thou goest from God Christ and Self-happiness Self-love and happiness is to love God and God above all Whom have I in Heaven but thee or whom do I desire in comparison of thee saith David Psal 73. 25. There was a time when you desired your Lord much but did you ever desire your Lord Christ a little if you did do it more and more his Name his Nature his Person and his Promise is altogether desirable and shall be remembred in all Generations and praised for ever and ever Psal 45. 17. Therefore his Love is better than Wine Cant. 1. 2. Yea the wine of Angels for this is that that they drink in the perpetual beholding of him and you shall see my face too sayes God if you be his Servants Rev. 22. 4. But do not think of Reigning with God in Heaven if you be not his Servants here and your present Heaven is nothing to that Lift up your Eyes and look upon them and he that made them all your Heavens are but Dreams and Smoak What art thou that forgetst the Lord thy Maker Isa 51. 13. that hath stretched forth the Heavens and laid the foundations of the Earth and art afraid of a man that shall dye and be as grass Look unto Abraham sayes God ver 2. And if Abraham's bosom be desirable his Faith and Obedience is so too Some have the art to make much of little but few to make God all as Abraham did when he told him I am thy sheild and exceeding great reward Gen. 15. 1. and it is not in the power of any but he who is all and filleth all in all to give to all abundantly what their Souls do want Herod would give half his Kingdom for nothing but St. John Baptist's head pleased the young Gib well enough Matt. 14. 8. He preached repentance and Christ forgiveness a Prophet may instruct us but Christ only makes us to profit by the ministry of the word Oh! pray pray that hearing you may hear Rev. 2. 11. Matt. 13. 14. and know him whom to know is life eternal John 17. 3. though knowledge may be without Grace yet true Grace is never without knowledge and I know my redeemer lives saies Job 19. 25. and that you have not the love of God in you saies Christ to the Jews Joh. 5. 42. and his satisfaction for us is more the ground of our justification before God than his sanctification in us and yet Christ in us too is the hope of glory Oh! let him live in your hearts by faith 't will breed joy and feed joy a true Christian tasts that here which will be unspeakable hereafter here his joys enter into us hereafter we shall enter into it and the sweetness of divine love passeth all knowledge men taste a little here but ravishment is for fruition be industrious till you come there for the industrious man is not at leisure to sin heavenly meditations keep the mind busie when the hand is at plough or play but play dayes said Bishop Latimer are the Devils working dayes and he has more sin in one of them than in a whole week besides Religion allows not much idleness for he that will not work must not eat by Paul's rule Admire God in your calling and out of thy calling and the fields will give you room and objects enough for meditations and contemplations if you be not vain and airy but you must take care and watch thoughts or else you 'l loose God in your mind which is the honey in the way Oh! what is the bough the bush and the green but a little thing he sends every spring a little Daisy has a fine head but all the world cannot make it nor one hair white or black Oh! admire God in his works which are past finding out saies David Psal 19. 1. if they were happy which stood before Solomon as the Queen of Sheba said Luk. 11. 31. what are they that shall stand before the Lamb to admire him to Eternity Rev. 7. 15. Come begin heaven on earth admire him here and you shall hereafter in a sinless state here we sin and serve him too not in sin that is the Devil's work as Christ said John 8. 44. there we shall be without sin and never fear nor offend but love him to all eternity and be beloved of him Saints and Angels too Oh! may you dwell among them for ever and that is best of all but the best of and whole of this world is not worth one half quarter of the world to come That that makes heaven full of Joy is that it is above all fears and that that makes hell so full of terrour is that it is below all hopes the certainty perpetuity and eternity of it never ends nor the worm dyes saies Christ Mark 9. 44. Isa 66. 24. sin breeds death and the worm feeds upon the Conscience in remembrance of it so that a man or womans own hell comes much from and lies most in themselves by the alwise providence of a just and wise God ordering of it so see and buy Mr. Strongs little book upon the Worm of conscience we grieve and take care that little ones be not sick and dye of the worms but seldom take good and sound repentance our selves through the blood of Christ to kill the worm to come Oh! that sin may dye and Christ live in all your hearts grace increase and that decrease grace is glory begun a bud beam and slower of it and a grain of it is more worth than all the hypocritical knowledge in the world and through justifying grace scarlet sins and sinners are made whiter than snow by the blood of Christ Psal 51. 2. and the true preaching of the holy Gospel is the breaking of one heart and the binding up of another the hard is to be broken and the bruised is to be bound up much of the Minister or good Physicians skill lies in this Oh how good is it to have such a good Physician or to look out if we have not and if it be good for us to draw near unto God by prayer is it not so for him to draw near unto us by Preaching Peace Pardon and Forgiveness to us in the Ministry Yea 't is this way that he speaks Peace to his People And every faithful Minister hath as much the Power and Key this way as another For 't is but in Preaching and Believing They tell us of the Love of God and we apply and believe through the Blood of Christ and this applying and believing becomes our Remission and Forgiveness Oh! believe God is a giving and a sin-forgiving God and has two places one above and another below in a broken heart and if he dwell with a penitent what may not that heart get by him And for old and past sins it is our Heaven to be rid of them for they would have run us to Hell if we had continued in them When God is in the heart
Madam THis is certain That the Sun Moon and Stars in some sense do not more adorn the Heavens than good Lives good Doctrine and good Works do Religion and if any Religion in the world be more inward spiritual and heavenly than others surely it is the Doctrine of our true reformed Protestant Religion which lies not in Shews and Ceremonies but in Love to God and all that bears his Image which we Poor Children cannot yet be said to do whilst Poor and altogether ignorant of our selves and Maker and such are We And all We which do humbly present our selves as Objects to your Honour's Charity And yet if We or some of Us by God's Blessing good Discipline Catechizing and Preaching shall be brought to know our selves and the Lord Jesus Christ as well as to get our Bread and be put forth into a hard World to live another day then our Advantage will be great and your Satisfaction also because your Bounty has contributed to this good Work and because 't is a good Work 't was very unfit your Honour should be left out in the least For your Good and Noble Lord has ever still been in as we hope he will when Religion Liberty or the Civil Interest of the Nation has been at stake in the least as a bold and brave Champion for his King and Country yea the three Kingdoms for which God Almighty bless all and every Branch of Ye And may your Names be in the Memory of our Nation your own Country as it is Yea the Lamb's Book of Life especially for all out of that will be everlastingly cast into the Lake that burns for ever Rev. 20. 