clearing up the Omnipresence of the Almighty II. NEXT we must consider That the Almighty doth more peculiarly observe his Servants while they are performing of heavenly Duties Yet this is to be understood not as if God observ'd us more at one time than another in respect of his Omnisciency but we may inferr That God is much more offended with us if our Deportment and Frame of Heart be more irreverent and unholy in the Duty of Prayer and Meditation than in the Duties of our particular Calling III. WE may consider with our selves That Christ doth actually behold us especially in these Duties of Sanctity For it is not the remoteness of Place that doth obstruct Christ's Omnisciency and exact observing of us Little did Nathanael think that Christ saw him under the Fig-Tree Nathanael did not perceive Christ neither then was he corporally present yet Christ beheld Nathanael when he prayed So Christ beheld St. Stephen before the Heavens were opened and the opening of the Heavens was not that thereby Christ might be enabled the better to behold St. Stephen but that this holy Proto-Martyr might thereby be the better enabled to discern that Christ looked on him IV. AND without all controversie the Almighty observes and knows with what Reverence Faith and Love we address our selves to him for else our Prayers would be fruitless and our Faith ineffectual For how could he distribute to us according to our Faith if he knew not the extent of it If the inferiour frame of our Hearts were not observed by Omnipotency we may then inferr that an Hypocrite which can utter extraordinary Expressions should acquire more by his Addresses to the Almighty than a true Nathanael in whom there is no guile V. Suppose that thou hadst lived in that Age when Christ was upon Earth or that he were corpotally present now near thy Habitation consider with what Joy Reverence Alacrity and Assurance thou wouldst address thy self to him for the Pardon of thy Sins or for any other Mercy thou stoodst in need of After the same manner thou mayst now address thy self his remoteness from thee in respect of a Corporal Presence doth not diminish his Power to discern thy Wants or give an Audit to thy Petitions nor his being now glorified doth not derogate his Benevolence to grant thy Requests than if he were corporally present in the Room with thee in the form of a Servant as he was once at Ierusalem VI. THE Glory of Christ doth not slacken his Love and Goodness for Christ is the express Image of his Father and God's Attributes are all consonant The Majesty of Heaven doth not set Limits unto his Goodness and make that finite nor doth his Bounty make his Omnipotency less glorious His Goodness makes his Deity more amiable and his Omnisciency makes his Mercies more wonderful so neither doth the Exaltation of Christ excite him to abate or diminish his Goodness to any that serve him according to his divine Precepts VII BUT if in any method his Love is mutable it is by an Augmentation For when our blessed Lord was in the flesh you must have approached him by Faith or expected no Mercy and by Faith though he is inthroned in Heaven you may obtain Mercy in time of need Thus you may ponder upon any of these Considerations until your Heart be so convinced of and affected with the Presence of God that you thereby may be the better fitted for the carrying on the Duty of Meditation more effectually SECT VI. Of Preparatory Prayer Before Meditation THE next Preparatory Consideration is Prayer which thou mayst perform to this or the like purpose LORD my design at this time is not to be sequestred an Hour from worldly Enjoyments for that were to be guilty of a Cessation and to encrease the number of my Sins not my Graces but my Sollicitation at this time is to be so convinced and affected with those spiritual Verities revealed in thy Sacred Word that I may fully resolve by thy Strength and Power to reform my Life for I can neither understand the things that belong to my Peace not understanding them be convinced of the Certainty and Verity of them II. NAY Lord though my Understanding is illuminated yet without thee my Affections cannot be enflamed I can neither know resolve nor perform any Good without thee for from thee proceeds both the Will and the Benefit of thy good Pleasure Lord I humbly implore 〈◊〉 to replenish me with thy Grace that I may be consciencious in performing this Duty with my whole Strength and not negligently and inconsiderately And Lord do thou illuminate me and convince me with thy Sacred Truths and so affect my Heart with the Love of Sanctity and a Detestation of all Sin and Wickedness that I may thereby be fully and firmly resolv'd notwithstanding all the Oppositions that the Flesh the World or the Devil can procure to run the ways of thy Commandments with joy and celerity III. AND Lord grant that when thou hast operated in me the Will so to perform give me also the Benefit and let me not trust to the Strength of my Resolutions but to the continual gracious Assistance of thy holy Spirit for the Performance of those Duties that through thee I shall resolve to pursue Grant this O holy and blessed Father even for the Merits of thy dear Son who hath commanded me to approach to thee in his Name for any Mercies I stand in need of O let these my Petitions reach thy merciful Ears even for his sake who is my only Lord and Saviour Amen IV. THIS or the like Prayer thou art to send up to the Throne of Grace But this must be done with thy whole Heart for thou must believe that it is by the Strength which thou shalt acquire from God by Prayer whereby thou shalt be enabled to perform this or any other Duty profitably for it is he that teaches us to be Proficients Now he that begins a holy Duty without God will end it without him also It is a pernicious thing to imagine that we can by our Natural Parts Learning or by the strength of Grace already received without the Almighty's further Assistance perform any thing that can please him or edifie our own Souls for though our Mountain be made strong yet if he withdraws the Light of his Countenance we are in Obscurity V. WE may with much more reason declare Now the Sun is in his full Meridian and the Air is so serene that now we can transact well enough for a space though that Solar Luminary be eclipsed than to testifie though our Hearts be never so much inflamed with the Love of the Almighty now we are so supplied and inflamed with his divine Love we can subsist by our own Strength and for the present we want not God's further Assistance afford us but Subject Matter to meditate of and we shall be of Ability to continue and encrease our Flames Do not possess thy self
that Vice he advises him not to look upon the Wine for as the Beauty of a prostitute Harlot so the Colour of Wine will inflame our Desires after it Prov. 23. 31. After this method Iob resolv'd I have made a covenant with mine eyes why then should I look upon a maid Job 31. 1. VI. NEXT You must observe this Caution If you find your Heart never so much resolving against and detesting of any Sin yet be very circumspect that you confide not upon the strength of Resolution but earnestly deprecate the Almighty that he would enable you by his Divine Power and that as he has given you the Will so he would give you his Grace to perform it SECT IX Of Vows AS your Resolutios are so let your Vows be rather against the Occasions of Sin than against Sin it self In things Indifferent beware of making any Perpetual Vow but rather let it be Conditional As First That you will abstain from such a thing or perform what you design'd unless you shall be otherwise advised by some discreet sober Person Secondly Add this Caution if thou art guilty of Drinking viz. If I think of it I will not drink Wine this Month. Now if a Breach of this Vow be made though you did not think of it you sin if your Vow be absolute II. THE next Caution concerning Things Indifferent is this Add a Penalty upon the Breach oâ— your Vow which may be to this purpose I resolve to set a-part one Hour in the Day in Prayer for the Church to the End of this Month or else give Alms to the Poor In such a case if we perform either we sin not And the reason of our Penalty is because some Inconveniences may arise which may prove very prejudicial to us and then we have liberty