to commit sin weake to resist sin E vill can never be the childe of goodnesse nor can sin so basely descended lay claime to omnipotencie O vercome evill with good and be farre from snatching Gods weapon out of his hand but rather master unkindnesse with kindnesse R ather labour to avoid sinne by knowledge then venture to sin upon the conceit of repentance D elay is dangerous when we are once resolved if ever good why not now E very man is charged with every good worke all holy duties are required of all men if we know Christ we will imitate him R emember that as addition a addes to grace so multiplication increaseth the effect of those graces R epentant eyes are true Cisternes of holy water and the sighs of sorrowfull spirits on earth makes the Spirits joyfull in heaven A s God regards not so much the quantity as the quality not how much but how true faith is so he never rejected them that had any at all N either the greatnesse of crime not the thortnesse of time can bar true conversation from for givenesse K nowledge vertue temperance patience godlinesse brotherly kindnes and charity with one end tyed to heaven fasten the other end to the conscience and it shall draw thee up to heaven S aving knowledge takes away barrennesse andmakes fruitfulnesse in the works of obedience T here be two things torment a man sin and a bad conscience grace delivers from sin and peace quiets the conscience O ne that hath a will bent to doe harme and a wit able to prosecute it is like a Canon shot that makes a Lane where it goes T here is fearfull combustion all over the world wars at home wars abroad if therefore we love peace let every man pray for peace H ee that desires to be found in peace let peace be found in him peace or nothing peace and every thing E arthly peace the earth can give though sometimes she will not but the peace of Christ the world cannot take away F or profit peace is like the dew of heaven that makes all fat and fruitfull wheresoever peace sets her foot there drops fatnesse R egeneration makes a man like the Garden of Eden wherein stands the Tree of life Jesus Christ when he dyed one Paradise entred into another O ur condemantion is great if we know the light and yet chuse darknes N o more but eight saved of the old world see what sin can doe bring many millions to eight persons T here can be no safety without faith there is no faith without a promise and no promise is made to disobedience C hrist was made a sinner by the reputation of our sinnes and we made just by the imputation of his justice L ife brings appetite appetite brings desire of meat and meat affords nourishment if the soule hungers not after Christ it lives not O ur sins deceived us of our birthright let it not deceive us of our blessing it stole us from our happinesse of nature let it not steale us from our happinesse of grace S inne shews the Devill horrible God a severe judge let the Gospell remove that God is my father the Devill his and thy slave E very wound of Christ is a passage his side was opened his heart was pierced through both these breaches we have entrance into heaven T his is a faithfull saying and worthy all acceptance that Christ can forgive more then we can offend but that he will forgive all is a fearfull question O ur salvation is sure in Christ upon sin will follow doubt upon doubt terror upon terror remorse upon remorse deprecation upon that pardon and after that peace Y f holinesse be not in the heart it is not where it should be Ismael was an unbeleever in the house of faith O pen thy heart as well as thine eare if the seed of Gods Word be not sowne there it will never abound with fruit to everlasting life V ertue is not temporall but is still ambitious of improving it selfe and so is admitted into the number of Gods Jewells R ecollect your selves and become fruitfull trees that when God transplants you from this misery he may set you in his owne glorious garden O ur best works are but blanks then let us goe out of our selves and be beholding to the righteousnesse of Christ only for our salvation R aise thy affections above a common pitch and let thy soule bear herself as the Spouse of the great King of heaven D iligence respects so great an object as salvation and such an object requires great diligence E lection in heaven calls for vocation on earth vocation calls for corne wine and oyle which are the fruits of a godly life R iches brings contention godlinesse brings contentation gaine hath often hurt the getters but piety is profitable to all men O ne Jesus Christ in the Gospell never satiated any man that read him therefore let the Word of God dwell in you plentiously R ecover you affecttions so deare to you that were the prisoners and drudges to lust and let them now doe service to God C harity gives part of thy wealth to the poore but faith gives thy self yea thy whole self to God L et this sinfull flesh doe what it can it shall not hinder thy entrance into heaven for which thanke God through Jesus Christ O ur good is only accepted through the righteousnesse of Christ our very persons are accepted in the beloved if our persons then our good actions S ecurity and expectation are opposites the servant that lookes for his Masters comming is afraid to fall asleep E very man that is kinde to his brother comes with best speed to his Maker O f such a zeale as prefers Gods service before all other things comes true godlinesse R ighteousnesse of reparation is the reforming of errors and confirming of manners salving past defects by a bettered life D ivorce must be suffered one husband must be lost happy is he that findes another in heaven Christ Jesus E ndeavour to be saved is no easie taske but requires labour refuse no worke for such a reward as heaven is R ead the Scriptures constantly and meditate upon them for it was holy Davids practise day and night T o be strong to sin is no credit for man for strength to sin is to be strong to goe to hell O Christian acknowledge thy dignity and being made the consort of a divine Nature returne not by thy degenerate conversation unto thy ancient vildnesse T o small purpose doe we keep the Law in memory and break it in life in vaine do we remember Christ in our words and forget him in our deeds H ee that carties a Bible in his hand and hath not a leston of it in his heart is like an Asse that carries a dainty burden on his backe and feeds upon thistles E ither they had no beginning or no end whose end is worse then their beginning
for ill beginnings but to dislike good beginnings is an unhappy repentance E very wise man will worke by knowledge but a foole will spread abroad his folly R ememoer that God is faithfull and will suffer no man to be tem pted above what he is able to beare I n Gedions Army all faint hearted Souldiers were commanded to stay at home no cowards get into the Kingdome of heaven G od will not be worse to them that follow him then he is to them that forsake him yet alas how doth the world ingrosse mens consciences H ee that looks up to the promised Land and sees but one glympse of those heaveny treasures will looke scornfully upon the world T he way to keep amans heart in heart is by hearty prayer meditations hearing and receiving H ee that obtained the pretious jewell of Faith let him be more thankfull because it is denyed to thousands A mans faith his credit and his eyes admit of no jest if his faith be sound though injury wound his eyes ignominy his fame yet faith shall make all whole N othing but the infallible promise of God can be the ground of our faith but the cause of our feare is our owne sinfull weaknesses D evotion honors God charity doe good to men holinesse is the image of heaven therefore beautious thankfulnesse but faith is good for every purpose the foundation of all graces D oubling and questioning of that truth we have so long imbraced is the first step of falling away from our owne stedfastnesse O ur obedience to God must not be only inward and habituall but outward in the actions of faith and of the feare of God like fruitfull trees bringing forth fruit in due season U nfruitfulnesse hath ever been held a curse for when God gives salvation he is said to take away barrennesse B ee not like Plaices blacke and white for they are such as have the faith of Christ in their mouths and the world in their hearts L et no extremity of sorrow or suffering enervate thy faith grudge not to dye with Christ or for Christ E very man is charged with every good worke all holy duties are required of all men if we know Christ we will imitate him forthwith A Souldier without courage a horse without mettall a creature without vivacitie such is a Christian without fervencie S inne upon earth in its owne soile growes without planting or any paines bestowed on it but much more when it is manured with applause and practise Y f the sword of vengeance that devoured the heathen having bin shaken amongst us amend us we shall escape Gods fury and become blessed examples of his mercie O ur expectation may be challenged with too much violence if we bee not qualified and directed by patience U nload thy conscience by repentance and the everlasting doores of heaven