expresly required 1 Cor. 11.28 Let a man examine himself and so let him eat c. Because otherwise without grace it will be a Seal to a Blank Secondly To stir up and exercise those graces before you come 2 Tim. 1.6 Otherwise you will receive unworthily as the Corinthians did because they did not renew their repentance before they came 1 Cor. 11.30 31. Thirdly To draw nigh to God in it to those ends he instituted it and appointed it as the commemorating of Christ's love in dying for us the expressing of our thankfulness the strengthning of our faith the weakning of our corruptions and the getting of more grace to walk with God and work for God and live to God Secondly In the time of Receiving First To fix your eyes on the Sacramental actions in and about the Elements Secondly To meditate seriously on those things signified by every action about them Thirdly To get your hearts affected with godly sorrow for your sins which were the principals in the death and sufferings of the Lord Jesus and a spiritual rejoycing in his love that was content to die that we might live and to be made a curse that we might have a blessing through him Fourthly To pray unto the Lord that he would bless his Ordinance unto you to all those holy ends he did appoint it and you receive it viz. the Mortification of your lusts the Vivification of your graces your perfect Justification further Sanctification and future Salvation by Jesus Christ Thirdly After the Sacrament to make Conscience of an answerable carriage in the observance of all those religious duties requir'd of you in publick and private as First Thankfulness for Jesus Christ given to you and for you for his instituting this Ordinance to put you and keep you in remembrance of him the liberty and opportunity you have had to partake in it Secondly Examination what benefit we have sound by being at the Table of the Lord. Thirdly A careful endeavour to express and hold forth the Virtue and the Efficacy of it in a more humble holy spiritual and heavenly walking and a more faithful cheerful fruitful service of God in our several places The Sixth Duty is Singing of Psalms First Before it to make a wise choice of such Psalms as may be most seasonable and suitable to the present occasion Secondly In singing remember to sing First with understanding Ps 47.7 1 Cor. 14.14 Secondly With the Spirit Vers 15. that is see that our Spirit go a long with our voice because Non vox sed votum c. It 's not so much the voice as the heart God looks to Thirdly With grace in the heart Col. 3.16 that is from an inward gracious frame of heart and with the actings of our graces in singing as faith fear love joy c. Fourthly To sing unto the Lord Eph. 5.19 that is unto the praise and glory of the Lord Psal 101.1 Isai 5.1 Thirdly After singing to set about the service of the Lord with more cheerfulness for the abundance of all his goodness Deut. 28.47 To discourse together also of the matter you have sung and quicken one the other unto duty as you are required Col. 3.16 The Seventh Duty is Religious Fasting First Before it to lay aside all servile work the Night before that you may mind the weighty service of the Day following Secondly To rise earlier on that day than other days having such an occasion of humbling your selves Secondly On the Day of your Fast the duties required of you are either outward or inward First The outward as the forbearing of those things which at other times are lawful and convenient as First All Worldly imployment and labours of our calling Joel 1.14 Levit. 16.29 31. Levit. 23.32 Secondly The use of all Food unless in case of weakness and hazard of our health for God will have Mercy rather than Sacrifice Hosea 6.6 Mat. 12.7 Otherwise there must be an abstinence from all Meat Joel 3.7 Thirdly Costly Apparel and Ornaments Exod. 33.4 5. Jonah 3.6 Fourthly Matrimonial benevolence 1 Cor. 7.5 Joel 2.16 Fifthly All carnal delights and pleasures Joel 2.16 1 Sam. 12.20 Secondly The inward duties are First Fasting from sin Isaiah 58.4 Secondly Humiliation of Soul under sin Joel 2. Thirdly Earnest Supplication for the pardon of sin Joel 3.8 Fourthly Personal reformation or turning from all sin Joel 3.8 Thirdly After Fasting to conclude all with works of mercy Isai 58.6 Secondly Take heed of resting in the Work done remembring the chief part is yet behind viz. the reformation of our ways Thirdly Be careful to make good your Vows and Covenants of more circumspect walking Fifthly To wait upon God for a gracious answer as David did Psal 85. I will hearken what God will speak The Eighth Duty is Religious Feasting or Thanksgiving First Before it to remember and consider It 's the Homage and Rent we owe to him for all he hath and doth for us and which he expresly commands and we promised to him in the times of our troubles and distress fasting and humiliation Psalm 15.15 Psalm 22.25 1 Thes 5.18 Secondly It 's all the return that we can make to him and that which he is pleas'd to accept though his Name be above all thanks-giving Neh. 9.6 Psal 50. last Therefore as we have the sweet of any mercy still remember to give him his glory Thirdly To see that your Persons be fit for it to be godly and righteous Persons Psal 33.1 Ungodly and unrighteous ones are altogether unfit Psal 50.18 Prov. 17.7 Jam. 3.10.11 Fourthly To present all your praises and thanksgiving in the Name of Christ to beg your acceptance of it in and through his Mediation and Worthiness 1 Thes 5.10 Eph. 5.20 Heb. 13.15 Rev. 8.34 Secondly In the time of thanksgiving First To see that it be with the soul and the heart Ps 57.74 and with every faculty of our Souls as our understanding 1 Cor. 14.15 with our Judgment prizing it according to it's worth Psal 31.19 the memory treasuring up God's mercies there to think upon them Psal 103. My Soul forget not all his benefits With our affections especially these two 1. Love Psal 116.1 I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and Joy Psal 33.1 Rejoyce in the Lord ye righteous for it becomes the just to be thankful and Psal 92.4 Secondly As inwardly with the Heart so outwardly with the Tongue Psal 63.7 Psal 66.16 Whence the tongue is call'd our glory because we are to glorifie him with the tongue Psal 108. And to do it with our tongues thus First By acknowledging God is worthy to receive all praise Rev. 5. about the end Secondly By lifting up of God's Name and speaking of those glorious Attributes which shine forth in God's mercies as Revel 11.16 17. Thirdly By telling it to others what God hath done for us and ours Psal 22.22 and Psal 66.16 17. Fourthly By exciting and stirring up others to praise God as
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
by us amongst others of fallen Man-kind and therefore that God should pass by others more noble for birth and it may be more sober and civil for conversation and look upon us wallowing and weltring in our blood and filthiness and say unto us Live this should exceedingly affect our hearts and make us still to be admiring and adoring the free rich and unsearchable love grace and mercy of God to us in Christ Ezek. 16. Psal 103. Secondly That we may do this with more profit and comfort to take notice what this state of grace is and for the understanding of this to know there is a double grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first and the second grace the first whereby our Persons are accepted the second whereby they are sanctified the first is no other than the free love and favour of God whereby he accepts us in Christ and for his sake forgives all our sins and gives us his Spirit to renew and sanctifie our natures Rom. 11.6 Eph. 2.8 9. The second grace is no other than a special gift of that grace and favour of God otherwise call'd in the Scripture Regeneration John 3.6 and Renovation of the Image of God Eph. 4.24 and Sanctification of the whole Man 1 Thes 5.23 and the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Godliness and holiness 1 Tim. 6. And it may be described thus a work of the Spirit in the Ministry of the Word deriving from Christ their head unto all his Elect spiritual life grace or holiness and diffusing it throughout the whole Man whereby they are enabled to act and move God-ward Grace-ward and Heaven-ward Thirdly To take notice of and meditate on the differences of true grace from false grace for Eph. 4.14 the Apostle speaks of true holiness in opposition to false and feigned now these differences are especially in three things as first true sanctifying grace is from an inward principle infused by the Spirit of Grace Psal 40.8 Rom. 7.22 but that in the Hypocrite is only from an outward principle as shame of the World fear of punishment and the like Secondly True grace makes Men to approve all their thoughts and words and ways to God's all-seeing eye Job 31.4 Job 42.4 5. John 11.17 A Hypocrite dares not do so he approves them only to the eyes of men so long as Men think well of him he cares not what God thinks Thirdly True grace