Gen. 6.5 and the punishment of death which sore-threatn'd his Rebellion in these terms Gen 2 17. In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die was justly inflicted on him Whereby as he fell from that dignity he was placed in Ephes 4.24 from that Righteousness Knowledge and true Holiness he was Primitively endued with in disobedience to God Col. 3.10 listned to Satanical delusions and from thence Polluted Tainted and Defiled that pure integer and Divine Nature which God had Inspired him with So all his Posterity partaking of that corrupt Seed and Nature became disabled from succeeding him in those blessed Priviledges he enjoyed in his State of Integrity and not only so Isa 64.5 but also subject to the dismal effect and consequences of that corruption which are death and disability to perform the primary end of Man's Creation Rom. 5.12 Wherefore saith St. Paul as by one Man Sin entred the World and Death by Sin so Death passed upon all Men for that all have Sinned He likewise proved that all under Sin And again Rom. 3.9 Rom. 5.18.19 Therefore as by the offence of one Judgment came upon all Men to condemnation For as by one Man's disobedience many were made Sinners so by the obedience of one shall many be made Righteous Thus the cause of that Natural alienation from and repugnance to any thing of good is easily discover'd Adam became alienated in his mind and in like manner all his posterity by reason of wicked works and uncapable to render a due Reverence Honour and Glory to the great Creator But the condemnation is not because Adam sinned therefore as a Punishment due to that particular Sin all his posterity save a few peculiarly respected shall be punish'd The Text says Death pass'd upon all for that all have Sinned Which leads me to meditate on First The the cause of this universal deluge of Death Secondly The means of restoration to such a condition as to be capable of fulfilling our duties to God and Man Then first The cause that Death has come upon all being already in a great measure evinc'd I yet further prosecute to see more clearly the manner of it which will more evidently discover the reason of those innate inclinations to evil which naturally sway our minds As by one Man saith the Scripture before hinted Sin entred the World and Death by Sin Rom. 5.12 so Death pass'd upon all Men for that all have Sinned here 't is manifest that Sin entr'd the World by Adam's transgression and Death was the consequence unto him even a dying from God and the reason that Death came upon all his Progeny Rom. 6.23 is because all have Sinned and the reason that all have Sinned is because they partook of Psal 51.5 and are conceived in that Seed and Nature of fallen Adam which was of alienation from any thing of good so that all the natural affections are deviating from God and good all are by Nature Children of wrath and propense to evil and consequently all have Sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God Rom. 3.23.9 and become the Objects of his wrath 8.7 and so in a condition incapable to glorifie their maker which leads me to think of Secondly the means of restoration As our Protoparent by a transgression so damnable as not only deserving his own destruction Gen. 3.17 but the Earth was justly cursed for it did incur his Makers wrath and was punish'd by deduction of his former felicity and a corporal Death which some are ready to think he had else been never cursed with but more greivously by the danger of an eternal woe which was made the inevitable effect of unrepented Sin and as his posterity by Sinning tho' not after the same similitude Rom. 5.14 are justly expos'd to the same Misery and liable to undergo it So the Lord in infinite compassion to the Works of his Hands and in order to restore the whole Creation into that Glorious Liberty which Adam before his fall enjoyed Rom. 8.21 provided a means to be reconciled to poor lost and miserable Souls that do nothing naturally but offend their Maker and whose Sins and enormities are so encensive to divine Justice that nothing but an immense mercy can expiate A promise was made in love to Mankind even inexpressible in odium to the Serpent who had almost ruin'd the Master-peice of God's Handy Work and a just Damnation to fallen Lucifer and all his followers who not content with the station which God had set them in aspir'd to a greater place and so for them as a Punishment for their presumptuous Pride are chains of darkness for ever reserved which was Gen. 3.15 the Seed of the Woman shall bruise the Serpent's Head Man was captivated by Ephes 2.1 2 3. and became subject to the Prince of the power of the Air who rules in the Hearts of the Children of disobedience and worthy of an eternal deprivation from all bliss But the promise was given forth a redemption from the power of Satan and a restoration to the lost felicity Righteousness Knowledg and true Holiness and moreover to the Glory of the all-wise Creator and Redeemer be it said Man was upon performing his part in the Covenant entitled to an inheritance of a never ending Joy The assurance and earnest of which may cause all to Magnifie Praise Honour and for ever adore that most imense clemency of God as will the Condemnation to eternal woe cause a most deplorable reflection to those Souls that have willfully slighted the means of Caelestial Bliss 1 Pet. 3.18 which is the mercy of God in Jesus Christ the Son of his Love the Seed of the Woman who as he was God became also Man making a complete Saviour 1 John 2.2 Heb. 9.28 and laid down his Life for Sinners and became a propitiation for them even for all that beleive in his Name he procur'd for them a pardon by his Death and Salvation by his Life as 't is said reconciled by his Death Rom. 5.10 Ephes 1.4 Rom. 8.29 30. 