The Christians Guide to Devotion, Part 4 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII. The third particular Direction to help Devotion: Meditation, and Prayer.
THE Soul comes into the World at leaſt as ill inſtructed in the affairs of Grace as in thoſe of Nature: It is in all reſpects a plain unſcrolled Table, and an Ignorant, which has need to be informed in every thing. Very eaſily it acquires the Knowledges which are neceſſary to the Conduct of Life, becauſe thoſe Directions paſs to it thorough the Senſes, and theſe Objects are of its own ſize: but it hath need of the greateſt endeavour to attain thoſe Notices, which regard the Spiritual Life, ſince thoſe Objects are diſproportionate to its Strength; and yet thoſe Enowledges are of abſolute neceſſity to the practiſing the Virtues, and particularly that of Devotion. This laſt Virtue is made up of Love and Zeal, but we have not them but according to the degree of our Knowledge: and therefore, I know not of what nature thoſe ignorant Devotions can be which are deſtitute of all Light, and are not guided but by the Senſes: theſe are, it may be, rather weakneſſes of Conſtitution than effects of Grace. The Devotions of ignorant People are almoſt ever groſs and ſuperſtitious; they are ordinarily fix'd to ſenſible Objects; whereas in Religion all is divine and intellectual: the Object of their Worſhip is moſtly an Agnus Dei, a Relick, or an Image: and God, who ought to be the ſole Object of our Devotions, has ſcarce any ſhare in their Veneration. I do'nt require our Chriſtian to be learned, and that he have prey'd either into the Secrets of Nature, or alſo into the higheſt myſteries of Grace by an over-exact and curious Reſearch. I hold that that is more diſadvantageous than proſitable to Devotion: but the devout Soul muſt be ſpiritual enough to lift it ſelf up above the Senſes by Meditation. Meditation is an excellent Operation of the Soul, whereby it penetrates the out-ſides of Objects, and ſounds them to the very heart: 'tis a reflected Action that rouls its ſubject upon the Heart till it makes deep Impreſſions; 'tis an happy Proſpect, by which the Soul every moment diſcovers more and more Wonders in that which it is about: but theſe Diſcoveries are not nice Speculations to be communicated to others; they are particular Sentiments and Applications which the Soul makes and which are only for it. We cannot doubt but this is of abſolute neceſſity to Devotion; for this does not embrace it's Subject but proportionably as Meditation makes it to enter therein. Devotion is an agitation of a vigorous and lively Soul, whereby we are lifted up to God and to our ſovereign Good; and therefore, the more Devotion applies us to this great Object, and lets us ſee the depths of his Goodneſs, the more ardent doth Devotion become: ſo that this is to be the principal Subject of our Contemplations. God is good, either in himſelf, or in reſpect had to us; in himſelf, becauſe he is great, majeſtic, bounteous, merciful: if we did not partake of the Fruits of theſe Divine Vertues, nevertheleſs, God would not ceaſe to poſſeſs them, and conſequently, he wou'd be infinitely amiable. We cannot think too often on theſe Attributes of God: this is one of the moſt efficacious means which David uſes to awaken his drowſie Devotion, Awake, O my Tongue, ſaith he, and thereupon he ſings God Almighty's Power in his Works, his Majeſty ſhining forth in the Heavens, his Juſtice in his Judgments, his Wiſdom in the Government of the World, his Mercy towards Man. But, becauſe Interest has ſo great a ſway with us, we are to joyn to this Confideration that-of-God's Benefits, to deſcend into the Abyſſes of his Love, and to conſider him in Jeſus Chriſt reconciling the World unto himſelf: we muſt eſſay to dive [if poſſible it be] into the depths of his Mercy, which are found every where and in all parts of the Diſpenſation of our eternal Salvation: above all, we cannot fix our ſelves too much upon the Paſſion of our Lord and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt; we ſhall ſee there a thouſand Objects able to mollifie our Soul, fince God's Love to Mankind