unholy still and seeing thou wilt to Hell to Hell shalt thou go Do as Jacob cry and strive long for the Blessing Gen. 32.26 And he said that is the Angel Let me go for the day breaketh and he said I will not let thee go until thou bless me What if he had given over an hour or two after he began to wrestle or but an hour before he had the blessing he had spoiled all No but he strove the whole Night You that have repented and believed give Glory to the Lord your God When God made a Covenant with Abraham he fell upon his face Gen. 17.3 When Israel heard of their deliverance out of Egypt they bowed down the head and worshipped He that believeth feeleth he believeth he knows the Acts of Faith physically considered though not Morally he hath the Faith of Adhesion though it may be not of Evidence he finds the lively workings of Faith though he may not know whether they be of the right kind But though our Safety depends upon the having of Faith yet our Comfort dependeth on our knowing that we have it If you know it say as David when he had great things from God he went and sat in his house before the Lord and said 2. Sam. 7.20 And what can David say more unto thee for thou Lord God knowest thy Servant Or as Paul to the Romans Rom. 8.31 What shall we say to these things What indeed Now may you rejoyce that instead of the Thorn is come up the Fir-tree and instead of the Brier is come up the Myrtle-tree Isa 55.13 Instead of Sin in the heart Grace now grows and instead of abominable practices in the life there are now good works They that have repented and believed should endeavour the Conversion and Confirmation of many in the Faith as they did Acts 2.47 that by them may be added unto the Church such as shall be saved But of this in the Following Chapter CHAP. IV. Of Reproof and Counsel MEDITATIONS WHO can sufficiently bewail the neglect or slight performing of this Duty by most good men though the blessing that followeth the serious practising of it by some be very great How many times have we been by Land by Water a long time with many Persons and never drop one Word suitable to their Condition Nay sometimes the Spirit hath spoken to our Consciences what once it did to Philip concerning the Eunuch Go join thy self to him Act. 8.29 yet Shame want of Courage Laziness hath kept from it All sorts of Christians may be useful this way We read Act. 18.24 Priscilla a Woman taught Apollos a man an eloquent man a man mighty in the Scriptures the Way of God more perfectly vers 26. Bishop Vsher converted when eleven years old by a Sermon on Rom. 12.1 would as soon preach at the Request of a poor Woman as of a Magistrate and he delighted more to converse with poor weak Christians than with many Learned men I may truly say to many Women on whose Souls the Image of God hath been drawn in a lively manner what David said to Abigal 1 Sam. 25.32 33. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which sent thee this day to meet me and blessed be thy Advice It is the Property of a proud Pharisee not of a humble Christian to contemn Reproof and Counsel from an inferiour or a mean Person John 9.34 The Pharisees could not bear a few plain pious considerations from a poor blind man but said to him Thou wast altogether born in Sin and wilt thou Teach us and they cast him out Thou us Thou an illeterate man as blind in thy Soul as once in thy Body Vs great men great Professours Let the Counsel be never so good it will not take with many wise fools if it come from a plain man F. P. Coun. of Trent Mattheo Longi Archbishop of Saltzburge after he read the Augustine Confession of Faith by the Luthetherans in Saxony and Zuinglians in Zuric he told every one That the Reformation of the Mass was honest and the liberty of meats convenient and the request just to be disburthened of so many Commandments of men but that Luther a poor Monk should Reform was not to be endured God is so well pleased with this work of turning Souls to Righteousness that the Blessed Apostle Paul had his name changed from Saul to Paul because he was the instrument of Converting a famous man call'd Paul Acts 13.9 Then Saul who also is called Paul There is the change of his name verse 7. Paulus a prudent man a Deputy called for Barnabas and Saul to hear the Word of God So one sayes of this Apostle Paul Platina de vita Pon. tif A Paulo proconsule Cypri nomen accepit quem praedicatione sua ad fidem redegerat What care then should Parents take of the Souls of their Children Masters of their Servants Friends of one another For Children it is true whilst they are Infants they cannot be instructed but may be pray'd for for as Sin and misery comes on them and they not sensible of it so may Gods Grace and Mercy they are Members of a Kingdom Subjects of a King and yet cannot understand this So they may be Members of the Body of Christ Subjects of the Lord Jesus and have no knowledg of this They may have great Estates and the benefit of Rents and yet know not what an Estate is or Rents are Admonished they should be as they grow up that they may say of their Parents as Solomon of his Prov. 4.3 4. I was my Fathers Son tender and onely beloved in the sight of my Mother He taught me also and said unto me Let thy heart retain my words Keep my Commandements and live Happy are those children that can say when their Parents are dead I remember what my Father and Mother now in Glory said to me how they instructed me In the second Epistle to Tim. 1.5 we read of the good effects of this duty When I call to mind the unfeigned Faith that is in thee which first dwelt in thy Grandmother Lois and thy Mother Eunice and I am perswaded that it is in thee also What comfort may good Parents take in good children Socrates Scholasticus says of Leonides the father of Origen that when his Son was asleep he would sometimes uncover his breast and kiss it with a kind of veneration knowing his Son was a Temple for the Holy Ghost to dwell in Leonides was wont when Origen was very young to teach him some Aphorisms and Sentences in Christianity every day which made such a deep impression upon him that he was soon called Senilis Puer the Old Boy Vir magnus ab Infantia A great man from his Childhood Young he was in years onely but old in Knowledg and Grace When Bathsheba had a Promise from King David that Solomon her Son should be King after him it is said 1 Kings 1.31 That she bowed her face to