to take the other part of our Vow viz. To give so much to the Poor III. NOW this Penalty we inflict upon our selves must not be too light and trivial but of such consequence as may be obligatory yet not of that ponderosity to be prejudicial For a rich Man to vow he will bestow a small Matter on the Poor is inconsiderable yet perhaps by a poor Man the same Value may be of too large an extent But let your Penalty be according to the Rules of Scripture and Reason and opposite to those Sins which are most prevalent in thee For Example If Covetousness reigns in thee exercise thy Penalty in Alms If Voluptuousness Prayer and Fasting or abstaining wholly for a time from thy greatest Delight and Recreation IV. LASTLY Let your Vows be rather against the External than the Internal Acts of Sin rather against Speaking angrily than being Angry For though External Acts of Sin are worse yet we have not so much dominion over them If your Vows extend to the Performance of Holy Duties let it be as to the Time not the Quantity For Example Should'st thou bind thy self to read such a number of Chapters perhaps thou art tempted to read them too hastily over whereas if thou dost allot thy self so much Time thou art not so liable to this Temptation SECT X. How to Conclude your Meditations FIRST Thou must earnestly beseech the Almighty to give thee Strength to perform whatever thou hast resolv'd to act in his Service This must be perform'd fervently though briefly and humbly from an earnest Desire to act what thou hast promised and resolved and also from an humble sense of thine Inability in the Performance Next express thy Thankfulness and when thou findest any Alteration wrought in thy Hearr to detest Sin give God the Glory and rejoyce not in thy self except it be with trembling at thy own Pride and Arrogancy II. NEXT We are to remember what Parts of our Medtation did most affect us and lay them up so in our Thoughts that frequently we may ponder on ' em Lastly When thy Meditations are ended depart not hastily to thy Temporal Employments Go not from the Presence of the Almighty as a Bird out of the Snare of the Fowler with alacrity and speed but go vigilantly and warily from Holy Duties The Collects to be said Before or After Meditation O LORD from whom all good Things do come grant to me thy humble Servant that by thy holy Inspiration I may Think those things that be good and by thy merciful guiding may Perform the same through our Lord Jesus Christ Amen GRANT to me Lord I beseech thee the Spirit to Think and Doe always such things as be rightful that I who cannot do any thing that is good without thee may by thee be enabled to live according to thy Will through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen I BESEECH Thee Almighty God look upon the hearty Desires of me the humblest of thy Servants and send forth the Right-hand of thy Majesty to be my Defence against all my Enemies through Jesus Christ our Lord Amen MED I. Confession of Sin 1 John i. 9. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness OMNIPOTENT God my Sins ever appear in my sight and are a Torment unto my Mind every Day I think of thy Judgment because Death threatens me every Hour And when I remember I must appear before the Iudgment-seat of Christ 2 Cor. 5. 10. then I exaamine my whole Life and find it is altogether Vanity my Actions are vain my Words profane and my Thoughts unprofitable If the shadow of some Vertue appears it is imperfect because Original Sin and my vitiated Nature hath polluted it II. IF all our righteousness are as filthy rags Isa. 64. 6. what can we expect our Unrighteousness should be Our Saviour tells us When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you say we are unprofitable servants Luk. 17. 10. And if we are so unprofitable in our Acts of Obedience certainly we are abominable in our Transgressions St. Gregory in his Morals tells us A diminutive Light may shine in Obscurity but being set in the Sun is darken'd Wood not measured may appear strait but applied to the Rule is found oblique The Impress of a Seal may appear perfect in the Eyes of the Spectators and yet be very imperfect in the Eye of the Artificer So that which glitters in the Estimation of the Performer is often-times sordid in the Discretion of the Judger For the Thoughts of God are different from the Thoughts of Men Isa. 55. 8. III. THE Memory of many Sins affrights me and yet there are divers I am ignorant of Who can tell how oft he offendeth O cleanse thou me from my secret faults Psal. 19. 12. I dare not look up to Heaven because I have offended him which inhabits there In Earth I enjoy no Refuge expecting nothing from the Creatures because I have offended the Lord of the Universe My Adversary the Devil accuseth me to the Almighty and desires him the most Just Judge to condemn me to Chains of
Temporal Glory why should we to our prejudice embrace it What availeth the Praises of Men if the Voice within accuseth us Or what signifies a Bed of Gold to one in a burning Fever unless the State or Pomp could abate the Torment It is only the Testimony of a good Conscience that admits of any Duration But why do'st thou chase so much after Riches He is too covetous unto whom the Almighty is not sufficient This Life is the Path to our Eternal Countrey What doth transitory things profit us They do but rather overload the Traveller as too much Burthen doth a Ship IV. THE Majesty of Heaven is the Riches of his Servants then why should'st thou not seek after that which will compleat thy Happiness Temporal Riches produce Labour and Toil in the getting Fear in the possessing and Grief in the losing and which is most deplorable the Labour of the Covetous not only perisheth but it brings them also to the same Destiny Lot's Wife which was turn'd into a Pillar of Salt yet preaches unto us this Doctrine Not to look back on the Splendour of the World but with speed to hasten to our heavenly Countrey And why do'st thou so eagerly pursue after Pleasures They are but Vanity and in the end Vexation of Spirit V. O THEN let the remembrance of a Crucified Saviour banish from thee all Pleasures and let the remembrance of a Fire Unquenchable extinguish all inordinate Concupiscence Compare but the short Moments of Pleasure with Eternal Punishments and thou wilt relinquish one to evade the other Worldly Pleasures if really considered are brutish and they that are involved in those Allurements assume the shape of wild Salvages The Sweetness of Heavens Kingdom pleases not that Appetite which daily feeds upon Husk with Swine Let us then prepare with the Patriarch Abraham and offer up to the Almighty as an Oblation this our beloved Son even our darling Sins which have so long invaded us VI. LET us consider the Way to Eternal Mansions is not strewed with fragrant Roses but with Thorns and Thistles The External Man indeed is surrounded with Pleasures but the Internal must press through many Tribulations Let the Fear of Omnipotency then macerate thy Flesh that the Affections thereof may not delude thee Retain always in mind the approach of the great Audit that the perverse Judgment of thy sensual Appetite may no way enslave thee Be not allured by the flattering Face of the Serpent but remember the Sting he craftily conceals Always invoke the Almighty to strengthen thee with his Grace that at the last thou may'st receive a Crown of Glory MED IX Iacob's Ladder Gen. xxviii 12. And he dreamed and behold a ladder set upon the earth and the top of it reached unto heaven and behold the Angels of God ascending and descending on it THE Patriarch Iacob had no sooner fixed upon a Stone for his Pillow but a splendid Vision accosts his sight That filial Obedience which attended him from his Father on a Journey to Syria became a nobler Conduct and directed him the Way to Heaven Those Angelical Travellers ascending and descending before him Happy Solitariness and glorious Entertainment with such Celestial Company The Uneasiness of his Lodging was highly recompenc'd by this Beatifical Prospect when the God of Heaven the Lord and Governour of the World appeared unto him refreshing him with the graciousness of his Promises and Providence II. WHEN I view the Figure of this humble Sleeper I cannot forbear wondring at the folly of those that expect Visions from