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 y e greatest Iewell in y e 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 [Page 2] 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 [Page 3] 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 'tis 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 [Page 4] 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 [Page 5] 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 [Page 6] 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 [Page 7] 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 [Page 9] 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 would give for the fancy of the Roll, and Charity-stick, and that she never saw the like, and did wonder how any body would speak against the design of it.
My Lady such a one said, She would give, to bind some out, or send one or two to be Poor Scholars in Cambridge, or else to a Sea Captain, to learn Navigation, and get her Lord (if she could) to give the Quit-Rent of one or two Houses yearly; saying, It was no more than the Hawks-man cost him, or else she would spare one Point of Venice, but the thing should go forward: Another Lady Warwick.
And for the six or seven Citizens Ladies we intend to go to, we do verily believe they will give pretty well, because they are the chiefest in all [Page 10] London, and eminently good.
My Lady such a one cryed, By her Troth she would give nothing at all, for she had waies enough for her money; But the next said, She would give so much for five or six stone of Beef every Week; and which of these is most like to Repent when they come to die and go into another World?
Then my Lady such a one said, She would give for Bread and Beer between this and January come Twelvemonth, and others promise for their Cloathing.
But we have abundance of waies and objects for our Charity: Ay, said a fine young Lady, it is the better for us, we have abundance of Masses, many Joints, Toes, Feet, Fingers, (some Excuses) all should do something in order to another World, where we must be for ever; 'tis good to send a little before-hand; Faith laies out for Christ, and up for self; but builds not upon works in the least, (that is) Hay, Sand, Straw, Stubble; [Page 11] but Christ a Rock for ever; and we should be glad to do any thing for his Honour, who Loved, Lived, and Died for us, and still maketh Intercession for us to the Father.
And now, good Ladies and Gentlewomen, We humbly pray that all your Charity be ready about Whitsuntide, or Midsummer next, at the furthest, or sent in to the Worshipful Mr. Henry Cornish, of Blackwell-Hall, Merchant, next door to the Gate, whom we have one and all Prayed and Petitioned to be our only Interceder, Receiver, and Chief Treasurer for Life, to all you much Honourable Ladies and Gentlewomen, of the famous, mighty, well-beloved City of London, or other places round about; or else to William Blake, of Covent-Garden, Woollen Draper, at the end of Maiden-Lane, in Bedford-Street, at the Sign of the Golden-Boy, who will likewise take the same care to see it fairly Registred, for the Honour [Page 12] of your Families; or wait upon your Honours with the Clerk, to give you further satisfaction in any particular, when you please to command it.
THE Noble Marquess Galliaces's Sufferings for the Truth was famous through the World; your Lord's embracing of it, makes his Marquisdom more great; and may that Truth which our true Protestant Religion teacheth, be for ever in and among your Noble Family; may all the Branches of it flourish as Palms and Cedars, be all as green Bays in the Courts of God's own House; may the young Lord and his Noble Lady, and that great Mass of old Gold, be dedicated to the Lord that made Heaven and Earth; and all their Blessings be sprinkled with a Blessing from above, which may be as the Dew and Rain to the new-mown Grass, to make you all fruitful in the waies of God; loving him for himself, and his Son for ever, and all Good works, because they are so: And this, amongst [Page 14] many, we humbly beg your most Great and Honourable Family, to abound in: And that as at the Dedicating of the Tabernacle, Exod. 35. 22. every one brought something; so at the Rearing of this our Charity Schoolhouse, one half handful of these Broad-pieces may be slung in as a Freewill Offering to the Lord, who will then sanctifie all that great Lump or Heap besides; and bless you all, as he did the Seed of his Beloved Israel of Old; and that he may so do, we shall in our station, as Poor Hospital ones, ever pray.
THE Bounty of your Noble Deceased Mother, the Lady Marchioness, and great Hospitality of the Marquess your Father to the Poor of this Town, as well as other places, which has been, and still is, and was, before we, or any of us were born; to our Poor Parents, now Widows and Widowers, many of them, of which Bounty we having largly tasted, obliges us, and all of us, humbly to acknowledge your great Goodness, and the Charity of your Family, the only Noble one near our School; wherefore, Dear Madam, we most humbly beg leave of your Goodness, to present one of our Charity School-house Sticks, or Letter, to your Ladiship, and do promise one and all, never to forget, nor cease to pray for long Life, and Eternal Happiness, through our Lord Jesus Christ, to your most Noble Ladiship, and the Marquess also.
YOur Gentleman says, That your Honour fears the Yearly Charge of the Ladies Little Charity-School, will in time bring Ruine to my Family, if not look't into; I return a thousand humble thanks for this most kind Caution; but I cannot in the least believe those good and Noble Ladies, whom I ever intended, believed, and have Dedicated this unto, will ever suffer such an inferiour, mean and little person to sink under the Burden of so good and great a Work, tending to their own Honour, and the Honour of Religion; which will be a good Work, if half the World should oppose it, because 'tis not only commended, but commanded in holy Writ, to do all the good we can whilst opportunity lasts; for at Death no man repents of being or doing good, nor never will whilst the World stands, but thousands for their not doing have complained [Page 17] how they have lost their time; and a very great one of this Nation said, Man's only Happiness lies in being good, and at leizure doing good, imitating the glorious Sun and Air; yea, the best Saints and Angels, and God himself, who is good to all, and all his Works. Oh Madam! how sweet and cheering are these Beams to every Creature, and that Air too, through which they spread and send themselves to us below, who have yet holy Angels to guard us, as well as the blessed Writ, and those good examples in it for to guide us in our Charity; which does every where commend the poor Widow and Fatherless Children to us, as the truest objects of it; these being really such, and you a very Great, Noble, and Pious Countess, abounding in all manner of Mercies, Honour and Plenty enough; a large considerable Off-spring, as young and tall Plants and Cedars, to stand on high ground, flourish as Bays and Bay-Trees in the True Church of God, as [Page 18] well as in this happy Nation, the most happy yet in all the known World, and a Lord and Husband of a Thousand, to Crown all these many Mercies; for all which we heartily and most humbly beg, as on our Knee, that we may have your Noble step in this Good Work, as a Leading Card to other Pious Ladies, and a little small Acknowledgment, which you cannot better make to the Great and Good God, of the deep sense you have of all his many mercies; To whom be Glory, Honour and Dominion, world without End; Pray all we Poor Boys.
AS your Title bears the greatest sound, so your Name and Memory will be more beloved than all that shall succeed; the Protestants loved, and they all bewailed it in the Nation when it fell; but, while Sion-House shall last, Old Northumberland's Name will live; and may you live also for ever; Live, when Sun, Moon and Stars shall be no more: Live in the heavenly Jerusalem, when earthly Sion, and earthly things shall be no more; And that you may so do, let the Love of God now dwell in you; the Blood of Christ and his Spirit wash and sanctifie you, Soul and Body, to make both blameless at his coming, and to wait for his Son from Heaven; which, though it may not be in your daies, yet will it be a pleasure all your life long to think indeed upon it; and that when he comes the second time, it will be without sin unto salvation; [Page 20] without sin, that is a good word indeed: At his first coming he was loaded with sins for us, Isa. 53. O read often this Chapter; but he is now without, and shall appear without sin for us: Christ is got rid of our sins by his sufferings; he gave satisfaction for us to the Father; no Pens nor Tongues can sufficiently set out this: Madam, feed your thoughts upon it frequently; the worlds all vanity from top to bottom, and must pass away, 1 Joh. 2. 17. But the Love of God, and Blood of Christ, abides for ever: O happy man that maketh that his portion! All things fail but my God and my Duty, said a great one: Oh! keep close to Christ then, that he may clasp you when you and this world must part: Trust not in worldly Princes, saith the Psalms; Their breath is in their nostrils, and will soon fall to earth: Happy is the man who hath the God of Jacob for his portion, which made Heaven and Earth; and that Heaven and Earth may both be yours: One you have already, [Page 21] and the other may you ever have also; That shall be the prayers of us poor School-Boys; yea, we shall all pray, that you may for ever sit down with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Luke 13. v. 28. be in the Kingdom of God to sing the everlasting praises of the Lamb, and his Joys to Eternity, Revel. 7. 16.
WE, the Ladies Hospital-Boys of Highgate, have humbly presumed to pray, and dedicate one of these little Charity School house-Sticks to your Right Honourable Family, which is Illustrious, as a Star of great Magnitude, and has shin'd (if not out-shin'd) most in this our Horison, for great Wisdom in the Laws and Statutes of the Kingdom, which made the Nation so happy in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth, when your Lord's Noble Ancestor governed all as only Minister of State; and may your present Lord be as great and as good a Patriot to his Country, the Laws and Priviledges of it; yea, and Patron to the best of Preaching-Ministers, as his Noble Family or Grandfather has been heretofore; and so, whilst he really loves both his Prince and Kingdom, with the Preaching-Ministers [Page 23] also, he must needs be a good and great friend to both, and our Protestant Religion, so much struck at, at this time, which is far beyond all the earthly things in the world, for true value and esteem; may your Ladiship and Lord therefore both long live together, and may your mutual Love be blessed by the Great God, with many Children, as it is; and may they all live, and stand round your great Table, as Olive-branches, flourish in the Courts of God's own House; be good and pious here, holy and happy to all Eternity; for that is a long thing, and must be, and our Immortal Souls too, when the Sun, the Sea and World shall be no more.
WE are come again, though the Year be hardly out since our setting up: But for the future, we will never trouble your Right Noble Ladiship more than once, if so often; but now necessity puts us upon it for getting something out of Great Families, to carry on this next Years Charge: And we remember how your Honour gave a Caution when you sent your Guineys, not to be too troublesom, for that you had very many objects in the Country, which did need my Lord's help; and the truth is, the whole World is full of wants, so that Good and Great Persons can never lack Objects; but this is a thing not common, that bears your Noble Name, and is Dedicated to the Honour of your Sex; and in feeding it two or three Years, you will make it live it self, and stand upon its own Legs; and would your [Page 25] Honour but be pleased to send to see how well it stands; in the mean time, we well know you to be a good and prudent Lady, and therefore will not believe in the least you will yet stick out to help us, till the thing be a little stronger, and have taken better Root, which it will soon and certainly do; and then you, nor no other Noble Ladies will ever repent in the least of what has been done for us; who will ever pray, for you, my Lord, his Sons, and all your Noble Family, that your Souls may be truly happy, when the World shall fly away like a mighty Eagle, and be seen no more for ever; the Sun, Moon or Stars be darkened, the Silver Cord loosed, or the Golden Bowl broken, and the Spirit return to God that gave it, Eccles. 12. v. 2, 6.
THough all Good Works may be said to speak for themselves, yet a powerful Intercessor does do well, and (for your house) or most Noble Family, a greater than your self cannot be; for as our Lord Jesus Christ his greatness with the Father, makes every thing to be easie, and readily granted, that he moves the Father for; so your Power and Influences must needs be very successful, because you move the nearest of Relations, and them too that are all eminently Religious, and such as have been so for many years; the Grandmother being yet living in the Children & Grandchildrens graces. (Madam) assure your self, 'tis for a Good Work we are now a begging, and it must be none but good and great Families, and a few Citizens, that are very eminent indeed, that we intend thus to go unto; and in so doing, how can we miss, especially when it is fully [Page 27] resolved, by God's grace, that the Discipline of this little Charity-School shall be as near as may be, for the Honour of God, and Religion, 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. 'Tis 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.
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 [Page 29] 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.
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 [Page 31] 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.
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 [Page 33] 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.
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, 'tis 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, [Page 35] namely, his Love, which he speaks of: Oh! 'tis 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! read, often read this 51 of Isaiah; 'tis a sweet Chapter, and tells you what [Page 36] shall become of Enemies to his Church and People, and how the Moth or Worms shall eat them up like Wooll: But that you, nor your Noble Lord may never be, we shall ever pray, pray, pray.
WE shall find in all sorts of Relations Spiritual and Natural; that having done much for any that they love, it engages them still to do more; instance Paul, Christ and Moses; now God, Christ, Religion and Good Works, have ever been the Beloved things of your heart; so we yet presume that they still are, and ever shall be, to the last moment of your Life; and beyond that, none can love: Your Right Noble Sister Warwick was in this most of all Noble; for she loved much, and gave more than any in the Nation of her great Rank, yet now enjoys all things. Oh Madam! be not yet weary of well doing, for you will certainly reap to Eternity, what you sow from faith, in Christ, love to, and union with him; and may your union with him be more inseparable, as it is than your Arm to your Shoulder, o' [Page 38] your Soul to your Body; yea, these are not so inseparable, as both are to Christ; for though Time, Sin or Death may separate them for a while; yet Sin, Death, Grave nor Eternity, shall ever separate either from Christ; but because he lives, both shall live, and be where he is; and what a little while is it that you have more to work for God, Christ, Heaven, and Eternal Happiness? Oh! when those Everlasting Mansions are really thought on, it makes our Souls mount as the Lark, our Thoughts and Desires, like the wing and tongue of that nimble morning Bird, to praise its Maker. Madam, we write not these things in the least to stir up kindness towards us; you have enough, and have done enough, more than any; for you really gave first of all, and we doubt not in the least, now our Year is up, but many Noble well-disposed persons will follow your good Example, and some of your great Relate us, if you but give a little [Page 39] hint this way, it being for so good a work, as certainly it is; and your Labour of Love to us poor Fatherless Sinners, and others God's Saints and Servants, he will never forget.
'TIs the Goodness of the Great God that he beholds things below, and is good to the Children of Men, yea, all his Works; may you from that kindness have your heart, your lips and your life, yea, your soul fill'd with that Marrow which is from above, no where to be tasted but in Religion or Communion with himself, and when that is strongly moving in you, how easie will it then be to prevail with you for a little kindness, to an English Charity-School? which is young, and in its Infancy (as yet) but will soon become strong, root, grow, and be a great thing, if the Ladies be not wanting to promote their own praise; for what's more praise-worthy, than to be good, and do good? to raise the Needy from the Dust; Poor and Fatherless Children, from Ignorance, Idleness and Beggary, to know themselves, and [Page 41] God in Christ, live another day in a hard world? to this Good Work, you, and none but you, and this great Dutchess in all your Kingdom, are invited; surely your Figures must needs be great among the English Ladies: God Almighty bless both your Princely Families, and make them and theirs to be blameless at the coming of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ, pray one and all we Poor Hospital-Boys.
IT is your Happiness that you have not a great Lord in his own Country only, but a good one that lives well, does well, and is much beloved where he comes; may you both long live, have your Land and Country slow with Honey Gospel, as it doth, with Milk and Kine, which is yet a great mercy; fat Ground, a good Climate, holy Lives, with heavenly Preaching, is the best place to live in in the world; and oh that this Nation were but stockt with more Prophets than it is! and oh that those that be, were but more countenanced than they are! oh that the Pulpits were but more open than they are, or like yet to be, and Drones quite asleep, dead we mean, or out of the way, that those that can Preach, and would, might yet be restored to the great Congregations! A Preaching Minister is a Star or Finger pointing unto Christ, a Golden [Page 43] Stick or Candle in the Socket; a Silver Bell, that gives a good molodious sound; drops heavenly Dew, and feeds with Manna; Bread that comes from Heaven: Christ Preacht, and Christ broken in the Preaching of the Gospel, is the Bread of Life, and the Water too, which he that drinks shall never thirst. Give us this, said the Jews? Ay, Christ's Flesh is meat, and Christ's Blood is drink indeed: We may all by faith think upon it, and that is really eating in a Gospel sense. May Ladies, eat like Angels; yea, your Ladiship, and live upon the holy Joys and Comforts of the Spirit; have Fellowship, true Communion with the Father and the Son; be no strangers to the Love and Life of God, who is seen in all his works. What's the Rose? a painted blossom of his Beauty; the little Pink and Violet, but a thing of his, which all the world cannot make? the Honey-comb and Hony-drops from Heaven; the early Dew, sweet Showers, and fruitful [Page 44] Seasons; all Preach a good God to a heavenly mind; the morning Star, and glorious Sun and Beams Preach Christ; and there is but one Sun, and one Christ for all the world: Many Eyes cannot see, but all might, were they heavenly, never hurt or hinder one another; and Christ is similed in these glorious Beams of his Beauty; for the Sun is no more to Christ than one Beam or Ray: May these Rays, Joys and Comforts be upon you and yours, heads, and hearts, and souls: May you all know, and dwell in the Love of God, which passeth knowledge: May your Children be all taught of God, according to his promise, to avoid sin, the sins of the times; live as Pilgrims and Strangers to noisom lusts, the sins and pleasures of this Age: And may your Love and Piety abound to us, and our Poor Hospital-School, or little Charity-house; and in so doing, you will imitate the Divinity, who is good to all his Works; yea, the Spring that refreshes every [Page 45] thing; the blew veins, or bosom flowers, come from, or are refresht by that; yea, the Sun, and Beams of it; for though this glorious creature be millions of miles distant from us, yet his Influences come down to us every day. O send, send something to us then, although you be in Cheshire; though you be where you will! and then we will all pray that you and the whole Family that love God, may be blest with long Life here, and Eternal Joys hereafter.
