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ID Title Author Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) STC Words Pages
A51436 Religious meditations on Ecclesiastes, Chap. 12. vers. 13, 14 Mosse, John. 1699 (1699) Wing M2857A; ESTC R221919 20,870 69

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Gen. 6.5 and the punishment of death which sore-threatn'd his Rebellion in these terms Gen 2 17. In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die was justly inflicted on him Whereby as he fell from that dignity he was placed in Ephes 4.24 from that Righteousness Knowledge and true Holiness he was Primitively endued with in disobedience to God Col. 3.10 listned to Satanical delusions and from thence Polluted Tainted and Defiled that pure integer and Divine Nature which God had Inspired him with So all his Posterity partaking of that corrupt Seed and Nature became disabled from succeeding him in those blessed Priviledges he enjoyed in his State of Integrity and not only so Isa 64.5 but also subject to the dismal effect and consequences of that corruption which are death and disability to perform the primary end of Man's Creation Rom. 5.12 Wherefore saith St. Paul as by one Man Sin entred the World and Death by Sin so Death passed upon all Men for that all have Sinned He likewise proved that all under Sin And again Rom. 3.9 Rom. 5.18.19 Therefore as by the offence of one Judgment came upon all Men to condemnation For as by one Man's disobedience many were made Sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made Righteous Thus the cause of that Natural alienation from and repugnance to any thing of good is easily discover'd Adam became alienated in his mind and in like manner all his posterity by reason of wicked works and uncapable to render a due Reverence Honour and Glory to the great Creator But the condemnation is not because Adam sinned therefore as a Punishment due to that particular Sin all his posterity save a few peculiarly respected shall be punish'd The Text says Death pass'd upon all for that all have Sinned Which leads me to meditate on First The the cause of this universal deluge of Death Secondly The means of restoration to such a condition as to be capable of fulfilling our duties to God and Man Then first The cause that Death has come upon all being already in a great measure evinc'd I yet further prosecute to see more clearly the manner of it which will more evidently discover the reason of those innate inclinations to evil which naturally sway our minds As by one Man saith the Scripture before hinted Sin entred the World and Death by Sin Rom. 5.12 so Death pass'd upon all Men for that all have Sinned here 't is manifest that Sin entr'd the World by Adam's transgression and Death was the consequence unto him even a dying from God and the reason that Death came upon all his Progeny Rom. 6.23 is because all have Sinned and the reason that all have Sinned is because they partook of Psal 51.5 and are conceived in that Seed and Nature of fallen Adam which was of alienation from any thing of good so that all the natural affections are deviating from God and good all are by Nature Children of wrath and propense to evil and consequently all have Sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God Rom. 3.23.9 and become the Objects of his wrath 8.7 and so in a condition incapable to glorifie their maker which leads me to think of Secondly the means of restoration As our Protoparent by a transgression so damnable as not only deserving his own destruction Gen. 3.17 but the Earth was justly cursed for it did incur his Makers wrath and was punish'd by deduction of his former felicity and a corporal Death which some are ready to think he had else been never cursed with but more greivously by the danger of an eternal woe which was made the inevitable effect of unrepented Sin and as his posterity by Sinning tho' not after the same similitude Rom. 5.14 are justly expos'd to the same Misery and liable to undergo it So the Lord in infinite compassion to the Works of his Hands and in order to restore the whole Creation into that Glorious Liberty which Adam before his fall enjoyed Rom. 8.21 provided a means to be reconciled to poor lost and miserable Souls that do nothing naturally but offend their Maker and whose Sins and enormities are so encensive to divine Justice that nothing but an immense mercy can expiate A promise was made in love to Mankind even inexpressible in odium to the Serpent who had almost ruin'd the Master-peice of God's Handy Work and a just Damnation to fallen Lucifer and all his followers who not content with the station which God had set them in aspir'd to a greater place and so for them as a Punishment for their presumptuous Pride are chains of darkness for ever reserved which was Gen. 3.15 the Seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpent's Head Man was captivated by Ephes 2.1 2 3. and became subject to the Prince of the power of the Air who rules in the Hearts of the Children of disobedience and worthy of an eternal deprivation from all bliss But the promise was given forth a redemption from the power of Satan and a restoration to the lost felicity Righteousness Knowledg and true Holiness and moreover to the Glory of the all-wise Creator and Redeemer be it said Man was upon performing his part in the Covenant entitled to an inheritance of a never ending Joy The assurance and earnest of which may cause all to Magnifie Praise Honour and for ever adore that most imense clemency of God as will the Condemnation to eternal woe cause a most deplorable reflection to those Souls that have willfully slighted the means of Caelestial Bliss 1 Pet. 3.18 which is the mercy of God in Jesus Christ the Son of his Love the Seed of the Woman who as he was God became also Man making a complete Saviour 1 John 2.2 Heb. 9.28 and laid down his Life for Sinners and became a propitiation for them even for all that beleive in his Name he procur'd for them a pardon by his Death and Salvation by his Life as 't is said reconciled by his Death Rom. 5.10 Ephes 1.4 Rom. 8.29 30. 2 Tim. 1.9 1 Pet. 1.18 and saved by his Life The Creator fore-seeing all things that should come to pass in time fore-provided a Saviour for those Creatures which were the principal part of his Workmanship even for all Mankind the mystery of this contrivance Natural Reason cannot fathom for as the Scripture testifies 1 Cor 2.14 the Natural Man perceives not the things of God neither indeed can he for they are Spiritualy discerned so no carnal comprehension can conceive or dive into this mystical redemption In Adam all die 1 Cor. 15.22 in Christ all are made alive in the original nature the nature of fallen Adam Ephes 2.1 all the Children of men are Dead in reference to the things of God As a corporal Death deprives of the use of all the outward senses the sight is lost notwithstanding
