Works
I Wish that the Confederacy of the wicked in sin, may provoke me to a league with the Israel of God, for a free trade and commerce in holiness. Shall they whose lusts are often contrary, and set them at variance, unite against God and his holy ways! and shall not we, whose graces are ever alike, and of a cementing nature, not join together for God and his Worship? Do they conspire to defile and destroy each others souls, as if vitiated nature did not lead them fast enough to sin, or as if they could not run singly quick enough to Hell! and shall not we encourage one another in the Worship of the living God, and provoke one another to love and to good works ? O how much do the servants of Satan by their conjunctions in evil, shame the Children of God for their backwardness in good. Their Master is the Prince of darkness, a cruel Tyrant, a roaring Lyon, that goeth about, seeking whom he may devour ; Their work is far worse then any Turkish slavery, its bondage to corruption • the service of unrighteousness ; the diversity and contrariety of their Lord's, their lusts tearing them as it were in pe •• es, for the promoting of their particular interests; Their wages is the vengeance of the eternal fire, the worm that never dieth, and the fire that never goeth out, after all their vassalage to their barbarous Masters, and hardships which they have been put to, in making provision for, and gratifying such opposite furies, they are recompensed with extremity, and eternity of torments; yet they can unite their hearts, and hands, and heads, for the advancement of so hellish a Lord, about the prosecution of so base and devilish a work, and to earn so miserable a reward; when the Soldiers of Christ, whose Captain is the Lord of Hosts, the most courteous and compassionate General, whose combats and contests which they are called to, are Noble and Heroic, and whose Crown and Garland will be beyond all comparison and apprehension, blessed and glorious, do rather fight against themselves, then against their enemies, or for their endless happine • ! Ah foolish Christians, who hath bewitched us ! May we not well blush that Satan should even out-boast the living God, in the unity of his Subjects, that the children of this world should be wiser in their generation then the children of light ! Alas, is it a time for Mariners to be quarreling, when their enemies are joined in discharging their Cannons against them, and the Bullets fly thick amongst them! Is it a time for Christians to be wrangling, when their Adversaries are united in a confederacy to destroy them all! Lord, thou hast promised that thy people, in the days of the Gospel, shall no more envy one another ; that the Wolf and the La • b shall feed together, and the Lion shall eat straw like the Bullock, and dust shall be the Serpents meat; that they shall not hurt nor destroy in all thy holy mountain. Thy dear Son, when leaving an ungrateful World, left Peace as one legacy to his Children, not only peace with thee, but also among themselves, thou knowest how much his heart was set upon it, when he begged so hard, so earnestly, so affectionately of thee this blessing, a little before he went to lay down the price of it; Let it please thee for thy Promise sake, to make all thine of one heart, and one way ; for because thou hast spoken it, therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer before thee this day. Let it please thee for thy Sons sake (whom thou hearest always) to take away all envyings and wrath, and emulation, and strife, out of the hearts of thy people, and heal thy Zion in its breaches, for thou seest it shaketh.
I Wish that the injury I do myself by unnecessary solitariness, may make me the more in love with good society; My God hath told me, Woe to him that is alone; David was alone, when Satan drew him to defile his Neighbors Wife. Whilst the Sheep flock together, they are safe, as being under the Shepherds eye; but if one stragle from the rest, its quickly a prey to the ravenous Wolf; Its no hard matter to rob that house that stands far from Neighbors. The cruel Pirate Satan, watcheth for those Vessels that sail without a convoy. The order is observable in the narration of Demas his Apostasy, Demas hath left us, and hath embraced this present World. He first left the Company of the faithful, and then openly denied the faith. Christian conference is a good help to perseverance ; but they that forsake the communion of Saints, will quickly disown the profession of sanctity. If Rabbits keep within the Pales amongst their fellows, there is Law to secure them against the violence of strangers; but if any wander from the Warren, they are a lawful prize for any man, and prey to any Dog. What an ill case is he in, that travelling in a dark night falls, and hath none to help him up; that wanders, and hath none to show him the right way; that is set upon by Thieves and Murderers, and hath none near him, to defend and secure him! Such is the condition of those that neglect the communion of Saints. Hence it is that our great and sworn enemy raiseth the dust of dissention and strife amongst Christians, to make them keep aloof from each other, knowing that much of their welfare and safety doth depend upon their keeping together; He knoweth its best fishing in troubled waters. O my soul! Now thou beholdest in these wicked days the high winds of divisions and passions amongst the Children of God, how ready they are to Martyr one another's names, and its to be feared to Murder one another's bodies, if infinite power did not over-rule and prevent it, thou mayst gather assuredly that Satan was the Conjurer to raise them. I have read of a Tree, that if some of the boughs of it be cast into a Ship, they cause a mutiny betwixt the Passengers and Mariners, to the ruin of both. Dost thou not think that Satan hath cast some such branches into the Vessel of the Church at this day, that instead of uniting their strength against him and his Kingdom, and instead of joining their power to improve every gale for their furtherance towards their blissful Haven, they might fall together by the ears, destroy one another, and save their enemies a labor! O that for the divisions of Zion I could have great searchings, great sorrows of heart ! Lord, thy Saints in the Primitive times, were famous for their love to each other. Their very enemies would with admiration cry out; See how the Christians love one another ! Thy Jerusalem heretofore was a City compact together, at unity within itself ; Why is it now divided, and the walls broken down, and the inhabitants all in all in an uproar, that all that go by waste it, and laugh at it, saying, Is this the beautiful City! Is this the Church of Christ! Aha! so would we have it. O look down from Heaven and pity mount Zion, where thou wast wont to dwell. Should thy children fall out by the way, to the gratifying thine enemies, dishonoring thy name, and wounding their own souls? Should the members of the same body, cut, and lance, and tear each other? Though Dogs and Wolves, the wicked of the world, tear out one another's bowels, yet the Sheep of Christ should live together in love. How long shall it be, before thou biddest (with a word of power) thy people return from pursuing their brethren? Shall the Sword devour forever? Thou knowest it will be bitterness in the end. For thy names sake unite the hearts of all thy chosen, not only by faith to thy dear Son, but also by unfeigned and forbearing love, each to other.
I Wish that my great coldness and backwardness to what is good, may invite me to associate with them who will warm and quicken me. How averse is my flesh to every work of Christianity? how weak is my spirit in their performance? how untowardly doth it enter upon them? how formally doth it go through with them? my carriage in them is wholly unsuitable to their weight and worth, and what need then do I stand in, of help from others? As in a material house the walls need support from the strong timber, and the timber needs even the nails and spikes to fasten it together: So in the Spiritual Temple, the weak Christians need the strong to support and uphold them, and the strong need the weak, if for nothing else, yet to call forth those gifts of counseling, and that grace of pity, and compassion which they owe to them. If the strongest want each other, that the eye, the most knowing Christian, cannot say to the hand, the most active, I have no need of thee ; much more do those that are weak want supply and support from others. Nature teacheth me this lesson; The weakest creatures amongst Fish, or Fowls, or Beasts, go usually in flocks and Companies. The Ivy and Vine, and Hop, not being able to bear up themselves, will by a natural instinct, • ling about the Tree, or Pole, or Hedge, or Wall that is near them. Were I but as sensible of my own weakness as I ought to be, I should both earnestly desire, and heartily accept the assistance of others. It is the Wisdom of my God, to let none of his Children have all things about them, or a sufficiency to live of themselves, without being beholden to their Neighbors; to invite and necessitate them to mutual commerce. Those that are very able to advise others, do yet in their own cases take advice from others. The Lawyer will not trust himself in a case of his own estate, nor the Physician in a distemper in his own body, but will both desire counsel and direction from their friends. A stander by doth many times see more then an actor, and is more fit to judge the action then the Agent. We are too near ourselves to see our own doings, and to be right in our judgments of ourselves; Those that stand at a due distance from us, see more clearly, and judge more truly. Self-love so blinds us, that we judge those diseases not unpleasing in ourselves, which we loath in others. O that I might be so affected both with my ignorance of the right way, and my proneness to allow myself in my wanderings, that I may make use of those Guides which free grace affordeth me. Lord, give me such sense of my unskillfulness in the wiles and devices of Satan, of the deceitfulness and desperate wickedness of my own heart, and of my inability to steer the vessel of my soul aright amongst those shelves, and sands, and storms, which I am sure to encounter that I may take up those Pilots which thou providest for me at every Port, and so at last arrive in safety at thy glorious City.
I Wish that I may watch myself amongst the godly, as well as amongst the wicked, lest Satan do me that injury by a friend, which he could not by an enemy ; David's familiar fri • nd conspired his ruin; the Son of David was betrayed with a kiss from his friend ; and though my charity to my friends, for • ids me to think them as bad as either, yet my charity to myself, commands me to stand upon my guard. Anglers for Fish, do frequently catch one fish with another, as the greater with the smaller. Sure I am, Satan is subtle enough to bait his hook with that which is most likely to take, and hath too often caught one Christian with another. The best friends are but men, and have flesh in them as well as Spirit; and what know I but the wicked one may tempt them to tempt me, as not ignorant of their prevalency over me! None was so likely to deceive the Prophet of the Lord, as the Old Prophet, that pretended a commission from the same power, and himself a Servant of the same Master. Who can so probably persuade me to a work of darkness, as he that is, or at least transforms himself into an Angel of light ! Besides, I am apt to be the more careless, when I am amongst (them that I judge) true Christians. In a crowd, where Cheats usually resort, and execute their hellish Trade, I look to my money; but when I am amongst them whom I suppose to be honest, I think that care needless, and so may the easier be deceived. Lord, thou hast commanded me to keep my heart with all diligence ; I acknowledge I have been too secure, when amongst thy Saints, as believing their work to be only to advance thine (not Satan's) interest, in the World. O give me to Consider that when the Sons of God gather together, Satan is also amongst them, and he is both policick and active to defile me, that he may destroy me; that I may even amongst them, watch and pray, and so not enter into temptation.
I Wish that I may never spend my precious time amongst Christians, as the Athenians (who never understood the worth of that commodity, used to waste it) only in telling and hearing of n • ws, but as Christ amongst his Disciples, in discoursing of things pertaining to the Kingdom of God. O what pity is it, that a thing of such infinite value should be spoiled and laid out to little purpose! I s • old befool him that should throw down pails of Bezerwater, to wash common sinks or gutturs, which would serve for such excellent use as to comfort our vitals, and to refresh and revive drooping and fainting Spirits; Who would not abhor that vanity of Nero, in shooing his Horses with precious gold, and causing that costly metal to be trampled underfoot in the dirt, which was worthy to be the materials of a Crown, for the highest • ead on earth! Am not I a greater fool then the former, and more vain then the latter, if I spend that time (which is infinitely more costly then gold or Bezer, as having relation to eternity ) wholly in worldly talk, which might be employed in declaring and admiring the boundless perfections of the blessed God, in furthering that curious work of grace, in my own and others souls, and in preparing us for our unchangeable bliss in the other World? My God hath not only a book of remembrance for every good word, but also a book of observance and account for every idle word. Lord, within a few days, I shall go the way that I shall not return ; thine Angel may say concerning me, That time shall be no more ; Thou wilt never trust me with another life, nor afford me another day of grace ; this is the only time that I shall have to provide against the coming of my Lord. Nay, whilst I live, thou mayst part me from thy people, and deny me that happy privilege of their society that I now enjoy; For the Lord's sake help me to work whilst it is day, and to walk whilst it is light, because the night is coming, wherein I can neither work nor walk.
I Wish that my tongue may never be so set on fire of Hell, as to speak evil of those that are the Heirs of Heaven. It were better for me to be sick and solitary in my bed, then to be censuring or reflecting upon the Lord's Servants. The Devils themselves (though for their own ends) could sometimes speak of righteous ones with a seeming awe and reverence. These men are the Servants of the most High God, and show unto us the way of salvation ; And shall I at any time, be worse then a Devil at sometimes ! Such impotency in my tongue would be too great a sign of impurity in my heart. Those that have a blemish in their eyes, judge the Sky to be ever cloudy. Caligula, who was a Monster of obscenity and uncleanness, thought there was never a chaste person in the World. It is usual with the wicked (measuring others by themselves) to judge all to be ungodly; They render others to be deformed, that their own faces might be esteemed the more fair. Or as the Lapwing, they hope by their false cries against the godly, to divert strangers from finding the nest of their own filthiness. They would have all good men thought to be evil, that themselves who are fullest of evil might be thought good ; But though the seed of the Serpent spit their poison against the seed of the woman, should I do so who am one of their brethren? How bad is that Bird that defileth its own nest ? How foolish, as well as sinful, is that Child that disgraceth and defameth his own Family ? If I speak evil of any of the Saints, I speak evil of myself, and of the Master whom they serve. Though Christ was not upon earth in Enochs days, yet he tells me that he will judge the slanderers of the Saints, as blasphemers of himself; Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his Saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince them of their hard speeches, which ungodly sinners have spoken against him, Jude, verse. 15. It is Satan's title, to be the accuser of the Brethren ; and my God calleth such men as are guilty of it, by no better name then Devils, 2 Tim. 3. 3. Tit. 3. 2. Would I be willing to resemble the Prince of darkness, or can I do it and escape punishment! O tis dangerous to abuse the King of Heavens Favorites ; Such Arrows of slander and censure, shot out of Satan's Bow by my hand against the Saints, would as a Shaft shot against a Stone, rebound upon me, and hurt not the Stone or Saint, but him that shot it; He that snuffeth a candle with his bare fingers, doth foul, if not burn his fingers, but makes the Candle to burn the more brightly ; If I censure the Children of God, I defile my own conscience, but do not make them the less glorious. O my soul • consider what thy God hath said, Cursed is he that smiteth his Neighbor secretly; And all the people shall say, Amen. Thou mayst smite thy Neighbor as really, and as dangerously with thy tongue, as with thy hand. The wages of both is a Curse from God, from all the People; Surely the breath of so many, would blow down the strongest person, the strongest dwelling ; Though the causeless curse shall not come, yet when God and Men both see cause for it, and say Amen to it, there is no way to avoid it. I may build upon my profession, as if that would secure me against such a stormy wind, but it will prove a rotten founda • ion. My God hath told me, What hast thou to do to take my Covenant in thy mouth; Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit; Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother, and slanderest thine own Mothers Son ; No pretence whatsoever can prevent my punishment; But I will reprove thee, and set thy sins in order before thee ; If God once undertake to reprove, it will be cutting, it will be killing. O let me tremble to think of tearing the names of any of God's people, lest my God tear me in pieces, when there is none to deliver me ! Psa. 50. 16, 17, 21, 22. How irrational as well as irreligious is it for me to spend my time in censuring others! If they be guilty of erring, they do but show themselves to be Men, not Angels ; Am I so foolish as to expect Heaven upon Earth, perfection in a polluted and polluting World! If I myself were without sin, then I might throw the first stone. The actions of the best are but a miscellay of good and evil. Moses himself, like the Pillar that conducted him, had his dark side. The cleanest Corn, even after threshing and winnowing, will have some soil in it. There is a tincture of corruption that stains all mankind ; Otherwise there are some graces that would rust for want of use, and be given in vain. What wise man will despise or deny a Mine to be Gold, because it hath some dross or bad earth with it? or will throw away a Beast, and say it is not good meat, because it hath guts and garbage in it? The Vermin of sin, may sometimes craul in a cleanly holy person, though they be not allowed there; One act will not prove an habit, nor a few bad actions a bad person. If every sin unsaint a man, Satan will challenge the whole race of mankind as his own peculiar. When I see the course rather good then evil, my charity commandeth me not to think the man other then a Christian; Besides, How frequent is it for the malicious world to lay down false reports of the Saints, and shall I be their Pedler to take them up, and cry their rotten deceitful wares up and down the Country? The Priest under the Law, was not to judge presently of the Plague of Leprosy, but to shut the person suspected up seven days, and then to view him, and if the case were not clear, to shut him up seven days more, and after that, seven days more, before he was condemned; and what is the Gospel of this, but to condemn rash censuring of any, much more of the godly? Hath not my God told me, He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is a folly and shame to him? Prov. 18. 13. Lord, thou understandeth what an unruly member my tongue is, how hard to be kept within the bounds of sobriety towards myself, or charity towards others. O be pleased to undertake for me, and keep thou the door of my lips. It is not good to speak evil of those whom I know bad ; but its much worse to speak evil of those who may prove good. Should I declare others failings upon certain knowledge, it showeth some want of charity, but should I publish their faults upon a bare supposition, it would argue a want of honesty. O let me rather err on the right hand, in my charitable thoughts of those that are bad, then on the left, in my censorious opinion of those that are good; For though he may be evil that speaks good of others upon knowledge, yet he can never be good himself, that speaks evil of others upon suspicion.
