well applied Ye are troubled with many things but one thing is necessary Oh that men would consider this Vnum necessarium that they might shun and forsake the immoderate trifles of a Transitory world and that they would e're the time be far spent find out those paths that will lead them to their Souls rest which Lesson is taught them in the Holy Scriptures and not onely there but by a Heathen who said Tempus est de illa perpetua Iam non de hac exigua vita cogitare It is now high time not to think of this Life but of Life Eternal In this present world we can study how to provide for our Temporal Estates contriving a settlement for our maintenance and preservation and shall we be so stupid as to neglect the Eternal happiness of our Souls in that other world Where there are pleasures for evermore To do which we should begin betimes we should like wise builders lay a good Foundation and seek the Lord while he may be found We should day and night meditate upon the Lord. We should love honour obey him and devote our selves wholly to his service And this our duty bindes us to for these respects For the excellence of his Divine perfection Being defective not in any thing He is perfect in Knowledge He is past finding out Be perfect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect And although no Heart can comprehend or Tongue fully can express this perfection yet we may esteem it by his Attributes of some whereof take this following account It appears how admirable it is since no Tongue can express it nor any Heart conceive it The Transcendencie of the God-head exceeds not onely the usual strength of Eloquence but of Understanding likewise He is Absolute He is all Eye and seeth All things He is all Ear and heareth All things He is all Hand and worketh All things He is Infinite Whither saith the Psalmist shall I go from thy presence Do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord He is Immortal I live for ever He only hath Immortality Solus Deus est Immortalis quia non est per Gratiam sed per Naturam God alone is Immortal being so by Nature not by Grace He is Eternal Without beginning Thou art God from everlasting Without end Thou art the same and thy years shall not fail He is called the Ancient of days He is Immutable God is not to be changed 1. In his Nature Thou shalt endure I am the Lord I change not Every good and perfect gift cometh from the Father of Lights with whom is no variableness neither shadow of changing 2. In his promises and decrees The Counsel of the Lord shall stand My Counsel shall stand God hath promised who cannot lie He is Wise. Nothing is hid from him The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man His Wisdom is Infinite Loe thou knowest all things O the depth of the riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! He is Holy In him is no Iniquity Who is like unto thee O Lord Glorious in Holiness None Holy as the Lord. He is True 1. In himself Whatsoever is in him is Truth It is Life Eternal to know thee the true God Let God be true and every man a Lyar. 2. In his works Righteous in all his works 3. In his words The Words of the Lord are pure The Truth of the Lord endureth for ever Good Absolutely Without the help of any 1. In himself There is none good but God 2. He is the Author of all Good to others Every good and perfect gift cometh from the Father of Lights The Earth is full of his goodness He is Glorious Ye shall see the Glory of the Lord. The sight of his Glory was like consuming fire The whole earth is full of his Glory His Glory is above the Heavens He is Powerful I am the Almighty God saith the Lord. In the Creation of the World In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth The Heavens are beautified with Stars The Earth is spacious and splendid plentifully stored with its Fruits Beasts of the field and Fowls of the Air. The Sea abounds with variety of Fish for the use of man And all were made of nothing but by his word 1. Wherefore Rejoyce in the Lord O ye righteous for praise is comely for the upright 2. Praise the Lord with harp sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings 3. Sing unto him a new song play skilfully with a loud voice 4. For the word of the Lord is right and all his works are done in truth 5. He loveth righteousness and judgement the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. 6. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap he layeth up the depth in store-houses 8. Let all the earth fear the Lord let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him DIVINE SENTENCES COLLECTED From the VVorks of Mr. EDMVND CALAMY Lately deceased GOd requires we should mortifie our lufts for prayer without that is the service of a Hypocrite Let not any one despair and cry out I am undone but let him trust in God and use his just endeavours For any man may be happy if he please Sin is a Christians greatest Sore and Repentance his surest Salve Who then would want the rare Jewel of Repentance since if ye seek ye shall find Sin bringeth shame and sorrow and Piety a portion of everlasting Joys Miserable is that man whose heart is too hard to pray He that truly repents of his sin shall never repent of his repentance for repentance is as the Hammer of the heart knocking at the Gate of Heaven and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Let us cloath our selves with Righteousness it is the safest Armour against the Darts of Satan If troubles or afflictions shall befall thee say as a late Reverend Divine said I will go and bless God for I believe this will be for my good There are two Gospel-Graces which require your special heed viz. Faith and Repentance for though many go to Hell by despair more go thither by presumption It was the saying of the Learned Sir Thomas Moore I will never pin my Faith upon the sleeve of another man for he may carry it where I would be unwilling to follow You must serve God for his sake as well as Heaven 's A faithful servant of God may have an eye to the recompence of reward as Moses had but he must have but one eye and that the left for our chief and last aim must be at the Glory of God The true way of serving God