Above upon their soft Beds and seek for Revelation in the plenitude of their Pleasures Their wanton Spirits would wax sick and be out of humour with Piety should it molest or oppose their Quiet How apt would their Devotion be to contract an Ague should they with the Psalmist rise up at Midnight to invoke the Almighty God distills not his Miracles into the Lap of the Wanton nor communicats the Excellency of his Glory but to those who resign themselves to Him III. St. IOHN must be exil'd to Patmos before he can be admitted a Divine and have converse with none but Angels if he would be a fit Pen-man for Heaven Those devout Men who were retir'd from all Company but Solitude and their Devotions could not have merchandized so unspotted with Heaven had they not renounc'd all Correspondence with the World and unvesting themselves of all Temporal Felicities obtained an higher degree of Grace and became living Monuments of Celestial Grandeur IV. OUR devout Patriarch enjoyed here no-Canopy but the serene Air no other Tapers to illuminate his Apartment but the Lamps celestial and the vigilant Angels move to and fro as it were to guard and preserve him Oh how securely doth he rest that lays down his Head in the Bosom of Providence and makes that his Soul's Receptacle Repose thus Beatifical denotes a Sanctuary Nor need he fear any Disturbance in his Rest that has the Almighty for his Keeper or that his pious nocturnal Thoughts shall be molested with frightful Dreams V. IACOB had no sooner prepared to sleep but those holy Messengers unlock the Heavens and invite him to ascend But 't is by a Ladder Heaven is not to be clim'd up to in a moment The Path to Happiness is trod by degrees and as our Saviour informs us 't is very narrow Every Vertue is a step to Eternity and he is so much onward of his Journey that daily tramples upon his Vices We cannot prove too good Proficients in a Life of Sanctity or imagine that in the least Acts of Piety we have enough to conduct us to Happiness 'T is not a few Paces but a constant Progress that conveys us thither Oh how bad then is he that thinks himself too good to be made better VI. O LORD the Promises of Thy Glory are immensible and yet how negligently do we embrace 'em Thou hast directed us the Way unto Thy Self and yet we are not only reluctant but even weary of walking to Thee Alas Is the Magnificence of Thy Kingdom not worth approaching to Can we propose to ascend Thy Throne by a feeble and dronish Devotion How actively do we run after the Vanities of the World but in Thy Service pretend faintness We can chase after the fading Pleasures of this Temporal Life but neglect our progress in the Way Thou prescribest us to walk in VII QUICKEN us O Lord we beseech Thee and make us more ardous and zealous in Thy Service and as Thou hast sent Thy dearly beloved Son and our Redeemer to summon us to Thy Self so do Thou likewise send Thy Holy Spirit to sanctifie us for Thy Self that we may by Thy heavenly Grace become a peculiar People zealous of Good Works And we who of our selves are unworthy to approach Thy Altar will by Thy Divine Assistance run the ways of Thy Commandments so that at last we may attain our End even the Saivation of our own Souls and appear with Joy
accomplish their Designs were driven out of Paradise Gen. 3. 6. So may we expect it that Immortal Part our Souls should forsake him who hath so dearly purchas'd 'em and cleave unto the World but that we must undergo the same if not a worse Punishment V. THEY which neglect our Saviour's candid Invitation of Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden shall not avoid hearing of him pronounce that Sentence of Go ye cursed into everlasting fire Mat. 25. 41. The Sodomites were consumed with fire Gen. 19. 24. for refusing to hear Lot's Doctrine and without a speedy Repentance the Fire of God's Anger will consume them which have despised his Gospel and rejected all Reproof The five Foolish Virgins who neglected trimming their Lamps were excluded the Bridegrooms Presence so those whose Hearts are not inspired with Celestial Oyl must expect to be debarr'd the Participation of Eternal Joy and Comfort VI. CHRIST internally calls to us by his Holy Spirit and secretly affords us Motives to holy Desires devout Affections and pious Cogitations and happy is he whose Soul is invested with these Ornaments When thou perceivest the least spark of the Divine Goodness in thee which doth excite thee to the performance of any good Duty then labour to cherish it that it may break out into a flame and take heed that thou quench not the Spirit and by that means extinguish the Operation And the Apostle affirms If any man defile the Temple of God him shall God destroy 1 Cor. 3. 17. VII THE Heart of a Man is the living Temple of the Lord and he is guilty of the Destruction of it who refuseth to give place to his Holy Spirit The Prophets in the Old Testament diligently hearkned unto the Word of the Lord and were prophetically inspired as a Reward for their-Obedience And in the New-Testament the Disciples and Apostles were punctual in preaching the Gospel and they were inspired by the Holy Ghost and were at last Crown'd by the Merits of Christ as a Recompence for their Labours and to those which shall imitate such good Examples blessed are they which shall hear and persevere in such good Performances MED XV. True Contentment Phil. iv 12. I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need NONE but this happy Apostle such a divine Saint as St. Paul was could become a Proficient in this Lesson How few is there that have desired to learn it 'T is a Lecture the World hath long ago been weary of not so much because 't is so hard a Task but because 't is so unpleasant a Theme Were the Way to Everlasting Happiness strewed with Roses of Pleasure for our sensual Appetites to range and revel in 't would quickly become a frequented and an easie Walk Were there no Difficulties no skilful Trials to be past through who of a Mortal would not become a Saint The Crown of Eternal Glory would be as common as a Garland of Flowers did not that of Thorns carry the precedence II. THE World values not a Religion which disanuls all Splendour whose strict Discipline abrogates all Pomp and Pleasure and instead of all Temporal Delights which affects the Senses preaches Temperance Patience and the Judgement to come This Doctrine possesses us with an aguish Fit and then we like Felix fall a trembling and desire to be excused from so piercing a Duty He that invites us to see Heaven first informs us That to desire Temporal Enjoyments is the Wish of an Ethnick For after all these things do the Gentiles seek Mat. 6. 32. And shall Christians follow the Examples of Heathens and aim not at sublimer Things than what this sublunary World can afford Shall they who can by the Eye of Faith take a prospect of Eternity look down upon this Lower World with Affectation III. AND was that the Occasion of this Invitation we gave the Most Highest Did He which made the Heavens bow them come down and unthrone himself to convey us thither and do we lie wallowing in our Sins for ever How Vile Base Vain and Senseless a Creature is that Person that winds up his Felicity in the fruitless Enjoyments of this Life and eagerly resigns himself to sordid Sense But tell me O Thou that reignest in Plenty and obscurest Heaven in Oblivion should the two bright Luminaries be invested in their Purple Robes and transforming their Lustres like bleeding Meteors change their Rays into Crimson Streams were the Air now crouded with Sounds of the last Trumpets ecchoing audibly in our Ears an approaching Judgment How prodigious would that Mutation appear What vast and horrid Consternations would the remembrance of thy Profane and Atheistical Plenitude then strike and amaze thee with IV. INDEED these Mundane Enjoyments are so trivially poor empty that he which fixes his Hopes in their Fruition will speedily find himself but an eternal Mendicant a wretched miserable and deplorable Dives And yet such is the apparent Sanctity of the whole Universe to scoff at Religious Poverty and deride the Exigencies of a Devout Life as an Adversary to Nature He is ignorant of the Joys of a Future State and of an Expected Eternity that thinks there 's no Felicity beyond this Hands Breadth