2 Tim. 1.9 1 Pet. 1.18 and saved by his Life The Creator fore-seeing all things that should come to pass in time fore-provided a Saviour for those Creatures which were the principal part of his Workmanship even for all Mankind the mystery of this contrivance Natural Reason cannot fathom for as the Scripture testifies 1 Cor 2.14 the Natural Man perceives not the things of God neither indeed can he for they are Spiritualy discerned so no carnal comprehension can conceive or dive into this mystical redemption In Adam all die 1 Cor. 15.22 in Christ all are made alive in the original nature the nature of fallen Adam Ephes 2.1 all the Children of men are Dead in reference to the things of God As a corporal Death deprives of the use of all the outward senses the sight is lost notwithstanding
RELIGIOUS MEDITATIONS ON Ecclesiastes Chap. 12. Vers 13 14. Let us hear the Conclusion of the whole matter Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole Duty Man For God shall bring every work into Judgment with every Secret thing whether it be good or whether it be evil I will Meditate in thy Precepts and have respect unto thy ways I will delight my self in thy Statutes I will not forget thy word Oh how I love thy Law it is my Meditation all the day Psal 119. Vers 15 16.97 LONDON Printed in the Year 1699. DEDICATION TO THE Piously affected Young Man My Beloved Friend AS it hath pleased the God of Infinite Mercy to incline our heart to seek after him in our tender years and to give us a clear perception of those things which pertains to Eternal Life and Salvation so hath be also Glory to his Name in the Highest given us cause to testifie to the truth of that promise Pro. 8.17 Those that seek me early shall find me And altho' secular concerns may sometimes be ready to prevail yet in retired and serene Speculations of mind the vanity of all created obâ—ects is discerned and the Soul meeting with nothing of Satisfaction here below Soars aloft to a Supream being its proper center and place of rest from whence is beheld the World with all its fulness as only filth and dregs and unworthy for an Immortal Soul to be wholy imployed in In such contemplations being exercis'd amidsts various occasions for thoughts of another kind I have many times been fully sensible of the blindness that is over the Hearts of Men who are preferring transitory and earthly Goods to real and durable Riches and that are seeking more earnestly for Treasure here below Matth. 6.19 20.33 than to lay it up in Heaven where Moth or Rust cannot corrupt nor Theif break through and Steal and desires have been rais'd to obey the precepts of Jesus who said First seek the Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof c. And that such desires may be strengthen'd and encourag'd let us wait upon the Lord let us trust and repose all our confidence in him and he will provide for all our wants all our necessities of what relation soever shall be supplied and we shall be upheld through all occasions of falling that we may pass through But Oh that we may not presume to think of security by a God that we do not know let us feel after him in whom we live move and have our being Acts 17.22.31 he is not far from any altho' they may be wholy Ignorant of it But he is imperceptable to the Carnal in Heart they are wholly strangers to him he beholds them a far off But let us meditate on his Laws that we may be partakers of his Blessings and let us be low and humble that we may inherit his Glory Prov. 3.34 35 who scorneth the scornful and giveth Grace unto the lowly in Heart To the improvement of my received Talent are these following Meditations produc'd and I expose them to publick view not to be taken for a Methodical comment or learned exposition For as I am too young and uncapable were there occasion for such a Work so am I Old enough to see that too many of the Books abroad in the World of such a kind prove more to the confusion then confirmation of the Readers especially when they treat of places hard to be understood But those comprehensive words that I make the Subject of my thoughts Eccles 12.13 14. as it is one of the most full so t is of the most easie and intelligable places of Scripture which I chose to exercise my privat Meditations on not designing at the first that they should appear in this publick manner And if any remote from God should hereby he induced to approach the throne of his Grace and return from the evil of their ways then shall I think the Publication hereof to be done in a happy Hour But if it be so unsuccessful as to work no such effect yet my comfort is that it has been a greater benefit to my self than it can be a hurt