relating to those things Meditation is to be upon gather the varieties of Scripture-passages about that particular subject you mean to meditate on The Scripture in the diversities of passages about particular subjects is like a rich banquet where are set before thee great varieties of rarities There are all manner of subjects All the credenda and facienda all things to be believed and practised in order to salvation There are great varieties of heavenly Truths for knowledge and wisdom and right believing Great varieties of Precepts Rules and Directions for due practice Many Promises and many Threatnings to back the Precepts sundry Patterns and Precedents to assist them and make them and thereby the Precepts more effectual on us Oft in Scripture the same things are expressed in a various manner in a different a new mode and fashion in new trimmings as it were and new dressings to both edifie and also please us Variety in expression carries oft variety of Notion holds forth something more to be learnt and affords something that may gratifie our spirits as to pleasure and delight So the lame thing hath it may be varieties of Arguments and Reasons for conviction and demonstration Inducements to perswade and lead Arguments and Inducements with the highest Art of Reasoning with the best improvement of Rhetorick and Perswasion Thus if thou meanest to meditate upon God or Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit upon Faith or Love or any Grace upon any duty any sin any affliction Thy way is to see what the Scripture hath and holds forth in the several passages of it as concerning Faith of the Nature of it of the effects and properties of it priviledges coming by it reasons to perswade to believe to live by Faith in all conditions how great variety of expressions have you for all things relating to Faith so of other particular subjects By this variety taking up one expression after another at such times as you can best how may thy Meditation be carried on with great delight and to great advantage This is one excellent way to order and improve thy Meditation take varieties of Scripture-passages about any particular subject thou wilt meditate on 1. For Scripture expression hath a bottom and foundation of sure and infallible truth which comes from God that cannot lye your Meditation goes on sure ground 2. Scripture-expressions are suited for us by the so infinite wisdom of a God who knows how best to declare his own mind and how best to convey and teach it to our capacity and condition None can speak so to me as God in the Scripture doth 3. Yea Scripture-expressions are sanctified by God to enable us to sanctifie him in this and all other duties This therefore is our best way to feed on these rarities this rich banquet of so great varieties when we are to meditate Hereby we may ever have matter abundantly to meditate never be to seek and for the manner perform it with great delight and pleasure which will otherwise be a weariness This certainly was the way of the highest Artists in Meditation David and other holy persons upon Record in Scripture They could not but see the same things to be repeated yet oft in a various way of expression therefore must conclude that the holy Inditer had his wise intendment in so various expressions Therefore their godly wisdom must teach them when they meditated to go in that way the Spirits condescending intent led them So let it be thy Rule for thy help for to make thy Meditation pleasurable and profitable together I will mention some Instances The Grace of Faith is thus variously exprest By trusting in God Prov. 3.5 Trust in the Lord with all thy heart Isa 26.4 Trust in the Lord Jehovah and in other places Psal 37.5 By rowling our way on God By taking hold of Gods strength Isa 27.5 and divers others In reference to Christ by seeing the Son Joh. 6.40 Coming to Christ Matth. 11.28 And believing on and in Christ often Love of God Deut. 30.6 Love thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul Deut. 6.5 Love thy God with all thy heart and soul and a third is added With all thy might Mark 12.10 Christ adds to the three former With all thy mind Certainly these varyings had their intent were that when we meditate of these or other graces we should furnish our Meditation and improve by them Thus things cited in Deuteronomy are variously exprest from those very passages and particulars in the former Books So the Chronicles express differently things in the Kings and the Four Evangelists vary the expressions of the same things both the matters historical and doctrinal and all the Scripture over this is practised Variety of expression calls for observation and holds forth oft some peculiar Notion and Instruction Let this therefore be thy Rule in Meditation 2. Be sure frequently and earnestly to meditate both of thy supreme and chief end and of the proper and proportionate means thereto conducing But do daily something more to purpose in that great Meditation of the supreme end as wisdom teaches and being that in its nature which deserves the highest and first things that also which gives Rules to all thy other actings and endeavours that glorifying exalting God above all Do very much in collecting together spreading before thee well considering acting the most vigorous and intense Meditation of all such things which may reduce thee to higher apprehensions warmer affections firmer resolutions and more earnest and even contendings for glorifying him that is God and there is none beside him for him that only gave thee thy all body soul life and only preserves thy all That gave his only Son to death to save thy souls life His Spirit to draw thee to Christ or thou hadst never come To dwell and work in thee and do all for thee as to applying Christ and all fellowship in Christ and with him and hath so infinitely obliged thee Therefore how sinful how unworthy to not honour and glorifie him how unkindly he takes it and how it grieves him Let Meditation gather up and indusstriously strive to improve all it possibly can Ah! how that holy Apostle was looking and striving this way how near was this glorifying God to his heart how much in his eye and endeavour how oft is he speaking of it How earnestly doth he provoke all he had to do with to it 1 Cor. 10.31 Whatsoever ye do if eat or drink do all to the glory of God acting all to it must imply an always minding of it 3. Lay sound stress likewise in Meditation as to that thy next chief end self-saving to have more serious thoughts and industrious pressings on hard to work it out and make thy calling and election sure To work it out against all difficulties and oppositions look more earnestly up to Heaven and into Heaven And it is good when thou thinkest of Heaven be then so bold with thy self
that my soul could Meditate still better flye farther mount higher be more upon the wing make sweeter and more happy discoveries and prove a greater proficient in this Heavenly way Meditate with desires and breakings of Soul to dart up the highest you can to Heaven and stay there CHAP. XV. Of the next Affection Love 2. THe next Affection which sends a Great Artery of vivifical Heat a glowing Heat into this Meditation is that of Heavenly Love Love to the Duty and the Excellent things to be Meditated upon Love is the great Heart Fire made to warm every holy service Ps 119.97 O how Love I thy Law it is my Meditation all the day Love led him into this pleasant soul walk of sweet Meditation and Love kept him company kept his heart warm in it The fulfilling of the Commandment is Love Rom. 13.10 and Love is the fulfilling of this Commandment of Meditating It is performed in Love This Heart vital Heat of Love must move to and in Meditation must glow through the whole work all the time of it Meditation is either of the infinite beauties of the most blessed God the infinite perfections and surpassing glories of his Essence and Attributes and of the Three Persons in that Essence or else of the precious Word or Works of God his general Providence and Government or his peculiar Governing of the reasonable Creatures especially that so stupendious work of Redemption by Christ and all those things which are reducible to his praise which must needs being so beauteous have their surpassing loveliness And therefore there is great reason to act love abundantly towards them To have Meditation still richly perfum'd with actings of burning love all over it O let Love ever come in and act its part in Meditation wherein the Souls Eye is not only glancing but wishly viewing the surpassing beauteous things of Heaven or such things as may lead up to Heaven Ah if I cannot ascend in a Flame of love yet let me in Meditation flye up in some sparks of Love If my heart cannot burn in the flame of Love let it keep warm upon the Embers of Love Let Love give it a spirit vigour and liveliness As Solomons Temple was inwardly all overlaid with Gold let this rare work of Contemplation be overlaid and inlaid with Love Cant. 3.10 as Solomons Chariot in the Canticles the midst of it paved with love so let this Chariot of Contemplation the midst of it be paved with Love This is the Second Affection Love CHAP. XVI Of the last Affection Delight 3. THE last Affection to make a threefold cord to draw up the heart in Meditation and that winds the work up higher and that is a great superadded Beauty and Glory is the Affection of Delight Joy and Pleasure Meditation must not be a dull sad and dispirited thing Not a driving like the Chariots of the Egyptians when their Wheels were taken off but like the Chariots of Aminadab Cant. 6.12 Make me like the Chariots of Aminadab that ran swiftly So let us pray Lord in Meditation make me like the Chariots of Aminadab that my swift running may evidence my Delight in Meditating Holy David makes Delight such an Ingredient or Assistant here that sometimes he calls this Exercise of Meditation by the Name of Delight Psal 119.16 speaking in the foregoing Verse of this Meditation I will Meditate in thy Precepts in the 16. verse I will Delight my self in thy Statutes which is the same with Meditation only with superadding the excellent qualification due Meditation should have This Name is given from this noble concomitant As Wisdoms ways are all paths of pleasantness so this path it hath its pleasantness and sweetness Contemplation hath its rare and most pleasant walks No Habitation hath such Rooms such Galleries within of pleasure Nor Gardens without with such Walks and Curiosities No Situation or Stand such Prospects and varieties of delightful Eye-Objects as Meditation enjoys All Objects that Nature or Art can present to the Eye are meer Shadows and Nothings in respect of the rich and rare Furniture the Eye of Meditation is provided with The Traveller whose fect and helps have carried him the farthest whose Eye and Observation hath viewed and taken in never so much variety and Curiosity that hath recreated ravisht and satiated it self never so largely with any of the most taking things the whole Worlds fullness comprises hath not cannot come neer to and compare with the transcendencies of purest highest Soul-refreshing ravishing Delights this high Operation and more sublime acting conveighs and gives in where the Object is spiritual the Eye Spiritual the heart holy and spiritual and the way of acting upon this Spiritual Object is Spiritual as every way or Ordinance of Christ is Or where the Object is excellent the faculty exercised on it is excellent the Medium or way of Applying the Faculty to the Object is Excellent There the Delight and Pleasure is most rare and excellent There are sundry sorts of pleasures There are sensitive pleasures of the external Senses as of Hearing Seeing Tasting and the like These are very various and very great too often too bewitching and besotting There are Phansie Imagination-pleasures I say the pleasures of Phansie which are rare and higher than those of the outward Senses Imagination and Phansie which is a quick sudden short and shallow apprehension of things it is not judgment that ponders but a sudden slight taking in and acting this is especially in some sorts of persons a very high Spring and strong Feeder of Delight or Pleasure of Pleasures that come like things fresh quick and spirited to the Body and Senses Phansies O how they perfume like richest scents please like briskest and most racy Wine Phansies though often very fond and vain yet are great insets of Delight 3. There are Intellectual Pleasures Rational Joys and Delights These are more high sublime and refined and therefore more sweet such as the Pleasures of understanding new rare Notions excellent Speculations and apprehensions of solid and precious Truths and the Minds Musings on them Tasting feeding on them this in it self is a more transcending Delight than the two former though Phansies weigh more with some yea though sensual Pleasures take most with abundance 4. But there are beyond the former namely those that are spiritual Pleasures Delights found and felt in a holy and spiritual Heart in one that hath a Principle far above Sense and Phansie and Natural Reason that a renewed Mind a Spiritual Understanding a Wisdom from above only reaches and relishes and these are best and sweetest when they are not only taken into the Soul by an act of apprehension and conceiving of them but when they pass into the more inward Room or Office of the Mind into the Judgment when they are there detained in Consideration and by Meditation give down their delicious sweetness like Grapes in the Wine-Press Meditation is such a Soul Engine such an instrument of such
