divers Gestures and Expressions which are not requisite or necessary for any but God and the Soul to be privy to Now what Place soever you find to be necessary for this important Duty be sollicitous to make choiee of II. As for the Time the best Opportunity is in the Morning for the First Fruits of the Day being Holy all the rest are Sanctified Moreover our Thoughts being then not polluted with worldly Affairs they are not so liable to distraction and the Body it self is more serene than after Meals and this Duty requires a vacuity in the Stomach not only because the Head will be more perspicuous and apt for Meditation but also because many Passages of Meditation require so much Attention of the Mind and Fervency of Affection that they do hinder Digestion And this Duty being performed in the Morning it will have an influence upon the whole Day But this Rule is not universal for we read that Isaac went forth in the Evening to medirate Gen. 24. 63. And if the Subject of your Meditation be a Sermon then perhaps the properest time is immediately after the hearing of it before your Affections cool or your Memory fail you III. FOR the Duration considering the Parts of Meditation are so many as Preparation Considerations Affections Resolutions and the like And not one of these are to be past slightly over for Affections are not quickly raised nor are we to cease blowing the fire if it flame until it be well kindled Half an Hour may be reckon'd to be the least for Beginners and an Hour for those that are Proficients in this Duty IV. But in this Particular there is Two Rules especially to be observed First That as we ought not to desist from our Prayers before that temper and frame or heart is wrought which is suitable to the Requests of our Petitions so we should not desist in our Confession of Sin till our Hearts are truly sensible and humbled for Sin neither should we slacken our Praises until our Hearts are filled with holy Admirings and inflamed with the Love of the Almighty Now the End of Meditation are Affections and Resolutions therefore we should not desist till those are effected V. SO in Private Prayer when we find our Hearts enlarged by the Effusion of the Spirit of Supplication upon us we are not to desist unless by our persisting in that Duty we omit another to which we are more particularly obliged at that juncture so in Meditation when we perceive the Heart affected we are to continue it But this Caution must be observ'd That in our Enlargements we must not continue them longer than while they flow freely without much Straining and Compulsion for Honey which comes freely from the Comb is pure but forced by Heat and Pressure is not so well relish'd Now if the Heart is dead we must use our utmost diligence to awaken it and when once our Hearts are inflamed and enlarged by holy Affections in an extraordinary manner 't is but an impediment to our Affections to return to the Meditation of those Points that raised them SECT IV. Of the Subject and Method of Meditation FIRST Avoid Controversie for that will convert Meditation into Study and nice Speculations for they are sapless without Nutriment besides being so light they fluctuate in the Brain and want ponderosity to sink them down into the Heart and inddeed were they admitted they are so insignificant as the Heart by its reception could acquire no Affectation But let the Subject of your Meditation be the plainest powerfullest and usefullest Verities of the Almighty as Death Iudgment Hell and Heaven the Mercies of God our own Sins and the Love and Sufferings of a crucified Saviour Contemplate on that which is most suitable to your Spiritual Wants as in the time of Desertion meditate most of the Love and Mercies of God and thy own Unworthiness c. II. NOW the Rules for Meditation are these Three 1st Preparatory 2dly For the Body of the Duty And 3dly The Conclusion In our Duty of Preparation besides the choice of the Subject we are to be convinced and affected with the Presence of the Deity and to use fervent Prayer for the Divine Assistance Secondly For the Body of Meditation it consists of Three Parts The First is Consideration which is the convincing our Hearts of several Verities appertaining to that Subject whereof we meditate III. IF the Subject of our Meditation be Death the Considerations may run thus Alas O my Immmortal Soul the Manner Time and Place where we shall expire we are ignoraut of generally Mens Lives come to a period sooner than they expect and certain it is whensoever that Hour or Minute approaches we must bid adieu to Honours Pleasures Riches Friends and at last our own frail Bodies c. The Second Part is Affections whether it be Love of God Christ or Spiritual Things despising of the World admiring of the Omnipotency or any other Spiritual Affection The Third Part are Resolutions to perform that which is agreeable to God's Command and to desist from all manner of Evil. IV. NOW that this is the most proper and genuine way of Meditation evidently appears First