immediately on the fall applyed himself to him and promised a Redeemer Paul to the Romans makes Adam a Figure of him that was to come Rom. 5.14 If sin and guilt might have made any man pine away Adam had been the man that opened the Flood-gates of Sin and Wrath to break in upon the World and was the ruine of the greatest part of his Posterity yet hearing of a Saviour he lived almost a thousand years We are not so to mourn for sin as to forget to rejoyce in Christ our Saviour Of this blessed Saviour I shall speak in the next Chapter CHAP. II. Of the Sufferings of Christ MEDITATIONS GOD is more pleased with the Sufferings of Christ than displeased with the Sin of Adam he more loveth us as the Children of Christ than he hated us as the Children of Adam We must often consider the Death of Christ and be affected with it It was Prophesyed of old Zach. 12.10 They shall look on him whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as one mourneth for the loss of an only Son and shall be in bitterness for him as one that is in bitterness for his first-born And O what wringing of hands what deep Groans what doleful Out-cryes are there made oftentimes for the loss of an onely Child or First-born Act 2.37 What made Peters Converts to be prickt at the Heart but the Preaching of a crucified Christ I shall here consider 1. What Crucifying was 2. Who were the Agents in this Work 3. Who and what he was on whom this Cruelty was acted 1. For the manner of Crucifying There was Lignum Geminum as the learned Weems speaks at large in his Christian Synagogue The Cross had four things Arrectarium or Main-tree Scabellum the Tree where the feet were Nailed Lignum transversum whereunto their Arms were fastned with Cords and there Nail'd Vertex the Title with the Inscription above the Head This way of putting to Death was so shameful and so lingring that the Romans inflicted it on none but Slaves or the vilest sort of men Constantine in Honour of Christ took away this Punishment Christ had carryed his own Cross as all Crucified Persons did but they had so weakned him Mat. 27.32 that they made Simon of Cyrene to carry it not out of Kindness to Christ but hatred lest he being so severely handled before should faint by the way and their blood-shot eyes lose the Pleasure of beholding him tormented on the Cross The Romans call'd this Punishment Servile Supplicium for the reason before-named 2. We come to consider the Actors in this woful Tragedy They were not the prophane Gentiles or common Rabble among the Jews that only did this but the High Priest the Scribes the Pharisees 1. They that had so long prayed and waited for his coming Before he came into the world the Devout Jews thought Blessed were the eyes that should see the promised Messiah in the Flesh It was a Petition commonly made by them in their Giving of Thanks at their Tables Let our eyes be made worthy to see the Messiah in the Flesh What cryes were there Isa 64.1 O that he would rend the Heavens and come down Malachi that closed up the Old Testament foretold how though they longed for him yet they could not stand before him Mal. 3.1 2. Behold I will send my Messenger and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his Temple even the Messenger of the covenant in whom ye delight But what follows But who may abide the day of his coming And who shall stand when he appeareth For he is like Refiners Fire and as Fullâ—rs Sope. He dealt too plainly with the world conâ—erning their Sin and Duty to be welcom'd by them They expected a Messias to deliver them from the power of the Romans and God sent a Messias to deliver from the power of the Devil 2. They that were acquainted with the Law and the Prophets That might by Types and Prophesies have known that Christ was the promised Saviour 3. They that heard his Doctrine and saw his Miracles His Doctrine was spitual and Heavenly reaching the Heart and Soul His Miracles were not done in a Corner as feeding many thousands with a few Loaves his raising Lazarus from the Dead 3. We now come to consider who and what he was who thus suffered 1. He that did their Bodies so much good Paul sayes for a good man some would even dare to die Though scarcely for a Righteous man Rom. 5.7 That is consider him as righteous before God and so few love him so well as to die for him but consider him as good to man so some would lose their lives for him But here they were so far from dying for this good man that they contrived his death He cured all sorts of men of all sorts of Distempers he raised the Dead c. 2. He that came to save Souls from endless burnings and to bring them to endless Blessedness 1 Thes 1.10 It is not more true that our Bodies and Souls are now in the world than that they had been in endless misery had not Christ dyed 3. He that was God God