week now in the New Testament times changed to and called the first day of the week and the Lords-day 1. As to the rise nature ends and advantages the Sabbath in the Old Testament and the Lords-day in the New it is the best day that ever the world saw or shall be seen on this side Heaven 2. It was and is that day wherein the infinite Glories and Excellencies of a God have shined brighter and warmer on the spirits of men than in any other days beside namely his infinite Wisdom Power Love Goodness Mercy and Riches of free Grace 3. The Sabbath as some judge had its rise so early as in Paradise or when man was in state of innocency it must then be of very great Antiquity and a rarity of great worth And 4. Then it must be that only holy day which man in state of innocency had and possibly if he had stood should ever have had afterward 5. After the first institution it had the most glorious and tremendous promulgation and sanction such a delivery and ratification as no other Law except those that were spoken at the same time ever had namely by Gods so wonderful and most astonishing appearance on Mount Sinai in the sight of six hundred thousand persons There it was one of the ten words spoken by Gods own mouth by God first spoken in the ears of all that so prepared and awakened numerous multitude and after in the Mount was written with the finger of God written on the first Table of Stone before the six Commandments of the second Table This Commandment thus written was with the others reserved in the Golden Ark or Chest made purposely by Moses from Gods Command to keep the Tables and then by Gods Appointment was to be preserved in the glorious Tabernacle made by Moses and there it was to be with highest honour prefer'd to be kept in the Holy of Holies 6. Though some yield it not yet others judge the Sabbath had its change from the seventh to the first day of the week by the Lord of the Sabbath Christ himself or at least by his Apostles from his Authority 7. However it be changed yet it is lookt upon as grounded on that so amazing part of our Redemption Christs so glorious Resurrection on the third day after his Passion 8. The Sabbath formerly was the Old Testament Churches fixed time to behold as in a mirrour the glory of God the Creator his Eternal Godhead Power Wisdom Goodness and most glorious Excellencies in the so admirable frame of Heaven and Earth and the so various and curious pieces in it all most exquisitely wrought and finisht It was the peculiar time for setting up the Ladder of the Creatures by Contemplation to climb from Earth to Heaven with But now changed into the first day of the week it is the Christian Churches time for beholding as in a mirrour the glory more peculiarly of God the Redeemer now not in his Humiliation but in his appearing and begun Exaltation in that his glorious Resurrection from the dead that his concerned people might joy with highest and most heavenly rejoycing for this rising of the Sun of Righteousness to be under the warmest and most vivifical beams of his infinite love 9. Let me Meditate of this day as the time afforded for largest spiritual advantages no day being so eminent for me and my Soul as this day 10. Let me Meditate of this day as that happy season wherein the Ordinances of Christ do run in a fuller higher and stronger current More is offered me on this great soul-mart day than on other common Market-days other week-day opportunities it is the day whereby in some respects I have far better Ordinances the Publick in Communion with Christ in the midst among those that are gathered together in his Name And then by the Publick I have better advantages for the Private to perform them better Private Duties having a better time and better helps I must thereby be minded of my better performance 11. It is the eminent day of meeting with God in his upper walks of more solemn Ordinances 12. The day of days for our best speaking with our God and of highest familiarity with him 13. It 's the great time of our hearing from God and having him most eminently to speak to us There be no hearings from God like this days hearings no such voice no such efficacy can be expected as on this day 14. It is the day wherein God sits out and is most to be seen the great day of seeing Gods goings in the Sanctuary seeing his Power and his Glory No such day for this as the Lords own day Ps 63.2 15. A day of feeding more on the Feast of fat things full of Marrow Isa 25.6 Of being brought into the Kings Banquetting-House having the Banner of Christs love spread more amply over us than at other times it being the day wherein the highest flamings up of his unspeakable love appeared in that he not only died but rose again from the dead without which all his other labour and sufferings had been lost and our souls been also lost 1 Cor. 15. 16. It is a day dropt down from Heaven may serve to give a taste of the Sabbath and day kept there and to set a Copy for us here to write after in our holy restings and actings attended with heavenly refreshings God that made all things when he had finished his work he then rested on the seventh day and with his example of resting gave the precept of sanctifying the seventh day to the Church of the Old Testament And the Lord of the Sabbath Christ Jesus resting from his work and rising the first day of the week gives the Example and with the Example the Precept of resting and keeping holy the first day of the week to the Church of the New Testament as some think which therefore Rev. 1.10 they say is called the Lords day as the Ordinance of the Supper is called the Lords Supper as instituted by him 17. It is the day of resting the body from labour of respiteing the mind from worldly thoughts and cares and of refreshing the spirit with heavenly Manna which rains down now on this day more plentifully and with water of life that runs more abundantly in the pure Channels of holy Ordinances 18. Meditated on it should be as the season of the best reciprocations mutual actings between Earth and Heaven wherein the soul hath the advantage of acting higher and more vigorously to glorifie and please God Psal 24.5 and wherein God commands the blessing more and affords assistances more usually than on any other days as experiences prove 19. It s a time to come from sweeter and fuller communion with God in Christ whose blessed day it is to come with our faces shining and hearts flaming made better to be on Earth fitter to live in Heaven And hereupon 20. To leave upon the spirit a more eager longing fully to
enjoy the Lord of the Sabbath and have time turned wholly into Eternity These or such like Meditations may be sutable and quickening for improving the great opportunity of this day of Christ and we cannot think too much or too seriously for this great occasion Having in some measure thus endeavoured to open and illustrate this point of daily Meditation both that which may be sutable for the six days and for the Lords day I pass to the next sort Occasional Meditation CHAP. XV. Of Occasional Meditation and that which is more extraordinary SOlemn Occasional Meditation comes now to be considered which is the souls taking of time for and acting Meditation on some particular selected subject either out of the Word of God or among the Works of God or somthing providentially falling out or somthing concerning our selves any thing offering fit occasion for fruitful Meditation They may be chiefly referr'd to these two heads 1. Either such things as purposely we out of varieties of subjects before us do single out for Meditation to help and quicken us in godliness 2. Or some new fresh thing which the hand of Gods Providence holdeth forth for our particular observing and improving 1. That which we ourselves out of varieties of subjects may or do single out for our spiritual advantage Here the scope and compass our Eye hath to make its choice of and fix upon is very large The Eye in Meditation hath before it the fullest fairest prospect can come in view Here is a breadth length depth height a compass and circumference that in point of lawful liberty you may look from Earth to Heaven yea through the whole world in all its vastness and varieties of objects in it and beyond them all unto him that is so infinitely above them all God himself in all his so inconceivable exaltations and perfections O how narrow then must that Spirit be which shall be straitned and at a loss for matter to employ and busie its seriousness about That hath so large a Field to walk in and so great varieties as the vast world Heaven and Earth and all things in them and the infinite God with so many infinite excellencies as are in him and yet to seek how to Meditate Ah how barren low and poor must that spirit be which is enriched with so great provisions for mind and thought entertainment and for times improvement and yet cannot fruitfully employ it self on some one thing or other that presents it self to us and invites our seeing and pondering of it Although Meditation hath so great a latitude and liberty a liberty to travel farther and see more by far than all the great Travellers that have bin in the world yet spiritual wisdom teacheth us to endeavour the most advantageous way of engaging our thinking power in Meditation For the wisdom of this way we now are upon it needs must lie in that manner and order as most may conduce to the great and main end of glorifying God and our own salvation It is most true that in point of liberty it is my Christian priviledge to take and set before me any profitable subject to intend my thoughts upon when no particular occasion of Meditation doth otherwise oblige me I say when no particular contrary obligation is upon me I may chuse to meditate either on this or that useful subject as I please I have the whole Creation for my Eye-walk my Meditation and spirits recreation yea and farther than the whole world extends I may go to contemplate him that is the highest if I please like David and other Saints of God I may with my Eye walk and look among the Works of God the so excellent and unimitable pieces of his most admirable framing On all the so stately Fabrick of the world any of the rare built stories lower or higher any of the rich Furnitures or exquisite things contained in it First I may view the lower story wherein I am fix upon the precious things the Earth hath within the riches of Minerals and precious Metals Silver Gold and the so useful other sorts the riches of all sorts of precious Stones Diamonds Carbuncles Rubies Emeralds and all the rest I may view the innumerable exquisite things upon the Earth from the Moss and imperfect Plants to the Grass made for the Cattel to all things growing in the whole Garden of Nature and more peculiarly made for the service of man among all the Herbs Flowers Shrubs and Trees