image and similitude how empty they leave your souls and how like the Sea when ebbing in muddy places leave nothing but stink and filth and nastiness behind them Consideration would let you see That none can rejoyce so heartily as those who make it their business to please God and to be happy for ever This would shew you That light is sown for the righteous and gladness for the upright in heart Psal. 97.11 And that no persons in the World have greater reason to rejoyce than they whose great care and study is first to seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness as being persons who are acquainted with a lively faith and know by blessed experience what that hope means whereby men purifie themselves even as God is pure and what it is to be strengthen'd with all might unto all patience and long-suffering and what the constraining love of God implies and what it is to be married to him who is altogether lovely and what it is to have union and communion with him Consideration would shew you that peace of Conscience and honour with God and the Spirits making intercession for us with groans unutterable and pardon of sins priviledges which attend a serious preparation for a better World are a continual Feast and consequently afford matter for greater joy than all the rarities and curiosities of this present life This would let you see That that one blessing pardon of sin which a serious man enjoys is a mercy which he may justly rejoyce and triumph in more than the greatest Monarch of this world in his boundless Empire This would lead your thoughts to take a view of the present condition of the unhappy spirits in Hell to whom pardon of sin would be a greater comfort and refreshment than all the pleasures of this World distill'd into quintessence Should a Proclamation be made in that dismal Vault by some Angel sent from Heaven that all the Prisoners are freed from their guilt by the new and living way even by the blood of Jesus and that God hath condescended at last and is prevail'd withall to forgive their iniquities what leaping what dancing what joy what gladness what exultation of spirit what serenity of face what a chearful air would appear in every corner of that loathsom Prison How would one Wretch jog the other and bid him break out into praises and celebrations of his Maker for so great a favour How like Heaven would Hell look on a sudden and all their exclamations which grief and anguish did draw from them change into exclamations of gladness How would their hearts swell and dilate themselves and transport them into an extasie of joy How sordid how mean how pitiful how inconsiderable would all their former sensual delights seem to this pleasure or satisfaction Consideration would let you see That whatever men that are become vain in their imaginations may prate there is no pleasure no felicity like that which flows from walking in the wayes of God that in this Garden are the sweetest Roses the most odoriferous Flowers the most fragrant Plants Roses which have no prickles underneath like your carnal delights flowers which wither not away like that frothy mirth which the laughter of Fools affords Plants which feed and nourish and heal and poyson not like those airy satisfactions which flow from making provision for the flesh This would represent to your minds the examples of millions of Saints Who are able from their own experience to affirm that the ways of seriousness are truly ways of pleasantness and that all her paths are peace that they have found more satisfaction in being door-keepers in the house of God than they have done in being Masters of the most glorious Tents of wickedness that they have had more joy from contemplation of Heavens glory and from reflecting on the beauty of holiness in one hour than ever they received from running up and down many years together after the things the vain World is enamor'd withall that they would not be in that miserable unregenerate estate again if they might have whole Kingdoms to entice them and that there is no condition in all the World so full of Bryars and Thorns and Anguish and Pain and Disquietness and Trouble and Vexation as a sinful life and an unconverted state Consideration would let you see That those serious persons who look dejected and melancholy have joyes within which no stranger intermeddles withall and as little shew as they make of chearfulness they carry that within their breasts as can make their life a perpetual Jubilee So far is Consideration from making men melancholy that it points at the things where the greatest joy is to be found and as Consideration it self is a pleasure as we prov'd before so it is a guide to lead men into such a Paradise as they would be content to lose themselves in and desire no greater felicity on this side Heaven VII Impediment VII Fear of going distracted with poring on things too high for their capacities The aversness from a truly serious circumspect life in most men is so very great that they 'll entertain the absurdest silliest and most childish pretences rather than be persuaded to that course God and his holy Angels Scripture Conscience Ministers and all the Providences of God do call and invite them to And such a shift is that we have before us a plea so impertinent that we might justly ask the question Whether those that make use of it are not distracted already Men had as good give us a downright answer and tell us plainly That they will not take their everlasting state into Consideration and will have nothing to do with salvation as make us conclude so much from their unsteddiness and tergiversations They love to leave God and themselves and their Neighbors in the dark and we find they halt between two opinions unresolv'd whether they shall follow God or Baal They would neither displease God nor the Devil The Devils favour they keep and maintain by their secret aversness from a serious preparation for another life and Gods good will they court by pretending that they would follow him were it not for such and such obstacles and impediments And indeed their flesh does no sooner suggest an excuse to their minds but they presently flatter themselves that that shift will be a sufficient Apology for neglect of their duty And though going distracted with Consideration be a thing very unlikely next to impossible yet a pitiful shift being better than none this comes in with the rest and helps to rock the Soul into a sleeping slumber it seems their brains are strong enough to contrive how to promote their own fall but will not serve them to ponder how to keep themselves from ruine One would think they could not be worse mad than they are already and therefore they might venture upon a serious Consideration of their wayes without danger Take a view of thy actions sinner
Love and consequently of being too Religious art thou afraid of being too much enamoured with this Jesus art thou afraid that the sight of his broken Body will break thy Heart too much art thou afraid that the sight of his effused Bloud will make thee pour out too many Tears and Prayers and Praises of his Love considering how dull how dead thou art thou hadst need come frequently to the Cross to have thy Affections suppled and softned with this precious Bloud how frail is thy memory and hadst not thou need of refreshing it often with the sight of Christs incomprehensible love art thou afraid of renewing thy Repentance thy Faith thy Hope thy Charity too often The oftner thou dost resort to this blessed communion the greater will be thy acquaintance with thy best of friends the greater sense thou wilt get of the need and want of him the greater encouragement thou wilt find to imitate him in his Holiness Meekness Patience and Humility and the greater assurance thou wilt get of his Love and Favour and Pardon and everlasting Mercy and are these Blessings to be scorn'd and undervalu'd thou pretendest want of preparation but whose fault is it that thou art not prepar'd what can hinder thee from preparation but love to sin and shall love to a sensual careless life hinder thee from laying hold of the greatest Treasure will this Plea hold when thou shalt appear before the great Tribunal O my Soul this is to excuse sin by sin and to despise God's Ordinance because thou despisest his commands and how will this aggravate thy folly one day and fill thee with shame and horror O play not with everlasting mercy let not business hinder thee from advancing thy Spiritual and Eternal interest Remember what became of the men that pretended they had Farms to see and Oxen to try and Wives to marry when they were invited to the Supper of the Lamb canst thou think of the protestation of the Master of the Feast against these stubborn wretches and not conclude thy fate by their being excluded from Gods Favour forever if it be a sense of thy own vileness and unworthiness that keeps thee away thou mistakest and misrepresentest the goodness of thy Lord and Master No persons more welcome at this Table than the humble and broken-hearted none meet with a more favourable reception than the poor in Spirit these the Crucified Jesus prays for on his Cross Father forgive them and the everlasting Father hears and saith to them Be of good chear your sins are forgiven you V. It prepares a man for an Angelical life here on Earth for he that frequently considers and contemplates the Joyes the Triumphs the Scepters the Crowns the Diadems of yonder Kingdom the everlasting Love and Peace and Satisfaction which Angels and glorified Saints enjoy cannot but think himself during that consideration in Heaven and participating of that content and happiness which is possessed by the general Assembly of the First-born which are written in Heaven Indeed this is to make Earth a Heaven and to change this Wilderness into a Paradise a Closet into the Seat of Glory and a Desart into those Regions of Bliss and Happiness How like an Angel may that Man live that is often engaged in such considerations as these Heaven what do I hear Heaven the harbor of all laden and wearied Souls Heaven the end of all my sorrow and miseries Heaven the Port I have been sailing to these many years Heaven the inheritance of those that keep themselves uspotted from the World Heaven the rest of Gods Servants and the habitation of the Mourners in Sion Heaven the great mark of my Desires the anchor of my Hope the foundation of my Confidence Heaven the University where we shall know even as we are known how undisturb'd how quiet do all the Inhabitants of those blessed Mansions live there rest those Saints who were made as the filth of the World and as the off-scouring of all things how different are the thoughts of God from those of the World these men the world regarded not behold God remembers them and when he makes up his Jewels spares them as a man would spare his own Son that serves him There rests that Mary Magdalen that stood behind Christ at his feet weeping and washed his Feet with her Tears and did wipe them with the hair of her Head and kiss'd them and anointed his Head with ointment There rests that Lazarus who desired to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich mans Table There rest that David that made his Bed to swim and water'd his Couch with his Tears There rests all the Prophets of old who through Faith subdued Kingdoms wrought Righteousness obtain'd Promises stopp'd the mouths of Lions quench'd the violence of the Fire escap'd the edge of the Sword out of weakness were made strong wax'd valiant in fight turn'd to slight the Arms of the Aliens There rest all those Souls that look'd for the blessed hope and the glorious appearance of their Saviour Jesus Christ. There rests all those Martyrs and Confessors that were ready not only to suffer but to dye also for the name of the Lord Jesus There they rest encircled with an Eternal calm There they rest incompass'd with an innumerable company of Angels There they rest surrounded with the Gracious Presence of a merciful God There they rest from all the calumnies and slanders of this poor envious world There they rest from all Darkness in Eternal Light and in the beams of the Sun of Righteousness forever Awake O my Soul awake advance into yonder regions of Glory retire into yonder Paradise leave this world and goe higher let thy thoughts transcend the Sun and Moon and Stars get before the Throne of God take a view of the still waters whereof the vast Armies of Glorified Spirits drink where they are there are no Wolves no Tygers no Bears no Lions as in this barren wilderness in those happy shades is no noise but that of Halelujahs no discontent no War no dissentions inhabit there there all agree there Ephraim is no more against Manasse nor Manasse against Ephraim nor they both against Juda but all are delighted with the everlasting Glory and Love of God there they hunger and thirst no more Wonderful change Here O my Saul thou art ever thirsting after God as the dry Land thirsteth after water there thou shalt be satisfied with him to all Eternity here thou longest after the hidden Manna there it will never be taken from thee here like Solomons Bride by night on thy Bed thou seekest him who is altogether lovely there his Beauty and Presence will ravish thee for ever Here though thy desires after the Blessings of Gods left hand be subordinate to thy desires after spiritual Mercies and thy esteem of God preponderates and is higher than thy esteem of any outward felicities yet while so nearly allied to Sense thou canst not so abandon Nature as to
Great ones ye Nobles ye Mighty Men and consider your ways Consider whether that voluptuous life you lead is like that life which that Saviour in whom you pretend to believe doth prescribe in his Gospel Consider whether you are not obliged to practice all those Vertues and Duties that the meaner sort perform and whether in framing to your selves a new way to Heaven a way different from what the word of God doth represent you are like to be happy in those Castles of Air you build and like to arrive to that Glory which you wish for and hope to be receiv'd into Consider what your pride and sensuality will at last conclude in and whether you will dare to brave it at the great Tribunal as now you doe on Earth where you have no body to controul you Ye that are Magistrates whom providence hath placed over others to execute justice and to shew a good example Consider your ways Consider how heavy your connivance at the most notorious sins Sins that offer to pluck even God out of his Throne will lye upon your Consciences one day Consider what hurt you do how many Souls you ruine by your debauch'd and luxurious lives Consider whether you can satisfy God as easily as you can do Man and whether that injustice that oppression that covetousness that lewdness you make nothing of now are not sins weighty enough to bear you down into the Burning Lake Ye Learned Men whether Ministers or others who see and know more than the Vulgar do Consider your ways Consider whether that great Knowledge you have will not procure ye double stripes if you improve it not into a higher degree of seriousness than common people use Consider what a ridiculous thing you make Religion if being perswaded and convinced of the rationality of it you doe not express the power of it in your conversations Consider whether building Heaven with your voices and Hell with your behaviour and deportment will not bring down upon you the severest Plagues that are written in the Book of God! Ye that are hearers of the Word and frequent the Temple of the Lord to be taught his Statutes and his Ordinances Consider your ways Consider whether so many entreatings warnings reproofs and admonitions in season and out of season which you take no notice of will not be brought in one day as evidences to justify your everlasting condemnation Consider how God is like to resent your barrenness and unfruitfulness under the richest means of Grace under the droppings of his fatness Consider how justly God may punish your not digesting and applying his Commands and Precepts to your selves with hardness and blindness of heart and whether this judgement be not more frequent than the world is aware of and whether you do not participate of that judgement Hear this all ye that carry rational Angelical Souls in your Breasts Consider your ways Consider what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and loose his own Soul or what shall a man give in exchange for his Soul Sirs you stand upon the brink of a bottomless pit who but a man whose brains are crack'd would not look about himself the least push or thrust sends you thither who would not take some pains to get into a Harbor the Ship is ready to be cast away the Masts are split it 's leaking on every side who would not lay hold of a Plank to save himself from drowning If you know not what to do with that power of Consideration God hath given you marvel not if God takes it away and since you will not bethink your selves how to be freed from sin and misery protests in his anger that you shall not be able to make use of that power any more in order to obtain Eternal life since you will not take up that sword of the Spirit to cut the cords of Sin and