suffered in the Person Acts 20.28 though not in the Nature Hence it is that his Temporal Sufferings were as much as our Eternal would have been Christ had his Sonship but not his Substance from the Father who begat him in respect of Personality not of Essence The dignity of his person made the Sin of crucifying him so great I will suppose that all the Saints in Heaven and Earth were met together yea that all the Angels were incarnate and among them and that a man or number of men should murther them all this Sin were no sin in comparison of what I now speak of the Crucifying of the Lord of Glory Christ suffered from first to last In his Birth for the Ancient of Dayes to be born in time for the Eternal God to become a Babe this is soon said but who understands the depth of these things Luke 2.12 And this shall be a sign unto you you shall find the Babe wrapped in swadling-cloaths lying in a Manger yet was all ordered by the infinite wisdom of God Had Christ been the Son of Herod or Caesar then it had been no wonder that all the world went out after him but that one so obscurely born should carry the world before him was wonderful John when in Patmos Rev. 11.15 foresaw That the Kingdoms of the World would become the Kingdoms of the Lord and his Christ which then was very unlikely in outward appearance He was sorely tempted by the Devil we read at large in Mat. 4. Gods end in all we have Heb. 2.18 Being tempted he is able to succour them that are tempted Ask the Saints what Suffering this is that often sweat under this Saddle when they are tempted to hate God or distrust him have such suggestions as are not fit
them and blessed them and called their name Adam In the day when they were Created they were one though not by a Physical yet by a Conjugal Union they were two distinct persons yet one by nearness of relation and so I may consider them both though sometimes I name one only as I see occasion Before the Fall great were the priviledges they had for their Bodie and Souls Of the first sort 1. Their Bodies were sound and free from all distempers bodies that could not be disturbed by any outward colds or heats or by any inward malignity or humours Gen. 2. ult Ask the sick and unhealthy that are chained by many pains in Head Stomack what this mercy was 2. All the Creatures were in subjection to him Gen. 1.28 29 30. God gave man Dominion over the Birds of the air and over the Beasts of the earth and over the Fish of the sea and over the living things that creep on the earth The Creatures saw such a lustre in the countenance of man that they fear'd him so much majesty yet appears though sin hath lessen'd it that the Beasts fear us not a little For venomous Creatures they either had no venome or that venom could not hurt 3. He was seated in a pleasant Habitation Gen. 2.8 And the Lord God planted a Garden eastward in Eden and there he put the man whom he had formed The Excellency of which place we read in the 10 11 12 13 14. verses Where he was placed or where Eden was a Learned Author hath spent much time to enquire Sir Walt. Rawley Hist of World That Paradise was not the whole world is clear from Gen. 3.24 So he drove out the man not sure out of the world for Adam lived Gen. 5.5 nine Hundred and thirty years For the idle notions that the Rivers signifie virtues c. I will not honour them with a confutation The good things of the Soul were these 1. It was enricht with wonderful knowledge Gen. 2.19 20. When God brought the Creatures to Adam he on the first sight gave names to them that is names significative or expressive of their natures as if we should call a Lion Rage a Lamb Meek a Dove Innocent c. His Knowledge much exceeded ours his was habitual ours acquired his was compleat ours imperfect His knowledg was as much above the knowledg of the wisest man on earth as the knowledg of a wise man above the knowledge of a Child 2. He had a perfection of Holiness not only a perfection of degrees but of parts he was perfect not only if we consider Perfection in opposition to Hypocrisy as Abraham Noah and many Saints in Scripture are said to be perfect But perfect in opposition to any defect or imperfection Adam in Paradise was as an Angel in Heaven was as free from any Sin or contempt of God 3. He had frequent and immediate and full Communion with God Gen. 2.16 17. God speaks to man and man to God without any fear or dread What an honour is it for a mean man to have the ear of a Prince or great man at his pleasure Hence it was that Paradise was a lower Heaven which makes some think if man had not sinned he had there continued for ever 2. We come to consider what Sins we were guilty of in the Fall Man had very bad thoughts of a good God very good thoughts of a bad Devil very high thoughts of low Self Adam and Eve 1. They made God a Lyar and