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
from him we are as well his Martyrs as his lovers Tùnc implebuntur vota but then saith Bernard shall our longing be satisfied and our desires accomplished here our love is divided because self-love is not yet extinguished and the more we indulge our selves the more we rob God of his due we love not God so purely as not to seek our selves when we pretend to seek his glory we are here more earnest with him for riches and honours than for graces but in Heaven our love shall be free from such imperfections our love shall not then be blind because we shall see him whom we love and the splendour of God's glory that enlightens us is a ray that shall dispell all the darknesse of our understandings our love to God in Heaven shall not languish nor spend it self in its own longings because then we shall possesse what we love and being infinitely united to the fountain of happinesse we shall never be seperated from him our love then shall not be divided for the souls of the blessed shall then be purified when they shall quit their bodily prisons the glory of the great King shall be the end of all their desires yea in Heaven it self the Saints shall not seek so much their own happinesse as God's glory St Austin saith that the knowledge and love of God Tantum gaudebunt beati quantùm amabunt tantùm amabunt quantum cognoscent Deum Aug. shall be the two grand imployments of the Saints in Heaven the blessed in Heaven shall so rejoyce in God as they shall love him and so love him as they shall know him the good works which the godly did on earth shall be banisht from Heaven there shall be no need of mercy in estate where misery cannot approach there shall be no need of visiting the sick for sicknesse and death cannot annoy those that dwell in the Land of immortality there shall be no burying of the dead in the Land of the living no need shall be of Hospitals because no pilgrims shall be there there shall be no need of cloathing any of Christ's members who shall be all cloathed with long white robes dipt in the bloud of the Lamb there shall be no trouble about reconciling enemies because peace shall eternally raign in Emanuel's Land The miseries of this life saith one Senault Treat 8. Disc 8. compell men to build houses to protect them from the injury of wind and weather to make cloathes to keep them from shame and cold to till the earth for their â—â—triment but there shall be an end put tâ— all these imployments where God shall be all in all to all his people they shall then fear nothing where the possession of all good necessarily produceth the exclusion of all evil we shall not then dread hunger and thirst because we shall lodge in the house of a great Lord where is plenty of all â—hings where we may bathe our â—elves in the rivers of his innocent deâ—â—ghts neither heat nor cold shall annoy us because the Sun of righteousnesse that warms us with the beams of his ardent love shall also refresh us with his shadow wearinesse shall not make us faint because God shall be our everlasting strength there shall be no labour that shall need repose nor shall the night ever draw a curtain over the day there shall be no traffick or commerce because in God all things shall be possessed there shall be none in servitude because all the Subjects of this Kingdome are crowned Kings If you ask me saith Austin what shall we do then in a place whence pain and trouble are banished I shall answer with the Prophet Vacate videte quoniam ego Deus sum Be still and seâ— that I am God this meditation shall wholly take them up and that foâ— ever This is that glory saith thaâ— devout Father which the Angels admire which obscures the Sun yeâ— which could it appear to the souls of thâ— damned would like the sweet tree in thâ— bitter waters make even Hell it seâ—â— seem a Paradise of pleasures Now let us draw out our meditâ—tions on the Heavens they are the most glorious part of the Creation and their very pavement is more beautifull than all the earths glory neither Art nor nature can produce nor man can think of such things as they contain if the under part of that pavement be more glorious than this lower house of the world how glorious shall that house above be if the visible Heavens do so affect us what will the Heaven of Heavens do and above all God himself the glory of the Heavens When God would stir up Abraham to obedience he bids him lift up his eyes Gen. 13.14 15 and look from the place where he was Eastward Westward Northward and Southward and see the Land which God would give him and his seed so say I to you that hear me this day lift up your eyes and behold the Heavens that God hath provided for your souls for which God requireth you to leave your pleasures profits credit goods good name or whatsoever else is dear unto you Again Would'st thou be freed from the arrows of bitter tongues meditate on Heaven and look uâ— thither if thou canst but once get thither thou art safe and shalt be secretly kept in a pavilion from the strife of tongues Would'st thou fain be rich art thou discontented with thy poor and mean estate meditate on Heaven there is riches enough for thee be thou never so poor in the world if rich in faith Heb. 10.34 thou art an heir to a Kingdome your substance on earth is little and perishing but in Heaven ye have a better and more enduring substance you that are godly poor that have scarce an house to put your heads in that cry out for want of room on earth meditate on Heaven there is Rehoboth room enough for you all Thus Christ comforteth his Disciples Joh. 14.2 In my Fathers house are many mansions it was the place whence he came and whither he was going before them to take possession of it and to prepare places for them there therefore they might be contented to want his bodily presence on earth and be a little straitned here below they should have room enough in Heaven Yea meditate on Heaven and look up thither with an eye of faith and thou maist with Stephen see Christ sitting there at the right hand of God Christ thy Head thy Husband thy Advocate thy friend thy Saviour there making intercession for thee to his Father presenting his own merits continually before him Let these meditations chear thee up and comfort thee against all distracting thoughts and dark apprehensions and refresh thee in the midst of all crosses and wants It was a comfortable speech which the Emperour used to Galba in his minority when he took him by the Chin and said Thou Galba shalt one day sâ—t upon a Throne Tu Galba quandoque imperium
which others pollute themselves otherwise men in high places may not unfitly be resembled to the Planet Saturn of whom Astronomers and Philosophers tell us that in sphear and place he is nearest to the Heavens but in nature and quality most unlike them and least of all partaking of the influences of Heaven Let me beseech you still to keep close to God and then the Lord will stick close to you and vouchsafe his presence with you Among all Rules of policy these are the chiefest to be faithfull and upright to the Lord to aim at his glory to be guided by his Spirit and walk according to the rule of his Word then may you be assured that you are more safe under his protection than any arm of flesh can make you I humbly crave your pardon for this my boldness and that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ may bless you with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ is and shall be the prayer of Your most humble Servant in the Gospel WILLIAM GEARING From my Study in Lymington Sep 30. 1661. INDEX RERVM CHap. 1. The Porch or entrance into this Work Text Gen. 24.63 opened Chap. 2. Sect. 1. Shewing that Meditation is a duty that concerneth persons of all ranks conditions and ages Sect. 2. That Meditation is constantly to be practised Chap. 3. How Meditation and Contemplation differ one from the other Chap. 4. How Study and Meditation differ Chap. 5. Of the Gate of Meditation Chap. 6. Of the kinds of Meditation and first of rapt Meditation Chap. 7. Sect. 1. Of set and solemn Meditation the definition and branches of it Sect 2. Of the ends of solemn Meditation Chap. 8. Of the subject of Meditation Sect. 1. Of meditation on the Works of God Sect. 2. Of meditating on the Word of God Sect. 3. Of meditating on Man his Creation his body his soul his priviledges Sect. 4. Of meditation on the fall of Adam Sect. 5. Of the nature of sin the number of our sins with the aggravations of them Sect. 6. Of the sufferings and death of Christ Sect. 7. Of meditation on the Resurrection of Christ Sect. 8. Of meditation on Death Sect. 9. Of the fewnesse of them that shall be saved Sect. 10. Of meditation on Hell Sect. 11. Of meditation on the glory of Heaven Chap. 9. Of timing our Meditations in the best manner Chap. 10. An Exhortation to the practice of Meditation shewing also the necessity thereof Chap. 11. Objections against setting about the work of Meditation answered Chap. 12. Setting down the Rules about Meditation Chap. 13. Of the excellency and usefulnesse of Meditation Chap. 14. The Motives to Meditation The Authors cited in this Treatise A AMbrosius B p Andrews Anselm Aquila Aretius Aquinas Aristotle Arias Montanus Augustine Ainsworth B Ball. Sr Francis Bacon B p Babington Beza Bellarmine Bernard Boetius Bodinus Brathwait Bonaventure C Causin Calvin Cassius Severus Climacus Chaldeus Cassiodorus Charron Cicero Chrysostome Columella Clemens Alexand. Chytraeus Cyril Concil Melevit D Dearing Downham Diogenes Drexelius E Erasmus Euseb Emyssen F Fenner Fulgentius Dr Fulk G Gasp. in Heracl Gaul Goulart Genevens Gerrard Gerson Gregor Gualter Glosse H B p Hall Hebr. Hippolit Hieronym Hoord Sam. Hieron Hugo Hpyocrates I Iosephus â—tal Junius Isidor Pelus K Kempis L Lorinus Lumb Sent. Luther Lyranus Leo. M Macarius Martial Marc. Herem Marlorat Melch. Adam Minut. Faelix Moller More 's Demonstr Mountague Musculus Montaign N Gr. Nazianz. Nebrissens O Onkelus Ovid. P Pet. Mart. Perkins Plato Plinius Philo Jud. Plutarch B p Pilkington Philips Polan Synt. Prosper Priorw Q Quintil. S Seneca Dr Sibs Senault Sozomen Stiles Strong Struther Suetonius Suidas Symmachus Symonds Stella T Tertullian Theodoret. Tostatus Turner V Jac. de Valent. Vatablus