Selected quad for the lemma: death_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
death_n	good_a	life_n	see_v	9,943	5	3.4753	3	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A50088	The counsell and admonition of Henry Massingberd, Esq., to his children	Massingberd, Henry.	1656 (1656)	Wing M1044; ESTC R7677	141,779	251

of our Fathers for we have sinned against thee 1 Cor. 2.11 For what man knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him 1 Sam. 7.3 And Samuel spake to all the house of Israel saying If you doe return unto the Lord with all your hearts then put away the strange god Ashteroth from among you and prepare your hearts to the Lord and serve him only 1 Cor. 28.7 I will establish his Kingdom if he be constant to doe my Commandements and my judgments as at this day Prov. 4.5 Get wisdom get understanding forget not neither decline from the words of my mouth Ver. 6. Forsake her not and she will preserve thee love her and she will keep thee Ver. 26. Ponder the pathes of thy feet and let all thy wayes be established Eccl. 5.13 There is a sore evill which I have seen under the Sunne namely riches kept by the owners thereof to their hurt And Chap. 8. Ver. 9. There is a time wherein one man ruleth over another to his own hurt 1 Tim. 6.9 They that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition 1 Joh. 2.16 For all that is in the world the the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but of the world Ver. 17. And the world passeth away and the lusts thereof but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever Isa 1.3 The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters cribbe but Israel doth not know my people doth not consider Job 16.3 Shall vain words have an end Josh 1.8 This book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe to doe according to all that is written therein for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success Jer. 6.16 Thus saith the Lord Stand in the wayes and see and ask for the old pathes where is the good way and walk therein and you shall finde rest for your souls Lam. 3.40 Let us search and try our wayes and turn again unto the Lord. 2 Cor. 13.5 Examine your selves whether you be in the faith prove your own selves know you not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates Mich. 7.19 He will turn again he will have mercy upon us he will subdue our iniquities and cast all our sinnes into the depth of the sea 2 Cor. 10.4 5. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing thot exalteth it self against the knowledge of God Matth. 7.7 Aske and it shall be given you seek and ye shall finde knock and it shall be opened unto you And 18. Ver. 14. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little childe the same is greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven James 4.10 Humble your selves in the sight of the Lord and he shall lift you up Job 22.9 When men are cast down then thou shalt say there is lifting up and he shall save the humble person Deut. 30.15 19 20. See I have set before thee this day life and good death and evill I call Heaven and earth to record this day against you that I have set before you life and death blessing and cursing therefore choose life that both thou and thy seed may live that thou maist love the Lord thy God and that thou maist obey his voice and that thou maist cleave unto him for he is thy life Matth. 17.27 Notwithstanding least we should offend them goe thou to the sea and cast in a hook and take up the fish that first cometh up and when thou hast opened his mouth thou shalt finde a piece of money that take and give unto them for me and thee Phil. 1.27 Only let your conversation be is becomes the Gospell of Jesus Christ Amos 4.12 Prepare to meet thy God O Israell Psal 40.1 I waited patiently for the Lord and he inclined unto me and heard my cry Psal 106.13 They soon forgot his works they waited not for his counsell Isa 25.9 Loe this is our God we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation Sam. 2.15.26 Behold here I am let him doe unto me what seemeth good unto him Psal 89.30 If his children forsake my Law and walke not in my judgements Ver. 31. If they breake my Statutes and keepe not my commandements Ver. 32. Then will I visit their transgressions with a rod and their iniquities with stripes Psal 74.19 O deliver not the soul of thy Turkle Dove unto the multitude of the wicked Exod. 23.2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe evill Numb 11.4 And the mixed multitude fell a lusting Prov. 24.1 My sonne feare thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change Ver. 22. For their calamity shall rise suddenly and who knowes the ruine of them both Gen. 2.18 It is not good for man to be alone Matt. 4.4 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wildernesse to be tempted of the Devill Joh. 6.14 And Jesus departed into a Mountaine himselfe alone And c. 8. v. 16. I am not alone but I and the Father that sent me And c. 16. v. 32. Ye shall leave me alone and yet I am not alone because the Father is with me Phil. 4.11 I have learned in what estate soever I am in therewith to be content Eccl. 6.9 Better is the sight of the eyes then the wandring of the desire 1 Tim. 6.9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition Eccl. 7.3 Sorrow is better then laughter for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better 1 Tim. 1.8 The Law is good if a man use it lawfully Prov. 15.2 The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright but the mouth of the foolish poureth out foolishnesse Psal 50.23 To him that ordereth his coversation aright will I shew the salvation of God Psal 15.5 He that doth these things shall never be moved And 16.8 I have set the Lord alwaies before me because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved Psal 101.2 I will behave my selfe wisely in a perfect way And 119.98 Thou through thy Commandements hast made me wiser then my enimies Prov. 10.19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sinne but he that refraineth his lips is wise And 26.12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit there is more hope of a foole then of him And 10.14 Wise men lay up knowledge but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction Psal 11 ●5 A good man sheweth favour and lendeth he will guide his affairs with

will testifie unto thee for I am God even thy God Against Presumption and Despair at all times but especially upon the Death-bed Sathan that old and lying Serpents suggestion to Presumption COme now thou mayest eat drink sleep and be merry because thou hast lived according to Gods commands and now art going to thy masters rest whom thou hast truly and punctually served farre above the service of thousands that doubt not at all of their salvation the due reward of their godlinesse of living For thy Originall sinne which thy Father Adam committed thou didst it not therefore in justice God cannot charge thee with it and he will not visit the sinnes of the Fathers upon the children As for thy actuall sinnes of ignorance that cannot in justice be laid to thy charge which thou knewest not to be a sinne nor the time of its commission Thou hast lived so carefully to please thy God that few have been so strict in walking in his Laws thou maist professe to have kept all his Commandements from thy youth thou hast had no other God nor worshipped any graven Image and hast not delighted to take his Name in vain Thou hast constantly kept the Sabboth hast honoured thy Parents hast not murthered nor adulterized nor stollen nor borne false witnesse nor covered but hast been contented with thy portion therefore so long as life is in thee eat drink and be meery for certainly the Angels are charged to keep thy soul and body to eternall life as thy fellow servants of God for ever The Souls Answer Avoid thou old and lying Spirit truth cannot proceed out of thy mouth without defilement am not I from Adams loynes and can I then be clean Did not his sinne that thy envy brought him into corrupt his whole body and am not I as part of it proceeding from it Could I doe all that I am commanded of my God were I not still an unprofitable servant Doth not my least sinne in thought word or deed besides my originall corruption deserve punishment infinite as my God whom thereby I rebell against is infinite Can a clean thing proceed out of an unclean Instead of keeping have I not broken all the commands of my God times without number and in degrees infinite As thou wast a lyar to Adam the first man upon earth so thou art for ever and as it was then said The seed of the woman shall break thy head so shall it be for ever to my salvation in the free love and mercy death and passion merit and redemption of Jesus Christ my Lord. Sathan his motives to Despair I was deceived indeed and turning over another leaf in my black book there I finde a quite contrary character of thy life I see thou hast imitated and added to all Adams rebellions he disobeyed and broke one Commandement once and therefore had that terrible sentence pronounced against him by Gods own mouth to be cast from Paradice he and his posterity for ever But thou hast broken all Gods Commandements times without number and in degrees beyond expression infinite Thy life hath been nothing else but a constant breaking of them unlesse thou look for salvation from these breaches which is a way impossible thou hast no hope therefore satisfie thy self with what thou canst not help and cease to aske or seek or knock any more at Gods gate of mercy for it is fast shut against thee and sinners cannot enter in at it now thou and I must burn together in hell for ever from which there is no redemption for us I have recorded against thee in places infinite that thou hast made thee many Idoll gods in hearty seeking of vain earthly things and thou hast loved and worshipped them as Images of thy desired lusts The Name-of God thou hast repeated invain and no one Sabboth hast thou truly kept Thou hast not reverenced nor honoured thy Father and Mother but in thy thoughts at least hast them despis'd and murthered them or others Thou also hast adulteriz'd in heart and in thy faculties stollen thy neighbours goods Thou hast coveted and borne false witnesse too against thy neighbour Almighty God gave his Angels charge to keep his servants from wrongs and hurts but thou hast not served him therefore thou belongest only to me whom thou hast punctually served The Souls Answer O my Enemy thou sayest thou wert mistaken and so indeed thou wert and art and ever wilt be in seeking to snatch the servants of my God out of his hand for although my God suffer thee a while to walk the earth his pleasure is in a good time appointed to cast thy chains upon thee in a place prepared from which thou maist not move for ever I most humbly confesse and have so I trust confessed all my sinnes and more in number then what I can comprehend infinite such I acknowledge are my wounds my sore disease proceeding from thy hate and envious gulf Yet know I have a medicine I have a salve sufficient a Jordan stream to make me clean if not more clean then if I had not sinned and this my cleansing is more my certain life then was my standing clean if then I had not sinned so that thy envy now is my advantage thou knowest it well but lovest not to remember that my precious Antidote whereby I am secured from thy Aspish poison so closely carried under thy lying tongue it is that free redeeming love and bloud of that most valiant Sampson whose Name is Jesus Christ that quickly snapt in sunder thy treble corded lye of vain deceit he is my Captain that never lost nor will lose any of his souldiers without his word I move not at his command I le gladly meet thee with million of Juries of my sinnes before the judgment-seat of God and when thou hast proved me guilty as I doe confesse thou wilt soon appear the Serpent and principall authour of my great offence and I an accessary by thy deluding lies perswading and to thy uttermost power compelling me to doe the evill that I would not doe and hindring me from doing good therefore know that my Saviour Christ my Captain and my God will plead his death and then I live and thou shalt bear the due deservings of my sinnes for ever in eternall flames for they are thine therefore Sathan in humble reverence to my Saviour avoid get thee behind me my good God hath provided a place in Heaven with his servants for me that I may be even where he is and as his servant see his glory and this notwithstanding all my sinnes and ill deserts onely of his free love and mercy whereby he hath with his bloudy sufferings redeemed my soul from hell my just desert because he is good and his mercy endures for ever so come Lord Jesus come quickly even as thy will may be done with the Father and the holy Spirit three persons but one eternall God for ever Amen True Love 1. TO love our good God

Matth. 7.13 Wide is the gate and broad the way that leads to destruction and many there be that goe in thereat Ver. 14. Strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life and few there be that finde it Rom. 13.13 Let us walk honestly as in the day not in rioting and drunkennesse not in chambering and wantonnesse not in strife and envying Ver. 14. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof Rom. 6.22 But now being made free from sinne and become the servants of God ye have your fruit unto holinesse and the end everlasting life And 8.18 For I reckon that the moment any afflictions of this life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us 1 Cor. 9.24 So runne that you may obtain Zach. 4.10 For who hath despised the day of small things Psal 89.47 Remember O Lord how short my time is Col. 4.5 Walk in wisdome redeeming the time Matth. 26.41 Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation 2 Chron. 29.11 My sonne be not now negligent Matth. 7.23 Depart from me ye that work iniquity Prov. 22.8 He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity Psal 90.12 So teach us to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts to wisdome And 103.15 As for man his dayes are as grasse as a flower of the field so he flourisheth And 144. ver 4. Man is like to vanity his dayes are as a shadow that soon passeth away Heb. 3.7 To day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts Ver. 13. Exhort one another daily while it is called to day lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfullnesse of sinne Exod. 22.29 Thou shal not delay to offer the first of thy ripe fruits Psal 119.60 I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandements Job 11.23 14. If thou prepare thy heart and stretch out thy hands towards him if inquity be in thy hand put it farre away and let not wickednesse dwell in thy tabernacles Psal 119.137 140. Righteous art thou O Lord and upright are thy judgements thy Word is very pure therefore thy servant loveth it Psal 64.9 10. And all men shall fear and shall declare the works of God for they shall wisely consider of his doings The righteous shall be glad in the Lord and shall trust in him and all the upright in heart shall glory Jam. 4.14 Whereas you know not what shall be to morrow for what is your life it is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away Psal 89.48 What man is he that liveth and shall not see death shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave Prov. 14.32 The wicked is driven away in his wickedness but the righteous hath hope in his death INfancy the first Age is like passing through the red Sea in this is required patience this is our first footing into the wildernesse to which we passe through the bloudy sea of our distressed mother afflicting her with sorrow that first tells us of a land of rest And why should nature thus behave her self to seem ungratefull to her dearest nurce and Viper-like to kill and tear her damme it may be this because there is a dangerous wildernesse to passe through before we come to this Land of Promise and many by-wayes and broad pathes in it leading all to destruction and only one strait way and narrow path there is that leadeth to Canaan and hard it is and few there are that finde it and being once set down in this wandring desert if we misse this strait way and goe a deadly path woe is to us that ever we undertook it better had it been for us if we had not been born But as the losse is most sad so is the right ordering of our way and following this strait path most joyfull in the end for what are afflictions if through them we enter into the Kingdom of God of which the momentany afflictions of this life are not worthy and unlesse we undertake this journey unlesse we runne we cannot obtain we cannot have the prize the blisse This is the day of small things the beginning of dayes unto us the beginning of our pretious time so swift a steed that if he once passe we cannot bring him back therefore let us improve the time because the dayes are evill be very vigilant that it passe not in vain Some times there are which are taken from us some are stollen from us and others slip away from us but the shamefullest losse of time that may be is when it proceedeth from our own negligence We see a great part of time flitteth from all men very much from idle persons and the whole from those that love iniquity therefore ought we to put a great price upon time to esteeme of a day and to know that we dye daily for herein are we deceived because we suppose death to be far from us when the truth is death holds all our years in his possession therefore imbrace and lay hold on every houre So shalt thou be blessed in suspence for to morrow if thou fasten thy hands on to day whilest life is deferred it fleeteth therefore make good use of time while thou hast it for infinite are the waies that end it to thee It is a very evill thing to delay the performing of good duties in this life which is very short if thou wouldest fortifie provide against the pursuite of a powerfull enemy then more especially against the power of death it is more worthy to consummate life before death then to delay the living of a blessed life and death take us unprepared the greatest losse is the losse of time and the greatest grief when it is truly considered A good life consisteth not in the space but use of time whence it cometh to passe that he who hath lived longest hath often lived little or nothing As the heathen Philosopher wisely observed of one who neglected the improvement of his time Quod octoginta Annorum fuit septem tamen Annos tantum vixit accounting only that life which was spent with prudence and circumspection Consider when thou lyest down it may be thou shalt not rise when thou sleepest thou mayest not awake and when thou wakest thou mayst sleep no more Ut somnus mori is sic lectus imago sepulchri When thou goest forth thou maist not returne and when thou returnest thou maist goe forth no more there is not three fingers only betwixt the Mariner and death but in all places and at all times death and life are not farre asunder every where death shews not himself so nigh as nigh he is but live thou the life of the righteous and thou shalt surely die the death of the righteous which is the sure gain of eternall life in Jesus Christ our Lord. Train up a childe in the way he should go and

when he is old he will not depart from it Pro 22.6 As dayes increase soe must increase our will To doe what 's good and to auoide what 's ill Death is most certaine but the instant when Is most vncertaine to all mortall men Soe soone as one sand dropps the next doth follow Life's here to day and death takes place to morrow Psal 22.26 The meek shall eat and be satisfied And 25.9 The meek will he guide in judgment and the meek will he teach his way 1 Sam. 2.3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly let no arrogancy come out of thy mouth for the Lord is a God of knowledge and by him actions are weighed Prov. 3.13 Happy is he that findeth wisdome and that getteth understanding And Ver. 17. Her wayes are wayes of pleasantnesse and all her pathes peace Psal 50.14 Offer unto God thanksgiving and pay thy vowes unto the most high Deut. 6.2 That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God to keep all his statutes and his Commandemonts which I command thee thou and thy sonne and thy sonnes sonne all the dayes of thy life and that thy dayes may be prolonged Psal 34.11 Come ye children hearken to me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Psal 111.10 The fear of the Lord is the begining of wisdom a good understanding have all they that doe thereafter and obey his Commandements Psal 119.6 Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect unto all thy Commandements Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures diligently Psal 119.24 Thy testimonies are my delight and my councellors And 37.4 Delight thy self also in the Lord and he shall give thee the desire of thy heart Rom. 12.10 Be kindly affectioned one towards another with brotherly love Eccl. 1.4 One generation passeth and another cometh And 12.1 Remember now thy Creatour in the dayes of thy youth while the evill dayes come not nor the yeares draw nigh when thou shalt say I have no pleasure in them Jude v. 7. As Sodome and Gomorrah are set for our examples suffering the vengeance of eternall fire 1 Thes 5.22 Abstain from all appearance of evill Eccl. 9.3 There is an evill among all things that are done under the Sunne that there is one event to all yea also the hearts of the sonnes of men are full of evill and madnesse while they live and after that they goe down to the dead Eph. 6.11 13. Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devill that ye may stand in the evill day Prov. 8.17 I love them that love me and those that seek me early shall finde me Psal 63.1 O God thou art my God early will I seek thee Gen. 8.21 The imagination of mans heart is evill from his youth Eph. 2.3 And were by nature the children of wrath Jude v. 20. But what they know naturally as bruit beasts in those things they corrupt themselves 2 Pet. 3.1 2. In both which I stir up your willing mindes by way of remembrance that ye may be mindfull of the words which were spoken before by the holy Prophets and of the Commandements of us the Apostles of the Lord our Saviour Rom. 2.21 Thou therefore that teachest another teachest not thou thy self thou that preachest a man should not steal doest thou steal Matth. 7.15 Beware of false prophets or teachers which come to you in sheeps cloathing but inwardly are ravening wolves THe second Age is termed Childhood a right wandring in the wildernesse in which meeknesse is required The first we discovered and commenced our time now it is requisite to speak something of Action which is the life of a man in his time of this I would by the help of God admonish in order according to the severall steps and degrees of capacity Such action as concerns this second Age is the beginning truly to rellish and entertain wholesome doctrine and admonition such as tend to our temporall but especially to our eternall welfare Now that we are entred into this wholesome Land and possed the danger of a seven-years journey in the troublesome pilgrimage of this mortality it is good that we apply our mindes how we may become serviceable to our mercifull Creator and imploy our appointed time in his Vineyard like faithfull servitors that when he comes or calls we may be ready to passe our account with joy and comfort and not with grief In this Age we are to proceed in those little foot-steps of learning which probably if not much neglected hath been laid out to us in the former Age. Foundations ought to be of the most lasting materials because if they fail the whole building is in danger and they are most hard and unusuall to be removed therefore let thy first learning be the best and that is thy duty to thy Maker which comprehendeth the generall performance of all duty Learn divine precepts especially the old and new Testament that may make thee wise to salvation and that will by Gods mercy bring on a delight in prayer in reading and hearing the Word of the Almighty Instruct a childe while he is young and he will remember it afterwards Never teach a childe that which is evill which he must either leave or be untaught ingraft brotherly love one in another ever rejoycing in one anothers welfare but especially in the good of your eternity Now thou must begin to take some notice of passages and accidents that doe may or have befallen thee or some near thee especially of the death and mortality of thy friend or acquaintance for often to think of death is a great means to be well prepared for it and taking notice of passages and casualty in others fits us for changes and alterations that must befall our selves About this time it is that corrupted youth begins to make excuse for faults but doe thou fly the faults and it is sufficient Strive to know good from evill then follow the good and be sure to avoid all appearances of evill he hardly recovers health that knowes not he is sick if we begin not our cure betime when shall we cast off those many plagues and sicknesses that begirt us A Christian must be an expert Spirituall Souldier and therefore must learn betime to put on his whole armour of salvation we must begin to reform and correct our mindes before they be confirmed in wickednesse and corruption corrupted nature proffers no man a good minde before an evill therefore is the minde to be enforced so shall the medicine prove sweet while it cureth Of other remedies there are certain pleasures after health Divinity is both wholesome and pleasing it is very necessary that Tutors and teachers of Children and all that company with them be religiously disposed gentle and peaceable example in this age especially prevailes much beyond precept that which is tender layeth hold on that which is near unto it growes with it and is fashioned to it Nurces and Masters are often imitated