Disobedience no wonder if God blunts and dulls the edge of it that it shall be of no use to you when you would employ it O Christians there is no jesting with a merciful God where the greatest mercy is scorn'd and rejected what can ye expect but the severest judgements Be wise therefore before the black Decree be irreversibly Signed and Sealed against you you 'll bless the hour and the day which bears the Date of your entire and sincere agreement to Gods Will in this particular and when you shall find by blessed experience that this serious consideration of your ways is the Gate to Paradise you 'll admire the Bounty Wisdom and Goodness of God that moved your hearts to embrace the motion and you will not be able to forbear breaking out into singing the Song of Moses and the Song of the Lamb Blessing Honour and Glory be unto him that sits upon the Throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever CHAP. VIII Of Retirement and Prayer the two great helps to consideration Retirement proved to be necessary to make Consideration of our Spiritual State more quick and lively Prayer calls in the assistance of Gods Spirit and renders the work effectual A Form of Prayer to be used upon this occasion I Will charitably suppose that the preceding exhortation may have made some impression upon my Reader and made him in some measure willing to think more of his Soul and of the danger it is in and of his Eternal State than formerly he used to do and therefore to shew him how this consideration must be managed that it may in truth conquer and subdue his inordinate affections and make them subject to the best of Masters I shall lay down some necessary helps to Consideration and these are to mention no more Retirement and Prayer I. Retirement Though I readily grant and do commend it too that Men as they are walking with others or travelling or going abroad about their necessary occasions or standing in their Shops or other rooms where company goes in and out may think that the course they have taken hitherto is not safe and therefore it 's high time to change and alter it yet seeing those thoughts are too much diverted by sensual objects and apt to goe no farther than the mind or understanding and reach no deeper than speculation it must necessarily follow that Retirement is requisite to make it reach the affections and to spread it as far as the Life and Conversation By Retirement I do not mean absconding or hiding ones self in a corner in the Countrey or in a Wilderness but retiring in our own Houses Let the place we live in be never so populous to be sure we have Chambers to be private in and as the rich may make their best room a Desart for this work so the poorest may convert any corner in their Houses into a place for this Exercise it s not the neatness of a Closet that cleanses the Soul from filthiness nor the curiosity and convenience of a Withdrawing room that fits the heart for him that
and indignation against all those that obstinately prefer their foolish desires before all the Dictates and Oracles of thy Holy Spirit O have not I reason to fear that thou wilt say of me Cut down this barren Tree why doth it cumber the ground and yet how free how full are thy promises to the truly penitent how full of Sweetness and Love are all thy Gracious Engagements to those that will have no more to doe with Idols that will cleave to thee alone that will renounce themselves and follow thee O my Lord these thy promises are my refuge were it not for these desperation would be my portion I doe in some measure see my folly I see what a gracious tender patient long suffering God I have offended I see how my Soul hath leaned on broken reeds what a sandy foundation I have trusted to how the world hath beguiled me how I have shunn'd thy company been glad when God hath been farthest from my thoughts rejoyced when I have been least of all reflecting on thy goodness I have nothing to plead for my self I have no apology to make the greatest charity cannot excuse my misdemeanors I have had light and darkened it convictions and smother'd them knowledge and abused it reason and perverted it heard thy word and scorn'd it enjoy'd the means of Grace and continu'd blind and hard under them Thy Mercy is my Sanctuary I am weary of my burthen I loath my transgressions I am willing to be rid of them I desire to abhor them but though I am thus willing my flesh is weak my understanding dark my will dull my affections to goodness faint my resolutions in constant Come O my Lord come down into my Soul come quickly O thou great preserver of Men teach me to answer all the reasons of Flesh and Bloud against a serious conversion arm me with arguments to beat down my carnal interest furnish me with motives to a truly Heavenly life motives which may break through all the devils suggestions motives which may invalidate and weaken the prophane motions of my Lusts. Come down thou Sun of Righteousness thou mighty Star of Jacob dispel the Clouds and Mists which are upon my Reason cleer the eyes of my understanding and enable me to see the arts of Sin the wiles of the Devil the snares of the World the stratagems of the Flesh and all the mischief that 's plotted against my Soul by my Spiritual enemies Convince me throughly that to follow thee is my greatest interest that to resist these enemies is my greatest safety that to watch against their charms is my greatest felicity O let me apprehend sin as it is the greatest evil let it appear very terrible to my mind represent unto me Heaven and thy Love and all that thou hast done for me in such lively colours that neither death nor life neither good report nor evil report may separate me from thy love O let thy kindness and the benefits of thy Sons death and passion and resurrection appear to me in such characters that I may long to be fill'd with all the fulness of God Thy Spirit is perfect Light and there is no darkness with him O let that glorious Light dissipate that gloominess those foggs that confusedness that is in my intellectual part make me conceive clearly and distinctly what I must do to inherit Eternal life and how I must carry myself to God and Man Give me such a sight of thy Glory as may lift me up above the world and engage me to have my Conversation in Heaven Bow my Will to conform entirely to thy Will I would not be mine so much as thine Come Lord and take the government of my Soul into thy hand I have too long suffer'd my self to be guided by merciless Tyrants art thou not my Master my Prince my Father thou hast the greatest right to rule me Incline my Will unto thy Testimonies and not to Covetousness when my Will would wander from thy Precepts cross it and put a stop to it that it may not goe beyond the limits of thy Law O heal my affections they hanker too much after this Earth O make them in love with Heaven chide them for deserting their highest and their chiefest good let my hatred pitch upon no other object but sin let my Love be carried out after nothing so much as thee and if I love any thing besides let me love it only for thy sake let my hopes be fixed upon immortality engrosse thou my desires let me fear none but thee let my chief delight be in thy ways and ordinances strengthen my resolutions O deliver me from that fickleness I have so long been guilty of make my purposes firm let them be as the Mountains of God which can never be moved let nothing be able to weaken my good intentions give me courage to fight the good fight O Lord in thy strength I 'll resist by thy Power I will conquer my heart hath lock'd the out O knock again and if it will not yield break open the door and let all my corruptions vanish at thy Presence O Lord I beg no Riches no Honours no Preferments if I have but Food and Raiment I will learn therewith to be contented it s thy Grace I want establish me with thy free Spirit give me spiritual Wisdom even that wisdom which makes me wise unto Salvation thou art nigh unto them that call upon thee yea unto all such as call upon thee faithfully O cast me not away from thy Presence I am thine O save me order my steps according to thy word when I read it let me read it with that attention as to observe and take notice of what thou dost command when I hear it let me hear it as if it were the last time that ever I should hear it let thy Oracles make deeper impressions on me than ever dash all those evasions and excuses I used to alleage when I have had no mind to obey thee let the good motions of thy Spirit prevail O that there should be such difficulty in conquering a poor sinner O that God should be forced to carress me to my happiness O that Heaven should attract me no more O that God should need to send out messengers to entreat me to come to the Supper of the Lamb Lord take away this dulness make me mount up with wings as Eagles Let me not be able to goe out of thy Presence till I have fully and unfeignedly resolved to give my self up to thy service O Jesu the light of the world who enlightenst every man that comes into the world where thou dwellest there Mercy dwells O dwell in my Soul and Mercy and Truth will kiss each other there teach me to hate my self not only for the hurt I have done to my self but for the injuries and indignities I have offer'd thee I was a horrid monster thou by thy death madest me a pleasing spectacle in the sight of Heaven I lay
his mouth there another follow'd sinners to the very gates of Hell with offers of mercy in his hand and while Vengeance was knocking at the door and the Sword was at their heatts call'd to them Turn ye Turn ye why will ye dye And what was all this but to lay invincible obligations on Men to Reform and by Reformation of their Lives to arrive at last to that Harbor of Bliss and Immortality which the great preserver of Men hath prepar'd for those that fear him Under the Gospel as if beyond this there were no other remedy to engage Men to holiness the Son of God himself comes down from Heaven and turns Preacher He that commands all the powers of Light and Darkness appears in a Pulpit He by whom the Worlds were made leaves the brightness of his Fathers glory to tell Men what a Monster Sin is how odious how loathsom in the eyes of God how lovely how amiable how beautiful the wayes of God are confirms the sayings of all the Prophets of old assures Men and certainly he could not tell a lye that all those Messengers of old were in the right when they profess'd That Iniquity would be Mens ruine and that at yonder gate no unclean thing should enter and that God must be prefer'd before all the Riches Honours and Pleasures of this World a favour for which we want expression and which we must draw a vail over as Timantes the Painter did over the face of Iphigenia's Father because we cannot reach it with our colours If a King should send a Messenger with a Pardon to a Malefactor that 's ready to be turn'd off of the Ladder there is no Man but a stranger to pity and compassion but would speak in commendation of the Royal mercy but should the King himself approach the place of Execution and absolve him it 's like the unexpected bounty would cast the Malefactor into a Swoon And then when the great God of Heaven and Earth made his favor exstatical went out of the common road of mercy stept beyond all precedents and examples encreas'd his kindness into perfect miracles miracles which the Ages before cannot parallel and the Son of God made his way through all the Clouds of Heaven to tell Men how God long'd for their society and happiness we cannot suppose a possibility of greater condescention And that which still encreases the Wonder this Son of God entreats wooes and beseeches Men to bethink themselves and dress up their Souls for the next Worlds glory He that might have come as one day most certainly he will with flames of fire and taken vengeance on the obstinate and terrified and startled them into seriousness and might without a Metaphor as it is Psal. 45.3 girded his Sword upon his Thigh and look'd stern on the Rebels that would not have him reign over them and frown'd them into Hell That this Son of God this Sovereign Prince whom all the Elements serve at whose command the Waters drown and the Fire burns and the Earth swallows up that he should come and draw near the City and instead of consuming weep over it as if he meant to quench the fire of Gods indignation against it and instead of dooming it outright to eternal vengeance wish O that thou hadst known in this thy day what belongs unto thy peace Call like a tender compassionate Father How often would I have gather'd you as a Hen doth gather her Chickens under her wings and ye would not That he should bear affronts and in the midst of those injuries entreat Men to be reconcil'd to him and seek for a Pardon That he should conjure Mankind by Tears and Wounds and his own Blood by those very Torments and Agonies he endured for them to have mercy on themselves to take a view of the burning Lake beneath and run away to look upon the joyes above and be ravish'd with the sight That he should court them by the sweetest invitations and the kindest calls by the greatest offers and the softest promises promises of assistance and of his holy Spirit of peace and joy in the Holy Ghost and seal his strong desires and longings after their holiness with his own death and after his death being risen again sends Apostles and whole Armies of Confessors and Martyrs to establish those desires ordain a Function of Men that might preach those Desires in Mens ears to the Worlds end this indeed is a condescention which the great ministring Spirits in Heaven stand amaz'd at and may justly be look'd upon to be one of those things the Angels desire to pry into By such astonishing means hath the great immortal God endeavour'd to effect that holiness in Men that Seriousness that Piety that Heavenly-mindedness which he hath appointed to be the only way to endless bliss Glorious means indeed But then they are no more but Pearls thrown before Swine where Men consider not how far they are concern'd in the heavenly Call And what can be the meaning of all these arts and stratagems of Divine compassion and what should make God thus sollicitous and careful to procure mans happiness and how dreadful it must be to neglect so great a salvation To lay all this labour and industry and indefatigable pains of God before their eyes where they will not fix their contemplations on the Remedies intended for their recovery what is it but to make a learned Oration to a flock of sheep to talk to a blind Man of Colours to discourse Mathematicks to one in a Fever and to prepare Elixirs and Cordials for Men depriv'd of life and sense Without Consideration we have little but shape and speech left us to distinguish us from Beasts and God clearly loses the virtue of his exhortations and entreaties except Consideration sets them home digests and applies them to the Soul and the inward thoughts like Sun-beams in a burning Glass unite and continue so long upon these spiritual objects till they set the heart on fire CHAP. II. Consideration no transitory view of spiritual things imports laying the heart and mind close unto spiritual Concerns resembles magnifying Glasses which discover things imperceptible by the naked eye The great Ingredients of it Self-Examination Expostulation and strong Resolution HOW Consideration Thinking Pondering Meditation Contemplation do differ is not material to enquire Consideration includes all these and is nothing but exercising and improving that rational Faculty the great Architect hath bestowed on us to the glory of God and the felicity of our immortal Souls The character St. Bernard gives of it may help to illustrate this Description It distinguishes saith he things confus'd collecteth such as lie dispers'd searches and dives into such as are conceal'd and hid examines probabilities reflects upon what is done resolves what to do and presses towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus The Schoolmen are in the right when they call it employing the whole understanding about a thing