the earth and did reverence to the King and said Let my Lord King David live for ever Adore the Lord God if he hath made your Children by his Grace Heirs of the Kingdom that cannot be shaken Give me leave by the way to bewail the great and common sin found among us That many children are sooner taught what Jupiter Mars and such Pagan Gods were than what Father Son and Spirit is Josiah when he was young 2 Chron. 34.3 enquired after the God of David his Father but many now when young after Heathen Gods Augustine of old complained of this Aug. Confes lib. 6. of hearing in Schools Joves Thundering and Adulteries and for giving an account of such things saith he Et ob hoc bonae spei puer appellabar I was called a hopeful Lad. Luther also complained that our Schools were more Pagan than Christian I referr the unsatisfied Reader to Pasors Preface to his Lexicon he observeth of Pythagoras his golden verses so much esteemed of and I fear accounted more golden by too many than our Saviours Sayings on the Mount how they begin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Honour the Immortal Gods c. And as I have observed worse after I knew an Aged Famous Schoolmaster that after he had kept School about fifty years said with a very sad countenance That it was a great trouble to him that he had spent so much time in reading Pagan Authors to his Scholars and wisht it were customary to read such a Book as Duports Greek Verses upon Job rather than Homer and such Books I beseech School-masters if they must read such Authors do as they do that eat Mushromes or such dangerous meats use strong Correctives Shew Youth the vanity of the Pagan Religion and the excellency of the Christian Religion Perswade them above all things to be acquainted with the Holy Scriptures which alone can make them wise to Salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 when many vain books make many wise to Damnation If Children die what doth it signifie to say they were ingenious if they be graceless will Ingenuity save them They are as Thales Milesius that was gazing on the Stars minding their magnitude situation and influences when he should have been minding his way and so fell into the water and was drowned I pray God put it in the hearts of a wise Parliament to purge our Schools that instead of learning vain Fictions and filthy stories they may be acquainted with the VVord of God with Books containing Grave Sayings And learn in Prose or Verse the Histories of the Kings of England the chief Passages in their Reigns and some Maxims in Law and things that may make them truly wise and useful in the world I know I shall offend not a few in thus writing But let such remember my Authors before named Austin Luther Pasor and others that I might name and if I must have a Reprimand I am glad that I have such good company It is storied of the old Waldenses in France in the dark times of Popery R. his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they so instructed their Children in the great things of God that some Popish Doctors said that they learned more of the Doctrine of Salvation by talking with those Children than they did by the Disputations of great men There is another fault among us to be condemned the early and unnecessary sending of young men beyond Sea to see Countreys speak Languages before they have studied the grounds of our Religion and so are infected with Popery or Atheism I desire such before they send their Children away or the Children before they go to read Bishop Hall his Quo vadis a Book to which little can be added And then I hope they may be willing to stay at home How sad is it in most houses where the fear of God is not Of which it may be said what is said of Babylon Rev. 18.2 that they are a Habitation of Devils and the hold of every foul Spiriâ—â— and the cage of every unclean and hateful Bird so many wicked persons and so much wickedness is in them that the serious Christian may sometimes say in the beholding of it what Job said in another case O that my grief were thorougly weighed and that my sorrow were laid in the ballance for then would it be heavier than the sand of the Sea That there is so much Lying Prophaning the Name of God and so much of unsavoury rotten communications in most families and among Children that when they are men and women these things become common to them That if it be then asked what Christ asked the Father about his Childs disease how long ago this happened to them the same answer may be given even from a Child 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mark 9.21 I now come to a few Directions DIRECTIONS 1. Cry to God for Bowels of Compassion toward Souls and for Dexterity in this work of Reproving and Counseling that you may say with Paul Rom. 9.1 2 3. I say the Truth in Christ I lye not my Conscience also bearing me Witness in the Holy Ghost that I have great heaviness and