Solitude Improved by Divine Meditation, Chapter 24
CHAP. XXIV. Of more ſhort and ejaculatory Meditation.
BEſides ſolemn and ſet Meditation, there is alſo that which is ſudden and ſhort, wherein the ſoul acts, as one breaking out of a Throng or Croud, goes aſide from diſturbances and diverſions, or breaks off from ſome preſent and too preſſing buſineſs, to take breath and reſpite it ſelf; whereby it makes a ſtand of thoughts, turns the ſtream of former thoughts, and like a Bird that was ſitting on the ground, riſes and mounts up aloft, to ſing and ſport it ſelf; even ſo a holy heart, in heavenly mindedneſs, will get out of the throng of cares and buſineſs, will be often breaking off the thread of earthly thoughts, and interpoſe ſome heavenly, dart up to Heaven, make a ſhort viſit thither, refreſh it ſelf with ſome heavenly dainty; take and taſte of the Manna above, look up to God, to Chriſt, his Spirit, his Grace, his Promiſes, his Providences and gracious orderings, have a running Banquet of heavenly ſweet-meats, when it cannot ſit down and feed at large by a fuller ſet Meditation.
As there are ejaculatory Prayers and wiſhes, when there is not opportunity for more ſolemn enlargements; there ſhould be alſo ſudden and ſhort meditatings, quick interpoſings of good and holy thoughts, then when the urgencies of Affairs, incumbrances, diverſions and interruptions by company, hindrances in any kind, will not admit the opportunity of an abode of ſerious thoughts; then ſudden dartings up the ſoul to Heaven may be had, be a refreſhment; as Jonathans taſting the Honey, with the top of his Rod, when being in purſuit of the Philiſtines he could not take a full meal. David (that meditated ſo much) muſt needs, in reſpect of his great occaſions (Civil, and Military, and Domeſtick) make much uſe of this ſhort way of Meditation, when he often could not go the other larger way.
As he was frequent in his ſudden ſhort prayings, ſo muſt he be much in ſhort ſudden meditatings, which were the ground commonly of his prayings.
The Pſalms ſhew his frequent uſing this ſhort way of meditation and praying: Thus Pſal. 15. a Pſalm of but five verſes. So Pſal. 127. a Pſalm of five verſes: and Pſal. 125. the like: and Pſal. 123. hath a Meditation of four verſes: Pſal. 131. is a Meditation of three verſes: and Pſal. 117. is a Meditation of but two verſes: yet the ſpirit of God is pleas'd to have it recorded. Many other Pſalms we have very ſhort, that were his quick Meditations, left all for teaching us to do likewiſe, looking on his example.
This Meditation, though of ſhorter time, yet ſo far as we can, muſt have its Regulation and Governance.
1. It ſhould (ſo near as we can) have its ſtamp and ingredient of holy reverence.
All thoughts of holy things muſt not be (how ſudden ſoever) acts of raſhneſs and over-haſte, without heed and fear, the name of a glorious God is upon every Ordinance, that muſt not be taken in vain.
2. It ſhould be the product and iſſue of holy lingering after God and communion with him; from a thirſting for God to taſte a little, when we cannot have fuller draughts of him.
3. It ſhould be the glance of a ſpiritual Eye, looking from love, being enamoured with God and Chriſt, and heavenly things: Not a looking from Cuſtom, and an uſe to ſatisfie conſcience, calling for ſomething may look like a Duty; but from the ſtrength and predominancy of the fire of heavenly love: Pſal. 119.97. O how love I thy Law, its my Meditation all the day: As other, ſo this ſort of Meditation, muſt have a riſe from love. Love breeds longing and looking, it introduces a pleaſure in a looking, though but a glancing of the Eye, on the ſurpaſſing beauty and lovelineſs of God and Jeſus Chriſt, and the glorious things of Heaven.
Ah how excellent is this frame of ſpirit, how ſweet and pleaſant is it to have the Eye often on theſe ſo rare beauties, from being, as the Spouſe in the Canticles, both really and deeply in love!
4. It ſhould be aim'd and levell'd at the right mark, pleaſing and glorifying God, and for communion farther with him, that he may ſee how the pulſe of our Souls beats, how the Eye looks, how we act, and how our hearts make ſtill their holy eſcapes from the crowd, and obſtructings of occaſions, to give him a friendly, ſpiritual viſit, to let him ſee the fervour of our love by endeavours ſo oft as we can, to do him homage and honour: As when we would ſhew our high reſpect and honour to any perſon, we make the more frequent viſits, when we cannot make long ſtay. So here when throngs of indiſpenſable occaſions, hinder the ſet and larger engagements in Meditation, make we it up in ſhorter viſits, in often thinkings; ſhort viſits rightly aim'd bring ſweet peace.
