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
his Holy Spirit the mighty Applyer of Christs Redemption draw efficaciously the weary sinner to the soul-easing Saviour works faith to come and rests on an all-sufficient Christ The first step in this great soul-concern must be labouring to divert the eye from a total or too much viewing of sin and Gods wrath and earnestly endeavour to be duely deeply possest of the infinite mercy love riches of free favour in Christ in whom he is placable and infinitely willing to shew mercy 1. Willing in that he hath in his abounding wisdom and prudence contrived the way of Reconciliation in Christ Eph. 1. 2. Willing in infinite love and riches of grace he appointed his own only Son anointed him with all fulness of grace sending him and causing him to work and procure Redemption perfectly in all respects and then in making the most free imaginable and possible proffer and tender of Salvation in Christ A discovery and tender in the exceeding great and precious promises promises that are as so many strong yernings and loud soundings of the bowels of a God to sinners promises most firmly fixt as being all the ingrost particulars and the golden clauses of the Covenant of Grace signed and sealed with the most precious blood of Christ and therefore ordered and in all things most sure The Promises and Covenant are by most highly demonstrating that hardly to be believed and trusted to by once awakened sinners that free rich love of God in Christ by demonstration of it the intendment is sirst to found and breed faith in weary heavy laden sinners and after to build it up and perfect it Meditation should first fix upon the promises of free justification and pardon of sin and as humbling arises not from a confused general apprehension of fin or many sins but distinct particular viewings of particular evils so comfortings and coming to relief must be by singling out and pondering the promises of mercy in particular As a drowning man that scapes by a taking hold on a particular thing hand or cord But the thing the greatest and highest for breeding and founding justifying faith is first pondering the infinitely all-amazing and adored free love of God the Father Joh. 3.10 1 Joh. 3.1 1. This is that so rich Mine out of which the most precious Corner-stone Christ himself was taken 2. For principally glorifving this riches of free grace the Earth for a Stage was set up to begin the discovery and revelation of it 3. The great Assize of the great day of Judgment is chiefly appointed for higher manifestation of it 4. And the highest Heaven with the state of Glory there is purposely founded and conferred on the Saints for the highest demonstration chiefly of free saving grace not Angels glorification but redeemed Saints glorifying is for free saving graces greatest glorifying and highest exalting Dwell here till largest apprehensions and highest admirations swallow up and drown all thy fears doubts and discouragements raising thy spirit up to hope trust and consolation But this so infinitely free love of the Father must be connected with most wishly viewing and most earnest pondering the highest proof and evidence of it in that greatest possible gift Gods own Son God in our Nature Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that c. Here after all thy black and sad thoughts and disquiets is the richest strongest and surest Cordial for a fainting heart A Christ in whom all fulness of wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption dwell That out of his own infinite love became man was in the form of a servant performed the whole Law pacified the wrath of God purchased perfect and eternal life by laying down his life a ransom 1. A Christ freely offered by God the Father Isa 55. Come and buy without money 2. Freely offering himself Joh. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come to me and drink 3. Freely offered and to be taken as the Bride and the Spirit say Come and drink of the water of life freely Rev. 22.17 This free grace must be applied by the promises of grace and pardon more especially and first Christ is not offered by God the Father and the Lord Christ offers not himself nor the Holy Spirit offers not neither draws to Christ but on the ground of the promise of forgiveness and salvation Nor can it be taken by man as a learned Divine expresses it but mediante promissione The promises particularly must be pondered duely often and often Ponder 1. The goodness of them they are good sweet indeed to a needy thirsty spirit Ponder 2. The sureness and firmness by a God that cannot lye Tit. 1. All yea and Amen in Christ 2 Cor. 1. Pvnder 3. The freeness of them Nothing so free as they that come only from a God only for his own Name sake Ponder 4. The seal of them in the rare and abundant examples recorded for encouragement of sinners of all sorts received to mercy So 1 Tim. 1.16 I saith the Apostle was received for a pattern to them that hereafter should believe to eternal life The promises must be pondered prayed often over as those which are for the wounded weary and heavy laden to breed faith not only to feed it but found and feed it also to begin and to build it up Never leave pondering the promises Gods love and Christs fulness offered in them until pondering comes to hope hope to thirsting thirsting to highest prizing prizing to selling all and buying the Pearl till thou comest to renouncing thy own righteousness thou casts thy self upon God in Christ by the promise first rested on promise leading to Christ first and to God by Christ and not only Christ for justification as thy Priest that purges guilt and makes atonement but as thy Prophet and King for light and holiness for a new heart a new principle a new wisdom and power a quickning power from Union and Communion with Christ Rom. 6. by the inhabitation and operation of his Spirit by faith that hand that receives all from Christ when by faith thou art justified and sanctified and receivest by influence from Christ a living principle Now thy heart is put upon the right hinge for rightly performing holy duties praying reading hearing the Word And now thou canst meditate aright in a holy and happy manner with wisdom and some skill choice of will complacency and constancy And now Meditation will prosper in thy hand Now as Davids blessed man thy delight will be in the Law of God and in that Law thou wilt meditate day and night I have been longer herein by much then was my intendment come we to the next Directions CHAP. X. Of Directions for Meditation respecting such as are young Christians newly converted OUr next Work after Directions to those that desire to successfully practise holy Meditation having formerly neglected it is to treat of the Directions for young Christians who are but entered upon their way how best to
a manner of Operation that nothing in the World the highest Objects of Sense Phansie or meer Natural Reason can act with that Complacency and Delight Solomon in his Ecclesiastes that rare Record of his so large and infallible Experience of all things for Pleasure and Delight tells us he found nothing so sweet and which he could act upon with that Delight as when he acted up in Meditation Eccl. 12.13 David oft expresses what joy he acted in this soul-engagement yea tells us as he did so he will delight himself in it and the Heavenly Objects of this Heavenly work Heavenly things and a heavenly heart meeting in Meditation will act and make the purest pleasure Meditation therefore must have this Attendant of Delight which like a flame like the Chariot of Elijah carries up the soul in musing into Heaven CHAP. XVII Some other particulars added in some special Scripture expressions BEsides these three Affections of strong Desire ardent Love and holy Delight that like Heat and Spirits conveyed from the Arteries arising in the heart into all the Body to adde to and compleat what we have in some measure exprest there are these Three or Four things I shall a little speak to 1. Meditation should be a work very savoury on the Palate of the Soul 2. It should be sweet and pleasing to it 3. It should be with satiety in it 4. With an Admiration as the Crown on the top of it 1. It should be performed not as a thing that is dis-relishing but savoury to the Spirit in the doing Rom. 8. Those that are after the Spirit savour the things of the Spirit There are some things are unsavoury in themselves others though savoury yet not savoury to some Palates The things of Heaven are none of them in no degree unsavoury in themselves Meditation is not so in it self but to a carnal Spirit it is one of the greatly unsavoury things greatly displeasing and disrellishing But to the Spiritual man it is not so but a work singularly savoury like Isaac's savoury meat like feeding at some noble Feast where a good stomack and a right Palate feed and savour still savour the delicacies and varieties successively every thing is savoury There are some things savoury as Nature yields them others and in great variety as Art reduces and orders them and accordingly there are very admirable diverfities of savoury things which have their degrees of savouriness What great varieties are there made by Art from the meanest food to the highest delicacies yet in the Gospel Feast of Fat things full of Marrow and Wine on the Lees well refined in the Feast of all heavenly varieties Meditation hath more unspeakably rare dainties than all that Nature or Art can yield 1 Cor. 2.9 Eye hath not seen nor ear hath not heard what God hath prepared for them that love him Not the greatest of the greatest Princes not Solomons most Glorious reast not Assuerus his Royal Feast not any of the Persian or Roman Emperours so much spoken of in Histories could occasion a Feeding with such high savouriness as may be had in the rich and precious things Meditation hath to feed the Soul with Therefore O let Meditation be still most savoury let every spiritual thing be very savoury as there are more varieties of Objects and higher degrees of Excellency in them endeavour a sutable an extensive and an enereasing savouring As men at a Feast pass from the first Dishes to the after Dainties with a more eager feeding and better relishing This is the first thing As Meditation should be savoury the soul well relishing of it so likewise 2. It should be sweet This I further adde in that the Spirit of God is pleased to honour this pious expression of the Holy Prophet by recording it for us who after a most heavenly Torrent of Elegancy in expressing the surmounting Excellencies of God in the wonderful ways of his workings and governings says there in the close of Psalm 104.34 His Meditation of God should be sweet How sweet must Meditation be upon infinite sweetness and from whom all other sweetness Creature-sweetness Word and Ordinance-sweetness derives it self Psal 119.103 O how sweet is thy Word to my taste sweeter than Honey to my mouth This must be chiefly by Meditation It is that which presses and sucks out the rare sweetness in the Precepts so Holy and Righteous in the Promises so precious in the incour agements so high and in all the excellent things in the so perfect word of Christ He not only asserts the sweetness he found in Meditation but is transported with high Admiration And when he could not speak of it to the height and fulness then which is our usual manner when we are at a loss for expression in words of comprehensiveness to wrap up our selves in the elegancy and terms of an Interrogation and Admiration yet not contented with this way for fuller representing his experimented sweetness he takes up a comparison says sweeter than Honey which in that pure Air of that blessed Land of Canaan was the most surpassing sweet Honey in the World Yea in Psal 19.10 Sweeter than Honey and the distilling of the Honey-Comb which is the sweetest of all others But this was in holy Meditation that made the Honey melt in his mouth and give down its sweetness Meditation that drives the Hive drains the Honey and drops in the delicious sweetness into the Musing Spirit Lord teach us the way of this Heavenly Art and make this Honey drop and the Heavenly Manna of Divine Truths fall richly into our hearts This is the second particular 3. Meditation may and should be attended with an Heavenly and spiritual satiety Psal 63.5 My soul shall be satisfied as with Marrow and Fatness when I remember thee on my Bed and meditate on thee in the Night-watches His rare hours introduced and made returns of Heavenly satisfaction The largeness and excellency of it he sets out by a very sutable expression satisfied as with Marrow and Fatness which to the stomack yields the best satisfaction the speediest and sweetest the most large and lasting No food satiates better than Marrow and Fatness So Isa 25.6 7 c. The Gospel Feast is a Feast of Fat things full of Marrow There are the Fat things of a perfect righteousness applyed of a full pardon obtained of Reconciliation and Peace with God made John 1.12 and glorious Adoption conferred through Christ the Feast of the Feast together with the satisfaction of the blessed Image of Christ in the beauteous lineaments of Holiness and righteousness light and life of all Graces and Excellencies and all drawn to the life and wrought up by the Holy Spirits Inhabitation and Operation and arising from Believers happy Union and Communion with Jesus Christ and his fulness And likewise as a glorious superaddition that of Assurance of a most happy condition and of the unchangeable love of God and that blessed Hope of Eternal Life which strews
then for the way of our thoughts should be to look forward to the day coming on and the spiritual concernments of it or if it then cannot at the present be yet so soon as we can to set to and engage in this so useful Meditation CHAP. III. HEre the more particular Rules we may use for this daily Meditation are these following I say the Rules we may use for the particulars of daily Meditation and for Method herein may be such as these following 1. Meditation of setting up the Master Mark the glorifying of the most high God 2. Next unto it Meditation of Eternal happiness in the enjoying of God 3. Meditating then after it of the sure and adequate means for attaining them both And these are therefore to be Meditated upon Meditating on 1. Jesus Christ the only way to the Father by his work of Redemption Meditating on 2. The Holy Spirit the great applyer of Christ and his Redemption Meditating on 3. The holy Ordinances of God the usual ways of the Spirits coming to apply Christ by Meditating on 4. The Word of God chiefly the Promises of the Gospel These on Gods part Meditating 5. On our part by our use of the Ordinances and the Word and Promises and that Faith and holiness whereby we come to union and communion with God glorifie him and obtain salvation Faith as the instrument of receiving Christ and both Faith and Holiness or the graces of Christ as our principles of life and power to live unto God and growing up to perfection against all opposition 1. The first thing according to the rule of best wisdom which lays the surest foundation in any course is first to take into most serious consideration the supream and chief end and to act a fresh setting up before us that Master-Mark and scope of the most high God and the glorifying of him to be continued as we can through the whole course of the day I say this so high incumbency and duty of looking still at and levelling all to the glory of God Meditation of this glorifying God for pure lively and highest advancings of it this is the Souls best operation and runs most parallel to the perfect work of Heaven Heavens higher acting is Contemplation of the most blessed God for the most transcendent exaltings of his glory The Rule of Scripture is To do all to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10.31 And this Rule must therefore have its place and power here therefore this daily Meditation must take it in and set it up It must be every ones wisdom to bottom our day Meditation with the still eying of and aiming at the glorifying of the most high God To begin with the fresh thoughts and also the warmest frame of Spirit for farthering the supream end the glory of God and with it as fit to be annext unto it that which is wrapt up with it our own Eternal happiness Philosophers and Divines have several Maxims about the Supream End To mention some of them to help us here As 1. Finis summus est maxime appetibilis The chief End is of all things else the most desirable Psal 73.25 Matth. 6.9 If as it is most sure it be most desirable then this as was said before is the chief point of wisdom to chiefly eye and aim at this chief End and then sure it is most proper in the method of our daily Meditation to mind this one of the first and how to advance towards it anew on the opportunity of a new day begun upon us 2. Secondly there is another Rule given which is Finis ultimus praescribit Regulas totius vitae sed ipsi fini nonpraescribitur That the last or chief End prescribes or gives the Rules of the whole life or course but the last End hath no Rules prescribed to it In all cases the End of any thing that gives the Rules to that thing Thus that hath profit and livelyhood for its End that profit and livelyhood gives the Rules to the Trader and all his actings are reduced and ordered to profit and subsistence That of mens particular or a Nations interest as it is called The particular interest of persons in particular Or the Publick interest and chief good that gives the Rules to private men or to States-men their actings must be to their interest the chief good or End So the Souls grand interest real highest End and Interest gives all the Rules to all a Christians wise truly wise actings Thus in Phil. 3.13 I press hard to the Mark first he set up the Mark or that was set up before him to aim at And this made him press hard and run in the right way so earnestly made him use all the right means and the due manner for attaining to it So this of eying the Supreme End as the right sure way as the sure wisdom for a mans self Prov. 9.12 this should be first taken in and come under fresh consideration That which gives the first rise to endeavour that which must vitally influence and strongly instigate yea fix and stablish our whole course The course rises or falls strengthens or weakens bears up or breaks off in evenness or unevenness according to our more or less lively and fresh lookings at and ponderings of the chief End This we see in all undertakings the manner earnestness and evenness of any course is from the manner earnestness and evenness of mans eyings of his chief aim and interest designed in it In a Watch and divers artificial Motions the evenness and expediteness of the motion is from evener or unevener stronger or weaker drawing of the Spring the first mover Thus is it in godliness a Christians motions are answerable to his eyings more or less of the main end Christians complain of their daily dead-heartedness and unevenness it much arises from the so little or listless lookings at the main Mark. Paul lookt earnestly and he prest hard In Archery those who eye the Mark most earnestly and steadily hit the oftenest and fullest The wisest Christian is the most earnest equal eyer of the main End There be many particulars in this head which according to prudence and leisure may have their seasons of ponderings The variety will breed delight and set an edge upon the Spirit apt to grow heavy and weary they are such as these As the considerations of the most high God in all his infinite Glories and Perfections His All-sufficiency in his Knowledge Wisdom Holiness Righteousness and the rest But chiefly in his so infinite and unchangeable Love and Riches of Free Grace The Infinite obligations eternally lying upon us for glorifying and exalting of him The infinite excellencies and fullness of the second Person and his infinite Love in undertaking with his Father to Redeem lost sinners And the infinite love of the third Person the Holy Spirit the applyer of Redemption Some most serious Meditation of God and glorifying him to give down into the heart a
these acted with the purest enmity keenest malice utmost vigilancy and unwearied diligence He hath the higher ground of us by far as being a Spirit and of the highest rank of Creatures as to his Nature and Essence and is thereby most wise and strong and agile He is immortal never can dye nor in any sort decay as we and other creatures decay in strength senses and exercising of our souls faculties understanding memory and others as he is never dying nor in the least decaying so he hath been is and ever will be to the worlds end trying and tempting Trying and practising upon the innumerable sorts of persons of all Sexes all Ages that are capable in the least degree to be tempted of all ranks conditions relations in all places whatsoever through the vast inhabited earth Job 1.7 He also enlarges his experiences puts still fresh on his file improves continually his arts of deceiving and doth he not grow more bold raging and busie as his time grows shorter Rev. 12.12 Pondered well it should be that 't is not one single Devil to tempt us but there are Legions very many of them and they are all one huge Army of Devils under one great Head The Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 Rev. 12.7 His Angels are his assistants which constantly and exactly comply and co-operate with him The Devils never are divided do not jar and act against each other but are all of one interest of destroying Souls and accordingly do harmoniously contend Oft in Scripture mention is made of Satan and the Devil as if he were a single one But this may be to shew their unanimity and unity The Scripture hath sufficiently warned us and related his attempts and prevailings as first upon Adam and Eve in their state of innocency and perfection yet he then though they knew not only their own happiness but all their posterities though never so numerous lay at the stake he then by his Artifices and subtlety prevailed After that upon the second man that ever was upon the deceived Parents first born Cain therefore 1 Joh. 3.12 Cain is said to be of the wicked one and on sundry other wicked all along still the current of time Yea prevailed he often hath upon the very best Saints that ever the world had Job David Peter and others Job 3.1 c. 2 Sam. 24.1 Mat. 26.3 he forbears none Therefore it is very much to be considered and how he is to be watched and warred with and the Armour of proof is to be duly minded and the putting of it on Ephes 6.13 He that hath conquered him the Lord Jesus and that hath conquered him for his members this glorious conquest must be meditated upon as the strongest Cordial in the case and way of taking it the Promise with the way of acting by the Promise Praying and other Ordinances given for our help this need be often a great Meditation 7. That Enemy the World should have its due Meditation Its allurements on the one side its oppositions on the other I must meditate on the diversities of baits the latitudes of Pleasures heights of Honour heaps of Wealth 1 Joh. 2.15 Friends Relations Company Converse Cares Business and all my Lets Diversions Entanglements of all the evils in Troubles Forcings Frauds Plottings and all ways of ensnaring and ruining me Also the World in so many respects being suited either to my natural inclination or my customary readiness for closing with it or otherwise to my fears and cowardise softness and fickleness weakness and weariness to withstand or overcome it Yet I must consider how the Saints have overcome the world by acting as Moses and others their self-denyal looking to the recompence of reward looking to him that is invisible and especially to Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith and by Faith and Patience both enduring and gloriously overcoming 8. Sometimes I may very fruitfully meditate on the wants and weakness of my Grace begun in some measure 2 Pet. 1.5 it s often ebbings and flowings its stops and stands A little progress at the best my so carnal heart makes also of the extream need I have of continual stirring up and exercising Faith Love Hope Fear and other Graces thereby to grow stronger and put forth vigorously on all occasions minding also the helps I have in Christs holy Ordinances encouragements in the precious promises and supplies by the blessed Spirits operations out of the so great fulness of Christ 9. Oft I should apply my seriousness to that so concerning particular the continual and fast running out of the golden sands of my time and special seasons for working out of my salvation The time is short faith the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.29 Psal 39.5 Behold thou hast made my days as an hand-breadth Seasons past can never be recall'd seasons present cannot be stopt from running out Opportunity is the greatest Talent as the saying is as that whereby we employ all other Talents Therefore we are so often earnestly call'd upon for redeeming time as Eph. 5.16 Redeeming the time Eccl. 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might for there is no work in the Grave c. Though time and seasons as the course of the Heavens may be made to stop if the Sun as in Joshua's time should miraculously stand still Jos 10.13 or as in Hezekiah's time go back Isa â— 8 yet mens particular time then did not go back or stand still so our particular time of life cannot go back or stand still Job 9.25 and 14.1 2. and ver 5. Life every moment shortens and is melting down into its appointed period Life is a thing of the greatest contingency and uncertainty there is no Ensurance Office set up for it It passes swiftly without pause or stop this the Scripture both minds us greatly of and furnishes us with rare precedents of the Saints serious and moving Meditations about it O let me then look on them and do likewise I let me use and improve the patterns purposely there recorded to help and quicken my forgetful dead spirit I next come to speak of the four last things as they commonly are called Death Judgment Hell and Heaven CHAP. XVIII Meditation of Death THE uncertainty of life last mentioned leads me to the subject next akin to it that so considerable and consequential point of Mortality Death and Dissolution O that here I could be the highest Artist to speak most fitly and movingly to this subject Death or at least to do something which might prove effectual to some such proper and proportionate way of directing and quickning this so necessary and useful Meditation This is the great momentous and most highly concerning thing the end and winding up of life and all affairs and matters relating to it and that which casts me and determines my condition for all Eternity in woe or happiness Let me therefore endeavour the best I can at all times to improve my thinkings of it
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