of all sorts and see in them the so fair Characters of the infinite Power Wisdom and Goodness of the great Creator written most legibly on them I may Meditate on all sorts of living Creatures from the least and lowest Mite or Insect all creeping things with all Beasts and Birds that go upon the Earth wild or tame Consider I may their several Natures Features and Shapes Beauties and Excellencies and withall the serviceableness and usefulness of them to that poor Clod of earth man for whom they are I may look to the Waters Fountains Rivers and vast Seas with the innumerable things and Creatures about and in them Fowls Fishes and these of so many Kinds Forms and Shapes all of them the demonstrations of the infinite glories of that unimitable Artist the great God My Meditation also may with the Psalmist take in the eternal and mighty Hills and Mountains with the Rocks Sands and Bulwarks made against the raging Seas that they return not again to cover the earth Psal 104.9 I may go up to the higher stories of this Fabrick of the World to the Waters above to the Clouds and their Bottleings up of Waters in them and that so great wonder in Nature the invisible and so powerful Wind which carries the Clouds from place to place whereby they at length open fall down and water the thirsty Earth with Dews and Showrs they also serve to purge and purfie the Air we breathe in I may eye other sorts of Meteors or Exhalations and things appearing in the Air as those fiery and dreadful sometimes impressions making us to wonder the falling Stars flying Dragons fiery dartings of some and fixing standing brightnesses of others of several shapes To all these I may adde that Voice of God the fearful Thunder and the concomitant Coruscations and Lightnings Lightnings also sometimes alone all these are mighty and stupendious operations of the great God Higher yet I may go to another higher story that of the Starry Heaven contemplate the so innumerable Stars of several glories and wonderful motions influences with the beauteous Moon to shine by Night her changings encreasings and decreasings and hidings and that Eye of the World the most glorious Sun all so admirably meditated upon by the Psalmist Ps 8. Ps 19. Ps 104. Ps 136. I may go yet one step higher to that third Heaven the Palace of God where also Christ is in his humane Nature exalted and appearing in highest glory It is also the native place of
Eccl. 12. Imagine then that great and terrible day of the Lord to be come thou seest the Heavens departing as a scrowl the Elements melting with fervent heat the Earth with the works therein burnt up imagine thou seest the Lord Jesus descending from Heaven with his mighty Angels coming with the voice of the Archangel and the trump of God seest the dead arising the living all changed in a moment and all persons whatsoever convented and brought before Jesus Christ the Judge such a Judge as never any was in any degree to be compared with so unspeakably excellent and glorious sitting on his high Throne in highest and most transcendent majesty and glory as there cannot possibly be greater Among all that are to be judged imagine thy self there appearing at the Judgment seat to make thy personal answer and take thy Eternal doom that presently thou art call'd come thou sinner come hold up thy hand at the Bar answer for thy self that thou hearest the Judge call read the indictment read it aloud and answer thou sinner to every part of thy charge 1. First thou that standest here at this Bar to be tryed thou hast a noble faculty of reason and understanding and with it a power of thinking and meditating given into thy soul and that above all others to meditate of heavenly things thou answerest it is true Lord I cannot deny it 2. Thou also hadst my Word a perfect rule to direct thee my Ministers to perswade thee my Spirit to draw thee thine own conscience to call upon thee which also called loud often and earnestly upon thee to consider yes Lord thou answerest it is most true 3. Time also and opportunity thou hadst space sufficient allowed thee to meditate and consider if thou wouldst have done it a time of youth and time enough then also a time of it may be riper years and old age a time of many years great patience waitings on and strivings with True Lord thou answerest I had many opportunities to consider 4. But when thou should have remembred thy Creator in the days of thy youth thou didst forget him wouldst not think of him of his Word of his ways thy own state and thy souls concerns Thy first fresh years were spent in walking in the sight of thy eyes and minding vanities thou couldst find time enough to think of thy pleasures thy play sports and pastimes thy excesses filthiness loosness but not of thy God or thy souls great affairs At such a place in such a year such a month such a day of that month such an hour or suchhours of that day is it not so sinner there then thou wert thinking musing devising for such a pleasure such a sport such a vanity and such a wickedness and the following day at such a place and such an hour doing the like and so day after day thy thoughts were lavisht lost let out on impertinencies and meer vanities but purposely taken and turn'd from all religious seriousness all soul-matters Was not this thy usual way to ravel out that thy youths time in never minding thy God and the things are holy never to consider any thing to any purpose indeed What say'st thou sinner to all this charge of embezling that precious time of tender and more pliable youth Are not all particulars charged against thee true Yes Lord Jesus I was such a one as to every particular and cannot deny any thing charged 5. Ah but beyond that time thou livedst up to riper years and when the time of fond phansie and folly wore off by the ripening of reason on thy coming to mans estate then had you more reason far more to mind and meditate on the great concernments of God and your soul I then lookt for seriousness when you now could be serious and serious enough in things of lower concernment as for your calling and business for getting wealth and growing rich to be great and high and have abundance ah how couldst thou studdy muse beat thy Brains in the day and in the night appointed for rest and sleep how did thy worldly mindedness act thee thy mind running thoughts intending multiplying with all possible earnestness and eagerness Ah friend what have been the multitudes of thy musings day after day in such and such cases business bargains purchases and projects What an engrosser of thoughts hath Mammon been in thy covetous frame of heart and what a most shameful excluder of good and heavenly thoughts continually Yea I have to charge thee farther before men and Angels with thy studyings and contrivances the deepest and most intense thoughts of heart thou hast had for credit applause and honour from men like thy self for rising growing high getting power and being great in the world O how this this friend provokt and engag'd your thoughts studyings plottings all the soul-earnestness that was in thee to be accounted and applauded to be great and high but you never would be half so serious spend any such proportion of time to get Honour that comes from God and to be one the Lord commends Sinner is not all this also true canst thou deny any one part of this charge No Lord saith the Prisoner it is all very true Over and above thou hast meditated and devised and that many and divers ways for satisfying thy lusts in every way thou likedst and wert pleased in Meditated for mischief taking revenge which was none of thine but mine as now appears yea for opposing good causes persecuting the godly such as would be upright in their Generation and not be wrapt up in the wickedness of the times Ah what of all others what depths and heights of musings and devisings hath thy heart of hatred thy keenest hellish malice brooded and brought forth against my Saints these Saints that lived with thee here they are before thee see them there 's such a godly painful Minister and there 's another and there are all the rest you hated and opposed here friend are such Christians you have plotted against and persecuted so often there 's such that lived in such places about you there 's such who lived in the same Town with you here 's one that lived the very next door to you here be those who were in the same Family of your familiarity of your daily converse with and your spiteful opposition to here 's such a fellow-servant such a Brother or Sister such a Child or Parent such a Husband or Wife hated and scorned for godliness sake This this hath been thy manner sinner from thy very first to the end of thy days which have not been few all the thoughts of thy heart evil all but steps in the long walk of the vanity of thy mind Thoughts thou hast enough thy mind that meditated enough was ever acting busie enough but bad thou wouldst not meditate the right way on the best things on holy and spiritual things not in all thy time so as to convert and turn to God What
Grace and the Degree of that Grace the Grace he doth Meditate the Degree day and night Thus much hereby must then be implyed that as it is to be performed often so it cannot well be performed by the Rule in this Scripture passage if every day in course there be not something done this way either more or less certainly we cannot give God and our souls concerns too much measure So Psalm 119. He tells us his daily practice to Meditate both in the day and night Now his Example being a King and under such varieties of important Affairs so many and so great as none can have more And if he had still such cares troubles and dangers attending might not these have excused to some abatement of his constancy but it did not This therefore leaves all sorts of persons without excuse none being able to alledge that which he could or not more urgencies of daily occasions There is no doubt that as it is a work lies upon every one so sure as the day returns and the fresh businesses of it so this Meditating of right doth challenge for it self some fit season and portion of the day being one of the great businesses for the Souls help As no Christian can plead exemption from this daily incumbency this daily soul affair so no good prudent Christian can conceive but he may find out in the revolution of the day some at least fit opportunity for serious Meditation Or if not in the day time the time of action and avocation yet in the night upon the Bed the time of rest and freedom What was said of that great Warriour Hannibal making his way into Italy over the high rocky Mountains the Alpes with Fire and Vinegar Hannibal will either find a way or make one and is said of Love It will creep if it cannot go a good heart will find or make its way over Mountains of Difficulties and Business to have Communion