is abased in our esteem Love the Lord Oh my soul and give thy self to the obedience of his Commandements thou art the perfection and end of all creatures the Lord thy life perfection comfort what thou art is of him that thou shalt bee happy is of his goodness thou owest him thy self thou wast created for his glory defile not his Image pollute not his workmanship bee not unthankful for what thou hast received forget not thy own estate O heavenly Father I heartily desire to follow thee whithersoever thou shalt lead mee to do what thou shalt command and to cleave unto thee as long as I live But I finde the flesh rebellious solliciting daily yea and violently haling to those things that are evil Ah miserable wretch that I am who shall deliver mee from this body of death Thou Thou Lord onely art able and willing to vouchsafe help and succour To thee therefore do I flye I pray thee have mercy upon mee in Jesus Christ and repair the lost image of thy self Thy hands have made mee and fashioned mee give mee understanding and I shall live thou createdst mee pure thou canst restore mee though corrupt Create in mee a clean heart and renew a right spirit within mee Breathe into mee the Spirit of Life and establish mee in the way of thy Precepts Heal my soul for I am defiled and cause mee to grow up unto the perfect stature of a spiritual man I have wounded my soul but cannot cure it defaced thy Image but cannot fashion it anew Look upon my misery dear Father forgive my sin and make mee a new creature for thy infinite mercy begin in mee this good work and perfect it to thy praise in thee do I trust to thee I seek for grace for in thee the fatherless finde mercy Quest I would know in the fourth place how wee might proceed to meditate on Gods infinite greatness Answ God is infinitely good without quality infinitely great without quantity his excellency is incomprehensible and surpasseth what wee can speak or think But for our proceeding in this Meditation according to our capacity wee may consider what it is what bee the parts of it and how incomparably it exceedeth whatsoever might bee likened unto it Great is the Lord and worthy to bee praised Psa 145.3 and his greatness is unsearchable Our God is the God of Gods and Lord of Lords a great God mighty and terrible who being both the original and end of all things Deut. 10.17 cannot rightly bee said to bee any thing for hee must needs bee above all and better than all Such is his greatness that hee is that one infinite and eternal being See how that I even I saith the Lord am hee Deut. 32.39 and there is no God with mee I lift up my hand and say I live for ever Thou Lord art so great that thou art most perfectly one in essence one in number The Lord hee is God and there is none besides him As thou art * Deut. 4.35 Mark 12.32 1 Cor. 8.4 5 6. one in essence so art thou one in thy purpose determination promise For how shouldest thou that art one in number and essence bee otherwise than thy self All things do turn upon this point and hasten to this center if it were not unity multiplicity would destroy it Thou Lord art infinite without all limits of essence without matter or form efficient or end thou art without all dimensions of length breadth or thickness thou art without all limits of place and yet fillest all places in Heaven or Earth Thou art wholly without and within all and every place no where excluded and no where included and that without all localmotion or mutation of place a Job 11.8 9. Thou art higher than the Heavens deeper than Hell longer than the Earth broader than the Sea b 1 King 8.27 Psa 139.7 Isa 66.1 Act. 17.27 Simply and purely every where by essence and presence A God at hand and a God a far off Thou movest or changest all things without either motion or change in thy self thou art in every place present in every place entire within all things and contained in nothing without all things and sustained by nothing but containest sustainest and maintainest all things Thou art unspeakably present in every place by essence power wisdome and providence but thy glory is specially manifested to the Angels and Saints in Heaven thy grace power and mercy to the Saints on earth whom thou dost favour with whom thou dwellest Job 36.22 c. 1 Tim. 1.17 2 Pet. 3.8 for whose deliverance thou wilt arise and have mercy into whose hearts thou wilt shine comfort Thou art eternal before and after all beings without all limits of time past present and to come Thou art at all times but without respect of time an everlasting and immortal God before and after all times and in all times for ever and ever Thou art the King of ages the maker of times the Inhabitour of eternity a Psa 90.1 2. Isa 57.15 Psa 92.7 8. 102.12 13 26 27. Isa 41.4 43.10 11. Jer. 10.10 Isa 40.28 Before the mountains were made and ere ever thou hadst formed the earth from everlasting to everlasting thou art God Everlasting in thy self in love in the fruits of thy favour towards thy people which thou hast chosen in wrath and indignation against the obstinate and disobedient O God thou art great and wee know thee not neither can the number of thy years bee searched out Isa 40.15 16. All powers on earth come short to bee shadows of thy greatness The Nations are as a drop of a bucket less than nothing and vanity before thee Quest How must wee apply these things to the heart Answ Wee must stir up our selves to magnifie the Lord love fear reverence and trust in him for ever Great is the Lord and worthy to bee praised for hee sitteth upon the circuit of the earth and stretcheth out the Heavens like a curtain He bringeth the Princes of the earth to nothing and lifteth up the meek to honour Great is our Lord and of great power his understanding is infinite The men of this world labour to set forth the state and magnificence of earthly Monarchs the largeness of their dominions greatness of their power continuance of their house Oh my soul why art thou so silent awake and sing aloud of the praises of God whose greatness is infinite eternal incomprehensible thou canst not by searching finde him out but remember to magnifie his work which men behold Every man may see it Man may behold it afar off Love the Lord Oh my soul and stick fast unto him as thy life and treasure Hee is that infinite unbounded eternal goodness passing all humane both search and sight that filleth and includeth all things Alass how do wee affect a thousand things that cannot bee effected or if obtained do vanish or cloy and can no more
