we have been preserv'd from the Sword Famine Pestilence in those evil days that lately past over us When so many thousands were swept away by them we and ours were made up amongst his Jewels had our lives given us for a prey he turned our Captivity and restor'd our liberty and since lengthned out our tranquility and made us dwell in safety quiet from the fear of evil and that in the midst of many fears and dangers sad expectations and great provocations Take notice also of and meditate on his providences as over your selves so yours especially your little ones How wonderful is God every day in the preservation of them I shall give you an instance only of one Divers being in a Family to fast and pray a little Child went out to a Pond much frozen being Winter either to slide or whip his Top in the Pond was made two holes for the safety of the Fish and taking up of Water into one of these holes the Child fell being soon missed and searcht after he was found in one with his armes spread over the Hole had the Hole been wider or he not so soon lookt after he might have perished the Reporter of it was an Eye-witness of the deliverance And may not some of you speak of the like deliverance of yours Above all other protecting providences I shall commend to your serious and thankful meditation First That God hath hitherto and still doth protect a little Flock of Sheep in the midst of a World of Wolves and Lyons and Bears and Tygers which are continually set on mischief The Second is this that God maintains and upholds a little grace in life and vigour in the midst of such an abundance of corruption The reason is obvious because though the World be the Devil 's the Church is God's though corruption be ours yet Grace is the Lord's and he hath promised though the Devil and his Instruments rage never so much Yet the Gates of Hell shall never prevail against it Math. 16.18 and where he hath begun a good work of grace he will never leave his own work till he hath perfected it in glory Phil. 1.6 Thirdly Take notice of and meditate on God's Providing-providence how he hath provided for you and yours from time to time in all your wants and streights at such a time he raised up friends to you to supply your wants at such a time he sent Customers into your Shops and gave you vent for your Commodities at such a time he prosper'd your labours and when you had but little made it enough to satisfie you and yours You may remember many of you when your estate and condition was very low but now God hath so prosper'd you as you have attain'd to a great Estate you should therefore think on the goodness of God to you in it and labour to answer him in the end of it by doing the more good with it as God requires Deut. 5.15 Deut. 26.5 6. and Jacob did Gen. 32.10 It 's storied of Agathocles a King of Sicilly who having been a Potter's Son would always be serv'd at his Table with Earthen Vessels to mind him of the mean and low estate he was in at the first you should do likewise remembring and considering that if you be proud of it and more covetous than ever as the most are God hath times and ways enough to humble you and make you poorer than ever you should learn also from the Providing-providence of God for others to trust him for your selves and yours whatsoever your streights and necessities are You haâ—e examples in sacred and Ecclesiastical stories to encourage you as the Lord 's preserving the poor Widdow and her Family by a little Meal in the Barrel and Oyl in the Cruse the Lord 's sending the Ravens to seed Elijah who were more likely to feed on it and him and afterwards to go in the strength of that food 40. days together Elizabeth Young Martyr answered the Persecutor If you take away my Meat I trust God will take away my Stomack One Martyn lying hid in the time of the Parisian Massacre had a Hen that came constantly every Day and laid an Egg by which he was sustained for a Fortnight together And some of you have heard or read how by a Miracle of Mercy God relieved Rochel in a straight Seige by an innumerable company of Fishes cast upon the shore I need not instance in any more your own and others Experience can â—uggest many Fourthly To take notice of and meditate on God's Disposing-providence of you and yours and that not only infinitely beyond your deserts but above your Prayers Faith Hope Plato being ready to die gave thanks for three things First That he was made a man Secondly That he was born in Greece Thirdly That he liv'd in the time of Socrates If a Heathen much more should Christians take notice of God's gracious Disposing-providences as amongst others these That he gave us a beeing amongst Men and not amongst Beasts amongst Christians and not amongst Pagans amongst Protestants and not amongst Papists that we were born of such godly Parents as gave us good counsel and good example brought us up under godly School-masters and Tutors and Ministers to go in and out before us in soundness of Doctrine and integrity of Conversation that God gave us our Lott and Habitation in such a Place where we found many Benefactors and many good Counsellors many Body and Soul-friends and where we had many helps and encouragements and opportunities for the doing and receiving of good How at first you thought to be of such a Calling but God disposed you to another more fit for you and you for it once you thought to have led a solitary life and live like a Hermit but God made you know that you were not only born for your self but the glory of God and the publick good you thought once to have matcht into such a Family and with such a Person which if you had you had been undone but God so disposed as to give in the heart of another Companion every way more meet for you in Religion Disposition and Conversation and brought you into such a Family as you have cause to bless God for it all your days and break out and say Oh the All-wise gracious disposing providence of my God Praise thou the Lord O my Soul c. Believe it Christians it 's a sweet thing to eye God in his wise Disposals it will mightily strengthen our faith in his Promises Providences Fifthly Take notice of and meditate on his Assisting-providence in and under what he hath call'd us to do and suffer you may remember the time when we have been full of fears and doubts how we should go thorow such a service and undergo such a hardship but we have graciously found the Lord coming in mightily to assist us and carry us through all to his Glory our own and others comfort thus Paul found it
