his bottle with my teares but I have filled his book with my debts Well but meditate on this promise I am he that blotteth out c. The word there in the original to blot out * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a Metaphor alludes to a Merchant who when his debtor hath paid him he blots out the debt and gives him an acquittance So saith God I will blot out your sinne I will crosse the debt-book Ah but may the poore soul say it may be a great while first I may be a long time under the convulsions of conscience I may even pine away and my life draw nigh to the grave * Psal 88.9 No in the Hebrew it is in the participle of the present 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am blotting out thy transgressions I have taken my penne and am crossing out thy score Oh but may the sinner say there 's no reason God should do this for me Well but acts of grace do not go by reason I will blot out thy sinnes for my name sake Ah but saith the sinner will not the Lord call my sins again to remembrance no he promiseth an Act of Oblivion I will not upbraid thee with thy sinnes or sue thee with a bond that is cancell'd I will remember thy sinnes no more Here is a sweet promise to meditate upon 't is an Hive full of the honey of the Gospel 2. Meditate upon promises of Sanctification The earth is not so apt to be over-grown with weeds and thornes as the heart is to be over-grown with lusts now God hath made many promises of healing Hos 14.4 and purging Jerem. 33.8 Esay 4◠3 promises of sending his Spirit * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theophy act which for its sanctifying nature is compar'd sometimes to water which cleanseth the vessel sometimes to winde which is the fan to winnow and purifie the aire sometimes to fire which doth refine the mettals Meditate often on that promise Isa 1.18 Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow Scarlet is so deep a die that all the art of man cannot take it out but behold here a promise God will lay the soul a whitening he will make of a scarlet sinner a milk-white Saint By vertue of this refining and consecrating work a Christian is made partaker of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 he hath an idoneity and fitnesse to have communion with God for ever Meditate much on this promise 3. Meditate upon promises of remuneration The Haven of rest Heb. 4.9 The beatifical sight of God Matth. 5.8 The glorious Mansions John 14.2 The meditation of these promises will be as bezar-stone to keep us from fainting under our sinnes and sorrows SECT 3. THe third subject of meditation is * Meditate on the love of Christ meditate upon the love of Christ * Rev. 1.5 Christ is as full of love as he is of merit What was it but love that he should save us and not not the Angels Among the rarities of the Load-stone this is not the least that leaving the gold and pearl it should draw iron to it which is a baser kinde of mettal so that Christ should leave the Angels those more noble spirits the gold and pearl and draw mankinde to him how doth this proclaime his love Love was the wing on which he did flie into the Virgins womb 1. How transcendent is Christs love to the Saints The Apostle calls it a love that passeth knowledge * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ephes 3.19 'T is such a love as God the Father bears to Christ the same for quality though not equality Joh. 15.9 As the Father hath loved me so have I loved you A beleevers heart is the garden where Christ hath planted this sweet flower of his love 'T is the channel through which the golden stream of his affection runnes 2. How distinguishing is Christ love 1 Corinth 1.26 Not many wise not many noble are called In the old Law God passed by the Lion and the Eagle and took the Dove for sacrifice that God should passe by so many of birth and parts and that the lot of free-grace should fall upon thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O the depth of divine love 3. How invinsible is the love of Christ It is strong as death Cant. 8 6. Death might take away his life not his love * Absorbeat igitur mentem meam ab omnibus quae sub caelo sunt ignita melliflua vis tui amoris ut totus tibi inhaeream solaque suavitatis tuae dulcedine pascar inchrier and as death so neither sinne could wholly quench that divine flame of love the Church had her 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 her infirmities her sleepy fits Cant. 5.2 but though black'd and sullied yet still a Dove Christ could see the faith wink at the failing He who drew Alexander while there was a scarre upon his face drew him with his finger upon the scar Christ puts the finger of mercy upon the scars of the Saints he will not throw away his pearls for every speck of durt And which makes this love of Christ the more stupendious There was nothing in us to excite or draw forth his love * Non dilexit dignos sed diligendo efficit dignos Aug. He did not love us because we were worthy but by loving us made us worthy 4 How immutable is Christs love Having loved his own he loved them to the end * Joh. 13.1 The Saints are like letters of gold engraven upon Christs heart which cannot be raced out Meditate much upon the love of Christ The serious meditation of the love of Christ 1. Would make us love him again Can one go upon bot coales and his feet not be burnt Prov. 6.28 who can tread by meditation upon these hot coals of Christs love and his heart not burne in love to him 2. The Meditation of Christs love would set our eyes abroach with tears for our Gospel-unkindnesses O that we should sinne against so sweet a Saviour had we none to abuse but our friend had we nothing to kick against but bowels of love did not Christ suffer enough upon the Crosse but must we needs make him suffer more do we give him more gall and vinegar to drink O if any thing can dissolve the heart in mourning it is disingenuity and unkindness offered to Christ When Peter thought of Christs love to him Christ could deny Peter nothing yet that he should deny Christ this made his eyes to water Peter went out and wept bitterly * Mat. 26.75 3. The meditation of Christs love would make us love our enemies Jesus Christ shewed love to his enemies We read of the fire licking up the water 1 King 18.38 'T is usual for water to quench the fire but for fire to dry up and consume the water which was not capable of burning this was miraculous such a miracle did Christ shew his
look after more sollid comforts The favour of God the blood of Christ the influences of the Spirit When I see the life which I fetch from the cistern is vain I will go the more to the Spring head in Christ there is an inexhaustible treasury When a man finds the bough begin to break he lets go the bough and catcheth hold on the main tree so when we finde the creature to be but a rotten bough then by faith we shall catch hold on Christ the tree of life Revel 2.7 The creature is but a reed God is the rock of ages SECT 6. THe sixth subject of meditation is Meditate on the excellency of grace meditate upon the excellency of grace Grace is 1. Precious in it self 2 Pet. 1.1 precious faith Grace is precious 1. In its original it comes from above Jam. 3.17 2. In its nature * Ardentes sui amores excitaret si simulachrū ejus ad oculos penetraret Plat. it is the seed of God 1 John 3.9 Grace is the spiritual enamel and embroidery of the soul It is the very signiture and engraving of the holy-Ghost Grace doth not lose its colour It is such a commodity that the longer we keep it the better it is it changeth into glory 2. As grace is precious in it self so it makes us precious to God * Summa apud Deum nobilitas clarum esse virtutibus Hierom. Epist ad Celantiam as a rich diamond adornes them that weare it Esay 43.4 Since thou wert precious in my sight thou hast been honourable The Saints who are invested with grace are Gods jewels Mal. 3.17 though sullied with reproach though besmear'd with blood yet jewels all the world besides is but lumber These are the jewels and heaven is the golden cabinet where they shall be lockt up safe A gracious man is the glory of the age he lives in like Melancthon who was called the phaenix of Germany * Bucauus praefat loc com So illustrious in Gods eye is a soul bespangled with grace that he doth not think the world worthy of him Heb. 11.38 Of whom the world was not worthy Therefore God calls for his people home so fast because they are too good to live in the world Prov. 12.26 The righteous is more excellent than his mighbour Grace is the best blessing * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zenoph It hath a meliority and transcendency above all things else there are two things sparkle much in our eyes but grace infinitely out shines both 1. Gold The Sunne doth not shine so bright in our eyes as gold 't is the mirror of beauty money answers all things Eccles 10.19 but grace weighs heavier than gold * Nullae majores divitiae quam fides quae caecos illuminat aegros curat martyres coronat in haereditate aeterna cum Sanctis angelis collocat Aug. de verb. dom gold draws the heart from God Grace draws the heart to God Gold doth but doth enrich the mortal part grace the angelical Gold perishes 1 Pet. 1.7 grace perseveres The Rose the fuller it is blown the sooner it sheds an emblem of all things besides grace Petitur hac caelum via Nunquam stygias fertur ad umbras Inclyta virtus sed cum summas Exiget horas consumpta dies itur ad superos gloria pandet Sen. Trag. 2. Guifts These are natures pride Guifts and parts like Rachel are faire to look upon but grace excels I had rather be holy than eloquent * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cyrill An heart full of grace is better than an head full of notions Gifts commend no man to God 'T is not the paring of the apple we esteem though of a vermillion color but the fruit We judge not the better of an horse for his trappings * Non faciunt equum meliorem aurei fraeni Sen. l. 5. Epist 41. and ornaments unlesse he have good mettel What are the most glorious parts if there be not the mettel of grace in the heart Gifts may be bestowed upon one for the good of others as the nurses breasts are given her for the childe but grace is bestowed for a mans own eternal advantage God may send away reprobates with gifts as Abraham did the sons of the concubines Gen. 25.6 but he entails the inheritance only upon grace O often meditate upon the