I Wish that I may be so far from speaking ill of them that are good, that I may rather be silent, then without a just cause and call speak ill of them that are evil. Though the wicked like Dogs, fall upon the Sheep of Christ with open mouth, and strive to bury their good names in the open Sepulcher of their wide throats; yet the Sheep of Christ do rather suffer their rage with patience, then render reviling for reviling. My God hath commanded me, to bless them that curse me, and to pray for them that despitefully use me ; and how contrary am I to his Precept, if I pay them in their own coin, and open my mouth in backbiting them, because they are forward to slander me? It is enough for them that have not a God to undertake their cause, and revenge their quarrels, to do it themselves. If I be one of Christ's members, he reckoneth all the wrongs offered to me, as done to himself, and he will one day vindicate his own honor and mine to the full, when the sinner shall answer for all his treasonable expressions, with Hell flames about his ears; The tongue that now is blistered with blasphemies against God and his people, at that day will be in a light flame, and beg in vain with Dives, for a little water to cool it. I may therefore be quiet in all such cases, and commit my cause to him that judgeth righteously. He that is robbed, may not seek for reparation from the Country, if the Felon at the Assizes be Convicted and Executed. I need not fear but the Judge of the whole earth, will at the general Assize, do justice upon those Thieves that steal away my credit and good name, and so in the mean time may well be contented. He that is sure of double interest hereafter, may with the more comfort forbear his money at present. Besides, by declaring his faults, only to fill up a void space of time, I injure both him and my self, whether my report be true or false ; if my report be false, I wrong him, by slandering and murdering his name undeservedly; and I wrong myself, by contracting the guilt of so great a sin: If the report be true, I walk contrary to God's come • mand, speak evil of no man, and so de • ile my own soul, and set him at a further distance from Religion, hardening his heart against any future reproof, as judging it to proceed from malice, and so I do what lieth in my power to destroy his soul. Besides all this, I may injure my hearers, and make them accessory to my sin. Lord, thou hast given me my tongue, that it might be a trumpet to sound thine honor, and that therewith I might speak good of thy name, and not to speak evil of others. O let my glory sing of thee, and not be silent; open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise ; but let me prefer an unprofitable silence, before sinful speaking; Help me to take heed to my ways; that I offend not with my tongue, and to keep my mouth with a bridle, that I 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 may not wander from thy Commandments.
I Wish that I may to the utmost of my power, be serviceable to the souls of my fellow-members. The members of the natural body, are not idle or unprofitable, but give and receive nourishment for the increase of the whole body; They do not seek themselves, or their particular interests apart, but the good of the whole, and their own profit in relation thereunto; Nay, the eye watcheth for all the members, and helpeth to adorn them, and not itself; the hands work to maintain and cover the whole, remaining themselves naked; Why should it not be thus in my Savior's mystical body? My God hath given me and others, graces and gifts for that purpose, and commanded me, Occupy till I come ; and should I suffer them to rust, for want of use, I should be found at last but an unprofitable servant. The several creatures, whether superior or inferior, do all instruct me by their patterns in this lesson of improving my talents, and forbid me to bury them in the grave of idleness. If I look up to the highest heavens, I may see with an eye of faith, those Sons of God, Angels, his diligent Servants and putting forth those abilities which they have received, both for the glory of their Creator, and the good of their fellow-creatures. Though they are the eldest house, and (compared with us) the first born of the creation, yet they do not as the eldest sons of some men, plead that privilege to patronage and cloak sloth and idleness; but as they have higher and more noble natures, so they are more active and industrious then others, as appears both by bearing their parts in the celestial quire, and in being ministering spirits for the good of them that are heirs of salvation. If I look to the natural Heavens, there with an eye of sense I may see the great Candle, and Luminary of the World, not folding up those rays and cherishing virtues which he hath received, but communicating them freely for the warming and refreshing terrestrial bodies, though he gains nothing by it, but is many times requited with the darkening his glory by earthly vapors. If I look lower, I may observe the earth even wasting and wearing out herself to nourish and enrich others; She hath received a power of fructifying, and giving sap to that which groweth upon her, and loe like a tender Nurse, how liberally doth she give that milk to all that hang on her breasts, though it tend to her own weakening? The various inanimate and irrational creatures, that are upon the earth are serviceable one to another in their places, and are in continual and regular motion to those ends for which they were designed. The most venomous creatures are useful, not only to their fellows of the same rank, but to man their Master. Nay, if I descend lower, and look into Hell, I may believe the Devils not to be idle and unprofitable to each other • but to conspire together in one, and to be at all times busy and stirring for the propagating of their poison; They go too and fro in the earth, seeking how they may dishonor the name of the glorious God, and destroy immortal souls. O my soul, what sayst thou to these patterns, to these presidents! Shall irrational creatures advantage others, and wilt thou monopolize all to thyself? Dost thou not see how they are all in their stations profitable to man, even to the worst of men? The Fish and Fowls, and some beasts feed him, the Sheep, and worms • and Bever clothe him, the Horse and Mule carry him; and wilt thou be worse then the Horse and Mule, which have no understanding ? Shall inanimate creatures be helpful to others, and wilt thou live only to thyself? The Fire consumes itself to warm others; the Candle destroyeth itself to enlighten others; Salt wasteth itself to season others; the Fountain sendeth forth its streams to refresh others; the Sun, Moon and Stars, exercise those powers with which they are endowed, to direct and enliven others; and shall these creatures which have neither reason nor sense, rise up in judgment to condemn thee? Do the best and highest of the creation count it no disparagement, but an honor and preferment, to serve the Spouse of Christ, and wilt thou shrink back, and not wait on her in thy place? Surely thou art dull indeed, if so many Masters cannot teach thee this lesson. Thou art blind to purpose, if thou dost not see thy duty, when its Printed in so large a Letter, in so many Volumes. Thou canst not open thine eyes, but thou beholdest this Precept, and that in the likeliest way of learning it, examples. Look upwards, the heavens are thy tutors, they are unwearied in their motion, for the good of the Universe; look downwards, and the Devils will teach thee not to jarr with thy fellows, but to uni • e with them, and endeavor their comfort; look inwards, and the parts of the body may be thy Master, they conjoin for the good of each other; the eye seeth, the ear heareth, the mouth eateth, the stomach digesteth, the hands work, the feet walk, for the welfare of the whole; look outwards, and the earth may be thy monitour, that is fruitful, not for its own, but others benefit; And art thou not ashamed to be barren? Lord, it is thy will, that as I have received the gift, even so I should minister to others as a good Stewa • d of the manifold grace of God ; Keep thy servant from ingrossing those spiritual riches to himself, which thou hast given him for the relief of thy poor. O let me never eat my morsels alone, but according to my estate, clothe thy naked ones, and feed the hungry with good things. When I was blind, thou didst send an Ananias to me, saying, Brother, the Lord Jesus, that great Physician, hath sent me unto thee, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the holy Ghost ; And immediately the scales fell from mine eyes, and I saw the things that concerned my peace; and shall not I pity others ignorance, and with meekness instruct them in the way of life! How dull was I of understanding? how slow to conceive and believe spiritual things? yet thou didst bear with me patiently, and didst give me Precept upon Precept, and line upon line. Why should not I bear with my fellows, since thou didst bear with one infinitely thine inferior! Thou hast enlivened me when I was dead; enlightened me, when I sat in darkness, and saw no light; supported me in my weaknesses, and supplied me in all my wants and necessities. O strengthen me, that since I am acquainted with the sweetness of thy love, and the greatness of thy power, I may communicate my experiences, and improve my gifts for the counseling, quickening and comforting of others.
I Wish that my God would so strengthen my back, that I may bear with patience the burdens of my brethren ; I know unkindnesses will happen between the nearest relations, and between the dearest friends. Whilst there is flesh in us, there will be failings and fallings out among us ; Till we come to that place where there is perfect purity, there can be no hope of perfect peace ; But how contrary am I to my God, if I do not forbear and forgive them that offend me? Am I better then God? I • unkindness to me, in any measure so heinous as unkindness to God? Their engagements to me, are nothing comparable to their engagements to God, and therefore the least wrong to God, is infinitely greater and more heinous, then the greatest that can be done to me; Yet my God winketh at the weaknesses, and passeth by the peevishness of his people; He seeth no iniquity in Jacob, nor transgression in Israel, though they offer daily affronts and disrespects to him, and that after their sorrow for former miscarriages, and promises of amendment, yet he doth not destroy, but is patient towards them; and shall not I be merciful, as my Heavenly Father is merciful ? Besides, I have offended God, much more then my Brother can offend me. I need not say, according to the Worldlings vain pleas and pretences, The injury is great, therefore I cannot pass it by. My offenses against my God, are of an higher nature, and a more bloody color ; yet I hope he forgiveth me. Or, This is not the first time, he hath often abused me thus ; How often have I sinned against my God! my sins are more then the hairs of my head, they are more then can be numbered, yet he forgiveth me freely and frequently, he multiplieth pardons, as I multiply transgressions; Or, But this is expressly contrary to his duty ; And is not my disobedience against God, contrary to that which I ought to do? is it not expressly against his dominion over me, and that Allegiance which I owe to him? Or, I am his Superior. Surely, God is mine much more; O the infinite distance that is between the boundless Majesty of Heaven; and a poor slimy worm • If the whole creation be nothing to him, what then am I to him! Or, But I will have nothing to do with him, I value not his favor, I live by him, not upon him. Doth thy God live upon thee? hath he any need of thee? is he any debtor to thee? wouldst thou be glad he should upon this reason say, He will have nothing to do with thee, to protect, or preserve, or pardon, or save thee, because he can live without thee ? When for all thy iniquities and offenses against him, and his sovereignty over thee, and independence on thee, he beareth with thee, and forbeareth thee, oughtest thou not to forbear and forgive others? Again, Thou mayst put this question to thyself, Have not I wronged others ? Doth not the righteous God now pay me in my own coin? May I not say, as Adonibezek, As I have done to others, so God hath requited me ? Nay, possibly others offend me ignorantly unawares, or through some violent temptation, but I have offended others knowingly, willfully, and upon weaker inducements. O what cause have I to forgive, who am so prone to offend! Lord, teach me to obey thy precept, in forbearing my brethren that offend me, and so to imitate that blessed pattern of thy Majesty, who art pleased daily to requite evil with good, that I may be able, comfortably to pray, Forgive me my trespasses, as I forgive them that trespass against me.
I Wish that I may, according to my poor ability, be helpful to the weak and tender members of Christ, by administering Cordials, suitable to their conditions. My duty is, not only to counsel the doubtful, but also to comfort the sorrowful; If I saw a body fainting and drooping, I were bound to afford it what assistance I could, and not to hide mine eyes from mine own flesh ; Doth not my Neighbors soul, as far more precious, call for more pity, and command my help to my power! If one Sheep be sick, many others will flock about him, and in an hot day, after their manner refresh him, by keeping the scorching Sun from him. The Sheep of Christ should have more sense of others misery, and more knowledge of the means relating to their recovery, and shall they be less diligent for others health? To him that is afflicted, pity should be shewn ; if I deny this, I forsake the fear of the Almighty ; How tender was my Redeemer of broken bones, and sorrowful Saints! When he arose from the dead, he appeared first to mournful Mary, and then takes special care that penitent Peter have speedy notice of that blessed news, Go tell my Disciples and Peter that I am risen. They that have smarted with inward wounds themselves, have the more reason to compassionate others in their sorrows; Lord, the time hath been, that thou didst cast me into the deep, into the midst of the Seas, thy Floods compassed me about, all thy Billows, and thy Waves passed over me; I roared by reason of the anguish of my Spirit, under the sense of thy wrath, and the curse of thy Law. The weight of my sins lay heavy upon my conscience, and I was even sinking under them into the bottomless pit. The sorrows of death compassed me about, the pains of Hell ga • hold of me, I found trouble and sorrow ; I knew not which way to turn, nor whither to go for any ease or relief; If I said, My Friends should help me, or my Possessions abate my grief, I soon found them all miserable comforters, and Physicians of no value ; If I said, My bed should comfort me, and my Couch ease my complaint, then thou didst scare me with Dreams, and terrify me with Visions. All the creatures were unable to afford me any succor; When I lay thus half dead, they all as the Priest and Levite passed by on the other side; they had neither pity enough for such dreadful wounds, nor power enough to work their cure; Then called I upon the Name of the Lord, O Lord, I beseech thee deliver my soul out of the belly of Hell, cried I unto thee, and • hou didst hear my voice; For thou hast delivered my Soul from Death, mine Eyes from Tears, and my Feet from falling. Thou wast the good Samaritan, that hadst compassion on me, that didst bind up my wounds, pouring in Oil and Wine, and undertake my cure; Thou didst send a Barnabas, a Son of Consolation to me, to proclaim liberty to me a poor captive, and the opening of the Prison to me that was bound. How beautiful were his feet, that brought the glad ridings of peace to my poor soul ? O that I might be able to support the weak, and comfort the feeble-minded, with the same comforts wherewith I myself have been comforted of God !
