THe Life of Man , may be justly stil'd a Pilgrimage , wherein each Person is a Traveller , from his Cradle to his Grave . The Miseries , Cares , and Disappointments that he meets with , no other than the Hardships of his Journey : which as they make his path Troublesom , so they endear his Harbour . It is therefore the Concern of all Men to look to their Steps , least they fall by the way , or are allured by the Enticements of Satan , to leave the ruggedness of those Wayes that lead to Eternal Bliss , and follow the more open and less Unpleasant Roads , whose End is Destruction . The which to avoid , is the Subject of the ensuing Rules : wherein no Advice can be more Suitable than that of the Wise Man , to the Youth of the Age wherein he Lived , and left behind him as a standing Rule to all Succeeding Generations : Eccle . 12.1 . Remember now thy Creator in the Days of thy Youth , while the Evil Days come not , nor the Years draw nigh , wherein thou shalt say I have no Pleasure in them .

The reasons why he presseth this great Duty , are Twofold The first Implied ( viz. ) the Uncertainty of our Condition here , Remember now : as if he should have said ; This now , is all the Portion of Time that God hath allowed thee , or which thou canst call thy own : What is past , is in his Hand , and the Actions thou hast therein performed , whether Good or Evil , are under his Cognizance , and shall receive the Sentence or Acquittal of the Almighty : What is to come are at his Disposal : and whether thou mayest have another Call from the Spirit of Grace , to improve them to thy Souls Advantage , before thy Head is in the Dust , is uncertain . Yet Secondly , if it should so fall out , that thy Days may be Lengthned , yet hath he herein told thee what will most certainly ensue , Old Age and Imbecility , that will Incapacitate thee for that Service he requires at thy Hands : both which ought to bring us to an early consideration of our State , and urge us betimes to make our Peace , with the God of Peace ; or in his own Words , to remember our Creator , &c.

