The Art of Divine Meditation, Text (3 of 3)

The Art of Divine Meditation · Text (3 of 3)

p. 1374. Meditate of thy Actions, whether thy actions be agreeable to the will of God or no, how thou behavest thy self towards God, and towards thy neighbour.

Meditate of the sinfulness of sin, the vanity of the world, the length of eternity, and the excellency of the Gospel.

1. Meditate of the sinfulness of sin; sin is the greatest evil in the world, it is a greater p. 138evil than banishment, than death, than Hell it self; meditate of the intrinsecal and extrinsecal evil of sin.

2. Meditate of the vanity of the creature: all earthly things are vain, they are vanity of vanity, and vexation of spirit; they are all unsatisfying and unprofitable; what will all the world do you good when you are sick, when you are ready to die.

3. Meditate of the length of eternity; Oh eternity! eternity! that we studied thee more! that we thought more of thee! Study the difference between time and eternity; for Time is nothing else but an intersection between two Eternities; before there was time, there was eternity; and when time shall be no more, there shall be eternity. Time in comparison of Eternity is no more than a Thatcht-house in comparison of all the houses in the world; than a drop of water in comparison of the Ocean.

4. Study the excellency of the Gospel; Oh meditate of the glorious Gospel of Christ, and what a priviledg it is to enjoy the Gospel; and meditate whether thy life be answerable to the Gospel; whether thou that hast lived so long under the Gospel, hast lived a life conformable to the Gospel.

Study the Commandments of God, the p. 139Threatnings of God, the Promises of God, and the Ordinances of God.

1. Study the Commandments of God; whether thou keepest them, or no; to be humbled for not keeping them, to labour to keep them better.

2. Study the Threatnings of God, and stand in awe of them, and fear them.

3. Study the Promises of God, the glorious, the precious Promises, the freeness of the Promises, the fulness of the Promises, the infallibleness of the Promises; there is no condition a child of God can be in, but there is some promise or other to comfort him; the universality of the tender of the Promises, thy interest in the Promises, whether the Promises of the Gospel belong to thee, or no

4. Study the Ordinances of God, that is, study how to come prepared to Ordinances, how to manage Ordinances so, that Gods name may be honoured by them. And there are four Ordinances that you must meditate of.

1. You must meditate of the Ordinance of Prayer; you must study the excellency of Prayer, the efficacy of Prayer; you must study to get the gift of Prayer, to get the grace of Prayer. Study how to pray in the Holy Ghost; how to pray with faith, with fervency, with repentance.

p. 1402. You must meditate of the Ordinance of reading the Word; that is an Ordinance of God, and you must study to read the Word with reverence and godly fear, to read the Word as Gods Word, to read the Word in a different way than you read any other Book whatsoever.

3. You must meditate of the Ordinance of hearing the Word; study the right art of hearing the Word; so to hear the Word as to be transformed into what you hear; to be trained up to Heaven by what you hear; so to hear the Word as Gods Word, with an universal resignation of thy will to what thou hearest.

4. The Ordinance of the Sacrament of the Lords-Supper; Oh meditate much of this Ordinance.

I have told you several Heads of Meditation for the Sacrament.

Study the errors of the times, the Iudgments of God upon the Nation, the changes God hath made in this Nation, and the mercies of God.

1. Study the errors of the times, labour to get preservatives against them; it is a lamentation, and it shall be for a lamentation; there is a great Apostacy from the Truths of Christ p. 141among many Professors of Religion; you shall hardly go into a family but you shall find some or other be-lepered with error. Here is thy work, O Christian, to study the errors of the times, what to do, to get antidotes and preservatives against Anabaptism, against Socinianism, against Anti-sabbatarianism, against Anti-scripturism, against those that deny the Divinity of Christ, and the Divinity of the Holy Ghost; to get Spiritual armour, to be able to resist all the errors of these times. It is a great shame, and oh that you would be humbled for it, that one erroneous person can speak more for the defence of his error than twenty Orthodox Christians are able to speak for the Truth, for want of studying antidotes and preservatives against the errors of the times.

2. Study the Iudgments of God that have been for these many years upon England, Scotland, and Ireland; the hand of God is gone out against these three Nations, and the Lord hath laid us desolate, and the sword hath drunk a great deal of blood, and no man lays it to heart. Now let us meditate of Gods great Iudgments upon this land, that we may know the meaning of Gods rod, and we may know how to get all these Judgments sanctified unto us.

p. 1423. Meditate of the great changes that God hath made in this Nation; we have been tossed from one condition to another, from one way of Government to another. Study all the changes and alterations that God hath made by his permitting-Providence: Oh what a shame is it that we should meditate no more of Gods ways and dealings, to know the meaning of God in all these alterations and changes, and what the language of God is; and what use we should make of them, and how we should keep a good conscience, and keep close to our Principles, and how we should honour God under all our changes.

4. You must meditate of the several passages of Gods Providence towards us; there is no man or woman here but hath had rare experience of Gods Providence, either in the place of thy dwelling, that God should pitch thy dwelling under such a Minister; or in the manner of thy Marriage, or the Providence of God at such a time, under such a sickness; it is our duty to take special notice of the Providence of God, in raising thee up a friend, in helping thee at such a time. For want of Meditation we lose all the benefit of the passages of Gods Providence, and God loseth all his glory.

5. You must meditate of the mercies of God, of National mercies, Family mercies, p. 143Personal mercies, mercies to thy soul, mercies to thy body, preventing mercies, following mercies; what a Catalogue would here be, if you would keep a daily account of the mercies of God!

The sixth thing is to lay down Rules and Directions for the better practising of this most excellent and necessary duty of Divine Meditation; and indeed this is the chief of all: there is no Christian but he will confess it is a very difficult duty to dwell upon the thoughts of Heaven, and Heavenly things. Divine Meditation is an up-hill duty; and the reason why it is so difficult; is because it is so excellent. Difficilia quae pulchra, the more excellent any duty is, the more difficult it is. And another reason why it is so difficult, is because it is so contrary to corrupt nature; now the more contrary any duty is to corrupt nature, the more excellent it is. The difficulty of the duty should not so much discourage us, as the excellency of the duty should quicken us. Now that I may help you against the difficulty of this duty, I shall lay down three sorts of rules.

1. Rules for the right qualifying of the person that is to meditate.

2. Rules for the right ordering the Subjects upon which he is to meditate.

p. 1443. Rules for the right meditation upon these Subjects.

I. I shall lay down Rules and Directions for the right qualifying and ordering the person that is to practise this Divine duty of Meditation; and for that purpose I shall give you in these Rules.

1. Convince thy soul of the absolute necessity of Divine Meditation; I have shewed it is a duty expresly commanded by God, a duty required of all sorts of persons, of Kings, of Generals of Armies, of young Gentlemen, of Women, of Ministers; David, Ioshua, young Isaac in my Text practised this duty; and many Women, and many holy men. Let me add, that this very duty is the life and soul of all Christianity; you are but carcasses of Christians if you be not acquainted with it; it is as impossible to live without a soul, as it is to be a good Christian without Divine Meditation. As it is impossible for a man to be nourished by meat if he want digestion and concoction; so it is impossible for a man to be nourished in grace, if he neglect the duty of Divine Meditation; for Divine Meditation is the spiritual concoction and digestion of all holy things, and all holy duties. As a man without concoction, I mean without a faculty of digestion and concoction, so is a Christian without the practise of Divine Meditation.

p. 1452. Convince your souls (and the Lord convince you) of the great benefits and advantages that are obtained by a conscientious practise of Divine Meditation; as I have shewed, Divine Meditation is a mighty help to the begetting grace, and increasing grace.

1. It is a mighty help to the begetting repentance; as David saith, Psal. 119. 59. I considered my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. It was the consideration of the evil of his ways, that made David turn his feet to Gods Testimonies. And it is said of Peter, Mark 14. 72. When he thought thereon, he wept; what made Peter repent? the meditation of the unkindness of the sin he committed against Christ. And what made the Prodigal child come home to his father? Luk. 15. 17. When he came to himself he considered, and said, how many hired servants of my fathers, have bread enough, and to spare, and I perish with hunger? It was consideration that made the Prodigal child come home to his father; he considered how much bread there was in his fathers house, and he ready to starve.

2. Divine Meditation is a mighty help to the love of God; for to an inconsiderate Christian God is as a picture with a curtain drawn over it, but consideration takes away the curtain, unveils God to a man, and shews p. 146him all the beauty and excellency that is in God; and it is like a fiery furnace to kindle a Divine fire of love in the soul of every Christian.

3. It is a mighty help to beget in us the fear of God; Oh did you meditate much of the power of God, and the goodness of God, and the forgivenesses that are in God, Oh you would fear God for his goodness, and for his greatness; the reason why we love God no more, is because we think of God no more, study God no more.

4. It would be a mighty help to the love of Christ; for Christ Jesus to an unmeditating Christian is like a book that is sealed, like a treasure that is lockt up; but Meditation opens this book, unlocks this treasure; and that man that solemnly meditates of the excellency and love of Christ, cannot but love Christ.

