week now in the New Testament times changed to and called the first day of the week and the Lords-day 1. As to the rise nature ends and advantages the Sabbath in the Old Testament and the Lords-day in the New it is the best day that ever the world saw or shall be seen on this side Heaven 2. It was and is that day wherein the infinite Glories and Excellencies of a God have shined brighter and warmer on the spirits of men than in any other days beside namely his infinite Wisdom Power Love Goodness Mercy and Riches of free Grace 3. The Sabbath as some judge had its rise so early as in Paradise or when man was in state of innocency it must then be of very great Antiquity and a rarity of great worth And 4. Then it must be that only holy day which man in state of innocency had and possibly if he had stood should ever have had afterward 5. After the first institution it had the most glorious and tremendous promulgation and sanction such a delivery and ratification as no other Law except those that were spoken at the same time ever had namely by Gods so wonderful and most astonishing appearance on Mount Sinai in the sight of six hundred thousand persons There it was one of the ten words spoken by Gods own mouth by God first spoken in the ears of all that so prepared and awakened numerous multitude and after in the Mount was written with the finger of God written on the first Table of Stone before the six Commandments of the second Table This Commandment thus written was with the others reserved in the Golden Ark or Chest made purposely by Moses from Gods Command to keep the Tables and then by Gods Appointment was to be preserved in the glorious Tabernacle made by Moses and there it was to be with highest honour prefer'd to be kept in the Holy of Holies 6. Though some yield it not yet others judge the Sabbath had its change from the seventh to the first day of the week by the Lord of the Sabbath Christ himself or at least by his Apostles from his Authority 7. However it be changed yet it is lookt upon as grounded on that so amazing part of our Redemption Christs so glorious Resurrection on the third day after his Passion 8. The Sabbath formerly was the Old Testament Churches fixed time to behold as in a mirrour the glory of God the Creator his Eternal Godhead Power Wisdom Goodness and most glorious Excellencies in the so admirable frame of Heaven and Earth and the so various and curious pieces in it all most exquisitely wrought and finisht It was the peculiar time for setting up the Ladder of the Creatures by Contemplation to climb from Earth to Heaven with But now changed into the first day of the week it is the Christian Churches time for beholding as in a mirrour the glory more peculiarly of God the Redeemer now not in his Humiliation but in his appearing and begun Exaltation in that his glorious Resurrection from the dead that his concerned people might joy with highest and most heavenly rejoycing for this rising of the Sun of Righteousness to be under the warmest and most vivifical beams of his infinite love 9. Let me Meditate of this day as the time afforded for largest spiritual advantages no day being so eminent for me and my Soul as this day 10. Let me Meditate of this day as that happy season wherein the Ordinances of Christ do run in a fuller higher and stronger current More is offered me on this great soul-mart day than on other common Market-days other week-day opportunities it is the day whereby in some respects I have far better Ordinances the Publick in Communion with Christ in the midst among those that are gathered together in his Name And then by the Publick I have better advantages for the Private to perform them better Private Duties having a better time and better helps I must thereby be minded of my better performance 11. It is the eminent day of meeting with God in his upper walks of more solemn Ordinances 12. The day of days for our best speaking with our God and of highest familiarity with him 13. It 's the great time of our hearing from God and having him most eminently to speak to us There be no hearings from God like this days hearings no such voice no such efficacy can be expected as on this day 14. It is the day wherein God sits out and is most to be seen the great day of seeing Gods goings in the Sanctuary seeing his Power and his Glory No such day for this as the Lords own day Ps 63.2 15. A day of feeding more on the Feast of fat things full of Marrow Isa 25.6 Of being brought into the Kings Banquetting-House having the Banner of Christs love spread more amply over us than at other times it being the day wherein the highest flamings up of his unspeakable love appeared in that he not only died but rose again from the dead without which all his other labour and sufferings had been lost and our souls been also lost 1 Cor. 15. 16. It is a day dropt down from Heaven may serve to give a taste of the Sabbath and day kept there and to set a Copy for us here to write after in our holy restings and actings attended with heavenly refreshings God that made all things when he had finished his work he then rested on the seventh day and with his example of resting gave the precept of sanctifying the seventh day to the Church of the Old Testament And the Lord of the Sabbath Christ Jesus resting from his work and rising the first day of the week gives the Example and with the Example the Precept of resting and keeping holy the first day of the week to the Church of the New Testament as some think which therefore Rev. 1.10 they say is called the Lords day as the Ordinance of the Supper is called the Lords Supper as instituted by him 17. It is the day of resting the body from labour of respiteing the mind from worldly thoughts and cares and of refreshing the spirit with heavenly Manna which rains down now on this day more plentifully and with water of life that runs more abundantly in the pure Channels of holy Ordinances 18. Meditated on it should be as the season of the best reciprocations mutual actings between Earth and Heaven wherein the soul hath the advantage of acting higher and more vigorously to glorifie and please God Psal 24.5 and wherein God commands the blessing more and affords assistances more usually than on any other days as experiences prove 19. It s a time to come from sweeter and fuller communion with God in Christ whose blessed day it is to come with our faces shining and hearts flaming made better to be on Earth fitter to live in Heaven And hereupon 20. To leave upon the spirit a more eager longing fully to
1. Let me first begin with the meritorious cause of it That which Heathens knew not Nature saw not Philosophy and Learning could not find out nor reach only holy Scripture tells me and shews it to be that most black inlet sin Rom. 5.12 Death entred into the world by sin and v. 17. By one mans offence death reigned not only entred but reigned hath mastered and will master all sinners Sin that greatest evil in the world sin the only contrariety to the living God that gave life to man at first and ever since sin that only injury to the blessed God bred and brought death the greatest misery to man here sin that provoked God to pass the sentence sin occasioning the vindictive cause the Justice of God to let in death death with the consequences of it that would follow without a Mediator that Adam knew not of Death so considered is the way of the very deepest revenge a God can take But then this black part of it bodily death without that blacker Train of Hell and Eternity in it is that which must challenge a very great proportion of ponderings 2. Let me look at not only the rise of it and the bare wrath occasioning the inflicting it but that so fixt and irreversible sentence that like the Law of the Medes and Persians cannot be broken Heb. 9.27 It 's appointed for all the universality of sin hath given death an universal sting and the Statute of Heaven hath impowered Death's Extensiveness over all and set a seal of irrevocableness to it as to all men Therefore it is appointed I must think particularly for me whatever I am or do or can in utmost possibility do I must not once think of making an escape from it Yea let me consider as I must die so the very Year Moneth Day Hour and Moment is immutably fixt and can never be altered Job 14.5 the place also where the means whereby the manner how all circumstances about it are unchangeably determined 3. But how material is that particular of the uncertainty of the time and manner to me that 's a reservation and secret kept in the Lord 's own breast not possibly to be exactly known before without it be revealed as Christ of the Great Day of Judgment saith Mat. 24.36 Of that day and hour knoweth no man And Verse 42. Ye know not what hour your Lord will come And 44. In such an hour you think not your Lord comes so the two latter may be applyed to this of death when he calls for an accompt of our Stewardships and Talents and passes particular and personal Judgment 3. Let me pass next to the Meditation serious pondering of the nature of it and that great dreadfulness of that most terrible of terribles that King of terrours Job 18.14 Here that I may duly look on it let me look up for a God to teach me as to number my days Ps 90. so to be wise to consider my latter end to do that hard work overcome that difficulty of looking Death-watd Nature abhors the thinking of it Corruption all it can opposes it but Grace must bring and fix earnestly and often the Eye upon it familiarize death to me let me then Eye my dissolution the parting of the two nearest dearest friends the Soul 's taking its sad farewel of its former dwelling it s going going in an instant out of the Body and then that which Death doth as an Enemy to all former Life concerns and as an entrance upon an Eternal Condition 1. As an Enemy to all enjoyments how sweet soever Pleasures all now quenched Honours now all dasht Riches and Estate now all lost Power now utterly ceast 2. An Enemy to all Relations Friends Acquaintance now must I shake hands with all nearest and dearest the sweetest and most helpful Relations 3. An Enemy to all Imployments necessary or pleasurable no Work no Business no Invention after it 4. An Enemy to all Opportunities and Means of Grace never to read the Bible more never to hear one Sermon more never to receive the Lords Supper more never to make one Prayer the shortest of one of the fewest words more and then also when thou art just launching into the length of vast Eternity But now must be Prayerless and totally helpless yea now thy Souls condition becomes becalmed and thou canst not obtain one gale of the Holy Spirit to blow upon thee and help move thee in any measure 5. It s an Enemy quickly to the curious frame and so exquisite building of thy body with all its parts and members made with such adaptations and sutableness whatever with all the Tempers Qualities Offices Abilities and Actings of it An Enemy likewise to all the senses seeing hearing the two disciplinary with feeling tasting smelling the so likewise necessary 6. It is an Enemy and Destroyer of all comliness and beauty form and shape And all these former by being the Enemy and Destroyer of that thy so sweet and precious life by making that Jewel drop out of the Cabinet of the Body or rather driving forth thy immortal and invaluable soul bringing with it a Writ of forcible entrance coming with an Execution to turn out that old inhabitant of the body securing it from regaining possession making it stand empty and thence exposing the body to rot ruine turn to dust and expose it to Oblivion as if it had never been But then upon thy Souls thus leaving thy Body immediately and instantly it is cast upon a state of Eternity of Misery if thou wert not in Christ or felicity if found and dying in him When Life ends Eternity begins O this all amazing Eternity this so vast and inconceivable Eternity no way to be exprest or set forth no way to be understood or known a Glass that is ever running a Chain that is ever lengthening who can number the Sands of this Glass who can reckon the links of this Chain of Eternity without stop or period bound or end O let me be ever musing of this Ever have it so full in my Eye while I have time this moment of time here that it may wind up and leave me in possession of most happy Eternity But to affect my spirit aright and be wise in the due managing of this Meditation of dreadful Death let me look to and ponder the Scripture Commands for remembring and considering my latter end and the Arguments strongly inducing to it How frequently and earnestly is it urged upon all O let me lay the weight and stress of them close to my heart not suffering it to put by the thoughts of death how awk and averse soever my carnal spirit is towards it Let me therefore not only muse on the sentence the peremptory and irrevocable sentence passed upon all in general and so upon my self in particular but on it as ready to be executed this hour yea this moment for ought I or any in the world can tell Ah let me say to my self the
