is so excellent Difficilia quae pulchra the more excellent any duty is the more difficult it is And another reason why it is so difficult is because it is so contrary to corrupt nature now the more contrary any duty is to corrupt nature the more excellent it is The difficulty of the duty should not so much discourage us as the excellency of the duty should quicken us Now that I may help you against the difficulty of this duty I shall lay down three sorts of rules 1. Rules for the right qualifying of the person that is to meditate 2. Rules for the right ordering the Subjects upon which he is to meditate 3. Rules for the right meditation upon these Subjects I. I shall lay down Rules and Directions for the right qualifying and ordering the person that is to practise this Divine duty of Meditation and for that purpose I shall give you in these Rules 1. Convince thy soul of the absolute necessity of Divine Meditation I have shewed it is a duty expresly commanded by God a duty required of all sorts of persons of Kings of Generals of Armies of young Gentlemen of Women of Ministers David Ioshua young Isaac in my Text practised this duty and many Women and many holy men Let me add that this very duty is the life and soul of all Christianity you are but carcasses of Christians if you be not acquainted with it it is as impossible to live without a soul as it is to be a good Christian without Divine Meditation As it is impossible for a man to be nourished by meat if he want digestion and concoction so it is impossible for a man to be nourished in grace if he neglect the duty of Divine Meditation for Divine Meditation is the spiritual concoction and digestion of all holy things and all holy duties As a man without concoction I mean without a faculty of digestion and concoction so is a Christian without the practise of Divine Meditation 2. Convince your souls and the Lord convince you of the great benefits and advantages that are obtained by a conscientious practise of Divine Meditation as I have shewed Divine Meditation is a mighty help to the begetting grace and increasing grace 1. It is a mighty help to the begetting repentance as David saith Psal. 119. 59. I considered my ways and turned my feet unto thy testimonies It was the consideration of the evil of his ways that made David turn his feet to Gods Testimonies And it is said of Peter Mark 14. 72. When he thought thereon he wept what made Peter repent the meditation of the unkindness of the sin he committed against Christ. And what made the Prodigal child come home to his father Luk. 15. 17. When he came to himself he considered and said how many hired servants of my fathers have bread enough and to spare and I perish with hunger It was consideration that made the Prodigal child come home to his father he considered how much bread there was in his fathers house and he ready to starve 2. Divine Meditation is a mighty help to the love of God for to an inconsiderate Christian God is as a picture with a curtain drawn over it but consideration takes away the curtain unveils God to a man and shews him all the beauty and excellency that is in God and it is like a fiery furnace to kindle a Divine fire of love in the soul of every Christian. 3. It is a mighty help to beget in us the fear of God Oh did you meditate much of the power of God and the goodness of God and the forgivenesses that are in God Oh you would fear God for his goodness and for his greatness the reason why we love God no more is because we think of God no more study God no more 4. It would be a mighty help to the love of Christ for Christ Jesus to an unmeditating Christian is like a book that is sealed like a treasure that is lockt up but Meditation opens this book unlocks this treasure and that man that solemnly meditates of the excellency and love of Christ cannot but love Christ. 5. It is a mighty help to the contempt of the world for the world is like gilded Copper there is a glittering excellency in it but meditation of the vanity of the world will wash off all the gilt the whorish paint the glittering excellency that is in the world a man that looks upon the world a far off sees nothing in it but excellency but when you come to meditate of the vanity of the world and all worldly things meditation will make you contemn the world and all worldly things 3. Consider the unconceivable and unexpressible mischiefs that come upon a Christian for want of Divine Meditation What is the reason why men go on in their sins without repentance it is for want of Meditation Ier. 8. 6. No man repenteth because no man saith what have I done What is the reason the Word of God takes no more impression upon your hearts and there is no more good done by Preaching it is because you do not meditate upon what you hear as a plaister that is put to a wound if it be pluckt off as soon as it is put on it will never do you good so if a Sermon be forgotten as soon as it is heard it will never profit you And what is the reason that the mercies of God do no more good that men are no more thankful for mercies and no more fruitful under mercies because they do not consider their mercies come from God Hos. 2. 8. She did not know that is she did not consider that I gave her corn and wine and oil and multiplied her silver and gold which they prepared for Baal They would not have prepared their silver and gold for Baal had they considered that God gave it but they would have served God with it that is the reason why you are so proud of your mercies and sin against God with your mercies because you do not meditate that the Lord hath given you all the mercies you have and what is the reason men get no more good by afflictions because they do not consider why God afflicts them what is the meaning of Gods rod and how they might get their afflictions sanctified the want of the practice of Divine Meditation is the cause of all punishment as well as of all sin Ier. 12. 11. All the whole land is made desolute because no man lays it to heart 4. If you would be rightly qualified for Divine Meditation labour to get a sufficient furniture of spiritual knowledg for the reason why this duty is so difficult and why men cannot continue long at it is for want of sufficient matter to meditate upon For as I shewed you Meditation is a dwelling a musing an abiding upon the things we know of God or Christ or the Promises it is an unlocking of the treasure of knowledg concerning