iâ— in our own Persons 1 Epist Iohn 2.1 Thirdly To meditate on the fulness of this Covenant that iâ— contains promises of all things concerning life and godliness this life and a better 2 Peter 1. 1 Timothy 4.8 That he will be a Sun and a Shield give grace and glory and will with-hold no good thing Psal 84.11 Fourthly On the unchange ableness of this Covenant that it is an everlasting Covenant Jer. 17.7 Jer. 32.39 40. Mal. 3.6 Heb. 13.6 Tenthly To meditate on the duties you owe to God in respect of this new Covenant of grace as First To be still admiring and adoring the free and rich grace of God in making such a Covenant with you notwithstanding you had abused this grace in the first Covenant and that he should bring you forth under the dispensations of the new Covenant that so far excels the old as you have seen in the clearness easiness and efficaciousness of it and further should so manifest and magnifie his grace towards you as to make his Word and Rod effectual to bring you within the Bonds of the Covenant Secondly Study well this Covenant of grace and acquaint your selves more and more with the many and precious promises contained in it Especially those that most concern your present wants and necessities and labour to suck out the sweet and comfort of all by Meditation Faith and Prayer Thirdly Let it be your care to walk worthy of and suitable to the grace of the new Covenant remembring you are under a better Covenâ—nt than that made with them under the old Testament and therefore you ought to have better lives seeing you have a better Mediator and better Promises and better Means than they had and therefore should have better Conversations The mysteries of the Gospel are more clearly reveal'd to you Christ's Yoke is an easie Yoke and his Burden a light Burden in comparison what they were under his Spirit poured out more plentifully than heretofore upon ordinary Believers therefore all these should be as so many Engagements so many encouragements to a morehumble holy spiritual and Heavenly walking before the Lord and a more thankful chearful faithful and fruitful service of the Lord Luke 1.74 75. 2 Cor. 7.1 2 Pet. 1.4 to the 12. 1 Cor. 15. last Fourthly Having at any time relapsed into sin especially gross and scandalous sin to renew as our humiliation under it so our Covenant of more circumspection and watchfulness against it after that Example Jer. 50.5 And the rather because there is a great proneness in us as well as others unto back-sliding and there are continual out-goings of corruption in us as well as others to deal falsly with God in our Covenant as they in Ps 78.36 37. And therefore our duty is that who are in Covenant with God upon our breach of Covenant to renew our Covenant of more circumspection for the future especially in times of Affliction and on Days of Humiliation and when we are to draw neer to God in that great Ordinance of the Lord's Supper but still remember we go out of our selves and fetch strength from God's Covenant to inable us to it Eph. 6.10 And thus much of the Covenant of Grace Now Fourthly the Works of God Sect. 4. And the Works of God are either his Works before time or in time First His Work before Time is his Decree now the Decree of God is his unchangable purpose with himself from all Eternity concerning the making of the World and all the Creatures in it especially Men and Angels their ends and the means to bring them to those ends for the manifestation of his glory Eph. 1.11 And in and about this Decree we may profitably meditate on these things First The infinite goodness of God in having us in his heart for so much good not only before we were but before the World was even from all Eternity Secondly The distinguishing love of God in this that we being all in his hands as the Clay in the hands of the Potter to make either Vessels of Mercy or Vessels of Wrath he should not appoint us unto Wrath but to obtain Salvation by Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5.9 Thirdly The infinite wisdom of God in appointing not only the ends of all his Creatures but the means to bring them to those ends Hosea 2.21 22. Fourthly On the unchangeableness of this Decree Mal. 3.6 I am Jehovah that changeth not 2 Tim. 2.19 All these should make us cry out with the Apostle Rom. 11. last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh the depth of the wisdom of God! Secondly For his Works in time they are Creation and Providence First Creation and herein 1. Take notice what it is sc that first outward act of God whereby according to his Eternal purpose of nothing by his very Word he made the World and every Creature in it very good Gen. 1. last Secondly To look into and study this Voluminous Book of the Creation wherein every Page will afford you fresh matter of Meditation and every Creature have a Tongue to tell you of those glorious Attributes of God that shine forth in all especially in that curious Master-piece of Man Psal 139.14 I am fearfully and wonderfully made c. and here to meditate on these five things the Eternity of God the Almighty Power of God the infinite wisdom of God the unsearchable goodness of God and the excellent end wherefore he did all this First The Eternity of God he must needs be an Eternal Beeing seeing he was before all Beeings he that made Time and all things must needs be before Time and all things and so Eternal without beginning and without end Psal 102.25 26. Secondly The Almighty Power of God in that He was able to make so great and glorious a Fabrick and all things in it of nothing by his very Word Psal 89.11 12 13. Thirdly The infinite wisdom of God in makeing all things in such an excellent Order harmony and beauty appointing every Creature its proper place and use making all serviceable one to another and all to the good of the Universe Psal 104.24 Fourthly The unsearchable Goodness of God in that notwithstanding he was infinitely good and blessed in Himself without a Creature yet should communicate his goodness and blessedness to the Creature Acts 17.24 25 26. His goodness also appear'd in making every Creature good and providing all things for the good of the Creature but above all in making the World and all things in it for Man and man for Himself What should the Meditation hereof but cause all of us to be still singing and saying with David Psal 18 1. Oh Lord how excellent is thy Name in all the Earth Oh Lord what is man thou should'st take such notice of him and make such account of him Fifthly To meditate on the excellent end of his doing all this viz. that he might have his glory from us Revel 4. last He did not make any thing for any need
