Time Well Spent in Sacred Meditations, Part 89 – Part 103
Ioy.
1. Wee reade in Scripture of two cheif cauſes of Tvvo chiefe cauſes of joy.rejoycing for a Chriſtian, One that hee is by faith 1.made Gods childe without any righteouſneſſe of his owne: the other, that he hath received the grace 2.of Gods ſpirit, to leade an holy life; either of which alone can give no ſound rejoycing, but both muſt goe together. Rom. 5. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Gal. 6. 14.
2. No Chriſtian profeſſor Comfort in the remembrāce of Chriſts ſecond comming.can have any ſound comfort of his faith, if hee finde no ſuch matter in the remembrance of Chriſts comming as doth rejoyce his heart, and ſo in ſome meaſure ſtirre up in him a longing after his appearance; for howſoever a true faith may bee without ſome other effects, yet this being the very principall of all, cannot be wanting, the want True faith cannot bee vvithout this effect.whereof ſhewing the want of faith is the cauſe of that little profiting, and ſo of that little comfort which is to bee found in many, whereas if this were more laboured for, and ſo more attained to, it would ſoone cauſe a great change in any mans profeſſion, and hereby indeed the face of our profeſſion would be even almoſt renewed, the alteration would be ſo great in all reſpects publick and private.
3. There is no well ordered courſe in Chriſtianitie, Godly ſorrow and joy fit companions.where godly ſorrow and joy be not continuall companions, for ſevered wee runne into ſome extremitie.
4. Whatſoever is the The matter of joy and thákſgiving onematter of true joy ought to bee a matter of thankſgiving to the Lord.
5. This is much to bee lamented, that even among Many vvant delight in Gods ſervice.ſuch as make ſome good profeſſion, very few finde that comfort in the Lord as to ſerve him with delight and ſo rejoyce in their portion, as might draw others to deſire the like. This comes to paſſe The cauſe.by our ſecurity, contenting our ſelves with our courſe of living without open reproach, and our ſlothſulneſſe loath to ſtraine our ſelves any further. The remedie muſt The remedie.be by conſidering better our ſtate how ſhort wee come and be wanting as in many duties, ſo in many comforts, and finde not that full contentment in the Lord for this life, and that to come, which others do, and ſo leeſe the ſweet, and have the ſowre of our profeſſion.
Iudge.
1. Its not ſafe to judge of our ſelves or others for Not ſafe to judge of one actionone action, but to waite Gods leaſure in revealing the truth.
2. For the moſt part hard judging and falſe is The effect of hard judging.the fountain of all breaches betweene Chriſtians.
Iudgements.
1. The Lord will ſpare his judgements in them in whom he ſeeth a true love In vvhom God vvill ſpare his judgemētsof true religion, for they that love religion, will heare, and hearing the word will not lie long in any knowne ſinne.
2. Its the greateſt A great judgement to thrive in ſinne.judgement that can bee to thrive in ſinne.
3. Let the wicked rebell Gods judgemēts ſhall ſeiſe upon the vvicked.as they will, and think how by their ſubtilties they may eſcape Gods threatened judgements for a while, yet they ſhall be purſued from farre, and ſhall taſt the heavie hand of God both fearefully and wonderfully, as came to paſſe in Ahad. 2 Chron. 18. 33.
4. In denouncing Gods judgements againſt any, Hovv vvee are to bee affected in denounceing Gods judgemētswe ought to be ſo affected that we earneſtly pray for them, that they may bee delivered from them.
5. The carefull beholding What profit to make of Gods judgemēts on others.of Gods judgements on others is very profitable, as whereby obſerving the cauſes thereof, we may warily avoide them, leſt the like fall on us.
6. The not obſerving of Gods judgements maketh Not to obſerve them, hovv hurtfull.ſo little either to feare them, or love his mercies.
7. Who ſo maketh not conſcience to walke uprightly, Not to make conſcience of our vvayes hovv dangerous.I will not free him from povertie, from ſickneſſe, from hereſie, for as well can and will the Lord puniſh the minde as the body.
Knowledge.
KNowledge muſt goe Obedience muſt follovv upon it.before obedience, obeeience muſt follow knowledge apace.
Law.
1. THe Law is often taken for the morall Law of The Lavv; Gods precepts, judgments, or righteouſneſſe hovv taken.God, his precepts for the ceremoniall, his judgements or righteouſneſſe for the ſanctions of the Law, whether the Lord either accompliſh his promiſes to his children, or executeth his wrath on his enemies.The preaching of the Lavv neceſſarie.
