upon it unless when thou hast read it or heard it thou call to mind what thou hast read or heard Thus Davids Godly-man had his delight in the Law of the Lord and therein would meditate day and night Psal 1. 2. What Law this is Davids Godly-man delights so much to meditate in is worth our observing it is not the Canon Law nor the Civil Law nor the Law of the Twelve Tables it is not the Law of the Medes and Persians nor the Law of Nations but it is the Law of the Lord a Law that gives rule to all other Lawes and is it self ruled by no other Law a Law leading to perfect happiness and a Law whereby they must live and be ruled that will be happy David pronounceth his Godly-man to be a blessed man that doth this and the man that doth it after a godly manner does iâ— that he may be blessed he is in some measure a blessed man already but he meditates in the Law of God as one that would be perfectly blessed hereafter 4. Another means he makes use of are both the Sacraments of the Gospel those Seales of the Covenant of Grace and all things therein contained Viz. Baptisme and the Lords Supper I have sometimes wondred at the too usual practise of some that though they will not let their children want the Sacrament of Baptisme yet can themselves be content to be without the Sacrament of the Lords Supper as if that were some unnecessary Ordinance whereas Christ and all spiritual good things are Sacramentally held out as well in the one as in the other as well in the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper as in the Sacrament of Baptisme But then a Christian labours for Eternal good things when he improves both these Sacraments 1. When he dares not neglect to improve the Sacrament of Baptisme that initiatory Sacrament of the Gospel and first visible act of God's grace whereby he is received into his favour and family and the first visible means whereby God doth apply to him by word sign and Seal the blood of Jesus Christ for the remission of his sins He hath learned in his Catechisme that Baptisme in its general notion is an outward and visible sign or means holding out and giveing some inward and invisible grace and favour conveyed and made over thereby unto him and that thereby he is received into the injoyment of some priviledges and benefits that otherwise are not ordinarily to be had and enjoyed Viz. That by that door God hath let him into the Church opened a gate for him to enter into Christ's fold and assured him that Christ in his life and death is his and that he shall be saved by Christ through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost that he is thereby put into a new state for being before only a child of Adam he is now taken to be a child oâ— God and so stands upon better terms then meer Nature did instate him in That he shall enjoy pardon grace and Salvation and be priviledged from wrath to come he forsaking the Divel the world with all the Lusts oâ— the flesh having no fellowship with the unfruitfulâ— works of darkness and being in every other respect faithful in God's Covenant sealed by Baptisme and following the conduct of the Holy Ghost which in Baptisme seals his Vocation his Justification Adoption Sanctification and all other spiritual priviledges one as well as the other he shall at last be made a possessor of that immortality unto which in Baptisme he had a title given him Now when the hopes of such things and the remembrance of that treble Vow and Covenant which was by others made for him in his Baptisme and by himself at Confirmation or laying on of hands resumed and ratified in every part causes him to cleanse himself from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit and to perfect holiness in the fear of God to cleave to God faithfully against all the persuasions of the Divel the world and the flesh not to live as if he had been Baptized into the Divels name but as Baptized into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost as one that hath put on Christ and entred into Christ's death being buried with Christ in Baptisme and therefore reckons himself to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ Rom. 6. from 3. v. to 8. v. When the thoughts of God's putting his Seal in the way of an Ordinance to ratifie and confirm the Covenant of Grace and all things therein contained do encourage him to wait upon every other ordinance for the gaining all inward prerogatives of Saints by them that at last he may be brought to Mount Zion Heb. 12. 25. to the Souls of just men and to the assemblies of glorified Saints with them to be made a partaker of that life and glory which will be Eternal 2. When he frequently is a guest at the Lord's Table to partake of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper where are opened floods of Honey and Butter for each believer where is food in abundance for the Saints nourishment and growth in Grace Manna that will continue for ever and make believers continue for ever All other food the sweetness of it is gone in a quarter of an hour and the strength of it gone in a few hours But here the believing Soul is fed to everlasting life the sweetness the strength and the comfort of this food endures for ever when the fullest cups shall be emptied and the largest and plentifullest Tables shall be bared then the food to be had at the Lord's Table shall last for ever and be Eternally advantagious to the worthy receiver Then therefore is a Christian at this kind of labour when he comes hungring and thirsting after Christ and all the benefits of his death and passion even as a hungry man comes to his meat or a thirsty man to drink i. e. with an earnest desire desiring this Sacrament and the good things there held as David desired and panted after God Psal 42. 