15. God Almighty bless us all with the Power of Religion that we may yet have an abundant Entrance into his everlasting Kingdom To whom be Power Glory and Dominion world without end Amen Amen Right Honourable and Good Madam THE Great God and his Goodness having made you and your Lord not only Noble and Great in Quality but Good and Gracious in Disposition loving Humility and Religion which teaches the right way to Life and Happiness as it is most full and plainly revealed in the holy blessed Writ and Word of God the which may ever dwell in your hearts to shine in your Lives as it does Oh! when Lords and Ladies fear the Lord God Almighty that made Heaven Earth Sun and Seas they do abundantly add to their own Honour and praise their Creator too May you both so do love him and live to him who is all and will be all for ever And may he dwell in your hearts by faith establish root and fix you both in himself Giving you to know taste and comprehend with all Saints what is the heighth breadth length and depth of his grace and to know the Love which is unsearchable and passeth knowledge and be filled with all the fulness of God Ephes 3. 17 18 19. Yea may the young Lord your Son grow as a Lilly be as a Vine that runs over the wall and in time root as a Cedar to be tall in the Nation and may many Branches be his Portion yea all the Blessings of Joseph or everlasting Hills come upon his head to be as a fruitful Bough and Blessing to your Family Gen 49. 25 26 27. Yea may you both live to see all this and our poor divided Nation flourish yea our little School live and thrive which is a thing near where your Honours have been sometime past taking a little Air and will be for God's Honour if it flourish and be well disciplined which is sweet and good and Charity wholsom also and therefore pray Madam let us tast a little of your Bounteous Goodness for we have nothing else to live upon nor no such Noble Good Protestant person as your self to help us that is near and therefore pray good Madam do something for us and our School which stands so full or near in your Eye And we will never cease to beg the best of blessings in Heaven or Earth to be on you and yours Most Noble WE the great English Ladies Charity School-house of High-gate which are yet but in our Infancy as it were do with all humility adore you the virtuous Maiden-Ladies of that high or mighty State or Common-wealths Embassador being desirous that your and only your most Noble Names and Charity be Rolled and Registred with the Ladies of our Nation For as Queen Elizabeth of happy memory did love you more than any so We and the People of this Nation in general do wish to You above all the Common-wealths in the world great Prosperity and Peace and may never more unhappy breach be or drop of blood spilt by any enemy whatever but may your Ships and ours be as the mighty Ships of Tarshish to carry in and out the Treasures of the world to the Church of God or the people of the world which do favour them and all your Guns and ours be as Brazen walls to defend both and Truth from Falshood or at least our Habitations and Enjoyments and from this Union may the Children of men and the Christian world suck the Consolation of Peace and Quiet if they will be quiet and then we Poor Hospital-Boys will never bow nor beg of any Foreign Prince or States Embassador in the world set your most Honourable Ladiship 's Father aside but yours we naturally love and your great Figures and Names we would all fain beg to be visible in our Charity School for all Ages to come May it please your Honour most Good and Great Lady AS we have presumed to petition the She Princess of this world or the great Ladies of this Nation to be charitable unto us so we most humbly do your Honour also presuming a Figure of your making in the Ladies Roll must needs be like your self Great and therefore the good God and his Son from Heaven bless you and your Sir Henry make you still to love your King and Country as you really do and live for the Kingdom of Heaven To love your King is to love him in his Person Power and Just Prerogative to love him in all the good he doth his People your Country yea the whole Nation Prince and People's Happiness is much bound up in God both in living unto him and therefore Heaven must still be at the end of our living and the end of our dying for then Eternity comes to be a serious thing Sharp quick and great Wits have ever sooner or later found the Power of Religion Everlastingness makes time and action short here and in that we shall have time enough to look back read over past things Great Actions will be there greatly influenced by it and for little ones of this nature they cannot trouble either mind or thoughts in another world being so warrantable as they are and commendable too Lord what am I whence came I whither go I so fast away and yet the Nation lies at stake
saved she presently ran mad to think she should mind little trisles and forget that Many scramble for a little Dirt Dust Gold and Honour but when Death comes they will cry out Oh my Soul I would give for Heaven so much said a Knight at Brumpton But it was once said of a Lady That she and her two Children did thrive in the Truth John 2. 4. We wish you and yours the like For the soul is more worth than the body yea than all the green and glory in the world besides And I would saies Sterry if God should put it to my choice that all the vines greens and flowers in the world should everlastingly wither rather than one soul finally perish for whom Christ dyed but yet yet for all this Christ is more worth being God-man than all the fouls in the world put together how much better are soul-comforts than bodily ones and so for mercies Oh! let me have the Cream sayes one and let others take the scum'd milk sorrow for sin and contrition is good but it must not keep us from believing and hopeing in him carnal joys breed sorrow but spiritual sorrow breeds joy and is a repentance never to be repented of 2 Cor. 7. 10. In wicked laughter the heart is sad or should be for sayes Christ woe be to you that laugh Luk. 6. 25. but in holy mourning the heart is secretly glad therefore blessed are all ye that mourn for ye shall be comforted Matth. 5. 4. but some mourn for the shame and not for sin sorrow lies heavier on the wicked than sin but sin is heavier than sorrow on the godly my sin is ever before me saith David Psal 51. 3. And against thee have I sinned and done this evil in thy sight 51. 4. Oh! that bad men would confess and go to God by Christ and repentance if they don't he will never come over to them whilst the world stands but send them into hell 't is the height of wickedness to do ill and think it well done and go on swearers swear again and swear for grace and think it a brave thing to be damn ye and so do poor Rascals Dray-men Footmen Coach men and Porters and all for grace the of imitating huffing Sparks but little do such Wretches Worms Atheistical Heathen Mortals think what sins they brought with them into the world and what hellish damning and despairing fears will tend them when they are going out unless they dye brutish or like one that has no sense of another world Dr. Manto Dr. Manto Fetch him quickly or some other good man said one A Horse a Horse a Kingdom for a Horse said crook-backt Richard and more would these give if they were able if they did but know how the Devil waited for their souls 'T was Saul's Case and a sad cry he made God has forsaken me and the Philistines are upon me and the Devils the Devils will be about such men if they do not repent Christ paid dear for their souls but those that buy sins with damnation set but little on them Let none of us fool our selves sin will prove a deadly downfal if we do not rise by faith and repentance in the mean time it never did any man good nor never will saies the Practice of Piety 'T is one thing to sin and another to be overcome or taken by sin but 't is sad if that which comes from God should daily cause us to sin against and forget him yet high fortunes lead some men to sad lives and fashions yea they think it strange to say their prayers or do as others do when they are newly come out of France and exceeding modish Oh! my Son my Son said old Fox when he was just come from beyond Sea sure this is not my Son Samuel in this habit But 't is a less sin or less danger to offend Christ or one of his servants than to be offended with Christ or his Church yet the least wrongs his own soul Prov. 8. 