Word and Ways CHAP. IX Of Meditation of the Spirits drawing to Christ by the Promises AS it is the Instrument in the Spirits hand and without which it would do nothing could not awaken humble and convert the Soul so it cannot either convert and bring in or confirm and build up without that most signal sweetest part the precious Promises and the Promises would do nothing out of the hand of the Holy Spirit and his efficacious managing of them The Grounds and Encouragements of all our drawings near to God through Christ by his Spirit in his Ordinances are the Promises of the Gospel and the Covenant of Grace Sinners must not draw nigh to God without his Warrant and Command first given But a Command will not be yielded to unless there be the encouragement of a promise of an acceptance and help in both the first and all other after approches to God Psal 119.49 Gen. 32.9 Exod. 34.6 Num. 14.18 And the Promises must be managed and ordered by the Holy Spirit else they will have no vigour or efficacy as to either initial application of Christ or to any farther and fuller application of him Ephes 1.13 The Spirit is called the Spirit of Promise as given by the Word of Promise Gal. 3.2 Received ye the Spirit by the c. 2 Cor. 3.38 The Gospel that is by the Promises of it is call'd the Ministration of the Spirit which is not only of the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit but the saving operations of it from its inhabitation It is called the Spirit of Promise as conveying and working all to us and in us by the Promise Christ and his Grace is not offered by God nor received by a Christian by any man I mean grown up person but by the offer of him in a Promise there is no immediate acting upon Christ for a first or after and fuller receiving of him but by the medium the way of an intervening Promise God holds forth and Faith sees it and takes Christ offer'd in the Promise Acts 10.43 To him give all the c. As the Spirits humbling is by his whetting and setting home by his art the threatnings of wrath and death Eternal so the comforts of the Spiritare by his setting home the promises of salvation And further supplies of Grace are by the promises through the co-operating of the Holy Spirit bringing us to receive farther of Christ his fulness by the promises that are Yea and Amen in him 2 Cor. 1.20 But all this farther operation of the Spirit and receiving more of the Grace of Christ it is by Meditation and pondering of the Promises Fresh receivings from Christ must be founded in fresh Meditation of the Promises The more intense and earnest the ponderings of the Promises of growth and encrease are the larger will your desires the more earnest your endeavours be after more of Christ Christians are sometimes in great haste to believe strongly but cannot reach it because they meditate on the Promises slenderly They make the best work of it who dwell and act most upon the promises that still Meditate from promise to promise By the Promises we are made partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Cleanse our selves from all pollution of Flesh and Spirit perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 There be great varieties of precious promises for Justification Sanctification and the rest There is a transcendent Truth Goodness and Freeness in the Promises great and rich supplies made over to Believers by them But they will not give down their Milk without our due mindings and daily Meditatings on them Meditation must press out the Juice and sweetness gather the rare Honey that is upon these Flowers of precious Promises If Bones be full of Marrow it must be gotten out by pains and knocking The Promises so full of marrow and sweetness must yield it forth by Meditation Lay sound weight of Meditation on them to press out the Spirit and virtue in them If therefore a Christian would daily have his recourse to Christ if he daily would touch Christ so as to have virtue go out of him for healing and help in any kind bring your Eye to the hand of the Spirit and to the Promise which he must be expected to work your coming to Christ by and fresh receivings of Grace from Meditate well that you may speed well Let the promises mellow in thy heart by Meditation that thou mayst find how sweet they this way are CHAP. X. Of the next thing Meditation may best take in which is that on my part I am to perform 5. IF I would perform in the Day what is incumbent on me to be rightly done I must Meditate of the way where the Holy Spirit may meet and help me Meditate I must of my necessary putting my hand to the work of Christ and bearing his burden and the need I have of the Spirits lending his hand to help me who helps our infirmities I must eye the Rule of the Word by which the Spirit teaches me and the precious promises whereby he encourages me And in that all my conversation in the Day must be holy and heavenly comfortable and fruitful I must meditate of stirring up the grace given me to act by the help of the Spirit upon Christ and to him for working out my own salvation and the glorifying of God thereby This must be if I consider the living the life of Faith more peculiarly and exercising of likewise every Holy Grace the work of the day requires Therefore next my Meditation may be upon the Graces that in the Duties of the day are to be exercised for to be improved Without the exercising of these Graces all the conversation is carnal not spiritual all Duties are but dead carcasses and loathsom to God I must think how my daily course must be a living to the living God a living peculiarly to him that dyed for me and rose again and a living to the blessed Spirit that dwells and works in me and is my mighty helper Likewise I must consider it must be a living very exemplarily towards all men especially the godly that my light may shine before them to provoke and profit them all I can 1. Particularly I must Meditate of living the life of precious and glorious Faith the Grace of Graces Faith as to the whole word of God all the precepts promises threats and Recorded Examples acting more peculiarly Faith in the promises and by the promises on Jesus Christ acting more on his All-sufficiency to save and for receiving fresh strength and supplies for the Duties and Occasions of the day ensuing Likewise through Christ I should think of my access to the Father of trusting to Gods All-sufficiency his Wisdom Truth Righteousness Holiness Goodness Mercy Love Free Grace and all his infinite perfections with his providence preserving and governing all things to the least and toward my own self in particular in a most excellent wise holy and
these acted with the purest enmity keenest malice utmost vigilancy and unwearied diligence He hath the higher ground of us by far as being a Spirit and of the highest rank of Creatures as to his Nature and Essence and is thereby most wise and strong and agile He is immortal never can dye nor in any sort decay as we and other creatures decay in strength senses and exercising of our souls faculties understanding memory and others as he is never dying nor in the least decaying so he hath been is and ever will be to the worlds end trying and tempting Trying and practising upon the innumerable sorts of persons of all Sexes all Ages that are capable in the least degree to be tempted of all ranks conditions relations in all places whatsoever through the vast inhabited earth Job 1.7 He also enlarges his experiences puts still fresh on his file improves continually his arts of deceiving and doth he not grow more bold raging and busie as his time grows shorter Rev. 12.12 Pondered well it should be that 't is not one single Devil to tempt us but there are Legions very many of them and they are all one huge Army of Devils under one great Head The Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 Rev. 12.7 His Angels are his assistants which constantly and exactly comply and co-operate with him The Devils never are divided do not jar and act against each other but are all of one interest of destroying Souls and accordingly do harmoniously contend Oft in Scripture mention is made of Satan and the Devil as if he were a single one But this may be to shew their unanimity and unity The Scripture hath sufficiently warned us and related his attempts and prevailings as first upon Adam and Eve in their state of innocency and perfection yet he then though they knew not only their own happiness but all their posterities though never so numerous lay at the stake he then by his Artifices and subtlety prevailed After that upon the second man that ever was upon the deceived Parents first born Cain therefore 1 Joh. 3.12 Cain is said to be of the wicked one and on sundry other wicked all along still the current of time Yea prevailed he often hath upon the very best Saints that ever the world had Job David Peter and others Job 3.1 c. 2 Sam. 24.1 Mat. 26.3 he forbears none Therefore it is very much to be considered and how he is to be watched and warred with and the Armour of proof is to be duly minded and the putting of it on Ephes 6.13 He that hath conquered him the Lord Jesus and that hath conquered him for his members this glorious conquest must be meditated upon as the strongest Cordial in the case and way of taking it the Promise with the way of acting by the Promise Praying and other Ordinances given for our help this need be often a great Meditation 7. That Enemy the World should have its due Meditation Its allurements on the one side its oppositions on the other I must meditate on the diversities of baits the latitudes of Pleasures heights of Honour heaps of Wealth 1 Joh. 2.15 Friends Relations Company Converse Cares Business and all my Lets Diversions Entanglements of all the evils in Troubles Forcings Frauds Plottings and all ways of ensnaring and ruining me Also the World in so many respects being suited either to my natural inclination or my customary readiness for closing with it or otherwise to my fears and cowardise softness and fickleness weakness and weariness to withstand or overcome it Yet I must consider how the Saints have overcome the world by acting as Moses and others their self-denyal looking to the recompence of reward looking to him that is invisible and especially to Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith and by Faith and Patience both enduring and gloriously overcoming 8. Sometimes I may very fruitfully meditate on the wants and weakness of my Grace begun in some measure 2 Pet. 1.5 it s often ebbings and flowings its stops and stands A little progress at the best my so carnal heart makes also of the extream need I have of continual stirring up and exercising Faith Love Hope Fear and other Graces thereby to grow stronger and put forth vigorously on all occasions minding also the helps I have in Christs holy Ordinances encouragements in the precious promises and supplies by the blessed Spirits operations out of the so great fulness of Christ 9. Oft I should apply my seriousness to that so concerning particular the continual and fast running out of the golden sands of my time and special seasons for working out of my salvation The time is short faith the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.29 Psal 39.5 Behold thou hast made my days as an hand-breadth Seasons past can never be recall'd seasons present cannot be stopt from running out Opportunity is the greatest Talent as the saying is as that whereby we employ all other Talents Therefore we are so often earnestly call'd upon for redeeming time as Eph. 5.16 Redeeming the time Eccl. 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might for there is no work in the Grave c. Though time and seasons as the course of the Heavens may be made to stop if the Sun as in Joshua's time should miraculously stand still Jos 10.13 or as in Hezekiah's time go back Isa â— 8 yet mens particular time then did not go back or stand still so our particular time of life cannot go back or stand still Job 9.25 and 14.1 2. and ver 5. Life every moment shortens and is melting down into its appointed period Life is a thing of the greatest contingency and uncertainty there is no Ensurance Office set up for it It passes swiftly without pause or stop this the Scripture both minds us greatly of and furnishes us with rare precedents of the Saints serious and moving Meditations about it O let me then look on them and do likewise I let me use and improve the patterns purposely there recorded to help and quicken my forgetful dead spirit I next come to speak of the four last things as they commonly are called Death Judgment Hell and Heaven CHAP. XVIII Meditation of Death THE uncertainty of life last mentioned leads me to the subject next akin to it that so considerable and consequential point of Mortality Death and Dissolution O that here I could be the highest Artist to speak most fitly and movingly to this subject Death or at least to do something which might prove effectual to some such proper and proportionate way of directing and quickning this so necessary and useful Meditation This is the great momentous and most highly concerning thing the end and winding up of life and all affairs and matters relating to it and that which casts me and determines my condition for all Eternity in woe or happiness Let me therefore endeavour the best I can at all times to improve my thinkings of it
