Christian Directions, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
Of our Behaviour in Secret.
IN regard of the manifold temptations whereunto wee are subject, both when we… are by our selves alone, and also when wee are in company with others; It is our duty, and will bee our wisdome to keep a narrow watch over our selves, both in our soluariness, and also in company.
First, When wee are alone, our care must bee, that wee be neither ill imployed, nor idle and unfruitful, but that wee be taken up with spiritual and heavenly Meditations.
1 For Solitariness is the Devils opportunity, which hee hath alwaies been careful to imbrace,2 Sam. 12. 2. and improve to the utmost advantage; as wee see in David, who when hee was walking alone upon the roof of his house, then the Devil set upon him, tempted him unto lust, and prevailed with him. And therefore how doth it concern us to be then especially watchful over our selves?
2 Because wee are then in most danger to be overtaken and foiled with out own sinful lusts; then are wee most apt to let out our hearts in speculative wantonness, and contemplative wickedness, by feeding our fancies, and pleasing our selves in lascivious, ambitious, revengeful, and other wicked thoughts. In which respect wee ought in our solitariness carefully to watch over our hearts, being then in greatest danger of these spiritual rapes.
To this end I shall commend that excellent, but too much neglected duty of Divine Meditation, which is twofold.
1 Sudden and occasional.
2 Set and deliberate. Of which severally. And first of sudden and occasional Meditation.
For the better clearing whereof I shall shew
1 The nature therof, what it is.
2 Add some Motives to quicken thee up to a frequent use thereof.
I. For the nature of occasional Meditation; It is a sudden fixing of the mind upon some profitable subject, occasioned by some thing that wee see or hear. The which may bee done at all times, and in all places, when thou art at home about the works of thy Calling, or walking abroad. Of this sudden and occasional Meditation there may be much use, by reason of the …riety of Objects, which present themselves to our view; for every creature that wee behold, doth afford unto us plentiful matter of spiritual and heavenly Meditation; from each of them thou mayest take occasion to meditate of God, and of his Attributes shining in them, as the Power, Wisdome, Goodness, and other Attributes of God.
II. For Motives, take these three.
1 It will be a special means to keep worldly, wanton, frivolous thoughts, and idle motions out of thine heart; for if thou give up thy self to idleness, not labouring to possess thy minde with some good and profitable Meditation, thou art sure to bee pestred with vain and wicked cogitations.
2 A frequent use of occasional Meditations, will fit thee for set and solemn Meditation, in that it will both furnish thee with matter, and prepare thine heart to commune with God.
3 Hereby thou shalt make a right use of the creatures; the creatures are half lost unto thee, if thou only imploy them, and not take out some spiritual lesson from them.
Thus much of sudden and occasional Meditation.
Come wee now to the set, solemn, and deliberate Meditation,
For the profitable handling whereof, I shall shew thee
1 The Nature thereof.
2 Some Rules and Directions to be observed therein.
3 An Example or Pattern thereof according to the Rules.
1 For the first, viz. the Nature of it, what it is? I answer, a set and deliberate Meditation,Meditari nil aliud est quam mul…oties rem aliquam considerare. Th. Aquia. is a serious applying of the mind to some spiritual or heavenly subject, discoursing thereof with thy self, to the end thine heart may bee warmed, thine affections quickened, and thy resolutions heightned to a greater love of God, hatred of sin, &c.
Come we now to the Rules and Directions for the right manner of performing the same. To this end I shall treat
1 Of the Time, when this duty is to be performed,
2 Of the Place where.
Of the Manner of setting about it, and performing it.
1 Touching the Time when this duty is to be performed, and how often, it is hard to give any set or certain Rule. For difference must bee made between such as are rich, and wealthy, who have much spare …ime; and poor men who live by their daily labour, and have …ittle time to spare from the same, for the performance of holy and religious duties. Now such as have time and leisure, and are at their own dispose, ought to bee frequent in the exercise of this duty. How frequent such should be, I will not undertake to determine,Psal. 1. 2. Psal. 119. 97. 148. because mens several occasions may vary it. But in general, that it be frequent, the Scripture requireth. And truly the more frequently it is performed, the more easie and delightful will it be unto thee.
