Twenty-Nine Sermons, Sermon 1
A SERMON OF The uſe and benefit of Divine MEDITATION.
HAGGAI 1. 5.
Now therefore ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, Conſider your wayes.
THe Prophet reproveth the people becauſe they could find in their hearts to mind their own houſes, and yet were careleſs of the houſe of the Lord: the Lord had ſent a drought & a famine, and ſundry puniſhments upon them 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 voice of the Lord, and the words of the Prophet, verſe, 12. So that the Doctrine from hence is this, That
Serious meditation of our ſins by the Word, is a ſpeciall means to make menDoct. 1. repent.
Meditation is a ſetled exerciſe of the mind for a further inquiry of the truth, and ſo affecting the heart therewith, and therefore their be four things in meditation.
The 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 curious works, which are the the ſame on both ſides, ſo that they which work them, muſt often turn them on every ſide; uſed Exod. 38. 33. as being works with two faces, as one well obſerves, ſo it was with David, I turned my wayes up-ſide down, 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 run to and fro in it, meditate it on this ſide, and meditate it on that ſide, look on it in every nook of it. Meditation is like perambulation, when men go the bounds of the Pariſh, they go in every part of it, and in every skirt of it: ſo meditation is the perambulation of the ſoul, when the ſoul looks how far ſin goes, how far the fleſh goes, how far the wrath of God againſt it goes.
Secondly, 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 the world, 1 John 2. 14. How came theſe young men to overcome Satan? not by looking into the word, or only 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 eats, his mind runs on the injury; when he walks, and talks, ſtill his mind runs on the injury: ſo thy heart muſt go on the truth, 2. Tim. 3. Continue in 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.
Thirdly, it is to make a further inquiry. Meditation doth not only ſettle upon the truth known, but it alſo would fain know more of thoſe truths, that are ſubject to it; as a man without may ſee the out-ſide of the houſe, but he cannot ſee the rooms within, unleſſe he come nigh, and draw the latch, and come into the houſe, and go into the rooms, and look about them; Meditation pulls the latch of the truth and looks into every cloſet, and every cupboard, & every angle of it. Here is my ſin, here is my uncleanneſſe, and here is Gods anger, here is the woful evil 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. Pſ. 119. 30. The ingreſs (as one expounds it) or going into thy word, gives underſtanding; the wicked ſtand looking upon the truth without the doors, but it is the ingreſſe, or going into the truth, that gives underſtanding. Indeed the truth is like a neat Palace, (ſaith Chriſoſtome) the Spirit of God is like the light of the Sunne that ſhineth into it; the wicked they ſtand without, like fools peeping in at the windows, and there be many thouſand of pearls 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 go up ſtairs, and down ſtairs, and have an eye into every room. 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 doors.
Fourthly, it labours to affect the heart; it doth not only 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 buys it, Prov. 31. 16. This is (ſaith Ambroſe) the good Chriſtian ſoul, if in civility, then much more in Divinity, he conſiders the truth and buyes it, he taketh it as his own, and appropriates it▪ unto himſelf; Lo this (ſaith Eliphaz) we have ſearched out, ſo it is, hear it, and know it for thy ſelf, Iob 5. 27. When thou canſt ſay of the truth, lo this is it, 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 ſelf, and know it for thy good.
