now consider the Efficacy of Faith and offer up an Oblation of Praise and Thanksgiving unto him who is the only Giver of it It is that alone which ingrafts us into the Body of Christ and as Branches extract their Sap from the Vine so from him proceeds Life Righteousness and Salvation Adam in his pristine State fell and lost his Divine Image by his Incredulity but we are restor'd again by Grace and the Image of the Almighty by Faith is renewed in us By this Faith Christ dwells in our Hearts and where He inhabits there His Grace resides and an Assurance of an Inheritance of Eternal Life II. AND as the Effects of Faith are Wonderful in their Operation so they are Exemplary in their Demonstrations For By Faith Abel offered unto God a greater sacrifice than Cain Heb. 11. 4. So by Faith we are enabled to offer Omnipotency spiritual Sacrifices that is the Fruit of our Lips Heb. 13. 15. And by Faith Enoch was translated Heb. 11. 5. So that Vertue withdraws us from the Society of the World and invites us to place our Conversation in Heaven Phil. 3. 20. By Faith Noah prepared an Ark Heb. 11. 7. So we by that Theological Virtue are received into that Church wherein our Souls are preserved amidst all the Storms and Tempests which happen in the World III. BY Faith Abraham left an idolatrous Land and went into a strange Countrey in Expectation of the Promised Land Heb. 11. 8 9. So by the Energy of that Vertue we depart this World forsaking all that is near and dear to us expecting to arrive at that Celestial Ierusalem which God hath prepared in the Heavens Rev. 21. 2. We are Strangers and Pilgrims on this side Heaven and travel by Faith unto a heavenly Countrey By Faith Moses chose rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a season Heb. 11. 25. So Faith animates us to contemn the World and to despise the Glory Honour Riches and Pleasures of it and excites our Minds to Eternal Felicities VI. BY Faith Israel kept the Passover Heb. 11. 28. So we by the Eye of Faith celebrate the Lord's Supper where Christ is the Paschal Lamb whose Flesh is meat indeed and whose Blood is drink indeed Joh. 6. 55. By Faith Rahab was saved Heb. 11. 31. So in the universal Conflagration of this World we shall be saved from Destruction By Faith the Fathers overcame Kingdoms stopt the Mouths of Lions and quenched the force of fire Heb. 11. 33. So we by Faith destroy the Kingdom of the Prince of Darkness escape the Treacheries and Rage of the infernal Lion and are deliver'd from Hell's implacable Malice and everlasting Burnings V. NOW Faith is not a naked Opinion and slender Profession but a true and lively Apprehension of Christ propounded to us in the Gospel a full Assurance of his Grace residing in us the Tranquillity of our Souls which relies only upon Christ's Merits This Faith is fructified of the Seed of the Sacred Word whereby the Holy Spirit and this Vertue is united Now Faith resembles a spiritual Illumination for our Hearts are illustrated by its Splendor and the Rays of a Life of Sanctity shines forth Evil Actions are the Works of Darkness and What communion saith the Apostle is there between light and darkness 2 Cor. 6. 14. Deeds of Darkness are the Seeds of Satan but a lively Faith proceeds from Christ and What communion is there between Christ and Satan 2 Cor. 6. 5. VI. LASTLY By Faith our Hearts are purified but no Internal Purity can center where the Words and External Actions are defiled St. Iohn tells ye That Faith is the victory which overcometh the world 1 Joh. 5. 4. Now there cannot be a true Faith fixed where the Flesh vanquisheth the Spirit and leadeth it away Captive into the Law of Sin No impenitent Sinner that persevereth in his Sins can be Partaker of Life Eternal neither can he without true Repentance claim any Privilege or Share in the Merits of Christ Jesus Kindle in us O God the Light of True Faith that by the Vertue of it and Thy alone Merits we may obtain Eternal Salvation and reign with Thee for evermore in Thy Kingdom of Glory World without end Amen MED XVII The Canaanitish Woman's Faith Mat. xV. 28. And Iesus answered and said unto her O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt BEHOLD this Canaanitish Woman how fortunate and happy she was to be found worthy of so great an Expression Her Female Weapon compensated for the Guilt of its past Follies having now by its seasonable Answers merited so Divine an Eulogy Poor Female how enrich'd was she in whose Bosom was concealed a Treasure which Emperors Kings and Princes compared to her are Indigent All the Holy Land with its precious Balm and odoriferous Spices could not furnish her with a sufficient Antidote to revive her Darling and charm away the Infernal Spirit from tormenting her Behold these Miracles of Faith that at once could save two Souls the Mother's and her Daughter's II. SO miraculous and potent is solid Faith that even the least grain of it can remove lofty Mountains level steep Hills and smooth the most aspert and ambitious Soul into a meek and fructifying Valley 'T was this that calmed the Surface of the foaming Ocean that made the boisterous Waves an easie Path and turn'd their furious Rage into a pleasant Walk for St. Peter's Feet 'T was the Centurion's Faith that gave his Servant a Respite from the Hands of Death which all his Guards could never have prevented 'T was by Faith that the Blind Man was restored to his Sight which was beyond the Skill of Art and Nature to perform III. ALL the Admirations of the Gospel were always concluded with Thy Faith hath saved thee And yet that Faith which then operated so many Miracles is now grown the greatest Miracle it self Whil'st some take the Symbol for the Thing they fix the Magnitude of their Faith on the Greatness of their Works and have so candid an Opinion of themselves that they imagine it Faith enough only to do well Others expect to be Canoniz'd for their Doctrines though not for their irregular Lives they scoff at all Religious Duties and imagine to tread the Path to Heaven only by their Faith IV. OBEDIENCE hearty Contrition for Sin that amiable Robe of a perplexed Soul and the Royal Ornaments of our Spiritual Warfare are but vacant Ceremonies and both these Parties Belief are of their own forming But Heaven is not purchas'd only by Speculation He that fixeth his Faith in his empty Skull and imagines Religion hath not its Attendant may like Moses view and discourse of the Promised Land at a distance but never approach to it Our Obedience must cry out louder than our Pretensions 'T is not our Noise and Nonsence that will create us Saints 't is not our external Shew of
