the grave of darknesse who shined through many dark thoughts and apprehensions into the hearts of his disconsolate Disciples for his own Disciples did then â—egin to doubt We trusted said they â—hat it had been he which should have redeemed Israel Luk. 24.21 Here also we may meditate on the excellency of heavenly knowledge that wisdome â—xcelleth folly Eccl. 2.13 even as light excelleth darkâ—esse Light is comfortable and sweet it â— to behold the light of the Sun Eccl. 11.7 Darknesse makes men sad and timeâ—ous so wisdome makes a man's face â—o shine but ignorance is uncomfortaâ—e light manifesteth things as they â—e but darknesse hides them light â—stinguisheth one thing from another â—rknesse confounds things all alike so â—nowledge gives us a right discerning of things but ignorance overwhelms us with horrour and amazement light directs a man in his way but darknesse misguids him so wisdome shews us the true way whereas the ignorant wander in by-paths and fall into the bottomlesse pit I shall conclude this Section Clamant dupliciter 1. Ostendunt dignitatem 2. Ostendunt bonitatem Quocunque te vertis veritas vestigiis quibusdam quae operibus suis impressit loquitur tibi te in exteri ora relabentem ipsis exteriorum formis intùs revocat Aug. de libero arbitrio with that meditation of Austin Heaven and earth saith he and all things therein contained do make a continuall cry round about me that I should love thee O Lord they shew thy worthynesse and declare thy bounty such a world such Heavens such an Ocean such an earth such earthly creatures insensible sensible reasonable and all wonderfully framed Lord how mighty how wonderfull how wise art thou that madest them and therefore worthy our love and being thus made thus to blesse to continue to encrease tâ— multiply them yea more to fill us with them and therefore thy bounty thy super abundant bounty must needs make us to loâ— thee Sect. 2. Of meditating on the Word of Goâ— The second subject of meditatâ— that I shall lay before you is the Woâ—â— of God The second subject of meditation the Word of God It is said of the godly â— that he meditateth in the Law of God night and day Psal 1.2 How often doth David professe he will meditate in God's statutes Psal 119.48 Psal 119 97 and it was his practice vers 23. The Law of God was his meditation all the day long Meditation fastens the Word upon the heart the soul for want of meditation retaineth but little spirituall food the Word of God by holy meditating upon it produceth the same effects upon our souls as Manna Manna nò◠solum sanitatem sed animum Judaeis conferebat Josephus did upon the Israelites for some Writers say that it restored health infused strength and inspired courage into them that they owed those formidable victories they gained from their enemies to this meat that came down from Heaven so pious meditation on the Word changeth the qualities of men making them of a sound mind producing courage and assurance in the hearts of those that before were full of weaknesse fears and doubtings the Devils fly such men who lodge the Word of God the sword of the Spirit in their souls beholding their Judge seated in their hearts as upon his Throne this heavenly bread it was that animated the Martyrs to the flames that gave them courage to daunt their executioners the same food that nourisheth them defends them and that which cures their maladies subdues their enemies its strength no way hinders its sweetnesse there are charms in it that make it pleasant to every Palate that by faith and meditation tasteth thereof 1. Meditate on the transcendency of the Word that it is a transcendent rule of holinesse every Nation hath its Laws and there is none so barbarous whom nature or custome hath not furnisht with some polity the Greeks lived according to the Laws of their sages the Romans followed the twelve Tables and those that had neither Kings nor Lawgivers had the Law of nature for their guid the Jews were governed by the Law of Moses chiefly by the Law of the two Tables Senault Treat 7. disc 5. which if it gave them not strength enough to resist sin it gave them light enough to know and avoid it as one well noteth for saith the Apostle By the Law cometh the knowledge of sin now the whole Word of God both Law and Gospel is a most transcendent and most holy rule God is holy in his works but most holy in his Word Psal 138.2 in it shineth the purity of his nature not capable of the least imperfection the Angels though as fine gold yet are unclean in his sight saith Bernard Bernard how much more the sons of men who are but clods of earth and worms this meditation makes the holiest man to tremble at his presence and cry out with the Prophet that he is undone they that by derivation from him are most holy in comparison with him are most unholy saith Austin yea the Angels themselves when they draw near unto him cover both their feet and faces if Angels that stand at the Mercy-seat do tremble oh what shall sinners do that stand at the bar of justice 2 Meditate on the exactnesse of the Word of God the Law forbids all sin commands all obedience every passage in the life of man is ordered in it as Theodoret observeth of the Ceremoniall Law and the furniture of the Tabernacle that every particular thereof was exactly prescribed by God Theodoret. now if the Ceremoniall Law were so accurate and precise how strict is the Law of Morall holinesse the Law of the Lord is perfect we read that the measures and weights of the Sanctuary were double as much as the ordinary measures a man's actions may carry weight and be allowed among men in common conversation Aug. which will be found too light being weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary of God saith Austin bring we our actions to this standard and our defects will soon be discovered and that which will seem warrantable and commendable before men will appear sinfull and abominable before the Lord. 3. Meditate on the spirituality of God's Word it requireth exactnesse of soul and spirit it aweth the thoughts and judgeth of externall actions according to the heart I the Lord search the heart to give to every man according to his works Jer. 17.10 The naturall heart it may be will be content with Herod to do many good things so he may have a dispensation in one raigning sin and it may be to suffer a little to do penance with a Papist and then sin again this it could brook well enough but to be restrained in every thing this flesh and bloud cannot endure but whatsoever liberty the flesh can desire whether in thinking speaking or doing contrary to that duty which belongeth to a man's place as he is inferiour or
superiour to others or contrary to the good of the persons or chastity or good name of others though it be but in secret corruption or secret working of heart still the Word of God doth oppose it in every thing the Pharisees forbad the outward act of uncleannesse but the Law of God forbids the impurity of the thoughts they make the Law like John Baptist who had a leathern girdle about his loins but the Gospel represents Christ to have a golden girdle about his Paps they represented only the first risings and motions of sin this makes the Saints mourn for the first conceptions of sin though they prove abortive saith Chrysostome Chrysost making them to pray with David to be purged and freed from secret sins and sinfull cogitations 4. Meditate upon the operativenesse of the Word it is not a dead letter but hath a quick power in it to work upon the heart the Spirit of God accompanies it making it active and mighty in operation as in the frame of a man's body under every vein there runs an artery full of spirits so under every vein of truth in the Word of God there is an artery of Spirit quickning searching cutting discovering condemning What 's the reason most mens spirits rise up against the Word it is because as the Elephant troubleth the waters before he drinketh that he may not see his ugly visage so the Word of God troubleth the mind of a sinner it terrifies his conscience making his sin appear very sinfull to him it makes a man a burden to himself these spectacles are too true for the sinners false eyes Ahab cannot endure to talk with Michajah nor meet with Elijah men can endure the generalities of the Word well enough but when it comes near them toucheth their Copyhold corrupt hearts run away from it because for want of serious meditation they are unacquainted with the spirituall nature of the Word of God Oh study I pray thee â—regor Moral saith Gregory and daily meditate on the words of thy Creatour and learn the mind of God in his Word that thou maist look up to eternall things for so much shall thy rest be the greater in Heaven by how much the more it hath been even now from the love of thy Creatour here on earth Sect. 3. Of meditating on Man The third subject of meditation is man his Creation his body his soul his priviledges his Creation his body his soul his priviledges Man cometh in the next place as a fit subject for our meditation and consideration man was the last of God's creatures as the end of his Creation all made for him and all represented in him the rest by his word commanding whereas his body by his hand-working and his soul by his breath-quickning became alive and here let us meditate first on man's Creation who is as Plato saith Plato the miracle of all miracles and as it were the soul of this