
Old Paths Bible Ministries © 2007 Richard St.James
The Following From: Messages From The Messenger Sluice Box
Adventures
The New England Primer was a textbook used by students in New England and in other English settlements in North America. It was first printed in Boston in 1690 by Benjamin Harris who had published a similar volume in London. It was used by students into the 19th century. Over five million copies of the book were sold.
In the 1700's schools in the colonies were strongly influenced by
religion. It was the intent of the colonists that all children should
learn to read and in 1642 Puritan Massachusetts passed a law stating
this. They believed that an inability to read was Satan's attempt to
keep people from the Scriptures.
The New England Primer followed a tradition of combining the study of
the alphabet with Bible reading. It introduced each alphabet letter in a
religious phrase and then illustrated the phrase with a woodcut. The
primer also contained a catechism of religious questions and answers.
Emphasis was placed on fear of sin, God's punishment and the fact that
all people would have to face death.
Here are some examples of alphabet rhymes that teach moral values as
well as reading.
by the Rev. Dr. Watts.
HOW glorious is our
heavenly King,
Who reigns above tha Sky!
How shall a Child presume to sing
His dreadful Majesty!
How great his Power
is none can tell,
Nor think how large his grace:
Nor men below, nor Saints that dwell,
On high before his Face.
Nor Angels that
stand round the Lord,
Can search his secret will;
But they perform his heav'nly Word,
And sing his Praises still.
Then let me join
this holy Train;
And my first Off'rings bring;
The eternal GOD will not disdain
To hear an Infant sing.
My Heart resolves,
my Tongue obeys,
And Angels shall rejoice,
To hear their mighty Maker's Praise,
Sound from a feeble Voice.
From Dr. WATTS.
ALMIGHTY God the Maker of every thing in Heaven and Earth; the Darkness goes away, and the Day light comes at thy Command. Thou art good and doest good continually.
I thank thee that thou has taken such Care of me this Night, and that I am alive and well this Morning.
Save me, O God, from Evil, all this Day long, and let me love and serve thee forever, for the Sake of Jesus Christ thy Son. AMEN.From Dr. WATTS.
O LORD God who knowest all Things, thou seest me by Night as well as by Day.
I pray thee for Christ's Sake, forgive me whatsoever I have done amiss this Day, and keep me all this Night, while I am asleep.
I desire to lie down under thy Care, and to abide forever under thy Blessing, for thou art a God of all Power and everlasting Mercy. AMEN.
|
A |
In ADAM'S Fall |
|
B |
Heaven to find; |
|
C |
Christ crucify'd |
|
D |
The Deluge drown'd |
|
E |
ELIJAH hid |
|
F |
The judgment made |
|
G |
As runs the Glass, |
|
H |
My Book and Heart |
|
J |
JOB feels the Rod,-- |
|
K |
Proud Korah's troop |
|
L |
LOT fled to Zoar, |
|
M |
MOSES was he |
|
N |
NOAH did view |
|
O |
Young OBADIAS, |
|
P |
PETER deny'd |
|
Q |
Queen ESTHER sues |
|
R |
Young pious RUTH, |
|
S |
Young SAM'L dear, |
|
T |
Young TIMOTHY |
|
V |
VASHTI for Pride |
|
W |
Whales in the Sea, |
|
X |
XERXES did die, |
|
Y |
While youth do chear |
|
Z |
ZACCHEUS he |
|
Who was the first man ? |
Adam. |
|
Who was the first woman ? |
Eve. |
|
Who was the first Murderer ? |
Cain. |
|
Who was the first Martyr ? |
Abel. |
|
Who was the first Translated ? |
Enoch. |
|
Who was the oldest Man ? |
Methuselah. |
|
Who built the Ark ? |
Noah. |
|
Who was the Patientest Man ? |
Job. |
|
Who was the Meekest Man ? |
Moses. |
|
Who led Israel into Canaan ? |
Joshua. |
|
Who was the strongest Man ? |
Sampson. |
|
Who killed Goliah ? |
David. |
|
Who was the wisest Man ? |
Soloman. |
|
Who was in the Whale's Belly? |
Jonah. |
|
Who saves lost Men ? |
Jesus Christ. |
|
Who is Jesus Christ ? |
The Son of God. |
|
Who was the Mother of Christ ? |
Mary. |
|
Who betrayed his Master ? |
Judas. |
|
Who denied his Master ? |
Peter. |
|
Who was the first Christian Martyr? |
Stephen. |
|
Who was chief Apostle of the Gentiles ? |
Saul. |
BLESS me, O Lord, and let my food strengthen me to serve thee, for Jesus Christ's sake. AMEN.
I Desire to thank God who gives me food to eat every day of my life. AMEN.
What's right and good now shew me Lord, and lead me by they grace and word. Thus shall I be a child of God, and love and fear they hand and rod.
A Wise son maketh a glad father, but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
BEtter is a little with the fear of the Lord, than great treasure & trouble therewith.
COme unto Christ all ye that labor and are heavy laden and he will give you rest.
DO not the abominable thing which I hate saith the Lord.
EXcept a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
FOolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
GODLINESS is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and that which is to come.
HOLINESS becomes GOD's house for ever.
IT is good for me to draw near unto GOD.
KEEP thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.
LIARS shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone.
MANY are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivereth them out of them all.
NOW is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.
OUT of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
PRAY to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which sees in secret shall reward thee openly.
QUIT you like men, be strong, stand fast in the faith.
REMEMBER thy Creator in the days of thy youth.
SEest thou a man wise in his own conceit, there is more hope of a fool than of him.
TRUST in God at all times, ye people, pour out your hearts before him.
UPON the wicked, God shall rain an horrible tempest.
WO to the wicked, it shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him.
EXHORT one another daily while it is called to day, lest any of you be hardened thro' the deceitfulness of sin.
YOUNG men ye have overcome the wicked one.
ZEal hath consumed me, because thy enemies have forgotten the word of God.
OUR Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation. But deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever. AMEN.
I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord, which was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried. He descended into hell. The third day he arose again from the dead, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God, the Father, Almighty. From thence he shall come to judge both the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Holy Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlafting. AMEN.
