world Get some speciall acquaintance with God with Christ and Heaven Do good to the soules and bodies of others as you have opportunity especially in your family Blesse God much for Christ and the worke of Redemption and look and long for Heaven See Goodwin of sanctifying the Sabbath Expos or 4th Comm. Shepheard c. SECT XV. Of Fasting and Humiliation 1. AS necessity requireth and opportunity is offered be often in the duty of self-examination soul-humiliation with fasting and prayer 2. Improve publick daies for that purpose 3. Keep some private in your family and in your Closet because of family and personall necessities Zach 12.12 And for direction in it having considered your necessities set a fit and free time apart put your heart into a posture and sought God's presence set about the work 1. Jach 12.12 Dan. 9. Lam. 3.39 Let your private and family duties of daily course look towards it 2. Sit down and examine your hearts and lives and find out your speciall sins and transgressions in every age in every relation place c. 3. Dan. 9. Having found them out set them home upon your hearts in the consideration of their nature number and aggravations 4. Draw up against your selves the sentence of the law of God Gal. 3.10 5. 1 Joh. 1.9 Put your selves into the presence of God and make large free and ingenuous confessions of sins both of nature and life Ps 51.17 6. Get your hearts humbled under them in God's sight and desire him to work you to it 7. Dan. 9.7 11. Acknowledge your deserts of death and damnation and of your particular affliction 8. 2 Cor. 7.11 Worke your hearts to hatred and abhorrency of your sin and expresse it sincerely 9. Look upon God in Christ as gracious Exod. 34.6 and mercifull willing to pardon sin 10. Dan. 9.19 Plead hard for pardon in the bloud of Christ 11. Present Christ Jesus as your sacrifice Levit. Rom. 3.25 once offered upon the crosse ever presented in Heaven let faith apprehend it apply it and present it unto God 12. Ps 51.7 Beg God's cleansing and sanctifying grace 13. Ps 51.13 Renew your covenant for better obedience in the bloud of Christ with a sincere heart and desire God's acceptance and grace 14. Pray for the removall of the judgment with submission to Gods will Dan. 9.16 effectually pray for the sanctification of it and for support under it with patience to bear it pray then too for the blessings to be desired as it may be for your good and God's glory 15. Remember then your family relations friends those that have desired your prayers the needy sad tempted and afflicted servants of Christ 16. Ps 51.18 Dan. 9. Ezek. 9. Enlarge in your prayers for the whole Church for the Land King Magistrate Ministers and People Confesse Nationall sins considering your share in them mourn for them strive with God for mercy c. wrestling with God in Christ 17. Towards the close confesse your failings in the present duty John 14.13 14. beg acceptance through Christ and conclude with blessings If it may be continue in this order while strength lasteth but be sincere fervent and affectionate in all 18. Then read some portion of Scripture to the purpose Ezra or as God shall direct spend some considerable time in so doing with reflection and meditation upon what you have read 19. Proceed again to Prayer bewailing your defects in the duty of the day looking over your confessions and making them up in renewed acknowledgments The like in the other parts of the duty Ex. 33.4 5 6. Jona 3.6 Joel 2.15 16. 20. Abstaine from ornaments accomodations and refreshments as long as you are able to help you in Humiliation or to expresse it and to quicken you to prayer 21. Is 58.7 10 In the close devote your selves to God and give something as you are able to the poor 22. Be often in such duties Dan. 10.2 3. as occasion requireth and while God is afflicting you or his people walke humbly and lay aside your ornaments and abate your refreshments and be much in prayer SECT XVI Of Spirituall feasting on Christ CHrist Jesus his body broken and his bloud shed affords spirituall nourishment with plenty life and sweetnesse to the soule that is interested in him Joh. 6.51 to 63. and lives upon him There is a Spirituall and a Sacramentall feeding on Christ For the Spirituall see Joh 6.54 for the Sacramentall see 1 Cor. 11.23 1. As often as you can receive and improve the Sacrament There are many good and Books to direct as Roberts Dike Bolton Pemble Bradshaw c. 2. When you cannot Sacramentally see that spiritually you feed on this body and bloud of Christ For Directions take these 1. Rom. 3.2 3. Consider your necessities sins wants and weaknesses to sharpen Hunger and Thirst for Christ Joh. 17.3 2. Call forth at solemne times for that purpose your know ledge of Christ especially in his death Zach. 12.10 Is 53. tot Ps 22. Math. 27. 