Because it is not Artificial and such as requires Learning as those Instructions are which advise us to consider the Efficient Final Formal Material Cause of Defunction with the Adjuncts Concomitants and Concatenations c. which though they perhaps may please the Learned yet such difficult words astonish the Ignorant Now this is the Method by which every one that is brought home to God is converted V. AND the first thing in Coversion is our being convinced of some Truths which Conviction raiseth Affections For if the Verities of the Divine Omnipotence end in Conviction and go no further nay if they end in Aflections only and never arrive to Resolutions of shunning Evil and performing of Good Conversion can never be perfected As for Example One is convinced that he is a miserable undone Wretch by reason of Original and Actual Abomination Upon this Conviction Fear and Sorrow are excited yet if these do not operate in us a fixed Resolution of forsaking those Sins we are yet in our Sins and unconverted Thirdly There are several things for the concluding of Meditation which I shall treat of in its proper order SECT V. Of being affected with the Divine Presence WE are to consider God is present in all places as really and Essentially as he is in Heaven For Omnipotency did not create Heaven for his Confinement but to manifest his Glory for the Heaven of Heavens are not able to contain him neither is the Almighty included by nor excluded from any place And though Iacob said Surely the Lord was in this place and I knew it not Gen. 28. 16. yet we must not imagine that Iacob was ignorant of the Verity of it but did not actually consider it but the the Psalmist in the 139th Psalm is perspicuous in explaining and
being mix'd of such variety as sometimes speaking to the Great Majesty of Heaven and humbly acknowledging how we stand affected to Him and his Ordinances sometimes we examine our Soul chiding encouraging or instructing it sometimes we reason with our selves what holy Resolutions we design to put in practice and what we intend to supplicate the Almighty Many Instances of this nature you may find in Psal. 42. and other Psalms which cannot properly be called Prayers but Solemn Meditations VII THE Third kind of Solemn Meditation are those that are upon Scripture which is the Word of God and his words are pure even as the silver tried seven times in the fire Psal. 12. 6. Our Saviour's Precept is That we should search the Scriptures Joh. 5. 39. And St. Paul bids us prove all things 1 Thes. 5. 21. And if we meditate on God's Word which is the Golden Rule of all our Devotions we shall acquire that Peace to our Souls which the World cannot give nor none upon Earth can take from us for all his Promises are Yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. VIII THE Last kind of Meditation is upon some Practical Truth of Religion which is the planting and nourishing of all true Vertue among Men to grow in grace 2 Pet. 3. 18. to cleanse our selves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit 2 Cor. 7. 1. And endeavouring to take hold of St. Paul's pressing Argument to his Corinthians to be stedfast unmoveable always abounding in the work of the Lord then this Assurance will infallibly appertain to us That our labour shall not be in vain in the Lord 1 Cor. 15. 58. SECT II. That Meditation is a Duty THAT Isaac did not neglect Solemn Meditation is evident by reason he went out into the Fields to perform it and to shew that it was a Set-Duty 't is said that he went on t to meditate And God commanded Ioshua to perform this Duty as a chief means for the keeping of the Law Iosh. 1. 18. And indeed we ought not to forget so important an Exercise for the Occasion of Sin is the want of Consideration and not want of Knowledge Isa. 1. 3. For who is there almost in the World that knows not but that he must die but how few are they that consider it Deut. 32. 29. II. NEXT The Necessity of Meditation is very material For none can enter into a State of Conversion who thinks it insignificant To confirm which we have it recorded in Scripture the Story of the Prodigal Son who listed himself in Harlots company but upon his submissive return was receiv'd again into his Father's favour Now this is the Method of the Converted First He hears the sacred Truth of God's Word and is convinced by it Secondly He considers and meditates upon it and sees how much it concerns himself Thirdly He is affected with them and being thus affected it raiseth holy Resolutions of better Obedience III. BUT some will object and say I am Illiterate and cannot attain to it and therefore I must relinquish it and leave it to the Learned who is best able to perform a Duty of so great Importance To which I answer as in the Mathematical Science He that is a rational Man and does but improve his Reason though he hath neither Tongues nor Arts to assist him may understand and grow to an extraordinary Excellency in any Art if he has God's Assistance and does but exercise and improve it he may