cares they strive to come in businesses and multiplicity of affairs sudden emergencies and sundry things that may attempt to interpose and these if our watch and guard be not the stronger and stricter will miscarry the Duty Yea sometimes one Duty may drive out another often we let holy duties interfere and cross each other hearing praying and the rest sometimes there 's hastening from one to another sometimes letting one detain us so long that others are cut short and so helps are turned in part into hindrances opportunities for some Duties into obstructions to others when godly prudence allows every thing its season and due proportion of time The external hindrances to Meditation are many from common business and things of this life and we often create our own hindrances by our sloth and imprudence not carefully redeeming and wisely ordering our times and opportunities Ah then my soul if Meditation be so high so hard as to its spiritual nature and hath withal such Enemies and oppositions look to it then I must the more cautiously but not less resolutely perform it The Moralists say that difficulty is cos virtutis the incentive and heightener of magnanimity to a great and heroick spirit nothing must be so great as to outlook it and discourage it The greater and braver fish swim against the stream the noble Christian by difficulty and opposition is caution'd but not cowed out If there were nothing to set against and weigh with the former cautions and arguments from Enemies and opposition if no high inducements and advantageous arguments to put into the scale of perswasion to weigh against such as fill the scale of diswasion it then might the more reverse and turn the edge of thy courage yet arguments from evil and mischief in many cases are sufficient alone the danger of an armed Enemies approaching as in Jacob's case the danger of deadly poyson prepared for thee or infection coming very nigh thee is enough But we have encouragements and those in full measure pressed down and running over As Elisha to his servant discouraged when encompast in Dothan we have moe with us than against us What if there be a principle of flesh that makes opposition yet thy principle of spirit and grace is a real ground of hope and help If thy grace Christian be true though but a grain of mustard-seed it will live and hold and act and grow act into endeavour and striving till it overcomes A principle will help thee 1. Consider a principle introduces an inclination a bent and tendency of heart against the inclination and contrary tendency of corruption Psal 119.112 and it 's a principle must live and the contrary carnal principle must die Rom. 6.11 Reckon your selves dead unto sin but alive unto God Sin as to the purchase of Christ is dead in the Saints totally and it is dead in the habit and root initially and in part in respect of the communicated and inherent grace of Christ which upon union with Christ begins the death of sin in mortification Rom. 6. 2. A principle besides inclination and tendency introduces power and ability as the Flesh hath its power so the spirit and grace hath its contrary power 3. A principle introduces facility though the Flesh makes Duties hard yet the Spirit is ready and makes godliness easie 4. A principle introduces delight and complacency the Flesh acts reluctancy the Spirit delight and pleasure Psal 119.47 5. A principle works holding on and constancy Gal. 5. as the Flesh lusts against the Spirit so the Spirit against the Flesh Psal 119.12 last part of the verse not only begins but holds on a principle will help you to hold on for God will hold that on Phil. 1.6 He that hath begun a good work in you will finish it to the day of Christ 6. A principle is blest by the using of it with progress and growth the flesh that shall decrease and waste but the grain of Mustard-seed shall grow to a great tree Math. 13.32 7. A principle shall be crown'd by contending and striving with glorious conquest and victory the Spirit wars against the Flesh and it conquers in the issue by its still warring judgment is brought forth to victory Rom. 8.37 Ah never be discouraged for any thing within be very sensible of sin within and the stirrings of it but sink not under the sight of it take thou encouragement Christian to fight it and to subdue it if thy hearts badness appear its backwardness and crossness to any Duty know you can get nothing by giving way but by going on and striving and use this herein as thy rule wear out thy own backwardness to and weariness in a Duty by doing it in a resolved constancy wear out the indisposition to duty by doing that Duty and doing it fervently 2. What if Satan be such an Enemy yet have we not more and stronger with us than him we have the holy Spirit that helps to pray and he will help us to meditate If he sees we are labouring to get up the Mount in Meditation he will give us his hand to help us up if Satan and all Hell be against us in this or any other Duty he will be for us yea Father Son and Spirit are and will be all assistants to us Do we not use to say God came in at such a time in such a Duty He delights to see how the pulse of thy spirit beats heavenward how the eye of thy soul looks upward how it fixes its looks of heavenly love upon him he delights to help up thy heart in its holy Meditation to help it tower up to Heaven to taste of those surmounting glorious delicacies prepared for his beloveds entertainment and highest solace What others in their exemplary carelesness hold forth what their mindlesness is they use must not have any impression of discouragement or prove to us any impediment It is no staying till we can take every one along with us in our journey to Heaven Neither must the example of any the highest the greatest the richest the wisest and learnedest the nearest related the dearest affected nor any under any consideration whatever have that ill influence upon us either to discourage or divert us weaken our hands or hinder our making straight steps in this blessed path of meditating diligently upon heavenly things Neither let the cares and pleasures business and affairs of this world hinder this soul great affair of serious Meditation in the seasons of it The Saints of Christ in all ages have found a way to this duty as well as others and that through the throng and multiplicity of crowding and justling occasions As it is said of our Lord Christ in Luk. 4.30 when they of Nazareth angry with him thrust him out of the City and would have cast him down headlong he passing through the midst of them goes his way the Saints of Christ have made their way passing through the midst of businesses and emergencies
order their right principle received to their best advantage in this way of Meditation 1. Here as the Rule of learned Physicians is in curing of diseases that universals are first to be intended So first your Rule is to enter and engage your selves into that great Road and most ordinary work incumbent of daily Meditation herein to contend and strive after an habitual holy frame to habit thy self as thou art able to the right daily Meditation 1. Habit and accustom thy self to the mornings Meditation in awaking so still with God in serious thinkings of and admirings his goodness and mercy in the night past Begin to accustom thy self to first looking up to God and that most seriously and earnestly that so near as may be God ever may be the first in thy thoughts Psal 139. When I awake I am ever with thee And Psal 5.1 3. Give ear unto my meditation In the morning O Lord will I direct or set in order as the word properly signifies and look up He awaked into Meditation and acted that Meditation in lifting up his heart in praying To improve holy thoughts and holy desires Gods being ever the first in our thoughts on awaking is certainly more his due and proper right than any other things in the world It is also the very best thought-bestowing the best laying out our precious thoughts for our own profit best as to the help and furtherance of grace best for fresh incomes of sweet peace When first we act Heaven-ward we act freest and freshest when the spirit acts upward before lusts and corruptions are stirring before Satan begins to interpose and before the world comes in to us to hang on its weights upon our hearts It is far more acceptable to the Majesty of the high God to have the first visit and homage likewise more beneficial to our selves to get the start of other things to give our hearts first a heavenly seasoning The vessel will be the sweeter and retain an after better savouriness for the coming day when this is well and seriously done Visit God early and he will visit us early This awaking will occasion the Holy Spirits awaking and blowing on the garden of thy heart for the spices to flow 2. Come then to that Meditation relating to the duties of the succeeding day this then must be well attended for making a good entrance into this new course of Meditation 1. Here to strive after the true wisdom of this way to be an Artist in some measure a wife Meditater At the first we cannot be too wise nor understand too well a way new begun Nor never can we here be so wise for doing any part of our spiritual work but we may learn more 2. To have a due temper of warmth fervour and vivacity this must be minded Rom. 12.11 Fervent in spirit To begin a course dully act easily and not earnestly this wrongs thee much it hinders the otherwise obtainable faeility of doing with that rare sweetness attending a holy seriousness and the rich improvement of the main stock that stock of grace given for increasing A habit comes not up by remiss actings but by earnest actings Cold water cannot be made boiling hot and kept so by adding luke-warm water but water very hot Easie actings will disintend and abate the habit where attained and hinder the attaining where aimed at Easie endeavours will setle in a spiritual laziness set up at a formality but equal and earnest will itroduce a strong habit and high Get the habitual fervency by daily actings of heat and being fervent in every doing So when the Apostle urges fervency of spirit he means a fervency in all serving the Lord at all times 3. As you must do this in reference to daily Meditation in the general way of it so habit and accustom thy self to meditating of thy chief and supreme end To a due and earnest meditating of God and glorifying him for this gives the Laws and Rules to all thy course If the question were What is the best thought arising any time in any heart it is that which is of God the glorifying of him The purest highest thoughts of a God exalting him must needs excel all other thoughts more than the Sun excels all candles or least lights whatsoever Use thy thoughts with David and other holy men of God to bear strongly and act ardently upon this This lays the foundation daily deeper of thy self-denying Mark 8.34 that so hard and tough work Self would not rise up and float so high in any good heart if glorifying the infinitely better God were more meditated daily upon and had its more due and down weight in the scales of the Christians thoughts had more serious musing upon 4. Habit thy self gain upon thy self as to serious daily Meditation on the next end and scope thy own eternal happiness and salvation Let not this so momentous concern want its weight in thy daily meditating let it have still some at least serious pondering and this not only at thy first entrance upon this way of daily meditating then when thy fears and feelings of wrath remain fresh in memory But here is the Art and frame to be endeavoured to grow up in more habitual seriousness of musing on this great salvation This was the blessed Apostles way he not only at first when Christ humbled him began it to meditate how to be saved but eyed it daily accustomed himself into serious more serious minding it Phil. 3.13 I forget things behind and press to the mark He kept his constant aiming and aimed better still more fully and therefore the act being stronger the habit must be more intended The habit of meditating here should not sink and be in a consumption decline and grow weaker or but keep up alive but it should root deeper put forth stronger shoot up higher to the mark Salvation should have quicker and more lively impressions on us like the natural motion though slack at first yet quick at last That 's more natural and genuine which grows still stronger like rich wine more strong and spirit by keeping close 5. Contend to habiting thy self to ponder those particular means making up to the grand ends of glorifying God and thy happiness in enjoyment of him for ever Namely 1. Accustom thy self to as high and transporting thoughts of Jesus Christ his fulness of grace freely offered and thy daily putting him on more and growing up in him And this by Meditation of the precious Promises and the Faith whereby thou must through them receive from Christ and live by it 2. So accustom thy self daily to Meditation of the Holy Spirits dwelling and operating in every good heart without whose assistance thou canst not perform any good therefore must not be neglected grieved quenched resisted but prayed for and cherished earnestly expected and highly entertained 3. Accustom thy self to some seriousness of thoughts of the Ordinances of Christ the ways of our Communion with God we
