well applied Ye are troubled with many things but one thing is necessary Oh that men would consider this Vnum necessarium that they might shun and forsake the immoderate trifles of a Transitory world and that they would e're the time be far spent find out those paths that will lead them to their Souls rest which Lesson is taught them in the Holy Scriptures and not onely there but by a Heathen who said Tempus est de illa perpetua Iam non de hac exigua vita cogitare It is now high time not to think of this Life but of Life Eternal In this present world we can study how to provide for our Temporal Estates contriving a settlement for our maintenance and preservation and shall we be so stupid as to neglect the Eternal happiness of our Souls in that other world Where there are pleasures for evermore To do which we should begin betimes we should like wise builders lay a good Foundation and seek the Lord while he may be found We should day and night meditate upon the Lord. We should love honour obey him and devote our selves wholly to his service And this our duty bindes us to for these respects For the excellence of his Divine perfection Being defective not in any thing He is perfect in Knowledge He is past finding out Be perfect as your Father which is in heaven is perfect And although no Heart can comprehend or Tongue fully can express this perfection yet we may esteem it by his Attributes of some whereof take this following account It appears how admirable it is since no Tongue can express it nor any Heart conceive it The Transcendencie of the God-head exceeds not onely the usual strength of Eloquence but of Understanding likewise He is Absolute He is all Eye and seeth All things He is all Ear and heareth All things He is all Hand and worketh All things He is Infinite Whither saith the Psalmist shall I go from thy presence Do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord He is Immortal I live for ever He only hath Immortality Solus Deus est Immortalis quia non est per Gratiam sed per Naturam God alone is Immortal being so by Nature not by Grace He is Eternal Without beginning Thou art God from everlasting Without end Thou art the same and thy years shall not fail He is called the Ancient of days He is Immutable God is not to be changed 1. In his Nature Thou shalt endure I am the Lord I change not Every good and perfect gift cometh from the Father of Lights with whom is no variableness neither shadow of changing 2. In his promises and decrees The Counsel of the Lord shall stand My Counsel shall stand God hath promised who cannot lie He is Wise. Nothing is hid from him The Lord knoweth the thoughts of man His Wisdom is Infinite Loe thou knowest all things O the depth of the riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! He is Holy In him is no Iniquity Who is like unto thee O Lord Glorious in Holiness None Holy as the Lord. He is True 1. In himself Whatsoever is in him is Truth It is Life Eternal to know thee the true God Let God be true and every man a Lyar. 2. In his works Righteous in all his works 3. In his words The Words of the Lord are pure The Truth of the Lord endureth for ever Good Absolutely Without the help of any 1. In himself There is none good but God 2. He is the Author of all Good to others Every good and perfect gift cometh from the Father of Lights The Earth is full of his goodness He is Glorious Ye shall see the Glory of the Lord. The sight of his Glory was like consuming fire The whole earth is full of his Glory His Glory is above the Heavens He is Powerful I am the Almighty God saith the Lord. In the Creation of the World In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth The Heavens are beautified with Stars The Earth is spacious and splendid plentifully stored with its Fruits Beasts of the field and Fowls of the Air. The Sea abounds with variety of Fish for the use of man And all were made of nothing but by his word 1. Wherefore Rejoyce in the Lord O ye righteous for praise is comely for the upright 2. Praise the Lord with harp sing unto him with the psaltery and an instrument of ten strings 3. Sing unto him a new song play skilfully with a loud voice 4. For the word of the Lord is right and all his works are done in truth 5. He loveth righteousness and judgement the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. 6. By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap he layeth up the depth in store-houses 8. Let all the earth fear the Lord let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him DIVINE SENTENCES COLLECTED From the VVorks of Mr. EDMVND CALAMY Lately deceased GOd requires we should mortifie our lufts for prayer without that is the service of a Hypocrite Let not any one despair and cry out I am undone but let him trust in God and use his just endeavours For any man may be happy if he please Sin is a Christians greatest Sore and Repentance his surest Salve Who then would want the rare Jewel of Repentance since if ye seek ye shall find Sin bringeth shame and sorrow and Piety a portion of everlasting Joys Miserable is that man whose heart is too hard to pray He that truly repents of his sin shall never repent of his repentance for repentance is as the Hammer of the heart knocking at the Gate of Heaven and to him that knocketh it shall be opened Let us cloath our selves with Righteousness it is the safest Armour against the Darts of Satan If troubles or afflictions shall befall thee say as a late Reverend Divine said I will go and bless God for I believe this will be for my good There are two Gospel-Graces which require your special heed viz. Faith and Repentance for though many go to Hell by despair more go thither by presumption It was the saying of the Learned Sir Thomas Moore I will never pin my Faith upon the sleeve of another man for he may carry it where I would be unwilling to follow You must serve God for his sake as well as Heaven 's A faithful servant of God may have an eye to the recompence of reward as Moses had but he must have but one eye and that the left for our chief and last aim must be at the Glory of God The true way of serving God