5. It is a mighty help to the contempt of the world; for the world is like gilded Copper, there is a glittering excellency in it, but meditation of the vanity of the world will wash off all the gilt, the whorish paint, the glittering excellency that is in the world; a man that looks upon the world a far off, sees nothing in it but excellency; but when you come to meditate of the vanity of the world, and all worldly things, meditation will p. 147make you contemn the world, and all worldly things.

3. Consider the unconceivable and unexpressible mischiefs that come upon a Christian for want of Divine Meditation. What is the reason why men go on in their sins without repentance? it is for want of Meditation. Ier. 8. 6. No man repenteth, because no man saith what have I done? What is the reason the Word of God takes no more impression upon your hearts, and there is no more good done by Preaching? it is because you do not meditate upon what you hear; as a plaister that is put to a wound, if it be pluckt off as soon as it is put on, it will never do you good; so if a Sermon be forgotten as soon as it is heard, it will never profit you. And what is the reason that the mercies of God do no more good, that men are no more thankful for mercies, and no more fruitful under mercies? because they do not consider their mercies? come from God, Hos. 2. 8. She did not know (that is, she did not consider) that I gave her corn, and wine, and oil, and multiplied her silver and gold which they prepared for Baal. They would not have prepared their silver and gold for Baal, had they considered that God gave it, but they would have served God with it; that is the reason why you are so proud of your mercies, and sin against God p. 148with your mercies, because you do not meditate that the Lord hath given you all the mercies you have; and what is the reason men get no more good by afflictions? because they do not consider why God afflicts them; what is the meaning of Gods rod, and how they might get their afflictions sanctified: the want of the practice of Divine Meditation is the cause of all punishment, as well as of all sin, Ier. 12. 11. All the whole land is made desolute, because no man lays it to heart.

4. If you would be rightly qualified for Divine Meditation, labour to get a sufficient furniture of spiritual knowledg; for the reason why this duty is so difficult, and why men cannot continue long at it, is for want of sufficient matter to meditate upon. For as I shewed you, Meditation is a dwelling, a musing, an abiding upon the things we know of God, or Christ, or the Promises; it is an unlocking of the treasure of knowledg concerning God, and Christ, and Heaven; and he that hath not a good stock of knowledg of Christ, or the Promises, can never continue long to meditate upon Christ, or the Promises; if ever you would be a good Practitioner of this duty of Divine Meditation, you must labour to be instructed unto the Kingdom of Heaven, as the Phrase is, Mat. 13. 42. Every Scribe which is instructed unto the Kingdom of Heaven, is p. 149like unto a man which is a housholder, that brings out of his treasure things old and new. You must be acquainted with things both new and old, and instructed in the things of the Kingdom of God, and you must be men in understanding, 1 Cor. 14. 20. Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit, in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. A babe in understanding cannot be long in meditation; but you must be babes in malice, but in understanding men of ripe age. You had need have a great deal of knowledg that would be Practitioners to purpose of this excellent duty of Divine Meditatiou, you must grow in grace, and in the knowledg of our Lord Iesus Christ.

5. If ever you would be a good Practitioner in the School of Divine Meditation, you must labour to get a serious spirit; for a slight-headed Christian, can never be a good meditating Christian; a slight-headed and a slight-hearted Christian, that cannot dwell upon things, but rove from one thing to another, cannot be a good Christian; pardon my words, I speak them upon much deliberation: for Religion is a serious matter, it is a business of eternity, and therefore it requires a serious Christian; and if ever you would practise this duty that I am preaching of, if ever you would go up to the mount of Meditation p. 150to converse with God there, you must labour to be of a serious spirit, as those were, Luk. 1. 66. And all they that heard him, laid it up in their hearts; they did not slight what they heard, but laid it up in their hearts, Luk. 2. 19. But Mary kept all these sayings, and pondered them in her heart. Luk. 2. 51. But his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. A good Christian is a pondering, a serious Christian.

There is a fourfold frame of spirit that cannot stand with true Christianity, nor with the practice of this duty that I am preaching of, and the Lord help you against them.

1. A slight frame of spirit; that man that thinks slightly of God, will love him but slightly, and serve him but slightly; slight thoughts of God will make but slight impressions upon the heart, and slight impressions upon the life. Slight thoughts of God will have but slight affections to God; for if my apprehensions be slight, my affections and my actions will be slight; for my affections and actions follow my apprehension. Therefore a slight frame of spirit is a very sad frame of spirit.

2. As there is a slight, so there is a trifling frame of spirit; when a man thinks of the things of Heaven as trifles; when a man trifles way a Sacrament, trifles away a Sermon, p. 151trifles away a Prayer, as thousands of you do. Oh it is a sad thing for a man to be serious in trifles, and to trifle in serious things! I cannot tell which is the worst, though I think rather the second is the worst. That is a sad thing when a man looks upon Sabbaths, and Sacraments, and Ministers, and Ministry, and all the holy things of God as trifles; such an one was Gallio, when he saw it was a matter of Religion, he cared for none of these things, he looked upon them as trifles. A trifling frame of spirit cannot consist with true Christianity.

3. There is a watry frame of spirit; there are some men, tell them of their sins, and they will yield to you, and confess their sins, and promise amendment; and there are many, while they are at a Sermon, the Sermon takes impression upon them, but they are of a watry spirit, nothing will abide upon them. As a man that flings a stone into the water, it will make one circle, and another circle, and another circle, a great many circles, but there is no abiding of them, they are quickly gone; so there are some men, their hearts will melt at a Sermon, or a Sacrament, but they are of a watry spirit, nothing will abide upon them. Take a stone and fling it at a feather-bed, the stone will make a great dint in it, but this dint will not abide; though the feather-bed p. 152yield to the stone, yet there is no remaining of the impression; so, many a man is of a yielding spirit, that nothing will fix.

4. A rash inconsiderate frame of spirit cannot stand with true Christianity; when a man rusheth upon good duties, and upon Offices, Church-offices, and State-offices, without any deliberation, Meditation, or preparation; when a man prays rashly, comes to the Sacrament rashly, headily, hand over head, as we say; this man is a spiritual fool, and all his holy duties are the sacrifices of fools, Eccles. 5. 1. Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifices of fools, for they consider not that they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God. A rash spirited man that prays headily, and comes to holy duties headily and inconsiderately, this man catcheth many a fall: as a man that runs hastily will quickly stumble; so a man that is spiritually rash, will run into many spiritual evils. As a man that is rash in his calling will quickly out-run himself, so he that is rash in holy duties will quickly run into a thousand mischiefs; as Peter was so rash when he said to Christ, Though all men forsake thee, yet will not I. He was over rash, but it cost him dear. So it was a rash act of David, when he went to kill Nabal, and if p. 153Abigail had not hindred him, he had murdered him. And when he gave the land to Mephibosheth's servant, it was a rash act.

Consider, I beseech you, these four Particulars; these frames of spirit will never make you good Christians, never fit you for the practise of this rare duty of Divine Meditation; but you must pray unto God that he would give you a solemn and serious spirit, if ever you would be rightly qualified to go up to the mount of Divine Meditation.

The sixth Rule is this, Labour for the love of Heaven, and Heavenly things; the reason why people find it so difficult to meditate upon Heavenly things, is for want of love to them; for if you did love Christ, I need not perswade you to meditate of God; I need not perswade a covetous man to meditate of his money; a man that loves the world, you need not perswade him to meditate of the world; or a man that is voluptuous, to meditate upon his pleasures, his love to his pleasures will force him to think of them; a man that is ambitious, you need not perswade him to think of honour and preferment, but the love that he hath to preferment, will force him to think of it. So, did you love God, Christ, Heavenly things, you would be much in the meditation of them. And the reason why you meditate no more of them, is because p. 154you love them no more, Psal. 119. 97. Oh how do I love thy law! what then? it is my meditation all the day. What made David meditate all the day upon the Law of God? because he loved it, Psal. 1. 7. But his delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in his Law doth he meditate day and night. A man that is deep in love with a woman, you need not bid him think of that woman. Where the love is, there the soul is. Oh, did you delight in the things of Heaven, I need not lay down rules to perswade you to the practise of it; the very love would be a loadstone; love is a loadstone of Meditation; and he that loves good things will think of them: Cogitatione crebra, cogitatione longa, cogitatione profunda; that is, very often, very long, and very deep; a man that is deep in love, is deep in meditation of the party he loves.

The seventh Rule, Labour to get an interest in Heavenly things; labour by Scripture-evidences to make out thy interest in Heavenly things; what comfort can that man have of meditating of Heaven, that doth not know he hath a right to Heaven? what comfort can that man have of meditating of Christ, that doth not know that Christ is his? what comfort can that man have in meditation of God, that looks upon God as his enemy. It is interest p. 155that will facilitate Divine Meditation; a man that hath an interest in an inheritance, will often think of it; if he hath a thousand pound a year that is his own, he is often thinking how to improve it, and enjoy it; but if he hath no title or right to it, alas he will not think of it, what doth he care for it: It is your interest in the things of Heaven, that will raise your meditation of them; and as long as you have no assurance of a title to Heaven, you will never heartily meditate of it; you may know it by rote and by form, but you will never heartily meditate of it, till you know it to be your inheritance; and you will never heartily meditate of the Promises, till you know you have a title to them, that they are Promises made to you.

