of these as 1. on Death because it will be a notable means 1. to make us apply our hearts unto Spiritual Wisdom Psal 90.12 2. To restrain us from sin lest Death should find us in it or presently after it As a Copy of Writing is safest from blotting when dust is cast on it so we are safest from sinning when we remember that we are but Dust Callamy 3. A notable means to quicken us to repentance an instance you have in Waldus A rich Merchant of Lyons in France who seeing one drop down dead in the streets went home repented and changed his life studied the Scriptures became a Teacher and Father of those Christians called the Waldenses or the poor Men of Lyons Therefore 2. To meditate on the great and terrible day of Judgment because it will be as a curb to restrain from sinning so a spur to quicken to duty 2 Cor. 15.9.10 11. 3. Therefore to meditate on Hell because it will be a notable means to keep us out of Hell whence one adviseth thus Descendamus viventes ut non descendamus morientes Bernard Let us often look down into it that we may never fall into it 4. Therefore to meditate on Heaven because it will make us more willing to leave Earth to go to Heaven whensoever God calls for us the reason why so few go to Heaven when they die is because they never thought of Heaven until they came to die Calamy First On DEATH In it to meditate on those things that may fit you for Death and those things that may make you willing to die First On those things that may fit you for Death as 1. that it is one of the chiefest parts of Wisdom that which God you saw wisheth to Man in a most pathettical manner Deut. 22.29 Oh that men were wise c. 2. The original procreant cause of it viz. Sin Rom. 6. last The wages of sin is death therefore as often as you are tempted to sin by the present credit profit and pleasure of it to think on the fruit of it Rom. 6.21 What fruit had you in those things whereof ye are now ashamed 3. On the certainty of it In the day that thou eatest of it in dying thou shalt die that is thou shalt most certainly die Gen. 2. Heb. 9.27 It 's appointed for all to die 4. The uncertainty of it as nothing more certain so nothing more uncertain Ut morior scio sed nescio ubi quomodo quando That I shall die I know but where how and when I know not It 's a Proverb When Health is highest Death is many times nighest 1 Thess 5.3 When men cry peace then comes sudden destruction To day the Sermon-Bell tolls to call you to Church to morrow it may be the Passing-Bell to summon you to the Grave and therfore to wait for it at all times and in all places in all manner of wayes because all things come alike to all Eccles 9.1 5. To consider to die is but once to be done and that which is but once to be done had need to be well done or we are for ever undone if this work be not done or but half done at the time of dying there 's no doing or finishing it afterwards Eccles 9.10 As the Tree falleth so it lyeth as Death leaves men so Judgment finds them Heb. 9.27 6. To meditate on the terribleness of Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the King of Terrors Job 18.14 and needs must seeing it separates those two friends Soul and Body delivers up the Soul immediately to stand forth before the Tribunal of Christ to receive his peculiar Sentence of Damnation before the Judgment Day comes and after the Sentence to be carried by the Devils into Hell and throwes the body of the wicked into the Grave where Death gnaws upon it as upon Carrion in a Ditch puts an end to all his temporal felicity and begins his eternal misery strips him of all the comforts of this life and brings him to eternal torments 5. To meditate on the means you are to use to use to fit you for Death and they are amongst others these 1. To acquaint your selves with God and make your peace with him by Jesus Christ as Eliphas counsels Job Job 21.22 2. To get and clear up your interest in Jesus Christ who hath destroyed Death and him that had the power of Death Heb. 2.14 3. To pull out the sting of Death by Faith in the Blood of Christ and repentance for every known sin 1 John 1.7 Acts 3.19 to see that Sin die ere you die for it 's one of the terriblest threatnings in the Book of God John 8.21 If you believe not that I am He you shall die in your sins and Luke 13. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish And therefore Antequam moriaris moriantur in te vitia before thou dyest be careful to see that sin die 4. Labour to die daily as unto sin so unto the World 1 Cor. 7.29 The time is but short and the fashion of this World passeth away it 's the worst husbandry in the World to have Grace to seek when men should make use of it and the sick Bed is the worst time of all others to seek it in being then scarce able to think on any thing but Pain and Death and Hell 5. To get and clear up a Work of Grace that may entitle you to Glory or there will be nothing else able to stand by you and comfort you all things in the World without a Work of Grace will like Job's Friends prove miserable Comforters 3 John 3. Except a man be born again c. Flesh and Blood shall never inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15. 6. Not only look to this that you have Grace but that you keep it in exercise not only that you have Lamps and Oyl in them but that you trim them against your Lord's coming Mat. 25. that is that you act and exercise your Graces especially these your Faith and Patience Heb. 6.12 your heavenly-mindedness and contempt of the World Phil. 3.20 7. That you get and keep good Consciences this will be light in darkness and life in death Prov. 14.32 The Righteous hath hope in his death 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing in the testimony of our Consciences c. Isa 38.2 Remember how I have walkt before thee in Truth c. Lastly It was Moses's Prayer and let it be yours daily Teach us Lord so to number our dayes as we may apply our hearts unto Wisdom Psal 90. In a word Let the ends of all your thoughts be the thought of your latter end that so when you come to die you may have nothing else left to do but to die and whensoever Death comes you may bid it wellcome in the Name of Christ and when you are to die to die in charity with all in obedience to God's Call and in Faith to go to and be for ever with the
Lord. Secondly To meditate on such things as may not only fit and prepare you for death but meditate on such things as may make you willing to die and help you to die comfortably What are they Mind here well for they are of special use to you As first 1. The certainty of another and a better life after this nothing so sure as that by what you have seen already by the testimony of Scripture and many weighty grounds of it in your meditations on the Life of Glory 2. Meditate on the evidences you have of an interest in that better Life of Glory as your interest in God in Christ in the Spirit and in the Graces of the Spirit as your effectual Vocation Justification Adoption Sanctification and those Graces unto which 't is promised as Saving Sanctifying Knowledge Faith Repentance Obedience love to the Saints the Truth sincerity and uprightness of your heart in all to which you may see it frequently promised Psal 84. to the end Psal 37. v. 37. Isa 57.2 Thirdly To meditate on the many and weighty grounds God hath given to encourage your Faith and strengthen your Patience and cause both to have their perfect work 1. To encourage your Faith as 1. his immutable decree 2 Tim. 2.19 2. His unchangeable Love Jer. 31.3 3. His everlasting Covenant Jer. 32.39 4. His continual Intercession Heb. 7.25 5. His almighty Power to keep them through Faith unto Salvation 2 Pet. 1.4 however we should let go our Faith yet he will hold it fast by his Spirit 2. The grounds to strengthen our Patience 1. It 's a Lord whose Will cannot be resisted a Father who ought readily to be obeyed a wise Father who knows what is better for his Children then they do for themselves a pittiful tender-hearted Father that is afflicted in all the afflictions