The Saints Everlasting Rest, Treatise 4 · Chapter 7

The Saints Everlasting Rest · Treatise 4 · Chapter 7

p. 696CHAP. VII. Concerning the fittest time and place for this contemplation, and the preparation of the heart unto it.

§. 1.SECT. I.

THus I have opened to you the nature of this duty, and by this time I suppose you pa…tly apprehend what it is, that I so press upon you; which when it is opened more particularly, you will more fully discern. I now proceed to direct you in the work; where I shall first shew you how you must set upon it; and secondly, how you must behave your self in it; and thirdly, how you p. 697shall shut it up. And here I suppose thee to be a man that dost conscionably avoyd the forementioned hinderances, and conscionably use the forementioned helps, or else it is in vain to set thee a higher lesson, till thou hast first learned that: Which if thou have done, I then further advise thee: First, Somewhat concerning the time and season; secondly, somewhat concerning the place; and thirdly, somewhat concerning the frame of thy Spirit.

And first for the time, I advise thee, that as much as may be, it may be set and constant. Proportion out such a part of thy time to the work.

Stick not at their scruple, who question the stating of times as superstitious: If thou suit out thy time to the advantage of the work, and place no more Religion in the time it self, thou needest not to fear lest this be superstition. As a workman in his shop will have a set place for every one of his Tools and Wares, or else when he should use it, it may be to seek: So a Christian should have a set time for every ordinary duty, or else when he should practise it, its ten to one but he will be put by it. Stated time is a hedg to duty, and defends it against many temptations to omission. God hath stated none but the Lords day himself, but he hath left it to be stated, and determined by our selves, according to every mans condition and occasions, least otherwise his Law should have been a burden, or a snare. Yet hath he left us general rules, which by the use of Reason, and Christian Prudence, may help us to determine of the fittest times. Its as ridiculous a question of them that ask us, [Where Scripture commands us to pray so oft, or at such hours, privately or in families?] as if they askt, [Where the Scripture commands, that the Church-House, (or Temple) stand in such a place? or the Pulpit in such a place? or my seat in such a place? or where it commands a man to read the Scriptures with a pair of Spectacles, &c.] Most that I have known to break this bond of duty, and to argue against a stated time, have at last grown careless of the duty it self, and shewed more dislike against the work, then the time. If God give me so much money or wealth, and tell me not in Scripture, how much such a poor man must have, nor how much my family, nor how much in cloaths, and how much in expences; is it not lawful, yea and necessary that I make the division my self, and allow to each the due proportion? So if God do bestow on me a day or a week of time, and give me such and p. 698such work, to do in this time, and tell me not how much I shal allot to each work; Certainly, I must make the division my self, and cut my coat according to my cloth, and proportion it wisely and carefully too, or else I am like to leave something undone. Though God hath not told you, at what hour you shall rise in the morning, or what hours you shall eat and drink, yet your own Reason, and experience will tell you, that ordinarily you should observe a stated time. Neither let the fear of customariness and formality deter you from this. That Argument hath brought the Lords Supper from once a week to once a quarter, or once a yeer; and it hath brought family-duties with too many of late, from twice a day to once a week, or once a monethmonth; and if it were not, that man being proud, is naturally of a Teaching humor, and addicted to works of popularity and ostentation, I beleeve it would diminish Preaching as much: And will it deal any better with secret duties? especially this of Holy Meditation? I advise thee therefore, if well thou maist, to allow this duty a stated time, and be as constant in it, as in Hearing and Praying: Yet be cautious in understanding this. I know this will not prove every mans duty; some have not themselves, and their time at command, and therefore cannot set their hours; such are most servants, and many children of poor or carnal parents; and many are so poor, that the necessity of their Families wil deny them this freedom. I do not think it the duty of such, to leave their labors for this work, at certain set times, no nor for Prayer, or other necessary worship: No such duty is at all times a duty, Affirmatives specially. Positives binde not semper & ad semper. When two duties come together, and cannot both be performed, it were then a sin to perform the lesser. Of two duties we must chuse the greater, though of two sins we must chuse neither. I think such persons were best to be watchful, to redeem time as much as they can, and take their vacant opportunities as they fall, and especially to joyn Meditation and Prayer, as much as they can, with the very labors of their callings. There is no such enmity between laboring and meditating, or praying in the Spirit, but that both may conveniently be done together▪ Yet I say (as Paul in another case) if thou canst be free, use it rather: Those that have more time a spare from worldly necessaries, and are Masters to dispose of themselves, and their time, I still advise, That they keep this duty to a stated time. And indeed, it p. 699were no ill husbandry, nor point of folly, if we did so by all other duties: If we considered of the ordinary works of the day, and …ited out a fit season, and proportion of time to every work, and fixed this in our memory and resolution, or wrote it in a Table, and kept in our Closets, and never brake it, but upon unexpected, or extraordinary cause. If every work of the day, had thus its appointed time, we should be better skilled, both in redeeming time, and performing duty.

SECT. II.§. 2.