Souldiers Generals and Captains 5 4. Learned Men. Ib. 5. Women Ib. There be two sorts of Meditation of heavenly things 1. Sudden short occasional 6 2. Solemn set deliberate Ibid. 1. Of Occasional Meditation three Things viz. the Excellency Examples and Practise Ibid. 1. The Excellency of occasional extemporary sudden and ejaculatory Meditation from Scripture and humane Testimony 7 8 2. The Examples from Scripture and humane Testimony 9 3. Motives to perswade to the Practise of it viz. 13 1. It may be performed at all times Ibid. 2. Practic'd in all places and companies 14 3 It is easie to spiritualized ones Ibid. 4. 'T is the excellency of a Christian to spiritualize natural things herein exceeding a Bruit 15 All wicked men Ibid. 5. 'T is the greatest affront we can give to God not to make a spiritual use of his creatures 17 6. 'T is a Soul-destroying sin not to observe the Works of God and make a good use of them 18 II. Of Solemn Meditation the Nature and Necessity 22 1. The Nature of solemn Meditation in two particulars 23 1. 'T is a dwelling and abiding upon things that are Holy being typified two ways By the Beast That did chew the cud 24 That had eyes within and without 25 2. 'T is an act of the heart as well as the head Ib. It must enter into the door of the understanding heart and conversation 28 2. The Necessity of it evinc'd from the Mischiefs of neglecting this Duty 29 Advantage of practising this Duty 29 1. The mischiefs and inconveniencies of neglecting this duty It is the cause of sin and punishment 30 1. The want of practising this Duty causeth sin As particularly Ibid. 1. 'T is the reason of hard-heartedness Ibid. 2. Unprofitableness of hearing Sermons 31 3. Not relishing of sweetest promises 33 4. No impression from threatnings 34 5. No bettering by mercies Ibid. 6. No amending by afflictions 36 7. No heart softning by Providences Ib. 8. Reason of distrustfulness of Gods Providence 37 9. Censoriousness of others not of our selves Ibid. 10. Offering the sacrifices of fools in worship 38 2. The want of practising this duty causeth punishment 40 2. The advantages and benefits by a conscientious practise of this duty in begetting and increasing of grace and arming against temptations 42 1. 'T is a mighty help to the begetting and working of grace in 9 particulars Ibid. 1. To work repentance and reformation of life 43. to 55. 2. A love to God 43. to 55. 3. A fear of God 43. to 55. 4. A love to Jesus Christ. 43. to 55. 5. Faith and trust in God 43. to 55. 1. In his Providence in all outward streights 2. Promises in all spiritual troubles 6. A contempt of the world and worldly things 43. to 55. 7. Thankfulness for mercies and blessings 43. to 55. 8. A Preference of Gods house to our own 43. to 55. 9. A Keeping of all Gods Commandments 43. to 55. 2. 'T is helpful to preserve and increase grace 55 3. 'T is helpful to arm and defend against all the temptations of the Devil 56 The Application of this Doctrine concerning this necessary duty of Meditation may be for 1. The Reproof of those Christians that are utterly unaccustomed to and unacquainted with this duty and these are of four sorts viz. 1. The ignorant Christian that knows not how to set about the work 58. 2. Forgetful Christian that remembers not God 61 3. Rash-headed Christian that acts without consideration where are four evils viz. 63 1. Such is a spiritual fool in offering sacrifices to God 64 2 Often speaks that he 'l wish he had not 65 3. Quickly runs into error and by-paths 66 4 Will never persevere and hold out to the end 67 4. A slight-headed Christian that cannot dwell long upon any thing which argues a slight Christian. 68 Q. Are then all who have slight heads Hypocrites Ibid. A. There is a double slightness of head viz. 69 1. That which is a natural disease when a child of God of a weak head cannot think long of any thing at all Ibid. 2. That which is sinful when a man can be serious and dwell long upon the things of the world not on the things of heaven this is reprov'd Ibid. 2. The Reproof of those who meditate upon things that are evil and wicked 70 1. Such as design and do evil 2. Such as delight in the evil they have done 71 3. An Exhortation to all to accustom themselves to the duty of meditation viz. To 1. Ministers 2. Nobles 3. Souldiers 4. Young Gentlemen 5. Merchants 6. Women In speaking to this Exhortation six particulars proposed viz. 1. Place 2. Time 3. Properties 4. Companions 5. Materials 6. Helps 72 73 74 1. Concerning the Place to chuse one convenient which is freest from distractions 76 2. Time which proves seasonable in due circumstances Here four Rules are suggested 81 1. It behoves all not hindred to endeavour the setting apart of some time every day morning afternoon or night 82 2. To set a sufficient proportion of time a-part every day 84 3. The Sabbath-day especially all should busie themselves in this duty 86 4. A Sacrament-day more especially 87 Here 12 Things suggested as instances of Sacramental Meditation viz. 88 1. The great and wonderful love of God the Father in the giving of Christ. Ibid. 2. Love of Christ in giving himself 89 3. Hainousness of sin 90 4. Excellency of the Sacramental feast Ibid. 5. Our own unworthiness 91 6. Our spiritual wants and necessities Ibid. 7. The cursed condition of an unworthy receiver Ib. 8. The happy condition of those that come worthily 92 9. The Sacramental Elements of Bread and Wine Ib. 10. The Sacramental Actions 93 11. Sacramental Promises Ib. 12. What retribution to make to Christ. 94 3. Properties ingredients and qualities of Meditation viz. 1. Divine Meditation must be often Because 96 1. We shall know more of the best things 97 2. Have more near and intimate acquaintance with them 99 3. Heavenly Duties will become more easie to us 2. It must be solemn and serious not only formal 101 102 3. Not only notional and speculative but practical and reflective It must be in the understanding heart and affections yea and the conversation 105 4. It must be particular and applicative 108 5. It must be calm and quiet 110 6. It must be persevering 112 There be four Arguments to persevere Viz. From the 1. Necessity 2. Excellency of it 113 3. Mischiefs by not practising of it Ibid. 4. Easiness attainable by persevering in it 116 4. Companions of Meditation which are two 117 1. Praying must be joined with Meditation ibid. 2. Reading will do well to accompany in weak Christians with two Cautions viz. 118 1. Not to read much lest it hinder 120 2. Not to read at the Sacrament ibid. 5. Materials of Meditation 121 The four last things Death Iudgment Heaven Hell 1. Death 1. The certainty 2.