to perceive the Evacuity of those Enjoyments he hath so long rouled himself in to resist the enticing Advantages of Sin and disesteem the glittering Flashes of this Life for that Lustre of Glory Thou wilt impart My God instruct me so to use the World that I forget not Thee Let the Blessings Thou showerest down quicken and encrease not stupifie my Devotion Elevate my Obedience not overwhelm my Thankfulness that so the Follies of the World may become my Derision and the Glories of Heaven my only Ambition that I may never for a fading Fruition in this World hazard both my Soul and thy Saving-Grace together MED XXIV In time of Sickness Mat. viii 2. Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean THIS Prayer was effectual and all Petitions are answer'd by the Almighty if deliver'd with a sincere Faith and a good Assurance Let us now be upon the Grand Inquest Is not Sin a Leprosie Then every Sinner ought to make the same Deprecation He that had been a Spectator of the Leper's Body would not have been amaz'd at his Prayer and yet could he but have inspected his Soul might perhaps have beheld Objects more prodigious and horrible the Corruption of his Blood which had lost its Vigour and proved but an useless help to Nature every part without Vitality by so nauseating a Nutrition instructed his Tongue this necessary though doleful kind of Confident Prayer Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean II. CHRIST whose Bounty and Compassion never fails to demonstrate that the Fountain of his Love was as large as his Power was potent would not reject such a Suit wherein his tender Mercy was so much concern'd and those Members which might have been sooner immers'd than bath'd into a Cure re-assume new Vitality and Complexion by the liberal Bounty of a Touch. Thus the Leper receives a new Body but we read no Lecture of any Operation upon his Immortal Part which perhaps effectually required it But his Successor who was Bed-rid was in a far greater state of Happiness for his Sin and Disease were both healed together III. HOW many be found that like the Leper view no higher than their Corporeal Substance whole Exteriour Part is all their Principles of Religion whil'st the Immortal Part that Spring of Life lies all neglected under Epidemical Infection Our Blood shall enjoy all the Delights that Art can reach or the most Chymical Luxury can extract to supply its Flames whil'st our splendid Part the Divine and Celestial Fire which inspires us lies all extinguish'd and bereft of his Immortal Aliment and can reserve nothing but a dull and hectick Lustre to its Maker IV. THE Anguish of a Limb can attract us to more Devotion in one Hour than all the Concernments of our Souls can produce in a Year and the deformity of the meanest Part will appear an Object of more Disgrace and Dolour to us than those pallid and infernal Forms that attend Sin and disfigure Heaven in us Of all Pestilences this is the grandest and yet least regarded as if Hell were but a Trifle Everlasting Damnation a Pleasure and the Eternal Misery of our Souls a Diversion Shew me that exquisite Beauty that is not Leprous that Innocence which is so perspicuous that it is Immaculate that Pattern of Sanctity which may become a Saint that Infant Man or Woman which is a Stranger unto Sin and then I shall be hold an Amazing Wonder V. DID our curious Veins excell the fragrant Violet whose Odour perfumes the Chymistry of the Air the Dew of the blushing Morn Were our Ancestor Adam's Sin an Alien to our crimson Blood and the Day of our Nativity as perspicuuous as the splendidst Morn immaculate as the new-blown Rose yet the Pollution of our irregular Lives would soon discipline us in this Prayer and the blackness of our occultest Thoughts would silently proclaim our own Deformity and be ready to join with the Leper in this Petition Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean VI. AND yet was there not to be found in those Days a Generation of Vipers that were righteous and clean in their own Eyes that justify'd themselves in their own Impurity and reckon'd all the World but Lepers to them Was not the lofty Pharisee a greater Leper than the poor Publicane though so ambitiously he display'd his proud Plumes His soaring Pride carrry'd more contagious Infection along with it than the other Persons Sins could e'er pretend too He that trusts to the Merit of his own Illustration may infallibly lose Heaven and those Eternal Joys which an humble Assurance doth procure VII O LORD though I am not so vile as some yet I am so vile in my own Eyes that the Leper here is a Pattern of Perfection to my imperfect Soul Lazarus's Corps a Perfume to my ulcerated Heart yet were I far more impotent and fractured than the poor Cripple of Bethesda more spotted with Leprosie than the Nine Unthankful Lepers which were cleansed whose Ingratitude was more odious than their Disease were those Legions of Infernal Spirits ejected by Thy Sacred Word infused in me and were I as execrable as Satan could wish to make me yet I know Thy Paternal Goodness and I do not despond of Thy Almighty Power for Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean MED XXV Upon Death Rom. vi 21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed for the end of those things is death SINCE Sin must be destroyed who then would make choice of that for his Felicity which shall perish with himself whose End is not only Death but Hell and will be his Destruction not only now but hereafter Indeed were there no hopes that our Reliques should resuscitate again or the Ruines of our Frame resurrect to a politer Shape we might well plunge our selves in Enjoyments here and fix our Felicity in delectable Pleasures Every Person might then be tollerated without Sin to become an Epicure and he that could project new Modes of Luxry would not only pass for being Ingenious but be esteem'd Fortunate II. GOOD Morality would appear all Vice and yet Vice it self would be held no more a Crime but our Happiness not to be Lavish then were a Sin against Nature and he that excelled in Brutality would be render'd most Rational Legal Proceedings would then be a grand Enemy to Humanity there could be no Sociableness but in Confusion and were there no Heaven nor Hell we should pleasantly mingle to a Chaos and obey no other discipline but Riot every Person might then be Atheistical without Scandal To be without the Almighty and his Grace in the World would be render'd no Misfortune for then every Man might depend upon his own Merits without Blasphemy III. Could they which inhabit the Earth die like Bruits and Animals and revive no more the Hopes of not being Damn'd would be a greater Comfort than the Delights of Sin But alas he that enters the Grave now
accomplish their Designs were driven out of Paradise Gen. 3. 6. So may we expect it that Immortal Part our Souls should forsake him who hath so dearly purchas'd 'em and cleave unto the World but that we must undergo the same if not a worse Punishment V. THEY which neglect our Saviour's candid Invitation of Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden shall not avoid hearing of him pronounce that Sentence of Go ye cursed into everlasting fire Mat. 25. 41. The Sodomites were consumed with fire Gen. 19. 24. for refusing to hear Lot's Doctrine and without a speedy Repentance the Fire of God's Anger will consume them which have despised his Gospel and rejected all Reproof The five Foolish Virgins who neglected trimming their Lamps were excluded the Bridegrooms Presence so those whose Hearts are not inspired with Celestial Oyl must expect to be debarr'd the Participation of Eternal Joy and Comfort VI. CHRIST internally calls to us by his Holy Spirit and secretly affords us Motives to holy Desires devout Affections and pious Cogitations and happy is he whose Soul is invested with these Ornaments When thou perceivest the least spark of the Divine Goodness in thee which doth excite thee to the performance of any good Duty then labour to cherish it that it may break out into a flame and take heed that thou quench not the Spirit and by that means extinguish the Operation And the Apostle affirms If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy 1 Cor. 3. 17. VII THE Heart of a Man is the living Temple of the Lord and he is guilty of the Destruction of it who refuseth to give place to his Holy Spirit The Prophets in the Old Testament diligently hearkned unto the Word of the Lord and were prophetically inspired as a Reward for their-Obedience And in the New-Testament the Disciples and Apostles were punctual in preaching the Gospel and they were inspired by the Holy Ghost and were at last Crown'd by the Merits of Christ as a Recompence for their Labours and to those which shall imitate such good Examples blessed are they which shall hear and persevere in such good Performances MED XV. True Contentment Phil. iv 12. I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need NONE but this happy Apostle such a divine Saint as St. Paul was could become a Proficient in this Lesson How few is there that have desired to learn it 'T is a Lecture the World hath long ago been weary of not so much because 't is so hard a Task but because 't is so unpleasant a Theme Were the Way to Everlasting Happiness strewed with Roses of Pleasure for our sensual Appetites to range and revel in 't would quickly become a frequented and an easie Walk Were there no Difficulties no skilful Trials to be past through who of a Mortal would not become a Saint The Crown of Eternal Glory would be as common as a Garland of Flowers did not that of Thorns carry the precedence II. THE World values not a Religion which disanuls all Splendour whose strict Discipline abrogates all Pomp and Pleasure and instead of all Temporal Delights which affects the Senses preaches Temperance Patience and the Judgement to come This Doctrine possesses us with an aguish Fit and then we like Felix fall a trembling and desire to be excused from so piercing a Duty He that invites us to see Heaven first informs us That to desire Temporal Enjoyments is the Wish of an Ethnick For after all these things do the Gentiles seek Mat. 6. 