with want thou hast the more need to strive for grace peace with God and joy in the Holy Ghost Thou hast nothing in this world provide spiritual treasure and learn what legacies the Lord hath bequeathed unto thee in his holy word Wee need not urge reasons to perswade old men who have accustomed themselves to the practice of godliness and by long custome have made that easie to them which to another seems difficult if not impossible to continue the use of this exercise for by experience they know the singular benefit and comfort of it They have tasted many times how sweet a thing it is to commune with the Lord how profitable to incite and call upon their souls and though the natural stomach be decayed the spiritual appetite still encreaseth in them a Psa 92.13 14. There is none so employed or tied by any service or duty to man but hee may finde some time either by day or night to call upon God to confer and talk with God and with his own soul in the presence of God especially upon the Sabbath day wherein the poorest Artificer and most painful Plough-man Prisoner and Gallislave must put apart some time if not to hear and pray publickly from which hee is restrained yet to behold muse and meditate with himself both of the word and works of God Canst thou finde time to eat drink sleep b Psa 16.7 redeem some portion of time from worldly business to refresh thy self with sweet Meditation c Psa 119.55.148 Is it not better to want thy full sleep than to deprive thy soul of communion with God It were a busie day when thou wouldest not a little attend to salute a kind friend who is come a far journey to visit thee in love Let no day pass without some conference with God and thine own heart Many hear the Word of God praise the Preacher wonder at the doctrine delivered are affected with joy or sorrow but the godly man treasureth up the Word in his heart not as a Talent in a Napkin but as provision in a store-house which hee bringeth forth in due season a Luk. 2.19 Mary kept all those sayings and pondered them in her heart when as others heard them as well as shee b Gen. 37.11 Jacob observed Joseph's dream the brethren heard it but the Father kept it in mind Quest What ought to bee the matter or subject of our Meditation Answ Some good or profitable observation gathered out of the Word or raised from the Works of God as the Titles and Properties of God c Psa 1.2 119.54 by which hee sheweth what hee is to his Church and People his Power Wisdome Justice and Mercy also the works of the Most High as his Decree Creation Providence the fall of man our Redemption by Christ Vocation Justification Sanctification and Glorification likewise our own vileness and sinfulness both in general and particular also our manifold wants and infirmities our mortality and daily dangers with the mutability of all things in the world the great and sundry priviledges which wee injoy daily through the inestimable kindness of God in Christ Jesus the sundry afflictions and troubles of this life and how wee may best bear them and go thorow with them to the glory of God and our own spiritual good It is good to observe further and think upon the vanity of all earthly things the vain confidence of worldly men the destruction of the wicked the assaults that are made against the Church and how the Lord doth still protect her with his right hand In brief the Word of God is a rich store-house of good matter and the world a stage furnished with great variety every day bringeth forth manifold occasions of Meditation and a godly mind may make good use of every Word or Work of God of every thing it seeth or heareth whether it bee good or evil Quest What bee the fruits effects and benefits of Meditation Answ They are manifold for it calls our minds out of the world to a Psa 42.4 39.3 mourning or mirth to complaint prayer rejoycing and thanksgiving in the presence of God It drieth fleshly and bad humours of worldliness and earthly-mindedness it quickens and awakens the dull and drowsie heart that is ready to bee sleeping in sin there is no private help so available to gave and sift weed and purge and as it were to hunt and ferrit out of our hearts swarms of wicked and unsavoury thoughts and lusts which otherwise will not onely lodge and dwell but rule and reign in them and to entertain and hold fast heavenly thoughts which otherwise will run out of our riven heads as liquor out of a rotten vessel It is an ointment to soften our hard hearts and to sweeten the bitterness of our lives in all inward and outward troubles It is a soveraign preservative against the sugered baits of worldly pleasures and commodities that they become not poison unto us Meditation is the searcher of the heart the manure of the soul the fosterer of zeal the key of paradise the ladder of Heaven the remedy of security the pastime of Saints the improvement of Christianity It enters us into the first degrees of heavenly joyes exalteth our minds and thoughts above the highest pitch of worldly things and imparteth unto us some first beginnings of the vision of God it is as watering to plants as blowing to fire as oyl to aking joynts as Physick to the sick It urgeth to repentance it quickneth to prayer confirmeth faith kindleth love digesteth the word encourageth in well doing and refresheth with heavenly consolations More Particularly First Meditation discovers corruption and acquaints us with the rebellion of our hearts and lives with our blindness security earthly-mindedness and infinite other loathsome filthinesses which neither wee our selves would take knowledge of while wee carry our selves in many things as good Christians amongst men neither any other would ever think that so much poison could bee inclosed in so narrow a room as within the compass of one silly man or woman The vanity of mind frowardness of will will shew themselves sooner in this duty than in any other By the hearing of the Law comes the knowledge of sin but never so clear and distinct as when wee constantly set our selves to walk with God Let us observe what unfaithfulness injustice worldliness impatience breaketh forth in our callings what weariness coldness deadness distrust possesseth the heart in prayer how full of wandrings forgetful irreverent how soon tyred wee bee in hearing the Word how senseless froward and hard-hearted under the Rod and wee shall bee forced to acknowledge that wee are very stubborn and rebellious prone to evil and averse to that which is good But set thy self to think upon some instruction that hath been taught or thou hast observed do it seriously conscionably religiously constantly as one who desireth to spend all time well and
once weaken and distract the powers of the soul To scatter the thoughts upon many things is to attend nothing as it ought when the mind is distracted betwixt divers things the one is a hinderance to the other and we receive benefit by neither nor bring our thoughts to any good issue Secondly Out of this variety of matter seeing thou must take but some one play the part of a wise man and chuse that whereof thou hast special need As salves are not for every sore nor all meats agreeable to every constitution every part of the Word is holy pure and good but times occasions conditions of men make a difference There is a time to mourn and a time to bee merry to put on sackcloth and to sing for joy and there is matter to bee found in Scripture which doth suit with each disposition and will serve to stir up either affection The occasions diseases comforts of Christians are not the same nor alike at all times out of the treasury of the Word wee may gather instructions which will fit every occasion season and estate Fitness of matter is required as in speaking so in musing * Isa 35.3 4. 