sin deserves thy hatred does not thy Lord deserve thy love What and where hadst thou been if he had not loved thee and given himself for thee Thy Lord is every way excellent the chiefest among ten thousand altogether lovely the most admired among the visible Creatures the finest Gold the richest Jewels nay the shining Sun in the Firmament are but poor similitudes and faint shaddows to set forth his incomparable perfections The Heavens are not clean Angels themselves are black when compared with Jesus who is the image of the invisible God! This high this glorious and beautiful One became flesh and sin and a Curse for thee so that his love is incomparable as well as his loveliness O my soul set open all the flood-gates let thy love even all of it run in a strong and undivided stream towards him Love this Lord Jesus in sincerity love him with greater ardency love him with the greatest constancy Here is no danger of excess no danger of defilement or a snare in thy loving Christ as there is in loving of the Creatures Study him better and thou wilt see new beauties in him daily grow in knowledge that thou mayst grow in grace and love Let thy desires grow stronger and stronger his fulness can easily satisfie them Rejoyce in Him with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory and cry out with an affectionate and holy impatiency Come Lord Jesus come quickly Appear the second time without sin unto Salvation MEDITATION XLIII How much is mine if Christ my beloved is mine What unsearchable riches have I an interest in No match comparable to that with Christ either for the excellencies of the person or the largeness of the estate What poor offers doth the World and the God of the World make me They talk much of honour and wealth and mirth and pleasure but these afford no true contentment for that short time they are enjoy'd and they perish in the very using Death does quickly come with a convincing demonstration and proves the richest man a meer beggar the greatest Prince a contemptible clod of the Earth the fairest and most admired beauty a skinful of dirt Can Satan offer any thing that is Everlasting No good thing I am sure that is so Indeed Everlasting pains Eververlasting burnings Everlasting wrath he will bring all unto that are led Captive by him at his pleasure but these Eternal evils he does most studiously conceal and hide But this is the commendation of My Lords Benefits that they are permanent and durable The Treasures wax not old the one thing needful cannot be taken away the inheritance is incorruptible and the Kingdom he will give his followers cannot be moved MEDITATION XLIV If Christ is mine the Father is mine How sweet were those words which come out of my Lords mouth quickly after he came out of the Grave Go tell my Brethren I ascend to my Father and your Father unto my God and your God All the Attributes of God are engaged on my side His wisdom will be my guide his power and truth my guard and shield His presence will be with me wherever I am and his Grace sufficient for me in all my troubles and Temptations All my desire will be before him and my groaning will not be hid from him and he can easily furnish me with the good things I desire and deliver me from those evils which make me groan before him I shall not want while the All-sufficient God is my Shepherd my state is secure and safe for my God is unchangeable He will never turn away from me to do me good and his Grace will establish me and hinder my departing he will uphold me with the right hand of his Righteousness and guide me with his Counsel and afterwards receive me to his Glory Be not thou cast down or discouraged O my Soul be not disquieted within me Hope thou in God and continually praise Him who is the health of my countenance and my God MEDITATION XLV If Christ is mine the Spirit is mine The same soul does animate and Act the Head and the Body the same Spirit is in Christ and in all his true and living Members The Spirit of Wisdom and Illumination will enlighten me and make me able to judge all things after a right manner The Spirit of truth will lead me into all necessary truth so that I shall be ignorant or mistaken in nothing which is needful to be understood and known in order unto Salvation This Spirit will make me hold the Head and from him I shall derive not only a directing light but a vital influx which will quicken me and make me alive more and more abundantly Glorious Spirit Thou art the Lord and Giver of Life without thee the Word of Life is dead and proves a savour of Death unto Death Without thee Ordinances are without efficacy without thee my Heart is cold and comfortless I grieve that I have grieved thee Oh let me be thy Habitation and thy Temple let me see thy blessed light let me feel thy glorious power and know by more abundant experience what thy peace and joy means The lusts of the flesh which defile thy