ransome which two latter have place in the Redemption of man in divers respects The Author of this great admirable and extraordinary work of Grace is Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God who in time became man and was made under the Law that hee might redeem us that were under the Law For this hee is called our Saviour and Redeemer or Redemption of his people who doth deliver them from the hand of all their enemies that they might serve the Lord without fear Those that God did raise up to redeem his people as Moses the Judges yea those that redeemed as kinsmen this or that were shadows of this our great Redeemer who was in time to bee revealed Christ hath satisfied revenging-justice overcome Satan killed sin and purchased deliverance for his people that are given unto him of his Father and such as beleeve in him are partakers of this Redemption in truth in this life perfectly in the life to come For from what time wee are ingrafted into Jesus Christ by a soveraign well-rooted and all-seasoning Faith wee are freed from being under the Law and revenging-justice of God The strong man is cast forth from what time Christ the stronger is entred The conscience is made a sweet companion and comforter rather than a rigorous keeper Where the King hath released a Prisoner the Jaylor can have no further power over him for hee is but to keep him during the Kings pleasure Again By grace God doth set our wills at liberty so that sin cannot reign in us as heretofore yea the world is crucified to us and wee unto the world For as when health cometh a man beginneth to walk abroad and do such things as hee could not stir to do while his sickness did keep him under so it is here Finally wee are so freed that we can suffer nothing which our wills have cause to be unwilling with all things being such as shal work together for our good Behold the rich grace admirable love and tender mercy of the Lord towards man in himself most miserable rebellious and worthy to bee cast off for ever God so loved the world that hee gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Oh Lord as our sin and misery abounded thy mercy hath superabounded In mercy thou didst provide a means for mans deliverance that justice being satisfied grace might bee glorious in his salvation Oh God when thou hadst determined that justice should take her revenge if by breach of covenant shee bee wronged thine infinite wisdome found out a way to satisfie wronged justice when all mankinde lay under the sentence of condemnation altogether unable to help themselves thine unspeakable mercy did shew her self for our deliverance when man had nothing to pay for his Ransome nor any strength to rescue himself from the hands of justice or the curse of the Law of thine endless love thou didst give Christ to bee our Saviour and by way of ransome to redeem us Oh my soul thou art redeemed not with silver or gold but with the blood of Christ a lamb undefiled This was it which in the blood of all the sacrifices was prefigured The death of Christ is it by means whereof Gods Grace doth set thee free and that in most just manner It doth pacifie justice her displeasure against sin For God that is God as his Revenging Justice is gone forth is said to smell a savour of rest in the death of Christ and by Christs being put under the Law or curse of Gods revenging made manifest in the Law wee are said to bee redeemed from the Law or curse as by an all-sufficient Ransome accepted of Justice This death doth feee us from the Devil for Satans power over us was by reason of sin and the punishment due to it from the Justice of God By death hee destroyed him that had the power of executing death The price of our Ransome was paid to divine Justice and it being paid and accepted Satan was cast down by strong hand This death hath obtained the Spirit to bee given thee which doth free thee from the captivity of lusts Gal. 4.4 5 and enable thee to finde liberty in actions of godliness Through this death thou hast deliverance from all evils So that all tears in Gods Time shall bee wiped from thine eyes and in the mean while all thy sufferings are so changed that they are not effects of Gods Revenging Justice to destroy but such things in which God doth offer himself as a Father intending to make thee partake further by means of them in the quiet fruit of Righteousness And now my soul why hath the Lord done this for thee that the Glory of his Grace might bee magnified in thy salvation and thou mightest serve him all the daies of thy life As for the parts of Redemption it is purchased or possessed and this begun or consummated in respect of guilt and punishment or power and tyranny of sin Rome was not built in a day Great things are not begun and finished all at once Redemption takes not its full effect in this life but it is so begun that it shall certainly bee accomplished in due time The Properties of this deliverance will set forth the excellencies of it in some sort It is true and real as far excelling that Redemption of Israel out of the Land of Egypt as the substance doth the shadow the soul doth the body and Christ did Moses It is spiritual from Sin Satan and the curse of the Law The bondage of soul to the wrath of God tyranny of Satan and slavery of sin is most lamentable and grievous and the more fearful the captivity the more comfortable the deliverance Nor is this mercy vouchsafed to a few that live in some corner of the world in some special age or time which much lessen the value of it but it is universal extended to all ages to all sorts of men high and low rich and poor a Apoc. 5.9 Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and which is the upshot of all this Redemption is eternal Heb. 9.12 Hee that is ransomed out of the power of a bodily enemy may bee taken captive the second time but hee that is set free by Jesus Christ cannot bee captivated by Satan It was a singular favour that God raised up Saviours to deliver them out of the hands of their oppressors It is a much greater mercy that God hath given us Christ to set us free from spiritual thraldome for that Redemption was typical this real that temporal of the body this spiritual of the soul and conscience That from the cruelty of man this from the tyranny of Satan that thraldome would have ended with life this bondage would ever have increased daily After that deliverance they might and did return to bondage But in this Redemption hee that is once freed abideth a
satisfie desire than salt water quencheth thirst Oh that true love like a strong stream which the further it is from this head of eternity would run into it with greater violence In Gods love there is no mixture of sorrow no want of delight fulness of pleasure all manner of contentment Alas alas that ever so many cold winds of temptation should blow betwixt God and our hearts to make our affections cooler unto him What dull metal is this wee are made of wee have the fountain of felicity and eternity and yet complain of want and weariness Do wee freeze in the fire and starve at a feast Have wee God to injoy and yet pine and hang down the head Let mee have my God and let mee never want him so shall my joyes bee lasting pure incomprehensible for possessing him that is the pure eternal and an all-sufficient good how should I not finde fulness of joy and contentment in him Oh my soul fear the Lord and stand in awe of his Majesty for hee is a great God and terrible a King above all Gods At his presence the earth trembleth the mountains quake and the foundations of the world are shaken The Angels cannot behold his glory the Sun and Moon are not clean in his sight Fear the Lord and depart from iniquity harbour no wicked plot in thy breast contrive not evil in thy thoughts for thou hast to deal with a God that is light of hearing who dwelleth in thy heart and knoweth thy Imaginations long before And what needs any other evidence when the Judge is witness His eyes are as flaming fire his feet are as burning brass hee will tread down the wicked in his wrath and vex them that hate him Serve the Lord with fear and commit thy self to him in well doing Trust in the Lord at all times Hab. 1.12 Psa 55.18 19. and stay upon his mercy Hee is the everlasting Rock constant in promises ever present for our aid unchangeable in love and favour No place can hinder God from doing us good distance or difficulty may bee impediments to all the creatures to stay their help but God at a blush fills all places to comfort or confound as it pleaseth him Hee that is freed from dimensions may pierce and penetrate enter and pass whither hee pleaseth without probability or possibility of resistance Hee hath created the world and yet is not weary his provision is no whit abated his power nothing diminished Let him carry us which way hee will make the passages never so troublesome and perillous yet the same hand that makes them hard will make them sure and if wee bee faithful to him will master all the difficulties for us Let him cast us into such great miseries of long continuance that hee seem to forsake us as if hee would not return to our help yet wee know that hee is everlasting the Holy One of Israel who cannot leave them for ever that rely upon him O God as I have trusted thee with the beginning so will I trust thee with the finishing of my glory And though never so many or main hinderances of my salvation offer themselves and after all hopes threaten to defeat mee yet faithful art thou who hast promised who wilt also do it Quest I would now hear how wee must proceed to meditate on the Love of God Answ Wee must consider of the efficient cause subject end objects effects properties and kinds of this Love what is like what opposite unto it The Love of God signifieth either that love whereby God loveth us Joh. 5.48 1 Joh. 3.17 1 Joh. 2.15 or that affection whereby wee being united unto God do rest in him with pleasure and delight Of this Theological virtue first in order not the first in fruit and continuance the greatest the end of the Commandement the bond of perfection the fulfilling of the Law I purpose to meditate by the grace of God This Love is a grace supernatural and is neither in us by nature nor can bee acquired by our endeavour Yea the measure of love is not defined according to the endeavour of the received but the pleasure and will of the Spirit measuring and pouring it into every one The author or principal cause of Divine Love is God himself by his blessed Spirit renewing and regenerating our hearts to the love of his Majesty Love is the fruit of the Spirit a Gal. 5.22 b Joh. 4.7 Eph. 6.23 He that loveth is born of God Love is of God and God is love Hee loveth us in his well-beloved and is the ever-springing fountain of all love in us The Spirit openeth our eyes to see and behold the incomprehensible goodness of God without which there is no love For of a thing unknown there is no desire The same Spirit infuseth the grace of love whereby wee are enabled to love God and quickened unto it Rom. 5.5 whereas of our selves we are destitute of all power and ability to every spiritual duty And the Spirit sheddeth abroad the love of God in our hearts whereby they are warmed to love God again The means which the Spirit useth for this purpose is the Word of Grace revealing the incomparable love of God in Jesus Christ towards us most miserable wretches The less principal cause of love is man renewed by the Spirit 1 Joh. 4.7 Deut. 30.6 Man regenerate doth love the Lord not of himself but by the grace of God The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul Faith well rooted will a Gal. 5.6 Quantum cognoscimus tantum diligimus animate quicken and move love Faith and Love are both graces supernatural infused at once in the same instant of time but in order of working Faith hath the precedency and kindleth Love From this it followeth that the subject of Love is a renewed heart inlightened with the true saving knowledge of God purified by Faith and seasoned by Grace For Love is a spiritual affection in the reasonable part presupposing knowledge and affiance whereby the soul goeth forth to imbrace the good it apprehendeth The end of Love is the possession of God as the chief good Love as wee see makes man and woman one and so it doth couple us to God It is a weight whereby the heart is inclined toward God and wholly carried unto him The object of Charity is God in Christ God is to bee loved not only as hee is good merciful gracious long-suffering and bountiful and as hee doth love and daily lade us with his blessings But also as hee is wise just and powerful even as hee doth chastize and visit us with severe corrections For as the true love of children towards their Parents doth effect this that they love their Parents and perswade themselves that they bee beloved of them though they bee reprehended crossed corrected and cannot obtain what they will so true Love