The eighth Rule is this, Labour to get a heart disengaged and disintangled from the world; a man that is dead and buried in the world, it is in vain to perswade him to go up the mount of Meditation; a bird that is in a Lime-twig, it is in vain to bid that bird fly, alas poor bird she is intangled in the Lime-twig; a man that is intangled in the lime-twigs of the world, it is in vain to bid this man mount up in Meditation. The love of the world is like the plague of flies that Pharoah had in Egypt, he could not eat a bit of meat, but the p. 156flies got into his meat, and got into his drink; so a man that is up to the ears in the world, cannot pray, cannot hear a Sermon, and cannot receive the Sacrament, but this plague of flies comes there; the thoughts of the world is at the Sacrament with him, in Prayer with him, on the Sabbath-day with him. The love of the world (pray pardon me in this expression) is just like a familiar spirit; for indeed I cannot speak too much against it; a Witch, that hath a familiar spirit, it will go along with her wheresoever she goes; when she hath once entertained it, she can never be rid of it, but the Devil will haunt her; so the love of the world is an invisible Devil, and will haunt you wheresoever you go; if you go to the Sacrament, there the Devil will haunt you; if you go to the mount of Meditation, the Devil and the world will be there; if you go to pray, there the Devil will be. And you that are in these lime-twigs, it is in vain to preach to you the Doctrine of Divine Meditation; and therefore let me speak to you as God did to Moses, Put the shooes off thy feet, for the place whereon thou stands is holy ground: So do I say, if ever you would be qualified for this duty of Divine Meditation, put the shooes off your feet. You must labour to be mortified to the world, and worldly things; you must labour to get a Heavenly p. 157frame of spirit; it is in vain to perswade a worldly man to meditate of Heavenly things, I do but beat the air; for such as the heart is, such will the man be; if the heart be lustful, the man will meditate of lustful things, and act lustful things; if the heart be worldly, the man will be worldly; such as thy heart is, such is thy thoughts, such are thy affections, such are thy actions; and till thy heart be Heavenly, thou canst never be a fit practitioner of this duty; and therefore labour for a Heavenly heart.

The ninth Rule is this, Be not discouraged though you find a difficulty in the beginning, of practising this duty, but accustom thy self to it: Custom will make perfectness; usus promptus facit; Custom will make it an easie thing; as an Apprentice that is newly bound to his Master, finds his Trade very hard at first, but afterwards by custom, when he hath been a year or two at it, then it is very easie; so at the first you will find it very hard to meditate of Christ, to abide and dwell long at it; but let me assure you, accustom your selves to it, and you will find it very easie through Gods mercy. Have you not known many a man and woman that hath been by the Physician prescribed to walk up a hill every day, at the first he finds it very hard, he is not able to do it, but within a month or two it begins to p. 158be easie, and they that before could not go up the hill without resting almost twenty times, now they can go up without resting at all. Oh the hill of Meditation is hard for us to climb, that are so full of the world, so full of vanity and folly; but if you did accustom your selves to climb up this hill, by often doing of it, you would find it very easie.

The tenth and last Rule is this, Do all these things by power derived from Iesus Christ; I do not think that it is in your power to do these things, but I know there is power in Christ, and Christ will give you power, as the Apostle saith, Phil. 4. 13. I am able to do all things through Christ, that strengtheneth me. Go to Christ for a Heavenly heart, for a serious spirit, to kindle in thee a love to Heavenly things, to shew thee thy interest in Heavenly things; for if thou didst know thy interest in them, thou wouldest often think of them; or if thou didst love them, thou wouldest often think of them; or if thou hadst a Heavenly heart, thou wouldest often think of them. Oh therefore go to Christ, and whatsoever you ask in the name of Christ, it shall be given unto you.

2. I am to set down Rules for the right ordering the materials, the subjects that we are to p. 159meditate upon. And here I shall give you in these four Rules.

I. Be sure that in the beginning, till you come to be acquainted with this duty, you pick out easie subjects to meditate upon; there are some subjects that are very abstruse, and sublime, and difficult; it is a hard matter for a weak Christian to spend an hour in the meditation of the ineffable and great mystery of the Trinity, or in the meditation of the Hypostatical Vnion of the two Natures of Christ in one Person, or in the meditation of the Mystical Union between Christ and a Christian. And therefore my advice is, that in the beginning of the practice of this rare duty, you would pick out easie subjects to meditate upon. As for example, I should think that it were an easie thing to spend an hour in meditating upon the Attributes of God, to meditate of Gods Omnipotence, and Gods Omniscience, and Gods Omnipresence, and the All-sufficiency of God, the Everlastingness of God, the Eternity of God, the Perfections that are in God, and so to meditate upon the works of God, the work of Creation, to meditate what God made the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth day; to meditate on the goodness and mercy of God in creating the great fabrick of Heaven and Earth; and to meditate of the work of Redemption, to meditate of Iesus Christ, of the p. 160Divine and humane nature of Christ. I should conceive it were an easie thing, especially to you that love Christ, to spend a great deal of time in meditation of the love of God in sending Christ to become man, and of the love of Christ, the mysery of love, the miracle of love in God becoming man, and to meditate of the life of Christ, and the death of Christ; what Christ suffered in the Garden when he sweat drops of blood; and what he suffered upon the Cross, when he cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me. Of the love of Christ that died for us, and of the persons for whom Christ died; for us when we were sinners: and of the patience and humility of Christ whilst he was dying for us; and to meditate of the Resurrection of Christ, the Ascension of Christ, and the Offices of Christ, the Kingly, Priestly, and Prophetical Office; and to meditate of our interest in Christ, and how we should do to walk worthy of Christ. I conceive there are few that truly fear God, that are so little furnished with spiritual knowledg, but are able to spend an hour in meditating upon these things. I might add another meditation, and that is the meditation of Heaven; who is there that hath any thing of Heaven in him, that cannot spend an hour in meditating?

p. 1611. Of the happiness of Heaven in general. It is a place where we shall have such joys that eye never saw, nor ear heard, nor ever entred into the heart of man to conceive; it is a place where we shall be crowned with three Crowns, a Crown of Life, a Crown of Glory, a Crown of Righteousness. It is an inheritance that hath three Properties, which any understanding Christian may spend many years in thinking of, An inheritance immortal, undefiled, and that never fadeth away.

2. To meditate of the happiness of Heaven in particular; as for example, who is there of such a low form of grace, that cannot spend time to meditate of the Beatifical Vision! what a happiness it will be in Heaven to see God face to face! for God is an universal Good, all good is in God; God is all happiness, and therefore he that is admitted to see God, sees all happiness in God. And then to meditate of the sight of Christ; what a rare thing will it be for a poor soul to live for ever in Heaven with Jesus Christ, and to behold his face! to be with the Lord Christ! And then to meditate of the company that we shall have in Heaven, to be present with Angels and Archangels, with all the Patriarchs, and with all the holy men of God that ever have been. And then to meditate of the place it self; Heaven is the Paradise of God, it is the Throne p. 162of God, it is the first building, the highest building, the largest building, the best building, of the Creation of God. And then to meditate of the perpetuity of those joys: who cannot spend a little time in meditating of the eternity of the joys of Heaven, not only the perfection but the perpetuity of them! and then to meditate of thy interest in these joys, whether thou be'st a person qualified to go to Heaven; and then to meditate how thou maist do to get to be qualified to go to that holy place, in which no unclean person shall ever enter. That is the first Rule.

2. I would have you use variety in your Meditation. I would not have you always dwell upon one subject; the strongest stomack will loath to eat always of one dish; and therefore I gave you in several particulars to meditate upon; I gave you a large field to walk in; and I did this the rather, that so you might have matter enough, you might not be drawn dry for want of subjects; that you might sometimes pick one flower, and then another flower, and then another flower; Variety will much delight a Christian. And truly I would fain have this duty not be a burden to any, but a delight to all. Sometimes I would have you meditate of the vanity of the world, and sometimes of death, of the certainty and uncertainty of death; p. 163and how to be fit for death. Sometimes I would have you meditate of the day of Judgment, sometimes of Hell, sometimes of Heaven, sometimes of the sinfulness of sin, sometimes of the love of Christ. So I would have you walk in the garden of Divine Meditation, from flower to flower, that you may take the more delight and content in. it.