and obey the great and merciful Creator and therby obtain the unmerited reward of an eternal joy overcoming the strength of Satan through the power of God to him that overcomes saith Jesus will I grant to sit with me in my Fathers Throne Rev. ● 21 and blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the Tree of Life ●2 1● and may enter in through the gates into the City of God the new Jerusalem the Mother of the faithful who are breathing Rev. 10.6.22.12 how long Lord how long for him who said behold I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according as his works shall be Is it so hath the God of infinite mercy engag'd and incited us to fear and obey him by such consolatory promises such Heavenly inducements and has he deterr'd us from rebelling and committing evil against him by dreadful and fearful threatnings even eternal woe and never ceasing torture how vigilant how diligent how considerate should the Rich Man be he would be ready to say I have been undeservedly blest by a supream Hand I have unworthely reccived of the blessings of Heaven my temporal Goods are encreased and worldly enjoyments are heap'd upon me shall I forget the hand that conferr'd them shall I ingratefully neglect to glorifie him that has thus dignified me Oh no But rather I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth I was needy thou hast supplied my wants I was in distress and thou hast releived me I am less than the least of thy mercies I will not fail to magnifie thy Name not by my own industry so much as by thy blessing does the world lend me its aid by thy favour not my worth who have so much displeased thee are Earthly Goods beneficial to me I will not be puffed up with what thou hast given me to glorifie thee with but will endeavour so to use these temporal blessings as to answer the end for which I was possesed of them and will learn to make all considerations tend to thy Honour who hast been thus merciful to me And thus will the wise Man say I am naturally endued with profound Sagacity with a deep and penetrating Judgment with a sound intellect and with a sharp and peircing fancy for what end am I so qualified is it to employ my self in search of such knowledge which not only bereaves me of my fleeting time but will also fail to be any profit in the end shall I exercise my wit in such matters that will shew I am void of Wisdom or shall I make use of my rational intellect no better than to fall short of a divine understanding Oh no but rather the great God has made me capable to do him eminent service I am naturally fitted to receive such spiritual gifts that may qualifie me for a Servant to his heritage I will therefore submit and bend to him who will yet further furnish me with more Noble parts for I remember the holy Man saith Psal 111.10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom a good understanding have they that depart from Evil I therefore learn to be humble and not puffed up as knowing 't is but Earthly Wisdom which exalts it self and will supplicate the Lord for Wisdom of a Celestial Nature that will make me wise to Salvation which will sanctifie my natural reason and make my innate genus inclinable to obey its Heavenly dictates I have no reason to be proud of my natural abilities as knowing I cannot attain to be for ever happy thereby I cannot conceive sufficiently of God by the exercise of my own conceptions the natural Man perceives not the things of God neither can he 1 Cor. 2.14 for they are Spiritually discerned So that I crave wisdom from above which will let me know that I should else have thought my self intelligent when I neither knew my self nor the means of doing so much less to have been endued with such a knowledge as will be Life eternal to my never dying Soul Joh. 17.3 which is to know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent And if the Voluptous were not less careful to satisfie their Spiritual wants than to provide for their corporal pleasures there would appear some acknowledgments of a supream favour to them insomuch as health strength and sufficient necessaries are so plentifully afforded and in penitential tears they would be ready to cry out How have we abused the manifold mercies of God turning into laciveousness and luxury those enjoyments which we have cause to fear may be greatly wanting to us as a punishment for our profuse and riotous courses we are now sensible that a divine Majesty is offended that our prophane lives have render'd us the objects of God's displeasure and that if his mercy doth not exceed our almost innumerable Sins we must to all eternity remain the monuments of his wrath and sore displeasure God is mercifully pleased to allow us the use of those necessaries and that in a plentiful manner which others more worthy are deprived of but now is his love yet further manifested in given us to see the misery which will inevitably follow those unrepented Sins and not only so but in given us hearts to bewail our former vicious courses and to praise him whose blessings inwardly and outwardly have been largely extended to us And as the Lord in mercy hath dispenc'd an appearance and gift of Divine Grace to every particular Soul Tit. 2.11.12 in order to teach the denial of all ungodliness and worldly lasts and to live Righteously Soberly and Godly in this present World So if there was not wanting a diligent attention to its Heavenly instructions how great alteration would apear in the world that whereas unrighteousness prophaness and impiety are daily presented under a profession of Religion then would their opposite virtues be a means to draw down the favour of Heaven upon Men as the contrary are its dreadful Judgments and by a due Adhesion in every individual Soul to the manifestation of this inward teacher John 1.4 5. which shines in the dark hearts of Men tho' they comprehend or conceive it not would a sense be rais'd of their misery in an unreformed state and desires and breathings be begotten Mat. 11.28.30 to come unto Christ as heavy laden that he may give them rest and learn of him who is meek and lowly in heart that they find peace to their Souls Then they will not only know but have power also to perform that which is requir'd of all even to Fear God and keep his Commandments which is the whole duty of Man And then they will not stand in need of humane doctrine they will have a teacher near unto them unto which they do well to take heed as St. Peter saith as to a light which shines in a dark place 2 Pet. 1.19 c. 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