makes Men humble the more knowledge they have the more they see and bewail their ignorance as that wise Man Pro. 30.2 I am more brutish than any Man and I have not the understanding of a man viz. in comparison of what he ought to know of God the more faith he has the more he bewails his unbelief as the Father of the possessed Child Mark 9.24 The more love he hath the more he bewails his want of love and calls upon his Soul to love God more Psal 116. But now a Hypocrite he is proud of the grace he hath and thinks he has more than he hath and that both God and man should respect him the better as the Pharisee Luk. 18. I thank God I am not as this Publican c. Q. But wherein doth renewing Grace differ from restraining Grace A. Especially in two things 1. Restraining grace only keeps Men from the acts of sin but doth not mortifie sin Abimeleck's lust was restrained when God with held him from Sarah Gen. 20.6 but not mortified whereas where there is renewing Grace sin is subdued as well as restrained Rom. 8.13 Secondly Restraining grace keeps men from sinning out of a servile fear of punishment but renewing grace makes men forbear out of a fillial fear of offending Gen. 39.9 Psal 130.4 Thirdly Restraining grace keeps men from sinning no longer than they are under the means of restraint as godly Magistrates Ministers Parents Masters when they are dead or removed then they can neglect the Worship of God and be as vile as the vilest when there was no King in Israel every one did what was good in his own eyes Judg. 17.6.18 but renewing grace where it is it makes and keeps men ever the same and the worse the times are the better are they Gen. 6.9 Fourthly To take notice and meditate on the degrees of grace all have not the same measures and degrees of grace but some more and some less whence we read of some strong men in Christ others weak Prov. 15.1 Some Babes in Christ and others grown Christians 1 Cor. 3.1 Some Trees of righteousness Isai 61.3 Others bruised Reeds Mat. 12.20 and God hath wise and holy ends in this as 1. To put a difference between Heaven and Earth here we are but renewed and sanctified in part how-ever it be in every part but in Heaven the Spirits of just Men are made perfect Heb. 12.23 Grace there is perfected in glory Eph. 4.13 Secondly God will have it so to teach us to live in a continual dependance on that fulness there is in Christ for us that we may still go to him and receive from him grace for grace John 1.16 that is one degree and measure after another Thirdly That he may display his glorious Attributes as his infinite wisdome All-mighty Power unchangeable grace in carrying on the work of grace until he hath crown'd grace in glory 2 Cor. 12.9 10. Q. But seeing there are different degrees of grace some have more and some less How may a Man know that he hath any truth of grace even the least degree of saving grace A. You may know it by these two things 1. A continual complaint of the want of grace and the weakness of grace in comparison of the strength of corruption as the Father of the possessed Child this is made by our Saviour the Sign of truth of grace Mat. 5.3 Blessed are the poor in Spirit that is who are spiritually poor in their own sight and sense 2. You may know it by earnest desires and endeavours after more grace as in Nehemiah 1.11 and the Church Isai 26.8 Christ pronounceth them blessed that hunger and thirst after righteousness and promiseth they shall be filled Mat. 5.6 Q. But how shall we know our desires after grace to be true desires A. Briefly thus 1. If they be industrious in the use of the means and all means 2 Cor. 7.11 1 Pet. 2.2 Secondly If they be fervent desires like David's Psal 42.1 more after spirituals than temporals Psal 4.6 Thirdly If they be restless desires until we obtain Psal 119.20 My Soul breaketh for the longing it hath to thy judgments at all times Thus of the evidences of grace in general Now Secondly Take notice of the evidences of some particular graces as knowledge faith repentance obedience love fear and hope but here before I speak unto them take this caution he that hath one of these graces in truth hath seminally all and every sanctifying grace how-ever he do not see it as he that hath one link of
a Chain hath the whole Chain so he that hath one saving sanctifying grace in truth hath all what is said of original sin una essentiâ sed multiplex efficientiâ is true also of sanctifying grace though but one in it self yet it is vertually all I shall give you only three evidences of each such as desire more may see them in other Books where they are fully handled 1. For the truth of sanctifyed knowledge it is thus evidenced it is experimental practical and humble First Experimental Phil. 1.9 Secondly Practical Psal 111. last Thirdly Humble Prov. 30.2 2. For the truth of sanctifying faith it is thus evidenced it is a self-emptying working converting faith 1. It is a self-emptying or self-denying faith it makes a Soul to deny his own righteousness in point of Justification and acceptation and with the Apostle desires to be found only in Christ's righteousness Phil. 3.8 9. to disclaim also his own ability for any thing that is spiritually good 2 Cor. 3.5 and to enter upon duty only in the Name and Strength of Christ Phil. 4.12 Secondly It is a working faith that which works by love to God and unto others for God's sake Gal. 5.6 It is still working-out corruption Acts 15.9 and working-in grace Acts 26.18 Thirdly It is a conquering faith that which enables a Soul to with-stand and over-come temptations from within and without 1 Ep. John 5.4 This is the victory that covercomes the World even our faith Q. What 's meant here by World A. Partly the Men of it that lye in wickedness 1 Ep. John 5 19. and partly the lusts of the World as the honours riches and pleasures of it 1 Ep. John 2.16 so victorious as it enables them to hold fast their confidence to the end Heb. 3.14 Heb. 11.19 and makes them more than Conquerors over all their spiritual Enemies Rom. 8. the end 3. For the truth of repentance that is evidenced thus It is a universal sincere and continued repentance 1. It is universal for all and every sin little as well as great secret as well as open one as well as another Psal 119.104 128. Secondly It is sincere from the heart Joel 2.13 Thirdly It is continued and renewed daily as we renew our provocations Ephes 4.26 Let not the Sun go down on your wrath Fourthly The truth of obedience evidenced thus 1. It is universal without partiality John 15.14 2dly Sincere without hypocrisie 2 Chron. 28.9 3dly Constant without Apostacy Mat. 10.22 Rev. 2.10 Fifthly The truth of your love thus evidenced 1. It is spiritual for Grace sake and the Truths sake 2 John 2. to the Elect Lady whom I love in truth and for the Truths sake 2. It 's impartial to one Saint as well as another Colos 1.4 3. It 's permanent and abiding unto death like Ruths to Naomi the ground of it is Gods unchangeable love to his Jer. 31.3 Sixthly The truth of your fear of God thus evidenced 1. If you fear to sin rather then to suffer fear the displeasure of God more than the displeasure of Man Luke 12.4 5. 2. If you fear him for his Mercy as well as his Justice his Goodness as well as his Greatness Psal 130.4 Hosea 3. last 3. If you fear to sin against him in secret where there is no eye to observe you but only Gods as Joseph Gen. 39.9 and Job 31.1 4. Seventhly The truth of your hope in God thus evidenced 1. If it be grounded on the Scripture Rom. 15.4 2. If it purifie the Heart and sanctifie the Life 1 John 3.3 3. If it cause you patiently to wait on God for the fulfilling his promise 1 Thes 1.3 If now you would know whether you are brought out of a state of Nature into a state of Grace try your selves by these clear evidences out of the Word of God or believe it Friends God and Conscience and Satan will try you to the purpose at the last when you will wish but all too late you had hearkened unto Counsel and tryed your selves if you cannot find yet these evidences of such a gracious state be exhorted in the next place Eighthly To meditate on the many and weighty Motives the Scripture layeth before you to quicken you to look into and labour after a work of Grace as the absolute necessity the transcendent Excellency and the great Utility of it 1. There is an absolute necessity of it 1. In respect of the Decree of God because he predestinated his to Grace before Glory to be conformable to the image of his Son Rom. 8.29 in Grace here and in Glory hereafter Ephes 1.4 2dly In respect of the revealed Will of God 1 Thes 4.7 This is the Will of God even your Sanctification 3dly A necessity of it in respect of your Salvation for without Regeneration no Salvation John 3.6 without Holiness no Happiness Heb. 3.14 2. There 's a transcendent excellency in it for Grace is no other then the Off-spring of God a beam of the Divine Majesty John 1.13 a spark of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 that which is called elsewhere the Name