of his that will not afflict his too much because he knows whereof they are made that they are but Dust nor too long lest the Spirit faint and the Soul which he hath made a Father from whom they have received all the good they have had and therefore to be contented to receive a little evil and the rather because it is in order to their spiritual and eternal good Rom. 8.2 Ah! but the pains of my Body are great and the pangs of Death are bitter but to quiet your spirits under these Consider 1. That the pangs of Death are sometimes less then the pains they feel before as to Mr. Bolton who said to his Friend that askt him How it was with him when the pangs of death were upon him He said to him Your cold hand is the greatest pain I feel in his Epistle to the Four last Things 2. You are content to undergoe a great deal of pain here for a little gain how much more should you for an eternal gain These pains are but like the throwes in Travail to bring forth eternal Life 3. Whatsoever your pains and sufferings are they are little or nothing to those your sins made Christ to suffer and that many of his dear and precious Saints have and do suffer and to those eternal sufferings Christ hath redeemed you from and that exceeding excessive and eternal weight of glory that will follow your sufferings 2 Cor. 4.17 Fourthly To meditate on the many and great evils that Death will free you from as 1. from a body of Sin and Death that is still inclining you to evil and indisposing you to good still dulling deading and distracting you in all the services you do 2. From a wicked World wherein continually we see and hear what doth and should more vex our souls 2 Pet. 2. 3. From the dissention of Brethren who are continually undermining the credit and comfort one of another which made Melancton so willing to die when a Friend of his askt him how it was with him and whether he were willing to die He answered Oh yes Not only that he might be freed from a body of Sin and Death and a wicked World but from the dissention of Brethren and go there where all shall be perfected in love 4. From a malicious Devil that is still tempting us to evil and discouraging us from all that is good walking up and down like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5. In a word from all Labours Pains Fears Doubts Sorrows Sufferings Rev. 14.13 Rev. 21.4 Death will perfectly cure you of all Diseases Corporeal and Spiritual at once both an aking Head and an unbelieving Heart a sickly Body and a distemper'd Spirit the best Physitian that ever you met with Fifthly To meditate on the many and great benefits Death will help you to as that glorious Place Company Imployment Priviledges you saw before in the Life of Glory the continual Presence of God the blessed Vision of God the immediate perfect and everlasting communion with God perfection of Holiness fulness of Joy and an everlasting Sabbath Sixthly To consider the evil of being unwilling to die By this Christians manifest too much ignorance unbelief hypocrisie love to the World senslesness of the body of Sin and Death that World of wickedness they live in and hereby procure more disquiet to their Spirits and hasten Death the sooner upon them besides the great unreasonableness of it that when God should be so willing of their company they should be so unwilling of his and when Christ should be content to leave Heaven and to come to Earth for them they should be unwilling to leave Earth to go to Heaven that they might enjoy him and know and profess it to be best of all to be with Jesus Christ Seventhly To meditate on the good of being willing to die Hereby you will make a vertue of necessity seeing you cannot put it off therefore you will voluntarily yeeld to it hereby you will manifest your hatred of sin contempt of the World Faith in God's Promises Love to God desire of immediate Communion with him honour your Christian Profession and make Death the less terrible to you Eighthly and Lastly Consider what the Apostle sayes 1 Cor. 13. to the end Death is yours Yours no way to hurt you but every way to do you good 1. No way to hurt you because however it be a Serpent yet 't is a Serpent without a sting by stinging of Jesus Christ to death it lost its sting so that though it may hiss yet it cannot hurt however the Devil brought Jesus Christ unto the Cross unto Death unto the Grave yet therein Jesus Christ out-shot the Devil in his own Bow spoiled Principalities and Powers and made a shew of it openly tryumphing over them on the Cross Col. 2.15 And that it can no way hurt you appears further by these Particulars 1. In that it is not the destruction or annihilation either of Soul or Body but onely the alteration and change of their condition for the better As for instance 1. In the Body The Body by Death is freed from
all pains and miseries and calamities and all sin which is the cause of them as sin brought Death into our bodies so Death carries sin out of the body and however these vile bodies be dissolved into dust yet they shall be raised up again at the last day and be made like unto Christ's Glorious Body Phil. 3. last 2. For the Soul It shall be no loser but a great gainer by Death and that three wayes 1. In the place it goes unto viz. from Earth unto Heaven 2. In the excellent qualities it shall be endowed withall viz. perfection in all the faculties of it as it goes to the spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12. 3. In the excellent company it goes to enjoy leaving the company of sinners here and going to enjoy the company of Saints and Angels and the ever blessed Unity in Trinity 2dly In that it cannot hurt us appears in that it can never dissolve the Union between Christ and a believing Soul but brings it to a nearer sweeter and fuller Union of a Gracious makes it a Glorious Union however it separates Soul and Body one from the other yet it cannot separate either from Jesus Christ the Soul upon Death goes immediately unto Christ in Paradise and Christ goes down with the Body into the Grave where it sweetly rests as in its Bed in the Arms of Jesus Christ until the morning of the Resurrection of the Just Isa 57.2 1. It can never break the Covenant of Grace between God and the Soul for it 's an everlasting Covenant Gen. 17. And he hath not only promised to be their God unto Death but after Death and to all eternity 2. It can never untie the Marriage-Knot between Christ and his Spouse for he hath betrothed her unto himself for ever Hos 2. And whom he loves he loves to the end John 13.1 even with an everlasting love Jeremiah 31.3 3. It can never reverse those grants of Grace that God hath vouchsafed his as the grants of Reconciliation Justification Adoption Sanctification Salvation for the Gifts and Callings of God are without repentance Rev. 11.29 3dly As it is no way able to hurt you so it will every way do you good Though it be the last enemy that shall be destroyed yet of an enemy it shall be made a friend and the best friend that ever you had How so Why because Jesus Christ by undergoing Death and lying in the Grave he hath altered the nature both of Death and the Grave Death of a King of Terrors it made a Prince of Peace of a passage to eternal Death made a passage to eternal Life unto all that do believe the Grave that is a loathsome Dungeon to the wicked is made a sweet resting-place to the Saints That you may the more clearly and fully see the good will come to you by Death and so be made the more willing to it and chearfully resign your Spirit into the hands of God when he calls for it take serious notice of these ten following Particulars 1. Death is no Death to a true Believer It 's not his last day but the beginning of an everlasting day 2. Your dying day will not be your worst day but your best day better is the day of a mans Death then the day of his Birth saith Solomon Eccles 7.1 it being the egress of all misery and the ingress of eternal felicity 3. A Christians dying day it will be his enlarging day when he shall be set at liberty