these acted with the purest enmity keenest malice utmost vigilancy and unwearied diligence He hath the higher ground of us by far as being a Spirit and of the highest rank of Creatures as to his Nature and Essence and is thereby most wise and strong and agile He is immortal never can dye nor in any sort decay as we and other creatures decay in strength senses and exercising of our souls faculties understanding memory and others as he is never dying nor in the least decaying so he hath been is and ever will be to the worlds end trying and tempting Trying and practising upon the innumerable sorts of persons of all Sexes all Ages that are capable in the least degree to be tempted of all ranks conditions relations in all places whatsoever through the vast inhabited earth Job 1.7 He also enlarges his experiences puts still fresh on his file improves continually his arts of deceiving and doth he not grow more bold raging and busie as his time grows shorter Rev. 12.12 Pondered well it should be that 't is not one single Devil to tempt us but there are Legions very many of them and they are all one huge Army of Devils under one great Head The Devil and his Angels Mat. 25.41 Rev. 12.7 His Angels are his assistants which constantly and exactly comply and co-operate with him The Devils never are divided do not jar and act against each other but are all of one interest of destroying Souls and accordingly do harmoniously contend Oft in Scripture mention is made of Satan and the Devil as if he were a single one But this may be to shew their unanimity and unity The Scripture hath sufficiently warned us and related his attempts and prevailings as first upon Adam and Eve in their state of innocency and perfection yet he then though they knew not only their own happiness but all their posterities though never so numerous lay at the stake he then by his Artifices and subtlety prevailed After that upon the second man that ever was upon the deceived Parents first born Cain therefore 1 Joh. 3.12 Cain is said to be of the wicked one and on sundry other wicked all along still the current of time Yea prevailed he often hath upon the very best Saints that ever the world had Job David Peter and others Job 3.1 c. 2 Sam. 24.1 Mat. 26.3 he forbears none Therefore it is very much to be considered and how he is to be watched and warred with and the Armour of proof is to be duly minded and the putting of it on Ephes 6.13 He that hath conquered him the Lord Jesus and that hath conquered him for his members this glorious conquest must be meditated upon as the strongest Cordial in the case and way of taking it the Promise with the way of acting by the Promise Praying and other Ordinances given for our help this need be often a great Meditation 7. That Enemy the World should have its due Meditation Its allurements on the one side its oppositions on the other I must meditate on the diversities of baits the latitudes of Pleasures heights of Honour heaps of Wealth 1 Joh. 2.15 Friends Relations Company Converse Cares Business and all my Lets Diversions Entanglements of all the evils in Troubles Forcings Frauds Plottings and all ways of ensnaring and ruining me Also the World in so many respects being suited either to my natural inclination or my customary readiness for closing with it or otherwise to my fears and cowardise softness and fickleness weakness and weariness to withstand or overcome it Yet I must consider how the Saints have overcome the world by acting as Moses and others their self-denyal looking to the recompence of reward looking to him that is invisible and especially to Jesus the Author and finisher of our Faith and by Faith and Patience both enduring and gloriously overcoming 8. Sometimes I may very fruitfully meditate on the wants and weakness of my Grace begun in some measure 2 Pet. 1.5 it s often ebbings and flowings its stops and stands A little progress at the best my so carnal heart makes also of the extream need I have of continual stirring up and exercising Faith Love Hope Fear and other Graces thereby to grow stronger and put forth vigorously on all occasions minding also the helps I have in Christs holy Ordinances encouragements in the precious promises and supplies by the blessed Spirits operations out of the so great fulness of Christ 9. Oft I should apply my seriousness to that so concerning particular the continual and fast running out of the golden sands of my time and special seasons for working out of my salvation The time is short faith the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.29 Psal 39.5 Behold thou hast made my days as an hand-breadth Seasons past can never be recall'd seasons present cannot be stopt from running out Opportunity is the greatest Talent as the saying is as that whereby we employ all other Talents Therefore we are so often earnestly call'd upon for redeeming time as Eph. 5.16 Redeeming the time Eccl. 9.10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with all thy might for there is no work in the Grave c. Though time and seasons as the course of the Heavens may be made to stop if the Sun as in Joshua's time should miraculously stand still Jos 10.13 or as in Hezekiah's time go back Isa â— 8 yet mens particular time then did not go back or stand still so our particular time of life cannot go back or stand still Job 9.25 and 14.1 2. and ver 5. Life every moment shortens and is melting down into its appointed period Life is a thing of the greatest contingency and uncertainty there is no Ensurance Office set up for it It passes swiftly without pause or stop this the Scripture both minds us greatly of and furnishes us with rare precedents of the Saints serious and moving Meditations about it O let me then look on them and do likewise I let me use and improve the patterns purposely there recorded to help and quicken my forgetful dead spirit I next come to speak of the four last things as they commonly are called Death Judgment Hell and Heaven CHAP. XVIII Meditation of Death THE uncertainty of life last mentioned leads me to the subject next akin to it that so considerable and consequential point of Mortality Death and Dissolution O that here I could be the highest Artist to speak most fitly and movingly to this subject Death or at least to do something which might prove effectual to some such proper and proportionate way of directing and quickning this so necessary and useful Meditation This is the great momentous and most highly concerning thing the end and winding up of life and all affairs and matters relating to it and that which casts me and determines my condition for all Eternity in woe or happiness Let me therefore endeavour the best I can at all times to improve my thinkings of it
they think bare knowing without due Meditating is an undervaluing of spiritual things CHAP. XXVII Of the third Ground of this Meditation as to several ends and uses THE third great ground of this necessary Duty is from the Ends and the great concernments of them as to all sorts of persons 1. For a sinners first conversion to God 1. Meditation is a Duty incumbent on and highly necessary for persons yet strangers to God to bring them home Ezek. 18.28 Because he considereth and turneth 1 King 8.47 If they bethink themselves and turn returning of the sinners is upon considering and self bethinking thus the Prodigal Luke 15. No man ever truly converts to God without some consideration of his Misery with his absolute need of Christ and his Grace and flying to him Although the efficacious drawing of a sinner be Gods work he awakens convinces humbles and he changes the heart yet not without the sinners considering minding mourning seeking and striving God converts men as reasonable Creatures and conversion is founded on the deepest set reasons and the strongest working and prevailing arguments in the world God he awakens and the sinner looks about and considers he reasons with himself as the Prodigal and out-reasons himself but by Gods mighty working keeping down the hearts corruption and by its quickning the soul with a new living principle and so he resolves and returns to God If more would muse and consider did do it duly more God enabling would return When the one is to be done the other shall be done men shall come to consider and ponder 2. For all renewed repenting There 's great necessity of consideration for our renewing our returning continually for holding up an evenness and constancy of renewed repentance Psal 119.59 I considered my ways and turned my feet to thy Testimonies Fresh godly sorrow self-loathings serious returnings must have new fresh considerings of the sinfulness of sin and laying loads of aggravations on particular new warpings and miscarriages Especially greater Repentings require a deeper and larger foundation in consideration as David did in Psal 51. that evidences great and deep thoughts of heart 3. For a vigorous acting of Grace For vigorous acting any Grace Faith Love Hope Fear Humility Patience and others as is frequently seen in the Saints in Scriptures what reasons and perswasions they drew out of the depths of considerations Job David others All the heart Graces are stirr'd and acted in some measure by consideration either of the command enjoyning the Promise encouraging threatning awing examples exciting arguments in some sort or other inducing and helping It is something that works and weighs is first pondered before the soul acts or is rightly moved A Christian acts not as Water or Fire which move by their own inclination But as men act in things as men which is by choice and free election but upon preceding instigation of Reason and consideration Grace though it be a spring of living water it is not that which runs over of it self That 's for Heaven where the heart will be full and run alone It is not like the spring-head of Jordan that ran of it self but like Jacob's well that had always water but must always be drawn It must be drawn out by consideration Christians mistake and complain oft of their hearts and would have them like a running Spring to run to act alone when here in the best though there be water as in Jacob's Well yet the well is deep there must be drawing for every drop or none will come Therefore to make it come the Bucket of Consideration must be letting down and pulling up and so pouring forth What the Apostle said to Timothy 2 Tim. 1.6 Stir up the gift that is in thee must be said to all and done by all that would do any thing Some Horses we say go on meer Metal without out provocation of switch or spur others will go well with some stirring up So our hearts if good will go on in godliness but not on meer Metal but with provokings of considerations There should be endeavoured the best and strongest mindings and reasonings if we would act Graces vigorously and strongly There 's a necessity that strong purposes and resolutions for believing trusting loving hoping all acting all enduring strongly be bottom'd in strong mindings and considerings The fuller the consideration the better the actings of Graces the stronger the spring in the Watch the better all the Wheels move CHAP. XXVIII Of other ends of this Meditation 4. FOR all Duties and holy performances there is great necessity of Meditation in some due measure for a due wise warm lively and spiritual acting them acting from the right principle of Grace within by the right rule eying the Word and to the right mark and end salvation Real and vigorous performing in this sort must have some good allowance of pondering what we are to perform This is very conspicuous in holy David so great a performer of holy Duties Praying confessing and praising his prayings and all things in that way he calls his Meditation Certainly those so excellent Psalms of prayings and praisings were no flashes of a meerly raised phansie or some hasty runnings over of a hot Brain not an uttering what came next but the passages so rare spiritual and heavenly and so strongly rational as they had a touch from Heaven in the Spirits guidance and assistance so they had a tincture from a wise holy heart within laying them asteep in consideration and acting them with it in highest heeds and mindings concurring with their utterings Things so well spoken must be well weighed especially when they also were to be Scripture Records For holy Prophets and Scripture Pen-men were to use their own natural gifts and their graces in their writings though the Spirit of God infallibly guided sometimes raised and elevated them above themselves Duties of Religion ebb and flow are more lively spiritual and heavenly or more dead carnal and such as run lower according to their fomentings and feedings from the warm spring of Meditation thus in our praying and other duties we may daily experience Christians complain they are dead-hearted and cold slight and perfunctory in performances confessions are not accompanied with heart-meltings shame and self-loathings Petitions not with fervency strong cryings and earnest wrestlings Thanksgivings not with that flame of love and joy and high admirings of the so great goodness and rich free Grace of God in his ways and dispensations toward us commonly the cause is the spring of Meditation is stopt the soul runs not in such a current of considerations and quickning reasons as it ought and used to do When any part or member of the body fails in heat sense or motion where there is actio laesa as the Physicians say there 's principium laesum that is where is an action or acting hurt or hindred from its natural and usual way there the principle and feeder of that action hurt and