which are as foggy mists which never surmount the Sunne to obtain this no labour is too great nor any pains too high a price to make us thus affected true worth is to be well composed unto Vertue all that is honourably performed one only Vertue doth it although it be by advice and counsell for there is an inseperable society of all Vertues when any endures affliction constantly Where with shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to thy word Psal 119.9 When strength and health like to the loaded glass Are fall at height remember they must pass Since like this head thy head must bee Hate pride and loue humilitye Noe pas-time needs times steede is passing fleete Time present and time past each moment greete stantly perhaps he imployes all his Vertues although but one discovereth it self at hand which is his Patience Vertue is that which properly belongs to a wise man and cannot be taken from him bloudy Tyrants have no power over this those goods are true and only worthy our serious endeavours to obtain which cannot be taken from us as for riches honour precious-stones gold silver epicures feasts and such like they are but earthly burdens which a sincere minde and such as is not forgetfull of his nature cannot love because nature spiritualized is alwayes light and will mount as high as heaven as soon as it sees the gate open in the mean while as farre as these bonds of the body and masse of the flesh which environeth the same will permit upon the wings of a sudden and swift thought it visiteth and vieweth celestiall things and examineth both time past and that which is to come whereas this frail body the fetters and gives of the soul is tossed hither and thither punishments thefts and sicknesses are exercised upon it but a vertuous minde is sacred and eternall and wicked hands cannot lay hold to hurt it Endeavour to obtain and keep thy self very close to all kinde of Vertue which the holy Spirit shall upon any occasion dart into thy minde and take great heed thou quench not the holy Spirit in thee by sleighting neglecting refusing or delaying to make good use of the good motions thereof for doubtlesse lesse all men have at one time or other offers and opportunities of grace which if he make no good use of his damnation is surely just I will in this place only name and particularize some choice Vertues which I admonish you diligently to labour for and I will but name them as it were because I purpose God willing to discourse more fully of them hereafter The first is Wisdome which teaches all duty to thy Maker thy self and thy neighbour this is a principall thing therefore get wisdome and above all thy gettings get understanding then get Patience which conquereth the world and fits thee to receive all the sweet corrections of thy Maker with joy and comfort remember the patience of Job and the sweet and pleasant fruits thereof Then get Chastity whereby thy body and minde will be a fit Tabernacle for the holy Ghost to dwell in and in the power of the holy Spirit subdue naturall corruption to the blessed Law and rules of true piety and religion Next Meeknesse Moses was the meekest man upon the earth saith the Text Numb 12.3 Matth. 5.5 Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth and see his favour with almighty God Then Humility O remember how our blessed Saviour humbled himself for our salvation therefore there is no true Christian without true humility Next get Fortitude and true valour but be sure thy cause be religious right and good Then Sobriety and watchfullnesse especially over thy self and therein shew thy true fortitude and valour in conquering and controuling thy naturall passions subjecting them to the upright rules of reason and religion here is great use and need of temperance lest heady and self-conceited youth think and presume to run before he can goe Temperance gives a sweet rellish and seasoning to all the vertues and it is perpetually required in controversies and contestations trouble and divisions this vertue bridles pleasant things that deceive the senses and by serious consideration takes the good of things obdurate As true Fortitude is a spur in adversity so Temperance is a bridle in prosperity with these two we may subdue our passions and carry our selves wisely in all accidents which is a high point of wisdome This is the bridle of the soul and hereby we wean it from the sweet milk of the pleasures of this world and maketh it fit for better nourishment which heaven direct us in for the good mercy thereof Amen Numb 21.3 And the Lord hearkned to the voice of Israel and delivered up the Canaanites and they utterly destroyed them and their Cities Eccl. 8.11 Because sentence against an evill work is not executed speedily therefore the hearts of the sonnes of men are fully set in them to doe evill And Chap. 9. ver 3. Also the hearts of the sonnes of men are full of evill and madnesse is in their hearts while they live Prov. 8.12 I wisdome dwell with prudence 2 Chron. 2.12 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel that made heaven and earth who hath given to David the King a wise sonne endued with prudence and understanding Prov. 23.12 Apply thy heart to instruction and thy ears to the words of knowledge And 4.24 Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life 2 Cor. 8.12 For if there be a willing minde it is accepted according to what a man hath and not according to that he hath not Prov. 23.19 Hear thou my sonne and be wise and guide thy heart in the way Psal 73.24 Thou shalt guid me with thy counsell and afterwards receive me into glory Isa 2.5 O house of Jacob come ye let us walk in the house of the Lord. Isa 1.18 Come now let us reason together saith the Lord. Prov. 19.11 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger and it is his glory to passe over a transgression And 27.4 Wrath is cruell anger is outragious Eccl. 7.9 Anger resteth in the bosome of fools Prov. 16.32 He that is slow to anger is better then the mighty and he that ruleth his spirit then he that taketh a City And 29.1 He that being often reproved hardneth his neck shall suddenly be destroyed and that without remedy Psal 34.12 What man is he that desireth life and loveth many dayes that he may see good Ver. 13. Keep thy tongue from evill and thy lips that they speak no guile Ver. 14. Depart from evill and doe good seek peace and ensue it Eccl. 7.12 The excellency of knowledge is that wisdome giveth life to them that have it Prov. 12.28 In the way of righteousnesse there is life and in the path-way thereof there is no death Josh 1.8 This book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein

glory but confound his creatures Teach my endeavours Lord thy works to read That learning them in thee I may proceed Give then my reason that instructive sleight Whose weary wings may on thy hands still light Teach me to soar aloft yet ever so When near the Sunne to stoop again below Thus shall my humble feathers safely hover And though near earth more than the Heavens discover And then at last when home-ward I shall drive Richly with the spoiles of nature to my hive Then will I sit like that industrious fly Buzzing the praises which shall never die Till death abrupts them and succeeding glory Bids me go on in a more lasting story Naturall actions are much beyond our reason and Man is an epitome and compendium of all the terrestriall creatures There are two books that discover our Maker to us viz. holy Writ and Nature those which never heard of one have discovered him in the other the Almighty very much walketh in the path of reason when otherwise it is a miracle for nature is as it were the Art of God The absolute and incomprehensible providence of the Almighty is the disposing of all things that appoints our heirs and doth the works fasly ascribed to Fortune Blessed are those praying conquests of the objecting doubts in Divinity the devil will never end those disputes while we are in his Principality but while we build up our reason he endeavoureth to pull down our faith There are severall sorts of hainous blasphemies but an Atheist playes at all and at once denies there is a God I beleeve there is many an accepted faith which cannot endure fire and faggot and know not but Countries and particular persons too may have their tutelar and protecting Angels nor that the Saints departed may not know the passages of their friends on earth for that it is said at the conversion of a sinner the Angels of Heaven rejoyce for being that man is not only in the bulk and lump of the creatures but lives the life of plants animals and spirits it is a mighty priviledge and favour from our Creatour and may be a hierogliphyck of supernaturall knowledge The mistery of the Creation is very great but more particularly of man at the bare word the creatures were made of nothing but man was first made of earth and afterward the Image of his Maker by more sacred institution therefore he must not doate of life nor fear to die for to be too sensible of life and hopelesse of death becomes no man much lesse a Christian for although death soon layes our honour in the dust and changes us from commanding men into submission to the beasts yet we that is our souls are immortall and if not our own faults not subject to so vile allotment I cannot finde life worth the wish unlesse thereby we may serve our Maker and therein profit or promore our blessed eternity but if our sinnes grow numerous with our hours and so outgrow our despised repentance where is then that profit of our many years therefore it is that there is a secret end and bottom of our dayes his wisdome hath determined them his waking providence doth fulfill them wherein the spirits our selves and all the creatures of the Almighty in a secret and undisputed way perform his pleasure Another hand twines the thread of life than that of nature Lucan Victurosque Dei celant ni vivere durent Faelix essemori We' are all deluded vainly searching wayes To make us happy by the length of dayes For cunningly to make's protract this breath From us is hid the happinesse of death To avoid death in a miserable life is Christian fortitude it is a very great blessing that although the weakest hand may take away our life yet the strongest cannot deprive us of death for seeing this corrupted life cannot be without sinne happy is death that puts an end to it the devill therein was deceived for that his envy in bringing us into sinne hath by the Almighty mercy likewise brought upon us naturall death whereby we are freed and secured both from him and it Now our certain and eternall habitations are those incomprehensible scituations Heaven and Hell which none define or tell what and where they are a negative is the best we have bye hath not seen nor ear heard nor can mans heart conceive but Heaven may be the satisfaction to the soul wherein it desires neither addition nor alteration and the unsatisfied knowing appetite after vanity may be said a hell therefore let us fear the Almighty but not be afraid of shine let rather his mercies make us ashamed of our sinnes then his judgements afraid thereof I think few are scared into Heaven they goe the fairest way that would serve the Almighty without a Hell those mercenaries that crouch unto him for fear of Hell though they terme themselves the servants are indeed but the slaves of the Almighty The severall afflictions of the Saints are improved and doe prove the secret favours of the Almighty it is a singular piece of wisdome to distinguish the justice of the Almighty from his mercy and not miscall those his mighty attributes who is mercifull to all and better to the worst then the best deserve the most perfect actions on earth having no title or claim to Heaven for while we keep guard against one vice we commonly lye open to the attempts of another Acts 10.35 I like not that opinion which tieth salvation to the pale of any Church least we erre as much in our own as in another judgment We are commanded not to judg any but our selves and saving humility casts us lowest and will make us acknowledge our unworthinesse so much as to bring up the rear in Heaven Charity is a heavenly and absolute vertue the true effect whereof giveth Almes more out of obedience to the Almighty than out of commiseration on our brother for his sake that enjoynes it rather than for his that asks it He that relieveth out of bowels of compassion only doth it only for his own sake and perhaps because it may be his own case which is a sinister and politick charity this duty extends into all the wayes of doing good both to soul and body and by well instructing others upon an opportunity of charity we perform a double duty to be reservedly a niggard in this part of goodnesse is the most sordid piece of covetousnesse and in some sort more contemptible than pecuniary avarice No man can justly judge another because no man can justly know another nor truly himself Adams faith could not convince himself of murther untill Cain actually shewed it upon his brother A contemplative and solitary life avoideth many common and publike temptations yet hath the devill such advantage through our corruption that if we doe not withall valour and watchfullnesse resist both our selves and these allurements even in our most retired thoughts we shall thereby become the most abject piece of

Five thee survive Four be immortaliz'd One more is gone the path of mortall race The rest rejoyce in hope to see thy face Thy Ninth and last born childe our gracious God Di● friendly free thee of but oh his rod Some ten dayes after for my sinnes I fear Took thee to joy left me to labour here Labour I will but only in his strength Is all my joy all my eternall wealth About some Thirty three was all thy age Thy worldly trouble and thy pilgrimage Thy five dayes sicknesse needs I must relate As rarest pattern fit to imitate What thanks for grace in thy child-bearing pain What humble yeelding unto death again What free submission to thy Fathers will Either to die or wait his pleasure still What sorrow for to hear of shedding blood What fear least warre should doe more hurt than good So that thy faith thy promise-bearing-pain Confirmes our hope our hope to meet again Another thus IN Infancy thou wert of humble spirit In Youth thy love to piety did merit In Womans years thy neighbours truly speak Thee sober modest studious and meek Loving true peace and all that loved good In Charity relieving poor with food Zealous in duty to thy gracious God Feeding with joy upon his sacred word This as thy years increast did daily grow To high perfection both in deed and show See that when death first had his licence given From thy Creatour by decree of Heaven He stood at distance onely shew'd his dart To see if fear would make thee shrink the smart But finding still the Roses white and red Adorn thy face as they were customed The second day he nearer doth advance Adds sorer sicknesse as his furtherance And finding still thy firm undaunted faith The third day shewes his much enraged wrath The fourth day seeing that no worldly deare Could change thy Christian courage into feare The fift and last to the utmost of his power Without his sting produc'd the fatall hour To the Soul IMpale thy self my soul and circle in thy wandring thoughts from worldly vain deceits Which maketh errours covereth her sinne And perywiggs with fraud her base retreats Darkens the knowledge and bemists the eyes Guilding the pit-falls of her vanities And let thy towring fence ascend more high Then doth the panting ayre or feathered wing So that the Prince thereof may not come nigh To scale the batlings or disturb within But let thy sacred soul most freely breath It self in Heavens joyes though thou beneath And keep out from thy peacefull Paradice All proud and haughty thoughts which make thee seem Better then others in thy darkned eyes When least of others thou thy self should'st deem And take unto thee infant humble blisse For of such vertue the true Kingdome is Keep out from hence all covetous avarice For that 's a partner with the proud disdaine That eggs thee on to cast off all advice And makes thee throw off godlinesse for gain And take unto thee goods most justly got Using this world as if thou used it not Take heed of setting up an Idoll here For that 's soon done before thou be aware Take heed of prizeing any thing so deare As thy own maker fear and have a care Serve thy own Maker thy own God alone Serve fear and love him for he 's onely One Three Persons yet one God our Maker is So holy Scriptures teach us to believe The Father Sonne and Holy Ghost it is True faith the confirmation doth us give No other true belief of Heavens wayes Can man make out unto his Makers praise Take to thy self and truly put in use Those ten most blessed Precepts Moses gave From our Creatour which men much abuse By false construction thinking for to save Thereby their trespasses but alas it 's vaine To think the soul can live where sinne doth raigne Misguided conscience often guides us wrong Yet we no better guide then conscience have If it be guided right by true and long Practice of piety prayer and counsell grave For our good Maker the true humble heart Truly converts and teacheth him the Art Blest and for ever prais'd be God alone Which gives us comfort notwithstanding sinne And hath a store of mercies of his owne A fountain for the soul to wash it in That in the merits of his onely Sonne Our souls appear free'd from corruption Then cast off from thee every sinfull thought And all appearances that evill be What er'e it is though ner'e so deerly bought If it but move to sinne cast it from thee And let thy pious prayers and humble soul Thy earthly passions and thy sinne controule Keep out by thy impal'd and circled guard Hopes in rebellion or by feats of armes Let civill warre for no hopes or reward Move thee to trample on thy neighbours harmes But p●ty all distrested and well know The sword 's abus'd seldome reforms below And keep from thee all idle wandring wayes That have no end in motion tend to nought When men seek nothing so they spend their dayes In vain conceits moov'd by a wandring thought And being empty of all good within The Devill ready is to fill with sinne Civill Warre FLy Civill warres what 's good they oft undoe Peace is my Alpha and Omega too Y' trust none hurts me for why none I hate I wish all peace least all repent too late Neuters are fittest men th' unbyass't life Makes a fit judge to end debate and strife Demeanours in severall Accidents and Occasions Life WIth Life remember Death and soon commence to love thy Maker and his providence Health Peace War In Health take Physick Peace provide for Warre fly all excesse and fly the Civill jarre Sicknesse In Sicknesse sorrow not but know it 's best in thy Creatours providence to rest Sorrow When Sorrowes doe possesse thy troubled soule take heed thy will doe not thy God controle Joy Take heed of too much joy and laughing much true serious thoughts doe leave a better touch Affliction In all Afflictions while thy time doth runne with true content say Lord thy will be done Single life There 's great temptation waits a Single life more outward ease oft brings more inward strife Marriage Weddings like winter Sunne at noon-shine bright but often clouds appear and sudden night Discourse In thy Discourse take heed of speaking more then thou thy self know'st to be true before Dispute Opinionated men in their Dispute rather themselves then others doe confute Travell Use words to get their speech but mark thou well their Laws and Customs and what doth excell Study In closet Study where no eye doth see remember God and thy eternitie Forraigne Countrey If thou from home to Forraign parts be call'd take heed thou be not in their vice enthral'd Distresse at sea When raging seas oppresse thy trembling barke Saints have their haven Doves their Noah's Arke Wretchedness Thrice wretched he that humane Lawes must force to doe the right he knowes Sinne. Thy soul from sinnes