when a man doth so think on the Sacrament that his heart is all on a fire with a holy thirsting after the Sacrament When the heart is affected with the meditation of the head and therefore David saith Psal. 104. 34. My meditation of him shall be sweet this is the true meditation when we do so meditate of God as to taste a sweetness in God when meditation doth not rest in the intellectual part but flows into the will and affection that the heart is all inflamed with the things we meditate on There are many great Scholars that meditate much of God and Christ and Heaven and yet they are never the holier for their meditation and the reason is because they meditate on these things meerly to find out curious notions of God and Christ and Heaven but they do not meditate on these things to get their hearts affected to get Heavenly and Divine hearts and therefore you shall see many Scholars as undevout and as unholy as other people though they know more and meditate more And I have found it by experience that there are many poor lay-people that get more good by meditation than great Scholars for the great Scholar his meditation many times vanisheth into empty speculations and into notions and opinions but the honest godly man his meditation is all for practice he meditates of sin to hate it of the Sacrament to hunger after it of God to love him of Christ to be inflamed with a desire after him And therefore he gets the more good many times by meditation The Butterflie will dwell upon the flower as well as the Bee but the Butterflie only sucks the flower that she may paint her wings with it she is not useful to make honey she doth not suck honey from the flower so there are many Scholars many men that meditate much of the things of God to paint their wings that is to get more knowledg of God and Heaven and more curious expressions of Heaven but it is the honest Christian the plain-hearted Christian that meditates of God like the Bee to suck out the sweetness of God that meditates on Christ so as to get his heart burning in love to Christ this is the rare grace of meditation Meditation must enter into three doors or else it will never do you any good 1. It must get into the door of the understanding and there it is seated there is the proper place of meditation but if it rest there thou art never the better for it 2. It must get into the door of thy heart and of thy affections and thou must never leave meditating till it get into that door likewise 3. The door of thy conversation for thy meditation must not rest in the affections but it must likewise have influence into thy conversation to make thy conversation more holy thou must so meditate of God as to walk as God walks and so to meditate of Christ as to prize him and live in obedience to him A nurse that hath a nurse-child will cut the meat and will many times chew the meat for the child but she will not eat the meat but give it to the child for if she should chew the meat and eat it up her self the child might starve for all her chewing of it and preparing of it so it is with the grace of meditation Meditation while it is in the understanding chews upon the things of God and of Christ and of Heaven but when the understanding hath chewed these things it must not devour all these things it self but it must convey the meat it hath chewed as the meat is conveyed from the stomack into the liver and then into the heart and then into all the other parts of the body into the heart and into the will and into the affections and into the conversation This is the first the admirable nature of this grace 2. I come to shew you the necessity of it and I do this the rather that I might provoke you all to the practice of it for I am very confident there are few people that do practise this duty of meditation there are few that know how to practise it but there are very few that make conscience to practise it even you that make conscience to praying twice a day in your family seldom make conscience once a day of meditation nay once a week And therefore that I might awaken my self and you give me leave to shew you the great necessity of practising the duty of meditation and I will shew it two manner of ways 1. By considering the mischief that flows from the want of practising this duty 2. By shewing you the advantage and spiritual benefit that you will gain by practising this duty 1. I shall shew you the woful inconveniences and the intolerable mischiefs that come from the want of practising this duty of meditation I will bring them to two heads 1. I will shew you that the want of practising this duty is the cause of all sin 2. It is the cause of all punishment 1. I will shew you that the want of practising this duty is the cause of all sin and I will instance in particulars 1. The reason why people harden their hearts in sin and do not repent of their sins but go on obstinately is for want of meditation Ier. 8. 6. I hearkened and heard but they spake not aright no man repented him of his wickedness saying what have I done They did not repent because they did not reflect upon what they did they did not bethink themselves so the phrase is If any man bethink himself and repent 1 King 8. 47. they did not say I am undone by what I have done I have lost God and Heaven by what I have done and if I do not repent I am an undone creature for ever No man repented of his wickedness because no man considered what he had done for did you consider the evil that is in sin did you dwell and abide upon it did you commune with your own hearts and seriously consider what an evil and bitter thing it is to sin against God you durst not willingly sin against God but the reason why men go on rashly heedlesly obstinately in sin is for want of the meditation of the evil of sin 2. The reason why all the Sermons we hear do us no more good is for want of Divine meditation for it is with Sermons as it is with meat it is not the having of meat upon your table will feed you but you must eat it and not only eat it but concoct it and digest it or else your meat will do you no good So it is with Sermons it is not the hearing Sermons will do you good but it is the concocting them digesting them by meditation the pondering in your hearts what you hear must do you good And one Sermon well digested well meditated upon is better than twenty Sermons without meditation As for example a
