here have the keenest edge of seriousness be elevated the highest made the firmest and the most extensive Let them take in universally whatsoever may most instigate to and quicken in this high operation proportionate it to this working out salvation the so great Gospel Salvation Thus did the prodigal who represents the Returning sinner when sensible first of his unspeakable misery and thence apprehensive of the great obtainable Felicity the so glorious Gospel salvation never did he so act any thinking made such warm work of it as now In like manner the Jaylor Acts 16. having such a dreadful awakening from sense of a lost condition O what a pondering of Salvation was that from a heart so warm'd and edg'd when Extremity of Misery hath the deepest sense Meditation of Salvation and Recovery hath the highest seriousness What can have such a thinking as when one thinks for life and that eternal Let Meditation take in 1. Those Considerations that are most awakening that unspeakable misery comes upon us by sins so innumerable As contracting on the person such horrid guilt and conveying into the heart such hellish filth Every sin with the aggravations contracting a debt to Divine Justice and that entered into God debt Book which we never can pay or get paiâ— without a surety but must bring destruction in Eternal fire 3. Then weigh the great uncertainty of life and how certain death casts every one upon an Eternal state unavoidably upon inconceivable Eternity 4. Then must be weighed the Mighty Enemies and multitudes of hinderances lying in the way of escaping 2. Next come the Considerations that are the most highly encouraging to strive to enter in at the strait Gate such as the Scriptures fullness supplies O how great and prevalent are those in the Gospel to wise and warm us to strengthen and heighten Meditation As Eternal life which in the believing heart is already begun with sure promise of carrying it on to perfection by our yet co-working with the holy Spirit of Christ working in all his which we must do continually Phil. 2.12 Work out your own salvation c. What may I say of conjunction with God by union with Christ by Faith of Communion with Christ in justification and pardon of sin a most glorious righteousness reconciliation adoption with a sure title to Heaven and the glorious graces of Christ his image holiness wisdom life power peace passing understanding joy unspeakable with establishment growth in grace victory over all Enemies Ah what wishly lookings should we exercise daily at this so great salvation and the transcendencies and perfections of it and at last such an outlet of all evils such an inlet of all good such a Crown of Glory with all the inconceivable Excellencies of it and the perfect fruition and vision of God for ever I have been longer on this than was my purpose yet shall crave leave for one thing more and that which is after all momentous cousiderations besides the greatest of strongest influence and efficacy that is the vastness inconceivable vastness of Eternity Not Eternity meerly in the abstract only considered in it self but in reference to misery or felicity I say to all other inducements adde Eternity hang on this great weight of Eternity of Misery and Felicity Endeavour with thy utmost Art and Industry by all resemblances to have che liveliest and most operative representations of it Breathe thy soul often by healthful exercise here breathe thy soul frequently up this Hill of Eternity whatsoever thou meditatest on let still this be one Object entertained in thy serious thoughts this vast Eternity Let this have its due time 2. Holy Meditation hath besides the former several other excellent ends to be aimed at and improved to As Artificers do with their Gold beat it out sometimes to its utmost ductility and extensiveness Improve this Gold of precious heavenly Objects beat them out to the utmost by this Hammer this art of Divine Meditation The Art of Medtiation will like Solomons Temple overlaid with Gold overlay thy heart with Christs pure Gold and make it rich and glorious Ah therefore Christian act up thy Meditation to these precious ends and chiefly lay a mighty stress upon that so momentous thing Eternity of Son Misery or Felicity So I have at last dispatcht these first things CHAP. XX. Of the partieular Ends of Meditation in respect of our selves THere be various Ends of Meditation respecting our selves I shall mention among others these seven particular Ends relating to our own spiritual advantage 1. For a principal improver of saving Knowledge 2. For to make our Knowledge Clear and Distinct 3. To found a Rich Treasury of Truths and make them sure 4. And to be an introducer of habitual wisdom an acquired habit of wisdom to the first given wisdom in heart renovation 5. For a Kindler of Heavenly Fire and Flame in the heart 6. For a Mighty Corroborater of holy purpose 7. To be a constant quickner of the Christian course 1. Meditation is for a Principal Improver of saving and heavenly Knowledge To set as it were more Lights on the Golden Table in the Temple of the holy heart to repleuish the Golden Candlestick with more and better Lights and glorious burning Lamps to yield clearer light in the dark heart Psal 119.97 98 99. I am wiser than my Enemies for thy Commandments are ever with me that 's in Meditation continually as v. 97. Thy Law it is my Meditation continually or all the day v. 99. I have more understanding than all my Teachers for thy Testimonies are my Meditation and v. 100. I understand more than the Ancients c. Here 's an assertion in a kind of gradation of the successfulness of his holy Meditation namely understanding wisdom and excelling in them Wiser than his Enemies yea than his Teachers yea than the Ancients that have had longest time largest opportunities for greatest Knowledge and highest wisdom Meditation is the ground inlet and improver of Knowledge It is not the great and much reading makes the Scholar but the studying and pondering that is read It is not the reading much that makes the knowing Christian but the meditating on what is read Reading without Meditation is like swallowing much meat without due chewing that makes a lean man so this makes a lean mind Many read and hear Much but understand little because they bring themselves so little under this Ordinance of Meditation If thou wouldest be right excellent in Knowledge be rich in it and of a higher stature in wisdom than others as David was strive to write after his rare Copy in abundant Meditating 2. Meditation is to make Knowledge clear and distinct The Apostle Phil. 1.9 mentions love its abounding in Knowledge and Judgment and in other places we have mention of discerning and judging As to matter of Learning in Arts and Sciences they have the most clear and distinct heads have their Notions most methodical distinct and most mellow who