sight This rock of comfort rightly built upon is not impeach't by any battering storme It 's still the same in its salvation though with the world it 's desolate forlorne This lightens darknesse perfumes the dungeons foule feels not the tortures of the Tyrants rage It 's food in pinings cherisheth the soule in strangest torments where they tyranage What 's scorching heat what 's icy freezing cold what 's wildernesse or banishing from home What 's boilings scaldings torments manifold what 's all we comprehend by martyrdome If I but know that I am not my own But my Creatours and it is most right That he dispose for ever reason 's showne I must submit to his most perfect sight That sees what 's only good unto my soul to fit it for eternall Paradice And only orders what without controule doth onely fit my soule for sacred blisse Which if once known welcome the swiftest speed that brings me tydings of the blest decree That these sharp scourges are no more then 's need and after death my ever blisse is free Then cast me from most towring rocks amongst fair Neptune's poudred locks And let my next remove be set within the Ocean's Cabinet Or place me on the Lybean plaine which raging windes to wrath constraine Or let my habitation be in depth of black obscurity Or if the thirsty wretch for blood must torture me to meit's good More wrong for good we here endure the more is our salvation sure Well suffering wrong is surely blest with promise of eternall rest This promise fails not know you this Yea and Amen this promise is If I could knowingly but see how all things work the best for me And if I were to perfect love converted then I should not move Though Neptune's foaming wave did burn though mountains over mountains turn Though humble valleys should deride the lofty hills in seeming pride Though man unto his neigh●our be as raging wolves in tyranny Though foaming floods usurp the place of Ceres with her wonted grace Though Neptune Juno Vulcan's flames part Tellus from her Comely Dames Though flaming Meteors joyn their force with warlike furious language hoarse Though lyes and home-bred foes take place and have the power of my disgrace Though civill warres and forraigne might take from my life all earths delight Though plagues and famine sinnes desert my comforts to distresse subvert Though my Creators love correct and for my sinnes my soul deject Yet while my God is all and chief I have my peace I have relief A Discourse Shewing Honour dangerous Earthly things empty Order of Estate and Family Education of Children The golden mean What tends to eternall happinesse onely good A competency the best Great Estates have great troubles Our Saviour refused earthly Treasure Disposall of Estate in life or Death Respect the Righteous Duty in using the Creatures They exceed in sense we in reason Some liberty from necessity Titles of Honour unprofitable Court Honour is rarely Vertues character TItles of Honour usually proceed from vain glory and doe much advantage the design of flatterers thereby they breathe their fond deceit knowing this winde rests onely in the fame of others and of it self is onely profitable to them that have it not many evill effects proceed from it as pride covetousnesse c. but one of the best effects therefrom that I know is the reproving a fool by his folly thereby shewing him how little I am profited or he prejudiced by my superiority of going before him but rather that I have inconvenience and danger thereby This gilded Apple most deceives their vain and shallow judgements who love to spend their precious time in visits and excesse but with the wise in their constant necessary and solid imployments it is little or nothing worth Earthly things empty I advise you not to be too solicitous for the outward profits or pleasures of this life for if thou doe obtain them thou shalt finde them in use beyond expectation empty Order Live soberly under and within the compasse of your Estate in your Family if the Almighty give you any and keep them in constant duty once a day at least in publike prayer together and in private advise them all to use it twice every day at least Education Bring up your Children if God shall give you any in learning and education suitable to the severall Portions you are able to give them and so order them that they may have no idle time and as little as may be for vain imployments Avoid idleness and vanity Be sure neither to live thy self nor bring up your Children above your present Estate for that almost enforceth to pride and then covetousnesse must maintain for observe one vice is alwayes borne up by another and so also is Vertue although they may seem to intermix they very seldome or never doe A mean necessary Love the golden mean in all earthly things use this present world as if thou used it not and so endeavour to order and teach thy family that your great joy may be from your hopefull assurance to live together in eternall happinesse for the fashion of this world vanisheth away and there is nothing good or worth desiring That onely good which tends to eternall happiness but what tends to the good of our eternity or at least not to the hurt thereof and nothing can be evill that tends to our eternall peace Selah A competency the best A competency of earthly things is the request of Agur's prayer What a competency is under the true notion of neither poverty nor riches is to be resolved I conceive that whatsoever doth or may preserve and satisfie nature is a competency What it is and in that sense is almost every mans present estate wherewith he ought according to right and justice to be content But if I be asked what in my opinion a sussicient competency is in England for a Person of quality to live handsomely upon What in England I conceive 500lb or 1000lb per Annum to be sufficient from well ordering of it to have many opportunities to give almighty God much honour and thereby to doe much good to men and I am sure a great account must be made of so great a Talent Great Estates cause great sorrow What is there from such vast Estates as vain and unsatisfied desires wish for but great care both in getting and keeping of them They have more servants more diet more vain-glory and more trouble and sorrow therewith but what is there more usually for the almighty giver surely very little and often nothing save cause of anger for the bad ordering or misusing of it which if not in time repented of causeth and will produce a certain and eternall destruction Our Saviours portion Then love the Golden mean the competent easie load and Talent which being wisely ordered with honest care and industry may give thee more true and lasting comfort then any excesse in earthly things

Consider the portion and Talent of our blessed Saviour and his Apostles in this world and their happy content therewith True peace and comfort is from the treasure in Heaven not in earth Disposement of Estate in life or death Respect the righteous In disposing of thy Estate either in life or death it is good to consider that order in which almighty God hath placed the world unto thee and let nothing save the houshold of faith break that order which order is first thy Wife as next thy self or rather equall with thee then thy Children in their birth-rights then Kindred then thy Servants according to their merit if they have spent their youth and strength in thy faithfull service then Neighbours of thy sober faith and lastly all men that desire to live soberly righteously and honestly in this present world Use the Creature modestly soberly Put them not to any unusual painfull death without great necessity Take heed thou do not tyrannize or oppresse the Creature in the Liberty of use I mean the sensitive who indeed are fellowes with us and exceed us more in sense then is cleerly made out we doe them in reason Our Creatour is one our bodies and our senses are alike we say they sinne not thus farre they equall or exceed us onely our reason makes the difference though some dispute because some sensitives prepare against a storme which onely is the true effect of sense however I advise you to use them very soberly with great care and moderation especially in killing them in taking away their lives to preserve thine own take heed in destroying their bodies thou ruine not thy own soul doe not put them to any unusuall painfull death to please thy palate or gain more health and strength thereby to consume it on thy lusts but if there be any necessity in such using to gain strength or health out of thy true desire better and longer to work in thy masters vineyard as a just servant Liberty in necessity thou maist out of such a true intent in any sort use them yet take heed of the innocent and helplesse cries of the meanest Creature and pitying them let it move thee to true repentance Thy sinne perhaps the cause of their punishment for that thy ill deserving sinne may cause their undeserving punishment therefore blesse our good God in the use of the Creature but abuse it not Comfort from Scripture both in Life and in Death I. Comfort To have true joy in long Life from our hearty desires of serving our God in all our appointed pilgrimage HAB. 2.14 15 16 17 18. FOrasmuch then as the Children were partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part with them that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the devill and that he might deliver all them which for fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage for he in no sort took the Angels but he took the seed of Abraham wherefore in all things it became him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be mercifull and a faithfull High priest in things concerning God that he might make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people for in that he suffered and was tempted he is able to succour those that are tempted 1 Cor. Chap. 15. 1 Thes Chap. 4. You shall finde admirable comfort by death and in death from the certainty of the resurrection and of our change therefore read them diligently Prov. 14.32 The wicked shall be cast away in his malice but the righteous hath hope in his death Eccl. 7.3 A good Name is better then a good oyntment and the day of death then the day that one is born Psal 116.15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints Isa 57.1 The righteous perish and no man considereth it in heart and mercifull men are taken away and no man understandeth that the righteous is taken away from the evill to come Psal 63.3 4. For thy loving kindnesse is better then life therefore my lips shall praise thee Psal 104.33 I will sing unto the Lord all my life I will praise my God while I live II. Comfort Secondly Take comfort for that all our conditions both inward and outward sinne excepted are from the appointment of God and his will is therein dore Numb 20.23 24 25 26 27 28. And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the mount of Hor near the coast of the Land of Edom saying Aaron shall be gathered to his people for he shall not enter into the Land which I have given unto the Children of Israel because ye disobeyed my Commandements at the waters of Meribah Take Aaron and Eleazar his sonne and bring them up into the Mount Hor. And cause Aaron to put off his garments and put them upon Eleazar his sonne for Aaron shall be gathered to his fathers and shall die there And Moses did as the Lord had commanded and they went up into the Mount Hor in the sight of all the Congregation And Moses put off Aarons cloathes and put them upon Eleazar his sonne so Aaron died there in the top of the Mount Chap. 33.38 Deut. 32.48 49 50. And the Lord spake unto Moses saying Go up into this mountain of Abrim unto the mount Nebo which is in the Land of Moab that is over against Jerico And behold the Land of Canaan which I give unto the Children of Israell for a possession and die in the mount which thou goest up into and thou shalt be gathered unto thy people as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor and was gathered unto his people Job 23.14 For he will perform that which he had decreed of me and many such things are with him Prov. 16.9 33. The heart of man purposeth his way but the Lord doth direct his steps The Lot is cast into the lap but the whole disposition thereof is from the Lord. The will and the deed of holinesse is from the Lord therefore we must truly pray for the sacred guidance of the holy Spirit Paul plants and Apollo waters but it is God that gives the increase Selah Therefore O my God for thy Sonne my Saviours sake and as thou delightest to shew mercy to the saving of a poor sinner that would truly serve thee from his deserved death teach me thy precepts and lead me in the way of thy Commandements Turn me unto thee O Lord and so I shall be turned for thou art the Lord my God and I am thy servant though most unworthy of thy service I am thy unworthy prodigall sonne Lord make me return unto thee my blessed and mercifull Father in true and saving repentance Amen Jer. 15.2 3. Thus saith the Lord Such as are appointed to death unto death and such as are for the sword to the sword and such as are for the famine to the famine and such as are for the captivity to the captivity And

them that goe down into the pit Cause me to hear thy loving kindenesse in the morning for in thee doe I trust cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my soul unto thee Deliver me O Lord from my enemies viz. from my sinnes I fly unto thee to hide me teach me to doe thy will for thou art my God thy Spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightnesse Quicken me O Lord for thy Names sake for thy righteousnesse sake bring my soul out of trouble And of thy mercy cut off my enemies viz my sinnes and destroy all them that afflict my soul for I am thy servant I will rejoyce to work in thy vineyard O my creatour and in the strength of thy mercies will attend thy call to rest as thy most obedient servant Amen V. Comfort Take comfort in a constant thirsting to be dissolved and to be with Christ as his servants are who be already dissolved if almighty God in Christ Jesus were so pleased Read Gerrards Meditations Though death as to us is bitter yet in from pag. 268 unto pag. 302. our trust on almighty God in Christ it is sweet For who keep●th his word shall never see death Joh. 8.51 The misery of a Christian dieth but not the Christian man we lose not our friends at their death but they goe before us to the place of our enjoyment of them in Christ Jesus for ever as we may well beleeve Luk. 2.29 Simeon saith Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace And Phil. 1.23 The Apostle desires to be dissolved and to be with Christ which is best of all Rev. 7.9 The elect have robes in token of innocency and palms in their hands in token of victory therein are all tears wiped away from our eyes Ver. 17. And therein is no mourning nor grief nor any cry heard but rest from labour Chap. 21. v. 4. and 14.15 Our blessed Saviour shews the great benefit of being dissolved when his Disciples were sad at it he said Joh. 14.28 If ye loved me ye would rejoyce rather Phil. 1.21 Death is gain The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to his Sonne therefore rejoyce in thy true belief to goe to that judgement For Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Sonne that who so beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Matth. 18.14 Neither is it the will of our Father that one of the little ones should perish Ver. 11. Our Saviour came to save that which was lost He takes away the sinnes of the world He died for the sinnes of the world He hath a gracious call for us as Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you He maketh intercession for us and hath blotted out the hand-writing which was against us Joh. 5.24 He that heareth his word and believeth on him that sent him hath life everlasting and shall not come into condemnation O my Saviour I beleeve yet help thou my unbelief and increase thou my faith Eph. 5.29 30. That I may truly and as I ought beleeve my self to be and be a member of thy body of thy flesh and of thy bones O my Saviour in the power of thy might and as thou diedst to save sinners make me holy is thou the Lord my God art holy The dayes of my pilgrimage are few and evill My conversation is in Heaven and I desire to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the living When shall I appear before thy face O God As the Hart panteth after the fountain of water so doth my heart after thee O God At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore I shall be abundantly satisfied with the plentifullnesse of thy house and thou shalt give me to drink of the brook of thy pleasures for with thee is the fountain of life and in thy light shall we see light Thou O Lord art the portion of my inheritance and my exceeding great reward Thou shalt of thy free love to sinners shewed in Jesus Christ cover me with the garment of salvation and cloathe me with the white robe of righteousnesse where there is no hunger nor thirst nor scorching Sunne Of the fruit of the vine shall I drink in thy Kingdome for thy words are spirit and life therefore shall death be swallowed up in victory and thou O Saviour shalt for thy free merit in the blessed mercy of our eternall Father wipe away all tears from my eyes for ever for thou art my all-sufficient Lord God While we live we cannot hope to cease from sinne but when we die we hope to sinne no more which consideration doth administer great comfort in the remembrance and appearance of death to those that are truly weary of sinning against their God VI. The first Comfort in the pangs and passages of Death First Because the will of God is therein done in Jesus Christ which is certainly the best for us It is appointed to all men once to die and after that comes the judgment Heb. 9.27 2 Cor. 4.14 Knowing that he which hath raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise us up also by Jesus therefore we faint not but though our outward man perish yet the inward man is renewed daily Ver. 17. For our light afflictions which are but for a moment causeth unto us a farre more excellent and an eternall weight of glory while we look not on the things that are seen but on the things which are not seen for the things which are seen are temporall but the things which are not seen are eternall Read Gerrards Meditations p. 109. praying for a blessed departure out of this life and a blessed resurrection unto life ever lasting And Read the fift Chapter of the 2d Cor. in which is admirable comfort in the passages of death that we may be present with the Lord. Jam. 1.12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptations for when he is tried he shall receive the Crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Then present thy sould a true devotary unto our most gracious Father in Jesus Christ and say with David Psal 31.5 Into thy hands I commend my spirit for thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth Ps 71.23 My lips will rejoyce when I sing unto thee and my soul which thou hast delivered And rejoyce with Paul Gal. 3.13 saying Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law when he was made a curse for us for it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree Then gathering thy spirit freeing thy soul of worldly thougths say in faith and true repentance in full assurance that our good God is all-sufficient and that his mercy endures for ever and that in Jesus thy Saviour he hath elected and adopted thee his sonne Come Lord Jesus my most dear Saviour come quickly Amen VII A second Comfort in the passages of Death Take

