at the great day before all the world shall bring forth the eager mindings of youth the toys vanities phansies and follies of youth set them all in order and then shew what the things of Heaven and happiness discovered and tendered are all the so rare and most inestimable things proffer'd in the Gospel together I say when all the trifles and vanities of youth and the bendings of the mind unto them wholly to them and all spiritual things in the Scriptures in their natures and heights of excellency and the not minding but refusing to mind them shall be laid together O what will be the unspeakable shame and confusion silence and stoppings of the mouths of mindless sinners O what to such as are snatcht away in their youth in the heights of their minding vanities and so fond refusals of meditating on spiritual things as not being at leisure yet as not thinking it proper and seasonable to be serious so soon Ah then if the case of youth mindless youth will be so sad at the great day when things shall appear as they are when an infinitely wise and righteous God will make every sin appear in its exceeding great sinfulness how now should it humble all for their youth regardlesness refusals to allow time for heavenly thoughts to let precious youth be so embezled If we mind not sins of youth God may soon make us to possess them Job 13.26 If we are truly humbled for them this may as it were spare God a labour save us that heart-smart in troubles and terrors which like gravel in the tender eye or smaller motes there may occasion great pain Those little things of youth and which by many are resolved into nothing or have a pardon of course Ah these sometimes God blows into the eye of conscience like clouds of dust that we may feel how great a weight of trouble how hot a Hell the least sin can bring upon us The least arrow in the Quiver of Gods wrath dipt in the least measure of its venom bred by the least sin can wound torment and drink up our spirits O therefore sadly sometimes let every one look over the time of youth which so long for intending vanities dis-intended and considered not things serious and spiritual but put them by Put them by as meer niceties and impertinencies yea as very burdens and yokes but chiefly having been called so oft upon by the Word without and the holy Spirits sweet motions together with the frequent calls of conscience within O the time of youth may for ever humble all cause us to look on it with great self-loathing and heart-breaking with fresh runnings of the spring of sorrow and shame for our follies and frowardness in refusal of returning and to cry out with the Psalmist Psal 25.7 Lord remember not the sins of my youth O give a free and full pardon for that fond time so wasted without consideration acted upon any spiritual concernment to any purpose but all lost CHAP. III. Another particular cause of humbling for so long neglect of Meditation 3. improvement FOR humbling greatly every Christian in that at the best and soonest we began so late this seriousness of thoughts this Duty of Meditation which challenges of all the very first consideration and pondering the very first buddings out and first blossomings of the considering power should begin with our spiritual concernments not letting it act blindly ignorantly evilly and impertinently but knowingly wisely and in a right manner the rule allows not taking the first step nor any other after wrong Ah how long hath it been how long have the best of Saints the soonest blossoming and ripen'd young Christians how long was it before consideration and meditation began in their hearts before the Scepter of Jesus Christ held forth in the Laws and Commands of Meditation was attended would be yielded to How long e're that any of our fond and froward spirits would cease their vanities and wildness follies and impertinencies of thoughts When wisdom in any one begins to act then consideration begins no hopes of young heads till they begin to put forth and act consideration then begin they to be wise or give hopes of a being hereafter wise when they prove considerate then begins that which is wisdom for thy self when thou comest to consider when thy spirit begins to beat the Golden path of Meditation Ah then let it humble us it was so long before the first and fundamental Meditation or Consideration before that first engaging the heart to seriousness and a due minding that initial and introductive considering for true turning to God with the whole heart Formerly in one of the grounds of this point we mentioned the necessity of consideration and pondering our unspeakable misery by sin and God's displeasure in order to conversion to God As all that are truly converted are truly humbled so all truly humbled and converted are made first truly serious and self-bethinking reduced to this Meditation of their inexpressibly miserable condition Conversion to God stands as it were on two feet comes about by a double inlet of a twofold Consideration or Meditation 1. A serious Meditation of now seen and felt unspeakable misery that load and burden of sin and Gods wrath laid on and this must be deep sink down into the soul and press it and soak through the soul in sorrowings in meltings in weariness of spirit and in willingness to be eased of the present pressure 2. Then a most serious Meditation and Pondering of the rich free grace of God the Father reconcilable in a full Saviour offer'd in a free firm Covenant and Promise of salvation to every sinner without exception These two great considerations are the foundations and inlets of the great heart-mutation and conversion Therefore these are of the greatest concernment of all other considerations yea these are such considerations that no other are to be reckon'd upon till they have been performed effectually Ah therefore how exceedingly should this humble all persons whatsoever for their former so long neglect of this introductive and fundamental consideration Hos 8.5 God crys out How long will it be e're they attain to innocency Ah how long was it with any with the very earliest self-bethinker before he used the eye of his mind in consideration Consideration to view not that was far off but that was of all others the nearest to see himself and himself also in his nearest concern of all others that eternal condition of his immortal soul Ah what an humbling charge should this bring up to every spirit to every bosom O how should it shame thee and me and every one to think how long it was before we began to do that might be called thinking before I once began to think to any purpose how long my thinking and considering power was meerly abused by me was both diverted and debased by a continual running like Water beside the Mill ravelling out like a golden Thread spoil'd as
and must be performed as a Duty of indispensible necessity 1 Tim. 4.15 Psal 1.2 1. A Duty in reference to Christ Necessity in reference to Christ himself an Obedience to his Law a subjection to his Crown Imperial an homage and service due to him as the Sovereign Lord of our Souls and of that Meditating and pondering faculty he endowed them with Meditation is Jesus Christs Reservation in the great Gift and Grant of our Souls Thinking power He hath endowed us with that so Noble Faculty of minding and musing and also with a large Mind-Charter and liberty of thoughts for our own occasions and sober Recreatings in our Contemplations or Studies But yet 't is always provided that a holy Tribute out of the whole of our thoughts is still duly to be paid in and that as an acknowledgment both of holding our thinking faculty upon him Rom. 11.36 and our best way of employment of it and this to be done in the due seasons both Ordinary and Extraordinary The neglect of this Duty is a denying of his Right and Royalty over my thoughts and over that which is so eminent an Endowment of the Mind and given in to the Spirit by God for its chiefly Thinking of him that is so High and Allsufficient and the surpassing excellent things of God as being the Souls best acting Certainly thus the Saints in the Scripture acted highly upon this account of their paying in the Reserved dues of Christ their Leige Lord 1 Cor. 6.20 His Dues and their Duties moving strongly to act highly in this work and way 2. Duty to my self and my own Soul Concernments is another great Consideration here In all doing Duty there 's a doing my self right paying in to my own Soul its due Neglecting in any kind my Duty is a wronging my own soul Prov. 8.36 He that sins against me wrongs his own soul Performing it is a doing my Soul Right Yea holy Duties are the Highest doings of right to our Souls There 's no way of doing better to my self than going in the King of Heavens High-way His ways are my Souls best ways wherein I act best for my self and when I perform them in them in the best manner This leads me to the next particular the Requisites and the Ingredients of this Meditation considered as a holy Duty which are these next following CHAP. IV. Of the Requisites in Meditation THere are these three things I shall mention as the Requisites for holy Meditation as a Duty 1. That I call a Foundation or Preparative to it 