1 Cor. 2.3 3. Let â—aith set a dying Christ before you in your thoughts and meditations with your sins and God's wrath upon him 4. Put in practice by godly sorrow what is set before you Zach. 12.10 Zach. 12. while you look on him whom you have pierced let sin then appear exceeding sinfull because besmeared with the bloud of Christ 5. Apprehend and apply by faith the love of God and the love of Christ in dying for you Gal. 2.20 Rom 5.6 Gal. 2.2 and John 3.16 and 1 Joh. 3.16 6. Look upon Christ in dying as your surety Heb. 7.22 Eph. 5.2 and as your sacrifice in your name and steed Rom. 6 7. Gal. 3.13 Rom. 3.25 Dan. 9.24 Look on Christ in his death as answering the Law satisfying justice taking away sin bringing in everlasting righteousnesse establishing the covenant of Grace and making a purchase of grace and glory Heb. 9.15 Eph. 1.14 Rom. 6.6 giving a deadly stroke to sin and breaking the Serpent's head c. Heb. 2.14 8. Draw by faith all manner of virtues from him to mortify sin to quicken grace to strengthen faith and refresh your souls 9. Eph. 1.3 4. Be much in thansgiving to God for his Son and adore the Love 10. 2 Cor. 5.14 Improve all to Argument against corruption temptation and the world See Rom. 6.3 Titus 2.14 2 Cor. 15.14 11. 1 Cor. 6.20 Give up your selves again in an everlasting Covenant to be the Lords to live to him and if need be to dy for him 12. Depend upon the satisfaction of Christ Heb. 9. ult and expect the vertues of his Death till he come again in glory and take you up with himselfe that you may be for ever with him Long for his immediatee presence and hasten to it See Bp Taylor Rev. 22.20 latter end of his
Crums of Bread FOR The DOVE in the Clefts of the Rock and the secret places of the Stairs Cant. 2.14 Or HELPS to MEDITATION On Conversion Mortification Sanctification the Christians daily walke Communion with God c. With Directions for profitable Reading the Scriptures and good practicall Books For a Friend By J. T. My Friend ACcording to your deserts and desires I here present to you some broken Thoughts directions remembrances references for the better improvement of your Solitudes and retirements for Meditation and Reading I have ranked them under severall heads given you but briefe hints leaving the enlargements to your own thoughts what more might be required you may supply from the Scriptures your Sermon-Notes and those good books to which I have referred you Each SECTION after that you have perused the whole affords you matter enough for one Solitary season at the least and when you have done with this you may have more as God gives opportunity I begin with the subject of Conversion Regeneration and the first work if it suit not your concition you may commend it to such as you love and know may need it I leave it with you as a token of my respects for you and your Spirituall concernments God give his blessing to it and if it any way help you in your Meditation and Reading I shall desire no more then your remembrances of me at the throne of Grace J. T. SECT I. Of Conversion Regeneration c. IT is to be presupposed in order to the improvement of the following Sections that as you have been under the meanes of Grace so you are indeed in a state of Grace if you are not Consider 1. That Conversion Regeneration Obs a state of Grace and interest in Christ by faith are of absolute necessity unto salvation The Scriptures do abundantly prove it Proof turne to read and take these few for a triall John 3.3 c. Heb. 12.14 Mat. 18.3 Joh. 3.16 c. All good Reason is for it 1. Reas Without an interest in Christ thou hast no title to salvation 2. Without regeneration thou hast no fitnesse for it And 3ly Eph. 2.12 Heb. 12.14 Pro. 3.3 Hab. 1.13 Without such termes God is resolved that he will not 4. His nature is such in Wisedome Holinesse and righteousnesse Appl. that he cannot give it resolve then for it and set about it speedily seriously and to the purpose sue and seek to God for the grace and apply thy selfe to the use of the meanes with hungrings and thirstings after righteousnesse with humility faith prayer and diligence Prov. 1.7 In order to it take these Directions Direct 1. Math. 16.26 Heb. 1.13 Rom. 10. Rom. 7. Joh. 5.28.29 Rom 3.23 Gal. 3.10 Eph. 2.1 2.3 Eph. 2.12 Pro. 15. 