HUSH
my dear, lie still and slumber, Heavenly blessings without number, Sleep my babe, thy food and raiment All without thy care or payment, How much better thou'rt attended, When from heaven he descended, Soft and easy is thy cradle, When his birth-place was a stable, Blessed Babe ! what glorious features Must he dwell with brutal creatures, Was there nothing but a manger, To receive the heavenly stranger; Soft my child I did not chide thee, 'Tis thy mother sits beside thee, Yet to read the shameful story, How they serv'd the Lord of glory, See the kinder shepherds round him, There they sought him, there they found him, See the lovely Babe a dreaming; When he wept, the Mother's blessing Lo ! he slumbers in his manger, Peace my darling here's no danger 'Twas to save thee, child from dying, Bitter groans and endless crying, May'st thou live to know and fear him, Then go dwell for ever near him, I could give thee thousand kisses, Not a mother's fondest wishes, THOUGH I am young a little one, AWAKE,
arise, behold thou hast, And never turn aside from thee. Who taketh the lambs into thy arms, And when my days on earth shall end, Good children must, In the
burying place may see, Now I
lay me down to take my sleep, First
in the morning when thou dost awake,
LOVE God with all your soul
& strength, BE you
to others kind and true, CHILDREN your great Creator
fear, Adam, Abel, Abraham, Amos, Aaron, Abijah,
Andrew, Alexander, Anthony, Bartholomew, Benjamin, Barnabas,
Benoni, Barzillai, Caleb, Caesar, Charles, Christopher, Clement,
Cornelius, David, Daniel, Ephraim, Edward, Edmund, Ebenezer,
Elijah, Eliphalet, Elisha, Eleazer, Elihu, Ezekiel, Elias,
Elizur, Frederick, Francis, Gilbert, Giles, George, Gamalial,
Gideon, Gershom, Heman, Henry, Hezekiah, Hugh, John, Jonas,
Isaac, Jacob, Jared, Job, James, Jonathan, Israel, Joseph,
Jeremiah, Joshua, Josiah, Jedediah, Jabez, Joel, Judah, Lazarus,
Luke, Mathew, Michael, Moses, Malachi, Nathaniel, Nathan,
Nicholas, Noadiah, Nehemiah, Noah, Obadiah, Ozias, Paul, Peter,
Philip, Phineas, Peletiah, Ralph, Richard, Samuel, Sampson,
Stephen, Solomon, Seth, Simeon, Saul, Shem, Shubal, Timothy,
Thomas, Titus, Theophilus, Uriah, Uzzah, Walter, William,
Xerxes, Xenophon, Zachariah, Zebdiel, Zedekiah, Zadock, Zebulon,
Zebediah, ABigail, Anne, Alice, Anna, Bethiah,
Bridget, Cloe, Charity, Deborah, Dorothy, Dorcas, Dinah,
Damaris, Elizabeth, Esther, Eunice, Eleanor, Frances, Flora,
Grace, Gillet, Hannah, Huldah, Hepzibah, Henrietta, Hagar.
Joanna, Jane, Jamima, Isabel, Judith, Jennet, Katharine, Katura,
Kezia, Lydia, Lucretia, Lucy, Louis, Lettice, Mary, Margaret,
Martha, Mehitable, Marcy, Merial, Patience, Phylis, Phebe,
Priscilla, Rachel, Rebecca, Ruth, Rhode, Rose, Sarah, Susanna,
Tabitha, Tamefin, Ursula, Zipporah, Zibiah GIVE
ear my children to my words Lay up his laws within your heart, I leave you here a little book That you may see your father's face Who for the hope of heavenly things, Gave over all his golden years Where I, among my iron bands, Not many days before my death, And for example to your youth, I send you here God's perfect truth, To you my heirs of earthly things: That you may read and understand That as you have been heirs of that You also may possess that part, Keep always God before your eyes Commit no sin in any wise, Abhor that arrant whore of ROME, And drink not of her cursed cup, Give honor to your mother dear, And recompence her in her age, Be always ready for her help, Remember well your father all, Give of your portion to the poor, And from the needy naked soul, For he that doth not hear the cry Shall cry himself and not be heard, If GOD hath given you increase, Remember you are put in trust, Beware of foul and filthy lust, Keep clean your vessels in the LORD, Ye are the temples of the LORD, And they that do defile the same, Be never proud by any means, But always have before your eyes, Defraud not him that hired is, But pay him still without delay, And as you would that other men Do you the same to them again, Impart your portion to the poor, And send the feeble fainting soul, Ask counsel always of the wise, And ne'er refuse the sweet rebuke Be always thankful to the LORD, Begging of him to bless your work, Seek first, I say, the living GOD, And then be sure that he will bless, And I beseech Almighty GOD, That I may meet you in the heavens, And though the fire my body burns, That I cannot enjoy your love Yet I do hope that when the heavens I shall see you in perfect shape, And that I may enjoy your love, I do beseech the living LORD, Though here my body be adjudg'd My soul I trust, will straight ascend What though this carcase smart awhile My soul I hope will be with GOD, I know I am a sinner born, And that I do deserve to die But by our SAVI0UR'S precious blood, Who freely offer'd up his life, I hope redemption I shall have, When I shall see him face to face, Why then should I fear death's grim
look For King and Caesar, rich and
poor, When I am chained to the stake, Then pray the LORD my soul in heaven Come welcome death the end of fears, Those earthly flames will send my soul Farewell my children to the world, The LORD of hosts be your defence, Farewell my true and loving wife, I hope in heaven to fee you a11, If you go on to serve the LORD, You shall walk safely all your days, GOD grant you so to end your days, That I may meet you in the heavens, OUR days begin with
trouble here, And cruel death is always near, Then sow the seeds of grace whilst
young,
HAVE communion with few,
REMOVE
far from me vanities and lies; give me neither poverty nor
riches; feed me with food convenient for me: lest I be full and
deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord ? Or lest I be poor and
steal and take the name of my GOD in vain. Agreed upon by
the Reverend Assembly of DIVINES at Westminster. Quest.
WHAT is the chief end of
man ? Q. 2. What rule hath God given
to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him ? Q. 3. What do the scriptures
principally teach ? Q. 4. What is God ? Q. 5. Are there more Gods then
one ? Q. 6. How many persons are
there in the God-head ? Q. 7. What are the decrees of
God ? Q. 8. How doth God execute his
decrees ? Q. 9. What is the work of
creation ? Q. 10. How did God create man ? Q. 11. What are God's works of
providence ? Q. 12. What special act of
providence did God exercise towards man in the state wherein he
was created ? Q. 13. Did our first parents
continue in the estate wherein they were created ? Q. 14. What is sin? Q. 15. What was the sin whereby
our first parents fell from the estate wherein they were created
? Q. 16. Did all mankind fall in
Adam's first transgression ? Q. 17. Into what estate did the
fall bring mankind ? Q. 18. Wherein consists the
sinfulness of that estate where into man fell ? Q. 19. What is the misery of
that state whereinto man fell ? Q. 21. Who is the Redeemer of
God's elect? Q. 22. How did Christ being the
Son of God become man ? Q. 23. What offices doth Christ
execute as our Redeemer ? Q. 24. How doth Christ execute
the office of a prophet ? Q. 25. How doth Christ execute
the office of a priest ? Q. 26. How doth Christ execute
the office of a king ? Q. 27. Wherein did Christ's
humiliation consist? Q. 28. Wherein consists
Christ's exaltation? Q. 29. How are we made
partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ ? Q. 30. How doth the Spirit
apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ ? Q. 31. What is effectual
calling? Q. 32. What benefits do they
that are effectually called partake of in this life ? Q. 33. What is justification ? Q. 34. What is adoption ? Q. 36. What are the benefits
which in this life do accompany or flow from justification,
adoption and sanctification ? Q. 37. What benefits do
believers receive from Christ at their death ? Q. 38. What benefits do
believers receive from Christ at the resurrection ? Q. 39. What is the duty which
God requires of man ? Q. 40. What did God at first
reveal to man for the rule of his obedience ? Q. 41. Where is the moral law
summarily comprehended ? Q. 42. What is the sum of the