The Strength of the Wise Mans Argument , will appear more Distinctly in the parts of it . First in the Prospect of what Daily happens to others . And Secondly in what attends our Selves : and this will be enough to Waken the Securest , and Ring a Knell of Death , into the Ears of the Strongest amongst us . As for others , look abroad in thy Neighbourhood , and tell me whom the great Enemy of Mankind hath Spared . Hath he had Compassion on the Beautiful ? Hath he been afraid to Grapple with the Strong , to Contend with the Wise , or Encounter the Crowned Head ? Hath he forgotten the Poor as not worth his Notice , or Complemented the Rich , as above it ? Has he said to the Infant , in Mercy I 'le Spare thee , or to the Aged in Reverence , I 'le pass thee by ? Has he heard the Entreaties of the Fearful , or Regarded the Tears of the Childless , the Moans of the Widdow , or the Groans of the Orphan ? Alas not he , Inexorable as he is , his Darts flie Undistinguished round the World , and where e're they light they are Mortal : no Charm can Inchant them , no Power Controll them , no Device Counterwork them , no Wit avoid them , no Wealth purchase their Delay no Beauty Entice them to bee Courteous . This thou art every Day acquainted with , in the Examples of others ; and how soon it may be thy Turn consider with thy self : should this Enemy Approach thee , what canst thou do to Avert him ? If thou hear'st the ratling of his Bones ; if thou seest his Bolts a Levelling at thy Head , dost thou think to put him off with a come another time , I am not prepared for thee . No such Answer will avail thee : or dost thou hope to graple with him ? what 's thy Weakness to his Power ? the least of his Messengers will appall thee . If he sends but the Tooth or Head-ach thou Droopest : An Ague will Rob thee of thy Strength and Beauty : A Fit of the Stone or Gout , Torments thee to Anguish : Nay the least of these with his Commission sends thee irriversably to Companion with Worms . A Flie in thy Cup , a Crum in thy Glass , or a splinter'd Bone from thy Trencher , by his Order , is as fatal as a Charged Volly at thy Breast or a Thunder-Bolt at thy Head . As thou walkest along , a Tile may Dispatch thee , or an Appoplex Fell thee : thou art always like Damocles , a fatal Sword hangs over thy Head , by a twine Thread , which how soon it may Break thou knowest not : Thy Enemies within thee may Destroy thee , and Thousands from without thee wait thy Ruine . There is but one way into the World , but Millions to dispatch thee Hence , and which is most Dreadful , thou knowest not the manner how , nor time when . If thou liest Down to Sleep , thou may'st Wake in Eternal Burnings . If thou Journeyest abroad , the Home thou intendest may be thy Grave . If thou Feastest this Day , to Morrow thou mayest be made a Feast for Worms . Thou art now perhaps Revelling in all manner of Delights and Pleasure , the Sparkling Glass it at thy Lips , thy Jovial Companions about thee , thy Eyes are Admiring the objects of Beauty , thy Ears entertained with the Harmonys of Musique , and Odoriferous Perfumes Strengthen thy Senses but thou knowest not how soon Death may strike thee , and turn thy Revellings into Languishings , thy Delights and Pleasures into Sighs and Groans , thy last Sickness nauseate thy Cups ; thy Freinds take their Parting Adiews for ever : Beauty become Loathsom , the Toling Bell thy Musick , and Stench and Defilement Choak thee . And tell me Young-Man if thou thinkest it not thy Interest whilst opportunitys are offered thee , to follow the Wise Mans Advice . For Secondly , if thou escapest all these Casualties , Old Age will certainly be upon thee , its Harbingers are near , Gray Hairs , and the Bearing-Staff , will be quickly thy Portion . And canst thou expect when the Devil , the Flesh , and the World have had thy Youth and Strength of Performances Lavished out in their Service , that God will accept of the Lees and Remainders of Old Age , and the Repentance that proceeds from thy Pains and Anguish , it will then be too Late to give him thy whole Heart and thy whole Soul , which he requires of thee . The Cares of the World , the disposal of what thou hast , will rob him of his Share : besides thy Account will then be the Greatest , when thou hast the least to Discharge it with : when thou , shouldest Pray and Repent thee of thy Sins , the Distempers and Aches thou art under will discompose thee , when thou should'st Weep for thy Transgressions , half the Tribute of thy Eyes will be required for thy Anguish ; and perhaps thy Senses may Decay with thy Strength , and the time thou allowest for thy Repentance , be wholly swallowed up in Ignorance and Dotage . It behoves thee therefore to remember thy Creator at present , which is the application of the Wise Mans Reasons , and should be so of thine : which if thou dost , this will certainly carry thee through the whole Pilgrimage of thy Life , and bear thee up in all the mis-adventurous paths thereof .

For , First if you remember him , he 'le never forge thee : no trouble thou shalt encounter with , but he will Vanquish for thee , or support thee to bear it . No Allurement of the World shall draw the aside from thy Path , but he will present the view of heaven in thy Eye , as the Reward of that Goal to which thou Pressest , and pervert the Temptation .

Secondly , remember him as a Good and Gracious God , Consider with thy self what he hath done for thy Benifit , when thou wast a lost and undon Creature , when no Eye pitied thee , when no Heart Relented for thee , when thou wast under the sentence of the Law , and consequently a Condemned Creature : no help , no Sanctuary , no Refuge for thy Escape : it was then his time of mercy towards thee , then he parted with his only Son from his Bosom , for thy Relief , to live a painful Troublesom Life upon Earth , for thy sake and Instruction , and at last to Dye a shameful Death upon the Cross for thy Redemption and let this his Goodness allure thee to love him , to Praise and Adore him for the greatness of his Mercies .

Thirdly remember as he is a good God , so he is a Just and a Holy God ; that tho he hath been , and is Merciful to thee , yet he will not suffer his Mercy to be abused and Slighted ; that he is a Holy God , and expects those that come to him must be Holy as he is Holy , tho not in the same degree , which is unpossible for any humane Creature to be : yet with endeavours of growing in Grace more and more , and Humble and hearty Desires to be as far Comformable as thou canst possibly under thy Circumstances attain unto , stand not out against the calls of his Mercy , least the strokes of his Justice overtake thee : tho he is slow to Anger , yet is he of mighty Wrath to those that make light of his Commands . And let this induce thee to fear him , knowing thy Breath is at his Disposal , and every Moment he can call thee to an Account for thy misdeeds : and who is it that can stand before his Tribunal ?

