seeking whom he may devour He watches for our Ruin and Seduction and therefore we ought to watch for our own preservation he is diligent to betray us and therefore it imports us to be very careful that we avoid his treacherous Snares He walketh about is never at Rest from attempting our Corruption seeks occasions lies in wait to offer us Temptations then when he finds us most unguarded then when he finds our hearts most light and vain and consequently most liable to entertain his Suggestions He watches what sinful Allurement is likeliest to take Effect with us by means of his observing what our General Temper of body most inclines us to or what our occasional disposition of Mind renders us the most subject to comply with and he baits his hook with such a Temptation as is most agreeable to our sinful Inclination which he hath aforehand discover'd or at least shrewdly Ghest at and therefore it nearly concerns us to Guard our selves against him with Watchfulness to keep us from those sins we are most inclinable to that they gain not the Dominion over us to keep us from Constitutional Sins to which our Tempers byass us from those of frequent occurrence from sins of Infirmity which being Lesser ones are on that account less Observable and Dreaded and consequently the more Dangerous to be very careful to avoid the Occasions of sinning the pre-dispositions means and opportunities leading thereunto to shun the very shews and Appearances of Evil In short to watch against all Sin and Temptation in General There is no Condition of life free from its Enticements to sinning they are apt to intermingle themselves with whatever we Think Speak or Act Wealth and Prosperity is a dangerous Temptation to the sinful Abuse of Divine Blessings into Excess and Wantonness into Pride and Carelesness into Forgetfulness of God and our Duty owing to him and Want and Adversity is a strong tho' undue Provocative to Distrust and Diffidence of God's Goodness presiding Care over us is an Incitement to Murmuring Impatience and Discontent with his Providential Dispensations So that in every state we are Unsafe and Insecure in every thing Sin lies at the door to surprize and Assault us its Snares are spread for us every where though we are insensible of them though perhaps for the present they have not in any Gross instance Caught and Entangled us and when we live thus among vicious Baits and Dangers always Near always Expos'd to 'em ought we not to be extream wary and vigilant Alass the Partition Line between Lawful and Unlawful is so small and narrow that the passage from one to the other is but a Step or rather if we advert not a sudden and easie Slip The utmost Freedom in things Allowable is a Bordering on the confines of Disallowable nay not only a Bordering upon what 's prohibited but also an hazardous Temptation thereunto We must not come Nigh a Pest-house if we would not be infected with its Contagion Temptation is indeed the Subject-Matter and Exercise of Vertue so far from Moral Evil in it self that 't is the Tryal and Improvement of our Graces the Tryal of an honest upright Heart of our sincere Love to God and Goodness of our resolved Constancy in the ways of Holy Obedience But however 't is a perilous proof of our Vertue and better be without the Proof than without our Innocency better be out of the reach of Temptation than by coming in its way endanger our being over-power'd therewith Yet since we can never be wholely out of the Reach of Temptation at least out of a Liableness thereunto good Reason have we to be continually watchful and circumspect over our Hearts and our Behaviour that sin through its Deceitfulness Gain not upon us For Satan's wicked Allurements his vicious suggestions could never take hold on us would never find Admittance into our souls were not the way prepared for their Entrance by our evil Lusts and corrupt Appetites those Foes of our own Household who like Treacherous false friends in a Besieged Cittadel set open the Gates thereof in time of Rest and Security for the Besiegers to enter in at Let us chiefly therefore have an observant eye over our own Hearts endeavour our utmost to free them of all impurities and beg of God that he would cleanse the Thoughts the Desires of our Hearts by the Inspiration of his most Holy Spirit and then we might bid safe Defiance to all the Devils wicked solicitations to all the Worlds enticeing Flatteries We are apt to say of Smaller sins of sins of humane Frailty and Infirmity of some Bosom Lust as Lot did of Zoar is it not a Little one and my Soul shall live But ah how do we deceive our selves with such vain words For can any Sin be Small which is an offence against an infinitely Great and Glorious Divine Majesty which is a violation of an Holy Just and Good Law can any sin be Small the wages whereof is Death Eternal The Price of whose Expiation was the precious Bloodshed of the Son of God The Distinction of sins into Greater and Lesser ones is made not in regard that Lesser sins for their