all pains and miseries and calamities and all sin which is the cause of them as sin brought Death into our bodies so Death carries sin out of the body and however these vile bodies be dissolved into dust yet they shall be raised up again at the last day and be made like unto Christ's Glorious Body Phil. 3. last 2. For the Soul It shall be no loser but a great gainer by Death and that three wayes 1. In the place it goes unto viz. from Earth unto Heaven 2. In the excellent qualities it shall be endowed withall viz. perfection in all the faculties of it as it goes to the spirits of just men made perfect Heb. 12. 3. In the excellent company it goes to enjoy leaving the company of sinners here and going to enjoy the company of Saints and Angels and the ever blessed Unity in Trinity 2dly In that it cannot hurt us appears in that it can never dissolve the Union between Christ and a believing Soul but brings it to a nearer sweeter and fuller Union of a Gracious makes it a Glorious Union however it separates Soul and Body one from the other yet it cannot separate either from Jesus Christ the Soul upon Death goes immediately unto Christ in Paradise and Christ goes down with the Body into the Grave where it sweetly rests as in its Bed in the Arms of Jesus Christ until the morning of the Resurrection of the Just Isa 57.2 1. It can never break the Covenant of Grace between God and the Soul for it 's an everlasting Covenant Gen. 17. And he hath not only promised to be their God unto Death but after Death and to all eternity 2. It can never untie the Marriage-Knot between Christ and his Spouse for he hath betrothed her unto himself for ever Hos 2. And whom he loves he loves to the end John 13.1 even with an everlasting love Jeremiah 31.3 3. It can never reverse those grants of Grace that God hath vouchsafed his as the grants of Reconciliation Justification Adoption Sanctification Salvation for the Gifts and Callings of God are without repentance Rev. 11.29 3dly As it is no way able to hurt you so it will every way do you good Though it be the last enemy that shall be destroyed yet of an enemy it shall be made a friend and the best friend that ever you had How so Why because Jesus Christ by undergoing Death and lying in the Grave he hath altered the nature both of Death and the Grave Death of a King of Terrors it made a Prince of Peace of a passage to eternal Death made a passage to eternal Life unto all that do believe the Grave that is a loathsome Dungeon to the wicked is made a sweet resting-place to the Saints That you may the more clearly and fully see the good will come to you by Death and so be made the more willing to it and chearfully resign your Spirit into the hands of God when he calls for it take serious notice of these ten following Particulars 1. Death is no Death to a true Believer It 's not his last day but the beginning of an everlasting day 2. Your dying day will not be your worst day but your best day better is the day of a mans Death then the day of his Birth saith Solomon Eccles 7.1 it being the egress of all misery and the ingress of eternal felicity 3. A Christians dying day it will be his enlarging day when he shall be set at liberty out of the Prison of the Body and brought home to his Fathers House 2 Cor. 5.8 It is but as Christ stiles it His departing and going to the Father John 13.1 4. A Christians dying day will be his resting day wherein he shall rest from all sinning sorrowing suffering from all temptations corruptions vexations Job 3.17 And who desires not rest 5. His dying day will be his reaping day having sown here in Tears he shall reap in Joy reap the fruit of all the Sermons they have heard all the Prayers they have made all the Tears they have shed all the Sighs and Groans they have uttered all the good Thoughts they have had all the good Words they have spoken all the good Works they have done all the Evils they have suffered and all they have forgotten to do and suffer Mat. 25.34 When saw we thee an hungry and fed thee not c. Then Christ will remember them and say In that you did it unto them ye did it unto me Yea there is not the least good work that any have done for any of his but it shall be remembred and rewarded even to a cup of cold Water Mat. 10. last 6. A Christians dying day will be his conquering and tryumphing day over all his Enemies Sin Satan and the World Death and Hell here we are in a continual warfare there 's not a day hour or moment wherein we can rest either from corruption within or temptation without but then there shall be an end of all then we shall tryumph over all in the words of the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.55 Oh Death where 's now thy sting c. 7. A Christians dying day will be his transplanting day from Earth to Heaven from Misery to Glory from a Valley of Tears to a Valley of blessed Visions from a howling Wilderness to a heavenly Paradise It is no other then a straight Gate to a Pallace of Glory a dark Entry to the Inheritance of the Saints in Light And oh Who would not be willing to exchange a Sodom for Sion an Egypt for Canaan Misery for Glory 8. A Christians dying day it 's his uncloathing day of a body of Sin and Death and the cloathing him with his House from Heaven his putting off his old Rags of Sin and Corruption and his putting on of the White Robe of Christ's Righteousness and with it the Robe of Glory 9. A Christians dying day it 's his marriage day with the Lamb the King of Saints and if the day of a Believers espousals be so sweet how sweet will the marriage day be Rev. 19.7 10. A Christians dying day will be his corronation day wherein Christ will crown all those that love his appearance with the Crown of Righteousness 2 Tim. 4.8 where they shall be still following the Lamb with Crowns on their Heads and Palms in their Hands and tryumphant Songs in their Mouths Rev. 5.11 12 13. Mix these Meditations with Faith and Prayer and you will find them mighty through God not only to make you willing but even long with the Apostle to be dissolv'd and be with Christ which is best of all Phil. 1.23 Amen and Amen Secondly That which follows DEATH is JUDGMENT Sect. 6. In and about the Judgment Day to take notice of and meditate seriously on these things 1. The Certainty 2. The Uncertainty 3. The near approach of it 4. The great solemnity of it 5. The universality of the Persons to be judged 6. The impartiality of it
will teach you sayes Job to trust in God for a livelyhood Mat. 6.26 and to know your times and seasons for every work Jer. 8.7 The Dove will teach you Innocency and Sympathy the little Birds to sound forth praises to God every morning and evening Cantat a lauda Deo laudes gratissima summo Hinc vos in gratâ—s gratu lacessit avis 3. Ask the Fishes of the Sea and they will teach you sayes Job The Sea by her continual fluctuating and foaming will mind you of the continual unquietness and resâ—lesness of wicked men Isa 5â— 20 They are like the troubled Sea c. The Fish of the Sea they will shew you the misery of want of Government they being every one without a Ruler so as the lesser are still devoured of the greater Hab. 1. Why hast thou made mâ—n like the Fishes of the Sea c. XX. When you are to go to wait an God in the use of his Ordinance think what a mercy it is to have the Doors of God's Sanctuary open when they are shut to others to see Souls flock to the Ordinances as the Doves to the Windows that some Souls might still be added to the Church and brought into Christ and built up further in Grace and gracious practices When you are to hear the Word remember you are not only to hear a Man but God who speaks in and by Man who hath said His Word shall not return in vain but surely prosper to the end he sends it Isa 55. last And if it be not the savour of Life it will of Death 2 Cor. 1. end When the Sermon is ended remember though the Minister have done the Sermon is not done until you have done and practised it if it be not practised it will be preached over with more terror another day when you will not be able to hear it XXI When you are walking abroad and meet with any Christian Friend think if it be sweet with a dear Christian Friend upon Earth Oh how sweet will it be to meet with all in Heaven When you hear of any good news from them then think Oh what good news hath Christ brought from Heaven and did the Angel sing at the time of his Birth and hath the Spirit of God brought home and spoken unto my heart if it be bad news that you have heard yet think and comfort your hearts with this However you have sad expectations from Earth yet you have comfortable expectations from Heaven God and Christ and the Spirit is yours and will be for ever yours 1 Cor. 3. last Psal 112.7 When you hear of any Prodigies or dreadful appearances of God in the Heaven or the Earth or the Sea then think and say How terrible O Lord art thou in all thy wayes Who knows the power of thy anger what mean these dreadful tokens of thy displeasure make me and all to fear and tremble before thee When you see or hear the corruption of men to break out into Drunkenness Uncleanness Blasphemy Persecution c. then think and say as Bradford the Martyr Lord what a wicked heart have I what cause have I to give glory to Grace that keeps under corruption in me that does not break out in me as in others When any cross or affliction befals you on the day in Body Soul Name Estate think say Lord what sin is it that thou correctest shew me my sin sanctifie this affliction and do me good by it When any mercy is renewed upon you and yours think and say Oh how great is that goodness thou hast laid up for them that fear thee and that thou workest daily for the Children of men Psal 31. XXII When the day draweth towards an end remember you are nearer to your end by one day then you were in the morning as the night approacheth towards you so do you to the Grave and for ought you know may be your last day When you look up and see the Stars appear in the Heaven think thus Though your life here be hid with Christ in God yet when he shall appear you shall appear with him in glory Col. 3.4 and then your bodies shall shine as the Stars Dan. 12. When you see the dark night to come upon you and you begin to light Candles then think if outward darkness be so uncomfortable how much more is the inward darkness of the Soul and utter darkness in Hell if the light of a Candle be so comfortable how comfortable is the Life of Grace here and will be the Life of Glory hereafter When you are about to put off your Cloaths think thus It will not be long ere I must be uncloathed of this body of Sin and Death and if I be so willing to the one why not to the other that I might be cloathed with my House from Heaven 2 Cor. 5.2 And if I be so willing to go into Bed to take my rest that I may have renewed strength for Body and Spirit to fit me for the service of the next day why should I not be as willing and more willing at God's call to lay down my body in the Grave there to rest from all sinning sorrowing suffering and to be raised up at the last day with renewed and perfect strength both in Soul and Body to be still serving and glorifying God to all Eternity Remember still O my Soul thy sleep is but the Image of Death the Bed the Image of thy Grave and the Sheets of thy Winding Sheets the biting of the Fleas but the gnawing of the Worms on the Body the crowing of the Cock in the morning the sounding of the