shall give thee entrance W hether the good we hope for be deferred or the evill we feare bee inflicted still patience is a cordiall which if God preserve to us will certainely preserve us to him E nter into the joy of your Lord saies the King himselfe thus all excuses of our not entring into the Kingdome of heaven is taken away R emember what Christ faith to thee and thou shalt be the better able to remember what he hath done for thee E ntrance into heaven consists of two things our union with Christ and communion with the Holy Ghost F ull of good works full of fruits full of blessings full of God brings to lye downe full of peace and rise againe full of glory I t is a barren mindefulnesse that does not declare it selfe in holy fruitfulnesse L et others be ambitious of great and glorious parentage only pray wee Lord make us thy sons and daughters in Christ Jesus E xpectation of heaven belongs only to Gods owne afflicted and to them that suffer much misery in this world is promised a new S ome vertues cannot be exercised but in troubles we must be poore and want before we can exercise the vertue of thankfulnesse T here could be no destruction to destroy us if there were no corruption in us neither could man or devill destroy us if we did not destroy our selves O Israel thou destroyest thy selfe if there be-any helpe it is in me Gods hand of justice strikes but man by his wickednesse draws out the sword T he tolling of a bell for a friend wakens a man at midnight yet for all the lamentable dying groanes of the Church of God with the innumerable gaspes of dying Christians we are all asleep H ee that will not be so sullen as to be holy for feare of displeasing a company of sinners shall never be so happy as to enjoy the society of God and his holy Angels E mbrace not the world for it will steale away thy faith faith obtained and faith retained shall without faile advance thy soule to glory L et no man dye in sinne for thou canst not be so quicke to dispatch thy sin as God is to dispatch thy soule E very sinfull man can no more escape his triall then a pregnant woman can escape or avoid her travell F ew men have the lucke to steal themselves into heaven in spight of hell many have the fate to cousen themselves into hell in spight of heaven T he world is not a minute to eternity mans life is but a minute to the world occasion is but a minute to our life yet we scarce apprehend a minute of that occasion H ee that made the world in six dayes and could have done it in six houres spared it above a thousand yeares before the flood A s we are sure our life shall not reach to a thousand yeares so we are not sure is shall not last out a day N oman shall ever be condemned for being ignorant of that which he is not bound to know D eare bought and far fetcht things are for rich purses and rich pallats but there is a poore herbe in the garden called Time more pretious then all D evotion of the heart profession of the mouth and conversation of life are the objects of a Christian O f the flesh comes three sorts of things some good as the knowledge of Arts some indifferent as honour and riches some evill as the works of sinne V ertue grows fastest upon us when vices decay in us it is alwayes busie but then most eager when we are most holiest B lessed is the man that is holy nothing can make that man poore he graceth all conditions honours and places L et others boast of generation but a godly man of regeneration this is the best ornament of blood the nobliest part of the secuchion and fairest flower in the Gentlemans gatland E ternall life and salvation is not allotted to every one but for the Saints he that will have a lot in Canaan let him be sure to be a true Israclite A desire of blessednesse cannot be expected where
no evill matters O nce God spake it another time performed it a third time redouled it therefore none can plead ignorance that they want instruction U ngodly men may taste of the waters of life by chance as a dog laps at Nilus but his voyage is bound for mischiefe W hile the Devill can busie men with ceremony and circumstance he hopes well and will let them alone about faith and manners E xternall prosperity is no good marke of our election the fairest beasts are kept for slaughter R emember alwayes the house of mourning is not for mirth Christ turned the Musitians out of doores E very judgement we see should make us wiser in the feare of God every mercy we feele wiser in the love of God H ee that thinks to asswage the anguish of one sin by doing another preseribes to himselfe a remedy far worse then the disease A faire carriage keeps temptation out at staves end but lightnesse of presence lets it into the graple and gives encouragement to lewd desires L ove is commended like water it neither makes a man in debt nor in drinke so love is neither hard to get nor costly to keep F alling from Christ can be incident to none but Christians for they that were never up can never be said to fall F or knowne diseases there be knowne medicines but hypocrisie prevents all wayes of remedy I t is better with Philosophers to have honesty without Religion then with wicked Christians to have Religion without honesty L et men turne from wickednesse to piety and God will turne judgement to mercy Solomon and Idolater Zacheus an extortioner Noah drunke yet all these went to heaven E xpectation is sometimes of feare so the timer ous traveller looks for the theef and so the conscious malefactor looks for the comming of the Judge Saul is tempted sinneth and sleepeth his last David is tempted sinneth and sleepeth not his last T he lesse space a man hath allowed for his businesse the more he should ply it the fewer dayes the fruitfuller lessons O h that my people would have heard these are royall and sweet speeches but to the wicked God changeth his speech into sharpnesse T he more a man fears God the lesse he fears any thing else for all the fear of Satan ariseth from the want of the due feare of God H ee that loves God only for temporall blessings and faile him when those blessing faile is like mutinous souldiers no longer pay no longer fight E ndeavour to keep thy shield of faith and thou shalt victoriously march with the Saints on earth and triumphantly with Angels in heaven L et Princes boast of their delicacies Christ liveth in me this be the food of our soules E ndeavour that your faith be encreased and grow still from faith to faith F aith is a fundamentall grace and should overcome the World yet it will prove a coward without servencie T here is no poverty of estate or consumption of body to a leane starved soule which neither knowes nor cares to know Christ H ee that loves God for himselfe and goodnesse because it is goodnesse can God A s God will crowne the faithfull above their deserts with glory so hee will load the wicked according to their deserts with eternall torments N ot to have no spots here but to have no spots imputed to us hereafter is the happinesse of Christian D arknesse of nature must have its due course by creation yet no darknesse shall afflict thy body while there is saving light in thy soule D esire more grace seeke more never thinke you have enough be still poore that you may be rich rich that you may be full full that you may be glorious O h that men could see how much better it is to be poore then evill and that there is no comparison between want and sin U se the world but enjoy the Lord be thankfull for outward blessings but rest thy heart on Jesus Christ B etter are the troubles and differences of righteousnesse then the peace of wickednesse L et nothing pierce your hearts deep either in griefe or feare but sin and unbeleefe E nvy not the gifts of God in any neither thinke hardly of their infirmities nor fret at the prosperity of the wicked Y f we be departed from Babylon let not a rag or relike of superstition abide with us for it is proore comfort to escape in Sodome and perish in the Playnes O ur conversation to God must be with a whole heart without exception without hypocrisie without delay without apostacie and without despaire U nstable men are in a wretched estate their Religion is yet to chuse they know they shall dye but know not what faith to dye in R ight holinesse is true nobility for without goodnesse there can be no true glory F aith working by love performes all duties to God and man but false faith is like sandy earth which never brings forth fruit R eligion and true Piety is the readiest way to the highest advancement therefore above all treasure set your hearts thereon O ne sparke of true Religion is far beyond a whole flame of secular wisdome N eeds must that vertue be fruitfull that is stirring and needs must that be stirring that is living and needs must that be living that is quickned by Jesus Christ T he neglect of resolution to enter the way of righteousnesse is the forlorne state of a sinner for what hopes can be had of him that hath not so much as a purpose to be holy A good man lives after death but the name of the wicked is rotten before their carcaste is cold S inne like a viper may hang upon Pauls hand and not poyson it it may bring a potentiall guilt not an actuall Y f mans heart be divided if sinks to confusion but keep it whole to the way of truth and it shall be saved O ur eyes be good we know our hands be good God grant our hearts be good that we may defend Christs cause U ntill a man seele his owne want and that feeling breed sorrow that sorrow desire that desire prayer that prayer increase of faith that prayer of his shall never bring downe Gods mercy W retched are they that flatter themselves but blessed are they that can prove themselves to be out of the ranke of the ungodly E xamine thy selfe whether thou hast suffered an heavenly holy violence or whether grace hath wrought upon thee if not thou livest the life of nature R emember to walk in a measure of holinesse answerable to Gods mercy for if we turne his grace into wantonnesse he will turne his mercy into judgement E very argument is shut up with an ergo and is the knowne note of a conclusion thus may the syllogisme be framed but whosoever would escape destruction must adhere to the truth T he greatest shew of sanctity that error puts on the more fuller of suspition therefore beware of the