Temple let them be destroyed mortifie the deeds of the Body fill me with Grace and make me fit for Glory Let the least check of thine restrain me every motion of thine let it be obeyed Let me perpetually have an ear to Hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches MEDITATION XLVI If Christ is mine the Creatures are also mine The Sun was created to give me light and to make me admire the God that made it The Stars observe their courses for my good The Ordinances of the Heavens which alter not at mans pleasure may serve as an instruction to me that Gods Covenant when Earth and Hell have done their worst shall be kept and stand fast for ever the Earth is Fruitful the Sea does Ebb and Flow the Rain descends the Beasts and Fish and Fowl do multiply to do me a kindness The Ground was made for me to tread on the Air for me to breath in and though such mercies as these are vouchsafed to wicked men yet they are given to me in another way My Lord has bought them for me with his blood for with him they are given to me they are not a trap a snare to me as they are to others but they are truly blessed to me as well as given The higher Creatures are also mine Paul and Apollo and Cephas nay the very Angels are said to be ministring Spirits and are ready to Minister to me and to guard me Those loving humble Spirits have a charge given them concerning the Members of Christ and willingly look after them that are the Heirs of Salvation MEDITATION XLVII If Christ be mine Death is also mine as well as Life Death is terrible indeed to Nature and causes the frame thereof to be dissolved but my Lord has reconciled this last Enemy 'T is really mine
to serve me too much mine to do me any real harm Christ by dying has taken out the sting of Death so that I need not any longer be under bondage through the Fear of Death O Death Thou hast left thy sting in the side of Christ and there hast lost it O Grave My Lord has broke thy gates open and because he is risen I may joyfully conclude my own Resurrection My body must lye in darkness for a while but it shall not always be Death's Prisoner This corruptible shall put on incorruption this mortal shall put on immortality and as the Corn cast into the ground does rise with advantage every single grain yeilding sometimes an hundred fold so my flesh shall come up out of the Earth with an hundred fold better qualities then now it has 'T is sown in weakness 't is raised in power 't is sown in dishonour 't is raised in glory But O my Soul Death will not be able at all to seize on thee Thou wilt be delivered out of a dungeon when thou leavest thine Earthly Tabernacle and go unto a glorious Palace assoon as ever thou art absent from the Body thou wilt be present with the Lord assoon as thou art departed thou will be with Christ and how much better that is thou wilt find to thy full and Everlasting joy MEDITATION XLVIII If my Beloved is mine and all things mine is there not reason I should be His His I am and His I will be to eternity Lord I am Thine for thou hast made me and not I my self I am thine by the right of purchase as well as Creation for thou hast bought me with a price Nay thou hast new made me on purpose for thine own use and that I should shew forth thy praises And I do willingly resign and yeild my self to thee if I am thy Servant make use of me if I am thy Treasure keep me if I am a child let me be imployed in my Fathers business if I am Betrothed to thee let thy love and jealousie secure me from other Lovers Oh let me be wholly only always Thine Turn away my eyes from beholding vanity Let my tongue be like an Angels continually sounding forth thy Name Let my hands be holy the path of my feet pondered let all my members be yeilded as instruments of Righteousness and let my soul with all its powers love and serve thee Lord sanctifie and satisfie and save me and honour me by employing me for I lift up my soul and give my very heart to thee MEDITATION XLIX Ten thousand times ten thousand praises to the God of love and peace Who would not worship thee and give thee glory O thou King of Saints Let thy Church on Earth as well as Heaven ring aloud with Hallelujah's Who is God save the Lord who is a Rock save our God! Who in Heaven above or in Earth beneath is to be compared to Thee a God glorious in holiness terrible in Majesty rich in mercy abounding in Grace wonderful in working and keeping truth for ever Who can by searching find out God! who can find out the Almighty to perfection It is high as Heaven what can we do Deeper then Hell what can we know Who is a God like unto thee abundant in loving kindness goodness and truth Delighting in mercy Forgiving iniquity Transgression and sin and reconciling the world to himself in Christ Glory be to God in the highest for such good will towards men Let the Heavens rejoyce and let the Earth be glad let the Sea roar and the fulness thereof