The Application of Redemption, Book 10 (5 of 13)

The Application of Redemption · Book 10 (5 of 13)

p. 198We here see the reason why there is so little good done Use, 1.by the Ministry of the Word upon the hearts of ungodly men: Many Hypocrites lie skulking under the covers of deceit, and are not discovered; many proud hearts not humbled, but go on in their sturdy distempers; many sleepers sit and snort in their security, and go hoodwinked down to destruction, and see nothing before they sink into the pit. We do not knock at mens doors, we do not bring the light to their bed-sides, we do not pinch them indeed with sharp and particular reproofs, and those set on to purpose; we do not put them … p. 199their fence, we do not keep them under the arrest of some conviction, so that they cannot make an escape; but each carnal reason rescues them from the hold of some common Truths that happily are delivered. Oh we level not, we hit not, we apply not the Word so home, so particularly as the occasions, conditions, corruptions of men require; and therefore it prevails not with that power, finds not that success which otherwise it might. Common Reproofs are like the confused … in the Ship when the Marriners were rowing Jonah to the shore, notwithstanding all which, Jonah lies and sleeps under-hatches: But when they go down to him, and laid hold upon him, and awakened him with a witness, Arise thou sluggard, and call upon thy God, lest we all perish, Jonah, 1. 5. He then began to bethink himself where he was, and what he had done; and then remembred that though he had feared and served the God of Heaven, yet by … rebellion he had departed away from him. So here, all the while we take up mens minds, and exercise their Ears and thoughts with some hovering Discourses, and common words of course, We are all sinners, In many things we offend all, All flesh is frail; but I hope better things of you, I hope there is none such amongst you.

Those daubing discourses and roving reproofes, toothless, powerless dispensations, like arrowes shot a cock-height, they touch not, trouble not, and in the issue profit no man at all. They come proud and stubborn and perverse and careless, they sit so and returne so, day … day and year aster year. But you should shake up a sinner, go down under the hatches to Jonah set upon the hearts of men in particular Awake thou …. Thou a master of a family and … not, … not those that are under thee? Thou a servant yet stubborn and …, and … not to those that are set over thee in the Lord: … thou a Wife and dost not reverence and obey with … him p. 200whom God hath made thy head and guide? Art thou a member of a Christian Congregation, and hast the name of Christ called upon thee, and art thou treacherous to the Covenant of Christ, opposest the government and spirit of Christ, and despisest the … of the Lord Jesus? Awake you … masters and rebellious servants, perverse wives, treacherous and … embers; Know that your Religion is vain and your selves also while these distempers rest in your bosom; cal upon your own hearts for … and repentance, and unto God for mercy that you perish not. Thus when Peter was recovered out of his fal, and had the blood of Christ running warm in his veynes, and the power of the spirit of the Lord now setting on the right hand of the Father filling his heart with love to his Saviour and zeal for his glory; see how sharply … applies the keenest … to cut the Consciences of al to whom he speaketh without fear or partiality, Acts. 4. 10. 11. Be it known to you, Oh ye rulers and all yee people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus of Nazareth whom yee have crucified, you have slayn the just and inocent one and desired a murderer to be given to you &c. and see the success, God added daily to the Church such as should be saved. It's Cartwrights expression, when our saviour sent out the sons of thunder then Satan fel like lightening from Heaven, the right levelling the ordinances of Christ wil … make battery in the kingdom of Satan; sharp reproofs make sound Christians. It's a course which God commends in scripture, and hath not fayled to bless. Judges 2. 4. When the Angel pleaded the inditement so punctually so plainly against the people, their hearts brake al in pieces under such blowes, they lift up their voyces and wept, they left cavilling and replying, and fell to weeping ….

Here see the reason why the best preaching finds the Use, 2.least and worst acceptance at the hands of rebellious p. 201sinners, that which works, and troubles most, that they most distast, that which gives the least quiet to them, to that they give the least respect and liking. like children they love raw fruit which wil breed worms and sickness, rather then worme-seed though that would prevent both. So men love raw and windy discourses to please sinful humors, and corrupt hearts, rather than some bitter and particular reproofs which would make them sound in the Faith. Ahab wil nourish four hundred false Prophets at his Table, feed them with Dainties, and make choyce provision for them, that they may feed his humor, and speak good things to him; when he is not able to abide the sight, scarce to hear the name of 'Micaiah the Prophet of the Lord, who would speak the Counsel of the Lord without fear and partiality, 1 Kings, 22. So they in Isai. 30. 10. They say to the Seers, see not; and to the Prophets, … not unto us right things; … smooth things: such as might suit their sensual Appetites, and would down without chewing. And it's strange to see when such men have told a grave tale, and vented a heartless, toothless discourse, neither pith … power in it; I say; it's strange to see what admiration and esteem such carnal hearts wil set upon such persons and expressions; great their parts, prudence, and discretion: Oh how sweet and seasonable their discourse, how glad to hear, and how unweariable to attend such: And al the while they may sit and sleep in their sinful condition, and neither have their Consciences awakened, nor their corruption discovered. Squeamish Stomachs had rather take … a whol week together than a bitter Potion one day. This is the Disease which Paul complains of as incident to the last Age of the World; and therefore adviseth his Scholler Timothy, 2 Tim. 4. 2, 3. To be instant in season, out of season, convince, rebuke, exhort, for the time will come that men will not endure sound Doctrine; but according to p. 202their proper lusts, having itching Ears, will heap to themselves Teachers: itching Ears must be scratched, not boxed.

Information: It's not only in the Liberty, but it's Use 3.the Duty of a Minister, according as the Text suits, and the condition of the Hearers answer, to aim at the sins of the persons and people to whom he speaks. Particular application implies a special intendment of the parties, 1 Kings, 21. 20. When Ahab met Elijah, he salutes him on this manner, Hast thou found me, O mine Enemy? He answers him, I have found thee, q. d. It was my duty to do so, and therefore I have endeavored it, and according to my desire and endeavor I have accomplished it, I came on purpose. Ezek. 33. 8. If the Watch-man do not … the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at his hand. The necessity of the people, the nature of the work which he intends, and the charge of his place which lies upon him, cals for this at the hands of a Minister. Will not common Sence conceive it reasonable, that the Physitian discover the Nature of the Disease that troubles the Patient, and put in such Ingredients as may purge the particular Humor; it's the choycest skil he can use, and the chiefest good he can do; and therefore he should intend it and endeavor it in a special manner: Would you not have the Commander in the Field search the particular disorder in the Camp, and pursue the reformation of it in each special passage thereof. Herein the Faithful Execution of his place appears.

This I speak the rather to crush that vain Cavil of captious Spirits; Why did not the Minister mean me, intend me? if the Word meet with their corruptions, and begin to ransack and search the festered sores of their guilty Consciences?

I Answer four things:

If … heart misgive thee that thou art …, he did p. 2031mean thee, he should mean thee. If thy heart condemn thee, know that God is greater than thy Conscience, and knows more than he can express, or thou perceive in thy self.

However it is, He had thee in his intendment in what 2he said; If thou wert faulty, to reform the evil; if not faulty, to forewarn thee: For a faithful Minister should intend the good of all in al it …, and they should receive it.

If happily thou be freed from the outward practice 3of the evil, yet thou hast the spawn of it in thy soul, and that which wil provoke thee unto it, and that corrupt part hath given approbation to the evil; thou hast not set thy self so much against the evil, and that hath made thee so far share in the evil, and so justly subject to share in the reproof. Thus the Apostle chargeth the Jew, Rom. 2. 1. When the Jew would plead his Innocency from such evils of the Gentiles, because he is ready to condemn and judg them in that behalf, saies the Apostle, Thou therefore that judgest another, thou condemnest thy self, for thou thy self dost the same things; but it might have been replyed, We do not, we are not whisperers, back-biters, guilty of …, malice, covetousness, &c. Interpreters answer, that the Apostles meaning is, Though they committed not such evils, yet the corruption of their Nature suited with them, and so shared in them, and therefore justly liable to the like … of the Law more or less.

He meant what he said, and what his words meant, 4If there be any evil in them, bear witness of the evil, John, 18. 23. and it's just a man should bear his blame. Would'st thou fish more out of a mans meaning than thou canst find in his words? I fear thou meanest to be a Caviller. It's a certain Argument of a captious and contentious disposition, and commonly of a man that carries a galled Conscience, that seeks waies and means to make a fault when he cannot find one.

p. 204It's a word … Exhortation, 1. To Ministers, 2. To Use 4.People. To Ministers, what they should do: To the People, what they should desire.

To the Ministers: They have a pattern here for their 1…. If we wil be faithful to our Places, and the Work commended to our Care, faithful to the souls of the People; if we would further the Work of the Lord, and the Word, and see the fruit of our labors to the conviction and conversion of such as belong unto Gods Council: This is Gods way in which we must walk if we purpose to find Gods blessing, that others may reap the profit, and we the comfort of our pains at the great Day of our Account; we must by particular Application make men see their sins, if ever we hope they shal see the Salvation of the Lord.

How to stere our course in this so tickle a Channel,Directions. and so tender a Work, these following Directions will not be unseasonable.

