which others pollute themselves otherwise men in high places may not unfitly be resembled to the Planet Saturn of whom Astronomers and Philosophers tell us that in sphear and place he is nearest to the Heavens but in nature and quality most unlike them and least of all partaking of the influences of Heaven Let me beseech you still to keep close to God and then the Lord will stick close to you and vouchsafe his presence with you Among all Rules of policy these are the chiefest to be faithfull and upright to the Lord to aim at his glory to be guided by his Spirit and walk according to the rule of his Word then may you be assured that you are more safe under his protection than any arm of flesh can make you I humbly crave your pardon for this my boldness and that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ may bless you with all spirituall blessings in heavenly things in Christ is and shall be the prayer of Your most humble Servant in the Gospel WILLIAM GEARING From my Study in Lymington Sep 30. 1661. INDEX RERVM CHap. 1. The Porch or entrance into this Work Text Gen. 24.63 opened Chap. 2. Sect. 1. Shewing that Meditation is a duty that concerneth persons of all ranks conditions and ages Sect. 2. That Meditation is constantly to be practised Chap. 3. How Meditation and Contemplation differ one from the other Chap. 4. How Study and Meditation differ Chap. 5. Of the Gate of Meditation Chap. 6. Of the kinds of Meditation and first of rapt Meditation Chap. 7. Sect. 1. Of set and solemn Meditation the definition and branches of it Sect 2. Of the ends of solemn Meditation Chap. 8. Of the subject of Meditation Sect. 1. Of meditation on the Works of God Sect. 2. Of meditating on the Word of God Sect. 3. Of meditating on Man his Creation his body his soul his priviledges Sect. 4. Of meditation on the fall of Adam Sect. 5. Of the nature of sin the number of our sins with the aggravations of them Sect. 6. Of the sufferings and death of Christ Sect. 7. Of meditation on the Resurrection of Christ Sect. 8. Of meditation on Death Sect. 9. Of the fewnesse of them that shall be saved Sect. 10. Of meditation on Hell Sect. 11. Of meditation on the glory of Heaven Chap. 9. Of timing our Meditations in the best manner Chap. 10. An Exhortation to the practice of Meditation shewing also the necessity thereof Chap. 11. Objections against setting about the work of Meditation answered Chap. 12. Setting down the Rules about Meditation Chap. 13. Of the excellency and usefulnesse of Meditation Chap. 14. The Motives to Meditation The Authors cited in this Treatise A AMbrosius B p Andrews Anselm Aquila Aretius Aquinas Aristotle Arias Montanus Augustine Ainsworth B Ball. Sr Francis Bacon B p Babington Beza Bellarmine Bernard Boetius Bodinus Brathwait Bonaventure C Causin Calvin Cassius Severus Climacus Chaldeus Cassiodorus Charron Cicero Chrysostome Columella Clemens Alexand. Chytraeus Cyril Concil Melevit D Dearing Downham Diogenes Drexelius E Erasmus Euseb Emyssen F Fenner Fulgentius Dr Fulk G Gasp. in Heracl Gaul Goulart Genevens Gerrard Gerson Gregor Gualter Glosse H B p Hall Hebr. Hippolit Hieronym Hoord Sam. Hieron Hugo Hpyocrates I Iosephus â—tal Junius Isidor Pelus K Kempis L Lorinus Lumb Sent. Luther Lyranus Leo. M Macarius Martial Marc. Herem Marlorat Melch. Adam Minut. Faelix Moller More 's Demonstr Mountague Musculus Montaign N Gr. Nazianz. Nebrissens O Onkelus Ovid. P Pet. Mart. Perkins Plato Plinius Philo Jud. Plutarch B p Pilkington Philips Polan Synt. Prosper Priorw Q Quintil. S Seneca Dr Sibs Senault Sozomen Stiles Strong Struther Suetonius Suidas Symmachus Symonds Stella T Tertullian Theodoret. Tostatus Turner V Jac. de Valent. Vatablus Vega. W Wall White Woodward THE MOUNT OF Holy Meditation Genesis 24.63 And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide Chap. I. The porch or entrance into this Work AFter the death of Sarah Abraham feeling himself wholly broken with old age and ready to go the way of all the earth resolved to seek a match for Isaac his son and for that end he calleth the steward of his house and most faithfull servant and having commanded him to lay his hand on his thigh he conjured him by the Name of Jehovah to seek a Wife for his Son in the Land of Haran which being done this wise Nuntio began his journey in order to the fulfilling his Master's commands and departing from Beersheba he went directly to Mesopotamia carrying with him ten large Camels laden with the choicest things that the house of Abraham could afford In short time he arriveth at the City of Nahor ver 10. meditating with himself of the readiest means for the expedition of what had been given him in charge and first he repaireth to a place without the City where women in their turns used to draw water there resting his Camels waiting upon God's providence for the opportunity he desired during which expectation he powreth out his request to God begging him propitiously to favour the designs of his Master which he had scarce ended when Rebeckah appeared with an earthen pitcher under her arm to draw water of whom no sooner had Eliezer desired a little drink but Rebeckah presently assented doing all that which charity and curtesie required should be done to a stranger Eliezer seriously weigheth all the actions of Rebeckah as being one in whom he