matter are not Great ones in their Evil Quality are not great Repugnancies to the Divine Purity highly displeasing unto God equally exposing of us with Greater Vices to the Sentence of Condemnation and to a suffering the vengeance of Eternal fire but for that they are Lesser breaches of the Established Order and Harmony of things in this World Offer Less violence to the checks of our Consciences are Less offences against the well-fare of our brethren or smaller injuries to our own Temporal Interests whether of Mind or Body of Goods or Good-Name However in strictness of speaking Small Sins are of a great Guilt because more easily Resistible because the Temptation to them is Lighter and therefore a complyance with it is an Evidence of great Degeneracy of Spirit of an evil Heart within which chooses sin with Little Bait in great measure for Sinnings sake The Weakness of Assaults from Lesser Temptations adds to the inexcusableness of our Cowardice if we suffer them to vanquish us and therefore they ought the more unyieldingly to be withstood This then being my Duty watchfulness against all iniquity against all Temptations all Occasions tending thereunto I will by the Grace of God be very diligent in the Exercise of it And dothou O God strengthen my Purposes confirm my Resolutions Assist my sincere Endeavours of Striving against sin of Resisting all its Allurements of being brought under the Dominion of none of them O Lord lead me not permit me not to be led into Temptation but Deliver me from all evil both Moral and Natural Corporal and Spiritual for thine is the Kingdom the Power and the Glory for ever and ever Amen The Prayer O THOV Divine Supporter of the weak thou strengthner of such as do stand and Raiser up of them that fall
how can we expect to obtain Mercy from Thee if we Exercise it not first towards our offending Brethren O Rebuke in us then the evil Spirit of Rage and fury Dispossess and Change it into a Spirit of Mildness Still the Storms becalm the boisterousness of our passions which otherwise like a troubled Sea will never suffer us to be at Rest Convince us O Lord that Immoderate Anger is the Impotency of Reason and Vnderstanding the wild breaking Loose of head-strong lust and passion that 't is a short kind of Madness an Effect of Pride and Haughtiness the Discovery of a weak impatient and Effeminate Mind which can bear very Little And by force of these Considerations in Conjunction with thy Grace cause us to cease from Anger to let go wrath and have a care we fret not our selves in any wise to do evil Convince blessed God the furious that by studying Revenge they Resemble their Father the Devil the most Malicious of Beings that they act quite Contrary to thy Mercyful and Gentle Nature who takest not Advantage against sinners punishing them according to their provocations but much beneath their sinful Demerits Convince Passionate Persons that they are their own Greatest Tormentors while they possess not their Souls in Patience but turn other mens sins and offences into their own both Sins and Punishments O that we may therefore walk as the Ever-blessed Jesus did in abundance of Love Meekness and Patience and so find Rest unto our Souls O that we may put off all Anger Wrath Malice Strife and every turbulent uneasie passion and may put on bowels of Mercy Kindness Humbleness of mind Long-suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another If any of us have a Quarrel against any even as Christ forgave us Grant that we may do so likewise O Give us Grace to Quench the first Sparks of an Angry Resentment before they kindle into a flame not to suffer our whole Anger to arise but to suppress the smallest Beginnings of it before it Settles on our minds and grows to a greater height Convince us holy Father that we give place to the Devil when ever we indulge a furious Passion that the wrath of man worketh not the Righteousness of thee our God O thou therefore who Rulest the Raging of the Sea-Still the madness of our Passions O thou who commandest the Winds and the Waves and they obey thee allay the Storms of our enraged Displeasure Grant O Gracious Lord that we may so watch over the least Tendencies to immoderate Anger that the Sun may not at any time Go down upon our wrath that it may not ranckle into Hatred and a desire of a Revenge but that it may be as Soon Dismists as Excited Turn we beseech Thee our natural passion of vicious fury into the Channel of an holy Zeal for Revenge upon our Lâ—â—sts and Vices let us be excessively Angry at our selves instead of being Displeas'd with others for our weak estate in Grace and for our abounding Strength in wickedness O make us ward to Give an Offence and as forward to Forgive one offer'd us may a Spirit of Meekness and Gentleness Rest upon us let the Peace of God so Rule in our Hearts that we may Love and shew Kindness to our most implacable Enemies Cause us to Forgive as we Desire and Look to be forgiven make us Calm and Dispassionate that thy Dove-like Spirit of