because thou hast not refused to doe it I sweare to thee saith he by my selfe that I will multiply thy seed as the starres of heaven and the sands of the Sea and among them also one shall be Christ the Saviour of the world Was not this good pay for so little paines King David one night began to think with himselfe that he had ow a house of Cedar and the Arke of God lay but under a Tent and therefore resolved to build a House for the said Arke which onely cogitation God took in so good part as he sent Nathan the Prophet unto him presently to refuse the thing but yet to tell him that forsomuch as he had determined such a matter God would build a house or rather a Kâ—ngdome to him and his posteritie which should last for ever and from which he would never take away his mercy which promise we see now fulfilled in Christ what should I recite many like examples Christ giveth a generall note hereof when he calleth the workmen payeth to each man his wages so duly as also when he saith of himself Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me by which place is evident that God suffereth no labour in his service to be lost or unpaid And albeit he payeth also and that abundantly in this life yet as by those two examples appeareth he deferreth his chiefe pay unto his coming in the end of the day that is after this life in the resurrection of the just as himselfe saith in another place of this payment then reserved for Gods servants in the life to come We are now to consider what and what manner a thing it is and whether it be worth so much labour and travell as the service of God requireth or no. And first of all if we will beleeve the holy Scripturs calling it a Kingdome an heavenly Kingdome an everlasting Kingdome a most blessed Kingdome We must needes confesse it to be a marvellous great reward For that worldly Princes doe not use to give Kingdoms to their servants for recompence of their labours and if they did or were able to doe it yet could it be neither heavenly nor everlasting nor a blessed Kingdome Secondly if we credit that which St. Paul saith of it that neither eye hath seen nor eare heard nor heart of man conceived how great a matter it is Then must we yet admit a greater opinion thereof for that we have seen many wonderfull things in our dayes we have heard more wonderfull we may conceive most wonderfull and almost infinit How then shall we come to understand the greatnesse and value of the rewards surely no tongue created either of man or Angel can expresse the same No imagination conceive no understanding comprehend it Christ himself hath said no man knoweth it but he that injoyeth it and therefore he calleth it hidden Manna in the same place notwithstanding as it is reported of a learned Geometrician that finding the length of Hercules foote upon the hill of Olimpus drew out his whole body by the proportion of that one part so we by some thing only set down in Scripture and by some other Circumstances agreeing thereunto may frame a conjecture of the matter though it come far behind the thing it self I have shewed before how the Scripture calleth it a heavenly and everlasting and a most blessed Kingdom whereby is signified that all must be Kings that are admitted thither To take effect it is called in other places a Crown of glory a Throne of Majesty a Paradice or place of pleasure a life everlasting St. John the Evangelist being in his banishment by speciall priviledge made privy to some knowledge and feeling thereof as well for his own comfort as for ours taketh in and to describe it by comparison of City affirming that the whole City was of pure gold with a great and high wall of the precious stone called Jaspis This wall had also 12. foundations made of 12. distinct precious stones which he there nameth also 12. gates made of 12. rich stones called Margarites and every gate hath an entire Margarite The streets of the City were paved with gold interlaid also with pearles and precious stones the light of the City was the clearnesse and shining of Christ himself siting in the midst thereof From whose seate proceeded a River of water as cleare as Cristall to refresh the City and on both sides of the bankes there grew the tree of life giving out continuall and perpetual fruit There was no night in that City nor any defiled thing entred there but they that are within shall raign saith he for ever and ever By this description of the most rich and precious things that this world hath St. John would give us to understand the infinite value glory and majesty of this felicity prepared for us in heaven though as I have noted before it being the princely inheritance of our Saviour Christ the Kingdom of his Father the eternall habitation of the holy Trinity prepared before all worlds to set out the glory and expresse the power of him that hath no end not measure either in power or glory we may very well think with St. Paul that neither tongue can declare it nor heart can imagine it O miserable Children of men that are born to so rare and singuler a dignity and yet cannot be brought to consider love or esteem of the same Other such considerations there be to shew the greatnesse of this felicity is that if God hath given so many pleasures and comfortable guifts