2 Cor. 5.18 1 Tim. 1.15 Rom. 3.25 Heb. 10.15 16 17. John 3.16 Mark 1.15 Consider Thou hast a precious and an immortall soule there is a God that is Holy Just and Good he hath given thee his Law and Gospell Heaven and Hell in endlesse eternity are before thee death and judgment hasten a pace a world of sin both of nature and of life may be charged upon thee the law is against thee the curse and wrath of God is over thee thou hast no hope nor helpe in thy selfe nor in all the creatures and without a Christ and Grace and a changed state thou wilt be undone for ever For thy encouragement to thy duty understand and believe That God is in a way of grace and mercy Christ Jesus came into the World to seek and save sinners as a surety and sacrifice he hath died satisfied Gods law and Justice established a Covenant of Grace and salvation on termes of faith repentance and new obedience Heb. 5.9 Prov. 12. makes the tenders of grace and reconciliation in the ministry of the Gospell to thee hath along time been calling upon thee 2 Cor. 5.18 19 20 21. Prov. 1.23 is still waiting woing and beseeching thee to accept of him and grace his spirit is ready to help thee there is nothing wanting but thy free and full consent Heb. 3.8.12.15 ô continue not as too long thou hast done already in a state of sinne and enmity unbeliefe and unregeneracy to the disappointments of Grace 2 Cor. 6.1 the abuse of the Gospell Heb. 2.3 Heb. 10.29 Mark 16.16 2 Thes 1.8 the griefe of the spirit the reproach of the blood of Christ and the remedilesse destruction and damnation of thine own soule Repent and believe the Gospell receive Christ and Grace apply thy selfe unto thy duty in faith repentance and new obedience and thou shalt not miscarry Pro. 3.16 Rom. 8.1 2 3. thy sinnes shall be pardoned thy person shall be justified thy nature shall be changed thy soule shall be saved John 3.36 2. Understand what is required of thee and expected from thee in the termes of the Gospell faith repentance and new obedience in short 't is thus John 17.3 Pro. 3.33 Rom. 10.10 11. Rom. 1.5 1. By faith thou art 1. To apprehend 2. To assent unto 3. To apply unto thy selfe and 4. To improve the discoveries made unto thee 1. Of sinne and wrath in the Law of God 2. Of Grace and mercy through Christ in the Gospell of Salvation 2. Lam. 3.40 By Repentance thou art 1. To search and find out the sinfulnesse in some good measure of thy nature and of thy life Rom. 7.13 2. Through the consideration of the sinfulnesse of sinne which is the greatest evill in it selfe as against God and the greatest good Eph. 2.2 3. the consideration of thy sad condition because of sin according to the Law of God the greatest judgment in this life and that to come Ezek 16.60 61. Jer. 3. and the consideration of the abundant grace and mercy set before thee in the good will of God to thy salvation 1. The death of Christ the blessings and promises of life and of salvation tendered to thee Ps 51. to Humble thy soule with griefe of heart and brokennesse of spirit Dâ—rt 9 3. To cast thy selfe at Gods feet before the throne of grace in free and full confession in earnest prayer and supplication for grace and mercy through Jesus Christ 4. Rom. 7. Ezck 33.11 Is 1.16 Ezek. 18.31 To set thine heart against all manner of sin whatsoever to hate it and abhorre it in the strength of God to resolve the utter destruction of it in thy nature the avoidance of it in thy life and Conversation Rom. 7. together with all the temptations and occasions that lead thee to sin from without and all the corrupt motions dispositions workings of it that are within according to the prohibitions in the word the convictions of the spirit and the checks of thy conscience and this both in thought word and deed 5. Thou must be sure to give proofe of all in the course of thy life and conversation Matth. 3.8