The firſt Reaſon is, becauſe meditation muſters up all weapons, and gathersReaſ. 1. all forces of arguments for … preſſe our ſins, and lay them heavy upon the heart: This uſury is … good, when meditation, like uſurers, who grind and suck … of the needy, and are not content with their Principal, bu… … have conſideration for every pound they lay out; yea for every ſhilling, and that for every week, and every monethmonth, and every quarter, and every yeer: the poor man could be 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 evil in a corner, but you ſhall …t 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, and at that time, in that manner So meditated the prodigal. LookLuke. 5. 17. as it is in warrs, were there but many ſcores come againſt an Army, they might be conquered; or many hundreds, they might be reſiſted; but if many thouſands ſhould come againſt a ſmal Army, it would be in danger indeed. Meditation leadeth a whole Army of arguments, a whole Army of curſes, miſeries, judgements, commandments againſt the ſoul, how ever one miſery or plague will not knock it down, but the ſoul may brook it, and goe away with it: but meditation brings a great Armado of arguments, and tels the ſoul, 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 we do? 2 Kings 6. 15. So many horſes againſt us, ſo many charets, and ſo many men againſt us? Maſter what ſhall we do? ſo many ſins, and ſo heinous; ſo many judgements and ſo heavy; and ſo many evils, and ſpiritual maladies! Oh, what ſhal I do to be ſaved! that I ſhould commit ſin 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 ſoul! that I, wretched rebel, 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 ſhal I do? Then the ſoul ſtands in a maze.
The ſecond Reaſon is, becauſe meditation having hundled up all Items againſt the ſoul, and brought it in all bils of account, it faſtens ſ… upon the ſoul; I mean it makes the ſoul feel it, ſo that it muſt needs be convinced without any evaſion. Meditation deals with a man as Eliſha dealt with the meſſengers of the King Joram; the murderer he was coming to do miſchief to the Prophet, and the prophet did ſhut the door, and held him faſt at the door, 2 Kings 6. 32. and then he made him know that the evill was from the Lord, before he could ſtirr: ſo meditation, when the ſoul would fain out of doors into its old courſe again, it ſhuts the door upon it, and holds it faſt: Meditation tels the ſoul, this evil is from the Lord upon thee, O my ſoul, if thou ſtirr in or out upon this or that luſt any more, this evill, that courſe, that vengeance and damnation; if ever thou ſtir forth, thou loſeſt thy mercy, thou loſeſt Chriſt, thou loſeſt all poſſibility of comfort. Stir not out, if thou doſt, thou wilt rue it. Sometimes when men hear the Word, they go away touched, they reſolve not to commit ſin again as they have done; yet when they are gone, it works not, but the heart recoyls again, and turns 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 four and twenty hours, if a man ſhould do nothing but lay it to the wound, & take it off, lay it on and take it off, it will not heal the wound: and no marvel, Why? he will not let it lye on, the beſt ſalve will not heal the ſoare, nor eat out the corruption, unleſſe it be bound on and let lye: ſo it is with the Word, many a ſoul hears it; heart, conſcience, affections, all toucht: but when he is gone out of the Church, all is gone, his affections dye, his heart dyes, and his conſcience becomes unfruitful: Why? he is ſtill removing of the ſalve, and will not let it lye 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.
St. 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, he ſtoops down and looks into it, to take a perfect view of his eſtate; Secondly, he continues looking into it, Iames 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 ſins are like thoſe pills, they go down very pleaſingly, becauſe thou ſwalloweſt them: thou ſwalloweſt down thine oaths, lies, ignorance, pride, thou ſwalloweſt down 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 Saboath breaking, would be as bitter as wormwood; thou durſt not go on in them, they would make thee look ſourely upon them for ever: like a man that hath chewed a pill, he can hardly ever ſee a pill, but his ſtomack riſeth againſt it. Behold, I wil hedge up thy way with thorns, Hoſ. 2. 6. I wil not be ſo preciſe (ſaith the heart) I wil go on as I have done, I wil go after theſe and theſe courſes; I will hedge up thy way with thorns (ſaith God,) meditation is Gods inſtrument, and ſets a thorn in the way to every ſin, to bring the heart back 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 ſin? Meditation ſets a thorn in the way, Curſed art thou if thou doſt err 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 ſin? Meditation pricks it; merciemercy is vengeance unto thee, ſo long as thou hankreſt after ſin. Would the heart reach after Chriſt in his ſin? Meditation puſhes it back with a thorn: no Chriſt for thee, but a ſeverejudge, ſo long as thou itcheſt after thy vanities.