out of the Prison of the Body and brought home to his Fathers House 2 Cor. 5.8 It is but as Christ stiles it His departing and going to the Father John 13.1 4. A Christians dying day will be his resting day wherein he shall rest from all sinning sorrowing suffering from all temptations corruptions vexations Job 3.17 And who desires not rest 5. His dying day will be his reaping day having sown here in Tears he shall reap in Joy reap the fruit of all the Sermons they have heard all the Prayers they have made all the Tears they have shed all the Sighs and Groans they have uttered all the good Thoughts they have had all the good Words they have spoken all the good Works they have done all the Evils they have suffered and all they have forgotten to do and suffer Mat. 25.34 When saw we thee an hungry and fed thee not c. Then Christ will remember them and say In that you did it unto them ye did it unto me Yea there is not the least good work that any have done for any of his but it shall be remembred and rewarded even to a cup of cold Water Mat. 10. last 6. A Christians dying day will be his conquering and tryumphing day over all his Enemies Sin Satan and the World Death and Hell here we are in a continual warfare there 's not a day hour or moment wherein we can rest either from corruption within or temptation without but then there shall be an end of all then we shall tryumph over all in the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.55 Oh Death where 's now thy sting c. 7. A Christians dying day will be his transplanting day from Earth to Heaven from Misery to Glory from a Valley of Tears to a Valley of blessed Visions from a howling Wilderness to a heavenly Paradise It is no other then a straight Gate to a Pallace of Glory a dark Entry to the Inheritance of the Saints in Light And oh Who would not be willing to exchange a Sodom for Sion an Egypt for Canaan Misery for Glory 8. A Christians dying day it 's his uncloathing day of a body of Sin and Death and the cloathing him with his House from Heaven his putting off his old Rags of Sin and Corruption and his putting on of the White Robe of Christ's Righteousness and with it the Robe of Glory 9. A Christians dying day it 's his marriage day with the Lamb the King of Saints and if the day of a Believers espousals be so sweet how sweet will the marriage day be Rev. 19.7 10. A Christians dying day will be his corronation day wherein Christ will crown all those that love his appearance with the Crown of Righteousness 2 Tim. 4.8 where they shall be still following the Lamb with Crowns on their Heads and Palms in their Hands and tryumphant Songs in their Mouths Rev. 5.11 12 13. Mix these Meditations with Faith and Prayer and you will find them mighty through God not only to make you willing but even long with the Apostle to be dissolv'd and be with Christ which is best of all Phil. 1.23 Amen and Amen Secondly That which follows DEATH is JUDGMENT Sect. 6. In and about the Judgment Day to take notice of and meditate seriously on these things 1. The Certainty 2. The Uncertainty 3. The near approach of it 4. The great solemnity of it 5. The universality of the Persons to be judged 6. The impartiality of it
God Let all the Angels of God worship him and were all along at his command and service attended on him in his Birth Life Death Resurrection Ascention and shall at the last day in his comming to Judgement as you may see clearly in reading the Gospel Luke 1.13 22.43 24.5 6. Acts 1.10 11. Mat. 8.38 13.49 3. They minister to the Church and People of God in Life and Death and after Death 1. In Life They Minister both to the well-fare of their Bodies and Souls in watching over them and protecting them from evil Psal 34.7 Psal 91.10 11. instructing and directing quickning incouraging and comforting them in that which is good Dan. 8.16 17. Dan. 9.12 Gen. 24.7 Gen. 32.1 Isa 6.6 7. Rev. 22.9 2. In Death They are about their Beds refresh them in their Sufferings as they did Christ in his Agonies stand ready to receive their Souls and to carry them as they did the Soul of Lazarus into Abraham's Bosom Luke 16.22 3. After Death They watch over their Bodies as Michael the Arch-Angel did over the Body of Moses Jude 9. And at the last day they shall open their Graves and bring out their Bodies and secure them from the fire that it shall not hurt them as in 〈…〉 these three Children in the Fiery Furnace Dan. 3. And whereas the Devil will then be most raging the good Angels will restrain them and stop their mouths as they did stop the mouths of the Lyons when Daniel was cast into the Den after this they will gather together all the Elect from the four quarters of the Earth Mat. 24.31 and separate them from the Reprobates Mat. 13.40 Take them up into the Clouds to be Accessors with Christ in Judgment on the wicked World 1 Cor. 6.1 and joyn with them 〈◊〉 praising God Rev. 4.9 10. Rev. 5.11 12. 7.9 10. Q. 2. What are our duties in respect of the good Angels A. These are many and weighty though little known and less practised by the most and therefore mind them well 1. To admire the wonderful love of God in honouring us with such glorious and blessed Guardians not only vouchsafing his own protection and the protection of his Son and Spirit but also of his blessed Angels Is not this matter of admiration what are the Angels but the most glorious Creatures in the World the glorious Courtiers of Heaven No Prince on Earth hath so glorious a Guard as every Saint even the poorest hath every day and night and therefore to be still admiring and adoring this wonderful love of God and say Lord what is Man and I among the Sons of Men that thou shouldest honour me so far as to give thy Angels a charge to minister to me and watch over me every day and night 2. To glory in this priviledge above all other priviledges in the World that we have such high and excellent Creatures to minister to us and to be our Guardians If men have a great and long Train at theit heels of great and Noble Persons in Silk and Sattin and Golden Chains how do they run after them and gaze upon them whereas alas all this bravery is but beggery to the Glory of those that wait upon the Saints they have higher and more glorious attendance those noble and glorious Courtiers of Heaven men need a fair day and a clear Sun-shine to discover their bravery or half the shew of it is lost but now nothing can darken the glory of the Saints attendance Mat. 28.2 3. And behold there was a great Earth-quake for the Angel of the Lord descended from Heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it his countenance was like Lightning and his Raiment white as Snow 3. Take heed you do not injure any the least of God's Saints the poorest meanest most contemptible of them Why Because they have the glorious Angels to wait upon them and minister unto them Mat. 18.10 See that thou despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you the Angels behold the Face of my Father Why should any think them unworthy of their company and countenance when the greatest Angels think them worthy of their attendance and service if any wrong them the Angels will certainly right them When the Sodomites rose up against Lot the Angel smote them with blindness and rescued Lot out of their hands If Balaam go about to curse God's Israel an Angel stands in the way with a drawn Sword to withstand him If proud Sennacherib threaten to destroy Hezekiah and his People an Angel goes forth and slayes in one night a hundred eighty and five thousand in his Army And therefore take heed of wronging any of them any way 4. Be quickned hence to honour and serve that God more chearfully that hath so highly honoured and incouraged you in the service of him as to appoint the Glorious Angels to attend upon you in it shall they that are so high and holy above us stoop so low as to attend upon us and Minister to us at God's command and shall not we who are so inferior to him readily do service to him who is so high above us and hath no need of our