Ornamental piety

APPLICATION.

My Hearers, Will you mind what I say?

I say, First; That you must not value your selves on any Pretended Ornaments, while you are Yet in your Sins. No; See your selves; Loathe your selves; Be not Angry if Others cast much Contempt upon you. Make those Lamentations; Lam. 5 16. The Crown is fallen from our Head, woe unto us that we have Sinned. Retire, Ponder, Fall into Heart-breaking Soliloquies; Lord, what am I? Nothing but a Lump of Deformity; Nothing but an heap of Abomination!

I say, First; That you must not value your selves on any Pretended Ornaments, while you are Yet in your Sins. No; See your selves; Loathe your selves; Be not Angry if Others cast much Contempt upon you. Make those Lamentations; Lam. 5 16. The Crown is fallen from our Head, wo unto us that we have Sinned. Retire, Ponder, Fall into Heart-breaking Soliloquies; Lord, what am I? Nothing but a Lump of Deformity; Nothing but an heap of Abomination!

I say, Secondly: That if you make but a little Show of Other Ornaments, yet Serious Piety will make you Incomparable Creatures. Holiness, 'twill make you the Excellent of the Earth. So we are taught; Prov. 12.26. The Righteous is more Excellent than his Neighbour. Suppose a Person to be of the Common Rank, of no Secular Advantages; but One that betimes turns to God; an Example of Early Religion; One Devout, Watchful, Prayerful; Ready to every Good Work; One Humble, Honest, Industrious; full of all Goodness, and Kindness to all about him. Truly, the Ornaments of such an One, will bespeak an uncommon Respect for him among the People of God. Verily, Such Persons are themselves the Ornaments of the Societies whereto they belong; They are, (as a Good Man was once called, Monile Ecclesiae) the Jewels of the Church; they are the Stars of the World.

I say, Secondly: That if you make but a little Show of Other Ornaments, yet Serious Piety will make you Incomparable Creatures. Holiness, t'will make you the Excellent of the Earth. So we are taught; Prov. 12.26. The Righteous is more Excellent than his Neighbour. Suppose a Person to be of the Common Rank, of no Secular Advantages; but One that betimes turns to God; an Example of Early Religion; One Devout, Watchful, Prayerful; Ready to every Good Work; One Humble, Honest, Industrious; full of all Goodness, and Kindness to all about him. Truly, the Ornaments of such an One, will bespeak an uncommon Respect for him among the People of God. Verily, Such Persons are themselves the Ornaments of the Societies whereto they belong; They are, (as a Good Man was once called, Monile Ecclesiae) the Jewels of the Church; they are the Stars of the World.

I say, Lastly. Then, Children, make your Choice. We read, Psal. 45.13. Of, A Kings Daughter all glorious within. The Ornaments which will render you all glorious Within; Oh! make Choice of these; your Choice of them will render you the Adorned Children of God. Let the Ornaments that you will Choose and Seek, be, The Knowledge of a Glorious CHRIST: A Resemblance to that Glorious Lord; An Obedience to that ⟨p. 22⟩Glorious Lord; A Patience under all His Mortifying Dispensations; An Abhorrence of all Sin against Him; A Disposition to Do Good, and Know no Pleasure equal to That. You are called upon; Phil 4.8. Whatsoever Things are Lovely! Think on these things. Children, These things are Lovely, and will make you Lovely. Go to the Glorious LORD for such Ornaments. Ask them of Him, who gives them Liberally, to them that ask them. Ask His Holy Spirit, which He Gives to them that ask Him, and then you have them Liberally. Be importunate in your Supplications; Oh! my God, Let thy Holy Spirit, Possess me, Renew me, Incline me, and Adorn me wonderfully. My Child; The next Smile of Heaven upon thee, will be that; Isa. 60.1. Arise, and Shine; for thy Light is Come; and the Glory of the Lord is Risen upon thee: Thy Ornaments are Wonderful!