Praise him ye heavens never fade Praise him for ye by him were made Praise ye the Lord ye Dragons fell Praise him ye Deeps his wonders tell Praise him Fire Hail Vapour and Snow Praise him ye Stormy Winds that blow Praise him ye Cedars Beasts o' th' Field Praise him all things can Praises yield Praise him ye Kings of highest birth Praise him ye Iudges of the Earth Praise him ye Rulers whom he rais'd Praise for he 's greatly to be Prais'd Praise ye the Lord both great and small Praise him that did Create us all Praise him within his Holy Tower Praise him for his Almighty Power Praise him for what he to us gave Praise Iesus Christ that did us save Praise ye the Holy Spirit too Praise each with all Devotions due Praise all strive who shall praise the most Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost Praise each with pious Harmony Praise ye the blessed Trinity Praise ye the Lord with Trumpets sound Praise him that heal'd us with his Wound Praise him with Harp's loud Melody Praise him with Song and Psaltery Praise him with Timbrel let the flute Praise him with Organ Pipe and Lute Praise him with instrumental String Praise him with Cymbals loudly sing Praise him with Ioy and skilful Voice Praise with new Songs the chief and choyce Praise him that is our Guide our Light Praise him because his Word is right Praise him whose works are done in truth Praise him that no injustice doth Praise him all people great and less Praise him that loveth Righteousness Praise him whose goodness fills the earth Praise him with Zeal and pious Mirth Praise him the Antient is of days Praise him that gives us pow'r to praise Praise him whose Word the Heavens made Praise him whose Breath requir'd no Ayd Praise him that doth the Wind command Praise him that makes the Waters stand Praise him whom Sun and Moon obey Praise him doth Heavens Scepter sway Praise him that doth the Heathen awe Praise him whose ev'ry word 's a law Praise him who doth from Heav'n behold Praise him ye Rich Poor Young and Old Praise him that fashions all our hearts Praise him alone can heal our smarts Praise him that is the King of Kings Praise him in grief that comfort brings Praise him that governs Sea and Coasts Praise him that is the Lord of Hosts Praise him who can the Lyon tame Praise him that mighty is by Name Praise him that guards us day and night Praise him the God of Peace and Fight Praise him that makes the stoutest yield Praise him that is our help and shield Praise him both with the heart and mouth Praise him in Age in Strength and Youth Praise him who are with sorrows sad Praise that the humble may be glad Oh let the Nations all accord To Praise and Magnifie the Lord. BLESSINGS of the Righteous As they are denoted in the HOLY SCRIPTURES HEarken unto the Lord thy God His Covenants observe So will he kindly spare his Rod And not afflict a Nerve Blest shalt thou in the City be Thy God will blessings yield At home abroad at bed at board And likewise in the field Blessed shall be thy bodies fruit And that upon the ground The wicked be they lowd or mute Shall neither of them wound Thy Cattle shall enrich thy store The increase of thy Kine And Sheep shall still wax more and more Thy Grapes shall yield thee Wine Blest shall thy store and basket be Blessings shall thence accrew Comings and goings shall agree To make thee blessed too The Lord shall smite thine enemies And put them to disgrace The chiefest he will make to flie And that before thy face Thy foes one way shall thee attempt But flee before thee seven From Iudgment none shall be exempt But as the Wind be driven Thy store-houses the Lord will bless And all thou tak'st in hand And give to thee a large increase Of plenty in the land The Lord as he himself hath sworn He shall establish thee And farther to exalt thy horn His people ye shall be Keep thou the Lord's Commandements And all the earth shall see That thou art great in Innocence And stand in fear of thee The Lord he shall his treasures ope The Heav'ns shall give thee Rain If head or hand with business cope It shall be for thy gain No discontent shall thee attend As free from grief or sorrow To many Nations thou shalt lend But have no need to borrow Blessed are they that in him trust He will them bless with speed For do they hunger do they thirst He is their help at need Blessed is he whose sin is hid He may with gladness smile Whose errours all are covered Whose spirit hath no guile Blessed are they that now lament As being poor in spirit For they are promis'd by the Lord His Kingdom to inherit Blessed are they that now do mourn Thinking their joys are fled For though as yet they seem forlorn They shall be comforted The meek are blessed too for they That love not strifes increase Shall on the earth bear happy sway Delighting much in peace The hungry too and they that thirst For Righteousness as Meat They shall be fill'd when those accurst Shall nothing have to eat Blest be the merciful to those Whom they observe in pain For he that mercily bestows Shall mercie reap again Thrice-blessed are the pure in heart Whose Souls and hands are free From Vanity and wicked Oaths For they their God shall see Blest the peace-makers are for they His Children shall be call'd And he that loves and doth obey Shall never be enthrall'd Blessed are they for Righteousness Do persecution bear Their great reward none can express But Heav'n it lieth there Blessed are they that are revil'd Because they seek the Lord Let them not fear although exil'd His Grace will strength afford Rejoyce and be exceeding glad For great is your reward The Prophets by such usage bad Did get into regard Curses of the VVicked He that doth hear a poor man's cry Shall never fare the worse But whoso turneth back his eye Shall never want a curse He that himself hath others curst His Servant curseth him The blessings of his flowing purse Shall him to ruine swim He that blasphemeth God his Lord Ought to be ston'd to death And cursed be that man abhorr'd Serves other God beneath Cursed be he that setteth light By Father or by Mother The people shall him daily slight And none his curses smother Cursed be he that doth remove His Neighbours Land-mark then The people shall him curse none love But each one cry Amen Cursed be he that leads the blinde In an erroneous way The Lord for him will torments finde And be the blind man's stay Cursed be he that doth pervert The Widow Fatherless Or Stranger from an upright heart Curses shall him oppress Cursed thrice cursed shall he be Covets his Father's Breast And that man curst shall be as he That lieth with a