with Jesus Christ Cant. 3.1 2 3. Ah it is most sad if I can allow so many hours in the night for rest and sleep so many in the day for business and emergencies so many for eating and drinking so many for company and discourse yea so much time for pleasure play for trivial things next to nothing it may be for things worse than nothing for sins and lusts and that no part of the twenty four hours must be afforded for serious thinking thinking of things ten thousand times more momentous and concerning than the total sum of matters that sweep away and swallow up precious time so much The good Christian cannot but at least close with the eternal obligation of this duty And the wise and fruitful Christian cannot but yield some complyance with the practice of it and let this come in for its due share in the time of the day as one important business to be dispatcht and that must still contribute to the right making of it up and improvement of it After some evidence of the equity of this daily Duty I come to speak to the Nature and way of this Meditation This being of all other sorts the principal which therefore challenges a more distinct and careful handling If Christians very well understand not this way or fall very short of the due manner and order of it the work is neither so pleasant or successful as it might be and should be and questionless is to Christians such as are the great Artists herein such as have been well practised and experienced in it I shall therefore now endeavour to shew the Nature of it and something of a Method of due proceeding in it In general it is that daily exercise whereby we single out purposely some spiritual or useful matters to act the searchings and ponderings which according to our ability and opportunity of the day we can exercise for our spiritual advantage The Mind is a Spring alway running in thinkings a Wheel alway turning a Forge alway framing a Wing ever moving it is the most active busie nimble thing in all the world therefore hath the greatest need to be well lookt unto to be kept as Solomon saith Prov. 4.23 With all keeping keep thy heart to be guided with the best skill and care with the steadiest and stiffest rein like a Horse of highest metal ready to run away with his Rider it will run wildly away and carry the soul into vanity folly and self-mischieving Meditation is a spiritual rein and curb and the peculiar designed way to reduce rectifie and order it To bring the hearts thinking power into the highest subserviency the greatest usefulness to the main to the Souls grand interest Therefore there is a great necessity upon every good heart of daily and much Meditating CHAP. II. Of the manner and way of daily Meditation 1. EVery Christian is to awake with God in the morning Psal 139.13 as David when he awoke was ever with God at his awaking times in the night by thinking of God so chiefly when he awoke last when the night was past with all the dangers of it and the day dawned then the morning-star of Meditation arose in his heart The first work in the morning is to awake with God and the noble thinking faculty which upon awaking will instantly awake and begin to stir begin to act Let it be awakened into this sweet way of self entertainment by engaging of it in holy Meditation Look we that the heart be first of all seasoned sweetned and perfumed with heavenly thoughts 1. Begin we with serious reflections upon the great goodness and tender mercies of God in our preservations from Satans malice and mischiefs what affrightments in noises and appearances in violence and harms would he exercise if he were let loose upon us What other harms from wicked men usually taking the advantage of the dark and still night when all are at rest besides harms from accidental occasions that we are liable to There is also the great mercy of Beds to lie on rest without tossings ease without torments sleep without holding our Eyes in awaking having our sleep sweet awaking with refreshing having our formerly weary bodies and decayed spirits revived and cheared and we our selves under a new adaptation and fitness for the succeeding days occasions There should be also a stand and abode of thoughts upon any thing in the night which is more signal and remarkable that comes down from Heaven as a brighter beam of favour to take the Eye with that is let down as a more peculiar hand to take up our thoughts to Heaven by that is sent as a more special Love-token stampt with more legible Characters of the care and kindness of a God towards us 2. When the nights past mercies have had some due Reflections and Musings had a down-weight of improvement endeavoured for warming and enlarging the heart toward our good God If then it conveniently may be nothing to the contrary interposing and that justly may hinder the next thing
then for the way of our thoughts should be to look forward to the day coming on and the spiritual concernments of it or if it then cannot at the present be yet so soon as we can to set to and engage in this so useful Meditation CHAP. III. HEre the more particular Rules we may use for this daily Meditation are these following I say the Rules we may use for the particulars of daily Meditation and for Method herein may be such as these following 1. Meditation of setting up the Master Mark the glorifying of the most high God 2. Next unto it Meditation of Eternal happiness in the enjoying of God 3. Meditating then after it of the sure and adequate means for attaining them both And these are therefore to be Meditated upon Meditating on 1. Jesus Christ the only way to the Father by his work of Redemption Meditating on 2. The Holy Spirit the great applyer of Christ and his Redemption Meditating on 3. The holy Ordinances of God the usual ways of the Spirits coming to apply Christ by Meditating on 4. The Word of God chiefly the Promises of the Gospel These on Gods part Meditating 5. On our part by our use of the Ordinances and the Word and Promises and that Faith and holiness whereby we come to union and communion with God glorifie him and obtain salvation Faith as the instrument of receiving Christ and both Faith and Holiness or the graces of Christ as our principles of life and power to live unto God and growing up to perfection against all opposition 1. The first thing according to the rule of best wisdom which lays the surest foundation in any course is first to take into most serious consideration the supream and chief end and to act a fresh setting up before us that Master-Mark and scope of the most high God and the glorifying of him to be continued as we can through the whole course of the day I say this so high incumbency and duty of looking still at and levelling all to the glory of God Meditation of this glorifying God for pure lively and highest advancings of it this is the Souls best operation and runs most parallel to the perfect work of Heaven Heavens higher acting is Contemplation of the most blessed God for the most transcendent exaltings of his glory The Rule of Scripture is To do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 And this Rule must therefore have its place and power here therefore this daily Meditation must take it in and set it up It must be every ones wisdom to bottom our day Meditation with the still eying of and aiming at the glorifying of the most high God To begin with the fresh thoughts and also the warmest frame of Spirit for farthering the supream end the glory of God and with it as fit to be annext unto it that which is wrapt up with it our own Eternal happiness Philosophers and Divines have several Maxims about the Supream End To mention some of them to help us here As 1. Finis summus est maxime appetibilis The chief End is of all things else the most desirable Psal 73.25 Matth. 6.9 If as it is most sure it be most desirable then this as was said before is the chief point of wisdom to chiefly eye and aim at this chief End and then sure it is most proper in the method of our daily Meditation to mind this one of the first and how to advance towards it anew on the opportunity of a new day begun upon us 2. Secondly there is another Rule given which is Finis ultimus praescribit Regulas totius vitae sed ipsi fini nonpraescribitur That the last or chief End prescribes or gives the Rules of the whole life or course but the last End hath no Rules prescribed to it In all cases the End of any thing that gives the Rules to that thing Thus that hath profit and livelyhood for its End that profit and livelyhood gives the Rules to the Trader and all his actings are reduced and ordered to profit and subsistence That of mens particular or a Nations interest as it is called The particular interest of persons in particular Or the Publick interest and chief good that gives the Rules to private men or to States-men their actings must be to their interest the chief good or End So the Souls grand interest real highest End and Interest gives all the Rules to all a Christians wise truly wise actings Thus in Phil. 3.13 I press hard to the Mark first he set up the Mark or that was set up before him to aim at And this made him press hard and run in the right way so earnestly made him use all the right means and the due manner for attaining to it So this of eying the Supreme End as the right sure way as the sure wisdom for a mans self Prov. 9.12 this should be first taken in and come under fresh consideration That which gives the first rise to endeavour that which must vitally influence and strongly instigate yea fix and stablish our whole course The course rises or falls strengthens or weakens bears up or breaks off in evenness or unevenness according to our more or less lively and fresh lookings at and ponderings of the chief End This we see in all undertakings the manner earnestness and evenness of any course is from the manner earnestness and evenness of mans eyings of his chief aim and interest designed in it In a Watch and divers artificial Motions the evenness and expediteness of the motion is from evener or unevener stronger or weaker drawing of the Spring the first mover Thus is it in godliness a Christians motions are answerable to his eyings more or less of the main end Christians complain of their daily dead-heartedness and unevenness it much arises from the so little or listless lookings at the main Mark. Paul lookt earnestly and he prest hard In Archery those who eye the Mark most earnestly and steadily hit the oftenest and fullest The wisest Christian is the most earnest equal eyer of the main End There be many particulars in this head which according to prudence and leisure may have their seasons of ponderings The variety will breed delight and set an edge upon the Spirit apt to grow heavy and weary they are such as these As the considerations of the most high God in all his infinite Glories and Perfections His All-sufficiency in his Knowledge Wisdom Holiness Righteousness and the rest But chiefly in his so infinite and unchangeable Love and Riches of Free Grace The Infinite obligations eternally lying upon us for glorifying and exalting of him The infinite excellencies and fullness of the second Person and his infinite Love in undertaking with his Father to Redeem lost sinners And the infinite love of the third Person the Holy Spirit the applyer of Redemption Some most serious Meditation of God and glorifying him to give down into the heart a
