Wages it cannot be for your Bible tells you What you sow that shall you reap and he that cannot lie hath said If you live after the Flesh you shall die but if you through the Spirit do mortify the Deeds of the Body ye shall live I am not for inviting you to a Party or for tying up Salvation to this or that Opinion but I would fain prevail with you to be good for be of what Opinion you will the Scripture warrants me to tell you That without Strictness Self-denial and Holiness you cannot be saved Mat. 16. 42. Mat. 11. 12. 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. Dear Sir as you tender the everlasting Welfare of your Soul do no longer as the most but imitate the best and endeavour to be a Follower of those who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises or things promised Forsake bad Company for you know who has said The Companion of Fools shall be destroyed Prov. 13. 20. Be you a Companion of those that fear God and let not the Wicked any longer intice you or however prevail with you for the Scripture is very clear and positive in it That except Drunkards repent and reform they shall be shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. That except Swearers repent of their prophane Swearing and reform they shall fall into Condemnation James 5. 12. That unless Liars put away their Lying and speak every one Truth to his Neighbour they shall have their part in the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone Rev. 20. 8. That if Company-keepers forsake not the Foolish that is the Wicked and live they shall be reckoned amongst the Companions of the Wicked who shall be destroyed Prov. 13. 20. I charge you not but leave it to your own Conscience to consider how far you are guilty in any of these Matters and then get into your Closet down upon your Knees bewail before God your sinful Miscarriages and beg a new Heart and Grace that you may live a new Life and be assured that what I say is out of a sense of your deplorable Condition whilst you remain in your Sins and a Desire to see you return to that God who waits to be gracious Come to Christ and heartily accept him for he is offered to you O that I could see this great Work done what a rejoycing would it be to all that are good about you Then might your Wife bless God for such a Husband who would help her Heavenwards then would your pious Relations delight in your Society and your Parents with joy say as the Father of the Prodigal This my Son was lost but is found was dead but is alive yea the Conversion of a Sinner on Earth causes Joy in Heaven That the Lord would bless this Advice to you is the earnest Prayers of him who shall then approve himself always Your Friend and Servant in Christ Jesus G. D. A Letter to my Mother Mrs. B. D. upon the Death of her good Daughter and my dear Sister Stanyforth Ever honoured Mother AT this time I have much Business upon my hands and some that requires quick dispatch otherwise my coming to see you would have prevented my writing to you and now I should be sorry that these Lines should add weight to your Sorrows by setting your Wounds a bleeding afresh I am much readier to bear a part of your Burthen having reason enough to be concern'd for and sensible of so sad a Breach as it has pleas'd the Lord to make upon us by the Death of my dear Sister Stanyforth Something I would contribute to your Support and Refreshment under such a Dispensation therefore desire your perusal of the under-written Considerations which has wonderfully supported me the Blessing of Heaven render them useful to you 1. We may and ought to consider the necessity of Dying 2 Sam. 14. 14. For we must needs die Preceding Generations made way for us and shall not we make way for others when God calls 2. The Friends we lose are not so much ours as God's God has taken but what he first lent This comforted Job when amongst other things he had lost his Children The Lord gave saith he and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. 3. God has a hand in the Death of Friends My Times are in thy Hand says holy David and is there not an appointed time to be upon Earth 4. God in the saddest Passages of Providence aims at his People's Good All things shall work together for them that love God c. 5. God is still with us Psal 46. 1. Though Friends forsake us through unavoidable Mortality yet an everlasting God is where he was There is Sweetness enough in God to sweeten all outward imbittering Circumstances Though the Conduit-Pipes thrô which Mercies were convey'd unto us be taken away the Fountain runs still entire in God May we have a care of doing any thing to dim the Eye of our Faith for Hagar we read had a Fountain by but her blubbering Eyes kept her from beholding it 6. How great soever the Stroke and Affliction is we yet deserve greater our Sins are heavier than our Sufferings the Fire of God's Wrath is not proportion'd to the Fewel of our Sins 7. God has taken away one great Comfort but he might have taken away all Shall we receive Good at the Hands of God and shall we not receive Evil 8. Consider the Evil that comes by Discontent and immoderate Sorrow Discontent makes us our own Tormentors Luk. 21. In Patience possess your Souls by Impatience we are Possessors of our Sins and turn'd out of our Understandings Peace and Comfort Too immoderate Sorrow wastes the Spirits Prov. 15. By Sorrow of the Heart the Spirit is broken 2 Cor. 7. Worldly Sorrow worketh Death it greatly provokes God A meek and quiet Spirit is in the Sight of God of great price but a froward peevish Spirit is abominable to him Prov. 11. 20. 17. 20. 22. 5. Psal 18. 26. God may be provoked by this Sin to lengthen out Misery and to adjourn Mercy 9. God gives and takes away Relations at his own Pleasure let us rather praise God we have enjoy'd such a Blessing so long than repine she is gone so soon bless we a smiting as well as a smiling God a taking as well as a giving God 10. The Breach made is sad but herein God has 1. Done us no Wrong 2. He has done our dear Friend no Hurt Done us no Wrong he has taken but his own his own by his Creation by your Donation by Purchase and Redemption and by her own free Resignation And has our dear Father hurt her Is it to hurt her to put her to Bed to throw off her filthy Garments from her to gratify her in her own longing Desire which was To be dissolv'd and to be with Christ and to enshrine her in Glory 11. Think of the Invalidity of Weeping If Tears could possibly bring my
there was a Conventicle that Night there were so many Dissenters about the Fire How reproachfully so ever these might speak I believe Mr. Mayor then Parker at Hencross was more serious when he told me the Town of Nottingham was much beholden to our Conventicle for the timely stopping of those Flames 12. The 3d of December 1685. this Night through extraordinary Drowsiness at Family-Prayer I slep'd 2 or 3 times and awaking again did not use the best means I could and should of standing up to prevent the Drowsiness I hop'd might go off without it Upon which being dropt again asleep to my Apprehensions something gave me a great Blow upon the Middle of my Back which presently awaked me in a Fright which I did really feel paining me some Minutes after I was awaken I have purpos'd upon it and hope through Grace to perform it to be always more watchful for the future against such a Sin This brings to my Mind another Providence of like nature My eldest Brother being to repeat a Lecture-Sermon one Night in my Father's Family I being then very young and not liking that Work cry'd to go to Bed and to have my Brother with me in which after some repulse I was gratifi'd in my Desire to our Chamber we went and into Bed I got but before I could drop asleep I felt the bottom of the Bed-clothes lift up where presently something pull'd me by the Toe but nothing there was to be seen this affrighted me exceedingly and though young I could conclude it a Rebuke to me for hindring that pious Exercise of Repetition and durst never do it after Some good Sayings of good Men I find collected in my Diary out of Sermons I have heard viz. 1. THere 's few if any whose Joys in a comfortable Communion with God are not sometimes clouded with Sorrow 2. Where the Minister's Work ends there the Hearer's begins 3. It shows but little Love to God in Duty when we come with Unwillingness stay with Weariness and go away with Gladness 4. A Man may be fat in Gifts yet lean in Grace 5. In the want of all things we may taste and see how sweet the Lord is 6. It 's comfortable Musick to hear the Bird in the Breast singing whatever we suffer for it 7. That Repentance is seldom true-hearted that is gray-headed 8. Let our Thirst to worldly things be cold to heavenly things inflamed 9. It 's easy for Men to fly from Duty but impossible to avoid their Account 10. Accustom thy self to Duty but do not Duties customarily 11. Entertain none in your Houses that shut God out of their Hearts 12. Associate not your selves with those as Friends that are God's Enemies 13. They cannot be true to Men that are false to God 14. Dare not to decline Duty to preserve Liberty 15. Let the present Day 's Practice be still the Mending of the past Day 's Errors 16. I fear my Duties more than my Sins Duties lift me up but my Sins humble me 17. It 's well if Rome's Reliques amongst us do not keep Possession for Popery 18. Give not way to sleep any Night till thou hast particularly inquired into thy Carriage the Day past 19. Family-Passions cloud Faith disturb Duty and darken Comforts 20. He never wants Comfort that lives content 21. That Man never wants his own Will that makes God's Will his 22. They need not drink of another's Bucket that have the Fountain nor use Stilts and Crutches that have Spiritual Strength 23. Let Parents and Governours by their Examples endeavour to influence Children and Servants into a good Practice 24. Sanctified Troubles are Tokens of special Love 25. If your Houses be not Nurseries for Heaven they 'l be breeding Places for Hell 26. Whatever Evil we would reprove in another we must be doubly watchful against it our selves 27. Early beginnings in Goodness makes an easy Death-Bed 28. Put not that of to last that cannot be done too soon 29. We have no more to live upon to Eternity than what we lay up in Time 30. It 's better to be reproached for being too soon than damned for being too late in Heaven's ways 31. Good Families make good Churches and good Education good Families 32. The contented Man is never poor let him have never so little and the discontented Man never rich let him have never so much 33. There are two Jubilees kept in Heaven one at the Conversion of a