898 A Difcour[e of Divine Meditation, ~ ----:rhirdif, When""cl;;;;;-a-;M;ditating that fo--;-;;~ultful; J;d,-;;t;;; frt· ~ d~:t~t Emi/lionsofthy Soul to God: Let thy thoughts be moulded into words, and '· By way ofComplaint. 2. By way ofDefire. of ;'~?,he~W~~Itt~~~!J:~~p~n~~~;~1°t~,~~: ~dd~~~i;l~i~ 0t~c~~~~go~1~~e1:dr., ed Man that I am, who am Chained to this Earth ! My Treacherous Nature betrays . me to the vanities of this Life. Oh that I fl1ould be Infenfible of Spiritual }oyes! and charmed by fenfual Dehghts ! Oh that I lhould be fo Mad upon and fond ofperifhing Vanities, and dif:efteem and undervalue a blelfed Eternity! Thus we lhould complain to God of our felves, there lhould be Conleffion mixed with this Complaint. Secondl)', Thefe Emiffions towards God lhould go for th in a way of defire and requeft to him. We fhould breath forth our Souls thus. Oh when fball my Brazen affeaions be melted? When !l1all I be unglued from the World? What, fball I be a Stranger in my alfecbons, as I am in my refidence? 0 Lcrd thou who haft prepared Glory for my Soul, prepare my Soul for Glory. 4· Manage this Duty, by way of lmpre!Jiom upon the Heart, when you have thus fent forth your Souls to God. As 'tis when a Vapour is drawn up to Heaven, it g~~.wrl~~~ ~~:~;nn,~~~Sed;r::~d'u~~::'ti~nle~l, ~~du~~: i~a~ed~~~Ie ~~~:n up towards I. By way of Charge to quicken thy Soul to Duty. 2. By way of Check and refiraint to keep thy Soul from Sin. r . r!J Firft, BJ way of Charge to quicken thy Soul to Duty. 'As when a ChrifHan confiders ' with himfdf, how Superficial he is in the Jervice of God, how (many times) he . oilers a Sacrifice without a Heart ; let him Charge his soul thus. My Soul, confider that God doth both deferve, and require thy affections : He is the Maker, the Searcher, the Redeemer, and Judge of Spirits; in him there is Majelty and Purity conjoyned; :J:~ ~~f;~~ore,z~;nful~~~da~~n!."~a1e ~~g; ~~~~io~~ ~:.~~~d ~~a~~~~~:oh~~m?w;~~ deal with his Name as the Devil did with the Body of Chrifi; who raifed him to a Pinacle of the Temple, intending to throw him down? So many feemt'o Honour God, when at the fame time they debafe him. Se&ondlr, By way o{Check imd Refiraint from Sin. When ever any Temptation prefents it fclf to us : Let us by Meditation thus argue. What will be the fruit ~~et~";a~1i'~~gis 1 p~:fin;.eb~~~,!h:lf:Or~}~~~~~~~e~~~ :: d?:.'dru~~ t~he~i;eTsh: coming when there will remain nothing of Sin, but the Worm and the Flame. Thus we fhould Check our hearts, and reprefs them in their Motions towards Sin, that we may !lop the Career of our Sins, and may be refirained from the Commifiion of them. 1, ·' ----·--.-·-· _ , ---·-----------· . CHAP.
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