service and whose service cannot any way reach to him but only to our selves And when our honour and happiness is wrapt up in it what a shame were this and what an aggravation will this be upon all idle Servants at the last day 5th Duty To carry our selves so as we may injoy the benefit sweet and comfort of this glorious and blessed Priviledge the Ministration and Service of the Angels Q. How is that A. Mind well it consists in these Particulars 1. To take more notice of this glorious Priviledge then ever you have done If you have been ignorant and heedless of it heretofore take the shame of it and labour to get a more distinct knowledge of it and get your Faith confirmed and established in it for is it not a foul shame that such glorious Spirits should take notice of us and minister to us and we take no notice of them 2. To see that you be such Persons as God hath given his Angels a charge over Who are they 1st Such as fear the Lord Psalm 34.7 2ly Such as keep in God's Wayes the wayes of his Commandments Psalm 91.1 3ly Such as continually pray to God for their direction and protection as Abraham's Servant did Gen. 24.7 and the Israelites Numb 20.16 4ly Such as are Heirs of Salvation for they minister only unto such Heb. 1. last 3. To carry your selves reverently in their presence and take heed you do nothing that should offend and grieve them whence that 1 Cor. 10.11 12. A Woman ought to cover her Head because of the Angels that is as Mr. Perkins sayes not onely in respect of God's Ministers but the Angels and not without great reason 1. Because they are present to observe our carriage in all the Service of God
2. Because they are Holy Spirits and cannot indure to see any unholy or unclean behaviour 4thly To imitate the Blessed Angels especially in these four things 1. their Humility 2. Piety 3. Charity 4. Alacrity 1. Their Humility Though they be glorious Spirits yet they are content to stoop to the meanest Servants of God at God's Command they came down from Heaven to bring glad tydings of Salvation to poor Shepherds are willing to wait on those that are despised of men Mat. 18.10 how much more should we stoop to one another and serve one another in love see the command Rom. 12.3.16 2. To imitate them in their Piety They are God-like Holy as he is Holy therefore called 〈◊〉 Holy Angels Mark 8.38 And we are commandâ—◠〈◊〉 be Holy as God is Holy 1 Tim. 1.15 They seek nor their own Glory but the Lords Isa 〈…〉 so we are commanded 1 Cor. 〈…〉 They stand ready prest to know and do the Will of God Psal 103.21 And we are commanded Tuâ—â— 3. â— Be ready to every good work They do it also zealously Dan. 9.21 He make 〈◊〉 Angels a flame of Fire and this we are commâ—nded Rev. 3.19 Be zealous and amend And they do it constantly Matth. 18.10 And we are commanded 1 Cor. 15. last Be stedfast uâ—â—oveable alwayes abounding in the Work of the Lord c. Gal. 6.10 Be not weary of well doing And all this is no other then what we are taught to pray for in the Lords Prayer in these words Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven That is universally sincerely chearfully constantly 3. In their Charity They not only love one another but they love us and in love to us they are content to stoop to any Service wherein they may express their love to us how much more should we love one the other and as the Apostle exhorts serve one another in love and the rather because it is the express command of Christ and he hath given himself an Example of it and made it the chief character of a Disciple of his John 13.35 4. To imitate them in their Joy They rejoyce continually in the Glory of God the Exaltation of Christ the Conversation of Sinners the Salvation of Souls the Glorification of the Saints together with themselves how much more should we rejoyce in these things seeing the benefit redounds not so much to them as to us 6th Duty Not to fear the malice and rage of the Evil Angels for however the Evil Angels endeavour to do all the mischief they can to the Godly and God permits them to do it to wicked men Psal 78.49 50. and sometimes to afflict the Godly Job 1.6 yet here 's our comfort All the Godly have the Good Angels to protect them that they cannot hurt them as they would however Evil Angels may have a permission from God to do them evil yet the Good Angels have alwayes a Commission from God to do them good Psal 103. to the end And the power of Good Angels is more and greater then of the Evil they having lost much of it by their fall and therefore not so much to fear them A King that hath his Guard about him fears no danger how much less should we who have though not of men yet a Guard of Angels 2 Kings 6.16 7th Duty Not slavishly to fear Death but to wellcome it whensoever it comes seeing it is the last Office the Angels do for the Saints here to attend on their Death-beds and take the care of their Souls and carry them after Death to the Spirits of Just Men made perfect Luke 16.22 Heb. 12.22 Lastly Remember still to return God the Glory of this Glorious Priviledge the enjoyment of the Ministry of Angels and all the good and comfort you have reapt by it The Shepherds Luk. 2.20 having heard of the glad tydings brought by the Ministry of Angels they returned glorifying and praysing God but not the Angels the Angels ought to have their due reverence and respect for their Ministry but we are to give the honour and glory of it only to God Thus Daniel 6.22 and Peter Acts 12.11 they did not ascribe the deliverance to the Angels but unto God that sent his Angels And great cause have we to glorifie God in and for their Ministry 1. In respect of the great honour God conferreth on us in vouchsafing such honourable Guardians to us 2. In respect of the great good that comes to us by them not only in protecting us from those evil spirits which rule in the Air but the quickning and leadings to the following and guidance of his ever blessed Spirit of Grace 3. Because they are only instruments in God's Hand it 's God alone is the Author of all the good we receive by them Make these uses of the Ministry of Angels and you will be sure to reap much benefit and comfort by it and to have them still to attend upon you and minister to you in Life and Death and after Death 1. In Life to preserve you from evil and to incourage you in that which is good to comfort you in and deliver you out of trouble 2. In Death to stand about your Beds and keep off the evil Spirits and chear up your own Spirits arm you against the terrors of Death and as soon as your Soul shall be separate from the Body to carry it to the Spirits of Just Men made perfect And 3. after Death at the last and great Day to open your Graves and bring out your Bodies and take them up into the Air to the Accessors with Jesus Christ in judgment on the wicked World and after that to conduct you into Heaven there to be for ever with the Lord and with them still glorifying God the Father for God the Son by God the Spirit to all Eternity Amen Secondly For the Evil Angels and Devils Sect. 2. In and about them to take notice of and meditate on these things 1. That there are such 2. What they are 3. How they became such 4. What their punishment 5. What their Office or Work is 6. What their Properties or Qualities are Lastly What our duties are in respect of them 1. That there are such evil Spirits or Devils is abundantly manifest by the testimony of the Scripture and their frequent Temptations Apparitions Possessions and Dispossessions the Scripture often mentions in the Old New Testament In the Old we read that the Devil was a lying spirit in the mouth of the false Prophets 1 Kings 22. and that Satan stir'd up David to number the People 1 Chron. 21.1 and how he afflicted Job cap. 1. and that he stood at the right hand of Joshua to resist him Zach. 3.1 In the New Testament we read how he tempted Christ Mat. 4. and how Christ cast him out of many possest by him as for those Atheists and Epicures that question it they have some of them been forced to acknowledge it here to their horror