2. I Advise thee also, concerning thy time for this duty, That as it be stated, so it be frequent; Just how oft it should be, I cannot determine, because mens several conditions may vary it: But in general,Psal. 1.2. and 119.97. and 148.99.Ps 1:2Ps 119:97Ps 148:99 that it be frequent the Scripture requireth, when it mentioneth meditating continually, and day and night. Circumstances of our condition, may much vary the circumstances of our duties. It may be one mans duty to hear or pray oftner then anothers; and so it may be in this Meditation. But for those that can conveniently omit other business, I advise, That it be once a day at least. Though Scripture tell us not, how oft in a day we should eat or drink, yet prudence and experience will direct us, to twice or thrice a day, according to the temper and necessities of our bodies. Those that think they should not tie themselves to order or number of duties, but should then onelyonly meditate or pray, when they finde the Spirit provoking them to it, do go upon uncertain and unchristian grounds. I am sure, the Scripture provokes us to frequency, and our necessity secondeth the voice of Scripture; and if through my own neglect, or resistance of the Spirit, I do not finde it so to excite and quicken me, I dare not therefore disobey the Scripture, nor neglect the necessities of my own soul **In the same sense as Justin Martyr said, He would not beleeve Christ himself, if he had preached any other God, besides him who is the Creator of all; so may I say, I would not beleeve the Spirit, that should take me off my duty and obedience to God. Vid. Nicephor. Eccles. histor. tom. 1. lib. 4. cap. 6.. I should suspect that Spirit which would turn my soul from constancy in duty; if the Spirit in Scripture bid me meditate or pray. I dare not forbear it, because I finde not the Spirit within me, to second the command: if I finde not incitation to duty before, yet I may finde assistance, while I wait in performance. I am afraid of laying my corruptions upon the Spirit, or blaming the want of the Spirits assistance, when I should blame the backwardness of my own heart; nor dare I make one corruption a plea for p. 700another; nor urge the inward rebellion of my Nature, as a Reason for the outward disobedience of my life: And for the healing of my natures backwardness, I more expect, that the Spirit of Christ should do it in a way of duty, (which I still finde to be his ordinary season of working) then in a way of disobedience, and neglect of duty. Men that fall on duty according to the frame of their spirits onelyonly, are like our ignorant vulgar, (or if you will, like the Swine) who think their appetite should be the onelyonly rule of their eating: When a wise man judgeth both of quantitie and qualitie, by Reason and Experience; least when his appetite is depraved, he should either surfet or famish. Our Appetite is no sure rule for our times of duty, but the Word of God in general, and our Spiritual Reason, Experience, Necessitie, and convenience in particular, may truly direct us.

Three Reasons especially should perswade thee to frequency in this Meditation on Heaven.

1. Because seldom conversing with him will breed a strangeness betwixt thy soul and God: Frequent society breeds familiarity, and familiarity increaseth love and delight, and maketh us bold and confident in our addresses. This is the main end of this duty, that thou maist have acquaintance and fellowship with God therein. Therefore if thou come but seldom to it, thou wilt keep thy self a stranger still, and so miss of the end of the work. O, when a man feels his need of God, and must seek his help in a time of necessity, when nothing else can do him any good, you would little think what an encouragement it is, to go to a God that we know, and are acquainted with. O, saith the heavenly Christian, I know both whither I go, and to whom; I have gone this way many a time before now: It is the same God that I daily conversed with; it is the same way that was my daily walk: God knows me well enough, and I have some knowledg of him. On the other side, What a horror and discouragement to the soul it will be, when it is forced to flie to God in streights, to think: Alas, I know not whither to go; I never went the way before; I have no acquaintance at the Court of Heaven: My soul knows not that God, that I must speak to; and I fear he will not know my soul! But especially when we come to die, and must immediately appear before this God, and expect to enter into this Eternal Rest, then the p. 701difference will plainly appear: Then what a joy will it be to think, I am going to the place that I daily conversed in; to the place from whence I tasted so frequent delights; to that God whom I have met in my Meditations so oft. My heart hath been at Heaven before now, and tasted the sweetness that hath oft revived it; and (as Jonathan by his honey) if mine eyes were so illightened,1 Sam. 14.29.1 Sam 14:29 and my minde refreshed, when I tasted but a little of that sweetness, what will it be when I shall feed on it freely? On the other side, what a terror must it be to think, I must die, and go I know not whither; from a place where I am acquainted, to a place where I have no familiarity, or knowledg. O, Sirs, it is an unexpressible horror to a dying man, to have strange thoughts of God and Heaven: I am perswaded there is no cause so common, that makes death even to godly men unwelcome and uncomfortable. Therefore I perswade thee to frequency in this duty, That seldomness breed not estrangedness from God.

2. And besides that, seldomness will make thee unskilful in the work, and strange to the duty, as well as to God. How unhandsomly and clumsily do men set their hands to a work that they are seldom imployed in! Whereas frequency will habituate thy heart to the work, and thou wilt better know the way which thou daily walkest; yea, and it will be more easie and delightful also: The Hill which made thee pant and blow at the first going up, thou maist run up easily when thou art once accustomed to it. The heart which of it self, is naturally backward, will contract a greater unwillingness through disuse: And as an untamed Colt not used to the hand, it will hardly come to hand, when thou shouldst use it.