King of Glories Garden for thy walk and sweet refreshings Travelling abroad to see sundry Countries Towns Cities and the great varieties of Objects there is counted a rare sight a great pleasure and contentment Travelling with the Eye of Reason amongst the great mysteries and rare secrets of Nature and by searching curious exquisite searching to make new strange discoveries of Natures implanted excellencies the makings and framings so admirable the properties and efficacies so strange and amazing in so many sorts of things This travelling in these close walks these hidden ways ending in new rare and useful experiences is a very singular pleasure to many but peculiarly to elevated and refined parts and wits But travelling with a spiritual eye among spiritual holy and heavenly Objects and to see this whole prospect take a view of all the varieties of heavenly beauties and glories meeting us in our walk this is a ravishing solace indeed beyond all others as far as Diamonds transcend the dirt or the glorious lights of Heaven do clods of Earth or Dunghils In Psal 119.14 15 16. the Psalmist tells what in Meditation-walks he met with more solace than in all riches of which he had so great abundance a Kingdom of his own and the rich spoils of other Kingdoms also Carnal and sensual persons study sometimes and act great curiosity to heighten and enlarge pleasures and to find out new rare pleasures not tasted before Oft they are at a loss and discomposed for a not having some new pleasures as being cloyed with the old But here is a way for a heavenly spirit of unwearied walking of ever tasting larger pleasures Of ever finding fresh and higher more pure more permanent pleasures such pleasures that enlarge the heart and then enlarge themselves in it such pleasures that come fuller fresher sweeter in and then there fix and dwell Joh. 15.11 Our Saviour tells us of a full joy and of a remaining joy who can tell you such happy tidings where else any such joy is to be both felt and fixt But in such ways where Jesus Christ the water of life springs forth and flows the Saints meet with it drink of it abundantly meditate to drink meditate and drink They meditate and in their walking meet with rare rich things surpassing sweet Psal 104.34 David faith his Meditation of God was sweet certainly it was so and he means unspeakably sweet meditation on the word and works of God were abundantly sweet O how sweet must meditation of God himself be Meditation brings in and gives down sweeter and more surpassing pleasures than all earthly carnal things can so much beyond them as Manna from Heaven is beyond basest bread meanest fare as the Wine of Christ's miraculous making beyond the water it was made of Three things especially make pleasures excellent 1. When the pleasurable things are rich and excellent as Nature yields them as rare fruits rich spices and the like 2. When they are rare and excellent as Art redutes them as Art meliorates and perfects them 3. When they have a right and curious an exquisite receiver and perceiver As when purest Fountain Waters are fetcht fresh in a pure clean Vessel and have a curious Taster Or as the richest Grape by the best art is made into Wine put into the best Cask and hath best ordering and then comes to an exquisite Palate Or some excellent Flesh or Fish is by the best art prepared and by the exquisitely right and curious Taster diseerned 1. Meditation it hath those kinds of Objects which in their own Nature are most transeendent purest Springs and Rivers of Water of life the things most soul-satiating and unspeakably delighting the most glorious God the unsearchable riches of Christ the holy Spirit the great Helper and Comforter the pure and perfect Word the precious promises heavenly Ordinances glorious Grace and eternal happiness These are in themselves most excellent and therefore the highest ground for our Meditations walk for solace and pleasure and he highest 2. They have the most excellent means of preparing and fitting them for a right taste the Art and skill of the blessed Spirit 2 Pet. 1.21 Prov. 8.9 by his fitting them and ordering them to the best sutableness for us both for our minds and hearts understandings to know them wills and affections to close with them They are made plain and perspicuous perswasive and operative they have a suitableness conferr'd by an infinite wisdom of a God that knows how best to deliver them as he hath done it in the Scriptures 3. They have the best ways of receiving and perceiving namely the highest kind of wisdom a rectified and elevated understanding with a stamp and rare principle of spiritual judgment 1 Cor. 2.7 and heavenly mindedness discerning and savouring of spiritual things in allowing and approving of them 1 Cor. 1.15 He that is spiritual discerneth Phil. 1.1 Approve things that are excellent So the Will and Affections they receive and have the excellent principle of relishing and savouring spiritual things in chusing and complacency in love and joy O how I love thy Law Psal 119.97 Thy Testimonies are the joy and rejoycing of my heart Psal 119.111 This is from the principle of Grace that gives in an ability of relishing the sweet and savoury things of Heaven But when all these concur as it is in a holy heart and in reference to it the pleasure is most surpassing far beyond others where the nature of the pleasures is lower the preparation lower and the receiver and faculty of tasting of either outward or inward sense or of a meer natural and carnal heart in its best wisdom and moral excellencies is far lower Meditation is the rare way to soul-solaces and sweetest pleasures as bringing in the most excellent delicacies and stirring up the holy heart to act its principles in the Mind Will and Affections of tasting and relishing them and so to have let in the sweet pleasures and refreshments of them The rarest hours and richest soul Banquets have been prepared and come to usually by this way of Meditation when the spirit goes up to Heaven by holy Contemplation Heaven comes down to us by rich Consolation Heavenly comforts meet us balf way fill us brim full and sometimes to such runnings over as we know not how to bear up under the glorious fulness of them Never doth any sensualist or any sinner in his way taste of such pleasures Prov. Meddles not with Saints joy It is not possible that sensual and brutish pleasures should be such as intellectual nor intellectual in meerly sinful spirits such as spiritual and heavenly Meditation being a spiritual operation acts higher returns the purest highest and most ravishing pleasures Let the Saints Experience give in evidence and if sinners try upon heart changing and elevating Grace they then will find that no sensual nor any pleasures of most raised Fancies or highest notions can hold proportion with spiritual pleasures let into the heart and tasted
is because lusts and sin have that Empress of thy heart thy love for as thy love is so are thy thinkings thou pretendest thou lovest God and with all thy heart but 't is no such thing that which hath the love most hath the eye most Vbi amor ibi oculus as the common saying is who ever could truly say they loved any person most and thought of that person least but of other things every day and hour more O consider this well how evil it is thou meditatest not by reason of thy reigning corruptions and lusts that will not let thee meditate and lusts have thy thoughts from having thy love 4. Why as to thy own frame of spirit is there a neglect of this holy Duty it is from sin reigning in the relishing part the palate of thy soul sin that takes away thy taste and makes godliness unsavoury Those that are after the flesh savour the things of the flesh Rom. 8.5 Ah not to meditate from such a sad cause from a not savouring the things of God! finding no sutableness no sweetness no pleasantness in spiritual things none in the Word and ways of God in the precious promises heavenly graces glorious priviledges given to the Children of God! none in an infinitely sweet and blessed God Father Son and Spirit none in the things above but all in the things below not because they have no savour or sweetness in them but because thy carnal heart hath no principle of savouring of them 5. Nay is it not from sin that lodges and breeds in thy bosom a hellish enmity against any thing is holy Rom. 8.7 The carnal mind is enmity to God and so against every thing that comes from God Ah but sinner this is the blackest thing in thine or any bosom this is the loathsomest thing in all the world 't is the chief feature and lineament in the face of Satan the most abominable part of Satans heart and the very worst thing in all Hell nothing is or will be more evil in Hell than their enmity boiling up and running over continually against God 6. But who is he that hath unhinged thy heart in respect of this Duty of Meditation that acts thee to this awkness and bars the door against it is it not Satan that dwells and rules within Satan that is thy souls implacable Enemy and the great adversary to this Meditation And what is his reason of hindering thee his grand reason but that he knows this to be the way of coming to a mans self and converting to God Of all such things that are dispositive and assisting to Conversion and Faith Satan is the grand enemy to this consideration and meditating of a mans spiritual condition if thou wilt do Satans will and gratifie him the best thou canst if thou wilt give him the best security of utter undoing thy self let him see and know thou wilt not consider and muse on thy souls concerns but look quite another way 7. Whither do thy thoughts sink and soak but into the base Earth and in the base things of it he that looks with his bodily eye if he looks not upward may look many other ways than downward right forward on the right or left hand but thy soul's eye if it look not to things above it looks downward to the things below Col. 3.5 the base dry earth drinks up all thy thoughts 8. When wilt thou begin to think to think to any purpose indeed when will that time be shall it be when thou art most timeless and heartless when thou hast least leisure least fitness bodily fitness and disposition of ease strength spirits and senses when thou hast least heart-fitness of desires and willingness which with time will wear away and be less The longer thou disusest thy self to good and setious thinkings the less fit and disposed thou wilt every way be and the more will vanity of thoughts grow upon thee dye thy mind into the grain Colour of habitual vanity the more will thy heart grow up and ripen in an aversness from all good thoughts harden and grow more sinfully and desperately set against seriousness all such meditating as is necessary to true repenting 9. Wilt thou defer thinking and considering till it be too late till time and the season of grace shall be no longer till life and soul and Heaven be irrecoverably loft Wilt thou lose this short time here till thou comest to an Eternity of time to think of thy neglects of thinking to muse when it will do no good when musing on thy not musing and meditating will turn into torturing and tormenting thee for ever Ah therefore now while it is call'd to day now while thinking may do thee good good to converting and saving ah now bemoan thy self and sad so sad dreadful and dangerous state never rest or be quiet till thou becomest a serious person one that useth his thinking power to the right end and in the right manner to meditate thy self home as the Prodigal did home to his Fathers house to be received with great joy 1. Consider therefore this is one part of wisdom indeed of wisdom for thy self when thy soul concerns have their allowance of due consideration 2. Never expect a cure of that worm that Wolf in thy breast of those gnawing grinding pains and terrours of conscience until thou by consideration come to convert and turn to God 3. Never wilt thou taste of peace of conscience joy that is unspeakable and full of glory until thy thoughtvanity be healed and thou becomest a seriously meditating person 1. Therefore begin at that first Meditation of thy unspeakable misery under sin Gods wrath for it death eternal awaiting thee and which by deaths soon coming may seize thee and seal thee up in it for ever 2. Labour that consideration may rightly issue in an awakening thee out of thy deep security in a contrition of Spirit and a right preparative humbling dashing thy pride and carnal confidence 1. To fear exceedingly for thy so great misery and danger by being under so great wrath of a God and the curse of his Law Act. 16.29 2. To sorrow and mourn deeply for this thy misery thy mirth and laughter being turned into heaviness Jam. 4.9 3. To despair of help in thy self see the insufficiency of thy own goodness and righteousness and of thy own ability of wisdom to devise will to chuse or any power of thine to save thee 4. To come from former carelesness and negligence to an earnest care and desire to be cased and delivered Act. 2.37 2. Then being weary and heavy-laden endeavour the second consideration of the way of relief and help 1. By pondering the infinite love of God his willingness to receive broken-hearted sinners to mercy pardon reconciliation adoption and full salvation 2. The fullness of Redemption in Christ freely offer'd to all 3. By pondering the Promises of salvation righteousness so perfect and glorious pardon so full of all graces and
