Plutarc de solert animal tells of a Pye that to learn certain tunes which she heard Minstrels play waxed dumb many dayes after at length upon a suddain she brake forth into tâ—e same tunes which those Minstrels had played before to the astonishment of all that heard her Meditation is that which in the old Law was signified by the chewing of the Cud transient speculationâ— of things do but little good let in buâ— little light unlesse we chew theÌ„ Cud and exercise the mind about them holy things are like unto leaven to Corn to rain now unlesse the leaven be put into and by stirring and working as it were incorporated into the dough it cannot season it and though the Corn be sown in abundance yet if it meet not with apt ground tilled and prepared but fall among thorns by the high-way side or in stony places it bringeth forth no fruit and though the rain fall plentifully yet if it light ouâ— hard and hilly Countreys it is not received it makes not such places fruitfull so fareth it with holy things let a Minister bestow never so much of the leaven of the Word yet if the hearers hide it not in their hearts like leaven iâ— the meal it will never season them and make them fit manchet for thâ— Lord's table let never so much gooâ— seed be sown yet if it take not rooâ— downwards in our hearts it will neveâ— bring forth fruit upwards in our lives let the words of God's messengers drop as the rain and distill like the dew or like the showers upon the herbs and tender grasse yet if the heart receive it not if it dwell not in the heart richly it will profit us nothing indeed it is almost as much to find our own heart in a duty as to find God in it Sect. 2. Of the ends of solemn meditation The end of meditation is both to affect the heart with the objects on which we meditate and that the heart may be made better thereby 1. I say one end of meditation is to affect the heart it is very delightfull to those that are conversant in it he that hath changed his mind or opinion upon meditation never accuseth her of tyranny meditation is very perswasive clearing our judgements calming our passions and gaining our consent to that which is good it far surpasseth eloquence and like a Soveraign raigns without arms it hath no need of our ears to win our hearts by it self it transmitteth it self into the inmost recesses of our souls finds out reason in â—er throne carries more light into â—he mind and kindleth in the will a more fervent love to God Qui audit mel esse dulce nòn gustat nomen mellis scit gratiam saporem nescit gustate ergo videte quam suavis sit Dominus Bonavent making a man in love with what he formerly hated Meditation opposeth the charms of grace against the allurements of sin and so sweet and powerfull is holy meditation that it blots out all earthly cogitations it sets before the eyes of our souls such taking and alluring objects which are more prevalent than those of sin and by these holy delights our hearts are ravished and grace easily prevails against the corruptions of nature these are the first fruits of those everlasting pleasures the Saints shall reap in the Kingdome of Heaven whereby those that feed on God and his promises by holy meditation here do tast one part of that felicity which the blessed do feed upon in Heaven this hath ever been very affecting to the Saints My meditation of him saith David shall be sweet Psal 104.34 or my word of him shall be sweet it signifieâ— a word secretly spoken Symonds fixed eye as one observeth the heart speaks of God in meditation and those words are musick in the soul the word imports a sweetnesse with mixture like compound spices or many flowers mixt together such variety of sweetnesse this meditation of God yeeldeth to him whose mind is upon him whose heart is toward him the operation of the mind makes up a sweet delight there is more content in meditating on the love of God more refreshing to the heart than wine can give to the body his love is better than wine We will remember thy lâ—ve more than wine Cant. 1.2 4. David tells us that the thoughts of God are precious Psal 139.17 they are so to a heart that is in a right frame and saith he My soul is filled as with marrow and fatnesse when I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches Psal 63.5 Meditation Meditatio coâ— memoriae is the rubbing up of the memory and may not unfitly be called the whetstone of memory for even as a whetstone or grindstone addeth an edge to the Knife or other instrument which is whetted thereupon so this sharpeneth our memories and gives us occasion to call that to mind which otherwise would have been forgotten or it may be compared to the steel and stone of a Tinder-boxe neither of which severally will yeeld any fire but being smitten together the fire cometh forth incontinently so fareth it with men that are of good capacities that can conceive much at the instant but remember little because they use not their memories and exercise not themselves in pious meditations Meditation is the heart life and soul of remembrance making whatsoever we read and hear to abide with us and be our own else it will away meditation with Philip's Page must daily knock at the doors of our hearts and cause us to call to mind what we have learnt else by corruption we shall soon forget it this made Periander King of Corinth to say Meditatio totum It is an undoubted maxime that a thing be it never so good and excellent yet it is not very desireable of us till it begit to affect our hearts though it hath more charms than beauty and more lustre than outward glory more invitations than secular profits yet if it convey not pleasure into the will it knows not how to beget love unto it 2. Meditation also bettereth the heart as well as affects it It is said that King Mythridates having found out Mythridate he so strengthened his body that endeavouring to poison himself to avoid the servitude of the Romans he could by no means effect it so whosoever shall feed on holy objects by meditation and use it frequently shall so fortifie his heart that it shall not be poisoned with any evil affections Meditation is a heart-warming duty study only warms the brains but meditation warmeth the heart therefore when holy truth falls upon a prepared heart it hath a sweet and strong operation Luther Luther Melch. Ad in vit Staâ— confesseth that having heard Staupicius a grave Divine to say that that is kind repentance which begins from the love of God ever after that time the practice of repentance was sweeter to him another speech of his