32. And shall Christians follow the Examples of Heathens and aim not at sublimer Things than what this sublunary World can afford Shall they who can by the Eye of Faith take a prospect of Eternity look down upon this Lower World with Affectation III. AND was that the Occasion of this Invitation we gave the Most Highest Did He which made the Heavens bow them come down and unthrone himself to convey us thither and do we lie wallowing in our Sins for ever How Vile Base Vain and Senseless a Creature is that Person that winds up his Felicity in the fruitless Enjoyments of this Life and eagerly resigns himself to sordid Sense But tell me O Thou that reignest in Plenty and obscurest Heaven in Oblivion should the two bright Luminaries be invested in their Purple Robes and transforming their Lustres like bleeding Meteors change their Rays into Crimson Streams were the Air now crouded with Sounds of the last Trumpets ecchoing audibly in our Ears an approaching Judgment How prodigious would that Mutation appear What vast and horrid Consternations would the remembrance of thy Profane and Atheistical Plenitude then strike and amaze thee with IV. INDEED these Mundane Enjoyments are so trivially poor empty that he which fixes his Hopes in their Fruition will speedily find himself but an eternal Mendicant a wretched miserable and deplorable Dives And yet such is the apparent Sanctity of the whole Universe to scoff at Religious Poverty and deride the Exigencies of a Devout Life as an Adversary to Nature He is ignorant of the Joys of a Future State and of an Expected Eternity that thinks there 's no Felicity beyond this Hands Breadth no Happiness beyond this slender Span. V. WERE we but sensible of the glorious Reward which shall Crown the World for that which she terms Misery that Felicity that attends on the most suffering and dejected Devotion we should glory in our Wants be affected with Hardship and inure our selves to Poverty with Delight we should be willing not only to depart but to live Martyrs rejoyce even in the lowest State to purchase Heaven and chearfully learn that Art with the holy Apostle to suffer Want here and to labour how to abound in that Plenitude which is infinite VI. AND yet how hard a Task is it for us to endure even the pettiest Affliction for Thy sake O Lord So senseless are we of Thine abundant Goodness so wilfully forgetful of Thy Omnipotency that we not only in our greatest Necessities arraign and condemn thy vigilant Providence but are ready even to turn Pagans in our unhappy Misfortunes Open Thou our Eyes O Lord that we may behold the Vanity of this transitory World and the Deceitfulness of our own Hearts that the alluring Pleasures of it may neither swallow us up nor the Losses of it overthrow our Hope or discourage our Obedience Let that illuminated Glory which Thou hast freely promised to those that vanquish the World for Thy sake be ever in our sight that in whatsoever State we are in we may still be found triumphing in Faith and at last receive as a Recompence of Reward a Crown of Righteousness MED XVI Of Divine Faith Heb. xi i. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen LET us
THE Whole Duty OF DIVINE MEDITATION Described In all its various Parts and Branches WITH MEDITATIONS ON Several Places of Scripture By the Author of The Whole Duty of Man Psal. cxix 16. I will meditate on thy precepts and have respect unto thy ways London Printed for Iohn Back at the Black-Boy on the Middle of London-Bridge 1694. LICENSED Decemb. 20. 1693. THE PREFACE THE Whole Duty of Prayer having met with so good a Reception in the World I have at the Request and Importunity of some Friends recommended to the Press this remaining Tract bearing the Title of the Whole Duty of Meditation by that Reverend and Worthy Author of the Whole Duty of Man The Subject I need not commend for it carries its Worth along with it and to every Christian will appear both pleasant and profitable For by Meditation the truly Religious may converse with the Almighty and from the Throne of Grace find Help and Comfort in time of Need to those which are Aery and are the Darlings of the World this Gift may procure a well-compos'd Mind For if he who by often looking on a Ring with a Death's Head at last grew sober who knows but by often Meditating their Hearts may be brought into a more serious and heavenly frame The Royal Prophet stiles Meditation the Food of the Soul Psal. 63. 4. My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness while I meditate on thee The Heart never willingly fixeth upon Heaven till the Almighty is the Treasure of it for where any Man's Treasure is there will his Heart be also Now it cannot easily meditate but where it doth delight Psal. 119. 97. Love is the Weight of the Soul it readily moves to its beloved Object Mary will not depart from the Sepulchre where Christ had lain before she had made Enquiry where she might see him whom her Soul loved It is the Duty of every good Christian to observe the Prophet David's Rule Psal. 16. 8. to set the Lord always before him that he may be in his fear all the day long There is nothing more unstedfast than the Mind of Man and therefore nothing can so well compose it as True Sanctity which brings such great Advantages that with holy Job it makes the Soul both serious and willing to acquaint it self with God that it may be at peace Iob 22. 21. He is the Rest of the Soul and the more it knows of him the more desirous it is to reside with him that it may know more The more it tasteth of his Favour the more it longeth after his Glory as Moses did Exod. 33. 17 18. What the Philosopher said of all Knowledge is true only of the Knowledge of God that it is Quies Intellectus And therefore our Saviour calleth it Eternal Life Iohn 17. 3. in which alone the Soul doth rest Now one excellent Means of fixing the Heart on God is Meditation whereby the highly Pious summons together all that is within them to bless his Name Psal. 103. Meditation is the Wing of the Soul which carrieth the Affections thereof to Things Above By this with Moses it goeth up to the top of Mount Pisgah to take a Prospect of the Promised Land It is as Clemens Alexandrinus saith of Prayer a Conversing with God And as St. Chrysostome saith of Faith so may we of Meditation it makes God and Christ and Precepts and Promises ours by giving us a fuller Possession of them Hereby we hold fast what we have learned we awaken our Faith inflame our Love strengthen our Hope revive our Desires encrease our Joys in God we furnish our Hearts and fill our Mouths with Materials of Prayer we slacken our Affections from the World we pre-acquaint our