Iudginâ— the Earth I understand when all both quicâ— and dead shall stand before his presence wheâ— he shall sever the bad from the good and shaâ—â— say to them on his right hand COME Yâ— BLESSED OF MY FATHER But unto them on his left hand GO YE CURSED into Hell fire prepared for the Devil and his angels And to be an outsidâ— Professor I understand it to be one who make a shew of Christ but they be not so in theiâ— hearts And I understand the Traditions â—â— men to be their following after the Lusts of the Devil rather than the Commands of God Which things I have not been told of I would desire you to excuse me for not dating my Letter and desire you would write unto me to unfold them to me more than I can do which I hope may be made of use unto my soul So I remain Your much obliged Friend CALEB VERNON ANd being removed to Newington and now no more exposed to such private hostility he went more chearfully to School and profited exceedingly in the Latine tongue making enterance also into the Greek that Summer but finding the opportunity of hearing the Word there uncertain in the Winter for the sake of it and his Fathers imployment in London the Family was removed thither where he was improved without more intermission to great proficiency in the Greek and Latine so as both his able Teachers as all with whom he was have said they never had any more apt of his age nor did any with whom he was see cause to use correction unto him who yet to his Parents trouble had lost much time by