seek not the good but the loss and desolation of my Soul I 'll seek the things which are above where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God I 'll set my affections on things above and not on things on earth I am dead to all these sublunary Vanities and my life is hid with Christ in God and when Christ who is my life shall appear then shall I also appear with him in glory Without such resolutions as these Consideration is lame and feeble it 's practical Consideration that must do the work and it is these resolutions make it so the necessity of which Consideration is the next thing I must endeavor to demonstrate CHAP. III. The absolute necessity of Consideration in order to a serious life Gods frequent commands to that purpose Our Reason and the power of Consideration we are furnish'd or endu'd with prov'd to be given us for this end Without it Men have cause to suspect that their Reformation is counterfeit WHat we have said hitherto is not a thing indifferent left to our liberty and discretion to mind or to neglect it as we shall see occasion If labouring after a better life if endeavouring to get a share in the incorruptible Crown of glory if attempts to compass the eternal felicity of our Souls if studying how we may be admitted into the Quire of Angels and enjoy the society of the First-born which are written in Heaven if contriving how we may arrive to that fulness of joy God hath both reveal'd and promis'd be indispensably necessary this Consideration must be so too If Self-preservation be not a thing indifferent Consideration cannot possibly be so For the great object of this Consideration is how we may preserve our selves from being undone for ever how we may guard our Souls from everlasting perdition how we may avoid the second death and how we may make our happiness lasting and durable proof against the gates of Hell and the assaults of that roaring Lyon who walks about seeking whom he may devour God that commands all the powers of Light and Darkness and hath the same power over us that the Potter hath over his Vessel and hath made us capable of being govern'd by Moral Laws and hath created us on purpose to be ready at his beck and may force us into obedience by plagues and thunders if we are loth to be courted by smiles and favours and afar off sees all the dangers we are subject to and knows what Armies of Enemies lie in ambush and watch our fall it 's he that peremptorily commands this Consideration A Sovereign Prince expects to be obey'd and he that dares refuse or slight his reasonable command is justly lookt upon as a stranger to Loyal principles and well may God who is All-wise and can do nothing that 's unreasonable expect submission to a precept so great so good so advantagious both to Soul and Body as will appear in the sequele Consider your wayes is a Law which God to shew he is in good earnest inculcates twice in the same Prophecy Hagg. 1.5 7. And for that the Dream is doubled it is because the thing is establish'd by God said Joseph to Pharaoh Gen. 41.32 The same we may say of repeated Exhortations And indeed when the famous Moses bids the people under his charge and care to keep the statutes and the commandments which God had graciously vouchsafed them that it might go well with them and with their children after them the great preparative he requires for this religious frame is Consideration Deut. 4.39 40. as if without this all attempts of obedience were vain and all endeavors to serve God in Spirit and in Truth were no more but water spilt upon the ground It was upon the same account that St. Paul as quick-sighted as the other peremptorily tells the Romans that they would never practically approve that good and acceptable and perfect will of God without they were transform'd by the renewing of their mind i. e. made a new improvement of their minds by Consideration For Consideration rebuilds the house that 's fallen to the ground makes the mind new removes old prejudices against a serious life and transforms the judgment into other thoughts and conceptions carries away the rubbish which oppressed the Soul and leaves it not till it becomes a new creature Rom. 12.2 What can St. Peter 1 Pet. 1.13 mean when he presses the Christians of those dayes to gird up the loins of their minds but this great Duty we discourse of Consideration as it is a convocation of our thoughts so it ties and unites those thoughts to the great object the one thing necessary and as it were girds the Soul that it may keep within the rules of the Word of God and may not run out into strange desires or inordinate affections but be more expedite and nimble in her Travels to the Land of Promise The truth is from the mind as from Aarons head the precious oyntment runs down to the skirts of our garments This is the great wheel which sets the lesser orbs a going and if that be impregnated with principles of goodness and seriousness and these enlarg'd and spread by Consideration the will and the affections will soon be persuaded to follow that star till it brings them to Bethlehem the house of mercy In our civil affairs it 's the mind must first be fully persuaded either of the necessity or conveniency or danger or advantage of things before any wise resolution can be taken and we may justly conclude that in spiritual concerns men begin at the wrong end if they do not season their minds with such reflections as may make a deep impression on the will and affections For that these may resolve to follow God and may be ravish'd with his love and apply themselves to his wayes and may hate every false path and detest their former exorbitances and deviations we must necessarily suppose there must be some spring to feed them which Spring can be nothing else but Consideration And because the more objects the more flowers this Consideration feeds upon the more effectual it is and the greater seriousness it produces and the most signal change it works the Holy Ghost therefore in order to this end particularizes several things and commands them to be taken in as promoters of this excellent work Hence it is that we are sometimes call'd upon to consider our latter end Deutr. 32.29 sometimes the works of God Eccles. 7.13 sometimes the last judgment or the great account men must give of their works whether they have been good or whether they have been evil Psal. 50.22 sometimes the testimonies of God the sweetness beauty perfection worth and excellency of them Psal. 119.95 sometimes the future reward that God hath promised to them that fear him 2 Tim. 2.7 sometimes the holy Life Example and Christian constancy and magnanimity of Christ Jesus Hebr. 12.3 sometimes Gods correction and chastisement together with
man tell me here that this is to make man independent from God and to assert that men may convert themselves and change their own hearts and give themselves that repentance and faith which the Scripture everywhere asserts to be the gift of God For Gods power and glory is so far from receiving any prejudice by this Doctrine that I know nothing can advance and promote it more than this way It 's confess'd that Conversion is the work of God but then he expects I should do my part and work according to the power he hath given me and improve the Talents he hath already bestow'd upon me and trade with them and make use of the faculties I have and exercise them as much as I can in order to a serious change of life and in the use of such means God will be found as we see in Cornelius Acts 10.4 And his holy Spirit shall come down and make the work effectual and bless those honest endeavors with grace and mercy and make the wheels go merrily which went but heavy before and turn that piety which proceeded from fear of Hell before into a sincere love to God and to the beauty of holiness and make that obedience universal which was but partial and by halves before and that 's a kindly Conversion To indulge our selves in laziness and idleness and weariness of Gods service upon pretence that we must wait Gods time and stay till God is pleased to work upon our hearts is no better than mocking of God For God who hath protested that he 'll cast out none that will but come to him and never left himself without witness and is engag'd by promise to be a rewarder to them that diligently seek him hath no where in his Word promis'd to work upon our hearts except we will use such means as he hath given us power to make use of in order to Conversion and he that lets the power God hath given him for this use lie dead doth but imbezle the gift of God and with that unprofitable servant layes up his pound in a Napkin and consequently can expect no other answer than was return'd to him Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee thou wicked servant thou knewest that I was an austere man taking up that I laid not down and reaping that I did not sowe Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury Therefore take from him the pound and give it to him that hath ten pounds And as for those mine enemies that would not that I should reign over them and it seems such are all those that will not improve those powers God hath given them especially this of Consideration in order to be reclaim'd from the errors of their wayes bring them hither and slay them before me Luke 19.22 28. And indeed he that can sit down and consider what losses may befall him what mischief may happen to him if he keeps company with a turbulent quarrelsome man and thereupon shuns his society will find in the last day that he might as well have sate down and consider'd what evil a sinful life would bring upon him His reason to be sure is capable of taking the one into Consideration as well as the other and he that believes he hath a Soul must be supposed able to think of dangers that may befall his Soul and since Consideration is that which represents all dangers in very lively colours and by that means affects and makes impressions upon the whole man there is no person but may safely expect Gods blessing upon such Considerations not upon the account of merit but because God hath most freely and most graciously promis'd his assistance where men shew their willingness to work in his Vineyard And that 's the reason why Conversion in Scripture is sometimes attributed to man and sometimes to the Father of lights from whom every good and perfect gift descends and why we read in the same Prophet Make your selves a new heart and a new spirit Ezek. 18.31 And I the Lord will give you a new heart and a new spirit will I put within you Ezek. 36.26 Because God expects the sinner should take his ways and preposterous actions and the danger which hangs over his head into serious Consideration represent the odiousness and disingenuity and unseasonableness of his sin to his mind and muse upon that endless happiness he may arrive to weigh the comforts and consolations he may enjoy on this side Heaven and God will encourage him gather the Lambs with his Arms and carry them in his bosome i. e. prosper those sincere endeavors and water them with the dew of his benediction till the byas of the Soul is chang'd and turned towards Heaven Consideration is the Bed where the incorruptible Seed is sown and on the ground thus prepared the Sun of Righteousness doth shine and by his warmth produces in the Soul all manner of pleasant fruits Cant. 7.13 Consideration like the Pool of Bethesda draws the great Angel of the Covenant down who stirs the Pool and gives it a healing virtue and immediately the blind receive their sight and the lame walk and the Lepers are cleansed and the dead are rais'd up Matth. 11.5 That God hath sometimes by miraculous means converted and turn'd men from their irreligiousness and contempt of holiness we do not deny but though these miracles might be the occasion of their Reformation it was still Consideration that digested these miraculous Providences and engaged these men to enquire what they meant and for what end they were sent and how they should escape if they neglected so great a salvation It was this made them argue that as these Calls were great and full of wonder so they challeng'd entertainment and submission answerable to so great a mercy It was this made them see the love of God and wonder whence it should be that God should overlook so many thousands and knock at their gates pass by Palaces and be content to take up his rest in their poor habitations It was this made them ponder that after such Admonitions and Exhortations from Heaven there was no standing still and that contempt of such extraordinary Providences must needs fall very heavy on the Soul one day and sink it into the nethermost Hell upon which Considerations and Expostulations they resolv'd to close with Christ and with the terms of the Gospel But all this will more fully appear if we can prove That without Consideration Conversion or Reformation of life cannot but be counterfeit Conversion being a change of the whole man and loving God better than the world or minding Heaven more than earth an immortal Soul more than a frail dying body there can nothing be imagin'd under God more likely to prevent our being deceiv'd with a form of godliness than Consideration That the Devil very ordinarily transforms himself into an Angel of light and imposes
dearest and tenderest love Doth it work by charity too by good works And doth it make me cast my bread upon the water give away freely and chearfully though I have no prospect and see no probability of a recompence here on earth Doth it make me despise the World and overcome it and use it only as my Servant while God alone is my Master Doth it make me resist the Devil and grapple with powers and principalities with the Rulers of darkness and with spiritual wickednesses in high places Eph. 6.12 Doth it make me pray with fervency and importunity Doth it transport my Soul into ravishments upon the sight of yonder glorious things God hath laid up and prepared for those that love him Doth it make me rejoyce in that Saviour I have not seen with joy unspeakable and full of glory Does it make me trust God in Adversity even then when the Fig-tree doth not blossom when there is no fruit in the vines when the labour of the Olive fails and the Field does yield no meat when the flock is cut off from the fold and when there are no herds in the stalls Hab. 3.17 Doth it make me take notice of Gods gracious Dealings and Providences and admire Gods wisdom and greatness and power and goodness in all Doth it make me prize the promises of the Gospel above all riches and doth it make me willing to suffer for Christ Rejoyce O my Soul if Faith hath thus warm'd thy heart and if thou findest these footsteps of God within thee These are ornaments sit for thee to appear in before the great Tribunal On the other side what ease what quiet canst thou enjoy if thy faith be dead and dull and unactive if it doth not touch thy tongue with a Coal from the Altar and doth not make thee break forth into celebrations and admiration of the height and breadth and length and depth of the love of God If thou feelest no holy force in thy Soul to shake off every weight and every sin which doth so easily beset thee If thy faith does not make thee stand upon thy watch and break through all discouragements and oppositions to obtain the end of thy faith even thy salvation If it doth not make thy corruptions abate and thy extravagant desires and passions fall If it doth not chase Discontent in a great measure from thy thoughts and doth not give thee bowels of compassion to Ministers to the Servants of God to Christs distressed members If it doth not drive thee into Heaven into contemplations of a glorious Eternity which shall make amends for all the losses troubles perils miseries and difficulties thou undergoest here If it doth not make thee prefer Christs honour and will before the vain allurements of flesh and blood and the society of those who delight in God before familiarity with the richest and greatest who cast Gods Laws behind them If it works no patience in Afflictions no humility no self-denial no meekness under curses and injuries and persecutions no courage to stand up for God and for his glory no delight in the Word and wayes of God no sincere endeavors to practise what thou hearest no relish in spiritual things no holy revenge upon thy corruptions no indignation against thy former sins no carefulness to please God no vehement desires after him who is fairer than the children of men Faith thus consider'd if it be but a painted fire will quickly betray it self and this Consideration will soon give an item to the sinner that this is no good foundation to build eternal salvation on In this manner we are obliged to proceed in our prayers and supplications Consideration must acquaint us whether it be the desires of our hearts or the desires of our lips only that we offer unto God whether it be a deep sense of our spiritual wants and necessities and of the Greatness Majesty Purity Holiness Mercy and Goodness of God that makes us pray or Custom and Education and Civility to our unruly Consciences So in our Distributions to the Necessities of others Consideration must acquaint us whether we give enough or no whether we fulfill those Rules Christ and his Apostles have deliver'd concerning it and whether it be vain glory and the applause of men that makes us both liberal and speak of our liberality or an honest design to advance the glory of God and the good of our Neighbour So in Fasting Consideration must acquaint us whether it be the outward performance we do regard more than the inward frame of the Soul whether it be a real sincere resolution to mortifie sin that engages us to this severity or an intent of giving God satisfaction for the affronts we have offer'd him and whether the austerity makes sin truly bitter to us and works an eternal detestation of it in our hearts or whether it disposes us to fall on afresh and tempts us upon the credit of that piece of Mortification to venture into new sins and enormities So in our zeal for God Consideration must acquaint us whether we are more passionate in things which concern the honour of God than in promoting of our own interest whether it be a zeal according unto knowledge and kindled by the Sun of Righteousness or furious and lighted by the flames of the burning Lake and whether we are zealous for the greater as well as for the lesser matters of the Law for Judgment Faith and Mercy as well as for paying tythe of Mint and Cummin and Anise Without Consideration our Souls must necessarily remain under very great darkness and mistakes and consequently run the hazard of being cheated in the work of Conversion How should these Cheats be discover'd but by our reason How shall our reason judge of them but by Consideration For Consideration calls them to an account layes them open examines their rise and progress discovers them to be dross and spies out the danger they involve the Soul in and by that means works it into a faithful resolution to take another course CHAP. IV Of the various impediments and remora's of Consideration Men fancy greater difficulty in 't that there is indeed Are continually employ'd about sensual objects Loth to part with their sins Ignorant of the pleasure of Consideration Reflect upon the danger of losing their unlawful gain Fear they shall fall into melancholy or go distracted with so much seriousness Are of opinion that Conversion in that sense the Scripture speaks of it is needless Mistake the nature of Consideration Are discouraged by evil company Neglect consulting with Ministers about this necessary work Delude themselves with the Notion of Christ's dying for the sins of the world COnsideration a Duty so great so noble so necessary one would think should find sutable entertainment with all men that pretend to reason or wisdom or discretion the Guest being so beneficial who can imagine to the contrary but every man will spread open his doors and let it in How Lock