the sinfulnesse of sin and that especially in its own nature as most contrary to God his nature his will his works his designes his glory For this see at large Burroughes treatise of the Evill of Evils or the sinfulnesse of Sin Dr. Reynolds of the Sinfulness of sin c. 3. Set before you the evill effects and fruits of sin upon the fallen Angels Mankind thine own person Rom. 6.22 and those either already felt or that hereafter may be feared 4. Set before you the Bloud of Christ 1 Pet. 1.19 Rom. 6.1 2 Psal Rom. 7.24 that pretious bloud which is the price of your Redemption from the least of sins 5. Set before you the sad complaints of the Saints and servants of God because of sin and against their sin 6. 2 Cor. 7.1 Set before you the gracious promises for your encouragement in the mortification of your corruption Ezek. 36 26 27. together with the promises in the covenant of Grace for your assistance in this undertaking 7. Set before you your own resolutions and vowes against it in your first conviction and conversion Rom. 6.3 Ps 119.106 renewed in times of affliction and in Sacraments and in Prayers put up to God for peace and pardon Practicall and operative Directions 1. Ps 4.4 Lam. 3.39 Acquaint your selves as with the generall corruption so with the particular corruption in your nature search and find them out Examine your hearts and lives your dispositions and conversations by the rule of the Word and Law of God in its purity and perfection and by the light of the spirit of God in its teachings and convictions Job 34.32 pray to God to discover you unto your selves improve all ordinances and providences also to that purpose consider your Constitution Education Calling Company and Condition in this present world make use of the wholsome admonitions of others skilfull and faithfull and acquainted with you and their observations on you the daily motions and workings of your hearts upon carnall and sensuall objects and upon the approaches of temptations will discover much unto you if but well observed the failings and the falls of others read or heard and discerned by you may give you occasion of reflection on your self and strict enquiry may find out more then otherwise might have been suspected 2. Be much at work about the root of sin and digging it up Rom. 6.6 Jer. 4.14 Content not your selves with the particular branches the lopping them off or cutting down the trunk it self the root will be every day new sprouting 3. Spare not at all your beloved sin of which Divines speak much It 's found Ps 18.23 they say and known by our speciall respects unto it and favour for it our impatiency of reproof from Minister or private Christian on that particular we most wish and desire that it were not accounted a sin and are apt to find out reasonings for it to defend it or at least to lessen our apprehensions of its sinfulnesse it returns most often upon us with observation above any other in particular but not without frequent checks of conscience and convictions of the Spirit it much follows us in our retirements and when alone the mind will work upon it though perhaps we are not willing to be found in the actings of it some say it lies down with us in our beds converses with us in our dreams and rises with us in the morning if it distract us not in our holy duties we owe the more to Grace restraining severall others depend upon it to feed or serve it O down with this 4. Neglect not the little creepers they may grow bigger Rom. 7. Ps 19.12 their number may prove not only formidable but fatall the least is sin in its nature evill and according to Gods law without repentance and faith in the bloud of Christ is damnable They will certainly make way for greater and if not destroy yet disturb your soules c. 5. Ps 19.13 Infirmities Incursions Imperfections must be bewailed c. but scandalous evils and presumptuous sins may not so much as be thought upon without an horrour how much lesse in their temptations entertained and least of all committed The smallest tincture of them must be speedily washt away in the bloud of Christ otherwise your soules and consciences will not dare to come into God's presence 6. 