1690. THat I have particularly mentioned the Sins of my Youth c. I must acquaint all Perusers of this Book That I am not asbamed to do it for the advance of Free and Rich Grace Some PASSAGES of the LIFE of Gervase Disney from my first Marriage especially with many Particulars before such as either occur'd to Memory or by the help of my Diary I was capable of taking In which I have endeavoured as Impartially to view my dark Side as Bright and both for these Reasons By the former I discover the miserable Corruption of my wretched Nature the Wiles and Subtilties of a busy Devil who goes about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour By the latter I would discover the wonderful Free Grace of God to me who was one of the worst and greatest of Sinners in bringing me from under Satan's Slavery and Dominion I The said Gervase Disney was born the Day of March 1641 at of Religious Parents viz. John Disney of Swinderby in the County of Lincoln Esq the Eldest Son by a Second Venter of Sir Henry Disney of Norton-Disney Kt. and Barbara his Wife who was the Eldest Daughter of Gervase Lee of Norwell-Hall in the County of Nottingham Esq They had nine Children lent them by the Lord viz. Cornelius Elizabeth Gervase Mary John Sarah Samuel Dorcas Daniel Sarah and Samuel died very young The former of the Purples and tho very young yet had a good Savour of Spiritual Things upon her Heart and in that Sickness a longing desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ She was esteemed one of the beautifullest Children that ever was seen her Hair being Milk white and Complexion pure white and red yet it was judg'd her greatest Beauty lay within the Lord having betimes adorned her Soul with Ornaments of Grace and from the abundance of her Heart her Mouth did often speak to the great Comfort and Refreshment of weeping Friends that stood about her She called much upon God as her Father My Father one Day standing by her Bed-side and hearing her frequently cry out O my Father my Father asked her who she meant did she mean him O no no said she it 's my Heavenly Father I cry after you are my Father on Earth but it 's my Father in Heaven I want You cannot help me but he can Many such like Passages I have heard my Father Disney report of her which shewed her to be more sit for Heaven than Earth Samuel also died young of a Lethargy being removed from Earth to Heaven when about the Age of 4 Years He was a Child of most pregnant Parts and had a strange understanding in the best Things He was indeed a good Young Samuel and feared God from a Child He was my Father's great Favourite and Darling in his Company and with his pretty Talk my Father did much delight and would therefore usually at his walking Hours which he did pretty much for Exercise he must lead his young Samuel by the Hand and then could not but admire his pious Talk his strange Questions in Divinity which I have heard my Father say sometimes he was astonished at and sometimes his Questions would be so deep that lie was almost non-plust to answer He was extraordinary Inquisitive and would usually demand a Reason for every Thing under Debate He loved Prayer and would not tho so very young be got to Bed without it his wonderful Ripeness in his Infancy seemed a Presage and Prognostick in his Friends Apprehensions that he was not like to be long one of this World he seemed indeed to be tho a Bud yet ripe for nipping As soon as Sickness seised him my Father sent down Hill at Lincoln to good Old Mr. Reyner to desire his Prayers for him and not long after went down himself to make Enquiry after him Mr. Reyner presently told him I believe with Sorrow enough that as to his Son Samuel he must resign him to God and prepare to part with him for â—he did not believe he was long for this World and saith he I ground my perswasion upon this when I pray for his Recovery I find strange Restraints upon my Spirit and am much dampt strained but when I pray that the Lord would fit him for himself and crown him with Happiness to Eternity when I beg for the Eternal Welfare of his Soul I am then much enlarged Thus the Secrets of the Lord was with that good Man that truly feared him for the Child died at that Time thâ— I suppose as likely to live according to Haimâ—â—â—â— Conjecture as any of us being all 〈…〉 of the Small-Pox at that time but my Brother Cornelius who had that Distemper young and my Sister Mâ—…y who through God's Goodness escaped the Infection by my Mother's removing her to Sâ—â—inder by when we were dropping down of them one after another My Brother Cornelius died of a Consumption about the Year 1664 and in about the 28th Year of his Age at my Uncle Thomas Disney's at Stoke-Hammond He went to School at Lincoln where his quick and ripe Natural Parts were soon observed at School he was so extraordinary industrious and studious that in a short time such was his Proficiency in Humane Learning the was accounted one of the â—…st Scholars not only of that School but perhaps of that Town and Country As to Grammar-Learning his Master Mr. Clark was pround he had such a Scholar to boast of being indeed the very Credit of his School and would therefore usually put him upon the most difficult Tasks in Learning and Disputing He was a great Improver of Time in his younger Years I having been credibly informed he would hardly allow himself time for those necessary Repasts that Nature might warrantably challenge the spare time that he had from School which other Scholars spent in Play and youthful Recreations he would constantly with great Delight spend in his Study usually rising early and sitting up late for such end His great Prosiciency in Learning was such that he proved very useful I may not say serviceable to the Scholars of the same Form for whilst they were spending their spare Hours with delight in Play he would be spending his with as great delight in his own Studies or in the Service of those Idle Lads who commonly engaged his help in preparing their School-Exercises for them they knowing well that what he did of that Nature would pass in School as current Pay for the discharge of those Debts they by their idle trifling Humour had contracted He was likewise very forward in the best Things truly Conscientious as in Charity must be believed in his Closet-Duties he spending much time there a constant Attender upon Ordinances both on Sabbath-days and Week-day-Lectures He took Sermons very exactly in Short-Hand and repeated them as distinctly after in my Father's Family He was very useful to those of us that were Younger and would most frequently upon a Sabbath-day
time with you on Earth to sit Your Hearts were proud and Looks and Speech you know And Carriage unto all was also so Lodg them in Hell their Pride must cost them dear See what they will be proud of when they 'r there Envious Let envious Persons now be brought to th' Bar Whose Malice did exceed all others far There hardly could be any Rich or Great But these would quickly envy their Estate They soon repine if they but see or hear Others commended whilst themselves are there If Neighbours but excell'd in any thing They'd either blast his Name or clip his Wing These were the by-paths envious Souls have trod Their Eye was Evil because mine was Good Then take them Deu'l Companions to be They are not fit for Heaven but for thee Wrathful Bring forth those wrathful Persons that black Crew Whose Tongues contentious wounded not a few Their siery Spirits have been just like Swords And Gall was always mingled with their Words Wounded they have and lash'd reproachfully With Scorpion-Tongues in Passion Standers-by E'ne take them Devil they 're too hot to be In any Place but Hell take them to thee Moralists Let Moralists come forth who loudly boast Of their uprighter Dealings than the most We were say they in Carriage always civil And in appearance we forsook the Devil First-Table Duties we have kept and shall Exactly strict and just have been to all Well all is nothing still here lies the bar To th' Power of Godliness you Strangers are Take them then Devils I will hear no more Better than they are gone to Hell before Hypocrites Come forth ye Hypocrites who made a show Of being holy but were never so Have born the outward Name of true Professors Yet in your private Haunts were great Transgressors A Name to live you had but that was all Your Ends and Aims were Hypocritical You us'd Religion only to disguise And paint but over your Deformities You follow'd Christ for Loaves which when you got Thô Christ did lead you still you followed not You 're painted Sepulchres and just no more Splendid without but rotten at the Core Such blazing Comets wandring Stars thô high Were but to shine a while and then to die Receive them Devils and the Charge I give Let them in dismal Darkness ever live Apostates Backsliders Backsliders and Apostates all draw near Attend the dismal Sentence you must hear You once were