more fit for Meditation Shall I name Four or Five 1. Look when the Lord hath made any deep Impression upon your soul by word or work then is a time for your meditation for Impression calls for meditation 2. The Morning is a fit time for Meditation before the World come in What more fit for God than the best of time the Morning is the best of time therefore a fit time for Meditation on God 3. The Sabbath Day is a fit time also for Meditation therefore the 92th Psal is appointed for the Sabbath A Psalm for the Sabbath Day saith the Title to the Psalm 4. The time of Gods special dispensations is a fit time for it Look when there is a special dispensation of God abroad either of Mercy or Judgment then is a fit time for Meditation In the 9th Psal The Lord is known by the Judgement which he executeth the wicked is snared in the work of his own hands Higgaion Selah what 's that it comes from the Heb. Hagah which signifies to Meditate When the wicked are snared in the work of their own hands here 's woâ—k for meditation Look I say when there is a special dispensation of God either in Mercy or Judgment that 's a fit time for meditation 5. Look what time that is that lies next or near or close to any great work or service that 's a fit time for meditation As for example Suppose we be to receive the Lord's Supper The time that lies next before it is a fit time for meditation Suppose a man be to be call'd out for some great service or Imployment The time that goes close before it is a fit time for him to sit down and meditate with himself upon the work For the more a man doth prepare for a work the more likely he is in reason to perform it well Now Meditation is a good preparation Look therefore what that time is that immediately before or close to the work of the Lord that 's a fit time for Meditation Thus now you see what the special times are for the work of Meditation The time of Impressions The morning time The Sabbath day The time of special dispensations either of Mercy or Judgment And the time tha goes Immediately or next or close before the great work and service of the Lord. And If you would meditate rightly observe what the fit times for Meditation are and be sure you lay hold thereon 7. I 'le name but one more Though there is a great deal of profit and sweetness to be found in this work of meditation and it 's every dayes work yet take heed that you don't so meditate on one of Gods excellencies as to neglect another nor don 't so spend your whole time in the work of meditation that this work of meditation should eat up other dutyes God would have us rise from this work of meditation as from any other duty with an hungry appetite Friends God would have us rise hungry from every duty and not glutted variety is refreshing he hath given many duties that we may not pore upon one In case therefore you have bin at the work of meditation either God hath come in upon you with his speciall Influence or not if he hath praise the Lord for his AYtance it 's mercy that you have had one good thought of God but Meditation is more than a thought meditation is thought upon thought praise God that 's the way to have more And In case that God hath not come in upon you in the work of meditation then yet be not discouraged for God would not have you glutted and God would lead you to some other work and one duty one work is not to eat up and devour another I say with one Let not your time be the measure or rule of your Meditation but your Meditation the rule of your time Yet take heed that you don't spend so much time in musing and considering and meditating as that this work of Meditation should eat up any other Duty but quicken thereunto And thus you see some means some helps to this work of Meditation Some Rules and Directions for the right carrying it on sweetly What now remains but that you up and be doing turn your hand to it You have heard the duty proved You have heard the sweetness and profitableness thereof cleared You have heard what Objects we are to lay our Thoughts out upon And you have heard some means as helps unto the Work And some Rules and Directions for the carrying of it on O then you that never spent hour in meditation all your dayes if there be any such here Now bethink your selves and now give up your Thoughts to God You that have gone one year after another and one week after another and never spent any time in meditating on God or the things of God O now bethink your selves And that you may do so and be provoked hereunto give me leave to lay down some Arguments and Motives to press both your souls and mine unto this great work of Meditation The Arguments are divers Thus First Friends The more acquaintance you have with this work of Meditation the more time you will get and the lesse you will lose A man that hath the skill on 't need never lose an hour Who knows the worth of time This little spot of time doth our Eternity depend upon Yet Lord how many are there that lose their precious hours and time But what 's the reason They have no hand at this work of Meditation When their business is over they might otherwise turn their hand to this work and lose no time The more acquaintance you have with this work of Meditation the more time you will get and the lesse you will lose 2. Hereby even by this work of Meditation you shall get into the Secrets of divine things There is a Secret and a Mystery in ever Trade A man don't know the Trade till he knows the Secret and the Mystery of it It 's said The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him Knowledge brings us to the door of Truth But Meditation hath us into the House and into all the Rooms thereof Thereby I say you shall get into the Inwards and the Secrets of the things of God 3. Thereby also you shall suck out the sweetnesse of all those divine and precious things that you know As a man by musing on his Sins sucks out the sweetness thereof so by meditating on the things of God you suck out the sweetness of the things of God into your own souls 4. By this work of Meditation you shall have a Testimony in your own Souls that you are truly godly Every man is what he is most in private A good mans work lies most under-ground lies most out of sight In the time of Moses the beasts were clean that chewed the Cud and unclean that did not chew the Cud. In the time of David 't is made