ten commandments ? Q. 43. What is the preface to
the ten commandments ? Q. 44. What doth the preface to
the ten commandments teach us ? Q. 45. Which is the first
commandment ? Q. 46. What is required in the
first commandment ? Q. 47. What is forbidden in the
first commandment ? Q. 48. What are we especially
taught by these words (before me) in the first
commandment ? Q. 49. Which is the second
commandment ? Q. 50. What is required in the
second commandment ? Q. 51. What is forbidden in the
second commandment ? Q. 52. What are the reasons
annexed to the second commandment ? Q. 53. Which is the third
commandment ? Q. 54. What is required in the
third commandment ? Q. 55. What is forbidden in the
third commandment ? Q. 56. What is the reason
annexed to the third commandment ? Q. 57. Which is the Fourth
commandment ? Q. 58. What is required in the
fourth commandment ? Q. 59. Which day of the seven
hath God appointed to be the weekly sabbath ? Q. 60. How is the sabbath to be
sanctified ? Q. 61. What is forbidden in the
fourth commandment ? Q. 62. What are the reasons
annexed to the fourth commandment ? Q. 63. Which is the fifth
commandment ? Q. 64. What is required in the
fifth commandment ? Q. 65. What is forbidden in the
fifth commandment ? Q. 66. What is the reason
annexed to the fifth commandment ? Q. 67. Which is the sixth
commandment ? Q. 68. What is required in the
sixth commadment? Q. 69. What is forbidden in the
sixth commandment ? Q. 70. Which is the seventh
commandment ? Q. 71. What is required in the
seventh commandment ? Q. 72. What is forbidden in the
seventh commandment ? Q. 73. Which is the eighth
commandment ? Q. 74. What is required in the
eighth commandment ? Q. 75. What is forbidden in the
eighth commandment ? Q. 76. Which is the ninth
commandment? Q. 77. What is required in the
ninth commandment ? Q 78. What is forbidden in the
ninth commandment ? Q 79. Which is the tenth
commandment ? Q . 80. What is required in the
tenth commandment ? Q. 81. What is forbidden in the
tenth commandment ? Q. 82. Is any man able
perfectly to keep the commandments of God ? Q. 83. Are all transgressions
of the law equally heinous ? Q. 84. What doth every sin
deserve ? Q. 85. What doth God require of
us that we may escape his wrath and due due to us for sin? Q. 86. What is faith in Jesus
Christ ? Q. 87. What is repentance unto
life ? Q. 88. What are the outward and
ordinary means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits
of redemption ? Q. 89. How is the word made
effectual to salvation ? Q. 90. How is the word to be
read and heard that it may become effectual to salvation ? Q. 91 How do the sacraments
become effectual means of salvation ? Q. 92. What is a sacrament ? Q. 93. What are the sacraments
of the New Testament? Q. 94. What is baptism ? Q.95. To whom is baptism to be
administered ? Q. 96. What is the Lord's
supper? Q. 97. What is required in the
worthy receiving the Lord's supper ? Q. 98. What is prayer ? Q. 99. What rule hath God given
for our direction in prayer ? Q. 100. What doth the preface
of the Lord's prayer teach us ? Q. 101 . What do we pray for in
the first petition ? Q. 102. What do we pray for in
thc second petition ? Q. 103. What do we pray for in
the third petition ? Q. 104. What do we pray for in
the fourth petition ? Q. 105. What do we pray for in
the fifth petition ? Q. 106. What do we pray for in
the sixth petition ? Q. 107. What doth the
conclusion of the Lord's prayer teach us ? Blessed are they that do his
commandments that they may have right to the tree of life, and
may enter in through the gates into the city. Rev. xxii. 14.
THose days which
God to me doth send, The resolution
which you take, These motions I
will cleave unto, Wilt thou, O
youth make such a choice, My heart shall
chear me in my youth, Woul'st thou
live long and good days see To thee, O
Christ, I'll not adhere, Unto thyself
then I'll thee leave, Amazed, Lord ! I
now begin, Nay, foolish
youth, don't change thy mind, Such thoughts as
these I can't receive, Although to thee
herein I yield Take heed or
else thou art undone; Lord, I am now
at a great stand: Nay, hold vain
youth, thy time is short, I am too young,
alas to die, When I did call,
you would not hear, O Spare me,
Lord, forbear thy hand, If thou some
longer time should have, Youth, I am come
to fetch thy breath, Thus end the
days of woful youth,
Drawn out of the Breasts of both
Testaments, Q. WHAT hath
God done for you ? Q. What is God ? Q. How many Gods be there ? Q. How did God make you ? Q. Are you then born holy and
righteous ? Q. Are you then born a sinner ? Q. What is your birth sin ? Q. What is your corrupt nature
? Q. What is sin ? Q. How many commandments of the
law be there ? Q. What is the first
commandment ? Q . What is the meaning of this
commandment ? Q. What is the second
commandment ? Q. What is the meaning of this
commandment ? Q. What is the third
commandment ? Q. What is meant by the name of
God ? Q. What is it not to take his
name in vain ? Q. Which is the fourth
commandment ? Q. What is the meaning of this
commandment ? Q. What is the fifth
commandment ? Q. What are meant by father and
mother ? Q. What is the honor due unto
them ? Q. What is the sixth
commandment? Q. What is the meaning of this
commandment? Q. What is the seventh
commandment ? Q. What is the sin here
forbidden ? Q. What is the duty here
commanded ? Q. What is the eighth
commandment ? Q. What is the stealth here
forbidden ? Q. What is the duty here
commanded ? Q. What is the ninth
commandment ? Q. What is the sin here
forbidden ? Q. What is the duty here
required ? Q. What is the tenth
commandment ? Q. What is the coveting here
forbidden ? Q. Whether have you kept all
these commandments ? Q. What are the wages of sin ? Q. How then look you to be
saved ? Q. Who is Jesus Christ ? Q. How doth Christ redeem and
save us ? Q. How do we come to have a
part & fellowship with Christl in his death & resurrection? Q. What is the word ? Q. How doth the ministry of the
law bring you toward Christ ? Q. What are you hereby the
nearer to Christ ? Q. How doth the ministry of the
Gospel help you in this cursed estate ? Q. How doth the ministry of the
Gospel humble you yet more ? Q. How doth the ministry of the
gospel raise you up out of this lost estate to come to Christ? Q. How doth the Spirit of grace
apply Christ & his promise grace unto you and keep you in him ? Q. What is faith ? Q. What is prayer ? Q. What is repentance ? Q. What is the newness of life,
or new obedience ? Q. What is the communion of
saints ? Q. What is the church ? Q, What is the bond of the
covenant by which the church is joined together ? Q. What doth the Lord bind his
people to in this covenant ? Q. How do they give up
themselves and their seed to the Lord ? Q.How do they give up
themselves and their seed to the elders and brethren of the
church ? Q. What are the seals of the
covenant now in the days of the gospel ? Q. What is done for you in
baptism ? Q. What is done for you in the
Lord's supper? Q. What was the resurrection
from the dead, which was sealed up to you in baptism ? Q. What is the judgment, which
is sealed up to you in the Lord's supper ? Q. What is the reward that
shall then be given ?
holy angels guard thy bed,
gently falling on thy head.
house and home thy friends provide,
all thy wants are well supply'd.
than the Son of God could be,
and became a child like thee.
coarse and hard thy Saviour lay,
and his softest bed was hay.
spotless fair, divinely bright! !
how could angels bear the sight !
cursed sinners could afford,
did they thus affront their Lord.
tho' my song may sound too hard;
and her arms shall be thy guard.
how the Jews abus'd their King,
makes me angry while, I sing.
telling wonders from the sky;
with his Virgin Mother by.
lovely Infant how he smil'd !
sooth'd and hush'd the holy child.
where the horned oxen fed;
here's no Ox a near thy bed.
save my dear from burning flame,
that thy blest Redeemer came.
trust and love him all thy days !
see his face and sing his praise.
hoping what I most desire:
can to greater joys aspire. VERSES for Children.