Trump of God at the last day by the Voice of the Arch-Angel Awake ye dead and come to Judgment Isa 57.2 1 Thess 4.16 Lastly When you are about to sleep labour to sleep with precious thoughts of God for such as your thoughts are when you are about to sleep such will your thoughts be when you awake When we rake up fire in the Ashes at night so we usually find it in the morning and such I say as our thoughts are of God when we sleep will be when we awake In a word Think of your sleeping in Jesus and your awaking and appearing with him in glory in the morning of the Resurrection And thus I have as briefly as I could with any profit to you directed you how to make a Spiritual use of whatsoever presents it self to your senses from morning to evening at home and abroad What remains but that we put in practice what we see to be our duty motives to iâ— and directions for it you have had before I need not add any more onely this consideration there 's a double use God expects we should make of every Creature a natural and a spiritual and if we should content our selves only with the natural use without the Spiritual we should lose the one half and the best half of that comfort in the Creature which God gave it for and we shall do no more then natural carnal sensual men yea the very Beasts do and therefore if we will evidence our selves to be Christians indeed that mind the wellfare of our Souls as well as our Bodies then to apply our selves more then ever we have done to the practice of this sweet weighty and profitable duty of Meditation both Solemn and Occasional Which that we may blessed Lord thou who hast put it into the heart of thy weak and unworthy Servant to study and write these things for the good and comfort of thy People be thou graciously pleased by the effectual working of thy Holy Spirit to make them useful to all into whose hands they shall come for the promoting and carrying on the Work of Grace in their hearts and lives and the furthering of their everlasting Salvation Oh Lord I pray thee let it not be in vain that this or any other help is afforded them but do thou give success to the weak endeavours of thy unworthy Servant so as there may be glory to thee profit to them and comfort to him who hath found that grace in thy sight to be accepted and enabled to be any way instrumental for their help and comfort in the way homeward to everlasting life This is and shall be the Prayer of Your Affectionate and Antient Pastor J. B. FINIS
over the Creatures he that was Superiour to all was made inferiour to all Psal 49.20 Isai 1.3 Jer. 8.7 The Prophet puts them to School to all to learn of the Creatures 4. As Man lost his preheminence so his authority over all he that was Lord over all became a Slave to all who instead of serving Man rebels against Man labours to pick out his Eys Pro. 30.17 to eat his Flesh and lap up his Blood 2 King 9.36 Sixthly Man lost his liberty by Creation he was a free Denizen and Citizen of the World all at his command but presently after the Fall became a Slave and was in Bondage to all the Devil the World and the Flesh 1. To the Devil taken and carried Captive by him to do his pleasure 2 Tim. 2 last Eph. 2.2 2. To the World so as to be drawn aside from that which is good and drawn into evil by the baits and allurements of it on the one hand and the menaces and persecutions of it on the other 1 Epist Joh. 4.5 whence that of James 4.4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses c. and 1 John 2.15 3. To the Flesh to do whatsoever it shall suggest for the gaining and retaining of honour and profit and pleasure Rom. 6.16 John 8.34 2 Pet. 2.19 and in this slavery and bondage all Men and Women are by nature and that not unwillingly and grudgingly but readily and cheerfully and with the greatest delight so far from being desirous to be brought out of it as they account those their greatest Enemies that would endeavour to bring them out of it Jer. 18. There is no hope but we will walk every â—ne after the imagination of our own hearts Jer. 43.1 2 3. Jer. 44.16 17. Thus you see the greatness of the punishment of loss Et heu quantum mutatus ab illo How much is Man alter'd from his first estate Tristis Lacrymosa commutatio a most sad and lamentable change you see from favour to wrath from fellowship to banishment instead of the Image of God the image of sin and Satan for glory misery for dignity infamy for dominion subjection for liberty slavery Secondly For the Positive part of punishment or the punishment of Sense that followed the fall upon every Son and Daughter of Adam and that was the curse of God Gal. 3.10 and what is this curse but the infinite and unsupportable wrath of God and all manner of Plagues Judgments and Miseries in Life at Death and after Death 1. In this life in Soul and Body in Name and Estate 1. In Soul blindness of mind hardness of heart Isai 6.9 a reprobate sense Rom. 1.23.26 strong delusions 2 Thes 2.11 horrors of conscience Isai 65.13 seconded with Hellish despair and blasphemy as in Cain Saul Judas 2. In Body all manner of aches sicknesses diseases Deut. 28.21 to the end 3. In name infamy shame reproach Deut. 28. â—â— 37. 4. In Estate losses crosses curses in getting cares in keeping fears in losing sorrows and that many times unto death Deut 28.16 Jer. 12.13 Mal. 2.2 I will curse your blessings yea I have curst them already Secondly In the end of this life death the King of terrors Rom. 5.12 Rom. 6. last Job 18.14 Thirdly After this life if men die in their sins impenitentâ—â— 1. As soon as the Soul is separated from the Body it is immediately carried by the Devil into Hell Luke 12.20 and there kept in Prison till the Day of Judgment 1 Pet. 3.19 the Body thrown into the Grave where Death gnaws upon it as upon Carrion in a ditch with the mouth full of Earth and the Belly full of Worms and the Carkass full of stinch 2. At the Day of Judgment by the Almighty Power of the Lord Jesus Christ the Supream Judg of Heaven and Earth the Soul is brought out of Hell and the Body out of the Grave out of which as soon as it begins to peep it shall behold the whole World on Fire about its Ears Christ on his Throne of Glory the Saints whom they derided and persecuted taken up into the Clouds to be assessors with Christ in Judgment upon the wicked World whil'st they with the Devils are left below to stand forth before the Tribunal of Christ and hear that dreadful Sentence Depart ye cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels wherein every word is a Hell before they come to Hell 3. After the Sentence is past all wicked Reprobates shall be thrust away from the Judgment Seat of Christ and thrown into Hell with the Devils there to lie and fry and cry under easless endless and remediless torments And thus much of the cursed state of man by transgression and the things to be meditated on in it That your meditation on them may be the more effectual to cause you speedily to hye out of it 1. Beg the Spirit of God to convince you thorowly of the truth of it it being no other than what God hath spoken in his Word and we find by bitter experience 2. Labour to be truly sensible of and deeply humbled under the fight and sense of it so as to give no rest to your selves until that you are brought out of it for the promises of mercy run only unto such Mat. 9.13 Luke 19.10 Mat. 11.29 And that you may be truly sensible of and effectually humbled under it beg the Spirit of God to prick your hearts with the consideration of it as he did those Converts Acts 2.37 and tremble to stay a moment in your unregenerate estate as the Jaylor Acts 16. when Paul had preacht unto him 4. Be willing to receive Jesus Christ on his own terms not only as your Jesus but your Lord and Christ John 1.12 Rom. 13. end Lastly Hearken to that Counsel of your Lord and Saviour Mark 1.15 Repent and believe the Gospel and then his promise is to receive all and cast away no one Soul that comes to him and rests upon him for Conversion and Salvation Joh 6 37. Amen Sect. 3. The third state of Man is his gracious state by Regeneration and here to take notice of and meditate on these things First The free and unsearchable love of God to us in it 2. The nature of it what it is and wherein it consists 3. The differences of true grace from false grace from restraining grace 4. Degrees of true sanctifying grace 5. The signs of it 6. The priviledges of such as have it 7. The motives to it 8. The means for the maintaining encreasing and persevering in it First For the free unsearchable love and grace of God to his in not leaving his Elect in their fallen cursed condition but in his appointed time effectually calling all such as belong unto his Election of grace out of a state of nature into a state of grace God might have for ever passed by fallen Man-kind as well as he did the fallen Angels though he lookt in mercy upon some he might have passed
of these as 1. on Death because it will be a notable means 1. to make us apply our hearts unto Spiritual Wisdom Psal 90.12 2. To restrain us from sin lest Death should find us in it or presently after it As a Copy of Writing is safest from blotting when dust is cast on it so we are safest from sinning when we remember that we are but Dust Callamy 3. A notable means to quicken us to repentance an instance you have in Waldus A rich Merchant of Lyons in France who seeing one drop down dead in the streets went home repented and changed his life studied the Scriptures became a Teacher and Father of those Christians called the Waldenses or the poor Men of Lyons Therefore 2. To meditate on the great and terrible day of Judgment because it will be as a curb to restrain from sinning so a spur to quicken to duty 2 Cor. 15.9.10 11. 