Consider what they come for sc for sin Though there be other causes yet this is always one cause Lament 3.39 Wherefore doth the living man complain c Psal 130. last Miea 7. I will patiently bear the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned If sin lies heavy all afflictions will be light Luther gives this reason why he slighted the rage of the Pope the Emperor and all his Enemies They are all little to me saith he because sin is so weighty 3. Consider to what end they come Rom. 8.28 All things work together for good Gen. 15.20 Heb. 12. He corrects us not for his pleasure but for our profit Phil. 1.19 I know this shall turn to my Salvation 4. Be careful to justifie God in and under all even the greatest afflictions As Ezra 9. Thou hast punished us less than we deserve Psal 119. of very faithfulness thou hast corrected me and the Church Lament 3. It 's the Lord's mercy we are not consumed Isai 24.15 The command is Glorifie God in the Fire sc of Affliction which is as a Fire to try you humble purge you and purifie you 5. Be filent and patient under it as Job 1. last and David Psal 9.9 Remembring and considering wnatsoever your sufferings are 1. They are from a Lord whose will cannot be resisted and a Father whose will ought readily to be obeyed a wise Father that knows what is better for his Children than they do for themselves a compassionate Father that will not afflict too much because he knows whereof they are made that they are but dust Psal 103. nor too long least the Spirit faint and the Soul that he hath made Isai 57. Secondly Because whatsoever your sufferings are they are little or nothing in respect of what our sins made Christ to suffer 2. In respect of the many and bitter things many of his Saints have and do suffer 3. Those evils our sins deserve we should suffer 4. Those Eternal sufferings Christ hath redeem'd us from 5. That exceeding excessive weight of glory that will follow these sufferings 2 Cor. 4. end 3. In respect of those many sweet gracious and holy ends God hath in the Afflictions of his which you saw before in your Meditations on God's supporting grace 6. Lastly To hearken unto and obey the voice of God in his Rod Mica 6.9 The Lord's Voice cryeth unto the City c. The Rod of God hath a Voice as well as the Word when Men will not hearken unto and obey God's Voice in the Ministry of the Word then God sends his Rod and awakens Conscience opens Mens Ears and Seals up instructions Q. But what is the Voice of the Rod what doth it teach and instruct men in Ans That you have in four places of Scripture 1. That of Job 22.21 Acquaint thy self with God and be at peace so good shall come unto thee 2. That Lament 3.39 Wherefore doth the living man complain let him search and trie his ways and turn again unto the Lord. 3. That of Peter 1 Pet. 5.6 Humble your selves under the mighty hand of God and he will exalt you in due time 4. That Ezek. 18.31 Cast away all your transgressions and make you a new Heart and a new Spirit For why will you die O House of Israel 7. To be thankful that as God of faithfulness hath corrected us so of the same faithfulness he hath not taken away his loving kindness That he hath corrected us in so much measure and mercy dealt not with us according to our deserts but the multitude of his free tender and unchangeable mercies our afflictions not so many and great but God's mercies more and greater if not in temporals yet in spirituals though poor in the World yet rich in Christ though we want the smiles of the World you have the favour of the great God though not the riches of the World yet we have the riches of grace though not the pleasures of the World yet the peace of a good Conscience 8. Not only to be thankful for them but joyful in them and under them though not in respect of the nature of them which is evil for so they are not joyous but grievous Heb. 12. Yet in respect of the concomitants Pardon and Peace and the consequents Salvation and Glotification as they 1 Thes 1.4.6 This is the meaning of that James 1.2 My brethren count it all joy when you fall into divers Temptations or Afflictions There are two Sights saith Luther the Devil most delights-in To see a wicked man merry and a Saint sorrowful but there are two Sights that do intollerably vex him sc To see a sinner mournful for his sin and a Saint joyful under his sufferings Luther's Colloq Mensal Cap. 37. And therefore I say be joyful and comfortable under all your affl ctions in respect of the blessed issue and fruit of them as the Saints before us Acts 5. last Rom. 5.3 4. 