Media: the middle things, in reference to the first and last things: or, The means, duties, ordinances, both secret, private and publike, for continuance and increase of a godly life, once begun, till we come to Heaven. Wherein are discovered many blessed medium's or duties, in their right method, manner and proceedings; that so a Christian (the spirit of Christ assisting) may walk on in the holy path, which leads from his new birth to everlasting life. / Drawn, for the most part, out of the most eminently pious, and learned writings of our native practical divines: with additionals of his own, by Isaac Ambrose, minister of the Gospel at Preston in Amoundernes.

CHAP. VII.

SECT. 1. Of the nature and kindes of Meditation.

MEditation is a deep and earnest musing upon some point of Christian instruction, to the strengthening of us against the flesh, world and Devil, and to the lead∣ing us forward towards the Kingdom of Heaven; or Meditation is a stedfast bending of the minde to some spiritual matter, discoursing of it with others, till we bring the same to some profitable issue.

Now this Meditation is either sudden or set, occasional, or so∣lemn, and deliberate.

1. Occasional or Extemporal Meditation, ariseth from such things as God by his providence offers to our eyes, ears and senses. When I consider the Heavens, the work of thy fingers, the Moon and Stars which thou hast ordained: What is man that thou art mindeful of him, or the son of man, that thou visitest him? This Meditation of Davids was occasional.

2. Deliberate, set, or solemn Meditation, ariseth out of our own hearts, when purposely we seperate our selves from all com∣pany, and go apart to perform this exercise more throughly, making choice of such matter, time and place as are most requi∣site thereunto: Now this Meditation is double, for it is either conversant about matters of knowledge, for the finding out of some hidden truth, or about matters of affection, for the en∣kindling of our love unto God: The former of these two we leave to the Schools and Prophets, the latter we shall search after, which is both of larger use, and such as no Christian can reject, as either unnecessary, or over-difficult.

SECT. 2. The Circumstantials of Meditation.

THe circumstantials of our Meditation, are time and place; I shall adde to these (though I cannot call it a circumstance) the subject matter, which by way of preparation to the duty we may take notice of.

1. For the time: No time can be prescribed to all men; for neither is God bound to hours, neither doth the contrary dis∣position of men agree in one choice of opportunities; some finde their hearts most in frame in the morning; others learn wisdom of their reins in the night season; others finde Isaac's time the fittest time, who went out in the evening to mediate: No practice of others can prescribe to us in this circumstance; it is enough that we set apart that time wherein we are aptest for that service.

2. For place: We judge solitariness and solitary places, fittest for Meditation, especially for set and solitary Meditation: Thus we found Jesus meditating alone in the Mount, John Baptist in the desert, David on his bed, Daniel in his house, Isaac in the field. The Bridegroom of our Soul, the Lord Jesus Christ, is bashful (said Bernard) and never comes to his meditating Bride in the presence of a multitude: Hence was the Spouses invitation, Come my beloved, let us go forth into the field, let us lodge in the villages, let us go up early to the vineyards, let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grapes appear, and the pomegranates put forth, there will I give thee my loves: We must in this case abandon worldly society, both outward and inward: Many se∣quester themselves from the visible company of men, which yet carry a world within them; both these societies are enemies to this Meditation.

3. For the matter of our Meditation, it must be Divine and Spiritual; viz. Gods Word, or some part thereof: It is woful to think how some meditate on sin, contrary to Gods Word, studying to go to Hell with the least noise of the world; others bend their thoughts onely on the search of natural things; as, The motion of the Heavens, the reason of the ebbing and flowing

of the Seas, the kindes of simples that grow out of the earth, and the Creatures upon it, with all their qualities and operations; but in the mean while, the God that made them, the vileness of their nature, the danger of their sin, the multitude of their im∣perfections, the Savior that bought them, the Heaven that he bought for them, &c. are as unregarded, as if they were not: The matter of our Meditation must be some thing divine; I remem∣ber thee on my bed, and meditate on thee: — I will meditate of all thy works, and talk of thy doings.

SECT 3. Of occasional Meditation.

OCcasional Meditation ariseth from such things as God by his providence offers to our eyes, ears or senses: Examples of this sort are infinite, for a taste take these few:

1. Upon our first waking in the morning, meditate how the Lord can at the last day as easily raise up our dead bodies from the dust, as he hath now awaked us out of sleep; and as now we rise from the grave our bed, so then we must arise from that bed our grave.

2. Upon sight of the morning sky, meditate, That if one Sun make so bright a morning, what a shining morning will that be when Christ (the Son of Righteousness) shall appear, attended with all his bright Angels, Archangels, Cherubims, Seraphims, Bodies and Souls of Saints? When there shall be as many Suns on a day, as there are stars on a bright winters night.

3. Upon the occasions of the day, meditate, how the Lord seeth us, and understands all our thoughts, and is acquainted with all our ways: The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in behalf of them, whose heart is perfect towards him, and therefore we should do all things as in the awful presence of God.

4. Upon our particular callings we may accordingly medi∣tate; as—

1. A Magistrate, thus, As I judge others, so will the Lord judge me; it will not be long ere death arrest, and I must go

without bail: Me thinks I hear that sound in mine ears, I have said ye are gods; but ye shall dye like men.

A Minister, thus, The time I have to spend is not mine, but the peoples: Me thinks whiles I idle it away, I hear them crying af∣ter me, To your closet, and there pray for us that we perish not; study for us, that we may learn of you how to walk in his paths; for if we perish, and you will not give warning, then must our blood be required at your hands.

3. A Tradesman, thus, What is that ballance in my shop, but a memento of distributive and commutative Justice? if my deal∣ings be not just to a point or pin, I shall then be weighed in Gods ballance, and be found too light: A false ballance is an abomi∣nation to the Lord, and so is a true ballance, without true deal∣ing with all men.

4. An Husbandman, thus, As I sow in spring, so I reap in har∣vest, and God hath said, He that soweth iniquity, shall reap va∣nity, but they that sow in tears, shall reap in joy: Lord, whiles I sow in tears, give me April showers of Repentance, that when the harvest comes, and the Angels must reap, they may gather me into thy barn of Heaven.