constant practice of it will make it easie to us He that goes to learn a language finds it difficult at first but the Nut-shell being broken they soon tast the sweetnesse of the kernell Doctrinae radices amarae fructus dulces The roots of learning are bitter but the fruits are sweet so the thoughts of the benefit we shall receive by meditation will take away the thoughts of tediousnesse Object 3 But I am dry and barren and have no matter for meditation This is no sufficient pretence â—gainst the practice of meditation Resp. Look but upon an earthly minded man W. Strong Serm. at Westminst 1652. saith one and he will have matter enough to meditate upon in worldly things strange then it is that any man should object want of matter Thou complainest of drynesse and barrennesse look to the cause whence this evil cometh we are oft the cause of our own drynesse and barennesse when we neglect to gather the fruits of the love of God then doth he take it from us as from the Israelites who not gathering their Manna in the morning found it all melted when the Sun was up and if thou art sensible of thy drynesse bewail it before God acknowledge thine unworthinesse and misery saying Alas what am I how am I left alone I am nothing but a piece of dry ground rent in every part witnesse the drought I have of heavenly dew In this case cry unto God Blow upon my Garden O thou gracious wind of refreshment and take this dry wind from me then shall my spices flow forth and give out the odours of their sweetnesse As God gives these heavenly dews so sometime he takes them away to the end to teach us to eat dry bread and to be more firm in pious devotion inured by the triall of distasts and temptations and then we must patiently bear those drinesses when God hath ordained them for our triall but if we have constant recourse to God's storehouses we shall soon find our hearts more fruitfull in meditation if we gape and pant for God he shall come to us as the rain as the latter and former rain to the earth Hos 6.3 Sometime this barrennesse springs from indisposition of body as when by much fasting watching and labour a man is overcome with weaknesse drowsinesse and other infirmities which though they be incident to the body yet fail not to hurt the spirit by the strait bond that is between them The remedy therein is to fortifie the body by lawfull comforts and delights and though one should be long afflicted with these drinesses and disheartnings yet if we strive against our indispositions God will in the end and in an instant give us sweet refreshings Some will not go to meditation except devotion bring them to it saith Gerson Gers de monte contemplat part 3. c. 43. and all seems unprofitable to them except the duty affects them aad goes to their hearts These kind of men saith he are like him that is stiffe with cold and will not go to the fire except he were first warm or like one that is ready to starve with hunger and will not ask meat except he be first filled for why doth any man give himself to meditation but that his heart may be more inflamed with the heat of God's love or replenisht with his gifts and graces They are very much mistaken who think the time lost in meditation if they presently be not refreshed with a shower of devotion and saith he if they strive for this as much as in them lieth doing their duty and are in continuall fight against their own thoughts being displeased because they depart not not suffering them to be quiet such men are more accepted than if the heat of devotion had come to them suddenly without any such conflict the reason is because they go to warfare for God as it were at their own cost and charges and serve him with greater pains and labour Chap. 12. Setting down the Rules about Meditation The next thing I shall do is to lay down some Rules concerning meditation Rule 1 Before thou goest to meditate see that thy nature be changed that thou art renewed in the spirit of thy mind it is only the good man that hath a good treasure in his heart Mala mens malus animus an evil mind cannot meditate well before the heart be renewed the judgement of man is wholly depraved about his last end seeking happinesse where it is not to be found wickednesse proceedeth from the wicked according to the Proverb were the apprehensions of sinners as large as Satan's yet if they have not new wills and affections they will busie the imagination in devising satisfaction to themselves the will is stirred up by the imagination and as the will is â—ffected so operates the imagination now when God by his Spirit writes his Law upon our hearts so that there is an holy compliance between our hearts and God's Law then the heart hath a strong inclination to holy thoughts and meditations Labour to have the love of God Rule 2 and holy things rooted in your hearts Amantium mos est de amato sempèr loqui meditari saith Austin The lover is ever speaking and thinking on the thing beloved Psal 119.97 O how love I thy Law it is my meditation all the day our affections are our wings and our will is our guid to conduct us to Heaven You think perhaps Iter tuum ad coelum voluatas tua gradus tui affectus tui ambulas affectibus nòn pedibus accedis ad Deum amando recedis negligendo stans in terra in coelo es si diligas Deum August saith Austin you must build a Tower to ascend thitâ—er that the Angels must be invited down to assist you or that the wings of an Eagle must be borrowed to carry you thither but your love is your Pole-star by your desires you scale those heavenly regions by your negligence you stand at a distance from them and loving God upon the earth you may boast your selves already in Heaven for it is not with the soul as with the body this cannot stir without changing of place but that needs only change her affection Sicut in aquis ignis durare nòn potest ita nequè turpis cogitatio in corde Dei amante Marcus Heremita and in a moment she ascends into the hill of the Lord and stands in his holy place and is where she would be and we can never be better than when we are with him in our meditations whom nothing can equall in goodnesse thither we go not walking but loving and God is so much the nearer to us by how much our love is more pure and vigorous then he brings in God speaking thus I command you to love me and I assure you that in doing so you shall enjoy me sinners possesse not all they love there are some greedy worldlings that sigh for gold and
yet are poor ambitious persons that are passionate for glory and yet are despicable but every one that loves me finds me I am with him that seeks for me his love makes me present in his soul as soon as he longs for me I am in his embraces Rule 3 Let not your hearts be overcharged with worldly cares they are great hindrances to us in heavenly meditation The Angels have care of our preservation As in a race one Charet hindreth another in the way stopping the path even so earthâ—y cogitations hinder heavenly when they have gotten the start Macarius Ita sarcina seculi veluti somno assoler dulcitèr premebar cogitationes quibus meditabar in te similes erant conatibus expergisci volentium qui tamèn superati soporis altitudine remerguntur August and endeavour it diligently yet are they not perplex't about it for their care proceeds from charity carking cares about the things of the world trouble a man's reason and judgement so that he cannot meditate on God as he ought the Wasps and Drones make more noise than the Bees but make no honey but waxe only I was overwhelmed with worldly cares as with a deep sleep saith Austin and the meditations I lifted up to Heaven were like the vain endeavours of men striving to awake who beaten down with the weight of drowsinesse fall asleep again at the very instant they awake It is impossible he should be heavenly minded that dotes upon earth or have any passionate longings for Heaven who is strongly wedded to the things of this world Spend not too much of your time Rule 4 in recreations It is necessary sometimes that we recreate both our bodies and spirits as to walk abroad to take the air to entertain our company with some pleasant discourses to ring to play on some instrument these are recreations so innocent that to