Let the floods clap their hands and the hills be joyful together Let all the creatures joyn in magnifying that God which made them And let all Saints shout aloud for joy unto Him who has visited and redeemed them MEDITATION L. Lord How much art thou above thy Creatures reach Who besides thy self can conceive thy excellency Who can shew forth all thy praise Thou art exalted above the blessing and the thoughts of Angels above the songs of Seraphims Everlasting thanksgivings are thy due Oh let me live with thee to Eternity that I may ever be paying this debt of praises Bless the Lord ye innumerable company of Angels which excell in strength who see the Glory of your Maker and Lord Praise him O ye Thrones Dominions Principallities and Powers Exalt that mighty and gracious God who elected and confirmed you when so many other Angels sinn'd and are eternally left and miserable in their Apostacy O all ye Triumphant Saints that are with the Lamb upon the heavenly Mount Sion Strike up with your Harps and if it be possible let your strains be still higher and higher Ascribe blessing and honour and glory and power unto Him that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb for ever O thou Militant Church Begin this heavenly work of praising here on Earth Thy Redemption and deliverance is begun and will most certainly be compleated The Captain of thy Salvation will stand by thee in thy spiritual warfare and having made thee more then victorious over all thy Enemies will bestow upon thee the promised Crown of life and glory MEDITATION LI. Bless the Lord O my Soul and all that is within me bless his holy Name What hast thou breath for but that it should be spent in his praises Wherefore hast thou a tongue at command but that it should be employed in glorifying thy Lord and hereby become thy glory Should not a slave that has been in very hard and cruel bondage be thankful to him that redeemed him Should not a Malefactor condemned to dye be thankful unto Him that pardoned him Should not the patient that has laboured under a Death threatning distemper be thankful to the Physician that has cured him And how much greater reason is there O my Soul that thou shouldst abound in thanksgivings unto thy God and Saviour Thou wast in the worst sense enslaved and he has made thee free indeed Thou wast condemned to the second Death to be separated for ever from the Lord and to be thrown into the lake which burns with fire and brimstone and he by dying himself has purchased a pardon for thee Thou wast sick of spiritual which are the worst kind of plagues and He is the Lord that heals thee Awake Awake Oh my soul Awake Awake And utter a song of praise Rejoyce in Christ Jesus Glory in the Father of mercies Who forgiveth all thy iniquities who healeth all thy Diseases who redeemeth thy life from destruction who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies MEDITATION LII Shall I not magnifie and advance my Lord who am so highly advanced my self I was once in darkness and securely went on towards the blackness of darkness forever but I am called out of darkness into marvellous light â— I was once a stranger and a forreiner but now I am a fellow Citizen with the Saints and of the houshold of God I am become a child of God who
nothing sad shall be seen nothing evil shall be feared because the cheifest good shall be possessed MEDITATION LVIII Lord I am thine save me save me or I shall surely perish bring me safe to the Haven preserve me to thy heavenly Kingdom that neither Faith nor Conscience nor my soul may suffer shipwrack Thou hast made an Everlasting Covenant with me and at thy Table this Covenant has been sealed Oh never turn away from me to do me good and let thy power and love and the fear of thy name secure me from Apostacy I am not sufficient to be my own keeper but who shall be able to pluck me out of the hand of Christ and of the Father who is greater then all Thou art of power to establish me and canst easily keep me from falling and present me faultless before the presence of thy glory with exceeding great joy Oh let not my faith fail nor my love cool nor my watchfulness abate let Satans wiles and devices be unsuccessful help me to slight the worlds frowns and to be deaf and dead to the flatteries and smiles of it Let me obtain mercy to be faithful in thy Covenant let my spirit be cured of its natural fickleness and treachery let resolutions to be the Lords and to serve the Lord be peremptory being made and kept with a strength beyond my own And let me at last be able to say O God my Heart is fixed my Heart is fixed I will sing and give praise Herbert pag. 140. KIng of Glory King of Peace I will love thee And that love may never cease I will move thee Thou hast granted my request Thou hast heard me Thou didst note my working breast Thou hast spar'd me Wherefore with my utmost art I will sing thee And the cream of all