36. and private ones have publick shame many times yet 't is a lesser danger to commit a sin we are inclined to delight in than really to delight in the sin we commit Yet Fools will be Fools though they go to Hell for their folly But a wise man and a good will weep and sigh to see a foolish laugh and sin Come Gentlemen forsake it before it forsake you or you be forsaken of God 'T is a hard thing to lose him and all for nothing or to look up to Heaven with one Eye and down to the World and Vanity with another And 't is hard to commit one sin alone Sin hangs to sin as spawn to spawn and links to links in a Chain 'T is easie and hard to tell but a Lye something or other will tend or go along with it Come throw up the purpose and throw up the habit of all sin and you may do well enough The pleasures of it are but short If they say to you as Jael said to Sisera Turn in my Lord Turn in to me fear not I will give thee Milk or Honey But it proved a Nail in his head And I will leave one in your Conscience said that brave Bohemian Martyr John Husse and your sins will prove as a Nail there if they be not washed away And no man living can give a reason why he should commit the least against a good God Yet some that are very wise will give a reason for all other Actions But In good Troth and By Faith and Troth are great sins in Gown-men and Divines and Drinking Joking and Drolling will make them lose ground and not be reverenced 'T was pious holy Preaching strict and blameless living got their first Estimation in the world And nothing else will ever keep it up God's Servants are called his Sons and Daughters 2 Cor. 6. 18. And Ministers that Preach to them or the World either should be very holy Be holy for I am holy saith the Lord 1 Pet. 1. 16. Lev. 11. 44. They are called Suns Stars and Angels Rev. 1. 20. and Shepherds that must watch or give account for the blood of our Souls if they miscarry But I am free from the blood of all men sayes St. Paul Act. 20. 26. And I will seal with my blood what I have preacht said that brave Martyr John Philpot Latimer And he did so to the astonishment of all beholders for it abundantly gushed out at his heart after he had been a long time in the Fire Well good men and good Ministers have the Law Love and Grace of God in their hearts and do for love of Souls more than money Neither do they love chopping and changing But a great Benefice is a great temptation even to a good man but to many is certainly a great sin in Giver and Receiver But I will live and dye with my Flock as I should Joh. 10. v. 4. said a good man And 't is more honour to be
Time drops Pearles from his golden Wings yea the Orient on 's wee for Butterflyes haz zard God Christ Heavens ioyes our Im̄ortall soules to Eternity all for nothing for nothing Call Time againe Call Time againe Cryed a great Lady when it was to late Prize it therefore as the greatest Iewell in the world THE LADIES Charity School-house Roll OF HIGHGATE OR A Subscription of many Noble well-disposed Ladies for the easie carrying of it on BEing well informed that there is a Pious Good Commendable Work for maintaining near forty Poor or Fatherless Children Born all at or near Highgate Hornsey or Hamsted We whose Names are subscribed do engage or promise That if the said Boys are decently Cloathed in Blew lined with Yellow constantly fed all alike with good and wholsom Diet taught to Read Write and Cast Accompts and so put out to Trades in order to Live another day Then we will give for one Year two or three if we well like the design and prudent management of it once a Year the sum below mentioned But if we be not fully satisfied that the said Boys are all of them true Objects of Charity or are in the least neglected to be taught the holy Scripture and Fear of God by good Discipline frequent Catechizing and orderly going to the Publick Church every Lord s Day Forenoon and After then we will not mind this our promise in the least or contribute any thing at all to it But hoping that the work may be good take Root find many friends last long be commendable in future Ages we be enclined to do as above mentioned not knowing but that a Kernel may become a Tree and a thing of small beginning prove popular and praise-worthy to the Honour of our Protestant Religion and in time find many Benefactors Also it standing so exceeding well and near this City's famous Hospitals which were not half so great as now However this little Infant being the first erected thing in our names and Dedicated to us as a Pious Work worthy of Encouragement we are not willing it should wholly die but to try the Expedient believing all good Works to be good and not to be repented of in Life Death or Eternity but the surest sign of true love to God and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ And now 't is ten to one but some of your near Acquaintance as well as your great Relations may say Pray Madam let us trouble you with a small sum or a few Guynies to this good Work hoping it will be no sin to add a little Charity to your Ladiship And in such a case you may for the ease of your memory set it down in one of these Lines below and so you will be sure not to forget or wrong us Now a Lord or Gentleman's money will do almost as well for our School as your Ladiships only we will still ascribe all to your Honour For God's sake do not object any thing but read and see whether these Scriptures do not all seem to be for us The night comes when none can work that is at Death Joh. 9. 4. Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful Lay up Treasure in Heaven Matth. 6. 20. He that soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly 2 Cor. 9. 6. Make ye friends of the unrighteous Mammon that when ye fail that is when ye depart this world Christ may receive ye into his everlasting habitation Luk. 16. 9. He that observes the wind shall not sow or he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap that is he that makes excuses and objections Eccl. 11. 4. But cast your Bread upon the waters and after many days you shall find it Eccl. 11. 1. Give and it shall be given to you Luke 16 38. Charge them that are rich in this world that they do good and not trust in uncertain riches but be rich in good works 1 Tim. 6. 17. Blessed is he that considereth the Poor the Lord shall preserve him alive when he lay sick and not deliver him into his enemies hands but he shall be blessed in the Earth Psal 41. 