I Wish that I may be both faithful and wise, to recover a fallen Brother out of his sin and error; Jonathan, a true friend of David, promised to tell him if there were any danger, and accordingly warned him, whereby he saved his life. I profess myself a lover of my Christian Companions, but I am false in my profession, if I suffer sin to lie upon them. Yet I confess it is a difficult work to perform this duty in a right manner. The best plaster may be ineffectual, if it be not fitly applied; I can seldom with Moses seek to unit • quarrelling Christians, but one of them with the Hebrew, is ready to quarrel with me, and say, Who made thee a Ruler, or a Judge over us? Men are seldom more touchy then when their sores are searched; and therefore he that would not have their wounds to bring them into a Fever or Fury, must handle them with much wariness; I desire that Wisdom, Courage, and Love, may be the ingredients of which all my medicines may be compounded. Wisdom, that I may observe the quality and temper of the Offendour, the nature of his offense, and the sittest season and manner of administering the reproof; the quality of the person, if he be my Superior, that I may do it with reverence, rather exhorting and beseeching, the plainly rebuking; The temper of the offender; if he be of a fierce nature, that I may so manage my work with meekness, as when I am endeavoring to heal his distemper, I may not increase it; The nature of the offense, If the sin be small, that I may not make it great, by giving stronger medicines then the disease requires; The season of reproving, that I may not give open rebuke for private offenses, but observe my Savior's r • le, If thy Brother offend thee, tell him his fault between him and thee. The presence of many, may make him take up an unjust defense, who in private would have taken upon him a just shame ; The open air makes sores to wrankle ; the more public rebukes are for Magistrates and Courts of Justice to give. Possibly, it may be my suspicion more then any real fault, as in the case of the Blessed Virgin and Joseph, and then what wrong should I do him, to accuse innocence before a multitude? The manner of delivering it, that I may give him his due praise, as well us his deserved reproof ; This will somewhat allay his passion, and make my reproof the more prevalent. The Iron when heated red hot in the fire, is bent and beaten afterwards without breaking which way the Smith pleaseth. When I have heated him hot with the fire of commendation, I may then beat upon him with reproof in greater hopes of success; I would desire courage also, that I may deal faithfully, and not skin over a wound that hath dead flesh at the bottom. Should I dally, I destroy the Patient; If the Of • endour be so bold as to dare God, why should I be so bashful as to fear him! Love, that he may discern my affection to his soul, in my detestation of his sin. If he suspect me to bear ill-will in my heart, he will throw my potion in my face; What man will take Physic from an enemy ? Lord, shouldst thou suffer me to go on in sin, and not call me back though by a severe admonition, it were a sign thou didst hate me. Thou didst never strike Ephraim worse, then when thou didst forbear to strike at all, but saidst, Ephraim is joined to Idols, let him alone ; Should I not seek to pluck my brother out of the fire of sin, into which he is fallen, but suffer him to lie there, I hate him, and am in thine esteem a murderer. O deliver me from such blood-guiltiness, thou God of my salvation. Let thy good Spirit so strengthen and direct me, when ever thou callest me to this duty, that I may do it with zeal to thine honor, not daring to jest with such an edged tool as sin is, and with love and wisdom, that if by any means, I may bring back a wandering sheep to thy fold.
I Wish that I may receive, as well as do good, by all my converses with those that are good. Christians are trees of righteousness, planted in God's Vineyard, and its my own fault if I gather not some good fruit from them. My God tells me, The lips of the righteous feed many ; if then I rise hungry from the Table, its a sign I am sullen and will not eat; My Father delights to see his Children distributing their spiritual food (as the Disciples the Loaves and Fish to the multitude) amongst their brethren, till they all are filled; He hath acquainted me, that its an argument of wisdom to receive, and folly to refuse counsel; Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser, teach a just man, and he will increase in learning, Prov. 9. 9. The holy Apostle, though high in the School of Christ, and in the uppermost Form, yet hoped to learn somewhat from those that were far meaner Scholars. He writes to the Romans, that he hopes to be filled with their Company. They that are Dwarfes in Religion, may do service to the tallest, if they be willing to accept it. A Rush Candle may give me some light, if I do not willfully shut mine eyes; A brazen Bell may call me to prayer as well as one of silver, if I do not stop mine ears. The smallest and meanest creatures, were serviceable to the Great God against the Egyptians ; and shall my proud heart refuse the help of mean Christians, against the enemies of my salvation? Did a Damsel possessed with a Devil, bring her Master much temporal gain, and may not a poor servant, filled with the holy Spirit, bring me much spiritual gain? What? or, who am I? that none must teach me, but those that are eminent in grace and gifts? I am sure I have nothing (that good is,) but what I have received, and this pride of my heart is too great an evidence that I am but poor in holiness. Those branches that are fullest laden, bend most downward. Those trees that abound in clusters of fruit, do not disdain to receive sap from the mean earth, which every Beast trampleth on. Its no wonder if a soul decline in strength, that refuseth its food, because its not brought by the Steward, but by some inferior person of the Family. If Satan can keep me in this proud humor, he doth not doubt but to keep me in a starving condition, and to hinder the efficacy of all means for my growth in grace. When this Dropsy once seizeth upon my vitals, I may expect a Consumption of my whole body. Lord, it were my duty to hear thy voice, though it were through the mouth of a Balaam ; thou hast sometimes conveyed the water of life through these Pipes of Lead, and sent considerable presents to thy chosen, by contemptible messengers; O suffer me not to be wise i • mine own eyes, and thereby to turn away mine ears from the words of them that are endued with spiritual wisdom; but cause me to hear counsel, and receive instruction, that I may be wise for my latter end.
I Wish that I may be so much my own friend, as to esteem a bitter admonition better then the sweetest flattery, and never quarrel at any, for waking me out of my spiritual Lethargy. The World indeed is full of them that rage at such as would prevent their ruin, choosing rather to have their wounds fester, though they kill them; then be searched thoroughly to recover them; Their words to their Neighbors, are like the Jews to the Prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, Prophesy unto us smooth things, Prophesy deceits, Isa. 30. 10. And their works are like theirs too; If a Stephen deal but faithfully with them, and tell them of their faults, they are presently cut to the heart, and gnash at him with their teeth ; Their bones are so out of order, that the smallest disturbance makes them fret and fume. Like Owls, if any offer to lay hold on them, they soon make him feel their claws; Rebuke a scorner and he will hate thee ; But I have not so learned Christ; Though Toads are no sooner touched, but they swell and are ready to spit out their poison in the face of him that hindleth them, yet Sheep will be felt and shorn, and suffer their sores to be dressed with patience. Though fools hate him that reproveth in the gate; yet, rebuke a wise man and he will love thee, saith God, Prov. 9. 8. O that I might never be so void of love to my fallen brother, as not to give him a serious reproof, nor so void of love to myself, as not to receive a serious reproof. The nipping frosts, though not so pleasant, are as profitable as the Summer sunshine. I deceive myself, if I judge no liquor wholesome but what is toothsom. There is no probable way of curing some diseases, but by Blisters, and •• pping-glasses, and painful medicines; Is it not better for me to accept an admonition and amend, then to walk on in a wicked way to my destruction? Will it not be much easier for me to bear a rebuke given in love, and with meekness from my fellow-creature, then to provoke the Iealous God, with eyes full of fury, to take me by the throat, and ask me, what I am doing! How I dare thus slight his Laws, and contradict his Will! O how can my heart endure, or my hands be strong, in the day that he shall deal with me ! Well might my God say, He that hateth reproof is brutish. Lord, let me never be so much a beast, as to lie snoring in a nasty kennel of filth, and when any come to wake me, fly in their faces; but let me prefer a sharp admonition, before the smoothest deceits. When any praise me for the good in me, cause me to suspect myself; when any reprove me for the evil in me, let me accept it with thanks; Make me able to say with that sweet singer of Israel, Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness; and let him reprove me, and it shall be an excellent oil, it shall not break my head.
I Wish that I may by no means repine, but always rejoice at the gifts and graces of others. If the other members of the body thrive, the heart doth not grieve, but is glad at it. Its ordinary for younger brothers, to boast and glory in the large estate, and great possessions which their elder brothers have left them by their Fathers. Why should not my soul be joyful at the great share of spiritual riches, which the only wise God hath given some of my brethren? If a man love sweet smells, the greater degree of them he observeth in any place, the mo • e he is refreshed with them. He that delights in Pictures, if he see one in a room, exactly and exquisitely drawn, above all the rest, that shall have more of his eye and his heart. Is not grace compared to sweet Oynments? and shall not I be comforted the more for the greatness of its savor? Is not the Image of my God amiable in mine eye? and ought I not to delight most in that Copy which is nearest the Original? Surely, if I envy any their spiritual excellencies, I show myself too like a Child of the Devil; There is hardly any worm that gnaweth that unclean spirit more painfully, then the grace which God gives his Children; Their sins are his utmost joy, their graces are his extreme grief. Would I be found in Satan's livery at the last? O that I might be so far from murmuring at that double portion of the Spirit, which my God bestoweth upon some of his people, that I might bless God heartily for it, and beg of God to add to it an hundred fold, how great soever it is. The pretty Birds sing the more merrily, the higher the Sun mounteth in the Heavens. I have cause to be the more cheerful, the nearer any ascend to Heaven, and the higher they mount in holiness. My love to my God, to my Brother, nay to myself, all command me to it. My love to my God ; He that loves his Sovereign, will rejoice that he hath any Subjects eminent above others for duty and loyalty: They that have much spiritual strength, will do my God much spiritual service. The more grace they have, the more glory they bring to God; Its an honor to the Father of Spirits, when his Children keep open house, according to their estates, clothing the naked, feeding the hungry soul, and relieving liberally such as are in want; I am no Christian if I be not tender of my God's honor, and joyful when that is exalted in the World. Besides, Love to my brother should quicken me to this duty If I love him as myself, I shall both grieve at his soul-losses, and rejoice at his spiritual gains; Love delighteth in the welfare of the party loved; The hotter the beams of grace are in the party beloved, the more they rejoice the heart of the lover. Why should any man's eye be evil towards his Brother, because God's is good to him ? Have others the less, because some have so much? Or, is it not my own fault, that I am not as holy and gracious as he? God is a Fountain of grace, always running over, but he derives it to us according to our capacities; If I go to the Well of Salvation, and receive but little of the water of life, I may know the cause; my Vessel was no bigger. Nay, Love to myself, may make me glad at others gifts and graces. The greater the Saints estate is, the more he will reliev • others; As the Earth ; though it sucketh in so much water as will give herself a competent refreshment, conveyeth many springs through her veins, for the cherishing and refreshment of others. So the Saints do not only advantage their own, but also others souls; Lord, though in Hell there be little else but murmuring and repining at the good of thy chosen, yet in Heaven there is no emptiness in themselves, no envying at others; every Saint there hath his joy doubled for another's joy, and is glorified in another's glory; Suffer not thy Servant to make his heart a little Hell, by filling it with grief at the good of thy chosen; But, O make it thy lesser Heaven ; be thou pleased to dwell in it, and then I shall begin the work of eternity in time, magnify and bless thee for thy love to them, and praise and bless them for their likeness to thee.