40.28 Job 8.8 Deut. 4.32 32.7 Lam. 3.56 Psal 77.11 12. Art thou afflicted in conscience for sin speak with thy heart of the promises of pardon and forgiveness that are freely made in Jesus Christ enquire diligently into Gods mercies of old commune with thy self what former experiences of love and favour thou hast felt call to remembrance how tenderly the Lord hath dealt with others upon their humble submission If thou wouldest stir up thy heart to love or reverence the Lord think of his majesty power goodness free-grace and undeserved mercy Thirdly It is neither unlawful nor unmeet to meditate on our sins past that we might be humbled frailties present that we might prevent them but a discreet course must bee held that wee defile not our selves with delightful remembrance of sin Ezek. 16.63 36 31. nor by thoughts stir up the corruption which wee desire to subdue nor cast our selves into despair and horrour for what hath been done amiss nor give place to doubting of perseverance in respect of the time to come for humiliation must bee joyned with confidence in God and watchfulness that wee fall not into sin again Quest What if the heart bee so barren that wee cannot call to minde any thing that hath been taught nor remember any mercy wee have received Answ These may bee observed as matters meet to have good room in our thoughts our own vileness unworthiness emptiness of grace the goodness of God in sparing our lives bestowing outward blessings forgiving multitude of sins and subduing them more and more the sufferings of Christ in the Garden and upon the Cross the Christian armour that must bee put on and kept about us how wee might carry our selves uprightly in all estates and affairs that our hearts bee not disordered nor our lives blemished It is not amiss to propound to our selves the mercies of the day our special wants of grace and the chastisements that are laid upon us as matters to bee mused on that wee might bee quickened to prayer and thanksgiving First More particularly Hee that desireth to have help by Meditation must weigh how slippery bad fickle and wandring his heart is infinite waies to his exceeding hurt Jer. 17.9 and that hee must of necessity appoint some a Psa 55.17 set time to check reclaim and wean it from the same Secondly Hee must watch over his heart having been so often deceived by it throughout his whole life and have it in suspition that so it may be more fit to bee drawn to such heavenly exercise Prov. 4.21 and be stayed therein and attend upon the same Thirdly This being observed let him draw matter of Meditation and Prayer from his own wants and infirmities from Gods benefits from the change and mortality of this life Also it is good to meditate on the Glory of Gods Kingdome the sweet comfort of a peaceable conscience love of humility meekness but specially that which for the present shall bee most suitable to his state Fourthly If hee cannot thus do let him read some portion of the holy Scripture some part of the Psalms some of the Epistles of the Apostles Christs Sermons or some good book fit to furnish him with good matter and season and affect his mind that so hee may learn how to perform this duty and quicken up himself to it oft and from time to time when hee once knoweth how If hee cannot read hee must desire more help of others and for want of help hee must needs look to go the more slowly forward either in the right and kinde use of Meditation or in any part of sound godliness and Christianity seeing wee cannot bee ignorant of this that the old subtil fowler sets his snares and nets so thick in our way that wee have no shift but to fall into them and light upon them except with the wings of Meditation and Prayer wee mount up on high above them and fly over them which to them that cannot read will for the most part bee found more hard and difficult Quest What particular Meditations concerning duties to be performed or practised may wee finde commended unto us in the writings of godly men Answ They are many and most excellent amongst the rest such as these First No man shall bee fit to govern himself aright before men if hee do not usually acquaint himself with and frame himself after that Christian course first which hee should have before God Yet no man must rest in private exercises of Religion without a well-ordered life before men Secondly Every part of our calling must bee so carried on as wee may have peace thereby and it behooveth us to bee best armed and most circumspect where wee are weakest If a man bee fallen hee must not lye still but return unto the Lord with speed though with much difficulty for sluggishness and deadness will follow if the breach bee not made up in our consciences 1 Sam. 7.7 8 9 10 11 12. but if wee seek to God unfeignedly hee is not far off Thirdly If wee rejoyce onely in prosperity it is a sign that Gods benefits not his favour makes us merry It is a good thing to rejoyce in the Sabbaths Psal 119.57 2 Cor. 5.16 and in the communion of Saints yet wee may not rest there but in this that God is our portion alwaies Fourthly In crosses we must use great sobriety otherwise wee shall be unsettled by them especially if they bee many and great to this end wee must prepare for trouble before it come and in it wee must meditate on the best priviledge that God hath given unto us labouring that our graces and strength increase as our afflictions do increase For affliction is doubled 1 Sam. 30.6 Psal 77.3 if the inward infirmity
or falling-sickness from my Parents I should bewail mine unhappy nativity But my condition is much more wretched for descending from the loins of Adam by natural propagation with my nature I received the poison of sin which hath corrupted every power of soul and like a running leprosie staineth all it toucheth I am unclean by birth and whatsoever I touch it is unclean Were I with Job from top to toe covered with biles it would grieve mee but my whole spirit is fraught with corruption more filthy than that which breaketh forth at the eye car c. I am ashamed of corporal nakedness deeply affected with lameness or deformity if overtaken with any loathsome disease I grow weary of the world and wish to bee separated from the society of men But the nakedness deformity corruption of soul and life is more shameful and loathsome filthy and abominable Deep is the stain that sin hath made and great is the danger that I am in by reason of my transgressions If I had offended the Law and stood as guilty to bee censured before the Tribunal of an earthly Judge with loss of liberty limbs or life I should bewail my estate and condemn my folly but I have broken the Law of God and stand guilty before him not of temporal but eternal death which the Law hath pronounced and I may expect every moment to bee executed upon mee Wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes Oh that mine eyes were a river of tears and mine head a fountain of water that day and night I could bewail the misery into which I am plunged by reason of my sin But woe is mee what shall I do whither shall I fly for succour I am bound with the cords of sin who shall unloose them I am guilty before the Throne of Justice who shall acquit mee I am defiled who shall make mee clean Humble thy self oh my soul and fly unto the Throne of grace for with God there is mercy and with him there is plentious redemption against him thou hast sinned and with him there is forgiveness acknowledge thine iniquity that thou mayest bee received unto mercy judge thy self that thou mayest not bee judged How well is hee that sleepeth with his quietus est in his bosome In this regard Gods children have followed God more for this than for deliverance from evils that have been upon them Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven and whose sin is covered Oh happy man who is stirred up to fly the wrath to come Thou art in danger to bee cast into the prison of Hell for thy debts thy sins which make thee debter of punishment to Gods justice