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Serious Directions and Instructions, for our practice touching Sinne.

Abhorre that which is evill, cleave to that which is good. Rom. 12. 9.

Wash me from mine iniquitie, and cleanse me from my sinne. Psalm. 51. 2.

To him that overcommeth, J will give to eate of the Tree of Life, which is in the middest of the Paradice of God. Rev. 2. 7.


1

Seeing Sinne hath got reprieve againe,
About the world he'l use his might,
To flatter men their soules to staine,
With filthy sinne, then with great spight,
He'l lay upon men heavie weights,
And bring their mindes to dreadfull streights.

2

The best advise that I can give,
I readie am to shew to thee,
How through Gods mercie thou maist live,
From sinnes Dominion ever free.
And from the guilt that followes sinne,
Though Sinne and Sathan bring it in.

3

Over thy heart be watchfull still,
Subdue the rising of the minde,
And bring thy soule to hate all ill,
That now or after thou shalt finde.
The bent of all thy heart let bee,
To serve the Lord, he'l honour thee.

4

The evill motions first of all,
Resist before thou doe it like,
Thou easie maist keepe out of thrall,
If thou defend when sinne doth strike:
When he doth finde that he's descrid'd,
He'l soone desist, his face to hide.

5

The temper of thy nature finde,
And chiefly there keepe strongest guard,
Against what sinne thou'rt most inclin'd,
For, 'twill thy labours well reward.
Sin will be weake, grace will be strong,
Sin leave thee will ere it belong.

6

Occasions shun which else will draw,
Thee unto sinne, and by degrees,
Thou wilt neglect, or hate Gods law,
And plunge thy selfe in miseries.
For if sinne get the upper hand,
Then tyrant-like, he'll thee command.

7

Count no sin small that thou dost know,
The least's enough to make thee dwell,
(To thinke thus makes sin greater grow)
In the eternall pit of hell.
There's no sinne small in Gods account,
But sinne his mercies doe surmount.

8

Bethinke thy selfe what good there hath,
At any time come in by sin,
And thou shalt finde nothing but wrath,
It brings; as now, so hath it been:
No good but bad in sinne remaines,
Though seeming good, 'tis cursed gaines.

9

Consider why God doth thee feed,
And cloth, to sinne? it is not so:
To thee his workes he shewes indeed,
Thou might'st him serve not like a foe,
Which of Gods blessings is a grave,
That giveth naught, yet more doth crave,

10

Acquaint thy selfe more with Gods word,
With all things in't, there thou shalt see,
That sinne and sinners on record
Are curst, to all eternitie:
And that the godly have reward,
Though them the world did not regard.

11

Love truth divine, and precepts still
Lay up as treasure in thy heart;
Thy minde with comforts ever fill,
They'l ease and qualifie thy smart
The best parts of Philosophy,
Must stoope unto divinitie.

12

When sinne comes thinke it's poyson sweet,
He brings to take away thy life,
He is thy foe be so discreet,
To keepe at distance, and at strife:
Against him all thy power bend,
If to thy selfe thou good intend.

13

If Sinne intreat, or if't command,
Or suit with humours of thy minde,
Tempt, yet be not at any hand,
To fancies vaine be still unkinde.
If sinne doe not thee first disarme,
Thou need'st not feare of taking harme.

14

When sinne doth so deforme the shape,
Of men, then looke how comely they,
When like an Anticke or an Ape,
They are: nay worse than beasts of prey.
What's bad in others to behold,
Thinke worse in thee, this case unfold.

15

Men would with sinne share in the best,
Th' account at last all would avoid,
The sowre must goe with the rest,
Such men by sinne will be annoyd:
For when their monsters come to birth,
None would them father on the earth.

16

There's none in sinne desires to die,
Though live in sinne they doe desire,
'Tis best to leave sinne willingly,
Else sinne at last will bring its hire,
What's bad at death, bad now appeare,
What's good at last is good now here.

17

Avoid the Company that's ill,
Lest they thee poyson with their breath,
Resort to such as love truth still,
Such shew thee life, the bad bring death.
God will preserve the godly heart,
When wicked men shall feele sinnes smart.

18

The worst with God acquaintance claime,
When all their friends doe them forsake,
In this they shew their cursed aime,
Not for himselfe they would him take:
Though he be lovely; but to free,
Them from sinnes wages, miserie.

19

When they that love sinne goe to hell,
They leave such witnesse them behinde,
A dreadfull stinking noysome smell,
And ill examples men doe finde;
Their names from honour leave they free:
They'r curst to all posteritie.