pleasures of Christ 1 Cor. 3. end As Christ is a King so are Believers made Kings to God Rev. 1.6 As he is Heir of all things Heb. 1.3 so they are Heirs and Co-heirs with Christ of the same Kingdom Rom. 8.17 they are compleat in him Col. 2.10 A third motive may be this The great willingness and readiness of Jesus Christ to receive and save poor lost sinners such as are willing to take Him and accept of Him upon Gospel-terms this appears in these Particulars First That his desire is towards his Cant. 7.10 Swears as he lives he desires not the death of a sinner Ezek. 33. so as the fault is Man's and not his if any be not saved John 5.40 you will not come unto me that you may have life See this clearly in that Book Entituled The Self condemning Sinner Secondly In that he offers Himself freely to all without exception of any that will come to him in a way of faith and love Isaiah 55 1. Rev. 22.17 Thirdly In that he invites all to come to him that find their want and need of him Mat. 11.29 and promises to cast away none that come to him John 6.37 Fourthly In that he sends his Ministers to woe and beseech them in the name of Christ to come in and be reconcil'd to God 2 Cor. 5.20 Fifthly In that he bewails their folly that will stand out against him and their own salvation Mat. 23. Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem that killest the Prophets how often would I have gathered thy children together as the Hen gathers her chickens and you would not Lastly You are to take notice how you are to walk worthy of and suitable to so dear a Redeemer and precious Saviour by imitating him in his carriage both towards God and Man in his doings and sufferings 1. His doings 1 Epist John 2.6 He that saith he abides in him ought to walk as he walked Q. But you will say Can any walk as he walked He was void of all sin we are sull of sin A. There 's a double As one that imports Equality and another Similitude as it imports equality it 's impossible for any to walk as he walked but as it imports similitude and likeness so we may and must walk after him As a Scholar that writes after his Master's Copy he begins every Line as his Master begins and ends as he ends he frames every Letter as his Master frames it joyns letters and syliables together as his Master doth though there be no equality he cannot write as well as his Master yet there is a similitude he labours to imitate and write like his Master So true Christians though they cannot live and walk so exactly as Christ did yet they labour to come as neer to him as they can to imitate and follow him though not in his divine acts which he did as God and as Mediator which is impossible yet in his moral and humane acts which he did as Man so they labour to make him their only pattern in their carriages both towards God and man First In their carriage to God now for his carriage towards God that was full of piety full of saith full of zeal full of heavenly-mindedness First Full of Piety Heb. 7.26 He was holy harmless separate from sinners 1 Pet. 2 22. He did no sin neither was there any guil found in his mouth and we required to follow him in that 1 Pet. 1.15 1 Ep. John 3.2 Secondly Full of faith ever confident of his Father's presence assistance and acceptance in whatsoever he did even in his greatest desertion on the Cross crying my God my God He held fast his faith and we requir'd to follow him in thiâ— Isaiah 50.10 Heb. 3.14 1 Pet. 1.13 Thirdly He was full of zeal for God both in publick and private First In publick the Zeal of God's House even consum'd him John 2.15 16 17. Secondly In private He went about doing good to the bodies souls of others Acts 10.38 We are to imitate him in this it being the end of our Redemption Titus 2.14 The end of his correction of us Revel 3.19 Fourthly He was full of heavenly-mindedness still extracting spiritual and heavenly discourses from worldly and Earthly occasions John 4.10 Joh. 13.2 John 6.26 27. and we are requir'd to follow him in this Col. 3.1 2. Phil. 3 20. Secondly Follow him in his cariage towards man now for that you may observe in the Scripture it was full of wisdom innocency truth justice humility meekness love mercy and pitty to others and we commanded in the Scriptures to imitate him in all these First In his wisdom and innocency Mat. 10.16 Secondly In his truth Eph 4 24. Thirdly In his justice and righteousness Rom. 13.7 Luke 1.6 In his humility and meekness Mat. 11.20 In his patience 1 Pet. 2.21 22 23. In his love to all even our very Enemies Mat. 5.44 45. Eph. 5.2 and in mercies to the Bodies and Souls of men Rom. 12. the 3 last James 5. 2 last In his pitty and compassion Gal. 6.1 1 Pet. 3.8 Jude 22.23 Thus for his doings Secondly To imitate him in his sufferings 1 Pet. 2.21 Q. How did Christ suffer A. 1. He suffer'd willingly none could compel him to it John 10.18 You must follow him in this when God calls unto it as the Apostle Acts 21.13 Secondly Christ suffered patiently Isaiah 53.7 Heb. 12.2 we to follow him in this as we are commanded in the same place to look unto Jesus and 1 Pet. 2.21 tread in his steps Thirdly He suffer'd believingly that God would support him and deliver him so must we 1 Cor. 10.13 Fourthly He suffer'd fruitfully so as to learn obedience by his sufferings Heb. 5.8 so are we Micah 6.7 8. Revel 3.19 Fifthly Christ suffer'd constantly even to the death and so are we requir'd Rev. 2.10 Thus of Christ CHAP. IV. The Third Head the Spirit of God called the Holy Ghost IN and about him to meditate on these things First What he is Secondly What his Offices Thirdly What signs you have of the Spirit 's Inhabitation 4. Motives to get him 5. Means to procure him and 6. The means to preserve and increase communion with him First What the Spirit of God or the Holy Ghost is viz. the Third Person in the sacred Trinity proceeding from the Father and the Son And here to take notice of three things First That he is a distinct Person from the Father and the Son and the Third Person in Sacred Trinity 1 Epist John 5.7 Secondly That he is true and very God as well as the Father and the Son as is evident 1. By testimony of the Scripture Acts 5.3 4. Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie unto the Holy Ghost thou hast not lied unto man but God 2. By Reason 1. Because He is the Author and Inditer of the Scripture Acts 28.25 2 Pet. 1.21 2. Because the Scripture ascribes those Attributes to him that are proper to God as Eternity
a sinner like himself Job gives the reason Job 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean and so doth our Saviour Joh. 3.6 Mat. 7.18 and Jam. 3.11 12. Fourthly I add by reason whereof every one is conceiv'd born in sin this David acknowledgeth Psal 51.5 and Isai 48.8 The Lord stiles Israel a Transgressor from the Womb. Fifthly He brings in with him the Seeds of all sin even the vilest that ever were conceiv'd or acted by Men or Devils as the Chaos contain'd in it the Seed of all Creatures so the corruption of our nature the Seeds of all sin Prov. 27.19 as in Water Face answers to Face so doth the heart of Man to Man Sixthly Are inclin'd to all evil Psal 36.4 Jer. 8.6 Isai 5.18 Nitimur invetitum c. as the very Heathen could observe and say Lastly I add and averse to all that is good Rom. 8.7 Gal. 5.17 Jer. 18.12 Secondly For your further humiliation under it take notice of the odious Titles given to it with the Reasons of them 1. It 's call'd Original sin 1. Because it was ab origine from the beginning of Man's Fall Secondly Because it is cum origine with the beginning of every man Thirdly Because it is Origo the Beginning Root and Fountain of all actual sin Secondly It 's call'd the sin that dwells in us Rom. 7.17 because it remains in all unto death Thirdly It 's call'd the sin that easily encompasseth us Heb. 12.1 or that soon overtakes us and keep us from running the Race set before us Fourthly It 's call'd concupiscence or lust Jam. 1.14 15. Rom. 7.7 Because it 's the Mother of all unclean lusts motions and desires