of God Isa 57.15 the Seed of God 1 John 3.9 the Will of God 1 Thes 4.3 the Image of God Ephes 4.24 the Life of God Ephes 4.18 the Glory of God Rom. 3.23 Exod. 15.11 because God sees more of himself in a gracious Soul and more of his own Glory in the poorest Saint then in all the glory of the World Isa 43. begin 2. Because it 's that which puts a lustre on all other things Honour Wealth Birth Beauty Gifts Parts all without Grace is but as a Jewel in a Swines snout Embroiderings on a Fools Coat whereas a little true sanctifying Grace honours the poorest in the eyes of God of Angels and Saints Isa 43. Psal 15. Psal 16. All my delight is in the Saints 3. Consider the great Utility and Benefit that comes by Grace 1. It will interest you in all the Promises 1 Tim. 4.8 Godliness is profitable for all things it hath the promise of this Life and that to come 2. It will fortifie you against all the temptations of Satan to unbelief Doth the Devil tempt you to distrust Gods love to you and your right to Heaven charge you with Hypocrisie why pull out the evidences you have of a Work of Grace and let him shew if he can if ever any wicked man or Hypocrite had such evidences the Devil may sooner prove himself a Lyar then a Saint to be a Hypocrite 3. It will bring you contentment and make you a gainer in and by every condition as it did the Apostle Phil. 4.11 1 Tim. 6.6 4. It will sweeten and sanctifie every estate and condition to you Prosperity Adversity Health Sickness Life Death Rom. 8.28 5. It will support chear and comfort you in every estate both of Life and Death 2 Cor. 1.12 6. It will not only accompany you to the Grave where all other things leave you but to the Tribunal of
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
willing as he is able Psal 84.11 1 Tim. 4.8 More particularly First That he will give them his Spirit to work all in them and for them Ezek. 36.26 Luke the 11. Secondly That he will give them the sanctifying knowledge of himself and his will Ezek. 36.26 Thirdly That he will pardon all their sins and look upon them as righteous in his Christ 2 Cor. 5.19 21. Fourthly That he will sanctifie their natures to the mortifying of their corruptions and the quickning of their graces Rom. 6.4 5. 8. the 13. Jer. 31.33 Ephes 2.1 Fifthly That he will take away their heart of Stone and give a heart of Flesh the double Spirit and give a single Spirit the froward Spirit and give a teachable Spirit Ezek. 11.19 and chap. 36. Sixthly He will not only give grace but growth in grace Malach. 4.2 Lastly That he will never leave the work of his grace until he hath perfected grace in glory Jer. 32.39 40. Phil. 1.6 Seventhly To meditate of the Signs of being actually in Covenant as First a lively faith working by love to God and all that is God's John 3.16 Gal. 5.5 Secondly A Reciprocation of promises as God promised to be our God so we to be his People Deut. 26.16 17. as he promised to give Christ and grace and glory so we promise faith and love and new obedience Thirdly The Counterpane or Copy of the Covenant they that enter into Covenant one with the other you know each Party hath a Counterpane or Copy of it so is it between God and the Soul as the Covenant is reciprocal so the Copy of the Covenant is drawn on the heart Jeremy 31.34 Fourthly They have the Spirit of God to reveal and make known this Covenant to them Jeremy 31.34 and to enable them to do what is required in the Covenant Ezek. 36.26 27. Fifthly Such as are in Covenant they have the fruits and effects of of it as First Softness of heart Ezek. 11.19 Secondly Sincerity of obedience Ezek. 11.19 20. Thirdly Growth in grace 2 Cor. 7.1 Fourthly Perseverance in grace Jer. 32.39 Fifthly A conscionable care to renew their Covenant with God upon every breach of it Jer. 50.5 Eighthly To meditate on the means of getting an interest in the Covenant if you do not yet find your selves actually in Covenant as First To humble your selves under the abuse of his grace in the first Covenant Secondly To give him the glory of his grace in vouchsafing to enter into another and a better Covenant not only to give grace but perseverance in grace Thirdly To be willing to Covenant with God as he with you Deut. 26.16 17. This Day the Lord thy God hath c. Fourthly To close with the great design of God in saving of poor lost sinners in making such a Covenant with them in Christ and in order to it to renounce the former Covenant of works all your own righteousness and desire with the Apostle to be found only in Christ having his righteousness that is by faith the righteousness of God Phil. 3.9 Because by the works of the Law no Flesh living can be justified Rom. 3. The Jews going about to establish their own righteousness made void to them the righteousness of Christ Rom. 10.3 Yea and you are to renounce all other Covenants with Sin Satan and the World for God will never enter into Covenant with those that are in Covenant with his Enemies Isai 28.15 2 Cor. 6.14 to the end Fifthly To go unto God by servent and constant Prayer and entreat him to remember his Covenant and glorifie his grace in it upon you by giving his Spirit for the enabling you to close with his great Design in the Covenant That he would put his Law in your heart and write it in your inward parts and give you that new Spirit which may cause you to walk in his Statutes and keep his Commandments and do them Ezek. 36. Ninthly To meditate on the many and weighty motives there are to quicken every one to get an interest in this Covenant of Grace as First The sad and miserable condition of all such as are without Covenant They are without God in the World and without hope viz. of a better life After this Eph. 2.12 They must look to be judged by a Covenant of works and if Men be not able to yield obedience to any one command of God as they ought and yet bound to yield obedience unto all the whole Law or no life do they must all or die eternally for the breach of the least Commandment Deut. 27. last The consideration of this should make every wicked man tremble to continue a moment in his natural unregenerate state and speedily to come unto Christ Yet further consider the miserable condition of men in this so long as they are without Covenant they cannot expect any blessing or mercy from God either corporal or spiritual outward or inward for all blessings and mercies they are conveyed to a People in and by virtue of the Covenant Zach. 9.11 Whatsoever men have and enjoy being out of Covenant they have it in wrath and not in mercy as a curse and not a blessing Mol. 2.2 Secondly Meditate on the happy and blessed estate of such as are actually in Covenant they have an interest in God and Christ his Spirit and all that is theirs 1 Cor. 3. two last Hos 2.18 to the end And as all that is good in God and Christ is yours so all that evil that is yours in Christ's Your sins 2 Cor. 5 last and your sufferings Isaiah 63. He is afflicted in all your afflictions Secondly You may go boldly to the Throne of Grace for the supply of all your wants Heb. 4. last and with assurance to be accepted and answer'd in whatsoever you shall ask according to his will 1 Ioh 5.14 Thirdly It 's that will bring you comfort in the saddest condition you are or can be in When they spake of stoning David He encouraged himself in the Lord his God 2 Sam. 23.5 Again To meditate on the excellent properties of this Covenant How that it is the most free sweet full and unchangeable Covenant First For the Freeness of it there was nothing in Us to move him to it but his own grace therefore call'd a Covenant of grace nothing requir'd on our part but only faith Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Acts 16 31. Secondly For the Sweetness of it you may see it in these three things First He requires no more of us than he promiseth to work in us by his Spirit Ezek. 36.27 Secondly He promiseth to overlook all our unwilling trespasses faultings and failings where they are bewail'd by us and to accept the will for the deed the endeavour for the work 2 Cor. 8.12 our imperfect obedience for perfect Heb. 11.17 Thirdly He will look upon accept of the perfect Obedience the full satisfaction of Jesus Christ for us as if we had yielded