SOLITUDE IMPROVED BY DIVINE MEDITATION OR A Treatise proving the Duty and demonstrating the Necessity Excellency Usefulness Natures Kinds and Requisites of Divine Meditation First intended for a Person of Honour and now published for general Use By Nathanael Ranew sometime Minister of Felsted in Essex LONDON Printed by J. M. for Nathanael Ranew and Jonathan Robinson at the Kings-Arms in S. Pauls Church-yard MDCLXX To the Christian Reader PVrposing some Improvement of Solitude in the late mournful year when death was so largely commissioned to destroy by that dreadful Pestilence I made choice of this excellent Subject of Divine Meditation The best way of thinking and mind-employing is this Meditation The right Art and Skill of it is a rare attainment The due Practice of it is a most noble self-entertainment A pious Heart hath three happy ways of self-entertainment in solitary three rare ways of being least alone when most alone The first way of self-entertainment is the Ordinance of reading and searching the Holy Scriptures the pure perfect and infallible Word and Will of Christ concerning us There Christ hath prepared his rich feast of fat things full of marrow and his Royal Banquet of heavenly Truths There he sets forth the great varieties of sure Directions precious Promises high Examples rare Experiences and the help of all his holy Ordinances to feed and satiate the hungry and thirsty spirit The second way of self-entertainment is Divine Meditation by either pondering of spiritual things for improving knowledge and exciting practice or by a weighing all other things whatever for reducing them to a spiritual end and use The third way of self-entertainment is private Praying such as is both bottom'd and bounded by Christs will in his Word such as is both prepared and assisted made wise and warm by serious Meditation Meditation stands between the two Ordinances of Reading and Praying as the grand Improver of the former and the high Quickner of the latter to furnish the mind with choice materials for prayer and to fill the heart with holy fervency in it The Naturalists observe that to uphold and accommodate bodily life there are divers sorts of faculties communicated and these among the rest 1. An attractive faculty to assume and draw in the food 2. A retentive faculty to keep it being taken in 3. An assimilating faculty to concoct the nourishment 4. An augmenting faculty for drawing to persection 1. Meditation is as the attractive faculty to help to assume and take in spiritual food This it doth by helping to act Judgment Wisdom and Faith to ponder discern and credit the things which Reading and Hearing supplies and furnishes 2. It is like the retaining faculty by assisting and corroborating the memory helping to lock up the Jewels of divine Truths sure in that Treasury Meditation makes a rational memory of things which is the surest There is in man a sensitive memory in which he participates with sensitive Natures such as beasts they have a kind of memory There is also an intellectual or rational memory wherein man partakes of the like Nature with Angels they have their faculty of memory Meditation superadds to the sensitive memory the help also of a rational memory whereby spiritual things are secured as under double lock what we rationally remember is best remembred 3. It is like the assimilating or digesting power by helping to concoct spiritual food and turn it into spiritual nourishment This it helps to effect by being instrumental to work things more powerfully on the will in a free choice firm purpose and ready obedience of the excellent Truths of Christ and likewise by working on and into the affections of love joy and the rest to cleave unto and be inflamed towards the things of Christ A spiritual digestion is not by head-work but heart-work when the will deliberately and resolvedly chuses and the affections earnestly embrace heavenly things Meditation highly conduces to this spiritual digestion by its pondering proposing and edging efficaciously such reasons and incentives as work the heart into compliance and obedience It is like lastly the augmenting and growing faculty to help the good heart to grow better and shoot up higher Heaven-ward There is one creature the Crocodile only which is said to grow all its life time so must the true Christian do Natural things grow by new assumed nourishment acted upon by the inward growing power The real godly man hath an inward growing power implanted by the new life given to him But this as by other means so by frequent Meditation is much assisted and carried on Meditation waters and cherishes the plants of heavenly graces It helps them to root deeper shoot higher and grow stronger Such Christians as meditate most will grow most be growing to the end What in all Christianity is there that Meditation is not a furtherance to That saying is excellent worthy of duest weighing Intellectus cogitabundus est principium omnis boni The meditating mind is the beginner of all goodness On a sinners part it is the rise of his initial returning to God of his first converting Ezek. 18.28 In the Saints and persons converted it is their way to progressive converting and renewed repentance Psal 119.59 I considered my ways and turned c. The more consideration the more conversion The great inlet of mans first Apostacy besides infidelity and pride was his incogitancy Our first Parents lost all for want of due thinking not for the want of acting imagination or any thinking that could not be but for want of that consideration which should have been They did not consider all things to be considered The overflowings of impiety aggravated by impenitency and mens rushings into sin so eagerly and boldly have been greatly from want of consideration Jer. 8.6 No man repented him of his wickedness saying What have I done Every one turns to his course as the horse rusheth into the battel Their not returnings were from neglect of self-reflectings In any Nation when God intends to work great returnings he stirs up that people to self-bethinkings 1 Kings 8.47 If they shall bethink themselves He minds them of considering to bring them to returning So a particular person when he first comes in to God he comes first to himself and that is by consideration and self-bethinking as the Prodigal Luke 15.17 In Natures Rational the first mover is the mind by consideration In grace the first mover is the mind by holy Meditation The Christian that would set all the wheels of the soul on going and improve that would do great things and have great attainments great things effected on the heart and in the life much light and wisdom much warmth and fervour high resolution and courage large proficiency in godliness must be much in Meditation The greatest Scholars of the world have not been only great Readers but Students much in musing and pondering The most eminent Saints in all Ages have bin this way excellent as Job David Solomon
and others in the Scriptures as Cyprian Ambrose Augustine and other Saints in succeeding Ages Vpon these and sundry other considerations this ensuing Treatise was taken in hand My purpose at first was only a private piece for the service of an honourable personage very exemplary in this pious practice This occasioned also my taking the greater liberty in the manner of expressions My intendment once accomplisht I entertained no thoughts of a Publication till some intimate Friends having the sight of the Copy importuned me to let it come sorth for the general use upon which a Review of the whole being made with divers Alterations and Additions to reduce it more to the help of all I resolved to let it come abroad though imperfect enough In the first framing because I could not make use of my Study usual helps Sentences and Quotations the ordinary trimmings were wanting And being not willing to farther trouble my self make the Treatise swell and the price rise I thought it best to let it pass as it is now presented to thy view The present Age is full of Books there be Books too many and yet too few Knowledge and wisdom will never in this world arrive at a Nil ultra yet we must ever tend to perfection and press hard to the mark And when so many still write after so many excellent Treatises on the same subject this ensuing may the better pass in the crowd Though there be the greater lights of Heaven the Sun and Moon and Stars of the first magnitude yet the least appearing Star is some lustre to the Heaven and light to the Farth Though some pieces of gold Coyn are current being fair and down weight yet those more worn and light may pass in greater payments Shall this ensuing Treatise Issue in perswading or provoking thee to the due practice of holy Meditation to make thee a true and real Meditater or a better and a higher Meditater to teach thee to take a turn often in the Garden of God and take the fresh Air of Paradise to be mentally in serious musings often mounting up to Heaven and return more enlarged and inflamed more wise and warm at the heart Let me only request this of thee to improve some of that acquired warmth in thy way of fervent praying for him that is ever thy Servant in the things of Jesus Nathanael Ranew THE CONTENTS PART I. CHap. 1. Of Divine Meditation in general pag. 1. Chap. 2. Containing a description of Meditation pag. 9 Chap. 3. Meditation our duty and obedience pag. 14 Chap. 4. Of the Requisites of Meditation pag. 16 Chap. 5. What the will must intend in Meditation pag. 19 Chap. 6. Of the proper Object of Divine Meditation pag. 24 Chap. 7. Of the Requisites in and concerning Meditation pag. 29 Chap. 8. More Requisites in Meditation pag. 32 Chap. 9. Of Meditation in applying the mind to a proper Object pag. 35 Chap. 10. Meditation includes an intension and seriousness of thoughts pag. 38 Chap. 11. Meditation includes a scanning and diving of the thoughts into a thing pag. 42 Chap. 12. Meditation includes a dwelling of the thoughts upon a thing proposed pag. 45 Chap. 13. Meditation is an affectionate acting pag. 48 Chap. 14. Of the Affection of desire acted in Meditation pag. 51 Chap. 15. Of the Affection of Love acted in Meditation pag. 52 Chap. 16. Of the Affection of Delight acted in Meditation pag. 53 Chap. 17. Of other Particulars in some special Scripture-expressions pag. 57 Chap. 18. Of the Ends of Meditation pag. 64 Chap. 19. Of Meditation relating to our selves pag. 69 Chap. 20. Of the particular Ends of Meditation respecting our selves pag. 73 Chap. 21. Of producing habitual wisdom by Divine Meditation pag. 77 Chap. 22. Meditation kindles and inflames the Affections pag. 81 Chap. 23. The end of Meditation in reference to the will pag. 87 Chap. 24. Meditation a grand supporter of a Christian course pag. 93 PART II. CHap. 1. Of the Kinds of Meditation pag. 97 Chap. 2. Of the way and manner of daily Meditation pag. 101 Chap. 3. Rules about Meditation pag. 102 Chap. 4. Of one chief end of Meditation as to our selves namely Salvation pag. 107 Chap. 5. Of things conducing to the chief end pag. 109 Chap. 6. The Holy Spirit the Applier of Meditation pag. 111 Chap. 7. Of Meditation in reference to the Ordinances of Christ pag. 114 Chap. 8. Of Meditation on the Word and Promises pag. 116 Chap. 9. Of the Spirits drawing to Christ by the Promises pag. 117 Chap. 10. Of the things Meditation may best perform on our part pag. 120 Chap. 11. Some Particulars added to the former general pag. 124 Chap. 12. Meditation on daily self-denial pag. 129 Chap. 13. Of other Particulars to be meditated upon pag. 132 Chap. 14. Of Meditation on the Lords-day pag. 137 Chap. 15. Of occasional Meditation pag. 142 Chap. 16. Of Meditation on the deceitfulness of the heart pag. 149 Chap. 17. Of Meditation on the four last things pag. 155 Chap. 18. Of Meditation on Death pag. 160 Chap. 19. Of Meditation on Judgment pag. 171 Chap. 21. Of Meditation on Hell pag. 181 Chap. 22. Of Meditation on Heaven pag. 191 Chap. 23. Of Meditation on things providential pag. 201 Chap. 24. Of ejaculatory Meditation pag. 204 Chap. 25. Of the Grounds and Reasons of Meditation pag. 210 Chap. 26. Other Grounds of Meditation pag. 216 Chap. 27. Of the ends and uses of Meditation pag. 219 Chap. 28. Of other ends of Meditation pag. 222 Chap. 29. Of grounds supporting the Duty of Meditation pag. 231 Chap. 30. Of solace and spiritual pleasure in Meditation pag. 233 PART III. CHap. 1. Containing the Improvement of the whole Doctrine of Meditation pag. 242 Chap. 2. Another Improvement of the duty of Meditation pag. 245 Chap. 3. An Improvement by way of Humiliation unto those that have begun this work of Meditation so late pag. 249 Chap. 4. A Reproof to those that are yet to begin this work of Meditation pag. 252 Chap. 5. A Reproof for negligence in this Duty after experiencing the benefit and sweetness of it pag. 263 Chap. 6. A perswasion to all such who never yet used Meditation pag. 270 Chap. 7. An Exhortation to the Godly to take heed of neglecting this duty of Meditation pag. 278 Chap. 8. Of the Evidences of Meditation pag. 290 Chap. 9. Directions relating to Meditation pag. 296 Chap. 10. Directions to young Christians newly converted pag. 312 Chap. 11. Further Directions to young Christians in some particular cases pag. 318 Chap. 12. Of Meditation respecting weakness ro imperfection of Grace pag. 325 Chap. 13. Of Meditation in respect of stirring and prevailing corruptions pag. 322 Chap. 14. Of Meditation respecting Assaults from Satan pag. 331 Chap. 15. Some Directions for Occasional Meditation pag. 342 Chap. 16. Directions for Ejaculatory Meditation pag. 344 Chap. 17. Directions for strong Christians pag. 347 Chap. 18. More particular Directions pag. 351 Chap. 19. More
this Building the better to bear it up These should be as so many great Arteries branching forth from the Heart to convey vital spirits into the body of this heavenly Duty of Meditation and keep it alive and warm and improvingly active CHAP. VI. Of the proper Objects of Divine Meditation FRom things of a remoter relation to the subject in hand I pass to such as are the nearer the more intrinsical and peculiar And here comes first to be handled the Matter or the Object of this Meditation When the wise King Solomon was to build the Temple first he is providing the rich and precious Materials then he proceeds to the framing and fitting of them and then to erecting and finishing that glorious Structure That which next is to be done is first to look out the Materials of our work and then the framing and finishing up is to follow The Materials or objective parts are far more rich and precious than those of Solomon's Temple They are as our Description of Meditation holds them forth either 1. Such as are more properly and purely spiritual and heavenly in their own Nature 2. Or things considered in a Spiritual way and to a Spiritual end and use It is not the Consideration of things as to their Entity or Being that is Metaphysical Metaphysicks treat of Entities of the meer Beings of things Of the first Being namely God and of secondary Beings derived from God the first Being It is not the Consideration of things as Rational the Rational respects things have one to another this is Logical Logick that considers respects of things as Causes Effects Subjects Adjuncts and the like It is not the Consideration of things in their particular Natures and Natural properties This Natural Philosophy Contemplates It is not the Consideration of things Civil Moral or Political these Moralists and States-men are exercised about Neither is it the consideration of particular Crafts and Trades this is Mechanical and but a work prudential and Humane not Divine But this Meditation hath Objects of a far higher Sphere and Rank things of a Divine and Theological Consideration Nay nor yet is it the meer Study of things Theological and Divine A man may be a Student in Divinity beat and busie his Brains about the high points and Mysteries in it may read and muse on Matters Divine and yet not be a Meditator such as we speak of not act Divine Meditation A man may act upon things as Notions and as matters of Knowledge or to make up an Universal knowing person he may act Contemplation for Curiosity for such an use as the Heathen man Aristotle made of reading Moses his first Chapter of Genesis whereof he passed his undue and heathenish censure that Moses affirms all but proves nothing he read first and then pondered and then censured But he acted not Meditation not that we speak of It was not a consideration of spiritual things as spiritual and for spiritual ends but only as wise man acts his thoughts upon things as New for New notions and improving Knowledge Many thus consider things Scriptural and Divine study them as we call it study Books of Divinity study things in the Scripture but they act not the Duty of Meditation They act upon things as Matters Intellectual and Rational not as Heavenly and Spiritual Act for Notion and Speculation and not for Holiness Act Curiosity not Christianity The right Meditater far transcends any meer Student he acts a more Noble part hath a more Noble and sublime manner of Operation Aristotles studying Moses Writings and David's Meditating in the Law of God how far do they differ So a Heathen's or a Mahometan's or a Jew 's or any such persons studying matters in the Bible differs greatly from Meditating in it Nay many Protestants are great Students in Divinity that never Meditated they dwell upon the study of it but touch not with the least of their fingers the hard work of holy Meditation But to return to our matter in hand and to speak to this subject of Meditation Formerly it was said that Spiritual things or things in a Spiritual and Heavenly manner considered are the proper and adequate Object of this Meditation And bere O how large and fair a prospect hath the Spiritual Eye to Expatiate and Recreate it self in The Infinitely Glorious and All-sufficient God the Father Son and Holy Spirit as the Scripture reveals The vast world the frame of Heaven above and Earth below with all the so innumerable things contained in them Their sundry Natures Properties and Vses with the so beauteous and various Excellencies of them The mighty Sustentations and Preservations of all things Created as to their Beings their Faculties and their Acts. The most wise righteous and holy Governing of them with a most steady and never erring hand unto their particular ends and with a most certain winding them all up ultimately in the Supream scope of the great Creator and Governour Then that peculiar Government of the rational Creatures Angels and Men The unspeakably sad full of some Angels and all Mankind The Recovery of some men and their Eternal Salvation by Christ the Redeemer God in our Nature Here here is matter of Meditation The great mystery of Godliness as 1 Tim. 3.16 And particularly the four last things as they are called namely Death Judgment Heaven and Hell Besides there is for Meditation the whole Book of boly Scriptures now compleat in the New Testament-times with the Ordinances of Christ and the Covenant of Grace And lastly the Meditation of that so great concern our own particular Estates how matters stand with us and are like to be with us to all Eternity which Eternity challenges and imposes on every person the greatest both intensions and frequencies of thoughts But though this be so great yet again what is there in all the vast circumference of the whole world I say what is there although never so small but by a wise and holy heart may be an Object improvable to an excellent use and end As the Art of Chymistry can extract rare and efficacious Remedies out of Dungs Putrefactions and Poysons That Soul must be a pitiful vain and barren piece that wants matter and mind to move and act fruitfully in so large a sphere and compass as Meditation hath It affords the whole latitude of all things properly spiritual And it comprises likewise all other things which in some respect or other wisdom can improve by this rare Art No Artist in any way of Operation with all his rare Instruments and efficacious Engines can operate more eminently than an Artist in this holy kind may do Of this the Scriptures give plentiful proof in the many Precedents left us in it for imitation So we see it in holy David in many of his Psalms besides them of the Word of God his greatest Subject of Meditation in those made of God's great works yea the works of his common Providence and Guidance as the
growing of the Grass and Herbs and Trees the singing of the Birds among their Branches in the waters the playing of the Leviathan the innumerable creeping things in the Seas and the going of the Ships in them as Psal 104. The wise Solomon hath his Meditation of the Horse-leach with her daughters Prov. 30.15 The Ant in her Industry Prov. 26.14 sending the Sluggard that turns on his Bed as the Door on the Hinges that often moves but never removes to her to learn Industry Prov. 6.6 Yea sometimes the most inconfidenable things the Scripture takes notice of for us to mind the Hairs on the head which all are numbred the Sands of the Sea which though so weak and small is thereby bridled The Dust of the Earth by Gods power as in a Measure comprehended Isa 40.12 And not only God's great works and high actings but the lowest actions of men and the meanest actings of the inferiour Creatures are in Scripture held forth as occasions for this Meditation as advantage grounds for the ascending of thoughts and raising up the Mind Heaven-ward All this pains taken by the Spirit of God in the Scriptures is to shew what a wise and fruitful spirit may extract by this holy Art of Meditation yea to teach us how constantly thought-busie we should keep our hearts like that wonder in Nature the so wise and laborious Bee still in gathering some Celestial sweetness from every Flower of Scripture or Providence or any other Object we stay upon CHAP. VII Of the Requisites for Meditation FRom the Object and Matter of Meditation we must next come upon the Requisites and Qualifications and the things contained in it and constituting of it Here by the way there were two sorts of Meditation mentioned 1. That which is set and more solemn 2. That which is short sudden and ejaculatory 1. The first that which more properly is called Meditation is that so frequently we have spoken of in the Scripture and mentioned in our Divinity-Books and in Discourses Meditation in the ordinary acceptation of the word taken for a work of time seriousness and solemness that must have a due proportion of Time Labour and Diligence to effect that upon the heart it is to be used for 2. There is that which is called Ejaculation sudden quick acting or ascending of the Soul to Heaven This is a holy spark flies up out of the heavenly Fire burning suddenly in the heart this is but Meditation rather more improperly so call'd Of this I shall speak something hereafter But that we are now to proceed upon is the Meditation more properly so call'd more set solemn Meditation a business of time and seriousness There are divers things I shall mention eight Particulars or Requisites for this Meditation There are eight Requisites I shall mention 1. There 's requisite a Holy Awe and Reverence a putting on a reverential frame of heart sutable to the holiness of the Duty 2. There is requisite a Retreat of the Thoughts calling off the mind from all its preceding excursions or engagings otherways 3. There 's requisite the setting of a strong Guard and so sure a Watch upon our slippery spirits as we are able to secure it against all diversions 4. Meditation as to the Form and Nature proper Notion and Essence consists in Application of the Mind and Thoughts and setting them upon the Subject or Matter intended to be considered 5. Meditation as to the Nature and Essence consists as in Application of the Mind to so in the intension and due seriousness of thinkings on a fit Object 6. In a diving and searohing of thoughts scanning for a best discovery 7. In a Commoration and due stay of the thoughts upon the work in hand without precipitation and undue hastening 8. It 's requisite there be an infusing and intermixing the life and beauties of such affections as are sutable and proper for the Duty 1. Meditation it must have the Dispositive and Preparation of Holy Awe and Reverence a still engaging the Spirit to and imposing upon it and framing of it unto all that holy Awe and highest Reverence which this so excellent Duty calls for both in the Entrance and over all the Performance I say Highest Reverence as that which is to be done in the so infinitely pure presence of a God a God whose eye is observing in a special manner our hearttemper not only in a Duty performed in his view but a temper presented and tendered to himself as an Homage and Honour As a way of Ingratiating our selves with him as a way and one of our sweetest ways of higher Intimacy and Communion with him The Spirit of a Creature perfect much less of a sinner it cannot have too strong an Infusion too deep a Tincture of holy Reverence This is the first Requisite a deep Tincture of holy Reverence contended to CHAP. VIII Of the second Requisite THE next Requisite is in sounding a Retreat of the Thoughts and calling off the Mind from all preingagements not only Evils and Vanities but all Business and Duties Nothing must detain the thoughts or divert the thoughts when we design and intend Meditation God complains of men when Bodies are brought and Hearts are left out well may he complain if we go about Meditation a Mind a Thought Exercise if we let the mind and thoughts be sent abroad and not called home The Philosophers say truly that intention can be only of one thing at one particular individual time Divinity tells us there must be no allowance of disintention neither a giving way to a seisure of Impertinencies to keep possession of the Mind that will keep off that which is incumbent and our present Duty David Psal 119.113 says he hated vain thoughts when they were Intruders when they crowded in much more as they were Excluders and crowded out good thoughts Therefore most of all when they obstructed and interposed at the time of his Meditation Therefore being so rare an Artist in Heavenly Meditation he still would shake out and empty the Vessel of his heart of other previous improper thoughts Do as Nehemiah when Tobijah had laid up his stuff in the Temple he throws it all out to make way for the proper Furniture Musing in this sort therefore must have its Preparative its stand and its retreat off and from all impertinent thoughts a making the Coast clear a setting the mind free disburdening and disclogging it Casting off all weights when we are to run this Race and mount up the Hill of Divine Contemplation Now is the time to call to by-thoughts to void the Room and leave it free for other thoughts to enter This is the Second Requisite a sounding a Retreat to the thoughts from all other things 3. When Meditation is to be performed there must be a strong Guard set a sure Watch kept upon all Avenues and Passages on all the Inlets and Out-lets of the heart As Jehoiada the Priest set a Guard round about the young King
a due time for percolation and straining for a segregating and seperating of the finer parts from the Feculent and Dreggy And some things a longer space in a slow and constant Fire in the Operation or the cost and labour is lost Intensions for effecting things greatly beneficial and admirable are most freely allowed a larger proportion of time both for frequencies and Repetitions of Musing seriously But O how too ordinarily do the best of Saints fall short of the actings of Rare Artists in their higher Operations in their stands and abodes of thoughts for more curious Observations and ntellectual satisfactions Usually we are too hasty and eager to have Duties over The Soul is in pain till it be delivered of them In Meditation it is hard sometimes at least to take off the thoughts for it from preingagements of other thinkings and apply them to the duty But harder to become duly serious in acting in it harder yet to Dive and Ponder and hardest of all to hold up in an abode of thoughts and dwell long enough and after views to make reviews to re-act the same thinkings to taste things over and over when the freshness and newness is past when by long thinking the things before us seem old we are ready to grow dead and flat in a performance except we stir up our selves often in it It is hard to hold on and hold up unless we hold up a wakeful Eye a warm affection a strong and quick repeated Resolution yea and without often lifting up the Soul to Christ for fresh recruits of strength to hold on David that so excellent Artist in this way saith he will Meditate Psal 119. often saith he will Doubtless he not only said I will when he was to make his entrance into this hard work but likewise for continuance in it to keep up his heart from flaging till he well ended his work It is not the Digging into the Golden Mine but the Digging long that finds and fetches up the Treasure It is not the Diving into the Sea but staying longer that gets the greater quantities of Pearls To draw out the Golden Thread of Meditation to its due length till the spiritual ends be attained This is a rare and happy Artainment This is the Art but of the ends of Meditation we shall speak hereafter CHAP. XIII Of Affectionateness in Meditation or the life and lustre of it in the intermixings of sutable Affections THree things we proposed in treating of this Divine Meditation 1. The right Preparative to it fervent Prayer 2. The main Foundation of it in the free choice of the Will 1. To firmly purpose a right work that it be sincere 2. To purpose and intend a wise work 3. To design a warm work 4. To have it earnest against lets and oppositions 5. To have it a successful work 3. The Forming and Finishing of it For the Forthing and Constituting of it which is 1. By a Reverential frame of heart stir'd up answerable to the Duty 2. By first sounding a Retreat of the Thoughts from all other Objects 3. By setting a strong Guard upon our slippery Spirits Then as to the constituting the work 4. By setting the Thoughts on the Object 5. By seriousness in Thinking 6. By searching of Thoughts 7. By a staying and abode of Thoughts 8. For Finishing the work by intermixtures of the Life and Beauties of such Affections as are proper and sutable for the Duty It must be an affectionate acting warm and zealous lively and vigorous So David's Meditation Psal 39.3 while musing the Fire burned Not only it should be so eventually but by way of concomitancy when we Meditate with the Mind we should be warm at the Heart The fuel and fire of holy Affections must come to the offering up this Sacrifice There must be an Affectionate acting which brings the life and beauty into the body and face of the Duty They say Beauty must have these four things 1. Perfection or Intireness of parts no part wanting 2. Proportions due no part too great too little or unsutable And proportion of Colour White and Red in a just proportion 3. There must be Right Order of parts that nothing be misplaced 4. There must be spirit and vivacity appearing in the Face as a chief Ingredient or superaddition to all the rest as that which adds singular grace and lustre to all So besides the parts and chief lineaments there must be that which compleats the Beauty of Meditation Those things which are as not only the Beauteous Colours but the freshness liveliness and spirits aspersed and appearing over all the Face of this Rare Piece this Excellent Performance That as the Heart with its Diffusions of Heat and Spirits in a due proportion makes a comely graceful and lovely Colour which in Heart-Distempers Faintings and Sinkings disappear and vanish So the Holy Heart with its Diffusions of heavenly warmth and spirits heavenly affectionateness makes Meditation comely beauteous and lovely If Meditation be only Head-work and not Heart-work it is like a Picture without life like a Student that studies in a meer acting of Wisdom only The right and genuine Meditation is an affectionate thing as the Head acts the Heart glows The life veins of warm Affections run and disperse themselves through the whole Duty and give lustre to it This we may see in the Meditations of that great Artist in this kind in holy David you may see a beauty and excellency of Holy Affection mixt and interwoven like the Gold in the Tissue with the Silk and sparkling in his this-way-acting Affections appearing set as so many Rich Stones Rare Beauties and Glories among his various Musings There are Three sorts of Affections that shine gloriously in David's and other holy mens Meditations left upon Record in Scripture which needs must be patterns to provoke us to imitation 1. The Affection of Desire 2. Of Love 3. Of Delight I shall briefly dispatch them CHAP. XIV Of the First Affection Desire 1. THat Affection of Desire wound up and let out to pantings and longings Heaven-ward and being above in this Heavenly Exercise of Meditation David with his Meditating of God and his Word he tells us what longings and heart-pantings he had Psal 119.20 His Soul breaks for desire which he had to Gods Testimonies How was this to have the Book of the Law no it was to be exercised in it to an improving of Meditation on it Ps 1.2 Ah he could not Meditate enough act freely enough far enough The Commandment was so exceeding broad as he saith Psal 119.96 so very broad and his heart so narrow Sin so incompast and straitned him that his Soul breaks that he could have no larger thoughts Such an edge and eagerness of Affection such a large strong and vehement desire should be an attendant an assistant of Meditation one strong Feather impt and added to the Wing of Contemplation to make it mount up fast to Heaven Ah say Christian Lord