doth look to God when hee sendeth persecution war sickness or any other calamity God is to bee loved in Christ in whom hee is well pleased greatly delighted in us If any man love not the Lord Jesus let him bee accursed Christ hath redeemed us unto God and reconciled us being enemies Hee is ordained of God to be our Lord and King advanced at the right hand of his Father to give salvation unto Israel Love is a supernatural gift or Grace whereby wee * Psa 63.8 Josh 22.5 Deut. 4.4 cleave to God in Christ and desire to possess him with joy and comfort The acts or effects of Love presupposed or comprehended under it are these First To acknowledge God to bee the chief good and with most earnest desire to bee carried towards him that wee might bee united to him Secondly To rest delight and rejoyce in him and to desire nothing above him nothing against him nothing equal unto him Thirdly To seek the advancement of his glory and to think will speak or do what is acceptable in his sight whether wee have to deal immediately with his Majesty or others pertaining to him Hee that loves God will love what the Lord loveth and hate what hee hateth do what hee commandeth and forgo whatsoever is forbidden Whose keepeth the Word 1 Joh. 2.5 in him verily is the love of God perfected Fourthly To neglect no occasions which are or may bee offered for the exercise of piety Love is diligent and laborious Fifthly To love them that fear God for his sake and to draw as many as possibly they can to the knowledge and obedience of the truth If wee love one another 1 Joh. 4.12 God dwelleth in us and his love is perfected in us The Properties of Love are First It cannot bee lost the act of Love may bee intermitted but the grace cannot bee lost for the gifts of God are without repentance the life of grace is everlasting Secondly It is imperfect in this life and ever wanting somewhat that may bee added to it for as long as wee live here it is far short in degree to that the Law requireth Thirdly It is sincere and entire for nature though for degree defective True love is not maimed in parts though it bee not come to full growth Fourthly It increaseth by degrees in this life and shall bee perfected in Heaven When Faith shall cease then Love shall come to full strength and glory Not that the Saints can love God in measure answerable to his goodness and excellency for a finite virtue cannot infinitely love the infinite God the infinite Beloved but their love shall bee preserved so far as a creature is capable Fifthly It is most pure and comfortable free from all mixture of sorrow and vexation Men though never so loving are compassed with infirmities subject to passions and many things may befall them they may do somewhat that is to us occasion of grief and pain but in the Lord each Christian heart shall ever finde matter of solace and refreshing never of vexation and discomfort if the fault bee not in himself Oh the excellency of Love what is it but the gate of Heaven the beginning of everlasting happiness not the least portion of that glorious inheritance which wee shall then fully possess when love is grown to perfect ripeness The degrees and kinds of love are diverse Wee love God for good things received or benefits past wee love him also for the good wee expect that is eternal happiness with the comforts of this life and wee love him for himself and for his own glory God is to bee loved for himself and not for another end form or efficient for hee is the last end of all things his essence is perfect goodness his goodness is from himself and not from an external efficient but nothing hinders why God should not bee loved for his blessings received or hoped for Each grace of the Spirit is for original divine in nature excellent for use necessary bending towards Heaven but if comparison bee made love must have the preheminence for use and continuance The dignity and sweetness of love will appear by the baseness of what is opposite That is best whose contrary is the worst Now what is more abominable hateful pernicious so full of vexation and horrour as the love of sin love of the world and hatred of God As continual fear unquietness discontent doth accompany these with eternal confusion in the latter end So unspeakable joy peace contentment security do wait upon it and the end shall bee everlasting glory and full fruition of God in Heaven Quest How must these things bee applied to the heart Answ Wee must stir up our hearts to the hearty intire love of God by examination taking shame to our selves for our manifold slips and great slackness complaining of our great bondage and inability to raise up our souls hearts wishing and longing to bee fired with the love of God calling upon our selves to bee more hot and fervent and seeking unto the Lord by earnest and hearty prayer Love the Lord Oh my soul and all that is within thee love him with all thy strength and let his glory bee dear unto thee for hee is the object of love gracious Affectus amoris pro objecto habet pulchrum bonum merciful long-suffering abundant in goodness and truth hee is thy Father thy God thy Husband thou art bound unto him by covenant his love to thee is free and of meer grace thy love to him is debt many waies due from thee deserved by him Hee loves thee for thy profit thou art to love him for thy own good for in his love stands thy perfection Hee is the chief good absolute all-sufficient the rest and stay of the mind beyond which it can desire nothing in whom it findes incredible joy and comfort and shall possess everlasting consolation when it is immediately united to him by vision and love The former blessings thou hast received the future good things thou dost expect and look for do challenge this duty at thy hand Publicans and sinners love those that love them and for kindness return affection God hath loved thee first loved thee when thou wast not when thou wast miserable Hee hath laden thee with his benefits given thee more than thou wouldest desire and prevented thee with favours which thou never didst ask hee made thee of nothing hee is thy preserver redeemer Saviour who hath delivered thee from death and hell and vouchsafeth unto thee life and mercy his blessings upon thee are innumerable pass all thought and reckoning What canst thou render less than hearty affection for these inestimable favours Oh my soul thou canst not love thy self truly if thou love not him above all things for thou art coupled to him by love in whose presence is fulness of joy without whom to bee is to bee most miserable Thou canst not but desire happiness but happy thou canst
not bee without love But ah wretch that I am I finde mine affection is weak toward God strong to vanity Those wee love do wee not love to bee present with them If they bee absent do wee not think long till they return again Are wee not grieved to hear them wronged by word or deed whom wee esteem dearly of are wee not desirous to give them content doth it not cut us if wee do them any harm Are wee not with them in thought though absent in body glad of a letter that comes from them is not the messenger welcome that can bring us tidings of their welfare But I finde little joy in coming publickly or privately into Gods house or presence I think little of him and that but overly I speak little to him and that not without weariness and distraction Nay I am like those children who can play abroad all the day long and never care to look unto their Parents When did my heart long to return home and to bee with Christ Though God through sundry troubles do even smoak mee out of this world yet I will not come away in mine affection When I see Gods name blasphemed and all wickedness committed do mine eyes gush out with tears or do not I offend daily and pass it over taking too light penance of my self It is irksome to mee to do his will I do not long for his presence nor bewail his absence I do not study to please him in all things nor can I rejoyce in the prosperity of his Saints when I my self am in misery and distress I cannot prize his favour am not cheared with his promises do not delight in his statutes above all things His Word is his Letter sent unto mee but I am not glad and diligent with care and conscience to read it vanity hath stollen away my heart and the transitory bewitching pleasures of the world which cannot profit have taken up my thoughts This hath been mine impudent behaviour against thee my God which I cannot with any words of indignation sufficiently discover If a woman should bee dead in the nest when her husband were before her but should bee affectionate to every stranger if shee should not care how long shee were absent from him but think her self best while they were asunder if shee cared little how her loving husband were offended casting that at her heels which hee takes to heart were not this shameless behaviour in her And shall I not bee ashamed to shew no more love to thee to whom my soul is married in Christ Oh my soul what canst thou finde in the world why thou dost affect it it hath bred much vexation and sorrow thou hast been crossed and molested with it the more thou lovest it the greater trouble discontentment thou findest therein and wilt thou still take pleasure in thy pain what canst thou not finde in God and that above all thought and conceit why thou shouldest intirely cleave unto him what occasion couldest thou finde at any time to draw thy affection from him wilt thou leave the fatness and marrow that is in the house of God to feed upon the refuse and scraps that this world affords Ah wretch that I am who shall deliver mee from this bondage of sin I am full of uncharitable and false love I can love my self I have affection enough to the things of this world to the gifts of God and those the meanest more than to the giver as harlots to rings gold bracelets more than to the sender But I have not power to raise my soul to the love of God in Christ here my affections lye dead and will not mount aloft Oh that the love of God did possess my reins in such sort that in thought I might bee still with him rejoyce in his presence and walk before him in dutiful obedience Oh that my heart did burn with love that is strong as death hot as coals of Juniper that hath a vehement flame that no waters can quench no floods can drown no allurements can draw aside Why art thou so dead Oh my soul why dost thou not lift up thy self to the love of God whom hast thou in Heaven but him and who in earth is to bee desired in comparison of him for whom dost thou reserve thy prime affection for the world sin vanity Oh adulteress knowest thou not that the amity of the world is enmity with God thou hast gone astray and deeply defiled thy self with the love of sin return now unto the Lord and embrace him with most intire and dear affection what thou hast bestowed upon the world pleasure lusts carnal delights to thy great discomfort now set it wholly upon things above that it