seeming Saints but now alas Amongst the openly Prophane you pass You seem'd to love my Ways and People too And once run very well who hindred you Was Heaven to you so unpleasant that You must for sake it for you knew not what Was my Reward so mean you went away And would no longer in my Service stay And can the Devil give you better Pay What! faces Heavenwards and then retreat This makes your lesser Wickedness compleat For when you 'd tri'd both ways a worse and better You vainly chose the First and left the Latter Then take them Devils who would ne're be wise And let them know what 't was t' apostatize Impenitent Unbelievers Come forth Impenitents and hear your Fate Let Vnbelievers now lament too late That they would not prevailed be withal To come to Christ when he did sweetly call Come Sinner come away both me and mine Vpon Acceptance shall be ever thine You have not th' Gospel credited thô true And in your Mother-Tongue reveal'd to you You have not yielded to me your Allegiance Nor liv'd by Faith nor paid me true Obedience Nor clos'd with Christ thô you did plainly see 'T was by him only you could saved be Repent you would not but your Sins did cherish Thô it was often said Repent or perish Take them then Devils let them rue their Birth Who would not turn from Sin whilst here on Earth Sinners farewel Alas Alas what will of us become Now Go ye Cursed is our final Doom Both Soul and Body well may stand afrighted Cursing the Day in which they were united Devils must needs with Fury being driven Seize us for Hell being sentene'd out of Heaven And with their Insultation at us rage As thô our Torments would their own asswage In Flames must fry which never cease to burn From whence we never may nor can return Meditations upon the Sacrament in Verse made the 28th of Jan. 85. by G. D. ALL wanton wandring worldly Thoughts be gone It 's Christ alone i 'm now to think upon Stand off the World and worldly Business all I have no leisure to attend your Call My Friends I leave you things below adieu I must my bleeding Saviour go and view My Soul 's for mounting up that I may see My blessed Lord who bled and dy'd for me And may not stay since Heaven gives the Call But hasten to him dearer than you all Come then my Soul art got alone make haste Heaven's Banquet is prepared go and taste Look yonder see how others flock and run And canst thou linger thus my Soul be gone Touch but this Vail climb up that Mount then stay Thou art arriv'd at bloody Golgotha Pause here a while and pausing thou shalt see Thy Saviour bleeding dying dead for thee Admire rich Grace my Soul O strange Decree That Christ must be the Prisoner and not me It might have been my case that I must sup Nay drink the Dregs of this most bitter Cup. But look he yonder goes that now must die My blessed Saviour suffers and not I. Nay look again my Soul approach more near And see a Train of Virgins follow there Look there he passes by O bloody Jews That durst the Lord 's Anointed thus abuse See how they Laugh and Scoff and do at length Force him to bear his Cross above his Strength Pressing his wearied Limbs they wag the Head Make him their Sport and thus away he 's led Methinks my Heart does boil with Rage to see The Folly of these Monsters Cruelty How could the blessed Lord to send forbear Legions of Angels for his rescue here Why caus'd he not some Fire from Heaven then To fall upon these cursed wicked Men Why did he not destroy this wicked Race And pity more his Son 's distressed Case But stay my foolish Heart thou dost not know What Spirit thou art of it must be so A Debt was due to Heav'n and must be paid God calls it in and Payment must be made Sinners can ne're be safe nor get to Heaven Till Satisfaction be compleatly given This Christ well knew yet never grudg'd at'th Cost To purchase back what Bankrupt Sinners lost He left his Father's Bosom thô he knew The sad and doleful things that would ensue He knew he was to suffer bleed and die Or Sinners must be lost eternally Yet having undertaken he 'll perform For this he hither came for this end born He therefore shrinks not nor does once dispute He dies for th' sake of Sinners and is mute O sad Arraignment when the Judg must
want and cannot come But here must stay and die Answer I grant O Soul 't is Faith alone That great uniting Grace By which thou must lay hold of Christ The want of it 's thy Case Well Faith 's the Gift of God thou know'st Who biddeth thee believe And true Repentance he must give Or thou canst never live Well coming Sinner come away Be always of this Mind Thou must both knock and call and seek If Mercy thou wouldst find Lord Mercy Lord O poor Soul cry Thy Mercy Lord I crave Or here I die in Misery It 's Mercy I must have I do believe help Vnbelief My hold of Christ I 'le keep If run I cannot after thee Lord after thee I 'le creep Then Welcome Sinner unto Christ Though coming for a Dole This Faith though weak yet saving is Thy Faith hath made thee whole Backsliding Sinner come to Christ Do but for this Sin mourn And thou 'lt be welcome unto him Who bids repent and turn Relapsing Sinner come away And thou shalt quickly see Thy frequent Fall's no let at all To Christ's accepting thee Delaying Sinner hasten now Before the Door be shut He that says Come will make thee room Then Sinner arise up The hung'ring Soul may come to Christ And they that weary be The Poor that has no Price to pay May have him very free Debauched Sinner hasten in Cast off thy Sins and then He will be thine as well as mine Who di'd for th' worst of Men. Drunkards and Swearers stay not out If you 'l but come in now Such have been wash'd and cleansed too And coming so mayst thou Soul O I am fully now convinc'd If happy I would be I must away to Jesus Christ My Loit'ring ruines me Object But when I come the Devil calls Whither away so fast Thou canst no Entertainment have With Christ thy Time is past Thou art not one of those alas For whom he shed his Blood Nor art thou an elected one Stay here it is as good Soul Nay but I 'le try and hasten in O that I 'd gone before And if I cannot entrance have I 'le wait at Heaven's Door But yet methinks thy fierce Assaults Encouragement do give If I but go I' st be receiv'd And if I turn I' st live The dying Soul's last Farewel to All. FArewel the World I once did love I now have learn'd to live above Farewel my Friends and welcom Grave I better Friends in Heaven have Farewel dear Wife I cannot stay Christ bids me come I must away Farewel my Body made of Dust I must to him in whom I trust Farewel those Sins I left before I 'm going where I 'll sin no more And farewel Troubles at Decease In Heaven will be perfect Peace Farewel my earthly House and Lands A House I 'll have not made with Hands Farewel all Sorrows doleful Cries In Heaven are no weeping Eyes Nay farewel all my worldly Stuff A single Christ makes rich enough To let all go is surely best To enter on Eternal Rest Yet do not say that I am dead I 'm but undrest and gone to Bed I 'm gone you see yet do not cry Meet me in Heaven when you die The Welcom to Heaven God WElcom my Child to endless Bliss Heav'n joys to see thee here Fear not this is thy Father's House Taste freely Heaven's Chear When thou thy Saviour did'st accept This Jointure he thee made It 's Heaven he purchas'd for thee Accept be not afraid But why asham'd poor Soul come in Now thou' rt arriv'd above Thy Soul is cleans'd thy Sins forgot Think now of nought but Love Spread out the Cloth of richest Gold His Foot-cloth it shall be If he be drest then bring him forth He 'll keep me Company Come all that here attend my Throne Put on him best Attire Set on the Crown that will out shine The clearest Flames of Fire Well bid him welcom to the Court He 's one of Royal Birth I must be-friend him now he 's here He was my Friend on Earth He left the World whilst in the World Did show whilst he had Breath He loved me above the World Was faithful unto Death Soul A Bride a Child a Wife a Friend Ragg'd yet adorn'd so soon My Dunghil's changed for a Throne My Midnight's turn'd to Noon Vpon a Death-bed I did lie And there did toss and turn My Friends about me weeping stood But here shall never mourn A Hymn on Isaiah 8. 17. And I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his Face from the House of Jacob and I will look for him MY God 's withdrawn and hides his Face I cannot choose but mourn Yet still I 'll wait upon the Lord And look for his return Doctrine in Verse Sometimes the Lord not only hides His Face from single Saints But other whiles on this account Whole Churches make Complaints And when it 's thus bewilder'd Souls Know'ng scarce what course to take But still they 'l pray and cry and call And after God will make I 'll seek the Lord says such a Soul And still upon him wait Who hides his Face from Jacob's House He 'll come though's Coming's late A Meditation upon Matth. 11. 