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 [Page 47] 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 'tis a good Work, 'twas 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.
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 [Page 49] 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 [Page 50] 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.
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 [Page 52] 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.
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 [Page 54] 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? may your most worthy Husband say.
Thousands, thousands Soul-happiness lies at stake, if Popery should come in, and Property quite be lost, then we are miserable, and like to be unhappy for both worlds; to live in fear in this, dye in doubts and dangers as to the other is a great slavery, as all out of the way must needs do: God Almighty grant [Page 55] the Truth may never be lost, nor any thing prevail against it, or those either that contend and care for it day and night: But the Church is founded on a Rock, God's Love, and Christ's Merit, which the Gates of Hell cannot prevail over; and much of the Nation's Happiness is in the two Houses, and the good Acts there to be made: May your dear Relation sit, who bears the whole name of that not forgotten proper, brave beloved man his Father; may he Vote, may you both Live; may you dye to God, and Love your Country, as you really do; so shall your Names and Souls both live, one on Earth for a while, and the other in Heaven for ever with the Lamb and his Redeemed ones.
So prays all of us.
WEre not your sharp, quick and great parts, naturally mixt with good and pious Principles, we should not in the least presume, or endeavour to engage your cheerful, good and prudent Inclinations, to accept of this your Family's Roll or Charity School-house Stick; but presuming the work it self to be very good, and the Noble Lady your Mother, who is so eminently blest with good and many Children abounding in the world, and they very Charitable also, makes us complain of a peck of troubles; for having raised near forty Poor and Fatherless Boys, they prove very chargeable to be kept, with Meat, Drink and Cloaths, as you know they have: Now pray, dear Madam, speak or write to my Lady out of hand, and tell her how it is with us; and if she will subscribe a good gob, and get the young Ladies to do something too; [Page 57] and then put it all together, with your Ladiship's, and Sir James's also; for it is necessary he, or you in his stead, should do something, now the great Ship is come safe in. At the Rearing of the Tabernacle every one brought something, Exod. 25. 22. And if in this you will, to the Rearing of our School, give something as the first fruits of your great Bay, or new Plantation, as it were, to be sure the rest will be blessed the better; and therefore pray give freely, that we may say, Received from you and your Family so much: For we would not have them, nor you, out of the Noble List of Ladies, nor want those prayers in the least, which all our good Benefactors have.
SIR Francis being a pious, good, charitable, and most worthy person, our only great Neighbour, able to relieve, support and help us, we humbly pray this our Charity Schoolhouse Stick may be accepted by your Ladiship; for we have nothing in the world to keep up us Poor Boys, or put us out, but the Benevolence of pious, good and charitable Ladies; therefore pray, Madam, be intreated to do a little for us, who will never cease to pray the great God and his Son to bless you both in Soul and Body, and your Olive-branches also, ye may also be blessed with the blessing of Abraham, sit down with Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven, Luk. 13. 29. and never know troubles on the Earth, but such as God's nearest and dearest Children meet with, for the good of their Souls; and a Soul-mercy it is for to [Page 59] have his Love and Providence turning all things to our good; yea, the worst things that do befal us here, he can make the Best, Sickness, Death and Sin: And may all this be, and Sin forever pardoned to both your Souls, and blotted out, as if they had never been: Oh the blessedness of that man, whose sins are pardoned, in Life, Death and Eternity! May this blessing, with all others your Souls can wish or desire, be your portion for ever and ever, prays one and all us now at Highgate.
SIR Walter Rawleigh in the Tower, said, That true and eternal Happiness lieth in God, and no where to be tasted but in Religion; which is a certain thing going up and down the world, too little minded by the greatest, but of more concern than all things in it, said the Lord of Marlborough, that was lately slain: And that man that doth not first or last live to God, will certainly wish he had never been when he cometh to die; saies another great one; and yet we must bleed and bleed, saith the Doctor, to keep Life, or prevent Consumptions, Cough, Dropsie, Ptysick and Diseases, which it tells and foretels certain Death to be at hand; as gray hairs doth a youthful Life past: And if we have got over one bout of Sickness or Disease, yet still another hangs over or upon us, and is nigh, or ready for to shake, force or tear poor frail man all to pieces; yea, [Page 61] and something or another still at hand to turn us where we cannot turn; namely, Coffin, Grave, Prison, and the Winding-sheet, or last shift, which may be eaten, but never shaken off by mortals; No, Skin, Flesh, Bones, and the faggs of pale Beauty, must all be Earth, and turn to that from whence we first of all came; and 'tis but just and reasonable, that as that did feed, cloath and nourish us, as it were our Mother for a while, we should sink, dye, fall, and lay down our heads again, into that most natural Lap or Bosom, as being its most proper place to take our last or longest sleep in: But, O Madam! may you, yours, or Sir Richard, never come, go into one world and another without a great Errand: And may the Great God direct us what it is he sent us hither for: For this end was I born, every one says, namely, to know God, and live to him. Christ was born to die for us, as he told Pilate, and we are bound to live to him, [Page 62] and must, or else we shall wish we had never been. The world is nothing but the world, a dream and shadow that must pass away: Were the Sands; Sea and Mountains beaten Gold; Death stretcheth out the fingers, and we let go again all that head, hand, will, heart or thoughts, could ever hold, wish, or eye see: May you then know, may you then love Christ, and live to him, whilst you may; he is yet near and dear, but you would both be lost for ever, if you should neglect him till it be too late. Christ once wept, often bled and wept too; but will dye no more, nor do no more for us, if we do not live to him: O let's live to him, and die to sin, before we die: Sin dies, and dips the Soul in black and bloody Scarlets of defiance. Old, long and great ones eat it quite up. O let not Canker, Death, Hell's Worm spoil so great a Gem and Jewel, or Immortal thing! Christ will save us now; Christ will save us ever, if we be but willing; yet he will never [Page 63] bleed more; but he prays and mediates for us still; for, he makes continual Intercession, Rom. 10. 4. and his blood speaks better things than the blood of Abel, that cryed down vengeance upon Cain; but Christ's blood crys up forgiveness unto us. Oh Father! let them come to me if they will be mine, Joh. 17. 24. And may you both dwell with him for ever; but oh! live a little if you have not; live to him a little, if you cannot much, time being now short; lay up, as much as can be, Treasure in Heaven, where no Rust nor Thieves can come. Lands, Debts, Rents and Houses may be all lost; but Treasure in Heaven can never miscarry; and if ever we indeed mean to come there, it must be by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Money will not buy Pardon, Blood nor Tears cannot; nor the Fruit of our Bodies go for the sin of our Souls, Micah 6. 7. But Christ's Blood is Currant Coin: Oh stick to that Rock which will not fail! when the [Page 64] Silken Stockin, and the Silver Shoe must off, and never on more; nor the Soul return to the same Body: Vanity of Vanities, how is all but froth and vanity besides Christ! and therefore if he be not ours, we are lost, for nothing, for nothing, but a Dream, a Bubble and a Fancy; yea, and our Souls to Eternity.
WE have presumed to offer one of these to the Lady Player, Mrs. Love, and Madam Pilkinton, with a few humble Lines, as now we do to your most great & Right Honourable Ladiship, from all which we most humbly pray, that this Good Work, which in charity must be so accounted, may be a little countenanced by you, the four Beloved Ladies of this mighty City; for if any names be deservedly great and famous, more than others, sure it is yours; and those other three above mentioned: And may your Names live from generation to generation, whilst your Walls and Gates last, and your Souls to Eternity (after all.) May Hell never be known, nor Heaven lost by you, nor none of yours; especially your dear Husbands: But may they be all four for ever Citizens in the New Jerusalem; walk hand in hand with the Lamb, and his [Page 66] Redeemed ones, to the Fountains of Living Water, where God shall be all in all, and they alwaies drinking from the River of his Pleasures, Rev. 7. 17. Psal. 36. 8. So prays one and all our Charity School-house.
THE great God and his Providence has made Sir Thomas the Father as it were of all the famous Apprentices of London; and onely sole Judge between the great Merchant and his Man; and not so, but an Eye for the Nation also, piercing through and through the greatest Intrigues, Policies, Stratagems, that Malice, Hell or Rome can lay against our King, Kingdom or Religion, Liberty and Interest; Gems and Jewels, of greater value than the Gold of Ophir in a true sense: But in your sphere Madam, this little little Work is not to be despised in the least, but a Scriptural Honour it is, to be owned the Lady of Charity, and a Mistress or great Benefactor to one of their little Schools. Light is light, truth truth, a spark is fire, and true Charity praise worthy to the world's end; and so long may your Name, Praise and Honour live, (and our House also.)
LOve is from the Fountain and Divine Being of all good: May that ever flow in your Name and Nature, and be as natural to you as the Rose and Buds are to the Summer; and then when this Spring and your Charity shall flow up in and from you, to the barren Hill of Highgate, where your School-house stands, it will then become a feeding, filling Spring too; for Charity will feed us, and praise flow from us to the famous City-Ladies names, which shall never be forgotten, but be fairly Registred, and read from one Age, and one Generation to another: And now may the Love of God Almighty, the pure Joys and Comforts of his holy Spirit, ever abide with you and yours whilst you abide in this Tabernacle of Clay; and he constantly guide you through the Wilderness of this bewitching, barren, wicked World, till you come to the [Page 69] last period of Life, and wrap you up then in the Righteousness of God's dear and anointed only Christ, to shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of the Father for ever more, praies thirty six of us and our Minister also.
THere are four Gates in the City; four Seasons in the Year; four Ladies nigh together, that will hardly be forgotten, but shall be beloved for their Husbands sakes, & their own too; for their praise is truly praise-worthy, their virtues all eminently specious. But now, dear Madam, would it not be a high and great Honour to see you our four Citizens Ladies, with your four well-beloved Husbands, our constant Parliament men for London, chosen more by hearts than hands; and a many brave, judicious, sober Citizens waiting on them, all standing one by one, as it were, on the brow of our Hill, saying one to the other, There is the Tower and the Monument, the Old Change, Guild-Hall, and Blackwell-Hall, which some would fain burn again; there is Bow-Steeple, the Holy Bible, the Silver Bells of Aaron the godly outed Ministers, the melodious Musick of the Gospel, Smithfield▪ Martyrs yet alive, [Page 71] and the Best Society, the very Best in all the world, for Civility, Loyalty, Men and Manners, with the greatest cash, bulk, mass, and stock of all sorts of Silks, Cinnamon, Spices, Wine, Gold, Pearl, Spanish-Wooll and Cloaths, with the River Nilus, and the stately Ships of Turshish, to carry in and out the great Merchandizes of the world? And may all this, with the dew of Hermon her Silver Drops, with your godly Ministers yet unrestored, ever be to the World's end, and to your Live's end: May you and yours be beloved, as you are: And now the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and all Consolations, bless you both in Spirit, Soul and Body, Sickness, Health, Life and Death, here, and for evermore, prayes all we your poor youngest Hospital-Boys of Highgate; and to help them is most Charity ever. The old fares well, thanks be to a good City, and their Benefactors in it; for which God Almighty bless them and their Government to the world's end with Peace, Health, Wealth, Honour, and the Power of Religion.
THE Best have not alwaies Love boiling in them, yet at sometimes nothing works so strongly as Divine Goodness in their Souls; and now we think we see in your heart, hand and eye, all lifting up unto the Hills, from whence alone has your Salvation and Deliverance been; we think we hear you still say, God has been my Helper, my Rock, and my Salvation, and I will bless him; he hath inclined his Ear unto me, therefore will I love him as long as I live: The sorrows of death caught hold upon me; I found trouble, then called I on the Name of the Lord, and he heard me. The Lord hath dealt bountifully with me, what shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits? I will take the Cup of Salvation, and pay my vows in the midst of his people, in the Courts of the Lord's own House, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem, praise ye the Lord. And [Page 73] if ever there be a time for us to speak, and you to give, it is now: Whilst your heart is full of his Goodness, yet yours can never extend to him; to us and our School it may, and others need it not; we mean, your great City-Hospitals, but our poor little In fant, new-born thing, needs, really needs, and that makes us speak, others are Rich, we are poor; others are full, we are empty; others have all things, we have nothing, but what the good Lord Jesus shall encline some great Ladies, and a few of you the choicest Citizens of London for to give; and choice men it must be that we thus go to; for we intend never to beg, nor mingle, but with the best of Protestants; and some of them too have scarce faith enough to believe the success of this great or good design. Nay, your Brother Cornish himself, who in other things is one of a hundred, through the greatness of his diffidence would have once perswaded us to lay it down; whose Charity yet we doubt [Page 74] not of in the least, it being a well approved thing by good men and Ministers, one of which constantly Preaches every Lord's day an Evening Lecture, for all sorts of comers, where Bread, and other encouragement is given for any Poor or Needy people that please to be there and hear at that same hour. In short, the praise and good report of this House, and your Charity, will live, grow, and be a great thing, and still redound to your Honour, and the City's Praise: And now the prayers of all our School, with the Blessings of the great God of Heaven and Earth, rest on the Heads, Hearts and Souls of all your near Relations and Family.
THE Good and Noble Ladies have given liberty to Petition (as now we do) some few Honourable Citizens and great Merchants Wives of eminent Quality or Degree, your Husband being one, we well know, to be both free, bountiful and a Right English Gentlemen in all things, We humbly beg and intreat your Ladyship, that this our Charity School-house Stick, or Roll, may be accepted, it being for a good work, much of praise-worthy: And we humbly promise this, We will all beg many Blessings, or wish Health, Peace, Wealth, and Eternal Happiness to you for ever and ever: Yea, we will beg for the two young Ladies also, that they may be Saints in Heaven, good and virtuous Wives on Earth and may have, as they really do, and will ever well deserve the best of Husbands to enjoy them, such as [Page 76] may never grieve nor offend day nor night; such as may love them and their Souls, both above their great Fortunes, and next our Lord Jesus Christ: Study what to do for both; for to be ensnared with a bad man, and unkind or churlish Husband, will be a thousand, thousand pities, & grieve us to the heart. When sweet Nature's Blossoms, Buds and Roses meet with churlish Nabals, the yielding gentle Reed is bruised by the ugly Oak, and the Honey suckle tangled in a knot, which can never be untied till Death. But a good man, though he be not a Lord, though he be not a very great Merchant; yet if he be but good natur'd, wise, cheerful, and careful for the world, and minds the world to come, prayes daily for a Blessing, let the Ladies (we all say) accept of such a one; or let one venture first, and the other for Honour after; or let either chuse as they will, but still let both be happy, we all pray from the bottom of our hearts: Yet happy they can never [Page 77] be, unless after all, they go to Heaven; for Heaven is Heaven when all is done, and ever will be. We should Buy, Sell, Trade, Marry, Live and Dye so, as that we may not endanger our Souls in the least: Other losses may be gaind, Health, Wealth, and the World; but Heaven lost will never be found in another. O love God and Jesus Christ now above all! love his Praise, love his Promise, love his Spirit, which knocks now and then; yea, often at your hearts, with sweet, soft, and still Motions in the night, saying, Open, open unto me: Hear, hear, and your Souls shall live. I will make a Covenant with you, if you will be mine; love and live to me now. I will own you here and hereafter; save you when you come to dye, and bless you at the present with Children, more or less; or that which is better, good things: Yea, no good thing will he with-hold from them that fear him, saith the Psalmist. And therefore fear him day and night [Page 76] [...] [Page 77] [...] [Page 78] both you; yea, both you Young and Lovely Ladies, that he may indeed bless you in Life, Death and Eternity; prayes all we at Highgate.
SILVER DROPS, OR SERIOUS THINGS.