infinitely better to have ones heart drawn out love to the Person of Christ than to have a love Christ upon the account of benefits although the bâ—nefits be spirituall benefits And if these things be so why should we not all labour for this love to the Person of Christ to love Christ not upon the account of benefits but for himself Oh that I could perswade people to fix upon the Person of Christ in their love Oh that this day I could perswade you to this divine fixation of your â—ove upon the Person of Christ I fear our love is not rightly placed I fear we have love for Christ beneath Christ himself 'T is the great work of a Minister to wooe for Christ A Ministers work is to come a wooing for Christ Can a soul be wooed over unto Christ and won over unto Christ and not love the Person of Christ Now then as ever you do desire that you may be espoused to Jesus Christ that you may be married to Jesus Christ set not your affections upon benefits set not your affections upon your own concernments in your love to Christ be more raised Christians Oh that your love were rightly placed fixed upon Christ himself not on the beneâ—its but on the Person of Christ himself But Sixthly You will say What shall we do we have â—eard what an excellent thing it is to have love to â—he Person of Christ beyond all love to his benefits â—hough they be spirituall benefits what shall we do â—hat our hearts may be drawn out to the Person of Christ that so we may be able to rejoyce in the Personall Exaltment of Christ though to our own debasement What shall we do It is a great and a good Queâ—tion What shall we do that our hearts may be â—rawn out in love to the very Person of Christ 1. Be sure that you be really conjugally united unto â—hrist There is a double union There is a union â—y way of juxta-position laying one thing to another 〈◊〉 a man's Arm is united unto Bread when the Bread is bound to his Arm. There is a union by way oâ— Intus-susception by taking in and so a man is united to his Bread and his Bread to him when he eats it they are made one So there is a double union as I may so speak to Christ one whereby men are united to Christ by the externall Ligaments of the Gospel concerning whom our Saviour may speak in John 15. Every branch in mâ— that beareth not fruit shall be cast out And then therâ— is another union with Christ which is that he speakâ— of He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood shalâ— live that 's another kind of union a closer union 〈◊〉 Now if you be really conjugally united to Christ you will love not onely his benefits but you will lovâ— his Person Rest not therefore I pray you in this externall union with Christ by the Ligaments of thâ— Gospel but labour more and more to be conjugall united to Jesus Christ But 2. If you would have your heart drawn out in lovâ— to Christ himself and the Person of Christ then studâ— much the Personall Excellency and Goodnesse that 〈◊〉 in Christ's Person Good is the object of love Thâ— more excellent the good is the more suitable the gooâ— is and universall and obtainable the more lovely anâ— commanding is that love Christ is good an excellenâ— good goodnesse it self a suitable good suitable untâ— all our wants If you be poor he is rich if you bâ— foolish he is wise if you be out of the way I am tâ—â— way saith he if you want a director in the way I aâ— the truth if you be in the dark I am the light A sutâ—ble good and an universall good he is As all thâ— sweetnesses that are in the flowers of the field and the garden are brought in by the Bee into the Hive aâ—â— a l the sweetnesses of the flowers are there imbodied on â—ive â—ll â—he Attributes of God and the sweeâ—nesse of them all are hived in Christ in whom all the fulnesse of the Godhead dwells bodily And he is an obtainable good called the Rose of Sharon the Rose of the Field not of the Garden but of the Field that every one may come at called the desire of all Nations Do you then desire that your hearts may be drawn out in love to the Person of Christ study much the Personall Goodnesse and Excellency of Christ 3. If you do desire that your hearts may be drawn out in love to Christ himself to the very Person of Christ why should you not now stand still a little with me and behold how Christ hath loved you and your Persons Shall Christ love you and your persons and will not you love him and his Person Consider a little with me 1. The more impediments that any love doth break through the more it calls for love again What impediments hath not Christs love broke through to come to us Broke through all our unworthinesse broke â—hrough the Law broke through the Justice of God broke through the Wrath of God broke through the Grave broke through Hell broke through all our unbelief 2. And the more free any love is the more it call's for love again Three things there are that call for love Likenesse Benefit Love And where none of these are the love is most free Now Christ hath loved you but you were not like unto him when he loved you You could do him no kindesse you had no benefits to bestow upon him And you had no love for him In the day when he said Now is the time of love there was no love in your â—eâ—ts for him and therefore his love must needs be most free But 3. The more patient that love is the more iâ— calls for love again the more taking it is Now oâ—â— Saviour Christ stands knocking at your door give mâ— leave to say to you Had Christ come riding Post througâ— your City and knockt onely at your door and saiâ— hasten after me or you are damn'd for ever it haâ— been much but to stand at your door and knock day aftâ— day and year after year with the unwearied hand oâ— his love Oh unspeakable patience unexpressible love yet thus hath Christ done for you and thus hath Chriâ— loved you and loved your person and shall Chriâ— love you and love your persons and shall your lovâ— rest any where but in the Person of Christ Do bâ— consider how he hath loved you and your personâ— and then your heart will be drawn out to love tâ—â— Person of Christ And that 's a third But. 4. If you do desire that your hearts may be drawâ— out in love unto Christ if you do desire I say thâ— your hearts should be drawn out in love to Christ thâ— Person of Christ then use Christ much In any gooâ— thing you have the more you use it the more yoâ— prize it and the more you prize it
dayes work And it is that work that is consistent with every business and condition First I say 'T is every mans work it is the work of the wicked and it is the work of the Godly 'T is the woâ—k of the wicked for it is their first step unto Conversion The Prodigal bethought himself and returned unto his Fathers house The Prophet Haggai calling upon the Jews to repent saith Consider your wayes I considered my wayes and turned my feet unto thy Testimonies saith David Consider your wayes or as in the Hebrew set your heart upon your wayes And when doth a man set his heart upon his wayes but when he doth seriously ponder and meditate on his wayes Thâ—s work of Meditation therefore I say it is the work of the wicked It is their first step unto Coversion And 't is the work of the godly Meditation-work is a godly mans work For either he is weak or strong If he be weak he hath need of it that he may be strengthened If he be strong he hath need of it that he may be quickned There is no man but hath need of Meditation If a man be a Beginner he ought to meditate that he may proceed If he be a Proficient he ought to meditate that he may be perfect If he be Perfect with Gospel-perfection he ought to meditate that he may hold on his perfection Psal 1. It 's made the general description of a good man He delighteth in the Law of the Lord and in that Law doth he meditate And Secondly As it is every mans work so 't is every dayes work There are some special times as you will hear which are more fit for meditation But this work of meditation is every dayes work When I awake saith the Psalmist I am ever with thee How By prayer and meditation