intended mischiefe O ppinionate wisdome is in a manner the sole cause of all folly for it transports a man with an imagination of his owne knowledge that he runs into error with confidence T hey that will walke to Christ shall have Christ walke with them for he is the truth the way and the life H ee that beleeves will keep the Commandements for as the Law sends us to Christ to be saved so Christ sends us backe againe to the Law to learne obedience E very Scribe instructed unto the Kingdome of heaaen brings out of his treasure things new and old the new before the old because the Gospel was promised before the Law was Printed R econciliation and the peace that was made between God and man did not stretch so far as to conclude a peace between God and sin I am a sinner therefore God hath from everlasting rejected me is a desperate conclusion I beleeue in Christ and endeavour to live like a Christian therefore am chosen is a sound inference so far God gives leave to looke into the booke of life G ods informer is conscience a spy in the soule mixing herselfe with all our thoughts and actions H ee that hopes for a new heaven above and does not become a new creature below that mans expectation is in vaine T he highest act of a Christian is to comfort himselfe in Christ he never fell from us we are basely unthankfull if ever we fall from him H ee that knowes God and lives in evill is no better then a devill in the shape of a man or a man in the shape of a devill A s no place can content the fire but the upmost rising towards its owne region so let no knowledge satisfie us but the knowledge of Christ N atural men perceive not the things of Gods Spirit in other knowledge the righteous have part with sinners but in this sinners have no part with the righteous let me be weake in policie so I be wise of salvation D ivine knowledge mounts aloft and findâ—s no rest but in the region of immortality C elsitude of honour is a meer dwarfe to faith that can but command mortalls faith is attended by Angels O ur faith hath need of a good foundation for it is an heavy and weighty building all other vertues lye upon faith U nbeleeving sinners tremble but let such feare to dye as have no hope to dye if we have made our peace with God we shall escape from death N o man can take Christ from thee unlesse thou take thy selfe first from Christ T he Gospell is no weake thing but comes in power for Christ hath a further latitude he came once unto men but he comes still into man E xcept a man be borne he can never see light on earth and except he be twice borne he can never see light in heaven R edemption by Christ hath stated us into a blessednesse never to be forgotten for no soule that Christ hath truly bought can ever perish M ans sinnes have made heavens entrance narrow but Christs sufferings have made it wide A little faith with knowledge is true and saving but great presumption with ignorance is damnable R eligion knows no outward calling or condition for all those that are in Christ are holy beleeving brethren C ertainly if men beleeved in Christ they would not nay could not speak not look upon his workes without great reverence H ee that trusts his salvation on a strange faith erres in darknesse and holds not the way which the light of the Gospell directs him T he Gospell speaks of Christ buying Ye are bought with a price to fell that which is bought is to crosse his proceeding O f all purchases buy Jesus for be thou never so poore Christ will sell himselfe for thy soule T he life of man is pretious in the sight of God but the life of his whole Church is far more pretious H ee that cares not for any mirth but that which must grieve the Holy Ghost must needs procure that peace which is at wars with Christ E very man thinks he loves himselfe better then his enemy but while hee loves sin he loves his enemy better then himselfe L et the servants that are under the yoke count their owne master worthy of all honour that the name of God and his doctine be not blasphemed E very action that gives way to Gods dishonour and heartens others to superstition is a deniall of Christ in some degree of fact F alse Prophets intrude amongst the people but principally amongst the people of God T he Devill is a false Prophet he calls evill good and promiseth bad attempts good events either he conceales the end from the way or the way from the end H earken not to the world for it is a false Prophet it tells you your gold shall make you rich when it rather makes you cursed A n Infidell perswades himselfe there shall be no reckoning day and an Epicure dreames of no future life false for the Lord will take them away in a whirlewind N atures colours will last if not artificiall shall say pride to the beautifull false Art shall make a foole of Nature Time make a foole of Art and Death make a foole of all D runkards prophesie to morrow shall be as to day and much more abundant false awake and howle Oye drunkards for the wine is cut off from your mouths C arnall mindes hope and saie I will be sure to repent false thousands are in hell that promised themselves this evasion neither hath any man a patent of repentance O ur ambitious men flatter themselves saying we will arise out of the dust and sit with Princes false for they shall fall from the throne to the dust V anity and worldly pleasure saies I am a Queen and shall see no mournfulnesse false for the day of lamentation is come N aturall men are moles to spirituall objects but wise and regenerate eyes can pierce the heavens and espy God in all his earthly occurrences T he flesh is a false Prophet every affected sin is a false Prophet to the soul for falshood if it cannot deceive another it will deceive if selfe E very man sayes he is in Gods favour so were the children of Israell till they were tempted by false Prophets and sinned R ighteousnesse is the life of all lives without which our bodies shall rot in the dust and our memories stinke above ground yea our selves perish in the lowest pit M any will be in the Church way the road of profession not for any love they bear to devotion but that the sent of their turpitudes may not bee discovered A ll ungodlinesse robs God of his honour and is either the true worship of a false god or the false worship of the true God or the true worship of the true God with a false heart R hetoricke is the art of speaking well Logicke the art of disputing well Magistracie the art
of governing well but Christianity is the art of living well C an the Naturalist with all his eloquence disswade the covetous worldling from his greedinesse no one ounce of gold weighs downe all his reasons H eavenly things are far from carnall sense and he that will beleeve no more then he sees shall for ever be blinde F ew and evill are our dayes few in number evill in nature not one of them good few and evill below many and evill above misery is our familiar happinesse but a stranger I t is a great comfort in distresse to hope for a deliverer to beleeve is better but to bee sure of it is best of all L et us be sure to repent one day before our death but hereof we cannot be sure unlesse we repent every day E very man repent while be lives that he may rejoyce when he dyes Simeon desired not to dye sooner he desired not to live longer Now letthy servant goe away in peace T here is a double martyrdome a bloody one when Christ is magnified in the roses of his Church by death a bloodlesse one when he is magnified in the lillies of his Church by a holy life O f vanities we soon grow weary and loath them but the joyes of righteousnesse will be as everlasting in our desires as they are in their owne sweetnesse T o turne from sin is Gods speciall grace by giving repentance but to fall from stedfastnesse is through defect of perseverance H ave you righteousnesse seal and deliver it as your act and deed never say you praise God with your words when you despise him by your works E very man decline unrighteousnesse which dissolves peace and then God shall fulfill in our hearts St. Peters wish Grace and peace R espect God in