Christ that he may both be admired of Saints and Angels and magnified in the sight of all wicked men and Devils Therefore he now is to appear in the highest glory splendour and power And he being made now the visible Judge this must be most glorious in that it is the consummating work of his Mediatory Kingdom preceding immediately his delivering up his Kingdom to God the Father as the Apostle tells us 1 Cor. 15.24 For the method and most fruitful way of this so very necessary Meditation I conceive it may be 1. To begin with those Scriptures that most clearly and distinctly present us with the infallible certainty of this grand point 2. To then gather up the Remarkable particulars of it in Scripture as to the Nature Manner and the things that both accompany and follow it 3. How to manage it to our being best moved and stirred up by it 1. For the infallible certainty of this Judgment day let me look out those Scriptures in the Old and New Testament that speak perspicuously of it and then labour by Meditation and Prayer to sink deep into my heart to lay them so strongly to infuse as to leave a deep abiding tincture upon it To be put into a full possession and assurance of Faith in this so high soul-concernment In Jude 14. Enoch the seventh from Adam that so walked with God and that was first translated prophesied of the Lords coming to Judgment Job who is supposed by the Learned to have lived when the Israelites were in Egypt and before Moses time in his 19. Chapter 25 26 27. verses hath a most clear and full assertion of his Redeemers being the last day on the Earth and seeing him then c. Solomon Eccl. 12.16 God shall bring every thing to Judgment every secret thing good or evil Dan. 12.2 They that sleep in the dust shall arise some to shame others to life In the New Testament out of Christs the Judges own mouth Math 25.31 to the end This Doctrine is most fully with the particulars and manner of it described and in the other Gospels often So the Apostle of the Gentiles Acts 17.19 At Athens the great Vniversity of the World he tells them God had appointed a day to Judge the World in righteousness and by the man Jesus c. Rom. 2.16 In that day that God shall Judge the secrets of mens hearts So we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ c. 2 Cor. 5.10 2 Thes 1.7 8 9 10. Christ shall come in flaming fire to render vengeance to all that know not God and obey not the Gospel And Revel 20.12 13. to the end I saw the dead stand before God and judged according to their works c. The varieties of places in Scripture are like many Candles lighted in one place like multitudes of Lights in the Heavens all to give light to us below that we might have clearest discoveries firmest Faith strongest instigations to yield full compliance and obedience with greatest readiness pleasure and sweetness O I must answer for having the Scriptures the varieties perspicuities convincing Reasons and perswading endeavours of the Spirit of God towards me in them and by them The more in the Scripture is done for me the more will be required of me This for the first 2. The particulars remarkable to be gathered together of this day as the nature manner c. 1. I must meditate of the Person the so great and glorious Person that shall be Judge which is God himself as the Scripture often tells us as Eccl. 12.16 Rom. 2.16 as was mentioned before God shall judge c. Though this be greatly considerable under which our Faith must be concluded and this alone well pondered may greatly awaken awe and provoke us to all fulness of regard and care yet the Word tells us farther it is God by Jesus Christ so in Acts 17.19 God hath appointed a day in which he will judge the World by that man he hath appointed Hath committed all judgment to the Son It is not committed to the holiest man that ever lived nor to any mighty Angel it is too high an Honour too great a Work for any created Nature only fit for him that is God and man For by being God there 's both an Omniscient and Omnipotent an infinitely Holy Righteous Good and Merciful Judge And by being Man there 's to all mens eyes a visible Judge that the Scriptures may be fulfilled And this for the Saints surpassing joy but the wickeds greater daunting and terrour let in by the eyes both of the one and other All must be judged by a Judge their eyes shall behold 2. For the time of his coming Mat. 24.42 it cannot will not be known At what hour your Lord will come you know not 3. For the suddenness and secresie of his coming 2 Pet. 3.10 The Lord will come as a Thief in the night Math. 24.44 At an hour you think not your Lord comes 4. For the place whence he sets out and comes 1 Thes 1.16 The Lord himself shall descend from Heaven 5. It will be in power and great glory such as never was and never the like again shall be never did the Sun of Righteousness ascend to and shine in such a Meridian such a transcendent height of glory Tit. 2.3 Looking for the glorious appearing 6. For the company and retinue it 's all the whole Court of Heaven come to wait on their King of Glory All the glorified Saints and Angels leave Heaven empty to make up his Train thousand of thousands giving their attendance Jude 8. With thousands of his Saints 2 Thes 1.7 Comes with his mighty Angels Math. 25.31 Cometh and all his holy Angels with him O what an unspeakably glorious attendance this is 7. For the dreadfulness of his coming 2 Thes 1.7 Christ is revealed coming in flaming fire 2 Pet. 3 10. The Heavens shall pass away with a great noise the Elements melt with fervent heat the Earth with the works in it burnt up 8. As a preparative to the Judgment Christ descends from Heaven 1. with a shout never was there such a shout made in all the time the world stood 2. with the voice of the Arch-Angel and the Trump of God the Voice and Trump at Mount Sinai where six hundred thousand might hear that was a glorious and most dreadful voice and sound but nothing like this Never such a voice that which will make the whole world ring and the dead rise out of their Graves and with the same bodies the same numerical bodies that lived here 3. Those that are alive shall be changed in a moment in the twinckling of an Eye on the sound of the Trump 1 Cor. 15. 4. The dead in Christ shall rise first be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air 1 Thes 4.16 17. O blessed and most joyful meeting of the Saints that were on Earth now raised changed and
fast as spun by a neglect of winding up and right using Ah how sad and self-abasing reflections should this often occasion to us Ah think we sadly how long so noble a faculty as the understanding is how rare an acting the acting of its consideration is how high a concern eternity of happiness is how necessary in order to happiness conversion is and how needful consideration to conversion is And yet to lose all the right and best use of this considering power this meditating by ingaging it in impertinencies and very nothings meer shells and shadows instead of realities and things of worth true worth and excellency to be so long like the Prodigal before we came to our selves were seen sitting in our right mind entring upon Meditation for that great soul-affair Conversion CHAP. IV. For humbling those that are totally yet to begin Consideration for Conversion AH then in the next place as it was for great shame universally to all persons whatsoever for so long neglecting consideration and meditating of their souls condition and for conversion so how far more should it humble all that never as yet so meditated to that great and principal end Conversion so as Conversion followed Consideration never had the first corner stone laid of that consideration which bottoms and grounds conversion that hitherto have had all their precious thoughts scatter'd in rovings and wandrings of spirit acted and wasted upon vanities and follies things that perish that cannot profit in the day of wrath that will prove sorrow shame and anguish of spirit in the latter end Ah how many are there who for improving that great talent of the thinking power employing it for those so high ends it was peculiarly design'd to and given for for wisdom to salvation and glorifying God the giver that have daily all their thoughts either vile or vain that walk in the vanity of their minds that is in a constancy and prevalency of mind-vanity vanity exclusive of good thoughts and all right seriousness and productive of nothing but the weeds of evil and vain thinkings The way of their thoughts is a successive taking step after step in vanity one vain thought follows close treads on the heels of another for haste all the walking of that so working active busie mind is nothing but continued vanity O how sad a frame of spirit is this how sad a sign and symptom if not healed by a new frame of heart symptom of deepest danger of ruine and destruction hastening on apace Some-Diseases in that so noble part the head are most dangerous the Cure is hard the Killing quick when vanity seizes the mind when men from vain thoughts arising in them come to allowing of them and from allowing to a walking in the vanity of their minds vanity of thoughts becomes an habit and when it becomes habitual then the danger is high All habits evil habits are like old rooted Diseases hardly if ever cured O when men walk in the vanity of their minds God may be provoked to a giving them up to walk on and so be at last ruin'd utterly for want of a timely returning from it O how should this awaken such that have so this way ravel'd out their youth it may be lavisht and lost their best days of riper years yea peradventure are arrived at an old age and are old withal in this way of vanity of thoughts Old and vain is sad to purpose Ah when younger when elder yet never could allow or would find time to become serious A young head and a vain head all wildness is a sad beginning A grown man ripened in Reason but not yet beginning not so far as budding out in consideration not arrived at the wisdom of minding soul-concerns that 's worse and a sad sign But for a man to have gray hairs here and there and to be yet to begin wisdom for self in self-bethinkings never to have laid the foundation of meditating on the highest soul-affairs thereby to convert O this is dreadful sad beyond all ah to ravel out the most the best the all almost of thy time and never never to interpose one times one hours serious Meditation or never to meditate to purpose so as to convert to God truly but be still to begin to return to God contenting thy self with a just nothing done of that greatest and which should never be the last but first dispatcht business of all others Ah but what will all prove at last to all younger or elder if there be a going on without consideration without conversion young and strong and old are all liable to death yea to a death that may be on thee suddenly who can all things considered think in any wisdom he can be so secure that he needs not yet be ready for dying Ah if that black Serjeant of death claps thee suddenly on the shoulder serves an Arrest upon thee presently to come away and give up thy account in what woful case wilt thou then find thy self what terrour and confusion will instantly seize thee It will most certainly come that thou knowest but when it will come that thou canst not know ah think therefore of it before-hand make it thy case as now come and by the symptoms of it had really seized thee that thou wert now drawing on hadst but a few hours or minutes to continue in this world and then be cast upon eternity be cast upon eternity and before thou ever hast come to any consideration which issued in a real conversion and thereby to make some sure provision for thy eternal salvation Ah put this case this dying case put it soon enough and close home to thy bosom let it stay upon thy heart let Death as it were lay his cold hand on thee and conceive that thou feelest it touch thee and take fast hold of thee to carry thee instantly away and so cut thee off from ever having one opportunity the shortest space imaginable for consideration any possibility of conversion to God more that time and means must now be no longer because thou must be no longer in the land of the living O but then think O seriously think what immediately will follow after ponder thy particular doom thy souls sentencing to an everlasting state Think not only of thy souls leaving its old ruined Tabernacle but of its launching forth into that Ocean of Eternity Think what an Eternity thine Eternity must now be who wasted all thy time lent thee for Eternity and that so precious talent of opportunity trusted with thee to trade for Eternity for a most happy Eternity and making that sure 1 Tim. 6. 2 Pet. 1. And to affect thee more abundantly and work upon thy spirit to purpose think O think of besides thy own particular day of that great day fixt appointed by the great Governour of all the world for judging of every person every work of every person the secrets of that persons heart yea every secret thing good or evil