hand of thy sonne 2 Tim. 3.1 This know in the last dayes shall come perillous times Ver. 2. For men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud cursed speakers disobedient to parents unthankfull unholy Vor. 3. Without naturall affection truce-breakers false accusers intemperate fierce despisers of them which are good Ver. 4. Traiterous heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God having a shew of godlinesse but denying the power thereof turn away therefore from such Nah. 1.7 Say thou with the Prophet Nahum The Lord is good and a strong hold in the day of trouble and he knoweth them that trust in him In thee O Lord doe I trust let me never be ashamed O my God Amen XVI An eleventh Comfort in Death Rejoyce Because it is the going to the place where our Saviour is according to the call and being of his servants Joh. 14.3 And though I goe to prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you unto my self that where I am there may ye be also Phil. 1.21 For Christ is to me both in life and death advantage Ver. 22. And whether to live in the flesh were profitable for me or what to choose I know not Ver. 23. For I am greatly in a straight on both sides desiring to be loosed and to be with Christ which is best of all Psal 50.5 Gather my Saints together unto me those that make a Covenant with me with sacrifice Isa 40.10 11. Behold the Lord God will come with power and his arm shall rule for him behold his reward is with him and his works before him he shall feed his flock like a shepheard he shall gather the Lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosome and shall guide them with young Matth. 3.12 He will gather the wheat into his garner Eccl. 12.7 And dust returns to the earth as it was and the spirit returns to God that gave it XVII A twelfth Comfort in Death Rejoyce in the Diseases pains pangs and troubles in thy minde or body because the way to Heaven is through many afflictions and it is the way our blessed Saviour went before us let us rejoyce then to follow him in it Luk. 6.46 Our blessed Saviour saith Why call ye me Master and doe not the things that I speak Psal 34.19 Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all Rom. 8.35 Who shall separate us from the love of God in Christ Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword 2 Tim. 3.12 All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecutions Isa 48.10 I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction saith the Lord And 1 Pet. 5.8 9. Be sober and watch for your adversary the Devill as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may devour Whom resist steadfast in the faith knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren which are in the world Remember the love of our Saviour Jesus in his taking upon him our sinnes our flesh c. See his love to us his suffering for us from his cradle to his grave Read the Scriptures See some notes thereof in the title true love to God in this book Psal 119.49 Remember thy promise made to thy servant wherein thou hast caused me to trust it is my comfort in my trouble for thy promise hath quickned me Ver. 92. Except thy Law had been my delight I should have perished in my affliction I will never forget thy precepts for by them thou quicknest me I am thine save me for I have sought thy precepts Behold my affliction and deliver me for I have not forgotten thy Law Plead my cause and deliver me quicken me according to thy word XVIII A thirteenth Comfort in Death Rejoyce because it is our going to enjoy such as were our nearest friends in this life in unexpressible heavenly enjoyments according to our heavenly Fathers will in Jesus without any fear of losing them or those joyes for ever It is our being gathered to our Fathers and then surely to all our friends which are the servants of our Saviour Christ The joyes of Heaven are such as eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive for that the flesh cannot discern nor punctually understand the spirit Who knowes a man viz. the soul save the spirit c. The change in death is our being gathered to the place where our Saviour is that we may see his glory then certainly no joy or comfort can possibly be wanting neither can there be any fear of losing them any more he is the sure foundation of eternall comfort and a building set thereon cannot fail Hear what St John saith Joh. 8.51 Verily verily I say unto you if a man keep my word he shall never see death God is most gracious his mercy endures for ever he is onely good he accepts the will for the deed if we truly will to obey and love his word although we doe it not Rom. 7.20 It is not us but sinne that doth offend And certainly the authour and actor of sinne in us our old enemy that old and lying Serpent the devill shall in the justice of God to him and the loving mercies of God to us in Christ bear the burthen of our sinnes which deserve and shall have upon him eternall death A fourteenth Comfort in Death Rejoyce For that after a short time those friends left behinde us in this world shall be in Jesus gathered to us to our eternall communion and praise of our everlasting most dear and loving Father with them without offending or danger to offend his most blessed and sacred Majesty for ever Job 14.1 Man that is born of a woman is of short continuance and full of sorrow James ● 14 For what is your life it is even a vapour that appears for a little time and afterward vanisheth away Job 10.20 Are not our days few Chap. 14. ver 5. Are not his days determined the number of his moneths are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds which he cannot passe Psal 103.15 The dayes of a man are as grasse as a flower of the field so flourisheth he Man is like to vanity his dayes are like a shadow which vanisheth Rom. 6. ● For he that is dead is freed from sinne Ver. 11. Like wise also think ye that ye are dead to sinne but are alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. Rev. 15.2 3 4. And I saw as it were a glassie sea mingled with fire and them that had got victory of the beast and of his Image and of his mark and of the number of his name stand at the glassie sea having the harps of God and they sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb saying Great and marvellous are thy works Lord God almighty just and true are thy wayes

though there were neither Hell of his justice nor Heaven of his mercy 2. True love will choose rather to serve our good God in Hell for ever if it could more fully and better do him perfect service in those flames then to be for ever in the highest joyes of Heaven these not to serve him as fully and as truly 3. To desire the eternall and whole conversion of thy soul and body for ever into the everlasting service of thy good Creatour in true love and to finde therein thy true peace is true love Love truly converted into the will of God is Heaven and those that are so converted may be said to be in Heaven upon earth for neither love nor Heaven can here be perfect but although they be still in their earthly tabernacles they have heavenly peace both of minde and conscience which cannot be quite taken from them although here must be no perfection whereby the whole will of almighty God without which either by appointment or permission nothing comes to passe is the true joy and content of their mindes wills and souls The love of our good Father is shown to us in his Sonne Jesus who as it were took satisfaction for our sinnes in his sufferings that his justice being satisfied in the sufferings death and passion of our Saviour Jesus we might have onely the mercy of our good Father to appear before which in his eternall love to us is sufficient for our Salvation when the justice of our good God could no other wayes be satisfied but by our damnation The great and unexpressible love prevailed with the sacred Deity for us when our Saviour Jesus could have been rescued from his sufferings for us with more then twelve legions of Angels and when he could have had as great honour if not greater in our condemnation then in our salvation Let our souls and bodies then with all their faculties be converted into the true love of our Saviour Jesus for ever For His 1. Coming down from his Fathers right-hand from his being God with his Father for ever 2. Poverty that thou mightest be rich 3. Not having whereon to lay his head 4. Wandrings and fastings and prayers for thee 5. Being betrayed 6. Being apprehended as a malefactor 7. Being fasly accused 8. Scarlet robe of derision 9. Crowne of Thornes 10. Being condemned 11. Nayling to the Crosse 12. Cruell thirst 13. Sweating bloud 14. Side stricken with a spear 15. Bleeding water and bloud at that wound 16. Sufferings from his cradle to his grave 17. Bitter passion causing him to cry My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 18. Lying in the grave 19. Resurrection 20. Now sitting at the right-hand of his Father and in him our Father in Heaven there asking the forgivenesse of all our sinnes of his Father who never denies him any thing Wherefore let us stand at the foot of the Crosse of this our Saviour weeping for sorrow that our sinnes caused his sufferings but for joy that through his infinite love shewed therein we are freed from sinne death and hell and have a place prepared in the power of his might where we shall see and partake of his blessed glory as his elected servants for ever Amen Thou needest not to fear death for thy Saviour hath destroyed the sting of death that is the Devill Read Heb. 2.14 15 16 17 18 verses there 's comfort enough in any condition the words are these Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him which had the power of death that is the Devill And deliver them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham wherefore in all things it became him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a mercifull and a faithfull High-Priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted See an admirable expression of the infinite love of God which may preserve us from despair and may give us true joy from our humble desires to serve him though we cannot desire much more perfectly serve him as we ought Isa 40.1 2. Comfort ye comfort ye my people will your God say speak comfortably to Jerusalem and say unto her that her warfare is accomplished that her iniquities are pardoned From hence is sweet and solid comfort in all conditions An humble Prayer O Lord remember thy mercies draw me unto the Sonne of thy love Psal 139.23 24. and lead me in the way of thy precepts Try me O God and know my heart prove me and know my thoughts and consider if there be any way of wickednesse in me and lead me in the way for ever 5.8 Lead me O Lord in thy righteousnesse because of my enemies 27.11 make thy way plain before my face Teach me thy way O Lord and lead me in a right path because of my enemies by enemies understand inward and outward of the soul and of the body but especially those inward enemies which are the ruin and destruction of both 31.3 For thou art my rock and my fortresse therefore for thy Name sake 43.3 direct and guide me Send thy light and thy truth let them lead me let them bring me unto thy holy mountains and unto thy tabernacles 143.10 Teach me to doe thy will for thou art my God let thy good Spirit lead me unto the land of righteousnesse Draw me O God and I will runne after thee Cant. 1.4 Psal 28.3 Job 7.16 Draw me not away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity I shall not live alwaies O spare me then for my daies are but vanity I rejoice O Lord my God in thy love because thou art mercifull and wilt spare me as a man spareth his sonne that serveth him for thy mercy endures for ever Selah Thou art my good Father O my Creatour thou wilt not punish me nor impute to me my Originall sinnes which descended upon me from the wicked rebellion of my first parents even as my body is from them but the soul that sinneth and doth not look towards thee nor desire thy gracious gift of true repentance it shall die Yet art thou O my good Father wholly and only good and thy mercy endures for ever Selah Thou wilt not punish the presumptuous sinnes and vanities of my youth for thou art good and thy mercy endures for ever Selah Thou delightest not in the death of a sinner O God but wouldst that all should be converted from their evill waies and live Thou art my All-sufficient God of mercy whose will is all things both in Heaven and earth I trust in Jesus thy only Sonne my Saviour

is not dead All this world is doubtfull only the last hour perfecteth either our good or our evill As the winde bloweth and cannot return so a word spoken cannot be recalled All things passe and there is nothing certain in this corrupted earth Too much speaking hurteth too much scratching galleth All that glistereth is not gold A good life begets a happy death Selah Pour mortification d'l'chair QUis est homo Psal 88. Aug. lib. 13. de Civit. Dei c. 3. Gen. 2. Psal 48. qui vivet non videbit mortem Fatendum est primo parentes ita fuisse institutos ut si non peccassent nullum mortis genus fuisset Quâcunque horá comederis morte morieris Homo cum in honore esset non intellexit comparatus est jument is in s pientibus similis factus est illis Invidiâ diaboli mors intravit orbem terrarum Le diabole est l'meurtrier des le commencement Sap. 3. Joh. 8. Luk 10. Un homme est tombé entre les mains des brigands c. C'est adire entre les mains puissance des diables les quels le despoiiillerent du vestement de justice originelle de la robbe de grace d'innocence de la charité par le playes de peché demy mort Or Jesus Christ est nostre bone vray Samaritain Sicut in Adam omnes moriuntur 1 Cor. 15. ita in Christo omnes vivificabuntur Sta utum est omnibus hominibus semel mori Heb. 9.27 Quotidie morimur quotidie aliqua pars nostra vita demitur dum crescimus vita nostra decrescit Sicut cervus desiderat ad fontes aquarum Psal 41. ita desiderat anima mea ad te Deus Sitivit anima mea ad Deum fontem vivum quando veniam apparebo ante faciem Dei mei le Apostré St Paul dit mon desir est de desloger de ceste chair de estre avec Jesus Christ qui m'est beacoup meilleur Post hoc judicium Pretiosa in conspectu Domini mors sanstorum ejus Heb. 9. Psal 115.111 In memoriá eaternâ erit justus Mors peccatorum pessima Psal 33. Vultus Domini super facientes mala Deleantur peccatores de libro viventium Luk. 16. Psal 69.28 Tim. 4. cum juslis non scribantur Vive tu a dire aves St Paul I'ay combatu le bon combat ī ay aceué mon cours i'ay gardé la foy Quand au reste la couronne de justice m'est gardee laquelle me rendra le seignour juste juge en ceste journ●er Dieu de soitresbone pitie ate dira de profandis clamavist audivi c. Recerdare n●vissimatu● Eccl. 7. Isa 28. in aternum non peccabis Dixistis percussimus faedus cum morte cum inferno pactum fecimus l'Prophete leur respond ' Delibitur faedus vestrum cum morte pactum vestrum cum inferno non stabit Par l'enuie de Satan Eph. 6. par le peché la mort á pris seigneurie sur l's homme Pallida mors aquo pulsat pede pauperum tabernas Regumque turres Non miseretur inopiae Bernard Virgil. nec veretur divitias Ipsarapit ju● enes primá florente juventâ mors nemini parcit Omnis caro faenum Isa 40. omnis gloria ejus quasi flos agri Respice sepulchra discerne si potes victum à ●ege Aug. lib. de Naturâ gratiâ fortem à debili pulchrum à deformi memorare utique naturae non extellaris Dic mihi ubi sunt amatores mundi Bernard qui ante pauca tempora nobiscum cr●nt certe nihil ex eis remansit nisi cineres vermes En tout humilytie m●d●tos donc sonu● ent la mort mes amis car quise humiliat exaltab●tur Homo cum mortuus fuerit Job 14. Apoc. 14. nudatus atque consumptus ubi quaeso est Beati mortui qui in Domino moriuntur modo jam dicit spiritus ut requiescant a laboribus suis 21. opera enim illorum sequuntur illos Non esurient neque sitient Lazarus fut aporté des Anges au sein a' Abraham id est obdormivit in Domino Luk. 16. Act 8. Non habemus hic manentem Civi●atem Heb. 13 Job 14. sed futuram inquirimus Homo natus de mulicre brevi vivens tempore repletur multis miseriis qui quasi flos egreditur conteritur fugit velut umbra nunquam in ecdem statu pérmanet I' suis pelerin estranger comme tout mes peres Transit mundus concupiscentia ejus Job 1.2 Act. 24. Aug. Per multas tribulationes oportes nos intrare in regnum caelorum Puniuntur justi ut oppressi clament clamantes exaudiantur Obsecro vos 1 Pet. 2. tanquam peregrinos abstinere vos à carnalibus desideriis quae militant adversus animam Non sunt condignae passiones saeculi ad futuram gloriam quae revelabitur in nobis Rom. 8. Vigilate quia nescitis Matth. 24. Arist lib. 6. c. 5. quâ horâ Dominus vester venturus sit Prudentia recta ratio agibilium quia homo in quibuscunque agendis finem considerat atque ad illum media convententia accommodat disponit Acquire prudentiam quia est preciosior auro Prudentia carnis mors est Rom. 8. prudentia autem spiritus vita pax Statutum est omnibus hominibus semel mori Heb. 9. post haec autem judicium Dies Domini sicut fur in nocte veniet 1 Thes 5. Apoc. 3. Esto vigilans si non vigilaveris veniam ad t tanquam sur nescies quâ horâ veniam adte L' homme ne cognoit point la fin Eccl. 9. mais comme les poisons sont prins avec l'haim on hamecon les oyseauz aux lais et fillets ains sont prins l'hommes en tempts maunas qui leur est incogna Ne tardes converti ad Dominum Eccl. 5. neque differas de die in diem laraison subito enim veniet ira ejus in tempore iracundiae disperdei te Beatus servus ille quem cum venerit Dominus ejus pulsaverit inveniet vigilantem St Jerom. Quotidie morimur quotidie commutamur tamen aeternos nos esse credimus Pulvis es cinis Gen. 3. in pulverem cinerem reverteris Si tantum in hoc mundo sperantes ess●mus 1 Cor. 15.19 miserabiliores essemus omnibus hominibus Fulgebunt justi sicut sol in regno Patris mei Mat. 13. 1 Cor. 15. Joh. 3. Si christus resurre xit a mortuis nos resurgemus Venit filius Deiin hunc mundum ut omnes qui credit in eum non pereant sed habeant vitam aeternam Nolumus vos ignorari de do●mientibus ut nos contristemini sicut caeteri qui spem

saved where then shall wretched sinners appeare Beleeve not every spirit but prove the spirits if they be of God Do not understand that thou maist beleeve but beleeve that thou maist understand Faith is the assurance or substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seene Lord what I have been pardon what I am amend what I shall be direct Those sharpe corrections which the body wound if rightly used do make the soul more sound The sweetest Comfort AS a deare Mother comforteth her Son whom she hath borne So will I helpe and comfort thee at evening and at morne Isa 63.13 Nay though a Mother should forget compassion to have Yet is my mercy towards thee even when thou canst not crave Isa ●9 15 Colos 3.4 When Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glory Ver. ● Mortyfie therefore your members which are on the earth fornication uncleannesse the inordinate affection evill concupiscence and covetousnesse which is colatry Ver. 6. For the which things sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience Ephes ● 3 But fornication and all uncleannesse or covetousnesse let it not be once named amongst you Ver 4. As it becometh Saints neither filthynesse neither foolish talking neither jesting which are things not comely but rather giving of thankes Mark 7.21 For from within even out of the heart of man proceed evill thoughts adulteries fornications murthers Ver. 22. Thefts covetousnesse wickednesse deceit uncleannesse or wantonnesse a wicked eye back-biting pride foolishnesse Chap. 4. ver 1● The lusts of the world and the flesh enter into the heart and choake the Word and it is unfruitfull Therefore in true zeal and faith pray O Lord my God for Christ Jesus his sake Matth. 6.13 Leade me not into temptation but deliver me from evill Endure thou with patience and in the strength and mercy of thy Saviour resist thy temptations wherewith the world the flesh and the Devill joyne in desire to destroy thee Jam. 1.12 For blessed is the man that endureth temptations Ver. 13. For when he is tryed he shall receive the Crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Let no man say when he is tempted that he his tempted of God for God cannot be tempted with evill neither tempteth he any man 1 Cor. 10.13 Know that there hath no temptation taken you but such as appertaineth to man and God is faithfull which will not suffer you to be tempted above that you be able but will even give the issue with the temptation that you may be able to beare it Selah 1 Pet. 2.11 I beseech you as Strangers and Pilgrimes abstaine from fleshly lusts which fight against the soul 2 Tim. ● 2● Flee also from the lusts of youth and follow after righteousnesse faith love and peace with all them that call on the Lord with pure hearts Amen The Sunne that 's set may rise againe and freshly gild his glorious traine But man is sicke and dies and where are all his pleasures priz'd so deare Yet a ter some few times are past he shall receive a raising blast Eccl. 7.2 Who can tell man what 's good at need in his vaine life and daies Or who shall after him succeed his works and all his waies I see Eccl. 4.8 most vaine of vanities which to relate breed's fear One spares no toyles no paines nor lies for wealth yet hath no Heire Mat. 25.26 c. O humbly begge of God most high that he would give thee grace To use thy Talent in the way of his just Stewards race Job 7 7. Remember well thy brickle life thy bubble shade-like spanne Hast fit thee for eternity ' gainst these few sands be runne Prov. 13.7 8 9. Two things I humbly begge my God do not thou me deny Before thou strike me with thy rod before I fall and die Put farre from me all vanities and all dissembling lies Feed me with food convenient thy lawes to exercise Least I be full and thee deny and say who is the Lord Least I be poor and steale and take thy Name in vaine O God Amen as is thy good will in Jesus Of worldly rest It 's good to want fly fullnesse here least here thou hast thy fill Of worldly wish that without care thou doest or good or ill For good so done is wickednesse if from a maxime right It be not with true humblenesse to God as in his sight Take heed therefore of worldly things whatever doth appeare To make thee say for they have wings it 's good for to be here Least so thou say Know it is good to fly the vaine excesse For outward joyes at highest flood are full of emptinesse Then fill thy soul with wisdome pure and thou shalt plainly see That 's onely good that doth assure good of eternity The Devill hath a secret snare in all our thoughts words and actions a tare at least among the Corne Therefore watch and care to prevent him at your perill On the L M.W. dying in Child-bed the Infant living My dearest Childe the daily growing love Of thy deare Father will not have thee stay To beate impetuous waves like wandering dove From worldly tumults I will take away My sweetest lilly yet least no Phaenix be I l'e leave a root a little branch of thee That hence may grow such fruit as thou didst beare Such hopes of piety such vertuous flowers Such innocence such humble waies to share Such piety adorn'd thy daies and houres Such full preparednesse for heavenly joyes That wrong it were to put thee off with toyes Therefore my dearest welcome to thy houre Let all my Angels shew there glad rejoyce Let thine alli'd who are and are to come Then thankes and praise send forth in joyfull voice For well you know my dearest onely Sonne No longer suffr'd then his work was done So all my Children if I take them thence Where sin doth raigne where sorrowes multiply If of my love I make them soone commence Their lasting blisse their joy eternally This they must know to be their onely good Thus would I have my actions understood Another on the same L.M.W. CAn dearest love more to the life appear Then when the Child beset with mortall dread When outward meanes will not preserve from fear Sorrow and sin will not be vanquished To take the most assured change of death Which unto Saints is perfect life and breath For in this life we nothing perfect have But sin and sorrow which bespot the soul And since our great Creatour will her save From sin which in us doth his Image foule His will be done and his dispose be blest Most due it is that we therein should rest Knowing assured here is no abide Nor solid dwelling here to habit in As Saints have gone before the Gate is wide We shall succeed her if not barr'd by sinne Then shall we meet and perfect blisse partake