not expect to be told thee in a Pulpit all that thou oughtest to do but be studious in searching the Scriptures and reading good Books what thou hearest may be forgotten but what thou readest may better be retained Take heed of giving thy self the liberty of committing one sin for that will lead thee to another till by an ill custom it becometh natural That disease is desperate which to keep is death and to part with is impossible To begin an evil is of ill consequence it teacheth one to shake hands with shame but to continue in it hardens the heart and leads it till it be past grace To begin a sin is to lay a foundation for a continuance this continuance is the Mother of Custom and Impudence at last the Issue Fly evil society as an infectious Plague for ill Company is the corruption of good manners Take heed of those Doctrines that oppose the Magistracie or Ministry and endeavour to promote prophane Liberty and cast down good works by crying up of free grace In Nature 't is an observable Maxime The Masters commands must be obeyed according to his own will shall we not then be as obedient to our Spiritual Master as our Temporal one God forbid If we intend to serve God he expects we should serve no other God Our God is a living God and loves not dull and drowsie Saints we must not only serve him in this life but we must have life in our service Hast thou sinned repent behold the Lord holds a bottle for thy Tears Call no sin little it will require a great stock of Penitence take heed of purchasing a sin till thou knowest the price Prayers and Tears are the sinners best Embassadors to the Throne of Grace To sin is the frailty of the Nature of man but to glory in sin is bruitish like the Swine that understands not that clean pasture is better than a Ditch Make not Religion a Cloak 't is Diabolical to Honour God with our lips and dishonour him in our lives Such are the paths of those that forget God and the Hypocrites hope shall perish It is in vain to dissemble with God for the Hearts of all men are in his hands and the Hypocrite shall not come before him And what comfort is there in Hypocrisie when we consider that The Triumphing of the wicked is short and the joy of the Hypocrite but for a moment And where is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his Soul In Humane affairs Reservedness is Wisdome but Dissimulation is in all things Hateful To be Lip-holy and Heart-hollow is a brief Character of a Hypocrite A false Friend is to be abhorr'd above a mortal Enemy This is the Fate of an Hypocrite when once known he will not be believed when he speaketh truth If Hell hath one place hotter than another it is called Locus Hypocritarum the place of Hypocrites The Malitious man dissembleth with his Lips and harbours deceit within him When thou givest Alms sound not a Trumpet as the Hypocrites do their folly is their reward And beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees which is Hypocrisie No Serpent hath more Poyson than sin it is a thief in the house and a sword in the heart of a Nation God and Mercie will not stay where sin is the obstinate Governour To fast till we are Anatomies to pray till our knees are fixed to the ground is nothing if we do not fast from sin Erroneous times may unsettle truth but the Conscience of a good man is firm The Cap and the Knee are but outward Ceremonies but he that avoids Iniquity is the best Christian The Wages of sin is death but to mortifie sin is eternal life Gods care is concerned in Sparrows how much more in the least concerns of his Children Forsake not the publike Worship of God lest God forsake thee not onely in publike but in private In your Repentance remember Church-sins Sermon-sins Sacrament-sins lest the Church give you up to Satan for your sins Let not Whoremongers and Adulterers boast for those sinners God will judge The Usurer is stuft with earth in this World He hath the Grave for his Landlord but no God for his Father The fashions of other Nations have made us slaves to them but our pride may expect a greater doom Love not the World for it 's a Moth in a Christians life Nothing is more prejudicial to a Christian then a carnal love When you rise or when you go to Bed let your Meditation be what shall become of your Soul this minute Is your Heart devoted unto Christ live to him and you shall live with him For know God is a Guest that requires the upper Rooms that is the Head and the Heart And it is the pleasure of a devout man to promote the Interest of Almighty God He that will be false to God can never be true to man It is good to be of a true Religion but it is ill not to be true in that Religion If God be against you who then can take your part Will God that made you save you if you will not serve him Consider it was Christ that dyed for you it is he that either saves or condemns you flatter not your self with a vain conceit can man be more merciful than God The Epicure that delighteth in the variety of dainties of this World little thinketh that those very creatures will one day witness against him The Gallant that glories in the pride of his Habit will likewise be tried by his Garments The heaps of Treasure which the worldling hoardeth up will be an evidence against him Time will be when Time shall call the Drunkard to account for his waste of time Fornicators and Adulterers will at last with sorrow remember the date of their former sins The consequences of a sinners life will appear against him charging him with the ruine of Wife and Children disquieting of Neighbours and impoverishing of other Families It is better to be a Lazarus in poverty and to want the relief of this World than to be richly habited to fare deliciously and hereafter to want a drop of water to quench the flames of an incensed Mercie The way to live in Heaven is to live heavenly upon Earth Do not pretend to believe more than you do believe and live according to that belief If you would be wholly God's give him your heart and live wholly to him Better it is to serve God than man purity is better than impurity feasting is noysome because it makes you sick Why do ye wallow in the mire because ye have the natures of Swine The Lord hath made the world and us that we in it may serve him and that is the duty of man The sinner will be accused not onely by his own conscience but his familiar companions Grieve not the Spirit now lest it grieve you hereafter Your intentions to Repentance and