5. A Soldier, thus, What trade is this I follow? what de∣vices are these I carry about me to murther afar off? whose image do I bear in this killing disposition, but his whose true title is, The Destroyer? I had need look about me that I be in a righteous cause; I am sure, all the titles of God sound of mer∣cy and gracious respects to man, God the Father is his Maker and Preserver, God the Son his Savior and Redeemer, God the Ho∣ly Ghost his Sanctifier and Comforter: O Lord, that my ene∣mies may be thy enemies, and my cause, thy cause, or that I may leave this calling.

5. Upon night approaching, meditate, That seeing our days are determined, and the number of our moneths are with the Lord, and our bounds are appointed, which we cannot pass, that one day more of our limited time is gone and past, and we are now nearer to our end by a day, then we were in the morning.

6. Upon occasion of lights brought in, meditate, If the light of a poor candle be so comfortable, which is nothing but a little inflamed ayr, gathered about a moistened snuff, What is

the light of that glorious Sun, the great Lamp of Heaven? but much more, what if the light of that infinitely resplendent Son of Righteousness, who gave that light to the Sun, and that Sun to the world?

4. Upon the sight of a bright sky full of stars, meditate, How worthy a Science it is to see and observe those goodly spangles of light above our heads, their places, qualities, motions: But the imployment of a Christian is far more noble, Heaven is open unto him, and he can look beyond the vail, and see further above those stars, then it is thither, and there discern those glories that may answer to so rich a pavement: I see indeed those glittering glorious stars, with my bodily eyes; but I see withall by the eyes of my faith, that this is but the floor of that goodly fabrick, the outward curtain of that glorious tabernable: I see within that incomprehensible light, which none can see and not be blessed: How many are these stars before my eyes? but Oh! what millons of pure and majestical Angels? what millions of happy and glorified Souls? how many mansions of my Father (one of them being my own) do I see by Faith? Come down no more (O my soul) after thou hast once pitched upon this heavenly glory; or if this flesh force thy descent, be unquiet till thou art let loose to immortality.

Thus from our uprising to our down-lying, we may upon every object presented to our senses, frame a sudden or occasional Me∣ditation.

SECT. 4. Of deliberate Meditation, and the parts thereof.

DEliberate Meditations arise, and are wrought out of our own hearts: Now every such Meditation consists of these parts, The

• Entrance.
• Proceedings.
• Conclusion.

1. The entrance is either

• Common.
• Proper.

1. The common entrance is some short, yet pithy prayer,

that God may guide and direct us therein, by the gracious as∣sistance of his holy Spirit.

2. The proper and particular entrance, is the choyce of some theme or matter, and a setling of our selves on that which we have chosen.

2. The proceedings of our Meditation are in this method:

• 1. To begin in the understandings.
• 2. To end in the affections.

1. Concerning that part which is in the understanding, it is good to keep that course which the common places of Natural and Artificial Reason do lead us unto: as to consider the mat∣ter of our Meditation, 1. In its description: 2. In its Distribu∣tion: 3. In its Causes: 4. In its Effects: 5. In its Use: 6. In its Properties: 7. In its Opposites: 8. In its Comperates: 9. In its Scri∣ptural Testimonies; onely in these heads observe these cautions:

1. That we be not too curious in prosecution of these Logical places; the end of this Duty is not to practise Logick, but to exercise Religion, and to kindle Piety and Devotion: Besides, every theme will not afford all these places; as when we medi∣tate of God, there is no room for Causes and Comparisons: it will therefore be sufficient, if we take the most pregnant and voluntary places.

2. That if we stick in the disposition of any of these pla••es (as if meditating of sin, we cannot readily meet with material and formal causes) we rack not our mindes too much with the inquiry thereof, but quietly pass over to the next.

2. Concerning that part which is in the affection, it is good to follow that course which the common places of Rhetorick do lead us unto: These are six: viz.

• 1. A relish of what we have meditated on.
• 2. A complaint, bewailing our wants of this relish.
• 3. A wish of the soul for what it complaineth to want.
• 4. A confession of our inabilities, to effect what we wish.
• 5. A petition for the supply of our inabilities.
• 6. A confidence of obtaining what we petition for.

3. The conclusion of the work contains these parts:

• 1. A thanksgiving.
• 2. A recommendation of our souls and ways to God.

I shall adde no more, but onely wish the soul thus concluding, to lift up the heart and voyce to God, in singing a Psalm answer∣able to its disposition, and matter meditated on; and by this means shall the soul close up it self with much sweetness and Spi∣ritual contentment.

SECT. 5. An Example of the souls love to Christ.

AFter entrance by Prayer, and choyce of this theme, the soul may proceed thus:—

1. Description.

O my soul, what is this souls love to Christ, whereof thou stu∣diest? It is a Spiritual fire kindled from above in the hearts of his darlings, towards their Bridegroom the Lord Jesus Christ.

Or it is a sparkle of that fire of the holy Ghost, struck into the tinder of our souls, which immediately smokes, and sends up the flame thitherward, whence it first had its rise: Or, it is the souls rest or reposal of it self in the bosom of Christ, with con∣tent unspeakable and glorious, being perswaded of her interest in that song of the Spouse, I am my welbeloveds, and my welbeloved is mine. This, O my soul, is the nature of thy love to Christ.

2. Distribution.

There is a twofold love, one of desire, which is an earnest long∣ing after that which we believe would do us much good, if we could attain to it; another of complacency, when having at∣tained that which we desire, we hugge and embrace it, and solace our selves in the fruition of it: Now the first of these loves is an Introduction to the second, and both of them (in re∣lation to Christ) issue from a proportionable act of faith prece∣dent: 1. That affectionate longing, and thirsty love, wherewith we pant and gasp after Christ, proceeds from the first acts of faith, whereby we assent to all Gospel-promises, as true and good in themselves, and better unto as then any thing in the world, could we but once be assured that they belong unto us. 2. That other love of complacency, when (with the Psalmist) we return unto our rest, because the Lord hath dealt bountifully with us; when sweetly we repose our selves in the lap of our Savior, with content