use them well needs nothing but discretion that gives to every thing its order time place and measure but here we must beware of excesse for if we imploy too much time therein it is no more a recreation but an occupation that neither recreates the body nor the spirits but rather dulls and distracts them and above all take heed of setting your affections on any of them for let our recreations be never so lawfull it is vitious to set our affections on any of them to long after them to study on them or vex our selves about them there are some recreations indeed that as they are commonly used tend to much evil there is as Physitians say of Mushromps a quality of poison in them though never so well cooked they are spungious and full of pores and easily draw any infection to them and if Serpents be about them they take poison from them so such recreations are very dangerous they divide the spirit from pious meditations cool charity and awaken in the soul many sorts of ill cogitations Therefore when you are in the use of any recreations labour to wind up thy heart to Heaven use some godly meditations think how thy time passeth away and death draws on see how it calleth thee to his dance where the musick shall be elegies and lamentations that thou shalt make but one step from life to death When thou goest to meditate fix Rule 5 not thy thoughts on many things at once Cogitatio vaga incessa semper hùc illùe divertit Hugo in lib. de Area mysticâ variety of thoughts are like many men in a crowd or throng where all are stopt and none can get out variety of meats if the stomack be good do alwayes offend it if weak it overthrows it fill not thy soul with the thoughts of many things at once for these will trouble and distract thee a soul that feels it self much purged from evil humours hath a great appetite after spirituall things and as half famished the thoughts run upon many exercises of piety at once and this is a good sign to have so good an appetite but thou must look how thou canst digestall that thou desirest to eat take every thing therefore in order and feed on them moderately that thou maist digest them and not be cloyed with them Rule 6 Let examination and meditation go hand in hand together without examination meditation will be ineffectuall as for instance when thou hast been meditating of the graces of God's Spirit examine whether those graces are seated in thy heart meditate on the beauty of heavenly graces make comparison between graces and vices in themselves contrary what sweetnesse in meeknesse in regard of revenge in humility in regard of pride in charity in regard of envy and all the graces have this to be admired in them that they affect the soul with incomparable delight and comfort after they are practised whereas the vices leave us distracted and ill entreated and as for vices they that enjoy them in part are never content and they that have them in abundance are much discontented but as for graces they that have the smallest measures of them yet have they content and so more and more as they do encrease When thou meditatest on sin examine how stands thy heart affected towards sin hast thou a resolution in the strength of Christ never to commit any sin hast thou any inclination to small sins or any affection to any of them When thou meditatest on God's Commandements examine thy heart doth it find them to be good sweet and amiable and agreeable as he that hath an exquisite tast and good stomack loveth good food and refuseth the bad Examine how thy heart stands affected to spirituall exercises dost thou love them or are they tedious to thee do they distast thee to which of them dost thou find thy self more or lesse inclined to hear God's Word or to discourse about it to pray to meditate to fly up to Heaven c. and what in all these is thy heart against and if thou find any of these to which thou art not inclined examine whence this distast ariseth and what is the cause thereof Examine what is thy heart toward God himself is it a delight to thee to think on him dost thou feel a particular tast of his love dost thou delight in meditating on his power his goodnesse and mercy if the thoughts of God do come into thy mind in the midst of businesse and worldly imployments when it cometh dost thou give place thereto doth it settle in thy heart dost thou perceive thy heart to lean that way and in some measure to prefer it before any other thing dost thou love to speak to God and of God is his honour and glory dearer to thee than all other things dost thou love his children and the glory and beauty of his worship and Ordinances for want of this examination meditation doth often come to nothing Rule 7 Both begin and end this exercise of meditation with prayer Meditation without reading is erronious without prayer unfruitfull saith Bernard
Meditatio sine lectione erronea sine oratione infructuosa Bern. Let prayer go before it go to God and beg of him to inspire thee with holy meditations it is God that with his own hand puts them into our mouthes Noah is commanded to make a window in the top of the Ark and a door in the side of it a window is for the eye to look out at a door is for the whole body to go out and he that will ever be a good Christian must not only make a window for contemplation as Daniel did at which he prayed thrice a day but a door for action as Abraham did at which he sate once a day at the window of meditation he must contemplate with a good heart at the door of action he must go out to bring forth fruit with patience Matt. Stiles for of our selves we are not sufficient for one good thought prayer of it self lifts up the soul to God who is our only joy and comfort as is the sight so will the affection be and as the affection is so will the desire be Pray at the end of your meditations as David doth Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my Redeemer Psal 19.14 Pray that God would keep these things for ever in the imagination of your thoughts 1 Chron. 29.18 The last Rule is that all our meditations must be reduced to practice Thou shalt meditate in this Boâ—k of the Law that thou maist observe to do according to all that is written therein Josh 1.8 the end of meditation is practice I thought on my wayes and turned my feet unto thy testimonies Psal 119 59. In passing from our meditations we must resolve carefully to put them in execution without which meditation is not only unprofitable but rather hurtfull to us for vertues meditated on and not Rule 8 practised are apt to puff up the spirit in taking our selves to be such as we resolved to be therefore we must joyn practice to meditation To conclude as they that go into a goodly Garden go not out without gathering of some Flowers to smell to long after so our souls having by meditation fallen upon some pleasing points must take two or three most fit for our furtherance in piety to think on the rest of the day and as it were spiritually to smell unto Now as it is necessary that all these be setled in our hearts so in withdrawing our selves from our meditations we must passe very gently to other affairs for fear lest the liquor of our resolutions the result of our meditations do leak out and not penetrate into all parts as it should even into our hearts and souls yet all must be done without violence either of body or mind Object But who is able to put his meditations