world and you will see how every circumstance sheweth the Creatours goodnesse and man 's many obligations Let us begin with the meditation of man's body which is as one saith More 's demonstrat the pattern of the universall world 1. Meditate on the provision God made for man before he made him God sets up an house and furnisheth it then puts man into this house ready furnisht to his hand other things are but as essayes of God's power man the perfection Adam the last of all God's works and the Lord and soveraign over them under his soveraign Lord Heaven would have nothing wanting to man that he might wholly mind the things of Heaven 2. Meditate on God's proceeding hereunto the Father as it were calls a Councell God deliberateth upon the enterprize of this work and the Councell is held in the conclave of the most holy Trinity Let us make man Gen. 1.26 Adam is businesse for the whole Trinity all were imployed about this creature to the end that being created he might be wholly imployed about the service of God 3. Meditate on the form of man's body God hath neither made us to lye along on the earth as beasts â—truth Obserâ—at 36. Cent. 2. or stick on it as trees but by upright stature set our head to Heaven and our feet to the earth as one observeth Os homini sublime dedit coelumque videre Ovid. Jussit erectos ad sidera tollere vultus God with a lofty look did man endew And made him Heavens transcendent glory view God hath given us an upright stature not like other creatures that look downwards to the earth to teach us to look up to Heaven by holy meditations and to look up to the hills whence our salvation cometh our face is toward Heaven to teach us that our hearts should not be nuzzeling in the earth man hath one muscle in his eyes more than any other creature which may teach him still to look up toward Heaven 4. Meditate on the matter of man's Creation Ad coelestia magis rapiatur ad terrestria minùs capiatur Columella l. 5. c. 9. Ecce pulchrum lapidem putre cadaver tegentem Gasp. in Heraclito Homo bis creatus 1. Seminaliter seu causaliter 2. Formaliter seu visibiliter Aug. de Genes he was made of the dust of the earth so as howsoever we appear beautifull and amiable in the eye of man which is fixt only on the externall part yet when the oyl of our lamp is consumed and we reduced again to our first originall matter there will be left us no better Epitaph than this Behold here a spetious shrine covering a stinking corps man is twice created saith St Augustine Seminally or causally Formally or visibly The first according to his soul the second according to his body man's body of earth doth represent whatsoever is between Heaven and earth yea the very Heavens themselves are figured all naturall causes contained and their severall effects produced therein The three Heavens are resembled by the body of man the lower serving for generation and nutriment are like the lowest Heaven within the compasse whereof the elements are found for as from them all beasts plants trees and other things have being receive nourishment growth motion and sense so of four humours there engendered all the members are made fed moved and augmented the same agreeing in nature and number with the elements and producing effects in all answerable to them the upper part which is the seat of the heart may be compared to the middle Heaven the eighth sphere wherein the Stars are fixt which holding one even and constant motion giveth light and life to the world beneath through its rayes and comfortable influences so the heart being still in motion preserveth the whole body in life and health by sending forth the vitall spirits dispersing themselves into all the parts by veins and arteries Lastly the head the highest part of the body and noblest seat of the soul where she acteth
our beds the manuary Trades and Horsekeepers and Merchants can witnesse as much unto us Rise thou at midnight as doth the Church mark the motion of the Stars the deep silence of all things then being their rest they then enjoy and admire the providence of God above then is thy soul more pure more light and subtil more lofty and quick the very darknesse it self and that great silence may induce thee to much contemplation and saith he further Look toward the City and thou shalt hear no noise at all cast thine eye on thine house and all thy family shall seem as if they lay in their graves or sepulchres all this may stir thee up to high and heavenly meditations and saith the same Father elsewhere Chrysost in Gen. Hom. 30. In the night no body is troublesome to us then have we a great tranquillity of our thoughts when our businesses are not troublesome when there is none that can hinder us from having accesse to God when our mind knittinâ— it self together is able diligently to makâ— reference of all to the Physitian of souls I shall not prescribe which of these is the fittest time for meditation but to me the morning seemeth to be the fittest but no time comes amisse to a prepared heart Chap. 10. An Exhortation to Meditation shewing also the necessity thereof Let me now exhort you to set about and to be frequent in this necessary duty of meditation Be often retiring your selves to God and breathing after him question him daily about thy salvation give him thy heart lift up thy soul to God cast thine inward eyes on his mercies give him thy hand as a little Child doth to his Father that he may lead thee and guid thee plant him in thy heart that God may be in all thy thâ—ughts make many motions in thy soul after him from every thing in the world may be presented many pious meditations and profitable discourses unhappy are they that use â—he creatures in turning them to sin and happy they that turn them to the meditation of God and his goodnesse This exercise of meditation is very necessary 1. Because much of the work of holy devotion consisteth in it it is that which may stand in stead of many other things but the lack of this can hardly be supplied by any other means for without this rest is but idlenesse pain taking but vexation 2. Meditation is necessary to beat down the flesh and to keep the sensuall appetite in subjection to the Law of the Spirit It is a great mischief saith Austin to enjoy those things we should but use and but use those things we should enjoy we should enjoy spirituall things and but use corporall which when the use is turned into enjoying our reasonable soul is turned into a bruitish and beast-like soul Animae viaticum est meditatio Bern. 3. Meditation is necessary to concoct the Word of God in our minds There are some that feel some tendernesse of spirit that will weep at a Sermon that one would think their hearts full of devotion but when it comes to the triall we find that as the sudden showers in the heat of Summer falling in great drops enter not but bring forth Toadstools or Mushromps so these tears falling on a vitious heart a heart not mollified by constant meditation the Word works not upon it but becomes unprofitable meditation softens the heart and fits it for any holy impression This made David cry out O Lord how sweet are thy words unto my tast they are sweeter than honey and the honeycomb and certainly the least comforts of the Word wrought in the heart by holy meditation are more worth than the most pleasing recreations in the world they that have tasted of them hold all other consolations to be but gall and wormwood in comparison of them Oh that now I could perswade men to this necessary duty of meditation withdraw your selves from your worldly affairs at least once a day for the exercise of meditation O holy soul saith Bernard O sancta anima fuge publicum fuge domesticos an nescis te verecundum habere sponsum c. Bern. shun publick places and the company of those of thy houshold knowest thou not that Jesus Christ thy Husband is bashfull and will not be familiar in company Come my beloved let us go forth into the field there will I give thee my loves Cant. 7.11 Chap. 11. Objections against setting about the practice of Meditation answered Object 1 But here some will be ready to say We are convinced that meditation is a necessary duty but it is a duty strange to us and that with which we are altogether unacquainted Resp The light though fair and pleasant to the eyes yet dimmest then after one hath been long in the dark before one cometh to be acquainted with the Inhabitants of any Countrey they will seem strange at first be they never so courteous so upon the change of thy life thou shalt find some inward alreration and in this generall adieu thou shalt give to the world and to all thy sins and foolish toyes thou shalt have some touch of grief and discontent but have but a little patience it is but a little astonishment the novelty brings thee passe that by and thou shalt receive many comforts and cordiall delights so pleasing and contenting that thou wilt esteem all other as nothing to them he that hath throughly tasted of this heavenly Manna cannot relish any worldly pleasures nor set his affections upon them the delights of holy meditation are the foretasts of those immortall delights that God gives to the souls of those that seek him Oh but saith the soul this mountain Object 2 of meditation is very high and the work is difficult how shall I be able to climb up this holy hill I am weak and unable for so high an exercise The work indeed seems harsh and difficult at first Resp. but when we are exercised therein it will be familiar with us The young Bees at first are called Nymphs and live on the honey that is in their Hives but when once their wings are grown out they fly abroad and gather honey for themselves on the flowers of the field and on the mountains It is true we are all Nymphs and worms in devotion at first not able to ascend this hill of meditation but when once we be formed in our desires and resolutions we then put fortâ— and so may hope to become spirituall Bees and then to fly higher and higher in our meditations in the mean time to feed on the honey of God's Word and of holy instructions praying to God to give us the wings of a Dove that we may swiftly and speedily fly unto him The greatest difficulty is in the first beginning of this exercise of meditation it being as one saith Io. Downham's guid to godlinesse so harsh to corrupt nature and so cross to carnall principles but the
