Almighty and by Legions of apostate Spirits haled away to the dismal Place of Horrour and Confusion where they shall languish under the pressure of intollerable Punishments and by Wonder of Omnipotency shall in Torrents of Fire endure Extremity of Frigidity and in Rivers of Ice be tormented with perpetual Burnings There they shall feed the Worm that never dies and transude in those Flames which cannot be extinguish'd And the Consideration of the Perpetuity of those Supernal Felicities which they rejected for Vanities and of the infinite Continuation of their infernal Tortures will shipwreck all their Hopes in the formidable Gulf of Desperation and plunge them into the bottomless Abysses of the lowest Hell The Prayer O BLESSED Father since Thou art Formidabe in Thy Judgments and Thy Anger is a Consuming Fire since those incorrigible Sinners who despise the Offers of Thy Mercy shall become the Victims of Thy implacable Vengeance and glorifie Thee in unimaginable Pains since Thou hast appointed a Season when an Eternity of Felicity or Misery shall be the Reward of our Actions and we must either stand or fall according to our handy Operations Vouchsafe that the Contemplation of these weighty Verities may be such a prevalent Inducement to the Amendment of our Lives that we may work out our salvation with fear and trembling Let not the pernicious Allurements of this fraudulent World make us negligent of the Wrath to come but let us walk with that aweful Care and vigilant Circumspection that we may appear with Joy in that dreadful Day wherein the greater part of mis-call'd Christians shall be consign'd to an Immortal Ruine and Destruction MED XXVII Upon Hell Isa. xxxiii 14. Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burning ETERNAL Death is the dreadful State of the Damned by which they are not only depriv'd of the Presence of the Almighty but are also tormented with perpetual Suffering both in Soul and Body Oh how horrid is it then to incurr the Displeasure of the Divine Omnipotence How strangely infatuated are ye O senseless Sinners to run on so swiftly in the Ways of Sin Tell me Can you freely receive your Wages which is Death and take up your Habitation in Everlasting Burnings there perpetually to abide for ever II. COULD we but obtain by Divine Permission a Visionary Prospect of that incorrigible Miscreant and Traytor Iudas what a Scene of Horror would that be to behold him violently dragg'd by Infernal Spirits and loaded with Chains of Fire his Diabolical Countenance pale and Wan the Voice within him his Conscience Worm-eaten his Pestilential Skin cover'd with Leprosie from whence issues out Stinks not to be endured his Limbs and Body wounded and tormented and his Tongue filled with bitter Lamentations and Execrations What a dreadful Apprehension will the Vision of so deplorable a Spectacle create in thee III. SHOULDST thou in Contemplation fix that dire Object before thine Eyes and upon a strict Disquisition examine him saying Tell me O thou perfidious Iudas what Griefs what Pains and Torments are these thou undergoest What number of Years has thou reign'd in sulphurous Fire And how many Centuries of Ages must thou yet remain buried in Flames and roaring among the Infernal Crew His guilty and amazing Conscience would soon reply The Pains which which I endure are intollerable no intermission for Relief is here to be found but the Torments thus ininflicted are perpetual The least of our Miseries far exceed all Punishments which either the Justice of God or the Cruelties of Men upon Earth did ever execute Despair is our continual Associate and there is no vacant Place for Hopes of ever to be freed for these unexpressible Torments You upon Earth take your Ease you Eat and drink in full Bowls whil'st we want Water to cool our Tongues which are tormented in these Flames IV. Let the Thoughts of Hell's Terrors ever put me in a Method to escape their Fury Consider the Damned in their fatal Circumstances their Life is to die without expiring and their Death is to live in perpetual Punishment There the Tormentor is never wearied the Fire never consumes and the Torments never decrease And this Decree is according as the irrevocable Sentence requires the fulfilling of the Justice of the Almighty and the Reward due to wilful Impenitents and obdurate Offenders that they should never want a sufficient measure of Punishment who were continually glutted and never ceas'd from Sin V. There the least Sin has its peculiar Punishment wonderfully extracted out of its own Sordidness The Salacious shall inhabit in unextinguishable sulphurous Fire continually flaming from their own inordinate Affections The Epicure and Ebrious shall sigh in vain for a little Water to cool their Tongues The Outragious and Passionate shall snarl like mad Dogs and the Malicious and Uncharitable shall corrode their own Entrails The Wealth of the Misers shall be as Goads in their Sides and the Arrogant and Ambitious shall be hurried down from the Precipice of Scorn to the Bottomless-Pit of Contempt The Infatuated shall miserably deplore their mispent Time and