into practice the directions and exercises thereof being so many Resp If one were to put them all in practice every day he should do nothing else it would take up his whole time but that is not required but as time and place shall serve and as occasions shall offer themselves Renew thy resolutions often and say with David I will meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy wayes Psal 119.15 I will for ever keep thy Word and when thou failest herein take in hand thy protestation and offer it with thy whole heart to God This free confessing of our desire to serve God and to be wholly consecrated to him by a particular affection is very pleasing to him Chap. 13. Of the excellency and usefulnesse of Meditation Having given you Rules about meditation I shall in the next place shew you the excellency and usefulnesse thereof 1. Meditation breeds knowledge sc the knowledge of God and his benefits and our sin and unworthinesse As there is no moment wherein man useth not God so ought there to be no moment wherein he hath him not present in his memory Sicut nullum est momentum in quo homo nòn utatur Deo sic nullum esse debet momentum quo eum praesentem nòn habet in memoriâ Hugo l. 3. de anima Babingt in Num. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Aug. de civ Dei l. 21. c. 6. Aquin. in Joh 5. this continuall meditation on God and his mercies is that blessed union of our spirits with God which holy men so much regarded in their times a man given to meditation is a man that walketh not in darknesse nor in the shadow of death as those do that seldome or never think of him Clemens of Alexandria calls the meditations of holy men Candles that never go out like the Candle which was among the Pagans in the Temple of Venuâ— which was called inextinguishable as Austin relateth without this men are but snuffs in respect of their use and service as Aquinas saith Meditation doth not reveal any divine truth unto us that only is the work of God but after God hath revealed them faith apprehends them then meditation illustrates to the soul what faith believes and so our knowledge is encreased many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be encreased Fenner de meditat Dan 12.4 It is not saith one the bodily removing of man from place to place so much as the busie stirring of the mind from one truth to another by meditation that encreaseth spirituall knowledge 2. Meditation rectifies the affections of the soul it opposeth serious considerations against vain imaginations and because our imagination is apt to raise false objects and thereby false conceits and discourses in us therefore meditation propoundeth true objects for the mind to work upon from the meditation whereof the soul rightly conceives of things and discourseth upon true grounds of them meditating thus with himself if things be thus and thus in reality then must I live according to these principles this is the spring of all holy affections in the soul as the true love of God the true joy and delight in him and his wayes Meditation is like the player on an Instrument who by touching of the strings finds them that are out of tune winding them up or letting them down so after meditation hath examined the love the hate the fears the hopes the griefs the joyes of our souls if it find them out of tune in expressing their harmony which is the glory of God it then puts them in tune again 3. Meditation fills the heart with joy My meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord Psal 104.34 When the Spirit of God doth open the eyes of the soul and it is brought forth into the light then doth meditation clear up to the soul those grounds of joy which are exceeding comfortable Holy meditation shews the soul the face of God reconciled his pardon sealed an entrance into the everlasting Kingdome the heart of God opened toward him and his name written in
heart therefore it is not enough to meditate but we must also meditate on the thing that is good and be constant in it Meditation saith one Fenner de meditat is a coursing of the heart like a blood-Hound's coursing a Hare in the snow making her to stop here and leap there and to go forward and backward hunting it out of every starting hole till it fix where it would have it Chap. 3. Of the difference between meditation and contemplation The work of meditation is to search after things that are hidden the work of contemplation is to admire things that are câ—nspicuâ—â— saith Hugo â—editationis â—st perserutaâ— occulta â—ontemplitioâ—is est admiâ—ari perspicua Huâ—o in lib. de â—rca mystica Mountagues â—ssayes Contemplation saith another is a clear intuition and a delightfuâ—l admiration of perspicuâ—us verities whereby the soul dâ—th not lightly tast but largely glut it self with spirituall delights it is a voluntary exile from the earth and an holy violence offered to Heaven it makes Heaven to stoop and earth to ascend to us it is an antepast of eternal felicity Contemplation is called by the Hebrews and Academicks a precious death Bodin de Repub l. 5. for that it draws the soul out of this earthly body clearly to behold heavenly things but meditation is an exercise more painfull and difficult in matters pertaining to God contemplation is more sweet to them that have had the exercise thereof Unio intellectus cum re intellectâ Contemplation is a work of our understanding after a sort uniting our wills to the will of God the Schools tell us there is an union of the understanding with the things understood meditation uniteth the heart to holy objects Psal 86.11 The sweetnesse of heavenly delights is not altogether in contemplation but also in an affectuous meditation the understanding doth not give sustenance to our souls but only prepareth the meat that our souls are fed withall but the understanding and the affections together do minister food to the soul Did ac Stella de contemp mundi part 2. White 's art of meditat there is no pleasant tast nor savour in preparing that which must be eaten but in eating â—f that which is prepared saith Stella Meditation saith one is the blowing up of the fire and contemplation is the flame of that fire Some are exercised only in the intellectuall part and not in the effectuall part of this work not labouring to have the love of God and holy objects kindled in their hearts but only to have curious speculations of the heavenly Majesty Contemplation is an outgoing power of the soul to heavenly things there is no seperation of the soul from the body before death so real but meditation makes use of all mediums whereby to gain Heaven that which leads us the safest way thither is the best nor is a Christian at any time nearer to his happinesse than when he is in the way that soonest leads him thither and were a man in the suburbs of Heaven if all his exercises and actions be not ordained for the love of God as well as to have the knowledge of him he may like Moses have a view of the promised Land as he had of the earthly Canaan but never enter in thereat Chap. 4. How study and meditation diffâ—â— Every trade and calling in the world requireth study in it and reason hath its proper work in every science and every Mechanick that seems most excluded from it hath his own discussive thoughts and studieth about the severall parts and branches of his profession and how he may bring every piece of work he takes