Meditatio sine lectione erronea sine oratione infructuosa Bern. Let prayer go before it go to God and beg of him to inspire thee with holy meditations it is God that with his own hand puts them into our mouthes Noah is commanded to make a window in the top of the Ark and a door in the side of it a window is for the eye to look out at a door is for the whole body to go out and he that will ever be a good Christian must not only make a window for contemplation as Daniel did at which he prayed thrice a day but a door for action as Abraham did at which he sate once a day at the window of meditation he must contemplate with a good heart at the door of action he must go out to bring forth fruit with patience Matt. Stiles for of our selves we are not sufficient for one good thought prayer of it self lifts up the soul to God who is our only joy and comfort as is the sight so will the affection be and as the affection is so will the desire be Pray at the end of your meditations as David doth Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my strength and my Redeemer Psal 19.14 Pray that God would keep these things for ever in the imagination of your thoughts 1 Chron. 29.18 The last Rule is that all our meditations must be reduced to practice Thou shalt meditate in this Boâ—k of the Law that thou maist observe to do according to all that is written therein Josh 1.8 the end of meditation is practice I thought on my wayes and turned my feet unto thy testimonies Psal 119 59. In passing from our meditations we must resolve carefully to put them in execution without which meditation is not only unprofitable but rather hurtfull to us for vertues meditated on and not Rule 8 practised are apt to puff up the spirit in taking our selves to be such as we resolved to be therefore we must joyn practice to meditation To conclude as they that go into a goodly Garden go not out without gathering of some Flowers to smell to long after so our souls having by meditation fallen upon some pleasing points must take two or three most fit for our furtherance in piety to think on the rest of the day and as it were spiritually to smell unto Now as it is necessary that all these be setled in our hearts so in withdrawing our selves from our meditations we must passe very gently to other affairs for fear lest the liquor of our resolutions the result of our meditations do leak out and not penetrate into all parts as it should even into our hearts and souls yet all must be done without violence either of body or mind Object But who is able to put his meditations into practice the directions and exercises thereof being so many Resp If one were to put them all in practice every day he should do nothing else it would take up his whole time but that is not required but as time and place shall serve and as occasions shall offer themselves Renew thy resolutions often and say with David I will meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy wayes Psal 119.15 I will for ever keep thy Word and when thou failest herein take in hand thy protestation and offer it with thy whole heart to God This free confessing of our desire to serve God and to be wholly consecrated to him by a particular affection is very pleasing to him Chap. 13. Of the excellency and usefulnesse of Meditation Having given you Rules about meditation I shall in the next place shew you the excellency and usefulnesse thereof 1. Meditation breeds knowledge sc the knowledge of God and his benefits and our sin and unworthinesse As there is no moment wherein man useth not God so ought there to be no moment wherein he hath him not present in his memory Sicut nullum est momentum in quo homo nòn utatur Deo sic nullum esse debet momentum quo eum praesentem nòn habet in memoriâ Hugo l. 3. de anima Babingt in Num. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Clem. Alex. Aug. de civ Dei l. 21. c. 6. Aquin. in Joh 5. this continuall meditation on God and his mercies is that blessed union of our spirits with God which holy men so much regarded in their times a man given to meditation is a man that walketh not in darknesse nor in the shadow of death as those do that seldome or never think of him Clemens of Alexandria calls the meditations of holy men Candles that never go out like the Candle which was among the Pagans in the Temple of Venuâ— which was called inextinguishable as Austin relateth without this men are but snuffs in respect of their use and service as Aquinas saith Meditation doth not reveal any divine truth unto us that only is the work of God but after God hath revealed them faith apprehends them then meditation illustrates to the soul what faith believes and so our knowledge is encreased many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be encreased Fenner de meditat Dan 12.4 It is not saith one the bodily removing of man from place to place so much as the busie stirring of the mind from one truth to another by meditation that encreaseth spirituall knowledge 2. Meditation rectifies the affections of the soul it opposeth serious considerations against vain imaginations and because our imagination is apt to raise false objects and thereby false conceits and discourses in us therefore meditation propoundeth true objects for the mind to work upon from the meditation whereof the soul rightly conceives of things and discourseth upon true grounds of them meditating thus with himself if things be thus and thus in reality then must I live according to these principles this is the spring of all holy affections in the soul as the true love of God the true joy and delight in him and his wayes Meditation is like the player on an Instrument who by touching of the strings finds them that are out of tune winding them up or letting them down so after meditation hath examined the love the hate the fears the hopes the griefs the joyes of our souls if it find them out of tune in expressing their harmony which is the glory of God it then puts them in tune again 3. Meditation fills the heart with joy My meditation of him shall be sweet I will be glad in the Lord Psal 104.34 When the Spirit of God doth open the eyes of the soul and it is brought forth into the light then doth meditation clear up to the soul those grounds of joy which are exceeding comfortable Holy meditation shews the soul the face of God reconciled his pardon sealed an entrance into the everlasting Kingdome the heart of God opened toward him and his name written in
Plutarc de solert animal tells of a Pye that to learn certain tunes which she heard Minstrels play waxed dumb many dayes after at length upon a suddain she brake forth into tâ—e same tunes which those Minstrels had played before to the astonishment of all that heard her Meditation is that which in the old Law was signified by the chewing of the Cud transient speculationâ— of things do but little good let in buâ— little light unlesse we chew theÌ„ Cud and exercise the mind about them holy things are like unto leaven to Corn to rain now unlesse the leaven be put into and by stirring and working as it were incorporated into the dough it cannot season it and though the Corn be sown in abundance yet if it meet not with apt ground tilled and prepared but fall among thorns by the high-way side or in stony places it bringeth forth no fruit and though the rain fall plentifully yet if it light ouâ— hard and hilly Countreys it is not received it makes not such places fruitfull so fareth it with holy things let a Minister bestow never so much of the leaven of the Word yet if the hearers hide it not in their hearts like leaven iâ— the meal it will never season them and make them fit manchet for thâ— Lord's table let never so much gooâ— seed be sown yet if it take not rooâ— downwards in our hearts it will neveâ— bring forth fruit upwards in our lives let the words of God's messengers drop as the rain and distill like the dew or like the showers upon the herbs and tender grasse yet if the heart receive it not if it dwell not in the heart richly it will profit us nothing indeed it is almost as much to find our own heart in a duty as to find God in it Sect. 2. Of the ends of solemn meditation The end of meditation is both to affect the heart with the objects on which we meditate and that the heart may be made better thereby 1. I say one end of meditation is to affect the heart it is very delightfull to those that are conversant in it he that hath changed his mind or opinion upon meditation never accuseth her of