Finally, I Wish that I may so carry myself, in all my converses with the Children of God here, that I may meet them in the Fathers house, and sit down with them at the Supper of the Lamb. Lord, if Communion with thy Saints be so pleasant and delightful on earth, how pleasant and delightful will it be in Heaven ! Here my communion with them is imperfect, my flesh will not suffer me to receive the good I might from them, nor their flesh allow them to do the good they might to me; But there shall be no evil, no occasion of evil, no appearance of evil ; no sin shall clog the chariots of our souls, no flesh shall fetter us from running to embrace and delight in each other; but all shall be free to rejoice and refresh one another. Every Saint shall be, as it were, a fountain of Communion in the sweetest manner • and fullest measure; from everyone shall flow Ri • ers of water of life, and everyone enlarged to relish and receive. If Jonathan beholding a little grace in David on earth, loved him as his own soul, how doth he love him in Heaven? Here our Communion is much lamed by the defects in our bodily organs; we cannot impart our minds without our members, which being defective, make our Communion so; but there we shall be as Angels, seeing each other without eyes, hearing each other without ears, and embracing each other without hands ; Here our Communion is interrupted, our particular callings, our eating, our drinking, our sleeping, our many occasions call us from it; But there is no calling but our general calling of worshipping and enjoying our God; no feeding but on the tree of life, that groweth in the midst of Paradise; no drinking but of the Rivers of God's own pleasures ; and no night, no sleeping, but that rest which remaineth for the people of God. O what darkness, what night can be there, where all the righteous shall shine infinitely brighter then the Sun in his noon day lust • e. Here our Communion is hindered by the differences that frequently arise • like Children of the same Father, we quarrel and wrangle ; but there they will all be like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, and one judgment ; There indeed Jerusalem is a City compact together, and at unity within itself ; There Paul's desire is granted, that they all speak the same thing, they are one in affection, one in opinion, and one in expression ; There Christ's prayer is granted, Father, that they may be one as we are one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they may be one in us ; If it be so good and pleasant a thing for brethren here, to dwell together in unity, and it be as a precious Ointment, and as the Dew which descended upon the Mountains of Zion; where the Lord commanded his blessing, even life forever. How good and pleasant will it be for those to dwell together in perfect unity there, where the consolation of Christ is perfect, the fellowship of the Spirit entire, the comfort of love complete ? no crying, no complaining, no angry word, no frowning look, no suspicious thought; But as old Gryneus said, There Zwinglius and Luther are well agreed. Our Communion here is but with a few, we are acquainted but with few, and our communion is not so large as our acquaintance ; we have seen but few, we have heard but of few, and we have discoursed with fewer. There are but few in the Counties, in the Kingdom where we live, and many of them are wholly unknown to us; But There is a glorious Company of Patriarchs, Prophets, Apostles, a noble Army of Martyrs, a numberless number of Saints, of all Countries, Callings, Conditions, Relations ; a thousand thousand, are before him, and ten thousand times ten thousand, minister to him ; If Peter when he saw but two of the Children of God in glory with Christ on Earth, cried out, Master, It is good to be here ; How good will it be to be There, where there shall be a great multitude, which no man can number, of all Nations, and Kindreds, and People, and Tongues, standing before the Throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and Palms in their hands, and crying with a loud voice, Salvation unto our God, that sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb forever. O what a blessed time, or rather eternity will that be, when I shall fully understand what the Communion of Saints meaneth! If Solomon could say of militant Saints, As Ointment and perfume rejoice the heart, so doth the sweetness of a man's friend by hearty counsel ; How much better might he speak it of Saints triumphant? What is the sweetness and joy of that society • where every soul is a bed of spices, an Orchard of Pomgranats, a Cabinet of perfumes, for their mutual delight and refreshment! If David was so taken with the beauty of the Church in this World, notwithstanding her blackness, by reason of corruption and affliction, that he saith, If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning; If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, if I prefer not Jerusalem before my chief joy ; How much is he taken with the Spouse of Christ There, where it is granted unto her to be arrayed in fine linen, pure and white, which is the righteousness of the Saints, not only imputed, but also inherent, to be clothed with the embroidered graces of the holy spirit, perfect knowledge, perfect love, perfect joy, and all the beauties of holiness, without the least spot or wrinkle, or any such thing! there indeed he prefers Jerusalem before his chief joy, wh • lst he beholds her all fair, completely conformed to Christ, with such a peculiar resemblance of his glory, as if the name of Christ was written on her fore-head, and her spiritual affinity and kindred manifested thereby. Surely it is a lovely communion, when Saints sit down together at the Lord's Table, in this world, and partake of his last Supper, when they see, and hear, and taste, the true pledges of their Fathers infinite grace, and read their Redeemers boundless love, written by himself in his own blood. Their hearts have many a time been so ravished therewith, that they have wished the ordinance might have lasted longer, and that Christ would have lain so all night between their breasts; But O how infinitely short is this Communion, of that which • hey shall have in glory, when they shall be called to the Marriage supper of the Lamb, when they shall eat of the hidden Manna, and drink of the new wine in their Fathers Kingdom ! then, then indeed everyone may say, I sit under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit is sweet unto my taste ; without question that Communion which Adam had with Eve, that short time which they continued in innocence, was exceeding sweet. She was to him as a Crown of glory, a meet help, and the delight of his eyes ; What a • air Bride was she whom God himself dressed, and decked with all the ornaments of grace! What joy must there needs be at that Wedding which was celebrated in Paradise, covered with the curious Tapestry of th • se pleasant trees, which the very han • of the most High had planted, and delighted with the ra • ishing noats of those pretty Quitisters which Infinite Wisdom had taught to sing at the Marriage feast • where there was a perfect likeness and love between the Maried Persons, where there was not the least evil, or show of evil to allay their joy, and especia •• y where the God of all consolation was fully and f •• ourably present, as Master of the Feast! Adam could not but esteem her his loving Hind, and pleasant R • e, his sweet yoke-fellow, and pleasant play-fellow, the partner and sweetner of all his comforts, he could not but he satisfied with her breasts, and ravished with her love. But even this is far inferior to the communion of the Saints above; There, in heaven are more glorious bands, and sweeter knots of loving fellowship; then that of Marriage, the attire of the Bride is far richer, the beauty of the Bride far greater, the wedding chamber is the heavenly Paradise, the melody made there will be by celestial Courtiers, Angels themselves; and there the Fountain whence all joy floweth will run more freely, and he will turn that water which Adam had below into the richest wine. Lord, I acknowledge to thy glory, that I have sometimes been refreshed with the company of thy chosen in this world, I have seen thee in them, and heard thee by them, yet how little good have I got by them, in comparison of what I might and ought? Pardon all my weaknesses, and do thou so supply my spiritual wants, that I may both love more and improve better the society of thy Saints here, that so when thou callest me from this imperfect communion with some few, I may be carried to Abraham's bosom, and enjoy perfect fellowship with those thousands that are before thee, where thou art visible in all, everyone being thy temple, and every heart being the altar, upon which the fire of thy love is ever burning. O let me praise thee in that great congregation, and my glory sing of thee before much people; for there shall those that mourned for Zion be filled with comfort, and rejoice forever with Jerusalem, they shall be born upon her sides, and dandled upon her knees, they shall suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolation, they shall milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory,
CHAP. V. How a Christian should exercise himself to Godliness in Solitariness; As also a Good Wish about that Particular.
THirdly, Thy duty is to exercise thyself to Godliness in Solitude. A gracious person is not only conscientious in company, but also when he is alone ; His whole life is nothing else but a walking with his God. When I awake I am still with thee, saith David, Psa. 139. 18. He no sooner opened the eyes of his body in the morning, but he was lifting up the eyes of his mind to Heaven ; When he was alone in his bed, he was in company with his God. As God was still with him, so he was still with God; Nevertheless I am continually with thee, Psa. 73. True sanctity is visible in secrecy to him that is Omniscient. The Saint is many times most busy when he hath nothing to do, and may say more truly then Scipio the African, Nunquam minus solus, quam cum solus, I am never less alone, then when alone. The pulse of the body beats as well in solitariness, as in company, and so doth the pulse of the gracious soul towards his God and Savior. Its said of Domitian, that he did one hour in a day sequester himself from all persons, to no purpose, for it was to catch flies, which was the original of that answer, to one that asked, Whether anybody were with the Emperor, Ne mus • a quidem; No, not so much as a fly. A Believer hath business of great weight, when he withdraweth from the press of the world, it is that he might draw nearer to the Lord. Isaac goeth into the Fields to meditate of God, Christ goeth into the Mountain apart to pray to God. Daniel to the Rivers side; Peter to the house top ; The Church to the secret place of the stairs, and all to enjoy communion with their God, Gen. 26. Mark 1. 35. Cant. 2. 4. Dan. 8. 2. and 10. 4. Act. 10.
A Saint therefore sequestreth himself from the noise and clamour of company, and worldly businesses, that he might have the more free and intimate converse with his Redeemer. A forced banishment from Men, to dwell among Beasts, hath been bewailed as a great misery; but a free retirement from creatures, to enjoy more of the blessed God, is a great felicity. Woodrow, an herb of an extraordinary pleasant smell, delighteth in dark and shadowy places. So the Christian, who in company refresheth others with the fragrancy of his graces, loveth sometimes to be obscure and in secret.
Many of the Heathen were so affected with the vanity and vexation of the world, that they will • lingly left their pleasures and preferments in Courts, to live privately in the Country. Sylla Felix, laid aside his dictatourship, to lead a retired life. Dioclesians two and twenty years reign, could not make him out of love with a solitary life, but he voluntarily left the Empire, and could not be prevailed with to reassume it, though he was threatened to it. Demosthenes would shave his beard half off, and all his hair from his head, to necessitate his stay within doors, and his abode amongst his Books. Thales left the affairs of state, that he might have time for Contemplation. Cato in his old age, wi • hdrew from Rome, to live as he used to say, out of the crowd of the world; And the Romans were so much convinced of his prudence herein, that as they passed by his house to which he retired, they would ordinarily cry out, Iste solus scit vivere; This man alone knoweth how to live. Old Similis having lived long in the Wars, and afterwards for seven years devoting himself to solitariness, when he died left this Epitaph behind, Here lieth old Similis, yet one that lived but seven years. Hiero the Tyrant of Syracuse, gave over his Kingdom, to live a solitary life. Others out of a deep melancholy, have avoided all society, and delighted only like the Shrick Owl and Bittern, in desolate places and Monuments of the dead, Zeph. 2. 14. Socrates in his Ecclesiastical History ( Lib. 4. Cap. 18.) speaks of some, so strangely averse to all correspondence with men, that they have immuted themselves in Cels and Silence, for sixty and ninety years together, even as long as they lived.
But Reader, I would not advise thee to such continued retirement, nor to any at all upon such low, mean grounds. Those voluntary sequestrations of deluded Votaries amongst the Papists from human society, are I dare say, as unacceptable to God, as uncomfortable to themselves. Such solitary persons, bring little comfort to their own souls, little honor to God, and do no good at all to others. By how much as doing God great service, is better then doing him little; as doing good to many, is better then doing good only to myself, so much is Company before solitariness. But the most public Christians have their times for privacy ; Its no mean misery, to be either always alone, or never alone ; He that is always crowded with Company, can neither enjoy himself, nor his God as he ought.
SECT. I.
I Shall first lay down some Motives, and then show wherein we should exercise ourselves to Godliness when we are alone.
1. To quicken thee to exercise thyself to godliness in solitude. Consider, The benefit of solitude ; well improved solitude is a good opportunity for godliness. Seneca was wont to say, that he seldom went into company, that he came not home worse then he went out. Society, as it hath much gain, so much perplexity ; Solitude is a release to the soul that was imprisoned in Company. To be much in Company tires and wearies us; We are prone to count it a bondage, and the persons we associate with, our fetters ; Retiring seasonably from them, sets us at liberty, and giveth us freedom to mount up to Heaven at our pleasure. Scipio would tell his friends, I have never better company, then when I have no company, for then can I freely entertain my own thoughts, and converse with all the learned that have been in former ages. Jerome speaks better, Sapiens nunquam solus esse potest • abet; enim secum omnes qui sunt & qui fuerunt boni — & si bominum sit inopia, loquitur cum Deo. A wise man can never be alone, for he hath ever with him all the good men that are, or have been, and if he find any want of men, he can converse with God. It was a custom among the Indians, when their King went to bed, to pray with piping acclamations, that he might have happy dreams, and withal, consult well for the good of his Subjects ; As if • the silent, secret night had been a friend to wisdom. One of the best Kings that ever the world had, tells us, My reins instruct me in the night season, Psa. 16. 7. The sensual worldling is a stranger to such secrecy: It hath in some respects an advantage of society, it hath not those clamours nor distractions with it, which hinder us in our heavenly trade; As it hath fewer allurements to good, so it hath fewer impediments of good, and fewer suggestions to evil, and truly the grand Argument to good, which is, instar omnium, is not wanting to it; It hath the presence of God. Every godly man may say in a sense, as Christ did, when his Disciples were to leave him alone, I am not alone, because the Father is with me, Joh. 16. 32. It is reported of Numa, that after the death of his Wife Tatia, he left the City, and gave himself wholly to walk in Fields and Woods, consecrated to the gods, and thence was said to enjoy the goddess Egeria, and that she made him her Husband. Plut. in vit. Num. Though such stories are fabulous, yet its true of the Christian, that he enjoyeth much of his God when he is out of the worlds crowd. Lovers give and return the sweetest kisses and embraces, when they are together in secret. Isaac and Rebekah thought themselves in secret, when they sported together. David had his Sweet-meats, and Heavenly Iunkets in the night, when the eyes of others were closed, and saw not the Charger which was sent from above, for his spiritual refreshment. His solitary meditations brought him more solace and comfort then the whole creation could, afford him; When I meditate on thee in my bed, and think of thee in the night watches; My soul is filled with marrow and fatness, Psa. 63. 6. Communion with God in secret, is an Heaven upon Earth ; What food can compare with the hidden Manna? Some persons have excellent banquets in their Closets ; That bread which the Saints eat in secret, how pleasant is it? Ah what stranger can imagine the joy, the melody, which even the secret tears of the Saints cause! Believers find rich mines of silver and gold in solitary places, they fetch up precious jewels out of secret holes, out of the bottom of the Ocean, where are no inhabitants. Naturalists observe that those fish are sweetest which lie hid. Saints have often sweet joy and refreshment in secret, they have meat to eat which the world knoweth not of. The Fig-tree, Olive, and Vine, would not leave their sweetness, fatness, and cheerfulness, to be Kings over other trees. They that know what it is to enjoy God in secret, would not leave it or lose it to be Kings or Commanders over the whole World, Judge. 9. 11,12,13.
One place where the Israelites pitched in their passage to Canaan, was called Iothatha, from Iatab and Batha, a pleasant Wilderness, or delectable Desert. A Christian hath many such stations in his travails to the Heavenly Canaan ; When he is in a Wilderness alone, out of the noise of Pharaoh's Court, and free from the clamours, and complainings of God's Israel, by reason of Epyptian Task-masters; he hath the Pillar, the extraordinary presence of his God, which abundantly satisfieth and rejoiceth his soul. The highest Princes sometimes give their largest gifts to their favorites in private, to prevent that envy which public notice or knowledge of them might occasion. Some Saints give their largest alms in secret, that their left hand scarce knoweth what their right hand doth; The great and holy God sendeth many a rich present, giveth many a large alms to his indigent friends when there is none by, to witness his bounty and charity. In the dead time of the night, when deep sleep seizeth on men, the earth receiveth many pleasant refreshing showers; The Children of God have many costly Collations, and much curious Music, when no eye but their own seeth or tasteth the former, and no ear save theirs heareth the latter. The Prophet Hosea represents God thus, speaking of his people, Behold I will allure her, and bring her into the Wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her, Hos. 2. 14. God's method is marvelous, he brings his Church into a Wilderness, and then turns it into a Canaan, causing it to flow with Milk and Honey. By Wilderness some understand a sorrowful, and others a solitary condition; but then God appears to her, the God of all consolation, for he speaks comfortably to her. He that chid her when she was in the crowd of the world, saying as they said, and doing as they did; when he hath her alone, reflecting upon her sins, and recollecting herself, will speak friendly and comfortably to her; In the Hebrew it is, I will speak to her heart ; and surely his powerful satable speech will banish all her heaviness.
This invisible trade, brings in visible profit and comfort. Secret correspondence with allies, is most difficult, but exceeding gainful and delightful. Some curious mysteries are like Mines sprung under ground, the less they are known, the more efficacious and effectual they are. The open air or breath of men would soil the beauty and luster of exact pictures. Christ calls his Spouse out of the worlds view and light, when he intends her the fullest seals of his love; Come my beloved, let us go forth into the fields; let us lodge in the Villages, let us get up early to the Vineyards, there will I give thee my loves, Cant. 7. 11, 12.