live is Christ but to dye is gain The children of this World may be cast out but the heirs of the Kingdom of Heaven shall be as Olive-plants about the Table of the Lord. To commit sin is the part of an humane Nature to lament for sins committed is Christian-like but to continue in sin bidding defiance to the Divine powers is Diabolical There are three sorts of Faith the Faith of Sence which is seeing the Faith of Reason which is knowing and the Faith of Revelation which is believing And this last is properly called the Gospel-Faith Believe in the Lord your God so shall you be established believe his Prophets so shall ye prosper We ought seriously to consider two things the sin of our Nature and the Nature of our sin The Natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neican he know them because they are spiritually discerned But he that is spiritual judgeth all things yet he himself is judged of no man Let us follow after Christ he is our guide and will not shake us off but if we do not follow him we despise him and our own salvation Be ye therefore followers of God as dear Children If the heart of man be hard and stony it makes the softer cushion for the Devil to sit on To day if ye will hear the voice of the Lord harden not your hearts as in the provocation Since the days of mans life are as a shadow our suffering will be sudden and our sinning short We are but of yesterday and know nothing because our days upon earth are a shadow If man be for us God may be against us but if God be for us who can be against us If we are among our friends without God we are in continual danger but with God a man is safe though in the midst of enemies Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell The Saints ought to do more for God than others because as they are expected to be the best servants they are like to have the better wages The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is Eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord. A modest behaviour and a portion of Morality without Holiness is but a golden Incredulity But sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready always to give an answer to every one that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear Let young Women put on Piety instead of Paints Sanctity instead of Sattin Modesty for their Morning and dayly dress so shall God and every good man love them more and more Let Women adorn themselves in modest apparel with shame fac'dness and sobriety not with broidred hair or gold or pearls or costly array But which becometh Women professing godliness with good works As God made man without the help of man so will he likewise save them that come unto him by his own Almighty power Hear how familiarly he invites them Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest And ye shall finde rest unto your Souls If we endeavour for Salvation it is God must give it but if we do not endeavour he will shorten his own hand though we cannot do it For thus saith the Psalmist with thee is the Fountain of Life in thy light we shall see light How lovely is God in all his Creatures how much more lovely in his Ordinances but most lovely in Christ who is the God of love Brethren be perfect be of good comfort be of one mind live in peace and the God of love and peace shall be with you The Christian hopeth for the world to come but the sinner feareth it For every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour Not to be chastened is an ill signe but not to bear a chastening is a worse Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest O Lord and teachest him out of thy Law He that hath a tender Conscience will not be prodigal of his Credit for a good Conscience is a continual Feast to a chearful heart So likewise he that hath a good name hath the savour of a pretious Oyntment which gives a chearfulness to his countenance He that detaineth a penny from the poor puts a Plague into his own purse He that oppresseth the poor reproacheth his Maker but he that honoureth him hath mercie on the poor Let the precepts of God be neer to our hearts lest he stop his ears to our Prayers Who so stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor he also shall cry himself and shall not be heard In prosperity we forget the threatnings of God and in adversity we are apt to forget his promises The prosperity of fools shall destroy them If we intend to suffer evil for God's sake in the day of Adversity let us do good for God's sake in the day of Prosperity Here lies the true point of Gentility to fear God scorn the World and conquer Sin Nay in all these things we are more than conquerours through him that loved us Doth any man fear to dye it's an easie thing to live slaves and beasts do so but it ought to be every mans study to live and dye well Man's life is more full of grief than glory and it is a seasonable time to dye in when to live is rather a burthen than a blessing Be obedient and do good they are the works and the wages of a Christian and he will delight in doing good though he doth it only for his delight Gathering of Riches is a pleasant torment the trouble of getting the charging of the conscience the care of keeping and the watching over them when gotten takes away a great part of the expected enjoyment Wherefore if Riches increase set not your heart upon them A gratious person is usually as apt to desire to understand what he is to do as what he is to enjoy The work of a Christian while he lives in the body is to crucifie the body of death Man is God's creature God formed man of the dust of the ground Sin is man's creature Man is like to vanity his days are as a shadow which passeth away Misery is sins creature The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is Eternal life through Iesus Christ our Lord. God made man in his own likeness man hath made sin in his likeness and sin hath made misery in his own likeness Adam who was the Father of mankind was of earth and therefore earthy Our Saviour who was the Redeemer of mankind and the second Adam was from Heaven and therefore Heavenly As is the earthy such are they