to any And that thou Pious Reader maye'st be further encouraged I present thee with these following metucally exprest Cogitations Contemn the World its Glory all desise It is too base for noble minds to prize How vain and empty is its three fold Treasure Compris'd in Honour Profit and in Pleasure We know such Honours base and such esteem Is set not as we are but as we seem T is like a new Blown but a fading flower Of small continuance and of smaller power It gives no real content no lasting peace But as a blast of Wind doth puff and cease If lean'd upon 't is but a broken reed And only doth our crasy fancies feed But not our Souls they must have food Divine That 's suiting to their 〈◊〉 els they pine And then for profit how can we obtain A real sufficient and a sollid gain That will to such a lasting profit â—end As will not fail to be a comfort in the end This lower Region will not yeild I 'm sure One grain of gain that always can endure We know such Earthly peâ—â—'s esteem'd for Wealth That can't afford our crasy Bodies Health Much less can all its combin'd force prevail To yeild content when final fears assail The troubled Soul which rowls in sorrow now And from its high flown Seat in forc'd to bow To th' pale attacques of Death whose mighty power No strength of Riches can defer an hour But Pleasures limits seem of most extent As to afford a joy without relent And Peoples minds are wrapt so far therein As not to deem the worser of 'em Sin So swiming in this Sea of vain delight Are plung'd into that dark and dismal night Of an Eternal Woe a just reward To those that think their Souls not worthy of regard But Oh let 's flie the cause of such neglect That so we mayn't be cursed by its sad effect And with an Elevated Soul aspire Above these mean delights to something higher That to a Soul enflamed with Celestial fire Seems worthy of pursuit and of a great desire And as one glimps thereof does Elevate the Soul In what an extasie will all our Spirits roul When that most dazeling Glory shall appear To Principate our joy and end our fear Then shall we sound eternal Hymns and Lays Of Anthems Songs and never ending Praise Unto our great Creator whom we must Admire at in his Love to make of Dust Poor Creatures and at last to make 'em blest By the enjoyment of an Everlasting rest By John Mosse Jun. Aetat Anno 19 20. Baldock Hertford-shire the 20th of April 1699. RELIGIOUS MEDITATIONS On Eccles Ch. 12. Ve. 13 14. THE Wise Preacher 1 Kings 3.9.13.10.23.4.30 2 Chron. 1.10.12 Eccles 12.9.10 whose Supplication was for Wisdom which the Lord not only
Again Let us hear we that have large possessions that be Rich in the Earth we that are fill'd with Worldly enjoyments that as it were have the World at our beck we that are at ease in our pleasure that command the World with our Wealth we that flatter our selves with hopes of perpetual bliss and some of us that think this false Joy will never come to an end be ye advis'd and consider 1 Kin. 10.17 I have had most boundless possessions and made Silver as plentiful as stones in the street yet I see the vanity of all these empty enjoyments how short they be in yeilding true and lasting Peace Could they so have done I should have been bless'd above all but now rest sensible of the insufficiency and uncertainty of them Riches make themselveâ— wings and flie away they cannoâ— deliver in a day of Trouble therefore let them be no longer as strong hold in your imaginationâ— neither take them for the upholder of a lasting Peace for I know how little safety can be repos'd in them and further 1 Tim. 6.7.10 that they are more oâ—ten Snares by which Men are entangl'd than they be useful or conducing to their good Let such thoughts and considerations say the Preacher incline ye to say with me Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter c. Eccles 12.1 Our excellent Preacher having in the precedent part of the Chapter given some tender admonition to the younger People none concludes to all with so full a compendium of Humane duty as nothing in such a relation is excluded wherein appear'd not only hiâ— great and spacious Knowledge buâ— also his reform'd apprehension of the future estate of Men as well â—s a sensible demonstration of his â—esubmition to his great Creator against whom he had transgress'd by his subjection to the Power of concupiscence But this as 't is beleiv'd being of a posteriour edition proves him a partaker of the promised respite of affliction justly â—aid upon him I will for this afflict the Seed of David but not for ever I will chastise him in Judgment 2 Sam. 12 16. Psal 89.30.36 but my loving kindness shall not be taken away and therefore I doubt not but he by resignation and repentance was blest with a restoration of his unparrallel'd Wisdom because the meekness humility and charity compris'd herein seems no other than the ejaculation of a Spiritualliz'd Man the effect of divine mercy alone to which also must be imputed the efficient cause of all attention to this conclusion of the whole matter which is to Fear God and keep his Commandments A Reverend and Holy Fear an entire and Godly awe a meek and submissive dread of Spirit is required Fear God keep his commands let no Worldly considerations let no mean and Earthly cogitations be restrictive but remember that the great and most excellent Creator whose presence fills Heaven and Earth 1 Kings 8.27 2 Chron. 