The Practical Sabbatarian, Chapter 15 – Chapter 16
CHAP. XV. What we muſt meditate upon, on the morning of the Lords day.
HAving thus drawn the portraicture, and given a deſcription of this duty of meditation, with the bleſſed appendices which do attend it, as its ſeaſons, advantages, &c. I now come to preſent ſuitable objects, for this duty to prey upon, and ſo to raiſe a little ſtock for meditation to trade with. And as to the Queries, (viz.) What we muſt meditate on in the ſpring and morning of the Sabbath? It is anſwered, Dies vitae noſtrae eſt dies paraſceves, in quo laboramus, et cum Chriſto patimur, ſuccedit dies quietis in ſepulchro, quem ſequitur dies reſurrectionis ad vitam. Ger.whatſoever is ſpiritual, any thing of a ſpiritual nature; we may meditate on the promiſes of God, the loves of Chriſt, the ſtrictneſs of the Law, the ſweetneſs of the Goſpel, on the filthineſs of Sin, on the vanity of the Creature, on the excellency of Grace; we may muſe, and fix our thoughts upon the eſtate of our ſouls, and of the fewneſs of them who ſhall be ſaved; ſo likewiſe upon Death or Judgement. As holy David, ſometimes he meditated on the works of God, ſometimes on the Word of God, and ſometimes on God himſelf. But I ſhall onelyonly open a double fountaine to feed our meditations Pſal. 143. 5. Pſal. 119. 148. Pſal. 63. 6.on the morning of the Sabbath, (Viz.)
1. Let us meditate on the God of the Sabbath.
2. On the Sabbath of God.
Theſe two ſuperlative objects, are like mount Hor, and mount Nebo, where Moſes and Aaron took their proſpects, Numb. 33. 38. Deut. 32. 49.before they were conveighed to the mountane of Spices: we Cant. 8. 14.will handle them diſtinctly; And
1. Let us meditate on the God of the Sabbath. Indeed this Divine and admirable object takes up the views and contemplations of holy Angels, and the inhabitants of glory, Mat. 18. 10.who ſpend eternity in beholding God face to face: But yet ſome glances we may have of this ſoveraign being by holy Cor. 13. 12.and ſpiritual meditation.
CHAP. XVI. God is moſt glorious in his eſſence and nature.
LEt us meditate on the eſſence of God. He is an infinite being, the fulneſs of Heaven, the mirrour of Angels, Exod. 15. 11. Creaſti nos domine propter te, et irrequietum eſt cor noſtrum, donec perveniat ad te. Auguſt.the delight of Saints; ſo glorious in himſelf, that he is onelyonly perfectly known by himſelf. God is an Ocean of goodneſs, a fountaine of life, a ſpring of grace, a father of mercies, mans center to which he muſt come, before he find quietation or reſt for his ſoul. He is ſo infinitely glorious, that he muſt be deſcribed by removing from him what he is not, rather then by aſſerting what he is. The eyes of Angels are too weak to behold him, and muſt make uſe of a vail alittle to remit De deo, diciſacilius poteſt, quid non ſit, quam quid ſit. Rivet.the beams of his glory. Our knowledge of him is onelyonly borrowed from his own diſcoveries. Let us then meditate on,
The everlaſtingneſs of his nature. He is the antient of dayes, He was before time was fledged, and had either wing Dan. 7. 9, 22. Pſal. 102. 28 Pſal. 29. 9. Rev. 4. 8. Rom. 16. 26. Iſa. 57. 15. Pſal. 90. 2,or feather; His duration admits neither of beginning or ending; God is the firſt and eternal being; He did ſhine in perfections before the foundations of the world were laid; He is from everlaſting to everlaſting, His Name is everlaſting God, Gen. 21. 33. His Armes are everlaſting arms; His Mercy is everlaſting mercy; He is the everlaſting Father, Iſa. 9. 6. His Strength is everlaſting ſtrength, Iſa. 26. 4. His Kindneſs Rex ſeculorum eſt proprium dei attributum. ſignificans quod deus eſt primum et aeternumens. Alap. Reſpondiſſe fertur Thales Mileſius interrogantibus quid ſit divinitas? foreign.is everlaſting kindneſs, Iſa. 54. 8. His heart was full of love, before man was created to be the object of it, nay, he had his delights in himſelf, before he had his darling Man to let out his love upon. The Prophet calls God an everlaſting light, Iſa. 60. 19, 20. which ſhews, there was no twilight before this illuſtrious and bright Sun. His years fail not, there is no faintneſs can ſeize upon his Nature, nay, his years cannot be numbred, Iſa. 36. 26. There can be no termination of his being. He inhabits Eternity, Iſa. 57. 15. there he alwayes dwelt. The World is but a latter production, to which he was pleaſed to give a being according to his good pleaſure.
