The Christians Daily Walk in Holy Security and Peace, Treatise · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. How to walke with God alone.
SECTION 1.
THere is no time wherein you ſhall not be either alone or in Company, in either of which you muſt walke in all well-pleaſing, as in the ſight of God.
Touching being alone. Firſt, Affect not ſolitarineſſe; be not alone, except you have juſt cauſe, namely, when you ſet your ſelfe apart for holy duties, and when your needfull occaſions do withdraw you: for out of theſe caſes, two are better then one (ſaith Salomon)Eccl. 4. 9 10 and woe be to him that is alone.
2. When you are alone, you muſt be very watchfull, & ſtand upon your guard well armed, leſt you ſhall fall into manifold temptations of the Divell. For aGen. 3. 1. Gen. 39. 11 2 Sam. 11. 2ſolitarineſſe is Satans opportunity, which he wil not loſe, as the manifold examples in Scripture,a Mat. 4. 1. and our daily experience doth witneſſe. Wherefore you muſt have a ready eye to obſerve, and an heart ready bent to reſiſt all his aſſaults. And it will now the more concerne you to keep cloſe to God, and not loſe his company; that, through the weapons of your Chriſtian warfare, you may by the power of Gods might Ephe. 6. 10 &c.quit your ſelfe, and ſtand faſt.
3. Take ſpeciall heede, leſt when you be alone, you, your ſelfe, conceive, deviſe, or plot any evill, to which your nature is then moſt apt.
And beware in particular, leſt you commit alone, by your ſelfe, bMich. 2. 1 Pſal. 36. 4. Mat. 5. 28. …contemplative wickedneſſe, which is, when by feeding your fancy, and pleaſing your ſelfe, in Covetous, Adulterous, Revengefull, Ambitious, or other wicked thoughts, you act that in your minde and phantaſie, which either for feare, or ſhame, you dare not; or for want of opportunity or meanes, you cannot act otherwiſe.
4. When you are alone, be ſure that you ordinarily be well and fully exerciſed about ſomething that is good, either in the works of your calling, or in reading, or in holy meditation, or prayer. For whenſoevercMat. 12. 44 Satan doth find you idle and out of imployment in ſome or other of thoſe works which God hath appointed, he will …ake that as an opportunity to garniſh you for himſelfe, and to imploy you in ſome of his works. But if you keepe alwaies in your place, and …o ſome or other good worke of your place; you are under Gods ſpeciall protection, as the Bird in thedDeu. 22. 6 Law was, while ſhe face upon heregs or yong ones, keeping her owne neſt; in which caſe no man might hurt her.
I have already ſhewed how you ſhould behave your ſelfe as in Gods ſight, both in prayer, and in the works of your calling. I wil write ſome thing for your direction touching reading, and Meditation.
SECTION 2. Of Reading.
BEſides your ſet-times of reading the holy Scriptures, you ſhall doe well to gaine ſome time from you vacant houres, that you may read in GODS Booke, and in the good bookes of men.
Firſt, when you read any partHow to read profitably. of the word of God, you muſt put a difference betweene it and the beſt writings of men, preferring it farre before them. To this end (1) Conſider it in its properties and excellencies. No word is of like abſoluteaPſal. 197 10, 11 authority, holineſſe, equity, truth, wiſedome, true elegancie, power, and eternity. (2) Conſider this Word in its ends, and good effects. No booke that aimeth atbIoh. 5. 39 2 Cor. 3. 18 Gods glory, and thecRom 15. 4 Iam. 1. 21. ſalvation of mans ſoule like this, none that concerneth you like to this. It diſcovereth your miſery by ſinne, together with the perfectdRom. 3. 23, 24 remedie. It propoundeth perfecteIſa. 55. 1, 3 happineſſe unto you, affordeth means tofRom. 1. 16 1 The. 2. 13 worke it out in you, & for you. It is mighty through GOD tog2 Cor. 10 4, 5 prepare you for grace. It is the immortall ſeed toh1 Pet. 1. 23 beget you unto Chriſt. It is thei1 Pet 2. 2 Heb. 5. 13 14 milke and ſtronger meate to nouriſh you up in Chriſt. It is the onelyonlyk2 Tim. 1 13 ſoulephyſicke to recover you, and to rid you of all ſpirituall evils. By it Chriſt giveth ſpiritual ſight to the blind, hearing to the deafe, ſpeech to the dumbe, ſtrength to the weake, health to the ſicke: yea, by it he doth caſt out Divels, and raiſe men from themIoh. 5. 25 death of ſinne (they beleeving it) as certainly as he did all thoſe for the bodies of men by the word of his power while he lived on the earth. This Book of Go… doth containe thoſe many rich Legacies be queathed to you in that laſtnHe…. 9. 15 16, 17, 18 Will and Testament of God ſealed with the bloud of Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. It is theoIſa. 8. 20. Magna Charta, and Statute-booke of the Kingdome of heaven. It is the booke ofpRom. 6. 14, …a 1 Ioh. 5. 13 Priviledges and Immunities of Gods children, It isqAct. 20. 32 the word of grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance amongst all them that are ſanctified. For it will make your2 Tim. 3 15, 17 wiſe to ſalvation, through Faith in Chriſt …eſus, making you perfect, throughly furniſhed unto all good workes.