28 29 30. COme Sinner come thy Saviour calls If penitent thou be And truly weary of thy Sins Thou 'rt welcom Soul to me Take up my Yoke for it is light Account it always best To learn of one in whom alone Thou canst have solid Rest My Burthen's easy you will find When you have learn'd of me To have a meek and lowly Mind Try Sinner taste and see A Poetical Remembrance of the Reverend Mr. John Oaks who died suddenly being taken with an Apoplectick Fit in his Pulpit Lord's Day Decemb. 23 1688. with some Hints of Advice to surviving Relations composed and made by a true Lover of him and his G. D. HEark heark what means the mournful Looks and Cries The pensive bleeding Hearts and blubber'd Eyes The Throbs the Throws the Sighs which do appear With sad Complainings almost ev'ry where Why so much Drooping in a Halcion-Day When with loud Acclamations we should pay Rather a Tribute to our Prince and Peers Who seasonably have rescu'd us from Fears Why so much Sorrow now If needs must be Occasion'd by some Depths of Misery I sigh to tell you yet am hereto forc'd My Heart 's so full it must have vent or burst Great Oaks the famous Preacher's lately dead Had hardly time t' undress to go to Bed And he must sensless be who now forbears To speak with Sorrow or to write in Tears The Heart 's as hard as Flint that cannot weep When such a one as Oaks is fall'n asleep Sabbaths were here unto him a Delight And on that blessed Day he took his Flight From Earth to Heaven where he ever sings High Hallelujahs to the King of Kings Thô call'd from Sabbaths here he 'd not debate That one Eternal he may celebrate Thô Warning's short to go he
in the Evening of it take one or other of us to walk with him in the Garden where he would always commune with us of Heavenly Matters would enquire into our Proficiency by the Means of that Day would try our Knowledg in Spiritual Things and as carefully instruct us where he found Ignorance prevailing But above all which I must never forget he has so awakingly and pathetically discoursed to us about the Joys of Heaven and the Happiness of Souls being arrived there that I can say I have even longed at such a time to he out of the Body and to be with the Lord have been filled with hungring Desires to forsake the World's Husks and to taste those Dainties of my Father's House which indeed my Brother did most lively and sweetly represent to us I well remember I have then been ready with Paul to desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ At other Times he would in so sweet yet startling manner discourse to us about the Pains of Hell and the Eternal Misery of Damned Souls would so lively set forth Sin in its Black and Bloody Colours as that which brings Souls to that place of horrid Darkness that I and I believe others of my Brothers and Sisters were sussiciently startled and frighted for that Time It made me whilst the Thoughts were afresh upon me much afraid of Sin my main Reason alas being then only as I well remember that I might escape those dreadful Miseries he had represented to us I can say to the Glory of God that thorow his Blessing upon my Brother's Discourse I have had good Impressions sometimes upon me which I must sadly say too soon wore off again being but as the Morning-Cloud and as the Early Dew He would with some others of his School-Fellows who were of the same Form with himself such as Mr. John Reyner that most eminent Servant of God now in Heaven Mr. Jonathan Robinson that Pious Christian now a Bookseller in London Mr. Thomas Peachall an Attourney and divers others then well disposed frequently meet together and kept Hours nay often whole Afternoons in Religious Exercises by themselves They took their Turns for the carrying on that Work and usually discoursed from some Text of Scripture at such times and this they did from House to House doing good it 's hoped wherever they came admitting constantly of some Auditors of the House where they were My Brother was several Years at the University of Oxford and a Member of Corpus-Christi Colledg was an Universal Scholar and supposed to have but few Equals in Learning As for Physick he somewhat delighted in that Study and proved not a little useful to some upon that account I remember I my self being much out of order and weak tho not Sick at about 13 or 14 Years old many thought I was going into a Consumption the Distemper of our Family I spit Blood and had other Symptoms that he discovered he perceiving me discouraged at such their Apprehensions told me I was not far gone in that Distemper and tho it should prevail might live 20 or 30 Years He advised me to eat Raisons frequently and some time to drink my own Water every Morning which I did for several Days and through the Blessing of God most successfully Unhappy Differences when my Brother was grown a Man did too frequently fall out betwixt my Father and him which did arise sometimes a considerable height some thought my Father too strict with him in his Years of Manhood and others thought him abundance too stubborn and rebellious in his Carriage towards my Father but further mention of this matter will not become my Pen. Those Differences reduced my Brother to great Straits and I heartily blame my self who too often occasioned the Quarrels for want of Brotherly Compassion and Tenderness towards him when in Distress and I my self tho a Child in some Capacity at London to do it the Lord forgive me My Brother John died at about the Age of 16 Years at Swinderby of a deep Consumption And tho I having for some Years before been an Apprentice in London had not the advantage of intimate Acquaintance with him nor therefore of making Remarks upon him for some Years before his Death yet this I was certainly assured of by those who knew him best that he lived a very blameless and unspotted Life and died a most comfortable and happy Death resigning his Soul into the Hands of God his Faithful Creator and leaving a vain World with Joy and Comfort My Sisters Elizabeth Mary and Dorcas were all Persons that had the Fear of God before their Eyes were exemplary in Holiness and truly serious and gracious they were usually under the Eye Care and Conduct of our godly Parents and in this respect had the Advantage greatly beyond some others of us of Parental Instructions and Admonitions being constantly under a Religious Discipline their good Education the Lord gave them Hearts to improve and Grace to answer they were of good natural Tempers Lovers of God's Ordinances conscientious in the Discharge of Duties both Religious and Relative and strict in the Sanctification and Observance of the Lord's Day Elizabeth married to John Hatfield Esq of Laughton in Yorkshire Mary to Mr. Jonathan Stanyforth then of Rotheram in the same County and after of Firbeck Dorcas to Mr. Joshua Wigley of Cliff in Derbyshire All very eminent for Holiness had very competent Estates kept up Religion in the strictness of it in their Families maintained a strict Discipline and endeavoured to train up all under their Care and Charge in the Fear of the Lord. These my Sisters lived but a few Years after their Marriage with their Husbands and left them for their Lord Christ one much better My Sister Mary I think only left a Child to survive her viz. Disney Stanyforth and now under my Tuition as one of his Guardians he is at my writing this about the Age of 15 Years a comely Child of sweet Disposition extraordinary Solidity observant of Friends not morose but kind to Enemies and which crowns all one I think I may say truly fears God My Parents for whom I bless God being truly religious themselves took great care by a religious Education to make us their Children so too and that whilst young and afterwards were as careful and circumspect in the disposing of us in Marriage and Imployments to such as feared God And truly God did wonderfully answer their Prayers and bless their Endeavours for we were all of us setled and disposed herein to our Parents great Satisfaction and our own great Comfort Too few I fear consider and improve the Advantage of a religious Education though certainly a most singular and distinguishing Blessing Not to be born of Popish Pagan Turkish or Debauched Parents must needs be esteem'd a great Mercy and surely will be by those the Lord does savingly enlighten such will know how prone Corruption within will be to