First, We must learn to bottom our Application upon Lthe blessed Word of the Lord rightly apprehended, and opened plainly by undeniable Evidence. Then our Application wil come with uncontroulable power to the Conscience, when it comes guarded with Authority and … of the Truth; and men cannot but give way to those Reproofs, when they cannot gainsay the evidence of Gods mind and Counsel therein. That however carnal hearts wil secretly be weary of them, yet they wil not dare openly to oppose them, because they perceive that they must oppose the Counsel of God. plainly dispensed therein, and in their own Conscience also. Therefore I have ever judged it most seasonable, if I would pursue a sinful course breaking out, not by the by to pull it into a discourse, but to take a Text on purpose, wherein it is plainly condemned. That the people may hear God in his Word speaking before we speak; this is to shew our Commission before we do Execution, and this wil stop mens mouths. Never p. 205balk any thing that is in the Text, never wrest any thing out of the Text that is not there, for that savors too much of a mans own spirit or passion, or private ends, al which must be avoided as much as Hell. If any man speak, let him speak as the Oracles of God, 1 Pet. 4. 11. not our fancies, or passions, or conceits, but let Gods Oracles be heard only.

It's lawful for a Minister so to cast the mould, and carry 2the frame of his Application that the guilty parties may conceive it, and their Consciences find and feel …, that they be the parties that the Lord points out, and intends of purpose to … and pursue, Matth. 21. 41. 45. Thus our Savior laies out the corrupt carriages of the Scribes and Pharisees, and paints them out so lively that they felt him, and were forced to give in evidence of their own condemnation against themselves; as in verse 41. They say, he will miserably destroy those wicked men; and verse 45. When the chief Priests heard this, they perceived that he spake of them.

In case either some false Opinions are spreading, or 3some corrupt and sinful practices are like to grow and leven and that speedily and dangerously, It's lawful in way of caution and prevention to discover mens sins and errors in their own words, that others may avoyd them the better, and they be ashamed of them the more Thus Peter discovers the faults and wretched behaviour of the Jewes to our saviour in their own words. Acts. 3. 14. you denyed that holy and just one and desired a murderer to be granted to you: Not him but Barabbas. 1. Cor. 15. 22. How say some among you, that there is no resurrection? Nay its lawful to name special persons in an evil, if there may thereby be special warning given to others from falling. So Paul to Timothy 2. Tim. 1. 15. of whom is Phygellus and Hermogenes it's Calvins … upon the place, they were more famous, and therefore their Apostacy might be a means to draw others, therefore he gives warning concerning p. 206them. If any man say this is to shame men, I answer their sins should be made shameful, & they should take shame for them, that they may sorrow for them and forsake them.

Let our Application go so wel guarded and fensed 4against al exceptions and cavils that a sinner may not be able to rescue himself or make an escape by carnal reason. As Acts. 6. 10. It's said they were not able to resist the wisdome and the spirit by which he spake. Math. 22. 34. our saviour Christ put the Sadducees to silence.

Let it be done with pity and tender compassion to 5mens souls, though with zeal and indignation against their sins. 2. Tim. 2. 24. 25. the servant of the Lord must be patient and gentle towards al in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves. As a Chirurgeon may be most compassionate when he cutts most deep even to fetch up the core, and therefore the Apostle adds both to Titus, shew all meekness to all men, and therefore to the Cretians and yet rebukes them sharply. Titus. 1. 13. He that is truly meek, and pities the souls of men most he wil shew least pity to their sins, all sharpness of rebuke and yet al meekness of spirit do wel accord.

The exhortation to the people is that as ever you desiresecond part of exhortation to see your sins and have your hearts brought to sorrow for them, you must desire it and delight in it, that you may have the light brought home to your souls in way of particular applycation to your own sins, there is no means so effectual as this, therefore desire God that your ministers may take such paines that they may speak to your Consciences.

Take three considerations here.

Weigh sadly that when the Minister speaks in way of Applycation so as to discover thy sins, he doth no more than he may, nay no more than he should in point of Conscience, his life lyes at stake if he should not deal plainly and faithfully. and therefore know its unreasonable p. 207for thee to quarrel with the Minister, or with that he speaks when he hath the word for his warrant in what he does.

Look at the good of the dispensation of an ordinace 2and overlook the … of it. As some would not see but drink of the Physick minding the wholsomness and bearing with the unpleasantness of it for the present. As it's wearisom to the Surgeon to be raking in the sore, so it is to the Minister, but it is for thy good, and therfore though it be painful and cross to thy carnal affection yet thou shouldest take contentment in such a dispensation of the word as is such an effectual means of thy good.

When thou findest thy heart …, consider that an under quiet taking in sharp reproof its a sound argument 3of the sincerity of thy heart and truth of thy love to God and his word. When a man … to be shaken in his Comforts, and a sharp and keen reproof comes home to a man, to force him to see and be humbled & reform his evil wayes, if he can … receive and yield … to such a reproofit's a sign his heart is sincere in the sight of God when he saies as they did Zach. 13. 6. these are the wounds I received in the house of my friends.

When they heard this.

We heard before that application and special discovery of our particular corruptions, what force it had to break the heart. We have here yet a Second means couched in the manner of the … expressed in the Text. The word is read in the Participle, and carries a kind of … endeavor with it, a … of mind about that which was heard. In hearing they heard it, and when the Sermon was over, & they had received the message of the Lord delivered by the Apostle, when they (happily) were departed, yet that word departed not out p. 208of their Ears and hearts. They heard it over again, they mused upon it, it stuck by them, their thoughts recoiled afresh upon the consideration thereof, it pressed heavy upon their hearts; Conviction brings the sin, Application laies it, Meditation settles it upon the heart, that it sinks under it as unsupportable.

Hence then the Doctrine is,

Through Meditation of sins applied, is a special Doct.means to break the heart of a sinner.

As men that are stoned and pressed to death, while the stones are few that are cast, and the weight not great, may be they are troubled and wounded in some measure but their bones are not broken nor yet their lives hazarded, but while they stil continue flinging and adding to the number and weight, their bones break and their lives fayl under the overbearing pressure that is put upon them. A serious thought and right apprehension and application of a sin, toucheth and troubleth the sinner; but daily meditation flings in one terror after another, and followes the soul with fresh consideration of yet more sin, and yet more evil, and that more hainious and yet more dangerous beyond al pprehension and imagination; so that a sinner is stoned to death as it were and breaks under the burthen of it. Thus the repenting Church Lam. 3. 19. 20. In remembring mine affliction, the wormewood and the gall my soul hath them still in remembrance and is humbled in me, in remembring I remembred, they were daily musing and continually poring and that made them pierce in wardly; look as it is in the body it is so in the soul; meat minced if never … and digested, it never nourisheth; A potion prepared and given if not retayned and kept in the stomack it never purgeth or worketh kindly for cure, So here in the soul, Applycation carves out a fit potion of truth to the sinner, but Meditation p. 209is that which digests it and makes good blood of it. Applycation compounds the potion, a particular reproof which is keen in the working brings it home, but meditation retaynes it, that so it may work kindly & put forth the … powerful effect for the loosening of those loathsom lusts; which are like noysom and corrupt humours, which threaten the death and ruin of the soul. This is one thing which is undoubtedly implyed in that place by the consent of al interpreters that I know Psal. 77. 10. While the prophet was taking up his thoughts with attendance to his own distempers and sinful provocations, and the Lords departure from him by reason of the same, he sits down almost overwhelmed with the direful apprehension thereof, I said this is my death, but I wil remember the changes of the right hand of the most high, this poring upon his own sins and … was his death, therefore he turns the tables and turns his thoughts another way and that was the cure of those discomforts, even the remembrance of the former, the former expressions of Gods favour and faithfulness its also one part of the meaning of that text, Psal. 40. 12. My sins have taken such hold of me that I cannot look up, when we lay hold upon them by serious meditation then they lay hold upon us, and when our minds attend not but slip aside from the serious consideration of them then they slip away from us.

For explication we shal.

1 Shew what this meditation is.

2 Apply the general Doctrine to the particular occasion, and see how this helps forward this work. Then,

3 We shal make use.

p. 210For the first. Meditation is a serious intention What Meditation isof the mind whereby wee come to search out the truth, and settle it effectually upon the heart.

An intention of the mind; when one puts forth the 1strength of their understanding about the work in hand, takes it as an especial task whereabout the heart should be taken up and that which wil require the whol man, and that to the bent of the best ability he hath, so the word is used …. 1. 8. thou shalt not suffer the word to depart out of thy mind, but thou shalt meditate therein … and night, when either the word would depart away or our corruptions would drive it away, meditation layes hold upon it and wil not let it go, but exerciseth the strength of the attention of his thoughts about it, makes a buisiness of it as that about. which he might do his best, and yet fals short of what he should do in it. So David when he would discover where the stream and overflowing strength of his affections vented themselves, he points at this practice as that which employes the mind to the ful. Psal 119. 197. Oh how I love thy law, it is my meditation all the day, love is the great wheel of the soul that sets al on going, and how … that appear? it is my meditation day and night; the word in the original signifyeth to swim, a man spreads the breadth of his understanding about that work, and layes out himself about the service wherein there is both difficulty and worth.