others have you given them back again for the honouring and serving Him above others if not you will one day repent bitterly as he did that had been more careful to serve his Master on Earth the King of England than the King of Heaven and Earth Woolsey Thirdly See what good you have done to others by these distinguishing Providences Has God's goodness to you wrought more goodness in you to others stirr'd you up to do more good to the Country Church State Place City Family wherein God hath set you Have your Husband Wife Children Servants Friends and Acquaintance been the better for you if so then these Providences have been in Mercy to you but otherwise if God hath been so good to you and you have done no more good for Him and His you have minded only your selves and lived only to your selves you will one day wish you had been among the Number of the poorest and miserablest Beggars than what you are to have so much and do no more good with it yea the very Heathens will rise up in Judgment and condemn you for they could say Non nobis nati they were not born for themselves but their Country Another Mallem mihi male esse quam molliter vivere Seneca I had rather be sick than be idle and do no good And thus you see What those things are you are to meditate on in about God's merciful Providences Secondly Take notice what you are to meditate on in and about the Providences of his Justice and Judgments as these the Equity the Impartiality the Severity the Unsupportableness and the Unavoidableness of his Judgments and our Duties in respect of them First The Equity of his Judgments that God is most righteous in all and can do none wrong and punishes all less than they deserve Ezra 9. Ignorant Persons and wicked Men would make him a God made all of mercy but you must know and consider He is as just as he is merciful and Infinite in both as Infinite in Mercy to Pardon the Penitent so Infinite in Justice to Punish the Impenitent Whence you shal find that where his Nature is laid down He is described by his Justice as well as his Mercy Exo. 34.6 7 8. and Nah. 1.2 3 4. Secondly The Impaâ—tiality of his Justice and Judgments He never did nor will connive at any sin or sinner He did not in his own Son who knew no sin yet because He took upon Him our sin therefore He laid upon Him the fierceness of His Wrath Lament 1.12 and if He would not spare sin in His own Son certainly he will not in others that go on impenitently and securely in any sin for there is no respect of Persons with God He regards not the Rich more than the Poor the Noble than the Ignoble the Wise than the Simple He will spare neither King nor Subject High nor Low Rich nor Poor Old nor Young no not His own People if they sin against Him Amos 3. You only have I known of all the Families of the Earth therefore I will surely punish you for your Iniquities Thirdly The severity and terribleness of His Judgment in all Ages upon Persons Families Towns Cities Kingdoms Countrys all impenitent and incorrigible sinners you may see it in His Judgments on the old World Sodom and Gomorrah Egypt and Jerusalem You may read more in Levit. 26. Deut. 28. Psal 7.11 12 13. Psal 11.5 6 7. Isaiah 1.33 Mal. 4.1 Zeph. 1. to the end Fourthly Meditate on the unsupportableness of God's Judgment Psal 90.11 Who knows the power of thy anger Ezek. 22.14 Can thy heart endure or thy hands be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee Isaiah 33.14 The sinners in Zion are afraid fearfulness hath surpriz'd the Hypocrites Who shall dwell with devouring Fire and everlasting Burnings and Nahum 1.2 3. Jer. 10.10 Fifthly On the unavoidableness of his Wrath Amos 9.1 to the 6. Though they dig to Hell thence shall my hand take them though they clime up to Heaven thence will I bring them down Sixthly To take notice and meditate on thâ— Duties the Scripture frequently calls upon you to perform in respect of the Judgments of God 〈◊〉 shall but name a few because they are obvious to you in reading the Scriptures as these To take notice of them and lay them to heart to searcâ— and try your ways what special sins of yourâ— have had a hand in pulling down and continuing of these Judgments upon you and others Tâ— humble your selves before the Lord under them for your sins that were the cause of them To accept of the punishment of your iniquity and acknowledge the Lord is not only righteous but gracious in punishing you less than you deserve And Lastly To turn every one of you from the evil of his doings and learn righteousness by his Judgments that are on the Earth Isaiah 26.9 Secondly To meditate on the parts of Providence which are three Observation Preservation Gubernation First God He observes and takes notice of all and every Creature Pro. 15.3 His Eys run to and fro thorow the Earth beholding the evil and the good Heb. 4.13 All things are open and naked to him with whom we have to do but especially he observes and takes notice of his Own Psal 33.18 Behold the eye of the Lord iâ— upon them that fear him and hope in his mercy Psal 34.15 His Eyes are upon the righteous and his Ear open unto their Prayer Secondly God preserves all and every Creature Man and Beast Nehem. 9.6 but especially his Children Job 5.19 Isaiah 43.1 2. Thirdly God He governs all and every Creature to those ends and by those means which He hath appointed He Rules in all the Kingdoms of the World but especially in Jacob Isaiah 46.3 He is their God and Guide unto death Psal 48. last All these parts of Providence are full of wonder that God being so High and Holy above the Creature should humble Himself to respect things done in Heaven and Earth that He should not only give a Beeing to the Creatures but uphold them in their Beeing that he should not only vouchsafe the means to bring them to their ends but order and dispose of all those means to those ends Oh the wonderful condescention of the great God to his poor worthless Creatures Psal 31.19 Oh how great is thy goodness c. Then Thirdly To meditate on the extent of this Providence not only to every Creature but to the least act of every Creature so as not a Sparrow falls on the ground or Hair from the Head or a Tyle from the House or a Word from the Mouth or an Answer from the Tongue no nor a Thought from the Heart without the Lord Mat. 10.29 30. Pro. 16.1 Fourthly Meditate on the ends of his Providence viz. His own glory and the good of his Church and People Whatsoever He doth in the World He doth in relation First To his own glory Rom. 11. last
