Flames Mr. Flavel himself died a Martyr for Christ the Year before viz. 1665 remarkable in that dreadful Mortality by the Plague Good Man he durst not fly from it when the Hand of God in that Plague seem'd to be gone out against the City He was willing being a Minister to hazard his own Body for the advantage of others Souls and so truly he did for being taken at a Religious Meeting he was carried before some Magistrates who after some debate with him plainly told him they would set before him Life and Death and leave him to make his choice They told him he must either promise never to preach at a Conventicle more or they must commit him to a Prison at that time sorely infected with the Sickness He was too great a Champion for Christ and a more faithful Servant to his Lord and Master than to stand long to consider an Answer but readily told them As to their former Proposal He did abhor the Thoughts of a Compliance by deserting his Saviour's Service and as to their latter Threatning he was freely willing to comply with the Will and Pleasure of God and could heartily say His Will be done So that he was O height of Wickedness and Cruelty committed to Prison there presently took the Infection and in a few Days transplanted from Earth to Heaven After I was acquainted with this worthy Divine and had tasted and receiv'd some Benefit by his Ministry being introduc'd at first by John Southam a Journy-man Drugster in London a very serious young Man and one I must bless God for I became a constant Attendor upon him where-ever he preached either in City or Suburbs He surely was as powerful plain and practical a Preacher as I ever did or reasonably can expect ever to hear He had one Practice though exceeding useful I think peculiar to himself which was this He would at his first entrance upon Sabbath-Day-Publick-Exercises endeavour to raise his Peoples Affections and to engage them to Seriousness by a most awakening Exhortation pressing them to consider with whom they had to do the Great and eternal God that searcheth Hearts what they came about no less than Souls Concerns and that for ought they knew their eternal Welfare might depend upon their improving that Opportunity which Prayer might prove their last Prayer and that Sermon the last Sermon that ever they should hear It was about the 25th Year of my Age when the Lord was pleased again to check and stop me in my Career of Sin to awaken my drousy Conscience to give me a Sense of Sin 's damning and defiling Nature and of the necessity of a saving Change which should be accompanied with a strict serious and holy Conversation if I would not eternally miscarry Here I made a stand and began to consider what I had done and what I must do Now began I to be sensible that I could never enough bewail the Sins of my Youth never enough live to the Honour and Glory of that God who had given me to out-live those Days of Vanity who had bestowed upon me not only space for Repentance but the Grace of Repentance too as I trust he did about that Time Now it was that the remembrance of my Sins was more grievous to my Soul than the forsaking of them the Sins I once loved I now loathed and would if that had been possible have given ten thousand Worlds I had never committed them Now it was I by Experience felt what before I would not believe that the best of Sins Sweets are really most intolerably Bitter I now experienced the Truth of that Passage I met with in a Reverend Author Mr. Hardcastle says he Let every Person that lies under a Temptation to commit Sin seriously consider thus If I commit this Sin I must either repent of it or I must not If I do not repent it damns me and if I do repent aright I shall find it cost me more Pains and Trouble and Sorrow than the Sin was worth that I did commit And this I have often thought upon since upon any Temptation Conscience now flew in my Face and was more than a thousand Witnesses against me now I did by sad experience feel the truth and terrour of that single Text A wounded Conscience who can bear And this through Grace I can say that when I did not sinfully stop its mouth it was a faithful Monitor to me That Scripture terrified me greatly The Soul that sins shall die And here was my Argument upon it The Law says the Soul that sins must die my Conscience tells me But thou O Soul has sinned and what 's the Conclusion why very dreadful thou must die I set about the Work of Repentance but must confess till the Lord did savingly by his Word and Spirit shine in upon my Soul I thought that bare Repentance was enough without considering that true and saving Repentance consisted in forsaking as well as in confessing Sin but here the Lord set home upon my Heart such Considerations as these That his holy and righteous Law was broken and Satisfaction must be made that he himself was Just and his Justice must be satisfied And that all my Prayers and Tears and Duties and Repentance though I should use them as means were yet no good foundation to build my Hopes of Heaven upon That though I could shed a thousand Tears and those of Blood for one vain Thought they would be no better than puddle Water to justify and save me Now did those Scriptures stâ—ir me in the Face 1 Cor. 6. 9. Know ye not that the Vnrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God be not deoeived neither Fornicators nor Idolaters nor Adulterâ—rs nor Effeminate nor Abusers of themselves with Mankind nor Drunkards nor Revilers nor Extortioners shall inherit the Kingdom of God And that of Gal. 5. 19. Now the Works of the Flesh are manifest which are these Adultery Fornication Vncleanness Lasciviousness Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies Envyings Murders Drunkenness Revellings and such like they that do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God And though I bless God the most of these Sins that do entitle to eternal Wrath and Vengeance I could not charge my self as guilty of yet some I could and the least of them in their own nature I found was damning and would serve to exclude me out of the Kingdom of God now through Grace was I ready to cry out O what must I do to be saved and a little seriously to enquire into my spiritual State and after Jesus Christ and the way of Salvation by him Now I began to think of the Corruption of my Nature and the Sinfulness of my Heart and that all the impure Streams of my Life had proceeded from that most corrupt Fountain Mar. 15. 19. And that it was not enough to bewail the outward Acts of Sin but the inward Principles of Corruption leading to it Now I