2. Those things that are for the forming and framing it as to the parts and proportions 3. The things that finish it up 1. As to the Foundation or Preparative to it This must be laid above in Heaven by the Dispositive or Preparative work of fervent Prayer The foundation of this Soul Affair must be as a Learned man saith of the Foundation of the World The Foundation of the World he saith is the. Third Heaven which is of a constant incorruptible Nature of no pre-existent principles and so not liable as other things are to corruption and resolution and which as to the convex or outward superficies or the highest part is only bounded or terminated by its own limits or terms of Essence and Quantity but in its concave or bollow superficies or the lowest part contains all inferiour things and is fixt immoveable If the Foundation of the great World is laid by the Third Heaven the Foundation of this great Work of holy Meditation must be laid in Heaven laid by the Soul 's strong mounting up thither and fixing it self there by fervent Prayer as the great Preparative to this Meditation Fervent Prayer The word in the Hebrew used for Meditation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies also Prayer Prayer and Meditation being so near a kin and the one helping mutually the other 1. To begin with a bringing the Soul into the Glorious and Tremendous Presence of the Great God and under his so pure and all-seeing Eye 2. To act the Soul and lay it as it were asteep in self-abasings and humblings for its former miscarriages and failings in and present unfitness and indisposedness for what is now undertaking 3. To exercise fresh Self-denyings as to any sufficiency of ability to perform any thing herein acceptably and profitably 4. To act vigorous and strong recumbencies on Jesus Christ for his both Teachings and Touchings of our Spirits and upholdings likewise in the work 5. To procure and beget a warm temper in us such as may make the heart to Glow all the Duty over 2. As to the forming of the Duty in the Parts and Particulars of it 1. It must be bottom'd and rise from the Spring and Great Principle of Motion and Action which is the will in a both free choice and firm purpose A resolvedness and rooted purpose Thus David Psal 119.48 I will meditate in thy Statutes and verse 15. I will meditate in thy Precepts The evil heart saith I will not Meditate Satan saith so far as he can hinder you shall not And the prophane World saith you need not But the holy heart saith I will Meditate This is my free and firm purpose and nothing by Christs assistance shall divert me The Philosopher saith that in every virtuous action there must be a choice of Will it must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be Elective come free from the Spring of the Will and run in Resolution otherwise it is not a virtuous Action The Scriptures for all Religious Actings call for Willingness Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy Power or as it is in the Hebrew A people of willingnesses thy people And in divers places call for Readiness in what we perform to God No work in the World can challenge that intense degree and share of Readiness and Freeness as Christs work and such ways as have a clear and lively Stamp of his Royal Will and Command No higher Character is given in Scripture of a Real Godliness than freest Choice of Will and Readiness To Chuse the good part Luke 10.42 To Chuse the things that please God Isa 56.4 and as in abundance of places is to be seen A Carnal heart acts from Carnal Wisdom and self-Interest or from Passion and self-biassing affection but not from pure freeness and deliberate Choice of Will That is not the Spring and rise of his Duties as it is in a good and holy heart A good heart acts from purpose a well and deep set purpose Acts 11.23 with purpose of heart to cleave to the Lord. And Psal 119.106 I have sworn and I will perform c. So the Will for holy Duties must put forth in Purposes firm Purposes varieties of fresh Purposes Act all the still needful and conducing Purposes any Duty in any respect calls for There are many Rare and Rich Attendants and Properties Ingredients and Excellencies Divine and Heavenly Beauties appertaining to holy Duties
when he was to be Crowned 2 Chr. 23.7 so when this Duty is endangered and ready to be hindred from having the Crown of a right performance set upon it The Scripture Rules impose Circumspection great Caution in all our Concernments but more peculiarly in things pertaining to God and his Worship Eccles 5.1 Take heed to thy foot c. so Take heed what you hear Aud Take heed how you hear So there must be heed and a great take heed how we Meditate The strongest Guard is little enough yea too deficient and weak for the holiest heart and the best exercised in this part of Godliness O how inconceivably evil is every heart in its leakings and runnings out in its rovings and wandrings in its slipperiness and inconstancies and likewise in its sinkings and fallings instead of keepings up in its heat and heavenly vivacity and keepings on in any evenness and equality No Sieve is more unapt to hold water no hand more unable to hold Sand or Oyl poured into it no bone which often hath been out of joint is more apt to dislocate and slip out of place than is the best heart to slip off rove and range from this Duty in Diversions and Admissions of Impertinencies When we are most serious and intent suddenly our carnal Spirits give us the slip and are gone Like the Bird if the Cage be but open Or the Prisoner if the Doors be not fast and watcht Or if the heart get not out in Diversions it falls flat in Deadness and sudden Coolings Like the Iron in forging no longer hot than the Workman keeps blowing like melted Metal which cools as it runs and is pouring forth This made David in the Psalms so often and earnestly to call for Quicknings from the sense of his frequent heart-coolings and sinkings The Acting of Meditation must not be going up a Hill of Ice where footing is both slippery and cold but like the going up the Burning Mount Etna where the footing if not firm yet is that which the Travellers as they say feel warm Or like Moses Going up the Mount to God which was steady and earnest till he came to the top Still a due Guard must be kept about our hearts in this so important soul affair An Intense care must be used and a holy fear against all Diversions all heart-sinkings and against all Disappointments also that we lofe not the real benefit and comfort of this work These three now Explained Particulars are as Requisites or Attendants of Meditation The next four are the special things wherein the Nature and Notion of it consists CHAP. IX Meditation in applying the Mind to a proper Object 4. MEditation stands in an Application and bringing the thinking power of the Soul upon the Object or Thing to be Meditated of Taking that Great Engine of the Spirit and setting it to act upon some fit subject The thinking faculty is a rare Endowment an Engine whereby the reasonable Creature can draw up and take in any Object and act or exercise it self about it for that use or end we aim at in our thinking In all Meditation there must be an Applying and Conjunction of the mind and the thing As Sensitive seeing must have some union virtual union with the thing seen so Intellectual seeing seeing by the Eye of the understanding must be by a bringing the thoughts upon that is to be thought upon The Scripture hath this Expression of setting the heart upon a thing Hag. 1.5 So it is in the Hebrew that which we Translate Consider your ways is put or set your hearts upon c. In Consideration or Musing there 's not only a taking of the heart and thoughts from foregoing minded Objects but a putting or setting it on some New thing setting that on there where it was not set before The sinful heart of it self will run any way upon Earthly things upon evil things or upon Impertinent and unseasonable things not come to or keep upon that it should intend and mind Therefore it must be taken as by strong hand and set upon spiritual things set on Musing and Meditation of heavenly things A carnal heart is like the Loadstone it cleaves to nothing but Steel or Iron and both of them easily unite but the heart must be of another property and act in a higher way And a good heart though it thinks too much Earth-ward runs often wrong yet it will set it self in its thinkings right on right Objects make it self and them to meet and unite Psal 119.112 David tells us how he did he inclined his heart to Gods Commandments both to keep them and to meditate on them He took and bent his heart as a thing bending too much to other things set his mind on Musing on it He found his Heart and the Law of God too far asunder and so would continue unless he brought them together and made them one If he had not brought his heart to the Word he had never Meditated The Object cannot apply it self to the Mind but the Mind must bring it self to the Object No Holy Duties will come to us we must come to them Many in a secret folly and sluggishness would have things do alone of themselves without their stirring or acting but they mistake 't is something