snares wherein they are caught to bee destroyed It is misery to sail to Hell with the pleasantest wind and to live in fat pastures to bee fed unto eternall slaughter This cursed sin is a monster of many heads a serpent with many stings the kinds cannot easily bee reckoned the number passeth all count It is original that is born and bred with us or actual that is brought forth by us That is the filthy corrupt fountain this the filthy stinking puddle water that runneth from it that the cursed root this the bud and blossome of that venemous tree Again there are sins of defects omission and commission for sometimes the soul worketh for matter that which is required but in other manner than God hath prescribed Sometimes it doth suspect and ceaseth to move after the good commanded and sometimes it doth move it self to something which is forbidden which is the greatest and highest kinde of evil For as in a wife not to love her husband is a great lewdness but not only to neglect his love but to turn to the embracement of strangers is much more hainous So for the soul not to cleave to God in doing righteousness is sinful but to leave him and turn to love and like any kinde of unrighteousness this is most sinful Moreover it is either inward lurking and boiling in the heart by evil thoughts motions desires wishes consent or want and slackness to think devise remember and effect what is praise-worthy or outward breaking forth in life and conversation both in word and actions Sometimes it liveth in us but lieth dead and stirreth not with violence and sometimes it rageth boisterously and carrieth us headlong to that which is forbidden Sometimes it rusheth immediately and directly against God and sometimes it reacheth more properly to the hurt of our neighbour Oh my soul look into thy self and thou shalt finde the branches of this venemous tree to exceed in number Thou hast sinned against God thy neighbour and thy self thou hast sinned of ignorance infirmity negligence and presumption Thou hast been led away with the lusts of the flesh the lusts of the eye and pride of life Sin ever moveth oftentimes stirreth violently and over-ruleth many times to the committing of what is evil and hinderance of what is good Thou hast offended in that which is evil in it self and thou hast come short in that which is good and honest not doing it at all or failing in the manner measure and circumstances Who can tell how often hee offendeth The number of my sins cannot bee reckoned nor the filthiness discovered Piety is amiable lovely honourable sin loathsome and abominable The fear of the Lord makes the face to shine but impiety and sin dis-figure the face and Image of God in him The man that feareth the Lord shall bee praised but a vile naughty person is had in contempt of God and good men how great soever hee bee in this world The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour Grace exalteth the poor sin debaseth the mighty Godliness makes a man as like to God as a creature can bee like to the Creator but sin transformeth us into the likeness of the Devil No man is honourable but the virtuous none base but the sinner Sin is opposite to God in a sort not by an inward positive repugnance or contrariety to his nature such as is twixt fire and water but in respect of outward disagreement such as may bee in a creature from the Creator Even as the good created though it hath not an inward agreement with and resemblance to the Creator such as is betwixt nourishment and the thing nourished for then should the divine nature inwardly in it self bee better for it and necessarily will it yet hath it an outward agreement and resemblance So is it most true of sin that it hath no inward disagreement to the Divine Nature for then it should bee the worse for the being of it and so should necessarily nill it but outward only The venome and filthiness of sin is set forth by sundry comparisons in the holy Scriptures Sinners are compared to Doggs Swine Vipers Asps Bears Tygers Sin is known by the name of Rebellion Disobedience Filthiness Adultery Playing the Harlot It is likened to menstruous clouts filthy raggs that are cast aside upon the dunghil and detested of all that pass by It is a spiritual nakedness a spiritual leprosie a spiritual crookedness a spiritual drunkenness It biteth as a Serpent and stingeth as a Cockatrice creepeth as a gangrene or deadly canker that eateth to the heart and cannot bee cured It is hony in the mouth but gravel in the bowels sweet in the beginning but death in the latter end Oh my soul if thou peruse the holy Scriptures thou shalt finde no book no leaf no chapter nor scarce any verse wherein there is not some precept promise prohibition threatning or example which serveth to shew the amiableness of virtue and ugliness of vice and with what care zeal watchfulness the one is to bee imbraced and the other to bee shunned Quest How are these things to bee pressed upon the heart Answ Wee must work the heart to humiliation for sin stir up our selves earnestly to seek pardon and labour for grace to have sin in detestation for the time to come Is it even so Oh my soul is sin so loathsome and abominable odious to God contrary to godliness pernicious to thy state life and spiritual welfare more infectious than the plague more stinking than any carrion the rottenness and corruption of the soul condemned and cryed down in every book in every leaf and almost in every verse of the holy Bible Woe therefore and alas to mee that have so long layen under this burden and bondage and that even many times willingly and wittingly When I look into my self I can see nothing but a mass of corruption pressing mee down Mine understanding covered with ignorance vanity and folly I know nothing as I ought to know such deadness possesseth my heart that I cannot look up my soul is a very den and cage of unclean motions worldly desires corrupt projects vain boastings idle rovings but marvelous barren untoward toward that which is good Infidelity distrust pride self-confidence blockishness unthankfulness envy malice discontent covetousness do lodge with mee continually I was born in sin and it hath grown up with mee from my youth so that it is become exceeding strong an old stinking deep festered sore that can hardly bee cured My sins are multiplied exceedingly increase daily in number they pass the sands by the Sea and are become a burden too heavy for mee to bear When I remember these things I wonder at my self that I should bee thus senseless in the midst of all misery Were I descended of one that had been executed for treason and so were pointed at as a traiterous brood without inheritance in earth Had I but with my nature the stone or leprosie
A TREATISE OF DIVINE Meditation By that Faithful Servant of Jesus Christ Mr. JOHN BALL Late Minister of the Gospel at Whitmore in Staffordshire Published by Simeon Ashe Preacher of the Gospel at Austins London Josh 1.8 This Book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth but thou shalt meditate therein day and night that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success Gen. 24.63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide LONDON Printed for H. Mortlock at the Phoenix in St. Pauls Church-yard neer the Little North-door 1660. TO THE Christian Reader THis Treatise of Divine Meditation was penned long since by that faithful servant of Jesus Christ Mr. John Ball who therein intended the benefit of some private friends onely But Copies thereof being dispersed into many hands good people of sundry ranks and qualities upon the perusal of it were very desirous to have it printed for more publick use And because it was known unto many that this my worthy friend had committed all his Manuscripts to my trust that nothing might pass to the Press without my approbation I was importuned as by others so by the five Reverend Brethren who subscribed and sent the Epistle prefixed that I might receive incoucouragement by their Testimony to own the publication of it The subject matter is needful and profitable and the language with the method and manner of handling it doth speak Mr. Ball the Author My leisure hath not given mee leave with seriousness to read over this discourse yet upon the credit of the forementioned able Ministers of Christ who have perused it I hope that it will be serviceable to thy soul Which is the desire and shall bee the prayer of Thy Friend and Servant in Christ Sim. Ashe Aug. 9. 1660. TO THE Christian Reader Reader THere is no duty more neglected amongst Christians than this of Meditation whence it is that though the heads of many are swelled with notions yet their hearts are very empty of grace and good affections A Treatise therefore of Meditation which would remove obstructions and open the passages between the brain and heart could never bee more seasonable or necessary than in these daies wherein there is Multum scientiae parum conscientiae men being much taken up with speculative controversal matters to finde them discourse but little meditating upon plain and practical truths to affect their hearts and amend their lives It is a sad and a strange thing that there should bee more light in the world an increase of knowledge and less heat a decay of love that there should bee so much profitable preaching and yet no more profiting amongst the hearers one cause whereof doubtless is the omission of this duty We must read and consider hear and consider if wee would get good by what wee read and hear without Meditation Truths are devoured not digested And as leanness of soul is to bee seen in many through sinful rejection and casting away of wholesome food so the like is to bee seen in others that are fed with such food for want of good concoctiō This little Tractate of the eminently learned judicious and godly Mr. Ball is to teach the Art of Divine Meditation to help thy spiritual digestion wouldest thou take in the advice herein contained thou shouldest finde thy soul growing and thriving by it Indeed it is a thousand pitties that any thing of this Reverend Author humane frailty excepted should die with him though this small peece hath seemed to lie buried in oblivion hitherto 't is now risen as from the dead to admonish us of a necessary duty will again rise in judgement against them that shall still continue their sinful and shameful omission of it Though it be posthumous yet thou mayest be confident it is not spurious Mr. Heary Baker were the person in whose hands this Copy lay as well known to others as to us they would desire no more satisfying evidence than his affirming as he did that hee received it from the Reverend Authors own hand Thou hast here the substance of the original Copy without any further alteration than what the oversight of the Transcriber here and there made necessary And though there may be wanting somewhat of that accurateness in this peece which was in others prepared for the Press by the Authors own hand yet they who are acquainted with his other works will clearly see a great resemblance between this and them As to the doctrine herein contained 't is useful and excellent and that which few have so practically handled but they who look for quaintness of expression more than the quickning of their affections and right ordering of their conversations must turn away their eyes this was not written for them The excellency of Rules lieth in their fitness to direct in necessary duties and those which this book affords have more of solidity than lustre of use than shew Let us intreat thee therefore not only to read over this Tractate but to live it over lest thou shouldest mistake the end of its publication And do not think this holy exercise is such a grievous task as that thou shouldest be afraid of it 't is such a duty as after a little experience thou wilt finde to be not so much a burden as a spiritual recreation and that to press thee to the practice of it is in effect but to perswade thee to delight thy self with sitting to the fire when thou art benummed with cold or to please and refresh thy self with food when thou art ready to perish with hunger nay such sensitive refreshments are not to be compared with these spiritual delights of getting a dead cold heart warmed a starved soul nourished by digesting its food by Divine Meditation The greatest difficulty will be in thy first setting to this duty which when once thou art acquainted with thou wilt be angry with thy self that thou either knewest or began it no sooner Courteous Reader we cannot take our leave of thee till wee have once more intreated thee to set to this duty If thou wouldest be blessed in all thy enterprizes or concernments with the blessings of God Josh 1.8 If thou wouldest have thy understanding inlightened with the knowledge of God thy affections inflamed with the love of God thy heart established with the promises of God thy solitariness cheared up with the company of God thy afflictions mitigated with the comforts of God and if thou wouldest have thy thoughts words and works regulated by the command of God pray and consider pray and meditate So advises Thy Servants in the Lord Jesus Sa. Cotes Wil. Reynolds John Whitlock Robert Smalley John Armstrong August 9. 1660. The Contents WHat the word Meditation signifies page 1 How Meditation and prayer differ page 4 Reasons shewing the necessity of meditation Ibid Who are bound to use
