to commit sin weake to resist sin E vill can never be the childe of goodnesse nor can sin so basely descended lay claime to omnipotencie O vercome evill with good and be farre from snatching Gods weapon out of his hand but rather master unkindnesse with kindnesse R ather labour to avoid sinne by knowledge then venture to sin upon the conceit of repentance D elay is dangerous when we are once resolved if ever good why not now 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 R emember that as addition a addes to grace so multiplication increaseth the effect of those graces R epentant eyes are true Cisternes of holy water and the sighs of sorrowfull spirits on earth makes the Spirits joyfull in heaven A s God regards not so much the quantity as the quality not how much but how true faith is so he never rejected them that had any at all N either the greatnesse of crime not the thortnesse of time can bar true conversation from for givenesse K nowledge vertue temperance patience godlinesse brotherly kindnes and charity with one end tyed to heaven fasten the other end to the conscience and it shall draw thee up to heaven S aving knowledge takes away barrennesse andmakes fruitfulnesse in the works of obedience T here be two things torment a man sin and a bad conscience grace delivers from sin and peace quiets the conscience O ne that hath a will bent to doe harme and a wit able to prosecute it is like a Canon shot that makes a Lane where it goes T here is fearfull combustion all over the world wars at home wars abroad if therefore we love peace let every man pray for peace H ee that desires to be found in peace let peace be found in him peace or nothing peace and every thing E arthly peace the earth can give though sometimes she will not but the peace of Christ the world cannot take away F or profit peace is like the dew of heaven that makes all fat and fruitfull wheresoever peace sets her foot there drops fatnesse R egeneration makes a man like the Garden of Eden wherein stands the Tree of life Jesus Christ when he dyed one Paradise entred into another O ur condemantion is great if we know the light and yet chuse darknes N o more but eight saved of the old world see what sin can doe bring many millions to eight persons T here can be no safety without faith there is no faith without a promise and no promise is made to disobedience C hrist was made a sinner by the reputation of our sinnes and we made just by the imputation of his justice L ife brings appetite appetite brings desire of meat and meat affords nourishment if the soule hungers not after Christ it lives not O ur sins deceived us of our birthright let it not deceive us of our blessing it stole us from our happinesse of nature let it not steale us from our happinesse of grace S inne shews the Devill horrible God a severe judge let the Gospell remove that God is my father the Devill his and thy slave E very wound of Christ is a passage his side was opened his heart was pierced through both these breaches we have entrance into heaven T his is a faithfull saying and worthy all acceptance that Christ can forgive more then we can offend but that he will forgive all is a fearfull question O ur salvation is sure in Christ upon sin will follow doubt upon doubt terror upon terror remorse upon remorse deprecation upon that pardon and after that peace Y f holinesse be not in the heart it is not where it should be Ismael was an unbeleever in the house of faith O pen thy heart as well as thine eare if the seed of Gods Word be not sowne there it will never abound with fruit to everlasting life V ertue is not temporall but is still ambitious of improving it selfe and so is admitted into the number of Gods Jewells R ecollect your selves and become fruitfull trees that when God transplants you from this misery he may set you in his owne glorious garden O ur best works are but blanks then let us goe out of our selves and be beholding to the righteousnesse of Christ only for our salvation R aise thy affections above a common pitch and let thy soule bear herself as the Spouse of the great King of heaven D iligence respects so great an object as salvation and such an object requires great diligence E lection in heaven calls for vocation on earth vocation calls for corne wine and oyle which are the fruits of a godly life R iches brings contention godlinesse brings contentation gaine hath often hurt the getters but piety is profitable to all men O ne Jesus Christ in the Gospell never satiated any man that read him therefore let the Word of God dwell in you plentiously R ecover you affecttions so deare to you that were the prisoners and drudges to lust and let them now doe service to God C harity gives part of thy wealth to the poore but faith gives thy self yea thy whole self to God L et this sinfull flesh doe what it can it shall not hinder thy entrance into heaven for which thanke God through Jesus Christ O ur good is only accepted through the righteousnesse of Christ our very persons are accepted in the beloved if our persons then our good actions S ecurity and expectation are opposites the servant that lookes for his Masters comming is afraid to fall asleep E very man that is kinde to his brother comes with best speed to his Maker O f such a zeale as prefers Gods service before all other things comes true godlinesse R ighteousnesse of reparation is the reforming of errors and confirming of manners salving past defects by a bettered life D ivorce must be suffered one husband must be lost happy is he that findes another in heaven Christ Jesus E ndeavour to be saved is no easie taske but requires labour refuse no worke for such a reward as heaven is R ead the Scriptures constantly and meditate upon them for it was holy Davids practise day and night T o be strong to sin is no credit for man for strength to sin is to be strong to goe to hell O Christian acknowledge thy dignity and being made the consort of a divine Nature returne not by thy degenerate conversation unto thy ancient vildnesse T o small purpose doe we keep the Law in memory and break it in life in vaine do we remember Christ in our words and forget him in our deeds H ee that carties a Bible in his hand and hath not a leston of it in his heart is like an Asse that carries a dainty burden on his backe and feeds upon thistles E ither they had no beginning or no end whose end is worse then their beginning