like to Mahomet the Deceiver who once told the People that were met by his means to see him have a Mountain upon his call to remove and come unto him but when the Mountain would not come he boldly then tells them if the Mountain will not come to Mahomet Mahomet must or will go to the Mountain What he did attempt in pretence and act in impudence but was fain to go at last to the Mountain that would not come to him I say like to this we are ready to do in slothfulness we look that Duties should come to us that they do themselves and we do nothing But that which will not come to us we must go to it We must bring and set our hearts to this and all other Duties There must not be a letting the Mind lie still that so matter of Meditation may come to us and make us Meditate But we must bring and set our hearts to Objects of Meditation and make this Happy meeting of Excellent Objects and this excellent Musing power This is the more to be Contended for in that this work of Holy Meditating hath so many busie Adversaries but chiefly in the constant progress and carrying of it on Ah 't is extreamly against the grain of a natural heart to be broken off from its customary wildness wandrings and rangings of thoughts To cage up it self and become tame and tuned to serious Musings and Thinkings Heaven-ward In the best heart that sin that so easily besets us it will be ready quickly to interpose and cut off the Passages otherwise open O how the heart strives to beset and block up all Passages when we are beginning to enter on this Work
and qualifications of heavenly Graces that was cold dead and altogether sinful and draws the glorious image of Christ upon the Soul He enlivens establishes enlarges and encourages and fills the Spirit with peace and joy unspeakable We act from his blowings on the Gardens of our hearts then the spices of Graces flow Cant. 4.16 The Wheels Ezek. 10.17 moved from the spirit in them so a Christian moves or not as the Spirit moves or not Every day and for every Duty in the day there is need of a new blowing of the Spirit that the Spices may flow new moving that the Wheels may move us We must neither grieve quench or resist the Holy Spirit Eph. 4.30 1 Thes 5.19 Act. 7.51 The Spirit who is our Helper and Applyer farther of Christ and receiving of his fulness If we will act wisely the Eye of the Soul by Meditation must daily be pondering the necessity of the Holy Spirits Influences stirrings up strengthenings and enlargements when we neglect and slight the Spirit and so want justly his help we must needs drive on heavily But when we mind him and have his assistance this wings the Soul and makes it to move strongly and nimbly to the main mark If the Question were askt what were the highest thoughts the mind can possibly think they would be such as these three following 1. That thought of the so infinite and all admired love of God the Father in giving freely his Son for Sinners 2. That thought of that infinite and all amazing love of God the Son in giving so freely himself for his Fathers Enemies 3. That thought of God the Holy Spirit 's infinite love astonishing love in so freely giving himself into such dunghill hellish hearts to make them his glorious Habitation his Palace and Solace to be the mighty heart-helper and Comforter This Spirit then must not be grieved by the least neglect but highly and constantly both honoured and cherished with our utmost thought-preciousness and earnestness that so thinkings may work up to liveliest lookings for him lookings to listenings for his knocking 's at the door of our Hearts listenings for ready lettings of him in and being let in we may give him the highest and freest Entertainments with yieldings of the fullest obedience unto him It is reported that formerly sometimes Travellers Sailing by the Coasts of Arabia the happy have had by the Winds blowing off the Land such rare rich smells and perfumes of the precious spices that without the Experience of it it is hardly credible Sometimes the Holy Spirit so blows on the Garden of a Christians heart that the Spices in such sort perfume it with Ravishments of Peace and Joy that are inexpressible and then it runs apace to the main mark Ah then it must be best to enter on the work of the day by an early and earnest eying of this glorious Helper the Holy Spirit who is sooner ready to lend us his helping hand then we are ready for it CHAP. VII Of the next particulars the incumbent Duties of the day 3. THE Ordinances of Christ are the next general things Meditation may fix on The Ordinances are our ways of communion with God the ways whereby God conveighs himself to us the King of Heavens high-ways of spiritual Commerce and Trade The Roads and Paths wherein the Holy Spirit walks and comes to apply himself to us and our ways in which we are to go forth and meet him apply our selves to him fix an heavenly intercourse and acquaintance with him The Winds blow from all the Quarters of Heaven and the Holy Spirit breaths and blows from all his heavenly Ordinances We may therein look for the breathings of the Spirit but we must not look for the Holy Spirit out of his own ways The Prerogative of the Spirit is not to be absolutely tied to Ordinances but our liberty is not to be loosed from them We are tied to the ways of Christ which are our warrantable ways for communion and waiting his Spirits comings and assistings The Eye of Meditation should act daily in such fresh and vigorous lookings on the Ordinances as may more highly commeid them raise their price represent them more lovely reduce us to more evenness in performance by finding them more easie and sweet in continued use and exercising our selves in them and induce still higher admirations by experiencing their help and efficacies The Ordinances of Christ have their high ratification in the Holy Scriptures for their power and efficacy The Saints in all Ages have given their great confirmation set their probatum est to every of them by millions of encouraging experiences When that Ordinances are more precious they are the more efficacious O let our Meditations daily scope be to make them more precious that they may prove more efficacious Like that eminent pattern that great Meditater David that high progress he made in Meditating of the ways of God set the Price higher made his heart warmer He Meditated and he valued more admired more and he acted more eminently and arrived at last at that pitch which hath left him on Record in the highest rank of Saints that ever lived The Ordinances therefore are most worthy our daily musing on as for their own excellency as the King of Heavens high Institutions so as the Holy Spirits walks wherein he comes to meet us and have communion with us and apply Christ more unto us CHAP. VIII Of Meditation on the Word of God and the Promises whereby the Spirit first is given and after works THE Word of God is that sure wisdom revealed unto us by God to lead us by his Counsel to Glory That only infallible Rule given us to walk by It is the Golden Scepter of Christ for the Subjects of his Kingdom to come and touch the top of The dear purchase of Jesus Christ for the only Rule of his Redeemed the breathing and dictate of the Holy Spirit the high product and that clearest shining forth of the brightest beams of Infinite Wisdom Truth Holiness Righteousness Mercy Free-Grace Love Power and all Glories and Perfections of the Author for the blessed Ends it is bestowed It is the excellent Instrument in the hand of the Spirit whereby he effects his great Soul-saving work whereby he brings about that work of wonder the applying of lost sinners to an All-sufficient Saviour first by effectual calling and then applies Christ more and more building them up more in him unto perfection If I look for the Spirits operation I must look for and apply my self to the help of that rare Tool and Instrument he operates by Think what an Engine it is what most admired glorious work he hath effected by it upon millions of blind Eyes hard Hearts Persons impotent Crippled in their Souls Dead in sins and trespasses at the dreadful distance from God of Haters and Enemies of him and all things leading to him enlightening them healing them and reconciling them to himself and his