unspeakable, and ful of glory, it proceeds from the last act of faith, wherby we are actual perswaded by those welcom whistlers of the Spirit of adoption, that certainly Christ is our Savior, & that our debts are cancelled to the very last mite; only observe (O my soul) these two things of this love: 1. That 'tis subject to all variati∣ons or changes, ebbings and flowings of that perswasion; some∣times in a violent temptation, or in a sensible desertion, our per∣swasion fails, and so this love of complacency is either stupified, or it falls back into that thirsty auxious love of desire. 2. That this love of complacency admits of degrees, proportionable to the degrees of our perswasion; if that be clear and strong, this love is more cheerful and pleasant; if that be weak and obscure, this love is more cold, with many fears and jealousies,—whence this love of complacency may not unfitly be subdivided into an Ordina∣ry and Heroical love; ordinary love proceeds from a weak degree of that last act of Faith; Heroical love springeth from a more eminent and transcendent pitch of perswasion, concerning our own reconciliation in particular: It is called Ordinary, because most Christians (though effectually called) do ordinarily feel but such a timerous love in themselves; it is called Heroical, because it is constantly onely in such, as either besides the evidence of the Word and Spirit, have had some special revelation to put them out of all doubt, concerning their estate to God-ward; or in such as by a certain close walking with God, have been long ex∣ercised in a Christian course, have often entertained Christ Jesus at supper in their hearts, and habituated themselves into a more familiar acquaintance with that holy Spirit, which brings all the good news from Heaven, to those diligent souls which carefully wait for it.

3. Causes.

But whence is this love, O my soul? The Apostle is plain, We love him, because he first loved us: When the Spirit of God in the promises lets in some intimation of Gods love into the soul, then she loves him again: That expression of the Psalmist, The Lord will command his loving kindenesses in the day time, is perti∣nent to this; it is a phrase taken from Kings and Princes, and great Commanders in the field, whose words of Command stand for Laws: so the Lord sends out his loving kindness, saying, Go out, my everlasting love and kindeness, take a Commission from

me, go to that humble, thirsty, hungry soul; go and prosper, and prevail, and setle my love effectually upon him; I command thee do it: It may be at the first visit, the poor soul cryes out, What, I love? What, I mercy? will Christ Jesus accept of me? Oh, I am the worst of sinners; could I pray, or perform duties as some others do, I might have some hopes of mercy; but what? is it possible that the Lord of Heaven should love me? Yes, thee, even thee, saith the Lord: go out my loving kindeness to that poor soul, break open the doors of that weary weltring heart, knock off those bolts of carnal reason, and all base arguments, and clear and warm that broken, bruised, humbled soul, and tell him from me, That his sins are pardoned, his sighs and prayers are heard, and he shall be saved; I charge thee do the work before thou comest in again: Here, O my soul, is the immediate cause, Gods love thus affecting the heart, it breeds a love in the heart to God again: I drew them (saith God) with the cords of a man, even with the bands of love.

4. Effects.

And what are the effects (O my soul) of this love? O this love hath many holy gracious effects, it will make the soul to rejoyce in Christs presence, to grieve in his absence, to please Christ in all things, to desire union with Christ, though it never see good day, though it have no other wages; to bestow readily and freely any thing it hath on the Lord Jesus Christ, to deny it self, or any thing that may come in competition with Christ, to part with her Isaac's, her dearest things, To account all things as dung and loss, that she may win Christ, to be content with no∣thing, but love again from the party beloved, to be ever and anon thinking and musing on the Lord Jesus Christ, to be ordi∣narily and frequently speaking of Christ: Love is full of eloquence in the praises of her beloved, so is the souls love to the Lord Je∣sus Christ. O how that Spouse of Christ runs on in a description of his rarities and transcendencies, My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand (or as it is more elegantly in the Original, He is an ensign-bearer among ten thousand)—He is al∣together lovely, or he is all-entire, he is all composed of loves: Be∣twixt those Verses [10. and 16.] there's a description of Christ, so stuffed with choicest delicacies of expression, that thou canst not match it (O my soul) out of any of those Poets which

have flown highest in amorous inventions; at last she concludes with a triumphant Epiphonema, This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem: Nay, love will make the soul not onely speak, but do any thing for the Lord Jesus Christ: O then she cries, How may I please Christ better? what duty must I do? and what sins must I avoid? if there be any of the bed∣chamber of the Bridegroom, tell me I beseech you, how may I hear, and pray, and walk, and approve my heart to my Christ and King, that nothing may displease him. Lastly, love will make the soul suffer for Christ, and to rejoyce in such sufferings; it is a fire that much water of persecution cannot quench; nay, it feeds on those waters, and grows hotter by them: As opposition riseth against it, so it riseth against opposition, yea, it riseth by it, until it rise above it.

5. Opposites.

Now what are the contraries to this love of Christ, but an hatred of Christ? One would wonder there should be such a thing in the world, as hatred of Christ: But why then should the Apostle threat, If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema, Maranatha; (i.) If any man hate Christ, let him be accursed with all maner of execrations or curses in the most desperate maner, expecting due vengeance from the Lord, when he cometh with his holy millions, to execute judgement upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly: No question there is a world of wicked men, that are under this curse; I speak not of poor Indians, and other Savages of the unchristian world, whose souls are over-clouded with the blackest mists of irreligion, that the prince of darkness can possibly inwrap them in, who come in∣to the world, not knowing wherefore, and go out of the world, not knowing whither; an heavy case, which cannot sufficiently be bewailed with an ocean of tears and blood; but of those that live within the paradice of the Christian Church, that have no∣thing to distinguish them from those Indian Miscreants, but an outward conformity, outward formalities, the charity of other men, and their own slight imaginations: As 1. All open ene∣nemies, gross, hainous and grievous sinners, swearers, blasphe∣mers, drunkards, railers against God, his Ministers, his People, these and the like love sin more then Christ, they love the Devil more then Christ. 2. All fawning Hypocrites, that profess (it

may be) a marvellous affectionate love unto the Lord Jesus Christ, but they are inward haters of Christ.

6. Comparisons.

But to inflame thy love (O my soul) upon Christ, consider whereunto it is like, or to what it may be compared: The Scri∣pture hath described the outgoings of such a Soul, 1. By the parched ground: My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee, in a dry and thirsty Land, where no water is. 2. By the pant∣ings of a chased Hart: As the Hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. 3. By the longings of a teeming woman: I have longed for thy salvation, O Lord, and thy Law is my delight. 4. By the fainting and swooning of one that is in good earnest sick of love: I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, if you finde my Beloved, that ye tell him I am sick of love: Such souls are commonly cast into an agony, into pangs of love, that love Christ indeed.