3. And lastly, Thou wilt lose that heat and life by long intermissions, which with much ado thou didst obtain in duty. If thou eat but a meal in two or three days, thou wilt lose thy strength as fast as thou gettest it; if in holy Meditation thou get neer to Christ, and warm thy heart with the fire of Love; if thou then turn away, and come but seldom, thou wilt soon return to thy former coldness. If thou walk or labor, till thou hast got thee heat, and then sit idle all day after, wilt thou not surely lose thy heat again? especially, it being so spiritual a work, and so against the bent of nature, we shall be still inclining to our natural temper.

p. 702If water that is heated be long from the fire, it will return to its coldness, because that is its natural temper. I advise thee therefore that thou be as oft as may be in this soul-raising duty, least when thou hast long rowed hard, against the stream or tide, and winde, the boat should go further down by thy intermission, then it was got up by all thy labor; And least when thou hast been long rolling thy stony heart towards the top of the hill, it should go faster down when thou dost slack thy diligence. Its true, the intermixed use of other duties, may do much to the keeping thy heart above, especially secret prayer; but Meditation is the life of most other duties: and the veiws of heaven is the Life of Meditation.

§. 3.SECT. III.

3. COncerning the Time of this duty, I advise thee that thou chuse the most seasonable Time. All things are beautiful and excellent in their season. Unseasonableness may lose thee the fruit of thy labor; It may rise up disturbances and difficulties in the work; Yea it may turn a duty to a sin: when the seasonableness of a duty doth make it easie, doth remove impediments, doth embolden us to the undertaking, and doth ripen its fruit.

The seasons of this duty are either first, extraordinary or secondly, ordinary.

1. The ordinary season for your daily performance, cannot be particularly determined by man: Otherwise God would have determined it in his word; But mens conditions of imployment, and freedom, and bodily temper are so various, that the same may be a seasonable hour to one, which may be unseasonable to another. If thou be a servant, or a hard laborer, that thou hast not thy self, nor thy time at command, thou must take that season which thy business will best afford thee: Either as thou sittest in the shop at thy work, or as thou travellest on the way, or as thou lyest waking in the night. Every man best knows his own time, even when he hath least to hinder him of his business in the world. But for those whose necessities tye them not so close, but that they may well lay aside their earthly affaires, and chuse what time of the day they will, My advice to such is, that they carefully observe the temper p. 703of their body and minde, and mark when they finde their spirits most active, and fit for contemplation, and pitch upon that as the stated time. Some men are freest for all duties when they are fasting, and some are then unfittest of all. Some are fit for duties of humiliation at one season and for duties of exaltation at another. Every man is the meetest judg for himself. Only give me leave to tender you my observation, which time I have alway found fittest for my self,☜ and that is, The evening, from Sun setting to the twilight: and sometime in the night when it is warm and clear. Whether it be any thing from the temperature of my body, I know not: But I conjecture that the same time would be seasonable to most tempers; for several natural reasons, which I will not now stand to mention. Neither would I have mentioned my own experience in this, but that I was encouraged hereunto by finding it suit with the experience of a better and wiser man then my self, and that is Isaac: for it is said in Gen. 24.63. That he went to Meditate in the field at the eventide: and his experience I dare more boldly recommend unto you then my own. And as I remember Doctor Hall in his excellent Treatise of Meditation, gives you the like account of his own experience.

SECT. IIII.§. 4.

2. THe Lords day is a time exceeding seasonable for this exercise. When should we more seasonably contemplate on Rest, then on that day of Rest which doth typ…fie it to us? Neither do I think that typifying use is ceased, because the Antitype is not fully yet come. However it being a day appropriated to Worship and spiritual duties, me thinks we should never exclude this duty which is so eminently spiritual. I think verily this is the chiefest work of a Christian Sabbath, and most agreeable to the intent of its positive institution. What fitter time to converse with our Lord, then on that day, which he hath appropriated to such imployment,Rev. 1.10.Rev 1:10 and therefore called it, The Lords Day? What fitter day to ascend to heaven, then that on which our Lord did arise from earth, and fully triumph over death and hell, and take possession of Heaven before us? The fittest temper for a true believer, is to be in the spirit on the Lords Day: This was Saint Johns p. 704temper on that day. And what can bring us to this ravishment in the spirit, but the spiritual beholding of our ravishing glory? Surely though an outward ordinance may delight the ear, or tickle the fancy, yet it is the viewes of God that must ravish the soul. There is a great deal of difference betwixt the receiving of the word with joy, Mat. 13.20. and being in the spirit on the Lords Day, Rev. 1 10.

Two sorts of Christians I would entreat to take notice of this especially.

1. Those that spend the Lords day only in publique worship; either through the neglect of this spiritual duty of Meditation, or else by their overmuch exercise of the publique, allowing no time to private duty: Though there be few that offend in this last kinde, yet some there are, and a hurtful mistake to the soul it is. They will grow but in gifts, and common accomplishments▪ if they exercise but their gifts in outward performances.

2. Those that have time on the Lords day, for idleness, and vain discourse; and finde the day longer then they know how well to spend: Were these but acquainted with this duty of contemplation, they would need no other recreation nor pastime; they would think the longest day short enough, and be sorry that the night hath shortned their pleasure.