continual Sorrow in my Heart for I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ for my Brethren my Kinsmen according to the flesh As if he had said I could almost be willing to perish for their sakes say with David Psal 119.158 I beheld the Transgressors and was grieved because they kept not thy Word You Parents that are so tender of the Bodies of your Children be much more concerned for their Souls You that desire great Estates for them much more desire Heaven for them How many mind their Oxen Sheep and Swine more than the Souls of their Children Sauls Father Kish 1 Sam. 10.2 Gave over caring for the Asses saying What shall I do for my Son So be less concerned about the things of the World and say What shall I do for the Souls of my Children that it may be said of you as in Prov. 10.20 The Mouth of the Righteous is as choice Silver when you speak with tender Bowels of Compassion It is not you that speak but the Spirit of your Father that speaketh in you Mat. 10.20 When God bad Moses to speak to Pharaoh and Moses Objected want of Eloquence said God Exod. 4.12 Now therefore go and I will be thy mouth and I will teach thee what thou shalt say That you may by your good Counsel overcome Satan as David by playing with his Musical Instrument made the evil Spirit to depart from Saul 1 Sam. 16.23 I know for some audacious Sinners it is better to be silent than reprove Hezekiah his command was prudent when Rabshakeh Blasphemed Isa 36.21 But the People held their peace and answered him not a Word for the Kings Commandment was saying Answer him not Let Prayer accompany the work of Exhorting Neh. 2.4 stand before the man as Nehemiah before the King and Queen praying to the God of
to be named He was despised in his common converse with men Luk. 8.20 The Foxes had their holes and the Birds of the Air their nests but Jesus had not where to lay his head He was reviled as one that had a Devil Joh. 10.20 Mark 2.16 Luk. 22.44 and was made as a Friend of Publicans and Sinners In his Agonies in the Garden He sweat drops of Blood though it were such a cold season that one might think would have struck the Blood inward It was a cold time for Peter stood to warm himself Our Sin was the heavy burthen that lay upon him When and after he was Betrayed Betrayed he was by a Friend a Bosome-friend to be Betrayed and that in point of Life and all by an intimate acquaintance goes near the Heart What David said to him that betrayed might Christ say to Judas Had it been an Enemy Psal 11.13 14. I could have born it but it was thou my Companion we took sweet Counsel together and walked together as Friends He was severely handled by Souldiers who batter'd his Ears with Blasphemy as well as tormented his Body when he was on the Cross Mat. 27. v. 39 40. they waged their Heads tell him of what he was accused vers 41 42 43. The great men revile him when usually men that scarce pray all the year long for themselves if they see any infamous Criminal executed they never tell him in a way of scoffing of his Fault or Crime but say God be merciful to his Soul At last Christ cryes out Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me We must warily understand this not as if God had forsaken Christ in respect of Strength for an Angel was sent to strengthen him Luk. 22.33 nor in respect of Essence nor of Complacency but God forsook him as to present comfort in a great measure Imagine you stood as the Devout Women at the Cross and saw this I now come to lay down a few Directions DIRECTIONS 1. Look on and wonder Are these things so 2 Tim. 3.1 Then great is the Mystery of Godliness God manifested in the flesh If it be a Mystery it cannot be fathomed Wonder at what Christ is and at what he doth What he is Prov. 30.4 It was the wise mans Probleme or hard Question What is his name or his Sons name if thou canst tell His Name is called Wonderful Isa 9.6 Wonder that the Divinity did not swallow up the Humanity that the fire and the bush can so well agree together All the Attributes of God are given to Christ all the Works of God spoken of him as of Creation Sanctification Glorification Therefore Christ is God not only by name or secundum divi but God by Nature He was God that he might satisfie he was Man that he might suffer Wonder at what he doth Patereulus says that when the Lacedemonians opposed Attica the Pythian God told them that that Army whose General was taken should conquer Codrus deposita veste regia c. Codrus laying aside his Princely Robes went among his enemies and was slain by them Our King on Maunday Thursday so call'd as some say because of the Command of Love Christ gave his Disciples before his Passion Mandatum novum do vobis I say our King useth to wash the feet of as many poor People as he hath lived years and yet not the less a King for this humble act Our Lord Jesus the King of Kings and Lord of Lords dyed that we might live abased himself that he might exalt us Psalm 126.1 2. When God delivered the Church out of Babylon by Cyrus they were like men that dreamed How much more should we be Astonished at our deliverance from Sin and Satan by Jesus Christ 2. Let Love be attactive of Love Let the Love of Jesus to us make us to Love him I have read of Agilmond King of the Lombards that one day he went a fishing and saw a Babe sprawling in the Water perhaps a base child he took it up and made it his adopted Son and called him Lama and left him his Crown and Kingdom You may easily imagine what delight this Lama took in seeing of King Algilmond whilst he lived and in thinking and speaking of this King after he was dead How excellently doth God express his love to the poor Jews of old