pine away with Grief for their not being diligent VI. BUT O what strange Convulsions shall fasten on their Spirits and vulnerate and search the utmost of their Souls When they shall with Amazement behold themselves eternally bereft of the illuminating Vision of the Most Highest When they shall behold themselves eternally exil'd from the joyful and amiable Presence of Jesus that Omnipotence who created 'em to inherit His Kingdom that Saviour who purchas'd 'em to reign with Him in Glory then shall they execrate the Hour of their Nativity and those sordid Associates that enticed them to Ruine They shall exclaim against the Folly of the fraudulent Universe and belch out with a raving Distraction Are these the Products of those infatuated Desires whose empty Enjoyments we esteem'd our Happiness Alas what will our loose Liberties and those fond Delights we so eagerly chas'd after now yield us What Happiness receive we from those fleeting Honours and transitory Treasures we so highly valued They are all fled away as a Vapour and past away as a Morning-Cloud VII BUT the Sting and Torment perpetually endures and plagues our Vitals with Everlasting Anguish Thus shall they roar out but all is deaf to their Complaint Thus shall they lament but no Compassion shall relieve them O dismal Spectacle of a wicked Life O terrible Sequel of a destructive Death perpetually to wish for what they never can obtain perpetually to undergo that which is inevitable O magnify'd be Thy Divine Omnipotence that with such an indulgent Affection gives us timely Notice of our Ruine Save us O blessed Lord from all Impieties Oh save us for Thy Own dear sake Quicken our Minds against the Effects of Sin and with Thy Fatherly Corrections chastise us often that at last the Terrors of Hell may force us into Thy Heavenly Kingdom MED XXVIII Upon Heaven Psal.
clearing up the Omnipresence of the Almighty II. NEXT we must consider That the Almighty doth more peculiarly observe his Servants while they are performing of heavenly Duties Yet this is to be understood not as if God observ'd us more at one time than another in respect of his Omnisciency but we may inferr That God is much more offended with us if our Deportment and Frame of Heart be more irreverent and unholy in the Duty of Prayer and Meditation than in the Duties of our particular Calling III. WE may consider with our selves That Christ doth actually behold us especially in these Duties of Sanctity For it is not the remoteness of Place that doth obstruct Christ's Omnisciency and exact observing of us Little did Nathanael think that Christ saw him under the Fig-Tree Nathanael did not perceive Christ neither then was he corporally present yet Christ beheld Nathanael when he prayed So Christ beheld St. Stephen before the Heavens were opened and the opening of the Heavens was not that thereby Christ might be enabled the better to behold St. Stephen but that this holy Proto-Martyr might thereby be the better enabled to discern that Christ looked on him IV. AND without all controversie the Almighty observes and knows with what Reverence Faith and Love we address our selves to him for else our Prayers would be fruitless and our Faith ineffectual For how could he distribute to us according to our Faith if he knew not the extent of it If the inferiour frame of our Hearts were not observed by Omnipotency we may then inferr that an Hypocrite which can utter extraordinary Expressions should acquire more by his Addresses to the Almighty than a true Nathanael in whom there is no guile V. Suppose that thou hadst lived in that Age when Christ was upon Earth or that he were corpotally present now near thy Habitation consider with what Joy Reverence Alacrity and Assurance thou wouldst address thy self to him for the Pardon of thy Sins or for any other Mercy thou stoodst in need of After the same manner thou mayst now address thy self his remoteness from thee in respect of a Corporal Presence doth not diminish his Power to discern thy Wants or give an Audit to thy Petitions nor his being now glorified doth not derogate his Benevolence to grant thy Requests than if he were corporally present in the Room with thee in the form of a Servant as he was once at Ierusalem VI. THE Glory of Christ doth not slacken his Love and Goodness for Christ is the express Image of his Father and God's Attributes are all consonant The Majesty of Heaven doth not set Limits unto his Goodness and make that finite nor doth his Bounty make his Omnipotency less glorious His Goodness makes his Deity more amiable and his Omnisciency makes his Mercies more wonderful so neither doth the Exaltation of Christ excite him to abate or diminish his Goodness to any that serve him according to his divine Precepts VII BUT if in any method his Love is mutable it is by an Augmentation For when our blessed Lord was in the flesh you must have approached him by Faith or expected no Mercy and by Faith though he is inthroned in Heaven you may obtain Mercy in time of need Thus you may ponder upon any of these Considerations until your Heart be so convinced of and affected