Word and Ways CHAP. IX Of Meditation of the Spirits drawing to Christ by the Promises AS it is the Instrument in the Spirits hand and without which it would do nothing could not awaken humble and convert the Soul so it cannot either convert and bring in or confirm and build up without that most signal sweetest part the precious Promises and the Promises would do nothing out of the hand of the Holy Spirit and his efficacious managing of them The Grounds and Encouragements of all our drawings near to God through Christ by his Spirit in his Ordinances are the Promises of the Gospel and the Covenant of Grace Sinners must not draw nigh to God without his Warrant and Command first given But a Command will not be yielded to unless there be the encouragement of a promise of an acceptance and help in both the first and all other after approches to God Psal 119.49 Gen. 32.9 Exod. 34.6 Num. 14.18 And the Promises must be managed and ordered by the Holy Spirit else they will have no vigour or efficacy as to either initial application of Christ or to any farther and fuller application of him Ephes 1.13 The Spirit is called the Spirit of Promise as given by the Word of Promise Gal. 3.2 Received ye the Spirit by the c. 2 Cor. 3.38 The Gospel that is by the Promises of it is call'd the Ministration of the Spirit which is not only of the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit but the saving operations of it from its inhabitation It is called the Spirit of Promise as conveying and working all to us and in us by the Promise Christ and his Grace is not offered by God nor received by a Christian by any man I mean grown up person but by the offer of him in a Promise there is no immediate acting upon Christ for a first or after and fuller receiving of him but by the medium the way of an intervening Promise God holds forth and Faith sees it and takes Christ offer'd in the Promise Acts 10.43 To him give all the c. As the Spirits humbling is by his whetting and setting home by his art the threatnings of wrath and death Eternal so the comforts of the Spiritare by his setting home the promises of salvation And further supplies of Grace are by the promises through the co-operating of the Holy Spirit bringing us to receive farther of Christ his fulness by the promises that are Yea and Amen in him 2 Cor. 1.20 But all this farther operation of the Spirit and receiving more of the Grace of Christ it is by Meditation and pondering of the Promises Fresh receivings from Christ must be founded in fresh Meditation of the Promises The more intense and earnest the ponderings of the Promises of growth and encrease are the larger will your desires the more earnest your endeavours be after more of Christ Christians are sometimes in great haste to believe strongly but cannot reach it because they meditate on the Promises slenderly They make the best work of it who dwell and act most upon the promises that still Meditate from promise to promise By the Promises we are made partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1.4 Cleanse our selves from all pollution of Flesh and Spirit perfect holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7.1 There be great varieties of precious promises for Justification Sanctification and the rest There is a transcendent Truth Goodness and Freeness in the Promises great and rich supplies made over to Believers by them But they will not give down their Milk without our due mindings and daily Meditatings on them Meditation must press out the Juice and sweetness gather the rare Honey that is upon these Flowers of precious Promises If Bones be full of Marrow it must be gotten out by pains and knocking The Promises so full of marrow and sweetness must yield it forth by Meditation Lay sound weight of Meditation on them to press out the Spirit and virtue in them If therefore a Christian would daily have his recourse to Christ if he daily would touch Christ so as to have virtue go out of him for healing and help in any kind bring your Eye to the hand of the Spirit and to the Promise which he must be expected to work your coming to Christ by and fresh receivings of Grace from Meditate well that you may speed well Let the promises mellow in thy heart by Meditation that thou mayst find how sweet they this way are CHAP. X. Of the next thing Meditation may best take in which is that on my part I am to perform 5. IF I would perform in the Day what is incumbent on me to be rightly done I must Meditate of the way where the Holy Spirit may meet and help me Meditate I must of my necessary putting my hand to the work of Christ and bearing his burden and the need I have of the Spirits lending his hand to help me who helps our infirmities I must eye the Rule of the Word by which the Spirit teaches me and the precious promises whereby he encourages me And in that all my conversation in the Day must be holy and heavenly comfortable and fruitful I must meditate of stirring up the grace given me to act by the help of the Spirit upon Christ and to him for working out my own salvation and the glorifying of God thereby This must be if I consider the living the life of Faith more peculiarly and exercising of likewise every Holy Grace the work of the day requires Therefore next my Meditation may be upon the Graces that in the Duties of the day are to be exercised for to be improved Without the exercising of these Graces all the conversation is carnal not spiritual all Duties are but dead carcasses and loathsom to God I must think how my daily course must be a living to the living God a living peculiarly to him that dyed for me and rose again and a living to the blessed Spirit that dwells and works in me and is my mighty helper Likewise I must consider it must be a living very exemplarily towards all men especially the godly that my light may shine before them to provoke and profit them all I can 1. Particularly I must Meditate of living the life of precious and glorious Faith the Grace of Graces Faith as to the whole word of God all the precepts promises threats and Recorded Examples acting more peculiarly Faith in the promises and by the promises on Jesus Christ acting more on his All-sufficiency to save and for receiving fresh strength and supplies for the Duties and Occasions of the day ensuing Likewise through Christ I should think of my access to the Father of trusting to Gods All-sufficiency his Wisdom Truth Righteousness Holiness Goodness Mercy Love Free Grace and all his infinite perfections with his providence preserving and governing all things to the least and toward my own self in particular in a most excellent wise holy and
week now in the New Testament times changed to and called the first day of the week and the Lords-day 1. As to the rise nature ends and advantages the Sabbath in the Old Testament and the Lords-day in the New it is the best day that ever the world saw or shall be seen on this side Heaven 2. It was and is that day wherein the infinite Glories and Excellencies of a God have shined brighter and warmer on the spirits of men than in any other days beside namely his infinite Wisdom Power Love Goodness Mercy and Riches of free Grace 3. The Sabbath as some judge had its rise so early as in Paradise or when man was in state of innocency it must then be of very great Antiquity and a rarity of great worth And 4. Then it must be that only holy day which man in state of innocency had and possibly if he had stood should ever have had afterward 5. After the first institution it had the most glorious and tremendous promulgation and sanction such a delivery and ratification as no other Law except those that were spoken at the same time ever had namely by Gods so wonderful and most astonishing appearance on Mount Sinai in the sight of six hundred thousand persons There it was one of the ten words spoken by Gods own mouth by God first spoken in the ears of all that so prepared and awakened numerous multitude and after in the Mount was written with the finger of God written on the first Table of Stone before the six Commandments of the second Table This Commandment thus written was with the others reserved in the Golden Ark or Chest made purposely by Moses from Gods Command to keep the Tables and then by Gods Appointment was to be preserved in the glorious Tabernacle made by Moses and there it was to be with highest honour prefer'd to be kept in the Holy of Holies 6. Though some yield it not yet others judge the Sabbath had its change from the seventh to the first day of the week by the Lord of the Sabbath Christ himself or at least by his Apostles from his Authority 7. However it be changed yet it is lookt upon as grounded on that so amazing part of our Redemption Christs so glorious Resurrection on the third day after his Passion 8. The Sabbath formerly was the Old Testament Churches fixed time to behold as in a mirrour the glory of God the Creator his Eternal Godhead Power Wisdom Goodness and most glorious Excellencies in the so admirable frame of Heaven and Earth and the so various and curious pieces in it all most exquisitely wrought and finisht It was the peculiar time for setting up the Ladder of the Creatures by Contemplation to climb from Earth to Heaven with But now changed into the first day of the week it is the Christian Churches time for beholding as in a mirrour the glory more peculiarly of God the Redeemer now not in his Humiliation but in his appearing and begun Exaltation in that his glorious Resurrection from the dead that his concerned people might joy with highest and most heavenly rejoycing for this rising of the Sun of Righteousness to be under the warmest and most vivifical beams of his infinite love 9. Let me Meditate of this day as the time afforded for largest spiritual advantages no day being so eminent for me and my Soul as this day 10. Let me Meditate of this day as that happy season wherein the Ordinances of Christ do run in a fuller higher and stronger current More is offered me on this great soul-mart day than on other common Market-days other week-day opportunities it is the day whereby in some respects I have far better Ordinances the Publick in Communion with Christ in the midst among those that are gathered together in his Name And then by the Publick I have better advantages for the Private to perform them better Private Duties having a better time and better helps I must thereby be minded of my better performance 11. It is the eminent day of meeting with God in his upper walks of more solemn Ordinances 12. The day of days for our best speaking with our God and of highest familiarity with him 13. It 's the great time of our hearing from God and having him most eminently to speak to us There be no hearings from God like this days hearings no such voice no such efficacy can be expected as on this day 14. It is the day wherein God sits out and is most to be seen the great day of seeing Gods goings in the Sanctuary seeing his Power and his Glory No such day for this as the Lords own day Ps 63.2 15. A day of feeding more on the Feast of fat things full of Marrow Isa 25.6 Of being brought into the Kings Banquetting-House having the Banner of Christs love spread more amply over us than at other times it being the day wherein the highest flamings up of his unspeakable love appeared in that he not only died but rose again from the dead without which all his other labour and sufferings had been lost and our souls been also lost 1 Cor. 15. 