him better and the better thou lovest him thou mayest think of him more for there the Bread of life is broken that it may be Eaten and this Eaten Bread is never to be forgotten there the Blood of Christ is broached that it may be drunk and being drunk Cant. 1.4 Gal. 3.1 that his love may be remembred more then wine for there is Christ before mine eyes evidently set forth even as if he were crucified among us Thâ—â— the King both sits at his Table Cant. 1.12 and is set upon the Table for Christ is both the Master of the Feast and the Matter of the Feast both my Entertainer and Entertainment and whilst I thus see him and feel him and tast him How can I but think of him and whilst the Bread that strengtheneth mine heart strengtheneth also my Faith and so Christ steals into my Soul as it were by my Sense and becomes the very nourishment thereof as the Outward Elements Bread and Wine are of the Outward man How can I forget my Saviour whilst I Remember my self or shut him out of the thoughts of mine Heart Psalm 73 26. John 6.5 who is the strength of mine heart whose Flesh is my meat indeed and whose Blood is my drink indeed whose Death is my life and my Reconciliation and whose life is my Glory and my Salvation who by his continual Intercession Hebr. 9.28 Exod. 28.29 ever bears me upon his heart before his Father in Heaven even as Aaron was to bear the Names of the Tribes of Israel upon his Brest-plate into the most holy place till He appear the second time unto Salvation John 12.20 and come again to take me to himself that where my Lord is there may also his Servant be Sect. XXXVIII Holy Thoughts of Christ ANd as we must away with all souâ—re thoughts of Christ and All low thoughts of Christ so much more with all unsavory and loose thoughts of Christ Our Thoughts of Him must be Holy as well as High Rom. 6.1 2. and Fearful as well as Chearful The Apostle puts an absit upon the least Thoughts as if the coming of Grace were for the countenancing of Sin What saith Moses concerning Christ Beware of him and obey his voice Exod. 23.21 provoke him not for he will not pardon your Transgressions for my Name is in Him What saith David Psalm 2.12 Kiss the SON least he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little The Prophet Isaiah tells us that he comes to give Law as well as Liberty the Isles shall wait for his Isaiah 42.4 Law the Prophecy of our Conversion who are Islanders in the Sea and that this Branch out of the Root of Jesse shall smite the Earth with the Rod of his Mouth Isaiah 11.1 2. and with the breath of his Lips he shall slay the wicked The Angel saith of Christ that his Name shall be called JESUS Mal. 1.21 Acts 2.27 Mal. 5.17 because He was to save his people not IN their Sins but FROM their Sins Christ when he was a Child was the Holy Child JESUS and when he was a Man He tells us that He came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it And as John Baptist told the People that his Fan was in his hand Mat. 3 12. and he would throughly purge his Floor they found it so for He went into the Temple Chap. 21.21 and scourged out the Buyers and Sellers c. in token that no unclean or prophane thing must expect admittance by Him into the Kingdom of God No no Mat. 3.11 John 16.8 Hebr. 10.1 Mat. 16.24 John 17.17 Acts 15.9 Philip. 4.7 Col. 3.25 Gal. 6.16 The Baptisme of Christ is a Baptisme with Fire and the Spirit of Christ is a Reprover of Sin the example of Christ a pattern of Obedience and the Doctrine of Christ is a Doctrine of Self-denyal the Truth of Christ a Sanctifying Truth and the Faith of Christ an heart purifying Faith and the Peace of Christ is a War with Sin for it keeps the heart and rules in the heart and 't is onely unto them that walk according to Rule that the Gospel of Christ saith Peace be upon them but Tribulation and Anguish Rom. 2.8 9. Indignation and Wrath upon every Soul of Man that doth evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile Take We heed then of thinking basely of Christ Mat. 11.19 as the friend of Sinners in their vile sense who indeed thought him to be altogether such an one as themselves Psal 50.21 Psal 35.7 but Davids Thoughts were otherwise thou lovest Righteousness and hatest Iniquity therefore God even thy God hath anointed thee with the Oyl of Gladness above thy fellows A Friend indeed of Sinners for he Dyed to save them yea the chief of them 1 Tim. 1.15 but yet an Enemy to Sin for He came to make an end of Sin saith the Apostle St. John to redeem us from our vain Conversation saith S. Peter and to purifie to himself a peculiar 1 John 3.8 1 Pet. 1.18 people Titus 2.14 zealous of good works to sanctifie and cleanse us with the washing of water by the World that we might be holy Eph. 5.26 27. and without blemish saith S. Paul And now tell me O Reader is there any shelter for Sin or license for Lust in all this O be not deceived Gal. 6.7 8. God is not mocked for whatsoever a Man soweth that shall he also reap for he that soweth to his Flesh shall of the Flesh reap Corruption but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life Everlasting For the GRACE of God that hath appeared bringing SALVATION 2 Tit. 11.12 teacheth to deny ungodliness and worldly Lusts c. Psalm 45.6 For Christ is KING as well as PRIEST and LORD as well as JESUS and the Scepter of his Kingdome is a RIGHT SCEPTER and We cannot THINK RIGHTLY of it except we think it so And O how terrible is this THOUGHT that if We slight this way Hebr. 2.36 Chap. 10.26 neglecting so great Salvation by sinning wilfully against this Sacrifice there remains no other SACRIFICE for Sin for there is no other Name given but the Name JESUS Acts 4.12 Heb. 10.28 29. And if He that sinned against Moses 's Law dyed without Mercy how much sorer must his punishment be that trampleth under foot the SON of GOD Then think this of Christ that if he be not thy Foundation-Stone 1 Pet. 2.6 Mat. 21.14 Rev. 5.5.6 John 5.22 Elect and precious to thee if thou be not built upon him he will fall upon thee and grinde thee to powder for the Lamb of God is a LYON too and God hath committed all Judgment to the SON and the WRATH of the LAMB shall one day be found intolerable to the proudest of Men when the Kings of the Earth
not destroy us If our Thoughts did not take them in as the Trojans in the Story the deceiptful Horse and make them ours so that our Destruction is of our selves as the Prophet speaks Hoseâ— 13.9 for if Satan cannot know our Thoughts without us much less can He force them But as Christ saith in one place You are of your Father the Devil John 8.44 Jerem. 7.44 Chap. 9.14 Chap. 11.8 and 13.10 and his Lusts will ye do so the Prophet saith in many places that in and after the imaginations of their own hearts they do and will walk So that as Christ saith the Devil is the Father the Apostle makes mans heart to be the Mother which receives the Temptation and Thought the Womb that Conceiveth and Hatcheth it when he saith James 1.15 Lust when it hath conceived brought forth sin whereas were there a Cordial crying out as by the forced Damosel in the Law Deut. 22.24 25. Rom. 7.24 or the Apostle in the Gospel Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me God would lay the sin upon Satan and not upon the Soul disturbed by and afflicted with it Now then since Evil Thoughts are as so many Devils and worse then Devils to us let us dread them as we do the Devil resist them as we ought to do Him and Pray against them as we would against Him and when they break into our hearts which are such unruly and untamed Evils let us serve them as the People of a Country Village would a ravenous Wolf or cruel Bear that should break into thâ—â—r Town all the Town would be after them either to kill them in or to force them out of it Prov. 23.26 And since the heare is the thing that God Principally requires and that out of it are the Issues of Life Let us keep the heart with all keeping Prov. 4.23 Mal. 3.16 17. and be choice of our Thoughts as of Gods Crown-Jewels Phil. 4.8 And now finally Brethren whatsoever things are true whatsoever things are honest whatsoever things are just whatsoever things are pâ—â—e whatsoever things are lovely whatsoever things are of good report if there be any vertue if there be any praise Think of these things CHAP. III. Sheweth the Thoughts of man to be the Souls Pulse and that they evidently discover his Inward Estate Sect. I. YOu see then where this wisdom is to be found Thoughts the Souls pulse and where is the place of self-understanding Reader Thou art before the Lord dost thou unfeignedly desire to know thy self truly then say not in thine heart who shall ascend or who shall descend to tell thee whether of the two Heaven or Hell shall be thy place and portion As the words are nigh thee Romans 10.6 7 8. even in thy mouth so the Thoughts are nigh thee even in thy mind for what Christ saith of thy words I may say of thy Thoughts Mat. 12.37 Verse 34. By thy words saith the text and by thy thoughts saith the reason of the text Thou shalt be justified and thou shalt be condemned For out of the abundance of the heart doth the mouth speak If then thy Thoughts be Right Thou art Right The thoughts of the Righteous are Right All the Righteous have Right Thoughts and All whose Thoughts are Right are Righteous 'T is a Laudable fairness in our Law Thoughts our Neighbourhood that it puts All Tryals for Life and Death upon God and the countrey that is the Neighbourhood This little Book allowes thee the Birth-right of thy Native Law in thy greatest tryal more Important then for Life and Death 'T is for Salvation or Damnation Tryal by them fair Thy Thoughts are thy Neighbourhood they walk and talk with thee they know thy lying down and