3. Therefore to meditate on Hell because it will be a notable means to keep us out of Hell whence one adviseth thus Descendamus viventes ut non descendamus morientes Bernard Let us often look down into it that we may never fall into it 4. Therefore to meditate on Heaven because it will make us more willing to leave Earth to go to Heaven whensoever God calls for us the reason why so few go to Heaven when they die is because they never thought of Heaven until they came to die Calamy First On DEATH In it to meditate on those things that may fit you for Death and those things that may make you willing to die First On those things that may fit you for Death as 1. that it is one of the chiefest parts of Wisdom that which God you saw wisheth to Man in a most pathettical manner Deut. 22.29 Oh that men were wise c. 2. The original procreant cause of it viz. Sin Rom. 6. last The wages of sin is death therefore as often as you are tempted to sin by the present credit profit and pleasure of it to think on the fruit of it Rom. 6.21 What fruit had you in those things whereof ye are now ashamed 3. On the certainty of it In the day that thou eatest of it in dying thou shalt die that is thou shalt most certainly die Gen. 2. Heb. 9.27 It 's appointed for all to die 4. The uncertainty of it as nothing more certain so nothing more uncertain Ut morior scio sed nescio ubi quomodo quando That I shall die I know but where how and when I know not It 's a Proverb When Health is highest Death is many times nighest 1 Thess 5.3 When men cry peace then comes sudden destruction To day the Sermon-Bell tolls to call you to Church to morrow it may be the Passing-Bell to summon you to the Grave and therfore to wait for it at all times and in all places in all manner of wayes because all things come alike to all Eccles 9.1 5. To consider to die is but once to be done and that which is but once to be done had need to be well done or we are for ever undone if this work be not done or but half done at the time of dying there 's no doing or finishing it afterwards Eccles 9.10 As the Tree falleth so it lyeth as Death leaves men so Judgment finds them Heb. 9.27 6. To meditate on the terribleness of Death 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the King of Terrors Job 18.14 and needs must seeing it separates those two friends Soul and Body delivers up the Soul immediately to stand forth before the Tribunal of Christ to receive his peculiar Sentence of Damnation before the Judgment Day comes and after the Sentence to be carried by the Devils into Hell and throwes the body of the wicked into the Grave where Death gnaws upon it as upon Carrion in a Ditch puts an end to all his temporal felicity and begins his eternal misery strips him of all the comforts of this life and brings him to eternal torments 5. To meditate on the means you are to use to use to fit you for Death and they are amongst others these 1. To acquaint your selves with God and make your peace with him by Jesus Christ as Eliphas counsels Job Job 21.22 2. To get and clear up your interest in Jesus Christ who hath destroyed Death and him that had the power of Death Heb. 2.14 3. To pull out the sting of Death by Faith in the Blood of Christ and repentance for every known sin 1 John 1.7 Acts 3.19 to see that Sin die ere you die for it 's one of the terriblest threatnings in the Book of God John 8.21 If you believe not that I am He you shall die in your sins and Luke 13. Except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish And therefore Antequam moriaris moriantur in te vitia before thou dyest be careful to see that sin die 4. Labour to die daily as unto sin so unto the World 1 Cor. 7.29 The time is but short and the fashion of this World passeth away it 's the worst husbandry in the World to have Grace to seek when men should make use of it and the sick Bed is the worst time of all others to seek it in being then scarce able to think on any thing but Pain and Death and Hell 5. To get and clear up a Work of Grace that may entitle you to Glory or there will be nothing else able to stand by you and comfort you all things in the World without a Work of Grace will like Job's Friends prove miserable Comforters 3 John 3. Except a man be born again c. Flesh and Blood shall never inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15. 6. Not only look to this that you have Grace but that you keep it in exercise not only that you have Lamps and Oyl in them but that you trim them against your Lord's coming Mat. 25. that is that you act and exercise your Graces especially these your Faith and Patience Heb. 6.12 your heavenly-mindedness and contempt of the World Phil. 3.20 7. That you get and keep good Consciences this will be light in darkness and life in death Prov. 14.32 The Righteous hath hope in his death 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing in the testimony of our Consciences c. Isa 38.2 Remember how I have walkt before thee in Truth c. Lastly It was Moses's Prayer and let it be yours daily Teach us Lord so to number our dayes as we may apply our hearts unto Wisdom Psal 90. In a word Let the ends of all your thoughts be the thought of your latter end that so when you come to die you may have nothing else left to do but to die and whensoever Death comes you may bid it wellcome in the Name of Christ and when you are to die to die in charity with all in obedience to God's Call and in Faith to go to and be for ever with the
Lord. Secondly To meditate on such things as may not only fit and prepare you for death but meditate on such things as may make you willing to die and help you to die comfortably What are they Mind here well for they are of special use to you As first 1. The certainty of another and a better life after this nothing so sure as that by what you have seen already by the testimony of Scripture and many weighty grounds of it in your meditations on the Life of Glory 2. Meditate on the evidences you have of an interest in that better Life of Glory as your interest in God in Christ in the Spirit and in the Graces of the Spirit as your effectual Vocation Justification Adoption Sanctification and those Graces unto which 't is promised as Saving Sanctifying Knowledge Faith Repentance Obedience love to the Saints the Truth sincerity and uprightness of your heart in all to which you may see it frequently promised Psal 84. to the end Psal 37. v. 37. Isa 57.2 Thirdly To meditate on the many and weighty grounds God hath given to encourage your Faith and strengthen your Patience and cause both to have their perfect work 1. To encourage your Faith as 1. his immutable decree 2 Tim. 2.19 2. His unchangeable Love Jer. 31.3 3. His everlasting Covenant Jer. 32.39 4. His continual Intercession Heb. 7.25 5. His almighty Power to keep them through Faith unto Salvation 2 Pet. 1.4 however we should let go our Faith yet he will hold it fast by his Spirit 2. The grounds to strengthen our Patience 1. It 's a Lord whose Will cannot be resisted a Father who ought readily to be obeyed a wise Father who knows what is better for his Children then they do for themselves a pittiful tender-hearted Father that is afflicted in all the afflictions of his that will not afflict his too much because he knows whereof they are made that they are but Dust nor too long lest the Spirit faint and the Soul which he hath made a Father from whom they have received all the good they have had and therefore to be contented to receive a little evil and the rather because it is in order to their spiritual and eternal good Rom. 8.2 Ah! but the pains of my Body are great and the pangs of Death are bitter but to quiet your spirits under these Consider 1. That the pangs of Death are sometimes less then the pains they feel before as to Mr. Bolton who said to his Friend that askt him How it was with him when the pangs of death were upon him He said to him Your cold hand is the greatest pain I feel in his Epistle to the Four last Things 2. You are content to undergoe a great deal of pain here for a little gain how much more should you for an eternal gain These pains are but like the throwes in Travail to bring forth eternal Life 3. Whatsoever your pains and sufferings are they are little or nothing to those your sins made Christ to suffer and that many of his dear and precious Saints have and do suffer and to those eternal sufferings Christ hath redeemed you from and that exceeding excessive and eternal weight of glory that will follow your sufferings 2 Cor. 4.17 Fourthly To meditate on the many and great evils that Death will free you from as 1. from a body of Sin and Death that is still inclining you to evil and indisposing you to good still dulling deading and distracting you in all the services you do 2. From a wicked World wherein continually we see and hear what doth and should more vex our souls 2 Pet. 2. 3. From the dissention of Brethren who are continually undermining the credit and comfort one of another which made Melancton so willing to die when a Friend of his askt him how it was with him and whether he were willing to die He answered Oh yes Not only that he might be freed from a body of Sin and Death and a wicked World but from the dissention of Brethren and go there where all shall be perfected in love 4. From a malicious Devil that is still tempting us to evil and discouraging us from all that is good walking up and down like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour 1 Pet. 5. In a word from all Labours Pains Fears Doubts Sorrows Sufferings Rev. 14.13 Rev. 21.4 Death will perfectly cure you of all Diseases Corporeal and Spiritual at once both an aking Head and an unbelieving Heart a sickly Body and a distemper'd Spirit the best Physitian that ever you met with Fifthly To meditate on the many and great benefits Death will help you to as that glorious Place Company Imployment Priviledges you saw before in the Life of Glory the continual Presence of God the blessed Vision of God the immediate perfect and everlasting communion with God perfection of Holiness fulness of Joy and an everlasting Sabbath Sixthly To consider the evil of being unwilling to die By this Christians manifest too much ignorance unbelief hypocrisie love to the World senslesness of the body of Sin and Death that World of wickedness they live in and hereby procure more disquiet to their Spirits and hasten Death the sooner upon them besides the great unreasonableness of it that when God should be so willing of their company they should be so unwilling of his and when Christ should be content to leave Heaven and to come to Earth for them they should be unwilling to leave Earth to go to Heaven that they might enjoy him and know and profess it to be best of all to be with Jesus Christ Seventhly To meditate on the good of being willing to die Hereby you will make a vertue of necessity seeing you cannot put it off therefore you will voluntarily yeeld to it hereby you will manifest your hatred of sin contempt of the World Faith in God's Promises Love to God desire of immediate Communion with him honour your Christian Profession and make Death the less terrible to you Eighthly and Lastly Consider what the Apostle sayes 1 Cor. 13. to the end Death is yours Yours no way to hurt you but every way to do you good 1. No way to hurt you because however it be a Serpent yet 't is a Serpent without a sting by stinging of Jesus Christ to death it lost its sting so that though it may hiss yet it cannot hurt however the Devil brought Jesus Christ unto the Cross unto Death unto the Grave yet therein Jesus Christ out-shot the Devil in his own Bow spoiled Principalities and Powers and made a shew of it openly tryumphing over them on the Cross Col. 2.15 And that it can no way hurt you appears further by these Particulars 1. In that it is not the destruction or annihilation either of Soul or Body but onely the alteration and change of their condition for the better As for instance 1. In the Body The Body by Death is freed from
