2. Revel. iii. 19. Heb. xii. 5. 3. Rom. viii. 28. 4. Gal. iii. 22. 5. 2 Cor. V. 21. 6. Heb. ix. 27. 7. 1 Cor. xv. 51, 52. 8.2 Cor. v. IO. 9. 2 Theffal. i. 9. 10. 1 Cor. ii. 9. LAWS. 1. Tit. ii. 11, 12, 13. 2. Mat. xxii. 36, 37, 38. 3. Mut. xvi. 24. 4. 1 Cor. vi. 20. USE I. Reproof. 1. To such as never meditate, Pfal. x. 4. 1. By reason of laziness. 2. Or earthly-mindedness, 1 Eph. ii. 15. 3. Self-conceitedness. 4. Or gross Ignorance. 5. Or some unmortified Sin, Ifa. lix. 2. 2. That meditate but seldom. 3. That do not meditate aright. 1. Upon GOD. 1. With Fear and Reverence, Gen. xxviii. 16, 17. 2. With Grief and Self-abhorrence, Job xlii. 5, 6. 3. With Defire, Pfal. lxxiii. 25. Pfal. xlii. 1. 4. Joy. 5. Love, Deut. vi. 5. 2. His Works. 1. With Admiration, Pfal. viii. 2. Praise, Pfal. cvii, 8, 15, 21, 31. 3. His Son. 1. With 4 1. With Faith. 2. Love, Mat. x. 37. 4. The Laws. 1. Confessing their Justice, Rom. vii. 12. 2. Defire to obey them, Pfal. cxix. 5, 6. 5. Threatnings, With fear. 6. Promises, With Faith. 7. Assertions, believingly. II. EXHORTATION. Practise this Duty. 1 Confider, 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 Trust in GOD, Pfal, ix. 10. 4. Nor Humility. 5. Nor Patience. 6. Nor Thankfulness, Job 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 selves. 5. Nor give Alms to the Poor. 5. Meditation will much deaden our Hearts to the World. 6. Support us under all Afflictions. 7. Be a means to conquer our Corruptions. 8. It will fortifie us against Temptations. 9. Evidence our Interest in Christ, and Title to Heaven. 10. It will give us the foretasts of Heaven upon Earth. DIRECTIONS. 1. Read the Scriptures. 2. Frequent the Ordinances for the under standing of them. 3. Use frequent Ejaculations. 4. Retire from the World. 5. Keep your Hearts clofe to one Sub ject. S Josh. xxiv. 15. But as for me and my House we will I; ואכי וביתי נעבר את יהוה.,Serve the Lord W E ought to chuse the Lord Jebovab to be the GOD we serve. 1. All acknowledge some GOD. 2. All serve 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 GODhe ought to serve, Act.xvii. 23. 2. Nor the service we ought to give him. 4. Hence most err in Religion. 5. All err that do not serve the Lord Jebo vah. Because, 1. He made us. 2. Maintains us. 3. Purchased us, I Cor. vi. 20. USE USE I. Reproof. 1. To fuch as serve Satan. 2. The World. 3. Themselves. 4. Their Sins and Lufts, φιλήδοναι. Tit. iii. 3. USE II. Serve God. DOCTRINE II. We should will and chuse the Service of God before all other things. 1. What is it to serve God? It implies our Employment, 1. Of Soul. 2. Of Body to his Glory. 1. Our Souls. 1. By admiring. 2. Fearing. 3. Defiring. 4. Loving. 5. Trusting on him. 2. Our Bodies. 1. In praising. 2. Acting for him. 1 2. How should 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. USE. Serve GOD above all things. DOCTRINE III. We should endeavour that our Families should also serve 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 despise me, shall be lightly esteemed. They that defpife GOD are defpicable in 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 despicable 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, Sam. 12.Targ 5 2 Chron. יעל |