selves with those Glories which we yet but hope for and get some knowledge of that Love of Christ which passeth Knowledge The Necessity Excellency and Usefulness of this Christian Duty the Reverend Author of this Tract hath Elegantly described which is therefore worthy Perusal of such as desire to acquaint and furnish themselves with so excellent a part of Christian Skill whereby we may be filled with the Fulness of God and be always able continually to say My Heart is fixed O God my Heart is fixed I will sing and give Praise G. B. Advertisement THere is lately publish'd The Whole Duty of Prayer Containing Devotions for Every Day in the Week and for Several Occasions Ordinary and Extraordinary By the Author of The Whole Duty of Man Necessary for all Families The Third Edition Printed for Iohn Back at the Black-Boy on the Middle of London-Bridge THE Whole Duty OF DIVINE MEDITATION SECT I. What Meditation is FIRST Divine Meditation differs from Occasional by these Examples When you hear the Hour of the Day or Night think with thy self What Thoughts O my God have I had of thee this Hour I am now nearer the silent Grave and know not how soon I may be arrested by the Hand of Death THESE are like Ejaculatory Prayers which tho' they are as Parenthesis in our Worldly Employment yet they signifie more than all the rest of the Business we are employed in but Meditation is of longer Duration than solemn Prayer upon Ordinary Occasions II. SECONDLY It differs from Study For Study consists of those things that are most knotty and difficult and generally such as afford little Spiritual Nourishment but the Subject of Divine Meditation concerns our Eternal Happiness The End of Study is Knowledge but the End of Meditation is Sanctity III. THIRDLY It differs from Contemplation For Contemplation is applicable to the Beatifical Vision where the Angels behold the Face of the Almighty Now Meditation is like Fire kindling and Contemplation the flaming of it when fully kindled The one is like the Spouses Seeking of Christ and the other like her Enjoying of him IV. FOURTHLY To conclude Meditation is a a serious and solemn considering of Heavenly Things to the end we may understand how much it concerns us and that our Hearts thereby may be raised to some holy Affections and Resolutions Now there are Four kinds of Solemn Meditation according to their several Subjects V. FIRST Some Solemn Meditations are upon the hearing of Sermons which is a very useful and necessary Practice amongst Christians and it is better to hear one Sermon and meditate on it than to hear two and meditate of neither Now to prescribe a Method for Meditating on Sermons is neither necessary nor possible since the Methods of Sermons are various therefore the Mediatours are to observe the Method of the Sermon they meditate upon and the Fruits of such Meditations is to work those Truths Advices and Motives c. upon our Affections that are propos'd to us in the Sermon VI. THE Second kind of Solemn Meditation is when upon some Providential Occasion spiritual Distemper or Temptation we retire and pour out our Souls in Prayers Soliloquies c. Which connot but in a very large sence be styled Prayer
divers Gestures and Expressions which are not requisite or necessary for any but God and the Soul to be privy to Now what Place soever you find to be necessary for this important Duty be sollicitous to make choiee of II. As for the Time the best Opportunity is in the Morning for the First Fruits of the Day being Holy all the rest are Sanctified Moreover our Thoughts being then not polluted with worldly Affairs they are not so liable to distraction and the Body it self is more serene than after Meals and this Duty requires a vacuity in the Stomach not only because the Head will be more perspicuous and apt for Meditation but also because many Passages of Meditation require so much Attention of the Mind and Fervency of Affection that they do hinder Digestion And this Duty being performed in the Morning it will have an influence upon the whole Day But this Rule is not universal for we read that Isaac went forth in the Evening to medirate Gen. 24. 63. And if the Subject of your Meditation be a Sermon then perhaps the properest time is immediately after the hearing of it before your Affections cool or your Memory fail you III. FOR the Duration considering the Parts of Meditation are so many as Preparation Considerations Affections Resolutions and the like And not one of these are to be past slightly over for Affections are not quickly raised nor are we to cease blowing the fire if it flame until it be well kindled Half an Hour may be reckon'd to be the least for Beginners and an Hour for those that are Proficients in this Duty IV. But in this Particular there is Two Rules especially to be observed First That as we ought not to desist from our Prayers before that temper and frame or heart is wrought which is suitable to the Requests of our Petitions so we should not desist in our Confession of Sin till our Hearts are truly sensible and humbled for Sin neither should we slacken our Praises until our Hearts are filled with holy Admirings and inflamed with the Love of the Almighty Now the End of Meditation are Affections and Resolutions therefore we should not desist till those are effected V. SO in Private Prayer when we find our Hearts enlarged by the Effusion of the Spirit of Supplication upon us we are not to desist unless by our persisting in that Duty we omit another to which we are more particularly obliged at that juncture so in Meditation when we perceive the Heart affected we are to continue it But this Caution must be observ'd That in our Enlargements we must not continue them longer than while they flow freely without much Straining and Compulsion for Honey which comes freely from the Comb is pure but forced by Heat and Pressure is