justified the Devil as a Speaker of truth Gen. 2.17 God said In the day you eat thereof you shall die Gen. 3.3 The Devil said You shall not surely die Gen. 3.4 The Woman said Lest you die God affirms the Devil denies and the woman doubts Many Temptations Adam had that we know not Now this was by Interpretation to give God the Lye How tedious is it among men to be called a Lyar and what effusion of blood hath it caused Now the Devil the Father of Lies is believed more than God 2. They lookt on God as unworthy to be their Commander and took the Devil for their Councellour God must stand by the Devil takes place They chose this God or Guide for themselves and Posterity hence it is the Devil is called by the Apostle The God of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 3. They thought it unbecoming them to be restrained by any Law They should be as Gods Gen. 3.5 That there was some hidden vertue in the Tree that would make the Eaters of its fruit more like an absolute God than God would have them be and therefore God forbad the touching that Tree This was the Temptation 3. We shall consider what Miseries we brought on our selves after the Fall 1. We were deprived of the Image of the Blessed God According to supernatural endowments it was totally gone there was not one Spark of Grace left nothing of holiness remained in man According to natural endowments this Image was in part gone much wisdom much power over the Creatures was gone Gen. 3.7 They were as naked in their Souls as in their Bodies As Aaron in the matter of the Golden Calf is said to make the people naked Exod. 32.25 2. We were cast out of Paradise among the rest of the Beasts Gen. 3.24 Cherubims appeared in Shape like an Ox. Now man by Sin had made himself like the Beasts that perish and therefore God sends him to be their companion He is not now in Paradise but in a Wilderness not in a place of pleasure but of toyl and sorrow Gen. 3.19 3. We are naturally inclined to all sin and so exposed to all Judgments The Understanding is clouded with errour the judgment fails both in directing what is to be done and judging of the lawfulness or unlawfulness of what is done The affections are carnal In a word the Soul is blinded Gen. 3.19 nay some so blind as hardly to see the Being of God That what once God said to Adam they are ready to say to God Where art thou Gen. 2.17 I know it is enquired what Death was threatned in those words Gen. 2.17 In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die Some think only the death of the Body But I thus argue That Death that followed mans sin was there threatned and the death that followed was the natural death of the Body the spiritual death of the Soul and the eternal death both of Body and Soul and therefore all was threatned in those words Thou shalt die Is it reasonable to think that the great Law-maker put more in the Execution than there was in the Threat In Adam you find no confession of Sin to God but adding Sin to Sin Gen. 3.10 When he fled God calls to him how doth he reply I heard thy voice in the Garden and I was afraid because I was naked and I hid my self As if he had said I am hid because I heard thy voice it is exceeding
to be named He was despised in his common converse with men Luk. 8.20 The Foxes had their holes and the Birds of the Air their nests but Jesus had not where to lay his head He was reviled as one that had a Devil Joh. 10.20 Mark 2.16 Luk. 22.44 and was made as a Friend of Publicans and Sinners In his Agonies in the Garden He sweat drops of Blood though it were such a cold season that one might think would have struck the Blood inward It was a cold time for Peter stood to warm himself Our Sin was the heavy burthen that lay upon him When and after he was Betrayed Betrayed he was by a Friend a Bosome-friend to be Betrayed and that in point of Life and all by an intimate acquaintance goes near the Heart What David said to him that betrayed might Christ say to Judas Had it been an Enemy Psal 11.13 14. I could have born it but it was thou my Companion we took sweet Counsel together and walked together as Friends He was severely handled by Souldiers who batter'd his Ears with Blasphemy as well as tormented his Body when he was on the Cross Mat. 27. v. 39 40. they waged their Heads tell him of what he was accused vers 41 42 43. The great men revile him when usually men that scarce pray all the year long for themselves if they see any infamous Criminal executed they never tell him in a way of scoffing of his Fault or Crime but say God be merciful to his Soul At last Christ cryes out Mat. 27.46 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me We must warily understand this not as if God had forsaken Christ in respect of Strength for an Angel was sent to strengthen him Luk. 22.33 nor in