I have set the Lord alwayes before me How but by meditation and prayer What time is there that is not fit for this work of Meditation Is the Sabbath day unfit for it No There is a Prayer for the Sabbath Psal 92. to meditate on the works of God Is the week-day unfit for this work of Meditation No the Sabbath day is our market day and then after we have bought our maâ—ket on the Sabbath we should Rost it by meditation on the week We don't go to the Market on the market day to buy meat into the house onely for the market day but for all the time till the market day comes about again Indeed Solomon saith of the Sluggard that he is so sluggish and slothful That he doth not roast what he hâ—th taken in hunting The Sabbath day is the hunting day for souls wherein the Venison is taken On the week day we are to roast it and to live upon it by meditation and otherwise And what 's the reason that many don't live upon their Venison that they have taken on the Lords day but because they don't roast it by meditation on the week day and so are in the number of Solomen's sluggards the sluggard roasteth not the Venison that he hath taken in huntinâ— I am sure that David in the 119. Psal saith that his meditation was at work all the day long It is my meditation all the Day not a piece on 't 't is every dayes work 't is all the dayes work Yea in the first Psaâ— he takes in the Night too He delighteth in the Law of the Lord and therein doth he meditate Day and Night So that that 's the Second thing Meditation work is every days work As 't is every mans work so 't is every dayes work And 3. As it is every dayes work so it is that work that is consistent with every business and with every condition A Garment that will fit the back of every condition What dunghil-condition but this flower of Meditation may grow thereupon In Judg. the 5th 't is said there v. 11. They that are delivered from the noise of Archers in the places of drawing water There shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord. There where why in the places of drawing Water When they are in the field drawing waer And if that be a fit place be rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord certainly then it is a place fit for meditation And if that the place of the Drawing Water then the very place of scraping Trenchers and sweeping the kennel may be a place fit for meditation If that the place of drawing Water be a place fit for rehearsing the Acts of the Lord what place what condition what business but Meditation may accompany it Possibly a man may be sick and he may be kept from Books or he may be kept from hearing but yet he may meditate on God and the things of God Possibly he may be thrown into Prison and he may be kept from Books and Bible yet he cannot be kept from Meditation It 's said of Mr. Glover that Great Martyr in Queen Maryes time that lying in Prison a Coventry it was told him he should be remooved to a close Prison at Litchfield and all Books taken away from him At that he was much troubled but saith he I sat down and considered and meditated with my self Is God the God of Coventry and not of Litchfield Is not God the God of Litchfield as well as of Coventry And when I had thought on this thing and meditated thus my heart was quiet within me Surely there is no condition so sower but Sweet Meditation may grow thereon Now if this work of Meditation be a work that is Consistent with every business and every condition every dayes work and every mans work why should we not be found in the practice of it 3. But you will say 3dly What help or what means to this work of Meditation What shall I do how and by what means should this work of Meditation be performed First If you would Meditate on God rightly and duly to speak first by way of means and then for the rules of direction afterwards be very sensible of your want and of your neglect herein A man is never more fit for a duty then when he is very sensible of his neglect therein sensibleness of neglect of former duty fitts one for future duty If a man have very great possessions and he lose them he is very sensible of the loss thereof why now look into the 17th Job and you shall find there are Thought-possessions saith he My dayes are past my purposes are broken off even the thoughts of my heart In the Heb. even the possessiâ—ns of my heart As if he should say thus Time was that I had very great Thought-possessions I thought on God I enjoyed God I possessed God but now I have lost these my possessions of God and the thoughts of my heart the possessions of my heart are broken off Thus sensible Jâ—be was of the loss of his Thought-possessions And the more rich our Thought-possessions are the greater is our loss
Angels another Quire praising God v. 11. And I beheld and I heard the Voice of many Angels round about the Throne and the Beasts and the Elders and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands saying with a loud voices Worthy is the Lamb that was slain see the foot of the song still Worthy is the Lamb that was slain Men praise upon this account Angels praise upon this account also There 's a third Quire and those are other Creatures vers 13. And every Creature which is in Heaven and on the Earth and under the Earth and such as are in the Sea and all that are in them heard I saying Blessing Honour Glory and Power be unto him that sitteth upon the Throne and unto the Lamb The word slain is not there but to the Lamb that 's all one Now shall there be such praising God upon that account for the Lambs being slain And are you indeed most concerned and sprinkled with this blood of Jesus this Lamb and will not you praise God O! Go away and be for ever thankful 5. Go away and sin no more Be not defiled with sin for you see it cost dear to cleanse you The bloud of Sprinkling the bloud of Jesus 6. And go away and honour God yet more in believing It may be there are some here that never honoured God to this day with a believing smile Man Woman art thou sprinkled indeed sprinkled with the bloud of Jesus Go away then and honour the Lord with one smile of Faith this day 7. And to conclude all Art thou indeed sprinkled with the bloud of Jesus then go away and be sure that you never sell your Birth-right for a mess of Pottage Mark how this Text comes in In this 12 of the Heb. the Apostle speaking of prophane Esau Take heed saith he lest there be any Fornicator or Prophane person as Esau who for one morsel of meat sold his Birth-right For ye know how that afterwards when he would have inherited the blessing he was rejected for he found no place of Repentance though he sought it carefully with tears for ye are not come to Mount Sinai but ye are come to Mount Sion and ye are come to Jesus the Mediator of the Covenant and to the bloud of Sprinkling What then O! Take heed you do not sell your Birth-right for a mess of Pottage What is your Birth-right The Gospel is your Birth-right you are born there-to through Grace And What is your little estate but a mess of Pottage and what is your great estate but a great boul of Pottage O! Do not sell your birth-right for a mess of Pottage You are sprinkled and the bloud of sprinkling is