likewise did much affect Luther viz. that in doubts of predestination we should begin from the wounds of Christ that is from the sense of God's love to us in Christ therefore the warming of the brains in study without the warming the heart by meditation is but a dead and cold speculation serious meditation puts lively colours upon common truths which operate strongly upon the heart to make it better Chap. 8. Of the subject of Meditation Sect. 1. Of meditaâ—ion on the works of God I now proceed to discusse the subject-matter of meditation first subject â—editation works of 〈◊〉 and here I am launching into a great Ocean but like the dogs of Nilus I shall but lick and away The first subject of meditation is God's works of Creation a fit matter for our serious meditations I remember the dayes of old saith David I meditate on all thy works I muse on the work of thy hands Psal 145.5 He looketh up to the Heavens and considereth the work of God's fingers meditating on all those works that were visible to the eye of man â—al 102.25 Psal 8.3 called elsewhere the work of his hands Isa 48.13 My hand hath laid the foundation of the earth and my right hand hath spanned the Heavens it is for that they are of such excellency as if they had been his handywork indeed which yet were made by his word only as Moses and St John do declare Gen. 1.6 Joh. 1.3 That great advancer of learning hath an excellent passage suitable hereunto Sr Francis Bâ—con's advancâ—ment of learâ—ing l. 1. p. 27 It is to be observed saith he that for any thing which appeareth in the History of the Creation the confused masse and matter of Heaven and earth was made in a moment and the order and disposition of that Chaos or mass was the work of six dayes such a note of difference it pleased God to put upon the works of power and the works of wisdome wherewith concurreth that in the former it is not set down that God said Let there be Heaven and earth as it is set down of the works following but actually that God made Heaven and earth the one carrying the stile of a Manufaction the other of a Law Decree or Councell It is not enough that we barely look on the works of God but we must meditate upon them for if we do no more than see them the Oxe the Bull and the Horse do as much as we If we see nothing in the Heavens Dearing Heb. Lect. 5. c. 1. vers 10. saith a grave Divine but that they are lightsome and above our reach the Horse and Mule see this as well as we if we see nothing in the earth but a place to walk in or to take our rest upon it the beasts and fouls see this as well as we if we see nothing in our gorgeous apparell but the pride of a goodly colour the Peacock seeth that in his feathers if in all our refreshment from the creatures we know nothing but the pleasure and sweetnesse of our sense the Swine hath as great a share herein as we if hearing seeing smelling tasting feeling be all the comfort we can find in the works of God the dumb creatures have these senses more exquisite than we and we have turned the hearts of men into the hearts of beasts who with wisdome and reason can do nothing â— Isidor â—usiot l. 2. â—st 135. and the words of the Prophet are fulfilled in us Man being in honour understandeth not and is like the beasts that perish Psal 49.20 therefore the sight of God's works must affect us more than so else shall we be but as the beasts and follow them Now you are to meditate how God brought forth all his works in the space of six dayes before he finisht them he did not create the world all at once but took time for the Creation of it to teach us to take speciall time duely and orderly to consider and meditate on the works of God if he that could have made the Heavens and the earth the Sun Moon and Stars and all creatures in a moment yet it pleased him to take time for the creating of them this should teach us to select some space of time for the meditation of them we must not think it enough to look upon them at one view but to passe from part to part from one creature to another and in every creature to admire the workmanship power wisdome and goodnesse of the Creatour as we are taught Psal 92.4 5. Thou Lord hast made me glad through thy works and I will triumph in the works of thy hands O Lord how great are thy works and thy thoughts are very deep a bruitish man knoweth not neither doth a fool understand this which Psalm as the Title tells us was a meditation penned for the Sabbath day therefore I say God would spend six dayes about the Creation of the world whereas he might have done it in an instant and in a moment of time to the end that we might the better meditate upon it from point to point for which purpose he presently ordained the Sabbath Thus Job Job 36.24 tells us that we must not idly behold the work â—upellex orâ—ata hominem â—guit munâ—us Deum â—inut Faelix â—ctav but must magnifie the workman Remember