Vega. W Wall White Woodward THE MOUNT OF Holy Meditation Genesis 24.63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide Chap. I. The porch or entrance into this Work AFter the death of Sarah Abraham feeling himself wholly broken with old age and ready to go the way of all the earth resolved to seek a match for Isaac his son and for that end he calleth the steward of his house and most faithfull servant and having commanded him to lay his hand on his thigh he conjured him by the Name of Jehovah to seek a Wife for his Son in the Land of Haran which being done this wise Nuntio began his journey in order to the fulfilling his Master's commands and departing from Beersheba he went directly to Mesopotamia carrying with him ten large Camels laden with the choicest things that the house of Abraham could afford In short time he arriveth at the City of Nahor ver 10. meditating with himself of the readiest means for the expedition of what had been given him in charge and first he repaireth to a place without the City where women in their turns used to draw water there resting his Camels waiting upon God's providence for the opportunity he desired during which expectation he powreth out his request to God begging him propitiously to favour the designs of his Master which he had scarce ended when Rebeckah appeared with an earthen pitcher under her arm to draw water of whom no sooner had Eliezer desired a little drink but Rebeckah presently assented doing all that which charity and curtesie required should be done to a stranger Eliezer seriously weigheth all the actions of Rebeckah as being one in whom he was to discern the footsteps of God's conduct concerning his Master and his Master's Son This prudent Embassadour having presented some ear-rings and bracelets to Rebeckah takes occasion to inform himself of the conveniences that were in her Fathers house for himself and those that were with him together with his Camels and being well instructed of the alliances of the Damsell and being astonished that all should fall out so soon and so even with his desires throwes hsmself on the ground to render thanks to God adoring his inexpressible goodnesse to his Master Rebeckah hastens to her Parents to let them know what had hapned which her Brother Laban understanding he repaireth immediatly to the well from whence Rebeckah came finding Eliezer he earnestly entreated him to follow him to his Father's house and having brought him thither he gave hay and straw to his Camels and water to wash his feet and the feet of those that were with him and meat being set before him as a trusty servant he is more carefull to fulfill his Master's businesse than to fill his own belly then he openeth his Commission which he had from his Master and declareth the artifices himself had used to bring this businesse to good effect labouring thereby to know the will of God that Rebeckah should be a Wife to Isaac then orderly and exactly he declareth how his Master was blest by God and honoured by men that he was rich and wealthy and that Isaac was heir to all his substance the silence
conscience hath a power of accusation meditate on it or thou art an Infidel The Book of nature hath God spread wide open and before us Seculum speculum that he that runs may read Austin calls the world Gods Book in folio every creature should be to us a page in this Book and every part of a creature a line in this Book How carefull should we be to take these things into our thoughts our Saviour saith Matth. 24.15 When ye shall see the abomination of desolation spâ—ken of by Daniel the Prophet stand in the holy place who so readeth let him understand So say I let him that readeth in this great Book of nature understand to what end these creatures were created even to the end that we might view them and in them glorâ—fie the Creatour And seeing God hath not only acquainted us in the grosse what he diâ— in generall but hath condescended sâ— far as to tell us what he did eveâ— day what he did the first day whâ— he did the second day c. I daâ— boldly affirm that it were very convenient and expedient every day to â— apart some time on that day to meditate on the works that were created â— that day it is as convenient a method as any I can imagine for it is following of God in the Creation this being considered together with thâ— dulnesse of our apprehensions anâ— how apt our thoughts are to turn asidâ— to vain and unprofitable objects thâ— order will be found to be very necessary I shall give you a tast of such kinds meditations from one of the dayes oâ— the week the first day of the weeâ— called the Lord's day on this day seâ— apart some time to meditate on thâ— works that were on that day created first the works of the evening thâ— the works of the morning 1. The works of the evening as the â—reating that huge body of the Heavens when we see that vast body and how God stretcheth out the Heavens as a curtain the greatnesse of the Heavens â—hould teach us to meditate on the greatnesse of the infinite Jehovah if â—he Heavens do so far exceed our â—houghts how great then is he whom â—he Heaven of Heavens are not able to contain if the earth be so glorious as â—t is in the spring time how unspeakably glorious are the Heavens which far â—xceed the earth and here we may â—dmire his greatnesse who was able to â—et up such a rich canopy and covering over the earth and here also let us meditate on the unspeakable goodnesse of God to man that he hath made for man not only a rich dwelling here beâ—ow but also provideth for him a dwelling place in the Heavens there â—o sit down with him in his Throne Rev. 3.20 That man that is but dust and ashes a lump of earth here below â—hould be exalted to the highest place of the Creation this should check us or our folly in suffering the earth to â—teal away our hearts from God as if there were no greater happinesse to bâ— had than here below what stupiâ— creatures are we to spend more time iâ— getting a few white and red pieces oâ— earth than in getting a glorious possession of the Kingdome of Heaven foâ— the attainment whereof we shoulâ— think no time too much no pains toâ— great no affections too strong Furthermore bring your meditations to the earth created on the samâ— day also that which yeelded matteâ— and stuffe for the making of all creâ—tures here below consider that thâ— earth was a formlesse lump before Goâ— beautified and adorned it it was â— meer nothing Painters can draw 〈◊〉 pictures without colours Architectâ— raise no buildings without materials and if you take away Marble or Poâ—phiry from Engravers they can carâ— neither Images nor Statues Senault Treat 5. disc 8. It is oâ— God that actuateth nothing that formeth being out of a non-entity as one well â—teth the earth receiveth its being â— beauty and all it hath from God The meditation hereof should â— suffer us to let any thing in the earâ— to withdraw our hearts from God â— sore God made the earth it was nothing â—ilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is â—ot Prov. 23.5 Why should that which is noâ—hing draw away our hearts from God who is full of all perfection the earth â—lso at first was a confused masse of â—hings without form and void Rudis indigestaque moles Ovid. this â—hould draw out from us this meditatiâ—n to make us to consider that we â—hat are of the earth are altogether polâ—uted in sin lying in our bloud our â—ouls being all stained with sin and without any form of holinesse and â—ighteousnesse yea void of all the saâ—ing graces of Gods Spirit In me â—aith Paul that is in my flesh there â—welleth no good thing and as darknesse was then upon the face of the deeâ— so â—arknesse is upon the face of our souls â— man may see hear read but can â—ave no true discerning of spirituall â—hings till the day-Star arise in his â—eart for spirituall blindnesse is upon â—he face of his soul Here then is condemned the folly of â—hose that think ignorance the mother â—f devotion but while men remain in â—heir naturall blindnesse they can perâ—rm no pleasing service to God blind services may be acceptable to â— Prince of darknesse God made Heaven for himself principally the earth for us let us consider our condition by Creation affection disposition then shall we say with Abraham we are but earth dust and ashes Gen. 18.27 but they are abominable to the Father of lights ligâ— was the first thing that God maâ— in the Creation and when there wâ—â— light the earth lay for some dayes dead and senslesse lump and could nâ— so much as bring forth one grasse oâ— herb till the Spirit of God moved â— on the face of the waters so in â— new Creation when there is soâ— light wrought in the understandinâ— yet canst thou not bring forth one pleâ—sant fruit of holinesse till the Spirit God flutter over thee and by a divinâ— heat and warmth move and stir thâ— soul and enable thee to perform aâ—ceptable obedience to God 2. I come to the work of the moâ—ing then he created the light on thâ— first day of the week commanding tâ—â— light to shine out of darknesse now us set apart some time to meditate this excellent creature the light which the glory of God is greatly mâ—nifest there was nothing before â— utter darknesse then the Lord creaâ— the light without the Sun in wâ— the power of God is admirable should greatly wonder at midnight to see a great light to shine forth and expell the darknesse of the night this may lead us to this meditation that as God caused on this first day of the week light to arise and break out of darknesse so on this first day of the week also he caused his own Son the light of the world to arise out of