Wages it cannot be for your Bible tells you What you sow that shall you reap and he that cannot lie hath said If you live after the Flesh you shall die but if you through the Spirit do mortify the Deeds of the Body ye shall live I am not for inviting you to a Party or for tying up Salvation to this or that Opinion but I would fain prevail with you to be good for be of what Opinion you will the Scripture warrants me to tell you That without Strictness Self-denial and Holiness you cannot be saved Mat. 16. 42. Mat. 11. 12. 1 Pet. 1. 15 16. Dear Sir as you tender the everlasting Welfare of your Soul do no longer as the most but imitate the best and endeavour to be a Follower of those who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises or things promised Forsake bad Company for you know who has said The Companion of Fools shall be destroyed Prov. 13. 20. Be you a Companion of those that fear God and let not the Wicked any longer intice you or however prevail with you for the Scripture is very clear and positive in it That except Drunkards repent and reform they shall be shut out of the Kingdom of Heaven 1 Cor. 6. 9 10. That except Swearers repent of their prophane Swearing and reform they shall fall into Condemnation James 5. 12. That unless Liars put away their Lying and speak every one Truth to his Neighbour they shall have their part in the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone Rev. 20. 8. That if Company-keepers forsake not the Foolish that is the Wicked and live they shall be reckoned amongst the Companions of the Wicked who shall be destroyed Prov. 13. 20. I charge you not but leave it to your own Conscience to consider how far you are guilty in any of these Matters and then get into your Closet down upon your Knees bewail before God your sinful Miscarriages and beg a new Heart and Grace that you may live a new Life and be assured that what I say is out of a sense of your deplorable Condition whilst you remain in your Sins and a Desire to see you return to that God who waits to be gracious Come to Christ and heartily accept him for he is offered to you O that I could see this great Work done what a rejoycing would it be to all that are good about you Then might your Wife bless God for such a Husband who would help her Heavenwards then would your pious Relations delight in your Society and your Parents with joy say as the Father of the Prodigal This my Son was lost but is found was dead but is alive yea the Conversion of a Sinner on Earth causes Joy in Heaven That the Lord would bless this Advice to you is the earnest Prayers of him who shall then approve himself always Your Friend and Servant in Christ Jesus G. D. A Letter to my Mother Mrs. B. D. upon the Death of her good Daughter and my dear Sister Stanyforth Ever honoured Mother AT this time I have much Business upon my hands and some that requires quick dispatch otherwise my coming to see you would have prevented my writing to you and now I should be sorry that these Lines should add weight to your Sorrows by setting your Wounds a bleeding afresh I am much readier to bear a part of your Burthen having reason enough to be concern'd for and sensible of so sad a Breach as it has pleas'd the Lord to make upon us by the Death of my dear Sister Stanyforth Something I would contribute to your Support and Refreshment under such a Dispensation therefore desire your perusal of the under-written Considerations which has wonderfully supported me the Blessing of Heaven render them useful to you 1. We may and ought to consider the necessity of Dying 2 Sam. 14. 14. For we must needs die Preceding Generations made way for us and shall not we make way for others when God calls 2. The Friends we lose are not so much ours as God's God has taken but what he first lent This comforted Job when amongst other things he had lost his Children The Lord gave saith he and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord. 3. God has a hand in the Death of Friends My Times are in thy Hand says holy David and is there not an appointed time to be upon Earth 4. God in the saddest Passages of Providence aims at his People's Good All things shall work together for them that love God c. 5. God is still with us Psal 46. 1. Though Friends forsake us through unavoidable Mortality yet an everlasting God is where he was There is Sweetness enough in God to sweeten all outward imbittering Circumstances Though the Conduit-Pipes thrô which Mercies were convey'd unto us be taken away the Fountain runs still entire in God May we have a care of doing any thing to dim the Eye of our Faith for Hagar we read had a Fountain by but her blubbering Eyes kept her from beholding it 6. How great soever the Stroke and Affliction is we yet deserve greater our Sins are heavier than our Sufferings the Fire of God's Wrath is not proportion'd to the Fewel of our Sins 7. God has taken away one great Comfort but he might have taken away all Shall we receive Good at the Hands of God and shall we not receive Evil 8. Consider the Evil that comes by Discontent and immoderate Sorrow Discontent makes us our own Tormentors Luk. 21. In Patience possess your Souls by Impatience we are Possessors of our Sins and turn'd out of our Understandings Peace and Comfort Too immoderate Sorrow wastes the Spirits Prov. 15. By Sorrow of the Heart the Spirit is broken 2 Cor. 7. Worldly Sorrow worketh Death it greatly provokes God A meek and quiet Spirit is in the Sight of God of great price but a froward peevish Spirit is abominable to him Prov. 11. 20. 17. 20. 22. 5. Psal 18. 26. God may be provoked by this Sin to lengthen out Misery and to adjourn Mercy 9. God gives and takes away Relations at his own Pleasure let us rather praise God we have enjoy'd such a Blessing so long than repine she is gone so soon bless we a smiting as well as a smiling God a taking as well as a giving God 10. The Breach made is sad but herein God has 1. Done us no Wrong 2. He has done our dear Friend no Hurt Done us no Wrong he has taken but his own his own by his Creation by your Donation by Purchase and Redemption and by her own free Resignation And has our dear Father hurt her Is it to hurt her to put her to Bed to throw off her filthy Garments from her to gratify her in her own longing Desire which was To be dissolv'd and to be with Christ and to enshrine her in Glory 11. Think of the Invalidity of Weeping If Tears could possibly bring my