all things doing nothing but as in his presence looking unto him as the directer and discerner of all our actions and thoughts I t is Gods delight in extremity to be a deliverer when Armies besiege his servants then he musters up his servants G ods displeasure for sin is able to turne a Nation upside downe that like Senacherib they become the spoyle of their owne bowells H ee that marvells in this rebellious age how or why we thus fall by the sword let him looke to his sinnes and cease marvelling T here are destructions that creep upon men by degrees but sudden destruction often seizeth upon the wicked O ur God will not favour us because we have studied hard and knowne much but rather the more punish us because we have knowne good and done evill R eligion and Piety is made havocke of and all to atchieve glory that which the Apostles rent their cloaths to put from them let us rend our very skins to pluck to us Act. 14.14 L et every servant of God thinke his crosses are meant for his blessings punishments to them are signes of his favours E ven for those who have fought a good fight a Crowne is laid up bee diligent then in this point and be saved F aith is a Queen repentance her usher and good works the Court that shall follow her so let her come to the King of mercy the presence chamber of Christ Jesus T he ground of hope in the middest of delay is when the deferring of our desires discourageth not our faith O ur affections if they be not shod with patience will be so pricked with crosses that we shall be weary of our journey to heaven R egard not so much what portion thou hast in the punishment of sin as what interest thou hast in the Covenant T he execution of Gods justice doth magnifie his mereies when he punisheth some that he may spare many O nly a forme of godlinesse will never remove Gods judgement from a Nation T o beare meekly with thy persecuters is commendable patience to bee commendable at Gods dishonour is commendable basenesse H ee is a foole that loves sin better then his soule then never seek to please sin that seeks to confound us E very man commonly fears Gods temporall blows more then his eternall yet of both they neglect the antidote and prevention C onsidence in God doth only support us we cannot put too much trust in him not too little in our selves E very affliction prepares us for salvation a meer paradox to the children of this world who run in the cirele of sin and pleasure N ever did pride goe more blustering through the streets then now and the language of her pace is Who made me T he dust of this world makes many a man blinde they did like moles in the earth and there lose the light of heaven E very man seeks for something to rest his minde upon but to make this world the center that and our hopes must faile together for the fire will dispatch them both R iches shuts abundance out of heaven but the grace of God lets in many C hrist rejoyceth in a Christian whensoever a Christian rejoyceth in him the repentant son was not more glad of the father then the father was glad he found the son L et every man labour to preferve what hee hath gotten for the losse of faith is a dangerous ship wrack save your faith and save your soules O ne and the same end is to the sinner without repentance and to the righteous without perseverance S alvation is with more difficulty wrought up then perdition yet grace time and diligence will worke it up in season E very worke hath his owne season only Gods worke requires every season especially the worke of praysing his name T he law was perfect truth but we were weake it could not save us because we could not keep it but on the Evangelicall truth we may repose our soules O ne way to honour is by flattery another to pleasure is by making the flesh mistresse and a way to be rich by usury yet but one way to make a man blessed and that is the way of truth Y f our obedience doe not testifie our faith that Law was not more deadly then the Gospell to inhance our condemnation O ur Souldiers are valiant till they come to fight all Philosophers are excellent till they come to dispute and all good Christians till we come to master our owne lusts V anity in some men curiosity in other men and unconstancie in all men makes many faiths R eligion that bindes the conscience where God hath not bound it brings snares and fetters and takes away due liberty C ommonly too much heat annoyes but too much heat destroyes but Religion of all tempers in our dayes complaines not of heat L ot could be holy among the wicked a Saint amongst sinners yet we are evill amongst the good and sinners amongst Saints O ur growing or fading in grace brings us to heaven or hell Paul turnes an Apostle Judas an apostate S trong bodies without strong grace are strongest to sin thus the strongest is weakest strong
for death that ends other miseries begins his that falls away from God R emembrance of one daies sin brings to minde how great a masse many dayes have made up too great a bottome for one houres sorrow to ravell out I n youth I was too yong now I am too old between both these time I had other businesse so to shufflle off repentance is very dangerous G ods patience invites our repentance his sparing us so long is that our amendment might proeure him to spare us for ever H ee that hath any motion of repentance in his soule or but a touch of sorrow a sparke of hope a graine of saith be comforted the God of mercie will not have him perish T his is our day the next is the Lords if we do not in this day provide for that that day shall condemne us for the losse of this H ee that hath a secret pride root out that or a secret infidelity cast out that strive not to know where or when we shall be judged but how we shall answer the Judge A s no day without sin so let no day passe without sorrow such showres kill the weeds of lust and spring the herbs of grace N ot a Lot in Canaan without a Joshua our Captaine no roome in heaven without a Jesus our King D oe not protract thy conversion for if thou repell or neglect one good motion thou art not sure of a second W ithout some sawce of sorrow all worldly delights are but like delicate meat to a man that hath lost his taste give God leave to scrourge us so long as he doth save us H ee that is lowest in the World if his conversation be in Heaven is the highest let his feet stand upon the earth his head is in heaven E very one puts off conversion and at twenty send Religion afore them to thirty from thence forty and yet not pleased to entertaine it at threescore at last comes death and allowes not an houre E very man repent while he lives that he may rejoyce when he dyes L et every man be sure to repent one day before his death but hereof thou canst not be sure unlesse thou repent every day E arth must do something to bring it selfe to heaven Gods bountifuluesse is beyond our thankfulnesse then looke to thine owne duty T o speake of vertue is nothing the labour of it is to shew the power of it in vertuous actions O ur conversation is the Index of our estate if that be bad the credit of our profession is lost and we are broke in our Religion T hat heart that conceives grace will bring it forth for he that gives strength denies not strength to bring it forth H ee that is truly called hath a sincere devout affection to Christ and above all things loves the place where his honour dwells E vill men may shew the good they have not but good men cannot hide the good they have L et thy life grow white thy haires lest thou be full of daies and fuller of sinne E very mans conscience testifies that there is a rule which if he follow hee does well and is at peace if not he findes trouble with feare of punishment F aith is the foundation of a Christian but that once lost all is desperate T he good man sleeps more secure in his tent then a sinner in his barracadoed fortifications H appy is the man that cares not to call any thing his owne save Jesus Christ A righteous soul is alwayes like the body of a square figure lay it how you list it will still be constant and like it selfe N o neighbourhood is able to make the Serpent and the Woman the cursed seed of the one and the blessed seed of the other agree D eath is contrary to life and commonly they that live like Laban dye like Nabal which is but the same word inverted W hen man turnes himselfe out of Gods service all the creatures serving him are turned out of his service H ee that plaies on purpose to lose is not like to win therefore be resolved against transgression as you would be resolved of your salvation E ither never chuse me or never lose me this is vertues charge to begin in the spirit and end in the flesh in Pauls sense is folly E very man must fall and as the tree falls so it must lye and commonly it falls to that side which is most loaden with fruit the fruit of obedience to the right hand and of wicked nesse to the left L et us eat to live not live to eat for when we have devoured the most delicate creatures the wormes shall devoure us E very man that lives dishonestly will dye shamefully Saul so bloudied against David that the Priests became unmercifull to him T he lesse space a man hath allowed him for his