that have this Book because your Memory is weak to take it in your hands and begin with the first Head of Meditation and then go on Day after Day until you have gone thorow and if there be any special subject you desire to meditate on to look into the Contents Thirdly For the Egress or Conclusion of your Meditation First so reflect and look back how we have perform'd it If not with profit and comfort then to take notice wherein we are defective and faulty and humble our selves under it and mend it the next time If we have reaped benefit and comfort by it to bless God for it and conclude all with praise for his gracious presence with us and pray he would make all effectual for the bettering of our heads and hearts and tongues and lives And thus of Meditation in general Next because most complain of scarcity or want of matter others of distraction through want of Method I have therefore thought fit to select the choisest things for Meditation through the Body of Divinity and reduce them to their several Heads that so however you cannot remember them all yet you may have them still before your eye and go on in the Meditation of them Day after Day CHAP. II. AND first I shall begin with solemn and deliberate Meditation and after give you some heads for sudden and occasional Meditation For solemn and deliberate Meditation the matter of your Meditation may be reduced to these 6 or 7 Heads God and Christ the Holy Spirit Man the World and the good and evil Angels by which God governs the World First I shall shew you what special things you are to meditate on in GOD to begin with him who is the beginning of all things and to be often and much in meditation on him for the more we meditate on him the more we shall know him and the more we know him the more we shall love him and the more we love him the more we shall desire him and the more we desire him the more shall we labour after communion with him not only in grace here but in glory hereafter but here in meditating on God take with you these three Cautions First To meditate on him in a way of faith and not reason because reason cannot comprehend the Unity in Trinity or Trinity in Unity Secondly Not to conceive of God out of Christ because God out of Christ is a consuming Fire Hebr. 12. last Thirdly Take heed of framing any Image of God in your minds he being a Spirit and an Infinite Spirit in all and through all and above all but to conceive of him I say in Christ who is the express Image of the Father the Ladder by which we are to clime up to Heaven to see and know God One well expresseth it thus when I see the body of a living man I know his Soul is there also and therefore when I speak to his body I speak to his understanding also because they are together so in viewing with the eye of my mind the humane nature of Christ glorious in Heaven I do at the same time look upon the God-head that being personally united unto it for in him dwelleth the God-head bodily or Personally Q. What are those things we are to meditate on in GOD A. His Nature Attributes Word Works Worship 1. His Nature and here take notice what he is in his Beeing and that he only is Jehovah 1. What he is in his Beeing This cannot be conceived much less defined by finite Creatures yet may be described so far as he hath revealed himself in the Scripture which is this An Eternal Infinite Perfect Incomprehensible Spirit distinguished into three Persons Father Son and Holy Ghost every one Co-essential and Co-equal To open this briefly mind well I say he is a Spirit John 4.24 Now what a Spirit is our Saviour tells you Luke 24.31 Iohn 1.18 sc a Substance or Beeing that cannot be seen or felt 2. I say he is an Eternal Infinite Perfect Incomprehensible Spirit these Attributes distinguish him from all other Spirits as Angels and the Souls of men 1. He is an Eternal Spirit i. e. One that had no beginning nor can have any end 1 Tim. 1.17 To the King Eternal c. and Revel 1.8 But now Angels and the Souls of men though they shall have no end yet had a beginning were Created by God Gen. 12.1 2. God he is an Infinite Spirit i. e. Such a Beeing as cannot be contained within any place 1 Kings 8.27 Behold The Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him and Isa 66.1 But for Angels and the Souls of men they are contained within their proper places 3. God he is a perfect Spirit unto whom no degree of goodness or excellency can be added 1 Iohn 1.5 Gen. 17.1 I am God All-sufficient But for Angels and the Souls of men they are capable of more degrees of goodness and excellency 4. God is an incomprehensible Spirit Psal 145.3 His greatness is incomprehensible 1 Timothy 1.16 He dwells in light unapproachable we may more easily comprehend what God is not than what he is but now for Angels and the Souls of Men we may in some measure comprehend what they are so far forth as God hath revealed it 3. I add distinguished into three Persons Here to take notice 1. What a Person is sc a distinct Subsistence or beeing having in it the whole God-head and distinguished from another by his incommunicable properties as 1. Of the Father to beget Psal 2.7 the Son to be begotten John 18. and of the Holy Ghost to proceed from both John 15.26 2. To take notice why we say Distinguished and not divided sc because the God-head being one pure simple unchangeable Beeing it cannot be divided or separated one from the other but are in one the other as you may see cleerly John 14.9 Lastly I add Co-essential and Co-equal i. e. Every one true and very God and not one before the other or greater than the other being every one God as appears in that the same names of God and properties of God and actions of God are given to every Person in the Trinity The Father God Eph. 13. John 17.3 The Son God Isai 9.6 Heb. 1.8 The Holy Ghost God Acts 5.3 4. 1 Cor. 3.16 To take notice and meditate seriously on these things in the Nature of God because the ignorance and want of the serious consideration of it is the cause of so many misapprehensions of God and aberrations from God 2. That you may the better know what God is to take notice that he only is Jehovah Psal 83.18 Thy Name only is Jehovah Q. What is the meaning of that Ans This word Jehovah it imports three things 1. That he hath his Beeing in and of and from Himself being deemed Hava or Hajah that signifieth To be and be of himself and from himself 2. It is he that gave a beeing to all that have any beeing as Isa 44.24