seal To which the Priests and Jesuits might appeal That they were Agents free and never knâ—w Till now the Popish Way was right and true That 't was not forced but a free Consent As by their Hands and Seals is evident Some alas did it and most foully fell To th' Grief of all their Friends that wish'd 'em well And after all if these did e're repine 'T was soon imputed to them as a Crime If publick Mass was scrupled any way Or dropping Beads when e're they went to pray Nay if a Sigh escap'd them this vile Rout Judg'd it Dislike to what they were about They fin'd them presently and did amain Send Soldiers to be lodg'd with them again All Sea-port Towns are stopt that none might go To tell the dismal Stories that they know All hopes are gone of making Scapes by flight The frontier Countries watched Day and Night There 's now no passing by a fain'd Excuse Vnless they could Certificates produce It would not do and these must also say The Passengers are of the Romish Way Vessels and Ships were search'd and Coasts thoughout Bridges High-ways and Rivers round about Guards almost every where did lurking lie To see if they could Protestants espy Holland's requir'd as it has been said To give up those that there for refuge fled And strictly charg'd they barbour should no more Nor entertain his Subjects rich or poor Nay some Attempts were made to bring those home Who into foreign Parts were fled and gone That they returning might exposed be Vnto the greater Wrath and Cruelty Of hellish Monsters who by every Dart Do shew the greater Malice of their Heart Whilst these things acted were i' th Kingdom round A new Contrivance in the Court was found To justify their Doings and to fix Their former Cruelties by new Edicts For th' nulling of the Edicts late of Nants The Wits are all at work i' th Court of France Much time was spent in drawing up the Form Which threatned their Estates another Storm Some mov'd the King should by his Power try Not only for to force the Laiety But Clergy-men a Truth thô very strange Their old Religion now at length to change And all Refusers sentenc'd to be sent Into perpetual Imprisonment ACROSTICKS GERVASE DISNEY Anagram I Sinner saved Yes JERVASEDISNEY I Sinner saved Yes through Grace Eternally to sing Rich was the Love of Christ who dy'd Valuing so mean a thing Ah Sinner stop here make a stand See but how once it was Enough thou ' lt see to humble thee Dejected Soul alas In Sin conceiv'd in Sin brought forth So many Sins so great Nought to be seen but Filthiness Ev'n this was thy sad State Yet notwithstanding God's Free-Love Now pitying thy Case Has snatch't thee Brand â—ut of the Fire Admire then Free-Grace GERVASE DISNEY Anagram I see Sin die ever JERVASEDISNEY IT 's Sin O Soul would ruin thee Ah then most constantly Endeavour to oppose thy Sins That thou mayst see them die Rich was the Love of Christ above to shed his Blood for thee Value O value this rich Grace Which thus has made thee free Ah sinful Soul consider well And think but of thy Case Salvation then thou soon wilt say Can only be of Grace Escap't thou art give God the Praise Eternally now Sing Dear Christ did bleed and die for me For me so vile a thing In Sin I dare not wallow now This shall be my Endeavour Since in my Blood God did say Live To see my Sins die ever Now mount O Soul in highest Praise Let Heaven hear thee sing Endless and Matchless was the Love Of Jesus Christ my King Yea but dear Lord I am so clogg'd By Sin the Sinner's Fetter I cannot praise thee as I would In Heav'n I 'll do it better An ELEGY on my Honoured Uncle Mr. GERVASE DISNEY who died April 3 1691. SAints here on Earth find still no Resting-place Heav'n ripen'd Souls ascend to Heaven apace Whilst Others do below with mournful Cries Thus celebrate their Fun'ral-Obsequies This has been England's case long latter Years Oft' yielding Matter of fresh Grief and Tears How many Jewels have we lost of late Which did adorn our English Crown and State But have by hasty Death been snatch'd away Their Bodies now reduc'd to Dust and Clay Yet thô such Losses Eriends on Earth must bear The Saints themselves the greatest Gainers are Whose Bodies more refin'd again shall rise Stript of their Dross and their Infirmities Vnited to their Souls again shall sing Eternal Hallelujahs to their King J. D. FINIS BOOKS lately Printed for and Sold by Jonathan Robinson at the Golden Lion in St. Paul's Church-yard HEarts-Ease in Heart-Trouble Or A Sovereign Remedy against all Trouble of Heart that Christ's Disoiples are subject to under all kinds of Affliction in this Life prescribed by the great Physician the Lord Jesus Christ which hath never failed those that have used it or ever will to the end of the World By J. B. a Servant of Jesus Christ Price 1 s. The Barren Fig-Tree Or the Doom of Fruitless Professors By J. Bunyan A Discourse of Closet or Secret Prayer from Matth. 6. 6. By Samuel Slater Minister of the Gospel Price 1 s. The Holy History in brief Or An Abridgment of the Historical Parts of the Old and New Testament By Samuel Clark Author of the Annotations on the Bible lately published Price 1 s. Christ's speedy coming to Judgment c. By William Bates D. D. Price 1 s. Christ alone our Life Or without Christ no Life By Edward Pearse Minister of the Gospel A Present for Children being a brief but faithful Account of many remarkable Things uttered by Three young Children to the wonder of all that heard them To which is added a Seasonable Exhortation to Parents for the Education of their Children Price 6 d. The Right Method for the Proving of Infant-Baptism By Joseph Whiston Minister of the Gospel Price 6 d. The Great Concern and Zeal of a Loyal People for a good and warlike King in the Hazards of War and the Duty of such a People opened and enforced in one of our Monthly Fasts Price 6 d. England's Call to Thankfulness for her great Deliverance from Popery and Arbitrary Government in the Year 1688 by the glorious Conduct of King William Price 6. Union pursued Or a Letter to Mr. Richard Baxter about the Agreement between the Presbyterians and Independents c. An Enquiry into the Constitution Discipline Unity and Worship of the Primitive Church that Flourish'd within the first Three Hundred Years after Christ Faithfully Collected out of the extant Writings of those Ages by an Impartial Hand In Two Parts The Conformists Reasons for hearing and joining with the Nonconformists St. Paul and St. James reconciled in the Point of Justification and the Controversies about it among Christians amicably composed A Defence of the Catholick Faith concerning the Satisfaction of Christ Written Originally by the Learned Hugo Grotius And now Translated by W. H. A Work very necessary in these Times for the preventing of the growth of Socinianism The Faithful Souldier's Reward Or a Glimpse of the Saints Happiness Discovered in two Sermons occasioned by the Death of that truly Vertuous and Religious Gentlewoman Mrs. Katherine Disney By William Scoffin Minister of the Gospel To my Friends that arc iâ— Christ To Carnal Friends Birth Sarah Samuel Cornelius John Elizabeth Mary Darcas D. S. Parents Daniel Gervase Apprentice Sins Work of Grace Grounds of Salvation Marriage Benefits by Afflictions Mat. 20. Luke 9 42. Isa 42. 16. Jer. 32. 30.
