Solitude Improved by Divine Meditation, Chapter 27
CHAP. XXVII. Of the third Ground of this Meditation, as to ſeveral ends and uſes.
THE third great ground of this neceſſary Duty is from the Ends, and the great concernments of them, as to all ſorts of perſons.
1. For a ſinners firſt converſion to God.
1. Meditation is a Duty incumbent on, and highly neceſſary for perſons yet ſtrangers to God, to bring them home; Ezek. 18.28. Becauſe he conſidereth and turneth, 1 King. 8.47. If they bethink themſelves and turn; returning of the ſinners is upon conſidering and ſelf bethinking; thus the Prodigal, Luke 15.
No man ever truly converts to God, without ſome conſideration of his Miſery, with his abſolute need of Chriſt and his Grace, and flying to him.
Although the efficacious drawing of a ſinner be Gods work, he awakens, convinces, humbles, and he changes the heart; yet not without the ſinners conſidering, minding, mourning, ſeeking, and ſtriving. God converts men as reaſonable Creatures, and converſion is founded on the deepeſt ſet reaſons, and the ſtrongeſt working and prevailing arguments in the world. God he awakens, and the ſinner looks about and conſiders, he reaſons with himſelf, as the Prodigal, and out-reaſons himſelf, but by Gods mighty working, keeping down the hearts corruption, and by its quickning the ſoul with a new living principle, and ſo he reſolves and returns to God: If more would muſe and conſider, did do it duly, more, God enabling, would return.
When the one is to be done, the other ſhall be done, men ſhall come to conſider and ponder.
2. For all renewed repenting.
There's great neceſſity of conſideration for our renewing our returning continually; for holding up an evenneſs and conſtancy of renewed repentance. Pſal. 119.59. I conſidered my ways, and turned my feet to thy Teſtimonies: Freſh godly ſorrow, ſelf-loathings, ſerious returnings, muſt have new freſh conſiderings of the ſinfulneſs of ſin, and laying loads of aggravations on particular new warpings and miſcarriages. Eſpecially greater Repentings require a deeper and larger foundation in conſideration, as David did in Pſal. 51. that evidences great and deep thoughts of heart.
3. For a vigorous acting of Grace.
For vigorous acting any Grace, Faith, Love, Hope, Fear, Humility, Patience, and others, as is frequently ſeen in the Saints in Scriptures, what reaſons and perſwaſions, they drew out of the depths of conſiderations; Job, David, others!
All the heart Graces are ſtirr'd and acted in ſome meaſure by conſideration, either of the command enjoyning, the Promiſe encouraging, threatning awing, examples exciting, arguments in ſome ſort or other inducing and helping.
It is ſomething that works and weighs, is firſt pondered before the ſoul acts, or is rightly moved. A Chriſtian acts not as Water or Fire, which move by their own inclination: But as men act in things as men, which is by choice and free election, but upon preceding inſtigation of Reaſon and conſideration.
Grace, though it be a ſpring of living water, it is not that which runs over of it ſelf: That's for Heaven, where the heart will be full and run alone: It is not like the ſpring-head of Jordan, that ran of it ſelf, but like Jacob's well, that had always water, but muſt always be drawn: It muſt be drawn out by conſideration.
Chriſtians miſtake and complain oft of their hearts, and would have them like a running Spring, to run, to act alone: when here in the beſt, though there be water, as in Jacob's Well; yet the well is deep, there muſt be drawing for every drop, or none will come. Therefore to make it come, the Bucket of Conſideration muſt be letting down, and pulling up, and ſo pouring forth. What the Apoſtle ſaid to Timothy, 2 Tim. 1.6. Stir up the gift that is in thee, muſt be ſaid to all, and done by all, that would do any thing.
Some Horſes, we ſay, go on meer Metal, without out provocation of ſwitch or ſpur; others will go well with ſome ſtirring up: So our hearts, if good, will go on in godlineſs, but not on meer Metal, but with provokings of conſiderations.
There ſhould be endeavoured the beſt and ſtrongeſt mindings and reaſonings, if we would act Graces vigorouſly and ſtrongly. There's a neceſſity that ſtrong purpoſes and reſolutions, for believing, truſting, loving, hoping, all acting, all enduring ſtrongly; be bottom'd in ſtrong mindings and conſiderings: The fuller the conſideration, the better the actings of Graces; the ſtronger the ſpring in the Watch, the better all the Wheels move.