Serious.] Meditation is not a flourishing of a mans wit, but hath a set bout at the search of the truth, beats his brain as wee use to say, hammers out a buisiness, as the Gouldsmith with his mettal, he heats it and beats it turnes it on this side and then on that, fashions it on both that he might frame it to his mind; meditation is hammering of a truth or … propounded, that he p. 211may carry and conceive the frame and compass in his mind, … salute a truth as we pass by occasionally but solemnly entertain it into our thoughts; Not look upon a thing presented as a spectator or passenger that goes by: but lay other things aside, and look at this as the work and employment for the present to take up our minds. It's one thing in our diet to take a snatch and away, another thing to make a meal, and sit at it on purpose until wee have seen al set before us and we have taken our fil of al, so we must not cast an eye or glimpse at the truth by some sudden or sleighty apprehension, a snatch and away, but we must make a meal of musing. Therefore the Psalmist makes it the main trade that a Godly man drives, professedly opposite to the carriage of the wicked, whether in his outward or inward work, in his disposition or expression of himself in his common practice; whereas they walk in the corrupt counsels of their own hearts, stand in the … of sinners, not only devise what is naught, but practice and persevere in what they have devised, and sit in the seat of the scorners; A blessed man his rode in which he travels, his set trade he meditates in the Law of God day and night: that is the counsel in which he walks, the way in which he stands, the … in which he fits. Look at this work as a branch of our Christian …, not that which is left to our liberty, but which is of necessity to be attended and that in good earnest … a Christian duty, which God requires, not a little available to our spiritual welfare.

The end is doubly expressed in the other part of the description.

1 The searching of the truth.

2. The effectual setling of it upon the heart.

The search of the truth: Meditation is a coming in with the truth or any cause that comes to hand, that we may enquire the ful state of it before our thoughts part with it, so that we see more of it or more clearly p. 212… fully than sormerly we did, this is one thing in that of the Prophet Hos. 6. 3. Then shall yee know if you follow on to know, when we track the … of the truth, in al the pass … until we have viewed the whol progresse of it, from truth to truth from point to point. This it is to … for wisdom, Prov. 2. 2 When men have found a mine or a veyn of Silver, they do not content themselves, to take that which is uppermost and next at hand within … which offers it self upon the surface of the Earth, but they dig further as hoping to find more, because they see somewhat. So meditation rests not in what presents it self to our consideration, but digs deeper gathers in upon the truth, and gaynes more of it then did easily appear at the first, and this it doth.

1 When it recals things formerly past, sets them 1in present view before our consideration and judgment Meditation sends a mans thoughts afar off, cals over and revives the fresh apprehension of things done long before, marshals them al in rank together, brings to mind such things which were happily quite out of memory, & gone from a man, which might be of great use and special help to … our condition according to the quality of it; may be Conscience starts the consideration but of one sin, but meditation looks abroad, and brings to hand many of the same, and of the like kind and that many dayes past and long ago committed, This distemper now sticks upon a man and brings him under the arrest of Conscience and the condemnation thereof. But saies meditation let me mind you of such and such sins at such and … times, in such and such companies, committed and multiplyed both more and worse than … that now appear so … and so troublesom to you; meditation is as it were the register and remembrancer, that looks over the records of our daily corruptions, and keeps them upon file, and brings them into court and fresh consideration …. 13. 26. Thou p. 213makest me to possess the sins of my youth: This makes a man to renew the sins of his youth, makes them fresh in out thoughts, as though new done before our eyes. This Interpreters make the meaning of that place Job. 14. 17. My trangression is sealed up in a bag, and thou sewest up mine iniquity, though God do thus, yet he doth it by this means in the way of his Providence, i. e. by recounting and recalling our corruptions to mind, by serious meditation we sew them all up together, we look back to the linage and pedegree of our lusts, and track the abominations of our lives, step by step, until we come to the very nest where they are hatched and bred, even of our original corruption, and body of death, where they had their first breath and being, links al our distempers together from our infancy to our youth, from youth to riper age, from thence to our declining daies. So David, from the vileness of his present lusts is led to the wickedness in which he was warmed, Psal. 51. 5. This was typed out in the old Law by the chewing of the cud; Meditation cals over again those things that were past long before, and not within a mans view and consideration.

Meditation takes a special Survey of the compass of 2our present condition, and the Nature of those corruptions that come to be considered: It's the traversing of a mans thoughts, the coasting of the mind and imagination into every crevis and corner, pryes into every particular, takes a special view of the borders and … of any corruption or condition that comes to be scanned, Psal. 119. 59. I considered my waies, and … my feet unto thy testimonies; … turned them upside down, looked through them as it were; a present apprehension peeps in as it were through the crevis or key-hole, looks in at the window as a man passeth by; but Meditation lifts up the latch and goes into each room, … into every … of the house, and surveyes the composition and making of it, with all the blemishes in it. p. 214Look as the Searcher at the Sea-Port, or Custom-house, or Ships, satisfies himself not to over-look carelesly in a … view, but unlocks every Chest, romages every corner, takes a light to discover the darkest passages. So is it with Meditation, it observes the woof and web of wickedness, the ful frame of it, the very utmost Selvage and out side of it, takes into consideration all the secret conveyances, cunning contrivements, all bordering circumstances that attend the thing, the consequences of it, the nature of the causes that work it; the … occasions and provocations that lead to it, together with the end and issue that in reason is like to come of it, Dan. 12. 4. Many shall run to and fro, and knowledg shall encrease: Meditation goes upon discovery, … at every coast, observes every creek, maps out the dayly course of a mans conversation and disposition.

The second End of Meditation is, It settles it effectually 2upon the heart. It's not the pashing of the water at a sudden push, but the standing and soaking to the root, that loosens the weeds and thorns, that they may be plucked up easily. … not the laying of Oyl upon the benummed part, but the chafing of it in, that suppleth the Joynts, and easeth the pain. It is so in the …; Application laies the Oyl of the Word that is searching and savory, Meditation chaseth it in, that it may soften and humble the hard and … heart: Application is like the Conduit or Channel that brings the stream of the Truth upon the soul; … Meditation stops it as it were, and makes it soak into the …, that so our corruptions may be plucked up kindly by the Roots.

This settling upon the heart appears in a three-fold work.

It affects the heart with the Truth attended, and leaves 1an Impression upon the Spirit answerable to the Nature of the thing which is taken into Meditation: 2 Pet. 2. 8. It's said of Lot, in seeing and hearing, he vexed his p. 215righteous soul. Many saw and heard the hideous abominations, and were not touched nor affected therewith. No more had he been, but that he vexed and troubled his own righteous soul, because he was driven to a dayly consideration of them which cut him to the quick. The word is observable, it signifies to try by a touch-stone, and to examine, and then upon search to bring the soul upon the rack: therefore the same word is used, Matth. 14. 24. The Ship was tossed by the waves; the consideration of the abominations of … place raised a tempest of trouble in Lots righteous soul. This the wise man calls laying to the heart, Eccles. 7. 1, 2. It's better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of laughter; for this is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart. When the Spectacle of Misery and Mortality is laid in the grave, yet savory Meditation laies it to a mans heart, and makes it real there in the work of it. The Goldsmith observes that it is not the laying of the fire, but the blowing of it that melts the Mettal: So with Meditation, it breaths upon any Truth that is applied, and that makes it really sink and soak into the soul; and this is the reason why in an ordinary and common course of Providence, and Gods dealing with sinners, (leaving his own exceptions to his own good pleasure) that the most men in the time and work of Conversion have that scorn cast upon them, that they grow melancholly. And it's … thus far in the course of ordinary appearance; The Lord usually never works upon the soul by the Ministry of the Word to make it effectual, but he drives the sinner to sad thoughts of heart, and makes him keep an audit in his own soul by serious meditation, and pondering of … waies; otherwise the Word neither affects throughly, nor works kindly upon him.

It keeps the heart under the heat and authority of the 2Truth that it's taken up withal, by constant attendance of his thoughts. Meditation keeps the … under p. 216an arrest, so that it cannot make an escape from the Evidence and Authority of the Truth, so that there is no way, but either to obey the Rule of it, or else be condemned by it. But escape it cannot, Meditation meets … stops al the evasions and sly pretences the fals-hearted person … counterfeit. If a man should deny his fault, and himself guilty, Meditation will evidence it beyond all gainsaying, by many testimonies which Meditation wil easily cal to mind; remember ye not in such and such a place: upon such an occasion, you gave way to your wicked heart to do thus and thus; you know it, and God knows it, and I have recorded it: If the … would lessen his fault, Meditation aggravates it; or if he seem to slight it, and look at it as a matter of no moment, yet Meditation will make it appear, there is greater evil in it, and greater necessity to bestow his thoughts upon it than he is aware of.