her weakness by Asthma and Feaver increasing and prevailing upon her she had some Disturbance by Temptations from Satan that grand Adversary of Souls to question her right to Happiness c. and whether God would accept so vile a Wretch Yet blessed be the Lord through Faith and Prayer and the never-failing Mercies of a Good God she got over all baffled Satan and was filled with unspeakable Joy in the Holy Ghost The Doctor prayed with her and afterward she her self prayed a considerable time distinctly and aloud and for her then Comfort and Support many Passages of Sermons she had heard especially some from Mr. Coates on that Text Come unto me all ye that labour c. came fresh in her Memory which the Lord helped her to improve to the great Comfort and Refreshment of her Soul She was now full of Heavenly Thoughts and from the abundance of her Heart her Mouth was now speaking c. She uttered nothing but what was savoury religious and serious and being spent by great Weakness went triumphantly to Heaven upon the 29th of May 1686. The Doctor told me it was the comfortablest Night that ever he enjoyed in all his Life Here at Leicester worthy Mr. Clarke the Nonconformist waited my coming that he might accompany me to Ollercarr which he did and the Lord made him mighty useful by his Christian advice to me June 3. I got home where I found a most sad and disconsolate Family I that needed others to comfort me was fain to be their Comforter June 5 1686. This Day my Diary manifests that I was grown more calm under the Lord 's mighty Hand and the loss of a Dearest Wife but yet too full of miserable Complaints and quarrelling Thoughts against my Maker the Lord forgive me and compose me for the Duties of the Sabbath following June 6. This Day was a very comfortable Sabbath with reference to my Enjoyments but the want of my Dear Wife occasioned Floods of Tears and violent Passions the Lord pardon my tumultuous Thoughts and in the Multitude of my Thoughts within me let his Comforts more refresh my Spirit June 7. This Day my Dear Wife was Interr'd at Crich where if the Lord please so to order it I desire and intend to lie by her the Lord pardon Sins while I had her and such as I have been most guilty of since I parted with her June 8. This Day through Mercy not much quarrelling with the Lord's Dispensations more calm than I was O that I could be dumb with Silence and not open my Mouth in a fretting and repining way because the Lord has done what 's done unto me the Lord sanctify this sad Breach upon me to my Soul's Good May I remember my Sins that have provoked God and be humbled for them and return to the Lord that smiteth June 9. This Day I find my Heart better fitted and framed to bear this sad Stroke This Day was preach'd by Mr. Coats my Dear Wife's Funeral-Sermon from these words 1 Thess 4. 13. But I would not have you to be ignorant Brethren concerning them which are asleep that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope Passion in the Sermon I was guilty of when in the Commondatory Part he was shewing what a Wife she was the Lord pardon my unbecoming Carriage to her Several days after I gave account of the Lord 's quieting my Mind under the sad Loss sustain'd June 20. This was a very comfortable Sabbath and the Lord gave me great Delight under the Droppings of the Sanctuary Mr. Coats preach'd from these words Hear the Rod and who hath appointed it O! I would fain make application to my self O that I could hear the Voice of this sad Providence and take out the Lessons of this Rod O that I may carry my self like a Christian under this mighty Hand of God! I have cause to fear I did not improve Last-Summer's Mercies as I ought and God has made this a much more uncomfortable Summer O that as ever I desire the Lord should not go on in this way I may better improve this Dispensation Several Letters I receiv'd from Friends heartily sympathizing with me in my Trouble take the Copies of some of them as follows A Letter from Mr. J. R. dated June 4 1686. Dear Sir BY a Letter I received Yesterday from Mr. Coats I perceive the Letters I sent you in Town on Monday Night were like Job's Messengers one bringing you sad the other sadder News but I hope you receiv'd the News with Job's Temper or mind viz. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord and God hath taken away the Delight of your Eyes and removed her out of sight she is in a state of Rest and you must behold her no more among the Inhabitants of the World this must needs be a pressing Affliction to lose so near so dear and so pious a Companion and that which aggravates the Affliction is that she was taken away in your Absence so suddenly and so unexpectedly But Dear Sir though God has crost your Will herein yet I hope a Tumult doth not arise your Passions and Affections are not in an uproar Why shall not God take away his own in his own time way and manner But Sir I am not to teach you God has rarely qualified you with the Graces of his Holy Spirit so that you know how to receive and how to resign a Mercy you know how to add to Faith Patience as you lately heard There is an animal Life of a Soul void of Grace accommodating it self to the Interests of the Flesh to all such things as are grateful to Sense but then there is a Spiritual Life which is a Principle enabling a Soul to bear up when God takes away our greatest Comforts such a Principle there is in you All I have to do is to sympathize with you and to pray that God would afford you more of the Assistances of his Holy Spirit that you may exert that Principle now at this time under this Loss The truth is 't is one of the most lovely Sights in the World to see a Christian acting Faith Patience Humility Submission Resignation c. in times of Affliction this makes the World say that there is something more in Religion than Talk but as I said I am not to teach you You have the teachings of the Spirit which will enable you to improve this Loss to better Gains The Lord sit us all for our last and great Change and in the midst of our private Losses let 's remember the Afflictions of Sion now sitting in the Dust So prays Your Sympathizing Friend and Humble Servant J. R. I hope you will return up again after some Days I think it will be convenient to divert your self with your Friends here some time after you have performed the last Office of Love to your Yoak-Fellow c. A Copy of a Letter from Cos M. S. dated