2.6.6.18 the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain him of Justice is worthy to be feared reverenc'd and submitted to He is the Fountain of all our good from whom all our mercies flow whose Loving Kindness never fails whose Truth and Goodness sustains the World whose secret and most wise providence orders and disposes of all Vacat exiguis rebus adesse nostrâ— Jovi Curat noster Deus sui alieni He is not only a far off but a God near at hand to support the weak and to comfort the afflicted to give Joy for Mourning Isa 61.3 the garment of praise for the Spirit of heaviness Beauty for Ashes Peace and Tranquillity for trouble and sorrow of mind 2 Chron. 6.18 He is an omnipresent being nothing can be hid from his Eyes he beholds the secret actions of all the private deceipts of Men be not unknown unto him the dark workers of Iniquity cannot conceal themselves He is most boundless in power all Nations are but as the dust in the ballance in his Hand Isa 40. â—2 17 he that by his powerful Wisdom produc'd this worldly frame into a being can by the same consume it into nothing let the Wisdom of this World deny its production out of nothing let it be employ'd in searching for Prima materia and causa Vniversalis We know that our God is Omnipotent that as he was able out of nothing to constitute all things so can he reduce all things into nothing again the fallen Wisdom of Man Arestotle not apprehending divine Wisdom conceiv'd the world Eternal and shall we render our selves as weak by dis-believing the omnipotency of our great Creator Oh! no but let us with chearful Hearts yeild honour and reverence to his Glorious Name who as all have plentifully received of his favours and mercies so requires a faithful and grateful acknowledgment thereof by fearing him and obeying his commands whereby is perform'd through the assistance of divine Grace that only acceptable Sacrifice of pure and hearty Obedience First by fearing is render'd our private worship and adoration of God and Secondly by obeying him or an active observance of his righteous Law our duty in respect to our Neighbours which is to love them as our selves Rom. 13 9 10. Gal. 5.14 herein is contain'd as saith the Preacher the whole duty of Man But seeing our sad experience gives us to know the great aversion there is lodg'd in our hearts to the desires of and much more seeking after our good which is to fear God and keep his Commands how carfully then should we seek for the means of extirpating this so powerful an inclination to evil and declination from any thing that may be in the least conducing to our chiefest good and of attaining to such a frame and estate of mind as that we may be in a capacity to perform the duties required of us May we not sorrowfully remember how that our first Father Adam the master-piece of the whole Creation an Epitome of the World in whom was center'd an Abreviation of all things and who was constituted Lord of all the Creatures Gen. 1.26 27. as being endued with Righteousness Knowledge and true Holiness yet by Transgression to the Righteous Law of God by disobeying his Holy precepts Gen. 3. Rom. 8.20 2 Cor. 11.3 Eccles 25 24. by reason of vain hope by harkning to the Allurements of the Woman by yeilding to the Seducements of the Serpent and by Eating of the prohibited Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of go d and evil Gen. 3.14 to the end became deprived of his serene and pure Felicity lost the gracious benefit of a sweet and immediat communion with his Maker together with his Soveraignity over the whole Creation Rom. 5.12 Yea Sin and death by Sin entred the world thereby and the faculties of his soul being infected and depraved Darkness and Corruption seized his guilty Conscience the pure Image of the Deity was defaced its passions and affections perverted
the Eyes remain so hearing and the other senses are taken away altho' their proper organs are remaining So is it with respect to the Soul of Man 't is depraved in its senses having Eyes it sees not having Ears it doth not hear and tho' 't is Life to the Body yet it lives not because resting in Adam where all die and under subjection to the principle of disobedience 'T is a most noble truth that as the Soul of man animates the Body so the Spirit of God gives Life to the Soul the Soul is Life to the Body and the Holy Spirit quickens the Soul and as the Body without the Soul is Dead and unable to perform any office so is the Soul of man not enliven'd by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 15 45 47. the quickning Spirit the Lord from Heaven Dead and unable to perform its office to God which is to fear and obey him To retreive and remedy this disability of the Soul is the Son of God manifest 1 John 3.5.8 even to destroy the works of the Devil which have filled the Soul and bruised the heel of the Womans Seed to bring it from under captivity to Sin and Satan Rom. 8.21 into the Glorious Liberty of the Sons of God which is incomprehensible to the carnal in Heart which the Natural and unrenewed man