FRUITS

O F

DIVINE MEDITATION

At SEA, in the Year 1699.

Bleffed is the Man that walketb not in the Counsel of the Ungodly, nor ftandeth in the Way of Sinners, nor fitteth in the Seat of the Scornful; but his Delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in his Law doth be meditate Day and Night, Pfalm i.

Lay up for yourselves Treafure in Heaven, Mat. vi. 20.

"I

Tis good for Man, whofe Breath is in his 1699.
Noftrils, to think upon his Maker, as much as
in him lieth, both Night and Day;

2. Who is the Fountain of all Mens Happinefs, and the Ocean of their Blifs; not only in this World, but in that which is to come; even to all Eternity.

3. How fweet is that Meditation, that is on the Sovereign Lord of Heaven, and on the Prince of ever lafting Glory?

1699.

4. No earthly Thing is to be compared with it all the Glory, all the Pomp, and Vanity, of this fading, tranfitory World, is not comparable with it: Divine and inward Contemplation upon God, is no less than Heaven upon Earth to the Soul.

5. This mine Eye hath feen; for which I humbly bow before the great Lord of all; whofe Goodness to Man cannot fully be fet forth, neither by the most excellent Orator, nor with a ready Writer's Pen.

6. God delighteth in thofe that are intent in looking unto Him; and it is Man's Duty to look to him, over all visible Things.

7. How profitable, and greatly advantageous, it is to the Soul, to be inward with God. Oh! it is altogether admirable.

8. The unspeakable Treafures of Life, and of Wifdom, are to be found in inward Meditation, and holy Contemplation, on God.

9. When a Man, in this Sort, is delighting himfelf with his Maker, and advifing with Him, he can want no good Thing. In Days of old God was, now is, and ever will be, found by Man, in this inward Concern of the Soul.

10. A Man in this State, will always curb high Thoughts of Self, as being in the Prefence of the Almighty; for then he is truly fenfible of his Prefence: Who is it that will vaunt, or carry himself loftily, when God is present, and he confiders it.

11. Indeed the Prefence of the Almighty is every where, but many have loft the Sense thereof, for want of inward Thoughts on God, and ftudious Contemplation on the King of Heaven, whofe Sovereignty is fweet over the Works of his Hands.

12. He is full of Grace, and full of Truth, full of Mercy, and full of Juftice: His Law is Light, and his Commands are as burning Lamps; in a Word, he is full of heavenly Majefty, and Divine Power, fo that no Characters can fet forth the Fulnefs of God.

13. Oh !

13. Oh! that Man were rightly fenfible of thefe 1699. Things, it would caufe him, with an humble Heart, to implore the Majefty of Heaven for his Favour, and petition him for the Aid and Affiftance of his Grace, to do his holy and heavenly Will.

14. Man would then fee his own Weakness and Poverty, and how unable he is to do, or work, any good Thing of himself, without the Help of the Holy Spirit.

15. Which Gift, God through Chrift, giveth to that Soul which is inward in its Thoughts upon God; whofe Wisdom and Power is paft finding out, unless in this Frame of Mind the Lord reveals it.

16. But worldly Thoughts, and vain Cogitations, hinder the Mind from being with God, the Fountain of all Good.

17. Evil Works or Words, also stupify the Mind, and deaden the most noble Part of Man, so that slavish Fear, inftead of that Fear which is mix'd with true Love and Honour, is begotten in the Heart.

18. All Things of any evil Tendency entertain'd in the Soul, are an Obftruction to its Duty to God.

19. Who would but lay up Treasure in Heaven, that the Heart might alfo be there? And what Treafure like that in Heaven, or what Place fo fit to lay it in as this is?

20. If a Man did but, with confiderate Thoughts, weigh in his Mind the Shortnefs and Uncertainty of Time in this Life, and the boundless Ocean of Eternity; with a Life of Blifs and Glory, or else of Woe and Mifery, that will never end,

21. Without his Heart be harder than a flinty Rock, it would lead him into Tenderness, ferious Thoughts on the Name of God, and into Humiliation.

22. Chrift Jefus, the Anointed of God, was found greatly in Humiliation; even he who faid, Learn of me, and follow me, who am meek, and low in Heart.

God

1699. God calls for Humility of all Men. He beholds the Proud, and Scornful afar off.

23. Every proud and exalted Thought God will bring to Judgment, and likewife fuch Words and Actions.

24. And, indeed, the Thing acted, or done, muft first be conceived, or thought, before it be brought forth; for out of the Abundance of the Heart the Mouth fpeaketh, and the Man acteth.

25. Therefore to have the Thoughts of the Heart on God, and to contemplate on Heaven, and heavenly Things, is truly excellent.

26. And although this incumbent Duty of Man is fo averse to him, in his natural State; yet it is most easy, fweet, and pleafant, to the Soul, when the Mind is bent after, and fet on, heavenly Things.

2. And that which is ftill more admirable is, that God is the alone Comfort, Joy, Helper, Leader, and Conducter, of fuch a Soul.

28. But, Oh! the Thoughts of Man are too much taken up with earthly and perifhing Things, being content with the Shadow, or Shell, of Divine Contemplation, Righteoufnefs, and true Religion; fo that too few are earnestly seeking the Substance thereof.

29. That the noble Creature Man, which God hath made but a little lower than the Angels, and given him Power over those Creatures that are more ignoble than himfelf, fhould fo degenerate from his Maker, as to fix his Thoughts on terreftrial Things, is admirable to Heaven-born Souls, whofe God is the Lord.

30. Which Way can the Soul look, or turn itself, but that it muft needs fee the Glory of the God of Heaven, unless the God of this World hath blinded the Eye of the Mind.

31. Look upwards, and we may behold the Brightness of his Glory in the Firmament, and the

Work

Workmanship of his Hands in the Sun, Moon, and 1699. Stars:

32. Or, if we look on the Earth, or in the Sea, we

may fee his great Wonders; and if, in Sincerity, we

behold the heavenly Works of his Hands, with an Eye of Faith, Oh! how can it do any lefs but draw deep Confiderations of the Omnipotence of God.

33. Thus, beholding the Works of God, and looking on his Works of old, and the noble Acts which he hath done in former Times, will raise holy Defires to be with him, and to be in his Prefence, when Time to us, in this World, fhall be no more.

34. It will alfo beget a loving Fear of the Lord in the Soul, left that it fhould offend him:

35. Such a Soul will be inwardly concern'd before the Lord, and will feek him with unwearied Travel of Spirit.

36. After this Manner will that Soul cry to God, in the Spirit of Prayer and Supplication, that is travelling towards the City, whofe Builder, and Maker, is God;

37. Lord, I am poor, do thou make me rich; I am needy, O! ftrengthen me, even me, O my heavenly Father for I am the least of many : O, my Saviour, have Mercy upon me!

38. Thou feeft my Weaknefs, and knoweft my Want, and how unable I am, of myself, to do thy Will; give me Grace, or elfe I die; fave me by the Power, and by the Spirit of thy Son, or else I perish for ever.

39. Lord, I believe; my Faith is in thee, and in the Power of thine Anointed, help mine Unbelief, for Jefus's Sake, I humbly pray thee, O thou great Creator of the Children of Men!

40. O! Great, Eternal God, thou knoweft my fecret Defires, and the private Devotion of my Heart.