must by no means be omitted GOD requires it the rules of Justice and Equitie make it necessary and there is no Remission without it he who confesseth hath the promise of pardon but who covereth his Sins shall not prosper To perfom this aright we must consider both our Generall and particular State and make an acknowledgement of them In the Generall we ought to acknowledge what is common to us with all others that we are of a rebellious Race miserably corrupted and prone to all evil but we must not rest here but must subjoine also a confession of our own particular faults all our sinful inclinations and actual transgressions with their Aggravating Circumstances for which purpose we ought to search our hearts to examine our Dispâ—…sitions and to take account of our Lives But if we make only a simple Confession it will avail us little we must not confess our sins to GOD as usual People do the offences they give one another or some great Man which they do clearly out of Complement or out of Constraint to shun some present inconveniency without any dereâ—…ation of the thing But as we must be ingenuous in confessing our Sins so we ought to confesse them with sorrow and contrition Confession is a meer mockery if it proceed not from an abhorrency at Sin and be not attended with indignation at our selves and backed with unfeinged purposes to abandon Sin and guard against it wherefore when we confesse 't will be necessary to consider how every sinful act is a complex of Injustice Ungratitude Arrogancy madness and Folly that sin is most loathsome in its Nature and most mischeivous in its Consequences But because GOD requires us not to remember and confesse our Sins that we may be filled with despair But to stirr up in us desires of Mercy and to prepare us for it So having humbled our Souls with the sight of our sins and wrought our selves to an earnest Desire of being delivered from the stain and Guilt of them we should next support our selves with the comfortable consideration of GODS infinite Mercy how that he is most ready and willing to forgive and how that to make way for his Mercy to Sinners he hath sent his own Son to satisfy for our sins and to repair his Honour which by our sins is affronted and baffled we should consider that IESUS CHRIST is the True Sacrifice and Propitiation for sin which by Faith we should offer up to GOD and thereupon both ask forgivenesse and confidently hope for it A third part of Prayer is Petition or a humble Representation of our Desires to GOD which he calls for to teach us our Dependance on him that 't is in him we live move and have our being and that we may acknowledge Him the Authour and Giver of all good To the right performance of this part we must first have a sense of our own indigency and a strong Faith in Gods Power and Goodness in his Power that he is able and in his goodnesse that he is willing to give us what we aske For 't is a vain thing to ask of another what we think we need not or what we may get without him and 't is no less vain to address our selves to one in whom we have no Confidence whose Power or Goodness we very much doubt Now to perswade us of GODS Power and Goodness and of our own Misery and Poverty we need but to read the Scripture call to mind the Nature and Works of GOD and take an impartial view of our selves Secondly we ought to look to the Aime and Reason of our Desires that we have a right end before us for if we have an evil intention our Desires are sinful and unworthy to be presented to GOD who is most Iust and Holy and who cannot be perverted from what is right Our Desires therefore must not terminate in our selves we must not intend our own Honour Glory Pleasure c in this World that must be the cheif end of our Desires and Petitions which is the last end of our Life and Beeing viz. GOD himself and his Glory This our Saviour teacheth us in that short Prayer he prescribed for there we are commanded in the first place to Pray that GODS name be hallowed that his Kingdom may come But this doth not debarr us from respecting our own Eternal Felicity for the Glory of GOD which we should seek includes that in seeking the Glory of GOD we seek our own Eternal interest and we cannot aime at Heaven without aiming at the Glory of GOD these two are inseparable 3ly We ought carefully to consider the matter of our Requests that in this also they be good and proper that is agreeable to the will of GOD for it is not lawful for us to crave what he hath not approved And therefore we must acquaint our selves well with the Holy Scripture in which GOD hath revealed his Will and thereby regulate all our Desires what he hath allowed we may what he hath commanded we ought to ask but what he hath forbidden we should pray against From hence it follows 4ly That we ought to pray with all earnestnesse for all Spiritual Blessings but as for Temporal things though we should Pray for them too yet not Peremptorly