here have the keenest edge of seriousness be elevated the highest made the firmest and the most extensive Let them take in universally whatsoever may most instigate to and quicken in this high operation proportionate it to this working out salvation the so great Gospel Salvation Thus did the prodigal who represents the Returning sinner when sensible first of his unspeakable misery and thence apprehensive of the great obtainable Felicity the so glorious Gospel salvation never did he so act any thinking made such warm work of it as now In like manner the Jaylor Acts 16. having such a dreadful awakening from sense of a lost condition O what a pondering of Salvation was that from a heart so warm'd and edg'd when Extremity of Misery hath the deepest sense Meditation of Salvation and Recovery hath the highest seriousness What can have such a thinking as when one thinks for life and that eternal Let Meditation take in 1. Those Considerations that are most awakening that unspeakable misery comes upon us by sins so innumerable As contracting on the person such horrid guilt and conveying into the heart such hellish filth Every sin with the aggravations contracting a debt to Divine Justice and that entered into God debt Book which we never can pay or get paiâ— without a surety but must bring destruction in Eternal fire 3. Then weigh the great uncertainty of life and how certain death casts every one upon an Eternal state unavoidably upon inconceivable Eternity 4. Then must be weighed the Mighty Enemies and multitudes of hinderances lying in the way of escaping 2. Next come the Considerations that are the most highly encouraging to strive to enter in at the strait Gate such as the Scriptures fullness supplies O how great and prevalent are those in the Gospel to wise and warm us to strengthen and heighten Meditation As Eternal life which in the believing heart is already begun with sure promise of carrying it on to perfection by our yet co-working with the holy Spirit of Christ working in all his which we must do continually Phil. 2.12 Work out your own salvation c. What may I say of conjunction with God by union with Christ by Faith of Communion with Christ in justification and pardon of sin a most glorious righteousness reconciliation adoption with a sure title to Heaven and the glorious graces of Christ his image holiness wisdom life power peace passing understanding joy unspeakable with establishment growth in grace victory over all Enemies Ah what wishly lookings should we exercise daily at this so great salvation and the transcendencies and perfections of it and at last such an outlet of all evils such an inlet of all good such a Crown of Glory with all the inconceivable Excellencies of it and the perfect fruition and vision of God for ever I have been longer on this than was my purpose yet shall crave leave for one thing more and that which is after all momentous cousiderations besides the greatest of strongest influence and efficacy that is the vastness inconceivable vastness of Eternity Not Eternity meerly in the abstract only considered in it self but in reference to misery or felicity I say to all other inducements adde Eternity hang on this great weight of Eternity of Misery and Felicity Endeavour with thy utmost Art and Industry by all resemblances to have che liveliest and most operative representations of it Breathe thy soul often by healthful exercise here breathe thy soul frequently up this Hill of Eternity whatsoever thou meditatest on let still this be one Object entertained in thy serious thoughts this vast Eternity Let this have its due time 2. Holy Meditation hath besides the former several other excellent ends to be aimed at and improved to As Artificers do with their Gold beat it out sometimes to its utmost ductility and extensiveness Improve this Gold of precious heavenly Objects beat them out to the utmost by this Hammer this art of Divine Meditation The Art of Medtiation will like Solomons Temple overlaid with Gold overlay thy heart with Christs pure Gold and make it rich and glorious Ah therefore Christian act up thy Meditation to these precious ends and chiefly lay a mighty stress upon that so momentous thing Eternity of Son Misery or Felicity So I have at last dispatcht these first things CHAP. XX. Of the partieular Ends of Meditation in respect of our selves THere be various Ends of Meditation respecting our selves I shall mention among others these seven particular Ends relating to our own spiritual advantage 1. For a principal improver of saving Knowledge 2. For to make our Knowledge Clear and Distinct 3. To found a Rich Treasury of Truths and make them sure 4. And to be an introducer of habitual wisdom an acquired habit of wisdom to the first given wisdom in heart renovation 5. For a Kindler of Heavenly Fire and Flame in the heart 6. For a Mighty Corroborater of holy purpose 7. To be a constant quickner of the Christian course 1. Meditation is for a Principal Improver of saving and heavenly Knowledge To set as it were more Lights on the Golden Table in the Temple of the holy heart to repleuish the Golden Candlestick with more and better Lights and glorious burning Lamps to yield clearer light in the dark heart Psal 119.97 98 99. I am wiser than my Enemies for thy Commandments are ever with me that 's in Meditation continually as v. 97. Thy Law it is my Meditation continually or all the day v. 99. I have more understanding than all my Teachers for thy Testimonies are my Meditation and v. 100. I understand more than the Ancients c. Here 's an assertion in a kind of gradation of the successfulness of his holy Meditation namely understanding wisdom and excelling in them Wiser than his Enemies yea than his Teachers yea than the Ancients that have had longest time largest opportunities for greatest Knowledge and highest wisdom Meditation is the ground inlet and improver of Knowledge It is not the great and much reading makes the Scholar but the studying and pondering that is read It is not the reading much that makes the knowing Christian but the meditating on what is read Reading without Meditation is like swallowing much meat without due chewing that makes a lean man so this makes a lean mind Many read and hear Much but understand little because they bring themselves so little under this Ordinance of Meditation If thou wouldest be right excellent in Knowledge be rich in it and of a higher stature in wisdom than others as David was strive to write after his rare Copy in abundant Meditating 2. Meditation is to make Knowledge clear and distinct The Apostle Phil. 1.9 mentions love its abounding in Knowledge and Judgment and in other places we have mention of discerning and judging As to matter of Learning in Arts and Sciences they have the most clear and distinct heads have their Notions most methodical distinct and most mellow who
Heaven do or as a perfect Artist that hath a perfect skill and hand at some Art or work The most of good Christians though they have true saving wisdom for the substance yet have little very little wisdom to understand their way little of this acquired habitual wisdom This is the reason of their being so frequently to seek so at a set and at a loss not knowing what to do The want now of this wisdom is from want of Meditation serious and frequent musing to frame and mould the mind into habitual wisdom and so increasing in wisdom daily That a Christian may be an Artist and have his Trade have head and hand adapted and readyed for it this must be by habit through custom and use There are these four special things excellent advantages in a habit among others 1. It lays in ability for doing 2. It induces facility in doing 3. It breeds delight and complacency with doing 4. It holds up evenness and constancy in doing A Scholar or an Apprentice put upon Employment for learning an Art or Mystery At the first he wants for the present the ability to act as an Antist a Logician a Philosopher or the like and so the facility pleasure and constancy cannot be come at because they are the higher steps or stories built upon the first that of ability But when by time he hath accustomed himself in a way he comes to an habitual knowledge and skill and that habit brings ability to do and with ability goes facility easiness to act in the art or way then with facility is pleasure and delight attending what we do with ease is pleasing Then what breeds Pleasures brings also constancy and doing with evenness and equality O how desirable is this wisdom in Christianity how highly is it to be contended for to have this wisdom this Art of going to Heaven of living to the living God to arrive at a doing with an improved wisdom a wisdom of superadded ability with a happy facility of acting a sweet delight in acting heavenward and a beauteous a glorious evenness and constancy Not to be and remain still weak in our Trade of godliness not be to seek so oft as not knowing our way in divers cases not to drive so hardly on not to be so dull and heavy nor yet so unevenly and brokenly to carry on our work but with all forenamed advantages to be daily still experienced to higher encouragements This is a grand end of Meditation to work up to habitual wisdom to help a Christian to excel in this soul Beauty of an exquisite Artist and Operatour for Heaven and Eternity CHAP. XXII Of the fifth End of Meditation to kindle and enflame the Affections 5. MEditation hath not only its excellent ends and uses relating to the understanding and mind but also is of singular use relating to the Affections Meditation is that which keeps alive the fire on the Altar and helps to make it burn It is that which both gathers the sticks the fuel and materials for keeping the fire from going out and that which kindles them blows upon them and makes them burn and flame up to Heaven In the Levitical Law the fire upon the Altar must never go out but it was kept burning by the Priests continual minding it If they had not minded that fire continually it would have gone out The fire in the holiest heart it must be kept in kept burning continually by Meditation and constant mindings Meditation is a great Heart-warmer it renews and encreases spiritual heats drives away dulness and dead heartedness brings a new life strength and vigour into the spirit when it faints and flags They say of the Loadstone that wonder in Nature when either by carelesness in keeping it or by some accident it loses its virtue yet by laying it some good space of time in the filings of Steel it will again recover its virtues when the spirit of a Christian by not looking well to it loses of its heavenly heat and liveliness the way of recovery is by laying it asteep in this so warming and quickning Meditation O how burning and flaming may we often observe the spirit of the holy Psalmist David in his acting of Meditation As Psal 39.3 My heart waxed hot within me and while I was musing the fire kindled or burned Musing made him hot yea burning hot at the heart Thus oft in the beginning of a Psalm we find his heart low and discouraged but as this Musing was acted and heightened his spirit grew hotter and at last flies all on a flame flies up to a very high pitch of heavenly heat O how do all the conscientious Practisers of Meditation ever and anon experience these happy heavenly heats and heart-enlargements Ah if all the Saints so glorious heart-quickenings were gathered together what a rich Chain of Pearls Pearls of rare Experiences would they make up of the heart-warming Efficacies of Meditation Meditation is a mighty Engine to kindle cooling hearts and make them flame in fervency The Rule of effecting a business especially entangled in difficulties is first as they say Removendo prohibens applicando promovens That is by removing the Obstacles first and then applying furtherances Meditation is instrumental to heart-warmings and quicknings First by making a grand inquest into the occasions of heart-coolings and helping to remove them Then secondly by stirring up to the efficacious means of warmth and quickening it s a rule among the Schoolmen that every Negative is founded in an Affirmative that is every not doing is founded in some positive act of doing something else And as to the like purpose we say in Philosophy The intention of one thing is the dis-intending of another Meditation makes an enquiry and thereby a discovery of that which hinders spiritual heat The extinguishing of fire and heat in Nature is either by casting on much water or smothering it by either throwing on much incombustible matter or hindering the airs openness and its free coming to it which choaks it or by withdrawing the Fuel upon which it feeds 1. Meditation finds heart-coolings to proceed from a giving way to and the present prevailing of some corruption or lust that like water quenches the fire They say that some rich spirits and rare extractions if taken in some acid or sour Liquor the sowr Liquor turns the edge of those spirits and frustrates their operation As cold clammy humours at the head of the Nerves or Sinews stop the course of the Animal spirits and occasion the Numm or dead Palsey Or as some cold Poison taken in quenches the vivifical heat and spirits endangers if not induces death So a corruption or sin let out and given way unto chills and cools and quenches the heart-heat and the longer yielded to the cooler will the affections grow A Sin given way unto damps the heart-warming Ordinances quenches the heart-warming spirit obstructs thy communion with a heart-quickening Christ Hoseah Whoredom and Wine and new Wine
take away the heart what is there spoken of a more total taking away the heart in evil men is true of a gradual taking away the heart the heat and liveliness in godly men 2. Meditation on due Enquiry finds heart-coolings to arise from Christians smothering their heat with heaping up businesses and troubles upon themselves launching too far into the Seas of worldly Affairs and over-carings The thorny ground had the word choaked by cares and affairs of this life what cares and business doth to the Word it doth to the hearts warmth can thou entangle thy self in the matters of the World and thou wilt cool apace The farther a man Travels from the Sun Northward the cooler he is Turn your face from Heaven to the World go far and you come to not only cool but freeze Or as she in the Roman story that out of a design to enrich her self contracted with the Enemy to betray the Castle for that which the Souldiers had on their left arm meaning their Golden Bracelets but the Souldiers instead of their Bracelets threw their Shields on her whereby she instead of being enriched was smothered To engage in a throng is the way to be smothered The world will smother thee if thou engagest too far it will still cool thy heart-heat make thee of a warm and lively a cool dead-hearted Christian There is a Fish call'd the Torpedo if you touch it with your bare leg or hand it presently nums that Limb that toucht it Touch with thy heart upon the world it will leave it num there 's no such way to keep in thy heat as to keep out the world avoid the danger of a Crowd of businesses and cares 3. Meditation upon searching discovers the decay of heat is from decay in heart-warming Ordinances where the Sun of Righteousness shines warm upon thee whereby the Soul-heat is both preserved and encreast Abatings of heavenly heat arise from drawing away the fuel of heavenly duties or thy own remissness and negligence in them If a man shall cast away his Cloaths leave his food and decline the means of preserving heat and life he must needs grow cold if he be not quickly kill'd If a man reads not meditates not prays not hears not or is negligent and formal herein he must needs like a dying man grow cold It much depends upon the lively performance of holy duties that you keep Heart-warm or that you decay in your fervour by carelesness in the means Meditation will mind you of this and put you upon mending it in time The Angel of the Church of Ephesus Rev. 2. forsook or left his first Love his Heart-heat and Christ intimates he had left off his first works 2. Meditation is instrumental to spiritual vivacity and warmth applicando promovens by helping to apply the things that recover and promote heat and liveliness I will name but two things in this 1. Meditation mightily helps here by being a great instrument of searching out applying and working home the Scriptures Heart-warming considerations such as the quickning Spirit the inditer of the Scriptures that knows what things are most proper and proportionate for recovering or increasing heat what he hath left upon record to use in this case As consideration is the first mover in the soul so warm considerations are the first warmers O what a latitude and fullness hath Meditation to fetch heart-warming considerations from If the Eye looks up to the Heavens what abundance of Heavenly bodies for conveyance of light and heat it soon discovers But if the eye of Meditation looks into the Scriptures what a prospect of various rare and glorious passages is there to be found of Considerations Like abundance of richest Spirits highest Cordials and preparations of all sorts in Artists Shops and Closets O what heart-warming considerations can Meditation fetch and apply from the infinitely blessed God his infinite Excellencies Eternal Love sweetness unspeakable of the sense of his Favour and the like Ah what heart-warming considerations from Jesus Christ to behold him and view him all over in all he is in his unexpressible Glories In all he hath done whereby he hath out done all that ever was or shall be done What warming considerations in respect of the Holy Spirit the grand and mighty applyer of Redemption by his habitation and operation What in respect of the Word the Precepts Promises Threatnings and Examples in it of sundry sorts all for our help and comfort What of the Covenant of Grace so sure and sweet What in respect of our selves souls state and all the great concerns of it in salvation Meditation can never want heart-warming considerations can bring stores of Arguments of all sorts and blow upon them to make the heart kindle and flame although it was chill and dead and never so low brought Lastly this Engine of heavenly Meditation produces heart-warmth and vivacity by taking thee out of the shade and cool and leading into the Sun-shine of Heart-warming Ordinances wherein the Sun of Righteousness arises and shines warm and his quickning spirit breathes warm upon thee Rev. 2.5 As a cure of cooling and decaying Love Christ counsels the Angel of that Church of Ephesus first to repent and then to do his first works Negligence in holy Duties omission of them or remisness in them introduced a cooling of his Love therefore what was lost by not doing must be recovered by such a doing as the first was that his first works done again might be a rekindler of his first Love Disuse of Exercise abates the natural heat and vigour but returning to it will again recover it Meditation when it finds the failure and defect will provoke and engage to the just Remedy and Relief I have now dispatcht at length this second End of Meditation its being for quickning the Affections The next follows CHAP. XXIII The End of Meditation in reference to the will MEditation as it is to be a helper to warm the affections so for a means to strengthen and fix the holy purposes and resolutions of the will It is not a wavering and weak purpose or a feeble resolution will serve for a foundation for building so high as Heaven for carrying on so great and hard a work as soul-saving The Scripture mentions cleaving to the Lord with purpose of heart Acts 11.23 Holy David often in the Psalms tells us of his will his purpose of heart and his heart was fixed Psal 119. and Psal 108.1 Meditation is singularly instrumental here 1. Of fixing and deeper rooting of the grand general purpose of pleasing and glorifying God and working out our own salvation 2. It 's greatly instrumental for corroboration and for strengthening the lesser Roots of derivative purposes that spring from the grand purpose that are the particular Abettors and Helpers of the main and general forementioned purpose In every holy heart there is planted at first conversion that fundamental and noble purpose of pleasing and glorifying God in all
things without exception This purpose also must be often renewed have its reiterations for corroboration There must be also derivative and subservient purposes particular purposes in reference to advancing the main purpose and the Souls chief end and intendment purposes for particular soul-concerns particular Duties either respecting Mortification of particular corruptions and particular self-denials or that respect particular graces and duties in the seasons required for them Every particular Duty and Soul concern must have the hand of a peculiar purpose lent it to assist it Right undertaking as it must have the mind acted in wisdom to direct it so it must have the will acted in purpose deliberate purpose to effect or endeavour it Grace in the will must work it into a due purposing for the particular occasion of every particular incumbent Duty Purpose of heart to ground Performance The Scriptures give frequent instances of both general and particular purposes this way practised First of the general and grand purpose thus David very often in the Psalms declares so Psal 119.8 I will keep thy Statutes there 's a general purpose superadded to the first purpose that he did when he first gave up his heart in conversion to his God Thus in the 69. Verse of this Psalm I will keep thy Precepts with my whole heart there 's another general purpose And Psal 116.9 I will walk before the Lord in the Land of the living there 's another of his added general purposes for serving God Psal 119.57 Thou art my portion O Lord I have said I will keep thy word There he tells you what he had done in the time past he had said as in the former he saith what he would do for the future So in the 106. Verse he tells you what a purpose he had taken such as had a confirmation of an Oath or as some express it had quasi vim Juramenti as it were the strength or force of an Oath yea here tells you what he did in time past and what he will do for the future I have sworn there 's the time past And will perform there 's purpose for the future A recalling of his old purpose and a renewing of a fresh purpose to back the old So others of the Saints in Scripture are to be observed to accustom themselves frequently to strengthen the first general purpose with the additions of frequent following purposes As Jos 24. So for particular purposes for particular coming occasions we have frequent instances of holy mens practices In reference to avoiding sin Psal 101.3 I will set no evil thing before my eyes In reference to taking heed to our ways and words Psal 39.1 I said I will take heed to my ways that I sin not with my tongue In reference to trusting on God in difficulties waiting upon God worshipping God praying praising and all sorts of Duties and Graces Love Joy Hope Courage Constancy and the like Purposes and Resolutions general and particular and the frequent use of them Linking purpose to purpose strong purposes are still necessary for every Christian that will work out salvation Yet all must be done in the strength of Christ else they will not hold but wear out and snap asunder Now Meditation is rarely instrumental herein 1. Instrumental to make our purposes wise we must ponder and consider before we purpose rash purposes and more sudden without due bottoming in a previous Meditating will prove but miscarryings and abortions They are like foolish building on the Sand they soon fail A purpose the more deliberate the more durable 2. Meditation helps to make purposes strong and firm we have need of strong purposes for the great things of Eternal life we have strong opposition from corruption within and temptation without Meditation helps mightily to strengthen Resolution 1. By repairing to your spiritual Magazine and thence fetching forth strong spiritual Arguments to raise strong Resolutions and Purposes Arguments out of the rich stores of Scripture of all sorts and natures to relieve the weakness of the will in purposing Meditation acts a Divine reasoning disputes you into a purposing when it shews you have so much for it and nothing at all against it 2. Meditation selects and sharpens Arguments sets home and improves them upon the conscience that you must yield must resolve and firmly strongly in such matters as none can be higher O how many strong and unanswerable Arguments can Meditation come furnisht with to dispute against carnal unresolvedness to plead for your acting strong Resolutions for any part of an enjoyned Duty What weight can it put into the Ballance to cast the Scale for Gods and your Souls interest I need not name the heads of Arguments such as the indispensible necessity of the Precept and means the great sinfulness of unwillingness the excellency of the thing with the sweetness comfort confidence and advantages attending it But this I shall adde The excellency of a Christian lies chiefly in his will and the excellency of that will is in the height of its purpose and resolution freest purpose and choice firmest resolution and determination for the work he came into the world to do And the great Assistant on our part of holy resolution is holy Meditation applying fit reasons to stir up resolution and instigating to all those ways that breed and cherish it And this latter is another particular whereby Meditation is a relief and fortifier of good resolutions and purposes 2. Meditation I say is a great strengthener and stablisher of holy purposes both as it is a directive and instigative as teaching us what are the ways to help us in purposing and as instigating and provoking to the Ordinances and means that will water the Plants of holy purposes make them root deep and shoot up high flourish and bear fruit If our purposes are weak if our hearts in purposings are apt to slip out of joint no sooner set but as soon slipt or ready to dislocate and be out of joint what remedy then have we but consideration or falling to meditate to make a true inquiry first of the right and proportionate ways of healing this will-malady this heart-infirmity 2. And then Meditation instigates to a due use of discovered helps of infirm and inconstant resolutions draws you to and through the whole circle of means provokes you to try every Remedy to cure these abortive purposes It directs and leads you to all the Ordinances of help to the promises that make over help to a Christ and all his Fulness of help to the holy Spirit for his applying effectually of help to stirring up Faith to acting recumbencies and restings on Christ in the Promises to stirring up our selves to humble our selves for our failings in our purposes and to strive against them watch our hearts slipperiness and to labour keeping our resolutions and purposes better In Natures order doing is upon resolving resolving upon considering so in grace performing is upon purposing purposing arises from