pleasures of Christ 1 Cor. 3. end As Christ is a King so are Believers made Kings to God Rev. 1.6 As he is Heir of all things Heb. 1.3 so they are Heirs and Co-heirs with Christ of the same Kingdom Rom. 8.17 they are compleat in him Col. 2.10 A third motive may be this The great willingness and readiness of Jesus Christ to receive and save poor lost sinners such as are willing to take Him and accept of Him upon Gospel-terms this appears in these Particulars First That his desire is towards his Cant. 7.10 Swears as he lives he desires not the death of a sinner Ezek. 33. so as the fault is Man's and not his if any be not saved John 5.40 you will not come unto me that you may have life See this clearly in that Book Entituled The Self condemning Sinner Secondly In that he offers Himself freely to all without exception of any that will come to him in a way of faith and love Isaiah 55 1. Rev. 22.17 Thirdly In that he invites all to come to him that find their want and need of him Mat. 11.29 and promises to cast away none that come to him John 6.37 Fourthly In that he sends his Ministers to woe and beseech them in the name of Christ to come in and be reconcil'd to God 2 Cor. 5.20 Fifthly In that he bewails their folly that will stand out against him and their own salvation Mat. 23. Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem that killest the Prophets how often would I have gathered thy children together as the Hen gathers her chickens and you would not Lastly You are to take notice how you are to walk worthy of and suitable to so dear a Redeemer and precious Saviour by imitating him in his carriage both towards God and Man in his doings and sufferings 1. His doings 1 Epist John 2.6 He that saith he abides in him ought to walk as he walked Q. But you will say Can any walk as he walked He was void of all sin we are sull of sin A. There 's a double As one that imports Equality and another Similitude as it imports equality it 's impossible for any to walk as he walked but as it imports similitude and likeness so we may and must walk after him As a Scholar that writes after his Master's Copy he begins every Line as his Master begins and ends as he ends he frames every Letter as his Master frames it joyns letters and syliables together as his Master doth though there be no equality he cannot write as well as his Master yet there is a similitude he labours to imitate and write like his Master So true Christians though they cannot live and walk so exactly as Christ did yet they labour to come as neer to him as they can to imitate and follow him though not in his divine acts which he did as God and as Mediator which is impossible yet in his moral and humane acts which he did as Man so they labour to make him their only pattern in their carriages both towards God and man First In their carriage to God now for his carriage towards God that was full of piety full of saith full of zeal full of heavenly-mindedness First Full of Piety Heb. 7.26 He was holy harmless separate from sinners 1 Pet. 2 22. He did no sin neither was there any guil found in his mouth and we required to follow him in that 1 Pet. 1.15 1 Ep. John 3.2 Secondly Full of faith ever confident of his Father's presence assistance and acceptance in whatsoever he did even in his greatest desertion on the Cross crying my God my God He held fast his faith and we requir'd to follow him in thiâ— Isaiah 50.10 Heb. 3.14 1 Pet. 1.13 Thirdly He was full of zeal for God both in publick and private First In publick the Zeal of God's House even consum'd him John 2.15 16 17. Secondly In private He went about doing good to the bodies souls of others Acts 10.38 We are to imitate him in this it being the end of our Redemption Titus 2.14 The end of his correction of us Revel 3.19 Fourthly He was full of heavenly-mindedness still extracting spiritual and heavenly discourses from worldly and Earthly occasions John 4.10 Joh. 13.2 John 6.26 27. and we are requir'd to follow him in this Col. 3.1 2. Phil. 3 20. Secondly Follow him in his cariage towards man now for that you may observe in the Scripture it was full of wisdom innocency truth justice humility meekness love mercy and pitty to others and we commanded in the Scriptures to imitate him in all these First In his wisdom and innocency Mat. 10.16 Secondly In his truth Eph 4 24. Thirdly In his justice and righteousness Rom. 13.7 Luke 1.6 In his humility and meekness Mat. 11.20 In his patience 1 Pet. 2.21 22 23. In his love to all even our very Enemies Mat. 5.44 45. Eph. 5.2 and in mercies to the Bodies and Souls of men Rom. 12. the 3 last James 5. 2 last In his pitty and compassion Gal. 6.1 1 Pet. 3.8 Jude 22.23 Thus for his doings Secondly To imitate him in his sufferings 1 Pet. 2.21 Q. How did Christ suffer A. 1. He suffer'd willingly none could compel him to it John 10.18 You must follow him in this when God calls unto it as the Apostle Acts 21.13 Secondly Christ suffered patiently Isaiah 53.7 Heb. 12.2 we to follow him in this as we are commanded in the same place to look unto Jesus and 1 Pet. 2.21 tread in his steps Thirdly He suffer'd believingly that God would support him and deliver him so must we 1 Cor. 10.13 Fourthly He suffer'd fruitfully so as to learn obedience by his sufferings Heb. 5.8 so are we Micah 6.7 8. Revel 3.19 Fifthly Christ suffer'd constantly even to the death and so are we requir'd Rev. 2.10 Thus of Christ CHAP. IV. The Third Head the Spirit of God called the Holy Ghost IN and about him to meditate on these things First What he is Secondly What his Offices Thirdly What signs you have of the Spirit 's Inhabitation 4. Motives to get him 5. Means to procure him and 6. The means to preserve and increase communion with him First What the Spirit of God or the Holy Ghost is viz. the Third Person in the sacred Trinity proceeding from the Father and the Son And here to take notice of three things First That he is a distinct Person from the Father and the Son and the Third Person in Sacred Trinity 1 Epist John 5.7 Secondly That he is true and very God as well as the Father and the Son as is evident 1. By testimony of the Scripture Acts 5.3 4. Why hath Satan filled thy heart to lie unto the Holy Ghost thou hast not lied unto man but God 2. By Reason 1. Because He is the Author and Inditer of the Scripture Acts 28.25 2 Pet. 1.21 2. Because the Scripture ascribes those Attributes to him that are proper to God as Eternity
Heb. 9.14 Omnisciency 1 Cor. 2.10 Omnipresency Psal 139.17 Omnipotency 2 Tim. 2.7 Isaiah 11.2 Thirdly Because those works are applied to him which are proper to God as Creation Gen. 1.2 and Conservation Job 33.4 Psal 33.6 Regeneration and Sanctification John 3.6 1 Cor. 12.6 Fourthly Because the divine worship is given to him as Mat. 28.19 Go Baptize them in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Therefore true and very God Thirdly That he proceeds from the Father and the Son is evident John 15.26 and hence he is call'd the Spirit of God Rom. 8.11 and the Spirit of the Son Rom. 8.9 and so much the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies because he is spired or breathed from them as you may see further John 16.14 15. Secondly To meditate on the Offices of the Spirit and these either respect Christ his Word or his Church First For those respecting Christ they are these First The Spirit formed Christ's humane nature in the Womb of the Virgin Mary Luke 1.35 36. Secondly The Holy Ghost anointed Jesus Christ as he was Man with gifts and graces and that without measure and having thus consecrated him and furnished him with gifts for the great office and work of a Mediator he with God the Father sent him into the World for the accomplishing that work Isai 61.1 and 11.2 Acts 10.38 John 3.34 John 1.32 Thirdly The Holy Ghost descending from Heaven and resting upon him visibly in the shape of a Dove did publickly shew him and Seal him in his Baptism Mat. 3.16 Fourthly The Holy Ghost witnesseth that Jesus Christ who was crucified was the Son of God the true Messiah Act. 5.31.32 He witnesseth also to the Doctrin of Christ's