The third Rule is this, Be sure to pick out such subjects to meditate upon especially, which do most of all work compunction in the heart, that do most of all stir up holiness, and provoke you to godliness and piety. Of this kind is the meditation of the Incarnation of Christ, the Meditation of the Life and Death, and Resurrection and Ascension of Christ. It is a meditation, if the Lord bless it, that will mightily provoke you to holiness, and to piety, and to thankfulness; so the meditation of death is a sin-mortifying meditation; and so the meditation of Heaven, and the day of Judgment, these are soul-sanctifying meditations. So likewise the meditation of the vanity of the world, and the sinfulness of sin; I would have you pick out soul-awakening, and soul-sanctifying subjects to meditate upon; there are some men, and not a few of those, that spend many hours in meditating when the Iews shall be converted, and in finding out the time when the great slaughter p. 164and massacre of the two Witnesses spoken of in Rev. 11. shall happen; and in studying out the meaning of the Prophecy of Daniel, and the Revelations; to know whether there shall be a Personal Reign of Christ a thousand years upon earth, and when that shall happen. Now you shall observe that these men are very barren in devotion, that ravel out all their thoughts and meditations in finding out the secrets of God, such things as God hath kept secret unto himself; these men are very barren and dry in practical Divinity. I have read a story of a man that studied the Critical Questions of School-divinity so long, that he forgat to say his prayers, he could not pray. And you shall find, that those that empty all their strength and ability in studying speculations and notions, are very barren in matters of practice; and therefore my counsel is, that you would especially pick out subjects that will help you to be weaned from the world, to walk humbly with God, that will kindle a holy fire of love in your souls to Christ, and will make you more like unto Christ, and more conformable to his death and resurrection. It is true, a great understanding, and an acute wit, will make a learned man, but it is the holy life that makes a good man.

4. Pick and chuse out such subjects especially to meditate upon, that are most seasonable to thy p. 165condition, most suitable to thy relation, and to that estate in which God hath set you; for these will most affect the heart. As for example, to give you three or four instances.

1. Suppose thou art a man troubled in mind, exceedingly dejected; thou art ready to despair, because thou art a great sinner, and thou thinkest God will not be merciful unto thee; and thou art afraid left Christ hath forsaken thee: Now I would have thee pick out such a subject to meditate upon, that will suit thy condition. I would have thee go and meditate of the willingness of Christ to receive poor sinners; not only the ability, but the willingness of Christ to pardon all that come unto to him; Iesus Christ is not only able, but he is willing to pardon a penitent sinner, one that comes to him for life; he is more willing to pardon us, than we can be to ask pardon. If thou be'st willing to leave thy sins, Christ is more willing to receive thee, than thou canst be to be received; Jesus Christ would never have took such a journey from heaven to earth, if he had not been very willing to save poor sinners. He is so willing to save you if you come to him, as that he came unsent for; the Patient did not send for the Physician, but the Physician came of his own accord from Heaven; The Son of man is come to seek and save that which is lost, Mat. 18. 11. therefore p. 166he must needs be-willing. For a Physician to take such a journey, and to come of his own accord; and when he came here, and saw he could not cure his Patient but by his own death, the Physician dies to cure the Patient; the Physician makes a bath, a medicine of his own blood to cure his Patient; this did Christ: and therefore he was very willing to receive you; if he had not been willing to save sinners, he could never have provided such Gospel-Ordinances. And then again, he must needs be willing, for he hath sworn if any man come unto him, he will receive him: If any man come to me, I will in no wise cast him out. He hath engaged himself with promise; and Christ must be a lyar, (I speak it with a great deal of reverence) if you should come to him and he refuse you; and when he was here upon earth, he complains of nothing but that men would not come unto him: You will not come unto me that you might have life. He never complained of the greatness, or the naughtiness of their diseases; he cured the diseases of all that came unto him; but all his complaining was, that they would not come unto him. Now did you go into your Closets, and meditate upon these things, and pray unto God to bless the meditation of these things, would not this cure your troubled Consciences?

p. 1672. And again, you that are troubled in conscience, meditate of the Promises of God; and not only those Promises that are made, to those that have grace, but meditate of the Promises that God hath made, to give grace. Study the Promises God hath made not only to give pardon to them that repent, but the Promises God hath made to give repentance to those that ask it. God hath not only promised to give pardon to those that believe and repent, but God hath promised to give repentance, Act. 5. 31. and God hath promised to give faith, Phil. 1. 29. God hath not only promised pardon to a broken heart, but he hath promised to give a broken heart, Ezek. 36. 26. Now do you go into your Closets and meditate of these things; they would be very refreshing to you. And then again,

3. Suppose thou art in outward want, the Lord hath blasted thy estate, thou hast lost all thy estate, and art like Job upon the dunghill, thou art driven it may be to beg thy bread; thou art now a poor man not worth an half-peny; thou wert a rich man, the Lord hath blown upon all thou hast; this is a sad condition! now I would have such an one spend a great deal of time in meditating of the wonderful Providences of God towards his poor children; consider how God feeds the fowls of the air, and the ravens, how God provides for the p. 168lillies. I would have him read Mat. 6. from the 24th verse to the end of that Chapter; Consider (saith Christ) the lillies and the fowls of the air, how God provides for them; and therefore be not distracted in thy heart, take no thought what thou shalt eat, and what thou shalt drink, &c. but study the Providence of God. And then meditate of the Promises that God hath made unto his children, to give them whatsoever shall be necessary for them. I would have such people as are low in estate, read the Bible, and pick out all the Promises that God hath made to those that want, that fear his name; God hath promised the young Lions shall lack and suffer hunger, but they that fear the Lord shall want nothing that is good. The Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly. And I will never leave you nor forsake you. Gather up all the Promises God hath made to believers when they are poor, and have lost all.

4. Art thou sick, like to lose thy husband, or thy own own life? then pick out seasonable meditations, seasonable subjects; go and meditate of death, meditate how Christ hath taken away the sting of death. Meditate how death is a gate to let us into everlasting life; how death is an out-let to all misery, and an inlet to all happiness; that death is the best p. 169friend that thou hast, next to Jesus Christ.

5. Suppose thou art to receive the Sacrament, what must thou do a little before thou receivest it? I would have you every Month before you come to the Sacrament, spend one hour or two in meditating of the Sacrament, of the nature of it, the necessity of coming; meditate whether thou be'st a worthy receiver; and what thou must do that thou maist be a worthy receiver; meditate of thy sins, thy graces, thy spiritual wants. Let me commend this to you every Sacrament, and never forget it; meditate to find out thy sins, to be humbled for them; meditate to know whether thou hast any grace in truth, and to get it increased; and meditate of thy spiritual wants what they are, to get them supplied. What a rare deal of matter is here contained in these three particulars, to find out thy sins by the glass of the Law? by taking the Law of God, and examining thy life, and the Law together, that would cost thee many an hour; and then to get thy heart humbled for these sins, and to confess them, and to have grace to forsake them. And then to examine thy Graces, whether thou hast truth of grace; whether thy grace be meerly counterfeit, and a shadow of grace; and if thou hast truth of grace, how to get it increased by the Sacrament; and then to meditate what thou wantest, p. 170and what thou wouldest have from Christ, and to get that supplied.

The third thing is, to set down Rules and Directions for the right ordering of our meditation upon these subjects. And here I will lay you down Rules to direct you how to meditate, rules to help you how to begin, and then how to go on, and proceed to hold out an hour in meditation, for the better progress in it; and then rules how you shall finish and conclude this excellent duty of Meditation.

1. Rules to teach you how to begin and enter upon this excellent work of Meditation; and here I will lay down six rules for your first entrance.

1. Be sure that you pick out a fit place to meditate in; you know Isaac went out into the field to meditate; and I have shewed you, that this example doth not oblige us always to go into the field, but it obligeth us to retire to some secret place, whether it be thy Closer, or the fields.

2. When thou enterest upon this work, be sure to get a fit time, pick out a seasonable time; Isaac picks out the evening, and thou maist pick out the morning if thou pleasest, (thou art not obliged punctually to this example) or thou maist pick out the afternoon; but thou must be sure to pick out that time that is the p. 171fittest time; you that are great persons have time enough; you to whom the Lord hath given wealth; I shewed the poor man how he should husband his time. We have all time enough on the Lords-day to busie our selves with the work of Meditation, it is a Sabbath-days work, as you have heard.

3. You must be sure of a fit subject, you must not have your subject to seek, when you begin to meditate; meditate of a soul-awakening, a soul-refreshing subject.

4. When you have your place and your time, and your subject, (these three are proper to the beginning of this work) then I would advise you to set your selves as in Gods presence; though no eye sees you, yet consider the great God sees you, and especially when you are meditating of Divine things; for you must know, that meditation of Divine things is a conversing with God. When you meditate of Heaven, you converse with Heaven, and the glory of Heaven, it is the souls transmigration to Heaven, it is the souls transfiguration; and therefore I would have you set your selves as in Gods presence; and this will overawe you, and make you serious; the consideration of the presence of God, will prepare you for every holy duty; & so consequently for this holy duty; it is a rare preservative against all sin; as Ioseph said to his Mistris, p. 172How can I do this evil and sin against my God? though no body saw him, yet he knew God saw him, Gen. 39. 10. And it is a rare encouragement to all godliness, Psal. 119. 168. I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies, (why so?) for all my ways be before thee. Therefore whensoever you go into your Orchards, or Gardens, or your Closets, to set apart an hour in Divine Meditation, I would have you do as David did, Psal. 16. 8. I have set the Lord always before me.