we think of our eternall Mansions where we must abide for ever yea if God hath afforded such entertainment to his enemies here what may we think he layes up for them that love him Some conjecture at the joyes of Heaven by comparing the three places of man's abode together scil his mother's womb this world and the Kingdome of Heaven and they affirm that the third viz. the Kingdome of Heaven as far excelleth this world in largenesse beauty and all manner of delights as the whole world doth the womb of one woman yea as much and more than the mightiest and wisest man on earth doth exceed a poor Infant or Embrio in the mother's womb in strength beauty wit understanding c. doth the least and meanest Saint in Heaven exceed the wisest and mightiest man on earth yea lesse comparison is there between the nine moneths abode of a child in his mother's womb and the oldest man's life on earth than between the age of Methuselah who lived nine hundred sixty nine years and the time of our abode in Heaven or between the thing that is finite â—nd that which is infinite there is no â—roportion When Ahasuerus that reigned in Asia over an hundred twenty seven Provinces even from India to Aethiopia was disposed to make a Feast to all the Princes of his Kingdomes Esth 1. no doubt but it was a royall Feast and most bountifull Banquet but yet surely but a scambling if we compare it with that Feast which the Lord of Hosts will make in his holy Mountain it must needs far surpasse the Feast of Ahasuerus in all things 1. For continuance of time that was to last an hundred and eighty dayes and then to have an end but this more than an hundred and fourscore thousand years even for ever and ever without end 2. For the servitours Ahasuerus Feast was to be served in by men who might mistake and misplace something or commit some oversights but this is to be served by the Angels who know how to do all things in the best fashion yea to let the guests see how wonderfull welcome they shall be the Son of man himself though he be maker and Master of the Feast yet will girâ— himself and serve Luk. 12.37 3. For the company at Ahasuerus Feast though it were great yet a great part of it was not very good but here shall be none but God and good company viz. Angels and Saints 4. For the provision it far exceedeth for that was but what some few parts of the world whereof he had the command might afford but this shall be to open the treasures and shew forth the goodnesse and greatnesse of the Almighty who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords yea whose riches and revenues more exceed those of Ahasuerus than his did the poorest man's living Aug. Soliloq c. 35 36. Aug. Mannal c. 7 8. Bern. Medit. c. 4. Many are the things that the Ancients have written in commendation of this heavenly inheritance the Scripture compares it to a City most absolute wherein is wanting neither beauty of building nor order of government nor plentifull provision of all things In a word we must admire it in silence for it cannot be expressed by humane or Angelicall eloquence the joyes of it are so great that they cannot enter into the possessours therefore they must enter into them Mat. 25.21 Christ will say to all his friends enter into your Master's joy enter friends and take your comfort enter servants and take your wages enter children and take your patrimony enter brethren and take your portion enter all ye that seek the Kingdome of Heaven and take your Crown The poor saith one Jo. Wall Serm. in Mat. 25.21 is not shut out for want of money the rich is not turned back for the abundance of his comforts the weak is not thrust out for want of strength nor the mighty refused for the danger of their Forces but every one that hath right to it takes possession of it And though there be degrees of glory in Heaven Mat. 18.28 Dan. 12.3 yet is it true what Austin tells us that they that have least shall have no want to make them grudge or murmure against them that have more than themselves and they that have much shall have nothing too much to move them to scorn or contemn those that have lesse than themselves for even as divers vessels of divers sizes being cast into the Sea though all be full of water yet all cannot hold and contain the like quantity and measure of water so it may seem that those persons that hold most grace on earth shall have likewise most glory in Heaven but there shall be no complaining occasioned through want nor any contempt by reason of abundance for that inheritance being infinite like God himself the giver is tanta omnibus quanta singulis not lessened or diminished by the number of heirs therefore we may conclude with David In thy presence is fulnesse of joy and at thy right hand are pleasures for evermore Psal 16.11 Here our knowledge is mixt with darknesse we see God but in Aenigmaes the very species that discover him conceal him these glasses are too scant fully to represent his greatnesse to us and our spirits are too weak to bear the splendour of his glorious Majesty but in Heaven the mind shall lose her darknesse and be fortified with a capacity to behold the King in his glory O blessed sight to see God in his glory to see God in us and us in him saith Bernard O beata visio videre Deum in seipso videre Deum in nobis nos in ipso Bern. There are three things in this world which oppose our happinesse and hinder us from knowing God perfectly The first is his greatnesse which astonisheth us therefore he is said to dwell in light to which no mortall can approach and the darknesse is said to cover him and hide him from our sight The second is his absence for though he be in every place yet when he pleaseth he hideth his face and withdraweth his presence from us The third is our impotency which cannot here abide a full manifestation of the glorious presence of God but in Heaven all these hindrances shall be taken away from the blessed God's Majesty is no longer terrible his greatnesse which here is astonishing to us shall then give being to our felicity and the love of God having cast out all fear from our hearts we shall then treat with our Soveraign as our beloved friend we shall not then lament the absence of the chiefest good but be possessed by him whom we possesse we shall be as full of God as our hearts can hold or desire And as the knowledge so also the love of the Saints to God in Heaven shall be compleat here our love to him is very slender it is faint because we possesse not the highest good which we most ardently affect and being seperated
befit the Nobility and Gentry of our Land who have more time and opportunities than others for this heavenly exercise how ought they to take heed of the snares of great places and great confluences which are great hindrances to the composing of the mind for holy meditations causing them to entertain converse only with such fantastick spirits from whom no other profit can be derived than what vanity hath suggested and the conceit of a deluded fancy hatched it lies upon you to meditate much on your inward cure restrain your eyes from those outward objects that may any way darken the prospect of your inward house it is one of your great cares in Architecture Hippolit de Collib that your houses have a pleasant site and be dilated to fair prospects you will not endure any man whose dwelling is near you upon any new superstructure or new raised story to darken the light of your windows Oh then suffer not any thing to incroach upon the liberty of your higher rooms these glorious structures of your souls let not pride over-top the â—uminaries of your souls let not covetousnesse stop and straiten them let not intemperance put out the eyes of your souls let not lust deface them nor anger lacerate them nor envy obscure them nor idlenesse and wantonnesse blemish them Noble Gentlemen reflect on your own worth Gentility is not known by your stately garb your sumptuous houses and train of attendants as by your noble vertues let inward ornaments be your chiefest care and the renewing and repairing of them your highest cure take a turn with God every day upon the Mount of meditation here you may find such choice flowers as will more refresh your souls than any visible odours or fragrant flowers are delightfull to your smell you will then scarce think any earthly object worth beholding when you frequently converse with heavenly things this will teach you to contemn the vanities of the earth to know the worth of time and to redeem your precious hours for the highest imployment to conquer death it self and to aspire to eternal excellencies you will then be carelesse observers of vain fashions which is the affectation of this fantastick age and desire to be cloathed with the wedding garment and be adorned with inward beauty that the Lord Jesus may take pleasure in you and marry you to himself for ever it will be more to your honour that you have redeemed time than that you have followed the mode and vain fashions of a sinfull time It is said of the Palm-tree Plin. Nat. Hist that when it grows dry and fruitlesse ashes are applied to the root of it and it soon recovereth and that the Palms of your generous minds may be alwayes green and flourishing and your branches be ever blossoming and never wither renew them daily with some sweet and soveraign meditation that when you shall return to the earth from whence you came those that succeed and survive you may collect how you lived while you were on earth by making those high imployments of yours patterns for their perpetuall imitation Meditation is a work you see well becoming men of high degree Joshua Josh 1.8 â— great Commander is commanded to â—ake it his daily practice and David â— great King tells us that meditation â—as his work all the day Psal 119. â—7 Mine eyes saith he are ever towards the Lord. Psal 25.15 Thou hast â—ossessed my reins Thou hast covered me â—n my mothers womb I will praise thee â—or I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvellous are thy works and that my â—oul knoweth right well c. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me O God how great is the summe of them if I should count them they are moe in number â—han the sand when I awake I am still with thee Psal 139.13 19. 