A Divine Message to the Elect Soul, Sermon 1

A Divine Message to the Elect Soul · Sermon 1

A SERMON OF The uſe and benefit of Divine Meditation.

HAGGAI. 1.5.

Now therfore ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, Conſider your wayes.

THe Prophet reproveth the people becauſe they could finde in their hearts to mind their own houſes and yet were careleſſe of the houſe of the Lord: the Lord had ſent a drought and a famine, and ſundry puniſhments upon p. 2them for this thing, and yet they laid it not to heart; and therefore he ſends Haggai the Prophet unto them to call them to repentance; and (which is an admirable courſe, and little thought of in the world) he begins with holy meditation and conſideration: Now therefore thus ſaith the Lord, conſider your wayes; that is, both in regard of the courſe of them, your wicked wayes; and alſo in regard of the bitter fruit of them, your wretched and unproſperous wayes. Here be two things very remarkable according to the Text;

1. The repetition and inforcing of it again; for he urgeth it again, Conſider your wayes, in the ſeventh verſe.

2. The benefit that came by it; it brought them to repentance; for they all obeyed the voyce of the Lord, and the words of the Prophet, verſe 12. Doct. 1 So that the Doctrine from hence is this, that, Serious meditation of our ſins by the Word, is a ſpeciall means to make men repent.

Meditation is a ſetled exerciſe of the mind for a further inquiry of the truth, and ſo affecting the heart therewith; and therefore there bee foure things in meditation.

1The firſt is an exerciſe of the mind, not barely cloſing with the truth, and aſſenting unto it, and ſeeing it, and there reſts; but it looketh on every ſide of the truth: I thought upon my wayes, and turned my feet unto thy Teſtimonies, Pſal. 119.59. ſaith David; that is, I looked on my wayes on both ſides, above and beneath; it's taken from p. 3curious works, which are the ſame on both ſides, ſo that they which work them, muſt often turne them on every ſide; uſed Exod. 38.23. as being workes with two faces, as one well obſerves: ſo it was with David, I turned my wayes up-ſide downe, and looked every way upon them: thou never meditateſt, unleſſe thou look on thy wayes on both ſides with all circumſtances. An elegant phraſe we have, Dan. 12.4. Many ſhall run to and fro, and knowledge ſhall abound, and be increaſed. [Run to and fro] what is that? It is not the bodily removing of man from one place to another ſo much, as buſie ſtirring of the mind from one truth to another, ſo that it ſeeth the whole ſelvedge and compaſſe of the truth: thou wilt never get the truth to be meditated of, till thou runne to and fro in it, meditate it on this ſide, and meditate it on that ſide, looke on it in every nook of it. Meditation is like perambulation when men go the bounds of the Pariſh, they goe in every part of it, and in every skirt of it: ſo meditation is the perambulation of the ſoule, when the ſoule lookes how far ſinne goes, how far the fleſh goes, how far the wrath of God againſt it goes.

2Secondly, as it is an exerciſe, ſo it is a ſetled exerciſe, it is not a ſudden flaſh of a mans conceit, but it, dwels upon a truth. When a man is in a deep meditation upon a thing he neither ſees nor hears, nor attends any thing elſe; the ſtream of the heart is ſetled upon the truth received; The word of God abides in you, and you have overcome p. 4the world, 1 Ioh. 2.14. How came theſe young men to overcome Satan? Not by looking into the word, or onelyonly thinking of the word; but by letting the Word abide in them. When a man hath been offered an injury, his heart is alwayes ſetled upon it; when he eates, his mind runnes on the injury; when he walkes, and talkes, ſtill his mind runnes on the injury: ſo thy heart muſt goe on the truth 2 Tim. 3. Continue in the things thou haſt learned: that is, take up thy manſion houſe in them. A wicked man may turn into the word ſometimes to think of it; but it is as a man goes into another mans houſe: there is not his dwelling.

3Thirdly it is to make a further inquiry: Meditation doth not onelyonly ſettle upon the truth knowne; but it alſo would faine know more of thoſe truths, that are ſubjected to it; as a man without may ſee the out ſide of the houſe, but he cannot ſee the roomes within, unleſſe hee come nigh, and draw the latch, and come into the houſe, and goe into the roomes, and look about them. Meditation pulls the latch of the truth, and lookes into every cloſet, and every cubboard, and every angle of it. Here is my ſin here is my uncleanneſſe, and here is Gods anger, here is the wofull evill that will follow upon it, and here is a remedy againſt it. Meditation ſearches into all the lofts and cloſets of the truth. The entrance of thy word giveth underſtanding unto the ſimple, Pſal. 119.30. The ingreſſe (as one expounds it) or going into thy word, gives underſtanding; p. 5the wicked ſtand looking upon the truth without the doores, but it is the ingreſſe, or going into the truth, that gives underſtanding. Indeede the truth is like a neat palace, (ſaith Chryſoſtome) the Spirit of God is like the light of the Sunne that ſhineth into it; the wicked they ſtand without, like fooles peeping in at the windowes, and there bee many thouſands of pearles that are not manifeſt unto them: The houſe ſeems dark to them that ſtand without. Thou muſt enter into the word, and into every particular truth in it, and goe up ſtaires, and downſtaires, and have an eye into every roome. There thou ſhalt find humility, there contrition, there converſion, there Chriſt and his Spirit in one cloſet, there all his Jewels in that, and that box; all is manifeſt within doores.

