presently No no God may make you seek and wait many a day but you shall reap in due time if you faint not Gal. 6.9 Diligently therefore and Constantly attend and improve all the Ordinances and Opportunities that God gives In special let me speak a word or two for your better help in them being more private and personal viz. First Meditation a most necessary and effectual thing which few practice Get a little time to meditate dayly laying aside other things and in other occasions too think as much of Spiritual things as you can We do not see nor feel because we do not think of things think of God and of Christ of Sin of Heaven of Hell of Judgment of Eternity how few shall be saved how necessary it is to take the present time What we come into the World for of quickning passages in Scripture of Gods dealings with you of your former life and present Condition c. But you will say my heart is so vain and stupid I cannot think of things I Answer First let this deeply humble you and the vileness of your heart that here discovers it self will be worth the while Secondly beseâ—ch God to help you Thirdly By use of time you will find it more easie Fourthly take advantage upon all the evil frames that at present you feel to apply and set on some soaking expression in Scripture As in case of hardness blindness vanity see Rom. 9.18 2 Cor. 4.4 Prov. 10.20 Yea hence see and say that God is true and his word is true for the Scripture tells me of this heart I feel and the rest of it will be verified upon me as well as this Fifthly take the advantage of special seasons for Meditation when your heart is in a feeling frame as after Prayer after Sermon if you cannot before and lay up what you get One truth felt in Mâ—ditation is worth a World and it will make way for more Sixthly do something that is equivalent and helping to it at least when you cannot so directly meditate as reading of a good Book writing of your former and present life that is a thing of endless use gathering up Gods mercies and your sins in writing sometimes c. Secondly Prayer this is the blessed means of getting a poor soul to Heaven And what an happiness is it that we may pray to God besides Family-prayer get some time for secret Prayer dayly less or more Be telling God your heart alone I know your occasions and labours the Lord break my heart for you would not afford you that liberty that I wretch have But do what you can love the duty and God will pitty you wherein you are justly and by his providence not your own negligence hindred and this is certain he that hath an heart shall never want time or place to pray Endeavour to order your matters so as you may have time for it And if you could weekly have a piece of an Afternoon as Saturdy in the Afternoon an hour or two or as God guids set a part for secret and close converse with God by Meditation and Prayer thinking writing reading examining mourning before God and do this constantly you would never repent it The business of Salvation is mainly carried on in secret between God and a mans own soul And by all means provide that you may have your Sabbaths as free as possible all the day and the Evening before and after for spiritual work Ply God in such seasons as these be and be very thankful if you get but any little ground of your corruptions and miseries Go about your lawfull occasions not as a liberty to the flesh as to think that now my task of praying is over now I may please my self and refresh my heart in the World c. but as the service of God and as unto him because he bids you be thus imployed As when he bids me pray I will pray with all my might so I will work too when he bids me work and not do it to please my self alas if I consider it what pleasure or Comfort is there in this evil World but to please him I will busie and employ my self in this World because he bids me but my place and my rest shall be only in God or no where As Seamen go to Sea but build their houses at land so I 'le go into the World but lay up my heart and comfort and my whole support in God! I will live in the World but not upon it I will live only upon God and have my Portion in him And do not think that this sorrow and sence of sin and mourning after God stands in a Monkish dooping sullenness and sadness though 't is certain that by the sadness of the Countenance the heart is made better and one should not give himself to unnecessary mirth which is very poysonfull nor purposely choak his spirituall sorrows with temporal delights But when you have seriously spent your time with God and have left your heart with him and he calls you to your occasions go about them with alacrity and chearfullness so as you may dispatch them comfortably and carry amiably and delightfully to those about you And let your sorrows and sense of your Souls miseries lie deep and undermost so as you may recall them in their season when you come to pray or be alone with God again labour to have a constant habituall feeling of your self and get as many good thoughts and affections as you can at all times so as it may be livelily actual especially in your seasons of attending upon God and in them drive on the business of your Soul as if there were no World and as if there were nothinng else to be minded but that And if you find your heart gon when the season of seeking God comes then know that you have in some measure backslidden