believeth that Iesus is the Son of God Why is it that sinners so rarely confess their sins it is because they are in them we use not to declare our dreams till we wake Therefore let us not sleep as do others but let us watch and be sober To represent a Christian is only to act a part on the stage of this world but to be a real Christian is to depart this stage and enter into a world of Bliss He that hath children ought to correct them with discretion But he that spareth his Rod hateth his Son and he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes To be truly sensible of sin is to sorrow for displeasing God more than for the displeasure of God to be afflicted that he is displeased by us more than that he is displeased with us Mirth and Mourning are opposites to each other Mirth is burthensome in the time of Mourning and Mourning is likewise burthensome in the time of Mirth Love the Saints for Christ's sake and Christ will love you for his Saints sake Beloved let us love one another for love is of God and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God but he that loveth not knoweth not God for God is love The Old Testament veils the New the New Testament reveals the Old Beautiful upon the Mountains are the feet of him which bringeth good tidings but how much more beautiful are the good tidings which are brought by those feet The works of our life is the best demonstration that we are acquainted with the words of our life The Saint hath the motion of grace whilst the Hypocrite hath but the notion the Saint sees tasts and feels it whilst the Hypocrite only reads hears and speaks of it The Saint hath the experience of grace and the Hypocrite the expression Be modest in your desires so shall your cup over-flow but the covetous man never hath enough Take heed and beware of covetousness There is a time for all things but no time when all things may be spoken To every thing there is a season and a time to every purpose under the heaven When you give thanks let the strings of your Heart and the strings of your Tongue be tun'd to Unisons it is the musick that God himself delighteth in What a vain thing is man when the best of men are but vanity at best Verily every man in his best estate is altogether vanity The wife of a man's bosom is better than the portions of the purse House and riches are the inheritance of fathers but a prudent wife is from the Lord. Marry not where you love not lest you are tempted to love where you marry not Marriage is honorable in all and the bed undefiled but Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge If Nature be defective it is not the act of the creature but of God and since it is his will it should be so we ought to submit to his pleasure and not to blame the handy-work of God Hath not the Potter power over the clay of the same lump to make one Vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour To please all is hard to displease any may be inconvenient the Christians surest way is to please him who is all in all When a man's ways please the Lord he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him The Righteous man will venture his Credit to secure his Conscience but will not venture his Conscience for the sake of his Credit The Saints are visited by Christ here by way of invitation that they should visit him hereafter Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people A Christian should like all God's commands because they are all alike Holy Iust and Good The Statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the heart the Commandment of the Lord is pure enlightning the eyes It is our Master's pleasure to let his joy enter into us here that it may teach us how to enter into our Master's joy hereafter In whose presence is fulness of joy at his right hand are pleasures for evermore No sin against God can be said to be little because it is against the great God of Heaven and Earth but if the sinner can finde out a little God it may be easie then to finde out little sins Our Mediator Jesus Christ the Righteous is the sinners Righteousness unto God and the Righteousness of God to sinners But we are all as an unclean thing and all our Righteousnesses are as filthy rags and we all do fade as a leaf and our Iniquities like the wind have taken us away If any man findes the want of Comforts Content will make them comfortable wants It was a rare experience which Paul had got who saith I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be content Destruction giveth way to pride for pride goeth before destruction Be sober in advice and moderate in reproofs some hearts are sooner humbled with stroaks than with stripes As an ear-ring of gold and an ornament of fine-gold so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear Pride soars aloft but patience walketh humbly with his God God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble The mercie of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting Let not that incourage sinners to the commission of sin but from thence let them sue for a remission of sin It is the will of every Saint that the will of the Lord should be done and he is content that all things should be so done so as to content God The Holy Prophet confirms it saying I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy law is within my heart Though our good works will not carry us to heaven yet they shall finde a reward in heaven Behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according aâ— his work shall be The life of the wicked is abominable they sin with content and are content with sin Miserable Wretches Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the Prophet unto our Fathers saying Go to this people and say Hearing ye shall hear and shall not understand and Seeing ye shall see and not perceive For the heart of this people is waxed gross and their ears are dull of hearing and their eyes have they closed lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and be converted and I should heal them Till we get Christ within us we are without Christ. The Lord's bottle and basket are never empty he bountifully invites us with this free offer of grace Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters and he that hath no money come ye buy and eat yea come buy wine and milk without money and without price He hath filled the hungry with good things and the rich