Humble thy self compound with thy creditor before his heavy arrest bee served upon thee Shouldest thou have to deal with many men thou mightest have a cold sute but seek mercy of God none that cometh to him doth hee cast forth And now my soul bee warned for the time to come to take heed of sin turn from it with hatred and detestation bee purged from it as a thing filthy and abominable It is the most deadly poison a fretting leprosie a corruption in comparison of all others most detestable Wee would not suffer spots on our face nor lint or other soil upon our cloaths surely wee cannot make clean any thing but thou mayest thence take the rise of this thought how careful should I bee to cleanse my heart wee would not have any natural infirmities which are unseemly or filthy as wry mouths foul breeches lameness or halting in our gate c. But a tongue speaking perverse things rotten speeches crooked walking from Gods Law and the direction thereof are far more uncomely than the other If wee go by a foul stinking place wee stop our noses and haste away if an ugly shape present it self wee shut our eyes and indure not the view of it Thus shouldest thou Oh my soul with indignation turn from all filthy and abominable vices It is enough and too much that thou hast dishonoured God in time past and gone a whoring after strange lovers return now unto the Lord and keep thy self chaste unto him for ever To see a childe war with his loving Parents or a wife contend with her kinde husband is a detestable sight for any subject to rebel against his Prince is wretched lewdness but for one to rebel against such a Prince which out of his bounty hath most highly advanced him and done him favours from day to day this is most loathsome disloyalty Thus it is with sin which offendeth a most kinde and merciful Father who hath redeemed us from death and daily ladeth us with his blessings Oh that I could once finde out power and ability to weed out corruption and to pluck it up even by the root Oh that I were able to destroy the root and bud and branch of this cursed tree that it might never spring or bear fruit any more But alas I sensibly perceive that there is in mee no strength no more than there is in a sick man to recover himself or rather in a man stark dead to restore himself to life If I purpose to amend this or that which I finde to bee amiss I fail presently and come short of the accomplishment of my desire Oh who is it then that is able to deliver mee from the body of this death surely none but the Lord who hath made and fashioned mee to whom it belongs to kill and quicken heal and wound to thee therefore oh Lord do I make my moan to thee I render my humble petition and pour out my soul which hath sinned against thee Oh Lord I beseech thee for thy infinite mercy in Jesus Christ to take pity upon mee and to heal my soul which hath sinned against thee Wash mee thorowly from mine iniquity and cleanse mee from my sin Convert mee oh Lord and I shall be converted set mee at liberty and I shall run the race of thy Commandements Open unto mee the fountain of grace for the washing away of my sin and uncleanness It is thy property to have mercy it is thy free covenant to write thy Law upon my heart Thou hast promised to pour rivers of waters upon the dry and thirsty ground Thou invitest the barren soul to come unto thee for ease and rest O Lord have mercy upon mee for in thee do I trust thou art the well-spring of grace and mercy the fountain of life the author and preserver of grace unto thee do I commend my soul and upon thy merciful promise I will wait as long as I live Quest Let the work of Redemption bee the eighth Instance how are wee to proceed in Meditation on that work Answ In this work wee must consider the Author Subject Object Causes Ends Parts and Properties what is like and what unlike To redeem is to deliver from bondage and misery freely or upon exchange and to free from captivity by strong hand or
ransome which two latter have place in the Redemption of man in divers respects The Author of this great admirable and extraordinary work of Grace is Jesus Christ the eternal Son of God who in time became man and was made under the Law that hee might redeem us that were under the Law For this hee is called our Saviour and Redeemer or Redemption of his people who doth deliver them from the hand of all their enemies that they might serve the Lord without fear Those that God did raise up to redeem his people as Moses the Judges yea those that redeemed as kinsmen this or that were shadows of this our great Redeemer who was in time to bee revealed Christ hath satisfied revenging-justice overcome Satan killed sin and purchased deliverance for his people that are given unto him of his Father and such as beleeve in him are partakers of this Redemption in truth in this life perfectly in the life to come For from what time wee are ingrafted into Jesus Christ by a soveraign well-rooted and all-seasoning Faith wee are freed from being under the Law and revenging-justice of God The strong man is cast forth from what time Christ the stronger is entred The conscience is made a sweet companion and comforter rather than a rigorous keeper Where the King hath released a Prisoner the Jaylor can have no further power over him for hee is but to keep him during the Kings pleasure Again By grace God doth set our wills at liberty so that sin cannot reign in us as heretofore yea the world is crucified to us and wee unto the world For as when health cometh a man beginneth to walk abroad and do such things as hee could not stir to do while his sickness did keep him under so it is here Finally wee are so freed that we can suffer nothing which our wills have cause to be unwilling with all things being such as shal work together for our good Behold the rich grace admirable love and tender mercy of the Lord towards man in himself most miserable rebellious and worthy to bee cast off for ever God so loved the world that hee gave his only begotten Son that whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Oh Lord as our sin and misery abounded thy mercy hath superabounded In mercy thou didst provide a means for mans deliverance that justice being satisfied grace might bee glorious in his salvation Oh God when thou hadst determined that justice should take her revenge if by breach of covenant shee bee wronged thine infinite wisdome found out a way to satisfie wronged justice when all mankinde lay under the sentence of condemnation altogether unable to help themselves thine unspeakable mercy did shew her self for our deliverance when man had nothing to pay for his Ransome nor any strength to rescue himself from the hands of justice or the curse of the Law of thine endless love thou didst give Christ to bee our Saviour and by way of ransome to redeem us Oh my soul thou art redeemed not with silver or gold but with the blood of Christ a lamb undefiled This was it which in the blood of all the sacrifices was prefigured The death of Christ is it by means whereof Gods Grace doth set thee free and that in most just manner It doth pacifie justice her displeasure against sin For God that is God as his Revenging Justice is gone forth is said to smell a savour of rest in the death of Christ and by Christs being put under the Law or curse of Gods revenging made manifest in the Law wee are said to bee redeemed from the Law or curse as by an all-sufficient