Directions to old Christians pag. 360 Chap. 20. More Directions for setting Meditation on work pag. 363 Chap. 21. Of Meditation respecting those that are called Fathers pag. 369 Chap. 22. Of the particular management of Meditation of those called Fathers pag. 373 Chap. 23. The Conclusion exciting every one to a constant daily performance of this excellent duty of divine Meditation pag. 376 BY reason of the Authors absence from the Press several faults are escaped which the Reader is intreated to correct or candidly pass by SOLITUDE IMPROVED IN MEDITATIONS Upon DIVINE MEDITATION THat so noble Subject and necessary Duty of Divine Meditation I have now chosen by Christs assistance to speak of to you Of Meditation in general according to Scripture-latitude in the various Kinds and Considerations of it there exprest My Text therefore must not be one single Scripture for the total foundation of what I shall tender but the universal vote and passages asperst through the Bible some of which are these you may please to turn unto 1 Tim. 4.15 Meditate upon these things There Timothy and in him by way of proportion every person is commanded Meditation Psal 1.2 In that Law doth he meditate day and night If the blessed man doth so meditate then all who will be blessed must do the like And Psal 77.12 I will meditate on all thy works Both the word and works of God must be the godly mans meditation Psal 63.6 and Meditate on thee in the night-watches And Psal 104.34 My Meditation of him shall be sweet God must be meditated on and that Meditation should be sweet Obs From these and the like passages scattered over the Bible the Observation or Conclusion is this Pious Meditation is the Duty of every Christian or It is the high Institution of Christ and greatly Incumbent duty of Christians to exercise themselves much in holy Meditation A rare and soul-enriching way such as none know the sweetness and blessed Incomes of it but such who exercise themselves in it Philosophers tell us there would be no life or motion in the lower World if the Sun and Celestial Bodies stood still Physicians say if the Heart did not continually beat in the Body there would be no life and motion in the little World Man And Experience proves if there were no Springs or Weights in Watches and artificial Engines they could perform nothing What the Sun Moon and Stars are to life and motion here below what the Heart is to the Bodies life and moving and what the Springs and Weights are to Motions Artificial that in a high degree is Meditation to spiritual Life and Motion Of the various things tendred to us for truths this is the great Trier the Percolation and Refiner the Melioration and Improver Such things that come to us crude and raw become mellow and concocted by Meditation It is the Golden Scale to give Divine things their due weight The Souls Rare Limbeck to effect the highest Operations to extract the richest Spirits for Heart use Meditation is of that happy Influence it makes the Mind wise the Affections warm the Soul fat and flourishing and the Conversation greatly fruitful Psal 119. Who can but practise it continue it contend to larger improvements in this Heavenly Art that hath once experienced and fed upon the surpassing sweetness and refreshments the unspeakable solaces and ravishments both had and heightned in it To speak of it adequately I cannot it is such an attainment that none know the All of it Nothing but progress in the daily practice can help to comprehend it There is still a plus ultra a Going and a Knowing further I shall speak to four things only concerning Meditation 1. The Precedents upon the File of Scripture or some rare Examples of the Practice and but briefly 2. The Nature Ingredients Qualifications and the several sorts of Meditation and here I must be something large 3. The Grounds and supporting Reasons of it to manifest it 4. The diverse Improvements of it to divers sorts of persons First The Precedents on the Sacred File recorded Instances in Scripture There are among others four Instances which I shall single out four famous holy and eminent ones The first is that of the godly Patriarch Isaac Gen. 24.63 Isaac went out in the Evening to meditate God is a most free Agent as in all other actings so in conferring his Scripture Honours He honours whom he pleaseth and when and how he pleaseth He is bound to give no account of his matters And oft we see him in his Goings and Doings but cannot by searching find him out Job 11.7 Divine Soveraignty and Wisdom is pleased in the Scripture Records to fix the first honour of this practice of Meditation on holy Isaac Doubtless his so excellent Father holy Abraham did use to beat this path to Heaven who walkt so much with God Doubtless those other Patriarchs and Saints living before Abraham travelled much in this heavenly Road. Enoch for his walking with God so highly honoured was no stranger to this way Questionless it was one of his walks He certainly used to go to Heaven Mentally before he was translated Personally He used to ascend up by Meditation before his happy translation But Isaac is he who first is mentioned for acting this holy Meditating It may be he exceeded and excelled in this Heavenly Art and Practice and because it was a Duty performed privately and that was not known God would reward and honour him openly by making it known and that some hundreds of Years after by Moses his holy Pen. It 's probable there was something more than ordinary in it which occasioned this first Record of Meditation However this was the holy pleasure of God so to fix it to place it first on the File of godly Meditators Isaac is the first mentioned Meditator in Scripture Records Instance 2. The second which is the fullest to all intents and respects is that high and noble Precedent of holy David That man after Gods own heart among other reasons I believe for his beating so much this path to Heaven for the frequencies of his visits made this way He soon became a man of Great Troubles and Difquiets yet then in them he would resolutely cut out his way and keep his course of holy Meditation witness those many Psalms penned in and on occasions of his troubles and stiled his Meditations He after Sauls death is crowned King of Judah had his great multitudes of high Employments was a mighty Warriour and so must be exposed to highest hazards yet nothing in no time whatever should check or retard his course Though he had his Head full of Thoughts his Heart full of Troubles his Hands full of Work nothing should hinder him in this high Exercise of his so experienced sweet Meditation In Psal 1.2 He makes Meditation the Character of a blessed man To meditate in Gods Law day and night And what he makes a Rule for others he makes good
and must be performed as a Duty of indispensible necessity 1 Tim. 4.15 Psal 1.2 1. A Duty in reference to Christ Necessity in reference to Christ himself an Obedience to his Law a subjection to his Crown Imperial an homage and service due to him as the Sovereign Lord of our Souls and of that Meditating and pondering faculty he endowed them with Meditation is Jesus Christs Reservation in the great Gift and Grant of our Souls Thinking power He hath endowed us with that so Noble Faculty of minding and musing and also with a large Mind-Charter and liberty of thoughts for our own occasions and sober Recreatings in our Contemplations or Studies But yet 't is always provided that a holy Tribute out of the whole of our thoughts is still duly to be paid in and that as an acknowledgment both of holding our thinking faculty upon him Rom. 11.36 and our best way of employment of it and this to be done in the due seasons both Ordinary and Extraordinary The neglect of this Duty is a denying of his Right and Royalty over my thoughts and over that which is so eminent an Endowment of the Mind and given in to the Spirit by God for its chiefly Thinking of him that is so High and Allsufficient and the surpassing excellent things of God as being the Souls best acting Certainly thus the Saints in the Scripture acted highly upon this account of their paying in the Reserved dues of Christ their Leige Lord 1 Cor. 6.20 His Dues and their Duties moving strongly to act highly in this work and way 2. Duty to my self and my own Soul Concernments is another great Consideration here In all doing Duty there 's a doing my self right paying in to my own Soul its due Neglecting in any kind my Duty is a wronging my own soul Prov. 8.36 He that sins against me wrongs his own soul Performing it is a doing my Soul Right Yea holy Duties are the Highest doings of right to our Souls There 's no way of doing better to my self than going in the King of Heavens High-way His ways are my Souls best ways wherein I act best for my self and when I perform them in them in the best manner This leads me to the next particular the Requisites and the Ingredients of this Meditation considered as a holy Duty which are these next following CHAP. IV. Of the Requisites in Meditation THere are these three things I shall mention as the Requisites for holy Meditation as a Duty 1. That I call a Foundation or Preparative to it 2. Those things that are for the forming and framing it as to the parts and proportions 3. The things that finish it up 1. As to the Foundation or Preparative to it This must be laid above in Heaven by the Dispositive or Preparative work of fervent Prayer The foundation of this Soul Affair must be as a Learned man saith of the Foundation of the World The Foundation of the World he saith is the. Third Heaven which is of a constant incorruptible Nature of no pre-existent principles and so not liable as other things are to corruption and resolution and which as to the convex or outward superficies or the highest part is only bounded or terminated by its own limits or terms of Essence and Quantity but in its concave or bollow superficies or the lowest part contains all inferiour things and is fixt immoveable If the Foundation of the great World is laid by the Third Heaven the Foundation of this great Work of holy Meditation must be laid in Heaven laid by the Soul 's strong mounting up thither and fixing it self there by fervent Prayer as the great Preparative to this Meditation Fervent Prayer The word in the Hebrew used for Meditation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies also Prayer Prayer and Meditation being so near a kin and the one helping mutually the other 1. To begin with a bringing the Soul into the Glorious and Tremendous Presence of the Great God and under his so pure and all-seeing Eye 2. To act the Soul and lay it as it were asteep in self-abasings and humblings for its former miscarriages and failings in and present unfitness and indisposedness for what is now undertaking 3. To exercise fresh Self-denyings as to any sufficiency of ability to perform any thing herein acceptably and profitably 4. To act vigorous and strong recumbencies on Jesus Christ for his both Teachings and Touchings of our Spirits and upholdings likewise in the work 5. To procure and beget a warm temper in us such as may make the heart to Glow all the Duty over 2. As to the forming of the Duty in the Parts and Particulars of