Flames Mr. Flavel himself died a Martyr for Christ the Year before viz. 1665 remarkable in that dreadful Mortality by the Plague Good Man he durst not fly from it when the Hand of God in that Plague seem'd to be gone out against the City He was willing being a Minister to hazard his own Body for the advantage of others Souls and so truly he did for being taken at a Religious Meeting he was carried before some Magistrates who after some debate with him plainly told him they would set before him Life and Death and leave him to make his choice They told him he must either promise never to preach at a Conventicle more or they must commit him to a Prison at that time sorely infected with the Sickness He was too great a Champion for Christ and a more faithful Servant to his Lord and Master than to stand long to consider an Answer but readily told them As to their former Proposal He did abhor the Thoughts of a Compliance by deserting his Saviour's Service and as to their latter Threatning he was freely willing to comply with the Will and Pleasure of God and could heartily say His Will be done So that he was O height of Wickedness and Cruelty committed to Prison there presently took the Infection and in a few Days transplanted from Earth to Heaven After I was acquainted with this worthy Divine and had tasted and receiv'd some Benefit by his Ministry being introduc'd at first by John Southam a Journy-man Drugster in London a very serious young Man and one I must bless God for I became a constant Attendor upon him where-ever he preached either in City or Suburbs He surely was as powerful plain and practical a Preacher as I ever did or reasonably can expect ever to hear He had one Practice though exceeding useful I think peculiar to himself which was this He would at his first entrance upon Sabbath-Day-Publick-Exercises endeavour to raise his Peoples Affections and to engage them to Seriousness by a most awakening Exhortation pressing them to consider with whom they had to do the Great and eternal God that searcheth Hearts what they came about no less than Souls Concerns and that for ought they knew their eternal Welfare might depend upon their improving that Opportunity which Prayer might prove their last Prayer and that Sermon the last Sermon that ever they should hear It was about the 25th Year of my Age when the Lord was pleased again to check and stop me in my Career of Sin to awaken my drousy Conscience to give me a Sense of Sin 's damning and defiling Nature and of the necessity of a saving Change which should be accompanied with a strict serious and holy Conversation if I would not eternally miscarry Here I made a stand and began to consider what I had done and what I must do Now began I to be sensible that I could never enough bewail the Sins of my Youth never enough live to the Honour and Glory of that God who had given me to out-live those Days of Vanity who had bestowed upon me not only space for Repentance but the Grace of Repentance too as I trust he did about that Time Now it was that the remembrance of my Sins was more grievous to my Soul than the forsaking of them the Sins I once loved I now loathed and would if that had been possible have given ten thousand Worlds I had never committed them Now it was I by Experience felt what before I would not believe that the best of Sins Sweets are really most intolerably Bitter I now experienced the Truth of that Passage I met with in a Reverend Author Mr. Hardcastle says he Let every Person that lies under a Temptation to commit Sin seriously consider thus If I commit this Sin I must either repent of it or I must not If I do not repent it damns me and if I do repent aright I shall find it cost me more Pains and Trouble and Sorrow than the Sin was worth that I did commit And this I have often thought upon since upon any Temptation Conscience now flew in my Face and was more than a thousand Witnesses against me now I did by sad experience feel the truth and terrour of that single Text A wounded Conscience who can bear And this through Grace I can say that when I did not sinfully stop its mouth it was a faithful Monitor to me That Scripture terrified me greatly The Soul that sins shall die And here was my Argument upon it The Law says the Soul that sins must die my Conscience tells me But thou O Soul has sinned and what 's the Conclusion why very dreadful thou must die I set about the Work of Repentance but must confess till the Lord did savingly by his Word and Spirit shine in upon my Soul I thought that bare Repentance was enough without considering that true and saving Repentance consisted in forsaking as well as in confessing Sin but here the Lord set home upon my Heart such Considerations as these That his holy and righteous Law was broken and Satisfaction must be made that he himself was Just and his Justice must be satisfied And that all my Prayers and Tears and Duties and Repentance though I should use them as means were yet no good foundation to build my Hopes of Heaven upon That though I could shed a thousand Tears and those of Blood for one vain Thought they would be no better than puddle Water to justify and save me Now did those Scriptures stâ—ir me in the Face 1 Cor. 6. 9. Know ye not that the Vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God be not deoeived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterâ—rs nor Effeminate nor Abusers of themselves with Mankind nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God And that of Gal. 5. 19. Now the Works of the Flesh are manifest which are these Adultery Fornication Vncleanness Lasciviousness Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies Envyings Murders Drunkenness Revellings and such like they that do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God And though I bless God the most of these Sins that do entitle to eternal Wrath and Vengeance I could not charge my self as guilty of yet some I could and the least of them in their own nature I found was damning and would serve to exclude me out of the Kingdom of God now through Grace was I ready to cry out O what must I do to be saved and a little seriously to enquire into my spiritual State and after Jesus Christ and the way of Salvation by him Now I began to think of the Corruption of my Nature and the Sinfulness of my Heart and that all the impure Streams of my Life had proceeded from that most corrupt Fountain Mar. 15. 19. And that it was not enough to bewail the outward Acts of Sin but the inward Principles of Corruption leading to it Now I
Abode some pleasant Place What needs more Mis'ry than not see thy Face Judg. Away thou cursed Miser'ant 't is too late Possess the Mis'ries of a wretched state To Hell be gone let Racks increase thy Pains And Fiends torment thee with their dolorou◠Strains Here thou didst wallow in thy sensual Pleasure And now must burn in Flames that know no Measure Prisoner Ah Lord if I must go with Curse and Ire And that to such a woful Place as Fire Yet let me beg this Boon I never may Continue any long time there or stay Let me pass swiftly thr◠and then have Ease Let this the Anger of my God appease Material Fire 's sad Men kindle here What then are Flames that burn with Brimstone there Judg. Away Wretch stay no longer cease thy Wooings Thou reapest but the Fruits of thy own Doings Eternal Pain thy tortur'd Mind shall rend That has no present Ease nor future End There go contribute to those dreadful Cries Where Fire 's never quench'd nor Worm e're dies Prisoner Let not my Lord be angry if I take Yet Liberty to plead my Life 's at Stake This dismal dreadful Doom for to depart From thee the chiefest Good en'e breaks my Heart But yet in Flames for evermore to be Does fill my Torments with Extremity Well if it must be so that I drink up The bitterst Dregs of this imbittered Cup Yet favour me so far as I may choose My own Companions there Lord don't refuse May I be join'd to such as may abate And not encrease the Torments of that State Judg. No Sinner thy Companions must be such As thou in Life-time didst delight in much Such who on Earth were Tempters most to thee Shall now in Hell thy worst Tormentors be Those who to lead thee Captive here took pains Shall now for ever with thee hang in Chains You all when fagotted shall burn together And these things be endured Soul for ever Ah ghastly Sight devouring Flames to see With Adders Frogs and Toads for ever be To hear the Screeches of those Monsters then That cannot be express'd by any Pen All this and greater Mis'ry does inthral Yet Stings of Conscience will prove worst of all Sentence more particular Judg. BRing forth the Prisoners bring them one by one That every one may sentenc'd be alone Set them to ' th Bar that every one may hear What 't is they 're damned for what they must bear Ignorant Come forth besotted Souls that have not known The Myst'ries of the great Salvation That ignorant have been thô Gospel-Light Has shin'd about their Tabernacles bright Take them then Devils bind them very fast The time they had for Learning now is past Slothful Come forth ye slothful Servants come make haste Who did not well improve but Talents waste On Earth you most unprofitable were And well may trembling stand now you are here Talents I did intrust you with to use Vnto my Glory which you did abuse You either spent them vainly on your Lust Or laid them up in Napkins for to rust How couldst thou eat and drink and sleep and play Before thy Work was done Soul what canst say Your pleasant Morsels prove a bitter Sweet For take them Devils