and qualifications of heavenly Graces that was cold dead and altogether sinful and draws the glorious image of Christ upon the Soul He enlivens establishes enlarges and encourages and fills the Spirit with peace and joy unspeakable We act from his blowings on the Gardens of our hearts then the spices of Graces flow Cant. 4.16 The Wheels Ezek. 10.17 moved from the spirit in them so a Christian moves or not as the Spirit moves or not Every day and for every Duty in the day there is need of a new blowing of the Spirit that the Spices may flow new moving that the Wheels may move us We must neither grieve quench or resist the Holy Spirit Eph. 4.30 1 Thes 5.19 Act. 7.51 The Spirit who is our Helper and Applyer farther of Christ and receiving of his fulness If we will act wisely the Eye of the Soul by Meditation must daily be pondering the necessity of the Holy Spirits Influences stirrings up strengthenings and enlargements when we neglect and slight the Spirit and so want justly his help we must needs drive on heavily But when we mind him and have his assistance this wings the Soul and makes it to move strongly and nimbly to the main mark If the Question were askt what were the highest thoughts the mind can possibly think they would be such as these three following 1. That thought of the so infinite and all admired love of God the Father in giving freely his Son for Sinners 2. That thought of that infinite and all amazing love of God the Son in giving so freely himself for his Fathers Enemies 3. That thought of God the Holy Spirit 's infinite love astonishing love in so freely giving himself into such dunghill hellish hearts to make them his glorious Habitation his Palace and Solace to be the mighty heart-helper and Comforter This Spirit then must not be grieved by the least neglect but highly and constantly both honoured and cherished with our utmost thought-preciousness and earnestness that so thinkings may work up to liveliest lookings for him lookings to listenings for his knocking 's at the door of our Hearts listenings for ready lettings of him in and being let in we may give him the highest and freest Entertainments with yieldings of the fullest obedience unto him It is reported that formerly sometimes Travellers Sailing by the Coasts of Arabia the happy have had by the Winds blowing off the Land such rare rich smells and perfumes of the precious spices that without the Experience of it it is hardly credible Sometimes the Holy Spirit so blows on the Garden of a Christians heart that the Spices in such sort perfume it with Ravishments of Peace and Joy that are inexpressible and then it runs apace to the main mark Ah then it must be best to enter on the work of the day by an early and earnest eying of this glorious Helper the Holy Spirit who is sooner ready to lend us his helping hand then we are ready for it CHAP. VII Of the next particulars the incumbent Duties of the day 3. THE Ordinances of Christ are the next general things Meditation may fix on The Ordinances are our ways of communion with God the ways whereby God conveighs himself to us the King of Heavens high-ways of spiritual Commerce and Trade The Roads and Paths wherein the Holy Spirit walks and comes to apply himself to us and our ways in which we are to go forth and meet him apply our selves to him fix an heavenly intercourse and acquaintance with him The Winds blow from all the Quarters of Heaven and the Holy Spirit breaths and blows from all his heavenly Ordinances We may therein look for the breathings of the Spirit but we must not look for the Holy Spirit out of his own ways The Prerogative of the Spirit is not to be absolutely tied to Ordinances but our liberty is not to be loosed from them We are tied to the ways of Christ which are our warrantable ways for communion and waiting his Spirits comings and assistings The Eye of Meditation should act daily in such fresh and vigorous lookings on the Ordinances as may more highly commeid them raise their price represent them more lovely reduce us to more evenness in performance by finding them more easie and sweet in continued use and exercising our selves in them and induce still higher admirations by experiencing their help and efficacies The Ordinances of Christ have their high ratification in the Holy Scriptures for their power and efficacy The Saints in all Ages have given their great confirmation set their probatum est to every of them by millions of encouraging experiences When that Ordinances are more precious they are the more efficacious O let our Meditations daily scope be to make them more precious that they may prove more efficacious Like that eminent pattern that great Meditater David that high progress he made in Meditating of the ways of God set the Price higher made his heart warmer He Meditated and he valued more admired more and he acted more eminently and arrived at last at that pitch which hath left him on Record in the highest rank of Saints that ever lived The Ordinances therefore are most worthy our daily musing on as for their own excellency as the King of Heavens high Institutions so as the Holy Spirits walks wherein he comes to meet us and have communion with us and apply Christ more unto us CHAP. VIII Of Meditation on the Word of God and the Promises whereby the Spirit first is given and after works THE Word of God is that sure wisdom revealed unto us by God to lead us by his Counsel to Glory That only infallible Rule given us to walk by It is the Golden Scepter of Christ for the Subjects of his Kingdom to come and touch the top of The dear purchase of Jesus Christ for the only Rule of his Redeemed the breathing and dictate of the Holy Spirit the high product and that clearest shining forth of the brightest beams of Infinite Wisdom Truth Holiness Righteousness Mercy Free-Grace Love Power and all Glories and Perfections of the Author for the blessed Ends it is bestowed It is the excellent Instrument in the hand of the Spirit whereby he effects his great Soul-saving work whereby he brings about that work of wonder the applying of lost sinners to an All-sufficient Saviour first by effectual calling and then applies Christ more and more building them up more in him unto perfection If I look for the Spirits operation I must look for and apply my self to the help of that rare Tool and Instrument he operates by Think what an Engine it is what most admired glorious work he hath effected by it upon millions of blind Eyes hard Hearts Persons impotent Crippled in their Souls Dead in sins and trespasses at the dreadful distance from God of Haters and Enemies of him and all things leading to him enlightening them healing them and reconciling them to himself and his
of meer general thinkings or that of Phansie or Speculation of our own but first laying a Scripture great and firm foundation And then after to improve those Scripture assertions by all the ability and help we can of Reason and Inferences of best Representations and Resemblances of Imagination and Invention General apprehensions and grantings of Scripture truths deceive and destroy many when they are rested in General notions of Heaven and happiness granting it there is a Heaven and no more makes many miss of it miss for want of more distinct apprehensions well grounded believing and due deep sinking of it to the bottom of the heart there to lie glowing to warm and kindle the affections to provoke into a labouring a mighty striving to win the Crown of glory The way is as wisdom in all other cases of consequence teaches to come off every day from general confused thoughts of Heaven and happiness restings on and runnings away with a supposed doing enough If we still grant there 's a Heaven and Happiness every day to endeavour distincter and clearer thoughts and knowledge Generals will not serve grantings must not be made the enough of a wise Christian he must have an extensive and enlarging clearness an encreasing firmness of Faith in the Doctrines the great points of salvation But we having this so prime an Article of faith that which hath wrapt up in it so rich a Treasure and preserves as it were that so inestimable Jewel of happiness mans last end that which is the great foundation and instigation of all a Christians strivings and hopes for he hath no hope in this life for happiness here This therefore should not be turned off nor terminated as too oft is done with a granting or bare assent but still obtain of us a fuller firmer warmer and more operative seeing and belief Now this cannot be without diligent gathering in and better still Meditating on particular Scriptures asserting and clearly manifesting this main Article and mans chief end comprised in it The Jewish Church had this typified in the Holy of Holies as Heb. 9.3.12.24 Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which were the Figures of the true but into Heaven it self This was that by the visible place faith might be stirr'd up to eye and view the invisible typified state of glory Psal 73.24 David tells us of it and was assured to be received up into glory that is into Heaven in glory Dan. 12.23 Of them that sleep in the dust some shall awake to everlasting life and shine as the brightness of the firmament and some as the stars for ever The Church of the New Testament in the writings given by Christ to it have this Doctrine of Heaven and happiness abundantly and most clearly set forth The first mentionings of it are out of the mouth of him that with the Father and Holy Spirit made it Math. 5.3 in Christs first Sermon Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven So verse 10 12. The persecuted for righteousness theirs is c. verse 20. Mention there is again of it Verse 34. and v. 45. and 48. Chap. 6. v. 1. v. 9. The first passage in the Lord's Prayer At least twelve several times in this first Sermon of Christ this Heaven is mentioned And as in the Gospels so all the new Testament over you may many scores of times find and see it lying as a most shining and glorious Diamond in the Mine or as in a rich Cabinet for to be viewed and laboured for The multitudes of places well weighed must needs hold forth to all that shut not their eyes wilfully a Local Heaven a place of happiness and glory It is no Allegorical Heaven as some