greatness of his bounty and riches of his grace and constancy of his love in forgiving so many transgressions and subduing daily more and more the dominion of sin and Satan Fourthly Hee is to think how hee may bee guided thorow that present day after the rules of his daily direction especially those that seem hardest to bee followed both the well-ordering of his heart and framing of his life so far as stands with Gods Word Fifthly Let him meditate on the several parts of the Christian Armor and how God hath appointed to strengthen him thereby for his better going forward in a godly life Lastly Let him consider of the outward blessings that God vouchsafeth unto him his constant care and fatherly protection over him in his going out and coming in providing him meat drink and apparel and other necessaries Quest What is the fourth Let Answ Want of leisure and opportunity by reason of necessary business taking up the time Quest How is this to bee remedied Answ Men must know that the ordinary works of their calling are not to put this duty out of place for if they do it is by the unskilfulness or untowardness of them who commit this fault but the one of them is appointed of God to go with the other and both of them to stand together to the upholding of one another If any through necessary occasion and hinderances shall be constrained to let pass this duty of Meditation when otherwise hee would have set upon it hereby let it appear to have been necessarily passed by and without his fault if hee supply the want of this duty after his necessary labour ended and take heed that in no wise it bee omitted altogether unless hee can bee assured with peace that God in the omitting of it hath been remembred answerably some other way Quest What should move us to bee careful to take time for this duty Answ Because wee are earnestly exhorted by the Apostle to redeem the time that is to take the opportunity and lay hold on all occasions whereby wee may glorifie God or do good to others and to our own souls And the special spur to provoke us to make choice of and constantly to keep some time to the performance of this duty and to break thorow the manifold lets and impediments which stand in our way is the due consideration of the fruits and effects of this duty carefully performed which have been mentioned before and come to bee named hereafter Quest What things do hinder the fruitful performance of this duty Answ Two principally which may bee called abuses of Meditation First Sleightness when wee make a ceremony of it not so much looking how our hearts are affected in and by it as that wee may not justly bee charged for omitting it Secondly Trifling fantasies and worldly cares which fill the head that wee cannot minde heavenly things hence followeth weariness of it and an hastening to more liberty that our hearts may range where they list Quest How are these abuses to bee remedied A. First We must remember that it is a duty of great weight earnestly called for at our hands of singular fruit and comfort worthy to bee delighted in and exercised with greatest diligence The men of the world are exact in trifles is it not a shame to the children of God if they be sleighty in matters of so great importance Labour spent in the duties of Religion is lost and the fruit perisheth if wee strive not to perform them with life and power Secondly To obtain that we may bee fit to perform this duty and not to bee carried at that time after wandring wee must tye up our loose hearts throughout the day from the deadly custome of ranging after vain fond and deceiveable thoughts dreams and delights wee must weigh how little worth this is to suffer our cogitations to bee fastened on things transitory with delight much less about those that are filthy and evil but rather bring them to bee taken up in those which are heavenly This wee are called unto and until wee learn how weighty soever our dealings be to count this the chiefest to keep peace with God and ever fear to offend him it will bee an hard matter to bring our selves to meditate with chearfulness and fruit Thirdly When thou settest upon this duty take heed of self-confidence lest thou provoke God to give thee up to be buffeted of Satan to teach thee humility and lowliness How should wee hope to prosper in any good work so long as wee trust in our own strength Success joyned with self-presumption is perillous for it tendeth to spiritual fulness and surfeiting two main and great diseases of the soul Quest What bee the sorts and kinds of Divine Meditation Answ It is fitly divided into two sorts First Extemporary occasional or sudden which may bee done at all times and in all employments Secondly Set deliberate or solemn both these have their use and in both these seriousness is required Quest What is occasional Meditation Answ It is a serious bending of the mind to think upon some good and profitable subject being occasioned