9. To be fruitful under them What that fruit is you are to bring forth under them you may see in Isai 27.9 By this shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged c. And David Psal 119.67 It 's good for me that I have been afflicted 10. To live still by faith in God's promises and providences for supporting Grace under and deliverance out of all as the Saints have done before you First You have many promises to encourage you take notice of and meditate on a few 1 Cor. 10.13 Psal 91.15 Isai 41.10.27.9 10. Psal 34.19 Secondly You have many also of the Saints going before you in this as Job 15 13. David Psal 42 last Psal 9.10 Paul 2 Cor. 1.10 And we are commanded to follow them in the same practise Heb. 10.35 end Lastly To follow all with Praver that Faith and Patience may have their through and perfect work The Rod may be sanctified before it be removed That as your sufferings abound so your Consolations may abound by Jesus Christ Amen The Fifth Head concerning the Worship and Service of God Sect. 1. About this to meditate on these sew things What it is Where and When and How and Why we are to worship God 1. What it is for the understanding of this to consider Servants you know owe unto their Lord a service of honour and of labour for the protection and provision they have from them and such do we owe to our Soveraign Lord and Master Mal. 1.6 So that this worship of God it is that Homage and service which every one owes unto Him and which he requires and expects from them and for their Creation Redemption Vocation and the daily protection and provision he makes for them Math. 4.10 Deut. 10.12 and vers 21. Psal 29.1 2. And here to take notice This Worship of God it 's either External or Internal First External God is to be worshipped with the Body and every part of it Joshua sell on his face and worshipped Josh 5.14 Moses bowed his head and worshipped Exod. 4.32
I am Jehovah that made all things and Rom. 11. last Of him and through him and for him are all things and Acts 17.28 3. That it is he also that doth and will give a beeing to all his words Exod. 3.15 This is his memorial to all Ages i. e. of his truth and faithfulness in all Ages Exod. 6 3. Where he saith to Moses that he appeared to Abraham Isaac and Jacob by the Name of All-mighty but by the Name of Jehovah I was not known to them i. e. in making good his promise of delivering them out of Aegypt and bringing them into Canaan Now that which you are here seriously to meditate on is this the wonderful and condescending grace of God to us his poor worthless Creatures he being Jehovah having his beeing in and of and from himself might for ever have delighted himself in himself but being goodness it self would communicate it in giving a beeing to thiâ— glorious Fabrick of Heaven and Earth and all that have any beeing in it the serious meditation of this must needs affect our hearts with love to him and delight in him that he who had no need of us should give a beeing to us that he who is so high and holy above us should humble himself to have respect unto us and have such precious thoughts and purposes concerning our temporal and Eternal well-being this should make us break out in admiration and say with Job and David Oh Lord what is man that thou shouldst take notice of him make such account of him set thy heart upon him and so magnifie him as not only to make a World for him but have such precious thoughts of love to him respecting both his temporal and Eternal welfare to take him into communion with thy self here in grace and promise him immediate communion with thy self in glory Sect 2. On the Attributes of God and here take notice of these things 1. What they are 2. The kinds of them 3. The benefit of a serious meditation on them 4. The Reasons why we should have such a serious meditation on them 5. The evidences of our interest in them 1. What the Attributes of God are sc Certain Essential properties of God whereby he is pleased to make himself known unto us who otherwise cannot come to know him Exod. 3. ult otherwise called back-parts not that God hath any back-part or fore-part but because we can only have an imperfect knowledge of him as we have of a man when we see him only by his Back we may guess at him that it is such an One but we cannot say expresly it is He unless we saw his Face 2. For the Kinds of Attributes they are either Incommunicable or Communicable 1. Incommunicable are such as are proper to himself and not to be found in the Creature as these 1 His Eternity Psal 90.2 2 His Omnipresence Jer. 23.33 3 His Omnisciency 2 King 8.39 4 His Omnipotency Gen. 17.1 5 His Immutability James 1.17 2. His Communicable Attributes are such as are found in the Creature as 1. His wisdom 1 Tim. 1.17 2 His holiness Isa 6.3 3 His faithfulness Psal 91.1 4 His loving kindness Psal 26.7 5 His goodness Psal 31.19 6 His Justice Zeph. 3.5 7 His Mercy Exod. 34.6 Q. Are these in Men as they are in God Ans No there is a double difference 1. In men they are only qualities in