for the blessed vineyard of our Creator ready to every good and perfect work with unspeakable joy and gladnesse I do also believe the immortality of the soul as certainly as the mortality of the body and that as soon as it parts with the body by death it doth participate in a great measure of misery or mercy of joy or sorrow according to what it hath done in the body whether the deeds were good or evill I believe there shall be a restauration of bodies at the resurrection and degrees of perfect joy to all those that in their earthly tabernacles truly desired to be righteous and perfect misery to wilfull negligent and contemptuous sinners in which both soul and body shall be for ever partakers I do believe afflictions and corrections to be so necessary for us in this life that I scarce think any can be saved without them and also that much affliction in this life is or at least if well used may be a great means sign and token of salvation for that afflictions are the cords and scourges of the Almighty to draw and drive us on in the way of salvation they are his sweet and blessed surveyors to purge our souls from our bodies pollutions and make us of a fit alloy for his heavenly Treasure they which wound the flesh and sad the countenance make the heart the better And from the very being engaged under an affliction for life may be reaped sweet and joyfull comfort both in life and death Therefore thus Some see the root yet on it take a fall Like those that see the door yet push the wall And having fallen upon the rock they saw Receive more good then though they 'd scap'd the blow The Farewell ADieu fond world of vain delight the messenger of Love To me hath shew'd an inward sight of joyes that be above And me hath summon'd to appear before the mercy-seate Of him whose justice is most clear most eminent most great Whose love is fully shew'd to mee in pardoning my sinne And passing by the vanity that I have lived in Whose love hath also conquered both death and hell for me And from my soul hath vanquished fear of death's tyranny Who of free grace hath given me a willing wish to right And doth accept this willingnesse as perfect in his sight Farewell all you that truly love the God of my Creation Do not ye mourn as those that have no hope of their salvation We know the generations that before us have been Have had their alterations which we in part have seen We also trust that joyes increase after this life to those That truly will'd from sinne to cease and evill did oppose Then moderate your tears among true joyes and smilings sweet In full assurance that ere long we shall together meet Comfort your selves with words as these and of a certain know That by this change true peace and ease God's mercy doth bestow On those that keep his testament his Laws and Statutes just From principles of true intent in him that put their trust Sigh for your selves sigh not for me death unto me is best My serious thoughts convinced be that therein is my rest From fancies that oppresse the minde from lusts of flesh and blood From sins assaults of every kinde most hard to be withstood From warr's effects from tyranny from sword-like tongues that smite From torments sicknesse maladies and sorrowes infinite From doing ill I would not doe from not doing the good Which surely I should will to doe if that I understood The judgment that to both is due by Heavens fixt decree And that I could at all times shew what good and evill be From Sathans rage and cruelty taking advantage great Finding my imbecillity and opposition weak This happy way doth safely guide to neignbours and allies Who while with me they did reside did joy my heart and eyes I do believe I now shall know how God in every Land His saving mercy doth bestow on the works of his hand And I believe to be resolv'd of doubts that here below Distract the wisdome of the world where least we do not know Is more then all we can attaine though art and age unite Such misteries for to explaine passeth mans judgment quite What reason is' t that I should will a moment to my dayes Except I could avoiding ill spend it in perfect praise Of my Creatour wherefore I do clearly finde it best To cast my soul eternally upon my Saviours rest And also from a perfect thought to pray thy Kingdome come And as our Saviour further taught pray Lord thy will be done And as for you that longer live and sojourn here below Imbrace true peace avoid all crime so Heaven will bestow Such passages of providence upon your hearts most pure As shall even in this life commence joyes that shall aye endure A CATECHISME QUESTION WHat is the duty of a man to know and believe in this life A. That almighty God is and that he is the rewarder of all them that diligently seek him Q Who is the Creator and Maker of all things A. This Almighty God Q. What is Almighty God A. He is the onely and perfect Good and the wise disposer of all things for the best for them that love him Q. What comfort may we learn from that A. To be well content in all the accidents and conditions of our lives knowing that they are from his providence and appointment and therein for the best for us Q. How doe we know that there is a Creator A. Because no creature can create it self and every mans soul speaks it to him Q. What is good in man A. To fear almighty God and work righteousnesse Q. What is our duty towards almighty God A. To love honour and obey him and heartily to seek after his will to do it Q. What is our duty to all men A. To endeavour their good both in soul and body and to do right unto them Q. What is righteousnesse A. The doing right unto the creature out of a principle of obedience to the Creator Q. What is our duty to the Creator A. Humbly to extoll laud praise and serve him with a perfect heart Q. What is the duty of man to the creatures that be subjected to him A. Thankfully to use them without the least abuse Q. How shall we look at the good of a man A. At the good both of soul and body Q. What is chiefly good to a man A. That which is good to the soul Q. What is chiefly evill to a man A. That which is evill to the soul Q. How shall we know good from evil A. Good is suitable to the Word of almighty God and agreeth to certain foot-steps or shadowes remaining of uncorrupted nature in us and it is contrary and displeasing to our corrupted natures and desires Q. How is evil known A. By being contrary to the Word of almighty God by being much unnaturall and by the suiting

unpreparednesse Parents must chiefly take care of their Childrens soule and principle them in good Love of and in the truth most necessary p. 3. The endowments of the minde excell the adornments of the body A heavenly Deity to be acknowledged Wherein true Religion consisteth p. 4. The benefit of true Religion How Almighty God must be served A pure and true Sacrifice p. 5. Outward Ceremonies not to be contemned nor abused Submission is our duty in prayer A ask nothing contrary to the revealed will of Almighty God p. 6. Use not the Name of God without serious premeditation His Name is holy All honour is due unto it p. 7. The good of necessity and of correction p. 8. Corrections work to good or hurt Labour to be a good Text-man p. 9. In what sense Gods servants want nothing that is good but have their hearts desire p. 10. Search not over curiously into the misteries of the Almighty Take heed of infecting thy judgment with false doctrine Be not weary of well-doing Vain-glory hath at best but a worldly reward p. 11. It shall onely be well with the righteous p. 12. The first Age. The three chief destinguished Ages of mans life Infancy like the Red sea p. 13. Let not time passe in vaine p. 14. Death holds all our years in possession therefore fasten on to day Losse of time considered a great grief He that hath lived long hath often lived little Life is onely time spent with prudence and circumspection p. 15. Death is alwayes very nigh at hand p. 16. The second Age. What the action of this Age is Of what materials foundations ought to be p. 17. Learn not what must be unlearned Observing others changes fits us for our own Fly offences Corrupted nature first offereth corruption p. 18. How Tutors and Fathers of Children ought to be disposed p. 19. The third Age. Temperance necessary Passing Jorden dangerous The chiefest place is vertue The society of vertues inseparable p. 20. Vertues cannot be taken from us Earthly vanities may Quench not the spirit p. 21. A recitall of certain Vertues p. 22. The fourth Age. Wisdome and right reason necessary Prudence and humility are especiall guides to the mine Anger an enemy to reason The designes of reason and anger different Wisdome distinguisheth us from the beasts The properties of Wisdome The company and advice of wise men profitable 24 25. From Almighty Gods forbearance learn patience An honest Calling very necessary It must not hinder devotion A Souldiers life and calling very dangerous p. 26. The fift Age. Marriage dangerous Means that may make an Eunuch p. 28. Some directions in marriage p. 29. Chastity in both Sexes like laudable The inconveniences of incontinency p. 30. 31. The sixth Age. Endeavour the common good Vertue to be desired p. 32. Wise men set not their hearts on earthly things Prosperity pusseth not them up nor adversity casts them down Engage not in a croud nor in Civil warre p. 33 34. The seaventh Age. Fortitude gravity and consideration is required Wisdome is the Candle of the Lord. A wise foresight necessary p. 35. Anger a high degree of madnesse Anger onely good against thy own oversights Complements commonly guilded untruths The heart and tongue are said never to wax old Lies are abominable p. 36 37. Fortitude or valeur What difference betwixt military valour and true fortitude p. 38 39. The eighth Age. A carefull watch over our selves at all times most necessary p. 40. Over what this watch is chiefly needfull Will the guide of the vulgar Reason of the prudent Ambition full of vanity and is onely just in its own punishment Humility the true embleme of Honour p. 41 42 43 43 44 45. The ninth Age. Sound judgement and justice what Justice not to be executed by the lump p. 46. Punishment and reward the hands of justice It must begin at home as well as Charity Live not by chance We may live both seriously and chearfully Defer not justice to thy self not buying till the market be past The happy life What the right use of the creature Sound judgement what Rashnesse and self-conceitednesse what p. 47 48 49. The tenth Age. True wisdome what The practicall part chiefly profits Wisdome three wayes discovered Wisdome doth peaceably attend all things even death As necessary for a man to study and know himself as it is naturall to him to think and be near himself Know thy self is a heavenly salutation Want hereof causeth much sinne One just act maketh not a just man p. 50 51 52 53. Wisdome subdueth passion Three traps that the most are taken with No limit in what is false No happinesse without subduing corrupted desires p. 54. The multitude unconstant They praise things past desire things to come and despise things present Severall things to beware of p. 55 50 57. Wisdome governs good and subdues evill How to carry our selves in company Three considerations Beware of flatterers Marks to know them from friends p. 58 59. Beware of suretyship Of all excesse Beware of chusing friends Of Suits and of revenge p. 60. A constant preparednesse for death most necessary p. 61. The too late repentance of the wicked after death p. 63. A generall Discourse of Religion p. 66. Reason The ten Ages The Metaphor p. 71. Humility p. 72. Why Sinne is forbidden and Righteousnesse commanded p. 73. The Life and Death of E.M. p. 74 75. A Speech to the Soul p. 75 76. Civil Warre p. 77. Demeanour Upon severall Accidents and Occasions p. 78. The Resolve p. 82. A Discourse shewing Honour dangerous Earthly things empty Order of Estate and Family Education of Children The Golden mean What tends to Eternall happinesse onely good A competency the best Great Estates have great troubles Our Saviour refused earthly treasures Disposall of Estate in life or death Respect the righteous Duty in using the Creatures They exceed in Sence we in Reason Some liberty from necessity p. 84. Severall comforts from Scripture both in life and death p. 87. Against Presumption and Despair at all times but especially upon the death-bed Satans suggestions and the Souls answer p. 107. True Love p. 110. A Prayer p. 112. A Confession and suit for pardon in Jesus p. 114. A Prayer p. 117. Pious Sentences JOB Chap. 24. in Meeter p. 121. My God Righteous Hope p. 122. Wise Sayings of the Ancients p. 126. For the mortification of the flesh p. 133. The sweetest Comfort p. 140. Of worldly rest On L.M.W. dying in Childe-bed p. 142. For L.M.W. in sicknesse p. 143. The least that tends to Eternall good unestimable p. 144. A Consult with the Soul p. 145. The Offring p. 155. The Belief p. 156. The Farewell p. 158. A Catechisme p. 160. A Discourse betwixt Adam and Eve p. 167. A Prayer p. 168. The Blessing p. 172. There are divers words mistaken misplaced mispelled added and omitted some of which I here mention the Readers care must reform the rest PAge 38. line 29. for vertue read valour p. 56. l. 13. for propriety r. piety and l. 36. for at r. all p. 67. l. 13. for sleiget r. sleight p. 71. l. 17. for health r. wealth p. 73. l. 22. for wreakes r. reckes and l. 28. for yet r. that p. 74. l. 13. for be r. tree p. 75. l. 11. for see r. so and l. 27. for maketh r. masketh p. 82. l. 4. for beauty will r. cen●ynill p. 84. l. 10. for their r. the. p. 109. l. 29. for if then I had not sinned r. if that I had not fallen p. 121. l. 37. for tombe or r. toom'ye p. 124. l. 18. for curaces r. cutaces p. 130. l. 8. for gapde r. garde r. garde and l. 22. for soy r. foy p. 138. l. 26 for enime r. enim p. 142. l. 32 for share r. steare p. 143. l. 1. for houre r. home l. 4. for then r. their l. 31. for shew r. chere p. 145. l. 40. for jarre r. ire p. 146. l. 12 and l. 13. should change places p. 150. l. 14. for both r. what p. 158. l. 9. for roote r. rocke p. 168. l. 41. for distruction r. distraction FINIS

we are very apt to desire change and not to be content with a providentiall disposement as also to think our own and present condition to be very ill or the worst that may be prayer humility true devotion the uncertainty of life the certainty of death the mercy and justice of God with fervent and constant meditation and practice herein may by the mercy of God make an Eunuch for the kingdom of Heavens sake but if it be that it is better for thee to marry then to burn take along with thee these advisements from a Father which if thou well observe by Gods assistance therein thou maist doe well I cannot make them absolute for that there is nothing so bad but some I will praise thee for I am wonderfully made marvelous are thy works O Lord. Psal 139.14 All reason tell 's mee as the Creatures doe Wee haue a maker and redeemer too Though conquering time doth make mee rott Yet shall I liue when time is not Man is but chang'd for man and till his death Like changeing sand still changes for beneath good may be extracted from it not any thing so good but secundary causes may produce evill by it yet some things are so near the producing a necessity to evill that I wish thee take heed how thou touchest pitch least thou be defiled study what thou art and know what thou maist be before thou hast passed these ten Ages then suite the uncorrupted desires and appetites of thy soul in a woman before she be thy wise least after it be too late know well her nature inclination education parentage private devotion and ordinary imployment that after knowledge doe not trouble thee My first advice to thee is not to marry except thy best friends counsell and wish thee to it before twenty years of age in a woman and twenty five in a man about which time by Gods grace thou maist have a little knowledge of good and evill Secondly let not money beauty or friends be the greatest inducement to thy choice for these things all fade and so thy due affection may also fail but choose such a one as may cheerfully walk with thee in Christ to Christ and in that walk thou maist finde a true and lasting refreshment Thirdly be very circumspect how thou marriest one that before was married it may doe well but I can give no encouragement to it for it seemes as good for thee to make thy partner as for another to make thy house whereby we commonly avoid great losse but alwaies great hazard Fourthly it is good to choose equality in parentage and proportion in some reasonable measure and if greater then thy proportion in these be offered search narrowly least there be a Serpent in the grass least these adorne the Owner and not the Owner these Fiftly endeavour thy living in some wholesome ayre where by the blessing of God thou maist probably have health in thy family Sixtly let thy partner be of a strong and healthy habit of body for that a sickly constitution endangereth the losse both of estate and affection Seventhly having made thy choice and providence having therin determined and finished his appointment do thou as the admired Bee that takes honey out of sower herbs and let nothing be so bitter to thee that thou shouldest not convert it to some good use moving thee to true Christian contentment and do thou joyfully delight thy self in all the providences of God towards thee especially when thou seest his pleasure so fully determined and concluded hate all desire to change increase and nourish all good honest and contented inclinations and besure to subdue hate and and avoide all appearances of evill murmuring or dislike of thy choice and know that we are all here but in our journey the way of our pilgrymage which soe it leade to Heaven happy is that passage for the seas are rough through which we must saile to eternall Peace or not attaine it Now a word or two concerning chastity or continency because it is very difficult and must have a carefull and painefull guard for it is no easie matter wholly to resist nature which herein is strong and ardent but the more obstinate the enemy the more commendable the conquest To be truely chast out of due obedience to the commands of God is alike Vertue laudable in men as women Now because this is a violent passion and deceitfull we must arm our selves against it and be wary to discover its baits and the more it flattereth us the more to distrust it it would willingly imbrace us to strangle us pamper us with honey to glut us with gall Unchast incontinency hath many great inconveniencies and dangers it consumes the body and as some say effeminates the soul weakens the spirit and that many by giving way thereto have lost both lives fortunes and spirits and it doth appear true that there is more pleasure in vanquishing pleasure then in possessing it the best of earthly things oft breeds repentance but the worst alwayes There are many kindes and degrees of chastity continency and incontinency of which the conjugall continency is a chief and principall it must be kept and retained within the chast breast of that party whom almighty God hath disposed of in marriage for our companion and whosoever doth otherwise violates his or her own body by the Law of God which commands chastity therein by the Law of nature which forbids that to be common which is proper to one and imposes upon faith and constancy by the Law of nations and by the Law of Justice equity and right which if we violate and offend the justice of heaven must justly punish us Heb. 13.4 Whoremongers and adulterers God will judge Isa 65.21 And they shall build houses and inhabit them and they shall plant vineyards and eat the fruit of them Luk. 6.44 Every tree is known by his fruit for of thorns men doe not gather figgs nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes 1 Chron. 28.7 I will establish his Kingdome for ever if he be constant to doe my Commandements and my judgments 1 Sam. 2.3 The Lord is a God of knowledge and by him actions are weighed Matth. 5.44 45. But I say unto you love your enemies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that dispightfully use you and persecute you that ye may be the children of your Father which is in Heaven for he maketh his Sunne to rise on the evill and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust Gal. 6.9 Let us not be weary of well doing Rev. 1.10 Be thou faithfull unto death and I will give thee the Crown of life 2 Pet. 1.5 Giving all diligence add to your faith vertue and to your vertue knowledge Ver. 6. To knowledge temporance to temporance patience to patience godlinesse Ver. 7. To godlinesse brotherly kindnesse to brotherly kindnesse charity Ver. 8. For if these be in