businesse the more let him ply it the fewer dayes the fruitfuller lessons O sinner thy life is short the world is not long but hell is eternall of whose torment there is no cessation and from which there is no redemption T i me past is irrecoverable the future to us is contingent and our very now is slippery and transcient this is all the terme we have we must enjoy this or none H oly David ran the way of Gods Commandements it is but folly to ask why he made such haste when we know he would faine be at home E very day will I blesse and praise thy name saith David the day will have an evening if his praise should last no longer night would bring in silence but for ever and ever R I de faire and foftly is the weary travellers rule when he comes near his journeyes end but if we lag so in the way of godlinesse we shall never come to the end of our expected journey I s there fulnesse of joy in Heaven yes but thy laughing and singing in a Taverne is no paterne of it G reat honour and glory is in heaven but our base covetous desires of the riches of this world are no paternes of it H eavenly musicke and harmony is above but our wanton sonnets and drunken carches are no paternes of it T here is peace and rest above but mans idle security and slippery neglects are no paternes of it H eavenly beauties with clarity are above but mans peecing the defects of nature with art dressing up of dust in rich atires are no paterns of it A great light shines above but the workes of darknesse that is in man is no reflection of it N othing but pure innocencie is above but mans rapines rage and bloudinesse are no resemblances of it D oubtlesse there is perfect obedience above but mans rebellions are no modules of it O ther language then the praises of Christ is not heard in heaven mans oaths curses and blasphemies are not like those sounds R epent and for sake your sinnes while it is called to day remember the covenat we made
the head T he precepts of Kings are sometimes evill therefore we must only obey them in God but when God commands we may not examine but execute O nly a forme of godlinesse will never remove Gods judgements from a Nation T o weare the Devills livery to be the pentioner of hell at the command of that malignant spirit is a most damnable name and shame H ee that is to day a Papist tomorrow a Protestant next day no man can tell what nor himselfe such a man denies Christ E very man will try to write with two pens hunt two wayes fight with two swords or travell two wayes together is a troublesome folly truth hath but one way no second not another L et truth once flourish and heresie finde no footing then shall justice reigne oppression shall be oppressed the hand of bribery shall be broken the arme of injustice cut off and the mouth of iniquity stopped E very man shall sit under his owne vine we shall feare no breaking in of enemies to invade us nor heare any news or noyses to affright us F or joy we shall sing aloud our Princes shall be wiser and our Judges better instructed and instead of serving themselves and the time will learne to serve the Lord with feare and rejoyce in him T he Lord is a living Lord and a giving God unchangeable his goodnesse most bountifull in his benificence H ee that is the common enemy seeks to devoure all therefore every man cease quarelling one with another and fight with him A ll men are merry but who mournes for God is angry with us and would destroy us did not Jesus stand in the breach for us N ever depend on the favour of God untill our hearts be purged of pride and selfe-love be every thing denyed that hath no relation to Christ D oth all the world acknowledge some God doe some Narions acknowledge too many gods for shame let us acknowledge one God A sall times have their incident troubles so there is one maine day of trouble yet considering Gods promise he will never faile his B ecause we know not the time of our deaths let us learn with St. Paul to dye daily O ne halse houre spent fixedly every day will by Gods grace bring alteration heart and life V igilancie carefulnesse and love are the three marks and helpes of diligence T hat mans life is well bestowed in death when to patience is adde godlinesse A s finer tempers are more sensible of the changes of the weather so the faithfull and familiar with God can discry his judgements S uch is the Worlds desperatenesse and pollicie to vex whom God hath blessed but still he takes them into his tuition and will devout their enemies Y f man say to God in the middest of his distresses Is this thy justice he will answer Oh man Is this thy faith O ur sins by sea and land are so great that it is the only infinite mercy of God that in every place we perish not U nthankfull men are the worse for all Gods favours and the worse they grow towards the end the worse it shall be for them in the end W ee commonly kill our beasts when they are fattest but judgement surpriseth sinners when they are leanest which is the remotest distance from goodnesse E very sin is mighty therefore our repentance must be more hearty which mixt with faith and hope will bring us to heaven R epent in life that thou maiest finde comfort in death for the great Judge cannot erre he knowes our going out and comming in E xtraordinary terror was at the Law-giving but was a burning Image of what shall be at the Law enquiring R oome thinks the Gospels rising must needs be her falling and therefore cannot endure like a sister to communicate with us but like a Tyrant to excommunicate A unwise King destroyes his people but through the wisdome of them which are in authority Cities are inhabited N othing so sovereigne but by being abused by sin may not of a blessing become a curse K nowledge separated from obedience doth but inslames a mans reckoning and helps to a greater measure of condemnation S aint Johns short Sermon in his old age was Little children love one another T hree things let us alwayes commit to God our injuries our losses and our griefes for he is onely able to cure our griefes to restore our losses and rederesse our injuries O ur afflictions shall never end us but God will rather put an end to them our mouthes shall be filled with laughter our tongues with singing T he end of our conversion is to amend our conversation and that word which sounds peace and joy and remission of sin leaves this lesson behinde it Sin no more H ee that is never so poore if a true beleever Peter and Paul and Jesus Christ himselfe are his brethren E xhortations to particular duties of holinesse is alwaies needfull even to those that are most holy for the seeds of vertue are much hindred by naturall corruption R ingt holinesse is true nobility for without goodnesse there can bee no true glory I t is the honour of Gods Saints to be attended by Angels while they live and to be exalted by Augels when they dye G od both can and will deliver his chosen he can at all times seasonable for his own glory H ee that will not be found out of God in his mercy while he he lives shall be sure to be found out by him in his judgement when he is dead T hough all enemies be conquered and vanquished yet the Christian souldier shall be crowned H ee that neglects to please cannot complaine to be neglected A ll that live godly in christ shall suffer persecution thus Paul Christs Aturney pleads our affliction N ever thinke the vertuous and vitious go all noe way or that good and bad speed all alike for it a beast could argue he would abhorre such a tenant D espised and distressed soules that humbly acknowledge God on earth shall be acknowledged and glorified by him in heaven when Atheists shall be throwne downe into endlesse calamity D estruction bates nothing of totall ruine Gods justice will leave nothing for the wicked shall be preyed upon by insatiate judgement till nothing be left O ur ignorance is our curse but that which knowes not Christ is the most miserablest V ice is alwaies an enemy to true knowledge but how shall a man like that food of which he never tasted B lessed is the man that seeks by all means to grow in grace for he shall be sure to win a Crowne of glory L et good and we meet in all our actions for to be wicked is not much worse then to be undisereet for knowledge without vertue makes a mans mitimus to hell E very evill man hath lusts of his own which he is as resolute to maintain as a father to keep his owne children A mans conscience is