Whether this day be of positive Divine Institution, and so to us Christians of necessary observation, is out of my way to handle here: I refer those that doubt, to what is in Print on that subject, especially Master George Abbot against Broad, and (above all) Master Cawdrey and Master Palmer their Sabbatum Redivivum. Its an encouragment to the doubtful, to finde the generality of its rational opposers, to acknowledg the usefulness, yea necessity of a stated day, and the fitness of this above all other days. I would I could perswade those that are convinced of its morality, to spend a greater part of it in this true spirituality. But we do in this as in most things else; think it enough that we believe our duty, as we do the articles of our faith, and let who will put it in practice. VVe will dispute for duty, and let others perform it: As I have known some drunkards upon the Ale bench will plead for godly men, while themselves are ungodly: So do too many for the observation of the Lords day, who themselves are unacquainted with this spiritual part of its observation. Christians, let heaven have some p. 705more share in your Sabbaths, where you must shortly keep your everlasting Sabbath. As you go from stair to stair till you come to the top, so use your Sabbaths as steps to glory, till you have passsed them all, and are there arived. Especially you that are poor men, and servants, that cannot take time in the week as you desire, see that you well improve this day: Now your labor lies not …o much upon you, now you are unyoaked from your common business; Be sure as your bodyes Rest from their labors, that your spirits seek after Rest with God. I admonish also those that are possessed with the censorious divel, that if they see a poor Christian walking privately in the fields on the Lords Day, they would not Pharisaically conclude him a Sabbath breaker, till they know more: It may be he takes it as the opportunest place, to withdraw himself from the world to God; Thou seest where his body walkes, but thou seest not where he is walking in the spirit. Hannah was censured for a woman drunk, till Eli heard her speak for her self; and when he knew the truth, he was ashamed of his censure. The silent spiritual worshipper is most lyable to their censure, because he gives not the world an account of his worship.

Thus I have directed thee to the fittest season for the ordinary performance of this heavenly work.

SECT. V.§. 5.

2. FOr the extraordinary performance,Joh. 15.5. As Gerson in the forecited place saith, This Art or way of Meditation is not learned chiefly out of Books: but the spirit of God bestoweth it as he pleaseth; on some more plentifully, & on some more sparingly.John 15:5 these following are seasonable times. 1. When God doth extraordinarily revive and enable thy spirit. When God hath kindled thy spirit with fire from above, it is that it may mount aloft more freely. It is a choice part of a Christians skill, to observe the temper of his own spirit, and to observe the gales of grace, and how the spirit of Christ doth move upon his. VVithout Christ we can do nothing. Therefore let us be doing, when he is doing: and be sure not to be out of the way, nor asleep when he comes. The sails of the windmill stir not without the wind: therefore they must set them a going when the wind blowes: Be sure that thou watch this wind and tide, if thou wouldst have a speedy voyage to Heaven. A little labor will set thy heart a going at such a time as this, when another time thou mayest study and take pains to little purpose. Most p. 706Christians do sometime finde a more then ordinary reviving and activeness of spirit; take this as sent from heaven to …alse thee thither: And when the spirit is lifting thy heart from the earth▪ be sure thou then lift at it thy self. As when the Angel came to Peter in his prison and Irons, and smo…e him on the side, and raised him up saying, Arise up quickly, gird thy self, …inde on thy sandals▪ and cast thy garment about thee, and follow me; And Peter arose and followed till he was delivered, Act. 12.7.8, &c. So when the spirit finds thy heart in prison and Irons, and smites it, and bids thee, Arise quickly and follow me, be sure thou then arise, and follow, and thou shal… finde thy chains fall off, and all doors will open, and thou wilt be at Heaven before thou art aware.

§. 6.SECT. VI.

2. WHen thou art cast into perplexing troubles of minde, through suffering, or fear, or care, or temptations, then is it seasonable to address thy self to this duty. VVhen should we take our cordials but in our times of fainting? When is it more seasonable to walk to heaven, then when we know not in what corner on earth to live with comfort? or when should our thoughts converse above, but when they have nothing but grief to converse with below? Where should. Noahs Dove be but in the Arke,Gen. 8.8, 9.Gen 8:8Gen 8:9 when the waters do cover all the earth; and she cannot finde Rest for the sole of her foot? What should we think on but our fathers house, when we want even the husks of the world to feed on? Surely God sends thee thy afflictions to this very purpose. Happy thou poor man, if thou make this use of thy poverty: and thou that art sick, if thou so improve thy sickness. It is seasonable to go to the Promised Land, when our burdens and taskes are increased in Egypt; and when we endure the dolors of a greivous wilderness. Believe it, Reader, if thou knewest but what a cordial in thy griefs and care, the serious views of glory are, thou wouldst less fear these harmles troubles, and more use that preserving reviving Remedy: I would not have thee, as Mountebanks, take poyson first, and then their Antidote to shew its power; so to create thy affliction to try this remedy: But if God reach thee forth the bitterest cup, drop in but a little of the Tastes of Heaven, and I p. 707warrant thee it will sufficiently sweeten it to thy spirit; If the case thou art in, seem never so dangerous, take but a little of this Antidote of Rest, and never fear the pain or danger. I will give thee to confirm this, but the Example of David, and the Opinion of Paul, and desire thee throughly to consider of both. In the multitude of my thoughts within me (saith David) thy comforts delight my soul, Psal. 94.19. As if he should say, I have multitudes of sadding thoughts that crowd upon me, thoughts of my sins, and thoughts of my foes, thoughts of my dangers, and thoughts of my pains; yet in the midst of all this crowd, one serious thought of the comforts of thy Love, and especially of the comfortable life in Glory, doth so dispel the throng, and scatter my cares, and disperse the clouds that my troubles had raised, that they do even revive and delight my soul. And Paul when he had cast up his full accounts, gives thee the sum in Rom. 8▪ 18. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time, are not worthy to compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us: Study these words well, for every one of them is full of life. If these true sayings of God, were truly and deeply fixt in thy heart, and if thou couldst in thy sober Mediditation, but draw out the comfort of this one Scripture, I dare them it would sweeten the bitterest cross, and in a sort make thee forget thy trouble (as Christ saith,Joh. 16 21.John 16:21 A woman forgets her travail for joy that a man is born into the world) yea, and make thee rejoyce in thy tribulation. I will add but one Text more, 2 Cor 4.16.17. For which cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward is renewed day by day, For our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but the things which are not seen; For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

SECT. VII.§. 7.