Abode some pleasant Place What needs more Mis'ry than not see thy Face Judg. Away thou cursed Miser'ant 't is too late Possess the Mis'ries of a wretched state To Hell be gone let Racks increase thy Pains And Fiends torment thee with their dolorou◠Strains Here thou didst wallow in thy sensual Pleasure And now must burn in Flames that know no Measure Prisoner Ah Lord if I must go with Curse and Ire And that to such a woful Place as Fire Yet let me beg this Boon I never may Continue any long time there or stay Let me pass swiftly thr◠and then have Ease Let this the Anger of my God appease Material Fire 's sad Men kindle here What then are Flames that burn with Brimstone there Judg. Away Wretch stay no longer cease thy Wooings Thou reapest but the Fruits of thy own Doings Eternal Pain thy tortur'd Mind shall rend That has no present Ease nor future End There go contribute to those dreadful Cries Where Fire 's never quench'd nor Worm e're dies Prisoner Let not my Lord be angry if I take Yet Liberty to plead my Life 's at Stake This dismal dreadful Doom for to depart From thee the chiefest Good en'e breaks my Heart But yet in Flames for evermore to be Does fill my Torments with Extremity Well if it must be so that I drink up The bitterst Dregs of this imbittered Cup Yet favour me so far as I may choose My own Companions there Lord don't refuse May I be join'd to such as may abate And not encrease the Torments of that State Judg. No Sinner thy Companions must be such As thou in Life-time didst delight in much Such who on Earth were Tempters most to thee Shall now in Hell thy worst Tormentors be Those who to lead thee Captive here took pains Shall now for ever with thee hang in Chains You all when fagotted shall burn together And these things be endured Soul for ever Ah ghastly Sight devouring Flames to see With Adders Frogs and Toads for ever be To hear the Screeches of those Monsters then That cannot be express'd by any Pen All this and greater Mis'ry does inthral Yet Stings of Conscience will prove worst of all Sentence more particular Judg. BRing forth the Prisoners bring them one by one That every one may sentenc'd be alone Set them to ' th Bar that every one may hear What 't is they 're damned for what they must bear Ignorant Come forth besotted Souls that have not known The Myst'ries of the great Salvation That ignorant have been thô Gospel-Light Has shin'd about their Tabernacles bright Take them then Devils bind them very fast The time they had for Learning now is past Slothful Come forth ye slothful Servants come make haste Who did not well improve but Talents waste On Earth you most unprofitable were And well may trembling stand now you are here Talents I did intrust you with to use Vnto my Glory which you did abuse You either spent them vainly on your Lust Or laid them up in Napkins for to rust How couldst thou eat and drink and sleep and play Before thy Work was done Soul what canst say Your pleasant Morsels prove a bitter Sweet For take them Devils bind them Hand and Feet Worship-Neglecters Come forth all those that Families had here But in them would not Gospel-Worship bear Thô Sin and Satan have your Thresholds trod You had no Entertainment for your God! You were my Creatures and did Worship owe But did not pay this Debt to me you know And thô you Subjects were would never bring The Homage that you should to me your King You liv'd upon my Bounty every Day Your Charge in Keeping-house I did defray And yet when all was done you would not Pray Thô Wrath and Vengeance threatned was to fall On Families that would not on me call Yet all I find in vain you Strangers are Both to your Family and Closet-Prayer Then rank them Devils ' mongst your cursed Train Their Prayers that would have done are now in vain Sabbath-Breakers Come forth ye Sabbath-Breakers Sinners high You must be try'd and all be cast and die You did prophane my Sabbaths here on Earth Would not then honour me who gave you Breath Most vilely you have wasted those blest Days By eating Drinking Sleeping Sports and Plays By thinking vainly or by doing ill By acting what was bad or sitting still Instead of Walking with thy God which yields The truest Pleasure thou hast walk'd i' th Fields To gratify thy Flesh with vain Delights And hast not paid to Heaven Heaven's Rights Instead of Waiting at the Posts o' th Door Of my own House thou 'st waited on a Whore Instead of managing thy Soul's Affairs By Reading Hearing Singing Thinking Pray'rs The World has fill'd thy Thoughts and wasted time That was not thine O Sinner but was mine You thought one Day of Prayer and Praise for me Too much to spend on Earth and now must see Your selves excluded Heaven fill'd with Pains Whilst Saints are singing here in highest Strains Take them to Hell then let them hence be led And there be always dying never dead Swearers Come forth you swearing Crew who would prophane By Oaths and Curses my most Holy Name Could hardly speak a Word but Oaths must fly For these thy Sins O Sinner thou must die 'T was my Command you know Swear not at all Vnless to end a Strife you had a Call But in your common Talk my Word did say Let your Yea be Yea and your Nay be Nay And whatsoever's more must needs be Evil Yet less is learn'd by you and taught by th' Devil Come Sinners come you oft have curst and swore And bad me damn you if I durst therefore I now will swear in Wrath you ne're shall see My blessed Rest but turn'd to Hell shall be Take them then Devils in Torments let them lie Where Conscience always stings and Worms ne're die Scoffers Come forth ye Scoffers that could ne're refrain To speak of pious Souls without disdain Who counted Goodness Madness blam'd their Folly Who seriously were strict and truly holy Those things you did account you never saw But Tricks and Francies to keep Men in awe The truly holy humble pious Soul You did account no better than a Fool Then you could say what needs so much ado Men may be much less holy yet sav'd too You tauntingly could say these holy Brothers Would fain seem more religious than others The praying Saint for sooth has th' Spirit got Who yonder goes poor silly whining Sot Well but who made the wisest choice Come speak They who did keep my Law or did it break They who in Soul-Affairs would ne're delay To give to God the best they had or they Who thought such guilty of the highest Folly And call'd religious Thoughts but Melancholy I' th World you had your good things mine their bad But now mine shall rejoice whilst you are sad This was your Folly