the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God This would shew them Christ Jesus on the Cross this would bespeak them in the language of the Prophet Who is this that comes from Edom with died garments from Bozrah Wherefore is he red in his apparel and his garments like him that treads in the Wine-fat Isa. 63.1 2. This would shew them that the blood which trickled down from that sacred head trickled down upon the account of their follies and transgressions that their oaths and curses and blasphemies were the thorns that prickt his head that their lasciviousness and fornications and adulteries were the spears that open'd his side that their boldness in sinning their resolutions to be damn'd made the tears gush from his eyes that their hatred their malice their envy their revengeful desires were the hands that did buffet him that their covetousness and worldly-mindedness and neglect of their duty towards God and man were the Rods that smote him that their evil thoughts and idle words and extravagant actions were the furies that spit into his face that their perfidiousness their treacheries their hypocrisies were the nails that were struck through his hands and feet that their labouring after Hell their endeavors to be miserable their contempt of the goodness of God made him sweat drops of blood in the garden of Gethsemane that their delight in abusing God and in trampling on his Laws was that which made him shreek out to the amazement of Heaven and Earth My God my God why hast thou forsaken me that the heat of their lusts was the cause of his drought and proved the gall and vinegar that was given him to drink that their sinful lives kill'd him and their deadness in duty murther'd him that their impatience and unbelief haled him to the Cross and their impenitence was the cause of that purple flood which the Angels for the rarity and strangeness of it descended from Heaven to behold Consideration would lay before them all the curses of the Law the terror the consumption the sorrow of heart that anguish that attends sin in the end the troubles of Conscience it will raise ere long the frights the disquiet it will produce This would represent to them the flames that Dives felt and made the Wretch cry out for a drop of water to cool his burning tongue This would shew them what blackness sin doth cast on their understandings and that their being baptized into the Christian Faith doth signifie little except they leave their sins and that they do name the Name of Christ in vain without they depart form iniquity This would shew them their error in flattering themselves with the hopes of Gods mercy and demonstrate to them how ridiculous it is to believe that God will pardon them because they pardon themselves or that he will forgive them because they are loth to suffer This would shew them that God sees and hears them and will judge them and set their transgressions in order before them for all the seeming delay of his vengeance Consideration would discover to them the pardon and reconciliation they must go without if they do not speedily return the blessings they deprive themselves of the comforts they bid defiance to the light the favor of God and the mercy of Christ Jesus they must for ever want and be destitute of if they flie not into his arms with the greatest expedition and alacrity This would aggravate their sins make them appear in their proper colours and shew that they are no better than Cockatrices Eggs and Spiders Webs Have not you seen the crafty Spider weave a Net and then lie close in an ambush till the silly Fly dazled perhaps with the curiosity of the Net hastens to those unhappy Labyrinths but while she is sporting her self in those chambers of death out comes the Murtherer and leads the Captive wretch in triumph home Consideration would shew them that thus it is with sin that with much fair speech as that Harlot Prov. 7.21 22 23. it causes the sinner to yield with the flattering of her lips she forces him He goes after her straightway as an Oxe goes to the slaughter or a fool to the correction of the stocks till a dart strike through his liver as a Bird hastes to the snare not knowing that it is for life This kindness Consideration would do them Thus and thus it would tell them and this is it men are afraid of and therefore care not for entertaining it Their sins afford them present satisfaction and the pleasure they promise is brisk and lusty on their fancies their body feels it their eyes see it their ears hear it their tongue tastes it it tickles all their senses it makes them merry and jovial and makes their blood frisk and dance in their veins It makes them forget their sorrows and puts the evil day far from them Frequent converse and long acquaintance hath made their friendship with sin inviolable And though it is really the greatest evil and the cause of all evils in the World though it murthers while it laughs and poysons while it smiles and cringes though it is so merciless that not contented to kill the body it attempts the soul too yet having like the Prophets Ewe Lamb 2 Sam. 12.3 been nourish'd and kept by its owners for many years and being grown up together with them and having eaten of their meat and drank of their Cup and lay'n in their bosoms and been to them as a Child the fondness is grown so great that nothing can make them willing to part with it Hence it is That Consideration is look'd upon as a sawcy ill-bred unmannerly Messenger that would part the dearest friends divide sin from their souls and cause a civil War in their bowels destroy the reigning power of Vice attempt its strong holds and storm its fortifications They lie encircled in its arms and though they hang all this while over Hell-fire by a twin'd Thread though God all this while shakes his Rod over them and while they hug the sin is preparing the instruments of death and whetting his Sword and bending his Bowe and making it ready yet it seems such is the present hearts-ease sin affords so sweet is the sleep it yields that men care not for being awak'd by Consideration We should wonder to see a man that 's ready to starve for want of food refuse the bread or meat which we offer him and wonder to see a person that 's ready to perish with cold reject the fire and cloathing we have prepared for him and wonder to see one who is blind scorn the help of him that would certainly restore him to his sight and wonder to see one who is fallen among Thieves and Robbers make light of the assistance of a Prince who offers to rescue him out of their hands And dost not thou wonder O my soul at the insufferable stupidity of sinful men that entic'd with the
We would have healed Israel but they would not be healed XII Impediment XII Deluding themselves with the notion of Christs dying for the Sins of the World Why should they consider how to be rid of Sin and lay the pleasures of Holiness before their eyes Why should they torment themselves with thinking how Gods favor may be purchas'd and involve themselves in anxiety and trouble about their transgressions When Christ hath done all that is to be done appeas'd his Fathers wrath against the lapsed Progeny of Adam and purchas'd them a glorious freedom from the slavery of a severe Law If he hath satisfied God for the injuries he received by any sins why should they make a new satisfaction by holiness of their Lives Is not that it which all Pulpits ring of That the Eternal dyed that we might not dye eternally and that God would suffer that we might escape Torments for ever That Christ would be Crown'd with Thorns that we might have an incorruptible Crown of glory hereafter And that he endure'd Reproach and Calumnies and Contradictions of Sinners against himself that we might inherit everlasting Honour And why should they disparage Christs sufferings so much as hope to gain Heaven by mortification of their Lusts and poring upon their sin and misery This would be to undervalue so great a blessing and to tell the world that Christ's purchase of eternal glory for us was imperfect and without there be an addition of our own works and merits that redemption signifies little and hath not strength enough to pass what was design'd by it Thus men prevent Consideration of their spiritual Concerns and dash the checks and motions of their Consciences when prompted to call their wayes to remembrance They examine not the end of Christs death nor their own obligations They run away with the notion that Christ dyed for them and are not at all careful to know what his death signifies much like heedless servants who before they have half their errand run away and when they come to the place they are sent to know not what message to deliver The Doctrine is pleasing to their flesh and that they may not lose that pleasure they 'll be sure not to enquire what the true meaning of it is Would they but cast their eyes upon that Bible which they believe contains the Oracles of Heaven they would find that the great reason why Christ gave himself for us was to redeem us from all iniquity and to purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works Tit. 2. 14. They would find St Paul was of another mind when he wrote to the Romans In that Christ dyed he dyed unto sin once but in that he lives he lives unto God likewise reckon ye also your selves to be dead unto sin but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin but yield your selves unto God as those that are alive from the dead and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God Rom. 6.10 11 12 13. And that the Apostle is constant to himself appears from 2 Cor. 6.15 Christ dyed for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which dyed for them and rose again And indeed this is no more but common gratitude so great a mercy challenges no less than Reformation and Obedience Do men gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles He that redeems another from Barbarian slavery doth it so much as enter into his thoughts that the Wretch can ever be so inhumane as to despise and scorn and vilifie so great a Benefactor That God could have given man access to his favor and reconciliation some nearer way than through the Cross and Death of Christ is very probable but it seems he would not This remedy was his choice he would pitch upon this stupendious way to amaze and to astonish men into holiness and seriousness He thought men could not possibly avoid being Converts and heavenly-minded when they should see the Son of God wading through blood and death to rescue them from Hell God look'd upon the mercy to be so dreadful and the kindness to be so full of majesty and compassion together that he thought the incomprehensibleness of the favor would carry terror with it and fright men into repentance and contrition He thought men would have so much sense and modesty in them as not to rush through agonies and torments and groans and sobs and sighs and tears and wounds and stripes of the Son of God into eternal destruction He thought those Thorns and Nails that wounded that sacred Head would scratch and sting them into awe and reverence of so great a love as they were rolling to eternal flames He thought they must divest themselves of all Humanity and Self-love if under the Cross of Christ they could work out their own damnation and make the streams of that blood a River to carry them into eternal darkness But thou hast seen O God and beholdest and canst not but behold it with sorrow and indignation how these men that pretend to be Christians live the reverse of thy designs How they improve the Cross of Christ into affronts of thy power and glory How under that Tree of Life they work out their own death and how that precious Blood doth but encourage them to bid defiance to Heaven and the sweat and toyle of the Son of God under the burthen of their sins makes them sweat and toyle to fall a Prey to the merciless Clutches of the Devil God indeed reconcil'd the World unto himself and Christ by his death purchas'd that reconciliation and eternal life but there is a great difference between the purchase of these blessings and the application of them between the possibility of possessing and the actual enjoyment of them A man may buy an estate and intend it for the use of such and such persons but when he hath bought it for them may lawfully tye them up to certain conditions upon which they shall enjoy the estate or in case of neglect of these conditions go without it A King that 's justly offended with his Subjects and for their notorious Rebellion hath design'd them all for ruine and destruction upon some noble attempt and generous enterprize of his onely Son the Prince may be mov'd or brought to a willingness to pass by their crimes but when the Kings good will is obtain'd the Prince may justly appoint some condition upon which the condemn'd Wretches shall receive their great Masters favour And as upon the Kings good inclination to be friends with his Subjects it doth not follow that he is actually reconcil'd to every one there being some conditions required upon which the Pardon shall be sign'd and sealed to every one of them in particular so neither do all men effectually