was to discern the footsteps of God's conduct concerning his Master and his Master's Son This prudent Embassadour having presented some ear-rings and bracelets to Rebeckah takes occasion to inform himself of the conveniences that were in her Fathers house for himself and those that were with him together with his Camels and being well instructed of the alliances of the Damsell and being astonished that all should fall out so soon and so even with his desires throwes hsmself on the ground to render thanks to God adoring his inexpressible goodnesse to his Master Rebeckah hastens to her Parents to let them know what had hapned which her Brother Laban understanding he repaireth immediatly to the well from whence Rebeckah came finding Eliezer he earnestly entreated him to follow him to his Father's house and having brought him thither he gave hay and straw to his Camels and water to wash his feet and the feet of those that were with him and meat being set before him as a trusty servant he is more carefull to fulfill his Master's businesse than to fill his own belly then he openeth his Commission which he had from his Master and declareth the artifices himself had used to bring this businesse to good effect labouring thereby to know the will of God that Rebeckah should be a Wife to Isaac then orderly and exactly he declareth how his Master was blest by God and honoured by men that he was rich and wealthy and that Isaac was heir to all his substance the silence
befit the Nobility and Gentry of our Land who have more time and opportunities than others for this heavenly exercise how ought they to take heed of the snares of great places and great confluences which are great hindrances to the composing of the mind for holy meditations causing them to entertain converse only with such fantastick spirits from whom no other profit can be derived than what vanity hath suggested and the conceit of a deluded fancy hatched it lies upon you to meditate much on your inward cure restrain your eyes from those outward objects that may any way darken the prospect of your inward house it is one of your great cares in Architecture Hippolit de Collib that your houses have a pleasant site and be dilated to fair prospects you will not endure any man whose dwelling is near you upon any new superstructure or new raised story to darken the light of your windows Oh then suffer not any thing to incroach upon the liberty of your higher rooms these glorious structures of your souls let not pride over-top the â—uminaries of your souls let not covetousnesse stop and straiten them let not intemperance put out the eyes of your souls let not lust deface them nor anger lacerate them nor envy obscure them nor idlenesse and wantonnesse blemish them Noble Gentlemen reflect on your own worth Gentility is not known by your stately garb your sumptuous houses and train of attendants as by your noble vertues let inward ornaments be your chiefest care and the renewing and repairing of them your highest cure take a turn with God every day upon the Mount of meditation here you may find such choice flowers as will more refresh your souls than any visible odours or fragrant flowers are delightfull to your smell you will then scarce think any earthly object worth beholding when you frequently converse with heavenly things this will teach you to contemn the vanities of the earth to know the worth of time and to redeem your precious hours for the highest imployment to conquer death it self and to aspire to eternal excellencies you will then be carelesse observers of vain fashions which is the affectation of this fantastick age and desire to be cloathed with the wedding garment and be adorned with inward beauty that the Lord Jesus may take pleasure in you and marry you to himself for ever it will be more to your honour that you have redeemed time than that you have followed the mode and vain fashions of a sinfull time It is said of the Palm-tree Plin. Nat. Hist that when it grows dry and fruitlesse ashes are applied to the root of it and it soon recovereth and that the Palms of your generous minds may be alwayes green and flourishing and your branches be ever blossoming and never wither renew them daily with some sweet and soveraign meditation that when you shall return to the earth from whence you came those that succeed and survive you may collect how you lived while you were on earth by making those high imployments of yours patterns for their perpetuall imitation Meditation is a work you see well becoming men of high degree Joshua Josh 1.8 â— great Commander is commanded to â—ake it his daily practice and David â— great King tells us that meditation â—as his work all the day Psal 119. â—7 Mine eyes saith he are ever towards the Lord. Psal 25.15 Thou hast â—ossessed my reins Thou hast covered me â—n my mothers womb I will praise thee â—or I am fearfully and wonderfully made marvellous are thy works and that my â—oul knoweth right well c. How precious also are thy thoughts unto me O God how great is the summe of them if I should count them they are moe in number â—han the sand when I awake I am still with thee Psal 139.13 19. 