them as faith and love and obedience which are the most eminent fruits of the Spirit and yet are wholly void of them when Men will profess and pretend they seek the glory of God the publick good the weal and comfort of others as well as themselves and yet do nothing less but seek only their own private Worldly and fleshly interest care not what become of others let them sink or swim all 's one to them and worse than so to promote their own private interest will be still plotting and practising mischief against others still instilling prejudices into the heads and hearts and tongues of others and yet profess and pretend the quite contrary This lying and dissembling of Professors is that which tempts the Holy Ghost to take vengeance on them sooner or later for their audacious robbing Him of those glorious Attributes of his Omnipresency Omnisciency Omnipotency and to exemplarily punish such as dare to sin not only against the light of the Word but the Dictates of the Holy Spirit in their Consciences Fifthly Take heed of defiling his Temple for if any Man defile the Temple of God him will God destroy 1 Cor. 3.17 Q. Who are they that do so He tells you there they are professing believers Whereby do they defile his Temple They defile it by corrupt Doctrin and manners by dividing-Principles and practises causing Rents and Schisms Parties and Factions as you may find they did Vers 4 5. They also that defile their Bodies by Fornication and Uncleanness 1 Cor. 6.13 18 19. Secondly If you would hold and maintain communion with the Spirit as to shun the forenamed Evils so to observe and make conscience of these following duties First To hearken unto and obey the calls of the Spirit to faith and love and obedience Isai 30.21 Secondly To nourish and cherish the inward motions of the Spirit checking for evil and exciting to good 1 Thes 5.19 Thirdly To live in the Spirit Gal. 5.25 That is as we live a natural life by him so to live a spiritual life to him that we may be fitted to enjoy an Eternal Life with him Fourthly To walk in the Spirit Gal. 5.16.25 That is to follow the Direction of the Spirit Vers 18. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Children of God Rom. 8.14 Fifthly To enter upon and perform all duties in and by the assistance of the Spirit Eph. 6.10 To pray in the Holy Ghost Jude 20. Eph. 6.18 To preach in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.4 To love in the Spirit Col. 1.8 and exercise all Graces in the manifestation of the Spirit 1 Cor. 12.7 and rejoyce in the comforts of the Spirit Acts 9.31 Sixthly Labour to be filled with the Spirit Eph. 5.18 Not to content your selves with any measure of grace but still labouring to grow in grace and gracious practises 1 Cor. 15. last To be filled with peace and joy in believing and abound in the hope of glory through the Power of the Holy Ghost Rom. 15.13 Seventhly To preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace Eph. 4.3 that is to endeavour it though we cannot effect it as we would because of the many and great remainders of corruption in the best that oppose and obstruct it yet I say tâ— endeavour it as the Apostle exhorts Phil. 1.27 3.15 Lastly To sow in the Spirit Gal. 6.8 that is lay out your substance and worldly good to spiritual uses for the maintenance of Christ'â— Ministry and Ordinances the providing of thâ— Gospel and incouragement of others in the way of holiness if you refuse to honour the Lord witâ— your substance and bestow it only upon your selveâ— and yours you do but sow to the flesh and of thâ— flesh shall reap corruption but he that soweth 〈◊〉 the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting Vers 8. Lastly What grace you have receiv'â— above others or you have been enabled to exerciâ—â— above others or good duties you have been enabled to do above others when you have been moâ—â— enlarged in it above others take heed of arrogating any thing to your selves remember to gâ—â— wholly out of your selves and to give the Spirâ—â— the glory of his grace to you in it as the Apostle 1 Cor. 15.10 and be still careful to walk the more humbly before God and Man Micah 6. So much of the Spirit Nextly CHAP. V. The Fourth Head of Meditation is MAN IN and about Man to meditate on the Four-fold Estate of Man the Four last Things or Ends of Man and such things in the Soul and in the Body about the Tongue Talents Time and Eternity of Man as may most conduce to the enabling of you to answer God and Christ and the Spirit in all they have done for man First To meditate on the Four-fold Estate of Man his blessed state by Creation cursed state by Transgression gracious state by Regeneration and happy estate by Glorification Sect. 1. First His blessed estate by Creation and here to take notice of and meditate on these things First That he was made the most excellent of all the visible Creatures Secondly That he was made in the most excellent manner Thirdly That he was made to the most excellent ends First He was made the most excellent of all the visible Creatures as appears First In respect of the structure of his Body and the endowments of his Soul of which we shall speak hereafter Secondly In that he was