may finde rest and comfort Oh Lord I beseech thee who art only able to purge my heart of all filthy prophane love and to fill it with the pure love of thy holy Majesty this is thy promise I will circumcise your hearts and make you love mee with all your hearts therefore I am bold to make this prayer and will confidently wait upon thee for this mercy Quest How should a man proceed to meditate on the Fall of our first Parents Answ Hee must consider the subject causes and end of that act aimed at but not obtained the degrees properties and effects of it By the Fall of our first Parents wee understand the first sin of Adam and Eve whereby they transgressed the Commandement of God in eating the forbidden fruit this is fitly so called because as an heavy body falling upon some hard and sharp rock is greatly bruised and hurt so man after hee had received so many and great gifts from God sinning wickedly against his express charge and commandement did grievously wound himself The subject of this transgression was our first Parents Adam and Eve made after the Image of God perfect in stature of body and strength of mind enriched with excellent prerogatives of liberty and dominion planted in a garden of delights that they might dress it and keep it favoured of God and admitted into near fellowship with him The principal outward cause of mans disobedience was Satan the Prince of darkness that old murtherer who being fallen from God and shut up under condemnation did with incredible fury and malice seek the dishonour of God and the destruction of mankind This envious one spying his opportunity set upon the woman as the fitter to be made his prey when shee was alone and by his subtilty beguiled her The Serpent the most subtil of beasts which the Lord had made was the instrument that hee used to seduce the woman and the woman her self being first in the transgression was made the willing instrument of her husbands destruction The quality of the fruit as it was good for meat and pleasant to the eye was by accident a cause that moved them to eat which yet they might and ought to have forborn having liberty to eat of all the trees
Scripture this work is ascribed to the Father * Act. 2.24 who is said to raise his Son and to the Son a Rom. 1.4 Joh. 10.18 who by his Divine power or as the Apostle speaketh by the eternal Spirit raised up himself I have power to lay down my life and I have power to take it Of his infinite love towards his Elect hee laid down his life and of the same love and affection toward them hee rose again which is more evidently seen in this that hee did vouchsafe to call them brethren with which sweet name full of love hee had not before saluted any man As hee suffered the most grievous torment for the salvation of the Elect his chosen people so for the glorification of his Spouse that is the Church hee rose again that hee might inrich and beautifie her with spoils taken from the enemy The Causes lead us to consider of the End why Christ rose again for every proper efficient intendeth an end which is ever good and that most excellent as the worker is of greatest wisdome and excellency Now therefore since Christ rose in special love to his peculiar people it must needs tend to their special exceeding great good By his Resurrection the glory of Christ which hee had with the Father before the foundation of the world was manifested which the world would not acknowledge by his Sermons nor by miracles confirming his Doctrine By his Resurrection he obtained those glorious Titles with which the Prophets foretold that the Messias should bee adorned such as bee Act. 3.15 1 Cor. 15.20 Col. 1.15 18. Apoc. 1.5 Rom. 14.9 The Prince of life the first-fruits of them that sleep the first-born of every creature the first-born from the dead and the first-begotten of the dead and the Lord of Dead and Living By his Resurrection hee shewed himself to bee the Conquerour of Death Sin and Satan meritoriously hee triumphed over our enemies upon the Cross actually hee began his triumph at the Resurrection Col. 2.23 24. Now when the powers of Hell could no longer hold him under it is manifest that they are subdued and conquered By his Resurrection hee declareth that his satisfaction is fully absolute Had the least penny of our debt remained upon the score not discharged hee could not have loosed the sorrows of Death Christ died for our sins and rose again for our justification By the Resurrection hee prepared himself to the glorious function of a Mediatour As hee suffered without the gate to pay the price of our Redemption So did hee enter into Heaven to appear before the Father for us Hee died once for our sins and now liveth for ever to make intercession for us By his death hee purchased life and salvation for his people and now sitting in glory at the right hand of the Father hee doth communicate the blessing that hee hath procured for them Christ rose that wee might rise For hee that raised up the Lord Jesus 2 Cor. 4.14 shall raised up us with Jesus and set us together with him Early in the morning upon the third day after hee was buried our Saviour rose out of the Sepulchre in which hee was laid at which time there was a mighty Earthquake and an Angel descended from Heaven to rowl away the stone at which glorious apparition the souldiers that kept the Tomb were sore affraid and became as dead men The death of Christ wanted not signs of Majesty nor his Resurrection tokens of exceeding glory when the Earth was moved at his presence and the Angels descended from Heaven to do him service The effects of this Resurrection are far more glorious than the signs that did accompany it for unless his Resurrection had followed his cruel death all his benefits appropriated to us had layen buried together with him 1 Cor. 15.17 Rom. 6.8 9 1 Cor. 15.55 1 Pet. 1.3 1 Cor. 15.21 22. The Resurrection of Christ is a notable confirmation of his Doctrine the abolition of sin and death regeneration unto life eternal and vivification of our bodies are the fruits of it It was necessary that Christ should rise in regard of the excellency of his person for being the proper Son of God it was impossible hee should bee held of the sorrows of death being just and innocent as man it could not bee that hee should lye under the power of the grave and dying to overcome hee could not bee vanquished of the enemies It was also necessary in respect of the Covenant hee had made with the Father the dignity of his high office of eternal Mediation and that the truth of those things which were foretold concerning the glory of the Messias might bee fulfilled Many admirable things are spoken touching the Messias and the glory of his Kingdome who was first to lay down his life and then to take possession of his Kingdome in glory where hee shall live for ever to make intercession for his people which hee could not have done if hee had not risen It cannot bee that the Word of God should take none effect but it was foretold that the Messias should rise again in which respect his Resurrection was necessary Christ not as a private person but as a publick person Hee died for his Elect and virtually they rose in him when hee rose from the dead of whose Resurrection they partake actually when by lively Faith they are made one with him This Resurrection was exceeding glorious in respect of the power by which it was effected the life into which hee rose and the things that accompanied or followed after the Resurrection For the graves did open and many bodies of them that slept in the earth arose Whereby the grave did witnesse that its power was taken away and clean vanquished Jonah's deliverance out of the Whales belly was wonderful and miraculous the Lord was gracious in sparing Isaac and raising him as it were from death who was a slain Sacrifice in his Fathers account But these were only types and shadows of Christ his Resurrection the life and glory of the other The elect and faithful shall rise to glory at the day of judgement but they shall rise by the power of Christ Christ arose by his own power they shall rise as the Members of Christ but Christ rose as the first-fruits of them that sleep they shall rise as private persons but Christ arose as a publick They shall arise from corruption but Christ his body did not see corruption They shall rise to immortality and glory for themselves but Christ rose to glory that hee might govern his Church in glory and bring his Elect unto himself that where hee is there they might bee for ever Quest How are these things to bee pressed upon the heart Answ Wee must stir up our selves to behold and rejoyce in the Lords love towards us and fly unto Christ by Faith that wee might feel the power of his Resurrection quickening us to newness of life and comfort our selves against the fear of death and rotting in the grave with an assured hope of Resurrection to immortality and eternal glory FINIS Courteous Reader These Books are printed for and sold by Henry Mortlock at the sign of the Phoenix in Pauls Church-yard near the Little North-door Folios A Commentary upon the whole Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians wherein the Text is learnedly and fruitfully opened with a Logical Analysis spiritual and holy Observation Confutation of Arminianism and Popery By Mr. Paul Bain A Commentary on the Proverbs Ecclesiastes Canticles and the Major Prophets By John Trap M. A. Quartos An Exposition of the Prophecy of Ezekiel By William Green-hill The dividing of the Hoof or seeming Contraditions throughout sacred Scriptures distinguished resolved and applied By William Streat M. A. Some Sermons preached upon several occasions By Peter Sterry Large Octavos A Treatise of the Divine Promises in five Books In the first A general Description of their Nature Kinds Excellency Right Use Properties and the Persons to whom they belong In the four last A Declaration of the Covenant it self the bundle and body of all the Promises and the special Promises likewise which concern a mans self or others both temporal spiritual and eternal By Edw. Leigh M. A. of Magdalen-Hall in Oxford The Hypocrites Ladder or Looking-glass or a Discourse of the dangerous and destructive nature of Hypocrisie the reigning and provoking sin of this age wherein is shewed how far the Hypocrite or formal Professor may go towards Heaven yet utterly perish by three Ladders of sixty steps of his Ascending By John Sheffield Minister of the Word at Swithins London An Improvement of the Sea upon the nine Nautical Verses in the 107 Psalm wherein among other things you have a very full and delightful Description of all those many various and multitudinous Objects which they behold in their Travels through the Lords Creation both on Sea in Sea and on Land viz. All sorts and kinds of Fish Fowl and Beasts whether wilde or tame All sorts of Trees and Fruit All sorts of People Cities Towns and Countries By Daniel Pell Preacher of the Word Small Octavos Several Treatises useful for Christian Practice viz. Warning to Backsliders The way to true Happiness Mercies Memorials A Sermon preached on the fifth of Novemb. Milk and Hony first and second Part Orthodox Paradoxes The New Commandement Divine Similitudes or Mysteries and Revelations By Ralph Venning The Exceeding Riches of Grace advanced by the Spirit of Grace in an Empty Nothing-Creature viz. Mris. Sarah Wight Published by H. Jessey A Servant of Jesus Christ A Latin and English Grammar By Charls Hool M. A. Physical Rarities containing the most choice Receits of Physick and Chirurgery for the Cure of all Diseases incident to mans body Hereunto is annexed the Physical Mathematicks of Hermes Trismegistus Published by Ralph Williams Practitioner in Physick and Chirurgery Twelves The Saints Desire or Divine Consolations being a Cordial for a Fainting Soul containing Observations Experiences and Counsels The Saints daily Duty the Life of Faith and how a Soul may live in the sweet enjoyment of the Love of God c. By Samuel Richardson A Receipt for the State-Palsie or a Direction for setling the Government of the Nation delivered in a Sermon upon Proverbs 25. v. 5. FINIS