thy rising up Put thy Soul tryal upon God and them and God send thee a good deliverance Sect. II. Instances of churlishness 1 Sam. 25 26. Isaiah 32.5 Isaiah 32.5 Isaiah 31.8 Liberality A Nabal-like Heart may seem sometimes to put forth a liberal hand and make a Feast like a Prince yet shall not a Churl be the more called liberal The liberal man deviseth liberall things He onely is the liberall man that hath the liberall mind whose thoughts are free in a better sence then the old saying hath it T is not the drawing of the Purse to the Poor though that must be too where there is a Purse but the drawing out the Soul to the Hungry that is true Charity Isaiah 58.10 Mark 12.21 Two mites bestowed with one truly Generous and Liberal thought is a righter Almesgiving then the giving of the two Hemispheres of the whole world would be without it Sect. III. Envy Prov. 26.25 Psal 55.21 THe Envious may carry smooth and speak fair yet never a whit the more to be trusted if there be seven abominations in the heart The Oyl of smooth words may float at top whilst Waters of strife are at bottome war in his heart His words kind his thoughts Cruel now He is what his thoughts are 'T is not said as a man speaketh with his tongue but as a man thinketh in his heart so is He. Nay such are Evil whose thoughts are so though God turn the fruit of their heart to good to those to whom they intend evil Gen 50.20 as in Josephs case Ye thought Evil against me saith He But God turned it to good and to His own Glory Isaiah 10.7 to whom they intend dishonour as in the Assyrians howbeit He meaneth not so neither doth He think so Goodness He was what his thoughts were on the other hand Joseph was a good Brother to them that had been otherwise to him though his carriage were course and his speaking rough for He thought them good and meant them well And thus God himself Isaiâ—h â—0 3 when He sheweth his People hard things and it may be incurs their hard thoughts yet then he approves himself to be a merciful Father and a tender Friend by his gracious thoughts and tender purposes I know the thoughts that think towards you Jer. 29.11 thoughts of peace And as He thinks in His Heart so is he though they think hardly of him his thoughts are of Peace and He is the God of Peace Rom. 15.33 Sect. IV. THe Impatient are not alwayes Clamorous Impatience but sometimes like froward Children that declare their doggedness by not speaking at all Job 36.19 Prov. 23.39 as well as by speaking doggedly 'T is said of the Hypocrites in Heart they cry not when God bindeth them He strikes them yet they will not be thought sick and beats them yet they seem not to feel they have not grieved Jerem. 5. â— they make their face harder then a Rock yet are never the more quiet never the more patient for mean while Habak 2.4 their minds fret their thoughts boil within them their Hearts are lifted up therefore
that presseth forward toward the Lord Jesus Christ sticks fast and remains unremoveable while the hinder part is broken with the violence of waves O blessed Hâ—art-breaking O blessed storm that drives the tumbling Thoughts upon this shore Psalm 107.30 well mayst thou be glad because thou art quiet for God hath brought thee to thy desired Haven 1 Pet. 1.8 Phil. 4.7 O sweet serenity Joy unspeakable peace passing all understanding that now keeps the heart and mind yea the heart by the MIND flowing down like the pretious Oyntmeâ—t from the head of Aaron to the skirts of his garment Luke 2.29 36. perfuming and embalming by the thoughts of the mind all the inferior powers of the Soul and affections of the heart That the former can now present unto the later even a deaths head without horrour nay with amiableness in its Aspect whilst the Soul can think with Simeon Psalm 133 2. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation So that hardly could the Convert now be kept from impatient desiring to be disso ved and to be with Christ but that he THINKS withal of something to be done for Christ before â—e die Psalm 51.13 Luke 22 3â— 2 Câ—r 1 Phil. 1.23 of teaching transgressors Gods wayes that sinners may be â—â—verted of strengthening Brethren of comforting others with the same consolations and so be hasteneth to be doing that he may also hasten to be dying Sect. XI BUt Alas These Thoughts cannot alwayes hold without interruption This brood of Travailers dig up Wells as they go Psal 84.5 Gen. 2.5 and the Philistines follow after as fast as they can to stop them up with earth and stones worldliness and earthliness deadness and dulness return and repossesses the Mind and Thoughts of the eager Convert and threaten to undo whatever Grace hath been a doing So that the confident young Christian who thought that if he had but once gotten the Red Sea on his back his Saviours blood betwixt him and his soul oppressors there would be but a few dayes direct and easy journey through the Wilderness of the World to the Land of Canaan Deut. 8.15 falling amongst many fiery Serpents violent and virulent temptations and lusts not thought of at his first setting out and being bitten by them he proceeds as more heavily so more humbly And his After-thoughts are such as these Now woe is me that I should ever put my hand unto Gods Plough Luke 9.62 and thus look back O why was I not contented to have dwelt on the other side of Jordan Nay to have stayed by the Flesh-Pots of Aegypt Joshua 7 7. Exod 16.3 rather than to die in this Wilderness It had been better sure for me not to have known the way of Righteousness 2 Pet. 2.2 Gal. 4 15. then after I have known it thus to turn from the holy Commanâ—ment Where is then the blessedness that I spake of The Scripture saith indeed Job 17.9 Gal. 3.3 4. that the Righteous shall hold on in his way But alas I have begun in the spirit And after all must I foolishly end in the flesh Have I suffered so many things in vain if so be that it be yet in vain Have I sustained such corrections and received such convictions and brought forth such Purposes and Resolutions with so great Pain and Difficuâ—ty and to so little purpose Hos 10.12 Isaiah 28.14 I cannot deny that the fallow ground of my heart hath been indeed broken up and Gods Ploâ—â—â—â—s have plowed all day to sow and 't was good seed at the Sâ—â—ers did sow when they sowed the Woâ—d Mark 4.14 But alas I now find to my Woe that it was not sown in a good and honest heart for no sooner was the blade spring up Luke 8.15 Mat. 13.16 21. Luke 8.14 Mark 4.19 but early temptation made it â—ither away so that it brought no fruit to â—erfection the cares of the World the decoiptfulness of Riches and the lusts of other things these coming in have choaked the word and it â—â—th become unprofitable Job 4.6 And is this thy confidence O my soul the uprightness of thy wayes and thy hope O think then that the word will prove true to thee though thou hast not been so to it for it told thee that the back-slider in heart should be filled with his own wayes and I am sure thou hast found it so Prov. 14.14 Heb. 6.7 Thou art the ground that hast drunk in the rain that came oft upon it and hast brought forth Thorns and what can now be thy doom but to be rejected of God to be nigh unto cursing and thine end but to be burned Thou art the House out of which the unclean Spirit went Math. 12.33 44 45. and into which He returned taking others with him which though he found empty swept garnished yet leaveth the last state worse than the first Thou hast wearyed thy self with lies Ezek. 24.12 13. and thy great scum went not forth of thee what remains but that thy scum shall be in the fire In thy filthiness is lewdness because God hath purged thee and thou wast not purged therefore how canst thou hope to be purged from thy filthyness any more till he have caused his Fury to rest upon thee 2 Peter 2.20 for if after Men have escaped the pollutions of the World through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they are again entangled therein and overcome the later end is worse with them than the beginning Thou art that girdle marred by lying in the Babilonish waters of worldly Lusts Jer. 13.7 11. and now profitable for nothing who didst sometime seem to cleave so closely to the Lord Jesus Christ as the girdle cleaveth to the loines of a man Jer. 6.28 29 30. Ah! grievous Revolter Reprobate sinner the Bellows are burnt the Lead is consumed in the Fire the Founder hath melted thee in vain for the wicked are not plucked away thy wicked pride and worldliness and wantonness c. and now what canst thou think O my Soul but that the Lord hath rejected thee Jerem. 2.5 But what Iniquity hast thou found in thy God that thou art gone far from Him and that thou hast walked after vanity and art become vain Micha 6.3 Ah my Soul What hath he done unto thee or wherein hath he wearyed thee testifie against him No no I am sure thou canst not thou darest not reprove him Jerem. 2.19 But thine own wickedness shall correct thee and thy Back-slidings shall reprove thee know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and a bitter that thou haâ—t forsaken the Lord thy God and therefore surely his fear is not in thee What fruit haâ—t thou then of this foul Apostacy whereof thou hâ—st so great reason to be now ashamed Thou didst run well Rom. 6.21 Gal. 5.7 Jerem. 2.11 12