it 1. It must be bottom'd and rise from the Spring and Great Principle of Motion and Action which is the will in a both free choice and firm purpose A resolvedness and rooted purpose Thus David Psal 119.48 I will meditate in thy Statutes and verse 15. I will meditate in thy Precepts The evil heart saith I will not Meditate Satan saith so far as he can hinder you shall not And the prophane World saith you need not But the holy heart saith I will Meditate This is my free and firm purpose and nothing by Christs assistance shall divert me The Philosopher saith that in every virtuous action there must be a choice of Will it must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be Elective come free from the Spring of the Will and run in Resolution otherwise it is not a virtuous Action The Scriptures for all Religious Actings call for Willingness Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy Power or as it is in the Hebrew A people of willingnesses thy people And in divers places call for Readiness in what we perform to God No work in the World can challenge that intense degree and share of Readiness and Freeness as Christs work and such ways as have a clear and lively Stamp of his Royal Will and Command No higher Character is given in Scripture of a Real Godliness than freest Choice of Will and Readiness To Chuse the good part Luke 10.42 To Chuse the things that please God Isa 56.4 and as in abundance of places is to be seen A Carnal heart acts from Carnal Wisdom and self-Interest or from Passion and self-biassing affection but not from pure freeness and deliberate Choice of Will That is not the Spring and rise of his Duties as it is in a good and holy heart A good heart acts from purpose a well and deep set purpose Acts 11.23 with purpose of heart to cleave to the Lord. And Psal 119.106 I have sworn and I will perform c. So the Will for holy Duties must put forth in Purposes firm Purposes varieties of fresh Purposes Act all the still needful and conducing Purposes any Duty in any respect calls for There are many Rare and Rich Attendants and Properties Ingredients and Excellencies Divine and Heavenly Beauties appertaining to holy Duties
Grace and the Degree of that Grace the Grace he doth Meditate the Degree day and night Thus much hereby must then be implyed that as it is to be performed often so it cannot well be performed by the Rule in this Scripture passage if every day in course there be not something done this way either more or less certainly we cannot give God and our souls concerns too much measure So Psalm 119. He tells us his daily practice to Meditate both in the day and night Now his Example being a King and under such varieties of important Affairs so many and so great as none can have more And if he had still such cares troubles and dangers attending might not these have excused to some abatement of his constancy but it did not This therefore leaves all sorts of persons without excuse none being able to alledge that which he could or not more urgencies of daily occasions There is no doubt that as it is a work lies upon every one so sure as the day returns and the fresh businesses of it so this Meditating of right doth challenge for it self some fit season and portion of the day being one of the great businesses for the Souls help As no Christian can plead exemption from this daily incumbency this daily soul affair so no good prudent Christian can conceive but he may find out in the revolution of the day some at least fit opportunity for serious Meditation Or if not in the day time the time of action and avocation yet in the night upon the Bed the time of rest and freedom What was said of that great Warriour Hannibal making his way into Italy over the high rocky Mountains the Alpes with Fire and Vinegar Hannibal will either find a way or make one and is said of Love It will creep if it cannot go a good heart will find or make its way over Mountains of Difficulties and Business to have Communion with Jesus Christ Cant. 3.1 2 3. Ah it is most sad if I can allow so many hours in the night for rest and sleep so many in the day for business and emergencies so many for eating and drinking so many for company and discourse yea so much time for pleasure play for trivial things next to nothing it may be for things worse than nothing for sins and lusts and that no part of the twenty four hours must be afforded for serious thinking thinking of things ten thousand times more momentous and concerning than the total sum of matters that sweep away and swallow up precious time so much The good Christian cannot but at least close with the eternal obligation of this duty And the wise and fruitful Christian cannot but yield some complyance with the practice of it and let this come in for its due share in the time of the day as one important business to be dispatcht and that must still contribute to the right making of it up and improvement of it After some evidence of the equity of this daily Duty I come to speak to the Nature and way of this Meditation This being of all other sorts the principal which therefore challenges a more distinct and careful handling If Christians very well understand not this way or fall very short of the due manner and order of it the work is neither so pleasant or successful as it might be and should be and questionless is to Christians such as are the great Artists herein such as have been well practised and experienced in it I shall therefore now endeavour to shew the Nature of it and something of a Method of due proceeding in it In general it is that daily exercise whereby we single out purposely some spiritual or useful matters to act the searchings and ponderings which according to our ability and opportunity of the day we can exercise for our spiritual advantage The Mind is a Spring alway running in thinkings a Wheel alway turning a Forge alway framing a Wing ever moving it is the most active busie nimble thing in all the world therefore hath the greatest need to be well lookt unto to be kept as Solomon saith Prov. 4.23 With all keeping keep thy heart to be guided with the best skill and care with the steadiest and stiffest rein like a Horse of highest metal ready to run away with his Rider it will run wildly away and carry the soul into vanity folly and self-mischieving Meditation is a spiritual rein and curb and the peculiar designed way to reduce rectifie and order it To bring the hearts thinking power into the highest subserviency the greatest usefulness to the main to the Souls grand interest Therefore there is a great necessity upon every good heart of daily and much Meditating CHAP. II. Of the manner and way of daily Meditation 1. EVery Christian is to awake with God in the morning Psal 139.13 as David when he awoke was ever with God at his awaking times in the night by thinking of God so chiefly when he awoke last when the night was past with all the dangers of it and the day dawned then the morning-star of Meditation arose in his heart The first work in the morning is to awake with God and the noble thinking faculty which upon awaking will instantly awake and begin to stir begin to act Let it be awakened into this sweet way of self entertainment by engaging of it in holy Meditation Look we that the heart be first of all seasoned sweetned and perfumed with heavenly thoughts 1. Begin we with serious reflections upon the great goodness and tender mercies of God in our preservations from Satans malice and mischiefs what affrightments in noises and appearances in violence and harms would he exercise if he were let loose upon us What other harms from wicked men usually taking the advantage of the dark and still night when all are at rest besides harms from accidental occasions that we are liable to There is also the great mercy of Beds to lie on rest without tossings ease without torments sleep without holding our Eyes in awaking having our sleep sweet awaking with refreshing having our formerly weary bodies and decayed spirits revived and cheared and we our selves under a new adaptation and fitness for the succeeding days occasions There should be also a stand and abode of thoughts upon any thing in the night which is more signal and remarkable that comes down from Heaven as a brighter beam of favour to take the Eye with that is let down as a more peculiar hand to take up our thoughts to Heaven by that is sent as a more special Love-token stampt with more legible Characters of the care and kindness of a God towards us 2. When the nights past mercies have had some due Reflections and Musings had a down-weight of improvement endeavoured for warming and enlarging the heart toward our good God If then it conveniently may be nothing to the contrary interposing and that justly may hinder the next thing
then for the way of our thoughts should be to look forward to the day coming on and the spiritual concernments of it or if it then cannot at the present be yet so soon as we can to set to and engage in this so useful Meditation CHAP. III. HEre the more particular Rules we may use for this daily Meditation are these following I say the Rules we may use for the particulars of daily Meditation and for Method herein may be such as these following 1. Meditation of setting up the Master Mark the glorifying of the most high God 2. Next unto it Meditation of Eternal happiness in the enjoying of God 3. Meditating then after it of the sure and adequate means for attaining them both And these are therefore to be Meditated upon Meditating on 1. Jesus Christ the only way to the Father by his work of Redemption Meditating on 2. The Holy Spirit the great applyer of Christ and his Redemption Meditating on 3. The holy Ordinances of God the usual ways of the Spirits coming to apply Christ by Meditating on 4. The Word of God chiefly the Promises of the Gospel These on Gods part Meditating 5. On our part by our use of the Ordinances and the Word and Promises and that Faith and holiness whereby we come to union and communion with God glorifie him and obtain salvation Faith as the instrument of receiving Christ and both Faith and Holiness or the graces of Christ as our principles of life and power to live unto God and growing up to perfection against all opposition 1. The first thing according to the rule of best wisdom which lays the surest foundation in any course is first to take into most serious consideration the supream and chief end and to act a fresh setting up before us that Master-Mark and scope of the most high God and the glorifying of him to be continued as we can through the whole course of the day I say this so high incumbency and duty of looking still at and levelling all to the glory of God Meditation of this glorifying God for pure lively and highest advancings of it this is the Souls best operation and runs most parallel to the perfect work of Heaven Heavens higher acting is Contemplation of the most blessed God for the most transcendent exaltings of his glory The Rule of Scripture is To do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 And this Rule must therefore have its place and power here therefore this daily Meditation must take it in and set it up It must be every ones wisdom to bottom our day Meditation with the still eying of and aiming at the glorifying of the most high God To begin with the fresh thoughts and also the warmest frame of Spirit for farthering the supream end the glory of God and with it as fit to be annext unto it that which is wrapt up with it our own Eternal happiness Philosophers and Divines have several Maxims about the Supream End To mention some of them to help us here As 1. Finis summus est maxime appetibilis The chief End is of all things else the most desirable Psal 73.25 Matth. 