IN the first place, my invitations I prefer to all people, but especially to them that are stricken in age, and are ready to go to to their Grave. I invite you therfore to observe those directions which are necessary for Sal­vation; and withall to consider what a smal quantity of time you have to live in the world: we read in the Scriptures that Adam lived nine hundred and 30 years, and he dyed, Seth lived nine hun­dred and 12 yeares, and he dyed, and also the dayes of Canaan was nine hun­dred and ten years, and he dyed, and all the days of Methasala was 9 hundred sixty and nine years, and he dyed, as you may read it large in the 5. Chap. [Page 2] of Genesis. We also read and know that David was a valiant man, Solomon a wise man, Sampson a strong man, Absolon a beautiful man, and Adam a rich man, for the Lord God made him Lord and Master of all other creatures, Gen. 1, 28. yet all those dyed, & as they came from the Earth, even so they returned to the dust. What reason hath any man there­fore in our times to flatter themselves & to forget that they must all go to the earth from whence they came, seeing by daily experience that no man can add one Cubite to his own stature, nor no man can prolong his own life one hour, nor can all the men of the world resist the will of God, for Gods will must be done both in earth and in heaven, as you may read in Mathew the 5.

Is the case so plain then, that all men must in a short space forsake the world for ever? why then I would intreat all men to follow these directions, and to forsake sin before sin forsake them.

Moreover I would desire every man and woman that as they would prepare and make themselves ready to goe to a rich and glorious wedding on the very next morrow where is all kinds of vari­eties of what your hearts can crave, or your tongue ask for, so would I have you every day to make ready & prepare your selves to go to God, as one that have a long journey to go, or to ride, will be up early in the morning to set forward on the way lest by his negli­gence he should come too late to his journies end, and so be kept out of his appointed lodging: in the like manner I would intreat all those that are willing to be the Servants and Disciples of our Lord and Master Jesus Christ, to prepare themselves with all speed that possible they may, or can, to come to the place where their Lord and Master is, which is indeed a place of happinesse: there is mirth without mourning, joy without sorrowing, there is light without dark­nesse, [Page 4] and life without death, where they that are once brought in, shall never be turned out, to which happy and Hea­venly place the Lord in his good time bring us all, Amen.

The ready way to the Everlasting place which is before spoken of, I shall by Gods assistance direct you unto.

Your way must be, First to ask God forgivenesse for all the time you have mispent, and every day, and every hour to repent you of your wicked living in this sinfull world: you must henceforth whilst you do live in this world, Pray unto God to give you grace and the as­sistance of his Holy Spirit, so that you may ever hereafter serve God & obey his holy word and will in a better man­ner then you have don heretofore; you must also deal your bread to the hungry cloath the naked, suffer the harborlesse comfort the fatherlesse, be good to the poor distressed widdows, visit the sick, and according to your ability do good [Page 5] to all men that are in want; for he that stopeth his ears at the cries of the poor, shall cry himselfe and not be heard. Proverhs the 10.

Moreover, you must not think that when you have done those good things which are ere spoken of, that you have done enough to bring your soul to hea­ven without any more to doe, but you must believe in God the Father, Son and Holy-Ghost, and how that Christ came that was the only Son of God the father into this world, on purpose to save the souls of all true repenting sinners, and to be Tormented for us here in this world, because we should not be Tor­mented in the world to come: as it may appeare in all parts of the Scriptures, which were written from the time of the worlds creation to the latter end of the holy Bible Book, but most chiefly the 4 Evangelists have every one dis­cribed the manner of his comming into the world, the time of his life, the day [Page 6] of his death, and in what manner, and for what cause he dyed: whilst he lived on the earth he shewed wonders & did miracles, he made the blind to see, the lame to go, and raised the dead to life; al which was done to make it known to all the world that he was the wonder­ful and powerfull son of God, and able to doe whatsoever it pleased his Father to have done, & to put us in remembrance and believe that he is the Saviour and redeemer of al that trust in him; further more, for our sake he suffered hunger, thirst, cold, imprisonment, reproachfull words, spightful deeds, bitter stripes, false accusations, taunts and scornes, Buffeting, Whippings, and Spittings on the face; And at the last, he was Cru­cified upon a bloody piece of Timber, between 2 notorious malefactors, being nailed fast on the Cross through hands and feet: and now let all Christians not only look upon, but also remember to think upon, what Christ our Lord hath [Page 7] undergone to redeeme our souls from the slavery of the divel, to bring us into the sounder belief; consider what was brought to passe through the power of the Almighty after that the Villaines had so cruelly murdered Christ, which was, and is a King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, Revelations: 19, 10. They took him down from the Crosse, they laid him in a grave where never none was laid before; they roul'd a mighty great stone against the Sepulchre door, they hired watchmen to keep all fast, and to be brief, they thought they had made all things so sure, that Christ his body should never be removed therehence in hast, but by the great power of the Lord there came a Heavenly Angel to the door of the Sepulchre and rould away the stone which was laid to keep Christ in the Grave; mean while the watchmen being sorely amazed at the sight of the Angel, they ran away trembling with fear, so Christ arose from the dead, and [Page 8] the grav have no more power over him after that he appeared to his Disciple, and to others several times to shew that he was recovered, and that he had over­come death, but Thomas one of his dis­ciples would not believe that the Lord was risen from death, til such time that he put his finger into the wound which the spear had pierced, & seen his hand which had been nayled to the Crosse: wherefore our Saviour Christ came into the place bodily where Thomas was, and shewed him the side which the Speare had pierced, and the hands and feet of his which had bin nailed to the bloody tree; which when Thomas had seen and felt, (he confessed and said unto Christ, thou art my Lord my God) but Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed me, Blessed are they that have not seen and have be­lieved. Johns Gospell, 20, 28. All this done to strengthen our beliefe, and to shew us that as he himself is risen from [Page 9] the dead and ascended into heaven, so can he also raise & quicken us if we lay hold on him, trust in him, & faithfully believe that he came into the world & suffered all those things to be done for his love that he bore unto mankind, & to save out souls from perpetuall dam­nation. God in his mercy give us grace to make good use of our times, and so behave our selves, whilst we remaine in this world, that after this life is ended we may injoy everlasting happiness in the Kingdome of Heaven with God the Father, through the mighty merits of Jesus Christ his only Son, to whom with the Holy Ghost be ascribed all honour, glory, power, praise, might Majesty & thanksgiving, both in this world and in the world to come, Amen.