HEre follows the Substance of the fine Young Lady's Answer to that Objection in the Essay; Are these Times for Charity, and a new Design, when we have so many Waies and Objects for it? Ay, said she, And it is the better for us too; we have many Joynts and Mercies, Fingers, Feet and Toes; all should do something for him and another world, who is alwaies doing of us good; and all his Works: So saith the Psalmist; And all his Works do praise him, Psal. 145. 10. Now if this little Design of [Page 80] theirs at Highgate be for, or look like any thing of serving him, why should it dye? Let the vanity and things of the world, sin, folly and emptiness dye; but let Virtue, Religion, and the Love of Charity live in all our bosoms, breasts and lives. If Angels were to be visible, and present with us, how much would they be to be embraced and desired for their holiness? When Great and Noble Persons, Lords, Ladies, and others, embrace true Piety, they seem to imitate the holy Angels, though cloathed with frailty and mortality; immortality is for another world, and in that world nothing but Divine Love shall live: Joy and Glory cease here, but that which is heavenly shall never cease; yet Charity shall cease, though it be greater than Faith and Love too. So sayes Paul, 1 Cor. 13. 13. Now abides Faith, Hope and Charity, but the greatest of all is Charity.
Will you abound a little in this Work? you have enough of this world; [Page 81] yea, enough to swallow and drown you to Eternity, if a good God do not love and save you from the snares, cares and flatteries of it: For all its pleasures are bewitching things; and the sweetest Musick fails & tires often times. But thou O Son, Saint and Servant of God, 1 Tim. 6. 11. fly these things, and Covetousness. Fight the good fight of Faith: Lay hold of Eternal Life: And witness a good Confession, as Christ did, v. 12, 13. I have done it, I have done it, sayes Paul, and there is laid up for me a Crown of Life; and that is Life indeed, 2 Tim. 4. 8.
Temporal Life flies away, but Eternal Life never ends; and Charity leads to that under Christ: Oh! let's not want that which leads to him, who is all, and will be all for ever, Gal 3. 11. Other things will fail, but Christ will never fail, if we be his, and he ours. Oh! get a never-failing Christ to be your God and Guide, Lord and Master now. If all the Princes, Kings and Queens in the world had but one [Page 82] Lord and Master, as they have not in a strict sense, to whom Account at last must be given; would they, or should they not love him? I am sure all the Ladies in the world have but one Lord at last to trust to; Oh! love him now, that he may love you in a dying hour, and save you then when you and the world must part; and part you must for ever; but then to be for ever with the Lord of Lords, the Lord of Life and Glory, 1 Thes. 4. 17.
And where he is, to be also there, according to his last prayer, Joh. 17. 24. Oh! how happy will that be? and may this happiness be the portion of your Honour, and all your Honour's sweet and lovely Children too; but that can never be, unless you love and live to him, embrace and chuse him as the Chiefest Good. Be wise then, O ye Honourable of the Earth, Lords, Ladies, and others! Psal. 2. 10.
If ye were a thousand times more Noble, Rich and Bountiful than ye are, yet, yet, you will all certainly perish [Page 83] if you do not stoop, if you do not bend to him, to whom every knee must bend, Psal. 2. 12. what will become of you, Lords, Ladies and others? you have but one true friend in Heaven and Earth, and that is the good God, and our good Lord Jesus; and if ye do whatsoever he has bid you, he will love you to the end of Time and Eternity too, if that could be supposed to have any; but that is without end, sayes a great Father, and clasps in all times and things that ever were, or shall be; but this you may easily suppose none but he can. Creatures dye, and the love of Creatures; but the Love of God abides for ever, 1 Joh. 2. 17. 1 Cor. 7. 31. And the Blood of Christ sticks by us in a dying hour; yea, 'tis the only thing that sticks by us, as great Lord Strafford said; and if you, great Ladies, would wash in that, it would make you whiter than the Snow. Wash me, sayes David, Psal. 5. 1. v. 52. Oh! ye had all need wash, and pray David's prayer, Lords, Ladies and others; but especially to you [Page 84] great Ladies, do we commend and beg these few lines may be accepted: 'Tis not for your Charity alone, but good as well as Charity, that we thus plead: Gold and Silver is but little worth to us, or our School, in comparison of God and Christ: Oh! look to him that ye be not undone at last, when ye should be happy; yea, utterly undone; once in Hell, and never out; once in Hell, and utterly undone; other losses may be gained, but Heaven can never be gained, if once lost: Ye weep for Love, and weep for Honours, weep for Frowns, and weep for Friends, many times; but how will ye weep, sayes Christ, if such a thing should happen! which, God forbid; namely, that some, or many of you, great Ladies, should ever see great sinners and little, we mean, mean sinners in respect of you Noble Ones, that shall come from the East, and from the West, from the North, and from the South, Luk. 17. v. 22. and from places where Preaching has never been; and yet these [Page 85] sinners shall sit down with Abraham, with Isaac and Jacob, Luke 13. 28. and you, great Ladies, should be shut out, as Christ speaks, into utter darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth for evermore: Weep to think that weeping avails not. We suppose it a vain story, that the Queen of Carthage wept for Aeneas, but 'tis true Divinity, that the Lord of Glory wept for the Jews, saying, Oh Jerusalem, Jerusalem! how oft would I have gathered thee, as a Hen would have gathered her Chickens? Matth. 23. 37. But oh! who can, or will weep for you, if you should once miscarry in the daies of Eternity? Nay, there will be no day, if that night once overtake you, John 9. 4. But you will long, and long, and lose your longing; for a Gospel day can never come, when 'tis once finally lost: Now, as we would beg from you, so we would beg for you, that you would mind, whilst you may, and work whilst you may, for the night cometh, wherein no man can [Page 86] work, John 9. 3. And if indeed you would work for your Souls, God, and another world, first make Christ and his Love the ground of all your Joys and Sorrows for the future. Christ is a true Foundation, and others can no man lay, 1 Cor. 3. 11. Honours, Riches, Smiles, Favours, with all the Mirth, Musick and Embraces in the world, are but Toyes to a soaring Soul: Yea, I have experienced it, said a great Lady: If you would soar aloft, as the lofty Eagle flies, then fly away in your Soul's Loves, Joys and Pleasures to a heavenly Object, and a heavenly Christ yea Christ in Heaven, who sits there and ever lives to make continual Intercession for such sinners as come unto him, Rom. 8. 34.
Madam, as we would beg heartily, so we would deal plainly with your Honours; and your Noble Sex, do rather need more plain dealing, than any others in the world; for all things seem to smile and flatter you, and will till you be in Hell, if you have not a [Page 87] care; the greatness of your Birth, Beauty, Train, Fortune and Relations; yea, some of your own Chaplains deal not so faithfully with you as they should many times, but wink at sin, say little.
When Dives was in Hell, he would fain have sent to his kindred then on Earth, to forewarn them, Luk. 16. 24. but who almost of a thousand gives you half that timely warning that you should have, to look after Heaven, and the God of Heaven, which will be a lasting Good for ever and ever?
Oh Madam! home is home, as we use to say; but there is no home like to Heaven, and he that made that; will ye mind whilst ye may, and live whilst ye may for Heaven, and the Heaven of Heavens? I mean the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the God of all Glory, as the Apostle calls him. I repent of all the hours I ever spent in my life, said Sir Thomas Mason, save what I spent in communion with God: And that man will certainly [Page 88] wish he had never been in a dying hour, who lives not unto him. All things fail me now, but my God, my duty and my prayers, Mason. So then, faith never fails, said he, who had been five times Embassador for King James. But from all chiefly learn this, the world to be vanity, that God in Christ, Faith and holy Duties well performed, were never failing things; that is to say, holy Duties done, by Divine assistance, and the sense of his Love in Christ: But all things else fail us, and Cordials cease when breath and life slies away. But God is my portion for ever, saith the Psalmist, 16. 5. Money will not; nor money cannot buy one moment from the grave; for what would not some give, could the Physician help? but Faith and Holiness will help; practise then the Art of well living, for the comfort of well dying. Great peace have they that love thy Law, saith David, Psal. 119. 165. Many shall be the sorrows of those that sin much here or [Page 89] hereafter. And I suffer these pains for my sins past, saith a great Lord. And I shall never sleep more, saith a Carding Gentlewoman, the word Eternity doth so run in mine Ear. And indeed it is hard when people spend their time in Carding, as she had done, and come to dying, to find comfort. Oh! but a good conscience sings sweet; Remember, O Lord, I walk before thee, says good King Hezekiah, 2 King. 20 3. I have finished my work, sayes Christ, Joh. 17. 4. I have fought a good fight, sayes Paul, 2 Tim. 4. 7. And, I have loved, Preached, and lived to thee, sayes Luther, Oh Christ, from my Soul! And so have I, says Beza; and I am weary of sin, and willing to dye. But what have you, great Ladies, done, that you should expect to live with Angels, and sing with that Coelestial Quire the praises of the Lamb to all Eternity? Rev. 7. 9. Come and begin Heaven here on Earth, that ye be never made the tayl at last; you are now uppermost in all places, rooms and companies, would you be lowermost in the next world? Lords [Page 90] lead you by the hand up and down stairs, where your steps go pit pat, with your silver Clappers: But oh! if ye do not live to Christ, what will become of you when the Silken Stockin, and the Silver Shoe, the Holland Shift, and all must off; and as ye come into the world, so must ye go; only your Mother's blood will be washt away. Princes, Kings and Queens must all lye down to Death, and Parliament Lords must pull off their Robes; but Death can never strip a Saint, nor any true believing penitent of Christ and his Righteousness; no, no, Worms may eat his skin through and through, and the Grave consume his flesh and bones to dust, as Job speaks, Job 19. 26. Yet shall I see my Redeemer.
But will he own you then, if you do not own him now? My Sheep hear my voice, and I give to them Eternal Life, sayes Christ. But you would none of me, Joh. 10. 27. I have piped, sayes Christ, but you would not dance; I have [Page 91] mourned, but ye would not lament, Mat. 11. 17. Christ Preached Repentance by John to the Jews, but they would not mourn: Christ Preached Forgiveness by himself, but they would not believe, nor have any of his Salvation. Oh! take heed, and again take heed, that ye, Great and Noble, Gentile Ladies, do not the same. The Gadarens once preferred their Swine before the Lord of Life and Glory, and intreated him to be gone out of their Coasts or Country, Luk. 8. 37. And take ye heed that ye refuse not the waters of Shiloah, that run softly, Isa. 8. 6. and slight him that speaks from Heaven, Heb. 12. 25. prefer your Lusts, Toys, Honours, and every little thing before your Lord and Master. Why should the braying of an Ass be more acceptable to you, than the most melodious Musick of the Gospel? I mean, base and mean things, before the high and heavenly ones of God: Oh! tast and see that the Lord is gracious, and Religion sweet, [Page 92] Psal. 34. 8. I will assure you 'tis, said a great Countess to the Lord Bartlet. And, Cursed be the man, said the Noble Marquess Galliaces, that thinks all the pleasure in the world worth one hours communion with God. And if you would have communion with God, sit down, and sink down in your spirits, and converse with your selves a little before ye go hence and be no more; but the Devil visits, and twenty needless things will not let you sit down, walk alone, or be in the dark one hour, to mind Death, Heaven, Hell and Eternity. Indeed, it is hard for a man of much business, or a Lady of much Honour and Courtship, to mind the main, or to live to him at all, who lives much for others. Wise men, and Great men, and States-men too, are great strangers to themselves many times. Oh! let's live to our selves: We have lived to our Fortune, our King, and our Country; let's live to our selves before we go hence: All the world will not make amends, if [Page 93] we neglect it (said Sir Francis Walsingham to Lord Burlington) who were great States-men in Queen Elizabeth's time; and if you neglect it too, to breed up two or three young Lords, or Ladies to stand in your room and stead, meerly to maintain your Honour, and the Honour of your Families, and not mind the Honour of Christ, and his Exemplary Life, or Laws, which should be copyed out in your Lives, and Children's Conversations; What do ye more than others? as Christ speaks; nay, do ye not worse than others many times? Matth. 5. 47. As if Greatness were necessitated to abandon Piety and Goodness: This is a bad conclusion. Great men should imitate the great Planets, and the great Deity, by being good, and doing good; but you do hurt many times by bad Examples, sinning, leading others into sin; send away your Children for a little breeding, to the hazard of their Souls; match them to the worst of men for a little Honour many times; weep for them [Page 94] when they are sick, and laugh when they sin. But Cato advises, He that will buy a Farm, should look well what Neighbours he has; but the qualifications of the person had need more be minded of the Young Lady's Servant, because 'tis for Life; For Honour is but a shadow without Piety, and will prove a bubble, a bubble, as one cryed out of all the world, upon the thoughts of Eternity; indeed that swallows all things, as mighty Whales does the little Fishes: how quick and soon this comes, God knows. Man walks, sings, laughs and talks, and Ladies do the same; play upon the Lute and Citern one day, and to Death's Pipe the next: And now if Death and Night puts an end to Life and Day, what should remain but to work whilst day and time last? because, though another day comes, and that past, yet the same Day and Life; nor may that opportunity be, which in your hands, if once slipt and gone. Oh! how much lost time have I to repent of, and how little [Page 95] time to do it in! said Sir Henry Wotton in King James's Reign. Man's greatest happiness is to be good, and at leisure to do good; Delays and procrastinations of being good, and doing good, are dangerous. And, To morrow, to morrow, couzens many a one, sayes a Father. Therefore the Wise man sayes, What thou findest in thy heart to do, do it with all thy might; for there is no device nor work in the Grave whither thou art going, Eccles. 9. 10. But he that dyes to sin daily, makes the best step to this Eternal step of Death, as a great Philosopher calls it, which puts us not into another room, but another place and condition quite, away from all we now converse withal. Relations never meet together more, in the way and manner that they now do, but the Father puts away the Son, and the Son the Father; and this Relation is never more, nor the Marriage one neither, Matth. 22. 30. Death is a Divorce for ever; and though these Relations meet in the Resurrection-state, yet is there [Page 96] neither Marriage, nor giving in Marriage, as Christ speaks to the seventh Brother.
Let Husbands love their Wives, whilest they may; and Wives their Husbands; this step and journey will part them both for ever; as one said to his wife a dying, who had been married fifty years or upwards. Oh me! said a young Lady, This is very sad, that I must leave thee, my dear, so soon; we have not been married one year; what, is there no Remedy? and must I needs dye? Truly yes; he that lives must dye whether he be sick or no. We dye, because we liv'd; said one, Death is decreed, and we dye naturally; our Bed and Sleep resembles Death and the Grave, What is sleep but the shadow of it? And he that will dye well, must live well; and if there be any thing after this Life, Why do not young men take care to live well? I did both, saith Socrates, though a heathen: Live and Dye well go together: What God hath joyned, let no man put asunder: for as the tree leans, [Page 97] so it falls; Eccles. 11. 3. Men do not live sin-ward, and dye God ward; no, no; you must live to God, and lean to God; live and dye to God, if ever you mean to go to him. The Tree falls as it leans, and lies as it falls: If you fall God ward you are happy; But if sin-ward you are miserable; and ever like to be. For after death comes judgment; that is, the stating of the Soul, saith Burrace, in an unchangeable state. Here a mans condition may be mended, but after death its never to be altered. Faith and Repentance may be wrought here, though it be at the last cast. This night shalt thou be with me in Paradise, Luk. 23. 43. Yet late Repentance seldom true; though true Repentance never too late: But after death there is no amendment nor Repentance neither. Solomon hew'd and squared his Building for the Temple before-hand; so that at the rearing of it up, there was no noise of the Ax or Hammer heard; Whoever God intends as a stone in the heavenly [Page 98] Jerusalem he fits before hand: May you all be fitted, all you young and lovely Ladies, And you more elderly too; May you all stand before the Lamb, see him, have his name and praise in your forehead, Palms in your hands, Robes upon your backs; to cry with that numberless number of all kindreds, tongues and people; Salvation, Glory, Honour to the Lamb, and to him that sits on the Throne for ever, Rev. 7. 10. Yea, may you all fall down & cry, not with the cry of Lamentation, but Acclamation, Joy, and triumph; which Triumph to the Godly will certainly be; after all actions of Mortality are come to an end. In the mean time all affections have two sharp ends, the first and the last; the first meeting, and the last parting of Friends and Lovers is alwayes so. And as Christ wept for Jerusalem, and the hardness of the Jews, whom Paul wished almost to be accursed for, that they might be saved; so the Jews shal one day be converted and look upon him whom they have [Page 99] peirced, and mourn, as for their first born, Rev. 1. 7. And Paul's Friends wept sore when he told them they should see his face no more; Act. 21. 13. But the Mary's wept, Mary Magdalen, and the Mother of Jesus wept, when he said in his sufferings, Woman behold thy Son, John 19. 26. And the other Loved much, because much was forgiven, Mark 8. 36. You who have all your sins forgiven, let the memorial of his sufferings dwell in your hearts, and 'twill make you weep to sin against him; Oh! the kindness and favours of a good God, are obligations to a good Soul. May you all remember what he has shewed unto you at any time. Were you never sick in dangers, nor partakers of some special mercies? Oh! keep the Remembrance of his goodness to your Souls. But, oh how little do rich and poor, think upon this God and his goodness to their Souls! which must stand before the Lamb, as I said but now, or be banisht from him for ever and ever; or how little do they think of the [Page 100] worth, Nature, or Immortality of them? What's a fine Silk, a fine Skin, a fine Shape, a sweet Face to such a Spark or Beam of God as the Soul is, that came out from him, and was breathed into man by him? Gen. 2. 7. Shall this immortal thing ever starve, dye and be forgotten? which one calls the Breath of Life, or the Living Breath which gives us Life. Some never look their Bibles, others never mind their Souls; the whole world will not make amends for such a loss, much less a vain wretched life of sinful pleasures, and a few honours. What! Careful for shape, and fashion, and neglect that which is the Breath of life, or the life which gives us Breath? as I said before. Good Books are good Companions, and the Bible makes glorious Christians, when they so read, mind it, as to live up to it. Queen Elizabeth lov'd it well, and hug'd it in the Prison. But vain Books eat up time, and spoil many young Ladies and Gentlewomen, but 'tis not lack of [Page 101] time, but love and relish to it, that you do not read, hear and pray more▪ But what kind of foolish Creatures are many of you young Ladies, to think God, Christ, Heaven, Souls may be put off for any slight occasions, or a Looking-glass. You were not made for Birds or Butterflies, to sing in woods, Play, Court, or Dance in Sun: But you are made for Saints, to sing with Angels, and go to God; or else to weep in Hell. Nay 'tis so, we will assure you and no otherwise, there is but two places; Look to the heavens, and think well what he deserves that made them and you. Psal. 8. 3. and you to live in them for ever. If you be his servants you shall sing and others shall weep, grieve, and mourn; Isa. 65. 14. You shall drink, and others shall be thirsty.