Hence it is Meditation laies … unto the soul, and cuts off al carnal pretences that a wretched self-deceiving hypocrite would relieve himself by; and stil lies at the soul, this you did, at that time, in that place, after that manner; so that the soul is held fast prisoner, and cannot make an escape; but as David said, Psal. 51. 3. My sins are ever before me: Consideration keeps them within view, and will not suffer them to go out of sight and thoughts; and therefore it is Paul ioyns those two together, 1 Tim. 3. 15. Meditate in these things, and be in them.

It provokes a man (by a kind of over-bearing power) 3to the practice of that with which he is so affected: A settled and serious Meditation of any thing, is as the setting open of the Flood-gates, which carries … soul with a kind of force and violence, to the performance of what he so bestows his mind upon; as a mighty stream let out turns the mill. Phil. 4. 9. Think of these things, and do them: thinking men are doing men. Psal. 39. 3. While I was thus musing, the fire brake p. 217out, and I spake: the busie stirring of Meditation is like the raising of a tempest in the heart, that carries out all the actions of the man by an uncontroulable command. I considered my waies, and turned my feet unto thy Statutes: right Consideration, brings in a right Reformation with it.

The Nature of the Duty is thus opened; let us apply it now to the particular, and give in the Reasons of the Truth, why this Meditation brings in this Contrition, and heart-breaking.

I might argue from the former Description, that which makes a through search of our …, and settles them effectually upon the soul, that is a fit means to break our hearts with them; but thus meditation doth, as it hath been formerly disputed, therefore it is a fit means to break the heart.

But I shall add a double Argument briefly; they both shal be taken from the special effects of Meditation, which are marvelous pregnant to this purpose. These come neerer to the Point in hand, and apply the general Doctrine to this special occasion.

Meditation sharpens the sting and strength of corruption, Reas. 1.that it pierceth more prevailingly; It draws out the venom, the quintessence of the evil of a corruption, and lets in that upon the heart and conscience of a sinner, which stings and torments him in greatest extremity: makes him see more in his distemper than ever he suspected, makes him feel it far worse than ever he could have imagined it could have been. As it is in the Art of Chymistry and Distillation, by their dexterity and skil in that course; they draw out the very spirits of the Mettal, or Herb, or Liquor, as the Spirits of Wine, the Oyl of Gold, &c. and five drops of that wil work more strongly than five …, five spoonfuls of the Body of the Herb, or Water in the gross, because there is nothing but Spirits as it were gathered together in a narrow room, and therefore they are active in the highest degree. p. 218If it be Spirits of Poyson, it kils suddenly, it's present death, past recovery; if of Cordial or Preservative, they comfort and refresh beyond imagination, … and strangely. So here; Meditation is this Spiritual Chymistry, or the art of holy Distillation, which draws out the Spirits of the poyson and bitterness that is in corruption, Spirituallizeth the plague and venom of the vengeance that attends every transgression; and though it was never so smal in the eye of the world yet it stings the heart more than the greatest evil which is committed, if not mused on, nor attended.

Thus David when by consideration he had viewed … his course, saw the infinite loathsomness of it, that it sunk his heart; which for the while, when he attended it not, did not stick upon him, nor trouble him. He looks now at the root of sin whence it came, at the extent in the highest strain in spiritual wickedness: Against thee, thee only have I sinned, Psal. 51. 4. I said in my hast, in my sudden foolish apprehension, it was but against a man, my Servant, my Subject, and Vassal, and therefore no such great matter nor grievous evil, if I as a Prince did gratifie my own desire; but now I see it was against thee, thee only, the God of Justice, and Mercy, and Fidelity, and Truth. That was the extent of it, how far it went. Again, Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O. God: he now saw upon more serious consideration, it was not a point of Policy, a slight of subtil and secret conveyance that would color over the business, and free him from blame, because he intimated his mind to Joab to act it. But now he saw it was not Joabs treachery, nor the Sword of the Children of Ammon, 2 Sam. 11. but it was he that had taken away the life of Uriah: The dead body of Uriah was dished out to him as his break-fast every morning. Thus for the extent of it. Again, upon consideration he looks to the … of it; Thou Lord lovest Truth in the inward parts: Now he … his sending for, his …, p. 219his welcoming of Vriah, his pretence of care to send him to his own house, was nothing but apparent treachery against the Law of God, and light of his Conscience, and knowledg which the Lord had set up in him. The root that bred and fed these bitter fruits, was his … heart, and body of sin, yet not so mortified, which he brought from his Cradle, which the Lord loaths, as a God of Truth, who loves Truth, who may justly condemn him and reject him for his departing from it, doubling and dissembling in a continual falsifying to Vriah by al his fair speeches, and glozing pretences, he … to express his respect unto him.

Meditation doth not only pinch the heart with the 2present apprehension of sin committed, but by the dayly attendance upon the evil of iniquity now considered, it holds the heart upon the rack under … and unsupportable pressures; 2 Pet. 2. 8. Lot dayly seeing and hearing of the loathsomness of their hideous and unnameable abominations, vexed his righteous soul: Many saw and heard as much as Lot, and happily more, and yet were never troubled thereby; no more would he have been, but that he tormented his righteous soul by the dayly consideration, of these abominations practiced. The word foreign is marvelous pregnant: It signifies, 1. To prove and examine by means of the rack, or by way of torment, to make inquisition touching the Truth. So Lot kept his soul upon the rack of restless vexation, as by the continual hearing, so by the constant consideration of the hellish villany of the Sodomites; and therefore the Evangelist useth it to signifie the boisterousness of a storm when the Sea is raged by the wind to the height of violence and rage: Matth. 14. 24. Meditation raiseth a storm or tempest of distress in the soul. A sudden and present apprehension, a flashy thought of the evil of sin, is like the flourish of a Sword afar off, which a man neither seels nor … at the utmost; it's but like the glaunce and fall of a blow, p. 220which it may be ripples the skin, whereas deep and through Meditation is as it were doubling of the blow, that steddy recoyling of a mans thoughts, is the stabbing of the heart through, and through again, makes the sinner bleed inwardly and abundantly. When the sinner would put by the stroke of the Truth, and shake off the danger of the sin now discovered, and applied, and set on, Meditation follows the blow home, and puts the soul beyond its sence, nay, it is so, it must be so, it wil be so: beleeve it, and expect it, for you shal find it worse than others do express, or you can conceive; for this is the voyce and verdict which Meditation gives in. The Prophet Jeremy expresseth the nature of the departure of the people from the Lord, thus: It is an evil and a bitter thing that thou hast departed away from the living God, Jer. 2. 19. And yet Job tels us, and experience and profession of the wicked proclaims it to al the world, That wickedness is sweet in the mouth of the ungodly, he hides it under his tongue; though he spare it and for sake it not, Job, 20. 12, 13. but keep it still within his mouth, as a pleasing morsel to his …. If you ask the reason why these bitter pills seem so sweet to a base heart? Amongst other Reasons, this is one; It fares with a mans sins as somtimes … see it in the Physick of the body; bitter pils if they be swallowed of a sudden, there is little sence of the bitter and unpleasant tast of them, or at least it lasts not long: but if they be chewed over and over, they wil then appear as they are, and a man wil be compelled to confess the extream bitterness that is therein. So it is with wickedness to a carnal heart: Your pride, and stubbornness, perversness, and rebellion, and carelesness, and laziness, and your noysom uncleanness, they are a pleasant morsel to your prophane and … hearts, you rol them under your tongues, and take delight in them; it's because you swallow them down without any chewing, any serious consideration; you swallow down your pride, and p. 221way …, and disobedience; whereas did you but chew these things, and weigh them in a right consideration, you would then feel that which one day you shall find, there is bitterness in the end.

Meditation is that which encreaseth the weight of 3the evil of sin, presseth it down upon the Conscience, and burdens the heart with it until it break under it. It gleans up, and rakes together althe particulars, adds dayly to the load, and laies on until the Axletree split asunder, and the heart fails and dies away under the apprehension of the dreadfulness of the evil. This some, and those very judicious, make the meaning of that inference and dependance, Job, 14. 16, 17. Thou sealest up my transgression in a bag, and sewest up my iniquity together, and surely the mountain falling cometh to nought; i. e. Thou heapest up the hideous remembrance of al my provocations, and surely neither rocks, nor mountains, nor any power was able to bear, and not break under the unsupportable weight thereof. As it is in War, when the numbers are few, and the parties that give the onset, are weak and feeble, it's not hard then either to resist their power, or avoid and escape their pursuits; but when many thousands, it may be some hundreds of thousands joyn al forces together to give the onset, they usually say they overbear the contrary party, and break their ranks with their very numbers and croud of the multitudes that overlay them utterly. It's so in this Spiritual contestation with the sinful distempers of our hearts; it may be we spend some few and flashy thoughts about them, and look over them after a heedless manner, when either the Truths of God are dispensed to our conviction, or our sins discovered; they neither touch nor trouble our hearts, we cast off such thoughts, or cast them away, or break through them easily: But Meditation musters up new Armies of Arguments, levies and cals in new forces of all special, particular, aggravating circumstances, whereby the hainousness p. 222of the evil is so abundantly brought home with that overbearing evidence to the heart, that it's forced to fall under it.