Ransome accepted of Justice This death doth feee us from the Devil for Satans power over us was by reason of sin and the punishment due to it from the Justice of God By death hee destroyed him that had the power of executing death The price of our Ransome was paid to divine Justice and it being paid and accepted Satan was cast down by strong hand This death hath obtained the Spirit to bee given thee which doth free thee from the captivity of lusts Gal. 4.4 5 and enable thee to finde liberty in actions of godliness Through this death thou hast deliverance from all evils So that all tears in Gods Time shall bee wiped from thine eyes and in the mean while all thy sufferings are so changed that they are not effects of Gods Revenging Justice to destroy but such things in which God doth offer himself as a Father intending to make thee partake further by means of them in the quiet fruit of Righteousness And now my soul why hath the Lord done this for thee that the Glory of his Grace might bee magnified in thy salvation and thou mightest serve him all the daies of thy life As for the parts of Redemption it is purchased or possessed and this begun or consummated in respect of guilt and punishment or power and tyranny of sin Rome was not built in a day Great things are not begun and finished all at once Redemption takes not its full effect in this life but it is so begun that it shall certainly bee accomplished in due time The Properties of this deliverance will set forth the excellencies of it in some sort It is true and real as far excelling that Redemption of Israel out of the Land of Egypt as the substance doth the shadow the soul doth the body and Christ did Moses It is spiritual from Sin Satan and the curse of the Law The bondage of soul to the wrath of God tyranny of Satan and slavery of sin is most lamentable and grievous and the more fearful the captivity the more comfortable the deliverance Nor is this mercy vouchsafed to a few that live in some corner of the world in some special age or time which much lessen the value of it but it is universal extended to all ages to all sorts of men high and low rich and poor a Apoc. 5.9 Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred and tongue and people and which is the upshot of all this Redemption is eternal Heb. 9.12 Hee that is ransomed out of the power of a bodily enemy may bee taken captive the second time but hee that is set free by Jesus Christ cannot bee captivated by Satan It was a singular favour that God raised up Saviours to deliver them out of the hands of their oppressors It is a much greater mercy that God hath given us Christ to set us free from spiritual thraldome for that Redemption was typical this real that temporal of the body this spiritual of the soul and conscience That from the cruelty of man this from the tyranny of Satan that thraldome would have ended with life this bondage would ever have increased daily After that deliverance they might and did return to bondage But in this Redemption hee that is once freed abideth a
this exercise page 11 What the matter or subject of our meditation ought to bee page 17 What the fruits effects and benefits of meditation are page 20 What use wee are to make of this point page 49 What superficial and careless thinking upon some points of Doctrine by fits is page 53 What the lets and Impediments of this duty are page 59 How the first Impediment is removed page 61 What a second let or Impediment is page 65 How it is to bee remedied Ib What a third Impediment is page 68 How it is to bee remedied page 69 What a fourth let is page 71 How it is to bee remedied page 72 What should move us to bee careful to take time for this duty page 73 What things hinder the fruitful performance of this duty page 74 How these abuses are to bee remedied page 75 What the sorts and kinds of meditation are page 77 What occasional Meditation is ib. What Rules are to bee noted touching extemporary Meditation page 78 What the benefits of extemporary meditation are page 80 How a man should fit himself for extemporary meditation page 84 What solemn or setled meditation is page 85 What motives should perswade Christians to set upon this duty page 86 What things must bee looked unto that this exercise might bee taken in hand with good success page 88 What Rules are to bee observed touching the choice of matter Ib. VVhat wee must do if our heart bee so barren that wee cannot call to mind any thing that hath been taught us nor remember any mercy wee receive page 93 VVhat particular meditations concerning Duties to bee performed or practised wee may finde commended unto us in the writings of Godly men page 97 110 VVhat place is fit for meditation page 115 VVhat they must do that have no room to bee alone page 117 VVhat time must bee set apart for meditation lb. VVhat is to bee said to them that pretend multitude of worldly business to excuse the omission and neglect of this excercise page 123 VVhat course must be holden to redeem time out of the world for meditation page 125 How wee must make entrance into this exercise page 127 In what order wee must proceed after the entrance page 130 VVhat must bee observed for the conclusion of this exercise page 137 How wee must meditate on Gods infinite excellency page 139 How wee must proceed in this meditation page 140 How these things are to bee applied upon the heart and pressed upon the soul page 145 How wee are to proceed in meditation of the holy Angells page 154 How these things are to be pressed and urged and applied unto the heart page 156 How wee are to meditate on mans excellency page 161 How it is to bee applied unto the heart for the quickning of the affection page 168 How wee are to meditate on Gods Infinite greatness page 176 How it is to bee applied unto the heart page 181 How we are to meditate on the love of God page 185 How it must bee applied unto the heart page 198 How wee are to meditate on the fall of our first parents page 207 How it is to bee applied unto the heart page 221 How wee are to meditate on sin page 228 How it is to bee pressed upon the heart page 245 How wee are to meditate on the work of Redemption page 246 How it is to bee applied unto the heart page 267 How wee are to meditate on the Resurrection of Christ page 273 How it is to bee pressed upon the heart page 284 A TREATISE OF Divine Meditation Quest WHat doth the word Meditation signifie Answ Those two words in the Original which our Translators render to Meditate signifie Primarily to meditate commune or discourse with ones self or which is the same to imagine study consider or muse in mind or heart Psal 1.2 In his Law doth hee meditate a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 day and night 77.6 I commune b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with mine own heart and my spirit made diligent search Isa 33.18 Thine heart shall meditate terrour 59.13 conceiving c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and uttering from the heart words of falshood And secondarily To pray or express that with the mouth which the heart mindeth either 1 Articulately Gen. 24.63 Isaac went out to meditate d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meditari meditata eloqui in the field i. e. to meditate his evening prayers and pray over his meditations Psal 55.17 Evening and morning and at noon will I pray e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 