is to frequently in my thoughts put my self into the condition of a present dying How it must be with me let me look on my self how certainly without flattery I am prepared to dye If I have a Christ in my bosom the Love of God assured and can dye in the Lord 2 Cor. 13.5 dye in Faith and look Death in the face boldly resign up my soul freely into Christs hands these make for this Agony the highest Cordial these furnish me with Armour of proof against this Enemy But let me then look on my self as having no means farther to preserve me all Physick Art and Experiences withdrawing their usual help Friends standing about me pitying lamenting me but not able to evidence more than their kind wishes and I my self perceiving Deaths summons sent me as to King Hezekiah but without expecting any Messenger after to be sent with better News Prayers now and all such means also reversed and proving labours lost I now feeling my decays and hastening away my disquiets and pains encreasing strength failing spirits sinking heat turned into chillness Cramps contractions of Nerves and limbs following breath shortening speech faultring heart pangs and agonies now multiplying the whole frame of the body shaking the Hands snatching Eye-strings as they say breaking and after many deep heavy sighings and groanings the Soul comes forth with gaspings and sitting upon my quivering lips upon the last gasp takes its nimble flight leaves its old habitation to rottenness and corruption and launches forth into an everlasting new condition Lord teach me so to number my days see how frail I am Psal 90.12 Psal 39.1 let me so often realize this dying to my self in most serious Meditation put my self into this condition of Deaths coming and acting his part his utmost on me that I may both familiarize and facilitate this so dreadful and difficult work that I may be greatly desirous to be dissolved and be thereby with Christ which is best of all O that I may perform this last work best which that I may and make that great Enemy my great Friend my Losses greatest Gain let me still mind Christ's healing this bitter water making it sweet making this Deaths-day better than the Births-day let my thoughts be on the Sting's pulling out that it cannot hurt if I am Christ's Death is ours if we are Christ's and for our most high advantages as being the great outlet of all evil and misery I now shall sin no more be tempted and ensnared no more the World shall now be corruptions bait and Satans Hook no more Satan shall never throw at me any fiery dart more God will never desert me hide his face from me more All Miseries Crosses Losses Poverty Shame Pain Sickness Weakness Weariness Faintness Hunger Thirst Cold Nakedness Labour Toil Cares Fears Sorrows and Disquiets and whatsoever of this lifes Evils can be named is at an Eternal end And Death becomes the great inlet of all good to flow in most abundantly a passage to Heaven to be possest of a Crown of Glory to enjoy the innumerable company of Saints and Angels to be with Christ and seeing God face to face and fulness of felicity for evermore CHAP. XIX Of Judgment after death ON the sad parting of those two dearest friends Soul and Body comes instantly the doom and sentence Heb. 9.27 the particular Judgment of the person to pass and be put in execution to an Eternal Estate either of Happiness or Misery immediately as to the immortal Soul and afterward at the General Resurrection of Body and Soul in Conjunction This therefore little foregoing Day of Judgment upon which by the Bodies mortality and necessity of dying and the Souls immortality and necessity of not dying every person comes to be stated in eternal misery or happiness unavoidably is a point of most high consequence to be well considered deeply weighed often dwelt upon in our most prudent improvements of retiredness A very great frequency and repetition of our best thoughts and serious ponderings must be the Tribute of this concern this vertical point this Judgment which casts the scales and makes full weight for misery or felicity for ever For as the tree falls so it lies as Death leaves Judgment this particular Judgment finds us dooms us irreversibly there is no bringing a Writ of Errour no Appeal to be made no pardon now the Judge will give no petition he will receive no stay of proceedings can in the least be granted or lookt for on any ground This to every particulat person in some respect is his great day of Judgment this disposes and dispatches this secures and keeps me for the great general Assize and Judgment this is the Foundation that will be the Superstructure this is secret that is solemn this for a private execution that for one in open view of all But this Judgment particular strikes the first stroke of utter undoing or lends the first hand of help to an eternal saving and without which the great Judgment doth not proceed Ah then well may I afford this Judgment a great frequency largeness seriousness of thoughts which launches the Ship of my Soul into the Ocean of Eternity which lets my Soul either presently to sink into the Bottomless Pit purposely sends it thither casts it into the Lake of Everlasting Fire or sends it into Abrahams bosom into the harbour of eternal happiness and enters this Jewel into the Cabinet of Heaven Ah how unspeakably considerable is this particular Judgment The very moment of my death that is uncertain and the very next moment after death comes certain Judgment irresistably and irrecoverably and determines our state of Eternity CHAP. XX. Of the general Judgment Day BUT then particular Judgment foregoing this is but the foundation and introduction of the following The private and partial execution on the Soul separate from the Body shall have a publick and most solemn both manifestation and consummation with it 1. This day among other ends is reserved for the so great and glorious manifestation of the infinite holiness and righteousness grace and mercy wrath and severity and other Attributes of God never in this world having their so full discovery as now by the intendment and most wise contrivance of a God they shall have before Angels and Saints Devils and wicked men The Judgment-day Rom. 2.5 is called the day of the Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God of that righteousness that so great and glorious Attribute so little understood less considered so much questioned and cavil'd at the highest declaration and fullest Revelation that ever was shall be then made and seen by all So the rest of Gods Attributes shall obtain their meridian height and shine forth in their most perfect resplendencies Therefore it needs must be a very great day when it is so intended purposely to be the greatest day that ever was or can be 2. It is also purposely constituted for the highest glory of Jesus
free Grace I have heard by a good Hand that one of the Dukes of Muscovy while he stood talking with a poor Peasant of the Country pitcht a Spear he held in his hand upon the poor mans naked foot there digging with the point of the Spear into it and the slave for so they are generally durst not complain O! Gospel-sins dig not into the foot or hand or eye of a God if I may so speak but into his heart and the very top and crown of it Every sin against the Gospel kicks so at the very bowels of God so dishonours him in that his tenderest upper interest as nothing can higher offend and therefore not expose to deeper danger For farther help take the Book of Conscience thy Souls Register and God Remembrancer Look over all the black Items there on the File that it will certainly one day produce and set before thy face For yet surer assistance take the perfect Rule and Glass of the Law and Word of Christ therewith duely comparing thy life and frame of heart that by the Laws coming sin may the more abound O but the Law not only discovers guilt but denounces a most dreadful curse Gal. 3.10 Cursed be every one that continues not in all things written in the Law to do them And as the Law so the Gospel curses with a more dreadful curse for not obeying it in true coming to Christ by Faith O what a curse must this then