excellency of grace The musing on the beauty of grace would 1. Make us fall in love with it He that meditates on the worth of a diamond grows in love with it Damascen calls the graces of the Spirit the very characters and impressions of the divine nature * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Damascen Grace is that flower of delight which like the vine in the parable Judges 9.13 chears the heart of God and man 2. The meditation of the excellency of grace would make us earnest in the pursuit after it We dig for gold in the Mine we sweat for it in the furnace did we meditate on the worth of grace we would dig in the Mine of Ordinances for it what sweating and wrastling in prayer We would put on a modest boldnesse and not take a denial What wilt thou give me saith Abraham seeing I go childlesse Gen. 15.2 so would the soul say Lord what wilt thou give me seing I go gracelesse who will give me to drink of the water of the well of life 3. The meditation of the excellency of grace would make us endeavour to be instrumental to convey grace to others Is grace so transcendantly precious and have I a child wants grace Oh that I might be a meanes to convey this treasure into his soul I have read of a rich Florentine * Cosm Medices who being to die called all his sons together and used these words to them It much rejoyceth me now upon my death-bed quod vos divites relinquam That I shall leave you all wealthy But a parents ambition should be rather to convey sanctity that he may say O my children it rejoyceth me that I shall leave you gracious it comforts me that before I die I shall see Jesus Christ live in you SECT 7. THe seventh subject of meditation is Meditate upon thy spiritual estate enter into a serious meditation of the state of your soules while you are meditating of other things do not forget your selves The great work lies at home It was Solomons advice know the state of thy flock Prov. 27.23 much more know the state of thy soul * Cum sublatum è conspectu lumen est inquit Seneca moris mei jam conscius totum diem mecum serutor nibil transco Tacitus annal l. 13 for want of this meditation men are like travellers skill'd in other countreys but ignorant of their own so they know other things but know not how it goes with their souls whether they are in a good state or bad there are few who by holy Meditation enter within themselves There
an egresse and expansion of heart is there to that which we love Bonaventure cals love the wing of the soul on this wing did David flie to Heaven I am still with thee Love hath this property it unites at a distance * Amor est veluti junctura duas personas conglutinans Suar. l. 12. de Trii Aquinas li. 1. sentendist 15. Qu. 5. art 3. it fixeth the heart upon the object Thus the love-sick spouse when she could not see Christ yet she imbraced him in her affections when her eye was not upon him yet her love was Saw ye him whom my soul loves Cant. 3.3 Christ my love is crucified said Ignatius * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. Ep. 12. ad Ro. As Christ was fastned to the Crosse so he is to a Christians heart A true Saint is like the Tribe of Manasseh half of the Tribe was on this side Jordan and half on the other side in the holy Land * Josh 1.14 So it is with a Saint half of him is on this side and half in the holy Land his flesh is on earth his heart in heaven as it was said of Paul 2 Cor. 12.2 Whether in the body I cannot tell or whether out of the body I cannot tell So it may be said of a good Christian t is hard to tell whether he be in the body or out of the body his love is in heaven * Animam meam odio haberem si alibi quam in Christo invenirem Austin he is lodged in the Tree of life The fire of love boils the heart as high as heaven 4. The Soul is still with God by faith unbelief is called a drawing back from God Heb. 10.39 and faith a drawing near to God Heb. 10.22 by an eye of faith through the perspective glass of a promise we look into heaven The people of Israel stood in the outer Court of the Temple but the High-priest entred within the vail into the holy of holies thus the senses stand in the outward Court of the body but faith enters within the vail it sees Christ cloth'd with the Robe of our humane nature and sitting down in glory above the Angels faith imbraceth Christ Austin moves the Question how shall I put out a long arm to reach Christ in heaven * Quomodo in Caelum manum mittam Aug. crede et tenuisti believe saith he and thou hast laid hold on him Faith is aureum vinculum the golden clasp that knits us to Christ by faith we put on Christ as a garment Rom. 13.14 By faith we receive and concoct him as food Col. 2.6 by faith we are ingrafted into him as the ciens into the stock John 15.5 indeed a believers life is out of himself he lives more in Christ then he lives in himself Bernard tanquam radius in Sole as the beam lives in the sun as the branch in the root Col. 3.3 even as Juda said concerning Jacob his life is bound up in the lads life Gen. 44.30 so is a believers life bound up in Christ And thus is the Gracious soul ever with God by faith 5. Conversatione A Christian is still with God in the whole course and tennour of his life Not onely his heart is in heaven but his conversation too Phil. 3.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our deportment and carriage is in heaven wee walk as Burgesses of that city It is said of Christ his face was as though he would go to Hierusalem Luke 9.53 a good Christian should be known by his face his outward carriage and demeanour should show that he is going to the Hierusalem above Socrates being asked of what countrey he was answered he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a citizen of the world a true saint is a citizen of heaven he is known what place he belongs to by his speech habit gesture There is a kind of angelical brightness on him he shines in holiness as Moses face did shine when he had been with God in the mount He is still doing Angels work his life is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Chrysostom speaks a very heaven upon earth Noah walked with God Gen. 6.9 * It a pie sancte vixit quasi deum semper prae oculis haheret Aug. Tom. 10. Hom. 27. and in this sense the pious soul is still with God he walks unweariably with God though he meets with some rubs and difficulties in the way yet still he keeps his walk and thus we have seen in what sence a gracious soul is still with God the eagle may sometimes sit upon a low bough but her nest is built high Job 39.27 A Christian walks upon the surface of the earth but his nest is built high upon the rock Christ The moon is seen in the water yet it is seated in the firmament So a Christian is seen here below but he is above he is still with God 3. The third thing is why a Gracious heart is still with God There are five reasons why it is so 1. from the nature of grace grace carries the soul up towards God Grace is like fire est mollis flamma medullis T is the nature of fire to ascend You that ly groveling on the earth feeding like the serpent on dust or like eels wrapping your selves in the mud and slime of the world had you that new and holy principle of grace infused your souls would sparkle upwards you would mount up to heaven as Eagles Isa 40.31 had you the sharp eye of faith to see Christ you would soon have the swift wing of desire to fly to him 2. From that magnetical power of Gods spirit The spirit hath not only a soul-purifying but a soul-elevating power as the sun exhales and draws up the vapors from the Earth So the Spirit draws up the heart to God The Spirit lifted me up Ezek. 3.14 Though there be grace in the heart which would be still mounting upward yet there is much corruption to pull us down a Christian in this life is both check'd and spur'd Grace spurs him forward in his way to heaven and then corruption checks him now here the spirit comes in and draws up the heart to God * Spiritu sancto accenditur renatorum voluntas Austin which is a mighty power as if you should see a milstone drawn up into the Sun 3. A gracious heart is still with God because he is the center of the Soul and where should it ever be but in its Center while the heart is on the earth it shakes and trembles like the needle in the compass till it turnes to God * Irrequietum est cor nostrum do nec requiescit in te God is the proper Orb where the soul doth fix he is centrum quietativum as the Schoolmen speak A Christian rests in God as the Bee in the Hive as the Bird in the nest Return to thy rest O my soul Psalm 116.7 Noahs Dove was never well till it
disparagement to him to joyne our Duties in equipage with his Merits O sinner cast away thy beggars rags that thou mayest put on Christs lovely robes I would not take thee off from duty but from confidence in duty Noahs Dove might make use of her wings to flie but she did not trust to her wings but to the Ark. A man makes use of his feet to go over a bridge but he trusts to the bridge for safety Christians while they walk with the feet of obedience must trust to Christ as the bridge to lead them over the devouring sea of hell in short if thou wouldst get an interest in Christ rely on Christ by faith and resigne up thy self to Christ by service A beleever with one hand receives Christ with the other hand gives up himself to Christ Christ saith to a beleever with my body yea with my blood I thee endow and a beleever saith to Christ with my soule I thee worship Oh Christian part with all for a part in this lovely Saviour 2. Branch 2. Bran. If Christ be thus full of sparkling beauties then fall in love with this lovely object and with the Spouse be sick of love to Christ Beauty doth draw love Ministers are Paranymphi friends of the bride groom This day I come a wooing for your love Love him who is so lovely Let Christ lie as a bundle of myrrhe alwayes between your breasts If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Mara-natha 1 Cor. 16.22 Love saith Chrysostome is the diamond that only the Queen weares viz. The gracious soul Oh that all these surpassing beauties of Christ might kindle a flame of divine love in Christians hearts Christ is maxime diligibilis as the Schoolmen speak he is the very extract and quintescence of beauty he is a whole Paradise of delight * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Macar hom 31. He is the flower of Sharon enriched with orient colours and persum'd with the sweetest savour Oh wear this flower not in your bosome but in your heart and be alwayes smelling to it and shew your love to this lovely Saviour 1. By the degrees of it 2. By the effects of it 1. By the degrees of it Love him above all other things * Minus te amat qui aliquid tecum amat Aug. let him carry away the crown and the glory from the creature 1. Love him plusquam tuos more than thy relations Matth. 