made after his own Image in knowledge righteousness and true holiness Gen. 1.26 Eph. 4.24 Col. 3.10 Thirdly In that he was made the Habitation and Temple of the Holy Ghost 2 Cor. 6.16 Fourthly In that he was made Lord over all the Creatures all subjected under his Feet and all for his use Gen. 1.26 Psal 8. Fifthly In that he was made the Epitome or abridgment of the whole Creation there being nothing in the World but there is some thing in Man like unto it as touching God we believe Him to be a Spirit touching the World we know it to be a Body in Man we have an abridgment of both namely of God in respect of his Spirit and of the World in respect of his Body As in the World there are some things visible and some things invisible so in Man a visible Body and an invisible Soul as in the World some Creatures live the life of Vegetation as Plants some the life of Sense as Beasts some the life of Reason as Angels in Man you have all these kinds of life In a word as one well Man is God's Text all the Creatures are Commentaries on it Secondly Meditate on the excellent manner of Man's Creation 1. Whereas all other Creatures were made by a bare and simple command God did but say the word Let there be Light and there was Light and so in the rest When God made Man it was not without Divine Consultation the sacred Trinity did not
willing as he is able Psal 84.11 1 Tim. 4.8 More particularly First That he will give them his Spirit to work all in them and for them Ezek. 36.26 Luke the 11. Secondly That he will give them the sanctifying knowledge of himself and his will Ezek. 36.26 Thirdly That he will pardon all their sins and look upon them as righteous in his Christ 2 Cor. 5.19 21. Fourthly That he will sanctifie their natures to the mortifying of their corruptions and the quickning of their graces Rom. 6.4 5. 8. the 13. Jer. 31.33 Ephes 2.1 Fifthly That he will take away their heart of Stone and give a heart of Flesh the double Spirit and give a single Spirit the froward Spirit and give a teachable Spirit Ezek. 11.19 and chap. 36. Sixthly He will not only give grace but growth in grace Malach. 4.2 Lastly That he will never leave the work of his grace until he hath perfected grace in glory Jer. 32.39 40. Phil. 1.6 Seventhly To meditate of the Signs of being actually in Covenant as First a lively faith working by love to God and all that is God's John 3.16 Gal. 5.5 Secondly A Reciprocation of promises as God promised to be our God so we to be his People Deut. 26.16 17. as he promised to give Christ and grace and glory so we promise faith and love and new obedience Thirdly The Counterpane or Copy of the Covenant they that enter into Covenant one with the other you know each Party hath a Counterpane or Copy of it so is it between God and the Soul as the Covenant is reciprocal so the Copy of the Covenant is drawn on the heart Jeremy 31.34 Fourthly They have the Spirit of God to reveal and make known this Covenant to them Jeremy 31.34 and to enable them to do what is required in the Covenant Ezek. 36.26 27. Fifthly Such as are in Covenant they have the fruits and effects of of it as First Softness of heart Ezek. 11.19 Secondly Sincerity of obedience Ezek. 11.19 20. Thirdly Growth in grace 2 Cor. 7.1 Fourthly Perseverance in grace Jer. 32.39 Fifthly A conscionable care to renew their Covenant with God upon every breach of it Jer. 50.5 Eighthly To meditate on the means of getting an interest in the Covenant if you do not yet find your selves actually in Covenant as First To humble your selves under the abuse of his grace in the first Covenant Secondly To give him the glory of his grace in vouchsafing to enter into another and a better Covenant not only to give grace but perseverance in grace Thirdly To be willing to Covenant with God as he with you Deut. 26.16 17. This Day the Lord thy God hath c. Fourthly To close with the great design of God in saving of poor lost sinners in making such a Covenant with them in Christ and in order to it to renounce the former Covenant of works all your own righteousness and desire with the Apostle to be found only in Christ having his righteousness that is by faith the righteousness of God Phil. 3.9 Because by the works of the Law no Flesh living can be justified Rom. 3. The Jews going about to establish their own righteousness made void to them the righteousness of Christ Rom. 10.3 Yea and you are to renounce all other Covenants with Sin Satan and the World for God will never enter into Covenant with those that are in Covenant with his Enemies Isai 28.15 2 Cor. 6.14 to the end Fifthly To go unto God by servent and constant Prayer and entreat him to remember his Covenant and glorifie his grace in it upon you by giving his Spirit for the enabling you to close with his great Design in the Covenant That he would put his Law in your heart and write it in your inward parts and give you that new Spirit which may cause you to walk in his Statutes and keep his Commandments and do them Ezek. 36. Ninthly To meditate on the many and weighty motives there are to quicken every one to get an interest in this Covenant of Grace as First The sad and miserable condition of all such as are without