Fourthly , remember him as a God of Power , who is as well able to Assist thee , as to condemn thee ; that he hath Thousands and ten Thousands of Ministring Spirits , who are as ready to Execute the Commands of his Mercy , to the Penitent and returning Sinner , as to deliver the messages of his Vengeance against the Obstinate and Remorsless . And let this induce thee to Praise and Adore him .

Fifthly remember him as a God omniscient as well as Omnipotent ; that he knows the Privatest of thy Thoughts : the most recluse and retired of thy Imaginations are open before him : nor will he pass by what thou Imaginest , as well as what thou Actest amiss . For as the Psalmist says , He requires Truth in the Inward Parts , and maketh us to Understand Wisdom Secretly . And let these make thee careful of thy Private Actions , considering that it is not enough , that the World cannot Challenge thee of the Transgression of any publick Command ; tho no man ever heard thee Swear an Oath , or observed thee to Break the Sabbath . No Man can Accuse thee of Disobedience to thy Parents , Disloyalty to thy Prince ; of Theft ; of Adultery ; Contentiousness ; or other open scandalous Crime : yet if thy Heart hath not been nor is right with thy God , know that he Understands and beholds the same ; and will without due Repentance account with thee therefore .

Sixthly remember him as a Guide in all thy Ways , for it is his Grace Conducts thee : 't is his Grace that Preserves thee from the Trapans and Wiles of that great Deciever , who constantly goes about seeking whom he may Devour : and should God let loose his Chain , and give him Power over thee , not all thy Strength or Subtlety could ever oppose him . And let this induce thee to Acknowledge him as thy Preserver and Conducter through the Pilgrimage of Life :

Seventhly He is to be remembred as thy Redeemer , for from him and in him , is the measure of thy Hope : 't is his Heaven thou art Travelling unto : 't is his Son that is thy Redeemer , to whose Bosom thou art Approaching ; in his Hand is the Crown of Righteousness , that must impale thy Brows the Robe of Glory that must array thee , and in his Presence are fulness of Joys for evermore . Fall down therefore upon thy Knees , and .

First confess thy great Unworthiness for the least of his Mercies : say unto him in the words of the Psalmist , Have Mercy on me O God , after thy great Goodness , according to the multitude of thy Mercies do away mine Offence , , and with him in the Gospel , Lord I am not worthy thou shouldest come under my Roof : I have sinned , what shall I do unto thee O thou Preserver of Men .

Secondly , Acknowledge his loving Kindness in all thy Ways , 't is by him alone that thy Life hath been Preserved to this Day , 't is by his Grace thou hast any hope of Glory Say to him therefore I should utterly have Fainted , but that I Believed verily , to see the goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living . Thou art my Helper and Redeemer , O Lord make no long Tarrying

Thirdly Beg for Patience under all the Crosses thou shalt meet with on this side thy Home , knowing the eternal weight of Glory that is laid up for all those that fear God . Say unto him O Blessed Lord who Scourgeth every Son thou receiveth , let me not be weary of thy Correction , but give me such a perfect Subjection unto thee the Father of Spirits , that what ever Chastisement thou art pleased to Visit me with , may be for my Profit , that I may be thereby pertaker of thy Holiness .

Fourthly , put thy Trust and Resignation upon thy God , for he alone is able to Support thee in all thy Ways : say Mine Eyes look unto thee O Lord in thee is my Trust : O cast not out my Soul : O Lord in thee have I Trusted let me never be Confounded . So that when thou hast run through the troublesome passages of this Life ; thou mayest come to say when thou Arrivest to a Death-Bed , tho I am here in a state of Bannishment and absense from my God , O take me where I shall for ever behold thy Face , and follow the Lamb whether-soever he goeth . I have Fought a good Fight , I have finished my Course , I have kept the Faith , henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness .

O Blessed Jesus , who hath Loved me , and washed me from my Sins in thy own Blood , receive my Soul : into thy Hands I Commend my Spirit , for thou hast Redeemed me O Lord thou God of Truth , Come Lord Jesus , come quickly , Amen .