no Happiness beyond this slender Span. V. WERE we but sensible of the glorious Reward which shall Crown the World for that which she terms Misery that Felicity that attends on the most suffering and dejected Devotion we should glory in our Wants be affected with Hardship and inure our selves to Poverty with Delight we should be willing not only to depart but to live Martyrs rejoyce even in the lowest State to purchase Heaven and chearfully learn that Art with the holy Apostle to suffer Want here and to labour how to abound in that Plenitude which is infinite VI. AND yet how hard a Task is it for us to endure even the pettiest Affliction for Thy sake O Lord So senseless are we of Thine abundant Goodness so wilfully forgetful of Thy Omnipotency that we not only in our greatest Necessities arraign and condemn thy vigilant Providence but are ready even to turn Pagans in our unhappy Misfortunes Open Thou our Eyes O Lord that we may behold the Vanity of this transitory World and the Deceitfulness of our own Hearts that the alluring Pleasures of it may neither swallow us up nor the Losses of it overthrow our Hope or discourage our Obedience Let that illuminated Glory which Thou hast freely promised to those that vanquish the World for Thy sake be ever in our sight that in whatsoever State we are in we may still be found triumphing in Faith and at last receive as a Recompence of Reward a Crown of Righteousness MED XVI Of Divine Faith Heb. xi i. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen LET us
divers Gestures and Expressions which are not requisite or necessary for any but God and the Soul to be privy to Now what Place soever you find to be necessary for this important Duty be sollicitous to make choiee of II. As for the Time the best Opportunity is in the Morning for the First Fruits of the Day being Holy all the rest are Sanctified Moreover our Thoughts being then not polluted with worldly Affairs they are not so liable to distraction and the Body it self is more serene than after Meals and this Duty requires a vacuity in the Stomach not only because the Head will be more perspicuous and apt for Meditation but also because many Passages of Meditation require so much Attention of the Mind and Fervency of Affection that they do hinder Digestion And this Duty being performed in the Morning it will have an influence upon the whole Day But this Rule is not universal for we read that Isaac went forth in the Evening to medirate Gen. 24. 63. And if the Subject of your Meditation be a Sermon then perhaps the properest time is immediately after the hearing of it before your Affections cool or your Memory fail you III. FOR the Duration considering the Parts of Meditation are so many as Preparation Considerations Affections Resolutions and the like And not one of these are to be past slightly over for Affections are not quickly raised nor are we to cease blowing the fire if it flame until it be well kindled Half an Hour may be reckon'd to be the least for Beginners and an Hour for those that are Proficients in this Duty IV. But in this Particular there is Two Rules especially to be observed First That as we ought not to desist from our Prayers before that temper and frame or heart is wrought which is suitable to the Requests of our Petitions so we should not desist in our Confession of Sin till our Hearts are truly sensible and humbled for Sin neither should we slacken our Praises until our Hearts are filled with holy Admirings and inflamed with the Love of the Almighty Now the End of Meditation are Affections and Resolutions therefore we should not desist till those are effected V. SO in Private Prayer when we find our Hearts enlarged by the Effusion of the Spirit of Supplication upon us we are not to desist unless by our persisting in that Duty we omit another to which we are more particularly obliged at that juncture so in Meditation when we perceive the Heart affected we are to continue it But this Caution must be observ'd That in our Enlargements we must not continue them longer than while they flow freely without much Straining and Compulsion for Honey which comes freely from the Comb is pure but forced by Heat and Pressure is not so well relish'd Now if the Heart is dead we must use our utmost diligence to awaken it and when once our Hearts are inflamed and enlarged by holy Affections in an extraordinary manner 't is but an impediment to our Affections to return to the Meditation of those Points that raised them SECT IV. Of the Subject and Method of Meditation FIRST Avoid Controversie for that will convert Meditation into Study and nice Speculations for they are sapless without Nutriment besides being so light they fluctuate in the Brain and want ponderosity to sink them down into the Heart and inddeed were they admitted they are so insignificant as the Heart by its reception could acquire no Affectation But let the Subject of your Meditation be the plainest powerfullest and usefullest Verities of the Almighty as Death Iudgment Hell and Heaven the Mercies of God our own Sins and the Love and Sufferings of a crucified Saviour Contemplate on that which is most suitable to your Spiritual Wants as in the time of Desertion meditate most of the Love and Mercies of God and thy own Unworthiness c. II. NOW the Rules for Meditation are these Three 1st Preparatory 2dly For the Body of the Duty And 3dly The Conclusion In our Duty of Preparation besides the choice of the Subject we are to be convinced and affected with the Presence of the Deity and to use fervent Prayer for the Divine Assistance Secondly For the Body of Meditation it consists of Three Parts The First is Consideration which is the convincing our Hearts of several Verities appertaining to that Subject whereof we meditate III. IF the Subject of our Meditation be Death the Considerations may run thus Alas O my Immmortal Soul the Manner Time and Place where we shall expire we are ignoraut of generally Mens Lives come to a period sooner than they expect and certain it is whensoever that Hour or Minute approaches we must bid adieu to Honours Pleasures Riches Friends and at last our own frail Bodies c. The Second Part is Affections whether it be Love of God Christ or Spiritual Things despising of the World admiring of the Omnipotency or any other Spiritual Affection The Third Part are Resolutions to perform that which is agreeable to God's Command and to desist from all manner of Evil. IV. NOW that this is the most proper and genuine way of Meditation evidently appears First Because it is not Artificial and such as requires Learning as those Instructions are which advise us to consider the Efficient Final Formal Material Cause of Defunction with the Adjuncts Concomitants and Concatenations c. which though they perhaps may please the Learned yet such difficult words astonish the Ignorant Now this is the Method by which every one that is brought home to God is converted V. AND the first thing in Coversion is our being convinced of some Truths which Conviction raiseth Affections For if the Verities of the Divine Omnipotence end in Conviction and go no further nay if they end in Aflections only and never arrive to Resolutions of shunning Evil and performing of Good Conversion can never be perfected As for Example One is convinced that he is a miserable undone Wretch by reason of Original and Actual Abomination Upon this Conviction Fear and Sorrow are excited yet if these do not operate in us a fixed Resolution of forsaking those Sins we are yet in our Sins and unconverted Thirdly There are several things for the concluding of Meditation which I shall treat of in its proper order SECT V. Of being affected with the Divine Presence WE are to consider God is present in all places as really and Essentially as he is in Heaven For Omnipotency did not create Heaven for his Confinement but to manifest his Glory for the Heaven of Heavens are not able to contain him neither is the Almighty included by nor excluded from any place And though Iacob said Surely the Lord was in this place and I knew it not Gen. 28. 16. yet we must not imagine that Iacob was ignorant of the Verity of it but did not actually consider it but the the Psalmist in the 139th Psalm is perspicuous in explaining and
