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A42552
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The mount of holy meditation: or a treatise shewing the nature and kinds of meditation the subject matter and ends of it; the necessity of meditation; together with the excellency and usefulnesse thereof. By William Gearing minister of the gospel at Lymington in the county of Southampton.
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Gearing, William.
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1662
(1662)
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Wing G436B; ESTC R222671
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88,628
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217
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likewise did much affect Luther viz. that in doubts of predestination we should begin from the wounds of Christ that is from the sense of God's love to us in Christ therefore the warming of the brains in study without the warming the heart by meditation is but a dead and cold speculation serious meditation puts lively colours upon common truths which operate strongly upon the heart to make it better Chap. 8. Of the subject of Meditation Sect. 1. Of meditaâ—ion on the works of God I now proceed to discusse the subject-matter of meditation first subject â—editation works of 〈◊〉 and here I am launching into a great Ocean but like the dogs of Nilus I shall but lick and away The first subject of meditation is God's works of Creation a fit matter for our serious meditations I remember the dayes of old saith David I meditate on all thy works I muse on the work of thy hands Psal 145.5 He looketh up to the Heavens and considereth the work of God's fingers meditating on all those works that were visible to the eye of man â—al 102.25 Psal 8.3 called elsewhere the work of his hands Isa 48.13 My hand hath laid the foundation of the earth and my right hand hath spanned the Heavens it is for that they are of such excellency as if they had been his handywork indeed which yet were made by his word only as Moses and St John do declare Gen. 1.6 Joh. 1.3 That great advancer of learning hath an excellent passage suitable hereunto Sr Francis Bâ—con's advancâ—ment of learâ—ing l. 1. p. 27 It is to be observed saith he that for any thing which appeareth in the History of the Creation the confused masse and matter of Heaven and earth was made in a moment and the order and disposition of that Chaos or mass was the work of six dayes such a note of difference it pleased God to put upon the works of power and the works of wisdome wherewith concurreth that in the former it is not set down that God said Let there be Heaven and earth as it is set down of the works following but actually that God made Heaven and earth the one carrying the stile of a Manufaction the other of a Law Decree or Councell It is not enough that we barely look on the works of God but we must meditate upon them for if we do no more than see them the Oxe the Bull and the Horse do as much as we If we see nothing in the Heavens Dearing Heb. Lect. 5. c. 1. vers 10. saith a grave Divine but that they are lightsome and above our reach the Horse and Mule see this as well as we if we see nothing in the earth but a place to walk in or to take our rest upon it the beasts and fouls see this as well as we if we see nothing in our gorgeous apparell but the pride of a goodly colour the Peacock seeth that in his feathers if in all our refreshment from the creatures we know nothing but the pleasure and sweetnesse of our sense the Swine hath as great a share herein as we if hearing seeing smelling tasting feeling be all the comfort we can find in the works of God the dumb creatures have these senses more exquisite than we and we have turned the hearts of men into the hearts of beasts who with wisdome and reason can do nothing â— Isidor â—usiot l. 2. â—st 135. and the words of the Prophet are fulfilled in us Man being in honour understandeth not and is like the beasts that perish Psal 49.20 therefore the sight of God's works must affect us more than so else shall we be but as the beasts and follow them Now you are to meditate how God brought forth all his works in the space of six dayes before he finisht them he did not create the world all at once but took time for the Creation of it to teach us to take speciall time duely and orderly to consider and meditate on the works of God if he that could have made the Heavens and the earth the Sun Moon and Stars and all creatures in a moment yet it pleased him to take time for the creating of them this should teach us to select some space of time for the meditation of them we must not think it enough to look upon them at one view but to passe from part to part from one creature to another and in every creature to admire the workmanship power wisdome and goodnesse of the Creatour as we are taught Psal 92.4 5. Thou Lord hast made me glad through thy works and I will triumph in the works of thy hands O Lord how great are thy works and thy thoughts are very deep a bruitish man knoweth not neither doth a fool understand this which Psalm as the Title tells us was a meditation penned for the Sabbath day therefore I say God would spend six dayes about the Creation of the world whereas he might have done it in an instant and in a moment of time to the end that we might the better meditate upon it from point to point for which purpose he presently ordained the Sabbath Thus Job Job 36.24 tells us that we must not idly behold the work â—upellex orâ—ata hominem â—guit munâ—us Deum â—inut Faelix â—ctav but must magnifie the workman Remember that thou magnifie his work which men behold this we will do coming into the Shop of an excellent Artizan The eternall power and Godhead is seen by the things that are made but most of us have great cause to be ashamed that we have spent so little time in meditating on the works of God yea who can truly say he hath spent so much time in meditating on God's works as God spent in making them how few are there that have set apart so much time ever since they were born as if it were all laid together will make up six dayes one entire week what a shame is it for man whom God made on purpose to view his works â—ria sunt geâ—era meditatiâ—num unum â— creaturis â—num in Scriâ—turis unum â—n moribus â—rimum surgit ex admiratione secundum ex lectione â—ertium ex circumspectione Hug. medit and by them to glorifie him not to spend so much time in meditating upon them as God spent in making of them therefore we have great cause to become more carefull and studious readers of this great Book of nature for time to come There is a threefold Book into which a Christian is to make inspection The Book of nature or of the creatures The Book of the Scriptures The Book of conscience The Book of the creatures hath a powerfull conviction meditate upon it and observe God's power or thou art an Atheist The Book of the Scriptures hath a power of conversion meditate on it and learn the will of God out of it so to serve him or thou art an hypocrite The Book of