Ezek. 16.4 5 6. As for thy Nativity in the day thou wast born thy Navel was not cut neither wast thou washed in water None eye pitied thee to do any of these unto thee to have compassion on thee but thou wast cast out into the open field to the loathing of thy person in the day that thou wast born And when I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thy own Blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy Blood live And lest this should be soon passed over the Holy Ghost bids them as it were stand and hear it the second time Yoa I said unto thee when thou wast in thy Blood live When Tiberius was in a Village named Spelunca Stones fell from the house where he was Sejanus genu vultu manibusque super Caesarem suspensis opposuit sese satis incidentibus saith Tacitus Sejanus covered the Emperour that if the Stones fell where they were Sejanus might die and not the Emperour which as the Historian observes made the Emperour ever after to love Sejanus though he loved him not before The wrath of God fell from Heaven because of mans sin Christ hath embraced the Sinner and that wrath hath fallen on him that else had crushed us O let us love him let us not be satisfied till we find our hearts burning in love 3. Crucifie Sin that crucified Christ Be the death of those Sins that were the death of Jesus Pride Wrath Covetousness and every abominable thing which the Soul of God hates Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our Old man is crucified with Christ that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin Sin is onely destroyed by his death had not Christ dyed for us we could no more have killed our Corruptions or been made Saints than the Devils can cease to be Devils and become Angels 4. Come to God as those that expect to be justified no other way but by Christ and his Righteousness In him is God well pleased with Believers The Names given to Christ are in Scripture given to a Christian as Son of God an Heir King yea the name Christ The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 12.12 As many Members make one Body even so is Christ Where it is understood not of Christ personally but mystically for Christians or the Church of Christ Now as Adams sins is imputed to us though he and not we disobeyed so Christs Righteousness is imputed to us though he not we obeyed 2 Cor. 5. last verse Though Adams Sin be imputed to us yet we were not the first sinners nor the involvers of all Mankind
immediately on the fall applyed himself to him and promised a Redeemer Paul to the Romans makes Adam a Figure of him that was to come Rom. 5.14 If sin and guilt might have made any man pine away Adam had been the man that opened the Flood-gates of Sin and Wrath to break in upon the World and was the ruine of the greatest part of his Posterity yet hearing of a Saviour he lived almost a thousand years We are not so to mourn for sin as to forget to rejoyce in Christ our Saviour Of this blessed Saviour I shall speak in the next Chapter CHAP. II. Of the Sufferings of Christ MEDITATIONS GOD is more pleased with the Sufferings of Christ than displeased with the Sin of Adam he more loveth us as the Children of Christ than he hated us as the Children of Adam We must often consider the Death of Christ and be affected with it It was Prophesyed of old Zach. 12.10 They shall look on him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for the loss of an only Son and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his first-born And O what wringing of hands what deep Groans what doleful Out-cryes are there made oftentimes for the loss of an onely Child or First-born Act 2.37 What made Peters Converts to be prickt at the Heart but the Preaching of a crucified Christ I shall here consider 1. What Crucifying was 2. Who were the Agents in this Work 3. Who and what he was on whom this Cruelty was acted 1. For the manner of Crucifying There was Lignum Geminum as the learned Weems speaks at large in his Christian Synagogue The Cross had four things Arrectarium or Main-tree Scabellum the Tree where the feet were Nailed Lignum transversum whereunto their Arms were fastned with Cords and there Nail'd Vertex the Title with the Inscription above the Head This way of putting to Death was so shameful and so lingring that the Romans inflicted it on none but Slaves or the vilest sort of men Constantine in Honour of Christ took away this Punishment Christ had carryed his own Cross as all Crucified Persons did but they had so weakned him Mat. 27.32 that they made Simon of Cyrene to carry it not out of Kindness to Christ but hatred lest he being so severely handled before should faint by the way and their blood-shot eyes lose the Pleasure of beholding him tormented on the Cross The Romans call'd this Punishment Servile Supplicium for the reason before-named 2. We come to consider the Actors in this woful Tragedy They were not the prophane Gentiles or common Rabble among the Jews that only did this but the High Priest the Scribes the Pharisees 1. They that had so long prayed and waited for his coming Before he came into the world the Devout Jews thought Blessed were the eyes that should see the promised Messiah in the Flesh It was a Petition commonly made by them in their Giving of Thanks at their Tables Let our eyes be made worthy to see the Messiah in the Flesh What cryes were there Isa 64.1 O that he would rend the Heavens and come down Malachi that closed up the Old Testament foretold how though they longed for him yet they could not stand before him Mal. 3.1 2. Behold I will send my Messenger and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his Temple