Covenant They are without God in the World and without hope viz. of a better life After this Eph. 2.12 They must look to be judged by a Covenant of works and if Men be not able to yield obedience to any one command of God as they ought and yet bound to yield obedience unto all the whole Law or no life do they must all or die eternally for the breach of the least Commandment Deut. 27. last The consideration of this should make every wicked man tremble to continue a moment in his natural unregenerate state and speedily to come unto Christ Yet further consider the miserable condition of men in this so long as they are without Covenant they cannot expect any blessing or mercy from God either corporal or spiritual outward or inward for all blessings and mercies they are conveyed to a People in and by virtue of the Covenant Zach. 9.11 Whatsoever men have and enjoy being out of Covenant they have it in wrath and not in mercy as a curse and not a blessing Mol. 2.2 Secondly Meditate on the happy and blessed estate of such as are actually in Covenant they have an interest in God and Christ his Spirit and all that is theirs 1 Cor. 3. two last Hos 2.18 to the end And as all that is good in God and Christ is yours so all that evil that is yours in Christ's Your sins 2 Cor. 5 last and your sufferings Isaiah 63. He is afflicted in all your afflictions Secondly You may go boldly to the Throne of Grace for the supply of all your wants Heb. 4. last and with assurance to be accepted and answer'd in whatsoever you shall ask according to his will 1 Ioh 5.14 Thirdly It 's that will bring you comfort in the saddest condition you are or can be in When they spake of stoning David He encouraged himself in the Lord his God 2 Sam. 23.5 Again To meditate on the excellent properties of this Covenant How that it is the most free sweet full and unchangeable Covenant First For the Freeness of it there was nothing in Us to move him to it but his own grace therefore call'd a Covenant of grace nothing requir'd on our part but only faith Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved Acts 16 31. Secondly For the Sweetness of it you may see it in these three things First He requires no more of us than he promiseth to work in us by his Spirit Ezek. 36.27 Secondly He promiseth to overlook all our unwilling trespasses faultings and failings where they are bewail'd by us and to accept the will for the deed the endeavour for the work 2 Cor. 8.12 our imperfect obedience for perfect Heb. 11.17 Thirdly He will look upon accept of the perfect Obedience the full satisfaction of Jesus Christ for us as if we had yielded
by us amongst others of fallen Man-kind and therefore that God should pass by others more noble for birth and it may be more sober and civil for conversation and look upon us wallowing and weltring in our blood and filthiness and say unto us Live this should exceedingly affect our hearts and make us still to be admiring and adoring the free rich and unsearchable love grace and mercy of God to us in Christ Ezek. 16. Psal 103. Secondly That we may do this with more profit and comfort to take notice what this state of grace is and for the understanding of this to know there is a double grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first and the second grace the first whereby our Persons are accepted the second whereby they are sanctified the first is no other than the free love and favour of God whereby he accepts us in Christ and for his sake forgives all our sins and gives us his Spirit to renew and sanctifie our natures Rom. 11.6 Eph. 2.8 9. The second grace is no other than a special gift of that grace and favour of God otherwise call'd in the Scripture Regeneration John 3.6 and Renovation of the Image of God Eph. 4.24 and Sanctification of the whole Man 1 Thes 5.23 and the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Godliness and holiness 1 Tim. 6. And it may be described thus a work of the Spirit in the Ministry of the Word deriving from Christ their head unto all his Elect spiritual life grace or holiness and diffusing it throughout the whole Man whereby they are enabled to act and move God-ward Grace-ward and Heaven-ward Thirdly To take notice of and meditate on the differences of true grace from false grace for Eph. 4.14 the Apostle speaks of true holiness in opposition to false and feigned now these differences are especially in three things as first true sanctifying grace is from an inward principle infused by the Spirit of Grace Psal 40.8 Rom. 7.22 but that in the Hypocrite is only from an outward principle as shame of the World fear of punishment and the like Secondly True grace makes Men to approve all their thoughts and words and ways to God's all-seeing eye Job 31.4 Job 42.4 5. John 11.17 A Hypocrite dares not do so he approves them only to the eyes of men so long as Men think well of him he cares not what God thinks Thirdly True grace makes Men humble the more knowledge they have the more they see and bewail their ignorance as that wise Man Pro. 30.2 I am more brutish than any Man and I have not the understanding of a man viz. in comparison of what he ought to know of God the more faith he