2. Meditation also may be practiâ—ed by men of low degree Bishop Hall's Contemplat as by men of the highest rank A low man saith one if his eye be clear may look as high as the tallest the least Dwarf may from the lowest valley see the Sun or Stars as fully as a Giant upon the highest mountain he that stands by may see as far into the Milstone as he that picks it Christ is now in Heaven it is not the smalnesse of any man's person nor the meannesse of his condition can let him from beholding him the soul hath no stâ—ture nor is God a respecter of peâ—sons if God be but pleased to clear tâ—â— eyes of any man's soul he shall high enough to behold him a poâ— man by holy meditation become poor in spirit and rich in grace bâ— meditation on the Scriptures he finâ—eth his condition to be an holy Asyluâ— that heaven hath promised a particulâ— protection to the poor Evangelizare pauperibus misit me Luk. 4. that Chriâ—â— came down from Heaven to instruâ—â— them that he hath pronounced thâ— blessed in his Sermons chose such fâ— his Disciples hath made them the oâ—jects of his love and designed theâ— for his favours All outward gooâ— though precious cannot escape the diâ—asters that threaten them cunning violence may rob us of them the iâ—nocent lose their honour as well as tâ— criminall Senault Treat 8. disc 3. the rich are as much afraâ— of sicknesse as the poor nor are Kinâ— more secure from death than the Subjects but be thou outwardly â—ver so poor yet if rich in faith graâ— is a good which cannot be taken froâ— thee no violence can plunder thee it 3. This exercise of meditation ought chiefly to be practised by Ministers and Scholars there are three things that make a compleat Minister saith Luther Luther viz. temptation prayer and meditation their hearts are alwayes to be inditing of a good matter Psal 45.1 that their tongues may be the pens of ready writers Plin. Nat. Hist when the people of Rome heard that the fields of some of their Colonies waxed barren their advice was that the Husbandmen should meliùs arare minùs serere plow better and sow lesse so when Gods field waxeth barren by reason of a negligent kind of preaching of the Word it were better such Preachers spent more time in meditation though they were lesse seen in the Pulpit than they are I speak only against frothy preaching if they have fished all night and caught nothing it were not amisse saith one Jer. Philip â— Serm. that they should sit down a while upon the shore and mend their nets afterwards with Gods blessing they may fish with better successe Paul exhorts Timothy to give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine Meditate saith he upon these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear unto all 1 Tim. 4.13 15. Ministers and Scholars must diligently watch not only over the actions of their hands the wordes of their mouthes but also over the meditations of their minds because they of all men are most busied
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
5. Nemo ad meditationem pervenit occupatus Senec. 1. A retirement from the world Stars which have least circuit are nearest to the Pole and men who least perplex themselves with worldly businesse are nearest to God Devout Bernard confesseth he learnt much of his Divinity under the trees of the Wood When Elijah was in the wildernesse far from his own habitation and the company of men then the Angel speaks unto him when we are alone sequestred from worldly cares and distractions then God opens his mind unto us and reveals many things to us which he will not do when he finds our hearts taken up with the cares and troubles of worldly businesse God is a Spirit and therefore when we converse with him he requireth not only a bodily but also a spirituall retirement Thus God callâ— Ezekiel Ezek. 3.22 into the plain that he might there talk with him and allures the Church into the wildernesse that he might speak unto her heart Privacy as one observeth is the seat of contemplation Brathwait Engl. Gent. though sometimes made the recluse of temptation from which the Cell is no more exempted than the Court but to a pious heart privacy is a great advantage to meditation Mihi oppidum carcer solitudo Paradisus Hier. Epist ad Rustic Erasm Tom. 5. de contemp mundi The City to me saith Ierom is a prison and solitarinesse is a Paradise Erasmus hath written much concerning the liberty tranquillity and pleasure of a retired life and the Psalmist bids us to commune with our own heart upon our bed or within our chambers as some translate and be still Psal 4.4 Be still from the world yet then must the heart be stirring towards God they that sail at Sea to the end to attain to the land they look more up to the Heaven than down to the Sea carnall men are drowned in fleshly delights and worldly cares their hearts are not purged or elevated to converse with God 2. A retiring from our own passions the heart must be setled and well composed before it ascend the hill of meditation God requireth a spirit setled for so high a work In quietnesse and confidence shall be your strength If a man do not first discharge both himself and his mind from the burden that presseth her removing from place to place will presse her the more it is not enough for a man to have sequestred himself from the concourse of the people a man must sequester and recover himself from himself Montaign Essayes l. 1. c. 38. Isa 30.15 Be still and know that I am the Lord Psal 46.10 We can never savingly know him till our hearts be free from these perturbations therefore when we come to meditate we must as well retire from the perturbations of our hearts as from the world Wasps and Drones make more noise than the Bees but make no honey but waxe only so they whose hearts are troubled and perplexed are very unfit for so high an exercise of the soul the showers that fall gently make Corn and grasse abound but falling violently much endanger the Corn and meadows it is not enough we are seperated from men if we are entangled with our own passions and indeed herein consisteth one of the most assured means of our spirituall improvement therefore he that will meditate on holy objects must call back his spirit very frequently into the presence of God and consider what God doth and what himself is doing crying out to God O Lord why do I not alwayes look toward thee Why dost thou think on me so often and I on thee so seldome our proper place is to be with thee Thrice happy is that soul that can lift up himself to God and can truly say Lord thou art my dwelling place my refuge my shadow against all temptations it is good for Christians to retire frequently into the lonenesse of their heart yea when they are in company with others for then thy heart may be alone with God so saith David I am continually with thee Psal 73.23 I have set the Lord alwayes before mine eyes Psal 16.8 2. Actus religionis seu exercitium spirituale Jer. Turner Serm. in Prov. 4.23 The second branch of meditation is that it is a fixed exercise of the heart upon spirituall objects 1. It is an exercise of the heart 2. A fixed exercise It is an exercise of the heart therefore one defines it to be an act of Religion or spirituall exercise it is an heart-imployment therefore may well be called a spirituall exercise not only becâ—use the matter of meditation is alwayeâ— some spirituall thing but also because the act of meditation is a meer spirituall act proceeding from the spirituall part of man as being an act of the heart other parts of man are taken up in other things the eye in seeing the ear in hearing the hand in touching and working the tongue in speaking the heart is only exercised in meditation therefore Davids meditations are called the meditations of his heart Psal 19. ult My heart saith he was inditing of a good matter Psal 45.1 Meditation is the heart of devotion the soul of piety by which we sound the depths of divine love whereby we apply our selves really to God and communicate much of his grace and comfort it fills the heart with sweet odours and spirituall refreshings that it resembleth a pillar of smoak from Aromaticall wood kindled with Myrrhe and all the sweet powders of the heavenly perfumer 2. It is a fixt exercise of the heart the heart must be fixt on God that will meditate upon him Psal 57.1 Therefore when we begin this exercise we must then resolve that our minds shall not wander from him we must lift up our hearts to God in the Heavens Lam. 3â— Psal 25.1 Christ was transfigured on a mountain and often withdrew himself into a mountain to pray and meditate not only for privacy but to note unto us that a man that will meet with God must ascend higher in his spirit God was at the top of Jacob's ladder where Angels were ascending and descending to this purpose Ambrose saith No man can see Jesus while he standeth upon the earth Zacheus could not see Jesus till he climbed up a Sycamore-tree Nemo potest videre Jesum constitutus in terra Ambros the composition of our bodies is such as a man cannot look up to Heaven with one eye and down to the earth with the other to teach us to look up to Heaven fixedly with both Pliny Plin. Nat. Hist l. 8. c. 3. reports strange things of bruit beasts he saith There was an Elephant not so capacious of instruction as the rest of his fellows to learn what was taught him by his Keeper whereupon being oftentimes beaten for that stupidity of his he was found in the night after his manner to be as it were conning and studying those feats which he had been taught in the day and Plutarch