Praise him ye heavens never fade Praise him for ye by him were made Praise ye the Lord ye Dragons fell Praise him ye Deeps his wonders tell Praise him Fire Hail Vapour and Snow Praise him ye Stormy Winds that blow Praise him ye Cedars Beasts o' th' Field Praise him all things can Praises yield Praise him ye Kings of highest birth Praise him ye Iudges of the Earth Praise him ye Rulers whom he rais'd Praise for he 's greatly to be Prais'd Praise ye the Lord both great and small Praise him that did Create us all Praise him within his Holy Tower Praise him for his Almighty Power Praise him for what he to us gave Praise Iesus Christ that did us save Praise ye the Holy Spirit too Praise each with all Devotions due Praise all strive who shall praise the most Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost Praise each with pious Harmony Praise ye the blessed Trinity Praise ye the Lord with Trumpets sound Praise him that heal'd us with his Wound Praise him with Harp's loud Melody Praise him with Song and Psaltery Praise him with Timbrel let the flute Praise him with Organ Pipe and Lute Praise him with instrumental String Praise him with Cymbals loudly sing Praise him with Ioy and skilful Voice Praise with new Songs the chief and choyce Praise him that is our Guide our Light Praise him because his Word is right Praise him whose works are done in truth Praise him that no injustice doth Praise him all people great and less Praise him that loveth Righteousness Praise him whose goodness fills the earth Praise him with Zeal and pious Mirth Praise him the Antient is of days Praise him that gives us pow'r to praise Praise him whose Word the Heavens made Praise him whose Breath requir'd no Ayd Praise him that doth the Wind command Praise him that makes the Waters stand Praise him whom Sun and Moon obey Praise him doth Heavens Scepter sway Praise him that doth the Heathen awe Praise him whose ev'ry word 's a law Praise him who doth from Heav'n behold Praise him ye Rich Poor Young and Old Praise him that fashions all our hearts Praise him alone can heal our smarts Praise him that is the King of Kings Praise him in grief that comfort brings Praise him that governs Sea and Coasts Praise him that is the Lord of Hosts Praise him who can the Lyon tame Praise him that mighty is by Name Praise him that guards us day and night Praise him the God of Peace and Fight Praise him that makes the stoutest yield Praise him that is our help and shield Praise him both with the heart and mouth Praise him in Age in Strength and Youth Praise him who are with sorrows sad Praise that the humble may be glad Oh let the Nations all accord To Praise and Magnifie the Lord. BLESSINGS of the Righteous As they are denoted in the HOLY SCRIPTURES HEarken unto the Lord thy God His Covenants observe So will he kindly spare his Rod And not afflict a Nerve Blest shalt thou in the City be Thy God will blessings yield At home abroad at bed at board And likewise in the field Blessed shall be thy bodies fruit And that upon the ground The wicked be they lowd or mute Shall neither of them wound Thy Cattle shall enrich thy store The increase of thy Kine And Sheep shall still wax more and more Thy Grapes shall yield thee Wine Blest shall thy store and basket be Blessings shall thence accrew Comings and goings shall agree To make thee blessed too The Lord shall smite thine enemies And put them to disgrace The chiefest he will make to flie And that before thy face Thy foes one way shall thee attempt But flee before thee seven From Iudgment none shall be exempt But as the Wind be driven Thy store-houses the Lord will bless And all thou tak'st in hand And give to thee a large increase Of plenty in the land The Lord as he himself hath sworn He shall establish thee And farther to exalt thy horn His people ye shall be Keep thou the Lord's Commandements And all the earth shall see That thou art great in Innocence And stand in fear of thee The Lord he shall his treasures ope The Heav'ns shall give thee Rain If head or hand with business cope It shall be for thy gain No discontent shall thee attend As free from grief or sorrow To many Nations thou shalt lend But have no need to borrow Blessed are they that in him trust He will them bless with speed For do they hunger do they thirst He is their help at need Blessed is he whose sin is hid He may with gladness smile Whose errours all are covered Whose spirit hath no guile Blessed are they that now lament As being poor in spirit For they are promis'd by the Lord His Kingdom to inherit Blessed are they that now do mourn Thinking their joys are fled For though as yet they seem forlorn They shall be comforted The meek are blessed too for they That love not strifes increase Shall on the earth bear happy sway Delighting much in peace The hungry too and they that thirst For Righteousness as Meat They shall be fill'd when those accurst Shall nothing have to eat Blest be the merciful to those Whom they observe in pain For he that mercily bestows Shall mercie reap again Thrice-blessed are the pure in heart Whose Souls and hands are free From Vanity and wicked Oaths For they their God shall see Blest the peace-makers are for they His Children shall be call'd And he that loves and doth obey Shall never be enthrall'd Blessed are they for Righteousness Do persecution bear Their great reward none can express But Heav'n it lieth there Blessed are they that are revil'd Because they seek the Lord Let them not fear although exil'd His Grace will strength afford Rejoyce and be exceeding glad For great is your reward The Prophets by such usage bad Did get into regard Curses of the VVicked He that doth hear a poor man's cry Shall never fare the worse But whoso turneth back his eye Shall never want a curse He that himself hath others curst His Servant curseth him The blessings of his flowing purse Shall him to ruine swim He that blasphemeth God his Lord Ought to be ston'd to death And cursed be that man abhorr'd Serves other God beneath Cursed be he that setteth light By Father or by Mother The people shall him daily slight And none his curses smother Cursed be he that doth remove His Neighbours Land-mark then The people shall him curse none love But each one cry Amen Cursed be he that leads the blinde In an erroneous way The Lord for him will torments finde And be the blind man's stay Cursed be he that doth pervert The Widow Fatherless Or Stranger from an upright heart Curses shall him oppress Cursed thrice cursed shall he be Covets his Father's Breast And that man curst shall be as he That lieth with a