thereunto by such things as by the providence of God do offer themselves to our senses Psal 8.8 Joh. 4.10 Prov. 6.6 Mat. 6.26 eyes and ears as wee go about the duties of our calling or bee exercised in some honest and lawful Recreation for the continuance of our health and comfort of our life Quest What Rules are to bee noted touching this extemporary Meditation Answ First Extemporary Meditation as Ejaculatory Prayers have no ornament but fervency no motive but love no other eloquence but affection and their clauses no contexture but necessity Secondly No employment can hinder us from this duty they rather minister occasion thereof unto us The cold of Winter the heat of Summer the sweetness of the Spring the fruitfulness of the Harvest do * Psa 19.1 69.34 89.5 Psa 8.3 4. praise the Lord that is do minister plentiful occasion to us to praise God No month in the year nor week in the month nor day in the week nor hour in the day which doth not afford us some profitable matter to meditate upon Thirdly The fittest day in the week is the Lords day which wee are to consecrate wholly to him but as no person is exempted from this duty so no time but may fitly serve for the performance thereof Fourthly As wee must not lightly let slip such matters of good use as will bee often offered unto us and defraud our selves and others of the benefit thereof so wee must not fix our minds too earnestly upon them lest wee offend others and neglect some necessary duty of our own Fifthly The more natural and lively the occasion of external Meditation is the better it doth affect at the first salutation as soon as wee take a taste of it which must bee regarded and laboured after because the business of this life will not suffer us
perform this duty but hee may finde some place to do it in either in the field with Isaac Gen. 24.63 Dan. 6.10 or in the house with Daniel or at least if they bee hindered all the day long in his a Psa 6.7 4.4 bed with David Quest What time must bee set apart for the performance of this duty Answ First The Lords day is the fittest time in the week for the performance of this exercise but though it must not bee omitted on that day yet it must not bee put off till that day Secondly Some time convenient must bee set apart for this duty every day and that must bee observed constantly as much as wee can for by that means wee shall bee better enabled to finish this work with better success Thirdly No part nor hour of the day is absolutely necessary to bee kept neither is a man so strictly bound to observe the time which hee hath chosen as fit and seasonable that hee should charge himself in conscience to bee guilty of sin if upon occasion hee change it unto some other Order in all good duties is a cause of constancy and constant order is a notable means of continuance Fourthly As for the fittest hour in the day a mans own experience must instruct him and his occasions direct him whether to take the golden hours of the morning when being awakened and refreshed by sweet sleep and quiet rest hee shall finde himself free and fit to meditate upon some heavenly matter as Jacob did or the evening Gen. 28.16 when hee hath ended his labours which was the time that a Gen. 24.63 Isaac took or the midst of the day which was b Act. 10.9 Peters time or any other part and hour of the day c Psa 55.12 David and d Dan. 6.10 Daniel used three times a day to pray and meditate Fifthly The most quiet and free times if strength and wakefulness will give leave are the morning evening and night season which were the times approved among the Heathen who for the better imprinting of any thing in memory give this counsel which common experience doth confirm to think seriously upon it in the evening before they sleep and to call it again to minde in the morning when they awake Oh how sweet it is to awake with God in the morning and to salute him with our first thoughts How safe and profitable to prevent unsavoury thoughts and wicked projects by lodging up in our soul some holy matter worthy our chief employment Psa 88.13 119 48 Psa 5.3 Psal 63.1 Job 1.5 and to prepare the heart to walk with God before wee enter into the world Hee that makes himself well ready every morning shall pass the rest of the day with much ease and great comfort It is much with what liquor the heart is first seasoned if it be well prepared with some heavenly Meditation before the cares of this life take up the room it will be kept in better order in all businesses occasions accidents whatsoever How fit is it when wee have tasted of the blessings of the day that wee should render unto God the fruit not of the lips but of the heart and come into his presence from whom wee have received so many favours What more expedient than that wee should commend our selves into the hands of God with confidence and make our accounts even being to lye down in his fear What more excellent recreation after