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A23773
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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.
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Allestree, Richard, 1619-1681.
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1694
(1694)
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Wing A1168A; ESTC R43055
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62,234
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194
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and Gladness in the Day of the Lord Jesus MED X. Of a Good Conscience Act. xxiv 16. And herein do I exercise my self to have always a conscience void of offence towards Ged and towards men WHATEVER thou undertakest consult thy Conscience and if Satan excites thee to any Evil stand in awe of the Checks within thee for the Internal Testimony is of more Efficacy than the External Thy Conscience that Angel-Guardian which Divine Omnipotence hath fixed within thee shall be register'd in those Books which will be opened at the Great Day as is testified by St. Iohn Rev. 20. 22. II. THE First is the Book of God's Omniscience wherein thy Thoughts Words and Actions shall be demonstrated The Second is the Book of Life Rev. 13. 8. wherein those that are found written by Verity and Faith shall be safely conducted by the Angels into Heaven's Imperial Court The Third is the Book of Holy Writ according to which Golden Rule our Faith and Good Works shall be measured The Fourth contains the Testimony of the Indigent whom we have defrauded or relieved The Last Book contains the Internal Testimony of the Voice of Conscience wherein all Offences are noted and indeed the Volume must be large and exactly written by the Finger of Truth III. SINNERS in that Day will be fully convinced by the Terrour within 'em and they can no ways shun so just an Accusation A Mind undefiled is the Crystal-Glass of the Soul and is so transparent that she evidently by the Opticks of Faith beholds the Idea of the Almighty for a sordid Eye cannot view the Splendor of a true Luminary As a well Complexion'd and good Featur'd Countenance is esteem'd in the Eye of the World so an unspotted Conscience is acceptable in the sight of the Almighty But that Conscience which abounds with Putrefaction generates that Worm which continually Vulture like corrodes but never dies IV. O THEN let us while it is Day with a true Remorse have a sense and feeling of this never-dying Worm and diligently labour to use all Arts to destroy it and let us not indulge it by any means lest it abide with us to all Eternity VVhat can it advantage thee if thou wer 't a Proficient in all the Arts and Sciences in this Microcosm nay though thy Skill did extend so far as to number the Stars and to trace out the ways of the Planets and did'st enjoy no Peace within to comfort thee Let it be thy care to square the Actions of thy Life according to that Rule prescrib'd by the Holy Jesus Let Purity reign in the Centre of thy Heart Verity possess thy Tongue and embrace Justice that it may attend thee in all thy Proceedings All which will evidently demonstrate whether thy Life be Good or Evil. V. ALL the Applause and Breath of the VVorld is insignificant if thy Bosom Friend thy Conscience accuse thee And what can all their Detraction prejudice thee if she defend thee This potent â—udge thou carriest about thee is sufficient to Accuse Testifie and to Condemn thee This Justice holds the Balance even and will not be bribed with unjust Rewards never will she be mollified with fruitless Prayers but she indefatigably follows thee whithersoever thou goest and will attend thee where-ever thou art carrying about her that Charge which thou hast committed to her custody whether it be good or whether it be evil VI. AND as the Testimony of thy Conscience evidences against thee such Judgment must thou expect from the Judge of all Men. Sinners themselves at last shall become their own Accusers though no other Testimony appeared against them For Instance The Drunkard when he is overwhelm'd with VVine or Strong-drink hath no sense of the Prejudice he hath receiv'd by his Intemperance but having slept away his Drunkenness the charm of sensuality is fractur'd and he feels the smart of his own Imbecillity VII So Sin that Diabolical Treasure whil'st it is agitating darkens the Mind and like a condense Cloud obscures the Lustre of perspicuous Judgment but at length the Voice within is rouzed up like a Lion and rendeth more vehemently than any other Accuser Oh let us all betimes mortifie this Worm by the fervour of our Devotion that it may not gnaw upon us to our Destruction and lead us to Eternal Horrour Extinguish this internal Fire by thy Prayers and Tears that so thou may'st