The Heavens declare his wondrous work, saith the Psalmist, and the Earth is full of his Goodness, Psal. 8. 1. And will you be full of Sin, Enmity and Folly? Oh! God forbid, that such [Page 102] lovely Creatures as many of you young Lords and Ladies be, should be full of sin: Sin is an evil, an evil Disease in the Soul, and to the Soul, it kills it worse than Leprosie to Eternity, if Christ do not save it: Oh! value him; fly to him; clasp about him, that ye never miscarry in Time nor Eternity. Compare both, how short is one, and long the other. The pleasures of sin are but for a season, Heb. 11. 25. Moses left Pharaoh's Court, preferring afflictions before these pleasures, which betrays into Gulphs, Snares and Rocks. Do not you make your selves unhappy in another world, when you may do well in both: A thousand years should be more valuable than fourscore: However, let not fourscore be more to you than three or fourscore thousand, thousand, thousand. This is certain, Riches, Honours, Estates and Courtships, with all that is Terrene and Sublunary, shall fly away. Heaven and Earth shall pass away, before one Jot or Tittle of God's Word, Joh. 2 17. [Page 103] Luk. 21. 33. 'Tis a very dangerous thing, though you do not mind it, to be irreligious: Pleasure one day in God's Court is worth a thousand elsewhere, Psal. 114. 10. Oh! taste and see the sweet and honey of it: Less pains will serve for Eternal Life than some take for Temporal; yea, to dress themselves: What! three hours about that, and not a quarter at prayers? Some get great Fortune by Marriages, others a little by Plough, Cart and pains; others by Play, and that's almost cheating; but get the Lord Jesus Christ, and you get all, 1 Tim. 4 8. This world you see, but do not you believe the other, and the Resurrection-state? if you do not, you are Sadduces, and irrational. Do not you see all things spring again every year? Dead Seeds and Corn bring the same Grain; and shall not man spring again, as well as Worms, Flies and Spiders, which seem to be dead all the Winter, yet live again in the Summer? Oh! believe the Resurrection-state, and the [Page 104] Promises; for Godliness hath one for both worlds. But this lies in wickedness, 1 Joh. 5. 19. Ephes. 2. 2. Shall honours, pleasures, profits be your portion ever? it cannot be; Oh look ye after another world then! Why choose you not then that that you would have when you come to dye; let me dye the death of the Righteous, and my latter end be like unto his; Num. 23. 10. And every one will say and wish so; Let go sin and sorrow, take faith and you shall do it; how much better is that than fancy, heaven and earth, than earth and not heaven? God can give a thousand pleasures; a river of pleasures, Psal. 36. 8. But vain sinful pleasures are certainly the way to hell; 2 Tim. 3. 4 And I could never reconcile them and Religion together: said a great one. Lovers of pleasures that are sinful, are really Lovers of Death, yea, the whores house goes down to death; her feet take hold on hell, Prov. 2. 16. 5. 5. He that cannot cease from sin, [Page 105] and repent of it must needs be damned for it, it is an ill bed-fellow, and a worse grave fellow; And a cutting saying it was to the Jews that they should dye in it, Joh. 8. 21. If ye believe not that I am he, you shall die in your sins, sayes Christ. Sinful lusts make men beasts, and sinful wrath makes men Devils: What! kill a man in anger? Go into the field to seek honour, but find Death and Hell? live a Murtherer, or dye by one? If furious sparks did mind the sparkles of an eternal fire; and how much the Devil is glad when he finds such fools; they would never do as they do, sight and damn one another for a thing of nought many times. My Life is of more worth, said the Philosopher to the rude Mariners, who were swearing, and careless in a storm, than to be cast away. And indeed Life is a thing to be valued at a high rate. And upon a Life well spent depends Eternal happiness; therefore 'tis the wise, and not fools, that redeem time for Eternity. The Aegyptians [Page 106] pictured time with three heads; a Dog, a Lion, and a Wolf; a Dog, signifying Time to come, flattering; and a Lion, to denote Time present, strongly working; and a Wolf, denoting Time lost or past, to be biting: And Death on a dark Throne, with a Rod in one hand, and a Key in the other; as if by one he drove us together, and the other he lockt us up. Oh Ladies! every moment of time commands Regions of Blessedness, when 'tis improved; but lost, it becomes a Worm in conscience, and eats to Eternity. If men in health, and Duellers did but mind this, they would not send one another to Hell as they do. Certainly such Duellers will be sad repenters (as I said before) in another world: Do they believe a God? or do they not? If there be a God, he is a Rewarder of Virtue, and will certainly punish all unpardoned sins which lead us into Gulphs, Snares and Rocks. Say, when temptations are upon you to any great sin, Now are the Philistines come, and the Cords of [Page 107] Death and Hell are upon me; shall I be foolish, base, vile and unclean? do this and wrong my own soul? Prov. 8. 36. And, all that hate me love death, sayes Solomon. Some vices have short pleasures, long throws, and after-pains; if vice, sin, sinful sin and folly, have spoiled youth: Have a care of old Age; one foot is in the grave: What! sin all your life, and have Heaven at last? no, it will be Hell. And, I had rather be in it, sayes a Father, without sin, than in Heaven filled with it. Oh! take a fair farewel of it betimes; it never did, will, nor can do any one good; no, it cannot; it brings all the losses, crosses in the world on us, here, or hereafter: And how can we think of going to Heaven, if we do not live to it, but leave a Hell of sin, seeds and spawn, by bad example behind us? or if we should live for Heaven a little, and lose it for want of living a little more, would it not be sad?
A good bargain lost for want of a second or third bidding, proves a great [Page 108] vexation many times; one step more and all had been well and safe; but to lose a Heaven for nothing, for nothing, for want of a little Religion, and being serious in it, bites to Eternity. Oh! if you fall but a step or two short, this will be your case, and you will never come in. Take heed, and again take heed, O ye great Ones of the times! Lords, Ladies, and others, that ye do not miscarry in the daies of Eternity, 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 [Page 109] 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 'tis 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 [Page 110] 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 [Page 111] 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, [Page 112] 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, [Page 113] 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, [Page 114] 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 'tis 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 [Page 115] me, Matth. 25. 41, 42. O Do something for the School, if you have not yet! though works do not merit. 'Tis impossible, saith St. Austin; for we cannot will good, much less do it of our selves. Yet you must live for Heaven, and by Christ get Faith, or you can never be saved.
Short Hints, but Sound Truths, In great Humility.
THe Heathen Oracle of mortal man used to say, We are born crying, live laughing, and dye sighing; But Job and Solomon seem to hint, there is little laughter; for man is born to sorrow as the sparks fly up, Job 5. 7. and All is vanity saith Solomon, Eccles. 12. 8. That is, all besides Christ and the knowledge of him in a strict sense; And sayes Hintius, Ʋpon this account I could even obscure my self to think how much short all knowledge is, and how much envy the most curious parts sustain and undergo, especially when they are in great and high places, where they have too too little time to converse with themselves, mind their maker, or rectifie [Page 117] their crooked nature. Infancy is full of ignorance, Youth of sins, and Old Age of sorrows, and the whole life of dangers: so that it is a great misery for poor man who is but a Pile or Bag full of dust to come into the world, were it not for the hope of heaven or a better world. But this is never lost without great grief when possest with much love. A certain rich man that loved riches well and too too well too; being sick to death, caused all his Plate and Gold to be brought before him, and thus said to his soul, like the fool in the Gospel, Luk. 1 [...]. 18. My soul, if thou wilt now tarry with me and not leave my body, all this will I promise thee and thou shalt enjoy it with Riches, fine Buildings, Gardens, and sumptuous Houses: But finding his infirmity increasing, and no hopes of life, in a great rage and fury he broke out into this most desperate speech: Since thou wilt not abide, nor be intreated, nor tarry longer with me, I recommend thee to the Devil: and so soon departed. Oh! let [Page 118] such men fear to laugh who are in danger to go where it will never avail or profit any thing to weep: And he that looks on a picture and sees on it a rich man and a beggar, never envies one nor pities th'other: all men are but pictures and shadows, quickly pass away: and the poor have an advantage of the rich many times in dying, having but little to leave behind: but many are dull in want, and wanton in fruition; and most mens lives are miserable seeing those that seek for good hardly find it: When evil comes of it self, and enters our gates unsought. Yet the brain will be working whilst the pulse is beating; let a man live few years, or let a man live many; one does not make him happy, nor another unhappy; but his living well or ill does it. Anselmus sayes; In heaven joys shall be within and without, above and beneath, in all parts and round about, and everlasting too, saith the Prophet Isaiah 65.
The lovers of this world eat, drink, [Page 119] and are merry, but for want of the love of God, go down to hell, Psal. 9. 17. in a little while and nothing remains of them but a short name, dust and worms. Seneca sayes evil actions are whipt by the conscience of themselves, and torments them sore; and that wickedness drinketh up the greatest part of its own poison, and is a punishment to it self. But Christians say there is a hell besides, and most of all nations believe future rewards, and punishments: Oh! let us prevent weeping by weeping, sayes One, and all of hells sorrows by heavenly repentance; Aristotle sayes It were better to dye than to do any thing against the good of virtue. And I, sayes Seneca, was better born than to be a slave to lust: what they count virtue, Christians do not so well know; but this is certain, it is better not to be, than not to know a good God in Jesus Christ, and live to him in some measure, who is all, and will be all for ever. Though Zenon said, through his Atheism, he [Page 120] feared nothing but Old Age; yet Socrates tells ye, When Death approaches bad men will be willing to turn Divines. And, if I have lived well, sayes Lucicrema, why do not you clap your hands? But Divine Love is a never ending Treasure; and the Orient Pearl is gathered from the Early Dew. And in the 110th. Psalm, it is said of Christ, That from the womb of the morning he had the dew of his youth; that is, as I humbly conceive, from the first peeping out of God's Love to mankind, as it was through a promise in Jesus Christ; so all these promises and blessings, obtained in Time or Eternity, are gathered from the head, heart, Love and Merit of Christ, as the morning dew is from Grass, Corn, or Herbs. But to be careless of him, or our selves, and to live without fear, is to Dye Living, and is in great danger to fall into the Sea of God's everlasting wrath. Awake, awake, O miserable Soul! and lift up thine Eyes, lest the night of nights overtake thee, [Page 121] Rom. 13. 12. Joh. 9. 4. And assure your selves, Death will almost daunt good Livers; what wilt thou do? But he whom happiness affects cares not how long he lives. But Job was safer on the Dunghill, than Adam in Paradise. And Christ the true Son of the Living God, when begging water at the Well of Jacob, Joh. 4. 7. from the woman with the Pitcher: Yet many think a middle condition is best for this world, and for our Souls too; but we need every day the blood of Christ to wash us all, as well as Water for our faces: And the Soul is washed by secret thinking and applying of the Love, Life, Death and Merit of Christ to it self: He gave himself for me, sayes Paul, Gal. 2. 20. And our Souls are like Camaeleons, live upon the Gospel-Air, Promises in Christ, and God's Love through Christ; but the world trusted on, is apt to thrust all out of our minds. And sayes Tully, No man could ever make me believe the Soul should live in this mortal Body, and be [Page 122] dead when absent. Oh! live then to live for ever. Bear well, and prepare well for that which can never be avoided, namely, Death. To labour not to dye once, is to labour in vain; But to live to Christ, is a certain way to prevent a second Death. And a man whose Soul is truly conversing with God, shall find more pleasure in secret walks, closets, groves and hedges, than in the Palace of a Prince. And Sir Walter Rawleigh sayes, He that is resolved to be a great Favourite and Servant there, must abandon strict Piety. The love of Fame, Name and Pleasure, is inconsistent with the Love of God. True, a weak man may give strict Rules; and the holiest Minister in the world hardly lives up to his own Preaching. And you cannot look to Heaven with one Eye, and look down to the Earth with the other at the same time. But however, the best counsel is best and most wholsom for our Souls: And though our care be great for the Body, yet a man may be as happy in Russet as in Cloth [Page 123] of Tissue. A golden Cap, and a rending Head; a Silken Stockin, and a sore Foot; or a great Estate, and the torment of the Stone, or Gout in the great Toe, is a grievous misery.
And I see, sayes the Emperor, that sovereignty commands no diseases nor the seas, having set himself and chair on the shore at the Tides coming in, crying back, back, and I command you, proud waves, back: but the Emperor was fain to move. And Bardue Coesar cryed I begot him mortal, when word was brought him his only Son was dead; which was the reward of Trophimus, after he had finished the famous Oracle of Apollo; and beg'd that which was the best for him, and 'twas promised in three dayes he should have it; in which time he died. But 'tis our duty said Seneca, to dye often: yet one complained against the long life of a Raven and his own short; but the old Romans counted it Ominous to see one, and not two in the morning, as if it had betokened Wife or Husband's death; yet [Page 124] though that be the most known, 'tis the most unknown thing in the world: The Sexton, Clerk, and Coffin-maker are most apt to forget their own, though they nail up and bury others; and the best Men, Citizens and their Neighbours too, when they have got their rings and gloves; but 'tis ill preparing for death when tis a burden to live. Sick repentance is seldom true, and 'tis certain 'tis labour and trouble enough to be head and heart sick; and then a man can hardly do any thing but mind his ease, or pillow. Oh! put not off your Will but especially your souls weal and happiness to a dying hour; My care was, when young, to live well, and 'tis now to dye well, said a Heathen. Physicians, Lawyers, and Ministers cannot be heard at once; and it may be friends are troublesom too: Come, to live well is best, and that will prevent the worst: Oh! then play not the Courtiers part who, some say, do all things late, Rise late, Dine late, Sup late, and Repent late, many times never, but it is never too late if true, but [Page 125] it should be of the whole man; but when death has folded up mens dayes, opportunities are all gone; Moles see, and Swans sing a little before they dye; but a true Saint and a Simeon sayes let me depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, Luk. 2. 29. But the fashion of this world is to put men in mind of dying when they see they cannot live above a day or two longer; but as I have lived uncertain, so I now dye doubting, said a wise man and a great Scholar; yet after a thousand thousand millions of years, eternity will be as long as ever; sadly and suddenly will all worldly pleasures be turned into walking dreams: and great Alexander is less now than a little whiteish to thistle down, which the least wind or air rouls about; the world passes away, 1 Cor. 7. 31. time is short, sayes Burroughs; and sayes he, the word signifies, folded up to the last end or fag of it like a peice of cloth; but eternity is still as long as ever. Oh! set your house in order, 2 King. 20. 4. as [Page 126] the Prophet said to the good King; if every one has not an house, yet every one has a soul, as well as a body, and there be great affairs that concern both, and the greatest wits in the world have been concerned for them, said the Right Honourable the Earl of Northampton, and have ever found sooner or later the power of God or Religion in their consciences; yea, the Great and Godly ones. Oh, my soul, my soul! said the French Cardinal. And Oh mine! said the wretched Pope; And thou must never be merry more. To dye safe is a good thing, and the best of men are best at last, and have heaven in their Bosoms and Breasts; and say Let me go, let me go; Oh Christ! thou are mine, said another. The Jews said, God kissed Moses's soul out of him: And the Minister said, so he did a great Ladyes in Essex. But though some men dye not so comfortably, yet they all dye safely, who have the habits of true Grace in their souls; and many very bad men seem to dye quietly and [Page 127] go to hell like a Lamb in dull diseases, consumptions, senslesness, and hardness of their hearts in sins; for Satan can let men alone well enough when he knows he has them sure enough; but 'tis a sad thing to have a mans eyes never opened till they are sing'd and burnt open in hell; break from him and sin now, by true and timely repentance, and you make sure work for ever. Go forth, go forth, said one to his soul; thou hast served God, and trusted Christ many years, and now Heaven is just at hand, and this dying Body of mine shall live again, as Job speaks, Job 26. 27. and my Soul return with the Joys of Heaven to fetch it to it self. Some say, There are veins or strings in a man's Tongue which reach to the Heart; and when they break he dyes: But when heart and tongue shall speak this, oh what a comfort is it in a dying hour!