Resurrection in which he was declared mightily to be the Son of God Rom. 1.4 Secondly For the Offices of the Spirit in and about the Word of God take notice first 't was He inspir'd holy Men of God with the mind and will of God infallibly dictated it unto them and guided them in the penning or writing of it 2 Pet. 1.20 Acts 1.16 Mark 12 36. Heb. 9.8 Fourthly He quickens the Word so as to make it effectual to quicken dead Souls without Him 't is but a dead and a killing Letter John 6.63 He makes it quick and lively in operation to the dividing between the Soul and the Spirit the Joynts and the Marrow the searching-out and discovering the secrets of the heart Heb. 4.12 1 Cor. 2.4 2 Cor. 10.4 5. It is he that speaketh by it to the Churches Revel 2.7 Revel 3.22 Rev 14 13. Thirdly His Offices in respect of the Church and People of God these are either common to all or peculiar to the Elect First For those common to all they are such as these First To give life and preserve life in all Job 33.4 Ps 139.14 15. Secondly To bestow gifts and abilities on men for their particular callings and functions both sacred and civil as 1 Sam. 11.6 Judges 11.29 1 Cor. 12.9 10. Mat. 7.22 Thirdly Restraining-grace whereby they are kept from many evils which they would otherwise run into as Abimelech Gen. 20.6 Fourthly To act and over-act all the gifts and parts and power of men to his own glory and the good of his Church and People Zach. 4.6 Secondly For those that are peculiar to the Elect they are such as these First To unite them unto Christ their head and the mystical Body of Christ the Church 1 Cor. 12.13 1 Cor. 6.17 Secondly To inhabit or dwell in them as his House and â—emple Rom 8.11 1 Pet. 4.17 Thirdly To illuminate them with the saving sancâ—iâ—â—ing experimental knowledge of God in Christ John 16.13 Fourthly To convince them of sin righteousness and judgment John 16.8 First Of Sin particularly the sins of unbelief and disobedience to the Gospel that This is 〈◊〉 which lays them open to the wrath of God in Life and Death and after Death John 3. last Mark 16.16 Secondly Of righteousness how that there is none in them to make them stand acceptable in the sight of God the Garment of their own righteousness and good works is a Garment too short to cover their nakedness their own righteousness is but as a filthy Rag but the righteousness of Christ that is a perfect righteousness such as God accepts for poor sinners and makes them stand so righteous in God's sight as if they had never sinned this appears in that Christ is gone to the Father which he could not have done if he had not fulfilled all righteousness Thirdly Of Judgment how that he has judged and condemned the Serpent and his Seed the Devil and the wicked World so as they shall never prevail against his Elect Mat. 16.18 The Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it and that there is true and sound judgment to be found only in the Christian Religion and not in any Idolatrous and false Religion and that Christ hath the government of his Church upon his own Shoulders and all that subject and submit unto his Government shall by it judg and condemn at last the wicked World 1 Cor. 6.1 Fifthly To humble them under and mortifie in them the deeds of the Flesh Rom. 8.13 Sixthly To quicken them with spiritual Life Rom. 8.11 Regenerate and sanctifie them John 3.5 and Evidence it to them 1 Cor. 6.11 Seventhly To help them in and under all their infirmities in duty Rom. 8.26 John 14.26 Eighthly To direct and guide them in all their ways Rom. 8.14 Psal 143.10 Ninthly To support and comfort them in all their sorrows and sufferings Rom. 5.5 John 4.26 Tenthly To witness to their Spirits that they are the Children of God Rom. 8.16 Eleventhly To Seal them up to the Day of Redemption Eph. 4.30 Eph. 1.13 Twelfthly To be the earnest and first fruits of their Eternal Salvation Eph. 1.14 Rom. 8.23 Lastly To confirm strengthen and establish them in every good word and work to the end Eph. 1.13 Eph. 4.12 13. Again Thirdly To take notice of and meditate on the Evidences you have of the receiving and indwelling of the Spirit of God in you because If any have not the Spirit he is none of Christ's Rom. 8.9 1 Ep. John 4.13 Hereby we know he dwells in us and we in him by the Spirit which he hath given us 1 John 3.24 Q. But how may we know that we have receiv'd the Spirit and that he dwells in us A. Thus 1. By the way and means in and by which he is given and receiv'd and that is the Ministry of the Word Acts 10.44 Whilst Peter spake the Holy Ghost fell on those that heard him and hence the Ministry of the Gospel is call'd the Ministry of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.6 and Men are said to receive the Spirit by the hearing of Faith Gal. 3.2 Secondly You may know you have the Spirit by this if you can finde the foregoing acts and operations of the Spirit upon the hearts of the Elect If he be
an enlightening enlivening mortifying sanctifying quickning strengthning and establishing Spirit in you as you know you have life by your breathing moving walking so you may know you have the Spirit of God if he breathe and move in you and enable you to walk in the ways of God's Commandments more especially by this if you find him to be a spirit of sanctification in you to sanctifie you throughout in your whole man and in your whole Conversation for He is a Spirit of Holiness Rom. 1.4 and sanctifieth all his 1 Cor. 6.11 so as with David to hate every false way and have respect to every command of God Ps 119.6.12.8 Thirdly You may know it by this if you be careful not to quench the Spirit 1 Thes 5.19 or grieve the Spirit Eph. 4.30 but heedfully to hearken to his Voice Isai 30.21 and follow his guidance Rom. 8.14 Gal. 5.25 Fourthly By this if you go wholly out of your selves in every duty and enter upon it as in the name of Christ so by the strength of his Spirit as you are exhorted Eph. 6.10 and David did Psal 71.16 Fourthly If you find that you have not yet received the Spirit then to meditate on the many and weighty motives there are to quicken you to labour after the Spirit I will but name a few drawn from the Necessity and the Utility of it 1. There is an absolute Necessity of having the Spirit of God and that in these two respects 1. Because without the Spirit of Christ you can receive no grace from Christ for it is the Spirit that is the sole Author and Worker of grace in any therefore called the Spirit of Grace Zach. 12.10 And the Spirit of Sanctification Rom. 1.4 and the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord Isai 11.2 2. Because without the Spirit you cannot perform any duty so as to please the Lord and to profit by it As for instance 1. Not hear the Word for without the Spirit the Word is but a dead and killing Letter 2 Cor. 3.6 It was he that opened the heart of Lydia to attend unto what was spoken so as to live by it Acts 16. 