extracted Nay they may properly be called Good because they are God's Messengers and proceed from him who is the Fountain of all Goodness Moreover they lead us unto the chiefest Good even Life Everlasting Christ by his Passion entered into his Glory Luk. 24. 26. And Christians by Tribulations enter into Life Eternal Act. 14. 22. And consequently Sin is the chiefest Evil because it draws us from the chiefest Good VI. THE Sinner is accused by his Conscience which he hath defiled by his Creator whom he hath offended by the Sins he hath committed by the Creatures he hath abused and by the Devil who hath seduced him How saving then is Repentance which frees us from such Accusations Let us haste then with speed to such a soveraign Catholicon If thou deferr thy Repentance till Death thou do'st not forsake thy Sins but they forsake thee and it is very difficult to trace out an Example of sincere Repentance at the Hour of Death except that of the Thief upon the Cross. VII FOVRTEEN years have I served thee said Iacob to Laban it is time now that I should provide for my own house Gen. 31. 41. And if thou hast pursued the World and chased after the Vanities of it so many Years it is now high time to provide for thy Soul Every Day nay every Hour and Minute we accumulate Sin Oh let the Spirit every Moment wash it away with Tears of Repentance The Almighty infuses not the Oyl of Mercy but into the Vessel of a contrite Heart He first mortifies us by Contrition and then quickens us by his Spirit of Consolation He leads us into a deep abyss of Grief and brings us back by his Restraining Grace VIII Elias first heard a vehement Wind overturning Mountains and cleaving Rocks and after the Wind an Earthquake and after the Earthquake Fire 1 King 19. 11. At length there followed a still small Voice ver 12. From whence we may inferr That Terrour is the precursor of the Love of Omnipotency and Sorrow precedes Comfort God binds not up any Wounds that are laid open by Confession He Pardons and Justifies none except they Acknowledge and Condemn themselves He Comforts not unless they first Despond And this is the sincere Repentance which God by his Holy Spirit operates in us MED IV. Of Man's Salvation Tit. ii 11. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared unto all men WHY art thou perplexed O my Soul and why art thou dubious of the Mercy of God Remember thy Creator who created thee without thy Assistance who formed thee in secret in the lower parts of the earth Psal. 139. 15. He who took care of thee before thou wer 't born Will his Providence neglect thee now thou art fashioned after his own Image To Thee the Great Creator does thy unworthy Creature address himself Though my Nature is infected by Satan and wounded by Thieves which are my sinful Corruptions yet my Creator liveth II. HE which made me can renew me He that created me without any Evil can chase all Evil from me whatsoever hath gain'd admittance by the Devil's Suggestions Adam's Prevarication or my own Actions yea though it hath over-spread my whole Substance The Almighty never hated his own Workmanship We are before him like Clay in the Hands of the Potter Had he hated me certainly he would never have created me when I was nothing He is the Saviour of all men but especially of them that believe 1 Tim. 3. 10. He created me wonderfully and redeemed me miraculously but his Love was never so highly expressed than in his Wounds and Passion III. SURELY we were indulgently belov'd for whose sakes the only begotten Son of God is sent from the Bosom of his Father Dear was the Price of our Redemption and great was the Mercy of our Redeemer To make us Rich he embraced Poverty for he had not where to lay his head Mat. 8. 20. To make us the Sons of the Most High he condescends to become Man and doth not after he had accomplish'd our Redemption neglect us but still intercedeth for us Rom. 8. 34. IV. LET my Sins Satan and all the Powers of Darkness accuse me in Jesus my Mediator will I trust who is Greater than my Accusers Let my Weakness affright me yet in his Strength will I glory For the Sufficiency of my Merit I am familiarly acquainted my Merits is not sufficient it suffices me that he is propitious against whom I have sinned and whatsoever he hath decreed not to impute will be perform'd and all Guilt with the Price of his most precious Blood shall be done away V. LET it not then perplex me that my Sins though many and of such a magnitudâ— discomfort me For were I not oppress'd and heavy laden with Sins what need I earnestly request Christ's Righteousness Had I no Distemper I had no necessity to implore the Physician 's Help but I am spiritually sick and He who is the Lord our Righteousness is both our Saviour and Physician Lord I am Sick a Sinner and Condemned and upon the Grand Inquest of my Conscience pronounce my self Guilty but have Mercy on me O my Physician my Saviour and my Righteousness MED V. The Youth's Memento Eccles. xii 6. Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth IT was both seasonable and profitable Advice and one of the elegantest and choicest Expressions in the Royal Preacher's Sermon For who is he which is now Young and Vigorous that is certain he shall live to be Old And yet that potent Voice which loudly proclaims to all the World and whose Sound will remain till Death shall be expired is scarce aucible in the Ears of thousands II. 'T IS one of this divine Chanters harmonious Lessons and yet the World thinks it too harsh a Note and is very much displeased with the Tune 'T is strange and an amazing Wonder That the Sweetest and Wisest of Preachers should have so slender a Train of Followers being his Oratory is so Rhetorical and Divine And yet it is so weighty a Text which though they shun to hear understand or read they cannot evade the seeing for the whole Universe is but a Comment on it every Creature we behold preaches this useful Doctrine which we so supinely sleep out with our Eyes open III. NATURE her self carries this Memento in her Forehead and the very Bruit Beasts in this Philosophy can reason with us And it is strange madness that Man should forget his Maker did he but remember himself But alas blooming Youth affects not to be put in mind of Heaven which he is not acquainted with 't would impair his Memory and make him think of his Prayers too often Piety will but chill his Blood Religion makes him look wither'd the Thoughts of Heaven and a Future-State will make him sager than his years requires his Blood informs him he is not yet qualified to turn Divine he may serve his Creator time enough when he is more at
leisure IV. THUS these Temporal Objects of Vanity and Pleasure chase away our Thoughts from Heaven and its Celestial Raptures We can spend the Flower and Beauty of our Years in Vice and think the Almighty will be well enough pleas'd with the Deformity of decrepit Age We can sport and revel our Piety and Time in vain and frivolous Delights and conclude our selves potent enough to compel Heaven and become Religious when we are bowed down with Infirmities and have nothing left us but Repentance and a Tomb. V. WE are so highly pleas'd with the Sweetness of Sense that we are negligent of any greater Felicity and so extraordinary much delighted with the Happiness of Sinning freely that we could willingly embrace that Religion which tolerates Vice most We place all our Devotion with the luxurious Epicure in the Riots of Nature Jolly Meetings are our best Religious Exercises a Sermon is as troublesom and melancholy to us as a Funeral and to hear of our Latter-end in the mid'st of our Pleasures sounds like a Lecture of Death the unwelcome and faint Eccho of the Grave VI. LET the Preacher instruct us never so earnestly to remember our Creator we rather chuse to follow Satan's Doctrine to enjoy this World as long as we can and entertain Thoughts of Heaven at our leisure And shall the Lusts of this vain World O Lord be greater in my Soul than the Love of Thee Shall the temporary Allurements of Sin eclipse the Memory of thy Glory My Life I know is but a Span and yet I beseech thee abreviate that rather than it shoud be spent in a neglect of Thee better this Earthly Tabernacle of my Body be dissolv'd than become a Theatre for Sin to revel in VII LET me pay unto Nature the due Debt I owe her sooner than perhaps she would summons it rather