glowing heat and liveliness for all the following day is still fit in some measure to be practised 2. The next should be some serious musing on that next End our own salvation and Eternal bappiness farther to be wrought out to be our day labour by the opportunity of a new begun day a day which will bring us nearer to the Ocean of Eternity CHAP. IV. Of the next End Salvation NExt to the highest Gods interest must be mused seriously upon this great soul-interest Prov. 9.12 If thou art wise thou art wise for thy self 2 Tim. 3.1 Wisdom to salvation This because self is so near and dear and the immortal Soul so unspeakably precious the heart being once stampt with a spiritual high strong self-love will have a mighty influence of warmth abiding on the Spirit Here two things are to be attended and practised 1. Meditation of Salvation in a more general Notion and Consideration works little or nothing but the pondering of particulars in Salvation It is a Rule in Oratory and so in Preaching that for moving and drawing the affections generals and things in a confused manner spoken they hit not work not draw not It is the distinct seeing and viewing of particulars which moves and affects to purpose So Meditation to be effectual must particularize the things comprised in some sort in this happiness and salvation As that so blessed freedom from sin in the guilt in pardon and righteousness from the dominion of sin by power life image of Christ and holiness and the glorious priviledges of a Christian here and Everlasting Glory hereafter and such like 2. There 's another Rule among Oratours that things moving the Affections they do it either Magnitudine aut Praesentia by their greatness or excellency or by their presence or nearness As the greatness of a person or the presence of a person or the greatness of a good or evil or the nearness and presence of it 1. The greatness the surpassing greatness of Salvation as Scripture sets it forth Heb. 2. That so unspeakable deliverance from such a height breadth and length of Misery by sin and that inexpressible happiness by union with Jesus Christ The so great things of this glorious state should fall by our Meditation upon the Affections and daily like fire from Heaven kindle them greatly 2. Things move by their presence or nearness the remoter the Object is from the Faculty as the Objects of the External Senses as Seeing Hearing and the rest or the farther a thing is apprehended to be as any Place or Time or the like the less it affects But the presence or propinquity of a thing moves most as when a Poyson or dangerous thing is near or present as an Antidote or a help when near when Death or Deliverance is at hand when a Friend is present or the like this moves most So the way of Meditation here is by representing salvation as present or near 2 Cor. 6. 1 2 3. escaping Hell as now being put into possession of Heaven as now if I were now dying and my Soul sitting on my lips ready to take its flight as now if now the last Trump were sounding now Jesus Christ seen coming to Judgment now the Sentence of Absolution passing Let me thus season and strengthen Meditation by this kind of representation seeing it as near as present now acting now doing or now having and fully possessing this Salvation CHAP. V. Of the Means conducing to this chief End THE next thing in spiritual wisdom to be the Object of daily Meditation is to give as we can some allowance of serious thoughts of that which should be the due and adequate means conducing to the chief End of Eternal life with the glorifying of God as formerly we have mentioned 1. Christ the way Therefore the next thing being the highest and uppermost of all conducing Means to the Supream End the next thing I say to be the great Object of Meditation must be Jesus Christ our way to the Father and our highest way of glorifying him None comes to the Father saith Christ but by me John Initial coming to God by Faith to Justification Reconciliation and Union with God is by Christ All other after comings and glorifyings of God are still by Christ as also all salvation is treasured up in him so it must be the best way for our Meditations method to be daily acted in some measure upon our mighty Saviour our great and only way to our great and chief End so he calls himself the way John Here what a most glorious and delicious Object hath the Eye of Meditation Christ in Isa 65.1 calls Behold me behold me ah what a Spirit must that be that for such an infinite Beauty cannot afford one cast of the eye one wishly look in the whole compass of a day that can look every way freely fixedly and unweariedly but Christward The Spouse in the Canticles her Eye-walk was among the Excellencies and Beauties of her Beloved the Lord Christ his pure Colours White and Red his most rare features and exact proportions of every part his Head Locks Eyes Cheeks Lips Hands Legs and all his glorious perfections and then addes to fum up all that he is altogether lovely So lovely that her Eye affected her heart and so beloved that she fell sick of love Ah when a heart is strongly enflamed with a Love to Christ the eye will be acted in most wishly lookings upon Christ as the love grows the earnest lookings will grow Here then the Rule is to Meditate in some due measure on this Glorious Object so both infinitely excellent in himself and so mighty a Saviour unto us His infinite Riches and Preciousness in his Natures united in his Offices conferred in his graces fullness perfect performances most perfect Redemption his infinite love pity willingness to save lost Sinners The so great free offers of himself and giving himself to us applying his whole Redemption to us by his mighty operation in us Some singular seriousness and rigour of Meditation cannot but daily be due as that first and chief means to the chief End Christians that least look at Christ and least distinctly view him will make the slowest progress and such as study him most will have the easiest and most expedite coming up to the main Mark. CHAP. VI. Meditation of the Holy Spirit the Applier of Christ and his Redemption 2. SOme due proportion of Thoughts-seriousness is proper to be daily acted in reference to the mighty and only applyer of the work of Christs Redemption the holy Spirit and our great daily helper The Holy Spirit first comes to the Soul and person of a Christian applies Christ to him brings Christ into him makes him his Temple and an Habitation of God and Christ to dwell in the heart The Spirit comes inhabits sweeps and cleanses furnishes the heart with light that was darkness with truth that was errour and deceitfulness with power that was weakness life-warmth
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
righteous manner to the salvation of his people destruction of his Enemies and his own Glory 2. I may Meditate at least sometimes of the other soul-beauties of heavenly Graces as of that grand rare grace of Love holy Love that which is the fullfilling of the Law the great Breeder and Feeder of all Obedience Love which daily as a Fire must be blown up and made to burn afresh in the heart and enliven the daily course Ah what a Christian may do by keeping his heart hot and burning in Love 3. Joy Meditating of living the life of heavenly peace and joy rejoycing in the Lord alway Not living the life of sadness and pensiveness most unbecoming an Heir of Eternal Glory 4. Hope Meditate also I may of heavenly Hope which makes not ashamed Rom. 5.5 Heb. 6.19 An Anchor sure and firm to ride out all storms And of all the Graces as of holy Fear Humility Meekness Patience Contentedness Zeal Courage Constancy all the Chain of Graces mentioned in 2 Pet. 1.5 and other places The whole days actings should be considered so as not to be a complication of vanities follies and careless walkings but a shewing forth and shining in the glorious beams of heavenly Graces and Excellencies 5. Meditate daily I should of the spiritual dangers I am surrounded with by spiritual Enemies That principal and Arch-Enemy the Flesh that sin which is connatural to me dwells in me Rom. 7. and so easily besets me Heb. 12.1 that is alway present and too prevalent the Fountain and Forge of all other sins the Heart Touch-wood and Tinder for temptation The ground out of which all the stinking and poysonous weeds of Lust grow up and that ground and foundation of the deepest tincture and grain Colour of all soul-defiling Habits and customary sins that so enslave and lead a sinner captive 2. Of that so potent Adversary Satan his subtlety and depths vigilancy and unwearied diligence whetted by implacable and improving malice 1 Pet. 5.8 3. The World that Bait for Satans Hook and great Engine whereby he acts by the many sweet Allurements on the one hand and Determents on the other hand These I must every day watch and war with Therefore I must daily consider my helpers God the Father Son and Holy Spirit 2 Cor. 8.9 Eph. 6.13 The Armour of God I must put on for every part and my fighting in the strength of Christ by whom I may be made more than Conquerour Rom. 8.37 And for the last general there must be Meditation of the unspeakable preciousness of time running on without possibility of a stand or least stay With the Frailty of life Psal 39.4 with the uncertainty of it and the certainty of death and unavoidableness of that which will cast me upon Eternity These are the more general things among which my Meditation may take its walks and upon which my seriousness may daily sit down to make its spiritual advantage by I must adde now things more particular CHAP. XI Of some Particulars to be added to the former Generals THere are some things in particular I may adde which may help to direct and quicken a Christian in his daily course 1. For the Scripture I daily read or hear to endeavour some thoughts which may help to higher quickenings and heart-enlargings by farther fresh ponderings of the surpassing Excellencies and mighty Efficacies of the Scripture to think of a required higher rising estimation more inflamed affections of Love Joy Hope Longing and the rest seen and so observably conspicuous in the Saints in Scripture to light our Candle by their flame And the more rooted resolution I should take up and engage in to be more by my looking into the Glass of the Word transformed into the image of it 1 Cor. 3.18 Of Faith in the Word I should farther think of that Faith I am necessarily to act in the truth and certainty and usefulness of the Word I now am to be exercised in and of my mixing of Faith more abundantly with it Heb. 4.2 As to any Doctrine Precept Promise Threatning or Examples and whatever is there related for my use Of Wisdom I should think also of the Wisdom which that I read requires in selecting that out is most conducible is my proper portion and best fitting my souls condition As Samuel at his Feast set forth something peculiar for Saul 1 Sam. 9.23 24. Joseph caused to be prepared for his Brother Benjamin Gen. 43.34 God will now be seen if wisdom be used to hold forth a peculiar prepared portion Some Eye-salve to annoint mine Eyes Rev. 3.18 some rich Balm to heal some sore some corrosive to eat out some proud flesh some Cordial for a strengthener and chearer some piece of spiritual treasure to enrich me some rare Jewel for ornament wanting to me something there is now in my hand for my now spiritual advantage if I can see it and see it I may by that which must be the Auxiliary and constant Assistant of my reading if I would meet with a due profiting which is my conscientious and careful pondering weighing and weighing this pure Gold stored up in Christs rich Treasury to make me rich Reading brings me Meat Meditation brings forth the sweetness Reading brings the Coals to the Wood Meditation makes the flame Reading brings me the Sword of the Word Meditation whets it Reading barely proves pouring water into a Sieve Meditation is putting Gold into a Treasury the former lets the Water out the latter locks the Gold up O let me read much but let me also Meditate much that Meditation and Reading may be commensurate my Souls digestion proportioned to its Reception its taking in by Reading let me Read and Meditate that I may not have a meagre lean soul like them that have an eager appetite and a weak digestion but that it may be fat and well-liking by this good digestion of due Meditation 2. Some lively and vigorous Meditation should be daily performed in reference to private Prayer I say for assistance and furtherance of secret Closet-Prayer that so important and sweet Soul-Exercise 1. Of that importancy and concernment that the main stress both of the whole work and likewise of the hearts after warmth and life in the day lies greatly on it 2. Of that heavenly sweetness that it is the chief way of our private familiarity with God 3. Of that excellency that it is our only way of private speaking unto the great God of having the high honour and favour of whispering in his ear access in private to his bosom and bowels and the chief way of procuring his private Signet and Seal of blessed assurance of happiness The way it is of the souls freshest freest and most elevated actings such as oft-times praying in company must not cannot bear and the way of strong high Exercise of sundry Graces 1. It sends private Embassies daily to the King of Heaven by Faith 2. It carries up daily the soul to Heaven in a
this spring of self and sinful interest is more apt to owse out of my heart and make a breach in the Banks that Christ by his grace hath made there That particular evil which is so strong stirring and striving to carry me down the stream and keep me under I was upright saith the Prophet Psal 18.23 before him and kept my self from mine iniquity that sin which had been of peculiar prevalence and would be so again the sin that had special edge and eagerness too oft appearing and endeavouring it attempting to make its escape from his watch his heart-keeping and appear in act and power There is some corruption or evil in every spirit which like some rank weed in the Garden is still putting up or ready to put forth like some leak in a Vessel ready to run out by it This needs a special minding and considering sutable to its dangerousness as that which will be a thorn in the Foot hinder our going work disquiet dash our confidence before God and weaken our hands from our work I must peculiarly consider this daily that it get not at any time ground of me but that I gain upon it more that I watch it fight it look that this Gangreen spread not run not up to my heart but that I stop and kill it Minding it duly will provoke to endeavour a right course for the just cure and sound healing of it Meditation may be also of what other evils are busie in my bosom what are stirring most what are getting any ground and what are losing it 2. What graces I want or have most need of to enable me more to lift up the Name of Christ sweeten my spirit with peace ease my course and render me more serviceable to others Every day I should well attend to what Gospel Ornaments and Jewels I ought to put on and wear before others to make my conversation shine Col. 3.12 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7. Pliny reports of Poppaea the Wife of the Roman Emperour Nero that when she was to go abroad she still would be deckt and adorn'd with such abundance and varieties of most precious Stones and Jewels as it dazled the eyes of the Beholders And I have read of a like manner of the Mogul or great Emperour in the East-Indies who if on some special times he sits out to be seen by the Common people he puts on such great numbers of Diamonds Carbuncles Rubies and other glistering and glorious Jewels as they cannot without great admiration behold him yea can hardly by reason of the Suns shining and reflections discern his face the glory of the Jewels is so great Christians must consider their putting on and wearing the rich Ornaments and Jewels of heavenly graces to shine gloriously in them and take the Eyes of all that behold them with the discoveries of the Soul inward Beauties of Faith Love Hope Joy Fear Humility Meekness Patience Contentedness heavenly mindedness and rest to the glory of Christ in whose beams of Beauty and Glory they ever should shine 3. When holy David in his course of Meditation after matters of his private concernment closes so ordinarily the whole Meditation with that grand interest of Zion the Churches case may not this be then a Rule to our Meditation for a high demonstration of our publick spiritedness our constant mindings of that superlative and transcendent interest of God in this world the glory of his great Name in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and the people given to him their peace prosperity and glory and the disappointments of all their Enemies Designs which also is an Article in their Heavenly Jointure Some other particulars might farther be mentioned to be taken in by Meditation such as matters of our callings and daily converse in varieties of Companies and Friends and how to be right Christian in them excell in improving them to their proper uses and ends for the glory of God 4. Meditation for review of the work of the day There remains but one thing more to be added namely in the close of the day should be or is fit to be that Meditation of review or that overlooking of matters in the foregoing day to make a happy closing it up by a fresh humbling our selves and returning to God and acting new Recumbencies on his free rich grace in Christ by the precious promises to sweeten our lying down 5. And in the Night season that great time with David and others of the Saints When I awake let me be ever with God and my Meditation of him sweet Psal 139. Psal 104. The sum of that hath been mentioned about daily Meditation is 1. To enter the Duty at our awaking with Reflections on the matters of the Night past the preservations and comforts especially of that time 2. To look forward to the incumbencies of the coming day and how best to redeem it by Endeavour 1. To act a fresh setting up the supreme end of glorifying God 2. To have a serious musing on the next end my own Eternal Happiness 3. Then to mind the proportionate means to the mark or end I aim at 1. Therefore first to look wishly at the fullness of Christ freely offered as the way to God and happiness 2. To Meditate on our mighty helper the Holy Spirit the great Applyer of Redemption 3. Meditations on the Ordinances of Christ the walks and ways the Holy Spirit comes in and applies Christ to the Soul by 4. Meditation of the Word and Promises which the Spirit in the Ordinances useth as the peculiar instruments of drawing the heart to Christ and of applying him daily more 5. Meditation of the several Graces to be continually on the occasions requiring exercised and improved 6. Meditation of our spiritual Enemies the Flesh within Satan and the World without More particularly 1. Meditating in reference to reading the Holy Scripture with those graces I am to exercise in my Reading 2. The Meditation private Prayer calls for if I pray before reading or when I can and am any time in the day to pray privately 3. Meditation of what is the chief grace I am defective in or the peculiar blessing I want at present 4. Meditation of the grand interest of God as relating to his Church in the world 5. The Meditation of review or self-examination in reference to things of the day past These heads I have mentioned not to impose on any as to matter or method absolutely but to propose some things which if not alway necessary yet that may be performed in some degree as ability and opportunity admits Divers of the particulars if daily Meditation be judged necessary by us I am sure then they inust be judged necessary for such as daily will observe it CHAP. XIV Of the Sabbath and Lords day THere now remains but one thing more to be added to what hath been said concerning daily Meditation namely the Meditation relating to that eminent day of God first the seventh day of the
of it therefore he must know it and it must be true Rom. 2.2 The Judgment of God is according to truth and the Word of truth whereby he will judge 5. Take in also the recorded demonstrations of it such as God discovered foretold and after came to pass setting a seal to this infallible truth Hazael 2 King 8.19 was by Revelation from God told it by Elisha and with much seeming abhorrence disclaim'd it yet instantly is confuted and had his mouth stopt The Apostles were told of their forsaking Christ and Peter of his denying of him which he would not believe Mar. 14.50 yet within a very little time appeared Scripture Records of the hearts great deceitfulness are left us to conclude and confirm us herein But O how hard is it to see to believe against our selves Our own great frequencies of Experiences the very instances out of the Nurseries of our own hearts the evil Plants that put forth fresh continually of their fruits deceitfulness prove it to our faces if we make Observations of them as we ought to do O there 's not one day if we are watchful but is full of sad instances from Morning to Night At all times we may find our hearts ready to commit cheats upon our selves and in soul concerns as to our spiritual Estates O what grand deceits are we too apt to have therein As particularly in respect of God how ready to think erroneously of him as to his omniscience truth holiness righteousness mercy free Grace power and providence and such like As the self condemned Drunkard Deut. 29.19 says I shall have peace though I adde drunkenness to thirst And he in the 50. Psalm v. 21. Thou saidst I was like to thee so the best are out of predominant corruption very ready to commit great mistakes and deceits in respect of their own sins graces the things of God and things of the world there 's no end of naming excellent Treatises are written of this hearts deceitfulness 2. Meditation should proceed to the unspeakable sadness of this heart Temper every one should cry out with the holy Apostle Rom. 7.24 O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this deceitful heart out of the hands of this Deceiver so great and so near gotten so far within me and that will be a cursed inmate so long as this House of the Body stands and will not out utterly whatsoever hard usage it finds O how sad is it to have such a self-betraying companion so deeply rooted within me To have in my own Bosom such a continual Forge and Fountain acting and running in so violent Tydes high Spring-Tydes ever and anon carrying me down to that I must so sadly bewail and smart under 3. The attendants and consequences of this heart deceitfulness should greatly be pondered as to be so fooled by my self by trusting my self Prov. 28.26 He that trusts his own heart is a Fool May I not trust my own heart without having such a Character and Brand upon me O then what a Fool have I been and that Millions of Millions of times O how great a Fool exceeding often in suffering so notorious Cheats to be put upon me such a Lust or Corruption to clap a Biass on my Heart and Fool lead me lead me so far so deep into the dirt so far from home from Heaven from God from peace comfort hope and heart of returning How many and many ways have I been a fool yea and still am daily most unwise he that is so easily and ordinarily unwise must be a fool to purpose Whosoever shall be but twice or thrice cheated by the same person and not beware will be accounted no wise man but for a sinner to be not twice or thrice cheated but thousands of times by the same deceitful heart cheated with the saddest saddest imaginable deceits must be unwise indeed O how sad is it that we cannot by all experiences take heed of this deceitful heart I can take heed of every one better than my self it may be I scarce will trust any body in worldly affairs but my self that is worse than any without me that I will trust and so be deceived O let me often think what trusting my own heart is and needs must come unto I had need think well of the foolish Builder Mat. 7.26 that built his house upon the sand grounded his hopes of salvation on a false bottom and of the wise Builder who built his house on a Rock by real building by precious Faith on Christ And let me likewise meditate often on the ten Virgins the foolish deceived with a Lamp of outward profession only and the wise that with their Lamps provided Oyl of Grace a heart right-renovation 4. Meditate first on the heart-knower Against heart deceitfulness let me as the sure way look up continually to the only perfect heart-knower to beg most earnestly his help to shew me my hearts deceitfulness Secondly on Christ my wisdom Let me mind this well that Christ only must be my wisdom 1 Cor. 1.31 my teacher whom I must apply and rest on peculiarly for his wisdom and teachings daily to extricate and carry me out of the Labyrinths and many secret windings of my so deceitful spirit Thirdly on the Spirit my helper And must consider the mighty helper the Holy Spirit to help me against my self-deceivings Rom. 8.26 He helps our infirmities and he helps against this infirmity of being so ready to be cheated Christ by his Spirit he can and will deliver me if I trust upon him he hath given me his Word Fourthly the Word I must meditate on the Word there are the sure Rules and ways revealed to shew how to undeceive my self The Word Heb 4.12 is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart if I make it my Exercise to meditate in the Word of Christ he by his Spirit with the Word will teach and help me if I obey it I have endeavoured a little this being so important a concernment to help our Meditation in it and those that believe and fear their hearts deceivings most will ever speed best those that trust their hearts most will smart most CHAP. XVII Of divers other things for solemn and set Meditation 6. SOlemn and serious Meditation a very great and diligent consideration I should often act in reference to that arch Enemy without namely the Devil who though he be an Enemy without yet gains and maintains all he can a correspondency with corruption within me Satan I must consider as fallen from God and so from his primitive station and happiness into damnation and Hell fallen out implacably with God and for his sake with his best Creature on Earth man Out of his implacable hatred his aim is to drown men in the same Perdition and Hell with himself 1 Pet. 5.8 He seeks whom he may devour Rev. 2.24 he hath his deceits depths methods and arts of both tempting and troubling 2 Cor. 2.11 And