ends and be performed in another sort then an only wise or a learned man yea then any formal Christian can act or compass of himself And for the Characters of a right holy Meditation there will be no need to fetch any other lights of discovery but only to take up and hold those to this intendment which were opened in the discovery of the nature of divine Meditation 1. As making it our real and high obedience to God the soveraign Lord of our souls and to the golden Scepter of his Word in that express Law of his laid upon the thinking power and grounded upon the high and infinite obligations he hath on us to impose this thought-tribute and homage a pure obedience to him and doing his will herein He that meditates aright hath been taught and learnt to obey God to yield it to him as his due I am under my God saith the right Christian and infinitely obliged to all which he commands me This among others is one of his righteous and holy Laws one great signification of his Royal will I must not will not deny it dispute it or put it from me but comply freely with it And this comes from that spring that root which lyes at the bottom of the heart that supereminent love to God the holy hearts chief good and the great ground of all right obedience Rom. 13.10 Love is the fulfilling of the Law and so is it the fulfilling of this particular Law of holy Meditation love to God so infinitely excellent in himself and who hath so unspeakably loved the holy soul Therefore if it be the right and genuine obedience it hath this high this warm spring of love running in this channel this of Meditation an over-powering constraining love that breeds this thinking this looking of the soul in Meditation O therefore try if this heavenly love hath first been planted in the soil of thy heart if from a new heart circumcised to love the Lord above all that thence thou comest to love Meditation because thou lovest the Law-giver first who writes his Law and writes this particular Law in thy heart by love to it by making thee a lover of Meditation 2. If Meditation be genuine and right then is it from a choice of will wrought up by the power of holy love subduing and mortifying carnal and formerly predominant unwillingness and stubbornness reluctancy and refusals of this work and framing it to willingness freeness and fixedness of purpose to do it and hold it Psal 119.48 I will meditate saith the holy Psalmist Meditation arose from resolution from a will fixed and that arose from love acted and working the will to resolution Therefore in the 97. verse of this Psalm he speaks it to God himself O how love I thy law and what fruit doth this noble root of love put forth it is my meditation all the day Meditation of the Law proceeds from love to the Law Love lay at the bottom and that engaged the will into a firm resolution to meditate Never is the will freer and its purpose firmer then when love inclines and engages it The highest and strongest resolutions that ever were taken up by any holy heart were the rare products and sweet fruits of heavenly love love efficaciously exciting the will winding it up to the top and then fixing it fast 3. Where the work of Meditation is right the aims and ends of it are pure spiritual and holy it is carried beyond and above self it is an acting with self-denying self is neither the total nor the predominant ingredient in this undertaking That which Christ calls for of denying a mans self Mark 8.34 in the extent of all Christianity must particularly be performed in this duty Self seeking must not be uppermost not the main intent or inducement For this is the Sphere an unsound heart moves ever in The aim and end in the best natural man is never higher then self and no other really then self and that because he chiefly loves himself But a right work must be aimed and acted above all to the living God Therefore Zec. 7.5 God tells them their fasting was not right because they did it not to God so is Meditation or any other duty not right if it be not to him aimed above all at his Glory In this respect therefore Religion is in Scripture called Godliness because it is a frame of spirit acting above all self-ends and inferior respects unto the living God above all So Heb. 9.14 To serve the living God works not done to the living God are dead works a living work is aimed and level'd to the living God The end more particularly must be the glorifying God 1 Cor. 10.31 Do all to the glory of God If eating drinking and such inferior things then much more holy duties must be done to Gods glory There must be an inward powerful principle that can aim so highly really and an acting of that principle that God is actually glorified It is not enough to say we do as many erringly affirm they aim their duties when they never had first that right principle of Holiness wrought in their hearts Without the principle of Holiness it is impossible to have holy aimings holy ends It 's impossible without an eye to see to level at a mark Wheresoever there 's a right doing there 's a potent elevating principle that sets the spirit above the predominancy of self-seeking and acts it into a reality of God-exalting above all that kindles and inflames the soul into an ardency of desire love delight of glorifying God in every undertaking This is unspeakably sweet and heart-gladding nothing pleases a holy heart more then when the heart below can run in some degree parallel with the hearts of Saints and Angels above in hallowing and advancing the highest God and his Name Try we therefore if our meditating be a real acting up to the grand scope and highest end the exalting of God if his honour be indeed the preponderating inducement and greatest soul-aim 2. Happiness and our own Salvation was the next aim formerly mentioned happiness propounded and declared in the Gospel and no other To this next subordinate end must all the golden lines of holy duties tend here they must center Every right duty must be a real levelling at Gospel-happiness that which God proffers and Christ hath purchased If Meditation be right it is a part of true wisdom for our selves Prov. 9.12 Wisdom to salvation as really aimed at it as any marksman aime at his mark God next to himself and his glory allows and requires to look and seek labour and strive for eternal life and happiness and all our duties as they are subservient to his glory so our own happiness is complicate and wrapt up in it yet not above it or equal with it but next under it Accordingly therefore in this duty as in all others our aim at happiness must not be a meer self-seeking it must not terminate
his Holy Spirit the mighty Applyer of Christs Redemption draw efficaciously the weary sinner to the soul-easing Saviour works faith to come and rests on an all-sufficient Christ The first step in this great soul-concern must be labouring to divert the eye from a total or too much viewing of sin and Gods wrath and earnestly endeavour to be duely deeply possest of the infinite mercy love riches of free favour in Christ in whom he is placable and infinitely willing to shew mercy 1. Willing in that he hath in his abounding wisdom and prudence contrived the way of Reconciliation in Christ Eph. 1. 2. Willing in infinite love and riches of grace he appointed his own only Son anointed him with all fulness of grace sending him and causing him to work and procure Redemption perfectly in all respects and then in making the most free imaginable and possible proffer and tender of Salvation in Christ A discovery and tender in the exceeding great and precious promises promises that are as so many strong yernings and loud soundings of the bowels of a God to sinners promises most firmly fixt as being all the ingrost particulars and the golden clauses of the Covenant of Grace signed and sealed with the most precious blood of Christ and therefore ordered and in all things most sure The Promises and Covenant are by most highly demonstrating that hardly to be believed and trusted to by once awakened sinners that free rich love of God in Christ by demonstration of it the intendment is sirst to found and breed faith in weary heavy laden sinners and after to build it up and perfect it Meditation should first fix upon the promises of free justification and pardon of sin and as humbling arises not from a confused general apprehension of fin or many sins but distinct particular viewings of particular evils so comfortings and coming to relief must be by singling out and pondering the promises of mercy in particular As a drowning man that scapes by a taking hold on a particular thing hand or cord But the thing the greatest and highest for breeding and founding justifying faith is first pondering the infinitely all-amazing and adored free love of God the Father Joh. 3.10 1 Joh. 3.1 1. This is that so rich Mine out of which the most precious Corner-stone Christ himself was taken 2. For principally glorifving this riches of free grace the Earth for a Stage was set up to begin the discovery and revelation of it 3. The great Assize of the great day of Judgment is chiefly appointed for higher manifestation of it 4. And the highest Heaven with the state of Glory there is purposely founded and conferred on the Saints for the highest demonstration chiefly of free saving grace not Angels glorification but redeemed Saints glorifying is for free saving graces greatest glorifying and highest exalting Dwell here till largest apprehensions and highest admirations swallow up and drown all thy fears doubts and discouragements raising thy spirit up to hope trust and consolation But this so infinitely free love of the Father must be connected with most wishly viewing and most earnest pondering the highest proof and evidence of it in that greatest possible gift Gods own Son God in our Nature Joh. 3.16 God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that c. Here after all thy black and sad thoughts and disquiets is the richest strongest and surest Cordial for a fainting heart A Christ in whom all fulness of wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption dwell That out of his own infinite love became man was in the form of a servant performed the whole Law pacified the wrath of God purchased perfect and eternal life by laying down his life a ransom 1. A Christ freely offered by God the Father Isa 55. Come and buy without money 2. Freely offering himself Joh. 7.37 If any man thirst let him come to me and drink 3. Freely offered and to be taken as the Bride and the Spirit say Come and drink of the water of life freely Rev. 22.17 This free grace must be applied by the promises of grace and pardon more especially and first Christ is not offered by God the Father and the Lord Christ offers not himself nor the Holy Spirit offers not neither draws to Christ but on the ground of the promise of forgiveness and salvation Nor can it be taken by man as a learned Divine expresses it but mediante promissione The promises particularly must be pondered duely often and often Ponder 1. The goodness of them they are good sweet indeed to a needy thirsty spirit Ponder 2. The sureness and firmness by a God that cannot lye Tit. 1. All yea and Amen in Christ 2 Cor. 1. Pvnder 3. The freeness of them Nothing so free as they that come only from a God only for his own Name sake Ponder 4. The seal of them in the rare and abundant examples recorded for encouragement of sinners of all sorts received to mercy So 1 Tim. 1.16 I saith the Apostle was received for a pattern to them that hereafter should believe to eternal life The promises must be pondered prayed often over as those which are for the wounded weary and heavy laden to breed faith not only to feed it but found and feed it also to begin and to build it up Never leave pondering the promises Gods love and Christs fulness offered in them until pondering comes to hope hope to thirsting thirsting to highest prizing prizing to selling all and buying the Pearl till thou comest to renouncing thy own righteousness thou casts thy self upon God in Christ by the promise first rested on promise leading to Christ first and to God by Christ and not only Christ for justification as thy Priest that purges guilt and makes atonement but as thy Prophet and King for light and holiness for a new heart a new principle a new wisdom and power a quickning power from Union and Communion with Christ Rom. 6. by the inhabitation and operation of his Spirit by faith that hand that receives all from Christ when by faith thou art justified and sanctified and receivest by influence from Christ a living principle Now thy heart is put upon the right hinge for rightly performing holy duties praying reading hearing the Word And now thou canst meditate aright in a holy and happy manner with wisdom and some skill choice of will complacency and constancy And now Meditation will prosper in thy hand Now as Davids blessed man thy delight will be in the Law of God and in that Law thou wilt meditate day and night I have been longer herein by much then was my intendment come we to the next Directions CHAP. X. Of Directions for Meditation respecting such as are young Christians newly converted OUr next Work after Directions to those that desire to successfully practise holy Meditation having formerly neglected it is to treat of the Directions for young Christians who are but entered upon their way how best to
the things which please Gods own description of a gracious frame of spirit by a gracious choice Contrary a sinful unconverted heart is described by thusing things that are sinful and provoking I say the change of the will is a high evidence of sincerity a chusing of God for our God chusing of Christ his offered grace above all him to our Righteousness and Justification our Wisdom our Sanctification so coming to taking of trusting on him is an act of the will in chusing him a chusing the holy ways of God universally Psal 119. Respect to all thy commandments This not so much in knowing as purpose of heart for keeping all To add but one thing more The new Creature is principally seen in a new will and a new will in a new aim altering utterly that old sinful carnal aim of carnal self and satisfying of it sinfully aiming at only or chiefly self and satisfying self in worldly and carnal things This Idol Self the grand aim is taken down is no more the souls Master-mark that gave all the Laws made every thing serve to it and end in it eyeing of self chiefly aiming at seeking and striving most for self is changed and there 's a new Master-aim a new mark to which it designs and principally drives at God and his glory serving and pleasing him This evidently appears in the Saints in Scripture They exalt God called such as seek God serve God live to God to Christ Psal 22.26 Psal 24.6 This the generation of them that seek him and deny themselves Rom. 6.11 Alive unto God 2 Cor. 5.15 Live not to themselves but to him that dyed for them 1. Universal allowance of all known good in the mind 2. Universal abhorrence of all known evil chusing all good and an universal purpose of will to please God in all things are the things the sincerity of them stands of those two noble faculties renewed 3. A real change of the corrupt carnal and disorderly movings of the affections to a making them holy and heavenly to setting them on the things above and taking them off really the things below from their usual sway rule violent running to carnal and earthly things and from their customary and predominant deadness flatness and remissness to and in spiritual and heavenly things A change really upon the great and leading affection love the great weight that carries all Amor meus est pondus meum as the devout Ancient said My souls love is my souls weight the strong biass that still leads it Hence arise the other holy affections they are acted from love desire delight sorrow fear hatred of all known evil Psal 97.10 Ye that love the Lord hate evil Psal 119.104 I hate every false way A Character it is of a wicked man he abhors not evil Psal 36.4 But a holy heart when it comes even new out of the furnace is new cast new made it 's stampt with predominant love to God and his ways and with new self-loathing and sin-abhorring Ezek. 36.26 A new heart will I give you Vers 36. Then shall ye remember your evil ways and shall loath your selves in your own