Solitude Improved by Divine Meditation, Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV. Of the Grounds and Reaſons of this ſo neceſſary Duty of Meditation.
SO great and neceſſary a Duty muſt have its ſupport of ſtrong Reaſons to conclude it, and help to bear up the ſpirit better under the weight of it.
Divine and infinite Wiſdom muſt needs impoſe and require nothing without great and ſufficient Reaſons.
I ſhall therefore endeavour to propoſe ſundry of them in their clearneſs and ſtrength, as I can in this ſhort intended piece.
The grounds and farther demonſtrations of this Meditation, I ſhall reduce to theſe four heads.
1. Firſt from the natural order and dependencies of the Faculties of the reaſonable ſoul; and the ſeveral principles of Grace given into thoſe faculties, to enable the ſoul rightly to exerciſe it ſelf to godlineſs.
2. From the tranſcendent Excellency of Divine matters, which muſt have their due and full mindings.
3. From the uſe and ſeveral ends of Divine Meditation.
4. From either the great accruing advantages, or the prejudice upon the due performance, or ſinful neglect of this required Meditation.
1. Ground. From the natural order and dependencies of the ſouls faculties, and the graces laid into theſe faculties, for enabling a Chriſtian rightly to exerciſe godlineſs. God as he made man an excellent creature for excellent ends and operations, ſo he hath made the mind and underſtanding to be the ſouls eye, guide, and director: The firſt great Wheel, the firſt mover, directing and ſetting the other faculties of the will and affections in going and doing their ſeveral offices.
And becauſe mans nature is corrupted and diſabled, of it ſelf alone, to perform things ſpiritual and holy in a due manner, without a new heart, a new mind, will and affections all ſanctified by new principles given in to them: Therefore he muſt have a new light and knowledge, for his natural darkneſs, ignorance and error: A new wiſdom, for his natural folly: A new power and goodneſs of will, for the natural depravity: A new ſtamp of order, power and life in the affections, and holineſs in all the heart, for the diſorder and unrulineſs. The order in both Nature and Grace, is to act from the purpoſe, intention, and choice of the will, and heat of affections: But firſt, the will acts from the underſtanding; that's the Golden Candleſtick which holds the Light, and is the ſpring that brings all motion about, that ſets all the wheels of the ſoul on going: We firſt muſt ſee, and have our guide, before we chuſe, affect, or act.
The Will (as they ſay in Philoſophy) is Potentia coeca, a blind faculty. Therefore the underſtanding muſt guide at firſt: Therefore it muſt firſt act by thinking, ſeeing, and ſhewing, vvhat is to be done; in all rational actings, thinking muſt be firſt.
And to come nearer to our purpoſe, in all works of wiſdom, the underſtanding muſt act, not haſtily, but with heed, not vvith precipitation, but pondering: All heed and pondering requires time for the minds bending it ſelf to a thing, ſearching into it, ſtaying upon it, by muſing and meditating: After due conſideration comes the concluſive dictate of the underſtanding, that this or that is to be done; and before it be done, the Will firſt ſpontaneouſly chuſes it, and then doing follovvs upon determining. Novv as things done rationally and rightly, ſhould have, not bare ſudden tranſient thoughts, but ponderings by time taken; Prov. 4.26. a fit proportion of time: Nothing of moment ſhould be done on a bare preſent apprehenſion, unleſs it hath formerly paſſed under the teſt of deliberation; ſo wiſe perſons act ſtill: True it is, vve do many things in haſtes and hurries; but this is more like brute creatures than men: It is the order God hath ſet in Nature, firſt of all to conſider, then to act.
All wiſe doing is vvith a firſt vveighing: othervviſe it is folly and vanity, vvithout comlineſs, vvithout profit: As in Nature God hath ſet this order, the mind muſt firſt move, and vviſdom in the mind vvill firſt ponder and weigh; not act on ſlight but precedent ſerious thinkings: So in Religion, in all the matters of it vve are to perform, firſt there muſt be minding: None muſt ever in Religion ſay, I mind not what I do: The underſtanding in ſpiritual wiſdom, muſt ponder and conſider all things to be conſidered; and the will then muſt chuſe, and the affections move by the graces in them orderly; and then the executive power muſt act, in ſubordination to the mind guiding, and the will chuſing and intending.