Wherefore as when you heare this Word preached, ſo when at any time you read it, you muſt receive it, not as the word of man, but as it is in truth, the Word of God; 1 The. 2. 13then it wil worke effectually in you that beleeve.
Secondly, when you read this Word, lift up the heart in tPſa. 119. 18.prayer to God for the Spirit of underſtanding & wiſedome, that your minde may be more and more enlightned, and your heart more & more ſtrengthned with grace by it. For this Word is ſpiritual, containing the ſecrets & hidden things of GOD in a myſterie, which, as the bare letter doth ſignifie, is as a aIſa. 29. 11 12.booke ſealed up in reſpect of diſcovery of the b1 Cor. 2. 10, 11.things of God in it to al that have not the helpe of Gods Spirit, ſo that none can know the inward and ſpirituall meaning thereof, powerfully and ſavingly, but by the Spirit of God.
Thirdly, read the Word with an hunger and thirſt after knowledge and c1 Pet. 2. 2growth of grace by it, with a reverent, humble, teachable, and dLuk. 8. 15honeſt heart, beleeving all that you reade, trembling at the threats & judgements againſt ſinners; reioycing in the promiſes made unto, and the favours beſtowed upon the penitent, and vponupon the godly, willing and reſolving to obey al the Commandements.
Thus if you read, bleſſed ſhall you be in your eRev. 1. 3.reading, and bleſſed ſhall you be in your fIam. 1. 25deede.
The holy Scriptures are thus toWho muſt read Scriptures. be read of all of every ſort and condition, and of each ſex, for all are commanded to *Ioh. 5. 39ſearch the Scriptures, as well the Laytie as the Cleargie, aAct. 17. 11 12.women as well as men; o2 Tim. 3. 15.yong as well as old, all ſorts of uIſa. 34. 1. 16. Rev. 1. 3.all Nations. For, though the Spirit of GOD is able to worke converſion and holineſſe immediately without the Word, as he doth in all thoſe infants that are ſaved; yet in men of yeares the holy Ghoſt will not (where the Word may be had) worke eLuk. 16. 2…without it as his inſtrument; uſing it as the hammer, plow, ſeed, fire, water, ſword, or as any other inſtrument to pull downe, build up, plant, purge, cleanſe. For it is by the Word both fRev. 1. 3.read and preached, that Chriſt doth gIohn 1… 17 Ephe. 5. 26 27ſanctifie all that are his, that he may preſent them to himſelfe, and ſo to his Father, without ſpot or wrinkle, a Church moſt glorious.
And whereas it is moſt true,A Caution not to forbeare reading Scripture, becauſe of the difficulty of it. that thoſe which are h2 Pet. 3. 1…unlearned and unſtable, doe wreſt not onelyonly hard Scriptures, but all other alſo to their deſtruction; Yet, let not this (as Papiſts would inferre) cauſe you to forbeare to read; no more, then, becauſe many ſurfeit and are drunke by the beſt meats and drinkes, you doe forbeare to eate and drinke.