iâ— in our own Persons 1 Epist Iohn 2.1 Thirdly To meditate on the fulness of this Covenant that iâ— contains promises of all things concerning life and godliness this life and a better 2 Peter 1. 1 Timothy 4.8 That he will be a Sun and a Shield give grace and glory and will with-hold no good thing Psal 84.11 Fourthly On the unchange ableness of this Covenant that it is an everlasting Covenant Jer. 17.7 Jer. 32.39 40. Mal. 3.6 Heb. 13.6 Tenthly To meditate on the duties you owe to God in respect of this new Covenant of grace as First To be still admiring and adoring the free and rich grace of God in making such a Covenant with you notwithstanding you had abused this grace in the first Covenant and that he should bring you forth under the dispensations of the new Covenant that so far excels the old as you have seen in the clearness easiness and efficaciousness of it and further should so manifest and magnifie his grace towards you as to make his Word and Rod effectual to bring you within the Bonds of the Covenant Secondly Study well this Covenant of grace and acquaint your selves more and more with the many and precious promises contained in it Especially those that most concern your present wants and necessities and labour to suck out the sweet and comfort of all by Meditation Faith and Prayer Thirdly Let it be your care to walk worthy of and suitable to the grace of the new Covenant remembring you are under a better Covenâ—nt than that made with them under the old Testament and therefore you ought to have better lives seeing you have a better Mediator and better Promises and better Means than they had and therefore should have better Conversations The mysteries of the Gospel are more clearly reveal'd to you Christ's Yoke is an easie Yoke and his Burden a light Burden in comparison what they were under his Spirit poured out more plentifully than heretofore upon ordinary Believers therefore all these should be as so many Engagements so many encouragements to a morehumble holy spiritual and Heavenly walking before the Lord and a more thankful chearful faithful and fruitful service of the Lord Luke 1.74 75. 2 Cor. 7.1 2 Pet. 1.4 to the 12. 1 Cor. 15. last Fourthly Having at any time relapsed into sin especially gross and scandalous sin to renew as our humiliation under it so our Covenant of more circumspection and watchfulness against it after that Example Jer. 50.5 And the rather because there is a great proneness in us as well as others unto back-sliding and there are continual out-goings of corruption in us as well as others to deal falsly with God in our Covenant as they in Ps 78.36 37. And therefore our duty is that who are in Covenant with God upon our breach of Covenant to renew our Covenant of more circumspection for the future especially in times of Affliction and on Days of Humiliation and when we are to draw neer to God in that great Ordinance of the Lord's Supper but still remember we go out of our selves and fetch strength from God's Covenant to inable us to it Eph. 6.10 And thus much of the Covenant of Grace Now Fourthly the Works of God Sect. 4. And the Works of God are either his Works before time or in time First His Work before Time is his Decree now the Decree of God is his unchangable purpose with himself from all Eternity concerning the making of the World and all the Creatures in it especially Men and Angels their ends and the means to bring them to those ends for the manifestation of his glory Eph. 1.11 And in and about this Decree we may profitably meditate on these things First The infinite goodness of God in having us in his heart for so much good not only before we were but before the World was even from all Eternity Secondly The distinguishing love of God in this that we being all in his hands as the Clay in the hands of the Potter to make either Vessels of Mercy or Vessels of Wrath he should not appoint us unto Wrath but to obtain Salvation by Jesus Christ 1 Thes 5.9 Thirdly The infinite wisdom of God in appointing not only the ends of all his Creatures but the means to bring them to those ends Hosea 2.21 22. Fourthly On the unchangeableness of this Decree Mal. 3.6 I am Jehovah that changeth not 2 Tim. 2.19 All these should make us cry out with the Apostle Rom. 11. last 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oh the depth of the wisdom of God! Secondly For his Works in time they are Creation and Providence First Creation and herein 1. Take notice what it is sc that first outward act of God whereby according to his Eternal purpose of nothing by his very Word he made the World and every Creature in it very good Gen. 1. last Secondly To look into and study this Voluminous Book of the Creation wherein every Page will afford you fresh matter of Meditation and every Creature have a Tongue to tell you of those glorious Attributes of God that shine forth in all especially in that curious Master-piece of Man Psal 139.14 I am fearfully and wonderfully made c. and here to meditate on these five things the Eternity of God the Almighty Power of God the infinite wisdom of God the unsearchable goodness of God and the excellent end wherefore he did all this First The Eternity of God he must needs be an Eternal Beeing seeing he was before all Beeings he that made Time and all things must needs be before Time and all things and so Eternal without beginning and without end Psal 102.25 26. Secondly The Almighty Power of God in that He was able to make so great and glorious a Fabrick and all things in it of nothing by his very Word Psal 89.11 12 13. Thirdly The infinite wisdom of God in makeing all things in such an excellent Order harmony and beauty appointing every Creature its proper place and use making all serviceable one to another and all to the good of the Universe Psal 104.24 Fourthly The unsearchable Goodness of God in that notwithstanding he was infinitely good and blessed in Himself without a Creature yet should communicate his goodness and blessedness to the Creature Acts 17.24 25 26. His goodness also appear'd in making every Creature good and providing all things for the good of the Creature but above all in making the World and all things in it for Man and man for Himself What should the Meditation hereof but cause all of us to be still singing and saying with David Psal 18 1. Oh Lord how excellent is thy Name in all the Earth Oh Lord what is man thou should'st take such notice of him and make such account of him Fifthly To meditate on the excellent end of his doing all this viz. that he might have his glory from us Revel 4. last He did not make any thing for any need
he had of it or of us but that he might discover his unsearchable goodness to us and to this end did create us after his own Image gave us a reasonable and understanding Soul whereby we might come to know him and contemplate all his glorious excellencies which shine forth in the Creation of the World for the invisible things of God viz. his Eternal Power and God-head are seen by the Creation of the World Rom. 1.20 and therefore a just cause of humiliation to us that we eye him and answer him no better in the ends of our Creation but of this more hereafter The Second Work of God in Time is His Providence In this Head of Meditation I shall stay the longer because it is generally so much neglected and in opening of it I shall do these things First Shew you What it is Secondly Give you some Grounds for your Meditation on it Thirdly Shew you What those things are you are to meditate on in and about it First What it is viz. That continued act of God whereby He takes notice of preserves and governs all and every Creature to those ends and by those means which he appointed with Himself to the glory of his Name and the good of his Elect. Secondly For the Grounds or Reasons why you are to meditate on this First Because it will make you to acknowledge God in all your ways Prov. 3.6 Secondly It will cause you to see the loving kindness of the Lord Psal 107.43 Thirdly It will quiet your Spirits under whatsoever befalls you Job 1. last Psal 39.9 Fourthly It will enlarge your hearts in thankfulness for his distinguishing providences over you Psal 103.1 2 3. Psal 116.1 2. Yea it will make you admire and adore him in them as it did David Psal 8.3 4 Psal 144.3 2 Sam. 7.18 19. Fifthly It will wonderfully quicken you to an holy dependance on Him for the future as Jacob Gen. 48.15 and the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.10 Thirdly For the things to be meditated on in the providences of God they are these the kinds of it the parts of it the extent of it the ends of it the experiences you have had of it all full of admiration and how to carry your selves under all sad and glad Providences First For the Kinds of it First There is God's general Providence over all from the greatest to the least and there is his special Providence over his Church and People in a special manner takeing notice of them and the care of them which made Austin to cry out O bone Omnipotens Oh good God which dost so govern all as not to neglect any so look'st after thy Children as if all were but one and so respects every one as if one were all Secondly The providences of God are either the providences of his Mercy or of his Justice First For his merciful Providences here take notice of and meditate on the properties of this Mercy and the special branches of this mercy First For the properties of this mercy First It 's a free mercy He is merciful to whom he will be merciful Rom 9.15 Secondly That it is a rich mercy Rom. 10.12 Thirdly An everlasting mercy Psal 103.17 To whom he is once merciful he is ever merciful he can as soon forget to be as forget to be gracious and merciful to his and more then so Fourthly He delights to shew mercy to his