Beast Curst let him be with Sister lies Or Mother though in law Such sins do make those horrid cries That dreadful curses draw Cursed be he that secretly His silent Neighbour smites Murtherers too that cause to dye When a reward invites The wicked shall be curst at home And likewise in the field His Basket and his Store at last Shall Blessings fail to yield Cursed be all his sinful Fruit Of Body and of Land His Kine and Flock though they are mute And all he takes in hand Cursed be he when going out And curst when coming in That happy 't were for him no doubt If he had never been An ELEGIE ON THE DEATH of that much Lamented And no less wanted Industrious Labourer in GOD's VINEYARD The Reverend Mr. RALPH VENNING Who quitted this Vale of Tears And put on Immortality The 10th day of this Instant March 1673 4. Fretum vitae gaudeate Carina Tranavit Tutum tenet Anchorà portum Nunc hilaris ventos ridet tumidasque Procellas HArk how our Sion with Heart-piercing Groans Her Chariots her Horsmen's loss bemoans See! how each Pious blubber'd Cheek doth wear The sad Ennamel of a Briny Tear Each Soul turns a Close Mourner in its Cell And ev'ry Tongue becomes a Passing-Bell Must good Men still dye first and is there gone Another Cedar in our Lebanon Are Holy pow'rful Preachers snatch'd so fast They 're Pretious Death Oh! do not make such wast Well may the Scarlet Whore begin her Tricks Such Lights pust out threatens our Candlesticks And we may fear that God intendeth wars When he thus fast calls home's Embassadors Sweet Pious Venning could no longer stay Caryl in Glory beckon'd him away Whilst Heav'n to lend more moysture to our Eyes At his remove in Tears did Sympathize But Love and Zeal appear'd so I hill below They soon congeal'd each falling drop to snow Yet that white Robe the Earth put on did prove But a black Foil to what he wears above Go happy Saint I knew 't was not a Shrine Of Flesh could lodge so pure a Soul as thine I saw it labour in a holy scorn Of living dust and ashes to be sworn A heavenly Quirister it sigh'd and groan'd To be dissolv'd from Mortal and Enthron'd Amongst his fellow-Angels there to sing Perpetual Anthems to his Heavenly King He was a stranger to his house of Clay Scarce own'd it but that necessary stay Mis-call'd it his and only zeal did make Him love the Building for the Builders sake Amongst the throng that croud to Sacrifice To 's Memory the Torrents of their Eyes Let me although a Stranger unto those That Weep in Rhyme though oft I Mourn in Prose Water his Herse since my Big-bellied eyes Long for deliv'ry at his Obsequies Wherein what Art and Nature both deny Grief and the Subjects Merits may supply For who e're writes but truth of him will be Slander'd by Ignorance with Poetry And those that speak not half his worth in Verse The Sensual crew may think Idolaters But flattery can never reach his State We only praise to make men Imitate And so must speak in sober terms for know If Saints in Heav'n can hear things here below A Lye though in his Praise would make him frown And chide us when in Glory he comes down With his dear Lord to Iudge the World and pay Each Soul Rewards according to its way He was no Iingling Drolster of the times That as on Stage up to a Pulpit climes To trifle out an hour Tickle the Ear And Lullaby their Heads to sleep that hear Whose Preachments are but a Romantick Clatter A Sea of words but scarce a drop of matter Some Pye-bald scraps of new Philosophy Or Dough-bak'd Dictates of Morality Nor was he of that rash unpolisht Race Whose Sluttish hands do Sacred things disgrace Knowledge and Zeal in him so sweetly met His Pulpit seem'd a second Olivet Where from his Lips he would deliver things As though some Seraphim had clap'd his Wings His painful Sermons were so neatly drest As if an Antheme were in Prose exprest Yet quick and pow'rful that without controul They reach'd the Heart and pierc'd the very Soul Oh! what an excellent Surgeon has he been To set a Conscience out of Joynt by sin He at one blow could wound and heal whilst all Wondred to finde a Purge a Cordial His Manna-breathing-Sermons often have Given our good Thoughts new Life our bad a Grave His life was th' use of 's Doctrine still annext And all his Actions Comments on his Text. He made a Christian Frame of Heart appear So Imitable that Preach'd ev'ry where Nor owe we less to his Ingenious Quill Whereby although now Dead he Preaches still The way to Happiness he plainly show'd And how Canaan with Milk Hony flow'd To things worth thinking on he did apply And still sought to promote true Piety Sins dreadful Plague-sore which none should endure He soon discovers and prescribes a Cure And when 's quaint wit brought forth a Paradox His Christian Spirit made it Orthodox In life he taught to dye and now did give In death a great example how to live Fond Earth then cease and let thy childish eyes Ne'r weep for him thou ne'r knew'st how to prize But if you needs must weep Oh come come in Ye multitudes his pains have heal'd of Sin If you 'll be grateful Debtors pay him now Some of those Tears which he laid out for you SENTENTIAL TRUTHS Written and Delivered BY Mr. IAMES IANEWAY Not long before his Death THe world in its best estate is made up of Vanities troubles The lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father but is of the World Faith Hope and Patience desire help to lead the Soul out of Egypt and conduct it through the Red-Sea and Wilderness The Spies are sent into Canaan and bring good news out of that Land Faith sees Sihon Og and Amaleck discomfited and their powers broken Faith goes to the Borders of the promised Land to the very top of Pisga and upon Mount Nebo it sends love into Heaven to dwell there with the Lord for ever What shall I more say for the time would fail me to tell of Gideon of Barak of Samson of Iephthah of David Samuel and of the Prophets Who through faith subdued Kingdoms wrought righteousness obtained promises stopped the mouths of Lyons Quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword out of weakness were made strong waxed valiant in fight turned to flight the Armies of the Aliens Christians Let us be zealous in our private and publike Prayers in our Closet and Family-devotions so shall we not only enter into rest our selves but shall teach the way to our Children our Servants and our Friends Be strictly careful that the gain of the world prove not the loss of your Souls Let your hearts be early and late with God Time is pretious