which is in Christ Jesus What shall I then say to these things The Lord hath both spoken unto me and himself hath done it Isaiah 38.15 I will go with him though I go but softly all my years even in the bitterness of my Soul So then the Thoughts of the Righteous pick up encouragement Numb 14.9 as the Good Spies from their very difficulties They are Bread for us I will go with this man saith Rebeckah I will go with this Jesus saith the fixed Thought of heart Though I go sadly yet I will go I will go though but softly in my souls bitterness all my years Isaiah 38.16 But yet O Lord by these things men live And in all these is the life of my spirit so wilt thou recover me and make me to live so saith the gracious Heart And thus is the soul fed with Manna aad led about many years it may be in the Wilderness of Anxiety Deut. 8.2 And all this to humble to prove to know what is in the heart and to do it good in the later end The end of the draught or scheme of Thoughts 1. Wrought in conversion And thus have I given you as briefly as I could though more largely then I thought a Scheme or draught of such Thoughts in man as do ordinarily flow from the Grace of God as I have received from that sure Word that is a discerner of the Thoughts and a discoverer as well as a discerner and as I have known and perhaps felt in some small experience And the Holy Ghost Prov. 27.19 that knows all hearts saith expresly As in water face answers to face so the heart of man to man Regenerate mans thoughts flowing from a new nature agree with other natural motions in three things Sect. XII NOw because as I have said The Regenerate mans thoughts are sparks from a new Fire fruits of a new heart stirrings of a new Nature Therefore it must needs be that they partake with all natural motions in these Three points I. Facility Natural Acts and Motions 1. Facility Good thoughts delightful if from a right principle Prov. 2.10 If Nature be not oppressed as sometimes the New nature seems to be are facile yea pleasing and delightful as to eat to drink to sleep c. So are right Thoughts to a Righteous person When wisdome entereth into thy heart and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul c. A naughty heart is like a vitious stomach those very thoughts that are as an hony Comb Prov. 27.7 or as pleasant bread to others do make it turn as it were at the very sight of them Go thy way Paul for this time I have no stomach to think of Righteousness or Judgment to come No no Acts 14.25 Felix his Thoughts were another way suitable to his Corruption He thought saith the Text there was no money coming Verse 26. and 't was the thought of money that made Musick in his Mind But saith David of his God not of his Mammon My meditation of HIM shall be SWEET Psal 124 34. I will be glad in the Lord. When the Miser receives his Mammon Oh how it glads him nay he loves the Thought of it when he cannot come at it Nay he can Think with delight of the Bills or Bonds he can lay them in his bosome that do but Name it Money is his God and Worldliness his Nature So doth a gracious heart with sweetness entertain the Thought of his God nay hide his word in his very Heart Psal 119.11 It goes down with him with delight as his food when he is most hungry Thy words were found and I did eat them Jer. 15.16 and they were to me the joy and rejoycing of mine Heart The Bar drinks in words but it is the heart that eats them by setting the Thoughts to chew upon them And as it is with a man that is in health if he want his set meals so is it with a good Heart kept in good order without many gripes and secret gnawings it cannot want its set MEDITATIONS And surely it would be better with most Christians then it is were they but careful with Isaac to set a part some little time of the day for Meditation who are so little able to say with David O how love I thy Law Psal â—19 67 It is my MEDITATION all the day And this leads me to the Sect. XIII Frequency Davids thoughts good all the day Psal 119 97. How to be understood II. ANd that is Frequency A good pulse strikes many a good stroke in a day and so doth a good heart as you may see in David when he was in a good state of soul health you cannot think that he thought of nothing but Gods Law in the whole day when he sayes It was his Meditation all the day his Crown was lined with Cares And his Head with Thoughts as other mens But he would allow no Thought in the day contrary to the Law He would order all his Thoughts in conformity and subordination thereto And his Thoughts thereof were better pleasing to him then all other Thoughts He was in his Element when in such Meditations and reckoned so much of the day lost as wherein he was hurryed by Temptations to any contrary cogitations If a Bird fall into the water 't is not her Element she neither useth nor delighteth to be there If a Mole get above ground he is not where he would be or is wont to be Tryal what Thoughts thy Element Psalm 77.5 Ask thine heart seriously what Element it is that thy thoughts most use and with most ease My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness when I think upon thee when I remember thee upon my bed and meditate upon thee c. And thereby discern whether it be a Bird of Paradise or a meer Mole for to be carrnally minded is death but to be Spiritually minded is life and peace Romans 8.6 A bad man may have a Thought of God now and then and a Thought for God or the most are very much mistaken But a David can say of his divine Thoughts how great is the sum of them Gods Thoughts of him and his Thoughts of God and the reflection of his Thoughts upon Gods Thoughts Psalm 137.17 for Sect. XIV III. 3. Perpetuity THere is Perpetuity as well as Facility and Frequency in Natural acts and motions The pulse beats not only all the day but all a mans dayes so do good thoughts in a Godly mind What a blessed frame was holy David in when he could never awake but he found his pulse beating Heaven-ward when I awake I am still with thee Psam 139.18 Psalm 1.12 The blessed mans delight is in the Law of the Lord and therein doth he meditate day and night O happy He whose Thoughts are holy day and night that is continually I know Grace is lyable to
Psal 73.12 Psal 4.9 6. Verse 18. The dispised excellent 1 Cor. 4.13 Psal 16.3 Heb. 11.38 Acts 20.24 Persecution not enough without love 1 Cor. 13 3. as part of a Christians Patrimony Ye shall receive an hundred fold in this life with Persecutions An Honour to be counted worthy to suffer a Gift to be able to suffer as well as to believe to you it is given And therefore he is so far from thinking that he merits by it as that he is but so much the more beholding to God and to Christ for it He thinks losses for Christ and the Gospel to be gain the spoiling of his Goods to be joyfully taken As knowing in himself that he hath in Heaven a better and more induring substance He esteems disgrace for Christ the highest Honour in the World and the Reproach of Christ greater Riches then the Treasures of Aegypt He refuseth to dwell in the Tents of Wickedness to have his portion in this life He chooseth rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God then to enjoy the Pleasures of â—in for a season Those whom men think to be the happy men who call the proud happy having ONLY their portion in this life Those that prosper in the World that increase in Riches that boast of their Wealth that say they are rich and possessed with goods c. Such He thinks Poor and Wretched and Miserable and Blind and Naked And those whom such men think the off-scouring of the World He thinks the Excellent of the Earth And whom they think unworthy to live in the World He thinks that the World is not worthy of them He thinks his Life not too much nor too dear for Christ nay not enough if it want the sincerity of his Love and therefore labours as much that his heart and love be found staming towards him as if he call for it to give his body to be burnt for him Sect. XI Right thoughts of the outward condition of life Prov. 13.8 As fittest for us 2 Sam. 15.4 Hebr. 13.5 Contentment without covetousness Thinking of the promise Psal 23.5 For supply Psal 17.3 IN thinking of his present CONDITION of Life that his lines are fallen in the best place for him that his own food is most convenient for him That Sauls Armour would not suit him That anothers Condition would not fit him not as Absolom O that I were Judge in the Land He thinks it is his duty to be contented with such things as he hath without coveting anothers And thinks it his Relief that the lesse money he hath he may go the more upon trust The less he finds in his purse seek the more in the promise of him that hath said I will never leave thee nor forsake thee The Lord is his Shepheard and he thinks he shall not want And therefore he will trust in the Lord and do good And he thinks verily he shall be fed or Truth shall be his feeding as some read so that he thinks no man can take away his livelihood unless he can first take away Gods truth Sect. XII Right thoughts of the present time of life 1 Pet. 1.17 Heb. 4.1 To be past in fear that work may be done Phil. 1.12 Jude 23. 