Beast Curst let him be with Sister lies Or Mother though in law Such sins do make those horrid cries That dreadful curses draw Cursed be he that secretly His silent Neighbour smites Murtherers too that cause to dye When a reward invites The wicked shall be curst at home And likewise in the field His Basket and his Store at last Shall Blessings fail to yield Cursed be all his sinful Fruit Of Body and of Land His Kine and Flock though they are mute And all he takes in hand Cursed be he when going out And curst when coming in That happy 't were for him no doubt If he had never been An ELEGIE ON THE DEATH of that much Lamented And no less wanted Industrious Labourer in GOD's VINEYARD The Reverend Mr. RALPH VENNING Who quitted this Vale of Tears And put on Immortality The 10th day of this Instant March 1673 4. Fretum vitae gaudeate Carina Tranavit Tutum tenet Anchorà portum Nunc hilaris ventos ridet tumidasque Procellas HArk how our Sion with Heart-piercing Groans Her Chariots her Horsmen's loss bemoans See! how each Pious blubber'd Cheek doth wear The sad Ennamel of a Briny Tear Each Soul turns a Close Mourner in its Cell And ev'ry Tongue becomes a Passing-Bell Must good Men still dye first and is there gone Another Cedar in our Lebanon Are Holy pow'rful Preachers snatch'd so fast They 're Pretious Death Oh! do not make such wast Well may the Scarlet Whore begin her Tricks Such Lights pust out threatens our Candlesticks And we may fear that God intendeth wars When he thus fast calls home's Embassadors Sweet Pious Venning could no longer stay Caryl in Glory beckon'd him away Whilst Heav'n to lend more moysture to our Eyes At his remove in Tears did Sympathize But Love and Zeal appear'd so I hill below They soon congeal'd each falling drop to snow Yet that white Robe the Earth put on did prove But a black Foil to what he wears above Go happy Saint I knew 't was not a Shrine Of Flesh could lodge so pure a Soul as thine I saw it labour in a holy scorn Of living dust and ashes to be sworn A heavenly Quirister it sigh'd and groan'd To be dissolv'd from Mortal and Enthron'd Amongst his fellow-Angels there to sing Perpetual Anthems to his Heavenly King He was a stranger to his house of Clay Scarce own'd it but that necessary stay Mis-call'd it his and only zeal did make Him love the Building for the Builders sake Amongst the throng that croud to Sacrifice To 's Memory the Torrents of their Eyes Let me although a Stranger unto those That Weep in Rhyme though oft I Mourn in Prose Water his Herse since my Big-bellied eyes Long for deliv'ry at his Obsequies Wherein what Art and Nature both deny Grief and the Subjects Merits may supply For who e're writes but truth of him will be Slander'd by Ignorance with Poetry And those that speak not half his worth in Verse The Sensual crew may think Idolaters But flattery can never reach his State We only praise to make men Imitate And so must speak in sober terms for know If Saints in Heav'n can hear things here below A Lye though in his Praise would make him frown And chide us when in Glory he comes down With his dear Lord to Iudge the World and pay Each Soul Rewards according to its way He was no Iingling Drolster of the times That as on Stage up to a Pulpit climes To trifle out an hour Tickle the Ear And Lullaby their Heads to sleep that hear Whose Preachments are but a Romantick Clatter A Sea of words but scarce a drop of matter Some Pye-bald scraps of new Philosophy Or Dough-bak'd Dictates of Morality Nor was he of that rash unpolisht Race Whose Sluttish hands do Sacred things disgrace Knowledge and Zeal in him so sweetly met His Pulpit seem'd a second Olivet Where from his Lips he would deliver things As though some Seraphim had clap'd his Wings His painful Sermons were so neatly drest As if an Antheme were in Prose exprest Yet quick and pow'rful that without controul They reach'd the Heart and pierc'd the very Soul Oh! what an excellent Surgeon has he been To set a Conscience out of Joynt by sin He at one blow could wound and heal whilst all Wondred to finde a Purge a Cordial His Manna-breathing-Sermons often have Given our good Thoughts new Life our bad a Grave His life was th' use of 's Doctrine still annext And all his Actions Comments on his Text. He made a Christian Frame of Heart appear So Imitable that Preach'd ev'ry where Nor owe we less to his Ingenious Quill Whereby although now Dead he Preaches still The way to Happiness he plainly show'd And how Canaan with Milk Hony flow'd To things worth thinking on he did apply And still sought to promote true Piety Sins dreadful Plague-sore which none should endure He soon discovers and prescribes a Cure And when 's quaint wit brought forth a Paradox His Christian Spirit made it Orthodox In life he taught to dye and now did give In death a great example how to live Fond Earth then cease and let thy childish eyes Ne'r weep for him thou ne'r knew'st how to prize But if you needs must weep Oh come come in Ye multitudes his pains have heal'd of Sin If you 'll be grateful Debtors pay him now Some of those Tears which he laid out for you SENTENTIAL TRUTHS Written and Delivered BY Mr. IAMES IANEWAY Not long before his Death THe world in its best estate is made up of Vanities troubles The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the World Faith Hope and Patience desire help to lead the Soul out of Egypt and conduct it through the Red-Sea and Wilderness The Spies are sent into Canaan and bring good news out of that Land Faith sees Sihon Og and Amaleck discomfited and their powers broken Faith goes to the Borders of the promised Land to the very top of Pisga and upon Mount Nebo it sends love into Heaven to dwell there with the Lord for ever What shall I more say for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon of Barak of Samson of Iephthah of David Samuel and of the Prophets Who through faith subdued Kingdoms wrought righteousness obtained promises stopped the mouths of Lyons Quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword out of weakness were made strong waxed valiant in fight turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens Christians Let us be zealous in our private and publike Prayers in our Closet and Family-devotions so shall we not only enter into rest our selves but shall teach the way to our Children our Servants and our Friends Be strictly careful that the gain of the world prove not the loss of your Souls Let your hearts be early and late with God Time is pretious