time with you on Earth to sit Your Hearts were proud and Looks and Speech you know And Carriage unto all was also so Lodg them in Hell their Pride must cost them dear See what they will be proud of when they 'r there Envious Let envious Persons now be brought to th' Bar Whose Malice did exceed all others far There hardly could be any Rich or Great But these would quickly envy their Estate They soon repine if they but see or hear Others commended whilst themselves are there If Neighbours but excell'd in any thing They'd either blast his Name or clip his Wing These were the by-paths envious Souls have trod Their Eye was Evil because mine was Good Then take them Deu'l Companions to be They are not fit for Heaven but for thee Wrathful Bring forth those wrathful Persons that black Crew Whose Tongues contentious wounded not a few Their siery Spirits have been just like Swords And Gall was always mingled with their Words Wounded they have and lash'd reproachfully With Scorpion-Tongues in Passion Standers-by E'ne take them Devil they 're too hot to be In any Place but Hell take them to thee Moralists Let Moralists come forth who loudly boast Of their uprighter Dealings than the most We were say they in Carriage always civil And in appearance we forsook the Devil First-Table Duties we have kept and shall Exactly strict and just have been to all Well all is nothing still here lies the bar To th' Power of Godliness you Strangers are Take them then Devils I will hear no more Better than they are gone to Hell before Hypocrites Come forth ye Hypocrites who made a show Of being holy but were never so Have born the outward Name of true Professors Yet in your private Haunts were great Transgressors A Name to live you had but that was all Your Ends and Aims were Hypocritical You us'd Religion only to disguise And paint but over your Deformities You follow'd Christ for Loaves which when you got Thô Christ did lead you still you followed not You 're painted Sepulchres and just no more Splendid without but rotten at the Core Such blazing Comets wandring Stars thô high Were but to shine a while and then to die Receive them Devils and the Charge I give Let them in dismal Darkness ever live Apostates Backsliders Backsliders and Apostates all draw near Attend the dismal Sentence you must hear You once were seeming Saints but now alas Amongst the openly Prophane you pass You seem'd to love my Ways and People too And once run very well who hindred you Was Heaven to you so unpleasant that You must for sake it for you knew not what Was my Reward so mean you went away And would no longer in my Service stay And can the Devil give you better Pay What! faces Heavenwards and then retreat This makes your lesser Wickedness compleat For when you 'd tri'd both ways a worse and better You vainly chose the First and left the Latter Then take them Devils who would ne're be wise And let them know what 't was t' apostatize Impenitent Unbelievers Come forth Impenitents and hear your Fate Let Vnbelievers now lament too late That they would not prevailed be withal To come to Christ when he did sweetly call Come Sinner come away both me and mine Vpon Acceptance shall be ever thine You have not th' Gospel credited thô true And in your Mother-Tongue reveal'd to you You have not yielded to me your Allegiance Nor liv'd by Faith nor paid me true Obedience Nor clos'd with Christ thô you did plainly see 'T was by him only you could saved be Repent you would not but your Sins did cherish Thô it was often said Repent or perish Take them then Devils let them rue their Birth Who would not turn from Sin whilst here on Earth Sinners farewel Alas Alas what will of us become Now Go ye Cursed is our final Doom Both Soul and Body well may stand afrighted Cursing the Day in which they were united Devils must needs with Fury being driven Seize us for Hell being sentene'd out of Heaven And with their Insultation at us rage As thô our Torments would their own asswage In Flames must fry which never cease to burn From whence we never may nor can return Meditations upon the Sacrament in Verse made the 28th of Jan. 85. by G. D. ALL wanton wandring worldly Thoughts be gone It 's Christ alone i 'm now to think upon Stand off the World and worldly Business all I have no leisure to attend your Call My Friends I leave you things below adieu I must my bleeding Saviour go and view My Soul 's for mounting up that I may see My blessed Lord who bled and dy'd for me And may not stay since Heaven gives the Call But hasten to him dearer than you all Come then my Soul art got alone make haste Heaven's Banquet is prepared go and taste Look yonder see how others flock and run And canst thou linger thus my Soul be gone Touch but this Vail climb up that Mount then stay Thou art arriv'd at bloody Golgotha Pause here a while and pausing thou shalt see Thy Saviour bleeding dying dead for thee Admire rich Grace my Soul O strange Decree That Christ must be the Prisoner and not me It might have been my case that I must sup Nay drink the Dregs of this most bitter Cup. But look he yonder goes that now must die My blessed Saviour suffers and not I. Nay look again my Soul approach more near And see a Train of Virgins follow there Look there he passes by O bloody Jews That durst the Lord 's Anointed thus abuse See how they Laugh and Scoff and do at length Force him to bear his Cross above his Strength Pressing his wearied Limbs they wag the Head Make him their Sport and thus away he 's led Methinks my Heart does boil with Rage to see The Folly of these Monsters Cruelty How could the blessed Lord to send forbear Legions of Angels for his rescue here Why caus'd he not some Fire from Heaven then To fall upon these cursed wicked Men Why did he not destroy this wicked Race And pity more his Son 's distressed Case But stay my foolish Heart thou dost not know What Spirit thou art of it must be so A Debt was due to Heav'n and must be paid God calls it in and Payment must be made Sinners can ne're be safe nor get to Heaven Till Satisfaction be compleatly given This Christ well knew yet never grudg'd at'th Cost To purchase back what Bankrupt Sinners lost He left his Father's Bosom thô he knew The sad and doleful things that would ensue He knew he was to suffer bleed and die Or Sinners must be lost eternally Yet having undertaken he 'll perform For this he hither came for this end born He therefore shrinks not nor does once dispute He dies for th' sake of Sinners and is mute O sad Arraignment when the Judg must