If I can Speak and go alone,
Then I must learn to know the Lord,
And learn to read his holy word.
'Tis time to seek to God and pray
For what I want for every day:
I have a precious soul to save,
And I a mortal body have,
Tho' I am young yet I may die,
And hasten to eternity:
There is a dreadful fiery hell,
Where wicked ones must always dwell:
There is a heaven full of Joy,
Where godly ones must always stay:
To one of these my soul must fly,
As in a moment when I die:
When God that made me, calls me home,
I must not stay I must be gone.
He gave me life, and gives me breath,
And he can save my soul from death,
By JESUS CHRIST my only Lord,
According to his holy word.
He clothes my back and makes me warm:
He saves my flesh and bones from harm.
He gives me bread and milk and meat
And all I have that's good to eat.
When I am sick, he if he please,
Can make me well and give me ease:
He gives me sleep and quiet rest,
Whereby my body is refresh'd
The Lord is good and kind to me,
And very thankful I must be:
I must obey and love and fear him
, By faith in Christ I must draw near him.
I must not sin as others do,
Lest I lie down in sorrow too:
For God is angry every day,
With wicked ones who go astray,
All sinful words I must restrain:
I must not take God's name in vain.
I must not work, I must not play,
Upon God's holy sabbath day.
And if my parents speak the word,
I must obey them in the Lord.
Nor steal, nor lie, nor spend my days,
In idle tales and foolish plays,
I must obey my Lord's commands,
Do something with my little hands:
Remember my creator now,
In youth while time will it allow.
Young SAMUEL that little child,
He serv'd the Lord, liv'd undefil'd;
Him in his service God employ'd,
While ELI's wicked children dy'd:
When wicked children mocking said,
To a good man, Go up bald head,
God was displeas'd with them and sent
Two bears which them in pieces rent,
I must not like these children vile,
Displease my God, myself defile.
Like young ABIJAH, I must see,
That good things may be found in me,
Young King JOSIAH, that blessed youth,
He sought the Lord and lov'd the truth;
He like a King did act his part,
And follow'd God with all his heart.
The little children they did sing,
Hosannahs to their heavenly King.
That blessed child young TIMOTHY,
Did learn God's word most heedfully.
It seem'd to be his recreation,
Which made him wise unto salvation:
By faith in Christ which he had gain'd
With prayers and tears that faith unfeign'd
These good examples were for me;
Like these good children I must be.
Give me true faith in Christ my Lord,
Obedience to his holy word,
No word is in the world like thine,
There's none so pure, sweet and divine.
From thence let me thy will behold,
And love thy word above fine gold.
Make my heart in thy statutes sound,
And make my faith and love abound.
Lord circumcise my heart to love thee:
And nothing in this world above thee:
Let me behold thy pleased face,
And make my soul to grow in grace,
And in the knowledge of my Lord
And Saviour Christ, and of his word. Another.
Thy life a leaf, thy breath a blast;
At night lay down prepar'd to have
Thy sleep, thy death, thy bed, thy grave.
LORD if thou lengthen out
my days,
Then let my heart so fixed be,
That I may lengthen out thy praise,
So in my end I shall rejoice,
In thy salvation joyful be;
My soul shall say with loud glad voice,
JEHOVAH who is like to thee ?
And gently leadeth those with young,
Who saveth children from all harms,
Lord, I will praise thee with my song.
And I go hence and be here no more,
Give me eternity to spend,
My GOD to praise forever more. Another.
Fear God all day, Love Christ alway,
Parents obey, In secret pray,
No false thing say, Mind little play,
By no sin stray, Make no delay,
In doing good. Another.
Graves shorter there than I,
From death's arrest no age is free,
Young children too must die.
My God may such an awful sight,
Awakening be to me !
Oh ! that by early grace I might
For death prepared be. Another.
I pray the Lord my soul to keep,
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take. Another.
To God for his grace thy petition make,
Some heavenly petition use daily to say,
That the God of heaven may bless thee alway. Duty to God and our neighbour.
With all your heart and mind;
And love your neighbour as yourself,
Be faithful, just and kind.
Deal with another as you'd have
Another deal with you:
What you're unwilling to receive,
Be sure you never do.Our Saviour's Golden Rule.
As you'd have others be to you:
And neither do nor say to men,
Whate'er you would not take again. The Sum of the ten Commandments.
WITH all thy soul love God
above,
And as thyself thy neighbour love.
Advice to Youth. Eccle. xii.
Now
in the heat of youthful blood,
Remember your Creator God;
Behold the months come hast'ning on,
When you sfhall say, My joys are gone.
Behold the aged sinner goes
Laden with guilt and heavy woes,
Down to the regions of the dead,
With endless curses on his head.
The dust returns to dust again,
The soul in agonies of pain,
Ascends to God not there to dwell,
But hears her doom and sinks to hell.
Eternal King I fear thy name,
Teach me to know how frail I am,
And when my soul must hence remove,
Give me a mansion in thy love.
Remember thy Creator in the days of
thy youth.
To him your homage pay,
While vain employments fire your blood,
And lead your thoughts astray.
The due remembrance of his name
Your first regard requires:
Till your breast glows with sacred love,
Indulge no meaner fires.
Secure his favour, and be wise
Before these cheerless days,
When age comes on, when mirth's no more,
And health and strength decays.Some proper Names of MEN and WOMEN,
to teach Children to spell their own.Men's Names
Women's Names.
Some few days before his death, he wrote the following Advice to
his Children.
Whom God hath dearly bought,
and print them in your thoughts.
for you to look upon,
when he is dead and gone:
While he did here remain,
to prison and to pain.
inclosed in the dark,
I did compose this work:
to whom I wish all good,
and seal it with my blood.
which I do leave behind,
and keep it in your mind.
that once shall wear away,
which never shall decay.
with all your whole intent,
keep his commandment.
and all her blasphemies,
obey not her decrees.
remember well her pain,
with the like love again.
and let her not decay,
who would have been your stay.
as riches do arise,
turn not away your eyes:
of those that stand in need,
when he does hope to speed.
and blessed well your store,
and should relieve the poor.
let such things have no place,
that he may you embrace.
for you are dearly bought,
shall surely come to nought.
build not your house too high,
that you are born to die.
your labour to sustain,
his wages for his pain.
against you should proceed,
when they do stand in need.
in money and in meat
of that which you do eat.
give ear unto the end,
of him that is thy friend.
with prayer and with praise,
and to direct your ways.
and always him adore,
your basket and your store.
replenish you with grace,
and see you face to face.
contrary to my kind,
according to my mind:
shall vanish like a scroll,
in body and in soul.
and you enjoy the land,
to hold you in his hand.
in flaming fire to fry,
to live with GOD on high.
what though this life decay,
and live with him for aye.
from the original,
by my fore-father's fall:
which on the cross was spilt,
to save our souls from guilt;
and all who in him trust,
and live among the just.
since CHRIST for me did die,
the force of death must try.
and fagots girt me round,
may be with glory crown'd.