then corruption of nature will shew it self Thou shalt soon perceive that thou art vain ignorant impotent proud worldly self-conceited fickle envious impatient unprofitable an harbourer of filthy lusts a stiff opposer of sound holiness passionate unsound and what not Begin to meditate when opportunity is offered thou art barren and canst finde nothing fit to bee matter of musing canst make use of nothing which thou hast heard or seen hast thou found matter thou art dull and sensless not able to fasten one thought upon it as is meer so hard-hearted that nothing can pierce or enter Thou settest forward but art quickly turned out of the way that thou mayest well wonder to see how far thou art strayed before that thou couldest discern that thou hast stepped aside some idle toy earthly business vain pleasure needless fear delightful remembrance of sin hath drawn thy thoughts another way Do not these things display the poison of our evil and corrupt nature Moreover by Meditation wee look into every dark filthy corner of our naughty hearts and rake into that stinking chanel which is seldome stirred So that when wee set about it wee shall bee compelled to say I heard of corruption by the hearing of the ear but now I see it with mine eye I feel it to the great disturbance of my soul And thus wee are drawn to deny our selves humble our souls and seek to Christ for succour and relief Secondly It is a spiritual means to purge out sin and to cleanse the ground of our heart from those noisome and hurtful weeds that grow in them No means more available to rince and purifie them to break the bed of sins and hunt away the litter of prophane lusts none comparable to this Note For though by the Word wee know them by conference wee revive the remembrance of them and by reading wee do both a Heb. 2.1 yet all these run out of our riven heads and abide meanly with us to suppress our corruption and to tame our hearts until wee bring our selves to often and much musing and debating of the good things which wee hear and read that so wee may digest them and of the evils which by occasion wee fall into that wee abandon them Even as worldly men ponder deeply their affairs which are weighty Meditation makes known the hainousnefs of sin inflames the heart with love of holiness cherisheth the graces of Gods Spirit which are as fire to consume the dross of sin and rouseth to earnestness in prayer to bee set at liberty from that cruel bondage Moreover the conscionable performance of this duty of Application of the Word with Examination and Prayer which is done by Meditation is through the blessing of God very effectual to kill and crucifie the lusts of the flesh The special sins prevented by this exercise Are 1. Idle roavings unprofitable wandrings unsavoury thoughts wishes and desires of heart who groans not under this burden who is not much hindered by them They distract in prayer reading hearing and cool our zeal dead our hearts waste much precious time steal away comfort defile the soul and bring forth much dangerous fruit The special medicine to cure this malady is Meditation it either keeps or thrusts out frivolous and idle thoughts and motions either it prevents them or keeps them under The Word hid in the heart preserves from sinning * Psa 119.11 When the door is open and the house empty it is an easie matter for the theef to enter but if the heart be occupied in goodness evil cannot finde room and harbour The foul spirit being cast out of a man seeketh to return with seven spirits worse than himself b Mat. 12.42 43. but is not able to re-gain possession till hee finde the house empty swept and garnished when wee do nothing and withall labour to get no good matter into our minds wee are sure to be pestred with evil cogitations arising from natural corruption or cast in by Satan but if the heart bee imployed continually in that which is profitable holy and excellent corruption shall not have that strength to molest nor stir nor Satan that opportunity to suggest Hath vanity taken root To remove it no means more profitable than oft and deep consideration of the swarms of evil cogitations that arise in the mind to bring them into vile account to bee weary and ashamed of them and to endeavour to entertain and harbour better motions and desires in their room What Christian can endure to have his heart taken up as a lodge or sty for froth filth vanity idleness or folly that seeth the loathsomeness of it and knows how and where to furnish himself with heavenly and comfortable matter Hee will judge himself watch and make earnest requests never ceasing till the number of idle imaginations bee abated 2. Earthly-mindednesse and the inordinate love of things temporal are bad weeds that cover much ground bitter roots that stick fast in our nature sins that set open the heart for Satan to take possession and dwell therein that make the Word unprofitable because it cannot have right and sound plantation that are attended with multitude of other sins and never go alone The only means to dig them out of the heart is Meditation Look into the vanity deceitfulness uncertainty vexation that outward things bring with them and thou wilt never set thy heart upon them Psa 49.11 Why do many men lay up for themselves treasure on Earth They know not the glory and dignity of Gods Saints they conceive not the necessity and excellency of saving Grace they never tasted the comforts of a godly life see not the Crown and joy that is prepared in Heaven for them that love and fear the Lord. It may bee they know there is a life to come an Heaven an Hell but their knowledge is dim uncertain confused idle earnestly often advisedly deeply they consider not of it It is impossible that hee should covet great things in this world or highly prize what is base and transitory that hath an eye to the recompence of reward What wee are in Meditation may easily bee guessed by our affection to the things that are perishing Hee that admireth the fading bravery of what is under his feet hath taken but sleight view of heavenly glory Thirdly By nature wee are very sluggish like unto the Oxe that will not draw unless hee bee driven or pricked with a goad Meditation is a spur to quicken us a Eccles 12.11 The words of the wise are as goads if the Word read or preached bee of great force it must needs work effectually if wee joyn Meditation Upon the first hearing the practice of good works may seem difficult and unpleasant our slothful nature will object many things against it A Lion is in the way a Lion is in the street it is hard to bee tied so narrowly dangerous to follow such courses But if wee consider the matter more attentively
wax cold for want of communication and the coldest affections are inflamed by conversings Note and intercourse of speech Seventhly Meditation is a gracious means to ease and refresh the mind wearied in worldly businesses It seasoneth our meat sleep labours Psal 139.17 18. Oh how sweet and pleasant a thing it is to come into the presence of God to record his mercies to solace our souls in the remembrance of his love This is the place of rest after a toilsome journey the cool shade to the weary labourer the water-brooks to the panting Hart Psal 42.1 No mirth no melody is to bee matched to it The joy and comfort of the Spouse in the presence of Christ is a matter incredible to the carnal heart Psal 63.52 6. who never tasted of the refined Wines and fat things in the house of God Eighthly Take away Meditation and the duties of Religion lose their life and vigour Prayer is cold reading unprofitable Think daily with thy self what great honour it is to bee the Son of God what unspeakable joy to possess assurance that our sins are pardoned how unvaluable a prerogative to lay open thy cares into the bosome of the Lord perswade thy self of his readiness to hear mercies to forgive and compassions to relieve them that ask in his Sons name These things will stir up intention and fervency in prayer with what sighs and groans will hee confess and bewail his iniquity who with a single eye doth behold the filthiness of sin and look into his own estate But lay aside Meditation and all is turned into form comes to bee of little use For the appetite will decay if it be not sharpened desire will cool if it bee not quickened Meat received into the mouth and spit forth again presently nourisheth not Seed must bee covered as well as cast into the ground Reading benefits little without Meditation which is to the Word what chewing and digestion is to meat that should feed the body 1 Tim. 4.15 Ninthly Frequent and daily repetition and regard of heavenly things brings us to better and more inward acquaintance with God most comfortable fellowship and communion with him The more wee speak and converse with a man the better wee know him the further wee see into his worth faithfulness and excellency So doth communing with God lead us to the sound and comfortable knowledge of his Majesty This is the fruit of holy musing than which what can give more joy and comfort what knowledge so delightful to the mind as the knowledge of God in the face of Christ in whom the Father hath revealed the treasures of his wisdome the riches of his grace long-suffering and mercy Nothing can revive the soul so much as the feeling of his love and the assurance of his fatherly care over us Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us we shal be safe Tenthly To call to remembrance the Lords mercies of old and his free promises that never fail is a singular ease and refreshing in the time of temptation when Satan doth sift and winnow us with temptations Psa 77.5 6 11 12. Psa 145.5 Psal 119.52 Psal 119.93 and terrours within and troubles without I remembred thy judgements O Lord and was comforted I will never forget thy precepts for by them thou hast quickened mee Eleventhly As the mind is such is the life for that is the fountain of actions whether good or evil if the mind bee pure the life is holy if the mind bee defiled the actions cannot bee upright Wouldest thou live a Christian life and injoy those great liberties which God affords to his children in this life then thou must scatter the bed of disordered cogitations and nourish godly desires and motions in their room meditating on the Law of God doth bring on the doing of it even as evil thoughts do bring on evil actions for the thought is as the seed and conception of all our actions Now look as after conception there is a travel to bring forth and a birth in due season so when the soul by thought hath conceived presently the affections are tickled and excited the will inclined and stirred which commandeth the inferiour powers to execute what the thought suggested Twelfthly Meditation fitteth for conference hee that hath digested good matter by serious cogitation study and care is able to bring it forth and utter it as occasion requireth As they that have treasured up much gold and silver can easily lay it out when it may bee to their advantage whereas others that after long study can speak excellently being put to it upon the sudden can say little for lack of Meditation herein like unto them that having laid up nothing in store are compelled to borrow of the Usurers before they can make their purchase Thirteenthly and lastly The Word of God appears excellent his works great Psa 8.3 his favour unspeakable when wee ponder them in our hearts By it in our solitariness wee enjoy God and our selves and by conversing with him wee are fitted for and made more profitable in all good company Quest What use is to bee made of this point Answ If formerly thou hast been a stranger to this exercise now learn it begin to practise it entertain not conceits as though it were needless unprofitable impossible burdensome for a Christian life cannot stand without it Thou shalt finde it exceeding beneficial delightsome easie when thou art entred into it it is tedious onely to corruption to the heart renewed it is most sweet and comfortable The neglect of this duty is the very cause why many Christians injoy not the tenth part of those priviledges that God hath provided for them in this their pilgrimage why they are kept under their strong corruptions and break forth offensively in their dealings in the world Moreover how should a man bee assured of Gods love if knowing this to bee a duty required hee never address himself unto it in good earnest It is not sufficient to praise that which is good speak well of the children of God keep our selves pure from the gross stains of the time but we must hate iniquity and love righteousness which they do not who harbour such thoughts as are displeasing to his Majesty How can a purified mind take pleasure in those filthy waters that flow from the stinking puddle of original corruption It is for swine to wallow in the mire and corrupt fountains to send forth muddy streams If the treasure bee in Heaven the heart must be there If the soul bee of an heavenly disposition nothing is more delightful than to walk and commune with God By thy thoughts thou mayest know thy self as evil thoughts will argue an evil heart so good thoughts will argue a good heart for these cannot bee subject to hypocrisie as words and deeds are which sometimes come more from respect of the creature than of the Creator It is the will of God