Fifthly It 's call'd the old man Rom. 6.6 because it came from the old Adam Sixthly It 's call'd the Flesh Joh. 3.6 Gal. 5.17 because it acts and discovers it self in and by the Flesh Seventhly It 's call'd the Law in the Members Rom. 7.23 because it Rules as a Law Eighthly It 's call'd the work of the Devil 1 Joh. 3.8 And Hell that sets on Fire the whole course of nature Jam. 3.6 because it came from the Devil and from Hell and leads to the Devil and Hell without repentance Thirdly To Meditate on the parts of it to wit an absence of all good and a presence of all evil an emptiness of all righteousness and a fulness of all unrighteousness Fourthly That you may be the more throughly humbled meditate on the extent of it How doth this corruption of nature like a Leprosie over-spread the whole man Soul and Body every faculty and power of both 1. For the faculties of the Soul it fills the mind with blindness the will with perversness the conscience with deadness the memory with unfaithfulness the heart and affections with deceitfulness and sensualness which every one's experience too sadly evidenceth Secondly For the parts and powers of the Body they are all naturally instruments of unrighteousness and unholiness Rom. 6.13.19 And all the Senses in-lets and out-lets of sin and vanity 1 Ep. Joh. 3.16 So as in the flesh there dwells no good thing Rom. 7.18 Fifthly To meditate on the fruits and effects of it how that by reason of it you were conceiv'd and born in sin having in your natures the Seed of all sin a proneness to all evil and an aversness to all good so that you see if you had no other sin to bewail this were enough to humble you all your days and to make you miserable to all Eternity and therefore to be much in meditation on it and walk humbly before God and Man continually under the consideration of it and that for these Reasons 1. Because it is the Mother-sin Jam. 1.14 Mat. 15.19 Secondly Because though all actual sins be repented of and done away yet this Root of bitterness remains still and will until it be quite pluckt up by death 3. Because to bewail actual transgressions and not the corruption of nature is that which the Lord complains of Ezek. 16.22 4. Because a Man is never truly humbled under his actual sins unless he bewail also his original sins seeing it is the corruption of nature that inclin'd and carried him into actual sin and therefore if you look into the humiliations of God's People you shall find them to bewail as their actual so their original sin as Job Job 40.4 Isai 6.5 David Psal 51.5 Paul Rom. 7.24 and Mr. Bradford the Martyr that when he saw any break out into any Enormity would smite upon his Breast and say Lord what a wicked heart have I and what cause have I to give glory to distinguishing grace that I am not as vile as the vilest and therefore if you would have any evidence of the truth and soundness of your humiliation under your actual sins be sure always to take to heart and bewail original sin the Fountain and rice of all and to this end remember to meditate frequently and seriously of what I have briefly open'd to you in and about it Thirdly To take notice and meditate on your actual sins and that you may be the more thorowly humbled under them to mind well What it is the Kinds of it the multitude and greatness of them First What actual sin is to wit Every evil act or motion arising out of the corruption of nature in thought or affection word or action contrary to the revealed will of God in the Word or the Conscience binding over a man to the curse of the Law Deut. 27. last Secondly For the Kinds of it First It is either by way of Commission or Omission when any thing is added to or taken from the Word both condemned Deut. 4.11 12. Revel 22.18 19. Secondly It is either of ignorance or knowledge both damnable but especially the latter Luke 12.47 48. Thirdly It is either a sin of infirmity or a reigning sin First A sin of infirmity is such a sin as a Man falls into but seldom and besides his purpose and with reluctance also when he sees it doth mourn for it prays for pardon of it and power over it and watcheth more against it Psal 17.3 I have purposed my Mouth shall not offend Rom. 7.15 The evil which I do I allow not Secondly A reigning sin is when a Man commits any evil and omits any good wittingly or wilfully makes a Trade or a Custome of it lives and lies impenitently in it expresly forbid Rom. 6.12 The former is the sin of the regenerate the latter of the unregenerate Fourthly It is either pardonable or unpardonable First Pardonable sin is every sin even the greatest that a man is willing to repent of Isaiah 1.18 Isai 55.7 8. Secondly Unpardonable sin is not only that against the Holy Ghost but every sin even the least that a man is unwilling to see and to leave and resolves to persist impenitently in it Mat. 5.19 James 2.10 Thirdly The degrees of actual sin all sins are not alike but some
a man to win the World and lose his Soul Or what will he give in exchange for his Soul Suppose a Man had all the Honours Riches Pleasures the World could afford him what will it avail him in the day of death when he must part with all and his Soul too and never recover them more Men may lose these things of the World and recover them again if God seeth good as you may see in Job's Case to whom God restored all that he had taken from him and doubled all to him in the latter end Job 42. But now for a Soul that being lost can never be recovered it 's not a World nor ten thousand Worlds can recover the loss of a Soul it cost more to redeem a Soul Psal 49. Whereas you see the great folly of men in selling and losing of their Souls What do they get by their sin but the Curse and Wrath of God with the loss of their precious Souls Fourthly To meditate on the greatness of the salvation of a Soul and the means to procure the salvation thereof 1st The greatness of the salvation of the Soul this appears by the greatness of the Author of it no other then the great God Titus 3.5 2dly The greatness of the price paid for it no other then the precious Blood of Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 3dly The greatness of the evil we are saved from As 1. The Curse of the Law Gal. 3.10 13. and the rigour of the Law Rom. 7.5 6. 2ly From the reign and dominion of sin Rom. 6.14 3. From the tyranny of Satan Col. 1.13 Col. 2.15 4. From the evil of the World John 16. last 5. The sting of Death and the slavish fear of it Heb. 2.14 15. 6. The wrath to come 1 Thes 1.10 4thly The greatness of the good things we are saved and brought unto viz. The Life of Grace here Ephes 2.1 and the Life of Glory hereafter Col. 3.4 Fifthly To meditate on the means To make sure and procure the means of Salvation to you which are briefly these 1. To see and acknowledge your selves lost in your selves Luke 19.10 2. To humble your selves under the consideration of it James 4.9 Luke 13.31 3. To turn every one from the evil of his wayes Ezek. 18.30 Isa 55.7 8. 