Mark, There in the Fields where no eye beholdeth the sweet meeting of our lips •• the close embraces of our arms, the intimate conjunction of our hearts; there I will give thee my loves. Kings do not unbosom and open their hearts before a multitude. The favourite is acquainted with the richest secrets of state in private. O that I were • (saith Job ) as in the days of my youth, when the secret of God was with my Tabernacle, Job 29. 4. As if he had said, (according to some) O that I were as in my former days, when God was secretly in my family, and gave me familiar visits, which the World took no notice of; when I had many reviving soliloquies about God, and refreshing colloquies with him. The Egyptian Laws placed the Image of silence in all those Temples where the Image of Se • apis their god stood, as if they might expect most of her favor, when they approached her privately, with as little noise as might be. Addresses to the true God in secret have been accompanied with great success.
2. Consider, If thou dost not exercise thyself to godliness in solitude, thou wilt be in great danger of running into sin, and contracting guilt on thy soul ; The benefit of solitude rightly improved, may afford us comfort, but the danger of it commandeth our caution. A man in solitariness may be secure, because he seeth no visible enemies, but he is not therefore safe. We are no sooner alone, but armies of evil thoughts present themselves to us, and they will by force quarter with us, if the lodging rooms of our hearts be not taken up beforehand; When the Virgin is alone, then she is in most danger of being ravished. In our solitude we should not be without fear of spiritual rapes ; Our danger will appear, if we consider three particulars.
1. Our minds are restless, and will be employed either upon what is good • or upon what is evil. The mind of man is as a Mill-wheel, continually turning about, and drenching in the waters; Our hearts are as a stirring child, that cannot endure to sit still. No Virgin hath so many Suitors for her love, as our minds for their thoughts. The Sun may as soon be stopped from his race, as the heart from its thinking. We are all in this respect like the Sea, which cannot rest, ever in motion; Is not he a foolish miller, that turns the water which should grind his Corn, into the Highway, where it doth no good? And is not he a foolish Christian, that employeth those thoughts about needless • oy's, which should help to provide him spiritual food? As the natural heat will be ever working; if it have not food to digest, it will prey upon the spirits, and destroy itself; so the mind of man will be always busy; if not in thinking of the excellencies of God, or the love of Christ, or the beauty and necessity of holiness, then in speculative wantonness, or contemplative wickedness, in ambitious fancies, or revengeful desires; We are like a Boat swimming against tide, there is no standing still; if the Oar be left that we go not forward, the Tide will carry us strongly backward; If the ground be not sown with good seed, it will of itself bring forth evil weeds.
2. Satan is subtle, and will not be wanting to fight us, when he finds us alone, and without any seconds to assist us. The Raven, which is called the Devils Bird, is observed to haunt Deserts, and solitary places ; When the Spirit of God would speak a Ci • ty desolate, and without Inhabitants, he tells us, The Raven shall dwell in it. When Satan was to enter the List against Christ, and would try his utmost power and policy to overcome him, he takes him to a Mountain alone, Mat. 4. 8. The Scripture to show the valor and strength of Christ, sets out his conquest and victory over the Devil on his own Dunghil in the Wilderness. When Christ's Lambs are in the Desert alone, they may soon be a prey to this roaring Lion. Satan is a cunning suitor, and will be sure to watch the time when the Parents are from home, to woo the Daughter, and steal away her affections. He that takes his leave of men, to withdraw himself, may be confident the Devil will come, though more bold then welcome, and sit with him. When we know of the coming of so bad a gnest, is it not good policy to forestal him, by f •• ling the house beforehand with loving and beloved friends?
3. Our own • arnal hearts will strive to improve our solitude to draw us to sin. The Wife that lieth in the bosom, takes the opportunity of the night, when she is alone with her Husband, to draw him to her mind, and to bend him to her will; though she were afraid or ashamed to mention or motion her evil desires before others, yet in secrecy she hath courage enough to do it, and often with success. Our flesh is nearer to us then our wives, more intimate with us, more powerful over us; how frequently doth it draw us to those sins in secret, which it dares not be so bold as to whisper to us in public? They devise mischief on their beds, Psa. 36. 4. When the good man is from home, and gone a journey, then the whorish woman commits adultery with strangers.
Reader, thou canst no sooner be alone, but thy corrupt heart will send thee many in wanton and thievish thoughts to bear thee company ; they will come as Lot • daugters to him to the dead time of the night, and defile thy soul, and thou shalt like Lot, not know when they came in, nor when they went away. Thou little thinkest how subtle thy wicked thoughts are, how easily they will wind themselves into and out of thy mind, without giving warning, or being taken notice of. As the Serpent crept into Paradise secretly, so do sinful thoughts into our hearts; They conspire together against us as the adversaries of Judah, and do as good as say; They shall neither know, nor see, till we come in the midst of them, and cause the work (of exercising themselves to godliness) to cease, Neh. 4. 11. As God's Spirit hath filled his Prophets with excellent Revelations and visions in the night or day, when they have been alone; so our flesh filleth us with loathsome atheistical blasphemous thoughts oftentimes when we are by ourselves. Children never dirty their hands and faces, or defile their clothes more then when they get alone, from Parents and Servants. When thou art in solitude, thou hast no human friend to watch over thee, and therefore haste the more need to watch narrowly over thyself. No Town hath such need of a Warder, no Peers gate of a Porter to keep out nasty beggars, as thy heart hath of watch and ward to keep out wicked thoughts.
SECT. II.
THirdly, Consider, The exercising thyself to godliness in solitude, will be a probable evidence of thy uprightness. Men are wi • h-held in company from doing evil by the iron curb of fear or shame, and provoked to do good by the golden spurs of praise or profit; but in solitariness there are not such rub • in the way of lust to hinder our passage, nor such baits in the way of holiness to encourage our progress. The naked lineaments, and natural thoughts of the soul are best discerned in secret. The darkest night may afford us light enough to see ourselves by; when outward objects and occasions do not interpose to hinder our sight or discompose our souls. No man's temper can be discovered by his carriage in a crowd of affairs, no more then his countenance in a troubled water. When the mind is stated in a due repose, it bewrayeth her truest affections, which in the midst of business, she either doth not show, or not observe. If many servants, and several masters be together, busy and active, we can hardly tell to what Masters the particular servants belong; but when the Masters be alone, and walk singly, their servants attend on them, and are known. Our Affections are the servants of our souls, both rational, and sensual; whilst both these Masters are employed, as in company it sometimes falls out, and they wait, its not easy to judge which they serve; in solitude one takes upon itself the government, and then its visible what attendants it hath.
As its said of grief, Ille dolet vere qui sine teste dole • , He grieves truly, that weeps, without a witness ; so it may be said of godliness, he is sincere in his godliness, who is godly in secret. The best characters, and truest pictures which can be drawn of the minds of men, are to be taken from the bent of their though • ts, rather then from their works ; Wicked men cannot do the mischief they conceive, for lack of the Midwifery of fit instruments and opportunities to bring it forth ; Good men are unable to act all the good they would, because they want power and ability for Execution; As Paul acknowledgeth that he was better at willing then performing ; but every man hath liberty to devise and meditate, to study and contrive what he will • Though a man's hand or actions may be over awed and over-ruled against his own will, yet his heart and thoughts cannot. As he thinks in his heart (saith the wise man) so is he, Pov. 13. 7. Practice • may be swayed by outward ends, but the thoughts are always genuine and natural. Violence may cause the former, but love carrieth the latter in its own way. Hence good men have been signalized for Saints, from the holiness of their thoughts. ( They thought upon his name, they meditate in his law day and night, and they have even appealed to God with comfort, upon their confidence of their uprightness, from the goodness of their thoughts, Try me O God, and know my thoughts, ) as being the purest and most unfeigned issues of the soul, Mal. 3. 17. Psalm 1. and such as have least danger of infection from foreign aims. Its observable also, that wicked men are set forth by this secret mark, They devise mischief, they imagine wickedness; the thoughts and imaginations of his • eart are evil; God is not in all his thoughts ; because, as Adam begat a son after his own likeness, so doth the heart of every man beget thoughts according to its own likeness, whether it be spiritual or carnal.
The Bowl runs as the Bias inclines it. The Ship moves as the R • dder steereth it; and the mind thinketh according to the predominancy of vice or virtue in it; The more the fire of grace burns clear in the soul, the more of these sparks will ascend towards Heaven. The more earthly a soul is, the more his thoughts will tend downward, the more he will mind earthly things, Philip. 3. 17, 18.
Naturalists tell us of the Gnomon, commonly called the Mariners needle, that it always will turn to the North • star ; though it be closed and shut up in a Coffer of Wood or Gold, yet it loseth not its nature; So the true Christian is always looking to the star of Jacob, whether he be shut up in a Prison, or shut himself up in his Closet, he is ever longing after Jesus Christ. A true lover delights most to visit his friend alone, when he can enjoy privacy with him.
Our blessed Savior doth not without cause call the Pharisees Hypocrites, though they fa • ted and prayed, and gave much alms, because they performed those duties chiefly, if not only in company, and to be seen of men. The applause of others, was the weight that set their clocks a going; when that was taken off (as when they were alone, ) they stood still. Therefore Christ adviseth his Apostles to take another course, if they would evidence the truth of their Christianity. Enter into thy closet, shut thy door, and pray to thy father in secret. One fervent prayer in secret, will speak more for our sincerity then many in public, Mat. 6. •• it.
When a Prince passeth by in the streets, then all, even strangers will flock about him, and look upon him; but his Wife and Children think not this enough, but follow him home, and are not satisfied, unless they can enjoy him there. A false Christian, and one that is a stranger to God, if he have but a superficial view of him in his Courts, is pleased; but the true believer, and one that is nigh to him in Christ, must have retired converses with him in his Closet, or he is not contented.
SECT. III.
I Come now to show how a Christian should exercise himself to godliness in Solitude.
1. If thou wouldst exercise thyself to godliness when thou art alone, guard thy heart against vain thoughts ; This is the first work to be done, without which all that I have to commend to thee will be in vain. Its to no purpose to expect that a glass should be filled with costly wine, when its filled already with puddle water. When the house beforehand was taken up by strangers, there was not room for Christ himself in the Inn. If such flies be suffered and allowed in our hearts, they will spoil our best pots of Ointment.
Some persons, though poor, when they are solitary, delight in the fancies and imaginations of great preferments, and pleasures, and riches, as if they were real; whereas they are the mere Chimera's and Fictions of their own brains, and have no existence, but in their thoughts. No wonder our Savior saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Out of the heart of man proceedeth madness, Mark 7.21,22. Such thoughts are distracted thoughts, and suitable to those that are out of their wits, who please themselves in thinking that their filthy holes in Bedlam, are stately Palaces, that their nasty rags are royal robes, that their iron fetters are chains of gold, and the feathers stuck in their caps are imperial Crowns. As the Spanish Page, in an high distemper of fancy, imagined himself to be some great Emperor, and was maintained in that humor by his Lord; so some foolish men build these Castles in the air, and then allow themselves a lodging in them.
Others please themselves in the thoughts of sinful sports, or cheats, or unclean acts, and sit brooding on such Cockatrice eggs with great delight. It is their meat and drink to roll those sugard-plums under their tongues. Though they cannot act sin outwardly, for want of strength of body, or a fit opportunity, yet they act sin inwardly with great love and complacency. As Players in a Comedy, they act their parts in private, in order to a more exact performance of them in public.
Others entertain themselves with needless and useless thoughts, such as tend neither to the informing the mind, nor reforming the heart or life: Like vagrants, a man meets with these in every place, but can neither tell whence they come, nor whither they go; they have neither a good cause, nor do they produce any good effect. Such thoughts might be in a David's heart, but they were the object of his hate, Psa. 119. 103. I hate vain thoughts ; The best Christians heart here, is like Solomon's ships, which brought home, not only Gold and Silver, but also Apes and Peacoks ; it hath not only spiritual and heavenly, but also vain and foolish thoughts; But these latter are there as a disease, or poison in the body, the object of his grief and abhorrency, not of his love and complacency.
Though we cannot keep vain thoughts from knocking at the door of our hearts, nor from entering in sometimes, yet we may forbear bidding them welcome, or giving them entertainment. How long shall vain thoughts lodge within thee? Jerem. 4. 14. Its bad to let them sit down with us, though but for an hour, but its worse to let them lie or lodge with us. Its better to receive the greatest Thieves into our houses, then vain thoughts into our hearts. John Hus seeking to reclaim a very profane wretch, was told by him, that his giving way to wicked wanton thoughts, was the original of all those hideous births of impiety, which he was guilty of in his life; Hus answered him, That though he could not keep evil thoughts from courting him, yet he might keep them from marrying him; as (saith he) though I cannot keep the Birds from flying over my head, yet I can keep them from building their nests in my hair.
Christian, be careful when thou art out of Company as well as in it, for these guests will visit thee as soon ever as thou art alone, and if thou shouldst not frown upon them, they will turn thy solitude into a crowd, as Jerome found Rome in a Wilderness. The Heathen Cicero, employed his solitude to better purpose then most seeming Christians. I being weary, saith he, of living amongst wicked men, with whom all places in a manner swarm, betake myself to solitariness, as much as I can; yet that none may think I trifle away my time idly, to say no more, let my Books speak how I employ myself. Yet alas, when many Christians are retired out of the crowd and throng of worldly men, they suffer worldly things to crowd and throng so abundantly in their hearts, that as it was said of Ephraim, strangers devour their strength, earthly things, though tending to no profit, waste their time, and devour their thoughts, which as Reuben, are the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of strength.
SECT. IV.
SEcondly, If thou wouldst exercise thyself to godliness in solitude, labor to spiritualize earthly things. I must say, this is one of the most excellent and enriching arts in Christianity; Though these occasional thoughts resemble lightning, as well in the suddenness of their journey, as the vastness of their way, being able to reach from one end of Heaven unto the other, yet such light gains, with quick returns, make an heavy purse.
He that hath learned this mystery, is the true Chymist, he leaves the dregs and lees of things, and extracts the substance and quintessence of them. He hath better then Midas Wish, he turns all he toucheth into better then gold. Many a great Scholar begs with rare notions of the nature of silver, and gold, and pearls, when some Merchants who never saw Mine, or Furnance, or read Book concerning them, hath his Coffers full of them. The Rabbies of the world, were they able like Solomon, to speak of all plants from the Cedar to the Hyssop ; and of all Beasts and Fish, and Fowl, nay, and of all creatures in a Physical and Philosophical way, are not comparable to the illiterate Countryman who can read his God in them, and improve them for his spiritual advantage.