than run deeper in score with thy Justice 'T is far better I should die and be lost in the memory of the World than to forget thee Thou broughtest me at first from nothing not to sin but to serve and fear Thee and has impressed in me a Ray of thy blessed Self that I might not seek my own perverse Will nor pursue this vain World but heavenly Mansions inure me therefore to Thee that I may behold those solid and ravishing Joys and Consolations that is in serving of Thee what Tranquility accompanies thy Grace that so I may no longer follow my own depraved Sense but my Saviour VIII IT is none of the least Sins of our Youth that we are negligent and forgetful of Thee our Creator And no wonder we are ignorant and insensible of the Joys to come that live in such a constant and continued neglect of Heaven Make me therefore O my God seriously to consider that had I the perfect Fruition of all I could wish or long for here I should not only be unsatisfied but in the end find how miserable he is that fixeth his Heart on any thing but Thy Self Teach me therefore so to enjoy the World that I lose not Thee nor the Memory of that Blessed and Eternal Reward Thou hast promised to them that Honour and Fear Thee MED VI. General Rules for a Godly Life Ephes. xv 16. See then that ye walk circumspectly not as fools but as wise redeeming the time because the days are evil EVERY Day Death approaches thee and then follows Judgment and Eternity Therefore think often how thou may'st be able to Answer in that most strict and severe Judgment Look circumspectly unto thy Thoughts Words and Actions for at that great Tribunal thou must render up an exact Account Eccles. 12. 14. Every Evening and Morning entertain thy Thoughts of the pale Messenger and deferr not thy Repentance till the next Day for the Morrow is uncertain but Death is certain and waits no Person 's leisure II. NOTHING is more opposite to Piety than Procrastination If thou contemnest the inward Voice of the Holy Spirit thou will never attain to a sincere Repentance Make it thy business and study to walk in the Law of the Lord. In thy Conversation be Affable and Courteous to all Perplexing to none and Familiar with few To God live Piously to thy self Continently and to thy Neighbour Justly Shew Favour to thy Friend Patience to thy Enemy thy Good-Will towards all and thy Bounty to whom thou art able Always call to mind Three things past the Evil committed the Good omitted and the Time pretermitted And ever bear in mind Three things present the Brevity of this present Life the Difficulty of being saved and the Paucity of them that shall be saved III. LET thy Evening Prayers ascend and humbly confess the Sins of the Day past and think how many are in danger of Hell-fire Let the last Day of the Seven correct and amend what Enormities thou hast committed the whole Week Shew Obedience to thy Superiours give Counsel and Aid to thy Equals and Defend and Instruct thy Inferiours Subdue thy Body to thy Mind and thy Mind to the Will of God Heartily bewail thy past Evils and set not thy Affections on Temporal Enjoyments but fix them on that which is Eternal Mourn for Sins upon remembrance of them and often remember Death that thou may'st cease from Sin Let the Justice of the Almighty keep thee in Fear and his Mercy preserve thee from Despair IV. WITHDRAW thy self as much as thou can'st from the World and addict thy self wholly to God's Service In Pleasures and Delights be vigilant of thy Chastity in Riches exercise thy Humility and in worldly Affairs neglect not Piety Be studious in pleasing none but thy Saviour neither fear to displease any but Him Deprecate Him always that his Will may be done on Earth as it is in Heaven and beseech Him to forgive thee what is past and to guide and govern what he has wrought in thee for the future V. ABANDON all Hypocrisie for God judgeth not according to external appearance but according to the Heart In thy Words take heed of vain repetitions Mat. 6. 7. because for every idle word thou must give an account in the day of judgment Mat. 12. 36. Let thy Words Works and Actions be good or evil they pass not away but remain as Seeds of Eternity And the Apostle assures us If thou sowest to thy flesh of the flesh thou shalt reap corruption but if thou sowest to the spirit of the spirit thou shalt reap life everlasting Gal. 6. 8. Neither Honours Riches Pleasures or Vanities of this Life can attend thee after thy Glass is run out Set a low value upon what thou possesseth but esteem highly what thou wantest VI. LET Holy Meditation produce in thee Knowledge and Knowledge Compunction and Compunction sincere Devotion The Silence of the Mouth creates Peace in the Heart and and the more thou separates thy self from the World the more acceptable thou art to the Almighty Whatsoever thou requestest ask it of God and whatsoever thou enjoyest resign
now consider the Efficacy of Faith and offer up an Oblation of Praise and Thanksgiving unto him who is the only Giver of it It is that alone which ingrafts us into the Body of Christ and as Branches extract their Sap from the Vine so from him proceeds Life Righteousness and Salvation Adam in his pristine State fell and lost his Divine Image by his Incredulity but we are restor'd again by Grace and the Image of the Almighty by Faith is renewed in us By this Faith Christ dwells in our Hearts and where He inhabits there His Grace resides and an Assurance of an Inheritance of Eternal Life II. AND as the Effects of Faith are Wonderful in their Operation so they are Exemplary in their Demonstrations For By Faith Abel offered unto God a greater sacrifice than Cain Heb. 11. 4. So by Faith we are enabled to offer Omnipotency spiritual Sacrifices that is the Fruit of our Lips Heb. 13. 15. And by Faith Enoch was translated Heb. 11. 5. So that Vertue withdraws us from the Society of the World and invites us to place our Conversation in Heaven Phil. 3. 20. By Faith Noah prepared an Ark Heb. 11. 7. So we by that Theological Virtue are received into that Church wherein our Souls are preserved amidst all the Storms and Tempests which happen in the World III. BY Faith Abraham left an idolatrous Land and went into a strange Countrey in Expectation of the Promised Land Heb. 11. 8 9. So by the Energy of that Vertue we depart this World forsaking all that is near and dear to us expecting to arrive at that Celestial Ierusalem which God hath prepared in the Heavens Rev. 21. 2. We are Strangers and Pilgrims on this side Heaven and travel by Faith unto a heavenly Countrey By Faith Moses chose rather to suffer Affliction with the People of God than to enjoy the Pleasures of Sin for a season Heb. 11. 25. So Faith animates us to contemn the World and to despise the Glory Honour Riches and Pleasures of it and excites our Minds to Eternal Felicities VI. BY Faith Israel kept the Passover Heb. 11. 28. So we by the Eye of Faith celebrate the Lord's Supper where Christ is the Paschal Lamb whose Flesh is meat indeed and whose Blood is drink indeed Joh. 6. 55. By Faith Rahab was saved Heb. 11. 31. So in the universal Conflagration of this World we shall be saved from Destruction By Faith the Fathers overcame Kingdoms stopt the Mouths of Lions and quenched the force of fire Heb. 11. 33. So we by Faith destroy the Kingdom of the Prince of Darkness escape the Treacheries and Rage of the infernal Lion and are deliver'd from Hell's implacable Malice and everlasting Burnings V. NOW Faith is not a naked Opinion and slender Profession but a true and lively Apprehension of Christ propounded to us in the Gospel a full Assurance of his Grace residing in us the Tranquillity of our Souls which relies only upon Christ's Merits This Faith is fructified of the Seed of the Sacred Word whereby the Holy Spirit and this Vertue is united Now Faith resembles a spiritual Illumination for our Hearts are illustrated by its Splendor and the Rays of a Life of Sanctity shines forth Evil Actions are the Works of Darkness and What communion saith the Apostle is there between light and darkness 2 Cor. 6. 14. Deeds of Darkness are the Seeds of Satan but a lively Faith proceeds from Christ and What communion is there between Christ and Satan 2 Cor. 6. 