bind them Hand and Feet Worship-Neglecters Come forth all those that Families had here But in them would not Gospel-Worship bear Thô Sin and Satan have your Thresholds trod You had no Entertainment for your God! You were my Creatures and did Worship owe But did not pay this Debt to me you know And thô you Subjects were would never bring The Homage that you should to me your King You liv'd upon my Bounty every Day Your Charge in Keeping-house I did defray And yet when all was done you would not Pray Thô Wrath and Vengeance threatned was to fall On Families that would not on me call Yet all I find in vain you Strangers are Both to your Family and Closet-Prayer Then rank them Devils ' mongst your cursed Train Their Prayers that would have done are now in vain Sabbath-Breakers Come forth ye Sabbath-Breakers Sinners high You must be try'd and all be cast and die You did prophane my Sabbaths here on Earth Would not then honour me who gave you Breath Most vilely you have wasted those blest Days By eating Drinking Sleeping Sports and Plays By thinking vainly or by doing ill By acting what was bad or sitting still Instead of Walking with thy God which yields The truest Pleasure thou hast walk'd i' th Fields To gratify thy Flesh with vain Delights And hast not paid to Heaven Heaven's Rights Instead of Waiting at the Posts o' th Door Of my own House thou 'st waited on a Whore Instead of managing thy Soul's Affairs By Reading Hearing Singing Thinking Pray'rs The World has fill'd thy Thoughts and wasted time That was not thine O Sinner but was mine You thought one Day of Prayer and Praise for me Too much to spend on Earth and now must see Your selves excluded Heaven fill'd with Pains Whilst Saints are singing here in highest Strains Take them to Hell then let them hence be led And there be always dying never dead Swearers Come forth you swearing Crew who would prophane By Oaths and Curses my most Holy Name Could hardly speak a Word but Oaths must fly For these thy Sins O Sinner thou must die 'T was my Command you know Swear not at all Vnless to end a Strife you had a Call But in your common Talk my Word did say Let your Yea be Yea and your Nay be Nay And whatsoever's more must needs be Evil Yet less is learn'd by you and taught by th' Devil Come Sinners come you oft have curst and swore And bad me damn you if I durst therefore I now will swear in Wrath you ne're shall see My blessed Rest but turn'd to Hell shall be Take them then Devils in Torments let them lie Where Conscience always stings and Worms ne're die Scoffers Come forth ye Scoffers that could ne're refrain To speak of pious Souls without disdain Who counted Goodness Madness blam'd their Folly Who seriously were strict and truly holy Those things you did account you never saw But Tricks and Francies to keep Men in awe The truly holy humble pious Soul You did account no better than a Fool Then you could say what needs so much ado Men may be much less holy yet sav'd too You tauntingly could say these holy Brothers Would fain seem more religious than others The praying Saint for sooth has th' Spirit got Who yonder goes poor silly whining Sot Well but who made the wisest choice Come speak They who did keep my Law or did it break They who in Soul-Affairs would ne're delay To give to God the best they had or they Who thought such guilty of the highest Folly And call'd religious Thoughts but Melancholy I' th World you had your good things mine their bad But now mine shall rejoice whilst you are sad This was your Folly
hath done great Things for us of which we are glad O that we would put on all the Strength we have and put it forth and go to God for more and be exalted in our Desires and Zeal and Endeavours and do to our utmost for God O that all those who name the Name of Christ would part from Iniquity and labour to stand compleat in the Will of God filling up their Days and Places and Relations with Duty and leading such unblameable and exemplary Lives as may condemn the wicked World and be expressive of God and shew forth the Vertues of him that hath called them out of Darkness into his marvellous Light O that I could see the Church the Lamb's Wife in her Bravery in her Garments of wrought Gold as a Bride made ready for her Husband and so the Beauty of the Lord our God upon all those who own themselves his Children begotten to him by the Gospel Reader The worthy Author of this small Piece which is noâ— put into thine Hands by an Hand of Love was one of mine intimate Acquaintance a Gentleman yea and more than so a Godly Man a Man in Christ of a Worshipful Family and which is yet more of the Houshold of Faith one that could fetch hiâ— Pedigrâ—â— from Heaven and call God Father He had a good Temporal Estate the Câ—…ouâ—s of this Life having been boâ—…fully dealâ—â—ut to him but he did not take up with them nor value himself by them for he was rich toward God rich in Faith and good Works After many Troubles which he met with divers tosses and tumblings which disturbed that sweet Repose he otherwise would gladly have taken he did by the good Hand of God upon him fix in this City where he had a comfortable enjoyment of himself sitting with great delight under the refreshing Shadow of his dearest Lord in the most precious Ordinances of the Gospel It pleased God after a considerable time to direct and incline his Heart to join himself to that Flock of Christ over which the Holy Ghost hath made me Overseer In which he was very eminent for his constant Attendance and serious Attention and great Affection He took the Sermons deliver'd verbatim read them to his Wife and Family when he came home and several of them he wrote out in a very fair Hand that he might leave them behind him for the benefit of others He was an humble and holy Christian no Busy-body not captious nor quarrelsom a Companion of all those that feared God for in them was all his Delight as the Excellent Ones of the Earth Most willing to condescend to and be familiar with Persons of low Degree not valuing any so much by what they had of the World as by the Relation in which they stood to Christ and by the Spirit Grace and Disposition of Christ which discover'd it self in them He was no Fashion-monger Genteel but not Gaudy Neat but Modest and Sober so adorning himself as that he might adorn the Doctrine of his God and Saviour putting on Christ and Mercy and Bowels and over all Humility that was the upper Garment through which the rest were seen being immovably resolved to keep the Commandments of God He bid Evil-doers depart from him and was a Companion of them that would walk with him in the Way everlasting They and none but they were the Men of his Choice When our publick Liberty was by our good God graciously given us after very long and furious Storms had been upon us he soon made choice of me for his Pastor and that Flock of Christ which I am appointed to water and lead into green Pastures and by the still Waters he did as I said before choose to walk in a Holy Communion with And with them he continued until the Great God in whose Hand our Times are was pleased to remove him to the Church Triumphant in Heaven During all that Time he was very exemplary to others and no less pleasant to me I being desired one Day to preach the Morning-Lecture in Southwark he would needs accompany me We together crossed the Water and either going or returning he got Cold which was obstinate and kindled in him a Feaver and that Feaver consumed him his little Oil spent aspace and the Lamp of his precious and much desired Life was soon extinguished But O how did he shine and glorify God in that Fire How sweetly did he carry toward him without any Quarrelling or the least spice of Discontent I heard not the least word that spake a Dislike of the Providence No no his Spirit was as it ought to be submitted to the Divine Will and he at God's disposal ready to die for Preparation had been his Work and willing to die for that would be his Advantage His submissive Resignation to the Holy Will of God herein see in the Record he left in his Diary in the beginning of his Sickness thus March 10 Through Mercy this Day much better with me than my Desert tho I find my self somewhat indispos'd by Cold full of Aches and Pains and Chilliness and sore Eyes the Lord if it be his Will heal me this Night or grant a Preparedness for his Pleasure and that as the outward Man decays the inward Man may be renewed day by day The Lord pardon my Sin and accept of Praise for all Mercies And the Night following which was the last he writ in his Diary he recorded it thus March 21. This Day some Distemper seems to hang upon me thô not worse blessed be God than last Night The Lord in Mercy heal me and recover me or fit me for thy Pleasure The good Lord fit me for the approaching Sabbath and make it a good Day to my Soul for Christ's Sake Pardon my Sin and take Praise And God was exceeding gracious to him for he chained up Satan so that he could not throw one fiery Dart at him and he enabled Conscience to bear its Testimony to his filial State and having led his Conversation in the World in Simplicity and godly Sincerity not with fleshly Wisdom but by the Grace of God and also he lifted upon him the Light of his Countenance shed abroad his Love in his Heart by the Holy Ghost which had been given him and furnished him with such an Anchor of Hope as was fixed within the Vail and both sure and stedfast And all this being done for him it was not in the power of the King of Terrors to affright him but in his nearest Approaches he could look him in the Face without any Discomposure and not only triumph over him as a baffled and conquer'd Enemy whose Teeth were broken and Sting lost but likewise bid him welcome as a Messenger sent by his Father to do him a real Kindness And knowing whom he had believed he could with Joy breath out his Last and take his Flight to the unseen World where as he was sure his dearest Lord had taken up his own Rest at