4. To lay hold on Jesus Christ by a lively Faith John 3.16 Acts 10.43 5. To get a new Nature 2 Cor. 5.17 2 Pet. 1.4 6. To lead a new Life a Life of Holiness 1 Pet. 1.15 and to order your Conversation according to the rules of the Word Psal 50. last To him that orders his Conversation aright I will shew the Salvation of God Now here to take notice what it is to order our Conversation aright I shall stay a little the longer because the Conversation of most are such an open contradiction to their Profession Now by ordering our Conversation aright is meant a putting of our Life in a method and order a Saint must not walk at random or at large but in a regular and orderly way Col. 2.5 that is According to those rules laid down in the Scripture the Law and the Gospel and these Rules according to which we are to order our Conversation they are either more general or more particular First For the General Rules You have them laid down in two places the first in the Old Testament Micah 6.8 He hath shewed thee O man what is good Q. Where hath he shewed Man his duty A. Why in his Word there God hath laid down plainly what the Duty of every Man is to God and others and himself so as there is no Man or Woman can plead ignorance and say he knew it not to be his duty for God hath plainly revealed it in his Word what is good how that all in his Word is good and will do good to him that doth it Micah 2.7 Do not my Words do good to him that walks uprightly And what the Lord requires of thee What is that 1. To do justly i. e. To make Conscience of all the Duties of Justice and Righteousness required in the second Table to render to every one his due and do unto others as you would have others do unto you which is the Law and the Prophets 2. To love Mercy that is To shew mercy to the Bodies and to the Souls of others as you have opportunity Gal. 6.10 Heb. 13.16 3. To walk humbly with thy God This comprehends all the Duties of the first Table as the two former of the second Table So as the meaning in short is this Thou shalt set God alwayes before thee give him the Homage Worship and Service that is due to him approve thy heart to him in all the service thou tenderest to him humble thy self under thy fallings and failings acknowledge when thou hast done all thou art but an unprofitable Servant and desire only to be found in the perfect obedience of Jesus Christ More clearly and fully you have these Duties laid down Titus 2.11 12. The Grace of God bringing Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Soberly in respect of our selves Righteously in respect of others Godlily in respect of God Haec tria perpetuo meditare adverbia Pauli Haec tria sunt vitae regula sancta tuae Make these three Adverbs the subject of your continual Meditation and the proposed Rule of your daily Conversation Your duty here is as every day 1. To watch against and deny ungodliness that is Those sins forbidden in the first Table so called because they are immediately against God And worldly lusts that is all sins forbid in the second Table called Worldly because they have the World for their Object and Subject 2. It follows and that we should live soberly the former contain'd the negative commands of the Law these latter the affirmative commands of the Law to note unto us it is not enough to be negative Christians but we must be also affirmative Christians Isa 1.16 17. Cease to do evil learn to do well 1. Your duty is to live soberly in respect of your selves that is to be moderate in your desires and use of all Creature Comforts as Meat Drink Apparel Recreation Phil. 4.5 1 Cor. 7.30 2. Righteously in respect of your Neighbours that is To act and exercise Righteousness in all your Thoughts Affections Words Actions Tradings and Dealings with others made a sign of one that shall dwell in God's Holy Hill Psal 15. 3. In respect of God to carry your selves Godly or God-like to be Holy as he is Holy in all manner of Conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 that is Publickly Privately Secretly Daily Hourly Continually 2 Cor. 7.1 Rev. 2.10 To quicken you to this godliness to meditate on that place 1 Tim. 4.8 Godliness is profitable to all things and hath the promise of this life and that to come that is Hath all the blessings of Heaven
it was all very good Gen. 1. last useful and profitable to man but no sooner had Man sinned but all became not onely vain and unprofitable but vanity of vanities and vexation of spirit Eccles 1. 4th Duty Take heed you do not give those affections to the Creature which are due onely to God as our Love Fear Desire Delight Sorrow Hope Confidence for this is to rob God of his Glory and give it to the Creature that which is expresly forbid Col. 3.1 2 3. therefore to take heed of it And 1. To take heed of inordinate love to them so as to be unwilling to part with them at the call and command of God for this is to love the Gift more then the Giver and this is no other then spiritual Idolatry and Adultery Col. 3.5 James 4.4 This also the next and readiest way to be deprived of them and to have a cross if not a curse in them Besides if you love them too much be sure you will grieve the more when they are taken from you and be made to wish you had never loved them so much for then you should not have grieved so much and by both so dishonour God disgrace Profession and bring distempers upon your selves and therefore love not the World nor the things of the World 1 John 2.15 2. Take heed of inordinate fear of them so as to fear their displeasure more then Gods so as to be drawn by them to displease God to please them because they cannot hurt you or help you without God Isa 51.12 13. Who art thou that art afraid of Man that shall die c. and God is able to plague you not onely here but to all eternity hereafter and therefore saith our Saviour Fear not them that can onely kill the body c. And what saith the Apostle Gal. 1.10 Go I about to please men if so I should not be the Servanâ— of Christ 3. Take heed of inordinate desire of the Creatures For consider 1. they are no way able to sâ—tisfie your desires the more you have of them the more you will desire of them Eccles 4.8 Hab. 2.15 He enlargeth his desire as Hell and can never be satisfied And this is the just Judgement of God upon men for their inordinate desire of them and therefore let your conversation be without covetousness Remember there is nothing can satisfie the desire of the Soul but God Fecisti nos Domine propter te c. Thou hast made us O Lord for thy self and our hearts are restless until they return unto thy self saith Austin and therefore Isa 55.1 Why do you lay out your money for that which is not bread and which cannot satisfie 2. Because it 's a sin of a very provoking and pernicious Nature 1. Of a provoking Nature being no other then spiritual Idolatry and Adultery as you saw before and may further in this that such Worldlings are said to sacrifice to their own Nets Hab. 2.16 to make their belly their God Phil. 3.19 2. Of a pernicious Nature that which shuts out God and all that 's good John 5.40 Mark 4.9 Gal. 5.17 and lets in Satan and all that is evil 1 Tim. 6.9 10. 4. Take heed of inordinate delight in them of rejoycing in them more then in God or without God for they are all but broken Cisterns that can hold no Water of Consolation to refresh you in a time of need they all are but like Job's Friends miserable Comforters that delight and comfort men have in them is more outward then inward Prov. 14.15 Iâ— laughter the 〈◊〉 is heavy and all that comfort transitory and vanishing 1 Cor. 7.30 The time is but short and the fashion of this World passeth away and usually ends in more melanâ—â—â—lly and heavy-heartedness afterwards and without repentance in endâ—â—â—s torments Luke 16. Rev. 18.7 Look how much pleasure as she hath had so much torment giâ—â— uâ—to her and therefore Jer. 9.23 â—hus saith the Lord Let not the Wise Man glory in his Wisdom nor the Mighty Man in his Might nor the Rich Man in his Riches but let him that glorieth glory in this That he understands and knows me c. For what is all mens carnal Wisdom and Policy 〈…〉 out Grace but Folly and all their 〈…〉 Weakness and all their Riches but 〈◊〉 Psal 49.6 7. 