likewise did much affect Luther viz. that in doubts of predestination we should begin from the wounds of Christ that is from the sense of God's love to us in Christ therefore the warming of the brains in study without the warming the heart by meditation is but a dead and cold speculation serious meditation puts lively colours upon common truths which operate strongly upon the heart to make it better Chap. 8. Of the subject of Meditation Sect. 1. Of meditaâ—ion on the works of God I now proceed to discusse the subject-matter of meditation first subject â—editation works of 〈◊〉 and here I am launching into a great Ocean but like the dogs of Nilus I shall but lick and away The first subject of meditation is God's works of Creation a fit matter for our serious meditations I remember the dayes of old saith David I meditate on all thy works I muse on the work of thy hands Psal 145.5 He looketh up to the Heavens and considereth the work of God's fingers meditating on all those works that were visible to the eye of man â—al 102.25 Psal 8.3 called elsewhere the work of his hands Isa 48.13 My hand hath laid the foundation of the earth and my right hand hath spanned the Heavens it is for that they are of such excellency as if they had been his handywork indeed which yet were made by his word only as Moses and St John do declare Gen. 1.6 Joh. 1.3 That great advancer of learning hath an excellent passage suitable hereunto Sr Francis Bâ—con's advancâ—ment of learâ—ing l. 1. p. 27 It is to be observed saith he that for any thing which appeareth in the History of the Creation the confused masse and matter of Heaven and earth was made in a moment and the order and disposition of that Chaos or mass was the work of six dayes such a note of difference it pleased God to put upon the works of power and the works of wisdome wherewith concurreth that in the former it is not set down that God said Let there be Heaven and earth as it is set down of the works following but actually that God made Heaven and earth the one carrying the stile of a Manufaction the other of a Law Decree or Councell It is not enough that we barely look on the works of God but we must meditate upon them for if we do no more than see them the Oxe the Bull and the Horse do as much as we If we see nothing in the Heavens Dearing Heb. Lect. 5. c. 1. vers 10. saith a grave Divine but that they are lightsome and above our reach the Horse and Mule see this as well as we if we see nothing in the earth but a place to walk in or to take our rest upon it the beasts and fouls see this as well as we if we see nothing in our gorgeous apparell but the pride of a goodly colour the Peacock seeth that in his feathers if in all our refreshment from the creatures we know nothing but the pleasure and sweetnesse of our sense the Swine hath as great a share herein as we if hearing seeing smelling tasting feeling be all the comfort we can find in the works of God the dumb creatures have these senses more exquisite than we and we have turned the hearts of men into the hearts of beasts who with wisdome and reason can do nothing â— Isidor â—usiot l. 2. â—st 135. and the words of the Prophet are fulfilled in us Man being in honour understandeth not and is like the beasts that perish Psal 49.20 therefore the sight of God's works must affect us more than so else shall we be but as the beasts and follow them Now you are to meditate how God brought forth all his works in the space of six dayes before he finisht them he did not create the world all at once but took time for the Creation of it to teach us to take speciall time duely and orderly to consider and meditate on the works of God if he that could have made the Heavens and the earth the Sun Moon and Stars and all creatures in a moment yet it pleased him to take time for the creating of them this should teach us to select some space of time for the meditation of them we must not think it enough to look upon them at one view but to passe from part to part from one creature to another and in every creature to admire the workmanship power wisdome and goodnesse of the Creatour as we are taught Psal 92.4 5. Thou Lord hast made me glad through thy works and I will triumph in the works of thy hands O Lord how great are thy works and thy thoughts are very deep a bruitish man knoweth not neither doth a fool understand this which Psalm as the Title tells us was a meditation penned for the Sabbath day therefore I say God would spend six dayes about the Creation of the world whereas he might have done it in an instant and in a moment of time to the end that we might the better meditate upon it from point to point for which purpose he presently ordained the Sabbath Thus Job Job 36.24 tells us that we must not idly behold the work â—upellex orâ—ata hominem â—guit munâ—us Deum â—inut Faelix â—ctav but must magnifie the workman Remember that thou magnifie his work which men behold this we will do coming into the Shop of an excellent Artizan The eternall power and Godhead is seen by the things that are made but most of us have great cause to be ashamed that we have spent so little time in meditating on the works of God yea who can truly say he hath spent so much time in meditating on God's works as God spent in making them how few are there that have set apart so much time ever since they were born as if it were all laid together will make up six dayes one entire week what a shame is it for man whom God made on purpose to view his works â—ria sunt geâ—era meditatiâ—num unum â— creaturis â—num in Scriâ—turis unum â—n moribus â—rimum surgit ex admiratione secundum ex lectione â—ertium ex circumspectione Hug. medit and by them to glorifie him not to spend so much time in meditating upon them as God spent in making of them therefore we have great cause to become more carefull and studious readers of this great Book of nature for time to come There is a threefold Book into which a Christian is to make inspection The Book of nature or of the creatures The Book of the Scriptures The Book of conscience The Book of the creatures hath a powerfull conviction meditate upon it and observe God's power or thou art an Atheist The Book of the Scriptures hath a power of conversion meditate on it and learn the will of God out of it so to serve him or thou art an hypocrite The Book of
the grave of darknesse who shined through many dark thoughts and apprehensions into the hearts of his disconsolate Disciples for his own Disciples did then â—egin to doubt We trusted said they â—hat it had been he which should have redeemed Israel Luk. 24.21 Here also we may meditate on the excellency of heavenly knowledge that wisdome â—xcelleth folly Eccl. 2.13 even as light excelleth darkâ—esse Light is comfortable and sweet it â— to behold the light of the Sun Eccl. 11.7 Darknesse makes men sad and timeâ—ous so wisdome makes a man's face â—o shine but ignorance is uncomfortaâ—e light manifesteth things as they â—e but darknesse hides them light â—stinguisheth one thing from another â—rknesse confounds things all alike so â—nowledge gives us a right discerning of things but ignorance overwhelms us with horrour and amazement light directs a man in his way but darknesse misguids him so wisdome shews us the true way whereas the ignorant wander in by-paths and fall into the bottomlesse pit I shall conclude this Section Clamant dupliciter 1. Ostendunt dignitatem 2. Ostendunt bonitatem Quocunque te vertis veritas vestigiis quibusdam quae operibus suis impressit loquitur tibi te in exteri ora relabentem ipsis exteriorum formis intùs revocat Aug. de libero arbitrio with that meditation of Austin Heaven and earth saith he and all things therein contained do make a continuall cry round about me that I should love thee O Lord they shew thy worthynesse and declare thy bounty such a world such Heavens such an Ocean such an earth such earthly creatures insensible sensible reasonable and all wonderfully framed Lord how mighty how wonderfull how wise art thou that madest them and therefore worthy our love and being thus made thus to blesse to continue to encrease tâ— multiply them yea more to fill us with them and therefore thy bounty thy super abundant bounty must needs make us to loâ— thee Sect. 2. Of meditating on the Word of Goâ— The second subject of meditatâ— that I shall lay before you is the Woâ—â— of God The second subject of meditation the Word of God It is said of the godly â— that he meditateth in the Law of God night and day Psal 1.2 How often doth David professe he will meditate in God's statutes Psal 119.48 Psal 119 97 and it was his practice vers 23. The Law of God was his meditation all the day long Meditation fastens the Word upon the heart the soul for want of meditation retaineth but little spirituall food the Word of God by holy meditating upon it produceth the same effects upon our souls as Manna Manna nò◠solum sanitatem sed animum Judaeis conferebat Josephus did upon the Israelites for some Writers say that it restored health infused strength and inspired courage into them that they owed those formidable victories they gained from their enemies to this meat that came down from Heaven so pious meditation on the Word changeth the qualities of men making them of a sound mind producing courage and assurance in the hearts of those that before were full of weaknesse fears and doubtings the Devils fly such men who lodge the Word of God the sword of the Spirit in their souls beholding their Judge seated in their hearts as upon his Throne this heavenly bread it was that animated the Martyrs to the flames that gave them courage to daunt their executioners the same food that nourisheth them defends them and that which cures their maladies subdues their enemies its strength no way hinders its sweetnesse there are charms in it that make it pleasant to every Palate that by faith and meditation tasteth thereof 1. Meditate on the transcendency of the Word that it is a transcendent rule of holinesse every Nation hath its Laws and there is none so barbarous whom nature or custome hath not furnisht with some polity the Greeks lived according to the Laws of their sages the Romans followed the twelve Tables and those that had neither Kings nor Lawgivers had the Law of nature for their guid the Jews were governed by the Law of Moses chiefly by the Law of the two Tables Senault Treat 7. disc 5. which if it gave them not strength enough to resist sin it gave them light enough to know and avoid it as one well noteth for saith the Apostle By the Law cometh the knowledge of sin now the whole Word of God both Law and Gospel is a most transcendent and most holy rule God is holy in his works but most holy in his Word Psal 138.2 in it shineth the purity of his nature not capable of the least imperfection the Angels though as fine gold yet are unclean in his sight saith Bernard Bernard how much more the sons of men who are but clods of earth and worms this meditation makes the holiest man to tremble at his presence and cry out with the Prophet that he is undone they that by derivation from him are most holy in comparison with him are most unholy saith Austin yea the Angels themselves when they draw near unto him cover both their feet and faces if Angels that stand at the Mercy-seat do tremble oh what shall sinners do that stand at the bar of justice 2 Meditate on the exactnesse of the Word of God the Law forbids all sin commands all obedience every passage in the life of man is ordered in it as Theodoret observeth of the Ceremoniall Law and the furniture of the Tabernacle that every particular thereof was exactly prescribed by God Theodoret. now if the Ceremoniall Law were so accurate and precise how strict is the Law of Morall holinesse the Law of the Lord is perfect we read that the measures and weights of the Sanctuary were double as much as the ordinary measures a man's actions may carry weight and be allowed among men in common conversation Aug. which will be found too light being weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary of God saith Austin bring we our actions to this standard and our defects will soon be discovered and that which will seem warrantable and commendable before men will appear sinfull and abominable before the Lord. 3. Meditate on the spirituality of God's Word it requireth exactnesse of soul and spirit it aweth the thoughts and judgeth of externall actions according to the heart I the Lord search the heart to give to every man according to his works Jer. 17.10 The naturall heart it may be will be content with Herod to do many good things so he may have a dispensation in one raigning sin and it may be to suffer a little to do penance with a Papist and then sin again this it could brook well enough but to be restrained in every thing this flesh and bloud cannot endure but whatsoever liberty the flesh can desire whether in thinking speaking or doing contrary to that duty which belongeth to a man's place as he is inferiour or