Truth and Holyness may visit us with an Olive-branch of Peace And then Tranquillity and quiet Sedateness of mind having been the General temper of our Souls on Earth we shall at Death be Removed as Quietly out of our Bodies into Celestial Regions where there is nothing but Eternal Calm 〈◊〉 the least Disturbance or Dis 〈◊〉 of Spirit Amen Amen Meditation IX Against the Sin of Murmuring and Impatience amidst Divine Chastisements IMpatience under Affliction is our punishment as well as Sin it frets and corrodes the Mind and thereby doubles upon us our sufferings adding to that of the Body that of the Spirit also and most Just and Agreeable is it that those who refuse submission to God's Government should be punish'd by their own perverseness Ah how foolish a Vice is Discontent with God's Dispensations of Providence toward us it can in no wise make our Condition better but will certainly render it much worse both on a Natural account and likewise by Divine most just Ordination For wriggling our Necks under the Yoke of Distress is the ready way to make it sit more heavy and Galling and Repining Discontent at the Chastisements of Heaven is so far from Relieving us of them that they provoke God both to continue and Aggravate them upon us Alass Man how knowest Thou but thy Affliction is Design'd to thee in Mercy but that 't is the Greatest Blessing can be bestow'd upon thee by keeping off the Greatest Plague Spiritual Sickness Death and Destruction And canst thou think it Reasonable to Repine at thy Soul's Cure or preservative in health Canst thou think it suitable to murmur at what may be thy highest instance of Happiness thy Greatest Matter of Rejoycing God sees thou canst not be happy Eternally and free from Temporal Affliction and hadst thou rather imprudent Creature enjoy thy Good things here with Dives than Rest with Lazarus in Abraham's Bosom God foresees that his Blessings of Earthly prosperity would be Real Curses unto thee by proving Dis-advantages to thy Soul and therefore is it he in Compassion with-holds them Thus he denies thee Temporal Riches that thou may'st be Rich towards God Rich in Faith and Good Works He with-holds from thee plenty of provision and fulness of Bread lest giving it thee he might send Leanness withall into thy Soul lest being full thou might'st Deny him and say who is the Lord He finds poverty of Spirit most consistent with thy poverty of Fortune he finds thy Dependance upon him the more firmly Establish't by dispensing to thee Day by Day his Fatherly Allowance Does he deny thee Health of Body and soundness of Constitution Why he does it 'tis likely to a very Good purpose that thy Soul may be the more healthy and Thriving in the Graces of his Spirit in Humility in Patience in Contempt of the World in Resignation to the Disposals of his All-wise and Just and Gracious Providence A person who does not consider 't is in order to his future ease and welfare will be apt to account his Chirurgeons painful Launcing and laying open the Ill-affected part in his Body a cruel unkindness unto him but he who is mindful that all the Smart and Anguish he is put to is only in order to his subsuent Ease and for Recovery of the unsound part to its accustomed Constitution This Man will be ready to Kiss the hand that probes and cuts him and will Thank his healer for dealing faithfully with him though never so severely Yet ah the perverseness which is in most of us who wound our selves by
the End of all things with us did it Determine and Annihilate our Beings it would be so far from becoming affrightful to the Wicked and Impenitent that they would rather gladly Welcome it as the Rescuer of them from what they most seared a Penal Retribution for all their heinous Provocations in this Life but the Consideration that the first Death is only an Inlet unto a Beginning of the Second which is never to have an End Oh how must this prove doubly affrighting to the Person unprepared for the Temporal and therefore obnoxious to the Eternal Death both reluctant Nature and Guilt causing him to Dread it The acute Dolours of an expiring Sinner's Body make him Wish to Dye but then the more torturing Terrors of his awaken'd Conscience urge him to retract those Wishes and to fear nothing more than a Dissolution which will bring him to Judgment and Eternal Condemnation and thus the Dyeing Impenitent is rackt and tortured between contrary Desires and Choices the Guilty Agonies of his Mind pain him more than all the Convulsive Severities of his Disease so that they Anticipate his Hell on Earth and give him to feel some of its Torments before he goes hence to Experience them in in the Gross But with the Righteous Godly Person it is not so Death indeed to him may look at first somewhat affrightful it being an abhorrence to Nature a forcible Separation of Soul and Body those Dear Companions but then being prepared for Death he living in a continual pious Expectation of it Faith Animating and Confirming Faith strips in his sight that King of