even the Messenger of the covenant in whom ye delight But what follows But who may abide the day of his coming And who shall stand when he appeareth For he is like Refiners Fire and as Fullâ—rs Sope. He dealt too plainly with the world conâ—erning their Sin and Duty to be welcom'd by them They expected a Messias to deliver them from the power of the Romans and God sent a Messias to deliver from the power of the Devil 2. They that were acquainted with the Law and the Prophets That might by Types and Prophesies have known that Christ was the promised Saviour 3. They that heard his Doctrine and saw his Miracles His Doctrine was spitual and Heavenly reaching the Heart and Soul His Miracles were not done in a Corner as feeding many thousands with a few Loaves his raising Lazarus from the Dead 3. We now come to consider who and what he was who thus suffered 1. He that did their Bodies so much good Paul sayes for a good man some would even dare to die Though scarcely for a Righteous man Rom. 5.7 That is consider him as righteous before God and so few love him so well as to die for him but consider him as good to man so some would lose their lives for him But here they were so far from dying for this good man that they contrived his death He cured all sorts of men of all sorts of Distempers he raised the Dead c. 2. He that came to save Souls from endless burnings and to bring them to endless Blessedness 1 Thes 1.10 It is not more true that our Bodies and Souls are now in the world than that they had been in endless misery had not Christ dyed 3. He that was God God suffered in the Person Acts 20.28 though not in the Nature Hence it is that his Temporal Sufferings were as much as our Eternal would have been Christ had his Sonship but not his Substance from the Father who begat him in respect of Personality not of Essence The dignity of his person made the Sin of crucifying him so great I will suppose that all the Saints in Heaven and Earth were met together yea that all the Angels were incarnate and among them and that a man or number of men should murther them all this Sin were no sin in comparison of what I now speak of the Crucifying of the Lord of Glory Christ suffered from first to last In his Birth for the Ancient of Dayes to be born in time for the Eternal God to become a Babe this is soon said but who understands the depth of these things Luke 2.12 And this shall be a sign unto you you shall find the Babe wrapped in swadling-cloaths lying in a Manger yet was all ordered by the infinite wisdom of God Had Christ been the Son of Herod or Caesar then it had been no wonder that all the world went out after him but that one so obscurely born should carry the world before him was wonderful John when in Patmos Rev. 11.15 foresaw That the Kingdoms of the World would become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ which then was very unlikely in outward appearance He was sorely tempted by the Devil we read at large in Mat. 4. Gods end in all we have Heb. 2.18 Being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Ask the Saints what Suffering this is that often sweat under this Saddle when they are tempted to hate God or distrust him have such suggestions as are not fit
Like men that should go on singing and dancing and calling for their Cups and Musick to the place of Execution I have spoken of several Duties of reading Scripture Prayer Charity but we must remember all must be done in Sincerity and this is the next thing we shall consider CHAP VIII Of Sincerity MEDITATIONS MAny there are I doubt not whose Sincerity no man questions that will be found formal another day and many that few thought well of will be saved Snow covers Dunghils Gilt makes common Wood and Stones look like Gold So doth a Profession and some attainments make many Unconverted Men look like true Christians When Judas went up and down Preaching the Gospel if any one had said to him Judas thou art now perswading the world to close with Christ within a little time thou thy self wilt betray this Christ to death for thirty pieces of Silver would he have believed it or would he not rather have said as Hazael to Elisha 2 Kings 8.13 Am I a Dog that I should do this thing Many famous Ministers great Preachers men of great Parts and Zeal much followed by all and accounted Angels from Heaven I fear will in a little time Mat. 258. cry Our Lamps are gone out Many forward hearers that have done many things set on Reformation and minded reading and praying in their Families will I fear in a little time be found to be Cakes half baked Hos 7.8 On the other hand there are many Ministers and People that are taken but little notice of for Religion that I hope will be saved Their Heavenly Father sees that in secret hearts broken for Sin and breathing after Christ for which he will reward them openly Many that deceive themselves thus plead I can remember the time when the place where the Minister by whom I was Converted 1 Kings 21.27 28.29 When Ahab heard these words he rent his cloaths he fasted c. God takes notice of it to the Prophet Seest thou not how Ahab humbleth himself before me Then Ahab remembred the time when the place where the Prophet by whom he was terrifyed so as to pray fast and had a Promise from God on the doing this work Acts 8.13 Simon himself believed and was Baptized Verse 21. And yet his heart was not right in the sight of God Philips Doctrine and Miracles Converted seemingly him that had deceived many Simon might say I remember the time when the place where the Minister by whom I was convinced and awakened and yet he was in the gall of Sin and the bond of Iniquity Gal. 4.14 