and forsaken God and never leave till you have recovered it Recall and review often the chief sins of your life that you can remember confess and aggravate them before God in a speciall manner but have your times of confessing and bewailling all the sins that ever you can remember and think of what sins or course it was that caused God to leave you to this wofull impenitency of heart and bewail them bitterly One thing more I must add Do not think it much to have some speciall seasons of seeking God besides those I have named If you had a friend with whom you might now and then spend a little time in conferring together in opening your hearts and presenting your unutterable groanings before God it would be of excellent use Such an one would greatly strengthen bestead and further you in your way to Heaven Spend now and then as occasions will permit an hour or so with such a friend more then ordinary sometimes a piece of a day sometimes a whole day of extraordinary fast in striving and wrestling with God for everlasting mercy And
Created world or heap of worlds but Jehovah himself that you shall enjoy in Heaven The infinite increated Good who is greater better and sweeter than ten thousand worlds God blessed for evermore 'T is he that is the All of the Saints there 1 Cor. 15.126 You shall not only have an Interest in him relation to him that you have here but actually enjoy him and not only some beginning or tast of that enjoyment but enjoy him in the fullest most immediate and most perfect manner that finite Creatures are capable of It is called the seeing the beatifical vision of God Mat. 5.8 a seeing him face to face 1 Cor. 13.12 Not that the Saints see God i. e. the Divine Essence with bodily eyes though Christ who is God as well as Man they shall so see Job 19.26 nor yet with the eye and faculty of the understanding being finite can they have a full adequate comprehensive sight or knowledge of the Infinite God as he is in himself But as fully gloriously clearly and immediately as a Glorified soul is capable of and unspeakably beyond and above what is attained here and unto full satisfaction shall they see his Glory and enjoy the pourings out of his love and goodness for seeing is oft used for enjoying in Scripture The particular manner and way of this vision and fruition of God how can we in this Tabernacle and twilight discern or describe we speak but as Children of these things 1 Cor. 13.11 But in general we know in Communion there is a mutual acting As here our acting the acting of our souls upon God and Gods letting out himself communicating himself to us and it is by these two faculties that our souls for it is a Soul-communion that we here speak of act upon an object viz. the understanding and the will in which the affections are included for they are but the actings and out-goings of the will so in the acting of those two upon God and in Gods letting out himself unto those viz. into our understandings and our hearts or wills and affections lies this communion and in the highest and plenary degree of both those according to the capacity of each Saint Hence this full and glorious communion with God in Heaven contains 1. A clear vision or sight of the Glory of God by the understanding not only an habitual knowledge but an actual looking beholding Mat. 18.10 and gazing upon the face of God i. e God in the full manifestation and discovery of himself in his Essence Attributes Subsistaâ—câ— Works in the mystery of Christ Jesus of his Word Gospel Scriptures Providences Truths all that is knowable all that God hath does or shall communicate and make known to his Saints You shall then see all and there are objâ—cts that shall ravish all beholders for ever now you have some dark glimmerings of things 1 Cor. 13.12 that natural darkness being not yet dispelled Ephes 4.18 but then clearly as at Noon-day as those who see face to face God also shining into the understanding letting in the Heavenly light of Glory thereinto and so communicating to the soul a beatifical vision of himself i. e. of the whole discovery or Revelation of himself which he hath made in Works or Scriptures here the meaning and Glory of all which they shall then see and understand or shall further make and give forth to the Saints in Heaven 2. A fruition of the goodness of God by the will the will and affections or a taking in closing with and drinking down the sweet of the love and goodness of God which the Lord will let out unto the soul and fill it with to its everlasting joy delight and fullest satisfaction Psal 16.11 36.8 The love and goodness of God being poured forth and communicated in the sweet and lively sense of it as will then be fully and perpetually which we have but a little tast of here Rom. 5.5 will be as a River of pleasure which the soul will be drinking of to all Eternity Hence all the liking and delightful affections love joy desire delight will be acting to the highest upon God and filled full with him and hence ravished always with his love and enlarged to praise bless and glorifie him and sing forth Hallelujahs for ever SERMON II. MOreover there will be a special communion with each person of the sacred Trinity God Father Son and Holy Ghost according to their several special operations for us and manifestations of themselves to us 1. The face of the Fathers love will be seen in its Glory and sweetness in electing chusing giving his Son transacting with him Justifying Adopting c. and to see him against whom we had sinned smiling on us with complacence and delight taking us into his bosom and loving us with the same love wherewiâ—h he loves his own Son how ravishing will that be You shall then be in the Fathers house Joh. 14.2 and under the pourings out of the Fathers love Joh. 16.27 28. 