Sinner on Earth the other at his Glorification in Heaven 34. Bad Times to live in are good Times to die in 35. Afflictions are hard Meat but Patience a good Digester 36. The best Trial of our Spiritual Estate is by the tenure of our Actions not by this or that particular Action 37. Though a sincere Christian will not overtake a Sin yet the most sincere may be overtaken with a Sin 38. Sad Conclusions might be drawn against eminent Saints if some particular Actions were a Rule to judge by 39. It 's good to be as charitable to others as ordinarily we are partial to our selves 40. The best of Saints would never arrive at Assurance if it did not consist with many Imperfections 41. A sanctified Cross hath more of Mercy in it than an unsanctified Comfort 42. The Company a Man keeps is a Commentary upon his Life 43. Persecuted Godliness is far more eligible than prosperous Prophaneness 44. It 's the very Nature of true Faith to make future Things present 45. It 's very difficult for one to be angry and not sin and very dangerous to sin in being angry 46. It 's good Scripture-Logick to draw Conclusions of Confidence from Premises of Experience 47. The poorest in the World has more than he had when he came into the World and more than he can carry out when he leaves the World 48. Duties rested in as well as Sins unrepented of are dangerous 49. If Mercy be not a Load-stone to draw us nearer to God it will be a Mill-stone to sink us deeper into Hell 50. It 's sad to lose good Men in the best Times but looks like a Judgment to lose them in the worst The Surviving Advice of a Deceased Husband to a Surviving Wife Or a Call from the Dead to the Living Written January the 30th 168 and intended for my Dear Wife's Perusal if it shall please the Lord She survive Me. Note This was written some time before the Death of his former Wife Dearest on Earth I Having of some late Months been imploy'd in setting not only my Heart which I accounted my greatest Work but my House in order which I judged likewise absolutely necessary in order to my great Change I could not but leave a few Lines of Advice to thee my best Friend on Earth which whilst I live I hope to follow with my Prayers to the great God and our heavenly Father for his Blessing upon This I was the rather induced to do now when through Mercy in perfect Health that I might
have no Worldly Affair unsetled to disturb and distract my Mind withal when upon the very Confines of another World and lying upon a Sick-Bed or Death-Bed when I desire God may have all my Thoughts and all my Time and would fain be most serious and intent upon Soul-Concerns This little Treatise in three Parts containing the most remarkable Passages of my Life that occurr'd to Memory and collected out of my Diary written in Short-hand as a last Legacy I heartily commend to thy perusal and other Friends that survive me In it I have endeavoured impartially to God's Glory to give the darker Side of a vile Wretch on Earth as well as the brighter I was long thou seest a Wanderer from God and in a most bewildred Condition on that account I knew not where to rest till I anchor'd on the Rock of Ages had no true Peace till through Mercy I clos'd with Christ the Prince of Peace Conscience then often spoke when it was not heard and flew in my Face when my Study too much was to check stifle and hush it I was then a Terror to my self and perhaps to others about me especially observing Christian Friends who fain would but then could not prevail with me to be serious strict and good I was too long God knows in the Gall of Bitterness and in the Bonds of Iniquity and O what rich Mercy was it I was not then taken from Earth and thrown into Hell that through Grace I did out-live the Years of a loose carnal freshly and unregenerate State O my Dear I cannot express the Sorrows the Terrors the Heart-break and Trouble that my youthful Follies cost me in Riper-years My Closet was witness to something and my God to more but alas all too little if Free-Grace save me not I must yet perish but of this I nothing doubt through the Merits and Mediation of my blessed Redeemer to whom I hope in Heaven to Eternity to give the Glory of what he has been pleased to give me the comfort of The Lord has fully convinc'd me that all my Prayers and Tears my Searchings and Watchings can nothing avail me without Christ God shew'd me my lost and undone Condition before I had thought of enquiring what I must do to be sav'd or of looking out after a Saviour And this through Mercy I can say that I could never have truly a quiet Minute till I was most sweetly perswaded and powerfully enabled to close with Christ as offered in the Gospel O Rich-Grace Free-Grace And now Dear-heart let me invite thee into the Embraces of blessed Jesus Come taste and try how good God is to returning Sinners I believe thou hast Well be more and more in love with Christ enter into Covenant with God and frequently renew thy Covenant-Engagements and labour to perform Covenant-Promises never think thou can'st do enough for that God thou expectest so much from nay indeed thy all that can either make thee happy here or to Eternity Some few Heads of Advice out of tender Love both to thy Soul and Body I leave with thee 1. SEttle thy Temporal Affairs and Wordly Concerns betimes that upon a Death-bed thou maist not be distracted and diverted with them from higher and more besitting Employment I delay'd making my Will too long which was no small Perplexity to my Mind till the Year 1685 when I did it 2. If thou can'st think me worthy thy Remembrance forget not shewing some Kindness to such Relations and Friends of mine who I need not name being known to thee who are Objects of Pity and need thy Charity 3. If thou do'st not incline to a Settlement in Nottingham in the House I leave thee for thy Life then be with or as near as may be some of thy Religious Friends such as may be Helpers and Promoters not Hinderers of thy eternal Welfare 4. If the Lord should again incline thee to marry dare not to join thy self in that Relation to any that is not join'd to the Lord marry one I say who in the judgment of the best of Friends as well as thine own which may in such a case deceive thee do's truly fear God nay I would advise thee to marry one of a healthful strong and sound Constitution by whom if the Lord please thou may'st have the Blessing of Children for I have reason to suppose that some Weaknesses and Infirmities whilst a Child and Young might render me less capable in that respect 5. If thou shouldest have Children train them up in the fear of the Lord help to fill Heaven with thy Off-spring 6. Having marry'd own thy Husband as thy Head submit to the Duties of a Wife for the Lord's Sake labour and pray for a meek and quiet frame of Spirit which is in the sight of the Lord of great price 7. Have some eye over and inspection into the Behaviour and Conversations of those I were some-time intrusted as Guardian for Jog and quicken Loyterers Heaven-wards mind them of their Education Counsels and Instructions and how hopeful their Beginnings were and especially regard our Child and dear Niece Brain 8. Be much in Reading and Studying good Books these I commend to thee especially viz. The Holy Bible with Pool's Annotations Swinnock's One Cast for Eternity Barrett's Christian Temper Heywood's Heart-Treasure Reyner's Precepts Dunton's Heavenly Pastime Case's God's waiting to be gracious Flavel's Fountain of Life Bolton's Tost Ship R. Allen's Rebuke to Back-sliders Janeway's Heaven upon Earth Swinnock's Regeneration Love on Heaven's Glory c. Flavel's Saint indeed Steel of Vprightness Calamy's Godly Man's Ark Hooker's doubting Soul c. Hardcastle's Christian Geography Watson on Contentment Mede's almost Christian Doolittle on the Sacrament His Call to delaying Sinners most of Bunyan's Works very useful if read without Prejudice These Books amongst others I have had much Refreshment from and heartily commend them to thee 9. Do all thou dost either in Religious or Civil Actions with an eye at Eternity thus pray and hear and read and meditate and converse and engage in all secular Affairs and discharge all relative Duties with an eye at Eternity and this will help to make thee very serious and strict 10. Spend thy Week-days well in the discharge of Duties publick and private keep an exact Diary of any sinful Miscarriages and be humbled every Evening for them take notice of God's Mercies every day and labour to have thy Heart sutably affected with the Lord's Goodness observe and pen down God's Dealings with thee and thy Carriage and Behaviour towards God this the Lord has enabled me to practise with good Success 11. Esteem of Sabhath-Days as the best of Days these are the Market-Days of thy Soul make good Provision on them for it hear the Word meditate on it digest and practise it neglect no Duties of the Day in private but most highly value Publick-Assemblies God being by them most honoured 12. Redeem Time I can from my own Experience tell thee a Review in
seal To which the Priests and Jesuits might appeal That they were Agents free and never knâ—w Till now the Popish Way was right and true That 't was not forced but a free Consent As by their Hands and Seals is evident Some alas did it and most foully fell To th' Grief of all their Friends that wish'd 'em well And after all if these did e're repine 'T was soon imputed to them as a Crime If publick Mass was scrupled any way Or dropping Beads when e're they went to pray Nay if a Sigh escap'd them this vile Rout Judg'd it Dislike to what they were about They fin'd them presently and did amain Send Soldiers to be lodg'd with them again All Sea-port Towns are stopt that none might go To tell the dismal Stories that they know All hopes are gone of making Scapes by flight The frontier Countries watched Day and Night There 's now no passing by a fain'd Excuse Vnless they could Certificates produce It would not do and these must also say The Passengers are of the Romish Way Vessels and Ships were search'd and Coasts thoughout Bridges High-ways and Rivers round about Guards almost every where did lurking lie To see if they could Protestants espy Holland's requir'd as it has been said To give up those that there for refuge fled And strictly charg'd they barbour should no more Nor entertain his Subjects rich or poor Nay some Attempts were made to bring those home Who into foreign Parts were fled and gone That they returning might exposed be Vnto the greater Wrath and Cruelty Of hellish Monsters who by every Dart Do shew the greater Malice of their Heart Whilst these things acted were i' th Kingdom round A new Contrivance in the Court was found