tedious labour than to recount the mercies of the Lord his fatherly protection the dangers wee escaped what service wee owe to God for all the tokens of his love and what cause wee have to bee humbled for all our sins Of the night David saith a Psa 16.7 My reins shall teach mee in the night season God used to speak to his servants in the * Psa 119.55 Psa 63.6 Job 4.13 night by dreams and visions When wee are freed from cares and incumberances compassed about with darkness that outward objects apprehended by the eye cannot draw the mind away when all things are quiet and still then what greater solace or sweet refreshing can bee found than to lift up the heart to Heaven But these times may bee commended as fit not urged as absolutely necessary Sixthly Every man must set apart some time for this duty but they the most that have most leisure and opportunity Meditation is an affirmative duty which must bee taken in hand when the Lord calleth thereunto and putteth it upon us by affording us means and season Quest What say you to them that pretend multitude of worldly businesse to excuse the omission and neglect of this exercise Answ It is their sin that they will thus set God against himself as though hee should command them to do that which hindereth them from another duty commanded God hath appointed unto us our several standings in our general and personal callings they are both of him and the duties belonging to them both will excellently stand together if the Commandements of God bee not contrary Nay rather wee should think that following of the world to bee too much which is not ordered and moderated by due consideration how far and in what manner wee should deal in the world so as not to bee hindered from holiness by it but even to practise holiness in our earthly affairs If wee bee rich wee have the less cause to bee holden from Meditation by wordly cares If poor wee have the more need of this duty to moderate our care that it exceed not nor carry us to unbeleef What example soever wee have of the contrary in the multitude of worldlings among whom wee live yet wee must know though others will not that wee are not set here in our places to do as loose and wretched servants who when they go to Market neglect their Masters business and mis-spend their time Quest What course must bee holden to redeem time out of the world for Meditation Answ First Walk so on earth as that thy chief delight bee in Heaven still use this world as a Pilgrim doth his cloak Love will finde somewhat to do they that delight in the world will make business in the world as children invent matter of play But if Christ bee our beloved and our treasure in Heaven nothing can hold our hearts from him Secondly Order the affairs of this life wisely that every thing may have its fit time and season wee have sufficient allowance for the dispatch of all our labours if wee take the opportunity and manage both work and means with discretion If thy heart bee upright fear not Eccl. 10.10 God will teach thee how to walk To the man that is good in his sight God giveth wisdome knowledge and joy Thirdly Spend not much time either in consulting privately with thy self or by talking in company with others about that whereof there is no use or which may bee done and ended in
freeman for evermore Those Saviours were meer men but Christ our Redeemer is God and Man They delivered their people by force of arms but Christ by his death first payed the price of our Redemption and then God by his great power rescued us from the hands of the Devil They brought their Redeemed into an earthly Canaan but Christ our Redeemer hath prepared for us an heavenly Inheritance They saved them that were oppressed and evil-intreated against their wills but Christ set us free who had voluntarily sold our selves into the state of slavery Quest How are these things to bee applied unto the heart Answ Upon consideration of these things wee must stir up our selves to seek the knowledge of Christ Jesus fly unto him with sound affiance rejoyce in God and sing praises to his name Oh my soul is deliverance from spiritual thraldome to bee found in Jesus Christ then enquire after him and seek to know him with gladness The Name Jesus is sweet honey in the mouth melody in the ear a Jubile in the heart What a servant were hee that knew not his Masters Name is not hee unworthy the benefit of Redemption that will not vouchsafe to enquire who hath paid his Ransome Oh my soul fly unto Christ in whom thou shalt finde deliverance from all spiritual thraldome God hath made Christ an Adam Head Root Store-house in whom are treasured all those good things which from him are communicated unto us Wee love to thrust amongst them with whom wee may finde benefit and profit Seek this above all that thou mayest bee by Faith in Christ Should Bankrupts hear of any that should answer their creditors for them they would quickly resort