15 16. Once again many of them received Paul as an Angel of God even as Christ Jesus high words were ready to have plucked out their eyes and have given them to him and yet at last they accounted him their Enemy because he told them the truth No doubt many of them were but formal to whom he said Where is then the Blessedness you spake of These men could remember the time when the place where the Minister by wom they were reformed Many such men can say but little else but their first Convictions and Terrours Others plead That God hath heard and wonderfully answer'd their Prayers and that they are assured from the Scriptures of Truth John 19.31 That God heareth not Sinners but if any man be a Worshpper of God him he heareth And they will tell you of Extraordinary Providences that they have met with as an answer to Prayer I answer It may be God heard not your Prayers but your Murmurings as Numb 11. The Quails came at the peoples request here was a Providence but what was the close of all Some have desired Children Riches c. but unless these things have made them love and serve God they never were given in a way of Mercy but Judgment Or it may be God heard only the Cry of nature in you as he hears the cries of Young Lions and Ravens Gen. 21.17 19 20. God heard Hagar's and Ishmaels Cry When Hagar lift up her voice and wept an Angel calls to her and tells her God had heard the Cry of the Lad and it is said vers 21. God was with the Lad. Hagar and Ishmael might they say God hath heard and wonderfully answered our Prayers and God heareth not Sinners And yet both were cast out I doubt not but God doth work Wonders or Miracles for their Preservation or Deliverance that shall never be saved Some plead But I find I have Repentance I have Faith I yield Obedience to the Gospel c. Amen would to God it may appear to be so Yet hear the Word of the Lord Mat. 8.12 The Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out Conclude on it there is nothing in Art that doth more resemble a thing in nature than Legal Repentance resembles Evangelical Temporary Faith Saving Partial Obedience Universal Never was there the picture or Statua of a man that did more resemble a living man than common Grace doth Saving Never was any Brass Half-Crown more like one of good Silver than the life of a Hypocrite may the life of a Christian Have you so repented of Sin as to loath Sin as Sin for its malignity and evil nature Hath your faith made you to esteem of Christ his Ordinances and People more than of all Treasures Your Obedience unfeigned without reserves In the account we have of the sickness and death of Bellarmine done by C.E. the Jesuite one passage he hath to make him famous to the world which makes me more to hate the name and memory of Bellarmine than any thing recorded of him That when his Confessor came to him Such saith he was the innocency of the man that he could hardly tell what to confess insomuch that his Ghostly Father was in some perplexity wanting matter of Absolution till by recourse to his life past he found some small defects of which he absolved him The Author cryes O Zealous Mind O Noble Bishop but let the Christian poor in spirit that complains with Paul Rom. 7. of a Body of Sin and Death cry O stupid Soul O vile Hypocrite how secure was thy Conscience that at thy death hadst no scruple but the exchanging of one good work for another and that when commanded to it That was his leaving the Archbishoprick of Capua for better preserment What is related of him his lying on his bed with his eyes and hands lift up to Heaven his falling prostrate on the ground to receive the Sacrament his bestowing so much to feed the poor all these things signifie nothing when the heart is so proud so insensible of its own Gailt Then every man must try himself The Famous Divines in the Synod of Dort gave these Marks of Sincerity Dordrehti Synodus Vera in Christum fides filialis Dei timor dolor de peccatis secundum Deum sitis esuries justitiae A True Faith in Christ when a man humbly relies upon him for Life
Christ will condemn the Wicked in the great day there is not the least Promise of Pity after thousands of Years or Ages Aegyptian Bondage though long yet ended so did the Babylonish Captivity but there will be no end of this misery God is not a man that he should repent 1 Sam. 15.29 there will be no change of his mind If God changeth Al. in Philos Platon saith a Platonist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. he must be changed of himself or some other if of another he must be greater than God or wiser which none can be if of himself he must change either for the better or the worse both which would argue imperfection in God and therefore he shall be known for ever to be a God that changeth not God is now preparing his Instruments of Death though vain men consider it not but are as Sheep or Oxen or other Beasts of the field that are grazing or sporting when one stands by whetting his Instruments to slay them DIRECTIONS Prepare for the day of Judgment and when prepared pray for it The compleating of the happiness of the Saints as to their body will be in that day What think you of the particular Judgment in the time of Death When Saul was told he should dye for that is the meaning of the word be with me that is in the number of the dead for Jonathan was a good man 1 Sam. 28.19 20. Then Saul fell strait way all along on the earth and there was no strength in him In the sixth verse we find In the day of his trouble God answered him not neither by Dreams nor by Vrim nor by Prophets Neither will God speak comfortably to ungodly men when they die by Ministers nor Scripture