What ſhal we think of them then, which are loth to practice this duty? Moſt men are loth, though they be willing enough to meditate on theirUſe …. worldly affairs. The Mariner meditates and conſiders his courſe by his Compaſſe, or elſe he might ſoon runne on the quick-ſands; a Pilgrim is full of thoughts, what? am I in my right way? He never comes to a doubtfull turning, but he ſtands in a ſtudy and muſes, O which is my right way? The Merchant meditates, and his mind runs on his Countbook, or elſe he is ſoon bankrupt: The voluptuous man his thoughts run on his pleaſure: the drunkard on his cups, the proud man on his credit. But it is one thing to look to that which is thine, and another thing to look to thy ſelf, 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 ſelf, & of thy poor ſoul; let thy Meditation run on thy poor ſoul. The heart is untoward unto this duty, and as unwilling as a Bear to be brought to the ſtake: the Bear would rather be rambling abroad then be baited: ſo men had rather let their hearts ramble about any thing, then bait them for their ſins; yea men ſcoff at it, ſaying, ſhall we alwayes be poring on our ſins? ſhall we run mad? ſhall we drive our ſelves to deſpair? cannot men keep themſelves well while they are well?
The poor 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? Jer. 8. 6. no man would meditate and think with himſelf, what is my caſe? how ſtands my condition before God? what evil have I done? in the Ark and in the old Law if there were any beaſt that chewed not the cud, it was a ſign of an unclean beaſt: the word implies the bringing up of their meat into their mouths again, and ſitting down to chew it again. But now men like unclean beaſts, ſwallow down the food of their ſouls unchewed, and will not meditate thereof, that it may turn to good nutriment; but like Cormorants, they take it down by whole-ſale, and are never the better? So the Word is to them as the Quails 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 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 falls upon them, and ſtrikes them with a very great plague of hardneſſe of heart, and leanneſs of ſoul. But the truth is: you that will not now ſee your ſins nor meditate on them, you ſhall ſee them, and meditate on nothing but on fear, Lord when thy hand is lifted up, they will not ſee, but they ſhall ſee and be aſhamed, Iſaiah 26. 11.
Now the Lets of ſerious meditation are, Firſt, vain company. WhenLet. 1. Peter ſaw the people touched, Acts 2. 37. he ſaid unto them, Save your ſelves from this untoward generation, verſe 40. as if he ſhould ſay, If you love your ſelves, God hath touched your hearts, ſuffer not Satan and theſe wicked inſtruments, to ſteal away theſe impreſſions of terrour from your Souls If ever you love your ſouls. ſort not your ſelvs 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 gallows (as the proverb is) and ill company will bring a man to hell (ſay I:) and meditation cannot be admitted to it. David would not have a 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 leſs 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: Bleſs thou the Lord, O my ſoul, pſ. 104. 35.
The ſecond Let is, multitude of worldly buſineſses. A dream (ſaith Solomon)Let 2. comes through multitude of buſineſſes, Eccleſ. 5. Multitude of buſineſſes 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 hearthens hauehave obſerved. He that over-imploys himſelf, his meditations of heaven are dreaming meditations; his thoughts, dreaming thoughts, he can never ſeriouſly meditate on the good of his ſoul. Many ingroſſe buſineſſes 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 throughfare, and a broad Carriers road of earthly affairs, that all the word and meditation thereof is trodden down as the graſſe 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 ful, yet he would not to be over-charged, but that he might meditate in Gods word: My hands alſo (not all down to buſineſſe only in the world, but alſo up to thy Law) will I lift up to thy commandements, which I have loved, and I wil 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, Luke 10. 41.… ▪ and what was that one thing? Mary was ſitting and meditating in, and pondring Chriſts words, not (as Theophylact expounds it) as if we would ſay, Martha, Martha, thou art cumbred about many diſhes, but one thing is needfull only, 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 duty of hearing and meditating of the word of God.
Thirdly, ignorance. A man cannot meditate of a thing he knows3▪ not; nor thou of thy ſins, if thou be not skilful in Gods Catalogue of thy ſins; 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 than 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.