You say it was your infirmity, you were ignorant and knew it not, it was a temptation that surprised you, you were not aware of it, the matter was not great and therefore you hope there is a place for pardon & pity so that neither others need to be offended, nor you troubled for it. Think it over again, cal meditation to counsel, when you have sent your thoughts afar of, and viewed the compass of thy course with al the considerate circumstances that attend thereupon be it but the casting aside of the command of a superior, in a common and ordinary occasion of thy calling, see to what it wil amount when meditation hath cast al into the balance. It wil appear the thing was open and easy, that whereof thou hast been often forewarned often commanded to the contrary, when there was no trouble to do it, no profit to neglect it, and therefore there was no pretence or temptation from without to take thee aside and therefore thou didst it wittingly, willingly, ordinarily against knowledg and conscience, against the promises thou hast made to man, confessions thou hast made to God confessed and continued in this evil. The less the thing, the worse thy heart, the greater thy offence that wil trample a command under thy feet, for a trifle, thy spirit never affected with this, nor hast made Conscience of it to this day. This argues a heart not that hates sin but hates to be reformed Prov. 13. 13. Its a Hellish heedlesnes of a graceless heart, it shakes the evidence of thy estate, and hope of any comfort, This is the reckoning thou must make, hear and know it for thy good saies meditation, for so it is. He that reverenceth a command shal live. But he that despiseth a command shall die for it. This is thy estate and thy misery this is that which broke the heart of Peter exceedingly Mark 14. 72. though the Cock had crowed, and Christ looked p. 223upon him yet he stood it out, but when he remembred the words of our Saviour and thought thereon, then he wept. When he bethought himself, had cast all things together brought in the … of account, he went out and wept bitterly, he layd al the heightning circumstances together that he who was not only a Christian but entertained as a servant, called as an Appostle of Christ who was fore-warned of his backsliding, had promised, resolved so strangly against it, that he should not only forsake his master closely, but openly deny and renounce him, yea hellishly blaspheme and curse, and that … often, and now especially in this time of trouble, in the day of our Saviours distress, when the innocency of his cause, the honor of his person, yea his life was at hazard; that such a servant and Apostle should so basely and blasphemously forswear and renounce his master and Redeemer and that upon so slight an occasion, as the voyce of a Damsel, &c. he layed al these together and layd them to his heart, he was not able to hold, he went out and wept bitterly.Use.

Here is matter of Humiliation to every soul in the sight of God, who may sit down in silence & return home 1with shame to our own habitations, and here with sad hearts recal and remember our sins this day, and lift up our guilty hands to heaven for the neglect of so holy a duty which is grown so far out of date and men are grown so far from lending their endeavor to the discharge of this duty, that (as they speak of the Holy spirit in … case, most may say of this) they make it a question whether ever there was such a thing, such a service in the world some are faulty in a …, some in a lesser degree, but al in one degree or … … justly to be condemned as coming exceeding … … this service, and so fall short of Gods … … us, and his blessing upon us and miss in the … … of the good we would do and the comfort we … …, therefore we should go aside and plead p. 224the sentence of the desiled leaper, behold I am unclean I am unclean, Levit. 13. 45. every man fayles in this, let every man ingeniously own and acknowledg his sin and thats the best way to make us to be humbled and abased for it, let every man lay his hand upon his heart, take it to himself. Oh this laying aside the duty of meditation its my sin, so say yee husbands and answer yee wives, its our sin also; speak yee parents to your … this is our sin we have not practised nor taught it, answer the children and confess, no wonder we did not know it therefore never did it nor never could endeavor after it. And its our shame, each man hath a mind and can spend it unweariably where he setts himself, set but the covetous man about the world, the voluptuous man about his pleasure, each man about his comforts and conveniences and we sit at it, nay no man wil suffer his thoughts to be taken off from these, they eat with them, drink with them, walk with them, talk with them. What a loathsom thing is it, others muse how to commit sin and we not how to redress it, they meditate how to contrive their own ruin, and shal not we how to prevent it?

Shortly; there be two sorts of people whom this matter of complaint may especially concern, and those are either such, 1. Who stand in professed opposition to this practice; 2. Who continue in an open neglect thereof, and conceive they may have a dispensation for their carelesness.

First those who were typed out by the unclean beasts 1in the Law, who never chew the cud nor cal over their courses by serious meditation, who studiously endeavour to contrive all waies and means how they may take off their minds from this service; their care for themselves and their counsel also unto others, is to shake off these dumpes as they cal them; they look at this mopish kind of Melancholly musing, as a practice deeply prejudicial to their peace and comfort, conceive it as p. 225a piece of extream folly, as though a man should not find trouble enough in the world, but should devise means to torment and vex his own soul; and therefore they avoyd the meditation of the danger of … sins, as their rack and engine of unsufferable vexation, and that upon a double ground; partly, that they might not be crossed in their sensual …, but that they might have elbow room and go on with ease in their ungodly lusts, wheras the consideration of the danger of our finful …, damps & dashes mens delights, deads mens endeavors, and hearts, knocks off their wheels that they draw heavily, spoyls al the sport as we say, and deprives them of the pleasures they did expect. Therefore it is a rule of …, Amos. 6. 3. 4. 5. they put far away the evil day, and then … the seat of violence to draw near, &c. q. …. the thoughts of that would spoyl the other. Partly, it ariseth from hence, the privy guilt of their own Consciences makes their hearts misgive them; The number of their abominations is so great, the nature so hainous, the plagues so direful and dreadful which attend upon them as their due that they are afrayd to view, the ugly visage of their sins, or to take a right seantling of the dreadful plagues they must expect, and therefore study to forget both, that they may not be tyred with either, as bankerupts are loth to view their account books when they cannot pay their debts, they would not remember what they are not able to satisfy.

To these men I would say two things. 1. By way of terror to awaken them. 2. By way of advice to counsel them.

Let them know their folly. When they would avoyd 1their miserie they take the only way to encrease it. They keep in the fire, and make it flame more; dam the stream and cause it to swel over the banks; while they defer … accounts they encrease the debt and the danger also. You wil not see your sins, you shal see them, p. 226you wil not see them here by the light of the word for your Humiliation, you shal see them by the flames of Hell fire, and there be forced to read over al your wretchedness for your everlasting ruin; you would not have your hearts break for them while there was hope to be cased, you shal burn in the … pit when you wil be beyond hope ever to be recovered. Thou wouldest forget them, and cast them behind thy back: know assuredly thy distempers wil meet thee like an armed …, … wil mind thee of them, These things thou … done, and set them in order before thee and tear thee in pieces when there wil be none to deliver thee, Psal. 50. 21. 22. Then thou wilt curse thy self and thy …, and wish, oh that I had hearkened, oh … … had ….

Let this counsel be acceptable to such. sear to commit 2sin but never be afrayd to see it, and … the vileness of it to the ful, and the worse they appear to thy apprehension, the better and more … thy condition and estate is. A … and … knowledg of a disease is the ready means to cure it. Do thou remember them, God wil forget them; … them be in thy … and the Lord wil cast them out of his, and … away his face from thy sins, when thou … turn thy mind and thoughts to a through … and … of them Jerem. 31. 18. 19. 20. … have heard … bemoaning himself &c. I will surely have mercy upon him saith the ….

Another sort though they give allowance and approbation 2to the duty propounded, yet … … many … to plead, why either (as their case stands) they may be … or dispensed with all in the neglect of it; 1 Here then comes into scanning and consideration the hinderances the men plead which may excuse the omission of the Duty. 2. The wayes and helps how to remove them, which go hand in hand. We … handle both together, namely the causes and the cure of this neglect.

p. 227The first and main hindrance whereby men are takenHindrance, 1. off from this so spiritual a service, is a conceit that goes current in the world that its matter only of indifferency this daily meditation; and so left by God himself and therefore we should not exact more than the Lord requires, and so lay burdens upon men, when we would profess we cal for obedience at their hands; and therefore we should not impose a needless necessity upon men but leave it to their Christian liberty, he that can receive it let him, (as our Saviour in another case) he that doth not, cannot be blamed. You have the cause, attend now the cure; you see the hindrance, consider the help, that … rémove this stone out of the way.

1. Know then, It was the profession of the Prophet…. David that he would take up this service Psal. 119. 15. I will meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy wayes, vers. 23. Princes did sit and speak against me but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes again … 48. I wil meditate in thy statutes. And he doth not this as a special conveniencie nor yet as a peculiar duty proper to him, but upon such grounds as belong to al, and therefore wil cal for it of al; vers. 97. Oh how I lovethy Law, it is my meditation al the day. Thou wilt not deny but thou art bound to love the Law of God, and then certainly if that cause be there, this effect wil of necessity follow. Nay its the guise of al the Saints Psal. 1. 1. 2 its as necessary as not to sit in the seat, walk in the counsells, and stand in the way of sinners, so necessary is it to meditate in the Law of God, and that to have thy set meals, thy appointed times and turns for meditation.

