ááS ê1ln Expofition of the CRAP.' T; nations,as make them anAbomination toGod, Mich. 2. i, z. They are converfanton- ly about their own Lu(ìs, and making Provifion to fulfill and fatisfiethem. Bat yet what aretheft things which the better and more refined part of mankind doth fearch and enquire into, things that came out of nothing, and are returning thitherward apace; things which when theyareknown, do not much inrich the mind, nor better it at all as to its eternal condition, norcontribute any thing to the Advantage of their fouls. But theft things are eternal, glorious, myfierious, that have the characters ohall Gods Excellencies enftampedupon them ; whofe knowledge gives the mind itsper- and the foul its blefednefs ; John 17. 3. This made Paul cryout that beac. counted all things to be but lof! and dung in oomparifon of an acquaintance with them , Phil. 3.8. And the Prophets ofold to [arch diligently into the nature of them I Pet. r. 1I, 1z. as the thingswhich alone deferved tobe enquired after; and which enquiry renders them noble inwhom it is,Affs 17.1 I. and that whichalone differenceth men in the fight of_Uod, Jer. 9. 23, zq. 2. Our Interefi and Proprietyin them. Ifwe are believers theft are our things. The Kithman is much in the contemplationof his.Riches, becaufe they are hisown ; and the Great man of his Power, becaufe of his propriety in it. Men take little delight in being convenant in theirminds aboutthings that are not their own. Now all thefd things aremat if weare Chrifis, 1 Cor. 3.22. This falvation was prepared for us from all Eternity, and we are the heirs of it, Heb. 1. 13. It was purchafedfor ter by Jefus Chrift ; we have redemption andfalvation by his blood ; It is made over unto usby thc promifeof the Gofpel, and conferreduponus by the Spirit of Grace. Are theft things tobe defpifed ? Are they to be calf afideamong the things wherein we are leali con- cerned ? Or canthere beany greater evidence, that we have noPropriety in them, than that would be , if our hearts fhould not be fet upon them ? What, all theftR iches ours, all theft Treafures, this goodly Inheritance, this Kingdom, this Glory, and yet we not be confiant in thoughts and meditationsabout them ? It is doubtlefs a fign at leali, that we queflionour Title unto them, and that the Evid,nces we have of them will not endure the tryall..But wo untous if that fhould be the end ofour profeflìon ; and if it be otherwife; why arenot our minds fixed on that which is ourown, and whichno mancan take fromus: 3. The Profit andAdvantage which we fhallhave hereby ; whichwill be mùth eve- ry way: for (1.) By this means we fhallgrowup into a liken(! and conformity unto theft things in our inward man. Spiritual Meditation will aJrmulate ourminds and fouls unto that which is the objeét of ir. So the Apolile tells the Romans, that they were delivered into theform of the Doîlrine preached unto them, Chap. 6. 17. obeying it by faith, the likenef! of it war brought forth upon theirfouls ; and by the renewing of their minds, transformedquite into another image in their finis, Chap. 12.2. This the Apoflle moli excellentlyexpreffeth, 2 Cor. 3. 18. A confiant believing contemplation of the Glory ofGod in this falvationby Chrifi, will change the mind into the imageand likneft of it,and that by various degrees untill we attain unto perfedion,when we (hail know aswe are known. Acculloming of our minds unto theft things, will make them heavenly ; and our afetkiouswhich will be conformed unto them, holy. This is the way to have Chrilt dwell plentifully in us, and for our feives to grow up into him who is out head. And is it nothing toget our minds purgedfrom anevil habit, en dining unto earthly things, or continually forging foolifh and hurtful Imaginations in ourhearts ? ThisMeditation will call thefoul intoanother mould and frame ; make- ing the heart a good treafure, out ofwhich may bedrawn at all times, Good things new and old. 2. Confolation and fiepportment under all Affiíïione will fromhence fpring up in the foul. When the Apofile would defcribe that propertyof faith whereby it enables a Believer todo and fullergreat things joyfully and comfortably, he doth it by its work andef- fedin this matter; it is faith he, the fubfiance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not fien, Chap. 11. r. that is, it brings into the foul, and makes evident unto it, the great things of this falvation, the great things of the Love and Grace of God therein ; and thus it doth no otherwife, than by a confiantcontemplation and holy ad- mirationof them; and when this is once done, he multiplyes initances to evincewhat great Effes is it will produce, efpecially in its enabling of us to go through difficul- ties, tryals and ofliéhions. And thefame allo he afcribeth unto Hope ; which is no- thing butthe fouls waiting and expe&ation tobe made partaker of the fulneff of this falvation, whofegreatnefland fatisfadory Excellency it dothadmire, Rom. 5.2,344- When
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