that thou magnifie his work which men behold this we will do coming into the Shop of an excellent Artizan The eternall power and Godhead is seen by the things that are made but most of us have great cause to be ashamed that we have spent so little time in meditating on the works of God yea who can truly say he hath spent so much time in meditating on God's works as God spent in making them how few are there that have set apart so much time ever since they were born as if it were all laid together will make up six dayes one entire week what a shame is it for man whom God made on purpose to view his works â—ria sunt geâ—era meditatiâ—num unum â— creaturis â—num in Scriâ—turis unum â—n moribus â—rimum surgit ex admiratione secundum ex lectione â—ertium ex circumspectione Hug. medit and by them to glorifie him not to spend so much time in meditating upon them as God spent in making of them therefore we have great cause to become more carefull and studious readers of this great Book of nature for time to come There is a threefold Book into which a Christian is to make inspection The Book of nature or of the creatures The Book of the Scriptures The Book of conscience The Book of the creatures hath a powerfull conviction meditate upon it and observe God's power or thou art an Atheist The Book of the Scriptures hath a power of conversion meditate on it and learn the will of God out of it so to serve him or thou art an hypocrite The Book of
superiour to others or contrary to the good of the persons or chastity or good name of others though it be but in secret corruption or secret working of heart still the Word of God doth oppose it in every thing the Pharisees forbad the outward act of uncleannesse but the Law of God forbids the impurity of the thoughts they make the Law like John Baptist who had a leathern girdle about his loins but the Gospel represents Christ to have a golden girdle about his Paps they represented only the first risings and motions of sin this makes the Saints mourn for the first conceptions of sin though they prove abortive saith Chrysostome Chrysost making them to pray with David to be purged and freed from secret sins and sinfull cogitations 4. Meditate upon the operativenesse of the Word it is not a dead letter but hath a quick power in it to work upon the heart the Spirit of God accompanies it making it active and mighty in operation as in the frame of a man's body under every vein there runs an artery full of spirits so under every vein of truth in the Word of God there is an artery of Spirit quickning searching cutting discovering condemning What 's the reason most mens spirits rise up against the Word it is because as the Elephant troubleth the waters before he drinketh that he may not see his ugly visage so the Word of God troubleth the mind of a sinner it terrifies his conscience making his sin appear very sinfull to him it makes a man a burden to himself these spectacles are too true for the sinners false eyes Ahab cannot endure to talk with Michajah nor meet with Elijah men can endure the generalities of the Word well enough but when it comes near them toucheth their Copyhold corrupt hearts run away from it because for want of serious meditation they are unacquainted with the spirituall nature of the Word of God Oh study I pray thee â—regor Moral saith Gregory and daily meditate on the words of thy Creatour and learn the mind of God in his Word that thou maist look up to eternall things for so much shall thy rest be the greater in Heaven by how much the more it hath been even now from the love of thy Creatour here on earth Sect. 3. Of meditating on Man The third subject of meditation is man his Creation his body his soul his priviledges his Creation his body his soul his priviledges Man cometh in the next place as a fit subject for our meditation and consideration man was the last of God's creatures as the end of his Creation all made for him and all represented in him the rest by his word commanding whereas his body by his hand-working and his soul by his breath-quickning became alive and here let us meditate first on man's Creation who is as Plato saith Plato the miracle of all miracles and as it were the soul of this world and you will see how every circumstance sheweth the Creatours goodnesse and man 's many obligations Let us begin with the meditation of man's body which is as one saith More 's demonstrat the pattern of the universall world 1. Meditate on the provision God made for man before he made him God sets up an house and furnisheth it then puts man into this house ready furnisht to his hand other things are but as essayes of God's power man the perfection Adam the last of all God's works and the Lord and soveraign over them under his soveraign Lord Heaven would have nothing wanting to man that he might wholly mind the things of Heaven 2. Meditate on