Terrors of all his Dâ—smaying Gastliness shews him with his Sting the Guilt of Sin totally pull'd out by the satisfactory Sufferings of our Saviour bids the Good Man walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death and fear no Evil Gives him a Delightsome Prospect beyond the Grave Admonishes him to look forward to that Immortal Life and Joy and Glory set before him and in fine Represents to him a blessed Reunion of Soul and Body at the General Resurrection never to part never to be separated again Death to such a one is as a Welcome Night of Repose after the hard Labour and Toil of the Day They Rest from their Labours says the Scripture 'T is as the Enjoyment of the Promised Land after a forty Years wearysome Wandring in the Wilderness nay 't is infinitely more 't is the Introduction into an Heavenly Canaan and Oh how Transporting must it be to have Shot the periâ—lous Gulph of Death and to be safely Landed on the Eternal Shoar To look back with Pleasure on the Wrecks and Dangers we have happily escaped and to find our selves all on a suddain surrounded with New unexperienc'd unheard of and before unconceivable Enravishments Oh who would not Gladly Dye to become Possessor of such an Inheritance who would not gladly Live in perpetual Mortification here to be made Partaker of such Infinite Delights in a Future State Oh Our Life which we falsly so call deserves not so Good a Name Our Life on Earth is but a Death compared with the Eternal Life and Blessedness Above They only Live who being freed from the Fetters of the Body from the corruptible Principles of Mortality are out of a Capacity of Dying any more and enjoy the utmost Delights with a full Assurance of ever enjoying them But here in the midst of Life we are in Death not only â—â—â—ble thereunto but in an Actual Tendency towards it We draw in Vital Aire only to breath it out again and sleep the liveliest Image of Death is the best Repairer of our Life by reason of which frequent Repairs our Life seems no other than a successive Living and Dying Nay our very Health the height thereof what is it but the next step to a Declination into Sickness many times an immediate Cause and Occasion thereof for when the Blood runs highest thence often proceeds a Feavour and too Great a Quantity of Spirits may prove fatal as well as the want of them Just as an House may fall opprest with too much bulk and weight as well as through Weakness and Slightness of Building Ah then that Men who live in continual Hazard of Dying should yet demean themselves with such careless Security as if they were ever to Live Ah that upon this moment for ought we know may Depend our happy Eternity and yet we squander away whole Days and Years in Vanity O when shall we become wise and consider profitably our Latter End When shall we so number our perishing days as to apply our hearts unto Godly Wisdom Time passes on though we mind it not improve not its passing Time passes on and brings us every instant the nearer to Eternity O how ought we to take care that it bring us to an Eternity of Blessedness That the end of our Days prove to us the end of our Hopes even the Salvation of our Souls Alass what Vanity of Vanities what meer Nothings at the hour of Death will all things here below appear unto us which Now look so charming and take off our minds and endeavours from providing for our happy Departures How then will all our pursuits all our possessions of Honour of Riches and Pleasure appear as a Dream as a vanishing Shadow so that we shall at that time account the wisdom of this world folly and madness shall wish wish Earnestly that with all our other Gettings we had Gotten more Religious Understanding had layd up larger Comfortable Treasures of a good Conscience had been as industrious for the Concerns of another Immortal Life as for those of this vain Transitory one Let us therefore take Advice of Death in time of health Death is a faithful Counsellor and will not Deceive will not flatter us and seeing 't is necessary for us to Dye one time or other and as necessary unto Dying well that we often meditate upon Death let us make it the frequent Subject of our thoughts and in such manner view things Now as they will certainly appear to us at our near approach towards Death O may we not live in such a state wherein we would be unwilling to be Surpriz'd by Death unwilling to be call'd to Dye before we have lived to any good purpose but may we through the Spirit mortifie the Deeds of the Body that we may be made Alive unto God What we would wish were done when Dying let us do that Good and vertuous work at present and what wish were undone then let us shun that wicked performance now or if performed undoe it by Repentance before our latter End overtakes us So shall we be Ready for Dying so shall the Day of our Deaths appear better to us than the day of our births we coming into the world crying as born to Labour and Sorrow but going out of it Rejoycing as assured to find Rest and Ease and Enravishment of Soul Amen blessed Saviour Thou Resurrection and the