6.9 If as it is most sure it be most desirable then this as was said before is the chief point of wisdom to chiefly eye and aim at this chief End and then sure it is most proper in the method of our daily Meditation to mind this one of the first and how to advance towards it anew on the opportunity of a new day begun upon us 2. Secondly there is another Rule given which is Finis ultimus praescribit Regulas totius vitae sed ipsi fini nonpraescribitur That the last or chief End prescribes or gives the Rules of the whole life or course but the last End hath no Rules prescribed to it In all cases the End of any thing that gives the Rules to that thing Thus that hath profit and livelyhood for its End that profit and livelyhood gives the Rules to the Trader and all his actings are reduced and ordered to profit and subsistence That of mens particular or a Nations interest as it is called The particular interest of persons in particular Or the Publick interest and chief good that gives the Rules to private men or to States-men their actings must be to their interest the chief good or End So the Souls grand interest real highest End and Interest gives all the Rules to all a Christians wise truly wise actings Thus in Phil. 3.13 I press hard to the Mark first he set up the Mark or that was set up before him to aim at And this made him press hard and run in the right way so earnestly made him use all the right means and the due manner for attaining to it So this of eying the Supreme End as the right sure way as the sure wisdom for a mans self Prov. 9.12 this should be first taken in and come under fresh consideration That which gives the first rise to endeavour that which must vitally influence and strongly instigate yea fix and stablish our whole course The course rises or falls strengthens or weakens bears up or breaks off in evenness or unevenness according to our more or less lively and fresh lookings at and ponderings of the chief End This we see in all undertakings the manner earnestness and evenness of any course is from the manner earnestness and evenness of mans eyings of his chief aim and interest designed in it In a Watch and divers artificial Motions the evenness and expediteness of the motion is from evener or unevener stronger or weaker drawing of the Spring the first mover Thus is it in godliness a Christians motions are answerable to his eyings more or less of the main end Christians complain of their daily dead-heartedness and unevenness it much arises from the so little or listless lookings at the main Mark. Paul lookt earnestly and he prest hard In Archery those who eye the Mark most earnestly and steadily hit the oftenest and fullest The wisest Christian is the most earnest equal eyer of the main End There be many particulars in this head which according to prudence and leisure may have their seasons of ponderings The variety will breed delight and set an edge upon the Spirit apt to grow heavy and weary they are such as these As the considerations of the most high God in all his infinite Glories and Perfections His All-sufficiency in his Knowledge Wisdom Holiness Righteousness and the rest But chiefly in his so infinite and unchangeable Love and Riches of Free Grace The Infinite obligations eternally lying upon us for glorifying and exalting of him The infinite excellencies and fullness of the second Person and his infinite Love in undertaking with his Father to Redeem lost sinners And the infinite love of the third Person the Holy Spirit the applyer of Redemption Some most serious Meditation of God and glorifying him to give down into the heart a
Word and Ways CHAP. IX Of Meditation of the Spirits drawing to Christ by the Promises AS it is the Instrument in the Spirits hand and without which it would do nothing could not awaken humble and convert the Soul so it cannot either convert and bring in or confirm and build up without that most signal sweetest part the precious Promises and the Promises would do nothing out of the hand of the Holy Spirit and his efficacious managing of them The Grounds and Encouragements of all our drawings near to God through Christ by his Spirit in his Ordinances are the Promises of the Gospel and the Covenant of Grace Sinners must not draw nigh to God without his Warrant and Command first given But a Command will not be yielded to unless there be the encouragement of a promise of an acceptance and help in both the first and all other after approches to God Psal 119.49 Gen. 32.9 Exod. 34.6 Num. 14.18 And the Promises must be managed and ordered by the Holy Spirit else they will have no vigour or efficacy as to either initial application of Christ or to any farther and fuller application of him Ephes 1.13 The Spirit is called the Spirit of Promise as given by the Word of Promise Gal. 3.2 Received ye the Spirit by the c. 2 Cor. 3.38 The Gospel that is by the Promises of it is call'd the Ministration of the Spirit which is not only of the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit but the saving operations of it from its inhabitation It is called the Spirit of Promise as conveying and working all to us and in us by the Promise Christ and his Grace is not offered by God nor received by a Christian by any man I mean grown up person but by the offer of him in a Promise there is no immediate acting upon Christ for a first or after and fuller receiving of him but by the medium the way of an intervening Promise God holds forth and Faith sees it and takes Christ offer'd in the Promise Acts 10.43 To him give all the c. As the Spirits humbling is by his whetting and setting home by his art the threatnings of wrath and death Eternal so the comforts of the Spiritare by his setting home the promises of salvation And further supplies of Grace are by the promises through the co-operating of the Holy Spirit bringing us to receive farther of Christ his fulness by the promises that are Yea and Amen in him 2 Cor. 1.20 But all this farther operation of the Spirit and receiving more of the Grace of Christ it is by Meditation and pondering of the Promises Fresh receivings from Christ must be founded in fresh Meditation of the Promises The more intense and earnest the ponderings of the Promises of growth and encrease are the larger will your desires the more earnest your endeavours be after more of Christ Christians are sometimes in great haste to believe strongly but cannot reach it because they meditate on the Promises slenderly They make the best work of it who dwell and act most upon the promises that still Meditate from promise to promise By the Promises we are made partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Cleanse our selves from all pollution of Flesh and Spirit perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 There be great varieties of precious promises for Justification Sanctification and the rest There is a transcendent Truth Goodness and Freeness in the Promises great and rich supplies made over to Believers by them But they will not give down their Milk without our due mindings and daily Meditatings on them Meditation must press out the Juice and sweetness gather the rare Honey that is upon these Flowers of precious Promises If Bones be full of Marrow it must be gotten out by pains and knocking The Promises so full of marrow and sweetness must yield it forth by Meditation Lay sound weight of Meditation on them to press out the Spirit and virtue in them If therefore a Christian would daily have his recourse to Christ if he daily would touch Christ so as to have virtue go out of him for healing and help in any kind bring your Eye to the hand of the Spirit and to the Promise which he must be expected to work your coming to Christ by and fresh receivings of Grace from Meditate well that you may speed well Let the promises mellow in thy heart by Meditation that thou mayst find how sweet they this way are CHAP. X. Of the next thing Meditation may best take in which is that on my part I am to perform 5. IF I would perform in the Day what is incumbent on me to be rightly done I must Meditate of the way where the Holy Spirit may meet and help me Meditate I must of my necessary putting my hand to the work of Christ and bearing his burden and the need I have of the Spirits lending his hand to help me who helps our infirmities I must eye the Rule of the Word by which the Spirit teaches me and the precious promises whereby he encourages me And in that all my conversation in the Day must be holy and heavenly comfortable and fruitful I must meditate of stirring up the grace given me to act by the help of the Spirit upon Christ and to him for working out my own salvation and the glorifying of God thereby This must be if I consider the living the life of Faith more peculiarly and exercising of likewise every Holy Grace the work of the day requires Therefore next my Meditation may be upon the Graces that in the Duties of the day are to be exercised for to be improved Without the exercising of these Graces all the conversation is carnal not spiritual all Duties are but dead carcasses and loathsom to God I must think how my daily course must be a living to the living God a living peculiarly to him that dyed for me and rose again and a living to the blessed Spirit that dwells and works in me and is my mighty helper Likewise I must consider it must be a living very exemplarily towards all men especially the godly that my light may shine before them to provoke and profit them all I can 1. Particularly I must Meditate of living the life of precious and glorious Faith the Grace of Graces Faith as to the whole word of God all the precepts promises threats and Recorded Examples acting more peculiarly Faith in the promises and by the promises on Jesus Christ acting more on his All-sufficiency to save and for receiving fresh strength and supplies for the Duties and Occasions of the day ensuing Likewise through Christ I should think of my access to the Father of trusting to Gods All-sufficiency his Wisdom Truth Righteousness Holiness Goodness Mercy Love Free Grace and all his infinite perfections with his providence preserving and governing all things to the least and toward my own self in particular in a most excellent wise holy and
is to frequently in my thoughts put my self into the condition of a present dying How it must be with me let me look on my self how certainly without flattery I am prepared to dye If I have a Christ in my bosom the Love of God assured and can dye in the Lord 2 Cor. 13.5 dye in Faith and look Death in the face boldly resign up my soul freely into Christs hands these make for this Agony the highest Cordial these furnish me with Armour of proof against this Enemy But let me then look on my self as having no means farther to preserve me all Physick Art and Experiences withdrawing their usual help Friends standing about me pitying lamenting me but not able to evidence more than their kind wishes and I my self perceiving Deaths summons sent me as to King Hezekiah but without expecting any Messenger after to be sent with better News Prayers now and all such means also reversed and proving labours lost I now feeling my decays and hastening away my disquiets and pains encreasing strength failing spirits sinking heat turned into chillness Cramps contractions of Nerves and limbs following breath shortening speech faultring heart pangs and agonies now multiplying the whole frame of the body shaking the Hands snatching Eye-strings as they say breaking and after many deep heavy sighings and groanings the Soul comes forth with gaspings and sitting upon my quivering lips upon the last gasp takes its nimble flight leaves its old habitation to rottenness and corruption and launches forth into an everlasting new condition Lord teach me so to number my days see how frail I am Psal 90.12 Psal 39.1 let me so often realize this dying to my self in most serious Meditation put my self into this condition of Deaths coming and acting his part his utmost on me that I may both familiarize and facilitate this so dreadful and difficult work that I may be greatly desirous to be dissolved and be thereby with Christ which is best of all O that I may perform this last work best which that I may and make that great Enemy my great Friend my Losses greatest Gain let me still mind Christ's healing this bitter water making it sweet making this Deaths-day better than the Births-day let my thoughts be on the Sting's pulling out that it cannot hurt if I am Christ's Death is ours if we are Christ's and for our most high advantages as being the great outlet of all evil and misery I now shall sin no more be tempted and ensnared no more the World shall now be corruptions bait and Satans Hook no more Satan shall never throw at me any fiery dart more God will never desert me hide his face from me more All Miseries Crosses Losses Poverty Shame Pain Sickness Weakness Weariness Faintness Hunger Thirst Cold Nakedness Labour Toil Cares Fears Sorrows and Disquiets and whatsoever of this lifes Evils can be named is at an Eternal end And Death becomes the great inlet of all good