4Fourthly, it labours to affect the heart; it doth not onelyonly labour to know more and more of the truth, but alſo it labours to bring it home to the heart. The good woman conſiders a field and buyes it. Prov. 31.16. that is,(ſaith Ambroſe) the good Chriſtian ſoule, if in civilitie, then much more in Divinity, conſiders the truth and buyes it, he taketh it for his own, and appropriates it unto himſelfe; Lo this (ſaith Eliphas) wee have ſearched out: ſo it is, beare it, and know it for thy ſelfe, Job 5.27. When thou canſt ſay of the truth loe this it is, we have ſearched it out; I have dived into it, peruſed it, ſo it is, even ſo indeed: all this is, that thou mayeſt apply it unto thy ſelfe, and know it for thy good.

p. 6Reaſ 1 The firſt Reaſon is, becauſe meditation muſters up all weapons, and gathers all forces of arguments for to preſſe the ſame, and lay them heavie upon the heart: This uſurie is ſpirituall and good, when meditation, like uſurers, who grinde and ſuck the bloud of the needy, and are not content with their principall, but will have conſideration for every pound they lay out yea for every ſhilling, and that for every week and every month, and every quarter, and every yeare: the poore man could bee content to pay the principall; but to exact uſe upon uſe, this kills him; ſo meditation exacteth upon the ſoul and holdeth it to uſe upon uſe. You have committed evill in a corner, but you ſhall not carry it away ſo. Item, it was againſt the knowledge of God revealed; Item, againſt many mercies received; Item, againſt many judgements threatned, againſt many checks of conſcience, againſt many vows and promiſes; remember that, O my ſoul. Item, for that, and Item for this; Item for every luſt, and every circumſtance, thus oft, and in this place, an… at that time, in that manner. So meditated the prodigall.Luke 15.17.Luke 15:17 Looke as it is in warres; were there but many ſcores come againſt an Army, they might be conquered: or many hundreds, they mighr be reſiſted; but if many thouſands ſhould come againſt a ſmall army, it would be in danger indeed. Meditation leavieth a whole Army of arguments, a whole Army of curſes, miſeries, judgements, commandements againſt the ſoul: how ever one miſery or plague will not knock p. 7it down, but the ſoule may brook it, and goe away with it: but meditation brings a great Armado of arguments, and tells the ſoule God is againſt thee, and againſt thy wayes: God is againſt thee where ever thou art, or what ever thou doeſt. Then the heart begins to cry out, as Eliſha his ſervant did, Maſter, what ſhall wee doe? 2 Kings 6.15. So many horſes againſt us, ſo many charets, and ſo many men againſt us? Maſter, what ſhall we doe? ſo many ſinnes, and ſo heynous, ſo many judgements and ſo heavie, and ſo many evils and ſpirituall maladies! Oh, what ſhall I doe to be ſaved! that I ſhould commit ſinne againſt a God that hath damned innumerable Angels, millions of Kings, Princes, and Nobles! that I ſhould commit it againſt this God, ſo mercifull to me, ſo gracious, ſo patient, ſo good to my ſoule! that I, wretched rebell, ſhould for a cup of drink refuſe heaven! for a luſt not worth a ſtraw under my foot, caſt off Chriſt, and grace and all! how ſhall I doe? Then the ſoule ſtands in a maze.

Reaſ 2 The ſecond Reaſon is, becauſe meditation having bundled up all Items againſt the ſoule, and brought in all bills of account, it faſtens ſin upon the ſoule ▪ I meane it makes the ſoule feele it, ſo that it muſt needs be convinced without any evaſion. Meditation deals with a man as Eliſha dealt with the meſſengers of King Joram; the murderer he was comming to doe miſcheife to the Prophet, and the Prophet did ſhut the door, and held him faſt at the door, 2 Kings 6.32. and p. 8then he made him know that the evill was from the Lord, before he could ſtirre: ſo meditation, when the ſoule would fain out of doores into i…s old courſe againe, it ſhuts the doore upon it, and holds it faſt Meditation tells the ſoule, this evill is from the Lord upon thee, O my ſoule, if tho… ſtirre in or out upon this or that luſt any more▪ this evill that curſe, that vengeance and damnation; if ever thou ſtirre forth, thou loſeſ… thy mercy, thou loſeſt Chriſt, thou loſeſt all poſſibility of comfort. Stirre not out; if thou doſt, thou wilt roe it. Sometimes when men heare the Word, they go away touched, they reſolve not to commit ſinne again as they have done; yet when they are gone, it works not, but the heart recoyles again, and turnes to its old paſſe. The Reaſon is, becauſe they meditate not upon the Word, they faſten it not upon their conſciences.

It is with the Word as it is with a ſalve: if a man that hath never ſo good a ſalve that will heal any thing in foure and twenty houres, if a man ſhould do nothing but lay it to the wound, and take it off, lay it on and take it off, it will not heale the wound: and no marvell. Why? hee will not let it lie on, the beſt ſalve will not heal the ſoare nor eate out the corruption, unleſſe it be bound on and let lie: ſo it is with the Word, many a ſoule heares it; heart, conſcience, affections, all toucht: but when he is gone out of the Church, all is gone his affections die, his heart dies, and his conſcience becomes unfruitfull. p. 9Why? he is ſtill removing of the ſalve, and will not let it lie on, and therefore the Word over-powers not his corruptions; the Word is like the ſalve; conviction of conſcience is like the laying on of the ſalve; meditation the binding of it to the ſoare.