Plato, though a Heathen said, All men almost were out of the way, because they did not seek after the mind of God; [Page 128] and that those did dye most comfortably that lived by reason, and adored the first Being. Therefore, sayes Lucicrema to his friends, when he had called for the Glass, and combed his head; Now clap your hands if I have acted my part well. And Seneca sayes, Since Nature has stamped a God in the mind of every man; and the belief of him arose not from custom, nor was enacted by a Law; it necessarily follows there must be a Deity; the belief is so natural. And Cato sayes, Epicurus did dread Death more than any thing in the world upon this account. Lord Chancellor Edgerton sayes, The Atheist and Prophane layes a wager with the Pious, but upon mighty odds; for one ventures his Life and Soul, or the Life of his Soul for ever; and the other but his Lust and Sin, which is yet his Interest to be without; and yet if it were on equal ground, the disproportion is vast and infinite; and what a sad surprize will he be in, when by death he shall be instantly seized by horrid Spirits! And this truth of reward and punishments [Page 129] will be tryed in a little time: And 'tis but a little while, and every man shall be no man. And though every one should strive to mend one, that the world may be better; yet may we not think, that the world is angry with some, because they are no worse: When good men are sorry in themselves they are no better; but he that is angry with sin, and repents of it, shall not easily sin in his anger; when he that is angry for every thing, will be angry for nothing, as we say: But it rests in the bosom of Fools, sayes Solomon, Proverbs.
Though Moses was sometimes angry with Israel, yet he wished his name might be blotted out of the Book of Life, rather than God should destroy them, Exod. 32. 32. He granted part of the request, and lov'd Moses the better for it. And Paul had a brave strain of this nature for his Country-men the Jews, Rom. 9. 3. Surely these were as great Saints as ever liv'd, and lov'd God as much. 'Tis a sin not to think there is a [Page 130] Providence; but what a sin is it to think there is no God nor Providence? yet such Atheists there be on Earth, if not in Coffee-houses: Yet in Hell there is none but will feel there is a God to punish with everlasting destruction evil doers, as well as to reward with everlasting salvation the well doers: And if he did not both, why should not men do what they please? And sayes Joshua, when he had pressed them to the Love of God; Do what you will, I and my house will serve the Lord, Josh. 24. 15. And 'tis better to beg our bread here, if it be his will, than to beg Water in Hell, as Dives did, Luk. 16. 23. A thankful heart will bless God for a little, when abundance abuse him for his many, many mercies; but happy are they to whom God is nearer than the nearest, and dearer than all relations in the world: For he that loves Wife and Children best shall never be saved: See this Text, Luk. 14. 26. But before Christ came into the world, God was in [Page 131] Christ reconciling the world to him: But when he died, the work was finished, said Christ, bowed the head: But God took Christ's word before that, and saved millions of his Servants before Christ came into the world; we find a hundred and forty thousand in the Text, Rev. 7. 4. But now that Christ hath shed his blood, and payed, by suffering on the Cross, for the debt and sin of his people, he doth as it were take the Father's word now, for all that shall be saved to the world's end.
Time was when this Gospel was thinn sown, but thick come up, and many thousands converted by hearing one sermon, but now many sermons to one conversion: Oh! Conversion, Conversion of souls, how have I aimed at thee? when Melancthon was a young man, he had so much Zeal, Rhetorick, and Elegancy that he thought no hearer should be able to withstand him; but at last he sadly complains that old Adam was too hard for young Melancthon: but all Apostates [Page 132] are the Devils prisoners, brook loose and caught again, sayes one; and when strangers ride apace through a village little dogs bark. And if good men be more ordinary zealous in the way to heaven, wicked men do the like many times saith Burroughs: but God will not ask men why they were no more rich, nor fair, nor learned, but why they were no more zealous: the word of God is a rich Jewel, it should lie in our hearts, as well as hang in our ears: but as one broke her looking glass for shewing her wrinkles in her face, so many are angry with the Minister, and the word, when the fault is in themselves. One said, a proud Rome, but all other Cities were but villages to that: but honest London is a Sion to that sink or Sodom in comparison of sin: and David loved that, and hated Mesech, Psal. 120. 5. We may love relations well, and too much, but we can never love God and his Church enough. Oh! that men were as wise as those wise men who came from far [Page 133] to see Christ, Matt. 2. 1. but men forsake him and damn themselves, a little time and pains for this world is enough, but much for heaven is too little, because God, Christ, Holiness, and Happiness is there, and ever will be. Some men trade along time for nothing, but others get heaven; Jacob served for one wife, and then for another: Gen. 29. 27. longer than some getting God and Christ for ever. The first Adam found a place for his Children, and lost it, but the second Adam is gone to Heaven to prepare a place in heaven, which shall never be taken from them; Joh. 14. 2. Some like Rachel weep for their Sons, Matt. 2. 18. when sick or dye, but never for their sins; a Printer prints, and hath money for composing; what he doth, he doth not like sometimes; and so have some men for preaching, though they do not practise; such water-men which look one way and row another, may chance to bring others to heaven, but they will never get in themselves; [Page 134] though a Christian do not good works that he may be seen of men, Matt. 15. 16. (yet he) may and ought that they be seen with men (namely good works) the Proud Italian Beggars many times use this phrase Do good for your own sakes, they get most, that do most good: Pray good Ladies consider this, and do not forget the Lady Vare and Warwicks good example, they gain most that do most for God and Religion sake, and the giver gets most.
Contentment turns all to gold; but grace is better than that: Oh beg of Christ this Eye-salve! Rev. 3. 18. And that it may be like the house of David, and sin like Saul ▪s, weaker and weaker. God sayes sometimes to his Servants, as a King said to a Courtier, that desired to be gone to provide for himself; No, sayes the King, do my work first, and I will do thine. So sayes God, Seek ye first my Kingdom, and the righteousness thereof, and all things shall be added unto you. Matt. 6. 33. Judas [Page 135] sold his master and salvation both cheap, yet they that paid the money bought dear, for they bought their own damnation as is much to be feared: but some have an easie kind of way for sin. A French King wore a Crucifix in his hat, and when he swore he kist that, as if all was well; some swear, drink, and do worse, and yet cry God forgive me, it was but once or twice and a trick of youth; but such tricks will trip you into hell without mercy and repentance: the world was once destroyed with water, for the heat of lust and other wickedness; but shall at length be burnt with fire for bewitching men to sin. 2 Pet. 3. 11. a foolish witty Gentlewoman being told the world and the glories of it was but vanity, 'tis true, said she, Solomon said it, but he first tried it, and so will I; but Solomon was a double great Type, first, of wretched, sinful, miserable man, who can do nothing but sin of himself; secondly, of holy, happy, Blessed Christ who is all [Page 136] righteous we should imitate him in his wisdom, and holiness, not in his sin and wickedness, for that brings death here and hereafter, Rom. 6. 23. but good men should not dote upon the world, because the world loves its own, Joh. 17. 14. it never loved Christ, nor they that are his, much; the most things of the world, and the best things of the world, leave us at the worlds end, send us gawl'd and weary out; a pack-horse has but beans and oats, many care and carry for they know not who. A rich man lately going with his son by water towards London Bridg, Father, said the young man, there is a brave play to day at the Dukes Play-house, let us go see it; O villain! said the Father, wouldst thou go and have me too, when there is a great vessel to look after? Damn me, chuse you, said the Son, I will go, calling another boat and so stept away: but they are both dead now, and a vast estate gone, and no body knows where almost. Oh! how many do the like, care, and care [Page 137] as the old man did, and have nothing many times but sin and the gawled conscience to carry them to the grave: a sad reward, and curse upon over covetous men; but the world at best is but as a spoke in a wheel, one is uppermost to day and another to morrow, and though corn, wine, and oyl be the worlds happiness, Psal. 4. 7. yet this is at an end, when he or the world is; they ravish in expectation, not in fruition, but heavenly things are sweet in both, and the worlds all is nothing at all at last; many desie it, and the Devil in their mouths, and yet serve both in their hearts, it is not the having the world in our hands, or our hands in the business of the world, but our making an Idol of it, serving it more than the Creator, God blessed for ever: 'Tis a great peice of wisdom to hide faults and ignorance sometimes, yet learned Rome and Greece the two great schools of the world by all their learning did not define whether there were many Gods or one; and were for [Page 138] many years the greatest Idolaters in the world, notwithstanding all their wisemen; but wisdom is good with an inheritance, and true wisdom chooses God and Christ for a portion: The Lord is my portion saith my soul, and whom have I in heaven but thee, saies David, Psal. 73. 25. Sir Edward Petto saith that if wee do ill, the pleasures are but short, and the pains remain for ever; but if we do well the good does so too; and 'tis good to wait on God who waits to be gracious to such as call upon him. Some men find want of comfort, and others find comfort in want because God is with them; when thou goest through the fire, and through the water; I will be with thee saith the Lord, Isa. 43. 2. And Tertullian sayes of young Ladies, if they were cloathed with Silks and Piety, Sattins and Sanctity, Purple and Modesty, God would be with them, and love and like them better too. A man may love morality, civility, and not Grace; Rome would prove the truth [Page 139] by miracles, when she should prove miracles by truth; but her whole Golden Legion is a fiction of forged lyes; and that he that wrote it had a brazen face and a leaden heart: they willingly believe lyes, and God in judgment suffers them so to do; because they receive not the love of the truth, 2 Thes. 2. 10, 11, 12. And Vespasian was tired with a triumph, and Ladies have been so with musick and a playhouse; all is but vanity of vanities at the long run besides Christ and the Knowledge of him: Yea, all else is but Golden Dreams; and 'tis better to fear and dream of Hell, than to drop into it; to think of Jollity, and find misery, is said; or to dream of Heaven upon Earth, and to wake by Death in Hell is sad indeed. Time passes a pace, and all post some where. 'Tis dangerous putting off that to day, which thou must do, or else it may be utterly undone to morrow. Contemplation and Meditation, are good things: 'Tis as the smell of the [Page 140] Rose and Jessemin, sayes one. Some men are ashamed to sin before a child; but what we are afraid to do before men, we should be to think before God. And 'tis better to spend our time in doing good, than bare talking or getting Riches either. If we should be thankful for little Mercies, Riches and Honour; what should we be for God himself, and the pardon of sin? The Tongue blessing God without the heart, is but a tinkling Cymbal; and the heart blessing God without the tongue, is sweet, but still musick; but the heart and tongue together makes the sweetest harmony in the world. And if the Larks and Birds sing so merrily to the morning Sun, we should much more to our Creator and Redeemer. Let all the world praise thee, O God; Let all the world praise thee, saith the Psalmist, Psal 67. 3. And you, Noble Ladies, who have best voices, and least to do, should be most engaged in that good work. [Page 141] But Honour is a snare, and visits many, and needless too sometimes: Better stay at home, and think, Lord, what am I? What do I? Whither go I so fast? a little time will put me in a Bason. Every man is but a bag full of Dust, at the best, and Death turns us into Ashes; and that Dust may be squeezed into a small place: And 'tis probable the Grave-man takes up some of that sometimes to sling upon another, when he cryes, Dust to Dust, and Ashes to Ashes. But this is certain, after a little while every man will be no man. A good Gentlewoman being sick, was askt whether she were willing to Live or Dye; What God pleased. Ay but, sayes one, If God should put it to you; but then said she, I would refer it to him again. And a brave Grace it is to be resigned so patiently to God's will in every thing: And there are four Reasons for it: The Holiness; The Sovereignty; Eternity and Goodness of [Page 142] his Will. But he that sins, and quarrels against this good and holy Sovereign and Eternal Will of God, does but do what in him lyes to make him send him Soul and Body into Hell.
But cut me, hack me, kill me, sayes Austin, so thou savest my Soul. And oh what an Emphasis does the Scripture frequently put upon the word Soul! Hear, and your Soul shall live, Isa. 55. 3. He that sins against me wrongs his own Soul, Prov. 8. 36. Fear not them that can kill the Body, but him that can throw the Body and Soul into Hell. What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his Soul? Matth. 16. 26. Thou Fool! this night shall thy Soul be taken from thee, Luke 12. 18. Matth. 12. 28.
Soul mercies, Soul-promises, and Soul-salvation, must needs be great. And the Great God by his absolute Sovereignty claims, and sayes, All Souls are mine; Ezek. 18. 4. But [Page 143] most are like the poor Woman Mr. Burroughs mentions; who when her house was burning, ran about to save some little trisles, but forgot her Child in the Cradle: But then supposing it to be burnt, though indeed it was 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: [Page 144] 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 [Page 145] 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: 'tis 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 [Page 146] how the Devil waited for their souls: 'Twas 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.
'Tis one thing to sin, and another to be overcome or taken by sin; but 'tis 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, [Page 147] when he was just come from beyond Sea; sure this is not my Son Samuel in this habit. But 'tis 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 'tis 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.
'Tis 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 'tis hard to commit one sin alone. Sin hangs to sin, as spawn to spawn, and links to links in a Chain. [Page 148] 'Tis 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. 'Twas pious, holy Preaching, strict and blameless living, got [Page 149] 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, [Page 150] 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 'tis more honour to be a heavenly, holy, zealous Preacher, than a rich Drone, a thousand times. Some Shepherds have for little so much, that the great Shepherd will owe them nothing at all: Others have so little for their faithfulness, that he will give them a Crown. 'Tis better for Ministers it should be said, Why are not you and you provided for? than, Why have such and such so much? As he nobly said, I had rather it should be said, Why does not Cato 's Image stand here? than it should be said, Why does it stand here? But Preachers of Faith, must live by Faith, as well as other men; and the world to come will make amends for all. Come, Thee and I shall be happy when King Jesus comes, said one to his friend. And they that fear the Lord speak often one to another, Mal. 3. 16. And [Page 151] then shall the Righteous shine as the Sun, in the Kingdom of their Father, Matth. 13. 43. But many men make work for Repentance; and many Ministers never put them seriously upon it as they should, for want of Skill, Love, Faithfulness or Zeal. The Lion sent for the Wolf, and asked him if he had not a stinking breath: Yea, Sir, said he; and for that he tore him in pieces; and sent for the Dog, and asked him; no, said he; 'tis very sweet; for that he tore him in pieces; and sent for the Fox, and asked him, who cunningly told him, He had a great Cold in his head, and could not smell; and so saved his Skin. 'Tis a brave thing when neither fear nor flattery moves men nor ministers from saying what they should, few love Reproof, fewer who reprove for love of souls, and fewest of all who sincerely love the reprover: Am I your enemy because I tell you the truth? sayes Paul, Gal. 4. 16. and we may say the greatest sin timely repented of is pardonable, but [Page 152] the least never repented of is damnable in its own nature, it being against a holy law and a holy God; and Oh! how would Mr. Fowler that brave Redding and Thames-street preacher set out this! 'Tis for us to bring our will over to God in every thing, and not his to us in any thing contrary to his Law and holy Writ whilst the world stands; Religion is an inward thing, takes off from self and creature; but gives to God reverence in the heart; and the heart and sum of religion is to love God and our Neighbours sincerely; but Religion can do more for Learning than Learning can for Religion, can bless and sanctifie that, but that can do nothing but adorn, dress, and set it out with words, which yet is a most excellent thing; And oh! that all the preachers in the world were practisers and learned too; but more especially the former; yet sayes God, I will set thy Sons, O Sion! against thy Sons, O Greece! Zechariah 9. 13. And [Page 153] the quarrel shall never be ended.