105.2 Talk yee f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 colloquimini of all his wondrous works Or 2 Inarticulately Isa 8.19 And when they shall say unto you seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto Wizards that peep and that mutter g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qui mussitant should not a people seek unto their God 38.14 I did mourn h Where are words used coming from the same Hebrew root as a Dove 31.4 Like as the Lion and the young Lion roaring i Where are words used coming from the same Hebrew root on his prey The former of these two significations being the Principal Quest How is Meditation to bee defined as it is taken in the former sense Answ Meditation is a serious earnest and purposed musing upon some point of Christian instruction tending to lead us forward toward the Kingdome of Heaven Psal 119.23 48. and serving for our daily strengthening against the flesh the world and the Devil Or it is a stedfast and earnest bending of the mind upon some spiritual and heavenly matter discoursing thereof with our selves till wee bring the same to some profitable issue both for the setling of our judgements and bettering of our hearts and lives Quest How do Prayer and Meditation differ Answ They are often confounded in name but inseparably linked in nature going hand in hand together and can no more bee severed than two Twins who live and dye together only in Prayer wee confer and commune more directly with God by Petition and Thanksgiving Psa 42.11 in Meditation wee talk and confer more directly and properly with our selves and with our own souls Quest What reasons may shew the necessity of this duty Answ First It is commanded by God who hath supream Authority to command what hee pleaseth is infinite in Wisdome to judge what is most profitable for us and most acceptable to himself is of great Power to punish our contempt and abundant in Goodness to reward our obedience It is his good pleasure that wee should purposely separate our selves from other matters to think seriously upon some good and holy observation that our understandings might bee bettered and our affections stirred to hate evil and love good Secondly How necessary this heavenly exercise is may easily be conceived for that the hearts even of good Christians are too much
wee shall see great cause good incouragement to set upon that work with diligence joy and chearfulness as the mercies of God the love of Christ the comforts of grace the bond of Creation preservation redemption the promise of divine assistance and gracious acceptance the peace of conscience and lively hope of an Inheritance in the highest Heavens When these and such like considerations are duly weighed wee shall finde many and more effectual provocations to incite to holiness than possiblely can bee to incite unto sin or to dishearten in any good enterprize Fourthly In company wee are apt to forget our selves and take offensive liberty to bee idle loose vain in speeches pettish in behaviour The reason is because wee are not stored with good matter wee have not seen into the manifold imperfections of our hearts nor tried in secret how wee can master and overcome corruptions Whereby the necessity of Meditation is manifest that gaging the heart thorowly and fighting against sin at home wee might bee more watchful in company lest wee should bee overtaken and better enabled to resist for as hee who goeth to war is first trained and made fit to use his weapon at home and the scholar tryeth masteries privately before hee come forth to dispute openly so must a good Christian try what hee can do against his affections lusts alone by himself in his solitary Meditation and resolve against them accordingly as hee seeth the difficulty to require before hee can in his common dealings with all sorts and companies bee strengthened against temptations and falls and free from offence-giving in his words and deeds 5 Unbeleef and hardness of heart are evils no less dangerous than common to the godly that feel them to the ungodly that are insensible a curse a judgement that cannot sufficiently be lamented The special remedy is earnest communication with our selves and with the Lord in secret How doth the heart relent when wee set our selves in the presence of God to record our disobedience with shame and sorrow and when wee call to remembrance our mortality the day of death the coming of Christ to judgement the favours of God the love of Christ his most bitter death and passion Hardness of heart cometh from want of due consideration a Mark 6.52 8.17 18 19 20 21. Tenderness follows Meditation as contraries are cured by their contraries To chide the heart for sin and force it by strong reasons pressed again and again upon the conscience is effectual to break and rent it as hard stroaks with beetle and wedges are to cleave the knotty Oak They that look up to Christ will mourn over him To stock up infidelity and to plant the word of promise what means to Meditation a Psa 77.9 10 11 12. when wee consider the power goodness unchangeableness of the Lord his free grace rich mercy and constant truth how hee dealt with his servants in former times and hath holpen us in the day of our calamity doth not the heart rise in indignation against distrust To check and reprove dejectedness of spirit and to stir up our selves to wait and trust in the Lord is a ready way to get freedome from distracting thoughts that overwhelm and oppress the soul Thirdly Meditation may be called the beginning of all sound Reformation when will men turn from their sins with an holy resolution to cleave unto the Lord in all things Never till they come to their right mind and bethink themselves b Hos 7.2 Jer. 5.24 Luk. 14.28 15.17 Mark 14.72 Psal 4.4 They may promise fair in sickness conceive some purposes of amendment upon the sight or hearing of judgement denounced against their bosome sin but all this abides meanly with them to break the heart or change it from those sinful delights wherewith it was bewitched They must remember and weigh what they have done before they can rise out of the miry-puddle into which they are fallen c Jer. 8.6 Rev. 2.5 Fourthly Hereby well-grounded and working knowledge is attained encreased without understanding wee cannot begin this exercise but wisdome is begotten and confirmed by it d Psa 119.92 93 99. They that hear often read much but live not in the exercise of Meditation and digest not what is brought to their minds by outward means they continue still in darkness or hang upon the credit of their teachers at the best their knowledge is less profitable to themselves and others as that which swimeth in the brain but is not kindly rooted in the heart In earthly occasions wherein wee are sharper sighted than in spiritual wee conceive not a matter at the first hearing the more we think upon it the better wee come to know it In spiritual things often reviewing the same thing is most requisite It is Meditation that settleth the truth in the judgement assureth it to the conscience and firmly groundeth it in the heart that it becometh a behooveful word ready in the time of need and ruling over the whole man with an universal milde and gentle soveraignty It may bee added that if wee meditate of what we hear wee shall see more into the truth use and benefit of what is taught than hee that preacheth Surely there is no doctrine so plain