S^t James compares a ſlight hearer to a man that looks into a glaſſe, who ſoon forgets his viſage; but a good hearer doth two things: Firſt, hee ſtoops down and looks into it, to take a perfect view of his eſtate; Secondly, he continues looking into it, James 1.25. he doth not leave the glaſſe behind him, but he carrieth away the glaſſe with him: This man ſhall be bleſſed in his deed.

If the pills be never ſo bitter, yet let a man ſwallow them ſpeedily, there is no great diſtaſte; but if a man chew a pill, it will make him deadly ſick. Thy ſinnes are like thoſe pills, they go down very pleaſingly, becauſe thou ſwalloweſt them: thou ſwalloweſt down thine oathes, lies, ignorance, pride, thou ſwalloweſt downe the threats of the Lord; but if thou wouldeſt chew theſe bitter pills, and meditate and ruminate, and chew the cud, drunkenneſſe would be as bitter as hell; ſwearing, and ſecurity, and Sabbath-breaking, would be as bitter as wormwood; thou durſt not go on in them, they would make thee look ſourly upon them for ever: like a man that hath chewed a pill, he can hardly ever ſee a pill, but his ſtomach riſeth againſt it. Behold, I will hedge up thy way with thornes, Hoſea 2.6. I will not be ſo preciſe (ſaith the heart) I will p. 10goe on as I have done, I will goe after theſe and theſe courſes; I will hedge up thy way with thorns (ſaith God;) meditation is Gods inſtrument, and ſets a thorne in the way to every ſinne, to bring the heart backe again. Would the heart laſh out into luke-warmneſſe? Meditation ſets a thorn in the way; God will ſpue thee out of his mouth: Would the heart ſally forth into any ſinne? Meditation ſets a thorn in the way, Curſed ar… thou if thou doſt erre from Gods Commandements. The heart cannot ſtep forth into any luſt; but meditation meets it with a thorn, this curſe, and that curſe, this plague, and that Plague: Would the heart reach at mercy in its ſinne? Meditation pricks it from it; merciemercy is vengeance unto thee, ſo long as thou hankreſt after ſinne. Would the heart reach after Chriſt in his ſinne? Meditation puſhes it backe with a thorn: No Chriſt for thee, but a ſevere judge, ſo long as thou itcheſt after thy vanities.

Ʋſe 1 What ſhall wee think of them then, which are loth to practiſe this dutie? Moſt men are loth, though they be willing enough to meditate on their worldly affaires. The Mariner meditates and conſiders his courſe by his Compaſs, or elſe hee might ſoon runne on the quick-ſands; a Pilgrime is full of thoughts, what? am I in my right way? He never comes to a doubtfull turning, but he ſtands in a ſtudy & muſes, O which is my right way? The Merchant meditates, and his minde runnes on his Count-book, or elſe he is ſoone bankrupt: The voluptuous man, his thoughts p. 11run on his pleaſures: the drunkards on his cups, the proud mans on his credit. But it is one thing to looke to that which is thine, and another thing to looke to thy ſelfe, Take heed to your ſelves ſaith the Lord, Deut. 11.16. Deut. 12.30. Deut. 4.9. Exod. 34.12. as if he ſhould ſay, think on thy ſelfe and of thy poor ſoul; let thy meditation run on thy poore ſoule. The heart is untoward unto this duty, and as unwilling as a Bear to be brought to the ſtake: the Beare would rather be rambling abroad then be baited: ſo men had rather let their hearts ramble about any thing, then bait them for their ſinnes: yea men ſcoffe at it, ſaying, ſhall we alwayes be poring on our ſins? ſhall wee run mad? ſhall we drive our ſelves to deſpaire? cannot men keep themſelves well while they are well?

The poore man he hath no time for this tedious duty: the rich man, he needs it not, the wicked they dare not; ſo no man will: No man repented him of his wickedneſſe, ſaying, What have I done? Ier. 8.6. No man would meditate and thinke with himſelfe, what is my caſe? how ſtands my condition before God? what evill have I done? In the Ark, and in the old law, if there were any beaſt that chewed not the cud, it was a ſigne of an unclean beaſt: the word implies the bringing up of their meat into their mouthes again, and ſitting downe to chew it again. But now men like unclean beaſts, ſwallow downe the food of their ſoules unchewed, and will not meditate thereof, that it may turne p. 12to good nutriment; but like Cormorants, they take it downe by whole-ſale, and are never the better. So the Word is to them as the Quailes to the Iſraelites, while the fleſh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of the Lord was kindled againſt them, and ſmote them with a very great plague, Num. 11.33. ſo the Word of God ſticks in their teeth; ere they chew it, or meditate upon it, the wrath of God fals upon them, and ſtrikes them with a very great plague of hardneſſe of heart, and leanneſſe of ſoule. But the truth is, you that will not now ſee your ſinnes, nor meditate on them, you ſhall ſee them, and meditate on nothing but on feare. Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, they will not ſee, but they ſhall ſee and be aſhamed, Eſay 26.11.

Let. 1 Now the Lets of ſerious meditation are, Firſt, vain company. When Peter ſaw the people touched, Acts 2.37. he ſaid unto them, Save your ſelves from this untoward generation, verſ. 40. as if he ſhould ſay, If you love your ſelves, God hath touched your hearts, ſuffer not Satan and theſe wicked inſtruments, to ſteale away theſe impreſſions of terror from your ſoules. If ever you love your ſoules, ſort not your ſelves with this untoward generation. See as it humbles you, ſo let meditation follow upon it, ſo that it may ſtill humble you. Ill company brings a man to the gallowes (as the proverb is) and ill company will bring a man to hell (ſay It) and meditation cannot be admitted to it. David would not have p. 13a wicked man to abide in his ſight, when he was to meditate: he wiſht that there were never a wicked man in the world; much leſſe would he keep company with them. My meditation of him ſhall be ſweet; let the ſinners be conſumed out of the earth, and let the wicked be no more: Bleſſe thou the Lord, O my ſoul, Pſal. 104.35.