be over-purchased we cannot do too much for such a far more exceeding and endless weight of Glory and the more we do in Holy Services the Greater in all Likelihood will be our future Recompence of Reward By instantly beginning to live well we shall render the work the easier shall be better disposed to it our selves and shall have less to Repent of and Reform but the longer we delay Redeeming our time the Greater and more Difficult undertaking shall we find it when we set about it Every man has his Religious Task appointed him at his coming into this World to discharge before his Going out of it and each day has its peculiar Godly work and business assign'd it wherefore if we imprudently omit the proper employment of this day we shall have so much the more to do to morrow both this days Religious work and to morrow 's also Since then sufficient unto its own day is the vertuous Task thereof let us not through our present Omissions double and multiply our future pious Pains and Labours encrease by delays of Redeeming Time our work of Salvation and diminish at the same instant our strength and ability to perform it with So much Time as we have lost in the neglect of Piety and Vertue so much have we lost of our increase of future Happiness and of our weight of Eternal Glory and can we be content to loose yet more of it Can we be content through our mispence of Time to hazard the whole of Everlasting Blessedness Time present is our only state of Trial and Probation the After-Life determines our Condition to either Everlasting Happiness or Misery and therefore we ought to improve to the utmost instant Opportunities and to work out our Salvation to Day while 't is call'd to Day For our Religious Work is large and difficult the putting off a whole Body of Sin the putting on the whole Armour of Righteousness the subduing old evil habits a contracting by the Grace of God in Conjunction with our Endeavours new Vertuous habits the improving them into a Second Nature into a participation of the Divine Nature and Likeness All this we have to do in the short space of our Mortality in a Life but a Span long and therefore ought to supply our Poverty of Time by its frugal Well-management and by the Intenseness of our Affections and Services God-ward Making up in Industry and Zeal what we want in Time and obeying God universally chearfully fervently and constantly unto the End But oh the quite contrary Practice of the Generality of the World who are forward to improve every thing but Time which most of all requires improvement who pursue eagerly every Advantage but the Highest one their Eternal Salvation Ah doubtless he is unworthy of Eternal Life who seeks it not diligently as for hid Treasure who lives not to God and his own Soul Certainly he is unworthy to win the Prize of Heavenly Glory who runs so carelesly as if he matter'd not whether he obtain'd it or no! All that Time is but wasted whereof no part is spent in the Concerns of Religion The Prayer O Eternal God who wast before all Time and shalt continue to be when Time shall have an End in whose hands are the Issues and Disposal thereof seeing time past cannot be Recall'd by us cannot be lived over again Grant that we may Redeem it by a double diligence and improvement of the Remaining Season We improve O Lord every thing else O give us Grace to husband well our Time also we put out our Moneys to Interest we Till and Manure our Grounds we watch and make our best of every opportunity of growing Rich O cause us likewise to put out the precious Talent of Time to Interest cause us to Till and Cultivate our Souls that they may fructifie with saving Graces make us to be intent upon and manage to the best opportunities of growing wise unto salvation of becoming Rich in Faith and Good Works Convince us that unless we Redeem Time the Redemption purchased by our Saviour will nothing avail us Convince us that Time is the only season wherein to make provision for a blessed Eternity O may the dying man's wish the dying man's Good Resolution more Time better improvement of it might it be afforded him be the study of us Living men be our most constant care and exercise Give us to consider holy Father what one of the damned would give but for one more of those Probationary days which we squander away without any due regard or vertuous improvement Give us to consider that the abuse or neglect of Time will occasion us if persisted in a sad and mournful Eternity full of bitter Regrets and stinging Self-condemnations Ah gracious God do we live upon Moments Is each minute's Preservation a kind of Creation and yet do we make light of and trifle them away Ah wretched Triflers with our own safety and Everlasting Salvation Convince us convince us good Lord that the Day-time of our Lives is far spent that the short Remainder is hazardous and uncertain that the Night of Death may be nigh at hand and let these convictions cause us to walk as Children of the Day