I am prepar'd to die:
up to the Lord on high.
where you must yet remain;
'till we do meet again.
my children and my friends,
when all things have their end.
as you have now begun,
until your life be done.
as he shall think it best,
where I do hope to rest.
our life is but a span,
so frail a thing is man.
that when thou com'st to die,
Death where's thy victory.
Choice Sentences.
Learn these four lines by heart.
Be intimate with ONE,
Deal justly with all,
Speak evil of none.
AGUR's Prayer.
THE SHORTER
CATECHISM,
Ans. Man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.
A. The word of God which is contained in the scriptures of the
old and new testament is the only rule to direct us how we may
glorify God and enjoy him.
A. The scriptures principally teach what man is to believe
concerning God, and what duty God requireth of man.
A. God is a spirit, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, in his
being, wisdom, power, holiness, justice, goodness and truth.
A. There is but ONE only, the living and true GOD.
A. There are three persons in the God-head, the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one GOD, the same in
substance, equal in power and glory.
A. The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the
counsel of his own will, whereby for his own glory he hath
fore-ordained whatsoever comes to pass.
A. God executeth his decrees in the works of creation and
providence.
A. The work of creation is God's making all things of nothing by
the word of his power, in the space of six days, and all very
good.
A. God created man male & female after his own image, in
knowledge, righteousness and holiness, with dominion over the
creatures
A. God's works of providence are his most holy, wise and
powerful, preserving & governing all his creatures and all their
actions.
A. When God had created man, he entered into a covenant of life
with him upon condition of perfect obedience, forbidding him to
eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, upon pain of
death.
A. Our first parents being left to the freedom of their own
will, fell from the estate wherein they were created, by sinning
against God.
A. Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of the
law of God.
A. The sin whereby our first parents fell from the estate
wherein they were created, was their eating the forbidden fruit.
A. The covenant being made with Adam, not only for himself, but
for his posterity, all mankind descending from him by ordinary
generation, sinned in him, and fell will him in his first
transgression.
A. The fall brought mankind into an estate of sin and misery.
A. The sinfulness of that estate where into man fell, consists
in the guilt of Adam's first sin, the want of original
righteousness, & the corruption of his whole nature, which is
commonly called original sin, together with all actual
transgressions which proceed from it.
A. All mankind by the fall lost communion with God, are under
his wrath & curse, and so made liable to the miseries in this
life, to death itself, & to the pains of hell forever. Q. 20.
Did God leave all mankind to perish in the State of sin and
misery ?
A. God having out of his mere good pleasure from all eternity
elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of
grace, to deliver them out of a state of sin and misery, and to
bring them into a state of salvation by a Redeemer.
A. The only Redeemer of God's elect, is the Lord Jesus Christ,
who being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was, and
continues to be God and man, in two distinct natures, and one
person forever.
A. Christ the Son of God became man by taking to himself a true
body and a resonable soul, being conceived by the power of the
Holy Ghost, in the womb of the virgin Mary, and born of her, and
yet without sin.
A. Christ as our Redeemer executes the office of a prophet, of a
priest, & of a king, both in his estate of humiliation and
exaltation.
A. Christ executeth the office of a prophet in revealing to us
by his word and spirit, the will of God for our salvation.
A. Christ executeth the office of a priest in his once offering
up himself a sacrifice to satisfy divine justice, and reconcile
us to God, and in making continual intercession for us.
A. Christ executeth the office of a king in subduing us to
himself, in ruling and defending us, and in restraining and
conquering all his and our enemies.
A. Christ's humiliation consisted in his being born and that in
a low condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of
this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross,
in being buried and continuing under the power of death for a
time.
A. Christ's exaltation consisteth in his rising again from the
dead on the third day, in ascending up into heaven, and sitting
at the right hand of God the Father, and in coming to judge the
world at the last day.
A. We are made partakers of the redemption purchased by Christ
by the effectual application of it to us by his holy Spirit.
A. The Spirit applieth to us the redemption purchased by Christ,
by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our
effectual calling.
A. Effectual calling is the work of God's Spirit, whereby
convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in
the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, he doth
persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered
to us in the gospel.
A. They that are effectually called do in this life partake of
justification, adoption, and sanctification, and the several
benefits which in this life do either accompany or flow from
them.
A. Justification is an act of God's free grace, wherein he
pardoneth all our sins, and accepteth us as righteous in his
sight only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, and
received by faith alone.
A. Adoption is an act of God's free grace, whereby we are
received into the number, and have a right to all the privileges
of the sons of God. Q. 35. What is sanctification ?
A. Sanctification is the work of God's free grace, whereby we
are renewed in the whole man, after the image of God, and are
enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto
righteousness.
A. The benefits which in this life do accompany or flow from
justification, adoption and sanctification, are assurance of
God's love, peace of conscience, joy in the holy Ghost, increase
of grace, and perseverance therein to the end.
A. The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in
holiness, and do immediately pass into glory, and their bodies
being still united to Christ do rest in their graves 'till the
resurrection.
A. At the resurrection believers being raised up to glory, shall
be openly acknowledged and acquitted in the day of judgment, and
made perfectly blessed in the full enjoyment of God to all
eternity.
A. The duty which God requires of man is obedience to his
revealed will.
A. The rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedience
was the moral law.
A. The moral law is summarily comprehended in the ten
commandments.
A. The sum of the ten commandments is, to love the Lord our God
with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength,
and with all our mind, and our neighbour as ourselves.
A. The preface to the ten commandments is in these words, I am
the Lord thy God which have brought thee out of the land of
Egypt, and out of the house of bondage.
A. The preface to the ten commandments teacheth us, that because
God is the Lord, and our God and Redeemer, therefore we are
bound to keep all his commandments.
A. The first commandment is, Thou shalt have no other Gods
before me.
A. The first commandment requireth us to know and acknowledge
God, to be the only true God, and our God, and to worship and
glorify him accordingly.
A. The first commandment forbiddeth the denying or not
worshipping and glorifying the true God, as God, and our God,
and the giving that worship and glory to any other which is due
to him alone.
A. These words (before me) in the first commandment,
teach us, that God who seeth all things, taketh notice of and is
much displeased with the sin of having any other God.
A. The second commandment is, Thou shalt not make unto thee any
graven image, or the likeness of any thing that is in heaven
above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water
under the earth; thou shalt not bow down thyself to them nor
serve them, for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting
the iniquities of the fathers upon the children, unto the third
and fourth generation of them that hate me and shewing mercy
unto thousands of them that love me & keep my commandments.