Let. 2 The ſecond Let is, multitude of worldly buſineſſe. A dream (ſaith Solomon) comes through multitude of buſineſſe, Eccleſ. 5. Multitude of buſineſſe cauſeth the mind ſo to run on them, that they do even dream of them in their ſleep, as Lucretius, Seneca, Claudian, and many others of the heathens have obſerved. He that over-imployes himſelf, his meditations of heaven are dreaming meditations, his thoughts dreaming thoughts, he can never ſeriouſly meditete on the good of his ſoul. Many ingroſſe buſineſſe into their hands, never thinking they have enough; they are ſo greedy after the world, and ſo careleſſe of heaven. So they make their hearts like high-way ground: the word ſown in their hearts is like ſeed ſown in the high-way, where is ſuch a through-fare, and a broad Carriers road of earthly affairs, that all the word and meditation thereof is troden down as the graſs in the high-way, which cannot grow; ſo neither meditation in a buſie-bodied heart. For a good meditating mind, (Nemo ad illam pervenit occupatus, ſaith Seneca) no man ever came to it ſurfeited with imployments. David although he had abundance of State affairs, both his hands full, yet he would not have his hands p. 14to be over-charged, but that he might meditate in Gods word: My hands alſo (not all downe to buſineſſe onelyonly in the world, but alſo up to thy Law) will I lift up to thy commandements which I have loved, and I will meditate on thy ſtatutes, Pſal. 119.48. Take not too much upon thee, like thoſe graſping worldlings, that wil have a finger in a hundred things: Martha, Martha, thou art cumbred about many things, but one thing is needfull, and Mary hath choſen the better part, Luk. 10.41. and what was that one thing? Mary was ſitting and meditating in, and pondering Chriſts words, not (as Theophylact expounds it) as if he would ſay, Martha, Martha, thou art cumbred about many diſhes, but one thing is needfull, only one diſh; though indeed ſo it be, yet he here ſpeaks not only of one diſh, but of many cares which hinder that one neceſſary dutie of hearing and meditating on the word of God.

3Thirdly, ignorance. A man cannot meditate of a thing he knowes not; nor thou of thy ſinnes, if thou be not skilfull in Gods catalogue of thy ſinnes; nor of mercies and promiſes if thou beeſt not verſt in them; nor of his Precepts, if thou be not expert in them. The Pſalmiſt proveth that he had more knowledge then all his Teachers: Why? Becauſe he uſed to meditate. I have more underſtanding then all my Tutors, for thy teſtimonies are my meditation, Pſal. 119.99.

4Fourthly, averſeneſſe of the heart: The heart is like the ſwine, meditation is like the yoke: the Hogge would fain get into forbidden fields for p. 15to grub them; the yoke, that hinders him; but he cannot abide it; every ſtep he takes, he lifts up his foot to ſtrike it off if he could; ſo the heart would faine break through hedges, and get into forbidden wayes, and if thou wouldeſt meditate, it would every moment lift up its heele to put thee beſides it: If it cannot put thee beſids it, it will marre it if it can; and therefore David praid to God to ſettle his heart upon the right, and put his yoke upon him, or it would never be ſtedfaſt elſe upon meditation. Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, bee ever acceptable in thy ſight, O Lord, my ſtrength and my redeemer, Pſal. 19.14.

This averſeneſſe of the heart conſists in three things: 1Firſt, in the careleſneſſe of the heart, the heart prizeth not meditation, nor the things of grace that are to be meditated on; it will not be at the coſt and charge, nor at the paines for them. To what end is a price in the hands of a foole, ſeeing there is no heart to get wiſedome? Prov. 17.…6. The heart will not be brought to Gods price; it would faine have the wares at a cheap rate.

2Secondly, in the runnings of it; the heart is like a vagrant rogue, he would rather be hanged then tied to his pariſh. Thou canſt not bring it to prayer, but it will bee a gadding on by-thoughts: thou canſt not bring it to a Sermon, but it will be roving after wandring imaginations: thou canſt not bring it to a meditation but it will bee a goſſiping forth. When Chriſt came p. 16to bind men with his bleſſed cords, and bind their hearts to him, Pſal. 2. they fall a meditating afterwards, but it was meditating and imagining vain things, verſe 1. and when they ſaw they were to be tied up, Tuſh (ſay they) let us break their bonds a ſunder, and caſt their cords from us, verſe 3. What, do Miniſters call us to ſuch ſtrictneſſe, thinking to impriſon our hearts in their ſtocks? away with their bonds, no we… will have none of it.

3Thirdly, in the weariſomneſſe of the heart: It is a weary of meditation as a Cur is of the whip, and the chain; Oh how it barkes and maunders, till it be looſe! yea, though it be never ſo eager upon it at the firſt, it's jaded preſently. When God called the Jews to ſanctifie his Name, they thought in their hearts, O what a wearineſſe is this! and yee have ſnuffed at it, (ſaith the Lord) yee brought that which was lame, and torn and ſicke, Malac. 1.13. What a wearineſſe is it to meditate? ſaith the heart; it ſnuffs, it is untoward, it is lumpiſh; it would fain teare of a peice of the duty, or bring it wanting a legge, or without ſoundenſſe and ſincerity; yet ſome of them (ſaith Calvin) were ſo humbled, that they thought on the Name of the Lord, Malac. 3.16. they thought, and meditated, and forced their hearts to conſider throughly.