tyranny meditation is very perswasive clearing our judgements calming our passions and gaining our consent to that which is good it far surpasseth eloquence and like a Soveraign raigns without arms it hath no need of our ears to win our hearts by it self it transmitteth it self into the inmost recesses of our souls finds out reason in â—er throne carries more light into â—he mind and kindleth in the will a more fervent love to God Qui audit mel esse dulce nòn gustat nomen mellis scit gratiam saporem nescit gustate ergo videte quam suavis sit Dominus Bonavent making a man in love with what he formerly hated Meditation opposeth the charms of grace against the allurements of sin and so sweet and powerfull is holy meditation that it blots out all earthly cogitations it sets before the eyes of our souls such taking and alluring objects which are more prevalent than those of sin and by these holy delights our hearts are ravished and grace easily prevails against the corruptions of nature these are the first fruits of those everlasting pleasures the Saints shall reap in the Kingdome of Heaven whereby those that feed on God and his promises by holy meditation here do tast one part of that felicity which the blessed do feed upon in Heaven this hath ever been very affecting to the Saints My meditation of him saith David shall be sweet Psal 104.34 or my word of him shall be sweet it signifieâ— a word secretly spoken Symonds fixed eye as one observeth the heart speaks of God in meditation and those words are musick in the soul the word imports a sweetnesse with mixture like compound spices or many flowers mixt together such variety of sweetnesse this meditation of God yeeldeth to him whose mind is upon him whose heart is toward him the operation of the mind makes up a sweet delight there is more content in meditating on the love of God more refreshing to the heart than wine can give to the body his love is better than wine We will remember thy lâ—ve more than wine Cant. 1.2 4. David tells us that the thoughts of God are precious Psal 139.17 they are so to a heart that is in a right frame and saith he My soul is filled as with marrow and fatnesse when I remember thee upon my bed and meditate on thee in the night watches Psal 63.5 Meditation Meditatio coâ— memoriae is the rubbing up of the memory and may not unfitly be called the whetstone of memory for even as a whetstone or grindstone addeth an edge to the Knife or other instrument which is whetted thereupon so this sharpeneth our memories and gives us occasion to call that to mind which otherwise would have been forgotten or it may be compared to the steel and stone of a Tinder-boxe neither of which severally will yeeld any fire but being smitten together the fire cometh forth incontinently so fareth it with men that are of good capacities that can conceive much at the instant but remember little because they use not their memories and exercise not themselves in pious meditations Meditation is the heart life and soul of remembrance making whatsoever we read and hear to abide with us and be our own else it will away meditation with Philip's Page must daily knock at the doors of our hearts and cause us to call to mind what we have learnt else by corruption we shall soon forget it this made Periander King of Corinth to say Meditatio totum It is an undoubted maxime that a thing be it never so good and excellent yet it is not very desireable of us till it begit to affect our hearts though it hath more charms than beauty and more lustre than outward glory more invitations than secular profits yet if it convey not pleasure into the will it knows not how to beget love unto it 2. Meditation also bettereth the heart as well as affects it It is said that King Mythridates having found out Mythridate he so strengthened his body that endeavouring to poison himself to avoid the servitude of the Romans he could by no means effect it so whosoever shall feed on holy objects by meditation and use it frequently shall so fortifie his heart that it shall not be poisoned with any evil affections Meditation is a heart-warming duty study only warms the brains but meditation warmeth the heart therefore when holy truth falls upon a prepared heart it hath a sweet and strong operation Luther Luther Melch. Ad in vit Staâ— confesseth that having heard Staupicius a grave Divine to say that that is kind repentance which begins from the love of God ever after that time the practice of repentance was sweeter to him another speech of his
Heaven Activa vira habet solicitum cursum contemplativa gaudium sempiternum Prosper l. 1 de contempl virâ Meditation clears up the promises to him that he never saw before he saw them before as by Candle-light by common light and reason but now he seeth them in another complexion Meditation clears up their interest in God and his promises and this is great matter of rejoycing Meditation works in the soul a frame of heart suitable to the Gospel what is more suitable to the Gospel than the joyes of the holy Ghost therefore when meditation works thorowly upon the heart it yeeldeth comforts suitable to the Gospel It is good for Christians to meditate much in God's promises which do convey much joy into the heart then dost thou improve the promises when thou dost so relish them as to rejoyce in them according to that sweetnesse that is revealed and contained in them 4. Quae alii di◠pariendo levia faciunt sapiens levia facit diù cogitando Charron de sapient Psal 119.150 151. Holy meditation is a great support to the soul under afflictions when trouble is near it represents God as near or nearer than any trouble can be suppose it be trouble of spirit that is very near indeed for that is in the vitals it is a soul-sicknesse but meditation shewes them though Satan may draw near to them to devour them yet God is nearer to them a God nearer to save than any michievous enemy to destroy Meditation labours to affect the heart with the sense of God's continuall presence with it this is indeed our great weaknesse and our great unthankfulnesse that we are apt to muse more upon God's afflicting of us than of God's perpetuall presence with us there is a savour in the ointments of the Lord Christ sufficient to perfume any soul that comes near him 5. Frequent meditation on God makes a man more holy more like unto him it sees so much beauty and goodnesse in him that it makes a man cast away every unsavoury lust and all those affections that have a strong sent of the flesh that they may be made like to God in holinesse Those Flowers that grow in the Sun are far more beautifull and fragrant and pleasant than those that grow in the shade but if we suffer our souls to be over-shadowed with carnall thoughts and affections these dark bodies will interpose between God and us and hinder the influences of his love upon us If the Needle that is but toucht with the Loadstone stands Northward then the soul that is toucht with God will stand Heaven-ward and labour to be conformed more to him in holinesse 6. Meditation is a great help to perseverance in well-doing the serious and frequent meditation of this promise Psal 94.12 14. that the Lord will not cast off his people nor forsake his inheritance makes them to cleave fast unto him This is the foundation of a peoples blessednesse that God will not forsake them when he doth most sharply correct them that the same priviledge that belongs to the whole Church belongs to every member of it for it is as possible for God to cast off his people and his whole inheritance as to cast off any one particular member of it for for God to cast off his people were to disinherit himself God would have his people to meditate hereof Thus saith God to Jeremy Ier. 33.24 25 26. Considerest thou not what this people have spoken saying the two families which the Lord hath chosen he hath cast them off but in the words following see how God doth assert his unchangeable Covenant against this false assertion If my Covenant be not with day and night and if I have not appointed the Ordinances of Heaven and earth then will I cast away the seed of Jacob c. as if he had said If ever you knew a day that had not a night succeeding it and a winter without a summer and ever found the Laws of Heaven abrogated then may you give way to your unbelief and think that I will cast off my people but if you see a perpetuall interchange of day and night though some dayes be more bright than others then will I never cast off any people that I have taken for my own The meditation hereof is a speciall means to keep us close to God even then when the foundations of the earth are shaken Meditate seriously on such things as may serve actually to convince thee of the unfitnesse and unreasonablenesse of thy yeelding to the sin to which thou art tempted and of the mischief that may come by yeelding When we muster up such thoughts we levy store of good souldiers which will fight with us and for us and do us good service while we are under temptation by this means alone with God's grace accompanying have many servants of God held their own when the Devil would have killed them Hoord Serm. in Ephes 4.30 7. Meditation is a strong barricado against the temptations of Satan the soul finds so much sweetnesse in God that it strongly guardeth the heart will and affections against temptations to sin it finds such delight in the meditation of God that it loaths the