1. 2. As the hart panâ—eth after the water brooks so panâ—eth my soul after thee O God My soul thirsteth for God for the living God As Jesus Christ did after the Passover Luke 22. 15. With desire have I desired to eat this Passover with you also he speaks to his Disciples single desires would not serve his turn his desires are desiring desires beleeving ouâ— Saviour's words of himself John 6. 48 49 50 51. v. I am that bread of Life your fathers did eat Manna in the Wilderness and are dead This is the bread that came down from Heaven that a man may eat thereof and not dy I am the living bread that came down from Heaven If any man eate of this bread he shall live for ever and putting his seal to the words of holy Bernard In hoc sacramento speaking of the Supper non solum quaelibet gratia sed ille in quo
entred into the heart of man 1 Cor. 2. 9. and to teach us the way to possess those things No wonder therefore if in labouring for Eternal good things he be heard to say with St. Austin Sacrae Scripturae tuae sunt sanctae deliciae meae Thy holy Scriptures are my delights no wonder if he account them one of the greatest and most noble Love-tokens that ever God gave to the children of men no wonder if he prize them above gold yea above much fine gold the Scripture being both concha canalis a Cistern to contain the glorious mysteries of Salvation and a Conduit to convey God and Grace into the Soul that it may in glory be happy unto all Eternity No wonder if he imitate that Peerless Princess Queen Elizabeth to whom after her coming to the Crown as she passed in Triumphant state through the streets of London the Londoners presented a Bible at the little Conduit in Cheapside who received the same with both hands and kissing it layd it to her breasts saying That she received it thankfully and by it she would square her deportment that the same had ever been her chiefest delight and now should be the rule whereby she meant to frame her Government this puts him upon reading and hearing of the Word Preached and certainly then he labours for Eternal good things 1. When he reads the Scriptures that therein he may search for Eternal life that in them he may find the way to Eternal life When he followes our Saviour's counsel given to the Jews Joh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have eternal life The Greek word signifies to search as men do under ground for Treasures or to search as men do under water for something at the bottâ—me And then a Christian labours after those things when he is not wearied in the pains he takes in the Scriptures but takes all the pains he can that he may more clearly discover that heavenly Treasure which lyes therein that he may be rich in Faith and enriched in all knowledge 1 Cor. 1. 5. that he may be acquainted with the Mysteries of Salvation and be taught how to obtain those things that will last beyond a season That he may be made wise to Salvation that he may discern between things Temporal and things Eternal that he may come to know God and all the excellencies that are in Jesus Christ that he may learn from thence the happiness and glory of Heaven and have his heart inflamed with desires to possess those Eternal Mansions When the earnest desire after these things makes him to keep his Bible near unto him as it said of the Old Lord Burleigh Lord High Treasurer that to his dying day he would earry always a Tullies Offices about him either in his Bosom or in his Pocket so as Charles the 5th took not more delight in the study of the Mathematicks then he in the study of the Scriptures wherein he seeks for the knowledg of these things as for Silver and searches for them as for hid Treasures as Solomon directs Pro. 2. 4. 2. When he is a diligent hearer of the word of God preached that he may by the help thereof come the better to understand the word of God and know the will of God which as it is revealed in the Scriptures is to be the rule of all our wayes and actions in this world and be informed in that wherein most and greatest part of the world do mistake future and eternal happiness of another life Where the Word of God is sincerely preached I may use his words that sayes Quicquid ibi docetur est veritas quid praecipitur est bonitas quicquid promittitur saelicitas All that is there taught is truth all that is there commanded is goodness all that is there promised is happiness Now that Christian that therefore is ever drawing water out of these pure Fountains that waits conscientiously at the posts of wisdomes house that esteems the word as his appointed