2. Meditation also may be practiâ—ed by men of low degree Bishop Hall's Contemplat as by men of the highest rank A low man saith one if his eye be clear may look as high as the tallest the least Dwarf may from the lowest valley see the Sun or Stars as fully as a Giant upon the highest mountain he that stands by may see as far into the Milstone as he that picks it Christ is now in Heaven it is not the smalnesse of any man's person nor the meannesse of his condition can let him from beholding him the soul hath no stâ—ture nor is God a respecter of peâ—sons if God be but pleased to clear tâ—â— eyes of any man's soul he shall high enough to behold him a poâ— man by holy meditation become poor in spirit and rich in grace bâ— meditation on the Scriptures he finâ—eth his condition to be an holy Asyluâ— that heaven hath promised a particulâ— protection to the poor Evangelizare pauperibus misit me Luk. 4. that Chriâ—â— came down from Heaven to instruâ—â— them that he hath pronounced thâ— blessed in his Sermons chose such fâ— his Disciples hath made them the oâ—jects of his love and designed theâ— for his favours All outward gooâ— though precious cannot escape the diâ—asters that threaten them cunning violence may rob us of them the iâ—nocent lose their honour as well as tâ— criminall Senault Treat 8. disc 3. the rich are as much afraâ— of sicknesse as the poor nor are Kinâ— more secure from death than the Subjects but be thou outwardly â—ver so poor yet if rich in faith graâ— is a good which cannot be taken froâ— thee no violence can plunder thee it 3. This exercise of meditation ought chiefly to be practised by Ministers and Scholars there are three things that make a compleat Minister saith Luther Luther viz. temptation prayer and meditation their hearts are alwayes to be inditing of a good matter Psal 45.1 that their tongues may be the pens of ready writers Plin. Nat. Hist when the people of Rome heard that the fields of some of their Colonies waxed barren their advice was that the Husbandmen should meliùs arare minùs serere plow better and sow lesse so when Gods field waxeth barren by reason of a negligent kind of preaching of the Word it were better such Preachers spent more time in meditation though they were lesse seen in the Pulpit than they are I speak only against frothy preaching if they have fished all night and caught nothing it were not amisse saith one Jer. Philip â— Serm. that they should sit down a while upon the shore and mend their nets afterwards with Gods blessing they may fish with better successe Paul exhorts Timothy to give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine Meditate saith he upon these things give thy self wholly to them that thy profiting may appear unto all 1 Tim. 4.13 15. Ministers and Scholars must diligently watch not only over the actions of their hands the wordes of their mouthes but also over the meditations of their minds because they of all men are most busied
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
I did it at such a time after confession of sin and sorrow for sin after I had renewed my Covenant against sin after some grace and strength received to resist sin these and such like aggravations will make a small sin to become exceeding sinfull Now the serious meditation of our sins is very profitable 1. It brings us to a true sight of our sins and makes us to hate sin so much the more and to groan under the burden of sin bringing us to Christ with a desire to be eased of its burden 2. Like Peters Cock it will be our awakener and bring us to weep bitterly it will wound our conscience and lead us to bitterness in spirit who by our sins have wounded so sweet a Saviour 3. It is a great advantage to humility that man cannot be proud that daily meditateth upon the nature and number of his sins 4. It makes us ply the Throne of Grace more earnestly wherein we shall finde matter enough to beg daily for the pardon of sin and matter of praise to God upon the meditation of many by-past sins remitted to us 5. It is the best salve against all our sores knowing we have no reason to complain of our sufferings when we meditate on the number and greatness of our sins and that we suffer justly because we suffer for our sins and so ought to kiss the rod and quietly to bear the indignation of the Lord because we have sinned against him Sect 6. Of the Sufferings and Death of Christ The next subject of meditation I shall treat of is The sixth sub of meditation the sufferings and death of Christ the Sufferings and Death of Christ who was wounded for our transgressions whose soul was made an offering for our sins The sufferings of Jesus began with his life he had enemies as soon as he had subjects when the wâ—se men were doing him homage at his Cradle Herod at the same time was conspiring his death he commits his safety to his flight and seeks a Sanctuary in Egypt passing his minority in a Country where his people had long before for four hundred and thirty years been in bondage his whole life varied little from his beginning he was not in security but while he was unknown he never was at rest but while he got his living by daily labour No sooner did this glorious Sun appear to the world but he was persecuted the Pharisees hate him for his Doctrine and envy him for his Miracles they plot his death when he had raised Lazarus from death to life and never cease till they bring him to his Cross and his Grave The matter of his sufferings were all the