nor Conscience If you ask what that Vrim was we read not of it as a thing made by Moses or the People some think it was a precious stone in the breast of the High-Priest that by the change of its colour shewed what success the People should have in War as by Thummim what Offerings were accepted I know Mr. Weems throws in one rub against this Because saith he when the Priest put on Vrim and Thummim he asked Counsel at the mouth of the Lord He pleads if there were such a wonderful miraculous change of the colour of Vrim there was no need of asking of God his Opinion therefore was when the Priest had it on he was inspired to answer to the question I will not gainsay the Opinion only I conceive the objection is of no force for that change of the colour might be made by or in Prayer and calling upon God Saul had no answer the Ungodly shall cry in a time of Death and not be heard and when the day of judgment cometh that great day the Consciences of the despisers of Christ may say to them what once Zebul said to Gaal Judg. 9.38 Where is now thy mouth wherewith thou saidst Who is Abimelech that we should serve him Where is now thy mouth wherewith thou saidst Who is Christ that I should serve him Then will he say to such Exod. 6.1 what once God said to Moses of Pharaoh Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh Now shall Angels and Saints see what God will do to the ungodly but such as are prepared for that day may Pray for it Aug. Medit Aspice Domine Jesu cries Angustine viduitatis orbitatis meaelacrymas quas tibi offero donec redeas Behold Lord Jesus the tears of my Widdowhood or fatherless condition which I pour out 'till thou returnest Pray for the Judgment day that sin may be no more that all the faithful may be gathered in Pray for the eternal Kingdom Mat. 11.12 The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force You see how poor hungry Beggars cry at your doors for an alms if you do not presently answer them if you frown on them they will not be gone Let us all smite our breasts Blessed God what an infinite disproportion is there between my desires and their objects how coldly do I Pray for a Heaven 2. Get a Settlement in your Hearts of the truth and certainty of all these things It is reasonable to believe that verily there is a Reward for the Righteous Psal 58.11 verily there is a God that judgeth the earth God rewardeth not his People now God punisheth not his Enemies now and therefore will do it hereafter The worst of Men have many times the best of the World and the best of men the worst God hath put breathings and longings of Soul in his own after the full enjoyment of himself in Glory and he puts not those desires there to torment them but to satisfie these desires Men venture much at Sea in hopes of great gain Let hopes even weak hopes in many put them on diligence in God's Service Wherefore 1 Cor. 15.58 my Brethren be constant unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord knowing your labour shall not be in vain 3. Let all the Saints admire and adore our Lord Jesus that saveth them from Hell and brings them to Heaven Mr. Ambrose in his Looking unto Jesus saith thus Suppose for an Offence thou wert to be rack'd leisurably that thy Bones and Sinews might be pained thirty or forty years that so much Flesh should be cut off-one day such a Bone broken another and by Art the Flesh should be restored and the Skin cured again and all thâ—se years thou be dying and never dead and all this while thou shouldest have no Cloaths Fâ—od or Sleep convenient for thee and when thou thought'st there was no hope a great Prince should come and deliver thee from all this misery and not only so but give thee great Treasures and one of the most pleasant Habitations in his Kingdom how would'st thou love that Prince Our Sin had condemned us to far greater Misery and our Lord Jesus hath procured for us far greater Mercy It is well God hath prepared an Eternity to admire this Love in 4. Do God that Service here on Earth that you can never do him in Heaven I will name a few Particulars and leave the Amplification to your Meditation 1. Take thy fill of spiritual Mourning for shine own and other mens Sins now Thou canst not do this when thou comest to Heaven for there is no Sin there 2. Bear up patiently under all thy Trials now thou canst not do this in Heaven for there is no trouble there 3. Deal liberally with distressed Christians now thou canst not do this in Heaven for there is no distressed Christians there 4. Delight in Scripture and Ordinances for the healing of thy Soul now thou canst not do this in Heaven for there is no unhealed Soul there A Word to the Vnconverted Are these things so Then may I say to you what the Prophet said of Moab and Kirharesh Isa 16.11 Wherefore my Bowels shall sound as
a Harp for Moab and my Inwards for Kirharesh When Men ran from God though God offer'd Grace and Mercy it is said Gen. 6.7 It repented the Lord that he had made Man and it grieved him to the heart Sin hath made him such a Monster that God loatheth him and the People of God are often in Anguish of Spirit because of him What aileth the Unconverted Man that though he knoweth he hath sinned and is exposed to eternal Judgments yet can eat and drink by day and sleep by night as if all were well Men condemned to die for Theft Murder how sad do they look but Sin is of a hardening nature Hence it is that their Hearts feel not the keâ—nest Considerations in Religion Ungodly Men are as one sayes Whately's Nâ—w-birth as little Devils and differ from the great Devil not in Parts of Corruption but Degrees as a Child differs from a Man But O man thou must