But to prevent miſſe-underſtanding and wreſting of Scriptures to your hurt, doe thus. (1) Get and cheriſh an humble and honeſt heart, reſolved to obey when you know Gods will: hIoh. 7. 17If any man will doe his will, ſaithHow to reade and not miſtak and wreſt Scriptures Christ, he ſhall know of the doctrine whether it be of God. (2) Get a cleare knowledge of the first Principles of Chriſtian Religion, beleeve them ſtedfaſtly. And indevor to frame your life according …nto thoſe more eaſie & known …criptures, where on theſe prin…iples and firſt Oracles of God …e grounded; For theſe give …ight, even by the firſt entrance, i Pſal. 119 130…nto the very ſimple. This doe, …d you ſhall never be unlearned … the myſteries of Chriſt, nor …et unſtable in his wayes. (3) Be …uch in kIſa. 8. 20hearing the Word in…preted by learned and faithfull …iniſters. (4) If you meet with place of Scripture too hard for …, preſume not to frame a ſenſe it of your owne head; but take …tice of yourignorance, admire …e depth of Gods wiſdome, ſuſ…nd your opinion, and take the firſt opportunity to ask the meaning of ſome or other, lMal. 2. 7. Motives to read Scripture.whoſe lips ſhould preſerve knowledge.
Let no colourable pretence keepe you from diligent reading of Gods Booke; for hereby you ſhall be better prepared to heare the Word preached. For it layeth a mAct. 8. 28 3…, 35.ground-worke to preaching, making way to a better underſtanding thereof, and to … ter …eeping it in memory … alſo to ena…le you to *Act 17. 11 1 Ioh. 4. 1. 1 The. 5. 21try the Spirits and Doctrines delivered, even to try all things, and to keepe what is good.
1. In reading mens writings,How to read mens writings profitably. reade the beſt, or at leaſt thoſe by which you can profit moſt.
2. Reade a good booke thorowly, and with due conſideration.
3. Reject not haſtily any thing you reade, becauſe of the mean opinion you have of the autho… Beleeve not every thing yo… reade, becauſe of the great opin… on you have of him that wrote it. But (in all bookes of faith and manners) try all things by the nIſa. 8. 20▪ Mar. 22. 29▪ 31.Scriptures. Receive nothing upon the bare teſtimony or judgement of any man, any further then hee can confirme it by the oLu. 10 26.Canon of the word, or by evidence of reaſon, or by undoubted experience, alwayes provided that what you call reaſon and experience, be according unto, not againſt the Word. If the meaneſt ſpeake according to it, then receive and regard it: but if the moſt judicious, in your eſteeme, yea, pGal. 1. 8.if he were an Angell of GOD ſhould ſpeake or write otherwiſe, refuſe, and reject it.
Thus much for privat reading.Caution in private reading.
OnelyOnly take this Caution. You muſt not thinke it to be ſufficient that you read the Scriptures and other good Bookes at home in private, when you ſhall by ſo doing neglect the hearing of the Word read, and preached in publike. For God hath not appointed, that reading alone, or preaching alone, or prayer, or Sacraments ſhould ſingly, and alone ſave any man, where all, or more then one of them may be had; but he requireth the joynt uſe of them all in their place and time. And in this variety of means of ſalvation, God hath in his holy wiſedome ordained them to be ſuch, that the excellency and ſufficiencie of the one, ſhall n…t, in its right uſe, keepe any from, but leade him unto a due performance of the other, each ſerving to make the other more effectuall to produce their common effect, namely, the Salvation of mans ſoule.
Indeed when a man is neceſſarily hindred by perſecution, ſickneſſe, or otherwiſe, that he cannot heare the Word preached, then God doth bleſſe reading with an humble & honeſt heart, without hearing the Word preached. But where hearing the Word preached, is either contemned or neglected for reading ſake, or for prayer ſake, or forProv. 28. 9. any other good private dutie, there, no man can looke to bee bleſſed in his reading, or in any other private dutie, but curſed rather. Witneſſe the evill effects which by experience we ſee doe iſſue thence, viz. Selfe-conceitedneſſe, Singularity in ſome dangerous opinions; many times a rending away from the Church by Schiſme, yea, too oft, a falling away into damnable Hereſies and Apoſtacie.
SECTION 3. Of meditation.