sight for your iniquities and for your abominations I shall add no more particulars The truth and sincerity of this whole work wrought first in thee really and then known must be the ground for evidencing of thy assurance which must be done by comparing the pattern of the new Creature described in the infallible Word of Christ and the copy of it drawn in thy heart Such serious searching and due meditating with praying and other ordinances must be on thy part thou must 2 Pet. 1.10 Give all diligence to make thy calling and election sure But withal there must be a due consideration and praying for the evidencing and sealing Spirit of Christ the Comforter and diligent still attending upon those ways and means of grace the Holy Spirit uses to come and seal and comfort in I know other things might be mentioned especially in a purposely handling this Doctrine of Assurance The manner of Gods working in such as are effectually drawn to Christ differs in circumstances and in the sensible perceivings of it accordingly as God pleases to work and assurance as the Spirit pleases is given in a different way But trying by this change upon the heart in a renewing the mind subduing and turning that great wheel of the soul the refractory and stubborn will changing the main aim from self and the creature to God in Christ Really plucking up the affections rooted in the earth and finding them set upon things above an evident change and turning the grand affection of love out of its old channel and a placing it upon God his Word ways and people the Saints above all other things when these things freely given thee of God and by the Spirit of God received are made known to be in thee 1 Cor. 2.12 this is a right assurance O pray pray for this sealing and assuring Spirit this will help thee against the fears doubts deceits of thy own heart and Satans methods and clear up thy good condition to thee This assurance attained the next Meditation must be of the best ways of keeping and preserving it which must be endeavoured yea of thy growing up to the riches and fulness of assurance to a Plerophory as it is called The preserving of assurance and growing up in it 2 Pet. 1.10 must be by care and diligence used about it and used for exacter walking in all Christs ways Endeavours of mortifying thy corruptions combating with Satan and the world and getting victory Rev. 2.17 To him that overcometh I will give him a white stone with a new name The white stone is thy Justification the new name is Adoption of Sons both assured upon victory obtained There must be a tender care of obedience to and compliance with the Holy Spirit and of not grieving of it Eph. 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption If thou wouldst have the Holy Spirit a sealing Spirit thou must not be a Griever of that Spirit by any ordinary neglectings and ilightings of it or by contrary walkings to it wilful and presumptuous evils especially provoke and grieve and will hinder assurance Psal 85.8 God will speak peace to his Saints but let them not turn again to folly This in David Psal 51.8 Make me to hear joy and gladness that the bones thou hast broken may rejoyce Some Saints by their falls have felt it long it may be ever after as great bruises in the body Others upon care and fruitfulness have kept their peace and assurance long it may be to the last CHAP. XII Of the next Meditation namely how weak and imperfect thy Grace is THis is a Meditation very necessary for making thee very humble greatly fearful and careful and highly to provoke thee to contend to a growth and strength of grace to be rooted and stablisht daily
this spring of self and sinful interest is more apt to owse out of my heart and make a breach in the Banks that Christ by his grace hath made there That particular evil which is so strong stirring and striving to carry me down the stream and keep me under I was upright saith the Prophet Psal 18.23 before him and kept my self from mine iniquity that sin which had been of peculiar prevalence and would be so again the sin that had special edge and eagerness too oft appearing and endeavouring it attempting to make its escape from his watch his heart-keeping and appear in act and power There is some corruption or evil in every spirit which like some rank weed in the Garden is still putting up or ready to put forth like some leak in a Vessel ready to run out by it This needs a special minding and considering sutable to its dangerousness as that which will be a thorn in the Foot hinder our going work disquiet dash our confidence before God and weaken our hands from our work I must peculiarly consider this daily that it get not at any time ground of me but that I gain upon it more that I watch it fight it look that this Gangreen spread not run not up to my heart but that I stop and kill it Minding it duly will provoke to endeavour a right course for the just cure and sound healing of it Meditation may be also of what other evils are busie in my bosom what are stirring most what are getting any ground and what are losing it 2. What graces I want or have most need of to enable me more to lift up the Name of Christ sweeten my spirit with peace ease my course and render me more serviceable to others Every day I should well attend to what Gospel Ornaments and Jewels I ought to put on and wear before others to make my conversation shine Col. 3.12 2 Pet. 1.5 6 7. Pliny reports of Poppaea the Wife of the Roman Emperour Nero that when she was to go abroad she still would be deckt and adorn'd with such abundance and varieties of most precious Stones and Jewels as it dazled the eyes of the Beholders And I have read of a like manner of the Mogul or great Emperour in the East-Indies who if on some special times he sits out to be seen by the Common people he puts on such great numbers of Diamonds Carbuncles Rubies and other glistering and glorious Jewels as they cannot without great admiration behold him yea can hardly by reason of the Suns shining and reflections discern his face the glory of the Jewels is so great Christians must consider their putting on and wearing the rich Ornaments and Jewels of heavenly graces to shine gloriously in them and take the Eyes of all that behold them with the discoveries of the Soul inward Beauties of Faith Love Hope Joy Fear Humility Meekness Patience Contentedness heavenly mindedness and rest to the glory of Christ in whose beams of Beauty and Glory they ever should shine 3. When holy David in his course of Meditation after matters of his private concernment closes so ordinarily the whole Meditation with that grand interest of Zion the Churches case may not this be then a Rule to our Meditation for a high demonstration of our publick spiritedness our constant mindings of that superlative and transcendent interest of God in this world the glory of his great Name in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and the people given to him their peace prosperity and glory and the disappointments of all their Enemies Designs which also is an Article in their Heavenly Jointure Some other particulars might farther be mentioned to be taken in by Meditation such as matters of our callings and daily converse in varieties of Companies and Friends and how to be right Christian in them excell in improving them to their proper uses and ends for the glory of God 4. Meditation for review of the work of the day There remains but one thing more to be added namely in the close of the day should be or is fit to be that Meditation of review or that overlooking of matters in the foregoing day to make a happy closing it up by a fresh humbling our selves and returning to God and acting new Recumbencies on his free rich grace in Christ by the precious promises to sweeten our lying down 5. And in the Night season that great time with David and others of the Saints When I awake let me be ever with God and my Meditation of him sweet Psal 139. Psal 104. The sum of that hath been mentioned about daily Meditation is 1. To enter the Duty at our awaking with Reflections on the matters of the Night past the preservations and comforts especially of that time 2. To look forward to the incumbencies of the coming day and how best to redeem it by Endeavour 1. To act a fresh setting up the supreme end of glorifying God 2. To have a serious musing on the next end my own Eternal Happiness 3. Then to mind the proportionate means to the mark or end I aim at 1. Therefore first to look wishly at the fullness of Christ freely offered as the way to God and happiness 2. To Meditate on our mighty helper the Holy Spirit the great Applyer of Redemption 3. Meditations on the Ordinances of Christ the walks and ways the Holy Spirit comes in and applies Christ to the Soul by 4. Meditation of the Word and Promises which the Spirit in the Ordinances useth as the peculiar instruments of drawing the heart to Christ and of applying him daily more 5. Meditation of the several Graces to be continually on the occasions requiring exercised and improved 6. Meditation of our spiritual Enemies the Flesh within Satan and the World without More particularly 1. Meditating in reference to reading the Holy Scripture with those graces I am to exercise in my Reading 2. The Meditation private Prayer calls for if I pray before reading or when I can and am any time in the day to pray privately 3. Meditation of what is the chief grace I am defective in or the peculiar blessing I want at present 4. Meditation of the grand interest of God as relating to his Church in the world 5. The Meditation of review or self-examination in reference to things of the day past These heads I have mentioned not to impose on any as to matter or method absolutely but to propose some things which if not alway necessary yet that may be performed in some degree as ability and opportunity admits Divers of the particulars if daily Meditation be judged necessary by us I am sure then they inust be judged necessary for such as daily will observe it CHAP. XIV Of the Sabbath and Lords day THere now remains but one thing more to be added to what hath been said concerning daily Meditation namely the Meditation relating to that eminent day of God first the seventh day of the
make much use of this short way of Meditation when he often could not go the other larger way As he was frequent in his sudden short prayings so must he be much in short sudden meditatings which were the ground commonly of his prayings The Psalms shew his frequent using this short way of meditation and praying Thus Psal 15. a Psalm of but five verses So Psal 127. a Psalm of five verses and Psal 125. the like and Psal 123. hath a Meditation of four verses Psal 131. is a Meditation of three verses and Psal 117. is a Meditation of but two verses yet the spirit of God is pleas'd to have it recorded Many other Psalms we have very short that were his quick Meditations left all for teaching us to do likewise looking on his example This Meditation though of shorter time yet so far as we can must have its Regulation and Governance 1. It should so near as we can have its stamp and ingredient of holy reverence All thoughts of holy things must not be how sudden soever acts of rashness and over-haste without heed and fear the name of a glorious God is upon every Ordinance that must not be taken in vain 2. It should be the product and issue of holy lingering after God and communion with him from a thirsting for God to taste a little when we cannot have fuller draughts of him 3. It should be the glance of a spiritual Eye looking from love being enamoured with God and Christ and heavenly things Not a looking from Custom and an use to satisfie conscience calling for something may look like a Duty but from the strength and predominancy of the fire of heavenly love Psal 119.97 O how love I thy Law it s my Meditation all the day As other so this sort of Meditation must have a rise from love Love breeds longing and looking it introduces a pleasure in a looking though but a glancing of the Eye on the surpassing beauty and loveliness of God and Jesus Christ and the glorious things of Heaven Ah how excellent is this frame of spirit how sweet and pleasant is it to have the Eye often on these so rare beauties from being as the Spouse in the Canticles both really and deeply in love 4. It should be aim'd and levell'd at the right mark pleasing and glorifying God and for communion farther with him that he may see how the pulse of our Souls beats how the Eye looks how we act and how our hearts make still their holy escapes from the crowd and obstructings of occasions to give him a friendly spiritual visit to let him see the fervour of our love by endeavours so oft as we can to do him homage and honour As when we would shew our high respect and honour to any person we make the more frequent visits when we cannot make long stay So here when throngs of indispensable occasions hinder the set and larger engagements in Meditation make we it up in shorter visits in often thinkings short visits rightly aim'd bring sweet peace Let it not be therefore so hasty as we observe some Children call'd to go to a place that run without their errand to act without aim right aiming the end lays the foundation of a Dutys excellency O let my spirit if I cannot think and dwell long upon heavenly things through weakness let it make up the defect by thinking often Let the dartings upward be the livelier and thicker like a Golden Chain which is very long though the Links be very little O let me trade drive a quick trade with littles Light gains make a heavy purse little frequent tradings will gain me much here This short often acting up will make my heart keep still open to Heaven keep the path-way thither beaten plain easie and so make it pleasant for my spirit to walk in make this Meditation highly sweet a rare refreshing The frequencies of thinkings heaven-ward will have this threefold advantage these three excellent fruits 1. Frequencies of heavenly thoughts will breed and cherish an habitual heavenly mindedness unto that primitive Grace that habit of regenerating Grace which brings a tendency and bent of soul making it incline heavenward it will superadde an habitual heavenly mindedness a heart peculiarly and