thy children if thou hast any thy estate all that thou hast recommend them unto thy God shut up all with a sweet resignation of thy self and all thy affairs and all thy ways As David saith Commit your ways unto the Lord commit your selves and your affairs all that you are all that you have into the hands of the Lord as a faithful Creator and a merciful Redeemer I would have you close up all with a committing and a submitting committing thy ways unto God submitting unto God in all his ways purposing to live to his glory and to walk worthy of that heavenly calling to which thou art called And thus I have put an end to this subject of Divine Meditation Now what remains but to perswade you to the practise of these things That which a learned man who hath written a Tract called The art of Divine Meditation closeth his Book withal let me close this with saith he Oh that my words were as so many gourds to quicken up the dead and dull and drousie hearts of Christians to a conscientious practice of this excellent duty of Divine Meditation It is a strange speech that he useth saith he I will give any man leave to curse me upon his death-bed if he doth not then acknowledg that those hours that he hath spent in Divine Meditation have been the best hours that he hath spent in all his life if he doth not then confess he is sorrowful that he spent no more hours in so blessed a work Sure I am when you lye upon your death-bed this will be your comfort Lord I have been often in Heaven in Meditation and now I am going to that place that I am acquainted withal Oh my God! I have been often with thee in the Mount I have been often meditating of thee Oh my blessed Saviour thou art no stranger to me I have been often meditating of Christ. Oh what comfort will this be to you when you lye upon your death-beds I will not say curse me if you do not find this true but I will say this is as sure as the Word of God is true you will find it so There are four things I will conclude this Discourse withal 1. I would humbly beseech you that you would mourn before God that you have lived so many years in the School of Christ and have been no more acquainted with this duty of Divine Meditation I believe there are very many that have been long standers in Christ's School that never yet practised this duty of Divine Meditation that never were half an hour together in the Mount of God solemnly and seriously Now I beseech you mourn before the Lord that we have been no more acquainted with this blessed and heavenly duty 2. Let us mourn before the Lord that we have misplaced our meditation for the heart of man is restless it is like the weight of a Clock that will never leave going down as long as it is wound up the heart of man will always be meditating of something or other like mill-stones if they once grind they will grind one another the heart of man will always be grinding always musing always meditating on something or other Now mourn before God heartily and go into your Closets and bemoan it that you have ground chaff to your immortal souls all your lives long that you have spent your days in meditating what to eat and what to drink and what to be clothed withal and how to grow rich and how to manage your trading and your calling how to thrive in the world how to get such preferments you have been meditating all your lives long upon vain things and have not meditated upon the things of eternity those things that do most concern you you have been meditating upon trifles upon things that will not profit at the hour of death and forgot to meditate of those things that are of eternal concernment our Saviour Christ complains of those men Mat. 6. Take no thought for your lives what you shall eat and what you shall drink nor for your body what you shall put on as if he should say why do you spend all your time in taking thought of eating and drinking and clothing and outward things Which of you saith he can by taking thought add one cubit to your stature All your musing and meditating of them is vain Can a Dwarf by thinking he is a Dwarf make himself taller it is not all your musing and your meditating of these outward things I mean your inordinate meditating will advantage you I grant Tradesmen must have time to meditate of worldly things I will not lay heavier burdens than the Scripture doth lay but when you ravel away all your time in meditating upon earthly things and never are serious in the Meditation of heavenly things this I would have you mourn for you that are old people and have been many years professors of Religion Oh mourn that you have wasted your intellectual faculty that you have wasted that glorious faculty of soul your understanding in such vain and trifling things nay are there not some that do not only meditate of vain things but spend many hours in meditating on vile things that devise mischief upon their beds and meditate how to cozen their neighbours how to be revenged upon their neighbour how to do mischief how to compass about their wicked designs are there not some that meditate to do evil and rejoice in the meditation of evil when they have done it Many old men meditate with joy of their youthful vanities and wickedness committed in their youth they chew over their wicked ways with delight which we call contemplative wickedness Oh let us bewail and bemoan it before God that we have squandered away our immortal souls by exercising the glorious faculty of the understanding in such poor trifling things it may be lustful revengeful vile wicked thoughts either in doing that which is evil or in meditating on the evil we have done instead of mourning for it rejoicing in it 3. I would perswade you to study the necessity the excellency the usefulness and profitableness of Divine Meditation let me tell you for the conclusion this duty is not only a duty but the quintessence and marrow of all other duties there is no duty will take impression upon your souls without the practise of this duty it is the very life and soul of Christianity without which a Christian is but the carcass of a Christian. I have shewed that the want of Divine Meditation is the cause of all sin and all punishment I have shewed you that the practise of Meditation will help to beget Grace and increase Grace and resist the Devil and all his temptations 4. Let me perswade you all that you would put this duty in practise especially you that are rich people Gentlemen Merchants and others you that have estates you that are Gentlemen may spare time from your sports and you that are rich Merchants and others may take time from your outward occasions O let me intreat you that you would take some spare-time every day to go up to the Mount of God to meditate of some of those Subjects that I have propounded to you whether it be Death or Hell or Heaven or Iudgment or Sin or Christ or God or the vanity of the world whatsoever the Subject is that is holy and heavenly I will not lay burdens upon you I know there may be such occasions that you cannot but ordinarily that you would as often as you can make conscience to accustom your selves to this necessary and long-neglected duty of Divine Meditation Let me tell you you would be tall Christians in grace if you did accustom your selves to this duty the reason why you are such Dwarfs in Christianity and so unacquainted