sweetest sin He that is used to choice meats and drinks can very ill brook unsavoury things so a man that is heavenly minded is brought to disrelish those sins that others drink down like water with greedinesse meditation makes the heart very tender and sensible of lesser sins and stirrings of corruption In a still silent clear night a little sound will be easily heard which will not be taken notice of in the day time when there is much businesse in hand so when Christ and the soul do rest and converse together the soul is very quick of hearing if the old Serpent doth but hisse never so little Satan then finds the soul upon its guard and that it hath a wakefull enemy A soul that is constant in the meditation of God is like a bright clear shiny day when any little cloud will be taken notice of at the first rising and like a calm Sea where a little stirring of the water will be discerned when the water first ariseth Chap. 14. The Motives to Meditation I shall now proceed to lay down divers Motives to meditation Meditation is delightfull to God Motive 1 It was the saying of an Heathen If God took delight in any felicity it was in contemplation God delights in holy meditations because in them we come nearest to the purity and simplicity of God in nothing do we more converse with him than in our pure and active meditations by these when we are as it were absent in body we are present with him for when the body lyes upon its bed and takes its rest the devout soul solaceth it self with God 2. This exercise of meditation may be done when other duties cannot When we want an opportunity to hear the Word to read to
heart therefore it is not enough to meditate but we must also meditate on the thing that is good and be constant in it Meditation saith one Fenner de meditat is a coursing of the heart like a blood-Hound's coursing a Hare in the snow making her to stop here and leap there and to go forward and backward hunting it out of every starting hole till it fix where it would have it Chap. 3. Of the difference between meditation and contemplation The work of meditation is to search after things that are hidden the work of contemplation is to admire things that are câ—nspicuâ—â— saith Hugo â—editationis â—st perserutaâ— occulta â—ontemplitioâ—is est admiâ—ari perspicua Huâ—o in lib. de â—rca mystica Mountagues â—ssayes Contemplation saith another is a clear intuition and a delightfuâ—l admiration of perspicuâ—us verities whereby the soul dâ—th not lightly tast but largely glut it self with spirituall delights it is a voluntary exile from the earth and an holy violence offered to Heaven it makes Heaven to stoop and earth to ascend to us it is an antepast of eternal felicity Contemplation is called by the Hebrews and Academicks a precious death Bodin de Repub l. 5. for that it draws the soul out of this earthly body clearly to behold heavenly things but meditation is an exercise more painfull and difficult in matters pertaining to God contemplation is more sweet to them that have had the exercise thereof Unio intellectus cum re intellectâ Contemplation is a work of our understanding after a sort uniting our wills to the will of God the Schools tell us there is an union of the understanding with the things understood meditation uniteth the heart to holy objects Psal 86.11 The sweetnesse of heavenly delights is not altogether in contemplation but also in an affectuous meditation the understanding doth not give sustenance to our souls but only prepareth the meat that our souls are fed withall but the understanding and the affections together do minister food to the soul Did ac Stella de contemp mundi part 2. White 's art of meditat there is no pleasant tast nor savour in preparing that which must be eaten but in eating â—f that which is prepared saith Stella Meditation saith one is the blowing up of the fire and contemplation is the flame of that fire Some are exercised only in the intellectuall part and not in the effectuall part of this work not labouring to have the love of God and holy objects kindled in their hearts but only to have curious speculations of the heavenly Majesty Contemplation is an outgoing power of the soul to heavenly things there is no seperation of the soul from the body before death so real but meditation makes use of all mediums whereby to gain Heaven that which leads us the safest way thither is the best nor is a Christian at any time nearer to his happinesse than when he is in the way that soonest leads him thither and were a man in the suburbs of Heaven if all his exercises and actions be not ordained for the love of God as well as to have the knowledge of him he may like Moses have a view of the promised Land as he had of the earthly Canaan but never enter in thereat Chap. 4. How study and meditation diffâ—â— Every trade and calling in the world requireth study in it and reason hath its proper work in every science and every Mechanick that seems most excluded from it hath his own discussive thoughts and studieth about the severall parts and branches of his profession and how he may bring every piece of work he takes in hand to its just perfection and more liberall professions think it their element but Divinity claims it as her property men of other callings are studious but they keep still within their limits and at their highest reach they go no higher than the earth Though Astronomers soar aloft and contemplate the nature of the Stars and Planets the course of the Sun and the revolutions of the Heavens yet their speculation is not heavenly but earthly because it springeth only from a naturall power and leads to a naturall end but meditation is properly and only about things that concern our eternall welfare Study is the beating of the brains the work of the head meditation is a work of the heart a rouzing up of the heart and a fixing it upon its object Study is the work of the understanding meditation of the heart and affections the understanding oâ— man since the fall of Adam is of the samâ— nature with the earth it is fruitfull only in briars and thorns and thistles if the heart be not broken up by the Plough of meditation and tilled by the labour of this spirituall husbandry it is fertile only in errours and is delivered of nothing but doubts and scruples which rather fight against truth than defend it his ingeny serves him for no other end but to raise difficulties his light is alwayes mixt with darknesse and as if he were of the nature of Spiders extracts nothing from the first Maxims of Religion but that which doth perplex him Chap. 5. Of the gate of meditation This is nothing else but to propound to a man's self by imagination the matter or Subject whereon to meditate or wherein to exercise our thoughts as the objects of our imagination must be good so we must labour to present them as good and profitable to the soul this carries on the will after them with delight our affections are suitable to our imaginations and apprehensions oâ— the object affections raise the spirits the spirits raise the humours and so the whole man is moved thence it is if a thing be presented as evil to the imagination it works strongly upon us imaginary and conceited evils have the same effect as reall Jacob was as much affected with the imagination of Joseph's death as if he had been really dead in his house though fancy be but a frothy thing yet it produceth reall effects the force of imagination we see in other creatures Gen. 30.38 39. Jacob takes rods of green Poplar and of the Hasell and Chesnut-tree and pilled white strakes in them and made the white appear which was in the rods and set the rods before the flocks in the gutters in the watering troughs c. and the flocks conceived before the rods and brought forth Cattle ring-straked speckled and spotted Austin gives this very reason wherefore in Aegypt there is never wanting a white spotted Oxe Aug. de civit Dei l. 18. c. 5 which they call Apis and worship for a God Hypocratâ—s Hypocrates hath written a learned Discourse of the power of imagination the looking upon outward objects doth much affect the inward senses so that the imagination is made as it were like unto them Imagination is a strong conceit of the mind touching any thing whatsoever it be Perkins discourse of Witchcraft