16. It is a day dropt down from Heaven may serve to give a taste of the Sabbath and day kept there and to set a Copy for us here to write after in our holy restings and actings attended with heavenly refreshings God that made all things when he had finished his work he then rested on the seventh day and with his example of resting gave the precept of sanctifying the seventh day to the Church of the Old Testament And the Lord of the Sabbath Christ Jesus resting from his work and rising the first day of the week gives the Example and with the Example the Precept of resting and keeping holy the first day of the week to the Church of the New Testament as some think which therefore Rev. 1.10 they say is called the Lords day as the Ordinance of the Supper is called the Lords Supper as instituted by him 17. It is the day of resting the body from labour of respiteing the mind from worldly thoughts and cares and of refreshing the spirit with heavenly Manna which rains down now on this day more plentifully and with water of life that runs more abundantly in the pure Channels of holy Ordinances 18. Meditated on it should be as the season of the best reciprocations mutual actings between Earth and Heaven wherein the soul hath the advantage of acting higher and more vigorously to glorifie and please God Psal 24.5 and wherein God commands the blessing more and affords assistances more usually than on any other days as experiences prove 19. It s a time to come from sweeter and fuller communion with God in Christ whose blessed day it is to come with our faces shining and hearts flaming made better to be on Earth fitter to live in Heaven And hereupon 20. To leave upon the spirit a more eager longing fully to
from this Divine Meditation There are many other high advantages I may add as particularly 1. As for brightening and clearing of knowledge this was mentioned on a former occasion 2. Meditation serves for improving the judgment the most judicious Christians are such as meditate most Persons of a short spirit whose thoughts are not full length not well sized where thoughts touch as a perfect round thing on a perfect plain as lightening passes through the Air and stays no time Not like the Sun that not only shines but stays that staying of his light makes the best discoveries of things so when things are stayed and have fuller length of time this is the way to be a judicious Christian to attain a spirit of judgment the shorter you think the shorter will you be of a judiciousness in the things of Heaven 3. Meditation keeps up and improves an awakened and tender conscience as bringing in more plenty of light and acting it more upon the spirit acting stronger reflections deeper searchings fuller discoveries in respect of the frame of the spirit within and the conversation without They that study themselves most will be most awakened to greater sensibleness care and fear and set the strongest watches upon their deceitful hearts 4. Meditation makes a Christian keep up his actirity and liveliness the best actings are bottom'd on the heart put best in frame by raised elevated and most spiritualized thoughts It is greatly conducing to greatest growth souls if we would have them fat and flourishing Psal 92. have the Garden of Graces and the Beds of Spices flourish and flow forth they must have as the other helps of heavenly Ordinances so the hand of a constant Meditation to water them he that best orders the first Wheel the first Mover will have all the following move more regularly and exactly The spiritual disadvantages must needs be great where holy Meditation is neglected and never used or but seldom or slightly used The advantages may be the rule of judging the disadvantages but I shall in particular mention some of the spiritual disadvantages and then come to the improvement of all that hath been said 1. The first disadvantage and that is a prejudice to purpose a total neglect of Meditation or an usual doing it slightly and formally not seriously and diligently is a great and principal ground of mens abiding in a state of vanity a living wholly to no purpose but utterly besides the grand end that man was made for that supream end the infinitely wise God the maker of man and thereby the total and absolute proprietor in and owner of his all and that end of living to God and glorifying him vanity I say in a wholly missing his end and chief mark For who can take aim at any mark that eyes it not or looks not earnestly and evenly at it that either looks quite another way or looks with a regardless eye at the best The blessed Apostle tells us he lookt with another eye Phil. 3.13 with an eye that lookt not off or lookt easily but the best mark had the best aim he lookt for life The Scripture calls a sinner a vain man Jam. 2.20 for his living besides his main end ever in every thing missing that chief end which rises from being wanting in aiming right and that want of aiming is for want of minding Never can aiming which is an act of the Will intending is an act of the Will aiming is the intending of a mark never can aiming be right unless considering or meditating be right be due and earnest with evenness and constancy That heart which comes not to be reduced to minding its chief end will miss it utterly at last The reason why there is so much vanity in the best is partly yea greatly upon this little minding this slight uneven and seldom looking wishly and well at the main mark of God and happiness 2. Disadvantage sinful security a sleepy soul state and heart hardning a sinking and decaying in godliness is grounded much upon disuse of meditating especially Meditation of review and self-reflections Jer. 8.6 No man repented every one rusheth into his course Not considering bottoms both sinners and Saints security and growings worse If faln asleep if falling and in a declining state awakening and recovery must be by self-bethinking 1 King 9.47 No wise man but hath need of frequent reviews and weighings again over and over of the best of his doings much more of the Errata the Errors of them 3. Givings way to evil and vain thoughts will follow your neglect of good thoughts The mind will be ever busie if not in good then in that is evil giving way to vain thoughts is very dangerous men by giving way to vain thoughts provoke God to leave them to give them up to a walking in the vanity of their minds Ephes 4.17 and at last as to a customary vanity of mind God may give them up to judicial dis-relishing and abhorring holy things and the thinkings of them and so perish in them O let therefore the good hand of my God so stay up and act my weak and warping spirit with the strongest and most efficacious Reasons and inducements in this so greatly important and necessary so sweet and blessed an Ordinance this heavenly meditation that I may ever prove a better Artist in it a better Christian by it Having now dispatcht the reasons and grounds of this so great and necessary Duty of Divine Meditation with those things which concern the nature and several ways or sorts of it I must now come to the fourth and last propounded particular namely the right improvement of the Doctrine or assertion of the necessity on all to meditate upon heavenly and spiritual things to exercise themselves in this so concerning advantageous and blessed business CHAP. I. Of the improvement of the Doctrine of Meditation by way first of instruction THis being so concerning a work and having so strong an influence upon the whole course of Christianity let us now endeavour to beat out this Gold extend it and make it appliable to the state and condition of all sorts of persons in all the useful ways we can 1. Inference Then if Meditation on spiritual things and earthly in a spiritual manner in such seriousness searchings and dwellings of the thoughts upon them for such high and holy ends is so needful for all Christians to exercise Instruction 1. It serves then to hold forth a light of instruction to all that own the Lord Christ the Golden Scepter of his Word and the obligation laid so indispensibly on them to see how they are call'd upon to own and observe it to tread and walk continually in this sweet and pleasant path this so righteous and good way Divers there are who call themselves Christians and would be counted good if not so good as any which yet lead a life of inadvertency and quite overlooking of it mind not this Meditation as if it concern'd them