I say, Lastly. Then, Children, make your Choice. We read, Psal. 45.13. Of, A Kings Daughter all glorious within. The Ornaments which will render you all glorious Within; Oh! make Choice of these; your Choice of them will render you the Adorned Children of God. Let the Ornaments that you will Chuse and Seek, be, The Knowledge of a Glorious CHRIST: A Resemblance to that Glorious Lord; An Obedience to that ⟨p. 22⟩Glorious Lord; A Patience under all His Mortifying Dispensations; An Abhorrence of all Sin against Him; A Disposition to Do Good, and Know no Pleasure equal to That. You are called upon; Phil 4.8. Whatsoever Things are Lovely! Think on these things. Children, These things are Lovely, and will make you Lovely. Go to the Glorious LORD for such Ornaments. Ask them of Him, who gives them Liberally, to them that ask them. Ask His Holy Spirit, which He Gives to them that ask Him, and then you have them Liberally. Be importunate in your Supplications; Oh! my God, Let thy Holy Spirit, Possess me, Renew me, Incline me, and Adorn me wonderfully. My Child; The next Smile of Heaven upon thee, will be that;

A Young PERSON Putting on the Best Ornaments.

AND now, to Life Rai•'d by the Heavenly Call, Henceforth, Vain Idols, I Renounce you all. Vile Flesh, Thy raging Lust, & sordid Ease, My winged Soul now shall not serve & please. False World, Thy Laws ▪ shall be no longer mine, Nor to thy Ways my New-born Soul incline. Satan, Thou wilt, I know, my Tempter be; But thy Temptation shall not Govern me. Foolish I've been; O Lord, I blush, I grieve▪ And gladly would my Woeful Folly leave. Fain would I Turn to God; but can't alone: Help, Sovereign Grace, or it will ne'er be done▪ To the Great GOD of Heaven I repair, And Helped by Heaven, thus to Him declare. Great GOD, Since to be Mine Thou willing art, Oh! Be thou mine! Replies my Conquered Heart. ⟨p. 24⟩To Glorify Thee, Glorious Lord, I take, For That alone, which can me Happy make.

AND now, to Life Rai•'d by the Heav'nly Call, Henceforth, Vain Idols, I Renounce you all. Vile Flesh, Thy raging Lust, & sordid Ease, My winged Soul now shall not serve & please. False World, Thy Laws ▪ shall be no longer mine, Nor to thy Wayes my New-born Soul incline. Satan, Thou wilt, I know, my Tempter be; But thy Temptation shall not Govern me. Foolish I've been; O Lord, I blush, I grieve▪ And gladly would my Woful Folly leave. Fain would I Turn to God; but can't alone: Help, Sovereign Grace, or it will ne'er be done▪ To the Great GOD of Heaven I repair, And Help'd by Heaven, thus to Him declare. Great GOD, Since to be Mine Thou willing art, Oh! Be thou mine! Replies my Conquered Heart. ⟨p. 24⟩To Glorify Thee, Glorious Lord, I take, For That alone, which can me Happy make.

O FATHER, of all Things Creator Great, Wilt thou all Happiness for me Create? Eternal SON of God, wilt thou me Save, That I the Hopes may of Gods Children have? Eternal SPIRIT of God, Poor me wilt thou With Spiritual Blessings of all sorts Endow? Lord, Ravished at thy wondrous Grace, I do These Gracious Offers now Conform unto.

O FATHER, of all Things Creator Great, Wilt thou all Happiness for me Create? Eternal SON of God, wilt thou me Save, That I the Hopes may of Gods Children have? Eternal SPIRIT of God, Poor me wilt thou With Spiritual Blessings of all sorts Endow? Lord, Ravish'd at thy wondrous Grace, I do These Gracious Offers now Conform unto.

O All-sufficient ONE, Wilt thou supply My Wants from Stores of rich Immensity? Shall Boundless Wisdom for my Good Contrive? And Boundless Power, the Fruits of Goodness Give?