with the Presence of God that you thereby may be the better fitted for the carrying on the Duty of Meditation more effectually SECT VI. Of Preparatory Prayer Before Meditation THE next Preparatory Consideration is Prayer which thou mayst perform to this or the like purpose LORD my design at this time is not to be sequestred an Hour from worldly Enjoyments for that were to be guilty of a Cessation and to encrease the number of my Sins not my Graces but my Sollicitation at this time is to be so convinced and affected with those spiritual Verities revealed in thy Sacred Word that I may fully resolve by thy Strength and Power to reform my Life for I can neither understand the things that belong to my Peace not understanding them be convinced of the Certainty and Verity of them II. NAY Lord though my Understanding is illuminated yet without thee my Affections cannot be enflamed I can neither know resolve nor perform any Good without thee for from thee proceeds both the Will and the Benefit of thy good Pleasure Lord I humbly implore 〈◊〉 to replenish me with thy Grace that I may be consciencious in performing this Duty with my whole Strength and not negligently and inconsiderately And Lord do thou illuminate me and convince me with thy Sacred Truths and so affect my Heart with the Love of Sanctity and a Detestation of all Sin and Wickedness that I may thereby be fully and firmly resolv'd notwithstanding all the Oppositions that the Flesh the World or the Devil can procure to run the ways of thy Commandments with joy and celerity III. AND Lord grant that when thou hast operated in me the Will so to perform give me also the Benefit and let me not trust to the Strength of my Resolutions but to the continual gracious Assistance of thy holy Spirit for the Performance of those Duties that through thee I shall resolve to pursue Grant this O holy and blessed Father even for the Merits of thy dear Son who hath commanded me to approach to thee in his Name for any Mercies I stand in need of O let these my Petitions reach thy merciful Ears even for his sake who is my only Lord and Saviour Amen IV. THIS or the like Prayer thou art to send up to the Throne of Grace But this must be done with thy whole Heart for thou must believe that it is by the Strength which thou shalt acquire from God by Prayer whereby thou shalt be enabled to perform this or any other Duty profitably for it is he that teaches us to be Proficients Now he that begins a holy Duty without God will end it without him also It is a pernicious thing to imagine that we can by our Natural Parts Learning or by the strength of Grace already received without the Almighty's further Assistance perform any thing that can please him or edifie our own Souls for though our Mountain be made strong yet if he withdraws the Light of his Countenance we are in Obscurity V. WE may with much more reason declare Now the Sun is in his full Meridian and the Air is so serene that now we can transact well enough for a space though that Solar Luminary be eclipsed than to testifie though our Hearts be never so much inflamed with the Love of the Almighty now we are so supplied and inflamed with his divine Love we can subsist by our own Strength and for the present we want not God's further Assistance afford us but Subject Matter to meditate of and we shall be of Ability to continue and encrease our Flames Do not possess thy self
and Gladness in the Day of the Lord Jesus MED X. Of a Good Conscience Act. xxiv 16. And herein do I exercise my self to have always a conscience void of offence towards Ged and towards men WHATEVER thou undertakest consult thy Conscience and if Satan excites thee to any Evil stand in awe of the Checks within thee for the Internal Testimony is of more Efficacy than the External Thy Conscience that Angel-Guardian which Divine Omnipotence hath fixed within thee shall be register'd in those Books which will be opened at the Great Day as is testified by St. Iohn Rev. 20. 22. II. THE First is the Book of God's Omniscience wherein thy Thoughts Words and Actions shall be demonstrated The Second is the Book of Life Rev. 13. 8. wherein those that are found written by Verity and Faith shall be safely conducted by the Angels into Heaven's Imperial Court The Third is the Book of Holy Writ according to which Golden Rule our Faith and Good Works shall be measured The Fourth contains the Testimony of the Indigent whom we have defrauded or relieved The Last Book contains the Internal Testimony of the Voice of Conscience wherein all Offences are noted and indeed the Volume must be large and exactly written by the Finger of Truth III. SINNERS in that Day will be fully convinced by the Terrour within 'em and they can no ways shun so just an Accusation A Mind undefiled is the Crystal-Glass of the Soul and is so transparent that she evidently by the Opticks of Faith beholds the Idea of the Almighty for a sordid Eye cannot view the Splendor of a true Luminary As a well Complexion'd and good Featur'd Countenance is esteem'd in the Eye of the World so an unspotted Conscience is acceptable in the sight of