1 Cor. 9.24 Luke 16.2 Before time done Time for work Therefore be up and doing 1 Chro. 22.16 A time for every Work Eccles 9.4 Therefore hope while time no room for dispair Eccles 3.1 Time for best purposes Rom. 13.11 Hos 10.12 2 Pet. 1.10 But a time therefore no place for presumption Time pretious measured by moments Ephes 5.16 Right thoughts of death Job 18.14 Chap. 11.20 Eccles 11.3 Luke 16.26 IN thinking of his present TIME of life as the time of his sojourning here and therefore to be passed in fear in fear least he should come short nay or seem to come short at his going out of the World of that which he came into it for the working out of his own Salvation and the saving of others pulling them out of the Fire and both with fear with fear least his day be done before his work be done least his Glass be run before his Race be run least his accounts be required before they be stated with fear and yet in hope that though his time be little and his work great yet if he be up and doing the Lord will be with him And therefore as he that plows plows in hope so he when he prayes prayes in hope and repents in hope c. For to him that is joyned to all the living there is hope So that his fear is a spur to his hope and his hope a bridle to his fear That despair do not run away with him and Cast him quite down for want of hope Nor presumption make him loiter and loose both his time and his soul for want of Fear He thinks there is a time for every purpose under Heaven And therefore thinks he can I find a time for Eating and Drinking and Sleeping Buying and Selling Building and Planting Marrying and giving in Marriage and is there not a time nay a high time to awake out of sleep A time to seek the Lord to make my calling and election sure c. surely there is a time therefore there is hope And no room for desperation And but a time therefore no place for Presumption But a time and therefore that time is most pretious God measuring it to us only by moments as we do pretious Liquors by drops and therefore to be redeemed and so imployed in looking out for a pretious Christ and in looking after the pretious Soul Sect. XIII IN thinking of DEATH to the Unbelievers and Hypocrites as a King of Terrors a grave of their hopes which will then be as the giving up of the Ghost as the falling of the Tree that must lie till judgment as then it falls No work there nor devise no wisdom no calling upon God with hope of help or promise of pardon As the fixing of the gulf no passing no returning from a state of torment no means of Grace no hope of Glory any more as a cruel Jaylor haling the Soul to the dreadful Tribunal of God and then to the Tormenter and Executioner even to him that hath the Power of Death the Devil Hebr. 2.14 And alas how many thousands of black yea bloody self-murthering mouths shall then come to have their woful wishes before they thought of it when God shall damn them and the Devil take them But to the Righteous that hath hope in his death â— King of Terrors too Prov. 14.32 To the godly what but with a broken Scepter A Serpent but without a sting A ghastly countenance with an open mouth but without teeth A sturdy Porter yet standing only to open them their Fathers door The Saints Bed-maker Isa 52.10 Hos 13.4 Col. 3.41 hard-handed yet that makes their Beds soft and easy An Enemy frighted into a Friend by him that is the
very Death of Death but the believers Life So that their dying is but an entring into peace Isa 57.2 a resting in their beds and from their labours of Sins Sorrows Cares Fears Temptations Afflictions Persecutions Sicknesses Pains Wants Weaknesses Wearinesses Doubts Difficulties nay of Duties of Fastings Watchings Tears which shall then be wiped away and done away Revel 14.13 as to the Labour not the Reward for so their Works follow them Sect. XIV Of judgment Psal 49.14 Mat. 25.19 IN thinking of JUDGMENT As that glorious morning wherein the upright shall have Dominion shall sit with Christ on Thrones judging the World being openly justified themselves and set as Sheep on the right hand of God 1 Cor. 6.2 and Proclaimed by Christ the Blessed of his Father As that glorious meeting of that spiritualized body with its blessed Soul and so with Christ Mat. 25.34 To the sheep and with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the Saints to be dissolved divorced divided dissipated dispersed no more 1 Cor. 15.44 Math. 8.11 Mat. 25.33 and 41. To the Goats Psal 1.5 Mean while those Goats on the left hand that burned with Lust shall burn with horrour inwardly shall be accused accursed sentenced and condemned openly And as they would not indure the Sheep to live by them in the World they shall go by themselves shall not come into the Congregation of the just and as they loved Cursing It shall now come into their Souls and like Oyl in their Bones And so their miserable bodies made vessels of wrath fitted to Destruction â—ide to receive it without spilling Rom. 9.22 strong to hold it without breaking being re-united to their tormented Souls shall together be partakers of Misery as they formerly had been of Sin unto all Eternity Sect. XV. IN thinking of ETERNITY Of Eternity Right thoughts of it as that which is so shortly approaching and nearly concerning every one that he thinks it strange that any one should almost think of any thing else for thinking of Eternity But that he thinks again of that World of Atheisme that is in the World never fully to be confuted But by Death and Judgment and oh thinks he Atheists in this world what a sad thing it is that they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we read without God in the World but the word is Atheists in the World Eph. 2.12 No Atheists to Eternity yea but as soon as ever they go out of the World they continue Atheists no longer Those that would not believe that there was a God and a Christ by his patience and providence by his preserving them and proffering to save them Shall see there is a God and Christ Rev. 1.7 Mal. 3.19 shall then see that there is a God and a Christ too every Eye shall see him and feel that there is a God by his terrours taking hold upon them Then shall they return and discern though they would not see the Lord when his hand was lifted up in his Word and Works in the World they shall see God and be ashamed Isa 26.11 Psal 58.11 So that a man shall say verily there is a GOD. And those that would not believe that there was a Devil by their daily conversing with him and his influencing them by his filling their hearts because they say they never saw him Feel there iâ— a Devil shall then certainly know they are with him as he knows now that he is with them for as he shares stakes with them in sin they have their part and he hath his part In Hell share stakes with him so shall they be forc't to share stakes with them in Hell for they shall have their portion with the Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 As he with them here in sin And Oh thinks he how will the dainty Dives and the careless and delicate Daughters do to spend that Eternity That must have so many devices and divertisements Misery of the wicked Playes and Pastimes Ah! wretched word that thinks he and all to wear out the tediousness of a little time To spend that Eternity when the smoak of that bottomless pit Rev. 14.10 11. must be their only Air to breath in Fire their Food Brimstone their Perfume full Viols of Divine wrath their Drink Astonishment their Wine Bitter weeping and flowing Fountains Mat. 22.13 and ever Running Rivers of Tears in stead of their Rich Baths and pleasant Springs Luke 16.28 and artificial Fountains And wailing yelling and howling their only Musick And so other mens torments an accession to their pains As they had taken pleasure in other mens sins which made Dives so loath of his Brethrens Company Rom. 1.32 as we may well think The Books must be opened in stead of their pleasing Play-Books and Romances Gods Book and the Book of their Consciences Rev. 20.12 that they never could endure in all their lives to look into must now be pored upon by them by the Fire of Hell without intermission recreation or other diversion and the wanton Eye that busie and unsatisfied Gazer upon every thing but the Bible must be otherwise imprisoned in utter darkness for ever Mat. 25.30 Psalm 12.4 And the Lordly tongue that must needs be their own shall be their own to torment them as formerly set on Fire of Hell with a world of wickedness James 3.6 so now of woes Red hot then with Rage against God and revilings of his Saints now burning with flames and not receiving so much as one single drop of cold water Luke 16.24 that was wont to swim in Wine and for that bewitching sence of touch its dalliances and delights there shall only succeed those hideous gnashings of teeth and gnawings at Heart in the woe that never ceaseth and by the worm that never dies Josh 8.7 16. And thus Ah thinks he as Joshua taught the men of Succoth with the Thornes and Bryars in the wilderness The Hebrew is He made them to know to know who he was and to know what they had done jn despising his Messengers in rejecting his motions c. so will Jesus teach the Atheistical world with tortures to Eternity 2 Chro. 36.16 Psal 50.17 Prov. 1.3 and make them to know who He is whose Messengers they mocked whose Laws they cast behind their backs whose Councels they hated and would none of his Reproofs But thinks He on the other hand Eternal happiness of the Saints of those in whose Hearts are the wayes of them that are holy Pilgrims the true Travailers that declare plainly that they seek a Countrey viz. an Heavenly that can say of a good Sermon John 6.34 Lord evermore give us of this Bread of a lively stirring Sacrament a Soul-humbling Confession and Prayer an Heart-raising Meditation 't is good to be here that think the present time too short and their Hearts too narrow to hold enough of