1 Cor. 5. Contract not upon your Souls the guilt of nationall transgressions either past or present by not mourning for them much lesse by commission of them and communion in them it would staine our Paper once to name them 7. Find out and destroy the Achans Job 34.31 c. the sins for which in an especiall manner God now or at any time may strike and enter into judgment with you the Lord direct you in that Enquiry and assist you in that Undertaking 8 Let spirituall sins 2 Cor. 7.1 though least discerned and enquired after have their discovery humiliation repentance and crucifixion as spirituall pride self love Ps 77.10 Heb. 3.12 wordly mindednesse estrangement from God and more especially your Gospell sins as Unbeliefe Impenitency hardnesse of heart unthankfulnesse c. 9. Whatever they be intend not only the knowledge of them humiliation under them restraint upon them correction Rom. 8.13 or suppose some signall punishment but compleat destruction and abolition And for this purpose 1. Ps 119. get deep impressions made upon your spirits by the foregoing considerations 2. Ps 119.11 Especially let the word of God be hid in your hearts and written upon them 3. Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh Gal. 5.16 4. 1 Cor. 9.27 Make no provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof but rather keep it in subjection 5. Jer. 17.9 Job Be alwaies jealous of your deceitfull hearts 6. Keep a tender conscience 7. A narrow watch over your sences 8. Take heed in things lawfull lest you be unlawfully insnared 9. Improve affliction to the mortification of corruption and 10. call in the influences of the Covenant of Grace and of the bloud of Christ by faith and prayer 11. Improve every Ordinance according to its nature and tendency to mortification Eph. 6.12 12. Stand out stifly and resolutely in the hour of Temptation and the stirring of corruption then call in all your strength about you then urge your considerations from reason and Scripture Law and Gospell Set your selves under the eye and sight of God let God's terrors make you afraid to sin against him suppose that Death and Judgment were at your heels and that you heard the shreekings of the Damned for those very transgressions Behold Christ Jesus upon the Crosse as bleeding dying for those very sins Urge home the grace of God and the love of Christ your holy Profession your Baptismall vowes your Sacrament-renewed-ingagements the mercies received the Glory expected and
dispensations of it Heb. 1.1 gradually revealing Christ and Grace First to Adam Gen. 3.15 then to Noah Gen. 6. then to Abraham severall times Gen. 12. and 15. and 17. c. then to the Patriarches to Moses Exod. 3. to Israel on the mount Exod. 20. and 24. to David 2 Sam. 23.5 and in many of the Psalmes Ps 89. c. Psal 2. Ps 110. c. after that enlarged in choice promises in the Prophets For Israel in captivity Jer. 31. Jer. 32. Ezek. 11. and Eze. 36 c. So in Zach. 9. c. and at last the New Testament by Christ Heb. 8. Heb. 10. read your Sermon Notes upon this subject and those Scriptures many of them at M. Arches and other books as Ball of the Covenant of Grace Bulkly Rutherford Morning exercise Giles Roberts Cotton and others Leigh promises SECT VIII Of Temptations THe best of Gods Saints and Servants may be subject to Temptations Gen. 3.15 and those of all sorts not only to doubtings sinnings Luke 22.30.31 and such sometimes the most abominable and diabolicall For Sathan is their enemy because they belong to God are gotten out from his Kingdome and are irreconcileable enemies to his interest Sathan is an Old Malicious Subtle Powerfull 1 Pet. 5.8 Cruell and deadly enemy to them their graces their comforts and their persons and God suffers it so to be for his own glory and his peoples good in the exercise and evidence of their graces in the supports of their soules and experience of his favour for their conformity to Christ and in order to the reward when they overcome Their comfort in that their Temptations without their consent are not their sinnes Heb. 2.18 2 Cor. 12.5 Rev. 2.10 Christ himselfe hath been tempted God and Christ compassionate them God is with them to help them their temptations are limited Sathans head-plot is broken Heb. 2.14 their soules shall besaved and their conquests rewarded Their duty is to be acquainted with the nature of temptations 2 Cor. 2.11 Eph. 6.12 c. to watch and pray against them to resist them to put on and use their spirituall armour to live upon Christ by Faith and to look and long for their deliverance Remember Math. 4. and discourses on Christs Temptation