and of greater value than Gold Wherefore let it be thy business and the delight of thy Soul to seek and to serve God To seek and to serve here is the way to be glorified in rejoycing and enjoying hereafter Wherefore begin betimes and be not weary of well doing for great is your reward Take hold of this present opportunity lest the sloath of your heart or the cares of this world cause you to neglect and forget the prize that is set before you Unhappy are those poor Souls whose Portion is only in this world If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable The Cross of Christ is the Christians Crown the Reproach of Christ is the Christian's Riches and the Shame of Christ is his Glory God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world In all your actions let it be your practice to have a respect to your ends Talk not proudly let not arrogancie come out of your mouth for the Lord is a God of Knowledge and by him actions are weighed Strive to live above this lower Region that no accidents may put you out of frame nor disquiet your Soul Set your affections on things above and not on the earth If I had the wings of a Dove I would flie from the Winds the Storms and Tempests of this wicked world and rest my self in the bosom of my Father There the wicked cease from troubling and there the weary be at rest To disparage Sin and to incourage Holiness is none of the least Works of a Minister of Christ. The wicked may drink roar and swagger and sell their pretious Souls for a moments joy and make light of Damnation but let them know for all these things God will bring them to Iudgment an eternity of intolerable sorrows must pay for their short pleasures Hence it is that the serious Christian makes it his business to avoid this dreadful misery let the wicked please themselves in their sorrows he knows 't is but a little while and all will be mended and their minds changed He is willing to stay for his happiness and joys till he come to another world and he doth not envy the wicked what they do enjoy let them make the best of it The unseen world which most forget is always in the Christians eye and if he may but live happily there he passeth not if he run through reproaches injuries and a thousand Deaths to that glorious and endless Life This is the grand Reason of the Christians patience this makes him judge it no folly but the greatest wisdom to keep the commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus Those which live like Devils are not like to dye like Saints that count all their time lost they do him no service in which make a jest of Damning and are as merry within a step of Hell as if it and a Tavern were alike And yet how well are wicked men pleased and contented with their own condition and laugh at the Godly as if it were a dangerous and mad thing to go to Heaven and the truest happiness to be miserable for ever The Devil himself may as well expect to shake off his chains and be restored to his lost glory as they O be not deceived as you sow so you must reap God gives this world oftentimes to his greatest Enemies he gives glory in another world to none but his Friends and Children Nay let me speak it freely They which gain this world with their negligence of Heaven shall at their death lose both Many that would be counted wise drive a great Trade for that which is next to nothing and that lay in no better provisions than Gravel Clay or Dung when they are bound for Eternity They think they make a very wise Bargain when they sell their Conscience God and Heaven for a little of that which some call Riches O that I could but bring down the price of sublunary things and raise the things of that other world to their true worth Think not meanly of Holiness it 's the most excellent thing it is the greatest Riches and man's highest Dignity He that knows the worth of Christ and the nature of his own Soul let him not envy those that swell like bladders upon water for a moment and God puffs them off and where are they How can they look for Heaven when they dye that thought it not worth their minding whilst they lived Whatsoever men pursue below Christ will yield them but little happiness and comfort in another world Not every one that wears Christ's Livery shall have his Wages How many seeming Saints shall gain nothing at Death but a thorow knowledge of their own folly O please not your self with fancies Sickness and Death is coming and then you will know better the reason of my earnest pleading with you in this matter He that hath not got more than ever any Hypocrite could attain or shall will miss of Heaven The best of God's Children are most suspicious of themselves and afraid of their own deceitful hearts and their great request is that God would deliver them from mistakes in matters of everlasting consequence It 's a common thing for wicked men to carry their false peace along with them to the Grave How many thousands are there that dye like Lambs that are but Swine and have the Devils brand upon their foreheads Many are carried very quickly to Hell and fear nothing till they feel and are not brought to their sences till unspeakable horrour and anguish doth it It hath not a little puzled some as well as David to see the wicked dye quietly and the godly to have a strange death but God will shortly resolve this Riddle That Soul which hath seen the death of Sin is a person fit for death That man is like to be a gainer by Death who contemns Earth and makes Heaven his choice He that counts nothing worth the having except Christ and for Christ cannot be miserable when he is lodged safe in his imbraces God is oftentimes better but never worse than his word The running Christian shall at last obtain the Prize and the Crown he fights for he shall wear What though the Vessel be tost and broke it shall come safe with its rich Lading to the desired Harbour O you foolish world condemn not these spiritual wise Merchants till you know what their returns are when their burden is delivered He that is willing to dye for Christ shall live as long as Christ lives in happiness and rest Those Souls are out of Gun-shot that are instrumental for the shaking the Kingdom of Satan and weakning the interest of Hell in the world Who would not be a Christian in good earnest sure none but a mad-man or a fool The highest Worldlings are below the meanest and lowest Child of