not so well relish'd Now if the Heart is dead we must use our utmost diligence to awaken it and when once our Hearts are inflamed and enlarged by holy Affections in an extraordinary manner 't is but an impediment to our Affections to return to the Meditation of those Points that raised them SECT IV. Of the Subject and Method of Meditation FIRST Avoid Controversie for that will convert Meditation into Study and nice Speculations for they are sapless without Nutriment besides being so light they fluctuate in the Brain and want ponderosity to sink them down into the Heart and inddeed were they admitted they are so insignificant as the Heart by its reception could acquire no Affectation But let the Subject of your Meditation be the plainest powerfullest and usefullest Verities of the Almighty as Death Iudgment Hell and Heaven the Mercies of God our own Sins and the Love and Sufferings of a crucified Saviour Contemplate on that which is most suitable to your Spiritual Wants as in the time of Desertion meditate most of the Love and Mercies of God and thy own Unworthiness c. II. NOW the Rules for Meditation are these Three 1st Preparatory 2dly For the Body of the Duty And 3dly The Conclusion In our Duty of Preparation besides the choice of the Subject we are to be convinced and affected with the Presence of the Deity and to use fervent Prayer for the Divine Assistance Secondly For the Body of Meditation it consists of Three Parts The First is Consideration which is the convincing our Hearts of several Verities appertaining to that Subject whereof we meditate III. IF the Subject of our Meditation be Death the Considerations may run thus Alas O my Immmortal Soul the Manner Time and Place where we shall expire we are ignoraut of generally Mens Lives come to a period sooner than they expect and certain it is whensoever that Hour or Minute approaches we must bid adieu to Honours Pleasures Riches Friends and at last our own frail Bodies c. The Second Part is Affections whether it be Love of God Christ or Spiritual Things despising of the World admiring of the Omnipotency or any other Spiritual Affection The Third Part are Resolutions to perform that which is agreeable to God's Command and to desist from all manner of Evil. IV. NOW that this is the most proper and genuine way of Meditation evidently appears First Because it is not Artificial and such as requires Learning as those Instructions are which advise us to consider the Efficient Final Formal Material Cause of Defunction with the Adjuncts Concomitants and Concatenations c. which though they perhaps may please the Learned yet such difficult words astonish the Ignorant Now this is the Method by which every one that is brought home to God is converted V. AND the first thing in Coversion is our being convinced of some Truths which Conviction raiseth Affections For if the Verities of the Divine Omnipotence end in Conviction and go no further nay if they end in Aflections only and never arrive to Resolutions of shunning Evil and performing of Good Conversion can never be perfected As for Example One is convinced that he is a miserable undone Wretch by reason of Original and Actual Abomination Upon this Conviction Fear and Sorrow are excited yet if these do not operate in us a fixed Resolution of forsaking those Sins we are yet in our Sins and unconverted Thirdly There are several things for the concluding of Meditation which I shall treat of in its proper order SECT V. Of being affected with the Divine Presence WE are to consider God is present in all places as really and Essentially as he is in Heaven For Omnipotency did not create Heaven for his Confinement but to manifest his Glory for the Heaven of Heavens are not able to contain him neither is the Almighty included by nor excluded from any place And though Iacob said Surely the Lord was in this place and I knew it not Gen. 28. 16. yet we must not imagine that Iacob was ignorant of the Verity of it but did not actually consider it but the the Psalmist in the 139th Psalm is perspicuous in explaining and
thy Folly thou be cast headlong into the deep abyss of Sin and Misery And now having consider'd the Detestableness of this Sin of Pride and the Amiableness of this Virtue of Humility let us earnestly endeavour to abandon the one and embrace the other and with all Sanctity invoke the God of all Spirits to infuse into us his heavenly Grace that this Tumour of Pride may be asswag'd in us that his Meekness and Humility may be our perfect Pattern to guide us in this Life and conduct us to the Life to come MED XIII The Proud Pharisee Luk. xviii 11. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself God I thank thee that I am not as other men are extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this publican SEE how Ingratitude is radicated in this proud Pharisee that he so imperiously thanks Heaven How prodigiously hath Pride metamorphos'd him He that accustom'd himself to prolix Prayers intends now to use brevity His devoutest Posture is Standing and he comes not to Pray but to Boast not to Worship his Creator but to Extoll himself He is not qualify'd to be highly Pious being so opinionated and transported with his own Virtues that he is destitute of either Time or Patience to remember the sole Author whose Benignity he would pretendedly seem to acknowledge but 't is so luke-warmly 't were better he were ungrateful still II. TRUTH had a lucky chance to proceed from such graceless Lips He did indeed far excell others even to the Superlative degree of Audaciousness But had he been acquainted with himself better he would have proved more Grateful and not so Arrogant How amply doth he disturb the Ear of Heaven with these Ostentations of his singular Value but for his Pride and Arrogancy makes not the least Apology Indeed he Thanks the Almighty but 't is after a modish