want and cannot come But here must stay and die Answer I grant O Soul 't is Faith alone That great uniting Grace By which thou must lay hold of Christ The want of it 's thy Case Well Faith 's the Gift of God thou know'st Who biddeth thee believe And true Repentance he must give Or thou canst never live Well coming Sinner come away Be always of this Mind Thou must both knock and call and seek If Mercy thou wouldst find Lord Mercy Lord O poor Soul cry Thy Mercy Lord I crave Or here I die in Misery It 's Mercy I must have I do believe help Vnbelief My hold of Christ I 'le keep If run I cannot after thee Lord after thee I 'le creep Then Welcome Sinner unto Christ Though coming for a Dole This Faith though weak yet saving is Thy Faith hath made thee whole Backsliding Sinner come to Christ Do but for this Sin mourn And thou 'lt be welcome unto him Who bids repent and turn Relapsing Sinner come away And thou shalt quickly see Thy frequent Fall's no let at all To Christ's accepting thee Delaying Sinner hasten now Before the Door be shut He that says Come will make thee room Then Sinner arise up The hung'ring Soul may come to Christ And they that weary be The Poor that has no Price to pay May have him very free Debauched Sinner hasten in Cast off thy Sins and then He will be thine as well as mine Who di'd for th' worst of Men. Drunkards and Swearers stay not out If you 'l but come in now Such have been wash'd and cleansed too And coming so mayst thou Soul O I am fully now convinc'd If happy I would be I must away to Jesus Christ My Loit'ring ruines me Object But when I come the Devil calls Whither away so fast Thou canst no Entertainment have With Christ thy Time is past Thou art not one of those alas For whom he shed his Blood Nor art thou an elected one Stay here it is as good Soul Nay but I 'le try and hasten in O that I 'd gone before And if I cannot entrance have I 'le wait at Heaven's Door But yet methinks thy fierce Assaults Encouragement do give If I but go I' st be receiv'd And if I turn I' st live The dying Soul's last Farewel to All. FArewel the World I once did love I now have learn'd to live above Farewel my Friends and welcom Grave I better Friends in Heaven have Farewel dear Wife I cannot stay Christ bids me come I must away Farewel my Body made of Dust I must to him in whom I trust Farewel those Sins I left before I 'm going where I 'll sin no more And farewel Troubles at Decease In Heaven will be perfect Peace Farewel my earthly House and Lands A House I 'll have not made with Hands Farewel all Sorrows doleful Cries In Heaven are no weeping Eyes Nay farewel all my worldly Stuff A single Christ makes rich enough To let all go is surely best To enter on Eternal Rest Yet do not say that I am dead I 'm but undrest and gone to Bed I 'm gone you see yet do not cry Meet me in Heaven when you die The Welcom to Heaven God WElcom my Child to endless Bliss Heav'n joys to see thee here Fear not this is thy Father's House Taste freely Heaven's Chear When thou thy Saviour did'st accept This Jointure he thee made It 's Heaven he purchas'd for thee Accept be not afraid But why asham'd poor Soul come in Now thou' rt arriv'd above Thy Soul is cleans'd thy Sins forgot Think now of nought but Love Spread out the Cloth of richest Gold His Foot-cloth it shall be If he be drest then bring him forth He 'll keep me Company Come all that here attend my Throne Put on him best Attire Set on the Crown that will out shine The clearest Flames of Fire Well bid him welcom to the Court He 's one of Royal Birth I must be-friend him now he 's here He was my Friend on Earth He left the World whilst in the World Did show whilst he had Breath He loved me above the World Was faithful unto Death Soul A Bride a Child a Wife a Friend Ragg'd yet adorn'd so soon My Dunghil's changed for a Throne My Midnight's turn'd to Noon Vpon a Death-bed I did lie And there did toss and turn My Friends about me weeping stood But here shall never mourn A Hymn on Isaiah 8. 17. And I will wait upon the Lord that hideth his Face from the House of Jacob and I will look for him MY God 's withdrawn and hides his Face I cannot choose but mourn Yet still I 'll wait upon the Lord And look for his return Doctrine in Verse Sometimes the Lord not only hides His Face from single Saints But other whiles on this account Whole Churches make Complaints And when it 's thus bewilder'd Souls Know'ng scarce what course to take But still they 'l pray and cry and call And after God will make I 'll seek the Lord says such a Soul And still upon him wait Who hides his Face from Jacob's House He 'll come though's Coming's late A Meditation upon Matth. 11. 28 29 30. COme Sinner come thy Saviour calls If penitent thou be And truly weary of thy Sins Thou 'rt welcom Soul to me Take up my Yoke for it is light Account it always best To learn of one in whom alone Thou canst have solid Rest My Burthen's easy you will find When you have learn'd of me To have a meek and lowly Mind Try Sinner taste and see A Poetical Remembrance of the Reverend Mr. John Oaks who died suddenly being taken with an Apoplectick Fit in his Pulpit Lord's Day Decemb. 23 1688. with some Hints of Advice to surviving Relations composed and made by a true Lover of him and his G. D. HEark heark what means the mournful Looks and Cries The pensive bleeding Hearts and blubber'd Eyes The Throbs the Throws the Sighs which do appear With sad Complainings almost ev'ry where Why so much Drooping in a Halcion-Day When with loud Acclamations we should pay Rather a Tribute to our Prince and Peers Who seasonably have rescu'd us from Fears Why so much Sorrow now If needs must be Occasion'd by some Depths of Misery I sigh to tell you yet am hereto forc'd My Heart 's so full it must have vent or burst Great Oaks the famous Preacher's lately dead Had hardly time t' undress to go to Bed And he must sensless be who now forbears To speak with Sorrow or to write in Tears The Heart 's as hard as Flint that cannot weep When such a one as Oaks is fall'n asleep Sabbaths were here unto him a Delight And on that blessed Day he took his Flight From Earth to Heaven where he ever sings High Hallelujahs to the King of Kings Thô call'd from Sabbaths here he 'd not debate That one Eternal he may celebrate Thô Warning's short to go he