a heart that hath any sense of Religion or Honesty nor do I see that people believe me any whit the more for swearing but I render my self ridiculous and make people think me dishonest unfaithful and treacherous who make so little conscience of what I say How can any man trust me that hears me abuse the best and deerest friend I have or what credit can any man give to me that sees me so treacherous to God to whom I owe all I have Can there be greater ingratitude in the World than I am guilty of by this sin the Air I breathe in the Earth I tread upon the Ground which nourishes me the Fire that warms me are all the Gift of God and is this the return I make to take his Name in vain that supports and maintains me Do I make nothing of God's threatenings How often doth he manifest his displeasure against this sin in his Word and can I think I am not concern'd in the commination what hope can I have that Christ's Bloud will save me when I swear it away and thrust it from me with both Arms how justly may God damn me that do so often wish for it and is there any thing in nature so barbarous to it self as I am in praying to God as it were to deliver me up into the clutches of the Devil No Devil would wish himself so ill as I do my own Soul and is there nothing in the inhumanity and horror of the sin to discourage and terrify me from it Did the Swearer but ruminate on these disswasive arguments how would it cool his courage but neglecting that he neglects his restorative and speaks as if he would be revenged on his Maker for giving him a Tongue How soon would the bladder of Pride break did the proud man but consider that he is Dust and what a wretched sinful creature he is and how much worse than other men and how much he forgets the Humiliation of the Son of God who being in the Form of God thought it no robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation becoming obedient to the death of the Cross how odious this lofty Spirit is in the sight of God how amiable Humility how God detests the one and embraces the other how pride keeps out the operations and influences of God's Spirit and how the Holy Ghost refuses to come and lodge in that Soul that swells with vain conceits of its own worth how pride keeps him a stranger to himself how it makes his neighbor hate him raises him enemies and makes him an object of contempt and scorn how all the gifts and blessings and priviledges he enjoyes are but the effects of God's charity how the stately Fabrick which his Soul doth animate must shortly return to the earth from which it was taken what condescension God uses towards him how God who commands Heaven and Earth becomes an humble suitor to his Creatures and instead of consuming courts them to yield to his requests and injunctions how noble and generous it is to imitate him who is eternally happy in himself how in the Grave all distinctions dye how unfit that person is to be a Christian that is a stranger to meekness and humility how those that have domineer'd in this World and trampled upon Men and have thought it their interest and glory to despise their equals and inferiors are now roaring in the burning Lake and how they would now be contented to be the poorest meanest and most contemptible creatures in the World provided that they might be but freed from that never-dying Worm that gnaws their Souls and how shortly this pride and haughtiness if not seriously and timely repented of will end in weeping and gnashing of Teeth Were but these things rightly and seriously ponder'd it would cause a very strange alteration in the lofty censorious Man's designes and resolutions but while these observables are passed by as things out of his element no marvel if he idolizes himself and like a Hedgehog wraps himself up in his own soft Down and turns the Prickles to all the world besides Let the Soul that 's careless of God's service and lukewarm neither hot nor cold but try it and reflect Lord And is this a service fit for him that is of purer Eyes than to behold iniquity Is this slovenly Devotion a sit Present for him who searches the Hearts and the Reins should my Servants serve me as I do God how ill should I resent it and dare I offer the blind and the lame to God which I would scorn to accept of from my Slaves and Vassals I would have my Prayers heard and answer'd but how can I hope they 'l pass for acceptable sacrifices in Heaven when they want the fire of the Sanctuary to give them Flame will God mind a Supplication in which I do not mind his Greatness Majesty and Holiness or can I think God is so fond of answering my requests that he matters not with what frame of Heart I approach his Throne when the Primitive Christians that certainly knew best what was to be done in order to Salvation as having converse with the Disciples and Apostles of our Lord when they consecrated that time when their spirits were most lively to pious exercises and look'd upon that Religion as dead that had not fervency for its ingredient shall I hope to come off at a cheaper Rate Is the King immortal invisible blessed for evermore to be put off with the chips and shavings of Devotion should not I give him the cream and marrow of my endeavours that hath greater power over me than my Master my Father or my Prince so great a God and so mean a Sacrifice so infinite a Majesty and so pittiful a Present How deliberate how circumspect am I in my addresses to my King and is not God a greater Prince than he what is my careless devotion but mocking of God and my drowzy Prayer what is it but playing with him at whose Presence the Mountains tremble Am not I afraid of vengeance or can I think God will suffer a wretch that lives upon his mercy and makes no better return go unpunished How justly may he deny me his Grace and assistance who do not seek it more earnestly How justly may he say Depart from me I know thee not who am so indifferent whether I enjoy the light of his countenance or no How justly may he refuse to be found by me who seek him as if his favour deserved no pains or trouble Strive as it were for your lives to enter in at the strait Gate saith the Great Redeemer of Man and is this taking the Kingdom of Heaven by force when I look upon it as a thing that may be had at any time upon a Lord have mercy upon me Is this wrestling and striving when I suffer any outward worldly concern though never so slight and trivial to take me off from minding the great concern of my
to these sublunary Riches break into longings after a nobler Inheritance but neglecting this he Serpent-like feeds on Dust and prepares for anxiety discontent and vexation of Spirit and for a miserable death like a Hog lies rooting in the Earth and buries his Soul in a Chest of Money despises all admonitions to Charity and like the Smiths Dog can hear the hammering and beating of his Master and endure the sparks flying about his ears without being stirr'd or concern'd at it Hypocrisie is a sin which the painted Christian does not easily part withal yet would he reflect like a person that hates to sow pillows under his own Elbows can I read Christ's discourses against the Pharisees and not ask my own heart whether the Pharisees temper be an emblem of my complexion Have I no self-end in any Religious Duty What is it puts me many times upon doing good applause from Men or the love of God Do not I pretend God's Glory sometimes when I aim at nothing but mine own Do not I draw nigh to God with my Lips when in my heart and conversation I deny him Do not I by pretending to please God neglect my Duty to my neighbor Am not I more severe in pressing the lesser concerns of Religion than I am in urging the greater Doe not I commend that in a rich or great man which I can reprehend in my inferiors or meaner persons Do not I require those Duties of other men which my self am loath to practise Do not I applaud my self for my own sanctity while I despise others whom I fancy not so Holy as I am Am not I more curious to know other mens conditions than mine own Am not I more zealous in publick than I am in private Am not I Religious for filthy lucre's sake Do not I make a gain of Godliness and use Religion as a cloak to cover my secret sins Do not I make Devotion a scaffold to erect my own credit and profit by What is hypocrisie if this be not Though I can hide it from the sight of Men can I conceal it from him who knows my down-sitting and my up-rising and understands my thoughts afar off Can I remember the fate of Judas and not think of a serious repentance Can I hear the Son of God call so often Woe Woe to ye Hypocrites and hug the sin in my bosom Shall I harbor a Snake there which will sting me into endless gnawings of Conscience How shortly will all these delusions be discover'd Before I am a few days older God may summon me and lay open all my deceits and juglings in Religion Do I think to blind the Eyes of him in whose Book all my Members are set down Is the portion of Hypocrites no discouragement What promise in the Gospel can I lay hold of during this condition They all run to the upright in heart and must I go without these Cordials Must I see others run away with these Treasures while my self can expect nothing but Gods curse and anger Must I see others go to possess the Promis'd Land while I must stay behind in a Wilderness Must I see others gather Manna and feed upon the rich clusters of Canaan while my own Soul must perish for want of that Bread of Life Lord who shall abide in thy Tabernacle who shall dwell in thy Holy Hill He that walks uprightly and works righteousness and speaks the Truth in his Heart And must I have no seat in yonder Mansion No House in that Jerusalem which is above No habitation in that City which hath foundations whose Maker and Builder is God O my Soul stay not here in Mesheck dwell no longer in the Tents of Kedar Away and hate this Garment spotted by the Flesh. Such serious thoughts would check Hypocrisie but the vain man hardens his Heart against them locks them out will give them no entertainment and that makes him serve God to please the Devil and turn Religion into a meer shew and formality burn in Words and freeze in Deeds and like that Son in the Gospel say I goe Sir but he goes not From the Premisses we may easily guess what to think of other sins viz. that the great cause of them is want of consideration and therefore the Holy Ghost likens men that live in any sin or indulge themselves in any transgression to a Horse that rushes into the Battel and considers not what he doth ventures among Swords and Arrows and the greatest dangers without recollecting what will be the issue of it Jer. 8.6 Consideration is the Bridle that must govern our sense and appetite take that away and the Beast runs away with the Rider and hastens him into a thousand inconveniences CHAP. VI. Of the various advantages of serious consideration it 's that which makes a man master of all Christian Duties it helps a man to improve sublunary Objects into Heavenly Contemplations It 's the greatest support under afflictions disposes a man to be a worthy receiver of the Lords Supper Prepares him for an Angelical Life on Earth makes him prudent and discreet in Secular affairs and businesses THough in the preceding Chapters we have already in a great measure discover'd what Men may hope for from Consideration and of what use it is to a truly serious and Christian life yet we must not leave so rich a subject thus without giving an account of some other positive advantages which do render it very desirable to a rational man And 1. It hath most certainly a very great influence upon all Christian Duties whatever qualification Christ or his Apostles require or recommend it 's by consideration of the excellency and dignity of that Duty that Men must expect to arrive to it The first and great Commandment is Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and will all thy Soul and with all thy mind But he shall never be master of this Duty that doth not frequently and seriously consider the immense and stupendous love of God to him and indeed then I may hope to be acquainted with a sincere and cordial love to God when I give leave to such considerations as these to impregnate my understanding O my God can I think of so great so holy so infinite so merciful so munificent a Being and forbear to be enamour'd with thee whence are all my Mercies but from thee thou art the Spring the Fountain of them all Whatever Blessings are convey'd to me by the hands of Second Causes they come originally from thee and thou mov'st and order'st those Second Causes to come in to my assistance By thee have I been upheld ever since I was born when I lay in the shades of nothing thou didst awake me into a Being gavest me a rational Soul a Soul capable of admiring adoring and worshiping thee and ever since thy mercies have follow'd me and thou hast been a pillar of a Cloud unto me by day and a pillar of Fire by night what Parts
Gifts or Abilities I have they are thy Gifts and Characters of thy Compassion Thou order'st my steps thou art about my bed and about my paths and dost preserve me in all my ways many a time should I have stumbled and fallen and perish'd irrcoverably but that thou hast supported me and given charge to thy Holy Angels to be my Guardians O my God! how often have I deserv'd thine anger and yet in the midst of thy wrath thou thinkest upon mercy What judgements mightst not thou have inflicted on me for my wilful sins but thou hast sent none as yet and all to magnify thy mercy every morning thy mercies are renew'd upon me and with the natural there rises upon me the Sun of righteousness with healing under his wings Thou prosper'st my endeavours givest success to all my lawful undertakings thou preserv'st me from those disasters which befall other men How wisely dost thou order my affairs How often dost thou bring light out of darkness and turnest my affliction into the greatest joy How wonderufl are thy Providences to me and mine How often have I fear'd such an accident would be my ruine and God hath turn'd it into the greatest good How wisely hast thou many times denied me temporal mercies because thou hadst a mind to enrich me with spiritual Blessings in Heavenly places What Friends what Benefactors hast thou rais'd me How miraculously hast thou turn'd the hearts of Men many times into mercy and compassion for my good How often hast thou heard my Prayer and granted me the request of my Lips When I have been in the greatest straits how hast thou shewn me a way to escape How strangely hast thou wheel'd things about for my deliverance How hast thou allur'd me by the various tokens of thy Love to love thee better than the World How great hath been thy care of my temporal concerns but how far greater thy care of the weighty concerns of my Soul How strong have been the convictions thou hast vouchsafed me How great the light thou hast imparted to me How bright that knowledge thou hast revealed to me How numerous the checks of my own conscience which thou hast sent me How frequent the motions of thy spirit thou hast shed into my Soul How often hast thou reason'd the case and expostulated with me and as the Angel did to Balaam stood in a narrow way where there was no turning neither to the right nor to the left and all because thou wouldst not have me stand out any longer against thy most Gracious offers of Salvation How hast thou adjur'd me by the bowels of Jesus by the wounds and agonies of the Son of God to dye unto sin and to live unto righteousness How strange hath been thy condescension and doth not all this deserve my love Is not here enough to warm my affections towards thee False stubborn heart What canst thou plead for thy averseness from God after such a prospect of his favours Notwithstanding my long contempt of these loving kindnesses of the Lord I am alive yet and on this side Hell How may I stand amazed at this prodigious long suffering of my God Had any man but shewn me the ten thousandth part of that love which God hath manifested to me how should I love him how should I adore his Name How should I study to please him What pains should I take to manifest my gratitude How should I revere his memory How should I speak of his favours How should I praise his munificence Can mans kindnesses be so prevalent and shall not the goodness of God fire my Soul into a practical love to his Name Can I do less than love him to whom I owe all I have To love him is my happiness my interest my greatest felicity O my God shall I love a little shining Clay a little Dust a little Earth and not love thee who art worth more than ten thousand worlds Shall I love Father and Mother and not love thee who hast been better to me than my Parents and when my Father and Mother have forsaken me hast taken me up and with everlasting kindness visited me Shall I love my Friend and shall not I love thee my Joy my Treasure my Hiding-place But how can I love thee except I keep thy Commandments How can I be thy Friend except I doe whatsoever thou commandest me Shall I love thee in words only who hast loved me in Deeds Shall I flatter thee with my Lips and hate thee in my Heart Shall I Judas like kiss thee and betray thee love thee and love my sins which are thy greatest enemies did I but love thee as I do a dear friend how easy would all thy Precepts seem How little reason should I have to complain of the tediousness of thy Yoak What great what noble what generous actions would thy love put me upon Should I pretend to love my Prince and affront his Law how soon would my love be accused of a lye How can I be said to love thee while I hate to conform my self to thy Will and Pleasure How vain will my love appear in the last day if it hath been a stranger to obedience here The Angels love thee and they have no other way to demonstrate their Love but by running at thy commands Doe I hope to be like unto the Angels of God hereafter and shall not I take pattern by their obediential love while I sojourn here O my God thou art the proper object of my love I rob thee of thy Honour and commit Sacriledge if I love any thing here below better than thee I am married to thee and I must love nothing above thee When no eye pittied me to have compassion upon me when I was cast into the open field to the loathing of my Person Ezek. 16.5 6 7 8. thou didst pass by me and sawest me polluted in mine own Bloud and saidst unto me when I was in my Bloud Live thou didst cause me to multiply as the bud of the field and when it was the time of Love thou didst spread thy skirt over me and coveredst my nakedness and swearest unto me and entredst into a Covenant with me and I became thine and shall my Soul be married to so great a Prince and play the Harlot O my Lord hast thou united me so close unto thee and shall I defile my self by setting my love on trifles What Man what Devil can hurt me while I love thee without whose command no creature dares stir or move What should discourage me from loving thee when I have all the promises of the Bible to prompt me to it If I loose in this World by loving thee hast not thou Treasures enough to recompence my losses If men despise me for loving thee hast not thou Honour and Glory enough to crown me withal If I do not thrive in outward Riches by loving thee hast not thou who art rich in mercy a pearl of price to bestow upon me