to flow in most abundantly a passage to Heaven to be possest of a Crown of Glory to enjoy the innumerable company of Saints and Angels to be with Christ and seeing God face to face and fulness of felicity for evermore CHAP. XIX Of Judgment after death ON the sad parting of those two dearest friends Soul and Body comes instantly the doom and sentence Heb. 9.27 the particular Judgment of the person to pass and be put in execution to an Eternal Estate either of Happiness or Misery immediately as to the immortal Soul and afterward at the General Resurrection of Body and Soul in Conjunction This therefore little foregoing Day of Judgment upon which by the Bodies mortality and necessity of dying and the Souls immortality and necessity of not dying every person comes to be stated in eternal misery or happiness unavoidably is a point of most high consequence to be well considered deeply weighed often dwelt upon in our most prudent improvements of retiredness A very great frequency and repetition of our best thoughts and serious ponderings must be the Tribute of this concern this vertical point this Judgment which casts the scales and makes full weight for misery or felicity for ever For as the tree falls so it lies as Death leaves Judgment this particular Judgment finds us dooms us irreversibly there is no bringing a Writ of Errour no Appeal to be made no pardon now the Judge will give no petition he will receive no stay of proceedings can in the least be granted or lookt for on any ground This to every particulat person in some respect is his great day of Judgment this disposes and dispatches this secures and keeps me for the great general Assize and Judgment this is the Foundation that will be the Superstructure this is secret that is solemn this for a private execution that for one in open view of all But this Judgment particular strikes the first stroke of utter undoing or lends the first hand of help to an eternal saving and without which the great Judgment doth not proceed Ah then well may I afford this Judgment a great frequency largeness seriousness of thoughts which launches the Ship of my Soul into the Ocean of Eternity which lets my Soul either presently to sink into the Bottomless Pit purposely sends it thither casts it into the Lake of Everlasting Fire or sends it into Abrahams bosom into the harbour of eternal happiness and enters this Jewel into the Cabinet of Heaven Ah how unspeakably considerable is this particular Judgment The very moment of my death that is uncertain and the very next moment after death comes certain Judgment irresistably and irrecoverably and determines our state of Eternity CHAP. XX. Of the general Judgment Day BUT then particular Judgment foregoing this is but the foundation and introduction of the following The private and partial execution on the Soul separate from the Body shall have a publick and most solemn both manifestation and consummation with it 1. This day among other ends is reserved for the so great and glorious manifestation of the infinite holiness and righteousness grace and mercy wrath and severity and other Attributes of God never in this world having their so full discovery as now by the intendment and most wise contrivance of a God they shall have before Angels and Saints Devils and wicked men The Judgment-day Rom. 2.5 is called the day of the Revelation of the righteous Judgment of God of that righteousness that so great and glorious Attribute so little understood less considered so much questioned and cavil'd at the highest declaration and fullest Revelation that ever was shall be then made and seen by all So the rest of Gods Attributes shall obtain their meridian height and shine forth in their most perfect resplendencies Therefore it needs must be a very great day when it is so intended purposely to be the greatest day that ever was or can be 2. It is also purposely constituted for the highest glory of Jesus
heightened ripened and corroborated by habit attain'd upon frequencies and constancies of practice and using this heavenly meditating This David the excellent example of actings in this high-way to Heaven God says of him when he was very young when Samuel came to annoint him he was one whose heart he lookt on as being principled with piety and real holiness he had a heart inclined set for God and things heavenly but he acted holiness exercised himself in it and in this particular way of Meditation till it ripened and arrived at habitual meditation from holding up a constancy in it This may be gathered from the character he gives of a godly man and from his own still practice Psal 1.2 In the Law of the Lord he meditates day and night when a man begins to be godly hath the principle this will incline him to begin this godliness this meditation But then godly wisdom teaches to practise it for to use meditating to get a hand at this rare work to come to an habitual heavenly mindedness So David that was so wise so excellently wise as Psal 119.98 99. he had acted the fundamental principle Psal 119.112 He inclined his heart to keep all the Commandments alway and he exercised meditation to babitual heavenly mindedness for he tells us Psal 119.97 Psal 63.6 he meditated all the day meditated in the night watches when he still awoke he was ever with God He gets the habitual heavenly mindedness and then it was easie and by being sound easie it was withal his delight Meditation at first the burden and yoke of heavenly Meditation lying on the weak shoulders of the new Convert with only his new principle of grace begun is a hard and heavy work though the spirit be willing yet to perform it is weak But when this work is carried on and daily practised then by custom and habit an acquired habit then it is easie then 't is the great soul-solace and delight David's habitual beavenly mindedness was the rare product and issue of his meditation he found it so and therefore followed the faster Therefore this ought to be a grand intendment A heavenly mindedness when 't is habitual when it is corroborated and of a young tender Plant is grown to be a Tree of strength and yet is growing more this is a rare excellency and gloriously sweet attainment a heavenly minded man how excellent is such a one generally in all mens tyes This makes a Christian still with God have his way above his conversation in Heaven Psal 139.18 Phil. 3.20 feed on Manna fill with peace and joy overflow and abound in singular fruitfulness towards others Out of the abundance of heart-heavenliness the mouth speaks and the whole conversation shines in an exemplary walking Therefore the heart must be meditating upon heavenly things that it still may be framing and fixing bigher in habitual thinkings Meditate thy self into heavenly mindedness that so blessed and glorious frame To conclude this third Reason Therefore the Scripture holds forth Meditation in several sorts 1. Daily doing it in course 2. Then occasional meditating as a superaddition 3. And that of ejaculation or short and more sudden darting up the thoughts to Heav'n to come in as an Auxiliary supply when the other Meditation more solemn and set cannot be used Ejaculations may oft interpose in our course This is a wedge may be driven in enter the throng and crowd of occasions when matters lie before us as tough and knotty pieces of wood when they will not give way to meditation at large but hinder it this wedge may and will ever enter if we apply it to keep up the constancy of heavenly mindedness Ah how should my spirit bless abundantly that God who hath so fully provided for a lying open of 〈◊〉 way to Heaven that my soul may mount up 〈◊〉 so frequently and be either detained above by 〈◊〉 Contemplation or at least to touch at Heaven by 〈…〉 CHAP. XXIX Of the fourth ground that supports this Duty of Meditation 4. THE fourth and last ground to support this weighty work of holy Meditation is the consideration of the great advantages or disadvantages arising from the careful performance or careless neglect of it Every Ordinance of Christ hath holy advantages attending it those who use them aright daily experience how good it is to walk in the King of Heaven's high-ways 1. The first I shall name is that so glorious advantage of improving our communion and acquainunce with God Job 22.21 1 Joh. 1.3 No communion we can expect much less can we improve it out of the use of holy Ordinances whereby we draw neer to God and God to us Although God himself be not so tyed to these ways but he may come to us when and how he pleaseth yet we are tyed to Gods Ordinances as our ways of acquaintance with him and when in a holy manner we draw neer to God he hath promised to command the blessing to us Psal 133.5 Psal 24.5 He shall c. Meditation being then his Ordinance it is a way of communion a singular way of acting our spirits towards him of acting our minds and thoughts in a way of reference to him either more directly or less sometimes Meditation is acted on his infinite excellencies in seeing his infinite beauty and loveliness admiring and glorifying him and by this Contemplation we come to an improvement of our knowledge to understand more of him an enlargement of affections encouragement of our wills chusings of him and aimings at his glorifying and exalting excciting and stirring up the Graces of Faith for stronger recumbencies on his All-sufficiency love to cleave more humility to stoop and submit more patience to endure more willingly and other Graces to act higher in their spheres and ranks by all in the ways of exercising them to own him and have him more to be our God Meditation helps to move and carry the soul and all that is of it and in it towards God And when we act upon him open the doors of our hearts to him Rev. 3.20 God he comes in and manifests himself in his Grace Quicknings Supportings Comforts he sups with us as Rev. 3.20 and we sup with him he is pleased and delighted with our Graces exercised towards him and we sup with him in his manifestations of himself to us in his helpings of us gladding and chearing our spirits ravishing our hearts with the tastes of his love CHAP. XXX Of solace and spiritual pleasure another end of Meditation 2. AS it is a way of singular communion with God so it is for a heavenly walk of great soul-solace and delight a path of pleasantness to walk turn and recreate thy spirit in as Solomon Prov. 3.17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness all her ways all the particular paths in those ways and therefore this way and it is made purposely by Christ for his people to walk and turn in One of the stately large high walks in the