the things which please Gods own description of a gracious frame of spirit by a gracious choice Contrary a sinful unconverted heart is described by thusing things that are sinful and provoking I say the change of the will is a high evidence of sincerity a chusing of God for our God chusing of Christ his offered grace above all him to our Righteousness and Justification our Wisdom our Sanctification so coming to taking of trusting on him is an act of the will in chusing him a chusing the holy ways of God universally Psal 119. Respect to all thy commandments This not so much in knowing as purpose of heart for keeping all To add but one thing more The new Creature is principally seen in a new will and a new will in a new aim altering utterly that old sinful carnal aim of carnal self and satisfying of it sinfully aiming at only or chiefly self and satisfying self in worldly and carnal things This Idol Self the grand aim is taken down is no more the souls Master-mark that gave all the Laws made every thing serve to it and end in it eyeing of self chiefly aiming at seeking and striving most for self is changed and there 's a new Master-aim a new mark to which it designs and principally drives at God and his glory serving and pleasing him This evidently appears in the Saints in Scripture They exalt God called such as seek God serve God live to God to Christ Psal 22.26 Psal 24.6 This the generation of them that seek him and deny themselves Rom. 6.11 Alive unto God 2 Cor. 5.15 Live not to themselves but to him that dyed for them 1. Universal allowance of all known good in the mind 2. Universal abhorrence of all known evil chusing all good and an universal purpose of will to please God in all things are the things the sincerity of them stands of those two noble faculties renewed 3. A real change of the corrupt carnal and disorderly movings of the affections to a making them holy and heavenly to setting them on the things above and taking them off really the things below from their usual sway rule violent running to carnal and earthly things and from their customary and predominant deadness flatness and remissness to and in spiritual and heavenly things A change really upon the great and leading affection love the great weight that carries all Amor meus est pondus meum as the devout Ancient said My souls love is my souls weight the strong biass that still leads it Hence arise the other holy affections they are acted from love desire delight sorrow fear hatred of all known evil Psal 97.10 Ye that love the Lord hate evil Psal 119.104 I hate every false way A Character it is of a wicked man he abhors not evil Psal 36.4 But a holy heart when it comes even new out of the furnace is new cast new made it 's stampt with predominant love to God and his ways and with new self-loathing and sin-abhorring Ezek. 36.26 A new heart will I give you Vers 36. Then shall ye remember your evil ways and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations I shall add no more particulars The truth and sincerity of this whole work wrought first in thee really and then known must be the ground for evidencing of thy assurance which must be done by comparing the pattern of the new Creature described in the infallible Word of Christ and the copy of it drawn in thy heart Such serious searching and due meditating with praying and other ordinances must be on thy part thou must 2 Pet. 1.10 Give all diligence to make thy calling and election sure But withal there must be a due consideration and praying for the evidencing and sealing Spirit of Christ the Comforter and diligent still attending upon those ways and means of grace the Holy Spirit uses to come and seal and comfort in I know other things might be mentioned especially in a purposely handling this Doctrine of Assurance The manner of Gods working in such as are effectually drawn to Christ differs in circumstances and in the sensible perceivings of it accordingly as God pleases to work and assurance as the Spirit pleases is given in a different way But trying by this change upon the heart in a renewing the mind subduing and turning that great wheel of the soul the refractory and stubborn will changing the main aim from self and the creature to God in Christ Really plucking up the affections rooted in the earth and finding them set upon things above an evident change and turning the grand affection of love out of its old channel and a placing it upon God his Word ways and people the Saints above all other things when these things freely given thee of God and by the Spirit of God received are made known to be in thee 1 Cor. 2.12 this is a right assurance O pray pray for this sealing and assuring Spirit this will help thee against the fears doubts deceits of thy own heart and Satans methods and clear up thy good condition to thee This assurance attained the next Meditation must be of the best ways of keeping and preserving it which must be endeavoured yea of thy growing up to the riches and fulness of assurance to a Plerophory as it is called The preserving of assurance and growing up in it 2 Pet. 1.10 must be by care and diligence used about it and used for exacter walking in all Christs ways Endeavours of mortifying thy corruptions combating with Satan and the world and getting victory Rev. 2.17 To him that overcometh I will give him a white stone with a new name The white stone is thy Justification the new name is Adoption of Sons both assured upon victory obtained There must be a tender care of obedience to and compliance with the Holy Spirit and of not grieving of it Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption If thou wouldst have the Holy Spirit a sealing Spirit thou must not be a Griever of that Spirit by any ordinary neglectings and ilightings of it or by contrary walkings to it wilful and presumptuous evils especially provoke and grieve and will hinder assurance Psal 85.8 God will speak peace to his Saints but let them not turn again to folly This in David Psal 51.8 Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones thou hast broken may rejoyce Some Saints by their falls have felt it long it may be ever after as great bruises in the body Others upon care and fruitfulness have kept their peace and assurance long it may be to the last CHAP. XII Of the next Meditation namely how weak and imperfect thy Grace is THis is a Meditation very necessary for making thee very humble greatly fearful and careful and highly to provoke thee to contend to a growth and strength of grace to be rooted and stablisht daily
in his own Example Psal 119.97 O how love I thy Law it is my Meditation all the day there 's the practice of the first time the day and a full Example and Practice All the day And Psal 119.148 Mine Eyes prevent the Night-Watches to meditate in thy Word there 's the practice of the other time mentioned in the Character in Psal 1.2 Not a Watch set in the Night but he had his Meditation O most admirable frame of spirit A King and a daily Meditator and a night Meditator also It was not Family Business nor State Affairs not Wars Urgencies and Difficulties that so could crowd in and impose upon his thoughts but he would have his spiritual retreats his soul repasts in Meditation mount up to Heaven by it Trace we him with the Eye of duest Observation over the Book of Psalms the Psalms which are the choice and rare Records of his Exemplary this way actings we find most excellent Patterns of all sorts as for this holy Exercise Singular Meditations sometimes of the great Works of God as Psal 8. and Psal 19. and Psal 104. c. wherein the Fire kindles and flies up in the highest strains His heart like the most rare and exquisite Engine and Instrument produces-such raised and sublimated things that transcend sometimes all the strains of Rhetorick and Poetry in the world as some very learned men observe Sometime his Meditations and there they ply more as of nearer concernment are on the Word of God as Psal 19. and Psal 119. c. and what passages and praises hath he most high and sweet and savoury that what can be fuller and high for the nature and properties of it Sometimes the most blessed God himself is the high subject of his Meditating and what transcendencies of thoughts what Raptures and Ravishments what Instances of highest Soul transportings hath he this way recorded for us purposely to put us upon pursuit of the like Glimpses and Tastes by suitable first breathings and pantings after sweetest communion with him It is evident he was a grand Master in this Art of Meditation by the so exquisite pieces drawn to the life and reserved for use and imitation in the Book of Psalms 3. The third Pattern is that of the so wise Solomon in Ecclesiastes who gave his heart as he saith to seek and search and to know wisdom Eccl. 1.13 and v. 17. ch 2.12 Davids strain of Meditation proceeds principally on matters in themselves spiritual as God his Word and Ways and sometimes on the Works of God Solomons more upon things natural and the ways and works of men Eccl. 1.13 14. but to demonstrate the insufficiency of all things in the world and all the works of men to make up true happiness without the true fear of God and keeping his Commandments Eccl. 12.13 This is the sum and scope chiefly of that his Book that Book of most deep and great Considerations and excellently useful Meditations for all to obtain wisdom by It is of all the choicest piece of Scripture in this kind it sets us an accurate Copy of regular and fruitful Contemplation and Meditation of all things under the Sun which we should strive to imitate and write after Chap. 1.14 It is left us thereby to learn from him the so great Experimenter and Tryer the wisest and most exquisite weigher of all things and the Finder of their extream insufficiency and vanity To teach every person by this his so eminent and exemplary acting his successful searching to do in the like manner To infuse his spirit and lay it asteep strongly and deeply in this Meditation of Creature vanity and the vanity of all mens labours under the Sun Yea to sink this down to the bottom of the soul there to fix and root it self thence as by a most potent and predominant principle to work and act up to more weanedness from things of the world and to more wariness of our being ensnared by them The fourth rare Instance is of the female Sex That of the Blessed Virgin Mary Luke 2.19 But Mary kept all these sayings and pondered them in her heart This is the remarkable and special Example of Meditation mentioned that I know of in the New Testament We have none so punctual and plain which I can remember as this Some signal honour is hereby intended to this so Blessed Virgin to be so noted more than others in the Gospel Records and thereby held forth as a pattern and provocation to all after Ages The Scriptures silence as to other Saints practice in this Duty is not a Negative or an Exclusive of their doing it Because it is not said of every one they Pondered or Meditated we must not thence infer they did it not David in the first Psalm and second Verse saith the Blessed man meditates in the Law of God day and night He therefore makes it a necessary Duty and certain Character of every godly person in some sincere measure and constancy performing of it As the people of God are all taught wisdom to salvation so this peculiar wisdom this way of Meditation of the great concerns of Gods Kingdom and their most precious immortal Souls to give things of the highest importance their due and down weight their due and down weight in the Ballance of a holy Meditation CHAP. II. Of the Nature and Description of this solemn Meditation MEditation according to the usual Notion and Acceptation is taken for any serious or earnest thinking of any matter whatsoever for what end soever whether it be good or evil So Meditating is used in the Scripture not only in a good sense but in an evil sense So Psal But ordinarily it is taken in a good sense for a holy Mind Exercise or acting the thoughts in any seriousness upon any matter in a spiritual manner There is a double kind of Meditation 1. That which is more set and solemn when a man is serious in thinking of any thing for some spiritual end and so as to allow some due space of time for a right performance of it 2. There is that which is called Meditation of Ejaculation which though serious yet is more short and quick and sudden wherein the soul darts up to Heaven and makes a short visit thither I shall begin with the first that which more commonly is called Meditation The other shall follow in its due place Therefore having mentioned some Scripture Instances or Examples of Meditation as to the practice of it I shall come to handle the Nature and Description of the set and more solemn Meditation Here first I will endeavour to present you with the true Picture and Description of Meditation in some Scripture lineaments and proportions and afterward the Explication and peculiar handling of them I shall give you the Description in this manner It is that Ordinance of Christ and Obedience or Duty of a Christian whereby he acts his spirit into a right pondering of either heavenly and spiritual