2. Not to pray effectually without the Spirit Rom. 8.26 2. Many and great will be the benefits that will come to you by having the Spirit 1. He will be a Spirit of Inhabitation to dwell in you honour you so far as to make you his House and Temple 1 Cor. 3.16 2. He will be a Spirit of Illumination to enlighten you with the knowledge of God's mind and will to teach you all things John 16.12 and bring all things to your remembrance John 14.26 3. A Spirit of Sanctification Rom. 1.4 To sanctifie you throughout in Spirit Soul and Body 1 Thes 5.23 To inrich you with all sanctifying graces Gal. 5.22 4. A Spirit of Consolation to cheer up your Spirits in and under affliction Rom. 14.17 John 14.16 5. A Spirit of Intercession teaching to pray Rom. 8.26 6. A Spirit of Direction to guide you in all your ways and lead you into all truth Rom. 8.14 and 16.5 In a word a Spirit of Adoption and Salvation Rom 8.16 Ephes 1.13 and therefore in all these respects to labour after the Spirit of Christ But you will say What must we do to procure this Spirit 5. You must take notice of and meditate on the means of procuring the Spirit which are amongst others these 1. You are to give the Spirit the glory that is due to him Well then Q. What must we do to procure the Spirit A. 1. You are to give the Spirit the glory that is due to him by acknowledging him to be true and very God every way equal with the Father and the Son to believe in him and rest on him for illumination sanctification and salvation as well as the Father and the Son for the ignorance and unbelief of this our Saviour shews to be the cause why the World receives him not John 14.17 Secondly You are to know and acknowledge that by nature you want the Spirit of God and thereupon to hunger and thirst after him for the promise is he will pour out his Spirit upon such Isaiah 44.3 John 7 37 38. Thirdly You are to attend and wait upon God in the Ministry of the Word wherein the Spirit is given Acts 10.44 Gal. 3.2 Fourthly You are to love the Lord Jesus Christ and express your love by keeping his Commandments for Christ hath promised to give his Spirit unto such John 14.15 16 17. Fifthly You are to be earnest and constant in Prayer for the Spirit to be given in to enlighten and enable you to every duty God calls you to the gift of the Spirit is a great gift and the greatest next to Christ his Son too great indeed for us to ask but not for God to give for he delights to give and do great things for his and not only commands us to ask him but makes many promises to incourage us Ezek. 36.25 26. Joel 2.28 29. Zac. 12.10 most clearly Luke 11.13 Fifthly If you would have the Spirit to obey the Spirit in his motions and excitements within and without Isa 30.20 21. and take heed you do not resist grieve or quench the Spirit Isai 63.10 Eph. 4.13 1 Thes 5.19 Sixthly Having obtain'd the Spirit to take notice of and meditate on the means you are to use for the preserving and increasing communion with him as First To take heed of and shun such sins as cause him to depart for instance 1. Take heed of quenching the Spirit 1 Thes 5.19 now the Spirit is quenched as Fire is either by with-drawing Fuel or casting-on of Water and filth so is the Spirit when Men either neglect the means and seasons of grace or else hearken unto and cherish the motions of sin and Satan and the World hence that Exhortation Isai 30. To hearken unto the Voice behind us and not turn to the right hand or to the left Secondly Take heed of grieving the Holy Spirit of God Eph. 4.30 Now the Holy Spirit is grieved as by all sin so especially by open and scandalous sins such as lying dissembling idleness rotten communication unbridled passion anger wrath revenge as you may see clearly Eph. 4 25. to the end Thirdly Take heed of resisting the Holy Ghost which is a higher degree of sinning when Men and Women not only refuse to hearken unto the Voice of the Spirit in the Ministry of the Word but even fall fowl on the Doctrines and truths that are taught out of the Word and quarrel with the Ministers for their plain and faithful dealing with them as the Israelites did with Jeremy 43.1.2 and the Jews with Stephen Acts 5.71 Fourthly Take heed of tempting the Holy Ghost as Ananias and Sapphira did Acts 5.1 to the 10. Q. When do Men tempt the Holy Ghost to take vengeance on them A. You may see in that place when they will profess and pretend that which is not in them as faith and love and obedience which are the most eminent fruits of the Spirit and
yet are wholly void of them when Men will profess and pretend they seek the glory of God the publick good the weal and comfort of others as well as themselves and yet do nothing less but seek only their own private Worldly and fleshly interest care not what become of others let them sink or swim all 's one to them and worse than so to promote their own private interest will be still plotting and practising mischief against others still instilling prejudices into the heads and hearts and tongues of others and yet profess and pretend the quite contrary This lying and dissembling of Professors is that which tempts the Holy Ghost to take vengeance on them sooner or later for their audacious robbing Him of those glorious Attributes of his Omnipresency Omnisciency Omnipotency and to exemplarily punish such as dare to sin not only against the light of the Word but the Dictates of the Holy Spirit in their Consciences Fifthly Take heed of defiling his Temple for if any Man defile the Temple of God him will God destroy 1 Cor. 3.17 Q. Who are they that do so He tells you there they are professing believers Whereby do they defile his Temple They defile it by corrupt Doctrin and manners by dividing-Principles and practises causing Rents and Schisms Parties and Factions as you may find they did Vers 4 5. They also that defile their Bodies by Fornication and Uncleanness 1 Cor. 6.13 18 19. Secondly If you would hold and maintain communion with the Spirit as to shun the forenamed Evils so to observe and make conscience of these following duties First To hearken unto and obey the calls of the Spirit to faith and love and obedience Isai 30.21 Secondly To nourish and cherish the inward motions of the Spirit checking for evil and exciting to good 1 Thes 5.19 Thirdly To live in the Spirit Gal. 5.25 That is as we live a natural life by him so to live a spiritual life to him that we may be fitted to enjoy an Eternal Life with him Fourthly To walk in the Spirit Gal. 5.16.25 That is to follow the Direction of the Spirit Vers 18. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Children of God Rom. 8.14 Fifthly To enter upon and perform all duties in and by the assistance of the Spirit Eph. 6.10 To pray in the Holy Ghost Jude 20. Eph. 6.18 To preach in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.4 To love in the Spirit Col. 1.8 and exercise all Graces in the manifestation of the Spirit 1 Cor. 12.7 and rejoyce in the comforts of the Spirit Acts 9.31 Sixthly Labour to be filled with the Spirit Eph. 5.18 Not to content your selves with any measure of grace but still labouring to grow in grace and gracious practises 1 Cor. 15. last To be filled with peace and joy in believing and abound in the hope of glory through the Power of the Holy Ghost Rom. 15.13 Seventhly To preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Eph. 4.3 that is to endeavour it though we cannot effect it as we would because of the many and great remainders of corruption in the best that oppose and obstruct it yet I say tâ— endeavour it as the Apostle exhorts Phil. 1.27 3.15 Lastly To sow in the Spirit Gal. 6.8 that is lay out