conceit himself to be any great matter 2. Art thou God's creature then meditate thus with thy self when thou art in afflictions that God takes no pleasure in the destruction of his workmanship preservation is a greater mercy than a simple being God will not leave any of his most excellent works done to halfes but perfect what he hath begun 3. Let the meditation of thy Creation spur thee on in the service of God even by nature we tender him our service from whom we receive our being saith Aquinas Aquinas in the first age of the world there was no thought of any idolatry blessings are then most taking with us and work most upon us while they are freshest in memory man came then but newly out of his Makers hands and could not so soon forget him When we consider likewise that the creatures were made to serve us let us also consider that the end why he created man was for the service of himself Excellent was his meditation who imagined the beasts to intimate thus much to man Qui fecit me propter te fecit te propter se He that made me to serve thee made thee to serve himself if therefore the creatures that were made to serve us do now as many times they do annoy us and rebell against us this should put us in mind of our rebellion against God by sin for had not Adam from whose loins we are all descended and who was God's Viceroy and the first created Ruler on earth been disobedient to his Maker and broken the Laws of the soveraign Lawgiver of Heaven unrulinesse had not broken forth neither of subjects against their Princes nor of the inferiour creatures against man their superiour Marvell 〈◊〉 saith Austin Mirari noli si ea quae deseruit superiorem paenas patitur per inferiorem Aug. de verbis Apostol Serm. 12. B p Pilkington in Haggai Vide Theodor. Graecor affect curat Serm 4. if that creature man who forsook his superiour be punished 〈◊〉 his inferiour There is not a Horse a Dog or an Oxe or any other living creature but it must have many stripes before it waâ— be brought to any good order to serve us Bishop Pilkington observeth In word our disobedience to God wâ— the cause of the disobediâ—nce of othâ—â— creatures to us so that when we 〈◊〉 any disorder in nature in what kind soever we must neither blame God nor the creatures but only thank our selves and our sins Sect 4. Of the fall of Adam The next subject of our meditation is the fall of Adam The fall of Adam the fourth subject of meditation Compurationes multas Arias Montan. in Latina versione Adam and Eve were happy in their Creation but alas this happinesse is not long lasting Man being in honour abideth not Psal 49.20 God made man upright but man sought out many inventions many computations as one renders Eccl. 7. ult seeking what in him lay to mar God's workmanship and deface his image Eve being overcome by the Serpent eats of the forbidden fruit and Adam overcome with the perswasion of his Wife takes from her hand that fatall Apple that choaketh all his posterity which being done he is smitten with sudden fear seeth his nakednesse and is ashamed and hides himself and his eyes are now opened to see evil by experience for before his fall he had no experience of the evil of sin and of the curse of God therefore he brake the command of God and did eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil he sinned because he knew not the miscry of sin but after his fall he seeth the difference between grace and sin what he is himself and what he was before and all the future miseries that are like to befall his posterity and he that before treated him as a son cannot noâ— look upon him but as a slave and vagâ—bond Adam blames his Wife Eâ—â— the Serpent and instead of pleading guilty to their inditement to sweeten the rigour of the Judge they frame excuses to inflame his anger and to render themselves more uncapable of pardon Ah how far more wisely had both of them done Aug l. 11. ad lit c. 3. saith Austin if prostrate oâ— the ground with tears in their eyes oâ— sighs from their hearts and humbe confeâ—sions from their mouthes they had crieâ— out Lord pity us and all our miserable pâ—sterity Causin Histor sacr It was for this saith Gregory thâ— God called them and his voice as it weâ—â— sollicited them to humble them by the sweeâ— accents of his fatherly goodnesse but alas they are insensible God passeth a severe doom upon them the womaâ— shall conceive with pain and in sorrow bring forth children the maâ—â— to eat his bread in the sweat of his â—rows and put his hand to the Plough and be the companion of beasts in tilling of his ground which though he trod â—nder his feet he could not subdue without the labour of his hand and throughout his whole life which is a â—ife of sorrows he is to combate with all distempers never suffering him to be at rest till he return into the boâ—ome of the earth from whence he â—ame and immediately a flaming Cherubim bars up the gate of Paradise and shuts it for ever against these miseâ—able exiles And now he that was the Monarch of the world the father of all mankind the first the richest and â—reatest Lord that ever was on earth he began the fray whereof all his miâ—â—rable posterity have felt the blows his fall being their foil and his punishment the pattern of their pain and miâ—ery and now his heart is the fountain which powrs out its qualities into the substance of his childrens souls Rom. â— â—0 〈…〉 8. and â—ver since this infection hath passed â—rom father to son as by hereditary â—ght and now man is naturally void of all goodnesse and righteousnesse and become a vassall of sin Joh. 8.34 a slave of corruption 2 Pet. 2.19 a slave of Satan Eph. 2.1 2 3. and liable to eternall death that we are all by nature stained with sin appeareth Job 15.14 where Eliphaz saith This is that which our fabulous Poets have shadowed unto us in the tale of Pandora's Box which she opening through her curiosity filled the whole world full of all manner of diseases What is man that he should be clean and he that is born of a woman that he should be righteous and the Kingly Prophet makes this dolefull ditty to a lamentable Elegy and sad plain-song Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me and what he saith of himself in particular Paul affirmeth of all men in generall Rom. 5.12 saying that by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin whereby he understandeth the bitter root of originall corruption which daily and hourly brings forth the cursed fruits of actuall transgressions whereby we become culpable and liable to eternall ruine
is more than to touch him 1. Some say Resp. she believed the resurrection by seeing him therefore needed not this further confirmation by feeling but Thomas would not believe unlesse he both saw and felt Joh. 20.25 the rest are so affrighted that they know not what to make of it 2. Others say Marlorat ad loc he would not then be toucht of her to intimate to her that she came with too much a carnall mind to touch him a mind too low in regard of this glorious occasion Christ being now risen and glorified for his resurrection was the first degree of his glorification it did not satisfie her to answer Rabboni but she runs to him and claspeth him and clingeth about him as the affection of love did dictate to her but saith Christ Touch me not in â—uch a manner Dr Sibs Serm. on Ioh. 20.16 Vide B p Andrews Serm. in loc this is not a fit manâ—r for thee to touch me in now I â—m risen again She thought to conâ—erse with him in that familiar manner as she did while he was on earth when she powred ointment upon his head though he were the same person yet his condition was changed he was before in the state of abasement now in a state of glorification and that she must not touch him carnally Aretius ad loc nor any longer expect his bodily presence upon earth but follow him in her heart and affections to Heaven but touch him by the hand of faith when he was ascended to his Father as Austin saith Mitte fidem in coelum tetigisti Send up thy faith to Heaven and then thou touchest Christ Calv. ad loc 3. Others say it was not an absolute peremptory prohibition of touching him at all but only of immoderate embraceing for both she and other holy women afterwards took him and held him by the feet Mat. 28.9 Oh how glorious are the feet of the Lord of the Gospel 4. Cardinall Bellarmine Bellarm. hath a conceit that perhaps may be sound enough that it was not a perpetuall prohibition but only to be in forcâ— for the present time which he conjectureth from the reason for I am not yet ascended or ascending I am not yet leaving you but have yet many dayes wherein I am to be conversant with you during which you shall have time and leisure enough to touch me and therefore forbear now at this time and do that first which is most needfull Go to my brethren and tell them that I am risen and that I ascend to my Father and