A. The second commandment requireth the receiving, observing, &
keeping pure and entire all such religious worship and
ordinances, as God hath appointed in his word.
A. The second commandment forbiddeth the worshipping of God by
images or any other way not appointed in his word.
A. The reasons annexed to the second commandment, are God's
sovereignty over us, his propriety in us, and the zeal he hath
to his own worship.
A. The third commandment is, Thou shalt not take the name of the
Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord wilt not hold him guiltless,
that taketh his name in vain.
A. The third commandment requireth the holy and reverent use of
God's names, titles, attributes, ordinances, word and works.
A. The third commandment forbiddeth all profaning or abusing of
any thing whereby God maketh himself known.
A. The reason annexed to the third commandment is, That however
the breakers of this commandment may escape judgment from men,
yet the Lord our God will not suffer them to escape his
righteous judgment.
A. The fourth commandment is, Remember the Sabbath day to keep
it holy, six days shalt thou labor and do all thy work, but the
seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God, in it thou shalt
not do any work, thou nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy
man-servant, nor thy maid servant, nor thy cattle, nor the
stranger that is within thy gates, for in six days the Lord made
heaven and earth, the sea and all that in them is, and rested
the seventh day, wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and
hallowed it.
A. The fourth commandment requireth, the keeping holy to God
such set times as he hath appointed in his word, expressly one
whole day in seven to be an holy Sabbath to himself.
A. From the beginning of the world, to the resurrection of
Christ, God appointed the seventh day of the week to be the
weekly sabbath, and the first day of the week ever since to
continue to the end of the world which is the Christian Sabbath.
A. The sabbath is to be sanctified by an holy resting all that
day, even from such worldly employments and recreations as are
lawful on other days, and spending the whole time in public and
private exercises of God's worship, except so much as is to be
taken up in the works of necessity and mercy.
A. The fourth commandment forbiddeth, the omission or careless
performance of the duties required, and the profaning the day by
idleness or doing that which is in itself sinful, or any
unnecessary thoughts, words or works, about worldly employments
or recreations.
A . The reasons annexed to the fourth commandment, are God s
allowing us six days of the week for our own employment, his
challenging a special propriety in the seventh, his own example,
& his blessing the sabbath day.
A . The fifth commandment is, Honor thy father and thy mother,
that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God
giveth thee.
A. The fifth commandment requireth the preserving the honor, and
performing the duties belonging to every one in their several
places and relations, as superiors, inferiors, or equals.
A. The fifth commandment forbiddeth the neglecting of, or doing
any thing against the honour and duty which belongeth to every
one in their several places and relations.
A. The reason annexed to the fifth commandment is a promise of
long life and prosperity, (as far as it shall serve for God's
glory and their own good) to all such as keep this commandment.
A. The sixth commandment is, Thou shalt not kill.
A. The fixth commandment requireth all lawful endeavors to
preserve our own life, and the life of others.
A. The fixth commandment forbiddeth the taking away of our own
life, or the life of our neighbour unjustly, and whatsoever
tendeth thereunto.
A. The seventh commandment is, Thou shalt not commit adultery.
A. The seventh commandment requireth the preservation of our own
and our neighbor's chastity, in heart, speech & behaviour.
A. The seventh commandment forbiddeth all unchaste thoughts,
words and actions.
A. The eighth commandment is, Thou shalt not steal.
A. The eighth commandment requireth the lawful procuring &
furthering the wealth and outward estate of ourselves and
others.
A. The eighth commandlnent forbiddeth whatsoever doth, or may
unjustly hinder our own or our neighbours wealth or outward
estate.
A. The ninth commandment is, Thou Shalt not bear false witness
against thy neighbour.
A. The ninth commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting
of truth between man & man, & of our own & our neighbor's good
name, especially in witness bearing.
A. The ninth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to
truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbor's good name.
A. The tenth commandmelat is, Thou shalt not covet thy
neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife,
nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his
ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.
A. The tenth commandment requireth full contentment with our own
condition, with a right and charitable frame of spirit towards
our neighbour, and all that is his.
A. The tenth commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with our
own estaxe, envying or grieving at the good of our neigbbour,
and all inordinate motions and affections to any thing that is
his.
A. No mere man since the fall is able in this Iife perfectly to
keep the commandments of God, but daily doth break them in
thought, word and deed.
A. Some sins in themselves, and by reason of several
aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others.
A. Every sin deserves God's wrath & curse both in this life, and
that which is to come.
A. To escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin, God
requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life,
with the diligent use of all outward means whereby Christ
communicateth to us the benefits of redemption.
A. Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace whereby we receive &
rest upon him alone for salvation as he is offered to us in the
gospel.
A. Repentance unto life is a saving grace, whereby a sinner out
of the true senre of his sin and apprehension of the mercy of
God in Christ, doth with grief and hatred of his sin turn from
it unto God, with full purpose of and endeavours after new
obedience.
A. The outward and ordinary means where by Christ communicateth
to us the benefits of redemption, are his ordinances, especially
the word, sacraments and prayer; all which are made effectual to
the elect for salvation.
A. The spirit of God maketh the reading, but especially the
preaching of the word an effectual means of convincing and
converting sinners, and of building them up in holiness and
comfort, through faith unto salvation.
A. That the word may become effectual to salvation, we must
attend there unto with diligence, preparation and prayer,
receive it wilh faith and love, lay it up in our hearts, and
practice it in our lives.
A. The sacraments become effectual means of salvation not from
any virtue in them or in him that doth administer them, but only
by the blessig of Christ, and the working of the Spirit in them
that by faith receive them.
A. A sacrament is an holy ordinance instituted by Christ,
wherein by sensable signs, Christ & the benefits of the new
covenant are represented sealed and applied to believers.
21. The sacraments of the New Testament are baptism and the
Lord's supper.
A. Baptism is a sacrament wherein the washing of water in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, doth
signify and seal our ingrasting into Christ and partaking of the
benefits of the covenant of grace, & our engagements to be the
Lord's.
A. Baptism is not to be administered to any that are out of the
visilble church, till they profess their faith in Christ, and
obedience to him, but the infants of such as are members of the
visible church are to be baptized.
A. The Lord's supper is a sacrament, wherein by giving and
receiving bread and wine according to Christ's appointment, his
death is shewed forth, and the worthy receivers are not after a
corporal and carnal manner, but by faith made partakers of his
body and blood, with all his benefits, to their spiritual
nourishment snd growth in grace.
A. It is required of them that would worthily partake of the
Lord's supper, that they examine themselves of their knowledge
to discern the Lord's body, of their faith to feed upon him, of
their repentance, love and new obedience, lest coming
unworthily, they eat and drink judgment to themselves.
A. Prayer is an offering up of our desires to God for things
agreeable to his will, in the name of Christ with confession of
our sins, & thankful acknowledgment of his mercies.
A. The whole word of God is of use to direct us in prayer but
the special rule of direction is that form of prayer which
Christ taught his disciples commonly called, The Lord's
Prayer.
A . The preface of the Lord's prayer which is Our Fatherwhich
art in heaven, teacheth us, to draw near to God with all
holy reverence and confidence, as children to a father, able and
ready to help us, and that we should pray with and for others.