2. In theſe dayes offecurity, the preaching of the Law is the neereſt way to draw men to Chriſt out of themſelves.
Learning.
The greateſt Scholars have often moſt unſtable Defects in the greateſt Scholars.mindes, fulleſt of doubting, and leaſt ſtaid in that they know, and not able to keepe themſelves from foule fallings, or being fallen to comfort themſelves or others. Therefore the greateſt Divinity What is the chiefeſt divinitie.is in teaching or learning the word of God as the word of God, comparing ſpirituall things with ſpirituall To doe good unto others is the end of all duties, vvithout vvhichwhich all our profeſſion is vaine.things.
Love.
I. All our travaile in Religion, to know God, to beleeve in him, to love and feare him, and all our prayers, exerciſes in the word, and the like, are referred to this, to doe all good to our neighbour in our ſeverall callings, agreeable to that, He that loveth another hath fulfilled the Law. Rom. 13. 8. and Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father, is to viſit the fatherleſſe, &c. Iames 1. 27. Therefore as we are to bee carefull of all thoſe duties we owe to ourſelves, ſo to others, good or bad: for all zeale in Gods ſervice, and profeſſion of our love to God is vaine, unleſſe it make us carefull for the ſalvation and bodily preſervation of our neighbour.
2. There are no ſtronger Hovv to live in love and peace.meanes to make man and wife, or two brethren or ſiſters living together, in peace and love, then to joyne together often in prayer and chriſtian conference.
3. By muſing upon that which often the Scripturesdoe The excellencie of love.teach us concerning love, that it is the fulfilling of the Law, and, to give all we have to the poore without love is nothing, and eſpecially, that when our faith and hope ſhall ceaſe, love ſhall remaine & moſt flouriſh in the life to come, I doe grow to an admiration of the excellencie thereof, the ſenſe whereof I moſt feele, when as by ſome good meanes (as ſome ſweet conference) my affection is enlarged to any of Gods Saints, me thinkes I taſt of the happineſſe to come, then which, what more delectable? How great therefore is our folly and ſinne, who provide no Note.better for our ſelves by encreaſing this pleaſure.
4. The Lord doth often Love dravveth love, as hatred doth hatred.ſo work that the good affection wee beare to others doth breed the like love in them to us, and ſo the contrary, they of whom we thinke hardly, have in like manner an heart burning againſt us.
5. Wee muſt beware Thoſe are to be loved vvhom God loveth.that we never further ſin, but if we love God, wee muſt love them whom God loveth, hate them whom God hateth, Pſal. 15. 3. and 139. 21, 22. how dare they then in whom are ſome good things, hand over head be friends with Gods enemies? Prov. 29. 27.
The Lords day.
1. Seeing by the appointment of the holy The Chriſtian Sabbath, a memoriall of Chriſts reſurrectiōGhoſt the Apoſtles did change the Jewiſh Sabbath on the ſeaventh day, unto the next day, for the memoriall of the Reſurrection, therefore wee are bound eſpecially on that day to keepe a memoriall of Chriſts reſurrection, with thankes unto Hovv to be upheld in a conſcionable ſanctification of the Sabbath.God for the ſame.
2. There be two things ſpecially needfull to bee much every Lords day in our mindes to uphold us in a conſcionable ſanctification thereof.
1. The gaine to be gotten thereby, which is glory to God, grace to our ſelves and others.
2. The ſweetneſſe of the duty, to be all day ſucking hony.
Magiſtrate.
A Magiſtrate having a A Magiſtrate may conceale a fault.thing privately tolde him may upon ſome occaſion keepe it cloſe.Man the moſt excellent creature doth moſt diſhonour God, Gods juſtice herein.
Man.
It ſeemeth to many men a wonder that man in the whole frame of his ſoule and body excelling all the creatures upon earth, and in moſt wonderfull manner expreſſing the image of his Creator ſhould yet in higheſt meaſure diſhonour him, and be thereby moſt loathſome unto him, yet this is moſt juſt with the Lord ſeeing hee preferred man by creation above all earthly creatures, for his rebellion to take away all grace from him, for wheras he was moſt able above all other earthly creatures to glorifie his maker, his ſinne muſt be the greater, and by Gods juſtice his puniſhment anſwerable for ſo wilfull diſobedience and this commonly is ſeen among men, the more excellent naturall gifts any man hath, if they bee not Naturall gifts not ſanctified make the poſſeſſor thereof more odious.ſanctified, the viler that man is in Gods ſight above others, and his ſinne more grievous: for armed iniquity is more dangerous then naked.Note.