here have the keenest edge of seriousness be elevated the highest made the firmest and the most extensive Let them take in universally whatsoever may most instigate to and quicken in this high operation proportionate it to this working out salvation the so great Gospel Salvation Thus did the prodigal who represents the Returning sinner when sensible first of his unspeakable misery and thence apprehensive of the great obtainable Felicity the so glorious Gospel salvation never did he so act any thinking made such warm work of it as now In like manner the Jaylor Acts 16. having such a dreadful awakening from sense of a lost condition O what a pondering of Salvation was that from a heart so warm'd and edg'd when Extremity of Misery hath the deepest sense Meditation of Salvation and Recovery hath the highest seriousness What can have such a thinking as when one thinks for life and that eternal Let Meditation take in 1. Those Considerations that are most awakening that unspeakable misery comes upon us by sins so innumerable As contracting on the person such horrid guilt and conveying into the heart such hellish filth Every sin with the aggravations contracting a debt to Divine Justice and that entered into God debt Book which we never can pay or get paiâ— without a surety but must bring destruction in Eternal fire 3. Then weigh the great uncertainty of life and how certain death casts every one upon an Eternal state unavoidably upon inconceivable Eternity 4. Then must be weighed the Mighty Enemies and multitudes of hinderances lying in the way of escaping 2. Next come the Considerations that are the most highly encouraging to strive to enter in at the strait Gate such as the Scriptures fullness supplies O how great and prevalent are those in the Gospel to wise and warm us to strengthen and heighten Meditation As Eternal life which in the believing heart is already begun with sure promise of carrying it on to perfection by our yet co-working with the holy Spirit of Christ working in all his which we must do continually Phil. 2.12 Work out your own salvation c. What may I say of conjunction with God by union with Christ by Faith of Communion with Christ in justification and pardon of sin a most glorious righteousness reconciliation adoption with a sure title to Heaven and the glorious graces of Christ his image holiness wisdom life power peace passing understanding joy unspeakable with establishment growth in grace victory over all Enemies Ah what wishly lookings should we exercise daily at this so great salvation and the transcendencies and perfections of it and at last such an outlet of all evils such an inlet of all good such a Crown of Glory with all the inconceivable Excellencies of it and the perfect fruition and vision of God for ever I have been longer on this than was my purpose yet shall crave leave for one thing more and that which is after all momentous cousiderations besides the greatest of strongest influence and efficacy that is the vastness inconceivable vastness of Eternity Not Eternity meerly in the abstract only considered in it self but in reference to misery or felicity I say to all other inducements adde Eternity hang on this great weight of Eternity of Misery and Felicity Endeavour with thy utmost Art and Industry by all resemblances to have che liveliest and most operative representations of it Breathe thy soul often by healthful exercise here breathe thy soul frequently up this Hill of Eternity whatsoever thou meditatest on let still this be one Object entertained in thy serious thoughts this vast Eternity Let this have its due time 2. Holy Meditation hath besides the former several other excellent ends to be aimed at and improved to As Artificers do with their Gold beat it out sometimes to its utmost ductility and extensiveness Improve this Gold of precious heavenly Objects beat them out to the utmost by this Hammer this art of Divine Meditation The Art of Medtiation will like Solomons Temple overlaid with Gold overlay thy heart with Christs pure Gold and make it rich and glorious Ah therefore Christian act up thy Meditation to these precious ends and chiefly lay a mighty stress upon that so momentous thing Eternity of Son Misery or Felicity So I have at last dispatcht these first things CHAP. XX. Of the partieular Ends of Meditation in respect of our selves THere be various Ends of Meditation respecting our selves I shall mention among others these seven particular Ends relating to our own spiritual advantage 1. For a principal improver of saving Knowledge 2. For to make our Knowledge Clear and Distinct 3. To found a Rich Treasury of Truths and make them sure 4. And to be an introducer of habitual wisdom an acquired habit of wisdom to the first given wisdom in heart renovation 5. For a Kindler of Heavenly Fire and Flame in the heart 6. For a Mighty Corroborater of holy purpose 7. To be a constant quickner of the Christian course 1. Meditation is for a Principal Improver of saving and heavenly Knowledge To set as it were more Lights on the Golden Table in the Temple of the holy heart to repleuish the Golden Candlestick with more and better Lights and glorious burning Lamps to yield clearer light in the dark heart Psal 119.97 98 99. I am wiser than my Enemies for thy Commandments are ever with me that 's in Meditation continually as v. 97. Thy Law it is my Meditation continually or all the day v. 99. I have more understanding than all my Teachers for thy Testimonies are my Meditation and v. 100. I understand more than the Ancients c. Here 's an assertion in a kind of gradation of the successfulness of his holy Meditation namely understanding wisdom and excelling in them Wiser than his Enemies yea than his Teachers yea than the Ancients that have had longest time largest opportunities for greatest Knowledge and highest wisdom Meditation is the ground inlet and improver of Knowledge It is not the great and much reading makes the Scholar but the studying and pondering that is read It is not the reading much that makes the knowing Christian but the meditating on what is read Reading without Meditation is like swallowing much meat without due chewing that makes a lean man so this makes a lean mind Many read and hear Much but understand little because they bring themselves so little under this Ordinance of Meditation If thou wouldest be right excellent in Knowledge be rich in it and of a higher stature in wisdom than others as David was strive to write after his rare Copy in abundant Meditating 2. Meditation is to make Knowledge clear and distinct The Apostle Phil. 1.9 mentions love its abounding in Knowledge and Judgment and in other places we have mention of discerning and judging As to matter of Learning in Arts and Sciences they have the most clear and distinct heads have their Notions most methodical distinct and most mellow who
glowing heat and liveliness for all the following day is still fit in some measure to be practised 2. The next should be some serious musing on that next End our own salvation and Eternal bappiness farther to be wrought out to be our day labour by the opportunity of a new begun day a day which will bring us nearer to the Ocean of Eternity CHAP. IV. Of the next End Salvation NExt to the highest Gods interest must be mused seriously upon this great soul-interest Prov. 9.12 If thou art wise thou art wise for thy self 2 Tim. 3.1 Wisdom to salvation This because self is so near and dear and the immortal Soul so unspeakably precious the heart being once stampt with a spiritual high strong self-love will have a mighty influence of warmth abiding on the Spirit Here two things are to be attended and practised 1. Meditation of Salvation in a more general Notion and Consideration works little or nothing but the pondering of particulars in Salvation It is a Rule in Oratory and so in Preaching that for moving and drawing the affections generals and things in a confused manner spoken they hit not work not draw not It is the distinct seeing and viewing of particulars which moves and affects to purpose So Meditation to be effectual must particularize the things comprised in some sort in this happiness and salvation As that so blessed freedom from sin in the guilt in pardon and righteousness from the dominion of sin by power life image of Christ and holiness and the glorious priviledges of a Christian here and Everlasting Glory hereafter and such like 2. There 's another Rule among Oratours that things moving the Affections they do it either Magnitudine aut Praesentia by their greatness or excellency or by their presence or nearness As the greatness of a person or the presence of a person or the greatness of a good or evil or the nearness and presence of it 1. The greatness the surpassing greatness of Salvation as Scripture sets it forth Heb. 2. That so unspeakable deliverance from such a height breadth and length of Misery by sin and that inexpressible happiness by union with Jesus Christ The so great things of this glorious state should fall by our Meditation upon the Affections and daily like fire from Heaven kindle them greatly 2. Things move by their presence or nearness the remoter the Object is from the Faculty as the Objects of the External Senses as Seeing Hearing and the rest or the farther a thing is apprehended to be as any Place or Time or the like the less it affects But the presence or propinquity of a thing moves most as when a Poyson or dangerous thing is near or present as an Antidote or a help when near when Death or Deliverance is at hand when a Friend is present or the like this moves most So the way of Meditation here is by representing salvation as present or near 2 Cor. 6. 1 2 3. escaping Hell as now being put into possession of Heaven as now if I were now dying and my Soul sitting on my lips ready to take its flight as now if now the last Trump were sounding now Jesus Christ seen coming to Judgment now the Sentence of Absolution passing Let me thus season and strengthen Meditation by this kind of representation seeing it as near as present now acting now doing or now having and fully possessing this Salvation CHAP. V. Of the Means conducing to this chief End THE next thing in spiritual wisdom to be the Object of daily Meditation is to give as we can some allowance of serious thoughts of that which should be the due and adequate means conducing to the chief End of Eternal life with the glorifying of God as formerly we have mentioned 1. Christ the way Therefore the next thing being the highest and uppermost of all conducing Means to the Supream End the next thing I say to be the great Object of Meditation must be Jesus Christ our way to the Father and our highest way of glorifying him None comes to the Father saith Christ but by me John Initial coming to God by Faith to Justification Reconciliation and Union with God is by Christ All other after comings and glorifyings of God are still by Christ as also all salvation is treasured up in him so it must be the best way for our Meditations method to be daily acted in some measure upon our mighty Saviour our great and only way to our great and chief End so he calls himself the way John Here what a most glorious and delicious Object hath the Eye of Meditation Christ in Isa 65.1 calls Behold me behold me ah what a Spirit must that be that for such an infinite Beauty cannot afford one cast of the eye one wishly look in the whole compass of a day that can look every way freely fixedly and unweariedly but Christward The Spouse in the Canticles her Eye-walk was among the Excellencies and Beauties of her Beloved the Lord Christ his pure Colours White and Red his most rare features and exact proportions of every part his Head Locks Eyes Cheeks Lips Hands Legs and all his glorious perfections and then addes to fum up all that he is altogether lovely So lovely that her Eye affected her heart and so beloved that she fell sick of love Ah when a heart is strongly enflamed with a Love to Christ the eye will be acted in most wishly lookings upon Christ as the love grows the earnest lookings will grow Here then the Rule is to Meditate in some due measure on this Glorious Object so both infinitely excellent in himself and so mighty a Saviour unto us His infinite Riches and Preciousness in his Natures united in his Offices conferred in his graces fullness perfect performances most perfect Redemption his infinite love pity willingness to save lost Sinners The so great free offers of himself and giving himself to us applying his whole Redemption to us by his mighty operation in us Some singular seriousness and rigour of Meditation cannot but daily be due as that first and chief means to the chief End Christians that least look at Christ and least distinctly view him will make the slowest progress and such as study him most will have the easiest and most expedite coming up to the main Mark. CHAP. VI. Meditation of the Holy Spirit the Applier of Christ and his Redemption 2. SOme due proportion of Thoughts-seriousness is proper to be daily acted in reference to the mighty and only applyer of the work of Christs Redemption the holy Spirit and our great daily helper The Holy Spirit first comes to the Soul and person of a Christian applies Christ to him brings Christ into him makes him his Temple and an Habitation of God and Christ to dwell in the heart The Spirit comes inhabits sweeps and cleanses furnishes the heart with light that was darkness with truth that was errour and deceitfulness with power that was weakness life-warmth