Fourthly, averſneſſe of the heart: The heart is like the ſwine, meditation4▪ is like the yoke: the Hogge would fain get into forbidden fields for to 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 fain break through hedges, and get into forbidden wayes, and if thou wouldeſt meditate, it would every moment lift up it's heel to put thee beſides it. If it cannot put thee beſides it, it wil mar 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 meditation of my heart be ever acceptable in thy ſight, O Lord, my ſtrength and my▪ redeemer; Pſal. 19. 14.
This averſneſſe of the heart conſiſts in three things: Firſt, 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 pains for them. To what end is a price in the hands of a fool, ſeeing there is no heart to get wiſdom? Prov. 17. 16. The heart will not be brought to Gods price? it would fain have the wares at a cheap rate.
Secondly in runnings of it: the heart is like a vagrant rogue, he would rather be hanged, than tied to his pariſh. Thou canſt not bring it to prayer, but it will be a gadding on by thoughts: thou canſt not bring it to a Sermon, but it will be roving after wandering imaginations; thou canſt not bring it to a meditation, but it will be a goſſipping forth. When Chriſt came to 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 tyed up, Tuſh (ſay they) let us break their bonds aſunder, 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.
Thirdly, in the weariſomneſs of the heart: It is as weary of meditation, as a Cur is of the whip, and the chain; Oh how it barks 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 I and ye have ſnuffed at it (ſaith the Lord) ye brought which was lame, and torn and ſick, Malac. 1. 13. What a wearineſſe is it to meditate? ſaith the heart; it ſnuffs, it is untoward; it is lumpiſh; it would fain tear off a piece of the duty, or bring it wanting a leg, or without ſoundneſſe 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.
This may ſerve for terror unto all thoſe, who for all this that hath beenUſe 2. ſpoken, dare ſit down without it; yea, the world will not beleeve theſe things, nor meditate therein▪ yea, they blame Gods meſſengers, that call ſo ſore upon them. Habakkuk 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 plain upon Tables, that he may run that reads it, verſe 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 runs may read it. If thou wilt not ſtay, and meditate herein, the word is ſo plain to thy condemnation, that if thou didſt not but think of it with a running thought, thou maiſt read thine own vengeance, thine own 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 town on fire, though he ſtay not to meditate on it, what or where it is, yet he may run and read it: ſo is the curſe of ſinners a great curſe, Zeph. 1. 10. he that runs may read it.
Thirdly, in regard of the proximitie and neerneſſe of them. He that runnes, if a ſword come out at his throat, though he doth not ſtop to meditate, what is this at my throat, yet he cannot but ſee it. Behold the Judge ſtandeth before the door, James, 5. 9. Take heed how thou grudgeſt, or ſinneſt in any particular; behold the Judge ſtandeth before the door; behold it and meditate on it with thy heart; if not, he is nigh enough, thou canſt not ſtep out of doors unto any ſin, but though thou runneſt, thou muſt needs ſee the Judge that will Judge thee, I…eming thy ſins, noting thy wayes, obſerving thy courſes, ready to unhaſp the door on thee, to hale thee unto hell in thy ſins. Whoſe end is deſtruction? Why? Even thoſe that mind earthly things, Phil. 3. 19. If thy mind and meditation run more on thy ground, cattel, goods, kitchen, houſe buſineſſe, earthly talk, diſcourſes, thoughts, more than of heaven, thy end is deſtruction. If thy thoughts will not ſtay here, do but runne, and thou maiſt read it: Think not that I am come to deſtroy the Law or the Prophets, I am come to fulfill them, Matthew 5. 17. Some (ſaith Chriſoſtome) might think now Chriſt is come, it is no matter though we not be ſo ſtrict, Chriſt is enough. Think not thus (ſaith Chriſt) but rather think and meditate that I am come to fulfill it may ſelf, and to ſee it fulfilled in thoſe I mean to ſave, ſo as to make it a rule of their lives. Themiſtocles ſaid, he could not ſleep in his bed for continual thinking and meditating on Miltiades his Tryumphs; 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 mans account in a croud: Let me alone, I am buſie; ſo we uſe to ſay, when we would be private.