1. Let me first begin with the meritorious cause of it That which Heathens knew not Nature saw not Philosophy and Learning could not find out nor reach only holy Scripture tells me and shews it to be that most black inlet sin Rom. 5.12 Death entred into the world by sin and v. 17. By one mans offence death reigned not only entred but reigned hath mastered and will master all sinners Sin that greatest evil in the world sin the only contrariety to the living God that gave life to man at first and ever since sin that only injury to the blessed God bred and brought death the greatest misery to man here sin that provoked God to pass the sentence sin occasioning the vindictive cause the Justice of God to let in death death with the consequences of it that would follow without a Mediator that Adam knew not of Death so considered is the way of the very deepest revenge a God can take But then this black part of it bodily death without that blacker Train of Hell and Eternity in it is that which must challenge a very great proportion of ponderings 2. Let me look at not only the rise of it and the bare wrath occasioning the inflicting it but that so fixt and irreversible sentence that like the Law of the Medes and Persians cannot be broken Heb. 9.27 It 's appointed for all the universality of sin hath given death an universal sting and the Statute of Heaven hath impowered Death's Extensiveness over all and set a seal of irrevocableness to it as to all men Therefore it is appointed I must think particularly for me whatever I am or do or can in utmost possibility do I must not once think of making an escape from it Yea let me consider as I must die so the very Year Moneth Day Hour and Moment is immutably fixt and can never be altered Job 14.5 the place also where the means whereby the manner how all circumstances about it are unchangeably determined 3. But how material is that particular of the uncertainty of the time and manner to me that 's a reservation and secret kept in the Lord 's own breast not possibly to be exactly known before without it be revealed as Christ of the Great Day of Judgment saith Mat. 24.36 Of that day and hour knoweth no man And Verse 42. Ye know not what hour your Lord will come And 44. In such an hour you think not your Lord comes so the two latter may be applyed to this of death when he calls for an accompt of our Stewardships and Talents and passes particular and personal Judgment 3. Let me pass next to the Meditation serious pondering of the nature of it and that great dreadfulness of that most terrible of terribles that King of terrours Job 18.14 Here that I may duly look on it let me look up for a God to teach me as to number my days Ps 90. so to be wise to consider my latter end to do that hard work overcome that difficulty of looking Death-watd Nature abhors the thinking of it Corruption all it can opposes it but Grace must bring and fix earnestly and often the Eye upon it familiarize death to me let me then Eye my dissolution the parting of the two nearest dearest friends the Soul 's taking its sad farewel of its former dwelling it s going going in an instant out of the Body and then that which Death doth as an Enemy to all former Life concerns and as an entrance upon an Eternal Condition 1. As an Enemy to all enjoyments how sweet soever Pleasures all now quenched Honours now all dasht Riches and Estate now all lost Power now utterly ceast 2. An Enemy to all Relations Friends Acquaintance now must I shake hands with all nearest and dearest the sweetest and most helpful Relations 3. An Enemy to all Imployments necessary or pleasurable no Work no Business no Invention after it 4. An Enemy to all Opportunities and Means of Grace never to read the Bible more never to hear one Sermon more never to receive the Lords Supper more never to make one Prayer the shortest of one of the fewest words more and then also when thou art just launching into the length of vast Eternity But now must be Prayerless and totally helpless yea now thy Souls condition becomes becalmed and thou canst not obtain one gale of the Holy Spirit to blow upon thee and help move thee in any measure 5. It s an Enemy quickly to the curious frame and so exquisite building of thy body with all its parts and members made with such adaptations and sutableness whatever with all the Tempers Qualities Offices Abilities and Actings of it An Enemy likewise to all the senses seeing hearing the two disciplinary with feeling tasting smelling the so likewise necessary 6. It is an Enemy and Destroyer of all comliness and beauty form and shape And all these former by being the Enemy and Destroyer of that thy so sweet and precious life by making that Jewel drop out of the Cabinet of the Body or rather driving forth thy immortal and invaluable soul bringing with it a Writ of forcible entrance coming with an Execution to turn out that old inhabitant of the body securing it from regaining possession making it stand empty and thence exposing the body to rot ruine turn to dust and expose it to Oblivion as if it had never been But then upon thy Souls thus leaving thy Body immediately and instantly it is cast upon a state of Eternity of Misery if thou wert not in Christ or felicity if found and dying in him When Life ends Eternity begins O this all amazing Eternity this so vast and inconceivable Eternity no way to be exprest or set forth no way to be understood or known a Glass that is ever running a Chain that is ever lengthening who can number the Sands of this Glass who can reckon the links of this Chain of Eternity without stop or period bound or end O let me be ever musing of this Ever have it so full in my Eye while I have time this moment of time here that it may wind up and leave me in possession of most happy Eternity But to affect my spirit aright and be wise in the due managing of this Meditation of dreadful Death let me look to and ponder the Scripture Commands for remembring and considering my latter end and the Arguments strongly inducing to it How frequently and earnestly is it urged upon all O let me lay the weight and stress of them close to my heart not suffering it to put by the thoughts of death how awk and averse soever my carnal spirit is towards it Let me therefore not only muse on the sentence the peremptory and irrevocable sentence passed upon all in general and so upon my self in particular but on it as ready to be executed this hour yea this moment for ought I or any in the world can tell Ah let me say to my self the
caught up to meet and see the Lord Jesus their Saviour and now the glorious Judge coming to consummate their happiness in soul and body together to die no more and to meet with all the Saints and Angels come from Heaven and to be for ever with the Lord never to be from him again 5. But others that were wicked and now raised with the other black Troop that were in Hell and now have their Souls united to their bodies All shall be brought before Christ the Judge according to the opinion of some sitting on a high Throne in the Air the Saints and Angels all attending about him 9. For the manner of these proceedings alluding to the manner of mens Judicatures as Revelations Chapter 20. 1. All persons small and great are brought and stand before God that is Christ God and man 2. The Books are opened the Book of Gods Omniscience and the Books of mens hearts and consciences not in an imperfect state of ignorance and forgetfulness but fully prepared for their work of answering at the Tribunal and Bar of Christ 3. It is a judging men according to their works for that hath been done in the body good or evil Eccl. 12.16 And a judging every secret thing of mens hearts Rom. 2.16 Some conceive that seeing there will be the Revelation of the righteous judgment of God Rom. 2. therefore it will have a long time to judge the cause of every person in all particulars that so the righteousness of the judgment and sentence of Christ with the Execution of it may fully appear and none to have any least objection against it But others think there will not be so particular a discovery and tryal of all things relating to the Saints but a more general one However Christians must be diligent to be found of Christ without spot and blameless as 2 Pet. 3.14 10. When the cases of all have been tryed and made to appear the Sheep having been separate from the Goats and set at Christs right hand the Goats on the left the sentence then passes that most comfortable sentence for the Sheep the Righteous now so judged by the heart-knowing and most just Judge Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for you And that terrible sentence on the Goats now openly convicted Go ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels To which the Saints and Angels all give their full approbation as also to the doom upon the Devils 11. Upon which the most righteous execution follows of both the sentences for the righteous and against the wicked ones To make all this obtain a more efficacious impression daily on my spirit let me strive to represent this Day as now come that I hear the Trump sound see the dead rise the living all changed in a moment looking up I see Christ coming in the Clouds with great glory Angels and Saints all attending him Christ placed on the Throne of Judgment all persons convented before him and my self among the rest my case tryed my works words thoughts and all my secrets judged and my state for all Etemity determined and now when the World is all on Fire the wicked sent into that everlasting destruction the righteous going with Christ into Heaven and everlasting happiness what my own particular condition is like to be If I can come before Christ the all-knowing Judge with confidence and exceeding joy shall be absolved and hear that joyful sentence Come thou blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom prepared for thee CHAP. XXI Of Meditation of Hell and Death Eternal therein THE very naming of Death is dreadful Death Eternal is much more dreadful but a being in Hell the worst place possible is most dreadful of all Hell though in the meer mentioning it makes such a jarr upon the spirit of any though the least touching on it by a but glancing thought the least touch be like the needles sharp point to the Apple of the Eye so acute a pain and smart yet must the Eye of the soul by Meditation not only touch it but take it close to it but dwell upon it Death natural in the but very thought hath a very high attending regret we cannot endure to look deathward but O how greatly unwilling to look in the least this sad way destruction-ward Hell-ward toward death Eternal The first is tasting Gall but the second is a drinking Poyson The one hath a deep attending reluctancy the other a double died antipathy It 's the harshest task for a sinner it 's a hard for a Saint to fix willingly and dwell in Meditation on so sad and dreadful a subject as Hell is yet is it that which must be done and by a holy wise spirit may be both confidently and advantageously done The best Christian on earth will lose nothing by sometimes looking into Hell and fixing the thoughts there No man ever yet fled from Hell but first fixt his thoughts in some proportion on it No man will flye fast enough from this Pit of perdition this Lake of Fire if he do not oft look towards it and keep his Eye upon it Hell and Death Eternal are set down in Scripture for both evil and good mens flying but this cannot be compast without frequencies of earnest ponderings and meditatings For a right proceeding in this Meditation 1. Let me first look to that which is my infallible rule the testimony of that God who founded Hell and laid the corner stone of it who first threatned and prepared this Prison this Pit of destruction who knows all the large dimensions of it all things in and about it and cannot nor will not in the least deceive us in it He hath given us his Word to tell us and that under his own hand in great numbers and varieties of passages that we cannot rationally conceive he would so do mention and give it so many times under his own hand were there no such thing no local Hell and second Death Eternal My way therefore as a good Christian is to look up gather Scripture passages passage after passage all over the Book of God as I find this asserted in them O shall my lives time ravel out without any redeeming it as to this particular of giving due down weight of thoughts frequent serious thoughts as opportunity can be had of Death Eternal in Hell I must not only say there is a Hell I must not only give it for granted as most persons do but I must be concluded under the Scripture Authority See it and say it upon due perswasion upon clear demonstration demonstration on conclusive argumentation Arguments chosen as so many Arrows taken out of Christs Quiver the Scriptures levell'd right flying round up to the mark and hitting full my unbelieving and recoiling averse spirit making it fall down under this weighty truth reducing it through Christs help to a firm and operative belief yea so to assent to and ponder this so high
of meer general thinkings or that of Phansie or Speculation of our own but first laying a Scripture great and firm foundation And then after to improve those Scripture assertions by all the ability and help we can of Reason and Inferences of best Representations and Resemblances of Imagination and Invention General apprehensions and grantings of Scripture truths deceive and destroy many when they are rested in General notions of Heaven and happiness granting it there is a Heaven and no more makes many miss of it miss for want of more distinct apprehensions well grounded believing and due deep sinking of it to the bottom of the heart there to lie glowing to warm and kindle the affections to provoke into a labouring a mighty striving to win the Crown of glory The way is as wisdom in all other cases of consequence teaches to come off every day from general confused thoughts of Heaven and happiness restings on and runnings away with a supposed doing enough If we still grant there 's a Heaven and Happiness every day to endeavour distincter and clearer thoughts and knowledge Generals will not serve grantings must not be made the enough of a wise Christian he must have an extensive and enlarging clearness an encreasing firmness of Faith in the Doctrines the great points of salvation But we having this so prime an Article of faith that which hath wrapt up in it so rich a Treasure and preserves as it were that so inestimable Jewel of happiness mans last end that which is the great foundation and instigation of all a Christians strivings and hopes for he hath no hope in this life for happiness here This therefore should not be turned off nor terminated as too oft is done with a granting or bare assent but still obtain of us a fuller firmer warmer and more operative seeing and belief Now this cannot be without diligent gathering in and better still Meditating on particular Scriptures asserting and clearly manifesting this main Article and mans chief end comprised in it The Jewish Church had this typified in the Holy of Holies as Heb. 9.3.12.24 Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands which were the Figures of the true but into Heaven it self This was that by the visible place faith might be stirr'd up to eye and view the invisible typified state of glory Psal 73.24 David tells us of it and was assured to be received up into glory that is into Heaven in glory Dan. 12.23 Of them that sleep in the dust some shall awake to everlasting life and shine as the brightness of the firmament and some as the stars for ever The Church of the New Testament in the writings given by Christ to it have this Doctrine of Heaven and happiness abundantly and most clearly set forth The first mentionings of it are out of the mouth of him that with the Father and Holy Spirit made it Math. 5.3 in Christs first Sermon Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven So verse 10 12. The persecuted for righteousness theirs is c. verse 20. Mention there is again of it Verse 34. and v. 45. and 48. Chap. 6. v. 1. v. 9. The first passage in the Lord's Prayer At least twelve several times in this first Sermon of Christ this Heaven is mentioned And as in the Gospels so all the new Testament over you may many scores of times find and see it lying as a most shining and glorious Diamond in the Mine or as in a rich Cabinet for to be viewed and laboured for The multitudes of places well weighed must needs hold forth to all that shut not their eyes wilfully a Local Heaven a place of happiness and glory It is no Allegorical Heaven as some have dream'd or may ignorantly imagine when it is asserted in so many clear passages which all of them in our reading or hearings should have their due weight weight of thinkings and efficacy on us for firm believing and answerable endeavours for not losing but enjoying it For the rank of places what it hath the Scripture tells us it is the third Heaven the first being that where the Clouds are the second where the glorious Lights Sun Moon and Stars are this third above them all call'd therefore the highest Heaven This third and highest Heaven is most inconceivably excellent not made of any preceeding matter much less of any elementary matter Some say it was made immediately of nothing and with it were also made concreated the Angels all at the same instant Heaven never being empty of Inhabitants The Sun Moon and Stars were made not the first day but the fourth day for Furniture of that Heaven under the highest Heaven 2. It is the largest and most capacious place as that which comprises or surrounds all the inferiour world and things in that O here here is Rechaboth room enough In this world here 's crowding pushing crushing of the Saints The wicked world would quite cast them every one out of it to be left alone and enjoy all to be let alone and have none to see and shame them any way But the Saints shall all be brought at last into a large place where none shall molest or trouble them Heaven is a Rechaboth indeed a most large place The Globe of the whole Earth and Water is as Geographers tell us at the least one and twenty thousand and six hundred miles in compass The Air above encompassing in that and especially the uppermost part of the Air must needs be far more in compass than the Earth and Water The Moon alone is very great though something less than the Earth some of the Planets are judged far greater than the Globe of the Earth The Sun by some is judged to be one hundred sixty six times greater than the whole Earths Globe which others make yet far greater which then must be some millions of miles in compass according to that account The fixed Stars which all are above the highest Planet Saturn are by the Learned every of them judged greater than all the Earth the least of them eighteen times bigger than the Earth those of the highest magnitude and the most glorious brightness an hundred and eighteen times bigger than the whole Earth Of these fixed Stars who can tell the numbers of them those which are reckon'd are but some hundreds in their Constellations How exceeding then vast must this starry Heaven be if the Planets and fixed Stars in it are so great and numerous O then how unspeakably vast and large must this third Heaven be which compasses round all the Earth Air and the starry Heavens What a Kingdom for Territories is this What a place for Christ to prepare Mansions for his in What a place for the all-glorious God and Jesus Christ to keep a Court in highest splendour and magnificence in And the Lord Jesus the Saviour that purchased this inheritance with his own blood for him to be ever viewed loved admired
now could have I am now next to come to the cogencies and strengths of Reasons which are for the farther evidencing and supporting of this so important Duty of holy Meditation CHAP. XXV Of the Grounds and Reasons of this so necessary Duty of Meditation SO great and necessary a Duty must have its support of strong Reasons to conclude it and help to bear up the spirit better under the weight of it Divine and infinite Wisdom must needs impose and require nothing without great and sufficient Reasons I shall therefore endeavour to propose sundry of them in their clearness and strength as I can in this short intended piece The grounds and farther demonstrations of this Meditation I shall reduce to these four heads 1. First from the natural order and dependencies of the Faculties of the reasonable soul and the several principles of Grace given into those faculties to enable the soul rightly to exercise it self to godliness 2. From the transcendent Excellency of Divine matters which must have their due and full mindings 3. From the use and several ends of Divine Meditation 4. From either the great accruing advantages or the prejudice upon the due performance or sinful neglect of this required Meditation 1. Ground From the natural order and dependencies of the souls faculties and the graces laid into these faculties for enabling a Christian rightly to exercise godliness God as he made man an excellent creature for excellent ends and operations so he hath made the mind and understanding to be the souls eye guide and director The first great Wheel the first mover directing and setting the other faculties of the will and affections in going and doing their several offices And because mans nature is corrupted and disabled of it self alone to perform things spiritual and holy in a due manner without a new heart a new mind will and affections all sanctified by new principles given in to them Therefore he must have a new light and knowledge for his natural darkness ignorance and error A new wisdom for his natural folly A new power and goodness of will for the natural depravity A new stamp of order power and life in the affections and holiness in all the heart for the disorder and unruliness The order in both Nature and Grace is to act from the purpose intention and choice of the will and heat of affections But first the will acts from the understanding that 's the Golden Candlestick which holds the Light and is the spring that brings all motion about that sets all the wheels of the soul on going We first must see and have our guide before we chuse affect or act The Will as they say in Philosophy is Potentia coeca a blind faculty Therefore the understanding must guide at first Therefore it must first act by thinking seeing and shewing vvhat is to be done in all rational actings thinking must be first And to come nearer to our purpose in all works of wisdom the understanding must act not hastily but with heed not vvith precipitation but pondering All heed and pondering requires time for the minds bending it self to a thing searching into it staying upon it by musing and meditating After due consideration comes the conclusive dictate of the understanding that this or that is to be done and before it be done the Will first spontaneously chuses it and then doing follovvs upon determining Novv as things done rationally and rightly should have not bare sudden transient thoughts but ponderings by time taken Prov. 4.26 a fit proportion of time Nothing of moment should be done on a bare present apprehension unless it hath formerly passed under the test of deliberation so wise persons act still True it is vve do many things in hastes and hurries but this is more like brute creatures than men It is the order God hath set in Nature first of all to consider then to act All wise doing is vvith a first vveighing othervvise it is folly and vanity vvithout comliness vvithout profit As in Nature God hath set this order the mind must first move and vvisdom in the mind vvill first ponder and weigh not act on slight but precedent serious thinkings So in Religion in all the matters of it vve are to perform first there must be minding None must ever in Religion say I mind not what I do The understanding in spiritual wisdom must ponder and consider all things to be considered and the will then must chuse and the affections move by the graces in them orderly and then the executive power must act in subordination to the mind guiding and the will chusing and intending As the understanding will and affections are as the several natural links of the soul so consideration the so noble act of the understanding is to breed and ground the choices and intents of that Queen regent the Will and the orderly motions of her handmaids the several Affections and then must follow prosecuting and doing that was purposed by the Will and ponder'd by the understanding As consideration in things Natural is fundamental and necessary to due chusing and doing of all things so Divine Meditation is fundamental and necessary in some degree to the spiritual actings of the Will movings rightly of the Affections and a religious regular performing what was piously purposed and piously first ponder'd and Meditated upon All the Graces that make up the Golden Chain the Graces that are the supernatural soul enoblements that are planted and reside in a renewed heart by way of principle and habit are planted and laid into the several faculties of the Soul as their relief and help to sanctifie them and empower them some in the mind and others in the will and affections These faculties have all their several Golden Links of the Chain of Graces aspersed among them and laid into them But as the faculties of the soul are all guided drawn and moved by the first Mover the understanding and the act of considering So the graces of the soul all the Golden Links of the whole Chain of Graces must move by the first Link of the Chain the light spiritual wisdom and actings of it by this Divine Meditation This Link must draw first Spiritual wisdom exercised in this holy way of Meditation must be a constant foundation and rise to all the Duties of godliness This should be at the bottom and a still quickner to all prayings readings hearings and the rest Nothing is well done that is not first well thought on although the Duties of godliness are reciprocally helpful mutually lending a hand each to other as Reading Hearing Praying are to Meditating and Meditating is to them in different respects yet Meditation should and must help to make us our firm even footing and lively walking in Christs ways All things from first to last in our way of Religion and walking by that Rule have their due guidance and managings by this helm and hand of Meditation God every where in Scripture