Bishop Hall Capell of Temptations Downams Warfare Gouge Robinson and Gurnals Spirituall armour Dr Owen of Temptation and Bridges Brooks c. Ball of Faith c. SECT IX Of Divine Desertions GOds people may be sometimes for a time and in part deserted Psal 22.1 Is 63.17 2 Sam. 11. Ps 51. as to illuminations influences and comforts they may not see their way may fall into sin loose much grace want comfort Ps 88.6 be sorely tempted Ps 8.9 and feel sensible impressions of Gods fatherly displeasure This is sometimes for the punishment of their sins Ps 7.7 Cant. 5. Cant. 3. and sometimes for the triall of their graces God hath also therein a designe for his own glory and their good in preventing and mortifying of sin provoking to duty enriching their experience and for the discovery of the freedome of his grace the worth of his love and the necessity of his presence Psal 22.1 Jer. 31. Heb. 8. John 10. c. Their comfort is they are not alone they are never totally nor finally rejected God is still their God in covenant and Christ is their head in union and the Spirit their sanctifier supporter if not actually their comforter in Communion Cant. 5. beginning Christ leaves sweetnesse behind him and though absent yet drawes them towards him in good time will be found of them and in Heaven at last abide forever with them Their duty is to shake off security Cant. 5. throughout to enquire into the causes to hear Christs voice to rellish his sweetnesses to desire his favour to follow after him in all good meanes to speak well of him to cleave to their Choice to take Gods way and to wait Gods time for their comfort and recovery and when they find him to be more carefull to please him Cant. 6. and for ever to beware of wandring from God parlying with Temptation Spirituall pride and security under Gospell enjoyment Read Symonds Deserted soules case and Cure Sibbes Soules conflict Boltons Instructions Rutherfords Christs Dying c. And for Church-desertions in the visible tokens of Gods presence Read Sermons on Luk 19.42 Rev. 2.4.5 Rev. 3.1 6. John 12.35.36 and Cant. 5.2 c. The Epistles in the Revelation to the Churches of Asia Brinsleyes Watch Burroughes on Hosea Cripplegate Exercise 26. and apply to them the foregoing comforts and counsels SECT X. Of Afflictions and Trialls AFflictions and Troubles Joh. 16.33 are the lot of Gods chosen for correction or probation or purification or testimony Heb. 12.6 or it may be altogether Zach 13.9 c. 1 Pet. 4.12.17 1 Pet. 1.5 6. c. Rev. 2.10 Psal 42. Psal 102. Heb. 12.6 They may be manifold great lasting and sometimes inward and outward both together Their Comfort is They are from God their God their Father in love though with displeasure their good is intended together with Gods glory in purging out sinne Is 26. trying and exercising their Grace weaning them from the world and conforming them to Christ 1 Pet. 4.13 they have speciall promises God orders them Mal. 3.3 2 Cor. 12.9 Rom. 5.5 1 Pet 5.6 proportions them to strength gives sufficient grace sheds abroad his love is present with them will preserve them deliver them and bring them home to Glory 1 Cor. 4. latter end 1 Pet. 1.5 6. Rom. Lam. 3.39 Ps 51. 8.17 Phil. 1.29 2 Thes 1.8 c. Their duty is if for sin to enquire the cause to humble themselves to justify God to returne to him 1 Sam. 15. to submit to his will and to seek his favour to mind their duty and to live by faith And for trials to expect them prepare for them and approve themselves in them giving glory to God by the exercise of grace and submission to his will And in Testimonies to Truth 1 Pet. 4.12 Cant. 8. Matth. 16.24 Heb. 12.2 1 Pet. 4. ult 2 Cor. 4. ult 2 Cor. 5. be Heb. 10.38 2 Pet. 1.1 c. Prov. 142. to strengthen their faith to inflame their love and to manifest their obedience to deny themselves to take up the Crosse to look to Christ their example comfort and strength and to referre all to God committing their soules to him in well doing and to live by faith Heb. 11. Heb. 12.1 c. Read Cases Correction instruction Burroughes Moses choice and selfe deniall and courage Hughes dry rod. Strongs Submission to Gods will Histories of the Church In sufferings see 1. That you have a good cause and suffer not as evill doers in Church or state see 1 Pet. 2.20 1 Pet. 4.15 2. A good call Math. 10. 3. Exercise a good conscience Mark