God Christianity is a clear Demonstration of invisibles witness the many earnests of their Profession What warm refreshing Rays of Divine love break in upon their Souls what Joy what Experiments and blessed Intercourses have past betwixt God and such Souls the fire hath burnt and of a sudden the Soul hath e're it was aware been carried above the world The Spirit of Truth will not witness to a lye neither will Goodness it self put a cheat upon poor creatures Balaam's wish may throughly convince sinners that Holiness is no Madness Piety no Fancie and Religion no Delusion I am perswaded that all the Reprobates in Hell will one day justifie the Children of God for their seriousness and wish a thousand times that they had had their Scorns Losses and Torments Well then our Enemies themselves being Judges an Israelite indeed is a person of true worth and without controversie his Estate is and shall be comfortable blessed and glorious O Christian as long as God is true you shall not be deceived as long as he is happy you shall not be miserable you are well enough go on resolutely 't is but a little while and you shall see all this and more than this a thousand times Death will shortly tear off Ioshua's rags and present him before the Lord without spot or wrinkle Sin indeed accompanies the wicked to another world he rests from his pleasures and his wicked works follow him But it is far otherwise with the godly sin was his burden and death shall unload him Sin shall be confin'd to Hell Heaven entertains no such deformity This Tyrant shall no more inslave any of Christ's Subjects The house of Saul and the house of David shall no longer contend that sad conflict between the Flesh and the Spirit shall then be determined by a full Victory Death sets the Soul out of the Devils reach This Angel hath nothing to do in Heaven this Serpent shall not come into the higher Paradise nor Satan creep into this Eden O happy day when will it come when the Devil shall be as unlike to tempt as our hearts to close When we are got once safe to rest the Devil shall as easily shake God's Throne as our Happiness Death turns the key and bolts and bars this Enemy out then O then thou shalt see this Pharaoh cast dead on the shore Christian expect not as long as any of that Cainish Generation breath that thou shouldest be long secure What though the world speak great words thou shalt e're long ride in state to Glory and then let them do their worst When thou art in Heaven they may curse and encrease their own misery but they shall not in the least diminish thy tranquillity The beauty of this inferiour world will be darkned by the brightness of that light which Death leads thee into Death blows the dust out of our eyes it plucks off the vail and shews us quickly the glory of both worlds What Pen can describe the Honour and Dignities of the Sons of God! A Lazarus in stead of Beggers Cripples and Dogs had a guard of Angels waiting upon him These Chariots and Horse-men of Israel shall carry up Ioseph to his Fathers house The Souls of Believers are made perfect in Holiness at Death O then how glorious shall the Kings Daughter be when her beauty is made perfect O my Soul when will the shadows flee away when will days and nights be all at an end When will time be spent and the curtain drawn How should we think our selves if our hearts were always as God would have them Well be of good chear in Mount Zion there shall be deliverance and holiness Who that understands this would not bid death welcom That good Old Saint Simeon thought it a heaven upon earth to see Christ when his Majesty was vail'd This was but a small thing compared to the sight which they shall see when their graces shall be compleat How will the Heavens eccho of joy when the Bride the Lambs Wife shall come to dwell with her Husband for ever Christ is the desire of Nations the joy of Angels the delight of the Father What solace then must that Soul be filled with that hath the Possession of him to all Eternity Is not his Love better than Wine and a look of his Countenance to be preferred above Corn and Oyl Is not all the Glory of Heaven wrapt up in him I see now it is not for nothing that the Virgins did love him What mean the world sure they are dead blinde or mad Saints blessedness lies in this that they shall meet with all the Children of God and have communion with just men made perfect Death will bring you acquainted with all those famous Worthies of whom the world was not worthy This Porter opens the door and lets the Saints Soul into that Palace where all the favorites of that great Prince reside What would I give to see Enoch that walked with God How glad should I be to be acquainted with Elias How joyful if I might have some discourse with Paul Would it not make one couragious in the cause of God if one could hear Daniel or the three Children tell the Story of their deliverance How should one be pleased to have it from the mouth of Moses Ioshuah and Caleb what God did for Israel in the fields of Ham the Red-Sea and the Wilderness and how he brought them into the Land of Canaan Why as formidable as death looks it 's he that brings us to the speech of all these How loth are we now to part when a knot of us have got together to talk about the things of another world Heaven hath in it none but Saints and Angels and the blessed God O what acclamations of joy will there be when all the children of God shall meet together without fear of being disturbed by the Antichristian and Cainish Brood Is there not a time coming when the godly may ask the wicked What profit they have in their pleasures what comfort in their greatness and what fruit of all their labour They shall shortly know that nothing was lost which was spent for their Souls and Heaven If you would be better satisfied what the Beatifical Vision means my request is That you would live holily and go and see A further Addition is that there is no fear of loosing of it his Enemies can't rob him If the Grave were but lookt on as a chamber to rest in And if Faith could but take death to be but an undressing to put on better Raiment how contentedly then should we be uncloath'd that we might be cloathed with Immortality And if the case be so what a good condition is the dead Saint in Lazarus his Resurrection was no cheat many of the Saints arose and Christ is risen O what kinde of Greeting will these two old Companions have when they see one another in another world Never let any grutch to serve God chearfully They which