have dream'd or may ignorantly imagine when it is asserted in so many clear passages which all of them in our reading or hearings should have their due weight weight of thinkings and efficacy on us for firm believing and answerable endeavours for not losing but enjoying it For the rank of places what it hath the Scripture tells us it is the third Heaven the first being that where the Clouds are the second where the glorious Lights Sun Moon and Stars are this third above them all call'd therefore the highest Heaven This third and highest Heaven is most inconceivably excellent not made of any preceeding matter much less of any elementary matter Some say it was made immediately of nothing and with it were also made concreated the Angels all at the same instant Heaven never being empty of Inhabitants The Sun Moon and Stars were made not the first day but the fourth day for Furniture of that Heaven under the highest Heaven 2. It is the largest and most capacious place as that which comprises or surrounds all the inferiour world and things in that O here here is Rechaboth room enough In this world here 's crowding pushing crushing of the Saints The wicked world would quite cast them every one out of it to be left alone and enjoy all to be let alone and have none to see and shame them any way But the Saints shall all be brought at last into a large place where none shall molest or trouble them Heaven is a Rechaboth indeed a most large place The Globe of the whole Earth and Water is as Geographers tell us at the least one and twenty thousand and six hundred miles in compass The Air above encompassing in that and especially the uppermost part of the Air must needs be far more in compass than the Earth and Water The Moon alone is very great though something less than the Earth some of the Planets are judged far greater than the Globe of the Earth The Sun by some is judged to be one hundred sixty six times greater than the whole Earths Globe which others make yet far greater which then must be some millions of miles in compass according to that account The fixed Stars which all are above the highest Planet Saturn are by the Learned every of them judged greater than all the Earth the least of them eighteen times bigger than the Earth those of the highest magnitude and the most glorious brightness an hundred and eighteen times bigger than the whole Earth Of these fixed Stars who can tell the numbers of them those which are reckon'd are but some hundreds in their Constellations How exceeding then vast must this starry Heaven be if the Planets and fixed Stars in it are so great and numerous O then how unspeakably vast and large must this third Heaven be which compasses round all the Earth Air and the starry Heavens What a Kingdom for Territories is this What a place for Christ to prepare Mansions for his in What a place for the all-glorious God and Jesus Christ to keep a Court in highest splendour and magnificence in And the Lord Jesus the Saviour that purchased this inheritance with his own blood for him to be ever viewed loved admired
glorified by all his Saints to the highest in Of all imaginable places this this is the place this is Room this is a place so large as the hearts of the Saints can wish 3. As Heaven is the largest for capacity and quantity so is it the best place for quality and excellency 2 Cor. 12. It is called Paradise by that blessed Paul who was taken up thither to tell upon his return what a place it was Paradise mentioned Gen. 2.8 it was the best place that ever was on Earth it was the summary of all necessaries and delicacies for Adam in that perfect state his accommodations recreations and abundant delight fit therefore to resemble the place of glory by And so our Lord Christ thought when he calls it by this name of Paradise Luke 23.43 To day shalt thou be with me in Paradise The best place it was made because for the best Creature on Earth Luke 16. It is called Abraham's bosom Abraham in his time was the most eminent person living call'd the Father of the faithful No place for a Child can be so proper so desirable pleasing and contenting as the most loving tender Fathers Bosom O how a Child loves the Bosom O how desirous are the Children of Abraham to be in his Bosom In other places it is a place of glory riches of glory a Kingdom a Crown of glory an eternal weight of glory a state where there are Pleasures for evermore Rivers of pleasures joys and fullness of joy For every Saint the highest entertainments in all respects for the Senses 1. The Ear hath such ravishing Musick and melody as that best and greatest Consort of all the innumerable companies of Saints and Angels can make 2. For the Eye the Palace of Heaven is unspeakably beyond all places prospects and objects that Nature and Art could ever yield The persons of the Saints as to the numbers so innumerable must needs make up the rarest Train and shew as to their sorts and differences that ever Eye saw O what a ravishing sight must that be to see Enoch Noah Abraham Isaac Jacob and all the Holy Patriarchs Moses Samuel David and all the Holy Prophets Peter Paul John and all the Holy Apostles All the blessed and glorious Martyrs of Jesus Christ All his godly and serviceable painful and laborious Ministers All the precious Saints Kings and Governours and others that are recorded in the Bible And not only Men but holy Women Sarah Hannah Ruth Esther and others in the Old Testament the blessed Virgin and Elizabeth with the Women that followed Christ and ministred unto him Mary Magdalen Johanna Susanna Lydia Dorcas Priscilla among the Apostles helping them all the Disciples of Christ which believed in him with all the eminent godly lights in the Church after the Apostles and all the Saints in all after Ages to the worlds end And then for all this Train in their sorts and ranks as to their bodies to be so all over glorious to shine as the Sun and brightness of the Firmament for ever O what a shew and ravishing entertainment is here for the Eye But that which is the top and height and far surpassing all the other is that sweetest most ravishing sight of the most glorious body of Jesus Christ The highest beauty that ever Eye beheld or saw far out-shining all others as the Sun exceeds the Stars Ah here here will be a sight indeed Ah but then to behold him in his highest discoveries of his sweetest loveliest lookings and smilings on all his Saints with him and upon thee in particular To see his countenance compos'd and ordered purposely to beam forth in fullest Manifestations of surpassing sweetness of most intense affections towards his so dearly beloved Bride now present with him in the glorious Bed-Chamber to behold him and enjoy perfect communion with him 3. O but what entertainments are there as to the soul and spirit for the faculties of Vnderstanding Will and Affections how far transcending those of the Senses as the beatifical vision seeing God face to face with all intellectual satisfaction as to all the truths in the Word of God all Mysteries Prophecies and difficulties and whatsoever may conduce to the glorious happiness of the Saints satisfaction also as to the works and ways of God Creation and Providence all the Riddles and dark things so far made known as is needful Likewise as to the will and heart the beatifical fruition enjoying of God Father Son and Spirit and his infinite sweetness to all possible fullness and perfection Likewise all happy communion with Saints and Angels to all delight and pleasure And for all this both body and Soul are prepared strengthened elevated and enlarged to the utmost extensiveness As all imperfections and sins are utterly remov'd so all grace and holiness light and wisdom heat and flame of heart communicated and in a blessed reciprocation a mutual acting God the infinitely alsufficient communicating himself to the glorified to their utmost capacity and they reacting and putting forth their grace and holiness to their utmost ability O how unspeakably sweet and satiating must this continual intercourse be For the close of all let me think my self after a glorious and blessed Resurrection and absolution by Christ at the Judgment day freed utterly from all evil feeling likewise my compleat happiness coming on so fast in my now passage up to the place of glory and then instantly finding it finisht finisht on the first setting my foot as it were within the Gate of Heaven And now I think what a prepared and furnished place I am in What company of the Saints Angels and Jesus Christ also I have What fruition of the most blessed God what sense of the pleasures joys satisfactions and most ravishing sweetness under all security under that which superadded heightens and sweetens all the rest the Charter of inconceivable eternity Ah then let my frequent and intensest thinkings be not a looking down to Earth but up to Heaven breathing my soul up the Hill to this City of God in contemplating the Glories of it often let me walk this so pleasant walk Who will look and pore on a dark Dungeon that hath the Sun to behold who will that means to hit the mark look quite besides it who is it can go to Heaven that thinks most another way that hath a down-look as we say a Beasts Eye that hath no Muscle of elevation Ah such as look most will long most after labour most for it O therefore let my Eye every day be walking to and in this Paradise solace it self in taking a turn still there be walking in this upper Eye-walk by Meditation till I come to see God face to face till I look my self into this Heaven I look on I have now dispatcht this point of Occasional set Meditation as to the first branch Meditation of such things we our selves single out and set before us and take some special times for which were in these