your Father to my God and your God 1. The meditation on the Resurrection of Christ may teach us that Christ arose as a publick person and therefore all the faithfull shall rise again the Resurrection of Christ is a certain pledge of their resurrection as in the first fruits all the rest were sanctified so by Christ all the harvest of the faithfull is consecrated to a joyfull resurrection 1 Cor. 15.20 Hence Christ is said to be the first begotten from the dead because he is the cause of the resurrection of all the faithfull Joh. 11.25 Col 1.18 That God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ doth testifie to all the children of God that the guilt of their sins is taken away for if there had been any sin that Christ had not satisfied for he should have lyen in the grave to this day 1 Cor. 15.17 3. That the vertue and power of our Regeneration in this life cometh from the power and vertue of Christ's Resurrection Eph. 4.8 10. This confuteth the Socinians that hold Christs Resurrection onely exemplary and the Pelagians that say we have power to raise our selves therefore every one of us should labour to know the vertue of his Resurrection by an experimental and practical knowledge according to that of the Apostle Phil. 3.8 10. and because we cannot have this knowledge of our selves let us pray to the Lord to give it us Eph. 1.19 1. Let us labour to know the power of God in raising up Christ from the dead our faith and hope is grounded upon the power of God 1 Pet. 1.21 that raised him from the dead that therefore he will bestow all good things upon us And here we must consider the will of God for his power is effectual when it is according to his will Joh. 6.39 40. God hath promised to be our God and to bestow all good upon us thus considering of the power of God as it is an effectual and working power joyned with his will it is a means whereby our faith and hope cometh to be in God 2. Let us meditate on the goodness of God in raising Christ from the dead we call him our Father and Almighty Father for otherwise if we consider the power of God without his goodness it will make us to flye from him rather than to trust in him this goodness of God is manifest in that God raised him up and gave him glory and all for us and our glory Sect. 8. Of meditation on Death The next subject of our meditations is is Death The eighth subject of meditation is death Life and Death are common accidents to all living creatures saith Aristotle God made not death but death crept and entred into world through the envy of Satan and man's disobedience If God had made death he would not with tears have bewayled dead Lazarus whom therefore he restored to life that the Devil might see it is but lost labour with rage to pursue the children of God to take them out of the world forasmuch as those whom men may deem utterly lost and destroyed do live unto God The meditation of Death belongeth to all sorts of persons seeing it is appointed to all men once to dye and that by reason of sin Rom. 6.23 Obj. The Pelagians say That Adam should and must have dyed though he had not sinned even by the necessity of nature and by the condition of his creation being made of corruptible or mutable matter and with a mortal body Resp I answer That as some things are mutable which nevertheless shall never be changed as the good Angels might have fallen as the evil did before they were confirmed so there may be something mortal which yee for all that need not dye for as the * Mortale duplicitèr vocatur viz. vel quod naturae necessitate mori oportet vel quod peccati merito mori potest Quod quicunque dixerit Adam primum hominem mortalem factum ita ut siâ—è peccaret sive nòn peccaret moreretur in corpore hoc est de corpore exiret non peccati merito ed neessitate naturae Anathema sit Concil Melevit cap. 1. Learned have observed A thing may be called mortal two wayes either that which must dye by the necessity of nature or that which may dye by the desert of sin For the first Adam's body was not so mortal that it must have dyed by
be â—ired to hold one hand in it an hour â—o gain a Kingdome how then shall â—he wicked be able to endure their whole bodies in that fire which is much hotter and created only for â—orment 3. It 's everlasting fire if a man were laid upon our fire it would in â—hort time consume his body to ashes â—nd put an end to his misery but men's bodies shall then be immortall â—o that they shall ever be burning â—ut never consumed yea when they have been there as many thousand years as they have been dayes or hours upon the earth they be never the nearer the end of their pain and â—o strait is the allowance of that place as nothing shall there be obtained as might give them the least hope of ease or refreshment the rich glutton whose â—ody hath been finely clad delicately â—ed and softly lodged is now in a scorching surnace of fire that â—ongue of his that was wont to be deâ—ied no sawce to make his meat relish and go down merrily Dives in inferno cogente inopia usque ad minima petenda perductus est qui sua tenacitate ad minima neganda pauperibus restrictus est Gloss in Iob 27. Ibi dolor permanet ut affligat natura perdurat ut sentiat quia utrumque non deficit nec poena de ficiet Aug. Et sic morientur damnati ut sempèr vivant sic vivent ut sempèr moriantur Bern. meditat c. 19. cannot now come by one drop of water to cool it self what lesse thing could he have desired yet this little he is denied There saith Austin doth pain remain that it might alwayes torment and there doth nature endure that iâ— might ever feel the pain and becausâ— neither of these be wanting thereforâ— the punishment can never have a ceasing so shall the damned die that they may alwayes live and so live thae they may be alwayes dying then those whose iniquities could not bâ— consumed with the vehement flameâ— of God's burning love shall be foâ— ever frying in the everlasting burnings and the hearts of those thaâ— would not be mollified with the refreshing dews of God's blessings oâ— earth shall be hardened to endurâ— the vengeance of eternall fire Damascen tells us of a certain King who was desirous to breed up his Soâ— in continuall pleasures for whicâ— purpose he caused him to be educateâ— in a Pallace which seemed to bâ— consecrated to all kinds of pastimeâ— all which nature and art could do 〈◊〉 delight the senses was here inclosed Suetonius reports of Tib. Cesar that being sought to by an offender to hasten his punishment he answered him Nondum tecum in gratiam redii so if one of the damned after many thousand years burning in Hell should entreat for a speedy death God would answer him in the same manner nothing was permitted to be presented before his eyes that might any way displease him in the end this happy creature was troubled at his golden cage and delightfull prison and desired to leave it and take a view of the world Oh then what a horrible bondage will it be to be in a fiery lake in an ugly stinking and loathsome pit of darknesse where he shall have Devils tormenting him for ever 4. Meditate on the contrariety of those torments in respect of their qualities there is a perpetuall flaming fire and yet an horrid mist of darknesse heat continually boiling and yet cold continually congealing the fire alwayes burning yet no light appearing thus saith Gregory Hell torments in the destruction of the wicked do disagree from their natures because while the wicked lived upon earth they disagreed from the will of their Creatour The serious meditation of Hell is of singular use to us Chrysostome saith that nothing is more profitable for people than that Ministers preach often and people meditate much on Hell fire and that the surest way to be freed from Hell is to meditate much upon the torments of Hell and saith he to his people offended thereat If you be troubled at the hearing of the torments of Hell fire how would you be able to feel the torments of it and he addeth Whether I preach of it or you think of it or not the fire burneth and to think often of it is a soveraign remedy for the soul and let me adde You that will not now meditate on Hell fire a time shall come that you shall have nothing else to do but to think of it you that will not now think of Hell to prevent it a time shall come that you shall have such thoughts as these Once I had a day of grace God gave me space for repentance but now there is none once this misery might have been prevented but now neither ease nor end of this misery is to be expected then wilt thou cry out against thy sin that brought thee to this place of torment then wilt thou see the wickednesse of depraved nature the deceitfulnesse of thy lusts and that all the worlds enticements have been meer inchantments To think seriously and frequently of Hell here Kempis de imitat Christi preserveth a man from falling into Hell have a care to repent while yet there is time for pardon what else shall the fire devour but thy sins the more thou heapest up sins the more matter thou layest up for the fire Sect. 11. Of meditation on the glory of Heaven The last subject of our meditations here shall be the glory of Heaven The last subject of Meditation the glory of Heaven wonderfull and unspeakable is that glory such as all the Kings and Emperous in the world cannot give they can leave their Kingdomes but to one of their sons the rest must be put off with Dukedomes and other dignities as the children of Abraham by Keturah and his Concubines must take their portions and be gone Isaac only must be his heir Gen. 25. but all God's children shall be heirs and crowned Kings Rev. 20.6 and inherit such a Kingdome as the world never saw nor dreamed of it is sometimes called the Kingdome of Heaven Mat. 8.11 sometimes a bosome a place of rest and sweet refreshment Luk. 16. sometimes Paradise in allusion to the earthly Paradise a place of all delights and pleasure where our first Parents lived before their fall Luk. 23.43 I dare not undertake to describe the joyes of Heaven but by circumstances we may guesse something at the greatnesse thereof 1. Let us conceive of it by this world which we see and wherein we live which is enlightned from the Sun Moon and Stars covered with the fair Canopy of the Heavens invironed with the Sea interlaced with many winding Rivers replenisht with variety and plenty of Cattell Fowls and Fish for the use and service of man and why was this world built but to be a resting place for man to stay in for a short time if then God hath given us such a cottage to be Termers in what shall