be to be accursed first for original corruption in all the hellish wickedness of it And then to he cursed for all thy innumerable actual trangressions Accursed for the first act of sinning Accursed for the next act And for every new sin to have a new sentence be under a new curse For every every evil thought every evil affection purpose word work every commission every omission every day for all the sins of it to be accursed from the beginning to the end of it Really by the curse to be separated to evil bound over to death eternal in Hell How should this startle and awaken thee O but there 's yet that is more dreadful to be continually for sin under the hot displeasure and abiding wrath of a God Psal 7.11 God is angry with the wicked every day Joh. 3.36 He that believeth not the wrath of God abideth on him This God so angry for sin how infinitely able is he to take revenge and how resolved is he unless thou turn to him O what is that death eternal that Hell provided to punish sinners How frail is thy life by which thou art kept from falling into the Lake of fire and brimstone How certain is thy death and how uncertain is thy dying time It may come in a moment and then thou art cast upon eternal ruine Consider thy sins after commission grow not less wear not out are not less dangerous Sin is the same for substance though thy sense of them be less we greatly deceive our selves herein as if sin the longer after commission were less but the guilt of sin is the same the defilement the same the curse against them is in the same force the wrath displeasure and resolution of God to revenge them full out the very same and Gods remembrance of them is ever the same Hos 7.2 I remember all their wickedness and how is that They are before my face If they are not before thy face as God can set them yet they are before his face Psal 50.21.51.9 that is seen and remembred as a thing set full in a mans eye and his eye full on them I have been too bold in thus enlarging O 't is hard to awake from the deep sleep of sin But this must be endeavoured all thou canst and God he is to be entreated to help and do this for thee There must be an awakening by conviction really and undeniably seeing and acknowledging thy most woful condition Conviction in the understanding must end in contrition and a working down to the affections In a fourfold affection answering a fourfold distemper 1. Upon Fear 2. Sorrow 3. Despair 4. Desire and care to be eased 1. To tame presumptuous boldness and confidence in thy coming to fear that for all thy sin and danger feared not As it is said in that particular case Jer. 36.24 Though so great sinners and so severely threatned yet were they not afraid but burnt the Roll. To say we have sinned is not enough there must be real pungent fear Acts 2.37 pricked at the heart on sight of the sin of killing Christ a real and deep fear to a wounding piercing the heart and thick skin of security hindering the feeling of a woful state coming to be as really sensible as thou dost in assured and great danger Act. 16.29 the Jaylor came trembling God by his Spirit the spirit of bondage works this fear Rom. 8.15 2. There must be a dashing the usually carnal jollity and mirth Jam. 4.9 Let your laughter be turned into mourning and joy into heaviness this all the Scripture calls for A man condemned to dye a cruel death if perswaded he must dye will not laugh and be merry but mourn That mirth used at other times is not to be used now 3. To dash the deceiving usual carnal hopes which are the house built upon the sand Hopes of salvation on no true bottom but fond phansie meer imagination There must be despair as to all worthiness and ability in a mans self or any creature or in God and Christ hoped as many do in a false way Deut. 29. Psal 50. Acts 2.37 What shall we do implies as I take it beside other things despair of what formerly they hoped and trusted on 4. To curb and cure carelesness and a not desiring any other condition than their present or an only cold as it is in many and a fluctuating desire there must an edge be set upon desire an earnest great desire to be eased of the trouble and burden of sin and Gods wrath Acts 16.29 What shall I do and Acts 2.37 What shall we do implies an earnest desire to be eased And accordingly there must be an applying thy self to all the ways thou knowest and going to others that can advise thee Praying especially oft and as earnestly as thou canst Confessing and bewailing greatly thy present condition Upon being truly awakened and thence made really sensible of thy so woful state weary and heavy laden After the first dispositive Meditation and the impressions made on thy heart through the Lords help then a second Meditation must next be mightily intended and diligently followed Meditation on the means and manner of using them for getting out of thy so sad estate and coming to a safe and happy As he Acts 16. What shall I do to be saved Here must be laid at the bottom of this work that so necessary consideration That none can help himself and attain the mercy of a God in a meritorious Saviour unless God the Father by
this Building the better to bear it up These should be as so many great Arteries branching forth from the Heart to convey vital spirits into the body of this heavenly Duty of Meditation and keep it alive and warm and improvingly active CHAP. VI. Of the proper Objects of Divine Meditation FRom things of a remoter relation to the subject in hand I pass to such as are the nearer the more intrinsical and peculiar And here comes first to be handled the Matter or the Object of this Meditation When the wise King Solomon was to build the Temple first he is providing the rich and precious Materials then he proceeds to the framing and fitting of them and then to erecting and finishing that glorious Structure That which next is to be done is first to look out the Materials of our work and then the framing and finishing up is to follow The Materials or objective parts are far more rich and precious than those of Solomon's Temple They are as our Description of Meditation holds them forth either 1. Such as are more properly and purely spiritual and heavenly in their own Nature 2. Or things considered in a Spiritual way and to a Spiritual end and use It is not the Consideration of things as to their Entity or Being that is Metaphysical Metaphysicks treat of Entities of the meer Beings of things Of the first Being namely God and of secondary Beings derived from God the first Being It is not the Consideration of things as Rational the Rational respects things have one to another this is Logical Logick that considers respects of things as Causes Effects Subjects Adjuncts and the like It is not the Consideration of things in their particular Natures and Natural properties This Natural Philosophy Contemplates It is not the Consideration of things Civil Moral or Political these Moralists and States-men are exercised about Neither is it the consideration of particular Crafts and Trades this is Mechanical and but a work prudential and Humane not Divine But this Meditation hath Objects of a far higher Sphere and Rank things of a Divine and Theological Consideration Nay nor yet is it the meer Study of things Theological and Divine A man may be a Student in Divinity beat and busie his Brains about the high points and Mysteries in it may read and muse on Matters Divine and yet not be a Meditator such as we speak of not act Divine Meditation A man may act upon things