die and if it be so thou dyest before thou art made a new creature thou art damned for ever Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming Isa 14.9 If there were a Sword a Pistol at thy breast how wouldst thou beg for life if thou hadst any hopes of being heard the Sword of Justice is drawn against thee and ready to be sheathed in thy bowels Cry cry aloud to the merciful God for Mercy How often in the night season is there a scrole before thine eyes of thy past iniquities and of judgments to come and thou turnest from one side to another Shall I shall I yet reform When shall it once be If any say I hope to be saved though I obey not the Gospel This is to say I hope God will prove false of his word or as if a man call'd to work and promised pay should say Though I sport or sleep but work not all day long I doubt not of my wages and should argue from the goodness of the nature of that man that imployed him If others say I will repent hereafter So thou shalt but I fear that hereafter will be in Hell for ever when there is no hope of mercy The Scripture calleth obstinate Sinners Sons of Belial 1 Sam. 2.12 2 Sam. 20.1 the Sept. read in one place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pestilent men infectious men in the other place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men yokeless against all Law And this is the case of men that were once glorious Creatures when in subjection to their Maker It is a comfortable consideration to them that are holy 1 Cor. 6.9 Rev. 21.27 That no unclean thing shall enter into the Kingdom of God Your graceless Faces shall occasion no sorrow to them there When they see you in the great day yet they nor their God will have any pity upon you Fathers whose hearts were once ready to break for their ungodly Children or Husbands for their ungodly Wives or Brothers for their ungodly Brethren they will not wish in that day O that I could save them from the Wrath of God! They will be contented and not only so but will rejoyce that Justice is executed upon them that God hath honour upon them in their eternal Damnation who had none by them by any Reformation or good works Turn you Ezek. 33.11 turn you why will you die Mind the duties I have perswaded to before Let none complain for want of time when they know that many of as much business as they can find time to mind God and their duty in Jer. 13.17 But if you will not hear my Soul shall mourn in secret for your pride You that cry in Youth It is too soon to be serious or in Middle-age It is time enough will in old age say It is too late I turn from you to them that I know will hear me and with whom my pains are never lost To the Righteous Praise the Lord all ye his Saints whom God hath sanctified whom God will save You may sing that Song Exod. 15.21 The Horse and his Rider hath he thrown into the Sea So your vile affections and Satan hath God conquer'd for you Grow in grace as the Children of God and as the Brethren of the holy Prophets and Apostles Epictetus gives a direction to Philosophers to consider when about to do an action 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What would Socrates or Zeno do So how would David Paul pray read or do the works of Religion if they were by you and were to do the same If your Brethren in Heaven could speak to you how would they perswade you to be zealous in good works as Children of the same Father and Heirs of the same Kingdom with themselves A strange sight would it be to see a King with a Crown on his Head taking in a Dunghill Sad is it to see the Christian that hath Grace and shall have glory to be immoderately concerned about the things of this life I perswade you to that which tends to make your lives happy on all accounts and which I have often spoken of Piety Industry Vsefulness and Chearfulness Piety be serious in Religion and seek for comfortable Perswasions of the Love of God Industry be laborious in your Callings Vsefulness do good to the Souls and Bodies of many Chearfulness flee all needless sorrow adorn the Gospel of Christ and let your Conversations invite others to receive it Faults in you are bad indeed The better the Garment is the worse is the rent the better the Cup the worse is the crack the better the man the worse the disorder For your encouragement to walk with God hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches Rev. 2.7 To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God Rev. 7.16 17. They are before the Throne of God and serve him day and night in his Temple And he that sitteth on the Throne shall dwell among them They shall neither hunger nor thirst any more Neither shall the Sun light on them nor any heat for the Lamb that is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them unto the Fountain of living waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Rev. 22.1 There is that pure River of the water of Life clear as Chrystal proceeding out of the throne of God Rev. 22.6 and of the Lamb. These sayings are faithful and true And the Lord God of the holy Prophets hath shewn to his Servants the things which must shortly be done Blessed are they that do his Commandements Rev. 22.14 that they may have right to the Tree of life and may enter in through the Gates into the City I end all with this humble Address unto the Lord That he would come with all his Train of Graces and put an end to all our Heats and Contentions about the smaller things in Religion and make us zealous of all good Works and then bring us to himself in Glory Even so come Rev. 22.20 Lord Jesus That all the Saints may enjoy those Delights of which it shall never be said Here is THE END