14.21 23. 17.21 23 24. Going to Heaven is called or explained by going to the Father Joh. 14.2 6. It is the Journy's end and the last and highest rest of the souls of the Saints and of all their desires hopes prayers breathings as Joh. 14.8 to behold the Fathers Face Mat. 18.10 and to have a full sight and enjoyment of his Love and Communion From this we were cut off by sin by our fall from God as Creator and hence seperated from his presence and never since sin came in could the Father have to do with us in an immediate way And while sin hangs upon the Saints they have more dark and doubtful and distant thoughts of the Fathers Love We can more readily see the Love of Christ who is the next to us and converses immediatly with sinners But now after that the effect of Christs Redemption and Mediation shall be finished and their full Restoration into the Bosom of the Fathers Love accomplished by him who is the way thither Joh. 14.6 and sin utterly abolished and the Saints perfectly restored to the Image of God and made like their Heavenly Father And so Christ shall deliver up his Kindom i. e. the present militant and mediate administration of his Kingdom and present it in its compleat perfect and unchangeable state as the Effect and final Issue of that Negotiation which he hath exercisâ—d in the time of this World 1 Cor. 15.24 28. Then will God the Father with the Son and Spirit more immediatly in an unspeakable manner Communicate himself to the Saints and bare the face of his Love take them into his more Immediate presence fill them with his goodness and be all in all to them And then shall the Saints see and ascend unto the Fountain-love of the Father the original of the whole Mystery of Christ and of all the grace and salvation by him the Well-head of all gracious Dispensations and Communications in a fuller manner then now they can
Eternal or Everlâ—sting It is Eternal Glory in the Text so 2 Cor 5.1 Heb. â— 15 Mat. 24.46 Psal 16.11 Eternal i. e. It shall be and continue without interruption and without End 1. Without Interruption It shall at no time be discontinued broken off interrupted intermitted but a permanent Glory alwayes fresh and green without fading or declining 1 Pet. 1.4 not suffering any winter or fall of Lease but in a perpetual Spring Here our Communion with God and enjoyment is marvellously interrupted and broken By that time you are well in you are put out again By that time your Harp is well in Tune and begins to sound well you are fain to lay it aside Wordly occasions Bodily necessities take you off and interrupt your talk with God and with his Word and with your own Hearts By that time the heart be well warmed at an Ordinance on a Sabbath and you begin to see its good being here and to tast and take in the sweetness of Communion with God the Ordinance the Sabbath is at an end you can be but a while together in Godly Conference for a turn and away you must part and break off necessarily But when in Heaven no Interruption no breaking off a full spring-tyde without any Ebb. Yea there is there no Interruption of the Act of Grace and comfort of it and feeling thereof not only the state and the habit abides the same so it does here when actual Communion and the sweet lively feeling Heavenly Actings and Ebullitions of Grace are Intermitted yet the habit and spirit thereof abides still But the Glorious Heavenly â—weet pleasant Acts of Grace are perpetual Psal 16.11 Pleasure is from the pleasant actual fruition of good and so Heavenly pleasures from the actual enjoyment of Gâ—d and of his Beatifical presence and gracious actings upon him and those Pleasures there are for evermore What is here tasted in an Ordinance Psal 36.8 and 65.4 is there perpetual and that in fulness so Mat. 18.10 the Beatifical Vision or Communion or Fruition those are but the same thing in divers words is never interrupted Heaven is a day without night a Summer without a Winter a Flood without an Ebb a Morning without Clouds a blissful Communion with God without Interruption Variety of exercise there may be in Heaven and variety of truths and Acts and Contemplations the Saints may be busied about for they cannot take in all at once but all serving to continue and carry on their fruition of God and the Bliss and Glory thereof 2. Without End The Happiness and Glory of the Saints in Heaven shall never never have an end but continue to all eternity as long as Heaven is Heaven as long as God is God This implyes that 1. It shall never be lost by or taken away from any Saint in Heaven nor shall he ever fall from it or be removed from it bereaved of it once in Heaven and ever there once put on that Crown of Glory it shall never fall from thy Head Adam was in a good condition in Paradise once but he lost it fell from it and so he was driven out of Paradise being in that honour he continued not as Ps 49. and hence we may say as Lam. 5.16 But no danger of that there All that are carried to Heaven are there set in an