perfectly to serve thee the God of our Fathers although we be not clensed according to the purification of the Sanctuary O Lord we beseech thee let thy loving kindnesse and thy mercie to poor miserable sinners in Jesus direct our hearts as the hearts of thy elected servants to pray unto thy sacred Majestie in spirit and truth and we humbly beseech thee let thy ears hearken to our praiers and the praiers of all thy servants who desire to fear thy Name Two things we most humbly beg of thee O our mercy denie us not them before we die Remove farre from us vanity and lies Give us neither poverty nor riches feed us with food convenient for us least we be full and denie thee and say Who is the Lord or least we be poor and steale and take the Name of our God in vaine so we will praise thee O Lord in the power of thy might saying Thou wast angry with us because of our mighty sinnes provoking thee but thy wrath is turned away and thou comfortest us Thou art our preserver and our refuge we will trust and will not feare for thou Lord God art our strength and long and our salvation O our good and blessed Lord and King in the power of thy mercie we will extoll thee and will blesse thy Name for ever and ever Praise ye the Lord O our soules we will praise the Lord during our lives as long as we have any being we will sing unto our God O our God blessed is the man unto whom thou imputest not iniquity O teach us thy statutes Teach us to pray unto thee in a time when thou maist be found Thou art our secret place thou preservest us from trouble thou compassest us about with joyfull deliverance because thy mercie endures for ever O instruct us and teach us the way that we should goe and guide us with thine eye least we be like the horse and mule which have no understanding O our loving God give us grace to trust in thee that thy mercie may compasse us and that we may rejoice in thy salvation and give thee praise with all the faculties both of our souls and bodies continually O cause us to trust truly in thee for so we shall not perish Give us grace and strength O Lord by the power of thy saving spirit in Jesu truly to humble our selves for the afflictions and sinnes of our enemies so in thy mercie shall our praiers return into our own bosomes but doe thou save and comfort them O Lord for thy goodnesse and let it be thy will O God that our tongue utter thy righteousnesse and thy praise every day We desire to doe thy will O our God yea thy Law is within our hearts deale with thy servants according to thy mercies and teach us thy statutes we are thy servants grant us therefore understanding that we may know thy testimonies we love thy Commandements above gold yea above fine gold therefore we esteem all thy precepts most just and hate all false waies Thy testimonies are wonderfull therefore doth my soul keep them The entrance into thy word sheweth light and giveth understanding to the simple Look upon us O Lord and be mercifull unto us as thou usest to doe unto them that love thy Name Direct our steps in thy Word and let none iniquity have dominion over us shew the light of thy countenance upon thy servants and teach us thy statutes Righteous art thou O Lord and just in thy judgments Trouble and anguish are come upon us yet are thy Commandements our delight The righteousnesse of thy testimonies is everlasting O grant us understanding and we shall live Hear our voice O Lord according to thy loving kindnesse O quicken us according to thy judgments Great are thy tender mercies O Lord quicken us according to thy free mercy and thy goodnesse Doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israell know us not yet thou O Lord art our Father and our Redeemer thy Name is for ever O give us thy saving spirit of life in Jesus from Heaven for we can receive nothing except it be given us from Heaven O Lord why hast thou made us to erre from thy waies and hardned our hearts from thy feare returne for thy servants sake and for our Saviour Jesus Christ his sake doe thou write our Names in the book of life with thy servants Let our complaints come before thee O Lord and give us understanding according to thy word Let our supplications come before thee O Lord and deliver us according to thy promise Our lipps shall speak thy praise O God when thou hast taught us thy statutes Our tongues shall treat of thy word for all thy Commandements are righteous Let thy hand help us for we have chosen thy precepts We have longed for thy salvation O Lord and thy Law is our delight Let our souls live and they shall praise thee and thy judgments shall help us We have gone astray like lost sheep seek thy servants for we doe not forget thy Commandements Our sinnes O Lord our sinnes they have taken hold of us that we cannot look up they are more in number then the hairs of our heads therefore our hearts have failed us Let it please thee O Lord to deliver us make haste O God to help us Our souls thirst for God even for the living God when shall we come and appear before the presence of God O God thou art our guide for ever have mercy upon us according to thy loving kindnesse according to the multitude of thy mercies doe away our offences Wash us throughly from our iniquities and cleanse us from our sinnes for we know our iniquities and our sinnes are ever before us Against thee against thee onely have we sinned and done evill in thy sight that thou mayest be just when thou speakest and pure when thou judgest behold we were born in iniquity and in sinne have our mothers conceived us Thou O Lord lovest truth in the heart therefore give us wisdome in our inward affections Purge us with hysop and we shall be clean wash us and we shall be whiter then snow make us to hear of joy and gladnesse that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoyce Hide thy face O Lord from our sinnes and put away all our iniquities Create in us clean hearts O Lord and renew right spirits within us O cast us not away from thy presence and take not thy holy spirit from us Open thou our lips O Lord and our mouthes shall shew forth thy praise Deliver us from bloud O God of our salvation and from the secret trapps of our deadly enemy Have mercy upon us O God have mercy upon us for our soul trusteth in thee and in the shadow of thy wings will we trust till the afflictions of our sinning against thee be overpast We will call upon the most high God even to the God that performeth his promise towards us We will
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
Prov. 1.30 31. They would none of my counsell they despised all my reproof therefore shall they cat the fruit of their own way and be filled with their own devices Prov. 11.3 The integrity of the upright shall guide them but the perversnesse of transgressors shall destroy them Ezek. 18.25 Ye say the way of the Lord is not equall hear now O house of Israel are not my wayes equall are not your wayes unequall Hos 4.9 Who is wise and he shall understand these things prudent and he shall know them for the wayes of the Lord are right and the just shall walk in them but the transgressors shall fall therein Psal 45. â—0 Forty years long was I grieved with this generation and said it is a people that doe erre in their hearts and they have not known my wayes Prov. 16.10 Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord. Prov. 11.4 Riches profit not in the day of wrath but righteousnesse delivers from death 1 Cor. 11.31 And they that use this world as not abusing it for the fashion of this world passeth away 1 Chron. 29.15 Our dayes on the earth are as a shadow and there is no abiding Job 14.2 He cometh forth as a flower and is cut down he fleeth as a shadow and continueth not Prov. 10.7 The memoriall of the just is blessed but the name of the wicked shall rot And 11. Ver. 5. The wicked shall fall by his own wickednesse Psal 9.17 The wicked shall be turned into hell Psal 50.21 These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thy eyes And Ver. 22. Now consider this you that forget God least I tear you to pieces and there be none to deliver you To God alone be glory for ever Amen Prov. 2.6 For the Lord giveth wisdome out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding James 1.5 If any of you lack wisdome let him aske of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not and it shall be given him 1 King 3.9 Give thy servant an understanding heart O God to judge thy people that I may discern betwixt good and bad for who is able to judge this thy so great a people Ver. 10. And the speech pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing ver 11. And God said unto him because thou hast asked this thing and hast not asked for thy self long life neither hast asked riches for thy self nor hast asked the life of thy enemies but hast asked for thy self understanding to discern judgment Ver. 12. Behold I have done according to thy word loe ' I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart so that there was none like thee before thee neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee Ver. 13. And I have also given thee that which thou askedst not both riches and honour so that there shall not be any among the Kings like unto thee all thy dayes Ecclus 7.36 Whatsoever thou takest in hand remember the end and thou shalt never doe amisse What I say vnto you I say vnto all Watch Mark 13.37 If God at all forsake vs wretched wee Become a prey to our grande enimie Rest with our mother earth and watch the call To right hand loues and joyes perpetuall Adein foule eares tast smell invention sight You haue mee deluded now I see cleare light There is much wisdome and counsell in the Apocripha and in the Proverbs and sayings of wise and devout men Seek and thou shalt finde You aske and receive not because you aske amisse Children this is only my gift of Advice to you hinting some part of duty which by the blessing of almighty God you may in practice make out better with this I humbly pray the Lord give you understand ng in all things for it is not in my power I cannot give you wisdome it is only by the true performance of duty to be obtained as the gift of God A generall Discourse of Religion IT 's too much God knowes the manner of Christians to owe their Title meerly to the Font Education or Countrey their primitive principles much satisfying their proceeding devotions whereas Grace and reason best confirms Christianity by which we are taught not to hate but pity those of carnall and corrupted belief heartily endeavouring their better reformation and instruction Christianity being largely spread and divided and many professors fallen from the native beauty and true belief thereof wherefore we must be very wary to preserve and practise it in the primitive integrity which our Saviour and his Apostles taught the holy Fathers and Martyrs have confirmed and take heed we imitate not the ancient Pagans contemning a pure truth for a poor profession I doe not herein disswade from a just and pious reformation well knowing it 's better to avoid then detain a corrupted principle in which the humble and sincere heart the Almighty guideth and will deliver from those evils and corruptions which I fear in some sort possesse both reformations and reformers either from too much self-inclination or advantage therefore I take it not unfitly warned from violence or warre onely for Religion or belief for whatsoever one hath framed or beleeved another may likewise frame and beleeve therefore heresies will arise so we reade but not that they will be quite abolished there are schismes and divisions in all Religions but a wary combatant may lye unvulnerable under the true buckler of faith where reason cannot faith must lead the way which is not only above but sometimes against it also how necessary then is the contemplation of the attributes of the Almighty his wisdome eternity mercy c. which never admits us to be alone or solitary which is a sweet companion a constant rest repose and comfort Reason and wisdome are co-partners and jewels to be earnestly sought for whereby we learn to read the book of the Creatures Natura nihil git frustra and therein to behold the infinite bounty of our Creator Cast out the glorious likenesse of thy reason To finde the truth both in and out of season To finde the sacred webb that Nature wove Circle from center to the seat of Jove Search all those simple Hierogliphs that read Those secret pathes wherein her steps do tread That was our Makers Character to lead us To truest comfort had not sinne deceiv'd us And blotted out that blessed guiding art That now the most we know is scarce an Yet mercy hath allowed us to search That pains and reason some small part may reach Search while thou wilt and let thy reason goe To ransome truth even from th' Abyss below Rally the scatterd causes and that line Which nature twists be able to untwine It is thy Makers will for unto none But unto reason can he here be known The Devils know him but those damned meteors Build not his