To justify their Doings and to fix Their former Cruelties by new Edicts For th' nulling of the Edicts late of Nants The Wits are all at work i' th Court of France Much time was spent in drawing up the Form Which threatned their Estates another Storm Some mov'd the King should by his Power try Not only for to force the Laiety But Clergy-men a Truth thô very strange Their old Religion now at length to change And all Refusers sentenc'd to be sent Into perpetual Imprisonment ACROSTICKS GERVASE DISNEY Anagram I Sinner saved Yes JERVASEDISNEY I Sinner saved Yes through Grace Eternally to sing Rich was the Love of Christ who dy'd Valuing so mean a thing Ah Sinner stop here make a stand See but how once it was Enough thou ' lt see to humble thee Dejected Soul alas In Sin conceiv'd in Sin brought forth So many Sins so great Nought to be seen but Filthiness Ev'n this was thy sad State Yet notwithstanding God's Free-Love Now pitying thy Case Has snatch't thee Brand â—ut of the Fire Admire then Free-Grace GERVASE DISNEY Anagram I see Sin die ever JERVASEDISNEY IT 's Sin O Soul would ruin thee Ah then most constantly Endeavour to oppose thy Sins That thou mayst see them die Rich was the Love of Christ above to shed his Blood for thee Value O value this rich Grace Which thus has made thee free Ah sinful Soul consider well And think but of thy Case Salvation then thou soon wilt say Can only be of Grace Escap't thou art give God the Praise Eternally now Sing Dear Christ did bleed and die for me For me so vile a thing In Sin I dare not wallow now This shall be my Endeavour Since in my Blood God did say Live To see my Sins die ever Now mount O Soul in highest Praise Let Heaven hear thee sing Endless and Matchless was the Love Of Jesus Christ my King Yea but dear Lord I am so clogg'd By Sin the Sinner's Fetter I cannot praise thee as I would In Heav'n I 'll do it better An ELEGY on my Honoured Uncle Mr. GERVASE DISNEY who died April 3 1691. SAints here on Earth find still no Resting-place Heav'n ripen'd Souls ascend to Heaven apace Whilst Others do below with mournful Cries Thus celebrate their Fun'ral-Obsequies This has been England's case long latter Years Oft' yielding Matter of fresh Grief and Tears How many Jewels have we lost of late Which did adorn our English Crown and State But have by hasty Death been snatch'd away Their Bodies now reduc'd to Dust and Clay Yet thô such Losses Eriends on Earth must bear The Saints themselves the greatest Gainers are Whose Bodies more refin'd again shall rise Stript of their Dross and their Infirmities Vnited to their Souls again shall sing Eternal Hallelujahs to their King J. D. FINIS BOOKS lately Printed for and Sold by Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-yard HEarts-Ease in Heart-Trouble Or A Sovereign Remedy against all Trouble of Heart that Christ's Disoiples are subject to under all kinds of Affliction in this Life prescribed by the great Physician the Lord Jesus Christ which hath never failed those that have used it or ever will to the end of the World By J. B. a Servant of Jesus Christ Price 1 s. The Barren Fig-Tree Or the Doom of Fruitless Professors By J. Bunyan A Discourse of Closet or Secret Prayer from Matth. 6. 6. By Samuel Slater Minister of the Gospel Price 1 s. The Holy History in brief Or An Abridgment of the Historical Parts of the Old and New Testament By Samuel Clark Author of the Annotations on the Bible lately published Price 1 s. Christ's speedy coming to Judgment c. By William Bates D. D. Price 1 s. Christ alone our Life Or without Christ no Life By Edward Pearse Minister of the Gospel A Present for Children being a brief but faithful Account of many remarkable Things uttered by Three young Children to the wonder of all that heard them To which is added a Seasonable Exhortation to Parents for the Education of their Children Price 6 d. The Right Method for the Proving of Infant-Baptism By Joseph Whiston Minister of the Gospel Price 6 d. The Great Concern and Zeal of a Loyal People for a good and warlike King in the Hazards of War and the Duty of such a People opened and enforced in one of our Monthly Fasts Price 6 d. England's Call to Thankfulness for her great Deliverance from Popery and Arbitrary Government in the Year 1688 by the glorious Conduct of King William Price 6. Union pursued Or a Letter to Mr. Richard Baxter about the Agreement between the Presbyterians and Independents c. An Enquiry into the Constitution Discipline Unity and Worship of the Primitive Church that Flourish'd within the first Three Hundred Years after Christ Faithfully Collected out of the extant Writings of those Ages by an Impartial Hand In Two Parts The Conformists Reasons for hearing and joining with the Nonconformists St. Paul and St. James reconciled in the Point of Justification and the Controversies about it among Christians amicably composed A Defence of the Catholick Faith concerning the Satisfaction of Christ Written Originally by the Learned Hugo Grotius And now Translated by W. H. A Work very necessary in these Times for the preventing of the growth of Socinianism The Faithful Souldier's Reward Or a Glimpse of the Saints Happiness Discovered in two Sermons occasioned by the Death of that truly Vertuous and Religious Gentlewoman Mrs. Katherine Disney By William Scoffin Minister of the Gospel To my Friends that arc iâ— Christ To Carnal Friends Birth Sarah Samuel Cornelius John Elizabeth Mary Darcas D. S. Parents Daniel Gervase Apprentice Sins Work of Grace Grounds of Salvation Marriage Benefits by Afflictions Mat. 20. Luke 9 42. Isa 42. 16. Jer. 32. 30.
the Right-hand of his Father and there prepared a Place for him That I may contract After God had touch'd his Heart He lived as one that knew he should die and he died as one that knew he should live better than ever He lived in Holiness and be died in Faith His Ways were Righteous and his End was Peace Now he is gone to Rest and rejoice in that God whom he served and with whom he walked while he was here What Earth hath parted with Heaven hath receiv'd His Death was a Loss to many to me that was his Pastor for with him I sometimes took sweet Counsel rejoicing in the Greatness of that Love and Zeal he had for God in his holy Discourses and Expressiveness of a Gospel-Temper A Loss to the Church of which he was a Member in which he was very lovely and acceptable for his Carriage under Ordinances and Management of himself after them A Loss to the Poor who found his Hand liberally yet withal prudently open for their Relief But above all a Loss to his dear Yoke-fellow who indeed felt the Smart of the Blow yet was dumb and opened not her Mouth because the Lord had done it And it highly becomes her me and us all to be silent and acquiesce in the Providence of that God who being infinite in Wisdom doth all things well without Miscarrying in a Circumstance In this Book which is now put into thy Hands â—ind Reader thou hast his Picture though indeed it is but a rude Draught and in it thou maist discern much of the Frame of his Spirit and see how he was wont to exercise himself while many of his Rank are for Hawks and Hounds for Cards and Dice and worse things too O that such as read it would tread in his Steps and by his Example learn to take care of their immortal Souls and Pains about them for their Interest is the greatest and should be most minded and first secur'd Wilt thou please to read it with Prayer and an hearty Desire of being the better for it and then I do not question but thou wilt be so The Author's Will was that it should be communicated to his Relations for he was an hearty Friend to their Souls His affectionate and worthy Brother hath rather chosen this way of publishing it that so the Benefit thereby might be more extensive And if their united Desire and Design do take there are Hundreds that will make their thankful Acknowledgments and bless God In it there are many things worthy of thy notice It is before thee and I shall leave them to thine own Observation only a word or two Here thou wilt see how much he was afraid of Sin which is the basest of Evils and doth the greatest Mischief in the World Here thou wilt see his secret and daily retiring into himself and communing with his own Heart though too many are yet he was not a Stranger at home Thou maist see the constant Watch he kept as knowing how many Enemies he had abroad how many Snares he walked among and that there was in his own Bosom a slippery and treacherous Heart by no means to be trusted Thou maist see his Self-Reflections Self-Condemnings his Fears his Cares his Profiting by Ordinances his Conjugal Affections his Sense of Afflictions his Care to make his Peace with God and to keep up a Communion with him and a great deal more The Father of Mercies bless all to thee and make thee a Blessing to others So Prays Thy Soul's Well-wisher SAMUEL SLATER London From my Study June 3 1692. POSTSCRIPT HE seemed to have for some Months before his Doath a deeper and more than usual Sense of the Sins of his Youth which as by his own Pen he has much tamented so he would then asresh frequently mention and much bewail them He said sometimes that youthful Sins would make work for after Repentance in riper Years In the beginning of his last Illness be exprest his Sorrow he had spent so much Time in Coffee-Houses and that if it should please the Lord to spare him he would spend more of it in his Closet A TABLE to all the three Parts of my LIFE Epistle Dedicatory to my Dear Wife Pag. iii Some Passages concerning my Birth my Brothers and Sisters c. 11 Of my Parents and Advantages of good ones 23 My Weakness by the Rickets c. 26 c. My being put Apprentice 30 Peculiar Sins in that Service mentioned 30 c. Work of Grace begun 36 Relapses into Sin after my Apprenticeship 45 c. My hopes of Salvation and Grounds for them 51 My coming first a Suitor to my Wife and Marriage 52 c. Our setling at Nottingham and Grounds for it 55 c. My-Father Disney's Arguments for our living with him 62 My Arguments against leaving Nottingham 64 Troubles I met with upon account of Nonconformity 66 c. My coming to Ollercar providential 73 My Method for Family-Discipline and Reasons for it 74 c. My great Troubles on Monmouth's Rising and the Lord 's gracious Appearance for me 81 c. Advantages to my Soul by those Afflictions 97 c. Evidences for Heaven examined 100 Eminent and Remarkable Providences to my Self Wife c. 102 c. Good Sayings of good Men collected from Sermons I have heard and mentioned in my Diary 112 The surviving Advice of a deceased Husband to a surviving Wife 118 c. A Continuation of the most remarkable Passages of my Life 132 Passages a little before the Death of my dear Wife 144 A Copy of my last Letter to her 146 A Copy of my Wife's Letter to me five Days before her Death 148 Copies of two Letters of Mr. Coats concerning the Death of my Dear Wife 149 c. The surprize I was in on receipt of these Letters 153 c. A Letter from Mr. J. R. dated Jun. 4. 1686. 159 A Letter from Cos M. S. June 17. 1686. 161 A Letter from my Brother H. June 5. 1686. 165 A Letter from Madam L. 166 Encouragements for continuing at Ollercar 170 Reasons for my removing from Ollercar 171 LETTERS To a Relation inviting him to for sake Sin and pursue Holiness Apr. 1685. 174 To my Mother on the Death of my Sister Stanyforth 180 To my Sister W. on her Husband's Death 189 To a Relation growing loose in Conversation 191 To my dear Friend Mr. Whitaker 194 To Mrs. Mary Lavet after her Marriage Decemb. 1685. 196 To Mr. Lob at London Jan. 25. 1683. 198 To Mrs. Sarah Reynor Jan. 1685. 201 Some Passages of a Letter in Answer to my Mother Disney complaining of decay of her Sight 203 To Mr. Whitaker Jan. 24. 1683. 206 To Madam L. on the Death of her Kinsman and Birth of her Child 208 To my Mother on the Death of my Sister D. May 24. 90. 210 To Brother D. on the Death of his Wife May 24 90. 212 POEMS MEditations in Verse on the last great Sentence at the