like a pulley that keeps reason in the right wheel and cashiers mutinous affections or executes Marshall law upon them S uch as turne grace into wantonnesse deny Christ for he that calls himself Christian and teaches that in Christ is granted liberty of finning denies his Redeemer Y f thou buy honour thou callest it thine indeed thy friend thou calst him thine purchasest a house thou calst it thine but Christ hath bought thee with his blood yet thou deniest to be his O ur inward sincerity is not without externall profession but externall profession may be without inward sincerity V ertue is ever full of proselt enemies darknesse is not more contrary to light nor sicknesse to health nor death to life then vice to goodnesse W hat meanes the worldling in our birth we had but swadling clouts and cradle in our death we shall have but a winding sheet and a coffin E very man is a soole that forgets his owne name that are the sonnes of Adam the son of dust R iches are but for this world yet God is both Lord of this world and of that to come and where the glory of this ends the glory of that begins E very mans death is the punishment of his first birth if faithfull the glory of the second not a dying but a departing life with some sorrow laid off but with much joy said up R achel weeping for her children because they were not and shall not we can we see the Churches teares and not doe our utmost endeavours to comfort her A prayer made in confidence that God will hear us because he hath heard us may obtaine mercy then approach boldly to the Throne of Grace N o shame sorrow or misery should ever put any Christian to any desperate attempt for there is more valour to endure a miserable life then to imbrace a wretched death K eep thy shield of faith and thou shalt victoriously march with the Saints on earth and triumphantly sing with Angels in heaven S uch is the sincerity of Christian Religion that it not only imposeth upon us pure innocencie but also profitable honesty T he feare of God and the love of God are inseparable he doth neither that doth both he omits neither that doth one O fall the medicines administred to us by our spirituall Physitian love is the sweetest bitter pills will downe when they are made up in love T he rules of our faith and life are manifest if we would study enough study them and practise H ow poore soever thy cottage be set thy prayers as a guard without and thy faith as a locke within the sevenfold walls of Babylon cannot bee so strong E very man hath his owne faith yet all men have but one faith by which they must be saved L et thy thoughts examine thy thoughts for thy conscience must not only extend to deeds and words but even to secret thoughts E ndeavour to be thrifty husbands of time and meanes to bee spiritually rich for if man neglect the occasion will neglect him F eare God as Noah Noah beleeves he shall be saved why he above the rest because he beleeved with feare T he inseperable effect of justification is obedience then we follow Christ when we follow his H ee that preserves the truth from the malediction of men preserves himselfe from the malediction of God and he that vindicates the truth from present blasphemy tha truth shall preserve him from everlasting misery A threefold lot belongs to all faithfull men the lot of suffering the lot of happinesse and the lot of salvation N o man will hardly brooke wounds that cannot endure words for the cause of his Saviour David had a great company of Souldiers at his backe yet he slew Goliah alone thus Faith alone conquers the Devill D estruction is alwayes incident to opulent Cities and delightfull places Sodome abounded with all delights and pleasures O ur sinnes greedily heare that the mercies of God endureth for ever but they shall all sensibly heare that the wrath of God endureth for ever U nthankfulnes is the sole witch and sorcerer whose drousie inchantments have made man forget God himselfe B ee not such sinnes rather the image of hell then of heave neither measure the joyes of heaven by our owne corrupt and sensual pleasure on earth L et us appeale from mens lips to their lives he that obeyes not Christ knowes not Christ it is fruitfulnesse in good that setles him in our hearts E vill hearts have corrupt hands for if the hand grope for a bribe as Felix did of Paul there must be an unjust heart A wicked man thinks he may be out of danger of the Law if either he have agreat man to his friend or have not a great man to his enemy S inne with a voice is sinne in action sinne with a cry is a sinne in presumption Y fone act of filthinesse doe so distresse us that we would give all the World for a pardon what torture will the same sin bring being committed againe O ur dayes are evill whether we respect their troubles or that which troubles them our sinnes and not likely in either of them both to amend U ntill knowledge and goodnesse goe together we may be doubtfull for knowledge will fall from us when we fall from goodnesse W oe to those that call evill good woe indeed for refusing the right way for approving the wrong woe for they have erred woe because they will not be converted E rrors are infinite and but one truth God chargeth us to refuse all waies but one but the Devill bids us refuse that one R eason will memory imagination affection and sense by one act of rebellion put all their noble family into a shattered disorder E very corruption is so pleasing to the wicked that they thinke it health it selfe for every heart overruns with sinne is all sinne F orget all sinne in respect of continuance but remember them in respect of repentance I n the last dayes we live on the last dayes we doe not meditate so the last dayes falls upon us whilest our first and last and all our sinnes are found in us L et us be so kinde to our selves as to thinke doomes day is not past there is a day an evening and a morning we shall finde no peace unlesse wee provide for it in the day E ndeavour to run so much the faster as we run for the better prise S o far as holy joy is entred into us so far are we entred into the everlasting Kingdome of Christ T o begin in the spirit and end in the flesh is in Pauls sense folly but to begin with grace and end with wickednesse is malicious impiety O ur troubles are felt without but our peace of conscience is alwayes felt within T he right way to heaven is by the signified will of God revealed in his Word and whatsoever repugneth that is the wrong H appy repentance is sorry
in baptisme forbids it L ooke to the innumerable savours where with God hath blessed us graced and honoured us and we shall find them sufficient to oblige us to obedience E ither the name of Saviour in our salvation or the name of Judge in our confusion some way this honourable name will strike upon us F eare God more and we shall feare all other things lesse turne all thy feare into the feare of God for he will honour them that honour him T ill we have put our sins to the worst we shall never get the better of our enemies for God will not be wanting to us if we be not wanting to him and our selves W hen rebellions abound punishments are full of variety God destroyed Corah by fire the Canaanites by the sword the whole earth by water H ee little loves Christ that will not love him without company and his zeale is cold to heaven whom the example of numbers can turn away E very true childe is obedient and will follow his fathers directions then if we follow not God we are bastards E very promise of God is a cordiall able to fetch backe a swooning soule there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ is a sweet cordiall L et every Christian soule on the holy feet of faith and obedience travell towards Jerusalem then Christ will say thou shalt have my company E arth is more honourable and brave in the spectators then in the spectacle but the glory of new Jerusalem the splendor of righteousnesse is farre more honourable A s a traveller passeth from Towne to Towne till he come to his Inne so the Christian from Grace to Grace till he come to Heaven B lessed is that man that is holy nothing can make that man poore for he graceth all conditions honours and places O ne grace opens the doore for another for God is never weary of blessing where he hath once begun V ivification and living unto grace comes only by mortification and dying unto sinne for by the death of the body comes the life of glory T here is nothing for which Christ will reward us but that whereby his glory is the greater for us such as in great tribulations confesse him R eprobates and wicked men if their bodies were like their soules they would grovell like beasts A s God shews mercy to some in their salvation so it is fit he should shew justice upon others in their damnation N othing can defend against the arrows of God neither are the strongest Cities shot-proofe for things ordained for refuge are by his justice made destructive K nowledge neglected brings great judgements for he that cloaks error with ignorance binds two sins together and receives double vengeance S innes of ignorance stand in need of mercy but what cloake is long enough to cover sinnes against knowledge O f servants they are in worst case that are sold but worse that do service in prison worst of all bound in fetters such is the condition of the ungodly P estilence should not be more avoided then the conversation of the mis-religious or openly prophane E xpiation was offered for the world and offered to the world but those that are blessed by it are separated from the world N othing so sure as there shall be a judgement such as is the conscience such shall be the sentence B oasting of sin when it is done doubles the lewdnesse wicked men glory in that which shall everlastingly cast them from glory A Canon doth not so much hurt from a wall as a myne under the wall nor a thousand enemies that threaten so much as a few that take an oath to say nothing C hristianity is