not in the evil works of Darkness but in employing well our Time and other Talents that we may not fall into the condemnation of the slothful and wicked Servant O suffer us not to fold our hands to sleep in the midst of so many and great spiritual Dangers wherewith we are encompass'd but make us to be intent on all Religious opportunities Since our days O Lord are but few upon Earth cause us by walking circumspectly to Redeem the time that they may not be Evil likewise or unprofitable Are holy Jesu Death and the Grave Judgment and Eternity not far from us and yet are we far from being ready prepared for them Live we as if we were to live always As if this was the only life and no future one to be expected O cause us to shake off this our careless security cause us to give all diligence to make our Calling and Election sure May the time past of our lives suffice ah far too much was it to have been mis-spent in sin and vanity wherefore for the time to come make us industrious and always abounding in the work of the Lord for as much as we know that our Labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. O Grant that every moment of time present may be precious unto us because the Interests of our precious immortal Souls depend upon it make us so well to improve Time as that it may be the securing unto us of an happy Eternity Amen Amen Meditation III. On the Folly and Danger of deferring Repentance TO delay present Repentance in hopes of future Conversion is alike imprudent as for a sick Man to neglect the present use of Medicines in hopes of future Health and Recovery whenas by his neglect of Remedies he in
that of an Afflictive sense of having no Lot or Portion in the Love and Enjoyment of God an infinite Good Sin must needs be the greatest Evil the worst of any thing which is Enemy to either God or Man because 't is God's usual method to punish sin with sin when all his other Reclaiming Essays of Providence have through the obstinacy of the sinner proved ineffectual I will chuse their delusions says God and give them over to their Iniquities he that is unjust let him be unjust still and he that is filthy let him be filthy still As if to be a Sinner was misery sufficient and no vengeance for Impiety like that of being permitted a continuance therein The exceeding Great Malignity of Sin is in nothing more seen than in this that it cost God more to Redeem the World than at first to Create it cost him but the fiat of his Will but a Word 's speaking to make it out of Nothing but stood him at the invaluable Expence of his Son's Blood to Ransom it out of worse than Nothing a polluted sinful self-undone Condition At God's Creation of the World there was only want and absence of previous matter whereout to make it no repugnant inaptitude no contrariety in the subject whereby in the least to obstruct or retard the Divine Efficacy whereas in the Redemption of the lost World there was the deep rooted Corruption of our Nature inveteracy of Evil Custom and Habit depravity of Affection and perverseness of Man's Will to be conflicted with and overcome by God's Spirit by his holy Word and Sacraments before the Ransome purchased could be applyed and made Savingly Effectual So much more is there in Sin of inconquerableness and Difficulty of subjection than in the most difficult and miraculous material product of an Almighty power O let but our thoughts carry us to the places of our Saviours bitter Agonies and Sufferings and there let us behold him greatly Amazed and sore troubled Sweating great drops of blood bowing beneath the weight of his Fathers Displeasure crying out Father if it be possible let this cup pass from me and at last suffering on a painful and Ignominious Cross those extream torments both of body and mind which the sins of all Mankind had deserved which none but the Manhood in Conjunction with the Godhead could have undergone and which were abundantly Sufficient to Expiate the Guilt of the whole world and of multitudes of worlds were multitudes really existing Let us consider our Blessed Lord suffering all this though without Sin in himself only because he had taken it on him by Imputation and by becoming our Surety bore the iniquities of us all and then let us if we can continue to think so Lightly so harmlesly oâ— Sin as we do Here 's a sight our Redeemers Crucifixion which at once shews his inestimable Love to us and the mighty Malignity of Sin in that nothing Less than his precious Bloodshed that Seal of the New-Covenant could Aâ—one Divine Justice and do away the Guilt the Condemnation of our impieties The Prayer O Thou immaculate Purity Thou perfectly holy and Righteous Divine Being who hast manifested thy Love to holyness and thy Hatred against all impiety chiefly in sending thy Son into the World by his pure Example and by his holy Doctrine to destroy the sinful works of the Devil and to promote a Life of uprightness O that those Excellent Graces which shined so eminently in our Saviour may be formed within us