7. Testimonies.

And doth not the Scripture express these loves of the soul to the Lord Jesus? If God be your Father (said Christ to the Jews) then will ye love me:—and, Thy name is as an oyntment poured forth, therefore do the Virgins love thee:—and, We will remem∣ber thy love more then wine; the upright love thee:—We love him (saith the Apostle) because he loved us first: I will love thee (saith David) O Lord my strength:—I will cause those that love me (saith Wisdom) to inherit substance:—He that hath my Commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me, and he that loveth me, shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and I will manifest my love unto him:—Look upon me (saith David) and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name.

Thus for Information of Judgement, now for the stirring up (O my soul) of thy affections.

1. Relish.

O divine love! O the pleasures, O the joys of this love! O honey and sweetness it self! it is the love of Christ, that sets a price on all other Duties; the least service (even a cup of cold water, or a widows mite) if it have but a grain of this love in it, is a most acceptable sacrifice to God; it is love to Christ that hath the Promises of this life, and that which is to come: I will cause

those that love me, to inherit substance, and I will fill their trea∣sures; —yea, there is a crown of life, which the Lord hath pro∣mised to them that love him; it is love to Christ, that by Christ as∣sures to us all the glorious priviledges, flowing from Christ, as Reconciliation, Adoption, Forgiveness of sins, Justification, Righteousness, Wisdom, Sanctification, Redemption, Possession of all things, All things are yours, whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come, all are yours, and you are Christs, and Christ is Gods. O who can think of this love of Christ, and not be ravished there∣with! Had I a thousand hearts to bestow on Christ, they were all too little, they were never able to love him sufficiently; it is the Lord Jesus that is all strength, and all wisdom, and all ho∣nor, and all beauty; the fountain of all graces, and vertues, and qualities in men: whatsoever grace, or vertue, or quality is in us, they are but so many rayes that come from this Sun of righte∣ousness; he is fairer then the children of men, and grace emi∣nently is poured into his lips.

2. Complaint.

But alas! where is my soul? how dull is my understanding? my affection? how careless, how peevish is my soul, in a business which concerns it so much? how prejudicate is my opinion? how vain are my conceits? O my soul! how ignorant art thou of the incomparable worth, and delightful sweetness that is in the Lord Jesus? how secute, and sleepy, and sensless art thou? O this hard heart of mine! thou canst mourn for losses and cros∣ses of this life, but for the loss of Christ, thou canst not mourn one jot: Didst thou, O my soul, truly affect Christ, the pillow would be washed with thy tears for thy want of Christ, and for thy want of assurance: Wo, and alas, that my minde is taken up with a confluence of worldly lusts, worldly cares, and world∣ly desires! O it is this that quencheth the Conjugal love of my soul to her bridegroom; my loves are now become very adul∣terous loves: wo, and alas, that I have loved the world, and the things that are in this world, that I have followed my base lusts, and adulteries, and abominations; that in stead of loving Christ, I have loathed him, and whipt him, and scourged him, and cruci∣fied him, and preferred the vilest lust (any sin whatsoever) before the Lord Jesus. And now I am musing of this love of Christ,

alas, I feel it not, or if I feel a little, little love of desire, yet I have no sence, no taste, no relish of that love of complacency; there is no such fire, no flames in my breast towards the Lord Jesus.

3. Wishing.

And yet, O that I could love the Lord Jesus! O that he had my heart! O that now I could bid adieu to all other lovers! O that the Father of love, and the Spirit of love would strike one spark of love from the Promise, to kindle it in the heart of his poor crea∣ture! O that I felt a dilatation of my desires after Christ! that God would stretch them, and widen them to the utmost, that I might love Christ with all my heart, soul and might! O that I were even sick of love! O that I were cast into the melting pangs of a divine Christian love! O my soul, consider the want of Christ, and the worth of Christ! O consider the benefits of Christs death, the sweetness of Christs promises, the pleasantness of his commands, the preciousness of his graces, and above all, the infiniteness of his love, and thou canst not but love him! Consider that soul-ravishing Text, God who is rich in mercy, for his great love where∣with he loved us, even when we were dead sins, hath quickned us together with Christ, and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus; that in ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kinde∣ness towards us through Christ Jesus: and thou canst not but cry out with the ardency of affection, with the strength, the zeal of love, O! To him, unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God, and his Father, To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

4. Confession.

O my soul, these are sweet motives: But alas, how dull is thy understanding, how dead thy affections? I clearly see there is no strength at all in thee. O how cold, and weak, and faint, and heartless are these thy wishes! O Christ! I would love thee, but I cannot; I finde no ability in my self to love thee; I am no more able to love thee, then cold water is able to heat it self, O where be those scalding affections to Christ Jesus, which holy men have felt in all ages, and striven to express in their Solilo∣quies? O where is this holy, constant, conjugal love? O where

are those swellings, and throwings, and wrestlings, which others have felt in their bowels? O where be those holy fits, those pangs of love, those love-trances, those Seraphical flames of con∣conjugal affection, which made the Spouse cry out, I am sick of love? Alas, I feel a distemper in my affections; I finde it not so easie to love Christ, as many men think, surely it is a very hard and difficult thing to love the Lord Jesus.

5. Petition.

Come then blessed Lord, and shew thy own self to me, I be∣seech thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, shew me the way that I may know thee: —I beseech thee shew me thy glory;— give me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Christ; let me see the beauties and glorious excellencies, and by this means blow my love into a pure flame, yea advance it to a degree of Angelical sublimity. Surely, Lord, I cannot love what I see not, and therefore anoint mine eyes with thy eye-salve, that I may see thy loveliness, and love thee with my best loves: O kindle, inflame, and inlarge my love, that it may rest largely in thee; inlarge the crany which the Spirit hath bored through the flesh into my Spirit, that I may largely see thee, and so large∣ly love thee; inlarge the arteries and conduit-pipes, by which thou the head and fountain of love flowest into thy members, that being abundantly quickned and watered with the Spirit of love, I may abundantly love thee: and do not onely come much, but come often into me, and let my Spirit often be one Spirit with thee, in communitive and fruitive unions; for such often unions with thy Spirit, will make my Spirit more Spiritual, and the more Spiritual she is, the more will she love thee, the God of all Spirits. Blessed Lord, wilt thou love the image, and shall not the image much more love the patern? O that I were sick of love! that my understanding, will and affections were all over∣flown, overcome and amazed, that my faintings were inflamed towards thee, and even melted into thee! O sweet Jesu, touch my soul with thy Spirit, that vertue may go out of thee into me, and draw me unto thee; let the savour of thy oyntments (whose very breath is love) be ever in my nostrils: Give me the flaggons of the new wine of the kingdom, which may lift up my soul above my self in my loves; give me to forget the low and base loves of this world, and by an heavenly excess, transport me into an

heavenly love, that I may embrace Christ who is the Lord from heaven with a love like himself: O give me to believe, for faith and love grow together, and the stronger my faith, the greater will be my love.