10.37 He that loveth father and mother more than me is not worthy of me Nay our love to relations must be hatred in iin comparison of our love to Christ Luke 14.26 Great is our love to relations The creatures void of reason teach naturall affection the young stork feeds the damme and helps to carry her when she is old and can hardly flie * Ciconiae parentes senio confectos nutriunt volando fessos juvant Pliny Aristot Unde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Children should exceed and out-flie the stork in affection There is a story in the French Academy of a daughter who when her father was condemned to die by famine she made meanes to get to him and gave him suck with her own breasts which being made known she obtained his pardon But Christ must be dearer to us than all He must weigh heavier than relations in the ballance of our affections for He is altogether lovely If parents lie as a stumbling-block in our way to Christ if they either come in competition with Christ or stand in opposition against Christ here odium in suos is pietas in Deum * Hierom. We must either leap over them or tread upon them 2. Love Christ plusquam tua more than thy Estate Gold is but shining dust though it may be lovely yet it is not altogether lovely 1. Gold is worse than thy selfe it is of an earthly extract If thou lovest any thing love something which is better than thy selfe and that onely is Christ who is altogether lovely 2. Riches availe not in the day of wrath Proverbs 11.4 Riches are no life guard to defend us from divine fury but how lovely is Christ who can screene off the fire of Gods wrath from thee Oh then love him more than these perishable things * Non satis magni à nobis fit Christus nisi tanti aestimemus ut reliqua omnia quae homines reddere solent bonorabiles prae hoc uihili putemus Davenant Christs gleanings are better than the worlds Vintage Be not like Noahs Raven which when it had found a carrion to feed on cared not for returning home to the Ark. He that loseth all for Christ shall finde all in * Qui omnia propter Christum dimiserit omnia inveniat in Christo Hierom. ad Paulin. Christ 3. Love Christ plusquam te more than thy Life Revel 12.11 They loved not their lives to the death They carried their sufferings as ensignes of their glory They had pangs of love stronger than the pangs of death Did the Curtii die for the Romans the Codri for the Athenians and shall not we be willing to lay downe our lives for Christ who is so infinitly lovely 2. Shew your love to this lovely Saviour by the Effects of love 1. 1. Fruit of love The first of love is desire of converse * Ps 42.2 Love is a transporting of the affections Lovers desire to be often talking and conversing together before the Marriage day Christ converseth with the soule by his Spirit and the soul converseth with him by prayer and meditation The soule that loves Christ desires to be much in his presence He loves the Ordinances he thinks it is good lying in the way where Christ passeth by Ordinances are vehicula salutis The chariots of salvation Christ rides into the Beleevers heart in these chariots Ordinances are convivium pinguium the feast of fat things Isa 25.6 The soule feasts with Christ here Cant. 2.4 He brought me to the banquetting house c. In the Hebrew it is ad domum vini * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He brought me to the house of wine Word Prayer Sacraments are to a Christian The house of wine Here often Christ turnes the water of teares into of wine How lovely is this house wine The Ordinances are the lattice where Christ looks forth and shewes his smiling face to his Saints Christs parents found him in the Temple Luke 2 46. The soul that loves Christ desires conference with him in the Temple 2. 2. Fruit of love Where there is love to Christ there is sympathy Friends that love do grieve and rejoyce together They have sympathizing spirits Homer describing Agamemnons griefe when he was forced to sacrifice his daughter Iphigenia brings in all his friends weeping with him and accompanying him to the sacrifice in mourning And I remember Aristotle in his Rhetorique spends almost a whole chapter upon this proving a sympathy among friends * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
THE SAINTS Delight To which is annexed a TREATISE of MEDITATION By THOMAS WATSON Minister of Stephens Walbrook in the City of LONDON Valida est ut mors dilectio Dei sicur mors violenter separat animas à corpore ita dilectio Dei violenter segregat hominem à mundano amore Isidor I will delight my self in thy statutes Ps 119.16 Imprimatur EDM. CALAMY LONDON Printed by T. R. E.M. for Ralph Smith at the Bible in Corn-hill near the Royal Exchange 1657. To his loving Friends the Aldermen the Esquires and the rest of the Inhabitants of the Parish of Stephens Walbrook in the City of London Honoured and Beloved MY hearts desire for you is that you may be saved It hath been a long time in my thoughts after the many signal demonstrations of your love to me to shew my gratefulnesse in a way of retaliation Such as I have give I you * Gratius venit quod facili quam quod plena manu datur Seneca I do here Dedicate this Manual to you as a standing Testimonial of that real respect and zealous affection which I bear towards you The subject of it you will finde to be a Christians delight * Nec sine delectu nec intellectu Costerus in Psal 1. and meditation in Gods Law I have purposely for your sakes laid down several heads or particulars for your meditations to dilate and runne upon as the attributes the promises the love of Christ c. If he who by often looking on a Ring with a deaths head at last grew sober who knows but by often meditating on these things your hearts may be brought into a more serious and heavenly frame Meditation is a holy kinde of usury it is putting out Sermons to use which brings in no small profit at the yeares end Meditation is a duty which carries meat in the mouth of it My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse while I meditate on thee Psalme 63.4 5. There is little written so farre as I know upon this subject Most Discourses of this nature digresse into ejaculations I have with the help of God cut out my way thorough the rock not finding any path that others had gone in before me so that I have not offered that to you which cost me nothing for the stile of it it is plaine but truth when it is in the plainest dresse is most comely The star shines brightest in its native lustre Divinity hath so much intrinsecal beauty that it needs no art of wit or fancy to set it off Who goes to embroyder a pearl or paint over gold this would but imbase and eclipse it It is a signe of a wanton Christian to look most at the fringing and garnishing of a Truth I wish it be not the sin of many in this City they like the dressing but loath the food The blew flowers which grow among the corn make a fine shew and are pleasing to the eye yet are prejudicial to the Harvest Rhetorical flourishes may please the fancies of men but I much question whether they will not lessen Christs spiritual barvest at the end of the world When men preach rather words than matter they catch peoples ears not their soules they do but court not convert If the patients wound bleeds nay rankles it is better for him to have a deep incision made in the flesh than to binde it about with silk or dress it with aromatick oyntments True it is Ministers ought to cloath the truths they preach in decent expressions to preserve them from contempt though they must come in plainnesse of speech not in rudenesse of speech But let them take heed lest with their affected new-coynd phrases unsutable to that gravity the Apostle speaks of * Tit. 2.7 they adulterate and corrupt the simplicity of the Word like some kind of sauces and compounds which take away the natural taste and savour of the meat As for you my friends I hope the Lord hath given at least some of you a spiritual pallate to rellish and thirst after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sincere milk of the Word 1 Pet. 2.2 A savoury heart is for wholsome doctrine How glad should I be dear friends if I might either by preaching or writing become savingly instrumental for your good and before I die might help to make up an happy match between Christ and you * 2 Cor. 11.2 I blesse God that I see some of you walking in the truth 2 John 4. when so many in the world are marching apace towards hell But O that I might see an encrease of holinesse among you that more converts might be brought in and as so many jewels make the Crown of Christ shine the brighter do not hearken to the Syrene songs of the world the sins you commit in hast you will repent at leasure sugred poisons go down pleasantly but afterwards they wring and torment the bowels Let me earnestly beseech you to put a bill of divorce into the hand of your sins let not Error gangrene lust burn malice boyle pride swell intemperance overflow covetousnesse root in any of your souls Purge out the old leaven and as ever you expect to go to the new Jerusalem when you die become new creatures while you live Rest not in baptismal priviledges all are not Israel which are of Israel * Rom. 9.6 what is a man the better to have Christs Name upon him and Satans image What is he advantaged to have the Oracles of God and want the Spirit of God Think not that an empty profession will save millions will be sent to hell in Christs livery * Mat. 7.22 Matth. 8.12 Oh labour to know the grace of God in truth * Col. 1.6 The Lord hath been at much cost and charges with you to bring you near to himself let not God be a looser by you Pindar saith it was an opinion of the people in ancient times that Jupiter rain'd down gold upon the City of Rhodes Give me leave to apply it to you God hath rain'd down golden showers upon you What mercies hath he enrich'd you with what talents hath he entrusted you with your estate is a talent your health in these sickly times especially is a talent your Sanctuary-blessings are talents every motion of the Spirit every opportunity for heaven is a talent and nothing more sure than that you will be called to an account shortly * Marth 25 19 20 now if you have let your talents lie rusting and done no good with them the hiding your talents will not hide your sin expect an heavy doome Think not these things impertinencies Be not so evil as to be too good to be advised I confesse my felf with Ignatius the least of all that labour in Gods vineyard but though I am with you in weaknesse yet as the Apostle saith in much trembling * 1 Cor. 2.3 I tremble to think how sad it will be if any of