upon you Then hold fast keep your birth right and never sell it for a mess of Pottage for ye are come unto Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant and to the Blood of Sprinkling That speaketh better things than the bloud of Abel And thus now I have done with the fourth Argument and with this Text. Think on these things and the Lord bless them to you The Sweetness and Profitableness of Divine Meditation SERM. VII Psalm 164.34 My Meditation of him shall be sweet THe Psalm is a Psalm of Thanskiving wherein the Psalmist doth call upon and provoke himself to praise the Lord upon the account of his Greatness vers â— Bless the Lord O my soul O Lord my God thou art very great thou art clothed with Honour and Majesty Which greatness of God is Illustrated by the work of Creation and Preservation By the work of Creation from the 2. vers unto the 25. By the work of Preservation from the 25. unto the 33 Having called upon himself thus to praise the Lord he resolves to do it I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live I will sing praise unto my God while I have my beeing And saith he My Meditations of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord. My Meditation of him shall be sweet Take the words as they lie in themselves and you have this Doctrine presently Doct. That 't is a sweet thing for a gracious soul to meditate on God Meditation work is sweet work A gracious soul doth find sweetness in meditating on God David was a gracious man and he found sweetness in this work of Meditation on God 'T is the property then of a gracious soul to find sweetness in meditating on God For the opening and prosecuting of which Argument First We will inquire what this Meditation is what is the true Nature and Notion of Meditation 2. How and in what respects a man may be said to meditate on God 3. How it may appear that it is a sweet thing to meditate on God and the things of God 4. I shall answer unto some Objections And then shew how the work of Meditation is to be carried on with sweetness Which is my designe in the choice of these words I. As for the first What the work of Meditation is what 's the true Notion of it 'T is several wayes expressed in Scripture Sometimes it 's call'd a Remembring of God in the 63 Psalm When I remember thee upon my Bed which is explained by that which follows And meditate on thee in the night watches Some times it 's called a Thinking on God so in Psalm 48.9 We have thought of thy loving kindness O God And sometimes it is called a Musing on God and so in the 143 Psalm I remember the dayes of old I meditate on all thy works I muse on the work of thy hands Thus it is severally exprest in Scripture Great Authors do describe it several wayes It is a vehement application of the soul unto a thing for the Investigation and Experimental knowledge thereof So Gerson and others It is a studious action of the mind whereby a man labours to find out some hidden truth so Austine It is the exercise of a mans soul whereby calling to Remembrance what he doth know already he doth further think on 't and debate on 't within himself for his own profit and benefit so Mr. Greenham But plainly and briefly thus It is the vehement or intense application of the soul unto some thing whereby a mans mind doth ponder dwell and fix upon it for his own profit and benefit First There must be the application of the soul to some thing and therefore sometimes it is expressed by laying of a thing to heart The Righteous are taken away and no man layes it to heart no man considers on 't If ye will not lay these things to heart Mal. 2.2 c. And as there must be an Application so there must be a vehement and intense Application of the soul unto a thing For every Consideration don't make Meditation Consideration heightned makes Meditation Meditation is the work of the whole soul The Mind acts and the Memory acts and the Affections act Let the Words of my mouth and the
own practice and holiness of life and Conversation Suppose I be a Preacher 'T is my duty to study the Scriptures And studying of the Scripture I meditate and when things come off well I have a sweetness therein Yet all this may be in reference to my calling to my imployment and to my livelyhood But now a gracious man he meditates on God and the things of God in reference to God to his holiness and practice Mark what David saith 119th Psal I will delight my self in thy Commandments which I have loved My hands also will I lift up unto thy Commandments which I have loved and I will meditate in thy statutes Lord saith he I love thy Commandements And upon that account I meditate in thy Commandements And I don 't onely meditate but my hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments For practice I will not onely lay my eie to reading I will not onely lay my head to studying but my hands also will I lift up unto thy Commandments to take hold on them and to practise them So that thus a gracious soul as he meditates on God and the things of God and he finds a sweetness so 't is in reference unto God and to his own practice and holiness in Conversation But 3dly Though a wicked man may meditate on God and the things of God and find a sweetness in so doing yet he doth also find as great if not a greater sweetness in other things and in meditating and musing upon his Sins and in the World Jâ—b 20.12 Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth though he hide it under his tongue though he spare it and forsake it not but keep it still within his mouth as a sweet pellet here is his great delight Though he may meditate on God and the things of God and find some sweetness there his great delight is here in his sin And he finds rather more delight and pleasure in musing on his sin and sinfull course and meditating on the World and the things thereof than he findes in meditating on God and the things of God But now a Gracious man delights in the Law of the Lord and therein doth he meditate why but doth he not also stand in the Counsel of the ungodly No he walketh not in the Counsel of the ungodly but his delight is in the Law of the Lord and in his Lâ—w doth he meditate he standeth not in the way of sinners Possibly he may meet with sinners and wicked men occasionally but he doth not walk with them ordinarily he doth not stand with them but his delight is in the Law of the Lord and therein doth he meditate But to say no more Take a wicked man and though he may meditate on God and the things of God and find some sweetness therein he doth not do this ordinarily meditate ordinarily and continually God is not in all his thoughts God may be in some of his thoughts but God is not in all his thoughts But this meditation of God and the things of God is the ordinary work of a good man he delighteth in the Law of the Lord and therein doth he meditate day and night Meditation on God and the things of God is his ordinary work So that thus now you see the difference and thus you see the Doctrine cleared 'T is a sweet thing to a gracious soul to meditate on God and the things of God meditation-work is sweet work to a gratious soul Sweet for it is Naturall Sweet for it is suitable Sweet for it is