5. I would have you always begin with prayer; now I do not mean to begin with a solemn set long prayer, but I would have you begin with a short ejaculation; I would have you pray unto God to enlighten your understandings, to quicken your devotion, to warm your affections, and so to bless that hour unto you, that by the meditation of holy things you may be made more holy, you may have your lusts more mortified, and your graces more increased, you may be the more mortified to the world, and the vanity of it, and lifted up to Heaven, and the things of Heaven. And therefore in the Hebrew the same word that signifies to meditate, signifies to pray, and as it is said in my Text, Isaac went out to meditate, you shall find it in the Margent, Isaac went out to pray. Meditation must always be joined with Prayer. Isaac p. 173went out to pray and meditate, to meditate and pray; saith Bernard, Meditation without prayer, is barren and unfruitful. Therefore I I would have you begin with a short prayer.

6. I would have you keep your hearts with all keeping, Prov. 4. 23. have a care in the entrance of thy heart, pray unto God to keep out inward company. You know I told you of a twofold company, of an outward company, and inward company; pray unto God not only to keep out outward company, but inward company; that is, to keep out vain, and worldly, and distracting thoughts. A man may easily drive out outward company, he may easily be alone; but it it a hard matter to drive away inward company, thy vain worldly and distracting thoughts. I would have you say to the world when you go up to meditate of Heaven, or of Grace, or of God, as Christ said to his Disciples, Mat. 26. 36. Sit you here while I go yonder and pray. So I would have you say to the world and all worldly thoughts, Tarry you here while I go into my Closet to meditate of the things of God, and Heaven, to meet with God in Heavenly things. And I would have you say as Abraham did to his servants, Gen. 22. 5. He said unto the young men, abide you here with the asse, and I and the lad will go yonder and worship. Tarry you here below while I go up to the p. 174Mount of God. Now I know this is a hard matter, I am not ignorant of it, to drive away this plague of flies that pester our best duties; and therefore we must do as the Priest did to King Vzziah, he would needs offer Incense, and the Priest hindred him, and the Lord plagued Vzziah, and the leprosie appeared in his forehead, and the Priest came and thrust him out of the Temple. So I would have you do when you go to your Closets to meditate, your vain thoughts will croud into the Temple of your hearts; I would have you do as these Priest did, thrust out these vain thoughts out of the temple of your hearts, or rather pray unto God to do it; for alas, it is above our power to get free from distracting thoughts in this duty; pray unto the Lord, who is the heart-maker, that he would be the heart-preparer; for when you go to meditate, God looks especially at your hearts, and if your hearts be full fraught with lustful, vain, worldly, carnal, covetous thoughts, he scorns all your service. Now do not mistake me, I mean if you willingly yield to this; if you strive against it, God will accept of it; let it be thy work, (that is my rule) to keep thy heart with all keeping, when thou beginnest this work. And labour to get thy heart disengaged and disintangled from worldly things. So much for the beginning, and p. 175of the six Rules to direct you in the entrance upon this work.

2. I will lay down Rules for the better proceeding in this work; for this you must know, there are two faculties of the soul that must always be set on work in the practice of Divine Meditation; the one is the Understanding, the other is the heart and affections; for Divine Meditation is not only an act of the head, but of the heart; and true Meditation must not only be intellectual and notional, but practical and affectionative. The work of the Understanding is to blow up and increase, to kindle and inflame the love of God and Christ in the heart; the Understanding, to the heart and affections must be as the nurse to the child, as the nurse cuts the meat and, many times chews it, and prepares it for the child to eat, so doth the Understanding by Divine Truths, it prepares them for the affections; and the heart to close with them, to eat them, and digest them, and to turn them into a holy conversation. These are the two faculties we must set on work; and you never meditate aright, unless the affection be raised as well as the understanding; and therefore both heart and head are the parts that must be exercised in the practice of the duty of Divine Meditation. Now the work of the head or understanding is serious consideration p. 176of the Truths we come to meditate upon; the work of the heart is increase of devotion and holiness by these Meditations. Now I will speak to both, I will give you Rules to help the intellectual part, your contemplation of Divine things, and Rules to help the affectionative part.

1. I will give you Rules for the helping the understanding, to chew and prepare the things you meditate upon, for the heart and affections. Now here I must tell you I shall be somewhat difficult and hard to be understood, this is the knottiest and difficultest part of Meditation; and therefore learned men that write of this subject, that labour to teach the art of Divine Meditation, do give in nine common-place-heads, as so many several ways of the enlarging the understanding in the consideration of the Truths that they meditate upon.

1. They would have you describe the thing you meditate upon.

2. They would have you divide and distribute the thing you meditate upon.

3. They would have you consider the causes of the thing you meditate upon.

4. The fruits and effects.

5. The adjuncts, qualities and properties.

6. The opposites and the contraries to it.

7. The comparisons to which it is compared.

p. 1778. The titles that are given to the thing of which you meditate.

9. All the Scripture-testimonies that may be brought concerning the thing you are to meditate upon.

Now there are nine common-place-heads, and these I fear are very difficult; but that I might help you a little, I will give you an example, I will go over these Logical heads: only I will preface thus much, That it is not the intent of these learned men that we should be over-curious in prosecuting all these Logical heads, for the end of Meditation is not to practise Logick, but to kindle devotion; and there are many subjects that will not admit of all these nine. When I meditate of God, I cannot shew any cause of God, and I cannot make any comparison to compare God to; but the meaning of those learned men is this, that we should not rack and torture our understandings to pursue all these heads of reasons, but we should pick out so many of them as are most suitable to the subjects we are meditating upon. As for example, Suppose I would go into my Closet, and meditate of the sinfulness of sin, then I would go over all these nine heads; and by going over them, you will understand the use of them. I would meditate of the sinfulness of sin, that so I might get my heart to hate it more, that so I might study p. 178to be more mortified to it, to mourn for it. Now for this purpose, that I might enlarge my intellectual part of consideration,

1. I will begin with the description of sin, and I will say thus to my soul, when I am alone: Oh my soul! why shouldest not thou hate and abhor sin? is not sin the breach of the holy law of God? and doth it not therefore deserve eternal damnation? is not sin a walking contrary unto God? and certainly that man that walks contrary to God, walks contrary to Heaven, and contrary to his own happiness. Is not sin most opposite to the greatest good, and therefore must needs be the greatest evil? and why then should not sin have the greatest sorrow? why should not I hate sin above all things, if it be the greatest evil?

2. I would proceed to the distribution of sin; and thus I would say to my soul: Oh my soul! how art thou be-leper'd with sin! how art thou all over bespread with iniquity! thou art guilty of the first sin that ever was committed in the world, of Adam's eating the forbidden fruit; that sin was jusdy thine by imputation: For in him (saith the Apostle) we all sinned, Rom. 5. 12. And thou wilt never be free from the guilt of the imputation of Adam's sin, till thou be by faith made partaker of the imputation of Christs righteousness. p. 179Thou art guilty, Oh my soul, not only of Adam's sin by imputation, but of Original sin by propagation; thou wert conceived in sin, and thou art born in iniquity; thou hast a nature which thou carriest about with thee, which makes thee prone to all sin, and indisposed to all good; thou hast a nature that defiles all thy holy duties, and thou art guilty of many actual transgressions, of heart-sins, of lip-sins, of life-sins, of sins of omission; how many good duties have I omitted! of sins of commission, how many evil actions have I committed! and thou art guilty of sins against the Law, and sins against the Gospel; (then would I reckon up soms sins) and then thou art guilty of fleshly, and outward, and visible sins; and thou art especially, Oh my soul, guilty of inward, spiritual and invisible sins, of heart-adultery, though not outward adultery; of heart-murder, of heart-idolatry, of pride, vain-glory, hypocrisie, self-seeking. There is the second head, the division of sin.

3. I would come to the third head, and consider the original and cause of sin; and I would say thus: Oh my soul! surely God is not the author of all these sins that I am guilty of; it is the greatest blasphemy in the world to charge God with our sins; God cannot be the author of that of which he is the p. 180punisher. Iudas did not betray Christ, because it was determined he should do it, but it was out of covetousness; and the brethren of Iudah did not fell Ioseph because it was decreed they should do it, but out of envy. Oh! it is my wicked heart that is the root of all my sin; it is not the Devil that is the original of my sin, for the Devil cannot force me to sin; the Devil perswades me to sin, tempts me to sin, but he cannot compel me to sin; sin came into the world by Adam's disobedience, Rom. 5. 12. By one man sin came into the world. And my wicked heart is the root of all my sin: Oh my soul! why shouldest not thou abhor thy self because of thy sin.

4. I would have you consider the cursed fruits and effects of sin; and I would say thus: Oh my soul! be thou humbled for thy sins; Oh lye in the dust because of thy sin; for it is sin that is the cause of all evil, both Temporal, Spiritual and Eternal; sin brings spiritual, temporal, and eternal curses; it was sin put devilishness into the Angels, and made the Angels in Heaven to become Devils in Hell; it was sin that brought the flood upon the old world; it was sin that turned Heaven into Hell, and made God rain down fire and brimstone upon Sodom and Gomorah; it is sin that kindles the fire in Hell; the fire of Hell would go out were it not for sin; sin is worse than Hell, p. 181because it is the cause of Hell; and I would meditate thus: Surely sin is more opposite to God than Hell, for God is the author of Hell, God made Hell for sinners, but God is not the author of sin; and therefore, Oh my soul, do thou hate sin more than affliction, nay more than Hell it self.