God they are his very Essence It 's an Axiom in Divinity Quicquid est in Deo est Deus Whatsoever is in God is God In the Creature they are only in the Concrete but in God in the Abstract God is not only loving but God is love 1 Epist. John 4.16 2 In the Creature they are imperfect but in some degrees but in God they are perfect in their full degrees He is so just and so merciful as he cannot be more 3. Take notice of the great Benefit that will come by a serious Meditation on those Attributes To help you in it 1. A serious Meditation on God's Eternity will be effectual to keep us from minding affecting and pursuing too much these terrestrial things which perish in the using and quicken us to get an interest in an Eternal God that will abide with us for ever who is able to make us Eternally miserable or Eternally happy to reward us with Eternal Life or to punish uâ— with Eternal Death Math. 25. last 2. The serious meditation of God's Omnipresence will be effectual to keep us from sinning because of secresie remembring though there be none else present God is present though there be no eye or ear of the Creatures yet there is the All-seeing Eye and the All-hearing Ear of God This influence you may finde it had upon Joseph Gen. 39.9 and Job 31.1 4. and David Psal 139.1 and will upon us if there be any fear of God before our eyes The Eye and Ear of a Magistrate and Minister and a Holy-man hath usually authority upon the worst of men to restrain from sining how much more should the all-discerning Presencâ— of God 3. The serious meditation of God's Omnisciency or knowledge of all things even thâ— most secret thoughts and ends and aims of meâ— in all they think and speak and do will be an effectual means to keep men from playing the Hypocrites with God and Men being he is Omniscient and knoweth the most secret intentions 〈◊〉 Men searcheth the Heart and trieth the Reinâ— to render to every one according to their Workâ— Jer. 17.9 So that however we may deceive meâ— and our own Souls yet we cannot God as Gal. 6. â— Which made the Church to take heed of it Psal 44.19 and Peter to approve his heart to Châ—â—â—â— in the profession he made of love to him Job 21.17 4. A serious meditation on his Omnipotency will be an effectual means to keep us from immoderate fearing and doubting fainting and sinking in times of straights and distresses seeing it is all one to him to help and relieve in the absence as well as the presence of means by weak as well as strong means yea without means and contrary unto means and will do it whil'st he hath any work for us to do This was it that supported and comforted David 1 Sam. 30.6 and Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 20.12 and the three Children Dan. 3.16 And so will it us if we will act saith in it remembring there is help with God when vain is the help of the Creature Nothing impossible to God Luke 1. 5. A serious meditation on God's Immutability that will be an effectual means to keep us from despondency and questioning of his love when he seems to hide his Face considering that he is Jehovah that changeth not Mal. 3.6 The same yesterday to day and for ever Heb. 13.8 unchangeable in his love and grace and mercy to his And therefore though we are to be humbled under every sin even the least yet not to question God's love because of any even the greatest
And Secondly Man's good Rom. 8.28 Fifthly Meditate on the Experience you have had of God's faithfulness and goodness you have had in all his Providences and this will not only enlarge your hearts in thankfulness for the present but quicken and strengthen you to an holy dependence and confident expectance of the like for the future as it did the Apostle 2 Cor. 1.9 10 To help you herein you shall do well to make 〈◊〉 Catalogue and keep a Diary of God's special providences to take a Book and write down the most remarkablest Providences of God over you and yours often read them over and ponder them well in your minds and that First because you may find this to have been the practise of the Saints To observe and register God's dealing with them and theirs to speak of them and erect Monuments in memorial of them Psal 77.12 Esther 9.26 1 Sam. 7.10 Secondly Because there is an equity in it Shall God take notice of us and we not take notice of Him He remember us and we forget Him Thirdly There 's a kind oâ— necessity of writing down these special Providences in regard of the weakness of our memories which are so apt to forget them Fourthly Greaâ— will be the profit of it the fight of such a Catalogue of gracious Providences will so mâ—ch the more affect our hearts with love to so good a God and quicken us to a holy dependence on Him and therefore to follow others in the practise of it And to help you in it I shall acquaint you