but with a Resignation to the wise Disposal of GOD'S Will the Reason of this Difference is because he hath absolutely approved of Spiritual Blessings but hath declared otherwise anent Temporal Benefits and because he hath made it alwayes necessary for us to be Good Holy Chaste Sober Meek c. But it is not always expedient for us to have health and outward Peace Prosperity and other temporal good things nor is it expedient for us to know when they are fit for us Fifthly and lastly each time we pray we should not only consider our general State as Men and Christians and ask what is agreeable thereto But also our particular Station the Condition of our Body and Soul the tentations we are in or lyable to and in a word all the Circumstances of our Affairs both Spiritual and Temporal and lay them open before GOD and frame Desires sutable to each of these things as a Man goeth to his Friend with a thing which befalls him and as the Sick and Infirm make the Physitian acquainted with all their Distempers so we should never fail to impart our State and all our Concerns to GOD and to ask the Direction and Assistance he knows we stand in need of Which being done in Faith of his Power and Good-will as was said before cannot but be a great Ease and Satisfaction to our Minds because then we may have this confidence that we shall have the Petitions we desired of Him 1 Iohn 5. 15. For as all things are possible to GOD so all that is good and fit shall be done to them who believe in Him or rely upon Him Blesseod are they who believe for there shall be a performance of these
Duty thus to observe the Works and wayes of GOD so that we may be enabled to make a wiser Observation of them 't will be necessary to follow the Light and Direction of the holy Scripture By which means we shall both â—…ee the more clearly and shall also understand the ends and uses of GODS works more fully Many things which lye hid from the light of nature may be discerned by the Word of GOD this gives us a better view of many of GOD Actings then what is possible to have otherwise And hereby only we are instructed in one Work of GOD which of all others is the greatest and most wonderfull I mean the Work of Mans Redemption This is a deep Mystery and of the greatest importance both for it self because helps to unriddle all the other Mysteries of Divine Providence Such as are ignorant may with the Greeks count it Foolishness but who seriously examine it shall find it the Power of GOD and Wisdom of GOD Therefore it is said the Angels desire to look into it 1 Pet. 1. 12. And seing it concerneth us more then them certainly we can never sufficiently either Consider it or Admire it If it be our Duty to observe the Divine Transactions as we have made it appear sure we ought to Contemptlate this which is the chief Contrivance of his Wisdom and the very end of all the other purposes of his Eternal Counsel In the Mystery of the Gospell are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge as St. Paul speaks Col 2. 3. Here we see the most amazing things viz. An union betwixt two Natures infinitly distant a Reconciliation betwixt infinite Iustice and infinit Mercy the greatest severity towards Sin and the greatest kindness towards Sinners expressed by one and the same Act. All Gods works declare his Glory but never any more or so much as this his Power Wisdom Goodness Holiness Justice Mercy and other Perfections were never so Illustriously Displayed as here On this therefore we must in a more speciall manner fix our Thoughts and that not meerly to satisfy our Curiosity or to stuffe our Heads with Notions but to fill us with a greater Knowledge of GOD to raise our Admiration of him to excite our Love to him and to stirre up our Souls and all their Powers and Faculties to Blesse and Praise Him for his Goodness and Wonderfull Works to the Children of Men. And as this should be our End in Observing and Contemplating the Wayes and Works of God so upon this very account we are oblidged thereto because that this is the proper and necessary mean to carry on this End we cannot Love nor Admire nor Adore nor Trust c What we do not know and we cannot know GOD otherwaves then by his Works and those Manifestations which he hath given of himself for there can be no Immeditat intuition of his essence and the Idea which we have of him by nature will soon be defaced if it be not cherished by such Meditations That therefore we may know GOD and knowing him be engaged to those Acts of Love Praise Trust Dependance c. Which is due to him we ought to observe those Works and Actions of GOD which he hath laid before us in Nature and in his Word and which daylie appear by the Administration of his Providence towards our selves and others Wherefore also we must not do this only now and then or in a slight overly manner But we ought to be taken up frequently with such Contemplations and when we set about them it should be with