3. ANother fit Season for this heavenly duty is, When the Messengers of God do summon us to die; when either our gray hairs, or our languishing bodies, or some such like forerunners of death, do tell us that our change cannot be far off; when should we most frequently sweeten our souls, with the believing thoughts of another life, then when we finde that this is almost ended? and p. 708when Flesh is raising fears and terrors? Surely no men have greater need of supporting joyes, then dying men; and those joyes must be fetcht from our eternal joy. Men that have earthly pleasures in their hands, may think they are well, though they taste no more, but when a man is dying and parting with all other pleasures, he must then fetch his pleasure from Heaven, or have none; when health is gone, and friends lye weeping about our beds, when houses, and lands, and goods, and wealth cannot afford us the least relief, but we are taking our leave of earth for ever, except a hole for our bodies to rot in; when we are daily expecting our final day, its now time to look to heaven, and to fetch in comfort and support from thence; and as heavenly delights are sweetest, when they are unmixed and pure, and have no earthly delights conjoyned with them, so therefore the delights of dying Christians are ofttimes the sweetest that ever they had: Therefore have the Saints been generally observed to be then most Heavenly when they were neerest dying; what a Prophetical blessing hath Jacob for his sons, when he lay a dying? And so Isaac? what a heavenly Song! what a Divine Benediction doth Moses conclude his life withal, Deut. 32. & 33. Nay, as our Saviour increased in Wisdome and Knowledg, so did he also in their blessed expressions, and still the last, the sweetest, what a heavenly prayer? what heavenly advice doth he leave his Disciples when he is about to leave them? when he saw he must leave the world and go to the Father, how doth he weane them from worldly expectations? How doth he minde them of the Mansions in his Fathers House? and remember them of his coming again to fetch them thither? and open the union they shall have with him, and with each other? and promise them to be with him to behold his Glory? There's more worth in those four Chapters, John 14.15.16.17. then in all the Books in the world beside; When Blessed Paul was ready to be offered up, what heavenly Exhortation doth he give the Philippians? what advice to Timothy? what counsel to the Elders of the Ephesian Church? Acts 20. How neer was S. John to heaven in his banishment in Patmos, a little before his translation to Heaven? what heavenly discourse hath Luther in his last sickness? How close was Calvin to his Divine studies in his very sickness, that when they would have disswaded him from it, He answers, Vultisne me otiosum a domino apprehendi? What, would you have God finde me idle? I have not lived idly, and shall I p. 709dye idly? The like may be said of our famous Reignolds. When excellent Bucholcer was neer his end, he wrote his Book De Consol… ti…ne Decumbentium. Then it was that Tossianus wrote his Vade mecum. Then Doctor Preston was upon the Attribut…s of God; And then Mr Bolton was on the Joyes of Heaven. It were end less to enumerate the eminent examples of this kinde. It is the general temper of the spirits of the Saints, to be then most Heavenly when they are neerest to Heaven. As we use to say of the old and the weak, that they have one foot in the grave already, so may we say of the godly, when they are neer their Rest, they have one foot (as it were) in Heaven already; When should a Traveller look homewards with joy, but when he is come within the sight of his home? Its true, the pains of our bodies, and the fainting of our spirits may somewhat abate the liveliness of our joy, but the measure we have, will be the more pure and spiritual, by how much the less it is kindled from the Flesh. O that we who are daily languishing, could learn this daily heavenly conversing! and could say as the Apostle in the forecited place, 2 Cor. 4.16, 17, 18! O that every gripe that our bodies feel, might make us more sensible of future ease! and that every weary day and hour might make us long for our eternal rest! That as the pulling down of one end of the ballance is the lifting up of the other, so the pulling down of our bodies might be the lifting up of our souls! that as our souls were usually at the worst when our bodies were at the best, so now they might be at the best when our bodies are at the worst▪ why should we not think thus with our selves? why every one of these gripes that I feel are but the cutting of the stitches for the ripping off mine old attire, that God may cloathe me with the glory of his Saints; Had I rather live in these rotten raggs, then be at the trouble and pains to shift me? Should the Infant desire to stay in the womb, because of the straitness and pains of the passage? or because he knows not the world that he is to come into? nor is acquainted with the fashions or inhabitants thereof? Am I not neerer to my desired rest, then ever I was? If the remembrance of these griefs will increase my joy, when I shall look back upon them from above; why then should not the remembrance of that joy abate my griefs, when I look upwards▪ to it from below? And why should the present feeling of these dolors so much diminish the foretasts of Glory, when the remembrance of them will then increase it? All these p. 710gripes and woes that I feel, are but the farewell of sin and sorrows: As Nature useth to struggle hard a little before death, and as the devil cast the man to the ground and tore him, when he was going out of him, Mark 9.26. so this tearing and troubling which I now feel, is but at the departure of sin and misery; for as the effects of Grace are sweetest at last, so the effects of sin are bitterest at the last, and this is the last that ever I shall taste of it: when once this whirlwind and earthquake is past, the still voyce will next succeed; and God onelyonly will be in the voyce, though sin also was in the earthquake and whirlwinde.