Carelessness and rather an airy Complement than a solid Prayer III. HE may plead Ignorance but be found guilty of the breach of the Second Commandment in the First Table For he knows he is forbid to Worship Idols or Images yet thinks it no Sin to Idolize himself and therefore dares presume to offer to the Almighty a Schedule of his own Merits How many apt Scholars is there in the World that hath perfectly learn'd this Lesson and imprinted it in their Memory See how the Roman Pharisees charm and puff up themselves with Pride by their sanctimonious Acts of Supererogation and think to scale Heaven by a Ladder of their own forming magnifying a superabundant Piety and triumphing in a meritotious superfluity of performing more than their appointed Task IV. WITH how much Agility do our trembling Enthusiasts follow their Generals Path in a sanctimonious Pride by a supercillious Purity of Intention presuming it their Prerogative to reform the Universe and create it again a-new That Canonize themselves according to their mode and with the proud Pharisee not only thank the Almighty but tell him positively they far excell other Men That outragiously and loudly proclaim themselves the great Luminary of the World and in a devout lunacy wou'd croud in new Notions extravagantly decrying all Religions but their own These malecontented Pretenders immure themselves a-part from others and by a morose Piety are become so prodigiously Divine that they have always extinguish'd their Humanity V. NOW if the Pharisee were not as other Men yet these resemble him having been such exact Proficients in his Nature and Religion So apt and prone O Lord are we to be seduced even in our best Performances and whil'st we vainly imagine our selves not only to excell others but so meritorious in Thy sight as to be elevated into Presumption T is Humility must Crown all our Graces and put a Lustre on our Requests whil'st the presuming Assurance of our own Merits does not only deface but seclude us from Thee VI. TEACH us therefore O Lord with such Expressions of Gratitude to use Thy Gifts that we may not be stupified so as to be forgetful of our selves or Thee Whil'st others arrogantly boast themselves in meritorious Acts of Supererogation let us earnestly endeavour humbly to acknowledge confess and bewail our many Imperfections Let not a sanctimonious Pride seize upon our Immortal Souls that may any ways hinder us from being innocent from the great Offence MED XIV The Soul's Delight Psal. xciv 19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. GOD the bountiful Provider of all the World hath prepared a great Feast Mat. 22. 4. And those which hunger and thirst after Righteousness are freely invited He that tasteth not is not sensible of the Sweetness of this Divine Banquet and he that has lost his Appetite is not expected a Guest at this Table If thou believest on the Lord Jesus obey the first Summons and approach with chearfulness to this Royal Repast None can acquire a Credulity unless with Contrition he confess his Sins and repent of the same in Dust and Ashes And as Contrition is the spiritual Hunger of a Soul surrounded with Sin so Faith is the spiritual Food that revives and nourishes it to Everlasting Life II. GOD gave the Israelites in the Wilderness Manna the Food of Angels Exod. 16. 15. And in this Entertainment of the New-Testament the Almighty exhibits to us the Celestial Manna yea he is there present himself who is that spiritual bread which came down from heaven to give life unto the world Joh. 6. 51. He which had a desire to see his Field refused to come Luk. 14. 18. From whence we may inferr That they which set their Affections on the Pleasures of this Life cannot approach to this Holy Table When the rich Gallant in the Gospel heard that he must forsake all his Goods of Fortune for Eternal Life he went away sorrowful Mat. 19. 22. III. CHRIST the Celestial Elisha infuses not the Oyl of his Loving-kindness but into Vessels which are empty 2 King 4. 4. And his Divine Love never inspires any Soul except the Love of the World be extracted from it whereby it may become a fit Receptacle for so Divine a Guest For where our treasure is there will our heart be also Mat. 6. 21. Temporal Enjoyments hath its attrrctive Allurements but Divine Love hath that Energy to unite us to the Deity Terrestrial Treasures consists in the Goods of Fortune but in these the Soul can acquire no Satisfaction for it is beyond what this World can afford and therefore seeks for far greater Excellencies than transitory things IV. DID we but seriously consider the Duration of all Temporalities we would not fix our Hearts so fervently upon them For upon our Bed of Mortality no Relief can be expected from 'em and what an absurdity is it for us to place our Affections on those things which are so frail and inconstant Our First Parents when they rebelled against the Most High would have attempted the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil but before they could