in this life as we see are in this world being a place of bannishment a place of sinners a vail of misery and the time of repenting weeping and wailing what will he do in the life to come to the just to his friends in the time of joy and marriage of his Son This was a most forceable consideration with good St. Augustine who in the secret speech of his soule with God said thus O Lord if thou for this vile body of ours give us so great and innumerable benefits from the Firmament from the Ayre from the Earth from the Sea by light by darknesse by heate by shadow by dewes by showers by winds by raines by birds by fishes by beasts by trees by multitude of hearbes and variety of plants and by the ministry of all thy Creatures O sweet Lord what manner of things how great how good and how innumerable are those which thou hast prepared in our heavenly country where wâ— shall see thee face to face If thou do 〈◊〉 great things for us in our prison whâ—â— wilt thou give us in our pallace If thâ—â— givest so many things in this world tâ— good and evill men together whâ—â— hast thou layd up for good men onlâ— in the world to come If thine enemieâ— and friends together are so well provided for in this life what shall thâ— only friends receive in the life to comâ—â— If there be so great
THE Fathers Legacy OR BVRTONS COLLECTIONS Containing Many excellent Instructions for Age and Youth shewing them how to live godly in this life and to attaine everlasting happinesse in the life to come First written for the Instruction of his onely Son and now set forth for the benefit of others By EDW BURTON PROV 7 1-2 My Son keep my words and lay up my Commandements with thee And my Law as the apple of thine eye LONDON Printed by John Clowes for Mathew Walbancke at Grayes Inne Gate 1649. The Fathers Directions to his Sonne MY Sonne I have thought good to direct those my poor labours unto thee with a charge that thou do imprint them in thy memory and God give thee grace to make good use of them Thy carefull and loving Father E. B. A wise Son will obey the instruction of his Father but a scorner will heare no rebuke Prov. 13.1 To the Reader COurteous Reader having gathered together out of many learned and worthy Writers into this little Booke for my owne comforts sake certaine Sentences Instructions Meditations and Resolutions So to have them ready whereinto I might looke at my pleasure and behold such things as mâ— heart desires for the refreshing oâ— my minde Which being seen by somâ— of my friends they have earnestly perswaded me to put them in Print whicâ— request I was very unwilling to doe to trouble the Presse with such an iâ— garnisht dish but since they have sâ— farre prevailed with me I doe intreaâ— them whosoever shall read it First that they be not moved with indignanation at that which I have done because it was not my minde it shoulâ— have come to publike view buâ— that they will pardon the imperfection and plainesse of it considering that I am no profest Scholer but a plain Countrey man Therefore if the sence in any place appeare either not sound or not cleare enough my desire is to have a godly Corrector of the same Telling him withall that what faults he shall espâ—e it hath escaped from me not of purpose but rather for that I was not heedy enough in marking what I writ And so I commend those my poore labours to the blessing of God and thy self to his most gracious and all-sufficient protection Thine in the Lord E. B. From Stanton in Derbishire neare to Burton upon Trent June 16. 1648. To his deserving friend Mr. EDWVRD BURTON Author of these Collections SIr when I read your Booke I thinke I see Of all learn'd Writers an Epitome You have rob'd no garden but your well-spent howres Hath made a Poesie of their choisest flowres Which with the greater lustre to adorne Here 's some things of your own Minerva borne All well compos'd all in due order set Resembling a well-furnish'd Cabinet Whose high priz'd Jewels fetch 't from every part Are plac'd in ranks by dainty hand and art Here may wilde youth if youth will take the paines To read your worke receive no little gaines Here 's wisdomes Abstract here your silver age Gives your Son Counsell wholesome grave and sage O happy Son whose Father both doth give Precepts and an Example how to live Since every one which ever saw your book With an applausive smile doth on it look Answer the expectation of your Friends Let the world see you aim'd at Publike Ends. ED. F. To my much honoured Friend Master EDWARD BURTON concerning his Collections SIR I Have read over your Collections and if you be pleased to satisfie the desires of your friends and to commit them to publike view I think you shall doe very well yea my opinion is you ought to doe it This Candle should not be under a bushel but on a Candlestick The light of it wil be most usefull many waies First the example will be exceeding good you as many others were by the troubles of this Kingdom taken off from you ordinary imployment but you would not be taken off all imployment and that albeit your yeares required ease and your age at least an abatement of your labours yet here is neither but rather an encrease of more diligence and harder labour and your declining time more flourishing and