4. Above all That they be Patterns to others of good works as the Apostle exhorts 1 Tim. 4.12 3.1 2 3 4. Tit. 2.7 8. And that 1. because general experience shews that People are more led by the Life then the Doctrine of Ministers are led more by the Eye then the Ear 1 Sam. 2.17 2ly Because otherwise they will pull down more in one hour then they will build up all their lives 3. Because otherwise their Doctrine will be at the last a Bill of Indictment against themselves and having Preached to others will be found Cast-awayes themselves 1 Cor. 9.27 And therefore it concerns Ministers to look well to their lives especially that they be not found amongst those wicked ones Isa 56.10 11 12. And as Ministers are to be Patterns in all other Graces so especially in two Graces 1. Humility 1 Pet. 5.5 Love to their Fellow Brethren 1 Pet. 3.8 2. And love to their People as the Apostle 1 Cor. 6.11 Whence they are called Fathers 1 Cor. 4.15 and Nurses 1 Thes 2.7 8. to note that tender love and affection they ought to have to the People committed to their charge and especially their Souls 1st As Magistrate Ministers to discharge their Duties to the People under them so People to discharge their Duties to the Magistrates and Ministers set over them 1. To Magistrates If you would order your Conversation aright towards them then you are to give them that Love Fear and Reverence Obedience and Prayer for them the Scripture frequently calls for Rom. 13. from 1 to 9. 1 Pet. 2.13 to 18. Titus 3.1 1 Pet. 2.1 2. The reason you have Psal 82.6 because they are Gods non 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not by Essence but Office because they are in the room of God and are to govern for God 2. For Ministers If you would order your Conversations aright to them you are to give them that Love Reverence Maintenance Protection and Prayer the Scripture also frequently calls for 1 Thes 5.12 13. Heb. 13.17 1 Cor. 16.10 2 Thes 3.1 The reasons you have 2 Cor. 5.20 Because they are Ambassadors for God and Ambassadors by the Law of Nations ought to be honoured of all and to have sutable respects to the greatness of the Person that sends them If such honour be due to Ambassadors of Men how much more to the Ambassadors of God to whom all both Kings and their Ambassadors must give an account of their carriage to Him and His Ambassadors 2dly For Private Christians The Rules that are to be observed by them for the right ordering of their Conversation one towards the other respect their Thoughts and Affections Words and Actions First Respecting their Thoughts And in order to this 1. Take heed of instilling receiving and nourishing prejudices in your minds against others for this is a very great provoking evil 2. That you may be kept from it take notice 1. What it is 2. Why you are to avoid it 1. What prejudice is viz. A prejudging or a preposterous judgment of Persons and Things before they be examined and tryed Should a Judge pass Sentence on a Person or Action before he had examined it he should err though the Sentence were just seeing he never lookt into nor knew the grounds on which a Person spake or did this and that thing More plainly Prejudice is an evil Opinion which a man takes up of another for something he hath spoken and done contrary to his Judgment and Practice not knowing or considering the ground on which he did it 2. Now such as would order their Conversation aright to others must take heed of it because it is a very great pernicious and provoking evil as too sad and general experience shews it to be to the great dishonour of God scandal of Religion and the hurt of their Brother as for instance 1. This prejudice is that which makes men take up hard thoughts of those of whom God hath good thoughts and to instil these evil thoughts into the Heads and Hearts of others that they may disengage the affections of others and draw their affections only unto themselves 2. It makes men to rob God of his Glory and give it to Men .1 To rob God of his Glory in stepping up into his Throne sitting in Judgment on their Brother and that sometimes for a particular Act and it may be for a thing indifferent to their Brother though not to them Now what sayes the Apostle Rom. 14.4 Who art thou that judgest another mans Servant and vers 10. Why dost thou judge thy Brother and set at nought thy Brother we shall all stand before the Judgement-Seat of Christ 2. It makes men to give glory to men in crying up some and crying down others which the Apostle expresly condemns in his Corinthians 1 Cor. 3.3 and whatsoever thoughts they have of their wisdom in it he tells them the Lord knows their thoughts to be vain and their duty is not to glory in men so as to set up one above the other when all are faithful and sound in the main seeing all are their Servants in Christ vers 20.21 22. 3. This prejudice it makes men to separate and withdraw communion from those with whom God hath communion and that in those essential Duties of God's Worship as Word Sacrament Prayer wherein all are expresly required to worship God together Yea and makes them not only to separate themselves but perswade others to do it lest they partake in other mens sins 4. It 's that which makes Professors to rest in duty and neglect the actings of Grace before in and after Duty especially that Grace of Love which Christ makes the chief Character of a Disciple and without which God abhors and rejects all other duties that men perform 1 Cor. 13. that also which causeth them to dissent in their love how that they do love others of a contrary Opinion and Practice and yet can neglect if not worse even perswade others to cast off all offices of love to them never remembring or considering the command is express Rom. 12.9 Let love be without dissimulation 1 John 3.18 Let us not love in Word and Tongue but in Deed and Truth 5. That which keeps men from abundance of good they might do to others and that they might receive from others because they think they ought to have no communion with them so as this prejudice is like choller in the Stomack that imbitters all wholsom meat and however it receives it yet casts it up again 6. That which makes men to murder others Bodies Souls Names and Estates 1. Their Bodies by causing grief to them and such grief as brings sometimes sickness and weakness on them if not death 2dly Their Souls by intterrupting their peace and exposing them to temptations which made David for to pray Psal 123.3 4. Have mercy upon us O Lord have mercy upon us for we are exceedingly filled with
2. Because they are Holy Spirits and cannot indure to see any unholy or unclean behaviour 4thly To imitate the Blessed Angels especially in these four things 1. their Humility 2. Piety 3. Charity 4. Alacrity 1. Their Humility Though they be glorious Spirits yet they are content to stoop to the meanest Servants of God at God's Command they came down from Heaven to bring glad tydings of Salvation to poor Shepherds are willing to wait on those that are despised of men Mat. 18.10 how much more should we stoop to one another and serve one another in love see the command Rom. 12.3.16 2. To imitate them in their Piety They are God-like Holy as he is Holy therefore called 〈◊〉 Holy Angels Mark 8.38 And we are commandâ—◠〈◊〉 be Holy as God is Holy 1 Tim. 1.15 They seek nor their own Glory but the Lords Isa 〈…〉 so we are commanded 1 Cor. 〈…〉 They stand ready prest to know and do the Will of God Psal 103.21 And we are commanded Tuâ—â— 3. â— Be ready to every good work They do it also zealously Dan. 9.21 He make 〈◊〉 Angels a flame of Fire and this we are commâ—nded Rev. 3.19 Be zealous and amend And they do it constantly Matth. 18.10 And we are commanded 1 Cor. 15. last Be stedfast uâ—â—oveable alwayes abounding in the Work of the Lord c. Gal. 6.10 Be not weary of well doing And all this is no other then what we are taught to pray for in the Lords Prayer in these words Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven That is universally sincerely chearfully constantly 3. In their Charity They not only love one another but they love us and in love to us they are content to stoop to any Service wherein they may express their love to us how much more should we love one the other and as the Apostle exhorts serve one another in love and the rather because it is the express command of Christ and he hath given himself an Example of it and made it the chief character of a Disciple of his John 13.35 4. To imitate them in their Joy They rejoyce continually in the Glory of God the Exaltation of Christ the Conversation of Sinners the Salvation of Souls the Glorification of the Saints together with themselves how much more should we rejoyce in these things seeing the benefit redounds not so much to them as to us 6th Duty Not to fear the malice and rage of the Evil Angels for however the Evil Angels endeavour to do all the mischief they can to the Godly and God permits them to do it to wicked men Psal 78.49 50. and sometimes to afflict the Godly Job 1.6 yet here 's our comfort All the Godly have the Good Angels to protect them that they cannot hurt them as they would however Evil Angels may have a permission from God to do them evil yet the Good Angels have alwayes a Commission from God to do them good Psal 103. to the end And the power of Good Angels is more and greater then of the Evil they having lost much of it by their fall and therefore not so much to fear them A King that hath his Guard about him fears no danger how much less should we who have though not of men yet a Guard of Angels 2 Kings 6.16 7th Duty Not slavishly to fear Death but to wellcome it whensoever it comes seeing it is the last Office the Angels do for the Saints here to attend on their Death-beds and take the care of their Souls and carry them after Death to the Spirits of Just Men made perfect Luke 16.22 Heb. 12.22 Lastly Remember still to return God the Glory of this Glorious Priviledge the enjoyment of the Ministry of Angels and all the good and comfort you have reapt by it The Shepherds Luk. 2.20 having heard of the glad tydings brought by the Ministry of Angels they returned glorifying and praysing God but not the Angels the Angels ought to have their due reverence and respect for their Ministry but we are to give the honour and glory of it only to God Thus Daniel 6.22 and Peter Acts 12.11 they did not ascribe the deliverance to the Angels but unto God that sent his Angels And great cause have we to glorifie God in and for their Ministry 1. In respect of the great honour God conferreth on us in vouchsafing such honourable Guardians to us 2. In respect of the great good that comes to us by them not only in protecting us from those evil spirits which rule in the Air but the quickning and leadings to the following and guidance of his ever blessed Spirit of Grace 3. Because they are only instruments in God's Hand it 's God alone is the Author of all the good we receive by them Make these uses of the Ministry of Angels and you will be sure to reap much benefit and comfort by it and to have them still to attend upon you and minister to you in Life and Death and after Death 1. In Life to preserve you from evil and to incourage you in that which is good to comfort you in and deliver you out of trouble 2. In Death to stand about your Beds and keep off the evil Spirits and chear up your own Spirits arm you against the terrors of Death and as soon as your Soul shall be separate from the Body to carry it to the Spirits of Just Men made perfect And 3. after Death at the last and great Day to open your Graves and bring out your Bodies and take them up into the Air to the Accessors with Jesus Christ in judgment on the wicked World and after that to conduct you into Heaven there to be for ever with the Lord and with them still glorifying God the Father for God the Son by God the Spirit to all Eternity Amen Secondly For the Evil Angels and Devils Sect. 2. In and about them to take notice of and meditate on these things 1. That there are such 2. What they are 3. How they became such 4. What their punishment 5. What their Office or Work is 6. What their Properties or Qualities are Lastly What our duties are in respect of them 1. That there are such evil Spirits or Devils is abundantly manifest by the testimony of the Scripture and their frequent Temptations Apparitions Possessions and Dispossessions the Scripture often mentions in the Old New Testament In the Old we read that the Devil was a lying spirit in the mouth of the false Prophets 1 Kings 22. and that Satan stir'd up David to number the People 1 Chron. 21.1 and how he afflicted Job cap. 1. and that he stood at the right hand of Joshua to resist him Zach. 3.1 In the New Testament we read how he tempted Christ Mat. 4. and how Christ cast him out of many possest by him as for those Atheists and Epicures that question it they have some of them been forced to acknowledge it here to their horror