all Seriousness and Attention that we may understand what we Consider and that it may have a due Impression on us short and Superficiall glances do little good Indeed what occurs to us as we Converse with others or go up and down about our A 〈◊〉 we need not stay long thereon but may observe passingly But 't will be necessary besides to set a part some particular time for this purpose that our Meditations may be more Deliberate and free of Distractions How much time should be allotted and what hours are best must be left to each ones Prudence and Discretion for there can be no general rules prescrib'd to all some have their time at their own Disposal and can use it as they please others are not so The First sort may keep hours and are oblidged to spend more time in this Exercise but for the Last they must take the Evening or the Morning or Midday as is most convenient for them and must continue long or short as agrees best with their Station and Imployment Every one hath the Lords day almost free and therefore it is every ones Duty to imploy this Day thus which is indeed the Main end of the Day and they who cannot command much time all the Week are above all others oblidged to use this Day well to the present purpose As to the Order and Method of Meditating it is not very Material neither need any be nicely Curious in what Order or after what Way and Manner they proceed in considering these Works of God Providing they seek them out seriously labour to understand them truely and make proper and usefull Reflections on them At every Retirement we cannot make serious and deep Observations of all Gods Works therefore to consider them well 't will be requisite to consider them severally Sometimes our inward Disposition Externall state the present occasion and other Circumstances make some of Gods Works more proper and sutable then others when it is so we should determine our Meditations to these especially But ordinarly when there is no such particular Reason to determine us 't will be best most profitable to follow the course order of the Scripture for we may call the Scripture Divine Momâ—…ires which hold forth to us the great and admirable Actions of the Universall Monarch of the World And thus much of the Second instance of Walking with God Of Consulting GOD. The third particular meant by walking with GOD is the consulting Him about what concerns us For as is usuall for such as are in Company together to Advise with one another so by walking with God we are to understand the asking his Counsel and Direction and the Guidance of his unerring wisdom The more eminent any one is the more others are oblidg'd to advise with him especially if with all he hath a Jurisdiction Authority over them and that there be Obligations on them to study the pleasing him Thus Servants and Children ought to consult their Parents and Masters not only because they should think them more wise then themselves but also because it is their Duty to Humour and Please them and so it being our Duty to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing as it is Col. 1. 10. Therefore we should do nothing without his Warrant and Advice The way of Man is not in himself as the Prophet hath it it is not in him that walketh
display Himself and His Glory and will give Admirable Manifestations of his Wisdom Power Goodness and other Perfections beyond what either eye hath seen or eare heard or what can enter into the heart of Man Tâ—…irdly The excellent company which are in Heaven is no small Addition to the Happiness thereof They are Persons far from Malice and Envy from intertaining Suspicions and Animosities or from being ready to fall out in jars and contests But as they are Enriched with the best Endowments so they are Acted with the largest Charity and Good-will loving each other intirely and intertaining one another with all the Indearing expressions of Friendship Of all pleasures Friendship and the society of Excellent Persons is the greatest it affects the mind most and fills the Heart with the greatest Measure of Joy and Gladness what Delight and Satisfaction then may be expected in the Society of Angels and Arch-Angels Cherubims and Seraphims and the Spirits of just Men made perfect But fourthly in the other life we shall find our selves not only in a far better State as to Externals but shall also feel great and Glorious Changes in our selves For first we shall not be tyed to the necessity of Eating and Drinking and Sleeping in which mean exercises the one half of our time is consumed there we shall not be cloged and fettered to a crazy infirm and sickly Body as now for then this Corruptible shall put on Incorruption and this Mortal Immortality And CHRIST IESUS shall change this vile Body that it may be fashioned like unto his Glorious Body according to the working whereby He is able to subdue all things to himself 1 Cor. 15. Phil. 3. 