God's proceeding hereunto the Father as it were calls a Councell God deliberateth upon the enterprize of this work and the Councell is held in the conclave of the most holy Trinity Let us make man Gen. 1.26 Adam is businesse for the whole Trinity all were imployed about this creature to the end that being created he might be wholly imployed about the service of God 3. Meditate on the form of man's body God hath neither made us to lye along on the earth as beasts â—truth Obserâ—at 36. Cent. 2. or stick on it as trees but by upright stature set our head to Heaven and our feet to the earth as one observeth Os homini sublime dedit coelumque videre Ovid. Jussit erectos ad sidera tollere vultus God with a lofty look did man endew And made him Heavens transcendent glory view God hath given us an upright stature not like other creatures that look downwards to the earth to teach us to look up to Heaven by holy meditations and to look up to the hills whence our salvation cometh our face is toward Heaven to teach us that our hearts should not be nuzzeling in the earth man hath one muscle in his eyes more than any other creature which may teach him still to look up toward Heaven 4. Meditate on the matter of man's Creation Ad coelestia magis rapiatur ad terrestria minùs capiatur Columella l. 5. c. 9. Ecce pulchrum lapidem putre cadaver tegentem Gasp. in Heraclito Homo bis creatus 1. Seminaliter seu causaliter 2. Formaliter seu visibiliter Aug. de Genes he was made of the dust of the earth so as howsoever we appear beautifull and amiable in the eye of man which is fixt only on the externall part yet when the oyl of our lamp is consumed and we reduced again to our first originall matter there will be left us no better Epitaph than this Behold here a spetious shrine covering a stinking corps man is twice created saith St Augustine Seminally or causally Formally or visibly The first according to his soul the second according to his body man's body of earth doth represent whatsoever is between Heaven and earth yea the very Heavens themselves are figured all naturall causes contained and their severall effects produced therein The three Heavens are resembled by the body of man the lower serving for generation and nutriment are like the lowest Heaven within the compasse whereof the elements are found for as from them all beasts plants trees and other things have being receive nourishment growth motion and sense so of four humours there engendered all the members are made fed moved and augmented the same agreeing in nature and number with the elements and producing effects in all answerable to them the upper part which is the seat of the heart may be compared to the middle Heaven the eighth sphere wherein the Stars are fixt which holding one even and constant motion giveth light and life to the world beneath through its rayes and comfortable influences so the heart being still in motion preserveth the whole body in life and health by sending forth the vitall spirits dispersing themselves into all the parts by veins and arteries Lastly the head the highest part of the body and noblest seat of the soul where she acteth
her highest operations and as it is the noblest part so it is placed nearest to Heaven and is as the third and highest Heaven there sits the mind as in a Tower beholding governing and directing all the actions of the whole body causing it to move to rest to act and to forbear even as God from his high seat moveth the Heavens directeth the Stars and preserveth all things within the compasse of the world God hath formed all the parts of the body together opening the eyes boring the ears fashioning the nose lengthening the arms extending the shoulders fastning the legs and perfecting all together 2. From the meditation of man's body let us proceed to the meditation of man's Creation in respect of his soul man was made last of all the creatures because he was to be the creature of the world Lumb sent l. 1. distinct 3. as the Master of the sentences calls him either propter excellentiam by reason of the excellency that he hath above all other creatures excepting the Angels or propter convenientiam by reason of the agreement he hath with them participating some thing oâ— them all and communicating in some things with them all and that he is so stiled in Scripture see Mar. 16.15 And indeed Philosophers say that man is Microcosmos a little world being as it were a compendium of the greater world men can represent the world in maps but God hath drawn Heaven and earth together in the map of every man 1. Man hath his esse and being common to him with livelesse creatures which only have a bare being and no more 2. He hath his vivere to live common to him with herbs and plants and trees which be animata but not animalia 3. He hath his movere sentire to move from place to place to see to hear to tast to smell