fruitfull then your youth and best dayes Then you pitched on the best imployment what other you might have been fit for by reason of your former condition and present age I doe not know I am confident if you had been fit for any whatsoever yet for none more then for the Worke you have performed Here is wisdome and this very choice in very much varietie and an admirable flowing veine of most sweet and sacred eloquence Neither is there mixture of any impertinencies at least there is not any thing absurd or that admitteth not a very good construction I will tell you what happened to me in the reading of it from approbation I was carried unto admiration almost to amazement I see the race is not alwaies unto the swift and the choysest Jewels are not seldome hid in closest secrecy And how often doe things fall far short of expectation but sometimes also they as farre exceede the same Your Wine is good throughout your whole Feast but not best in the beginning your vertue is in the midst but your midst-is almost all your Book at least by many degrees the greatest part of it Sir goe on in your good endeavours that you may say as a Reverend olde Divine said to a Physitian perswading to forbeare study in his weaknesse nay said he but I will not that when my Mâ—ster commeth he may finde me thus doing Your very affectionate Neighbour ARTHUR RICKARDS The Table TO mortifie carnall affections Pag. 16 Against vaine glory Pag. 17 What Company to use Pag. 19 Of Obedience Pag. 20 Against idle meeting Pag. 22 How to come to quietnesse in minde and to a godly life Pag. 24 What profit cometh by adversity Pag. 26 Of the works of Charity Pag. 29 That men which offend must be borne withall sometimes Pag. 30 The way to quietnesse both temporall and eternall Pag. 32 The exercise of a true Christian Pag. 33 Of solitarinesse and silence Pag. 37 Of the last judgement and punishment for sinne Pag. 42 Of the paines appointed for sinners after this life Pag. 47 Of the most honourable and munificent rewards proposed to all them that truly serve God Pag. 62 Of the choise of Religion Pag. 79 That Divinity doth not crosse nature so much as exceed it Pag. 87 Of mans imperfection Pag. 91 Of truth and bitternesse in jests Pag. 94 Of the uncertainety of life Pag. 98 Of reward and service Pag. 101 That all things have a like progression Pag. 106 Of Idlenesse Pag. 111 Of the triall of Faith and Friendship Pag. 116 Of Censure Pag. 121 Comfortable Sentences for such as are afflicted Pag. 160 Comfortable Sentences concerning earthly blessings Pag. 165 Meditations and Resolutions Pag. 171 A Morning Prayer Pag. 180 An Evening Prayer Pag. 185 A Prayer for remission of sinnes Pag. 188 A
down and wonder at the unspeakable love and bounty of God expressed towards us in these three Petitions for by the first we are assured of eternity by the second of a Kingdom by the third to be like the Angels or if we like it better to say by the first we are informed what we shall be as Angels by the second what we shall have a Kingdom by the third what we shall do the will of God These are blessings worthy to come from a heavenly Father these are rewards which worthily become a bountifull Master And now let the swine flesh and blood go murmure against God that he is a hard Father and a bad Master and that there is no profit in serving him because he gives them not the mire of the world to wallow in as though he had no other way to expresse his favours but by clods of earth But do thou ô my soule meditate upon these Petitions and in them upon these blessings and in these upon the infinit love and bounty of God and think how happy thou art to have such a Father how much thou art bound to love such a Master and think not much to love him with thy whole heart seeing he hath blessings to bestow upon thee which cannot enter into thy heart Think not much to submit thy self wholly to his will seeing his will is to give thee beauty for ashes the oyle of gladnesse for mourning that we shall ever find it a most happy thing for us to say Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven But why do we say thy will be done in earth which is done in earth already and that by creatures which one would think we are never able to do it He hath set bounds to the Sea which it must not passe and the Sea as raging as it is and provoked by all the Rivers of the earth that come running into it as it were for the nonce to make it passe its bounds yet keepes it self precisely within the limits He hath appointed the earth to stand still and not for to move and the earth though but hanging in the Ayre and nothing at all to hang upon yet offers not so much as once to stir He hath charged the Trees to bring forth fruit and the Trees though almost even killed with could of winter and threatned with the tempests of the spring yet takes heart to come forth and seeme to rejoyce they can do as they are bidden The very beasts though never so wild and savage yet observe the properties of their kind and none of them incroach upon the qualities of another And why all this but only to do the will of God and that which may seeme more strange The flowers come out of the durty earth and yet how neate and cleane out of the unsavory earth and yet how fresh and fragrant