to remove the evil or obtain the good proceeding from a broken and contrite heart The sixth is fervent Petition earnestly craving and begging this at the hands of God who is only able to effect it The last is chearful confidence raising and rousing up our souls after such doleful complaining hearty wishing humble confessing unfeigned acknowledging and serious stirring up our selves and earnest craving of what wee want grounded upon the most sweet and sure Promises of God made to them that call upon him in Faith and upon the experience which the Saints of God in all ages have had of the success of their sutes who were never sent empty away but either obtained that thing which they begged or that which was much better for them but these things are specially observed in Meditation upon some grace or sin as will bee made more evident and plain by examples and are not ever necessary that they should bee particularly observed Quest What is to bee observed for conclusion of this exercise A. First We must begin when the heart is fitly disposed or at least labour to bring it into order before wee set upon this duty and break off before the spirits bee dulled and tired otherwise we shall lose the comfort and sweetness of it Secondly It is not good suddenly or abruptly to break off except some unavoidable necessity of company or business do urge us thereunto Thirdly The conclusion of this exercise consists principally in these things 1 Hearty thanksgiving to God that hath vouchsafed in such gracious measure to assist us in the performing of this duty 2 Recommending our selves and our waies to him that our life and carriage and all our thoughts and actions afterwards may bee answerable to those heavenly thoughts and desires which wee have had and express in the performing of this duty 3 Renewing our covenant to live by Faith and to walk with God in all holy conversation Quest Declare this by some example and first how should wee meditate on God his infinite excellency Answ Entrance may be made thus into it Oh Lord my heart desires to commune with thee that I might come into better acquaintance with thy Majesty but of my self I have no ability to conceive what is right or to think a good thought concerning thy highness Teach mee therefore Oh gracious God if not to comprehend thine excellency for that is impossible yet so to confer with thee that I may apprehend in some measure how thou hast revealed thy self and what thou wilt bee unto mee that knowing thee in thy power goodness truth soveraignty and grace I may unfeignedly cleave unto thee all the daies of my life Quest How must wee proceed in this Meditation Answ Wee must consider of his titles properties and works observing how infinitely hee exceedeth what excellency soever is in any or all the creatures in the world a 1 Tim. 6.16 1 Joh. 4.12 Exod. 33.20 Oh Lord thou dwellest in the light unapproachable whom man never saw neither can see and live thou art incomprehensible by reason and unnameable by words thy name is wonderful and thy nature secret I cannot comprehend what thou art I will labour to know what thou hast revealed I am not able to behold thy face let mee see thy back-parts for this is my life and joy of heart to know thee the onely true God which springeth and increaseth daily as I come to the fuller knowledge of thee and shall bee infinite because thou art infinite I beleeve as thou hast taught mee according to my manner and measure that thou art a Spirit without beginning without cause the first and absolute being living in and of thy self giving being and life to all creatures infinite eternal incomprehensible Gen. 17.1 without composition one in essence and three in persons most perfect a meer act blessed and glorious all sufficient in thy self for us a great reward void of all possibility to bee what thou art not great in power infinite in wisdome abundant in goodness everlasting in compassion rich in mercy faithful sincere constant in thy promises unchangeable in thy love gentle easie to bee entreated just and righteous in all thy Commandements and Proceedings the most absolute universal soveraignty of all things both in Heaven and Earth Thy name is wonderful in all the world for thou hast created all things and by thy appointment they continue unto this day Thou hast laid the foundation of the earth and it abideth thou hast stretched forth the heavens as a curtain Job 9.7 8 c. and in them or dained a Tabernacle for the Sun Thou stillest the raging of the Sea and the proud waves are quelled by thy command the day is thine the night also is thine the Moon and Stars are the work of thine hands Thou thunderest from Heaven by thy voice and bringest the winds out of their treasure thou breakest up the deep and causest the springs to ascend in the vallies Thou causest the grass to grow upon the mountains and satisfiest with thy goodness every living thing The earth Oh Lord is full of thy goodness but thy glory shines most bright in the assembly of thy Saints Oh what wisdome power grace mercy love long-suffering hast thou manifested in Jesus Christ the brightness of thy glory the image of the invisible God what great admirable things hast thou done for thy people thou hast reconciled them being enemies redeemed them being bond-slaves justified them being sinners of vassals of Satan thou hast adopted them to bee thy sons of unclean and polluted thou hast washed and made them clean Thou guardest them with thy Angels protectest them against dangers feedest them with fatness and marrow and hast reserved for them the Kingdome of Heaven All thy Works praise thee Oh Lord and thy Saints bless thee Great is the power wisdome holiness and glory of the heavenly Angels but they are finite created dependent great immortal glorious by participation only not able to behold the glory of God great is the renown dignity dominion of earthly Monarchs but their persons are mortal their glory fading their Dominion temporary their power limited what they are they have by deputation during pleasure As for our God hee is an infinite eternal absolute independent soveraign His Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and his Dominion endureth throughout all ages Psa 90.1 2 Before the foundations of the earth were laid and ere the mountains were formed from everlasting to everlasting thou art God But Lord thine excellency far exceedeth all that I can conceive for what can a finite understanding comprehend of an infinite being I know very little of thy waies much less of thy nature yea what thou hast revealed of thy self in thy Word doth rather make known what thou wilt bee to thy people than what thou art in thy self As the Heavens are higher than the Earth so are thy waies higher than our waies and thy thoughts than our thoughts Quest How
not bee without love But ah wretch that I am I finde mine affection is weak toward God strong to vanity Those wee love do wee not love to bee present with them If they bee absent do wee not think long till they return again Are wee not grieved to hear them wronged by word or deed whom wee esteem dearly of are wee not desirous to give them content doth it not cut us if wee do them any harm Are wee not with them in thought though absent in body glad of a letter that comes from them is not the messenger welcome that can bring us tidings of their welfare But I finde little joy in coming publickly or privately into Gods house or presence I think little of him and that but overly I speak little to him and that not without weariness and distraction Nay I am like those children who can play abroad all the day long and never care to look unto their Parents When did my heart long to return home and to bee with Christ Though God through sundry troubles do even smoak mee out of this world yet I will not come away in mine affection When I see Gods name blasphemed and all wickedness committed do mine eyes gush out with tears or do not I offend daily and pass it over taking too light penance of my self It is irksome to mee to do his will I do not long for his presence nor bewail his absence I do not study to please him in all things nor can I rejoyce in the prosperity of his Saints when I my self am in misery and distress I cannot prize his favour am not cheared with his promises do not delight in his statutes above all things His Word is his Letter sent unto mee but I am not glad and diligent with care and conscience to read it vanity hath stollen away my heart and the transitory bewitching pleasures of the world which cannot profit have taken up my thoughts This hath been mine impudent behaviour against thee my God which I cannot with any words of indignation sufficiently discover If a woman should bee dead in the nest when her husband were before her but should bee affectionate to every stranger if shee should not care how long shee were absent from him but think her self best while they were asunder if shee cared little how her loving husband were offended casting that at her heels which hee takes to heart were not this shameless behaviour in her And shall I not bee ashamed to shew no more love to thee to whom my soul is married in Christ Oh my soul what canst thou finde in the world why thou dost affect it it hath bred much vexation and sorrow thou hast been crossed and molested with it the more thou lovest it the greater trouble discontentment thou findest therein and wilt thou still take pleasure in thy pain what canst thou not finde in God and that above all thought and conceit why thou shouldest intirely cleave unto him what occasion couldest thou finde at any time to draw thy affection from him wilt thou leave the fatness and marrow that is in the house of God to feed upon the refuse and scraps that this world affords Ah wretch that I am who shall deliver mee from this bondage of sin I am full of uncharitable and false love I can love my self I have affection enough to the things of this world to the gifts of God and those the meanest more than to the giver as harlots to rings gold bracelets more than to the sender But I have not power to raise my soul to the love of God in Christ here my affections lye dead and will not mount aloft Oh that the love of God did possess my reins in such sort that in thought I might bee still with him rejoyce in his presence and walk before him in dutiful obedience Oh that my heart did burn with love that is strong as death hot as coals of Juniper that hath a vehement flame that no waters can quench no floods can drown no allurements can draw aside Why art thou so dead Oh my soul why dost thou not lift up thy self to the love of God whom hast thou in Heaven but him and who in earth is to bee desired in comparison of him for whom dost thou reserve thy prime affection for the world sin vanity Oh adulteress knowest thou not that the amity of the world is enmity with God thou hast gone astray and deeply defiled thy self with the love of sin return now unto the Lord and embrace him with most intire and dear affection what thou hast bestowed upon the world pleasure lusts carnal delights to thy great discomfort now set it wholly upon things above that it may finde rest and comfort Oh Lord I beseech thee who art only able to purge my heart of all filthy prophane love and to fill it with the pure love of thy holy Majesty this is thy promise I will circumcise your hearts and make you love mee with all your hearts therefore I am bold to make this prayer and will confidently wait upon thee for this mercy Quest How should a man proceed to meditate on the Fall of our first Parents Answ Hee must consider the subject causes and end of that act aimed at but not obtained the degrees properties and effects of it By the Fall of our first Parents wee understand the first sin of Adam and Eve whereby they transgressed the Commandement of God in eating the forbidden fruit this is fitly so called because as an heavy body falling upon some hard and sharp rock is greatly bruised and hurt so man after hee had received so many and great gifts from God sinning wickedly against his express charge and commandement did grievously wound himself The subject of this transgression was our first Parents Adam and Eve made after the Image of God perfect in stature of body and strength of mind enriched with excellent prerogatives of liberty and dominion planted in a garden of delights that they might dress it and keep it favoured of God and admitted into near fellowship with him The principal outward cause of mans disobedience was Satan the Prince of darkness that old murtherer who being fallen from God and shut up under condemnation did with incredible fury and malice seek the dishonour of God and the destruction of mankind This envious one spying his opportunity set upon the woman as the fitter to be made his prey when shee was alone and by his subtilty beguiled her The Serpent the most subtil of beasts which the Lord had made was the instrument that hee used to seduce the woman and the woman her self being first in the transgression was made the willing instrument of her husbands destruction The quality of the fruit as it was good for meat and pleasant to the eye was by accident a cause that moved them to eat which yet they might and ought to have forborn having liberty to eat of all the trees