Luther relates a story of two Cardinals riding to the Council at Constance, how by the way they heard a shepherd weeping and crying out sadly, upon which they turned aside to know what was the matter, and found the shepherd looking upon an ugly Toad : They asked him the ground of his lamentation; He answered, I cannot but weep to consider the goodness of God, that he did not make me such a loathsome creature, and my own unthankefulness, that I should be no more sensible of it. At which one of the Cardinals was so affected, that he fell from his horse in a swoon, and coming again afterwards to himself, told his Brother; Well said St. Austin, Indocti rapiunt coelum, &c. The unlearned take heaven by violence, whilst we with all our parts and learning wallow in the mire of the earth and flesh.
Natural beings are as spades, wherewith we may open the mines, and dig out spiritual riches. He that hath a gracious fancy, may like the Be suck honey from every flower in the garden of the creation, and climb up by the stairs of the meanest creature to the Supreme and Infinite Creator. All objects to a wise Christian may be wings to mount him up to heaven. As the old Romans when they saw the blew stones thought of Olympus, so the holy person by every work is elevated to admire some excellency in the workman.
There is a threefold aspect which men cast upon the Works of God, according to the difference of their eyes, or the degrees of their understandings.
1. Ordinary and vulgar persons, who differ little from Brutes, and behold the face of nature as beasts do a picture, only viewing the outside and surface of it rudely and superficially, never considering any art or curiosity in it. As the Horse and Mule which have no understanding, they view and drink of the streams, but mind not the purity or clarity of the water or the fountain whence it floweth; these look on God's works at best, but as passengers on a clock to know the time of the day, but take no notice of the wheels and poises, and their several motions and contrivances.
2. Scholars and Philosophers, who go a step higher and view this picture somewhat exactly, as Artists contemplating its curious wormanship, its proper colors, comely features, and rare composure of the whole with admiration. As Nicotratus that told the Country man who wondered at his wondering at the exact piece of Helena drawn by Zeuxis, If thou hadst my eyes thou wouldst be affected as I am.
3. Christians and spiritual men, who move above the Philosopher and most skillful Naturalists in their own sphere, these look on the face of nature with a spiritual eye, as a lover on the Picture of her beloved, delighting more in the resemblance then the table; contemplating the matchless Power, embroidered Wisdom, and infinite Goodness of their God which appear in his creatures. These are the men that can turn the stones and dirt of the streets, yea the snakes and serpents of the earth into bread for their souls; if they should be denied the Scripture (which God forbid) they can fetch spiritual food out of the creature. The Heron findeth her food in lakes and rivers, and picks it out with her long bill where other birds can get none: So saith Hesychius, the Christian by meditation can get food for his soul, where others that understand not this duty starve.
Our blessed Savior teacheth us to see the face of heavenly things in earthly glasses, and to make a ladder of the creatures whereby we may ascend to heaven in our thoughts. He hath set us a pattern that we should follow his steps: What honey of profit and pleasure doth he t • ach us to draw from all the flowers and weeds too that grow in the garden of the Creation! He instructeth his Disciples by Lilies growing, and seed sown in the field; by trees and vines in the Orchard and Vineyard, by pearls, treasure, tares, leaven, mustardseed, water, bread, nets, fish, salt, oil, lamps, and as at Cana in Galilee turns all this water into wine, as well for their imitation as information. A mean Scaffold may serve to rear up a goodly building ; and an ordinary creature may afford matter for excellent meditations. God likens himself to many, to show that there is something of him in all ; He compares himself to a Builder, to a Buckler, to a Castle, a Captain, to a Fortress, to a Fountain of living water, to an helper, to health, to an Habitation, to Light, to Life, to a rock, a refuge a reward, to a shadow, a shelter, a shield, to a Lion, an Eagle, a Leopard, a Bear, to fire, dew, a moth, the Sun, and why? but to teach us to read him in his creatures; In Heaven the Christian shall know God and all the creatures in him, but on earth we must learn to know him by them.
God hath given us three Books, which we ought to be studying whilst we are living. The Book of Conscience, the Book of Scripture, and the Book of the Creature ; In the Book of Conscience we may read our selves, in the Book of the creature we may read God, in the Book of Scripture we may read both God and ourselves. The great God sets us excellent lectures in the volume of the creation. Though this Book hath but three leaves in it, Heaven, Earth, Sea, yet it teacheth us many rare lessons; If we think of the visible Heaven, and behold those great lights of the world; how swiftly they move in their proper orbs ; how unwearied they are in their perpetual courses; how they fail not a minute of their appointed time, nor wander an inch out of their designed way ; how they divide the day and night, and the several seasons of the year; how they bless the earth with their smiling aspects, and keep the inhabitants of this lower world from finding it a Dungeon by their enlightening beams ; we may therein discover the wisdom and power of its maker, and cry out with David, Psa. 19. 1. and 8. 2, 3. The Heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy-works; When I consider the heavens, the work of thy singers, the Moon and Stars which thou hast made; What is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man, that thou dost thus visit him? O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth? and thy glory above the heavens ! What rare fruit may a soul gather from these celestial trees! if the porch of Heaven be such a curious piece, the work of his fingers, i. e. an elaborate piece of embroidery, how curious is the Palace within! If the outward Court be so glorious, how glorious is the holy of holies! If light be so sweet, and it be so pleasant a thing to behold the Sun, how sweet is the light of my God's countenance, and how pleasant is it to behold the Sun of righteousness! O what a blessed day will that be, when the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun, and the light of the Sun as the light of seven days, when all believers shall shine as the Sun in the firmament of their Father! Lord, thou speakest to the Sun, and it riseth not, to the Moon, and it standeth still; Why should not thy Servant be as obedient to thy command, even when it is against my natural depraved course! O speak but as powerfully to thy poor creature, and he will as readily obey thy pleasure !
If we look a little lower, to the clouds, and meditate on them in their natural cause ; thin vapors exhaled by the Sun, in their principal use, to drop fatness on the earth, in the tenuity and smallness of their bodies, the weight and greatness of their burdens, the waters in them being like lusty children, encompassed only with a tender film; how they are tossed too and fro, hurried hither and thither with tempestuous winds, and yet burst not in pieces through lack of vent, nor sink under the heaviness of their load, nor leak out one drop, till the hand of their Master unstop their bottles; may well admire that infinite invisible power that upholds and governs them, and say as Eliphaz of their author; He doth great things, and unsearchable, marvelous things without number; for he giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth water upon the fields, Job 5. 9, 10. What excellent water may I distil with the limbiks of the clouds! If the favor of a Prince, be as a cloud of the latter rain (Prov. 16. 15.) so refreshing and comforting, what is the favor of the King of Kings ! As the clouds mask the Sun from the • ight of Mortals, so doth sin hide the smiling countenance of my God from the view of my poor soul. As the Cloud is consumed and vanisheth away, so he that goeth down to the grave, shall come-up no more ; If showers from above make the earth soft and fruitful ; surely the showers of heavens grace would make my hard and barren heart both tender and abundant in holiness; Lord, whilst I am in my journey towards my heavenly Canaan, let thy good spirit be my pillar of cloud to direct me; Suffer me not to be as a cloud without water; Do but say unto me, I have blotted out thy transgressions as a thick cloud, and I will bless thee forever.
If we look to the earth and view her well, though she hath been called, and counted the vilest and grossest of the elements, we shall find her a glorious body, and not in the least degree a disparagement or disgrace to her maker. Take her inside, and she is curiously and wonderfully made. Her Center like the heart is seated in the most convenient place, for the benefit of every part; Her several channels under ground, as so many veins, do convey her pure, though pale blood, for the animating and actuating (as it were) every member ; Though her wealth lieth deep, and much of it was never discovered to any mortal, yet what rare jewels, and rich metals have been seen in her very guts and garbage ; Take he • ••• side and that clothing will be found better then of wrought gold; Her Garment is richer in any part of it, then Solomon in all his royalty; The fine linen of Egypt, silks of Persia, and curious works of Turkey, are exceedingly inferior to her daily attire ; She is covered with the costly curious A • ras of Hearbs, and Plants and Flowers ; embroidered with variety of all sorts of colors, perfumed with the most fragrant and delightful odors ; She is attended by Birds and Beasts of several orders, that all in their proper ranks, move too and fro, acknowledging their engagements to her; O who is like that God that hath made himself such a footstool ! If his footstool be so glorious, how glorious is his throne ! But besides all this, he that shall ponder the fruitfulness and fecundity of her Womb, her unweariedness in bringing forth, her wonderful care of her offspring, in bringing them up, providing them all, though of different kinds, food suitable to each of their natures whilst they live, and receiving them kindly into her bosom and embraces when they die, and all else are weary of them, may well cry out by way of admiration; O Lord, the earth is full of thy goodness, The earth is full of thy glory ! What rich mines may I dig out of the bowels of the earth? when my God is angry, the earth shakes and trembleth, and the foundations thereof are moved; and shall not my flesh tremble for fear of the God of the whole earth, and my soul be afraid of his righteous judgments! His hand hath laid the foundation of the earth, and his right hand hath spanned the Heavens • when he calls they stand up together, and shall not I hear his call, and obey his command! Lord, if the earth be thine, and the fullness thereof, the world and all that dwell therein; Whose then am I? Surely thine; O help me to disown all title to myself, to quit all my interest in myself, and to live as one that is not his own, but the Lord's; the earth is full of thy riches, let my heart be full of thy righteousness, and that will turn earth to me into heaven, whilst I am full of thy likeness and thy love.
If we consider the Ocean, that amazeth a beholder with its fierce countenance, and seems to have neither banks nor bottom; how it threatens the earth with its boisterous billows, as if it intended to swallow it up in a moment, and yet when it hath swoln itself to the height of its pride, and its insulting waves have shown their teeth, how soon it retreats, like a coward, as if it were afraid of the smallest worm, and had already outgone its bounds and commission! what innumerable Fish, both small and great, take up their chambers in the waters, and find their food in the jaws of that devourer! what multitudes of massy Vessels she fetcheth off from one Island, and carrieth upon her back as a Porter his burden, and sets them down safe at another; how she playeth with them, what frights she puts them in by the way, as men do little children, tossing them up to heaven, and then throwing them down again, as if her belly should be the certain place of their burial, and after all her frowns and fury, refresheth them with her smiles and favor, and doth but prepare them thereby to salute their harbor with the greater joy and gladness! how she sendeth out of her storehouse provision, for the several families of the world, furnishing the several pipes and aquaeducts of the earth with fresh springs and streams, for the comfort of Man and Beasts; If we but confider these things, what cause shall we have to say with the Psalmist, They that go down into Ships, see his wonders in the deep, and with those Mariners, What manner of man is this, whom the Winds and the Seas obey? What manner of God is this, who gathereth the waters of the Sea together, and layeth up the Floods in store-houses, who shutteth in the Ocean with bars and doors, and saith, Hitherto shalt thou come, and no further, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed, who puts a bridle in the jaws of such a monster, and when she threatens nothing but death and destruction pulls her in, and makes her retreat to her own den without doing the least hurt? O what a God is this, whom the rugged blustering winds, and raging boisterous seas obey ! What excellent conclusions may a Christian gather from such premises! Do the Winds and Seas obey God as stubborn and surly as they are, and shall not I obey him ? Are they kept within their banks, and shall not I be kept within my bounds? Lord, thou stillest the noise of the Seas, the noise of the Waters, and the tumults of the people; O why dost thou not quiet the headstrong passions in my breast ? Thou observest how they roar and make a noise continually, what frightful storms they raise within me; If thou wouldst but say to them in their height and heat; Peace, be still, there would presently ensue a calm. O suffer not these high winds to overturn me, nor these swelling waters to overwhelm me; I am even ready to sink, save me Master, or I perish.
Thus a Christian may consider the works of God either collectively or severally, both in their insides and outsides, to his marvelous advantage. As the Rabbies say of the Word, I may say of the Works of God, Turn it over, and over, and over again, for all is in it; Turn them over, and over, and over again, for all is in them. There is wisdom in them, in their variety, diversity of natures, subordination and serviceableness each to other; O Lord, how marvelous are thy works? in wisdom hast thou made them all. There is Power in bringing with a breath the whole Creation out of the barren womb of nothing; He spake and it was done, he commanded and it stood fast. There is Mercy in providing so bountifully for every of his creatures, The whole earth is full of thy goodness. There is Faithfulness in upholding all things in their being; Thy faithfulness is unto all generations, thou hast established the earth, and it abideth; yea mercy and truth meet together. Thy mercy, O Lord, is in the heavens; and thy truth reacheth unto the clouds. Every of God's works is so profitable, that as the Aromatick fruit, not only the kernel is a Nutmg, but the skin of it is Mace. As in a fair suit of Arras, though the hangings never appear to their full advantage, but when they are opened in all their dimensions, and seen together; yet a small shread may assure you of the excellency of the colors, and richness of the stuff; So though the Divine Perfections would appear most in their beauty and glory, if we were able at one view to behold the whole world in its several eminencies and beauties, yet a little part of it may speak the worth and richness of the whole. It was an honest speech of a Monk, who being asked how he could endure that life without the pleasure of books? answered, The nature of the creatures is my library, wherein when I please I can muse upon God's deep Oracles. The Egyptians were instructed by Characters and Hieroglyphics; by something presented to the eye, notions were represented to the understanding.
Reader, it is thy privilege that thou mayst perform this duty in any place: No sight, no sound but may afford matter for meditation. If thou walkest in thy garden thou mayst turn it into an Eden by delightful meditations; Dost thou behold the flowers standing in their ranks, what a goodly show they make? thou mayst think what a lovely • ight it is to see Christians contînuing in those several places and stations in which God hath set them. Some flowers open and shut with the sun ; so doth the Christian observe the shining and withdrawing of the Sun of righteousness. Some flowers die, having a worm gnawing their root; so will all hypocrites wither and come to nothing, notwithstanding their gaudy show. Flowers are tender things, and must be charily looked to, or they fade away, so Saints, if the Spirit of God were not choice of them, and ever watchful over them, would perish. How lovely are flowers to the eye? how pleasant to the taste? how soft to the touch? what ornaments to an house? How amiable are the children of God to those that have eyes to see his image on them? how fragrant is the smell of their Spikenard, and Calamus, and Cassia ? what a grace are they to any Family or Society? Dost thou walk into thy Garden to observe how thy flowers thrive? so Jesus Christ goeth into his garden to see how his plants flourish: Thou wilt not allow any weeds or barren flowers in thy Garden; and Jesus Christ will not permit such wicked unprofitable ones in his Church. Flowers are lovely and beautiful one day, and withered and fallen off the stalk the next ; so man is a comely living creature one day, and a deformed corps the next. Thus a Saint may make every flower like the Gilly-flower, cordial to him.