out of the sower earth and yet how mellifluous and sweete out of the duskish earth and yet how orient and virmillion out of the unshapen earth and yet in what dainty shapes in what curious formes in what inamilings and diapers of beauty as if the earth would show that for all her being cursed she had somthing yet of Paradice left And why all this but only to do the will of God And why then should there be complaining as though the will of God were not done in earth O wretched man it is only thy self that is out of tune in this harmony Man that should be best is of all the worst that should be cleanest is of all the fowlest that should be most beautifull is of all the most deformed most full of graces yet most void of grace of most understanding to direct his will yet of least will to follow the direction of understanding Man indued with celestiall qualities yet leaves them all to incroach upon the qualities of every beast upon the obcaenity of swine in drunkennesse upon the greedinesse of Cormorants in covetousness upon the craftinesse of Foxes in fraud upon the cruelty of Tygers in malice as if he would strive to exceede his first parents in transgressing and try whether God had any greater punishment left then casting out of Paradice That if Christ would have served us in our kind and as we deserve he needed not to have gone for paterns to heaven he might have found paterns good enough for us amongst the meanest Creatures of the earth And as he tould the Pharisees that the Queen of the South should rise up in judgement against them so he might have told us the flowers the trees the beasts shall all rise up in judgement against man That we have more need to say O that my head were waters and mine eyes a Fountain of teares that I might weep day and night Then after trees and beasts have done Gods will to come after them all but with only saying Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven O God so frame our wills that they may be fit links to be fastned to this Chaine of thy will that as one link drawn on drawes on another so our spirits being guided by thy grace may be guides to our flesh and that our flesh as living by thee may live to thee knowing that though the way of thy will may be troublesome in the going yet the journey shall be comfortable in the ending and though it be the secret of thy will that in doing it we shall meete with many crosses yet it is the purpose of thy will that by doing it we shall purchase many joyes and therefore can have no cause to make us a fraid to say Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven And now having thought these Petitions to be for such most proper let us conforme our selves according to them When we say Hallowed be thy Name let us lift up the voyces of our hearts as if we were now joyning with the Angels in singing their Hallelujah When we say Thy Kingdome come let us raise our thoughts as now offering to set our hands to the Petition of the Saints in heaven When we say Thy will be done let us fix our minds wholly as in the solemnity of dedicating of our selves to God with all the faithfull upon earth When we say Give us this day our daily bread let us humble our selves as being in state of other Creatures and are glad to joyne with them in their common suit When we say Forgive us our trespasses let us think our selves enrolled in the company of Penitents and as the greatest sinners chosen speakesmen to present their supplication And when we say Leade us not into temptation let us acknowledge our selves in the number and weaknesse of little Children and are glad to joyne with them in crying for help that the Angell of Infants which alwaies behold the face of God may be imployed by him to work our deliverance But what should be the cause that in the three latter Petitions we seem
chant it as cheerfully in September the beginning of Winter as in March the approach of the Summer why should not we thinke I give as cheerfull entâ—rtainment to the hoary Haires of ouâ— ages Winter as to the Primroses of our youths spring why not to the declining Sunne in adversity as like Persians to the rising Sunne of prosperity I am sent to the Ant to learne industry to the Dove to learne innocencie to the Serpâ—nt to learne wisdome aâ—d why not to this Bird to lâ—arne Equanimity and patience aâ—â— to keep the same tenoâ— of my mindâ—â— qâ—â—etness as well at the appâ—â—acâ—â— of calamitous Winter as of the Spring of hâ—ppinâ—ssâ— And since the Romans constancâ—e is so commended who changed not his countenancâ— with his changed Fortunes why shâ—uld not I with a Christian resolution hold a steddy cou se in all weatâ—ers and though I be â—orced with crosse Winds â—o shift my Sayles and catch at side Winds yâ—t skilfully to steare and keep on my course by the Cape of good hope till I arrive at the haven of eternall happinesse And now to conclude Meditation is a busie search in the Store-house of Fantasie for some Ideas of matters to be cast in the moulds of resolution into some formes of words or actions in which search when I have used my greatest diligence I finde this in conclusion that to meditate on the best is the best of Meditations and a resolution to make a good end is a good end of my resolutions A Morning