2. The want of this is given as the cause why men are carryed head long to the Practice of loathsom evils. …. 44. 19. No man considereth in his heart. Jer. 8. 6. I … and heard, but they spak not … No man sayes with himself what have I done? the p. 228want of this hastens the righteous judgments of the Lord Psal. 28. 5. because they regard not the operation of his hands, therefore he will destroy them and not build them up.

3. The use of this affects and fits the heart to the duties that are to be discharged. It's a preparative to many daily perfourmances in our Christian course, it quickens the holy dispensations of the soul, chargeth it with confessions and petitions feasonable and savory that they may be delivered with feeling and affections when the heart is boyling of a good matter, Psal. 45. 1. So Psal. 102. 1. I will pour out my meditation that is his prayer; meditation was the mint or Anvil uponwhich our prayers should be made. And therefore Divines refer it to the third Commandment as that which is an Harbenger to al holy duties we do to God, stirring up the faculties of the whol man, to that reverend attendance which becomes the majesty of the Almighty, Eccles. 5. 1. and the advice of the wise man is to look to our feet, as in the publick so in private also.

As by way of preparation it fits for spiritual services 3before we do them, so it confirms and settles the good of them unto our souls when they are done then shal your profiting appear, if you meditate upon these things 1 Tim. 3. 15. Sermons wil not profit though we hear and that attentively. Sacraments wil not profit, conference, reading wil not profit, though we studiously for the present turn & bestow our selves therupon, unless we meditate afterward. As exercise before meat to stir up the stomach to receive meat, So digestion after meat, if we hope to have any strength, meditation is both, it stirs up the affection to the duty, and then digests the good and sap of the service and turns it into good blood. Tuum illud est quod Meditatio facit ….

Secondly. Men complain they have no time, occasions Hind. 2.so many, buisines crouds in so with such multitudes p. 229our minds, and heads, and hearts, and thoughts are so taken up, one crouds out another, we have no time.

I Answer, 1. Hast thou no time to repent, and to breakAnsw. thy heart for sin? no time to fit and quicken thy Spirit to Service? no time to profit by al the Spiritual means? Then have no time to be saved, to maintain the comfort and peace of thy Conscience.

2. Must God only be loser, and his Worship go to the wal? must he only be crouded out of our minds, and heads, and hearts? how unreasonable is this?

3. Redeem the time, Eph. 5. 16. Pluck some opportunity, and rescue it from meat, and sleep, and company, and recreation, Psal. 119. 148. I prevent the morning watches that I might meditate in thy Statutes: he had as many imployments as thou, being a King, and yet he did attend this Duty; so mayest thou, and so shouldest thou.

4. I desire no more time to this Duty in the day, than each day thou squandrest and spendest away unprofitably: and let any man observe his own course, and record but his expence, and that needlesly of his time, he wil say, thus much I spent vainly here, and thus much there, and why might not that have been spent in meditation for the helping forward of the Work of God in my soul?

The great Complaint is, The unsteadiness of their Hind. 3.… thoughts, which (as they conceive) … from some kind of natural …, whereby they are wholly disenabled in their own apprehension, and common experience, to keep their minds to any set imployment and exercise in this so serious a work of Meditation, they are so off and on upon every occasion, a … and wandring frame of Imagination, that cannot dwel upon a thing; nay, though they resolve it sadly, withdraw themselves from al other occasions into their private Closets, and there retire and set themselves on p. 230purpose about this business, as being convinced it is so needful, and being perswaded it would be so profitable to them, yet immediately they are taken off, they are gone from their task, when they had begun now to bestow their attention upon the Duty; that look what a shaking palsey is to the head, there is no stilling of it, while a man lives it wil follow him; so this shattering and giddiness of our minds, unsettles us when we would be most serious, and doth accompany us in every retired corner, and that upon every turn, as a disease and distemper of our natural apprehension; and it seems there is an impossibility to reform this feebleness, and therefore we hope we may be excused if we cannot perform this service, which is so necessary, and which we also endeavor, but as al men may see, we cannot accomplish.

I Answer,Answ.

1 Generally.

2 Particularly.

Be it, that this shaking Palsey, this Vertigo and giddiness of Spirit, be a disease which hath seized upon the faculty of the Understanding as an haereditary Curse, which comes from the sin of Adam, and is communicated more or less to al his Seed. Thou shouldest labor to look at it as a sickness, and therefore not to maintain a disease, but seek a Remedy how thou maiest be recovered out of it. Thy understanding is ful of blindness; and ignorance naturally is one part of the image that was imprinted upon thee by the nature of thy first Parents received; thou wouldest not therefore plead for thy ignorance, and sit down wel satisfied with it, but be more studious to amend it, and seek to Heaven, and be studious and painful in the use of al means that thou mayest be healed and cured of it: So do here; take this giddiness of mind, as a fruit of the forbidden tree, as a curse of that carelessness and non-attendance which surprized our first Parents, whereby they slipped aside from under the stream of Gods Providence and blessing, p. 231and so undid themselves and al their Posterity; only see the evil of it, and seek to be freed and delivered therefrom.

Several things I would suggest here by way of help.

See what is the breeding and the seeding root, the next and immediate cause of this fickle and unsteady roving of thy mind, and redress that, and the Cure will follow, and the cause will be most easily thus discovered, and so also removed.

Observe whether those wandring thoughts that are … and roving in a restless manner from one thing to another, like your fluttering Butterflies which fall upon many Herbs, but … and draw out Honey from none: observe I say, whether those unsteady thoughts pass upon the multitude and variety of things, which have no cohaerence one with another, no dependance one upon another, but here and there, and every where, as your vagrant beggars that have no settled abode: or else observe, though a mans thoughts be full of variety and uncertainty, stragling here and there, and compassing many coasts to and again, yet for the issue, they border and Butt for the most part upon some one subject, or aim at one thing mainly, though Spannel-like they coast up and down, and cross al waies, and meet with multitudes in their course, yet their game is that which at last they look at. So here.

If the … and … of thy imaginations be 1of the first kind, it issues meerly out of the frothiness and emptiness of thy understanding, and the wound lies in the vanity of that faculty: As it is with a Boat or Barque that is put to Sea, if neither fraught nor ballast, every wave tosseth it too and again, the least breez of wind that blows, almost overturns it, because it's empty, wants …, and … must needs … …. So here, when the Understanding is not … … the blessed Truths of God, is … fraught … … with the Wisdom, and …, and Comfort of the p. 232Word, by which it should both receive light and ability to stere our Christian Course according to the stability and … of the Rule, it floats up and down with sroathy and foolish apprehensions.

The Cure then is here plain; If thy wandrings come from this cause, store thy understanding with the Heavenly Truths of the Lord, let thy mind be furnished and sraught with the rich and precious Promises, Commands, and Comforts of the Word; let them be ballasted with these, and they wil make thy thoughts steady and setled in thy constant and dayly imployments: Thus the Apostle, …. 4. 14. when he perswades, … they be no more children carried up and down with every wind of Doctrine; and those are nothing but the devices and conceits of men, the sleight of mens brains; he adds verse 15. Truth in Love: so the word, attend thou the Truth, and have thy mind taken up with that, and possessed by the power thereof: this wil make a man steady and unmovable, that nothing may take him aside. Therefore David makes that Cohaerence, as though the one would undoubtedly bring in the other: I hate vain thoughts; how did he attain that? Thy Law do I love, Psal. 119. 113. It's the Physitians direction for the state of our bodies; the best way tofence the stomach against wind, and the head against lightness, which comes by that, is to feed heartily, and make a ful meal of that which is cordial and nourishing, nothing better to expel wind, and preserve against it. So it is in the state of thy soul, To preserve our minds from windy and vain imaginations, is to have our understandings fully taken up with the blessed Truths of God as our dayly and appointed food.

If thy wandring thoughts be of the second kind; such 2as be ranging up and down upon the variety of many Objects, yet in the end they ever border upon the … thing, It's then certain, the wound lies in the affection firstly. Some affection or other, either of love, fear, p. 233sorrow, hatred, is inordinate and violent, and that transports a mans apprehensions and thoughts, to … after it, and to send post from one coast to another quarter, to lay out themselves in what ever special occasions shal present themselves that … … satisfaction. As for instance, when the covetous … … forced and constrained by Comcience to … … in a serious Meditation about his own estate; … … sooner retired into his Closer to attend that work, … forthwith his affections present some earthly object, starts somthing which concerns the benefit of his outward estate, as one while may be the hazard of a debt, that he is now like to lose, his debtors estate growing low, and he behind hand, and that he persues as a … for the while; when he hath run himself out of breath there, and gone as far as … can, anon … starts a fresh Hare, a bargain that … of late … him, and he conceives there may be a booty in that, that he also follows with much eagerness, laies out his … to the utmost, how he may contrive … … it according to his desire: No sooner is he off from …, but then sends post hast to his Lot, and Harvest, there he is casting … how to order al to advantage. Here are now roving imaginations that range over hedg and ditch in much variety, but stil they aim at the same thing, border all together upon earthly contentments, and how to compass them, they do centre there stil; therefore it's an Argument undeniable, the unsteadiness of thy thoughts arose from this distempered Affection. The like I may say of the unclean person, whose affections are fastened upon his lusts, he sends his thoughts far and wide how to prevent what he fears, how to bring about what he desires; one while he looks at the … that some did unto him, that stood in his light, and crossed him in his intended course and match, his mind wholly taken up with the consideration of the greatness of the wrong that hath been done him, busied with diligent search and enquiry how to p. 234prevent their proceedings, how to repay them in their own coyn, and to deal harshly with them, because they dealt subtilly or unkindly with him. Another while he is suiting himself … al conveniency that either means or friends can make, purchasing such outward comforts, and that with … pains, and dividing cares, because he knows such outward … of wealth, and state, and lands, wil be very advantagious to accomplish his own ends. Here be variety of thoughts, which fetch a compass far and wide about many particulars; yet they aim al at this, how to satisfie his sensual desires, therefore the wound was there. The …, because the Channel is narrow, and the wind somwhat scant, he toucheth in many places, tacks about, and fetcheth many points, but stil because it's to attain the Haven; therfore each man in reason concludes, that was the cause that invited him to al that variety in his course. It's so in the carriage of the soul; the cause why a man fetcheth such a compass, and tacks about in his own contrivements; now this, now that; one while one way, another while this or that presented and pursued busily; yet in the issue we land al our thoughts, and look at the last how to bring in content to such a lust: It's certain the vanity of that lust occasioned and drew the vanity of thy thoughts after it.