I will appoint over them four kindes saith the Lord The Sword to slay the Doggs to tear in pieces and the Fowles of the Heaven and the Beasts of the Earth to devour and to destroy 2 Sam. 17.14 For the Lord had determined or appointed to destroy the good counsell of A hithophell that he might bring evill upon Absolon 2 Chron. 33 8. Neither will I make the foot of Israell to remove any more out of the Land which I have appointed for your fathers so that they take heed and doe all that I have appointed them Job 7.3 Painfull nights have been appointed me And 14.5 Are not his dayes determined the number of his moneths are with thee thou hast appointed his bounds which he cannot passe Ver. 14. All the dayes of my appointed time will I wait untill my change come O preserve thou those that are appointed to die Micha 6.9 Hear the rodd and who hath appointed it Job 7.1 Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth and are not his dayes as the dayes of an hireling Dan. 8.19 And he said Behold I will shew thee what shall be in the last wrath for in the end of the time appointed it shall come Dan. 10.1 But the time appointed was long c. wherefore wait thou the pleasure and appointment of God patiently and rejoyce in all conditions to wait his will And Chap. 11. Ver. 27. And both those Kings hearts shall be to doe mischief and they shall talke of deceit at one table but it shall not availe for yet the end shall be at the time appointed at the time appointed he shall return for there is a time appointed Ver. 29 35. Acts 17.26 And hath made of one blood all man-kindeto dwell on all the face of the earth and hath assigned the times which were ordained before and the bounds of their habitation Job 16.22 For the years accompted come and I shall goe the way whence I shall not return 2 Sam. 7.12 And when thy dayes be fullfilled thou shalt sleep with thy fathers Deut 31.14 Then the Lord said to Moses Behold thy dayes are come that thou must die III. Comfort Take comfort from this that the will of God is the best for us and that we our selves know not what is the best for us and therefore we may well rejoyce that his will is done and not ours save onely when it suites with his in Christ which is surely best for us Numb 27.16 God is the Lord of the spirits of all flesh Deut. 8.3 Therefore he humbled thee and made thee hungry and fed thee with Man which thou knewest not neither did thy fathers know it that he might teach thee that man liveth not by bread onely but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live Eccl. 7.2 Who knowes what 's good for a man in this life in the number of the dayes of the life of his vanity seeing he maketh them as a shadow Jer. 42.6 Whether it be good or evill we will obey the voice of the Lord God to whom we send thee that it may be well with us when we obey the voice of the Lord our God Psal 39.5 Surely every man in his best estate is altogether vanity therefore let us say with joy as Matth. 6.10 Thy will be done O God in earth as it is in Heaven And with our blessed Saviour Mat. 26.42 O my Father if this cup may not passe from me but that I must drink it thy will be done Let us with David Psal 143.10 desire our God to teach us his will and then with him Psal 40.8 let us delight to doe it for our God is good and his mercy endures for ever Selah IV. Comfort Take comfort in Sicknesse because the will of God is there n done which is for the best for us and let it be the joy of our souls in all conditions that his will is done in Jesus Christ for ever Amen Psal 115.3 Our God is in Heaven he doth whatsoever he will Job 30.4 None knowes the secrets of God Who hath ascended up into Heaven and descended who hath gathered the winde in his fist who hath bound the waters in a garment who hath established all the ends of the world what is his Name or what is his sonnes Name if thou canst tell Phil. 4 1â— Let us be carefull with St Paul to learn in whatsoever state or condition we are to be therewith content both to be full and to be hungry to abound and to want for we may doe all things through the help of God our Saviour Matth. 4.34 Let us truly say with our blessed Saviour My meat is to doe the will of him that sent me and finish his work Say with the Apostle Acts 21.14 The will of the Lord be done And as Eph. 4.7 Be not unwise but understand what the will of the Lord is and sing with melody in your hearts to the Lord. And say with Job Job 5.17 Blessed is the man whom God correcteth therefore refuse not thou the chastening of the Almighty Prov 3 1â— For the Lord correcteth him whom he loveth even as the father doth the childe in whom he delighteth Onely thus pray in true love to thy God and Saviour and with an humble and a contrite heart Jer. 10.24 O Lord correct me but with judgement not in thine anger least thou bring me to nothing Then examine thy soul and be sure God will by his Spirit reveal to thee and will conclude of thee as he did to his people whom he had corrected Jer. 30.11 I am with thee to save thee though I utterly destroy all the nations where I have scattered thee yet will I not utterly destroy thee but I will correct thee by judgement and not utterly cut thee off And Jer. 46.28 Fear thou not O Jacob my servant saith the Lord for I am with thee and I will utterly destroy all the nations whether I have driven thee but I will not destroy thee but correct thee by judgement and not utterly cut thee off Therefore blesse our good God in and for all the conditions of thy pilgrimage and say with David Psal 143. Hear my prayer O Lord give ear to my supplication in thy faithfullnesse answer me and in thy righteousnesse and enter not into judgement with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified For the enemy viz. sinne and Satan hath persecuted my soul he hath smitten my life down to the ground He hath made me to dwell in darknesse as those that have been long dead therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me and my heart within me is desolate I remember the dayes of old I meditate on all thy works I muse on the works of thy hands I stretch out my hands unto thee my soul thirsteth after thee as a thirsty land Selah Hear me speedily O Lord my spirit faileth hide not thy face from me least I be like to
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
I thinke it meete as long as I am in this tabernacle to stir you up by putting you in remembrance Seeing I know that the time is at hand that I must lay down this my tabernacle I will endevour therefore that ye allso may be able to haue remembrance of these things after my departure Pet. 2.1.13.14.15 The lord will perfect that which concerneth me Psal 138.8 THE COUNSELL AND ADMONITION OF HENRY MASSINGBERD Esq TO HIS CHILDREN PSAL. 111. 10. PROV 9.10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdome a good understanding have all they that doe thereafter PROV 4.7 Wisdome is a speciall thing therefore get wisdome and above all thy gettings get understanding TIT. 1.15 To the pure all things are pure but to the corrupt all things are corrupted There may be both good and evill produced from all earthly things for that Every pot hath two handles Char. of Wisd LONDON Printed by A.M. Anno Domini 1656. I haue not sate with vaine persons neither will I goe in with dissemblers Psal 26 4. Wee ought to aske and knocke and seeke and pray His constant guidance in his perfect way How vile a shape doth beare this bone When th'perewigg of flesh is gone Learne from this dryed bone and parched skull The body 's foule blest soules are beauty full THE Counsell and Admonition OF Henry Massingberd Esq TO HIS Children SCRIPTURES ROM 15.14 I Trust you will admonish one another in the fear of God 1 Thes 5.12 13. Love them that admonish you and be at peace among your selves 2 Thes 3.15 Count him not an enemy that offends but admonish him Jer. 42.19 Know certainly that I have admonished you this day Exod. 18.19 Hearken now unto my voice I will give thee counsell and God shall be with thee Job 21.16 The counsell of the wicked is far from me Psal 1.1 2. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsell of the ungodly nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the scornfull but his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Law doth he meditate day and night Psal 16.7 I will blesse the Lord who hath given me counsell And 73.24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsell and then receive me to glory Prov. 8.9 They are all plain to him that understandeth and right to them that finde knowledge Psal 31.15 My times are in thy hands O God Job 10.20 Are not my dayes few Job 14.1 Man is of few dayes Eccles 1.4 One generation goeth and another cometh Gen. 27. â— I know not the day of my death Eccl. 3.2 There is a time to be born and a time to die Eph. 6.1 Children obey your parents Phil. 4.17 I desire fruit that may a bound to your accompt Joh. 14.3 That where I am ye may be also 2 Sam. 122.3 I shall go to him he shall not return to me Eph. 4.5 6. One Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of all who is above all and through all and in you all Math. 6.10 Thy kingdome come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven Job 14.14 All the dayes of my appointed time will I wait untill my change come Joh. 9.4 I must work the work of him that sent me to day the night cometh when no man can work Amos 4.12 Prepare to meet thy God O Israel Eccl. 11.3 Where the tree falleth there it lies Matth. 25.3 They that were foolish took their lampes and no oyl with them Heb. 3.7 8. Wherefore as the holy Ghost saith to day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts Mark 13.37 What I say unto you I say unto all Watch. Prov. 4.1 Hear ye children the instruction of a father and attend to know understanding Isa 38.19 The father to the children shall make known thy truth Prov. 22.6 Train up a childe in the way that he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it Gen. 18.19 For I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to doe justice Psal 133. Prov. 1.7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge but fools despise wisedom and instruction And ver 8. My sonne hear thou the instruction of thy father and despise not the law of thy mother Joh. 15.17 These things I command you that you love one another And 13.34 A new commandement I give unto you that ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another 1 Joh. 4.24 He that loveth God loveth his brother also 1 Pet. 1.22 See that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently Acts 7.27 Ye are brethren why doe ye wrong one another Job 1.21 The Lord gave the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. 1 Tim. 6.17 Trust not in uncertain riches Eccl. 5.13 There is a sore evil which I have seen under the Sunne namely riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt Matth. 6.20 Lay up for your selves treasures in Heaven Rev. 8.13 Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord. 1 Joh. 2.15 Love not the world nor the things of this world Phil. 3.15 As many as be perfect be thus minded James 1.27 Pure Religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit the fatherles and the widow with some relief in their afflictions and to keep himself unspotted from this world Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures Matth. 22.19 You erre not knowing the Scriptures Psal 127.5 Except the Lord build the house they labour in vain that build it Heb. 11.6 He that comes to God must beleeve that he is and that he is the rewarder of them that diligently seck him Eccl 2.26 For God giveth to men that is good in his sight wisdome knowledge joy Psal 30.1 I will extoll thee O Lord for thou hast lifted me up And 68.4 Sing unto God sing praises to his Name extoll him that rideth upon the heavens Psal 39 5. Man at his best estate is altogether vanity 1 Sam. 2.7 The Lord bringeth low and lifteth up Psal 18.2 The Lord is my rock and my fortresse my deliverer my God my strength in whom I will trust Ver. 30. As for God his way is perfect the word of the Lord is tried he is a buckler to all those that trust in him Luk. 2.14 Glory to God on high on earth peace Joh. 14.23 But the hour is coming and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit and truth Psal 34.18 The Lord is nigh to them that are of a broken heart and saveth those that be of a contrite spirit And 51.17 A broken and a contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Mal. 3.3 Offer to God the sacrifice of righteousnesse Psal 116.17 I will offer unto God the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call upon the Name of the Lord. Job 4.7 Who ever perished being innocent And
22.30 He shall deliver the Iland of the innocent and it is delivered by the purenesse of thy hand Rom. 12.1 That you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to God which is your reasonable service 1 Cor. 6.9 Know ye not that your body is the Temple of the holy Ghost that is in you a Gen. â— 27 God created man in his own Image b Heb. 13.15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips Matth. 4.10 Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve Rom. 10.12 The same God over all is rich unto all that call upon him Psal 50.3 10. I will have no bullock out of thy house nor he-goat out of thy fold for every beast of the forrest is mine and the cattell upon a thousand hills Psal 109.22 For I am poor and needy and my heart is wounded within me Psal 22.22 I will declare thy Name unto my brethren and in the midst of the Congregation will I praise thee Ver. 25. My praises shall be of thee in the great Congregation I will pay my vowes before them that fear thee Psal 40.8 I delight to doe thy will O God yea thy Law is in my heart Matth. 6.10 Thy will be done O God in earth as it is in Heaven Heb. 10.7 I come to doe thy will O God Prov. 5.21 For the waies of man are before the eyes of the Lord and he pondereth all his goings And 15.3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good Exod. 20.7 Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain for the Lord will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his Name in vaine Psal 139.20 Thy enemies O God take thy Name in vaine And 145.2 Every day will I praise thee and I will blesse thy Name for ever and ever And 99.3 Let them praise thy great and terrible Name for it is holy Levit. 22.2 Speak to Aaron and to his sonnes that they profane not my holy Name for I am the Lord. And Psal 111.9 Holy and reverent is his Name And Ezek. 39.25 I will be jealoas for my holy Name Eccl. 8.2 I know it shall be well with them that fear God that fear before him Jer. 10.23 O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps Prov. 29.25 The fear of man bringeth a snare but he that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe And 30.5 God is a shield to them that put their trust in him Rom. 8.28 We know that all things work together for good to them that love God Matth. 10.19 30. Are not two Sprrrowes sold for a farthing and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father But the very hairs of your head are all numbred 2 Cor. 1.3 Blessed be God even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort Psal 23.4 Thou art with me thy rod and thy staff they comfort me Isa 66.13 As one whom his mother comforteth so will I comfort you and ye shall be comforted Isa 6.16 Thus saith the Lord Stand ye 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 Rom. 8.10 And if Christ be in you the body is dead because of sinne but the spirit is life because of righteousnesse Psal 119.71 It is good for me that I was afflicted that I might learn thy statutes And 126.5 Them that sowe in tears shall reap in joy Jer. 22.13 I will turn their mourning into joy and will comfort them and make them rejoyce for their sorrow Lam. 3.25 It is good for a man that he bear the yoak in his youth 1 King 3.9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart that I may discern betwixt good and bad Psal 119.34 Give me understanding and I shall keep thy Law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart And v. 73. Give me understanding that I may learn thy Commandements Dan. 12.10 None of the wicked shall understand but the wise shall understand Gal. 5.17 For these two are contrary one to another Job 9.20 If I justifie my self my own mouth will condemn me if I say I am perfect it shall also prove me perverse Psal 37.27 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in his way And 50. 