this exercise page 11 What the matter or subject of our meditation ought to bee page 17 What the fruits effects and benefits of meditation are page 20 What use wee are to make of this point page 49 What superficial and careless thinking upon some points of Doctrine by fits is page 53 What the lets and Impediments of this duty are page 59 How the first Impediment is removed page 61 What a second let or Impediment is page 65 How it is to bee remedied Ib What a third Impediment is page 68 How it is to bee remedied page 69 What a fourth let is page 71 How it is to bee remedied page 72 What should move us to bee careful to take time for this duty page 73 What things hinder the fruitful performance of this duty page 74 How these abuses are to bee remedied page 75 What the sorts and kinds of meditation are page 77 What occasional Meditation is ib. What Rules are to bee noted touching extemporary Meditation page 78 What the benefits of extemporary meditation are page 80 How a man should fit himself for extemporary meditation page 84 What solemn or setled meditation is page 85 What motives should perswade Christians to set upon this duty page 86 What things must bee looked unto that this exercise might bee taken in hand with good success page 88 What Rules are to bee observed touching the choice of matter Ib. VVhat wee must do if our heart bee so barren that wee cannot call to mind any thing that hath been taught us nor remember any mercy wee receive page 93 VVhat particular meditations concerning Duties to bee performed or practised wee may finde commended unto us in the writings of Godly men page 97 110 VVhat place is fit for meditation page 115 VVhat they must do that have no room to bee alone page 117 VVhat time must bee set apart for meditation lb. VVhat is to bee said to them that pretend multitude of worldly business to excuse the omission and neglect of this excercise page 123 VVhat course must be holden to redeem time out of the world for meditation page 125 How wee must make entrance into this exercise page 127 In what order wee must proceed after the entrance page 130 VVhat must bee observed for the conclusion of this exercise page 137 How wee must meditate on Gods infinite excellency page 139 How wee must proceed in this meditation page 140 How these things are to bee applied upon the heart and pressed upon the soul page 145 How wee are to proceed in meditation of the holy Angells page 154 How these things are to be pressed and urged and applied unto the heart page 156 How wee are to meditate on mans excellency page 161 How it is to bee applied unto the heart for the quickning of the affection page 168 How wee are to meditate on Gods Infinite greatness page 176 How it is to bee applied unto the heart page 181 How we are to meditate on the love of God page 185 How it must bee applied unto the heart page 198 How wee are to meditate on the fall of our first parents page 207 How it is to bee applied unto the heart page 221 How wee are to meditate on sin page 228 How it is to bee pressed upon the heart page 245 How wee are to meditate on the work of Redemption page 246 How it is to bee applied unto the heart page 267 How wee are to meditate on the Resurrection of Christ page 273 How it is to bee pressed upon the heart page 284 A TREATISE OF Divine Meditation Quest WHat doth the word Meditation signifie Answ Those two words in the Original which our Translators render to Meditate signifie Primarily to meditate commune or discourse with ones self or which is the same to imagine study consider or muse in mind or heart Psal 1.2 In his Law doth hee meditate a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 day and night 77.6 I commune b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with mine own heart and my spirit made diligent search Isa 33.18 Thine heart shall meditate terrour 59.13 conceiving c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and uttering from the heart words of falshood And secondarily To pray or express that with the mouth which the heart mindeth either 1 Articulately Gen. 24.63 Isaac went out to meditate d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meditari meditata eloqui in the field i. e. to meditate his evening prayers and pray over his meditations Psal 55.17 Evening and morning and at noon will I pray e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 105.2 Talk yee f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 colloquimini of all his wondrous works Or 2 Inarticulately Isa 8.19 And when they shall say unto you seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto Wizards that peep and that mutter g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui mussitant should not a people seek unto their God 38.14 I did mourn h Where are words used coming from the same Hebrew root as a Dove 31.4 Like as the Lion and the young Lion roaring i Where are words used coming from the same Hebrew root on his prey The former of these two significations being the Principal Quest How is Meditation to bee defined as it is taken in the former sense Answ Meditation is a serious earnest and purposed musing upon some point of Christian instruction tending to lead us forward toward the Kingdome of Heaven Psal 119.23 48. and serving for our daily strengthening against the flesh the world and the Devil Or it is a stedfast and earnest bending of the mind upon some spiritual and heavenly matter discoursing thereof with our selves till wee bring the same to some profitable issue both for the setling of our judgements and bettering of our hearts and lives Quest How do Prayer and Meditation differ Answ They are often confounded in name but inseparably linked in nature going hand in hand together and can no more bee severed than two Twins who live and dye together only in Prayer wee confer and commune more directly with God by Petition and Thanksgiving Psa 42.11 in Meditation wee talk and confer more directly and properly with our selves and with our own souls Quest What reasons may shew the necessity of this duty Answ First It is commanded by God who hath supream Authority to command what hee pleaseth is infinite in Wisdome to judge what is most profitable for us and most acceptable to himself is of great Power to punish our contempt and abundant in Goodness to reward our obedience It is his good pleasure that wee should purposely separate our selves from other matters to think seriously upon some good and holy observation that our understandings might bee bettered and our affections stirred to hate evil and love good Secondly How necessary this heavenly exercise is may easily be conceived for that the hearts even of good Christians are too much
pestered with unsavoury thoughts desires and delights of folly vanity and much other naughtiness that they think it utterly impossible to bring them to any better point and no wonder if they neglect this duty of Meditation the understanding of the best setled Christian is dim his memory feeble his affections so overlaid with sin that without much striving hee cannot mount aloft nor run swiftly in the way of Gods Commandments So ponderous is the flesh that presseth down that unless wee labour the thing with our hearts the word will not stick fast nor work kindly nor our affections rise to any good purposes would wee thrive in grace and raise our desires and delight in heavenly things wee must breathe our selves well in Meditation Thirdly Would you have examples for the warrant of this necessary practice Naturally wee desire not to go alone nor travel in a way which none hath trodden before us wee may truly affirm all godly men have meditated and the most holy have most abounded in Meditation This the Holy Ghost reporteth of Isaac the Patriarch a Gen. 24.63 That hee went out into the field towards the evening to meditate which had not been so commendable if hee had not used so to do being such holy duties should bee often used herein following his Father Abraham who was the friend of God and very familiar with him b Gen. 5.22 Enoch in his whole life walked with God and had much talk and communion with him David promised to c Psa 119.48 Psal 119.148 meditate on the statutes of the Lord. And what hee vowed that hee did perform Mine eyes prevent the morning watch to meditate on thy word His life was a life of sorrow before hee came to the Kingdome Saul hunted him like a Partridge after hee was incumbred with wars abroad and the disobedience and rebellion of his sons at home what time could hee take to commune with God how could hee quiet his heart or bring it into order when others slept his eyes were waking and his heart was musing upon God his word and works his reins did teach him in the night season What point of divinity can bee learned without Meditation not one for as none can say that it is his own work which his own hands hath not made So none can count any point of divinity his own which he hath not wrought by the Meditation of his own heart Amongst Christians who have excelled such as have been most frequent and earnest in this exercise of holy Soliloquies pressing their hearts to the love of God and solacing themselves in the remembrance of his love Even as much odds as is betwixt a young scholar that can onely say his part and patter over his rules by rote and a learned School-master that by long practice and experience hath the use thereof or as there is between a cunning Artificer that can make his own work and an ignorant Shop-keeper that only sells the same such or more is the difference between the Christian that meditates Psal 119.97 98 99. and him that meditateth not David attained to more wisdome than the Antient his teachers his enemies it was by meditation of the Law of God Fourthly The Lord by his Prophet complaineth of the neglect of this duty Jer. 8.6 None saith what have I done Fifthly Meditation putteth life and strength into all other duties and parts of Gods worship When Nehemiah heard of the affliction of his brethren and the ruine of Jerusalem hee entred into a deep and earnest consideration of Gods judgements and of the causes thereof which were the sins of the people that thereby hee might bee the more fit to humble himself by prayer and fasting before the Lord a Neh. 1.2 7. When Peter came to himself and knew where hee was and from what hee was delivered and by whom then hee began with all thankfulness to muse on the great danger hee had escaped and of the author and instrument of his deliverance b Act. 12.11 Paul beholding the superstition of the Athenians and finding an Altar which was dedicated to the unknown God began to pity the blindness and ignorance of the people and to meditate how hee might take occasion from the inscription to win them to God c Act. 17.23 Quest Who are bound to use this exercise Answ This exercise doth appertain to all persons professing Christianity d Deut. 6.6 8. and howsoever all men have not equal education learning strength of memory stayedness of mind sharpness of wit and invention variety of reading opportunity of time and place c. yet is no man to bee freed from it There is none so simple or busie of so high place or base condition of so short memory or quick capacity such a babe in Christ or so strong a Christian that can exempt himself from this duty unless hee purpose to live unprofitably to others uncomfortably in himself and disobedient against God e Josh 1.8 Joshua was a valiant Captain a mighty Governour one alwaies busied in the wars of God yet must hee meditate in the Law a Psa 119.15 48 72. Who shall pluck out his neck when such a man must bear the yoak what must an holy man a King a Warrier notwithstanding his holiness dignity troubles have the word of God to dwell in him and bee his Counsellour what shift canst thou finde to excuse thy self in the neglect of it when neither worldly honour nor weight of business nor strength of body nor courage of mind nor variety of incumbrances nor multitude of distractions shall be held as plea sufficient art thou a Father of many children and so pleadest the great charge that lieth upon thy hand hear what the Lord saith Deut. 6.6 11.18 And these words which I command thee shall bee in thy heart The more thou hast to care for the more need hast thou to acquaint thy self with the Law of God that thou mayest teach and pray for them that depend upon thee Thou art Young and lusty it is good for thee to bee wise aforehand and to remember the Lord for thou must give account how thou hast spent thy daies thou must answer for the sins of youth b Eccl. 12.1 Call to mind what counsel a good Father gives to his Son a Father that advised in love a godly Father who by experience knew that his admonition was wholesome a Father moved by divine inspiration in that which hee spake My Son forget not thy Fathers instructions Binde them continually upon thine heart c Prov. 6.20 21. What better treasure canst thou lay up in thy breast what safer direction canst thou follow The word of life is a precious and sweet liquor fit to season the green vessel a sure guide to lead us in the darkness of this world Wilt thou pretend poverty to excuse omission of this duty Oh fool and blind dost thou not consider and if thou bee oppressed