Exile for the Friendship of Relations at Norwell and Southwell I am there begging pardon for sinful Compliances as in sitting late in an Ale-house in Southwell where the Company were Healthing it about though blessed be the Lord I drank not much yet I was a bad Example in sitting and sipping with the Wicked in wasting my precious Time my Prayer therefore is that the Lord would pardon that and continue Mercies and give me a thankful Heart in and a lively sense of Divine Goodness The 20th being the Sabbath-day through Mercy I find my self in a pretty good Frame of Spirit and took particular notice in my Diary of Mr. Coats's Subject which was Come unto me all ye that labour c. I there find a Desire that the Lord would work those Truths more and more upon my Heart by his Spirit that my Sins may be pardoned and my Soul prosper The 21st Under some Dulness occasioned by slavish fear of Man which I find bewail'd that Day with this Petition That the Lord would enable me to live by Faith and that I might encourage my self in the Lord my God under all outward Discouragements whatsoever who has delivered me does deliver and I trust will deliver me his poor Creature O! that my Sins may not provoke the Lord to turn away his Face The 23d Having this Day been stating Accounts with my Wife and several others with reference to Disbursements the three Months in the Summer of my Exile and Troubles in the Year 85 though I find them extraordinary large yet thrô Grace I find my self free from those Passions that upon such Accounts I used to be prone to my experience again there recorded of God's gracious Appearances for me 26th Mercy there again taken notice of in the Lord 's delivering me from Trouble and a Petition That if it were the Lord's Will I might be preserved from entering into Bonds which I and all my Friends did believe would be very ensâ—â—ring to me there I find Sin bewailed and lay heavy upon my Conscience 27th Manifestations made of Deliverance still from danger I there bless God I am still at liberty and hear nothing from the D. of N. of entering into those Bonds he required I then heard of Dr. Temple's Execution and took notice of distinguishing Mercy that he should be taken and I left who through Man's Rage and Wrath was in danger I there bless God I was not the Man 27th I took notice of the many comfortable Sabbaths that I have enjoyed since I came home without Fear or Disturbance Cousin Billingsley preached here from these Words Commune with your own Hearts which much affected me 28th A like Account as to Mercy and I remember no actual Sin that Day 29th The like Account with my Experience that God had blessed the means I had used for the cure of a Cold that held me 8th of October 1685 This day I returned from Lincoln where I had been some time and took notice the Lord gave me a very comfortable Journey no sad Providence occurred in the Journey I am yet delivered from Enemies notwithstanding their Rage and Threatning and from the ensnaring Bonds I begg'd then of the Lord That he would continue this Mercy and give me to live a thankful holy humble and fruitful Life and pardon the particular Sins of this Day and help me against it and to perform Promises made under my Afflictions 9th I there bless God for the Mercies of that Day and beg pardon for my Sins and that the Lord will cause me to live better the next Day 10th My Sins stare me in the Face being many and great there I find my self begging that I might eye the Blood of Christ and might through Grace be interested in it being the only Sovereign Remedy for a poor Sinner yet I am preserved from ensharing Bonds and enjoy through Mercy comfortable Liberty and sit under my own Vine with delight 11th This I find a comfortable Sabbath when Mr. Coats did most sweetly call invite and encourage Sinners to come to Christ O! that I may not stand out the Lord bless the Sermon to my poor Soul and pardon my Sins 12th No actual Sin that I know of I this Day begg'd Direction from Heaven about the Oath of Allegiance I and others in my Family were called to take and next day I did take it having observed no Intimations from the Lord against it but being well satisfied about it besides I feared if I refused it would be worse with us upon the account of our Meetings which I did desire to keep up I beg the Lord would enable me to keep the Oath being taken as a sacred Thing I am yet at liberty and free from ensnaring Bonds 15th I that Day begg'd the Lord would humble me under any thing of Sin that might be in my Swearing and taking the Oath the Day before 16th This Day Mr. H. acquainted me that one did say That the Lord would lie heavy upon me that I was to give a Security by Bond of 7000 l. which would ask a great time for me to get and that I was only Capt. L's Prisoner at large Well I find this hint in my Diary that Day That I can trust my God who has delivered me and that he will deliver me still from the Fury and Rage of Men and the Effects thereof 17th This Day I had an encouraging Letter from V. L. as if the Duke had done with me which I begg'd then the Lord would grant and enable me to live up to so great a Mercy For several other days after I am blessing God for the comfortable and quiet abode in my House and petition'd that the Lord would keep me from sinning away such Mercies 20th Wasting Time the great Sin acknowledged this Day and a Petition that the Lord would please to make me more active and diligent in Soul-concerns every Day as being every Day nearer Death 22d This Day I observe from Joh. 7. 44. in my reading this Passage Some of them would have taken him but no Man laid Hands on him Upon which Mr. Baxter has this Note God binders bad Men from doing what they would do and they know not how he doth it I have had great Experience of this my self the Lord be praised 25th This Day God made a very comfortable Sabbath to me and I trust will do my Soul good by it and set home another Sermon I then heard from Mr. Cotes concerning the Ease of Christ's Yoke I am yet through Mercy continued in my Family in Peace and Safety enjoy distinguishing Mercy and Love God help me to make a right use of it and still restrain Men that they do not hurt me and enable me to give thee the Glory of that Mercy thou pleasest to give me the Comfort of 26th This Day I was at Cos R's Funeral the Lord prepare me for my Change I came from thence over a dangerous way in Safety 27th God has this Day preserved
wherein is Rending and Tearing Work with more of himself and the Influences of his Blessed Spirit O Brother it's one of the bravest Sights in the World to see a Christian in the Exercise of Grace sutable to the Dispensation to see him acting Faith Patience Humility Submission Resignation and Divine Joy in a time of pressing Affliction This will recommend Religion to the World and convince the Men of it there 's more in it than meer Talk Heartily glad we should be if you would come for a while to London to divert your self here among good Men I hope it might be for your Advantage and do conclude it highly necessary for you a while to leave Kirkstead we all send our hearty Remembrances to you and yours the Lord fit us all for our great and last Change and in the midst of our private Losses let us remember the Affliction of Sion So prays Your sympathizing Brother and Servant G. Disney POEMS The Damneds Doom or some Meditations in Verse upon the last great Sentence at the Day of Judgment made by me Jan. 1685 upon Mr. Dunton's Paraphrase of Mat. 25. 