you shall perish in these dayes of the Gospel though you have been plac'd under a trumpet lesse shrill and powerful It shall be my prayer for you all that you may be fruit-bearing trees that when the great Vine-dresser shall remove you hence by death he may transplant you into the coelestial Paradise Be pleased to accept of these few notes which some years since you did seeme to hear with much affection I shall only desire two things of you that you would thoroughly peruse them and then copy them out in your daily practise Get up into your Tower of Meditation and look often with Moses upon him who is invisible * Heb. 11.27 But I will not hold you any longer I remember Saint Paul in the close of his Epistle craves the Thessalonians prayers * 1 Thes 5.25 and so shall I end my Epistle begging a contribution of your prayers for me that the Lord would give me the strength of heaven to do the work of heaven * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignat. Epist that he would help me to take heed to my self and my doctrine that he would make me not only faithful but successeful in my Ministry among you that so when the chiefe Shepheard shall appear I may receive a Crown of glory which fadeth not away * 1 Pet. 5.4 I shall not further enlarge unlesse in my affections towards you Now the God of peace that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting Covenant make you perfect in every good work to do his wil working in you that which is wel-pleasing in his sight * Heb. 13.20 21. which shall be the earnest prayer of him who is Your friend and servant for Jesus sake THOMAS WATSON THE EPISTLE To the Reader Christian Reader THere are some exercises of Religion which stand only in a forme of godlinesse when men draw neer with their mouth and honour God with their lips and bestow a little bodily exercise and attendance upon him when in the mean time their hearts are farre from him running after other objects Isaiah 29.13 Ezek. 33.31 Other duties there are which are more spiritual and wherein the life and power of godlinesse doth consist Among these that of heavenly Meditation is one when as the Apostle saith of the blessed Angels 1 Pet. 1.12 the heart desires to look into the mysteries of salvation Ever since the fall of Adam sinful men have had the disposition of Adam to flie away and to hide from the presence of the Lord. Natural men are without God in the world he is not in all their thoughts they could be well enough content to have him cease from before them Esay 30.11 He is every where else to be found onely shut out of the hearts of wicked men The heart never willingly fixeth on God till he be the Treasure of it for where a mans treasure is there will his heart be also It canot easily Meditate but where it doth delight Psalme 119.97 Love is the weight of the soul it readily moves to the object which it loves Mary will not away from the empty Sepulchre where a little before her Lord had lien Every good man is of Davids minde Psalme 16.8 to set the Lord alwayes before him that he may be in his feare all the day long There is nothing of a more unstable and roving temper than the minde of man Some have prescribed the study of Mathematicks to fix the volatile agilitie thereof but certainly the more serious the more setled the soul is Nothing therefore will so ballace and compose it as true holinesse which doth of all other things make it the most serious the most willing to acquaint it self with God that it may be at peace Job 22.21 He is the Rest of the soul Inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te The more it knows of him the more desirous it is to stay with him that it may know more The more it tasteth of his favour the more it longeth after his glory as Moses did Exod. 33.17 18. What the Philosopher saith of all knowledge is indeed true onely of the knowledge of God and Christ that it is quies intellectus And therefore our Saviour calleth it eternal life John 17.3 In which alone the soul doth Rest Now one excellent meanes of fixing the heart on God is meditation whereby a man calls together All that is within him to blesse his name Psalme 103.1 Meditation is the wing of the soul which carrieth the affections thereof to things above by this as Moses it goeth up to the top of Pisgah to take a view of the promised land It is as Clemens Alexandrinus saith of prayer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a conversing with God as Chrysostome saith of faith so may we of Meditation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It makes God and Christ and precepts and promises ours by giving us a fuller possession of them Hereby we hold fast the things which we have learned we awaken our faith inflame our love strengthen our hope revive our desires encrease our joys in God we furnish our hearts and fill our mouthes with materials of prayer we loosen our affections from the world we praeacquaint our selves with those glories which we yet but hope for and get some knowledg of that love of Christ which passeth knowledge Meditation is the palate of the soul wherby we taste the goodnesse of God the eye of the soule whereby we view the beauties of holinesse that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby our spiritual senses are exercised Acts 24.16 Heb. 5.14 it is the key to the wine-sellar to the banquetting house to the garden of spices which letteth us in unto him whom our soul loveth it is the arme whereby we embrace the promises at a distance and bring Christ and our souls together Though some learned men of former times have written some few things upon this subject yet of our age and in our language I do not remember any who have purposely handled it but our Christian Seneca the learned and Reverend Bishop Hall which being one small tract in the midst of a voluminous work may haply not be in every mans hand to peruse The necessity excellency and usefulnesse of this Christian duty the Reverend Authour of this book hath elegantly described which is therefore worthy the perusal of such as desire to acquaint and furnish themselves with so excellent a part of Christian skill whereby Time may be redeemed and improved unto the prepossession of Eternity The Lord so fill us with the love of him and with all the the fulnesse of God that we may be able continually to say My heart is fixed O Lord my heart is fixed I will sing and give praise From my Study at Lawr. Jury Nov. 7. 1657. Thine in the Lord Edw. Reynolds THE SAINTS SPIRITUAL DELIGHT PSAL. 1.2 But his delight
way of duty CHAP. IV. Shewing a characteristical difference between a childe of God and an hypocrite Use 1 IT shews us a discriminating difference between a childe of God and an hypocrite the one serves God cum animi prolubio from a principle of delight the other doth not The Law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold silver Psalm 119.72 With what delight doth a covetous man tell over his thousands I but Gods Law was better to David than thousands a child of God looks upon the service of God not only as his duty but his priviledge A gracious heart loves every thing that hath the stamp of God upon it The Word is his delight Thy Words were found and I did eat them and thy Word was unto me the joy and rejoycing of my heart Jerem. 15.16 The Sabbath is his delight Isaiah 58.13 If thou turne away thy foot from doing thy pleasure on my holy day and call the Sabbath a delight Prayer is his delight Isa 56.7 I will make them joyful in my house of prayer Hearing is his delight Esay 60.8 Who are these that flie as Doves to to the windows The gracious soul flies as a Dove to an Ordinance upon the wings of delight The Sacrament is his delight On this day the Lord makes a feast of fat things a feast of wines on the Lees of fat things full of marrow of wines on the lees well refined Esay 25.6 A Sacrament-day is a soul-festival day here Christ takes the soul into his banqueting-house and displays the banner of love over it Cant. 2.4 Here are dulcissima fercula as Austin saith heavenly delicacies set before us Christ gives us his body and blood * In vulneribus Christi dormio securus requiesco intrepidus Aug. This is Angels food this is the heavenly Nectar here is a cup perfum'd with the divine nature * Sanguis Christi salus Christiani Salvian here is wine spiced with the love of God The Jews at their feasts poured oyntment upon their guests and kissed them Here Christ poures the oyle of gladness into the heart and kisses us with the kisses of his lips * Cant. 1.2 This is the Kings Bath where we wash and are cleansed of our leprosie The withered soul after the receiving this blessed Eucharist hath been like a watered garden Esay 58.11 or like those Egyptian fields after the overflowing of Nilus fruitful and flourishing and do you wonder that a childe of God delights in holy things He must needs be a volunteer in Religion But it is not thus with an hypocrite though he may facere bonum yet not velle he may be forced to do that which is good but not to will that which is good he doth not serve God with delight Job 27.10 Will he delight himselfe in the Almighty That he hath none of this complacency and delight appears thus because he serves God grudgingly * Vir'us nolentium nulla est he brings his sacrifice with a wicked minde Prov. 21.27 Such an one was Cain It was long before he brought his offering * Gen. 4.3 it was not the first fruits and when he did bring it it was grudgingly 't was not a free-will-offering Deut. 16.10 'T is probable 't was the custome of his fathers family to sacrifice and perhaps conscience might check him for forbearing so long at last the offering is brought but how as a task rather than a duty as a mulct or fine rather than a sacrifice Cain brought his offering but not himself What Seneca saith