my heart I will bring thee Though my sins against me cry'd Thou didst clear me And alone when they reply'd Thou didst hear me Seven whole days not one in seven I will praise thee In my Heart though not in Heaven I can raise thee Thou grew'st soft and moist with Tears Thou relentedst And when Justice call'd for fears Thou dissentedst Small it is in this poor sort To enroll thee Even Eternity is too short To extoll thee FINIS Books to be Sold by Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and three Crowns in Cheapside A Hundred select Sermons on several Texts by Tho Horton D. D. Sermons on 4 select Psalms viz. 4th 42 51 63. by Tho. Horton D. D. Mr. Baxters Christian Directory Sermons on the whole Epistle of Saint Paul to the Collossians by Mr. J. Daille translated into English by F. S. with Dr. Tho. Goodwins and Dr. John Owens Epistles Recommendatory An Exposition of Christs Temptation on Matth. 4. and Peters Sermon to Cornelius and circumspect walking By Dr. Tho Taylor A Practical Exposition on the 3d. Chapter of the first Epistle of Saint Paul to the Corinthians with the Godly mans choice on Psalm 4. v. 6 7 8. by Anthony Burgess Dr. Donns 40 Sermons being his 3 Volumes Pareus Exposition on the Revelations General Martyrlogia with the Lives of 32 English Divines by Sam. Clark A Narrative of the Horrid Popish Plot. A Narrative of Knox and Lane The Witch of Endor Popes Ware-house All four Published by Dr. Titus Oates Robert Jenneson Esq His narrative Dugdales Narrative Mr. Tho. Dangerfields of the Sham Presbyterian Plot. Smiths Account of the 14 Popish Malefactors in Newgate Animadversions on the 5 Jesuits Speeches The Excommunicated Price a Tragedy as it was acted by his Holinesses Servants By Captain William Bedlow Protestant Conformist plea for moderation A Conference between a Bensalian Bishop and an English Doctor concerning Church Government A Caution to all English Protestants A Lenetive for the Clergie Broughtons Works published by Dr. Light-foot Books 4to The Door of Salvation opened by the Key of Regeneration By George Swinnock M. A. An Antidote against Quakerism by Stephen Scandret An Exposition of the five first Chapters of Ezekiel with usefull observations thereupon by William Greenhil The Gospel Covenant opened by Pet. Bulkley Gods holy Mind touching matters Moral which he uttered in ten Commandments Also an Exposition on the Lords Prayer by Edward Eston B. D. The fiery Jesuit or an Historical Collection of the rise encrease doctrines and deeds of the Jesuits exposed to view for the sake of London Horologiographia optica Dyaling universal and particular speculative and practical together with a Description of the Court of Arts by a new Method by Sylvanus Morgan Regimen sanitatis-salemi or the Regiment of Health containing Directions and instructions for the guide and government of mans life A seasonable Apology for Religion by Matthew Pool Seperation no Schism in answer to a Sermon preached before the Lord Mayor by J. S. The Practical Divinity of the Papist discovered to be destructive to true Religion and mens Souls by J. Clark son A Case of Conscience viz. whether it be lawful for any person to act contrary to the opinion of his own Conscience formed from arguments that to him appear very probable though not necessary or demonstrative by Dr. Collings The Creatures goodness as they came out of Gods hand and the good-mans mercy to the bruit-Creatures in two Sermons by Tho. Hodges B. D. Certain Considerations tending to promote Peace and Unity among Protestants Mediocria or the most plain and natural apprehensions which the Scripture offers concerning the great Doctrines of the Christian Religiion of Election Redemption the Covenant the Law and Gospel and Perfection Sermons at the Funeral of Mr. James Janeway by Nath. Vincent The Vanity of man in his best estate in a discourse on Psal 39. 5. at the Funeral of the Lady Susanna Keate by Richard Kidder M. A. Mr. Cautons by Mr. Henry Hurst and Mr. Nath. Vincent Mr. Sorrels by Mr. Benj. Smith Mr. Wadsworth by Mr. R. Bragg Mr. Newcomens by Mr. Fairson Mr. Thomas Vincents by Mr. Slater Mr. Corbets by Mr. Richard Baxter Mr. Bakers by Mr. Nath. Vincent Mr. Marshalls by Mr. Tomlins Mr. Johnsons by Mr. Loid Mrs. Fishers by Mr. Scot. Dr. Whittakers by Dr. Annesly Mr. Wells by Mr. Thomas Watson Mr. Stubs by Mr. Watson Mr. Stubs by Mr. Richard Baxter Hodges Vanity of man as mortal Mrs. Lyes by Mr. Lamb. Vertuous Daughter by Brion Sir Thomas Viners by Dr. Spurslow Mr. Perns by Ainsworth Work and Reward of a Christian by R. Raworth Mr. Wests Funeral Sermon by Mr. Cole Mr. Webbs by Mr. David Burges Baeuters which is the true Church Hodges Creatures goodness Naked Truth Doolitles Protestants Answer Mr. Kidders Charity directed Scholars address Dr. Crossmans Sermon Humphrys peaceable disquisitions Hodges considerations to promote peace An Endeavour for Peace A conference between a Papist and a Jew and a Protestant and a Jew An Essay for the Education of Gentlewomen A warning for Servants or the Case of Margaret Clark An Answer to Dr. Stilling fleets Sermon by the peaceable design A Discourse of Pluralities A
