Solitude Improved by Divine Meditation, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII. An Application to ſuch as are godly, and have taſted the ſweetneſs of Meditation.
2. Ʋſe of exhortation. THE next perſwaſion and inſtigation is of all ſuch who from a right principle planted in them by heart-changing grace, and their experience from often and uſual practice of Meditation, have taſted the benefit and ſweetneſs of it; to take heed of neglecting it, and to endeavour a conſtancy and improvement in it.
As there is nothing harder than to hedge in the thoughts and govern them, ſo how hard is it to make them keep and beat this path of Meditation, to have the ſoul go, as with Hinds feet, moſt readily and with enlargements of ſteps in it? The holieſt heart is too apt to flag and be weary, in the beſt pathway to Heaven.
Meditation hath a ſtrong and active Enemy in every boſom; when any would do this good, evil is preſent, in backwardneſs to it, regret and reluctaney riſes up, puts in a caveat, hangs a weight and clog to hinder, which watchfulneſs and reſolution muſt ſpy out and caſt off: Caſt off every weight, ſaith the Apoſtle, Heb. 12.1. Every weight the fleſh caſts upon a Duty, the ſpirit muſt caſt off, and then run; ſin at all times can eaſily beſet us, and now at this time we may eaſily find it.
How eaſily will ſin beſet us with excuſes? how eaſily with whole Troops of Arguments will it charge us? how eaſily with ſwarms of diverſione, diverting thoughts, purpoſes, affections, will it ſeek to warp us? this thing, and the other, and a third, and a thouſand, that flye about as thick in the heart, as motes in the Sun-ſhine.
1. Meditation is harder than ſome other Duties of godlineſs; for in other Duties the body comes in, as an aſſiſtant to the ſoul, and lends a hand of help: As in praying, there may the voice come in, which is a great furtherance, keeping better up the minds intention, and keeping better off deadneſs and diſtraction: In reading, the eye is exerciſed, and the mind is the better, as to attention and heeding, if not to heat and intention: The eye affects the heart; ſo preaching hath the ear to convey and make the better impreſſion: But in Meditation, the ſoul acts ſingle and unaſſiſted, without a ſtirring up, or exciting by any ſenſe, or any help from the body, and ſo it is the harder, as the condition of our Nature now makes it: In the ſtate of imperfection, we need the bodies help to farther the ſoul in its workings in ſome ſort.
2. Meditation hath leaſt opportunities of coming under obſervation of others, and thereby leſs provocation and encouragement for doing well, by either bad or good, before whom, in other caſes, our light ſhould ſhine, and God by them be glorified.
3. Meditation is hard, in that it is an acting of the quickeſt faculty, and the moſt ſlippery piece of the ſoul; nothing is nimbler than the thinking power, no act in the world quicker, and of more expedite motion than that of a thought, and nothing ſooner ſlips off the object, or thing acted upon, and makes a way faſter to a new, than the thinking faculty; like the Bird put wild into a Cage, the door is no ſooner open, but ſhe is gone.
Meditation is harder, being not bare thinking, a flaſh, a ſit for an inſtant, a touching; but a fixing and ſtay of thoughts, a detaining them, which otherwiſe are as Oyl in a mans right hand, that will not be retain'd: A carnal heart counts all Ordinances, and ſpiritual engagements, but coming into bonds, tyings with Cords, longs to break them and be free, ſo doth it by this Cord and tye of Meditation; it's harſh work to the fleſh.
O it's a moſt high attainment, to be able to ſay, O God my heart is fixed, Pſal. 108.1. fixed as to the purpoſe of heart, the choice and intent of the will, ſo to have the head, the mind, to ceaſe the rowling, ranging vanity and ſlipperineſs, and to act fixedly in the way of ſeriouſneſs, not be a light-headed, but a muſing man, a perſon of ponderings, and thought-ſtayings; like the Bee that lights on the Flower, and ſtays to have the Honey with her e're ſhe removes.
4. Meditation is the harder, in that Satan hath greater power upon, and more immediate paſſage to the faculty of imagination, than other faculties of the will and affections; he works not ſo immediately on the will and affections, as upon the imagination, and there he endeavours interruptions by his injections and ſuggeſtions; there he endeavours diverſions to think quite another way from the work in hand, and diſturbances, caſting in by-thoughts, and ſundry objects of different or contrary nature to the duty we are in.
As Satan fill'd Ananias heart, but firſt by filling the imagination with thought of covetouſneſs; ſo he can caſt ſuddenly into the beſt heart thoughts and apprehenſions, when about the beſt work, to diſturb and hinder.
Beſides, conſider his malice is great againſt Meditation, knowing how great advantage comes to us by it, and how much diſadvantage to him.