VVHen you are alone, then alſo is a fit ſeaſon for you to be taken up in holy meditation. For according to a mans meditations, ſuch is the man. aIſa. 32▪ 8.The liberall man deviſeth liberall things: the Churle the contrary. The godly man ſtudieth how to pleaſe God, the wicked how to pleaſe himſelfe.
In meditation the minde or reaſon of the ſoule ſtayeth it ſelfeWhat meditation is upon ſome thing conceived or thought upon for the better underſtanding thereof, and for the better application of it to a mans ſelfe for uſe.
In meditating a right, the mind of man exerciſeth two kind ofThe diſtinct acts and parts of meditation. acts; the one direct upon the thing meditated; the other reflect upon himſelfe, the perſon meditating. The firſt is an act of the contemplative part of the und…rſtanding; the ſecond is an act of Conſcience. The end of the firſt is to enlighten the mind with knowledge: the end of the ſecond, is, to fil the heart with goodneſſe. The firſt ſerveth (I ſpeake of morall actions) to finde out the rule whereby you may know more clearely & diſtinctly, what is truth, what is falſhood, what is good, what is bad; whom you ſhould obey, & what manner of perſon you ſhould be, and what you ſhould doe, and the like: The ſecond ſerveth to direct you how to make a right and profitable application of your ſelfe, and of your actions to the Rule.
In this latter are theſe two acts. Firſt, an examination whether you and your actions bee according to the Rule, or whether you come ſhort, or are ſevered from it, giving true judgment of you, according as it doth finde you.
The ſecond is a perſwaſive and commanding act, charging the ſoule in every faculty, underſtanding, will, affections, yea, the whole man, to reforme and conforme themſelves to the Rule, that is, to the will of God, if that you finde your ſelfe not to be according to it: which is done by confeſſing the fault to God with remorſe, praying for forgivenes, returning to God by repentance, reforming the fault through new obedience. This muſt be the reſolution of the ſoule. And all this a man muſt charge upon his ſoule peremptorily, commanding himſelfe to endevour the doing of them.
When you meditate, joyne all theſe three acts, elſe you ſhall never bring your meditation unto a profitable iſſue. For if you onelyonly muſe and ſtudie to finde out what is true, what is falſe, what is good, what is bad, you may gaine much knowledge of the head, but little goodneſſe to your heart. If you onelyonly apply to your ſelfe that wheron you have muſed, and no more; you may by finding your ſelfe to bee a tranſgreſſour, lay guilt upon your conſcience, and terrour upon your heart without fruit or comfort: but if to theſe two you lay a charge upon your ſelfe to follow GODS counſell touching what you ſhould beleeve & doe, when you have offended him: if you with all bring your heart to a reſolution through GODS grace to be ſuch an one as you ought to be, and to live ſuch a life for hereafter as you ought to live; then unto ſcience you ſhall adde conſcience, and to knowledge you ſhall joyne practice, and ſhall fill your ſelfe full of comfort. Obſerve Davids meditations, & you ſhall finde they come to this iſſue. His bPſ. 119. 59thoughts of God, and of his wayes made him turne his feete unto Gods teſtimonies. The meditation of Gods benefits made him reſolve to cPſal. 116 12, 13, 14take the cup of ſalvation, and call upon the name of the Lord, and to pay his vowes: When he conſidered what God had done for him, and thence inferred what he ſhould be to God againe, he ſaith to his ſoule, dPſal. 10…. 1, …, 3My ſoule and all that is in mee, prayſe his holy Name. When hee in his meditation found that it was his fault to have his ſoule diſquieted in him through diſtruſt, he cPſa. 42. 5. 11.chargeth it to wait on GOD, and raiſeth up himſelfe unto confidence. I will meditate on thy precepts (ſaith he.) What, is that all? no, but he proceedeth to this laſt act of meditation, and ſaith, fPſal. 119. 15, 16, 106I will have reſpect unto thy wayes.
Gods holy nature, attributes, Word, workes, alſo what is dutie,Rules of meditatiō. what is a fault, what you ſhould be, and doe; what you are, and what you have done, what be the miſeries of the wicked, what is the happineſſe, and what are the privileges of the godly, are fit matter of meditating, by the direct act of the underſtanding.