5. I would proceed to consider the adjuncts and properties of sin in general, and of my sin in particular; and I would thus meditate upon this common-place head: Oh that the Lord would work in my heart a further abhorrency of all sin! Oh that sin might be more loathed; for sin is of a defiling nature, of a destructive nature; sin is of a defiling nature, it defiles my person, it defiles my Sacraments, my Prayers, the Sermons I hear; it makes me like a dog, like a swine, nay it makes me like a Devil; I have chosen twelve, and one of you is a Devil. Sin makes you nasty and loathsome in Gods sight; sin defiles your civil actions, The plowing of a wicked man is sin; sin defiles the land in which you live, Ezek. 14. The land is defiled by your idolatry; sin defiles the whole Creation. Oh my soul! wilt thou make a sport of that which defiles the whole Creation? And then I would say, sin is of a destructive nature, it destroys the body, it destroys the soul for evermore. And then I would consider p. 182the properties of my sin in particular; I would say thus: Oh my soul! how great is thy guilt! I have sinned not only against God, but against light; my sins have bloody aggravations, I have sinned against the heart-blood-mercy of Jesus Christ. I have sinned against many Sacrament-vows that I have made; I have sinned against knowledg, against conscience.

6. I would consider the opposites to the thing I meditate on; what is opposite to sin? why Grace; Then I would meditate of the excellency of Grace; and I would say, Oh my soul! how beautiful is that soul that is endued with Grace! sin makes me like a Devil, sin stamps the Devils image upon my soul, but Grace makes me Gods picture; Grace is the portraiture of the Holy Ghost; Grace ennobles the soul, it legitimates the soul, it elevates the soul. Oh the beauty of a soul enriched with grace! Oh the Heavenly excellency of a gracious soul! Now by how much Grace is more excellent, by so much is sin more odious, for sin destroys Grace.

7. I would consider the comparisons to which sin is compared; and I would say thus, Oh my soul! wilt thou not abhor sin? sin is compared to bruises, sores, putrefaction, a leprosie, a plague, the excrements of a man. And it is called in Scripture an abominable p. 183thing; it is compared to the filth under a mans nails, and to the putrefactions of sores; and the dung, the excrements of man; and wilt thou love that which is loathsom to God? shall sin be so abominable in the sight of God, and shall it not be so in my sight?

8. I would consider the titles that are given to sin; and I would say thus, Sin is called a robbing of God, Mal. 3. shall I rob God of his glory by my sin? Oh! God forbid. Sin is called an injury to God; shall I injure my Saviour by my sins? It is called a striking thorough the name of God, so the Hebrew word signifies, which we translate to swear; it is a Deicidium, the killing, the murdering of God; and Oh my soul! wilt thou do as much as in thee lies to murder thy Saviour, to crucifie Christ afresh by thy sins?

9. I would consider all that the Scripture saith concerning sin; I would consider the wrath of God against sin, I would consider all the Threatnings of God against sin; and especially I would study what Christ suffered to free us from sin, and I would behold the odiousness of sin upon Christ's Cross; sin made Christ sweat drops of blood, and shall it not make me shed tears? Sin made Christ cry, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? and shall it not make me cry out, Oh miserable man that I am! who shall deliver me from this p. 184body of sin? And then I would consider what hope there is of pardon through Christ, and what promises there are made of pardon.

Thus I have cut out a pattern, and gone over these nine heads; and you will say here is work for many hours to that Christian that is of a mean capacity, that is able in some measure to go over these; here you see what a rich furniture you have by going over these Logical helps; and as I have done concerning sin, so may you do concerning the Sacrament; and when you meditate of Heaven, you may go over these heads, and consider the description of Heaven, and the distribution of it, and the causes, and the effects, and the opposites, and the comparisons, and this will furnish you with intellectual matter. Now because these Logical heads are somewhat difficult, I will give you some plainer rules, for helping ordinary Christians, those that are babes in the school of Grace, and are not able to enlarge their thoughts upon any subject; I will give you briefly five easie Rules to help you to enlarge your thoughts upon what subjects you chuse to meditate on.

1. You must consider what the Scripture saith of the subject you would spend an hour in meditation about; as for example, would p. 185you meditate of the Promises? do you want matter to furnish you? take the Bible, and consider what the Scripture saith concerning the preciousness of the Promises, the freeness, the riches, the infallibleness of the Promises, the universality of the tender of the Promises, the variety of the Promises; consider what the Scripture saith of Promises to Grace, and promises of Grace; consider all the many rare and admirable Promises that are in the Word of God, and pick out some choice of them to meditate on. So likewise would you meditate of the Sacrament? take your Bible and consider what you have read concerning the Sacrament, the nature of it, and the excellency of it, the excellency of the Feast, and the end why God hath appointed the Sacrament, and the way and means by which you may come to be prepared, and made fit to be worthy, receivers; and consider the danger of coming unworthily, and the happiness of coming worthily. But if this be too hard, I will give you an easie help.

2. Consider what Sermons you have heard of that subject you would meditate upon, and labour to recollect the heads of any Sermon you have heard, and make use of them to help you to enlarge your thoughts in meditation. As for example, I have made many Sermons p. 186of late upon the Promises, any of those Sermons would furnish you with matter enough for Meditation upon the Promises; I have made many Sermons upon the week-day to set out the happiness of Heaven; and many Sermons I have preached lately of the Divine Attributes of God, which is a rare subject to meditate upon. If you would meditate of the Attributes of God, you must labour to recollect what you have heard of this subject, and that would furnish you with matter. So would you meditate of Heaven, or of any thing that you find too hard to enlarge your selves about? take the help of Sermons that you have heard; or if that be too hard for you, let me propound a third.

The third way that is easier than both these: Take a book that treats of the subject you would meditate upon; there is no Divine Subject but there is some book or other that doth treat of it; there are many books that treat of the four last things, which are four rare materials of Meditation, the Quatuor Novissima, Death and Hell, and the day of Judgment and Heaven; and there are many books that treat of the preciousness of the Promises, the sinfulness of sin, the excellency of Christ, and the Sacrament. Now if thou findest thou art barren in Meditation, p. 187and knowest not how to spend an hour in meditating upon any of these Subjects, take one of these books before thee. Now I do not mean you should read these books, but only pick out some choice things, and then muse and meditate what these books will suggest unto you.

4. Let me add another Rule, Be sure always in your meditation, to join application; be sure to join examination, and application, and contemplation, and consideration; this is a rule of great concernment to the weakest of Christians. As for example, would you meditate of sin, of the sinfulness of sin? be sure to draw down your meditation to application, make application to thy own soul, and consider whether thy sins are pardoned; not only consider the grievousness of sin in general, for general contemplation of things, though never so excellent, will not work upon the soul; I hardly ever heard of a man that was converted by Generals; it is the particular application that works upon the heart and affections; Nathan, as long as he told David of his sin in a Parabolical way, David was not wrought upon; he was fain at last to tell him, Thou art the man; then David confesseth his sin; you shall seldom hear a general Sermon do good, it is the particular application that p. 188works upon peoples hearts. And therefore in all your exercise of Divine Meditation, be sure to draw down things to particulars: As for example, wouldst thou meditate of Heaven? apply it to thy soul, and ask thy soul, Am I fit and meet to go to that place? have I a Heavenly disposition? have I Heavenly qualifications? am I one of those whose names are written in Heaven? is that my inheritance? is that my house? This will exceedingly affect you, it will make your Meditation to be very useful, and very powerful; and so when you meditate of death, still draw down to examination, Am I fit for death? will death be an happy hour to me? am I one of those that shall enjoy God after death?

The fifth Rule is this, Be sure always in your meditation to consider the means how to obtain what you meditate upon, if it be good; and the means to shun it, if it be evil. The means to get what you meditate upon, if it be good: if you meditate of Heaven, then consider the means how to enjoy that blessed inheritance; and if you meditate of the Promises, consider how you shall do that by which you may be heirs of all these Promises; and on the contrary, if you meditate of evil things, what means there are to be used to shun these evil things; if you would meditate of sin, what must I do to p. 189avoid sin, that I may be unpoluted and undefiled, that I may get my sins pardoned, and my soul purged; and when you meditate of Hell, what shall I do to escape those everlasting burnings? these are the five helps to weak Christians.

6. You to whom the Lord hath given understanding, I would have you fly to those nine common-place-heads: if you be able study the cause of the thing you meditate upon, the effects and the properties, and the distribution and description, &c. and this I am sure will furnish you with rare matter, with abundance of materials of meditation; that man that is pleased to put these things in practice, will find his heart will never want matter to meditate upon.

So much for the Intellectual part of Meditation, which is the knotty and difficult part.