thy servants the Hope of Glory that the life which we henceforth lead in the Flesh may be by the Faith of the Son of God Conform us we beseech thee to his Image in Holiness making us partakers of a Divine Nature Ah blessed Lord 't is not the Guilt 't is not the Condemnation of sin we so much desire to be deliver'd from as the foul stain and pollution as the Reigning power and prevalency thereof destroy then Vice within us as well with respect to the inward Love and Approbation as to the outward Act and Performance While we are in the World preserve us holy Father from the Corruptions of the World suffer not sin to have Dominion over us in any kind for we are not under the Law but under Grace O may thy Grace be sufficient for us Keep us holy Spirit by thy power thorough Faith unto Salvation Let not Sin Reign in our mortal Bodies that we should fulfil the lusts thereof but Grant that thy good Spirit thy holy Word and heavenly Graces may bear sway in us and abound Turn our Eyes from beholding sinful vanity and cause thou us to make much of thy Law O give us to behold more of the malignant Nature of Sin of the Turpitude Folly Baseness and Ingratitude thereof and then shall we more thoroughly Grieve Detest and Resolve on the abandoning of it Convince us gracious God that Sin 't is the greatest of Evils and then shall we betake our selves to Thee the greatest of Goods work in us that Holiness without which we not only Shall not but also Cannot see Thee the Lord by reason of a natural Incapacity in us for Seeing Thee O divine Object of blessedness imports Enjoying thee a seeing thee with Delight and Satisfaction and this we can never do unless we first become Like Thee in Purity in the holy Tempers and Dispositions of our Souls O lay in us that Foundation of future Happiness Grace the Hope and Qualification of inheriting Endless Glory Lord we are poor and blind and naked blind as to true saving Knowledge operative by Love poor and naked as to any inherent Acceptable Righteousness of our own O let us be cloath'd upon with the Robes of thy perfect imputed Righteousness we are Dead in sins and trespasses O do thou Quicken do Thou Raise us up to Newness of Life and Obedience Purge our Consciences from dead Works that we may henceforth serve more Acceptably thee the Everliving God Let our lives be a continual Endeavour of subduing in our selves the Love of Sin of becoming Enamoured with the Beauty of Holiness of becoming Like thee therein more Approved of by thee and every way such as Thou wouldst have us to be Cleanse us O God from all filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit and cause us to endeavour after the perfecting of Holiness in thy fear And then Holiness the chief ingredient of Heavenly Happiness being our New-Nature being the fix'd Temper and Habit of our Regenerate Minds we shall be both Meet for Heaven and our Souls will Tend thither as to their proper place and most desireable state of Enjoyment Amen Amen Meditation V. On Watchfulness against Sin and Temptations THat this is a Duty our Saviour teaches us Watch and Pray says he that ye enter not into Temptation that ye come not within the reach or first Enticements thereof And St. Peter exhorts Be ye sober be vigilant because your Adversary the Devil goes about as a roaring Lion
for his plaâ—â— of Worship and Residence Make 〈◊〉 such a Remove from all uncleanness 〈◊〉 the outer 〈◊〉 as to hate the very Garment 〈◊〉 with the Flesh as to become 〈◊〉 of Angelick Purity as if we were not cloath'd on with Rayment of Moriality as if whether will St. Paul we were in the Body or 〈◊〉 of the Body it was uncertain O Divine Spirit of Purity thou Author and Preserver thou Beginner and Finisher of the Grace of Chastity as 〈◊〉 all other Good and perfect Gifts let 〈◊〉 Consideration of thy unspotted Purity preserve us from all filthines both 〈◊〉 Flesh and Spirit and may the apprehension of thine All-seeing inspection who art of purer Eyes than to behold 〈◊〉 least Speck of iniquity with Approbation Awe us into an entire Sanctity O our God how ought we to offer up our Souls and Bodies Living Saerifices Holy Pure and Acceptable unto Thee whenas both are the purchases of thy Dear Son 's most precious Blood both are the Care and Protection of thy Good Providence the Temples of thy blessed Spirit when as both bear the beautiful impressions of thy Wisdom Power and Goodness both were Dedicated to hy Service in Baptisme and have frequently since Renewed their Engagement of Renouncing the World the Flesh and the Devil O keep us to the performance of this solemn Engagement keep us to a Reverencing of our Humanity which God hath Dignified by his susception thereof keep us undesiled both in Soul and Body And wherefore O blessed Saviour to what End were we Redeem'd by thee But that we should be Redeem'd from all Iniquity and purified unto thee a peculiar peopole Zealous of Good works O purifie us thoroughout by the Spirit in Soul Body and Spirit May we live no longer after the flesh fulfilling