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
Divine Meditation and therefore it should be our endeavour to take notice of it and improve it to the Glory of God and our own and others spiritual advantage in the way homeward to Eternal Life because the most are ignorant or not so well acquainted as they should with this Divine Art of Extracting Spiritual out of Temporal things For your help and furtherance herein I shall briefly direct you in a few Particulars from the beginning of the day to the end and so conclude this Subject Pray mark them well I. WHen you awake to give God the first of your thoughts As David Psalm 139. When I awake I am presently with thee How precious are the thoughts of thee unto me To think also of our duty of awaking out of Sin unto Righteousness Ephes 5.14 and of our awaking at the last day out of the Grave by the sound of the Trumpet 1 Thess 4.16 This you may find was David's thought Psalm 17. last When I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likeness Remember sleep is but the Image of Death the Bed the Grave and the Morning of the Resurrection at the last Day II. When you have had a sweet nights rest think thus If natural rest be so sweet refreshing and reviving how much more is Spiritual Rest and will be Eternal Rest Oh what cause have you to bless him that hath given his Beloved Rest when others have been altogether restless and others it may be slept their last sleep Think and say to thy Soul Oh how justly mightest thou have been awakened out of thy sleep at midnight as the Egyptians were with a cry or else have slept the sleep of Death whereas we have layen down in peace and slept because the Lord sustained us III. When you see the light of the day shining into your eyes think and say If the light be sweet and it be a pleasant thing to behold the Sun Eccles 11.7 Oh how excellent is thy loving kindness in causing the Son of Righteousness to arise with healing in his Wings upon us Mal. 4.2 Oh what great cause have we to bless God for the Light of Life especially for the Light of the Gospel the Light of Grace here and the hope of the Light of Glory hereafter to beg also of God to lift up the Light of his Countenance upon us and help us to walk in the Light of his Countenance all the day long IV. When you are about to rise think upon the first Resurrection to Grace here and the second Resurrection to Glory at the last day because without an interest in the first Resurrection you can never expect an interest in the second and therefore to be careful as you rise out of your beds so to look to this that you arise out of sin unto newness of Life V. When you put on your cloaths think on sin which was the cause both of your nakedness and your need of Apparel to be humbled under the one and keep you from priding your selves in the other think also what infinite cause you have also to bless God for Jesus Christ that he hath fulfilled and brought in everlasting Righteousness whereby your nakedness might be covered and you might stand amiable in his sight without spot or wrinkle Ephes 5. end And therefore when you put on your Apparel remember to put on the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 13. end and put him on wholly for Justification Sanctification Consolation Salvation and take heed of spending too much time in apparelling your selves It is reported of one Pambo that seeing a Gentlewoman dressing her self all the morning by the Glass he fell a weeping and being asked Why He answered Because this Woman had spent all the morning in dressing her Body and I scarce one hour in dressing my Soul VI. When you look into the Glass to see what is amiss about you remember to look into the Glass of the Word to see what is amiss in your hearts and lives and to order your Conversation according to it Psalm 119.9 Where withall shall a young man cleanse his wayes but by taking heed to thy Word VII When you begin to wash your hands and face think of that Fountain which God hath opened to wash in from sin and from uncleanness Zach. 13. What infinite cause have you to bless Jesus Christ that was willing to shed his precious heart-blood for you to wash in and the love of the Spirit to you in opening your eyes and revealing this Fountain to you begging of him That he would put you in and wash you and rinse your Souls and Bodies more and more from your remaining filthiness of Flesh and Spirit 2 Corin. 7.1 VIII When you are about to go apart into your Chamber or Closet to read the Word and pray unto God in secret Think thus What a mercy is it to have this liberty which is denied unto many What a mercy is it to look into that blessed Book of the Scriptures Lord open mine eyes that I may see the wondrous things contained in it What a mercy also is it to have access with boldness and confidence to the Throne of God when we cannot to the throne of Men to go to him also as my Father and a Father not onely able but as willing as able to supply all my wants that sees in secret and hath promised to reward me openly Matth. 6.6 IX When you are to pray with the Family think thus What a mercy is this that I have a Family to pray with and for and that we have all health and liberty to pray together and that any have hearts to joyn with us in Prayer and are not as too many are in other Families scoffing Ishmaelites and prophane Esaues X. When you are about to imploy your selves about the duties of your particular Calling Remember that as God requires every one should live in a Calling so that every one be diligent in it because it 's the diligent hand makes rich yet not to labour so much after the meat that perishes as that which endures to eternal Life John 6.27 1. So to labour in your particular Callings as that you may be more serviceable to God and helpful to others in the duties of your general Calling 2. That you be faithful and just 1 Thess 4.6 11 12. 3. That you be useful and fruitful not seeking only your own profit but the weal and benefit of others Phil. 2.4 1 Cor. 10. about the end 4. That you be Spiritual and Heavenly careful to trade for Heaven as well as for Earth and lay up a stock of Grace that will stand by you when all other things will fail you and forsake you XI When you are trading and trafficking buying and selling and making any bargain think on the best Bargain that which will make you rich for ever that of the wise Merchant who sold all he had to purchase the Pearl Matth. 13.44 Think of buying the Gold tryed in the fire Rev. 3.18 and