23. Who so offereth praise glorifieth God and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God Psal 119.67 71. Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I learned thy word It 's good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes Psal 68.3 Let the righteous be glad let them rejoyce before God let them exceedingly rejoyce And Prov. 29.6 In the transgression of an evill man there is a snare but the righteous doth sing and rejoyce Psal 38.13 For I will declare my iniquity and be sorry for my sinne 2 Cor. 7.9 10. Now I rejoyce not that you were made sorry but that you sorrowed to repentance for ye were made sorry after a godly manner For godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation not to be repented of but worldly sorrow worketh death Jer. 10.24 O Lord correct me but with judgment not in thy anger lest thou bring me to nothing Psal 119.33 Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I shall keep it to the end And 143. 8. Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk for I lift up my soul to thee Deut. 8.5 Thou shalt also consider in thy heart that as a man chastiseth his sonne so the Lord thy God chastiseth thee Psal 94.12 Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law Heb. 12.6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth and scourgeth every sonne whom he receiveth Matth. 22.29 You erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God Joh. 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them you think you have eternall life and they are they which testifie of me 2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousnesse 1 Cor. 2.10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his holy Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God Rom. 10.6 Say not in thy heart who shall ascend into heaven that is to bring Christ down from above who shall descend into the deep that is to bring Christ up from the dead but the Word is nigh thee the word of faith which we preach Matth. 7.15 Beware of false prophets Eph. 4.14 That we be no more children tossed to and fro by the sleight of men to every winde of Doctrine whereby they lie in wait to deceive
Mich. 6.8 He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to doe justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with thy God Rom. 11.33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God how unsearchable are his judgments and his waies past finding out Psal 4.5 Offer the sacrifice of righteousnesse and put your trust in the Lord. And 104. 33. I will sing unto the Lord so long as I live I will sing praise unto my God while I have any being Matth. 6.20 Lay up for your selves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves doe not break through and steale for where your treasure is there will your heart be also Prov. 13.13 Who so despiseth the Word shall be destroyed but he that feareth the Commandement shall be rewarded 1 Pet. 3.16 Having a good conscience that whereas they speak evill of you as of evill doers they may be ashamed that falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ Isa 26.3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose minde is stayed on thee because be trusteth in thee 2 Chron. 25.2 And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord but not with a perfect heart Matth. 5.8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God 1 Tim. 1.5 Now the end of the Commandement is charity out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned Psal 107.43 Who so is wise and will observe these things even they shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord. Deut. 4.9 Take heed to thy self and keep thy soul diligently and teach them thy sons and thy sons sonns Matth. 5.19 Whosoever shall doe and teach them shall be great in the kingdom of heaven Prov. 28.9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the Law even his prayers shall be an abomination to the Lord. Rom. 10.17 Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God 1 Tim. 4.13 Give attendance to reading Psal 1.2 In his Law doth he meditate day and night Read the whole Psalm Psal 55.17 Evening morning and noon will I pray Luk. 6.38 Give and it shall be given to you again Eccl. 1.4 One generation passeth and another generation cometh 1 Thes 5.10 Who died for us that whether we wake or sleep we should live together with him 1 Cor. 1.20 Where is the wise where is the Scribe where is the disputer of this world Hath not God made foolish the wisdome of this world Ver. 27. God hath chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise and the weak things of this world to confound the things which are mighty Phil. 4.17 I desire fruit that may abound to your account Psal 103.15 As for man his dayes are as grasse as a flower of the field so he flourisheth Heb. 11.16 But now they desire a better country that is a heavenly wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a City Psal 90 1â— So teach us to number our dayes O Lord that we may apply our hearts unto wisdome TEN ADMONITIONS Upon the Ten severall Ages of a Mans Life It being divided into ten Sevens in which is easily to be observed ten apparent changes in our Apprehensions and Desires PSAL. 90.10 The age of a man is threescore years and ten if strength continue till fourscore years yet is that strength but labour and sorrow it suddenly faileth and we are gone ALSO Generall Admonitions for the whole Life of Man ECCLES 12.12 By these my sonne be admonished ECCLES 4.13 Better is a poor and a wise childe then an old and foolish King who will no more be admonished HIS EPISTLE Children MY desire is to speak very plainely to you in a low and common stile that so the meanest capacity may receive and understand my meaning You are they that are very near me in my generation and for vicissitudes and perhaps multitudes of times although to speak properly not much time for our dayes be few and evill you are to passe and sojourn with me in my pilgrimage and as my journey drawes towards an end nearer the grave the undoubted portion of mortality so your journeys likewise become shorter and who knowes the hour of his dissolution for our times are in thy hands O God My accompt is great for you and my care is great of you especially for the good of your eternity and my commands are therefore great unto you that with your best abilities you assist me in it and heartily endeavour to further my good accompt of you in the day of triall let our great and diligent care be so to spend our time that we may live together in the true and perfect service of our good God for our eternity Let us take here comfort in those our friends who are gone or shall go out of this world before us praemissi non anussi who lived and died in the same faith and belief with us and whose lives as we may judge have answered their profession that we in the eternall mercy of the eternall Father in Christ Jesus shall upon our dissolution meet them again Rev c. 2. we being as they were constant in all good duties to the end and never part one from the other nor from the perfect service of our Creator for ever This may be in some part our hope and joy but our great rejoycing must alwaies be willingly and joyfully to submit to the will of God and to his pleasure for ever This is not to be the work of a day but of all the dayes of all our lives for a day soon passeth away and mortality is alwaies at hand therefore beware of unpreparednesse for if the tree fall ill so it lies upon this moment as it were dependeth eternity if then thou hast not oyl in thy lampe the door of mercy is for ever shut and who knows what a day may bring forth therefore seriously consider fill your holy lampes with the burning oyl of piety and watch And know in case any of you become a Parent that you owe unto your Children not only materiall subsistence for their bodies but much more to contribute spirituall things unto their better part their souls and be sure you principle them aright in the beginning of their daies so soon as they can doe or apprehend any thing let it be good and from the true principle of loving and obeying our good God even for his own sake which will conduct us to the right loving of our neighbour I humbly blesse our good God that hath endued all of you with capacities and naturall endowments in some measure capable of the best instructions and withall I humbly crave his powerfull spirit upon your wills to improve them and I trust your best compliances shall not be wanting Be sure you imbrace and hold fast true love one towards another and although you had
Correction is the sweet beams of Gods love to soften us that so we may receive the marks of his saving mercy take great heed thou be not as the Spider upon the Flower that gathereth poison nor as clay to the Sunne which is hardened by it but be thou as wax softned and fitted for impression and as the Bee that gathereth honey from the Flower I advise you to labour much in the Scriptures especially be very perfect in the new Testament they are the medicine of life and in them rightly understood is salve for every sore and sound counsell in all occasions Labour to be a good text-man for Scripture interprets it self although in some places there seems literall contradiction yet the holy Spirit trieth all and findes all holy right and good tending to the all and only good our temporall and eternall peace which cannot be taken from us Psal 34.10 The Lyons shall want and suffer hunger but they that seek the Lord shall not want any thing that is good that is to say they shall have all good spirituall and temporall including in this word good all such temporall things as may be necessary to salvation for whatsoever is contrary thereto is neither good nor profitable but bad and pernitious and therefore God doth not give temporall felicity to all his servants but only to such of them as he knowes with the help of his grace will use it well to his honour and glory and to such it is a furtherance of salvation whereas to wicked men though it be also Gods gift yet it is not properly counted Gods gift to them but evill and punishment not a blessing but a curse not felicity but misery by reason that it makes them more insolent proud and licentious and by consequence increaseth their damnation this is the plain meaning of the Psalmist and accordingly will one Scripture interpret another Again Psal 37.4 Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desire of thine heart What is that think you plenty credit vain honour ease full tables riches c. No no but that in the want or fullnesse of these things you shall rest in God and therein have your full desire that your will being united to the will of God you shall desire nothing but what is sutable to his will and pleasure and wholly rejoyce in your will that the will of God is done which is only good and the best for you Search not too curiously into Gods Majesty and mysteries lest thou be oppressed with the glory of them Take great heed of infecting thy judgment with false doctrine be alwaies most humble in the sight of God and offer unto him the chastity of an inward minde Never cease from good works during life but lay up the treasure of all thy love in heaven and be assured that for thy well doing thou shalt have thy reward of true joy and peace in minde and conscience in this life as a heavenly gift when earth perhaps denies thee any and perfect peace for thy eternity and further know that who doth a work never so good and laudable in it self if he doe it to gain the applause of the world more then out of duty and obedience to almighty God he shall have his reward that is perhaps the vain-glory he looked for a worldly reward but not my reward that is the most blessed and glorious reward of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ a heavenly reward which he hath laid up eternally for his blessed Saints and servants in heaven My wishes to you are that you will every one of you seriously observe my drift herein and that you will not only read and practise it in the best construction for your souls good but that you will teach others so to doe especially your Children if God shall give you any and to this joyn hearing reading prayer meditation blessed alms and charity and all other Christian duties in true love to almighty God for his own sake to your neighbours for his Commandements sake and both for obedience sake unto his sacred Majesty Consider that as one generation goeth so another cometh and it shall be only well to the righteous be righteous then and our good God will surely blesse you and in the best time of his providence will bring us all together to eternall peace in Christ Jesus Children I do not command you to study read or love this book above others by far more learned Authors because of any oratory wit or learning there is shewed in it but because in its right construction I trust it is pious true and honest and comes from a near related heart that truly desires and hopes in the sweet and saving mercy of our good God to live with you all in the eternall and perfect welfare of your souls and bodies when our short dangerous and various conditioned pilgrimages in this world are ended and that truly endeavours and desires the perfect welfare of your souls and bodies and the true conversion of both into the sincere love of our Creatour more then all the world besides therefore seriously consider this and the Lord give you perfect wisdom from heaven in all things Amen Your Father H. M. As new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby Pet i. 2.2 Though infant vanityes doe vs accuse Yet humble innocence our God doth chuse Death watches time time parts with euery sand Death and our time are partners hand in hand And as the sands doe change theire glass Soe I in change my life must pass Advice or Admonition OF A FATHER There are three Ages principally distinguished in a Mans Life The first is Infancie Childhood Youth The second is Manhood The third is Old age The first to be spent in learning from others and therein our duty is to be diligent and love our Teachers For Youth well spent a true foundation is Of an immortall monument of blisse The second to be spent in more laborious learning both from our selves and others especially to know thy self for mans heart is deceitfull doe thou present thy strength unto the Lord For Thou canst not finde a better friend more fit To have thy strength then he that gave thee it The third to be spent both in teaching others and thy self for length of dayes increaseth wisdome and he that truly seeks in time may finde For When deaths pale face appears and wrinkled brow Thou knowst thy aâ—count is near not when nor how Infancy and Childhood Youth strength and hoary age if death prevent not make our pilgrimage Jer. 4.31 FOr I have heard a voice as of a woman in travell and the anguish as of her that bringeth forth her first childe Jer. 49.25 Anguish and sorrow have taken her as a woman in travell Deut. 12.30 Take heed to thy self that thou be not snared Eccl. 9.12 So are the sonnes of men snared in an evill time when it falleth suddenly upon them