enjoy Heaven in the Cool of the Day VVhich God of his infinite Goodness grant that we may attain by fighting a good fight finishing our course and keeping the faith 2 Tim 47. MED XI Of a Wounded Spirit Prov. xviii 14. But a wounded spirit who can bear NONE on this side Eternity not the vastest Heap the Universe it self that Theatre of Humane Frailty cannot for it groans and travels in Pains it self to be delivered Celestial Mansions was no longer a Residence for those ambitious rebellious Spirits who forfeited their Glory for those infernal Flames which Torment is not equivolent to that infinite Despair which for ever secludes and interdicts them from it It is no surprizing wonder that many imagine there is no Infernal Place like this for its Torments are not to be parallell'd II. FIERY Furnaces Stakes Gridirons or Phalarus's Bull are but Trifles to this greedy Vulture Tortures of the modernest Invention are delightful Penalties compar'd to this Crulty Those inhumane dying Miseries do but inrage and stupifie Sense whil'st this vital Death this destroying Life exercises its Malice on a more Celestial Object and contending to demolish and ruine an Immortal Part makes Death it self a Principal and gentle Murtherer to it III. CROAKS of Ravens Shrieks of Owls and Houls of Wolfs that adds Obscurity to the dismal Night Groans of departing Souls that invade the Ear and fill the Apartment with trembling Epitaphs transcribed in Characters mournful as the Grave and Silence are well-tuned Harmonies to the dying Elegiacks of a wounded Spirit that vents nothing but bloody Satyrs against it self Behold how with the disconsolate Psalmist it goes mourning all the Day and Night inviron'd with Sorrows and surrounded with dismal and fatal Idea's and inverts his Bed into a Bath which those weeping Fountains of Tears his Eyes have distilled and instead of splendid and gentle Airs evaporates nothing but dark and trembling Accents which busie Satan labours to retort in doleful and despairing Eccho's IV. HOW contritely doth it expostulate with Heaven My dearest Redeemer is that amiable Attribute of thy Mercy lost Is the Fountain of it dried up from a poor and wretched Sinner And wilt thou be a Jesus of Mercy to the whole Universe and become none to me Oh let me descend from the loftiest Precipice and for ever dwell in noisom Dungeons inhabited by none but loathsom Toads Snakes and Serpents beyond the reach and sight of all the World so I may but enjoy the Light of thy Countenance Let me live more poor and despicable than patient Iob upon his Dunghill perplex'd
4. the Elements melt with fervent hert 2 Pet. 3. 10. and this magnificent imbellish'd Structure of the Material Creation must perish in a Conflagration IV. When the ecchoing Sound of the Last Trumpet will be loud enough to astonish drowsie Mankind out of the sleep of Mortality and all those innumerable Bodies which for so many past Ages have inhabited the vast Re-Regions of Forgetfulness shall arise from their Beds of Dust and appear before the Aweful Tribunal of the Great and Impartial Judge The Books will then be open'd the Indictments read and every Man's Works shall be produc'd at the Barr and Evidence given either for or against him No Title of Honour or Dignity of Place no Preheminence of Nativity or Excellency of Natural or Acquired Endowments will in this Court of Equity be admitted as a sufficient Demurr to an immediate and impartial Tryal but the High and the Low the Rich and the Poor the Noble and the Mean the Learned and the Ignorant he that sits on the Throne and he that stands behind the Mill even from the Swayer of the Scepter to the Drawer of Water must be equally impleaded and without respect of Persons receive a Compensation proportionable to their Merits V. IN this Great Day the Lord of the Harvest will gather his Wheat into Heaven's Granary bat the Chaff shall be thrown into Fire Unquencheable He shall separate his Fine Gold from the Dross and distinguish Right Jewels from False and Counterfeit Sparkles The Sheep will then be separated from the Goats and True Believers manifestly known from Formal Hypocrites But what Tongue not that of Angels can express the Joy of those vigilant Servants whom their Lord at that time will find diligently employ'd in the Performance of their Duties All that formidable Pomp and dreadful Solemnity which shall precede and attend the Advent of the Judge will but contribute to their Comfort and enhance their Consolation For they shall know that He who appears with such ineffable Majesty to keep his General Sessions of Righteousness is the same Iesus which was crucify'd for their Redemption VI. THEN that Exalted Saviour will accost his Followers in the Regeneration Mat. 19. 