the impure Lusts thereof having a Name indeed to live yet being Dead unto the Life of Grace but Grant that mortifying through thy Spirit the deeds of the Body we may live a life of inward Peace and Joy and Freedom from the slavery of serving diverse corrupt Lusts and Passions Enable us holy Jesu to take up the Banner of thy Cross against the World the Flesh and the Devil to Crucifie the Flesh with its corrupt Desires and Affections hereby shewing that we are Thine followers of thee as dear Children in all Purity and Chastity That so possessing our vessels in Sanctification and Honour we may lay them down in a pious Hope and receive them again in a Joyful Resurrection when the Bodies of Saints shall Rise first and the Bodies of Virgin-Innocencies with a brighter Lustre and Ray of Revived Glory Amen Thou Resurrection and the Life Amen Meditation VIII Against the Sin of immoderate Anger AH did but a furious Angry Person behold himself in the midst of his unrulely Passion and see his own Blood-shot Eyes his Distorted Face his wild Disorders of Countenance Speech and Gesture he would I perswade my self be so out of Love with the unseemly Picture his Anger drew of him as to fly and abhor it ever after for 't is a Passion which for the time is Raging Madness which puts a man Besides himself out of his own power and keeping perverts the Order of God and Nature in our Primitive Constitution causing Reason that Spark of the Divinity that at first design'd Ruling Faculty of our Souls to Crouch and become Obeysant and headstrong Lust and Passion to be Uppermost and Domineer Ah how doth impotent Wrath and Fury debase and vilifie Humane Nature transforming a man into Wolf or Bear into a Lion or Tyger so that with some shew of Reason did the Pythagoreans Fancy a Transmigration of such wild and savage Souls into the Bodies of as wild and savage Beasts for how should they be suitable inhabitants of more calâ—â— and peaceable Receptacles And upon account of this Tumult and Disorder of Soul which the Vice of inordinate Anger and other Passions put us in the Stolck-Philosopher advises his Wise Man to a Total suppression and Eradication of all Passion that hereby he may live undisturb'd and at Peace in his own Bosom But the Good Christian abstains from undue Anger upon higher Considerations viz. for that 't is contrary to his known Duty and to the Divine Precepts enjoyning Meekness of Spirit for that 't is Displeasing unto God rendering of us unlike Him who is Patient and Long-suffering contrary to our Saviour's Calm and Gentle Temper and Behaviour for that also Anger indisposes a man for Communion with God in Prayer and other holy Exercises and makes his Soul an unquallifed Temple for the Dove-like Spirit of Grace to keep his Residence therein For if the Divine Spirit of Prophesie under the Law a Law for the Hardness of Jewish hearts less strictly restraining Anger and a desire of Revenge rested not however on the head of a furious passionate person at least not till his Anger was over and dislodged much less can we think that under the state of the Gospel a more meek and Loving Dispensation the Celestial Spirit of Meekness and Gentleness will inhabit a passionate malicious or Revengeful persons Soul No 't is Meekness and Humility 't is Good Nature and Slowness to Anger which consecrate ouâ— Souls Sanctuaries to that God whose Sovereign Attribute is Clemency and Goodness and our being in a lower Measure endued with this is that which makes us partakers of the Divine Nature for God is Love says St. John And furthermore that a violeâ— passion of Anger or any other inordinate perturbation of Mind are utterly inconsistent with the Quiet and peaceable Spirit of God which 〈◊〉 it descended formerly on our Saviour in the Shape of a Dove descends now only on Meek Dovelike Dispassionate persons the sacred Scriptures do plainly and abundantly testifie for when the Prophet Elijah was upon the Mountain Horeb there came a Great Strong Wind but the Lord was not in the Wind and after the Wind an Earthquake but the Lord was not in the Earthquake and after the Earthquake a Fire but the Lord was not in the Fire Last of all came a Still Small Voice an Emblem of Meekness a Cessation of all former boisterous Commotions and then was it that the God of Peace Unity and Concord was more immediately present 1 Kings 19. 11 12. A Calm Joyous Unmolested temper of mind is a lively Representation of the Celestial state of Blessedness a fit Preparatory for it and which makes an Heaven upon Earth to the man who possesses it but a furious Angry Disposition is all its Contraries 'T is an Argument of a weak pusillanimous Spirit which can bear nothing to be in a passion upon every provocation a sign that the mind is Galled and fretted within that the Owner thereof has no Command or Governance over himself but is rather at the Disposal of others who can discompose him when they please But a truely Great and Noble Spirit is Superiour to many Lesser Affronts and not immoderately