Chap.; .Se&.2 Looking uvto 1efm. Boo.ic r\1. thc:mfelves lightned and heated ; fo in holy medication our fouls may be altered and c~anged i_n a fecre~ i~fenfible way ; there is a vercue goes along wtth a fenons medttauon, a changing, cranfforming vertue; and therefore look fu rther 0 my foul, have: ftrong apprehen!ions of all thofe fever a! palfages of the life of Chrift. 1 . ConG.der the preaching of {ohn Baptift, we talke of.firictnelfe ,but Otew me among all the Minifters or Saints ofchis age, fuch a patternc of fandity and fingular aullerity; the fumme of his Sermons was rrpmtnnce, and dereliEliMI offinne, and bringing forth fruitJ wc rthy of lltnendment of life. In the promoting of which doctrine, he was a fevere reprehender of the j ·harifees, and Sadduces, and Publicans, and Souldiers, and indeed of all men, but efpecially ofthofe chat remained in their impemtency, for againll them he denounced judgement, and fire unquenchable; · Oh he had an excellent zeale, and a vehement Spirit in preaching; and the bell commentary upon all his Sermons was his own life ;. be was cloathed in Camels haire, his meat was locufis and wild honey; he con'emncd the world, refilled temptations, defpifed to a{fume falfe honours t0 himfelfe, and in a!. palfages was a rare example of felfe-denyal, and- mortification; arid by this means he made an el> cellent, and apr preparation for the Lords coming, 0 mv foul that thou wouldfi but fit a while under this Preacher· . ' or that thou wouldll but ruminate, and chew the cud; think over his Sermons ot upentance, end righrPoufneJfe, and temperance, and 6J the judgement ro come and fee what influence they have; when Paul preached fuch a Sermon to F,/ix, it is faid that he trembled; Act. ::.4. ~$; . a Sermonof the ~haffeJ burning with r~ nqmnchable firr, is enough to make thy heart tremblt.>, if powerfully delivered , and affedionardy received ; but feewhat effect doth it work on t!iy heart and ltfe? dull: thou fee le in thee a fpirit of mortification? doff. thou with the !'. aprtll: dye to the world? doll thou deny thy will of all 1rs ra:. ural fl nful de tlres? doll thou ab itaine fmm pleafu .rcs and fe ntual compla-.encie~, that the fle{h bemg fubdued to the fpint, bmh m1y joyne in the fervice ofGod? doft tholl kilL the lufls of ~ll e fl e01 by takmg away the fuel ! and mcentives of lu ll:s ? this is the work ofmeditation; it firf\: employe$ the underll:andi ng in conGderation ofthings, and then the will in the · receptiOn of things, and both rhefl! in ord' r to grace and a pious. 0 o o 3. con;-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=