Iohn Reynolds A Grave for Controversies between the Romanist and the Protestant lately presented to the French King Iacksons Recantation or the Life and Death of a Notorious Highway-man wherein is truely discovered the whole Mistery of that wicked and fatal profession of Padding on the Road. A Sermon delivered at the Funeral of right Honourable Charles Earl of Warwick Sept. the 9th 1673. by Anthony Walker Rector of Fyfield The Retired mans Meditations or the Mistery and Power of Godliness presenting to view the riches and fullness of Christs person as Mediator or the Natural and Spiritual man in their proper distinctions c. by Henry Vane Knight Large Octavo A Sober enquiry into the nature measure and principle of Moral Vertue its distinction from Gospel Holiness with reflections upon what occurs disserviceable to Truth and Religion in this matter in three late Books viz. Ecclesiastical Policy Defence and Continuation and Reproof to the Rehersal Transprosed By R. Ferguson A Collection of Sermons Preach'd at the Morning Lecture in Southwark and else-where By N. Blakie Gramatica Quadrilinguis or Brief Instructions for the French Italian Spanish and English Tongues with Proverbs of each Language fitted for those who desire to perfect themselves therein By I. Smith M. A. The Works of Mr. Iames Ianeway Containing these 6 following Treatises Heaven upon Earth or the Best of Friends in the Worst of Time Death Unstung a Sermon Preach'd at the Funeral of Thomas Mosely an Apothecary with a Narrative of his Life and Death also the manner of Gods dealing with him before and after his Conversion A Sermon Preach'd at the Funeral of Thomas Savage Invisibles Realities demonstrated in the Holy Life and Triumphant Death of Mr. Iohn Ianeway The Saints Encouragement to Diligence in Christs Service with Motives and Means to Christian Activity Mr. Ianeway's last Legacy to his Friends containing twenty-seaven famous instances of Gods Providences in and about Sea-dangers and Deliverances with the names of several that were Eye-witnesses to many of them whereunto is added a Sermon on the same Subject A Brief Exposition of the Epistles of St. Paul to the Gallathians and Ephesians by Iames Ferguson The Life and Death of that Excellent Minister of Christ Mr. Ioseph Allin Also his Christian Letters full of spiritual instructions Published by several Ministers Memorials of Gods Judgments Spiritual and Temporal or Sermons to call to Remembrance By Nich Lockier Minister of the Gospel A Plat for Marriners or the Seamans Preacher delivered in several Sermons unto Ionah's Voyage By R. Ryther Preacher of Gods Word at Wappin The Gentlewomans Companion or a Guide to the Female Sex containing Directions of Behaviour in all places Companies Relations and Conditions from their Childhood down to Old age With Letters and Discourses upon all occasions Whereunto is added a Guide for Cook-Maids Dairy-Maids Chamber-maids and all others that go to Service The whole being an exact Rule for the Female Sex in general The present State of Russia in a Letter to a Friend at London Written by an Eminent Person residing at the Great Tzars Court at Mosco for the space of Nine years Illustrated with many Copper Plates The fulfilling of the Scriptures or an Essay shewing the exact Accomplishment of the word of God in his Works of Providence Performed and to be performed for confirming the Believers and convincing the Atheists of these present times Containing in the end a few Rare Histories of the Works and Servants of God in the Church of Scotland The Morning Seeker shewing the benefit of being good betimes with Directions to make sure work about early Religion By Iohn Rither A Discourse concerning Evangelical Love Church-peace and Unity with the Occasions and Reasons of present Differences and Divisions about things Sacred and Religious By Iohn Owen D. D. Small Octavo and Twelves The Life and Death of Mr. Thom. Wilson Minister of Maidstone in the Country of Kent Drawn up by Mr. George Swinnock Hieragonisticon or Corahs Doom being an Answer to two Letters of Inquiry into the Grounds and Occasions of the Contempt of the Clergy and Religion The Comparison of plato and Aristottle with the Opinions of the Fathers on their Doctrine and some Christian Reflections together with Judgment on Alexander and Caesar as also on Seneca Plutarch and Petronius out of the French Observations on the Poems of Homer and Virgil a Discourse representing the Excellency of those Works and the Perfection in general of all Heroick Actions out of the French Mysterium Pietatis or the Mystery of Godliness wherein the Mysteries contained in the Incarnation Circumcision wise Men Passion Resurrection Assension of the Son of God and coming of the Holy Ghost are unfolded and applyed By W. Annand Fellowship with God or 28 Sermons on the first Epistle of Iohn chap. first and Second By Hugh Binning late Minister in Scotland A Token for Children being an exact account of the conversation holy and exemplary lives and joyfull deaths of several young Children By Iames Ianeway The Mercury-Gallant Containing many true and pleasant Relations of what passed at Paris from the first of Ianuary 72. till the Kings Departure thence An Explanation of the Assemblies shorter Catechism wherein all the Answers are taken abroad in under Questions and Answers the Truths explained and proved by Reason and Scripture several Cases of Conscience resolved some chief Controversies in Religion stated c. By Tho. Vincent The Experiences of God's gracious declining with Mrs. Elizabeth White as they were written with her own hand and found in her Closet after her decease A serious Caution against Impenitency under Gods Correcting-Providences By Iames Sharp The Christians great Interest or the tryal of a saving interest in Christ with the way how to attain it By W. Guthry late Minister in Scotland The History of Moderation or the life Death and Resurrection of Moderation together with her Nativity Country Pedigree Kindred and Character Friends and also her Enemies A Guide to the true Religion or a Discourse directing to make a wise choice of that Religion Men venture their Salvation upon By Iohn Clappam A most Comfortable Christian Dialogue between the Lord and the Soul By W. Cooper Bishop of Galloway Justification only upon a satisfaction or the Necessity and Verity of the Satisfaction of Christ as the alone grounds of Remission of sin asserted and opened against the Socinians By R. Ferguson The Canons and Institutions of the Quakers agreed upon at their General Assembly at their new Theatre in Grace-Church-street A Synopsis of Quakerism or a Collection of the Fundamental Errors of the Quakers By Tho. Danson Bloud for bloud being a true Narrative of that late horrid murther committed by Mary Cook upon her Child By Nath. Partridge with a Sermon on the same occasion Six several Treatises By Nich. Lockier Minister of the Gospel A Discourse written by Sir G. Downing the King of Brittain's Envoy Extraordinary to the States of the United Provinces Vindicating