and qualifications of heavenly Graces that was cold dead and altogether sinful and draws the glorious image of Christ upon the Soul He enlivens establishes enlarges and encourages and fills the Spirit with peace and joy unspeakable We act from his blowings on the Gardens of our hearts then the spices of Graces flow Cant. 4.16 The Wheels Ezek. 10.17 moved from the spirit in them so a Christian moves or not as the Spirit moves or not Every day and for every Duty in the day there is need of a new blowing of the Spirit that the Spices may flow new moving that the Wheels may move us We must neither grieve quench or resist the Holy Spirit Eph. 4.30 1 Thes 5.19 Act. 7.51 The Spirit who is our Helper and Applyer farther of Christ and receiving of his fulness If we will act wisely the Eye of the Soul by Meditation must daily be pondering the necessity of the Holy Spirits Influences stirrings up strengthenings and enlargements when we neglect and slight the Spirit and so want justly his help we must needs drive on heavily But when we mind him and have his assistance this wings the Soul and makes it to move strongly and nimbly to the main mark If the Question were askt what were the highest thoughts the mind can possibly think they would be such as these three following 1. That thought of the so infinite and all admired love of God the Father in giving freely his Son for Sinners 2. That thought of that infinite and all amazing love of God the Son in giving so freely himself for his Fathers Enemies 3. That thought of God the Holy Spirit 's infinite love astonishing love in so freely giving himself into such dunghill hellish hearts to make them his glorious Habitation his Palace and Solace to be the mighty heart-helper and Comforter This Spirit then must not be grieved by the least neglect but highly and constantly both honoured and cherished with our utmost thought-preciousness and earnestness that so thinkings may work up to liveliest lookings for him lookings to listenings for his knocking 's at the door of our Hearts listenings for ready lettings of him in and being let in we may give him the highest and freest Entertainments with yieldings of the fullest obedience unto him It is reported that formerly sometimes Travellers Sailing by the Coasts of Arabia the happy have had by the Winds blowing off the Land such rare rich smells and perfumes of the precious spices that without the Experience of it it is hardly credible Sometimes the Holy Spirit so blows on the Garden of a Christians heart that the Spices in such sort perfume it with Ravishments of Peace and Joy that are inexpressible and then it runs apace to the main mark Ah then it must be best to enter on the work of the day by an early and earnest eying of this glorious Helper the Holy Spirit who is sooner ready to lend us his helping hand then we are ready for it CHAP. VII Of the next particulars the incumbent Duties of the day 3. THE Ordinances of Christ are the next general things Meditation may fix on The Ordinances are our ways of communion with God the ways whereby God conveighs himself to us the King of Heavens high-ways of spiritual Commerce and Trade The Roads and Paths wherein the Holy Spirit walks and comes to apply himself to us and our ways in which we are to go forth and meet him apply our selves to him fix an heavenly intercourse and acquaintance with him The Winds blow from all the Quarters of Heaven and the Holy Spirit breaths and blows from all his heavenly Ordinances We may therein look for the breathings of the Spirit but we must not look for the Holy Spirit out of his own ways The Prerogative of the Spirit is not to be absolutely tied to Ordinances but our liberty is not to be loosed from them We are tied to the ways of Christ which are our warrantable ways for communion and waiting his Spirits comings and assistings The Eye of Meditation should act daily in such fresh and vigorous lookings on the Ordinances as may more highly commeid them raise their price represent them more lovely reduce us to more evenness in performance by finding them more easie and sweet in continued use and exercising our selves in them and induce still higher admirations by experiencing their help and efficacies The Ordinances of Christ have their high ratification in the Holy Scriptures for their power and efficacy The Saints in all Ages have given their great confirmation set their probatum est to every of them by millions of encouraging experiences When that Ordinances are more precious they are the more efficacious O let our Meditations daily scope be to make them more precious that they may prove more efficacious Like that eminent pattern that great Meditater David that high progress he made in Meditating of the ways of God set the Price higher made his heart warmer He Meditated and he valued more admired more and he acted more eminently and arrived at last at that pitch which hath left him on Record in the highest rank of Saints that ever lived The Ordinances therefore are most worthy our daily musing on as for their own excellency as the King of Heavens high Institutions so as the Holy Spirits walks wherein he comes to meet us and have communion with us and apply Christ more unto us CHAP. VIII Of Meditation on the Word of God and the Promises whereby the Spirit first is given and after works THE Word of God is that sure wisdom revealed unto us by God to lead us by his Counsel to Glory That only infallible Rule given us to walk by It is the Golden Scepter of Christ for the Subjects of his Kingdom to come and touch the top of The dear purchase of Jesus Christ for the only Rule of his Redeemed the breathing and dictate of the Holy Spirit the high product and that clearest shining forth of the brightest beams of Infinite Wisdom Truth Holiness Righteousness Mercy Free-Grace Love Power and all Glories and Perfections of the Author for the blessed Ends it is bestowed It is the excellent Instrument in the hand of the Spirit whereby he effects his great Soul-saving work whereby he brings about that work of wonder the applying of lost sinners to an All-sufficient Saviour first by effectual calling and then applies Christ more and more building them up more in him unto perfection If I look for the Spirits operation I must look for and apply my self to the help of that rare Tool and Instrument he operates by Think what an Engine it is what most admired glorious work he hath effected by it upon millions of blind Eyes hard Hearts Persons impotent Crippled in their Souls Dead in sins and trespasses at the dreadful distance from God of Haters and Enemies of him and all things leading to him enlightening them healing them and reconciling them to himself and his
Christ that he may both be admired of Saints and Angels and magnified in the sight of all wicked men and Devils Therefore he now is to appear in the highest glory splendour and power And he being made now the visible Judge this must be most glorious in that it is the consummating work of his Mediatory Kingdom preceding immediately his delivering up his Kingdom to God the Father as the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 15.24 For the method and most fruitful way of this so very necessary Meditation I conceive it may be 1. To begin with those Scriptures that most clearly and distinctly present us with the infallible certainty of this grand point 2. To then gather up the Remarkable particulars of it in Scripture as to the Nature Manner and the things that both accompany and follow it 3. How to manage it to our being best moved and stirred up by it 1. For the infallible certainty of this Judgment day let me look out those Scriptures in the Old and New Testament that speak perspicuously of it and then labour by Meditation and Prayer to sink deep into my heart to lay them so strongly to infuse as to leave a deep abiding tincture upon it To be put into a full possession and assurance of Faith in this so high soul-concernment In Jude 14. Enoch the seventh from Adam that so walked with God and that was first translated prophesied of the Lords coming to Judgment Job who is supposed by the Learned to have lived when the Israelites were in Egypt and before Moses time in his 19. Chapter 25 26 27. verses hath a most clear and full assertion of his Redeemers being the last day on the Earth and seeing him then c. Solomon Eccl. 12.16 God shall bring every thing to Judgment every secret thing good or evil Dan. 12.2 They that sleep in the dust shall arise some to shame others to life In the New Testament out of Christs the Judges own mouth Math 25.31 to the end This Doctrine is most fully with the particulars and manner of it described and in the other Gospels often So the Apostle of the Gentiles Acts 17.19 At Athens the great Vniversity of the World he tells them God had appointed a day to Judge the World in righteousness and by the man Jesus c. Rom. 2.16 In that day that God shall Judge the secrets of mens hearts So we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ c. 2 Cor. 5.10 2 Thes 1.7 8 9 10. Christ shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance to all that know not God and obey not the Gospel And Revel 20.12 13. to the end I saw the dead stand before God and judged according to their works c. The varieties of places in Scripture are like many Candles lighted in one place like multitudes of Lights in the Heavens all to give light to us below that we might have clearest discoveries firmest Faith strongest instigations to yield full compliance and obedience with greatest readiness pleasure and sweetness O I must answer for having the Scriptures the varieties perspicuities convincing Reasons and perswading endeavours of the Spirit of God towards me in them and by them The more in the Scripture is done for me the more will be required of me This for the first 2. The particulars remarkable to be gathered together of this day as the nature manner c. 1. I must meditate of the Person the so great and glorious Person that shall be Judge which is God himself as the Scripture often tells us as Eccl. 12.16 Rom. 2.16 as was mentioned before God shall judge c. Though this be greatly considerable under which our Faith must be concluded and this alone well pondered may greatly awaken awe and provoke us to all fulness of regard and care yet the Word tells us farther it is God by Jesus Christ so in Acts 17.19 God hath appointed a day in which he will judge the World by that man he hath appointed Hath committed all judgment to the Son It is not committed to the holiest man that ever lived nor to any mighty Angel it is too high an Honour too great a Work for any created Nature only fit for him that is God and man For by being God there 's both an Omniscient and Omnipotent an infinitely Holy Righteous Good and Merciful Judge And by being Man there 's to all mens eyes a visible Judge that the Scriptures may be fulfilled And this for the Saints surpassing joy but the wickeds greater daunting and terrour let in by the eyes both of the one and other All must be judged by a Judge their eyes shall behold 2. For the time of his coming Mat. 24.42 it cannot will not be known At what hour your Lord will come you know not 3. For the suddenness and secresie of his coming 2 Pet. 3.10 The Lord will come as a Thief in the night Math. 24.44 At an hour you think not your Lord comes 4. For the place whence he sets out and comes 1 Thes 1.16 The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven 5. It will be in power and great glory such as never was and never the like again shall be never did the Sun of Righteousness ascend to and shine in such a Meridian such a transcendent height of glory Tit. 2.3 Looking for the glorious appearing 6. For the company and retinue it 's all the whole Court of Heaven come to wait on their King of Glory All the glorified Saints and Angels leave Heaven empty to make up his Train thousand of thousands giving their attendance Jude 8. With thousands of his Saints 2 Thes 1.7 Comes with his mighty Angels Math. 25.31 Cometh and all his holy Angels with him O what an unspeakably glorious attendance this is 7. For the dreadfulness of his coming 2 Thes 1.7 Christ is revealed coming in flaming fire 2 Pet. 3 10. The Heavens shall pass away with a great noise the Elements melt with fervent heat the Earth with the works in it burnt up 8. As a preparative to the Judgment Christ descends from Heaven 1. with a shout never was there such a shout made in all the time the world stood 2. with the voice of the Arch-Angel and the Trump of God the Voice and Trump at Mount Sinai where six hundred thousand might hear that was a glorious and most dreadful voice and sound but nothing like this Never such a voice that which will make the whole world ring and the dead rise out of their Graves and with the same bodies the same numerical bodies that lived here 3. Those that are alive shall be changed in a moment in the twinckling of an Eye on the sound of the Trump 1 Cor. 15. 4. The dead in Christ shall rise first be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air 1 Thes 4.16 17. O blessed and most joyful meeting of the Saints that were on Earth now raised changed and