when this life is ended I 'll trust thee O my God and when my lusts invite me to act like a Beast I 'll obey thee and strive to be perfect as thou art perfect when Men entice me to sin I 'll hearken to thee and venture the disgrace or injury they can inflict upon me when the World tempts me to be careless of my Salvation I 'll follow thee and work out my Salvation with fear and with trembling Thus I 'll manifest to the World that thou art dearer to me than all that 's great or rich or glorious in the World Delight in God is a Duty as necessary as the former but how is it possible I should ever arrive to it without I summon my Soul by consideration to take a view of the Glory and Beauty which sparkles in that amiable Being I shall quickly feel my Heart in another temper than ordinarily I do if I bespeak it in such language as this Delight in God! O my Soul canst thou name that charming name of God and feel no joy no gladness in thy affections Is God so dull an object that it cannot stirr or rouze thee from thy Lethargy where dost thou see a more lovely Being survey the World where is there so ravishing an object Can there be a lovelier Being than he from whom whatever is beautiful in Men or Angels flowes How beautiful must he be to whom all these inferior Beauties owe their Being If the streams be so lovely what must the water in the Fountain be Alas what is the Sun but a dark Lanthorn in comparison of God What is all the light our Eyes behold but a rush Candle to him that is the Father of Lights Truly the light is sweet and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the Sun Eccl. 11.7 Indeed whatever is rich and to be admired in objects would signify nothing to us without light and if created light be so delightful O God how amiable must thou be who dwellest in a Light inaccessible If the Sun and Moon and Stars deserve my delight how more justly may the Great Creator of all these challenge it whose Glory doth infinitely transcend all the little twinklings and radiations which shine in sublunary objects O my God were thy Beauty view'd as it shines in the works of Creation as it sparkles in thy wise ordering and management of the World as it blazes in the redemption of Mankind as it glisters in Regeneration of the Soul as it dazles the eye in the glorification of a sinner how lovely wouldst thou appear And since neither thy Being nor thy Works are in vain since what thou art and what thou doest must needs be for some certain end what can I conclude but that thou discover'st so much Beauty and Splendor and Glory to poor Mortals because we should rejoyce and delight in thee and be ravished with thee O my Soul without this delight in God thou canst never be happy God is thy adequate Object and thy Center and he alone can give thee rest and except he fills and satisfyeth thy powers they 'l be forced like Noah's Dove to flutter and flye up and down wander in a desart and loose themselves in a barren Wilderness When thou delight'st in God thou art at rest and thy rest declares thy happiness How canst thou hope thy Religious exercises will be accepted in Heaven while thou know'st not what this Holy delight doth mean The Heathens guess'd at the acceptance of their Sacrifices by the chearful burning of the Fire upon the Altar The greater thy delight is in God the stronger Argument thou hast that thy Devotion meets with applause and approbation in Heaven Variety is strangely delightful to thee here on Earth and why then hath God so little of thy delight though God be but one yet in that one God are so many pleasant objects that wert thou to live here a thousand years in this one God thou might'st every day meet with fresh objects of delight with this God thou art to be ravish'd to all eternity and then sure there is variety enough in him to revive and recreate thee for a few years in this present World Survey all his blessed Attributes his Holiness his Omnipresence his Omniscience his Immutability his Immensity his Wisdom and Eternity survey his Goodness to Mankind his Perfection his All sufficiency his Willingness to advance Man to the enjoyment of that Glory which the blessed Angels do possess survey his Revelations his Manifestations of himself to this dark ignorant World his Statutes and Judgements and Laws and the Reasonableness and Equity of them all survey his various Dispensations under the Old and New Testament his Methods of converting Men and the various degrees whereby he hath proceeded in the reformation of the wretched Progeny of Adam survey his wonderful love in Christ Jesus and his pitty and compassion to Rebels to Traitors to his greatest Enemies survey the benefits and advantages which arise from Christs Passion Resurrection Ascension Intercession Survey his Promises and Threat'nings his mercy to the penitent his justice to the unbelieving sinner Survey his mercies both publique and private both Spiritual and Temporal and his various favours to all Mankind to thy fellow Christians to thy Relations and thy self Survey the priviledges he allows to those that fear him how he gives them leave to call upon him answers them when they call permits them to call themselves his Children his Darlings his Favourites his Jewels his Friends and the apple of his Eye Survey the Glory which God receives from all his creatures in that all conspire to fulfil his Will Survey the Joy the Glory the Happiness the Triumph the Songs the Halelujah's which he hath designed for his Servants whereof they have a taste here and which e're long they shall enter upon to their Eternal content and satisfaction O my Soul who can express all the pleasing objects which are in this Glorious God thou dost adore Vast Ocean of Delight How can my Soul be weary of Delighting in thee where every object is of a multiplying Nature and the farther I goe the more charms I meet withal every Beam every Ray that darts from thy Throne every work of thy Power and Oh how infinite is the number of them administers Delight And sure he deserves to be starv'd that may come to those Waters of Life and is invited to participatte of this Milk and Honey and to delight his Soul in fatness preferrs the stolen waters of sin before these living Waters which like those in the Aesculapian Well are not capable of putrifaction Look O my Soul look with pity on the poor distracted World that delights in things hellish and sinful worldly mean and trivial they dream they eat and drink and are at a great Feast but in the morning when they wake they find themselves empty A rational complacency in God is Angels food this is the meat thou must live upon for ever
thou delightst in a curious Picture why not in him that 's altogether lovely Thou delightest in a delicate shape why not in him that 's fairer than the Children of Men Thou delightest in a pleasant Garden in well-ordered Walks in flowry Meadows why not in him whose Gracious Presence can make a Dungeon a Paradise Hoise up thy Sails O my Soul let thy desires crave all that 's rich good and magnificent why in God thou hast it all in a most eminent manner while others delight in their plenty thou canst delight in him who is plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon him while others delight in knowledge thou canst delight in him in whom are all the treasures of wisdom while others delight in the protection of their friends thou canst delight in him who is a present help in the time of trouble while others delight in a stately Seat thou canst delight in the Secret place and in the shadow of the Almighty O my God thou satisfiest the hungry Soul and fillest the thirsty Soul with goodness They that cannot delight in thee have strange brutish Souls they see not how thou goest how thou my God goest in the Sanctuary they never felt thy Holy influences they know not what peace thou speakest unto thy People they are not sensible how thou dost encourage those that serve thee they are not sensible how great the rewards are thou hast laid up for Men that forget what is behind them and seek first thy Kingdom and its righteousness O my God I see how all the pleasant things of the World perish but thou art the same and thy years doe not fail and thou endurest from one generation to another here therefore I 'll fix my delight on this Rock I 'll build my joy while others delight in numbring their bags I 'll delight in numbring the loving kindnesses of my God while others delight in their preferment I 'll delight in being adopted into the glorious liberty of Gods Children while others delight in the greatness of their Relations I 'll delight in having the great Saviour of the World for my Elder Brother while others delight in their Farms and Oxen I 'll delight in my Title to the Tree of Life while others delight in Kingdoms and Principalities I 'll delight in him who hath made me a King and Priest unto God and to his Father I will delight my self in the Lord and he shall give me the desires of my heart Psal. 37.4 Did the man who is almost perswaded into Charity but seriously consider what a stress the Gospel lays upon this Pious liberality how Christ in the last day is resolv'd to insist more upon this Duty than upon any other how he is but a Steward of those blessings he enjoyes and how God gave him that Estate he hath with this very intent that he should be beneficial to those whom providence hath made objects of his Bounty how great an impediment his extream fondness of this worlds Goods is to his future happiness how it darkens his Graces clouds his Comforts hardens his Heart fears his Conscience enslaves him to the Devil how difficult nay how impossible it is for a man that dotes on these outward Comforts to become a true Disciple of Christ with what earnestness all the Prophets and Apostles of old have recommended this honouring of God with our Substance and with the First Fruits of our Increase how kindly God hath declared himself to this Duty how great Gods condescension is in being willing to accept of that as done to himself which is done to his servants or Christs distressed Members how signally he blesses this Virtue how all Faith is dead without it how vainly that man hopes for Heaven that hath no bowels of compassion I say would the man that is unresolv'd whither he shall deny himself and give away considerably to Pious uses but ponder all these arguments by the assistance of God it would make him resolve to lay by such a portion of all his gain and in-comes for Gods service and keep to it and stop his ears against all the suggestions of the Devil to the contrary and resign himself entirely to God's Providence and leave it to God how and when and where to make him amends for it and believe that it will most certainly be recompenc'd to him in the resurrection of the just Meekness in so great a Duty of the Gospel that Christ makes it the distinguishing character of his Disciples and indeed none is more likely to arrive to it than he that makes it his business to consider how famous some of the Heathens were for this Virtue how unworthy of a Christian it is to do less with all the helps of Grace than the other by the assistance of Nature only how this is to have the same mind which was also in Christ Jesus what mischiefs sudden anger hurries men into how severely the Great Redeemer of the World checks his Disciples that call for fire from Heaven to consume the Men who had denied their Master Lodging how great the conquest is to subdue those passions which would engage us to wrath and fury how discreetly that man can act that curbs those unruly affections how this excellent quality adorns the Gospel of our Saviour how it disposes Men for a satisfactory discharge of their Duty towards God how great evils and inconveniences it prevents how many times it melts the offender if there be any ingenuity in him and wins more upon him than all the fierce proceedings we call use how great a preparative it is for a good name and how Men who understand what self-conquest means cannot but commend and celebrate it how Heaven cannot but applaud it to see men strive to be perfect as their Father in Heaven is perfect how great wisdom it argues to be zealous in Gods cause when his Glory is affronted and meek in our own concerns and injuries what peace what satisfaction it causes in the Soul what blessings are entail'd upon it how comfortably those who have endeavour'd to be masters of this temper may leave this World and dye as the Jews say of Moses the meekest of men at the kiss of God into Eternal Glory Sanctification of the Lords day or which is all one consecrating that day to Gods service or spending it in publick and private Religious exercises in meditating hearing the Word praising of God good Works and Spiritual Conferences is a thing which devout Christians have in all ages thought themselves obliged to observe and certainly he will find great reason to follow them that shall engage his Soul seriously to consider some such circumstances as these How Holy is this day How should my Soul rejoyce at the dawning of it this is the day which the Lord hath made and which is to put me in mind of the greatest mercy that was ever vouchsafed to Mankind Can there be any thing more costly than the redemption of
displeasure thou art in pain but what is this to Hell-fire thou art in torments but what is this to the Agonies the unhappy Spirits in the burning Lake endure how great a mercy is it that it is not worse with thee The Waters of Marah which are but to the Ancles now how soon might God increase them to the Knees and make them a River that could not be pass'd over and he that doth but frown now how easily might he thunder Consider O my Soul thou art not call'd to Persecution to Gibbets to Fire to the Sword to Grid-irons to wild Beasts as the Martyrs of old were if thou complainest now what wouldst thou do if thou wert call'd to Martyrdom Look upon Jesus the Author and Captain of thy Salvation who was made perfect through sufferings art thou better than the Son of God look upon the Apostles look upon the Primitive Saints that were torn assunder stoned slain with the Sword wandred about in Sheep-skins and Goat-skins were destitute tormented afflicted and art thou a greater Saint than they why shouldst thou expect better dealing at Gods hands than they thou art not alone in misery thou hast whole Armies of Holy Men to bear thee company canst thou look upon yonder Heaven and repine canst thou behold that Glory which God hath prepared for thee and think much of these fiery Trials the hopes of a Kingdom makes a Captive Prince merry though he is in prison and shall not the hopes of yonder joys keep thy heart from sinking when a Socrates can chearfully submit to the unjust Sentence of the Athenians upon no other account but this because it was God's will shalt thou who art a Christian lye fretting at thy trouble as if thou meanst to resist and controul God's will wilt not thou give God leave to use that priviledge in his great House the World which every Peasant uses in his Cottage and lay what burthens he pleases on his Servants Shall he say Suffer thou this affliction and wilt thou answer with that ill-natur'd Son in the Gospel I will not Look O my Soul look upon the benefit thou wilt receive by this providence thou wast proud before stay awhile and this calamity makes thee humble thou didst despise thy God before have a little patience and this trouble will drive thee hence to thy Fathers house thou didst play with the bread thy Father gave thee this cross will teach thee how to prize it thou didst trust too much to thine own strength this calamity will make thee relye altogether upon him who hath promis'd not to leave us nor forsake us God knows what thou wantest and how thy wants must be supplyed He prosperity would undo thee he therefore takes it away and like a tender Father cries Do thy self no harm He sees such a blessing would make thee surfeit he therefore wisely prevents thy disease by depriving thee of that mercy He sees such a comfort would be but a Knife or Sword in thy hand and kill thee he therefore snatches it away because he would preserve thee from Eternal ruine he sees thou art too much in love with this world he therefore embitters thy sweet morsels to make thee weary of this barren wilderness and in love with that Kingdom which fades not away Dost thou blame a Physitian because he gives his Patient a bitter potion and wilt thou blame thy God for not pleasuring thy pallate with dainties which would encrease thy distemper wouldst thou followthy Saviour in Sun-shine only and not go with him into the Garden of Gethsemane wouldst thou inherit his Crown of Glory without wearing his Crown of Thorns here wouldst thou be with him on Mount Tabor only and not accompany him to Golgotha wouldst thou be about him only when he rides in triumph into Jerusalem and forsake him in the Desart wouldst thou follow him only while the loaves doe last and abandon him when he wants bread for the multitude wouldst thou own him only when men cry Hosanna and run away from him when they cry out Crucify him wilt thou eat of the same Bread he doth and not drink of his Cup too God would save thee by that burthen which lies upon thee and dost thou prefer a little froth before an Eternal weight of blessedness hadst thou rather enjoy thy good things here than lye with Lazarus in Abrahams bosom God sees thou canst not be happy without this affliction and wilt thou prefer living deliciously for a few days before the rich Banquet God hath prepar'd for his favourites in Paradise O my Soul it s but a little while yet and thy Prison will be changed into a Palace thy Poverty into Eternal Riches thy Bondage into perfect Liberty thy Persecution into endless Joys thy mourning Songs into Halelujahs thy Sorrow into Rivers of Delight Alas what is a Prison God's Presence can make it a Heaven Walls cannot keep out the Smiles and Glory of the Highest What is poverty it may consist with being a Favourite of God and he that hath nothing in this world to boast of may have an incorruptible Crown to lay hold of and be really richer than the weakliest of Mankind What are slanders and reproaches they cannot hurt the Soul whatever injury they only do the Body they come sometimes from Men whose tongue is no slander and this may consist with honour from God and reputation in the Court of the Almighty What is persecution a Cloud which soon passes away and he that chearfully endures it great is his reward in Heaven Despair not O my Soul thou hast to deal with a God who will lay no more upon thee than thou art able to bear but with the temptation will make a way to escape that thou mayst be able to bear it one that doth not afflict the children of men willingly one that will certainly if thou obstruct not his operation by thy unbelief cause all these troubles to work together for thy Eternal good May be thy troubles are altogether Spiritual and thou dost not complain so much because thou art destitute of outward conveniences as because thy God is departed from thee a deep sense of thy sins afflicts thee thou seest the wrath of God hovering over thee and God hides his face from thee thou art afraid thou dost not belong to him thou seest not thy former tokens nor feel'st those Gracious influences which formerly water'd and enriched all thy faculties but hast thou such low conceits of the everlasting kindness of thy God O my Soul why shouldst thou believe he hath forsaken thee when he doth give thee daily testimonies of his Love what greater assurance canst thou have of Gods love to thee and of Christs kind thoughts towards thee than thy weariness of sin Hast not thou heard thy Saviour call Come to me all ye that are weary and heavy loaden and I will give ye rest Art not thou weary of iniquity hadst not thou rather be rid of that burthen than keep