Ʋſe 2 This may ſerve for terror unto all thoſe, who for all this that hath been ſpoken, dare ſit down without it; yea, the world will not beleeve p. 17theſe things, nor meditate therein: yea, they blame Gods meſſengers, that call ſo ſore upon them. Habukkuk was ſo ſerved; he preached the mercies of God to the humble, and the judgements of God to the wicked: they ask him why he was ſo mad? well (ſayes the prophet) I will ſtand upon my watch, and ſee what the Lord ſayes unto me, that I may anſwer to them that reprove me. Hab. 2.1. What did the Lord tell him? Write the viſion, and make it p…aine upon Tables that …e may run that reads it, verſ. 2, Will they not beleeve? Will they rove? Will they not meditate ſteadily upon theſe things? Will they not let their hearts ſtay and meditate and conſider? The viſion ſhall be ſo plain, that he that runnes may read it. If thou wilt not ſtay, and meditate herein, the Word is ſo plain to thy condemnation, that if thou didſt but think of it with a running thought, thou maiſt read thine owne vengeance, thine owne woes, in regard of the multitude of them. He that runnes by a way full of holes and pits, though he ſtand not meditating where are the pits, yet he may run and ſee them. The book of God is full, leaves and cover, and all, of woes againſt thee, Lam. 2.10. It is written without, there thou maiſt read thy ſins written; it is written likewiſe within, there thou maiſt read thy plagues.

Secondly, in regard of the greatneſſe of them, he that runnes along▪ and loe a great towne on fire, though he ſtay not to meditate on it, what or where it is, yet he may runne and read it: ſo is p. 18the curſe of ſinners a great curſe, Zeph. 1.10. he that runnes may read it.

Thirdly, in regard of the proximitie and neerneſſe of them Hee that run…es, if a ſword come out by his throat, though he doe not ſtop to meditate, what is this at my throat, yet he cannot but ſee it. Behold the Judge ſtandeth before the doore. Jam. 5.9. Take heed how thou grudgeſt, or ſinneſt in any particular; behold the Judge ſtandeth before the doore; behold it and meditate on it with thy heart; if not, he is nigh enough, thou canſt not ſtep out of doores unto any ſinne, but though thou runneſt, thou muſt needs ſee the Judge that wil Judge thee, Iteming thy ſinnes▪ noting thy wayes, obſerving thy courſes, ready to unhaſpe the doore on thee, to hale thee unto hell in thy ſinnes. Whoſe end is deſtruction. Whoſe? Even thoſe that mind earthly things. Phil. 3.19. If thy mind and meditation run more on thy ground, cattell, goods, kitchin, houſe buſines, earthly talk, diſcourſes, thoughts, more then of heaven, thy end is deſtruction. If thy thoughts will n…t ſtay here, doe but runne, and thou maiſt read it; Think not that I am come to deſtroy the Law or the Prophets, I am come t… fulfill them, Mat. 5.17. Some (ſaith Chryſoſtome) might think now Chriſt is come, it is no matter though wee bee not ſo ſtrict, Chriſt is enough: Think not thus (ſaith Chriſt) but rather thinke and meditate that I am come to fulfill it my ſelfe, and to ſee it fulfilled in thoſe I mean to ſave, ſo as to make it the rule of their lives. Themiſtocles p. 19ſaid, he could not ſleep in his bed for continuall thinking and meditating on Miltiades his Triumphs: And how canſt thou ſleep in thy bed, if thou wouldeſt but meditate on theſe places of Scripture? Retire thy ſelf apart, there is no caſting up of a mans account in a crowd: Let mee alone, I am buſie; ſo we uſe to ſay, when wee would be private.

Means 1 Thou muſt do with thy ſoul as Ehud did to Eglon, who ſaid, I have a ſecret errant to thee, O King, and ſo all went out, and he ſaid I have a meſſage from God to thee, & ſo ſtabd him at his heart, Judg. 3.19. So (for Ehud was a type of Chriſt, ſaith Lavator) I have a ſecret errant to thee, O my ſoul: and ſo let all go forth: I have a meſſage from God to thee, a meſſage of wrath for thy Pride, a meſſage of wrath for thy vain hopes: Thus, ſaith the Lord; Curſed art thou, O my ſoul; ſtab it to the heart with this ſpirituall Dagger, wound it with the blade and haft and all, till thou have let out the fat and the dirt, the filth and iniquity all out. The Prophet ſpeaking of mens looking on Chriſt whom they have pierced, this meditating and laying to heart that they have crucified the Lord Jeſus, ſaith that they ſhall mourne every one in private, the houſe of David apart, and their wivis apart; the houſe of N…than apart, and their wives apart; the houſe of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; every family apart, and their wives apart, Zach. 12.2.