when he would have those come right and return that have gone wrong and such to go on that have well begun he calls them to consideration and minding their ways Hag. 1.5 Consider your own ways in your hearts and again verse 7. Isa 46.8 Bring it to mind Put your hearts upon your ways in the former here they must bring their doings upon their hearts by considering Ezek. 18.28 He considereth and turneth Consideration is the rise of returning Luke 15.17 The Prodigals returning was upon his considering common wisdom acting in consideration is the souls helm and spiritual wisdom acting in Meditation is the Christians Helm as the Word is his compass and the Gales of the holy Spirit fill his sails and make him move We cannot look for a Ship to sail well without the Helms steering well Meditations Helm must steer our course our course to the Harbour of true happiness must have its rise in due consideration as the Scripture every where shews O let me Lord keep up ever this right order and method in my walkings let Meditation be the spring that carries all the Wheels of my spirit right and even that still pondering all my paths my ways may be established This then I propound as a principal ground of the necessity of Meditation that dependance of the Will Affections and actings spiritual on the understanding sanctifi'd and furnisht with light and wisdom for salvation which wisdom and light is the guide to and stirrer up of the will affections and endeavours by the means of Divine Meditation This I have the more now insisted on in that the great failings of all sorts rise from neglect of this consideration and Meditation because this consideration is no more considered All Christians that would have the Will purpose the Affections move the executing power endeavour well must use the grace of spiritual wisdom that is the first wheel in the heavenly frame of spirit and wisdom by the way of Meditation to set on going all the wheels of other graces disperst through the heart The Graces planted as principles of spiritual life strength and motion and given to animate all operation CHAP. XXVI Of the second ground of this so necessary Duty of Meditation HEavenly things should have not only a meer seeing and knowing but a minding and meditating from their obliging and challenging excellencies Prov. 8.6 and 22.20 Excellent things have I not written to thee excellent things saith Solomon Phil. 3.8 For the excellency of the knowledge of Christ c. their so far transcending excellencies their rare objective excellencies give me leave to call them so that is they are not only excellent things in themselves though never known or shewn to us but they are made to be excellent objects for our observation and minding All made to be minded but some of them more peculiarly made and prepared made great made high deep and large fil'd brim full yea running over with both native excellency and likewise sutableness for us sutableness for our spirits to act and make their chief abode of seriousest thoughts upon for a spiritual and holy eye to fix upon and be pleased in As in Philosophy they reason if there be objectum sensibile an object of the outward sense and that which especially is excellent if there be Odours and rich Scents if sounds excellent sounds or if there be rare Colour Feature Motion and that so excellent object Light especially such glorious Lights as the several Stars the Moon and the most glorious Sun there must be those Senses of smelling hearing seeing which may perceive their objects and receive the pleasure and benefit of them otherwise they must be all in vain If there were no Creatures with any Senses to perceive these Objects of Colour Light and the rest to what end were any of them What use would Colour or Light be of without any eye to behold it The omniscient God he cannot need it The Angels and Spirits being without bodies they do not need it Creatures blind and Creatures made without sense Elements as Earth Water and the other Elementaries such as Stones Metals Trees and such like insensitive things they need it not neither need any smells sounds or tastes only the sense is suted to the Object and the Object to the sense The Object is made or manifested and shewn for the sense So if there be spiritual Objects and no spiritual eye fitted for them and if spiritual Objects be held forth and shewn and there were never any eying of them they then in that respect as to their holding forth would be in vain And the spiritual eye would be in vain as if the eye had no Object to behold it would be in vain and as no eye at all Therefore doth God in Scripture call so oft for a beholding of the things of Heaven because of their excellencies purposely shewn for that end Joh Behold the Lamb of God 1 Joh. 3.1 Behold what love the c. Therefore when there are such abundance of spiritual and heavenly things set out in such rare Colours and proportions shining in such high splendour and glory When so many most bright and beauteous when so great and extensive rarities and excellencies beam forth and shine so gloriously in heavenly and spiritual things there then needs must be an Eye a spiritual Eye for these so excellent Objects to behold them and be exercised about them Yea when there is such a height depth latitude and length and vastness every way of dimensions of excellency shining in them and this purposely that they may be viewed and admired and also improved therefore there must be an answerable eying and considering 1. A real sincere acting of minding and meditating to answer their most real worth 2. A deep searching of thoughts to answer their height and depth of excellency 3. An abode and dwelling and enlarging of thoughts to answer the latitude and extensiveness of excellency in them that all their glory and excellency so near as can be may be known and tasted The excellencies therefore of spiritual things are for eying and pondering the greatness of their excellencies for great eying and earnest Meditating Therefore we find that great Artist in Meditation the holy Psalmist so busying his thoughts and meditating in several things as about God and his Glory Greatness Holiness Righteousness Truth Mercy Severity and Power Psal 104. Psal 12.6 About the Word of God in those shining rays of its infallible Truth Purity Perfection mighty efficacy and glorious excellencies Psal 19.7 8. Psal 119. And so about the works and ways of God 2 Tim. 3.16 The blessed Apostle Paul was so acted in his thoughts about the Word of God and the Gospel Christ and Free Grace the fullness of Christ Ephes 2.4 7. the workings of his Spirit and the whole mystery of godliness 1 Tim. 3.16 Thus other Saints in Scripture Prophets Apostles and divers else The wise hearted will have their eyes thus exercised
they think bare knowing without due Meditating is an undervaluing of spiritual things CHAP. XXVII Of the third Ground of this Meditation as to several ends and uses THE third great ground of this necessary Duty is from the Ends and the great concernments of them as to all sorts of persons 1. For a sinners first conversion to God 1. Meditation is a Duty incumbent on and highly necessary for persons yet strangers to God to bring them home Ezek. 18.28 Because he considereth and turneth 1 King 8.47 If they bethink themselves and turn returning of the sinners is upon considering and self bethinking thus the Prodigal Luke 15. No man ever truly converts to God without some consideration of his Misery with his absolute need of Christ and his Grace and flying to him Although the efficacious drawing of a sinner be Gods work he awakens convinces humbles and he changes the heart yet not without the sinners considering minding mourning seeking and striving God converts men as reasonable Creatures and conversion is founded on the deepest set reasons and the strongest working and prevailing arguments in the world God he awakens and the sinner looks about and considers he reasons with himself as the Prodigal and out-reasons himself but by Gods mighty working keeping down the hearts corruption and by its quickning the soul with a new living principle and so he resolves and returns to God If more would muse and consider did do it duly more God enabling would return When the one is to be done the other shall be done men shall come to consider and ponder 2. For all renewed repenting There 's great necessity of consideration for our renewing our returning continually for holding up an evenness and constancy of renewed repentance Psal 119.59 I considered my ways and turned my feet to thy Testimonies Fresh godly sorrow self-loathings serious returnings must have new fresh considerings of the sinfulness of sin and laying loads of aggravations on particular new warpings and miscarriages Especially greater Repentings require a deeper and larger foundation in consideration as David did in Psal 51. that evidences great and deep thoughts of heart 3. For a vigorous acting of Grace For vigorous acting any Grace Faith Love Hope Fear Humility Patience and others as is frequently seen in the Saints in Scriptures what reasons and perswasions they drew out of the depths of considerations Job David others All the heart Graces are stirr'd and acted in some measure by consideration either of the command enjoyning the Promise encouraging threatning awing examples exciting arguments in some sort or other inducing and helping It is something that works and weighs is first pondered before the soul acts or is rightly moved A Christian acts not as Water or Fire which move by their own inclination But as men act in things as men which is by choice and free election but upon preceding instigation of Reason and consideration Grace though it be a spring of living water it is not that which runs over of it self That 's for Heaven where the heart will be full and run alone It is not like the spring-head of Jordan that ran of it self but like Jacob's well that had always water but must always be drawn It must be drawn out by consideration Christians mistake and complain oft of their hearts and would have them like a running Spring to run to act alone when here in the best though there be water as in Jacob's Well yet the well is deep there must be drawing for every drop or none will come Therefore to make it come the Bucket of Consideration must be letting down and pulling up and so pouring forth What the Apostle said to Timothy 2 Tim. 1.6 Stir up the gift that is in thee must be said to all and done by all that would do any thing Some Horses we say go on meer Metal without out provocation of switch or spur others will go well with some stirring up So our hearts if good will go on in godliness but not on meer Metal but with provokings of considerations There should be endeavoured the best and strongest mindings and reasonings if we would act Graces vigorously and strongly There 's a necessity that strong purposes and resolutions for believing trusting loving hoping all acting all enduring strongly be bottom'd in strong mindings and considerings The fuller the consideration the better the actings of Graces the stronger the spring in the Watch the better all the Wheels move CHAP. XXVIII Of other ends of this Meditation 4. FOR all Duties and holy performances there is great necessity of Meditation in some due measure for a due wise warm lively and spiritual acting them acting from the right principle of Grace within by the right rule eying the Word and to the right mark and end salvation Real and vigorous performing in this sort must have some good allowance of pondering what we are to perform This is very conspicuous in holy David so great a performer of holy Duties Praying confessing and praising his prayings and all things in that way he calls his Meditation Certainly those so excellent Psalms of prayings and praisings were no flashes of a meerly raised phansie or some hasty runnings over of a hot Brain not an uttering what came next but the passages so rare spiritual and heavenly and so strongly rational as they had a touch from Heaven in the Spirits guidance and assistance so they had a tincture from a wise holy heart within laying them asteep in consideration and acting them with it in highest heeds and mindings concurring with their utterings Things so well spoken must be well weighed especially when they also were to be Scripture Records For holy Prophets and Scripture Pen-men were to use their own natural gifts and their graces in their writings though the Spirit of God infallibly guided sometimes raised and elevated them above themselves Duties of Religion ebb and flow are more lively spiritual and heavenly or more dead carnal and such as run lower according to their fomentings and feedings from the warm spring of Meditation thus in our praying and other duties we may daily experience Christians complain they are dead-hearted and cold slight and perfunctory in performances confessions are not accompanied with heart-meltings shame and self-loathings Petitions not with fervency strong cryings and earnest wrestlings Thanksgivings not with that flame of love and joy and high admirings of the so great goodness and rich free Grace of God in his ways and dispensations toward us commonly the cause is the spring of Meditation is stopt the soul runs not in such a current of considerations and quickning reasons as it ought and used to do When any part or member of the body fails in heat sense or motion where there is actio laesa as the Physicians say there 's principium laesum that is where is an action or acting hurt or hindred from its natural and usual way there the principle and feeder of that action hurt and
heightened ripened and corroborated by habit attain'd upon frequencies and constancies of practice and using this heavenly meditating This David the excellent example of actings in this high-way to Heaven God says of him when he was very young when Samuel came to annoint him he was one whose heart he lookt on as being principled with piety and real holiness he had a heart inclined set for God and things heavenly but he acted holiness exercised himself in it and in this particular way of Meditation till it ripened and arrived at habitual meditation from holding up a constancy in it This may be gathered from the character he gives of a godly man and from his own still practice Psal 1.2 In the Law of the Lord he meditates day and night when a man begins to be godly hath the principle this will incline him to begin this godliness this meditation But then godly wisdom teaches to practise it for to use meditating to get a hand at this rare work to come to an habitual heavenly mindedness So David that was so wise so excellently wise as Psal 119.98 99. he had acted the fundamental principle Psal 119.112 He inclined his heart to keep all the Commandments alway and he exercised meditation to babitual heavenly mindedness for he tells us Psal 119.97 Psal 63.6 he meditated all the day meditated in the night watches when he still awoke he was ever with God He gets the habitual heavenly mindedness and then it was easie and by being sound easie it was withal his delight Meditation at first the burden and yoke of heavenly Meditation lying on the weak shoulders of the new Convert with only his new principle of grace begun is a hard and heavy work though the spirit be willing yet to perform it is weak But when this work is carried on and daily practised then by custom and habit an acquired habit then it is easie then 't is the great soul-solace and delight David's habitual beavenly mindedness was the rare product and issue of his meditation he found it so and therefore followed the faster Therefore this ought to be a grand intendment A heavenly mindedness when 't is habitual when it is corroborated and of a young tender Plant is grown to be a Tree of strength and yet is growing more this is a rare excellency and gloriously sweet attainment a heavenly minded man how excellent is such a one generally in all mens tyes This makes a Christian still with God have his way above his conversation in Heaven Psal 139.18 Phil. 3.20 feed on Manna fill with peace and joy overflow and abound in singular fruitfulness towards others Out of the abundance of heart-heavenliness the mouth speaks and the whole conversation shines in an exemplary walking Therefore the heart must be meditating upon heavenly things that it still may be framing and fixing bigher in habitual thinkings Meditate thy self into heavenly mindedness that so blessed and glorious frame To conclude this third Reason Therefore the Scripture holds forth Meditation in several sorts 1. Daily doing it in course 2. Then occasional meditating as a superaddition 3. And that of ejaculation or short and more sudden darting up the thoughts to Heav'n to come in as an Auxiliary supply when the other Meditation more solemn and set cannot be used Ejaculations may oft interpose in our course This is a wedge may be driven in enter the throng and crowd of occasions when matters lie before us as tough and knotty pieces of wood when they will not give way to meditation at large but hinder it this wedge may and will ever enter if we apply it to keep up the constancy of heavenly mindedness Ah how should my spirit bless abundantly that God who hath so fully provided for a lying open of 〈◊〉 way to Heaven that my soul may mount up 〈◊〉 so frequently and be either detained above by 〈◊〉 Contemplation or at least to touch at Heaven by 〈…〉 CHAP. XXIX Of the fourth ground that supports this Duty of Meditation 4. THE fourth and last ground to support this weighty work of holy Meditation is the consideration of the great advantages or disadvantages arising from the careful performance or careless neglect of it Every Ordinance of Christ hath holy advantages attending it those who use them aright daily experience how good it is to walk in the King of Heaven's high-ways 1. The first I shall name is that so glorious advantage of improving our communion and acquainunce with God Job 22.21 1 Joh. 1.3 No communion we can expect much less can we improve it out of the use of holy Ordinances whereby we draw neer to God and God to us Although God himself be not so tyed to these ways but he may come to us when and how he pleaseth yet we are tyed to Gods Ordinances as our ways of acquaintance with him and when in a holy manner we draw neer to God he hath promised to command the blessing to us Psal 133.5 Psal 24.5 He shall c. Meditation being then his Ordinance it is a way of communion a singular way of acting our spirits towards him of acting our minds and thoughts in a way of reference to him either more directly or less sometimes Meditation is acted on his infinite excellencies in seeing his infinite beauty and loveliness admiring and glorifying him and by this Contemplation we come to an improvement of our knowledge to understand more of him an enlargement of affections encouragement of our wills chusings of him and aimings at his glorifying and exalting excciting and stirring up the Graces of Faith for stronger recumbencies on his All-sufficiency love to cleave more humility to stoop and submit more patience to endure more willingly and other Graces to act higher in their spheres and ranks by all in the ways of exercising them to own him and have him more to be our God Meditation helps to move and carry the soul and all that is of it and in it towards God And when we act upon him open the doors of our hearts to him Rev. 3.20 God he comes in and manifests himself in his Grace Quicknings Supportings Comforts he sups with us as Rev. 3.20 and we sup with him he is pleased and delighted with our Graces exercised towards him and we sup with him in his manifestations of himself to us in his helpings of us gladding and chearing our spirits ravishing our hearts with the tastes of his love CHAP. XXX Of solace and spiritual pleasure another end of Meditation 2. AS it is a way of singular communion with God so it is for a heavenly walk of great soul-solace and delight a path of pleasantness to walk turn and recreate thy spirit in as Solomon Prov. 3.17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness all her ways all the particular paths in those ways and therefore this way and it is made purposely by Christ for his people to walk and turn in One of the stately large high walks in the
King of Glories Garden for thy walk and sweet refreshings Travelling abroad to see sundry Countries Towns Cities and the great varieties of Objects there is counted a rare sight a great pleasure and contentment Travelling with the Eye of Reason amongst the great mysteries and rare secrets of Nature and by searching curious exquisite searching to make new strange discoveries of Natures implanted excellencies the makings and framings so admirable the properties and efficacies so strange and amazing in so many sorts of things This travelling in these close walks these hidden ways ending in new rare and useful experiences is a very singular pleasure to many but peculiarly to elevated and refined parts and wits But travelling with a spiritual eye among spiritual holy and heavenly Objects and to see this whole prospect take a view of all the varieties of heavenly beauties and glories meeting us in our walk this is a ravishing solace indeed beyond all others as far as Diamonds transcend the dirt or the glorious lights of Heaven do clods of Earth or Dunghils In Psal 119.14 15 16. the Psalmist tells what in Meditation-walks he met with more solace than in all riches of which he had so great abundance a Kingdom of his own and the rich spoils of other Kingdoms also Carnal and sensual persons study sometimes and act great curiosity to heighten and enlarge pleasures and to find out new rare pleasures not tasted before Oft they are at a loss and discomposed for a not having some new pleasures as being cloyed with the old But here is a way for a heavenly spirit of unwearied walking of ever tasting larger pleasures Of ever finding fresh and higher more pure more permanent pleasures such pleasures that enlarge the heart and then enlarge themselves in it such pleasures that come fuller fresher sweeter in and then there fix and dwell Joh. 15.11 Our Saviour tells us of a full joy and of a remaining joy who can tell you such happy tidings where else any such joy is to be both felt and fixt But in such ways where Jesus Christ the water of life springs forth and flows the Saints meet with it drink of it abundantly meditate to drink meditate and drink They meditate and in their walking meet with rare rich things surpassing sweet Psal 104.34 David faith his Meditation of God was sweet certainly it was so and he means unspeakably sweet meditation on the word and works of God were abundantly sweet O how sweet must meditation of God himself be Meditation brings in and gives down sweeter and more surpassing pleasures than all earthly carnal things can so much beyond them as Manna from Heaven is beyond basest bread meanest fare as the Wine of Christ's miraculous making beyond the water it was made of Three things especially make pleasures excellent 1. When the pleasurable things are rich and excellent as Nature yields them as rare fruits rich spices and the like 2. When they are rare and excellent as Art redutes them as Art meliorates and perfects them 3. When they have a right and curious an exquisite receiver and perceiver As when purest Fountain Waters are fetcht fresh in a pure clean Vessel and have a curious Taster Or as the richest Grape by the best art is made into Wine put into the best Cask and hath best ordering and then comes to an exquisite Palate Or some excellent Flesh or Fish is by the best art prepared and by the exquisitely right and curious Taster diseerned 1. Meditation it hath those kinds of Objects which in their own Nature are most transeendent purest Springs and Rivers of Water of life the things most soul-satiating and unspeakably delighting the most glorious God the unsearchable riches of Christ the holy Spirit the great Helper and Comforter the pure and perfect Word the precious promises heavenly Ordinances glorious Grace and eternal happiness These are in themselves most excellent and therefore the highest ground for our Meditations walk for solace and pleasure and he highest 2. They have the most excellent means of preparing and fitting them for a right taste the Art and skill of the blessed Spirit 2 Pet. 1.21 Prov. 8.9 by his fitting them and ordering them to the best sutableness for us both for our minds and hearts understandings to know them wills and affections to close with them They are made plain and perspicuous perswasive and operative they have a suitableness conferr'd by an infinite wisdom of a God that knows how best to deliver them as he hath done it in the Scriptures 3. They have the best ways of receiving and perceiving namely the highest kind of wisdom a rectified and elevated understanding with a stamp and rare principle of spiritual judgment 1 Cor. 2.7 and heavenly mindedness discerning and savouring of spiritual things in allowing and approving of them 1 Cor. 1.15 He that is spiritual discerneth Phil. 1.1 Approve things that are excellent So the Will and Affections they receive and have the excellent principle of relishing and savouring spiritual things in chusing and complacency in love and joy O how I love thy Law Psal 119.97 Thy Testimonies are the joy and rejoycing of my heart Psal 119.111 This is from the principle of Grace that gives in an ability of relishing the sweet and savoury things of Heaven But when all these concur as it is in a holy heart and in reference to it the pleasure is most surpassing far beyond others where the nature of the pleasures is lower the preparation lower and the receiver and faculty of tasting of either outward or inward sense or of a meer natural and carnal heart in its best wisdom and moral excellencies is far lower Meditation is the rare way to soul-solaces and sweetest pleasures as bringing in the most excellent delicacies and stirring up the holy heart to act its principles in the Mind Will and Affections of tasting and relishing them and so to have let in the sweet pleasures and refreshments of them The rarest hours and richest soul Banquets have been prepared and come to usually by this way of Meditation when the spirit goes up to Heaven by holy Contemplation Heaven comes down to us by rich Consolation Heavenly comforts meet us balf way fill us brim full and sometimes to such runnings over as we know not how to bear up under the glorious fulness of them Never doth any sensualist or any sinner in his way taste of such pleasures Prov. Meddles not with Saints joy It is not possible that sensual and brutish pleasures should be such as intellectual nor intellectual in meerly sinful spirits such as spiritual and heavenly Meditation being a spiritual operation acts higher returns the purest highest and most ravishing pleasures Let the Saints Experience give in evidence and if sinners try upon heart changing and elevating Grace they then will find that no sensual nor any pleasures of most raised Fancies or highest notions can hold proportion with spiritual pleasures let into the heart and tasted
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
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
say'st thou wretched sinner is not this charge all this indictment in every particular true witnessed and proved to thy face Do not I the heart-knowing Judge know it is every tittle true and doth not thy own heart thy own bosom the Book of thy conscience shew it to be true cannot but yield it so Ah true true it is Lord all in every tittle most true I cannot deny it nor will contend to justifie or excuse my self in the least 7. Then sinner thou acknowledgest thy self by all that hath been shewn and proved to thy face and by thy own confession of all that thou art guilty what sayst thou therefore to the whole charge Guilty or not Guilty Guilty guilty Lord What hast thou then to alleage why sentence of condemnation should not pass upon thee Ah Mercy mercy Lord I beg mercy I have only mercy to entreat O pity pity mercy I most humbly crave No no it is now no time for mercy for any pity time was when thou livedst under the free ten-of it but now time 's past now go thou cursed wretch that wouldst never consider never meditate go thou foolish sinner thou lazy slothful sinner that wouldst not take the pains and dis-ease thy self so far as to engage in a little thought-labour go thou stubborn stout-hearted sinner that wouldst not stoop to take up this easie yoke this light burden of being sometimes rightly serious of a now and then some few minutes time meditating and pondering matters spiritual and eternal but only worldly carnal and perishing matters these these were the things had all thy mindings all thy seriousness and earnestness and thy constancies of thoughts go therefore thou foolish lazy stubborn sinner into that place which is prepared for all such as thou art Take him away bind him hand and foot cast him into utter darkness Most just just and righteous is it Lord cry all the Bench of Saints and Angels full evidence and his own confession there is that he would not obey this righteous Law would not use his thinking power to think of thee Lord Jesus nor the things of thy Kingdom nay he would not bethink himself think of his immortal souls highest concerns but minded wholly other things than the main O 't is most righteous righteous Lord that thou hast judged thus When the sentence is thus pronounced by the mouth of Jesus Christ the Judge when all that innumerable company of Saints and Angels have unanimously not one dissenting approved the righteousness of the whole proceeding and just doom and sentence what then presently follows but driving away from the face of Christ dragging and haling to the place of Execution thrusting into the pit of darkness a filling up with scalding wrath brim full and a sealing up in that woful place and state for ever and for ever Ah then thou that art and hast never never been serious in minding the main concerns of thy immortal soul serious in every thing rather than therein O look look to it before it be too late Ah never be quiet till thy spirit comes to this happy attainment comes to fix and setle in seriousness of daily meditating in walking this way with evenness and constancy and so make it easie and sweet Ah never be content till from mindlesness and disuse of thinking thy thoughts the right way acting the seriousness of them upon things that challenge it most till thou comest to thy self as Luke 15.17 comest to humble thy self greatly to say with deepest sorrow self-abhorring and shame O what have I done what have I been how many years have I run out void of all due consideration how many and many millions of steps have I taken in the great Road of vanity of thoughts Ah how near am I come to the end of my days or how near may my end for ought I know be and so for want of thinking and meditating I may perish for ever Ah at how low arate have I set my precious soul set my body my whole person my hopes my God his Christ his Spirit his Grace Heaven happiness all my high concerns that never thought them worth a thought or a few thoughts in this way this holy way of Meditation never weighed them so in the Ballance unless to find them too light outweighed by every worldly every bodily and carnal concern O unwise silly wretch that I have all this time been that I should deal thus by my self be so cruel and so heedless the foolishest adventurer the most idle sluggard to live in a lothness to be at the pains of a sometimes meditating and thinking though the gains be or might be beyond all thoughts Ah now therefore now now if it be not too late by the Lords help I will begin to bethink my self now I will set my self to do my utmost now to make haste and use all the means I possibly can to repent and reform that I may be recover'd from my vanity of mind and conversation and at last be wise unto salvation CHAP. V. Of being humbled for negligence in this Duty of Meditation after experiencing the fruit and sweetness of it ANother improvement of this Doctrine is for due humbling of all such who after experiencing the success and sweetness of heavenly Meditation both that first soul-seriousness into which they were drawn drawn by the Holy Spirit in effectual vocation and grounding their so happy conversion to God and believing in Christ and then likewise after their usual and daily exercising holy Meditation that whence they have had so sweet Communion with God those rare hours wherein they have been wrapt up with that blessed Apostle into the third Heaven and tasted of those glorious and soul-ravishing pleasures and joys that are unspeakable Ah Christian to experience so often the surpassing sweetness of this happy way this path and walk to Heaven and tread it no more 1. To fail so frequently in that so needful daily Meditation do it so little or so slenderly 2. To take so seldom into that path of Occasional set and solemn Meditation that also of so great advantage large incomes of light and wisdom warmth and quickening strength and encouragings 3. And to act no oftner that so easie quick and expedite ejaculatory meditating whereby thy soul may give incumbrances and overcharging business the slip take breath ease it self mount up to Heaven make a short visit and return refresht quickened and enlarged A Student never does himself such wrong as when he reads much and muses little for then he either receives in or retains nothing or cannot manage his Notions We never order and dispatch Affairs worse than when we Meditate least And so a Christian never loses more labour does his soul-affairs worse than when he muses not and warms not himself by this exercise of Meditation Divers profess a faculty and ability as in Sciences and ways of Learning in Mysteries and ways of Trading and Dealing yet are but slender proficients