upon the shore that lives a while but with no delight because out of its own Element Afflictions and miseries happen by Gods permitment and whom he loveth he chastiseth those griefs are for the good of them that love God therefore beware of sin that makes your sorrows bitter and minde not the Rod so much as him from whom the Rod comes lest that teach you both to fret and faint As Sheep make every place the better where they come and Goats make every place the worse so is it with a Saint and with a Sinner the first bringeth sweetness along with him and the other leaves a stink behind him Win what thou canst by Prayer with comfort thou shalt enjoy the purchase Instructions for the keeping of the Sabbath Make the Lords day the Market-day for thy Soul let the whole day be spent in Prayer Repetitions or Meditations lay aside the affairs of the other part of the week let the Sermon thou hast heard be converted into Prayer Shall God allow thee six days and wilt not thou afford him one Observations for the Week-days 1. When thou risest in the morning consider thou must dye 2. Thou mayst dye that minute 3. What will become of thy Soul Pray often At night consider what sins thou hast committed 2. How often thou hast Prayed 3. What hath thy mind been bent upon 4. What hath been thy dealing 5. Thy conversation 6. If thou callest to mind thy errours of the day sleep not without a Confession to God and a hope of Pardon Thus every Morning and Evening make up thy Accounts with Almighty God and thy Reckoning will be the less at last Say not with thy self To morrow I will repent for it is thy duty to to do it dayly And if thou dost delay repentance Satan hath an opportunity to incroach and will bring thee to make it a custom which is hard to break Repent and seek the Lord betime lest thou too suddenly art accosted with shame and death The sinner is always grinding at the Devils Mill and the Devil is no less busie in supplying the Hopper lest his Mill should stand still A piece of dry Bread with Water a good Conscience and devout Thoughts is a noble Feast As the Potter fashioneth the clay so doth the Lord dispose of man as liketh him best wherefore fear thou the Lord. Wo unto him that striveth with his Maker Shall the clay say to him who fashioneth it what makest thou Be diligent to observe the Commandments of God for he is a Master cannot erre and what he willeth must be done If thou art Great be likewise Good for as if you were a Looking-glass others dress themselves by looking upon you God is the Fountain of Felicity converse with him and you shall be filled with Joy The first that named Gods Name in Scripture was the Devil and he likewise confess'd our Saviour to be the Son of God however he was the Devil notwithstanding that If you will not follow the example of your Saviours life you will merit nothing by his death God will not be perswaded to save us if we will not be perswaded to serve him Be careful to frequent the Church for publike Worship is the Pillar of Religion and a devout Service of Almighty God In the Church be careful to serve God for you are before the eyes of God and Man It is not only a scandal to man but a defiance to the Deity to be careless of our duties in the Congregation of those that come to seek his face A Congregation zealous at the Worship of God on Earth is an exact Picture of the Saints with God in Heaven Laugh not in the Church lest it be suspected thou art tickled by the Devil Well may he be punished that misbehaves himself in the Church when the Devils misbehaviour cast him out of Heaven If thou art poor neither wonder nor despair God will pay them that serve him and the less Wages thou receivest now the more thou shalt have hereafter You have a Crown set before you which Crown he that wins may wear it and that is Mercie It is dangerous to be rich for riches tempt men to be covetous and to delight in Gold besides Riches have wings and flie away by loss at Sea or Land by fire or some other accidents which lead men to discontentments and finally to despair If a wicked man be never so rich his whole Estate cannot ransome him for eternal torments for God is no esteemer of Riches A poor mans morsel with content and grace is better than the dainties of a Dives Many there are that to improve their own Estates care not how many Families they undo so true is that of the Holy Writ They that will be rich fall into temptations And how much to be admired is the Vanity of those that delight in Riches for when the covetous man dyes he can carry nothing with him but while living hazards his Soul to heap up Riches and knoweth not who shall enjoy them What are the Honours and Riches of this World when compared to the Glories of a Crown of life What can be a more certain token of a Reprobate than to receive large Wages in this World and yet do little or no service for it There are a sort of men that may be truly called Time-servers whose Religion is like Wax to be moulded to any fashion Discretion teacheth us to observe those times that are lawful and necessary especially in reference to the performance of our duties to Almighty God but it is an horrid piece of Impiety to serve the Times and neglect God Think not thy self Good because thou seest another worse but endeavour to mend him and make thy self better Imagine not thy life to be good because thy heart is honest but strive to run that thou mayst win the Race To avoyd Hypocrisie is good and likewise to shun the sin of profanation but to be active in the service of God is better An outward shew of goodness is Good for example-sake to others but an inward Holy zeal is better Do not conclude thy self good because thou art so sometimes 'T is a Habit of Holiness a Garment of Righteousness that makes a Saint God doth take notice of our steps but will judge us by our wayes Thou art not good because thou dost believe the Devils do believe and tremble but a good belief a good conversation acts of piety and charity are the ingredients of a good man To what end should a man fancy himself a Saint when his heart lies open to the eyes of the Lord He may be Gods Reprobate though his own Elect. If thou hast sinned and dost repent do not conclude that thou art well and mayst return to thy former Vomit for Justice when offended will be severe against those that abuse a Mercie Thou mayst hear Sermons often and do well in practising what thou hearest but thou must