man that through terrours of Conscience starved himself to death being otherwise prevented in destroying himself by Hanging and Drowning which he attempted and in accusing himself that he might have been dispatcht out of the way by the hand of publick Justice for an old Murther which he pretended but intended it as a plot upon his own Life which not taking he never would admit any sustenance down his throat though forced into his mouth till utterly famished both recent instances and within little more then twenty Miles each of other and of both which I have been an eye-witness and other like might be added And now ask such as these if it be not a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 10.31 Terrible in praises Exod. 15.11 Goodness Hosea 3.5 Forgiveness Psal 130.4 Spar'd not Angels 2 Cor. 2.4 Old World Verse 5. Sodom Ver. 6. Natural branches Rom. 11.21 His own Son He indeed is fearful in his very Praises and his Goodness to be feared His Grace by no means to be turned into wantonness but the forgiveness that is with him is that he may be feared He that spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down into hell that spared not the old World bringing in the Floud upon the World of the ungodly and turning the Cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into Ashes condemning them with an overthrow making them an Example unto those that should live ungodly that spared not the Natural Branches O take heed least he also spare not thee If by terrible things in Righteousness God will answer them to whom be is a God of Salvation Surely his Justice will be very terrible to the Sons of Perdition If God spared no his own Son but it pleased the Lord to bruise him Isaiah 53.10 Rejoycing in the destruction of the wicked Isaiah 1.24 Deut. 38.63 Jer. 1.26 27. and to put him to grief who knew no sin but had sin onely imputed to him O how terrible thinks the Soul is God when he cryes out Ah I will case me of mine Adversaries and avenge me of miâ—â— Enemies I will rejoyce over you to destroy you and to bring you to naught I will laugh at your Calamity and mock when your fear cometh when your fear cometh as desolation and your Destruction cometh as a Whirlwind when distress and anguish cometh upon you Thus shall mine anger be accomplished and I will cause my fury to rest upon them Ezek. 5.13 and I will be comforted And oh how awful a thought it is that it should be both casing and pleasing to God to destroy sinners 〈◊〉 1.3 That the God of all comforts as Scripture calls him should be Comforted in the Perdition of ungodly Men and laugh at their fear 〈◊〉 6.14 who forsake the fear of the Almighty And Oh how fearful is He in his punishments who is so in his praises How terrible in his Righteousness who is to be feared for his Goodness 1 Pet. 1.17 If they that Call on the Father must pass their time in fear because without respect of persons Isaiah 33.14 he judgeth every one according to his works O how may the Sinners in Zion be affraid what fearfulness may surprize the Hypocrites If they be unable to Contend with his burning Agues God terrible in present punishment Jerem. 12.5 Isaiah 30.33 Chap. 66. â—4 Nahum 1.2 Plagues and Feavers How will they dwell with Everlasting burnings Oh what will they do in the swellings of Jordan when the breath oâ— the Lord as a River of Brimstone shall kindle upon them those Eternal flames that none shall be able to quench for the Lord is jealous and Revengeth The Lord Revengeth and is furious The Lord will take vengeance on his Adversaries and he Reserveth wrath for his Enemies Reserves of wrath terrible O those RESERVES of Wrath how dreadful are they That when Millions of Ages are expired they remain unexhausted There is still a certain fearful expectation and looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation still Heb. 10.27 Psalm 90.11 God corrects whom he loves still Ah Lord who knows the power of thine Anger according to thy fear so is thy wrath Thou Correctest whom thou lovest what wilt thou do wiâ—h them thou hatest If Judgment must begin at the House of God what Heb. 12.6 1 Peter 17.18 What then shall be the end of the wicked Zech. 13.7 Heb. 5.8 Luke 23.31 O what shall be the end of them that obey not the Gospel of God and If the Righteous scarcely be saved where shall the ungodly and sinner appear thou gatherest a Rod for every Son thou receivest nay the Holy Child Jesus was not excepted nor exempted who though he were a Son thine Equal a Man thy fellow yet did thy Sword awake against him and He learnt obedience by the things that he suffered And if these things were done in the Green Tree O what shall become of the Dry What Scorpions are prepared to be scourges for the wicked Psalm 9.13 surely God hath prepared for him the instruments of death and ordained his Arrows against the Persecutors Upon the Wicked he shall Rain snares Fire and Brimstone Psalm 11.6 and an horrible tempest this shall be the portion of their cup. Psal 119. â—â— Wherefore O God My Flesh trembleth for fear of thee and I am affraid of thy Judgments Deut. 32.4 for all the wayes of the Lord are Judgment a God of Truth and without iniquity Just and Right is he with him is terrible Majesty Job 37.22 23 24. Prov. 23.14 Neh. 5.15 He is excellent in Power and in Judgment Men do therefore fear him and well they may Be thou therefore in the fear of the Lord O my Soul all the day long and however others may dare to presume upon him yet so do not thou because of the fear of the Lord. Sect. XXVII THe Lord thou hearest O my Soul God of truth is a God of TRUTH is as well as Righteousness Isaiah 66.5 O Tremble at his word as well as works and be thou affraid of the Judgments of his mouth as well as of his hands For the Lord confirmeth the word of his Servants Isaiah 64.26 Math. 5.28 and performeth the Counsels of his Messengers neither is there any Iota of his Threatenings any more then of his Promises that shall pass away untill all be fulfilled for the strength of Israel will not he nor Repent 1 Sam. 15.29 Isaiah 11.5 for he is not as Man that he should Repent The truth is Gods TRUTH is as the Girdle of his Loins What ever God is He is in TRUTH As God is TRUE In all He is 1 Tim. 1.18 Jerem. 10.10 saith the Apostle Our word towards you was not yea and nay The Lord is the true God saith Jeremiah the God of TRUTH saith the Margin with the Hebrew at his Wrath shall the Earth tremble c. Whatever God
John 3.1 to think seriously of this if the Apostle cry out as he doth Beloved what manner of Love is this that the Father hath bestowed upon us that We should be called The Sons of God O think then what manner of love is this that GOD should be called The Son of Man Nay become Man In Christs Incarnation John 1.1 and Verse 14. for the WORD was with GOD and the WORD was GOD and the WORD was made FLESH For to think that Christ was onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Divine Man and not GOD-MAN is a thought both beneath a Christ and below a Christian John 5.20 But thanks be to God We know that the Son of Son of God is come and He hath given us understanding Christ true God that We may know him that is True and We are in Him that is True even in his Son Jesus Christ This is the True GOD and the Life Eternal This is He of whom it was said of Old Isaiah 9.6 To us a Child is born and yet his Name shall be called The MIGHTY GOD. By whom saith the Apostle Hebr. 1.2 Chap. 3 3 4. Hebr. 1.10 Verse 3. John 1.10 God made the World and he that built all things is GOD and to him it is expresly said Thou Lord in the beginning hast established the Earth and the Heavens are the works of thine Hands He was in the World and the World was made by him and the World knew him not And that He upholdeth all things by the word of his power who by himself purged our Sins and sate down at the right hand of the Majesty on high Christ suffering was God satisfying himself Acts 20.28 So that CHRIST Suffering was but GOD Satisfying himself and therefore He cannot chuse but have full payment for the Purchase Blood was the Blood of GOD. Feed the Church of GOD saith the Apostle which he purchased with his Own Blood And God did Suffer though He could not Suffer As GOD the Nature assuming adding infinite value and vertue to the Nature assumed both being one Person 1 Tim. 3 1◠for God manifested in the Flesh must needs be justified in the Spirit or Godhead of Christ Hebr 9.14 through which or upon which as the Altar this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this middle Person as the Apostle calls him betwixt God and Man God-Man as Priest offers up himself Suffering as true Man to Himself 1 Tim. 2.5 as One true God with the Father and the Holy Ghost This is that great Mystery look'd into by the Angels Preached to the Gentiles Believed in the World Lord I believe it help thou mine unbelief Sect. XXXIV 1 Tim. 3.16 Mistake to think one drop of Christ's blood sufficient Acts 20.28 The Death of Christ necessary Heb. 9.15 Verse 16. As Testatour BUt though I dare not but Think with Scripture that the blood of Christ that is the Death of Christ for so the Scripture is to be understood when it speaks of his blood is of Infinite value and vertue being Gods own blood yet dare I not think with those who without Scripture affirm that One drop of Christs blood was sufficient to save the world for the Apostle saith expresly that He is Mediatour of the New Testament through DEATH 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Redemption no Redemption without Death for where a Testament is saith he there Must be the Death of Him that made the Testament And He proves it by the killing of the Sacrifices in the Law Verse 22.23 That without shedding of blood he means dying there is no Remission And that it was Necessary Christ should enter by his own Blood that is for so he explains it by the Sacrifice not of a drop or few drops but of Himself and that no otherwise than by Death Verse 26. Verse 27 28. Surety Gen. 2.17 Heb. 7.22 Rom. 5.21 Christ suffered in our stead Gen. 22.13 Is◠53.5 10. for as it was appointed unto Men once to die So Christ must be Once offered For the Debt that We owe to the Covenant of Works is Death In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt Die This Debt must Our Surety under the New-Covenant pay though a Covenant of Grace for GRACE must reign by Righteousness for Christ was not onely for Our Good but in our stead like the Ram in the stead or room of Isaac for the Chastisement of our Peace was upon him And therefore not one drop of his Blood onely but his Soul must be made the Offering for Sin and he must powre out his Soul to the Death Verse 1◠Verse 4. for He was to bear Our Sorrows which were the sorrows of Death as you have seen which Text Grot. in loc though a learned man who sometimes had written worthily for Christs satisfaction falling afterwards off by Temptation would fain distort by expounding it of the Prophet Jeremiah yet two great Apostles Philip and Peter Acts 8.34 35. 