miseries whereunto the life of man was subject whether we mean pains of body or grief of heart and sorrows of minde he suffered them all in an extraordinary measure and manner as I have elsewhere more largely declared The ends of his sufferings wherein also I may include the form thereof sc his meritorious satisfaction for the sin of man may be discussed for had not the first Adam sinned the second Adam had not suffered and whatsoever he did by his active obedience or suffered by his passive obedience was to make up that rent and breach which was made by Adams transgression as Auâ—in tells us Nos in Adamo immortalitate malè usi ut moreremur Christus mortalitate benè usus est ut viveremus Aug. We all in the first Adam behaving our selves ill in a state of immortality forfeited it and became liable to eternal death therefore Christ the second Adam behaving himself well in a state of mortality recovered again for us and restored again to us thâ— right of eternal life Joh. 1.29 John Baptist calls him the Lamb of God that takes away the sinâ— of the world and Paul tells us how he was delivered to death for our sins Rom. 4.25 He was apprehended arraigned condemned and crucified that we might be acquitted pardoned and discharged the Death of Jesus Christ is the last testimony of his love his wounds are so many bleeding mouthes breathing forth his love unto us And this is very admirable his power was encreased by his death he was never more absolute than upon the Cross spoyling Principalities and Powers this Sun never darted forth more rayes than when he was in an eclipse nor did the Lord Jesus ever more triumph over his enemies than when they upbraided him with his infirmities and made a mock of his sufferings then was it that he conceived the Church in his wounds giving his children life by his death and founding his Church with his blood His Church cost him much more pain and trouble than Eve did the first Adam his Spouse never broke his sleep Sicut dormientis Adae costa detrahitur ut conjux efficiatur ita Christo morienti de latere sanguis effunditur ut ecclesia construatur communicantes namque corpori sanguinis efficimur ecclesia Christi conjux August rising from his side without any pang or violence he awoke from his sleep into a Marriage with her that was a piece of himself but Jesus Christ laid down his life to give it to his Church his body was pained and his heart pierced to form his Bride this Spouse was to be sought for in the bowels of her Father yet even then did our Lord Jesus in his lowest abasement act like a Soveraign he pardoned Delinquents when himself was numbred among transgressours he gives eternal life when they bereft him of a temporal life he disposeth of an heavenly Kingdome when they disputed his Kingdome on earth he made his power appear in his weakness his glory in his shame his innocency in his execution his grandeur in his reproaches and now was the Son of man glorified upon the Cross making his innocency manifest at his death that to the confusion of the Jews the Judge that condemned him should plead his excuse that the Theeves that dyed with him should publish his Soveraignty that the Souldiers that nailed him to his Crosse should become his adorers yea that the Sunne the great eye of the world should hide his head and whole nature be in mourning for him lamenting his death who was the Prince and Lord of life and however Christ was accounted of yet the Robes of Kings are not to be compared with the rags of Christ nor the Thrones of Princes with the cross and thorns of our Saviour Joh. Wall Serm. in Heb. 9.12 upon which consideration one breaks forth into this meditation O Lord if thy shame be glorious what is thy glory how shall we be advanced by the strength of thy power that are so dignified by the weakness of thy sufferings 1. This may teach us in our meditations to distinguish between Christs sufferings and the sufferings of all Saints and Martyrs whatsoever for theirs were private and profited onely themselves but his were publick and the vertue thereof extended and redounded
degustabis and let this meditation chear the Saints of God how little soever they are in the worlds eye that one day they shall sit upon Thrones though now they lye among the Pots and like Job upon the dunghill yet one day they shall be gathered with Princes with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords therefore we should not think our selves Citizens of the world as the Heathen Philosophers did but Burgesses of Heaven as all the faithfull have done as Paul professeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our City-like conversation is in Heavâ—n Phil. 3.20 and then let us cry out Quousque Domine How long Lord make hast make no long tarrying Lord thou hast been the strength and food of all that travell by the way Cibus viatorum salus beatorum Fulgent so be now the Crown and glory of all that are come to the end of their way Chap. 9. Of timing our Meditations in the best manner 1. It is good to begin every year with holy meditations men usually handsell the year with some new-years gifts let us look higher even to God certainly this is our best newyears gift to give a heart to God fraught with heavenly meditations To this purpose such meditations as these are usefull namely to try one year by another