A. In the first petition, which is, Hallowed be thy name,
we pray that God would enable us and others to glorify him in
all that whereby he makes himself known, and that he would
dispose all things to his own glory.
A. In the second petition, which is, Thy kingdom come, we
pray that satan's kingdom may be destroyed, the kingdom of grace
may be advanced, ourselves and others bro't into it, and kept in
it, and that the kingdom of glory may be hastened.
A. In the third petition, which is, Thy will be done on earth
as it is in heaven, we pray that God by his grace would make
us able and willing to know, obey and submit to his will in all
things, as the angels do in heaven.
A. In tbe fourth petition, which is, Give us this day our
daily bread, we pray, that of God's free gift we may receive
a competent portion of the good things of this life, and enjoy
his blessing with them.
A. In the fifth petition, which is, And forgive us our debts
as we forgive our debtors, we pray that God for Christ's
sake, would freely pardon all our sins, which we are the rather
encouraged to ask, because by his grace we are enabled from the
heart to forgive others.
A. ln the sixth petition, which is, And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil, we pray that God would
either keep us from being tempted to sin, or support and deliver
us when we are tempted.
A. The conclusion of the Lord's prayer, which is, For thine
is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever, AMEN,
teacheth us, to take our encouragement in prayer from God only,
and in our prayers to praise him, ascribing kingdom, power and
glory to him, and in testimony of our desire and assurance to be
heard, we say, AMEN. A DIALOGUE between CHRIST, YOUTH, and
the Devil.
YOUTH
In pleasure I'm resolv'd to spend;
Like as the birds in th' lovely spring,
Sit chirping on the bough, and sing;
Who straining forth those warbling notes,
Do make sweet music in their throats,
So I resolve in this my prime,
In sports and plays to spend my time.
Sorrow and grief I'll put away,
Such things agree not with my day;
From clouds my morning shall be free;
And nought on earth shall trouble me.
I will embrace each sweet delight,
This earth affords me day and night:
Though parents grieve and me correct,
Yet I their counsel will reject. Devil.
Sweet youth it doth me merry make.
If thou my counsel wilt embrace,
And shun the ways of truth and grace,
And learn to lie, and curse and swear,
And be as proud as any are;
And with thy brothers wilt fall out,
And fisters with vile language flout:
Yea, fight and scratch, and also bite,
Then in thee I will take delight.
If thou wilt but be rul'd by me,
An artist thou shalt quickly be,
In all my ways which lovely are,
Ther'e few with thee who shall compare.
Thy parents always disobey;
Don't mind at all what they do say:
And also pout and sullen be,
And thou thalt be a child for me.
When others read, be thou at play,
Think not on God, don't sigh nor pray
Nor be thou such a silly fool,
To mind thy book or go to school;
But play the truant; fear not I
Will straitway help you to a lie,
Which will excuse thee from the same,
From being whipp'd and from all blame;
Come bow to me, uphold my crown,
And I'll thee raise to high renown. YOUTH.
And let all other counsels go;
My heart against my parents now,
Shall harden'd be, and will not bow:
I won't submit at all to them,
But all good counsels will condemn,
And what I list that do will I,
And stubborn be continually. CHRIST.
And thus obey the devil's voice !
Curst sinful ways wilt thou embrace,
And hate the ways of truth and grace ?
Wilt thou to me a rebel prove ?
And from thy parents quite remove
Thy heart also ? Then shalt thou see,
What will e'er long become of thee.
Come, think on God, who did thee make,
And at his prefence dread and quake,
Remember him now in thy youth,
And let thy soul take hold of truth:
The Devil and his ways defy,
Believe him not, he doth but lie:
His ways seem sweet, but youth beware,
He for thy soul hath laid a snare.
His sweet will into bitter turn,
If in those ways thou still wilt run,
He will thee into pieces tear,
Like lions which most hungry are.
Grant me thy heart, thy folly leave,
And from this lion l'll thee save;
And thou shalt have sweet joy from me,
Which shall last to eternity. YOUTH.
I'11 have my frolicks in good truth,
What e'er seems lovely in mine eye,
Myself I cannot it deny.
In my own ways I still will walk,
And take delight among young folk,
Who spend their days in joy and mirth,
Nothing like that I'm sure on earth:
Thy ways, O Christ ! are not for me,
They with my age do not agree.
If I unto thy laws should cleave,
No more good days then should I have. CHRIST.
Refrain from all iniquity:
True good alone doth from me flow,
lt can't be had in things below.
Are not my ways, O youth ! for thee,
Then thou shalt never happy be;
Nor ever shall thy soul obtain,
True good, whilst thou doth here remain. YOUTH.
What thou speak'st of does not appear
Lovely to me I cannot find,
'Tis good to set or place my mind
On ways whence many forrows spring,
And to the flesh such crosses bring,
Don't trouble me, I must fulfil,
My fleshly mind, and have my will. CHRIST.
That Satan may thee wholly have:
Thy heart in sin shall harden'd be,
And blinded in iniquity.
And then in wrath I'll cut thee down,
Like as the grass and flowers mown;
And to thy woe thou shalt espy,
Childhood and youth are vanity;
For all such things I'll make thee know
To judgment thou shall come also.
In hell at last thy soul shall burn,
When thou thy sinful race hast run.
Consider this, think on thy end
Lest God do thee in pieces rend. YOUTH.
O help me and I'll leave my sin:
I tremble, and do greatly fear,
To think upon what I do hear.
Lord ! I religious now will be,
And I'll from Satan turn to thee. Devil
Unto such thoughts be not inclin'd.
Come, cheer up thy heart, rouse up, be glad:
There is no hell; why art thou sad ?
Eat, drink, be merry with thy friend,
For when thou diest, that's thy last end. YOUTH.
Because God's word I do believe;
None shall in this destroy my faith,
Nor do I mind what Satan saith. Devil.
Yet e'er long I shall win the field
That there's a heaven I can't deny,
Yea, and a hell of misery:
That heaven is a love]y place
I can't deny; tis a clear case;
And easy 'tis for to come there,
Therefore take thou no further care,
All human laws do thou observe,
And from o]d customs never swerve;
Do not oppose what great men say,
And thou shalt never go astray.
Thou may'st be drunk, and swear and curse,
And sinners like thee ne'er the worse;
At any time thou may'n repent;
'Twill serve when all thy days are spent. CHRIST.
These thoughts are from the wicked One,
Narrow's the way that leads to life,
Who walk therein do meet with strife.
Few shall be saved, young man know,
Most do unto destruction go.
If righteous ones scarce saved be,
What will at last become of thee !
Oh ! don't reject my precious call,
Lest suddenly in hell thou fall;
Unless you soon converted be,
God's kingdom thou shalt never see. YOUTH.
If I should yield to thy command,
My comrades will me much deride,
And never more will me abide.
Moreover, this I also know,
Thou can'st at last great mercy show.
When I am old, and pleasure gone,
Then what thou say'st I'll think upon. CHRIST.
I have thy breath, l'll end thy sport;
Thou shalt not live till thou art old,
Since thou in sin art grown so bold.
I in thy youth grim death will send,
And all thy sports shall have an end. YOUTH.
Let death some old grey head espy.