1 Pet. 2.24 do understand and expound it of Christ and no other by whose alone stripes we are healed So Christ himself also who knew what would serve the turn tells his Disciples plainly that there was no way but one he must go away he must depart John 16.7 yet he had long before this even at eight dayes old lost more than a drop of blood for them in his Circumcision Luke 2.21 Mat. 16.21 but still for all that the Son of Man must go to Jerusalem and must suffer many things and be killed and it was his Life Chap. 20.21 and no less that He must give for a Ransom for many 'T is true indeed The preciousness of Christs Death Acts 2.24 2 Sam. 18.3 Christ fully Satisfied was lawfully discharged this One Life of His was worth Thousands of Ours as Davids Men said of David and his Suffering Death though it were not possible he should be held of it gave Infinite Justice that Satisfaction and full Payment because he that Suffered was an Infinite Person that Millions of Damned ones Men and Angels in Hell cannot give or make in Millions of Ages but the subjects of the Suffering being Finite the duration or Term of the Suffering must be in some sort Infinite that is to say without End But now God sends his Angel Mat. 28.2 as a publick Minister to roul away the Stone from Christs Sepulchre not that Christ needed an Angels help to further his Resurrection John 10.18 for He that had power to take up his life again could not want strength like another Sampson Jud. 16.9 12. to shake off those sorry shackles of his Sepulchre but I say the Key must be turned by Gods own Officer and the Prison door set open to declare to All the World that Our Debt by his Death was fully paid in that Our Surety did not Break Prison but was set at Liberty which the damned shall never be because they can
never pay the uttermost farthing We must not pretend high Thoughts of Christ to harbour hard thoughts of God 1 Pet. 1.18 Verse 19. But still We must take heed while We pretend high Thoughts of Christ that we harbour not hard thoughts of God as if he would exact of Our Surety more than was due or were indeed profuse or prodigal of the Blood of his Son No no God counted it as precious sure as thou canst do for thine heart and if Men be loath to be lavish of corruptible things such as Silver and Gold sure God would never have been so of the precious blood of Christ as aâ— Lamb without spot for if a drop would have done it Circumcision might have excused the Passion and the Propathia or Bloody Sweat in the Garden the Bloody Death upon the CROSS Gal. 2.21 and so Christ have dyed in vain a thought which the Apostle so much abhors for as he there reasons concerning the Law I may argue in this present case if Righteousness could have been by a drop of his Blood then â—hriâ— dyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as one would say Gratis in a complement and for a meer flourish of his kindness which the Apostle will by no means admit Joh 2.19 21. No no The Temple of his Body must be deâ—troyed which the loss of a Drop of his blood would not do Rom. 6.23 He must be made SIN for Us now the wages of Sin for he knew no sin as to the work of Sin but he must be made Sin as to the wages of Sin which is Death Cor. 5.21 That we might be made the righteousness of God in him And that he might Redeem us from the Curse of the Law he must be made a Curse for Us that is He must hang upon the Tree till he be dead Deut. 21 22 23. Scripture-thoughts of Christ our onely right and high Thoughts Luke 24.25 26. for in that sence it is that the Apostle quotes that in the Law of Moses where it is written Cursed is he that hangeth upon a Tree And the truth is as our Scriptural Thoughts of Christ are our onely Right Thoughts O fools and slow of heart ought not Christ to have suffered these things c. so are they also our high Thoughts for herein God commeâ—ded his Love to us not that Christ was Circumcised for us though that were Love Rom. 5.8 Not Christ bleeding but his dying the grand commendation of his Love to loose a few drops of his precious Blood for Us but this is the high commendation of his Love that he dyed for 〈◊〉 for many there are that would willingly enough â—â—ose a little Blood for a Friend that would not die for their Friend but this was Love that though We were Enemies He not onely Bled for Us but Dyed for Us. For suppose you had been ear-witnesses 〈◊〉 the great Councel of Peace between the Father and the Son Heb. 10.3 4 5. whereof we have such plain Intimations in Scripture saith God Lo yonder are a multitude of Sinneâ—â— and a multitude of Sacrifices but I have no pleasure in the One or the Other but if Thou my Son wilt but come in the Room of both I shall be satisfied in whom Mat. 3.17 as well as with whom I shall be well pleased But know then that there must be Dying or there can be no Doing Hebr. 9.12 for the Sinners should Die and the Sacrifices they do Die and thou must Die or else my Wrath can not be appeased the Sinner can not be acquitted and then that you had heard Christ thus making answer If it must be so Lo I come Lord Hebr. 10.9.7 Verse 5. Isaiah 50.5 6. in the Volume of thy Book it is written of me even to do this thy Will O God if this be the way Let it be so a Body hast thou prepared me and mine Ears haâ—t thou opened and I was not Rebellious neither turned I away back Lo here is my Back to the Smiters and my Cheeks for them that pull off the hair and my Face for shame and spitting And if all this be not sufficient here is my Soul too for a Sacrifice for an Offering for Sin Isaâ—ah 53 1â— and if Thou be but satisfied I am Satisfied for as never had Mother sorrow in her Birth-pains for a Son like my Sorrow so never was Mother satisfied in a Son as I am in my Seed Isaiah 53.10 When thou shalt make his Soul an Offering for Sin He shall see his Seed and the Pleasure of the Lord prosper in his hand Verse 11. He shall see of the Travail of his Soul and be Satisfied And therefore well mayest Thou be satisfied O my Soul as with Marrow and with Fatness to think of all this Verse 1â— If it pleased the Lord to bruise him that He might spare thee and if the Son were satisfied to be so served to justify thee Verse 11. and to bear thine Iniquities shall this Thought not be pleasing to thee That He should not onely be Cut as in his Circumcision but Cut off out of the Land of the Living as in his Passion even Messiah the Prince Verse 8. Dan. 5.24 25. be cut off for thee to finish thy Transgression to make an end of Sin to make Reconciliation for the Transgression and to bring in Everlasting Righteousness That He should be delivered for thine Offences Rom. 4.25 and raised again for thy Justification without thy desert or desire or thy care or thy Thought before all this was done for thee doth it not deserve now thy Love Jer. 23.6 and thy Joy and thy Care and thy Thoughts to be laid out upon it nay to be taken up with it That The Lord should be Thy Righteousness Isaiah 32.2 and this Man thine hiding place and thy Peace and that by Blood onely Eph. 2.13 15. Eph. 1.6 7. so making Peace That thine Acceptation should be in Him and thy Redemption through his Blood and neither the One nor the other by Doing nor by thy Dying Rom. 5.10 but thy Recâ—nciliation by His Death and thy Salvation by His Life Oh how dear should the Thought of this Dying-Rising Lord be to thee 1 Pet. 3 1â— who once suffered for Sins the JUST for the Unjust that he might bring us to God put to Death in the Flesh or Manhood but quickened in or through the Spirit that is the Godhead Sect. XXXVI High thoughts of Imputed Righteousness Rom. 4 24. Phil. 3.8 6. ANd how Highly Reported should that Imputed Righteousness be by Thee which the Apostle counts a Gain for which He willingly Suffered the loss of All nay for the working out of which Christ Himself became poor that We by his poverty might be made â—â—ch 'T was this Righteousness that was look'd at in the Sacrifices 〈◊〉 8.9 Heâ— â— 14 15. and through the Sprinklings of the Law for