If thou walk • t by a River, thou mayst change the water there into spirits by meditation. How fitly may thy thoughts be raised by that object, to the cleansing, refreshing properties of the Word of God, to the water of life, to the Well of salvation, to the river, whose streams make glad the City of God, to the rivers of pleasures at God's right hand for evermore ! The same water, which being liquid, is penetrated with an horse hair, will bear the horse himself when hard frozen: So those threats and judgments of God which penetrate deep into the tender consciences of the regenerate, enter not at all into the hearts of carnal men, hardened by custom in sin; and hence thou mayst gather the reason whence the sword of the Word, that in some divideth the joints and marrow, in others glanceth only, or reboundeth, not making the least din • or impression upon their frozen adamantine hearts. If thou art eating and drinking, thou mayst feed thy soul as well as thy body, by meditating on the meat that endureth to everlasting life, on that flesh which is meat indeed, and that blood which is drink indeed. Thou mayst think, if my outward man need food, and without it cannot subsist, surely spiritual food is as needful for my inward man, and without it that will starve; If a famine of bread and water be so dreadful, that the tongues of men cleave under it to the roof of their mouths, and their countenances become as black as a coal, how dreadful is a famine of the Word of the Lord ! If natural food be so pleasant and savoury to my taste, surely spiritual food is sweeter then the honey and the honey comb. If all the labor of man be for his belly, what labor doth the soul deserve? If the ordinances of my God now are so pleasant to me, that my soul is even filled as with marrow and fatness, and refreshed as with Wine on the Lees, well refined, what a blessed day will it be, when I shall eat bread in the Kingdom of Heaven, and drink new wine in my Fathers Kingdom! O blessed are they that are called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
If thou beholdest thy candle, thou mayst consider how that light which makes small show in the day, yields a glorious luster in the night, not because the Candle hath then more light, but because the Air hath then more darkness; so that holiness and grace which in a day of prosperity and life seems of small worth and price, in a night of adversity and death, will be of infinite value: Or thus, I set up this candle to help and direct me about my business; so God sets up the candle of my life, and affords me the light of his word for me to work out my salvation, not to play by them: Or thus, this candle is spending itself for my good ; so I should be willing to spend and be spent for the good of others souls: Or, this Candle is always consuming, and will at last be quite wasted; so is my life daily wearing away, and ere long will be quite extinguished: The great Candles whilst they burn, make the greater light, but when they go ou • leave the greater stench; So ungodly men, the greater they are, the more they shine with glory whilst they live; but when they die, leave the more stinking savor behind them. If thou art putting off thy clothes, thou mayst ponder thy duty to put off the old man, which is corrupt according to his deceitful lusts, and to put off the works of darkness ; as also that ere long thou shalt put off thine earthly taberna • le. Art thou lying down in thy bed ? thou mayst think of thy grave, wherein thou must shortly lie down, and never rise up till the morning of the resurrection. Is the night dark ? thou mayst meditate thence on the darkness of thy mind naturally, of the works of darkness, of the blackness of darkness forever. Ah! what a dark dungeon is Hell, where not the least spark of light appears, though so much fire! My night will end, but sinners evening will find no morning. If a bed be so refreshing to my wearied body, how refreshing is a Redeemer to a wearied soul ? How lovingly he inviteth me, Come to me all that are weary, I will give you rest ! and how refreshing will tha rest be, which remaineth to the people of God ! When thou wakest in the morning, thou mayst say with the Psalmist, When I awake, I shall be satisfied with thy likeness ; or, When I awake I am still with thee ; or, rouse thyself up with, Awake to righteousness and sin not; Awake thou that sleepest, arise and call upon thy God. When thou art rising, thou mayst meditate on the Churches garment of needle work, the fine linen of the Saints righteousness, thy putting on the new man, created after God, in righteousness and true holiness, thy putting on that most excellent clothing which is for warmth, for ornament, and defense, the Lord Jesus Christ. Dost thou look on the glass to dress thyself? think of the glass of God's law, how necessary it is daily to look into it, for the discovery of thy spiritual spots and filth. Dost thou wash thy hands? O wash thy heart from wickedness, and forget not that great laver of the blood of Jesus Christ. Doth thy stomach call for some food? think of thy spiritual appetite, and how savoury it will make the dainties of God's house to thee. They did all eat of the same spiritual meat, and they did all drink the same spiritual drink; they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. Art thou to go about buying or selling, or worldly bargains? take some thoughts of buying that one Pearl of great price, which the wise Merchant sold all he had to purchase, of buying that gold of grace, and fine linen of the Saints righteousness, Mat. 13. 44. Rev. 3. 18. Amongst all thy gains and gettings, consider What will it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul, or what will a man give in exchange for his soul! If the gaining a little silver or gold be worth so much time and pains, how much is holiness and heaven worth? surely ten thousand times more. Art thou in the day to take a journey, thou mayst consider, I am but a Pilgrim and Stranger in this earth ; I am every day travelling towards my long home; I have no abiding City here, but look for one that is to come, whose Builder and Maker is God ; O that I could prepare for it, and daily make some progress towards it. Art thou to spend the day in thy Shop, or fields, and about many businesses? think on that of Christ; Martha, Martha, Thou art careful and troubled about many things, but one thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall never be taken from her. This Reader, were an excellent improvement of thy time in solitude, by such occasional meditations, which are obvious to ordinary understandings.
SECT. V.
THirdly, If thou wouldst exercise thyself to godliness in solitude; Mind solemn and set meditation. In the former head I advised thee to Occasional, in this, to Deliberate meditation. Hereby thou wilt not only prevent those covetous, ambitious, lascivious thoughts, which otherwise might crowd in upon thee, and pollute thee, but also exceedingly further thy soul in holiness. Occasional meditations do some good, but these much more, as making a greater impression upon the soul, and abiding longer with it. They differ as a taste and a full meal, as a sip and a good draught. Occasional meditations are like loving strangers, that afford us a visit, but are quickly gone. Deliberate meditations are as inhabitants that dwell with us, and are longer helpful to us. The former as the morning dew, do somewhat moisten and refresh the earth, but quickly passeth away; The latter as a good shower, soaks deep, and continueth long. Because this is of great weight, I shall acquaint thee what solemn meditation is, and then give thee a pattern of it.
Solemn meditation is a serious applying the mind to some sacred subject, till the affections be warmed and quickened, and the resolution heightened and strengthened thereby, against what is evil, and for that which is good.
There are five things in this description.
- 1. It is an application of the mind ; The understanding must be awake about this duty, it is not a work to be done sleeping. If the mind be not stirring, the affections will be nodding. The understanding in this, is (as it were) the Master-workman, if that be out of the way, or missing, the servants of the affections will be idle, and stand still. It is by this Sun that heat is conveyed to the lower world Darkness like the night is accompanied with damps and cold. The Chariot of light is attended with warming and quickening beams.
- 2. It is a serious applying the mind. Too quick digestion breeds crudities in the mind as well as in the body, and doth often more distemper then nourish. There must be a retentive faculty to hold fast that which nature receiveth, until a through concoction be wrought, or little strength will be gotten by it. Hereby it differeth from occasional meditation, which is sudden and soon vanisheth; this calls at the door, salutes us, and takes its leave; that comes in and stays some time with us. Occasional meditation is transient, like the dogs of Nile, that lap and are gone ; set meditation is permanent, it (as the Spouse begged of Christ) lodgeth all night between the breasts. This duty cannot be done unless the mind be kept close to it; the person that is negligent, cannot do this work of the Lord. Things of importance are not to be huddled up in haste. Loose thoughts, as loose garments, hinder us in our business. We need as much our hearts united to think of God, as to fear God. Short glances do little good, it is the abiding influence of the sun that turns the earth into silver and golden metal. It is not once dipping the stuff into the Dy-fat, but frequent doing it, that giveth the pure scarlet color. The true Mithridate, which is so cordial and opening, is long a making. The yellow wax lieth long in the beams of th • Sun before it changeth its color, and attaineth a virgin-like whitness and purity. He that rides post, though he wearies himself in travelling from place to place, is less able to give an account of the Country through which he passeth, then he that is more slow in his course but more constant in his abode; Omnis festinatio caeca est, saith Seneca. It is much blowing that makes the green wood to flame.
-
3. It is about some
sacred subject.
As good meat and drink breed good blood, so good subjects will breed good thoughts. There is abundant matter for our meditation; as the
Nature
or
Attributes
of God, the
States
and
Offices
of Christ, the three-fold state of man, the four last things, the vanity of the creature, the sinfulness of sin, and the love and fullness of the blessed Savior, the Divine Word and Works; out of these we may choose sometimes one thing, sometimes another to be the particular subject of our thoughts,
Exo.
15.11.
Ps.
1.1.
and
119.148.
Pro.
6.22. 1
Tim.
4. 13. To undertake more then
one
at a time, will deprive us of the benefit of all. Too
much
food will rather destroy then increase the natural heat: A little wood may help that fire to burn, which a great quaintity would smother. Whilst the Dog runs after two Hares, now after one, and presently after the other, he loseth both. Many subjects, as a press or crowd of people do but hinder one another. Those streams are strongest which are most united. Greediness of appetite, and receiving too much food weakeneth digestion. Simples are most operative, mixtures and compositions are often used to allay their force.
When thou hast fixed upon the subject, meditate (if it may be) on its causes, properties, effects, titles, comparisons, testimonies, contraries, all will help to illustrate the subject, and to quicken and advantage thee; they do all as so many several windows let in those beams which both enlighten the mind and warm the affections: but they must be considered in their places and methodically. The parts of a Watch jumbled together serve for no use, but each in their order make a rare and useful piece.
-
4. It is that the affections may be warmed and quickened : Our hearts and affections should answer out thoughts, as the echo the voice, and the wax the character in the seal. If our meditations do not better our hearts, they do nothing: Whilst they swim in the mind, as light things floating on the waters, they are unprofitable, but when they sink down into the affections, as heavy and weighty things, making suitable and real impressions there, then they attain their end. Our design in meditation must be rather to cleanse our hearts, then to clear our heads. Whilst I was musing the fire burned. We strike fire by meditation to kindle our affections. This application of the thoughts to the heart is like the natural heat which digesteth the food, and turneth it into good nourishment.
When we are meditating on the sinfulness of sin. In its nature, its contrariety to God, his being, his law, his honor; its opposition to our own souls, their present purity and peace, their future glory and bliss. In its causes, Satan the wicked one its Father, the corrupt heart of man its Mother. In its properties ; how defiling it is, filthiness itself; how infectious it is, overspreading the whole man, polluting all his natural, civil, spiritual actions, making his praying, hearing, singing an abomination; how deceiving it is, pretending meat, and intending murder. In its effects ; the curse of God on all the creatures evident by the vanity in them, the vexation they bring with them, in the anger of God on sinners, apparent in those temporal punishments, spiritual judgments, and eternal • orments which he inflicteth on them; I say, when we meditate on this we should endeavor to get our hearts broken for sin, ashamed of sin, and fired with indignation against sin. O what a wretch am I (should the soul think) to harbor such a Traitor against my Sovereign! What a fool am I to hug such a serpent in my bosom! What sorrow for it can be sufficient! What hatred of it is enough! What watchfulness against it, what self abhorrency, because I have loved it, and lived in it, can equal its desert! O that I could weep bitterly for the commission of it, and watch narrowly for the prevention of it, and pray-fervently • or pardon of it, and power against it! How much am I bound to God for his patience towards so great a sinner! How infinitely am I engaged to Christ for taking upon him my sins! Twas infinite condescension in him to take upon him my nature; but O what humiliation was it to take upon him my sins! What life can answer such love? what thankfulness should I render for such, grace such goodness ! The close applying of our meditations to our hearts, is like the applying and rubbing in oil on a benumbed joint, which recovers it to its due sense. He that omits it, doth as a chapman that praiseth ware and cheapens it, but doth not buy it, and so is never the better for it. David proceeds from meditation of God's works, to application of his thoughts, Psal. 8.2,3,4. When I consider the heavens, the work of thy fingers, &c. What is man that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man that thou dost thus visit him?
- 5. It is a serious applying of some sacred subject that his resolutions may be strengthened against evil, and • or good. The Christian must not only pray his good thoughts, but practice them; he must not lock them up in his mind, but lay them out in his life. A Council of war or of State is wholly useless if there be none to execute what they determine. That Kingdom flourisheth best where faithful execution followeth sound advisements: Therefore the Heathen pronounced that City • afe which had the heads of old men for consideration, and the • ands of young men for execution. Action without consideration, is usually lame and defective, consideration without action is lost and abortive. Though meditation, like Rachel, be more fair ; execution, like Leah, is most fruitful. The beasts under the law were unclean which did not both chew the cud, and divide the hoof. Ruminatio ad sapientiam, fissa ungula pertinet ad mores; Chewing the cud signifieth meditation, dividing the hoof an holy conversation, without which the former will be unprofitable, saith Austin.
Reader, Hast thou thought of the beauty and excellency of holiness, in its nature, its conformity to the pure nature, and holy commands of the blessed God, in its causes, the Spirit of God its principal efficient, the holy Scriptures its instrumental ; In its names, its the image of God, the divine nature, light, life, the travel of Christ's soul, grace, glory, the Kingdom of heaven : In its effects or fruits ; how it renders thee amiable in God's eye, hath the promise of his ear, is entitled to pardon, peace, joy, adoption, growth in grace, perseverance to the end, and the exceeding and eternal weight of glory, and hast applied this so close to thy heart, that thou hast been really affected with its worth, and wished thyself enriched with that jewel, though thou wert a beggar all thy life; and resolved with thyself, Well, I will watch, and weep, and hear, and pray, both fervently and frequently for holiness; I will follow God up and down, and never leave him till he sanctifieth my soul! Now I say to thee, as Nathan to David, when he told him of his thoughts and resolution of building a temple; Do all that is in thine heart, for God is with thee, 2 Chron. 17.2. or as God to Moses, concerning the Jews; They have well spoken all that they have said; O that there were an heart in them to keep my commandments ! Its well thou art brought to any good purposes ; but it will be ill if they be not followed with performances. Good intentions without suitable actions, is but a false conception ; or like a piece charged without a bullet, which may make a noise, but doth no good, no execution. Indeed there is no way better to evidence the sincerity of thy intentions, then by answerable actions. David was good at this, I thought on my ways, there was his serious consideration; and turned my feet to thy testimonies, there is his holy conversation. So again, I will meditate on thy precepts, and will have respect to thy testimonies. It is in vain to pretend, that like Moses, we go into the mount of contemplation, and converse with God, unless we come down as he did with our faces shining, our conversations more splendent with holiness. This, saith the chief of the Philosophers, will a man to perfect happiness, if to his contemplation he join a constant imitation of God in wisdom, justice and holiness.
