2. Revel. iii. 19. Heb. xii. 5. 4. Gal. iii. 22. 7. 1 Cor. xv. 51, 52. 8. 2 Cor. v. 10. LAWS. 1. Tit. ii. 11, 12, 13. 4. I Cor. vi. 20. USE I. Reproof. 1. To such as never meditate, Pfal. x. 4. 1. By reafon of laziness. 2. Or earthly-mindedness, 1 Eph. ii. 15. 3. Self-conceitedness. 4. Or grofs Ignorance. 5. Or fome unmortified Sin, Ifa. lix. 2. 2. That meditate but feldom. 3. That do not meditate aright. 1. Upon GOD. 1. With Fear and Reverence,Gen. xxviii. 16, 17. 2. With Grief and Self-abhorrence, Fob xlii. 5, 6. 3. With Defire, Pfal. lxxiii. 25. Pfal. xlii. I. 4. Joy. 5. Love, Deut. vi. 5. 2. His Works. 1. With Admiration, Pfal. viii. 5: 2. Praife, Pfal. cvii, 8, 15, 21, 31. 3. His Son. 1. With 1. With Faith. 2. Love, Mat. x. 37. 4. The Laws. 1. Confeffing their Juftice, Rom. vii. 12. 2. Defire to obey them, Pfal. cxix. 5, 6. 5. Threatnings, With fear. 6. Promises, With Faith. 7. Affertions, believingly. II. EXHORTATION. Practife this Duty. 1. GOD commands it. 2. He knows whether we do it, Pfal. cxxxix. 2,3. 3. Without it we can exercise no Grace. 1. Not Repentance. 2. Nor Faith in Chrift. 3. Nor Truft in GOD, Pfal, ix. 10. 5. Nor Patience. 6. Nor Thankfulness, Fob i. 20, 21. 7. Nor Heavenly-mindedness, Col. iii. 1,2. 4. Without it we can perform no duty. 1. Not pray. 2. Nor hear. 3. Nor receive Sacraments. 4. Nor examine our felves. 5. Nor give Alms to the Poor. 5. Meditation will much deaden our Hearts 6. Support us under all Afflictions. 7. Be a means to conquer our Corruptions. X 4 10. 10. It will give us the foretafts of Heaven upon Earth. DIRECTIONS. 1. Read the Scriptures. 2. Frequent the Ordinances for the understanding of them. 3. Ufe frequent Ejaculations. 4. Retire from the World. 5. Keep your Hearts clofe to one Subjea. 1 JOSH. XXIV. 15. But as for me and my Houfe we will I: ואני וביתי נעבר את יהוה. ,Jerve the Lord I. WE ought to chufe the Lord Jeboval to be the GOD we serve. 1. All acknowledge fome GOD. 2. All ferve the GOD they acknowledge. 1. By fearing. 2. Loving. 3. Praying to him. 4. Sacrificing to him. 3. Man by Nature knows neither, 1. The GOD he ought to ferve, A.xvii. 23. 2. Nor the service we ought to give him. 4. Hence most err in Religion. 5. All err that do not ferve the Lord Jebo vab. Because, 1. He made us. 2. Maintains us. 3. Purchased us, 1 Cor. vi. 20. USE USE I. Reproof. 1. To fuch as serve Satan. 3. Themselves. 4. Their Sins and Lufts, piúdova. Tit. iii. 3. USE II. Serve God. DOCTRINE II. We fhould will and chuse the Service of God before all other things. 1. What is it to ferve God? It implies our Employment, 1. Of Soul. 2. Of Body to his Glory. 1 5. Trufting on him. 2. Our Bodies. 1. In praifing. 2. Acting for him. 2. How fhould we will this Service? 1. So as to prefer it. 2. Defire it. 3. Endeavour after it more than all things. 4. Continuing always in it to the utmost of our Power. 3. Why should we will the Service of GQD fo? US E. Serve GOD above all things. DOCTRINE III. We fhould endeavour that our Families fhould alfo ferve GOD.. 1. By giving them a good Example. USE. Look to your Families. Confider GOD will call you to an account. I SAM. ii. 30. And they that defpife me, shall be lightly efteemed. "Hey that defpife GOD are despicable in themselves. T I. What is it to despise GOD? 1. To extol any thing above him in our Judgments. 2. To prefer any thing before him in our Affections. II. How are they defpicable or contemptible? If you confider, 1. What contemptible Names they are called by ? 1. Fools, Prov. xiv. 9. and xxviii. 26. Eccl. v. 4. 2. Slaves. 1. To Sin, Rom. vi. 17. 2 Pet. ii. 19. 2. Satan, 2 Tim. ii. 26. 3. Sons of Belial, 1 Sam.ii. 12. Targ, NYW 2 Chron. xiii.7.gs. 41943, abfque jugé,rather יעל |