1 2. And now he that gives in Life carries his Lanthorn before him makes his own hands and eyes Executors The Great Ladies do allow their House-keeper one bottle of Wine three of Ale half a dozen Rolls and two Dishes of Meat a day who is to see the Wilderness Orchard great Prospect Walks and Gardens all well kept and Rolled for their Honour's Families and to give them small Treats according to discretion when they please to take the Air which is undoubtedly the best round London Three or four short Reasons why you Noble Ladies should not let this little School-house die 1. It is but little yet you have done for Christ or the Honour of Religion being cumbred with many things like Martha you neglect the best 2. In this you imitate the best two Princes that ever Reigned in this Realm Queen Elizabeth and Edward the sixth who founded most of the great Hospitals As for Queen Elizabeth she hated Popery made Christ's Righteousness her Rock loved the Parliament City and Dutch a Cord hardly to be broken 3. It stands so well and is really dedicated to you who are the choicest Flowers in Nature What is beloved like you English Ladies no mortals more happy if sin do not hurt you Others have not the hand and purse Others have not the Climate Others have not such Husbands as your Right English Nobles are or were many of them heretofore No such Noble Seats as most of yours be You have every one a Canaan Milk Honey and the holy Gospel preacht and may that ever be and your lives exemplary whilst the Sun Moon and Stars endure But pray Madams why should Old Sutton's brave Hospital such and such Hospitals flourish but yours die yours who are certainly the best and greatest Ladies in the whole world May God Almighty bend your hearts to us Poor Boys who will ever pray for you and all yours An Essay or humble Guess how the Noble Ladies may be enclined to give to and Encourage their Charity-School at Highgate near London AND first my Lady such a one cryed Come we will make one Purse out of our Family and if we get so much we will buy a Close Mead or Field near the School and it shall be called by our names to the worlds end A Noble Motion My Lady such a one said She would give for one Year or two but settle nothing And my Lady such a one said She would give only to the Lecture which is every Lord's Day Winter and Summer about five or six in the Evening But my Lady such a one said She would first inform her self and then do as others did My Lady such a one said She would give at present because she liked the School-house Orders and its standing very well and was very much taken with the Wilderness and Walks And my Lady such a one said She
to the best of our power and who can do too much for him who is all and will be all for ever He gives us all we have and though we can give nothing to him yet he accepts of what we give to any so it be for his Honour and the highest Honour on Earth is to be good and extensively doing good like the Air. 'T is but a little while at best that we can work and it may be you and the great good Ladies of that Family will never have such an opportunity to help erect a thing that may last perhaps to the last period of time and be so long for the Honour of your Noble Sex and Family also and therefore pray despise not the day of small things nor this good design Most Great and Right Honourable Countess AS your Noble Name and Title is beloved by all some for worth in that brave Warrier who yet lost his head in the daies of Queen Elizabeth and others for that brave Knight your Father who lost his in the late times for Loyalty to his Prince both which will hardly be forgotten and especially whilst your Lord continues as he does to do all good and good Offices for his King and Country may such Peers flourish and be as they are indeed Pillars of our Nation which do bear up Prince and Peoples Happiness and Honour And for this may Children love you yea Children yet unborn will when they come to know the worth of our Religion which if lost our Bodies would be all slaves and our Souls in danger to be damned for ever by Antichristian Errours O Madam who can love enough whilst he loves his Country so exceeding well and the Protestant Interest also May you yours and himself all long live live for us for our Prince and Nation once a Terrour unto others but especially for himself and true Happiness for to live to God is best of all We may live to our selves and Fortunes our King and Country forget Heaven and so be lost and miserable to Eternity which will be Heaven when all is done and no home is like that and he that made it for his favour is better than life it self and may that favour which he bears to his Chosen ones be to you and yours also yea may you all see the good of his Inheritage and be blessed in Soul and Body with all your Right Noble Issue here and hereafter pray every one of us Most Great and Right Noble Countess SAies the Lord I have set watchmen upon thy walls O Jerusalem that shall never hold their peace day nor night Your brave Lord most Noble Madam may be said to be the same if ever faithful warning was given to a Prince and Nation of dangers near and Counsels to prevent even at the brink your Lord hath certainly done it with strength of Wisdom Zeal and Boldness that never man spake better And now what shall we say of this our great Nations Seer that loves Scotland England Ireland and the Protestant Interest all the world over it being extensive like the Truth it self and the holy Gospel who can love more than every place where it is professed or preserve Liberty and Interest our only Jewels better than strongly to oppose all enemies for which may his Noble Name and Memory live and his Lordship sit as long as ever States-man served a Prince and for his Zeal to Prince and People let both love him and the Love of God dwell in him the blood of Christ be his Laver and when ever his great Soul shall leave this little lower sinful World let the holy Angels guard him and our Lord Jesus Christ personally present him to the Father to sing the high praises of God and the Lamb to all Eternity And when any of his near and Noble Family and Race have served their Generations and fallen asleep may they do the same and so successively to the World's end pray we Poor Hospital Boys Right Honourable and Noble Countess SOlomon tells us Wisdom is the principal thing and if it be as it is most deservedly accounted an excellent piece of Wisdom to know all the Laws and Statutes of a Nation What is it then to know the Laws and Statutes of Heaven the Will and Pleasure of the great and mighty Monarch Lord God of Heaven and Earth which your Lord yet doth Surely this must needs make him to be a great Figure and a great Statesman in this our Kingdom And may many many such States-men be to Rule and Govern the Great People of this Nation under our most excellent and good natur'd Prince And may their Wisdom be ever hearkened to and their hearts be zealous for his Greatness and all the Peoples Interest for he that serveth both shall never miscarry to his Honour and the wisest Ones Applause May your Lord steer in this Chanel miss all Rocks especially what may hurt his Soul live to his God and himself as well as his Prince and Country for Eternity is a long thing and may he you and all your Noble Issue be ever happy in it Pray one and all we Hospital-Boys Right Honourable Madam MAny and great have the Changes been which your Ladiship have known but this is certain there is a great and unchangeable good God who lives for ever and because he is so therefore the Sons of Jacob are not consumed Madam 't is this God and his Love we must stick to for nothing else will do us long good all things fail and fade set that aside the fairest Beauty and the sweetest Rose the richest Garment with the greatest Wealth and Honour will be left on Earth to die like other things but the Living God and the Living Word Jesus Christ who lives with and by the Father shall abide for ever Joh. 6. v. 57. And whosoever believes in him shall never dye c. 11. v. 26. Oh Madam may you so live live for ever with the Son and his Saints in the Kingdom of the Father to drink of the new Wine namely his Love which he speaks of Oh! 't is that that must be our portion if we have any thing worth the speaking of What 's the fluttering up and down the world or the Enjoyment of the world with all Accommodations in and Applauses of it if we lose our Souls as Christ speaks what shall it profit us That 's a Jem or inestimable Jewel never to be Rated but in Eternity it comes next of all to God and Christ it 's immortal ever living and shall never die if sin does not hurt it nothing can God Almighty make Christ to be our Righteousness both in Life Death and Eternity and that we may know this his Righteousness which is nigh and this Salvation which he so often and affectionately calls upon us for to mind saying Hearken hearken unto me my People Give ear unto me oh my Nation This my is a sweet word Scripture myes and Scripture ours are all so Oh!