of a gift I may say of a sacrifice * Multum interest in ter materi am benefi cii beneficium itaque nec aurum nec argentum beneficium est sed ipsa tribuentis voluntas Sen. de benef 'T is not gold and silver makes a gift but a willing minde if this be wanting the gold is only parted with not given So 't is not prayer and hearing makes a sacrifice but it is a willing minde Cains was not an offering but a tax not worship but pennance CHAP. V. Two Cases of conscience resolved BUt here are two Cases to be put Case 1 1. Whether a regenerate person may not serve God with wearinesse Answ 1 Answ Yes but 1. this delight in God is not wholly extinct This lassitude and wearinesse in a childe of God may arise From the in being of corruption Rom. 7.24 'T is not from the grace that is in him but the sinne as Peters sinking on the water was not from his faith but his fear yet I say still a regenerate persons will is for God Rom. 7.15 Paul found sometimes an indisposition to good Rom. 7.23 yet at the same time he professeth a complacency in God ver 22. I delight in the Law of God in the inner man one may delight in musick or any recreation yet through wearinesse of body be for the present dull'd and indisposed a Christian may love Gods Law though sometimes the clog of the flesh weighing him down he findes his former vigour and agility remitted Answ 2 2. I answer that this faintnesse and wearinesse in a regenerate person is not habitual 't is not his constant temper when the water ebbes a while it is low-water but there is soon a spring-tyde againe it is sometimes low-water in a Christians soul he findes an indisposition and irksomness to that which is good but within a while there is a spring-tyde of affection and the soule is carried full saile in holy duties 'T is with a Christian as with a man that is distempered when he is sick he doth not take that delight in his food as formerly nay sometimes the very sight of it offends but when he is well he falls to his meat again with delight and appetite so when the soule is distempered through sadnesse and melancholy it findes not that delight in Word and Prayer 〈…〉 erly but when it returnes to its healthful temper again now it hath the same delectability and cheerfulnesse in Gods service as before Answ 3 3. I answer That this wearinesse in a regenerate person is involuntary he is troubled at it he doth not hug his disease but mournes under it He is weary of his wearinesse When he findes a heavinesse in duty he goes heavily under that heavinesse he prays weeps wrastles useth all means to regain that alacrity in Gods service as he was wont to have David when his chariot-wheels were pull'd off and he did drive on heavily in Religion how oft doth he pray for quickning grace Psalme 119.25 37 40 88. When the Saints have found their hearts fainting their affections flagging and a strange kinde of lethargy seasing on them they never leave till they have recovered themselves and arrived at that freedome and delight in God as they were once sencible of 2. The second Case is Case 2 whether an hypocrite may not serve God with delight I answer he may Herod heard John Baptist
gladly Mat. 6.20 and those that fasted for strife and debate did delight to know Gods wayes Esay 58.2 An hypocrite may out of some flashy hopes of heaven shew a delight in goodnesse but yet it is not such a delight as is found in the regenerate The hypocrites delight carnal for his delight is carnal A man may be carnal while he is doing spiritual things 'T is not the holinesse and strictnesse in religion that the hypocrite delights in but something else he delights in prayer but 't is rather the shewing of gifts he looks at than the exercising of grace * He delights in hearing but 't is not the spirituality of the Word he delights in Cor. 2.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not the favour of knowledge * but the lustre When he goes to the Word preached it is that he may rather feast his phancy than better his heart as if a man should go to an Apothecaries shop for a pill only to see the gilding of it not for the operative vertue The hypocrite goes to the Word to see what gilding is in a Sermon and what may delight the intellect Hypocrites come to the Word as one comes into a garden to pluck some fine flower to smell to not as a child comes to the breast for nutriment This is rather curiosity than piety Such were those Ezek. 33.32 thou art to them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument The Prophet being eloquent and having a pleasing delivery they were much taken with it and it was as sweet to them as a fit of musick but it was not the spirituality of the matter they so well liked as the tunablenesse of the voice It was a sharp yet seasonable reproof of Chrysostom to his auditory This is that saith he which is like to undo your souls you hear your Ministers as so many minstrels to please the eare not to pierce the conscience * Chrysost You see an hypocrites delight in Religion is carnal 't is not the being nourished up in the words of faith * 1 Tim. 4.6 which he mindes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the eloquence of speech the rarenesse of notion the quicknesse of phancy the smoothnesse of stile he strives only to pluck from the tree of knowledge Alas poor man thou mayst have the star-light of knowledge and yet it may be night in thy soul CHAP. VI. Trial of a Christians delight in God Use 2 LEt this put us upon a holy scrutiny and trial Trial. whether we have this delight in Religion 'T is life or death as we answer this Quest Quest How may this spiritual delight be known Answ 1 Answ 1. He that delights in Gods Law is often thinking of it what a man delights in his thoughts are still running upon he that delights in money his minde is taken up with it therefore the covetous man is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to mind earthly things Phil. 3.19 Thus if there be a delight in the things of God the minde will be still musing upon them * Sicut illis accidere solet qui cogitatâ—ouibus vel seriis vel adlubescentibus abstinere non possunt Musculus O what a rare treasure is the Word of God! it is the field where the pearl of price is hid how precious are the promises they are the conduit that hold the water of life they are like those two Olive branches Zach. 4. which through the two golden pipes did empty the golden oyle out of themselves Zach 4.12 These seal up pardon adoption glory O Lord by these things men live Isa 38.16 Where there is a delight in the Law of God the minde is wholly busied about it 2. If we delight in religion there is nothing can keep us from it but we will be conversant in Word Prayer Sacraments He that loves gold will trade for it * Extremos currit mercator ad Indos Horace The Merchant will compasse sea and land to make money his proselyte Men will not be kept from their faires If there be a delight in holy things we will not be detained from an Ordinance for there we are traffiquing for salvation If a man were hungry he would not stay from the market for the aking of his finger The Ordinances are a Gospel-market and those that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse will not for every slight occasion stay away I was glad when they said come let us go up to the house of the Lord Psalm 122.1 Thou that art glad when the Devil helps thee with an excuse to absent thy self from the house of the Lord art farre from this holy delight 3. Those that delight in Religion are often speaking of it Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another Mal. 3.16 Where there is gratia infusa it will be effusa The words of a wise mans mouth are gracious Eccles 12.10 David delighting in Gods testimonies would speak of them before Kings Psalme 119.46 The Spouse delighting in her beloved could not conceal her love but breaks forth into most pathetical and no lesse elegant expressions My beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The standard bearer his head is as the most fine gold c. The disciples whose hearts were upon Christ make him the whole subject of their discourse as they were going to Emaus Luke 24.19 The primitive Christians who were fired with love to God did speak so much of heaven and the Kingdom prepared that the Emperour suspected they meant to take his Kingdome from him The words are as one saith the looking glasse of the minde * Verba sunt speculum mentis Bern. they shew what is in the heart Where there is spiritual delight like new wine it will have vent Grace is poured into thy lips Psalme 45.2 a man that is of the earth speaketh of the earth * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 John 3.31 He can hardly speak three words but two of them are about earth His mouth like the fish in the Gospel is full of gold Mat. 17.27 So where there is a delight in God our tongues will be as the pen of a ready Writer * Psal 45. This is a Scripture touch-stone to try mens hearts by Alas it shews how little they delight in God because they are possessed with a dumb devil they speak not the language of Canaan 4. He that delights in God will give him the best in every service Him whom we love best shall have of the best The Spouse delighting in Christ will give him of her pleasant fruits Cant. 7.13 and if she hath a cup of spiced wine and full of the juyce of the pomgranate he must drink of it Cant. 8.2 He that delights in God gives him the strength of his affections the cream of his duties * Mat. 22.37 If he hath any thing better than other