in hand to its just perfection and more liberall professions think it their element but Divinity claims it as her property men of other callings are studious but they keep still within their limits and at their highest reach they go no higher than the earth Though Astronomers soar aloft and contemplate the nature of the Stars and Planets the course of the Sun and the revolutions of the Heavens yet their speculation is not heavenly but earthly because it springeth only from a naturall power and leads to a naturall end but meditation is properly and only about things that concern our eternall welfare Study is the beating of the brains the work of the head meditation is a work of the heart a rouzing up of the heart and a fixing it upon its object Study is the work of the understanding meditation of the heart and affections the understanding oâ— man since the fall of Adam is of the samâ— nature with the earth it is fruitfull only in briars and thorns and thistles if the heart be not broken up by the Plough of meditation and tilled by the labour of this spirituall husbandry it is fertile only in errours and is delivered of nothing but doubts and scruples which rather fight against truth than defend it his ingeny serves him for no other end but to raise difficulties his light is alwayes mixt with darknesse and as if he were of the nature of Spiders extracts nothing from the first Maxims of Religion but that which doth perplex him Chap. 5. Of the gate of meditation This is nothing else but to propound to a man's self by imagination the matter or Subject whereon to meditate or wherein to exercise our thoughts as the objects of our imagination must be good so we must labour to present them as good and profitable to the soul this carries on the will after them with delight our affections are suitable to our imaginations and apprehensions oâ— the object affections raise the spirits the spirits raise the humours and so the whole man is moved thence it is if a thing be presented as evil to the imagination it works strongly upon us imaginary and conceited evils have the same effect as reall Jacob was as much affected with the imagination of Joseph's death as if he had been really dead in his house though fancy be but a frothy thing yet it produceth reall effects the force of imagination we see in other creatures Gen. 30.38 39. Jacob takes rods of green Poplar and of the Hasell and Chesnut-tree and pilled white strakes in them and made the white appear which was in the rods and set the rods before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs c. and the flocks conceived before the rods and brought forth Cattle ring-straked speckled and spotted Austin gives this very reason wherefore in Aegypt there is never wanting a white spotted Oxe Aug. de civit Dei l. 18. c. 5 which they call Apis and worship for a God Hypocratâ—s Hypocrates hath written a learned Discourse of the power of imagination the looking upon outward objects doth much affect the inward senses so that the imagination is made as it were like unto them Imagination is a strong conceit of the mind touching any thing whatsoever it be Perkins discourse of Witchcraft
and by reason of the communion that is between body and soul being together it is as one observeth of great force to work diversly within the man that imagineth Hence it is that Papists and superstitious persons are full of cruelty because superstitious devices are the brats of man's imagination like Nebuchadnezzar's golden image Dr Sibs souls conflict wherein he pleased himself so that to have uniformity in adoring the same he compelled all under pain of death to fall down before it therefore that our imaginations may do us no injury we must propound and present reall and substantiall things unto them as the true excellency and abasement of the soul the true and false riches the true happinesse and reall misery of the soul if false objects are presented to them false conceits will arise therefrom and false meditations and discourses will arise within us as the taking in wholesome food expells flatuous distempers out of our bodies so when serious objects are presented to the soul when the mind feeds on nourishing truths it is a way to expell windy fancies and vain imaginations If thou wilt meditate of Christ on the Crosse imagine thy self to be on Mount Calvary and to see all that he did and said in his passions and sufferings in that manner that the Evangelists have set down for by such imaginations we inclose our spirits within the bounds of the mysteries whereon we meditate and keep them from roving excursions for there is nothing so wandring as imagination it is like to Theramenez Shooe fit for all feet it is as the matters are that are presented to it Philo the Jew saith Philo Jud. the usuall practice of the faithfull who lived in Alexandria and made their most holy meditations on the Scriptures was that they tyed themselves to the terms of the Hebrew Alphabet and so passed into the most spirituall sense there to see and understand the verities which were in a manner veiled Ogni medaglia ha il suo riverscio Ital Every outside hath his inside saith the Italian Proverb meditations thus formed do pour good motions into the will and holy affections into the soul as the love of Go◠and our brethren longing after Heaven and eternall happinesse the imitation of the life of Christ rejoycing in God and his mercies an admiration of his wonderfull works a fear of offending God the consideration o◠Heaven and Hell the last judgement an hatred of all sin a confidence in God's goodnesse a confusion at the thoughts of a mispent life in these and the like our spirits are to be dilated and poured forth as much as ma◠be Chap. 6. Of the kinds of meditation an◠first of rapt meditation I now proceed to treat of the kinds o◠meditation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 repentè inventa comparatque compositio Budaeus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 confidentèr animum ad aliquam rem appellere cum re praesenti deliberare Quintil. Meditation is of two sorts 1. There is a rapt meditation which is both suddain and occasionall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a suddain invention no composed by study whereby a min◠both pious and ingenious spiritualize◠every object about which it is conversant or meets withall Thus did ou◠Saviour when he was upon eart◠when he called his Disciples from the nets he applied that vocation to a spirituall sense Follow me and I will make you f shers of men they should not alter their Trade but only change some circumstances of it as they were fishers before so they should be still but whereas before they caught unreasonable now they should catch reasonable fishes as before with hooks and nets they caught fishes for themselves so now by the net of the Gospel they should catch men for God As David that was a shepheard was taken from the sheep-fold and from following the Ewes great with young was brought to feed Jacob God's people and Israel his inheritance and though called to be a King was a shepheard still Psal 78.70 71. so they called to be Apostles are fishers still When the multitude followed Christ for the loaves he makes a spirituall use of it exhorting them not to labour for the meat that perisheth Joh. 6.27 but that which endureth to everlasting life How often did