Satan is much prejudiced by ponderings; he ever watches when this work is taking in hand, and therefore Chriſtian, thou haſt greater reaſon of taking the greater heed; to watch him that ſo watches thee, to fight him that fights againſt thee, and ſo envies thee the help of this Ordinance, that would not have thee enjoy the freedom of one good, one ſerious thought, but is caſting the duſt of evil thoughts in the eyes of our minds, when they are looking up to Heaven, but principally he envies and oppoſes ſeriouſneſs, ſearchings and dwelling of thoughts upon ſpiritual things.
Satan deals with us here, as deceitful Courtiers and Councellors have done with their Maſters, diverting them from minding their affairs, and all right ſeriouſneſs, by pleaſures, and new devices, under the pretence of freedom from incumbrances, and trouble and enjoying themſelves; but that hereby they might more ſecurely proſecute & compaſs their own private intereſts. Satan had rather we ſhould do any thing than keep up a ſeriouſneſs in Meditation (or any other holy Duties) which may keep us awake and in a watchful poſture, againſt his enterpriſes.
5. Meditation is the harder, by reaſon of the exemplary mindleſneſs of ſo many, we daily meet and converſe with, who refuſe and ſlight all ſeriouſneſs, as unneceſſary niceneſs, or neglect it, out of ſlothfulneſs, and lothneſs to trouble themſelves.
Bad Examples are very infectious, apt to convey a ſecret poyſon into mens hearts, when they heed them not; by touching this pitch, the beſt are ready to be defiled.
6. Meditation is like the road or paſſage, where many things meet us, juſtle us, and are ready to turn us out of the way; cares they ſtrive to come in, buſineſſes and multiplicity of affairs, ſudden emergencies, and ſundry things, that may attempt to interpoſe; and theſe, if our watch and guard be not the ſtronger and ſtricter, will miſcarry the Duty.
Yea ſometimes one Duty may drive out another; often we let holy duties interfere, and croſs each other, hearing, praying, and the reſt, ſometimes there's haſtening from one to another, ſometimes letting one detain us ſo long, that others are cut ſhort, and ſo helps are turned in part into hindrances, opportunities for ſome Duties into obſtructions to others, when godly prudence allows every thing its ſeaſon and due proportion of time.
The external hindrances to Meditation are many from common buſineſs, and things of this life; and we often create our own hindrances by our ſloth and imprudence, not carefully redeeming and wiſely ordering our times and opportunities.
Ah then my ſoul, if Meditation be ſo high, ſo hard, as to its ſpiritual nature, and hath withal ſuch Enemies and oppoſitions, look to it then I muſt the more cautiouſly, but not leſs reſolutely perform it.
The Moraliſts ſay, that difficulty is cos virtutis, the incentive and heightener of magnanimity; to a great and heroick ſpirit nothing muſt be ſo great as to outlook it and diſcourage it: The greater and braver fiſh ſwim againſt the ſtream; the noble Chriſtian by difficulty and oppoſition is caution'd, but not cowed out.
If there were nothing to ſet againſt and weigh with the former cautions and arguments from Enemies and oppoſition, if no high inducements and advantageous arguments to put into the ſcale of perſwaſion, to weigh againſt ſuch as fill the ſcale of diſwaſion, it then might the more reverſe and turn the edge of thy courage (yet arguments from evil and miſchief, in many caſes are ſufficient alone) the danger of an armed Enemies approaching, as in Jacob's caſe; the danger of deadly poyſon, prepared for thee, or infection coming very nigh thee is enough. But we have encouragements, and thoſe in full meaſure, preſſed down and running over. As Eliſha to his ſervant diſcouraged, when encompaſt in Dothan, we have moe with us than againſt us: What if there be a principle of fleſh, that makes oppoſition; yet thy principle of ſpirit and grace, is a real ground of hope and help: If thy grace, Chriſtian, be true, though but a grain of muſtard-ſeed, it will live, and hold, and act and grow, act into endeavour and ſtriving till it overcomes: A principle will help thee.
1. Conſider, a principle introduces an inclination, a bent and tendency of heart againſt the inclination and contrary tendency of corruption, Pſal. 119.112. and it's a principle muſt live, and the contrary carnal principle muſt die; Rom. 6.11. Reckon your ſelves dead unto ſin, but alive unto God: Sin as to the purchaſe of Chriſt is dead in the Saints totally, and it is dead in the habit and root initially and in part, in reſpect of the communicated and inherent grace of Chriſt, which upon union with Chriſt, begins the death of ſin in mortification, Rom. 6.
2. A principle, beſides inclination and tendency, introduces power and ability; as the Fleſh hath its power, ſo the ſpirit and grace hath its contrary power.
3. A principle introduces facility; though the Fleſh makes Duties hard, yet the Spirit is ready, and makes godlineſs eaſie.
4. A principle introduces delight and complacency, the Fleſh acts reluctancy, the Spirit delight and pleaſure, Pſal. 119.47.