make much use of this short way of Meditation when he often could not go the other larger way As he was frequent in his sudden short prayings so must he be much in short sudden meditatings which were the ground commonly of his prayings The Psalms shew his frequent using this short way of meditation and praying Thus Psal 15. a Psalm of but five verses So Psal 127. a Psalm of five verses and Psal 125. the like and Psal 123. hath a Meditation of four verses Psal 131. is a Meditation of three verses and Psal 117. is a Meditation of but two verses yet the spirit of God is pleas'd to have it recorded Many other Psalms we have very short that were his quick Meditations left all for teaching us to do likewise looking on his example This Meditation though of shorter time yet so far as we can must have its Regulation and Governance 1. It should so near as we can have its stamp and ingredient of holy reverence All thoughts of holy things must not be how sudden soever acts of rashness and over-haste without heed and fear the name of a glorious God is upon every Ordinance that must not be taken in vain 2. It should be the product and issue of holy lingering after God and communion with him from a thirsting for God to taste a little when we cannot have fuller draughts of him 3. It should be the glance of a spiritual Eye looking from love being enamoured with God and Christ and heavenly things Not a looking from Custom and an use to satisfie conscience calling for something may look like a Duty but from the strength and predominancy of the fire of heavenly love Psal 119.97 O how love I thy Law it s my Meditation all the day As other so this sort of Meditation must have a rise from love Love breeds longing and looking it introduces a pleasure in a looking though but a glancing of the Eye on the surpassing beauty and loveliness of God and Jesus Christ and the glorious things of Heaven Ah how excellent is this frame of spirit how sweet and pleasant is it to have the Eye often on these so rare beauties from being as the Spouse in the Canticles both really and deeply in love 4. It should be aim'd and levell'd at the right mark pleasing and glorifying God and for communion farther with him that he may see how the pulse of our Souls beats how the Eye looks how we act and how our hearts make still their holy escapes from the crowd and obstructings of occasions to give him a friendly spiritual visit to let him see the fervour of our love by endeavours so oft as we can to do him homage and honour As when we would shew our high respect and honour to any person we make the more frequent visits when we cannot make long stay So here when throngs of indispensable occasions hinder the set and larger engagements in Meditation make we it up in shorter visits in often thinkings short visits rightly aim'd bring sweet peace Let it not be therefore so hasty as we observe some Children call'd to go to a place that run without their errand to act without aim right aiming the end lays the foundation of a Dutys excellency O let my spirit if I cannot think and dwell long upon heavenly things through weakness let it make up the defect by thinking often Let the dartings upward be the livelier and thicker like a Golden Chain which is very long though the Links be very little O let me trade drive a quick trade with littles Light gains make a heavy purse little frequent tradings will gain me much here This short often acting up will make my heart keep still open to Heaven keep the path-way thither beaten plain easie and so make it pleasant for my spirit to walk in make this Meditation highly sweet a rare refreshing The frequencies of thinkings heaven-ward will have this threefold advantage these three excellent fruits 1. Frequencies of heavenly thoughts will breed and cherish an habitual heavenly mindedness unto that primitive Grace that habit of regenerating Grace which brings a tendency and bent of soul making it incline heavenward it will superadde an habitual heavenly mindedness a heart peculiarly and powerfully ready and active heavenward As an Artist which hath not only reason first to dispose him fit him for his Trade but the peculiar habit a head and hand for it to understand and act as an Artist 2. The frequencies of heavenly will thereby be an exclusive and thruster out of earthly thoughts the right way of a compendious cure It 's not the way so much to stand watching and striving to drive them away to be on the defensive barely but to be on the positive in acting good thoughts that will keep out bad As if Wine first fills the Vessel there is no room for Water if a Treasury be full of Gold there is no room for rubbish 3. This frequent short darting upward will end with leaving an after sweetness upon the palate of the spirit short when heavenly will be sweet as every crum of Sugar leaves some sweetness on the palate every drop of pure live honey a delicious after relish so this short Meditation The Manna that dewed down upon the Israelites Camp lay like small Coriander seeds which they gathered ground and made their Bread of which had a rare rellish This sort of Meditation may gather still some little seeds of heavenly Manna soul-Bread with new fresh delicious sweetness following The heavenly minded person may as the manner of some is go ever with some rich tasted and sented thing in the mouth Whensoever cares and diversions press hard hang heavy draw strongly greatly disquiet and weary thy spirit here is an out-let an escape a rare way of interposition and soul easing diversion yea of a short though sweet and heavenly solace It may be lookt on as a shadow a resemblance of the blessed Apostles sudden carrying into the third Heaven Instantly thou this way art above though presently below again This is far surpassing all the sensual and sinful pleasures in the world These short tastes by giving our worldly occasions the slip and mounting up to Heaven These short visits made there these spiritual short applications made to Heaven to the blessed God to Jesus Christ for communion with him and the Father have more sweet pure powerful and heart elevating joy than is possible to be had in any carnal or earthly things They at the highest brightest and sweetest have something to top dim and embitter them Prov. 14.13 Even in c. But every way of godliness is a path of pleasantness and sweetness which none know but such as try it I now have through Christs assistance finisht this last way of Meditation sudden and ejaculatory and so the whole nature and several kinds of Meditation with such things as are comprised in it according to my slender ability and the opportunity I
at the great day before all the world shall bring forth the eager mindings of youth the toys vanities phansies and follies of youth set them all in order and then shew what the things of Heaven and happiness discovered and tendered are all the so rare and most inestimable things proffer'd in the Gospel together I say when all the trifles and vanities of youth and the bendings of the mind unto them wholly to them and all spiritual things in the Scriptures in their natures and heights of excellency and the not minding but refusing to mind them shall be laid together O what will be the unspeakable shame and confusion silence and stoppings of the mouths of mindless sinners O what to such as are snatcht away in their youth in the heights of their minding vanities and so fond refusals of meditating on spiritual things as not being at leisure yet as not thinking it proper and seasonable to be serious so soon Ah then if the case of youth mindless youth will be so sad at the great day when things shall appear as they are when an infinitely wise and righteous God will make every sin appear in its exceeding great sinfulness how now should it humble all for their youth regardlesness refusals to allow time for heavenly thoughts to let precious youth be so embezled If we mind not sins of youth God may soon make us to possess them Job 13.26 If we are truly humbled for them this may as it were spare God a labour save us that heart-smart in troubles and terrors which like gravel in the tender eye or smaller motes there may occasion great pain Those little things of youth and which by many are resolved into nothing or have a pardon of course Ah these sometimes God blows into the eye of conscience like clouds of dust that we may feel how great a weight of trouble how hot a Hell the least sin can bring upon us The least arrow in the Quiver of Gods wrath dipt in the least measure of its venom bred by the least sin can wound torment and drink up our spirits O therefore sadly sometimes let every one look over the time of youth which so long for intending vanities dis-intended and considered not things serious and spiritual but put them by Put them by as meer niceties and impertinencies yea as very burdens and yokes but chiefly having been called so oft upon by the Word without and the holy Spirits sweet motions together with the frequent calls of conscience within O the time of youth may for ever humble all cause us to look on it with great self-loathing and heart-breaking with fresh runnings of the spring of sorrow and shame for our follies and frowardness in refusal of returning and to cry out with the Psalmist Psal 25.7 Lord remember not the sins of my youth O give a free and full pardon for that fond time so wasted without consideration acted upon any spiritual concernment to any purpose but all lost CHAP. III. Another particular cause of humbling for so long neglect of Meditation 3. improvement FOR humbling greatly every Christian in that at the best and soonest we began so late this seriousness of thoughts this Duty of Meditation which challenges of all the very first consideration and pondering the very first buddings out and first blossomings of the considering power should begin with our spiritual concernments not letting it act blindly ignorantly evilly and impertinently but knowingly wisely and in a right manner the rule allows not taking the first step nor any other after wrong Ah how long hath it been how long have the best of Saints the soonest blossoming and ripen'd young Christians how long was it before consideration and meditation began in their hearts before the Scepter of Jesus Christ held forth in the Laws and Commands of Meditation was attended would be yielded to How long e're that any of our fond and froward spirits would cease their vanities and wildness follies and impertinencies of thoughts When wisdom in any one begins to act then consideration begins no hopes of young heads till they begin to put forth and act consideration then begin they to be wise or give hopes of a being hereafter wise when they prove considerate then begins that which is wisdom for thy self when thou comest to consider when thy spirit begins to beat the Golden path of Meditation Ah then let it humble us it was so long before the first and fundamental Meditation or Consideration before that first engaging the heart to seriousness and a due minding that initial and introductive considering for true turning to God with the whole heart Formerly in one of the grounds of this point we mentioned the necessity of consideration and pondering our unspeakable misery by sin and God's displeasure in order to conversion to God As all that are truly converted are truly humbled so all truly humbled and converted are made first truly serious and self-bethinking reduced to this Meditation of their inexpressibly miserable condition Conversion to God stands as it were on two feet comes about by a double inlet of a twofold Consideration or Meditation 1. A serious Meditation of now seen and felt unspeakable misery that load and burden of sin and Gods wrath laid on and this must be deep sink down into the soul and press it and soak through the soul in sorrowings in meltings in weariness of spirit and in willingness to be eased of the present pressure 2. Then a most serious Meditation and Pondering of the rich free grace of God the Father reconcilable in a full Saviour offer'd in a free firm Covenant and Promise of salvation to every sinner without exception These two great considerations are the foundations and inlets of the great heart-mutation and conversion Therefore these are of the greatest concernment of all other considerations yea these are such considerations that no other are to be reckon'd upon till they have been performed effectually Ah therefore how exceedingly should this humble all persons whatsoever for their former so long neglect of this introductive and fundamental consideration Hos 8.5 God crys out How long will it be e're they attain to innocency Ah how long was it with any with the very earliest self-bethinker before he used the eye of his mind in consideration Consideration to view not that was far off but that was of all others the nearest to see himself and himself also in his nearest concern of all others that eternal condition of his immortal soul Ah what an humbling charge should this bring up to every spirit to every bosom O how should it shame thee and me and every one to think how long it was before we began to do that might be called thinking before I once began to think to any purpose how long my thinking and considering power was meerly abused by me was both diverted and debased by a continual running like Water beside the Mill ravelling out like a golden Thread spoil'd as