41. Depart from me ye Cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels Dunton's Heavenly Past-time pag. 96. HEark heark the Trumpet sounds the Court is met Christ as Chief Justice on the Bench is set Adorn'd with glorious Robes and rich Attire Not now abas'd on Earth advanced higher Guarded by Saints and Angels such as they Must all attend the Service of this Day He who when Prisoner here was forc'd to stand And at a Mortal's Bar hold up his Hand Was mock'd at spit upon reproach'd and bled Must now be Judg alone of Quick and Dead Thô here debased yet now Heaven rings With Hallelujahs to this King of Kings Jesus Call forth the Prisoners then they must appear To answer for themselves thô Crimes are clear Hear what they 'l say thô all they say alas Can never â—inder th' Sentence that must pass Sinners appear come forth your Graves arise You all are summon'd to the grand Assize You called are into the great Court-Royal And may not stay you must attend your Trial Make way for wretched Prisoners there make room They 'r going to receive their final Doom But now methinks I see those trembling Souls Gazing about to find some hiding Holes Calling to Rocks to hide them but in vain For such late Calls and Cries can nought obtain Their Hearts were hardned in a Day of Grace When God did sweetly call and give them space For to repent and now those rocky Stones Has no regard at all unto their Groans The Mountains will not fall to hide them from The Wrath of him that sitteth on the Throne O what a Sight I see the wretched State Of Fools bewailing Folly when too late From Hell and Graves they come but must not stay They are to pass Accounts and so away Now Soul and Body meets and must remain By Righteous Sentence in eternal Paâ—â— They Partners were in Sin whilst here below And must together groan in endless Wâ— The Graves do open and the Prisoners rise And now methinks I hear the dolâ—ful Cries Of those poor Sinners who on Earth took Pains To make their Souls as black and full of Stains As any could be grudging always when They were out-stripâ— in Sin by any Men Methinks I hear their Pleas and see them quaking And all the little Shifts they would be making And all because they would appear at th' Bar Of God a little better than they are The griping Vsurer now looks about To find some better Hands than his Hands 〈◊〉 Which he do's well remember heretofore Did often by Extortion wrong the Poor The Wanton dare not own his wanton Eye I must says he have better or I die Mine oft unâ—hastly upon Women gaz'd And for laseivious Looks I stand amaz'd The Lawyer would reject his gâ—lded Tongue By which be Thousands in the World did wrong He knows that he being fee'd or brib'd ne're stood To make a good Cause bad a bad Cause good The Gallant dare not own his strutting Feet Which often â—rudg'd thrâ— thick and thin to meet A dirty Whore or hectoring drunken Friend To help him vainly precious Time to spend My Feet were swift in running to do Evil I must have other Feet or go to th' Devil The Politician dares not own his Head Another he would fain have in its Stead What that contriv'd he always was pursuing And finds his wicked Brain was his undoing Some they would part with Fingers and would have E'ne any Fingers out of any 's Grave So they may miss their own which was too beâ—â— To sign Decrees against the Innocent Thieves they would part with Hands and Liars Tongues The Instruments of many grievous Wrongs Long-winded Sinners they would part with Lungs The Hypocrite too has a mind to part With his to change it for a better Heart Ill-minded Sinners now would change their Mind For any others of a better Kind And others other things would swap if then They might hereby but pass for better Men Kings would disown their Crowns and Grandure too And now appear in Rags if that woâ—ld do But O! prodigious Madness herein's shown Eâ—r every one must keep what was his own And wicked Men must see their monstrouâ— Folly Who would not whilst on Earth be strict and holy Well! are the Prisoners come then let them hear They must my Wrath and Fury ever bear Sentence Depart 〈◊〉 sed Wretches ne're return Into a Fire that must always burn Prepared for the Devil and a Crew Of wicked Wretches just like such as you Prisoner Ah dreadful Word Depart and that from thee Must needs be th' upshot of all Misery Lord let me stay but here the Sinner â—ries My clamorous Conscience and my blubbring Eyes May Tormoâ—â— be enough dear God abate Some pity shew me for my â—retch'd Estate Is such I cannot bear let Sentence be A little bated by a Sight of thee Judg. Nay Sinner â—noâ— my Presence heretofore Thou did'st noâ— like thô offer'd o're and o're Thou would not entertain me in thy Heart And now my Sentence Sinner â—â— Depart An offered Christ and Pardon thou didst slight And what can follow on 't but dismal Night Prisoner And must I now depart and undergo This dreadful heaâ—y Doom yet let me know That thoâ—â—ilâ— bless me Lord and then I caâ— Refresh my Soul with this where â—'re I am I 'm loth to go but if I must I crave That I before may Heaven's Blessing have Jesus Sinner be gone nay more I must thee tell My Curse shall go along with thee to Hell My Blessing thou despis'd for many Years And canst not have it now thô sought with Tears Thou must for ever fry and flame and rot Depart then Sinner for I know thee not Prisoner And must I be accurs'd and never see Thy blessed Face again then Lord let me Find out for an
highest Round of all This Jacob's Ladder brings Is Glorificat'on and advance To God the King of Kings Christ's laying down his Life for Man And God's accepting it His saving any doom'd to die Who now in Heaven sit What can this be but special Grace Renounce we then all Merit And give we Praise to God always To Father Son and Spirit The Alphabet in Verse by G. D. for Copies August 29 1687. A. AFflictive Crosses may be well endur'd By pious Souls who have a Christ secur'd B. Boast not of time hereafter don't delay To get prepared for a dying Day C. Content's the Sweet of all where 's greatest Store If that be had with little what needs more D. Delight in good shun Vice redeem your time Serve God whilst you are young and in your prime E. Espouse the Cause of Christ and stand your ground Beware you be not an Apostate found F. Faint Wishes Heavenward can never shew A Love to Christ O Soul that 's fixt and true G. Give all that ask you something if you can But double Kindness to a poor good Man H. High Breeding sweet Deportment lovely Face Will ne're avail that Soul that 's void of Grace I. Intemperance in what we drink or eat Will prove the sowrest Sauce to sweetest Meat K. Kind Carriage wins on all hereby you may Reclaim a wandring Sinner gone astray L. Let Worldlings take the World do you with Paul Account a Single Christ as more than all M. Modest Behaviour with a Temper kind Does really express a gallant Mind N. Nothing we here possess will lasting prove The only solid Joys are those above O. Observe and learn what 's good in all you see But let the real Saint your Pattern be P. Pleasures that sinful are not long do last The Sting remains when all the Pleasure 's past Q. Quit now your selves like Christians stand your ground The Faithful unto Death are only crown'd R. Repining under Crosses we endure Will never lighten those but more procure S. Such who with Esau do their Birth-rights sell Will too late see the Folly on 't in Hell T. Time swiftly steals away and being gone Can never be recall'd by any one U. Vnruly Passions when they have their swing Instead of giving Ease more Sorrow bring W. Whatever haps be Patient and you 'd see It is thô bad in 't self yet good for thee X. Xerxes with Sorrow views his mighty Host As knowing they would soon be dead and lost Y. Young ones serve God whilst young you 'l make thereby Your Death-Bed very easy when you die Z. Zeal in a good Cause this must needs befriend But luke-warm Tempers have a doleful end A Hymn by G. D. on John 14. 27. the Text Mr. Perriot preach'd on August 87. Peace I leave with you my Peace I give unto you not as the World giveth give I unto you Let not your Heart be troubled neither let it be afraid IN love to you Disciples dear Whom I'm about to leave A Legacy of Peace I give My Peace I you bequeath Not as the World gives give I you It 's inward Peace I say The which the World can neither give Nor ever take away Let not your Heart be troubled then My Peace shall be your aid Set this against your Troubles here You need not be afraid An Hymn upon Mr. S's Text Doctrine and Reasons Coloss 3. 1. If ye be risen with Christ c. Octob. 19 1689. LET Earthly Men seek Earthly things And glut themselves like Swine Vpon the empty Husks below Of Riches Corn and Wine But Lord for me being taught of thee It 's better I must have The Things Above I chiefly love And those O Lord I crave Such Treasures they will lasting prove Can only satisfy When Earthly Things soon take their Wings Will wither fade and die These may be had and kept when got Which Worldlings cannot say For what they heap together here May soon be snatch'd away We have thy leave nay thy Command To fix our Heart and Love Not upon Trifles here Below But upon Things Above Those are the best worth seeking for Deserve our greatest pains Will here procure the sweetest Peace Hereafter lasting Gains Seeking aright we shall not miss Of finding but obtain And having found we need not fear Our losing them again Lord being risen then with Christ Help us to seek and love With all our Hearts our Soul and Strength The Things which are Above Another upon the same Text and two more Verses adjoining And 1 Cor. 15. 