your substance and worldly good to spiritual uses for the maintenance of Christ'â— Ministry and Ordinances the providing of thâ— Gospel and incouragement of others in the way of holiness if you refuse to honour the Lord witâ— your substance and bestow it only upon your selveâ— and yours you do but sow to the flesh and of thâ— flesh shall reap corruption but he that soweth 〈◊〉 the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Vers 8. Lastly What grace you have receiv'â— above others or you have been enabled to exerciâ—â— above others or good duties you have been enabled to do above others when you have been moâ—â— enlarged in it above others take heed of arrogating any thing to your selves remember to gâ—â— wholly out of your selves and to give the Spirâ—â— the glory of his grace to you in it as the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.10 and be still careful to walk the more humbly before God and Man Micah 6. So much of the Spirit Nextly CHAP. V. The Fourth Head of Meditation is MAN IN and about Man to meditate on the Four-fold Estate of Man the Four last Things or Ends of Man and such things in the Soul and in the Body about the Tongue Talents Time and Eternity of Man as may most conduce to the enabling of you to answer God and Christ and the Spirit in all they have done for man First To meditate on the Four-fold Estate of Man his blessed state by Creation cursed state by Transgression gracious state by Regeneration and happy estate by Glorification Sect. 1. First His blessed estate by Creation and here to take notice of and meditate on these things First That he was made the most excellent of all the visible Creatures Secondly That he was made in the most excellent manner Thirdly That he was made to the most excellent ends First He was made the most excellent of all the visible Creatures as appears First In respect of the structure of his Body and the endowments of his Soul of which we shall speak hereafter Secondly In that he was made after his own Image in knowledge righteousness and true holiness Gen. 1.26 Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 Thirdly In that he was made the Habitation and Temple of the Holy Ghost 2 Cor. 6.16 Fourthly In that he was made Lord over all the Creatures all subjected under his Feet and all for his use Gen. 1.26 Psal 8. Fifthly In that he was made the Epitome or abridgment of the whole Creation there being nothing in the World but there is some thing in Man like unto it as touching God we believe Him to be a Spirit touching the World we know it to be a Body in Man we have an abridgment of both namely of God in respect of his Spirit and of the World in respect of his Body As in the World there are some things visible and some things invisible so in Man a visible Body and an invisible Soul as in the World some Creatures live the life of Vegetation as Plants some the life of Sense as Beasts some the life of Reason as Angels in Man you have all these kinds of life In a word as one well Man is God's Text all the Creatures are Commentaries on it Secondly Meditate on the excellent manner of Man's Creation 1. Whereas all other Creatures were made by a bare and simple command God did but say the word Let there be Light and there was Light and so in the rest When God made Man it was not without Divine Consultation the sacred Trinity did not
Christ and never leave you until it hath crown'd you with Glory Col. 3.4 Ninthly To meditate on and make use of the means God hath revealed and commands you to â—se to get out of a state of Nature into a state of Grace What are they Mark a few 1. You must be willing to see and be sensible of and humbled under your want of Grace as they Acts 2.37 and the Jaylor Acts 16.30 2. You must labour to be united unto Christ the Fountain of Spiritual Life and Grace for the Son quickneth whom he will John 5.21 and John 1.16 from his fulness we receive Grace for Grace and 1 John 5.12 He that hath the Son hath Life 3. You must prize and value it hunger and thirst after it above all other things in the World Isa 55.1 Rev. 22.17 4. You must go to the Covenant for it and beg the Lord to remember his Covenant and glorifie his Grace in giving in that Grace to you which he promiseth in the Covenant Psal 84.11 and tells him this Grace is as free for you as for others and will be as glorious on you as on others and you shall give him the glory of it here and to all eternity Read and ponder well that excellent place 2 Cor. 9.8 A sufficiency of Grace in him for you 5. You must wait constantly on the Ministry of the Word which is the only ordinary means of getting it James 1.21 1 Pet. 1.23 when ever you come to hear the Word remember to beg the Spirit of God to quicken his Word that it may quicken your dead Souls whereby you may be enabled to stand up from the dead and act as new Creatures in a state of Regeneration to God and for God It is the Spirit alone that quickens John 16. and him that God hath promised to such as ask him Luke 11. And therefore I say still remember to beg the Spirit of God and wait upon him in the ministry of the Word till he come to breath into this Spirit Life a Life of Grace that may fit you for and entitle you to a Life of Glory to quicken and encourage you Sect. 4. Take notice of the happy estate of Man by Glorification and what those things are you are to meditate on in and about that are these 1. What this Glory is and wherein it consists 2. The Properties of it 3. The certainty of it 4. Who they are that shall partake of it 1. What this glory is In the general it is no other then the lustre or beauty of a person or thing that draws admiration after it and it is either External Internal or Eternal 1. External is that state and pomp men have in the World and drawes the eyes of others after it of which you may read Gen. 45.13 You shall shew my Father of my glory in Egypt that is of the pomp state and honour I am exalted to 2. Internal Glory is that within in the Soul in the excellent Gifts and Graces that it is endowed withal Psal 45. The Kings Daughter is all glorious within and Numb 6.27 where God said to Moses He should bring Joshua before the Priest and put some of his Glory and Spirit upon him 3. Temporal Glory Is that which he promiseth to his in this life Prov. 22.4 The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord is Riches and Glory 4. Eternal Glory Is that which God will confer upon the Saints in Heaven If you ask what that is we must answer in the words of Austin Facilius est excogitare quid non sit quam quid sit It cannot be conceived much less expressed yet as they guessed at the fruitfulness of the Land of Canaan by the mighty clusters of Grapes they brought thence so may we at the glory of Heaven by that glymps the Scripture holds forth of it That you may have the clearer sight of it we will consider it comparatively with that which is in the World and then absolutely as it is in it self First If we compare it with that glory which is visible in the World we may guess somewhat at the transcendent excellency of it You may see abundance of glory in all the Works of God especially in those Celestial Bodies above the Sun the Moon and the Stars but alas what is this to the Glory of Heaven And If in Heav'ns outward Court