with God and the Promises and Christ and Heaven is for the want of the practice of this duty this is the reason why you creep upon the ground and are so poor in Grace and so lean in Religion Therefore let me intreat you especially you whose happiness is that you need not work every day to provide for your families the Lord hath given you an estate and you may spare time Oh let it not be said at the day of Iudgment that you lost Heaven for the want of the practising this duty of Divine Meditation And then you that are poor people and cannot find time you that are Servants and Apprentices that have not time remember what I said concerning Occasional Meditation I shewed you how you might meditate when you were about your worldly business there is no lawful calling that a man can be in but if he hath a heavenly heart he may heavenlize that calling he may take occasion as Christ takes occasion to heavenlize his Discourse from outward things to raise Heavenly Discourse when thou art at work thou maist be by Divine Meditation in Heaven But let me perswade you all on the Sabbath-day though you have not time on the week-day for set solemn Meditation yet then you have time for occasional Meditation for on the Sabbath all your work ceaseth that is the day that God hath set a part for publick service and private Meditation Meditation on the work of Creation and the work of Redemption it is a great work we are to do upon the day of our rest to meditate of our Eternal Rest in Heaven therefore let me perswade you to spend some time on the Sabbath-day upon Meditation but especially on the Sacrament-days There are Twelve Meditations I propounded to meditate on upon the Sacrament and I chose this Subject to help you with Sacramental Meditation it hath pleased God to carry me out further in the handling of it than ever I thought The Lord give a Blessing to it FINIS
Vncertainty 3. The fitness for it 4. How to be above the hurt of it 5. To live in expectation of it 6. To be free from the fear of it 122 2. Judgment 1. The terribleness of it 2. Solemnity of the great Assizes 3. Account to be given to God 4. Separation at that day 5. Happiness of the Godly 6. Miserableness of the wicked 123 3. Heaven 1. The joys of it 2. Beatifical Vision 3. Perfection 4. Perpetuity 5. Fitness for 6. What to do to get to Heaven 125 4. Hell where of the punishment of 1. Loss 2. Sense 126 2. God Christ the Holy Ghost and thy self 127 1. Of God where of his 1. Attributes 2. Works 3. What Relation towards him 128 2. Christ where of his 1. Divine 2. Humane nature 3. Offices and then of his 1. Life 2. Death where 1. what he suffered 2. for whom 3. who he was 4. what love he suffered with 5. what interest you have in it 6. his Resurrection 7. Ascension 8. Intercession at Gods right hand ibid. 3. Holy Ghost 1. nature 2. office 3. motion 4. graces 131 4. Our selves in the state of 1. Innocency 2. Apostacy 3. Regeneration 4. Glory 132 Further of our 1. Sins 2. Duties 3. Evidences 4. Comforts 5. frailty of body 6. immortality ibid. 3. Dependance upon God 4. Advantages God hath us at he may throw into Hell at pleasure therefore we should study and think on 1. our Relations 2. Calling 3. Company 4. our hearts Hereof 1. Thoughts 2. Affections 3. Words 4. Actions ibid. 5. Sinfulness of sin 137 6. Vanity of the Creature 138 7. Excellency of the Gospel 8. Commandments Threatnings Promises Ordinances of the Gospel as 1. Prayers 2. reading the Word 3. hearing the Word 4. the Sacrament 139 9. Errors of the times Iudgments of God great changes of the Nation several passages of Providence the mercies of God 140 6 Rules and Directions and those of three sorts respecting person subject manner 1. For the right qualifying of the person that is to meditate viz. 143 1. Convince thy soul of the necessity of it 144 2. Of the benefits and advantages of it as 145 1. The begetting Repentance 2. The Love of God 3. Fear of God 4. Love of Christ. 3. The mischiefs of not-meditating 4. Get a sufficient furniture of saving knowledg 148 5. Labour to get a serious spirit 149 to which purpose a fourfold frame of spirit is to be avoided as namely 150 1. A slight frame of spirit 2. A trifling frame of spirit 3. A watry frame of spirit 4. An inconsiderate frame of spirit 6. Labour for the love of heaven and heavenly things 153 7. Labour to get an interest in Heaven and heavenly things 154 8. An heart disengaged from the world 155 9. Be not discouraged though you have difficulty in the beginning 157 10. Do all these things by power deriv'd from Iesus Christ 158 2. Rules for the right ordering the subjects or materials ibid. 1. At the beginning pick out easie subjects as of Heaven 1. the happiness of it in general 2. in particular 161 2. Vse variety as heads of several materials were suggested 162 3. Pick out such subjects more especially as dispose to godly sorrow and holiness 163 4. Such as are most seasonable to thy condition and suitable to thy relation As suppose thou art 164 1. Troubled in mind and exceedingly dejected think of the willingness of Christ to receive poor ones 165 2. Troubled in conscience think of the promises not only to grace but of grace to give grace 167 3. In outward want consider the wonderful providences of God ibid. 4. Sick like to thy own life or some dear Relative think on a seasonable subject as Death c. 168 5. To receive the Sacrament consider the nature thy need of it c. 169 3. Rules for the manner of ordering Meditations on the foremention'd or like subjects viz. 170 1. To begin and enter upon the practise of Meditation and here be six Directions ibid. 1. Be sure to pick a fit place to meditate in ibid. 2. A fit and seasonable time according to our circumstances ibid. 3. Be sure to have a fit subject prepar'd not to seek at the time 171 4. Then set your self as in Gods presence under his eye ibid. 5. Begin with some short ejaculatory not long prayer 172 6. Keep your hearts with all keeping 173 2. To proceed better in this work here we must know there be two faculties of the soul the understanding and will or heart and affections 175 1. Rules to help the understanding more logically and plainly 176 1. Logically as Topicks or Common-place-heads ibid. viz. 1. Description 2. Distribution 3. Causes 4. Effects 5. Properties 6. Opposites 7. Comparisons 8. Titles 9. Testimonies ibid. An instance in considering sin as the subject ibid. 1. Consider description as a transgression of Gods Law 178 2. Distribution as sin by imputation propagation and action ibid. 3. Cause of sin God not the cause but Satan and self 179 4. Effects and cursed fruits temporal carnal and eternal 5. Properties and Adjuncts in general and particular 181 6. Opposites grace and holiness 182 7. Comparisons as bruises leprosie c. ibid. 8. Titles given to sin in Scripture as robbing God c. 183 9. Testimonies in Scripture