an high estimate upon the Word what the judgement prizeth the affections embrace he that values gold will delight in it we are apt through a principle of Atheisme to entertaine slight thoughts of Religion therefore our affections are so slight David prized Gods Statutes at a high rate more to be desired are they than gold yea than much fine gold Psal 19.10 and hence grew that enflamed love to them I will delight my selfe in thy Statutes Psal 119.16 2. Pray for a spiritual heart an earthly heart will not delight in spiritual mysteries the earth puts out the fire Earthlinesse destroys holy delight get a spiritual pallate that you may rellish the sweetnesse of the Word He that tastes the sweetness of honey will delight in it If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious 1 Pet. 2.3 'T is not enough to hear a Sermon but you must taste a Sermon 't is not enough to read a promise but you must taste a promise when you have gotten this spiritual pallate then Gods Word will be to you the joy and rejoycing of your heart * Jer. 15.16 3. If you would delight in the Law of God purge out the delight of sinne sinne will poyson this spiritual delight If you would have Gods Law sweet let not wickednesse be sweet in your mouth Job 20.12 When sinne is your burden Christ will be your delight CHAP. IX Holy delight should cause thankfulnesse Use 5 WHat cause have they to be thankful who can find this spiritual delight in God Thankfulnesse How did David blesse God that he gave the people hearts to offer so chearfully to the building of the Temple Who am I and what is my people that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort 2 Chron. 29.14 Their willingnesse was more than their offering so should a Christian say Lord when there are so many prest souldiers who am I that I should offer so willingly Who am I that I should have thy free Spirit should serve thee rather out of choice than constraint 't is a great blessing to have this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this promptitude and alacrity in Gods service Delight doth animate and spirit duty now we act to purpose in Religion Christians are never drawn so powerfully and sweetly as when the chaine of delight is fastened to their heart * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost Without this all is lost our praying and hearing is like water spilt upon the ground It loseth both its beauty and reward then blesse God Christian who hath oyl'd the wheeles of thy soule with delight and now thou canst run and not be weary For thy comfort be assur'd thou shalt not want any thing thy heart can desire Psal 37.4 Delight thy self in the Lord and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart A CHRISTIAN On the Mount OR A TEATISE concerning MEDITATION Wherein the necessity usefulnesse excellency of Meditation is at large discussed By THOMAS WATSON Minister of Stephens Walbrook in the City of LONDON Meditate upon these things 1 Tim. 4.15 I thought on my wayes and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies Psal 119.59 Amans Deum sublimia petit sumptis alis relicta terra in coelum volat Philo. lib. de victimis LONDON Printed by T. R. E. M. for Ralph Smith at the Bible in Corn-hill near the Royal Exchauge 1657. PSAL. 1.2 And in his Law doth he meditate day and night HAving led you through the chamber of delight I will now bring you into the withdrawing room of Meditation In his Law doth he meditate day and night CHAP. I. The opening of the words and the proposition asserted GRace breeds delight in God and delight breeds Meditation A duty wherein consists the essentials of Religion and which nourisheth the very life blood of it and that the Psalmist may shew how much the godly man is habituated and inured to this blessed work of Meditation he subjoynes in his Law doth he meditate day and night * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not but that there may be sometimes intermission God allows time for our calling he grants some relaxation but when it is said the godly man meditates day and night the meaning is frequently he is much conversant in the duty 'T is a command of God to pray without ceasing * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 These 5.17 The meaning is not that we should be alwayes praying as the Euchites held but that we should every day set some time apart for prayer so Drusius and others interpret it We read in the old Law it was called the continual sacrifice * Juge sacrificium Num. 28.24 not that the people of Israel did nothing else but sacrifice but because they had their stated houres every morning and evening they offered therefore it was called the continual sacrifice thus the godly man is said to meditate day and night that is he is often at this work he is no stranger to meditation The Proposition that results out of the Text is this Doct. That a good Christian is a meditating Christian Psalme 119.15 I will meditate in thy precepts 1 Tim. 4.15 Meditate upon these things Meditation is the chewing upon the truths we have heard The beasts in the old Law that did not chew the cud were uncleane the Christian that doth not by meditation chew the cud is to be accounted unclean Meditation is like the watering of the seed it makes the fruits of grace flourish For the illustration of the point there are several things to be discussed 1. I shall shew you what meditation is 2. That meditation is a duty 3. The difference between meditation and memory 4. The difference between meditation and study 5. The subject of meditation 6. The necessitie of meditation CHAP. II. Shewing the nature of Meditation IF it be enquired what meditation is I answer What meditation is meditation is the souls retiring of it selfe that by a serious and solemne thinking upon God the heart may be raised up to heavenly affections This description hath three branches 1. Meditation is the souls retiring of it self a Christian when he goes to meditate must lock up himselfe from the world The world spoiles meditation Christ went apart into the Mount to pray Mat. 14.23 So go apart when you are to meditate Isaac went out to meditate in the field Gen. 24.63 he sequestred and retired himself that he might take a walk with God by meditation Zacheus had a minde to see Christ and he got out of the crowd He ran before and climbed up into a sycamore-tree to see him Luke 19.3 4. So when we would see God we must get out of the crowd of worldly businesse we must climb up into the tree by retirednesse of meditation and there we shall have the best prospect of heaven The worlds musick will either play us asleep or distract us in our meditations When a more is gotten into the eye it
love did burne where there was no fit matter to work upon nothing but sin and enmity he loved his enemies the fire of his love did consume and lick up the water of their sins He prayed for his enemies Father fargive them he shed tears for them that shed his blood Those that gave him gall and vinegar to drink them he gave his blood to drink O amor his plagis membra cruentat amor The meditation of this love would melt our hearts in love to our enemies Austin saith Christ made a Pulpit of the Crosse and the great lesson he taught Christians was to love their enemies 4. The meditation of Christs love would be a means to support us in case of his absence Sometimes he is pleased to withdraw himselfe Cant. 5.6 yet when we consider how entire and immutable his love is * Joh. 13. it wil make us wait with patience till he sweetly manifests himself to us He is love 1 John 4.16 and he cannot forsake his people over-long He may take his leave not his last farewel * Mic. 7.19 The Sunne may be gone a while from our climate but it returnes in the spring The meditation of Christs love may make us waite for the returne of this Sunne of righteousnesse Heb. 10.37 For yet a little while and he that shall come will come He is Truth therefore he shall come he is love therefore he will come SECT 4. THe fourth subject of meditation is Meditate on sinne meditate upon sinne 1. Reatus Meditate upon the guilt of sin We were in Adam tanquam in radice as in a common head or root and he sinning we become guilty Rom. 5.12 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom all have sinned by his treason our blood is tainted and this guilt bringeth shame with it as its twin * Conscia purpureus venit in ora rubor Ovid. Rom. 6.21 2. Meditate upon the filth of sin Macula not only is the guilt of Adams sinne imputed but the poison of his nature is disseminated to us Our Virgin nature is defiled the heart is spotted * 1 Kings 8.38 how then can the actions be pure If the water be foule in the well it cannot be cleane in the bucket Isa 64.6 We are all as an unclean thing We are like a Patient under the Physicians hand that hath no sound part in him his head bruised his liver swell'd his lungs perish'd his blood enflam'd his feet gangreen'd Thus is it with us before grace comes in the mind darknesse in the memory slipperinesse in the heart hardnesse in the will stubbornesse from the sole of the foot to the crown of the head there is no soundnesse but wounds and bruises and putrifying sores Isa 1.6 A sinner befilthied with sinne is no better than a devil in mans shape * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Macar hom 11. and which is sadly to be laid to heart the adherency of this sinne Sinne is naturalized to us the Apostle calls it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an encompassing sinne Heb. 12.1 a sin that will not easily be cast off A man may as well shake off the skin of his body as the sinne of his soul it sticks fast as the ivy to the wall There 's no shaking off this viper till death Oh often meditate on this contagion of sinne How strong is that poison a drop whereof is able to poison a whole sea how venemous and malignant was that apple a taste whereof poisoned all mankinde Meditate sadly on this The meditation of sinne would make the plumes of pride fall if our knowledge makes us proud we have sin enough to make us humble The best Saint alive who is taken out of the grave of sin yet hath the smell of the grave-cloathes still upon him 3. Meditate upon the curse of sinne Maledictio Gal. 3.10 Cursed be every one that continues not in all things written in the book of the Law This curse is like a blast upon fruit which keeps it from thriving sinne is not only a defiling thing but a damning It is not only a spot in the face but a stab at the heart Sin betrays us into the Devils hands who like Draco writes all his Laws in blood Sin bindes us over to the wrath of God and then what are all our earthly enjoyments but like Damaris his banquet with a sword hanging over the head sinne brings forth the rowle written with curses against a sinner Zach. 5. and it is a flying rowle v. 5. it comes swiftly if mercy doth not stop it Ye are cursed with a curse Mal. 3.9 Thus it is till the entail of this curse be cut off by Christ Oh meditate upon this curse due to sin The meditation of this curse would make us afraid 1. Of retaining sinne When Micah had stolen his mothers money and heard her curse him he durst not keep it any longer but restores it Judges 17.2 he was afraid of his mothers curse what then is Gods curse 2. The meditation of this curse would make us afraid of entertaining sinne We