6. Confidence.

And this (sweet Jesu) I am fully perswaded thou wilt do: I believe, Lord help my unbelief; surely thou art God, who canst not lye, and thou hast promised, that the upright shall love thee. O how should I but believe thee? and now thou hast in some sweet measure convinc'd me, now thou beginn'st to warm my heart, and to cast me into a love-trance; now that my Spirit is somewhat raised, my heart in some sort inlarged, my minde in some measure fixed upon thee: I make bold (Lord) to conclude with this Spiritual Epithalamium, Blessed Lord, I am thine, one∣ly thine, ever thine, all that I am is at thy command, and all that I have is at thy disposing; be pleased to command both it and me: I know whatsoever I adventure or lose for thy sake, I shall receive with infinite advantage in thy blessed self. I dare trust my Lord with the best thing that ever he gave me, my precious soul. O my bleeding heart and broken spirit doth languish, in a thirsty love, panting and gasping after thee, my blessed Savior: O let me taste how gracious thou art, by some real experiments in my own heart, smile upon me from heaven, answer me with some assuring whispers of the Spirit of Adoption; Kiss me with the kisses of thy mouth, for thy love is better then wine. O let me bathe my soul in the delicious intimacies of a Spiritul communion with thee my God, that I may for ever adhere unto thee with a sincere constancy, and rest in thee with a love of complacency: for I feel, I finde my soul cast into a longing sweat for thee, and nothing can satisfie the importunate longing of my perplexed soul, but thy own self; for thou art my Lord, my love, my life, and thou art altogether lovely, O my dear Jesu! O my dearest Husband! O these holy fits! O these sweet pangs of love grow upon me apace! Upon a sudden, my King, my Savior, I am even sick of love!

Conclusion.

And now, O my soul, return unto thy rest, for the Lord hath been beneficial unto thee: The reason of thy love is Christs love; Thou lovest him, because he first loved thee. Is it thus, O my

soul? hath the Lord Christ indeed discovered his will, to take thee for his Spouse? What, he that is so holy, to marry such an impure wretch as thou art? O how should this but melt thee in∣to a flame of love? what stirrings of love shouldst thou now feel in thy bowels? how shouldst thou now value him, and prize him, and praise him? how should thy glory now sing praises to him, and not be silent? how shouldst thou admire and wonder, that thou couldst endure to be without Christ so long? that thou couldst so slightly think of Christ heretofore? O my soul, henceforward cling to thy Savior, go out of thy self, and creep to him, and affect not onely union, but very unity with him; bathe thy self hereafter again and again, many and many a time in those delicious intimacies of thy spiritual marriage: And to that purpose (O my soul) if sometimes thy love to thy Savior shall cool, O then sweet Savior look upon me in mercy; one look of thine will awaken my love, and make me weep bitterly, that I have loved thee so little, whom to love sufficiently, my best and mightiest loves are most insufficient: Prevent my seeking with thy seeking, be thou present with me in thy providence and power, when thou seemest to be far off me, in the taste of thy sweetness and fruition of thy loves; and then when I have re∣gained thee, I will hold more hardly, and keep more fastly, and love thee more vehemently, by thy power assisting: Provide a stock of loves in the summer, against winter, if it return any more: Come Lord Jesus, and be as the Roe on the Mountains; my life is hid with thee, O appear quickly, that I may quickly appear with thee in glory, and in the happiness of a consummate marriage: Even so, come Lord Jesus, come quickly, Amen, Amen, Psal. 18. to ver. 7.

SECT. 6. Another example of Eternity.

AFter entrance by prayer and choice of this theam, the soul may proceed thus:—

1. Description.

O my soul, what is this Eternity whereof thou studiest? It is the entire and perfect possession of a life (together and at once) that never shall have end: The description may be imperfect, and

no wonder; For how can that be defined, which hath no bon∣dage or limits: Whatsoever is said of eternity, comes infinitely short of it, no words can utter it, no figures number it, no time can measure it: Eternity is of this nature, take from it what you will, it is still the same, it is neither encreased by addition, nor diminished by subtraction: What is Eternity? it is a circle running back into it self, whose centre is always, and circum∣ference, without all end: What is Eternity? it is a duration al∣ways present, it is one perpetual day, which is not divided into that which is past, and that which is to come: What is Eternity? it is an age of ages, never expiring, but always like it self, with∣out all change: What is Eternity? it is a beginning without be∣ginning, middle or ending, or a beginning never ending, always beginning: and this, O my soul is Eternity.

2. Distribution.

There is a twofold Eternity, an Eternity of wo, and an Eter∣nity of joy: First of wo, O wo that never shall have end! The worm shall not dye, the fire never shall be quenched: After a thousand thousand millions of years, there are still as many more to come, and when those many more are come and gone, the woes are yet as far from the last as they were at the first: It is now above Four thousand years since Esau, who hated Jacob, was cast into this pit of woes, and yet the number of his years of torments are as many, as it was the first day of his torment. Secondly, of joy, O joy, above all the joys in harvest; they are the joys of Hea∣ven: There joys the understanding, by a perfect knowledge and vision of God; there joys the memory, by a perfect remem∣brance of all things past; there joys the will, by enjoying all maner of good, without all fear of evil: In this joy there is no corruption, no defect, no old age, but solemn glory, and con∣tinual solemnity; there is an everlasting spring, there is always the flower, and grace of youth and perfect health: With thee is the fountain of life, and in thy light shall we see light.

3. Causes.

Whence are these two Eternities, O my soul, but from him that is onely eternal?

1. Eternal wo is from him, For he hath prepared Tophet of old: God is the efficient, but sin the meritorious cause of this wo, The wages of sin is death.

2. Eternal joy is from him, the Father bestows it, the Son merits it, the Holy Ghost seals and applies it: God hath given thee a Savior (O my soul) to give this eternal joy to thee, and God hath given thee faith, whereby thou mayest attain to this Savior; and God hath given thee his Word, whereby thou mayest attain to this Faith: Look up therefore to him as the be∣ginner and finisher of this Eternity, and whilest thou magnifiest the author, be ravished with the glory of the work; there is no∣thing that is good, that is not comprehended herein: In thy presence is fulness of joy, and at thy right hand are pleasures evermore.