Thou muſt do with thy ſoul as Ehud did to Eglon, who ſaid, I have aMeanes 1. ſecret errant to thee, O King, and ſo all went out, and he ſaid: I have a meſſage from God to thee, and ſo ſtabd him at his heart, Judges 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 mourn every one in private, the houſe of David apart, and their wives apart; the houſe of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; the houſe of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; every family apart, and their wives apart, Zach. 12. 2.
The ſecond meanes, if thou wouldeſt meditate aright, obſerve theMeanes 2. times of privacy,
Firſt, the morniug, that is the beſt time for ſtudy: David choſe the morning for meditation, Pſal 5. 1. 3. Let them hear this, (ſaith Chriſoſtome) that ariſe betimes in the morning to ſerve their Hoggs and their Doggs, their bellies and their backs, before they ſerve God in meditation or prayer, unleſſe it be the mumbling and roaring a few [Lord have mercy upon us] that pray not till after many other buſineſſes, it may may be, not then neither. 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 ſoul; in the morning thou ſhakeſt off ſleepineſſe from thine eyes, but thou ſhakeſt not off drouſineſſe from thy ſoul. Thou lookeſt into the glaſſe in the morning, to ſee if thy face be as it ſhould be; but thy ſoul is not compoſedly looking into the glaſſe of Gods word. In the morning loook up in prayer, look up in thanſgiving, look up in meditation.
Secondly, the night too; O Lord, I meditate on thee in the night watches, Pſal. 93. not as carnall ones doe, when they cannot ſleep, then their mind runs on their Cow and their Calf, their markets and vanities, this neighbour and that neighbour, like Petronius his dogge, that was hunting while he lay aſleep in his kennel.
Thirdly, In the evening; I prevent the night watches, that I might meditate, Pſal. 119. 148. he did not as wicked men doe, ſleep like a horſe in the ſtable on his litter, with his neck tyed to the manger: they did go to bed with their hearts roped to the world, worldly thoughts, this thought and that thought, and God knows what.
Fourthly, 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 reproches of the wicked, then he meditated, Pſall. 119. 23. When the Inſtrument is in tune, then it is good playing upon it; when a Churl is in a good mood, then it is fitteſt to deal with him. Oft will thy heart be out of tune, oft churliſh, and in an ill mood: if thou letteſt the good opportunity goe; thou knoweſt not when thou ſhalt have ſuch another. When the fiſh is nibling at the bait, then it is good twiching at the anglerod, when the heart is a nibling at grace, then gave a pluck at it by meditation. See Acts 17. 11. now while the time luſts, ſee thou maiſt get into heaven.
Thirdly, Rub up thy ſelf and thy memory; call as much to mind as thouMeans 3. canſt, what evill thou haſt done ever ſince thou waſt born, what in the womb, what in the cradle, childhood, youth, age; what a ſervant, what a Maſter; what as a ſervant, what as a ſon, what as a neighbour, what as an inferiour, what as a ſuperiour; either in thought, or word or deed; how often thou haſt omitted good duties, or done them by halvs; Item for this; and Item for that. They ſhall remember themſelves and turn unto the Lord, Pſal. 22. 27. Firſt, they ſhall remember themſelves, and ſay, what have I done. O wretch! how careleſſely have I lived! Secondly, ſo meditating, they ſhall turn unto the Lord. Many ſay, Oh! they cannot remember their ſins. They lye in a thouſand particulars: for they can remember to commit them well enough. See Lam. 3. 19. 20. 21. our Greek tranſlation turns it, I ſpake to my ſelf, 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 follows? The heart bowed, and was humbled, as it is in the text.