That which muſt ſettle your judgement and be the rule to direct your judgement, what to hold for true and good, muſt be the g… Pet. 1. 19.Canon of Gods Word rightly underſtood, and not your owne reaſon or opinion: nor yet the opinions or conceits of men; for theſe are falſe and crooked Rules.
In ſeeking to know the ſecretsCautions about the matter of meditation. and myſteries of God, and godlineſſe, you muſt not pry into them farther than God hath revealed; for if you wade therein farther than you have ſure footing in the Word, you will preſently loſe your ſelfe and be ſwallowed up in a maze, and whirlepoole of errors & hereſies. Theſe hPſ. 131. … Rom. 12. …deepe things of god muſt bee underſtood with ſobrietie, according to that meaſure of cleare light which God hath given you by his Word.
When Sinne happeneth to bee the matter of your meditation, take heed leſt while your thoughts dwell upon it (though your intention be to bring your ſelfe out of love with it) it ſteale into your affections, and worke in you ſome tickling motions to it, and ſo circumvent you. For the iEccl. 7. 24. 26, 28cunning devices of ſinne are undiſcoverable: and you know that your heart is kIer. 17. 9deceitfull above all things. Wherefore to prevent this miſchiefe; (1) As lEphe. 5. 3Sinne is not to bee named, but when there is juſt cauſe; ſo is it not to be thought upon, but upon ſpeciall cauſe, namely, when it ſheweth it ſelfe in its motions, and evill effects, and when it concernes you to try and finde out the wickednes of your heart and life. (2) When there is cauſe to thinke of ſinne, repreſent it to your mind as an evill, the mGen. 39. 9greateſt evill, moſt lothſome, & moſt abominable to GOD, and as a thing moſt hatefull and hurtfull to you. Whereupon you muſt worke your heart to a deteſtation of it, and reſolution againſt it. (3) Never ſtand reaſoning or diſputing with it, as nGen. 3. 2, 3Eve did with Satan, but without any plodding thereupon, you muſt doe preſent execution upon it, by ſheathing the oMat. 4. 4. 7. 10Word, the Sword of the Spirit, into the heart of it, and by the pRom. 8. 13deeds of the Spirit, kill it. And if you would inſiſt long in meditating upon any ſubject, make choiſe of matter more pleaſant, and leſſe infectious.
It is needfull that you be skilfull in this firſt part of meditation, for hereby you finde out, and lay downe propoſitions. Whence you may conclude; who is to be adored, who not; what is to be done, what not; what you ſhould be, what not. But the life of meditation lyeth in the reflect acts of the ſoule, whereby that knowledge which was gotten by the former act of meditation, doth reflect, & q2 Chro. 6 37returne upon the heart, cauſing you to aſſume and apply to your ſelfe what was propounded; whence alſo you are induced to endevour to worke your heart unto that which you have learned it ought to be.
This, though it be moſt profitable; yet, becauſe it is tedious to the fleſh, is moſt neglected. Wherefore it concerneth you which are well inſtructed in the points of faith and holineſſe, to be moſt converſant in this, when you are alone, whether of ſet purpoſe, or in your journyings, or otherwiſe.
You ſhould therefore be well read in the r1 Cor. 11 28. 31. 2 Cor. 13. 5booke of your conſcience, as well as in the Bible. Commune oft with it, and it wil fully acquaint you with your ſelfe, and with your eſtate. It will tell you what you were, and what you now are; what you moſt delighted in, in former times, what now. It will tell you what ſtreights and feares you have beene in, and how graciouſly God delivered you; what temptations you have had, and how it came to paſſe, that ſometimes you were overcome by them; & how, and by what meanes ſometimes you overcame them. It will ſhew what conflicts you have had betwixt fleſh & ſpirit, what ſide you tooke, what was theſPſa. 77 1. to 13. iſſue of the conflict: whether you were grieved and humbled when ſinne got the better; whether you rejoyced & were thankfull in any ſort when Gods grace in you held his owne, or got the better. Your conſcience being ſet aworke, will call to remembrance your over-ſight, and advantages which you gave to Satan and to the luſts of your fleſh, that you may not doe the like another time. It will remember you by what helpes and meanes through Gods grace you prevailed & got a good conqueſt over ſome ſinne, that you may flye to the like another time. If you ſhal thus take obſervation of the paſſages, and conflicts in this your Chriſtian race and warfare, your knowledge will be an experimentall knowledge, which, becauſe it is a knowledge ariſing from the often proofe of that whereof you were taught in the Word; it becommeth a more grounded, a more perfect, and a more fruitfull knowledge than that of meere contemplation.