Thus Christian, as every pang of sickness should minde the wicked of their eternal pangs, and make them look into the bottom of hell, so should all thy wo and weakness minde thee of thy neer approaching joy, and make thee look as high as heaven: and (as a Ball) the harder thou art smitten down to earth; the higher shouldst thou rebound up to heaven. If this be thy case who readest these lines, (and if it be not now, it will be shortly) if thou lye in consuming painful sickness, if thou perceive thy dying time draw on, O where should thy heart be now but with Christ? Methinks thou shouldst even behold him, as is were, standing by thee, and shouldst bespeak him as thy Father, thy Husband, thy Physitian, thy Friend! Methinks thou shouldst even see, as it were, the Angels about thee waiting to perform their last office to thy soul, as thy friends wait to perform theirs to thy body; Those Angels which disdained not to bring the soul of a scabbed Begger to heaven, will not think much to conduct thee thither. O look upon thy sickness, as Jacob did on Josephs Chariots, and let thy spirit revive within thee, and say, It is enough, that Joseph, that Christ, is yet alive, for because he lives I shall live also, Joh. 14.19. As thou art sick and needest the daintiest food, and choicest Cordials, so here are choices then the world affords, here is the food of Angels and glorified Saints; here is all the joyes that heaven doth yield, even the Vision of God, the sight of Christ, and whatsoever the blessed there possess; This Table is spread for thee to feed on in thy sickness, these dainties are offered thee by the hand of Christ: He hath written thee the Receipt in the Promises of the Gospel, He hath prepared thee all the ingredients in Heaven, onelyonly put forth the hand of Faith, and feed upon them, and rejoyce & live; The Lord saith to thee, as he did to Elias, Arise and eat, because p. 711the journey is too great for thee, 1 Kings 19.7. Though it be not long, yet the way is foul: I counsel thee therefore that thou obey his voyce, and arise and eat, and in the strength of that meat thou maist walk till thou come to the Mount of God; Dye not in the ditch of horror or stupidity;Deut. 32▪ 49 50.Deut 32:49 but (as the Lord said to Moses) Go up into the Mount, and see the Land that the Lord hath promised, and dye in the Mount; And as old Simeon when he saw Christ in his infancy in the Temple, so do thou behold him in the Temple of the New Jerusalem as in his Glory, and take him in the arms of thy Faith, and say, Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, for mine eye (of Faith) hath seen thy salvation; As thou wast never so neer to Heaven as now, so let thy spirit be neerer it now then ever.

So you have seen which is the fittest season for this duty:Read Master Symmonds Deserted soul. p. 225, 226, 227. I should here advise thee also of some times unseasonable; but I shall onelyonly add this one Caution; The unseasonable urging of the most spiritual duty, is more from the Tempter then from the Spirit of God: When Satan sees a Christian in a condition wherein he is unable and unfit for a duty, or wherein he may have more advantage against us by our performance of it, then by our omitting it, he will then drive on as earnestly to duty, as if it were the very spirit of Holiness: that so upon our omitting or ill performance, he may have somewhat to cast in our teeth and to trouble us with. And this is one of his wayes of deceiving, when he transformes himself into an Angel of Light. It may be when thou art on thy knees in prayer, thou shalt have many good thoughts will come into thy minde: or when thou art hearing the word, or at such unseasonable times: Resist these good thoughts as coming from the devil, for they are formally evil, though they are materially good; Even good thoughts in themselves may be sinful to thee. It may be when thou shouldst be diligent in thy necessary labors, thou shalt be moved to cast aside all, that thou mayest go to Meditation or to Prayer; These motions are usually from the spirit of delusion: The spirit of Christ doth nothing unseasonably: God is not the God of confusion but of order.

p. 712§. 8.SECT. VIII.

Vide Gerson, ubi infra, cap. 24.THus much I thought necessary to advise thee concerning the time of this duty. It now followes that I speak a word of the fittest place. Though God is every where to be found by a faithful soul; Yet some places are more convenient for a duty then others.