my comfort in mine affliction thy word hath quickned me And Vers 52. I remembred thy judgments of old and have comforted my self Fourthly to frame our lives according to it as David Psal 119 59. I consider'd my ways and turned my feet unto thy testimonies And that First because without practise all knowledge is but ignorance 1 Epst John 2.4 And secondly it will aggravate mens condemnation at the last Luk. 12.48 Secondly That this is the property of gracious Souls you may see in David here and frequently else-where Psal 63.6 143. Vers 5. Psal 119.15.23.48.78.97.99.148 Then Joseph Gen. 24.63 And all other godly men Psalm 1. vers 2d Malach. 3.16 Thirdly For the grounds of it First because they know it is their duty that which God hath commanded Joshua 1.8 1 Timothy 4.15 Colossians 3.2 Set your affections on things above c. Secondly Their love to God Love delights to think on the Person and Thing beloved Psal 119.97 Oh how I love thy Law it is my meditation all the day long Amor est ubi amat non ubi animat is an old saying and as true as old The mind is where a man loves and not where he lives The more men love the more they think and the more they think the more they love Thirdly The transcendent excellency of God and the things of God Psalm 119.129 Thy testimonies are wonderful therefore doth my soul keep them Canticles 1.3 Thy Name is an Ointment poured out therefore do the Virgins love thee Psalm 3.2 3. Fourthly Because they have receiv'd a new nature They are made partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 They are renewed in the spirit of their minds Rom. 12.2 and thereby are taken off from these things below to mind affect and pursue those things above Men of high and noble spirits can't endure to be imployed about low and base things but those of the highest and greatest Concernment so Gracious Souls they account the things of the World and the Flesh too low for them and desire to have their thoughts to be taken up with God and Christ his Spirit and Kingdom their precious and immortal Souls their safety and welfare here and to all Eternity Such as the man is such are his thoughts The liberal man deviseth liberal things Isaiah 32.8 A good man out of the good treasury of his heart bringeth forth good things Math. 12.35 Vse the First 1. This shews us the reason why Professors are such Non-proficients in the School of Christ namely because they are so seldom and slight in this weighty duty of Meditation rest in hearing reading and never think on it more the Devil will never trouble such he cares not how much they are in duty so he can prevail with them not to think on it after Vse the Second For the humiliation of three sorts First Such as meditate not at all on God or the things of God as natural carnal wordly Men do not will not Psalm 10.4 The ungodly is so proud God is not in all his thoughts Viz. with any delight Secondly Such as have their Meditation on other things as the ambitious Man on his honour the Covetous Man on his wealth the Voluptuous Man on his pleasure the Merchant on his Ships the Trades-man on his Shop c. none of them any serious thoughts of God or the things of God Thirdly A worse sort there are that think on God not to honour him but dishonour him either have low and base thoughts of him or wicked and ungodly thoughts First Some that have low and base thoughts of God as ignorant and superstitious sorts of People who conceive of God as an old Man sitting in Heaven with a Crown on his Head and a Scepter in his Hand looking down upon his Creatures and governing the World others Though they do not conceive of him so grosly with a Bodily substance but acknowledge him to be a Spirit yet not such a Spirit as he hath revealed himself to be a Pure Holy Just Omnipresent Omniscient Omnipotent Spirit but conceive him to be such a one as themselves Psal 50.21 Secondly Others they have wicked and ungodly thoughts of him some Atheistical thoughts as those in Job 21. Vers 15. Who is the Almighty that we should serve him Others basphemous thoughts as they Psalm 94. Tush God sees not God regards not Others distrustful thoughts as 2 Kings 8. last This evil is of the Lord Why should I want any longer upon him Others rebellious contemptuous thoughts as they Psal 12. Our Tongues are our own Who shall controle us Jerem. 18.12 There is no hope we will walk after the imagination of our own hearts and Chap. 44.17 A Third Vse of Exhortation If you will evidence your selves to be Saints indeed then to make this your property and practise That you may be the more willing to it and able for it I shall do four things First Give you some Motives to it Secondly Discover and remove the Hinderances of it Thirdly Give you some Helps to it And Fourthly Some Directions for it First By way of Motive to quicken you to it Consider with me the Necessity Excellency Utility and sweetness of this Duty First The Necessity of it in many respects as First The command of God that which he expresly requires as you saw before and may further Deut. 6.6 Job 37.14 Eccl. 7.15 Haggai 1.5 6. Secondly Because it is the end wherefore he hath revealed and made himself known to us in his Word and Works Psal 111.4 Isai 41.19 20. Thirdly Because without Meditation no Conversion David first consider'd hiâ— ways and then turn'd his Feet to God ' testim nies Psalm 119 59. The Prodigal first bethought himself and then return'd to his Fathers House Luke 15. That there is no Conversion without Meditation appears in that such as are connected are converted in this way and Method First They heâ—r the Word Secondly are convinc'd of the Truth Thirdly Meditates how much it concerns them Fourthly by Meditation come to be affected with it And Fifthly By affection are wrought over to a holy resolution of Faith and Obedience Fourthly Because without Meditation you cannot profit by any thing you hear or read out of the Word or see in the works of God A Plant may as soon grow without watering and Meat nourish without digesting as a Soul profit in holiness without Meditation God provides Meat sends his Ministers to Cook it and dress it it is Meditation must Concoct it otherwise like Meat undigested the Stomack will be burdened with it and cast it up again or if it abide it will breed ill humours and make them sick unto death The Reasons are obvious First Because without meditation the Seed of the Word will lye uncover'd in the Furrows of the Soul and being uncover'd the Devil will come and steal it away as the Birds do the Seed in the High-way that lieth uncovered Secondly Because without meditation we shall never be
a man to win the World and lose his Soul Or what will he give in exchange for his Soul Suppose a Man had all the Honours Riches Pleasures the World could afford him what will it avail him in the day of death when he must part with all and his Soul too and never recover them more Men may lose these things of the World and recover them again if God seeth good as you may see in Job's Case to whom God restored all that he had taken from him and doubled all to him in the latter end Job 42. But now for a Soul that being lost can never be recovered it 's not a World nor ten thousand Worlds can recover the loss of a Soul it cost more to redeem a Soul Psal 49. Whereas you see the great folly of men in selling and losing of their Souls What do they get by their sin but the Curse and Wrath of God with the loss of their precious Souls Fourthly To meditate on the greatness of the salvation of a Soul and the means to procure the salvation thereof 1st The greatness of the salvation of the Soul this appears by the greatness of the Author of it no other then the great God Titus 3.5 2dly The greatness of the price paid for it no other then the precious Blood of Christ 1 Pet. 1.18 3dly The greatness of the evil we are saved from As 1. The Curse of the Law Gal. 3.10 13. and the rigour of the Law Rom. 7.5 6. 2ly From the reign and dominion of sin Rom. 6.14 3. From the tyranny of Satan Col. 1.13 Col. 2.15 4. From the evil of the World John 16. last 5. The sting of Death and the slavish fear of it Heb. 2.14 15. 6. The wrath to come 1 Thes 1.10 4thly The greatness of the good things we are saved and brought unto viz. The Life of Grace here Ephes 2.1 and the Life of Glory hereafter Col. 3.4 Fifthly To meditate on the means To make sure and procure the means of Salvation to you which are briefly these 1. To see and acknowledge your selves lost in your selves Luke 19.10 2. To humble your selves under the consideration of it James 4.9 Luke 13.31 3. To turn every one from the evil of his wayes Ezek. 18.30 Isa 55.7 8. 4. To lay hold on Jesus Christ by a lively Faith John 3.16 Acts 10.43 5. To get a new Nature 2 Cor. 5.17 2 Pet. 1.4 6. To lead a new Life a Life of Holiness 1 Pet. 1.15 and to order your Conversation according to the rules of the Word Psal 50. last To him that orders his Conversation aright I will shew the Salvation of God Now here to take notice what it is to order our Conversation aright I shall stay a little the longer because the Conversation of most are such an open contradiction to their Profession Now by ordering our Conversation aright is meant a putting of our Life in a method and order a Saint must not walk at random or at large but in a regular and orderly way Col. 2.5 that is According to those rules laid down in the Scripture the Law and the Gospel and these Rules according to which we are to order our Conversation they are either more general or more particular First For the General Rules You have them laid down in two places the first in the Old Testament Micah 6.8 He hath shewed thee O man what is good Q. Where hath he shewed Man his duty A. Why in his Word there God hath laid down plainly what the Duty of every Man is to God and others and himself so as there is no Man or Woman can plead ignorance and say he knew it not to be his duty for God hath plainly revealed it in his Word what is good how that all in his Word is good and will do good to him that doth it Micah 2.7 Do not my Words do good to him that walks uprightly And what the Lord requires of thee What is that 1. To do justly i. e. To make Conscience of all the Duties of Justice and Righteousness required in the second Table to render to every one his due and do unto others as you would have others do unto you which is the Law and the Prophets 2. To love Mercy that is To shew mercy to the Bodies and to the Souls of others as you have opportunity Gal. 6.10 Heb. 13.16 3. To walk humbly with thy God This comprehends all the Duties of the first Table as the two former of the second Table So as the meaning in short is this Thou shalt set God alwayes before thee give him the Homage Worship and Service that is due to him approve thy heart to him in all the service thou tenderest to him humble thy self under thy fallings and failings acknowledge when thou hast done all thou art but an unprofitable Servant and desire only to be found in the perfect obedience of Jesus Christ More clearly and fully you have these Duties laid down Titus 2.11 12. The Grace of God bringing Salvation hath appeared to all men teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present World Soberly in respect of our selves Righteously in respect of others Godlily in respect of God Haec tria perpetuo meditare adverbia Pauli Haec tria sunt vitae regula sancta tuae Make these three Adverbs the subject of your continual Meditation and the proposed Rule of your daily Conversation Your duty here is as every day 1. To watch against and deny ungodliness that is Those sins forbidden in the first Table so called because they are immediately against God And worldly lusts that is all sins forbid in the second Table called Worldly because they have the World for their Object and Subject 2. It follows and that we should live soberly the former contain'd the negative commands of the Law these latter the affirmative commands of the Law to note unto us it is not enough to be negative Christians but we must be also affirmative Christians Isa 1.16 17. Cease to do evil learn to do well 1. Your duty is to live soberly in respect of your selves that is to be moderate in your desires and use of all Creature Comforts as Meat Drink Apparel Recreation Phil. 4.5 1 Cor. 7.30 2. Righteously in respect of your Neighbours that is To act and exercise Righteousness in all your Thoughts Affections Words Actions Tradings and Dealings with others made a sign of one that shall dwell in God's Holy Hill Psal 15. 