immutable estate by Christ Jesus Some have been for a falling away on Earth But none ever so much as dreamed of a falling away in Heaven Neither Devil nor sin yet came thither to rob them of that Glory Mat. 6.20 Hence this Heavenly Glory will be properly your own never to pass away from you Luk. 16.12 Nor 2. Shall it ever expire or come to an end either by the Cessation of the Saints Being or of their Glory No change or alteration shall ever put an end to it But it shall continue forever and ever World without end This is the Crown of that Crown of Glory that it is Eternal Everlasting never to be lost never come to an end This damps and imbitters all Earthly Joyes and Comforts that they are but Temporary you must leave them or they you they are but a fashion that passeth away But this unspeakably sweetness Heavens Joyes that they shall continue for ever it shall alwayes be thus No danger or possibility of losing or ending this Happiness This Ever is the stinging torment of the damned in Hell and it is the the ravishing Joy of the Glorified in Heaven The length of time that we have or hope to have in any thing adds unspeakably to the sweetness and Comfort of it Luk. 12.19 The Worldling feigns to himself a kind of Eternity in his Possessions and Enjoyments else he could not look at himself so happy as he does Psal 39.11 That was Davids Contentment 2 Sam. 7.18 19. Oh then how Joyful is that Joy how Heavenly that Heaven how Glorious is that Glory that hath this ingredient to be in truth not in fancy or dream Eternal Not for many years only but for ever for more thousands and millions of years than their be Grass-piles on the Earth or Sands on the Sea-shore To make some use of this last particular the Eternity of Heavenly Glory Vse 1. Hence see how infinitely Heaven's Glory weighs down out-bids and outmatches all this present World both the good things and the evil things thereof 1. All the good of the Earth of this World is but Temporal all this world can give us no Eternal good things The Earth hath riches but no Eternal Riches Pleasures but no Eternal Pleasures Heb. 11.25 26 Honour and Greatness but no Eternal Honour Psal 49.12 It is a poor Glory that this world hath not worth the name of Glory it is but a paint a fashion that passeth away 1 Cor. 7.31 though called Glory by sensual Worldlings Genes 31.1 These momentary fading things what are they to Eternal Glory Oh foolish and unwise are they that fell Heaven for Earth Eternal Glory for present contentments That will rather leave Treasures in Heaven than leave and forsake those things Mark 10.21 22. the greatest Possessions here are not great no great matter a trifle a nothing a shadow compar'd with Treasure in Heaven Luk. 16.10 11 12. 2. The evil things the Sufferings Troubles Tribulations of the World that lye in the way to Heaven and that the World does or can bring upon the faithful they are small matters compar'd with the Glory that they are passing to Rom. 8.18 for these Sufferings are but for a little while but that Glory that follows is Eternal 1 Pet. 5.10 so 2 Cor. 4.17 who would stick at a few moments trouble and travel to go unto Eternal Rest and Glory If God call you to travel for Heaven through a few paces of troublesome and dirty way through a few dayes of trouble and tryal Revel 2.10 Is it not a shame to boggle at this or to think it an hard bargain or to be diverted and
when they are all come together When the Body Mystical is entire and full then it hath its fullest Beauty Comfort and Glory For every member addeth something and there is in some sort a defect while any one is wanting For the Joy and Glory of every member of the Body is the Joy and Glory of the whole and every one serves to compleat the Communion and Comfort of the whole And when the Lord hath all his Children about him none are miâ—sing Christ all his Members with him the Mansions of Heaven filled up with all the Vessels of Glory set in order in their places as it shall be after the day of Judgment and so â—o all Eternity with what ineffable delight will the Lord open to them all the Treasures and Riches of his Glory and what wonderful ravishing matter of Praising and Glorfying God and what compleat comfort therein which must needs raise up the Joy and Glory of the Saints unto the greatest height and highest possible perfection Vse Of this plenary compleat Glory that the Saints are to have at the last day and not till then 1. Be not stumbled or troubled and offended at the clouds of darkness the mean outside and seeming ingloriousness and obscurity that is upon the people of God and upon the work of God in the World at the present For the time of the manifestation of the Sons of God and of the discovery of their Glory and of the finishing of Gods work referring to them is not yet come Marvel not to see the Saints go up and down under mean and outward misery to see them poor and low sick and crazy and dying and Bodies turned to dust as well to see them sweating under many afflâ—ctions and sorrows lying among the pots black with the soot of many troubles Why now their Glory must be hid from the World and it must not yet appear what men of quality they are they must pass Incognito and go in some disguise through the World though the Sons of God and Princes of Heaven they must not appear in that state at present But this present hiding will set off their appearance