powerfully ready and active heavenward As an Artist which hath not only reason first to dispose him fit him for his Trade but the peculiar habit a head and hand for it to understand and act as an Artist 2. The frequencies of heavenly will thereby be an exclusive and thruster out of earthly thoughts the right way of a compendious cure It 's not the way so much to stand watching and striving to drive them away to be on the defensive barely but to be on the positive in acting good thoughts that will keep out bad As if Wine first fills the Vessel there is no room for Water if a Treasury be full of Gold there is no room for rubbish 3. This frequent short darting upward will end with leaving an after sweetness upon the palate of the spirit short when heavenly will be sweet as every crum of Sugar leaves some sweetness on the palate every drop of pure live honey a delicious after relish so this short Meditation The Manna that dewed down upon the Israelites Camp lay like small Coriander seeds which they gathered ground and made their Bread of which had a rare rellish This sort of Meditation may gather still some little seeds of heavenly Manna soul-Bread with new fresh delicious sweetness following The heavenly minded person may as the manner of some is go ever with some rich tasted and sented thing in the mouth Whensoever cares and diversions press hard hang heavy draw strongly greatly disquiet and weary thy spirit here is an out-let an escape a rare way of interposition and soul easing diversion yea of a short though sweet and heavenly solace It may be lookt on as a shadow a resemblance of the blessed Apostles sudden carrying into the third Heaven Instantly thou this way art above though presently below again This is far surpassing all the sensual and sinful pleasures in the world These short tastes by giving our worldly occasions the slip and mounting up to Heaven These short visits made there these spiritual short applications made to Heaven to the blessed God to Jesus Christ for communion with him and the Father have more sweet pure powerful and heart elevating joy than is possible to be had in any carnal or earthly things They at the highest brightest and sweetest have something to top dim and embitter them Prov. 14.13 Even in c. But every way of godliness is a path of pleasantness and sweetness which none know but such as try it I now have through Christs assistance finisht this last way of Meditation sudden and ejaculatory and so the whole nature and several kinds of Meditation with such things as are comprised in it according to my slender ability and the opportunity I
have no other means for it and the walks wherein the Spirit comes 4. Use to cast a wishly eye on all such conducing things formerly mentioned as thou canst have opportunity 5. Look to well enter into and fix upon the Meditation daily examination of review looking over matters of the day and if hindered at any time help it by after-industry I say the Meditation of Review in the close of the day to see and judge thy self as to thy hearts frame and thy carriage in the time of the day This at the first is like the working with an Awkhand this must not be slubbered over slightly done But being harsh and unpleasant work at first thou must so manage it in care and constancy that thou mayst gain a hand at it it may become easie and pleasant Suarez a Jesuit says of himself that his times of self-reflection and examining his conscience for matters of the day were the sweetest part of all the day Thy Rule must be to perform this work so as it proves easier and sweeter and thereby thou improvest in it The more impartial and sincere you are in it the sweeter you will find it The more accurate and exquisite your inquiries and heart-searchings are and the more impartial towards your self the sweeter peace the higher boldness and confidence will thy heart be filled with For this brings in the clearer evidence of thy sincerity thy impartiality Nothing perfumes the spirit of a Christian with sweeter peace and more heavenly joy than a clear discovery of the hearts uprightness and integrity which by searching our hearts and impartially judging them we attain As Psal 26.1 2. David prays Judge me O Lord for I have walkt in mine integrity And Psal 139.23 Search me and see if any way of wickedness be in me This came from his own first impartial searching and finding his sincerity Vsual and diligent self-searching brings in and keeps up a setled peace and confidence by a mans being daily more assured of sincerity and heart-uprightness Be careful therefore and diligent in this self-searching CHAP. XI Of the Directions for particular Cases of young Christians how they should do therein BEsides these more general things last mentioned I must next come to the Rules of Meditation as to thy particular case and condition Here that thy Meditation must pitch upon will be either 1. The Case of thy assurance either wanting and not yet attained or else weak and feeble 2. It must be something relating to sanctification thy weak grace and many imperfections here the purging of thy heart from divers evils subduing of new rising and stirring corruptions some particular sin that haunts and troubles thee some temptation which follows thee some cross or affliction lying heavy upon thee or any other particulars wherein thou art concerned here to meditate how to have help the best and speediest 1. That is a principal point of wisdom to study and ponder the case of thy peace and assurance of Gods love and favour if not yet obtained or but enjoyed in a small measure accompanied with divers doubts and fears to meditate how best thou mayst come to assurance and be strong and stablisht in it How to have thy good condition made out to thee and thy fears discouragements and doubts may seatter and be driven away Here thou must be willing to take pains and resolve to exercise very humble patient waiting Psal 27.14 Wait on the Lord be of good courage he shall strengthen thy heart wait I say on the Lord. Psal 130.4 There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayst be feared 5. I wait for the Lord my soul doth wait 6. My soul waits more than they that watch for the morning I say humble patient waiting until by frequent ponderings and searchings thou art replenisht with such a furniture and treasury of Scripture-grounds Gospel reasons and inducements and these so full and clear as thy heart now changed by the gracious help of the Holy Ghost who assures by the Gospel-promises arrives at the skill and wisdom as to be able to answer thy own cavilling doubting spirit and to repel the false reasons that Satan uses to hinder thy peace and assurance Assurance is chiefly bottomed on our sanctification assured So Divines say assurance of Election Justification Perseverance and Glorisication cannot be without assurance of Sanctification this being the ground of our assurance in the other four In particular thou must labour to draw forth out of the sure Word of Christ the infallible Characters clear descriptions and evidences of the new creature and of sincerity of grace then meditate and ponder so duely upon these sure evidences and right Scripture-descriptions given of the new Creature and sincerity of grace as to come to as clear and distinct an understanding of what is held forth to thee as thou canst I pass divers things might be mentioned and shall touch on the following 1. As that change and renewing of the mind and judgment which in respect of sin is to have it out of measure sinful Rom. 7.13 The greatest evil in all the world as that only contrariety and emnity to the greatest good namely the infinitely blessed God his insinite holiness and purity and all his so infinitely glorious Attributes yea his very Being with his Soveraignty and Government all his most holy righteous and good Laws and Word the signification and demonstration of his Soveraignty over us and of his will concerning us Hereby likewise manifesting the extreme injuriousness and unrighteousness in sin in regard of God whom upon infinite and indispensible obligations we are engaged perfectly to obey And as the abounding sinfulness of sin must be seen so as the judgment disallows all known sin the very least so there must be an universal liking and an allowance of all good of all known Truths and all known Duties Truths as revealed by God and to be believed by us and Duties commanded by God and to be performed by us 2. In seeing the fulness 1 Pet. 2.7 of beauty and excellency with the mightiness of Christ to save in all respects all that come to God by him by faith with the vanity of all earthly things to make us happy and the excellency of Grace Holiness Faith Love and the other required heavenly graces and soul-abilities and beauties above all other endowments This is the first part the first right change of the mind and judgment 1 Cor. 2. Whereas the natural man knows not the things of God nor can he because they are spiritually discerned 2. The next part of the new Creature is that change and new heavenly frame of that noble faculty the will Rom. 7.18 To will is present Oft in the Psalms David mentions his will his choice his curpose his firm and rooted resolution Psal 119.8 I will keep thy statutes Vers 30. I have chosen the way of truth Vers 106. I have sworn and will perform to keep thy righteous judgments Isa 56.4 That abuse
of men when God pleases to permit him as we have it most evidently in the 1. 2. of Job yet he hath not such power to work upon the souls of men as to destroy them or to disturb them or to discern and discover their hearts their thinkings affectings aimings or any actings of the reasonable soul Neither can he hurt the soul either to destroy it or to defile it or to force it to think or affect or purpose He can force no man to sin in the least commission of evil or omission of good He cannot perswade terrifie or trouble without first our giving leave and giving way He gets ground by our first giving ground he leads when we let him fasten his chain and draws when we suffer our selves to be drawn Jam. 1.14 Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and is enticed Satan casts forth the bait but we first catch it before he catcheth us he cannot make us take in the bait no more than the Fisher can force the fish to bite and swallow his bait he tenders only and the fish takes it of its own accord Satan can throw his dart but it cannot enter unless we will if we will yield and not encounter with our arms but walk unweaponed and not fight 3. Though Satan hath the greatest gall deepest and most highly improved hatred of an irreversible edge boiled up to the highest Hell-dyed implacableness yet this Serpent is not so formidable as the infinite love of God to thee is comfortable What can his malice weigh against the goodness of thy God that endureth continually 4. Though Satan be unweariedly busie and sedulous yet he is not cannot be so industrious careful wakeful working for thee and disposing all things for thy greatest good Rom. 8.28 as thy God is He never can out-do thy God his doings against thee cannot out-do thy Gods doings for thee No not in any heat or height of any temptation When he tempts thee buffets thee haunts thee he must not be lookt upon as one at full liberty to do what he lists He is not the Ruler of all things governs not the world by himself alone But he is under thy God then when he tempts thee yea thy God governs the very temptation Satan can cast out no more of his serpentine venom than thy God permits He casts not out one drop or the least quantity without thy Gods first giving way 5. As thy God governs by still giving Satan leave and limiting him when he tempts as he limited him in Jobs case so his letting Satan tempt is not for him to have his will but that thy God may have his own holy will both to teach thee and better thee much to support encourage and yet humble much thy spirit that thy God sees is needful for thee Though temptations are like fire to melt the metal yet not to mar but mend it to purge it cast it into a new mould that it may be polisht and brightned and so fitted more for thy Gods praise Though the best Physicians sometimes use severe and sharp remedies yet the trouble pain sickness caused by Evacuations Corrosives Causticks Cuttings and such like are not intended for themselves but for recovery soundness strength and the good of the Patient though at present he may not so like or believe it So is it in thy Gods suffering thee to be tempted sorely and long buffeted and this must be considered and believed Thy Gods suffering thee to be tryed is only for gracious ends which after the temptation is well over will clearly be seen and thankfully acknowledged Ah! thou wilt say I could not have been without this temptation or these tryel in this nature manner me sure so sharp so long so many Never had my experiences been so rich my Faith and trust love and cleaving hope and waiting humility patience courage contentedness and other graces so appeared so improved acted so high to the praises of God and reflected and brought in such peace and joy to my own bosom Ah! how out of this evil God hath wrought my good Out of this roaring Lyon this eater brought meat out of the strong sweetness as Samson of the honey found in the Lyon he vanquisht Judg. 14.8 6. Though Satan be such an enemy and his molestations so great yet Meditation must gather up the reliefs and encouragements the Scripture supplies thee with All discouragement arises much from a single or too much pondering and poring on a present evil without a due looking to the means of relief escaping or enduring Therefore Meditation here must 〈◊〉 Eye God as well as Satan his love faithfulness pity power and all things making for comfort 2. The purchase of Christ buying victory by his blood 3. The presence and help of his Spirit against the evil Spirit and the defence he will be sure to make of his own house and Temple and the things of it to save it from harm 7. Lastly thy Meditation must look up and labour to write after the copies of the Saints that have couragiously combated and gloriously conquered especially upon thy Captain General who overcame not by his meer infinite power but by means at hand and ready always in thy power By the Scripture I have singled out a few things on this occasion whole books some less some very great have been written very learnedly and experimentally of the Doctrine of Temptations wherein large direction and help may be had for such as are tempted but I have rather exceeded already and therefore will add no more in this particular CHAP. XV. Some Directions as to occasional and set Meditation SOme Directions might be next inserted concerning that Meditation used on special occasions and which is more therefore solemn and at larger leisure As in the Law besides the daily Sacrifices there were particular solemn times where the work was much more more Sacrifices offered more Rites observed and time spent in those Services was more This Meditation must be performed according to the nature and scope and such Rules as best godly wisdom can suggest for it 1. As choice of the fittest season and opportunity doing it when we are freest from avocations and fittest as to frame temper and strength of body when we are liveliest and freshest and not sunk tyred dispirited that the good and lively present temper of body may the better help and assist the soul and the soul thereby more orderly and vigorously more intensly and deliberately act 2. Chusing the fittest place is a prudence and great advantage for avoiding disturbance and interruptions and to have the golden thread of Meditation run smoothly on without breaking from any diversions We must in faithfulness to our own spiritual interest wisely watch and strongly resolve to put by every thing that may divert or disquiet us in our now intended Meditation A darksom place or that is purposely made something dark for avoiding distractions from the eye and