reap the Benefit and Fruit of Meditation IV. OTHERS will object and declare It is a very hard Duty To which my Replication is this That the harder any thing seems it is the more excellent when it is attained but the Obstacle is apparent and inferrs it not to be consonant to our perverse Wills and Affections and the more dissonant any thing is to that which is Evil the more congruous it is to sublimer Actions For it cannot reasonably be expected that any Duty should be performed at the first with much facility For Example the Seven Liberal Sciences which are of great Excellency in Temporal Enjoyments are not so easily attained without Sollicitation and Sedulity V. NOW the reason is evident for this Duty is powerful in mortifying Corruptions dulcified things nourish and pamper the Body and bitter things gives a purgation Therefore if you will only perform those Duties that are pleasant and delectable they will only nourish not purge out Corruption Therefore implore the Almighty to inflame your Hearts with his divine Love and then this Duty will not only be facile and delightful but will so affect the Undertaker that it will be very difficult to avoid a Duty of so great importance for it is as great a difficulty to take our Affections off from what we admire as it is to place 'em upon what we abhorr For bid the covetous Person forsake his Gold and Silver and bid him entertain the Thoughts of Things Celestial and he 'll find an equal Difficulty in both VI. INDEED the Love of the Almighty and Desire of Spiritual Things are acquired by Meditation and when once our Hearts are inflam'd by that Exercise then our Meditations are inflam'd by Love For as Sparks of Fire 〈◊〉 is first blown up before the Flame encreases so the Difficulty of Meditation appears at the beginning when there is but as it were a Spark of divine Love in the Heart it will require some Pains by Meditation to blow it up to a Flame but afterwards the Heart will be so fervent with these Conflagrates of Love that it will so inflame all the Thoughts and create in us not only Facility but a Necessity to meditate on Things Spiritual VII Now some will object If it be a Duty so Necessary how comes it to pass that it hath been so geeerally Neglected by most Christians To which I answer That it hath been practised by many in ancient Times and by many modern Christians The Sacred Scriptures inform us and it is evident that the Psalms of the Royal Prophet are frequently digested into Meditations But this being a Private Closet-Duty the Omission nor Performance of it could not be taken notice of and so the Omission of it could not be reprehended nor Performance observed Lastly The Directions and Instructions for Meditation have been generally very abstruse and intricate SECT III. Rules and Directions for Meditation AS to the Place that must be apart remote from Society and Disturbance the Patriarch Isaac went into the Fields our Blessed Saviour into a Garden and the Prophet David adviseth us to enter into our Chamber and be still Psal. 4. 4. And Christ commands us to enter into our Closet and shut the door Now the reason of the Privacy is this that we might receive no Interruption or any Distraction nor be forced to break off abruptly before the Duty be ended next that we may be recluse from the Observation of all Mortals that we may neither be heard nor seen for there are
clearing up the Omnipresence of the Almighty II. NEXT we must consider That the Almighty doth more peculiarly observe his Servants while they are performing of heavenly Duties Yet this is to be understood not as if God observ'd us more at one time than another in respect of his Omnisciency but we may inferr That God is much more offended with us if our Deportment and Frame of Heart be more irreverent and unholy in the Duty of Prayer and Meditation than in the Duties of our particular Calling III. WE may consider with our selves That Christ doth actually behold us especially in these Duties of Sanctity For it is not the remoteness of Place that doth obstruct Christ's Omnisciency and exact observing of us Little did Nathanael think that Christ saw him under the Fig-Tree Nathanael did not perceive Christ neither then was he corporally present yet Christ beheld Nathanael when he prayed So Christ beheld St. Stephen before the Heavens were opened and the opening of the Heavens was not that thereby Christ might be enabled the better to behold St. Stephen but that this holy Proto-Martyr might thereby be the better enabled to discern that Christ looked on him IV. AND without all controversie the Almighty observes and knows with what Reverence Faith and Love we address our selves to him for else our Prayers would be fruitless and our Faith ineffectual For how could he distribute to us according to our Faith if he knew not the extent of it If the inferiour frame of our Hearts were not observed by Omnipotency we may then inferr that an Hypocrite which can utter extraordinary Expressions should acquire more by his Addresses to the