of the Spirit supposes that we are convinced of Sin and Righteousness it also supposes that we are sanctified in Heart and Life in a degree and long for perfect Holiness The Spirit then heightens the actings of Grace and evidences the Change he has wrought and makes us plainly to perceive and feel that we hate our sin prize our Redeemer and Love and Fear and Desire after our God And this real change in our Heart being evidenced then our relation unto God is also shewn that we are the Children and Heirs of the Lord Almighty that his love to us is Everlasting and his kindness shall never depart from us Satans mouth is now stopt and the Spirit causes the Conscience from the Word to be quieted and satisfied clouds are scattered doubts and fears are removed consolation is strong and joy unspeakable and glorious Thanks millions of Thanks be unto God for the Mighty Comforter Who gives a check to Hell and says Let their be Light and Joy where before there was darkness and doubtting and sorrow Who evidences Electing Love from Everlasting and causes Triumph and Rapture of Spirit in assured expectation of glory to Everlasting 10. Let me add one Word more having attained Assurance of the Love of God Take the right course to keep what you have gotten Here I shall name a few particulars 1. Be low in your own Thoughts if you continue humble God will continue to re vive and comfort you Esa 57. 15. 2. Offer unto your God and Father Thanksgiving If you are thankful for the light of his countenance that 's the way to have his face still to shine upon you 3. Take heed of presumptuous sins David lost his joy when he ventured to be unclean and bloody nay take heed of lesser sins for these will dead the Heart grieve the Holy Ghost and dispose to greater 4. Be very serious in the Ordinances of Christ if the House if the Table of the Lord be neglected you will kill your comfort frequent the Lords Temple if you would see his Beauty that is his glorious holiness and have a continued sense of his Love Ps 27. 4. 5. Study the unchangeableness of Gods Love in Christ and the sureness of his Covenant This will be matter of perpetual gladness to see your selves in the Heart and hands of the Father and of Christ from whose love none can separate you Rom. 8. ult out of whose hands none can pluck you Joh. 10. 28 29. 6. Walk continually in the fear of God This is the way to have the Spirits Consolations Acts 9. 31. Then had the Churches rest throughout Judea and Samaria and Gallilee and were edified and walking in the Fear of God and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplyed 7. Use this World as not abusing it 1 Cor. 7. 31. If you are too much taken with worldly comforts your spiritual ones will abate but if in reference to earthly things you rejoice as if you rejoyced not your joy in the Lord will be the greater Look upon your selves as strangers and that this present World is but the House of your Pilgrimage then Gods statutes will be your Songs and fill you with the greater joy Psal 119. 54. 8. Husband your time to the best advantage and have the end of time in your eye Dye daily 1 Cor. 15. 31. If you think much of your dissolution it will make you so wise as to keep your Evidence for Heaven clear and to take heed of blotting them that you may have them to shew when stepping into Eternity In the second place I am to direct you how to prove your selves before you engage in that Ordinance of the Lords Supper To come to the Lords Table is a duty which Christ commanded when he was dying And if the words of a Dying Father or of adying Friend are remarked and remembred how much more the command of a dying Redeemer The circumstance of time is very observable which the Apostle mentions 1 Cor. 11. 23 24. The same night in which he was betrayed the Lord Jesus took the Bread and break it to set forth his own being bruised and wounded killed for the Transgressions of his People He bids his Church Do this that they might remember what He their Head had suffered for them When the Pass-over was instituted and was eaten at Evening and the Children of Israel were brought out of the Land of Aegypt out of the House of Bondage Moses says It was a Night much to be observed unto the Lord Exod. 12. 42. Oh! How much more is that time to be observed when Our Lord Jesus wrought a far greater and more glori-Redemption and Deliverance when being himself delivered for our offences and raised again for our Justification he saved his Church from the Wrath of God the Devils power the Dominion of sin the sting of Death and the vengeance of Eternal Fire Upon the first day of the week Christ ceased from his own works as God did from his upon the seventh day of the week There remaineth therefore the Greek Word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Sabbath or rest unto the People of God Heb. 4. 