Christians and most establisht in their way have always need of more establishing as to their graces and frame of heart so to their duties and whole course of godliness There must be an earnest care and striving as you have begun and practised so to be stablished Not to begin and then draw back nor yield to do with a weakness weariness and unevenness but here to say as David oft O God my heart is fixed I will meditate Meditation is neavenly but hard in it self comes off sometimes harder The best heart is a slippery piece that sometimes not only flags and falls low but sometimes also fails the purpose within and the practice without may have their stops and faltrings The Watch may want a winding up There may be failure in the practice from a failing in the purpose a fit of dying away may come upon thee if there be not a constant care of stability A good mans heart must be like Solomons Temple with the two Pillars set up in it Jacin and Booz establishment and strength 2. As thou must endeavour establishment so strive for improvement Growth is necessary both in Graces and Duties as the Scripture shews 1. There must be care to improve in the Art and skill of holy Meditation To understand thy way better Prov. 14.8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way not only with an initial understanding it but a progressive understanding of it Not only to know in the same degree and to be always alike at the last as at the first but to understand far better As the wise Artificer that contents not himself with the same measure of skill in his way but to be a better Artist proceed to a perfection If a Christian be trading for Heaven in good earnest he will strive every way to excel Not like a Bungler that does in a poor pitiful manner just to live and no more but as an Artist and man of ingenuity to live plentifully I must study how to study better to comprehend the whole wisdom of my way to live more fruitfully to others serviceably to God comfortably to my own bosom Not to only just so much skill as will serve to get creeping but for flying to Heaven 2. To learn how to kindle a fire in my heart and do my work warmer Strive to more affectionate Meditation To have things have a quicker passage from the head to the heart That the spiritual things meditated on come sooner to my heart kindle it quickly and make me all on fire Bom. 12.11 Fervent in spirit serving the Lord. It is not to be taken only for real fervency but growth He would not have them no warmer and fervent at last than at first So Meditation should heap hotter coals upon thee make thy fire a flame This by Meditations applying warmer and more heart quickning reasons and arguments We call motives reasons for doing a thing a duty of Religion Incentives Meditation should strike fire and blow it up into a flame Strive to have Meditation more heart-warming not only to have it more notional but cordial not only a shining but a burning light as it was said of John Baptist That 's Meditation to purpose when the head moves the heart brings in light and heat also The Moon-light is pleasant but the Suns is best because chiefly it is with vivifical heat it is the worlds warmer Therefore see search in Meditation for such things and manage them in such a manner as may warm thee at the heart most make thee daily warmer 1. Warmer in that grand affection that strong spring of spiritual operation Love love to the work of Meditation love to heavenly and spiritual things the lovely beauteous and glorious things which Meditation brings and sets before thee to highly treat and entertain thee Principally most inflamed love to the highest beauty and glory for whom most peculiarly that best affection the best piece of thy heart was made the most blessed God Father Son and Holy Spirit 2. Warmer in ardency of desire to keep in and improve in this heavenly way of Meditation Psal 119.20 My soul breaketh for the desire it hath to thy judgments which soul-breaking was for looking into them by reading reading for meditating to present and supply new heavenly matter that he might exercise himself there by Meditation know Gods will and be better affected more resolved and enlarged That desire so earnest was greatly among others to be at that his rare mind-exercise of Meditation the best way of thinking that possibly can be none like this this had this holy mans chief heart-workings nothing had that share of constant seriousness here were his longings to breathe his soul up this hill he grudg'd the time that gave stop or interruptions to this best thought-work 3. Warmer should Meditation be as to delight and complacency to not only burn and be fervent in love and desire but to flame up in joy and delight more generally men like a fire best when it flames The holy Prophet Psal 119.47 I will delight my self in thy Commandments Meditation in the word is the holy hearts walk of pleasure a broad large walk Psal 119.96 Thy Commandment is exceeding broad so our new Translation exceeding large so the old We so far live a duty as we act delight When David saith he will delight he meant not the mixture of a meer drop or smallest spark of delight should be stirred up but a great yea growing delight Delight in Meditation should not only live and have a being some moving but should thrive and grow As every Ordinance should prove a still greater pleasure So Meditation should prove a more refreshing soul-eye walk an ascent from delight to delight to higher delight till we come to the top in ravishments and highest attending admirations CHAP. XVIII Directions more particular 1. WHatever thou meditatest upon let it not be only an intuition or dying a thing or a meer recognition or remembrance Or if divers things come before thee let not thy work be a bare enumeration or as it were a telling them over to be able to say I have thought of such and such things in particular but let it be a review with something that new is with some new considerations as thou art able Something fresh which may bring the better savouriness and sweeter relish that may set a better edge and quicken things more upon thee Meditation though it be not for feeding phansie with curiosities yet should be so ordered as to season and sweeten suit and prepare things to more spiritual delight and to a larger perceiving of that extensive and abounding savouriness and excellency in holy things Every Meditation should endeavour a more exquisite preparation better still reducing things that we ponder both to spiritual advantages with spiritual pleasure accompanying To do this most easily and effectually our way is to improve and quicken Meditation by our gathering up the graciously afforded varieties of Scripture-passages
The true and sound cure must be well studied Although such as are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts Gal. 5.24 Quoad animi propositum cordis purificati principium as to the inward living principle and the real heart-purpose initially and gradually in little degree for that which is in no degree begun is not a grain of mustard is nothing at all Though those that are in Christ have crucified as we said their carnal affections in some degree Coming in of Christ and Grace into the heart gives the carnal affections a deadly dash like the taking of some incurable poyson given to kill gradually The first taking gives the advantage for deaths seizing yet this is not enough as experience sadly shews there must be a studying and great pondering how to rule the daily discovered unruliness of the affections and how to cure them which is not the Philosophers way nor the wise moral mans way which is to curb and moderate them but the Scriptures directed and commanded way and therefore the Christians way that he must use and that is to crucifie and mortifie them Col. 3.5 Mortifie your affections that are on the earth The Art and sure way for carnal affections as so and then to study to order these affections which are noble natural plants and dispositions of heart that they may be acted by graces principle on and for things heavenly with a real warmth and a growing fervency 3. Strongly thou must resolve and most exquisitely endeavour to study and meditate for the government of thy will The will in its nature and rank is a most noble faculty the Empress of the soul the spring of action the weight and biass for motion the door that opens and admits in chusing or shuts out in refusing that which sets up the mark and aim every end and interest and likewise makes choice or rejections of the means to the end In its corrupt and carnal state it is the wickedest piece in every person it sets up the greatest Idol in the world Self in the Throne above God Nothing in Scripture hath so great frequent and high complaints and charges brought in by God against it that which is the most hellish and devilish piece in its repugnancy contrariety stoutness and stubbornness against God and whatever is holy and the hellish hold-fast of evil chiefly when it receives the grain-colour and scarlet-tincture of habit by customary sinning In hearts changed by grace it is in a great measure still carnal and accordingly in part hath all the forementioned wickedness and is ready to act it if it be not the better watcht and ordered continually Being then in the best men so evil it needs the best study the most serious and constant Meditation to find the best way for it to rule this unruly will 1. Especially as to base self-aims in which it is the most slippery and soonest swayed hastily burried and entangled 2. And as to the cursed contrariety and hellishness against the Law will ways of God and God himself The Art of ruling this Ruler in chief is well worth thy chiefest Meditation the wretchedness of it will disquiet the pliantness and obedience holiness and purity of its aims choices and refusals will comfort most as carrying highest evidences of thy sincerity 4. Meditation hath great need to act its part industriously and accurately as to know how to govern the tongue that rare instrument called by David Psal 188.1 his glory But by sin called by the Apostle Jam. 3.8 An unruly member full of deadly poyson that sets on fire the course of nature is set on fire of Hell vers 6. David prays for a watch before his mouth Psal 39.1 I said I will take heed that I sin not with my tongue and keeping his mouth with a bridle To refrain evil words requires care to refrain vain and idle words requires a curiosity and exactness Study this Art not as Pythagoras the Philosophers Scholars that had their quinquennium silentium first spent five years in his School to learn silence but all a mans life is too little But there 's more to be learnt than just silence and that is savouriness of speaking Prov. 10.20 The tongue of the just is as choice silver the heart of the wicked is little worth then and therefore the tongue of the wicked is little worth because the heart out of whose abundance the mouth speaketh is little worth Study the Art of savoury speaking by getting three things 1. A good treasure in thy heart 2. A wisdom to discern times of speaking 3. A true godly humble boldness to speak and not be ashamed Psal 119.46 I will speak of thy testimonies before Kings and will not be ashamed Meditate for the true Scripture-way for speaking 5. Meditate how as to fill up with heart-beauties of graces within knowledge wisdom holiness and every particular grace so to have a fruitful shining exemplary conversation suitable to thy rank and station in Christianity How to walk worthy of the Lord to all well-pleasing Col. 1.11 To all fruitfulness in every good work in all conditions and in all relative duties as husband or wife parent or child master or servant and the rest It is hard to be good indeed harder to be growing better hard to become and suit a change in condition never under before hard to come up to relative duties and be Christian in them and so good as a well-grown Christian should be Some are very heedless here they too little mind a proportionate growth herein as in other parts of godliness but this must be minded Meditate universal growing how to honour thy longer standing in godliness by shooting up and spreading out more 6. Lastly Make it thy great study how to have suitably to thy rank in godliness a richer treasury and stock of experiences useful and rare experiences for thy own and others advantage make Meditation a great observer a diligent gatherer a careful layer up of experiences choice and precious to have a large treasury to bring out of it new and old CHAP. XXI Directions to Christians of the uppermost Rank 3. FOr such as are Christians of the highest form in Christs School such the Apostle in this 1 Joh. 2.13 calls Fathers not for their long living here or being long Christians visible Members of the Church as for great growth and improvement in real godliness much Knowledge Wisdom Experience Faith Love and Eminencies of Christianity their Meditation like the highest Artists must be acted higher 1. The Meditation of such as are fathers should carry higher in all the ways and concerning all the several points and particulars formerly exprest and relating to all persons in general in all the sorts of Meditation 1. In the daily Meditation to be more eminently exercised and constant in drawing out a thread of far exacter evenness and equality without such frequent breakings off and inconstancies that younger Christians more unprincipled and