discretion Prov. 23.9 Here thou my sonne and be wise and guide thy heart in the way And 11.3 The integrity of the upright shall guide them but the perversness of transgressours shall destroy them Deut. 12.7 And you shall eate before the Lord your God and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto yea and your houshould wherein the Lord your God hath blessed you Psal 12.2 They speake vanity every one with his neighbour with flattering lips and with a double heart doe they speak Prov. 26.28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it and a flattering mouth worketh ruine Prov. 27.24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips and layeth up deceit with him Psal 26.4 I have not sate with vaint persons neither will I goe in with dissemblers 1 Cor. 10.24 Let no man seek his own but every man anothers wealth And Ver. 33. Not seeking my own profit but the profit of many that they may be saved Psal 5.9 For there is no faithfullness in their mouthes their inward part in very wickedness their throat is an open sepulchre they flatter with their tongues Matth. 23.14 Woe unto you Scribes and Pharisees hypocrites for you devour widowes houses and for a pretence make long prayers therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation Prov. 25 1● As an ear-ring of gold and an ornament of fine gold so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear And 6. Ver. 23. Reproofs of instruction are the way to life And Chap. ● Ver. 5. A man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsell And Chap. 12. Ver. 5. The thoughts of the righteous are right but the counsels of the wicked are deceit Prov. 22.26 Be not thou one of them that strike hands or of them that are sureties for debts And Chap. 11. Ver. 15. He that hateth suretiship is sure Eph. 5.15 See that you walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise Ver. 18. And be not drunk with wine wherein is excess but be filled with the spirit Prov. 3.23 Then thou shalt walk in the way safely and thy foot shall not stumble Ver. 24. When thou lyest down thou shalt not be afraid yea thou shalt lye down and thy sleep shall be sweet Matth. 10.17 Beware of men Col. 2.8 Beware least any man spoil you through Philosophy and vain deceit 2 Pet. 3.17 Seeing that ye know these things before beware least ye also being led away with he errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness Matth. 5.25 Agree with thy adversary quickly while thou art in the way with him least at any time the adversary deliver thee to the Judg the Judg deliver thee to the officer and thou be cast into prison Prov. 24.17 Rejoyce not when thy enemy falleth and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth Gal. 6.10 As we have therefore opportunity let us doe good unto all men especially unto them who are of the houshold of faith Nah. 1.2 God is jealous and the Lord revengeth the Lord revengeth and is furious the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries and he reserveth wrath for his enemies Amos 4.12 Therefore thus will I doe unto thee O Israel and because I will doe this unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israell Eccl. 7.1 The day of death is better then the day of birth And Ch. 8. Ver. 8. Wickedness shall not deliver those that are given to it Psal 50.6 For God is Judg himself Eccl. 11.9 But know that for all these things God will bring thee to judgment Heb. 9.27 It is appointed to all men once to die and after this the judgment Luk. 16.22 And it came to passe that the beggar died and was carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome the rich man also died and was buried And Ver. 23. And in hell he lift up his eyes being in torment Prov. 12.23 In the way of righteousness is life and in the path-way thereof there is no death Joh. 8.50 51. I seek not my own glory there is one that seeketh and judgeth verily verily I say-unto you if a man keep my sayings he shall never see death Psal 26.11 But as for me I will walk in my integrity And 86. Ver. 11. Teach me thy way O Lord I will walk in thy truth unite my heart to fear thy Name Isa 12.2 Behold God is my salvation I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song he also is become my salvation Prov. 28.13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper but who so confesseth them shall have mercy Phil. 1.21 For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain Ver. 22. But if I live in the flesh this is the fruit of my labour yet which I shall choose I wot not for I am in a straight betwixt two having a desire to depart and to be with Christ which is farre better Rom. 6.7 He that is dead is freed from sinne Rev. 4.14 Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. Psal 112.7 He shall not be afraid of evill tydings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord. Psal 48.14 For this God is our God for ever and ever he will be our guide even unto death Psal 89.48 What man is he that liveth and shall not see death shall he deliver his soul from the hand of the grave Psal 90.8 I delight to doe thy will O God yea thy Law is within my heart Matth. 6.10 Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven Deut. 4.9 Onely take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently least thou forget the things which thy eyes have seen and least they depart from thy heart all the dayes of thy life but teach them thy sonnes and thy sonnes sonnes Luk. 21.34 And take heed to your selves least at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeting and drunkennesse and cares of this life and so that day come upon you unawares Eccl. 9.12 For man also knoweth not his time as the fishes that are taken in an evill net and as the birds that are caught in the snare so are the sonnes of men snared in an evill time when it falleth suddenly upon them Mark 13.35 36 37. Watch ye therefore for ye know not when the master of the house cometh at even or at midnight or at the Cock-crowing or in the morning least coming suddenly he finde you sleeping and what I say unto you I say unto all watch Jer. 50.38 They are mad upon their Idols Prov. 30.2 Surely I am more bruitish then any man I have not the understanding of a man 2 Chr. 30.10 So the posts passed from City to City through the Countrey of Ephraim and Manasses even unto Zebulon but they laughed them to scorn and mocked them Matth. 25.46 And these shall goe away into everlasting punishment but the righteous into life eternall Psal 9.16 The Lord is known by the judgments which he executeth the wicked is snared in the works of his hands

or indeed the least sorrow Matth. 27.27 Then the souldiers of the Governours took Jesus into the Common-hall and gathered about him the whole band Ver. 28. And they stripped him and put upon him a scarlet robe Ver. 29. And platted a Crown of thorns and put it upon his head and a reed in his right-hand and bowed the knees before him and mocked him saying God save the King of the Jews Ver. 30. And spit upon him and took a reed and smote him on the head Ver. 31. Thus when they had mocked him they took the robe from him and put his own raiment on him and led him away to crucifie him Ver. 33. And when they were come unto the place called Golgotha that is to say the place of dead mens sculls Ver. 34. They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall and when he had tasted thereof he would not drink Ver. 35. And when they had crucified him they parted his garments and did cast lots that it might be fullfilled which was spoken by the Prophet Psal 22.18 They divided my garments amongst them and upon my vesture did cast lots Ver. 36. And they sate and watched him there Ver. 37. They set up also over his head his cause written This is Jesus the King of the Jews Ver. 38. And there were two thieves crucified with him one on the right hand and the other on the left Ver. 39. And they that passed by reviled him wagging their heads and Ver. 40. Saying Thou that destroyest the Temple and buildest it in three dayes save thy self if thou be the Sonne of God come down from the crosse Ver. 41. Likewise also the High-Prists mocking him with the Scribes and Pharisees and Elders said Ver. 42. He saved others but he cannot save himself if he be the King of Israell let him now come down from the crosse and we will beleeve him Ver. 43. He trusted in God let him deliver him now if he will have him for he said I am the Sonne of God Ver. 44. That same also the thieves that were crucified with him cast in his teeth Ver. 45. Now from the sixth hour was there darkness over all the land untill the ninth hour Ver. 46. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice saying Ely Ely lamasabachthani that is My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Ver. 47. And some of them that stood there when they heard it said This man calleth Elias Ver. 48. And straight way one of them ranne and took a spunge and filled it with vinegar and put it on a reed and gave him to drink Ver. 49. Others said Let be let us see if Elias will come and save him Ver. 50. Then Jesus cried with a loud voice again and yeelded up the ghost Now then let us be glad and rejoyce to goe to him our Saviour our joy our peace what way soever he is pleased to call us through the most bitter torments of minde or body by weaknesses sicknesses and imperfections and let us be most assured that neither death nor life nor Angels nor Principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 2 Tim. 2.3 Let us therefore suffer afflictions as good souldiers of Jesus Christ For it is a true saying If we be dead with him we shall also live with him if we suffer with him we shall also raign with him if we deny him he also will deny us Yea 2 Tim. 3.12 All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecutions Here have we no continuing City but we seek one to come Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to him in well doing as unto a faithfull Creatour knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in our brethren which are in the world As many as our Saviour loveth he rebuketh and chasteneth Be zealous therefore in the truth and amend and rejoice alwayes that the will of God in Christ Jesus thy Saviour is therein done which is the best for thee Amen X. A fift Comfort in Death Rejoyce Because it is our going from sorrow to joy Isa 17.1 The righteous perisheth and no man considereth it in heart and mercifull men are taken away and no man understandeth that the righteous is taken away from the evill to come 2 King 22.19 20. But because thy heart did melt and thou hast humbled thy self before the Lord when thou heardest what I spake against this place and against the inhabitants of the same to wit that it should be destroyed and accursed and hast rent thy clothes and wept before me I have also heard it saith the Lord behold therefore I will gather thee to thy fathers and thou shalt be put into thy grave in peace and thy eyes shall not see all the evill which I will bring upon this place this was the great love of God to King Josiah See 2 Chron. 34.28 Luk. 16.22 Lazarus by a blessed dissolution is eased of all his pains sores diseases fears and troubles is called for out of the prison of the body and presently by the happy messenger of death is made fit and carried by the Angels into Abrahams bosome where all the elect are in joyes incomprehensible freed from sinne and sorrow forever Amen XI A sixth Comfort in Death Rejoyce Because it is our being gathered to our nearest alliance our kindred and our parents 2 King 22.19 20. Josiah was gathered to his fathers in great abundant mercy as I mentioned before See the most sweet and gracious call of the eternall mercy to Moses Deut 32.48 49 50. which I lately mentioned And the Lord spake to Moses the self same day saying Goe up into the mountain of Abarim unto the mount Nebo which is in the land of Moab over against Jericho and behold the land of Canaan which I give to the children of Israell for a possession and die in the mount which thou goest up unto and thou shalt be gathered unto thy people as Aaron thy brother died in mount Hor and was gathered to his people Gen. 25.8 The Abraham yeelded up the spirit and died in a good age an old man and of great years and was gathered to his people Numb 20.26 Almighty God commanded Moses to take Aaron and Eleazer his sonne and to bring them up into the mount Hor and to cause Aaron to put off his garments and to put them upon Eleazer his sonne saying Aaron shall be gathered to his fathers and shall die there Numb 30.1 2. Almighty God doth bid Moses avenge the children of Israel of the Mideanites and in token of acceptance and reward faith afterwards thou shalt be gathered to thy people Gen. 15.17 And Ishmaell yeelded up the spirit and died and was gathered to his people Chap. 35. ver 29. And Isaak gave up the ghost and died and

was gathered to his people And Chap. 49. ver 26. Jacob saith I am ready to be gathered to my people bury me with my fathers Observe There is no sign or shew of sorrow in him for he might well rejoyce to exchange earth for Heaven And Ver. 33. Then Jacob made an end of giving charge to his sonnes and plucked up his feet into the bed and gave up the ghost and was gathered to his people It is an infinite and an incomprehensible mercy of God that his love in Jesus is to call us in his good time from our disserving rather then serving of him here and that with thousands of fears cares and griefs to be gathered to his servants our fathers and nearest friends in peace XII A seventh Comfort in Death Rejoyce Because it is our entrance into the true communion of Saints By the Gospell we are joyned to the Angels and Patriarchs even in this life much more shall we be united to the true heavenly serving our eternall mercy with them when we shall cease from sinne Heb. 13.22 23. Ye are come to the mount Sion and to the City of the living God the celestiall Jerusalem and to the company of innumerable Angels and to the Congregation of the first-born which are written in Heaven And to God the Judg of all and to the spirits of just and perfect men Ver. 24. And to Jesus the mediator of the new Testament Col. 1.9 The Apostle saith For this cause we pray for you and do desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdome and spirituall understanding Ver. 10. That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being fruitfull in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God Ver. 11. Stengthened with all might according to his glorious power unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfllunesse Ver. 12. Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Ver. 13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darknesse and hath translated us into the Kingdome of his dear Sonne Ver. 14. In whom we have redemption through his blood even the forgivenesse of sinnes Ver. 15. Who is the Image of the invisible God the first-born of every creature Ver. 16. For by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities or Powers all things were created by him and for him Ver. 17. For he is before all things and by him all things consist Ver. 18. And he is the head of the body the Church who is the beginning the first-born from the dead that in all things he might have the preheminence Ver. 19. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullnesse dwell Ver. 20. And having made peace through the blood of his crosse by him to reconcile all things unto himself by him I say whether they be things in earth or things in Heaven Ver. 21. And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minde by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his sight 1 Thes 3.12 13. The Lord increase you and make you abound in love one towards another and towards all men to make your hearts stable and unblameable in holinesse before God even our Father at the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ with all his Saints Jude ver 14. Behold the Lord cometh with thousands of his Saints Rev. 7.9 I beheld saith the Apostle and behold a great multitude which no man could number of all Nations and kindreds and people and tongues stood before the Throne and before the Lambe clothed with long white robes and palmes in their hands Ver. 14. And an Elder said unto me These are they which came out of great tribulation and have washed their long robes and have made their long robes white in the blood of the Lambe Ver. 15. Therefore are they in the presence of the throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple and he that sitteth on the throne will dwell amongst them Ver. 16. They shall hunger no more neither thirst any more neither shall the Sunne light on them neither any heat Ver. 17. For the Lambe which is in the midst of the Throne shall govern them and shall lead them unto the lively fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes XIII An eighth Comfort in Death Rejoyce Because it is our ceasing from sinne and the entrance into our eternall rest and peace Heb. 4.9 10. There remains therefore a rest for the people of God For he that is entred into his rest hath also ceased from his own works as God did from his Chap. 6. ver 20. Let us study therefore to enter into that rest least any fall through disobedience Into which peace the fore-runner is for us entred even Jesus that is made a High-Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedec Job 3.13 For so should I now have lyen and been quiet I should have slept then and been at rest Ver. 14. With the Kings and Counsellors of the earth which have builded themselves desolate places Ver. 17. The wicked have there ceased from their tyranny and there they that laboured valiantly are at rest Ver. 18. The prisoners rest together and hear not the voice of the oppressors Ver. 19. There are small and great and the servant is free from his Master XIV A ninth Comfort in Death Rejoyce Because it is our going to doe the will of God our most loving and mercifull Father in Jesus Christ without sinning against his most blessed and sacred Majesty In dying we doe the will of God Heb 9.27 For it is appointed to all men once to die and after that comes the judgement Rom. 6.7 For he that is dead is freed from sinne Joh. 14.28 When our Saviour had acquainted his Disciples of his departure from them by his passion they were sorrowfull For which our Saviour seemed to reprove them and said If ye loved me ye would rather rejoyce because I said I goe unto the Father for my Father is greater then I. XV. A tenth Comfort in Death It is the love of our good God unto us to take us away from the evill to come therefore rejoyce at this his gracious call of infinite mercy to that heavenly mansion which our blessed Saviour hath prepared for us in his Fathers house Joh. 14.2 In my Fathers house are many mansions or dwelling places if it were not so I would have told you I goe to prepare a place for you 1 King 11.11 12. The Lord said to Solomon I will surely rend the Kingdom from thee and will give it to thy servant Notwithstanding in thy dayes I will not doe it because of David thy Father but I will rent it out of the