28. with these or the like transporting Expressions you my beloved Disciples who renounc'd all that the World call'd Grandeur and Generosity for the sake of your Crucify'd Lord and Master and despis'd the present Enjoyments of Flesh and Blood in Expectation of a Future and Invisible State of Felicity You who who retain'd your Obedience in the mid'st of a Rebellious Generation and embrac'd Vertue in an Age of Impiety and Prophaneness You who subdu'd your sensual Appetites by the Austerities of Self-denial and conform'd them to the sublimer Dictates of Reason and Religion And You who rejoyc'd in the Day of Tribulation and adorn'd the Doctrine of the Gospel by an exemplary Patience in the Day of Adversity This is the Day wherein you shall receive a Recompence for all your Sufferings a Recompence so incomparably Glorious and of such Sublimity that it will at once create and accomplish your Beatitude VII Your Troubles were Finite and expired in a Moment but the Duration of your Bliss will be Infinite and Eternal You shall now enter into that Heavenly Kingdom where all your Tears shall be wiped from your Eyes and those Chrystal Drops which you plentiful shed in the Prosecution of your Salvation shall be congeal'd into Pearls to enrich your Diadems and imbellish your Robes of Immortality There no Deluge of Sorrow shall disturb the Serenity of your Felicity no Anxiety or Perplexity no Discontent or Vexation shall intrude within the Limits of your Happiness but you shall securely bathe in Oceans of unmix'd Pleasures and feast upon Delights which know no period VIII BUT while these Fluctuations of the Divine Mercy will consummate a Beatifick Calm in the Breasts of the Righteous what irresistable Tempests of Consternation shall excruciate those impenitent Wretches who chose their Portion on this side Heaven and preferr'd the Dung and Miseries of a transitory World before the Real Joys of a Solid Eternity Now they shall in vain invoke the Mountains to bury them beneath their perpetual Ruines that by a more tolerable Destruction they might evade the Fury of that Almighty Indignation ready to overwhelm them But what will attribute them in these inextricable Exigencies that they possess'd the Quintessence of the Earth that they were splendid in Wealth and Honour that they inhabited Palaces of Cedar and took their Repose under Canopies embroider'd with Gold that they were homag'd by Crouds of Parasites and grew Famous in Popular Applause that they were the Favourites of Crowned Heads and the Darling of the Multitude that all things past currrant according to their Desires and were not molested by the Misfortunes of other Men when those illustrated Accommodations did contribute but to render 'em the more magnificently Miserable when they vanish'd like a visionary Dream of the Night but the Memento and Guilt of their Absurdity will like venomous Snakes and Serpents cling to their Consciences and become their remorseless Executioners for infinite Ages IX THEN the Eyes of their Understanding will be opened which the Fascinations of Sin had kept long clos'd and they shall perceive the Folly and Frailty of those impertinent Trifles which they courted with so much Passion and Eagerness and for whose unsatiable Fruition they neglected their Immortal Souls forfeited their Title to a blissful Immortality and subjugated themselves to those tremendous Extremities which are the inseparable Concomitants of an inevitable Damnation What heaps of Treasure then would they give to re-enjoy one Minute of that inestimable Time which they profusely expended in the unprofitable Works of Darkness that for so inconsiderable a space they might be but within a Possibility of Salvation What Presidents of Mortification What Miracles of Piety What inimitable Examples of Vertue and Goodness would they appear to Mankind were they to renovate the Lease of their Lives How would they disesteem all those magnificent Shadows and glittering Annihilations which the idolizing Worldling so preposterously admires and esteem the unmatchable Treasure of a Pacifick Conscience unspeakably beyond the most transcendent Terrestrial Enjoyments X. BUT alas 't will be then too late for Repentance and they who in the Day of their Visitation contemn'd the repeated Proposals of a Redeemers Reconciliation shall at this Juncture with Tears of Blood supplicate for Mercy and be refus'd it and the Lord Iesus who would have been their Saviour and so frequently extended his compassionate Arms to receive them into Favour if they would but Believe and Repent will as their inexorable Judge utter this direful Sentence against them Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels XI O IRREVERSIBLE Decree from whence there can be no Appeal and which no sooner pronoun'd but those Condem'd Wretches must be for ever exil'd from the Ecstatical Presence of the