3. In respect of God to carry your selves Godly or God-like to be Holy as he is Holy in all manner of Conversation 1 Pet. 1.15 that is Publickly Privately Secretly Daily Hourly Continually 2 Cor. 7.1 Rev. 2.10 To quicken you to this godliness to meditate on that place 1 Tim. 4.8 Godliness is profitable to all things and hath the promise of this life and that to come that is Hath all the blessings of Heaven
and Earth entailed to it it gives a Christian much in Possession all the Promises of this Life and infinitely more in Reversion the Life that is to come Godliness will be profitable whilst you live sweeten and sanctifie every state and condition to you and yours Prov. 20.7 and will be much more profitable when you die when you are to leave all other things this better part shall never be taken from you Luke 10. last Thus of the general Rules Secondly For the more particular Rules respecting the right ordering of our Conversation they either respect God or Christ or the Spirit our Selves and others 1st For those respecting God they either concern his Attributes Words Works Worship 1. For the Attributes of God you ought to know them and to walk sutably to them let them have authority and influence on your Hearts and Wayes to keep you from sinning and quicken you to well-doing according to the directions given you before 2. For his Word To do nothing but what you have a warrant for out of the Word Isa 8.20 Psal 119.9 Whereby shall a young man cleanse his way but by taking heed to thy Word John 5.39 1 John 4.1 Acts 17.12 Rom. 12.2 Prove what is the good and acceptable Will of God God hath appointed it to be a Light to our Feet and a Lanthorn to our Paths Psal 119. He that walks not according to it walks amiss Mat. 22.29 Ye err not knowing the Scriptures As you are to walk according to the Word so every part of it the Precepts to obey them Psalm 119.2 the Promises to trust in them Psal 9.10 and the Threatnings to fear them Hebak 3.16 3. For the Works of God you are to eye God in his wayes of Justice and Mercy and to be humbled under the one and thankful for the other to admire him and adore him in what you cannot comprehend him as the Apostle Rom. 11.33 Oh the depth of the riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his Judgments and his wayes past finding out 4. For the Worship of God I have given you directions before yet I will add these to have an eye in the Worship of God to a right Person Place Manner Time End 1. The duties of God's Worship must be performed by a right Person as for instance The Preaching of the Word and the Administration of the Sacraments onely by a faithful Minister called and sent by God and his Church because these are publick Duties and therefore to be performed only by a publick Person So Prayer in the Family and instruction of those in it by the head of the Family God having layed the charge of it upon him Deut. 6.6 Heb. 7.7 2. The Religious Duties must be performed in a right place as the Publick in Publick Private in Private Secret in Secret the reason is because though there be no place forbidden yet there be some places more convenient for some Duties then others 3. That there may be order they must be observed and performed in a right time and in due season as works of our general Calling in their season and of our particular in their season Duties of our general Calling especially on the Sabbath Day and every morning and evening Psal 92.2 The duties of our particular Calling only on the week day and the greatest part of the day the reason is Because there is an appointed time for every purpose under Heaven Eccles 3.1 And because what the Wise Man speaks of a word spoken in a season is true of an action done in season it 's very beautiful like an Apple of Gold in a Picture of Silver 4. For the right manner I gave you directions before at the beginning onely remember still this all be with fear and reverence Heb. 12. end and in Spirit and in Truth John 4.24 God abhors those that draw near with their Lips and their hearts are far from him Isa 29.13 5. For the right ends you are to propose in every duty they are That God may be glorified others Edified your Souls Sanctified and Saved 1 Cor. 10.31 Phil. 1.20 John 15.8 2dly There be other Rules respecting Jesus Christ If you would order your Conversations aright you are to do what you do in Knowledge Faith Repentance Obedience Love 1. In Knowledge because this is Life eternal to know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent John 17.3 And because all Obedience without Knowledge is but blind Obedience 2. In Faith That God will accept of your Persons and Services in him Ephes 1.6 1 Pet. 2.5 Because without Faith it 's impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 And whatsoever is not of Faith is sin Rom. 14.23 3. To do it in Repentance Because so long as men live and lie impenitently in sin God will not regard any thing they do Psal 66.18 Psal 50.18 4. In Obedience to his command Because he is the Author of Salvation only to as many as obey him Heb. 5.9 And such as yeeld Universal Obedience their unfeigned desire and earnest endeavour Psal 119.3 Mat. 5. last John 15.14 5. To do all ye do in Love to Jesus Christ as the Apostle 2 Cor. 15.14 The love of Christ constrains me Because without Love all Religious Duties will profit us nothing 1 Cor. 13. That you may be enabled to all this you are to make Christ your Principle your Pattern and your Scope in all 1. Your Principle to fetch Grace and strength from him to do it because we can do nothing without him John 15.5 And it pleased the Father that all fulness should dwell in him that we from that fulness might still be receiving Grace for Grace 2. To make him your Pattern to walk as he walked 1 John 2.6 How that was you may read in the Gospel wisely inoffensively c. as we shewed you before in your Meditations on Christ 3. To make him your Scope and end in all you do that Christ may be magnified in your Bodies in Life and Death Phil. 1.19 20. 3dly Other Rules respect the Spirit of God as these 1. To hearken to and obey his Call unto Faith and Repentance Isa 30.21 2. To nourish and cherish his motions within in the Conscience checking you for evil and exercising you to duty and take heed you do not resist him as they Acts 5.21 nor quench the Spirit 1 Thes 5.19 nor grieve the Spirit so as to cause him to depart Ephes 4.30 3. To beg his help and assistance in every duty of your particular and general Calling Ephes 6.10 4thly There are other Rules respecting our selves If you would order your Conversation aright so as to have God's gracious Presence with you Providence over you and Blessing upon you all the day long then to mind and observe well these Rules To begin the day with God and continue it with God and end it with God 1. To begin the day with God by giving him the first of
Above all take heed of slandering publick Persons God's Magistrates and Ministers for they being in God's place he will more severely punish the wrong done to them as you may see Deut. 33.11 Jude 9.10 5. Take heed of dissembling false lying speech as being that which is plainly forbid Col. 3.9 That which evidenceth such to be of their Father the Devil John 8.44 God's Children are Children that will not lie Isa 63.8 Zeph. 3.13 A deceitful tongue shall not be found in their mouth that which shuts men out of Heaven Rev. 21. last and gives them a hotter and a lower place in Hell Matth. 24. last 6. Take heed of all soothing flattering Speech for the gaining and retaining the favour of others there 's a woe pronounced against such Isa 5.20 and God threatens to cut off such flattering tongues Psal 31.5 Job 17.5 2dly Other things are to be practised as 1. Watchfulness over your words to see they be wise deliberate gracious and profitable Ephes 4.29 2. If there be any difference between you and others to seek and accept of reconciliation Mat. 5.23 18.15 3. To exhort one another daily lest any ones heart be hardened through the decitfulness of sin Heb. 3.13 4. To admonish reprove and rebuke sin in others according to the disposition of the Person and the nature of the offence Levit. 19.17 Gal. 6.1 Col. 3.16 5. To edifie one the other in Grace and gracious Practises 1 Thess 5.11 Heb. 10.24 25. 6. To pray one with the other and for the other Ephes 6.18 James 5. Lastly To communicate your Gifts and Graces and Experiences you have had of God's faithfulness and goodness in his Promises and Providences after the Example of David Come and I will tell you what he hath done for my Soul Fourthly For your actions and carriage towards others if you would order your Conversation aright observe these Rules 1. Not to retaliate or revenge any wrong done to you in word or deed but commit all to him who judgeth righteously after the example of Christ as you are expresly required Prov. 20.22 24.29 1 Pet. 2.21 22. Rom. 12. three last verses 2. No man to seek his own things onely but the things of others Phil. 2.4 not his own weal but the weal of others 1 Cor. 10. end 3. To walk wisely both towards those without and within Col. 4.5 Ephes 5.15 Matth. 