Micah 7.18 Secondly Meditate on some of the special Branches of this Mercy to the Body to the Soul First To the Body as these the Lord 's forming and fashioning us so handsomely and comely in the Womb bringing us forth in perfection of parts upholding our Souls so long in life giving and continuing to us the use of our Senses and Limbs when others want them and would give a World for them if they had the use of them and all these from God and not from Parents and all of free-grace there being no more in us than others to move Him to this Mercy and to distinguish us as he does in his Mercies so as to give us health when others are in sickness and strength when others in weakness and maintenance when others in wants and liberty when others in bonds and peace when others in trouble should also give us perfection of parts when others are Monsters give us our sight when others are blind our hearing when others are deaf our speech when others are dumb our feet when others are lame The serious meditation on these Body-mercies will let us see what abundant cause we have of thankfulness and improving all to his glory Secondly To meditate on God's special Mercies to your Souls as these his Electing-mercies unto life his enlightning mercy with the saving knowledge of himself his Calling-mercy not only to the knowledge and profession but the faith love and obedience of the Gospel his adopting mercy to be the Sons and Daughters of the everliving God his justifying-mercy freely of his grace his Sanctifying-mercy with his grace his strengthning and establishing-mercy in the ways of grace the continuance of the precious means and seasons of grace to build you up still further in grace and gracious practises In short the giving Himself to be your Father and Portion hs Son to be your Redeemer and Saviour his Spirit to be your Sanctifier and Comforter Serious meditation on these Soul-mercies will cause you to say with David Psal 103. Praise thou the Lord O my Soul c. More particularly distinctly and fully To meditate on these merciful providences His converting-providence his protecting-providence his disposing-providence his correcting-providence his supporting-providence and his refreshing-providence First His Converting-providence in bringing us forth under the light of the Gospel and causing the light of his glorious grace in the face of Jesus Christ to shine into our hearts to turn us from darkness to light and from the Power of Satan unto God in placing us under a faithful Ministry and blessing the Ministry to our Conversion and Edification in saving-knowledg and grace when he leaves others under the same Ministry in their dark dead Christless and graceless condition Amongst other things which Beza in his last Will and Testâ—ment gives thanks for this was the first and chief that at the Age of 16. Years God had called him to the knowledge of the truth Although we cannot tell the Time or Person yet if we can find the Work a thorow-change of heart and life let us still remember to meditate on God's distinguishing-love and grace and mercy in it Secondly Take notice of and meditate on God's Protecting-providence how he hath watched over us and ours from the Womb to this very Day protecting us from many sins temptations and dangers we have been exposed to and others have miscarried by as for instance from the rage of Satan malice of Men violence of the Creature from Fire falls many tormenting sicknesses and diseases others lie groaning under how wonderfully and graciously
And Secondly Man's good Rom. 8.28 Fifthly Meditate on the Experience you have had of God's faithfulness and goodness you have had in all his Providences and this will not only enlarge your hearts in thankfulness for the present but quicken and strengthen you to an holy dependence and confident expectance of the like for the future as it did the Apostle 2 Cor. 1.9 10 To help you herein you shall do well to make 〈◊〉 Catalogue and keep a Diary of God's special providences to take a Book and write down the most remarkablest Providences of God over you and yours often read them over and ponder them well in your minds and that First because you may find this to have been the practise of the Saints To observe and register God's dealing with them and theirs to speak of them and erect Monuments in memorial of them Psal 77.12 Esther 9.26 1 Sam. 7.10 Secondly Because there is an equity in it Shall God take notice of us and we not take notice of Him He remember us and we forget Him Thirdly There 's a kind oâ— necessity of writing down these special Providences in regard of the weakness of our memories which are so apt to forget them Fourthly Greaâ— will be the profit of it the fight of such a Catalogue of gracious Providences will so mâ—ch the more affect our hearts with love to so good a God and quicken us to a holy dependence on Him and therefore to follow others in the practise of it And to help you in it I shall acquaint you with some special Promises for the strengthning your faith in His special Providences as for instance First For His Converting-providence you have a promise Acts 3. last Acts 26 18. Secondly For His Protecting-providence you have a promise Job 5.19 Psal 125.1 Thirdly For His Providing-providence Psal 34.10 The Lyons shall lack and suffer hunger c. Psal 37.19 Fourthly For His Directing-providence Prov. 3.6 Psal 32.8 Fifthly For His Assisting-providence 2 Cor. 12.9 Sixthly For His Correcting-providence Psal 89.31 Revel 3.19 Seventhly For His Supporting-providence 1 Cor. 10.13 Eighthly For His Refreshing-providence Jer. 3.12 Hosea 6.1 Lastly For His teaching us to profit by all these Providences Isaiah 48.17 I am the Lord that teacheth thee to profit Isaiah 27.9 This shall be the fruit the taking away of their sin To act faith in all these promises and communicate your experiences to others and tell them what God hath done for you and his as they give us an Example in Psal 44.1.23 And thus of the Works of God Sixthly Rules how to carry our selves under prosperous and adverse glad and sad Providences Personal Family National 1. Under prosperous and glad Providences 1. Take heed of concluding the special love and favour of God to you because of your prosperous condition in the World for no man can know love or hatred by these outward things Eccles 9.1 The wicked have usually the most of them Job 21. Psal 73. Because it is their portion in this life Psal 17. end And yet such is the deceit of Men's hearts as the most fetch the Evidences of God's love to them from their prosperity in this World from the abundance of these outward good things which they enjoy as health wealth honour birth beauty gifts parts knowledge utterance and the esteem they have in the World above others and that amongst the wise and the godly whereas men may enjoy all these and yet want the special love of God special I say not God's general love for you are to maâ—k well there is a double love of God general and special 1. General to all Men of which you may read Mark 10.21 Jesus beholding loved him saith the Text of the young Man 2. There is God's special love to his Elect of which you may read 2 Thes 2.16 John 13. Now God's general and common love is manifested in bestowing on Men these outward temporal good things as on the young Man that came to Christ to know what he must do to inherit Eternal Life But for His special love that is manifested in giving Spiritual blessings as Christ and his Spirit and Grace Faith Repentance Love c. His Fatherly Correction and Chastisements Heb. 12.6 And therefore take heed of concluding the special love of God because of your prosperous condition without an interest in Christ and a work of grace 2. Watch against those Evils prosperity usually leads men into as these 1. Forgetfulness of God Deut. 6.12 Psal 106.7.20 so as to depart from the living God Deut. 32.15 and deny him Job 21.15 And as of God so of the afflictions of Joseph Amos 6.6 7. And as of God and of others so of themselves their own latter end Lament 1.9 Jerusalem remembred not her latter end therefore she came down wonderfully Secondly Pride and disdain of others that come short of their measure as Psal 73.4 5 6. Psal 10.4 1 Tim. 6.17 It 's hard to keep a low Sayle under a high condition Men's blood and their Estates usually rise and fall together Thirdly Sensuality and voluptuousness as in the rich Fool Luk. 12.19 Fourthly Security and fearlessness of Judgment Jos 28.19 Math. 24.38 39. Fifthly Neglect and contempt of God's Word and Worship Jer. 22.23 I spake to thee in thy prosperity and thou saidst I will not hear 3. You are to take notice of and make conscience of those duties which God calls you unto in and by your prosperity as these 1. To eye God in all as Jacob did Gen. 31.9 When he was about to leave his Uncle Laban he told his Wives God had taken away his Father's Cattle and given them to him And after when he met with his Brother Esau and found favour in his sight he said I have seen thy face as the face of God Take what is brought thee because the Lord hath dealt graciously with me Gen. 32.10 11. A great Cardinal writing down in his Diary what such a Lord and such a Prince and such a Pope had done for him but not a word of God one reading it said This Man remembred his friends but forgot God And so still do too many but take heed of it it is the next way to have God strip you of all 2. To walk humbly under your prosperity and the abundance of these outward good things being unworthy of and less than the least of God's mercies As our sins are greater than the greatest of God's Judgments Ezra 9 13. so our duties less than the least of God's mercies 3 To live still thankfully for his distinguishing goodness to you and when you find the sweet of any mercy remember still to give him his glory still to bless the Lord that takes pleasure in his People and delights to see his Servants prosper Psal 35.27 Deut. 8.19.26.5 4. To serve the Lord the more cheerfully for the abundance of all his goodness as having thereby more leisure from worldly imployments to attend on the service of