just And to his Life conform Since we Profession make we must The Gospel thus adorn He is our Lord Redeemer and We do profess that we By what he 's done are now redeem'd From all Iniquity His Name we own to call upon Are therefore strictly boâ—… To honour not reproach the same His Glory forth to sound Do we of Nature most divine Pretend for to partake Let us in all our Actions shine And him our Pattern make Do we to 's Doctrine credit give Labour we to adorn The Gospel then in every thing By sutable return Have we his Spirit then we 're led With glorious Success To live and act and walk i' th ways Of Truth and Holiness True Faith in Christ where ' ere it 's found will purge and purify It mends the Heart and every part The Life 's reform'd hereby A Love to Christ we all profess O let this Love constrain Vs for to live to him that dy'd And now is rose again Christ while on Earth was undefil'd Most Sinless was his State No stain or spot did ever soil This Lamb Immaculate He by his Blessed Life while here Did an Example give How we should carry walk and speak And Holy Lives should live In all his ways he was sincere Nothing could ever soil That perfect Innocence of his So free from Craft and Guile Meditations upon Mr. G's Text 1 Joh. 4. 7. And every one that loveth is born of God c. THe gracious Soul that 's born of God And has a saving sight Of what is Evil and what 's Good And knoweth God aright He loveth God and Godliness And every Saint that he Believes God's Image stampt upon In Truth and Verity Lord grant me Teaching from Above Illuminate me so That thou a God in Covenant I savingly may know That Light of Nature all Men have It never can afford The full Idea of that God Who is the Living Lord. Nor can the best of Creatures show Though wonderfully wrought The Splendour of the God Above Too vainly this way sought No 't is the Soul that 's born again And 's by the Spirit taught Can only fear and serve the Lord And know him as he ought Such they 'l sincerely seek to God They call and knock and cry Will learn to pray from Day to Day With Importunity Re thou the Portion of my Soul I then can be content With smallest share of Worldly Fare And meanest Settlement Give me a Christ or I 'm undone Hear Lord my Suit and Cry Let me be thine and Christ be mine Without him I must die Bless to my Soul the means of Grace Thy Institutions all Incline mine Ear O Lord to hear And to obey thy Call Meditations upon Isa 50. 10. Who is there among you that feareth the Lord c. HE that does truly fear the Lord And 's Servant doth obey Who walk's i' th dark and sees no Light May yet upon him stay He may with greatest Confidence A Succour from him claim Who is the Lord Jehovah Great By trusting in his Name Meditations upon Luk. 10. 31. By chance there came down a certain Priest that way c. ALL Mankind since the Fall are bent To travel out o' th way That leads to Bliss and Happiness And sinfully to stray Both Priest and Levite here agree When as a wounded Man They did espy to pass him by Without Compassion Legal and Moral Righteousness Can never give Relief But dreadful Comforters do prove To Souls opprest with Grief And as for formal Holiness Or bare Profession made It never can relieve a Man With Comfort when dismay'd 'T is none of these that can appease The burthen'd Sinner fainting It 's Christ alone that such an one Is longing for and panting Turn then aside my Blessed Lord A wounded Sinner see For I am sure I need a Cure Have Mercy Lord on me Other Physicians all I find But vain as to my Case I must depend unto the end O Lord upon thy Grace O thou the good Samaritan Compassionate and kind Pour in thine Oil upon my Soul Then healing I shall find Meditations on 1 Joh. 2. 29. If ye know that he is righteous c. KNowing that Christ is righteous Must necessar'ly show That he must needs be born of God That Righteousness doth do A Legal Righteousness none can Discharge since Adam's Fall But here 's our Comfort God accepts What 's Evangelical Meditations upon Mr. F's Text Phil. 1. 27. Only let your Conversation be as becometh the Gospel of Christ GOD grant our Conversations here May ever more be such As may the Gospel of our Lord Adorn and Credit much It presses Holiness in Life And teaches to deny Vngodliness and Worldly Lusts And living soberly The Gospel pure and its Rules Do reach the inward part And notice take of all Mistakes Both in the Life and Heart 'T is Holy Righteous Just and Good Directs us to abstain From all appearances of Ill From Carriage light and vain To cleanse our selves from Filthiness Both of the Flesh and Spirit T' avoid indecent Wantonness And Gospel-Rules to credit All sinful Gestures it forbids And Carriage vain and light The Glances of a Lustful Eye And Works that shun the Light Thy Word O Lord's a Word of Truth Forbids Deceit and Guile Teaches to fly Hypocrisy And ev'ry Motion vile An Hymn upon Mr. C's Text Eccles 12. 1. Remember now thy Creator c. REmember thy Creator now Whilst youthful Days do last Now know love fear and serve thy God For Age is hastning fast The Evil Days are drawing on Then now lay up thy Treasure For being come thou 'lt find and say In these I have no Pleasure An Hymn upon Rev. 2. 10. Fear none of those things c. FFar not the Troubles Jesus saith Vnto his Church below That thou may'st here be call'd to bear And forc'd to undergo The Devil by his Instruments To Prison some shall hale Yet 't is but some it is not all The Promise cannot fail A ten Days Trial such may have And Tribulation bear But being faithful unto Death ACrown of Life shall wear An Hymn on 1 Tim. 2. 5. ONE God there is and only One One Mediator High The Man Christ Jesus who for all Did pay full Price and die On 1 Joh. 2. 1 3. IF any sin we have on High An Advocate who spilt His precious Blood that he thereby Might expiate our Guilt On Rev. 5. 13. BLessing and Glory and Renown To him we give therefore That sits o' th Throne and to the Lamb Of God for evermore Psal 113. turned into other Verse and a more common Tune April 1686. OYe the Servants of the Lord His Holy Name adore Sing forth his Praise with one accord And bless him evermore Ev'n from the rising of the Sun Vnto its going down Cease not this praising Work begun Give Glory and Renown Above all Nations God is High His glittering Glory count Does very much for Majesty The Heavens High