appears there in all it's Extenſion. From general Conſiderations it is good to come to particular Applications; We ought to conceive how much we ſtand indebted to God for freeing us from ſo many Miſeries to raiſe us up to ſuch glorious hopes: in ſhort, and to ſpeak all in a Word, the Object of our Meditation is as vaſt as God, Nature, and Grace altogether: for there are no Flowers in the World but we may gather Honey from 'em: we need not fear therefore, that we can drain a Subject of ſo great a Bigneſs. But how comes it to paſs then our Meditations are frequently ſo dry, and our Recollections ſo barren? It is not from the Seed, but from the bad Ground. Whence comes it, ſaith an Ancient Father, that our Mind is found deſtitute of good Thoughts, as if there were nothing well-pleaſing to God wherewith we cou'd entertain our ſelves? This comes not, ſays he, but from a careleſſneſs of Spirit, for the ſubject is inexhauſtible; and if the Eye cannot reach the end of Wonders to be ſeen, much leſs can the Mind attain it in thoſe that are to be conceived: If the Eyes ceaſe to ſee the Light when it is day, 'tis not for that the Light is exſtinguiſh'd, but it proceeds from the diſſipation of the Sight. If you pierce and open a Field in all …arts with a Plow-ſhare, it will render you an abundant Harveſt, otherwiſe 'twill continue barren; and even if you penetrate very deep you may find ſprings of living Water. In like manner, if you open this great Subject, to wit, God and his Works, by profound and frequent Meditations, there will proceed from thence Sources of Conſolations and Inſtructions.
Laſtly, make no difficulty to repaſs oft upon the ſame ſubject for to make it familiar to you. Our Soul is depending upon the Body during the time we are upon Earth, and the moſt ſpiritual Idea's are form'd in us by bodily motions: ſo that it is highly uſeful to let the Thoughts of things divine paſs and repaſs frequently in our ſelves, to the intent we may give an Inclination to the Animal Spirits, which may carry 'em that aways, and at length we ſhall find they will go naturally in that Road, in ſuch ſort, as without deſign, and before we are aware, we ſhall think on good things. I ſhall ſay one Word more for the comfort of thoſe Minds which are not capable either of a piercing Infight or a ſtrong Application: and that is, That they are to be griev'd if they do not find themſelves forcible enough to drive on their Reaſonings ſo far, and if Conceptions fail them, provided this comes not from any Coldneſs. Some ſhort, but frequent, Meditations, whereby a faithful Perſon of the meaner ſort does often apply his Mind to the Author of his Salvation and Gods Benefits, may ſerve inſtead of long Reflections when one is not capable of them.
To help Devotion, we are, without doubt, to call in the reading of good Books; for, we muſt not imagine we can draw all from our own Well: and among thoſe Books the Holy Scripture is as much above all others as God is above Men, and the Sun above the Stars of the ſixth Magnitude. This is that Word which is as powerful and piercing as a two-edged Sword; this is that Fire which can warm our Entrails, and make us ſay, Does not our Heart burn within us? One only Paſſage in St. Paul (Let us walk honeſtly as in the day, not in Riotting and Drunkenneſs, not in Chambering and Wantonneſs, not in Strife and Envying; but put ye on the Lord Jeſus Christ) wrought the Converſion of St. Auſtin. In every Page of this Book we ſhall find Gods Benefits, and his excellent Promiſes ſo proper to awaken Devotion: we ſhall find there many Examples of heavenly Meditations, fit to lift up the Soul, and guide us in our own. Eſpecially the Book of Pſalms is an ineſtimable Treaſure for devout Souls; and if we could prize it, and ſay of it beyond what the Ancients did, we could never ſay enough. 'Twere to be wiſh'd, that this Treaſure were laid up entirely in our Memory, that every moment we might be able to repeat them to our own Heart. We ſhould, if it were poſſible, habituate our Mind not to conceive its Thoughts, and form its Meditations, but in the terms which the Holy Ghoſt uſeth in the Pſalms.