5. A principle works holding on and conſtancy, Gal. 5. as the Fleſh luſts againſt the Spirit, ſo the Spirit againſt the Fleſh (Pſal. 119.12. laſt part of the verſe) not only begins but holds on; a principle will help you to hold on, for God will hold that on, Phil. 1.6. He that hath begun a good work in you, will finiſh it to the day of Chriſt.
6. A principle is bleſt, by the uſing of it, with progreſs and growth; the fleſh that ſhall decreaſe and waſte, but the grain of Muſtard-ſeed ſhall grow to a great tree, Math. 13.32.
7. A principle ſhall be crown'd; by contending and ſtriving, with glorious conqueſt and victory; the Spirit wars againſt the Fleſh, and it conquers in the iſſue, by its ſtill warring; judgment is brought forth to victory, Rom. 8.37.
Ah, never be diſcouraged for any thing within, be very ſenſible of ſin within, and the ſtirrings of it, but ſink not under the ſight of it, take thou encouragement, Chriſtian, to fight it, and to ſubdue it; if thy hearts badneſs appear, its backwardneſs and croſſneſs to any Duty, know you can get nothing by giving way, but by going on and ſtriving; and uſe this herein as thy rule, wear out thy own backwardneſs to and wearineſs in a Duty, by doing it in a reſolved conſtancy, wear out the indiſpoſition to duty, by doing that Duty, and doing it fervently.
2. What if Satan be ſuch an Enemy, yet have we not more and ſtronger with us than him? we have the holy Spirit that helps to pray, and he will help us to meditate.
If he ſees we are labouring to get up the Mount in Meditation, he will give us his hand to help us up; if Satan and all Hell be againſt us in this or any other Duty, he will be for us, yea, Father, Son, and Spirit are and will be all aſſiſtants to us: Do we not uſe to ſay, God came in at ſuch a time, in ſuch a Duty? He delights to ſee how the pulſe of thy ſpirit beats heavenward, how the eye of thy ſoul looks upward, how it fixes its looks of heavenly love upon him; he delights to help up thy heart in its holy Meditation, to help it tower up to Heaven, to taſte of thoſe ſurmounting glorious delicacies, prepared for his beloveds entertainment and higheſt ſolace.
What others in their exemplary careleſneſs, hold forth what their mindleſneſs is, they uſe; muſt not have any impreſſion of diſcouragement, or prove to us any impediment.
It is no ſtaying till we can take every one along with us in our journey to Heaven.
Neither muſt the example of any, the higheſt, the greateſt, the richeſt, the wiſeſt, and learnedeſt, the neareſt related, the deareſt affected, nor any under any conſideration whatever, have that ill influence upon us, either to diſcourage or divert us, weaken our hands, or hinder our making ſtraight ſteps in this bleſſed path of meditating diligently upon heavenly things.
Neither let the cares and pleaſures, buſineſs and affairs of this world, hinder this ſoul great affair of ſerious Meditation in the ſeaſons of it.
The Saints of Chriſt in all ages have found a way to this duty, as well as others, and that through the throng, and multiplicity of crowding and juſtling occaſions. As it is ſaid of our Lord Chriſt, in Luk. 4.30. when they of Nazareth, angry with him, thruſt him out of the City, and would have caſt him down headlong, he paſſing through the midſt of them goes his way; the Saints of Chriſt have made their way, paſſing through the midſt of buſineſſes and emergencies, troubles, and diſquiets. They had a wiſdom given them to find out a way, they had a will, a purpoſe, and reſolvedneſs fixt, ſo as to overlook and overcome obſtructions and lets, from throngings of buſineſs, and multitudes of ſtill ſucceſſively interpoſing diverſions: That holy David who had ſo many highly urging and preſſing occaſions, as no man now, whatſoever he be, can have more; yet he made his way continually through all the throngings of ſo high importancies, and moſt urgent affairs; he had a wiſdom given to find a way, and a will to reſolve to Meditate, and he did it daily.
Pſal. 119.48. He ſays he will meditate in Gods Statutes; when he ſo determined, certainly he did it not raſhly, and without conſideration of his many occaſions and weighty affairs, and thoſe great diverſions which he might after meet with at home and abroad, in Peace and War; yet thus he reſolves: And Pſal. 119.97. he ſaith it, and to the Lord himſelf, that he did it, and all the day; firſt he ſaith he will, then ſaith he doth meditate, and ſaith it to the all-knowing God.
It therefore hence appears how feaſable and practicable this Duty is; notwithſtanding cares, buſineſs, troubles of all ſorts whatever, from the world and living in it, there is an attainable will.
1. A godly heart may come to ſay I will, may ſet an univerſal purpoſe of heart, a firm purpoſe, and a purpoſe of equal extent, to the whole latitude of Goſpel Duties, and whatſoever the Word requires.