21. There shall be a vast Change in the â—…rame and Constitution of our Body For there shall be given to it Glory and Power and Splendor and some other Subtile and Excellent Qualities so far above the common Nature of Bodies that the Apostle thought fit to term it a Spiritual Body Secondly As such Glorious Changes are to be wrought upon our Bodies so the like shall be done to our Souls the Body is thus changed into the better because the Soul is also made more perfect these excellent Endowments are bestowed upon the Body because the Perfection and Dignity to which the Soul is now raised require that it should be solodged For being our inward Faculties are much better then Formerly the outward Organs and Instruments of Action should be better too Now our Souls shall not only be delivered from Ignorance and Errour and all the Disorders which sin hath involv'd them into but shall also have all their Faculties rectified and elevat to the outmost hight of Perfection of which Creatures are capable Truth shall not then be vail'd with Absurdity nor shall we be oblidged to seek the Knowledge thereof by such tedious and uncertain inquiries as now we are necessitate to But shall be endowed with all desirable Wisdom Now sayes the Apostle We see through a Glass darkly but then face to face now I know in part but then shall I know as also I am known 1 Cor. 13. 12. And to make our Souls compleatly perfect there shall be added unspotted Puritie and Holiness and a participation of the Divine Nature Beloved saith St. Iohn now are we the Sons of GOD and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when He shall appear we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He is 1 Iohn 3. 2. The Image of GOD shall be renewed upon our Souls and that more clearly and brighty then it was at our first Creation the Divine Perfections shall be transcribed upon us and thereby we shall be brought into a near and inconceivable Union with GOD. And now seeing this doth appear what needs more Here we may well stay our Thoughts for indeed there is no climbing higher GOD is Perfection it self and the Fountain of all Happiness he therefore must needs be most Happy who is like GOD and United to him It is simply impossible to conceive greater Happiness and Satisfaction then this Enjoyment of GOD and likeness to him David doubted not of receiving Satisfaction from this when he said As for me I will behold thy Face in righteousness I shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness Psal. 17. 15. This is true Felieity and should be aspired after 't is a shame for any Man to sit down lower or to content himself with less Degrees of Happiness seeing GOD is willing to bestow this upon him The obtaining Heaven and Eternal Life should be our main Project and the great Design we should be alwayes dryving on nothing should divertâ—…us from this but all our Endeavours should be to further it on And our Prayers to GOD should be chiefly that he would be pleased to favour this aim of ours and not suffer us to miscarry Some whom Worldly Love and Carnal Affections have seized and enslaved may with Reuben and Gad wish to have their Tabernacles set up this side Iordan And providing they could get their Portion in this Life would never seek after the Land of Promise But such certainly Act contrary to Reason and unbecoming the Dignity of their Natures They must put off the Man very much who intend no higher Pleasures then what are Bodily and arise from the Enjoyment of Earthly things Which though gluted to the full can never satisfie the Soul As all Mens Experience do testifie As Noahs Dove found no rest untill she returned to the Ark So neither can the Soul of Man have any solide content until it ascend into the holy hill of GOD and rest in the bosom of him from whom it had its being And as Man's true Felicity lyes not in this but in the other World so the chief Satisfaction which we can have at present flowes from the sure and well grounded Hopes of that after Happiness even as the greatest content of a Merchant while he is Trafficking abroad is in the Expectation of the Gain he will make when he comes home And as the chiefest delight of an Heir while he is Minor is in his hopes of succeeding to his Father's Honour and Fortune when he arrives at full Age. Here we are as it were in the Quality and Condition of Minors and therefore have no Reason to grudge though we be not put actually in the Possession of full Happiness We may be very well satisfied for the present that the same is surely reserved to us and waiting upon us till that we be ripe for it Blessed be the GOD and Father of our Lord IESUS CHRIST which according to his abundant Mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of IESUS CHRIST from the dead to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away reserved in Heaven for us 1 Pet. 1. 3 4. The Design of this present Treatise is to direct to true Felicity which as it is of great Importance