To the reading of Holy Scripture, it will be profitable to add that of other good Books: and herein I would give a Direction which ſome People have found very good; which is, to chooſe ſuch Places and Chapters of Devotion which have once warmed you, and to return often to the ſame places, that your Heart may get an Habit of awakening it ſelf at that view. 'Tis the ordinary Turn of all Minds to joyn certain motions of Heart with certain Images, ſo as that aſſoon as the Images preſent 'emſelves to the Mind, thoſe motions ariſe in the Heart: for example, if a Man has run an extream danger in a Wood, the Image of a Foreſt will never offer it ſelf to his Imagination, but his Heart is ſeiz'd upon by ſome Chillneſs. So our Heart having been once mov'd at the reading of ſome pious Diſcourſe which had touch'd it to the Quick, will not fail of being awaken'd at the preſence of the ſame Thoughts, in caſe we read them with a devout Intention and a deſign to be touch'd therewith. This may be compar'd to what happens to barking Dogs, which are quiet or otherwiſe as ſoon as they hear the Voice of thoſe they are acquainted withal: ſo the Heart being become familiar with thoſe pious thoughts that had mov'd it oftentimes, will evermore perceive in their Preſence very near the ſame motions: for it is not ſo with reading in holy Books as in Profane; theſe pleaſe the firſt time, the ſecond the pleaſure ceaſes, but the third they are moſt inſupportable. The ſame thing perhaps may happen if you read a Book of Devotion for Divertiſement, to ſee there the neatneſs of Phraſe and the beauty of Thoughts: as this way of reading is for the Mind and not for the Heart, one thing will not pleaſe you a ſecond time. This Thought diſcovers a Myſtery to us ſomewhat obſcure, why that which touches ſome ſhould not have the ſame influence over others? Now the Reaſon is, becauſe all do not read with the ſame Diſpoſitions and the ſame Intentions. A Preacher, that would preach an hour upon a pious Subject, will read Books which may inſtruct him therein; but if he has not a Soul naturally very devout, they will have no great effects upon him, becauſe he comes with no Intention to be moved by them; he only ſeeks for matter to fill up his hour. Our Heart does very near what we would have it do; inſomuch, as pious reading, that it may be an help to Devotion, ought to be done with a moſt devout Intention, without which Condition it will be a very hard matter to make any progreſs in it.
But, as much as the reading of good Books brings in Auxiliaries to Devotion, ſo much it is ruined by the reading of bad ones. 'Tis a great ſhame to Chriſtianity, that now adays it makes more account of ſome miſchievous Books than ever did the moſt corrupted Paganiſm. Our Age, and in particular, this Kingdom, might be juſtly noted with Infamy for that ſwarm of Romances which the effeminacy of our Hearts, the corruption of our Minds, and the wiles of the Devil, have ſent into the World. We muſt needs be great Lovers of Lying, ſince fifty Years have produced more Fables than ſix thouſand Years could produce Hiſtories: and the Church muſt needs be very much corrupted, to ſuffer, and (as it were) to authorize ſuch ſhameleſs Products, ſo full of impure Imaginations. Every devout Soul will have thoſe Legends in Deteſtation; for, certain it is, that nothing puts the Heart into greater Diſorder. I wiſh People be ſafe from the laſt Corruption, and they proceed not even to the acting and imitating thoſe irregular Examples in good earneſt which they ſaw before in Jeſt: however, 'tis ſure, that from the reading of theſe Books the Mind returns loaded with Images, which grieve and drive away the Spirit of God, and which are abſolutely inconſiſtent with the Spirit of Devotion.
Meditation.