ends and be performed in another sort then an only wise or a learned man yea then any formal Christian can act or compass of himself And for the Characters of a right holy Meditation there will be no need to fetch any other lights of discovery but only to take up and hold those to this intendment which were opened in the discovery of the nature of divine Meditation 1. As making it our real and high obedience to God the soveraign Lord of our souls and to the golden Scepter of his Word in that express Law of his laid upon the thinking power and grounded upon the high and infinite obligations he hath on us to impose this thought-tribute and homage a pure obedience to him and doing his will herein He that meditates aright hath been taught and learnt to obey God to yield it to him as his due I am under my God saith the right Christian and infinitely obliged to all which he commands me This among others is one of his righteous and holy Laws one great signification of his Royal will I must not will not deny it dispute it or put it from me but comply freely with it And this comes from that spring that root which lyes at the bottom of the heart that supereminent love to God the holy hearts chief good and the great ground of all right obedience Rom. 13.10 Love is the fulfilling of the Law and so is it the fulfilling of this particular Law of holy Meditation love to God so infinitely excellent in himself and who hath so unspeakably loved the holy soul Therefore if it be the right and genuine obedience it hath this high this warm spring of love running in this channel this of Meditation an over-powering constraining love that breeds this thinking this looking of the soul in Meditation O therefore try if this heavenly love hath first been planted in the soil of thy heart if from a new heart circumcised to love the Lord above all that thence thou comest to love Meditation because thou lovest the Law-giver first who writes his Law and writes this particular Law in thy heart by love to it by making thee a lover of Meditation 2. If Meditation be genuine and right then is it from a choice of will wrought up by the power of holy love subduing and mortifying carnal and formerly predominant unwillingness and stubbornness reluctancy and refusals of this work and framing it to willingness freeness and fixedness of purpose to do it and hold it Psal 119.48 I will meditate saith the holy Psalmist Meditation arose from resolution from a will fixed and that arose from love acted and working the will to resolution Therefore in the 97. verse of this Psalm he speaks it to God himself O how love I thy law and what fruit doth this noble root of love put forth it is my meditation all the day Meditation of the Law proceeds from love to the Law Love lay at the bottom and that engaged the will into a firm resolution to meditate Never is the will freer and its purpose firmer then when love inclines and engages it The highest and strongest resolutions that ever were taken up by any holy heart were the rare products and sweet fruits of heavenly love love efficaciously exciting the will winding it up to the top and then fixing it fast 3. Where the work of Meditation is right the aims and ends of it are pure spiritual and holy it is carried beyond and above self it is an acting with self-denying self is neither the total nor the predominant ingredient in this undertaking That which Christ calls for of denying a mans self Mark 8.34 in the extent of all Christianity must particularly be performed in this duty Self seeking must not be uppermost not the main intent or inducement For this is the Sphere an unsound heart moves ever in The aim and end in the best natural man is never higher then self and no other really then self and that because he chiefly loves himself But a right work must be aimed and acted above all to the living God Therefore Zec. 7.5 God tells them their fasting was not right because they did it not to God so is Meditation or any other duty not right if it be not to him aimed above all at his Glory In this respect therefore Religion is in Scripture called Godliness because it is a frame of spirit acting above all self-ends and inferior respects unto the living God above all So Heb. 9.14 To serve the living God works not done to the living God are dead works a living work is aimed and level'd to the living God The end more particularly must be the glorifying God 1 Cor. 10.31 Do all to the glory of God If eating drinking and such inferior things then much more holy duties must be done to Gods glory There must be an inward powerful principle that can aim so highly really and an acting of that principle that God is actually glorified It is not enough to say we do as many erringly affirm they aim their duties when they never had first that right principle of Holiness wrought in their hearts Without the principle of Holiness it is impossible to have holy aimings holy ends It 's impossible without an eye to see to level at a mark Wheresoever there 's a right doing there 's a potent elevating principle that sets the spirit above the predominancy of self-seeking and acts it into a reality of God-exalting above all that kindles and inflames the soul into an ardency of desire love delight of glorifying God in every undertaking This is unspeakably sweet and heart-gladding nothing pleases a holy heart more then when the heart below can run in some degree parallel with the hearts of Saints and Angels above in hallowing and advancing the highest God and his Name Try we therefore if our meditating be a real acting up to the grand scope and highest end the exalting of God if his honour be indeed the preponderating inducement and greatest soul-aim 2. Happiness and our own Salvation was the next aim formerly mentioned happiness propounded and declared in the Gospel and no other To this next subordinate end must all the golden lines of holy duties tend here they must center Every right duty must be a real levelling at Gospel-happiness that which God proffers and Christ hath purchased If Meditation be right it is a part of true wisdom for our selves Prov. 9.12 Wisdom to salvation as really aimed at it as any marksman aime at his mark God next to himself and his glory allows and requires to look and seek labour and strive for eternal life and happiness and all our duties as they are subservient to his glory so our own happiness is complicate and wrapt up in it yet not above it or equal with it but next under it Accordingly therefore in this duty as in all others our aim at happiness must not be a meer self-seeking it must not terminate
free Grace I have heard by a good Hand that one of the Dukes of Muscovy while he stood talking with a poor Peasant of the Country pitcht a Spear he held in his hand upon the poor mans naked foot there digging with the point of the Spear into it and the slave for so they are generally durst not complain O! Gospel-sins dig not into the foot or hand or eye of a God if I may so speak but into his heart and the very top and crown of it Every sin against the Gospel kicks so at the very bowels of God so dishonours him in that his tenderest upper interest as nothing can higher offend and therefore not expose to deeper danger For farther help take the Book of Conscience thy Souls Register and God Remembrancer Look over all the black Items there on the File that it will certainly one day produce and set before thy face For yet surer assistance take the perfect Rule and Glass of the Law and Word of Christ therewith duely comparing thy life and frame of heart that by the Laws coming sin may the more abound O but the Law not only discovers guilt but denounces a most dreadful curse Gal. 3.10 Cursed be every one that continues not in all things written in the Law to do them And as the Law so the Gospel curses with a more dreadful curse for not obeying it in true coming to Christ by Faith O what a curse must this then be to be accursed first for original corruption in all the hellish wickedness of it And then to he cursed for all thy innumerable actual trangressions Accursed for the first act of sinning Accursed for the next act And for every new sin to have a new sentence be under a new curse For every every evil thought every evil affection purpose word work every commission every omission every day for all the sins of it to be accursed from the beginning to the end of it Really by the curse to be separated to evil bound over to death eternal in Hell How should this startle and awaken thee O but there 's yet that is more dreadful to be continually for sin under the hot displeasure and abiding wrath of a God Psal 7.11 God is angry with the wicked every day Joh. 3.36 He that believeth not the wrath of God abideth on him This God so angry for sin how infinitely able is he to take revenge and how resolved is he unless thou turn to him O what is that death eternal that Hell provided to punish sinners How frail is thy life by which thou art kept from falling into the Lake of fire and brimstone How certain is thy death and how uncertain is thy dying time It may come in a moment and then thou art cast upon eternal ruine Consider thy sins after commission grow not less wear not out are not less dangerous Sin is the same for substance though thy sense of them be less we greatly deceive our selves herein as if sin the longer after commission were less but the guilt of sin is the same the defilement the same the curse against them is in the same force the wrath displeasure and resolution of God to revenge them full out the very same and Gods remembrance of them is ever the same Hos 7.2 I remember all their wickedness and how is that They are before my face If they are not before thy face as God can set them yet they are before his face Psal 50.21.51.9 that is seen and remembred as a thing set full in a mans eye and his eye full on them I have been too bold in thus enlarging O 't is hard to awake from the deep sleep of sin But this must be endeavoured all thou canst and God he is to be entreated to help and do this for thee There must be an awakening by conviction really and undeniably seeing and acknowledging thy most woful condition Conviction in the understanding must end in contrition and a working down to the affections In a fourfold affection answering a fourfold distemper 1. Upon Fear 2. Sorrow 3. Despair 4. Desire and care to be eased 1. To tame presumptuous boldness and confidence in thy coming to fear that for all thy sin and danger feared not As it is said in that particular case Jer. 36.24 Though so great sinners and so severely threatned yet were they not afraid but burnt the Roll. To say we have sinned is not enough there must be real pungent fear Acts 2.37 pricked at the heart on sight of the sin of killing Christ a real and deep fear to a wounding piercing the heart and thick skin of security hindering the feeling of a woful state coming to be as really sensible as thou dost in assured and great danger Act. 16.29 the Jaylor came trembling God by his Spirit the spirit of bondage works this fear Rom. 8.15 2. There must be a dashing the usually carnal jollity and mirth Jam. 4.9 Let your laughter be turned into mourning and joy into heaviness this all the Scripture calls for A man condemned to dye a cruel death if perswaded he must dye will not laugh and be merry but mourn That mirth used at other times is not to be used now 3. To dash the deceiving usual carnal hopes which are the house built upon the sand Hopes of salvation on no true bottom but fond phansie meer imagination There must be despair as to all worthiness and ability in a mans self or any creature or in God and Christ hoped as many do in a false way Deut. 29. Psal 50. Acts 2.37 What shall we do implies as I take it beside other things despair of what formerly they hoped and trusted on 4. To curb and cure carelesness and a not desiring any other condition than their present or an only cold as it is in many and a fluctuating desire there must an edge be set upon desire an earnest great desire to be eased of the trouble and burden of sin and Gods wrath Acts 16.29 What shall I do and Acts 2.37 What shall we do implies an earnest desire to be eased And accordingly there must be an applying thy self to all the ways thou knowest and going to others that can advise thee Praying especially oft and as earnestly as thou canst Confessing and bewailing greatly thy present condition Upon being truly awakened and thence made really sensible of thy so woful state weary and heavy laden After the first dispositive Meditation and the impressions made on thy heart through the Lords help then a second Meditation must next be mightily intended and diligently followed Meditation on the means and manner of using them for getting out of thy so sad estate and coming to a safe and happy As he Acts 16. What shall I do to be saved Here must be laid at the bottom of this work that so necessary consideration That none can help himself and attain the mercy of a God in a meritorious Saviour unless God the Father by