Consider what they come for sc for sin Though there be other causes yet this is always one cause Lament 3.39 Wherefore doth the living man complain c Psal 130. last Miea 7. I will patiently bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned If sin lies heavy all afflictions will be light Luther gives this reason why he slighted the rage of the Pope the Emperor and all his Enemies They are all little to me saith he because sin is so weighty 3. Consider to what end they come Rom. 8.28 All things work together for good Gen. 15.20 Heb. 12. He corrects us not for his pleasure but for our profit Phil. 1.19 I know this shall turn to my Salvation 4. Be careful to justifie God in and under all even the greatest afflictions As Ezra 9. Thou hast punished us less than we deserve Psal 119. of very faithfulness thou hast corrected me and the Church Lament 3. It 's the Lord's mercy we are not consumed Isai 24.15 The command is Glorifie God in the Fire sc of Affliction which is as a Fire to try you humble purge you and purifie you 5. Be filent and patient under it as Job 1. last and David Psal 9.9 Remembring and considering wnatsoever your sufferings are 1. They are from a Lord whose will cannot be resisted and a Father whose will ought readily to be obeyed a wise Father that knows what is better for his Children than they do for themselves a compassionate Father that will not afflict too much because he knows whereof they are made that they are but dust Psal 103. nor too long least the Spirit faint and the Soul that he hath made Isai 57. Secondly Because whatsoever your sufferings are they are little or nothing in respect of what our sins made Christ to suffer 2. In respect of the many and bitter things many of his Saints have and do suffer 3. Those evils our sins deserve we should suffer 4. Those Eternal sufferings Christ hath redeem'd us from 5. That exceeding excessive weight of glory that will follow these sufferings 2 Cor. 4. end 3. In respect of those many sweet gracious and holy ends God hath in the Afflictions of his which you saw before in your Meditations on God's supporting grace 6. Lastly To hearken unto and obey the voice of God in his Rod Mica 6.9 The Lord's Voice cryeth unto the City c. The Rod of God hath a Voice as well as the Word when Men will not hearken unto and obey God's Voice in the Ministry of the Word then God sends his Rod and awakens Conscience opens Mens Ears and Seals up instructions Q. But what is the Voice of the Rod what doth it teach and instruct men in Ans That you have in four places of Scripture 1. That of Job 22.21 Acquaint thy self with God and be at peace so good shall come unto thee 2. That Lament 3.39 Wherefore doth the living man complain let him search and trie his ways and turn again unto the Lord. 3. That of Peter 1 Pet. 5.6 Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God and he will exalt you in due time 4. That Ezek. 18.31 Cast away all your transgressions and make you a new Heart and a new Spirit For why will you die O House of Israel 7. To be thankful that as God of faithfulness hath corrected us so of the same faithfulness he hath not taken away his loving kindness That he hath corrected us in so much measure and mercy dealt not with us according to our deserts but the multitude of his free tender and unchangeable mercies our afflictions not so many and great but God's mercies more and greater if not in temporals yet in spirituals though poor in the World yet rich in Christ though we want the smiles of the World you have the favour of the great God though not the riches of the World yet we have the riches of grace though not the pleasures of the World yet the peace of a good Conscience 8. Not only to be thankful for them but joyful in them and under them though not in respect of the nature of them which is evil for so they are not joyous but grievous Heb. 12. Yet in respect of the concomitants Pardon and Peace and the consequents Salvation and Glotification as they 1 Thes 1.4.6 This is the meaning of that James 1.2 My brethren count it all joy when you fall into divers Temptations or Afflictions There are two Sights saith Luther the Devil most delights-in To see a wicked man merry and a Saint sorrowful but there are two Sights that do intollerably vex him sc To see a sinner mournful for his sin and a Saint joyful under his sufferings Luther's Colloq Mensal Cap. 37. And therefore I say be joyful and comfortable under all your affl ctions in respect of the blessed issue and fruit of them as the Saints before us Acts 5. last Rom. 5.3 4. 9. To be fruitful under them What that fruit is you are to bring forth under them you may see in Isai 27.9 By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged c. And David Psal 119.67 It 's good for me that I have been afflicted 10. To live still by faith in God's promises and providences for supporting Grace under and deliverance out of all as the Saints have done before you First You have many promises to encourage you take notice of and meditate on a few 1 Cor. 10.13 Psal 91.15 Isai 41.10.27.9 10. Psal 34.19 Secondly You have many also of the Saints going before you in this as Job 15 13. David Psal 42 last Psal 9.10 Paul 2 Cor. 1.10 And we are commanded to follow them in the same practise Heb. 10.35 end Lastly To follow all with Praver that Faith and Patience may have their through and perfect work The Rod may be sanctified before it be removed That as your sufferings abound so your Consolations may abound by Jesus Christ Amen The Fifth Head concerning the Worship and Service of God Sect. 1. About this to meditate on these sew things What it is Where and When and How and Why we are to worship God 1. What it is for the understanding of this to consider Servants you know owe unto their Lord a service of honour and of labour for the protection and provision they have from them and such do we owe to our Soveraign Lord and Master Mal. 1.6 So that this worship of God it is that Homage and service which every one owes unto Him and which he requires and expects from them and for their Creation Redemption Vocation and the daily protection and provision he makes for them Math. 4.10 Deut. 10.12 and vers 21. Psal 29.1 2. And here to take notice This Worship of God it 's either External or Internal First External God is to be worshipped with the Body and every part of it Joshua sell on his face and worshipped Josh 5.14 Moses bowed his head and worshipped Exod. 4.32