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
by Children and more oft in their vices then vertues by how much in humane things the bad exceeds the good therefore timely and diligent heed must be prepared against them that so the Cokatrice and subtill Serpent may be killed betime broken in the egg before it shew a deceitfull countenance lest the dissembling Wolfe having gotten a Sheeps cloathing deceive the innocent Lambs and bring them unawares into his slaughterhouse of destruction Nunc adhibe pure Pectore verba puer nunc te melioribus offer Quo semel est imbuta recens servabit odorem Testa diu Horat. Now Childe in the white paper of thy breast Write Vertue now such Precepts from the best A Pot well seasoned holds the primitive taste A long time after 2 Chron. 34.3 For while he was yet young he began to seek after the God of David his father Psal 119.9 Wherewithall shall a young man clense his way by taking heed thereto according to thy word Prov. 1.4 To give subtilty to the simple to the young man knowledge and discretion Prov. 3.6 In all thy wayes acknowledge him aad he shall direct thy pathes Psal 5.3 My voice shalt thou hear in the morning O Lord in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee and will look up Isa 45.13 I have raised him up in righteousnesse and I will direct all his wayes Jer. 10.23 O Lord I know that the way of man is not in himself it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps Psal 36.9 For with thee is the fountaine of life in thy light shall we see light Rev. 7.17 For the Lambe that is in the midst of the throne shall feed them and lead them unto living fountaines of water and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Phil. 4.8 If there be any vertue think of these things 2. Pet. 1.3 According to his Divine power he hath given to us all things that pertain to this life and godlinesse through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and vertue Ver. 5. Add to faith vertue and to vertue knowledge Ver. 6. To knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godlinesse and to godlinesse brotherly kindnesse Luk. 10.42 Mary hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken from her Luk. 10.42 Mary hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken from her Joh. 6.27 Labour not for the meat that perisheth but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life Prov. 11.28 He that trusteth in his riches shall fall Matth. 23.6 The Scribes and Pharises love the uppermost rooms and chief seats Ver. 7. And greetings in the market-place and to be called of men Rabbi Ver. 12. Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted Matth. 25.48 But if the evill servant shall say in his heart my Lord delayes his coming Ver. 49. And shall begin to smite his fellow-servants and to eat and drink with the drunken the Lord of that servant shall cut him in sunder Rom. 7.23 But I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my minde Neh. 9.37 They have dominion over our bodies and over our cattell at their pleasures and we are in great distrasse Prov. 12.21 There shall no evill happen to the just but the wicked shall be killed with mischief Eccl. 12.13 Fear God and keep his Commandements for this is the whole duty of man Eph. 5.19 Quench not the spirit Psal 119.16 I made haste and delayed not to keep thy Commandements Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me Prov. 1.24 25 26. But because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded but ye have set at nought all my counsell and would none of my reproof I also will laugh at your calamity and mock when your fear cometh Prov. 4.7 Wisdome is the principall thing therefore get wisdome and with all thy gettings get understanding Eccl. 7.8 The patient in spirit is better then the proud in spirit 2 Cor. 11.2 For I am jealous over you with a a godly jealousie for I have espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chast vergin to Christ Psal 51.12 O Lord uphold me with thy free spirit And 143.10 Teach me to doe thy will for thou art my God Thy spirit is good lead me into the land of uprightnesse Prov. 16.32 He that ruleth his spirit is better then he that taketh the City And 20.27 The spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord searching all the inward prrts of the blly Psal 22.20 The meek shall eat and be satisfied And 25.9 The meek will he guide in judgement and the meeke will he teach his way Phil. 2.8 And being found in fashion of a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the crosse Jer. 9.3 But they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth for they proceed from evill to evill and they know not me saith the Lord. Psal 60.12 Through God we will doe valiantly for he it is that shall tread down our enemies 1 Thes 5.6 Let us not sleep as doe others but let us watch and be sober And ver 8. Let us that be of the day be sober putting on the brest-plate of faith and love and for a helmet the hope of salvation Col. 4.6 Let your speech be alwayes with grace seasoned with salt that ye may know how you ought to answer every man Eccl. 10.10 Wisdome is profitable to direct And 9.16 Wisdome is better then strength And v. 18. Wisdome is better then weapons of warre but one sinner destroyeth much good INfancy and Childhood being passed like the red Sea and the wildernesse the next and third Age is called Youth like passing over Jordan and therein is temperance to be carefully planted This is a dangerous and a difficult passage and our guide herein must be supernaturall it is not humane light that can direct us in this way it must be a coal taken from the Altar and a Candle enlightned at the holy Lampe that must protect us in this voyage here we must take and endear unto us the living fountain of life to curb the threatning floods of death here Vertues shew your strength or vice will soon prevail and conquer here you must wage a war with Epicures and other vain professors that in vain glorious pastimes talk of Vertues and make them handmaids to their vitious pleasures whereas no true pleasure is without them for that is not Vertue which waiteth on delight the chiefest place is hers and she it is that must lead command and be obeyed Take great heed of being bond-slave to delight for all is vain where Vertue hath no place Vertue only giveth perpetuall and assured joy although there be some obstacles
day and night Psal 119.15 I will meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy Lawes And 143.5 I meditate on all thy works and remember the dayes of old And 55.14 We took sweet counsell together and walked unto the house of God in company Matth. 7.5 Pull out the beam out of thy own eye then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the moat out of thy brothers eye Prov. 11.28 He that trusteth in riches shall fall but the righteous shall flourish as a branch 1 Tim. 6.7 Charge them that are rich in this world that they be not high mended nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God who giveth us richly all things to enjoy Psal 7.15 He made a pit and digged it and is fallen into the pit which he made Prov. 26.27 Who so diggeth a pit shall fall therein Psal 9.15 The heathen are sink down in the pit that they made in the net which they hid is their own foot taken And 10.2 Let them be taken in the devices which they have imagined Prov. 11.6 The righteousnesse of the upright shall deliver them but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtinesse Eccl. 3.1 There is a time to every purpose under heaven 1 Cor. 7.20 Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called Ezra 7.10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Law of the Lord and to doe it and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments Psal 119.115 Depart from me ye evill doers for I will keep the Commandement of my God And 9â— O how I love thy Law it is my meditation all the day And 99. I have more understanding then all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation Eccl. 10.1 Through idlenes the house droppeth thorow THe next Age is vulgarly called Man-hood and that may be somewhat like destroying of the wicked after our dangerous passage into Canaan for the heart of man is desperately wicked from his youth Now search for wisdome now is the corrupted earth fit for fruit here is required prudence and true humility if we sleep in pride and self-opinion the destroyer sowes his tares the heart of man is like a fruitfull ground that must be laboured weeded and sown with good seed else briars and thorns will soon spring up and cover it To a right ordering of our selves in this condition what great occasion have we of right ruled reason and true celestiall wisdome which makes so wise to salvation that it raiseth a man far above all terrestriall and diabolicall attempts so that they cannot hurt or violate it The minde is the most excellent part of a man prudence and humility is an especiall guide to it by the minde are actions tried as we there rellish so are our attempts how needfull then is the guide of perfect reason it is the hand that guides the minde to promote and allow those things only which are honest good and profitable and abhor and avoid the contrary it is the light of the Lord unto us whereby we may discern good and evill it 's that which names us men and only maks us differ from the beasts Our good is said to be consummate if we have fulfilled that to which we were born which is true reason sufficient not only to foresee but to execute an action Take great heed to avoid all the enemies to this sure guide among the rest avoid anger for what is more foolish then that reason Fly youthfull lusts but follow after righteousnes faith charity peace with the pure in hart Tim 2.2.22 Take heede vnto thy stepps lest Sathans rage Doe snare thee running in thy pilgrimage To rotten bones I must be sent Vnless resurrection doth prevent The constant motion of this running glass Puts mee in minde how lif 's swift steede doth pass should seek assistance from wrath a stable thing from an uncertain a faithfull from a perfidious a whole from a sick in those actions themselves wherein the help of anger seems to be most requisite reason it self is more strong the very designes of reason and wrath are different for reason will have that judged which is right but wrath will have that seem right which she judgeth and although the truth be laid before hereyes she loveth and maintaineth errour she will not be reproved and in evill enterprises she esteemeth it more honest to be obstinate then to repent her self cursed wrath that will be angry with truth her self if it oppose her will Is it wisdome onely that makes us differ from beasts and is it our best guide to the well ordering of our lives then let us inquire into the properties of this wisdome that so we may adorn our selves therewith Some will have it that a wise man can receive no wrong as to himself for by his patience and right understanding of the end of all conditions the evill rests upon the author and actor of it Also wise men only know to whom to give and how to bestow the benefits and are very much content with their serious thoughts and meditations and do not permit external things to adde or detract much from them The company and advice of wise men is very profitable for that they are not subject to motion of anger neither can they be moved with disorder or intangle themselves with miseries and in condemning others faults they alwaies begin with their own as for outward riches they use them as servants but fools use them as commanders Some have conceived that evill in it self is only evill to him that offereth it that which offendeth ought to have more force then that which is offended but vice hath not more force then vertue whereupon it followeth that wise men cannot be offended they are patient and apply all things to the best remedy brideling their passions and judging all evill otherwaies then the passionate and converting all to good Wisdome seeks no revenge for that properly belongs to God Vengeance is mine and I will repay saith the Lord from whose forbearance and long-suffering we may learn patience wherefore to avoid strife is a remedy against much trouble and it is a true point of wisdome to be prepared against all appearances of evill with constancy to that end betake thy self to some honest employment for thou shalt finde it most necessary and beneficiall unto thee to spend thy time in some honest calling which must by no means hinder thy constant devotion and meditation All callings may be abused and a man may be wicked and violate his soul or he may be upright in any of them but of all I only advise from a soul hers life wherein me thinks the soul is made subject to the body which is the ready way of ruine to them both for that a man doth binde himself to kill his neighbour at every order and command of another without examination or knowledge of the cause or matter wherefore as for other irreligious exorbitancies almost wholly overspreading that