It is onelyonly this experimentall knowledge that will make you expert in the trade and warfare of Chriſtianitie. Take me a man that hath onelyonly read much of Husbandry, Phyſicke, Merchandiſe, Policie, and martiall affaires, who hath gotten into his head the notions of all theſe, and maketh himſelfe beleeve that he hath great skill in them: yet one that hath not read halfe ſo much, but hath beene of long practice, and of great experience in theſe, goeth as farre beyond him in Husbandry, in giving Phyſick, in Trading, in Policie, & in true feats of Armes, as he goeth beyond one that is a meere novice in them. Such difference there is betweene one that hath onelyonly notions & brainknowledge of Chriſtianitie, and in may be ſome practice withal, but ſevered from experimentall obſervation; and him that taketh notice of his owne experiences, and is oft looking into the Records of his owne Conſcience, throughly to peruſe them.
The experiments which by this meanes you ſhall take (of Gods love, truth, and power; of your enemies falſhood, wiles, and methods; of your owne weakneſſe without God, & of your ſtrength by God to withſtand the greateſt luſts, and ſtrongeſt Divell; yea, of an abilitie to doe all things through him that ſtrengthneth you) will beget in you, faith and confidence in God, and love to him, watchfulneſſe and circumſpection, leſt you be overtaken with ſinne, yea ſuch humilitie, wiſedome, and Chriſtian courage, that no oppoſition ſhall daunt you, neither ſhall any drive you from the hold you have in Chriſt Ieſus.
Where reade you of two ſuch Champions, as t1 Sam 17 36.David and u2 Tim. 1. 12. 2 Tim. 4. 7. 17, 18.Paul? and where doe you reade of two that recorded, and made uſe of their experiences like theſe?
Wherefore next to Gods booke, which giveth light and rule to your Conſcience, reade oft the booke of your Conſcience. See what is there written for, or againſt you. When you finde that your ſelfe and life is according to the rule of God▪ booke; keepe faſt to that with comfort; but, wherein you finde your ſelfe not to be according to this rule, give your ſelfe no reſt, untill in ſome good meaſure, at leaſt in indevour, you doe live according to it.
I have inſiſted the more largely on this point of meditation, becauſe of the rarenes, neceſſitie, and profitableneſſe of it; manie of Gods people omit it, becauſe they know not how to doe it, and becauſe they know not their neede, nor yet the benefit which they may reape by it. I have indevoured to ſhew you how.
That you have neede to meditate:Motivesto meditation. Conſider, that reading, hearing, and tranſient thoughts of the beſt things upon whatſoever occaſion, leave not halfe that impreſſion of goodneſſe upon the ſoule, which they would doe, if …y meditation they might be recalled, and be made to ſtay, and …t ſometime upon it. Without …his meditation, the good food of the ſoule paſſeth thorow the underſtanding, & either is quite …oſt, or is like raw & indigeſted …eate, which doth not nouriſh thoſe creatures that chew the …d, till they have fetched it …acke and chewed it better. Meditation is in ſtead of chewing …he cud. All the outward meanes of Salvation doe little good in compariſon, except by meditation they be pondered and laid up in the heart.
2. That meditation will do… you much good, know it by theſe▪ (1) It doth digeſt, ingraft, and turne the ſpirituall knowledge tendered in Gods ordinances, into you, and it doth frame and turne you into it, ſo that Gods will in his Word, and your will become one, willing the ſame things▪ (2) Meditation fitteth for prayer, nothing more. (3) This Meditation maketh for practice of godlineſſe, nothing more. (4) Nothing doth perfect & make a man an expert Chriſtian more then this. (5) Nothing doth mak a man know and enjoy himſelfe with inward comfort, nor is a clearer evidēce that he is in ſtate of happines, then this. For xPſ. 94. 19in the multitude of my thoughts within me (…aith David to GOD) thy comforts delight my ſoule. And he doth by the Spirit of GOD pronounce every man bleſſed, that doth thus yPſal. 1. 2.meditate in Gods Law day and night.