20

See what an honour God bestowes,
Vpon his servants here below,
They daunt the world, and sinne orethrowes,
They doo Gods will for him they know.
And when that they goe to their rest,
They leave behinde a name that's blest,

21

Let hatred rise 'gainst sinne, and why?
Not for the shame, but for Gods cause,
And 'twas for sinne that Christ did die,
And so by sinne we breake Gods lawes:
Because 'tis cursed from the Lord,
Let sinne by thee be still abhorr'd.

22

When sinne doth seeme so Angell like,
Then take good heed lest he on thee,
His poyson spit, his sting thee strike,
With it no plague compar'd can be:
The sweet meats surfeit kils the strong,
With meaner diet weake live long.

23

Distrust thou most, what most doth please,
Be jealous of thy knowledge when,
Its flesh in thee that pleads for ease,
Grace sinne resists, though now and then
It takes delight in friendly mirth,
His name's not graven in the earth.

24

Be ever low in thy conceit,
Of all be willing still to learne,
Though sinne for thee doe lay his baite,
Thou shalt through wisedome it discerne,
The lower men themselves doe deeme,
The higher God doth them esteeme.

25

Though sinne doe vexe thee, thou maist make
Such use t'accomplish thy desires,
Though here it make thy heart to ake,
Thou shalt rejoyce when life expires,
The sower of sinne makes heaven sweet,
Long'd for the more; God thinks it meet.

26

Above the world free from sinnes reach,
Live still: no hurt then comes to thee,
So from experience thou shalt teach,
Thy soule to keepe from miserie,
The sense of Gods love shall possesse,
The heart with heavens happinesse.

27

Be fruitfull in the worke of grace,
On heaven ever set thy minde,
Deny thy worke in any case,
To all that's good be thou inclin'd:
Of what thou hast, or dost, give praise
To God, that strengthens thee alwayes.

28

Thinke 'tis not long that thou shalt here,
Be so perplexed with sins ill,
Thy glorious conquest shall appeare,
If thou against sinne bend thy will:
If thou Gods glory dost intend,
Thy joyes shall be world without end.

29

The more thou dost make warre with sinne,
The more thou sett'st Gods glory forth,
So thou shalt have true peace within,
And joy, more than the world is worth.
Mad men and fooles, alone forsake,
Gods counsell; they part with sinne take.

30

Commit thy selfe with thy successe
To God, and pray still for his aide,
He'll give a sweet and full redresse,
To all thy griefes, be not afraid.
Let feare and shame seaze on all those,
That hold with sinne, to God they'r foes.

31

Remember still that by Gods power,
Sinne is restrain'd and bounded so,
He cannot hurt, much lesse devoure,
Vnlesse the Lord doe bid him goe;
Keepe in with God, and love him still,
Sinne workes thee good, though he be ill,

32

It is not sinne, but sinne belov'd,
That cuts thee off from saving grace,
For what thou dost, God is not mov'd,
To give to thee a dwelling place
In heaven; no 'tis mercies store,
Laid up in Christ for millions more.

33

Christ was on purpose sent to earth,
To free us from sins cursed sting,
And to destroy that monstrous birth,
(That he might freedome to us bring)
Sinnes workes: as for, so in all those,
That with consent unto him close,

34

If guilt of sinne doe once but looke,
Or stare thee in the face, O then
Beleeve that Christ when flesh he tooke,
'Twas to redeeme poore sinfull men;
From feare, and wrath, and power of hell,
They might in heaven with him dwell.

35

If thou canst finde no blessed store
Nor grace appeares unto thy sight,
Then thinke what thou hast felt before,
In darknesse thou must have some light;
Experience past will helpe at need,
Though fruit be spent thou maist have seed.

36

If nothing of that store remaines,
Nor seed yet Christs owne work doth stay,
And with returne the soule constraines,
That from him he'll not part away;
Though comfort here we can see none,
'Tis best to trust in him alone.

37

Sinne at the last shall be destroy'd;
And cast into the darksome pit,
Although he hath thee so annoid,
His time is short then thinke of it,
Though for a time he vexe thee sore,
Thou shalt be freed for evermore,

38

And after long and many teares,
Thou shedst for sinne, O then at last,
Thou ever shall be quit from feares,
Thy sorrowes all shall then be past;
No more of troubles thou shalt see,
Then, if for sinne thou greeved be.

39

And if thou hast sinne overthrowne,
And kept the faith with all thy might,
To all the world thou shalt be knowne,
And shalt receive in open sight,
Thy portion with the Saints above,
The fruits of Gods eternall love.

40

That glory cannot be exprest,
By mortall men that are below,
But they that dwell above are blest,
They doe the heavenly beauty know.
Lord bring us thither for to see,
The glory of thy Majestie.
FINIS.
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