The Cause being thus conceived, the Cure is fair andThe cure 1. easie to comprehend; namely, Cure these inordinate and raging lusts, and thence wil follow a stil and quiet composure of mind; purge the stomach if it be foul, and that wil ease the pain of wind in the Head, because that is caused by the fumes that arise from thence. Take off the plummet, or lessen but the weight of it, the minutes though they hurried never so fast before, yet wil not move at all, or at least very slowly and quietly. So here, take off the poyse of the affections, purge away these noysom lusts which carry and command the head, and send up dunghil steams which distemper the mind, p. 235and disturb it, and those windy imaginations wil cease, and those thoughts of the mind like the minutes, either wil not move, or move in order and manner as may help and not hinder. Here the great skil and care ought to be to labor the clensing and sanctification of such affections which are most tainted, and where the vein and fourse of original corruption, either through custom, or constitution, or company, hath vented it self most usually, and so hath taken up the soul, and gained, and so exercised greater power over it. For as in bruised or weak parts, all the humors run thither, so commonly this corruption is the link and drain of the soul, all distempered thoughts, and other inferior lusts, empty themselves, and become Servants unto this. If once the affections had gained such a tast and rellish of the sweetness that is in Christ, and his Truth, that al these baggage and inferior things here below seemed sapless, and that the heart were endeared to him & his Truth, and carried strongly … both this would carry the thoughts vehemently, & keep them so strongly to both, that they would be so far from wandring away from Christ, that they would not be taken from bestowing the strength of their intentions about him, Psal. 119 97. Oh how I love thy Law, it is my Meditation … the day; verse 93. I will never forget thy Precepts, for thereby thou hast quickened me; ver. 23. Princes sate and spake against me, but thy servant did meditate in thy Statutes. In reason he would have conceived it … … time for him to bethink himself how to prevent their fury, & it would cost him sad thoughts of heart how to provide for his … and safty; no truly, Thy servant did meditate in thy law.

Possess thy heart with an … consideration, and a 2holy dread of the glorious presence of the Almigbty, who sees and pondereth all thy paths, and therefore wil take an account, and that strictly, of all the outstrainings of thy thoughts when thou comest to give attendance upon him, and to draw neer into his presence, in some peculiar p. 236and … Service: There is a kind of heedless wantonness which like a Canker breeds in our Atheistical dispositions, whereby we see not the Rule that should guide us, we lay aside also the consideration of that power that doth rule us, and wil bring us to judgment, and so missing the guide that should shew us the path, and the power that should awe us, and constrain us to keep the rode, a mans mind powrs out it self to every vanity that next offers it self unto its view. Whereas were we aware of his presence, and awed with it, it would cause us to eye him, and attend him in his way and work, wherein he commands us to walk with him. As it is with trewantly Schollers who are sporting and gaming out of their place, and from any serious attendance upon their books, when nothing wil stil them, and force them to their studies, as soon as ever there is but the least inkling of the Master, or any eye they can cast upon his approach, they are all as stil as may be, repair … to their place, fal close, and set their minds to their work; O Master, Master, our Master is yonder; there follows stilness and attendance presently. Our trewantly and wanton minds are of this temper, we are apt to straggle out of our places, or from giving attendance … those special Services which the Lord cals for at our hands, and to lay out themselves upon things that are not pertinent, and further than we are awed with the apprehension of Gods sight and presence, who cals for the dayly attendance of our thoughts when we draw neer unto him, doth see and observe our carelessness, and wil proceed in Judgment, and … punishment upon us for it, it's scant … to hold the bent of our thoughts awfully to the business we have in hand. It was the Curse which attended Jonah when he departed away from the … of the Lord, and from following his Command, he followed lying vamues, Jonah, 2. 8. And it's … peculiar plague which is appointed in the way of Providence, and the Lords p. 237righteous proceedings to. befal al who bestow not their hearts upon him, Eph. 4. 21. They walk in … … of their minds; and the reason is …, they are strangers from the life of God. When our thoughts start aside from under the Government of Gods Wisdom, the Rule of Truth and stability, they wander up and down in the waies of error and vanity, and find no end or measure, follow vanity, and become vain, nor can they attain any stability before they return thither. As your vagabond beggars, and vagrant persons in the Country from whence we came, there is no possibility to fasten them to any imployment, or settle them in any place before they come under the eye of Authority, and power of the Magistrate. So fares it with our vagabond and vagrant thoughts; further than they are under the eye of God, and awed with his presence, it's not possible to stop them from the pursuit of vanity, or confine them to setled consideration of that which … our duty and comfort. The Rule is one, like it … accompanied with stability and rest; if once we go astray from that, there is neither end nor quiet in error, but restlessness and emptiness. The Sea, while it keeps the Channel, the course is known, and the Marriners can tel how to advantage their …; but if once it exceeds the banks, no man can tel whither it wil go, or where it wil stay. Our imaginations are like the vast Sea, while we eye the Rule, and are ordered by the Authority of it, we know our compass; but once go off, and we know not whither we shal go, or where we shal stay.

Be watchfully careful to observe the first wandrings 3and out-strayings of thy thoughts, how they first go off from the attendance to the work in hand, and look off from the matter, thou settest thy self to meditate in … immediately recal them back, bring them to their task again, and set them about their intended …. If … they fly out and follow fresh occasions that … or a mans corruptions shal suggest take them at the first p. 236duplicate page p. 237duplicate page p. 231turn and often again settle them upon the service, until at last by constant custom our mind and thoughts wil buckle handsomly to their business, after they be kept in by a daily care; I have heard Hunts-men say when they have young dogs, raw and that hath not been entred nor accquainted with their sport, if a fresh … come in view, or some other unexpected prey cross them in their way, they forsake the old sent and follow that which is in their eye, but their manner is to … at them off, and cal them away from that, and then to bring them to the place where they left their former pursuit, and there set them to find the sent afresh, until at last being often checked and constantly trayned up they wil take and attend the first game, so here, with our wandring minds which are not trayned up to this work of meditation, if they begin to fly off and follow a new occasion, suffer not thy thoughts to range, but bring your mind back again, and set it upon the former service, and then by thy constant care and Gods blessing thy mind wil fal in sweetly and go away with the work, or as men use to do with some kind of wand that is warped & bent somwhat much one way, they bend it a little, at the first & there hold it. Bend it & hold it, at last it comes fully to the fashion they desire it. So here often bend and hold thy mind bent to the work in hand, Heb. 2. 1. let us give earnest heed to the things wee have heard; our roving thoughts are like riven vessels, if the parts be not glewed and the breaches brought together again by strong hand, they wil leak out, so here &c.

The fourth Hindrance which is here pretended is their Hindrance 4.unskilfulness and unhandiness to this service, which many even Consciencious Christians in the bitterness of their souls complain off, as that which wholy … and discourageth them to the work. They say, that … of the truth, and the dictates of their own Conscience doth give in ful evidence and undeniable, that they should attend the duty, & in obedience to Gods Command they set about the work, but at the very entrance p. 239they are at an utter loss, at a period in their own thoughts, at a stand within themselves, and cannot stir a … forward. They want materials one while upon which they should spend their thoughts, another while they want skil, after what manner to exercise their apprehensions about it that they might do good on it, In a word their weakness they find to be so great and the service to be so strange and hard to them, that they cannot but conceive it to be impossible to them, ever to attain the skil, and to what purpose is it to endeavour it if they cannot attain it?