9 10. This Ordinance of the Supper is in no wise to be Administred unto all though they be never so ungodly We are indeed to Preach the Gospel to every Creature but there must be at least a professed subjection to the Gospel or else persons are not to be admitted to this Holy and Heavenly Banquet Those who are for Railing in the Communion Table I wish they were for a Spiritual Rail of Scripture Discipline and that in the Administration of these sacred Mysteries there were a separation made between the Precious and the Vile In the more pure and ancient times two sorts of Persons were debarred from the Lords Table the Catechumeni and the Lapsi the ignorant and not well instructed in the Faith and those who had fallen into scandalous sins And why should either of these be admitted now to eat and drink Judgment to themselves To prevent the incurring of the guilt instead of receiving the benefits of the Blood of Christ the Apostle prescribes self-examination Now That he who would be a welcom Guest at the Lords Table may prove himself thorowly and to purpose let him seriously and as in the Presence of God propose unto himself these following Questions 1. Am I acquainted with or a stranger to the great things of the Gospel Do I know the Mystery of God and of the Father and of christ Or is the black vail of ignorance still upon my Heart The Apostle speaks of some who have need to be taught which are the first principles of the Oracles of God Heb. 5. 12. And am not I one of that number How can I pretend to Faith in Christ or Love to God if I have not so much as a notional knowledge of either The Communicant must have some Knowledge of the fundamental Doctrines of the Christian
dead to sin and live to Righteousness MEDITATION XXXVI Is the Cup of blessing at the Table the Communion of the Blood of Christ indeed How should my Soul and all that is within me bless the Lords Name when I take it into my hand My Lord does in effect say to me Here is the New Testament sealed and confirmed there is remission of all thy sins Here is sanctifying Grace here is an assurance of mine and my Fathers love here is a pledge and earnest of Glory and Immortality This Blood of Jesus is deservedly styled precious 't is the Blood of the Lamb without spot nay 't is the Blood of the Lord Jehovah To make light of this Blood as if it were an unholy or common thing is to deny the Lord that bought us and to bring upon our selves certain and swift destruction But whosoever by Faith applyes this Blood of Jesus shall find it sufficient to cleanse them from all unrighteousness MEDITATION XXXVII Dearest Lord How great is the vertue of that blood of thine which was shed upon the Cross without the gates of Jerusalem It can appease thy Fathers anger though provoked unto great fierceness it can remove the greatest guilt it can cure and cleanse the most leprous and defiled Soul it can heal the most wounded and enraged Conscience Oh blessed Laver where I may wash and be clean where I may bath and be eased Effectual medicine which heals every spiritual malady How wonderful was thy love which made thee shed thy blood how happy is thy Church for whom thy blood is shed Lord I love thee I rest upon thee I rejoyce in thee who hast loved thy People and washed them from their sins in thy own Blood and hast made them Kings and Priests unto God and thy Father who gavest thy self for thy Church that thou mightest sanctifie and cleanse it and present it to thy self a glorious Church not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be holy and without blemish MEDITATION XXXVIII Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect It is God that justifieth Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed This is my Answer unto the Accuser of the Brethren when he tells me of my manifold Transgressions All that he can truly lay to my charge I am ready to lay to my own nay I subscribe guilty to all that is down in the book of the Omniscient Gods remembrance but then I add Christ dyed Christ shed his Blood that sin might be pardoned and purged and I am willing to be cleansed as well as pardoned And if the Blood of Christ be enough to satisfie divine justice surely 't is sufficient to satisfie and quiet the most awakened Conscience I have indeed like a Sheep gon astray and turned to my own way but the Lord has laid on Christ all my iniquities he endured the chastisement of my peace he felt the stripes that I might be healed Hereby Satan is silenced my own desponding Spirit revived and encouraged and in the Name and Mediation of Jesus I can go unto God himself though he is so glorious in Righteousness and Holiness as a Child unto a Father MEDITATION XXXIX The Blood of Christ does speak and speaks better things then the Blood of Abel No voice more loud then that of Blood no blood does cry like that of God This blood does speak both to God and Me it speaks to God and what ever I pray for which I really need this blood cryes that I may obtain Blessings of all sorts were purchased by the shedding of it and it is continually pleading that what it purchased may be bestowed Hence is the efficacy of Prayer because what the belieuer prays for the blood of Christ speaks for How loud does it cry in Gods ears Lord pity and pardon the humbled and Believing Soul Heal and Comfort the Contrite and Broken hearted Oh give converting and Renewing Grace to all that do desire it Those that fear thy Wrath let them escape it Those that prize thy love love them freely and for ever Receive all returning sinners and take away all their iniquities Give Grace give Glory and no good thing withhold from them that seek thee in sincerity Thus the blood of Christ does intercede with God And the Lord having contrived the shedding of it on purpose that without any derogation from his Righteousness he might shew mercy to the Children of men certainly its intercession for mercy shall not be in vain MEDITATIONS XL. The blood of Christ does speak also to Me. And how good and comfortable are the words of it Soul be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee thou hast destroyed thy self but in me is thy help and Salvation found God was angry with thee but I have appeased his Wrath. He whom thou wast ready to find a consuming Fire is become a God in Covenant nay a Father to thee That blood which was shed upon the Cross has made thy Peace though heretofore never so much a stranger never so great an Enemy Behold Hell lockt up thou shalt never fall into that place of Wo behold the way into the Holiest of all is open Thou hast liberty to come with boldness to the Throne of Grace and within a little while thou shalt have an abundant entrance into Glory Dear Lord What am I that blood and such blood as thine should be shed for me Why wast thou at such expence and cost for the Redemption and Salvation of such a Wretch such a Rebel Thou hast mercy because thou wilt have mercy thy exceeding rich and glorious Grace must be matter of a delightful transport and sweet astonishment to Eternity MEDITATION XLI My Lords love and kindness should thaw and melt my heart That God whom for so long a time I neither lov'd nor fear'd nor cared to be acquainted with but dishonoured and sinn'd against with so high an hand had he indeed purposes of Grace towards me from Eternity That Jesus whom I shut and barr'd the door of my Heart so fast against whose word I was deaf unto and whose Spirit I resisted for so long a time has He indeed born my sins and carried my sorrows Oh that my head were Waters and my eyes Fountains of Tears Oh stony Heart for shame now become like wax and be melted in the midst of my Bowels I am a prodigy of unkindness wo is me that I have sinned Wo is me that I who have sinn'd so much do grieve no more Surely all my days I will walk softly in the bitterness of my Soul I will be vile in my own eyes and wonder that the Lord should have respect to such an one as I My own sin and my Lords Love shall be my Study I will compare them together that sin may be lamented and loathed according to the desert of it and that my Repentance may be indeed Evangelical and after a godly manner MEDITATION XLII O my Soul if thy
was once a Child of Wrath and Disobedience I am become an Heir of God and a Joint-Heir with Christ unto that inheritance which is incorruptible and undefiled and which fadeth not away Nay my Lord who has loved me and washed me from my sins in his own blood hath made me a King and a Priest unto God and his Father and I must reign for ever for of this Kingdom which I have now a Title to and a sure promise of there shall be no end Oh rich Oh free Oh glorious Grace I am at a loss for an expression high enough to set forth the thousandth part 〈◊〉 my Lords incomparable kindness my shallow Conceptions cannot reach what is incomprehensible Therefore I must be silent in a joyful admiration MEDITATION LIII What shall I render unto the Lord My All is due my All is too little and by rendring my All I secure my All and so am still more benefited and I become more my Lords debter I find my self most happily puzzled with my Lords goodness He gives himself to me and requires that I should give my self to him but in so doing not He but I receive the benefit All the retributions thou requirest O my God and Father are but to do my self more kindnesses Duties are my priviledges All thy precepts are for my profit and my peace and pleasure to obey them Thou art beyond all compare the very best Master Oh let my ear be boared for I will serve thee for ever let my Heart be circumcised that I may love thee Eternally There is a sweetness in