Prayer O Most gracious God and loving Father we heartily thanke thee for all thy loving kindnesses so abundantly shewed upon us for our Election Creation Redemption mercifull Vocation Justification Sanctification and continuall preservation and for our assured hope of our Glorification in the world to come We praise thy gracious goodnesse for so mercifully preserving us this night past and delivering us from all dangers both of soule and body for that thou hast given us so sweet and comfortable rest and hast brought us to the beginning of this day And as thou hast safely preserved us unto this present houre from all dangers of this life so we beseech thee to continue this thy favour towards us this day and the whole course of our life suffer us not by vaine alurements of this world to be drawne away into sinne and wickednesse assist us with thy Grace and holy Spirit that we spend not our times vainely or idely but that we may alwaies be diligently exercised in the duties of our Calling to the benefit of our Brethren and discharge of our Conscience Grant that in all our consultations words and workes we may ever have thee present before our eyes through Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour Amen An Evening Prayer O Most gracious Lord God and loving Father we heartily thanke thee for all thy mercies blessings benefits and preservations so abundantly shewed towards us We doe praise thy glorious goodnesse for so mercifully preserving us this day past and delivering us from all perills and dangers both of body and soule for prospering and preserving us in health and prosperity for giving us all things necessary for this present life as health food and apparrell and other convenient things needfull this gracious goodnesse of thine we beseech thee O Lord to continue towards us for ever And here O Lord God we offer up unto thee our selves and ours our soules our bodies we recommend our lives our meanes and all we have unto thy gracious preservation and protection in assurance that that cannot perish which is committed unto thee keep us this night in safety and grant good Lord that our bodies may sleep and ouâ— souâ—es may watch for the commiâ—g of our Saviour thy Son Jesus Christ thaâ— so our soules and bodies may be more apt and able to serve thee in that estate and Calling wherein thou hast thought good to place us we doe confesse and acknowledge O mercifull God that we are most miserable and wicked sinners as well by originall corruption of Nature as by the course of our evill and naughty life we have and doe daily breake and transgresse thy most holy Law and Commandements both in thought word and deed By the meanes of this sinne and corruption we doe continually deserve most just condemnation and to be for ever cast out of thy presence yet such is thy goodnesse towards us thou wouldest not suffer us thus to perish in our sins but hast sent thine owne deare Sonne Christ Jesus to take upon him whatsoever is due to us and to reconcile and makâ— us one with thee againe In him therefore and thorow him we come unto thee beseeching thee for his sake that we feeliâ—g the grievâ—usnesse of our siâ—nes and groaning under the burthen of them may finde the release and â—ase of them in that we through thy â—â—â—y Spirit stedfastly belâ—eve that Christ hath borne the burthen of them even for us Grant O Lord that we being assured hereof in our conscience may through thy holy Spirit be renewed with more graces and hate detest and abhorre all manner of sinne and study to live in all things according to thy blessed Will during our whole life Grant this O deare Father for Jesus Christ his sake Amen A Prayer for remission of sins O Lord glorious ever-living loving everlasting Father I wretched sinner presume once againe after my sinne to returne home unto thee requesting begging praying and desiring of thy heavenly Majesty that thou wilâ— look downe upon me I confesse were it not for the hope of thy mercy anâ— the hold of thy comfort and the renewing graces which sometimes I feele from thee and that sweet taste and feeling of thy good gifts and thy heavenly Word I should sinke in despaire for my sinne is alwaies before me if I go they follow me if I run they fly after me if I look back they stare upon me if I go forward they meet me if I turne to the right hand they terrifie me if to the left hand they torment me If I look down to earth Hell is ready to devour me now have I no way but to look up to thee Lord be thou then hore ready to receive me help me good God save me deare Father succour me sweet Redeemer assist me mercifull Creator that my prayers may be so fervent so zealous so affectionate towards thee that they may draw down thy mercies upon me powre down thy blessings shower down thy graces open thy hand of mercy restore joy and comfort to my heavie and laden soule wash away my sins wipe away mine iniquity heale my infirmities purge my wicked minde of all evill thoughts pardon all misdeeds and wicked dealings renew the good Spirit of heâ—venly graces restore the joyes of thy holy comsorts upon me O Lord let me have some feeling some taste some scent some glimmering of thy glorious presence Let me feele some comfort finde some joy have some rest good Lord let