Mans Imaginations, Treatise · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
Of spirituall consideration concerning God.
Sect. 1. Of the consideration of Gods presence.
SPirituall considerations seruing for the reformation of our thoughts, doth either concerne God, or our selues. That which concerneth God containeth many branches, but I will insist in foure especially. First, touching Gods presence, wherby a man doth thinke and so resolue himselfe, that wheresoeuer he is, he stands before God, and that all his thoughts, wordes, and deedes are naked in Gods sight: Dauids heart was filled with this consideration, when he penned the 139. psalme: for that whole psalme from the beginning to the ende serueth to expresse this holy cogitation of Gods presence: the like impression must wee labour to hauehave in our hearts touching Gods presence: for it is the most notable meanes, to cleanse the heart from euill thoughts, to restraine the will and affections from wicked delights, and to keepe in order the whole man, causing him to stand in the awe of Gods commandements. Dauid saith,*Psal. 19. 9. The feare of the Lord is cleane; meaning thereby, that that man which hath the feare of God in his heart arising from this consideration of Gods presence, hath a cleane and pure heart. This consideration also is a notable meanes of comfort in the time of trouble and danger: hence David*Psal. 23. 4. saith, …hough I walke through the valley of the shaddow of death, I will feare none euill: for the Lord is with me: and hence it was thatdPsal. 3. 6. he would not be afraid for tenne thousand of the people that should rise vp against him.
Sect. 2. The consideration of Gods iudgements.
The second consideration touching God, is of his iudgements, not onelyonly those which were done of old, and are recorded in the Scripture, or other histories; but euen his late iudgements which wee behold, or heare to fall vponupon Kingdomes, Townes, particular houses, and persons, must we carefully lay vntounto our hearts. Of the want hereof the Lord complaineth among his people saying,dIer 12. 1… The whole land lieth wast, because no man setteth his minde on it: giuing vsus to vnderstand, that the neglect of due consideration of Gods iudgement brought desolation to the whole land, and therefore the want therof is a maine and grieuous sinne, bringing further iudgements with it.
God hath sundry times sent his iudgements among vsus; generally by plague, and famine; and particularly on sundrie families, and persons; but who regardeth them? Wherefore vnlesse wee will double Gods iudgements vponupon vsus, let vsus remember our dutie, and seriously thinke vponupon them. And that this consideration may be profitable vntounto vsus, we must doe three things: first, we must carefully obserue, marke, and remember them: Psal. 119. 52. I remember thy Iudgements of old, O Lord. The Lords people were much wanting therein, as Psal. 78. 11. 42. Secondly, we must apply them to our owne person in particular, so as the thought thereof may make vsus afraid, though they befall others. WhencHab. 3. 16. Habakuck in a vision saw the iudgements of God, which were to come vponupon the Chaldeans, the consideration thereof was so powerfull with him, that it made him tremble and quake In a familie when the father beateth his seruant the child feareth; and when one child is beaten, then all the rest crie: euen so when God our father powreth downe his iudgements, though vponupon the heathen, yet wee must feare; but when any of his children are afflicted, it must strike soare to our hearts. Thirdly, we must make vse of Gods iudgments that light vponupon others, by applying them to our selues. When certaine men brought newes to our Sauiour Christ of an heauie iudgement vponupon some fLuk. 13, 1, 2, 3.Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their owne sacrifices, immediately our Saviour labours to bring them that told him to make vse thereof for their owne good, saying, that thereby they ought to be mooued to repentance: for they that were slaine, were no greater sinners then the rest: and therefore except they who told that newes did amend their liues, they should also perish. So that whensoeuer we see or heare of any iudgement of God vponupon others, wee must thereby be mooued to repent: and thus doing, we shall come to a right consideration of gods Iudgements.
Sect. 3. The consideration of Gods word.
The third consideration concerning God, is of his word. Dauid maketh it the propertie of a blessed man,gPs. 1. 2. to meditate in the law of God day and night: and he professeth of himselfe, thathPs. 119 97. it was his meditation continually: yea oftentimes he promiseth toiv. 15. meditate in Gods precepts, to kv. 16.delight in Gods statutes. This islLuk. 2. 51. Maries praise, that shee kept in her heart sundrie things which Iesus spake. And so ought eueryevery child of God, high or low, daily and continually to meditate in the word of God. But, alas, this dutie is little knowne and lesse practised: men are so farre from meditating in Gods word, that they are ignorant of it. Among many families you shall scarse finde the booke of God: and such as hauehave it, for the most part, doe little vse it. The statutes of the land are by very many searched out diligently, but in the meane time the statutes of the Lord are litle regarded: oh that men knew the sweete comfort *Rom. 15. 4.of the Scriptures, then certenly they would account their meditation thereinoIer. 15. 16. the ioy and reioycing of their heart.