his Holy Spirit the mighty Applyer of Christs Redemption draw efficaciously the weary sinner to the soul-easing Saviour works faith to come and rests on an all-sufficient Christ The first step in this great soul-concern must be labouring to divert the eye from a total or too much viewing of sin and Gods wrath and earnestly endeavour to be duely deeply possest of the infinite mercy love riches of free favour in Christ in whom he is placable and infinitely willing to shew mercy 1. Willing in that he hath in his abounding wisdom and prudence contrived the way of Reconciliation in Christ Eph. 1. 2. Willing in infinite love and riches of grace he appointed his own only Son anointed him with all fulness of grace sending him and causing him to work and procure Redemption perfectly in all respects and then in making the most free imaginable and possible proffer and tender of Salvation in Christ A discovery and tender in the exceeding great and precious promises promises that are as so many strong yernings and loud soundings of the bowels of a God to sinners promises most firmly fixt as being all the ingrost particulars and the golden clauses of the Covenant of Grace signed and sealed with the most precious blood of Christ and therefore ordered and in all things most sure The Promises and Covenant are by most highly demonstrating that hardly to be believed and trusted to by once awakened sinners that free rich love of God in Christ by demonstration of it the intendment is sirst to found and breed faith in weary heavy laden sinners and after to build it up and perfect it Meditation should first fix upon the promises of free justification and pardon of sin and as humbling arises not from a confused general apprehension of fin or many sins but distinct particular viewings of particular evils so comfortings and coming to relief must be by singling out and pondering the promises of mercy in particular As a drowning man that scapes by a taking hold on a particular thing hand or cord But the thing the greatest and highest for breeding and founding justifying faith is first pondering the infinitely all-amazing and adored free love of God the Father Joh. 3.10 1 Joh. 3.1 1. This is that so rich Mine out of which the most precious Corner-stone Christ himself was taken 2. For principally glorifving this riches of free grace the Earth for a Stage was set up to begin the discovery and revelation of it 3. The great Assize of the great day of Judgment is chiefly appointed for higher manifestation of it 4. And the highest Heaven with the state of Glory there is purposely founded and conferred on the Saints for the highest demonstration chiefly of free saving grace not Angels glorification but redeemed Saints glorifying is for free saving graces greatest glorifying and highest exalting Dwell here till largest apprehensions and highest admirations swallow up and drown all thy fears doubts and discouragements raising thy spirit up to hope trust and consolation But this so infinitely free love of the Father must be connected with most wishly viewing and most earnest pondering the highest proof and evidence of it in that greatest possible gift Gods own Son God in our Nature Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that c. Here after all thy black and sad thoughts and disquiets is the richest strongest and surest Cordial for a fainting heart A Christ in whom all fulness of wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption dwell That out of his own infinite love became man was in the form of a servant performed the whole Law pacified the wrath of God purchased perfect and eternal life by laying down his life a ransom 1. A Christ freely offered by God the Father Isa 55. Come and buy without money 2. Freely offering himself Joh. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come to me and drink 3. Freely offered and to be taken as the Bride and the Spirit say Come and drink of the water of life freely Rev. 22.17 This free grace must be applied by the promises of grace and pardon more especially and first Christ is not offered by God the Father and the Lord Christ offers not himself nor the Holy Spirit offers not neither draws to Christ but on the ground of the promise of forgiveness and salvation Nor can it be taken by man as a learned Divine expresses it but mediante promissione The promises particularly must be pondered duely often and often Ponder 1. The goodness of them they are good sweet indeed to a needy thirsty spirit Ponder 2. The sureness and firmness by a God that cannot lye Tit. 1. All yea and Amen in Christ 2 Cor. 1. Pvnder 3. The freeness of them Nothing so free as they that come only from a God only for his own Name sake Ponder 4. The seal of them in the rare and abundant examples recorded for encouragement of sinners of all sorts received to mercy So 1 Tim. 1.16 I saith the Apostle was received for a pattern to them that hereafter should believe to eternal life The promises must be pondered prayed often over as those which are for the wounded weary and heavy laden to breed faith not only to feed it but found and feed it also to begin and to build it up Never leave pondering the promises Gods love and Christs fulness offered in them until pondering comes to hope hope to thirsting thirsting to highest prizing prizing to selling all and buying the Pearl till thou comest to renouncing thy own righteousness thou casts thy self upon God in Christ by the promise first rested on promise leading to Christ first and to God by Christ and not only Christ for justification as thy Priest that purges guilt and makes atonement but as thy Prophet and King for light and holiness for a new heart a new principle a new wisdom and power a quickning power from Union and Communion with Christ Rom. 6. by the inhabitation and operation of his Spirit by faith that hand that receives all from Christ when by faith thou art justified and sanctified and receivest by influence from Christ a living principle Now thy heart is put upon the right hinge for rightly performing holy duties praying reading hearing the Word And now thou canst meditate aright in a holy and happy manner with wisdom and some skill choice of will complacency and constancy And now Meditation will prosper in thy hand Now as Davids blessed man thy delight will be in the Law of God and in that Law thou wilt meditate day and night I have been longer herein by much then was my intendment come we to the next Directions CHAP. X. Of Directions for Meditation respecting such as are young Christians newly converted OUr next Work after Directions to those that desire to successfully practise holy Meditation having formerly neglected it is to treat of the Directions for young Christians who are but entered upon their way how best to
unpractised weaker ones not so enricht with a stock of grace usually fail in 2. In this daily Meditation to be more excellently skilful and wise like an old eminent Artist that takes up his work and performs it with rare skill and dexterity and little or no study acting out of a habit excellently without being to seek raw at his work or awk-handed as imperfect Artists are An old Bungler is a shameful sight but an old rare ready Artist is glorious 3. To be more abundantly warm and affectionate acting with greater fervour in a stronger stream of purer love higher flame of all holy affections aims more spiritual and richer proportions of all the ingredient assistant graces required You must be herein as a Meditation so important an out-doer of such as are in the ranks below thee and of thy own former attainments and actings making sure to do in some degree suitable to thy longer standing and larger opportunities of being a most high proficient in this daily duty 2. Thy Meditation more peculiar and occasional which in a more fignal manner thou sometimes chusest to exercise for thy souls refreshing and enlargement must have a more accurate management in thy hand it should be a singular acting thy right hand should have her rare cunning O what work what rare spiritual and heavenly work doth the holy Psalmist David old in this so excellent and sweet way of Meditation this his peculiarly set and selected solemn Meditation doth he make of this way of meditating in several of the Psalms he hath left us on Record In his younger times the times when he first gave up his heart to God he soon learnt to excel in this Art of Meditation He was the sweet singer of Israel but withal a rare practitioner of heavenly Meditation Not as the too usual way of the world whose musick is oft a rather memorizing the Heathen Gods and Goddesses or that ravels out in meer wanton fancies but keeps not any due bounds nor hath any right tendency But his way and excellency was in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual songs for making melody in his heart to the Lord. Not for the Temple only but for his private recreation This we have appearing Psal 59. When Saul sent and they watch the house to kill him mentioned 1 Sam. 19.11 So Psal 34. When David changed his behaviour before the King of Gath mentioned in 1 Sam. 21.13 Thus Psal 52. Of Doegs wickedness recorded 1 Sam. 22.9 So Psal 57. 