out of thy deep security so long and so dangerously rested in Eph. 5. Awake thou that sleepest and stand up from the dead c. For this thou must gather all awakening considerations the Scrpitures furnish thee with concerning the inconceivable misery every sinner is in But consider things spoken in general in Scripture and not brought and set home on thy self in particular will not work to an awakening Neither will thy saying and acknowledging thy sinfulness and misery in general serve Generals humble not Generals hit not home A single Arrow or Bullet will not serve against a whole flock of fowls but scattering shot must be used Take therefore all the warmest considerations thou canst and heap them as coals of fire on thy own head bring them home to thy own heart to melt down thy frozen frame of sinful security Do all thou canst by the light of the Scripture and beg beg most earnestly the light of the Holy Spirit to convince thee of thy extreme misery It is he Joh. 16.9 That convinces of sin and misery Endeavour to thy utmost to rightly found this work by most industrious striving to see the exceeding sinfulness of sin Rom. 7. the abounding evil in it Rom. 5. And do this by fullest possible pondering the great transcending evil of the lesser sins or such as are comparatively small and we count not great see it in examples as Vzzas dying by an immediate stroke for but touching once the Ark 1 Chro. 13.10 The Bethshemites for an only looking but into the Ark fifty thousand and seventy persons were slain by an hand from Heaven 1 Sam. 6.19 Adam and all his posterity with him were undone by his eating of a fruit because forbidden which in the nature was no immortal thing as idolatry murder c. but sinful by a peculiar precept of tryal broken Yea if Adam when he was the representative of all had sinned the least imaginable sin in one commission sin'd in one sinful one vain thought it had been his own and all his succeeding posterities ruine nay in the least omission Though there be many sorts of sins with sundry measures and aggravations yet there 's none so small but is crimen laesae majestatis infinitae is high Treason against an infinite Majesty This is a grand intent of God in the whole Bible and in also his punitive Providences to demonstrate Gods heart in his dislike and loathing all sin that it might blot out our mistakes and reduce us stamp our judgments and hearts with a suitable impression a sense of all sin or whatsoever is but near to it Therefore among others that 's very remarkable Num. 6.9 10 11. The Nazarite not only by purposely touching a dead body or coming to it was unclean But if any dyed suddenly by him he was to bring his sin-offering and burnt-offering to make atonement which was to manifest by the Type the purity God requires and his distaste of any the least likeness or nearness to any defilement of sin Dwell and dive deep as ever thou canst into the abounding sinfulness of every the least sin Thence reason and ponder with thy self what is thy unspeakable misery that art guilty of a whole life-time sins such an innumerable company of sins in thoughts affectings purposings speakings doings in acts ways habits and all thy heart evil that hath ever dwelt in thee And if thou wilt overlook them and not consider them thou shalt be judged one day for them all To methodize this grand Inquiry and Soul-search and to have the kindly issue in a due awakening strive to avoid all confusion of thoughts and to do it distinctly and in the best affecting manner thou canst Rules of Art are not here necessary to be used but the way of thy best skill by Gods assisting thou canst take to set an edge and give more efficacy to this undertaking thou mayst single out first that sin or lust which dares and pinches thy spirit most touch first where thou art tenderest and sorest on that which items thee most flashes fullest like Lightning in thy face makes thy heart oftenest ake It 's the counsel of some great Divines to pitch upon some gross sin first seek ease first where thou art disquieted most or that is likely to give the first blow The Scriptures set sinners to consider their doings especially their ways which are continued doings These should more humble than meer particular acts but both acts and ways should be viewed as they can be recalled and brought to mind and then put all into the scale to make down weight and contribute to fuller awaking But above all sinning any or divers sins into ways and then walking these ways into wonts those worst defilings and soul-enslavings of cursed habits such as habits of sensualness and intemperance habitual covetousness and worldliness habitual pride and presumption self-exalting self-seeking habitual vanity of thinkings and such like These great chains thou art bound with and enslaved by Tit. 3.3 Serving divers lusts Lusts served are sins formed into habits These old rooted soul-diseases these heart-gangrenes should well be eyed and much awaken thee O it 's sad to find thy self going to Hell in a custom and by a habit binding thee and haling thee thither To all as highest aggravations add the consideration of that sin of thy Nature that emptiness and deprivation of all spiritual life power image of God and his glory conjunction and communion with God and all happiness with cursed inclinedness to all the sin in kinds and aggravations that the whole World Hell and all ever acted or can act for ever And that blackest piece of Hell dropt into thy heart the worst very worst thing in Satans heart that enmity and borrid repugnancy crossness and contrariety to all the extensiveness and dimensions of whatsoever is good is holy and righteous yea that highest monstrosity and transcendency of impiety enmity to that God that gave at first and ever keeps up thy being and which is the height of that height the utmost venom Hell could hatch and heart can breed that horrid enmity to the very Being of God himself Before Grace no guilty sinner but wishes God were not and if he could would dethrone and destroy God utterly And above all yet intimated take in the superabounding sins against the Gospel neglectings and refusings of the only remedy and relief of an undone soul which is the greatest possible soul-wronging Prov. 8.36 wisdom affirms it Sinning against me saith Wisdom he wrongs his own soul All sin wrongs but the meaning is more he wrongs with the greatest possible wrong the highest can be done to refuse Christs Salvation And which is yet far exceeding all self-wronging there sin so touches the very apple of God eye strikes so provokingly at his very heart and dashes down his most darling design the utmost and highest that he ever went or will go the highest exalting of the riches of infinite free Love and
order their right principle received to their best advantage in this way of Meditation 1. Here as the Rule of learned Physicians is in curing of diseases that universals are first to be intended So first your Rule is to enter and engage your selves into that great Road and most ordinary work incumbent of daily Meditation herein to contend and strive after an habitual holy frame to habit thy self as thou art able to the right daily Meditation 1. Habit and accustom thy self to the mornings Meditation in awaking so still with God in serious thinkings of and admirings his goodness and mercy in the night past Begin to accustom thy self to first looking up to God and that most seriously and earnestly that so near as may be God ever may be the first in thy thoughts Psal 139. When I awake I am ever with thee And Psal 5.1 3. Give ear unto my meditation In the morning O Lord will I direct or set in order as the word properly signifies and look up He awaked into Meditation and acted that Meditation in lifting up his heart in praying To improve holy thoughts and holy desires Gods being ever the first in our thoughts on awaking is certainly more his due and proper right than any other things in the world It is also the very best thought-bestowing the best laying out our precious thoughts for our own profit best as to the help and furtherance of grace best for fresh incomes of sweet peace When first we act Heaven-ward we act freest and freshest when the spirit acts upward before lusts and corruptions are stirring before Satan begins to interpose and before the world comes in to us to hang on its weights upon our hearts It is far more acceptable to the Majesty of the high God to have the first visit and homage likewise more beneficial to our selves to get the start of other things to give our hearts