20 21 22. CHRIST now is risen from the Dead His Bands could him not keep And is to be acknowledged First-Fruits of them that sleep For as by one Man Death did reign In Adam all did die By Christ the Resurrection came And Immortality If risen then with Christ you be Seek ye the Things Above And do not though entic'd thereto The Worldlings Portion love For ye are dead to Worldliness With Christ your Saviour-dear Your Life is hid and you shall shine When once he doth appear An Hymn upon Mr. S's Text Isa 55. 7. Let the Wicked forsake his way c. O Let the Wicked leave his Lusts The way that Sinners take And let the Man unrighteous Vnrighteous Thoughts forsake Let him return unto the Lord And he will Mercy shew To God who will abundantly His pard'ning Grace renew Meditations upon Mr. S's Text Joh. 2. 6. He that saith he abideth in him c. HE that on Scripture-grounds can say In Christ he doth abide He also ought himself to walk As did this Blessed Guide For Scriptures they were given forth That to us they might â—e A Rule whereby our Sate to try And our Conditionsee Then true Religion iâ— its Power That Man has â—rely mist Who thinks in bâ—â— Profession It only does câ—nsist That crying out Lord Lord at last Will save his Soul from Hell Without the doing of God's Will And labouring to do well Then 't is not painted Guile will do Nor Shows that do appear But Truth in Heart and inward part Will render one sincere The true Believer then is safe And may on Scripture-ground Most certainly on Christ rely In Christ he being found Behold the Man in Christ therefore New Creature he is made All Things in such an one is new And old Things are decay'd Let Times be ne râ—so black and dark Let Things go aâ— they will The Man in Christ is truly safe And may take Comfort still Meditations on the 6th Doctrine about Justification 'T IS Faith in Christ that sastifies The Sinner in God's sign Labour to shew and let Men knoâ— By Works our Faith is right Lord grant we may who speak and say We know the Lord most High Endeavour by Religious Lives Our Words to justify Doct. 7. Of Conformity to the Example of Christ ALL those who this Profession make Obliged are hereby To walk as Christ did whilst on Earth In all Sobriety To follow his Example
'll not dispute A Summons from a Father makes him mute The Stroke's surprizing yet to such as he So well prepar'd it could not sudden be O dreadful Stroke who can compute the Loss That does not first consider what he was One of a thousand Work-man truly great Christian and Pastor ev'ry way compleat A friendly Friend to all but yet most kind To pious Souls yea those of diff'rent Mind To him in lesser things he could it bear When good i' th' main and honestly sincere This gracious Temper in him God had wrought To love his Image where-so-e're he saw 't His Stile thô plain yet lofty Matter such That none that heard him thought they heard too much Startling he was to Sinners but to Saints A Helper always under sad Complaints For Temper gen'rous of a gallant Mind Affable courteous constant truly kind Here 's Loss on all hands with a dreadful But There 's few are left behind can make it up His People's Pastorless and Children they Are mourning for a Father ta'ne away And for the now sad Widow she alone Can fully paint to th' Life her Sorrow 's known If Pray'rs and Tears could have prevail'd I know He had not mounted up but staid below If Means and Med'cines that were on him try'd Would have preserv'd his Life he had not dy'd Physicians were not wanting yet he 's gone At th' Pleasure of the great Physician When God says nay Physick shall give no aid As Saints have done their Work they must be paid Well happy Soul thou now the Gulf hast shot And art where we would fain be but are not Thou' rt got to Heaven and art now above The reach of any Mortal's tendrest Love Above the Malice and the Rage of those Who for thy Goodness-sake were here thy Foes Out of the reach of Tears and Pray'rs and Cry In better Place with better Company Yet for the sake of those who do survive Take following Counsels from his Friend alive Couns 1. Remember who has snatch'd your Earthly Treasure 'T is God who may do this and more at 's pleasure 'T is He who has undoubted right to seize And take your Comforts when and how he please He who first lent does now but take the same Learn you to bless and praise his Holy Name God now has done his Will has for him sent Do you your Duty learn to be content This silenc'd Aaron that he nothing spoke Though two of 's Sons were taken at a stroke 'T was this made Eli chearfully submit To that Affliction which the Lord thought fit To bring on 's House to say without repine Let th' Lord do what he please with me and mine Couns 2. Nay further think your Serrow to restrain Your present Loss turns to his lasting Gain It 's time to go when God the Summons sends To call from Friends below to better Friends His Company to us was pleasant here But he is now with those to him more dear Solacing in the midst of Joy and Pleasure Possessing satisfying lasting Treasure The Glory 's now enjoy'd by that Dear Saint Which we poor Hearts but long for breath and pant And know we'st never truly happy be Till from the Clogs of Sin we are set free And happy made in that Eternity Couns 3. Well then prepare you for to follow those Who whilst on Earth the way to Heaven chose Live we their Lives and then both you and I Shall die their Deaths whenever call'd to die Our Friends with Christ would not return again May we and ours thus in Heaven reign Couns 4. Sit loose to th' World and all thingâ— you have got Vse them whilst here as if you us'd them not For if we Creature-Comforts love too much We'st over-sorrow when we part with such And such we must part with or they with us Our late and sad Experience teaches thus Our Friend is gone judge well of what God 's done And in your Heav'nly Race more swiftly run When Stately OAKES thus fall such Shrubs as I Had need begin to live and learn to die When such Fruit-bearing Plants are ta'ne away Shall I a Cumber-ground expect to stay But stay I run too fast let all Men know He joys Above while we lament Below Farewel Dear Saint Farewel I 'le after haste That Heaven's Dainties with thee I may taste An Hymn upon Mr. Slater's Subject from these Words Eph. 2. 5. By Grace â—â— are saved c. IT 's Grace that saves and Grace alone The Soul that comes to see Himself as lost and ruin'd quite And ripe for Misery From first to last the Sinner must Acknowledg every Pace And Step he takes in Heaven's ways To be an Act of Grace Grace does begin and carry on This Glorious Work alone Lays the Foundation builds thereon And adds the Corner-Stone The Means of Grace are all of Grace The Word that 's preach'd and read The Prayers put up and Sacraments And other Childrens Bread Do we repent and then relent The Evils we have done And fall to pray from Day to Day That Mercy may be shown Renounce all this we must as Rags A Saviour to embrace For 't is not Man that wills or runs But God that sheweth Grace Election that 's of special Grace Hereby God separates And whom he early did fore-know Those he predestinates Chosen they were in Christ before Foundations we could see According to God's Pleasure just That Holy they might he 'T was not for any Worth in Man Nor Faith fore-seen i' th Case Not for good Works that should be done What can it be but Grace And those God chose he also calls Both by his Word and Spirit That they to Glory may be brought And that through Grace not Merit By Deeds o' th Law there 's no Flesh can Be justify'd at last For Persons that are try'd thereby Are surely to be cast That shews indeed the Spots and Stains Vpon the Sinner's Face Who never can be justify'd But by an Act of Grace Another saving Step the Soul Obliged is to take If ever he would happily Of Heaven's Joys partake Is Holiness in Heart and Life A Sanctify'd Estate And this my Soul 's the Gift of God Who long does woe and wait Mourn now my Soul break off from Sin No longer do it cherish For they that will not here repent They must hereafter perish Pray hard to God for saving Faith By Nature thou hast none Renounce whatever thou hast done Rely on Christ alone Knowledg it is another Grace The Sinner that would live Must be in pain till he obtain From him can only give For lack of it how many die And headlong post to Hell Study the Scriptures then betimes And so thou may'st do well Lord sanctify my sinful Soul That Holy I may be Without it here in Heart and Life Thy Face I shall not see And teach me then with single Heart Thy Precepts to obey Suffer not those inticing me To lead my Soul astray And now the