or work so small but great good might bee gathered much learned out of it by study and diligence Fifthly What an help this is to strengthen memory all men know by continual practice Doth not the light of reason teach us to call that oft to mind which wee would not have to overslip us Psal 119.15 16. I will meditate on thy statutes and will not forget thy Word The Saints of God know it is needful to grow in wisdome and to retain what they have learned but look how necessary it is to bee filled with wisdome and to hold a Heb. 2.1 2. fast what wee have received so needful it is to repeat again and again and to bethink our selves of what hath been commanded and commited to our custody Defect of memory is best supplied by Meditation Sixthly * Quo magis aliquid per contemplatione nobis innotescit eo magis in illius amorem erar descimus quo magis aliquid amamus eô frequentius de ipso cogitamus Meditation enlargeth delight in goodness much blowing will make the fire to burn under green wood Our nature desires liberty and goodness is burdensome to the flesh but if wee accustome our selves to minde and muse and think upon the word until it be made our own it will be pleasant to our taste Psa 119.23 24. sweeter than hony or the hony comb Familiarity is the best Nurse of Friendship better than good turns Even as looking breedeth loving so when by the thought of mind wee look upon good matters there is a love of them bred in us for affections kindle on a thought as tinder doth when a spark lighteth on it The most vehement love doth
largely to discourse upon them Sixthly Variety of matter is very profitable for often iteration of the same thing breeds heartlesness It is with Meditation as with medicines which with over ordinary use lose their soveraignty and kill in stead of purging Quest What are the benefits of Extemporary Meditation Answ 1 It fits for setled Meditation as it furnisheth with matter and prepareth the heart to commune with God as oft salutations makes way to familiar conference Hee that observeth the Lord in all his dealings and makes spiritual use of earthly things shall with more ease finde and fasten his heart upon some good matter and have it at command to attend upon the Lord in most serious Communication Secondly It kindles the graces of the Spirit which might otherwise bee damped with the foggy mists of earthly cares and vain delights As the fire gathers that which causeth it to burn faster so the Spirit raiseth holy thoughts upon outward occasions which do revive the grace wee have received Thirdly Since the greatest part of our life is spent in worldly affairs unless wee lift up our hearts to God upon occasions offered in our callings journies and such like wee shall deprive our souls for the most part of sweet fellowship and communion and company with the Lord. Fourthly If God walk along with us in the labours of our callings is it not an offence in us to take no notice or observation of his presence Fifthly Occasional Meditation is a sharp spur and strong provocation to prayer and praise Hee cannot want matter of thanksgiving or supplication that conscionably observeth and considereth the goodness of the Lord towards him in the things of this life and infirmities of the creature and his own inability of himself to effect or bring any thing to pass Sixthly It furthers much to bring us to the knowledge of our selves and to encrease humility self-ignorance is a disease most dangerous the daughter of corruption infidelity forgetfulness pride presumption earthly-mindedness flattery bad company ill examples and custome in sin One special Remedy of this over-spreading malady is oft and diligent Meditation of the things that shall happen fall out or be presented to us in our daily vocations Seventhly The thoughts of this nature are not onely lawful but so behooveful that wee cannot omit them without neglect of God his creatures our selves the creatures are half lost if wee onely imploy them not learn something of them God is wronged if his creatures bee unregarded our selves most of all if wee read this great volume of the creatures and take out no lesson for our instruction Quest How should a man fit himself for extemporary Meditation Answ First Hee must get an heart desirous to reap profit by every thing that doth befall him Love of wealth draws the covetous to study how he might turn all things to his advantage and love of grace will produce the same effects in her kind Secondly Hee must learn to read the power goodness bounty and wisdome of the Lord written in fair characters in the large volume of the creatures and in every leaf and line thereof The fire hail snow rain dew frost yea herbs plants fish and fowl praise the Lord that is give occasion to man to magnifie the name of God Psal 8.1 2 3. who is great and excellent Thirdly Let him make spiritual use of earthly things and mark how the one is resembled and shadowed forth in the other And to this end it is good to observe the parables and similitudes and borrowed phrases in Scripture whereby a Christian may soon furnish himself in this point Fourthly It must bee remembred that in every thing the wise just powerful and good providence of God doth over-rule this perswasion rooted in the heart draws a man to acknowledge the hand of God in whatsoever happeneth great or small Quest What is solemn or settled Meditation Answ It is a purposed and advised bending of the mind to consider and muse on some good and wholesome matter with resolution to work the heart into an holy temper to which end wee separate our selves from all companies and occasions that might distract us Quest What Motives should perswade Christians to set upon this duty Answ Besides the benefits before mentioned which principally belong to solemn Meditation these considerations may bee of force to quicken us First Wee must exercise our selves in the Word of God with care and diligence that it may sink into us abide with us quicken and conform and strengthen us Wee are commanded to treasure up and feed upon the Word of Life Psal 119.11 Isa 8.16 Luke 11.28 Rev. 1.3 Binde up the Testimony seal up the Law among my Disciples Blessed are they that hear the Word of God and keep it Blessed are they who read and they who hear the words of this Prophecy and keep those things that are written therein James 1.21 Receive with meekness the ingrafted Word which is so called because it should abide in our hearts like a Siens in a stock and never bee removed but there grow and fructifie unto eternal life But the Word cannot take root bee remembred digested wee cannot feed upon it without Meditation Mat. 24.15 Let him that readeth consider and understand Secondly The Scriptures were written to bring us to happiness to fellowship and communion with God to everlasting life They set forth the way to blessedness and direct how wee may bee partakers of glory Rev. 1.3 Joh. 20.31 1 Joh. 1.3 And if wee be not careless of the salvation of our souls wee must search into this Mine as well by Meditation as reading or hearing Quest What things must bee looked unto that this exercise might bee taken in hand with good success Answ Choice of good matter fit place due time holy entrance orderly proceeding and seasonable meet conclusion Quest What rules are to bee observed touching the choice of matter Answ The matter of Meditation must be some good and profitable thing as God himself his attributes titles properties works of mercy and judgement creation and providence his Word Threatnings Promises Commandements our own unworthiness mortality the afflictions and manifold changes of this life and how we may go thorow them with comfort But out of this variety make choice of some one to bee the subject of thy discourse for hee that is every where is no where Nothing is more hurtful to the body than many medicines The sore to which sundry kinds of plaisters are applied is hardly brought to a scar Nihil tam utile est quod in transitu profit Senec Think upon one thing until thy affections be wrought upon Nothing is so profitable that it can benefit much in passing by hee that comes by the fire may feel a glympse of heat hee onely is warmed that tarrieth at it It is the property of a weak stomach to taste many things to hold and digest nothing Many matters thrust upon us at