thou putst upon thine own Soul and is thy Soul so inconsiderable a thing that thou makest nothing of deluding and circumventing it What thinkest thou Sinner suppose thou didst see a Senate or Parliament made up of very grave wise sober judicious men who should unanimously give their verdict in a Cause and determine it and while these men after serious deliberation give their judgement in the case propos'd to them in comes the malefactor against whom they have given sentence accuses the Decree of the Senate of injustice charges their Vote with a lye and takes a great deal of pains to make the world believe a tale of his own making whom wouldst thou believe that grave wise judicious Senate or the Malefactor the Senate sure and then when God Angels and Men the wisest the gravest the learnedst of them do all unanimously determine that without a serious consideration of thy Spiritual concerns thou canst not arrive to any sincere reformation of life canst never know the danger thou art in or what thou must do to escape unquenchable fire and that without it thou art a truly miserable man and dost take the way that leads to destruction hast thou the impudence to oppose thy sickly opinion which arises from a distemper'd ed head and a more distemper'd conscience to the grave sound and orthodox judgement of Men infinitely wiser than thy self when all with one consent affirm that thou art sick to death and nothing but consideration can recover thee wilt thou cancel their verdict by prescribing to thy self medicines of thine own making all cry out against thy inconsiderate course of life God doth not justify it Angels do condemn it the Preachers of the Gospel confute it Philosophers arreign it thy Reason hath arguments against it thy Conscience chides thee for it thy sober neighbors reprove it and wilt not thou subscribe to their sentence what insolence is it to think thy self more knowing than he that knows all things Behold sinner here lies the way to Heaven God is intreating thee to walk in it the Devil is busy to discourage thee from it God saith Here I will be found the Devil suggests that the Sons of Anack dwell there God wishes thou wouldst yield and live the Devil that thou wouldst stand out and dye God seeks to crown thee the Devil to rob thee of thy Diadem God assures thee that this is the Garden where thy Graces must grow the Devil argues that nothing but Weeds and Thistles grow there All the dispute is who shall have thy Soul God or the Devil think sinner for God's sake think who is the Rewarder and who is the Tormenter who is the King that can save thee and who is the Executioner that studies only to ruine thee shall not God prevail wilt not thou give him thy heart and shall Satan goe away with thy Soul shall he possess that Treasure which Angels are ambitious of for shame let not God goe away empty think what a condescension it is in God to be willing to accept of so inconsiderable a Present as thy Heart what is thy Soul to him what benefit doth he receive by offering thee his bosom if thou hast such a mind to be the Devils slave what need God take pains to rescue thee from that bondage dost thou think he cannot live without thee dost thou think thy being in his Heaven doth add any thing to his felicity cannot he as well be glorified in thy Torments as he can in thy Salvation cannot he make his Justice triumph over such a stubborn wretch as thou art wherein doth his advantage lye may not he be God and Great and Glorious and admired by Angels while thou friest in Hell thou hast very highly obliged him indeed that he need be at all this trouble to make thee in love with his ways shouldst not thou stand amazed at his Favour shouldst not thou wonder that this immense and infinite Majesty will vouchsafe a gracious look to so vile a worm as thou art and canst thou see a God court thee and grow coy doth God offer to kiss thee with the kisses of his Lips and dost thou scorn his embraces canst thou see him carress thee and turn away thy face wilt thou prefer the motions of a lying Devil before the Oracles of the Great God of Heaven hadst thou rather goe along with him that will murther thee than accompany him that will encircle thy Head with a Crown of Glory shall God magnify his Mercy upon thee and wilt thou fall in love with his enemy doth God intend by making love to thy Soul to give a character to the world of his infinite goodness and compassion and darest thou be so bold as to lessen that character by thy contempt and ingratitude Behold sinner God is willing to lay aside his Flaming Sword thou shalt hear of him no more in the Earthquake or in the Storm or in the mighty Wind that breaks the Rocks in pieces but in the still small voice the voice of Boanerges shall sound no more in thy ears he 'll blow his Trumpet of War no more all his frowns shall be done away he 'll fright thee no more with Hell-fire if his Grace his Mercy his Compassion can but allure thee to bethink thy self and close with him and so to consider the concerns of thy Soul as to resign thy self altogether to his guidance and direction his Aspect shall be kind his Countenance shall be nothing but smiles his Face shall be a perpetual Sunshine if by consideration of thy ways thou wilt become sensible of thy former folly and throw it away and take up with him alone if his kindly Beams can thaw thy frozen Heart if his calm can win thee and make thee prostrate thy self before the Lion of the Tribe of Judah Heaven and Earth shall be no longer in conspiration against thee and thou shalt not need to look any more for Thunders and Lightnings from that Heaven stand still sinner and see the Salvation of God behold Grace and Mercy lies weeping at thy Feet the free the soveraign the extensive the attractive Grace of God comes wooing to thy Soul and doth bespeak thee in this manner Hold Hold thou poor besotted creature whither dost thou run Hear hear I bring thee the joyfullest tidings that ever were brought to the ears of Men God will be thy Father the Lord Jesus thy Saviour the Holy Ghost thy Comforter the Angels thy Companions thy Life shall be a perpetual Holyday thou shalt be a friend of God an Heir of Heaven and Coheir with Christ thy sins shall all be done away thy iniquities shall be remembred no more all the promises of the Gospel shall be thine God will vouchsafe to live with thee the Holy Ghost will make thy Soul his Temple thou shalt have strength to overcome Hell and Devils Flames and Swords and be more than a Conqueror through him that loved thee the Lord Jesus Christ ask a Heaven and
the bows and cringes whereby both great and small insinuate into her favour On her Head Draw a Tree whose Fruit is Gold and the Dew whereof hardens into Pearls let her right hand grasp a Crown and her left drop gifts on her Clients and Votaries But then when this proud Peacock is drawn thus in all her dazling circles forget not to Draw her ugly feet I mean an unquiet roaring disturb'd distracted trembling Conscience for into this dismal shape doth that lovely Mermaid end On the other side I 'll paint a Wilderness a Grove which wise Nature made and in it I 'll represent a devout Soul kneeling and with the Publican smiting upon her Breast then will I draw Heaven and out of that Heaven Grace and Mercy in the shape of an Angel flying down with this message Fear not I have redeemed thee thou art mine and holding a bottle under to catch her Tears immediately upon this the Holy Ghost shall be seen descending spreading his beams and warming that Soul and invigorating it to resist the World the Flesh and the Devil by and by the Glory of God shall appear and crown all with Peace and Joy and infinite content and Eternal Hallelujahs And now Sinner which of these Pictures wouldst thou chuse do not the homely feet of the former fright thee can all the Beauty thou seest in that painted Harlot countervail the misery it dies into is an ever-gnawing Conscience matter of sport and laughter when all these painted Gaudes must break into a dismal Dungeon wilt thou laugh awhile that thou mayst mourn and lament for ever But if thou art so fond of this dangerous Garden that nothing can reclaim thee from being delighted with it take thy choice give me the other Landskip I know this world Men are so fond of e're long will have an end and their pleasures will have an end and their sins will have an end and their glory will have an end but where these end Gods Justice and Indignation begins Blessed is the man that hath then the God of Jacob for his refuge the Lord will deliver him in the time of trouble what if I enjoy none of the worlds want on solaces I know where better and stronger Consolations are to be had what if Thorns and Bryars surround my Lillies and Roses I know they are but to preserve them and to hinder the Devil from tearing them to pieces these Thorns are my safeguard which will e're long be done away and when I am out of the reach of all enemies my Lillies will continue fresh and flourishing for ever what need I covet the world when I am made to live above the world what should I love this Earth for when I have a God to love why should I dote on Nature when I am in the state of Grace God hath made me many glorious promises how can I forbear rejoycing under the thoughts of them By Grace I am made partaker of the Divine Nature wonderful Dignity Being advanc'd so high why should I be enamour'd with a little Dust when God hath made me a King why should I debase my self or stoop to the mean employment of a Peasant I know God doth not see as man doth see a Soul that loves him above all is more esteemed in his sight than the proudest Monarch nor do rags fright him from fixing his habitation there where he meets with an humble broken heart let others glory in their great Titles in this I 'll glory that I am a Child of God Who can express the Honour God bestows on those that give their hearts to him To be a Child of God is infinitely greater Honor than to be of Kin to Princes or to have the Bloud of Nobles running in my veins A Father expresses greater endearments to him that participates of his nature and draws his substance from him than to him that 's only like him in the face how far greater love then may I conceive in God to a Child which by grace is a partaker of the Divine Nature than to the blessed Angels themselves The whole Creation in a manner participates of the Divine Nature but all other Creatures are but Pictures painted Images of that Glorious Nature he that is a Child of God is a lively Image of his Father which is in Heaven and he hath Fellowship and communion with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ. What mysteries are these things to a poor Worldling but Oh how comfortable to him that feels the good Spirit bearing witness with his Spirit that he is a Child of God! If God be my Father then all the Riches he hath are mine if he be my Father he cannot but take special care of me for Can a Mother forget her sucking Child that she should not have compassion on the Fruit of her womb yea she may forget yet will I not forget thee behold I have engraven thee on the palms of my hand Esay 49.15 16. Fathers sometimes expose their own lives to save their Sons God hath done infinitely more for me for he assumed humane Nature and exposed his life for me who was his Enemy and a Traitor to him that I might become his Son By Grace I am the friend of God if God had not taken me for his Child yet how excellent how incomprehensible would the favour be that he vouchsafes to take me into the number of his friends what a stir do men keep to purchase the friendship of Great Men how little do they esteem the friendship of the Almighty they have not Souls clear enough to admire the Mercy their understandings are too earthy to adore so great a bounty it requires too much Spirit and Mind to be ravished with such compassion A Friend is often loved better than neer Relations What may not I promise my self from this Love and Friendship of God What calamity or misery is there in which this love cannot hold my Head and keep it from aking To be loved of God is to be fed with the richest stream and to live upon Milk and Honey If God laid down his life for his enemies what will not he do for his friends when I was his enemy God seemed to love me more than he did himself and now that I am his friend shall I think he will love me less than an enemy How should I rejoyce to have such a friend as Jonathan was but alas what is this friendship to Gods love All humane friendship is perfect perfidiousness in comparison of Gods friendship God so loves his friends that he knows not how to be separated from them if God had no other place to move in but Heaven he would leave that Heaven and come down and joyn himself to those whom by his Spirit he hath adopted into the number of his friends so great so immense is his love to them He that is a friend of God becomes Gods individual companion What a favour would it have been counted if the