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
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
encline to an Imitation of what 's bad and sinful But now to be born of Christian Parents yea such who are of the stricter sort surely this can be no less than distinguishing Mercy If it be a Mercy to Children to be train'd up in the Nurture and Fear of the Lord to be taught to be Religious by the Example of such Parents If a Mercy to Children to be in Covenant with God to have a Stock of Prayers laid up in Heaven for them to have wholesom Counsel serious Instructions pious Reproofs refreshing Comforts and necessary Corrections If these things be Mercies as surely none will deny certainly then the Children of religious Parents have cause all their Days to bless God for such a Mercy Here 's now the advantage of Religious Education when a Parent or Governor's Conduct of Children committed to their Care is moderated betwixt the Extreams of an unwarrantable Indulgence and cruel Rigor when Parents so deport themselves in their good Conduct and Government that Children may both love and honour their Presence when they are not too fond lest Children should not fear them nor too stern lest they should fear them too much Well! good Parents I bless God for As to my Brother Daniel in his younger Years he and I being both Abroad and at great Distance each from the other I had not the advantage of making particular Remarks He had his Learning and Education in part at the Lady Hussy's with Mr. Birkitts and after that with Mr. Ferguson both of them Non-conforming Ministers He marry'd pretty young Katherine one of the Daughters of Henry Fynes of Kirkstead Esq a Coheir by whom he had several Children four of them yet living and hopeful She proved a most tender loving Wife a dear Parent and a gracious Christian for many Years before she was summoned from Earth to Heaven which was on May the 16th 1690. A farther account of her some Letters in this Book contain I the said Gervase Disney being but a weak Child while young by reason of the Rickets I had in a high degree was as tenderly regarded and brought up much Care was taken of me especially by my Mother than whom I believe there can't be any more loving kind and tender-hearted breathing I could not by reason of my Weakness go till about eight years Old but long before that I fear could run swiftly enough in the Ways of Sin and Vanity In these Years I cannot say that I had the least sense of the Corruption of my Nature and the Evil of Sin upon my Heart Several Years I was carried in the Arms of one Anne Carlton a Servant in our Family who constantly attended me Bent enough I was to play and therefore for some Years had a constant way of Hitching about upon a Cushion the better to follow and join with my Brothers and Sisters in their Sports when by reason of the Rickets my Legs would not carry me The first Tidings of my Walking alone was welcome Tidings to my Father and Mother and brought by my Uncle Lee then a Tabler at our House at Lincoln for the Benefit of Free-School-Learning It seems he and the other Children were engaged in some kind of Sports that I had an Eagerness to pursue when finding I could not follow fast enough by Hitching did strangely and suddenly adventure a trial of Skill after them upon my Legs holding by Tables and Stools as I went along But O what a Miracle of Mercy am I to the Glory of God be it spoken who am now arriving the 48th Year of my Age having for most of these Years been healthful and strong and little acquainted with Sickness when as for several Years when a Child I was so weak that few thought I could live many Months O that I should out-live Seven of my Brothers and Sisters so many Years who were all of them so much stronger and most of them so much younger than my self But God's Ways and Thoughts are not as ours Surely as some times yea often I have thought God has something extraordinary for me to do tho the meanest and unworthiest of all his Servants only this I have learn'd through Grace to say heartily and chearfully Speak Lord for thy Servant desires to hear send me Lord upon any Errand and set me about any Work whether doing or suffering and I thy Servant desires faithfully to attend it If I may have but thy Presence with me and thy Supports and Comforts to refresh me in my way I shall be content I being in Childhood so long weak was not sent to School till about 12 or 13 years Old and then to the Free-School at Lincoln but did not altogether lose my time before for my honoured and good Aunt Thorneton who was with my Mother mostly from her Marrying with my Father did instruct me in my English Learning Indeed to most if not all of us she was both Nurse and Instructer my Mother having Children thickly and nursing us all herself was rendred less capable and therefore my dear Aunt 's Service was much more grateful and acceptable I went not to School of several Years and when I did made but little Proficiency having an aversness to-Learning or rather to Study the burdensom part of it my Inclination and Fancy working rather to other Things as Writing Herauldry Musick c. and these Exercises I used not only as Diversion but spent all the Time I could ever be Master of in them My Father therefore perceiving me to decline Learning gave me my choice of any Trade I inclined most to a Herauld-Painter having by frequent Practice arrived at tolerable Perfection in that Art But that Employ being judged to be too burdensom to an Apprentice I inclin'd to be bound to a Bookseller the advantage of many Authors and a good Library being to me the main Inducement But that Mr. Robinson told my Father was a declining Trade At last it was concluded with the Approbation of all concerned for me that I must be bound for 7 Years to my Cousin Mr. Martin Oglethorp a Silk-man and Merchant in Lombard-street London And there I was placed about the Year 1661 and about the 18th or 19th Year of my Age. There alas my Carriage and Deportment was such that I have cause to bewail my Folly being not so diligent and careful in my Service as I ought to have been in answer to a good Education the Lord had blessed me with These particular Sins I remember I was too frequently guilty of viz. wasting my Master's Time by employing too much in my own Service and that generally to my Disadvantage neglect of Duties Equivocation studiously contrived for the covering concealing and hiding other Faults which then I remember the Devil and my own naughty Heart perswaded me was not Lying yet since through Grace I have learnt to know was no better being intended and contrived for the deceiving of others And thus I have most wickedly
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
Riper-years of lost Time in Youth will prove sad and cost dear and be assured that Time 's lost that 's spent either in Eating Drinking Sleeping Visiting or Sportings more than Necessity requires 13. If the Lord should again make thee Head of a Family and bless thee with Children as well as Servants take care of their Souls train them up for God and let thy House be a Nursery for Heaven take an account every Week of their Proficiency in Spirituals and always esteem of those Children and Servants most that love fear and serve God best Travel in Birth to see Christ formed in thine and know that if any go from thy House to Hell through thy neglect their Souls will be required at thy Hands 14. Make Religion thy Business and always account the serving of God and the saving thy Soul to be the greatest Work thou art sent into the World about and continued in the World for give not Christ the World's leavings much rather let the World have his 15. Get right and well-grounded Evidences for Heaven O lay not a Sandy Foundation for the Building that 's to stand to Eternity 〈…〉 some Evidences for Heaven thou'lt find in the first part of this Treatise others in Rogers's Evidences for Heaven Examine thy State often and impartially and never be satisfied till the Interest betwixt Christ and thy Soul be compleated and cleared up 16. Sit loose from the World and seek not great things for thy self here My Circumstances in the World be such that I cannot leave thee much more than what was setled upon Marriage but all I could I have and a little with the Lord's Blessing is better than the great Revenues of many Wicked Make sure of an Estate in Heaven live much upon Invisibles choose Christ for a Portion and thou art made for ever 17. Be content with thy Condition here whatever 't is and expect Sufferings A Christian's Life here is militant If thou continue to keep thy Face Heavenwards which I trust thou wilt then may the Devil the World and the Flesh be frequently sallying out against thee But O pray that thy Faith fail not and that God's Grace may be sufficient for thee 18. Labour to persevere in the good Ways of God maintain thine Integrity and hold out unto the end whatever it cost thee Be a Follower of those who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises or Things promised All thy Bitters here will serve to make Heaven more sweet to thee and being Faithful unto Death Christ will give thee a Crown of Life 19. Get off from thine own Bottom place no Confidence in the Flesh look off from thine own Righteousness thine own Duties thine own Services when thou doest the best in point of Justification and depend and rest