common to him with bruit and unreasonable creatures 4. He hath his intelligere his reason and understanding and discerning faculty common to him with Angels As man's body is a fair picture of the world so his soul is a lively image of God the same dwelling in that earthly Tabernacle as God sitteth in his heavenly Throne man is not the bare â—ootsteps only but the very image of God reason is as it were a spark of the Divinity our faculties a manifest emâ—lem of the Trinity this image of God in Adam consisted partly and principally in exact knowledge now one speciall part hereof as an ancient Philosopher hath observed consisteth in the knowledge of our selves therefore he wrote over his School door 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 called afterwards a golden sentence being written in golden letters and Cicero interpreting that precept of Apolâ—o saith * Nòn credo id praecipit ut membra nostra aut staturam figuramve noscamus neque nos corpora sumus neque ego tibi dicens hoc corpori dico cum igitur corpus quasi vas est ut aliquid animi receptaculum ab animo quicquid agitur id agitur à te Cicer. Tusc quaest 1. I do not think he commandeth â—hat to the end we should know the stature â—r feature of our outward parts for bodies â—e are not neither I speaking this do â—peak to thy body when then he saith know â—hy self he saith know thy mind for the â—ody is but as a vessell or receptacle of the â—ind that which of thy mind is done is â—one of thee for the mind of every man is â—very man but because these men saw but through nature's dim spectacles aâ— by Moon-shine therefore Calvin in the beginning of his Institutions Calvin Institut divideth true wisdome into two parts viz. The true knowledge of God and The knowledge of our selves Both which were in Adam after a transcendent manner God heaped in together in one vessell formed out oâ— clay and dust all the treasures of wisdome righteousnesse and holinesse his head was stored with all sciences and his heart with vertues and graces his understanding was great being able to impose a name upon every creature agreeable to its nature Gen. 2.19 20. his will and affections were every way correspondent and no way out of joynâ— or frame but in all points both we composed his mind was free from cares fears grief and sorrow Thâ— made Austin break out into this rapsoâ— of spirit Aug. Solilo qu. c. 9. Thy hand O Lord could have maâ— me a stone or a bird or a serpent or foâ— bruit beast but it would not for thy goodnesse sake This also made Anselm Anselm meditat walking in his Garden and beholding a little worm creeping upon the ground break forth into this meditation Deâ— Lord thou mightst have made me like this crawling despicable creature but thou wouldst not and it was thy mercy that thou wouldst not Oh! as thou hast ennobled me with the image of thy self make me conformable to thy self that of a worm I may become an Angel of a vassall of sin a vessell of mercy of a shell of corruption a star of glory in thy heavenly mansion 3. Let us meditate on man's priviledges in his Creation that were conferd upon him a priviledge of power Adam Lord Paramount over every living creature Princes on earth acknowledge no superiour in their own dominions scarce was Adam created but he found himself in a Paradise and from the morning of his birth placed under the most delightfull Climate that nature could afford he is put under the shelter of the tree of knowledge and immortality he treads upon beds of roses and lillies the sight of Lions Bears Tigers and other furious beastâ— do not affright him God hath giveâ— him power to rule over them and al creatures give respect unto him he being created to be Lord and ruler over all the creatures and had man continued in his integrity he should have wrought as appeareth Gen. 2.15 but never have been weary it should have been a pleasure not a pain to him he might have fasted but should never have fainted or been feeble he should have lived still without head-ach or so much as gray hairs all the creatures should have continued their subjection to him the earth should have been fertill and fruitfull in all good things there should have been no briars and thorns and thistles nor any thing hurtfull and noisom the woman should never have had sorrow and pain to bring forth nor yet trouble and care to bring up her children In a word they should have been warme without cloathes naked without shame for so they were before their fall This doctrine of man's Creation may help us to divers frutfull meditations 1. A meditation of our originall to look to the rock whence we were hewen a man's principles prove not his worst instructions to humility O man whatever thou now art thou waâ— once little enough thy Creation implies a non-entity thy beginning smaller than dust he that seriously meditates on his first nothing will ever afterwards hardly