our Saviour upon a suddain teach his hearers by similitudes and parables and what are his parables but similies comparing of things and explaining of spirituall things So Christ compared the Kingdome of Heaven to leaven to a grain of Mustard-seed to a Merchant-man to ten Virgins to a net cast into the Sea Pet. Mart. A parable saith a good Divine is nothing else but a similitude or example taken from other things to illustrate the matter in hand it is very ordinary for the Spirit of God in Scripture to use parables I will open my mouth in a parable Psal 78.2 Mr Hieron The Learned say that in a parable there are three things Cortex Radix Fructus 1. Cortex the rinde or bark that is the words and terms wherein it is delivered 2. Radix the root which is the scope to which it driveth 3. Fructus the fruit which is to be gathered from it When the bark or rinde is well pu◠aside and the root discovered it wil◠soon be seen what the fruit is that grow◠thereon 1. This way of teaching and illustration is very profitable it is a grea◠help to the senses and from things that are more known we proceed to things that are lesse known saith Aristotle Aristot 2. It is profitable likewise to the memory helping us to remember manythings that otherwise would be forgotten 3. It makes things delightfull and pleasant it is the best way whereby the ignorant are made to understand for it is the easiest readiest and plainest manner of instructing 4. It hath a great influence upon the heart it worketh much upon the affections for what can quicken the hearts of people more than to hear and see then may we say with David Psal 48.8 As we have heard so have we seen we hear by doctrine we see by similitude and example Some have spoken against this manner of meditation and instruction saying that herein we let out our thoughts upon every base creature but I say unlesse a man will be wilfully blind this way he will he made to understand and God would not that we should look on earthly things without a holy and spirituall application here each man in his Trade may learn something for his salvation Art thou a Ploughman meditate on the Parable of the Sower Mat. 13. When thou art ploughing up thy ground and turnest up the furrows of the earth this should put thee in mind of ploughing up the fallow ground of thy heart and when thou art breaking the clods of the earth remember that God calls for a broken and contrite heart when thou puttest thy hand to the Plough take heed of backsliding remember that
superiour to others or contrary to the good of the persons or chastity or good name of others though it be but in secret corruption or secret working of heart still the Word of God doth oppose it in every thing the Pharisees forbad the outward act of uncleannesse but the Law of God forbids the impurity of the thoughts they make the Law like John Baptist who had a leathern girdle about his loins but the Gospel represents Christ to have a golden girdle about his Paps they represented only the first risings and motions of sin this makes the Saints mourn for the first conceptions of sin though they prove abortive saith Chrysostome Chrysost making them to pray with David to be purged and freed from secret sins and sinfull cogitations 4. Meditate upon the operativenesse of the Word it is not a dead letter but hath a quick power in it to work upon the heart the Spirit of God accompanies it making it active and mighty in operation as in the frame of a man's body under every vein there runs an artery full of spirits so under every vein of truth in the Word of God there is an artery of Spirit quickning searching cutting discovering condemning What 's the reason most mens spirits rise up against the Word it is because as the Elephant troubleth the waters before he drinketh that he may not see his ugly visage so the Word of God troubleth the mind of a sinner it terrifies his conscience making his sin appear very sinfull to him it makes a man a burden to himself these spectacles are too true for the sinners false eyes Ahab cannot endure to talk with Michajah nor meet with Elijah men can endure the generalities of the Word well enough but when it comes near them toucheth their Copyhold corrupt hearts run away from it because for want of serious meditation they are unacquainted with the spirituall nature of the Word of God Oh study I pray thee â—regor Moral saith Gregory and daily meditate on the words of thy Creatour and learn the mind of God in his Word that thou maist look up to eternall things for so much shall thy rest be the greater in Heaven by how much the more it hath been even now from the love of thy Creatour here on earth Sect. 3. Of meditating on Man The third subject of meditation is man his Creation his body his soul his priviledges his Creation his body his soul his priviledges Man cometh in the next place as a fit subject for our meditation and consideration man was the last of God's creatures as the end of his Creation all made for him and all represented in him the rest by his word commanding whereas his body by his hand-working and his soul by his breath-quickning became alive and here let us meditate first on man's Creation who is as Plato saith Plato the miracle of all miracles and as it were the soul of this world and you will see how every circumstance sheweth the Creatours goodnesse and man 's many obligations Let us begin with the meditation of man's body which is as one saith More 's demonstrat the pattern of the universall world 1. Meditate on the provision God made for man before he made him God sets up an house and furnisheth it then puts man into this house ready furnisht to his hand other things are but as essayes of God's power man the perfection Adam the last of all God's works and the Lord and soveraign over them under his soveraign Lord Heaven would have nothing wanting to man that he might wholly mind the things of Heaven 2. Meditate on God's proceeding hereunto the Father as it were calls a Councell God deliberateth upon the enterprize of this work and the Councell is held in the conclave of the most holy Trinity Let us make man Gen. 1.26 Adam is businesse for the whole Trinity all were imployed about this creature to the end that being created he might be wholly imployed about the service of God 3. Meditate on the form of man's body God hath neither made us to lye along on the earth as beasts â—truth Obserâ—at 36. Cent. 2. or stick on it as trees but by upright stature set our head to Heaven and our feet to the earth as one observeth Os homini sublime dedit coelumque videre Ovid. Jussit erectos ad sidera tollere vultus God with a lofty look did man endew And made him Heavens transcendent glory view God hath given us an upright stature not like other creatures that look downwards to the earth to teach us to look up to Heaven by holy meditations and to look up to the hills whence our salvation cometh our face is toward Heaven to teach us that our hearts should not be nuzzeling in the earth man hath one muscle in his eyes more than any other creature which may teach him still to look up toward Heaven 4. Meditate on the matter of man's Creation Ad coelestia magis rapiatur ad terrestria minùs capiatur Columella l. 5. c. 9. Ecce pulchrum lapidem putre cadaver tegentem Gasp. in Heraclito Homo bis creatus 1. Seminaliter seu causaliter 2. Formaliter seu visibiliter Aug. de