Consider what they come for sc for sin Though there be other causes yet this is always one cause Lament 3.39 Wherefore doth the living man complain c Psal 130. last Miea 7. I will patiently bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned If sin lies heavy all afflictions will be light Luther gives this reason why he slighted the rage of the Pope the Emperor and all his Enemies They are all little to me saith he because sin is so weighty 3. Consider to what end they come Rom. 8.28 All things work together for good Gen. 15.20 Heb. 12. He corrects us not for his pleasure but for our profit Phil. 1.19 I know this shall turn to my Salvation 4. Be careful to justifie God in and under all even the greatest afflictions As Ezra 9. Thou hast punished us less than we deserve Psal 119. of very faithfulness thou hast corrected me and the Church Lament 3. It 's the Lord's mercy we are not consumed Isai 24.15 The command is Glorifie God in the Fire sc of Affliction which is as a Fire to try you humble purge you and purifie you 5. Be filent and patient under it as Job 1. last and David Psal 9.9 Remembring and considering wnatsoever your sufferings are 1. They are from a Lord whose will cannot be resisted and a Father whose will ought readily to be obeyed a wise Father that knows what is better for his Children than they do for themselves a compassionate Father that will not afflict too much because he knows whereof they are made that they are but dust Psal 103. nor too long least the Spirit faint and the Soul that he hath made Isai 57. Secondly Because whatsoever your sufferings are they are little or nothing in respect of what our sins made Christ to suffer 2. In respect of the many and bitter things many of his Saints have and do suffer 3. Those evils our sins deserve we should suffer 4. Those Eternal sufferings Christ hath redeem'd us from 5. That exceeding excessive weight of glory that will follow these sufferings 2 Cor. 4. end 3. In respect of those many sweet gracious and holy ends God hath in the Afflictions of his which you saw before in your Meditations on God's supporting grace 6. Lastly To hearken unto and obey the voice of God in his Rod Mica 6.9 The Lord's Voice cryeth unto the City c. The Rod of God hath a Voice as well as the Word when Men will not hearken unto and obey God's Voice in the Ministry of the Word then God sends his Rod and awakens Conscience opens Mens Ears and Seals up instructions Q. But what is the Voice of the Rod what doth it teach and instruct men in Ans That you have in four places of Scripture 1. That of Job 22.21 Acquaint thy self with God and be at peace so good shall come unto thee 2. That Lament 3.39 Wherefore doth the living man complain let him search and trie his ways and turn again unto the Lord. 3. That of Peter 1 Pet. 5.6 Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God and he will exalt you in due time 4. That Ezek. 18.31 Cast away all your transgressions and make you a new Heart and a new Spirit For why will you die O House of Israel 7. To be thankful that as God of faithfulness hath corrected us so of the same faithfulness he hath not taken away his loving kindness That he hath corrected us in so much measure and mercy dealt not with us according to our deserts but the multitude of his free tender and unchangeable mercies our afflictions not so many and great but God's mercies more and greater if not in temporals yet in spirituals though poor in the World yet rich in Christ though we want the smiles of the World you have the favour of the great God though not the riches of the World yet we have the riches of grace though not the pleasures of the World yet the peace of a good Conscience 8. Not only to be thankful for them but joyful in them and under them though not in respect of the nature of them which is evil for so they are not joyous but grievous Heb. 12. Yet in respect of the concomitants Pardon and Peace and the consequents Salvation and Glotification as they 1 Thes 1.4.6 This is the meaning of that James 1.2 My brethren count it all joy when you fall into divers Temptations or Afflictions There are two Sights saith Luther the Devil most delights-in To see a wicked man merry and a Saint sorrowful but there are two Sights that do intollerably vex him sc To see a sinner mournful for his sin and a Saint joyful under his sufferings Luther's Colloq Mensal Cap. 37. And therefore I say be joyful and comfortable under all your affl ctions in respect of the blessed issue and fruit of them as the Saints before us Acts 5. last Rom. 5.3 4. 9. To be fruitful under them What that fruit is you are to bring forth under them you may see in Isai 27.9 By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged c. And David Psal 119.67 It 's good for me that I have been afflicted 10. To live still by faith in God's promises and providences for supporting Grace under and deliverance out of all as the Saints have done before you First You have many promises to encourage you take notice of and meditate on a few 1 Cor. 10.13 Psal 91.15 Isai 41.10.27.9 10. Psal 34.19 Secondly You have many also of the Saints going before you in this as Job 15 13. David Psal 42 last Psal 9.10 Paul 2 Cor. 1.10 And we are commanded to follow them in the same practise Heb. 10.35 end Lastly To follow all with Praver that Faith and Patience may have their through and perfect work The Rod may be sanctified before it be removed That as your sufferings abound so your Consolations may abound by Jesus Christ Amen The Fifth Head concerning the Worship and Service of God Sect. 1. About this to meditate on these sew things What it is Where and When and How and Why we are to worship God 1. What it is for the understanding of this to consider Servants you know owe unto their Lord a service of honour and of labour for the protection and provision they have from them and such do we owe to our Soveraign Lord and Master Mal. 1.6 So that this worship of God it is that Homage and service which every one owes unto Him and which he requires and expects from them and for their Creation Redemption Vocation and the daily protection and provision he makes for them Math. 4.10 Deut. 10.12 and vers 21. Psal 29.1 2. And here to take notice This Worship of God it 's either External or Internal First External God is to be worshipped with the Body and every part of it Joshua sell on his face and worshipped Josh 5.14 Moses bowed his head and worshipped Exod. 4.32
an enlightening enlivening mortifying sanctifying quickning strengthning and establishing Spirit in you as you know you have life by your breathing moving walking so you may know you have the Spirit of God if he breathe and move in you and enable you to walk in the ways of God's Commandments more especially by this if you find him to be a spirit of sanctification in you to sanctifie you throughout in your whole man and in your whole Conversation for He is a Spirit of Holiness Rom. 1.4 and sanctifieth all his 1 Cor. 6.11 so as with David to hate every false way and have respect to every command of God Ps 119.6.12.8 Thirdly You may know it by this if you be careful not to quench the Spirit 1 Thes 5.19 or grieve the Spirit Eph. 4.30 but heedfully to hearken to his Voice Isai 30.21 and follow his guidance Rom. 8.14 Gal. 5.25 Fourthly By this if you go wholly out of your selves in every duty and enter upon it as in the name of Christ so by the strength of his Spirit as you are exhorted Eph. 6.10 and David did Psal 71.16 Fourthly If you find that you have not yet received the Spirit then to meditate on the many and weighty motives there are to quicken you to labour after the Spirit I will but name a few drawn from the Necessity and the Utility of it 1. There is an absolute Necessity of having the Spirit of God and that in these two respects 1. Because without the Spirit of Christ you can receive no grace from Christ for it is the Spirit that is the sole Author and Worker of grace in any therefore called the Spirit of Grace Zach. 12.10 And the Spirit of Sanctification Rom. 1.4 and the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord Isai 11.2 2. Because without the Spirit you cannot perform any duty so as to please the Lord and to profit by it As for instance 1. Not hear the Word for without the Spirit the Word is but a dead and killing Letter 2 Cor. 3.6 It was he that opened the heart of Lydia to attend unto what was spoken so as to live by it Acts 16. 