profitable Sweet for it is satisfying Sweet for it is delightful And If these things be so What shall we say of those that never spent any time yet alone in meditating on God and the things of Gâ—d Never spent a day never spent halfe a day never spent an hower in private meditating on God and the things of God Shall we say these are Godly Why in the time of the Old Testament the beasts were unclean that did not chew the Cudd in the New Testament it 's made the property of the High-way Ground that the seed falls upon it and it is not covered over with meditation and consideration What Is it the property of a gratious soul to meditate on God and doth he find so much sweetness in meditating on God and the things of God and have I liv'd Twenty years have I liv'd Thirty years have I liv'd Fourty years and never spent an hower yet in private in meditation on God and the things of God how can I think I am Godly If this Doctrine be true that a gracious holy man finds a sweetness in meditating on God and meditation work is sweet work to a gracious soul then Friends why should you not all labour to be found here in this work of meditation I fear we are strangers hereunto many come and hear Sermons and write Sermons one time after another and afterwards they stand up upon dusty shelves and are never meditated on But is this true that a gracious man finds so much sweetness in the work of meditation and that it is so profitable a work why should we not all labour to be found herein You will say then unto me Meditation is a sweet work we confess and very profitable but what should I do that I may be able to cary on this work of meditation with sweetness I have found it hard some times and after I have begun it I threw it off Sometimes I have thought that the work of meditation is Incumbent onely upon Preachers but I see it is sweet and profitable and good for every one What shall I do then that I may be able to carry on this work of meditation with sweetness That I shall speak to more largely Only for the present give me leave to say some thing to it by way of premises I 'le onely speak to Four Cases and so conclude this Exercise Would you meditate on God and the things of God with sweetness First In case that you would meditate on the Nature and Attributes of God be sure that you divide your thoughts for variety is most refreshing All the Attributes of God are worthy of our thoughts do not therefore stand poring on one excellencie or upon one Attribute but when you are most fearfull put your thoughts upon that in God which is most cheerfull When you are most cheerful put your thoughts upon that in God which is most dread-ful ever more divide your thoughts if you be to meditate on God and the Name and Nature and Attributes of God And Secondly be sure of this That you meditate not in a way of Reason only when you come to meditate on God but in a way of Faith For Who can give the Reason of the Trinity in Unity and the Unity in Trinity How can men know and understand this that the Second Person should be begotten of the Father from all Eternity and yet be co-equal with the Father here
some taste But how this work of Meditation is to be carried on with sweetness I reserve for the next Exercise only for the present you have heard what a profitable thing it is to meditate on the things of God What now remains but to get up and be thinking and meditating on God and the things of God The Work and Way of Meditation SERM. VIII HAving show'd how sweet and profitable the work of Meditation is to meditate on God and the things of God we came the last day to this Question or Objection But if the work of Meditation be so sweet and profitable What shall we do that this work of Meditaon may be carried on with sweetness and profit I am a stranger to this work of Meditation I have often read the Scriptures and not meditated on them I have often heard the Word and not meditated thereon I have sometimes begun to meditate but finding it a hard work I have left it off again And sometimes I have thought that this work is incumbent onely upon Students and Preachers But if it be our duty to meditate on God and the things of God what shall we do that the work of holy Meditation may be carried on with profit and with sweetness For answer hereunto four or five things I shall speak unto First I shall labour to shew you that it is our duty to meditate on God and the things of God 2. That this work of Meditation is every Mans work and every Dayes work And such a work as is Consistent wiâ—h evâ—ry busiâ—â—ss and condition 3. I shall lay down some means for the right performance of this work 4. Give you some Rules and Directions how this work of Meditation should be carried on with sweetness and profit in a right manner And then draw forth some Arguments or Motives to press you all hereunto I. First It is our work and duty to meditate on God and the things of God Will you instance according to our Explication at the first Will you instance in the Nature Titles and Attributes of God Why it is our work and duty so to meditate on God For wicked men are blamed that God is not in all their thoughts If they be blamed for this that God is not in all their thoughts then surely God is to be in all our thoughts Good and holy men are commended and rewarded for this They that feared the Lord spake often one to another and a book of Remembrance was written for them that feared the Lord and that Thought on his Name They are commended and they are rewarded In the day when God makes up his Jewels they shall be found among them Mal. 3. And who doth not know that it is our duty to praise the Lord not onely to be thankful to God upon the account of benefits received but to praâ—se the Lord upon the account of his own Excellencies and how should the heart be tun'd and framed unto this praising of God but by meditation on the Name and Nature and Titles of God Psal 48. Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised v â— How doth he tune his heart to this praise We have thâ—ught of thy loving kindness O God The more that the heart of any man is laid in with meditation the more pregnant will his words be in the praises of God So that thus then it is our duty for to meditate upon this account But Secondly Will you instance in Christ the Son of God As it is our work and duty to meditate on the Nature Titles and Attributes of God so to spend and to lay out our thoughts upon Christ the Son of God You may observe therefore that this word Behold is oftener prefixed and set before the Mystery of Christ than before any other Depth or Mystery in Scripture And why so But to shew that this Depth and this Mystery is that especially that calls forth our Consideration and our Meditation There are four things concerning Christ which do call for our meditation The Personal excellency of Christ The Offices of Christ The Life and The Death of Christ As for the Personal excellencies of Christ you read what the Apostle saith in the 7. c. of the Heb. v. 4. Now consider how great this man was Mechisedec the Type of Christ And if the Type were so great Christ is greater And if we are to consider the greatness of the Type much more to consider and meditate on the Greatness and Personal excellencies of Christ typified And as for the Offices of Christ you read what the Apostle saith in the 3. chap. 1. v. Wherefore holy Brethren partakers of the heavenly calling consider the Apostle and High Priest of our Profession Christ Jesus And as for the Life of Christ you know what the Apostle saith in the 12. chap. 2. v. Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith And for the Sufferings of Christ you read what follows Who for the joy that was set before him endured the Cross despising the shame for consider him v. 3. that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself c. So that thus then we are to meditate on God upon this account laying out and spending our thoughts and meditations upon Christ the Son of God But Thirdly Will you instance in the Word of God Why as we are to meditate on Christ the Son of God so we are to meditate on the Word of God Psal 119.15 I will meditate on thy Precepts v. 23. Thy Servant did meditate on thy Statutes v. 48. And I will meditate on thy Statutes at the 93. v. O how I love thy Law it is my meditation all the day The Word of God we are to meditate on to meditate on God and the things of God upon this account Now here are four things that will lead you out to meditation The exactness of the Commandment The faithfulness of the Promise The terrour of the Threatning And the weightiness of the Examples all which meet in the Scriptures and in the Word of God And accordingly we are to meditate on the Word of God upon this account Fourthly Will you instance in the Works of God VVhy as we are to meditate on the Word so we are also to meditate on the VVorks of God The work of Creation the work of Providence and the work of Redemption The works of God are sought out of all those that have pleasure in them Psal 143. I remember the dayes of old I meditate on all thy Works I muse on the work of thy hands Thus David did and thus should we also do so that thus then you see that it is our work and our duty to meditate on God and the things of God in reference to his Nature Name and Attributes In reference to his Son In reference to his VVord and in reference to the works of God And that 's the first General II. Now secondly This work of Meditation is every mans work It is every
time and will ask time and I have no time Mark therefore what David saith in the 119. Psalm Lord incline my heart unto thy testimonies how so Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity The way to have ones heart enclined to the Testimonies of God is to turn away ones eyes from these outward vanities Would you therefore meditate on God and the things of God then take heed that your hearts and your hands be not too full of the world and the imployments thereof 8. Lastly If you would meditate on God and the things of God go then to God for this skill of meditation Friends There is an Art and divine Skill of meditation which none can teach but God alone Would you have it go then to God and begg of God these things First Begg of God that he would change your nature For if your soyl be not changed nothing but weeds will grow still not the Flowers of meditation but the weeds of vain thoughts go first to God to change your Nature to change your Soyl. 2. Go to God and beg of him that he would sanctifie and sequester your mind unto himself that your whole mind may be under God's sequestration Every man is as his mind is A mans mind is a profusâ— thing and it is as full of thoughts as the Sun is full oâ— Beams If God don't take it in and bring it undeâ— his sequestration it will be full of evil go then tâ— God and desire him to sanctifie your devising youâ— thinking and your projecting Faculty 3. Go to God and beg of him that he would laâ— out drawing objects before you that may draw oâ— your thoughts and your meditations 'T is God thâ— must present such objects 4. Go and beg of God your Thoughts also anâ— beg of God these thought-possessions that Goâ— would give you thoughts And then 5. Beg of God a fixed heart for fixation of heaâ— is a great friend to meditation And then 6. Beg of God the Spirit for the Spirit is our Remembrancer to bring all things to our remembrance Thus do and you shall in some measure be able to carry on this work of Meditation in a right way with comfort and sweetness These things by way of means By way of means be sensible of your former work of meditation labour to be more serious get a fixed heart and spirit lay out objects that may entertain your thoughts upon all occasions strengthen your love to and delight in God labour to get Impressions deep impressions made upon your souls to the things of God and take heed that your hearts and hands be not too full of the world And then go to God for this skill of Meditation 4. But then fourthly What are those rules and directions that will help therein How and in what way and manner should this work of Meditation be carried on with sweetness and success First of all In all your Retirements for the work of Meditation is a work of Retirement in all your meditations be sure that you retire in to God himself Don't retire into your retirements as the Monks and those do retire into a monkish devotion But in all your Retirements be sure that you retire in to God himself 2. Take heed that you be not Legal in this work of Meditation Legal work is sowre work Meditation work is sweet work A man is legal in this work of Meditation when he doth make it a mere task when he doth in his meditation think on God out of Christ I thought upon God and was troubled to think upon God out of Christ is sowre work I thought upon God and was not comforted but was troubled saith the Psalmist So that to make our meditation work a meer task is a legal work to think upon God out of Christ is a Legal work and to pass through God unto Christ also is Legal For In the times of the Old Testament they câ—me to Christ through God but in the time of the New Testament we go to God through Christ An Old Testament way is a Legal way would you therefore have this work of Meditation carried on with sweetness Take heed of a Legal spirit in this work of Meditation which will sowre all 3. Be sure of this That nothing fall within the compass of your meditation but what falls within the compass of the Scripture It may be you may think of God and you may think what God was doing before the world was made this you have no Scripture for therefore is no work for your meditation It may be you think you are a Reprobate for say you I have the marks of a Reprobate upon me But where doth the Scripture give any marks of a Reprobate The Scripture gives marks of a wickâ—d man that possibly may be converted But now If you would carry on the work of meditation in such a way as it may be done with sweetness be sure that it be bounded with the Scripture and let nothing fall within the compass of your meditation but what falls within the compass of the Scripture 4. In all your settled meditation Begin with Reading or Hearing Go on with meditation End in prayer For as Mr. Greenham saith well Reading without Meditation is unfruitful Medition without Reading is hurtful To meditate and