The next matter is here to be exprest is instructions for youth, which if youth will observe and follow they shall find it to be sweeter then the hony, and the hony comb. Psalm, 19.

Solomon the wise bids his Son delay no time, but saith thus to all; Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy Youth, as you may read, Eccles. 12, 1. which sen­tence of his may very well agree with the proverb, How that, that which is bred in the bone will never out of the flesh, so I say, that he or she that will not serve God when they are young, will hardly be brought to do God any good service when they are old: wherefore I desire all sorts of youthfull people to have a speciall regard to what shall be spoken, and withall to do their best endeavour to follow these instructions, Ephesians 6 Children obey your Parents in the Lord, & Honour your Fathers and Mothers, so shall your dayes be long. and your lives happy.

The cause why so many youthful peo­ple now a days run head-long into des­perate dangers and sudden mischiefs, is this, because they will not hearken un­to the words of wise Solomon, who saith thus: My Son attend unto wisdome, and [Page 11] how down thine eares to understanding, Proverbs 5. Beloved these are precious words, and worth the hearkning unto, for He or She that hath understanding can never do amisse let the world run which way soever it will, a wise man will be content with what Estate or condition soever he be in, whether it be riches or poverty, sicknes or health, op­pression or liberty, right or wrong, all's one to a wise man, for he putteth his trust in God, who will surely deliver him out of all his troubles in due time, according as David the Prophet saith, in his Psallms, Many and numberlesse are the Troubles of the Righteous: but the Lord delivers them out of all againe: A wise man is able to undergo and endure reproachfull words, evill Actions, Abusive Deeds; Spightfull Neighbours, Unkind Kindreds: Ye and although it were so that the whole World should set themselves against him, yet he is sure that they [Page 12] can do no more to him then God will give them leave to do for he hath lear­ned such a faithfull lesson of his Master Christ Jesus, that he can say with a safe conscience: Blessed are they that are per­secuted for righteousness sake, as you may read, Mat [...], 10.

Besides a [...] this, wisdome hath a great many Vertues belonging unto her which have not yet been spoken of, as it shall presently be made known to all that will give eare to what shall be ex­prest in this profitable discourse.

If any one desires to be rich, let them repair unto Wisedome, for without Wisedome there is no good to be done: a wise wan is able to discern the good from the bad, the just from the unjust, the right from the wrong, and he that findeth wisdom, findeth life, and shall obtaine favour of the Lord, and how can a man be poor, that hath those blessings bestowed upon him? Proverbs 8, 35.

Furthermore, a wise man will take heed of what company he comes into; for a man cannot touch pitch but he must be defiled! Good wine is chosen by the smell, by the colour, and by the taste, so must you chuse your Compa­nions by their Religions by Wisdome and by vertue, doth not very days ex­perience tell us, How that they which goes & commonly hannteth evil com­pany, are counted to be as bad as them­selves; And have we not heard nor known, that at sometimes there have true men bin taken in thieves compa­nies and all sent to Prison together Yea, and some have lost their livs only by keeping of evill company.

It is an old saying, that company is good whether it be to Heaven, or to Hell; but I say thus, that one were bet­ter go to Heaven alone, then to Hell with a multitude of Wicked People: And better it is to be alone by ones self then to be in company with Ungodly [Page 14] people; a man cannot lie amongst dogs but he must be bitten with fleas, nor can any one haunt and be in evill com­pany, but he must be evill thought on and spoken of, therefore I desire all peo­ple, whether they be old or young, to be wise and to flye from sin, as they would flye from a biting Viper; and al­so to flye from evill company, as you would flye from the Divell.

And now to conclude, I desire you all to observe and make good use of these instructions, and to lead your lives in such a godly manner whilst you remain in this world, so that after this life en­ded, Christ may receive your souls into his heavenly Kingdome, Where is Joy world without end.