Son of God when he was on Earth would have joyned himself to one particular man and would have never departed from him What a priviledge then must it be for one who is Gods friend to have the Divinity always present with him not only as a companion but as an inhabitant for he dwells in us by his spirit Did ever any Father love his Son so as never to part company did ever any Mother love her Child as never to suffer it to goe from her Arms But God is continually embracing his friends Among Men a Father cannot be always there where his Son is but God knows not how to be from him that is his friend and though God be in all creatures by his Essence Presence and Power yet that is because he is God with a Gracious Soul he is because that Soul is his friend and if God were not immense and infinite and could not be with his other creatures yet he would be with such a Soul with whom he is one Spirit and if he could forget things yet he could not forget such a Soul or lay aside the thoughts of his prosperity and welfare and if he could forsake his other creatures yet he could not forsake such a Soul but would work always some good or other in her for Gods love being strong it s always active and where God bears a good Will to a Soul he cannot but communicate goodness to her And shall I after all this repine because I am not a Favourite of Kings and Princes when I have God for my constant guide and associate How should I stand amazed at the strangeness of the favour if God should charge all the Angels of Heaven all the ten thousand times ten thousand Spirits which wait upon him to goe and attend such a man with all the Grandeur and Majesty imaginable yet what is all this but a desart to Gods society in having him for my associate I enjoy more Dignity more Majesty more Pomp and Glory than if I had all the Armies of Heaven waiting upon me and can I think God is always with me and will not provide for me If I should neglect all things in the world and mind nothing but the things of God and my Fathers business I might he confident that he would feed me and support me because so Great so Good so Almighty so kind a friend could not see me perish The Son of God hath not honoured any Angel with the name of Brother and yet if I am united to him by Grace and by his Spirit I enjoy this priviledge and as Mothers love those Children most for which they have suffered and endured most so I may be confident that God loves me most fervently because he hath suffered for me on the Cross and endured most bitter tortures and agonies for me How may I exult how may I triumph in this love O my God! the Angels for the least drop of that Grace thou hast bestowed on them are more beholding to thee than all other creatures for all their natural gifts and for the creation of the whole world but for the least degree of Grace thou hast conferred on me I am more beholding to thee than all the Angels in Heaven for that I might live by Grace thou delivered thine own Son the Son of thy Bosom the brightness of his Fathers Glory to be crucified and to dye for me which is more than thou hast done for all the Angels in Heaven and thus thou hast obliged me more than thou hast done the Heavenly Cherubins and Seraphins Farewel ungrateful treacherous World I have seen enough of thy deceitful Presents I 'll follow thy weak judgement no longer I 'll esteem no Riches but what my Saviour hath counted so In following him I cannot erre self-denial and doing the Will of God were the Treasures he studied to be master of why should not I judge that to be Riches which God hath judged so why should not my mind agree with the verdict of the Most High Nay when God doth love me so entirely why should not I for love of him conform my understanding to his judgement I see those that love the world at the same time confess that they ought to love the everlasting Riches more for if the fading things deserve their love things permanent and solid and eternal ought to be loved much more I will not think much of afflictions now for I find that God by them would make me weary of my fondness to perishable trash and elevate and raise my Soul to embrace those Treasures which neither Men nor Devils can steal away Physitians I see when they would cure a sick man make him sicker than he is by enjoyning him abstinence by adustions by vomitives by putting him to greater torments I know my Soul is sick God would make it perfectly well but such is my sickness that God must put me to pain and anguish and great trouble before I can be well my Heart is all Flint but when this stone is struck sufficiently it will then send forth Holy Fire when my Flesh is weak my Strength will retire more to my Mind and Understanding and I shall be fitter for Heaven The glorified Bodies of Saints in the last day will be the more splendid and illustrious the more they have been afflicted and tortured here and shine the more the more dismal the Dungeon was they were kept in during their abode in this valley of Tears Why should I weep when God takes away from me the cause of weeping How many thousands are now weeping in Hell because they enjoyâ—d so much of the worlds comforts and made them occasions of affronting their Creator Shall I count that loss which is my gain and call my want of Riches a misfortune when it is the greatest remedy to fit my Soul for Heaven what is impudence is it in me to desire that of God which I ought to hate at the most love but with fear and trembling What inhumanity to my self is it to beg poison of the Father of Lights and to murmure that he gives me not that Viper which will sting me into endless tortures My love of the world is Adultery and shall I desire that wherewith I have committed Adultery Is it not all one as if a woman should entreat her Husband to let her enjoy the pleasure of an unlawful Bed the Husband doth shew great mercy to her in that when he might punish her more severely he only removes the Adulterer and shall I count that mercy an injury In wishing for the Riches and Greatnesses of this world I do as much desire God to give me that whereby I may offend him Shall I be angry with a Chirurgeon who to prevent the spreading of my Cancer cuts off a Member to preserve my life and shall I take it ill of God for wounding my Flesh to draw out the Arrows that stick in my heart and would fester and kill me if not
pull'd out betimes How shall I be crown'd if I strive not How shall I strive if I have no temptation I cannot strive without an enemy and without striving there can be no victory the Workman doth not pull the Gold out of the fire till sufficiently refined and shall I murmur that God lets the Fiery Trials continue upon me when it is certain that my Gold is not yet fit to be receiv'd into the Sanctuary I am full of dangers but my greatest danger is security Men fear and quake and tremble if they are in the midst of an hundred enemies I have all the Devils in Hell against me and a whole Army of Lusts bent to ruine me and am not afraid And when there is nothing can rouze me from my security but affliction ought not I to kiss the rod In the greatest troubles I may be assured that God loves me and that it is not his Anger but his Love that follows me with chastisements and why should I fret under the yoak especially when fretting and strugling to shake it off before Gods time doth but make my neck more sore and the yoak far more uneasy I brought the cause of suffering with me into the world which is sin and how can I expect I shall be freed from suffering till I am freed from sin God might have placed me in Heaven immediately upon my coming into the world without any of these outward troubles he could as easily produce Bread out of the Earth as he doth the Ears of Corn but that man may sweat and labour and relish his bread the better he causes only the Ears of Corn to spring and of them Bread must be made so by labour and suffering God leads me unto Glory that I may the better relish his bounty and liberality and my rest may be the sweeter after my toil and tempests here Affliction I know cannot hurt me for my Saviour hath been my taster there can be no bitterness in these herbs when my God hath season'd them Why should I love God less than dogs do their Masters These poor brutes are beaten and struck and chid and pelted with stones and yet the more they are beaten the more they love their owners and cringe and bow and humble themselves before them shall I be worse than a beast and shall I carry a rational Soul in my Breast and kick against those pricks which God hath set to guard me from Eternal Flames All my sorrows and bitterness will shortly be poured out into an ocean of sweetness and how little of it shall I perceive then it will then be all lost in a Sea of Glory and I shall forget that I was poor and wretched and naked and miserable when I shall be Eternally enriched with God bounty enamoured with his perfection decked with his Majestick Robes comforted with his Consolation delighted with his love enriched by his wisdom and satisfied with his beauty in whose Presence there is fulness of joy and pleasure at his right hand for evermore These are some descants upon that Picture of Retirement with such consolations can he that retires refresh himself while the man that wearies himself with the vanities of this world finds no solid peace and when he comes to dye must look back upon his former life with horror and anxiety But II. Another great help to Consideration is Prayer this is the Ambassador that must goe to Heaven and fetch the assistance of Gods Spirit from thence Consideration shews me my danger and my happiness but it 's the Spirit of God must blow upon my affections that they may actually shun the one and reach after the other and this Spirit must be had by Prayer not by Lip-labour not by Prayer unto which the heart is a stranger and knows not what the tongue means in making such a noise but by Prayer which expresses the real desires of the heart by Prayer that flows from a deep sense of the absolute necessity of the grace of God and hath Fire and Flames enough to bear it up into Heaven For if you which are evil can give good gifts unto your children how much more shall your Heavenly Father give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him saith Christ Luc. 11.13 and what kind of asking this is appears from the parable immediately preceding for which of you saith Christ v. 5. shall have a friend and shall goe to him at midnight and say unto him Friend lend me three loaves for a friend of mine in his journey is come unto me and I have nothing to set before him and he from within shall answer and say Trouble me not for the door is now shut and my children are with me in bed I cannot rise and give thee I say unto you though he will not rise and give him because he is his friend yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needs And then it follows immediately Ask and it shall be given you i. e. Ask for Gods Holy Spirit with the same importunity with the same fervency and earnestness that this man did the Loaves follow God with incessant cryes resolve not to be denied and it shall most certainly be given you The truth is importunate and fervent Prayer shews a man is in good earnest and that he doth not come to God out of formality or meerly to satisfy the motions of a fearful Conscience but that a great sense of the goodness and mercy of God and of his Spiritual wants and necessities puts him upon Prayer and such Prayers God cannot despise because he hath promised to hear them and of this the Evangelist gives us a very illustrious example in the woman of Canaan crying unto Christ Lord help me the answer is rough It is not meet to take the Childrens bread and give it unto dogs yet this doth not terrify her she doubles her cryes and seems to catch our Saviour in his own words Truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their Masters Table and now God can hold no longer but from his mouth drops the joyful word O Woman great is thy Faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt Matth. 15.25 26 27. Prayer sanctifies Consideration and where the Soul begs hard of God that God would set home the reflexions she hath had and work her into a willingness to close with his Will that he would increase that light which Consideration hath given her give that light fire too to warm as well as cleer her and drive and force those Convictions Consideration hath afforded her into a serious conversion terrify her so with that sight of sin which Consideration hath darted into her that she may remain no longer in the suburbs of Hell but come out of Sodom and so allure her with that beauty of Holiness which Consideration hath let her have a view of that she may not be able to resist the splendor but submit to the power
and send his Spirit so to move upon her affections so to actuate her endeavours so to encourage her with promises that it may not lye in the power of the Devil nor in the power of her Lusts to gain-say or contradict or dash the resolutions she hath taken where the Soul doth with strong desires pour out these her requests before God the good Father opens the Gates of Heaven le ts in the Messenger makes him welcome smiles upon him and sends him back laden with Mercy and puts words into his mouth and bids him tell the Soul boldly from that God who heareth Prayer I have heard thee in an acceptable time in the day of Salvation have I succour'd thee I 'll pour out my Spirit upon thee I will open a river in high places and fountains in the midst of valleys I will make thy wilderness a pool of water and thy dry land springs of water I will plant in the wilderness the Cedar and the Myrtle and the Oil-tree I will set in the Desart that thou mayst see and know and consider and understand together that the hand of the Lord hath done this and the Holy one of Israel hath created it 2 Cor. 6.2 Es. 41.18 19 20. Up then Christian who art resolved not to let the concerns of thy Soul lye at six and sevens who art afraid to hazard Eternity with the careless besotted world like another Lazarus beg Alms of the King of Heaven Cry aloud and spare not shew him thy wounds thy ulcers thy poverty thy want thy necessity let a greater fervency attend thy Prayer for Spiritual blessings than others use in begging for Temporal Mercies Prayer is the way to be enrich'd with all the Treasures of Heaven seek Gods assistance with tears in thine eyes remember thy Soul is infinitely more precious than thy Body and if a Beggar in the street is so earnest with those that pass by to give him something for the relief of his corporal wants oughtst not thou to be all fire to procure those blessings which will enrich thy Soul for ever Josephs Brethren were pinch'd with Famine because they knew not that their Brother reign'd in Aegypt why shouldst thou starve Christian when thy elder Brother reigns in Heaven who knows what thou wantest and is a faithful High Priest and is touch'd with the feeling of thy infirmities and was in all points tempted even as thou art Come boldly to the throne of Grace that thou mayst obtain mercy and find help in the time of need If God hath done good to others for his servants sake who have pleased him what will not God do for thee for his Sons sake in whom alone he is well pleased if God doth so highly esteem the Piety of Men that he professes for my servant Jacob's sake for my servant David's sake I will be kind to such a one will he derogate dost thou think from the merits and love of his own Son will he harden his heart or stop his ears or turn away his eyes when thou callest upon him for Christs sake to send down upon thee the day-spring from on high Christ is the very object of Gods delight nothing is sweet nothing is pleasing to him but through and in Christ what ever is amiable and acceptable in us it is for Christ his sake that God doth think it so Without light all colours are invisible there is no beauty in them the light shining upon them makes them look lovely and amiable without Christ nothing would appear pure or lovely or great or delightful He that looks on a green Glass fancies all things he looks upon to be green God looking upon our Holy endeavours in Christ Jesus they all appear to him lovely and good because all that Christ did was good and infinitely pleasing to him The world had perish'd ten thousand times if God had not look'd upon it through his Son and so supported it he that looks through a Glass upon a stinking carcass afar off doth not smell the ill scent of it so God through Christ looks upon our imperfections and he smells not the ill savour of our performances Take courage then and lay hold on the horns of this Altar and if thou knowest not what to say when thou hast taken a serious view of thy ways make use of this or some other Form Oh thou who art the Father of the Spirits of all flesh the Father of lights with whom there is no variableness nor shadow of turning here lies a poor miserable sinful wretch before thee not worthy to lift up his eyes and hands to Heaven I know not where to look for shame and confusion of face so long have I gone astray from thee so often have I provoked thee so often have I slighted thee so often have I turned thy grace into wantonness so long have I hunted after broken Cisterns which can hold no water forsaking the Fountain of living water that thou mayst justly absent thy self from me for ever so disingenuously have I dealt with thee so often have I endeavoured to blind thy all-seeing Eye and to cheat my self that thou mightst justly cause me to fall a prey to Satan look stern upon me and charge me never any more to see thy face O wretched creature that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Oh my Lord how often hast thou darted Rays of Light into my Soul and the impure fire of my Lusts hath prevailed against them how often hast thou suggested to my Soul the danger it hath been in and yet I have not trembled how often hast thou stung my heart prick'd it and goaded it into serious reflexions and how soon hath this vain world taken me off again and dull'd and dash'd those considerations how often hast thou sent sparks of Grace into my Soul while I have done what I could to smother that Holy fire how justly mightst thou say My Spirit shall no longer strive with thee O my God there is no plague no punishment that 's threatned in thy Law but I have deserved it I only stand amazed at thy patience that I have escaped so long without being consumed and ruined Wilt thou receive such a Prodigal into thy favour wilt thou be reconcil'd to so great a rebel wilt thou pass by unkindesses of so deep a Dye are the gates of Mercy open yet for so vile a wretch Doe not I come too late O my Lord to the throne of Grace will God be yet intreated for such a poor forlorn creature Is there yet compassion left for such a poor sinner O my God I question not thy Power but thy Will to pity such a Traitor as I have been I know thy Mercy is infinite it would be a disparagement to thy Glory and Perfection to deny the exceeding riches of thy Grace thou couldst not be God if my sins exceeded thy power to forgive but when I reflect on thy threatenings how justly thou denouncest wrath