then corruption of nature will shew it self Thou shalt soon perceive that thou art vain ignorant impotent proud worldly self-conceited fickle envious impatient unprofitable an harbourer of filthy lusts a stiff opposer of sound holiness passionate unsound and what not Begin to meditate when opportunity is offered thou art barren and canst finde nothing fit to bee matter of musing canst make use of nothing which thou hast heard or seen hast thou found matter thou art dull and sensless not able to fasten one thought upon it as is meer so hard-hearted that nothing can pierce or enter Thou settest forward but art quickly turned out of the way that thou mayest well wonder to see how far thou art strayed before that thou couldest discern that thou hast stepped aside some idle toy earthly business vain pleasure needless fear delightful remembrance of sin hath drawn thy thoughts another way Do not these things display the poison of our evil and corrupt nature Moreover by Meditation wee look into every dark filthy corner of our naughty hearts and rake into that stinking chanel which is seldome stirred So that when wee set about it wee shall bee compelled to say I heard of corruption by the hearing of the ear but now I see it with mine eye I feel it to the great disturbance of my soul And thus wee are drawn to deny our selves humble our souls and seek to Christ for succour and relief Secondly It is a spiritual means to purge out sin and to cleanse the ground of our heart from those noisome and hurtful weeds that grow in them No means more available to rince and purifie them to break the bed of sins and hunt away the litter of prophane lusts none comparable to this Note For though by the Word wee know them by conference wee revive the remembrance of them and by reading wee do both a Heb. 2.1 yet all these run out of our riven heads and abide meanly with us to suppress our corruption and to tame our hearts until wee bring our selves to often and much musing and debating of the good things which wee hear and read that so wee may digest them and of the evils which by occasion wee fall into that wee abandon them Even as worldly men ponder deeply their affairs which are weighty Meditation makes known the hainousnefs of sin inflames the heart with love of holiness cherisheth the graces of Gods Spirit which are as fire to consume the dross of sin and rouseth to earnestness in prayer to bee set at liberty from that cruel bondage Moreover the conscionable performance of this duty of Application of the Word with Examination and Prayer which is done by Meditation is through the blessing of God very effectual to kill and crucifie the lusts of the flesh The special sins prevented by this exercise Are 1. Idle roavings unprofitable wandrings unsavoury thoughts wishes and desires of heart who groans not under this burden who is not much hindered by them They distract in prayer reading hearing and cool our zeal dead our hearts waste much precious time steal away comfort defile the soul and bring forth much dangerous fruit The special medicine to cure this malady is Meditation it either keeps or thrusts out frivolous and idle thoughts and motions either it prevents them or keeps them under The Word hid in the heart preserves from sinning * Psa 119.11 When the door is open and the house empty it is an easie matter for the theef to enter but if the heart be occupied in goodness evil cannot finde room and harbour The foul spirit being cast out of a man seeketh to return with seven spirits worse than himself b Mat. 12.42 43. but is not able to re-gain possession till hee finde the house empty swept and garnished when wee do nothing and withall labour to get no good matter into our minds wee are sure to be pestred with evil cogitations arising from natural corruption or cast in by Satan but if the heart bee imployed continually in that which is profitable holy and excellent corruption shall not have that strength to molest nor stir nor Satan that opportunity to suggest Hath vanity taken root To remove it no means more profitable than oft and deep consideration of the swarms of evil cogitations that arise in the mind to bring them into vile account to bee weary and ashamed of them and to endeavour to entertain and harbour better motions and desires in their room What Christian can endure to have his heart taken up as a lodge or sty for froth filth vanity idleness or folly that seeth the loathsomeness of it and knows how and where to furnish himself with heavenly and comfortable matter Hee will judge himself watch and make earnest requests never ceasing till the number of idle imaginations bee abated 2. Earthly-mindednesse and the inordinate love of things temporal are bad weeds that cover much ground bitter roots that stick fast in our nature sins that set open the heart for Satan to take possession and dwell therein that make the Word unprofitable because it cannot have right and sound plantation that are attended with multitude of other sins and never go alone The only means to dig them out of the heart is Meditation Look into the vanity deceitfulness uncertainty vexation that outward things bring with them and thou wilt never set thy heart upon them Psa 49.11 Why do many men lay up for themselves treasure on Earth They know not the glory and dignity of Gods Saints they conceive not the necessity and excellency of saving Grace they never tasted the comforts of a godly life see not the Crown and joy that is prepared in Heaven for them that love and fear the Lord. It may bee they know there is a life to come an Heaven an Hell but their knowledge is dim uncertain confused idle earnestly often advisedly deeply they consider not of it It is impossible that hee should covet great things in this world or highly prize what is base and transitory that hath an eye to the recompence of reward What wee are in Meditation may easily bee guessed by our affection to the things that are perishing Hee that admireth the fading bravery of what is under his feet hath taken but sleight view of heavenly glory Thirdly By nature wee are very sluggish like unto the Oxe that will not draw unless hee bee driven or pricked with a goad Meditation is a spur to quicken us a Eccles 12.11 The words of the wise are as goads if the Word read or preached bee of great force it must needs work effectually if wee joyn Meditation Upon the first hearing the practice of good works may seem difficult and unpleasant our slothful nature will object many things against it A Lion is in the way a Lion is in the street it is hard to bee tied so narrowly dangerous to follow such courses But if wee consider the matter more attentively
wee shall see great cause good incouragement to set upon that work with diligence joy and chearfulness as the mercies of God the love of Christ the comforts of grace the bond of Creation preservation redemption the promise of divine assistance and gracious acceptance the peace of conscience and lively hope of an Inheritance in the highest Heavens When these and such like considerations are duly weighed wee shall finde many and more effectual provocations to incite to holiness than possiblely can bee to incite unto sin or to dishearten in any good enterprize Fourthly In company wee are apt to forget our selves and take offensive liberty to bee idle loose vain in speeches pettish in behaviour The reason is because wee are not stored with good matter wee have not seen into the manifold imperfections of our hearts nor tried in secret how wee can master and overcome corruptions Whereby the necessity of Meditation is manifest that gaging the heart thorowly and fighting against sin at home wee might bee more watchful in company lest wee should bee overtaken and better enabled to resist for as hee who goeth to war is first trained and made fit to use his weapon at home and the scholar tryeth masteries privately before hee come forth to dispute openly so must a good Christian try what hee can do against his affections lusts alone by himself in his solitary Meditation and resolve against them accordingly as hee seeth the difficulty to require before hee can in his common dealings with all sorts and companies bee strengthened against temptations and falls and free from offence-giving in his words and deeds 5 Unbeleef and hardness of heart are evils no less dangerous than common to the godly that feel them to the ungodly that are insensible a curse a judgement that cannot sufficiently be lamented The special remedy is earnest communication with our selves and with the Lord in secret How doth the heart relent when wee set our selves in the presence of God to record our disobedience with shame and sorrow and when wee call to remembrance our mortality the day of death the coming of Christ to judgement the favours of God the love of Christ his most bitter death and passion Hardness of heart cometh from want of due consideration a Mark 6.52 8.17 18 19 20 21. Tenderness follows Meditation as contraries are cured by their contraries To chide the heart for sin and force it by strong reasons pressed again and again upon the conscience is effectual to break and rent it as hard stroaks with beetle and wedges are to cleave the knotty Oak They that look up to Christ will mourn over him To stock up infidelity and to plant the word of promise what means to Meditation a Psa 77.9 10 11 12. when wee consider the power goodness unchangeableness of the Lord his free grace rich mercy and constant truth how hee dealt with his servants in former times and hath holpen us in the day of our calamity doth not the heart rise in indignation against distrust To check and reprove dejectedness of spirit and to stir up our selves to wait and trust in the Lord is a ready way to get freedome from distracting thoughts that overwhelm and oppress the soul Thirdly Meditation may be called the beginning of all sound Reformation when will men turn from their sins with an holy resolution to cleave unto the Lord in all things Never till they come to their right mind and bethink themselves b Hos 7.2 Jer. 5.24 Luk. 14.28 15.17 Mark 14.72 Psal 4.4 They may promise fair in sickness conceive some purposes of amendment upon the sight or hearing of judgement denounced against their bosome sin but all this abides meanly with them to break the heart or change it from those sinful delights wherewith it was bewitched They must remember and weigh what they have done before they can rise out of the miry-puddle into which they are fallen c Jer. 8.6 Rev. 2.5 Fourthly Hereby well-grounded and working knowledge is attained encreased without understanding wee cannot begin this exercise but wisdome is begotten and confirmed by it d Psa 119.92 93 99. They that hear often read much but live not in the exercise of Meditation and digest not what is brought to their minds by outward means they continue still in darkness or hang upon the credit of their teachers at the best their knowledge is less profitable to themselves and others as that which swimeth in the brain but is not kindly rooted in the heart In earthly occasions wherein wee are sharper sighted than in spiritual wee conceive not a matter at the first hearing the more we think upon it the better wee come to know it In spiritual things often reviewing the same thing is most requisite It is Meditation that settleth the truth in the judgement assureth it to the conscience and firmly groundeth it in the heart that it becometh a behooveful word ready in the time of need and ruling over the whole man with an universal milde and gentle soveraignty It may bee added that if wee meditate of what we hear wee shall see more into the truth use and benefit of what is taught than hee that preacheth Surely there is no doctrine so plain or work so small but great good might bee gathered much learned out of it by study and diligence Fifthly What an help this is to strengthen memory all men know by continual practice Doth not the light of reason teach us to call that oft to mind which wee would not have to overslip us Psal 119.15 16. I will meditate on thy statutes and will not forget thy Word The Saints of God know it is needful to grow in wisdome and to retain what they have learned but look how necessary it is to bee filled with wisdome and to hold a Heb. 2.1 2. fast what wee have received so needful it is to repeat again and again and to bethink our selves of what hath been commanded and commited to our custody Defect of memory is best supplied by Meditation Sixthly * Quo magis aliquid per contemplatione nobis innotescit eo magis in illius amorem erar descimus quo magis aliquid amamus eô frequentius de ipso cogitamus Meditation enlargeth delight in goodness much blowing will make the fire to burn under green wood Our nature desires liberty and goodness is burdensome to the flesh but if wee accustome our selves to minde and muse and think upon the word until it be made our own it will be pleasant to our taste Psa 119.23 24. sweeter than hony or the hony comb Familiarity is the best Nurse of Friendship better than good turns Even as looking breedeth loving so when by the thought of mind wee look upon good matters there is a love of them bred in us for affections kindle on a thought as tinder doth when a spark lighteth on it The most vehement love doth