only on Christ upon whose account alone thou canst be accepted and saved It 's Christ's Righteousness alone imputed to thee for Justification and imparted to thee for thy Sanctification that can or will bestead thee 20. Be rich in good Works and go about doing Good hold on thy Charitable way of doing Good to Bodies but especially befriend poor Souls Be always as kind as thy Circumstances will allow to those worthy good Ministers of the Gospel thou and I were always beholden to and I am perswaded shall be blessing God for as Instruments in his Hand of our Good to Eternity 21. Allow thy self in no Sin for the least Sin loved and allowed is certainly damning When God has at any time convinced thee of a Sin and Conscience has flown in thy Face and thou art full of Terrour go to God down upon thy Knees and beg pardoning Grace and Mercy leave him not till thou hast obtained that Blessing and always have a care of Relapses for though we find a David and Lot and others of the dear Servants of God recorded in Scripture guilty of some great Miscarriages yet we find them sorely broken for those Things and humbled and not repeating and relapsing again into them 22. Prepare for Eternity get and keep Oil in thy Lamp that it be not to buy when thy Lamp should be found burning put on thy Wedding-Garments and be prepared c. 23. Mourn not for me excessively I am gone but thy God and my God stays with thee and I trust will guide thee by his Counsel till he conduct thee to his Glory I am dead but God lives thou hast no Husband on Earth what then If thy Maker be but thy Husband thou hast cause enough to rejoice What though they that have seen me shall in this World see me no more This is my Comfort let it be thine he does see me that has seen though my weak yet my sincere Yernings and Groanings after him he sees me that will never say I know you not being a God that will not forget Covenant he sees me who has seen my Soul in Travel and those Pangs of Desite after him that no others have O'couldst thou but hear what I confidently hope through the Morits and Mediation of my dear Redeemer I shall before thou â—â—est this Paper my God in the Riches of his Mercy saying to this effect Yonder 's poor such a one come to my Gate let him in he chose me for a Portion whilst on Earth and gave himself according to his weak Measures up to me I will in no wise cast him off Surely this would abate thy Sorrows surely then thou wouldst not wish me so Ill as to be on Earth again well live in the Faith of this and walk comfortably with thy God God has made thee indeed whilst on Earth to me the greatest outward blessing that ever I enjoyed O let me not want thy Company in Heaven And now my Dearest on Earth I commit thee to the keeping and Mercy of the Great Jehovah I resign thee to that God who is thy Maker and thy Husband serve him and thy Generation according to his Will here that thou mayest sleep in Jesus and be found in him Gervase Disney POST-SCRIPT OR A Continuation of the most Remarkable Passages of my LIFE since the other the last of June 1686. SINCE my last particular View of my Diary design'd in the Treatise of my Life I find my up's and down's and that I am but a poor vile and weak Creature unable of my self to answer by a holy and humble Carriage the Lord 's great Goodness to me in late signal Deliverances out of Trouble and that upon better Terms than I could expect I was now no sooner at ease and rest thrô the Lord's Mercy and at liberty than I grew secure and begun to be too regardless of Soul-Concerns I too little remembred and considered Promises made when under Affliction and neglected too much to pay those Vows My Circumstances when in Trouble were a Snare to me in some Particulars In my Diary the 19th of September 1685 I find my self blessing God for his Protection and Care of me in my Journey and
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
her weakness by Asthma and Feaver increasing and prevailing upon her she had some Disturbance by Temptations from Satan that grand Adversary of Souls to question her right to Happiness c. and whether God would accept so vile a Wretch Yet blessed be the Lord through Faith and Prayer and the never-failing Mercies of a Good God she got over all baffled Satan and was filled with unspeakable Joy in the Holy Ghost The Doctor prayed with her and afterward she her self prayed a considerable time distinctly and aloud and for her then Comfort and Support many Passages of Sermons she had heard especially some from Mr. Coates on that Text Come unto me all ye that labour c. came fresh in her Memory which the Lord helped her to improve to the great Comfort and Refreshment of her Soul She was now full of Heavenly Thoughts and from the abundance of her Heart her Mouth was now speaking c. She uttered nothing but what was savoury religious and serious and being spent by great Weakness went triumphantly to Heaven upon the 29th of May 1686. The Doctor told me it was the comfortablest Night that ever he enjoyed in all his Life Here at Leicester worthy Mr. Clarke the Nonconformist waited my coming that he might accompany me to Ollercarr which he did and the Lord made him mighty useful by his Christian advice to me June 3. I got home where I found a most sad and disconsolate Family I that needed others to comfort me was fain to be their Comforter June 5 1686. This Day my Diary manifests that I was grown more calm under the Lord 's mighty Hand and the loss of a Dearest Wife but yet too full of miserable Complaints and quarrelling Thoughts against my Maker the Lord forgive me and compose me for the Duties of the Sabbath following June 6. This Day was a very comfortable Sabbath with reference to my Enjoyments but the want of my Dear Wife occasioned Floods of Tears and violent Passions the Lord pardon my tumultuous Thoughts and in the Multitude of my Thoughts within me let his Comforts more refresh my Spirit June 7. This Day my Dear Wife was Interr'd at Crich where if the Lord please so to order it I desire and intend to lie by her the Lord pardon Sins while I had her and such as I have been most guilty of since I parted with her June 8. This Day through Mercy not much quarrelling with the Lord's Dispensations more calm than I was O that I could be dumb with Silence and not open my Mouth in a fretting and repining way because the Lord has done what 's done unto me the Lord sanctify this sad Breach upon me to my Soul's Good May I remember my Sins that have provoked God and be humbled for them and return to the Lord that smiteth June 9. This Day I find my Heart better fitted and framed to bear this sad Stroke This Day was preach'd by Mr. Coats my Dear Wife's Funeral-Sermon from these words 1 Thess 4. 13. But I would not have you to be ignorant Brethren concerning them which are asleep that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope Passion in the Sermon I was guilty of when in the Commondatory Part he was shewing what a Wife she was the Lord pardon my unbecoming Carriage to her Several days after I gave account of the Lord 's quieting my Mind under the sad Loss sustain'd June 20. This was a very comfortable Sabbath and the Lord gave me great Delight under the Droppings of the Sanctuary Mr. Coats preach'd from these words Hear the Rod and who hath appointed it O! I would fain make application to my self O that I could hear the Voice of this sad Providence and take out the Lessons of this Rod O that I may carry my self like a Christian under this mighty Hand of God! I have cause to fear I did not improve Last-Summer's Mercies as I ought and God has made this a much more uncomfortable Summer O that as ever I desire the Lord should not go on in this way I may better improve this Dispensation Several Letters I receiv'd from Friends heartily sympathizing with me in my Trouble take the Copies of some of them as follows A Letter from Mr. J. R. dated June 4 1686. Dear Sir BY a Letter I received Yesterday from Mr. Coats I perceive the Letters I sent you in Town on Monday Night were like Job's Messengers one bringing you sad the other sadder News but I hope you receiv'd the News with Job's Temper or mind viz. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord and God hath taken away the Delight of your Eyes and removed her out of sight she is in a state of Rest and you must behold her no more among the Inhabitants of the World this must needs be a pressing Affliction to lose so near so dear and so pious a Companion and that which aggravates the Affliction is that she was taken away in your Absence so suddenly and so unexpectedly But Dear Sir though God has crost your Will herein yet I hope a Tumult doth not arise your Passions and Affections are not in an uproar Why shall not God take away his own in his own time way and manner But Sir I am not to teach you God has rarely qualified you with the Graces of his Holy Spirit so that you know how to receive and how to resign a Mercy you know how to add to Faith Patience as you lately heard There is an animal Life of a Soul void of Grace accommodating it self to the Interests of the Flesh to all such things as are grateful to Sense but then there is a Spiritual Life which is a Principle enabling a Soul to bear up when God takes away our greatest Comforts such a Principle there is in you All I have to do is to sympathize with you and to pray that God would afford you more of the Assistances of his Holy Spirit that you may exert that Principle now at this time under this Loss The truth is 't is one of the most lovely Sights in the World to see a Christian acting Faith Patience Humility Submission Resignation c. in times of Affliction this makes the World say that there is something more in Religion than Talk but as I said I am not to teach you You have the teachings of the Spirit which will enable you to improve this Loss to better Gains The Lord sit us all for our last and great Change and in the midst of our private Losses let 's remember the Afflictions of Sion now sitting in the Dust So prays Your Sympathizing Friend and Humble Servant J. R. I hope you will return up again after some Days I think it will be convenient to divert your self with your Friends here some time after you have performed the last Office of Love to your Yoak-Fellow c. A Copy of a Letter from Cos M. S. dated