of our Saviour Luk. 9.61 No man having put his hand to the Plough and looking back is fit for the Kingdome of God remember Lot's wife the son of Syrach after Iuniuâ— his translation puts a grave question concerning him who holds the Plough and such persons who maintain the state of the world Ecclus 28.26 Junius ad loc the question is Whereby shall a man he made wise At the last Verse of the Chapter in the Latin translation he answereth By nothing unlesse he be such a one who will apply his mind and meditation on the Law of the most High Woodw child's â—atrimony The Husbandman in that place may seem to have as he reads and sâ— pleads his case a dispensation for his grosse ignorance but it is nothing so That Scripture saith that the holding the Plough shews him the constancy of a holy profession as before I hinted that his plowing up the ground shews him as in a glasse the sorenesse of afflictions Psal 129.3 Jer. 4.3 how the wicked plow upon the backs of the righteous and make long their furrows and what pains he should take also with his own heart so preparing it for the true seed the Word of life and when he casteth in the seed in the season he might understand his own season and look that the seed of the Word sown in his heart rise up with great increase and as that which thou sowest is not quickned except it die so the body of man after it dies and rots in the earth shall rise again and he that seeth not so much in the sowing and reaping his grain 1 Cor. 15.36 is a fool in the Apostles sense he that thus meditates at the Plough shall never be without a Sermon before him every furrow being a line or sentence and every grain of Corn that he soweth a lesson whence he may learn something of God Furthermore art thou a Vine-dresser meditate on that Parable Luk. 13.7 8. of a certain man that had a Fig-tree planted in his Vine-yard and he came and sought fruit thereon and found none By this certain man we must understand God himself who in many places of Scripture for our capacity and comfort is compared to a man to draw them with the cords of a man and the bands of love Hos 11.4 whereby he signified that he used his people not like beasts or slaves Genevens ad loc but lovingly and kindly as men do or should do one to another Had a Fig-tree planted in his Vine-yard that is had a people whom he had chosen to himself and both planted pruned and watered by his Word and Sacraments by the Vine-yard was meant the Church of the Jews Iacob de valentia in Cant. 8. or the Land of Iury and by the Fig-tree the inhabitants thereof and people contained therein and this is no new thing either for the Church in the whole world or more particularly for the Church of the Jews to be compared to a Vine-yard Cant. 8.11 Isa 5.1 7. Yea of God's particular dealing with this people and planting this Vine we read Psal 80.2 where the Lord saith that God brought a Vine out of Aegypt cast out the Heathen planted it prepared room for it and caused it to take deep root so that it filled the Land the hills were covered with the shadow of it and the boughes thereof were like the goodly Cedars therefore whensoever thou walkest like Adam among the trees of the garden and beholdest the Vine think of that mysticall union that is between Christ and his Church that he is the Vine his people the branches Ioh. 15.5 and that whosoever abideth in him and he in him the same bringeth forth much fruit that the Church of God also is a Vine-yard of red wine Isa 27.2 3. that the Lord doth keep it and water it every moment and lest any hurt it he will keep it night and day And as the Church is compared to a Vine-yard so also men be compared to trees as in Iotham's parable who compareth Abimelech to the bramble a base plant usurping authority when the more noble trees the Fig-tree the Olive and the Vine refuse it Iudg. 9.7 16. men in Scripture are compared to trees All the trees of the field shall know that I the Lord have brought down the high tree i. e. all the people of the world shall know Sometime you shall find him compared to the Olive-tree and his children to the Olive-branches round about his table Psal 128. sometime to the lofty Cedars of Lebanon sometime to the Oaks of Basan sometime to the low shrubs in the valley of Suecoth in a word the good man is compared to the green tree and the wicked unto the dry tree Again art thou a traveller in this world meditate with thy self how the world is like a forlorn wildernesse 1. Because it is a strange Land a solitary place a forsaken Countrey disertus so that Christ saith He is not of this world nor prayes he for it Joh. 17.9 Si recogitemus â—psum magis mundum carcerem esse â—xiisse nos è carcere intelligemus Tertul. ad Marcion 2. It is a Land of darknesse This gave Tertullian occasion to compare the world to a prison a prison is the receptacle of darknesse the Sun darteth no beams there the world lyes in ignorance all men are born blind and if the glorious Sun of righteousnesse enlighten them not they live and die in grosse darknesse 3. It is like a wildernesse a place full of dangers full of enemies the people of Zion cry out Our persecutors have laid wait for us in the wildernesse Lam. 4.19 The world is full of stinging Serpents of lying vanities a filthy deceiver Christ hath foretold that in the world we shall have tribulation Joh. 16.33 How should the meditation hereof make us to say with Abraham I am a stranger and with David I am a stranger with thee as all my fathers were and not to look for delights in a roaring wildernesse nor for meat where no Corn grows nor a dwelling house or an abiding City where no building is and though we groan sometimes under the weight of our travels yet to acknowledge that the persecutions of the world are not so tragicall as its caresses are Chap. 7. Of set and solemn meditation the definition and branches of it Sect. 1. Having spoken of rapt and occasionall meditation I shall in the next place treat of set and solemn meditation and shall thus define it Meditation is a holy retirement of the soul Definit and a fixed exercise of the heart upon spirituall objects that the heart may be affected with them and bettered by them 1. I say it is a holy retirement of the soul A retirement from the world A retirement from our own passions Mens nostra â—d contemâ—anda interâ—a nòn perduâ—itur nisi ab â—is quae exteâ—ùs implicaâ—ur studiosè â—ubtrahatur Greg. Moral â—
5. Nemo ad meditationem pervenit occupatus Senec. 1. A retirement from the world Stars which have least circuit are nearest to the Pole and men who least perplex themselves with worldly businesse are nearest to God Devout Bernard confesseth he learnt much of his Divinity under the trees of the Wood When Elijah was in the wildernesse far from his own habitation and the company of men then the Angel speaks unto him when we are alone sequestred from worldly cares and distractions then God opens his mind unto us and reveals many things to us which he will not do when he finds our hearts taken up with the cares and troubles of worldly businesse God is a Spirit and therefore when we converse with him he requireth not only a bodily but also a spirituall retirement Thus God callâ— Ezekiel Ezek. 3.22 into the plain that he might there talk with him and allures the Church into the wildernesse that he might speak unto her heart Privacy as one observeth is the seat of contemplation Brathwait Engl. Gent. though sometimes made the recluse of temptation from which the Cell is no more exempted than the Court but to a pious heart privacy is a great advantage to meditation Mihi oppidum carcer solitudo Paradisus Hier. Epist ad Rustic Erasm Tom. 5. de contemp mundi The City to me saith Ierom is a prison and solitarinesse is a Paradise Erasmus hath written much concerning the liberty tranquillity and pleasure of a retired life and the Psalmist bids us to commune with our own heart upon our bed or within our chambers as some translate and be still Psal 4.4 Be still from the world yet then must the heart be stirring towards God they that sail at Sea to the end to attain to the land they look more up to the Heaven than down to the Sea carnall men are drowned in fleshly delights and worldly cares their hearts are not purged or elevated to converse with God 2. A retiring from our own passions the heart must be setled and well composed before it ascend the hill of meditation God requireth a spirit setled for so high a work In quietnesse and confidence shall be your strength If a man do not first discharge both himself and his mind from the burden that presseth her removing from place to place will presse her the more it is not enough for a man to have sequestred himself from the concourse of the people a man must sequester and recover himself from himself Montaign Essayes l. 1. c. 38. Isa 30.15 Be still and know that I am the Lord Psal 46.10 We can never savingly know him till our hearts be free from these perturbations therefore when we come to meditate we must as well retire from the perturbations of our hearts as from the world Wasps and Drones make more noise than the Bees but make no honey but waxe only so they whose hearts are troubled and perplexed are very unfit for so high an exercise of the soul the showers that fall gently make Corn and grasse abound but falling violently much endanger the Corn and meadows it is not enough we are seperated from men if we are entangled with our own passions and indeed herein consisteth one of the most assured means of our spirituall improvement therefore he that will meditate on holy objects must call back his spirit very frequently into the presence of God and consider what God doth and what himself is doing crying out to God O Lord why do I not alwayes look toward thee Why dost thou think on me so often and I on thee so seldome our proper place is to be with thee Thrice happy is that soul that can lift up himself to God and can truly say Lord thou art my dwelling place my refuge my shadow against all temptations it is good for Christians to retire frequently into the lonenesse of their heart yea when they are in company with others for then thy heart may be alone with God so saith David I am continually with thee Psal 73.23 I have set the Lord alwayes before mine eyes Psal 16.8 2. Actus religionis seu exercitium spirituale Jer. Turner Serm. in Prov. 4.23 The second branch of meditation is that it is a fixed exercise of the heart upon spirituall objects 1. It is an exercise of the heart 2. A fixed exercise It is an exercise of the heart therefore one defines it to be