Let it not be therefore ſo haſty, as we obſerve ſome Children, call'd to go to a place, that run without their errand, to act without aim; right aiming the end lays the foundation of a Dutys excellency: O let my ſpirit, if I cannot think and dwell long upon heavenly things, through weakneſs, let it make up the defect by thinking often. Let the dartings upward be the livelier and thicker, like a Golden Chain which is very long, though the Links be very little.
O let me trade, drive a quick trade with littles; Light gains make a heavy purſe, little frequent tradings will gain me much here.
This ſhort often acting up, will make my heart keep ſtill open to Heaven; keep the path-way thither beaten plain, eaſie, and ſo make it pleaſant for my ſpirit to walk in, make this Meditation highly ſweet, a rare refreſhing.
The frequencies of thinkings heaven-ward, will have this threefold advantage, theſe three excellent fruits.
1. Frequencies of heavenly thoughts will breed and cheriſh an habitual heavenly mindedneſs unto that primitive Grace, that habit of regenerating Grace (which brings a tendency, and bent of ſoul, making it incline heavenward) it will ſuperadde an habitual heavenly mindedneſs, a heart peculiarly and powerfully ready, and active heavenward. As an Artiſt which hath not only reaſon firſt to diſpoſe him, fit him for his Trade, but the peculiar habit, a head and hand for it to underſtand and act as an Artiſt.
2. The frequencies of heavenly, will thereby be an excluſive and thruſter out of earthly thoughts, the right way of a compendious cure: It's not the way ſo much to ſtand watching, and ſtriving to drive them away; to be on the defenſive barely, but to be on the poſitive, in acting good thoughts, that will keep out bad. As if Wine firſt fills the Veſſel, there is no room for Water: if a Treaſury be full of Gold, there is no room for rubbiſh.
3. This frequent ſhort darting upward, will end with leaving an after ſweetneſs upon the palate of the ſpirit; ſhort, when heavenly, will be ſweet, as every crum of Sugar leaves ſome ſweetneſs on the palate; every drop of pure live honey, a delicious after reliſh, ſo this ſhort Meditation.
The Manna that dewed down upon the Iſraelites Camp, lay like ſmall Coriander ſeeds; which they gathered, ground, and made their Bread of, which had a rare relliſh.
This ſort of Meditation may gather ſtill ſome little ſeeds of heavenly Manna, ſoul-Bread, with new freſh delicious ſweetneſs following.
The heavenly minded perſon may, as the manner of ſome is, go ever with ſome rich taſted, and ſented thing in the mouth.
Whenſoever cares and diverſions preſs hard, hang heavy, draw ſtrongly, greatly diſquiet, and weary thy ſpirit; here is an out-let, an eſcape, a rare way of interpoſition and ſoul eaſing diverſion, yea of a ſhort though ſweet, and heavenly ſolace.
It may be lookt on as a ſhadow, a reſemblance of the bleſſed Apoſtles ſudden carrying into the third Heaven: Inſtantly thou this way art above, though preſently below again.
This is far ſurpaſſing all the ſenſual and ſinful pleaſures in the world: Theſe ſhort taſtes, by giving our worldly occaſions the ſlip, and mounting up to Heaven; Theſe ſhort viſits made there, theſe ſpiritual ſhort applications made to Heaven, to the bleſſed God, to Jeſus Chriſt for communion with him and the Father, have more ſweet, pure, powerful, and heart elevating joy, than is poſſible to be had in any carnal or earthly things.
They at the higheſt, brighteſt, and ſweeteſt, have ſomething to top, dim, and embitter them, Prov. 14.13. Even in, &c. But every way of godlineſs, is a path of pleaſantneſs, and ſweetneſs, which none know but ſuch as try it.
I now have (through Chriſts aſſiſtance) finiſht this laſt way of Meditation, ſudden and ejaculatory; and ſo the whole nature and ſeveral kinds of Meditation, with ſuch things as are compriſed in it, according to my ſlender ability, and the opportunity I now could have. I am now next to come to the cogencies and ſtrengths of Reaſons, which are for the farther evidencing and ſupporting of this ſo important Duty of holy Meditation.