2. Now I come to that which is the easiest part of Meditation, I mean easie to understand, but not easie to practice; I come to that which is the best part of Meditation, the very life and soul of Meditation, and that is to help you to get your affections warmed and heated by the things you meditate upon; for the work of the understanding is nothing else but to be as a Divine pair of bellows, to p. 190kindle and inflame the heart and affections; the work of the understanding is to chew and prepare matter, to help the affections. Now then I am to give you some directions and helps for the affectionative part, to get your affections warmed and heated, so as to stir up piety and devotion in your souls: Now for the working upon your affections, learned men that write upon this subject, propound six common-place-heads, as so many ways to raise the affections, and to get them so excited as to increase grace and holiness in the soul.

1. You must labour to get a relish and a savour of the things you meditate upon.

2. You must complain before God for the want of that relish.

3. You must wish you had a supply of what you want of this relish and taste of the things you meditate on.

4. You must confess your inability, as of your selves to do this.

5. You must petition to God for help.

6. You must confidently believe God will help you.

p. 191Here are six helps for the affectionative part of Meditation; now that you may know the use of these helps, I shall crave leave to go over them all by way of instance; I have given you an instance concerning the sinfulness of sin, I went over nine common-place heads, and shewed you how you should enlarge in every particular about the sinfulness of sin; now I will proceed further in this instance, and shew you how you should make use of these Particulars, to get your affections raised and warmed, and stirred up to more holiness. After that I have traversed all the heads of reason, and have considered the description, the distribution, cause and effects of sin, now I come to the work of the affections. And here,

1. I will labour to get my heart affected with the bitterness of sin, I will labour to taste the bitterness of it, and to get my heart in a mourning frame; and I will thus say to my self, Oh my soul, is sin so odious to God, that no sacrifice but the sacrifice of the blood of God can appease Gods wrath? and shall it not be odious to me? was sin so displeasing unto God, and so defiling to the soul, that no bath but a bath of Christs blood can wash away the stain of it? and shall I make a mock of that sin that cost the blood of Christ? was p. 192sin a burden to Christ? and shall it not be a burden to me? Thus I would reason with my self, Did sin make Christ shed drops of blood, and shall it not make me shed a few tears? Did Christ cry out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me, for our sins, I mean for our sins he took upon him? and shall I make a sport of sin? shall I make a mock of sin? Doth David complain, That his sins was a burden too heavy for him to bear. And doth Paul cry out, Oh wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of sin? And shall not sin be bitter to me? shall not I mourn that I have sinned against so gracious a God, so merciful a Redeemer, so holy a Sanctifier?

2. I would proceed to the second, and begin to complain of the hardness of my heart, and of my unaffectedness with the sins I am guilty of; and I would thus say to my soul, Oh my soul! how is it that thou canst mourn for any outward loss, if thou losest but a child, though it may be thou hast half a score? if thou losest but one of them, thou canst mourn immoderately; if thou losest thy wife, thy husband, any part of thy estate, thou canst mourn too much; but thou hast not one tear for thy sins? how is it, Oh my soul, that thou shouldest be thus hard-hearted, and unaffected with thy sins? Is not sin Deicidium? is not p. 193sin a murdering of God in as much as in us lies; is not sin animaecidium, that which slays the soul? is not sin a dethroning of God, a robbing of God, an injuring of God? how is it then that I am no more affected with my sin? how is it that after so many Sermons, so many Sacraments, so many years being in the School of Christ, after so many mercies received from God, so many afflictions the Lord hath inflicted upon me, yet my heart should be so hard, and so flinty, and so stony? I can easily hate my enemy too too soon, which I should not do, but Sin that is my greatest enemy I cannot hate that, which I should hate most of all! I must love my outward enemy, but God bids me hate my Sin; God doth not bid me love the Devil, or the works of the Devil; I can hate that which I should love, but I cannot hate that which I should hate, I cannot hate my Sin.

3. I would proceed to stir up my affections to a passionate wish; and I would say to my soul thus, Oh that my heart were more soft; Oh that I could mourn with a godly mourning, not with a legal mourning, but with a mourning that is out of love to God. Oh that I could mourn with repentance unto life, with a Gospel-sorrow for all my sins of omission, p. 194commission, my Sacrament-sins, my family-sins, my Closet-sins, the sins of my youth, the sins of my riper age, for all my unkindness against my God: Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I could mourn day and night for my sins, and the sins of the times, and the sins of the place wherein I live: Oh that rivers of tears would run down my eyes, because I have sinned against my God! Thus would I wish, and passionately express my self, that so I might get my heart raised up: Oh that the Lord would pour down the spirit of mourning upon me.

4. I would make an humble confession of my own inability, to mourn; and I would say thus, O Lord! thou knowest it is not in man to direct his own ways, it is not in man to guide his own steps; I know, Oh Lord, that I am not able of my self to think a good thought; it is easier for me to cleave a rock in pieces, than to cleave my rocky heart by my own strength; there must be an Almighty power to get my heart to be soft; for my heart, Oh Lord, is harder than the nether milstone, and I cannot soften it; I would mourn that I cannot mourn, that I have not power; I can do nothing without power derived from Jesus Christ.

p. 1955. I would go to supplication after confession, and I would petition to God for strength; and I would say, Oh Lord! thou that hast promised to take away my heart of stone, and give me a heart of flesh; hast thou not promised to work all my works in me, and for me? hast thou not promised to subdue my iniquities? Micah 7. 19. hast thou not promised that Sin shall not have dominion over me? this is the promise, Rom. 6. now Lord, thou hast promised these things, I beseech thee perform these Promises; thou God of Truth, make good thy word, take away my heart of stone, and give me to mourn for my great abominations; and work this work in me and for me; and subdue my iniquities, and let not Sin have dominion over me; rather give me over to the dominion of men: though I would not be a slave to men, yet I had rather be a slave to all the men in the world, yea a slave to the Turk, than a slave to the Devil; rather be a Galley-slave than a Devils-slave; of all slavery, Lord, deliver me from soul-slavery. And thus I would supplicate and petition; and when I have done all this,

6. I would encourage my self by faith in a confident hope and trust in God, that the Lord will hear my prayer, and give me strength p. 196against my corruptions, and supply me with help in all my necessities; and I would say thus, Oh Lord, thou hast promised that whatsoever I ask in the name of Christ, shall be granted unto me; blessed God! I ask this day in the name of Christ pardon of Sin, and power against Sin, and a broken heart for Sin, and from Sin; I ask repentance unto Salvation; thou hast promised to give it, I believe thou wilt give it; I believe, Lord, help my unbelief. And then I would say to my soul, why art thou disquieted, Oh my soul? why art thou cast down? why art thou troubled? still trust in God, depend upon God, he is my help, he is my joy, in him will I put my trust.

Thus I have gone over these Six Heads, I have given you one instance. Now I would have you know, whatsoever I have said of Sin, I can go over of any Subject whatsoever; suppose I would meditate of Heaven, after I have meditated of the joys and excellencies of Heaven, and all those particulars in the Intellectual part; then, to work upon my affections, I would labour to get my heart affected with the joys of Heaven, and then I would complain that I am no more affected with those joys, and with the Beatifical Vision, and the rare company that I shall there enjoys; and p. 197then I would passionately wish, Oh that my heart were more heavenly; Oh that I could taste more of those everlasting joys, that the Lord would come down and heavenlize me, and then I would confess my inability of my self, and I would supplicate for help, and I would confidently believe that the Lord will send down heaven into my heart, and the joys of it, before I come thither.

That which I say of the sinfulness of sin, you may make use of in all other Subjects that you meditate upon. So much for the Rules and Directions, for the better helping you to proceed and go on in the duty of Meditation.

3. Now there remains only some Rules for the conclusion of all. When thou hast begun and entred upon this duty, and made a progress in it, when thou comest to make a conclusion, shut up thy Meditation of Divine things with thankfulness, with resolution, and with recommendation of thy soul to God.