1. As this is a Private and spiritual duty, so it is most covenient that thou retire to some private place. Our spirits had need of every help, and to be freed from every hinderance in the work: And the quality of these circumstances, though to some they may seem small things, doth much conduce to our hinderance or our help. **Dominus docet nos, ut opera sua imitemur, & sicut ipse secit ita et nos saciamus: Ecce oraturus erat, & asce… dit in montem; Oportet etiam nos a negotijs otiosos orare & non in medio multorum; sed pernoctantes ne statim ut caeperimus cessemus. The ophylact. in Luc. c. 6. Yet the principal secrecie and silence must be in the soul within, rather then without: that is, that the soul shut out of it self all humane worldly cares; all vaine and hurtful thoughts, and whatsoever may hinder it from reaching to the end which it doth intend. For it oft falls out that a man is alone, separated from the company of men, and yet by fantasies, thoughts, and melancholies doth suffer the most grievous and burdensome company in himself: Which fantasies do beget him various tumults and conferences and pratlings; bringing before the eyes of his understanding sometime one thing, sometime another: leading him sometime into the Kitchin, sometime into the Market; bringing thence to him the unclean delights of the flesh; shewing him dances, and beauties, and songs, and such kinde of vanities drawing to sin. As Saint Jerom humbly confesseth of himself, That when he was in the wilderness without any company save wild beasts and Scorpions, yet he was often in his thoughts in dances and in the company of the Ladyes at Rome. So these fantasies will make the soul even when it is alone to be angry and quarrel with some one that is absent, as if he were present: To be counting money; It will pass over the seas, it will fly abroad the land, sometime it will be in high dignities, and so of innumerable fancies the like: such a soul is not secret nor alone; Nor is a devout soul in contemplation alone, For it is never lesse alone. It is in the best company, even with God and Saints by holy desires and cogitations. Gerson. par. 3. fol 382. De monte contemplationis cap. 23.Luke 6Christ himself thought it not vain to direct in this circumstance of private duty, Mat. 6.4, 6, 18, If in private prayer we must shut our door upon us, that our Father may hear us in secret; so is it also requisite in this Meditation. How oft doth Christ himself depart to some mountain, or wilderness, or other solitary place? For occasional Meditation I give thee not this advise, but for this daily set and solemn duty, I advise, that thou withdraw thy self from all society, yea though it were the society of godly men, that thou mayest a while enjoy the society of Christ: If a student cannot study in a crowd, who exerciseth only his invention and memory, much lesse when thou must exercise all the powers of thy soul, and that upon an object so far above nature: When thy p. 713eyes are filled with the persons and actions of men, and thine ears with their discourse; its hard then to have thy thoughts and affections free for this duty. Though I would not perswade thee to Pythagoras his Cave, nor to the Hermets Wilderness, nor to the Monks Cell; yet I would advise thee to frequent solitariness, that thou mayest sometimes confer with Christ and with thy self, as well as with others. We are fled so far from the solitude of superstition, that we have cast off the solitude of contemplative devotion. Friends use to converse most familiarly in private, and to open their Secrets, and let out their affections most freely. Publike converse is but common converse. Use therefore (as Christ himself did, Mark 1.35.) to depart sometimes into a solitary place, that thou maist be wholly vacant for this great employment. See Mat. 14.23. Mark 6.47. Luke 9.18▪ 36. John 6.15, 16. We seldom read of Gods appearing by himself, or his Angels, to any of his Prophets or Saints in a throng; but frequently when they were alone.

And as I advise thee to a place of retiredness; so also that thou observe more particularly, what place and posture best agreeth with thy spirit: Whether within doors, or without; whether siting still, or walking. I beleeve Isaacs example in this also, will direct us to the place and posture, which will best suit with most, as it doth with me, viz. His walking forth to meditate in the field at the eventide. And Christs own example in the places forecited; gives us the like direction. Christ was used to a solitary Garden, that even Judas when he came to betray him, knew where to finde him, John 18.1, 2. And though he took his Disciples thither with him, yet did he separate himself from them for more Secret devotions, Luke 22.41. And though his meditation be not directly named but onelyonly his praying yet it is very clearly implied, Matth. 26.38, 39. His soul is first made sorrowful with the bitter meditations on his death and sufferings, and then he poureth it out in prayer, Mark 14.34. So that Christ had his accustomed place, and consequently accustomed duty, and so must we: Christ hath a place that is solitary, whither he retireth himself even from his own Disciples, and so must we: Christs meditations do go further then his thought; they affect, and p…erce his heart and soul, and so must ours. OnelyOnly there is a wide difference in the object: Christ meditates on the suffering that our sins had deserved, that the wrath p. 714of his Father even passed through his thoughts upon all his soul; But the meditation that we speak of, is on the glory he hath purchased; that the love of the Father, and the joy of the Spirit, might enter at our thoughts, and revive our affections, and overflow our souls. So that as Christs meditation was the sluce or floodgate, to let in Hell to overflow his Affections: so our meditation should be the sluce to let in Heaven into our affections.

§. 9.SECT. IX.

SO much concerning the Time and Place of this duty. I am next to advise thee somewhat concerning the preparations of thy heart. The success of the work doth much depend on the frame of thy heart. When mans heart had nothing in it that might grieve the Spirit, then was it the delightful habitation of his Maker. God did not quit his residence there, till man did expel him by unworthy provocations. There grew no strangeness, till the heart grew sinful, and too loathsom a dungeon for God to delight in. And were this soul reduced to its former innocency, God would quickly return to his former habitation; yea, so far as it is renewed and repaired by the Spirit, and purged of its lusts, and beautified with his Image; the Lord will yet acknowledg it his own, and Christ will manifest himself unto it, and the Spirit will take it for his Temple, and Residence. So far as the soul is qualified for conversing with God, so far it doth actually (for the most part) enjoy him. Therefore with all diligence keep thy heart; for from thence are the issues of life, Prov 4.23.