as Notions and as matters of Knowledge or to make up an Universal knowing person he may act Contemplation for Curiosity for such an use as the Heathen man Aristotle made of reading Moses his first Chapter of Genesis whereof he passed his undue and heathenish censure that Moses affirms all but proves nothing he read first and then pondered and then censured But he acted not Meditation not that we speak of It was not a consideration of spiritual things as spiritual and for spiritual ends but only as wise man acts his thoughts upon things as New for New notions and improving Knowledge Many thus consider things Scriptural and Divine study them as we call it study Books of Divinity study things in the Scripture but they act not the Duty of Meditation They act upon things as Matters Intellectual and Rational not as Heavenly and Spiritual Act for Notion and Speculation and not for Holiness Act Curiosity not Christianity The right Meditater far transcends any meer Student he acts a more Noble part hath a more Noble and sublime manner of Operation Aristotles studying Moses Writings and David's Meditating in the Law of God how far do they differ So a Heathen's or a Mahometan's or a Jew 's or any such persons studying matters in the Bible differs greatly from Meditating in it Nay many Protestants are great Students in Divinity that never Meditated they dwell upon the study of it but touch not with the least of their fingers the hard work of holy Meditation But to return to our matter in hand and to speak to this subject of Meditation Formerly it was said that Spiritual things or things in a Spiritual and Heavenly manner considered are the proper and adequate Object of this Meditation And bere O how large and fair a prospect hath the Spiritual Eye to Expatiate and Recreate it self in The Infinitely Glorious and All-sufficient God the Father Son and Holy Spirit as the Scripture reveals The vast world the frame of Heaven above and Earth below with all the so innumerable things contained in them Their sundry Natures Properties and Vses with the so beauteous and various Excellencies of them The mighty Sustentations and Preservations of all things Created as to their Beings their Faculties and their Acts. The most wise righteous and holy Governing of them with a most steady and never erring hand unto their particular ends and with a most certain winding them all up ultimately in the Supream scope of the great Creator and Governour Then that peculiar Government of the rational Creatures Angels and Men The unspeakably sad full of some Angels and all Mankind The Recovery of some men and their Eternal Salvation by Christ the Redeemer God in our Nature Here here is matter of Meditation The great mystery of Godliness as 1 Tim. 3.16 And particularly the four last things as they are called namely Death Judgment Heaven and Hell Besides there is for Meditation the whole Book of boly Scriptures now compleat in the New Testament-times with the Ordinances of Christ and the Covenant of Grace And lastly the Meditation of that so great concern our own particular Estates how matters stand with us and are like to be with us to all Eternity which Eternity challenges and imposes on every person the greatest both intensions and frequencies of thoughts But though this be so great yet again what is there in all the vast circumference of the whole world I say what is there although never so small but by a wise and holy heart may be an Object improvable to an excellent use and end As the Art of Chymistry can extract rare and efficacious Remedies out of Dungs Putrefactions and Poysons That Soul must be a pitiful vain and barren piece that wants matter and mind to move and act fruitfully in so large a sphere and compass as Meditation hath It affords the whole latitude of all things properly spiritual And it comprises likewise all other things which in some respect or other wisdom can improve by this rare Art No Artist in any way of Operation with all his rare Instruments and efficacious Engines can operate more eminently than an Artist in this holy kind may do Of this the Scriptures give plentiful proof in the many Precedents left us in it for imitation So we see it in holy David in many of his Psalms besides them of the Word of God his greatest Subject of Meditation in those made of God's great works yea the works of his common Providence and Guidance as the
caught up to meet and see the Lord Jesus their Saviour and now the glorious Judge coming to consummate their happiness in soul and body together to die no more and to meet with all the Saints and Angels come from Heaven and to be for ever with the Lord never to be from him again 5. But others that were wicked and now raised with the other black Troop that were in Hell and now have their Souls united to their bodies All shall be brought before Christ the Judge according to the opinion of some sitting on a high Throne in the Air the Saints and Angels all attending about him 9. For the manner of these proceedings alluding to the manner of mens Judicatures as Revelations Chapter 20. 1. All persons small and great are brought and stand before God that is Christ God and man 2. The Books are opened the Book of Gods Omniscience and the Books of mens hearts and consciences not in an imperfect state of ignorance and forgetfulness but fully prepared for their work of answering at the Tribunal and Bar of Christ 3. It is a judging men according to their works for that hath been done in the body good or evil Eccl. 12.16 And a judging every secret thing of mens hearts Rom. 2.16 Some conceive that seeing there will be the Revelation of the righteous judgment of God Rom. 2. therefore it will have a long time to judge the cause of every person in all particulars that so the righteousness of the judgment and sentence of Christ with the Execution of it may fully appear and none to have any least objection against it But others think there will not be so particular a discovery and tryal of all things relating to the Saints but a more general one However Christians must be diligent to be found of Christ without spot and blameless as 2 Pet. 3.14 10. When the cases of all have been tryed and made to appear the Sheep having been separate from the Goats and set at Christs right hand the Goats on the left the sentence then passes that most comfortable sentence for the Sheep the Righteous now so judged by the heart-knowing and most just Judge Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you And that terrible sentence on the Goats now openly convicted Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels To which the Saints and Angels all give their full approbation as also to the doom upon the Devils 11. Upon which the most righteous execution follows of both the sentences for the righteous and against the wicked ones To make all this obtain a more efficacious impression daily on my spirit let me strive to represent this Day as now come that I hear the Trump sound see the dead rise the living all changed in a moment looking up I see Christ coming in the Clouds with great glory Angels and Saints all attending him Christ placed on the Throne of Judgment all persons convented before him and my self among the rest my case tryed my works words thoughts and all my secrets judged and my state for all Etemity determined and now when the World is all on Fire the wicked sent into that everlasting destruction the righteous going with Christ into Heaven and everlasting happiness what my