against sin wrath of God c. ibid. 2. Plainly where particularly consider 184 1. What the Scripture saith of the subject you would meditate upon ibid. 2. What Sermons you have heard upon that subject 185 3. Take a Book that treats on the subject you would metate upon 186 4. Be sure to join Application with your Contemplation 187 5. Consider the means how to obtain what you meditate upon 188 2. Rules to help the will heart and affections and to raise them 189 1 Labour to get a relish and savour of the things you meditate on to have the heart affected 2. Complain before God for the want of this relish 3. Wish you had a supply of the tast you want 190 4. Confess your inability as of your self to do this 5. Petition to God for help 6. Confidently believe God will help you 3. Rules to conclude all after entrance and progress 197 1. Lift up your heart to God with thankfulness and bless his Name ibid. 2. Resolve to live as one who hath been thinking on the things of God 199 3. Recommend your self body soul relatives c. to God 200 A Perswasion to the practise of these things concluding in four particulars 201 1. Mourn before God that you have liv'd so long in the School of Christ and have not practised this duty of solemn Meditation 202 2. That you have misplac'd your Meditation ibid. 3. Study the necessity excellency usefulness and profitableness of Meditation as the marrow of all other duties 205 4. Defer not to practise according to the directions given in expectation of Gods blessing ibid. GEN. XXIV 63. And Isaac went out to meditate in the
work of Meditation for want of matter to meditate upon for meditation supposeth knowledg meditation is a dwelling upon that we know and therefore the ignorant Christian cannot be a meditating Christian he that is ignorant of God cannot meditate of God he that is ignorant of Christ crucified cannot meditate of Christ crucified and this is one reason why so many Saints of God are so barren in Sacramental meditation because they know so little of Christ crucified the ignorance of God and Christ is not only a sin but it is the root of all sin It is said 1 Sam. 2. 12. of the two Sons of old Eli They were sons of Belial and they knew not the Lord. All sin is wrapt up in ignorance as a child in swadling clouts as Toads and Serpents grow in dirty and dark Cellars so doth all sin grow where ignorance dwells And therefore Chrysostome saith That ignorance is a deep hell And one saith very well An ignorant Christian is the Devils shop wherein he forges all manner of wickedness 2. There is the forgetful Christian for meditation is a meditating of what we know concerning God and Heaven and the day of Judgment it is a bringing of the things we know unto our selves and therefore a forgetful Christian cannot be a meditating Christian he that forgets the Mercies of God can never meditate on the Mercies of God This sin of forgetfulness of God is a sin that the Children of Israel were very guilty of Psal. 106. 7. The Prophet complains of them our Fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt they remembred not the multitude of thy mercies but provoked him at the Sea even at the red Sea v. 13. they soon forgot his works v. 31. They forgot God their Saviour which had done great things in Egypt therefore he said that he would destroy them The forgetfulness of God and the mercies of God is made the root of all sin as well as the ignorance of God Iudg. 3. 7. The children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord and forgot the Lord their God therefore they did evil in the sight of the Lord. And therefore God lays a charge upon the children of Israel that when they came into the land of Canaan and should have the fulness of all outward blessings Deut. 8. 11. Beware saith he that thou forget not the Lord thy God in not keeping his commandments and his judgments and his statutes which I command thee this day lest when thou hast eaten and art full and hast built goodly houses and dwelt therein v. 14. Then thy heart be lifted up and thou forget the Lord thy God You that forget the mercies of God God will forget to be merciful unto you and you that do not remember what good things God hath done for you God will take order that you shall have no good things to remember The good Thief on the Cross when he was dying his great request to Christ was Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdom It is the great desire of all Saints that God would remember them in mercy but certainly you that forget the mercies of God God will forget to be merciful unto you 3. I am to reprove the rash-headed Christian that rushes upon Duties and upon Ordinances and publick Offices without consideration that comes rashly to the Sacrament and kneels down rashly to his private and publick devotion that doth not consider before-hand when he comes to worship the Lord our God this I call the rash-headed Christian we have many such among us And there are four things worthy your observing that may be said of a rash-headed Christian. He is a spiritual fool and all the Sacraments he receives and the prayers he makes they are the sacrifices of fools as you have it excellently set down Eccles. 5. 1 2. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifices of fools for they consider not that they do evil Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God for God is in heaven and thou upon earth therefore let thy words be few Out of which two verses I gather these two things 1. That it is the duty of all Christians in all their addresses to God to consider who this God is to whom they draw near to consider their own vileness and Gods excellency to consider that God is in heaven and they are upon earth 2. That whosoever doth rush upon Ordinances without consideration he doth offer up the sacrifice of fools because he doth not consider that he doth evil when you come rashly to publick duties here upon the Sabbath-day and you come rashly to the Sacrament and when you are hasty to utter words to God you come as so many spiritual fools 2. A rash-headed Christian will many times speak that which he will wish he had not spoken and he will do that which he shall have cause to repent of We have many examples of the Saints of God that have paid dearly for their rash-speaking and their rash-practising for this rashness is a sin that the Saints of God are very much subject to we read of Peter that he fell three times into this sin Mat. 16. 