thou King of Saints Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorifie thy Name for thou only art holy and all Nations shall come and worship before thee for thy judgments are made manifest Psal 112.6 The righteous shall be had in everlasting remembrance A fifteenth Comfort in Death We may well rejoyce at Gods gracious messenger of Death because it is the wiping of all tears from our eyes and the finall end of all our troubles and sorrows the world the flesh the devill shall no more oppresse distract and hurt us with their distractions delusions and deceits Eccl. 4.1 So I turned and considered all the oppressions that are wrought under the Sunne and behold the tears of the oppressed and none comforteth them Ver. 2. Wherefore I praise the dead which now are dead above the living which are yet alive Hos 13.14 Hear what comfort our loving God gives us I will redeem them from the power of the grave I will deliver them from death O death I will be thy destruction repentance is bid from mine eyes A sixteenth Comfort in Death Rejoyce Because it is the imitating of our Saviours passion as farre as we are able that we may see his glory Matth. 10.38 He that taketh not his crosse and followeth after me is not worthy of me And Chap. 16. ver 24. If any man will follow me let him forsake himself and take up his crosse and follow me And somewhat more Luk 9.23 If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his crosse daily and follow me And Chap. 14. ver 27. Whosoever beareth not his crosse and cometh after me cannot be my Disciple 2 Tim. 2.12 If we suffer we shall also raigne with him if we deny him he also will deny us Joh. 17.24 Father I will that they which thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world Matth. 10.24 The Disciple is not above his Master nor the servant above his Lord it is enough for the Disciple to be as his Master and the servant as his Lord. If they have called the Master of the house Belzebub how much more them of his houshold A seventeenth Comfort in Death It is our freedome from sinne death and hell and all our enemies The day of death saith Solomon is better then the day of birth therefore is that day a day of rejoycing to us St Paul desireth to be dissolved and to be with Christ and saith it is the best of all Rom. 6.7 He that is dead is freed from sinne Ver. 11. Likewise think ye also that ye are dead to sinne but are alive to God in Jesus Christ our Lord. An eighteenth Comfort in Death It is our taking possession of the fullnesse of rest in the communion of Saints in the love of the eternall God the Father Sonne and holy Ghost and therein peace for ever therefore rejoyce Lazarus is said to be presently carried into Abrahams bosome where most sure he had immediate possession in a high degree of eternall peace Gerrards Meditat. p. 25. Death is the beginning of a holy life Isa 57.1 2. The righteous perisheth and no man considereth it in heart and mercifull men are taken away and no man understandeth that the righteous is taken away from the evill to come Peace shall come they shall rest in their beds every one that walketh before him Matth. 11.28 29. Hear our gracious Saviour Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden and I will ease you Take my yoak on you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall finde rest unto your souls 2 Thes 1.7 And to you which are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus shall shew himself from Heaven with his mighty Angels And if then surely also from our severall changes till then Heb. 4.3 9. For we which have beleeved doe enter into rest There remains therefore a rest for the people of God for he that is entred into his rest hath also ceased from his own works as God did from his let us study to enter into that rest Job 3.12 13. Why did the knees prevent me and why did I such the breasts for so should I now have lyen and been quiet I should have slept then and have been at rest A nineteenth Comfort in Death Jesus Christ is in Death and Life to us gain and causeth death to be to us advantage the end of unexpressible evils the beginning of unexpressible and eternall joy Phil. 1.21 For Christ is to me both in life and death advantage All the miseries of Lazarus end in his death and his eternall joyes begin in Abrahams bosome Our Saviour Jesus entred by the gate of death into his glory and thereby hath prepared joyes 2 Cor. 2.9 such as eye hath not seen nor ear heard nor can it enter into the heart of man to conceive for them that love him Isa 35.10 Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with praise and everlasting joyes shall be upon their heads they shall obtain joy and gladnesse and sorrow and mourning shall flee away A twentieth Comfort in Death Doubt not of the all-sufficient love of God to thee in his Sonne Jesus He that gave thee a body when thou hadst none can give thee a heavenly body so soon as thou art at liberty from this of earth and will most certainly dispose of thee in Jesus as of his servants which is the best for thee His power and his will is sufficient to give thee joyes beyond thy thoughts Have thou true faith and true belief that God is and that he is the rewarder of them that seek him Give him thy whole soul and spirit and humbly crave the assistance of the eternall God that he will for his Sonne Christ Jesus his sake fully and freely enable thee to give to the Sacred Trinity in Unity three Persons but one Almighty God Father Sonne and holy Ghost all honour glory and praise as his most obedient servant for ever And say with true faith and love O gracious Father Thy will be done in earth as it is in Heaven And in thy most free and gracious love to a poor sinner in Jesus Christ thy only Sonne my Saviour doe thou compell my unworthy and corrupted will to doe unto thy most Sacred Majesty true and perfect service Doe thou O blessed Father for thy free goodnesse sake convert me wholly into that service for thou art my only Lord God and I am thy servant so come Lord Jesus come quickly and receive my spirit Amen Amen Matth. 19.26 With God all things are possible Gen. 17.1 I am God all-sufficient walk before me and be thou perfect Chap. 15. ver 1. Fear not I am thy buckler and thy exceeding great reward Psal 50.7 Hear O my people and I will speake hear O Israell and I

vn autre fois ne craint d'y retourner Qui n' a la soy n' a rien Richesse de l'esprit ne peut jamais perdre Reprens autruy mais corrige toy mesme Repos d'esprit patience sont instrumens de la science Scavoir le mal est souuent proffitable mais en user est tousiours evitable Tout ce qui est au monde est vn ieu d'inconstance Tout ce qui prend naissance est perissable aussi Tel flurit aujourd'huy qui demain flestrira Tel flestrist aujourd'huy qui demain flurira Tant que l'ennemy vit l'guerre n' est pas morte Tout ce monde est douteux la seule heure deniere parfait nostre bon heur ou bien nostre misere Tout ainsi que le vent sans retourner s'en vole sans espoir de retour s' eschappe la parole Tout chose se passe rien seur ne demeure en ceste terre basse Trop parier nuist trop gratter cuist Tout c ' qui luist n' est pas or Une belle vie engendre belle mort Selah Wise and pious Sayings of the Ancients wherein is shown the way to Peace OFten meditate upon thy death Christs death the worlds deceit Heavens glory and Hells torments If thou knowest Christ well it is sufficient if other things thou knowest not If Christ thou knowest not it is nothing though every thing else thou knowest Thou canst not better tame thy luxurious flesh then well to premeditate what thou shalt be after death Then when we think our selves to be most miserable is God to us most favourable The body may be beautifull but the soule is farre more beautifull Beauty is the spectacle of the beauty divine To doe good to the poor deserveth double glory Give to him that asketh and let him not waite too long Banish all wicked persons from thy quarters The beauty of the body resembleth the Flower of the Spring Thrice happy is that sweet nurture which doth pollish and reforme corrupted nature That which was yesterday will not be to day That which one day giveth another day taketh away That which was is all things runne as a streame and There is nothing new under the Heavens Commonly all things doe retaine the nature of the place from whence they came Almighty God beateth those he loveth from the cradle to the grave Almighty God having strooken casts the rod in the fire Our good God beats us with a finger and not with his arme The Almighty distributeth his anger by weight and without weight his pity The Almighty hath his feet of wool and his arms of iron Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth often speaketh Of a few words comes a great effect Hearken to him that gives thee good counsell Give liberally of thy goods unto the poor sufferer For doing what we ought we need nor deserve no reward Doe as thou wouldest have done to thee He may well be called valiant which mastereth his own soul Keep close to wisdome and doe not depart from it Gain of riches often is the losse of Heaven Happy is he which desireth nothing Happy is he which is warned by the harmes of others Happy is he which can draw gain from his losse Hatred brings a man nothing but repentance There can be no perfection but after death One had better not speak than much speak There is nothing so certain as that a man must die and nothing so uncertain as the hour when There is no day so clear but hath some clouds There is nothing better then a contented minde There is nothing so certaine which cannot be changed betwixt morning and evening Never any mariner made a long voyage but he sailed both in fair weather and in foul It is hard to live well but very easie to die ill It is hard for him that liveth ill to die well Man purposes in earth but God disposeth in Heaven Heaven is not so soon attain'd as wished for Vertue flies the heart of the mercenary man A low soul may not judg of high matters Hell is in all places where God is not The anger and pity of God Almighty follow one the other The Sayler may suffer shipwrack at the haven The Rose flourisheth and withereth both to the same end Thunderbolts cast down the most high Towers A Shepheards cottage is alwayes without fear Repentance often followes short pleasures Time lost never is recovered Time flies away and never returnes A man in the morning flowes with riches who in the evening hath nothing left The flower of youth lasteth but a little while it then flieth away and never returnes A thread doth shew the weaknesse of our lives A true friend never dissembles The end crownes the work The threatning is very good which well adviseth us The least thing of what we know not is more great then all that we know Good counsell often assureth doubtfull things The Honour which one day gives another day taketh away A middle condition renders a man most happy Death followes us as the shadow the body Death doth as it were hold alwaies a knife to the throat To put Oyl to the fire is not the way to quench it To master the desires is true valour It is a very evill thing to desire and never to be content The day riseth in the morning for to let or die at night A negligent guard pleaseth the Wolfe A man is not happy till after his death We counsell others better then our selves Nurture exceedeth nature We hold in our hands neither yesterday nor to morrow One may lose the body in too much searching the spirit One may lose the spirit in overflattering the body To pardon and to save are the properties of God For the most part relapses are mortall For one pleasure a thousand sorrowes Patience exceeds knowledge Who is one time born must one time die Who loves for goods cannot be said to love He which hath but one eye had need of great care least he lose it He which seeth himself in a glasse seeth himself well He which seeth himself well knoweth himself well He which knowes himself well prizeth himself little He which prizeth himself little is wise He which will burn another mans house ought to have a great fear of his own When pride rideth before misery and disgrace followes after He which one time gives himself to doe evill willingly will not fear once and again to doe it He which hath not faith hath nothing Riches of the spirit can never be lost Reprove another but correct thy self A quiet spirit and patience are instruments of science To know evill is sometimes profitable but to use it is alwaies hurtfull All which is in the world is a game of inconstancy All that which taketh birth is perishable also That flourisheth to day which to morrow shall wither That withereth to day which to morrow shall flourish So long as the enemy liveth the warre

non habent 1 Thos 4. Melior est dies mort is Eccl. 6. die nativitatis laudavi mag is mortuos quam viventes Mors est munus necessarium naturae tam corruptae quae non non est fugienda sed potius amplectenda Qui cred●t ei qui misit me habet vitam aeternam Joh. 5. et non in judicium veniet sed transiet á morte in vitam Cum infirmor 2 Cor. 11. Jam. 1. tunc potens sum Reatus qui suffers tentationem quoniam cum probatus fuerit accipiet coronam vitae quam repromisit Deus diligentibus se Estote misericordes Luk. 6 sicut pater vester celestis misericors est Estote imitatores Dei sicut filij carissimi Christianus christi nominis similitudinem tenet Aug. morum quoꝙ similitudinem habere debet nam Christiani nomen ille frustra sortitur qui Christum minime imitatur Judicium sine miserecordiâ ei fiat qui non fecerit mis●ricordiam Da pauperibus habebis thesaurum in caelo Mat. 9 Prov. 14. Mat. 5. Mat. 25. Qui miseretur pauperis beatus erit Beati misericordes quoniam misericordiam consequentur Veuez bien heureux de mon pere entrezeu la possession du Royaume qui vous est preparé dés la creation du monde car i' ay en faim vous m' auex donné a manger c. Quod uni ex meis minimis fecistis mihi fecistis A subitaneâ improvisâ morte libera nos Domine Non potest malé mori qui bené vixerit Aug. vix bene moritur qui male vixerit Vobis datum est non solum utin Christum credatis Phil. sed ut pro ipso patiamini Cupio dissolvi Phil. 1. 1 Cor. 2. esse cum Christo Oculus non vidit auris non audivit nec in cor hominis ascendit quae praeparavit Deus diligentibus se Quelle chose y a il en ce monde pour contenter l'ame Aug. rien de tout il n' y a que Dieu seul Inquie●um est cor nostrum donec quiescat in te Ps 6. satiabor cum aparuerit gloriatua Deus fecit hominem Aug. ut summum bonum intelligeret intelligendo amaret amando possideret possidendo fueretur Gaudium in caelo erit super una peccatore paenitentiam agente Luk. 15. quam super nonaginta novem justos qui non ind●gent panitentiâ Jesus Christus venit in hunc mundum peccatores salvos facere 1 Tim. 4. Dimissa sunt ●i peccata multa qui a dilexit multum Luk 7. Jam non est is hospites Eph. 2. advena sed est is cives sanctorum domestici Dei. Beati servi illi quos cum venerit Dominus invenerit vigilantes Luk 2. Nihil occultum quod non seiatur Mark 4. nihil opertum quod non revelatur De die illâ nemo scit ne quidem Angeli Calorum neque filus hominis Talem te judicat Deus Mat. 24. Cyprian Luk. 12. qualem te invenerit cum vorat Beati servi illi quos cum venerit Dominus invenerit vigilantes scilicet in statu gratia in peccatis non dormientes Ante juditium Eccl. 8. Joh. 14. Psal 110. para justitiam tibi ante languorem ad hibe medicinam Diligamus Deum quiaipse prius dilexit nos Initium sapientiae timor Dei qui timet Deum faciet bona A timore tuo concepimus spiritum salutis Quoties in quit Hier. diem judicij considero toto corpore contre misco sive enime comedarn sive bibam sive quid aliud faciam semper videtur illa tuba terribilis insonare auribus meis surgite mortui venite ad juditium Non intres in juditium cum servo tuo Domine Psal 104. quia non justificabitur in conspectu tuo omnis vivens Vix justus salvabitur miser peccator ubi parebunt Nolite omni spiritui credere 1 Pet. 4. 1 Joh. 4. Aug. Heb. 11. sed probate spiritus si ex Deo sint Noll intellegre ut credas sed crede ut intelligas Fides est substantia rerum sperandarum argumentum non apparentium Quod fui Domine ignosce quod sum corrige quod cro dirige Serva comissum expecta promissum cave probibitum Adversa corporis animae remedio sunt agritudo carnem vulnerat sed mentem curat For the mortification of the flesh VVHat man is he that liveth and shall not see death It is decreed in our first parents so to have been instituted that if they had not sinned they should not have died In what hour thou eatest thou shalt die Man when he was in honour understood not but is compared to the beasts that perish and is made like unto them The envy of the devill brought death upon all the earth The devill is the murtherer from the beginning A man is fallen into the hands of thieves c. that is to say into the hands and power of devils which spoiled him of his garment of originall justice of the robe of grace of innocence and of charity and by the wounds of sinne left him half dead but Jesus Christ our good and true Samaritane As in Adam all are dead even so in Christ shall all live It is appointed to all men once to die We die daily and continually our life in some part diminisheth and while we increase our lives decrease As the Hart desireth the rivers of waters so desireth my soul to come to thee O God My soul thirsteth to God the living fountaine when shall I come and appear before the face of my God The Apostle St Paul saith My desire is to be dissolved from this flesh and to be with Jesus Christ which is much better After this the judgment Pretious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his Saints The just shall be had in eternall remembrance The death of sinners is the worst death The face of the Lord is against those that doe iniquity The sinners shall be blotted out of the book of the living and with the just they shall not be written Live thou to say with St Paul I have fought the good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith therefore there is reserved for me a Crown of justice the which my God the just Judge shall give me in that day and our good God of his infinite pity shall say to thee Thou hast called to me out of the deep and I have heard thee c. Remember the end in all things and thou shalt not sinne to death Ye have said we have made a league with death and with hell an agreement The Prophet answers them Your Covenant with death shall be dissolved and your agreement with hell shall not stand By the envy of Satan and by sinne death hath taken dominion

over man Pale death beateth alike upon poor mens cottages and the towers of Princes It pitieth not the poor nor spareth the rich It snatcheth away youth in the flower of their lives and spareth none All flesh is grasse and all the glory of it as the flower of the field Behold a grave and discern if thou canst the captive from the King the strong from the weak the faire from the deformed then be not proud Tell me where are those lovers of the world which were lately with us certainly nothing remains of them but ashes and wormes In all humility then my soul meditate often upon thy dissolution for he which humbleth himself shall be exalted A man when he is dead is changed and consumed and where is he Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord for so saith the spirit that they rest from their labours and their works follow them they neither hunger nor thirst c. Lazarus was carried of the Angels into Abrahams bosome that is he died in the Lord. Here we have no abiding City but we seek one to come Man that is born of a woman hath but a short time to live and full of sorrow he shooteth up as a flower and is cut down he flieth as a shadow and never continueth in the same condition I am a pilgrim and a stranger as all my fathers were The world passeth away and the lusts thereof Through many tribulations we must enter into the Kingdome of Heaven The just are oppressed that they may cry and crying may be heard I beseech you as pilgrims and strangers abstain from fleshly lusts which warre against the soul The present sufferings of this life are not worthy of the glory which shall be revealed in us Watch for you know not what hour your Lord will come Walk thou in wisdome and in right reason because a man in whatsoever he doth considereth the end and accordingly doth accommodate and dispose himself to the means that lead unto it Get wisdome therefore for it is more precious than gold The wisdome of the flesh is death but spirituall wisdome is life and peace It is appointed to all men once to die and after death comes the judgment The day of the Lord comes as a thief in the night Be thou watching if thou watch not I will come to thee as a thief and thou knowest not what houre I will come unto thee Man doth not know his end but as the Fishes are taken with a baite or hooke and the Birds are taken with netts and snares so is man taken in an evill time which is not known unto him Do not deferre to turn unto the Lord neither delay from day to day the reason is for suddenly his anger cometh and in his wrath he will destroy thee Blessed is that servant whom when the Lord cometh and knocketh he doth finde watching We die daily we chang daily and yet we do believe we are eternal Dust and ashes thou art and into them thou shalt returne If onely in this world we have hope we are of all men most miserable The Just shall shine as the Sunne in my Fathers Kingdome As Christ our Saviour rose from the dead so shall we also rise The Sonne of God came into this world that all which beleeve in him should not perish but have everlasting life I Would not have you ignorant concerning those which are at sleepe that you sorrow not as they which have no hope Better is the day of death then the day of birth I have praysed the dead above the living Death is the necessary guist of corrupted nature which is rather to be imbraced then avoided He which beleeveth in him which sent me hath eternall life and doth not come into Judgment But passeth from death to life When I am weake then I am strong Happy is the man that endureth temptations because that when he is tryed he shall receive the Crown of life which the Lord hath promised to them that love him Be ye mercifull as your Father which is in Heaven is mercifull be ye imitatours of God as dear Children A Christian ought not onely to beare the Name of Christ but the Similitude also of his manners For the Name of Christ is frustrate to him that onely doth imitate Christ in Name The mercilesse shall have justice without mercy Give to the poor and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven He which hath mercy on the poor is blessed Blessed are the mercifull for they shall receive mercy Come ye blessed of my Father and enter into the Kingdome prepared for you from the creation of the world for I was hungry and ye gave me to eate c. In as much as you did it to one of these you did it to me From suddain and unprovided death good Lord deliver us He which liveth well cannot die ill nor he scarce die well that lives ill To you it is given not onely to beleeve in Christ but also to suffer for him I desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ Eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither can heart conceive the mercies prepared of God for them that love him What is there in this world can content the soul There is nothing the soul is content with nothing but God Our heart is unquiet untill it test in thee I shall be satisfied when thy glory doth appeare Almighty God made man that he might understand the chief good in understanding might love it in loving might possesse it and in possessing might enjoy it There is more joy in Heaven over one sinner that truly repenteth then over ninty nine just persons who need no repentance Jesus Chrst came into the world to save sinners His sins are forgiven him which are many because he loved much Now ye are no longer guests and strangers but ye are Citizens of the holy City and houshould of God Blessed is that servant whom the Lord when he cometh doth finde watching There is nothing hid which shall not be made known nor any thing secret which shall not be revealed Of that day no man knoweth no not the Angels of Heaven nor the Sonne of man So God judgeth thee as he findeth thee when he calleth Blessed is that servant whom the Lord when he cometh doth finde watching namely in a state of grace and not sleeping in his sins Prepare thy rightousnesse before judgement and before thou be sicke take Physick We love God because he first loved us The fear of God is the beginning of wisdome who feareth God doth good From the love of God we do receive the spirit of saving health As often as I consider the day of Judgment my whole body doth tremble whether I eat or drinke or whatsoever I do that terrible noise seemes alwaies to sound in my eares Arise ye dead and come to Judgment Enter not into judgment with thy servant O Lord for no flesh shall be justified in thy sight The just shall scarce be