can do little but bungle because they study and muse no more to know their own way Many Christians are but bunglers to what they might be make a large disproportion between their profession and their proficiency their practice and their profit because they meditate no more to understand their way 2. The great not only ignorance but dead-heartedness and spiritual chilness with the brokenness and unevenness of Christians in their walkings arises much from a negligence in this Meditation either negligence of not doing it but ceasing sometimes or negligence of slackness and slothfulness in ceasing fervency and industry for the manner Davids manner of meditation in the fervency and the constancy of it will keep up Davids affections fervent and flaming affections and Davids constancy and evenness of conversation 3. Little meditating makes lean Christians of little life little strength little growth and of little usefulness to others Heb. 12.12 There 's mention of feeble knees which also occasions the going with no steadiness and the not making of straight steps As it is oft in the body thus from a failing in the head obstructions of the Fountain and feeder of sense and motion so this among others this failing in Meditation is a great occasion though there be divers other causes a great ground of Christians weak feet and going no stronger and steadier Meditation that should influence stir up strength and motion is obstructed disused and neglected Meditation must still lend a hand of help to every spiritual undertaking first ponder then proceed We can perform nothing well in worldly affairs without well considering so in spiritual matters what duties can be well performed what graces rightly exercised what in all Religion that can be named can be rightly ordered if you mind not seriously consider not before the doing it as well as mind and attend it in the doing Serious thinking is fundamental to all right doing O what are the innumerable advantages that thy constancy in this course would still bring in and what have been thy losses by neglect and will daily increase upon thee by it Ah therefore consider be awakened and strive to be humbled for all thy failings and neglects especially thy fallings off from and disusings of this so necessary and excellent Duty look to thy first beginning in it and thy making no better entrance into it First undertakings if not so well and through prove great inconveniences and if not lookt after and amended may occasion a less seriousness and care ever after but however they require a making up and bettering that which serves a young weak and unexperienced Christian must not serve a grown Christian one old in his way O but be humbled for thy improving no more in this Art of Meditation for being no better Artist for having so little of this heavenly habit and heart-readiness from thy frequencies and constancies of not only acting but earnest and vigorous strivings which intend and strengthen improve and increase the habit Be humbled for no higher attainments in this happy way which we should be most perfect in ready for in which we should still have an increasing and heightening complacency and pleasure to perform with a striving to do it better as to heart-readiness better as to heart-power and purpose resolvedness against oppositions and hindrances Ah then look mournfully look we and with shame and self-abasings on all and for all our failings and for all our guilt contracted for this Duty neglected 1. That our progress and improvement hath been so small 2. Our inequalities and unevennesses so many 3. Our fallings off and desistings and lyings so long or any space of time before returning and recovering and by our dis-using contracting an unwillingness a spiritual lothness a doing with more difficulty or by refusals and denying of doing this Duty to thereby aggravate our sin Therefore I say for all these admitted and added let us be deeply humbled before God and mourn over so many and great neglects he hath observed in us Ah therefore say I have sinned greatly in what I have done 2 Sam. 24.10 say I will do so no more Job 34.32 Ah so to slight to forget the concerns of God and my soul to let my eyes be in the corners of the earth to let my soul lose so its lookings by eying vanity to imbezel my precious thoughts upon the by and overlook the main May not my God come and challenge me for great unkindness unworthiness and folly What thou my child to be so vain and unwise when thou hast to contemplate thy God in his infinite all-sufficiency thy Saviour in all his matchless beauty and fullness thy Sanctifier in all his operations and consolations thy perfect rule the Scriptures with all the treasures of heavenly truths in them and when thou hast all the excellent and admired works and ways of a God the condition of his Church and people thy own souls state and eternal salvation together with all such things that continually stand full in thy view Ah to have so many paths for the feet of thy spirit to walk in by Meditation so many rare Objects for thy Eyes entertainment and employment and to thy sweetest solace largest satisfaction and yet in any degree to miscarry the golden seasons of this so heart-enriching Meditation Ah may not my grieved God and his grieved spirit grieve and sadden my herein so sinning spirit may not my neglects of Meditation not seriously and frequently thinking of him and such things that nearly highly concern him justly occasion my Gods neglecting of me Neglecting me by withdrawing his hand from his blessed impulses infusings of heavenly thoughts judging it not meet to give down good and holy thoughts into a spirit distemper'd diverted by too usual admittance of earthly evil and carnal thoughts and disuse of holy Meditation Who will plant the most precious flowers among heaps of poisonous weeds Who will mix their richest purest Wine with puddle dirty Water or their Gold and Diamonds among dirt and dung Ah this is the way for my God not only to withdraw himself but to let Satan the foul Spirit loose upon me to trouble me to haunt me to follow me with all manner of disquieting and discouraging thoughts with temptations of injury and stealing revenge and cruelty uncleanness and filthiness and sinful sensualities and such like evil thoughts against others Ah may not this neglect of good thoughts and due Meditation be justly met with and expose me to the blackest and most horrid thoughts and temptations such as those of Blasphemy thoughts as thick as Hail and that daily haunt me darting horrour and Hell into my spirit making my heart to tremble and my hair to stand upright on my head Ah may I not if I amend not the sooner not come to that so sad and dreadful temptation so contrary to Nature the temptation of self-destroying thinking it may be best to be rid of my trouble though it be so
cares they strive to come in businesses and multiplicity of affairs sudden emergencies and sundry things that may attempt to interpose and these if our watch and guard be not the stronger and stricter will miscarry the Duty Yea sometimes one Duty may drive out another often we let holy duties interfere and cross each other hearing praying and the rest sometimes there 's hastening from one to another sometimes letting one detain us so long that others are cut short and so helps are turned in part into hindrances opportunities for some Duties into obstructions to others when godly prudence allows every thing its season and due proportion of time The external hindrances to Meditation are many from common business and things of this life and we often create our own hindrances by our sloth and imprudence not carefully redeeming and wisely ordering our times and opportunities Ah then my soul if Meditation be so high so hard as to its spiritual nature and hath withal such Enemies and oppositions look to it then I must the more cautiously but not less resolutely perform it The Moralists say that difficulty is cos virtutis the incentive and heightener of magnanimity to a great and heroick spirit nothing must be so great as to outlook it and discourage it The greater and braver fish swim against the stream the noble Christian by difficulty and opposition is caution'd but not cowed out If there were nothing to set against and weigh with the former cautions and arguments from Enemies and opposition if no high inducements and advantageous arguments to put into the scale of perswasion to weigh against such as fill the scale of diswasion it then might the more reverse and turn the edge of thy courage yet arguments from evil and mischief in many cases are sufficient alone the danger of an armed Enemies approaching as in Jacob's case the danger of deadly poyson prepared for thee or infection coming very nigh thee is enough But we have encouragements and those in full measure pressed down and running over As Elisha to his servant discouraged when encompast in Dothan we have moe with us than against us What if there be a principle of flesh that makes opposition yet thy principle of spirit and grace is a real ground of hope and help If thy grace Christian be true though but a grain of mustard-seed it will live and hold and act and grow act into endeavour and striving till it overcomes A principle will help thee 1. Consider a principle introduces an inclination a bent and tendency of heart against the inclination and contrary tendency of corruption Psal 119.112 and it 's a principle must live and the contrary carnal principle must die Rom. 6.11 Reckon your selves dead unto sin but alive unto God Sin as to the purchase of Christ is dead in the Saints totally and it is dead in the habit and root initially and in part in respect of the communicated and inherent grace of Christ which upon union with Christ begins the death of sin in mortification Rom. 6. 2. A principle besides inclination and tendency introduces power and ability as the Flesh hath its power so the spirit and grace hath its contrary power 3. A principle introduces facility though the Flesh makes Duties hard yet the Spirit is ready and makes godliness easie 4. A principle introduces delight and complacency the Flesh acts reluctancy the Spirit delight and pleasure Psal 119.47 5. A principle works holding on and constancy Gal. 5. as the Flesh lusts against the Spirit so the Spirit against the Flesh Psal 119.12 last part of the verse not only begins but holds on a principle will help you to hold on for God will hold that on Phil. 1.6 He that hath begun a good work in you will finish it to the day of Christ 6. A principle is blest by the using of it with progress and growth the flesh that shall decrease and waste but the grain of Mustard-seed shall grow to a great tree Math. 13.32 7. A principle shall be crown'd by contending and striving with glorious conquest and victory the Spirit wars against the Flesh and it conquers in the issue by its still warring judgment is brought forth to victory Rom. 8.37 Ah never be discouraged for any thing within be very sensible of sin within and the stirrings of it but sink not under the sight of it take thou encouragement Christian to fight it and to subdue it if thy hearts badness appear its backwardness and crossness to any Duty know you can get nothing by giving way but by going on and striving and use this herein as thy rule wear out thy own backwardness to and weariness in a Duty by doing it in a resolved constancy wear out the indisposition to duty by doing that Duty and doing it fervently 2. What if Satan be such an Enemy yet have we not more and stronger with us than him we have the holy Spirit that helps to pray and he will help us to meditate If he sees we are labouring to get up the Mount in Meditation he will give us his hand to help us up if Satan and all Hell be against us in this or any other Duty he will be for us yea Father Son and Spirit are and will be all assistants to us Do we not use to say God came in at such a time in such a Duty He delights to see how the pulse of thy spirit beats heavenward how the eye of thy soul looks upward how it fixes its looks of heavenly love upon him he delights to help up thy heart in its holy Meditation to help it tower up to Heaven to taste of those surmounting glorious delicacies prepared for his beloveds entertainment and highest solace What others in their exemplary carelesness hold forth what their mindlesness is they use must not have any impression of discouragement or prove to us any impediment It is no staying till we can take every one along with us in our journey to Heaven Neither must the example of any the highest the greatest the richest the wisest and learnedest the nearest related the dearest affected nor any under any consideration whatever have that ill influence upon us either to discourage or divert us weaken our hands or hinder our making straight steps in this blessed path of meditating diligently upon heavenly things Neither let the cares and pleasures business and affairs of this world hinder this soul great affair of serious Meditation in the seasons of it The Saints of Christ in all ages have found a way to this duty as well as others and that through the throng and multiplicity of crowding and justling occasions As it is said of our Lord Christ in Luk. 4.30 when they of Nazareth angry with him thrust him out of the City and would have cast him down headlong he passing through the midst of them goes his way the Saints of Christ have made their way passing through the midst of businesses and emergencies
ends and be performed in another sort then an only wise or a learned man yea then any formal Christian can act or compass of himself And for the Characters of a right holy Meditation there will be no need to fetch any other lights of discovery but only to take up and hold those to this intendment which were opened in the discovery of the nature of divine Meditation 1. As making it our real and high obedience to God the soveraign Lord of our souls and to the golden Scepter of his Word in that express Law of his laid upon the thinking power and grounded upon the high and infinite obligations he hath on us to impose this thought-tribute and homage a pure obedience to him and doing his will herein He that meditates aright hath been taught and learnt to obey God to yield it to him as his due I am under my God saith the right Christian and infinitely obliged to all which he commands me This among others is one of his righteous and holy Laws one great signification of his Royal will I must not will not deny it dispute it or put it from me but comply freely with it And this comes from that spring that root which lyes at the bottom of the heart that supereminent love to God the holy hearts chief good and the great ground of all right obedience Rom. 13.10 Love is the fulfilling of the Law and so is it the fulfilling of this particular Law of holy Meditation love to God so infinitely excellent in himself and who hath so unspeakably loved the holy soul Therefore if it be the right and genuine obedience it hath this high this warm spring of love running in this channel this of Meditation an over-powering constraining love that breeds this thinking this looking of the soul in Meditation O therefore try if this heavenly love hath first been planted in the soil of thy heart if from a new heart circumcised to love the Lord above all that thence thou comest to love Meditation because thou lovest the Law-giver first who writes his Law and writes this particular Law in thy heart by love to it by making thee a lover of Meditation 2. If Meditation be genuine and right then is it from a choice of will wrought up by the power of holy love subduing and mortifying carnal and formerly predominant unwillingness and stubbornness reluctancy and refusals of this work and framing it to willingness freeness and fixedness of purpose to do it and hold it Psal 119.48 I will meditate saith the holy Psalmist Meditation arose from resolution from a will fixed and that arose from love acted and working the will to resolution Therefore in the 97. verse of this Psalm he speaks it to God himself O how love I thy law and what fruit doth this noble root of love put forth it is my meditation all the day Meditation of the Law proceeds from love to the Law Love lay at the bottom and that engaged the will into a firm resolution to meditate Never is the will freer and its purpose firmer then when love inclines and engages it The highest and strongest resolutions that ever were taken up by any holy heart were the rare products and sweet fruits of heavenly love love efficaciously exciting the will winding it up to the top and then fixing it fast 3. Where the work of Meditation is right the aims and ends of it are pure spiritual and holy it is carried beyond and above self it is an acting with self-denying self is neither the total nor the predominant ingredient in this undertaking That which Christ calls for of denying a mans self Mark 8.34 in the extent of all Christianity must particularly be performed in this duty Self seeking must not be uppermost not the main intent or inducement For this is the Sphere an unsound heart moves ever in The aim and end in the best natural man is never higher then self and no other really then self and that because he chiefly loves himself But a right work must be aimed and acted above all to the living God Therefore Zec. 7.5 God tells them their fasting was not right because they did it not to God so is Meditation or any other duty not right if it be not to him aimed above all at his Glory In this respect therefore Religion is in Scripture called Godliness because it is a frame of spirit acting above all self-ends and inferior respects unto the living God above all So Heb. 9.14 To serve the living God works not done to the living God are dead works a living work is aimed and level'd to the living God The end more particularly must be the glorifying God 1 Cor. 10.31 Do all to the glory of God If eating drinking and such inferior things then much more holy duties must be done to Gods glory There must be an inward powerful principle that can aim so highly really and an acting of that principle that God is actually glorified It is not enough to say we do as many erringly affirm they aim their duties when they never had first that right principle of Holiness wrought in their hearts Without the principle of Holiness it is impossible to have holy aimings holy ends It 's impossible without an eye to see to level at a mark Wheresoever there 's a right doing there 's a potent elevating principle that sets the spirit above the predominancy of self-seeking and acts it into a reality of God-exalting above all that kindles and inflames the soul into an ardency of desire love delight of glorifying God in every undertaking This is unspeakably sweet and heart-gladding nothing pleases a holy heart more then when the heart below can run in some degree parallel with the hearts of Saints and Angels above in hallowing and advancing the highest God and his Name Try we therefore if our meditating be a real acting up to the grand scope and highest end the exalting of God if his honour be indeed the preponderating inducement and greatest soul-aim 2. Happiness and our own Salvation was the next aim formerly mentioned happiness propounded and declared in the Gospel and no other To this next subordinate end must all the golden lines of holy duties tend here they must center Every right duty must be a real levelling at Gospel-happiness that which God proffers and Christ hath purchased If Meditation be right it is a part of true wisdom for our selves Prov. 9.12 Wisdom to salvation as really aimed at it as any marksman aime at his mark God next to himself and his glory allows and requires to look and seek labour and strive for eternal life and happiness and all our duties as they are subservient to his glory so our own happiness is complicate and wrapt up in it yet not above it or equal with it but next under it Accordingly therefore in this duty as in all others our aim at happiness must not be a meer self-seeking it must not terminate
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
have no other means for it and the walks wherein the Spirit comes 4. Use to cast a wishly eye on all such conducing things formerly mentioned as thou canst have opportunity 5. Look to well enter into and fix upon the Meditation daily examination of review looking over matters of the day and if hindered at any time help it by after-industry I say the Meditation of Review in the close of the day to see and judge thy self as to thy hearts frame and thy carriage in the time of the day This at the first is like the working with an Awkhand this must not be slubbered over slightly done But being harsh and unpleasant work at first thou must so manage it in care and constancy that thou mayst gain a hand at it it may become easie and pleasant Suarez a Jesuit says of himself that his times of self-reflection and examining his conscience for matters of the day were the sweetest part of all the day Thy Rule must be to perform this work so as it proves easier and sweeter and thereby thou improvest in it The more impartial and sincere you are in it the sweeter you will find it The more accurate and exquisite your inquiries and heart-searchings are and the more impartial towards your self the sweeter peace the higher boldness and confidence will thy heart be filled with For this brings in the clearer evidence of thy sincerity thy impartiality Nothing perfumes the spirit of a Christian with sweeter peace and more heavenly joy than a clear discovery of the hearts uprightness and integrity which by searching our hearts and impartially judging them we attain As Psal 26.1 2. David prays Judge me O Lord for I have walkt in mine integrity And Psal 139.23 Search me and see if any way of wickedness be in me This came from his own first impartial searching and finding his sincerity Vsual and diligent self-searching brings in and keeps up a setled peace and confidence by a mans being daily more assured of sincerity and heart-uprightness Be careful therefore and diligent in this self-searching CHAP. XI Of the Directions for particular Cases of young Christians how they should do therein BEsides these more general things last mentioned I must next come to the Rules of Meditation as to thy particular case and condition Here that thy Meditation must pitch upon will be either 1. The Case of thy assurance either wanting and not yet attained or else weak and feeble 2. It must be something relating to sanctification thy weak grace and many imperfections here the purging of thy heart from divers evils subduing of new rising and stirring corruptions some particular sin that haunts and troubles thee some temptation which follows thee some cross or affliction lying heavy upon thee or any other particulars wherein thou art concerned here to meditate how to have help the best and speediest 1. That is a principal point of wisdom to study and ponder the case of thy peace and assurance of Gods love and favour if not yet obtained or but enjoyed in a small measure accompanied with divers doubts and fears to meditate how best thou mayst come to assurance and be strong and stablisht in it How to have thy good condition made out to thee and thy fears discouragements and doubts may seatter and be driven away Here thou must be willing to take pains and resolve to exercise very humble patient waiting Psal 27.14 Wait on the Lord be of good courage he shall strengthen thy heart wait I say on the Lord. Psal 130.4 There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feared 5. I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait 6. My soul waits more than they that watch for the morning I say humble patient waiting until by frequent ponderings and searchings thou art replenisht with such a furniture and treasury of Scripture-grounds Gospel reasons and inducements and these so full and clear as thy heart now changed by the gracious help of the Holy Ghost who assures by the Gospel-promises arrives at the skill and wisdom as to be able to answer thy own cavilling doubting spirit and to repel the false reasons that Satan uses to hinder thy peace and assurance Assurance is chiefly bottomed on our sanctification assured So Divines say assurance of Election Justification Perseverance and Glorisication cannot be without assurance of Sanctification this being the ground of our assurance in the other four In particular thou must labour to draw forth out of the sure Word of Christ the infallible Characters clear descriptions and evidences of the new creature and of sincerity of grace then meditate and ponder so duely upon these sure evidences and right Scripture-descriptions given of the new Creature and sincerity of grace as to come to as clear and distinct an understanding of what is held forth to thee as thou canst I pass divers things might be mentioned and shall touch on the following 1. As that change and renewing of the mind and judgment which in respect of sin is to have it out of measure sinful Rom. 7.13 The greatest evil in all the world as that only contrariety and emnity to the greatest good namely the infinitely blessed God his insinite holiness and purity and all his so infinitely glorious Attributes yea his very Being with his Soveraignty and Government all his most holy righteous and good Laws and Word the signification and demonstration of his Soveraignty over us and of his will concerning us Hereby likewise manifesting the extreme injuriousness and unrighteousness in sin in regard of God whom upon infinite and indispensible obligations we are engaged perfectly to obey And as the abounding sinfulness of sin must be seen so as the judgment disallows all known sin the very least so there must be an universal liking and an allowance of all good of all known Truths and all known Duties Truths as revealed by God and to be believed by us and Duties commanded by God and to be performed by us 2. In seeing the fulness 1 Pet. 2.7 of beauty and excellency with the mightiness of Christ to save in all respects all that come to God by him by faith with the vanity of all earthly things to make us happy and the excellency of Grace Holiness Faith Love and the other required heavenly graces and soul-abilities and beauties above all other endowments This is the first part the first right change of the mind and judgment 1 Cor. 2. Whereas the natural man knows not the things of God nor can he because they are spiritually discerned 2. The next part of the new Creature is that change and new heavenly frame of that noble faculty the will Rom. 7.18 To will is present Oft in the Psalms David mentions his will his choice his curpose his firm and rooted resolution Psal 119.8 I will keep thy statutes Vers 30. I have chosen the way of truth Vers 106. I have sworn and will perform to keep thy righteous judgments Isa 56.4 That abuse