Means 2 The ſecond means, if thou wouldeſt meditate aright, obſerve the times of privacie.

p. 201Firſt, the morning, that is the beſt time for ſtudy: David choſe the morning for meditation, Pſal. 5.1.3. Let them heare this (ſaith Chryſoſtome) that riſe betimes in the morning to ſerve their Hogges and their Dogges, their bellies and their backes▪ before they ſerve God in meditation or prayer, unleſſe it be the mumbling and roting a few [Lord have mercy upon us] that pray not till after many other buſineſſes, it may be not then neirher. David prayed and meditated in the morning. In the morning thou waſheſt thy face and thy hands, but thy ſoul hath more need, which thou waſheſt not: in the morning thou putteſt thy cloathes on thy body: but thou putteſt not on afreſh the new man upon thy ſoule; in the morning thou ſhakeſt off ſleepineſſe from thine eyes, but thou ſhakeſt not off drowſineſſe from thy ſoule. Thou lookeſt into the glaſſe in the morning, to ſee if thy face be as it ſhould be; but thy ſoule is not compoſedly looking into the glaſſe of Gods word. In the morning look up in prayer, look up in thankſgiving, look up in meditation.

2Secondly, the night too; O Lord, I meditate on thee in the night watches Pſ. 63. not as carnal ones do, when they cannot ſleepe, then their mind runnes on their Cow and their Calfe, their markets and vanities, this neighbour and that neighbour, like Petronius his dogge, that was hunting while he lay aſleepe in his kennell.

3Thirdly, in the evening; I prevent the night watches, that I might meditate, Pſal. 119.148. he p. 21did not as wicked men doe, ſleepe like a horſe in the ſtable on his litter, with his neck tied to the manger; they goe to bed with their hearts roped to the world, worldly thoughts, this thought and that thought, and God knowes what.

4Fourthly, when the heart is touched at a Sermon, or Sacrament, or obſerving of any judgement or mercy, or act of Gods providence, it is beſt ſtriking when the Iron is hot. David when his heart was touched at the reproaches of the wicked, then he meditated, Pſ. 119.23. When the Inſtrument is in tune, then it is good playing upon it; when a Churle is in a good mood, then it is fitteſt to deale with him. Oft will thy heart be out of tune, oft churliſh and in an ill mood: if thou letteſt the good opportunity go, thou knowſt not when thou ſhalt have ſuch another. When the fiſh is nibbling at the bait, then it is good twitching at the angle rod; when the heart is a nibbling at grace, then give a pluck at it by meditation. See Act. 17.11. now while the tide …aſts, ſee thou maiſt get into the haven.

Means 3 Thirdly, rub up thy ſelfe and thy memory; call as much to mind as thou canſt, what evill thou haſt done ever ſince thou waſt borne, what in the womb, what in thy cradle, childhood, youth, age; what a ſervant, what a Maſter; what as a ſervant, what as a ſonne, what as a neighbour, what as an inferiour, what as a ſuperiour; either in thought, or word, or deed; how often thou …aſt omitted good duties, or done them by …alves; Item for this, and Item for that. They p. 22ſhall remember themſelves, and turne unto the Lord, Pſal. 22.27. Firſt they ſhall remember themſelves, and ſay, What have I done, O wretch! how careleſly have I lived! Secondly, ſo meditating, they ſhall turn unto the Lord. Many ſay, Oh! they cannot remember their ſinnes. They lie in a thouſand particulars; for they can remember to commit them wel enough. See Lam. 3.19, 20.21. our Greek tranſlation turnes it, I ſp…ke to my ſelfe, and meditated: as if they ſhould ſay, O what a rebell have I been! how unthankfull, how unprofitable under all the means of grace! I may thank my ſins for all the plagues of the Almighty that are upon me: if he had damned me, I had been well ſerved. What followes? The heart bowed, and was humbled, as it is in the text.

Means 4 The fourth means. Rouze up thy heart. As it is with the eye of the body, ſo it is with the eye of the ſoul: when a man would look wiſhly upon a thing, as if he would look through it, he ſets his eyes on it, as Paul ſet his eyes on Elymas, Ah thou child of the Devil, thou, &c. Acts 13.9. Meditation is the ſetting of the eye of the ſoul upon a thing: ſet thine eye upon thy ſelfe and ſay, Ah thou child of the wicked, why hath Satan filled thy heart! O wretched heart! whence hadſt thou thy ſelf-love? hadſt thou not it from the Devil? God might do well to ſend thee to the Devill, if thou loveſt ſo to bee his Broker. Se… thine eyes ſtedfaſtly upon thine owne wayes and thou ſhalt ſee infinite helliſh evils in thy ſins.