own particular condition is like to be If I can come before Christ the all-knowing Judge with confidence and exceeding joy shall be absolved and hear that joyful sentence Come thou blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for thee CHAP. XXI Of Meditation of Hell and Death Eternal therein THE very naming of Death is dreadful Death Eternal is much more dreadful but a being in Hell the worst place possible is most dreadful of all Hell though in the meer mentioning it makes such a jarr upon the spirit of any though the least touching on it by a but glancing thought the least touch be like the needles sharp point to the Apple of the Eye so acute a pain and smart yet must the Eye of the soul by Meditation not only touch it but take it close to it but dwell upon it Death natural in the but very thought hath a very high attending regret we cannot endure to look deathward but O how greatly unwilling to look in the least this sad way destruction-ward Hell-ward toward death Eternal The first is tasting Gall but the second is a drinking Poyson The one hath a deep attending reluctancy the other a double died antipathy It 's the harshest task for a sinner it 's a hard for a Saint to fix willingly and dwell in Meditation on so sad and dreadful a subject as Hell is yet is it that which must be done and by a holy wise spirit may be both confidently and advantageously done The best Christian on earth will lose nothing by sometimes looking into Hell and fixing the thoughts there No man ever yet fled from Hell but first fixt his thoughts in some proportion on it No man will flye fast enough from this Pit of perdition this Lake of Fire if he do not oft look towards it and keep his Eye upon it Hell and Death Eternal are set down in Scripture for both evil and good mens flying but this cannot be compast without frequencies of earnest ponderings and meditatings For a right proceeding in this Meditation 1. Let me first look to that which is my infallible rule the testimony of that God who founded Hell and laid the corner stone of it who first threatned and prepared this Prison this Pit of destruction who knows all the large dimensions of it all things in and about it and cannot nor will not in the least deceive us in it He hath given us his Word to tell us and that under his own hand in great numbers and varieties of passages that we cannot rationally conceive he would so do mention and give it so many times under his own hand were there no such thing no local Hell and second Death Eternal My way therefore as a good Christian is to look up gather Scripture passages passage after passage all over the Book of God as I find this asserted in them O shall my lives time ravel out without any redeeming it as to this particular of giving due down weight of thoughts frequent serious thoughts as opportunity can be had of Death Eternal in Hell I must not only say there is a Hell I must not only give it for granted as most persons do but I must be concluded under the Scripture Authority See it and say it upon due perswasion upon clear demonstration demonstration on conclusive argumentation Arguments chosen as so many Arrows taken out of Christs Quiver the Scriptures levell'd right flying round up to the mark and hitting full my unbelieving and recoiling averse spirit making it fall down under this weighty truth reducing it through Christs help to a firm and operative belief yea so to assent to and ponder this so high
concern as to work off all my usual wonted easiness and slightness of thinkings on this particular And to arrive at a contrary habitual seriousness and earnestness of mindings frequent thinkings yea let my spirit not rest till I am reduced to and improve under the powerful and prevailing provocations of it to whatever so great a thing calls for from me That I may daily more answer the intendments of a God in relating this Hell so plainly and plentifully in his Word for my due notice of it My way then must be a course of serious pondering the Scriptures passage after passage wherein the second Death and Hell is set forth in the several Books As in Isa 30.1 Tophet is prepared of old even for the King he hath made it deep and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a stream of Brimstone doth kindle it An elegant description in an allusion So those many clear passages of Christs own mouth set down so plainly as words can utter Math. 5.22 and 29 30. In that very first Sermon of Christs on the Mount there he mentions Hell-fire and casting into Hell three several times Mat. 11.23 Brought down to Hell Luke 16.23 The Rich man is said to be in Hell Pet. It 's called a Prison Prisons being the wors of places made for securing and punishing Rev. 20.1 A bottomless Pit Luke 16.23 A place of torment Mat Their worm dieth not alluding to that worm that breeds in and feeds on the body is lying gnawing and cannot be cured Their fire goes not out Fire is the most quick and active the most tormenting and torturing Element It 's Brimstone that is the fuel which is a most combustible noisom and suffocating matter It 's call'd utter darkness Darkness is a most dreadful and disconsolating thing as that of Egypt For the company it is only wicked persons perfect in sin and most wretched Devils the worst of Creatures Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels O how hot and scorching must that fire be that purposely is prepared for utmost torment Not like Nebuchadnezzars Furnace seven times hoter but seventy times hoter that which is inconceivable In Scripture Hell or the state of misery is exprest by the terms of second death death one death in any kind is very dreadful above all other things but after dying a first death then to come and dye a second death and this not so easie as dying any bodily death millions of times over If a Malefactor should die the most cruel death and then be made to live again and then die that death a second time yea thousands and thousands of times over O how sad were the case of that person that must be so under the both fears of that death first and then the torments and pains But what is all this to this second death being under the fullness of infinite wrath and that for ever The inflicter of this misery is no less than an infinitely wise holy sin hating and an omnipotent God acting in the purest and fiercest wrath endeavouring the fullest revenge the damned creature is capable of and for which it purposely is made a vessel of wrath and that vessel is preared to receive and hold this wrath 1. Prepared by being widened extended as it were to receive the fulness of wrath As the Saints shall have their spirits elevated and extended to the utmost to be made fit to receive the fulness of glory and happiness so the damned have their spirits widened and enlarged their understandings and hearts in the utmost extensiveness that they be brim-full of wrath 2. Prepared by being purposely strengthened to the utmost as Vessels are made strong to hold the strongest Wine or Liquor to hold and keep in that wrath poured into them Were Hell but to have the least torment in the least member or sensible part as in the Toe Finger or the like for ever or but one torment in a noble part Head Liver Heart or a complication of many sad diseases for ever how intolerably sad were this state but to have all possible trouble and torment both in body and soul set on by a God for ever O how unspeakably sad is this All the forenamed this imprisonment this tormenting this worm this