4. Effects.

What ••re the effects, O my soul, of this Eternity?

1. Of Eternity in Hell, these amongst others; heavy, heavy, most sad and heavy thoughts, when the damned shall consider their dooms, Go ye into everlasting fires, then shall they cast their deep thoughts on

• ...Time past.
• ...Eternity to come.

1. For time past they shall remember, that sometimes they lived (at least some of them) in a glorious Goshen, inlightned with the fairest noon-tide of the Gospel that ever the Sun saw, and that they heard many and many a powerful Sermon; any one passage whereof (had they not suffered Satan to blindefold and baffle them) might have been unto them the beginning of the new birth; that many times they were told of this danger by Gods faithful Ministers; that they had many calls and offers of salvation, and the Spirit of God many a time cryed behinde them, This is the way, walk in it: That sometimes they were half perswaded to be Christians, and they were near salvation, and they had a golden opportunity for it; but alas, they re∣volted again, and preferred their lusts, and passed by those offers and opportunities, with an inexpiable neglect, and horrible in∣gratitude, and now they lie drowned and damned in that lake of fire and brimstone, which they might have so easily and so often escaped: O what a shrike will this cause in Hell? whiles at every of these considerations, the worm of conscience shall give them a deadly bite, even to the heart? that the memory of things here on earth, remains still with all spirits in the world of Hell,

is manifest, Son, remember thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things, and Lazarus evil, now therefore is he comforted and thou art tormented, said Abraham to that rich man in Hell.

2. For Eternity to come, they shall consider, That this Eternity is another Hell in Hell; might they endure those horrible pains, and extream horrors, no more millions of years, then there are creatures both in Heaven and earth, they would comfort them∣selves with this thought, My misery will at last have an end; but this word [Eternity] it rents their very heart in pieces, it rents their very throat with hideous roarings, it gives a new life to their insufferable sorrows: O my soul, doest thou not tremble at this consideration. Imagine thou heardst Judas roaring in Hell flames, I have now suffered above One thousand six hundred years since I betrayed Christ, and through the extremity of torment, I have thought these One thousand six hundred, to have been a thou∣sand, thousand, thousand, thousand years: O when will be an end of these sufferings! When? couldst thou tell stellas coeli, stillas roris, undas aquei flueris, &c. all the stars of Heaven, stills of dew, drops of rain, fleeces of snow, flowers of the Spring, colours of flowers, fruits of the earth, grains of corn, leaves of trees, beasts of the field, motes of the Sun flying in the ayr, hairs on thy head, sands on the sea shore, piles of grass growing on the earth; and shouldst thou adde to these, all the thoughts of men, the motions and mutations of all the creatures, and number all these by all the additions and multiplications of Arithmetick, enough to fill volumns reaching from earth unto Heaven, as yet thou hast not measured the length, the middle of Eternity: O Judas here is thy lot, thou hast fryed in Hell above a thousand years, thou must be tormented in those flames a hundred thousand years, ten hundred thousand years, a thou∣sand millions of years, a thousand, thousand, thousand, thousand millions of years, of ages; and when all those years and ages are gone and past, thou art as far from the end of thy torments, as thou wert at the beginning, when thou hangedst thy self, and first wentst down to Hell. O my soul, here's a Meditation able to startle thee from the sleep of sin: No question, at these thoughts, Judas and all the damned in Hell take on with infinite anguish, and inraged indignation: Hence comes that horrible hatred, and perpetual blasphemies which the damned utter

against God: O how they tear their hair, and bite their nails, and gnash their teeth, and dig furiously into the very fountain of life, desirous (if they could do it possibly) to spit out their very bowels. O my heart, well mayest thou tremble in the midst of this Meditation! O Eternity! Eternity! Eternity!

2. Of Eternity in heaven, these (amongst others) are the ef∣fects, rowzing, raising, and most ravishing thoughts, when the blessed shall consider their doom, Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom: Then shall they cast their thoughts on

• ...Time past.
• ...Eternity to come.

1. For time past, they shall remember, That sometimes they were in troubles, in sorrows, in sicknesses, in contempt of others, in dangers by Sea and Land; That sometimes they were ready to perish, and to cast away their souls by this or that sin, but that God still held his special hand over them, and gave them grace, and now hath brought them into the Port and Haven of Security, where is no shadow of miseries: O what ravishing of Spirit will the souls of the just be cast into at this recalling of time past! and that the memory of things here below, remains still with all the Spirits of the just made perfect, is manifest: Re∣member me when thou comest into thy kingdom, said the good Thief to Christ.

2. For Eternity to come, they shall consider, That the joy they enjoy, they shall enjoy for ever: They that be wise shall shine as the brightnes of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousnes, as the stars for ever and ever. They shall shine: how? as the firma∣ment, as the stars, or as the Sun, saith our Savior: Not so (saith Chrysostom) as that they should not surpass the brightness of the Sun, but the Sun being the most glittering thing in the world, he takes a resemblance towards the expressing of their incomparable glory: But to heighten this glory, observe the auxesis, it shall be for ever (i.) for eternity, or for ever and ever, (i.) for eternity and eternity; or as the Latines, in perpetuas aeternitates, for perpetual eternities: If one eternity be without end, what are two? what are ten? what are an hundred? what are infinite? O what a life is this that knoweth no end? what a glory is this that never fadeth? what a love is this that never cooleth? what a joy is this that never ceaseth?

5. Opposites.

Why then, O my soul, dost thou set up thy rest on this side Jordan? what are those few short pleasures thou here enjoyest? what is this brittle life, on which depends eternal bliss or wo? what is earth to heaven? what a minute to eternity? if any thing be contrary to eternity, what is it but this punctilio of time we have here to spend? this little brittle life, what is it but an ell, a span, an inch, a point? O dear penyworth, to buy the mer∣ry madness of one hour, with ages of pangs, infinite and eternal! O dearest bargain that ever was, to sell away Heaven, (our everlasting inheritance) with Esau, for a sip of momentany pleasure. I see this world and the other are meer opposites; my life is so little, and eternity so long, that I cannot tell what is more contrary then these two: My life is nothing but a Now, this instant is properly my own, I cannot promise to my self any thing future, and therefore my life and eternity are as contrary as may be.