Now the right consideration of Gods word consists in three things: first, we must obserue the true sense, and meaning of that which wee heare, or read; secondly, we must marke what experience we hauehave had of the truth of the word in our owne persons; as in the exercises of Repentance, & Inuocation of Gods name, and in all our Temptations: this is a speciall point in this meditation, without which the former is nothing. Thirdly, we must consider how farre forth we hauehave beene answerable to Gods word in obedience, and wherin we hauehave beene defectiue by transgressions. Againe in the word of God, there bee both commandements, and promisses: The consideration of Gods commandements is a notable meanes to direct, & moderate, not onelyonly our words, and deedes, but also our secret thoughts and desires: for if before we thinke, before we will, or speake any thing, we would first consider that god cōmands vsus to think, to will, and speake thus and thus; this would mightily stay, and suppresse in vsus all corrupt Thoughts and desires, all euill words, and actions: The promisses of God likewise duly cōsidered would greatly further vsus in good Thoughts: for to them that think on good things, shall be merciemercy and Truth. Prov. 14. 22. The cause then why many that know the will of God, so much faile in particular obedience is because that with their knowledge, they doe not ioyne this serious consideration of Gods commandements, and promisses, and apply the same to their occasions.
Sect 4. The consideration of Gods workes.
The fourth consideration cōcerning God, is of his workes: for as Dauid saith,cPsal. 11. 2. The workes of the Lord are great, and ought to be sought out of all that louelove him. This consideration bindeth vsus to enquire, and search what be the workes of God toward vsus; his worke of creation, his providence, preseruation, with all other his workes of merciemercy and Iustice in vsus, and vponupon vsus: whether ordinary: or extraordinary: The prophetdEsay. 5. 11, 12. Isay denounceth a woe against those that had the harpe, and vyoll, Timbrell and Pype, and wine in their feasts, and regarded not the worke of God, nor considered the worke of his hands; whereby we may see that the neglect hereof, is a grieuous sinne, and yet it is the commō sinne of this age.
Now for the better performance of this dutie, wee must thus proceede; first we must consider our creation, how the Lord gaue vsus being, when we were nothing; and how he made vsus reasonable creatures, & not brute beasts, yea, he created vsus in his owne image, when as he might if it had so pleased him, hauehave made vsus Toades, & Serpents: Secondly, we must consider his good providence ouer vsus, howe he hath preserved our life from time, to time, and saued vsus from many dangers: And his great patience must not be forgotten, how he hath spared vsus from the righteous Iudgements of our sinnes; hee might hauehave cast vsus into hell, in our mothers wombe, or so soone as wee were borne for our originall sinne: But hee hath giuen vsus a large time of Repentance. Heere also wee must consider his exceeding fauour in the time and place of our birth, and life: hee might hauehave suffered vsus to hauehave beene borne among Infidels: but behold wee were borne in the bosome of Gods Church: hee might hauehave depriued vsus of the meanes of our saluation, his holie worde and Sacraments; but in his tender merciemercy hee hath vouchsafed them vntounto vsus, to bring our soules to life. Hee might hauehave,bIsay. 63. 17. hardned our hearts against his feare, and blinded our eies against his light, cRom. 11. 8.but yet he hath enlightned our mindes to knowe his truth, and softned our hearts causing vsus to crie vntounto him for the pardon of our sinne; he might hauehavedRom. 1. 28. giuen vsus vp to a reprobate sense, when wee swerued from his testimonies, and reguarded not the knowledge of his will: but loe, as a louing father he hath ofteneHeb. 12. 10. chastened vsus. for our profit, that wee might bee partakers of his holines: Hee might hauehave left vsus comfortles vnderunder the reproch of the wicked, but hee hath vouchsafed vsus his spirit, for our euerlasting comforter. Thus must we dulie consider of all these wonderfull workes of God towardes vsus, and not like the men of this world, thinke on nothing but pastimes, honours, and commodities; This will bee a notable meanes to keepe our hearts from euill thoughtes: for whose heart will not relent towards his God, that so many waies hath tasted of his bountie towardes him? yea, this consideration will bee an exceeding stay and comfort to our soules in the daie of trouble, and distresse: so Salomon saith:aEcles. 5. 15. 16. Beholde the worke of God, and in the day of affliction consider: A naturall man cannot away with trouble, if sorrowes encrease vponupon him, hee is readie to make away himselfe, which comes of this that he can not consider the workes of God, for he that can rightly meditate on Gods goodnesse towards him in all his workes, shall be able with patience to support his soule vnderunder the greatest crosse. A practise heereof we may see in Dauid who being in a most greeuous temptation, so as he cried out,bPsal. 77. 8. Is the Lords merciemercy cleane gone? hath he forgotten to be mercifull, &c. Did yet recouer himselfe by the consideration of Gods former workes of merciemercy, and of his cv. 11. 12.wonders of old, whereof he had experience in his owne person.