you and abound they will make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ Ver. 9. But he that lacketh these things is blinde 1 Joh. â— 15 Love not the world nor the things of the world if any man love the world the love of the Father is not in him Prov. 14.14 The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own wayes and a good man shall be satufied from himself Psal 34. from the 10th to the end The young Lyons doe lack and suffer hunger but they that fear the Lord shall not want any thing that is good Come my children hearken unto me I will teach you the fear of the Lord. What man is he that desirech life and loveth many dayes that he may see good Keep thy tongue from evill and thy lippes that they speake no guâ—l Depart from evill and doe good seek peace and ensue it The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and his ears are open to their cry The face of the Lord is against them that doe evill to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth The righteous cry and the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their troubles The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all He keepeth all his bones not one of them is broken Evill shall slay the wicked and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate The Lord redeemeth the souls of his servants and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate Prov. 14.15 16. The simple beleeveth every word but the prudent man looketh well to his goings A wise man feareth and departeth from evill but the fool rageth and is confident Eccl. 12.13 Fear God and keep his Commandements for this is the whole duty of man Ver. 14. For God shall bring every work into judgment with every secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evill NOw we have by the mercy of God obtained a fruitfull plantation in this promised Land let us plant in it good and wholesome fruit for men do not gather grapes of thorns nor figgs of thistles Here we may proceed in the sixth Age of our Life and third ascent of our Manhood under the notion of constant Action and hereby our duty is by all means to endeavour the good of all the heavens lead us to this by shining upon all without hopes of gain or requitall shewing thereby the duty of a good man to his neighbour to be constantly conversant in some good employment of the body minde or both is a very lively branch of true vertue which keeps a man unvanquished and is not subject to pleasures and hath its reward in it self Vertue doth alone bring forth solid joy and only enables a man to bear all the changes and chances of this life with comfort and doe you rightly consider all the branches that proceed from this root and you will finde that they are firmly united with linkes unseparable as all the branches of a tree have but one root to nourish them so all the Vertues have but one principall foundation which is the doing all things out of true obedience to the service and commands of almighty God therefore is true Vertue most highly to be aspired unto Wisdome is a true branch of it which makes a man rightly to understand the nature use and property of all things and counteth nothing evill but vice which it is alwaies sufficiently fortified against and cannot enter there Teach mee o lord the way of thy statutes and I shall keepe it vnto the end Psal 119.33 Take heede of wasting time for when it 's spent There 's noe redemption from the great Judgment Vaine wretched pride beholde within thy sight Is death or dayes falce pleasure or delight My dayly dying freinds that take theire flight At highest noone bid mee remember night where vertue and honesty dwelleth if injury be the sufferance of some evill and a wise man cannot suffer evill then there is no evill that appertains to a wise man every injury is a diminution of him to whom it is offered and no man may receive injury without some detriment either in good-Name body or goods but a wise man can loose nothing he hath all his goods inclosed with the enjoyment of true vertue as for other things he useth them as borrowed and what man is so much moved at the losse of what is not his own but if injury can attempt nothing which is proper to a wise man because the whole is conserved by his vertue it must follow that a wise man cannot be injured because he sets not his heart upon earthly things as if they were his own knowing that the possession of all those things that abound externally is slippery and un-assured plant then plentifully in the vineyard of Vertue and be thou a flourishing branch of this blessed root so thou shalt relieve others with thy pleasant fruits without diminishing of thy own store and plenty prosperity shall not puff thee up nor adversity deject thee true goods are never subject to moth rust and canker neither can thieves break through and steal them heavenly riches shall have a heavenly reward and earthly changes cannot approach their dwelling Wisdome will advise thee to be very carefull how thou dost ingage thy self either by word or action especially amongst a croud with a multituâ—e in a warre a civill warre against a Prince a present power rather fly such a flame if any conveniency will permit avoid the fire while fury is fierce let it passe thee for violent things are seldome permanent I cannot shew you a certain way to avoid the dangers that time and chance may bring upon you or upon your country in your generations for outward things true vertue and inward treasure must secure you it must be wisdome that heavenly gift obtained by true and hearty prayer and humble obedience that must guide your feet in the way of peace that peace which the world the flesh the devill cannot deprive us of which the God of Heaven grant us all for his mercies sake Amen Into thy hands I commit my spirit thou hast redeemed it or lord God of truth Psal 31.5 If wee a blest Creatoure and a saviour haue Our duty is to worke and faith to craue Vnto my mother earth I am now gon Vntill the morning resurrection As quickly as the Sand falls to his place Soe sudden is the change of humane race Gen. 2.8 And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden and there he put the man whom he had formed Ver. 15. And the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to dresse it and to keep it Prov. 20.18 Every purpose is established by counsell and with good advice make warre And 24.6 For by wise
counsell thou shalt make thy warre and in multitude of Counsellors there is safety Deut. 4.39 Know therefore this day and consider it in thy heart that the Lord he is God in heaven above and upon the earth beneath there is none else And 32.29 O that that they were wise that they understood this that they would consider their latter ends Prov. 22.3 A prudent man foreseeth the evill and hideth himself but the simple passe on and are punished Acts 2.25 I foresaw the Lord alwayes before my face Job 37.14 Hearken unto this and consider the wondrous works of God Psal 8.3 4. When I considered the heavens the works of thy hands the Moon and Starres which thou hast ordained What is man that thou art mindfull of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him Hag. 1.7 Thus saith the Lord Consider your wayes And 2.15 And now I pray you consider from this day upward from before a stone was laid upon a stone in the Temple of the Lord. 2 Tim. 2.7 Consider what I say and the Lord give you understanding in all things Eph. 4.26 Be angry but sinne not let not the Sunne goe down upon your wrath Psal 37.8 Cease from anger and for sake wrath fret not thy self in any wise to doe evill Prov. 19.11 The discretion of a man deferreth his anger and it is his glory to passe over a transgression Eccl. 7.9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry for anger resteth in the bosome of fools Col. 3.8 Put off all these anger wrath malice Ver. 10. Put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him 1 Chron. 28.7 I will establish his kingdome for ever if he be constant to doe my Commandements Col. 3.2 Set your affections on things above and not on things below Eph. 6.10 Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might Ver. 11. Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devill Ver. 12. For we wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against Principalities against Powers against the Rulers of the darknesse of this world against spirituall wickednesse in high places Psal 119.67 Before I was afflicted I went astray but now have I kept thy word Ver. 71. It is good for me that I was afflicted that I might learne thy statutes Job 5.17 Happy is the man whom God correcteth therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty Prov. 3.12 For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth even as a father the sonne in whom he delighteth Lam. 3.39 40 41. Wherefore doth a living man complaine a man for the punishment of his sinnes Let us search and try our wayes and turn again unto the Lord. Let us lift up our hearts with our hands unto God in the heavens Psal 141.3 Set a watch O Lord before my mouth keep the door of my lips Prov. 10.19 In the multitude of words there wanteth not sinne but he that refraineth his lips is wise Eccl. 5.3 A fools voice is known by the multitude of words Prov. 6.16 These six things doth the Lord hate Ver. 17. A proud look a lying tongue c. Psal 31.6 I have hated them that regard lying vanities Ver. 18. Let the lying lips be put to silence Prov. 13.5 A righteous man hateth lying 1 Tim. 4.7 Refuse profane and oldwives fables and exercise thy self rather unto godlinesse Psal 26.4 I have not sate with vain persons neither will I goe in with dissemblers Psal 119.113 I hate vain thoughts but thy Law doe I love Eph. 5.4 Neither filthinesse nor foolish talking nor jesting which are not convenient but rather giving of thanks Matth. 1â— 16 Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves be ye therefore wise as serpents but innocent as doves Eph. 4.29 Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers 1 Co. 9.18 What is my reward then verily that when I preach the Gospel I may make the Gospel of Christ without charge that I abuse not my power in the Gospel 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 Isa 3.25 Thy men shall fall by the sword and thy mighty in warre Prov. 30.8 Remove farre from me vanity and lies give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient for me least I be full and deny thee and say who is the Lord or least I be poor and steale and take the name of my God in vain 2 Cor. 10.3 For though we walk in the flesh we doe not warre after the flesh Ver. 4. for the weapons of our warfare are not carnall but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds Ver. 5. Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ Eccl. 10.10 Wisdome is profitable to direct And 7.19 Wisdome strengtheneth the wise more then ten mighty men that are in the City Psal 138.3 In that day when I cried thou answeredst me and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul Psal 119.33 Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I shall keep it unto the end Ver. 34. Give me understanding and I shall keep thy Law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart Ver. 38. Stablish thy word unto thy servant who is devoted unto thy feare Now thou hast by Gods gracious assistance obtained a good plantation and planted it there must be a time of weeding nourishing and preserving it that so we may know the best way to improve our Talent in our heavenly Masters service In this time which is the seventh Age of a man is required fortitude gravity and sobriety a stayednesse and serious consideration of all our undertakings a wise take-heed and foresight into the event of a businesse Past and present things every man declares but solid wisdome only shewes the event of things to come which although it sometimes faile because the eternall God hath so decreed that man should not know what should be after him yet to us it is the Candle of the Lord and being rightly used it is a glimmering of the heavenly light and excelleth folly and unadvisednesse as light excelleth darknesse To what purpose doth he plant that doth not well preserve but suffers savage Bores to root and spoyl and who so vain as he that builds a house and doth not well repair and keep the same The very microcosme of our body teacheth us to have a fore sight into our affairs and dealings for we have two Ears to receive direction by and two Eyes to look before us whereas of other members we have but one where the use is more single I advise thee to determine of nothing in a passion if anger
not of God Hereby know we that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his spirit Chap. 5. ver 6. This is he that came by water and bloud even Jesus Christ not by water only but by water and bloud and it is the spirit that beareth witnesse because the spirit is truth Prov. 16.17 The high-way of the upright is to depart from evill he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul 1 Pet. 2.11 I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts which warre against the soul Ezek. 18.27 When the wicked man turneth away from his wickednesse that he hath committed and doth that which is lawfull and right he shall save his soul alive And 33. v. 5. He that taketh warning shall deliver his soul 2 Cor. 8.12 For if there be first a willing minde it is accepted according to that a man hath and not according to that he hath not Eph. 4.17 18 19 20. This I say therefore and testifie in the Lord that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk in the vanities of their minde having their understanding darkned through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindnesse of their heart Who being past feeling have given themselves over to lasciviousnesse to work all uncleanness with greediness but ye have not so learned Christ Ver. 24. Put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Joh. 13.17 If ye know these things happy are ye if ye doe them Heb. 10.9 10. Then said he Loe I come to doe thy will O God By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all Psal 119.37 Turn away my eyes from beholding vanity and quicken thou me in thy Law And 101.3 I will set no wicked thing before my eyes And 78.1 Give ear O my people to my Law encline your ears to the words of my mouth And 39.1 I said I will take heed to my wayes that I offend not with my tongue I will keep my mouth with a bridle while the wicked are before me Prov. 10.20 31. The tongue of the just is as choice silver The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdome but the froward tongue shall be cut out Prov. 16.20 He that handleth a matter wisely shall finde good and who so trusteth in the Lord happy is he Prov. 25.11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver Prov. 8.13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evill pride and â—rrogancy and the evill way and the froward mouth doe I hate And 11.2 When pride cometh then cometh shame but with the lowly is wisdome And 13.10 Only by pride comes contention but with the well advised is wisdome And 14.3 In the mouth of the foolish is a rod of pride but the lipps of the wise shall preserve them And 16.18 Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall And 29.23 A mans pride shall bring him low but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit Jam. 4.6 God resisteth the proud but giveth grace to the humble 1 Pet. 5.5 6. Be cloathed in humility for God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble Humble your selves therefore under the mighty hand of God that he may exalt you in due time Matth. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall finde rest unto your souls 1 Cor. 12.25 That there should be no schisme in the body but that the members should have the same care one of another Prov. 3.9 Honour the Lord with thy substance and with the first-fruits of thy increase Exod. 20.17 Honour thy father and thy mother c. Joh. 5.4 I receive not honour from men And V. 44. How can ye believe which receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that comes from God only And Chap. 8. ver 54. Jesus answered if I honour my self my honour is nothing it is my Father that honoureth me of whom ye say that he is your God Rom. 2.7 10. To them which by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality eternall life Ver. 10. But glory honour peace to every one that worketh good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile Psal 119.36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies and not to covetousnesse Isa 57.17 For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth and smote him Luk. 12.15 Take heed and beware of covetousness for a mans life consisteth not in the abundance of things that he possesseth Heb. 13.5 Let your conversation be without covetousness and be content with such things as you have Prov. 8.9 He that is slothfull in his work is brother to him that is a great waster Luk. 15 13 14 15 16. The prodigall or younger sonne gathered all together and took his journey into a farre countrey and there wasted his substance with riotous living and when he had spent all there arose a mighty famine in that land and he began to be in want and he went and joyned himself to a Citizen of that Countrey and he sent him into his field to feed swine and he would faine have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat and no man gave unto him SEeing by the mercy of God we have obtained a happy plantation planted and nourished it so that the tender imps doe promise much content and profit it is now time to fence and defend it thereby preserving it from devouring and ravenous beasts with other dangers which if it lye open to the wildernesse of this worlds attempts and assaults it will thereby be subject to receive detriment and damage here is great need of carefull watchfullnesse least while we neglect or sleep the enemy enter sowe tares and destroy this falls out here in our discourse to be particularly treated on in this eighth Age of our life with this remembrance that what is duty in any part of our pilgrimage is requisite to be carefully looked unto and performed all our lives so farre and so long as our bodies and mindes are capeable of performing such duty and service to our Maker the benefit of which redoundeth wholly to our selves if truly with such duty and relation performed Under the protection of this secure watch we may passe all our dayes in safety therefore it is most necessary to make diligent search what this watch is and over what it is to be by this watch may be understood the sacred and holy Spirit of God moving us to doe right and holy duties and our care and watching ought to be at all times to take heed of quenching or neglecting the blessed motions of this sacred Spirit in us which is done by neglecting sleighting forgetting opposing or any want of executing the good motions Wee must all appeare before the Judgment seat of Christ Cor 2 5 10 What manner of persons then ought wee to bee In
make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord. And he shall not judg after the sight of the eyes neither reprove after the hearing of the ears but with righteousnesse shall he judge the poâ—r and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked Gen. 18.19 For I know him that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord to doe justice and judgment Prov. 21.3 To doe justice and judgment is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice Ver. 1â— It is joy to the just to doe judgment but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity Jer. 31.30 Every one shall die for his own iniquity every man that eateth the sower grapes his teeth shall be set on edge Isa 51.1 Thus saith the Lord Keep ye judgment and doe justice And 59.4 None calleth for justice nor any pleadeth for truth they trust in vanity and speak lies they conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity Ver. 8. The way of peace they know not and theâ—e is no judgment in their goings they have made them crooked pathes whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace Ver. 9. Therefore is judgment farre from us neither doth justice overtake us We wait for light but behold obscurity for brightness but we walk in darkness Ver. 14. And judgment is turned away backward and justice standeth afarre off for truth is fallen in the streets and equity cannot enter 1 Chron. 16.10 Let the heart of them that seek the Lord rejoyce Deut. 26.11 And thou shalt rejoyce in every good thing which the Lord thy God hath given unto thee Matth. 12.36 Every idle word that men shall speak they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment Heb. 3.7 13 15. Wherefore as the holy Ghost saith to day if ye will hear his voice Exhort one another daily while it is called to day least any of you be hardned through the deceitfullness of sinne Joh. 9.4 I must work the work of him that sent me while it is called to day the night cometh when no man can work Jam. 4.14 Whereas you know not what will be tomorrow for that is your life it is even a vapour it appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away Psal 1.2 His delight is in the Law of the Lord and therein doth he meditate day and night And 119.24 Thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellors 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 shalt thou make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success Psal 109.4 I give my self unto prayer Prov. 15.8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight Matth. 7.21 Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the will of my Father which is in Heaven Joh. 13.17 If ye know these things happy are ye if ye doe them Col. 3.5 Mortifie therefore your members which are upon the earth fornication uncleanness inordinate affection evill concupisence and covetousness which is idolatry Ver. 6. For the which things sake the wrath of God cometh upon the children of disobedience Prov. 2.6 7. For the Lord giveth wisdome out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding He layeth up sound wisdome for the righteous he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly And 3.21 My sonne let them not depart from thy house keep sound wisdome and discretion And 8.14 Counsell is mine and sound wisdome I am understanding and I have strength Hag. 1.5 Thus saith the Lord God Consider your wayes Ezra 10.16 And they sate down to examine the matter Joh. 7.14 Judg not according to the appearance but judge righteous judgment 2 Cor. 10.7 Doe you look on things according to outward appearance Prov. 29.20 Seest thou a man that is hasty of words there is more hope of a fool then of him Acts 19.36 Ye ought to doe nothing rashly Prov. 22.20 21. Have not I written unto thee excellent things in councell and knowledge that I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee THus by the mercy of God we have setled our Plantation in a good and fruitfull soyl in a very pleasant place and by his good hand in mercy guiding and protecting us we may many years receive the comfortable fruit thereof We must in this ninth Age of our life with sound judgment and justice settle and order our affairs so that every one may with equity and right receive his portion in due season to this end it is not too late according to this method to discourse of justice and sound judgment what it is and first of Justice in generall Justice is to give to every man that which appertains to him to a mans self first and afterwards to others so that it comprehends all the duty and offices of every particular party Does as thou wouldest or rather as thou oughtest to be done to carries a man very farre but not through or to the utmost of this duty before we can well know how to command others we must know how to command our selves how to defend our selves from our selves reason must command the appetite desire and will must all be obedient to it this is the first originall inward proper and most beautifull justice that may be Equity and right reason is true justice which handleth and ruleth the Law as need requireth the Laws and justice must be handled justly both in rewards and punishments Justice cannot be executed by the lump or in gross but must be drawn out into particular dispensations according to the occasion The two parts and hands of Justice are punishment and reward but as it is usually ministred it is commonly lame at least in one of them Charity begins at home so must justice by it we may examine our selves how and to what end we live and spend our dayes surely it must not be to passe our short and pretious time carelesly by chance and by adventure as the most doe who live not seriously and attentively as indeed our duty is but vainly heedlesly from day to day and as it falleth out they taste not possesse not enjoy not their lives but use them only to make use of other things by this means they abuse themselves and many good things through their misuse they doe all things as I may say in good earnest but to live they are serious in the least and in the main and principall they are negligent We may and ought to live seriously attentively and cheerfully for that our life
is a businesse of great weight and importance and we must give an exact account thereof take heed of deferring and putting off this justice to thy self resembling such as deferre buying till the market be over how foolish is it to begin to live when we must cease to live he that means to doe a great work in a short time had need to follow it very close least his time cease before his work be finished and he faulty because he took o more time or lost so much when indeed we need nothing more Life is short and the art of well living is long betimes then learn how to live to God and to thy self how to be least alone when no body is with thee And then be watchfull of vain delusions and temptations our great enemy the devill hath deceitfull baits both for lonelinesse and for company Contemplation meditation prayer and practise is the happy life let thy body be subject to thy spirit and let thy spirit be wholly subdued by the Spirit of the Lord so shall thy body be a fit instrument for vertue and a holy Temple for thy God Doe thou justice to thy self in getting and ordering riches love a competency entertain them well got into thy house not into thy heart and strive to use them as a just steward to thy masters use that their departure may be as honest as their entrance if they part without thy leave let them carry nothing but themselves from thee no part of thy content or comfort let not that be setled on them the right use of the creature is to walk worthy of thy Creatour Thus much of justice Now a word or two of sound Judgment what it is and it is the strict and wary triall and consideration of every thing to the utmost it is the examining of a matter to finde out the bottome of it what it may produce and where the way lyeth unto its period it is the free and ready acceptance of the truth where and whensoever it appears and shewes it self it is the weighing the reasons and counter-reasons on all parts the weight and merit in them thereby to work out the truth And it is contrary to that sleight and carelesse way of judging and passing by things upon the first sight and appearance as if we were able to see what was in the house before we entred in or what lay under the stone before we removed it this is that grievous folly which men truly call rashnesse and self conceitednesse and all wise men count it shallow empty and want of sound judgment for justice and right it self being unadvisedly performed and by chance without sound judgment and consideration of the matter may as to the Judg be false or at least undeserving praise and commendation therefore endeavour not only to doe good but to doe it knowingly willingly and wittingly and from a pure and right principle which sheweth sincere and upright wisdome and is worthy the righteous title of justice and sound judgment 2 Chron. 1.10 Give me now O Lord wisdome and knowledge that I may goe out and come in before this people Ver. 12. Wisdome and knowledge is granted to thee Job 28.28 Behold the feare of the Lord is wisdome and to depart from evill is understanding Psal 37.30 The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdome and his tongue talketh of judgement And 51. v. 6. Thou desirest truth in the inward parts and in the hidden part thou shalt make me know wisdome And 19. v. 12. Teach us to number our daies that we may apply our hearts to wisedome Jer. 4.22 They are wise to do evill Psal 50.23 To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God Eccl. 10.10 Wisdome is profitable to direct Prov. 3.5 6. Trust to the Lord with all thy heart and lean not to thy own understanding in all thy waies acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths Verly Be not wise in thy own eyes feare the Lord and depart from evill 1 Cor. 1.20 Hath not God made foolish the wisdome of this world And 2.5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdome of men but in the power of God And 3.19 For the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God for it is writen he taketh the wise in his own craftiness 1 Cor. 2.6 Howbeit we speake wisdome amongst them that be perfect yet not the wisdom of this world nor of the Princes of this world that come to nought Ver. 7. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery even the hidden wisdom which God or dained before the world unto our glory Eph. 1.17 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledg of him 1 Cor. 12.8 For to one is given by the spirit the word of wisdom to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit Exod. 31.3 And I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom and in understanding Prov. 10.23 It is a sport to a fool to doe mischief but a man of understanding hath wisdom Luk. 16.8 And the Lord commended the unjust steward because he had done wisely for the children of this world are in their generation wiser then the children of light Psal 101.2 I will behave my self wisely in a perfect way I will walk within thy house with a perfect heart Prov. 13.14 The Law of the wise is a fountain of life to depart from the snares of death Gen. 17.1 I am the almighty God walk before me and be thou perfect Deut. 18.13 Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God Job 1.8 Hast thou considered my servant Job a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evill Prov. 11.5 The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness Jer. 10.3 The customs of the wicked are vain Psal 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sinne did my mother conceive me Psal 143.8 Cause me to hear thy loving kindness 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 Job 23.15 When I considered I was afraid Psal 50.22 Now consider this ye that forget God least I tear you in pieces and there be none to deliver Eccl. 5.1 Keep thy foot when thou goest into the house of God and be more ready to hear then to give the sacrifice of fools for they consider not that they doe evill Psal 51.2 3. Wash me throughly from my iniquities and cleanse me from my sinne for I acknowledg my iniquity and my sinne is ever before me Ver. 5. Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sinne did my mother conceive me Jer. 3.13 Onely acknowledge thy iniquity that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God And Chap. 14. Ver. 20. We acknowledg O Lord our iniquities and the iniquities
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 â—5 A good man sheweth favour and lendeth he will guide his affairs with
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 1â— 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. â— 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
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
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
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
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
that thou wilt turn me from all my evill waies and give me true repentance from the bottome of my heart so I shall be turned unto thee in true love for thou art the Lord my God and thy mercy endures for ever Selah Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart Psal 19.14 be now and ever acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my redeemer Incline not my heart to evill that I should commit wicked works with men that work iniquity Set a watch O Lord before my mouth and keep the door of my lips so shall my mouth speak thy praises for ever Amen O my sweet eternity and my eternall Saviour in thy love to poor sinners in Jesus and for his sake I only beg of thee trusting that in him thou wilt not deny me notwithstanding all my sinnes for thou art good and thy mercy endures for ever And first my most humble petition unto thy most sacred Majesty is that thou wouldest of free and perfect mercy pardon all my breach of Covenants with thee or men as thy mercy endures for ever Secondly To pardon accordingly my vowing and not paying for thou art good as thy mercy endures for ever Thirdly to pardon of thy like goodnesse all my hypocrisie towards thee and man as thou art good and as thy mercy endures for ever Fourthly To pardon all my blasphemies against thy Majesty any manner of way as thou my God art only good and as thy mercy endures for ever Fifthly To pardon all my Lies wherewith I have given thee cause of Anger against me as thou art good and as thy mercy endures for ever Sixthly To pardon all my relations speaking absolutely yet beyond my certain knowledge at that time when I spoke them as thou my good Lord art onely and perfectly good and thy mercy endures for ever Seventhly To pardon all my Oathes and taking of thy Name in vain as thou art good and thy mercy endures for ever Eighthly To pardon all my vain and idle speakings as thou art good and as thy mercy endures for ever O my mercifull and loving Father I humbly pray thee for thy Sonne my Saviours sake and in his Name be graciously pleased to pardon and forgive all the sinnes of all my senses I humbly acknowledge I have been dull to listen to thy commands but most ready and open to receive vanity to the corrupting and as much as in me lieth the destruction of my body and soul For give I humbly beg also the sins of my seeing smelling tasting goings and of all the members and faculties of my body and soul for they have all rebelled against thy gracious mercy to their due deservings of eternall death O Lord who knowes the errour of his heart and of his waies cleanse my soul O Lord from my secret sinnes and deliver me I humbly beseech thee from my presumptuous sinnes least they get the dominion over me O cleanse thou me and so I shall be cleansed I doubt not but thou wilt in thy infinite love to the works of thy own hands and in thy free pardoning of sinne for Jesus Christ his sake give me eternall life with thy servants and wilt not impute the guilt of sinne unto me for thou art the Lord my God whose mercy endures for ever above all thy works Selah In thee therefore I will rejoice A Confession and humble suit for Pardon in Jesus Christ O My mercifull Lord God I humbly pray thee for Christ thy Sonne my only Lord and Saviours sake to pardon and put clear out of thy remembrance that originall sinne and damnation due to me from the loynes and rebellions of my first parents O forgive thou the sinnes of my father and let the sinnes of my mother be done away I doubt not oh my Father of mercy but thou hast of thy own free goodnesse already done it for I know thou art only perfectly good and thy mercy endures for ever Selah O Father I know thou wilt not visit the originall sinne of my fathers upon me Exek 18.20 for that thou hast said The sonne shall not bear the iniquity of the father neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the sonne but the righteousnesse of the righteous shall be upon him and the wickednesse of the wicked shall be upon himself O Lord I know as a father hath compassion on his children so thou hast compassion on them that fear thee O my God I acknowledge that I was born in iniquity and in sinne hath my mother conceived me Psal 51.5 Exod. 34.6 7. but thou art the Lord my God strong and mercifull and gracious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse and truth reserving mercy for thousands forgiving iniquities Dan. 9.9 transgressions and sinnes Compassion and forgivenesse is in the Lord our God albeit we have rebelled against him O my Father Eccl. 11.10 Remember not the sinns of my childhood for childhood and youth are vanity When I was a childe I spake as a childe I understood as a childe I thought as a childe but mercy is with thee that thou maist be feared Psal 24.48 Look thou upon my affliction and my travell and forgive all my sinnes It is the joy of my soul O God 86.5 that thou art good and mercifull and of great kindnesse unto all them that call upon thee O my good Lord I beseech thee for thy goodnesse sake remember not the sinnes and vanities of my youth for only thy free mercy in Jesus my Saviour is sufficient to release me from the torments of their deservings Thou my good God in thy saving compassion and sparing us miserable men from our deservings saist Gen. 8.21 The imagination of mans heart is evill even from his youth but thy mercy endures for ever O make me not to possesse the iniquities of my youth Psal 25.7 Remember not the sinnes of my youth nor my rebellions but according to thy loving kindnesse remember thou me even for thy goodnesse sake O Lord for thou art my hope O Lord even my trust from my youth O God thou hast taught me from my youth even untill now therefore will I tell of thy wondrous works I desire most humbly to live if it were thy blessed will from this moment eternally in thy perfect service O my God I must acknowledge and confesse that my heart my will my waies my words and actions have been evill from my youth the leprosie of my sinne is only cureable by the blood of my Saviour that infinite pledge of thy blessed mercy therefore O my good God give me a lively faith to apply it to all my wounds as thou my God art only good and from thee only is the will and the deed of true faith and repentance Amen O my Father Remember not the sinnes of my man hood and riper years I acknowledge O my God when I call to minde my breach of promises and Covenants both with thee
my God and man which I have solemnly made and taken I have promised to thy sacred Majestie my unworthy service though but the least part of my dutie upon condition to receive mercy from thee which in particular thou hast been gratiously pleased as I may judg to give me but I alas have wholly left undone my promise with thee so that surely I admire thy patience that thou hast not ere this cast me into hell amongst thy enemies Thou hast of thy free mercie given me time of repentance I trust thou wilt in thy great goodnesse give me true repentance it self even such as thou wilt not despise O give it me for thy mercies sake O my Creatour as thou lovest sinners in Jesus and hast mercie for the works of thy own hands give me true and saving grace lead and draw me to thee in true repentance Lord thy long-suffering and patience to me doth give me some hope of thy electing me to mercie O give me the full assurance of it by a true and a lively faith Open thou I most humbly pray for Christ Jesus his sake my dark and closed eyes so that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law blesse me O my Father in not imputing sinne unto me for man liveth not by bread only but by every word of thy mouth O God What is man that thou art mindefull of him Psal 8.4.144.3.89.5 or the Sonne of man that thou visitest him Lord what is man that thou regardest him or the Sonne of man that thou thinkest upon him Behold thou hast made my daies as a hand-breadth and my age as nothing in respect of thee surely every man in his best estate is altogether vanitie When thou O God with rebukes dost chastise man for sinne as a moth his beauty doth consume surely every man is vanity Doubtlesse man walketh in a vain shadow he disquieteth himself in vain he heapeth up riches and cannot tell who shall gather them And now Lord what wait I for my hope is even in thee deliver thou me from all my transgressions Who can withstand thy chastenings surely every man living is vanitie Selah O my God I humbly beseech thee for my Saviour Jesus Christ his sake and in thy love through him to poor wretched and miserable sinners forgive all my Oathes and my hypocrisie towards thee or man all my blasphemies lies false and doubtfull speeches my vanities and offendings of thee by thought word and deed O let thy sweet free and saving mercy forgive all my secret sinnes and from my presumptuous sinnes good Lord deliver me least they get the dominion over me I humbly beseech thee seeing sinne must raigne in this my earthly tabernacle give me grace and strength I humbly crave of thy most sacred Majestie that I may submit unto it unwillingly as to the subjection of a cruell Tyrant not willingly with joy and comfort as to a lawfull Prince Give me grace and strength I most humbly pray with Ephraim to bemoane my self in secret and truly desire to be released from the cruell oppression of this Tyrant to be dissolved and be with thee my only joy and peace that I may serve thee as thy faithfull servants and never offend against thee any more Amen I beseech thee O my Saviour and my God for the whole remainder of my life that yet I have to live under the Sunne remember not thou against me my former iniquities but make haste and let thy tender mercies prevent me that I offend not against thee nay I doubt not in Jesus but thou my mercifull God wilt of thy free goodnesse prevent me Psal 27.11.86.11 Teach me thy way O Lord and lead me in a right path because of my enemies Teach me thy way O Lord and I will walk in thy truth knit my heart unto thee that I may fear thy Name Turn away mine eies from vanity and quicken me in thy way 119.37 Stay my steps in thy pathes that my feet doe not slide Shew me thy waies O Lord and teach me thy pathes for all thy pathes O Lord are mercie and truth unto such as keep thy Covenants and thy testimonies O my God I plainly see my evill and my sinne the bitternesse of my waies are before me I must judge and condemne my self for the least sinne guilty of infinite punishment even as thou the Lord my God whom I offend and rebell against thereby art infinite But O what then is the due desert from thy severe justice for those innumerable heapes of wickednesse and transgressions which momentarily increase upon me through my corruption wherewith I have provoked thee to anger and which continually call for judgment for my eternall destruction as my due deserts Although I see no way of pardon without great fears and doubts yet I will delight my self in the mercies of thee my God and commit my waies unto thee my Redeemer for I know thou wilt bring it to passe I humbly beseech thee O my Father my hope my joy the onely rest and peace of my eternitie guide me and lead me in the perfect way of thy blessed service as thy true and faithfull servant from this moment for ever O leave me not nay I doubt not in Jesus but thou wilt ever guide and not leave me untill I be in the house of thy love in the place of thy rest which thou O my Father in thy infinite love hast prepared for thy servants untill the door be shut that I cannot return unto my own vanities againe even so come O my Father in Jesus Come quickly Amen A Prayer O thou that hearest prayers unto thee shall all flesh come look upon our Saviour and our mercy and let not our unworthy prayers offend thee O Almighty and our all-sufficient Lord God whose will is all things both in Heaven and earth who art only good and whose mercy endures for ever to thee the grave is open and from thee there is no covering for destruction thou stetchest out the North over the empty place and hangest the earth upon nothing thou bindest thy waters in the clouds and the clouds are not broken under them thou holdest back the face of thy Throne and spreadest the clouds upon it Thou hast set bounds to the waters untill the day and night come to an end The pillars of Heaven tremble and quake at thy reproof the sea is calm by thy power and by thy understanding thou smitest the pride thereof Thy spirit hath garnished the Heavens and thy hand hath formed the crooked serpent Loe these are part of thy waies O mighty God but how little a portion have we of thee and who can understand thy fearfull power Thou art the God of the spirits of all flesh great art thou O Lord and most worthy to be praised thy greatnesse is incomprehensible Thou good Lord be mercifull to all us that desire or would at least both desire and fully prepare our whole hearts to seek and