2. Not to pray effectually without the Spirit Rom. 8.26 2. Many and great will be the benefits that will come to you by having the Spirit 1. He will be a Spirit of Inhabitation to dwell in you honour you so far as to make you his House and Temple 1 Cor. 3.16 2. He will be a Spirit of Illumination to enlighten you with the knowledge of God's mind and will to teach you all things John 16.12 and bring all things to your remembrance John 14.26 3. A Spirit of Sanctification Rom. 1.4 To sanctifie you throughout in Spirit Soul and Body 1 Thes 5.23 To inrich you with all sanctifying graces Gal. 5.22 4. A Spirit of Consolation to cheer up your Spirits in and under affliction Rom. 14.17 John 14.16 5. A Spirit of Intercession teaching to pray Rom. 8.26 6. A Spirit of Direction to guide you in all your ways and lead you into all truth Rom. 8.14 and 16.5 In a word a Spirit of Adoption and Salvation Rom 8.16 Ephes 1.13 and therefore in all these respects to labour after the Spirit of Christ But you will say What must we do to procure this Spirit 5. You must take notice of and meditate on the means of procuring the Spirit which are amongst others these 1. You are to give the Spirit the glory that is due to him Well then Q. What must we do to procure the Spirit A. 1. You are to give the Spirit the glory that is due to him by acknowledging him to be true and very God every way equal with the Father and the Son to believe in him and rest on him for illumination sanctification and salvation as well as the Father and the Son for the ignorance and unbelief of this our Saviour shews to be the cause why the World receives him not John 14.17 Secondly You are to know and acknowledge that by nature you want the Spirit of God and thereupon to hunger and thirst after him for the promise is he will pour out his Spirit upon such Isaiah 44.3 John 7 37 38. Thirdly You are to attend and wait upon God in the Ministry of the Word wherein the Spirit is given Acts 10.44 Gal. 3.2 Fourthly You are to love the Lord Jesus Christ and express your love by keeping his Commandments for Christ hath promised to give his Spirit unto such John 14.15 16 17. Fifthly You are to be earnest and constant in Prayer for the Spirit to be given in to enlighten and enable you to every duty God calls you to the gift of the Spirit is a great gift and the greatest next to Christ his Son too great indeed for us to ask but not for God to give for he delights to give and do great things for his and not only commands us to ask him but makes many promises to incourage us Ezek. 36.25 26. Joel 2.28 29. Zac. 12.10 most clearly Luke 11.13 Fifthly If you would have the Spirit to obey the Spirit in his motions and excitements within and without Isa 30.20 21. and take heed you do not resist grieve or quench the Spirit Isai 63.10 Eph. 4.13 1 Thes 5.19 Sixthly Having obtain'd the Spirit to take notice of and meditate on the means you are to use for the preserving and increasing communion with him as First To take heed of and shun such sins as cause him to depart for instance 1. Take heed of quenching the Spirit 1 Thes 5.19 now the Spirit is quenched as Fire is either by with-drawing Fuel or casting-on of Water and filth so is the Spirit when Men either neglect the means and seasons of grace or else hearken unto and cherish the motions of sin and Satan and the World hence that Exhortation Isai 30. To hearken unto the Voice behind us and not turn to the right hand or to the left Secondly Take heed of grieving the Holy Spirit of God Eph. 4.30 Now the Holy Spirit is grieved as by all sin so especially by open and scandalous sins such as lying dissembling idleness rotten communication unbridled passion anger wrath revenge as you may see clearly Eph. 4 25. to the end Thirdly Take heed of resisting the Holy Ghost which is a higher degree of sinning when Men and Women not only refuse to hearken unto the Voice of the Spirit in the Ministry of the Word but even fall fowl on the Doctrines and truths that are taught out of the Word and quarrel with the Ministers for their plain and faithful dealing with them as the Israelites did with Jeremy 43.1.2 and the Jews with Stephen Acts 5.71 Fourthly Take heed of tempting the Holy Ghost as Ananias and Sapphira did Acts 5.1 to the 10. Q. When do Men tempt the Holy Ghost to take vengeance on them A. You may see in that place when they will profess and pretend that which is not in
and terror ere they dyed if they do not here they shall hereafter Qui non credunt sensiant they shall find and feel it hereafter that Hell is no Fable and the Devils are no Nominals but Reals not imaginary but afflicting Spirits Spirits ordained for Vengeance tempters of men here to sin and tormentors hereafter for sin 2. Take notice what they are This you may understand by the several names given to them in Scripture as 1. in respect of their nature they are called Spirits i. e. Spiritual Substances or Substances without a body whereby they are distinguished from the Souls of Men that are united to their Bodies 1 Kings 22.21 Matth. 18.6 Luk. 10.20 2. In respect of their corrupt nature they are called Evil Spirits Luke 8.2 1 Sam. 18.10 1 Joh. 3.12 3. They are called lying Spirits 1 Kings 22.22 and unclean Spirits Matth. 10.1 4ly In respect of their great knowledge they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Levit. 17.7 1 Cor. 10.20 i. e. Understanding Spirits which we read or Devils though they be more fitly called Devils because they are continually doing evil 5. In regard of their Pride Power and Dominion in the World they are called the Prince of the Air Ephes 2.2 and the Godd of this World 2 Cor. 4.4 6. In respect of their Properties he is called the Tempter because continually he is tempting to evil and the Deceiver because he alwayes deceives men in the promises he makes and Accuser because he is still accusing God to Man and Man to God and the Destroyer because he is still plotting and practising ruine and destruction unto Souls 1 Pet. 5.8 So as put all together the Devils are evil and wicked Spirits abounding in knowledge and power to do mischief still tempting to sin imployed about delighting in nothing else 3. How became they such evil Spirits For the understanding of this you are to take notice 1. That they were by creation good and as good every way as the Elect Angels as Understanding Wise Pure Potent every way equal and no way inferior to the Good Angels Gen. 1. last 2. Though they were created good and as good as the Elect Angels yet they voluntarily fell from this good Estate and became as evil as they were good John 8.44 Jude 6. The Angels that left their first estate c. The cause of their fall was their sin 2 Pet. 2.4 God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to Hell c. What their special sin was is not clearly revealed in the Scripture but probably conceived to be their pride from that place 1 Tim. 3.6 where he adviseth That a Minister should not be a Novice lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the Devil implying that their sin was either pride or mixed with pride 4. What their punishment is And this consists in two things 1. The grea◠corruption of their Nature whereas by Creation they were very good and holy by their fall they became extreamly evil and the greatest enemies to holiness whereas by Creation they had the Knowledge of of God's whole Will and an actual conformity to it by their fall they were deprived though not of their Natural yet of their Supernatural Knowledge and all Sanctified Knowledge and this Knowledge they have now it is accompanied with an implacable hatred of God and obstinate impenitency and final desperation The second part of their punishment is The Curse of God or the Infinite and Eternal Wrath of God which St. Peter layes down in four branches Having sinned 1. They were cast down viz. out of Heaven 2. Cast into Hell 3. Under everlasting Chains of Darkness 4. Reserved to the Day of Judgement for the full pouring out of God's Wrath and Vengeance upon them In the interim they are permitted to come out of that local place of Hell and to walk up and down in the World for the punishment of the wicked and the exercising of the Godly 5. To take notice what their Office and Work is And that is To be a Tempter an Accuser a Tormentor these three the Devil is continually exercised in 1. He is a continual tempter unto sin and therein behaves himself as a subtil Serpent and discovers himself to be that wicked