The fourth means. Rouze up thy heart. As it is with the eye of theMeans 4. body, ſo it is with the eye of the Soul: when a man would look wiſtly upon a thing, as if he would look thorow it, he ſets his eye on it, as Paul ſet his eyes on Elymas, Ah thou child of the Devill, 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 childe of the wicked, why hath Satan filled thy heart! O wretched heart! whence hadſt thou thy ſelfe-love? hadſt thou not it from the Devill? God might do well to ſend thee to the Devill, if thou loveſt ſo to be his Broker. Set thine eyes ſtedfaſtly upon thine own wayes, and thou ſhalt ſee infinite helliſh evils in thy ſins.
The third Uſe is for Reprehenſion. What is more uſual than this,Uſe 3. that men make ſlight account of their ſins? Nay, when God tels 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 ſeems that God ſpoke to his heart. Stay till Samuel comes to direct thee: yet Saul forced himſelfe to diſobey, and to do Sacrifice, 1. Sam. 13. 12. he was bold, as Vatable turns it; he confirmed himſelfe, as Pagnin tranſlates it: he thruſt himſelfe upon the doing of it; God forbad him, he would do it: God urged him in his conſcience not to doe it, yet he would do it: God again whiſpered to him not to do it, yet he forced himſelfe to do it; as if he ſhould ſay, I hope I may do it, I have ſtayed ſeven days wanting an hour, or a piece of an houre; and a little piece breaks no ſquare: No? God rejected Saul for that venture; God would have forced him by meditation, O no, doe it not by no means: he made him think, Oh, it is againſt Gods commandements, I may not do it. No, but nevertheleſſe he forced himſelf to do 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 go to the Ale-houſe. And ſo of all other ſins. If men will caſt off this work of meditation darted into their ſouls, they caſt off their own mercy. God tels them, pray not, hear not, offer not without directions from me; they dread not the commandment, they will: I truſt prayers are good, I will ſay them. Thus they will not meditate, or if they do, they break it off before it comes to any ſtrength or perfection: yea, Gods own ſervants, that deſire to look towards Sion, is not this your complaint oft? I cannot finde ſinne heavy: 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 pound weight be laid upon the ground, if a man never pluck at it, he ſhall never feel 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 vaine word that ever you uttered, were weight enough to preſſe your ſouls down to hell; Therefore what are ſo many ſins and ſo great, and ſo often committed? What are they? they are as heauy as rocks and mountains; yet ye feel them not ſo heavy. Why? Ye weigh them not; if ye did, yee ſhould finde them heavier than 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 ſin was ever like a huge Milſtone before him, and he was ever tugging and pulling to remove it out of his way.
Object.I, but you will ſay, How ſhall I come to feel my burden?
Anſwer.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 into it.
The ground I referre to theſe foure heads:
Firſt, 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 Judg. 2. 2, 3. Why have ye done thus? I, have done thus and thus mercifully unto you, why have yee done thus unthankfully 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 conſcience, think of it, meditate of it, why have ye 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 ye thus requite the Lord, ye fooliſh people? Wert thou ever in want, but God ſupplyed thee? Wert thou ever in weakneſſe, but God ſtrengthened thee? Wert thou ever in ſtraits, but God delivered thee? When thou wert in ſickneſſe, who 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 ſoul can tell, never poor ſinner hath had a more gracious God, than I poor ſinner have found to my ſoul. All my bones can ſay, Lord, who hath been like unto thee? This heart hath been heavy, and thou haſt cheered it: this ſoul hath been diſtreſſed, and thou haſt eaſed it: many troubles have befallen me, and thou haſt given me a gracious iſſue. This poor man (ſaith David, pointing to himſelfe,) this poor man cryed, and the Lord heard him, Pſal. 34. 9. And ſhall I thus reward the Lord? ſhall I ſinne againſt his goodneſſe? Then what ſhall I ſay? Hear, O heavens, and hearken, O earth; Sunne, ſtand thou ſtill, and thou Moon be amazed at this, and be avenged on ſuch a heart as this. The Oxe knows his owner, and the Aſſe his Maſters Crib; but here is a heart that will not remember to know the Lord. Hear, O heavens, this villany cryeth ſo loud, that your ears may hear it. Hear all ye Angels add be aſtoniſhed, here is villany to make your ears glow: yea, hear hell, hear Devils, if ever there were worſe committed by you. When men are but ingenuous, if they hauehave received any kindeneſſe from a friend, they were never in want but he relieved them: never harbourleſſe, but he houſed them; never to ſeek, but he found them: Let a man deal thus kindly with a man, if this man ſhould deny 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 cupboard was mine, and his purſe was mine, and his friends were mine, and that I ſhould deal thus unkindly with him, even nature rebukes me. This ſerious meditation will help to break thy heart.