conceit himself to be any great matter 2. Art thou God's creature then meditate thus with thy self when thou art in afflictions that God takes no pleasure in the destruction of his workmanship preservation is a greater mercy than a simple being God will not leave any of his most excellent works done to halfes but perfect what he hath begun 3. Let the meditation of thy Creation spur thee on in the service of God even by nature we tender him our service from whom we receive our being saith Aquinas Aquinas in the first age of the world there was no thought of any idolatry blessings are then most taking with us and work most upon us while they are freshest in memory man came then but newly out of his Makers hands and could not so soon forget him When we consider likewise that the creatures were made to serve us let us also consider that the end why he created man was for the service of himself Excellent was his meditation who imagined the beasts to intimate thus much to man Qui fecit me propter te fecit te propter se He that made me to serve thee made thee to serve himself if therefore the creatures that were made to serve us do now as many times they do annoy us and rebell against us this should put us in mind of our rebellion against God by sin for had not Adam from whose loins we are all descended and who was God's Viceroy and the first created Ruler on earth been disobedient to his Maker and broken the Laws of the soveraign Lawgiver of Heaven unrulinesse had not broken forth neither of subjects against their Princes nor of the inferiour creatures against man their superiour Marvell 〈◊〉 saith Austin Mirari noli si ea quae deseruit superiorem paenas patitur per inferiorem Aug. de verbis Apostol Serm. 12. B p Pilkington in Haggai Vide Theodor. Graecor affect curat Serm 4. if that creature man who forsook his superiour be punished 〈◊〉 his inferiour There is not a Horse a Dog or an Oxe or any other living creature but it must have many stripes before it waâ— be brought to any good order to serve us Bishop Pilkington observeth In word our disobedience to God wâ— the cause of the disobediâ—nce of othâ—â— creatures to us so that when we 〈◊〉 any disorder in nature in what kind soever we must neither blame God nor the creatures but only thank our selves and our sins Sect 4. Of the fall of Adam The next subject of our meditation is the fall of Adam The fall of Adam the fourth subject of meditation Compurationes multas Arias Montan. in Latina versione Adam and Eve were happy in their Creation but alas this happinesse is not long lasting Man being in honour abideth not Psal 49.20 God made man upright but man sought out many inventions many computations as one renders Eccl. 7. ult seeking what in him lay to mar God's workmanship and deface his image Eve being overcome by the Serpent eats of the forbidden fruit and Adam overcome with the perswasion of his Wife takes from her hand that fatall Apple that choaketh all his posterity which being done he is smitten with sudden fear seeth his nakednesse and is ashamed and hides himself and his eyes are now opened to see evil by experience for before his fall he had no experience of the evil of sin and of the curse of God therefore he brake the command of God and did eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil he sinned because he knew not the miscry of sin but after his fall he seeth the difference between grace and sin what he is himself and what he was before and all the future miseries that are like to befall his posterity and he that before treated him as a son cannot noâ— look upon him but as a slave and vagâ—bond Adam blames his Wife Eâ—â— the Serpent and instead of pleading guilty to their inditement to sweeten the rigour of the Judge they frame excuses to inflame his anger and to render themselves more uncapable of pardon Ah how far more wisely had both of them done Aug l. 11. ad lit c. 3. saith Austin if prostrate oâ— the ground with tears in their eyes oâ— sighs from their hearts and humbe confeâ—sions from their mouthes they had crieâ— out Lord pity us and all our miserable pâ—sterity Causin Histor sacr It was for this saith Gregory thâ— God called them and his voice as it weâ—â— sollicited them to humble them by the sweeâ— accents of his fatherly goodnesse but alas they are insensible God passeth a severe doom upon them the womaâ— shall conceive with pain and in sorrow bring forth children the maâ—â— to eat his bread in the sweat of his â—rows and put his hand to the Plough and be the companion of beasts in tilling of his ground which though he trod â—nder his feet he could not subdue without the labour of his hand and throughout his whole life which is a â—ife of sorrows he is to combate with all distempers never suffering him to be at rest till he return into the boâ—ome of the earth from whence he â—ame and immediately a