food that hears that his Soulâ— may live that here his soul may live the life of Grace and hereafter it may live the life of Glory when it shall be let loose from his body that cage of clay such an one is then without doubt in the right way providing for Eternity I will not say it of all hearers that therefore they hear that their Souls may thus live for there are many who would be thought to have a desire after the word and are often where the Word is Preached but alas should it be demanded of them as once it was of Aristotle after a long and curious Oration how he liked it they may as truly answer as he did Truly sayes he I did not hear it for I was all the while minding another matter Too many such there are men whose eyes are open but their minds asleep but when a Christian is attentive to what is spoken of the high Mysteries the word contains is attentive to every description of the Heavenly Canaan and every direction pointing out the way thither as to what concerns him here such an one followes our Saviours counsel in the words and is labouring not for that meat which perisheth but for that which endureth to everlasting life 3. When having read or heard the word of God he does meditaâ—e upon it he spends many thoughts about it that he may the better bury the good seed in his heart that it may not lye loose upon the top of his heart neither for the fowls of the air to pick up or the Divel that bird of Hell to steal away When herein he imitates Cato whose practise was to call to mind and meditate upon at Evening what thing soever he had seen read or done that day by which means he radicated things the better in his memory And Asaph who that he might remember the works of the Lord and remember his wonders of old Psal 77. 11. 12. sayes I will meditate also of thy works And the blessed Virgin Mary Luke 2. 19. Mary kept these sayings and pondred them in her heart she kept them because she pondred them and therefore pondred them that she might keep them so here when an Heavendesiring Christian hath read and heard Scripture reports of Eternity and the things of Eternity and hath learned out of the Word what course he must use to make Eternity an happy Eternity and to be enriched with Eternal good things he practises that charge given Josuah Josu 1. 8. This book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou maist observe to do according to all that is written therein for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and have good success As if the Lord had said thou shalt never attain to that knowledge of the Word as will bring thee to a coâ—scionable practise of it and doing what it does direct to be done unless thou meditate
Silas when they were prisoners when their feet were in the Stocks and that in the night yet they can sing praises to God Act. 16. 25. v. I was carryed to the Colehouse saith Mr. Philpot where I with my fellows do rouse together in the straw as chearfully we thank God as others do in their beds of Down They had their hearts in the night though they lay only in Straw fuller of heavenly Melody then some who rested every night upon their beds of Down their darkest nights were inlightned with the delights of God the elevations of then hearts were great such a temper as this in the ancient Christians â—aâ—sed them to be called the Crickets of the night â—ttering those Magnalia Dei the wonderful works of God Act. 2. 11. v. expressing their spiritual Jollity whilst they have been praising God in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual songs Sometimes that they might meditate upon the Word of God Time in it self is a most precious thing not such a Jewel among all things partaining to this life upon this time depends the welfare of our souls as to Eternity and t is but short 1 Cor. 7. 29. v. I say Brethren the time is short when Men find their time too short to perfect a business they will not only persecute iâ— in the day but in the night also 〈◊〉 Men but want Bread for themselves or families they will work hard in the day and continue to work some part of the night also The good houswife Pro. 31. 14. riseth whilst it is yet night As the Oracle told the Cyrrheans noctesque Diesque belli gerandum they could not be happy unless they waged War night and day Our whole life-time is little enough to effect the Salvation and everlasting happiness of our Souls and yet of this how much do Men consume in sleep but a gracious soul when God in the night time drives away sleep from his eyes will sometimes be calling to mind his sins to repent of them sometimes be praying unto God sometimes be seeking for Jesus Christ sometimes be praising of God and sometimes also be meditating in the law of God as is noted before of David's godly Man that he would be meditating herein day and night his thoughts then are set upon the Word of God Some indeed when God driâ—es away sleep from their eyes pass away such nights in wandring and roving thoughts their thoughts then running too and fro from one object to another without any good or profit to their souls they stay and fix upon nothing that is good are soon weary of any thing that is good ever are their