6. Comparisons.

But to what shall I compare this Eternity? as a drop of water is unto the sea, and a gravel stone in comparison of the sand, so are a thousand years to the day of Eternity: Nay, if we multi∣ply a thousand years a thousand times, it would not amount to the least fraction of the numberless number of Eternity. They say, That the eighth Coelestial Orb or Sphaere, is moved wonder∣ful leisurely, for though it be daily wheeled about by the rapid motion of the Primum mobile, yet it finisheth not its own pro∣per Circuit, but once in Thirty six thousand years; and this space of time they call the Great year, or Plato's year: but compare this with Eternity, and it will appear but as a moment, a very nothing at all; to what then mayest thou compare this Eterni∣ty? O my soul, it is like an Orb, every way round, and like it self, or like a wheel, that turns, and turns, and doth never cease turning; or like a year, continually wheeling about, which turns again to the same point whence it began, and still wheels about again; or like an ever-running Fountain, whither the waters after many turnings flow back again, that they may always flow; or like a Snake bowed back unto it self orbicularly, hold∣ing the tayl in her mouth, which in its end doth again begin, and never ceaseth to begin; or like a Ring, or like a Globe, or like a

Sphaere, or like the circuit of Sun and Moon, without all end.

7. Testimonies.

Is not the Scripture (O my soul) frequent in the mention of Eternity? These shall go into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal: —Their worm shall not dye, their fire never shall be quenched:—Depart from me ye cursed into ever∣lasting fire: —Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst, but the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water, springing up into eternal life: — We know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens: — Surely he shall not be moved for ever, the righ∣teous shall be in everlasting remembrance: —They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars for ever and ever.

Thus far, O my soul, for the information of thy judgement: Now for the stirring up of thy affections.

1. Relish.

O Eternity, whether of joys or woes! O that thou wert writ∣ten in a book, that thou wert graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever! O that my heart were the book! that my Meditation were the iron pen and lead! and that this word Eter∣nity were so imprinted and ingraven in my heart, that I might still have it in my minde, when Pleasure fawneth, when Lust pro∣voketh, when the Flesh rebelleth, when the Spirit faileth! O Eternity, how is it I forgot thee! O my soul, be established, and say with David, My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: Set thy self in a sure place, and stand awhile; and standing, ad∣mire at this Eternity, which always stands, and never passeth away; and that thou mayest taste and relish, that thou mayest be affected and moved with this Eternity.

1. Consider the never-dying worm, and the everlasting fire: O the bitterness of this Eternity! there's a man in fire, and a worm at his heart; the fire burns him, and the worm bites him, yet neither of these make an end of him; there he roars, and yells, and howls, and cryes, O wo is me for ever! A man said I! alas, Broad is the way, and many there are that walk hell-ward: It were enough indeed to make all tremble, though there were but one amongst all the sons of Adam to suffer eternally, but

that Hell should enlarge her self, and open her mouth without mea∣sure, and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp should descend into it; that there should be millions of men of the same flesh and blood that I am, chained together in hell, where one roars, and another answers, and all bear the Burthen, Wo and alas for ever. In one nook of Hell there's a lamentable shreek, Wo for ever: in another corner far remote there's an∣other fearful shreek, Wo for ever; in all the corners of those smoky Vaults there's a cry, or an echo of this cry, For ever, for ever, for ever, for ever.—O my soul, how is it thou canst sleep in the night, or be merry in the day, whilest thou thinkest atten∣tively, or considerest throughly of this Meditation? less matters have sometimes bestraught men of their wits, and bereaved them of their lives.

2. Consider the Eternity of joys. O the sweetness of this Eternity! O blessed estate of Saints in the kingdom of heaven! O glory, not to be expressed, even by those who are glorified! there is that perpetual spring, which through the fresh and sweet breathings of the Spirit of God, shall flourish ever; there is time (if it be time) always after one sort, not distinguished into evening and morning, but continued with a simple Eternity. O Eternity of joys, worthy of continual songs of Saints and An∣gels to celebrate thy praise! O Eternity of joys! how should I extol thee, desire thee, love thee, and hate all this world for thee?

2. Complaint.

But alas, where is my fear, my trembling for that Eternity? my love, my longing after this Eternity? what little taste and savour have I of that bitterness, or this sweetness? My soul, what dulness and heaviness is this that hangs upon thee? How hath the world bewitched thee, and thou art become so carnal, so corporeal, so sensless of Spiritual things? Thy thoughts run after riches, and they are uncertain; thou art ambitious after honors, and they are slippery; thou art in love with pleasures, and their end is sudden, and there is bitterness in the end; thou art daily conversing with men, but death shall dissolve all knots of friendship with others. O preposterous care! what, all on the world? and now that Eternity is thy Meditation (on which thou shouldst taste largely, and be affected deeply) art thou now

all a mort? O what dulness, what drowziness, what security is this? if thou hast in thee any sparks of that heavenly fire, first breathed into thee by the Spirit of God; awake, awake, O my soul, away, away with this dull sensless security, and consider there's but a step betwixt thee and Eternity.

3. Wish.

O that I could finde this Eternity! that I could taste or re∣lish this Eternity! that I were fitted and prepared for Eternity! O that I were wise, that I understood this, that I considered my latter end! O that now while it is called to day, while it is the ac∣cepted time, and the day of salvation, I had a diligent and in∣tent eye upon this Eternity! O that I could still reason thus, What if I indure hunger and thirst, emptiness and injuries, sick∣ness and poverty? What if I were beaten with rods, or suffered shipwrack? what if I were stoned to death? all these are nothing to that Eternity of woes; on the contrary, What if I had Croesus riches, Solomons Wardrobe, Belshazzars Cup-board, Sampsons strength, Absoloms beauty? What if an Angel should take me up into an exceeding high mountain, and shew me all the Kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, and say unto me, All these will I give thee? all these are nothing to Eternal glory: O when shall this day come, that I shall enter into these confines of Eternity, and solace my self in my God? As the Hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God: My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: O when shall I come and appear before God?