would not willingly entertaine one into our house who had the plague Sinne brings a curse along with it which is the plague of God that cleaves to a sinner sinne is like the water of jealosie which made the belly to swell and the thigh to rot Numb 5.22 The meditation of this would make us fly from sinne while we sit under the shadow of this bramble fire will come out of the bramble eternally to devoure us * Judg. 5.19 SECT 5. THe fifth subject of meditation is Meditate on the vanity of the creature meditate upon the vanity of the creature When you have sifted out the finest flower that the creature doth afford you will finde something either to dissatisfie or nauseate The best wine hath its froth the sweetest Rose its prickles and the purest comforts their dregs the creature cannot be said to be full unlesse of vanity as a bladder may be fill'd with wind Job 20.22 In the fulnesse of his sufficiency he shall be in streights They who think to finde happinesse here are like Apollo who embraced the lawrel-tree instead of Daphne Meditate on this vanity The world is like a looking-glasse which represents that face which is not in it The meditation of this vanity 1. Would be like the digging about the roots of a tree to loosen it from the earth it would much loosen our hearts from the world and be an excellent preservative against a surfeit Let a Christian think thus with himself why am I so serious about vanity * Ridetura Tertulliâ—no Achilles dum discit stolam fundere comam struere cutem fingere speculum consulere collum demulcere aurem Fo ratu effaeminare quid forma quid tota mundi compages if the whole earth were chang'd into a globe of gold it could not fill my heart 2. The meditation of the creatures vanity would make us
dwellings Another infected thou art free Behold the golden feathers of protection covering thee 2. What spiritual dangers hath God prevented when others have been poyson'd with errour thou hast been preserved God hath sounded a retreat to thee thou hast heard a voice behinde thee saying this is the way walk in it * Isa 30 21 When thou hast listed thy self and taken pay on the devils side that God should pluck thee as a brand out of the fire that he should turne thy heart and now thou espousest Christs quarrel against sinne Behold preventing grace here 's an experience to meditate upon 3. Hath not God spared you a long time Whence is it that others are struck dead in the act of sinne as Ananias and Saphira * and you are preserv'd as a monument of patience Here is an experience God hath done more for you than for the Angels he never waited for their repentance but he hath waited for you year after yeare Isa 30.18 Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious He hath not only knockt at your heart in the Ministry of the Word but he hath waited at the doore How long hath his Spirit striven with you like an importunate suitor that after many denials yet will not give over the suit My thinks I see justice with a sword in its hand ready to strike and mercy steps in for the sinner Lord have patience with him a while longer My thinks I hear the Angels say to God as the King of Israel once said to the Prophet Elisha 2 Kings 6.22 Shall I smite them shall I smite them So my thinks I heare the Angels say shall we take off the head of such a drunkard swearer blasphemer and mercy seems to answer as the Vinedresser Luk. 13.8 let him alone this year See if he will repent Is not here an experience worth meditating upon Mercy turns Justice into a rain-bow the rain-bowe is a bowe indeed but hath no arrow in it that justice hath been like the rainbowe without an arrow that it hath not shot thee to death Here is a receit of patience to read over and meditate upon 4. Hath not God often come in with assisting grace when he hath bid thee mortifie such a lust and thou hast said as Iehoshaphat 2 Chr. 20 12. I have no might against this great army Then God hath come in with auxiliary forces his grace hath been sufficient When God hath bid thee pray for such a mercy and thou hast found thy self very unfit thy heart was at first dead and flat all on a sudden thou art carried above thy own strength thy tears drop thy love flames God hath come in with assisting grace If the heart burn in prayer God hath struck fire The Spirit hath been tuning thy soul and now thou makest sweet melody in prayer Here is an experience to meditate upon 5. Hath not God vanquished Satan for you * Satan nihil non molitur contra Sanctos scutum fidei aggreditur his tentationum arie tibus sic porest copium obsi dere in tantas dubitationes praâ—pitareout deum expauescat ei irascatur aliquando blasphemet Nâ—que turâ—a neque Caesar unquam tanto impetu pessunt civitatem aliquam oppugnare quam Satan aliquando conscientias piorum Luthâ—r in Ps 118. When the Devill hath tempted to infidelity to self-murder when he would make you beleeve either that your graces were but a fiction or Gods promise but a counterfeit bond now that you have not been foil'd by the Tempter it is God who hath kept the garrison of your heart else his fiery darts would have entred Here 's an experience to meditate upon 6. Have you not had many signal deliverances When you have been even at the gates of death God hath miraculously recovered you and renued your strength as the Eagle may not you write that writing which Hezekiah did Isa 38 6. The writing of Hezekiah King of Judah when he had been sick and was recovered of his sicknesse you thought the Sunne of your life was quite setting but God made this Sunne returne back many degrees Here 's an experience for meditation to feed upon When you have been imprisoned your foot taken in the snare and the Lord hath broken the snare nay hath made those to break it who were the instruments of laying it Behold an experience Oh let us often revolve in minde our experiences If a man had physick receits by him he would be often looking over his receits You that have rare receits of mercy by you be often by meditation looking over your receits The meditation of our experiences would 1. Raise us to thankfulnesse Considering that God hath set an hedge of providence about us he hath strewed our way with roses this would make us take the Harp and Vial and praise the Lord and not only praise but record * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato 1 Chr. 16.4 The meditating Christian keeps a Register or Chronicle of Gods mercies that the memory of them doth not decay God would have the Manna kept in the Ark many hundred years that the remembrance of that miracle might be preserved a meditating soul takes care that the spiritual Manna of an experience be kept safe 2. The meditation of our experiences would engage our hearts to God in obedience Mercy would be a needle to sowe us to him We would cry out as Bernard * Duas babeo minutias domine c. Bern. I have Lord two mites a soule and a body and I give them both to thee 3. The Meditation of our experiences would serve to convince us that God is no hard master we might bring in our experiences as a sufficient confutation of that slander When we have been falling hath not God taken us by the hand When I said my foot slippeth thy goodnesse O Lord held me up Psalme 94.18 How often hath God held our head and heart when we have been fainting * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euripides and is he a hard Master is there any master besides God who will wait upon his servants Christians summon in your experiences What vailes have you had * Ps 19.11 What inward serenity and peace which neither the world can give nor death take away a Christians own experiences may plead for God against such as desire rather to censure his ways than to try them and to cavil at them than to walk in them 4. The meditation of our experiences would make us communicative to others We would be telling our children and acquaintance what God hath done for our souls * Psal 44.1 at such a time we were brought low and God raised us at such a time in desertion and God brought a promise to remembrance which dropt in comfort The meditation of Gods gracious dealing with us would make us transmit and propagate our experience to others that the mercies of God shewn to us may bear a plentiful crop of
estate should be a loadstone to draw men nearer to God but it is often a milstone to sink them to hell There is a moderate use of these things but there is a danger in the exercise The bee may suck a little hony from the leaf but put it in a barrel of honey and it dies Christians must stave off the world that it gets not into their heart Psal 62.10 for as the water is useful to the ship and helps it to sail the better to the haven but let the water get into the ship if it be not pumpt out at the leak it drowns the ship so riches are useful and convenient for our passage We sail more comfortably with them throgh the troubles of this world but if the water get into the ship if the love of riches get into the heart then we are drowned with them 1 Tim. 6.9 2. It reproves them that are seldom with God Branch They are sometimes with God but not still with God The shell fish as naturalists observe hath so little life in it moves so slow that it is hard to determine whether it lives a vegetative or a sensative life so it may be said of many Christians their motion heavenward is so slow and unconstant that we can hardly know whether the life of grace be in them or no They are seldome with God Revel Menssacris tabescit 2.4 Thou hast left thy first love Many professors have almost lost their acquaintance with God Time was when they could weep at a sermon but now these wels are stopped Time was when they were tender of sin the least hair makes the eye weep the least sin would make conscience smite now they can digest this poison Time was when they trembled at the threatnings of the word now with the Leviathan they can laugh at the shaking of a spear Job 41.29 Time was when they called the sabbath a delight * Isa 58 13. the queen of daies how did they wait with joy for the rising of the sun of righteousness on that day what anhelations and pantings of soul after God! what mounting up of affections but now the case is altered what a weariness is it to serve the Lord Mal. 1.13 Time was when they delighted in the word indeed it is a glass that mends their eyes that look on it now they have laid it aside seldom do they look in this glass Time was when they could send