p. 23Ʋſe 3 The third uſe is for reprehenſion. What is more uſuall then this that men make ſleight account of their ſins? Nay, when God tells them in their hearts. Thou ſhalt not do this, thou ſhalt not doe that, yet they meditate and think, Why may I not? Samuel bid Saul ſtay for directions from him, before he ſacrificed unto God. It ſeemes that God ſpake to his heart, Stay till Samuel comes to direct thee: yet Saul forced himſelfe to diſobey, and to doe ſacrifice, 1. Sam. 13.12. he was bold, as Vatable turnes it; hee confirmed himſelfe, as Pagnin tranſlates it: hee thruſt himſelfe upon the doing of it; God forbad him, he would doe it: God urged him in his conſcience not to doe it, yet he would doe it: God again whiſpered to him to doe it not, yet hee forced himſelfe to doe it; as if he ſhould ſay, I hope I may doe it, I have ſtayed ſeven dayes wanting an houre, or a piece of an houre; and a little piece breakes no ſquares. No? God rejected Saul for that venture; God would have forced him by meditation, O no, doe it not, by no meanes: he made him think, Oh, it is againſt Gods commandements, I may not doe it. No, but nevertheleſſe he forced himſelfe to doe it. Thus God deals with thouſands and millions in the world: Be not a drunkard; God flings the meditation into the conſcience yet a drunkard thou wilt be: be not a drunkard again; a drunkard notwithſtanding thou wilt be: Be not again; they force themſelves, they will goe to the Ale-houſe. And ſo of all other ſinnes. If men will caſt oft this work p. 24of meditation darted into their ſoules, they caſt off their owne mercy. God tells them, pray not, hear not, offer not, without directions from me; they dread not the commandement, they will: I truſt prayers are good, I will ſay them. Thus they will not meditate, or if they doe, they break it off before it comes to any ſtrength or perfection: yea, Gods owne ſervants, that deſire to look towards Sion, is not this your complaint oft? I cannot find ſinne heavie: I confeſſe the word diſcovers it to me, but I cannot be troubled for it. Look as it is with men in the world, if five hundred pounds weight bee laid upon the ground, if a man never pluck at it, he ſhall never feele the weight of it. Your ſinnes are not many hundreds, but many thouſands, yea many ten thouſands: ſelfe-love, ſecurity, hardneſſe of heart, baſe fears, &c. it is impoſſible to reckon them. The leaſt vain thought that ever you imagined, the leaſt vain word that ever you uttered, were weight enough to preſſe your ſoules down to hell. Therefore what are ſo many ſins, and ſo great, and ſo often committed? What are they? they are as heavie as rocks and mountains; yet ye feele them not ſo heavie. Why? Ye weigh them not; if ye did, yee ſhould finde them heavier then the ſand, as David did when his ſinne was ever before him (Pſal. 51.3.) that is his ſinne was ever in his thoughts, and in his meditation, his ſinne was ever like a huge Milſtone before him, and he was ever tugging and pulling to remove it out of his way.

p. 25Object. I, but you will ſay, How ſhall I come to feele my burden?

Anſw. I anſwer, three things are here to be diſcovered.

Firſt, the ground upon which our meditation muſt be raiſed.

Secondly, the manner how to follow it home to the heart.

Thirdly, how to put life and power in it.

The ground I referre to theſe foure heads: 1Firſt, meditate on the goodneſſe, patience, and mercy of God, that hath been abuſed by any of your ſins; the greater they have been to you, the greater is every ſinne: this maketh them out of meaſure ſinfull, becauſe God is out of meaſure mercifull. There are many ſinnes in one, when a man ſinnes againſt many mercies. See Iudg. 2.2, 3. Why have ye done thus? I have done thus and thus mercifully unto you, why have yee done thus unthankefully to me? Why was my mercy abuſed? Why was my goodneſſe ſleighted? Why was my patience deſpiſed? as if the Lord ſhould ſay, I ſpeak to your owne conſciences, think of it, meditate of it, why have yee done this? Doe ye thus requite the Lord, O fooliſh people and unwiſe? Is not he thy Father? Meditate of it firſt, and tell me then. For it is a queſtion put to thy meditation to anſwer. Do yee thus requite the Lord ye fooliſh people? Wert thou ever in want, but God ſupplied thee? Wert thou ever in weakneſſe, but God ſtrengthened thee? Wert thou ever in ſtraits, but God p. 26delivered thee? When thou wert in ſickneſſe! he cured thee when thou wert in poverty, who relieved thee? when thou wert in miſery, who ſuccoured thee? Hath not God been a gracious God to thee? Every ſoule can tell, never poor ſinner hath had a more gracious God, then I poore ſinner have found to my ſoule. All my bones can ſay, Lord, who hath been like unto thee? This heart hath been heavie, and thou haſt cheered it: this ſoul hath been diſtreſſed, & thou haſt eaſed it: many troubles have befallen me, and thou haſt given me a gracious iſſue. This poore man (ſaith David, pointing to himſelfe) this poore man cried, and the Lord heard him, Pſa. 34.6. And ſhall I thus reward the Lord? ſhall I ſinne againſt this goodneſſe? Then what ſhall I ſay? Heare. O heavens, and hearken, O earth; Sunne, ſtand thou ſtill, and thou Moon bee amazed at this, and be avenged on ſuch a heart as this. The Oxe knowes his Owner, and the Aſſe his Maſters Crib; but here is a heart that will not remember to know the Lord▪ Heare, O heavens, this villany crieth ſo loud, that your eares may heare it. Heare all yee Angels, and be aſtoniſhed, here is villany to make your eares glow: yea, hear Hell, hear Devi…s, if ever there were worſe committed by you. When men are but ingenuous, if they have received any kindneſſe from a friend, they were never in want but hee relieved them: never harbourleſſe, but he houſed them; never to ſeek, but he found them: Let a man deale thus kindly with a man, if this man ſhould p. 27deny him any ordinary favour, he will be aſhamed of himſelfe, aſhamed to come into his preſence. What will he think, his houſe was mine, his cubboard was mine, and his purſe was mine, and his friends were mine, and that I ſhould deale thus unkindly with him, even nature rebukes me. This ſerious meditation will help to breake thy heart.

