Solitude Improved by Divine Meditation, Chapter 15
CHAP. XV. Of Occaſional Meditation, and that which is more extraordinary.
SOlemn Occaſional Meditation comes now to be conſidered, which is the ſouls taking of time for, and acting Meditation on ſome particular ſelected ſubject, either out of the Word of God, or among the Works of God, or ſomthing providentially falling out, or ſomthing concerning our ſelves, any thing offering fit occaſion for fruitful Meditation.
They may be chiefly referr'd to theſe two heads.
1. Either ſuch things as purpoſely we (out of varieties of ſubjects before us) do ſingle out for Meditation, to help and quicken us in godlineſs.
2. Or ſome new freſh thing, which the hand of Gods Providence holdeth forth, for our particular obſerving and improving.
1. That which we ourſelves, out of varieties of ſubjects, may or do ſingle out for our ſpiritual advantage.
Here the ſcope and compaſs our Eye hath to make its choice of, and fix upon is very large: The Eye in Meditation hath before it the fulleſt, faireſt proſpect can come in view: Here is a breadth, length, depth, height, a compaſs and circumference that in point of lawful liberty, you may look from Earth to Heaven, yea through the whole world, in all its vaſtneſs, and varieties of objects in it; and beyond them all, unto him that is ſo infinitely above them all, God himſelf, in all his ſo inconceivable exaltations and perfections.
O how narrow then muſt that Spirit be, which ſhall be ſtraitned and at a loſs, for matter to employ and buſie its ſeriouſneſs about?
That hath ſo large a Field to walk in, and ſo great varieties, as the vaſt world, Heaven and Earth, and all things in them; and the infinite God, with ſo many infinite excellencies as are in him, and yet to ſeek how to Meditate? Ah how barren, low, and poor muſt that ſpirit be which is enriched with ſo great proviſions for mind and thought entertainment, and for times improvement, and yet cannot fruitfully employ it ſelf, on ſome one thing or other that preſents it ſelf to us, and invites our ſeeing and pondering of it.
Although Meditation hath ſo great a latitude and liberty; a liberty to travel farther, and ſee more by far than all the great Travellers that have bin in the world: yet ſpiritual wiſdom teacheth us to endeavour the moſt advantageous way of engaging our thinking power in Meditation. For the wiſdom of this way we now are upon, it needs muſt lie in that manner and order, as moſt may conduce to the great and main end of glorifying God, and our own ſalvation. It is moſt true, that in point of liberty it is my Chriſtian priviledge to take and ſet before me any profitable ſubject to intend my thoughts upon, when no particular occaſion of Meditation doth otherwiſe oblige me: I ſay, when no particular contrary obligation is upon me, I may chuſe to meditate either on this or that uſeful ſubject as I pleaſe.
I have the whole Creation for my Eye-walk, my Meditation, and ſpirits recreation: yea, and farther than the whole world extends; I may go to contemplate him that is the higheſt; if I pleaſe, like David and other Saints of God, I may with my Eye walk and look among the Works of God, the ſo excellent and unimitable pieces of his moſt admirable framing: On all the ſo ſtately Fabrick of the world, any of the rare built ſtories lower or higher, any of the rich Furnitures or exquiſite things contained in it.
Firſt I may view the lower ſtory wherein I am; fix upon the precious things the Earth hath within, the riches of Minerals and precious Metals, Silver, Gold, and the ſo uſeful other ſorts; the riches of all ſorts of precious Stones, Diamonds, Carbuncles, Rubies, Emeralds, and all the reſt.
I may view the innumerable exquiſite things upon the Earth, from the Moſs and imperfect Plants, to the Graſs made for the Cattel, to all things growing in the whole Garden of Nature, and more peculiarly made for the ſervice of man; among all the Herbs, Flowers, Shrubs, and Trees of all ſorts, and ſee in them the ſo fair Characters of the infinite Power, Wiſdom, and Goodneſs of the great Creator, written moſt legibly on them.
I may Meditate on all ſorts of living Creatures, from the leaſt and loweſt Mite or Inſect, all creeping things, with all Beaſts and Birds, that go upon the Earth, wild or tame.
Conſider I may their ſeveral Natures, Features, and Shapes, Beauties, and Excellencies; and withall, the ſerviceableneſs and uſefulneſs of them, to that poor Clod of earth, man, for whom they are,
I may look to the Waters, Fountains, Rivers, and vaſt Seas, with the innumerable things and Creatures about and in them, Fowls, Fiſhes, and theſe of ſo many Kinds, Forms, and Shapes; all of them the demonſtrations of the infinite glories of that unimitable Artiſt the great God. My Meditation alſo may, with the Pſalmiſt, take in the eternal and mighty Hills and Mountains, with the Rocks, Sands, and Bulwarks made againſt the raging Seas, that they return not again to cover the earth, Pſal. 104.9.
I may go up to the higher ſtories of this Fabrick of the World, to the Waters above, to the Clouds and their Bottleings up of Waters in them, and that ſo great wonder in Nature, the inviſible and ſo powerful Wind, which carries the Clouds from place to place, whereby they at length open, fall down, and water the thirſty Earth with Dews and Showrs; they alſo ſerve to purge and purfie the Air we breathe in.