with want thou hast the more need to strive for grace peace with God and joy in the Holy Ghost Thou hast nothing in this world provide spiritual treasure and learn what legacies the Lord hath bequeathed unto thee in his holy word Wee need not urge reasons to perswade old men who have accustomed themselves to the practice of godliness and by long custome have made that easie to them which to another seems difficult if not impossible to continue the use of this exercise for by experience they know the singular benefit and comfort of it They have tasted many times how sweet a thing it is to commune with the Lord how profitable to incite and call upon their souls and though the natural stomach be decayed the spiritual appetite still encreaseth in them a Psa 92.13 14. There is none so employed or tied by any service or duty to man but hee may finde some time either by day or night to call upon God to confer and talk with God and with his own soul in the presence of God especially upon the Sabbath day wherein the poorest Artificer and most painful Plough-man Prisoner and Gallislave must put apart some time if not to hear and pray publickly from which hee is restrained yet to behold muse and meditate with himself both of the word and works of God Canst thou finde time to eat drink sleep b Psa 16.7 redeem some portion of time from worldly business to refresh thy self with sweet Meditation c Psa 119.55.148 Is it not better to want thy full sleep than to deprive thy soul of communion with God It were a busie day when thou wouldest not a little attend to salute a kind friend who is come a far journey to visit thee in love Let no day pass without some conference with God and thine own heart Many hear the Word of God praise the Preacher wonder at the doctrine delivered are affected with joy or sorrow but the godly man treasureth up the Word in his heart not as a Talent in a Napkin but as provision in a store-house which hee bringeth forth in due season a Luk. 2.19 Mary kept all those sayings and pondered them in her heart when as others heard them as well as shee b Gen. 37.11 Jacob observed Joseph's dream the brethren heard it but the Father kept it in mind Quest What ought to bee the matter or subject of our Meditation Answ Some good or profitable observation gathered out of the Word or raised from the Works of God as the Titles and Properties of God c Psa 1.2 119.54 by which hee sheweth what hee is to his Church and People his Power Wisdome Justice and Mercy also the works of the Most High as his Decree Creation Providence the fall of man our Redemption by Christ Vocation Justification Sanctification and Glorification likewise our own vileness and sinfulness both in general and particular also our manifold wants and infirmities our mortality and daily dangers with the mutability of all things in the world the great and sundry priviledges which wee injoy daily through the inestimable kindness of God in Christ Jesus the sundry afflictions and troubles of this life and how wee may best bear them and go thorow with them to the glory of God and our own spiritual good It is good to observe further and think upon the vanity of all earthly things the vain confidence of worldly men the destruction of the wicked the assaults that are made against the Church and how the Lord doth still protect her with his right hand In brief the Word of God is a rich store-house of good matter and the world a stage furnished with great variety every day bringeth forth manifold occasions of Meditation and a godly mind may make good use of every Word or Work of God of every thing it seeth or heareth whether it bee good or evil Quest What bee the fruits effects and benefits of Meditation Answ They are manifold for it calls our minds out of the world to a Psa 42.4 39.3 mourning or mirth to complaint prayer rejoycing and thanksgiving in the presence of God It drieth fleshly and bad humours of worldliness and earthly-mindedness it quickens and awakens the dull and drowsie heart that is ready to bee sleeping in sin there is no private help so available to gave and sift weed and purge and as it were to hunt and ferrit out of our hearts swarms of wicked and unsavoury thoughts and lusts which otherwise will not onely lodge and dwell but rule and reign in them and to entertain and hold fast heavenly thoughts which otherwise will run out of our riven heads as liquor out of a rotten vessel It is an ointment to soften our hard hearts and to sweeten the bitterness of our lives in all inward and outward troubles It is a soveraign preservative against the sugered baits of worldly pleasures and commodities that they become not poison unto us Meditation is the searcher of the heart the manure of the soul the fosterer of zeal the key of paradise the ladder of Heaven the remedy of security the pastime of Saints the improvement of Christianity It enters us into the first degrees of heavenly joyes exalteth our minds and thoughts above the highest pitch of worldly things and imparteth unto us some first beginnings of the vision of God it is as watering to plants as blowing to fire as oyl to aking joynts as Physick to the sick It urgeth to repentance it quickneth to prayer confirmeth faith kindleth love digesteth the word encourageth in well doing and refresheth with heavenly consolations More Particularly First Meditation discovers corruption and acquaints us with the rebellion of our hearts and lives with our blindness security earthly-mindedness and infinite other loathsome filthinesses which neither wee our selves would take knowledge of while wee carry our selves in many things as good Christians amongst men neither any other would ever think that so much poison could bee inclosed in so narrow a room as within the compass of one silly man or woman The vanity of mind frowardness of will will shew themselves sooner in this duty than in any other By the hearing of the Law comes the knowledge of sin but never so clear and distinct as when wee constantly set our selves to walk with God Let us observe what unfaithfulness injustice worldliness impatience breaketh forth in our callings what weariness coldness deadness distrust possesseth the heart in prayer how full of wandrings forgetful irreverent how soon tyred wee bee in hearing the Word how senseless froward and hard-hearted under the Rod and wee shall bee forced to acknowledge that wee are very stubborn and rebellious prone to evil and averse to that which is good But set thy self to think upon some instruction that hath been taught or thou hast observed do it seriously conscionably religiously constantly as one who desireth to spend all time well and
wee shall see great cause good incouragement to set upon that work with diligence joy and chearfulness as the mercies of God the love of Christ the comforts of grace the bond of Creation preservation redemption the promise of divine assistance and gracious acceptance the peace of conscience and lively hope of an Inheritance in the highest Heavens When these and such like considerations are duly weighed wee shall finde many and more effectual provocations to incite to holiness than possiblely can bee to incite unto sin or to dishearten in any good enterprize Fourthly In company wee are apt to forget our selves and take offensive liberty to bee idle loose vain in speeches pettish in behaviour The reason is because wee are not stored with good matter wee have not seen into the manifold imperfections of our hearts nor tried in secret how wee can master and overcome corruptions Whereby the necessity of Meditation is manifest that gaging the heart thorowly and fighting against sin at home wee might bee more watchful in company lest wee should bee overtaken and better enabled to resist for as hee who goeth to war is first trained and made fit to use his weapon at home and the scholar tryeth masteries privately before hee come forth to dispute openly so must a good Christian try what hee can do against his affections lusts alone by himself in his solitary Meditation and resolve against them accordingly as hee seeth the difficulty to require before hee can in his common dealings with all sorts and companies bee strengthened against temptations and falls and free from offence-giving in his words and deeds 5 Unbeleef and hardness of heart are evils no less dangerous than common to the godly that feel them to the ungodly that are insensible a curse a judgement that cannot sufficiently be lamented The special remedy is earnest communication with our selves and with the Lord in secret How doth the heart relent when wee set our selves in the presence of God to record our disobedience with shame and sorrow and when wee call to remembrance our mortality the day of death the coming of Christ to judgement the favours of God the love of Christ his most bitter death and passion Hardness of heart cometh from want of due consideration a Mark 6.52 8.17 18 19 20 21. Tenderness follows Meditation as contraries are cured by their contraries To chide the heart for sin and force it by strong reasons pressed again and again upon the conscience is effectual to break and rent it as hard stroaks with beetle and wedges are to cleave the knotty Oak They that look up to Christ will mourn over him To stock up infidelity and to plant the word of promise what means to Meditation a Psa 77.9 10 11 12. when wee consider the power goodness unchangeableness of the Lord his free grace rich mercy and constant truth how hee dealt with his servants in former times and hath holpen us in the day of our calamity doth not the heart rise in indignation against distrust To check and reprove dejectedness of spirit and to stir up our selves to wait and trust in the Lord is a ready way to get freedome from distracting thoughts that overwhelm and oppress the soul Thirdly Meditation may be called the beginning of all sound Reformation when will men turn from their sins with an holy resolution to cleave unto the Lord in all things Never till they come to their right mind and bethink themselves b Hos 7.2 Jer. 5.24 Luk. 14.28 15.17 Mark 14.72 Psal 4.4 They may promise fair in sickness conceive some purposes of amendment upon the sight or hearing of judgement denounced against their bosome sin but all this abides meanly with them to break the heart or change it from those sinful delights wherewith it was bewitched They must remember and weigh what they have done before they can rise out of the miry-puddle into which they are fallen c Jer. 8.6 Rev. 2.5 Fourthly Hereby well-grounded and working knowledge is attained encreased without understanding wee cannot begin this exercise but wisdome is begotten and confirmed by it d Psa 119.92 93 99. They that hear often read much but live not in the exercise of Meditation and digest not what is brought to their minds by outward means they continue still in darkness or hang upon the credit of their teachers at the best their knowledge is less profitable to themselves and others as that which swimeth in the brain but is not kindly rooted in the heart In earthly occasions wherein wee are sharper sighted than in spiritual wee conceive not a matter at the first hearing the more we think upon it the better wee come to know it In spiritual things often reviewing the same thing is most requisite It is Meditation that settleth the truth in the judgement assureth it to the conscience and firmly groundeth it in the heart that it becometh a behooveful word ready in the time of need and ruling over the whole man with an universal milde and gentle soveraignty It may bee added that if wee meditate of what we hear wee shall see more into the truth use and benefit of what is taught than hee that preacheth Surely there is no doctrine so plain or work so small but great good might bee gathered much learned out of it by study and diligence Fifthly What an help this is to strengthen memory all men know by continual practice Doth not the light of reason teach us to call that oft to mind which wee would not have to overslip us Psal 119.15 16. I will meditate on thy statutes and will not forget thy Word The Saints of God know it is needful to grow in wisdome and to retain what they have learned but look how necessary it is to bee filled with wisdome and to hold a Heb. 2.1 2. fast what wee have received so needful it is to repeat again and again and to bethink our selves of what hath been commanded and commited to our custody Defect of memory is best supplied by Meditation Sixthly * Quo magis aliquid per contemplatione nobis innotescit eo magis in illius amorem erar descimus quo magis aliquid amamus eô frequentius de ipso cogitamus Meditation enlargeth delight in goodness much blowing will make the fire to burn under green wood Our nature desires liberty and goodness is burdensome to the flesh but if wee accustome our selves to minde and muse and think upon the word until it be made our own it will be pleasant to our taste Psa 119.23 24. sweeter than hony or the hony comb Familiarity is the best Nurse of Friendship better than good turns Even as looking breedeth loving so when by the thought of mind wee look upon good matters there is a love of them bred in us for affections kindle on a thought as tinder doth when a spark lighteth on it The most vehement love doth