2. And likewiſe he may have a latitude of wiſdom, to underſtand his way, every way he is to walk, Prov. 14.8. The wiſdom of the wiſe is to underſtand his way. Pſal. 119.98. Thou haſt made me wiſer than mine Enemies; and 99. I have more underſtanding than my teachers: There David diſcovers he had wiſdom for his way, and how he arrived at ſuch a height of wiſdom, and directs us how to come by it.
3. And as a Chriſtian may come to ſay he will do ſuch a required Duty, and arrive at the wiſdom of doing it, ſo by grace he may come up to an anſwerable extenſiveneſs of practice and performance, walking in all the ways of the Lord, as Zacharias and Elizabeth, Luke 1.6. David oft profeſſes his both univerſality, as of his heart-purpoſe, ſo of his practice, as the 119. Pſalm, and others, abundantly ſhew.
Yet firſt fixing our purpoſe in the ſtrength of Chriſt, then following after the wiſdom of our way, making it a grand ſcope to attain the wiſdom, the right and ſure wiſdom of our ſoul affairs, to be Artiſts in Religion; and then falling cloſe to practiſe what we reſolve and underſtand; this with Chriſts help will make our work, any work upon our hands to prove eaſie, Prov. 8.9. They are all plain to him that underſtands, eaſie the old Tranſlation hath it: we have a ſaying in Divinity, Iter ad pietatem, eſt intra ipſam pietatem, the way to godlineſs is within godlineſs; that is, the way to learn it, is to act it, and the way to facilitate and make it eaſie, is by exerciſing our ſelves ſtill in it, ſetting upon, and keeping up the practice of it: He that doth much in it fervently and frequently, will come to perform with increaſing facility: Slack and liſtleſs doing, ſlight and negligent performing may come to loathing and leaving, end with the diſadvantage of a far worſe temper of heart-averſneſs than there was at the firſt.
Formality in Religion ends oft in falling firſt off from it, and then falling out with it; contrarily doing with care and fervency, encreaſeth ſpiritual ſtrength, and the encreaſe of ſtrength makes the work more eaſie.
In uſing to do it earneſtly, we arrive at a doing eaſily: O therefore let every one be highly encouraged to hold up our conſtancy in this excellent Duty, to walk with an extenſive and increaſing evenneſs and equality, in this ſo pleaſant high road to Heaven, both in daily Meditation; in that for the entrance, and that other for the ending of the day; in alſo the occaſional ſolemn Meditation, that rare way of ſpiritual improvement in wiſdom and heavenly warmth; and in that way of Meditation, by ſhort and ſudden ejaculations. This threefold cord will draw ſtrongly Heaven-ward, will make thy ſoul go from ſtrength to ſtrength, from warmth to warmth, from pleaſure to pleaſure; make thee keep upon the wing, mount up aloft, and not be weary by the ſucceſſive varieties, and the abundant ſweetneſs flowing hereby into thy boſom; and to winde up this inſtigation in a word,
1. Is my heart dead at any time and liſtleſs, how ſoon will Meditation quicken it, and reduce it into activity?
2. Is it barren and unfruitful alone or in company, what rare rich matter can meditating bring in, and ſpread over the barren ſoil of my ſpirit, and make it ſoon put forth fruitfully?
3. Is it chill and cold, without wonted warmth and vivacity, what fuel can it fetch to kindle a fire on this hearth, fuel from Heaven and Earth, from the Word and Works of God, and all ſorts of objects whatever, ſpiritualizing them for my uſe, what ſparks can it ſtrike, what coals can it kindle and blow up into a flame to thaw my frozen heart?
4. How high a preparative is Meditation to prayer, to enrich it with choiceſt materials, to enliven it, and make it burning hot in holy fervency?
5. How rare a diſpoſitive to hearing the Word of Chriſt, to open the everlaſting doors of the heart, to widen the heart for a letting in more freely of heavenly Truths, and increaſing the good hearts treaſure, to make us ſwift to hear, to hear with the largeſt and livelieſt affections, readieſt purpoſe, moſt raiſed and fixed reſolutions, to receive and obey the Word in every thing, moſt abundant readineſs to be moulded into the form of Doctrine that ſhall be delivered?
6. What an efficacious helper is Meditation to ſpiritual digeſtion, and reducing divine Truths into ſound and good nouriſhment, which miſcarry in others for want of due meditating?
And what a mighty aſſiſtant is it to holy Duties? what is there performed wiſely and with vigour, unleſs directed and aſſiſted by Meditation?
For to make the inſtigations more full, we may look back to the ends of Meditation, and the afterward grounds were given and enlarged upon, which being many, will be too long to repeat.
Two things only remain to finiſh this Improvement.
1. The Evidences and Characters of a right and due Meditation.
2. The Directions and Rules for the beſt managing of it.