10. Be wise as Serpents 4. To walk inoffensively giving no just offence to any in word or deed in apparel or recreation as Zachary and Elisabeth Luk. 1.6 and the Apostle Acts 24.16 and we are all commandâ—d Mat. 10.16 1 Cor. 10.32 For God chose us before the foundation of the World that we should be holy and unblameable before him in love Ephes 1.4 Rom. 12.18 As much as in you lieth live peaceably with all men Rom. 14.19 Follow after those things which make for peace Heb. 12.14 And that you may walk and live thus peaceably 1. To take heed of all unpeaceable lusts such as these Pride Passion Envy Jealousie Censoriousness Selfishness Affectation of Popularity glorying in Men having the Faith of our Lord Jesus in respect of Persons for James 4.1 From whence comes Wars and Fightings are they not hence from your lusts that are within you 2. To labour after peaceable Principles for unless there be a principle of peace or a peaceable disposition within there will not be long any sound or lasting peace without 3. To get peaceable Graces as amongst others these Wisdom Humility Sincerity Amity Meekness Self-denial c. 4. To make conscience of peaceable duties especially these two 1. The renewing of our peace with God and God will make others to be at peace with you Tranquillus Deus tranquillat omnia God's Promise is If a mans wayes please the Lord he will make his Enemies to be at peace with him Prov. 16.7 2. To pray one anothers affections into a peaceable frame that he who makes those of one house to be of one mind would also make those of one and the same Church to be of one and the same mind if not of the same Opinion in every thing yet of the same Affection and Conversation The fifth thing then to be meditated on in and about the Soul is the Conscience which is that faculty God hath put into the Soul to mind us of all these duties in and about the Conscience to take notice 1. What Conscience is viz. That Faculty God hath placed in the Soul to take notice of all our Affections Speeches Actions and to pass sentence on them according to the nature of them by such principles of Light as it hath received 2. What the Offices of Conscience are as 1. To be a School-master to teach and make known what Sin and Duty is 2. To be a Notary to take notice of all our inward and outward behaviour 3. To be a Register to write down and record all 4. To be a Witness either to excuse or accuse 5. To be a Judge to pass Sentence either of Absolution or Condemnation 6. To be an Executioner to comfort or afflict according to the nature of the actions 3. To meditate on the great authority and power of Conscience to make a man happy or miserable as being God's Deputy or Vice-gerent to act for him the best Friend and the worst Enemy that which comforts and speaks for us when others discomfort and speak against us and that both in life and death 2 Cor. 1.12 This is our rejoycing in the testimony of our Consciences c. Isa 38.3 Therefore should you meditate on these things about the Soul 1. On the Nature of the Soul what it is that so you may look more after it then you have formerly done 2. Therefore on the worth of the Soul above the Body because this will make you slight and undervalue both in comparison of the Soul prize and keep your Souls as your chiefest Jewels to mind more the feeding and cloathing preserving and cherishing of your Souls then your Bodies 3. Therefore to meditate on the greatness of the loss of it because it will put you more on a care of using the means for the welfare of it and that you do not hazard the loss of it for the gain of all the World 4. Therefore on the greatness of the Salvation of it that hereby you may be quickned to give all diligence in the use of the means for the Salvation of it 2 Pet. 1.5 10. giving all diligence c. 5. Therefore to meditate on those things about the Conscience that they should make you fear and tremble to offend and wound Conscience and the more careful to preserve the peace of a good Conscience as it did Joseph Gen. 39.9 and the Apostle Acts 24.16 Secondly Of the Body In and about it to meditate on two things 1. The admirable Structure and 2. The excellent use of it 1st On the admirable Structure of it both inwardly and outwardly 1.
all the Secretaries of Nature cannot number the kinds of the Creature much less the Individuaes Jer. 33.22 Psal 104.25 3. For the Variety of the Creatures This is much more wonderful As there are innumerable Kinds of Creatures so there are kinds of divers forms and fashions one from the other Amongst so many thousand Pebles on the Sea-shore you cannot find two stones alike in all things amongst so many thousand Heards of Cattle you cannot find two Beasts alike in all things amongst so many thousand Men and Women that are in the World you cannot find two persons alike in all things but they differ in Face or Voice or Gesture 4. For the Beauty of the Creature How hath the Lord bedeckt the Heavens with Stars the Earth with all variety of Beauties well dressed Gardens fruitful Orchards green Meadows pleasant Woods sweet Fountains Chrystal Streams all variety of Colours so as Solomon in all his Royalty was not cloathed as the Lilly Matth. 6.29 5. For the Structure of the Creatures how admirable is this In the least as well as the greatest the Soul of a little Fly sayes Austin excels the glorious Body of the Sun the Teeth of a Moth as wonderful as the Tusks of a Boar the Thigh of a slender Gnat not inferior to the Thigh of the hugest Elephant the Wings of a Butter-fly may compare with the Wings of an Eagle There 's not the least Creature but is so admirably fram'd as all the Artists in the World not able to mend or make the like 6. For the Vertues of the Creature How wonderful is this in the Elements above and the Planets beneath in the Herbs and Trees and precious Stones there is no Creature even the vilest and basest but is good for some use or other 7. For the Sympathy of the Creatures and the Antipathy between them How strong is this No reason can be given of the sweet agreement between the Load-stone and the Iron the Lilly and the Garlick nor of the mortal hatred between the Swan and the Eagle the little Birds and the Owl A serious meditation on these things will not onely discover the great love of God and draw out your hearts the more in love to him who hath done all these things for you Secondly To meditate on those things in the Creatures that may disingage your hearts from the inordinate love of them and the eager pursuit of them amongst others on these things The Vanity Uncertainty Unsatisfactoriness Commonness Unprofitableness Deceitfulness Hurtfulness and the great folly of men in making them their portion 1. On the Vanity of them Being things in shew rather then in substance appearance rather then reality Prov. 23.5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not Viz. In respect of any advantage and comfort when God withdraws himself from the Creature then they are like standing Pools in Summer dryed up when the Creature comes to make use of them yea they are not onely vain in the Concrete but vanity it self in the Abstract verily Man in his best estate is altogether vanity Psal 39.5 Not onely thus the Man but every Man not in his worst but best estate not only in parts but in every part altogether vanity and if Man the very best of Creatures how much more those Creatures which God made for Man What is Honour but Magnum nihil a glorious Fancy Acts 25.23 What is Wealth but a little white and red Earth What is all pleasure here but a little bitter sweet Solomon that extracted the quintessence of all concludes after the tryal of all all is vanity and vexation of Spirit 2. Meditate on the uncertainty of them 1 Tim. 16.17 Charge them that be rich they trust not in uncertain riches So uncertain as like Tennis-Balls they are banded up and down from one to another they cannot promise a day or an hours continuance to you or you to them Prov. 23.5 Riches take to themselves Wings and fly away like a Partridge in one mans Field to day in anothers to morrow many of great estates are on a sudden brought to nought by Fire Water Thieves How often have you heard of such and such in honour to day and disgrace to morrow a Rich Man one day and a Beggar another in health and jovial to day and dead nay it may be damned to morrow be warned by others harms 3. Meditate on the Vnsatisfactoriness of them They that have most of them are never satisfied with them Eccles 1.8 Eccles 4.8 Eccles 5.10 Isa 55.1 Wherefore do you lay out your Money for that which cannot satisfie You have instances of it in all times The Rich Fool in the Gospel not content to have his Barns full but he must pull them down to build them bigger Absalom not content to be a Kings Son but he must aspire also to his Fathers Throne Ahab not content with a Kingdom but is sick after Naboths Vineyard We need not look so far back our latter times give us too sad Examples he that hath climed the Ladder of Preferment high enough to break his neck yet will indeavour to climb higher and higher ut lapsu graviore ruat that he may have the greater fall he that by base and unjust Courses hath scrapt together a great heap of Wealth more then he knows well how to despose of yet is still labouring to add House to House and Field to Field and Bag to Bag till he hath added Hell to all he that hath run riot into all manner of excess and even glutted himself with the pleasures of the Flesh will yet be still adding Drunkenness to Thirst and Fuel to the Fire of Concupiscence until he hath brought Poverty into his Estate and Rottenness into his Body and Destruction both upon Soul and Body So unsatisfactory are all those things here below that like the Fire Grave Sea and Hell they have never enough 4. The Commonness of them How that all these worldly things are common to the Wicked as well as the Godly God gives Riches to them to whom he will never give Grace here nor Glory hereafter Riches were never an evidence of Gods Love here or Salvation hereafter but only an Interest in Christ and Grace from Him Men may have Riches and yet be damned Heirs and yet be damned Gifts and Parts and yet be damned for all these earthly things are common to the wicked with the Godly Eccles 9.1 and usually wicked men enjoy more of them then the Godly Job 2. Psalm 73. because it is their portion in this Life Psal 17. end 5. Take notice of the Unprofitableness of them Mark 8.36 What will it profit a man to win the World and lose his Soul they cannot profit a Mans Person neither his Soul nor Body nor his Posterity they may seem to profit in a day of Prosperity but not of Adversity a day of common Calamity Sickness Death Judgment 1. They cannot profit or better a mans person it may make him a
