Sacramental meditations upon divers select places of scripture

This truth then in the first place, may convince, shame, and humble the ¹very best of Christians, who find so little delight in the most easy, sweet, ⟨p. 160⟩and spiritual duties of obedience; when Christ undertook and went through the most difficult task for them with such cheerfulness and readiness, Lo I come, thy Law is in my heart, I delight to do thy will. And yet the work he so applied himself to, was a work full of difficulty, attended with reproach and shame, as well as anguish and pain.

This truth then in the first place, may convince, shame, and humble the ¹very best of Christians, who find so little delight in the most easie, sweet, ⟨p. 160⟩and spiritual duties of obedience; when Christ undertook and went through the most difficult task for them with such chearfulness and readiness, Loe I come, thy Law is in my heart, I delight to do thy will. And yet the work he so applied himself to, was a work full of difficulty, attended with reproach and shame, as well as anguish and pain.

1. 11 Use.

Did Christ find pleasure in abasement and torment, in suffering and dying for me, and can I find no pleasure in Praying, Hearing, Meditating, and enjoying the sweet duties of Communion with him? Did he come so cheerfully to Die for me, and do I go so dead heartedly to Prayers and Sacraments to enjoy fellowship with him? Was it a pleasure to him to shed his Blood, and is it none to me to apply it, and reap the benefits of it? Oh Lord, what an heart have I? How unsuitable is this frame of heart to the Nature of God, whose essential excellencies make him the supreme delight, the sweet repose, solace, and rest of souls! Psal. 16. 11.

Did Christ find pleasure in abasement and torment, in suffering and dying for me, and can I find no pleasure in Praying, Hearing, Meditating, and enjoying the sweet duties of Communion with him? Did he come so chearfully to Die for me, and do I go so dead heartedly to Prayers and Sacraments to enjoy fellowship with him? Was it a pleasure to him to shed his Blood, and is it none to me to apply it, and reap the benefits of it? Oh Lord, what an heart have I? How unsuitable is this frame of heart to the Nature of God, whose essential excellencies make him the supream delight, the sweet repose, solace, and rest of souls! Psal. 16. 11.

How unsuitable to the principles of regeneration and holiness purposely planted in the soul, to make spiritual performances a pleasure to it!

Is this thy zeal and thy delight in the duties of obedience? Is it rather the awe of Conscience than the pleasure of Communion that brings thee to this duty? Doth thy heart need so many arguments to persuade it even to the sweetest, easiest, and most pleasant duties in Religion? Well, I did not love thee at that rate; my heart readily echoed to the Fathers call to die for thee, to drink the very dregs of the cup of trembling for thee. I come, I come. I delight to do thy will, thy Law is in the midst of my bowels.

Is this thy zeal and thy delight in the duties of obedience? Is it rather the awe of Conscience than the pleasure of Communion that brings thee to this duty? Doth thy heart need so many arguments to perswade it even to the sweetest, easiest, and most pleasant duties in Religion? Well, I did not love thee at that rate; my heart readily eccho'd to the Fathers call to die for thee, to drink the very dregs of the cup of trembling for thee. I come, I come. I delight to do thy will, thy Law is in the midst of my bowels.

2. Use for Exhortation.

If it be so, how great a motive have the People of God before them, to ¹make them apply themselves with all cheerfulness and readiness of mind to all the duties of active and passive obedience? O let there be no more grumblings, lazy excuses, shiftings off duty, or dead-hearted and listless performances of them after such an example as this. Be ready to do the will of God; yea, be you also ready to suffer it. Let the same mind be in you, which also was in Christ Jesus. The more pleasure and delight you find in doing or suffering the will of God, the more of Christs spirit is in you, and the more of his Image is upon you. Are not all holy duties expressed in Scripture by the Saints walking with God, Gen. 17 1. and is not this an Angelical life? Can it be a burden to the ear to hear sweet ravishing strains of melody; or to the eye, to behold variety of pleasant and lively colours; or to the palate to relish the delicious sweetness of meats and drinks.

If it be so, how great a motive have the People of God before them, to ¹make them apply themselves with all chearfulness and readiness of mind to all the duties of active and passive obedience? O let there be no more grumblings, lazy excuses, shiftings off duty, or dead-hearted and listless performances of them after such an example as this. Be ready to do the will of God; yea, be you also ready to suffer it. Let the same mind be in you, which also was in Christ Jesus. The more pleasure and delight you find in doing or suffering the will of God, the more of Christs spirit is in you, and the more of his Image is upon you. Are not all holy duties expressed in Scripture by the Saints walking with God, Gen. 17 1. and is not this an Angelical life? Can it be a burden to the ear to hear sweet ravishing strains of melody; or to the eye, to behold variety of pleasant and lively colours; or to the palate to rellish the delicious sweetness of meats and drinks.

1. 12. Use.

Oh Reader, were thy heart more spiritual, more deeply sanctified, and Heavenly, it would be no more pain to thee to Pray, Hear, or Meditate on the things of God, than it is to a Bird to carry and use his own wings, or to a Man, to eat the most pleasant food when he is an hungry. I have rejoiced (saith David) in the way of thy Commandments, as much as in all riches, Psal. 119. 14.

Oh Reader, were thy heart more spiritual, more deeply sanctified, and Heavenly, it would be no more pain to thee to Pray, Hear, or Meditate on the things of God, than it is to a Bird to carry and use his own wings, or to a Man, to eat the most pleasant food when he is an hungry. I have rejoyced (saith David) in the way of thy Commandements, as much as in all riches, Psal. 119. 14.

And as to sufferings for Christ, they should not be grievous to Christians, that know how cheerfully Christ came from the bosom of the Father to die for them. What have we to leave, or lose, in comparison with him? What are our sufferings to Christs? Alas, there is no compare; there was more bitterness in one drop of his sufferings, than in a sea of ours.

And as to sufferings for Christ, they should not be grievous to Christians, that know how chearfully Christ came from the bosom of the Father to die for them. What have we to leave, or lose, in comparison with him? What are our sufferings to Christs? Alas, there is no compare; there was more bitterness in one drop of his sufferings, than in a sea of ours.

To conclude, your delight and readiness in the paths of obedience, is the very measure of your sanctification.

THE NINETH MEDITATION UPON

Zech. 22. part of ver. 10. And they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only Son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.

THIS promise is confessed to have a special respect to the Jews Conversion to Christ. It was in part accomplished in the Apostles days, Acts 2. 37. yet that was but a specimen or handsel of what shall ⟨p. 165⟩be, when the body of that Nation shall be called.

But yet it cannot be denied that all Christians find the same piercing sorrows, and wounding sense of sin, when God awakens them by convictions, and brings them to see the evil of sin, and the grace of Christ, that is here expressed concerning them at their conversion.

But yet it cannot be denied that all Christians find the same pierceing sorrows, and wounding sense of sin, when God awakens them by convictions, and brings them to see the evil of sin, and the grace of Christ, that is here exprest concerning them at their conversion.

The words present us with three very remarkable particulars in Evangelical repentance, viz.

First: The spring and principle of it.