respect of Essence nor of Complacency but God forsook him as to present comfort in a great measure Imagine you stood as the Devout Women at the Cross and saw this I now come to lay down a few Directions DIRECTIONS 1. Look on and wonder Are these things so 2 Tim. 3.1 Then great is the Mystery of Godliness God manifested in the flesh If it be a Mystery it cannot be fathomed Wonder at what Christ is and at what he doth What he is Prov. 30.4 It was the wise mans Probleme or hard Question What is his name or his Sons name if thou canst tell His Name is called Wonderful Isa 9.6 Wonder that the Divinity did not swallow up the Humanity that the fire and the bush can so well agree together All the Attributes of God are given to Christ all the Works of God spoken of him as of Creation Sanctification Glorification Therefore Christ is God not only by name or secundum divi but God by Nature He was God that he might satisfie he was Man that he might suffer Wonder at what he doth Patereulus says that when the Lacedemonians opposed Attica the Pythian God told them that that Army whose General was taken should conquer Codrus deposita veste regia c. Codrus laying aside his Princely Robes went among his enemies and was slain by them Our King on Maunday Thursday so call'd as some say because of the Command of Love Christ gave his Disciples before his Passion Mandatum novum do vobis I say our King useth to wash the feet of as many poor People as he hath lived years and yet not the less a King for this humble act Our Lord Jesus the King of Kings and Lord of Lords dyed that we might live abased himself that he might exalt us Psalm 126.1 2. When God delivered the Church out of Babylon by Cyrus they were like men that dreamed How much more should we be Astonished at our deliverance from Sin and Satan by Jesus Christ 2. Let Love be attactive of Love Let the Love of Jesus to us make us to Love him I have read of Agilmond King of the Lombards that one day he went a fishing and saw a Babe sprawling in the Water perhaps a base child he took it up and made it his adopted Son and called him Lama and left him his Crown and Kingdom You may easily imagine what delight this Lama took in seeing of King Algilmond whilst he lived and in thinking and speaking of this King after he was dead How excellently doth God express his love to the poor Jews of old Ezek. 16.4 5 6. As for thy Nativity in the day thou wast born thy Navel was not cut neither wast thou washed in water None eye pitied thee to do any of these unto thee to have compassion on thee but thou wast cast out into the open field to the loathing of thy person in the day that thou wast born And when I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thy own Blood I said unto thee when thou wast in thy Blood live And lest this should be soon passed over the Holy Ghost bids them as it were stand and hear it the second time Yoa I said unto thee when thou wast in thy Blood live When Tiberius was in a Village named Spelunca Stones fell from the house where he was Sejanus genu vultu manibusque super Caesarem suspensis opposuit sese satis incidentibus saith Tacitus Sejanus covered the Emperour that if the Stones fell where they were Sejanus might die and not the Emperour which as the Historian observes made the Emperour ever after to love Sejanus though he loved him not before The wrath of God fell from Heaven because of mans sin Christ hath embraced the Sinner and that wrath hath fallen on him that else had crushed us O let us love him let us not be satisfied till we find our hearts burning in love 3. Crucifie Sin that crucified Christ Be the death of those Sins that were the death of Jesus Pride Wrath Covetousness and every abominable thing which the Soul of God hates Rom. 6.6 Knowing this that our Old man is crucified with Christ that the body of sin might be destroyed that henceforth we should not serve sin Sin is onely destroyed by his death had not Christ dyed for us we could no more have killed our Corruptions or been made Saints than the Devils can cease to be Devils and become Angels 4. Come to God as those that expect to be justified no other way but by Christ and his Righteousness In him is God well pleased with Believers The Names given to Christ are in Scripture given to a Christian as Son of God an Heir King yea the name Christ The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 12.12 As many Members make one Body even so is Christ Where it is understood not of Christ personally but mystically for Christians or the Church of Christ Now as Adams sins is imputed to us though he and not we disobeyed so Christs Righteousness is imputed to us though he not we obeyed 2 Cor. 5. last verse Though Adams Sin be imputed to us yet we were not the first sinners nor the involvers of all Mankind