One. 2. He is a continual Accuser of God to Man and Man to God and one Man to another and therein shews himself to be a Deceiver and a Murderer and the Father of Lies John 8.44 3ly He is a continual Tormentor and Troubler of men for sin and therein shews himself a Fiery Dragon and a Roaring Lion and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Destroyer of Souls this work God permits him to be imployed in in a double respect 1. The Wicked and 2. the Godly to punish the one and exercise the other 1. To punish and plague the wicked 1. In their Souls and that 1. by giving the Devils power to tempt them to sin and prevail over them by his temptations as over Ahab's false Prophets 1 Kings 22.22 2ly By giving power to them to vex and to terrifie their Consciences 1 Sam. 16.14 23. An Evil Spirit was sent to vex Saul and Psalm 78.49 Evil Angels were sent to vex and terrifie the Egyptians 2. To punish them in their bodies by giving leave to the Devil to possess them and torment them rend and tear them in pieces as History tells us he hath done the bodies of many wicked Hereticks Blasphemers and Apostates and at last to carry them to Hell as he did Dives Luke 16. Then 2ly their Office is to exercise the Godly 1. Sometimes in their Bodies by afflicting them as he did Job's Body Job 2.7 2. In their Souls by suffering Satan to tempt them and trouble them though not finally prevail over them as over the wicked however Satan sought to winnow Peter like Wheat yet Christ prayed that his Faith should not fail Luk. 22.32 Though he buffeted Paul yet God promised his Grace should be sufficient for him 2 Cor. 12.7 9. 6. VVhat their Properties and Qualities are They are very Knowing Subtil Powerful Wicked and Malicious Spirits 1. For their Knowledge That must needs be very great 1. In that by creation they were like to the good Angels in Knowledge 2. Their knowledge since hath been much increased by the long experience they have had of all God's Revelations and manifestations in the World Job 1.8 9. But yet however they know so much and more of God then others yet they know not mens hearts but only by conjecture for 't is only God's prerogative to be the searcher of the heart 1 King 8.39 Neither do they know what the Grace of Regeneration is nor what the comforts of the Spirit are for these are props to the Elect. 2. For their Subtilty we read of the Wiles of Satan Ephes 6. and the Depths of Satan Rev. 3. This subtilty of theirs appears in these Particulars 1. In
it so many precious priviledges for Soul and Body in the midst of so many Devils and devilish minded men and the rather considering not only their great power but their great number malicious nature deep subtilty and continual activity to plot and practise mischief we can never be enough in blessing God for his great Mercy and Goodness to us in restraining and preserving us from the power malice and rage of the Devil and his Instruments 2. As to bless God so to rejoyce in this priviledge we have by Jesus Christ of being rescued out of his power and being preserved in and under all our fears and dangers as the Apostle Rom. 8.33 and not without cause you know how poor Captives rejoyce when they are rescued out of cruel and oppressing hands of Turk and Pope and how poor condemned Malefactors rejoyce at the news of a Pardon how much more should we that the Lord Jesus Christ hath rescued us from the vassallage and slavery to Satan and procured a Pardon for all our sins this should make us rejoyce and again rejoyce Phil. 4.4 rejoyce evermore 1 Thes 5. 3. Not to fear him too much so as to be kept from duty or drawn into sin by him for this is to worship the Devil instead of God and to provoke God to leave you unto his power and therefore to take heed of fearing him with such a slavish fear as to be kept from duty and to be drawn into evil remember and consider well however the Devil be full of subtilty malice and power yet Christ he is the Wisdom of the Father and knows how to out-wit him and to out-work him Greater and stronger is he that is in you then he that is in the World 1 John 4.4 He hath already spoiled Principalities and Powers tryumphing over them on the Cross Col. 2.15 Hath them all in a Chain Jude 6. so as they cannot go an inch farther then their Chain can do nothing without his permission not so much as enter into a Swine without his leave however they may prevail over wicked men to carry them Souls and Bodies into destruction yet they cannot over true Believers such as he hath rescued out of his power I have prayed that thy Faith fail not saith Christ to Peter and not only for him but all others that believe in his Name John 17.20 The Devil may prevail sometimes by God's permission to the spoiling of their Goods the afflicting of their Bodies the troubling of their Spirits yea and it may be the loss of their life but never to the prejudice or loss of their Soul God may give way to them to let them separate us from worldly things but never from the love of God in Christ Jesus 4. To carry our selves so as we may still be protected from the power malice and rage of Satan and his Instruments to this end To take heed of some things and practise others 1. To take heed of these things that as you do not fear him too much so you do not slight him too much much less provoke him and seek for help from him 1. Not to slight him too much so as to be secure rush upon his temptations and presume on your own strength of Grace to withstand them for if he had so much power over man in the state of Innocency to give him a fall much more in the state of Apostacy as you may see in the Examples of David and Peter if he hath shaken the tallest Cedars much more such poor low shrubs as we are 2. As not to slight him too much so not to provoke him too much as many ignorant prophane wretches do by reviling and railing on him daring and challenging him he should do his worst rashly and indiscreetly rushing into those places given up to his possession for this is but fool-hardiness and many have sadly smarted for it therefore take warning by others harm You may read Jude 9. The Arch-Angel would not rail at the Devil but only said The Lord rebuke thee this being spoken in Faith will soon quell him and subdue him rather then railing tearms Remember and consider the Devil is forward enough to do mischief and needs not to be provoked to it 3. Above all take heed you be never drawn to seek help from him in the time of trouble and distress as many ignorant prophane persons are For 1. It is that which God hath expresly forbid Levit. 19.31 Levit. 22.6 Levit. 20.6 Isa 8.19 2. That which he hath exemplarily punished as in Ahaziah 2 Kings 1.3 6. and in Saul 1 Chron. 10.13 14. 3. Because it is a departing from the living God and a serving the Devil which is such a crying sin as the Lord himself bids Heaven and Earth to be astonished at it Jer. 12. For the things that are to be practised they either respect his Temptations in general or else those hideous and hellish ones to Atheism Blasphemy Self-murder in particular First For the remedy against his temptations in general you are to do these things To arm your selves against them to stand upon your watch and resist him stedfast in the Faith To arm your selves against him according to those directions of the Apostle Ephes 6. from 11 to 19. in which words you have these things observable 1. If you would be protected from him you must have Armour 2. This Armour must not lie by you but be put on 3. What kind of Armour this is no other then Spiritual Armour For we fight not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickednesses in high places vers 12. and therefore our Armour must be Spiritual and not Carnal such as Popish Armour Exorcisms Crucifixes Holy-Water c. This Armour is fashioned on the Devils Anvil and this Mystical Leviathan esteems no more of it then Iron and Straw and rotten Wood. 4. You must have the several pieces of this Armour which are partly Defensive and partly Offensive 1st For the Defensive Armour there are five pieces of it The Girdle of Truth Brest plate of Righteousness The feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace The Shield of Faith and the Helmet of Salvation By which are meant the principal Vertues and Graces Christians are to be armed with against the temptations of Satan To open these briefly to you 1. By the Girdle of Verity you are to understand Sincerity and Truth with which you are to arm your selves against all temptations to Guile and Hypocrisie for God's Children are Children that will not lie Zeph. 3.13 and we are exhorted to put away all lying and to speak every one the truth to his Neighbour Ephes 4.25 2. By the Brest-plate of Righteousness you are to understand a good Conscience and a righteous Conversation with which you are to arm your selves against all temptations to iniquity and unrighteousness Luk. 1.47 1 Thess 4.7 3. By the feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace you are to understand the many