flaming Cherubim bars up the gate of Paradise and shuts it for ever against these miseâ—able exiles And now he that was the Monarch of the world the father of all mankind the first the richest and â—reatest Lord that ever was on earth he began the fray whereof all his miâ—â—rable posterity have felt the blows his fall being their foil and his punishment the pattern of their pain and miâ—ery and now his heart is the fountain which powrs out its qualities into the substance of his childrens souls Rom. â— â—0 〈…〉 8. and â—ver since this infection hath passed â—rom father to son as by hereditary â—ght and now man is naturally void of all goodnesse and righteousnesse and become a vassall of sin Joh. 8.34 a slave of corruption 2 Pet. 2.19 a slave of Satan Eph. 2.1 2 3. and liable to eternall death that we are all by nature stained with sin appeareth Job 15.14 where Eliphaz saith This is that which our fabulous Poets have shadowed unto us in the tale of Pandora's Box which she opening through her curiosity filled the whole world full of all manner of diseases What is man that he should be clean and he that is born of a woman that he should be righteous and the Kingly Prophet makes this dolefull ditty to a lamentable Elegy and sad plain-song Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me and what he saith of himself in particular Paul affirmeth of all men in generall Rom. 5.12 saying that by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin whereby he understandeth the bitter root of originall corruption which daily and hourly brings forth the cursed fruits of actuall transgressions whereby we become culpable and liable to eternall ruine
Sin and death are two twins born at a birth yea howsoever sin be the elder Brother in time because it 's the cause of death yet in nature they come verâ— near each other for as soon as eveâ— sin was committed death entered according to the commination of God to Adam Si nòn peccasset Adam nòn erat expoliandus corpore sed supervestiendus immortaliter August Gen. 2.17 Had it not been for the sin of man nothing had ever discomposed his quiet the seasons had not been irregular nor the Elements waged warre against him the earth had been fruitfull without the labour of man no thorns or briars had ever covered the face thereof no drowning deluges nor scorching drought nor raging pestilence nor devouring sword nor wasting famine should ever have made any devastation upon an innocent state the two parts that compose man had not been seperated nor the master-piece of the Creation been ruined as Austin speaks and the soul reigning with Angels had not beheld her body devoured by worms of all the strings of the worlds great Instrument Adam's only brake and caused a jar and having run from God hath drawn all his posterity after him the sin of Adam is the fountain of all the evils and miseries that befall his posterity we sinned in him because we lived in his person and the offence of one man is become the obliquity of whole nature because it was included in him as the tree in the kernell Ball 's Treatise of meditation now that man enriched with so many graces and priviledges should in such a place as Paradise and in the sight of the tree of life and having familiar converse with God and leave to eat of all other trees of the Garden yet that he must tast of the only forbidden tree having power from God to have resisted the temptation of the Devil these are great aggravations of Adam's sin as a judicious Divine hath well observed Sect. 5. Of the nature of sin the number of our sins with the aggravations of them 〈◊〉 fifth subject meditation is 〈◊〉 nature of 〈◊〉 c. Order will require that we should now meditate on the nature of sin the number of our sins together with their aggravating circumstances sin came not into the world by Creation but was the Devil's bird brought in afterwards by corruption Gen. 3.1 2 3. Jam. 1.13 14 15. where the manner of sins conception and birth is described Now for the nature of sin consider 1. That sin is a spot 〈◊〉 â—s a spot staining the soul the mind and conscience is defiled by sin Tit. 1.15 things that are unclean clean are vile and loathsome so is sin it is very odious it makes a man like filthy Swine like a spotted Leopard it corrupts him as the flies did Aegypt Exod. 8.24 so as the Lord saith they are become filthy or stinking Isa 64.6 Thence it was that so many washings and purgations under the Law were appointed We are all as an unclean thing saith the Prophet and all our best righteousnesse is but filthy rags thence it is that holy men have been so earnest with God to cleanse them and wash them from the filthinesse thereof Psal 51.2 We have need of washing and cleansing â—rom the sole of the foot to the crown of the head there being nothing whole â—herein nothing but wounds bruises â—wellings and putrifying sores Ad incuâ—iendam