saith the Holy Ghost If the Blood of Bulls and â—oats and the sprinkling them that are unclean Sanctifie as to the purifying of the Flesh how much more shall the Blood of Christ c. purge your Conscience c. And that the Thoughts of the Old Testament-Believers ran so much upon Davids especially his very Dying Thoughts ran of this 2 Sam. 23.1 as appears by his last words Although mine House be not so with God yet God hath made a Covenant with me Ordered in all things and sure this is All my Salvation Verse 5. and All my desire c. Blessed be God what ever is out of Order the Covenant of Grace is Ordered in All things and sure my help and my hope is not in my self or in any thing of my own 't is laid up elsewhere in better keeping One shall say Isaiah 45.24 IN the Lord I have strength and I have Righteousness and IN the Lord the whole House of Israel that is Verse 25. all that ever shall have Peace shall be Justified and shall Glory thus Isaiah So Jeremy speaking of the Church Jer. 33.16 He that shall call her is The Lord Our Righteousness So Daniel Now therefore O our God Dan. 9.17 Ezek. 14.14 hear the Prayer of thy Servant c. and cause thy face to shine c. for the Lords Sake You see Daniel who is reckon'd by the Holy Ghost with Noah and Job one of the best men that ever was hath not a Thought of any Acceptance or Audience from any Righteousness or Works of his Own but onely for Christs sake Lord do it saith he for the Lords sake 2 Cor. 12.12 1 Cor. 15.10 Acts 24.16 Nay S. Paul that came behind no Man and Laboured more abundantly than All that exercised himself alwayes to have a Conscience void of Offence both towards God and towards all Men that Beat down his Body to bring it in Subjection c. 1 Cor. 9.27 2 Cor. 11.22 to the end R m. 4. chap. Rom 5. chap. In a word Wherein-soever any might seem to have any thing to boast He had more yet you find no man more triumphing in an Imputed Righteousness by FAITH GRACE FREE GIFT No man more abasing nay abhorring the very Thought of all self-wrought Righteousness not of Works saith He Eph. 2.9 least any man should boast but sweeping down throughout his writings especially the Epistles to the Romans Rom. chap. 5. and 6. Galatians Ephesians the Spiders Web as the Holy Ghost calls all that Hope and Confidence which Man Spins Gal. chap. 2. and 3. Eph. chap. 2. Job 8.14 as it were out of his own Bowels nay disclaiming all compoundings and blendings in the business of Justification He will have nothing there but a Christ apprehended and received through Faith and that too not of our selves Eph. 2.8 Rom. 11.6 but the Gift of God for saith He If it be of Grace it is no more of Works or else Grace were no more Grace but if it be of Works it is no more of Grace else Work were no more Work And how plain and indeed terrible is that Text What shall We say then Rom. 9.30 that the Gentiles which followed not Righteousness have attained unto Righteousness even the Righteousness which is of Faith Verse 31.32 But Israel which followed after the Law of Righteousness hath not attained to the Law of Righteousness Wherefore because they sought it not By Faith but as it were by the works of the Law for they have stumbled at the stumbling stone as it is written Verse 33. Behold I will lay in Sion a stumbling stone and a Rock of Offence And every one that Believeth in Him shall not be ashamed Let Papists then mock on and call this Imputed Righteousness a Putative or an imaginary Righteousness yet what is to them Foolishne's 1 Pet. 2.6 Philip 3.3 and to many a stumbling stone let it be to thee O my Soul a Foundation Rejoyce thou in Jesus and have thou no confidence in the Flesh Sect. XXXVII Pâ—â—l 2.6 7 8. Hâ—â—h thou his of Christ BUt then as God hath Highly exalted Him that was Humbled being equal with God yet in shape of a Man even to the Death of the Cross so think that if ever thou hope for benefit by Him thy Life and thy Lips must exalt Him and thine Heart and thy Thoughts above all not that thou canst add to but must own his Greatness and his Glory nay though thou hadst known Christ after the Flesh 2 Câ—â— 5.16 yet henceforth know him so no more Away with low Thoughts carnal conceptions of Jesus Christ who though He were Crucified through weakness yet is raised in Power 1 Cor. 14.4 Isaiah 62.1 Heb. 11.34 yea in the greatness of his strength became weak that out of weakness thou mightest be made strong for if the Christian can say by believing in Christ when I am weak then am I strong and can Glory in his Infirmities 2 Cor. 12.9 10. that the power of Christ may rest upon him well may he Glory in Christ whose Glory in the very dayes of his infirmity they that saw him beheld as the Glory of the onely begotten Son of God John 1.4 for whilst he dwelt among Men in the body of his Flesh The Fulness of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily Colos 2.9 Rom 9 5. And O how awful and stupendious a thought it is that Gods Benjamin should be this Ben-oni Nay the Blessed God himself This man of Sorrows Isaiah 53.3 and 9.6 Gal 4 4. Isaiah 53.8 Gal. 4.4 The Eternal Father the Son of his Hand-maid made of a Woman The Mighty God a Child born so saith Scripture but who shall declare his Generation The Law-Maker made under the Law that He might make satisfaction to the Law and Fulfil all Righteousness both by Doing and by Dying by Serving and Suffering Matth. 3.15 Rev. 19.16 Mat. 20.29 The Lord of Lords came to Minister And He that gives Life to All to give his Life a Ransome for many Stupendious Thought may I well call it that my GOD should become GOEL my near Kinsman by Incarnation and gain Right of Redemption as to those in whom he had a right of Creation for which Cause He is not ashamed to call them Brethren Hebr. 2 11. That the Infinite should be Confined and Content in the Womb though not Contained in the World Pellibus exiguis Ingens arctatur JESUS That a strait low-roof'd Virgin-Cell Should lodge th' Incomprehensible That the Eternal God should be Born Isaiah 9.6 Matth. 28.6 Luke 2.7 and the Immortal God buried after a Life of Sorrow and a Death of Shame That the Majesty of God should take up with a Stable for a Presence Chamber Mat. 2.11 and 27.29 Verse 2. and a Manger for a Throne where Wise-men must come and worship Him a wreath of Thornes for a Crown
as a Builder and as an In-dweller to mortifie and to quicken to Convince and to Comfort to teach and to bring to remembrance to guide into the way to uphold in the way and lead to the end to be the earnest of their Inheritance and the Witness of their Son-ship the seal and the sealer wherewith and whereby they are sealed unto the day of Redemption by whom they have an access to the Father who are also an habitation of God through the spirit Such are the undoubted Operations of the Spirit in those that shall be saved for hereby we know that we dwell in Him and He in us because He hath given us his Spirit And therefore take heed good Reader of reviling any of these workings or of scoffing at the words for surely we cannot but think that the Holy Ghost knows best how to express his own workings O think of this Hebr. 10.62 that despight done to the Children of Grace supposeth a Trampling under foot the Son of God And truly one would think one might say in this Case as Ahasuerus did in another who is he and where is he that durst presume in his heart to do so Hestr 7.5 O Tremble good Christian at the very Thought of such a thing that the Holy Spirit of God should be grieved or vexed by the sons of Men Eph. 4.30 Isaiah 63.10 but especially that any should presume to Blaspheme him And let this serious thought dwell with thee That it is the Sin against the Spirit of Grace that excludes from Grace to Repent of SIN Thou therefore that bowest the knee at Our Father and at the Name Jesus Remember that there is a Third who together with the Father and the Son is to be worshiped and glorified Sect. XLIII High thoughts of our Obligations to the Spirit TO proceed He that hath Right Thoughts of the Spirit thinks himself alike beholding to the spirit as to the Father and the Son in the business of his salvation for to the working of the Father and the Son both which are Great and Glorious in Mans salvation there must be added the supply of the spirit For God hath chosen us to salvation Phil. 2.19 as well through sanctification of the spirit 2 Thes 1.13 John 14.16 as through the Belief of the Truth And therefore saith Christ I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that He may abide with you for ever even the spirit of Truth c. And again It is expedient for you that I go away And 16.7 that I may send Him to you It is expedient that 's a great word He saith not onely it will be as well for you if He come to you as if I had stayed with you but it is expedient for you that I go that He may come As in works that must pass through more hands then one it is Expedient that the First hand be taken off that the Finishing hand may come The finishing work in mans Salvation the Spirits work And therefore the Finishing work is the Spirits work The Father by his Mercy The Son by his Merit and Mediation and the Spirit of the Father and the Son by his Indwelling as these Three are One in themselves so in Mans salvation which Scripture saith is in the Son 1 John 5.11 John 3.16 John 15.21 given us by the Father but sent us home by the spirit When the Comforter is come saith Christ whom I will send to you from the Father even the spirit of Truth He shall testify of Me. The Grace of Our Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 13.14 and the Love of God is brought home to us and We to it by the Communion of the Holy Ghost The Son by his Incarnation which was the Work which his Father gave him to do brought Heaven Down to us John 17.4 and the spirit in our Regeneration wherein we are said to be Born of the spirit makes us his Temples and Gods Habitations and builds us up to Heaven John 3.8 Eph. 2.21 22. Hebr. 9.14 Ephes 1.6 The Son Offers up himself and makes us acceptable to a just God through his comliness that is to say his Righteousness put upon us And there is also an Offering up of us a making of us amiable to an Holy God by the Holy Spirit Rom. 15.16 That the Offering up of the Gentiles saith the Apostle might be Acceptable being sanâ—tified by the Holy Ghost 2 Cor. 6.8 Hebr. 8.6 The Maker of the New Covenant is the Father The Mediator of it is the Son And the great Matter of it is the Spirit for this is the sum of All I will put my spirit within you Ezek. 36.2 who is therefore called the holy spirit of Promise Eph. 1.13 Holy Spirit the great New Testament promise Luke 2.25 Acts 1.4 Verse 7.8 For as the Coming of the Messiah was the Great Hope and Expectation of the Fathers of the Old Testament which is therefore called a waiting for the Consolation of Israel so the coming of the Holy Ghost in the New and therefore called a waiting for the Promise of the Father And therefore when the Primitive Disciples were curiously inquisitive and desirous of the Knowledge of the Times and Seasons Our Gracious Saviour who best knew what was best for them confines them to and comforts them with this Expectation that the Holy Ghost should come upon them And Oh that many whole vehement Desires run out that way viz. after knowledge of times and seasons would endeavour more for the sweet Influences and Incomes of the Holy Ghost Fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5.22 23. whose Fruits saith the Apostle are Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance against which there is no Law Sect. XLIV Blessed fruit O Blessed Fruit of the thrice-Blessed Spirit for this was the Blessing of Abraham come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ Gal. 3.14 even that we might receive the Promise of the Spirit through Faith The Fruit that undid us was Forbidden Fruit Gen. 3.17 Chap. 2.17 Rom. 8.2 and 6.22 Fruit against Law but against such there is no Law Man Eating of that Fruit was to die the Death but this Spirit of Life makes us free from the Law of Death so that now We have our fruit unto holiness and the end Everlasting Life Sweet Fruit. 