fire the weepings the wailings the gnashing of teeth is not for an hour a day a month a year an age nor a thousand years or ages or what can be reckon'd by millions of millions but for ever no rest for ever no ease for ever no hope of any deliverance or degree of it for ever but sorrow torment and terrour sinking in despair and hopelesness for ever ever ever O then to improve this Meditation and make it operative upon my spirit Let me first look upon Hell begun in that terrour and horrour the wicked instantly upon their raising up from the dead and changed are seized with The hot burning Coals of Hell are thrown into their bosom fill them up and lie burning and scorching as they are both bringing to the judgment seat and are standing before Christ at the Bar all the time of their arraignment Never did any poor guilty prisoner stand in such a fear as this fear and were so amazed 2. The then unspeakable shame Then all the time of their arraignment and especially on the pronouncing of that dreadful sentence which will be passed and executed O what must be the unspeakable shame mixt with the continuing and encreasing sad horrour Dan. 13. O what must be that shame when all things possible concur to load and cover them with shame never was there nor can be such a shame poured upon any A shame in the greatest concourse that ever was or can be all the Saints and Angels yea all the wicked and the Devils every particular ashamed also before all their own company in this so desperate state 3. And especially a transcendent shame in respect of the infinitely glorious Judge the Lord Jesus despised and sinned so against by so many Ah what must be the shame of wicked men to stand uncover'd with open faces to see the so dreadful Judge looking the arraigned person full in the face looking with the most wishly Eye and stern countenance upon I say their uncover'd faces to have all their sins ript up every one adding still to the shame but then when the dreadful sentence passes O what the shame will farther then be And yet far more when the sentence is Executed they driven away and all Devils and men thrust into the Dungeon of darkness what an everlasting shame will that be Now O now to think of all their unexpressible losses of such a Bill of losses as never was seen loss of God himself his face and communion with him Father Son and Spirit loss of the company of all the Saints and Angels lost Heaven and all its glory lost and all that happiness that arises from all
fast as spun by a neglect of winding up and right using Ah how sad and self-abasing reflections should this often occasion to us Ah think we sadly how long so noble a faculty as the understanding is how rare an acting the acting of its consideration is how high a concern eternity of happiness is how necessary in order to happiness conversion is and how needful consideration to conversion is And yet to lose all the right and best use of this considering power this meditating by ingaging it in impertinencies and very nothings meer shells and shadows instead of realities and things of worth true worth and excellency to be so long like the Prodigal before we came to our selves were seen sitting in our right mind entring upon Meditation for that great soul-affair Conversion CHAP. IV. For humbling those that are totally yet to begin Consideration for Conversion AH then in the next place as it was for great shame universally to all persons whatsoever for so long neglecting consideration and meditating of their souls condition and for conversion so how far more should it humble all that never as yet so meditated to that great and principal end Conversion so as Conversion followed Consideration never had the first corner stone laid of that consideration which bottoms and grounds conversion that hitherto have had all their precious thoughts scatter'd in rovings and wandrings of spirit acted and wasted upon vanities and follies things that perish that cannot profit in the day of wrath that will prove sorrow shame and anguish of spirit in the latter end Ah how many are there who for improving that great talent of the thinking power employing it for those so high ends it was peculiarly design'd to and given for for wisdom to salvation and glorifying God the giver that have daily all their thoughts either vile or vain that walk in the vanity of their minds that is in a constancy and prevalency of mind-vanity vanity exclusive of good thoughts and all right seriousness and productive of nothing but the weeds of evil and vain thinkings The way of their thoughts is a successive taking step after step in vanity one vain thought follows close treads on the heels of another for haste all the walking of that so working active busie mind is nothing but continued vanity O how sad a frame of spirit is this how sad a sign and symptom if not healed by a new frame of heart symptom of deepest danger of ruine and destruction hastening on apace Some-Diseases in that so noble part the head are most dangerous the Cure is hard the Killing quick when vanity seizes the mind when men from vain thoughts arising in them come to allowing of them and from allowing to a walking in the vanity of their minds vanity of thoughts becomes an habit and when it becomes habitual then the danger is high All habits evil habits are like old rooted Diseases hardly if ever cured O when men walk in the vanity of their minds God may be provoked to a giving them up to walk on and so be at last ruin'd utterly for want of a timely returning from it O how should this awaken such that have so this way ravel'd out their youth it may be lavisht and lost their best days of riper years yea peradventure are arrived at an old age and are old withal in this way of vanity of thoughts Old and vain is sad to purpose Ah when younger when elder yet never could allow or would find time to become serious A young head and a vain head all wildness is a sad beginning A grown man ripened in Reason but not yet beginning not so far as budding out in consideration not arrived at the wisdom of minding soul-concerns that 's worse and a sad sign But for a man to have gray hairs here and there and to be yet to begin wisdom for self in self-bethinkings never to have laid the foundation of meditating on the highest soul-affairs thereby to convert O this is dreadful sad beyond all ah to ravel out the most the best the all almost of thy time and never never to interpose one times one hours serious Meditation or never to meditate to purpose so as to convert to God truly but be still to begin to return to God contenting thy self with a just nothing done of that greatest and which should never be the last but first dispatcht business of all others Ah but what will all prove at last to all younger or elder if there be a going on without consideration without conversion young and strong and old are all liable to death yea to a death that may be on thee suddenly who can all things considered think in any wisdom he can be so secure that he needs not yet be ready for dying Ah if that black Serjeant of death claps thee suddenly on the shoulder serves an Arrest upon thee presently to come away and give up thy account in what woful case wilt thou then find thy self what terrour and confusion will instantly seize thee It will most certainly come that thou knowest but when it will come that thou canst not know ah think therefore of it before-hand make it thy case as now come and by the symptoms of it had really seized thee that thou