thoughts â—â—â—tting up and down the world And thus for want of Meditation too often stiflle what good things they have read or heard of out of the Word of God in the day-time that their hearts are a â—in to that ground at Collâ—n where some of St. Vrsida's eleven thousand Virgins were buâ—ied which will cast up in the night any that have been â—nterred there in the day except of that company â—hough it were a Child newly baptized they neither keep any thing in their thoughts or their thoughts upon any thing but what agrees to their corrupt hearts Sometimes again to have their hearts taken up with some considerations of Eternity and their immortal Souls everlasting salvation All time is his who gave Time a beginning and continuance though yet some he hath made ours not to command to abuse and mis-spend but rightly to use Time is as it were a portion part or Cantle cut out of Eternity and then time is best used when a Christian is providing for Eternity laying hold upon every occasion and improving every hour and minute thereof for the good of his soul fitting it for that great Account in the day of the Lord Jesus Christ and laying in provision for that endless Duration This is that will comfort him at the day of death when all worldly comforts will and must leave him when riches can no whit avail him When a Man's conscience shall witness with him that he hath not mis-spent his time not lost nor let slip any opportunities of doing his Soul good when he can give a good account of his time Good Hezekiah when the message of Death came to him comforted himself thus Isay 38. 3. v. Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and have done that which was good in thy sight as if he had said I can give a good account of my time I have spent my time well I have not idled away my time and lost my time Vâ—â—a est punctum temporis a quo de pendâ— aeternitâ—s It shall be with us to Eternity as we spend our time And we may observe that God sometimes drives sleep from Mens â—o set them upon thinking of Eternity Dâ—â—xâ—â—â—us reports of a young man that was much given to his lusts and pleasures and could not indure to be crossed but of all things he could not bear to be kept from sleeping in the night and to lye awake in the dark but being sick he was kept from sleep in the night and then he began to have these thoughts and think What is it tedious to be kept from sleep one night and to lye a few hours awake in the dark O what will it be to lye in torments and darkness for ever I am hear in my house upon a soft bed in the dark kept by sickness from sleep but one night O what is it to lye in Flames and Darkness for ever and ever how dreadful will that be And these thoughts of Eternity were the means of breaking this young man off his lusts that was given to all manner of lusts before Now when a Christian God driving sleep from his eyes does in the night-season set himself to call to mind his sins to pray to God to seek for Jesus Christ to praise God and hath his heart taken up with these serious thoughts of Eternity and his immortal Souls everlasting Salvation he is about such an imployment as may gain him the possession of Eternal good things Such a one was David Psal 22. 2. v. O my God says he I cry in the day-time but thou hearest not and in the night-season and am not silent Like one hot in the pursuit of a business if he finisheth it not in the day he will spend the night about it David that prayed three times a day morning noon and night yea seven times a day sometimes held on the work in the night And so does the Church express her longing desire after God Isay 26 9. v. With my Soul have I desired thee in the night yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early It is storied of that Stoical Philosopher Cleanthes the successor of Zeuo a Man who for his excessive pains was called another Hercules while he was poor on the day-time he studyed Philosophy and
God knowingly But being in the Agony of Death and considering more throughly of his account he was to give to God fear struck into him and these words brake from him Oh would to God I had never reigned Oh that those years I have spent in my Kingdom I had lived a private life in the Wildreness Oh that I had lived a solitary life with God how more securely should I now have dyed how much more confidently should I have gone to the Throne of God What does all my glory profit me but that I have so much the more torment in my Death Christians experience the truth of what I am saying when you please When you hear of some such lying upon their Death-beds Go to such a one whilst he is gasping out his last breath and ask him What does the world do you good now do Riches profit you now do your great Possessions stand you in stead now does that which your cheifest labor and pains was laid forth upon do you good now Then you may expect to hear the words of a great Courtier who when he came to dye did most lamentable cry out Plus temporis operaeque se palatio quam Templo impendisse That he has spent more time in the Palace then in the Temple so they that they did all their life long spend more time and take more pains and labor for Temporal good things then for Eternal good things for Earth then Heaven but what they labored for so much does them but little nay no good now and makes them as he said have the more torment in their death O the Testimony of a Man's Conscience upon good grounds that he hath lived graciously been afraid of Sin walked according to the rule of Gods word labored cheifly not for perishing but Eternal good things will afford more joy and comfort in a dying hour then all the world can And I cannot think but that in cool blood not one amongst many that hunt after these things below so much but he will subscribe to the saying of the wise Man Pro. 10. 