Almighty than a true Nathanael in whom there is no guile V. Suppose that thou hadst lived in that Age when Christ was upon Earth or that he were corpotally present now near thy Habitation consider with what Joy Reverence Alacrity and Assurance thou wouldst address thy self to him for the Pardon of thy Sins or for any other Mercy thou stoodst in need of After the same manner thou mayst now address thy self his remoteness from thee in respect of a Corporal Presence doth not diminish his Power to discern thy Wants or give an Audit to thy Petitions nor his being now glorified doth not derogate his Benevolence to grant thy Requests than if he were corporally present in the Room with thee in the form of a Servant as he was once at Ierusalem VI. THE Glory of Christ doth not slacken his Love and Goodness for Christ is the express Image of his Father and God's Attributes are all consonant The Majesty of Heaven doth not set Limits unto his Goodness and make that finite nor doth his Bounty make his Omnipotency less glorious His Goodness makes his Deity more amiable and his Omnisciency makes his Mercies more wonderful so neither doth the Exaltation of Christ excite him to abate or diminish his Goodness to any that serve him according to his divine Precepts VII BUT if in any method his Love is mutable it is by an Augmentation For when our blessed Lord was in the flesh you must have approached him by Faith or expected no Mercy and by Faith though he is inthroned in Heaven you may obtain Mercy in time of need Thus you may ponder upon any of these Considerations until your Heart be so convinced of and affected with the Presence of God that you thereby may be the better fitted for the carrying on the Duty of Meditation more effectually SECT VI. Of Preparatory Prayer Before Meditation THE next Preparatory Consideration is Prayer which thou mayst perform to this or the like purpose LORD my design at this time is not to be sequestred an Hour from worldly Enjoyments for that were to be guilty of a Cessation and to encrease the number of my Sins not my Graces but my Sollicitation at this time is to be so convinced and affected with those spiritual Verities revealed in thy Sacred Word that I may fully resolve by thy Strength and Power to reform my Life for I can neither understand the things that belong to my Peace not understanding them be convinced of the Certainty and Verity of them II. NAY Lord though my Understanding is illuminated yet without thee my Affections cannot be enflamed I can neither know resolve nor perform any Good without thee for from thee proceeds both the Will and the Benefit of thy good Pleasure Lord I humbly implore 〈◊〉 to replenish me with thy Grace that I may be consciencious in performing this Duty with my whole Strength and not negligently and inconsiderately And Lord do thou illuminate me and convince me with thy Sacred Truths and so affect my Heart with the Love of Sanctity and a Detestation of all Sin and Wickedness that I may thereby be fully and firmly resolv'd notwithstanding all the Oppositions that the Flesh the World or the Devil can procure to run the ways of thy Commandments with joy and celerity III. AND Lord grant that when thou hast operated in me the Will so to perform give me also the Benefit and let me not trust to the Strength of my Resolutions but to the continual gracious Assistance of thy holy Spirit for the Performance of those Duties that through thee I shall resolve to pursue Grant this O holy and blessed Father even for the Merits of thy dear Son who hath commanded me to approach to thee in his Name for any Mercies I stand in need of O let these my Petitions reach thy merciful Ears even for his sake who is my only Lord and Saviour Amen IV. THIS or the like Prayer thou art to send up to the Throne of Grace But this must be done with thy whole Heart for thou must believe that it is by the Strength which thou shalt acquire from God by Prayer whereby thou shalt be enabled to perform this or any other Duty profitably for it is he that teaches us to be Proficients Now he that begins a holy Duty without God will end it without him also It is a pernicious thing to imagine that we can by our Natural Parts Learning or by the strength of Grace already received without the Almighty's further Assistance perform any thing that can please him or edifie our own Souls for though our Mountain be made strong yet if he withdraws the Light of his Countenance we are in Obscurity V. WE may with much more reason declare Now the Sun is in his full Meridian and the Air is so serene that now we can transact well enough for a space though that Solar Luminary be eclipsed than to testifie though our Hearts be never so much inflamed with the Love of the Almighty now we are so supplied and inflamed with his divine Love we can subsist by our own Strength and for the present we want not God's further Assistance afford us but Subject Matter to meditate of and we shall be of Ability to continue and encrease our Flames Do not possess thy self