wax cold for want of communication and the coldest affections are inflamed by conversings Note and intercourse of speech Seventhly Meditation is a gracious means to ease and refresh the mind wearied in worldly businesses It seasoneth our meat sleep labours Psal 139.17 18. Oh how sweet and pleasant a thing it is to come into the presence of God to record his mercies to solace our souls in the remembrance of his love This is the place of rest after a toilsome journey the cool shade to the weary labourer the water-brooks to the panting Hart Psal 42.1 No mirth no melody is to bee matched to it The joy and comfort of the Spouse in the presence of Christ is a matter incredible to the carnal heart Psal 63.52 6. who never tasted of the refined Wines and fat things in the house of God Eighthly Take away Meditation and the duties of Religion lose their life and vigour Prayer is cold reading unprofitable Think daily with thy self what great honour it is to bee the Son of God what unspeakable joy to possess assurance that our sins are pardoned how unvaluable a prerogative to lay open thy cares into the bosome of the Lord perswade thy self of his readiness to hear mercies to forgive and compassions to relieve them that ask in his Sons name These things will stir up intention and fervency in prayer with what sighs and groans will hee confess and bewail his iniquity who with a single eye doth behold the filthiness of sin and look into his own estate But lay aside Meditation and all is turned into form comes to bee of little use For the appetite will decay if it be not sharpened desire will cool if it bee not quickened Meat received into the mouth and spit forth again presently nourisheth not Seed must bee covered as well as cast into the ground Reading benefits little without Meditation which is to the Word what chewing and digestion is to meat that should feed the body 1 Tim. 4.15 Ninthly Frequent and daily repetition and regard of heavenly things brings us to better and more inward acquaintance with God most comfortable fellowship and communion with him The more wee speak and converse with a man the better wee know him the further wee see into his worth faithfulness and excellency So doth communing with God lead us to the sound and comfortable knowledge of his Majesty This is the fruit of holy musing than which what can give more joy and comfort what knowledge so delightful to the mind as the knowledge of God in the face of Christ in whom the Father hath revealed the treasures of his wisdome the riches of his grace long-suffering and mercy Nothing can revive the soul so much as the feeling of his love and the assurance of his fatherly care over us Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us we shal be safe Tenthly To call to remembrance the Lords mercies of old and his free promises that never fail is a singular ease and refreshing in the time of temptation when Satan doth sift and winnow us with temptations Psa 77.5 6 11 12. Psa 145.5 Psal 119.52 Psal 119.93 and terrours within and troubles without I remembred thy judgements O Lord and was comforted I will never forget thy precepts for by them thou hast quickened mee Eleventhly As the mind is such is the life for that is the fountain of actions whether good or evil if the mind bee pure the life is holy if the mind bee defiled the actions cannot bee upright Wouldest thou live a Christian life and injoy those great liberties which God affords to his children in this life then thou must scatter the bed of disordered cogitations and nourish godly desires and motions in their room meditating on the Law of God doth bring on the doing of it even as evil thoughts do bring on evil actions for the thought is as the seed and conception of all our actions Now look as after conception there is a travel to bring forth and a birth in due season so when the soul by thought hath conceived presently the affections are tickled and excited the will inclined and stirred which commandeth the inferiour powers to execute what the thought suggested Twelfthly Meditation fitteth for conference hee that hath digested good matter by serious cogitation study and care is able to bring it forth and utter it as occasion requireth As they that have treasured up much gold and silver can easily lay it out when it may bee to their advantage whereas others that after long study can speak excellently being put to it upon the sudden can say little for lack of Meditation herein like unto them that having laid up nothing in store are compelled to borrow of the Usurers before they can make their purchase Thirteenthly and lastly The Word of God appears excellent his works great Psa 8.3 his favour unspeakable when wee ponder them in our hearts By it in our solitariness wee enjoy God and our selves and by conversing with him wee are fitted for and made more profitable in all good company Quest What use is to bee made of this point Answ If formerly thou hast been a stranger to this exercise now learn it begin to practise it entertain not conceits as though it were needless unprofitable impossible burdensome for a Christian life cannot stand without it Thou shalt finde it exceeding beneficial delightsome easie when thou art entred into it it is tedious onely to corruption to the heart renewed it is most sweet and comfortable The neglect of this duty is the very cause why many Christians injoy not the tenth part of those priviledges that God hath provided for them in this their pilgrimage why they are kept under their strong corruptions and break forth offensively in their dealings in the world Moreover how should a man bee assured of Gods love if knowing this to bee a duty required hee never address himself unto it in good earnest It is not sufficient to praise that which is good speak well of the children of God keep our selves pure from the gross stains of the time but we must hate iniquity and love righteousness which they do not who harbour such thoughts as are displeasing to his Majesty How can a purified mind take pleasure in those filthy waters that flow from the stinking puddle of original corruption It is for swine to wallow in the mire and corrupt fountains to send forth muddy streams If the treasure bee in Heaven the heart must be there If the soul bee of an heavenly disposition nothing is more delightful than to walk and commune with God By thy thoughts thou mayest know thy self as evil thoughts will argue an evil heart so good thoughts will argue a good heart for these cannot bee subject to hypocrisie as words and deeds are which sometimes come more from respect of the creature than of the Creator It is the will of God
bee impotent as having lost her former strength and constancy in good things for the time it is constrained to omit and let pass the same Quest How is this to bee remedied Answ The remedy to such a one as through an unsettled heart cannot meditate of any parts of Christianity and godliness having otherwise knowledge is to meditate of his present unfitness looseness of heart and earthly-mindedness to account it as an heavy burden to accuse his heart and to bring it to kindly relenting by considering how far it is off presently from that mildness humbleness and heavenliness and readiness unto duty which ought to bee in him continually and hath been in him at some other time Let him bring his mind to these considerations and say with himself I have received a mind to * Heb. 13.18 Col. 1.10 please God to be teachable and ready to any duty I have opposed my self against mine own will and the Devils secret and malicious counsel though sweet to the flesh a Rom. 8.12 I am not a debtor unto it how can I then yeeld to the untowardness of my heart and to sin against my God I have tasted the fatness and marrow in the house of God and shall I return to feed upon the husks of the world where are the manifold and comfortable priviledges which he hath given mee that I might bee faithful unto him Am I weary of my own peace and do I haste after my own sorrow what pleasure can I finde in vanity and vexation what taste in the white of an egg Lord bring back this ranging heart of mine from the deceitful dreams and fears that it hath been snared in and restore it to the liberty that it was wont to injoy that is to solace it self in thy favour and communion with thee And this gift being decayed through my own fault and Satans cruelty and subtilty forgive my cold and weak love of thee who have provoked thy Majesty if thou wouldest bee provoked to frown and look amiably on mee no more Thou Lord chargest mee thus to seek thy face and sweet presence which I have gone from and for a time been blinded as having no ability to muse of any good thing and have not seen that I was seduced till I perceived that I had lost this sweet liborty Now therefore O Lord shew thy loving kindness in my distress and weakness and restore to mee this liberty of my heart which many of thy children do finde and enjoy Thus fall into consideration with thy self and bee not discouraged when thou seest thy infirmities who hast learned to use all thy wants to humble thee and to bring thee nearer to God rather than to go further from him but let no man give any liberty in any sort to his evil heart when it is turned away from chearfulness and willingness in any part of Gods service to go forward therein for that were to bring himself into utter bondage Quest What is a second Impediment or Let Answ Inconstancy when wee begin to set upon this duty but are drawn aside by the love of vanity or discouraged by the difficulty of the exercise and so give over and never set about it in good earnest Quest What is the Remedy of this Impediment Answ Labour to be constant and if it bee possible let no day pass without some line of Meditation though many blocks be cast into the way Impediments will multiply as wee give way unto them indisposition and unfitness get strength through omission and delay but constancy and courage our breaking thorow all opposition with careful watchfulness to tye up our thoughts will make this exercise in time not onely possible but easie and pleasant It is grievous for children at the first to go to school but after they have tasted the sweetness of study and tried the fruit they are contented to leave country and kindred for love of learning So the entrance into this exercise is hard and tedious but the