I answer what need any further argument than thine ownAnsw. words, to constrain thee to the duty now discovered? the more unskilful thou art, the more need thou hast to learn; the greater the weight and worth of the duty, the greater diligence in reason thou shouldest use in … attendance thereunto. There is neither weaknes nor want of power, nor skil in God to do thee good, what ever weaknes, or want thou findest in thy self, and if thou need much, as he hath much in his hand so he wil give abundantly to satisfy thy desire and to fit thee for the perfourmance; others have attained it, why mayest not thou receive it? he hath bestowed it upon others why mayest not thou expect it? Wisdom gives subtilty to the simple, and sharpnes to the Ideot. Prov. 1. 4. thy dullness and heaviness should encrease thy diligence and and endeavor and not discourage thee when the tool is dull men … to more strength, Eccles. 10. 10. every thing must have a beginning, while wee are endeavoring, God is blessing, if we never set about a work we shal never compass it, thou wilt not expect the child should know a trade before he learn it, and art wel content the child see seaven years over his head, before thou lookest to see him attain any perfection; And in the greatest works and where we have leaft ability, why should we think to attayn any dexterity without long endeavor; and this adds to our encouragement, its the season and p. 240time wherein the Lord hath promised much of his spirit and presence, and therefore we may look for it, The weak shal be as David Zach. 12. 8. David we know was eminent and marvailous … in this service, thou … weak and foolish and feeble, be it so yet thou hast a promise, thou mayest be as David; who made David so skilful? why the same God lives stil, who is alsufficient and therefore can, who hath promised and therefore wil help thee also.

A word of caution. Hence loose company is a deadly Use 2.enemy and hindrance to the conversion of a sinner. that which doth exceedingly prejudice the work of Meditation, and so of brokenness of heart, that hinders the work of Conversion for that is the way thereunto. But there is no greater hindrance to be found on Earth to holy Meditation than froathy Company and Companions, while a man is in the croud amongst such wretches there is no possibility in reason that one should search his own heart and examine his own way, take any account by serious consideration what his course hath been or what his condition is, there is little hope of any possibility that ever the word should settle upon the soul or stay with the sinner in the evidence or prevailing power of it, or that the mind or heart of a poor creature should settle upon that, suck out the sap and virtue of it and continu under the stroke and authority of it while he continues with such varlets, which like the greedy fowl of the ayr, pick out the seed of the word out of the minds of such with whom they do converse, and stop the passage as it were with their prejudices they cast against man and message, that they may never attend it, or if yet they talk with it as a passenger, yet never entertain it as an in-dweller to continue with them. And therfore they act the part not of Gods Ministers or such as would be helpers to the spiritual good of others, but the part of Satans factors, when God is pleased to parly with a sinner, and to speak terror to his Conscience out p. 241of the word that they may be troubled and tumbled and so find rest at the day of Christ. These Quack-salvers send the distressed sinner to sports, pastimes and recreations, and merry Company, that they take up their thoughts and take off their minds from attending to their sins or the truth, that is, take off the Slave that should cure them, spil the Physick that should heal their maladies; thus they ease their terrors for the while that they may increase their torment forever; accursed comforters, or rather they take up the Devils name and Office Apollyon destroyers of the souls of men; therefore holy Peter gave that advise to these hearers; Save your selves from this crooked generation, q. d. your safety and their society cannot stand together, you must not continue with them, if you would have the power and comfort of the word continue with you; and therefore experience evidenceth God so disposeth ever in the dispensation of the work of his Grace either the sinner that is wounded wil shake off his wicked company, or els the counsel of the word and the worke of Gods spirit. Hence that of the Apostle Eph. 5. 14. Stand up from the dead and Christ shal give thee light. and 2 Cor. 6. 17. Come out from among them and be yee separate, and then I wil receive you, and walk among you, God wil not walk with you if you wil walk with the world, there is no coming into communion with Christ, unless we come out there. Christ tells his disciples John. 15. 19. I have chosen you out of the world.

Exhortation. We here see the way that the Lord hath Use 3.chalked out before us the means which in mercy and in way of his providence he hath provided & appointed to break our hearts, to bring us to his son and so to life. We are therfore to be exhorted to attend and follow the counsel of the Lord that we may expect and so receive his blessing; even with Consciencious diligence and studious endeavour to press on to the perfourmance of this service. some hapily never knew it, looked not at it as p. 242a labor or task that did … to them, let such now own it, and set about it with al … might, others it may be have been convinced of the duty, and have been forward in the practice of it in former times, and forced to it in the … of their distrels, but now are fallen back and grown wearish in their way, those are to be perswaded to proceed on with more chearfulness and speed, he that never knew the work let him now learn it. He that hath set about it in former times let him be for ever quickened and encouraged in it. Joyn al your counsels and resolutions you that are children and servants in the same family, members in the same assemblies, neighbours in the same place and plantation, and … upon each other to this holy course; Lam. 3. 40. Let us search and try our wayes and turn again unto the Lord. say so one to another, you that are privy to the wretchedness of your own hearts and lives, we complain and that justly of a giddy slightness of spirit, we meet with many stroks of the word, stirrings and recoylings of spirit, our hearts misgive us, many checks of Conscience, and motives (we think) of the holy Ghost cast into our minds but nothing stayes with us, sticks upon us, they pass away insensibly, and leave no impression, no power behind them we wash away al: we cannot but see and wonder at the unreasonable hardness of our heart, and condemn our selves, who have had so many blows from Gods hand and they break not, so many dreadful threatnings we hear out of the word dayly able to shak the heart of a Divel, we stirr not, we are not affected therewith; our corruptions are hainous for their nature, many for their number, accompanied with direful plagues from the Lord, are daily before our eyes, have driven many to untimely deaths and so to Hel. We cannot but acknowledg al this and yet we be not touched with any saving remorse for them we have had al helps, and the Lord hath tried al conclusions upon us, and yet al in vain. Who knows but we p. 243have been negligent this ordinance, and therefore God hath cursed al others, we have not used this means as wel as others, and therefore we have got benefit by none, who knowes but the want of this hath hindred the success of al other that we have had and used in our times and places, Oh then recover our former carelesness, send our thoughts a far off and survey our former conversations, let us search and consider our own wayes who knows but the Lord may turn our hearts to him? Let us question our own souls and say to our selves what have we done? that it may be beyond question that God hath humbled, pardoned and accepted of us. What is the reason that one sinks under the sin that another never feels? It is with our sins as with our burdens he that sees a weight and it may be lifts at it, but if he never lay it upon his shoulder, or if it be layed, he never keeps it there but casts it off immediately, he wil never be touched or troubled with it, which another dies under as not able to endure, so it is here our sins and iniquities are a burden too heavy for any man to bear and not to break under them and they who are forced to feel the Least of them are compelled to confess as much; as the Devils and damned in Hel, the wicked in horror of Conscience my punishment is greater than can be endured. Others whom God abates of the execution of his displeasure for the present, these men look at them, and may lift at them a little by some sudden flashy and flitting apprehension, as they hear or read &c. But by Meditation to bind this burden upon their Consciences, that the heart cannot get from under it, they are not able to abide the weight of them, therefore wil not abide the thought of them; they … off, and cast away the burden, and so they never feel it, before the infinite Justice of the Lord seizeth upon their souls by everlasting discouragement. Better we set them in order before our eye & trouble our hearts with them than that the Lord should set them in order before us at the day of Judgment, and p. 244tear us in pieces when there shal be none to deliver us.

To help in this so hard a buisiness, let me speak something.

1. By way of provocation to stir you up to this work.

2. By way of direction to guid you in it.

To provoke your hearts thereunto take these considerations.

Let every man take it to himself as his own task, 1charge it upon his own soul, as a service which by unavoydable necessity, lyes upon him which he may not neglect. This wil awaken the soul to the work, say, it's my debt and I must pay it. It's my duty appertaining to me, and required at my hand, and I must discharge it: as I wil answer it at my peril at the day off accounts. Our lazy hearts if they can find any dispensation or exception they wil slip the collar and put off the perfourmance, cal therefore upon thy self as sometimes they upon Ezra, Arise thou sluggish and sloathful soul, the matter belongs unto thee, to me? you'l say, thats a likely matter indeed, I am a silly mayd, an ignorant youth, or an aged and decrepit creature, my memory and … worn out, I pray you have me excused, my place my ability suits not, my times and leasure in the multitude of … many occasions permit not, such and such who have abilities can, such who have leisure & opportunity may, such who have dexterity & skil in such performances, should indeed both own the duty & perform it but alas my place and abilites suit not, my time and leasure in the multitude of so many occasions permit not, therefore it cannot belong to me, yes to young ones and ignorant ones, it appertains to you, doth it not appertain to you to be Humbled, and to turn your feet to the testimonies of the Almighty? doth it not appertain to you to be blessed and to have your wayes made prosperous in which you walk? If you would come to Gods end you must attend Gods way, If you would attain a blessing and success from p. 245God, you must use the means appointed by him for good go your waies you poor creatures, commune with your own hearts, and set down this for an everlasting conclusion, Come, we can tel how to muse and plot about the pleasures of a sinful course, how we may commit them: Oh it appertains to us to meditate of the danger of our wicked waies, how we may resorm them, and avoid it; we can tel how to muse upon the wayward perversneis of our own Spirits, that we may break the righteous Laws of God; let us consider the evil of our waies that we may turn our feet unto his Testimonies.