More particularly, when thou fettest on this duty, First, Get thy heart as clear from the world as thou canst; wholly lay by the thoughts of thy business, of thy troubles, of thy enjoyments, and of every thing that may take up any room in thy soul. Get thy soul as empty as possibly thou canst, that so it may be the more capable of being filled with God. It is a work (as I have said) that will require all the powers of thy soul, if they were a thousand times more capacious and active then they are; and therefore you have need to lay by all other thoughts and affections, while you are busied here. If thou couldst well perform some outward duty with a piece of thy heart, while the other is absent, yet this above p. 715all I am sure thou canst not. Surely, if thou once address thy self to the business indeed, thou wilt be as the covetous man at the heap of Gold; that when he might take as much as he could carry away, lamented that he was able to bear no more: So when thou shalt get into the Mount in contemplation, thou wilt finde there, as much of God and Glory, as thy narrow heart is able to contain; and almost nothing to hinder thy full possession, but onelyonly the uncapableness of thy own Spirit. O then (wilt thou think) that this understanding were larger, that I might conceive more! that these affections were wider to contain more! it is more my own unfitness, then any thing else, which is the cause, that even this place is not my Heaven! God is in this place, and I know it not. This Mount is full of the Angels of God, but mine eyes are shut and cannot see them. O the words of love that Christ hath to speak! O the wonders of love that he hath to shew! But, alas, I cannot bear them yet! Heaven is here ready at hand for me, but my uncapable heart is unready for Heaven! Thus wouldst thou lament, that the deadness of thy heart doth hinder thy joyes; even as a sick man is sorry that he wants a stomack, when he sees a feast before him.

Therefore, Reader, seeing it is much in the capacity, and frame of thy heart, how much thou shalt enjoy of God in this contemplation; be sure that all the room thou hast be empty: and (if ever) seek him here with all thy soul: Thrust no… Christ into the stable, and the manger, as if thou hadst better guests for the chiefest rooms. Say to all thy worldly business and thoughts, as Christ to his Disciples, Sit you here, while I go and pray yonder, Matth. 26.36. Or as Abraham when he went to sacrifice Isaac, left his servants and Ass below the Mount, saying, Stay you here, and I and the Lad, will go yonder and worship, and come again to you: So say thou to all thy worldly thoughts, Abide you below, while I go up to Christ, and then I will return to you again. Yea, as God did terrifie the people with his threats of death, if any one should dare to come to the Mount, when Moses was to receive the Law from God; so do thou terrifie thy own heart, and use violence against thy intruding thoughts, if they offer to accompany thee to the Mount of Contemplation. Even as the Priests thrust Vzziah the King out of the Temple, where he presumed to burn incense, when they saw the Leprosie to arise upon him; so do thou thrust p. 716these thoughts from the Temple of thy heart, which have the badg of Gods prohibition upon them. As you will beat back your dogs, yea, and leave your servants behinde you, when your selves are admitted into the Princes presence; so also do by these. Your selves may be welcome, but such followers may not.

§. 10SECT. X.

2. BE sure thou set upon this work, with the greatest seriousness that possibly thou canst. Customariness here, is a killing sin. There is no trifling in holy things; God will be sanctified of all that draw neer him. These spiritual, excellent, soul-raising duties, are the most dangerous, if we miscarry in them, of all. The more they advance the soul, being well used, the more they destroy it, being used unfaithfully: As the best meats corrupted, are the worst. To help thee therefore to be serious when thou settest on this work; First, Labor to have the deepest apprehensions of the presence of God, and of the incomprehensible Greatness of the Majesty which thou approachest. If Rebecca vail her face at her approach to Isaac; if Esther must not draw neer, till the King hold forth the Scepter; if dust and worms-meat must have such respect, Think then with what reverence thou shouldst approach thy Maker: think thou art addressing thy self to him, that made the Worlds with the word of his mouth; that upholds the Earth as in the palm of his hand; that keeps the Sun, and Moon, and Heavens in their courses; that bounds the raging Sea with the Sands, and saith,Jer. 5.22.Jer 5:22 Hitherto go, and no farther: Thou art going about to converse with him, before whom the Earth will quake, and Devils tremble; before whose bar thou must shortly stand, and all the world with thee, to receive their doom. O think, I shall then have lively apprehensions of his Majesty; my drowsie spirits will then be wakened, and my stupid unreverence be laid aside: Why should I not now be rouzed with the sense of his Greatness, and the dread of his Name possess my soul?

Secondly, Labor to apprehend the greatness of the work, which thou attemptest, and to be deeply sensible both of its weight and height; of its concernment and excellency. If thou were pleading for thy life at the bar of a Judg, thou wouldst be serious; and yet that were but a trifle to this: If thou were engaged in such a work p. 717as David was against Goliah, whereon the Kingdoms deliverance did depend, in it self considered, it were nothing to this. Suppose thou were going to such a wrestling as Jacobs; suppose thou were going to see the sight, which the three Disciples saw in the Mount: How seriously! how reverently wouldst thou both approach and behold? If the Sun do suffer any notable Eclipse, how seriously do all run out to see it? If some Angel from Heaven should but appoint to meet thee, at the same time and place of thy contemplations, how dreadfully, how apprehensively wouldst thou go to meet him? Why, consider then with what a Spirit thou shouldst meet the Lord; and with what seriousness and dread thou shouldst daily converse with him: When Manoah had seen but an Angel, he cryes out, We shall surely die, because we have seen God, Judg 13.22.

Consider also, the blessed Issue of the work, if it do succeed; it will be an admission of thee into the presence of God, a begining of thy Eternal Glory on Earth; a means to make thee live above the rate of other men, and admit thee into the next room to the Angels themselves; a means to make thee live and die, both joyfully and blessedly: So that the prize being so great, thy preparations should be answerable. There is none on Earth that live such a life of joy and blessedness, as those that are acquainted with this Heavenly conversation: The joyes of all other men are but like a childes play, a fools laughter, as a dream of health to the sick, or as a fresh pasture to a hungry Beast. It is he that trades at Heaven, that is the onelyonly gainer; and he that neglecteth it, that is the onelyonly loser. And therefore how seriously should this work be done!