travel and he begetteth a son and there is nothing in his hand 15. As he came forth of his Mothers womb naked shall he return to go as he came and shall carry nothing of his labour with him 16. In all points as he came so shall he go and what profit hath he that laboureth for the winde Agur's Prayer was Divine Two things have I desired of thee deny me them not before I dye 8. Remove from me vanity and lies give me neither poverty nor riches feed me with food convenient for me 9. Lest I be full and deny thee and say Who is the Lord or lest I be poor and steal and take the Name of my God in vain Poverty is no disgrace for when we came into the world we brought nothing with us and nothing can we carry out If we want things necessary we ought not to grumble or despair perhaps the Lord might see it necessary we should so want however we ought to use our endeavours for a lawful remedy if God bless not our endeavours we ought to bless him that knoweth what is best for us we are his Patients and therefore ought not to instruct our Physitian If thou art scandalized consult with thy own Conscience if thou findest thy self guilty thy correction is then just if thou art innocent it is a good instruction thus shalt thou suck honey out of gall and make an open enemy thy secret friend If thou hast an enemy that is hungry give him food if thirsty give him drink the Lord will reward thee and punish him The poor are the Lord's receivers and he is the best pay-Master If thou hast an Estate and wouldest improve it be charitable to the poor scattered seeds increase but those that are hoarded dye If I speak with the tongue of men and of angels saith Paul and have not charity I am become as sounding Brass or a tinkling Cymbal 3. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not charity it profiteth me nothing 4. Charity suffereth long and is kinde charity envyeth not charity vaunteth not it self is not puffed up In all conditions Piety and Vertue must be the guides that must lead the way to Bliss God's servants are denoted by their two Vertues Humility and Charity and the Devil 's are distinguished by their opposite Vices Pride and Cruelty The only way to remember good acts is to be continually acting them Above all things have fervent charity for charity shall cover the multitude of sins Keep Faith Hope and Charity for when the World shall have an end the Angels shall sever the wicked from the just AN ELEGIE ON THE DEATH OF THAT Reverend and Pious Divine Mr. EDMVND CALAMY Late Minister at Aldermanbury ANd must our deaths be silenc'd too I guess 'T is some dumb Devil hath possest the press Calamy dead without a Publication 'T is great injustice to our English Nation For had this Prophet's Funeral been known It must have had an Vniversal groan Afflicted London would then have been found In the same year to be both burnt drown'd And those that found no Tears their Flames to quench Would yet have wept a shower his Hearse to drench A publike loss a greater loss by far One man of God than twenty men of War It was a King who when a Prophet dy'd Wept over him and Father Father cry'd O if thy Life and Ministry be done My Chariots Horse-men's strength is gone I must speak sober words for well I know If Saints in Heav'n do hear us here below A lie though in his praise would make him frown And chide me when with Iesus he comes down To judge the World This little little he This silly sickly silenc'd Calamy Aldermanbury's Curate and no more Though he a mighty Miter might have wore Could have vi'd interest in God or man With the most Pompous Metropolitan How have we known him captivate a throng And make a Sermon twenty thousand strong And though black mouths his Loyalty did charge How strong his tug was at the Royal Barge To hale it home Great George can well attest But by himself his worth is best exprest Nor did Ambition of a Miter make Him serve the Crown 't was for his Conscience sake Vnbridled Loyalty his highest reach Was to be Master Calamy and Preach He bless'd the King who Bishop him did name And I bless him you did refuse the same O had our Reverend Clergie been as free To serve the Prince without reward as he They might have had less wealth with greater love Envy like winds endangers things above Worth not advancement doth beget esteem The highest Weathercock the least doth seem If you would know of what Disease he dy'd His grief was chronical it is repli'd For had he open'd been by Surgeons art They had found London burning in his heart How many Messengers of death did he Receive with Christian magnanimity The Stone Gout Dropsie ills which did arise From Griefs and Studies not from Luxuries The Meagrim too which still strikes at the head These he stood under and scarce staggered Might he but work though loaded with these chains He Pray'd and Preach'd and Sung away his pains Then by a fatal Bill he was struck dead And though that Blow he ne're recovered For he remained speechless to his close Yet did he breath sigh out Prayers for those From whom he had that Wound he liv'd to hear An hundred thousand buried in one year In this dear City over which he wept And many Fasts to keep off Iudgments kept Yet yet he liv'd stout heart he liv'd to be Depriv'd driv'n out kept out and liv'd to see Wars Blazing-stars Torches which Heav'n ne're burns But to light Kings or Kingdoms to their Vrns. He liv'd to see the Glory of our Isle London consumed in its Funeral-Pile He liv'd to see that lesser day of Doom London the Priests Burnt-Sacrifice to Rome That blow he could not stand but with that fire As with a burning Feaver did expire Thus dy'd this Saint of whom it must be said He dy'd a Martyr though he dy'd in 's Bed So Father Eli in the Sacred Page Sate quivering with Fear as much as Age Longing to know yet loath to ask the News How it far'd with the Army of the Jews Israel flies that struck his Palsie-Head The next blow stunned him Your Sons are dead But when the third stroak came The Ark is lost His Heart was wounded and his Life it cost Thus fell this Father and we well do know He fear'd our Ark was going long ago His EPITAPH HEre a poor Minister of Christ doth lie Who did indeed a Bishoprick deny When his Lord comes then then the World shall see Such Humble ones the Rising men shall be How many Saints whom he had sent before Shouted to see him enter Heaven's door There his blest Soul beholds the face of God