with some special Promises for the strengthning your faith in His special Providences as for instance First For His Converting-providence you have a promise Acts 3. last Acts 26 18. Secondly For His Protecting-providence you have a promise Job 5.19 Psal 125.1 Thirdly For His Providing-providence Psal 34.10 The Lyons shall lack and suffer hunger c. Psal 37.19 Fourthly For His Directing-providence Prov. 3.6 Psal 32.8 Fifthly For His Assisting-providence 2 Cor. 12.9 Sixthly For His Correcting-providence Psal 89.31 Revel 3.19 Seventhly For His Supporting-providence 1 Cor. 10.13 Eighthly For His Refreshing-providence Jer. 3.12 Hosea 6.1 Lastly For His teaching us to profit by all these Providences Isaiah 48.17 I am the Lord that teacheth thee to profit Isaiah 27.9 This shall be the fruit the taking away of their sin To act faith in all these promises and communicate your experiences to others and tell them what God hath done for you and his as they give us an Example in Psal 44.1.23 And thus of the Works of God Sixthly Rules how to carry our selves under prosperous and adverse glad and sad Providences Personal Family National 1. Under prosperous and glad Providences 1. Take heed of concluding the special love and favour of God to you because of your prosperous condition in the World for no man can know love or hatred by these outward things Eccles 9.1 The wicked have usually the most of them Job 21. Psal 73. Because it is their portion in this life Psal 17. end And yet such is the deceit of Men's hearts as the most fetch the Evidences of God's love to them from their prosperity in this World from the abundance of these outward good things which they enjoy as health wealth honour birth beauty gifts parts knowledge utterance and the esteem they have in the World above others and that amongst the wise and the godly whereas men may enjoy all these and yet want the special love of God special I say not God's general love for you are to maâ—k well there is a double love of God general and special 1. General to all Men of which you may read Mark 10.21 Jesus beholding loved him saith the Text of the young Man 2. There is God's special love to his Elect of which you may read 2 Thes 2.16 John 13. Now God's general and common love is manifested in bestowing on Men these outward temporal good things as on the young Man that came to Christ to know what he must do to inherit Eternal Life But for His special love that is manifested in giving Spiritual blessings as Christ and his Spirit and Grace Faith Repentance Love c. His Fatherly Correction and Chastisements Heb. 12.6 And therefore take heed of concluding the special love of God because of your prosperous condition without an interest in Christ and a work of grace 2. Watch against those Evils prosperity usually leads men into as these 1. Forgetfulness of God Deut. 6.12 Psal 106.7.20 so as to depart from the living God Deut. 32.15 and deny him Job 21.15 And as of God so of the afflictions of Joseph Amos 6.6 7. And as of God and of others so of themselves their own latter end Lament 1.9 Jerusalem remembred not her latter end therefore she came down wonderfully Secondly Pride and disdain of others that come short of their measure as Psal 73.4 5 6. Psal 10.4 1 Tim. 6.17 It 's hard to keep a low Sayle under a high condition Men's blood and their Estates usually rise and fall together Thirdly Sensuality and voluptuousness as in the rich Fool Luk. 12.19 Fourthly Security and fearlessness of Judgment Jos 28.19 Math. 24.38 39. Fifthly Neglect and contempt of God's Word and Worship Jer. 22.23 I spake to thee in thy prosperity and thou saidst I will not hear 3. You are to take notice of and make conscience of those duties which God calls you unto in and by your prosperity as these 1. To eye God in all as Jacob did Gen. 31.9 When he was about to leave his Uncle Laban he told his Wives God had taken away his Father's Cattle and given them to him And after when he met with his Brother Esau and found favour in his sight he said I have seen thy face as the face of God Take what is brought thee because the Lord hath dealt graciously with me Gen. 32.10 11. A great Cardinal writing down in his Diary what such a Lord and such a Prince and such a Pope had done for him but not a word of God one reading it said This Man remembred his friends but forgot God And so still do too many but take heed of it it is the next way to have God strip you of all 2. To walk humbly under your prosperity and the abundance of these outward good things being unworthy of and less than the least of God's mercies As our sins are greater than the greatest of God's Judgments Ezra 9 13. so our duties less than the least of God's mercies 3 To live still thankfully for his distinguishing goodness to you and when you find the sweet of any mercy remember still to give him his glory still to bless the Lord that takes pleasure in his People and delights to see his Servants prosper Psal 35.27 Deut. 8.19.26.5 4. To serve the Lord the more cheerfully for the abundance of all his goodness as having thereby more leisure from worldly imployments to attend on the service of