progress full of heavenly delight and contentation nay it is grievous to bee pestered with vain wicked idle thoughts whereby communion and fellowship with Christ is interrupted In the world it is accounted a hard thing to bee bound with cords and chains of Iron to bee vexed with Tyranny an insupportable burthen what is it then to bee bound with chains of our corruption to live under the power of lust to bee tossed to and fro with the temptations of Satan let us therefore set apart the fittest time for this exercise especially on the Sabbath when spiritual idleness is as bad or worse than bodily labour and to keep it constantly not giving over when wee have once begun till wee finde that it hath done our hearts some good For what will it avail us to knock at the door of our hearts if wee depart before wee have an answer Quest May not a man spend too much time in private Meditation Answ Yes no doubt and many do who are so addicted to their own private devotions that they neglect other duties of Christianity and of their particular callings the neglect of which besides that it is a separating of those things which God hath joyned together doth not inlighten and quicken the mind but rather by the just judgement of God blinde and dull it Hence it proceeded that the antient Monks mingling bodily labour with Meditation proved excellent whereas the Popish Monks mured up in their Cloysters and exempted from bodily labour proved the most noisome Caterpillers in the world Wherefore wee must so chuse our times for the performance of this exercise that God bee not dishonoured nor our brethren wronged by the neglect of others The object of this exercise being spiritual is far too excellent for the weak sight of man to bee gazing on continually Quest What is the third Impediment Answ Many are hindered and kept back from this duty for want of matter Notwithstanding the great variety of matter which the word and works of God and the due consideration of their own estate might minister unto them yet their hearts are so barren and their heads so empty that they are utterly to seek about what to bestow their time and their cogitations Quest What is the Remedy against this Let Answ The help is to bewail and lament the barrenness of their hearts and to enforce themselves to read and hear the Word and to mark and observe the works of God with greater care conscience diligence and attention than they have done in former times How a Christian is to furnish himself with good matter wee shall shew hereafter more fully But for the present every man that is desirous to set upon this exercise may propound these things to bee thought upon First His vileness unworthiness and other his several corruptions and sins Secondly The sufferings of Christ and the wrath of God due unto us for sin Thirdly The love of God in giving Christ to dye for us and the
of the mind bee not diminished Although for want of proof wee count all afflictions hard yet when wee have experience of the fruit and benefit that comes by them confidence in God will make them easie if our cause bee good Wee shall never want somewhat to exercise us sin or trouble we shall have neither is it unprofitable for us to the end wee may bee ever in the combate for our life is a warfare Fifthly Wee seldome keep unlawful commodities or rejoyce too much in lawful but the Lord doth cross us in them The things of this world are too sweet and pleasant to our corrupt taste but the Lord doth season them with bitterness vain liberties breed much sorrow and unchearfulness Sixthly The most vexations in our life become annoyances unto us through our own fault in that wee either prevent them not when wee may or bear them not as wee ought or make not use of them as wee might do Seventhly When matters of more importance than our salvation come into place let us bee occupied with more fervency in them than in that but not before Prov. 3.14 The practice of godliness is a rich and gainful trade but if it bee not well followed it will bring no great profit Eighthly To have a willing mind to bee well occupied and matter about which wee may and time to bestow therein and freedome from lets therefrom is an estate to bee much made of and yet for the most part they which have most outward incouragements cannot tell what to do with them Ninthly Whatsoever measure of graces wee have gotten yet it is certain that God hath much more than wee can think of if those bee the matters which we have in greatest price but being set light by and the means neglected which preserve them they dye That is a good state when wee have not onely joy in heavenly things at the first hearing of them but increasing in joy as our knowledge and experience increaseth and when wee are not onely delighted in the present duties of Gods service but also as joyful to think of them that are to come accounting that the more they bee the better they are The flesh is apt to take the smallest occasions that may bee to favour it self but our study must bee to increase in goodness and to delight more in walking with God in a Christian course Tenthly Love of the world makes death terrible and surfetting in pleasure lulleth us asleep Seeing it pleaseth the Lord to let us know that wee have this precious liberty all the day long to bee with him to enjoy his presence by Faith and solace our selves in bold affiance in him and that for all good things and to bee free from the fear terrour and anguish which haunteth the ungodly It were pity wee should for some deceivable folly deprive our selves of such happiness and peace as hee alloweth us even here to be partakers of Eleventhly The more sure thou art of Gods favour by Faith Mat. 15.27 the more humble thou art also One special point of profiting is to know our own vileness and misery better daily that so wee may come to know the inestimable bounty of God the better and what wee are beholding to him for as receiving increase from him multiplied pardons of sin and daily increase of grace Twelfthly They are worthy of great punishment who set light by the plenty of grace the crumms whereof Gods hungry servants do set great store by Look what care conscience zeal love and reverent estimation of good things thou hadst when first thou embracedst the Gospel the same at least retain and bee sure thou keepest still afterwards The more knowledge that thou hast take heed thou beest not more secure for thus it is with many at this day who therefore do smart for it wee shall not injoy the grace we had at first except wee bee as careful now to keep it as wee were then to come by it Thirteenthly When wee are afflicted and the wicked spared our estate seems to them most vile when wee are both in prosperity they seem more happy when they and wee bee both afflicted then they account our estate happier than their own but especially when they bee afflicted Exod. 14.25 and wee spared Wee may not assign the Lord in what place and state in what condition and company we should live but as strangers wait on him even as the handmaid on her Mistress for whatsoever hee will allow us wee are ready most commonly to bee called away by death before wee have learned how to live Fourteenthly Keep down carnal liberty and the spiritual liberty shall bee great rest on God and it shall make thee overcome the hardest things If thou wilt finde Christ sweet thou must ever finde sin bitter Fear ever to offend God and thou a Psal 32.7 91.11 needest not to fear any other peril No good thing abideth long with us in its strength and beauty without new quickning When wee feel any weariness in a godly course by what occasions or weighty dealings soever it bee the Devil hath met with us therefore wee must speedily take shame and sorrow and turn unto the Lord. Fifteenthly Wee must remember to serve and walk with God Psa 90.12 by daies not by weeks and months onely A great difference there is betwixt the observing and viewing of our life from day to day and the doing of it by fits now and then in the one wee are safe chearful and fruitful in the other rash offensive and often unquiet for it walking in fear and with little comfort Sixteenthly As husbandmen wait for their fruit so should wee for that which wee pray and hope for and that would make us joyful when wee obtain it If a man can rejoyce at the conversion of a sinner Luke 15.6 then is hee the friend of Christ Seventeenthly It is a folly yea a madness to bee heavy to the death for any earthly thing when yet a man desireth nothing more than life They who can neglect and set meanly by a little vain glory and credit with men may gain and injoy much peace with God All our life ought to bee a providing for a good end and a keeping away of woe which cometh by sin fear not the pain of death for God can make it easie or tollerable Eighteenthly The flesh would fain please it self in some unlawful liberty when we have pleased God in some duties but a wise man will keep him well while hee is well Nineteenthly Where there is wilfulness in sinning there is great difficulty in relenting and also no power nor boldness in beleeving many beginning well in godliness have fainted and quailed or been justly reproached before their end that others may the more fear their own weakness where new knowledge is not sought there is the less savour in the old and when men make not good use of the old the seeking of the new is
perform this duty but hee may finde some place to do it in either in the field with Isaac Gen. 24.63 Dan. 6.10 or in the house with Daniel or at least if they bee hindered all the day long in his a Psa 6.7 4.4 bed with David Quest What time must bee set apart for the performance of this duty Answ First The Lords day is the fittest time in the week for the performance of this exercise but though it must not bee omitted on that day yet it must not bee put off till that day Secondly Some time convenient must bee set apart for this duty every day and that must bee observed constantly as much as wee can for by that means wee shall bee better enabled to finish this work with better success Thirdly No part nor hour of the day is absolutely necessary to bee kept neither is a man so strictly bound to observe the time which hee hath chosen as fit and seasonable that hee should charge himself in conscience to bee guilty of sin if upon occasion hee change it unto some other Order in all good duties is a cause of constancy and constant order is a notable means of continuance Fourthly As for the fittest hour in the day a mans own experience must instruct him and his occasions direct him whether to take the golden hours of the morning when being awakened and refreshed by sweet sleep and quiet rest hee shall finde himself free and fit to meditate upon some heavenly matter as Jacob did or the evening Gen. 28.16 when hee hath ended his labours which was the time that a Gen. 24.63 Isaac took or the midst of the day which was b Act. 10.9 Peters time or any other part and hour of the day c Psa 55.12 David and d Dan. 6.10 Daniel used three times a day to pray and meditate Fifthly The most quiet and free times if strength and wakefulness will give leave are the morning evening and night season which were the times approved among the Heathen who for the better imprinting of any thing in memory give this counsel which common experience doth confirm to think seriously upon it in the evening before they sleep and to call it again to minde in the morning when they awake Oh how sweet it is to awake with God in the morning and to salute him with our first thoughts How safe and profitable to prevent unsavoury thoughts and wicked projects by lodging up in our soul some holy matter worthy our chief employment Psa 88.13 119 48 Psa 5.3 Psal 63.1 Job 1.5 and to prepare the heart to walk with God before wee enter into the world Hee that makes himself well ready every morning shall pass the rest of the day with much ease and great comfort It is much with what