such glory be What is the Glory which the Saints do see Du. Bartas 2. Consider it absolutely in it self And here take notice of the Glorious Place and Glorious Company and Glorious Endowments of Soul and Body the Glorious Employments of both and the Glorious Priviledges the Saints shall enjoy there 1. For the Glotious Place that is the highest Heaven that which the Apostle calls the Third Heaven 2 Cor. 12. and this place is Verus totus Olimgus wholly Light not only bespangled here and there with glittering Stars but as one great Sun and that which is increased by the admirable splendor of the glorified Body of Jesus Christ and those millions of glorified Saints whose Bodies there shall shine not onely as the Stars Dan. 12. but as the Sun Mat. 13.43 2. For the Glorious Company There you shall have the society not only of all your Christian Alliance Friends and Acquaintance that have liv'd and dyed in the Lord but of all the Holy Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs Saints not only of the Glorious Angels but the ever blessed Trinity Father Son and Holy Ghost and if the company of a few humble upright chearful Christians be so sweet here how sweet must communion be with all these 3. For the Glorious Endowments 1. Of the Soul As soon as the Soul is separated from the Body it goes to the Spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12. It is perfected in all its Faculties Understanding Will Memory Affections 1. For the Understanding It is perfected in the knowledge of God and all that 's good 1 Cor. 13.10 11 12. Here we are but as in the Grammer School there we shall be in the University here the knowledge most have is but the least part of that they shall know there of God and the Creatures of the Mysteries of Religion and the Secrets of Nature 2. For the Will there shall be in it a perfect conformity to the Will of God we shall will all that is good and that more freely and with more alacrity then here we ever willed any pleasure of this life 3. For the Memory It shall be so perfected as to remember all that is good and nothing that is evil so as to be troubled for it but rejoyce rather in this that we are freed from it 4. For the Affections These shall be wholly taken up with and rest upon God and all that is good the measure of our love and delight in him shall be to love and delight in him without measure 2. For the glory of the Body you may reade it 1 Cor. 15.42 43.
any onâ—â— leave every one as he findes the temper of his body and spirit most inclin'd and disposed to Thirdly Though none strictly bound to any part of the Day yet none to leave themselves at random and at large to do it at any time of the Day but appoint some set-time for it either the Morning or Evening either before or after Supper or a little before we compose our selves to rest The reason is because if we should leave our selves at randome we should never be constant in this Exercise but shift it off from one time to another Fourthly When you have set the time then be careful to observe it constantly unless some urgent necessity prevent because otherwise fickleness and unconstancy will keep us from profiting by it and soon make us weary of it Secondly For extraordinary Seasons they are amongst others these First When the spirit of God doth in a more than ordinary manner move and incline to it when the Spirit lifts up the heart to Heaven then to lift up with him to nourish and cherish those motions Secondly When you are under more than ordinary trouble of Spirit then to apply your selves to this duty for Cordials are never more seasonable than in times of fainting Psal 94.19 2 Cor. 4. 2 last verses Thirdly When either Age or sickness do summon us to death then is a fit season to meditate on God and the things of God when all other things in the World begin to leave us then to think on those things will never leave us for it 's observable in the Saints they have been most heavenly in their mediations affections and expressions towards their end as Jacob Genes last Moses Deut. 33. 33. chap. our Saviour in the 14 15 16 17. chap. of John we should follow them in the same practise As the pulling down of one Ballance is the lifting up of another so the drawing down of the body to Earth should be the lifting up of the Soul to Heaven As the Soul here is usually at the worst when the Body is at the best so the Soul should be at the best when the Body is at the worst The fifth Circumstance is the Manner how we are to perform this duty and that is thus Cordially reverently seriously affectionately constantly and orderly First Cordially because it 's not the meditation of the head but the heart God looks unto Prov. 4. My Son give me thy heart Luke 2.19 Mary ponder'd Christ's sayings in her heart Psalm 19. last and 49.3 Secondly To do it reverently remembering and considering he is a great King and his Name is dreadful amongst the Heathen Malachy 1. ult therefore to take heed of any unreverent or careless behaviour in his presence and worship as being a great dishonour to him and that which he sharply reproves in those formal and lazie Priests Mal. 1. about the end Thirdly Seriously so as to keep the mind intent upon the business in hand and not to give way to any other thoughts though they be good thoughts because they are unseasonable at that time and will thrust out the other and so make both useless to keep also a narrow watch over our hearts and senses that they be not avocated or drawn aside by other objects Fourthly Affectionately so as to have our affections stirred and warmed and wrought upon by those things we meditate on as David here in the Text My Meditation of him shall be sweet and I will be glad in the Lord so to think on spiritual and heavenly things as they may leave an impression upon the Soul as the Seal doth on the Wax that so your affections may answer your cogitations as the Wax doth the Seal and the Eccho the voice As for Example when you think on the glorious Majesty of God to make your hearts stand in aw of Him when on his Love Grace Mercy to have your Hearts thereby indear'd to him Secondly When on Christ the amiableness and fulness that is in him and in him for you to have your desires drawn out the more after nearer sweeter fuller communion with him when on the Holy Ghost his sweet motions and invitations to have your Hearts opened to receive Him and obey Him in them Fourthly When on the Word to do it with a particular Application Fifthly When on God's Works of Mercy and Justice to have your Hearts melt with the one and tremble at the other Sixthly When on your selves your sins and corruptions to be humbled under them when on the Evidences of God's love and grace to rejoice in them Seventhly When on the World and the things of it to have your hearts disingag'd from them and hang loose to them Lastly When on Death to live in a continual expectation and a religious preparation for it when on the Judgment-Day to cast up your accounts sit in judgment on your selves that you may not be condemn'd with the World so think on Hell as your Hearts may tremble at sin that made it and so think on Heaven that your conversation may be there where you hope e're long to have your Habitation to all Eternity Fifthly To do it constantly so as to