Marriage.
Such as finde themſelves When to ſubmit ones ſelfe unto this condition.unfit for this condition are to uſe all lawfull meanes, and that a good while, and ſo not prevailing to ſubmit themſelves to Gods ordinance.
Meanes.
1. There is a corruption Why many are more dull vvhen they have moſt meanes.of nature which maketh us moſt dull when we have moſt meanes, which ariſeth from hence, that when wee have the meanes publickly, wee eſteeme leſſe of them then when wee wanted them, uſing the private meanes, likewiſe more ſparingly, yea becauſe wee put too much confidence in the outward, the preaching of the word, not ſo earneſtly ſeeking the inward and principall, which is the bleſſing of Gods moſt holy Spirit.
2. Its not ſafe to tie the working of Gods Spirit to Gods Spirit not to. be tyed to any one meane.any one particular meane, ſeeing all muſt be uſed.
Meditations.
1. Chriſtians muſt often meditate and conſider VponUpon vvhat things Chriſtians are to meditate.what bleſſings and what afflictions they have in private and in common, and how they undergoe both, and what uſe they make of them, likewiſe, to what corruptions they be moſt carryed, and what meanes they uſe againſt them, and what profit they finde by them, alſo how conſtant or unſetled they be in a good courſe, and what be cauſes of either.
2. What infinit ſtore of heavenly matter is to be meditated on, ſeeing Moſt are unskillfull in the art of meditation.every doctrine in the Scripture containes more then ever we can ſufficiently conſider, and yet ſo unexpert are moſt profeſſors in this exerciſe of meditation, that they are empty of any fit matter to meditate on. A principall The cauſe hereof.cauſe whereof is, they ſavour the things of the fleſh, and very little the things of the Spirit.
3. Thoſe things wee heare and read are other When the things vve heare or read become our ovvne.mens, untill by applying them unto our ſelves by meditation, they bee our owne.
4. Matters fitteſt for daily meditation bee ſuch What things bee fitteſt for for daily meditatiō,as every man in his condition hath daily moſt need of, as to humble or breede ſorrow in us, to comfort us, to awake us being aſleepe, and when we think our ſelves ſenſeleſſe or benummed, to ſoften our hardneſſe, to pull us backe from any evill way, to weaken any corruption, to ſtrengthen ſuch graces as be weakeſt in us, to weane us from the love of this world, to teach us a ſober uſe of our proſperitie, to arme us againſt & uphold us in adverſitie, and ſuch like.
5. Meditation is a ſtudy to get grace, whereby What meditation it.upon all occaſions wee make ſome good uſe of all that comes to our minde, whereof the frequenteſt uſe ſhewes the moſt heavenly ſoule, as contrarily the neglect thereof the carnall.
6. Wee are to meditate at ſet times, and on ſpeciall The oftner vvee meditate the better.occaſions, the oftner the better, but hard to doe it well.
7. To have our meditation Hovv to meditate on the vvord.tyed to the word wee muſt occupie it upon ſome particular matter, and reverently conſider that wee as it were draw neere the Lords privie chamber.
8. To reade, and not to meditate▪ is unfruitfull, Reading, meditatiō, and prayer muſt accompany one another.to meditate and not reade is dangerous for error, to reade and meditate without prayer is hurtfull.
Memorie.
Whereas many complaine of ill memorie in good things, thinking thereby to cover many Hovv to remember good things.wants, this is found the only remedie, that wee muſt firſt reforme our hearts, and bring them to affect ſuch heavenly doctrines, and then valuing them as they be, they would aſwell remember, as a worldly Simil.man hearing of a good bargaine, whereby hee is aſſured he may have great gaine, will hardly forget the ſame, yet hereto let this be added, an hiding of Gods word, and treaſuring of it up in our hearts, which oftrecounting with our ſelves and others, the ſame ſhall not be forgotten.
Mercies.
1. In ſpeaking of any of Gods mercies towards At vvhat time vvee are to ſpeake of Gods mercies, and vvhat then vve are to think upō.us, its profitable to thinke upon our ſinnes, leſt wee be too proud, and robbe God of his glory; and alſo a fit opportunity in reſpect of others muſt be choſen, leſt the ſame bee not beleeved, and ſo edifie not.
2. Of all the mercies of God this is a principal, not to be left without ſome favourable exerciſe of Favourably to bee exerciſed in conſcience is a principall merciemercy.conſcience, (though it bee grievous to the fleſh) therby to be drawne neerer to God, if for Paul it were ſo neceſſary, how much more for us?