Like men that should go on singing and dancing and calling for their Cups and Musick to the place of Execution I have spoken of several Duties of reading Scripture Prayer Charity but we must remember all must be done in Sincerity and this is the next thing we shall consider CHAP VIII Of Sincerity MEDITATIONS MAny there are I doubt not whose Sincerity no man questions that will be found formal another day and many that few thought well of will be saved Snow covers Dunghils Gilt makes common Wood and Stones look like Gold So doth a Profession and some attainments make many Unconverted Men look like true Christians When Judas went up and down Preaching the Gospel if any one had said to him Judas thou art now perswading the world to close with Christ within a little time thou thy self wilt betray this Christ to death for thirty pieces of Silver would he have believed it or would he not rather have said as Hazael to Elisha 2 Kings 8.13 Am I a Dog that I should do this thing Many famous Ministers great Preachers men of great Parts and Zeal much followed by all and accounted Angels from Heaven I fear will in a little time Mat. 258. cry Our Lamps are gone out Many forward hearers that have done many things set on Reformation and minded reading and praying in their Families will I fear in a little time be found to be Cakes half baked Hos 7.8 On the other hand there are many Ministers and People that are taken but little notice of for Religion that I hope will be saved Their Heavenly Father sees that in secret hearts broken for Sin and breathing after Christ for which he will reward them openly Many that deceive themselves thus plead I can remember the time when the place where the Minister by whom I was Converted 1 Kings 21.27 28.29 When Ahab heard these words he rent his cloaths he fasted c. God takes notice of it to the Prophet Seest thou not how Ahab humbleth himself before me Then Ahab remembred the time when the place where the Prophet by whom he was terrifyed so as to pray fast and had a Promise from God on the doing this work Acts 8.13 Simon himself believed and was Baptized Verse 21. And yet his heart was not right in the sight of God Philips Doctrine and Miracles Converted seemingly him that had deceived many Simon might say I remember the time when the place where the Minister by whom I was convinced and awakened and yet he was in the gall of Sin and the bond of Iniquity Gal. 4.14 15 16. Once again many of them received Paul as an Angel of God even as Christ Jesus high words were ready to have plucked out their eyes and have given them to him and yet at last they accounted him their Enemy because he told them the truth No doubt many of them were but formal to whom he said Where is then the Blessedness you spake of These men could remember the time when the place where the Minister by wom they were reformed Many such men can say but little else but their first Convictions and Terrours Others plead That God hath heard and wonderfully answer'd their Prayers and that they are assured from the Scriptures of Truth John 19.31 That God heareth not Sinners but if any man be a Worshpper of God him he heareth And they will tell you of Extraordinary Providences that they have met with as an answer to Prayer I answer It may be God heard not your Prayers but your Murmurings as Numb 11. The Quails came at the peoples request here was a Providence but what was the close of all Some have desired Children Riches c. but unless these things have made them love and serve God they never were given in a way of Mercy but Judgment Or it may be God heard only the Cry of nature in you as he hears the cries of Young Lions and Ravens Gen. 21.17 19 20. God heard Hagar's and Ishmaels Cry When Hagar lift up her voice and wept an Angel calls to her and tells her God had heard the Cry of the Lad and it is said vers 21. God was with the Lad. Hagar and Ishmael might they say God hath heard and wonderfully answered our Prayers and God heareth not Sinners And yet both were cast out I doubt not but God doth work Wonders or Miracles for their Preservation or Deliverance that shall never be saved Some plead But I find I have Repentance I have Faith I yield Obedience to the Gospel c. Amen would to God it may appear to be so Yet hear the Word of the Lord Mat. 8.12 The Children of the Kingdom shall be cast out Conclude on it there is nothing in Art that doth more resemble a thing in nature than Legal Repentance resembles Evangelical Temporary Faith Saving Partial Obedience Universal Never was there the picture or Statua of a man that did more resemble a living man than common Grace doth Saving Never was any Brass Half-Crown more like one of good Silver than the life of a Hypocrite may the life of a Christian Have you so repented of Sin as to loath Sin as Sin for its malignity and