intended mischiefe O ppinionate wisdome is in a manner the sole cause of all folly for it transports a man with an imagination of his owne knowledge that he runs into error with confidence T hey that will walke to Christ shall have Christ walke with them for he is the truth the way and the life H ee that beleeves will keep the Commandements for as the Law sends us to Christ to be saved so Christ sends us backe againe to the Law to learne obedience E very Scribe instructed unto the Kingdome of heaaen brings out of his treasure things new and old the new before the old because the Gospel was promised before the Law was Printed R econciliation and the peace that was made between God and man did not stretch so far as to conclude a peace between God and sin I am a sinner therefore God hath from everlasting rejected me is a desperate conclusion I beleeue in Christ and endeavour to live like a Christian therefore am chosen is a sound inference so far God gives leave to looke into the booke of life G ods informer is conscience a spy in the soule mixing herselfe with all our thoughts and actions H ee that hopes for a new heaven above and does not become a new creature below that mans expectation is in vaine T he highest act of a Christian is to comfort himselfe in Christ he never fell from us we are basely unthankfull if ever we fall from him H ee that knowes God and lives in evill is no better then a devill in the shape of a man or a man in the shape of a devill A s no place can content the fire but the upmost rising towards its owne region so let no knowledge satisfie us but the knowledge of Christ N atural men perceive not the things of Gods Spirit in other knowledge the righteous have part with sinners but in this sinners have no part with the righteous let me be weake in policie so I be wise of salvation D ivine knowledge mounts aloft and findâ—s no rest but in the region of immortality C elsitude of honour is a meer dwarfe to faith that can but command mortalls faith is attended by Angels O ur faith hath need of a good foundation for it is an heavy and weighty building all other vertues lye upon faith U nbeleeving sinners tremble but let such feare to dye as have no hope to dye if we have made our peace with God we shall escape from death N o man can take Christ from thee unlesse thou take thy selfe first from Christ T he Gospell is no weake thing but comes in power for Christ hath a further latitude he came once unto men but he comes still into man E xcept a man be borne he can never see light on earth and except he be twice borne he can never see light in heaven R edemption by Christ hath stated us into a blessednesse never to be forgotten for no soule that Christ hath truly bought can ever perish M ans sinnes have made heavens entrance narrow but Christs sufferings have made it wide A little faith with knowledge is true and saving but great presumption with ignorance is damnable R eligion knows no outward calling or condition for all those that are in Christ are holy beleeving brethren C ertainly if men beleeved in Christ they would not nay could not speak not look upon his workes without great reverence H ee that trusts his salvation on a strange faith erres in darknesse and holds not the way which the light of the Gospell directs him T he Gospell speaks of Christ buying Ye are bought with a price to fell that which is bought is to crosse his proceeding O f all purchases buy Jesus for be thou never so poore Christ will sell himselfe for thy soule T he life of man is pretious in the sight of God but the life of his whole Church is far more pretious H ee that cares not for any mirth but that which must grieve the Holy Ghost must needs procure that peace which is at wars with Christ E very man thinks he loves himselfe better then his enemy but while hee loves sin he loves his enemy better then himselfe L et the servants that are under the yoke count their owne master worthy of all honour that the name of God and his doctine be not blasphemed E very action that gives way to Gods dishonour and heartens others to superstition is a deniall of Christ in some degree of fact F alse Prophets intrude amongst the people but principally amongst the people of God T he Devill is a false Prophet he calls evill good and promiseth bad attempts good events either he conceales the end from the way or the way from the end H earken not to the world for it is a false Prophet it tells you your gold shall make you rich when it rather makes you cursed A n Infidell perswades himselfe there shall be no reckoning day and an Epicure dreames of no future life false for the Lord will take them away in a whirlewind N atures colours will last if not artificiall shall say pride to the beautifull false Art shall make a foole of Nature Time make a foole of Art and Death make a foole of all D runkards prophesie to morrow shall be as to day and much more abundant false awake and howle Oye drunkards for the wine is cut off from your mouths C arnall mindes hope and saie I will be sure to repent false thousands are in hell that promised themselves this evasion neither hath any man a patent of repentance O ur ambitious men flatter themselves saying we will arise out of the dust and sit with Princes false for they shall fall from the throne to the dust V anity and worldly pleasure saies I am a Queen and shall see no mournfulnesse false for the day of lamentation is come N aturall men are moles to spirituall objects but wise and regenerate eyes can pierce the heavens and espy God in all his earthly occurrences T he flesh is a false Prophet every affected sin is a false Prophet to the soul for falshood if it cannot deceive another it will deceive if selfe E very man sayes he is in Gods favour so were the children of Israell till they were tempted by false Prophets and sinned R ighteousnesse is the life of all lives without which our bodies shall rot in the dust and our memories stinke above ground yea our selves perish in the lowest pit M any will be in the Church way the road of profession not for any love they bear to devotion but that the sent of their turpitudes may not bee discovered A ll ungodlinesse robs God of his honour and is either the true worship of a false god or the false worship of the true God or the true worship of the true God with a false heart R hetoricke is the art of speaking well Logicke the art of disputing well Magistracie the art
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