5. Take heed of inordinate grief for the loss of them God being the Sovereign Lord of his Creatures he may dispose of 〈…〉 seems good to himself when he takes away any thing he takes but his own and he will never take away any Creature-Comfort but when he sees it most for his glory and your good he never takes away a Temporal but he offers a better viz. a Spiritual and Eternal Comfort and for you to be impatient and discontented is but to provoke him to take off another and therefore take heed of it because worldly sorrow often brings death or if not so yet makes men more unserviceable to God to Men and to themselves whence that of our Saviour to his Disciples when they grieved at the tydings of his short departure from them John 14.12 Let not your hearts be troubled c. 6. Take heed you do not place your hope or confidence in any Creature either your own or their Wits Wealth Policy Power to support supply help and comfort you in an evil day for vain is the help of the Creatures they are all but helpless helps they cannot help themselves much less others when God shall stretch out his hand against evil doers then both he that helps and he that is holpen shall both fall together Isa 31.3 Prov. 15.19 and therefore Psalm 146.3 Trust not in Princes and 1 Tim. 6.17 Trust not in uncertain riches Trust not in them because they are uncertain a Fire may consume all in an instant or Death may suddenly snatch you away from all as it did the Rich Fool and then how will you bewail your folly in putting so much confidence in them and expecting so much good from them and therefore take heed of it and hearken to the council the Psalmist gives you Psal 62. If Riches encrease set not thy heart on them and pray with David Turn away my eyes from beholding vanity O Lord incline my heart unto thy Testimonies and not unto Covetousness Psal 119.36 7th Duty To seek the Scriptures and use them so that God may have the Glory and you the comfort How is that Mark well 1. To seek them only in the second place after Spiritual and Eternal Excellencies Matth. 6.33 John 6.27 This will sweeten and sanctifie all your Temporals and make them true Blessings unto you 2. To seek them onely in and by the use of lawful means for it is infinitely better you should be without them then you to have the curse of God with them and lose your precious Souls by them 3. To seek them not for themselves not for your own selves for this is
Divine Meditation and therefore it should be our endeavour to take notice of it and improve it to the Glory of God and our own and others spiritual advantage in the way homeward to Eternal Life because the most are ignorant or not so well acquainted as they should with this Divine Art of Extracting Spiritual out of Temporal things For your help and furtherance herein I shall briefly direct you in a few Particulars from the beginning of the day to the end and so conclude this Subject Pray mark them well I. WHen you awake to give God the first of your thoughts As David Psalm 139. When I awake I am presently with thee How precious are the thoughts of thee unto me To think also of our duty of awaking out of Sin unto Righteousness Ephes 5.14 and of our awaking at the last day out of the Grave by the sound of the Trumpet 1 Thess 4.16 This you may find was David's thought Psalm 17. last When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likeness Remember sleep is but the Image of Death the Bed the Grave and the Morning of the Resurrection at the last Day II. When you have had a sweet nights rest think thus If natural rest be so sweet refreshing and reviving how much more is Spiritual Rest and will be Eternal Rest Oh what cause have you to bless him that hath given his Beloved Rest when others have been altogether restless and others it may be slept their last sleep Think and say to thy Soul Oh how justly mightest thou have been awakened out of thy sleep at midnight as the Egyptians were with a cry or else have slept the sleep of Death whereas we have layen down in peace and slept because the Lord sustained us III. When you see the light of the day shining into your eyes think and say If the light be sweet and it be a pleasant thing to behold the Sun Eccles 11.7 Oh how excellent is thy loving kindness in causing the Son of Righteousness to arise with healing in his Wings upon us Mal. 4.2 Oh what great cause have we to bless God for the Light of Life especially for the Light of the Gospel the Light of Grace here and the hope of the Light of Glory hereafter to beg also of God to lift up the Light of his Countenance upon us and help us to walk in the Light of his Countenance all the day long IV. When you are about to rise think upon the first Resurrection to Grace here and the second Resurrection to Glory at the last day because without an interest in the first Resurrection you can never expect an interest in the second and therefore to be careful as you rise out of your beds so to look to this that you arise out of sin unto newness of Life V. When you put on your cloaths think on sin which was the cause both of your nakedness and your need of Apparel to be humbled under the one and keep you from priding your selves in the other think also what infinite cause you have also to bless God for Jesus Christ that he hath fulfilled and brought in everlasting Righteousness whereby your nakedness might be covered and you might stand amiable in his sight without spot or wrinkle Ephes 5. end And therefore when you put on your Apparel remember to put on the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 13. end and put him on wholly for Justification Sanctification Consolation Salvation and take heed of spending too much time in apparelling your selves It is reported of one Pambo that seeing a Gentlewoman dressing her self all the morning by the Glass he fell a weeping and being asked Why He answered Because this Woman had spent all the morning in dressing her Body and I scarce one hour in dressing my Soul VI. When you look into the Glass to see what is amiss about you remember to look into the Glass of the Word to see what is amiss in your hearts and lives and to order your Conversation according to it Psalm 119.9 Where withall shall a young man cleanse his wayes but by taking heed to thy Word VII When you begin to wash your hands and face think of that Fountain which God hath opened to wash in from sin and from uncleanness Zach. 13. What infinite cause have you to bless Jesus Christ that was willing to shed his precious heart-blood for you to wash in and the love of the Spirit to you in opening your eyes and revealing this Fountain to you begging of him That he would put you in and wash you and rinse your Souls and Bodies more and more from your remaining filthiness of Flesh and Spirit 2 Corin. 7.1 VIII When you are about to go apart into your Chamber or Closet to read the Word and pray unto God in secret Think thus What a mercy is it to have this liberty which is denied unto many What a mercy is it to look into that blessed Book of the Scriptures Lord open mine eyes that I may see the wondrous things contained in it What a mercy also is it to have access with boldness and confidence to the Throne of God when we cannot to the throne of Men to go to him also as my Father and a Father not onely able but as willing as able to supply all my wants that sees in secret and hath promised to reward me openly Matth. 6.6 IX When you are to pray with the Family think thus What a mercy is this that I have a Family to pray with and for and that we have all health and liberty to pray together and that any have hearts to joyn with us in Prayer and are not as too many are in other Families scoffing Ishmaelites and prophane Esaues X. When you are about to imploy your selves about the duties of your particular Calling Remember that as God requires every one should live in a Calling so that every one be diligent in it because it 's the diligent hand makes rich yet not to labour so much after the meat that perishes as that which endures to eternal Life John 6.27 1. So to labour in your particular Callings as that you may be more serviceable to God and helpful to others in the duties of your general Calling 2. That you be faithful and just 1 Thess 4.6 11 12. 3. That you be useful and fruitful not seeking only your own profit but the weal and benefit of others Phil. 2.4 1 Cor. 10. about the end 4. That you be Spiritual and Heavenly careful to trade for Heaven as well as for Earth and lay up a stock of Grace that will stand by you when all other things will fail you and forsake you XI When you are trading and trafficking buying and selling and making any bargain think on the best Bargain that which will make you rich for ever that of the wise Merchant who sold all he had to purchase the Pearl Matth. 13.44 Think of buying the Gold tryed in the fire Rev. 3.18 and