David lifted up his hands to God and worshipped Psal 63.4 Jesus lifted up his eyes to Heaven and prayed John 17.1 The reason is because the Bodies of the Saints shall be glorified with God hereafter therfore they are to glorifie him with their Bodies here Rom. 12.1 I beseech you Brethren by the mercies of God present your Bodies a living Sacrifice holy acceptable to God Secondly Internal worship is a worshipping God with the Spirit as well as the Body it being that God especially calls for John 4.24 Phil. 3.3 And this is sometimes called a fearing of God Deut. 6.13 a loving of God Jam. 2.5 a delighting in God Psal 37.3 and a trusting in God Psal 16.1 Secondly For the Place where he is to be worshipped it is not only in this and that place as ignorant superstitious persons fancy but He is every where to be worshipped and that in the observance of all those religious duties which He requires in publick private and secret Isaiah 2.2 Psal 122.1 Gen. 18.19 Job 1.5 Jer. 10. last Mat. 6.6 Then Thirdly For the Time that he is to be worshipped by us as in all places so at all times as on the Week days by beginning continuing and ending the day with him so especially on his own day the Sabbath-day because although every day be his yet this in a special manner His Psal 18.24 This is the day which the Lord hath made this is the Day which he hath sanctified and set apart wholly for the worship of Himself Isaiah 58. last And as this is the day he made for his own glory so for Man's good the good of his Body and of his Soul The good of his Body that he might not tire out himself in the service of the World but especially the good of his soul that he might by a Sabbath on Earth be minded of and fitted for an everlasting Sabbath in Heaven by communion with God in Ordinances here he might be made to long after that place where he hath promised to be all in all without Ordinances Rev. 21.22 23. To this end he hath appointed it to be the Schooling-day and Market-day and Feasting-day and Sealing-day to the Soul therefore in a special manner to be careful of giving God his worship upon this day in the observance and performance of all those duties of piety and mercy that he requires from you in publick private and secret and here to mark that you spend not only a part but the whole day in the worship and service of God and that upon these accounts First Because He rested the whole day created nothing the Seventh-day but finished all before on the Six days Secondly Because he sanctified and set apart the whole day for Himself and therefore not to rob him of any part seeing he hath dealt so bountifully with us as to give us Six days for the service of our selves and reserved but One for the service of Himself Thirdly Because the duties of God's Worship on that Day are so many and weighty as a whole Day is little enough to perform them as they ought The Fourth Circumstance that is especially to be thought on is the right manner How we are to worship God because God looks not so much to the matter as the right manner of worshipping Him and abhorrs and rejects the work without the right manner as you may see fully Isai 1.11 to the 21. Jer. 7.8 9. Mal. 1. last Q Well what is this right manner of worshipping God Ans It is to worship Him by a right Rule from a right Principle and to a right End 1. By a right Rule sc the Rule of God's Word Isai 8.20 Psal 119.9 According to his own Institutions and not Mens Inventions In vain do you worship me c. 2. From a right Principle sc in the Name of Christ Colos 3.17 and the strength of Christ Joh. 15.5 From Faith Heb. 11.6 and Love 1 Peter 2.1 3. To a right end sc the Glory of God and the Salvation of your Souls 1 Cor. 10.13 Phil. 1.19 Q. But what are those Rules in the Word according to which we are to worship God Ans first More general as these Preparation and affection before attention and reverence in and meditation and practise after Eccles 5.1 Psal 66.18 Acts 16.14 Hebr. 12.2 last Luke 2.19 John 13.17 Secondly More special Rules for the worshipping of God are such as respect the sanctifying of the Sabbath Prayer to God Hearing of the Word Reading of the Scriptures Receiving of the Lord's Supper singing of Psalms religious Fasting and Feasting and holy Conference For the acceptable comfortable and profitable use of these you are to meditate on some things before in and after every one I shall but name a few to help your Memories and quicken your Devotion