5. VI. LASTLY By Faith our Hearts are purified but no Internal Purity can center where the Words and External Actions are defiled St. Iohn tells ye That Faith is the victory which overcometh the world 1 Joh. 5. 4. Now there cannot be a true Faith fixed where the Flesh vanquisheth the Spirit and leadeth it away Captive into the Law of Sin No impenitent Sinner that persevereth in his Sins can be Partaker of Life Eternal neither can he without true Repentance claim any Privilege or Share in the Merits of Christ Jesus Kindle in us O God the Light of True Faith that by the Vertue of it and Thy alone Merits we may obtain Eternal Salvation and reign with Thee for evermore in Thy Kingdom of Glory World without end Amen MED XVII The Canaanitish Woman's Faith Mat. xV. 28. And Iesus answered and said unto her O woman great is thy faith be it unto thee even as thou wilt BEHOLD this Canaanitish Woman how fortunate and happy she was to be found worthy of so great an Expression Her Female Weapon compensated for the Guilt of its past Follies having now by its seasonable Answers merited so Divine an Eulogy Poor Female how enrich'd was she in whose Bosom was concealed a Treasure which Emperors Kings and Princes compared to her are Indigent All the Holy Land with its precious Balm and odoriferous Spices could not furnish her with a sufficient Antidote to revive her Darling and charm away the Infernal Spirit from tormenting her Behold these Miracles of Faith that at once could save two Souls the Mother's and her Daughter's II. SO miraculous and potent is solid Faith that even the least grain of it can remove lofty Mountains level steep Hills and smooth the most aspert and ambitious Soul into a meek and fructifying Valley 'T was this that calmed the Surface of the foaming Ocean that made the boisterous Waves an easie Path and turn'd their furious Rage into a pleasant Walk for St. Peter's Feet 'T was the Centurion's Faith that gave his Servant a Respite from the Hands of Death which all his Guards could never have prevented 'T was by Faith that the Blind Man was restored to his Sight which was beyond the Skill of Art and Nature to perform III. ALL the Admirations of the Gospel were always concluded with Thy Faith hath saved thee And yet that Faith which then operated so many Miracles is now grown the greatest Miracle it self Whil'st some take the Symbol for the Thing they fix the Magnitude of their Faith on the Greatness of their Works and have so candid an Opinion of themselves that they imagine it Faith enough only to do well Others expect to be Canoniz'd for their Doctrines though not for their irregular Lives they scoff at all Religious Duties and imagine to tread the Path to Heaven only by their Faith IV. OBEDIENCE hearty Contrition for Sin that amiable Robe of a perplexed Soul and the Royal Ornaments of our Spiritual Warfare are but vacant Ceremonies and both these Parties Belief are of their own forming But Heaven is not purchas'd only by Speculation He that fixeth his Faith in his empty Skull and imagines Religion hath not its Attendant may like Moses view and discourse of the Promised Land at a distance but never approach to it Our Obedience must cry out louder than our Pretensions 'T is not our Noise and Nonsence that will create us Saints 't is not our external Shew of
Profession only but our daily Practises too that must proclaim us Heralds of this Faith V. ALTHOUGH our Merits can never reach Heaven yet our pious Endeavours may if they are sincere because there is a Mercy hangs over our Heads that will pardon our Deficiency All the Blossoms and Buds of our Piety spring forth from this Stem and he that either believes or loves his Saviour that died for him cannot imagine he is too much industrious to live well This was the Female Sex's Faith here and she had scarce effus'd it out with floods of Tears when the Infernal Fiend in a Consternation forsakes his hold unable to endure the Eccho of that Sound which was repeated by the diviner Accent of our Redeemer's Lips and this Faith must be a Preservative against Sin and by its diviner Charms chase Satan to his Chains of Darkness 'T is this that prepares Heaven for us that makes us survive our Monuments become Immortal in our Graves and promises Eternity to our Dust and Ashes 'T is this that consummates our Happiness and will safely arrive us where the Blessed Jesus shall receive us into His Glory VI. O MOST Divine Omnipotence Thou sentest Thy Son Christ Jesus to die for us that by Believing in Him we might attain to Everlasting Life He under whom Thou hast put all things in Subjection was pleas'd to condescend to level Himself with them and dethron'd Himself to undergo a Crucifixion for our Souls that we might receive the Benefits of His Death and Passion and be Partakers of His Glory Oh let not those Miseries of our depraved Nature which petitioned Thy Mercy and Compassion make us uncapable of it Let not those that plead Ignorance of Thee but by Thy Miracles be more ardous in acknowledging Thine abundant Goodness than we who by the Manifestation of Thy Love claim an Interest in Thy precious Blood VII BUT grant O Lord that we may live in a perpetual Thanksgiving to Thy Merits who camest down from the Bosom of Thy Father to purchase and save our Immortal Souls To this end do Thou inspire into us that Faith without which it is impossible we should please Thee and with which Thou annexes all other Graces Teach us so to rely on Thy Mercies that we may not neglect the Means or imagine that a dead Faith will conduct us to that Life which Thou hast promised to none but them as work out their Salvation with Fear and Trembling MED XVII Of Love and Charity 2 Pet. i. 7. And to brotherly-kindness charity TRUE and Sincere Love is an inseparable Property of a Pious Person No Christian can subsist without Faith and where that Vertue is Charity is not wanting Where the Lustre of Charity is extinguish'd the Heat of Faith must consequently be quenched Thou may'st as well rob the bright Luminary the Sun of his Light as deprive Faith of the Gift of Charity Charity is the External Act of the Internal Life of a Christian. The Body is dead without the Spirit and Faith is dead without Charity Jam. 2. 26. He is not a Member of Christ that is not inspired with his Spirit and he is not endued with his Holy Spirit that is destitute of the Gift of Charity II. THIS Theological Vertue is the fruit of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22. And by the Goodness of the Fruit the Tree is demonstrated Charity is the bond of Christian perfection saith the Apostle Col. 3. 14. As the Bodily Members are united together by the Spirit so the true Members of the Mystical Body are united by the Holy Spirit in the Bond of Charity Solomon's Temple was all covered with Gold within and without 1 King 6. 21. So our Bodies and Souls which are the Almighty's Spiritual Temples ought in like manner both within and without to be beautified with Love and Charity Let this regent Vertue exercise its Efficacy in moving thy Heart to Compassion and thy Hand to Contribution For one without the other is not effectual III. FAITH receiveth all from God the Fountain of all Goodness and from that Stream Charity as a Channel conveys it to her Neighbours By Faith we are made Partakers of the Divine Nature who is Love 1 Joh. 4. 8. Therefore where Charity manifesteth not Externally Faith Internally doth not inhabit No Man believes in the Lord Jesus which doth not express Affections of Love to Him and none can fulsil that New Commandment except he loves his Neighbour None can really apprehend the Benefits of Christ with a Heart unfeigned which has not Bowels of Compassion to the distressed IV. CHARITY is the Seminary of all Vertues and nothing can be of good growth which proceeds not from that Root And this Vertue truly delineated is the Soul 's Spiritual Relish for unto it alone are all things dulcified all Adversity Pain Anguish Trouble nay even Death it self And And the Wise Man confirms this That Love is as strong as Death Cant. 8. 