has the more he bewails his unbelief as the Father of the possessed Child Mark 9.24 The more love he hath the more he bewails his want of love and calls upon his Soul to love God more Psal 116. But now a Hypocrite he is proud of the grace he hath and thinks he has more than he hath and that both God and man should respect him the better as the Pharisee Luk. 18. I thank God I am not as this Publican c. Q. But wherein doth renewing Grace differ from restraining Grace A. Especially in two things 1. Restraining grace only keeps Men from the acts of sin but doth not mortifie sin Abimeleck's lust was restrained when God with held him from Sarah Gen. 20.6 but not mortified whereas where there is renewing Grace sin is subdued as well as restrained Rom. 8.13 Secondly Restraining grace keeps men from sinning out of a servile fear of punishment but renewing grace makes men forbear out of a fillial fear of offending Gen. 39.9 Psal 130.4 Thirdly Restraining grace keeps men from sinning no longer than they are under the means of restraint as godly Magistrates Ministers Parents Masters when they are dead or removed then they can neglect the Worship of God and be as vile as the vilest when there was no King in Israel every one did what was good in his own eyes Judg. 17.6.18 but renewing grace where it is it makes and keeps men ever the same and the worse the times are the better are they Gen. 6.9 Fourthly To take notice and meditate on the degrees of grace all have not the same measures and degrees of grace but some more and some less whence we read of some strong men in Christ others weak Prov. 15.1 Some Babes in Christ and others grown Christians 1 Cor. 3.1 Some Trees of righteousness Isai 61.3 Others bruised Reeds Mat. 12.20 and God hath wise and holy ends in this as 1. To put a difference between Heaven and Earth here we are but renewed and sanctified in part how-ever it be in every part but in Heaven the Spirits of just Men are made perfect Heb. 12.23 Grace there is perfected in glory Eph. 4.13 Secondly God will have it so to teach us to live in a continual dependance on that fulness there is in Christ for us that we may still go to him and receive from him grace for grace John 1.16 that is one degree and measure after another Thirdly That he may display his glorious Attributes as his infinite wisdome All-mighty Power unchangeable grace in carrying on the work of grace until he hath crown'd grace in glory 2 Cor. 12.9 10. Q. But seeing there are different degrees of grace some have more and some less How may a Man know that he hath any truth of grace even the least degree of saving grace A. You may know it by these two things 1. A continual complaint of the want of grace and the weakness of grace in comparison of the strength of corruption as the Father of the possessed Child this is made by our Saviour the Sign of truth of grace Mat. 5.3 Blessed are the poor in Spirit that is who are spiritually poor in their own sight and sense 2. You may know it by earnest desires and endeavours after more grace as in Nehemiah 1.11 and the Church Isai 26.8 Christ pronounceth them blessed that hunger and thirst after righteousness and promiseth they shall be filled Mat. 5.6 Q. But how shall we know our desires after grace to be true desires A. Briefly thus 1. If they be industrious in the use of the means and all means 2 Cor. 7.11 1 Pet. 2.2 Secondly If they be fervent desires like David's Psal 42.1 more after spirituals than temporals Psal 4.6 Thirdly If they be restless desires until we obtain Psal 119.20 My Soul breaketh for the longing it hath to thy judgments at all times Thus of the evidences of grace in general Now Secondly Take notice of the evidences of some particular graces as knowledge faith repentance obedience love fear and hope but here before I speak unto them take this caution he that hath one of these graces in truth hath seminally all and every sanctifying grace how-ever he do not see it as he that hath one link of
2. Because they are Holy Spirits and cannot indure to see any unholy or unclean behaviour 4thly To imitate the Blessed Angels especially in these four things 1. their Humility 2. Piety 3. Charity 4. Alacrity 1. Their Humility Though they be glorious Spirits yet they are content to stoop to the meanest Servants of God at God's Command they came down from Heaven to bring glad tydings of Salvation to poor Shepherds are willing to wait on those that are despised of men Mat. 18.10 how much more should we stoop to one another and serve one another in love see the command Rom. 12.3.16 2. To imitate them in their Piety They are God-like Holy as he is Holy therefore called 〈◊〉 Holy Angels Mark 8.38 And we are commandâ—◠〈◊〉 be Holy as God is Holy 1 Tim. 1.15 They seek nor their own Glory but the Lords Isa 〈…〉 so we are commanded 1 Cor. 〈…〉 They stand ready prest to know and do the Will of God Psal 103.21 And we are commanded Tuâ—â— 3. â— Be ready to every good work They do it also zealously Dan. 9.21 He make 〈◊〉 Angels a flame of Fire and this we are commâ—nded Rev. 3.19 Be zealous and amend And they do it constantly Matth. 