to him how much more shouldest thou resort to this Mediatour and Surety who will answer the debt of those that come unto him by Faith seek to bee ingrafted into him strive by Faith to grow up in him for the more nearly wee are united with any thing the more wee partake of the virtue and operation of it Those that are nearest the fire partake in the heat of it more than those that are further removed Thou seest men seek to bee made one person in law to bee most nearly joyned to such as may bring them in wealth Oh my soul why dost thou not seek more earnestly by a spiritual marriage to become one with him in whom is every good blessing Behold hee sueth unto thee not that hee might bee enriched by thee for thou hast nothing to give hee stands in need of nothing but that hee might answer thy debt set thee at liberty adorn thee with grace and endow thee with eternal life O my soul what great cause hast thou to love the Lord and rejoyce in his mercy God hath given his Son to dye for us before we asked it Christ hath when wee could not through our gracelesness once ask him fulfilled all Righteousness and discharged us from the danger of sin Wee take it as love in men if spoken to they will do small matters for us Hee that will bear a blow for us in our behalf bee bound for us in great summs of mony specially hee that will lye by it for our good But how much more art thou to acknowledge this grace of Christ who hath been thy Surety paid for thy deliverance not silver or gold but his precious blood The insensible creatures are called upon to rejoyce for the Redemption of Gods people when they were redeemed from Babel the joy did put them into an extrasie they knew not whether they were asleep or awake But this spiritual Redemption doth as far out-strip that temporal freedome as Heaven is above the Earth or hell worse than the house of bondage Sing unto the Lord oh my soul make a joyful noise unto the God of thy salvation What cause hast thou to praise him who hath visited and redeemed thee with such a Redemption Thou mayest remember the day when thou wast in thraldome to the burning wrath of God and stoodest under the condemnation of the Law when it was death to bee held to the duties of godliness in which is the exercise of true freedome and sin did hold thee so fast that though thou sawest the mischief of it and proposedst sometimes a new course yet thou couldest not return to it as before when this lust and that passion did tyrannize over thee and fears of conscience and death did hold thee in thraldome But now the Lord hath looked upon thee in mercy his wrath is appeased the Law is answered Satan is cast down and thou art received into special favour to walk with him Oh Lord I am ashamed that I should bee so senseless at the remembrance of this unspeakable love so forgetful of this undeserved kindness move the scales from mine eyes I pray thee and take the veil from my heart which will not let mee rejoyce in so excellent mercy Quest Shew how wee must proceed in Meditation on the Resurrection of Christ Ans Wee must consider the Subject Antecedents Causes End Time Place and things that happened with it the effects properties and consequents what is like and what unlike My soul desires to think upon the Resurrection of Christ in which I may behold the reconciled face of God Dear Father direct my mind rightly to conceive of this high mystery to the glory of thy Name and the comfort of my soul To rise from the sleep of sin is to leave or desist from evil Hee that is fallen prostrate ariseth when he gathers up himself Hee that layeth himself down to rest ariseth when hee is raised from sleep Hee that is dead ariseth when the soul is knit to the body The Resurrection of Christ is the first degree of his exaltation wherein the soul being united again to his body hee was raised up to spiritual and immortal life It is a motion partly natural partly supernatural Natural in respect of the subject bound and means For Christ rose so out of the grave that hee is said to bee there no more and he rose by means proper to a natural body that being removed which might seem to hinder Nor was this Resurrection in a moment but in certain succession of time which is required to every natural motion Nevertheless this motion is supernatural in respect of the cause efficient and the end The Divine Nature of Christ could not suffer nor dye nor rise again but hee was raised to life in respect of that nature that died for our sins or in respect of the body which for a time was separated from the soul and laid in the grave This was prefigured by types foretold by the Prophets of the Old Testament and most clearly spoken to his Disciples by our Saviour himself signifying unto them that the Son of Man must suffer at Jerusalem and bee buried and the third day rise again The principal cause of the Resurrection was the Divine Nature most strictly united with the Humanity In