whether grace thrive or decay in us to see according to our years what progresse we have made in the way to Heaven if for every year of our life we are passed a station of the wildernesse of this world to the heavenly Canaan if as our outward man decayes our inner man be renewed day by day it is of great advantage to Christians to begin the year with such meditations and better it is to fill our minds with these than our bellies with dainty food this work of meditation is a part of our yearly Rent to be paid to God every new year we renew the lease of our lives again of God and therefore pious meditations are a task answerable to such a time the new man in the beginning of the new-year is to meditate on his over year sins and heartily bewail them and repent of them to meditate on the renewing his Covenant with God for new obedience and according to the work of grace in him to strengthen his communion with God 2. It is good also to begin every day with meditation In the morning sow thy seed Eccles 11.6 Psal 130.6 David's meditations did prevent the morning watch his soul was flying to Heaven before the Sun was up or the morning got out of its bed and saith he Psal 139.18 When I awake I am still with thee to which Ambrose Ambros in Psal 36. It is good to set our souls in order every morning perfuming our spirits with some holy meditations Dr Sibs alluding saith Let a devoted spirit prevent the morning that it may be enlightned by Christ before the earth be illuminated by the rising of the Sun We bend our heart to God in the morning when we lift our heart to God and give him our first thoughts and affections then shall he fill us with his mercies in the morning that we may rejoyce all the day long Cicer. Tusc quaest l. 4. Demosthenes was troubled that a Smith should be at his Anvil before himself could be at his Study much more should it grieve us to be prevented by them Season your minds in the morning with such meditations as these 1. Meditate on the great favour which God hath vouchsafed to thee the night past and if thou hast not remembred God upon thy bed nor thy reins instructed thee in the night season and if God hath not been in all thy thoughts think of humbling thy self before him and crave his pardon 2. In the morning meditate thus with thy self this day is given me to give all diligence to make my calling and election sure to obtain eternall life to take a firm resolution to imploy my whole life to that purpose and to think seriously of the reckoning I must give to God 3. Meditate upon what affairs thou maist meet with the day following as helps or hindrances to thee in God's service use the best means offered to promote thy service of God and think how thou maist carefully resist and overcome whatever is contrary to God's glory and thy salvation 4. Meditate how unable thou art to perform any pious resolutions be they either to shun the evil or do the thing that is good and offer up thy heart in the morning with all thy holy purposes to the heavenly Majesty praying him to take it and them into his gracious protection 5. Think with thy self every morning this day for ought that I know may be my last day how ought I then so to spend this day as though death were presently to arrest me By these or the like morning meditations all that shall be done the day after may be bedewed with the blessing of Heaven As in the morning you are to take a spirituall repast by meditation so in the evening 't is necessary to take a devout and spirituall collation Isaac in my Text went out in the evening to meditate One adviseth that meditation be our key to open the morning and our lock to close the evening withall Get a little leisure after all your wordly imployments to call up your spirits to the consideration of some holy object which thou maist present to thy self simply by an inward cast of thy thought kindling the fire of meditation in thy heart by a few holy inspirations and ejaculations to the Lord either in repeating what thou hast best relished in thy morning meditations or by some other as thou best likest Now such meditations as these in the evening before our going to bed may not be unprofitable 1. To meditate on God's great goodnesse in preserving thee the day before from many troops of dangers that lay in ambuscado against thee 2. To meditate and examine thy self how thou hast carried thy self in every part of the day which to do the more easily you are to consider with whom and in what imployments you have been busied 3. If a man hath done any good to think of praising God for it if any ill in thought word or deed to be humbled and ask pardon for it with a resolution carefully to amend it 4. So to end the day in holy duties that by our morning exercise we may open the windows of our souls to the Sun of righteousnesse and going to take such rest as is necessary for us we shut them up against the Prince of darknesse Meditation is also a good night companion David would remember God upon his bed and meditate on him in the night watches Psal 63.6 Mine eyes prevent the night watches that I might meditate in thy Word Psal 119.148 The night saith Chrysostome Chrysost ad popul Antioch Hom. 42. was not made to this purpose that we should sleep all the time and lye lolling on
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