First For the right sanctifying of the Sabbath to take notice of and meditate on these things before in and after the Sabbath First Before the Sabbath to remember the Sabbath before it comes Secondly To prepare for it by ordering your Worldly affairs so as they may not hinder you and to sequester your thoughts from all other things that you may intend the duties of the Sabbath Exod. 20.8 Secondly When the Sabbath is come to consecrate it as a holy Rest to the Lord your God not thinking your own thoughts or speaking your own words or doing your own pleasure but the Lord's Isaiah 58.13 To begin continue and end the Sabbath with God And that you may do so to observe these things First To rise early on the Sabbath after the Example of Christ and when you awake to bless God for another day of grace in rising up to think on your Resurrection at the last Day to glory in putting on of your apparel to think on the command of putting on the Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 13. end After you have Apparel'd your selves to remember the duties requir'd of you before in and after the publick Assemblies First Before to sequester your thoughts from all things of the World and the Flesh to mind only and wholly God his Day and Worship Secondly To pray by your selves and with the Family for God's presence with assistance in and blessing on his Ordinances to you and yours and all his especially on the Ministry of the Word that it may be made effectual to all the ends he hath appointed it as the conviction conversion humiliation consolation edification and salvation of all those that belong to the Election of grace Thirdly As you are going to the publick Assemblies to remember where you are going that you are going into the Presence not only of men but God that-God who will be sanctified by all that draw nigh to him or will be sanctified upon them Levit. 10. To consider also what you are going about a business of the greatest consequence in the World To converse with God and to enjoy communion with God and hear that Word which will make you better or
will teach you sayes Job to trust in God for a livelyhood Mat. 6.26 and to know your times and seasons for every work Jer. 8.7 The Dove will teach you Innocency and Sympathy the little Birds to sound forth praises to God every morning and evening Cantat a lauda Deo laudes gratissima summo Hinc vos in gratâ—s gratu lacessit avis 3. Ask the Fishes of the Sea and they will teach you sayes Job The Sea by her continual fluctuating and foaming will mind you of the continual unquietness and resâ—lesness of wicked men Isa 5â— 20 They are like the troubled Sea c. The Fish of the Sea they will shew you the misery of want of Government they being every one without a Ruler so as the lesser are still devoured of the greater Hab. 1. Why hast thou made mâ—n like the Fishes of the Sea c. XX. When you are to go to wait an God in the use of his Ordinance think what a mercy it is to have the Doors of God's Sanctuary open when they are shut to others to see Souls flock to the Ordinances as the Doves to the Windows that some Souls might still be added to the Church and brought into Christ and built up further in Grace and gracious practices When you are to hear the Word remember you are not only to hear a Man but God who speaks in and by Man who hath said His Word shall not return in vain but surely prosper to the end he sends it Isa 55. last And if it be not the savour of Life it will of Death 2 Cor. 1. end When the Sermon is ended remember though the Minister have done the Sermon is not done until you have done and practised it if it be not practised it will be preached over with more terror another day when you will not be able to hear it XXI When you are walking abroad and meet with any Christian Friend think if it be sweet with a dear Christian Friend upon Earth Oh how sweet will it be to meet with all in Heaven When you hear of any good news from them then think Oh what good news hath Christ brought from Heaven and did the Angel sing at the time of his Birth and hath the Spirit of God brought home and spoken unto my heart if it be bad news that you have heard yet think and comfort your hearts with this However you have sad expectations from Earth yet you have comfortable expectations from Heaven God and Christ and the Spirit is yours and will be for ever yours 1 Cor. 3. last Psal 112.7 When you hear of any Prodigies or dreadful appearances of God in the Heaven or the Earth or the Sea then think and say How terrible O Lord art thou in all thy wayes Who knows the power of thy anger what mean these dreadful tokens of thy displeasure make me and all to fear and tremble before thee When you see or hear the corruption of men to break out into Drunkenness Uncleanness Blasphemy