observe the due and the appointed time or otherwise omission and intermission may soon cause amission and so dead the affection as to become weary of it and cast off the duty and therefore to be constant in it and continue so long in it until our hearts be affected with what we think and we receive some benefit by it Sixthly To do it orderly for God being a God of Order he loves Order in us to this end to have an eye to three things the Ingress the Progress and the Egress As for Example to begin with Hearing or Reading and then go on with Meditation or thinking on it and then end all with Prayer for as Mr. Greenham well said Hearing and reading without Meditation is useless Meditation without reading and hearing fruitless and both without prayer will be successless miss a blessing More distinctly and fully First for the Ingress or Entrance upon it we are to prepare for it by making choice of some particular subject most sutable to your present condition and then lift up an Ejaculation for the Lord direction assistance and blessing on it Secondly For the Progress in it to observe a Method in it either such as Scholars use to do in Meditation on a subject as First The Definition or Description Secondly The Division or kind or parts Thirdly The Causes efficient material formal final Fourthly The fruits and the effects and the like Logical heads all which you may see exemplified in Bishop Hall's and Mr. Roger's Seven Treatises or thus which I conceive a more profitable way for our more ordinary sort of hearers being not acquainted with this art to proceed in your Meditations as you are taught First On the Doctrine then the Proofs then the Reasons then the Uses and in them the signs motives means You
willing as he is able Psal 84.11 1 Tim. 4.8 More particularly First That he will give them his Spirit to work all in them and for them Ezek. 36.26 Luke the 11. Secondly That he will give them the sanctifying knowledge of himself and his will Ezek. 36.26 Thirdly That he will pardon all their sins and look upon them as righteous in his Christ 2 Cor. 5.19 21. Fourthly That he will sanctifie their natures to the mortifying of their corruptions and the quickning of their graces Rom. 6.4 5. 8. the 13. Jer. 31.33 Ephes 2.1 Fifthly That he will take away their heart of Stone and give a heart of Flesh the double Spirit and give a single Spirit the froward Spirit and give a teachable Spirit Ezek. 11.19 and chap. 36. Sixthly He will not only give grace but growth in grace Malach. 4.2 Lastly That he will never leave the work of his grace until he hath perfected grace in glory Jer. 32.39 40. Phil. 1.6 Seventhly To meditate of the Signs of being actually in Covenant as First a lively faith working by love to God and all that is God's John 3.16 Gal. 5.5 Secondly A Reciprocation of promises as God promised to be our God so we to be his People Deut. 26.16 17. as he promised to give Christ and grace and glory so we promise faith and love and new obedience Thirdly The Counterpane or Copy of the Covenant they that enter into Covenant one with the other you know each Party hath a Counterpane or Copy of it so is it between God and the Soul as the Covenant is reciprocal so the Copy of the Covenant is drawn on the heart Jeremy 31.34 Fourthly They have the Spirit of God to reveal and make known this Covenant to them Jeremy 31.34 and to enable them to do what is required in the Covenant Ezek. 36.26 27. Fifthly Such as are in Covenant they have the fruits and effects of of it as First Softness of heart Ezek. 11.19 Secondly Sincerity of obedience Ezek. 11.19 20. Thirdly Growth in grace 2 Cor. 7.1 Fourthly Perseverance in grace Jer. 32.39 Fifthly A conscionable care to renew their Covenant with God upon every breach of it Jer. 50.5 Eighthly To meditate on the means of getting an interest in the Covenant if you do not yet find your selves actually in Covenant as First To humble your selves under the abuse of his grace in the first Covenant Secondly To give him the glory of his grace in vouchsafing to enter into another and a better Covenant not only to give grace but perseverance in grace Thirdly To be willing to Covenant with God as he with you Deut. 26.16 17. This Day the Lord thy God hath c. Fourthly To close with the great design of God in saving of poor lost sinners in making such a Covenant with them in Christ and in order to it to renounce the former Covenant of works all your own righteousness and desire with the Apostle to be found only in Christ having his righteousness that is by faith the righteousness of God Phil. 3.9 Because by the works of the Law no Flesh living can be justified Rom. 3. The Jews going about to establish their own righteousness made void to them the righteousness of Christ Rom. 10.3 Yea and you are to renounce all other Covenants with Sin Satan and the World for God will never enter into Covenant with those that are in Covenant with his Enemies Isai 28.15 2 Cor. 6.14 to the end Fifthly To go unto God by servent and constant Prayer and entreat him to remember his Covenant and glorifie his grace in it upon you by giving his Spirit for the enabling you to close with his great Design in the Covenant That he would put his Law in your heart and write it in your inward parts and give you that new Spirit which may cause you to walk in his Statutes and keep his Commandments and do them Ezek. 36. Ninthly To meditate on the many and weighty motives there are to quicken every one to get an interest in this Covenant of Grace as First The sad and miserable condition of all such as are without Covenant They are without God in the World and without hope viz. of a better life After this Eph. 2.12 They must look to be judged by a Covenant of works and if Men be not able to yield obedience to any one command of God as they ought and yet bound to yield obedience unto all the whole Law or no life do they must all or die eternally for the breach of the least Commandment Deut. 27. last The consideration of this should make every wicked man tremble to continue a moment in his natural unregenerate state and speedily to come unto Christ Yet further consider the miserable condition of men in this so long as they are without Covenant they cannot expect any blessing or mercy from God either corporal or spiritual outward or inward for all blessings and mercies they are conveyed to a People in and by virtue of the Covenant Zach. 9.11 Whatsoever men have and enjoy being out of Covenant they have it in wrath and not in mercy as a curse and not a blessing Mol. 2.2 Secondly Meditate on the happy and blessed estate of such as are actually in Covenant they have an interest in God and Christ his Spirit and all that is theirs 1 Cor. 3. two last Hos 2.18 to the end And as all that is good in God and Christ is yours so all that evil that is yours in Christ's Your sins 2 Cor. 5 last and your sufferings Isaiah 63. He is afflicted in all your afflictions Secondly You may go boldly to the Throne of Grace for the supply of all your wants Heb. 4. last and with assurance to be accepted and answer'd in whatsoever you shall ask according to his will 1 Ioh 5.14 Thirdly It 's that will bring you comfort in the saddest condition you are or can be in When they spake of stoning David He encouraged himself in the Lord his God 2 Sam. 23.5 Again To meditate on the excellent properties of this Covenant How that it is the most free sweet full and unchangeable Covenant First For the Freeness of it there was nothing in Us to move him to it but his own grace therefore call'd a Covenant of grace nothing requir'd on our part but only faith Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Acts 16 31. Secondly For the Sweetness of it you may see it in these three things First He requires no more of us than he promiseth to work in us by his Spirit Ezek. 36.27 Secondly He promiseth to overlook all our unwilling trespasses faultings and failings where they are bewail'd by us and to accept the will for the deed the endeavour for the work 2 Cor. 8.12 our imperfect obedience for perfect Heb. 11.17 Thirdly He will look upon accept of the perfect Obedience the full satisfaction of Jesus Christ for us as if we had yielded