IF thou art ignorant, O my Soul, in the things which concern thy Salvation, it's wholly thy own fault: Thy God opens two great books before thine Eyes, where thou mayſt be taught and inſtructed in the wonders of Heaven and of thy Salvation. Often have I caſt my Eyes upon Nature, upon Heaven, Earth, the Mountains, Rivers, Fields, and Foreſts: oft have I carried my Eyes to the Planets and to the Stars. But to my confuſion, I avow, theſe Contemplations were barren, done negligently without Application and Reflexion. Do that therefore now, O my Soul, which thou haſt never done yet: view the Heavens and admire their Greatneſs and vaſt Extenſion; Acknowledge the Greatneſs of the Maker, his Strength, his Wiſdom, his Power: See how he has on purpoſe painted himſelf in all places, and left his foot-ſteps whereſoever he hath paſt. Look upon the Sun, which pours forth ſo much fire, which men call the Light of the World: This is the Image of Thy God, who is Light himſelf: In thee is the Well of Life, and in thy Light ſhall we ſee Light. That innumerable multitude of fires that burn in the Firmament, is the Emblem of thoſe glorious Souls, which ſhine in the higheſt Heaven of the bleſſed. The rapidity of thoſe vaſt and prodigious Machines, which roul over thy head, ought to make thee think of that robuſt Art which gives them their ſwing and impreſſes upon 'em their Motions. The equality and juſtneſs of thoſe Motions, as regular as ſwift, preaches to thee the Wiſdom and Evenneſs of God's Actions, who does nothing but what is juſt and reaſonable. The magnificence of thoſe viſible Heavens may without much ado conduct thy Meditation to the thought of another life, and give thee ſome foretaſte and conception of the Glory God prepares for thee in Paradice. Thoſe viſible heavens ſo Splendid, ſo Beautiful, are but the threſhold of that Palace. where God makes ready an abode for thee. Oh my Soul how Rich and Glorious muſt that houſe be, whoſe very Avenues and Entries are ſo fine and pompous; If from the heavens thou deſcendeſt into the Air, which is the region of Storms and Tempeſts, of Rains and Dews; in the latter thou wilt ſee the Emblems of God's Favour, and in the former, the Meſſengers of his Vengance, and the Inſtruments of his Fury. The one will lead thee to the Conſideration of his Juſtice, and the other to the Conſideration of his Mercy. If thou deſcendeſt to the Earth, thou wilt diſcover almoſt every where around thee an incredible multitude of ſundry Objects, that will inſtruct thee divers ways: Some as well as the Heavens will ſpeak to thee of God's Wiſdom and Power; Others will tell thee of thy own Weakneſs, and Vanity of Death, and the Neceſſity of dying, of the Inconſtancy of humane things, and will give thee an hundred other Leſſons. But all this is nothing to compare with the Knowledge, to be had from the reading of that other book, which God hath dictated to his Prophets and Apoſtles. 'Tis there thou mayeſt ſee the Abyſſes of the Divine Wiſdom, the infinity of his Love, and the depths of his Mercy. Without engaging thy ſelf very deep in theſe Abyſſes, what Fruit canſt thou not reap from the Death of my Saviour and the Contemplation of his Croſs? thou wilt learn there how thou art to love, for that is the School of Love: thou wilt view thy Divine Saviour eaten up with the zeal of God's Houſe, burnt with the Flames of Charity. He ſo loved the World that he gave himſelf up to Death for the World; and that to a ſhameful, cruel, and tormenting death, even that of the Croſs. He expos'd himſelf to all the arrows of God's Wrath; he ſuckt the venom, and underwent the weight of his Indignation, and for whom? for his Enemies. 'Tis thus, O my Soul, thou muſt Love: This is but a very ſmall part of the things thou mayſt learn in that heavenly Book.
Prayer.
BƲT, O Lord, I read in vain, I meditate without ſucceſs. O my Sun, infuſe thy Rayes into my Heart; open mine Eyes, that I may ſee the wond'rous things of thy Law. Make thy Word to be in me like a two edged Sword, piercing even to the dividing of my Soul, my Joynts and Marrow. Thy Word is truth, ſanctifie me by thy Truth. Let my Heart burn within me, when thou ſpeakeſt, and declareſt to me the Scriptures. Let me receive thy word with a thirſty Soul, and let it become unto me a Spring of living Waters bubling up to Eternal Life, that I may be conducted by the Rivers of thy Grace to the Ocean of Glory.