4. Confession.

I desire Lord, but alas, how weakly, how dully, how heart∣lesly? I am not able, Not sufficient of my self, to think any thing as of my self, but my sufficiency is of God: It is nature that pulls me from this holy Meditation; nature favors it self, loves the world, abhors death and Eternity in another world: It is my misery that I dote on nothing, or on sin, that's worse then nothing: How long shall these vanities thus besot me? How long shall these vain thoughts lodge within me? Why Lord? there is no strength in me, I can neither will nor do; It is thou onely must work in me both to will and to do (both to meditate on, and to prepare for Eternity) of thy good will and pleasure.

5. Petition.

To thee, Lord, I make my moan, to thee I tender my humble Petition, and pour out my soul: O give me a taste and relish of this Eternity; O give me this water, that I need thirst no more; O give me such a taste or relish of this water, that it may be in me a well of water, springing up into eternal life: O inflame my soul with a love of these thoughts, with a longing desire after this Eternity of joys: O let me not always be thus dull and brutish, but thou that hast prepared Eternity for me, prepare my soul for Eternity; teach me so to carry on this earth, that I be not shut out of those eternal Mansions in Heaven; give me repentance for sin, that I be not thrown into those Eternal woes in Hell; open my eyes that I may see, draw aside this vail, that I may know what Eternity is; give me so to live, as one that labors for Eternity, contend for Eternity, suffers for Eternity; let me never be so foolish as to settle my self on vanity, and to neglect this Eternity that never shall have end.

6. Confidence.

Behold, O my soul, and do not meerly crave, but challenge this favor of God, as that which he owes thee; he owes it, be∣cause he hath promised it, and by his mercy he hath made his gift his debt: Is there not a promise made, Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound, they shall walk in the light of thy counte∣nence, O Lord: and is it not an experience tryed, I sate down un∣der his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste: O what is this but the taste of Eternity? what is this but a glimpse of unspeakable joy? press on, O my soul, and do not onely believe a taste, but a hearty draught of Eternity; these tastes are but earnests, but there is a promise of everlasting fruition: Hath he not given thee his word for Eternal life, for an Eternal inheritance, for everlasting righteousness, for an inhe∣ritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away? Awake, arise, O my soul, and lay hold on the promises of this blessed Eternity; be not dismaid by reason of thy unworthiness, for the promise is of Grace, freely offered, and freely given to them that be unworthy in their own eyes: Christ hath purchased righ∣teousness and everlasting life, believe in him, and live to all Eternity. O my soul, why art thou dull and sluggish, where∣fore dost thou not put forth thy self to embrace and receive this

promise of Eternity? Gods promises are ever certain, never less, but rather more in accomplishment then in tender; why dost thou not cast thy self upon this blessed issue, If God be merciful, I am eternally happy? It is the sure promise of God, That he that believeth hath Eternal life; therefore if I believe, I am already a free denizon in the new Jerusalem; Eternity of joys is already reserved for me: Why Lord, I believe, come glo∣ry, come Eternity, come and welcom glorious Eternity, eternal glory.

Conclusion.

Return unto thy rest, O my soul, for the Lord hath been bene∣ficial unto thee: O the incomprehensible love and favors of the Lord! Was it ever found that any King or Potentate should adopt the blinde, the lame, the deaf, the dumb, to succeed him in his Inheritance? and shall such a one as I (the vilest, the worst of sinners) inherit everlasting life, a crown that never withereth, a durable treasure, which can never fade: O what shall I give unto the Lord for this Eternity? My soul, rejoyce thou in the Lord, and bless his holy name: Now begin that Alleluiah on earth, which in Heaven thou shalt sing more sweet∣ly to all Eternity, Alleluiah! and again Alleluiah! Amen, Alleluiah!

And now (O my soul) give up thy self to God, and repose thy self wholly on thy Maker and Redeemer; wait patiently on him, for the full possession of this Eternity, and walk chear∣fully in the way that he leads thee thereunto: Say at the part∣ing of this Meditation, O Lord, O Eternity it self, O thou First and Last, Alpha and Omega, without beginning, and without all end, I recommend my soul, my ways to thee; take me to thy keeping, and prepare me for Eternity, through Christ thy onely Son, my onely Savior. Psal. 16. beginning at Verse 7. ad finem.

Notes

• Psal. 8.3, 4.
• Gen. 24.63.
• Can. 7.11, 12.
• Psal. 63 6. and 77.12.
• 2 Chro. 16.9.
• Psal. 82.6.
• Ezek. 3.18.
• Prov. 11.1.
• Prov. 22.8. Psal. 126.5.
• Iob 14.5.
• Cant 6.3.
• Psa. 116.7.
• 1 Iohn 4.13.
• Psal. 42.8.
• Hosea 1.4.
• Phil. 3.8.
• Can. 5.10.16.
• Acts 5.41.
• 1 Cor. 16.22.
• Iude v. 14, 15.
• Psal. 63.1.
• Psal. 42.1, 2.
• Psa. 119.174.
• Cant. 5.8.
• Iohn 8.42. Cant. 1.3.
• Cant. i. 4. 1 Iohn 4.19. Psal. 18.1.
• Prov. 8.21. John 14.21.
• Psal. 119.132.
• Prov. 8.21. Iames 1.12.
• 1 Cor. 3.22, 23.
• Psal. 45.2.
• 1 Iohn 2.15.
• Eph. 2.4.5.6.7.
• Revel. 1.5, 6.
• Cant. 2.5.
• Exod 33 13.18.
• Ephes. 1.17.
• Cant. 1.4.
• Cant. 1.2.
• Psa. 116.7.
• Rev. 22.20.
• Isa. 66.24.
• Isa. 9.3.
• Psal. 36.9.
• Isa. 30.33.
• Rom. 6.23.
• Psal. 16.11.
• Luke 16.25.
• Luke 23.42.
• Dan 12.3.
• Matth 13.45.
• Eccles. 8.9.
• Matth 25.46.
• Mark 9 44.46.48. Matth 25.41. Iohn 4.14. 2 Cor. 5.1.
• Psal. 112.6.
• Dan. 12.3.
• Iob 19.23, 24.
• Psal. 57.7.
• Isa. 5.14.
• Deut. 32.29. 2 Cor. 6.2.
• 2 Cor. 11.23, 25.
• 2 Cor. 3.5.
• Ier. 4.14.
• Phil. 2.13.
• Psal. 89.15. Can. 2.3.
• Iohn 3.16. Heb. 9.15. Dan. 9.24. 1 Pet. 1.4.
• Iohn 3.36.
• Psal. 116.7.