an act of Religion or spirituall exercise it is an heart-imployment therefore may well be called a spirituall exercise not only becâ—use the matter of meditation is alwayeâ— some spirituall thing but also because the act of meditation is a meer spirituall act proceeding from the spirituall part of man as being an act of the heart other parts of man are taken up in other things the eye in seeing the ear in hearing the hand in touching and working the tongue in speaking the heart is only exercised in meditation therefore Davids meditations are called the meditations of his heart Psal 19. ult My heart saith he was inditing of a good matter Psal 45.1 Meditation is the heart of devotion the soul of piety by which we sound the depths of divine love whereby we apply our selves really to God and communicate much of his grace and comfort it fills the heart with sweet odours and spirituall refreshings that it resembleth a pillar of smoak from Aromaticall wood kindled with Myrrhe and all the sweet powders of the heavenly perfumer 2. It is a fixt exercise of the heart the heart must be fixt on God that will meditate upon him Psal 57.1 Therefore when we begin this exercise we must then resolve that our minds shall not wander from him we must lift up our hearts to God in the Heavens Lam. 3â— Psal 25.1 Christ was transfigured on a mountain and often withdrew himself into a mountain to pray and meditate not only for privacy but to note unto us that a man that will meet with God must ascend higher in his spirit God was at the top of Jacob's ladder where Angels were ascending and descending to this purpose Ambrose saith No man can see Jesus while he standeth upon the earth Zacheus could not see Jesus till he climbed up a Sycamore-tree Nemo potest videre Jesum constitutus in terra Ambros the composition of our bodies is such as a man cannot look up to Heaven with one eye and down to the earth with the other to teach us to look up to Heaven fixedly with both Pliny Plin. Nat. Hist l. 8. c. 3. reports strange things of bruit beasts he saith There was an Elephant not so capacious of instruction as the rest of his fellows to learn what was taught him by his Keeper whereupon being oftentimes beaten for that stupidity of his he was found in the night after his manner to be as it were conning and studying those feats which he had been taught in the day and Plutarch
conceit himself to be any great matter 2. Art thou God's creature then meditate thus with thy self when thou art in afflictions that God takes no pleasure in the destruction of his workmanship preservation is a greater mercy than a simple being God will not leave any of his most excellent works done to halfes but perfect what he hath begun 3. Let the meditation of thy Creation spur thee on in the service of God even by nature we tender him our service from whom we receive our being saith Aquinas Aquinas in the first age of the world there was no thought of any idolatry blessings are then most taking with us and work most upon us while they are freshest in memory man came then but newly out of his Makers hands and could not so soon forget him When we consider likewise that the creatures were made to serve us let us also consider that the end why he created man was for the service of himself Excellent was his meditation who imagined the beasts to intimate thus much to man Qui fecit me propter te fecit te propter se He that made me to serve thee made thee to serve himself if therefore the creatures that were made to serve us do now as many times they do annoy us and rebell against us this should put us in mind of our rebellion against God by sin for had not Adam from whose loins we are all descended and who was God's Viceroy and the first created Ruler on earth been disobedient to his Maker and broken the Laws of the soveraign Lawgiver of Heaven unrulinesse had not broken forth neither of subjects against their Princes nor of the inferiour creatures against man their superiour Marvell 〈◊〉 saith Austin Mirari noli si ea quae deseruit superiorem paenas patitur per inferiorem Aug. de verbis Apostol Serm. 12. B p Pilkington in Haggai Vide Theodor. Graecor affect curat Serm 4. if that creature man who forsook his superiour be punished 〈◊〉 his inferiour There is not a Horse a Dog or an Oxe or any other living creature but it must have many stripes before it waâ— be brought to any good order to serve us Bishop Pilkington observeth In word our disobedience to God wâ— the cause of the disobediâ—nce of othâ—â— creatures to us so that when we 〈◊〉 any disorder in nature in what kind soever we must neither blame God nor the creatures but only thank our selves and our sins Sect 4. Of the fall of Adam The next subject of our meditation is the fall of Adam The fall of Adam the fourth subject of meditation Compurationes multas Arias Montan. in Latina versione Adam and Eve were happy in their Creation but alas this happinesse is not long lasting Man being in honour abideth not Psal 49.20 God made man upright but man sought out many inventions many computations as one renders Eccl. 7. ult seeking what in him lay to mar God's workmanship and deface his image Eve being overcome by the Serpent eats of the forbidden fruit and Adam overcome with the perswasion of his Wife takes from her hand that fatall Apple that choaketh all his posterity which being done he is smitten with sudden fear seeth his nakednesse and is ashamed and hides himself and his eyes are now opened to see evil by experience for before his fall he had no experience of the evil of sin and of the curse of God therefore he brake the command of God and did eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil he sinned because he knew not the miscry of sin but after his fall he seeth the difference between grace and sin what he is himself and what he was before and all the future miseries that are like to befall his posterity and he that before treated him as a son cannot noâ— look upon him but as a slave and vagâ—bond Adam blames his Wife Eâ—â— the Serpent and instead of pleading guilty to their inditement to sweeten the rigour of the Judge they frame excuses to inflame his anger and to render themselves more uncapable of pardon Ah how far more wisely had both of them done Aug l. 11. ad lit c. 3. saith Austin if prostrate oâ— the ground with tears in their eyes oâ— sighs from their hearts and humbe confeâ—sions from their mouthes they had crieâ— out Lord pity us and all our miserable pâ—sterity Causin Histor sacr It was for this saith Gregory thâ— God called them and his voice as it weâ—â— sollicited them to humble them by the sweeâ— accents of his fatherly goodnesse but alas they are insensible God passeth a severe doom upon them the womaâ— shall conceive with pain and in sorrow bring forth children the maâ—â— to eat his bread in the sweat of his â—rows and put his hand to the Plough and be the companion of beasts in tilling of his ground which though he trod â—nder his feet he could not subdue without the labour of his hand and throughout his whole life which is a â—ife of sorrows he is to combate with all distempers never suffering him to be at rest till he return into the boâ—ome of the earth from whence he â—ame and immediately a flaming Cherubim bars up the gate of Paradise and shuts it for ever against these miseâ—able exiles And now he that was the Monarch of the world the father of all mankind the first the richest and â—reatest Lord that ever was on earth he began the fray whereof all his miâ—â—rable posterity have felt the blows his fall being their foil and his punishment the pattern of their pain and miâ—ery and now his heart is the fountain which powrs out its qualities into the substance of his childrens souls Rom. â— â—0 〈…〉 8. and â—ver since this infection hath passed â—rom father to son as by hereditary â—ght and now man is naturally void of all goodnesse and righteousnesse and become a vassall of sin Joh. 8.34 a slave of corruption 2 Pet. 2.19 a slave of Satan Eph. 2.1 2 3. and liable to eternall death that we are all by nature stained with sin appeareth Job 15.14 where Eliphaz saith This is that which our fabulous Poets have shadowed unto us in the tale of Pandora's Box which she opening through her curiosity filled the whole world full of all manner of diseases What is man that he should be clean and he that is born of a woman that he should be righteous and the Kingly Prophet makes this dolefull ditty to a lamentable Elegy and sad plain-song Behold I was shapen in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me and what he saith of himself in particular Paul affirmeth of all men in generall Rom. 5.12 saying that by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin whereby he understandeth the bitter root of originall corruption which daily and hourly brings forth the cursed fruits of actuall transgressions whereby we become culpable and liable to eternall ruine