but give at length some diligence to make your Calling and Election sure Honours and Evidences are never sure enough can Heaven be too sure for you Come look after God and Christ more pray oftener throw your selves into the Arms of Jesus depend upon Free Grace and he will certainly save you and your Souls Like and love holiness Be in love and league with no sin and you shall have Joy Happiness and Holiness to Eternity And therefore as ever you would be Lodgers out of Hell live in the Church as a holy member of the Church love the best of Protestants persecution is a devilish sin And good preaching a great mercy And if ye love one another then are ye my disciples indeed sayes Christ Joh. 14. 21. And 't is reported of St. Chrysostom that they had rather want the shining of the Sun than his preaching and sayes he if I had a Mountain for my Pulpit and the whole world to hear me it should be upon that Text. O ye sons of men how long will ye love vanity Psal 4. 2. The delight of the soul is to know its maker and heavenly preaching is a soul-ravishing thing there being infinite sweetness in the love of God But he that does not lift his head and his heart above this world will perish with the world And he she that is for much ease new fashions and fine cloaths haiting up down in Coaches is oftentimes for little religion If you cannot live without excess of pleasures I say excessive ones you will be carried down the stream of Nilus to the deadly Sea called Mare Mortuum like the skipping fishes till they fall into it Come let brave Sparks and gallant Ladies mind better things the great God and his Son that came down from heaven and never knew pleasure here on earth but in doing his Fathers Will and if you will now do it when the Dore is once shut it is too late Some would be troubled if they should never go to the Park again or see another May-day But if you should never go to heaven you are utterly undone for there are but two places all go to one place saith Solomon but he means that of the grave Eccles 12. 7. But all besides believe two places if the principles of Religion were never so dubious yet it concerns us to be serious because they are of such mighty concernment to us Said the great Earl of Leicester Fools play with their souls and drawlers at Religion cut the thread of life and throat of them But sink not into this deadness and deadly wickedness as to make sin a sport of at any time especially such kind of sinning as throws a contempt upon God and his word and hardens others to despise and condemn that namely Religion which all ages and nations beside this have never done before But it were better to be drowned with a milstone about our necks than left to dye and be buried with a hard heart in the grave or live to draw others to hell Take heed which way you go the broad way is most easie but the narrow is most safe Luke 13. 24. Safe bind and safe find but sin loosened and the Reins let go carries us whither we should not and whither we would not If we did but consider but the want of due consideration if you will indeed do it too then you shall know it more than you do and taste it to be far better than all the sports and pleasures of the Court and Country too Oh! that I had never been King of Spain said that great Prince Charles the fifth and that I had lived a Hermite's life But a heavenly life will never be repented of Should not Ladies strive to be Angelical and holy in the eyes of God as well as lovely in the eyes of men why should you be all for Honour and not for Religion as some of you are It becomes great Sparks to seek great things and not to spend their time in Ladies Chambers tossing of a Play-Book or reading this or that little Jest crying Faith Madam here 's a good one Lord Bacon said Nothing concerns us so much in all the world as Religion and the Principles of it Come then and let us seek the world to come this passes away like May-day and May-flowers all but smoak or dew quickly gone but everlastingness is a mighty thing The world and times are bad let us make Christ all in all Col. 3. 11. He is so and will be so Let him be to us in point of Justification Sanctification and Redemption Imitate him and lean upon him in Life Death and Eternity Wisdom waits at his Gate to keep you from sin which a Play-house leads unto But I will go to the house of God sayes David and pay my Vows in thee O Jerusalem Psal 116. 19. And I mine in thee O Smithfield said that brave Hampshire Martyr John Philpot but if you care not for God's Honour he will not care for yours nor what becomes of you when you dye But he that honours me will my Father love said Christ Joh. 14. 21. But no man can love serve or honour him enough who has loved us so much as to wash us in his own blood Rev. 1. 5. And Philpot shed his free and boldly and disputed as bravely as ever man did for Christ and his Truth in the Convocation-house And the world is not worthy of those men which have been burnt upon this account in all or divers Countreys by the Man of Sin But take heed you be not foolish Virgins and foolish Ladies and such as have not Oil in your Lamps nor saving Grace in your hearts at midnight when the Cry of the Bridegroom shall come For if the door be then shut and Repentance too late Christ will never hear though you knock beg and cry upon your knees and were more beautiful than Angels saying Lord open open with ten thousand tears in your eyes The day is past and the night will never have an end But 't is non-consideration is the cause of men and women's damnation said a good Divine Therefore said God O that my people did but consider But the Ox knows his Owner and the Ass his Masters Crib but my people doth not consider Isa 1. 3. The length of Time the certainty of Eternity the impossibility of more than a long Life and how vain it is to labour not to dye once Methusalem dyed Gen. 5. 7. Piety strength or policy keeps none from the grave Consider saith Solomon do not all go one way to the dust Eccles 12. 5. But Christ shall say Come ye Blessed Go ye Cursed I was an hungry and you fed me naked and you cloathed me or you did it not Nay what you did to one of these little ones you did to me Matth. 25. 41 42. O Do something for the School if you have not yet though works do not merit 'T is impossible saith St. Austin
