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ever angel brought, or man received. Let God say, that he is my salvation, I am fortified against bad news, the righteous is not afraid of evil tidings, his heart is fixed, trusting in God. Let Christ be advanced, Antichrist destroyed, and I am satisfied.

24. When you see or hear of any prodigies, think: Who knoweth the power of God's anger ? Oh the dreadful majesty of the Lord of hosts, who made the sea and dry land, who commands all the elements, and works his wonders in the fire, water, earth, and air— they that dwell in the uttermost parts of the earth are afraid at his tokens; Lord, what mean these things? what wilt thou do with us? our sins cry for vengeance, prevent it, or hide thy saints till thy wrath be past.

25. When you hear or see the sinful acts of men, think: Oh, what are the best of us by nature? Who makes me to differ? Free grace stops my course, else I had been reeling with the drunkard, blaspheming with the swearer, revelling with the wanton; Lord, let me not bless myself in morality, but let me arrive at sincerity of disposition; never leave me to ways of mine own heart. Ah how is God dishonoured! What long suffering doth he exercise! but justice will awake.

26. When your own corruptions break out, think: Oh the vileness of this naughty heart! oh wretched creature that I am, "who shall deliver me from this body of death?" Little did I think to have been thus beguiled and surprised; God is just and I am vile; I have grown secure and God hath left me. Oh how justly might he have taken me in the act of sin and cast me headlong into hell! My soul, defer not to humble thyself, and make thy peace with God.

27. When any sad crosses befal you in body, estate, name, relations, think: Oh what sin is it that God now chastens me for? Lord, bore mine ears, to hear the voice

of the rod,-bow my heart in obedience to thy will. Oh that instruction may come along with correction; my soul, search thy heart and ways, this stroke of God is either a token of his love, or the beginning of his wrath. Oh that I may see a Father's heart, and feel a Father's hand, and attain my Father's end therein.

28. When you are delivered out of apparent danger of death by sickness or sad accidents, consider: Oh my soul, what if thou hadst now been snatched away, and thy body left a mass of corruption! where hadst thou been? wast thou ready for glory? what assurance hadst thou of a better state? didst thou not then wish thy soul had been in a better posture? Mend the matter now, give God the glory of thy deliverance, serve him better, be more prepared against another time.

29. When night approacheth, candles are brought in, and the spacious sky is full of stars, think: There is one day more of my life now past and gone, I am thus far, nearer eternity. Lord, set up the candle of thy grace in my soul in this night of darkness, error, and dismay; shew me the light of life-let the blessed daystar arise in my heart. Oh when shall my soul be translated above yonder twinkling stars to shine as a star in the firmament of glory!

30. When you put off your clothes, and go to bed, think: Thus, even thus must thou, my soul, put off thy body at death; thou must be unclothed, that thou mayest "be clothed upon with a house from heaven. O my soul, be daily undressing thee of the body of sin, and lay thyself in the grave of Christ," be buried with him in spiritual baptism," give up thyself into his hands, and lay thyself to sleep as thou wouldest be found at death, or when raised at the great day of resurrection.

These, and such like occurrences, must put you in

mind of such meditations, and thus your thoughts may become a blessed treasure.

I shall now conclude the whole with a few considerations to move us all, thus to employ our thoughts upon profitable subjects.

1. Consider the strictness of God's command, Josh. i. 8. "Thou shalt meditate therein," that is, in the Book of the Law, "day and night." "Set your affections on things above."-Col. iii. 2. How dare you neglect a positive duty? The same God who commands thee to pray and believe, who forbids thee to steal and murder, doth enjoin thee to meditate. It is not a thing indifferent.

2. Remember God's omniscience and omnipresence; when David had duly considered that God did search and know him, when sitting down and when rising up, did understand his thoughts afar off, and was acquainted with all his ways, he tells God that his thoughts were precious, Psalm, cxxxix. 17, and in the following verse he says, "When I awake I am still with thee." Let God's omnipresence produce in you the like meditations.

3. The saints of God have thus employed their thoughts, and the better the saints, the more holy have been their thoughts. Isaac went into the fields to meditate.-Gen. xxiv. 63. David meditated in the night watches, Psalm lxiii. 6, on the word, and on the works of God.-Psalm cxliii. 5. * Oh be not unlike the saints, resemble your brethren, follow them to heaven.

4. This is a true character of a child of God; † all saints are described to be such as have thought upon his name, Mal. iii. 17, for, indeed, they that are of the Spirit, "do mind the things of the Spirit.”—Rom. viii. 5. Holy thoughts are proper fruits of a sanctified mind.

Psalm exix. 15, 23, 48, 78, 97, 99, 148. + Matt. vi. 21.

None sees the thoughts but God; a good heart approves itself to the searcher of hearts.

5. Holy thoughts help against Satan's temptations; these are as cold water to quench Satan's fiery darts; these are a precious antidote against the poisonous allurements of the world, for these find the soul something else to do than to mind toys; the best way to silence scolding women, and barking dogs, is to mind our work and way, and let them alone.* Will a judge go off the bench to play with boys? Give them Nehemiah's answer, ch. vi. 3.

6. This exercise of the thoughts will help against corruptions, thereby you will see more of the evil of sin," and in vain is the net spread before any bird," Prov. i. 17. Also it lifts the soul heavenwards; a bird in the air is not taken by a net on the ground,—yea, when the heart is taken up with divine enjoyments, it cannot relish the husks of sin; the child will not part with the apple, while the taste of it is in his mouth.

7. This is the highest excellency and improvement of our spirits—it is the noblest employment of the soul, and advancement of its faculties. The soul is of a high birth—it is a debasing of it to mind low things-the saints being of an elevated and noble extraction by their second birth, must and will mind the things of heaven, in all things besides, excelling others, in this, excelling themselves, as it is said of Bucholzen.

8. This is best way for the improvement and increase of grace; gifts are promoted by verbal, but grace by mental exercises. If the thoughts feed on Christ, the soul becomes spiritual, like its food; the air, food, and climate have great influence upon bodies; conversing with wise and learned men makes persons

• Non vacat exiguis rebus adesse mihi. + See Psal. cxix. 11,

such, exercise increaseth habits, holy thoughts increase faith, love, joy, sorrow for sin, &c.

9. Holy thoughts excite heavenly affections. "While I was musing, the fire burned.”—Psalm xxxix. 3. Thoughts are the bellows of the soul, and stir up suitable emotions in the heart. Would a Christian have a humble, tender, melting heart? let his thoughts be employed upon the law and love of God, or on such subjects as are proper to produce such affections, and try what impression they will make.

10. Holy thoughts are a good preparative to holy duties, and help in performances.* David joins prayer and meditation together. "Give ear to my words, consider my meditation," Psalm v. 1; when "the heart is meditating a good matter, the tongue is as the pen of a ready writer."-Psalm xlv. 1. Meditation fixeth the heart, and tuneth the instrument for prayer, hearing, reading: oh how it composeth the spirit!

11. Yea, holy thoughts form a great part of a Christian's devotion, and such a portion of it, that when public ordinances are obstructed, or private societies interrupted, yet the holy soul may sally out to its God, upon the wings of holy thoughts, in the presence of the most malicious adversaries; thoughts are free from men, no bolts can hinder this access to God.

12. This is an excellent part of time-redemption, when we are walking or riding by the way, working in our callings, shut up in prison, deprived of pen, ink and paper, still our thoughts may be busy, we may have good thoughts wherever we are; though we can do nothing else, yet we may think of God and good subjects and that is the way to obey that excellent precept, Redeem the time.

* Psalm. xix. 14. Psalm xlix. 3.

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