become the footstoole of policie and hath made bargaines with the World for universall Monarchy Religion being but the labell to that Indenture K nowledge is not wholly exercised with good nor wholly taken up with evill but it knows both good and evill thus man thought to have become like God and became indeed like the Devill W ee know Christ to be the best Counsellour therefore undertake nothing without consulting at his Oracle A whole garment is more hand some then a broken one but a broken heart is more pleasing to God then a whole heart R epentace is the necessary way to salvation it is the will of God that none should perish yet withall it is his will that all shall perish except they repent D estruction would not fall upon the wicked unlesse they first by their wickednesse bring it upon themselves O Israel thou hast destroyed thy self T he imitaters of evill deserve punishment the abetters more but there is no hell deep enough for the leaders of wickednesse O ur owne feet carrie us to sin we love the journey our affections seduce us and so have been our undoing Y f there will come no period to the rebellion of the wicked till they sinke downe to hell yet for shame know no date of thy obedience till thou come up to heaven O f all victories love is the greatest to overcome evill with good is to be like God whose Image we beare in our creation and to whose Image we are restored in our redemption U pright justice is without equivocation it seeks not to obey God for mans sake but man for Gods sake it obeyes men but never against God R ighteousnesse and all happinesse is in the will of God to his creature for holinesse is the daughter of repenance O ur persons are justified by our faith our faith is justified by our charity our charity by the actions of a holy life R emember that there is nothing that makes a man so unlike to God as a hard heart without pity without patience D iligence and patience with painfulnesse are good but it is the sincerenesse of the heart that commends the rest E very Christian souldiers scutchion must be patience and his motto I serve Angells are glad of this title R emember the end is neare thy end nearer whether the end of this shall not be the end of all thy dayes thou hast no assurance to day then heare his voice repent one day before thy last day O ld age were better gather grace for themselves then goods for their posterity for it is their last time of gathering R eward belongs to labourers not loyterers the Crowne is laid up not for cowards but for Conquerers O into what infortunate times are we fallen when all our wrongs must be answered in blood P ray and repent repent and pray joyne with them abstinence adde to them three patience faith obedience and amendment of life and the Lord our God will deliver us E very man kisse that hand that strikes us love God that crosseth us and trust in that power that kills us this is the honorable proof of a Christian N o man is the worse for his repentant grief if the evill do come its labour well spent if not its a labour well
lost O ur good God takes it in a foule scorne to speake and not be heard to be heard and not minded R eligion promiseth no worldly pleasures but contrary they shall whip and scourge you they shall binde and lead you whither you would not D oe as the most doe and fewest will finde fault with you but God chargeth us not to follow a multitude in evill E very mans hand is not an able instrument of mischiefe but whosoever the instrument be the consenter is as deep both in the sin and the penalty R ighteous men shall never be swept away for company yet the unrighteous are often spared for company F ew words to the wicked in the latter day but full of bitternesse depart word of separation ye cursed words of malediction into everlasting fire words of desolation prepared for the Devill and his angell words of exemplification I n many things familiarity breeds contempt but in these things strangenesse and ignorance hath made men prophanely insolent E very man hath his knowledge from nature but the Christian his from grace one is from earth the other from heaven L et no man cast with himselfe how old he may be before he returne from his sinnes lest he reckon without his host S inne is like Stibium it will tarry with no body up it must either here by an humble confession or hereafter by a wretched confusion T here can be no full satisfaction or consolation in the minde of any knowledge but of Ghrist O utward crosses and calamities may take from us our goods of this world but it can never take Christ Jesus from us T he contempt of the truth makes it not worse but thy selfe and the advancing of it makes it not better but thy self H ee that is alwaies for the time nothing for the truth is like a top that goes alwayes round never forwards unlesse it be whipt E very worldling is left-handed he will be doing though hee have no thanks for his paines R eligion derived from Christ preserves unity with Christians he that will not keep the peace of God shall not be kept by the peace of God I t is easie for the greatnesse of authority to beare out the smalnesse of piety and commonly the sins of the mighty are mighty sinnes therefore their destruction is answerable to their presnmption G ods children have three suits of apparrell blacke white and red here we are blacke with mourning red with parse cution and shall be white only glorified H ee that mournes for the cause of his punishment shall mourn but a while but he that mournes for the punishment and not for cause shall mourne for ever T he good man looks into himself not into another and therefore thinks best of another not of himself O bedience it selve would lose a reward by comming short but for perseverance for no vertue can expect eternall blessednes but that which holds out to the end R emember O man how short thy time in and be not weary of thy pains for what cause can be long in that which is so short of it selfe L ooke where the glory of this world ends the glory of heaven begins but riches are here to day and gone to morrow E very service in the end brings wages but the wages of sinne is without end F lattering up others in their sinnes is the very next way to make them our owne T he Word of God sets down the wages of sin and tyes punishment to it as an inseparable effect to the cause H ee that chose us when we were not called and called us when we were nought and hath justified us being sinners will glorifie us being Saints A man may partake of one nature of Christ and be cursed but if of his divine then most blessed N ature created and nature corrupted is the difference between Gods workmanship and ours D eath is fearfull wages when it is paid in the proper coine without the allay of Christs death to qualifie it O ne that will plead Christs cause without a fee or he that will say with Job Though he kill me yet I will trust in him shews the heart of a Saint R esolve with Hester If I perish I perish for nothing can be lost that wee piously trust God withall F aith goes along with Christ from his cradle to his crosse it sees him doing good and suffering ill R ecrant souldiers first forsake their courage and the last thing that forsakes them is their heels O ur backwardnesse requires continuall provocation to be good is a thing hardly gotten quickly forgotten M ans habitation pleaseth him his gold bewitcheth him a womans beauty tempteth him and yet all is but earth T ruth is never to be numbred by the pole for it is not numbers but weight that should carry it H e that mouths a Pater noster while his heart is in his coffer as if he would at once serve God and mammon in vaine thinks himselfe godly E arth will to earth an earthly desire to an earthly center so man lives till earth bee turned into earth so he dyes till earth be turned out of earth their earthly soule into hellish torments such a life is base and brutish C omplaine not though other men blanch thee so long as thou hast fellowship with Jesus Christ E very man be contented with his owne measure of good things vouchsafed him for God will not be prescribed N one but the King of Kings hath right to the stile Imperiall I will or I will not without limitation because his will and power are matches only T o obey well is as great as to governe well and more mens duties they that thinke otherwise know not the Christians part which is to suffer E nter not into a restlesse course of life for honour for a Princes breath blowes is up and the Peoples breath blowes it away R eady for honour ready for disgrace for poverty for riches for joy or sorrow for life or death for all such a Christian will hold out to the latter end O ur grace is Gods glory the more we are amended the more he is commended thus the truth appeares greater in us though it cannot bee made greater by us P erseverance is the queen of all vertues and the master of all temptations commands to sight against none but those that persevere in goodnesse E vill men may shew the good they have not but good men cannot hide the good they have N othing but grace can satisfie the soule of man give him grace and then be goes away springing like Joseph and singing like David T here cannot be a greater argument of a foule soule then the deriding of religious actions O ther sins have but three enemies to deale withall but a backslider hath a fourth a hard heart Y f we receive not the blessed Gospell with faith and feare Sodome and Gomerah never sinned as we sin nor were never so plagued as