wert now drawing on hadst but a few hours or minutes to continue in this world and then be cast upon eternity be cast upon eternity and before thou ever hast come to any consideration which issued in a real conversion and thereby to make some sure provision for thy eternal salvation Ah put this case this dying case put it soon enough and close home to thy bosom let it stay upon thy heart let Death as it were lay his cold hand on thee and conceive that thou feelest it touch thee and take fast hold of thee to carry thee instantly away and so cut thee off from ever having one opportunity the shortest space imaginable for consideration any possibility of conversion to God more that time and means must now be no longer because thou must be no longer in the land of the living O but then think O seriously think what immediately will follow after ponder thy particular doom thy souls sentencing to an everlasting state Think not only of thy souls leaving its old ruined Tabernacle but of its launching forth into that Ocean of Eternity Think what an Eternity thine Eternity must now be who wasted all thy time lent thee for Eternity and that so precious talent of opportunity trusted with thee to trade for Eternity for a most happy Eternity and making that sure 1 Tim. 6. 2 Pet. 1. And to affect thee more abundantly and work upon thy spirit to purpose think O think of besides thy own particular day of that great day fixt appointed by the great Governour of all the world for judging of every person every work of every person the secrets of that persons heart yea every secret thing good or evil
is because lusts and sin have that Empress of thy heart thy love for as thy love is so are thy thinkings thou pretendest thou lovest God and with all thy heart but 't is no such thing that which hath the love most hath the eye most Vbi amor ibi oculus as the common saying is who ever could truly say they loved any person most and thought of that person least but of other things every day and hour more O consider this well how evil it is thou meditatest not by reason of thy reigning corruptions and lusts that will not let thee meditate and lusts have thy thoughts from having thy love 4. Why as to thy own frame of spirit is there a neglect of this holy Duty it is from sin reigning in the relishing part the palate of thy soul sin that takes away thy taste and makes godliness unsavoury Those that are after the flesh savour the things of the flesh Rom. 8.5 Ah not to meditate from such a sad cause from a not savouring the things of God! finding no sutableness no sweetness no pleasantness in spiritual things none in the Word and ways of God in the precious promises heavenly graces glorious priviledges given to the Children of God! none in an infinitely sweet and blessed God Father Son and Spirit none in the things above but all in the things below not because they have no savour or sweetness in them but because thy carnal heart hath no principle of savouring of them 5. Nay is it not from sin that lodges and breeds in thy bosom a hellish enmity against any thing is holy Rom. 8.7 The carnal mind is enmity to God and so against every thing that comes from God Ah but sinner this is the blackest thing in thine or any bosom this is the loathsomest thing in all the world 't is the chief feature and lineament in the face of Satan the most abominable part of Satans heart and the very worst thing in all Hell nothing is or will be more evil in Hell than their enmity boiling up and running over continually against God 6. But who is he that hath unhinged thy heart in respect of this Duty of Meditation that acts thee to this awkness and bars the door against it is it not Satan that dwells and rules within Satan that is thy souls implacable Enemy and the great adversary to this Meditation And what is his reason of hindering thee his grand reason but that he knows this to be the way of coming to a mans self and converting to God Of all such things that are dispositive and assisting to Conversion and Faith Satan is the grand enemy to this consideration and meditating of a mans spiritual condition if thou wilt do Satans will and gratifie him the best thou canst if thou wilt give him the best security of utter undoing thy self let him see and know thou wilt not consider and muse on thy souls concerns but look quite another way 7. Whither do thy thoughts sink and soak but into the base Earth and in the base things of it he that looks with his bodily eye if he looks not upward may look many other ways than downward right forward on the right or left hand but thy soul's eye if it look not to things above it looks downward to the things below Col. 3.5 the base dry earth drinks up all thy thoughts 8. When wilt thou begin to think to think to any purpose indeed when will that time be shall it be when thou art most timeless and heartless when thou hast least leisure least fitness bodily fitness and disposition of ease strength spirits and senses when thou hast least heart-fitness of desires and willingness which with time will wear away and be less The longer thou disusest thy self to good and setious thinkings the less fit and disposed thou wilt every way be and the more will vanity of thoughts grow upon thee dye thy mind into the grain Colour of habitual vanity the more will thy heart grow up and ripen in an aversness from all good thoughts harden and grow more sinfully and desperately set against seriousness all such meditating as is necessary to true repenting 9. Wilt thou defer thinking and considering till it be too late till time and the season of grace shall be no longer till life and soul and Heaven be irrecoverably loft Wilt thou lose this short time here till thou comest to an Eternity of time to think of thy neglects of thinking to muse when it will do no good when musing on thy not musing and meditating will turn into torturing and tormenting thee for ever Ah therefore now while it is call'd to day now while thinking may do thee good good to converting and saving ah now bemoan thy self and sad so sad dreadful and dangerous state never rest or be quiet till thou becomest a serious person one that useth his thinking power to the right end and in the right manner to meditate thy self home as the Prodigal did home to his Fathers house to be received with great joy 1. Consider therefore this is one part of wisdom indeed of wisdom for thy self when thy soul concerns have their allowance of due consideration 2. Never expect a cure of that worm that Wolf in thy breast of those gnawing grinding pains and terrours of conscience until thou by consideration come to convert and turn to God 3. Never wilt thou taste of peace of conscience joy that is unspeakable and full of glory until thy thoughtvanity be healed and thou becomest a seriously meditating person 1. Therefore begin at that first Meditation of thy unspeakable misery under sin Gods wrath for it death eternal awaiting thee and which by deaths soon coming may seize thee and seal thee up in it for ever 2. Labour that consideration may rightly issue in an awakening thee out of thy deep security in a contrition of Spirit and a right preparative humbling dashing thy pride and carnal confidence 1. To fear exceedingly for thy so great misery and danger by being under so great wrath of a God and the curse of his Law Act. 16.29 2. To sorrow and mourn deeply for this thy misery thy mirth and laughter being turned into heaviness Jam. 4.9 3. To despair of help in thy self see the insufficiency of thy own goodness and righteousness and of thy own ability of wisdom to devise will to chuse or any power of thine to save thee 4. To come from former carelesness and negligence to an earnest care and desire to be cased and delivered Act. 2.37 2. Then being weary and heavy-laden endeavour the second consideration of the way of relief and help 1. By pondering the infinite love of God his willingness to receive broken-hearted sinners to mercy pardon reconciliation adoption and full salvation 2. The fullness of Redemption in Christ freely offer'd to all 3. By pondering the Promises of salvation righteousness so perfect and glorious pardon so full of all graces and