cannot perceive but to the Spiritually minded man to the Heavenly attracted Soul to the Soul enflamed with a Celestial love with aspiring desires with noble and heroick affections how conâ—enting how ravishing how sweetly consolating is the sensible enjoyment of a restoration to this Glorious Liberty to this unconceivable joy peculiar to the redeemed Souls when the morning Stars sing together and all the Sons of God adopted Children pure peaceable and reconciled in Herrt and Soul do sing for Joy So that 't is not for the carnal mind to pry into these Divine secrets which are disclosed to none but the Spiritually inclin'd to those whose affections are set on things above whose conversation is in Heaven Mat. 6.21 whose treasures and hearts are there these alone shall not only know the means but feel the power of redemption the Blood of Jesus to purge their Consciences from dead works Heb. 9.14 to serve the living God these will know that they must die unto Sin and live unto Righteousness 1 Pet. 2.24.3.18 that the Redeemer came to deliver them from this present evil World and that they are saved according to his mercy Gal. 1.4 Tit. 3.5 6 7. by the washing of Regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost that being Justified by his Grace they may be made heirs of eternal Life Further that they must not live to themselves 1 Cor. 5.15 Ephes 5.25.26 but to him which died for them that he might sanctifie and cleanse them with the washing of Water by the Word to present them to his Father Holy and without Blemish that he might redeem them from all Iniquity Tit. â— 23 2â— and purifie to himself a peculiar people Zealous of good works And that Love Peace Ephes 5.22 Joy Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance against which there is no Law may abound amongst them and wherein they that are Christs having Crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts do live and walk Now would'st thou know the means of redemption and would'st thou be blest with the same hearken and hear and thy soul shall Live Thou hast been or still art by Nature a Child of Wrath and thy affections are joyned to Earthly things to Transitory and Perishing objects that disagree to the pure Nature of thy soul but above all that capital Lust of Pride which as t' was most prevalent in the first Man Adam takes up the greatest part of thy heart so that not being yet acquainted with that power of Jesus which redeems from sin thou art Exalted and Puffed up in thy Fleshly mind which covets after this world and thereby art become wholly estranged from any good to thee in this desperate condition Mat. 11.28 29 30 does the Son of God cry Come unto me learn of me I am meek and lowly in heart and if thou wilt be humble I 'le teach thee of my ways my Doctrine shall be as the Diew it shall inspire Life into thy soul man lives not by Bread alone Mat. 4.4 but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God Joh. 6.48.63 the words that I speak unto thee they are Spirit Mt â— 18.11 and they are Life I am come to seek and to save I am come to abase the Proud and to exalt the Humble in soul he that exalts himself shall be abased but he that abases himself will I exalt Take my Yoke upon thee saith Jesus for thou'lt soon find it easie and my burthen to be light and follow me in the way of self-denyal and of Regeneration tho' thou art Blind I will restore thy sight tho' thou art Darkness I 'le make thee light nay tho' thou art dead I will give thee Life It shall come to pass that the Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and those that hear shall live Oh blessed promise God is speaking from Heaven by his Son who is Infusing Life even his own Spirit into the Souls and making it to live Then the Dead cannot praise thee neither can they that go down to the grave celebrate thy Name but the living the living can praise thee and magnifie thy Glorious Name who hast redeemed them by thy mighty Power from Death and destruction from Sin and Satan by thy precious Blood by thy virifying Life by that word of eternal Life by which the World was made Man was created and Man is redeemed again through whom to the alwise and almighty Creator be sounded never ending Anthems and Hallelujah's Glory and everlasting Praise Amen Thus is the redeemed Soul engag'd to fear and obey the great restorer of breaches and of paths to walk in John 13.15 who as he left an example for us to follow his steps not assuming Glory to himself but submitting in all things to his Fathers will and at length laid down his Life for his greatest enemies so 1 Pet. 2.21 must we thereby learn to walk in self denial and newness of Life in meekness and in humiliation in submision and pure obedience to the internal revelation of the Divine word which teaches to love enemies to do good to them which hate us to bless them that curse and dispitefully use us Heb. 12.1 2 3. and to take him for our pattern who endured the Cross and despised the shame for the joy that was set before him who being without Sin bore the punishment due for Sin that Man might Sin no more but be restored by means of that Grace which came by Jesus Joh. 1.17 to such a state of Righteousness and perfection as to be enabled to fear