bee impotent as having lost her former strength and constancy in good things for the time it is constrained to omit and let pass the same Quest How is this to bee remedied Answ The remedy to such a one as through an unsettled heart cannot meditate of any parts of Christianity and godliness having otherwise knowledge is to meditate of his present unfitness looseness of heart and earthly-mindedness to account it as an heavy burden to accuse his heart and to bring it to kindly relenting by considering how far it is off presently from that mildness humbleness and heavenliness and readiness unto duty which ought to bee in him continually and hath been in him at some other time Let him bring his mind to these considerations and say with himself I have received a mind to * Heb. 13.18 Col. 1.10 please God to be teachable and ready to any duty I have opposed my self against mine own will and the Devils secret and malicious counsel though sweet to the flesh a Rom. 8.12 I am not a debtor unto it how can I then yeeld to the untowardness of my heart and to sin against my God I have tasted the fatness and marrow in the house of God and shall I return to feed upon the husks of the world where are the manifold and comfortable priviledges which he hath given mee that I might bee faithful unto him Am I weary of my own peace and do I haste after my own sorrow what pleasure can I finde in vanity and vexation what taste in the white of an egg Lord bring back this ranging heart of mine from the deceitful dreams and fears that it hath been snared in and restore it to the liberty that it was wont to injoy that is to solace it self in thy favour and communion with thee And this gift being decayed through my own fault and Satans cruelty and subtilty forgive my cold and weak love of thee who have provoked thy Majesty if thou wouldest bee provoked to frown and look amiably on mee no more Thou Lord chargest mee thus to seek thy face and sweet presence which I have gone from and for a time been blinded as having no ability to muse of any good thing and have not seen that I was seduced till I perceived that I had lost this sweet liborty Now therefore O Lord shew thy loving kindness in my distress and weakness and restore to mee this liberty of my heart which many of thy children do finde and enjoy Thus fall into consideration with thy self and bee not discouraged when thou seest thy infirmities who hast learned to use all thy wants to humble thee and to bring thee nearer to God rather than to go further from him but let no man give any liberty in any sort to his evil heart when it is turned away from chearfulness and willingness in any part of Gods service to go forward therein for that were to bring himself into utter bondage Quest What is a second Impediment or Let Answ Inconstancy when wee begin to set upon this duty but are drawn aside by the love of vanity or discouraged by the difficulty of the exercise and so give over and never set about it in good earnest Quest What is the Remedy of this Impediment Answ Labour to be constant and if it bee possible let no day pass without some line of Meditation though many blocks be cast into the way Impediments will multiply as wee give way unto them indisposition and unfitness get strength through omission and delay but constancy and courage our breaking thorow all opposition with careful watchfulness to tye up our thoughts will make this exercise in time not onely possible but easie and pleasant It is grievous for children at the first to go to school but after they have tasted the sweetness of study and tried the fruit they are contented to leave country and kindred for love of learning So the entrance into this exercise is hard and tedious but the progress full of heavenly delight and contentation nay it is grievous to bee pestered with vain wicked idle thoughts whereby communion and fellowship with Christ is interrupted In the world it is accounted a hard thing to bee bound with cords and chains of Iron to bee vexed with Tyranny an insupportable burthen what is it then to bee bound with chains of our corruption to live under the power of lust to bee tossed to and fro with the temptations of Satan let us therefore set apart the fittest time for this exercise especially on the Sabbath when spiritual idleness is as bad or worse than bodily labour and to keep it constantly not giving over when wee have once begun till wee finde that it hath done our hearts some good For what will it avail us to knock at the door of our hearts if wee depart before wee have an answer Quest May not a man spend too much time in private Meditation Answ Yes no doubt and many do who are so addicted to their own private devotions that they neglect other duties of Christianity and of their particular callings the neglect of which besides that it is a separating of those things which God hath joyned together doth not inlighten and quicken the mind but rather by the just judgement of God blinde and dull it Hence it proceeded that the antient Monks mingling bodily labour with Meditation proved excellent whereas the Popish Monks mured up in their Cloysters and exempted from bodily labour proved the most noisome Caterpillers in the world Wherefore wee must so chuse our times for the performance of this exercise that God bee not dishonoured nor our brethren wronged by the neglect of others The object of this exercise being spiritual is far too excellent for the weak sight of man to bee gazing on continually Quest What is the third Impediment Answ Many are hindered and kept back from this duty for want of matter Notwithstanding the great variety of matter which the word and works of God and the due consideration of their own estate might minister unto them yet their hearts are so barren and their heads so empty that they are utterly to seek about what to bestow their time and their cogitations Quest What is the Remedy against this Let Answ The help is to bewail and lament the barrenness of their hearts and to enforce themselves to read and hear the Word and to mark and observe the works of God with greater care conscience diligence and attention than they have done in former times How a Christian is to furnish himself with good matter wee shall shew hereafter more fully But for the present every man that is desirous to set upon this exercise may propound these things to bee thought upon First His vileness unworthiness and other his several corruptions and sins Secondly The sufferings of Christ and the wrath of God due unto us for sin Thirdly The love of God in giving Christ to dye for us and the
greatness of his bounty and riches of his grace and constancy of his love in forgiving so many transgressions and subduing daily more and more the dominion of sin and Satan Fourthly Hee is to think how hee may bee guided thorow that present day after the rules of his daily direction especially those that seem hardest to bee followed both the well-ordering of his heart and framing of his life so far as stands with Gods Word Fifthly Let him meditate on the several parts of the Christian Armor and how God hath appointed to strengthen him thereby for his better going forward in a godly life Lastly Let him consider of the outward blessings that God vouchsafeth unto him his constant care and fatherly protection over him in his going out and coming in providing him meat drink and apparel and other necessaries Quest What is the fourth Let Answ Want of leisure and opportunity by reason of necessary business taking up the time Quest How is this to bee remedied Answ Men must know that the ordinary works of their calling are not to put this duty out of place for if they do it is by the unskilfulness or untowardness of them who commit this fault but the one of them is appointed of God to go with the other and both of them to stand together to the upholding of one another If any through necessary occasion and hinderances shall be constrained to let pass this duty of Meditation when otherwise hee would have set upon it hereby let it appear to have been necessarily passed by and without his fault if hee supply the want of this duty after his necessary labour ended and take heed that in no wise it bee omitted altogether unless hee can bee assured with peace that God in the omitting of it hath been remembred answerably some other way Quest What should move us to bee careful to take time for this duty Answ Because wee are earnestly exhorted by the Apostle to redeem the time that is to take the opportunity and lay hold on all occasions whereby wee may glorifie God or do good to others and to our own souls And the special spur to provoke us to make choice of and constantly to keep some time to the performance of this duty and to break thorow the manifold lets and impediments which stand in our way is the due consideration of the fruits and effects of this duty carefully performed which have been mentioned before and come to bee named hereafter Quest What things do hinder the fruitful performance of this duty Answ Two principally which may bee called abuses of Meditation First Sleightness when wee make a ceremony of it not so much looking how our hearts are affected in and by it as that wee may not justly bee charged for omitting it Secondly Trifling fantasies and worldly cares which fill the head that wee cannot minde heavenly things hence followeth weariness of it and an hastening to more liberty that our hearts may range where they list Quest How are these abuses to bee remedied A. First We must remember that it is a duty of great weight earnestly called for at our hands of singular fruit and comfort worthy to bee delighted in and exercised with greatest diligence The men of the world are exact in trifles is it not a shame to the children of God if they be sleighty in matters of so great importance Labour spent in the duties of Religion is lost and the fruit perisheth if wee strive not to perform them with life and power Secondly To obtain that we may bee fit to perform this duty and not to bee carried at that time after wandring wee must tye up our loose hearts throughout the day from the deadly custome of ranging after vain fond and deceiveable thoughts dreams and delights wee must weigh how little worth this is to suffer our cogitations to bee fastened on things transitory with delight much less about those that are filthy and evil but rather bring them to bee taken up in those which are heavenly This wee are called unto and until wee learn how weighty soever our dealings be to count this the chiefest to keep peace with God and ever fear to offend him it will bee an hard matter to bring our selves to meditate with chearfulness and fruit Thirdly When thou settest upon this duty take heed of self-confidence lest thou provoke God to give thee up to be buffeted of Satan to teach thee humility and lowliness How should wee hope to prosper in any good work so long as wee trust in our own strength Success joyned with self-presumption is perillous for it tendeth to spiritual fulness and surfeiting two main and great diseases of the soul Quest What bee the sorts and kinds of Divine Meditation Answ It is fitly divided into two sorts First Extemporary occasional or sudden which may bee done at all times and in all employments Secondly Set deliberate or solemn both these have their use and in both these seriousness is required Quest What is occasional Meditation Answ It is a serious bending of the mind to think upon some good and profitable subject being occasioned thereunto by such things as by the providence of God do offer themselves to our senses Psal 8.8 Joh. 4.10 Prov. 6.6 Mat. 6.26 eyes and ears as wee go about the duties of our calling or bee exercised in some honest and lawful Recreation for the continuance of our health and comfort of our life Quest What Rules are to bee noted touching this extemporary Meditation Answ First Extemporary Meditation as Ejaculatory Prayers have no ornament but fervency no motive but love no other eloquence but affection and their clauses no contexture but necessity Secondly No employment can hinder us from this duty they rather minister occasion thereof unto us The cold of Winter the heat of Summer the sweetness of the Spring the fruitfulness of the Harvest do * Psa 19.1 69.34 89.5 Psa 8.3 4. praise the Lord that is do minister plentiful occasion to us to praise God No month in the year nor week in the month nor day in the week nor hour in the day which doth not afford us some profitable matter to meditate upon Thirdly The fittest day in the week is the Lords day which wee are to consecrate wholly to him but as no person is exempted from this duty so no time but may fitly serve for the performance thereof Fourthly As wee must not lightly let slip such matters of good use as will bee often offered unto us and defraud our selves and others of the benefit thereof so wee must not fix our minds too earnestly upon them lest wee offend others and neglect some necessary duty of our own Fifthly The more natural and lively the occasion of external Meditation is the better it doth affect at the first salutation as soon as wee take a taste of it which must bee regarded and laboured after because the business of this life will not suffer us