first a heavenly seasoning The vessel will be the sweeter and retain an after better savouriness for the coming day when this is well and seriously done Visit God early and he will visit us early This awaking will occasion the Holy Spirits awaking and blowing on the garden of thy heart for the spices to flow 2. Come then to that Meditation relating to the duties of the succeeding day this then must be well attended for making a good entrance into this new course of Meditation 1. Here to strive after the true wisdom of this way to be an Artist in some measure a wife Meditater At the first we cannot be too wise nor understand too well a way new begun Nor never can we here be so wise for doing any part of our spiritual work but we may learn more 2. To have a due temper of warmth fervour and vivacity this must be minded Rom. 12.11 Fervent in spirit To begin a course dully act easily and not earnestly this wrongs thee much it hinders the otherwise obtainable faeility of doing with that rare sweetness attending a holy seriousness and the rich improvement of the main stock that stock of grace given for increasing A habit comes not up by remiss actings but by earnest actings Cold water cannot be made boiling hot and kept so by adding luke-warm water but water very hot Easie actings will disintend and abate the habit where attained and hinder the attaining where aimed at Easie endeavours will setle in a spiritual laziness set up at a formality but equal and earnest will itroduce a strong habit and high Get the habitual fervency by daily actings of heat and being fervent in every doing So when the Apostle urges fervency of spirit he means a fervency in all serving the Lord at all times 3. As you must do this in reference to daily Meditation in the general way of it so habit and accustom thy self to meditating of thy chief and supreme end To a due and earnest meditating of God and glorifying him for this gives the Laws and Rules to all thy course If the question were What is the best thought arising any time in any heart it is that which is of God the glorifying of him The purest highest thoughts of a God exalting him must needs excel all other thoughts more than the Sun excels all candles or least lights whatsoever Use thy thoughts with David and other holy men of God to bear strongly and act ardently upon this This lays the foundation daily deeper of thy self-denying Mark 8.34 that so hard and tough work Self would not rise up and float so high in any good heart if glorifying the infinitely better God were more meditated daily upon and had its more due and down weight in the scales of the Christians thoughts had more serious musing upon 4. Habit thy self gain upon thy self as to serious daily Meditation on the next end and scope thy own eternal happiness and salvation Let not this so momentous concern want its weight in thy daily meditating let it have still some at least serious pondering and this not only at thy first entrance upon this way of daily meditating then when thy fears and feelings of wrath remain fresh in memory But here is the Art and frame to be endeavoured to grow up in more habitual seriousness of musing on this great salvation This was the blessed Apostles way he not only at first when Christ humbled him began it to meditate how to be saved but eyed it daily accustomed himself into serious more serious minding it Phil. 3.13 I forget things behind and press to the mark He kept his constant aiming and aimed better still more fully and therefore the act being stronger the habit must be more intended The habit of meditating here should not sink and be in a consumption decline and grow weaker or but keep up alive but it should root deeper put forth stronger shoot up higher to the mark Salvation should have quicker and more lively impressions on us like the natural motion though slack at first yet quick at last That 's more natural and genuine which grows still stronger like rich wine more strong and spirit by keeping close 5. Contend to habiting thy self to ponder those particular means making up to the grand ends of glorifying God and thy happiness in enjoyment of him for ever Namely 1. Accustom thy self to as high and transporting thoughts of Jesus Christ his fulness of grace freely offered and thy daily putting him on more and growing up in him And this by Meditation of the precious Promises and the Faith whereby thou must through them receive from Christ and live by it 2. So accustom thy self daily to Meditation of the Holy Spirits dwelling and operating in every good heart without whose assistance thou canst not perform any good therefore must not be neglected grieved quenched resisted but prayed for and cherished earnestly expected and highly entertained 3. Accustom thy self to some seriousness of thoughts of the Ordinances of Christ the ways of our Communion with God we
Christians and most establisht in their way have always need of more establishing as to their graces and frame of heart so to their duties and whole course of godliness There must be an earnest care and striving as you have begun and practised so to be stablished Not to begin and then draw back nor yield to do with a weakness weariness and unevenness but here to say as David oft O God my heart is fixed I will meditate Meditation is neavenly but hard in it self comes off sometimes harder The best heart is a slippery piece that sometimes not only flags and falls low but sometimes also fails the purpose within and the practice without may have their stops and faltrings The Watch may want a winding up There may be failure in the practice from a failing in the purpose a fit of dying away may come upon thee if there be not a constant care of stability A good mans heart must be like Solomons Temple with the two Pillars set up in it Jacin and Booz establishment and strength 2. As thou must endeavour establishment so strive for improvement Growth is necessary both in Graces and Duties as the Scripture shews 1. There must be care to improve in the Art and skill of holy Meditation To understand thy way better Prov. 14.8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way not only with an initial understanding it but a progressive understanding of it Not only to know in the same degree and to be always alike at the last as at the first but to understand far better As the wise Artificer that contents not himself with the same measure of skill in his way but to be a better Artist proceed to a perfection If a Christian be trading for Heaven in good earnest he will strive every way to excel Not like a Bungler that does in a poor pitiful manner just to live and no more but as an Artist and man of ingenuity to live plentifully I must study how to study better to comprehend the whole wisdom of my way to live more fruitfully to others serviceably to God comfortably to my own bosom Not to only just so much skill as will serve to get creeping but for flying to Heaven 2. To learn how to kindle a fire in my heart and do my work warmer Strive to more affectionate Meditation To have things have a quicker passage from the head to the heart That the spiritual things meditated on come sooner to my heart kindle it quickly and make me all on fire Bom. 12.11 Fervent in spirit serving the Lord. It is not to be taken only for real fervency but growth He would not have them no warmer and fervent at last than at first So Meditation should heap hotter coals upon thee make thy fire a flame This by Meditations applying warmer and more heart quickning reasons and arguments We call motives reasons for doing a thing a duty of Religion Incentives Meditation should strike fire and blow it up into a flame Strive to have Meditation more heart-warming not only to have it more notional but cordial not only a shining but a burning light as it was said of John Baptist That 's Meditation to purpose when the head moves the heart brings in light and heat also The Moon-light is pleasant but the Suns is best because chiefly it is with vivifical heat it is the worlds warmer Therefore see search in Meditation for such things and manage them in such a manner as may warm thee at the heart most make thee daily warmer 1. Warmer in that grand affection that strong spring of spiritual operation Love love to the work of Meditation love to heavenly and spiritual things the lovely beauteous and glorious things which Meditation brings and sets before thee to highly treat and entertain thee Principally most inflamed love to the highest beauty and glory for whom most peculiarly that best affection the best piece of thy heart was made the most blessed God Father Son and Holy Spirit 2. Warmer in ardency of desire to keep in and improve in this heavenly way of Meditation Psal 119.20 My soul breaketh for the desire it hath to thy judgments which soul-breaking was for looking into them by reading reading for meditating to present and supply new heavenly matter that he might exercise himself there by Meditation know Gods will and be better affected more resolved and enlarged That desire so earnest was greatly among others to be at that his rare mind-exercise of Meditation the best way of thinking that possibly