righteous manner to the salvation of his people destruction of his Enemies and his own Glory 2. I may Meditate at least sometimes of the other soul-beauties of heavenly Graces as of that grand rare grace of Love holy Love that which is the fullfilling of the Law the great Breeder and Feeder of all Obedience Love which daily as a Fire must be blown up and made to burn afresh in the heart and enliven the daily course Ah what a Christian may do by keeping his heart hot and burning in Love 3. Joy Meditating of living the life of heavenly peace and joy rejoycing in the Lord alway Not living the life of sadness and pensiveness most unbecoming an Heir of Eternal Glory 4. Hope Meditate also I may of heavenly Hope which makes not ashamed Rom. 5.5 Heb. 6.19 An Anchor sure and firm to ride out all storms And of all the Graces as of holy Fear Humility Meekness Patience Contentedness Zeal Courage Constancy all the Chain of Graces mentioned in 2 Pet. 1.5 and other places The whole days actings should be considered so as not to be a complication of vanities follies and careless walkings but a shewing forth and shining in the glorious beams of heavenly Graces and Excellencies 5. Meditate daily I should of the spiritual dangers I am surrounded with by spiritual Enemies That principal and Arch-Enemy the Flesh that sin which is connatural to me dwells in me Rom. 7. and so easily besets me Heb. 12.1 that is alway present and too prevalent the Fountain and Forge of all other sins the Heart Touch-wood and Tinder for temptation The ground out of which all the stinking and poysonous weeds of Lust grow up and that ground and foundation of the deepest tincture and grain Colour of all soul-defiling Habits and customary sins that so enslave and lead a sinner captive 2. Of that so potent Adversary Satan his subtlety and depths vigilancy and unwearied diligence whetted by implacable and improving malice 1 Pet. 5.8 3. The World that Bait for Satans Hook and great Engine whereby he acts by the many sweet Allurements on the one hand and Determents on the other hand These I must every day watch and war with Therefore I must daily consider my helpers God the Father Son and Holy Spirit 2 Cor. 8.9 Eph. 6.13 The Armour of God I must put on for every part and my fighting in the strength of Christ by whom I may be made more than Conquerour Rom. 8.37 And for the last general there must be Meditation of the unspeakable preciousness of time running on without possibility of a stand or least stay With the Frailty of life Psal 39.4 with the uncertainty of it and the certainty of death and unavoidableness of that which will cast me upon Eternity These are the more general things among which my Meditation may take its walks and upon which my seriousness may daily sit down to make its spiritual advantage by I must adde now things more particular CHAP. XI Of some Particulars to be added to the former Generals THere are some things in particular I may adde which may help to direct and quicken a Christian in his daily course 1. For the Scripture I daily read or hear to endeavour some thoughts which may help to higher quickenings and heart-enlargings by farther fresh ponderings of the surpassing Excellencies and mighty Efficacies of the Scripture to think of a required higher rising estimation more inflamed affections of Love Joy Hope Longing and the rest seen and so observably conspicuous in the Saints in Scripture to light our Candle by their flame And the more rooted resolution I should take up and engage in to be more by my looking into the Glass of the Word transformed into the image of it 1 Cor. 3.18 Of Faith in the Word I should farther think of that Faith I am necessarily to act in the truth and certainty and usefulness of the Word I now am to be exercised in and of my mixing of Faith more abundantly with it Heb. 4.2 As to any Doctrine Precept Promise Threatning or Examples and whatever is there related for my use Of Wisdom I should think also of the Wisdom which that I read requires in selecting that out is most conducible is my proper portion and best fitting my souls condition As Samuel at his Feast set forth something peculiar for Saul 1 Sam. 9.23 24. Joseph caused to be prepared for his Brother Benjamin Gen. 43.34 God will now be seen if wisdom be used to hold forth a peculiar prepared portion Some Eye-salve to annoint mine Eyes Rev. 3.18 some rich Balm to heal some sore some corrosive to eat out some proud flesh some Cordial for a strengthener and chearer some piece of spiritual treasure to enrich me some rare Jewel for ornament wanting to me something there is now in my hand for my now spiritual advantage if I can see it and see it I may by that which must be the Auxiliary and constant Assistant of my reading if I would meet with a due profiting which is my conscientious and careful pondering weighing and weighing this pure Gold stored up in Christs rich Treasury to make me rich Reading brings me Meat Meditation brings forth the sweetness Reading brings the Coals to the Wood Meditation makes the flame Reading brings me the Sword of the Word Meditation whets it Reading barely proves pouring water into a Sieve Meditation is putting Gold into a Treasury the former lets the Water out the latter locks the Gold up O let me read much but let me also Meditate much that Meditation and Reading may be commensurate my Souls digestion proportioned to its Reception its taking in by Reading let me Read and Meditate that I may not have a meagre lean soul like them that have an eager appetite and a weak digestion but that it may be fat and well-liking by this good digestion of due Meditation 2. Some lively and vigorous Meditation should be daily performed in reference to private Prayer I say for assistance and furtherance of secret Closet-Prayer that so important and sweet Soul-Exercise 1. Of that importancy and concernment that the main stress both of the whole work and likewise of the hearts after warmth and life in the day lies greatly on it 2. Of that heavenly sweetness that it is the chief way of our private familiarity with God 3. Of that excellency that it is our only way of private speaking unto the great God of having the high honour and favour of whispering in his ear access in private to his bosom and bowels and the chief way of procuring his private Signet and Seal of blessed assurance of happiness The way it is of the souls freshest freest and most elevated actings such as oft-times praying in company must not cannot bear and the way of strong high Exercise of sundry Graces 1. It sends private Embassies daily to the King of Heaven by Faith 2. It carries up daily the soul to Heaven in a
Chariot of fire by love and 3. It leaves continually an Agent in the Court of Heaven by Hope It s the great heart-warmer by privacy giving the greater advantage of importunity without any check from the presence of others The great heart-humbler Melter down and Refiner instrumentally by actings of sound and kindly Repentance Making the dross and embasing mixtures of Corruptions and Lusts to pass away and the heart become purer It s the peculiar advantage to learn and act the rare art and secret of wrestling with God and returning with the high encouragements of holy overcomings of him It is the way of the rarest hours highest soul-Raptures richest pourings in of comforts and most happy experiencings of the descendings down of Heaven in purest sweetest largest soul-satieties Therefore for richest furnishing us with fittest matter for a best heart frame to perform this daily duty performing it in the most spiritual and effectual manner for doing it as to out-do former all former doings we must look to lay the Foundation deeper and larger in better and more suited Thinkings and Meditatings think to the utmost to pray to the best The same word in the Hebrew signifies as divers of the Learned say both Meditation and Prayer First it signifies Meditation and then by a Metonymy of the Cause for the Effect it signifies Prayer To shew what Prayers should be still presented to the great God such as have some due weight of Meditation which are made out and made up of Meditation or have at least the best seriousness we can That great man of Prayer the Psalmist David ordinarily calls his Prayer his Meditation and peculiarly his Prayer in the morning the foundation of the following days work his Meditation Psal 5.1 2. in that excellent and warm beginning of that Psalm Prayer and Meditation like Hippocrates Twins born lived and died together so Meditation and Prayer rise and warm and grow servent or cool fall and decay together Prayer cherishes Meditation Meditation feeds Prayer O let my Spirit be still warmed inflamed and melted down in Meditation that it may run and flow and flame in this heavenly devotion and both issue in my daily wiser and warmer working out salvation 3. My serious and curious Mindings must make sure to single out and set in full view that or those things I particularly want and are most proper and necessary for the now for my souls present state There is no godly man but hath ever something which concerns him most Some corruption stirring that must be subdued some Temptation to be encountred some Grace to be endeavoured some comfort or help supplyed It may be many things may be the present if not urgent concerns CHAP. XII Meditation of daily self-denyal IN the next place let me Meditate of what I want as to self-denial and Mortification evidenced by the weeds of corruptions coming up in my spirit Mar. 8.34 or ready ever and anon to arise and get ground and all still upon that grand interest of self or the Reliques of the Roots or Stumps of it This which hath not been spoken to this self-interest the taking of it down in my heart is one of the greatest concernments Meditation daily should fix upon Self is the great Hinge the carnal heart hangs and turns upon There the Center is self the Circumference self all the lines are drawn from self and to self Self is the great Rival and Competitioner with the infinitely surpassing God and contends for superiority with him yea self sits in the Throne wears the Crown holds the Scepter and self is the sinners all in all 1. All positive actings in sensualities pride and covetousness and other evils are but to satisfie self 2. All negative ways and omittings of good are but to gratifie self to ease slothful self loth to be put to stir least willing to labour toil or strive least of all to lose smart and suffer Self claps the great strong Biass on the soul is the spreading prevailing poyson in it and empoysons it all over Self is highest in the estimation nothing passes at so high a rate not God himself Self is highest in the affection nothing so near as self Self is highest in the purpose and intention nothing so aimed at as self Self in the conversation it hath the endeavours earnestness and equality It is like the most dangerous seising deep rooting and spreading poyson of greatest virulency and prevalency Thus it is in a natural heart In a holy heart though the most high God by the power of Grace be now highest really chief yet that remaining part of self the pieces left behind oft as it were do justle him frequently justle him to get his place and sit uppermost for what do sins when our minds wisdom desires and wills and our ways when they thwart and cross his mind wisdom will and ways but as it were justle him and strive to be uppermost Hereby self sometimes out of carelesness self it seems to have regained the Throne and repossest it self of the soveraignty lost In the best heart there is so much of this bitter Root springing out so much of this soul-bane so much of this Touch-wood Tinder Powder to presently take and instantly blow up so much of this Idol this Dagon set so near the Ark that it hath need of the greatest daily mindings and ponderings as the greatest Enemy that hath gained the greatest advantage of us it lies still in our Bosoms It s like the worm that breeds and feeds of the Bodies own flesh This of all others is the greatest Idol I say self is the greatest Idol that ever was or will be There 's no Image of Jealousie like it in the Eye of a God therefore no one thing requires a more daily minding for a daily watchfulness Mindings for the effectual help and relief against all particular lusts which are but the lesser Branches of the great Root of self the Scouts and Forragers sent forth from the Head-quarter of self This self it is that is the great correspondent and confederate with Satan if self were not the ground within of his attempts from without he could do nothing The Mathematician boastingly said tell me but where I may place my Engine and I will shake the Earth Satan knowing where to place his Engine knows how to shake us and worst us if we watch him not and this self I must mind it most and trust it least labour the most peremptory and constant denyings of it and as my highest wisdom to mortifie particular Lusts that are all fed from this great Root and likewise to keep off Satan from this advantage ground I have it may be enlarged too far upon this very brief I shall be on those that remain CHAP. XIII Of some other particulars which may be sometimes Meditated upon in the day 1. A particular sin IT will be my wisdom to consider that sin or corruption which troubles me most which out of