largely to discourse upon them Sixthly Variety of matter is very profitable for often iteration of the same thing breeds heartlesness It is with Meditation as with medicines which with over ordinary use lose their soveraignty and kill in stead of purging Quest What are the benefits of Extemporary Meditation Answ 1 It fits for setled Meditation as it furnisheth with matter and prepareth the heart to commune with God as oft salutations makes way to familiar conference Hee that observeth the Lord in all his dealings and makes spiritual use of earthly things shall with more ease finde and fasten his heart upon some good matter and have it at command to attend upon the Lord in most serious Communication Secondly It kindles the graces of the Spirit which might otherwise bee damped with the foggy mists of earthly cares and vain delights As the fire gathers that which causeth it to burn faster so the Spirit raiseth holy thoughts upon outward occasions which do revive the grace wee have received Thirdly Since the greatest part of our life is spent in worldly affairs unless wee lift up our hearts to God upon occasions offered in our callings journies and such like wee shall deprive our souls for the most part of sweet fellowship and communion and company with the Lord. Fourthly If God walk along with us in the labours of our callings is it not an offence in us to take no notice or observation of his presence Fifthly Occasional Meditation is a sharp spur and strong provocation to prayer and praise Hee cannot want matter of thanksgiving or supplication that conscionably observeth and considereth the goodness of the Lord towards him in the things of this life and infirmities of the creature and his own inability of himself to effect or bring any thing to pass Sixthly It furthers much to bring us to the knowledge of our selves and to encrease humility self-ignorance is a disease most dangerous the daughter of corruption infidelity forgetfulness pride presumption earthly-mindedness flattery bad company ill examples and custome in sin One special Remedy of this over-spreading malady is oft and diligent Meditation of the things that shall happen fall out or be presented to us in our daily vocations Seventhly The thoughts of this nature are not onely lawful but so behooveful that wee cannot omit them without neglect of God his creatures our selves the creatures are half lost if wee onely imploy them not learn something of them God is wronged if his creatures bee unregarded our selves most of all if wee read this great volume of the creatures and take out no lesson for our instruction Quest How should a man fit himself for extemporary Meditation Answ First Hee must get an heart desirous to reap profit by every thing that doth befall him Love of wealth draws the covetous to study how he might turn all things to his advantage and love of grace will produce the same effects in her kind Secondly Hee must learn to read the power goodness bounty and wisdome of the Lord written in fair characters in the large volume of the creatures and in every leaf and line thereof The fire hail snow rain dew frost yea herbs plants fish and fowl praise the Lord that is give occasion to man to magnifie the name of God Psal 8.1 2 3. who is great and excellent Thirdly Let him make spiritual use of earthly things and mark how the one is resembled and shadowed forth in the other And to this end it is good to observe the parables and similitudes and borrowed phrases in Scripture whereby a Christian may soon furnish himself in this point Fourthly It must bee remembred that in every thing the wise just powerful and good providence of God doth over-rule this perswasion rooted in the heart draws a man to acknowledge the hand of God in whatsoever happeneth great or small Quest What is solemn or settled Meditation Answ It is a purposed and advised bending of the mind to consider and muse on some good and wholesome matter with resolution to work the heart into an holy temper to which end wee separate our selves from all companies and occasions that might distract us Quest What Motives should perswade Christians to set upon this duty Answ Besides the benefits before mentioned which principally belong to solemn Meditation these considerations may bee of force to quicken us First Wee must exercise our selves in the Word of God with care and diligence that it may sink into us abide with us quicken and conform and strengthen us Wee are commanded to treasure up and feed upon the Word of Life Psal 119.11 Isa 8.16 Luke 11.28 Rev. 1.3 Binde up the Testimony seal up the Law among my Disciples Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it Blessed are they who read and they who hear the words of this Prophecy and keep those things that are written therein James 1.21 Receive with meekness the ingrafted Word which is so called because it should abide in our hearts like a Siens in a stock and never bee removed but there grow and fructifie unto eternal life But the Word cannot take root bee remembred digested wee cannot feed upon it without Meditation Mat. 24.15 Let him that readeth consider and understand Secondly The Scriptures were written to bring us to happiness to fellowship and communion with God to everlasting life They set forth the way to blessedness and direct how wee may bee partakers of glory Rev. 1.3 Joh. 20.31 1 Joh. 1.3 And if wee be not careless of the salvation of our souls wee must search into this Mine as well by Meditation as reading or hearing Quest What things must bee looked unto that this exercise might bee taken in hand with good success Answ Choice of good matter fit place due time holy entrance orderly proceeding and seasonable meet conclusion Quest What rules are to bee observed touching the choice of matter Answ The matter of Meditation must be some good and profitable thing as God himself his attributes titles properties works of mercy and judgement creation and providence his Word Threatnings Promises Commandements our own unworthiness mortality the afflictions and manifold changes of this life and how we may go thorow them with comfort But out of this variety make choice of some one to bee the subject of thy discourse for hee that is every where is no where Nothing is more hurtful to the body than many medicines The sore to which sundry kinds of plaisters are applied is hardly brought to a scar Nihil tam utile est quod in transitu profit Senec Think upon one thing until thy affections be wrought upon Nothing is so profitable that it can benefit much in passing by hee that comes by the fire may feel a glympse of heat hee onely is warmed that tarrieth at it It is the property of a weak stomach to taste many things to hold and digest nothing Many matters thrust upon us at
but an enquiring after novelties Twentiethly Men having experience of Satans malice and continual dogging of them to do evil it should move them to trusse on their armour to trust better in the Lord and less to themselves Corruption grows when it is not suspected and where it is suspected to grow if we go not about to pull it out and pluck it up it will bee too deeply fastened in a short time The like may bee said of conceitedness though a man pray and meditate and keep a better course in his life than some do yet if hee do it but sleightly that the flesh prevaileth much in hindering the well performing of it all will soon come to nought It may bee perceived in the sway it beareth in other parts of the life and then let it bee speedily amended Oneantwentiethly It is good so to task our selves with duties one or other at all times and in all places that wee may cut off occasions of much sin Men have never so much wealth but more is ever welcome Why should wee not do the like in spiritual things even whosoever hath most and greatest part therein when wee bee come to the highest degree of seeking God with much travail yet wee abide hardly and a short time therein at least much unprofitableness and barrenness will meet with us again afterwards by means of our corrupt hearts which being so wee need not think that wee bee too forward when wee bee at the best Twoantwentiethly Let no sin bee sleightly passed over or boldly committed for when it commeth to remembrance in trouble it will bee an heavy burden and pinch us to the very heart Quest What other Observations fit to bee meditated upon shall wee finde in the writings of godly men Answ These and such like First That wee keep a narrow watch over our hearts 1 Pet. 1.15 Psa 39.1 Eph. 5.15 words and deeds continually Secondly That with all care the time bee redeemed which hath been carelesly and idlely Eph. 5.16 Col. 4.2 and unprofitably spent Thirdly That once in the day private prayer at the least and meditation if it may bee used Luke 14.15 16. Fourthly That care bee had to do and receive good in company Fifthly That our family bee with diligence and regard instructed watched over and governed Sixthly That no more time or care bee bestowed in matters of the world than must needs Deut. 4.9 6.7 Seventhly Gen. 18.19 That wee stir up our selves to * Gal. 6.10 liberality to Gods Saints Eighthly That wee give not the least liberty to wandring a Col. 3.5 lusts and affections Ninthly b Mat. 16.24 That wee prepare our selves to bear the cross by what means soever it shall please God to exercise us Tenthly That wee bestow some time not onely in mourning for our own sins but also for the sins of others Dan. 9.3 4 of the time and age wherein wee live Eleventhly That wee look daily for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 1.7 Tit. 2.13 for our full deliverance out of this life Twelfthly That wee use as wee shall have opportunity at least as wee shall have necessity to acquaint our selves with some godly and faithful persons with whom wee may confer of our Christian estate James 5.16 and open our doubts to the quickening up of Gods Graces in us Thirteenthly That wee observe the departure of men out of this life their mortality Eccl. 7.4 Rev. 22.20 the vanity and alteration of things below the more to contemn the world and to continue our longing after the life to come And that wee meditate and muse often on our own death and going out of this life how wee must lye in the grave which will serve to beat down the pride of life in us Fourteenthly Deut. 17.19 20. Josh 1.8 Psa 1.2 Dan. 9.2 That wee read somewhat daily of the holy Scriptures for the further encrease of our knowledge and understanding if it may bee Fifteenthly That wee enter into Covenant with God that wee will strive against all sin especially against the special sins and corruptions of our hearts and lives wherein wee have most dishonoured the Lord and raised up most guiltiness to our own consciences Neh. 9.38 2 Chron. 34.32 that wee carefully see our Covenant with God kept and continued Sixteenthly That wee mark how sin dieth 1 Pet. 1.14 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. 1 Thes 5.22 and is weakned in us and that wee turn not to our old sins again but wisely avoid all occasions of sin Seventeenthly That wee fall not from our first love but continue still our affections to the liking of Gods Word Rev. 2.4 James 1.19 Rom. 2.13 and all the holy exercises of Religion diligently hearing it and faithfully practising it in our lives and conversations that wee prepare our selves before wee come meditate and confer of that wee hear either by our selves or with others and so mark our daily profiting in Religion Eighteenthly That wee bee often occupied in meditating on Gods Works and benefits Eph. 5.20 Psal 116.12 13. 118.15 and sound forth his praises for the same Nineteenthly That wee exercise our faith by taking great comfort and delight in the great benefit of our Redemption by Christ Phil. 1.23 2 Tim. 4.7 8. and the fruition of Gods presence in his glorious and blessed Kingdome Lastly That wee make not these holy Meditations and such like practices of repentance common or customary in time neither use them for course Quest What place is fit for Meditation Answ It is indifferent whether it bee in the house Gen. 24.63 Deut. 6.6 7 Act. 10. or in the field at home or abroad walking sitting or lying but a solitary place is fittest for this exercise as our Saviour hath taught us Mat. 6.6 Luk. 11.1 When thou prayest enter into thy closet and pray privately that being alone not distracted with noise or company wee might with more freedome and quietness talk with God Wee cannot bee too wary in avoiding all occasions of disturbance because every small thing will soon break us off in this service But some men can bee more solitary at the Market-cross or in the midst of a throng than some others in their closets when they bee furthest removed from company Moreover it is not amiss to use one place often for wee finde fewest Impediments there where wee are most accustomed to meet the Lord Joh. 18.2 then wee can best recollect our thoughts and being gathered keep them together without distraction Quest What say you of them that have no room to bee alone Answ First They must bee diligent to redeem the time and watch all opportunities not making their wants a cloak for their negligence Secondly Though all men cannot be fitted as they desire for secrecy and solitariness to withdraw themselves from company and noise yet there is no man that hath an unfeigned desire to