There is naturally so much Scorn, Malice, Enmity, and Disclain, in Learning against the Simplicity, Purity, and Holiness▪ of the Gospel, that the corrupt, unsanctified mind of man cannot but disdain it, as the Pharisees and Sadduces did the preaching of Christ; the Greeks and other learned men Paul, counting him a babler, and the cross of Christ foolishness 1 Cor. 1. 23. and he a mad man, and Christ a publican and sinner, for being a Physician to them, and a preacher frequently among them; and therefore a sociable life is better than a solitary Monkish one in a cell; Christ did eat and drink at great tables with publicans and sinners, but he was still as a physician to heal and reprove sin; and Dod the old Puritan minister of Northampton was so holy and good at this and had that reverence and presence with him, that a young gentleman at Sir Anthony Cope's could not eat [Page 154] half his Dinner for fear of swearing before Dod; but he is dead, and gone to Heaven, and so may the Gentleman too, for ought that we know. God calls at several hours; but 'tis better to go to Heaven alone, than not at all; or to Hell with half the world. Let me be happy, it matters not how many then be miserable, yet Balak's Balaam wished that he might dye the death of the Righteous; and thought of death, another world, and eternal Joys, Numb. 23. 10. And so some will send for good men at their death, which they care not for in their life, to come and pray, and secretly desire that their last end might be like unto them. Yet the world is apt to think of Religion clean contrary to what it is, sayes Lord Bacon, and to make it madness; a thing that dulls spirits, and is apt to make Ladies look wrinkled before their time; depresses them of Joy; and to be looked upon by Wits and Sparks as some of God Almighty's Shee-fools, [Page 155] and must never see good or merry daies more. Alas! alas! said he, What a miserable mistake is this! Can there be better and greater Joy, than Joy in the Holy Ghost, 1 Thes. 1. 6. unspeakable, and full of Glory? And can there be better Sorrow, than such Sorrow which is accompanied with Joy, and Works, or Repentance unto Salvation, never to be repented of? 2 Cor. 2. 10. Can there be better chear than a good Conscience? Ask Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, if the Waies of God be not good: Ask all the Prophets, Patriarchs, and Apostles, if the Waies of God be not Good: Yea, the Martyrs, and the Prisoners: I am in a Bed of Roses, sayes one. And I am in my Paradice and Palace with God and his Angels, said the Noble Marquess Galliaces, in the Dungeon. And I have Christ, who is, was, and ever will be all in all, sayes another; All in Health, Life, Death, and Sickness, and Eternity too, to Men and Angels: [Page 156] Yea, ask your own Conscience when the Curtain's drawn, and the Candle out; Which is best, a house of Prayer, a house of God, or a Play-house? or a days sinning, or a days communion, and waiting on God and his Worship? Come, fy, pish, you are mad, if you prefer the pleasures of sin before Heaven, or sinful pastime before Heaven's Joy. Oh ye vain and foolish young Ladies! do not think of being Religious when you have nothing else to do; but lay aside the Lute and Citern now, and dance a little in your thoughts to Death's Pipe; and think you hear his Night-watch, and where you shall be a hundred years hence; and what when you have lain a month or two in the Grave; and this will help you to be good betimes. Young Ladies might be merry enough, if they would be good and godly, and begin betimes, and have better Husbands too; for good men will love good Ladies; especially when they [Page 157] are young and good too: And we hope some are left, though but a few, that look for Heaven and Religious Wives. True Recreations are in another world: All the pleasures of this are either sins or snares, if we use them too much: But moderation may be; and there is a time for every thing under the Sun, Eccles. 3. 1. excepting sin; and for that you shall hardly sin in moderate mirth and pleasure: But to make Recreation a toil, and the Business of your Life, is folly and madness: What! nothing but hait, hait up and down, as some do, and never to a Lecture; or scarce on the Lord's Day in the forenoon? I said of Laughter, Thou wert mad, saith Solomon, Eccles. 2. 2. It may be they sing too, which had need to weep and pray. But let not your high Fortunes make you too high-minded: For they that think themselves better for Gold, Pearl and Lace; and are proud, and disdain others, which yet is very natural; and we are [Page 158] all apt to fall this way; which makes us worse than Gold Slaves, and Servants to it; sayes Anselmus. But remember what you shall be in the Grave, especially in Hell, if you should go there: And wanton thoughts and plumes will all fall; but humble great ones, are good ones indeed; and God will exalt such, and make them higher than they are; and men will love them more. Humble Great ones are double Great ones, and twice as honourable as others of the same rank: And therefore let not great Fortunes make you proud and unfortunate; yet a grain must be allowed for Old Adam's sake, whose Children we all are.
And 'tis easier in a minister to preach down Adam in others, than to beat it down in himself, wife, or children; but sound men should love sound preaching; the best wine is best, and so is the best preaching, and that that comes from the heart goes to it; so say and so do is good in a good minister, some speak more [Page 159] briefly than they live, as Cato told his friends; but do not say I will and don't: we read of two Brothers; one said he would do his Fathers will but did it not; the other said he would not but did it; and that was better than the other. When prayers and praise go together, and the heart with both, God is well pleased, and the musick sweet; when the tongue doth not go from the inward motions; the Pharisee said, I thank God, and I do this, and I do this; but the poor Publican said, The Lord be merciful to me a sinner, Luk. 18. 13. and he was justified, hand and tongue went together; some forget to pray, because they have too much of the world, and some neglect because they want it, and must work early and late, but 'tis a misery and a sin not to be excused in any; pray if you be rich, and pray if you be poor, or else thou sayest in effect, God, I have nothing to do with thee: don't say [Page 160] you forgot it; for that is a soul-careless trick, few forget their dinner, but it is better to fast all day than not to pray in a day, and a little meditation does well; what ask of God and not think what to ask, or why? they who have most grace have something to ask, and they that have least have something to ask, but they that have none, have all to ask; for they want Christ, pardon and every thing; yet God will give them his holy Spirit if they do but indeed ask it: Luk. 11. 13. Ask then, and down upon your silken knees, O ye great Lords, Ladies and others, that you might have his holy spirit and his heavenly will revealed in and to you so as to do it, live it, and love it; it will be your glory, heaven and happiness for ever if you do so indeed; but if you slight him now, you will need him, miss him, and want him hereafter, and never find him. 'Tis a mercy to have many good things in this world; but what a misery is it if you should have [Page 161] all, and be said, Son, Remember thou in thy life time hadst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things, Luk. 16. v. 25. therefore he is comforted, and thou art tormented: A Scripture that made Gregory the great weep, or tremble, as himself said, for fear to think lest he had received his good things. Come, Heaven's a sweet Cake; but who would eat it before-hand, or take Earth for it? Sweet-meats are the last dish, but it will be sowr sauce if you lose all in conclusion. Read to the end of the Chapter. Come, come, a godly Life is best, and best for you, great Countesses, and you Ladies more elderly, and young ones too; though you be not twelve or thirteen: Let head and heart remember that, and what Angelical things you would be, if you would begin betimes, as the best did. Josiah, Samuel, Timothy, John, were all young Saints, and the most eminent in the Book of God; the last leaned in Christ's bosom; dipt his Pen and his Quill in the Love of [Page 162] God, and strows all his Epistles with it.
But how frail a thing is man (and you are the same, or more: The Venice-glass is soonest broke;) that sings, walks, talks, and yet is gone as a Tale, Dream, or Watch in the night! And he is no man that does not need mending more than a Watch, and oftner winding up to mind Heaven and heavenly things: For this world is bad, and too bad too; mend one, and make it better; mend one, and draw twenty; great persons do alwaies so; for many follow them and their Examples, which way soever they go. When Magistrates hearts are towards God, the People's are so too: And when Magistrates hearts are towards the People, the Peoples hearts are towards them. Love begets Love; and they that do not love, will not be beloved. Love comes down; good Parents, Magistrates, Masters and Landlords too, if they be kind, and love them beneath: But the Love of God is the best Love of all; therefore Magistrates, Ministers and People, [Page 163] should all love him; and you Ladies, which are uppermost in this world, will be lowermost in Hell if ye forget him. True Love seeks how to please him: If you love your Lords much, that is well, and it is but your duty; but if ye love Christ less, that is ill; but if God not at all, he will never care for you, nor what becomes of you, when Honours have done with you, and you with them. 'Tis better to love God now, though you do not see him, than not to love him and never see him. Love God, and he will love you with that Love which has no end, nor never shall have. Your Lord and your Husband will love you no longer after a little time; but Christ will love you with an everlasting Love, and draw you to himself; if all things in the world are not good enough for you and your Souls. If you love God, he will give you himself, the World to come, and his Son for ever; and your Soul shall live, because he lives; and that is most where it loves; and shall [Page 164] be quite with him after a little while, if it love him most. But oh! Love, Love, whither goest thou to love, when 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 [Page 165] 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 [Page 166] 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, 'twill 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 [Page 167] 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 [Page 168] 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 [Page 169] 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 [Page 170] him to draw near unto us by Preaching Peace, Pardon and Forgiveness to us in the Ministry. Yea, 'tis 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 'tis 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, and sin out, we might well say, The worst is gone, and the best is come: praise be to him that maketh the change, and is unchangeable in himself, [Page 171] Mal. 3. 6. and in all his Attributes. And he is a Fool that saith, There is no God; or, That the Love of God hath not wonderfully appeared to Mankind by Jesus Christ, Titus 3. 4. Oh! be rich in Faith, and you shall never be poor in the world to come: And they that are most full of that, have most comfort and experience too, of his Faithfulness. Faith is the Life of the Soul, and Christ is the Life of our Faith. Oh! live upon him, and you shall live with him, and never dye, Joh. 17. 24. Do not be offended with him, nor they that are his. Great and many waves have beat upon the Rock, but the Church remains still, and the Gates of Hell, Sin, Death and Despair, nor Enemies neither, shall ever prevail against it, Matth. 16. 18. Some set their hearts upon God, others against the Church; but those that maliciously persecute good men, will find ill Rewards. Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Act. 9. 4. 'Tis a mad thing to be furiously mad against good [Page 172] people. If ever we expect to be happy, we must be holy, and hate no man for it; for without it no man shall see God, Heb. 12. 14.
But the Devil tempts men to sin, and then to despair, and good men are full of doubts after sinning: Oh! begin to live to God before you dye; and a man may live, sin, dye, and be utterly lost in a little time; some thieves rob a long time, others are quickly taken and executed, but Gods patience is great towards most men; yet some have but little sport for their souls; airy Sparks ride post and quickly sin away their time, but fair and soft is too fast to hell and the Devils; and death would not be half so troublesom were it not for sin; but he that leads a good life, takes a great deal of comfort with him to his end, and that death of his frees his soul for ever; nothing can trouble in heaven, unless it be want of living, or more living unto God on earth; and nothing can be [Page 173] more terrible in hell than to think there was a time they might, but 'tis past, 'tis past; Simeon and Paul desired to dye, Luk. 2. 29. David and Hezekiah desired to live, 2 Kin. 20. 3. and it was well enough for them and his servants any way, For whether we live or whether we dye we are the Lords, Rom. 14. 8. for if indeed we be so we can never dye amiss. A wise man never looses his wisdom though he be a sleep, nor a good man his grace, though he be catcht away before he is aware; yet it is best to do as Job sayes, Wait for our Change, Job 14. 14. Death is never the nearer, nor farther off for minding, or not minding; and young men have it at their backs, as well as old men in their faces; yet the familiar rising of it in our thoughts, will make it less strange, and more welcom when it comes; if it be from trouble to comfort, and not from light to darkness, and the dungeon of darkness, where light shall never be. Oh [Page 174] that sinners would prevent weeping, by weeping; and their own misery, by becoming God's Servants! as a good Lady said. If he be not a better Master than any, do not serve him; but if he be a better Master than all, as certainly he is, oh serve him, serve him day and night, O ye Lords, Ladies, Gentlewomen and others! and ye would quickly be content so to do, if ye did but taste how gracious he is; and how much better to you than you deserve: Sin and Sinners desert is Hell: Oh! 'Tis mercy to us all to have any thing on this side that, and all misery to be there.
Though we came into the world alike, and must go out, yet let's not live alike, but say you as Joshua did, I and my house will serve the Lord, Joshuah 24. 15. Oh! hazard your credit if it be counted discredit to fear him, for 'tis not unlovely or not commendable to love, what is most lovely, Christ and his wayes; Great peace have they that keep his laws, [Page 175] Psal. 119. but ill company will commit evil for company; and two or three men were lately stabbed by their companions who haunted ill houses; but good company never hurts, and the house of mourning is better than the house of feasting many times; And Bishop Cranmer was troubled for but drinking at Queen Mary's court, because she would not hearken to the Gospel nor his Counsel in King Edward ▪s dayes; and good men should every where savour of the fear of God, be much in self-tryal, and in self-denial too, and to take up his cross when Christ layes it before him, as that good man did at the stake for his counsel or sticking to the word of God, but the worst of Christ or suffering for him is better than the best of all the world. Paul and Silas sung in the Stocks, Act. 16. 25. so did Hampshire Philpot in Bonner's Cole-house. He learns Christ well that learns to follow him through thick and thin. He [Page 176] left his life to save us, we find ours in following him. Christ dyed to give Life and Repentance, Act. 3. 26. And no man ever repented for serving him in a just Call. A wise man provides for his Family, and saves his Soul by his Skin, or Sufferings many times. Some have bewailed the day of their Birth, as Job did through the greatness of his grief, chap. 6. 2. None the day of Conversion, or Marrying unto Christ, or Tryals for him, when he stood by them. And this is a sweet Promise, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee, Isa. 49. 14, 16. Isa. 43. 1, 2, 3. But the Forsakers of God shall be forsaken.
The last and general Closing Letter, that is thus presumed to be offered.