The ſecond ground of meditation is to mediate on the justice of God: God is a juſt God as well as mercifull. Speak all ye Devils in Hell, Doe ye not feel that he is a juſt God? Speak Sodome, Speak Gomorrah, your fire and brimſtone can teſtifie that he is a juſt God: Speak Adah, Zillah, and all ye that were drowned in the old world, your deluge can teſtify he is a juſt God, His judgements are all in the world, 1. Chro. 16. 14. What is become of drunken Nabal, and ſwearing Saul, and covetous Ahab, and proud Jeſabel, and mocking Jehu, and envious Shimei? What is become of all blind Jebuſites, and parting, cavilling Diotrepheſes? Juſtice hath taken hold on them. What is povertie? What is nakedneſſe? What is famine, ſickneſſe, the gout, the ſtone, Feaver, plague? Theſe are the little arrows of Gods juſtice. What is ſhame, diſgrace, croſſes, afflictions, unſeaſonable rains, dangerous weather, wars, rumours of wars? What are all the evils under the Sun? They are the little finger of Gods juſtice. Thou ſpieſt them here and there, in every Town, and in every Pariſh, in every Country: do they not all witneſſe that he is a juſt God? Read Pſalm 7. 11, 12, 13. God hath bent his …ow already (ſaith David) the arrow is ready to flie out of the ſtring: It wil 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 poor, nor noble, nor baſe, nor Judges, nor Juſtices: yet Judges and Juſtices may ſpare, but God will not ſpare: they may be bribed to pardon, but God will not be fee'd to ſpare them that go on in their wickedneſſe; and do I think to eſcape? Nay, my ſoul, thou canſt never eſcape, except thou obeyeſt.
The third ground is, Meditate on the wrath of God; O! what wrath is it? Can I ſtand againſt it? It burns 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 fiered. Did I ever ſee lime burned? were I in the limes room, could I endure that boyling? and yet if I live in my ſinnes, I ſhall be as the burning of lime, I ſay 33. 12. Let thy heart meditate terror: Who among us ſhall be able to dwell (that is the meaning of it, as Montanus ſheweth) who among us ſhall dwell with devouring fire? who among us ſhall burn with everlaſting burning? verſe 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 Aegypt in their firſt born: 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 damn thee that art a drunkard: Why? for his mercy endureth for ever. God will confound thee that art a worlding: 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 …eare the hair off thy head, rather than let thee go on in thy ſinnes. See Ierem. 7. 29. Meditate on this.
The fourth ground: Meditate on the conſtancy 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 he is conſtant, he ſtill will not endure it. Did the Lord once ſay, Weep and howl ye drunkards? Joel 1. 5. he 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. …4. 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 ſinne, that proſpered? Did Senacherib proſper in his will-worſhip? Did Judas proſper in his covetouſneſſe? Did Jeconiah proſper in his ſtubbornneſſe? Where is the Scribe? Where is the diſputer? Where is he that counted the towers? Your fathers, where are they, ſaith Zachariah? 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 prophane perſon, or one formall 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 dyeſt 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 dye, do I think I ſhall not be there? nay, I ſhall be there too, unleſſe aforehand I enter in to the ſtrait gate, and walk in the narrow way of newneſſe of life.