satisfie desire than salt water quencheth thirst Oh that true love like a strong stream which the further it is from this head of eternity would run into it with greater violence In Gods love there is no mixture of sorrow no want of delight fulness of pleasure all manner of contentment Alas alas that ever so many cold winds of temptation should blow betwixt God and our hearts to make our affections cooler unto him What dull metal is this wee are made of wee have the fountain of felicity and eternity and yet complain of want and weariness Do wee freeze in the fire and starve at a feast Have wee God to injoy and yet pine and hang down the head Let mee have my God and let mee never want him so shall my joyes bee lasting pure incomprehensible for possessing him that is the pure eternal and an all-sufficient good how should I not finde fulness of joy and contentment in him Oh my soul fear the Lord and stand in awe of his Majesty for hee is a great God and terrible a King above all Gods At his presence the earth trembleth the mountains quake and the foundations of the world are shaken The Angels cannot behold his glory the Sun and Moon are not clean in his sight Fear the Lord and depart from iniquity harbour no wicked plot in thy breast contrive not evil in thy thoughts for thou hast to deal with a God that is light of hearing who dwelleth in thy heart and knoweth thy Imaginations long before And what needs any other evidence when the Judge is witness His eyes are as flaming fire his feet are as burning brass hee will tread down the wicked in his wrath and vex them that hate him Serve the Lord with fear and commit thy self to him in well doing Trust in the Lord at all times Hab. 1.12 Psa 55.18 19. and stay upon his mercy Hee is the everlasting Rock constant in promises ever present for our aid unchangeable in love and favour No place can hinder God from doing us good distance or difficulty may bee impediments to all the creatures to stay their help but God at a blush fills all places to comfort or confound as it pleaseth him Hee that is freed from dimensions may pierce and penetrate enter and pass whither hee pleaseth without probability or possibility of resistance Hee hath created the world and yet is not weary his provision is no whit abated his power nothing diminished Let him carry us which way hee will make the passages never so troublesome and perillous yet the same hand that makes them hard will make them sure and if wee bee faithful to him will master all the difficulties for us Let him cast us into such great miseries of long continuance that hee seem to forsake us as if hee would not return to our help yet wee know that hee is everlasting the Holy One of Israel who cannot leave them for ever that rely upon him O God as I have trusted thee with the beginning so will I trust thee with the finishing of my glory And though never so many or main hinderances of my salvation offer themselves and after all hopes threaten to defeat mee yet faithful art thou who hast promised who wilt also do it Quest I would now hear how wee must proceed to meditate on the Love of God Answ Wee must consider of the efficient cause subject end objects effects properties and kinds of this Love what is like what opposite unto it The Love of God signifieth either that love whereby God loveth us Joh. 5.48 1 Joh. 3.17 1 Joh. 2.15 or that affection whereby wee being united unto God do rest in him with pleasure and delight Of this Theological virtue first in order not the first in fruit and continuance the greatest the end of the Commandement the bond of perfection the fulfilling of the Law I purpose to meditate by the grace of God This Love is a grace supernatural and is neither in us by nature nor can bee acquired by our endeavour Yea the measure of love is not defined according to the endeavour of the received but the pleasure and will of the Spirit measuring and pouring it into every one The author or principal cause of Divine Love is God himself by his blessed Spirit renewing and regenerating our hearts to the love of his Majesty Love is the fruit of the Spirit a Gal. 5.22 b Joh. 4.7 Eph. 6.23 He that loveth is born of God Love is of God and God is love Hee loveth us in his well-beloved and is the ever-springing fountain of all love in us The Spirit openeth our eyes to see and behold the incomprehensible goodness of God without which there is no love For of a thing unknown there is no desire The same Spirit infuseth the grace of love whereby wee are enabled to love God and quickened unto it Rom. 5.5 whereas of our selves we are destitute of all power and ability to every spiritual duty And the Spirit sheddeth abroad the love of God in our hearts whereby they are warmed to love God again The means which the Spirit useth for this purpose is the Word of Grace revealing the incomparable love of God in Jesus Christ towards us most miserable wretches The less principal cause of love is man renewed by the Spirit 1 Joh. 4.7 Deut. 30.6 Man regenerate doth love the Lord not of himself but by the grace of God The Lord thy God will circumcise thy heart to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul Faith well rooted will a Gal. 5.6 Quantum cognoscimus tantum diligimus animate quicken and move love Faith and Love are both graces supernatural infused at once in the same instant of time but in order of working Faith hath the precedency and kindleth Love From this it followeth that the subject of Love is a renewed heart inlightened with the true saving knowledge of God purified by Faith and seasoned by Grace For Love is a spiritual affection in the reasonable part presupposing knowledge and affiance whereby the soul goeth forth to imbrace the good it apprehendeth The end of Love is the possession of God as the chief good Love as wee see makes man and woman one and so it doth couple us to God It is a weight whereby the heart is inclined toward God and wholly carried unto him The object of Charity is God in Christ God is to bee loved not only as hee is good merciful gracious long-suffering and bountiful and as hee doth love and daily lade us with his blessings But also as hee is wise just and powerful even as hee doth chastize and visit us with severe corrections For as the true love of children towards their Parents doth effect this that they love their Parents and perswade themselves that they bee beloved of them though they bee reprehended crossed corrected and cannot obtain what they will so true Love
that wee should not onely seek the Kingdome of Heaven but minde it set our thoughts upon it and turn the bent of our desires wholly that way a Mat. 6.19 Col. 3.1 The Lord hath given to us the great things of his Law b Hos 8.12 caused the Scriptures to bee written for our learning and sent his Prophets to declare unto us his mind and pleasure Christ Jesus the great Dr. of the Church hath revealed the glory of God as it were in open face and fully and clearly made known the last will of his heavenly Father touching mans salvation than which nothing can bee more wonderful excellent delightful comfortable Now for us to pass by these things as strange and now and then only to cast an eye towards them is it not an offence intollerable How should the heart be framed after the image of God but by a serious Meditation of heavenly things whereby their likeness is stamped upon the soul as by Application the seal leaves the impression upon the wax Wee are strangers in this world who have no abiding City on earth nor may place our hearts delights and felicity here but Heaven is our home and our chiefest comfort must bee to have daily communion with God Phil. 3.20 and to have our conversation in Heaven with him which cannot bee enjoyed ordinarily without Meditation If it bee tedious at first use will make it easie and the sweetness which at length wee shall taste in contemplation will make it delightful Quest What say you of superficial and careless thinking upon some points of Doctrine by fits seldome in a good mood Answ The chief praise of this duty is that wee be much in its use Psal 119.97 1.2 from time to time through the whole course of our life and every day thereof that by recording holy and divine things especially those which tend to soundness in the matter of salvation a little time more or less as opportunity is offered and occasions will permit may be bestowed of us to dry up fleshly and bad humours of earthly-mindedness and worldlyness c. and to quicken our dull hearts lest after sleep in sin the Devil draw us to deep forgetfulness and security Neither can any thing if it be weighed bee less tollerable in the sight of God Almighty than whereas hee hath given us his Scriptures which tell us his mind and teach us how we may commune with his Majesty and for our behoof hath given us an earnest charge to ponder them in our heart to have them in our minde to make them the matter of our cogitation talk delight and practice yet that Christians should not bee better acquainted with this heavenly course nor bee occupied thus unless it bee seldome as it were upon high daies and that very coldly as if God had been earnest with us about a trifle or as if hee had offered us great injury to move us thereunto Nor is this work sleightly to bee gone about wee must set our hearts to the cogitation of heavenly things thorowly debating and reasoning them with our selves so far as wee are able that wee might bee inabled to order our lives as well in one state as another and strengthened against the assaults of Satan and allurements of this present evil world Meditation is a weighty matter and great pity that works of greatest importance should finde the most sleight regard It is the work of the Lord wherein remiss dealing is condemned as injurious to God hurtful to our selves a Jer. 48.10 The fruit of Meditation stands in fervency hee that is not serious shall reap no profit How should the Word sink into our stony hearts if it bee not minded how should mercy or judgement affect if wee dwell not upon the thought of them The heart must bee pressed before it will relent and fixed upon things above before it will rejoyce in them Meditation is one part of a Christian mans treasure that is ever in his hand can never bee taken from him Many duties must wait their seasons but all estates conditions companies actions minister occasion of Meditation nor can this liberty bee taken from us by the rage of Satan or cruelty of persecuting Tyrants for so long as wee bee with our selves wee may commune with our selves and with the Lord. Now the more excellent our treasure is the more careful must wee bee to preserve and employ it Quest Seeing this duty is so necessary profitable divine and comfortable what doth keep so many from the practice of it Answ The main impediment and hinderance of this as of all other duties is the nourishing of some one sin or more unrepented of which dimmeth the eye of the mind that it cannot behold spiritual things any more than the Owl can behold the light and cloyeth the appetite that it cannot relish heavenly dainties any more than a full stomach doth hunger after sweet meats As a black cloth can take no other dye so an impenitent heart is uncapable of Divine Meditation Quest How is this impediment to bee removed Answ This bar can never bee removed till our hearts bee purged by humble and unfeigned repentance hearty sorrow free confession and well advised purpose of reformation Wherefore as they that intend to keep any precious liquor will see that their vessels bee clean So they that will entertain holy thoughts and desires must give all diligence to keep their hearts pure and undefiled Quest What are the special lets that hinder the performance of this duty Answ They bee diverse whereof some do keep men that they do not use this exercise at all others drive them to use it without any fruit or sound profit performing it sleightly and negligently making it an idle Ceremony or a matter of course or custome Quest What bee these lets Answ One is a deadly custome of ranging after fond and deceiveable thoughts delights and dreams of things either impertinent or unprofitable and oftentimes impossible being such as never were nor are nor ever shall bee or else flatly wicked hurtful and pernicious For the heart of man is exceeding deceitful slippery fickle wandring and wicked infinite waies Besides that the subtil and malicious fowler even Satan that old Serpent doth set his snares so thick in our waies that it is very hard for us to pass thorow them without being intangled To this head may bee referred worldly cares and pleasures which clog the soul that it cannot mount aloft For as a bird whose wings are limed is not able to take her flight on high So the man whose mind is intangled with worldly cares and earthly delights is not able by holy Meditation to soar aloft up to Heaven When the mind is carried after other desires it is unfit for heavenly Meditation slow and unwilling to bee occupied in cogitation and consideration of any holy matters hee that knows it should bee performed is sometimes grieved for the omitting of it but if the mind