we shall bee O pinion of the minde are like diseases of the body all alike infinite V iolent passions makes men bandy controversies who fight with their Pens like Souldiers with their Pikes wounding the peace of the Church R eligion is more practicall then theoriticall rather an occupation then a meer profession dwelling like an Artizan wit at singers end O ne man is an Atheist and beleeves no God another is an I dolater and worships many one will be of a new Religion another of none no matter to the Devill they are both travelling towards his kingdome Roome never means us so sudden a storm as when she makes faire weather and beares us in hand all is peace D ogs are fawning but sicophantising Iesuits are worse for their tongues doe more harme then their teeth E very man that will not adhere to the God of truth shall be turned over to the faither of lies R esist the Devill and he will flye from thee give to God obedience to thy Prince allegiance to superiours reverence to the weak assistance to the Devill and sin resistance O ur day is broken why day we sleep in sin when the Sunne is up good husbands thinke of rising the slumber of the body and the soul is not much unlike R epent therefore in life that thou maiest finde comfort in death that thou maiest be acquitted at the day of judgement of Jesus Christ O ur entrance into this world is full of weaknesse our proceeding full of wickednesse our departure full of wretchednesse P ray that you may leave the earth when you know the way perfectly to heaven desire to live till you are inspired by grace desire to dye when you are assured of glory E very man with Paul learne to dye daily for no man knows when he shall dye therefore be evermore armed with expectation N ever expect peace without Christ whosoever dyes in peace dyes in Christ the Prince of peace O ur breath is in our bodies the life of our soules is in heaven our bodies move upon earth let our heart dwell in heaven R ighteousnesse must dwell in those that looke to dwell in heaven where righteousnesse dwelleth for Christ is the Lord of righteousnesse D eath takes the clocke of our life asunder but then the omnipotent Maker takes it into his owne hand and sets it together againe at the Resurrection E nquire not what heaven is too curiously lest thou have a snib as Manoah had for asking the Angels name it is secret and wonderfull R emember Gods mercies and blessings to us in all times of this pilgrimage and he will hear us when we pray with the penitent theefe Lordremember us in thy Kingdome Silence STand right in your Files Stand right in your Rankes To the right hand As you were To the left hand As you were To the right hand about As you were To the left hand about As you were Rankes to the right hand double As you were Rankes to the left hand double As you were Files to the right hand double As you were Files to the left hand double As you were Halfe Files to the right hand double your Front As you were Halfe Files to the left hand double your Front You may doe the same by bringers up or leave it our To the right hand Countermarch To the left hand Countermarch Files to the right or left or to the Center Close to your order or close order Rankes close forward to your order or close order To the right hand wheel To the left hand wheel To the right or left hand wheel about Rankes open backward to your order open order or double distance Files to the right or left or from the Center open to your order or open order In distances observe if you open from the right to the left that the left hand man next to the right hand man is to take his distance from the said right hand man first and so every man on the left hand successively one alter another be in any of the distances of close order order open order or double distance If in Ranks the first standing the second opens backwards to either of the distances above said and not forwards in closing of Ranks it is to be done forwards and not backwards all moving together saving the first Ranks In facings you are to be sure to keepe your left foot on the groundâ—s in doublings if you come up to the right turne off to the left and so alway to the contrary hand In wheelings if you close to the left then wheel to the right or if you close to the right wheel to the left or you may wheel upon the Center According to my intended purpose I shall adde to the exercise of the Pike and Musket in the briefest manner being only what shall belong to present service and first for the Pike in all standing postures of the Pike keep your left foot fast fixt upon the ground in all marching postures move with the left foot advancing forward 1 Advance your Pikes 2 Order your Pikes 3 Shoulder your Pikes 4 Port your Pikes 5 Advance your Pikes 6 Shoulder your Pikes 7 Traile your Pikes 8 Cheeke your Pikes 9 Charge your Pikes 10 Shoulder your Pikes 11 Charge to the Front Reare right or left 12 Shoulder your Pikes 13 Advance your Pikes 14 Or order your Pikes 15 Charge to the horse and draw your sword any of the foure wayes For the Musket standing or marching First your Musket not being charged without a Rest supposing alwayes your left hand to be your Rest 1 Slip your Muskes 2 Poyse your Muskes 3 Bring her to your Rest 4 Open your Pan. 5 Clear your Pan. 6 Prime your Pan. 7 Shut your Pan. 8 Cast off 9 Blow cast about and 10 Charge 11 Draw out your scourer 12 Shorten your scourer 13 Put in your bullet 14 Ram your scourer 15 Draw out your scourer 16 Shorten your scourer 17 Put up your scourer 18 Recover 19 Poyse 20 Shoulder 21 Slope 22 Slip. 23 Poyse 24 Bring to your Rest 25 Draw forth your Match 26 Blow 27 Cock 28 Try 29 Guard your Pan. 30 Blow 31 Open. 32 Present 33 Give fire 34 Returne your match 35 Clear your pan and so charge again as is taught All these in service are reduced into these three words Make ready With these two added either Shoulder your Muskets Present Or Give fire Order your Muskets T he postures of arming and disarming according to my intention of brevity is needlesse to be here inserted they having been sufficiently written of by your Trained Band teachers I shall but only present you further with what firings are necessary for our present service out of a single Company or Regiment wishing heartily all noble Captaines and their officers would conforme themselves to these brief rules using no other words of Command then what are here used Y our single Company being drawne up Regiment wise at three foot distance being your order and your Pikes all shouldered the manner of firing to the Front is first let the two first Ranks making ready advance 8 or 10 paces from the Body the rest of the Ranks marching to the front of Pikes which two Ranks having presented and fired one after another let them march off to the right and left hand the next two ranks doing the same with the rest successively as long as you please when you draw near to your Enemy or by way of supposition charge over your Pikes three ranks deep and the rest ported following the charge T o fire from the reare first command your Body to advance their Pikes then face them about to the right or left and then shoulder your Pikes againe moving your Body command the two last Ranks to make ready being ready command the last Ranke to the Rear present who is to turn to the right hand and give fire and so turning up to the right and left advanceth into Front placing themselves before their Leaders the rest of the Ranks doing the same successively one after another T o fire from your right and left stanks command the right and left hand file to make ready which done marching your Body command them to present to the right and left and so give fire which being done let the files stand and charge their Muskets again by which time the two next files wil have performed the like who are also in like manner to stand facing toward their Commander and the first file is immediately to march up to the second the next files having done the like are to stand the first and second file advancing up to them and so of all the rest successively making up your Body again with all speed that may be T here is sometimes another firing used standing whereby an Enemy may receive suddenly a very hot charge when you are retreating command your Body to face about to the right or left and then let them all make ready which done standing let the first Ranke fire and fall off into the Reare and so the rest of them in like maner successively one after another your Pikes retreating back as your body loseth ground Y ou are to use your endeavour to bring your souldiers to know the severall notes of a Drum and what he is to performe upon the hearing of them your Pikemen being to be shouldered upon the beat of a march and advanced upon the beat of a troop This thing perfected will be sufficient for our present service to which God give 〈◊〉 FINIS