ANd now most Noble, Great, and Right Honourable Ladies, Gentlewomen, and others: 'Tis not many Weeks, nay, Days, since your poor Orator, Supplicant, or Petitioner, was in his own and others apprehension, at the brink of Death, and the Grave; and so, many Days together: But God was pleased by Doctor Cox, my alone Physician, to raise me up again. And though in my Sickness, my Life seemed to be flying away like an Eagle in the Air, and the World, and the Things thereof, to be passing away as if they had never [Page 224] been, yet, yet, I did secretly resolve (if God should raise me up) to perform, or finish, this poor little scribled (and yet serious) short, brief, and harmless Pocket-Book, with the Ladies Letters; which yet I humbly entreat your Noble Ladyships to peruse, and view over and over, in some serious leisure Hour; persuading my self, that though your Breasts are full of Piety, Virtue, Wisdom, and Virtuous Thoughts, yet you may find some, if not many brief hints of Truth, Religion, and Virtue, well worth your pious Thoughts, or Memory; for as Eternity is a very serious thing, so every Sickness that brings one near the Borders of it, or from the Borders of it, should make us very serious, and to Speak and Act as those that have been near another World, though not in it. And truly, if I were no more, nor longer to be in this, than just to finish these few Lines, and humbly, on the bended Knee, to present them to your Lilly [Page 225] Hands, and so to lie down and die at your Feet; yet would I seriously do it in the way of Prayer to your Honours. First, That the short Hints might be weighed, and weighed, again and again, in your most strict, serious, and retired Thoughts▪ whether they be really so as they seem to be hinted to you; and if you find them indeed so to be, by the standard, Golden Rule, Reed, or Touchstone of God's holy Word; then not to slight and say, Pish Fool; or cry, This simple Man will never a done; for 'tis of more concern than so. Truth is Truth, and serious Things must and will be serious, whether we mind or count them so or no. And this I assure you, if ever you come, as come you must, to a Fit and Bed of Sickness; I mean, a thorow Sickness that your life seems in your own & others thoughts to be flying away; you will be then thinking of your immortal ever-living and never-dying Souls: And it may be in a dowsed manner not knowing [Page 226] well, where you are, or what Day it is; whether Day or Night: The Watch Candle being in the Room, the Curtains drawn, little or no Company to speak to you, because of the high Feaver, or other Distemper, but yet in that hour (it may be) Fears, Doubts, Conscience will be working, and secret Questions will be working in you, whether you must and shall Die, now or no; go to the Grave, leave your golden Hangings, Rooms, Honours, and Relations, going to the silent and be seen no more, whilst it may be, are just in the middle of some great Design or other, as your Supplicant was in these Papers, or setting up of your little Charity-School at High-Gate: But be it what it will, every Design must break off, if Death really come with, and at the end of, your Sickness; and then no remembrance of you or yours, will be after a very little while. Oh, Madams, for our Lord Jesus Christ's sake, and your own Souls, I beseech you mind a little [Page 227] the house of mourning, Eccles. 7. 2. which he says 'tis so good to go to; and the Bed of sickness before it comes, and especially what to do before it comes; that its coming may not be as a damp and death to your spirits when it comes. It's said the Cockatrice never kills, but when it sees us before we see it. Oh be beforehand with your Sickness, and prepare in Life for Death, and Health for Sickness! and assure your selves, you may as well persuade your selves, that Michaelmas will never come, because April is, and May is at hand, as that Sickness and Death will not come, because Health, Wealth, Honour, and all about you, is now as you would have it; and more comforts seem to promise to you also, from a Son or Daughter's great Match or Purchase, which you are just a making: But yet Michaelmas comes in course, and Winter too, when one Flower will not be left. But now against the height and heart of that, and all that is cold [Page 228] and killing unto Creature-comforts, set a never-failing good God aside; make him your portion, and with the Prophet Habakkuk say, Though the labour of the Olive should fail, Flocks, Herds, and the Fruits of the Field yield no increase, yet I will rejoyce greatly, I will joy in the God of my salvation, Habbak. 3. 17, 18. But this must nor can ever otherwise be, but by true Faith in the Love, Life, Blood, Death and Merit of our Lord Jesus Christ, with holy walking in the sanctifying graces of his Spirit, six or seven of which you may eminently find I shall hint at in the first Sermon our Lord Jesus Christ ever preach'd, Mat. 5. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. First, blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven; by purchase, purpose, promise, and eternal preparation, Mat. 25, 34. Come ye blessed of my Father, and receive a Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the World. Oh blessed Poverty, that enriches men with the Kingdom of Heaven! This [Page 229] poverty of Spirit is nothing else but a sensible want of Grace and Christ, and every good thing in our selves; through the discovery of original sin to us by the Fall of Adam, whereby we go out of our selves as knowing our selves to be lost, by the purity and spirituality of God's most holy, inward, piercing Law, the ten Commandments, by which we go out of our selves, as knowing our selves to be most miserable, wretched creatures, and lost in our selves, seeing no hope, nor help any ways, but in Gods mercy thorough Christ; and this brings us to be like the poor Prodigal or Publican, Luke 18. 11. to cry, Lord be merciful to me poor lost sinner, and grant that I may find Christ, and pardon for my Soul; and by Prayer, Reading, Hearing, Preaching, Meditating, make out after him in an humble, persevering way. And this is the Poverty to which the Kingdom of Heaven belongs, that is the Gospel with all its Promises, and everlasting [Page 230] Kingdom of Glory too; which God grant you and yours may all find.
But secondly, ver. 4. Blessed are all they that mourn; for they shall be comforted: that is for sin, in-dwelling of original and actual sin, and upon that account cry out, like great St. Paul, O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of sin? Rom. 7. 24. Mark, Ladies, Sin has a Body, yea in Paul it had, though he was as great and experienced a Saint and Servant of Christ as ever liv'd; that is an in-dwelling in every part of our Body, yea and Soul too, saith Perkins and Bishop Ʋsher. Indeed both, and every part of both, is miserably defiled through Adam's Fall; and this in-dwelling of sin in us, makes good men mourn, and hinders them also that they cannot do what they would, and makes them too too often do what they should not, Rom. 7. 19. I hope you Ladies and Gentlewomen find it so. And this is the true cause of their mourning and [Page 231] complaining; But blessed are they that mourn, upon this so good and gracious an account, for they shall be comforted; first here, 2dly hereafter; and a thousand promises are made to them in the Holy Writ, Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith the Lord. Speak ye comfortably unto Zion, her Warfare is accomplished, her Victory is ended, her Sins are pardoned, Isa. 40. 1, 2. And blessed is the man whose sin is pardoned, Psal. 32. 1. This real blessedness is beyond the tongue of men or Angels to set out, and oh that it might be yours, and that you could mourn and secretly weep, and now and then on the knee drop a tear in the Closet upon this account, that you have lived to your selves, your Lords, Pleasure, Sin and the World so much, and Christ so little! God would certainly comfort you with a thousand secret Soul-comforts in the pardon of Sin, the sense of his love and assurance of Christ to your Souls; and this assure your selves shall be your [Page 232] last and lasting comforts, if you be Sin-mourners and Forsakers of it.
But, Thirdly, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth, Mat. 5. 4. Yea, and God too in the Earth: For thus saith he that is High and Holy, I will dwell with him that is of a meek and lowly Spirit, Mat. 11. 29. May this high and holy One dwell and abide in all your Ladyships Hearts, Souls, and Families; may he secretly be your Comfort Day and Night, but you must be meek; and I am meek and lowly, says Christ. Humility is a great Grace in a great Person, and well becomes your most Noble Sex, yea, and Lords too; but this Meekness is a quiet submissiveness of Grace in your wills to the Will of God, in all his Providences to you and yours; whereby you say as it were with holy David, If he has pleasure in me, he will bring me back again. And with good old Ely, It is the Lord, 2 Sam. 3. 18. And with Paul, and his Friends after weeping [Page 233] for him, The Will of the Lord be done, Acts 21. 14. And like our Lord Jesus Christ in his Agony, about passing of the bitter Cup in his Bloody Agony, Not my Will, but thy Will be done. This is a brave frame indeed for Ladies on the Knees, to hold up the little Hands, kiss the Rod quietly, and patiently submit to all the Providences, Losses, and Afflictions, because God as a Father, sends them for good and holy ends to his Servants, best known to himself; and if you patiently take them as his Children without Murmuring, then are you Meek, Patient ones indeed. 'Tis the sturdy Oaks that resist the Winds and are split, but the gentle Reed yields: And stubborn Sinners quarrel at the Providence and Will of God, but good Men and Women submit & serve some divine design or other; and this is the way to inherit the Earth. That is to say, All your outward Earthly Comforts, namely, Honour, Riches, and Prosperity, yea, [Page 234] Heavenly and Inward too. Does God take one Child? Be quiet, lest he take another. Does he take one part of your Estate, or Comfort? He can take another; yea, He can take all, as he did Job's, and restore it again, Blessed be his holy Name, Job 1. 21. Oh! labour to be Meek and lowly, and he will lead and guide you through the Wilderness of this miserable, wretched, sinful, and bewitching World, in all your plentiful Enjoyments, till you come to himself in Glory.
But, Fourthly, Blessed (saith our Saviour) are they which do hunger and thirst after Righteousness. What Righteousness? God's, Christ's, Abraham's, Isaac's, Jacob's, Jews and Gentiles, Faith's Righteousness; and the fruit of this Righteousness is Sanctification. By Righteousness here is meant, that which God imputes to Men or Women, and makes Sinners compleat and happy in, which is indeed his Son's Righteousness, or that [Page 235] which is often called his Son's Active and Passive Obedience, as God and Man in our Nature, to the whole Will and Law of God. Christ, you know, did all the Will of God in a way of Obedience, Submission, and Observance to his holy Law, and so fulfil every Branch of it to a tittle; for had he failed in one, he could never have Justified us, who do still come short in all, as we are in our selves. But he suffered all the Will of God too, in a way of satisfaction for our Breach and Breaches of this his holy Righteous, Perfect, Good, and Heavenly Law, given by God himself unto Moses in the Mount, Exod. 19. 20. Yea, as he fulfilled this, and satisfied for the Breach of it; so he did the Levitical, or Ceremonial Law also; for he was Circumcised and Baptized for us in both, and all which he stood as a Man, or God-Man, and Surety for us, or as one in our Room, Stead, Place, or Company. And as he fulfill'd the Law for us in the Active [Page 236] Obedience of his Life, so he did all the Law required, or God ever desired of him in his Will to do, and in his Death, he satisfied the Justice of God for all that we, or Adam ever did against him, or his most pure and holy Law. Yea, he did it to the full, uttermost, and over too, whereby he has, as it were, an infinite Overflowing, endless Merit in his Hand, to shew the Justice of God in our behalf, why he should deliver us from Hell, and all the Curse and Curses of the Law; which dreadful ones, you may read in Deut. 27. 15, 16, 17, 18. which implies Eternal Death to all out of Christ; for it saith, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all that is written; and not only so, but to give us everlasting Life and Glory. Pray Ladies, mind this seriously, for it is this Obedience of Christ and his Righteousness, and that, and that alone, which being imputed, reckoned, and conveyed, or given unto us, becomes before God in a way of strict Justice [Page 237] and equal Righteousness, our Justification, and so eternal Salvation; and you, nor none of you, nor any living, can be saved otherwise, and therefore well may, and well ought you, for to mind it. And how Isaiah, and Paul says, He was made Sin, and died for us, as well as Born for us, that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him, 2 Cor. 5. 21. Now this Righteousness is called God's Righteousness, Christ's Righteousness, Abraham's, Jews and Gentiles, Faith's and the Saints Righteousness, Rev. 19. 8. And first, It is called God's, because God contrived and designed this Way of justifying Sinners from Eternity; therefore says Paul, God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself, not imputing their Sins, 2 Cor, 5. 19. Secondly, It is called God's Righteousness, because Christ who was God as well as Man, wrought and brought it about; yea, he alone brought it about: And therefore it is said of the People, There was none to [Page 238] help, and mine own arm brought salvation, Isa. 63. 5. Then what an injury and dishonour do the Papists unto Christ, in bringing so many He and She-Saints in to share with him; now the work's done?
Thirdly, it is called God's Righteousness, Rom. 10. 3. because it is imputed, reckoned, implied, and discovered to us by the holy Spirit of God, working Faith in our hearts.
But then secondly, it is frequently called Christ's Righteousness, because Christ, as man, in our nature, stead, room, and place, wrought it for us, not Christ and Peter, not Christ and Paul; the Disciples all slept, and Christ prayed, and sweat alone, bore all the wrath, and hung upon the Tree for us; bore our sins in his own body; dead, buried, and rose again for us; well may he be called, as he is, the Lord our Righteousness, and the Justifier of the Ʋngodly.
Thirdly, it is called Abraham's Righteousness, he being the Father, [Page 239] first and most ancient Saint of God, and he to whom the promise, next Adam, or rather Eve, was most eminently made; and therefore saith God, In thy Seed, that is in Christ, shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed, Gen. 22. 17. Not that it is indeed his any more than Isaac's, Jacob's, or any other Servant of God's that shall believe the promise, as he or they eminently did, Isa. 51. 1. We are bid look unto Abraham; do, and go unto the same Pit as he did, namely, Christ for Righteousness: (for as God justified him, so, just so and no otherwise will he do by you, and all us that do believe in him.)
Fourthly, it is called the Gentiles Righteousness; that is, the Heathens and Ungodly Sinners, such as were without God in the World, and did worship instead of the true God, Moloch, Bell and the Dragon; Mars, Venus, Jupiter and Apollo; and the Devil in an hundred Idols, consecrated Trees, and Four-footed Creatures. [Page 240] Now to these miserable Gentiles was Christ promised and sent, and he shall bring forth judgment unto the Gentiles, Isa. 51. namely Christ; that is a right understanding to worship the true God that made Heaven and Earth, which Papists yet so much continue in, by worshiping Pictures, Shrines, Images, and the consecrated Host, a little Half-farthing Wafer; and for which not doing, they have burnt and murthered thousands. A thing most cruel on one hand, and irrational on the other; yea more than the Persians worshiping of the Sun a thousand times, for that's a glorious creature, though it be but a creature. Now from these Gentiles we came, and are of their Race; yet by Christ and his Righteousness, which is called the Gentiles, we are made near, though otherwise Strangers and Aliens.
But fifthly, as it is called God's, Christ's, Abraham's, and the Gentiles Righteousness, so it is called Faith's [Page 241] Righteousness also, Rom. 10. 6. That the Righteousness of Faith might come unto the Gentiles, Rom. 9. 30. And it is called Faith's Righteousness, first because by Faith we see it, lay hold on, and believe in it, to the saving of our souls. Faith is an eye, that sees Christ and his Righteousness. Faith is an hand, and receives Christ and his Righteousness. Faith is an ear, that hears Christ and his Righteousness when 'tis preached on; And all my Sheep follow me, says he, and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, Joh. 10. 28. For with the heart man believes, saith St. Paul, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. What Confession? namely this, That God has raised Christ from the dead, and made his life and death a Righteousness for poor sinners, which alone is the ground of their justification, and eternal salvation in the highest Heavens also. And for this, and this alone, and denying Mass, Purgatory, and Works of Supererogation, and [Page 242] for denying the Popes Infallibility and Supremacy, have thousands and thousands been massacred and murdered in the Christian world; but when did any Protestants put any Roman-Catholicks to death, meerly upon the account of their Religion? or how very few have they been? Thomas of Becket, Bishop of Canterbury, was knock'd on the head by 3 or 4 Blades at Court, for quarrelling with the King, or interrupting of the Laws; and some-body else by a just Law hang'd, for a Gun intended against a better & much greater King; and for this one is Sainted, and the other may be too in a little time: But Faith and its Righteousness teaches us none of these, but to submit to Kings, and all lawful authority, that we may live peaceably and quietly under them in all righteousness and honesty, Rom. 13. 1.
But sixthly, this Righteousness is called the Saints Righteousness; that is, all sanctified men, women and children, and Righteousness in the [Page 243] world; for a Saint is nothing else in a strict sense, but a man or woman truly fearing God; and a little of the true fear and grace of God in the heart, makes any man or woman in the world so in the account of God and the holy Scriptures; for 'tis not Notion, Gifts, Parts, great and humane Learning, but saving truth that make a Saint. And all the humane learning in the world, says Hintius, will not rectifie the crooked nature of man; as instance Socrates and Aristotle, the one being a covetous wretch as ever liv'd, and the other keeping a common Strumpet for his Lust. But a little saving grace will bridle men from all sin, when bare humane knowledge cannot; nor all the Brass, Tin and Copper in the world, make a dram of Gold; nor all the common gifts, parts and wit of men, which I speak not in the least against, no not in the least, but reverence it, and them that have it; yet, I say, 'tis grace, and the sanctifying grace and Spirit of God in the [Page 244] heart that makes a Saint, and whoever has any thing of that more or less; for some have much more and some much less than others, yet whoever has the least sanctifying measure of the Truth in his Heart, is a Saint and Servant of God, be he Noble or Ignoble, High or Low, Rich or Poor, Learned or Unlearned; and for this, see these Texts, or Scriptures at your leisure, Phil. 1. 1. Col. 1. 2, 12. Ephes. 4. 12. Chap. 3. 8. Heb. 6. 10.
And therefore if any fine young Lady, Gentlewoman, or others, have but a little love to Christ, the Word, Ways, Things, or Servants of Christ, she may be a Saint as well as the greatest; they were called at the first Disciples, Brethren, 2 Joh. 1. 2. Jam. 1. 2. Christians, Acts 11. 26. Saints and Believers, Acts 5. 14. 1 Tim. 4. 12. And we are now lately called Protestants, from the seven Princes of Germany, protesting against the Pope's Supremacy, but are indeed the true real Catholicks, because we hold the Universal [Page 245] truths which were from the Beginning, are, and shall be so to the Worlds end; the main of which, is the Worshipping of God in and through Christ, and loving Him and his Son for ever. But many beyond Sea are called Lutherans, Calvinists and Hussites, for following those great Lights and their Doctrine. But now this Righteousness of God, Christ, Abraham, Jews, Gentiles, and Believers is called the Saints, for two or three Reasons. First, Because it is this that makes them so. Christ's Righteousness is our Justification, and Sanctification too before God, and it is that and his holy Spirit sanctifying of us, which makes us Saints in the Eyes of God, and before Men in this World too; take three distinctions, and they will end 20 disputes about this Point, ☜ for Christ justifies us before God by his Blood, Life, and Death. Faith, that is the object of Faith; Christ justifies us in our own Consciences, so that it is not so much Faith in a strict [Page 246] sense, as Christ by Faith Justifies us and that too. And indeed, Faith being imperfect at the best, needs a Christ for Justification, as well as other Graces, though it still shews us Christ as in a glass, for our justification, and good Works which are really so, and the fruits of God's Spirit, namely good Works, these do justifie us before Men: And therefore (says Christ) let your light so shine before Men, that they may see your good Works, and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven, Mat. 5. 16. And says St. James, Shew me thy Faith by thy Works, and do not tell me so much thou hast it, but let me see it by thy Works. So that to God we must plead the Blood of Christ, and nothing else, and to our Consciences, shew the Blood of Christ, and witness all to others by good Works and a Godly Conversation; and this is the Saints visible and invisible Justification.