As the underſtanding, will, and affections, are as the ſeveral natural links of the ſoul; ſo conſideration (the ſo noble act of the underſtanding) is to breed and ground the choices and intents of that Queen regent, the Will, and the orderly motions of her handmaids, the ſeveral Affections; and then muſt follow proſecuting and doing that was purpoſed by the Will, and ponder'd by the underſtanding.
As conſideration in things Natural, is fundamental and neceſſary to due chuſing and doing of all things: ſo Divine Meditation is fundamental and neceſſary in ſome degree to the ſpiritual actings of the Will, movings rightly of the Affections, and a religious regular performing what was piouſly purpoſed, and piouſly firſt ponder'd and Meditated upon.
All the Graces that make up the Golden Chain; the Graces that are the ſupernatural ſoul enoblements, that are planted and reſide in a renewed heart by way of principle and habit, are planted and laid into the ſeveral faculties of the Soul, as their relief and help, to ſanctifie them and empower them; ſome in the mind, and others in the will and affections: Theſe faculties have all their ſeveral Golden Links of the Chain of Graces aſperſed among them, and laid into them: But as the faculties of the ſoul are all guided, drawn, and moved by the firſt Mover, the underſtanding, and the act of conſidering: So the graces of the ſoul, all the Golden Links of the whole Chain of Graces muſt move by the firſt Link of the Chain, the light, ſpiritual wiſdom and actings of it by this Divine Meditation. This Link muſt draw firſt: Spiritual wiſdom exerciſed in this holy way of Meditation, muſt be a conſtant foundation and riſe to all the Duties of godlineſs.
This ſhould be at the bottom, and a ſtill quickner to all prayings, readings, hearings, and the reſt: Nothing is well done, that is not firſt well thought on, although the Duties of godlineſs are reciprocally helpful, mutually lending a hand each to other; as Reading, Hearing, Praying, are to Meditating, and Meditating is to them in different reſpects; yet Meditation ſhould and muſt help to make us our firm, even footing, and lively walking in Chriſts ways.
All things from firſt to laſt in our way of Religion, and walking by that Rule, have their due guidance and managings by this helm and hand of Meditation.
God every where in Scripture, when he would have thoſe come right and return, that have gone wrong, and ſuch to go on that have well begun, he calls them to conſideration and minding their ways; Hag. 1.5. Conſider your own ways in your hearts; and again, verſe 7. Iſa. 46.8. Bring it to mind. Put your hearts upon your ways, in the former; here they muſt bring their doings upon their hearts, by conſidering: Ezek. 18.28. He conſidereth and turneth. Conſideration is the riſe of returning: Luke 15.17. The Prodigals returning, was upon his conſidering: common wiſdom acting in conſideration, is the ſouls helm; and ſpiritual wiſdom, acting in Meditation, is the Chriſtians Helm; as the Word is his compaſs, and the Gales of the holy Spirit fill his ſails, and make him move. We cannot look for a Ship to ſail well, without the Helms ſteering well: Meditations Helm muſt ſteer our courſe; our courſe to the Harbour of true happineſs, muſt have its riſe in due conſideration, as the Scripture every where ſhews.
O let me, Lord, keep up ever this right order and method in my walkings; let Meditation be the ſpring that carries all the Wheels of my ſpirit right and even; that ſtill pondering all my paths, my ways may be eſtabliſhed.
This then I propound, as a principal ground of the neceſſity of Meditation, that dependance of the Will, Affections, and actings ſpiritual, on the underſtanding ſanctifi'd, and furniſht with light and wiſdom for ſalvation; which wiſdom and light is the guide to, and ſtirrer up of the will, affections, and endeavours by the means of Divine Meditation.
This I have the more now inſiſted on, in that the great failings of all ſorts riſe from neglect of this conſideration and Meditation, becauſe this conſideration is no more conſidered.
All Chriſtians that would have the Will purpoſe, the Affections move, the executing power endeavour well, muſt uſe the grace of ſpiritual wiſdom, that is the firſt wheel in the heavenly frame of ſpirit, and wiſdom by the way of Meditation, to ſet on going all the wheels of other graces diſperſt through the heart: The Graces planted as principles of ſpiritual life, ſtrength, and motion, and given to animate all operation.