dwell in thy Tabernacles for ever and our trust shall be under the coverings of thy wings O God thou art our salvation and our glory the rock of our strength in thee onely is our rest We beseech thee put thy Law into our hearts and write it in our mindes and remember our sinnes and our iniquities no more O our good God we trust we have received the knowledge of thy truth deliver us from sinning against thee O Lord God of hosts hear our prayers hearken O God of Jacob thou art our shield look upon the face of thine anointed for a day in thy Courts is better then a thousand otherwhere I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the tabernacles of wickednesse Thou art our Sunne and our shield and wilt give grace and glory and no good thing wilt thou with-hold from them that walk uprightly O Lord of hosts blessed is the man to whom thou givest grace to trust in thee and to whom thou imputest not his sinne so deale with us thy unworthy servants O our eternall mercie Nay we doubt not but in Jesus Christ thou wilt give us eternall life for in him there is sufficient that thou shouldest forgive and not impute our sinnes unto us Selah In whom we trust thou hast elected us to mercy as thy faithfull servants Amen O most powerfull Jehovah O Eternitie I am hungred and cannot be satisfied I am thirsty and cannot be quenched I am weary and can have no rest I mourne and cannot be comforted I am poor and have no helpe I sinne and cannot satisfie I am thy servant and cannot serve thee I am thy labourer and cannot work I am most vile and unworthy yet look thou upon me O God in Jesus and for the love of him only give me thy holy Spirit conduct and lead me in this my sinfull pilgrimage to thee my God my only joy and eternal repose even to the place of my Fathers who are dead in thee my God who rest from their labours and their desired work in thy gracious and loving acceptance of them in Christ Jesus follow them O give me thy love to poor sinners for that and that only is sufficient for me It is all joy to me to work in the vineyard of my Master and to see the Evening of his loving call to rest draw on I greatly rejoice in the love and service of my Saviour Jesus I rejoice to die because I know my Saviour liveth I rejoice to leave my Children because I know the mercies of my God preserveth his servants to the joyes of Eternity and to temporall peace also as it shall be best for their eternall happinesse I rejoice to leave the world because I finde it not a fit instrument to serve my Saviour and that I have cause to fear disserving him there with Pious Sentences GOD gives the cold according to the Cloth God knowes who is a good Pilgrim God Almighty and a Father have no requitall God worketh in a little time God kept nothing lost God raigneth where he pleaseth Gods servants have a good Master Job Ch. 14. V. 1. MAn that is Eves posterity hath short continuance Yet armies of his miseries continually advance 2 He shooteth forth as doth a fleure that 's presently cut down He vanisheth and in one houre the grave becomes his Crowne 3 And yet thou openest thine yes upon so vain a shade And causest him to enterprize in judgment ' gainst thy aide 4 O Lord who can bring a clean thing Or who dare look on thee O King if thou please not to smile 5 Thou hast determined his dayes his moneths are known to thee Thou hast appointed out his wayes how where his end shall be 6 O turn away thy angry rod O stay thy chastizing Untill my day desired when I shall cease to sinne 7 For there is hope that though a be cut and hewed down May have it's shading branchand be tree as formerly 't was known 8 Although the root of it wax old within its tombe or grave And though the slook of it be dead within its antient cave 9 Yet by the sent of water it may budde and bloome againe And bring forth boughs and become fit as plants for to remaine 10 But man is sick and dies and goes foes to his long biding place Man perishes from friends from where 's honour where 's disgrace 11 As the great waters part from sea and are not to be found And as the floods dry up and they become as parched ground 12 So man doth sleep and doth not rise he shall not wake againe He shall not from his sleep arise while Heaven doth remaine 13 O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave and secret chamber Untill thy wrath were past for sinne and then wouldst me remember 14 If a man die shall he here live oh all my wandring doome That thou hast pointed I will waite untill my changing come 15 Thou shalt call me and then I shall unto thee answer make Thou lovest thine own handy-worke for thine own mercy sake 16 But now thou numbrest all my steps and dost not stay my sinne As if I could pay all my debts in which I lived in 17 My sinnes and my iniquities thou hast fast sealed up As in a bagge whereof is fill'd my sinfull flowing cup. 18 And surely as the hills decay that from their place are found And as the rocks doe mould away that change their antient ground 19 And as the waters break the stones when thou dost overflew Even so thou dost destroy the hope that man hath here below 20 Thou dost prevaile against his soule so that he goes as clay He changes qâ—ite his countenance when thou casts him away 21 Ah! he knowes not whether his sonnes shall honourable be Nor doth he understand if they shall sit in low degree 22 But while his flesh is upon him he shall have sorrowes store And while his soule is bound in sinne he shall have more and more My GOD. O Guide me to thy dwelling place O lead my feet to thee O draw me hard for l'me o' th' race of poor mortalitie O punish not thy servants sinne though mad and wondrous vaine Remember in discharge of them thy only Sonne was flame O give me for to know my God though I' have not chosen thee Yet thou hast chosen me in him thy servant for to be O make me thirst to come to thee to that sweet place of rest Where are thy servants which of old thou freely lovedst best Amen O Saviour Jesus Righteous Hope I Am born and hope to die a Christian and I much rejoice to performe the sacred Law of Christ my Saviour to the utmost of my power knowledge and understanding Of all reformed and professed churches I acknowledge my self to be of the reformed Church of England which I take to be most consonant and agreeable to my Saviours institution yet dare I not affirm my
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 â—9 15 Colos 3.4 When Christ which is our life shall appeare then shall we also appeare with him in glory Ver. â— 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 â— 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 1â— 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. â— 2â— 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
Give thou O God and frame thy servant thankfully to see his yearly gain for his hourly service his eternall joy for his temporall grief the infinite rest from his finite sufferings How fit is it O my Father that I should as well suffer as raigne with my Saviour and to know that the present afflictions of this life are unworthy of the joyes that in thy most free and gracious mercy shall be revealed and given unto me O my good Father give unto me thy most evill deserving childe all those sweet and blessed scourges crosses and afflictions even whatsoever is necessary and needfull to frame my impersect soul and body fit for thy eternall and most perfect service And truly O my Father although I were to have of thy justice my self-condemning sentence to all eternity so soon as this life is ended yet my serious thoughts would not make choice to spend my time in sinfull vain delights but would rather choose thy fatherly chastisement and corrections temporall although they also were to be as I deserve eternall for thy corrections as all that proceedeth immediately from thee my God are sweete they sad the countenance thereby making the heart better I submit wholly to thy will O my eternall Good To be thy servant is my Heaven for thou art the Lord my God and I am thine Thou art the will and the deed O my God guide me for thy Names sake to doe thee service and in thy goodnesse accept of my desire thy own most gracious gift suffer not sinne O my Father to raigne in my corrupted mortall body let not my soul offend my God however my body may offend him let not my will offend my God however my actions may offend thee but let the desires of my soul and the inclinations of my spirit be so commanded by thy sacred power that they may truly will and doe thee true and perfect service now and for ever and doe thou for thy own mercies sake to the works of thy own hands and for the merits of Jesus Christ thy onely Sonne my Saviour convert my most imperfect will into most perfect actions in thy most perfect and everlasting service And when these dayes of my sinfull pilgrimage are ended when I return to thee my God my hope my joy from this my earthly tabernacle doe thou O my blessed Creator re-create my soul and body that so thy blessed will may be my eternall perfect joy and comfort and that to be thy servant wheresoever and howsoever may be the blessed Heaven of my soul and body for ever O my Good Eternity I doe not onely humbly crave these mercies and what is necessary to salvation which is the perfect admittance into thy sacred service for my self and such as are near to me in this life but also that it be thy blessed will even for all that thou hast appointed to immortality in thy gracious converting of sinners from the wickednesse of their waies that so if it be thy blessed will to whom all things are possible we might be all as one flock under thee the great and gracious shepheard of our soules that so the number of thy elect being accomplished the blessed resurrection may appear before thee and we become fit inhabitants for that new Heaven and new earth which thou hast appointed and sinne and sorrow may cease from us thy unworthy servants And further my humble suit is that thou wouldest give us to see all thy gracious dispensations towards us in this life to know that nothing falls upon us by chance and fortune but by thy especiall providence and appointment Give us to know we are not our own but thine and that it is most right thou shouldest dispose of thy own for ever make us to rejoice onely in thy dispose for that thou art most good and gracious and knowest better what is best for us than we can know or aske Now O my good Creator take us into thy almighty protection and direction for ever thou hast been wonderfull in mercy and goodnesse to every one of us thou hast delivered infinite of us from infinite evils which we see others visited with which we may justly judge deserve better at thy hands then we have done we humbly beseech thee let this thy mercy lead us to repentance and make us to love thee as thou hast loved us that hath not spared thy Son to death for us that so thy justice being satisfied in his sufferings for our sinnes which could no otherwise have beene satisfied but in our damnation thy mercy may be sufficient for our salvation and although I have provoked thy justice by my daily sinnes to my just condemnation yet doe I cast my soul and body even for its eternity upon thy mercy and doe disclaime all other judgment then thy gracious pleasure in which I will in thy gracious strength with peace rejoice and therein rest for ever Wherefore to thee O gracious Father to thee O sacred Sonne to thee O eternall Spirit three persons but one everlasting God be ascribed as is most due all honour glory and praise by thy whole creation now and for ever Amen The Blessing O Blessed Childe whose parts his age out-run Whose vertues stile him man before his stature Each eye beholds him as ' the rising Sunne Each heart applauds him as a Pearle in nature Yea very strangers blesse his hopefull breeding And breathe out prayers to his happy speeding But when fresh springing budds proove canker-fretted With taint of vice or rust of happy sloth Their dearest friends that see their hopes defeated To speak them fair or deigne a look are loth But view such noysome weeds with nausious scorn Yea parents wish ill-thriving plants unborn The fear of God doth only guide aright The perfect way to sacred wisdom's treasure Then let this fear direct with powerfull might Thy twisted thred spun out by natures leasure So with thy daies thy saving health will grow To perfect joy in sins just overthrow Let Heavens powre down their sweetest influence let them enrich you with the earth's best treasures Let them withall instill Truths Quintessence heavens joyes doe far surmount all earthly pleasures Let the celestiall powers you guard and guide and countermine when wicked powers conspire Let spotlesse blood which ran from harmlesse side quench unto you the ever burning fire And let the winged Posts void of delayes from glorious Throne whom great Jehovah sendeth Translate your souls when death shall end your daies to that celestiall blisse which never endeth FINIS An Index or Table directing to severall Points and Discourses in this Book THe Authors Epistle Parents and Children travell together towards the grave Parents must give an account for their Children Children must herein assist their Parents We should live together here as we would live together hereafter Hence take comfort in the dissolution of godly friends that we shall goe to them and shall never part page 2. Our constant work Beware of
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. cenâ—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