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
it so many precious priviledges for Soul and Body in the midst of so many Devils and devilish minded men and the rather considering not only their great power but their great number malicious nature deep subtilty and continual activity to plot and practise mischief we can never be enough in blessing God for his great Mercy and Goodness to us in restraining and preserving us from the power malice and rage of the Devil and his Instruments 2. As to bless God so to rejoyce in this priviledge we have by Jesus Christ of being rescued out of his power and being preserved in and under all our fears and dangers as the Apostle Rom. 8.33 and not without cause you know how poor Captives rejoyce when they are rescued out of cruel and oppressing hands of Turk and Pope and how poor condemned Malefactors rejoyce at the news of a Pardon how much more should we that the Lord Jesus Christ hath rescued us from the vassallage and slavery to Satan and procured a Pardon for all our sins this should make us rejoyce and again rejoyce Phil. 4.4 rejoyce evermore 1 Thes 5. 3. Not to fear him too much so as to be kept from duty or drawn into sin by him for this is to worship the Devil instead of God and to provoke God to leave you unto his power and therefore to take heed of fearing him with such a slavish fear as to be kept from duty and to be drawn into evil remember and consider well however the Devil be full of subtilty malice and power yet Christ he is the Wisdom of the Father and knows how to out-wit him and to out-work him Greater and stronger is he that is in you then he that is in the World 1 John 4.4 He hath already spoiled Principalities and Powers tryumphing over them on the Cross Col. 2.15 Hath them all in a Chain Jude 6. so as they cannot go an inch farther then their Chain can do nothing without his permission not so much as enter into a Swine without his leave however they may prevail over wicked men to carry them Souls and Bodies into destruction yet they cannot over true Believers such as he hath rescued out of his power I have prayed that thy Faith fail not saith Christ to Peter and not only for him but all others that believe in his Name John 17.20 The Devil may prevail sometimes by God's permission to the spoiling of their Goods the afflicting of their Bodies the troubling of their Spirits yea and it may be the loss of their life but never to the prejudice or loss of their Soul God may give way to them to let them separate us from worldly things but never from the love of God in Christ Jesus 4. To carry our selves so as we may still be protected from the power malice and rage of Satan and his Instruments to this end To take heed of some things and practise others 1. To take heed of these things that as you do not fear him too much so you do not slight him too much much less provoke him and seek for help from him 1. Not to slight him too much so as to be secure rush upon his temptations and presume on your own strength of Grace to withstand them for if he had so much power over man in the state of Innocency to give him a fall much more in the state of Apostacy as you may see in the Examples of David and Peter if he hath shaken the tallest Cedars much more such poor low shrubs as we are 2. As not to slight him too much so not to provoke him too much as many ignorant prophane wretches do by reviling and railing on him daring and challenging him he should do his worst rashly and indiscreetly rushing into those places given up to his possession for this is but fool-hardiness and many have sadly smarted for it therefore take warning by others harm You may read Jude 9. The Arch-Angel would not rail at the Devil but only said The Lord rebuke thee this being spoken in Faith will soon quell him and subdue him rather then railing tearms Remember and consider the Devil is forward enough to do mischief and needs not to be provoked to it 3. Above all take heed you be never drawn to seek help from him in the time of trouble and distress as many ignorant prophane persons are For 1. It is that which God hath expresly forbid Levit. 19.31 Levit. 22.6 Levit. 20.6 Isa 8.19 2. That which he hath exemplarily punished as in Ahaziah 2 Kings 1.3 6. and in Saul 1 Chron. 10.13 14. 3. Because it is a departing from the living God and a serving the Devil which is such a crying sin as the Lord himself bids Heaven and Earth to be astonished at it Jer. 12. For the things that are to be practised they either respect his Temptations in general or else those hideous and hellish ones to Atheism Blasphemy Self-murder in particular First For the remedy against his temptations in general you are to do these things To arm your selves against them to stand upon your watch and resist him stedfast in the Faith To arm your selves against him according to those directions of the Apostle Ephes 6. from 11 to 19. in which words you have these things observable 1. If you would be protected from him you must have Armour 2. This Armour must not lie by you but be put on 3. What kind of Armour this is no other then Spiritual Armour For we fight not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickednesses in high places vers 12. and therefore our Armour must be Spiritual and not Carnal such as Popish Armour Exorcisms Crucifixes Holy-Water c. This Armour is fashioned on the Devils Anvil and this Mystical Leviathan esteems no more of it then Iron and Straw and rotten Wood. 4. You must have the several pieces of this Armour which are partly Defensive and partly Offensive 1st For the Defensive Armour there are five pieces of it The Girdle of Truth Brest plate of Righteousness The feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace The Shield of Faith and the Helmet of Salvation By which are meant the principal Vertues and Graces Christians are to be armed with against the temptations of Satan To open these briefly to you 1. By the Girdle of Verity you are to understand Sincerity and Truth with which you are to arm your selves against all temptations to Guile and Hypocrisie for God's Children are Children that will not lie Zeph. 3.13 and we are exhorted to put away all lying and to speak every one the truth to his Neighbour Ephes 4.25 2. By the Brest-plate of Righteousness you are to understand a good Conscience and a righteous Conversation with which you are to arm your selves against all temptations to iniquity and unrighteousness Luk. 1.47 1 Thess 4.7 3. By the feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace you are to understand the many