the things which please Gods own description of a gracious frame of spirit by a gracious choice Contrary a sinful unconverted heart is described by thusing things that are sinful and provoking I say the change of the will is a high evidence of sincerity a chusing of God for our God chusing of Christ his offered grace above all him to our Righteousness and Justification our Wisdom our Sanctification so coming to taking of trusting on him is an act of the will in chusing him a chusing the holy ways of God universally Psal 119. Respect to all thy commandments This not so much in knowing as purpose of heart for keeping all To add but one thing more The new Creature is principally seen in a new will and a new will in a new aim altering utterly that old sinful carnal aim of carnal self and satisfying of it sinfully aiming at only or chiefly self and satisfying self in worldly and carnal things This Idol Self the grand aim is taken down is no more the souls Master-mark that gave all the Laws made every thing serve to it and end in it eyeing of self chiefly aiming at seeking and striving most for self is changed and there 's a new Master-aim a new mark to which it designs and principally drives at God and his glory serving and pleasing him This evidently appears in the Saints in Scripture They exalt God called such as seek God serve God live to God to Christ Psal 22.26 Psal 24.6 This the generation of them that seek him and deny themselves Rom. 6.11 Alive unto God 2 Cor. 5.15 Live not to themselves but to him that dyed for them 1. Universal allowance of all known good in the mind 2. Universal abhorrence of all known evil chusing all good and an universal purpose of will to please God in all things are the things the sincerity of them stands of those two noble faculties renewed 3. A real change of the corrupt carnal and disorderly movings of the affections to a making them holy and heavenly to setting them on the things above and taking them off really the things below from their usual sway rule violent running to carnal and earthly things and from their customary and predominant deadness flatness and remissness to and in spiritual and heavenly things A change really upon the great and leading affection love the great weight that carries all Amor meus est pondus meum as the devout Ancient said My souls love is my souls weight the strong biass that still leads it Hence arise the other holy affections they are acted from love desire delight sorrow fear hatred of all known evil Psal 97.10 Ye that love the Lord hate evil Psal 119.104 I hate every false way A Character it is of a wicked man he abhors not evil Psal 36.4 But a holy heart when it comes even new out of the furnace is new cast new made it 's stampt with predominant love to God and his ways and with new self-loathing and sin-abhorring Ezek. 36.26 A new heart will I give you Vers 36. Then shall ye remember your evil ways and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations I shall add no more particulars The truth and sincerity of this whole work wrought first in thee really and then known must be the ground for evidencing of thy assurance which must be done by comparing the pattern of the new Creature described in the infallible Word of Christ and the copy of it drawn in thy heart Such serious searching and due meditating with praying and other ordinances must be on thy part thou must 2 Pet. 1.10 Give all diligence to make thy calling and election sure But withal there must be a due consideration and praying for the evidencing and sealing Spirit of Christ the Comforter and diligent still attending upon those ways and means of grace the Holy Spirit uses to come and seal and comfort in I know other things might be mentioned especially in a purposely handling this Doctrine of Assurance The manner of Gods working in such as are effectually drawn to Christ differs in circumstances and in the sensible perceivings of it accordingly as God pleases to work and assurance as the Spirit pleases is given in a different way But trying by this change upon the heart in a renewing the mind subduing and turning that great wheel of the soul the refractory and stubborn will changing the main aim from self and the creature to God in Christ Really plucking up the affections rooted in the earth and finding them set upon things above an evident change and turning the grand affection of love out of its old channel and a placing it upon God his Word ways and people the Saints above all other things when these things freely given thee of God and by the Spirit of God received are made known to be in thee 1 Cor. 2.12 this is a right assurance O pray pray for this sealing and assuring Spirit this will help thee against the fears doubts deceits of thy own heart and Satans methods and clear up thy good condition to thee This assurance attained the next Meditation must be of the best ways of keeping and preserving it which must be endeavoured yea of thy growing up to the riches and fulness of assurance to a Plerophory as it is called The preserving of assurance and growing up in it 2 Pet. 1.10 must be by care and diligence used about it and used for exacter walking in all Christs ways Endeavours of mortifying thy corruptions combating with Satan and the world and getting victory Rev. 2.17 To him that overcometh I will give him a white stone with a new name The white stone is thy Justification the new name is Adoption of Sons both assured upon victory obtained There must be a tender care of obedience to and compliance with the Holy Spirit and of not grieving of it Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption If thou wouldst have the Holy Spirit a sealing Spirit thou must not be a Griever of that Spirit by any ordinary neglectings and ilightings of it or by contrary walkings to it wilful and presumptuous evils especially provoke and grieve and will hinder assurance Psal 85.8 God will speak peace to his Saints but let them not turn again to folly This in David Psal 51.8 Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones thou hast broken may rejoyce Some Saints by their falls have felt it long it may be ever after as great bruises in the body Others upon care and fruitfulness have kept their peace and assurance long it may be to the last CHAP. XII Of the next Meditation namely how weak and imperfect thy Grace is THis is a Meditation very necessary for making thee very humble greatly fearful and careful and highly to provoke thee to contend to a growth and strength of grace to be rooted and stablisht daily
of men when God pleases to permit him as we have it most evidently in the 1. 2. of Job yet he hath not such power to work upon the souls of men as to destroy them or to disturb them or to discern and discover their hearts their thinkings affectings aimings or any actings of the reasonable soul Neither can he hurt the soul either to destroy it or to defile it or to force it to think or affect or purpose He can force no man to sin in the least commission of evil or omission of good He cannot perswade terrifie or trouble without first our giving leave and giving way He gets ground by our first giving ground he leads when we let him fasten his chain and draws when we suffer our selves to be drawn Jam. 1.14 Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and is enticed Satan casts forth the bait but we first catch it before he catcheth us he cannot make us take in the bait no more than the Fisher can force the fish to bite and swallow his bait he tenders only and the fish takes it of its own accord Satan can throw his dart but it cannot enter unless we will if we will yield and not encounter with our arms but walk unweaponed and not fight 3. Though Satan hath the greatest gall deepest and most highly improved hatred of an irreversible edge boiled up to the highest Hell-dyed implacableness yet this Serpent is not so formidable as the infinite love of God to thee is comfortable What can his malice weigh against the goodness of thy God that endureth continually 4. Though Satan be unweariedly busie and sedulous yet he is not cannot be so industrious careful wakeful working for thee and disposing all things for thy greatest good Rom. 8.28 as thy God is He never can out-do thy God his doings against thee cannot out-do thy Gods doings for thee No not in any heat or height of any temptation When he tempts thee buffets thee haunts thee he must not be lookt upon as one at full liberty to do what he lists He is not the Ruler of all things governs not the world by himself alone But he is under thy God then when he tempts thee yea thy God governs the very temptation Satan can cast out no more of his serpentine venom than thy God permits He casts not out one drop or the least quantity without thy Gods first giving way 5. As thy God governs by still giving Satan leave and limiting him when he tempts as he limited him in Jobs case so his letting Satan tempt is not for him to have his will but that thy God may have his own holy will both to teach thee and better thee much to support encourage and yet humble much thy spirit that thy God sees is needful for thee Though temptations are like fire to melt the metal yet not to mar but mend it to purge it cast it into a new mould that it may be polisht and brightned and so fitted more for thy Gods praise Though the best Physicians sometimes use severe and sharp remedies yet the trouble pain sickness caused by Evacuations Corrosives Causticks Cuttings and such like are not intended for themselves but for recovery soundness strength and the good of the Patient though at present he may not so like or believe it So is it in thy Gods suffering thee to be tempted sorely and long buffeted and this must be considered and believed Thy Gods suffering thee to be tryed is only for gracious ends which after the temptation is well over will clearly be seen and thankfully acknowledged Ah! thou wilt say I could not have been without this temptation or these tryel in this nature manner me sure so sharp so long so many Never had my experiences been so rich my Faith and trust love and cleaving hope and waiting humility patience courage contentedness and other graces so appeared so improved acted so high to the praises of God and reflected and brought in such peace and joy to my own bosom Ah! how out of this evil God hath wrought my good Out of this roaring Lyon this eater brought meat out of the strong sweetness as Samson of the honey found in the Lyon he vanquisht Judg. 14.8 6. Though Satan be such an enemy and his molestations so great yet Meditation must gather up the reliefs and encouragements the Scripture supplies thee with All discouragement arises much from a single or too much pondering and poring on a present evil without a due looking to the means of relief escaping or enduring Therefore Meditation here must 〈◊〉 Eye God as well as Satan his love faithfulness pity power and all things making for comfort 2. The purchase of Christ buying victory by his blood 3. The presence and help of his Spirit against the evil Spirit and the defence he will be sure to make of his own house and Temple and the things of it to save it from harm 7. Lastly thy Meditation must look up and labour to write after the copies of the Saints that have couragiously combated and gloriously conquered especially upon thy Captain General who overcame not by his meer infinite power but by means at hand and ready always in thy power By the Scripture I have singled out a few things on this occasion whole books some less some very great have been written very learnedly and experimentally of the Doctrine of Temptations wherein large direction and help may be had for such as are tempted but I have rather exceeded already and therefore will add no more in this particular CHAP. XV. Some Directions as to occasional and set Meditation SOme Directions might be next inserted concerning that Meditation used on special occasions and which is more therefore solemn and at larger leisure As in the Law besides the daily Sacrifices there were particular solemn times where the work was much more more Sacrifices offered more Rites observed and time spent in those Services was more This Meditation must be performed according to the nature and scope and such Rules as best godly wisdom can suggest for it 1. As choice of the fittest season and opportunity doing it when we are freest from avocations and fittest as to frame temper and strength of body when we are liveliest and freshest and not sunk tyred dispirited that the good and lively present temper of body may the better help and assist the soul and the soul thereby more orderly and vigorously more intensly and deliberately act 2. Chusing the fittest place is a prudence and great advantage for avoiding disturbance and interruptions and to have the golden thread of Meditation run smoothly on without breaking from any diversions We must in faithfulness to our own spiritual interest wisely watch and strongly resolve to put by every thing that may divert or disquiet us in our now intended Meditation A darksom place or that is purposely made something dark for avoiding distractions from the eye and
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
and faithful to thy self as to lead thy thoughts to think of Hell and ponder that place and state taking often the weight of the crown of glory the worth of the Jewels of that Crown and think in greater earnestness of the Riches of that Kingdom of Glory thy own unspeakable happiness with that rare rich annexed Jewel Eternity The losing of it is from not looking on it most losing it from looking aside to the world The best go but slowly to Heaven because they mind it so remissly and move so easily A way the best way to be the best Marksman at Heaven should be every Christians great study This is wisdom for thy self to meditate study thy self into the Art of winning the Crown of Glory Weigh Hell and Heaven unspeakable insufferable and eternal eternal torment and wo with inconceivable and eternal never fading happiness and highest glory Represent more effectually see feel more sensibly the fearful and woful case of a damned soul realize it with the best industry and Art thou canst use and be not so sinfully soft nice and tender of touching or of dwellings and searchings by this way of thoughts force thy self to feel the pains and scorchings of this Hell prepared and the fulness of Gods wrath poured out and then represent and realize to thy self happiness and glory with thy utmost ability and industry as if thou sawest it in all the fulness tasted it and wert feeding to the full at Christs Table in his Kingdom There are strange Artifices to get Crowns and Kingdoms Ah! act Meditation into an ever-growing more covetous of the gain ambitious of the honour contentious for to have the victory over all difficulties in the way of this most transcendent Crown of Glory The wise Merchant seeks and buys the Pearl Mat. 13.46 The wise Meditater weighs strives for and wins the Crown 3. Improve Meditation all you can as to the grand and most principal means be very high and hard Students for that excellency of knowledge the knowledge of Christ and him crucified and better applying of him To see daily more what a way Christ is to the Father what fulness dwells in him Col. 1.19 how freely he is offered how mighty and ready he is to save to the uttermost Uttermost of guilt by righteousness and forgiveness of wrath by reconciliation of shame and vileness by dignity and adoption through his blood To the uttermost of darkness by being our light uttermost of our errours by being put on as truth uttermost of folly by being applied as our wisdom uttermost of corrupt affections and carnal aims choices and distempers of will and finfulness of the whole soul by being our sanctification 1 Cor. 1.31 Yea to the uttermost f all misery and to perfect felicity Strive to meditate better to have Meditation issue in a growing knowledge of Christ sweeter savour stronger recumbencies on him larger receivings from him more intimate fellowship with him and a more worthy walking of him 4. Let thy Meditation be more improved in that particular of the great Applier of Christ to thee and mighty Helper of thee the holy Spirit how to better entertain him and by obeying please and delight him and not grieve him that he always may be ready to assist enlarge and comfort thee seal thee and shed abroad the love of God in thy heart 5. Strive after a better meditating on all the precious promises so as more to strengthen Faith heighten Hope and have the fuller Communion with Christ by them 6. So meditate of the Ordinances as they be more highly valued and endeared and be more instrumental for thy meeting with God in them and commanding his blessing by them of light warmth strength and encouragement 7. Mightily contend to exacter musings and ponderings of thy hearts great wickedness and deep deceitfulness Make Meditation a better clue and thread to lead thee into all intricacies and windings of that maze and labyrinth wherein thou art so ready to be lost and art often lost To know it more perfectly in all its cheats and deceits but with an earnest looking up to God the heart-searcher to manifest thy self unto thy self So for the methods and dephts of Satan thy unwearied enemy which will not be understood unless studied and minded much 2 Cor. 2.11 We are not ignorant saith the Apostle of his devices He was not ignorant this way this must be knowledge by minding and studying of them Though God teacheth yet not without our endeavour setting our thoughts to search and find out his practices and subtilties If we are careless herein God may instead of helping us against him let him loose upon us to act his frauds and fury that our buffetings may awaken us into mindings of him and endeavours of being acquainted with his devices Meditate therefore more to be an experienced skilful Artist here and grow more cunning to see into his practices 8. Meditate more of that enemy the world that makes the baits for covering Satans hooks without which he could not so catch as oft he doth neither could we be so catcht from our own corruptions if things of the world did not occasion our deceivings The fuel and tinder is without the spark and fire is within the lust is within but the bait is without Jam. 1.14 Every one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own concupiscence and enticed If the bait were nothing to us there would be no catching of us if the world were vanity all things as crucified to us having no beauty and loveliness in them there would be no danger Meditate to a discovery more of the worlds vanity and that insufficiency in every thing but God to make us happy and to thereby a weanedness of heart from those things that will neither fill or fix satisfie us or stay with us CHAP. XIX But more particularly 1. THou must earnestly act and strive to improve thy Meditation on those things which concern thee in thy rank and age of Christianity There are some Babes little children in godliness others are young and strong men others are fathers so 1 Joh. 2.12 13 14. The strong men must act according to their age and rank in Christianity not as babes or little children the strong Christian must not does not look to little childrens lessons return thither and strive to no more Heb. 5.12 To use milk stick at barely the Principles of the Oracles of God and Doctrine of Christ Chap. 6. v. 1. But uses strong meat takes forth the higher lessons in Religion beyond children The Apostle saith The word was in them and they had overcome the wicked one They were besides knowledge of the Principles improved to such knowledge of the Word higher knowledge that they knew what was proper of the Word and how to use it as fitted them to combat with Satan and overcome him The strong Christian must be busied in higher matters therefore must act Meditation higher study and learn those lessons
a little thinking Shall I suffer my self to be of that simple sort and to be carried away in that crowd to utter ruine If I neuer yet walkt in this heavenly thought-way the greater reason I have to hasten into it But if I have tasted tryed and found the surpassing sweetness and advantages of it have I not high encouragement to make a farther progress still in it And if by long beating this path I have largely experienced the most abundant pleasantness and sweetness have I not then greatest inducement to go on the more both evenly and earnestly Ah! then my soul consider with thy self the liberties the latitudes the pleasures and satieties which thy eye may still expatiate and recreate it self in by this rare Art of Divine Meditation Look to thy ways thy eye-ways their varieties and excellencies which are so many and of that transcendency that there never were nor can be any so various and spacious of that delicacy beauty and glory The wise and holy heart hath far the advantage of all the great Scholars and Artists all the highest Nobles and Princes he hath better walks and rarer eye-entertainments in his happy way of Meditation Ah! then my soul how canst thou in the least sort be slothful and backward to this so pleasant performance and soul-enriching way this so easie ascent to Heaven by the paths and steps purposely made thee to mount up thither See what plenties of rare provisions are made to entertain and take up thy thoughts What multitudes of fittest objects What sweet and precious things lie full before thee to give thee a full employment at all times and with a very great variety to be a preventive of weariness and cloying and introduce a more fulness of satiety and delight Thou hast that great Book of the whole Creation all the several most stupendious and glorious Works of God to take and look over all the guilded leaves and there to meditate on wonder after wonder Thou mayst carry thy eye over all the Earth full of Gods Riches descend into the bowels of it meet with all the hid Treasures and Rarities lockt up in the Makers rich Cabinet there below Thou mayst go upon the so large extended Waters through the paths of the Seas see the things of excellency in the one and other Thence thou mayst ascend up the steps and stories of the Air and Firmament the glorious Heaven beyond it with the so glorious Lights of such astonishing magnitudes and motions orders and influences Thence then mount up thou mayst to the highest Heaven that most holy place the Worlds most glorious piece and fabrick that Palace of the King of Glory with all his so glorious Retinue and Attendants of millions of millions of most happy Saints and Angels O what an ample provision is this for my spirits particular help and solace my eye-accommodation and recreation Yea how unspeakably gracious must I have declared my God to be towards me had I only been favoured with the ten thousand part of the things my Meditation can recreate it self upon Ah! but my soul thou hast more graciously afforded thee by thy God another book that richest Treasure of most infallible necessary and saving Truths there may I most highly meditate and satiate my self with that highest Mystery of godliness all the wonders concurring and meeting to make it up and among them that most especially of the so astonishing so all-amazing Mystery of God manifested in the flesh The very highest thought-walk given for a created Nature to take its most ravishing solace in Not only for sinners redeemed by the Lord of Glory but those of that uppermost rank of Nature that never needed a Saviour from sin yet being mutable creatures might all have fallen But in Christ their Head being given in their election to him and thence preserved by him These blessed Angels have this Mystery of Godliness this Lord of Glory Jesus Christ their Head of continuation of happiness the most transcendent object of their highest contemplation and admiration O what an account then shall I render to my God if I do not design and endeavour Meditation in some good degree proportionate and answering the so inconceivable eye-obligation and engagement herein lying on me But O my soul this is not all thou hast yet another Book besides that of the Creature and the other of Scripture the book of thy own self state and heart wherein with singular advantage thou mayst constantly busie thy thoughts most seriously And if thou art Christs Temple knowest his dwelling in thee thou mayst find it like the so glorious Temple of Solomon built of costly stones of spiritual excellencies over-laid with that pure gold of inward Holiness and Sanctification throughout Having in it that fire of heavenly love descended on it burning in it the Altar for offering thy self by Christ in thee a whole burnt-offering the golden Altar Christ for the perfuming of all thy services to ascend as Incense up to God and be pleasing most sweet and acceptable with him There you may find the golden Lamps with the seven glorious lights the Lord of light thy wisdom making thee light and shining in heavenly knowledge and wisdom Nay there may be found the golden Ark with the Testimony the Law by the finger of Christ written on the fleshly tables of thy heart and the Mercy-seat or Propitiatory whereby thou art made to God a friend by Christ who is the Propitiation residing in the Temple the hidden man of thy heart the Cherubims of glory cover thee and thy whole man made the Temple of the Holy Ghost dwelling and working in thee O what precious matter of Meditation may thy own glorious state and the beauties of Graces and Holiness the new creature formed in thee after the image of Christ and the Spirit of life and power to the highest praise of the infinite love of the most blessed God afford thee even that God who in riches of free grace hath thought upon and from all Eternity chosen thee to be a vessel of glory and honour O how many and many rare objects as have been formerly exprest are given and set before thee to improve Meditation upon And to and above all if there be not enough large enough high enough sweet enough and satisfying thou hast to search and dive farther into the infinite power of the All-sufficient God especially his infinite loveliness and sweetness to take thy highest solace fullest satisfaction in Ah! then my soul lift up to the utmost thy self in most glorious praises unto thy God who hath appointed such a way as this of heavenly Meditation to hedge in thy thoughts wildness and wandrings to help up thy thought otherwise earthliness Bless him with all that is within thee for vouchsafing and sanctifying so happy a way for thy both thought-imployment and improvement Bless him with all heart-enlargements thou canst for making thee so spacious and large walks Most highly rejoyce in him who hath afforded thee so transcending pleasant and delightful walks for thy thoughts to take their happy turns in Say unto thy God O what is man that thou art so mindful of him so mindful of that silly mind of man as to prepare and fit for him such blessed mind-walks and these in so great variety of excellency spiritual excellency for such pure pleasure and ravishing delight O then my soul never deny the doing of this work never defer the doing to a better time when time is now O be not heartless and listless dead and dull not uneven and inconstant in the fervent performance of it O daily contend to higher excellency in this heavenly Art to have the wings of thy spirit longer and stronger to soar a higher pitch to take a more nimble flight and make larger returns of blessed advantages in peace joy satisfactions of ravishments and highest raptures of spirit and by this assent of holy Meditation mount up still higher and higher till thou touchest Heaven it self till contemplation ends in vision and fruition of the most infinitely glorious God himself Vision is accompanied with plenary and most perfect satisfaction perfect happiness for ever To which most unspeakably glorious God the most infinitely highest Beauty and Excellency for the eye by contemplation to act and dwell upon the Father chiefly in his infinite riches of free Grace the Son in his infinite fulness of Redemption the Holy Spirit in his most glorious Inhabitation and Application of that Redemption be Honour Glory and everlasting Praises of Saints and Angels for ever Amen Soli Deo gloria FINIS