evil nature Hath your faith made you to esteem of Christ his Ordinances and People more than of all Treasures Your Obedience unfeigned without reserves In the account we have of the sickness and death of Bellarmine done by C.E. the Jesuite one passage he hath to make him famous to the world which makes me more to hate the name and memory of Bellarmine than any thing recorded of him That when his Confessor came to him Such saith he was the innocency of the man that he could hardly tell what to confess insomuch that his Ghostly Father was in some perplexity wanting matter of Absolution till by recourse to his life past he found some small defects of which he absolved him The Author cryes O Zealous Mind O Noble Bishop but let the Christian poor in spirit that complains with Paul Rom. 7. of a Body of Sin and Death cry O stupid Soul O vile Hypocrite how secure was thy Conscience that at thy death hadst no scruple but the exchanging of one good work for another and that when commanded to it That was his leaving the Archbishoprick of Capua for better preserment What is related of him his lying on his bed with his eyes and hands lift up to Heaven his falling prostrate on the ground to receive the Sacrament his bestowing so much to feed the poor all these things signifie nothing when the heart is so proud so insensible of its own Gailt Then every man must try himself The Famous Divines in the Synod of Dort gave these Marks of Sincerity Dordrehti Synodus Vera in Christum fides filialis Dei timor dolor de peccatis secundum Deum sitis esuries justitiae A True Faith in Christ when a man humbly relies upon him for Life
if you reprove not you are the cause of their damnation I have read in the dreadful Tragedy of the destruction of the English by the Dutch at Amboyna that one Dunchin who had falsely accused them one day passing by the Pit where sixteen of them were cast in that he fell on it raging and was distracted considering there lay so many men he had ruined How many go into Eternity whose Souls you have betrayed into the Infernal Pit by your sinful discourse or by your sinful silence Stop the mouth of the Swearer and Blasphemer as much as you can James 3.4 5 6. Behold also the Ships which though they be so great and are driven with fierce winds yet are they turned about with a very small Helm whithersoever the Governour listeth Even so the Tongue is a little member and boasteth great things Behold how great a matter a little fire kindleth The tongue is a fire a world of iniquity And it is set on fire of Hell I wish you Moses's Blessing Deut. 33.18 19. Rejoice Zebulon in thy going out Suck of the abundance of the Seas and hid treasures in the Sands Have you been as those Mariners Jon. 1.15.16 When Seas have raged and ceased made Vows to the Lord Keep your Vows Instruct poor Pagans in the way to God Consider the worth of your Souls and theirs The better your Cargo is the more you fear Ship-wrack O man thou art richly laden that Vessel thy Body carryes a Soul of greater value than all the Treasures upon earth Let it never be said of it what was said of that Ship and men in it Acts 27.20 That all hope of being saved was taken away S. Y. THE PREFACE ALcinous the Platonist tells us That Plato thought that the work of a Philosopher consisted in three things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which I think taking the liberty the Poet speaks of Nec verbum verbo curabis reddere fidus Interpres Herat. de Art Poet. I may tâ—uâ— English In thinking well in doing well and in speaking well What their Philosophy which was much of their Natural Religion taught them doth Christianity which is our supernatural Religion teach us but in a different way and in a fuller manner The design of the following discourse is to help in this work There are many things for Meditation of God his Word c. many practical Directions for a holy useful life several helps to speak to God and for God I know dangerous it is for a man in my circumstances to be a Writer But I care not if my counsel be accepted what becomes of my person I am perswading the World to play the Christian to play the Man As Solomon brings in Wisdom speaking so do I Unto you O men do I call and my voice is unto the Sons of men Are you men learn to act according to the excellency and dignity of your natures Let me beseech those into whose hands this Book may come if they have given up themselves to the Immoralities of the Age Drunkenness Adultery Swearing Oppression c. that have all vices that may make their lives a full Systeme of wickedness Vices the nanning of which may seem to corrupt the Air we breathe in Vices that need little more to their confutation than to be thought on I say let me perswade you to consider Is Sin an evil thing Grace a desirable thing Is God and your Souls