horrorem a peccato tanquam à re immundâ Musculus This Metaphor is used in Scripture saith Musculus to strike terrour into a man to â—un sin and fly from it as an unclean â—ing They that are all clean have need 〈◊〉 wash their feet saith our Saviour to â—hich devout Bernard alluding hath his meditation That though we choose â—â—r way and cull out our paths to walk in â—oiding the mire and dirt yet in the best â—â—d cleanest wayes our feet will gather some 2. Sin is in Scripture called by the name of folly Sin is folly sin is the greatest folly of all other a good understanding have all they that do Gods Commandments Psal 111.10 therefore sin being the transgression of the Law of God the sinner is the greatest fool to call a wilfull sinner a fool will bear no action of slander in the Court of Heaven 1 Sam. 25.25 thus Abigail said of her Husband Nahal is his name and folly is with him thus Job calls his Wife Job 2.10 and God calls all Atheists so Psal 14.1 and Christ calls the rich man in the Gospel so Luk 12.20 Who dares call a rich man a fool yet so doth our Saviour call him that is rich to the world and is not rich towards God Every one bereft of reason and judgement is a fool He doth not â—ean that sin had abolished the substance of their hearts secundum esse naturale but perverted and spoiled the qualities thereof secundum esse morale so be sinners there be some sins that take away the heart Hos 4.11 Ephraim is a silly dove without heart the sinner like a fool seeks after trifles and le ts go things of the greatest importance he prefers a Counter before a piece of gold and will not leave his bable according to the Proverb for the Tower of London he knowes not where a good bargain is to be had like children running up the hill to catch the Moon sweating and toiling themselves to catch Butterflies so the sinner chooseth vain things that cannot profit him Sinners like fools are fool-hardy and will not be corrected or reclaimed being struck by Aaron's rod or reproved by the Spirit of God and as fools mock at wise mens actions so do the wicked scorn at the wayes of the godly Fools only care for a little meat and drink for the present pins and points and such like trash but look not after an inheritance so sinners are creatures of sense and like bruits are altogether for present ease and present contentments 3. Sin is called a burden Sin is a burden Mine iniquities saith David are gone over my head as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me Psal 38.3 The Prophet Zachary compares it to a talent of lead the heavyest of all mettals the women that are led aside by seducers are said to be silly women laden with sins 2 Tim. 3.6 Salt sand and a lump of Iron Ecclus 22. is easier to bear than an unwise foolish and ungodly man saith the son of Syrach and it 's proved to be a burden by the effects of hanging on and pressing down Heb. 12.1 We see this made good by the example of Jonah that the sin of one private person is likely to sink a Ship in the Sea for he being laden with a Commission for Nineveh and disburdening himself of this Message of God became such a burden to the Ship that though the Mariners had cast out all their wares into the Sea yet the greatest burden was behind the sin
from him we are as well his Martyrs as his lovers Tùnc implebuntur vota but then saith Bernard shall our longing be satisfied and our desires accomplished here our love is divided because self-love is not yet extinguished and the more we indulge our selves the more we rob God of his due we love not God so purely as not to seek our selves when we pretend to seek his glory we are here more earnest with him for riches and honours than for graces but in Heaven our love shall be free from such imperfections our love shall not then be blind because we shall see him whom we love and the splendour of God's glory that enlightens us is a ray that shall dispell all the darknesse of our understandings our love to God in Heaven shall not languish nor spend it self in its own longings because then we shall possesse what we love and being infinitely united to the fountain of happinesse we shall never be seperated from him our love then shall not be divided for the souls of the blessed shall then be purified when they shall quit their bodily prisons the glory of the great King shall be the end of all their desires yea in Heaven it self the Saints shall not seek so much their own happinesse as God's glory St Austin saith that the knowledge and love of God Tantum gaudebunt beati quantùm amabunt tantùm amabunt quantum cognoscent Deum Aug. shall be the two grand imployments of the Saints in Heaven the blessed in Heaven shall so rejoyce in God as they shall love him and so love him as they shall know him the good works which the godly did on earth shall be banisht from Heaven there shall be no need of mercy in estate where misery