liquor the heart is first seasoned if it be well prepared with some heavenly Meditation before the cares of this life take up the room it will be kept in better order in all businesses occasions accidents whatsoever How fit is it when wee have tasted of the blessings of the day that wee should render unto God the fruit not of the lips but of the heart and come into his presence from whom wee have received so many favours What more expedient than that wee should commend our selves into the hands of God with confidence and make our accounts even being to lye down in his fear What more excellent recreation after tedious labour than to recount the mercies of the Lord his fatherly protection the dangers wee escaped what service wee owe to God for all the tokens of his love and what cause wee have to bee humbled for all our sins Of the night David saith a Psa 16.7 My reins shall teach mee in the night season God used to speak to his servants in the * Psa 119.55 Psa 63.6 Job 4.13 night by dreams and visions When wee are freed from cares and incumberances compassed about with darkness that outward objects apprehended by the eye cannot draw the mind away when all things are quiet and still then what greater solace or sweet refreshing can bee found than to lift up the heart to Heaven But these times may bee commended as fit not urged as absolutely necessary Sixthly Every man must set apart some time for this duty but they the most that have most leisure and opportunity Meditation is an affirmative duty which must bee taken in hand when the Lord calleth thereunto and putteth it upon us by affording us means and season Quest What say you to them that pretend multitude of worldly businesse to excuse the omission and neglect of this exercise Answ It is their sin that they will thus set God against himself as though hee should command them to do that which hindereth them from another duty commanded God hath appointed unto us our several standings in our general and personal callings they are both of him and the duties belonging to them both will excellently stand together if the Commandements of God bee not contrary Nay rather wee should think that following of the world to bee too much which is not ordered and moderated by due consideration how far and in what manner wee should deal in the world so as not to bee hindered from holiness by it but even to practise holiness in our earthly affairs If wee bee rich wee have the less cause to bee holden from Meditation by wordly cares If poor wee have the more need of this duty to moderate our care that it exceed not nor carry us to unbeleef What example soever wee have of the contrary in the multitude of worldlings among whom wee live yet wee must know though others will not that wee are not set here in our places to do as loose and wretched servants who when they go to Market neglect their Masters business and mis-spend their time Quest What course must bee holden to redeem time out of the world for Meditation Answ First Walk so on earth as that thy chief delight bee in Heaven still use this world as a Pilgrim doth his cloak Love will finde somewhat to do they that delight in the world will make business in the world as children invent matter of play But if Christ bee our beloved and our treasure in Heaven nothing can hold our hearts from him Secondly Order the affairs of this life wisely that every thing may have its fit time and season wee have sufficient allowance for the dispatch of all our labours if wee take the opportunity and manage both work and means with discretion If thy heart bee upright fear not Eccl. 10.10 God will teach thee how to walk To the man that is good in his sight God giveth wisdome knowledge and joy Thirdly Spend not much time either in consulting privately with thy self or by talking in company with others about that whereof there is no use or which may bee done and ended in
to remove the evil or obtain the good proceeding from a broken and contrite heart The sixth is fervent Petition earnestly craving and begging this at the hands of God who is only able to effect it The last is chearful confidence raising and rousing up our souls after such doleful complaining hearty wishing humble confessing unfeigned acknowledging and serious stirring up our selves and earnest craving of what wee want grounded upon the most sweet and sure Promises of God made to them that call upon him in Faith and upon the experience which the Saints of God in all ages have had of the success of their sutes who were never sent empty away but either obtained that thing which they begged or that which was much better for them but these things are specially observed in Meditation upon some grace or sin as will bee made more evident and plain by examples and are not ever necessary that they should bee particularly observed Quest What is to bee observed for conclusion of this exercise A. First We must begin when the heart is fitly disposed or at least labour to bring it into order before wee set upon this duty and break off before the spirits bee dulled and tired otherwise we shall lose the comfort and sweetness of it Secondly It is not good suddenly or abruptly to break off except some unavoidable necessity of company or business do urge us thereunto Thirdly The conclusion of this exercise consists principally in these things 1 Hearty thanksgiving to God that hath vouchsafed in such gracious measure to assist us in the performing of this duty 2 Recommending our selves and our waies to him that our life and carriage and all our thoughts and actions afterwards may bee answerable to those heavenly thoughts and desires which wee have had and express in the performing of this duty 3 Renewing our covenant to live by Faith and to walk with God in all holy conversation Quest Declare this by some example and first how should wee meditate on God his infinite excellency Answ Entrance may be made thus into it Oh Lord my heart desires to commune with thee that I might come into better acquaintance with thy Majesty but of my self I have no ability to conceive what is right or to think a good thought concerning thy highness Teach mee therefore Oh gracious God if not to comprehend thine excellency for that is impossible yet so to confer with thee that I may apprehend in some measure how thou hast revealed thy self and what thou wilt bee unto mee that knowing thee in thy power goodness truth soveraignty and grace I may unfeignedly cleave unto thee all the daies of my life Quest How must wee proceed in this Meditation Answ Wee must consider of his titles properties and works observing how infinitely hee exceedeth what excellency soever is in any or all the creatures in the world a 1 Tim. 6.16 1 Joh. 4.12 Exod. 33.20 Oh Lord thou dwellest in the light unapproachable whom man never saw neither can see and live thou art incomprehensible by reason and unnameable by words thy name is wonderful and thy nature secret I cannot comprehend what thou art I will labour to know what thou hast revealed I am not able to behold thy face let mee see thy back-parts for this is my life and joy of heart to know thee the onely true God which springeth and increaseth daily as I come to the fuller knowledge of thee and shall bee infinite because thou art infinite I beleeve as thou hast taught mee according to my manner and measure that thou art a Spirit without beginning without cause the first and absolute being living in and of thy self giving being and life to all creatures infinite eternal incomprehensible Gen. 17.1 without composition one in essence and three in persons most perfect a meer act blessed and glorious all sufficient in thy self for us a great reward void of all possibility to bee what thou art not great in power infinite in wisdome abundant in goodness everlasting in compassion rich in mercy faithful sincere constant in thy promises unchangeable in thy love gentle easie to bee entreated just and righteous in all thy Commandements and Proceedings the most absolute universal soveraignty of all things both in Heaven and Earth Thy name is wonderful in all the world for thou hast created all things and by thy appointment they continue unto this day Thou hast laid the foundation of the earth and it abideth thou hast stretched forth the heavens as a curtain Job 9.7 8 c. and in them or dained a Tabernacle for the Sun Thou stillest the raging of the Sea and the proud waves are quelled by thy command the day is thine the night also is thine the Moon and Stars are the work of thine hands Thou thunderest from Heaven by thy voice and bringest the winds out of their treasure thou breakest up the deep and causest the springs to ascend in the vallies Thou causest the grass to grow upon the mountains and satisfiest with thy goodness every living thing The earth Oh Lord is full of thy goodness but thy glory shines most bright in the assembly of thy Saints Oh what wisdome power grace mercy love long-suffering hast thou manifested in Jesus Christ the brightness of thy glory the image of the invisible God what great admirable things hast thou done for thy people thou hast reconciled them being enemies redeemed them being bond-slaves justified them being sinners of vassals of Satan thou hast adopted them to bee thy sons of unclean and polluted thou hast washed and made them clean Thou guardest them with thy Angels protectest them against dangers feedest them with fatness and marrow and hast reserved for them the Kingdome of Heaven All thy Works praise thee Oh Lord and thy Saints bless thee Great is the power wisdome holiness and glory of the heavenly Angels but they are finite created dependent great immortal glorious by participation only not able to behold the glory of God great is the renown dignity dominion of earthly Monarchs but their persons are mortal their glory fading their Dominion temporary their power limited what they are they have by deputation during pleasure As for our God hee is an infinite eternal absolute independent soveraign His Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and his Dominion endureth throughout all ages Psa 90.1 2 Before the foundations of the earth were laid and ere the mountains were formed from everlasting to everlasting thou art God But Lord thine excellency far exceedeth all that I can conceive for what can a finite understanding comprehend of an infinite being I know very little of thy waies much less of thy nature yea what thou hast revealed of thy self in thy Word doth rather make known what thou wilt bee to thy people than what thou art in thy self As the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are thy waies higher than our waies and thy thoughts than our thoughts Quest How