Sister from Glory would you or any of us have a Heart to invite her from so blissful a State Does not the Spirit of God by several Passages of Scripture seem to say to us as Judas said in another case What needs all this waste Tears are a good Ingredient for Prayer and Repentance let 's not be too prodigal of them in other cases Humanity does allow of some Sorrow but Divinity forbids much Dear Mother refuse not to be comforted receive the Comforts and refuse no longer the Creatures God affords you for the refreshing and supporting Nature Let David I pray be your Pattern in this case he pray'd for his Child while living he fasted he wept For says he who can tell whether God will be gracious to me and the Child may live this I doubt not but you did But when the Will of God was signified in the Death of his Child 2 Sam. 12. 22 23. Now he is dead says he wherefore should I fast can I bring him back again I shall go to him but he shall not return to me O that you could do likewise The Child being dead he wipes his Eyes falls to his Refreshments and submits to God Let not the want of one Mercy we all priz'd deprive us of the Comfort of the many Mercies we do enjoy 12. If we consider who we have lost methinks our Sorrow should be abated One who gave most excellent Demonstrations of a good Heart and a good Condition one I trust ripe for God and fitter for Heaven than Earth one panting for Glory long before she died and had set all in order for Eternity before she was sick she long'd to be dissolv'd that she might be with Christ Methinks I still hear her Ah says she how long O Lord how long when wilt thou come And to By-standers says she I 'm jealous you are conspiring to keep me longer out of Heaven And ah what a Sight did I see in my dear Sister when upon the very wing for Heaven and just ready to take her flight Ah! the heavenly Language she uttered while she did speak which was almost to the last and then when she could not speak the Movings of her Lips the Pantings of her Heart the Liftings of her Eyes and indeed every Motion of her Body spoke her to have strong Workings of Heart after God and to be upon the very Confines of Glory What cause of Mourning now it's our Loss but her Gain She had before a good Husband but now O now the Match between Christ and her Soul is compleated Me-thoughts she held my Father Disney's Hand so fast to the last as if she long'd to take him with her yet by degrees let go as if she had said God has more work for you here and I can freely let my Hold go of best Creature-Comforts as longing to be in my heavenly Father's Embraces I doubt not but to her to live was Christ and to die Gain therefore well might she leave that to be preach'd on at her Funeral and as her last Legacy to surviving Friends Weep not for me but weep for your selves and for your Children The greatest Reason for such Weeping present times seem to prognostick My dear Mother labour for a Christian Carriage under such a Cross God's Rod has a Voice as well as his Word and it 's our great Concernment to hear it and him that has appointed it Let us say Righteous O Lord art thou and in very Faithfulness thou hast afflicted us Let 's not entertain hard Thoughts of God but with Aaron hold our Peace for God has done it Dear Mother you know well that spiritual Comforts are the best Comforts Is not Christ better than ten Daughters than ten Sisters than ten Children Is not his Loving-Kindness better than Life Is there not more in a God than ever was or can be in a Creature We have no reason to sorrow as those without hope She whom we dearly lov'd is gone to her dearly Beloved she 's reaping the Fruits and Benefits of her Labours in the Lord and is blessed For blessed are the Dead that die in the Lord c. Like another Mary she chose the better Part which will never be taken from her She is it 's true taken away in the flower of her Age and when we most expected Satisfaction in such a Relation but God knew it the best time to gather such a Flower Mr. Baxter well observes Such have run long enough who have reach'd the Prize have sail'd long enough who are safely harbour'd and liv'd long enough who are ready to die We have more cause to rejoice that once we did enjoy such a Wife such a Child such a Sister such a Niece such a Friend to give up at God's Call than now to murmur that she is so suddenly remov'd she is I doubt not happy God has preferr'd her to Mansions of Glory before us let us prepare to follow God has call'd home another of your Children but you are not Childless O take heed by Repining Carriage of provoking God to farther Strokes but if God should write you Childless you are not yet bereft of Comfort while the God of all Comfort is yours If God will not let any part of your Happiness lie in Children then let it wholly lie in himself The Love and Delight we plac'd in such a Friend may now be placed to greater Advantage upon Jesus Christ That the Stream of our Affection to him may be so much the stronger as there are fewer Channels for it to divide into is the earnest Prayyer of Your Obedient Son G. D. A Letter to Sister W. upon her Husband's Death Dear Sister MY Wife being indispos'd by a Cold cannot write but you may be assured we are both hearty Sympathizers with you in your sad and solitary Condition The Breach the Lord has been pleas'd to make upon you indeed is great and such as none can express but those that experience it but God having made it who alone can make it up I hope you will endeavour to be satisfied and not to mourn as one without Hope If the Lord will not have any part of your Happiness to lie in a Husband then let it wholly and intirely lie in himself labour to bring your Heart and Mind to a sweet Submission to the Pleasure of your Father And though a Bosom-Friend be not yet God is who is the same yesterday to day and for ever Relations may and must die but God lives who is stiled The Father of the Fatherless and a Husband to the Widow I question not but you can suck much Sweetness from the many gracious Promises made for the Encouragement of such as you The poor Interest I have at the Throne of Grace was improv'd for him and shall be for you That 's best for us that God does and this being God's Doing you must kiss his Rod in Silence and give Glory to the Hand that rules it c. A Letter
which time I was afraid mine to you had miscarry'd I heartily rejoice at the Lord's Goodness to you and yours and through Mercy can give you the same Account concerning me and mine though a sickly Season in many Places We have through the Goodness of God of late enjoy'd very comfortable Opportunities at my House for which I desire to bless God But the last Meeting we had here being rather too large was disturb'd the Mayor having notice of Peoples coming in sent his Serjeant who when the People were disperst and the Minister gone came in and desired Liberty to search my House which I giving him he told me if upon my word I would say there was no Minister at my House he would neither trouble me nor himself I assured him there was none he then only went into the Garden where he pretended he saw 300 but however they not being able to make a Conventicle of it nor a Riot the Jury found it an unlawful Assembly the which they prosecute and I intend to traverse for they cannot make out any unlawful Act. The Day is yet dark and the Sufferings of many great and Sin at the bottom of all If the Hearts and Lives of Professors were better we should soon see better Times It 's repenting Work and reforming Work is our Duty O that we could see the Hand of God in all that befals us and turn to him that smiteth O that we could with Faith and Patience look up to the Rock of Ages when Foundations seem out of course c. A Copy of a Letter to Madam L. upon the Death of her Kinswoman and the Birth of her Child Honoured Madam I Did at the same time by the Pen of Mrs. Green receive the sad Tidings of the Death of your dear Kinswoman Mrs. M. and the joyful News of your safe Delivery from the Pains and Peril of Child-bearing the one I know would be afflicting enough to you the other I can assure you was welcom Tidings to me and a Mercy I hope and believe you will endeavour to improve towards your Support and Comfort and the Glory of the great Jehovah See dear Madam the Lord's Tenderness and Goodness to you in late Dispensations your Afflictions are mix'd and allay'd with Mercies You may experience what patient Job says The Lord gives and the Lord takes and I believe with him likewise you desire to bless his holy Name He has taken away your Kinswoman but he has given you a Child has taken away one that was very useful faithful and necessary to you and given you one who through his own Blessing upon a religious and pious Education you may comfortably hope he will make so Let not blubber'd Eyes for a Comfort lost prevent your chearful fruitful and thankful Notice of what remains pour not so much upon the dark-side of present Dispensations as to hinder your taking the Comfort of and heartily blessing God for the bright-side and Shinings of Mercy Dear Madam I am a hearty Sympathizer with you in your Trouble and desire to bear my part in blessing the Lord with you and for you with reference to Mercy show'd you You have now obtain'd a new Mercy from the Lord and I believe know well that new Duties are incumbent upon you c. A Letter to my Mother upon the Death of my Sister D. May 24 1690. Ever honoured Mother STill the Lord is pleased to make Breaches upon our Family the suddain and surprizing News of our dear Sister's Death came to us this Day by Mr. B. and I could not omit sending a few Lines to you by Post this Night I know Honoured Mother the Stroke lies exceeding heavy upon you I am afraid much too heavy being very well acquainted with the Tenderness of your Affections and the Workings of your Bowels to Relations But I pray dear Mother refuse not to be comforted I am perswaded you have no reason to sorrow as one without hope for her who I believe now sleeps in the Bosom of her and our dear Redeemer Our God has done his Pleasure let us now labour to do our Duty and be content We heartily wish our selves with you but can't as yet accomplish that Desire being unprovided of Horses and a Servant but as soon as may be we do purpose it The good Lord sanctify this Stroke to us all and â—it us for our latter End and grant that we may be Followers of those who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises The Inclosed I desired may be sent to my poor afflicted Brother to whose Relief and Support I desire to contribute something Though Shortness of Time suffers not Enlargement farther than to present all our humble Duties to your self and honoured Aunt with Service to all Friends I rest Honoured Mother Your Obedient Son G. D. A Letter to Brother D. upon the Death of his Wife May 24 90. My Dear Brother I Heartily lament the sad Breach the Lord has been pleas'd to make upon you and am the more a Sympathizer with you as knowing by my own Experience what such a Stroke and Dispensation means The Lord has I know taken away the Delight and Desire of your Eyes this is your Misâ—ry but having taken her to himself let that be your Comfort he has snatch'd at a Stroke a Wife out of your Bosom which certainly is most grievous but has he not taken her into his own let this be your Support She was well provided for on Earth and had as much Satisfaction aâ— I believe any on account of a tender Husband sweet Children deaâ— Relations and other comfortable Accommodations but much better now in Heaven has better Place better Company better Employment tâ—an a vain World evâ—r did or could afâ—ord What occurs in 2 Cor. 7. 