buying the Truth that will save your souls Prov. 23.23 And whilst you look after the gain of the World think on that of Isa 55.1 Wherefore do you lay out your money for that which cannot satisfie c. And that of our Saviour What will it profit a man to win the whole World and lose his Soul c. And that of Christ to Martha Luke 10.42 Martha Martha thou art cum bered about many things but there 's one thing necessary c. XII When you are about to take a Journey as you are trevelling in the way think on this Your life is but a Journey you are in a constant motion to Eternity every action is but a step every day and hour brings you nearer to Heaven or Hell and therefore you had need look to this that you be in the right way that you may not miscarry for ever and to this end to pray to the Lord that he would remember his promise Psal 32.8 He would instruct in the way wherein you should go and guide you by his eye that he would be your God for ever and guide you unto Death guiding you by his counsel until he hath received you into Glory XIII When you are about to use the Creatures in the Morning at Noon and Evening think thus Oh what a great House-keeper is the Lord that provides for the whole Family of Heaven and Earth What a bountiful Master do I serve that provides so liberally for me and me above many and not only gives the Creature but an appetite to it when many of his want both When you are eating Bread think on the Bread which came down from Heaven to feed your Souls and how blessed they are that eat of this Bread in the Kingdom of Heaven Luke 14.15 Think also on that of our Saviour Man lives not by bread alone but every word that proceeds out of the Mouth of God Though Bread is the Staff of our Life it is the Blessing of God is the strength of that Staff and he that maintains our natural Life by dead Creatures is as able to nourish our Souls in Spiritual Life to Eternal Life by dead Ordinances how weak and contemptible soever they seeâ— in the eye of Carnal Reason XIV When you walk abroad and view the World think what a great and mighty a God is he that made so great and mighty a Fabrick out of nothing by his very Word think what a precious Soul you have that is of more worth then all the World and what cause you have therefore to value it above all the World and not to hazzard it for the gaining of the World XV. When you look up and behold the glory of the Heavens the Sun the Moon and the Stars think and say with David Lord what is Man that thou shouldst make all this for Man the greater Light to rule the Day and the lesser to rule the Night Psal 8.3 If the Light of Heaven be so sweet how sweet is the Light of thy Countenance If there be so much glory and influence in the Sun of the World what is there in the Son of Righteousness And how great will the glory of the Saints be at the last day when their glorified Bodies shall outshine the glory of the Sun Oh how glorious is the Church that is cloathed with the Sun and hath the Moon under her feet Revel 12. When you take notice of the Moon borrowing of her Light from the Sun and losing her light at the rising of the Sun every month changing her appearance increasing or decreasing her Light think how like our life is to the Moon full of changes and variety of conditions And from whom is it we must receive any light of comfort under them and be directed in them but from the Son of Righteousness XVI When you look up and behold the Clouds and see how they are supported without any outward means and carried up and down like Feathers in the Air God can as easily support his under all clouds of temptation when you see those Clouds dispersed by the Beams of the Sun then think how easily one Beam of the Son of Righteousness can scatter all the clouds of temptation when you see the Clouds think upon Jesus Christ who as he went up to Heaven in the Clouds so he will come again in the Clouds to Judgment XVII When you look downward and behold the Earth think from whence you came and where you must return Dust thou art and to dust thou must that it is the Mother of us all and the place appointed for all the living your bodies must descend first into the Earth before they can ascend up into Heaven and therefore as the Grave waits for us we should wait for it When you behold the fruitfulness of the Trees and the Plants of the Earth how every one brings forth its Fruit in due season such are or ought to be every Godly Man and Woman Trees of Righteousness bringing forth Fruit to God otherwise it will be a foul shame for Christians to remain barren and unfruitful under such plentiful dews and droppings from Heaven XVIII When you feel the powerful operation and working of the Air and of the Winds though you do not see them think thus If I believe there is Air and Wind though I do not see them then I should much more believe there is a God that made them though I do not see him and if there be so much power and vertue in them to preserve and take away life how much more in God that puts this power and vertue into them XIX When you walk abroad and view the Fowls of the Air and the Beasts of the Earth and the Fish of the Sea and the rest of the Creatures think thus they were all made for my use and service and therefore are as so many Obligations and should be as so many incouragements to serve God in all and for all and above all see Job 12.7 8 9 10 11 12. There is no Creature but teacheth us something 1. Ask the Beasts and they 'l teach you the Ox and Ass to know and acknowledge their Owner Isa 1. The Horse and the Mule they will shew you the stubborn and refractory nature of Man the Sheep our wandring dispositions and to know hearken too and follow our Shepherd John 10. To be dumb like a Sheep before the Shearer and not open your mouths as Christ was Isa 53. and the Lamb will remember you how Christ was brought as a Lamb to the slaughter and that though he was like a Lamb without spot and blemish the Dog and the Swine will mind you of the uncleanness of sinners and the hatefulness of Apostacy in causing men to return with the Dog to the Vomit and the Sow to her wallowing in the Mire the Serpent will teach you wisdom in preserving your selves and the Ant in making provision for the future 2. Ask the Fowls of the Air and they