Let us meditate on the Independency of his being. He ſubſiſts of himſelf, and all things leane on the arm of his power, and hang upon the good hand of his providence; He ſuſtains Acts 17. 28.the Angels; He ſupplies man not onelyonly with bread, but Pſal. 147. 9.with breath; He feeds the young Ravens, they ſeek their meat at his hand. God is the univerſal purveyor of the World; and He ſupports this beautiful fabrick, which elſe Pſal 104 29.would ſoon ſink into its primitive nothing, and he doth it by his own manutenency. Should God withdraw his fuſtentation, the whole Creation would faint and dye away; He is the great King which maintains the Univerſe; He preſerves Pſal. …6 9.the ſtranger; He relieves the fatherleſs and the widdow, as the Pſalmiſt ſpeaks; nay, all things here below are conſtant ſtipendaries to this infinite God.
Let us meditate▪ on the variety of his Excellencies. He is excellent in Greatneſs, He can wound the hairy ſcalp of the ſinner, and break him in pieces as a potters veſſel; His Exod. 15. 7, Pſal. 63. 21.Sword is called the ſword of his Excellency, Deut. 33. 29. as that weapon which can pierce the heart of his Enemies; His loving kindneſs is radiant with Glory and Excellency; How glorious and excellent is his mercy to draw ſinners out of the duſt, and ſeat them with Angels in eternal glory: And God is not onelyonly excellent in loving, but he is ſo in Exod. 14. 22.working; He can bring mighty things to paſs, keep the water D…n. 3. 25.from drowning, the fire from burning, the Lions from D…n. 6. 22.devouring, the Sun from poſting; His works are glorious in Jo…h. 10. 13.excellency. In a word, whatſoever is excellent is originally Iſa 28. 29.ſeated in God, and the creatures excellency is but a drop from this Ocean, a ray from this glorious Sun. If God put on Pſal. 93. 1.his Attire, he cloaths himſelf with Majeſty, his inward Pſal. 104. 1.garment is Strength, his outward wear is Honour; the Sun beams are ſhades, compared to the glittering of his apparel.
Let us meditate on the luſter of his appearances. When God diſcovers himſelf, Angels cannot look upon him, they are dazled with that overcoming ſight, and poor Man is frighted Iſa. 6. 5.into deſpair, Iſa. 6. 5. And ſo Manoah ſaid to his Wife, Pſal. 68. 9.We ſhall ſurely dye, becauſe we have ſeen God. If God appears Judg. 13. 22.in his Glory, Mount Sinai ſmoaks and flames, as if it was turned into an Aetna or Veſuvius, thoſe Mountains of Sicily Heu mihi! perii, occidi, defeci ex conſterra tione tantae viſionis. Alap.and Campania, which continually diſgorge themſelves in ſmoak and fire. If God caſt an eye upon the Earth, it trembles, if he but touch the mountains they ſmoak, Pſal. 144. 32. Nay, if God wrap himſelf up in a Cloud, that dark appearance Exod. 19. 18.pearance is ſo full of Glory, that the people keep at a diſtance, Terra dicitur ſiluiſſe conſpectu Alexandri pavore concuſſa, nec reſiſtere auſa eſt.and the Prieſts dare not make any near approach, 2 Chron. 5. 13, 14. The moſt refracted manifeſtation of God aſtoniſheth, and ſtrikes man into a conſternation. When God appears he muſt put on the mask of a cloud, or elſe poor duſt would unſoder, and fall before him. His appearance Exod. 3. 5. Exod. 19. 18. Iſa. 2. 10, 19. Exod. 40. 34, 35. Exod. 16. 10. Iſa. 2. 10.in the buſh ſanctified the ground; His appearance on the Mount multiplyed the flame; His appearance to ſinfull Iſrael drives them into holes, and places of retirement. Iſa. 2. 10. How was Moſes raiſed with the dazling appearance of Gods back parts on Mount Sinai? Exod. 34. 6. And the Apoſtles raviſhed with Chriſts ſplendid and ſeraphick Exod. 34 6, 35. Mat. 17. 2, 3, 4, 5.appearance in the transfiguration? His glorious appearance in Heaven feeds the ſongs of Angels; His gracious appearance on earth to his poor waſting people fills their hearts with joy, and they are refreſhed and refined by it; And his powerful appearance in Hell fills the damn'd with horrour and deſpair, Job 37. 2. When God appears in Ordinances, Job 37. 22. Mat. 18. 20 Acts 2. 37. Pſal. 63. 5.thoſe very Ordinances become the Cordials of Grace, the Inſtruments of converſion, the Paradiſe of the ſoul, the fulfilling of a promiſe, the chariots of Chriſt to convey him to the believer, and the banes of the moſt headſtrong corruptions.