never see May out and for those mercies which you would wish and hope to find then And if you do as the Lord Jesus Christ grant you and your Children may 't will be more a comfort to you than if all your choicest creature-comforts in the world should surround you Alas alas what are Pearls Plate Cordials Jewels Wife Children Husbands Lands Livings Rich Bed and Hangings or the Honours of the world when the Soul is stepping upon the dark Mountains of Eternity or sitting on the Lip just taking wing with the last gasp to fly away for ever as an Eagle in the Air O mercy mercy then and in that day may mercy be your portion And as the poor people of Hadly wept and prayed for Dr. Taylor in the street as he was going to be burnt saying Oh! Lord Jesus Christ relieve thee our good Shepherd Mr. Taylor as you have relieved and comforted us many times with your Charity But there are two promises more which I shall hint at and I have done Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God Matt. 5. 8. To see God is the very heaven of heavens and to see him in heaven is the last and lasting highest happiness of all men angels and glorified creatures or whatsoever our soul or souls can or shall ever to all eternity desire and may you and all you so see him and personally enjoy him for ever and ever but there must be purity and heart purity for it is the pure in heart that shall see him in glory without holiness no man can see him Heb. 12. 14. And with the pure he will shew himself pure Psal 18. 26. but in a strict sense this word pure must not be taken as if in a strict sense we should not see him without perfect holiness in our selves which is to be without all sin and to be perfectly holy in his sight which otherwise than in Christ no man living can be saith Job The Stars are not pure in his sight Job 25. 5. and he hath beheld folly in his Angels Job 4. 17. much less men the best of men or the best of their actions yea so none can say I am pure Prov. 20. 9. but men may be said to be pure as they are washed justified sanctified persons and made pure by the blood of Christ and so every believer or justified sanctified person is pure Rev. 1. 5. Timothy speaks of a pure conscience that is washed 1 Tim. 3. 9. 2. Tim. 1. 3. serving God with a pure conscience And so again Paul bids us draw near to God with a true heart and full assurance of what faith in Christ for justification having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience with the blood of Christ and our bodies washt with pure water that is the water of sanctification by his spirit typified by that which came out of his blessed side when by the spear pierced for us upon the Cross And thus noble Ladies it is that you must be pure if ever you will be pure and see God in Glory you must be washed by the blood of Christ and sanctified by the spirit of Christ fine Words fine Cloaths Complements and Faces doe nothing in point of justification no nor many sermons hearing if rested upon nor other good deeds no 't is the blood of Christ witnessed by an honest humble godly conversation from the integrity of your hearts that must get you the denomination of being pure in heart and seeing God in glory and therefore dear Ladies Gentlewomen and others as ever you would see glory or see the face of God in glory be holy heavenly and mind things above Col. 3. 1. 2. where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God Heb. 1. 13. and think not that a little little slight religion no religion any religion will bring you there when nothing will do it without Purity Strictness and Honess yea there must be a little of all this do you think to go in fine Sedans Down Beds and Coaches no no it must be in a way of mortification to sin and love to holiness if you will ever have happiness yea this unspeakable happiness of seeing God in glory which one saies He would for one glimps of it endure a great while in hell Oh! but you need not go to hell for heaven for if you go there you will never come out though the Papists fancy they may from Purgatory for a little money to the Priest And therefore one said Oh Money Money what wilt not thou do in the Court of Rome Ay said the Pope and you are fools to bring it here to an English man that was there upon trial for a Church Living Oh! but go to Christ and the promise go to God by Christ through the promise beg and plead that you may see him and you shall see him and his grace and hereafter you shall see his face also Rev. 22. 4. And his name shall be in your foreheads that is the blessed rayes of his glory shall be visible on you when you come to stand before God and the Lamb in glory with your Palmes in your hands Rev. 7. 9. But seventhly and lastly Blessed are the Peace-makers for they shall be called the Children of God Matt. 7. 9. Peace makers are Christ's imitators who is called the Peace-maker and the Lord of life and glory the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Isa 9. 6. by whose commission alone it is that all his Messengers and Ministers do preach Peace and Pardon to poor sinners such as are far off and such as are near in their own apprehensions Yea to all that believe be they far or near Jews or Gentiles the blood of Christ speaks peace and better things to them than the blood of Abel that cryed for vengeance and all innocent blood will do so And therefore 't is not good to pardon any that kill men in quarrels duels but this cryes for peace pardon and forgiveness Oh! Father forgive them they know not what they do Luk. 23. 34. now to be a peace-maker is to be a sin-reconciler I do not mean to God for that none can do but Christ who is our propitation 1 Joh. 2. 2. 4. 10. and he hath done it for all that do believe but to reconcile men to men is to do all the offices of love and good will yea all the offices of good we can for the Church and people of God especially in our own place way and calling wishing prosperity peace and weal and to say with the Psalmist Peace be with thee and let them prosper that love thee Psalm 22. 6 7. Peace be within thy walls and prosperity within thy Palaces Psal 26. Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem saith the Prophet Isaiah and in the Churches peace shall you have peace saith the same Prophet and the people of God are said to delight themselves in abundance of peace Psal 37. 11. Where the meek are said again to
inherit the earth And as Paul in his salutation said Grace be unto you and Peace through our Lord Jesus Christ Col. 1. 2. And In as much as in you lies live peaceably with all men Rom. 12. 18. Now first there is a personal or particular peace that is a peace with a man 's own self Mind Actions Waies and Conscience Secondly There is a domestick peace that is with Masters Servants Husbands Wife and Children And thirdly There is a Relative Neighbour or Parochial Peace that is one Neighbour Friend or Relation with another And Moses reproved the two Israelites for quarrelling saying They were Brethren Exod. 12 13. Oh! how good is it saith the Psalmist for natural or spiritual Brethren to live together in Amity Psal 133. 1. Fourthly There is a National and Ecclesiastical Peace which we are to pray for and desire also But this is rather to be desired than expected While some men know more and others less there will be disputes and some differences for all men have not the same fancies nor Physiognomies but do differ there and in mind too However for peace and quiet sake let the strong comply with the weak and the weak not to despise and judge the strong because they know more than themselves And this is to become all to all men as Paul did to gain some And for God Christ Peace and Angels sake do you do so which was the Song that millions of them sung at the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ to the Shepherds yea the universal world saying Glory be to God in the highest Luk. 2. 14. Peace and good will towards men on earth But for your worldly outward Peace take Paul and Christ's counsel in a word and so shall you preserve and keep it First Wrong no man saith he Act. 25. 10. Secondly Forgive your Enemies sayes Christ Matth. 5. 