6. And indeed I think I may invert the Wise Man's Text and with Assurance proclaim That Love is stronger than Death For Love brought down a Saviour to die for us Sinners that the Sting of Death might be removed from us He when he had overcome the sharpness of death did open the kingdom of heaven to all believers Oh let us then embrace this Love and die unto Sin daily that we may live unto Righteousness V. ALL the Works of the Most High proceeds from this lovely Attribute even Punishments Denunciations and Judgments The Two great Luminaries and the Constellations of Heaven illuminate not themselves but us wretched Creatures Fire Air Earth and Water were created for our Necessity The Beasts Herbs Plants Trees Birds Fish and Fowls were all for our Use. And as God has been so gracious to give thee Plenty of these Blessings so do thou distribute to thy Neighbours according to their Necessities And this must be done freely with true Amity Affection and Compassion else all our Charity is nothing worth but will prove like sounding Brass or a tinkling Symbal VI. CHARITY is patient 1 Cor. 13. 4. For no Man is easily enraged with those whom he truly affects Charity likewise is bountiful And he who has been so liberal as to resign his Heart to his Friend will without all question not with-hold from him any temporal Enjoyments for the Relief of his Necessity Charity envieth not it thinketh no Evil is not puffed up and behaveth not it self undecently Next she seeketh not those things which are her own neither is she provoked to Anger she imagineth no Mischief nor rejoyceth not in iniquity but she beareth all things believeth hopeth and endureth all things she refuseth not to do unto others as she desires them to perform unto her Tongues and Prophecies shall cease and Arts and Sciences be destroyed but Charity shall never be extinguished VII LET us then study this Lesson of Love and Charity and howsoever thy Friend or Neighbour be qualified towards thee yet remember
Thy Heavenly Kingdom Amen MED XX. Of Chastity Rom. xii 1. I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service HE that would be entertain'd a Disciple of Christ must wear his Livery of Sanctity and Chastity For God is a Spirit of that infinite Purity and Chastity that no unclean thing must presume to approach his Presence It was the Opinion and Saying of a wise Person That the Chastity of the Body and the Sanctity of the Soul are the two Keys of Religion and Felicity Now if the Body be not preserved pure and immaculare from all Sordidness the Soul cannot be ardent in Supplication Our Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 6. 19. And therefore we must be very vigilant and sollicitous that we defile not this Body which is the Habitacle of so great a Comforter II. OUR Members are the Members of Christ Let us not then make 'em the Members of an Harlot but let us cleave unto the Lord with Fidelity and Continency that we may be one Spirit with him and be pure as he even is pure The swinish Sodomites were smitten with Spiritual and Corporal Blindness and their burning Lust was punish'd with an Element proper to their crying Sins and the Almighty will inflict the same Punishment on all obscene and incontinent Persons with a Fire not to be extinguished For the smoak of the torments ascendeth up for ever Rev. 14. 11. Nature hath taught us not to be guilty in the Eye of the World and shall not the Checks of our own Consciences impede us from committing Enormities iu the Eye of Heaven III. DENS Caves nor Corners can exclude ns from the Divine Omnipotence All Hearts are open to his Omnisciency all Desires are known and from him no Secrets can be concealed His Omnipresence is of that potency that the Voice within us upon the Grand Inquest will bear Testimony against us and our own Enormities being empannell'd will condemn us upon the Verity of the Verdict And who would not relinquish this momentary sensual Pleasure to evade everlasting Burnings If the Smoke of that concupiscible Fire ascends up to the Nostrils of the Almighty nothing can purge the Odiousness of it but infernal Flames IV. OH let then the Remembrance of a Crucified Saviour crucifie in thee all inordinate Affections and the Thoughts of a tormenting Hell quench in thee all the fiery Darts of the Wicked Let Fountains of Tears spring from a sincere Repentance extinguish in thee this conflagrating Carnality and let the fear and dread of the Almighty mortifie that concupiscible Enemy that the Allurements of it may not delude thee Consider with thy self the ill Consequents which are its Concomitants it is full of Anxiety and Folly Abomination and Ignominy and without Repentance must partake of everlasting Punishment V. LOOK not on the fawning outside of this Temptation but flie from it as you would from a Serpent Check the first Motions of it for if you once fall to reason aud article with it it will prove like the Element of Fire if not quench'd in due time grow too great to be conquer'd Next flie Idleness which is the native Soil for these abominable Weeds to grow in and be always employ'd in whatsoever lawful Vocation or Business God hath been pleas'd to allot thee that when the Tempter comes he may find thee fortify'd against Temptations 'T was Idleness allured David to Adultery Had he been busied as Ioseph was he had withstood the Temptation VI. THINK often of Death's Summons and that his cold Hand will one day chill that Blood which was so apt to be inflam'd and then tell me whether Mortification is not more suitable to Death-bed Thoughts than Sordidness and Obscenity Be frequent in Prayer and bring the Unclean Spirit to Christ that he may cast him out And to your Prayer add Fasting for this Kind goeth not forth but by Prayer and Fasting And indeed Temperance is a great Antidote against this Sin of Sodom for many times our Tables become a Snare to us for in pleasing our luxurious Palate we make Provision for the Flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof And by Epicuring of it so here what can we expect when we depart hence but the rich Glutton's Fate even to want a drop of Water to cool our Tongues VII REMEMBER thou must give an account for every idle and unprofitable word Mat. 12. 36. And how much more then will thy Account extend to obscene Speeches and sordid Actions Of what Continuance thy Life hath been while brought to a Period and what multiplicity of Sins soever thou hast committed thy Accusers and Accusations will be equivalent Then those secret Thoughts which thou never resented'st will apparently prove thee obnoxious before the great Tribunal From thence thou can'st not flie nor deceive the Omnipotence with vain Excuses neither can'st thou appeal from that Sentence which will be pronounced against thee for there will be Verity in the Inquisition and Severity in the Execution VIII THEREFORE whil'st thou art on this side the Grave endeavour to adorn thy Immortal Part with the fragrant Rose of Charity the dulcified Violet of Humility and the innocent Lilly of Chastity When thou enter'st the List to conquer this formidable lustful Enemy if the Fight seem difficult animate thy self with this Assurance That the Conquest will be Glorious Thou must vanquish it as thou would'st a sturdy Beggar give it a positive Answer and it is vanish'd but shew it Encouragement and it will prove like the Snake in the Fable when warm by the Fire to fall a hissing If thou would'st not have this Enemy to rule over thee entertain it not in the least corner of thy Heart but earnestly beseech God to keep thee in Sanctity of Life and Chastity of Body MED XXI Of Purity of Heart Mat. v. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God IF Innocency be the Robe of Heaven who then would not diligently strive to be adorn'd with Purity It is no wonder the Kingly Prophet was so importunate for a clean Heart and a right Spirit If this be the Recompence of true Sanctity who would neglect Religious Duties Beatifical Spirits What Felicity and Purity do ye enjoy that behold the glorious Face of your Heavenly Creator Who would not indefatigably be industrious to imitate your Seraphick Example here that he might resemble you in your happy Station and possess Eternal Joys such as the Heart in all his Divine Raptures never knew Shall the imposterous and perfidious Vanities of this Transitory World allure our Hearts and divest us of the Hopes of this Celestial Glory the Fruition of this splendid Vision II. A Magnified Vision in Comparison whereof the Regalities of this Lower Orb the Trophies and dazling Splendors of the Optick Nerves and the Lustre of the whole Universe is not worth the gazing at A