Thus man was made the wonder of the world the principallest of living creatures indued with a reasonable soul most divinely qualified and strictly united to that earthly mass to quicken and inliven it The end why man was made in respect of God was the glory of his power goodness and wisdome appearing in the work it self of his justice in rewarding man if obedient and in punishing man if disobedient of his grace and mercy redeeming him fallen into the gulf of misery and that man should praise and magnifie his glorious name In respect of man that hee should live blessedly for ever if hee did obey man by creation was immortal for death is an enemy no consequent of nature but a companion of sin man dieth not because his body was framed of the dust 1 Cor. 15.26 but because hee is infected with sin Subjection to mortality and all miseries accompanying it is a fruit of disobedience Hee is reasonable and intelligent able to think invent judge devise compose discourse remember chuse refuse suspend and affect These powers being essential to mans nature do still remain but very weak and corrupt since the fall Also to man is given power to eat drink sleep weep laugh and speak whereby hee may communicate to others whatsoever hee conceiveth hee was perfectly conformable to the will of God made after the Image of God in knowledge righteousness and true holiness But the Image of God is defaced with sin there remaining onely some reliques in us as the ruines of a magnificent and stately palace that served to shew what once wee had Moreover in the state of innocency man was honoured with great Royalties and Prerogatives for hee had liberty to eat of every tree in the Garden except the tree of knowledge of good and evil and was made ruler over all earthly creatures that hee might freely use them to the glory of God his own necessity and lawful pleasure But these priviledges hee hath forfeited by rebellion against his Creator The effects of man are suitable to the faculties and gifts hee hath received as to know God call upon his name worship him sincerely preach the Word administer the Sacraments govern give counsel contemplate the works of God read write confer and dispute exercise the works of virtue and honesty govern the affections reverence superiors live peaceably and such like But in all these things wee have much dis-inabled our selves by wilful disobedience Would you see the prime dignity of man by comparison In soul hee is like the Angels invisible immaterial immortal beautified with understanding will and power inriched with admirable divine gifts whereby hee resembleth God or carrieth his Image In body hee is the perfection of all earthly things whom they are to serve In both hee is the Epitome of all created excellency in Heaven and Earth Quest How must these things bee applied unto the heart for the quickening of affection Answ Wee must stir up our selves to magnifie the goodness of the Lord towards man-kind to shame our selves in conscience of our sins and misery raise up the heart to the contempt of earthly things and love of obedience and seek unto God to have his Image repaired in us again through Jesus Christ Lord Psal 8.4 5 6 c. what is man that thou visitest him the son of man that thou so regardest him Thou hast made him little inferiour to the Angels adorned him with grace stamped upon him thy Image invested him with dignity and crowned him with glory and honour Thou hast given him Dominion over the work of thy hands and put all things in subjection under his feet Thou hast made him for thy service his soul to bee thy habitation his body to bee the Temple of thy spirit and all other things to bee serviceable unto him the world and all that is therein for his use All things are prepared for him all things are subject to him hee ruleth over all living creatures they labour for him obey his command Lord thou art the glory of man man the receptacle of thy works thy wisdome and power But as mine excellency by creation exceeds so doth my shame and misery by sin and disobedience The higher mine advancement the lower my fall This was my chief honour and title that I was the Image of God This is my disgrace and ignominy that I bear the Image of the Devil This is my comfort that God did love delight and desire to dwell in mee it is my misery that I am cast out of thy favour and lye under wrath Ah what grief is this to think how my condition is altered through my foolishness once immortal now mortal once pure now impure and polluted once rich in wisdome and grace now blinde and naked once the Image and free servant of God now the vassal of Satan once at peace with God my conscience all creatures now at war with his Majesty my self all the world Once a free man to walk at liberty now a bondslave that can doe nothing but sin once the Ruler of all creatures now of all creatures the basest Satan excepted once subject to no annoyance now secure from nothing that might offend If a Noble man fall from height of honour to great contempt and bitter extremities hee is much afflicted much greater cause have I to bemoan my folly who have cast my self headlong from Heaven unto Earth even to the gulf of misery and confusion Oh my soul why dost thou forget thy self so much as to affect the base things of this life It is a shame for him that was to subdue all things to suffer himself to bee subdued by men and to become a Lacquey to his vile affections doing honour to the three great Idols of the world profit pleasure and preferment The world is too vile for thy delight thou art created for more divine service the Lord himself covets thy love The glory of the world is put under thy feet as things to bee trodden upon that which thou shouldest affect is far above heavenly and glorious If the fashion of the body should bee so changed that the face and eyes bowed to the earth continually should never bee able to look up it would bee grievous But if the soul which should bee lifted up to God do creep upon earth bee glued to worldly vain delights the alteration is more uncomfortable and monstrous Hee that subdueth the world doth yeeld himself to the service of God which is perfect liberty But when wee become slaves to the world wee labour to make God servant to our lusts which is most abominable and accursed The glutton makes God his caterer his belly his God and himself the guest The covetous worldling would have God his Broker and himself the Usurer The angry sinner would have God his executioner and himself the Judge The ambitious inquisitor can sometimes make God and Religion his stile but honour shall bee his God and lust reign The Lord himself
of God and destruction of mankind by that temptation but it turned to his confusion and overthrow The seed of the woman hath bruised the Serpents head his power is crushed and his devices frustrated Nor did the instrument of the Devil escape unpunished the Serpent is accursed above all the beasts of the earth most wretched and ashamed to appear abroad hee is adjudged to creep upon his belly with pain to eat the dust for meat a grievous diet And the Lord hath put enmity betwixt him and the woman All sin especially prophanation and contempt of the Sacrament is like to this of our first Parents in some sort but this was the first sin the fountain of all sin the sin of man and his posterity for Adam received and lost integrity both for himself and us Quest How are these things to bee applied unto the heart Answ Wee must work our heart to humiliation stir up our selves earnestly to seek help and deliverance and acknowledge the justice of God in correcting and his incomprehensible mercy in vouchsafing means of recovery unto man How is man fallen from his first dignity and good estate hee was created holy and happy furnished with grace and set in place of high renown Thou Lord didst crown him with glory and honour and gavest him a patent for his posterity that they should live in blessedness before thee But wo is mee what alteration do I finde Man hath sinned and God is displeased Man that was the beauty of the world the beloved of God is now the map of misery the object of divine revenging justice His mind is besotted his conscience unquiet his will and affection poisoned with sin fear dread horrour and trembling possesseth his reins his body is naked deformed subject to annoyance of heat cold distemper many waies The Free-man of God the Lord of the creatures is brought into most miserable and sore bondage unto Satan sin his own conscience who can comprehend the miseries of this life whereunto hee lyes open No words can describe the spiritual plagues that are seized upon the soul already nor the dreadful torments that are prepared for him in hell for evermore Oh my soul enter into thy self consider and bewail thy natural estate thou art exposed to suffer a thousand evils to wearisome vanity in every thing yea through fear of death the upshot of evils thou art in bondage all thy dayes while in that state thou abidest Pharaoh did never put Israel to such hard service as the Devil putteth thee to while thou art under his power Thou art sick filthy naked crooked fallen from the love of God more odious in his eyes than the stink or filthy savour of a dead corps in the nostrils of man exposed to the torments of Hell shut up under the curse of the Law abidest under wrath How do men of the world take on when they have lost a great friend upon whom all their hopes depended when they bee cast from the top of honour into the gulf of misery poverty and disgrace weep oh my soul and pour out tears in secret for thou hast lost thy glory art spoiled of thy ornaments and hast provoked the Lord to anger by thy inventions The brute beasts take it as a grievous thing to bee insnared and taken and wilt thou laugh in the midst of bondage and count it liberty to bee a slave of Satan Death is terrible and wilt not thou fear Hell which followeth after it as a desert of thy transgression Ah miserable man and the more miserable that thou art senseless of thy misery yet now that I know my disease I will seek for remedy The sick person will take bitter pills to recover health the bondman desires liberty the captive freedome the condemned a pardon My present case is very wretched and in no case to be rested in Nature teacheth all creatures to shroud themselves from dangers or being in distress to seek help without delay much more am I to bee moved with mine estate who am subject to eternal death which hath already seized upon mee in a spiritual death of soul and mortality or dying state of the body wee will meet a disease betime labouring to rid our selves of it if any thing threaten our name and estate wee will indeavour quickly to free the one and the other But whither shall I fly for succour where shall I finde the Physician that is able to cure and redeem mee from the tyranny of Satan Set mee free from the fear of Hell I am even at my wits end not knowing which way to turn Oh Lord I am utterly destitute of all means to help my self it is not in my power to satisfie thy justice overcome death or deliver my soul out of the hands of the Devil I cannot think a good thought I know not nor of my self can know the way of Life or means of my recovery Blessed God as of thine infinite mercy thou hast ordeined so I pray thee reveal unto mee the way how I may escape eternal death deserved by my sin and bee made partaker of everlasting happiness through thy special grace Righteous art thou oh Lord and just are thy judgements I know that in very faithfulness thou hast afflicted mee and that I have deserved much more than ever I felt from thee Thou mightest have cast mee for ever out of thy presence and given mee my portion with the Devil and his Angels But loe thou dost correct mee in measure for my good to purge mee from sin and bring mee unto repentance that I might bee saved Oh my God I will magnifie thy name for thou hast redeemed my soul from death my darling from the power of the doggs This mercy was not shewed to the Angels Creatures more excellent than man Should one redeem us from the state of villanage or ransome us from the Gallows wee would think wee could not bee thankful enough But Lord thou hast redeemed mee from revenging Justice from the power of the Devil holding mee under the curse from the power of conscience justly condemning mee from the power of sin commanding as King How great is thy mercy towards mee I am not able to comprehend it As my sin and misery hath abounded thy mercy hath abounded much more Quest Let us now hear what order is to bee observed in Meditation of sin Answ Wee must call to minde and discourse with our selves of the causes ends properties and effects and kinds of sin what is contrary unto it what like and what unlike O my soul what is sin wherewith thou art beset and stained yea miserably besotted since the fall of Adam what is it but the privation of Gods Image and corruption of the soul an aberration from the rule of perfection an evil disposition of the subject turning aside from the path of life and swarving from the mark and end that all should aim at God is the fountain of all good things the giver of every good and