22. there Christ told Peter That he must be crucified and Peter began to rebuke him saying Be it far from thee Lord this shall not be unto thee Peter spake very rashly now Christ said unto him Get thee behind me satan thou art an offence unto me And Luk. 9. when Christ was transfigured then Peter began to utter a rash speech saith Peter to Christ Master it is good for us to be here and let us make three tabernacles one for thee and one for Moses and one for Elias not knowing what he said It was a rash speech and especially Luk. 22. when Christ told him that one of you shall betray me saith he very rashly Master though all betray thee yet will not I betray thee But he spake rashly not knowing the deceitfulness of his own heart We read of the two brethren Iames and Iohn that they spake very rashly unto Christ Luk. 9. 54. When his two disciples Iames and Iohn saw this they said Lord wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them even as Elias did but he turned and rebuked them and said Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of We read of Moses that he spake unadvisedly with his lips and God was angry with him Numb 20. Shall we bring water for you out of he rock he spake unadvisedly and the Lord was angry with him Iephtha made a rash vow Whatsoever I see I will offer in sacrifice He had cause to repent of that Vow And that which I say of words I may say of deeds the Saints of God have done many things in their haste that they have cause to repent of David rashly
imputation but of Original sin by propagation thou wert conceived in sin and thou art born in iniquity thou hast a nature which thou carriest about with thee which makes thee prone to all sin and indisposed to all good thou hast a nature that defiles all thy holy duties and thou art guilty of many actual transgressions of heart-sins of lip-sins of life-sins of sins of omission how many good duties have I omitted of sins of commission how many evil actions have I committed and thou art guilty of sins against the Law and sins against the Gospel then would I reckon up soms sins and then thou art guilty of fleshly and outward and visible sins and thou art especially Oh my soul guilty of inward spiritual and invisible sins of heart-adultery though not outward adultery of heart-murder of heart-idolatry of pride vain-glory hypocrisie self-seeking There is the second head the division of sin 3. I would come to the third head and consider the original and cause of sin and I would say thus Oh my soul surely God is not the author of all these sins that I am guilty of it is the greatest blasphemy in the world to charge God with our sins God cannot be the author of that of which he is the punisher Iudas did not betray Christ because it was determined he should do it but it was out of covetousness and the brethren of Iudah did not fell Ioseph because it was decreed they should do it but out of envy Oh! it is my wicked heart that is the root of all my sin it is not the Devil that is the original of my sin for the Devil cannot force me to sin the Devil perswades me to sin tempts me to sin but he cannot compel me to sin sin came into the world by Adam's disobedience Rom. 5. 12. By one man sin came into the world And my wicked heart is the root of all my sin Oh my soul why shouldest not thou abhor thy self because of thy sin 4. I would have you consider the cursed fruits and effects of sin and I would say thus Oh my soul be thou humbled for thy sins Oh lye in the dust because of thy sin for it is sin that is the cause of all evil both Temporal Spiritual and Eternal sin brings spiritual temporal and eternal curses it was sin put devilishness into the Angels and made the Angels in Heaven to become Devils in Hell it was sin that brought the flood upon the old world it was sin that turned Heaven into Hell and made God rain down fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorah it is sin that kindles the fire in Hell the fire of Hell would go out were it not for sin sin is worse than Hell because it is the cause of Hell and I would meditate thus Surely sin is more opposite to God than Hell for God is the author of Hell God made Hell for sinners but God is not the author of sin and therefore Oh my soul do thou hate sin more than affliction nay more than Hell it self 5. I would proceed to consider the adjuncts and properties of sin in general and of my sin in particular and I would thus meditate upon this common-place head Oh that the Lord would work in my heart a further abhorrency of all sin Oh that sin might be more loathed for sin is of a defiling nature of a destructive nature sin is of a defiling nature it defiles my person it defiles my Sacraments my Prayers the Sermons I hear it makes me like a dog like a swine nay it makes me like a Devil I have chosen twelve and one of you is a Devil Sin makes you nasty and loathsome in Gods sight sin defiles your civil actions The plowing of a wicked man is sin sin defiles the land in which you live Ezek. 14. The land is defiled by your idolatry sin defiles the whole Creation Oh my soul wilt thou make a sport of that which defiles the whole Creation And then I would say sin is of a destructive nature it destroys the body it destroys the soul for evermore And then I would consider the properties of my sin in particular I would say thus Oh my soul how great is thy guilt I have sinned not only against God but against light my sins have bloody aggravations I have sinned against the heart-blood-mercy of Jesus Christ. I have sinned against many Sacrament-vows that I have made I have sinned against knowledg against conscience 6. I would consider the opposites to the thing I meditate on what is opposite to sin why Grace Then I would meditate of the excellency of Grace and I would say Oh my soul how beautiful is that soul that is endued with Grace sin makes me like a Devil sin stamps the Devils image upon my soul but Grace makes me Gods picture Grace is the portraiture of the Holy Ghost Grace ennobles the soul it legitimates the soul it elevates the soul. Oh the beauty of a soul enriched with grace Oh the Heavenly excellency of a gracious soul Now by how much Grace is more excellent by so much is sin more odious for sin destroys Grace 7. I would consider the comparisons to which sin is compared and I would say thus Oh my soul wilt thou not abhor sin sin is compared to bruises sores putrefaction a leprosie a plague the excrements of a man And it is called in Scripture an abominable thing it is compared to the filth under a mans nails and to the putrefactions of sores and the dung the excrements of man and wilt thou love that which is loathsom to God shall sin be so abominable in the sight of God and shall it not be so in my sight 8. I would consider the titles that are given to sin and I would say thus Sin is called a robbing of God Mal. 3. shall I rob God of his glory by my sin Oh! God forbid Sin is called an injury to God shall I injure my Saviour by my sins It is called a striking thorough the name of God so the Hebrew word signifies which we translate to swear it is a Deicidium the killing the murdering of God and Oh my soul wilt thou do as much as in thee lies to murder thy Saviour to crucifie Christ afresh by thy sins 9. I would consider all that the Scripture saith concerning sin I would consider the wrath of God against sin I would consider all the Threatnings of God against sin and especially I would study what Christ suffered to free us from sin and I would behold the odiousness of sin upon Christ's Cross sin made Christ sweat drops of blood and shall it not make me shed tears Sin made Christ cry My God my God why hast thou forsaken me and shall it not make me cry out Oh miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of sin And then I would consider what hope there is of pardon through Christ and what promises there are made