to read without prayer upon both is without blessing If you do read and not meditate then you wilâ— want good affections If you do meditate and not read or hear you will want good Judgment and be apt to fall into some ill Opinions If you do read or hear or meditate and not pray you will want the blessing of the Lord upon both Read or hear first then meditate and then pray upon both I speak of settled meditation and let one be proportioned unto another There must be a proportion between the one and the other in a settled meditation and therefore if that you would meditate rightly I say in all your meditations begin with reading go on with meditation and end with prayer 5. If you would have this work of Meditation carried on with profit and sweetness joyne with your Meditation the examination of your own souls in case you meditate on God and Christ think with your selves by way of examination But have I an Interest in this I have been now thinking and meditating on the excellencies of Christ but have I an Interest in him Come Oh my soul thou hast been meditating on God and on the excellencies of Christ but hast thou any share hast thou any Interest therein Joyne examination with your Meditation then it will be profitable then it will be sweet otherwise it is but Contemplation or but a study but joyne examination with your Meditation so 't is sweet and so 't is profitable Sixthly Observe what those times and seasons are that are most fit for Meditation and be sure you lay hold thereon Though Meditation-work is every dayes work yet there are some times and seasons that are
the Description of a godly man He delighteth in the Law of the Lord and therein doth he meditate Hereby then you shall have a testimony in your own hearts that you are truly godly But you shall not only have a testimony that you are truly godly but practise it and thereby you shall be very godly for the more constant you are in godliness the more godly you are By the work of Meditation you will be constant in the work of Godliness The more extensive your godliness is the more godly you are Now by meditation you can extend your thoughts beyond your hands As by sinful musings a man can extend his thoughts beyond his power to practice so by meditation on God and the things of God a man may extend his thoughts concerning godliness beyond his power to act As in sin a man by his thoughts may be naught where he hath not an outward power to be naught so by holy meditation a man may be good where he hath not a power in his hand to practise The Psalmist saith in the 45th Psalm The Kings Daughter is all glorious within her garment is of wrought gold vers 13. Her clothing is of wrought gold is not that glorious clothing is outward but saith he she is all glorious within 'T is not the wrought gold without makes her glorious but she is all glorious within Though the garment and though her clothing be of wrought gold yet her glory lyes within Here lies the glory of a Christian to be glorious within And how can we have this inward Holiness Grace and goodness and Glory unless we be versed in this work of Meditation 6. Thereby also you shall offer up your selves unto divine Imbraces and upon this ground of Meditation will God give out his loves unto you In Cant. 7. saith Christ There will I give thee my Loves v. 12. There where Let us get up early to the Vineyards let us see if the Vine flourish whither the tender Grap appear and the Pomgranates bud forth Here 's the publick Assembly What 's this to meditation Yes in the former v. Come my beloved let us go forth into the Field let us lodg in the Villages places of Retirement There will I give thee my Loves upon the ground of Retirement There will he give forth his loves O! What a great mercy is here by this work of Meditation you do not onely offer up your selves unto Divine imbraces But There upon Meditation-ground will God give out his loves unto you 7. Thereby also your souls and hearts shall be subdued unto God As in sin so here Friends It is not a sinful thought that doth subdue my heart into sin 't is not a sinful suggestion that subdues my heart into sin But A Complacential dwelling of sinful thoughts in my heart subdues my heart into sin So 't is not a transient good thought that will subdue the soul or the heart unto God but it is a Complacential dwelling of good thoughts in the heart that doth subdue the heart unto God and that 's done by Meditation Thereby therefore I say Your very hearts shall be subdued unto the Lord Oh what a mercy is this 8. By this work of meditation on God and the things of God You shall live on God Possibly a man may come to the Court where the King is and not live upon the King because he don't stay there but those that stay at the Court they live upon the King for they stay there Now by a thought I don't stay upon God but by a frequeut meditation on God I shall live in God for then I stay by God and I do stay on him 9. Thereby also you shall have a constant relief against all your afflictions both inward and outward Inward Psal 143. Have mercy upon me O Lord for saith he v. 4. My spirit is overwhelmed within me my heart within me is desolate What then I remember the dayes of old I meditate on all thy works Here lies the relief against spiritual fears and overwhelmings of soul even to meditate on God as one ought to do in a right manner I am overwhelmed but I 'le meditate on all thy works and muse on the work of thy hands As for the Outward afflictions Psal 119. the place cited before v. 23. Princes also did sit and speak against me but thy Servant did meditate in thy Statutes Reproach from an ordinary man is affliction enough but for Kings and Princes to speak against one this is a great matter What relief then But thy servant did meditate on thy Statutes So that by this you have a constant relief against both outward and inward afflictions And 10. Thereby also you shall be freed from that unkindness that God will take at your hands if you don't meditate on him and the things of God Friends If you don't meditate on God and the things of God God will take it very unkindly at your hands What man that is abroad beyond Sea hearing that his wife frolicks it at home and never thinks on him will not take it unkindly We are absent now from God and to frolick and be vain and go up and down and have no thoughts on God no meditation on God How unkindly must God take this at our hands 'T is a sleight If a man speak unto you and you don't think of what he speaks 't is a sleight to him So to read what God saith or see what God doth and not think on 't not to meditate on it what is this but a sleight unto God Respect and Meditation go together Psal 119.15 I will meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy wayes So then The want of meditation and thinking on what God saith and what God doth is a great sleighting of him 't is a want of respect and God will take it unkindly And what then Why he will deal by you as you do by him if you think not on him he will not think on you and in the day of your extremity when you call and cry to him because you thought not of him he will not think of you But to end all God knows and your own souls know how you have lain musing in the way of sin how some times you have lain devising mischief upon your beds How often you have chewed the Devils Cud what swarms of unclean thoughts of proud thoughts of unbelieving thoughts have possessed your hearts Oh friends Shall we lie musing upon our bed in a way of sin and shall we not think and muse and meditate on God and the things of God What shall we not be the same for God that ever we have been for sin O we have had our sinful musing times therfore now why should we not have our holy musings also And to conclude all Meditation holy meditation is a very great friend to heavenly Conversation Sweet meditation of God is a very great friend to holy Conversation Private meditation a great friend