Christian is a person of great excellency it is very highly extolled in the Scripture This David though not presently yet attained in time as Psal 119.99 100. I have more understanding then all my teachers I have more wisdom then the ancients 3. To have the richest treasury of heavenly truths the fullest stores of precious experiences Meditation is the greater gatherer of them and the improver of them on all occasions It becometh not a Christian of long standing to be poor and unfurnished of holy experiences The Psalmist we may see drawing forth his experiences and telling them to others Psal 3.4 5. I cryed and he heard Psal 18. almost all the Psalm he puts all the pearls of deliverances experiences that way on one silken thread of this one Psalm together So Asaph Psal 77.6 I call to remembrance my song in the night what joy he formerly felt though now he wanted it Thus oft the Saints in Scripture The Apostle 2 Cor. 1.10 Who hath delivered and doth he had his experiences ready 4. More peculiarly your great exercise which others cannot so well reach is to be much implied in the deepest Mysteries the highest points of Faith and the hardest matters of practice I mean not so much such sorts of difficulties in Divinity those which great skill in the Tongues and Arts will require and that must have long time much study which the necessary occasions of very many cannot admit and are not necessary for every man to understand But such higher matters of godliness as may more Jude 20. edifie you in your holy faith increase your obedience to a more fruitful and exact walking Eph. 5.15 See ye walk circumspectly accurately or exactly the word is thus the higher contemplations of the Nature of God his Attributes and Titles the Works of God Creation and Providence his wise righteous and holy Administrations and Government 1. Government in the whole world and all things in particular in it to the least circumstance the falling of a hair from the head 2. Government and that so rare and admirable towards the rational creatures but most observable astonishing towards his Church and his dear Saints This as some of our Divines say of Gods Government of the world and matters in it is to be one of the great Meditations of Christians that are by the Apostle called Fathers who having obtained formerly much acquaintance with other truths of more necessary use for their then rank and standing now are to busie themselves in these high Mysteries for furthering Faith and Godliness The Mysteries in the two Books of Scripture and Nature are the two Tropicks or Lines between which thy Meditation should move and bound run its course and keep within this compass which is useful and safe In sum let thy Meditation be improved all thou canst for the setting up of the main mark for the fullest aiming at it the hardest pressing toward it with all contendings for an excellency of wisdom eminency of holiness exemplariness of conversation and exact walking together with all industriousness after that peace which passes all understanding joy unspeakable and full of glory the establishings and heightning of them with longings and hastnings after that appearing of the Lord and crying Come Lord Jesus come quickly Conclusion Now this so highly important duty of holy Meditation having been as to the nature kinds necessity and excellency so fully discovered and demonstrated the great sinfulness of neglecting it evinced the dangers following the neglect manifested the practice with such high inducements and powerful Scripture-arguments urged home and the way respecting all sorts of persons in so many Rules and Directions cleared Application general Then all who know these things are utterly inexcusable that know these so greatly necessary things and will not comply with the careful practice of them Ah! therefore let every one most earnestly beg it of God to write this his Law of holy Meditation in his heart to give the right wisdom to understand the way of it the firm purpose and resolution constantly to perform it yea the practice of it with sweetest solace and highest delight Let me say to my soul Necessity is laid upon me It is an Imperial Law of the great King of Heaven if I do it not great guilt will be contracted great wrath of a God will be kindled my soul will deeply be wronged If I have not act not good thoughts my heart will act evil thoughts will fill with evil thoughts will fix and habit it self in them be quite over-run with them I shall have a spirit stained deeply dyed into habitual vanity of mind yea I may be given up to judicial penal vanity of thoughts It may be to terrifying and most affrighting thoughts That I which would not be brought to think of the threatnings of a just God and his terrible Curses That would not meditate of that greatest of evils sin of my heart and life-sins shall have all my sins set in order before me held and kept staring me continually in the face That I who would not meditate of the most blessed God his Christs fulness his Spirits sweetness his Heaven and everlasting Happiness shall now have represented to my thoughts and be made to see Satan Hell and eternal Death continually before me Yea to be under such amazements and terrours to be so haunted and followed that at last it may be insupportable and quite overwhelm me O therefore let me not so sin against my own soul and for ever undo my self by wilful or heedless neglecting this duty which lies so indispensibly upon me and may be so advantageous to me O how many are continually guilty of self-destroying for want of a timely self-bethinking By a slighter thinking for want of serious thinking By a too short thinking for want of the necessary allowance of time and space for thinking By a too seldom thinking and not using due frequency of thinking By acting meer phansie and imagination and not wise consideration Adams first state was good yet mutable but it was not a sin or imperfection to be mutable And though this mutability of his will was a ground of his fall yet it was his incogitancy was the first blamable cause he fell by acting sudden too hasty imagination and not due consideration he considered not all things to be considered Thus ever since the falls of sinners are generally more by incogitancy haste and hurries of fancy and imagination want of consideration though there be sins also of deliberation not precipitations but presumptions When God reduces a sinner he brings him from swaying phansie and carelesness to considerateness Ezek. 18.28 Because he considers and turns he breaks the reeden Scepter of phansie and inconsideration and brings in and sets up the golden Scepter of wise consideration So Acts 2. Men and brethren what shall we do Acts 16.30 Sirs what must I do to be saved But O what pity is it that any soul should perish for want of