2The ſecond ground of meditation is to meditate on the juſtice of God: God is a juſt God as well as mercifull. Speak all yee Devils in hell, Doe yee not feele that he is a juſt God? Speake Sodome, Speake Gomorrah, your fire and brimſtone can teſtifie that he is a juſt God: Speak Adah, Zillah, and all yee that were drowned in the old world, your deluge can teſtifie he is a juſt God, His judgements are in all the world. 1 Chron. 16.14. What is become of drunken Nabal, and ſwearing Saul, and covetous Ahab, and proud Ieſabel, and mocking Iehu, and envious Shimei? What is become of all blind Jebuſites, and prating cavilling Dio…repheſes? Juſtice hath taken hold of them. What is poverty? What is nakedneſſe? What is famine, ſickneſſe, the gout the ſtone, Feaver, plague? Theſe are the little arrowes of Gods juſtice. What is ſhame, diſgrace, croſſes, afflictions, unſeaſonable raines, dangerous weather, warres, rumours of warres? What are all the evils under the Sunne? They are the little finger of Gods juſtice. Thou ſpieſt them here and there, in every Town, and in every pariſh, in every Countrey: doe they not all witneſſe p. 28that he is a juſt God? Read Pſalm 7.11, 12, 13. God hath bent his bow already (ſaith David) the arrow is ready to ſlie out of the ſtring: It will not be long before it hit thee, if thou meditate not upon amendment: God is angry with the wicked every day, as an angry man uſeth to ſay, I will be revenged on thee. Wilt thou not give over thy ſins? I will be revenged on thee. Read Pſal 11.5, 6, 7. Meditate on this; he will neither ſpare King nor ſubject, nor rich nor poore, nor noble nor baſe, nor Judges and Juſtices; yet judges and Juſtices may ſpare, but God will not ſpare: they may bee bribed to pardon, but God will not be fee'd to ſpare them that goe on in their wickedneſſe; and doe I think to eſcape? Nay, my ſoule, thou canſt never eſcape, except thou obeyeſt.

3The third ground is, Meditate on the wrath of God; Oh! what wrath is it? Can I ſtand againſt it? It burnes like an Oven, and all the proud, and all that doe wickedly, ſhall be as ſtubble, and the day of wrath ſhall burne them up. Behold this, ſaith the Text. Malac. 4.1. Behold it, and meditate on it. Can I goe naked in a hot fiery oven? Can I lift up my hands againſt it? My hands will be ſcorched. Can I kick againſt it? My legs will be baked. Can I blow upon it with my mouth? my mouth is fired. Did I ever ſee lime burned? were I in the limes roome, could I endure that boyling? and yet if I live in my ſinnes, I ſhall be as the burning of lime, Iſay 33.12. Let thy heart meditate terror: Who among us ſhall be p. 29able to dwell (that is the meaning of it, as Montanus ſheweth) who among us ſhall dwell with devouring fire? who among us ſhall burne with everlaſting burnings? verſ. 14. Gods merciemercy ſhall ſay, Take him wrath: I would have converted him, but he would not. Gods goodneſſe ſhall ſay, Take him wrath: I would have been kinde unto him, but he hath abuſed me. Gods patience ſhall ſay, Take him wrath: I have ſuffered him a great while, that he might have time of repentance, but he repented not in that time. God ſmote Egypt in their firſt-borne. Why? For his mercy endureth for ever. God overthrew Pharaoh and his hoaſt: Why? For his mercy endureth for ever. Pſal. 136.15. He ſmote great Kings, Sihon a King, and Og a King: for his mercy endureth for ever. So will God damne thee that art a drunkard: Why? for his merciemercy endureth for ever. God will confound thee that art a worldling: Why? for his mercy endureth for ever. God will be revenged on thee that art a Luke-warmling: Why? for his mercy endureth for ever. This may well make thee tear the haire of thy head, rather then let thee go on in thy ſinnes. See Jerem. 7.29. Meditate on this.

4The fourth ground: meditate on the conſtancie of God. As the Lord was an enemy to wicked men, ſo he continues the ſame God ſtill, a conſtant enemy to them ſtill. As the Lord would not endure ſinne heretofore, ſo hee is conſtant, hee ſtill will not endure it. Did the Lord once ſay, Weep and howle yee drunkards? Joel 1.5. p. 30he is conſtant, ſo he ſaith ſtill. Did the Lord ſay, he would burn up Sabbath-breakers? Jer. 17.27, he is conſtant; ſo he ſaith ſtill. Who ever hardned his heart againſt the Lord, and proſpered? Job 9.14. as if he ſhould ſay, I put it to thee to meditate of it: canſt thou ſhew me a preſident? did ever any man harden his heart againſt Gods Word, in his ſin, that proſpered? Did Senacherib proſper in his will-worſhip? Did Judas proſper in his coveteouſneſſe? Did Jeconiah proſper in his ſtubbornneſſe? Where is the Scribe? where is the receiver? where is he that counted the towers? (ſaith the prophet) Your fathers where are they, ſaith Zachary? Did not my words take hold of them? and are they not all now in hell, that have ever lived and died in their ſin, from the beginning of the world? Thou canſt not ſhew me one drunkard, or one mocker, or one profane perſon, or one forma…l profeſſor, from the day that man was created upon the earth, that is not now in hell, if he be dead. Meditate on this, how canſt thou expect to be the one onelyonly in all the world that ſhall eſcape, if thou liveſt and dieſt in thy ſins? If hell were opened, and the bottomleſſe pit were lookt into, thou ſhouldeſt ſee every ſoul that ever lived, and died in their ſins, even every ſoul; there is not one ſoul miſſing. Meditate on this; when I die, do I think I ſhall not be there? nay I ſhall be there too, unleſſe aforehand I enter into the ſtrait gate, and walk in the narrow way of newneſſe of life.