this preventing love that is so sweet to a gracious soul to a thankful heart 1. The more immediately that any mercy doth come out or Gods hand and the less it runs through ours the more sweet it is Water is sweetest out of the Fountain Now preventing mercy comes immediately out of the hands of God and runs not through our hand at all nor through the hand of the second cause at all therefore must needs be very sweet But Secondly The more costless or less costly to us any mercy is the sweeter it is Possibly a kindness may cost more to keep it then it is worth Suppose a man promise me or give me wood the cutting down of the wood and bringing it home may cost me more then the wood is worth So a kindness may cost one more care then the thing it self doth amount unto But now preventing mercy cost me nothing it is cut down to my hand it is brought into my hand it is costless mercy it cost me nothing surely therefore it is very sweet 3. But then again Thirdly The more perfect and compleat and entire any mercy is the sweeter it is Half-mercies are not so sweet as whole Preventing mercy is compleat and entire In the 16 of Ezek. you may see what a compleat mercy is there given I washed thee with water vers 9. I throughly washed away thy Blood and I annoynted thee with oyntment I cloathed thee also with broydered work and shod thee with Badgers skin and I girded thee about with fine linnen and I covered thee with silk I decked thee also with Ornaments and I put bracelets upon thine hands and a Chain on thy neck and I put a Jewel on thy forehead and ear-rings in thine eares and a beautifull Crown upon thine head and so he goes on What mercy was this It was preventing mercy I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thy own blood and said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood live yea I said unto thee when thou wast in thy bloody live So then preventing mercy is the most compleat mercy and it must needs be so for it comes immediately out of Gods hand and not through the hand of the second cause That that comes immediately put of Gods hand not running through the hand of the second cause is most compleat Upon this account our Justification is more perfect and compleat then our Sanctification because it comes immediately out of the hand of God and not out of our own hand In Justification our guilt is removed in Sanctification our filth is removed our guilt is offensive to our selves our filth is offensive to God Now one would think God should rather take away all our filth that is offensive to himself then all our guilt that is offensive to us no but our Justification is perfect our Sanctification not perfect why because our Justification comes immediately out of the hand of God and doth not run through our own hand for though we be justified by our Faith yet it is as Faith is Gods Instrument not as our act Now the more immediately that any mercy comes out of the hand of God and the less out of our hand the more perfect and compleat it is So doth preventing mercy do and therefore must needs be very sweet 4. Again Fourthly The more that any mercy doth correct difficulty and sweeten duty the sweeter is that mercy Now preventing love doth correct difficulty and it doth sweeten duty See it in Zacheus what an hard and great work was he upon Lord sayes he the half of my goods I give to the poor Stay then suppose his Estate was a thousand pounds he would have but five hundred pounds left and Lord sayes he If I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation I restore him fourfold Suppose he had wronged men to the value of a hundred pounds there 's four hundred pounds more gone so there 's but a hundred pounds left of a thousand What an hard work is this yet mark how easily he comes off to this hard work Behold Lord why he had drunk deep of preventing love Zacheus come down sayes Christ for to day I must abide at thine house Christ doth not come and say Zacheus give half thy goods to the poor and if thou hast wronged any man restore him fourfold and then I will come to thy house no but Zacheus Come down for this day I must abide at thy house preventing him with his love and then this hard work comes off easily There is nothing will correct difficulty and sweeten duty more then preventing love therefore preventing love must needs be sweet And thus now you see what there is in preventing love that is so sweet to a gracious soul That is the Fifth VI. But now Sixthly and Lastly You will say Suppose I have tasted of preventing love and mercy suppose I have had experience of it for I must needs say this is my case for I was going on in the way of my sin and God prevented me many a time with his preventing Grace I have been backward to and dull in duty and God hath many a time prevented me with assisting Grace I have been full of unbeleef and said I am cast off and shall never see the face of God again but the Lord hath prevented me with his comforting grace and with the shines of his face I was galloping to Hell as fast as I could but God hath prevented me with his saving Grace And as for my outward Estate in the World I was low and knew not what to do and God prevented me with such a Gift such a House and Land what hath my life been but a Bundle of preventing mercy if any have drunk deep of this preventing grace I may say I have much more Now what is my Duty that doth flow from hence 1. If you have tasted of Gods preventing love and mercy if God hath indeed prevented you with the blessings of his goodness why then should not your hearts be filled with the sense thereof why should not your thoughts be much thereupon How God hath prevented you at such a time in such a thing The more sense you have of Gods preventing love and mercy the more humbly you will walk with God and the more closely especially considering that God will not upbraid you If a man takes a Beggar from the Dunghil and makes her his Wife prevents her with his love and kindness the sense of his preventing love will make her walk humbly all her dayes unless the man upbraid her with it if he upbraids her with it it will not make her walk humbly but unless he upbraids her with it the sense of it will make her walk humbly all her dayes Friends God doth prevent us with his love and will not upbraid us with his preventions and therefore why should we not walk humbly and why should we not think much thereon and have our hearts filled with the