Works, Part 1 · Spiritual counsels 1 · Rules
Rules for Meditation.
1 FIrst, let the word be the obiect, and beware of mingling it with mens deuices, Psalm. 1. 2. 26. 119. 99. Secondly, heare, reade, and conferre much with reuerence and diligence, else our Meditations may be erronious, Psal: 119. 99. The Prophet was wiser then his teachers: therfore he had instructions and conference before his meditation. Ioshuah Iosh: …. 8. 1 Tim: 4. 13. 15.and Timothie were commanded to reade before, and then to meditate.
2 Meditate but of one thing at once, and at one time, according to the olde prouerbe: Hoc age.
3 Though hee who is come to strength of Meditation, can make his vse of all places and companies: yet euen these, and much more other, not growne to such ripenesse, must bee carefull to chuse time and place, and to sequester themselues from all lets, that …ight carrie them away, when they will giuegive themselues to earnest meditation, as Iob did, who whilest his sonnes were banquetting, kept himselfe apart. And they are to vse fasting, that they may bring themselues into the presence of God, and see into the depth of t…eir owne corruptions.
4 In meditating of a point, wee must first trauaile with our iudgement and affections, before wee come to make vse of it in our hearts.
5 Wee must know that there will neuer be sound nor abiding fruite of meditation, vntill our heart be sound and sincere, and dehorting others from sinne, looke that wee our selues hate it.
6 Before and in all wee must pray that the spirite may be giuen vsus, that we neither adde nor detract, that wee goe not too farre, nor come not too short.
7 We must euer be mindefull to be thankfull vntounto God, when hee blesseth vsus in our meditation; else we shall be buffeted in our next meditation.
8 Being often troubled suddenly in his deepest meditations with distractions of mind, he tryed whether they were of God or not, in this manner: If they did either bring some euill things past into his minde to humble him, or some good thing to comfort him, and make him thankefull; or if they did instruct him in any thing to come, leauing an admonition in him to be circumspect, then hee tooke them to be of God: but if they drewe his minde from the things present, to roue and wander after other matters, hee presently suspected it, and fell to prayer, to be established in his present calling, from whence his owneHow to helpe our sudden failing of our memorie in preaching the word. corruptions and Sathan went about to leade him.
9 Hee had often in his publike ministerie and priuate conference, a sudden failing in memorie, so as by no meanes hee could recouer himselfe in those things hee purposed to speake: in which case he vsed this remedie, presently to groane in his hart, and to humble his soule vnderneath the holy hand of God, not busilie to stand troubling and tossing his memorie, because he knew, and had often prooued, that this was the best way to turne away this euill.
10 To reade and not to meditate, is vnfruitfull: to meditate and not to reade, is dangerous for errours: to reade and meditate without prayer is hurtfull.
11 The cause why our meditations and prayers are no stronger in the night, is because we ioyne not with meditation the examination of our hearts vponupon our beds: which if we did in some truth, it would keepe vsus from drowsinesse, and want of reuerence in our prayers; as well as worldly men are kept waking, by thinking on worldly matters. Here we are taught by Dauids example, when we want the more solemne and best meanes, to make a supplie by often and sincere vsing of such priuate meanes as we can.