his Holy Spirit the mighty Applyer of Christs Redemption draw efficaciously the weary sinner to the soul-easing Saviour works faith to come and rests on an all-sufficient Christ The first step in this great soul-concern must be labouring to divert the eye from a total or too much viewing of sin and Gods wrath and earnestly endeavour to be duely deeply possest of the infinite mercy love riches of free favour in Christ in whom he is placable and infinitely willing to shew mercy 1. Willing in that he hath in his abounding wisdom and prudence contrived the way of Reconciliation in Christ Eph. 1. 2. Willing in infinite love and riches of grace he appointed his own only Son anointed him with all fulness of grace sending him and causing him to work and procure Redemption perfectly in all respects and then in making the most free imaginable and possible proffer and tender of Salvation in Christ A discovery and tender in the exceeding great and precious promises promises that are as so many strong yernings and loud soundings of the bowels of a God to sinners promises most firmly fixt as being all the ingrost particulars and the golden clauses of the Covenant of Grace signed and sealed with the most precious blood of Christ and therefore ordered and in all things most sure The Promises and Covenant are by most highly demonstrating that hardly to be believed and trusted to by once awakened sinners that free rich love of God in Christ by demonstration of it the intendment is sirst to found and breed faith in weary heavy laden sinners and after to build it up and perfect it Meditation should first fix upon the promises of free justification and pardon of sin and as humbling arises not from a confused general apprehension of fin or many sins but distinct particular viewings of particular evils so comfortings and coming to relief must be by singling out and pondering the promises of mercy in particular As a drowning man that scapes by a taking hold on a particular thing hand or cord But the thing the greatest and highest for breeding and founding justifying faith is first pondering the infinitely all-amazing and adored free love of God the Father Joh. 3.10 1 Joh. 3.1 1. This is that so rich Mine out of which the most precious Corner-stone Christ himself was taken 2. For principally glorifving this riches of free grace the Earth for a Stage was set up to begin the discovery and revelation of it 3. The great Assize of the great day of Judgment is chiefly appointed for higher manifestation of it 4. And the highest Heaven with the state of Glory there is purposely founded and conferred on the Saints for the highest demonstration chiefly of free saving grace not Angels glorification but redeemed Saints glorifying is for free saving graces greatest glorifying and highest exalting Dwell here till largest apprehensions and highest admirations swallow up and drown all thy fears doubts and discouragements raising thy spirit up to hope trust and consolation But this so infinitely free love of the Father must be connected with most wishly viewing and most earnest pondering the highest proof and evidence of it in that greatest possible gift Gods own Son God in our Nature Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that c. Here after all thy black and sad thoughts and disquiets is the richest strongest and surest Cordial for a fainting heart A Christ in whom all fulness of wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption dwell That out of his own infinite love became man was in the form of a servant performed the whole Law pacified the wrath of God purchased perfect and eternal life by laying down his life a ransom 1. A Christ freely offered by God the Father Isa 55. Come and buy without money 2. Freely offering himself Joh. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come to me and drink 3. Freely offered and to be taken as the Bride and the Spirit say Come and drink of the water of life freely Rev. 22.17 This free grace must be applied by the promises of grace and pardon more especially and first Christ is not offered by God the Father and the Lord Christ offers not himself nor the Holy Spirit offers not neither draws to Christ but on the ground of the promise of forgiveness and salvation Nor can it be taken by man as a learned Divine expresses it but mediante promissione The promises particularly must be pondered duely often and often Ponder 1. The goodness of them they are good sweet indeed to a needy thirsty spirit Ponder 2. The sureness and firmness by a God that cannot lye Tit. 1. All yea and Amen in Christ 2 Cor. 1. Pvnder 3. The freeness of them Nothing so free as they that come only from a God only for his own Name sake Ponder 4. The seal of them in the rare and abundant examples recorded for encouragement of sinners of all sorts received to mercy So 1 Tim. 1.16 I saith the Apostle was received for a pattern to them that hereafter should believe to eternal life The promises must be pondered prayed often over as those which are for the wounded weary and heavy laden to breed faith not only to feed it but found and feed it also to begin and to build it up Never leave pondering the promises Gods love and Christs fulness offered in them until pondering comes to hope hope to thirsting thirsting to highest prizing prizing to selling all and buying the Pearl till thou comest to renouncing thy own righteousness thou casts thy self upon God in Christ by the promise first rested on promise leading to Christ first and to God by Christ and not only Christ for justification as thy Priest that purges guilt and makes atonement but as thy Prophet and King for light and holiness for a new heart a new principle a new wisdom and power a quickning power from Union and Communion with Christ Rom. 6. by the inhabitation and operation of his Spirit by faith that hand that receives all from Christ when by faith thou art justified and sanctified and receivest by influence from Christ a living principle Now thy heart is put upon the right hinge for rightly performing holy duties praying reading hearing the Word And now thou canst meditate aright in a holy and happy manner with wisdom and some skill choice of will complacency and constancy And now Meditation will prosper in thy hand Now as Davids blessed man thy delight will be in the Law of God and in that Law thou wilt meditate day and night I have been longer herein by much then was my intendment come we to the next Directions CHAP. X. Of Directions for Meditation respecting such as are young Christians newly converted OUr next Work after Directions to those that desire to successfully practise holy Meditation having formerly neglected it is to treat of the Directions for young Christians who are but entered upon their way how best to
relating to those things Meditation is to be upon gather the varieties of Scripture-passages about that particular subject you mean to meditate on The Scripture in the diversities of passages about particular subjects is like a rich banquet where are set before thee great varieties of rarities There are all manner of subjects All the credenda and facienda all things to be believed and practised in order to salvation There are great varieties of heavenly Truths for knowledge and wisdom and right believing Great varieties of Precepts Rules and Directions for due practice Many Promises and many Threatnings to back the Precepts sundry Patterns and Precedents to assist them and make them and thereby the Precepts more effectual on us Oft in Scripture the same things are expressed in a various manner in a different a new mode and fashion in new trimmings as it were and new dressings to both edifie and also please us Variety in expression carries oft variety of Notion holds forth something more to be learnt and affords something that may gratifie our spirits as to pleasure and delight So the lame thing hath it may be varieties of Arguments and Reasons for conviction and demonstration Inducements to perswade and lead Arguments and Inducements with the highest Art of Reasoning with the best improvement of Rhetorick and Perswasion Thus if thou meanest to meditate upon God or Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit upon Faith or Love or any Grace upon any duty any sin any affliction Thy way is to see what the Scripture hath and holds forth in the several passages of it as concerning Faith of the Nature of it of the effects and properties of it priviledges coming by it reasons to perswade to believe to live by Faith in all conditions how great variety of expressions have you for all things relating to Faith so of other particular subjects By this variety taking up one expression after another at such times as you can best how may thy Meditation be carried on with great delight and to great advantage This is one excellent way to order and improve thy Meditation take varieties of Scripture-passages about any particular subject thou wilt meditate on 1. For Scripture expression hath a bottom and foundation of sure and infallible truth which comes from God that cannot lye your Meditation goes on sure ground 2. Scripture-expressions are suited for us by the so infinite wisdom of a God who knows how best to declare his own mind and how best to convey and teach it to our capacity and condition None can speak so to me as God in the Scripture doth 3. Yea Scripture-expressions are sanctified by God to enable us to sanctifie him in this and all other duties This therefore is our best way to feed on these rarities this rich banquet of so great varieties when we are to meditate Hereby we may ever have matter abundantly to meditate never be to seek and for the manner perform it with great delight and pleasure which will otherwise be a weariness This certainly was the way of the highest Artists in Meditation David and other holy persons upon Record in Scripture They could not but see the same things to be repeated yet oft in a various way of expression therefore must conclude that the holy Inditer had his wise intendment in so various expressions Therefore their godly wisdom must teach them when they meditated to go in that way the Spirits condescending intent led them So let it be thy Rule for thy help for to make thy Meditation pleasurable and profitable together I will mention some Instances The Grace of Faith is thus variously exprest By trusting in God Prov. 3.5 Trust in the Lord with all thy heart Isa 26.4 Trust in the Lord Jehovah and in other places Psal 37.5 By rowling our way on God By taking hold of Gods strength Isa 27.5 and divers others In reference to Christ by seeing the Son Joh. 6.40 Coming to Christ Matth. 11.28 And believing on and in Christ often Love of God Deut. 30.6 Love thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul Deut. 6.5 Love thy God with all thy heart and soul and a third is added With all thy might Mark 12.10 Christ adds to the three former With all thy mind Certainly these varyings had their intent were that when we meditate of these or other graces we should furnish our Meditation and improve by them Thus things cited in Deuteronomy are variously exprest from those very passages and particulars in the former Books So the Chronicles express differently things in the Kings and the Four Evangelists vary the expressions of the same things both the matters historical and doctrinal and all the Scripture over this is practised Variety of expression calls for observation and holds forth oft some peculiar Notion and Instruction Let this therefore be thy Rule in Meditation 2. Be sure frequently and earnestly to meditate both of thy supreme and chief end and of the proper and proportionate means thereto conducing But do daily something more to purpose in that great Meditation of the supreme end as wisdom teaches and being that in its nature which deserves the highest and first things that also which gives Rules to all thy other actings and endeavours that glorifying exalting God above all Do very much in collecting together spreading before thee well considering acting the most vigorous and intense Meditation of all such things which may reduce thee to higher apprehensions warmer affections firmer resolutions and more earnest and even contendings for glorifying him that is God and there is none beside him for him that only gave thee thy all body soul life and only preserves thy all That gave his only Son to death to save thy souls life His Spirit to draw thee to Christ or thou hadst never come To dwell and work in thee and do all for thee as to applying Christ and all fellowship in Christ and with him and hath so infinitely obliged thee Therefore how sinful how unworthy to not honour and glorifie him how unkindly he takes it and how it grieves him Let Meditation gather up and indusstriously strive to improve all it possibly can Ah! how that holy Apostle was looking and striving this way how near was this glorifying God to his heart how much in his eye and endeavour how oft is he speaking of it How earnestly doth he provoke all he had to do with to it 1 Cor. 10.31 Whatsoever ye do if eat or drink do all to the glory of God acting all to it must imply an always minding of it 3. Lay sound stress likewise in Meditation as to that thy next chief end self-saving to have more serious thoughts and industrious pressings on hard to work it out and make thy calling and election sure To work it out against all difficulties and oppositions look more earnestly up to Heaven and into Heaven And it is good when thou thinkest of Heaven be then so bold with thy self