O spare me, and I will amend,
And with thy grace my soul befriend,
Or else I am undone alas,
For I am in a woful case. CHRIST.
But did to me turn a deaf ear;
And now in thy calamity,
I will not mind nor hear thy cry;
Thy day is past, begone from me,
Thou who didst love iniquity,
Above thy soul and Saviour dear;
Who on the cross great pains did bear,
My mercy thou didst much abuse,
And all good counsel didst refuse,
Justice will therefore vengeance take,
And thee a sad example make. YOUTH.
Don't cut me off who trembling stand,
Begging for mercy at thy door,
O let me have but one year more. CHRIST.
Thou wouldst again to folly cleave:
Therefore to thee I will not give,
One day on earth longer to live. Death.
And carry thee to th' shades of death,
No pity on thee can I show,
Thou has thy God offended so.
Thy soul and body I'll divide,
Thy body in the grave I'll hide,
And thy dear soul in hell must lie,
With Devils to eternity. The conclusion.
Who won't obey nor mind the truth;
Nor hearken to what preachers say,
But do their parents disobey.
They in their youth go down to hell,
Under eternal wrath to dwell.
Many don't live out half their days,
For cleaving unto sinful ways.
SPIRITUAL MILK
FOR
American BABES,
for their Souls Nourishment. By JOHN COTTON.
A. God hath made me, he keepeth me, and he can save me.
A. God is a Spirit of himself & for himself.
A. There is but one God in three Persons, the Father, and the
Son, and the Holy Ghost.
A. In my first parents holy and righteous.
A. No, my first father sinned and I in him.
A. I was conceived in sin, & born in iniquity.
A. Adam's sin imputed to me, and a corrupt nature dwelling in
me.
A. My corrupt nature is empty of grace, bent unto sin, only unto
sin, and that continually.
A. Sin is a transgression of the law.
A. Ten.
A .Thou fhalt have no other Gods before me.
A. That we should worship the only true God, and no other
besides him.
A. Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven image, &c.
A. That we thould worship the only true God, with true worship,
such as he hath ordained, not such as man hath invented.
A. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.
A. God himself & the good things of God, whereby he is known as
a man by his name, and his attributes, worship, word and works.
A. To make use of God & the good things of God to his glory, and
our own good, not vainly, not irreverently, not unprofitably.
A. Remember that thou keep holy the sabbath day.
A. That we should rest from labor, and much more from play on
the Lord's day, that we may draw nigh to God in holy duties.
A. Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long in
the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.
A. All our superiors whether in family, school, church and
commonwealth.
A. Reverence, obedience, and (when I am able) recompence.
A. Thou shalt do no murder.
A. That we should not shorten the life or health of ourselves or
others, but preserve both
A. Thou shalt not commit adultery.
A. To defile ourselves or others with unclean lusts.
A. Chastity to posess our vessels in holiness and honor.
A. Thou shalt not steal.
A. To take away another man's goods without his leave, or to
spend our own without benefit to ourselves or others.
A. To get our goods honestly, to keep them safely, and spend
them thriftily.
A. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
A. To lie falsely, to think or speak untruly of ourselves or
others
A. Truth and faithfulness.
A. Thou shalt not covet, &c.
A. Lust after the things of other men, and want of contentment
with our own.
A. No, I and all men are sinners.
A. Death and damnation.
A. Only by Jefus Christ.
A. The eternal Son of God, who for our sakes became man that he
might redeem & save us.
A. By his righteous life, and bitter death, and glorious
resurrection to life again.
A. By the power of his word and spirit, which brings us to him,
and keeps us in him.
A. The holy scriptures of the prophets and apostles, the old and
new testament, the law and gospel.
A. By bringing me to know my sin, and the wrath of God, against
me for it.
A. So I come to feel my cursed estate and need of a Saviour.
A. By humbling me yet more, and then raising me out of this
estate.
A. By revealing the grace of the Lord Jesus in dying to save
sinners, and yet convincing me of my sin in not believing on
him, and of my utter insufficiency to come to him, and so I feel
myself utterly lost.
A. By teaching me the value and virtue of the death of Christ,
and the riches of his grace to lost sinners by revealing the
promise of grace to such, and by ministering the Spirit of grace
to apply Christ, and his promise of grace unto myself, and to
keep me in him.
A. By begetting in me faith to receive him, prayer to call upon
him, repentance to mourn after him, and new obedience to serve
him.
A. Faith is the grace of the Spirit, whereby I deny myself, and
believe on Christ for righteousness and salvation.
A. It is calling upon God in the name of Christ by the help of
the Holy Ghost, according to the will of God.
A. Repentance is a grace of the Spirit, whereby I loath my sins,
and myself for them and confess them before the Lord, and mourn
after Christ for the pardon of them, and for grace to serve him
in newness of life.
A. Newness of life is a grace of the Spirit, whereby I forfake
my former lust & vain company, and walk before the Lord in the
light of his word, and in the communion of saints.
A. It is the fellowship of the church in the blessings of the
covenant of grace, and the seals thereof.
A. It is a congregation of saints joined together in the bond of
this covenant, to worship the Lord, and to edify one another in
all his holy ordinances.
A. It is the profession of that covenant which God has made with
his faithful people, to be a God unto them, and to their seed.
A. To give up themselves & their seed first to the Lord to be
his people, & then to the elders & brethren of the church to set
forward the worship of God & their mutual edification.
A. By receiving thro' faith the Lord & his covenant to
themfelves, & to their seed & accordingly walking themselves &
training up their children in the ways of the covenant.
A. By confessing of their sins, and profession of their faith,
and of their subjection to the gospel of Christ; and so they and
their seed are received into the fellowship of the church and
the seals thereof.
A. Baptism and the Lord's Supper.
A. In baptism the washing with water is a sign and seal of my
washing in the blood and spirit of Christ, and thereby of my
ingrafting into Christ, of the pardon and cleansing of my sins,
of my raising up out of afflictions, and also of my resurrection
from the dead at the last day.
A. In the Lord's supper, the receiving of the bread broken and
the wine poured out is a sign and seal of my receiving the
communion of the body of Christ broken for me, and of his blood
shed for me, and thereby of my growth in Christ, and the pardon
and healing of my sins, of the fellowship of the Spirit, of my
strengthening and quickening in grace, and of my sitting
together with Christ on his throne of glory at the last
judgment.
A. When Christ shall come in his last judgment, all that are in
their graves shall rise again, both the just and unjust.
A. At the last day we shall a]l appear before the judgment seat
of Christ, to give an account of our works, and receive our
reward according to them.
A. The righteous shall go into life eternal, and the wicked
shall be cast into everlafting fire with the Devil and his
angels.
The late Reverend and Venerable Mr.
NATHANIEL CLAP, of Newport on Rhode Island; his Advice to
children.
GOOD
children should remember daily, God their Creator, Redeemer, and
Sanctifier; to believe in, love and serve him; their parents to
obey them in the LORD; their bible and catechism; their baptism;
the LORD's day; the LORD's death and resurrection; their own
death and resurrection; and the day of judgment, when all that
are not fit for heaven must be sent to hell. And they Should
pray to GOD in the name of CHRIST, for saving grace.
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