Profession only but our daily Practises too that must proclaim us Heralds of this Faith V. ALTHOUGH our Merits can never reach Heaven yet our pious Endeavours may if they are sincere because there is a Mercy hangs over our Heads that will pardon our Deficiency All the Blossoms and Buds of our Piety spring forth from this Stem and he that either believes or loves his Saviour that died for him cannot imagine he is too much industrious to live well This was the Female Sex's Faith here and she had scarce effus'd it out with floods of Tears when the Infernal Fiend in a Consternation forsakes his hold unable to endure the Eccho of that Sound which was repeated by the diviner Accent of our Redeemer's Lips and this Faith must be a Preservative against Sin and by its diviner Charms chase Satan to his Chains of Darkness 'T is this that prepares Heaven for us that makes us survive our Monuments become Immortal in our Graves and promises Eternity to our Dust and Ashes 'T is this that consummates our Happiness and will safely arrive us where the Blessed Jesus shall receive us into His Glory VI. O MOST Divine Omnipotence Thou sentest Thy Son Christ Jesus to die for us that by Believing in Him we might attain to Everlasting Life He under whom Thou hast put all things in Subjection was pleas'd to condescend to level Himself with them and dethron'd Himself to undergo a Crucifixion for our Souls that we might receive the Benefits of His Death and Passion and be Partakers of His Glory Oh let not those Miseries of our depraved Nature which petitioned Thy Mercy and Compassion make us uncapable of it Let not those that plead Ignorance of Thee but by Thy Miracles be more ardous in acknowledging Thine abundant Goodness than we who by the Manifestation of Thy Love claim an Interest in Thy precious Blood VII BUT grant O Lord that we may live in a perpetual Thanksgiving to Thy Merits who camest down from the Bosom of Thy Father to purchase and save our Immortal Souls To this end do Thou inspire into us that Faith without which it is impossible we should please Thee and with which Thou annexes all other Graces Teach us so to rely on Thy Mercies that we may not neglect the Means or imagine that a dead Faith will conduct us to that Life which Thou hast promised to none but them as work out their Salvation with Fear and Trembling MED XVII Of Love and Charity 2 Pet. i. 7. And to brotherly-kindness charity TRUE and Sincere Love is an inseparable Property of a Pious Person No Christian can subsist without Faith and where that Vertue is Charity is not wanting Where the Lustre of Charity is extinguish'd the Heat of Faith must consequently be quenched Thou may'st as well rob the bright Luminary the Sun of his Light as deprive Faith of the Gift of Charity Charity is the External Act of the Internal Life of a Christian. The Body is dead without the Spirit and Faith is dead without Charity Jam. 2. 26. He is not a Member of Christ that is not inspired with his Spirit and he is not endued with his Holy Spirit that is destitute of the Gift of Charity II. THIS Theological Vertue is the fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. And by the Goodness of the Fruit the Tree is demonstrated Charity is the bond of Christian perfection saith the Apostle Col. 3. 14. As the Bodily Members are united together by the Spirit so the true Members of the Mystical Body are united by the Holy Spirit in the Bond of Charity Solomon's Temple was all covered with Gold within and without 1 King 6. 21. So our Bodies and Souls which are the Almighty's Spiritual Temples ought in like manner both within and without to be beautified with Love and Charity Let this regent Vertue exercise its Efficacy in moving thy Heart to Compassion and thy Hand to Contribution For one without the other is not effectual III. FAITH receiveth all from God the Fountain of all Goodness and from that Stream Charity as a Channel conveys it to her Neighbours By Faith we are made Partakers of the Divine Nature who is Love 1 Joh. 4. 8. Therefore where Charity manifesteth not Externally Faith Internally doth not inhabit No Man believes in the Lord Jesus which doth not express Affections of Love to Him and none can fulsil that New Commandment except he loves his Neighbour None can really apprehend the Benefits of Christ with a Heart unfeigned which has not Bowels of Compassion to the distressed IV. CHARITY is the Seminary of all Vertues and nothing can be of good growth which proceeds not from that Root And this Vertue truly delineated is the Soul 's Spiritual Relish for unto it alone are all things dulcified all Adversity Pain Anguish Trouble nay even Death it self And And the Wise Man confirms this That Love is as strong as Death Cant. 8. 6. And indeed I think I may invert the Wise Man's Text and with Assurance proclaim That Love is stronger than Death For Love brought down a Saviour to die for us Sinners that the Sting of Death might be removed from us He when he had overcome the sharpness of death did open the kingdom of heaven to all believers Oh let us then embrace this Love and die unto Sin daily that we may live unto Righteousness V. ALL the Works of the Most High proceeds from this lovely Attribute even Punishments Denunciations and Judgments The Two great Luminaries and the Constellations of Heaven illuminate not themselves but us wretched Creatures Fire Air Earth and Water were created for our Necessity The Beasts Herbs Plants Trees Birds Fish and Fowls were all for our Use. And as God has been so gracious to give thee Plenty of these Blessings so do thou distribute to thy Neighbours according to their Necessities And this must be done freely with true Amity Affection and Compassion else all our Charity is nothing worth but will prove like sounding Brass or a tinkling Symbal VI. CHARITY is patient 1 Cor. 13. 4. For no Man is easily enraged with those whom he truly affects Charity likewise is bountiful And he who has been so liberal as to resign his Heart to his Friend will without all question not with-hold from him any temporal Enjoyments for the Relief of his Necessity Charity envieth not it thinketh no Evil is not puffed up and behaveth not it self undecently Next she seeketh not those things which are her own neither is she provoked to Anger she imagineth no Mischief nor rejoyceth not in iniquity but she beareth all things believeth hopeth and endureth all things she refuseth not to do unto others as she desires them to perform unto her Tongues and Prophecies shall cease and Arts and Sciences be destroyed but Charity shall never be extinguished VII LET us then study this Lesson of Love and Charity and howsoever thy Friend or Neighbour be qualified towards thee yet remember