29 31. equally concerns both you and me whose Conditions in this case havâ— been the very same though now different you must labour to be and carry as if you had not lost a Wife and I as if I had no Wife Time is short and Life shoâ—t and relative Comforts are transient and fluid things thereforâ— your Sorrows must be moderate for your Loss and my â—oys be as if they were not seeing we and ours are to fall and part and pass away in our Courses My dear Brother labour â—or a Christian-Carriage under so sad a Cross O that what you want in the Creature may be abundantly made up by a Creator and that what you have lost as to Streams may be supplied from a Fountain God's Rod has a Voice as well as his Word and I believe you 'l labour to hear it and him that has appointed it O Brother we must have a care of â—nterâ—aining hard Thoughts of God who does all thingâ— in Righteousness and afflicts his Children in very Faithfulness My Bowels really yearâ— towards you now Wifeless and your poor â—aâ—â—s now Motherless the Lord be a Comfort and Support to you all and make up this astonishing Breach
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
thô you would not see 't Then take them Devils bind them Hands and Feet Persecutors Come forth you Persecutors now you 'l know What 't was for to oppress my Friends below You did not only mock and scoff but when You pleas'd you did imprison th' best of Men. Not only did you wound them with the Tongue But Scorpion-like you many of them stung Some Judas-like you wickedly betray'd And others with your Treats you made afraid You banish'd some and others spilt their Blood Because they durst not sin but would be good Many you hal'd to Prison whom you knew In all their Pray'rs to me forgot not you You would not walk your selves in th' Narrow-way And such as would you often caus'd to stray You thought herein you serv'd me but now see It was the Devil's Work with him you 'l be Take them then Devils let those Monsters know Their Folly's great who serv'd my Servants so Licentious Licentious ones come forth for you have been Allâ—vers of your selves in every Sin You never laid Restraints upon your Will But always would your Appetites fulfil Your Lusts must be indulg'd your Sins allow'd The least Advance on Earth has made you proud If others would be bad you 'd not forbear With Drunkards would be drunk with Swearers swear With haughty Spirits you could rant and huff And with the vilest would be vile enough Then take them Devils let them ever burn In Hell's devouring Flames and ne're return Gluttons Come forth ye Gluttons you that must be fed With best of Dainties and the finest Bread Who could for th' Body lusty Morsels carve Whilst a neglected Soul was like to starve Whose Cry was always Give come give us more Thô Beggars went but empty from your Door If Paunches were not swell'd to th' biggest Last You always thought you had a poor repast If Bellies were not fill'd up to the Brim And you in Liqour almost fit to swim You thought Provision mean and you must starve Thô Scraps indeed were more than such deserve Well take them Devils give them now their fill Let swinish Tempers have their swinish Swill Drunkards Drunkards come forth who did your selves besot By drinking Wine in Bowls Pot after Pot Who did unman your selves debase your Reason And this not seldom but at every Season You knew you sinn'd by every such Excess That Nature would be satisfi'd with less And that such Drunkards must their Portion take In the infernal Pit and fiery Lake Yet drink you would and Drunkards you would be And in excuse would say some tempted me Others thus pleaded that as for their share They overtaken were before aware But these things will not do your Pleas are naught And all your drunken Frolicks dearly bought Then seize them Devils let them ever take Whole Draughts of Vengeance in a flaming Lake Adulterers Come forth Adulterers that cursed Seed Who were unchaste in Thought or Word or Deed For all these things by my Command I did Most strictly all the Sons of Men forbid You Wantons knew these things most sinful were And yet to act them seldom would forbear You sought out secret Corners where to sin And act your lustful Wickednesses in You dreaded humane Eyes and watch'd for Night That Works of Darkness might not see the Light But ne're consider'd my all-seeing Eye Could Wickedness thrô thickest Darkness spy Then take them Satan rack them in each part That they may ever know I search the Heart Covetous Come forth those worldly Muck-worms that took pleasure In nothing more than heaping up a Treasure In this vain World but never did know why Or who should afterwards the same enjoy Who fixt your Hearts on Earth but would not know When God does blow on such things all must go Your Thoughts were so on Earth you never could Think once of Heav'n at least you never would Bestow a Thought about your future State And Sinners now you see it is too late Then take them Devils ransack all your Hoards And give them Treasures such as Hell affords Unmerciful Come forth all those who would no Mercy show Nor pity take on needy ones below Who would not spare some Pence out of their Store But sent the Hungry empty from their Door And churlishly would at the Beggar scoff Or else would look at him a great way off Had Bowels always shut against their Cries And no regard would have to weeping Eyes Well take them Devils to eternal Pain Let those who shew'd no Mercy seek't in vain Unrighteous Come forth unrighteous Persons and unjust Who in their Dealings here betray'd their Trust Widows and Orphans by their louder Cries Have rent the Heavens and have pierc'd the Skies Your over-reaching Neighbours heretofore And grinding of the Faces of the Poor Oppressing some who ever you thought fit And vexing others whom you could out-wit All these and other such unrighteous Gains Is known to me your Judg and for your Pains Take them now Devils hurl them into th' Fire That 's kindled and increased by my Ire Liars Come forth you Liars that would not refrain To tell a Lie at any time for Gain Who were so much accustom'd to this Sin As if your training up in Hell had been Affirming for a Truth the thing which you At that time did well know to be untrue But this you oft have done without a Thought That such a Practice loved is stark naught You have reported Lies but that 's not all You often have invented them withal O what a Case are you in who as soon As you could almost speak were Liars grown Too often have you by this Lying trade A Fault that was but single two Faults made Then take them Devils for a common Liar Is Fewel very proper for Hell-fire Slanderers Let Slanderers come forth and now appear Who always to Back-biters lent their Ear And then would Stories here and there soon scatter Which whether true or false they did not matter Thus you have liv'd and hereby oft have ta'ne Vnjustly from your Neighbours their good Name Your very Language is of such a sort Let Neighbours but report and we 'l report Such Persons surely never yet well knew The Duty to a Neighbour that was due Thô know they might and ought that in their Station They should not blast but help his Reputation Take them then Devils down to Hell them bear And let them tell those Fiends what now they hear Ambitious Come forth Ambitious Persons and the Proud Make room for them they are too great to crowd Come you who built your Nests on Earth so high As if you meant most proudly thence to fly To Heav'n but this can't be you knowing well 'T was Pride threw Angels down from thence to Hell Many a dirty Step you took to th' Seat Of Honour when on Earth to make you great And tow'ring were your Thoughts and swelling Pride Admiring of your selves but none beside Others you scorn'd and always thought unfit At any
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
'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
surmount Who then is like the Lord our God Who though of highest worth Humbles himself for to behold Both Things in Heav'n and Earth The Poor from Dust he raises High And from the Dunghil brings The Needy prest with Misery To sit enthron'd with Kings The Barren he does cause to bear Such Joyful Mothers shall In their own Houses Children rear Praise ye the Lord for all An Hymn upon Prov. 28. 13. He that covereth his Sins shall not prosper c. And upon the Doctrine raised by Mr. C. March 27 86. THE Sinner thinks by hiding Sin It shall not come to Light Because Man sees not be concludes It is not in God's sight But Folly great will soon appear In Sinners thus misled For he by cov'ring Sin pulls down Heaven's Wrath upon his Head Though he that hides Sin never shall Have quiet in his Mind He that confesseth and forsakes The same shall Mercy find An Hymn upon Matth. 16. 26. For what is a Man profited c. WHAT Can it profit any Man Though all the World he gain And by his sinful carking Cares What Heart can wish obtain If after all his Soul be lost What is 't he would not give To ransom his miscarry'ng Soul That it might ever live An Hymn upon Mr. N's Text Octob. 89 Prov. 30. 7 8 9. Two things have I required of thee c. TWO Things O Lord especially I beg thou 'lt please to give Deny me not before I die But grant 'em whilst I live Remove far from me Vanities Make Heart and Life both sound Let not deceitful Shifts and Lies Be with thy Servant found Lord give me neither Poverty Nor Wealth in too great store I beg what may convenient be And do desire no more Not Riches Lord lest too great share Make Pride become my Bane Nor Poverty lest I should steal And take thy Name in vain An Hymn upon Mr. M's Text May 29 1690. and Doctrine 1 Joh. 3. 9. Whosoever is born of God c. HE doth not sin that 's born of God His Seed in him remains He cannot sin as others do The Grace of God restrains He does not sin insensibly As carnal Men are prone But quickly feels its smart and pain And under it does groan Thorow Corruption which remains And best of Saints have got They are in Sin too apt to slip But constantly sin not He does not sin presumptuously Nor wilfully submit He does not overtake the Sin But is o're'tane by it And when through Frailty he does fall He quickly does arise He dare not rest and wallow in His Sin in any wise Lord give me Grace for to avoid The Pit the Sinner's in Keep back thy Servant from known Guile And from presumptuous Sin An Hymn upon Mr. D's Text Luk. 13. 