conscience hath a power of accusation meditate on it or thou art an Infidel The Book of nature hath God spread wide open and before us Seculum speculum that he that runs may read Austin calls the world Gods Book in folio every creature should be to us a page in this Book and every part of a creature a line in this Book How carefull should we be to take these things into our thoughts our Saviour saith Matth. 24.15 When ye shall see the abomination of desolation spâ—ken of by Daniel the Prophet stand in the holy place who so readeth let him understand So say I let him that readeth in this great Book of nature understand to what end these creatures were created even to the end that we might view them and in them glorâ—fie the Creatour And seeing God hath not only acquainted us in the grosse what he diâ— in generall but hath condescended sâ— far as to tell us what he did eveâ— day what he did the first day whâ— he did the second day c. I daâ— boldly affirm that it were very convenient and expedient every day to â— apart some time on that day to meditate on the works that were created â— that day it is as convenient a method as any I can imagine for it is following of God in the Creation this being considered together with thâ— dulnesse of our apprehensions anâ— how apt our thoughts are to turn asidâ— to vain and unprofitable objects thâ— order will be found to be very necessary I shall give you a tast of such kinds meditations from one of the dayes oâ— the week the first day of the weeâ— called the Lord's day on this day seâ— apart some time to meditate on thâ— works that were on that day created first the works of the evening thâ— the works of the morning 1. The works of the evening as the â—reating that huge body of the Heavens when we see that vast body and how God stretcheth out the Heavens as a curtain the greatnesse of the Heavens â—hould teach us to meditate on the greatnesse of the infinite Jehovah if â—he Heavens do so far exceed our â—houghts how great then is he whom â—he Heaven of Heavens are not able to contain if the earth be so glorious as â—t is in the spring time how unspeakably glorious are the Heavens which far â—xceed the earth and here we may â—dmire his greatnesse who was able to â—et up such a rich canopy and covering over the earth and here also let us meditate on the unspeakable goodnesse of God to man that he hath made for man not only a rich dwelling here beâ—ow but also provideth for him a dwelling place in the Heavens there â—o sit down with him in his Throne Rev. 3.20 That man that is but dust and ashes a lump of earth here below â—hould be exalted to the highest place of the Creation this should check us or our folly in suffering the earth to â—teal away our hearts from God as if there were no greater happinesse to bâ— had than here below what stupiâ— creatures are we to spend more time iâ— getting a few white and red pieces oâ— earth than in getting a glorious possession of the Kingdome of Heaven foâ— the attainment whereof we shoulâ— think no time too much no pains toâ— great no affections too strong Furthermore bring your meditations to the earth created on the samâ— day also that which yeelded matteâ— and stuffe for the making of all creâ—tures here below consider that thâ— earth was a formlesse lump before Goâ— beautified and adorned it it was â— meer nothing Painters can draw 〈◊〉 pictures without colours Architectâ— raise no buildings without materials and if you take away Marble or Poâ—phiry from Engravers they can carâ— neither Images nor Statues Senault Treat 5. disc 8. It is oâ— God that actuateth nothing that formeth being out of a non-entity as one well â—teth the earth receiveth its being â— beauty and all it hath from God The meditation hereof should â— suffer us to let any thing in the earâ— to withdraw our hearts from God â— sore God made the earth it was nothing â—ilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is â—ot Prov. 23.5 Why should that which is noâ—hing draw away our hearts from God who is full of all perfection the earth â—lso at first was a confused masse of â—hings without form and void Rudis indigestaque moles Ovid. this â—hould draw out from us this meditatiâ—n to make us to consider that we â—hat are of the earth are altogether polâ—uted in sin lying in our bloud our â—ouls being all stained with sin and without any form of holinesse and â—ighteousnesse yea void of all the saâ—ing graces of Gods Spirit In me â—aith Paul that is in my flesh there â—welleth no good thing and as darknesse was then upon the face of the deeâ— so â—arknesse is upon the face of our souls â— man may see hear read but can â—ave no true discerning of spirituall â—hings till the day-Star arise in his â—eart for spirituall blindnesse is upon â—he face of his soul Here then is condemned the folly of â—hose that think ignorance the mother â—f devotion but while men remain in â—heir naturall blindnesse they can perâ—rm no pleasing service to God blind services may be acceptable to â— Prince of darknesse God made Heaven for himself principally the earth for us let us consider our condition by Creation affection disposition then shall we say with Abraham we are but earth dust and ashes Gen. 18.27 but they are abominable to the Father of lights ligâ— was the first thing that God maâ— in the Creation and when there wâ—â— light the earth lay for some dayes dead and senslesse lump and could nâ— so much as bring forth one grasse oâ— herb till the Spirit of God moved â— on the face of the waters so in â— new Creation when there is soâ— light wrought in the understandinâ— yet canst thou not bring forth one pleâ—sant fruit of holinesse till the Spirit God flutter over thee and by a divinâ— heat and warmth move and stir thâ— soul and enable thee to perform aâ—ceptable obedience to God 2. I come to the work of the moâ—ing then he created the light on thâ— first day of the week commanding tâ—â— light to shine out of darknesse now us set apart some time to meditate this excellent creature the light which the glory of God is greatly mâ—nifest there was nothing before â— utter darknesse then the Lord creaâ— the light without the Sun in wâ— the power of God is admirable should greatly wonder at midnight to see a great light to shine forth and expell the darknesse of the night this may lead us to this meditation that as God caused on this first day of the week light to arise and break out of darknesse so on this first day of the week also he caused his own Son the light of the world to arise out of