yet are poor ambitious persons that are passionate for glory and yet are despicable but every one that loves me finds me I am with him that seeks for me his love makes me present in his soul as soon as he longs for me I am in his embraces Rule 3 Let not your hearts be overcharged with worldly cares they are great hindrances to us in heavenly meditation The Angels have care of our preservation As in a race one Charet hindreth another in the way stopping the path even so earthâ—y cogitations hinder heavenly when they have gotten the start Macarius Ita sarcina seculi veluti somno assoler dulcitèr premebar cogitationes quibus meditabar in te similes erant conatibus expergisci volentium qui tamèn superati soporis altitudine remerguntur August and endeavour it diligently yet are they not perplex't about it for their care proceeds from charity carking cares about the things of the world trouble a man's reason and judgement so that he cannot meditate on God as he ought the Wasps and Drones make more noise than the Bees but make no honey but waxe only I was overwhelmed with worldly cares as with a deep sleep saith Austin and the meditations I lifted up to Heaven were like the vain endeavours of men striving to awake who beaten down with the weight of drowsinesse fall asleep again at the very instant they awake It is impossible he should be heavenly minded that dotes upon earth or have any passionate longings for Heaven who is strongly wedded to the things of this world Spend not too much of your time Rule 4 in recreations It is necessary sometimes that we recreate both our bodies and spirits as to walk abroad to take the air to entertain our company with some pleasant discourses to ring to play on some instrument these are recreations so innocent that to use them well needs nothing but discretion that gives to every thing its order time place and measure but here we must beware of excesse for if we imploy too much time therein it is no more a recreation but an occupation that neither recreates the body nor the spirits but rather dulls and distracts them and above all take heed of setting your affections on any of them for let our recreations be never so lawfull it is vitious to set our affections on any of them to long after them to study on them or vex our selves about them there are some recreations indeed that as they are commonly used tend to much evil there is as Physitians say of Mushromps a quality of poison in them though never so well cooked they are spungious and full of pores and easily draw any infection to them and if Serpents be about them they take poison from them so such recreations are very dangerous they divide the spirit from pious meditations cool charity and awaken in the soul many sorts of ill cogitations Therefore when you are in the use of any recreations labour to wind up thy heart to Heaven use some godly meditations think how thy time passeth away and death draws on see how it calleth thee to his dance where the musick shall be elegies and lamentations that thou shalt make but one step from life to death When thou goest to meditate fix Rule 5 not thy thoughts on many things at once Cogitatio vaga incessa semper hùc illùe divertit Hugo in lib. de Area mysticâ variety of thoughts are like many men in a crowd or throng where all are stopt and none can get out variety of meats if the stomack be good do alwayes offend it if weak it overthrows it fill not thy soul with the thoughts of many things at once for these will trouble and distract thee a soul that feels it self much purged from evil humours hath a great appetite after spirituall things and as half famished the thoughts run upon many exercises of piety at once and this is a good sign to have so good an appetite but thou must look how thou canst digestall that thou desirest to eat take every thing therefore in order and feed on them moderately that thou maist digest them and not be cloyed with them Rule 6 Let examination and meditation go hand in hand together without examination meditation will be ineffectuall as for instance when thou hast been meditating of the graces of God's Spirit examine whether those graces are seated in thy heart meditate on the beauty of heavenly graces make comparison between graces and vices in themselves contrary what sweetnesse in meeknesse in regard of revenge in humility in regard of pride in charity in regard of envy and all the graces have this to be admired in them that they affect the soul with incomparable delight and comfort after they are practised whereas the vices leave us distracted and ill entreated and as for vices they that enjoy them in part are never content and they that have them in abundance are much discontented but as for graces they that have the smallest measures of them yet have they content and so more and more as they do encrease When thou meditatest on sin examine how stands thy heart affected towards sin hast thou a resolution in the strength of Christ never to commit any sin hast thou any inclination to small sins or any affection to any of them When thou meditatest on God's Commandements examine thy heart doth it find them to be good sweet and amiable and agreeable as he that hath an exquisite tast and good stomack loveth good food and refuseth the bad Examine how thy heart stands affected to spirituall exercises dost thou love them or are they tedious to thee do they distast thee to which of them dost thou find thy self more or lesse inclined to hear God's Word or to discourse about it to pray to meditate to fly up to Heaven c. and what in all these is thy heart against and if thou find any of these to which thou art not inclined examine whence this distast ariseth and what is the cause thereof Examine what is thy heart toward God himself is it a delight to thee to think on him dost thou feel a particular tast of his love dost thou delight in meditating on his power his goodnesse and mercy if the thoughts of God do come into thy mind in the midst of businesse and worldly imployments when it cometh dost thou give place thereto doth it settle in thy heart dost thou perceive thy heart to lean that way and in some measure to prefer it before any other thing dost thou love to speak to God and of God is his honour and glory dearer to thee than all other things dost thou love his children and the glory and beauty of his worship and Ordinances for want of this examination meditation doth often come to nothing Rule 7 Both begin and end this exercise of meditation with prayer Meditation without reading is erronious without prayer unfruitfull saith Bernard
pray solemnly we may have liberty to confer with God by holy meditations 3. The Lord heareth the meditations of his people David prayes to God not only to consider his words but also to consider his meditation Psal 5.1 As our ears saith Austin Aug. in Psal 48. Hom. 16. Aug. in Psal 41. are to our words so are God's ears to our thoughts and in another place saith he We hear not one another without the benefit as of our lungs so of our tongues but Cogitatio tua clamor est ad Dominum thy very thoughts are shrill in the ears of God and elsewhere he saith Aug. Confes â—0 c. 2. My confession O my God is made in thy sight secretly and yet not in secret Tacet enim strepitu clamat affectu it makes no noise at all by way of sound and yet it is clamorous by reason of her love Gregor in Iob. They are not our words but our desires and thoughts that yeeld a most forcible sound in the most secret ears of God There is saith Peter Martyr Pet. Mart. in 1 Sam. 1.12 no need at all of voice when we make our private prayers to God in regard that God heareth our hearts and minds 4. Meditation brings the soul to rest it self in God One saith Struth Observ 87. Cent. 2. that contemplation is both the labour and the rest of the devout soul it carries up the spirit of man into the bosome of God's love it exalts a man so high as to make him look down upon these sublunary things with contempt as Peter James and John Luk. 9.33 following Christ to the Mount where he was transfigured seeing some of his glory cried out Master it is good for us to be here so when a Christian follows Christ upon the Mount of meditation he is where he would be he cryes out it is good for me to be here 5. A man given to meditation is a growing Christian As holy meditations do thrive with us and abide in us so doth the grace of God increase in us holy meditations are good tokens of present grace and do enkindle strong desires after more grace the man that is barren in meditation is barren and unfruitfull in grace 6. Meditation is a great evidence of sincerity As men may know us by our actions as the tree is known by his fruit so a man may know himself by his constant thoughts for as he thinketh in his heart so is he Prov. 23.7 And God looks not so much upon what we do as upon what our hearts are most upon not so much upon what is uttered by the lips as upon what the heart indites by this we draw vertue from God himself and are full of the life of God 7. Meditation is a Christian's Heaven upon earth This is as one saith the measure that God gives in this life a beginning that shall be finished an earnest that shall be followed with the full summe The soul that keeps daily intercourse with God in holy meditations is in patriâ Contemplatio dicitur cibus in hâc vitâ ubi in sudore vescimur pane nostro potus in futurâ ubi liberè sine dolore sumitur ebrietas in ultimâ cùm animo recepto corpore congaudebit Bern. Sent. when he is in viâ at home when he is in the way he quits earth to live in Paradise the love and Magnificats he bestows on God are his chiefest imployment in this one object he finds all his happinesse and his diversion his heart is no longer in the earth he mounts up to Heaven by his desires and converseth more with Angels than with men and hath already a large tast of the sweetnesse of heavenly pleasures FINIS