Genes he was made of the dust of the earth so as howsoever we appear beautifull and amiable in the eye of man which is fixt only on the externall part yet when the oyl of our lamp is consumed and we reduced again to our first originall matter there will be left us no better Epitaph than this Behold here a spetious shrine covering a stinking corps man is twice created saith St Augustine Seminally or causally Formally or visibly The first according to his soul the second according to his body man's body of earth doth represent whatsoever is between Heaven and earth yea the very Heavens themselves are figured all naturall causes contained and their severall effects produced therein The three Heavens are resembled by the body of man the lower serving for generation and nutriment are like the lowest Heaven within the compasse whereof the elements are found for as from them all beasts plants trees and other things have being receive nourishment growth motion and sense so of four humours there engendered all the members are made fed moved and augmented the same agreeing in nature and number with the elements and producing effects in all answerable to them the upper part which is the seat of the heart may be compared to the middle Heaven the eighth sphere wherein the Stars are fixt which holding one even and constant motion giveth light and life to the world beneath through its rayes and comfortable influences so the heart being still in motion preserveth the whole body in life and health by sending forth the vitall spirits dispersing themselves into all the parts by veins and arteries Lastly the head the highest part of the body and noblest seat of the soul where she acteth
degustabis and let this meditation chear the Saints of God how little soever they are in the worlds eye that one day they shall sit upon Thrones though now they lye among the Pots and like Job upon the dunghill yet one day they shall be gathered with Princes with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords therefore we should not think our selves Citizens of the world as the Heathen Philosophers did but Burgesses of Heaven as all the faithfull have done as Paul professeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our City-like conversation is in Heavâ—n Phil. 3.20 and then let us cry out Quousque Domine How long Lord make hast make no long tarrying Lord thou hast been the strength and food of all that travell by the way Cibus viatorum salus beatorum Fulgent so be now the Crown and glory of all that are come to the end of their way Chap. 9. Of timing our Meditations in the best manner 1. It is good to begin every year with holy meditations men usually handsell the year with some new-years gifts let us look higher even to God certainly this is our best newyears gift to give a heart to God fraught with heavenly meditations To this purpose such meditations as these are usefull namely to try one year by another whether grace thrive or decay in us to see according to our years what progresse we have made in the way to Heaven if for every year of our life we are passed a station of the wildernesse of this world to the heavenly Canaan if as our outward man decayes our inner man be renewed day by day it is of great advantage to Christians to begin the year with such meditations and better it is to fill our minds with these than our bellies with dainty food this work of meditation is a part of our yearly Rent to be paid to God every new year we renew the lease of our lives again of God and therefore pious meditations are a task answerable to such a time the new man in the beginning of the new-year is to meditate on his over year sins and heartily bewail them and repent of them to meditate on the renewing his Covenant with God for new obedience and according to the work of grace in him to strengthen his communion with God 2. It is good also to begin every day with meditation In the morning sow thy seed Eccles 11.6 Psal 130.6 David's meditations did prevent the morning watch his soul was flying to Heaven before the Sun was up or the morning got out of its bed and saith he Psal 139.18 When I awake I am still with thee to which Ambrose Ambros in Psal 36. It is good to set our souls in order every morning perfuming our spirits with some holy meditations Dr Sibs alluding saith Let a devoted spirit prevent the morning that it may be enlightned by Christ before the earth be illuminated by the rising of the Sun We bend our heart to God in the morning when we lift our heart to God and give him our first thoughts and affections then shall he fill us with his mercies in the morning that we may rejoyce all the day long Cicer. Tusc quaest l. 4. Demosthenes was troubled that a Smith should be at his Anvil before himself could be at his Study much more should it grieve us to be prevented by them Season your minds in the morning with such meditations as these 1. Meditate on the great favour which God hath vouchsafed to thee the night past and if thou hast not remembred God upon thy bed nor thy reins instructed thee in the night season and if God hath not been in all thy thoughts think of humbling thy self before him and crave his pardon 2. In the morning meditate thus with thy self this day is given me to give all diligence to make my calling and election sure to obtain eternall life to take a firm resolution to imploy my whole life to that purpose and to think seriously of the reckoning I must give to God 3. Meditate upon what affairs thou maist meet with the day following as helps or hindrances to thee in God's service use the best means offered to promote thy service of God and think how thou maist carefully resist and overcome whatever is contrary to God's glory and thy salvation 4. Meditate how unable thou art to perform any pious resolutions be they either to shun the evil or do the thing that is good and offer up thy heart in the morning with all thy holy purposes to the heavenly Majesty praying him to take it and them into his gracious protection 5. Think with thy self every morning this day for ought that I know may be my last day how ought I then so to spend this day as though death were presently to arrest me By these or the like morning meditations all that shall be done the day after may be bedewed with the blessing of Heaven As in the morning you are to take a spirituall repast by meditation so in the evening 't is necessary to take a devout and spirituall collation Isaac in my Text went out in the evening to meditate One adviseth that meditation be our key to open the morning and our lock to close the evening withall Get a little leisure after all your wordly imployments to call up your spirits to the consideration of some holy object which thou maist present to thy self simply by an inward cast of thy thought kindling the fire of meditation in thy heart by a few holy inspirations and ejaculations to the Lord either in repeating what thou hast best relished in thy morning meditations or by some other as thou best likest Now such meditations as these in the evening before our going to bed may not be unprofitable 1. To meditate on God's great goodnesse in preserving thee the day before from many troops of dangers that lay in ambuscado against thee 2. To meditate and examine thy self how thou hast carried thy self in every part of the day which to do the more easily you are to consider with whom and in what imployments you have been busied 3. If a man hath done any good to think of praising God for it if any ill in thought word or deed to be humbled and ask pardon for it with a resolution carefully to amend it 4. So to end the day in holy duties that by our morning exercise we may open the windows of our souls to the Sun of righteousnesse and going to take such rest as is necessary for us we shut them up against the Prince of darknesse Meditation is also a good night companion David would remember God upon his bed and meditate on him in the night watches Psal 63.6 Mine eyes prevent the night watches that I might meditate in thy Word Psal 119.148 The night saith Chrysostome Chrysost ad popul Antioch Hom. 42. was not made to this purpose that we should sleep all the time and lye lolling on