24 25 26. Strive to enter in at the strait Gate c. STRIVE now to hit the narrow way And enter the strait Gate For not a few shall sadly rue Their striving when too late When once the Lord has shut the Door And those without begin To knock and cry in Misery Lord open let us in The Lord shall answer them and say Thus trembling at his Bar I never knew any of you I know not whence you are Then shall poor wretched Sinners urge And many of 'em say Lord have we not done this and that For thee in our Day 'T was in thy Presence we poor we Have ate and drank and sought We had thy Word O Blessed Lord And in our Streets thou 'st taught We 've prophesied in thy Name And mighty Works have done The Devils they did us obey We cast 'em out they run When as the Lord shall thus reply Go Sinners take your Lot In you I see Iniquity Depart I know you not VERSES upon the King of France's Persecution the Faithful Account being published in Prose turned into Verse by G. D. Decemb. 86. IN humane Monster what will nothing do But seize Estates and ruine Churches too Will nothing serve the turn but tear and rend And break in pieces Hearts that dare not bend Excuse me then if now I can't forbear To tell the World the Stories that I hear That some who stand amazed may perchance Humble this proud and bloody King of France Dragoons are called in to seize the Treasure And quarter upon Protestants at pleasure Guards they are plac'd at Gates with naked Swords With frightful Aspects domineering Words Watchmen stand lurking for to make a Prey Of all that would escape and get away This was the constant cry of Troopers Kill Destroy those damned Hereticks at will Be Catholicks ye Sots and now return Vnto our Faith or you'st do worse than burn How many weeping Eyes and Hearts do bleed To see their Friends as dying yet not dead Die they desire but those Rogues in grain Tell them they shall not die but live in Pain Estates they seized rifled Houses then Invented Torments new for those good Men. Babes from the Mothers Breasts these Tyrants tore Such Cruelties they acted o're and o're They enter Neighbours Houses at their Pleasure Take thence their Jewels Plate and other Treasure They left the owners nothing they thought worth The taking from them and their carrying forth Provision that they found they seiz'd with Joy And what they could not eat they did destroy They being fill'd the rest must go to 'th Swine They swore the Owners should be forc'd to Dine On harder Fare Nay to compleat their Grief They made it Penal for to give Relief To any one of those The hungry Bellies and the naked Backs From Doors of richer Men were forc'd to pack No Wickedness was scrupled that might tend The Projects of these Monsters to befriend Good Men were sighing forth their dol'rous Cries Whilst others Mouths were fill'd with Blasphemies Inhumanly they Protestants did vex Without regarding either Age or Sex Who would not yield that Popish Jugling Fools Should have the conduct of their precious Souls Who would not give up Reason and from thence Submit to Men that had not common Sense They soon did mark them out for to presage They were to be the Objects of their Rage They hung up Men or Women that they took Vpon a Gally-bauk or Chimney-hook Some by the Hair o' th Head some by their Feet And thus they served all they did think meet Smoak'd them with Wisps of Straw whilst hanging there Till they that Torment could no longer bear They took them down and if they would not then Quickly recant they 'd hang them up again Through Fiery Streams they caused them to wade In which consuming Torments many staid Till almost roasted this was their Intent New Torments for those Creatures to invent Many they hal'd with Ropes and let them down Into the deepest Pits in all the Town From whence they might not come till they could see By Hand and Seal they Catholicks would be Bound them as Criminals are ty'd alas And thus with pinion'd Fetters they must
just And to his Life conform Since we Profession make we must The Gospel thus adorn He is our Lord Redeemer and We do profess that we By what he 's done are now redeem'd From all Iniquity His Name we own to call upon Are therefore strictly boâ—… To honour not reproach the same His Glory forth to sound Do we of Nature most divine Pretend for to partake Let us in all our Actions shine And him our Pattern make Do we to 's Doctrine credit give Labour we to adorn The Gospel then in every thing By sutable return Have we his Spirit then we 're led With glorious Success To live and act and walk i' th ways Of Truth and Holiness True Faith in Christ where ' ere it 's found will purge and purify It mends the Heart and every part The Life 's reform'd hereby A Love to Christ we all profess O let this Love constrain Vs for to live to him that dy'd And now is rose again Christ while on Earth was undefil'd Most Sinless was his State No stain or spot did ever soil This Lamb Immaculate He by his Blessed Life while here Did an Example give How we should carry walk and speak And Holy Lives should live In all his ways he was sincere Nothing could ever soil That perfect Innocence of his So free from Craft and Guile Meditations upon Mr. G's Text 1 Joh. 4. 7. And every one that loveth is born of God c. THe gracious Soul that 's born of God And has a saving sight Of what is Evil and what 's Good And knoweth God aright He loveth God and Godliness And every Saint that he Believes God's Image stampt upon In Truth and Verity Lord grant me Teaching from Above Illuminate me so That thou a God in Covenant I savingly may know That Light of Nature all Men have It never can afford The full Idea of that God Who is the Living Lord. Nor can the best of Creatures show Though wonderfully wrought The Splendour of the God Above Too vainly this way sought No 't is the Soul that 's born again And 's by the Spirit taught Can only fear and serve the Lord And know him as he ought Such they 'l sincerely seek to God They call and knock and cry Will learn to pray from Day to Day With Importunity Re thou the Portion of my Soul I then can be content With smallest share of Worldly Fare And meanest Settlement Give me a Christ or I 'm undone Hear Lord my Suit and Cry Let me be thine and Christ be mine Without him I must die Bless to my Soul the means of Grace Thy Institutions all Incline mine Ear O Lord to hear And to obey thy Call Meditations upon Isa 50. 10. Who is there among you that feareth the Lord c. HE that does truly fear the Lord And 's Servant doth obey Who walk's i' th dark and sees no Light May yet upon him stay He may with greatest Confidence A Succour from him claim Who is the Lord Jehovah Great By trusting in his Name Meditations upon Luk. 10. 31. By chance there came down a certain Priest that way c. ALL Mankind since the Fall are bent To travel out o' th way That leads to Bliss and Happiness And sinfully to stray Both Priest and Levite here agree When as a wounded Man They did espy to pass him by Without Compassion Legal and Moral Righteousness Can never give Relief But dreadful Comforters do prove To Souls opprest with Grief And as for formal Holiness Or bare Profession made It never can relieve a Man With Comfort when dismay'd 'T is none of these that can appease The burthen'd Sinner fainting It 's Christ alone that such an one Is longing for and panting Turn then aside my Blessed Lord A wounded Sinner see For I am sure I need a Cure Have Mercy Lord on me Other Physicians all I find But vain as to my Case I must depend unto the end O Lord upon thy Grace O thou the good Samaritan Compassionate and kind Pour in thine Oil upon my Soul Then healing I shall find Meditations on 1 Joh. 2. 29. If ye know that he is righteous c. KNowing that Christ is righteous Must necessar'ly show That he must needs be born of God That Righteousness doth do A Legal Righteousness none can Discharge since Adam's Fall But here 's our Comfort God accepts What 's Evangelical Meditations upon Mr. F's Text Phil. 1. 27. Only let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ GOD grant our Conversations here May ever more be such As may the Gospel of our Lord Adorn and Credit much It presses Holiness in Life And teaches to deny Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts And living soberly The Gospel pure and its Rules Do reach the inward part And notice take of all Mistakes Both in the Life and Heart 'T is Holy Righteous Just and Good Directs us to abstain From all appearances of Ill From Carriage light and vain To cleanse our selves from Filthiness Both of the Flesh and Spirit T' avoid indecent Wantonness And Gospel-Rules to credit All sinful Gestures it forbids And Carriage vain and light The Glances of a Lustful Eye And Works that shun the Light Thy Word O Lord's a Word of Truth Forbids Deceit and Guile Teaches to fly Hypocrisy And ev'ry Motion vile An Hymn upon Mr. C's Text Eccles 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator c. REmember thy Creator now Whilst youthful Days do last Now know love fear and serve thy God For Age is hastning fast The Evil Days are drawing on Then now lay up thy Treasure For being come thou 'lt find and say In these I have no Pleasure An Hymn upon Rev. 2. 10. Fear none of those things c. FFar not the Troubles Jesus saith Vnto his Church below That thou may'st here be call'd to bear And forc'd to undergo The Devil by his Instruments To Prison some shall hale Yet 't is but some it is not all The Promise cannot fail A ten Days Trial such may have And Tribulation bear But being faithful unto Death ACrown of Life shall wear An Hymn on 1 Tim. 2. 5. ONE God there is and only One One Mediator High The Man Christ Jesus who for all Did pay full Price and die On 1 Joh. 2. 1 3. IF any sin we have on High An Advocate who spilt His precious Blood that he thereby Might expiate our Guilt On Rev. 5. 13. BLessing and Glory and Renown To him we give therefore That sits o' th Throne and to the Lamb Of God for evermore Psal 113. turned into other Verse and a more common Tune April 1686. OYe the Servants of the Lord His Holy Name adore Sing forth his Praise with one accord And bless him evermore Ev'n from the rising of the Sun Vnto its going down Cease not this praising Work begun Give Glory and Renown Above all Nations God is High His glittering Glory count Does very much for Majesty The Heavens High