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
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
Heaven Activa vira habet solicitum cursum contemplativa gaudium sempiternum Prosper l. 1 de contempl virâ Meditation clears up the promises to him that he never saw before he saw them before as by Candle-light by common light and reason but now he seeth them in another complexion Meditation clears up their interest in God and his promises and this is great matter of rejoycing Meditation works in the soul a frame of heart suitable to the Gospel what is more suitable to the Gospel than the joyes of the holy Ghost therefore when meditation works thorowly upon the heart it yeeldeth comforts suitable to the Gospel It is good for Christians to meditate much in God's promises which do convey much joy into the heart then dost thou improve the promises when thou dost so relish them as to rejoyce in them according to that sweetnesse that is revealed and contained in them 4. Quae alii di◠pariendo levia faciunt sapiens levia facit diù cogitando Charron de sapient Psal 119.150 151. Holy meditation is a great support to the soul under afflictions when trouble is near it represents God as near or nearer than any trouble can be suppose it be trouble of spirit that is very near indeed for that is in the vitals it is a soul-sicknesse but meditation shewes them though Satan may draw near to them to devour them yet God is nearer to them a God nearer to save than any michievous enemy to destroy Meditation labours to affect the heart with the sense of God's continuall presence with it this is indeed our great weaknesse and our great unthankfulnesse that we are apt to muse more upon God's afflicting of us than of God's perpetuall presence with us there is a savour in the ointments of the Lord Christ sufficient to perfume any soul that comes near him 5. Frequent meditation on God makes a man more holy more like unto him it sees so much beauty and goodnesse in him that it makes a man cast away every unsavoury lust and all those affections that have a strong sent of the flesh that they may be made like to God in holinesse Those Flowers that grow in the Sun are far more beautifull and fragrant and pleasant than those that grow in the shade but if we suffer our souls to be over-shadowed with carnall thoughts and affections these dark bodies will interpose between God and us and hinder the influences of his love upon us If the Needle that is but toucht with the Loadstone stands Northward then the soul that is toucht with God will stand Heaven-ward and labour to be conformed more to him in holinesse 6. Meditation is a great help to perseverance in well-doing the serious and frequent meditation of this promise Psal 94.12 14. that the Lord will not cast off his people nor forsake his inheritance makes them to cleave fast unto him This is the foundation of a peoples blessednesse that God will not forsake them when he doth most sharply correct them that the same priviledge that belongs to the whole Church belongs to every member of it for it is as possible for God to cast off his people and his whole inheritance as to cast off any one particular member of it for for God to cast off his people were to disinherit himself God would have his people to meditate hereof Thus saith God to Jeremy Ier. 33.24 25 26. Considerest thou not what this people have spoken saying the two families which the Lord hath chosen he hath cast them off but in the words following see how God doth assert his unchangeable Covenant against this false assertion If my Covenant be not with day and night and if I have not appointed the Ordinances of Heaven and earth then will I cast away the seed of Jacob c. as if he had said If ever you knew a day that had not a night succeeding it and a winter without a summer and ever found the Laws of Heaven abrogated then may you give way to your unbelief and think that I will cast off my people but if you see a perpetuall interchange of day and night though some dayes be more bright than others then will I never cast off any people that I have taken for my own The meditation hereof is a speciall means to keep us close to God even then when the foundations of the earth are shaken Meditate seriously on such things as may serve actually to convince thee of the unfitnesse and unreasonablenesse of thy yeelding to the sin to which thou art tempted and of the mischief that may come by yeelding When we muster up such thoughts we levy store of good souldiers which will fight with us and for us and do us good service while we are under temptation by this means alone with God's grace accompanying have many servants of God held their own when the Devil would have killed them Hoord Serm. in Ephes 4.30 7. Meditation is a strong barricado against the temptations of Satan the soul finds so much sweetnesse in God that it strongly guardeth the heart will and affections against temptations to sin it finds such delight in the meditation of God that it loaths the sweetest sin He that is used to choice meats and drinks can very ill brook unsavoury things so a man that is heavenly minded is brought to disrelish those sins that others drink down like water with greedinesse meditation makes the heart very tender and sensible of lesser sins and stirrings of corruption In a still silent clear night a little sound will be easily heard which will not be taken notice of in the day time when there is much businesse in hand so when Christ and the soul do rest and converse together the soul is very quick of hearing if the old Serpent doth but hisse never so little Satan then finds the soul upon its guard and that it hath a wakefull enemy A soul that is constant in the meditation of God is like a bright clear shiny day when any little cloud will be taken notice of at the first rising and like a calm Sea where a little stirring of the water will be discerned when the water first ariseth Chap. 14. The Motives to Meditation I shall now proceed to lay down divers Motives to meditation Meditation is delightfull to God Motive 1 It was the saying of an Heathen If God took delight in any felicity it was in contemplation God delights in holy meditations because in them we come nearest to the purity and simplicity of God in nothing do we more converse with him than in our pure and active meditations by these when we are as it were absent in body we are present with him for when the body lyes upon its bed and takes its rest the devout soul solaceth it self with God 2. This exercise of meditation may be done when other duties cannot When we want an opportunity to hear the Word to read to
pray solemnly we may have liberty to confer with God by holy meditations 3. The Lord heareth the meditations of his people David prayes to God not only to consider his words but also to consider his meditation Psal 5.1 As our ears saith Austin Aug. in Psal 48. Hom. 16. Aug. in Psal 41. are to our words so are God's ears to our thoughts and in another place saith he We hear not one another without the benefit as of our lungs so of our tongues but Cogitatio tua clamor est ad Dominum thy very thoughts are shrill in the ears of God and elsewhere he saith Aug. Confes â—0 c. 2. My confession O my God is made in thy sight secretly and yet not in secret Tacet enim strepitu clamat affectu it makes no noise at all by way of sound and yet it is clamorous by reason of her love Gregor in Iob. They are not our words but our desires and thoughts that yeeld a most forcible sound in the most secret ears of God There is saith Peter Martyr Pet. Mart. in 1 Sam. 1.12 no need at all of voice when we make our private prayers to God in regard that God heareth our hearts and minds 4. Meditation brings the soul to rest it self in God One saith Struth Observ 87. Cent. 2. that contemplation is both the labour and the rest of the devout soul it carries up the spirit of man into the bosome of God's love it exalts a man so high as to make him look down upon these sublunary things with contempt as Peter James and John Luk. 9.33 following Christ to the Mount where he was transfigured seeing some of his glory cried out Master it is good for us to be here so when a Christian follows Christ upon the Mount of meditation he is where he would be he cryes out it is good for me to be here 5. A man given to meditation is a growing Christian As holy meditations do thrive with us and abide in us so doth the grace of God increase in us holy meditations are good tokens of present grace and do enkindle strong desires after more grace the man that is barren in meditation is barren and unfruitfull in grace 6. Meditation is a great evidence of sincerity As men may know us by our actions as the tree is known by his fruit so a man may know himself by his constant thoughts for as he thinketh in his heart so is he Prov. 23.7 And God looks not so much upon what we do as upon what our hearts are most upon not so much upon what is uttered by the lips as upon what the heart indites by this we draw vertue from God himself and are full of the life of God 7. Meditation is a Christian's Heaven upon earth This is as one saith the measure that God gives in this life a beginning that shall be finished an earnest that shall be followed with the full summe The soul that keeps daily intercourse with God in holy meditations is in patriâ Contemplatio dicitur cibus in hâc vitâ ubi in sudore vescimur pane nostro potus in futurâ ubi liberè sine dolore sumitur ebrietas in ultimâ cùm animo recepto corpore congaudebit Bern. Sent. when he is in viâ at home when he is in the way he quits earth to live in Paradise the love and Magnificats he bestows on God are his chiefest imployment in this one object he finds all his happinesse and his diversion his heart is no longer in the earth he mounts up to Heaven by his desires and converseth more with Angels than with men and hath already a large tast of the sweetnesse of heavenly pleasures FINIS