44. which two Scriptures well observed would make a great deal of peace in the world especially amongst the best of good Christians But I shall not mind nor trouble you further in any thing of this nature about Peace above mentioned only this A personal inward Peace which is a thing of great concern for Eternity namely your Soul-Peace and for that take this great Scripture Simile or Parable of our Lord Jesus Christ Matth. 5. 56. Agree with thine Adversary quickly whilst thou art in the way with him lest at any time thy Adversary deliver thee to the Judge and the Judge deliver thee to the Officer and thou be cast into prison Verily I say unto thee Thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing which is as much as to say never never And now pray will you mind this young Ladies and Gentlewomen for you for the most part are most ignorant of the holy Scriptures and their meaning This is a true and great Parable of Soul concern and therefore Christ's counsel is serously to be minded by us Our Adversary is God and God though he be the God of all Good Grace Glory Eternal Love and Infinite Endless Mercy yet he is an Adversary to every Man and every Man and Woman by nature too is an Adversary an enemy at distance to him till he be reconciled by Christ for the breach of his most righteous just and equal holy Law Psal 119. 19. Every branch of which as it contains a beam of his eternal will and image is more pure than the Sun or gold tryed in the Fire as the Psalmist hath it Psal 119. 72. Now whil'st sweet life and the holy blessed Gospel is continued and preach'd to us we are in the way in the right way that we may be reconciled to this good God who is yet an Enemy and will continue so if we do not agree and make peace in the blood of Christ But he namely God delivers us by death any kind of death that kills us Consumption Surfeit Cold Ague Feaver Small-Pox Age Gout or Dropsie c. so that we be put into the Judges hands namely the good Lord Jesus Christ's who is and shall be Judge of quick and dead he finds us guilty of debt sin unbelief and breach of God's holy Law sends us and delivers us over into the Jaylors hands the Devil and he presently casts and carries us to Hell where we never come out nor can till we pay the uttermost farthing that is till we satisfie to the uttermost for God's wrong and infinite strict Justice for the breach of his holy righteous just and good Law which can never never be though we lie millions millions and ten thousand millions of years as Francis Spira once said Oh Lords Ladies Gentlewomen and other poor People make Peace while you may make Peace yea whilst Christ and the holy Spirit of Christ sweetly knocks with an Olive branch of Peace pleading with you at the door of your hearts Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the door and knock that is by good motions and if any one hear and open the door that is hearken to my counsel I will come in and sup with him that is give him pardon and comfort Rev. 3. 20. And so again Cant. 5. 2. Open Open unto me my Love my Dove and come away And now if you have taken his advice and have made your Peace by hearkening unto Christ and taken his counsel who is an Advocate Friend and Counsellor to plead for you to the Father by shewing of his Blood Death and Merit in a way of Intercession to the Father for poor Sinners then will he be a Saviour to you and not a condemning Judge to turn you over by Death to Hell and the Jaylor but will convey you safely by the holy Angels who are now your Guardians to the Bosom of the Father And now if you have made your Peace as easily yet you may if you have not and do but look about you with a grain of Faith through the Blood Life Death and Merit of Jesus Christ as I said before then you have little else to do but to study all kind of Peace in your Families Parish-Church and every where where you can come or go That ye may be called the Children of the Living God Rom. 9. 26. The Sons and Daughters of the most High God 1 John 3. 1. And so Peace-makers indeed And this frame of spirit with the Spirit of God in you Rom. 8. 10. will be a great Witness and Comfort to you that you are now the Children of God and if Children then Heirs as the Apostle sayes verse 17. and so Joynt-heirs with Christ O unspeakable Love and Grace What! an Heir with Christ Ay sayes the Text a Joynt-heir with him of what nay that 's for Eternity to tell but this we may say they are Heirs of First of Eternal Life and Resurrection from the Dead Luk. 20 36. But they which shall be accounted worthy of that world namely Heaven and the Resurrection from the Dead neither marry
nor are given in Marriage neither can they dye any more Luk. 23. v. 36. for they are equal to Angels and are the Children of God being Children of the Resurrection Mark the Children of the Resurrection are the Children of God that is those and all those Christ rose as a Head for they and all they have a part in the first Resurrection Rev. 20. 6. Blessed and happy are they that have part in the first Resurrection for on such the second Death shall have no power that is Hell the Devil or Jaylors Prison above mentioned O Ladies Look to Christ who is the first Resurrection and the first begotten from the Dead and the Prince of the Kings of the Earth for he has loved you and washt you from your sins in his own Blood Heb. 1. 6. Yea look to him that he be your Resurrection and that you have a part by Faith in him who is the true Book of Life Revel 21. 27. And if by Faith in him you rise from the Grave and Death of sin here then may you assure your selves of a share and part in his Resurrection unto Eternal Life which was typified by the First Fruits and the Sheaf of Corn which the Priest held up and wav'd under the Ceremonial or Levitical Law And that you are indeed the Children of it And of God too and so shall never dye Oh! believest thou this as Christ said in another place about Lazarus I am the life and resurrection of the dead and he that believeth in me shall never dye Joh. 11. 25. Yea though he were dead yet shall he live again Believest thou this sayes Christ so say I to you noble Ladies Gentlewomen and others if you be the Children of God and the resurrection you shall dye no more dye once you must to this world and the things sleep a little in the grave and imitate Christ your Head and your Husband your Lord and your Saviour who was there before you three dayes and three nights and then destroyed and tore the grave open to assure you of the resurrection also but in that you shall never dye more Oh! happy resurrection when Christ shall say awake and sing O ye that sleep in the dust and with my dead body shall ye awake Isaiah Come with me my love from Bebon the Leopard and the Lions den Canticles All which promises and a thousand more are made to you if you be the children of God and peace-makers in the Church or World or where you are The Children of Israel were happy that they were the Children of Israel and the seed of Abraham though all were not the true seed but Oh! how happy are you that you are the Children of God and shall be like his Angels in the resurrection yet Israel died in the wilderness and never entered into the land of Canaan but you shall never dye be as Angels enter in and possess the true Canaan Heaven 's Kingdom and the Kingdom of God be among the Angels to sing with that Coelestial Quire