Let us meditate on the tender goodneſs of his mercies. His mercy is great in point of quantity; His mercy is numerous Gen. 19 19. Num. 14 19. Pſal. 5. 7.in point of multitude; God hath a large off-ſpring of love; His mercy is ſweet and ſoft in point of quality, Pſal. 103. 4. Sure mercy in point of perpetuity, Acts 13. 34. Sheltring mercy, where the believer may retire himſelf, in point of ſecurity, Ʋnus eſt dei filius, u…um verb…m …ed miſeria noſtra eſt multiplex non tantùm magnam miſericordiam, ſed et miſerationum quaerit multitudinem.Pſal. 13. 5. His mercy fills earth, Pſal. 119. 64. reacheth to the heavens, Pſal. 57. 10. Nay, it preſſeth into the Heavens, Pſal. 36. 5. Nay, it is ſo great, it gets above the Heavens, Pſal. 108. 4. And Mercy is not onelyonly an outward diſpenſation from God, but a ſweet diſpoſition in God, Nehem. 9. 17. It is a pearl in his Crown, it is a letter in his Name, Exod. 34. 6. and a great letter too; Nay, it is a beam of his glory; He delights to ſhew mercy; His mercy is not above all his attributes, that is impoſſible, for what is in God, is God, but it is above all his works, Pſal. 145. 9. Qui…quid eſt in deo, eſt deus. Pſal. 145. 9. Gen. 22. 17. 2 Chron. 33. 12.How ſweet was his mercy in multiplying Abraham's Seed; in knocking off Iſraels bonds; in ſanctifying Manaſſah's Fetters; in throwing Devils out of Mary Magdalen, and introducing himſelf in the room; in ſtopping Paul in the carier of his perſecution of the Saints, and deſtruction to Exod. …2 51. Luke 8. 2.himſelf: It was Mercy p…nned the Covenant of Grace, ſent an onelyonly Son into the world; and it is the ſame mercy which Acts 9. 4, 5. Deus non pater judiciorum aut ultionum dicitur, ſed Pater miſericordiarum non …dò quia Pater filicrum miſere… timentium ſo, ſed quod miſerendi cauſam et originem ſumat ex proprio. Bern.ſcatters Goſpel-light for mans direction to eternal life: Divine mercies are the brighteſt rayes to enlighten us, the ſweeteſt drops to ſoften us, the ſureſt forts to ſafe-guard us. The Hand of mercy giveth us the bonds of the promiſes; the Ear of mercy gives us an account of our prayers; the Tongue of mercy ſpeaks comfortably to us in our diſtreſſes; the Eye of mercy beholds and pities us in our falls and lapſes; the Heart of mercy yearns over us in our ſins and iniquities. A learned man obſerves, God in infinite mercy places our juſtification upon faith, not upon works, upon the ſtretching out of a hand, not the exact performance of a work; If God ſhould lay the ſtreſs upon accurate obedience, we ſhould aſſuredly fall ſhort of a Crown.
Let us meditate on the glory of his wonders. He is a wonder-working God; He can fetch water out of the Rock, Exod. 17. 6. Gen. 19. 24.ſend fire out of heaven, he can rain down Manna, and ſo Exod. 16. 4.furniſh the table with a ſhowre, and fetch proviſions, not 2 Kings 20. 10.from the Kitchin, but the Clouds; He can make the Sun Dan. 3. 25.run in a retrograde motion, and turn a flaming furnace into an arboret, a walk of ſafety and delight; He can fright Armies 2 Kings 7. 6.with a noyſe, they ſhall be diſcomfited by the weak 2 Kings 19. 7.ſound of a rumour; He can raiſe an hoſt of Caterpillers, Joel 2. 25.and Palmer worms, and they ſhall do execution, and overthrow his Enemies without Sword or Spear. Chriſt can Mark 6. …2. John 2 9.prepare bread without going to the meal in the Barrel, and provide wine without going to the ſtore in the wine Cellar, and his Command ſhall yield more then the Vine: And the wonders of God
Sometimes they are deſtructive; They ſtrangled the firſt-born of Aegypt, and waſhed away the Princelineſs and Glory Exod. 12. 29.of the Land of Ham, in the Red Sea. God miraculouſly ſtirred Exod. 14. 28. 2 Chro. 20. 2, 3.up the Inhabitants of Seir, to help forward the deſtruction one of another.
Sometimes Gods wonders are preſervative. The Mariners ſee Gods wonders in the deep; and the boiſterous Pſal. 104. 24.waves by Gods wonderfull power, are their Pillars, not their Dan. 6. 22.Perdition, they ſupport them, not ſwallow them up: Thus Deu… ſolus eſt qui …acit miracula, mult… enim ſunt ſtultis miracula, quae talia non ſunt ſapientibus. Aug.God wonderfully preſerved Daniel in the Lions Den, and thoſe beaſts of prey ſerved for his Guard, and not his execution, Gods wonders are ſometimes walls of fire to ſcorch and burn, and ſometimes walls of braſs to ſecure and defend: Sometimes God works wonderfully to ſhew his love and faithfulneſs, and ſometimes to ſhew his wrath and indignation.
Gods wonders are ſometimes declarative, they are the eſſay of his power before the eyes of the world; the Heavens take notice of them, Pſal. 89. 5. The children of men take notice Pſal. 89. 5. Job 9. 10. Pſal. 105. 5. Pſal. 77. 14, 15. Nehem. 9. 10, Joſh. 2 10. Pſal. 136. 4.of them, Job. 9. 10. Holy Job was a notary to ſet them down, and the ſweet ſinger of Iſrael an inſtrument to ſet them out, Pſal. 105. 5. And not onelyonly the children of Iſrael, Nehem. 9. 10. But the people of the Nations have taken notice of the wonders of the Lord, Joſh. 2. 10. and reſented them with aſtoniſhment and admiration.