14.2 When David was in the cave recorded 1 Sam. 24.3 Psal 56. compared with 1 Sam. 21.11 On which occasion also the forecited 34. Psalm was made and Psal 63. that so rare affectionate one and many others which in his way of occasional meditating he penned when a very young man Six years he was banished by Saul or thereabout forty years he reigned was thirty years old when he began to reign therefore he must be between twenty four and thirty a young man when he penned the Psalms about Sauls persecutions Thus as he recreated himself with all sorts of Musick so he rarely improved it by exercising himself in a way of holy Meditation reduced his Harp Lute and all others to heavenly use so after when he made musical instruments for publick Worship in the Temple by Gods prescription he meditated Psalms for that Musick assisted by Gods inspiration But as all along his time he acted Meditation and by time excelled more in it so pardon this long digression he came not short of his former actings when he was old yea when very old O what rare pieces are those last Meditations in 2 Sam. 22. Psalm 18. It hath a twice recording for the more full commending to serious considering of all that read the Bible And the next Chapter 2 Sam. 23. When he was to dye after all his meditatings and songs we have his last Meditation set intended Meditation his Swan-like song purposely left in the first part of that Chapter He goes not out as a candle in a stink but like a rich perfume cast upon fire in a most sweet and heavenly rapture The best wine should be at the last Certainly no old Christians should live act or perform at the same rate a younger Christian a weak and but little grown person doth but do higher rarer things be ever upon not only doing but self out-doing not only on endeavouring something but excelling still contending to self-excelling Last works more than first Rev. 2.19 that is better than first The formal Christian in a sort may do more the right fruitful Christian does better last not more only in number but in weight in intrinsick inward excellency a better way a better wisdom warmth delight evenness exactness in all duties and this Meditation does become the old aged fathers their crown of glory is their exceeding themselves and evidencing of it 3. In your short sudden ejaculations you should strive to excel 1. How thick should these heavenly sparks flye up from thy heart not as sparks from a common fire but like sparks out of a burning flaming furnace like David Psal 139. When I awake I am ever with thee So night and day all the day thy Meditation should be carrying thee upwards make many mountings up to Heaven 2. How quick and expedite should this flight to Heaven be not slow but nimble as the flight of longer and stronger winged Eagles Thou shouldst have less weight hanging on thee Heb. 12.1 Casting off every weight The weakest must begin to cast off the stronger must have cast off more the old Christian must have cast off most weight have most strength therefore may mount up quicker and higher How pure and spiritual should thy short thoughts be like the sparklings of the purest and strongest wine long close kept Yea thou shouldst be able to draw with the threefold cord of daily occasional and ejaculatory Meditation these interwoven together Meditations draw more strongly off things below in fuller diversions higher despisings of all empty vanities and draw more vigorously upward The setting thy affections on things above thy eminent acting and fixing them should be by an eminent first using and habiting thy spirit to heavenly mindedness The strongest steadiest and most improved affections arise from exacter and more earnest Meditations The deeper the foundations of thoughts the higher the stories of thy affections mount up CHAP. XXII The particular managing of this Meditation IN particular thy Meditation should so be managed as to the matter of knowledge and wisdom as to render thee the highest Artist in thy trade of godliness 1. To be full of knowledge above the weaker Christians Rom. 15.14 I am perswaded you are full of knowledge The young Christian must get knowledge the strong must have much more But the old Christian must be very full to be a teacher of others Heb. 5.12 2. To have meditated so as to arrive at much wisdom to understand thy way and order it best A wise
fast as spun by a neglect of winding up and right using Ah how sad and self-abasing reflections should this often occasion to us Ah think we sadly how long so noble a faculty as the understanding is how rare an acting the acting of its consideration is how high a concern eternity of happiness is how necessary in order to happiness conversion is and how needful consideration to conversion is And yet to lose all the right and best use of this considering power this meditating by ingaging it in impertinencies and very nothings meer shells and shadows instead of realities and things of worth true worth and excellency to be so long like the Prodigal before we came to our selves were seen sitting in our right mind entring upon Meditation for that great soul-affair Conversion CHAP. IV. For humbling those that are totally yet to begin Consideration for Conversion AH then in the next place as it was for great shame universally to all persons whatsoever for so long neglecting consideration and meditating of their souls condition and for conversion so how far more should it humble all that never as yet so meditated to that great and principal end Conversion so as Conversion followed Consideration never had the first corner stone laid of that consideration which bottoms and grounds conversion that hitherto have had all their precious thoughts scatter'd in rovings and wandrings of spirit acted and wasted upon vanities and follies things that perish that cannot profit in the day of wrath that will prove sorrow shame and anguish of spirit in the latter end Ah how many are there who for improving that great talent of the thinking power employing it for those so high ends it was peculiarly design'd to and given for for wisdom to salvation and glorifying God the giver that have daily all their thoughts either vile or vain that walk in the vanity of their minds that is in a constancy and prevalency of mind-vanity vanity exclusive of good thoughts and all right seriousness and productive of nothing but the weeds of evil and vain thinkings The way of their thoughts is a successive taking step after step in vanity one vain thought follows close treads on the heels of another for haste all the walking of that so working active busie mind is nothing but continued vanity O how sad a frame of spirit is this how sad a sign and symptom if not healed by a new frame of heart symptom of deepest danger of ruine and destruction hastening on apace Some-Diseases in that so noble part the head are most dangerous the Cure is hard the Killing quick when vanity seizes the mind when men from vain thoughts arising in them come to allowing of them and from allowing to a walking in the vanity of their minds vanity of thoughts becomes an habit and when it becomes habitual then the danger is high All habits evil habits are like old rooted Diseases hardly if ever cured O when men walk in the vanity of their minds God may be provoked to a giving them up to walk on and so be at last ruin'd utterly for want of a timely returning from it O how should this awaken such that have so this way ravel'd out their youth it may be lavisht and lost their best days of riper years yea peradventure are arrived at an old age and are old withal in this way of vanity of thoughts Old and vain is sad to purpose Ah when younger when elder yet never could allow or would find time to become serious A young head and a vain head all wildness is a sad beginning A grown man ripened in Reason but not yet beginning not so far as budding out in consideration not arrived at the wisdom of minding soul-concerns that 's worse and a sad sign But for a man to have gray hairs here and there and to be yet to begin wisdom for self in self-bethinkings never to have laid the foundation of meditating on the highest soul-affairs thereby to convert O this is dreadful sad beyond all ah to ravel out the most the best the all almost of thy time and never never to interpose one times one hours serious Meditation or never to meditate to purpose so as to convert to God truly but be still to begin to return to God contenting thy self with a just nothing done of that greatest and which should never be the last but first dispatcht business of all others Ah but what will all prove at last to all younger or elder if there be a going on without consideration without conversion young and strong and old are all liable to death yea to a death that may be on thee suddenly who can all things considered think in any wisdom he can be so secure that he needs not yet be ready for dying Ah if that black Serjeant of death claps thee suddenly on the shoulder serves an Arrest upon thee presently to come away and give up thy account in what woful case wilt thou then find thy self what terrour and confusion will instantly seize thee It will most certainly come that thou knowest but when it will come that thou canst not know ah think therefore of it before-hand make it thy case as now come and by the symptoms of it had really seized thee that thou wert now drawing on hadst but a few hours or minutes to continue in this world and then be cast upon eternity be cast upon eternity and before thou ever hast come to any consideration which issued in a real conversion and thereby to make some sure provision for thy eternal salvation Ah put this case this dying case put it soon enough and close home to thy bosom let it stay upon thy heart let Death as it were lay his cold hand on thee and conceive that thou feelest it touch thee and take fast hold of thee to carry thee instantly away and so cut thee off from ever having one opportunity the shortest space imaginable for consideration any possibility of conversion to God more that time and means must now be no longer because thou must be no longer in the land of the living O but then think O seriously think what immediately will follow after ponder thy particular doom thy souls sentencing to an everlasting state Think not only of thy souls leaving its old ruined Tabernacle but of its launching forth into that Ocean of Eternity Think what an Eternity thine Eternity must now be who wasted all thy time lent thee for Eternity and that so precious talent of opportunity trusted with thee to trade for Eternity for a most happy Eternity and making that sure 1 Tim. 6. 2 Pet. 1. And to affect thee more abundantly and work upon thy spirit to purpose think O think of besides thy own particular day of that great day fixt appointed by the great Governour of all the world for judging of every person every work of every person the secrets of that persons heart yea every secret thing good or evil