to be minded above all things or not If not why do you say they are If they are why do you not live as those that thus believe I do not despair but that some who are guilty of the unpresidented Sins of the times Sins of the first Edition if they would consider they may yet learn to walk soberly righteously and godly in this present World I know such are ready to say Object Religion is abused to very bad purposes by some Answ I Answer And used to very good purposes by others Is Rhetorick to be despised because by it some bad men learn to colour a bad cause as well as some good men to flourish a good cause Is Logick to be despised because some learn to dispute Sophistically as well as others Topically Is the light of the Sun to be despised because one steals by it as another works in his Calling How many men had lived as Incarnate Devils that now live as Terrestrial Angels had not Religion healed their Natures and regulated their Lives Remember Sin is a great part of the misery and punishment of these men They are out God his Grace and Love and content to be so they serve the Devil and Sin and are glad of the work The Lord bring in such as their Elder Brother in the Gospel that was healed of his distraction and was placed in his right mind at the Feet of Jesus SOME Prison Meditations AND DIRECTIONS ON Several Subjects CHAP. I. Of the Fall of Man MEDITATIONS THat the finding out of our Disease is necessary in order to a Cure is not more true of the Natural Distempers of our Bodies than of the Spiritual Distempers of our Souls The Apostle mentions the Fall of man at large to the Romans to make way for the discovery of the Necessary and Excellency of a Saviour Ron 5. In the Fall of man I shall consider that we all were in the First Man as in Heb. 7.9.10 Levi is said to pay Tithes to Melchisedeck as he was in the loyns of his Father Abraham So we may be said to eat Forbidden Fruit as we were in the loyns of our Father Adam We were in him as a Nation in their King Adam was our Repreâ—â—eâ—â—ative If he had stood we had had the benesit of his obedience though he not we obeyed So he disobeying we are brought under the Curse though he and not we offended It is in vain in war if Subjects be taken to say our King proclaimed and made the War not we we never consented to it If the Posterity of a Traitor be disinherited it is in vain for them to plead Our Father not we conspired the death of the Prince we were not then born Besides the nature of man by the Fall was corrupt and a clean thing cannot come out of an unclean Job 14.4 It is true indeed what God said by Ezekiel The Children shall not bear the Iniquity of the Father Ezek. 19.20 If the Father sin alone it is so but this is not our Case for we find our Principles and so Practices corrupted Adam was but one man personally but he was all men potentially and originally I shall in order consider 1. What we were before the Fall 2. What Sin we were guilty of in the Fall 3. What misery we brought on our selves after the Fall I may sometimes name Adam onely but it must be thus understood that we all were He. 1. What Adam was before he fell Adam and Eve Gen. 5.2 are both called Adam Male and Female created he
Christ will condemn the Wicked in the great day there is not the least Promise of Pity after thousands of Years or Ages Aegyptian Bondage though long yet ended so did the Babylonish Captivity but there will be no end of this misery God is not a man that he should repent 1 Sam. 15.29 there will be no change of his mind If God changeth Al. in Philos Platon saith a Platonist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. he must be changed of himself or some other if of another he must be greater than God or wiser which none can be if of himself he must change either for the better or the worse both which would argue imperfection in God and therefore he shall be known for ever to be a God that changeth not God is now preparing his Instruments of Death though vain men consider it not but are as Sheep or Oxen or other Beasts of the field that are grazing or sporting when one stands by whetting his Instruments to slay them DIRECTIONS Prepare for the day of Judgment and when prepared pray for it The compleating of the happiness of the Saints as to their body will be in that day What think you of the particular Judgment in the time of Death When Saul was told he should dye for that is the meaning of the word be with me that is in the number of the dead for Jonathan was a good man 1 Sam. 28.19 20. Then Saul fell strait way all along on the earth and there was no strength in him In the sixth verse we find In the day of his trouble God answered him not neither by Dreams nor by Vrim nor by Prophets Neither will God speak comfortably to ungodly men when they die by Ministers nor Scripture