our beds the manuary Trades and Horsekeepers and Merchants can witnesse as much unto us Rise thou at midnight as doth the Church mark the motion of the Stars the deep silence of all things then being their rest they then enjoy and admire the providence of God above then is thy soul more pure more light and subtil more lofty and quick the very darknesse it self and that great silence may induce thee to much contemplation and saith he further Look toward the City and thou shalt hear no noise at all cast thine eye on thine house and all thy family shall seem as if they lay in their graves or sepulchres all this may stir thee up to high and heavenly meditations and saith the same Father elsewhere Chrysost in Gen. Hom. 30. In the night no body is troublesome to us then have we a great tranquillity of our thoughts when our businesses are not troublesome when there is none that can hinder us from having accesse to God when our mind knittinâ— it self together is able diligently to makâ— reference of all to the Physitian of souls I shall not prescribe which of these is the fittest time for meditation but to me the morning seemeth to be the fittest but no time comes amisse to a prepared heart Chap. 10. An Exhortation to Meditation shewing also the necessity thereof Let me now exhort you to set about and to be frequent in this necessary duty of meditation Be often retiring your selves to God and breathing after him question him daily about thy salvation give him thy heart lift up thy soul to God cast thine inward eyes on his mercies give him thy hand as a little Child doth to his Father that he may lead thee and guid thee plant him in thy heart that God may be in all thy thâ—ughts make many motions in thy soul after him from every thing in the world may be presented many pious meditations and profitable discourses unhappy are they that use â—he creatures in turning them to sin and happy they that turn them to the meditation of God and his goodnesse This exercise of meditation is very necessary 1. Because much of the work of holy devotion consisteth in it it is that which may stand in stead of many other things but the lack of this can hardly be supplied by any other means for without this rest is but idlenesse pain taking but vexation 2. Meditation is necessary to beat down the flesh and to keep the sensuall appetite in subjection to the Law of the Spirit It is a great mischief saith Austin to enjoy those things we should but use and but use those things we should enjoy we should enjoy spirituall things and but use corporall which when the use is turned into enjoying our reasonable soul is turned into a bruitish and beast-like soul Animae viaticum est meditatio Bern. 3. Meditation is necessary to concoct the Word of God in our minds There are some that feel some tendernesse of spirit that will weep at a Sermon that one would think their hearts full of devotion but when it comes to the triall we find that as the sudden showers in the heat of Summer falling in great drops enter not but bring forth Toadstools or Mushromps so these tears falling on a vitious heart a heart not mollified by constant meditation the Word works not upon it but becomes unprofitable meditation softens the heart and fits it for any holy impression This made David cry out O Lord how sweet are thy words unto my tast they are sweeter than honey and the honeycomb and certainly the least comforts of the Word wrought in the heart by holy meditation are more worth than the most pleasing recreations in the world they that have tasted of them hold all other consolations to be but gall and wormwood in comparison of them Oh that now I could perswade men to this necessary duty of meditation withdraw your selves from your worldly affairs at least once a day for the exercise of meditation O holy soul saith Bernard O sancta anima fuge publicum fuge domesticos an nescis te verecundum habere sponsum c. Bern. shun publick places and the company of those of thy houshold knowest thou not that Jesus Christ thy Husband is bashfull and will not be familiar in company Come my beloved let us go forth into the field there will I give thee my loves Cant. 7.11 Chap. 11. Objections against setting about the practice of Meditation answered Object 1 But here some will be ready to say We are convinced that meditation is a necessary duty but it is a duty strange to us and that with which we are altogether unacquainted Resp The light though fair and pleasant to the eyes yet dimmest then after one hath been long in the dark before one cometh to be acquainted with the Inhabitants of any Countrey they will seem strange at first be they never so courteous so upon the change of thy life thou shalt find some inward alreration and in this generall adieu thou shalt give to the world and to all thy sins and foolish toyes thou shalt have some touch of grief and discontent but have but a little patience it is but a little astonishment the novelty brings thee passe that by and thou shalt receive many comforts and cordiall delights so pleasing and contenting that thou wilt esteem all other as nothing to them he that hath throughly tasted of this heavenly Manna cannot relish any worldly pleasures nor set his affections upon them the delights of holy meditation are the foretasts of those immortall delights that God gives to the souls of those that seek him Oh but saith the soul this mountain Object 2 of meditation is very high and the work is difficult how shall I be able to climb up this holy hill I am weak and unable for so high an exercise The work indeed seems harsh and difficult at first Resp. but when we are exercised therein it will be familiar with us The young Bees at first are called Nymphs and live on the honey that is in their Hives but when once their wings are grown out they fly abroad and gather honey for themselves on the flowers of the field and on the mountains It is true we are all Nymphs and worms in devotion at first not able to ascend this hill of meditation but when once we be formed in our desires and resolutions we then put fortâ— and so may hope to become spirituall Bees and then to fly higher and higher in our meditations in the mean time to feed on the honey of God's Word and of holy instructions praying to God to give us the wings of a Dove that we may swiftly and speedily fly unto him The greatest difficulty is in the first beginning of this exercise of meditation it being as one saith Io. Downham's guid to godlinesse so harsh to corrupt nature and so cross to carnall principles but the