And now, had I the Tongue of Men, or Angels, 1 Cor. 13. 1. I could [Page 247] never enough set out the Blessedness, or Blessednesses of Men or Women, that do Hunger and Thirst, that is, Long, Love, and secretly wish and pray for day by day this Righteousness; and to be found in it, namely, this of God and Christ, and the sanctifying graces of his Spirit, for they shall be satisfied, yea, they shall certainly be satisfied in the discovery of it, and present comfort also; yea, in the everlasting wearing and enjoyment of it in the highest Heavens. For as Kings Cloath all their Yeomen in their Gold Embroidered Coats. So Christ the King of Kings, doth spiritually Cloath the Souls of all his; and by vertue of this, They shall shine as the Sun, in the Kingdom of his Father, for evermore, Mat. 13 43. Yea, all his Rich, and all his Poor, and all his Gifted, and all his Ungifted, that hunger after it. Here one has his Silken Suit, and another his Thredbare Habit; here one has their Holland Shifts, and fine Laces, others [Page 248] want course Linnen; but Time shall pass, and Time shall come, when all wants shall be done away, and small Gifts, and no Gifts scarce, shall be equally happy with the greatest, for all shall everlastingly shine as the Sun in the Righteousness of Christ; which is the Blessedness here hunger'd after, which is the White Linnen, and the Wedding Garment, so often spoken of in the Revelations, Rev. 19. 8. And that which Paul would so feign be found in; Counting his own Righteousness but dung and dross, in comparison of it, Phil. 3. 8, 9.
But, Fifthly, Our Lord and Saviour goes still on with his Blessings, saying, Blessed are the Merciful, for they shall obtain Mercy, Mat. 5. 7. And the merciful Man, will be merciful to his Beast, saith Solomon. And now, Noble Ladies, give me leave to plead with you a little, from this good Text, The Mercies of God are dear and tender Things, the choicest chiefest things in Heaven and [Page 249] Earth. We have nothing to hang upon Living, or Dying, but the tender Mercies of God in Christ, which he proclaims, and shews to us, Exod▪ 26. And he was with Joseph, and shewed mercy in the Pit, Isa. 39. 21. Prov. 11. 17. And, A merciful Man (saith Solomon) doth good to his own Soul.
And if you will shew a little to some 30 or near 40 poor and fatherless Boys now in your School at Highgate, you will shine as lights before men, and your candle shall be on a hill, and not under a bushel, which Christ bids you do; and in doing of it, do good to your own, so saith Solomon, Prov. 11. 17. and in this, and doing something for it, you will to yours.
But you will say, You have ways enough, and need not a new design for Charity: Oh! but you can never have too many ways, nor do too much good in the world; and if it be new, 'tis the more pity that so many brave Noble English Ladies as there be that profess [Page 250] the true Religion, and are Religious also; that they have not done some publick thing for the honour of it, as well as old Sutton, when you see so many burnt to ashes for the Gospel, and that Religion which you profess. Oh then do a little, eminent, and something that may have a little notice taken of it, for the honor of their Lord & Master, Religion, and your own also! all which this would do; surely the great and famous Hospitals of London are famours praise-worthy things, and honourable to Religion; and should nor you most Great and Noble English Ladies, which all the world must needs give place unto, do something for the honour of it? If they did well that did build, and set up them, as you will not say but they did, you cannot do amiss in a little countenancing this. Those were done by some one particular person at first, which would swallow up a great and whole Estate; this would hurt no more than a little Tradesmans [Page 251] Bill, because there are so many of you to join in this good and pious Work; surely God will incline some of your hearts, yea many, we yet hope, to it. The Wiseman saith, You will do good to your own Souls. And we are certain it can be no hurt to your children; come and take Christ's counsel, and lay up treasure in Heaven, where no Rust nor Moth, nor Thief can ever come; and to the merciful, God will shew himself merciful. But if you do not love your Souls, care for treasure in Heaven, nor the tender mercies, which is the Rise, Spring-head and Fountain of all we hope for, or can hope for from God in this world, or t'other, you need not mind these sayings in this blessed Book of his. Oh! but you dare not say or think so in the least; for God and his mercies are your last and lasting Refuges. Oh! then dear good Ladies, Gentlewomen, and others, as the Italian Beggars proudly beg, saying frequently, Do it for your own good. Let us humbly beg [Page 252] as on our knee, in the bowels of our Lord Jesus Christ, do, yea, and do without your lame Objections, That you have so many ways, when it is nothing else but a will and heart that you want; for you have Purse enough, and 20 ways to save a little, and therefore do something worthy of this good Design. And you may be sure 'tis a good one, because it is to feed, cloath and teach poor ignorant Children to know themselves, fear God, and live in a hard world, what can be better? ask your Lords; I am sure the Lord Christ, all the Prophets and Apostles commend it; I have cloathed the hungry, saith Job. And Dorcas or Lydia made cloaths, saith Paul, Acts 9. 39. And Cornelius was a man full of good Works, Alms-deeds, and Charity, Acts 10. 4. And Primitive Christians sold their Lands to give to necessitated Brethren, Acts 4. 32, 3, 4. so that 'twas all along, and is still a good work, because it suits so well with our Religion, and the Church of England, [Page 253] which saith with St. James, Faith without Works is dead, Jam. 2. 26. But this, and such as the nature of this is, amongst many others will declare it living.
Thirdly, it is a good work, because it will in some measure stop the mouths of Papists, who are prone to say, Where are your Works, and how few are your Hospitals, and how small is your Charity, notwithstanding great Preaching? Yet we have more than they know, but do not boast as they do. Our Catholick Doctrine teaches us to do good, private and publick too: And this is a Catholick grace, because it is more or less in every Member of Christ; and ought so to be, for he bids us be merciful, as our heavenly Father is merciful, who maketh the Sun to shine, and the Rain to rain upon the just, and the unjust, Mat. 5. 45. I shall give you one blessed Scripture more, and I hope I may, without any boasting, truly say, I have even this present February or March experienced something of it; and God [Page 254] Almighty grant that you, many, or all of you, might do so too; for it will be your case or cases, as sure as God lives, to lie upon the Bed of Sickness, as I have done many days together: Now says the Holy Writ, Blessed is the man that considereth the poor and needy, Psal. 41. 1.
All these Children of Hampstead, Hornsey, or Highgate, are really so; the Lord preserveth and keepeth him, delivereth him not into the hands of his Enemy, and keepeth him alive, the Lord shall comfort him when he is sick upon his Bed, and shall make his Bed in his sickness; that is, comforts for his Soul, yea and Body too; if this great, full, plain, eminent, well-known Scripture be not considered, none will.
Now 'twill be of the latest, may be, another day; and you will certainly come to be sick, and it may be in your Sickness be dozed, scarce know where it be day or night, as I said before, and it may be in your Sickness have many fears and doubts concerning [Page 255] your eternal weal. The Enemy will tempt you, by reason of sin and guilt, secretly to despair, or throw away your Soul and Souls; nay he will do it, because you have liv'd no more to God and his Honour, but have minded your own Honour, Ease, Pleasure, and Interest, in the World, done no Good, been a Christian in Name, only having a form of Godliness, but no Power, 2 Tim. 3. 5. And a thousand things of this Nature he will bring, it may be, he will bring some particular Sins committed so and so to your Minds, whilst the Room is close, or two or three in it, with a watch Light, the Curtains drawn, but the Evil One is very busie in the Bed or Conscience with you. Now, now, if you wish (as God Almighty grant you may) never be delivered over into your Enemies, or the Enemy of Mankinds salvations Hands. Mind this Promise: I do not bid you build upon it; that is dangerous: But build upon Christ, and mind this, for the Promises must be minded, and [Page 256] the Conditions performed too in some measure: And therefore be Merciful, that the Lord may be Pitiful, and not by Death deliver you to your Enemies Hands. 'Tis a dreadful terrible thing, for a poor Partridge to lie trembling in the Talons of the Faulcon, says the Practice of Piety; but a thousand thousand times more dreadful to be delivered into the hands of Satan, in a dying Hour; but the Promise is, God will not deliver the merciful Man into the Enemies hands, Psal. 41. 2. but keep him alive: Nay, he will certainly do it, that is, He will keep him alive in Christ, unto Eternal Life, or else alive in this World for more Work and Comfort; which latter Promise is rather meant here. So that a long Life seems to be promised to a merciful Man or Woman. And now, Ladies, would you also live long on the Earth, as I believe you would? and enjoy all your Comforts, Riches, Honors, and Relations, be merciful to the Poor, not idle vagabons, sturdy Rogues [Page 257] and Beggars, that make a Trade; but poor industrious House-keepers, old people and children, that are past their Labour, or too young, poor Outed Ministers Widows, and others: All these you must consider. And as the Apostle sayes, Do good unto all men, as ye have opportunity, especially the houshold of Faith; and in so doing you might expect the promise or promises. But some may object, it may be you would have us give all away; no, nor above the tenth part neither, scarce that: Yet many, many good men and Ministers think we are bound to that; especially Dr. Gouge. And in his Book called The Best Way of Thriving, gives you forty Arguments of Scripture for it: And tells you an excellent story of a Bishop, that lost a hundred pound for not giving five, &c.
But Divine discretion must be used, for this and the other world too. We all commend good Husbandry, and good Houswifery. But what think you of the Lady Warwick? she would [Page 258] say, Save the money of one Rich Lac'd Gown a year, and that would serve to cloath a great many poor Children, especially if it should be a May-Gown: Here was good Houswifery, and great Charity. I had rather starve a Lust, said she, than not feed a good Christian. And she found the comfort of it in her sickness, for she had scarce any: God toll'd her Soul away, as it were, without groans. But you, it may be, let a thousand pound Necklace, it may be more, lie dead in a little penny Bran Box; and many thousands more in Jewels, Plate, Gold, or Silver by you; and yet, yet, think it a great matter to do a little, any thing that is for a Noble, Good and Brave Charitable Design, which may flourish to the world's end, for ought you know. If you would do some little thing at present, take no care for hereafter; as our Saviour sayes of to morrow, Mat. 6. 25. Luk. 12. 22. There are Ladies enough in England; yea, and good Citizens too, for to carry it on, when you have once set it up.
But I have heard that a poor Coach-maker's Wife gave almost as much as a great Countess, at a Collection: Will this pass? Nay, do you your selves think this will in the day of Account? And our Lord Jesus Christ will take an Account of every Lady of the Land, Wife or Widow, as well as others. And though he approved of the poor Widow's Mite cast into the Treasure; yet he will never accept of your Charity, except it be in some measure proportionable to the Talent he has put in your hands: For, do you think that God or Christ will accept of the improvement of one Talent from a Lady, Lord or others, that he has given ten to? no, he will ask you, Where are the other nine? and you will then be speechless: For he does not allow you, nor no man living, to lay up, up, out and out for Self, Covetousness, Honour, Pride, Vain-Glory, Children, Grand-children, Nephews, Nieces, and all manner of Relations; this and that great purchase every year; but still [Page 260] little or nothing for Religion, and another World, God, or your Souls; but for Silk, Sattin, Coaches, Lace, Tire-women, and other French Toys; and yet may be you good Ladies too; all which we grudge you not in the least; but in the mean time, to see you all almost slight Charity, the love and eminent practice of it; this is uncomfortable, and not Lady Vere like: Or will she and you stand alike together in the day of Accounts? Nay, will not the Lady Drummond, though a Papist, condemn some of you? She was not of the true Church, and yet gave almost a thousand pound to the Poor; but nothing for a Funeral. Come, come, be convinced, and do more good while you live; for you have not done a quarter of that good you might have done, and not have hurt your Lords Estates, or run backwards in the least; nor do we in the least desire that you should: For Charity brings a great blessing; as a good Divine said. But you want a heart or a hand for Christ, [Page 261] or a Death-watch at your Bed's head, to put you in mind of another world: But a sound sickness will do it, and nothing else to purpose: But then it may be you will talk, talk, talk, in a high Feaver, of a hundred things, when the plaisters are on your feet, blisters on the arms, legs and neck, instead of Christ and his Righteousness. As a Merchant did about Wooll; and would hear nothing but what price Wooll bore: Bring my Manteau, and my green Petticoat; I will rise; but the Watchers cry, Pray good Madam be still, and keep your Arms in the Bed: Don't tell me; I will rise and go see my Lady such a one; call the Coach quickly: And a hundred things run in the head, when we are running to another world, and its Eternity may be altogether unprepared: Now if you would find mercy in that day, which was the last Text that worthy Dr. Manton ever Preacht on; will it not be very sweet, welcom and seasonable, when all things, creature comforts and relations [Page 262] are just a going from you, or you from them for ever, to find a God embracing of you? Oh! be good then; do good; and remember the Poor; and this good Work too, because it may live when you are gone; flourish and be a mighty Tree, as I said before: but the promise is, You shall rather live too, and not dye; For the Lord will keep him alive when he lies sick: Mark that word; and it may be when you are dangerously sick, and in your senses, you would not for half; nay, all your Estates but that you should recover; because you have doubts and fears about your Soul's Eternal state, as the poor Apothecary had, that cryed despairingly, He should go to Hell, and lye millions of years there. But now to be kept alive and recover, will be the sweetest and greatest mercy to you in the world. Oh try! trust, and take God▪s promise before all the world's: They often fail, though the blood of Christ never, as one said when his head was going off. Yea this promise; [Page 263] 'tis but, venture a little mony; it may be 'tis no more, not so much as a French Page, or one or two Liveries cost you, or some lesser thing, if you look well about. May not this or that be saved, and go to this good design which stands high upon a high Hill, and has a great name. The Ladies, not what Ladies; but the Ladies, taking in all by that general, universal, endless name, as it were, though it be intended to pious, good and great Religious Protestant Ladies, and other virtuous Gentlewomen; yet it has an universal name, because no body knows what God may incline some, or how many of that Noble Sex to do for it. Some are apt to think it may be in time as big as most things (why not?) and as worthy; it bears so many Noble names, as there be Ladies in the Land, or shall be successively; and who knows but some body may dye, want an Heir; and remember this, when you have set it once a little up: For it is still The Ladies Charity Schoolhouse, [Page 264] and must be whilst one stone or stick remains upon another; for no body can new christen it: And therefore pray don't let this young God-Son of yours (it is your first, and will be your last) Starve, dye, look poor, or be spoiled, for want of a little good keeping, one two or three years. The Boys are fine, handsom, and well cloathed now; not too fine, because they are the Ladies: You cannot but like them and their place exceeding well, and be taken with it, if you would but send or see them these Holy-days, or after: But now, if a year or two hence they should be grown, which God sordid, poor, ragged, half-starv'd and no cloaths, Country folks would say, who rule or go that way, [...] Were there not good Ladies enough in and about London, to maintain a little School? a Duce on their Pride, Charity, Close hand and Covetousness, if it is be all: And a hundred things of this nature will be said; and some scoffing at Religion too, which [Page 265] will be as bad as death. And therefore pray good Ladies and Gentlewomen, out of tenderness and conscience, do not let the thing dye for want of a little countenance; but set the wheel a going by giving something this Easter, one Whitsuntide or two, till you see the thing it self, and the likely wheel of its prosperity, which there is no doubt of if you come a little off. However, above all a hundred times that we can say, do something for this great and serious promise and promises; in case of Death or Sickness, it may be in a week or months time, and you shall 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, 'twill 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 [Page 266] 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, [Page 267] 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 [Page 268] 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, 'tis 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 [Page 269] 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 [Page 270] 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 [Page 271] 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 'tis 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 [Page 272] 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, [Page 273] 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 [Page 274] 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 [Page 275] 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 [Page 276] 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, [Page 277] 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, [Page 278] 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 [Page 279] 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, [Page 280] 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; [Page 281] 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 [Page 282] 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 [Page 284] 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; 'tis 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 'tis 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 [Page 285] 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. [Page 286] 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 [Page 287] 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, [Page 288] 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? [Page 289] 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. [Page 290] 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 [Page 291] 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 [Page 292] heart praise him, praise him, for musical instruments has Christ put down in his Gospel worship, and therefore 'tis the lip, 'tis the life, 'tis the heart, 'tis 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,