nor Conscience If you ask what that Vrim was we read not of it as a thing made by Moses or the People some think it was a precious stone in the breast of the High-Priest that by the change of its colour shewed what success the People should have in War as by Thummim what Offerings were accepted I know Mr. Weems throws in one rub against this Because saith he when the Priest put on Vrim and Thummim he asked Counsel at the mouth of the Lord He pleads if there were such a wonderful miraculous change of the colour of Vrim there was no need of asking of God his Opinion therefore was when the Priest had it on he was inspired to answer to the question I will not gainsay the Opinion only I conceive the objection is of no force for that change of the colour might be made by or in Prayer and calling upon God Saul had no answer the Ungodly shall cry in a time of Death and not be heard and when the day of judgment cometh that great day the Consciences of the despisers of Christ may say to them what once Zebul said to Gaal Judg. 9.38 Where is now thy mouth wherewith thou saidst Who is Abimelech that we should serve him Where is now thy mouth wherewith thou saidst Who is Christ that I should serve him Then will he say to such Exod. 6.1 what once God said to Moses of Pharaoh Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh Now shall Angels and Saints see what God will do to the ungodly but such as are prepared for that day may Pray for it Aug. Medit Aspice Domine Jesu cries Angustine viduitatis orbitatis meaelacrymas quas tibi offero donec redeas Behold Lord Jesus the tears of my Widdowhood or fatherless condition which I pour out 'till thou returnest Pray for the Judgment day that sin may be no more that all the faithful may be gathered in Pray for the eternal Kingdom Mat. 11.12 The Kingdom of Heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force You see how poor hungry Beggars cry at your doors for an alms if you do not presently answer them if you frown on them they will not be gone Let us all smite our breasts Blessed God what an infinite disproportion is there between my desires and their objects how coldly do I Pray for a Heaven 2. Get a Settlement in your Hearts of the truth and certainty of all these things It is reasonable to believe that verily there is a Reward for the Righteous Psal 58.11 verily there is a God that judgeth the earth God rewardeth not his People now God punisheth not his Enemies now and therefore will do it hereafter The worst of Men have many times the best of the World and the best of men the worst God hath put breathings and longings of Soul in his own after the full enjoyment of himself in Glory and he puts not those desires there to torment them but to satisfie these desires Men venture much at Sea in hopes of great gain Let hopes even weak hopes in many put them on diligence in God's Service Wherefore 1 Cor. 15.58 my Brethren be constant unmoveable alwayes abounding in the work of the Lord knowing your labour shall not be in vain 3. Let all the Saints admire and adore our Lord Jesus that saveth them from Hell and brings them to Heaven Mr. Ambrose in his Looking unto Jesus saith thus Suppose for an Offence thou wert to be rack'd leisurably that thy Bones and Sinews might be pained thirty or forty years that so much Flesh should be cut off-one day such a Bone broken another and by Art the Flesh should be restored and the Skin cured again and all thâ—se years thou be dying and never dead and all this while thou shouldest have no Cloaths Fâ—od or Sleep convenient for thee and when thou thought'st there was no hope a great Prince should come and deliver thee from all this misery and not only so but give thee great Treasures and one of the most pleasant Habitations in his Kingdom how would'st thou love that Prince Our Sin had condemned us to far greater Misery and our Lord Jesus hath procured for us far greater Mercy It is well God hath prepared an Eternity to admire this Love in 4. Do God that Service here on Earth that you can never do him in Heaven I will name a few Particulars and leave the Amplification to your Meditation 1. Take thy fill of spiritual Mourning for shine own and other mens Sins now Thou canst not do this when thou comest to Heaven for there is no Sin there 2. Bear up patiently under all thy Trials now thou canst not do this in Heaven for there is no trouble there 3. Deal liberally with distressed Christians now thou canst not do this in Heaven for there is no distressed Christians there 4. Delight in Scripture and Ordinances for the healing of thy Soul now thou canst not do this in Heaven for there is no unhealed Soul there A Word to the Vnconverted Are these things so Then may I say to you what the Prophet said of Moab and Kirharesh Isa 16.11 Wherefore my Bowels shall sound as