the high prayses of God and the Lamb to all eternity Rev. 7. Oh happy day Oh happy hour that ever you were born or made to be the Children of God and peace-makers in the world and places where you come Hell is full of brawling the world is full of brawling but your Breasts and Lives are full with peace and the love of God and the wayes and things of God Oh! keep that Nightingale and sweet ever singing Bird of Paradise close to you and let it never fail you day nor night yea all you Children of God 't is a heaven to begin a heaven here and a double hell to lose it for a straw as one said or a bubble which Children blow from a walnut shell whilst 't is a little heaven or young heaven as a great Lady called it but old heaven and the heaven of heaven of heavens shall be your portion yea he that compasseth heaven and earth and is within the Starry Element where Sun Moon and Stars are Oh! how glorious is that this is but the Tileing we see Gods house is all invisible and the inside no mortal man nor eye can see nor him neither and live Exod. 33. v. 20. But time shall pass and time shall come when these things shall be no more and we for ever with the Lord 1 Thes 4. 17. and see him as he is face to face and eye to eye and all tears shall be quite wiped away sorrow and mourning fly away for ever former things be forgotten and all your Lords unkindness and your own unworthiness of the Lamb and your Redeemer's love yea the want of Grace and comforts here the young Lord and little Ladies death will be forgotten in another world yea in resurrection glory all will be swallowed up in everlasting joy some Fountains have their mouths or pipes through which they send their Chrystal streams with pleasant noises Revel and in heaven shall the Children of the resurrection Saints and Angels continually send their Praises to God and the Lamb and that unweariedly for worthy is the Lamb to receive Power Glory and Dominion for ever and ever Revel 7. 10 11 12. And every creature in heaven and earth heard I say Amen Amen Amen Oh! ye Lords Ladies Princes Kings Queens Potentates and highest Mortal of the earth joyn ye for it becomes you well and all ye with that kingly Prophet David in his three last Psalmes 148 149 150. and with this I shall close this little little book of yours which was made a little before and just after a great sickness but the work is Praise the Lord from the heaven Praise him in the highest for the highest is too low for him Praise him all ye Angels an Angelical praise becomes him and them very well praise him all ye host be ye what he will praise him Sun and Moon for ye are man and wife to rule both day and night and he made you both praise him all ye Stars of light which are as Sun and Moons children and are of great influence to the children of men praise him O heavens air ye terrestrial coelestial heavens heaven of heavens praise him and him alone he only made you with the word of his power and ye waters that be above the heavens the airy heavens and clouds that we see and in the deep let the fountains of the deep praise him he hath commanded and you were created he establish a Decree and you cannot pass Praise him Dragons and deep fiery Mountains Hail Snow and Storms and fulfil his word Mountains Hills Trees and Cedars high Men and low Men little Beasts and Cattle Creeping things and Flying little Ants and mighty Eagles Kings Judges Princes and all People young Lords and mayden Ladies of nine ten eleven twelve and thirteen let them praise his name for his name alone is excellent and before him let all flesh be for ever silent His glory is above the Heavens
ever was is and ever shall be he also exalteth the horn of his people Christ the horn of David and the horn and salvation of the Church as well as the praise of all his Saints Male and Female for ye are all one in Christ Jesus and so are Jews and Gentiles Greeks and Scythians all Nations having drunk of his Blood and Saints too even the Children of Israel a People near unto himself yea as the apple of his eye Praise ye the Lord sing a Song of Praise Psalm 149. and rejoyce in your King the Lord reigns the Lord is King for ever and ever let the Earth be glad let them praise his Name in Dances spiritual ones with Timbrel and Harp joy and comfort in their Souls for the Lord taketh pleasure in his People shall a Worm do it in his hole a Bird in the Sun a Saint in God and not God in his people Oh yes he taketh pleasure in his people and will beautifie the meek with salvation We told you the meek should inherit the earth a little before but here is heaven and salvation too Oh! Blessed are the meek and blessed are all these blessed ones whom he takes pleasure in Let the Saints be joyful in glory let them sing upon their beds go in all the divine and heavenly discoveries of Gods love to their souls and let a sword be in their hands the holy word of God which is as a two edged one to cut down all ungodly lusts and reigning sins in their souls yea let the law of God as a golden chain bind their unruly Kingly lusts and Lordly ones too from acting against God and their souls for ever and to execute on them the doom that is death and mortification as St. Paul saith Col. 3. 5. This honour all his Saints shall have that is his sanctified justified ones as I told you a little before yea in these no sin shall ever reign as Kings and Noble men for these are not under the Law but under Grace so saith the great Apostle and experienced Saint St. Paul Rom. 6. 14. Wherefore praise him in the sanctuary yea that that is of all most proper yea in the congregation of his people yea in the great congregation will I praise thee sayes David ay and in the little one too I will praise thee with my whole heart and my tongue shall be as the pen of a ready writer Psal 45. 1. I will extol thee O King I will bless thee for ever and ever Psal 145. 1 2. Every day will I bless thee great is the Lord most worthy to be praised his greatness none can reach Ladies Men and Angels may try their skill and strain their voices but can never reach it no the uttermost thoughts of men and Angels cannot do it for he is still as far beyond them as the heavens are beyond the earth yea he is more excellent than all creatures can conceive to eternity and Christ also fairer than the children of men the chiefest of ten thousands altogether lovely Psa 45. 2. 6. Cant. 5. 10. And saies God concerning Christ I will make thy name to be remembred in all generations And therefore shall the people love and praise thee for ever and ever Psal 45. 17. And to thee shall every knee bow Phil. 2. 10. that is submit and be disposed of by Christ as he pleases and how he pleases Oh! praise him for his acts he hath led Captivity Captive and is judge of quick and dead according to his excellency give him praise with Timbrel and Harp yea with ten stringed instruments all the veins in tongue and heart praise him praise him for musical instruments has Christ put down in his Gospel worship and therefore 't is the lip 't is the life 't is the heart 't is the soul that must now praise him O Lords Lords Ladies and other English Mortals won't you joyn to Praise him Then you are undone utterly undone For EVER Written by WILLIAM BLAKE House-keeper to the Ladies Charity-School FINIS