of God and destruction of mankind by that temptation but it turned to his confusion and overthrow The seed of the woman hath bruised the Serpents head his power is crushed and his devices frustrated Nor did the instrument of the Devil escape unpunished the Serpent is accursed above all the beasts of the earth most wretched and ashamed to appear abroad hee is adjudged to creep upon his belly with pain to eat the dust for meat a grievous diet And the Lord hath put enmity betwixt him and the woman All sin especially prophanation and contempt of the Sacrament is like to this of our first Parents in some sort but this was the first sin the fountain of all sin the sin of man and his posterity for Adam received and lost integrity both for himself and us Quest How are these things to bee applied unto the heart Answ Wee must work our heart to humiliation stir up our selves earnestly to seek help and deliverance and acknowledge the justice of God in correcting and his incomprehensible mercy in vouchsafing means of recovery unto man How is man fallen from his first dignity and good estate hee was created holy and happy furnished with grace and set in place of high renown Thou Lord didst crown him with glory and honour and gavest him a patent for his posterity that they should live in blessedness before thee But wo is mee what alteration do I finde Man hath sinned and God is displeased Man that was the beauty of the world the beloved of God is now the map of misery the object of divine revenging justice His mind is besotted his conscience unquiet his will and affection poisoned with sin fear dread horrour and trembling possesseth his reins his body is naked deformed subject to annoyance of heat cold distemper many waies The Free-man of God the Lord of the creatures is brought into most miserable and sore bondage unto Satan sin his own conscience who can comprehend the miseries of this life whereunto hee lyes open No words can describe the spiritual plagues that are seized upon the soul already nor the dreadful torments that are prepared for him in hell for evermore Oh my soul enter into thy self consider and bewail thy natural estate thou art exposed to suffer a thousand evils to wearisome vanity in every thing yea through fear of death the upshot of evils thou art in bondage all thy dayes while in that state thou abidest Pharaoh did never put Israel to such hard service as the Devil putteth thee to while thou art under his power Thou art sick filthy naked crooked fallen from the love of God more odious in his eyes than the stink or filthy savour of a dead corps in the nostrils of man exposed to the torments of Hell shut up under the curse of the Law abidest under wrath How do men of the world take on when they have lost a great friend upon whom all their hopes depended when they bee cast from the top of honour into the gulf of misery poverty and disgrace weep oh my soul and pour out tears in secret for thou hast lost thy glory art spoiled of thy ornaments and hast provoked the Lord to anger by thy inventions The brute beasts take it as a grievous thing to bee insnared and taken and wilt thou laugh in the midst of bondage and count it liberty to bee a slave of Satan Death is terrible and wilt not thou fear Hell which followeth after it as a desert of thy transgression Ah miserable man and the more miserable that thou art senseless of thy misery yet now that I know my disease I will seek for remedy The sick person will take bitter pills to recover health the bondman desires liberty the captive freedome the condemned a pardon My present case is very wretched and in no case to be rested in Nature teacheth all creatures to shroud themselves from dangers or being in distress to seek help without delay much more am I to bee moved with mine estate who am subject to eternal death which hath already seized upon mee in a spiritual death of soul and mortality or dying state of the body wee will meet a disease betime labouring to rid our selves of it if any thing threaten our name and estate wee will indeavour quickly to free the one and the other But whither shall I fly for succour where shall I finde the Physician that is able to cure and redeem mee from the tyranny of Satan Set mee free from the fear of Hell I am even at my wits end not knowing which way to turn Oh Lord I am utterly destitute of all means to help my self it is not in my power to satisfie thy justice overcome death or deliver my soul out of the hands of the Devil I cannot think a good thought I know not nor of my self can know the way of Life or means of my recovery Blessed God as of thine infinite mercy thou hast ordeined so I pray thee reveal unto mee the way how I may escape eternal death deserved by my sin and bee made partaker of everlasting happiness through thy special grace Righteous art thou oh Lord and just are thy judgements I know that in very faithfulness thou hast afflicted mee and that I have deserved much more than ever I felt from thee Thou mightest have cast mee for ever out of thy presence and given mee my portion with the Devil and his Angels But loe thou dost correct mee in measure for my good to purge mee from sin and bring mee unto repentance that I might bee saved Oh my God I will magnifie thy name for thou hast redeemed my soul from death my darling from the power of the doggs This mercy was not shewed to the Angels Creatures more excellent than man Should one redeem us from the state of villanage or ransome us from the Gallows wee would think wee could not bee thankful enough But Lord thou hast redeemed mee from revenging Justice from the power of the Devil holding mee under the curse from the power of conscience justly condemning mee from the power of sin commanding as King How great is thy mercy towards mee I am not able to comprehend it As my sin and misery hath abounded thy mercy hath abounded much more Quest Let us now hear what order is to bee observed in Meditation of sin Answ Wee must call to minde and discourse with our selves of the causes ends properties and effects and kinds of sin what is contrary unto it what like and what unlike O my soul what is sin wherewith thou art beset and stained yea miserably besotted since the fall of Adam what is it but the privation of Gods Image and corruption of the soul an aberration from the rule of perfection an evil disposition of the subject turning aside from the path of life and swarving from the mark and end that all should aim at God is the fountain of all good things the giver of every good and