barely speak the Word Let there be Man but they consulted together saying Let Vs make Man Gen. 1.26 Not that God needed it but to shew that He intended to make Man a more excellent Creature than the rest 2. He not only consulted about the making Man but He put his hand to it for he formed Man of the dust of the Earth and breath'd into him the breath of life Gen. 2.7.22 Thirdly Meditate on the excellent ends wherefore God made Man namely to contemplate those glorious Excellencies of his which shine forth in the work of Creation and shew forth to others the glory that is in them to be quickned by it to serve him in all and for all and that he might be for ever happy in communion with Him and injoyment of him in all Prov. 16.4 Isai 43.7 Rev. 4. last 1 Cor 6. last The serious meditation of these things will cause us to admire and adore Him in what he hath done for man and to say with David Lord what is man c. Psal 8. Fearfully and wonderfully am I made O how precious are the thoughts of thee Psal 139. This also should bequicken Man to serve Him cheerfully in all and for all that should make all for us and us for himself or else will shame and confound us at the last that all his Creatures should serve him better by the very instinct of nature than we by the instinct of grace Sect. 2. Secondly To meditate on the cursed Estate of Man by transgression and here to meditate on these two things the Causes of it and the Consequences of it First The Causes of it and these either External or Internal 1. External and here First The efficient cause the Devil the Devil having fallen himself from God by his disobedience out of enmity against God and envy of Man's happy condition vehemently desir'd and endeavour'd the fall of Man that so he might have the more company both in sin and punishment whence our Saviour stiles him a Lyar and a Murderer from the beginning Joh. 8. And Peter tells us He walks up and down like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5. The 2d outward cause was Instrumental viz. the Serpent Gen. 3.1 Q. But could a Serpent speak A. It was not the Serpent but the Devil in the Serpent therefore call'd the old Serpent Rev. 20. Q. But why did he make use of the Serpent rather than any other Creature A. 1. Because of his subtilty the Serpent being more subtil than any other Beast of the Field 2. In respect of his activity to move up and down more nimbly and creep in and out of the Garden unseen of Adam who was the keeper of it Q. But why did not Eve fear and mistrust the Serpent and the Devil in it A. 1. she fear'd not then because she had no sin then and there was no enmity then between Man and the Creature 2. She did not mistrust any mischief because it is probable she was ignorant of the fall of the Angels had she known it she would have watcht more narrowly against him Q. What may we learn here that the Devil made use of the Serpent because of his subtilty A. If there be any Person or gift more excellent than other the Devil will be sure to make use of it for the doing more mischief as he did of the Scribes and Pharisees and the Rulers of Israel because they were more learned and honourable Joh. 7.48 49. And therefore the greater any Man's parts and place is it should be his wisdom to be the more watchful against Satan and cause him to abuse them to the dishonour of God the wronging of others and the wounding of his own Soul Secondly For the internal and principal cause of Man's Fall that was the abuse of his own free-will because he freely and voluntarily transgressed and broke God's Commandment in eating the forbidden fruit Gen. 2.17 Eccl. 7. last Therefore God no way accessary to it nor could be the Author of it as some wicked ones have thought and taught for God used all means both before and in his Creation to prevent it as in his making him after his own Image and endowing him with knowledge and power to do what he requir'd and in that he immediately instituted a Sabbath to put him and keep him in remembrance of his dutie to God therefore every man to justifie God and condemn himself Secondly To meditate on the Consequents of the Fall which is Sin and the Curse By our first Parents disobeying the command of God in eating the forbidden Fruit there followed the curse of God upon Adam and all his Posterity and this Curse it comprehends under it three things Guilt Filth and Punishment every Son and Daughter of Adam came in guilty of that first sin as you may see cleerly Rom. 3.9.19 Especially Rom. 5.12 17 18 19. Q. And how so When as they were not then born Is it Justice in God to punish all for one Man's offence A. Yes 1. Because Adam's sin was not peculiar to his Person but common to all Man-kind Adam sustaining the place not of a private but a publick Person he was the Father and Root of all Man-kind and receiv'd whatsoever good he had not only for himself but all his Posterity Had he stood in obedience he and his had continued in that blessed Estate wherein they were created but now falling from that by his Rebellion he brought the Curse upon himself and all his Posterity Divines illustrate it thus In Murder though the hand only kill yet the whole Man becomes guilty In a Parliament what 's done by the Knight of the Shire or the Burgess of a City is said to be done by all that made choice of them When a great Person commits Treason he doth not only disinherit himself but his posterity the consideration of this should cause every one to take to heart that first sin and humble himself before the Lord under it That you maybe the more effectually humbled under it 1. To consider of the greatness of that first sin how-ever it may seem a small matter in the eye of carnal reason to eat a little forbidden fruit yet as one truly Peccare in minimo peccatum non minimum To sin this did so much the more aggravate their sin that they would offend so great and good a God for so small a matter that when God had given them liberty to eat of all other Trees in the Garden yet they would not deny themselves in this one besides this first sin is that contains in the bowels of it may other crying sins as Apostasie Infidelity Curiosity Blasphemy Pride Presumption Murder c. In a word was the cause of all other sin and misery upon the Creature and of the Damnation of all Souls that have been are or shall be damned and therefore we have every one great and continual cause of humbling and abasing our selves before the