and manifestation with greater Lustre another day to see them on Thrones whom you have sometimes seen in vile raiment whom you would hardly deigne to look upon will be the greater wonder and Glory tâ— him who lifts the poor out of the dust and the needy from off the dunghill It may be they are despised now but you shall one day see them in so much honour as you will wish you had honoured them as the pious do Psal 15.4 how poor soever does he fear the Lord honour him highly if you will not Christ will honour him one day before men and Angels But he 'l be ashamed of you if you be ashamed of him or of his Members and people now Jam. 2.5 6. And stumble not at Gods work because 't is now wrapt in Clouds why it is not yet come to its Issue it is but a doing Children and fools they say must not look on things half done we are so foolish we cannot see into the beauty of Gods work while it is but half done not made up and finished When the Mystery of God shall be finished Rev. 10.7 and all Providences come to their Issues the whole story wrought up then when God shall bring forth his embroidered curious work compleat and finished then it will and shall appear Beautiful and Glorious before all the World the black pieces the darker lines and coulers illustrating the other when set together which look'd upon alone shew unhandsome When all the confusions that are in the World shall Issue in goodly order and every thread every stitch appear to have been drawn by Art which now seem to go in and out this way and that way and we can make nothing of them as if a Child should look upon a Curious Needle-woman at work on some piece he would see little in it how will God be admired as Psal 139.14 15.16 so it is with all that work that is formed in the womb of Providence in the time of this World which in that great Revelation-day the day of Judgment that Birth-day of the manifested Glory of the Sons of God and of the work of God shall appear to have been most curiously wrought as with Needle-work though now it is obscure and secret to us Oh the praises God will have then Vse 2. Hence see that our Eyes and Hearts should be upon that day that last and great day the day of Redemption and Glory of Resurrection and Judgment that is to come That is the great day Jud. 6. this the time of this World is but a little day in comparison this is mans day 1 Cor. 4.3 But that is the day of God the day of the Lord 2 Pet. 3.12 1 Cor. 5.5 1 Thess 5.2 Paul's eye and heart was upon that day 2 Tim. 1.12 18. and 4.8 We are all for this day this present time and present things alas they are not to be mentioned to that day Rom. 8.18 Oh make sure of being well on 't at the last day owned and confessed and saved at that day and you are well enough There is a time to come lay a good foundation for that 1 Tim. 6.19 so carry it in this day as you may be owned in that Now own Christ and own his people and be not ashamed of the Chain of their Sufferings if you would find mercy at the day Remember these Scriptures 2 Tim. 1.16 18. Mat. 25.34 to 40. Mat. 10.32.33 Luk 9.26 Mark 8.38 Is there any word or any truth of Christ any rule of his any part of his mind which you are ashamed on because the times do not favour it because men frown upon it Oh tremble at that lest the Lord Jesus be ashamed to own thee at that day Oh labour to have such thoughts of things and such affections toward them as you will have at that day How will you think of sin then Of duty then Of Cleaving to Christ and to his people then Of Zeal for the Glory of God then Of diligence in seeking God in Prayer and Meditation then Will you not then wish you had made more wrestling and weeping instead of sleeping and wording Prayer That you had hearkned diligently to Christ c. Oh now do as you would wish to have done then SERMON V. 2. IT follows now a little to Consider and set forth the Glory of the Saints in Heaven this Eternal Glory that is reserved for the faithful in the World to come in a Comparative way by the Comparisons and Considerations as may evidence to us the greatness and goodness the transcendant excellency of this Glory This way the Apostle lead us to in Rom. 8.18 by comparing with other things which now seem great to us as great afflictions and so other great things in this World which yet are nothing to it we may see the exceeding
Lord will delight to manifest himself and his Love his comforting Grace to the Soul Joh. 14.21 23. Act. 9.31 It is often seen that the Lord withholds and denies assurance and lets the Soul be followed with fears and doubts and troubles on purpose to discover imbitter and break the power of some prevailing lust some sweet sin If you can tamper with your lusts and make provision for the flesh and be at truce with your sins and entertain the delights of it Now instead of Comforting the Lord will break your bones if he loves you he will let you have no peace till you out with this guile and repent in earnes t and throw away this sweet sin Psal 32. Oh mind and mark out your most prevailing most inticing beloved sins and if that be the provocation the partition-wall between God and you throw it away Isa 30.22 23. 