caught up to meet and see the Lord Jesus their Saviour and now the glorious Judge coming to consummate their happiness in soul and body together to die no more and to meet with all the Saints and Angels come from Heaven and to be for ever with the Lord never to be from him again 5. But others that were wicked and now raised with the other black Troop that were in Hell and now have their Souls united to their bodies All shall be brought before Christ the Judge according to the opinion of some sitting on a high Throne in the Air the Saints and Angels all attending about him 9. For the manner of these proceedings alluding to the manner of mens Judicatures as Revelations Chapter 20. 1. All persons small and great are brought and stand before God that is Christ God and man 2. The Books are opened the Book of Gods Omniscience and the Books of mens hearts and consciences not in an imperfect state of ignorance and forgetfulness but fully prepared for their work of answering at the Tribunal and Bar of Christ 3. It is a judging men according to their works for that hath been done in the body good or evil Eccl. 12.16 And a judging every secret thing of mens hearts Rom. 2.16 Some conceive that seeing there will be the Revelation of the righteous judgment of God Rom. 2. therefore it will have a long time to judge the cause of every person in all particulars that so the righteousness of the judgment and sentence of Christ with the Execution of it may fully appear and none to have any least objection against it But others think there will not be so particular a discovery and tryal of all things relating to the Saints but a more general one However Christians must be diligent to be found of Christ without spot and blameless as 2 Pet. 3.14 10. When the cases of all have been tryed and made to appear the Sheep having been separate from the Goats and set at Christs right hand the Goats on the left the sentence then passes that most comfortable sentence for the Sheep the Righteous now so judged by the heart-knowing and most just Judge Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you And that terrible sentence on the Goats now openly convicted Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels To which the Saints and Angels all give their full approbation as also to the doom upon the Devils 11. Upon which the most righteous execution follows of both the sentences for the righteous and against the wicked ones To make all this obtain a more efficacious impression daily on my spirit let me strive to represent this Day as now come that I hear the Trump sound see the dead rise the living all changed in a moment looking up I see Christ coming in the Clouds with great glory Angels and Saints all attending him Christ placed on the Throne of Judgment all persons convented before him and my self among the rest my case tryed my works words thoughts and all my secrets judged and my state for all Etemity determined and now when the World is all on Fire the wicked sent into that everlasting destruction the righteous going with Christ into Heaven and everlasting happiness what my own particular condition is like to be If I can come before Christ the all-knowing Judge with confidence and exceeding joy shall be absolved and hear that joyful sentence Come thou blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for thee CHAP. XXI Of Meditation of Hell and Death Eternal therein THE very naming of Death is dreadful Death Eternal is much more dreadful but a being in Hell the worst place possible is most dreadful of all Hell though in the meer mentioning it makes such a jarr upon the spirit of any though the least touching on it by a but glancing thought the least touch be like the needles sharp point to the Apple of the Eye so acute a pain and smart yet must the Eye of the soul by Meditation not only touch it but take it close to it but dwell upon it Death natural in the but very thought hath a very high attending regret we cannot endure to look deathward but O how greatly unwilling to look in the least this sad way destruction-ward Hell-ward toward death Eternal The first is tasting Gall but the second is a drinking Poyson The one hath a deep attending reluctancy the other a double died antipathy It 's the harshest task for a sinner it 's a hard for a Saint to fix willingly and dwell in Meditation on so sad and dreadful a subject as Hell is yet is it that which must be done and by a holy wise spirit may be both confidently and advantageously done The best Christian on earth will lose nothing by sometimes looking into Hell and fixing the thoughts there No man ever yet fled from Hell but first fixt his thoughts in some proportion on it No man will flye fast enough from this Pit of perdition this Lake of Fire if he do not oft look towards it and keep his Eye upon it Hell and Death Eternal are set down in Scripture for both evil and good mens flying but this cannot be compast without frequencies of earnest ponderings and meditatings For a right proceeding in this Meditation 1. Let me first look to that which is my infallible rule the testimony of that God who founded Hell and laid the corner stone of it who first threatned and prepared this Prison this Pit of destruction who knows all the large dimensions of it all things in and about it and cannot nor will not in the least deceive us in it He hath given us his Word to tell us and that under his own hand in great numbers and varieties of passages that we cannot rationally conceive he would so do mention and give it so many times under his own hand were there no such thing no local Hell and second Death Eternal My way therefore as a good Christian is to look up gather Scripture passages passage after passage all over the Book of God as I find this asserted in them O shall my lives time ravel out without any redeeming it as to this particular of giving due down weight of thoughts frequent serious thoughts as opportunity can be had of Death Eternal in Hell I must not only say there is a Hell I must not only give it for granted as most persons do but I must be concluded under the Scripture Authority See it and say it upon due perswasion upon clear demonstration demonstration on conclusive argumentation Arguments chosen as so many Arrows taken out of Christs Quiver the Scriptures levell'd right flying round up to the mark and hitting full my unbelieving and recoiling averse spirit making it fall down under this weighty truth reducing it through Christs help to a firm and operative belief yea so to assent to and ponder this so high
concern as to work off all my usual wonted easiness and slightness of thinkings on this particular And to arrive at a contrary habitual seriousness and earnestness of mindings frequent thinkings yea let my spirit not rest till I am reduced to and improve under the powerful and prevailing provocations of it to whatever so great a thing calls for from me That I may daily more answer the intendments of a God in relating this Hell so plainly and plentifully in his Word for my due notice of it My way then must be a course of serious pondering the Scriptures passage after passage wherein the second Death and Hell is set forth in the several Books As in Isa 30.1 Tophet is prepared of old even for the King he hath made it deep and large the pile thereof is fire and much wood the breath of the Lord like a stream of Brimstone doth kindle it An elegant description in an allusion So those many clear passages of Christs own mouth set down so plainly as words can utter Math. 5.22 and 29 30. In that very first Sermon of Christs on the Mount there he mentions Hell-fire and casting into Hell three several times Mat. 11.23 Brought down to Hell Luke 16.23 The Rich man is said to be in Hell Pet. It 's called a Prison Prisons being the wors of places made for securing and punishing Rev. 20.1 A bottomless Pit Luke 16.23 A place of torment Mat Their worm dieth not alluding to that worm that breeds in and feeds on the body is lying gnawing and cannot be cured Their fire goes not out Fire is the most quick and active the most tormenting and torturing Element It 's Brimstone that is the fuel which is a most combustible noisom and suffocating matter It 's call'd utter darkness Darkness is a most dreadful and disconsolating thing as that of Egypt For the company it is only wicked persons perfect in sin and most wretched Devils the worst of Creatures Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels O how hot and scorching must that fire be that purposely is prepared for utmost torment Not like Nebuchadnezzars Furnace seven times hoter but seventy times hoter that which is inconceivable In Scripture Hell or the state of misery is exprest by the terms of second death death one death in any kind is very dreadful above all other things but after dying a first death then to come and dye a second death and this not so easie as dying any bodily death millions of times over If a Malefactor should die the most cruel death and then be made to live again and then die that death a second time yea thousands and thousands of times over O how sad were the case of that person that must be so under the both fears of that death first and then the torments and pains But what is all this to this second death being under the fullness of infinite wrath and that for ever The inflicter of this misery is no less than an infinitely wise holy sin hating and an omnipotent God acting in the purest and fiercest wrath endeavouring the fullest revenge the damned creature is capable of and for which it purposely is made a vessel of wrath and that vessel is preared to receive and hold this wrath 1. Prepared by being widened extended as it were to receive the fulness of wrath As the Saints shall have their spirits elevated and extended to the utmost to be made fit to receive the fulness of glory and happiness so the damned have their spirits widened and enlarged their understandings and hearts in the utmost extensiveness that they be brim-full of wrath 2. Prepared by being purposely strengthened to the utmost as Vessels are made strong to hold the strongest Wine or Liquor to hold and keep in that wrath poured into them Were Hell but to have the least torment in the least member or sensible part as in the Toe Finger or the like for ever or but one torment in a noble part Head Liver Heart or a complication of many sad diseases for ever how intolerably sad were this state but to have all possible trouble and torment both in body and soul set on by a God for ever O how unspeakably sad is this All the forenamed this imprisonment this tormenting this worm this fire the weepings the wailings the gnashing of teeth is not for an hour a day a month a year an age nor a thousand years or ages or what can be reckon'd by millions of millions but for ever no rest for ever no ease for ever no hope of any deliverance or degree of it for ever but sorrow torment and terrour sinking in despair and hopelesness for ever ever ever O then to improve this Meditation and make it operative upon my spirit Let me first look upon Hell begun in that terrour and horrour the wicked instantly upon their raising up from the dead and changed are seized with The hot burning Coals of Hell are thrown into their bosom fill them up and lie burning and scorching as they are both bringing to the judgment seat and are standing before Christ at the Bar all the time of their arraignment Never did any poor guilty prisoner stand in such a fear as this fear and were so amazed 2. The then unspeakable shame Then all the time of their arraignment and especially on the pronouncing of that dreadful sentence which will be passed and executed O what must be the unspeakable shame mixt with the continuing and encreasing sad horrour Dan. 13. O what must be that shame when all things possible concur to load and cover them with shame never was there nor can be such a shame poured upon any A shame in the greatest concourse that ever was or can be all the Saints and Angels yea all the wicked and the Devils every particular ashamed also before all their own company in this so desperate state 3. And especially a transcendent shame in respect of the infinitely glorious Judge the Lord Jesus despised and sinned so against by so many Ah what must be the shame of wicked men to stand uncover'd with open faces to see the so dreadful Judge looking the arraigned person full in the face looking with the most wishly Eye and stern countenance upon I say their uncover'd faces to have all their sins ript up every one adding still to the shame but then when the dreadful sentence passes O what the shame will farther then be And yet far more when the sentence is Executed they driven away and all Devils and men thrust into the Dungeon of darkness what an everlasting shame will that be Now O now to think of all their unexpressible losses of such a Bill of losses as never was seen loss of God himself his face and communion with him Father Son and Spirit loss of the company of all the Saints and Angels lost Heaven and all its glory lost and all that happiness that arises from all