the acting of every Grace There is great peace in keeping of thy law there is an amiableness in thy Tabernacles thy power and thy glory are seen in thy sanctuary and though that word Suffering may sound harsh yet upon experience suffering will be found the most delightful paâ—â— of Christian obedience MEDITATION LIV. My Lord did not stick at suffering and why should I Why should the Cross daunt me If I will be indeed Godly Persecution is to be expected The old Serpent is full of hatred and so are his seed and their hatred is implacable But when I consider my Lords love and power and presence Hells Malice and the Worlds Rage become contemptible times of suffering are times of the sweetest solace Those are not unreasonable injunctions Count it all joy when ye fall into divers Temptations and Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsly for my sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven The Spirit of glory and of God does rest upon his suffering Saints so that they glory in tribulation they rejoyce in it as a dignity when they suffer shame for the name of Jesus they are gainers by their losses they gain an hundred fold in this World besides the Kingdom in the other World MEDITATION LV. O my soul follow thy Lord though he lead thee in rough ways and paths of great affliction If sufferings abound consolation shall abound and grace shall be sufficient The Cross of Christ though the outside of it be affrighting yet it is lined with love and easily born And if it should come to pass that Life must be taken away What better use can Life be put to then to lay it down for the Testimony of Jesus The painfullest deaths have proved many times most pleasant What raptures of joy have the Martyrs had at the stake and in the flames Prudentius of old observed Mors Christianis ludus est That Death was but a sport unto the Christians Remarkable is that passage of Bainham the Martyr when his arms and legs were half consumed by the fire he spake these words O ye Papists you look for miracles and here now you may see a miracle for in this fire I feel no more pain then if I were in a bed of Down it is to me a bed of Roses Resolve therefore O my soul undauntedly to undergo whatever tribulaon thou meetest for the sake of Righteousness Rely upon thy faithful God who will not suffer thee to be tempted above what his Grace shall enable thee to bear with joy as well as patience MEDITATION LVI Thy death O Lord is to be shewn forth till thou comest 't is proper for me to think of thy coming and to rejoyce at the thoughts of it My Lord and Redeemer will certainly appear the second time without sin to Salvation And when he shall appear I shall be like him and appear with him in glory Time and days do fly away apace and the comming of my Lord draweth nigh That will be the day of my open absolution of my full and compleat Redemption of my joyful and triumphant Coronation How full of glory and of love will be the face of Jesus then Ah! where shall the ungodly and sinners then appear How will the greatest and the stoutest of them even the Kings and Cheif Captains and mighty men tremble and call to the Rocks and Mountains to fall on them and cover them from the face of him that sits upon the Throne and from the Wrath of the Lamb But though most of mankind be full of horror I if I am a true Believer shall be full of joy and after I have been openly acquitted own'd and crown'd before Men and Angels Whither Oh whither will my Lord carry me Into those Mansions he is gone to prepare into the presence Chamber of the King of Glory Where God himself will be All in All. MEDITATION LVII I find some sweetness in the way and means of grace what shall I find in the end if in vale of Tears such joy be found what will be enjoyed in a paradise of delight if in the midst of labours and fightings and temptations I find so much satisfaction what contentment will an Everlasting rest afford me Augustine speaks excellently Soliloq cap. 35. Intra in gaudium sine tristitia ubi erit omne bonum et non erit aliquod malum ubi erit quicquid voles et non erit quicquid noles O gaudium vincens omne gaudium laetitia sine dolore lux sine tenebris vita sine morte ubi juventus nunquam senescit ubi decor nunquam pallescit ubi amor nunquam tepescit gaudium nunquam decrescit ubi dolor nunquam sentitur gemitus nunquam auditur ubi triste nihil videtur ubi malum nullum timetur quia summum bonum possidetur Enter O my soul into joy without sadness Where there shall be a presence of all good an absence of all evil where there shall be every thing which thou desirest nothing at all that thou dislikest O joy surpassing all other joys Gladness without Grief Light without Darkness Life without Death There Youth shall never grow old Beauty shall never fade Love shall never wax cold and Joy shall never be diminished there sorrow shall never be felt one sigh shall never be heard