and of greater value than Gold Wherefore let it be thy business and the delight of thy Soul to seek and to serve God To seek and to serve here is the way to be glorified in rejoycing and enjoying hereafter Wherefore begin betimes and be not weary of well doing for great is your reward Take hold of this present opportunity lest the sloath of your heart or the cares of this world cause you to neglect and forget the prize that is set before you Unhappy are those poor Souls whose Portion is only in this world If in this life only we have hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable The Cross of Christ is the Christians Crown the Reproach of Christ is the Christian's Riches and the Shame of Christ is his Glory God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Iesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world In all your actions let it be your practice to have a respect to your ends Talk not proudly let not arrogancie come out of your mouth for the Lord is a God of Knowledge and by him actions are weighed Strive to live above this lower Region that no accidents may put you out of frame nor disquiet your Soul Set your affections on things above and not on the earth If I had the wings of a Dove I would flie from the Winds the Storms and Tempests of this wicked world and rest my self in the bosom of my Father There the wicked cease from troubling and there the weary be at rest To disparage Sin and to incourage Holiness is none of the least Works of a Minister of Christ. The wicked may drink roar and swagger and sell their pretious Souls for a moments joy and make light of Damnation but let them know for all these things God will bring them to Iudgment an eternity of intolerable sorrows must pay for their short pleasures Hence it is that the serious Christian makes it his business to avoid this dreadful misery let the wicked please themselves in their sorrows he knows 't is but a little while and all will be mended and their minds changed He is willing to stay for his happiness and joys till he come to another world and he doth not envy the wicked what they do enjoy let them make the best of it The unseen world which most forget is always in the Christians eye and if he may but live happily there he passeth not if he run through reproaches injuries and a thousand Deaths to that glorious and endless Life This is the grand Reason of the Christians patience this makes him judge it no folly but the greatest wisdom to keep the commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus Those which live like Devils are not like to dye like Saints that count all their time lost they do him no service in which make a jest of Damning and are as merry within a step of Hell as if it and a Tavern were alike And yet how well are wicked men pleased and contented with their own condition and laugh at the Godly as if it were a dangerous and mad thing to go to Heaven and the truest happiness to be miserable for ever The Devil himself may as well expect to shake off his chains and be restored to his lost glory as they O be not deceived as you sow so you must reap God gives this world oftentimes to his greatest Enemies he gives glory in another world to none but his Friends and Children Nay let me speak it freely They which gain this world with their negligence of Heaven shall at their death lose both Many that would be counted wise drive a great Trade for that which is next to nothing and that lay in no better provisions than Gravel Clay or Dung when they are bound for Eternity They think they make a very wise Bargain when they sell their Conscience God and Heaven for a little of that which some call Riches O that I could but bring down the price of sublunary things and raise the things of that other world to their true worth Think not meanly of Holiness it 's the most excellent thing it is the greatest Riches and man's highest Dignity He that knows the worth of Christ and the nature of his own Soul let him not envy those that swell like bladders upon water for a moment and God puffs them off and where are they How can they look for Heaven when they dye that thought it not worth their minding whilst they lived Whatsoever men pursue below Christ will yield them but little happiness and comfort in another world Not every one that wears Christ's Livery shall have his Wages How many seeming Saints shall gain nothing at Death but a thorow knowledge of their own folly O please not your self with fancies Sickness and Death is coming and then you will know better the reason of my earnest pleading with you in this matter He that hath not got more than ever any Hypocrite could attain or shall will miss of Heaven The best of God's Children are most suspicious of themselves and afraid of their own deceitful hearts and their great request is that God would deliver them from mistakes in matters of everlasting consequence It 's a common thing for wicked men to carry their false peace along with them to the Grave How many thousands are there that dye like Lambs that are but Swine and have the Devils brand upon their foreheads Many are carried very quickly to Hell and fear nothing till they feel and are not brought to their sences till unspeakable horrour and anguish doth it It hath not a little puzled some as well as David to see the wicked dye quietly and the godly to have a strange death but God will shortly resolve this Riddle That Soul which hath seen the death of Sin is a person fit for death That man is like to be a gainer by Death who contemns Earth and makes Heaven his choice He that counts nothing worth the having except Christ and for Christ cannot be miserable when he is lodged safe in his imbraces God is oftentimes better but never worse than his word The running Christian shall at last obtain the Prize and the Crown he fights for he shall wear What though the Vessel be tost and broke it shall come safe with its rich Lading to the desired Harbour O you foolish world condemn not these spiritual wise Merchants till you know what their returns are when their burden is delivered He that is willing to dye for Christ shall live as long as Christ lives in happiness and rest Those Souls are out of Gun-shot that are instrumental for the shaking the Kingdom of Satan and weakning the interest of Hell in the world Who would not be a Christian in good earnest sure none but a mad-man or a fool The highest Worldlings are below the meanest and lowest Child of