Shall Spotless Holiness on me Imprint, An Holy Temper, with thine Image in't? Lord, Thy Perfections all I do adore, And to a Perfect Love my mind would soar.

A State of Bliss according to thy Word Thou wilt unto thy Chosen Ones afford. A State of Blissful Rest and Joy, wherein Raised from the Dead, they shall be freed from Sin. There Bathed in Rivers of Eternal Joy, No Sorrows more shall them at all annoy. GOD shall be All in All; Brought nigh to God, In Him they shall for ever make Abode. ⟨image ?⟩They shall See God; The Beatify Sight! And their own God shall take in them Delight. My Soul, Make now thy Choice. O say; Is This What thou dost Choose for thy Chief Blessedness? Things of this Present Time I now Refuse; My Blessed GOD, Thee, Thee, and This I Choose. May the sweet JESUS me to Glory bring, And be my Glorious Prophet, Priest & King. Does the Almighty SON of God, to those That Will, an Union with Himself propose? My Lord, I will! The Will thou didst bestow: To Thee, Oh, Let me be United so.

A State of Bliss according to thy Word Thou wilt unto thy Chosen Ones afford. A State of Blissful Rest and Joy, wherein Rais'd from the Dead, they shall be freed from Sin. There Bath'd in Rivers of Eternal Joy, No Sorrows more shall them at all annoy. GOD shall be All in All; Brought nigh to God, In Him they shall for ever make Abode. ⟨image ?⟩They shall See God; The Beatifie Sight! And their own God shall take in them Delight. My Soul, Make now thy Choice. O say; Is This What thou dost Choose for thy Chief Blessedness? Things of this Present Time I now Refuse; My Blessed GOD, Thee, Thee, and This I Chuse. May the sweet JESUS me to Glory bring, And be my Glorious Prophet, Priest & King. Does the Almighty SON of God, to those That Will, an Ʋnion with Himself propose? My Lord, I will! The Will thou didst bestow: To Thee, Oh, Let me be Ʋnited so.

The full Obedience which my Surety paid To God, may That my Righteousness be made. A Wretched Sinner would appear in That, Righteous before the dreadful Judgment-Seat. Show me thy Way, O Lord, Lest that I should Fall by those Mockers that will me delude. To thy Pure Scriptures way, I will adhere, And find the Rule of my whole Conduct there. All the Rebellion of my Heart Subdue; And for thy Work, O Lord, my Strength Renew. From thy vast Fullness let my Faith derive Strength to do all things, & to Thee to […] ⟨image ?⟩May thy Good SPIRIT me Possess, & Fill With Light & Zeal, to Learn and Do thy Will. With His Kind Flames may He upon me Seize, And keep me always on my Bended Knee. May all I am and have, be used for Him Whose is my All, for He did me Redeem. To Thee, Good SPIRIT, I lift up my Cries, That thou wilt fall upon the Sacrifice.

The full Obedience which my Surety paid To God, may That my Righteousness be made. A Wretched Sinner would appear in That, Righteous before the dreadful Judgment-Seat. Show me thy Way, O Lord, Lest that I shou'd Fall by those Mockers that will me delude. To thy Pure Scriptures way, I will adhere, And find the Rule of my whole Conduct there. All the Rebellion of my Heart Subdue; And for thy Work, O Lord, my Strength Renew. From thy vast Fulness let my Faith derive Strength to do all things, & to Thee to 〈…〉 ⟨image ?⟩May thy Good SPIRIT me Possess, & Fill With Light & Zeal, to Learn and Do thy Will. With His Kind Flames may He upon me Sieze, And keep me alwayes on my Bended Knee. May all I am and have, be us'd for Him Whose is my All, for He did me Redeem. To Thee, Good SPIRIT, I lift up my Cries, That thou wilt fall upon the Sacrifice.

May thy Bright ANGELS, be my Guardians then; For Thee, they'll Guard & Guide the Sons of Men.

May thy Bright ANGELS, be my Guardians then; For Thee, they'l Guard & Guide the Sons of Men.