forth strong cries in prayer * Heb. 5.7 but now the wings of prayer are clipt they come like could suitors to God their petitions do even cool between their lips as if they would teach God to deny * Qui frigigiâ—è rogat doâ—et negare Oh why have you left of your communion with God what iniquity have your fathers found in me that they are gone far from me Jer. 2.5 Let Christians lay this sadly to heart Remember from whence you are fallen and Repent and do your first works * Rev. 2.5 You are in a spiritual lethargy Oh never leave till your hearts are scrued up to such a heavenly frame as here Davids was when I awake I am still with thee And that brings me to the next Vse 3 The third use is of exhortation to perswade all those who professe themselves Christians to imitate this blessed pattern in the text Exhort be still with God You shall never go to heaven when you die unless you begin heaven here The church in the revelation hath a crown of stars on her head and the moon under her feet Rev. 12.1 Christ is not to be found in the furrowes but upon the pinacle now that you may get your hearts losen'd from these things below and be still with God I shall onely propound two arguments Argu ∣ ment 1 1. Consider how unworthy it is for a Christian to have his heart set upon the world I It is unworthy of his soul The soul is dignified with honour it is a noble coin that hath a divine impress stampt upon it T is capable of communion with God and angels now it is too far below a man to spend the affections and operations of this heaven-born soul upon drossy things T is as if one should embroider sackloth with gold or set a diamond in clay 2. It is unworthy of his profession Seekest thou great things for thy self Jerem. 45.5 what thou Baruk Thou who art a Godly man a Levite Oh how sordid is it for him that hath his hope in heaven to have his heart upon the earth It is just as if a king should leave his throne and follow the plough or as if a man should leave a golden mine to dig in a gravel pit The lapwing hath a crown on her head and yet feeds on dung A fit embleme of those who have a crown of profession shining on their head yet feed with eagerness on these things below Christians should deny themselves but not undervalue themselves they should be humble but not base If Alexander would not exercise at the Olympicks it being too far below him Kings do not use to run Races then shall they who are the holy seed the heirs of glory disparage themselves by too eager pursuite after these contemptible things The second argument to perswade us to be still with God is consider what a rare and excellent life this is which will appear in four particulars 1. To be still with God is the most noble life * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Onâ—ylostom ad Rom. Homil 13. T is as much above the life of reason as reason is above the life of a plant the true Christian is like a star in the highest orb he looks no lower then a crown Grace puts hie thoughts Princely affections a kind of heavenly ambition into the soul Grace raiseth a Christian above himself it makes him as Caleb a man of another Spirit he lives in the altitudes his thoughts are lodged among Angels and the Spirits of just men made perfect and is not not this the most noble life to be still with God The Academicks compare the soul of man to a Fowl mounting up with her wings in the ayr Thus with the wings of grace the soul flies aloft and takes a prospect of heaven 2. To be still with God is the most satisfying life nothing else will do it All the Rivers run into the Sea yet the Sea is not full Eccl. 1.7 Let all the golden streams of worldly delights run into the heart of man yet the heart is not full strain out the quintessence of the creature it turns to froth Eccles 1.2 Vanity of vanities but in God is sweet satisfaction and contentment My soul shall be fatisfied as with marrow and fatness Psal 63.5 Here is an Hive of sweetness a mirror of beauty a magazine of riches here is the River of pleasure where the soul bathes with infinite delight Psal 36.8 and this River hath a Fountain at the
cast off his people neither will he forsake his inheritance Psalm 94.14 This is like a star in a dark night or like the plank and broken pieces of the ship on which Paul and the rest came safe to shore Act. 27.44 God may conceal his love from his children not take it away * 2. Sam. 7.15 he may change his providence towards them not alter his purpose 9. In case of death there is a psalm revives though I walk in the valley of the shaddow of death I will fear no evil Psalm 23.4 The sting and poison of this serpent is taken away Thou art with me with thy power to support with thy grace to sanctifie with thy love to sweeten Thy Rod and thy staff do comfort me I have the staff of thy promise in the hand of my faith and with this I can walk thorow the dark entry of death Thus in every condition Davids Psalms like Davids harp may serve to drive away the evil spirit of sadness and unchearfulness from a Christian so much concerning the Psalms in general I come now to the words of the text when I awake I am still with thee Where you have the very effigies and portraicture of a godly man drawn out he is one that is still with God It was Davids happiness that he lived above the common rate of men not only as he was higher in power and dignity being a king but higher in sublimeness of affection * Animam habuit angeliflcatam Tertul. having his heart and hope raised above the world I am stil with thee Divines give many reasons why David was called a man after Gods heart but sure this is not the least because the frame of his heart was so heavenly this being most agreeable to Gods nature and will David was a man that as Ambrose speaks lived in the world above the world Assoon as he awaked he stept into heaven David was a Seraphical saint a mortal Angel like a true bird of paradise he did seldom touch with his feet upon the earth He was least alone when he was most a lone Nunquam minus solus quam cum solus Tul. Offic. When he awaked he was with God Nor was this onely when the fit was upon him a thought of God and away but it was a fixed temper of heart I am still with thee * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The pulse of his soul was still beating after God The hypocrite may have a blush of godliness which is quickly over Job 27.10 but the constitution of Davids soul was heavenly I am still with thee Not but that David had some diversions of mind Caution to have the eye alwayes fixed upon God will be the state of the blessed in heaven but David was still with God 1. Because the bias and bent of his spirit was towards God His heart like the needdle in the compass pointed heavenward 2. Because he was more with God then he was any where else Subjectum a majori parte as we use to say a man lives at his house not but that urgency of occasions draw him abroad sometimes but he is said to live there because he is most resident there The words hold forth this proposition Doct. That it is the sweet temper of a Gracious heart to be still with God I am still with Thee David awaked in heaven He was ever above We read in the old Law that those creatures which did creep upon all four were to be had in abomination but they which had wings to flie and leggs to leap withall were accounted clean Lev. 11.20 Those are among the uncleán and are abominable to God whose souls creep upon the earth but they who have the leggs and wings of grace to mount up with who are still with God these are pure and precious in Gods eyes For the illustrating this point there are three things to be explained and amplisied 1. What it is to be still with God 2. In what sence the soul is still with God 3. Why a gracious heart is still with God 1. What it is to be still with God In general it is to have a sweet intercourse and Communion with God 1 Joh. 1.3 Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus In prayer we speak to God in the Sacrament he kisseth us with the kisses of his lips he giveth us a privy seal of his love 2. In what sence the soul is said to be still with God I answer the soul is still with God five manner of wayes 1. By contemplation So Ainsworth understands the Text. contemplatione I am still with thee that is by divine contemplation Davids thoughts were ever and anon running upon God So vers 17. How precious are thy thoughts unto me O God! Davids mind was a spiritual mint he minted most gold most of his thoughts were heavenly Thoughts are as travellers and passengers in the soul Davids thoughts were still travelling towards the Jerusalem above In Davids dangers God was still with him in Davids contemplations he was still with God Anaxagoras said he was born to contemplate Heaven Thus a Christian is still with God he is viewing glory his thoughts are all packed up and gone 2. Defiderio The soul is still with God by desire His anchor is cast in Heaven Hebr. 6.19 and he is carried thither with the sails of desire David did shoot his heart into Heaven by desire * Videmus terram torrefactam dehiscere ac si aperto ore potum e caelo appeteret significat propheta se desiderio ferventem ad deum accedere ac si vitalis humor eum deficeret Calvin in Psal 143. he had strong anhelations and pantings after God Psal 73.25 Whom have I in Heaven but thee and there is none upon earth I desire besides thee he saith not he had nothing upon earth he had his Crown and Scepter but nothing he desired like God Psal 42.1 as the hart pants after the water brooks so panteth my soul after thee O God The hart as Historians observe is a dry thirsty creature especially when chased by the hunter now nature is on fire and must have water to quench it thus the pious soul pants after the refreshing streams of Christs blood * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil and these desires of a Christian are rightly terminated he desires aswell conformity to Christ in grace as Communion with him in glory he desires the Sun of righteousness not onely for its refreshing beams but for its healing wings he desires not only Christs presence but his image Lord give me thy self that I may be more holy what should I do in Heaven with this unholy heart what converse could I have with God or angels thus the soul is still with God by desire and he desires not onely mercy but grace Amore. 3 3. The soul is still with God by love Where a mans love is there he is what