1. I say, conclude with thankefulness; lift up thy heart to God, and bless his name that hath enlarged thy soul, and enabled thee to spend an hour in meditation of holy things; especially if you find your hearts affected with what you meditate upon, if you have p. 198gotten from the intellectual part into the affectionative; if you have gotten your souls raised up. As for example, if you have been meditating of Heaven, and you find a Heavenly frame wrought in you, you find a desire to be with the Lord, and you find some assurance that your name is written there, and some manifestations of God to your souls, Oh then close up all with an Hallelujah, Blessed be the Lord for the assistance of this hour. So likewise, have you been meditating of Sin, and find at the conclusion, that thy heart is somewhat soft, and doth begin to mourn for thy Sin, and thou art troubled that thou hast offended thy God; and the Lord hath wrought in thee some confidence, some spiritual assurance that thy Sins shall be mortified, and that the Lord will keep thee that thy sin shall not have dominion over thee? then conclude with a Hallelujah, lift up thy heart, and bless the Lord for his assistance. I might likewise add, when thou hast been meditating on the Promises, or of Death, whatsoever the Subject thou art meditating upon is, if the Lord hath wrought thee to have a heart above the fear of death, by meditating of death, and thou hast learned to be willing and ready to die; Oh bless the Lord for his assistance.

p. 1992. I would have you close with a resolution of heart, to spend thy life as becomes one that hath been meditating of holy and heavenly things. As for example, I have been meditating of the Promises, I will shut up my Meditation with resolution, by the grace of God, to live more upon the Promises than ever I have done; I have lived too much upon the Creature, but now I will live more upon God, and his Promises; I will close up with a resolution, by the power of my God, to study my interest in the Promises more, and suck out the sweetness of them more; and to be more acquainted with the freeness, and the fulness, and riches, and preciousness of them. And so would you meditate of Heaven? I would conclude with a resolution, that I would labour to live more heavenly, and walk as becometh one that looks to live with Christ for ever in Heaven. You must know these spiritual resolutions are spiritualia vincula obedientiae, they are spiritual bonds to tye the soul fast to God. As the beast was tyed to the horns of the Altar in the old Law, that was to be sacrificed; so these blessed vows and resolutions are heavenly cords to tye the soul faster to God; and that is the reason every why Sacrament we renew our vows and resolutions; as God renews his engagements to us, so do we renew our engagements p. 200to God every Sacrament. Now I would have you close up your Meditation by binding your souls faster to God, in a holy resolution; Divine resolution is the spiritual hedg of the soul (saith one) to keep the soul from breaking out into ungodly courses.

3. Shut up all with a short commendation of thy self, thy body, thy soul, thy wife, thy children, (if thou hast any) thy estate, all that thou hast, recommend them unto thy God; shut up all with a sweet resignation of thy self, and all thy affairs, and all thy ways; As David saith, Commit your ways unto the Lord; commit your selves and your affairs, all that you are, all that you have, into the hands of the Lord, as a faithful Creator, and a merciful Redeemer. I would have you close up all with a committing, and a submitting; committing thy ways unto God, submitting unto God in all his ways; purposing to live to his glory, and to walk worthy of that heavenly calling to which thou art called. And thus I have put an end to this subject of Divine Meditation. Now what remains but to perswade you to the practise of these things? That which a learned man who hath written a Tract called, The art of Divine Meditation, closeth his Book withal, let me close this with: saith he, p. 201Oh that my words were as so many gourds to quicken up the dead, and dull, and drousie hearts of Christians, to a conscientious practice of this excellent duty of Divine Meditation! It is a strange speech that he useth! saith he, I will give any man leave to curse me upon his death-bed, if he doth not then acknowledg, that those hours that he hath spent in Divine Meditation, have been the best hours that he hath spent in all his life; if he doth not then confess he is sorrowful that he spent no more hours in so blessed a work.

Sure I am, when you lye upon your death-bed, this will be your comfort: Lord, I have been often in Heaven in Meditation, and now I am going to that place that I am acquainted withal: Oh my God! I have been often with thee in the Mount, I have been often meditating of thee: Oh my blessed Saviour! thou art no stranger to me; I have been often meditating of Christ. Oh what comfort will this be to you when you lye upon your death-beds! I will not say, curse me if you do not find this true; but I will say, this is as sure as the Word of God is true, you will find it so.

There are four things I will conclude this Discourse withal.

p. 2021. I would humbly beseech you, that you would mourn before God that you have lived so many years in the School of Christ, and have been no more acquainted with this duty of Divine Meditation: I believe there are very many that have been long standers in Christ's School, that never yet practised this duty of Divine Meditation, that never were half an hour together in the Mount of God solemnly and seriously. Now I beseech you, mourn before the Lord, that we have been no more acquainted with this blessed and heavenly duty.

2. Let us mourn before the Lord that we have misplaced our meditation; for the heart of man is restless, it is like the weight of a Clock, that will never leave going down as long as it is wound up; the heart of man will always be meditating of something or other; like mill-stones, if they once grind, they will grind one another; the heart of man will always be grinding, always musing, always meditating on something or other: Now mourn before God heartily, and go into your Closets and bemoan it, that you have ground chaff to your immortal souls all your p. 203lives long; that you have spent your days in meditating what to eat, and what to drink, and what to be clothed withal, and how to grow rich, and how to manage your trading, and your calling, how to thrive in the world, how to get such preferments; you have been meditating all your lives long upon vain things, and have not meditated upon the things of eternity, those things that do most concern you; you have been meditating upon trifles, upon things that will not profit at the hour of death, and forgot to meditate of those things that are of eternal concernment; our Saviour Christ complains of those men, Mat. 6. Take no thought for your lives, what you shall eat, and what you shall drink, nor for your body what you shall put on; as if he should say, why do you spend all your time in taking thought of eating, and drinking, and clothing, and outward things? Which of you (saith he) can by taking thought add one cubit to your stature? All your musing and meditating of them is vain. Can a Dwarf by thinking he is a Dwarf, make himself taller? it is not all your musing and your meditating of these outward things, I mean your inordinate meditating, will advantage you. I grant Tradesmen must have time to meditate of worldly things; I will not lay heavier burdens than p. 204the Scripture doth lay; but when you ravel away all your time in meditating upon earthly things, and never are serious in the Meditation of heavenly things, this I would have you mourn for; you that are old people, and have been many years professors of Religion, Oh mourn that you have wasted your intellectual faculty, that you have wasted that glorious faculty of soul, your understanding, in such vain and trifling things; nay, are there not some that do not only meditate of vain things, but spend many hours in meditating on vile things? that devise mischief upon their beds, and meditate how to cozen their neighbours, how to be revenged upon their neighbour, how to do mischief, how to compass about their wicked designs? are there not some that meditate to do evil, and rejoice in the meditation of evil when they have done it? Many old men meditate with joy of their youthful vanities, and wickedness committed in their youth, they chew over their wicked ways with delight, which we call contemplative wickedness. Oh let us bewail and bemoan it before God, that we have squandered away our immortal souls, by exercising the glorious faculty of the understanding in such poor trifling things, it may be lustful, revengeful, vile, wicked thoughts; either in doing that which p. 205is evil, or in meditating on the evil we have done; instead of mourning for it, rejoicing in it.

3. I would perswade you to study the necessity, the excellency, the usefulness, and profitableness of Divine Meditation; let me tell you for the conclusion, this duty is not only a duty, but the quintessence and marrow of all other duties; there is no duty will take impression upon your souls without the practise of this duty; it is the very life and soul of Christianity, without which a Christian is but the carcass of a Christian. I have shewed, that the want of Divine Meditation is the cause of all sin, and all punishment; I have shewed you, that the practise of Meditation will help to beget Grace, and increase Grace, and resist the Devil and all his temptations.

4. Let me perswade you all, that you would put this duty in practise; especially you that are rich people, Gentlemen, Merchants, and others; you that have estates, you that are Gentlemen, may spare time from your sports; and you that are rich Merchants and others, may take time from your outward occasions: O let me intreat you that you would take some spare-time every day, to go up to the p. 206Mount of God, to meditate of some of those Subjects that I have propounded to you, whether it be Death, or Hell, or Heaven, or Iudgment, or Sin, or Christ, or God, or the vanity of the world, whatsoever the Subject is, that is holy and heavenly. I will not lay burdens upon you, I know there may be such occasions that you cannot; but ordinarily that you would as often as you can, make conscience to accustom your selves to this necessary and long-neglected duty of Divine Meditation.

Let me tell you, you would be tall Christians in grace if you did accustom your selves to this duty; the reason why you are such Dwarfs in Christianity, and so unacquainted with God, and the Promises, and Christ, and Heaven, is for the want of the practice of this duty; this is the reason why you creep upon the ground, and are so poor in Grace, and so lean in Religion. Therefore let me intreat you, especially you whose happiness is that you need not work every day to provide for your families; the Lord hath given you an estate, and you may spare time; Oh let it not be said at the day of Iudgment, that you lost Heaven for the want of the practising this duty of Divine Meditation!

p. 207And then you that are poor people, and cannot find time; you that are Servants and Apprentices, that have not time, remember what I said concerning Occasional Meditation, I shewed you how you might meditate when you were about your worldly business; there is no lawful calling that a man can be in, but if he hath a heavenly heart he may heavenlize that calling, he may take occasion (as Christ takes occasion to heavenlize his Discourse from outward things) to raise Heavenly Discourse; when thou art at work, thou maist be by Divine Meditation in Heaven. But let me perswade you all on the Sabbath-day, (though you have not time on the week-day for set, solemn Meditation; yet then you have time for occasional Meditation, for on the Sabbath all your work ceaseth) that is the day that God hath set a part for publick service, and private Meditation; Meditation on the work of Creation, and the work of Redemption; it is a great work we are to do upon the day of our rest, to meditate of our Eternal Rest in Heaven; therefore let me perswade you to spend some time on the Sabbath-day upon Meditation, but especially on the Sacrament-days. There are Twelve Meditations I propounded to meditate on upon p. 208the Sacrament, and I chose this Subject to help you with Sacramental Meditation; it hath pleased God to carry me out further in the handling of it than ever I thought.

The Lord give a Blessing to it.

FINIS.

End of the text · Edmund Calamy, The Art of Divine Meditation (1680)