his Holy Spirit the mighty Applyer of Christs Redemption draw efficaciously the weary sinner to the soul-easing Saviour works faith to come and rests on an all-sufficient Christ The first step in this great soul-concern must be labouring to divert the eye from a total or too much viewing of sin and Gods wrath and earnestly endeavour to be duely deeply possest of the infinite mercy love riches of free favour in Christ in whom he is placable and infinitely willing to shew mercy 1. Willing in that he hath in his abounding wisdom and prudence contrived the way of Reconciliation in Christ Eph. 1. 2. Willing in infinite love and riches of grace he appointed his own only Son anointed him with all fulness of grace sending him and causing him to work and procure Redemption perfectly in all respects and then in making the most free imaginable and possible proffer and tender of Salvation in Christ A discovery and tender in the exceeding great and precious promises promises that are as so many strong yernings and loud soundings of the bowels of a God to sinners promises most firmly fixt as being all the ingrost particulars and the golden clauses of the Covenant of Grace signed and sealed with the most precious blood of Christ and therefore ordered and in all things most sure The Promises and Covenant are by most highly demonstrating that hardly to be believed and trusted to by once awakened sinners that free rich love of God in Christ by demonstration of it the intendment is sirst to found and breed faith in weary heavy laden sinners and after to build it up and perfect it Meditation should first fix upon the promises of free justification and pardon of sin and as humbling arises not from a confused general apprehension of fin or many sins but distinct particular viewings of particular evils so comfortings and coming to relief must be by singling out and pondering the promises of mercy in particular As a drowning man that scapes by a taking hold on a particular thing hand or cord But the thing the greatest and highest for breeding and founding justifying faith is first pondering the infinitely all-amazing and adored free love of God the Father Joh. 3.10 1 Joh. 3.1 1. This is that so rich Mine out of which the most precious Corner-stone Christ himself was taken 2. For principally glorifving this riches of free grace the Earth for a Stage was set up to begin the discovery and revelation of it 3. The great Assize of the great day of Judgment is chiefly appointed for higher manifestation of it 4. And the highest Heaven with the state of Glory there is purposely founded and conferred on the Saints for the highest demonstration chiefly of free saving grace not Angels glorification but redeemed Saints glorifying is for free saving graces greatest glorifying and highest exalting Dwell here till largest apprehensions and highest admirations swallow up and drown all thy fears doubts and discouragements raising thy spirit up to hope trust and consolation But this so infinitely free love of the Father must be connected with most wishly viewing and most earnest pondering the highest proof and evidence of it in that greatest possible gift Gods own Son God in our Nature Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that c. Here after all thy black and sad thoughts and disquiets is the richest strongest and surest Cordial for a fainting heart A Christ in whom all fulness of wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption dwell That out of his own infinite love became man was in the form of a servant performed the whole Law pacified the wrath of God purchased perfect and eternal life by laying down his life a ransom 1. A Christ freely offered by God the Father Isa 55. Come and buy without money 2. Freely offering himself Joh. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come to me and drink 3. Freely offered and to be taken as the Bride and the Spirit say Come and drink of the water of life freely Rev. 22.17 This free grace must be applied by the promises of grace and pardon more especially and first Christ is not offered by God the Father and the Lord Christ offers not himself nor the Holy Spirit offers not neither draws to Christ but on the ground of the promise of forgiveness and salvation Nor can it be taken by man as a learned Divine expresses it but mediante promissione The promises particularly must be pondered duely often and often Ponder 1. The goodness of them they are good sweet indeed to a needy thirsty spirit Ponder 2. The sureness and firmness by a God that cannot lye Tit. 1. All yea and Amen in Christ 2 Cor. 1. Pvnder 3. The freeness of them Nothing so free as they that come only from a God only for his own Name sake Ponder 4. The seal of them in the rare and abundant examples recorded for encouragement of sinners of all sorts received to mercy So 1 Tim. 1.16 I saith the Apostle was received for a pattern to them that hereafter should believe to eternal life The promises must be pondered prayed often over as those which are for the wounded weary and heavy laden to breed faith not only to feed it but found and feed it also to begin and to build it up Never leave pondering the promises Gods love and Christs fulness offered in them until pondering comes to hope hope to thirsting thirsting to highest prizing prizing to selling all and buying the Pearl till thou comest to renouncing thy own righteousness thou casts thy self upon God in Christ by the promise first rested on promise leading to Christ first and to God by Christ and not only Christ for justification as thy Priest that purges guilt and makes atonement but as thy Prophet and King for light and holiness for a new heart a new principle a new wisdom and power a quickning power from Union and Communion with Christ Rom. 6. by the inhabitation and operation of his Spirit by faith that hand that receives all from Christ when by faith thou art justified and sanctified and receivest by influence from Christ a living principle Now thy heart is put upon the right hinge for rightly performing holy duties praying reading hearing the Word And now thou canst meditate aright in a holy and happy manner with wisdom and some skill choice of will complacency and constancy And now Meditation will prosper in thy hand Now as Davids blessed man thy delight will be in the Law of God and in that Law thou wilt meditate day and night I have been longer herein by much then was my intendment come we to the next Directions CHAP. X. Of Directions for Meditation respecting such as are young Christians newly converted OUr next Work after Directions to those that desire to successfully practise holy Meditation having formerly neglected it is to treat of the Directions for young Christians who are but entered upon their way how best to
have no other means for it and the walks wherein the Spirit comes 4. Use to cast a wishly eye on all such conducing things formerly mentioned as thou canst have opportunity 5. Look to well enter into and fix upon the Meditation daily examination of review looking over matters of the day and if hindered at any time help it by after-industry I say the Meditation of Review in the close of the day to see and judge thy self as to thy hearts frame and thy carriage in the time of the day This at the first is like the working with an Awkhand this must not be slubbered over slightly done But being harsh and unpleasant work at first thou must so manage it in care and constancy that thou mayst gain a hand at it it may become easie and pleasant Suarez a Jesuit says of himself that his times of self-reflection and examining his conscience for matters of the day were the sweetest part of all the day Thy Rule must be to perform this work so as it proves easier and sweeter and thereby thou improvest in it The more impartial and sincere you are in it the sweeter you will find it The more accurate and exquisite your inquiries and heart-searchings are and the more impartial towards your self the sweeter peace the higher boldness and confidence will thy heart be filled with For this brings in the clearer evidence of thy sincerity thy impartiality Nothing perfumes the spirit of a Christian with sweeter peace and more heavenly joy than a clear discovery of the hearts uprightness and integrity which by searching our hearts and impartially judging them we attain As Psal 26.1 2. David prays Judge me O Lord for I have walkt in mine integrity And Psal 139.23 Search me and see if any way of wickedness be in me This came from his own first impartial searching and finding his sincerity Vsual and diligent self-searching brings in and keeps up a setled peace and confidence by a mans being daily more assured of sincerity and heart-uprightness Be careful therefore and diligent in this self-searching CHAP. XI Of the Directions for particular Cases of young Christians how they should do therein BEsides these more general things last mentioned I must next come to the Rules of Meditation as to thy particular case and condition Here that thy Meditation must pitch upon will be either 1. The Case of thy assurance either wanting and not yet attained or else weak and feeble 2. It must be something relating to sanctification thy weak grace and many imperfections here the purging of thy heart from divers evils subduing of new rising and stirring corruptions some particular sin that haunts and troubles thee some temptation which follows thee some cross or affliction lying heavy upon thee or any other particulars wherein thou art concerned here to meditate how to have help the best and speediest 1. That is a principal point of wisdom to study and ponder the case of thy peace and assurance of Gods love and favour if not yet obtained or but enjoyed in a small measure accompanied with divers doubts and fears to meditate how best thou mayst come to assurance and be strong and stablisht in it How to have thy good condition made out to thee and thy fears discouragements and doubts may seatter and be driven away Here thou must be willing to take pains and resolve to exercise very humble patient waiting Psal 27.14 Wait on the Lord be of good courage he shall strengthen thy heart wait I say on the Lord. Psal 130.4 There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feared 5. I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait 6. My soul waits more than they that watch for the morning I say humble patient waiting until by frequent ponderings and searchings thou art replenisht with such a furniture and treasury of Scripture-grounds Gospel reasons and inducements and these so full and clear as thy heart now changed by the gracious help of the Holy Ghost who assures by the Gospel-promises arrives at the skill and wisdom as to be able to answer thy own cavilling doubting spirit and to repel the false reasons that Satan uses to hinder thy peace and assurance Assurance is chiefly bottomed on our sanctification assured So Divines say assurance of Election Justification Perseverance and Glorisication cannot be without assurance of Sanctification this being the ground of our assurance in the other four In particular thou must labour to draw forth out of the sure Word of Christ the infallible Characters clear descriptions and evidences of the new creature and of sincerity of grace then meditate and ponder so duely upon these sure evidences and right Scripture-descriptions given of the new Creature and sincerity of grace as to come to as clear and distinct an understanding of what is held forth to thee as thou canst I pass divers things might be mentioned and shall touch on the following 1. As that change and renewing of the mind and judgment which in respect of sin is to have it out of measure sinful Rom. 7.13 The greatest evil in all the world as that only contrariety and emnity to the greatest good namely the infinitely blessed God his insinite holiness and purity and all his so infinitely glorious Attributes yea his very Being with his Soveraignty and Government all his most holy righteous and good Laws and Word the signification and demonstration of his Soveraignty over us and of his will concerning us Hereby likewise manifesting the extreme injuriousness and unrighteousness in sin in regard of God whom upon infinite and indispensible obligations we are engaged perfectly to obey And as the abounding sinfulness of sin must be seen so as the judgment disallows all known sin the very least so there must be an universal liking and an allowance of all good of all known Truths and all known Duties Truths as revealed by God and to be believed by us and Duties commanded by God and to be performed by us 2. In seeing the fulness 1 Pet. 2.7 of beauty and excellency with the mightiness of Christ to save in all respects all that come to God by him by faith with the vanity of all earthly things to make us happy and the excellency of Grace Holiness Faith Love and the other required heavenly graces and soul-abilities and beauties above all other endowments This is the first part the first right change of the mind and judgment 1 Cor. 2. Whereas the natural man knows not the things of God nor can he because they are spiritually discerned 2. The next part of the new Creature is that change and new heavenly frame of that noble faculty the will Rom. 7.18 To will is present Oft in the Psalms David mentions his will his choice his curpose his firm and rooted resolution Psal 119.8 I will keep thy statutes Vers 30. I have chosen the way of truth Vers 106. I have sworn and will perform to keep thy righteous judgments Isa 56.4 That abuse