I may eye other ſorts of Meteors or Exhalations, and things appearing in the Air, as thoſe fiery and dreadful ſometimes impreſſions, making us to wonder; the falling Stars, flying Dragons, fiery dartings of ſome, and fixing ſtanding brightneſſes of others, of ſeveral ſhapes. To all theſe I may adde that Voice of God, the fearful Thunder, and the concomitant Coruſcations and Lightnings; Lightnings alſo ſometimes alone; all theſe are mighty and ſtupendious operations of the great God.
Higher yet I may go, to another higher ſtory, that of the Starry Heaven; contemplate the ſo innumerable Stars of ſeveral glories, and wonderful motions & influences, with the beauteous Moon to ſhine by Night, & her changings, encreaſings, and decreaſings, and hidings; and that Eye of the World, the moſt glorious Sun, all ſo admirably meditated upon by the Pſalmiſt, Pſ. 8. Pſ. 19. Pſ. 104. Pſ. 136.
I may go yet one ſtep higher to that third Heaven, the Palace of God, where alſo Chriſt is in his humane Nature exalted, and appearing in higheſt glory: It is alſo the native place of the glorious Angels, and the place of happy reception, entertainment, and habitation, of the ſpirits of juſt men made perfect, Heb. 12.23. But of this more particularly hereafter.
But among all, I may more peculiarly muſe, and in muſing greatly wonder at that one thing, namely Man, Pſ. 8. the making of him in ſo great excellency, and all things in the World for his uſe and ſervice; all for a little ſpeek of duſt, with a little ſpark in it of an immortal ſoul. O what is man, that a God ſhould be ſo mindful of him, and do ſo for him! But O what muſt man then be, that ſo little minds God! and what muſt that man be, that does not, that cannot or rather will not find mind Employment, how to engage and act that rare endowment the thinking power, in the rich and ample proviſions purpoſely made for objects of mind entertainment? All this being then my Eye-ſcope, and having ſo great varieties of Eye-walks, ſo large a latitude to exerciſe my thinkings, ſo profitably to act this holy Duty of Meditation, I am left wholly (if I neglect it) without all excuſe.
If I ſtill daily let my thoughts run and ravel out in vanities and impertinencies, and can fix no where uſefully for my ſpiritual good.
But in that multitudes of things may breed confuſion, prudence muſt direct to find out the beſt method and order, that ſo I may meditate with more eaſe, pleaſure, and advantage. My beſt Wiſdom therefore is to conſider of the fitteſt way, if not in it ſelf, yet at leaſt for my particular ability and times.
1. As either to meditate of ſome portion or paſſage of holy Scripture, ſome Precept, Promiſe, Threatning, Direction, Encouragement, or Example, or ſome Grace, Virtue, Vice, or Sin: And for more delight and help, meditate I may by ſetting one contrary againſt another; as one Promiſe being ſingled, or ſome of the Promiſes, I may turn upon the Threatnings: If I meditate upon a Reward and Bleſſing given to any, turn I may to the Puniſhment and Evils that have been inflicted, or are threatned, Reward on Obedience, and Puniſhment on Diſobedience.
2. Meditate I may over the heads and chief points of Religion in order, as I can ſet them; or as ſome ſhort Bodies of Divinity and Catechiſms compriſe them.
3. Or ſomething of the Works of the great God, as Creation, that ſo amazing and utterly inconceivable Work, ſet out as it is in Geneſis the firſt, and in other Scriptures: Or Providence, God's ſo ſtrange and admirable preſervation and governing of all things in the World, from the greateſt to the leaſt in it, and about it, every motion, mutation, and diſpoſing of it to a ſure end, his own higheſt glory.
4. Or ſomething particularly of my own ſpiritual condition, for my more peculiar benefit. As,
1. Something which may make me wiſer to ſalvation, and adde to my Treaſure of ſpiritual truths.
2. Something may make me warmer, and encreaſe my heat of holy affection.
3. Or ſomething which may ſtrengthen and fix my ſouls great purpoſe of walking with God, and render me a more highly reſolved perſon for Heaven.
4. I ſhould as a grand buſineſs, the affair of chief concernment, meditate frequently and moſt ſeriouſly about the caſe of my ſoul, how in very deed it is, 2 Cor. 13.5. both without any ſelf flattery on the one hand, or ſelf injury on the other hand, Pſal. 36.2. Neither making my ſelf and ſtate better than it is, nor worſe than it is, Lam. 3.1. That I may not on any miſtake be confident, preſuming fondly, John 2.4. nor diffident, deſponding and diſcouraged weakly.
5. I muſt frequently meditate of the evil and moſt deceitful heart, that arch cheater I continually carry in my boſom, and therefore am never to be ſecure, but alway awakened for fear of its falſeneſs and deceits: Meditate therefore of that ſo excellent Scripture, Jer. 17.9. The heart, &c. Therefore I ſhall more largely ſpeak to it.