God Christianity is a clear Demonstration of invisibles witness the many earnests of their Profession What warm refreshing Rays of Divine love break in upon their Souls what Joy what Experiments and blessed Intercourses have past betwixt God and such Souls the fire hath burnt and of a sudden the Soul hath e're it was aware been carried above the world The Spirit of Truth will not witness to a lye neither will Goodness it self put a cheat upon poor creatures Balaam's wish may throughly convince sinners that Holiness is no Madness Piety no Fancie and Religion no Delusion I am perswaded that all the Reprobates in Hell will one day justifie the Children of God for their seriousness and wish a thousand times that they had had their Scorns Losses and Torments Well then our Enemies themselves being Judges an Israelite indeed is a person of true worth and without controversie his Estate is and shall be comfortable blessed and glorious O Christian as long as God is true you shall not be deceived as long as he is happy you shall not be miserable you are well enough go on resolutely 't is but a little while and you shall see all this and more than this a thousand times Death will shortly tear off Ioshua's rags and present him before the Lord without spot or wrinkle Sin indeed accompanies the wicked to another world he rests from his pleasures and his wicked works follow him But it is far otherwise with the godly sin was his burden and death shall unload him Sin shall be confin'd to Hell Heaven entertains no such deformity This Tyrant shall no more inslave any of Christ's Subjects The house of Saul and the house of David shall no longer contend that sad conflict between the Flesh and the Spirit shall then be determined by a full Victory Death sets the Soul out of the Devils reach This Angel hath nothing to do in Heaven this Serpent shall not come into the higher Paradise nor Satan creep into this Eden O happy day when will it come when the Devil shall be as unlike to tempt as our hearts to close When we are got once safe to rest the Devil shall as easily shake God's Throne as our Happiness Death turns the key and bolts and bars this Enemy out then O then thou shalt see this Pharaoh cast dead on the shore Christian expect not as long as any of that Cainish Generation breath that thou shouldest be long secure What though the world speak great words thou shalt e're long ride in state to Glory and then let them do their worst When thou art in Heaven they may curse and encrease their own misery but they shall not in the least diminish thy tranquillity The beauty of this inferiour world will be darkned by the brightness of that light which Death leads thee into Death blows the dust out of our eyes it plucks off the vail and shews us quickly the glory of both worlds What Pen can describe the Honour and Dignities of the Sons of God! A Lazarus in stead of Beggers Cripples and Dogs had a guard of Angels waiting upon him These Chariots and Horse-men of Israel shall carry up Ioseph to his Fathers house The Souls of Believers are made perfect in Holiness at Death O then how glorious shall the Kings Daughter be when her beauty is made perfect O my Soul when will the shadows flee away when will days and nights be all at an end When will time be spent and the curtain drawn How should we think our selves if our hearts were always as God would have them Well be of good chear in Mount Zion there shall be deliverance and holiness Who that understands this would not bid death welcom That good Old Saint Simeon thought it a heaven upon earth to see Christ when his Majesty was vail'd This was but a small thing compared to the sight which they shall see when their graces shall be compleat How will the Heavens eccho of joy when the Bride the Lambs Wife shall come to dwell with her Husband for ever Christ is the desire of Nations the joy of Angels the delight of the Father What solace then must that Soul be filled with that hath the Possession of him to all Eternity Is not his Love better than Wine and a look of his Countenance to be preferred above Corn and Oyl Is not all the Glory of Heaven wrapt up in him I see now it is not for nothing that the Virgins did love him What mean the world sure they are dead blinde or mad Saints blessedness lies in this that they shall meet with all the Children of God and have communion with just men made perfect Death will bring you acquainted with all those famous Worthies of whom the world was not worthy This Porter opens the door and lets the Saints Soul into that Palace where all the favorites of that great Prince reside What would I give to see Enoch that walked with God How glad should I be to be acquainted with Elias How joyful if I might have some discourse with Paul Would it not make one couragious in the cause of God if one could hear Daniel or the three Children tell the Story of their deliverance How should one be pleased to have it from the mouth of Moses Ioshuah and Caleb what God did for Israel in the fields of Ham the Red-Sea and the Wilderness and how he brought them into the Land of Canaan Why as formidable as death looks it 's he that brings us to the speech of all these How loth are we now to part when a knot of us have got together to talk about the things of another world Heaven hath in it none but Saints and Angels and the blessed God O what acclamations of joy will there be when all the children of God shall meet together without fear of being disturbed by the Antichristian and Cainish Brood Is there not a time coming when the godly may ask the wicked What profit they have in their pleasures what comfort in their greatness and what fruit of all their labour They shall shortly know that nothing was lost which was spent for their Souls and Heaven If you would be better satisfied what the Beatifical Vision means my request is That you would live holily and go and see A further Addition is that there is no fear of loosing of it his Enemies can't rob him If the Grave were but lookt on as a chamber to rest in And if Faith could but take death to be but an undressing to put on better Raiment how contentedly then should we be uncloath'd that we might be cloathed with Immortality And if the case be so what a good condition is the dead Saint in Lazarus his Resurrection was no cheat many of the Saints arose and Christ is risen O what kinde of Greeting will these two old Companions have when they see one another in another world Never let any grutch to serve God chearfully They which