can be none like this this had this holy mans chief heart-workings nothing had that share of constant seriousness here were his longings to breathe his soul up this hill he grudg'd the time that gave stop or interruptions to this best thought-work 3. Warmer should Meditation be as to delight and complacency to not only burn and be fervent in love and desire but to flame up in joy and delight more generally men like a fire best when it flames The holy Prophet Psal 119.47 I will delight my self in thy Commandments Meditation in the word is the holy hearts walk of pleasure a broad large walk Psal 119.96 Thy Commandment is exceeding broad so our new Translation exceeding large so the old We so far live a duty as we act delight When David saith he will delight he meant not the mixture of a meer drop or smallest spark of delight should be stirred up but a great yea growing delight Delight in Meditation should not only live and have a being some moving but should thrive and grow As every Ordinance should prove a still greater pleasure So Meditation should prove a more refreshing soul-eye walk an ascent from delight to delight to higher delight till we come to the top in ravishments and highest attending admirations CHAP. XVIII Directions more particular 1. WHatever thou meditatest upon let it not be only an intuition or dying a thing or a meer recognition or remembrance Or if divers things come before thee let not thy work be a bare enumeration or as it were a telling them over to be able to say I have thought of such and such things in particular but let it be a review with something that new is with some new considerations as thou art able Something fresh which may bring the better savouriness and sweeter relish that may set a better edge and quicken things more upon thee Meditation though it be not for feeding phansie with curiosities yet should be so ordered as to season and sweeten suit and prepare things to more spiritual delight and to a larger perceiving of that extensive and abounding savouriness and excellency in holy things Every Meditation should endeavour a more exquisite preparation better still reducing things that we ponder both to spiritual advantages with spiritual pleasure accompanying To do this most easily and effectually our way is to improve and quicken Meditation by our gathering up the graciously afforded varieties of Scripture-passages
relating to those things Meditation is to be upon gather the varieties of Scripture-passages about that particular subject you mean to meditate on The Scripture in the diversities of passages about particular subjects is like a rich banquet where are set before thee great varieties of rarities There are all manner of subjects All the credenda and facienda all things to be believed and practised in order to salvation There are great varieties of heavenly Truths for knowledge and wisdom and right believing Great varieties of Precepts Rules and Directions for due practice Many Promises and many Threatnings to back the Precepts sundry Patterns and Precedents to assist them and make them and thereby the Precepts more effectual on us Oft in Scripture the same things are expressed in a various manner in a different a new mode and fashion in new trimmings as it were and new dressings to both edifie and also please us Variety in expression carries oft variety of Notion holds forth something more to be learnt and affords something that may gratifie our spirits as to pleasure and delight So the lame thing hath it may be varieties of Arguments and Reasons for conviction and demonstration Inducements to perswade and lead Arguments and Inducements with the highest Art of Reasoning with the best improvement of Rhetorick and Perswasion Thus if thou meanest to meditate upon God or Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit upon Faith or Love or any Grace upon any duty any sin any affliction Thy way is to see what the Scripture hath and holds forth in the several passages of it as concerning Faith of the Nature of it of the effects and properties of it priviledges coming by it reasons to perswade to believe to live by Faith in all conditions how great variety of expressions have you for all things relating to Faith so of other particular subjects By this variety taking up one expression after another at such times as you can best how may thy Meditation be carried on with great delight and to great advantage This is one excellent way to order and improve thy Meditation take varieties of Scripture-passages about any particular subject thou wilt meditate on 1. For Scripture expression hath a bottom and foundation of sure and infallible truth which comes from God that cannot lye your Meditation goes on sure ground 2. Scripture-expressions are suited for us by the so infinite wisdom of a God who knows how best to declare his own mind and how best to convey and teach it to our capacity and condition None can speak so to me as God in the Scripture doth 3. Yea Scripture-expressions are sanctified by God to enable us to sanctifie him in this and all other duties This therefore is our best way to feed on these rarities this rich banquet of so great varieties when we are to meditate Hereby we may ever have matter abundantly to meditate never be to seek and for the manner perform it with great delight and pleasure which will otherwise be a weariness This certainly was the way of the highest Artists in Meditation David and other holy persons upon Record in Scripture They could not but see the same things to be repeated yet oft in a various way of expression therefore must conclude that the holy Inditer had his wise intendment in so various expressions Therefore their godly wisdom must teach them when they meditated to go in that way the Spirits condescending intent led them So let it be thy Rule for thy help for to make thy Meditation pleasurable and profitable together I will mention some Instances The Grace of Faith is thus variously exprest By trusting in God Prov. 3.5 Trust in the Lord with all thy heart Isa 26.4 Trust in the Lord Jehovah and in other places Psal 37.5 By rowling our way on God By taking hold of Gods strength Isa 27.5 and divers others In reference to Christ by seeing the Son Joh. 6.40 Coming to Christ Matth. 11.28 And believing on and in Christ often Love of God Deut. 30.6 Love thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul Deut. 6.5 Love thy God with all thy heart and soul and a third is added With all thy might Mark 12.10 Christ adds to the three former With all thy mind Certainly these varyings had their intent were that when we meditate of these or other graces we should furnish our Meditation and improve by them Thus things cited in Deuteronomy are variously exprest from those very passages and particulars in the former Books So the Chronicles express differently things in the Kings and the Four Evangelists vary the expressions of the same things both the matters historical and doctrinal and all the Scripture over this is practised Variety of expression calls for observation and holds forth oft some peculiar Notion and Instruction Let this therefore be thy Rule in Meditation 2. Be sure frequently and earnestly to meditate both of thy supreme and chief end and of the proper and proportionate means thereto conducing But do daily something more to purpose in that great Meditation of the supreme end as wisdom teaches and being that in its nature which deserves the highest and first things that also which gives Rules to all thy other actings and endeavours that glorifying exalting God above all Do very much in collecting together spreading before thee well considering acting the most vigorous and intense Meditation of all such things which may reduce thee to higher apprehensions warmer affections firmer resolutions and more earnest and even contendings for glorifying him that is God and there is none beside him for him that only gave thee thy all body soul life and only preserves thy all That gave his only Son to death to save thy souls life His Spirit to draw thee to Christ or thou hadst never come To dwell and work in thee and do all for thee as to applying Christ and all fellowship in Christ and with him and hath so infinitely obliged thee Therefore how sinful how unworthy to not honour and glorifie him how unkindly he takes it and how it grieves him Let Meditation gather up and indusstriously strive to improve all it possibly can Ah! how that holy Apostle was looking and striving this way how near was this glorifying God to his heart how much in his eye and endeavour how oft is he speaking of it How earnestly doth he provoke all he had to do with to it 1 Cor. 10.31 Whatsoever ye do if eat or drink do all to the glory of God acting all to it must imply an always minding of it 3. Lay sound stress likewise in Meditation as to that thy next chief end self-saving to have more serious thoughts and industrious pressings on hard to work it out and make thy calling and election sure To work it out against all difficulties and oppositions look more earnestly up to Heaven and into Heaven And it is good when thou thinkest of Heaven be then so bold with thy self