2 Cor. 3.17 Sweet Fruit may I well say if Life be sweet or Liberty for where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty or if Peace be sweet or Love lovely or Joy joyous Or if these be not enough here is Temperance Meekness Faith Goodness c. We may say here as 't is said in the Canticles at our good are all manner of pleasant fruits Cant. 7.13 Here I am sure I may say and not beguile my Reader Gen. 3.6 are fruits pleasant to the Eyes and good for Food for the Kingdom
saith the Text they thought upon his Name And as for Love And Love Levit. 2.7 Cacabus ◠Rad. Hebr. ebullivit Psalm 45.1 as the Holy Fire under the Frying-pan made the Oyl of the Oblation to bubble and boyl up which is the Psalmists very word Holy Love is this Fire that makes Thoughts boil up for the very first word of that Psalm which is entituled a Song of Love is this My heart boileth up with a good matter Experience tells us Animus est non ubi animat sed ubi amat that the affectionate and tender Mother can leave her thoughts behind her at home with her sucking Child when she goes abroad Thus worldly Love will have worldly Thoughts and Gracious Love will have Gracious Thoughts O how I love thy Law it is my Meditation all the day Psalm 19.97 And 't is a sign Holy Love is but weak and feeble when holy thoughts are but faint and few Deut. 6.5 And here let the Reader most carefully observe that where Moses layes down the First and great Commandment thou shalt Love the Lord thy God only in three words with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy Might or strength Mat. 22.37 Mark 17.30 Luke 10.27 Our Saviour repeating the Law adds a Fourth viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ex omni Cogitatione so Bez. vulg c. with all thy Thought or Mind plainly enough suggesting unto us that the Strength of the Heart cannot be reckoned as engaged to the Love of God where the Thoughts of the Heart are not drawn Out by it And therefore labour to ascertain and to clear up thine Interest in God and Christ Mark 12.30 and Heavenly things daily more and more for Christ saith not where Anothers but where your treasure is Luke 10.27 there will your heart be also for as Interest raiseth Love Love hath power to levy Thoughts and to keep them in readiness for its use and service so that if thy Treasure be in Heaven there will thine heart be also Luke 12.34 IV. Last Practical Rule 4. Practical Rule Begin thy Days and thy Weeks with Right thoughts Exod. 12.1 John 20.2 Coloss 3.1 Revel 1.10 LAstly As the Israelites were to reckon their Beginning of Moneths from the time of their Deliverance so let the Thoughts of thy DELIVERER still begin both thy Weeks and thy Dayes for it was both upon the First of the Week and of the Day that our Blessed Lord Rose again from the Dead and We must imp our Thoughts if we would help their flight upon the wing of Our Saviours Resurrection S. John was in the Spirit on the LORDS-DAY that is on the First of the Week for it is generally confest that the First day of the Week was as well known by the Primitive Christians in the Apostolical Age by the Name of the Lords-day as any other day was or is by Jews or Gentiles known and distinguished by any other Name Thus did the dear Disciple begin the Week and thus did Holy David still begin the day whose constant course was to take his slight for Heaven on the wings of the Morning Psal 139.18 when I was awake saith he to God I am still with thee And thus should the First-lings of the flock of our Thoughts be for God still Gen 4.4 Matth. 6.33 still First seek the Kingdom of God that is not onely above All but also every Week and every Day first of All. Of all the Ten there is but One Commandment that begins with a REMEMBER O forget not that Exod. 20.8 Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy This is the standing Law commanding one Day or Seventh part of the Week blessed of God above all the rest to be set apart for God for so also the Commandment ends Verse 11. Hookers Ecclesiastical Policy the Lord Blessed the Sabbath Day and hallowed it The Perpetual obligatoriness of which Law is strongly asserted by the Learned Hooker and declaredly owned by the Church of England there being subjoyned to the publick reading of this fourth Commandment as well as of the rest a Lord have mercy upon us See also the Hom. of the Place and Time c. Titus 1.16 John 1.3 and encline our Hearts to keep this Law And if in Words we confess this Law O let not our Works deny it Now as the SON of God being Maker both of the First Creation and Sabbath for by Him were All things made and without Him was nothing made that was made as we have already seen First blessed that Day wherein He first Rested for the Commemoration of that First and Glorious work of his So after that He became the SON MAN Mark 2.28 being still LORD of the SABBATH He hath dignified the First Day of the Week with the glorious Title of the LORDS-DAY having Rested therein from a greater Work viz. the Suffering and state of Death which was the last and Finishing Work of his state of Humiliation and therein blessed and hallowed it for our Commemoration of the more glorious work of Redemption For as the glory of the later Temple Hag. 2.9 was greater then that of the former because Christ was more manifestly to appear in it it may be as truly and for the same reason said of Gods Workmanship Eph. 2.10 created in CHRIST JESUS unto good works that the glory of the New Creature excels that of the Old for the more manifestation of Christ still the more Glory till at last He shall come to be perfectly glorified in his Saints and admired in all them that believe 2 Thes 1.10 For herein hath he obsignated and given an undubitable pledge of that REST or SABBATISM that remains for the People of God Hebr. 4.9 when upon the general Resurrection of their Bodies they shall Eternally rest from Sin and Death 1 Cor. 15.20 for Christ is risen as the First Fruits of them that sleep and therefore saith He thy Dead Men shall live Isaiah 26.19 John 14.19 together with my Dead Body shall they arise for because I LIVE Ye shall live also To allude then to that Word of our Saviour John 12.31 When I am lifted up I will draw all men to me and indeed when the King is up and gone 't is not for the Courtiers to loyter and lag behind O me-thinks this Resurrection of Christ should DRAW All our Hearts and Thoughts to him Colos 3.1 If we then be Risen with Christ saith the Apostle Let us seek those things that are above Psalm 24.7 Psalm 110.7 and then especially when He arose Then Lift up your heads O ye Gates and be ye lift up ye Everlasting Doors for this Day did your dearest Lord lift up that head from the Conquered Grave John 19.30 which He bowed before upon that bitter Cross that as his Death was the Death of our Sins so his Resurrection might be the life of our Souls Psal 118 24. This this is the day that Our Lord hath made We will Rejoyce and be glad in it Every other Sun-Rising can make another Day Mal. 4.1 but it is onely the Rising of the Sun of Righteousness with healing in his wings that made the Day we stile the LORDS-DAY and therefore when the Burthen of the Week for sufficient to every day is the Evil thereof hath made our Shoulders shrink Mat. 6.34 and gall'd our back this blessed Day takes off the Burthen and layes on the Balm heals the aking Heart Relieves the weary Thoughts and in a word it brings Heaven half down to us and takes us half up to Heaven Wherefore good Reader let thine Early Thoughts and Spicie Meditations begin every morning of this blessed Day as the good Women in the Gospel with a gracious and holy visit of thy Saviours Sepulchre Luke 24.1 6. till the Heavenly Ordinances of that Day proclaim to thee as the Angels to them He is not here but is risen John 14.2 3. and is gone before thee to prepare a place for thee that he may come again and receive thee that where He is there mayest thou be also And as the First day of each Week thus employed will sanctifie unto thee the rest of the Week so will the First of each Day the rest of the Day when by a Sun-beam thou canst climb to God Herber◠in Temple Close thy dayes with good thoughts as Divine Herbert most sweetly expresseth it And now having found thee with Him and Holy David in the Morning I would chuse to leave thee with Isaac in the Evening who was wont at that time to go out to MEDITATE That as God is Alpha and Omega of all things He may be the Beginning and the End of thy Thoughts for with Him it is that this little Book both designs and desires to leave Thee Amen Amen FINIS