to be better composed more serious and intent is a good furtherance to Meditation if we are not timorous and apt to fright Isaac Gen. 24.63 went out in the evening to Meditation It may be the duskishness of the time might be part of his purpose because he could less see about which the lightsomness of the day would not so suit All things which prevent scatterings of the thoughts and abate seriousness which may conduce to intending the mind and quicken to the duty in hand should so well as we can be considered and applied until by frequent practice we get a hand at this work that thou provest an Artist in it and arrivest at a heavenly habit to work readiness easiness and constancy in doing it The Prophet Psal 108.1 saith His heart was ready so the old Translation hath it the new Translation My heart is fixed The word in the Hebrew signifies first ready or prepared Then secondly it signifies fixed We first fit prepare a thing sharpen it before we drive it into the ground and then drive it in and fix it So act seriously and often that thy heart may be ready and may also be fixt and this by a habit which brings readiness and fixedness as in other holy duties so in this of Meditation CHAP. XVI Of Directions in reference to short and ejaculatory Meditations 1. HEed here must be taken that neither these short and quick actings of the soul in ejaculations Prove exclusive of the more serious and solemn or take off from it from either the daily Meditation or the solemn occasional formerly spoken of Nor that we lay more stress upon these short and frequent dartings up of the heart than upon our daily Meditation or the other that this short thing be not made to stand for all or almost all else meditating The heart of the best person is a deceitful and slippery an inconstant and fickle a dull and slothful piece under a lothness to do good especially that which is high and hard that comes not off easily and that which must have time a space and good proportion of time This we are ready at least in our hearts to call tedious and think too long although there be but bare allowance of so much time as the very necessity for the well-doing the duty requires As naturally a slightness and shortness to have a serious duty quickly over pleases much so a tang of this yea too much of this carnal hastiness is in the best Any spiritual performance we would oft have over before it be on and get into the heart before it be warm in the heart kindle it quicken it draws it up to Heaven and hath its efficacy and real ends Things that are hard and work trouble we are ready quickly to call tedious and because other occasons may call loud our corruption present hath an itch for any duties being over ended so soon as begun Therefore thou must look this short sooner over work get not ground of the other more serious and solemn Meditation that a help convert not it self into a hindrance that it justle not out the solemn or rob it of its due Holy duties are to be all Links of the same golden Chain Pearls all strung upon the same silken thread the greater must not keep off the less nor the less the greater Both must have their just allowance of place come all upon the thread make up the chain entire and be all our helps in their connexion Holy duties must not clash not be their own hinderers by opposition one set against another or derogating one from another But as the noble parts in the body and the meaner parts have all their several places offices uses for the good of the whole yet with their diversity act not contrariety but a sweet harmonious subserviency mutually to each other and to the whole 2. Neither must this sort of Meditation be slight and remiss grow into and setle in a meer customariness and formality It must not on the one hand shut out the more solemn Meditation nor on the other hand fix in an easie and slight performing But must have its true and spiritual warm and lively acting with reverence care pure aiming to have heart for the shortness of time to ascend up to Heaven making a short visit for meeting with some soul-refreshing by a sight and taste of the pleasures and delicacies set ready for all that travel this road of heavenly Meditation We must look it be a right work how short soever that it be the use of our spiritual Archery from a right principle to take a true aim at the mark flye round up to it by acting spiritual skill and strength some wisdom and warmth as the nature of the work will admit That it be not a flash a fit of phansie a meer custom which calls on us and carries us but a spark of the holy heart-fire within flying up to Heaven 3. This being a short visit made to Heaven a journey of less charge and labour and of a quick dispatch It therefore should be done the oftner and with greater frequencies From friends that are near we expect more frequent visits Common and easie things we look to be done more constantly to us What thing in the world is so cheap as a thought What is so short and of so quick a dispatch A thought-visit is the easiest visit God expects of us it should be frequent very oft and reason urges to a greater frequency for making up that which this sort of Meditation must want of the more set and solemn As they say of gold that it is found either in the Oar mixt or in the lump and small pieces Pipins as they call them but purer or else in sand and small dust very pure and good But the small golden sands when they are many gathered and put together may make so large quantities for use as that is found in the Oar or lump and greater pieces Many golden sands of precious ejaculations will amount to much and help to make a Christian rich at last Though great gains in trade fill the purse sooner when ordinary yet light gains when thick will make a heavy purse also at last I will add no more Directions for younger Christians in their Meditations having already exceeded Now we must come to Directions for others CHAP. XVII Directions for more grown and elder Christians 1. YOu must daily contend to better establishment and confirmation in this way and work of Meditation Psal 119.15 I will meditate in thy precepts and vers 18. I will meditate c. David had formerly meditated accustomed himself to this rare practice was not now to begin to resolve or do Therefore his meaning must be a fixing his resolution and purpose stronger The Apostle Paul often for the establishment of those he wrote unto prays earnestly 2 Thes 2.17 Stablish you in every good word and work in every duty of godliness The best
Eccl. 12. Imagine then that great and terrible day of the Lord to be come thou seest the Heavens departing as a scrowl the Elements melting with fervent heat the Earth with the works therein burnt up imagine thou seest the Lord Jesus descending from Heaven with his mighty Angels coming with the voice of the Archangel and the trump of God seest the dead arising the living all changed in a moment and all persons whatsoever convented and brought before Jesus Christ the Judge such a Judge as never any was in any degree to be compared with so unspeakably excellent and glorious sitting on his high Throne in highest and most transcendent majesty and glory as there cannot possibly be greater Among all that are to be judged imagine thy self there appearing at the Judgment seat to make thy personal answer and take thy Eternal doom that presently thou art call'd come thou sinner come hold up thy hand at the Bar answer for thy self that thou hearest the Judge call read the indictment read it aloud and answer thou sinner to every part of thy charge 1. First thou that standest here at this Bar to be tryed thou hast a noble faculty of reason and understanding and with it a power of thinking and meditating given into thy soul and that above all others to meditate of heavenly things thou answerest it is true Lord I cannot deny it 2. Thou also hadst my Word a perfect rule to direct thee my Ministers to perswade thee my Spirit to draw thee thine own conscience to call upon thee which also called loud often and earnestly upon thee to consider yes Lord thou answerest it is most true 3. Time also and opportunity thou hadst space sufficient allowed thee to meditate and consider if thou wouldst have done it a time of youth and time enough then also a time of it may be riper years and old age a time of many years great patience waitings on and strivings with True Lord thou answerest I had many opportunities to consider 4. But when thou should have remembred thy Creator in the days of thy youth thou didst forget him wouldst not think of him of his Word of his ways thy own state and thy souls concerns Thy first fresh years were spent in walking in the sight of thy eyes and minding vanities thou couldst find time enough to think of thy pleasures thy play sports and pastimes thy excesses filthiness loosness but not of thy God or thy souls great affairs At such a place in such a year such a month such a day of that month such an hour or suchhours of that day is it not so sinner there then thou wert thinking musing devising for such a pleasure such a sport such a vanity and such a wickedness and the following day at such a place and such an hour doing the like and so day after day thy thoughts were lavisht lost let out on impertinencies and meer vanities but purposely taken and turn'd from all religious seriousness all soul-matters Was not this thy usual way to ravel out that thy youths time in never minding thy God and the things are holy never to consider any thing to any purpose indeed What say'st thou sinner to all this charge of embezling that precious time of tender and more pliable youth Are not all particulars charged against thee true Yes Lord Jesus I was such a one as to every particular and cannot deny any thing charged 5. Ah but beyond that time thou livedst up to riper years and when the time of fond phansie and folly wore off by the ripening of reason on thy coming to mans estate then had you more reason far more to mind and meditate on the great concernments of God and your soul I then lookt for seriousness when you now could be serious and serious enough in things of lower concernment as for your calling and business for getting wealth and growing rich to be great and high and have abundance ah how couldst thou studdy muse beat thy Brains in the day and in the night appointed for rest and sleep how did thy worldly mindedness act thee thy mind running thoughts intending multiplying with all possible earnestness and eagerness Ah friend what have been the multitudes of thy musings day after day in such and such cases business bargains purchases and projects What an engrosser of thoughts hath Mammon been in thy covetous frame of heart and what a most shameful excluder of good and heavenly thoughts continually Yea I have to charge thee farther before men and Angels with thy studyings and contrivances the deepest and most intense thoughts of heart thou hast had for credit applause and honour from men like thy self for rising growing high getting power and being great in the world O how this this friend provokt and engag'd your thoughts studyings plottings all the soul-earnestness that was in thee to be accounted and applauded to be great and high but you never would be half so serious spend any such proportion of time to get Honour that comes from God and to be one the Lord commends Sinner is not all this also true canst thou deny any one part of this charge No Lord saith the Prisoner it is all very true Over and above thou hast meditated and devised and that many and divers ways for satisfying thy lusts in every way thou likedst and wert pleased in Meditated for mischief taking revenge which was none of thine but mine as now appears yea for opposing good causes persecuting the godly such as would be upright in their Generation and not be wrapt up in the wickedness of the times Ah what of all others what depths and heights of musings and devisings hath thy heart of hatred thy keenest hellish malice brooded and brought forth against my Saints these Saints that lived with thee here they are before thee see them there 's such a godly painful Minister and there 's another and there are all the rest you hated and opposed here friend are such Christians you have plotted against and persecuted so often there 's such that lived in such places about you there 's such who lived in the same Town with you here 's one that lived the very next door to you here be those who were in the same Family of your familiarity of your daily converse with and your spiteful opposition to here 's such a fellow-servant such a Brother or Sister such a Child or Parent such a Husband or Wife hated and scorned for godliness sake This this hath been thy manner sinner from thy very first to the end of thy days which have not been few all the thoughts of thy heart evil all but steps in the long walk of the vanity of thy mind Thoughts thou hast enough thy mind that meditated enough was ever acting busie enough but bad thou wouldst not meditate the right way on the best things on holy and spiritual things not in all thy time so as to convert and turn to God What