With Saints and Angels for our Makers sake Now shew my soul thy joye is here begun In humble love say Lord thy will be done For the same L.M.W. in her sicknesse Our onely good great Governour of chance Maker of times and daies great Ancient Whose will is onely good whose providence No mortall can by force or fraude prevent Save this thy Servant by thy blest reprieve And from the jawes of death her soul relieve Let her most savingly behold thy power And let thy love possesse her soul so full Let her long life from this thy gracious houre With beames of duty shine most beautifull That so her soul like repened Corne may be Most perfect for her blest Eternity The least Mite tending to Eternity is for Riches and True Worth unestimable THe greatest gaine tending to temporality is onely as we may serve eternity with it considerable O sweetest Rose and Lilly of my Soul my joy my rest my everlasting peace my sweet Redeemer from my Captive Chaines that of thy meer love wouldest not suffer my rebellions against thee to have their deserts upon me but by thy blood hast purchased my peace and fittest me for to know and do thy will and then rewardest me as if it were my act and service to thee of my proper strength Therefore O my Redeemer thou art the Lord my God and I am thy servant for ever Amen My soul If thou looke for and expect salvation by the most gracious merit death and passion of our Saviour Jesus then which indeed there is no sweeter peace search hear and read his Word his will then wholly bend and frame thy soul and body to do thereafter Amen Meditate seriously and devoutly of three Things past three Things present three Things to come The three Things past are Good omitted Evill committed Time pretermitted The three Things present are The flesh provoking The world enticing The Devill ensnaring The three Things to come Death miserable Judgment terrible Hell intollerable Against these foes these three-fold three Thy Sheild's the three-fold Unity A Consult with the Soul TO mine own Ego to my selfe my soul I now would steere my wandering bark's advance Since long debate and labour doth controule Th' impetuous tide and stormes of ignorance And false conceit in apprehension Which soone overflow thy mounted hill And force thee head-long with thy false invention Before the furious waves of empty will So hard it is to finde out verity Whilst thou imprisoned art within thy clay Sinne is so frauded by hypocrisie That little of thy vastnesse see we may But wary reason is the onely eye That shadowes out some symptomes of thy might And seperates from blacke obscurity Some raies from thee or are thee or thy right Thy motives O my soul do worke more plaine And more efficatiously then those that be Of body onely whereby I obtaine Small sense of pleasure if thy watchfull eye Be else-where fixed whence it 's visible First that thou art and then that I am thee Thy sense my soul doth make me sensible The languages on earth acknowledge thee For if I say my body I meane thence By my my soul body soules mansion This is most true by old experience All tongues are herein at one Union And still more cleare thou shewst my self my soul That thou the sole command and power hast Over my senses else pain and icie cold Would on my body more impression take When thou seemst absent or in raptures high Freely enjoyst thy uncorrupted selfe Art fully fil'd with sight of Deity As of thy filthy Embryon bereft Much like as those that have their prison left It 's now high time I should my selfe retire From turbulent and slippery fields of warre Of eager strise of disputation-jarre And make account where none but we two are Freed from those tumults that possesse the earth Where what makes one to laugh makes others mourn What here makes plenty there it maketh dearth What raiseth one another down doth turne We 'le but expect that onely verity Which by thee shineth on my gloomy eye Which sacred is to all eternity Wherein all I can wish I do espie I have discovered plaine that thou my soul Wilt me survive and wilt survive me too As thou wilt outlive my mortality And all the changes that to me are due Which onely are to thee as accident When I thy prison am decaid and rent Meerly because in me thou habitest Thou 'st change thy time for thy immortall rest When accidents and motions of my sin Cannot approach thy uncorrupted will Nor move at all or force thee to begin To yeeld but constant thou the same art still Her 's nought of time change here is outed quite One even being now begirts thee round No troubled thought of end attempts thy quiet Nor doth succession of uncertaine ground Thus have I seene in height of fixed thought And serious muse of contemplating minde That thou my soul art farre more truly wrought And purely made and of more sacred kinde Then I thy earthly house and moultering tombe Which onely am whilest thou in me dost bide And quickly haste unto my Mothers wombe If thou forsake me or me cast aside A little space yet truely I professe Whilest me thou keepest great thy danger is Least thou ensnared with my vaine excesse Be quite debarr'd of thy eternall blisse But if thou rule and order me aright And force me subject to our Makers will So that my crooked waies convert to straight And doing good I do avoid the ill Then are we happy for I do beleeve That though we part till resurrection call Sorrow to one shall so the other grieve That both shall fare alike for eternall Thy paines may then begin when I in dust Shall silent lie till we united be And then most sure ah terrible I must Share in thy paines for our eternity If I delude thee but if thou me guide And so command that we but will to good But seeke and aske and knock the door is wide And open set by our blest Saviours blood Then shall our joyes alike eternall be Of which untill our meeting thou 'st be fill'd And so we blest in high felicity Shall to our maker true obedience yeeld But now to muse a while it may be good And to compare thy present state my soul As now it is immers't in flesh and blood Where sins presume and ill doth good controle With that which shall betide thee so soone when Thou melted art from thy corruption And art refin'd from company of men And with blest Saints joyn'd in communion What if our life here were a thousand yeares Longer then ere our aged Fathers knew And all that time we freed from cares and feares And uncontroul'd commanded all with view With twinkled eye or least beseeming shew That all the creatures humbly did prostrate Their best obedience holding it their due What ere us pleas'd to act or to relate And if that nature

did with them conspire To give us constant and most vigorous health And flowing springs beyond their hearts desire Of relishing the height of earthly wealth Though Prelates Princes greatest amongst men Who set the worlds beliefe and actions Be fram'd in heart to serve us and let then Our mindes be freed from all distractions And let our vast imaginations Be fill'd with pleasures and with plenty store So that our hearts can wish no alteration Nor can conceive how to have any more Thus when our thoughts are fully at a stand And can no higher raise our happy state Do but remember that this great command Each moment Shortens till 't be terminate And till it may be said the time is past The thousand yeares are ended long agoe He long commanded all but yet at last Death loos'd his holde and quickly took him froe His fond delights his foolish vanities Things onely good to him that giveth well Their sweet refreshments to their Makers praise And in true use of them the vaine excell Alas poor soul what comfort will it give When gastly death sore sicknesse or distresse Call's for account and saith thou must not live But must forth with prepare in readinesse A reckoning just how thou hast ordered And us'd thy Talent for thy Masters gaine If thou thy fellowes have not murthered Or his poor creatures for thy lusts have slaine If by false Oathes or foul hypocrisie Thou hast deceiv'd or hurt or gain'd or spoil'd Thy honest neighbour as thy enemy And thus thy Countries peace by warre imbroil'd If thou be guilty of a double tongue And such a lying lip as Heaven hates How canst thou hope to live the Saints among Want of true Oyl will fasten Heavens gates Most firm against thee when the fatall thred Of life is cut and when thy soul would rest In Heavens joyes as in a pleasant bed There'l be no room for those that held it best To have their portion and their fill below And said unto their souls take here thy ease And valued not their Makers will to know Nor did regard our sacred God to please But let 's proceed my soul for to compare Great things with small or rather all with nought That which we shall be with that which we are Which if but rudely known it 's well we sought We are poor earthy wormes as plants we grow And as the beasts our bodies doe decay Nay they exceed us they nor set nor sow Nor piercing sorrows takes their rest away Their senses farre more quick their bodies strong Their souls not subject to the due of sinne For they die as their bodies so along We think it's life not soul which doth keep in The vegetative life that is in Plants And sensitive that other Creatures have But Man is Lord of all or else he vaunts himself too high too much above the grave Of all the rest that sojourn here below Their times appointed and the same as his Onely with reason God did us endowe And from the Beasts our difference is this If we by crooked and uneven wayes Of sinfull walkings and rebellions Doe not destroy our selves we spend our dayes In true subduing our plantations And well command as God did first appoint And use our fellow creatures to refresh Our wearied mindes and bodies to anoint With oyl of joy and food of thankfullness But yet a little further to proceed To finde on earth what thing is onely good Suppose what can be possible wee 'd neede Though reason will not so be understood Suppose that the least shadow of delight Wherein we have ten thousand years to come Were full as much and of as great a weight As twice ten thousand years when time is gone Eternity gives thousands thousands years Against each moment of the longest time And having worne it out it well appears No whit diminisht still it is a crime To say it 's shorter for that cannot be When time 's worn out and years thus multiplied It 's all one still it 's still eternity It s still as wide a gulf it 's never satisfied Then see how vainely are our lives spun out If time doe end upon us unsuspected And if it may be said that without doubt What is most needfull is the most neglected Yet in my reason I can scarce believe But well spent dayes should greater honour have Then smallest infants whom none doe relieve But use their Mothers bowels for their grave And so for all degrees of knowledge sound That men attain to can it be for nought That some sit high and others plough the ground I cannot herein six my wandring thought But must presume that the eternall blisse Which we soon shall enjoy in our belief When we part hence to one farre greater is Then to another yet nor care nor grief Can seize of any who admitted are To be ingulpht in the eternall joy Hence great is comfort yet I think to spare My wandring thoughts least thereby I annoy My truest peace which is my full belief And setled grant of mercy from above That the eternall light doth shew his truth To all mens souls if with obedient love Their eyes but see it with a watchfull care And right improve it in each action Which to the soul a height of mischiefs are Changing our peace into distraction But specious shewes deludings of pretence Speak what they will destructive are and vaine If they delude the minde deceive the sense Or doe but move from the eternall gaine The high employment of the soul is love To her Creatour much beyond all sense Of Wisdome Arts and Knowledge farre above Both study wit and long experience Hath circled to it self the light divine As we may judge beyond all limitation And in its freedome gloriously doth shine Beyond the reach of her imagination While it 's imprisoned in the clayie bonds Of earthly mansion with defiled hue It dully moves as wanting feet or hands For its pure freedome which to it is due Of its Creatours gift so soon as when It separated is from earthy clay And is endu'd beyond the gift of men And beggs of none but of its God who may And will relieve its wants with purest aid This beeing hope and full assurance Hold fast to care and caring be afraid Least smiling sinne get thy inheritance And catching thee in snares of wickednesse Thirsty for earthy bubbles in a rage Chusing no mean but loving all excesse With Esau sell for messe of poor pottage Thy glorious birth-right to thy Fathers joy And heavenly Kingdome ever permanent And so in sinne and grief and sad annoy With everlasting woe thou must lament Here stay a little let us count a while With nature uncorrupted and with reason Reason condemns her for a Mistris vile And charges her with little lesse then treason If she afford to men long life and dayes And fitting organs for the soul to act And gain a height of knowledge to the praise Of their Creatour by

eternity To incorruptible felicity And though our call doth nature oft prevent Yet when shee 's let alone she fairly deales And though she fixt to warmed life be sent To fit our death yet see how oft she steales To us her warnings as with dimmed sight And theumy eyes instead of bright and cleare To make us see our death for want of light And let us know there 's no long being here Again she warnes by some decay in Teeth Or by a haire that turnes to Lilly white Or by some shaking Palsie which all seeth Or feeble knees or paines by day or night Or hands benum'd or hearing almost lost Or smelling gone which should refresh the braine Or relishing in taste whose choicest gust Is to prepare her guests to entertaine Of all her warnings the true meaning is To let us know shee 'le shortly lead us home And leave us in our woe or in our blisse As we to her have good or evill done As earthly pilgrims while she did sojourne And form her self according to our will With us in houses underneath the Sunne Obediently performing good or ill Then cheer my soul and doe not fear to live Nor will to die but take unto thy guard Securest diligence which doth alwayes give Assurance of hope and due reward In power of the merit of our Jesus And love of God shew'd in his onely Sonne By which dear love he never failes to ease us When earthly joyes and earthly friends are gone Then are we freed to all Eternity From sinne and death and hell and surely then Into true love we shall converted be Unto our God which Heaven is Amen The Offring I Will offer to my onely Good an humble and a contrite heart and my joyfull submission unto his dispose and pleasure for ever I will offer unto his most blessed Majesty his own most gracious love to the works of his own hands I will also offer the blessed conception birth life passion and merit of his sacred Sonne my Saviour Jesus in whom I beleeve O my Eternall Good helpe my unbeliefe and for thy mercy sake give and rightly perfect in me true and saving knowledge and assurance in the infinite mercy of thee my onely Good shewed by thy gracious reconcilement unto me in and through Jesus Christ I will most humbly offer a most willing heart humbly begging of my Eternall Good the blessed guidance of his sacred Spirit to conform and leade my weake and timorous belief aright and to satisfie settle and confirm it in his truth I will also offer unto his gracious goodnesse my most humble and joyfull submissive obedience unto the direction and commands of his most gracious Spirit which I humbly crave may be so powerfull and strong in me that the influence and advantage which the world flesh and devill have against me by reason of my sinne and corruption may not in the least sort be able to move or draw me from yeelding and giving all willing and joyfull submission and obedience thereto but that I may perfectly as I am wholly the creature of my Creator be converted into his perfect will and service and therein rest in perfect joy and peace for ever and this for his onely mercy and goodnesse sake Amen Therefore thus Faine would I have a Royall Sacrifice Worth the presentment to my sacred Good Faine would I finde the Pearle of precious price That by my Saviour so was understood I trust it was with which I 'le here commence An humble soul fram'd of obedience For sure all earthly things are much too vaine Too much corrupted by the fall of man Too much rebellion doth this earth sustaine Too much oppression underneath the Sunne Too little worth they are my Good did make And give me these what need he then retake So is the will and deed to work aright His onely gift but in another sense For outward gifts are unto all alike But holy will and deed arise from hence From God's free love on souls by sacred Spirit As new-born babes prepared to inherit Wherefore my Sacrifice is onely this An humble heart a broken contrite soule Cause me to know it is my onely blisse My onely happinesse without controle To doe thy will make me fit instrument I 'me thine and not my own I 'me full content Belief I do believe that Almighty God is and that he is the rewarder of all them that diligently seeke him I do believe he hath incomprehensible mercy and justice towards all the works of his own hands I do believe that they shall come from all quarters of the world and sit down at his Eternall Table and receive of his infinite bounty I do believe that Almighty God is perfect goodnesse and mercy and justice it self and whoever feareth him and worketh righteousnesse shall be accepted of him I do believe he is the Creator and disposer of all things and this after a manner wholly incomprehensible to mortality I do believe his own beeing and proceeding is onely from himself and is to mortality likewise incomprehensible I do also believe the Apostles Creed concerning the sacred Trinity the Confession of Athanasius and the Confirmation thereof by the Reformed Church of England whereof the providence of my good Creator hath made me a member but in these I must espcially say Good Lord help my unbelief and guide and hold me by thy good and unresistible power in thy blessed service for ever Amen I do believe that with almighty God all things are possible and that his gracious mercy is above all his works And therefore Jesus Christ may be and I believe but Lord help and direct aright my unbelief that he is his onely begotten Sonne and yet conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary that he suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried and descended into hell and the third day rose again from the dead and ascended into Heaven and si●teth there on the right hand of God the Father almighty from whence he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead I do believe there is a selected number of Saints in this world which may be comprehended by the holy Catholick Church and that they shall have an eternall communion and fellowship together after this life and that they shall have all their sinnes freely forgiven them and also shall rise together in eternall life at the generall resurrection of which number I believe and trust my self with ot ers more to be for which free and incomprehensible grace I desire with all Saints to give everlasting praise and thanks and to doe everlasting most perfect service unto my good Creator forever Amen I doe also believe in the Holy Ghost and that this sacred Spirit is proceeding from the sacred Deity of the Father and the Sonne which being sent to command and take possession of our souls for the use as it were of the sacred God head we are thereby made fit workers and labourers