pleased to put these things in practice will find his heart will never want matter to meditate upon So much for the Intellectual part of Meditation which is the knotty and difficult part 2. Now I come to that which is the easiest part of Meditation I mean easie to understand but not easie to practice I come to that which is the best part of Meditation the very life and soul of Meditation and that is to help you to get your affections warmed and heated by the things you meditate upon for the work of the understanding is nothing else but to be as a Divine pair of bellows to kindle and inflame the heart and affections the work of the understanding is to chew and prepare matter to help the affections Now then I am to give you some directions and helps for the affectionative part to get your affections warmed and heated so as to stir up piety and devotion in your souls Now for the working upon your affections learned men that write upon this subject propound six common-place-heads as so many ways to raise the affections and to get them so excited as to increase grace and holiness in the soul. 1. You must labour to get a relish and a savour of the things you meditate upon 2. You must complain before God for the want of that relish 3. You must wish you had a supply of what you want of this relish and taste of the things you meditate on 4. You must confess your inability as of your selves to do this 5. You must petition to God for help 6. You must confidently believe God will help you Here are six helps for the affectionative part of Meditation now that you may know the use of these helps I shall crave leave to go over them all by way of instance I have given you an instance concerning the sinfulness of sin I went over nine common-place heads and shewed you how you should enlarge in every particular about the sinfulness of sin now I will proceed further in this instance and shew you how you should make use of these Particulars to get your affections raised and warmed and stirred up to more holiness After that I have traversed all the heads of reason and have considered the description the distribution cause and effects of sin now I come to the work of the affections And here 1. I will labour to get my heart affected with the bitterness of sin I will labour to taste the bitterness of it and to get my heart in a mourning frame and I will thus say to my self Oh my soul is sin so odious to God that no sacrifice but the sacrifice of the blood of God can appease Gods wrath and shall it not be odious to me was sin so displeasing unto God and so defiling to the soul that no bath but a bath of Christs blood can wash away the stain of it and shall I make a mock of that sin that cost the blood of Christ was sin a burden to Christ and shall it not be a burden to me Thus I would reason with my self Did sin make Christ shed drops of blood and shall it not make me shed a few tears Did Christ cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me for our sins I mean for our sins he took upon him and shall I make a sport of sin shall I make a mock of sin Doth David complain That his sins was a burden too heavy for him to bear And doth Paul cry out Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of sin And shall not sin be bitter to me shall not I mourn that I have sinned against so gracious a God so merciful a Redeemer so holy a Sanctifier 2. I would proceed to the second and begin to complain of the hardness of my heart and of my unaffectedness with the sins I am guilty of and I would thus say to my soul Oh my soul how is it that thou canst mourn for any outward loss if thou losest but a child though it may be thou hast half a score if thou losest but one of them thou canst mourn immoderately if thou losest thy wife thy husband any part of thy estate thou canst mourn too much but thou hast not one tear for thy sins how is it Oh my soul that thou shouldest be thus hard-hearted and unaffected with thy sins Is not sin Deicidium is not sin a murdering of God in as much as in us lies is not sin animaecidium that which slays the soul is not sin a dethroning of God a robbing of God an injuring of God how is it then that I am no more affected with my sin how is it that after so many Sermons so many Sacraments so many years being in the School of Christ after so many mercies received from God so many afflictions the Lord hath inflicted upon me yet my heart should be so hard and so flinty and so stony I can easily hate my enemy too too soon which I should not do but Sin that is my greatest enemy I cannot hate that which I should hate most of all I must love my outward enemy but God bids me hate my Sin God doth not bid me love the Devil or the works of the Devil I can hate that which I should love but I cannot hate that which I should hate I cannot hate my Sin 3. I would proceed to stir up my affections to a passionate wish and I would say to my soul thus Oh that my heart were more soft Oh that I could mourn with a godly mourning not with a legal mourning but with a mourning that is out of love to God Oh that I could mourn with repentance unto life with a Gospel-sorrow for all my sins of omission commission my Sacrament-sins my family-sins my Closet-sins the sins of my youth the sins of my riper age for all my unkindness against my God Oh that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountain of tears that I could mourn day and night for my sins and the sins of the times and the sins of the place wherein I live Oh that rivers of tears would run down my eyes because I have sinned against my God! Thus would I wish and passionately express my self that so I might get my heart raised up Oh that the Lord would pour down the spirit of mourning upon me 4. I would make an humble confession of my own inability to mourn and I would say thus O Lord thou knowest it is not in man to direct his own ways it is not in man to guide his own steps I know Oh Lord that I am not able of my self to think a good thought it is easier for me to cleave a rock in pieces than to cleave my rocky heart by my own strength there must be an Almighty power to get my heart to be soft for my heart Oh Lord is harder than the nether milstone and I cannot soften it I would mourn that