worse but not a better man he may conceit himself a better man and the men of the World may esteem him the better for his abundance of these things his high Place his brave Apparel his great Revenues but God esteems no man the better for these things Job 34.19 Job 36.19 2. They cannot profit or better the Soul hurt it they may and do as for instance 1st They keep them from looking after piety Luke 14.18 2ly They distract them in duty Ezek. 33.31 3ly It makes them unfruitful in duty Mat. 13.22 They may better his outward condition he may eat more and go finer and lie easier but they cannot better his inward condition help to Pardon or Peace Grace or Glory Thou and thy Money perish with thee that thinkest the Gift of God may be purchased with Money said Peter to Simon Magus Acts 8.20 God will not give away his Graces as the Indians do their Gold for Gaudes and Rattles Toyes and Trifles 3. Unprofitable to the Body Can Honour or Wealth buy Health or get a stomach to meat or procure ease rest and sleep No we find by experience the contrary he that hath most of these outward things can but eat and drink and cloath himself and so doth a poor man and with more comfort and contentment many times then the Rich and hath usually a a better appetite to his meat and more sweet sleep after his labour Eccl. 5.11 Job 20.22 4. Unprofitable likewise to his Posterity How often have you seen after that men have toyled and turmoiled in the World all their dayes for their Children their Children to be either suddenly snatcht away from their Wealth or their Wealth from their Children How often have you seen the Proverb made good Covetous men have either Prodigals or Fools to their Children such as either presently consume it away or are soon cheated of all If you would observe it you may find many Parents bewailing their folly at the last that they have toyled so much in the World for such wicked and rebellious Children and many Children cursing the time that ever their Parents left them so great and ill-gotten Estates according to that Job 21.19 5. However they may afford them some comfort in the day of prosperity and in a day of peace yet not in the time of Adversity and in a day of Calamity in a day of Sickness Death and Judgement 1st Not in a day of common Calamity when the Judgments of God are upon the Land Sword Famine Pestilence 1 Sam. 12.21 Prov. 11.4 Zeph. 1. last Ezek. 7.19 2ly In Sickness It is not high Places honourable Titles full Bags great Revenues that can prevent or remove Stone Gout Strangury Feaver or any Sickness or Pain it 's true they may procure Physicians and Medicines but those kill rather then cure without the Lord. 3ly In the hour of Death Job 27.8 What is the hope of the Hypocrite though he hath gained when God taketh away his Soul All the Rich Fools Wealth could not keep his Soul one night longer Luke 12.15 20. 4ly In the day of Judgment all the World is so far from profiting as they shall see all in fire about their ears have nothing left but an account how they got and kept and imployed it and the more they have had of this Worlds good and the less good they have done with it and the more they have abused it the more and greater will be their torment 5ly All they have of the World cannot save them from Hell Luke 16.23 Rev. 21.8 nor mitigate their torments there Dives could not procure a drop of Water to cool his scorched tongue Luke 16.24 25. So as you see clearly and fully what unprofitable and helpless things these of the World are without Grace they cannot free from any thing that is truly evil Sin or Pain nor help to any thing that is truly good Pardon or Peace they cannot keep sickness from the Body or trouble from the Mind or terrors from the Conscience or the Soul out of Hell they may make men worse but never the better 6. Think on the Deceitfulness of the things of the World They do promise to men much help and comfort or rather men promise to themselves much by them but both they and themselves deceive themselves and meet with bitterness instead of sweetness and trouble instead of comfort therefore called deceitful Riches Mat. 13.22 Like Jael seeds men with Milk but pierceth their heads and hearts afterwards with sorrow like Joab and Judas who salute with a Kiss but stab to the heart 7. On the Hurtfulness of them Especially being got and kept by unlawful means and used and imployed to unlawful ends they keep them from a great deal of good and expose them to a great deal of hurt 1. They keep men from a great deal of good as the minding the glory of God and the good of Souls both their own and others keep them either from using the means of Grace or from profiting by them Ezek 33.31 32. Luke 18.19 2. Expose them to a great deal of evil both of Sin and Punishment the wrath and curse of God and Man both here and to all eternity in Hell as you may see clearly Eccles 5.13 1 Tim. 6.9 10. James 5.1 2 3. Hence it is that Solomon stiles them not only Vanity but vexation of Spirit because they are still vexing men either with cares in getting or fears in keeping or sorrows in losing and our Saviour compares them to Thorns because they are still piercing both head and heart with troubles in getting and grief in parting with them 8. Meditate on the great folly and madness of men in minding affecting and pursuing these things of the World before and more then the things of God and Christ and his Spirit and Kingdom and the wellfare of their own precious and immortal Souls The Spirit of God brands them frequently in the Scripture for Fools or the Fools and the worst of Fools Prov. 1.22 Mat. 23.17 18. Luke 12.19 20. and not without cause 1. He is a Fool that is not able to discern between Copper and Gold Pebles and Pearls that will part with the richest Coyn for the richest Counter what are all temporal things in comparison of spiritual and eternal Excellencies but dross and dung 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 offal and Dogs-meat in comparison of Christ Grace and Glory as the Apostle stiles them Phil. 3. 2. He is a Fool you know that minds onely things present and nothing for the future A wise man foresees the evil and hides himself but a fool passeth on and is punished Prov. 22.5 A wise man fore-sees and fore-casts his business but a fool doth neither And such fools are all worldly wise men all for this present World and nothing for another I have read a story of a certain great Man that having many Houses was wont every month to go from one House to anothe◠and send Harbingers before
God Let all the Angels of God worship him and were all along at his command and service attended on him in his Birth Life Death Resurrection Ascention and shall at the last day in his comming to Judgement as you may see clearly in reading the Gospel Luke 1.13 22.43 24.5 6. Acts 1.10 11. Mat. 8.38 13.49 3. They minister to the Church and People of God in Life and Death and after Death 1. In Life They Minister both to the well-fare of their Bodies and Souls in watching over them and protecting them from evil Psal 34.7 Psal 91.10 11. instructing and directing quickning incouraging and comforting them in that which is good Dan. 8.16 17. Dan. 9.12 Gen. 24.7 Gen. 32.1 Isa 6.6 7. Rev. 22.9 2. In Death They are about their Beds refresh them in their Sufferings as they did Christ in his Agonies stand ready to receive their Souls and to carry them as they did the Soul of Lazarus into Abraham's Bosom Luke 16.22 3. After Death They watch over their Bodies as Michael the Arch-Angel did over the Body of Moses Jude 9. And at the last day they shall open their Graves and bring out their Bodies and secure them from the fire that it shall not hurt them as in 〈…〉 these three Children in the Fiery Furnace Dan. 3. And whereas the Devil will then be most raging the good Angels will restrain them and stop their mouths as they did stop the mouths of the Lyons when Daniel was cast into the Den after this they will gather together all the Elect from the four quarters of the Earth Mat. 24.31 and separate them from the Reprobates Mat. 13.40 Take them up into the Clouds to be Accessors with Christ in Judgment on the wicked World 1 Cor. 6.1 and joyn with them 〈◊〉 praising God Rev. 4.9 10. Rev. 5.11 12. 7.9 10. Q. 2. What are our duties in respect of the good Angels A. These are many and weighty though little known and less practised by the most and therefore mind them well 1. To admire the wonderful love of God in honouring us with such glorious and blessed Guardians not only vouchsafing his own protection and the protection of his Son and Spirit but also of his blessed Angels Is not this matter of admiration what are the Angels but the most glorious Creatures in the World the glorious Courtiers of Heaven No Prince on Earth hath so glorious a Guard as every Saint even the poorest hath every day and night and therefore to be still admiring and adoring this wonderful love of God and say Lord what is Man and I among the Sons of Men that thou shouldest honour me so far as to give thy Angels a charge to minister to me and watch over me every day and night 2. To glory in this priviledge above all other priviledges in the World that we have such high and excellent Creatures to minister to us and to be our Guardians If men have a great and long Train at theit heels of great and Noble Persons in Silk and Sattin and Golden Chains how do they run after them and gaze upon them whereas alas all this bravery is but beggery to the Glory of those that wait upon the Saints they have higher and more glorious attendance those noble and glorious Courtiers of Heaven men need a fair day and a clear Sun-shine to discover their bravery or half the shew of it is lost but now nothing can darken the glory of the Saints attendance Mat. 28.2 3. And behold there was a great Earth-quake for the Angel of the Lord descended from Heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it his countenance was like Lightning and his Raiment white as Snow 3. Take heed you do not injure any the least of God's Saints the poorest meanest most contemptible of them Why Because they have the glorious Angels to wait upon them and minister unto them Mat. 18.10 See that thou despise not one of these little ones for I say unto you the Angels behold the Face of my Father Why should any think them unworthy of their company and countenance when the greatest Angels think them worthy of their attendance and service if any wrong them the Angels will certainly right them When the Sodomites rose up against Lot the Angel smote them with blindness and rescued Lot out of their hands If Balaam go about to curse God's Israel an Angel stands in the way with a drawn Sword to withstand him If proud Sennacherib threaten to destroy Hezekiah and his People an Angel goes forth and slayes in one night a hundred eighty and five thousand in his Army And therefore take heed of wronging any of them any way 4. Be quickned hence to honour and serve that God more chearfully that hath so highly honoured and incouraged you in the service of him as to appoint the Glorious Angels to attend upon you in it shall they that are so high and holy above us stoop so low as to attend upon us and Minister to us at God's command and shall not we who are so inferior to him readily do service to him who is so high above us and hath no need of our service and whose service cannot any way reach to him but only to our selves And when our honour and happiness is wrapt up in it what a shame were this and what an aggravation will this be upon all idle Servants at the last day 5th Duty To carry our selves so as we may injoy the benefit sweet and comfort of this glorious and blessed Priviledge the Ministration and Service of the Angels Q. How is that A. Mind well it consists in these Particulars 1. To take more notice of this glorious Priviledge then ever you have done If you have been ignorant and heedless of it heretofore take the shame of it and labour to get a more distinct knowledge of it and get your Faith confirmed and established in it for is it not a foul shame that such glorious Spirits should take notice of us and minister to us and we take no notice of them 2. To see that you be such Persons as God hath given his Angels a charge over Who are they 1st Such as fear the Lord Psalm 34.7 2ly Such as keep in God's Wayes the wayes of his Commandments Psalm 91.1 3ly Such as continually pray to God for their direction and protection as Abraham's Servant did Gen. 24.7 and the Israelites Numb 20.16 4ly Such as are Heirs of Salvation for they minister only unto such Heb. 1. last 3. To carry your selves reverently in their presence and take heed you do nothing that should offend and grieve them whence that 1 Cor. 10.11 12. A Woman ought to cover her Head because of the Angels that is as Mr. Perkins sayes not onely in respect of God's Ministers but the Angels and not without great reason 1. Because they are present to observe our carriage in all the Service of God