2. Treasures of wickedness profit nothing but righteounsness delivereth from death from Death Eternal to be sure 3. Temporal good things will do those who injoy them no good in the Grave though they possessed whilst living all the Riches of the Indies yet when they dye they can carry nothing thereof with them Naked came I out of my Mothers Womb says Job and naked shall I return â—â—ither Job 1. 21. v. Job brought nothing with him when he came into the world and to be sure he should carry nothing with him out of the world Job's wealth and great substance could not descend into the Grave with him hereunto agrees that in Psal 49. 17. v. read the 16. v. Be not thou afraid when one is made rich when the glory of his House is increased 17. v. For when he dyeth he shall carry nothing away his glory shall not descend after him Though to gain these things here Men weary their bodies perplex their thoughts rack their consciences and indanger their Souls yet carry they nothing to the grave with them so saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 6. 7. v. For we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we carry nothing out There is no man that is rich in the Grave more then another The King is as poor there as the basest Peasant in his Kingdom his Crown and Scepter his great State and glory follow him not thither no all differences end in the grave if we do search Graves and Sepulchers those chambers of Death we shall discover no difference amongst those bones we find there betwixt the Rich and the Poor the Master and the Servant the greatest Lord and the lowest Subject Sculls wear no wreaths or marks of Honor there Vetera fraugantur sepulchra ossa divitum agnoscas non opes Open the graves of rich men and see what is there you may find the Misers bones but not his riches Salandine that great Conquerour carryed nothing with him thither but his Winding sheet Alexander that would have been the greatest and richest Man in the world in the grave is lesser and poorer then the poorest man in the world It is remarkable what one reâ—ates concerning a Stone that was presented to Alexander the nature of it is said to be thus that being put into the one part of the ballance it weighed down whatever was put into the other part of it but if a little Dust were cast uâ—on the Sâ—â—â—e then eâ—ery thing weighed down the stone and he that brought the stone being asked what he meant by it he answered O Alexander thou art this Stone thou whilst thou livest doest weigh down all that are against thee and treadest down all before thee but when thou comest to dye and there is a little Dust thrown upon thee then every man will outweigh thee and then thou wilt be less then any man in the world Then his conquered Kingdoms then his large Dominions and great Treasures would not do him any good It was but a foolish action of one that I have read of and bespoke him to have an heart wholly taken up with the things of this world that being near death clapt a twenty shillings piece of Gold into his mouth saying Some wiser then some I 'll take this with me however 4. Temporal good things will do those who injoy them no good at the day of Judgment Where Luk. 21. 27. v. They shall see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory having Math. 25. 31. v. all his Angels with him Being ordained of God to be the Judg of quick and dead Act. 10. 42. v. For he hath appointed a day in the which he will judg the world in righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the Dead Act. 17. 31. v. And can I name the day of Judgment without putting all that hereof into a shaking fit of an Ague without causing their thoughts to be troubled the joynts of their Loyns to be loosed and their knees to smite one against another as Belshazzar's did at the sight of the hand writing upon the wall Dan. 5. 6. v. and without causing them to tremble as Felix did when he heard of the Judgment to come Act. 24. 25. v. Or as the people of Israel did at the giving of the Law with thundring in the Mount Exod. 9. Then those men that here could never be contented with their condition but would be higher and higher richer and richer greater and greater laboring only for Temporal good things but neglecting Eternal good things will wish they might be turned into beasts or birds or stones or trees or air or any other thing yea Nothing rather then be brought before the Judg at that great Assize held not for a particular County or Kingdom but for the whole World to hear