Persecution c. then think and say as Bradford the Martyr Lord what a wicked heart have I what cause have I to give glory to Grace that keeps under corruption in me that does not break out in me as in others When any cross or affliction befals you on the day in Body Soul Name Estate think say Lord what sin is it that thou correctest shew me my sin sanctifie this affliction and do me good by it When any mercy is renewed upon you and yours think and say Oh how great is that goodness thou hast laid up for them that fear thee and that thou workest daily for the Children of men Psal 31. XXII When the day draweth towards an end remember you are nearer to your end by one day then you were in the morning as the night approacheth towards you so do you to the Grave and for ought you know may be your last day When you look up and see the Stars appear in the Heaven think thus Though your life here be hid with Christ in God yet when he shall appear you shall appear with him in glory Col. 3.4 and then your bodies shall shine as the Stars Dan. 12. When you see the dark night to come upon you and you begin to light Candles then think if outward darkness be so uncomfortable how much more is the inward darkness of the Soul and utter darkness in Hell if the light of a Candle be so comfortable how comfortable is the Life of Grace here and will be the Life of Glory hereafter When you are about to put off your Cloaths think thus It will not be long ere I must be uncloathed of this body of Sin and Death and if I be so willing to the one why not to the other that I might be cloathed with my House from Heaven 2 Cor. 5.2 And if I be so willing to go into Bed to take my rest that I may have renewed strength for Body and Spirit to fit me for the service of the next day why should I not be as willing and more willing at God's call to lay down my body in the Grave there to rest from all sinning sorrowing suffering and to be raised up at the last day with renewed and perfect strength both in Soul and Body to be still serving and glorifying God to all Eternity Remember still O my Soul thy sleep is but the Image of Death the Bed the Image of thy Grave and the Sheets of thy Winding Sheets the biting of the Fleas but the gnawing of the Worms on the Body the crowing of the Cock in the morning the sounding of the Trump of God at the last day by the Voice of the Arch-Angel Awake ye dead and come to Judgment Isa 57.2 1 Thess 4.16 Lastly When you are about to sleep labour to sleep with precious thoughts of God for such as your thoughts are when you are about to sleep such will your thoughts be when you awake When we rake up fire in the Ashes at night so we usually find it in the morning and such I say as our thoughts are of God when we sleep will be when we awake In a word Think of your sleeping in Jesus and your awaking and appearing with him in glory in the morning of the Resurrection And thus I have as briefly as I could with any profit to you directed you how to make a Spiritual use of whatsoever presents it self to your senses from morning to evening at home and abroad What remains but that we put in practice what we see to be our duty motives to iâ— and directions for it you have had before I need not add any more onely this consideration there 's a double use God expects we should make of every Creature a natural and a spiritual and if we should content our selves only with the natural use without the Spiritual we should lose the one half and the best half of that comfort in the Creature which God gave it for and we shall do no more then natural carnal sensual men yea the very Beasts do and therefore if we will evidence our selves to be Christians indeed that mind the wellfare of our Souls as well as our Bodies then to apply our selves more then ever we have done to the practice of this sweet weighty and profitable duty of Meditation both Solemn and Occasional Which that we may blessed Lord thou who hast put it into the heart of thy weak and unworthy Servant to study and write these things for the good and comfort of thy People be thou graciously pleased by the effectual working of thy Holy Spirit to make them useful to all into whose hands they shall come for the promoting and carrying on the Work of Grace in their hearts and lives and the furthering of their everlasting Salvation Oh Lord I pray thee let it not be in vain that this or any other help is afforded them but do thou give success to the weak endeavours of thy unworthy Servant so as there may be glory to thee profit to them and comfort to him who hath found that grace in thy sight to be accepted and enabled to be any way instrumental for their help and comfort in the way homeward to everlasting life This is and shall be the Prayer of Your Affectionate and Antient Pastor J. B. FINIS