cannot approach there shall be no need of visiting the sick for sicknesse and death cannot annoy those that dwell in the Land of immortality there shall be no burying of the dead in the Land of the living no need shall be of Hospitals because no pilgrims shall be there there shall be no need of cloathing any of Christ's members who shall be all cloathed with long white robes dipt in the bloud of the Lamb there shall be no trouble about reconciling enemies because peace shall eternally raign in Emanuel's Land The miseries of this life saith one Senault Treat 8. Disc 8. compell men to build houses to protect them from the injury of wind and weather to make cloathes to keep them from shame and cold to till the earth for their â—â—triment but there shall be an end put tâ— all these imployments where God shall be all in all to all his people they shall then fear nothing where the possession of all good necessarily produceth the exclusion of all evil we shall not then dread hunger and thirst because we shall lodge in the house of a great Lord where is plenty of all â—hings where we may bathe our â—elves in the rivers of his innocent deâ—â—ghts neither heat nor cold shall annoy us because the Sun of righteousnesse that warms us with the beams of his ardent love shall also refresh us with his shadow wearinesse shall not make us faint because God shall be our everlasting strength there shall be no labour that shall need repose nor shall the night ever draw a curtain over the day there shall be no traffick or commerce because in God all things shall be possessed there shall be none in servitude because all the Subjects of this Kingdome are crowned Kings If you ask me saith Austin what shall we do then in a place whence pain and trouble are banished I shall answer with the Prophet Vacate videte quoniam ego Deus sum Be still and seâ— that I am God this meditation shall wholly take them up and that foâ— ever This is that glory saith thaâ— devout Father which the Angels admire which obscures the Sun yeâ— which could it appear to the souls of thâ— damned would like the sweet tree in thâ— bitter waters make even Hell it seâ—â— seem a Paradise of pleasures Now let us draw out our meditâ—tions on the Heavens they are the most glorious part of the Creation and their very pavement is more beautifull than all the earths glory neither Art nor nature can produce nor man can think of such things as they contain if the under part of that pavement be more glorious than this lower house of the world how glorious shall that house above be if the visible Heavens do so affect us what will the Heaven of Heavens do and above all God himself the glory of the Heavens When God would stir up Abraham to obedience he bids him lift up his eyes Gen. 13.14 15 and look from the place where he was Eastward Westward Northward and Southward and see the Land which God would give him and his seed so say I to you that hear me this day lift up your eyes and behold the Heavens that God hath provided for your souls for which God requireth you to leave your pleasures profits credit goods good name or whatsoever else is dear unto you Again Would'st thou be freed from the arrows of bitter tongues meditate on Heaven and look uâ— thither if thou canst but once get thither thou art safe and shalt be secretly kept in a pavilion from the strife of tongues Would'st thou fain be rich art thou discontented with thy poor and mean estate meditate on Heaven there is riches enough for thee be thou never so poor in the world if rich in faith Heb. 10.34 thou art an heir to a Kingdome your substance on earth is little and perishing but in Heaven ye have a better and more enduring substance you that are godly poor that have scarce an house to put your heads in that cry out for want of room on earth meditate on Heaven there is Rehoboth room enough for you all Thus Christ comforteth his Disciples Joh. 14.2 In my Fathers house are many mansions it was the place whence he came and whither he was going before them to take possession of it and to prepare places for them there therefore they might be contented to want his bodily presence on earth and be a little straitned here below they should have room enough in Heaven Yea meditate on Heaven and look up thither with an eye of faith and thou maist with Stephen see Christ sitting there at the right hand of God Christ thy Head thy Husband thy Advocate thy friend thy Saviour there making intercession for thee to his Father presenting his own merits continually before him Let these meditations chear thee up and comfort thee against all distracting thoughts and dark apprehensions and refresh thee in the midst of all crosses and wants It was a comfortable speech which the Emperour used to Galba in his minority when he took him by the Chin and said Thou Galba shalt one day sâ—t upon a Throne Tu Galba quandoque imperium