it and the Fruits of it 1. By the Grounds of it whence it ariseth and they are these 1. A sight and sense of their lost condition that they came into the World without Christ before Men be convinced of this they will never look out after Christ Eph. 2.12 2. It ariseth from sound Humiliation under the fight and sense of their lost condition so as to be willing upon it to break off the League between the Soul and every sin for a Graft must be cut off from the old Stock before it can be set into a new This you may find in those new Converts Acts 2.37 And the Jaylor Acts 16.29 2. You may know it by the Means of it now these are four whereof there are two on Christ's part sc His Word and his Spirit and two on our part sc Faith and Love By these as so many Bands and Ligaments the union is made between Christ and the Soul By the two former God draws the Soul home to Christ By the two latter he unites and knits it to Christ 1. The Word of Christ that is the Ordinance by which he cuts them off from the old Stock and ingrafts them into the new Acts 26.18 therefore called the ingrafted Word James 1.21 Now Souls are cut off from the old Stock by sound Humiliation under their sinful and miserable condition by nature so as to be willing to have the League broken between the Soul and every sin to part with all for Him And they come to be ingrafted to Him when they are made willing to receive Him on Gospel-terms not only as their Saviour but their Ruler 2. Another Means and the principal is the Spirit of Christ 1 Joh. 3. last which the Lord gives effectually to accompany his Word for the cutting them off from the old Stock and ingrafting them into the new and this the Spirit doth by convincing them of sin righteousness and judgment Joh. 16.8 By being in them first a Spirit of Bondage and then of Adoption Rom. 8 15. By mortifying of their Corruptions Rom. 8.13 and quickning them with Grace Vers 10 11. 1 Cor. 6.11 3. Another Means or Band of our union with and interest in Christ is a lively Faith taking us off from our own righteousness and causing us to rest and rely only on the righteousness of Jesus Christ for Justification and Salvation Joh. 3.16 Phil. 3.9 4th Means or Band is an unfained Love to Christ for his lovely Self and all his Members for his sake Joh. 14.21 1 Joh. 3.14 3. You may know it by the fruits of it which are especially these 1. A through change of heart and life 2 Cor. 5.17 2. Subjection and obedience to his Laws and Commandments Joh. 14.15.21 15.14 Then are you my friends if you do whatsoever I command you and Heb. 5.9 3. Conformity to him in heart and life doing and suffering living and dying Rom. 6.5 6. 1 Joh. 2.6 2 Tim. 2.12 4. A constant adherence to him in faith love and obedience with full purpose of heart not to depart from him Heb. 3.14 Tenthly To meditate on what we are to do for the getting and clearing up our interest in Christ and all he hath done and suffer'd for us to this end mind well a few directions as First Look to this that you be throughly convinc't of and humbled under your sinful and miserable condition out of Christ so as to find your selves in a lost and undone condition Luke 19.10 Sick in Soul with the confideration of it Mat. 9.13 Burdned with and weary of your sins Mat. 11.29 And pricked in your hearts as they Act. 2.37 for this is the first work of the Spirit of God in bringing in a Soul to Christ viz. the convincing him and humbling him under his sin and misery by reason of sin Joh. 16.8 Secondly To hunger and thirst after an interest in Christ above all other things in the World Isaiah 55.1 Revel 22.17 so as with the Apostle To account all things but loss and dung in comparison of it Phil. 3. Thirdly You are to be willing to take Him on Gospel-terms such as he therein offers himself as these First To take Him in all his Titles and Offices not only as your alone Jesus but Lord and Christ Rom. 13. end Put on the Lord Jesus Christ and so Acts 16.31 Secondly Be willing to deny our selves and tâ—â—e up his Cross to follow Him Mark 8.34 willing to part with all and every sin yea all and every thing to follow Him as Christ advised the young man Luke 19. Sell all thou hast and come and follow me c. For as a Noble Lord said well That Person may be deceived that thinks to save any thing by his Religion but his Soul meaning his Religion might cost him the loss of all Thirdly Give up your selves to Him in a Universal sincere and constant obedience and conformity to Him and all his commands expresly requir'd Heb. 5.9 Heb. 3.14 John 15.14 Fourthly You are to endeavour to lay hold on Him and close with Him and be united to him by faith and love Rom. 11.19 20. Eph. 3.17 Gal. 5.6 John 14.21 And that you may to wait constantly on the Ministry of the Word and beg the Spirit of God effectually to accompany it for the begetting and working of this faith and love whereby you may be actually and really united to him and made one with him 1 Cor. 12.13 Eleventhly To meditate on the motives and incouragements you have to get and clear up your interest in Christ You have seen enough in what hath been said before yet take two or three more First Consider the miserable condition of a man our of Christ in these particulars First So long as Men are without Christ they are without Covenant without hope and without God in the World Eph. 2.12 Secondly They lie under the guilt of all their sins Rom. 3.19 and that you cannot stand under the guilt of one sin that first sin how much less under the guilt of such innumerable sins Thirdly You remain still in Vassallage and slavery unto the basest and 〈…〉 Tyrants Sin Saâ—an and the World Eph. 〈…〉 Fourthly You sin in all you think and 〈…〉 do Pro. 15.8 Rom. 8.7 Titus 1.15 〈◊〉 Every thing you have and use is accurâ—ed to 〈◊〉 Deut. 28 16. to the end Mal. 2.2 Sixthly Theâ—◠〈◊〉 but a step between you and Hell John 8.21 1 Cor. 6.9 Mat. 25. last Secondly Consider the happy estate of a man in Christ he is freed from all that is truly evil and instated in all that is truly good First He is freed from all evil both of sin and punishment from the evil of sin both the guilt of it and the filth of it 1 John 1.7 Rom. 8.1 Rom. 6.14 Secondly He is instated in all that is good As the Wife is by her marriage in all the honours riches pleasures of her Husband so is the believing Soul in all the honours riches and