Questionless every one, whether hee be rich or poor, Master or Servant, ought to make conscience of performing this duty on the Lords day, which being appropriated to spiritual duties, doth especially challenge this, which is so eminently spiritual.
For the choice of other daies, and set times therein, it must be left to Christian prudence, which will teach thee what time thou canst best spare from thine ordinary imployments, and when thou art best disposed and fitted for the performance of the same.
II. The next thing to bee considered is the Place, for this duty ought to be private, in some private, retired place, where thou mayst be free from company, and whatsoever may distract thee. For when thou art most retired from the world, then art thou most fit to have communion with God. Therefore Isaac when hee would meditate, and by Meditation converse with God,Gen. 24. 63. Psal. 63. 6. walked alone into the fields. And David meditated upon his bed, as himself tells us.
III. For the Manner of setting upon this duty.
I. Having with-drawn thy self from worldly company, thou must for the time wholly lay aside all worldly thoughts, for otherwise it may and will fall out, that when thou art separated from the company and society of men; thou mayest be in a croud of worldly businesses through thy worldly and wandring thoughts.
II. In the entrance upon this duty, lift up thine heart in some short prayer unto God for his direction, assistance, and blessing thereon.
III. Having thus prepared thy self in some measure, then pitch upon the subject matter whereupon thou intendest to meditate; such as may be fit for thy souls nourishment; Herein observe these Directions.
1 Let the subject matter of thy Meditation bee wholly spiritual and divine. Thus any part of the Scripture is a fit subject for thy Meditation, as also God, or any of his Attributes, as … Omnipotency, Eternity, Immutability, Om…ipresence, Omnisciency, …, Wisdome, Mercy, Iustice, Love, Faithfulness, and other excellencies of God: As also the blessed and happy estate wherein our first Parents were created by God, and that miserable estate whereinto they implunged themselves, and all their posterity, by their disobedience against God in eating the forbidden fruit; and the state of Redemption by Jesus Christ, and the transcendent love of Christ in undergoing a bitter cursed death for us.
2 Let the particular subject thou pitchest upon for thy Meditation, be suitable to thy present state and condition; and to that end in setting upon this duty, it will be thy wisdome to observe the frame and temper of thy heart. If thou findest thine heart sad and heavy, then fix thy Meditation upon thy sins, that so thou mayest turn thy sorrow and sadness for outward things, into a sorrow for thy sins. But if thou findest thine heart lightsome and chearful, then fix thy Meditations on the incomprehensible love of God, or on the freeness of his grace, or on the bounty of God, especially towards thy self.
3 Having pitched thy thoughts upon some particular subject suitable to the present frame and temper of thine heart, continue thy thoughts upon it, till thou hast found thy heart warmed, and thine affections quickened therewith, which indeed is the main and principal end of this exercise.
4 Having spoken of preparation to the work, come wee now to the work it self, which consists of three particular heads.
1 The first I may call Cogitation, whereby I mean a discoursing of the understanding about the subject matter pitched upon, a calling to minde of several truths that belong thereunto. As if the subject of thy Meditation be Death, then call to mind, and seriously think, as of the certainty of Death, so also of the uncertainty thereof, both in regard of the Place where, the Manner how, and the Time when. And then to argue the necessity of a continual expectation of… and preparation for Death.
2 The second is Application, to make some close application to thy self of those truths thou hast called to mind, for the warming of thine heart, and quickning of thine affections.
3 The third and last particular is Resolution; a resolved purpose of heart to do this or that, or to leave this or that. As if the subject of thy Meditation hath been Death, and finding thine heart thorowly affect… with the apprehension thereof, especially of the uncertain… of the time of thy death, resolve thereupon to be the more careful in imbracing every opportunity of doing good, thinking it may be the last that will be afforded unto thee; as also to live in a continual expectation of, and preparation for death, by a daily renewing thy peace with God.
Having thus given some Rules and Directions for the better helping thee in this heavenly exercise of Divine Meditation:
III. I shall now give thee an Example and Pattern thereof, according to the former Rules and Directions, for the better clearing it to thee.
Suppose the subject thou propoundest for thy Meditation be Sin, then having lifted up thine heart unto God in prayer for his Direction and Assistance,
First, Fall upon the duty of Cogitation, calling to minde some plain truths which apper…ain thereunto. As
I. Think of the nature of sin; How it is a transgression of the Law of God.1 John 3. 4.
II. Of the kinds of sin, viz. Original and Actual.
1 Let out thine heart in a serious Meditation of that corruption of nature, which thou and every man brought with him into the world; and how it is not onelyonly a sin, but an heinous sin, comprehending in it the seeds of all sins, even of the most abominable that can be imagined.
2 Let out thine heart in a serious Meditation of thine actual sins, and of the several kinds of them, viz. Evil Thoughts, evil Words, and evil Actions.
III. Think of the evil qualities of sin. As
1 That it is most foul and filthy, yea far more filthy than a con…luence of all the most filthy, nasty, loathsome things in the world. And therefore in the Scriptures it is not onelyonly called filthy, but filthiness it self.2 Cor. 7. 1.
3 Think how it is most infectious, having a pestilential quality, that pollutes every thing, turning all our spiritual services, even our Prayers, Hearing, Meditation, &c. into abomination.
4 Think how sin is most deceitful, which though it appear at first with a Syrens face most delightful, yet it will prove at last to have a Serpents sting, and to wound mortally. And though for the present the way of sin may bee very pleasant and delightful, yet the end and issue thereof will be very bitter, if not fearful …nd doleful.
IV. Think of the fearful effects, and cursed …uents of sin; As
1 How it makes a separation between God and our souls; so that there can bee no sweet communion between God and us, whereby sin appeareth to be a greater evil than poverty, imprisonment, flame of fire, or the like, for a man may lye under all these evils, and yet lye in Gods bosome.
2 Think how in exposeth thee to all the miseries and calamities that can befall man both here and hereafter: For it brings upon him hardness of heart, horrour of conscience, vexation and anguish of soul, and all kinde of spiritual evils, the least of which is far worse than all the plagues of Egypt.
4 It likewise subjecteth his body to weaknesses, sicknesses and diseases. Yea sin, while it remaineth unpardoned, subjects a man to all the dreadful fruits and effects of Gods wrath, which are all judgements and plagues here, and eternal torture and torments in that everlasting lake, where is nothing but weeping, and willing, and gnashing of teeth.
Having thus done with the work of Cogitation, Then fall upon the work of Application, to apply these fore-mentioned truths unto thy self, for the warming of thine heart, and quickening of thine affections.
1 Make this application to thy self, to look after Jesus Christ, and to value him above all things. Let the consideration of thy manifold sins drive thee unto Jesus Christ, who alone can free thee from the guilt of them, and punishments due unto them. Happy is hee whom the sense of his sins makes to long in his soul for Christ, and to count all things but dross and dung in comparison of him;Zech. 13. 1. and that rejoyceth in that fountain of grace which the Lord hath opened for sin, and for uncleanness; and triumphs in his spirit, because of the hope to be discharged by another, of that, for which himself cannot satisfie.
2 Admire the wonderful patience of God, in bearing with thee so long, notwithstanding thy manifold provocations. It may bee thou hast been a swearer, a Sabbath-breaker, an unclean person for many years, and yet God hath spared thee; Oh thence take occasion to admire the long-suffering and forbearance of God towards thee.
3 Let the consideration of the hainous nature of sin, and fearful punishments due unto thee for the same, ravish thy soul with an admirat… of the love of Christ, yea and inflame thy heart with a …, who hath born thy sins for thee, and by his death satisfied Gods justice for the same.
Having thus done with the work of Cogitation and Application, then proceed to Resolution against sin for the time to come Resolve therefore to give sin a Bill of divorse, to be more watchful against sin, that it may not rule nor reign in thee, as formerly it hath done; say with thy self, Though I cannot utterly destroy sin, but that it will remain and abide in mee, yet I am resolved, with the assistance of Gods grace, so to keep it under, that it shall not reign in mee; that though it do keep possession in mee, yet that it shall not have dominion over mee. To this end I will carefully shun and avoid all the occasions and means which may allure and draw mee unto sin.
And then for a conclusion, begge of God, that as hee hath been pleased to put any good purpose and resolution into thine heart, so hee would inable thee by his holy Spirit to bring it to act and execution▪ that hee would strengthen thee to perform what thou hast promised. With an acknowledgement of thine own weakness and inability, beg power and strength from God: for it is his power that must strengthen thee against the power of thy lusts and corruptions.