Lord under the consideration of it Secondly As there followed guilt so filth or the defilement of the whole Man with sin original and actual and here to meditate what these are and what special things in them are to be meditated on for the humbling of our Souls and the keeping us from closing with Temptations to them First What sin is viz. The transgression of the Law of God either revealed in the Word 1 Ep. Joh. 3.4 or written in the heart Rom. 2.14 15. and here about sin to take notice and meditate on the ugly filthy hurtful hateful nature of it 1. For the ugly nature of sin it is not only evil but the worst of all evils and the cause of all other evils that it is most contrary to God's most Holy Nature that which made the Devil a Devil and Hell to be Hell without which the Devil would be a blessed Angel and Hell would be Heaven that also that could not be expiated and done away by the death and blood-shed of all the Creatures but only by the precious heart-blood of the Lord Jesus Christ Secondly Meditate on the filthy nature of it as it is compar'd to the Excrements of Man Isai 4.4 and called the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Excrement of Excrements or superfluity of naughtiness James 1.21 yea not only filthy in the concrete but filthiness it self in the abstract 2 Cor. 7.1 Q. But how doth this appear A. In that it defiles a man in all and all to him 1. It defiles him in all every faculty of Soul every power of Body Mat. 15.19 20. whence Solomon calls the sinner a loathsome Person Prov. 15.3 because sin is that which makes him loathsome to all to God and Man and Himself 1. To God Zach. 11.8 my Soul loatheth them 2. Loathsome to Men especially good Men Psal 15.4 Prov. 29. last Isai 66.24 3dly That which makes men loathsome to themselves when God once opens their Eyes to see it and brings them home to himself by Repentance Ezek. 36.31 Job 42.6 Rom. 6.21 Secondly As it defiles a Man in all so all to him all his Relations all his Enjoyments all his Actions natural civil religious Titus 1.15 To the impure all things are impure the Word is a killing Letter the Sacraments Seal up Damnation in short of so defiling a nature as all the Water of the old World could not wash away the stain of it nor all the Fire of the last Judgment and of Hell will be able to burn up the dross of it Thirdly Meditate on the hateful nature of sin how hateful it is to God and good men 1. To God it is the only object of his hatred he hates nothing but as it is sinful not the Devil but only as sin made him a Devil 2. That it is so hateful to God appears in that he hates it where-ever he sees it Even in his own Son who knew no sin yet because he took our sin upon him he so manifested his hatred of it as he would not spare the severe punishment of it in him because the Creatures could not strike a stroke hard enough he was pleas'd to bruise him Isai 53.16 and to lay upon him the fierceness of his wrath Lament 1.12 Secondly As hateful to God so to all good men Psal 139.21 Do not I hate them O Lord that hate thee search me and try me c. Psal 119.128 I hate every false way the Martyrs so hated sin as they chose rather to burn at the Stake and undergo any torment than give way to any sin Anselm Arch-Bishop of Canterbury was wont to say that if he saw Hell on one side and sin on the other and he must of necessity choose one he would rather choose Hell without sin and no wonder for where there is no Sin there is no Hell Fourthly On the hurtful nature of sin this appears 1. In that it is the greatest Enemy to God to Christ to the Spirit to Us 1. To God it 's that which seeks to un-Throne Him and un-God Him and there is no true and loyal Subject but will endeavour the death of him that seeks the death of his Soveraign Lord and King Secondly The greatest Enemy to Christ that which brought him from Heaven to the Cross made Him sweat Blood under the apprehension of his Father's wrath due to him and to cry out on the Cross to the amazement of Heaven and Earth My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Thirdly The greatest Enemy to the Spirit of God that which quencheth and grieveth and vexeth and resists him makes him to leave his Habitation and when he goes out the Devil comes in with seven worse Spirits than ever Mat. 12.45 Fourthly The greatest Enemy to Us that which deprives us of all good Isai 59.2 and exposeth us to all evil Rom. 2.8 9 10. pulls down all manner of Judgments on Persons Families Towns Cities Kingdoms Countreys Prov. 8. last Rom. 1.16 Eph. 5.5 That which makes every man to come in with a Cry and go out of the World with a Groan So much of Sin in general Secondly For Original sin that you may be effectually humbled under it to take notice of and meditate on these things 1. What it is 2. The several Titles given to it with the Reasons of them 3. The Parts of it 4 The extent of it And 5. The fruits of it First What it is for the understanding of this you are to Note that Original sin is taken either actively or passively First Actively for the sin of Adam in eating the forbidden fruit and is call'd by Divines Peccatum Originans the beginning-sin or the sin giving a beginning to all other sins Secondly Passively for the corruption of nature flowing from that first sin of Adam and is call'd Peccatum Originatum or sin taking a beginning from that first sin of Adam and this is that which we are to speak unto and may be described thus A privation of Original righteousness and a depravation of the whole Man with unrighteousness Justly deriv'd from the loins of our first Parents unto all their Posterity by reason whereof every Man and Woman is conceiv'd and born in sin brings into the World with them the Seeds of all sin is inclin'd to all evil and averse to all that is good 1. There is a deprivation of Original righteousness wherein Man was created Rom. 3.10 There 's none righteous no not one Secondly A depravation of the whole man with unrighteousness Gal. 3.22 The Scripture hath concluded all under sin not only 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all Men but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all things in man for the word is in the Neuter Gender and it is further evident by the Apostle's Prayer for Universal Sanctification 1 Thes 5.23 Implying an Universal Corruption Thirdly I say justly deriv'd from the Loins of our first Parents to all their Posterity as you may see Gen. 5.3 Adam begot a Son in his own likeness that is