the Almighty But that Conscience which abounds with Putrefaction generates that Worm which continually Vulture like corrodes but never dies IV. O THEN let us while it is Day with a true Remorse have a sense and feeling of this never-dying Worm and diligently labour to use all Arts to destroy it and let us not indulge it by any means lest it abide with us to all Eternity VVhat can it advantage thee if thou wer 't a Proficient in all the Arts and Sciences in this Microcosm nay though thy Skill did extend so far as to number the Stars and to trace out the ways of the Planets and did'st enjoy no Peace within to comfort thee Let it be thy care to square the Actions of thy Life according to that Rule prescrib'd by the Holy Jesus Let Purity reign in the Centre of thy Heart Verity possess thy Tongue and embrace Justice that it may attend thee in all thy Proceedings All which will evidently demonstrate whether thy Life be Good or Evil. V. ALL the Applause and Breath of the VVorld is insignificant if thy Bosom Friend thy Conscience accuse thee And what can all their Detraction prejudice thee if she defend thee This potent â—udge thou carriest about thee is sufficient to Accuse Testifie and to Condemn thee This Justice holds the Balance even and will not be bribed with unjust Rewards never will she be mollified with fruitless Prayers but she indefatigably follows thee whithersoever thou goest and will attend thee where-ever thou art carrying about her that Charge which thou hast committed to her custody whether it be good or whether it be evil VI. AND as the Testimony of thy Conscience evidences against thee such Judgment must thou expect from the Judge of all Men. Sinners themselves at last shall become their own Accusers though no other Testimony appeared against them For Instance The Drunkard when he is overwhelm'd with VVine or Strong-drink hath no sense of the Prejudice he hath receiv'd by his Intemperance but having slept away his Drunkenness the charm of sensuality is fractur'd and he feels the smart of his own Imbecillity VII So Sin that Diabolical Treasure whil'st it is agitating darkens the Mind and like a condense Cloud obscures the Lustre of perspicuous Judgment but at length the Voice within is rouzed up like a Lion and rendeth more vehemently than any other Accuser Oh let us all betimes mortifie this Worm by the fervour of our Devotion that it may not gnaw upon us to our Destruction and lead us to Eternal Horrour Extinguish this internal Fire by thy Prayers and Tears that so thou may'st enjoy Heaven in the Cool of the Day VVhich God of his infinite Goodness grant that we may attain by fighting a good fight finishing our course and keeping the faith 2 Tim 47. MED XI Of a Wounded Spirit Prov. xviii 14. But a wounded spirit who can bear NONE on this side Eternity not the vastest Heap the Universe it self that Theatre of Humane Frailty cannot for it groans and travels in Pains it self to be delivered Celestial Mansions was no longer a Residence for those ambitious rebellious Spirits who forfeited their Glory for those infernal Flames which Torment is not equivolent to that infinite Despair which for ever secludes and interdicts them from it It is no surprizing wonder that many imagine there is no Infernal Place like this for its Torments are not to be parallell'd II. FIERY Furnaces Stakes Gridirons or Phalarus's Bull are but Trifles to this greedy Vulture Tortures of the modernest Invention are delightful Penalties compar'd to this Crulty Those inhumane dying Miseries do but inrage and stupifie Sense whil'st this vital Death this destroying Life exercises its Malice on a more Celestial Object and contending to demolish and ruine an Immortal Part makes Death it self a Principal and gentle Murtherer to it III. CROAKS of Ravens Shrieks of Owls and Houls of Wolfs that adds Obscurity to the dismal Night Groans of departing Souls that invade the Ear and fill the Apartment with trembling Epitaphs transcribed in Characters mournful as the Grave and Silence are well-tuned Harmonies to the dying Elegiacks of a wounded Spirit that vents nothing but bloody Satyrs against it self Behold how with the disconsolate Psalmist it goes mourning all the Day and Night inviron'd with Sorrows and surrounded with dismal and fatal Idea's and inverts his Bed into a Bath which those weeping Fountains of Tears his Eyes have distilled and instead of splendid and gentle Airs evaporates nothing but dark and trembling Accents which busie Satan labours to retort in doleful and despairing Eccho's IV. HOW contritely doth it expostulate with Heaven My dearest Redeemer is that amiable Attribute of thy Mercy lost Is the Fountain of it dried up from a poor and wretched Sinner And wilt thou be a Jesus of Mercy to the whole Universe and become none to me Oh let me descend from the loftiest Precipice and for ever dwell in noisom Dungeons inhabited by none but loathsom Toads Snakes and Serpents beyond the reach and sight of all the World so I may but enjoy the Light of thy Countenance Let me live more poor and despicable than patient Iob upon his Dunghill perplex'd