3. Labour to keep Grace in action and exercise Be much in acting all Grace both in the hearty and serious performance of holy duties and in daily renewing of repentance for dayly sins and of Faith by going to the Blood of Christ for pardon and for more of his Spirit and also in the exercise of other particular Graces love brotherly kindness charity patience meekness self-denial zeal c. as there is occasion for them 2 Pet. 1.5 8 10 11. Exercise of Crace is the best evidence of Grace Let a man breath eat walk and work he needs no other demonstrations that he is a living man so would you shew and see and discern that you have the life of Grace the life of Christ in you and so are in a state of Salvation up and be doing and acting performing the actions of a Christian life be breathing after Christ in Prayer feed on him in the Promises and Ordinances feed upon the word of God Can you feed can you eat at every meal in the season of duty as Luk. 24.41 42 43. thats an evidence of a living risen Christian can you make a meal of a Sabbath and your Souls are refreshed thereby c. and walk before God get up and walk in his wayes work the work of the Lord that is committed to you in Christs strength and name this will demonstrate the life of Grace 1 Cor. 15.10 It is labouring working Grace that is not vain or Counterfeit or dead Grace Jam. 2.17 18. And to this end put forth and exercise every Grace in its season Psal 1.3 The Lord giveth us special seasons and occasions on purpose to draw forth the exercise of such and such a Grace we might have marvelous improvement of them for benefit and comfort if the fault were not our own as 1 Joh. 3.17 there is a season to exercise love kindness compassion when he sees and hears that his brother is in need want or misery now bowels should act and stir being made tender by the Grace of Christ If love stir not act not now sure the habit of that Grace dos not dwell in him Another wrongs and provoks you now is a a season to act meekness and patience you are troubled and you swell and fret and are vexed But you forget that the Lord is now come to try you whether you have any patience in you whether you have learned of Christ to be meek and low in heart 1 Pet. 2.20 21 23. Here 's a season for the Gospel-fruit to see whether that Grace will bud and bring forth whether you can forbear and forgive c. as Colos 3.13 It may be you are stirr'd up by another to an act of Charity and kindness an object and occasion of it presented to you The Lord hath now sent season to draw forth such fruit as you know if there be life in the root of the tree when the season comes the Spring time is the Sun shines c. Now the sap will rise and it will bud and blossome If you see neither bud nor leaf but a dry sear-top in the season you say it 's dead Oh if thy Grace be alive the season will draw it forth You think you have other Graces yea but this Grace must act now in such a season of it 2 Cor. 8.7 8. Phil. 4.10 17. So duties of Religion towards God zeal for his Glory against sin duties of Holiness or Righteousness be ready and active therein in the several seasons thereof this is an excellnt Rule both for the Increase and Comfort of Grace 2 Pet. 1.5 11. He means add the exercise and practice of them Labour to have each of these Graces according to their several objects and occasions and seasons drawn forth into act and exercise and appearing in the fruits of it For the Beeings and habits of all Grace are implanted at once and at first And when all sorts of Graces are found in a Christian and are lively to put forth themselves in the several proper wayes for where is one in truth there is all in the root and that should appear in the fruit in the season thereof is a choice help to make our Calling sure and to have an open entrance See Baxters Saints Rest part 3. pag. 166. 4. Be much in Meditation serious spiritual Meditation on the word and promises of God the condition of thy own Soul thy own wretchedness emptiness vileness in thy self the riches of Grace in Christ the things of Heaven both in more occasional transient opportunities and in more solemn seasons set apart for that purpose Meditation applyes general truths to our selves in particular soakes things into the heart which else did but float in the head and fancy gives both a clear understanding and also a relish taft a savour of the truth brings the Soul acquainted with the things of God that now they are no longer strangers as Hos 8.12 It digests the food that men take in in other Ordinances yea it makes all the works and providences of God to be meat and fooâ— useful beneficial to the Soul Psal 104.34 And hence it does many wayes both actuate and exercise Grace and help to discover Grace And indeed a spirit oâ— gracious meditation when a mans thoughts and affections for both are acted in meditation do frequently and ordinarily practically feed and dwell upon the word and things â—â— God it is a clear evidence of a godly man Psal 1.1 2. yea of a living fruitful Christian v. 3. As contrariwise that is the Character of the wicked Psal 10.4 The godly man is either in a frame for holy meditation or sick while he wants it or so far as he wants it mourning under striving wrestling against the vanity and carnalness of his own thoughts and after more spiritualness He falls very short here and the unstediness and unsavouriness unprofitableness of the thoughts is much of that body of death which he groans under But oh his bitter mourning and he is getting ground herein and the more ground he gets the more comfortable And those seasons wherein the heart is at