18.10 And we are commanded 1 Cor. 15. last Be stedfast uâ—â—oveable alwayes abounding in the Work of the Lord c. Gal. 6.10 Be not weary of well doing And all this is no other then what we are taught to pray for in the Lords Prayer in these words Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven That is universally sincerely chearfully constantly 3. In their Charity They not only love one another but they love us and in love to us they are content to stoop to any Service wherein they may express their love to us how much more should we love one the other and as the Apostle exhorts serve one another in love and the rather because it is the express command of Christ and he hath given himself an Example of it and made it the chief character of a Disciple of his John 13.35 4. To imitate them in their Joy They rejoyce continually in the Glory of God the Exaltation of Christ the Conversation of Sinners the Salvation of Souls the Glorification of the Saints together with themselves how much more should we rejoyce in these things seeing the benefit redounds not so much to them as to us 6th Duty Not to fear the malice and rage of the Evil Angels for however the Evil Angels endeavour to do all the mischief they can to the Godly and God permits them to do it to wicked men Psal 78.49 50. and sometimes to afflict the Godly Job 1.6 yet here 's our comfort All the Godly have the Good Angels to protect them that they cannot hurt them as they would however Evil Angels may have a permission from God to do them evil yet the Good Angels have alwayes a Commission from God to do them good Psal 103. to the end And the power of Good Angels is more and greater then of the Evil they having lost much of it by their fall and therefore not so much to fear them A King that hath his Guard about him fears no danger how much less should we who have though not of men yet a Guard of Angels 2 Kings 6.16 7th Duty Not slavishly to fear Death but to wellcome it whensoever it comes seeing it is the last Office the Angels do for the Saints here to attend on their Death-beds and take the care of their Souls and carry them after Death to the Spirits of Just Men made perfect Luke 16.22 Heb. 12.22 Lastly Remember still to return God the Glory of this Glorious Priviledge the enjoyment of the Ministry of Angels and all the good and comfort you have reapt by it The Shepherds Luk. 2.20 having heard of the glad tydings brought by the Ministry of Angels they returned glorifying and praysing God but not the Angels the Angels ought to have their due reverence and respect for their Ministry but we are to give the honour and glory of it only to God Thus Daniel 6.22 and Peter Acts 12.11 they did not ascribe the deliverance to the Angels but unto God that sent his Angels And great cause have we to glorifie God in and for their Ministry 1. In respect of the great honour God conferreth on us in vouchsafing such honourable Guardians to us 2. In respect of the great good that comes to us by them not only in protecting us from those evil spirits which rule in the Air but the quickning and leadings to the following and guidance of his ever blessed Spirit of Grace 3. Because they are only instruments in God's Hand it 's God alone is the Author of all the good we receive by them Make these uses of the Ministry of Angels and you will be sure to reap much benefit and comfort by it and to have them still to attend upon you and minister to you in Life and Death and after Death 1. In Life to preserve you from evil and to incourage you in that which is good to comfort you in and deliver you out of trouble 2. In Death to stand about your Beds and keep off the evil Spirits and chear up your own Spirits arm you against the terrors of Death and as soon as your Soul shall be separate from the Body to carry it to the Spirits of Just Men made perfect And 3. after Death at the last and great Day to open your Graves and bring out your Bodies and take them up into the Air to the Accessors with Jesus Christ in judgment on the wicked World and after that to conduct you into Heaven there to be for ever with the Lord and with them still glorifying God the Father for God the Son by God the Spirit to all Eternity Amen Secondly For the Evil Angels and Devils Sect. 2. In and about them to take notice of and meditate on these things 1. That there are such 2. What they are 3. How they became such 4. What their punishment 5. What their Office or Work is 6. What their Properties or Qualities are Lastly What our duties are in respect of them 1. That there are such evil Spirits or Devils is abundantly manifest by the testimony of the Scripture and their frequent Temptations Apparitions Possessions and Dispossessions the Scripture often mentions in the Old New Testament In the Old we read that the Devil was a lying spirit in the mouth of the false Prophets 1 Kings 22. and that Satan stir'd up David to number the People 1 Chron. 21.1 and how he afflicted Job cap. 1. and that he stood at the right hand of Joshua to resist him Zach. 3.1 In the New Testament we read how he tempted Christ Mat. 4. and how Christ cast him out of many possest by him as for those Atheists and Epicures that question it they have some of them been forced to acknowledge it here to their horror