Thus I have dispatched those five particulars in meditations; The first three are but one (though for methods sake to help the Reader, I spake to them severally) and are usually called Cogitation, the other two Application and Resolution; Cogitation provides food, Application eats it, Resolution digests it, and gets strength from it; Cogitation cuts out the suit, Application makes it up; Resolution puts it on and wears it; Cogitation betters the judgment, Application the affections, and Resolution the life. Its confessed, this duty of set meditation is as hard as rare, and as uneasy as extraordinary, but experience teacheth that the profit makes ab • nd • nt recompense for our pains in the performance of it. Besides, as Milstones grind hard at first, but being used to it, they grind easily, and make good flower; so the Christian wholly disused to this duty, at first may find it some what difficult, but afterwards both facile and fruitful.
Reader, to help thee herein, I shall give thee an example, though I would desire thee to remember that the advantage of meditation is rather to be fell • then read ; He that can paint Spikenard, or Musk, or Roses, in their proper colors, cannot with all his Art, draw their pleasant savo • r, that is beyond the skill of his pencil.
Let us, O my soul, a little retire out of the worlds company, to converse with the word of thy God. I cannot but hope the malefactor hath an high esteem for that Psalm of mercy, without which he had lost his life. I have reason to believe that thou hast no mean value for that Gospel of grace, and the graece of that Gospel, without which thou hadst lost thy soul, thy God, thy joy, thy delight, thine all, and that forever; yet sure I am, the price thou sets on it, is far inferior, to the worth of this Pearl, and besides, I have observed of late (whe • her partly because of its constancy with thee, things common, though never so necessary and excellent, being less valued then meaner things that are rare, or chiefly because of thy old seeming friend, or rather real enemy, thy flesh within thee, that never speaks well of it, because of its contrariety to the word, from which it hath received its deaths-wound, and therefore would die as the Thies on the Cross, spitting out its venom and malice at it, or what ever be the cause, I perceive too much) thou beginnest to decline in thy respect to it, what else doth thy backwardness to read it, thy carelessness in minding what thou dost read, and thy neglegence in practicing it signify; Therefore let us take a turn or two together, and argue the case, lest it be argued against thee in an higher Court, to thy cost, and I charge thee before the dreadful God, at whose judgment seat thou art to stand or fall forever, that thou attend to me seriously, and not dare to give me the slip, till the whole be debated, for it is not a vain thing, but i • for thy life.
What is this Word which thou art so prone to despise? Consider it, O my soul, First, in its Causes, and then tell me whether the child be not worthy of love and esteem in the superlative degree for his parents sake.
1. Its Principal Efficient cause, is the glorious and supreme Majesty of Heaven and Earth, the Spring and Fountain of all excellency and perfection; All Scripture is given by inspiration of God. Its the Word of the Lord, the Breath of his Mouth, the Law of his Lips ; whoever were the Pens or Scribes, his Mind indicted, and his Hand wrote every sentence in it. What a word must that be, which is the result of infinite • wisdom? How precious are those Tables which are the writing of God himself ? How glorious is that beam of light which was darted from this Sun to whom a whole Firmament of Suns were worse then perfect darkness ? If the breath of a man be so sweet that his doctrine drop as the rain, and his speech distil as the dew ; If the heart of a man can indict a good matter, and his tongue resemble the pen of a ready writer ; O what is the speech of the tongue of a God! Never man spake as he spake, his enemies themselves being judges. The Queen of Sheba came from the utmost parts of the earth, to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and blessed those Servants that waited at his Table and heard his wisdom ; But loe, O my soul! A greater then Solomon is here; How blessed are they that wait at his Gates, and that watch at the Posts of his doors!
2. The Pen-men and Scribes of it were men of choice gifts and graces. Some of them were like Saul, higher by the head and Shoulders then their brethren in the fear and favor of God; As Moses the meekest man upon the face of the earth; David the sweet singer of Israel, a man after God's own heart; Solomon, who excelled in wisdom all that were before him, or came after him; Isaiah of the Blood-Royal, an Evangelical Prophet, or Prophetical Evangelist, whose prophesy is clean and clear, and curiously garnished with all kind of Rhetoric; John the beloved Disciple that leaned on the bosom of Jesus; Paul who was wrapped up into the third Heavens, and as famous for active and passive obedience, as any in the world in his days; All of them were men extraordinarily inspired, and assisted by the Spirit of God. Not only the notions, but the very phrases and words were imprinted on them, and infused into them by God himself. The writings of some Naturalists have been bought at a great price, and thought worthy to be presented to great Princes; but the best of them, (though the Prophesy of the Sybills, which the Heathen so highly esteemed, be included) is but a bundle of folly and vanity to this book; Prophesy came not of old time by the will of men, but Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. O how excellent must that Scripture be, of which such incomparable persons were the Pen-men or Aman • enses, and to whom the infinite wisdom of God, did dictate every word?
3. The matter of them is heavenly and divine, the epitome of all equity and righteousness, the compendium of whatsoever is fit to be believed or practiced. The Scripture is a perfect rule, both for faith and manners ; It informeth us fully in our carriage towards God, and towards men ; how we ought to walk in all relations and conditions ; it forbiddeth evil, all evil, in the very thoughts; it commandeth good, whatsoever is good, in the whole course of our lives; It speaketh of such things as are far above reason, and yet nothing that is contrary to reason. The truths delivered in it, are many of them such as no human or created capacity could have possibly invented, yet such as are all agreeable to a rational understanding. It would have exceeded the wisdom of an Angel • to have thought of such a sweet mixture of justice and mercy, as is discovered in the Gospel, about the redemption of fallen man; It teacheth the nature and excellency of God, the trinity of persons, the unity of essence, the immensity of all his attributes, how he is infinite in his being, wisdom, knowledge, holiness, mercy, and faithfulness; how he is a pure act, without the least passion; a perfect being, uncapable of any addition; eternal, without either beginning or ending; immutable, without the least alteration; incomprehensible, beyond all co • ceptions; omnipresent, without any circumscription; It instructeth us in the person, and offices, and states of the blessed Redeemer, how he being the Son of God, was partaker of the human nature, that the Sons of men might be partakers of the divine nature. How God and Man were united in one person, that Man and God might be united in one Covenant ; How the eternal God married our natures, that he might exalt his boundless grace in marrying our persons ; How man was the debtor, God-man the surety, who made satisfaction to God the Creditor. How he was born of a mean woman, that we might be born of the most high God ; he was tempted, that he might conquer Satan for us, and succor us when tempted by him; what a life he led, filled with miracles and miseries; what a death he died, embittered with shame and pain, and all that we might be exalted to eternal honor and pleasure. How he triumphed over Death, the Grave, the Curse of the Law, Satan and Hell, in his Resurrection, and ascended into Heaven, leading Captivity Captive; appears in his Fathers presence, pleading his death, as the prize of his Chosens fafety and life, sitteth at his right hand, and ever liveth to make intercession for us. Its precepts excel all the commands, and Statutes, and Laws, that ever were in the World, in purity and justice, and goodness, much more then the Firmament of Stars, doth a Wisp of Straws ; Its promises are exceeding great and precious, of special efficacy, superlative excellency, and unquestionable certainty. In a word, the Scripture hath all in it, requisite either for counsel or comfort, for necessity or delight, for knowledge or action, for direction in life, or consolation in death.
3. The form of the Scripture renders it worthy my highest esteem, and hottest affection.
1. Its inward form is, That perfect correspondence and agreement between the commands and promises laid down in the word, and that infallible and certain truth of God's own understanding. The books of men are suitable to their minds, and their minds being but in part sanctified, their works must be answerably imperfect; but the Lord's understanding being infinitely pure and true, his word must bear some proportion to it. God is truth, without the least shadow of error; holy, without the least tittle of mixture; hence his word is certain, without the smallest color for doubts; Thy law is the truth; pure, not admitting of the least sin or darkness; Thy word is very pure, therefore doth thy servant love it. Because of its exact conformity to the eternal will of God, its called his word. As a man maketh known his mind by his words, so doth God; hence its called the mind of God, Pro. 1. 23. The Word of God, 1 Pet. 1. 15. The counsel of God, Act. 20. 27. The Oracles of God, Rom. 3. 2. The Law of God, Psalm 1. 2. Not only in regard of its Author, which is the divine wisdom, but also in regard of its matter, which is the divine will.
2. Its outward form is both plain and difficult ; according to Gregory, so shallow that lambs may wade in it, and so deep that Elephants may swim in it. Its style is so plain as to encourage the most unlearned, and yet so difficult as to exercise the greatest Scholars, and most profound Rabbies. To those that are babes in understanding, the Scripture is milk ; to them that are men in knowledge, the word is strong meat ; Its therefore called light, the nature of which, is both to discover itself and other things also. Thy word is a light to my feet, and a lanthorn to my paths; Its a light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn, and the day-star arise in our hearts, Psa. 119. 105. 1 Pet. 1. 19.
It is plain in regard of fundamentals and things necessary to be known and done. What we are to believe concerning God, the mediator, our own estate of innocence, apostasy, recovery; what we are to practice in order to salvation, are all perspicuous and clear to ordinary capacities. Though there be some whose eyes the god of this world hath blinded, lest the light of the glorious Gospel should shine upon them ; yet all wisdoms ways are plain to him that understandeth, 2 Cor. 4.4. Pro. 8. 9. The Scripture showeth the greatest simplicity, both in words and phrases and figures, that the weakest need not be afraid of searching into it. There is such obscurity also in things not absolutely necessary to salvation, that the deepest understandings need not be ashamed of reading and studying it. Peter affirms that in the Epistles of Paul, there are 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , some things hard to be understood. There are such abstruse texts in the word of God, that no man can make a certain comment on them. The Jews themselves confessed that in the latter end of Ezekiel, there are many things mentioned which are beyond all their apprehensions, against which, and all other difficulties in the Old Testament, they comfort themselves according to the expression of the woman of Samaria, Messias venturus est qui nobis annunciabit omnia; The Messias will come and tell us all things ; Now the wise God seeth fit to let some truths in Scripture be dark.
- 1. To shame us for our ignorance, which is the fruit of our fall from him. The pride and height of man is laid low, by the profound and hard places in the Word of God.
- 2. To quicken us to diligence, in reading and meditating, and comparing Scripture with Scripture. The deeper a mine of gold lieth in the earth, the harder we must labor to dig it out.
- 3. To raise our price of the Word of God ; We are apt to slight things that are easy and ordinary, and to value things at the highest, that cost us dearest.
- 4. To provoke us to pray to God, that he would give us his key, whereby we may unlock this cabinet of precious Jewels. He only that made the Scripture can best acquaint us with his mind in the Scripture; therefore David entreated divine light, that he might understand the divine Law, Psa. 119. 18. Open mine eyes, that I may see the wonder • full things of thy Law.
4. The final cause of the word, will speak it full of value and worth. Namely, the glory of the great God, and the salvation of lost man. The honor of God shines more brightly then the Meridian Sun, through the whole Heaven of the Scripture. The Scripture exalteth God in regard of his infinite nature and being, his transcendent excellencies and perfections, his eternal decree, his works of creation and providence. It advanceth God in all his attributes, declaring to us,
- 1. His wisdom, how he is the only wise God; the foolishness of God, is wiser then the wisdom of men ; yea, that Angels themselves are fools to him. His understanding is infinite.
- 2. His Power, how he is mighty in strength, the Almighty God, to him nothing is impossible, doth what ever he pleaseth, can do more then he will do.
- 3. His mercy, how he is full of mercy, rich in mercy, the Father of mercies, hath multitudes of tender mercies, his mercy endureth forever, hath an heighth, and depth, and length, and breadth in it which none can reach.
- 4. His Justice, how he fails not the least in the performance of his promises, and accomplishment of his threatenings; how he will by no means clear the guilty, not the greatest of his favorites, not for the least of their offenses; how he hath manifested his justice in the deluge brought on the old world, in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, in his carriage towards Apostate Angels, rebellious Israelites, his own chosen people, and the Med • atour his own Son, when he took upon him man's sin; in the instruments of eternal death, which he hath prepared in Hell for sinners, and the solemn triumph which justice shall have at the great day, and to all eternity in the other world.
- 5. His holiness, how he loathes sin with the greatest abhorrency, cannot behold the least iniquity, shoots the arrows of his vengeance against its actours and authors; will be sanctified in (or upon) all that approach him, is terrible in his holy places, forbiddeth the least compliance with sin, though but in a sudden thought, and makes it his end in his providences, ordinances, the gift of his Son, his Spirit, to make men holy. I might show how it exalteth him in all his properties, but I pass on. It glorifieth him in every part of it. Its precepts and commands speak his purity and dominion, its promises and covenant speak his boundless mercy and compassion, its threatenings and comminations speak his justice and jealousy, its prophesies and predictions speak his wisdom and omniscience.
The Scripture tendeth also to the eternal good of men. It is helpful to beget a soul to Christ; Of his own will begat he us again by the Word of truth. The Word of grace is instrumental for the conveyance of grace, Act. 2.37. Rom. 10. 14. It is helpful to build the soul up in Christ; as new born babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby, 1 Pet. 2. 2. Grace is increased by the same means, by which it is generated; as the same Sun that begets some living creatures is helpful for their growth. The Word of God, of stones raiseth up children to Abraham, and of Children maketh Young men and Fathers. It is so penned, that all sorts of persons, all ranks of Christians may be directed into the way of truth, and guided by it in the way of life. It is able to make us wise to salvation: To show the path of life, 2 Tim. 3. 15. Psa. 16. 11. As Joshua, it leads the Israelites into Canaan. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable.
1. For Doctrine, Where Scripture hath not a tongue to speak, I must not have an ear to hear. Scriptura est regula fidei, Scripture is the rule of faith ; Hence the Doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets is called a foundation, Ephes. 2. 20.