The Saints Delight, Treatise · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. Concerning occaſional Meditations.
1. OCcaſional
and
2 deliberate
1. Ocaſional Meditations, ſuch as are taken up upon any ſudden occaſion. There is nothing almoſt doth occur, but we may preſently raiſe ſome Meditation upon: as a good Herbaliſt doth extract the Spirits and quinteſſence out of every herb, ſo a Chriſtian may from every emergence and occurence extract matter of Meditation. A gracious heart like fire, turns all objects into fuel for Meditation. I ſhall give you ſome inſtances: When you look up to the heavens, and ſee them richly imbroidered with light, you may raiſe this Meditation, if the Footſtool be ſo glorious, what is the Throne where God himſelf ſits? When you ſee the Firmament beſpangled with Stars, think, what is Chriſt, The Bright Morning Star? Revelation 22.16. Monica, Austins mother, ſtanding one day, and ſeeing the Sun ſhine, raiſed this Meditation, Oh! If the ſun be ſo bright, what is the Light of Gods preſence? When you hear muſick that Delights the ſences, preſently raiſe this Meditation, What muſick like a good conſcience *foreign. Ignoepiſt. ad Philadelph.? This is avis paradiſt, the bird of Paradiſe within, whoſe chirping melody doth inchant and raviſh the ſoul with joy; he that hath this muſick all day, may take Davids Pillow at night and ſay, with that ſweet ſinger, I will lay me down in peace and ſleep, Pſal. 4. 8. How bleſſed is he that can finde heaven in his own boſom? When you are dreſſing your ſelves in the morning, awaken your Meditation, think thus, but have I been dreſſing the hidden man of the heart *1 Pet. 3.4.? Have I looked my face in the Glaſs of Gods word? I have put on my cloaths, but have I put on Chriſt? It is reported of Pambo, that ſeeing a Gentlewoman dreſſing her ſelf all the morning by her Glaſſe, he fell a weeping: O, ſaith he, this woman hath ſpent the morning in dreſſing her body, and I ſometimes ſpend ſcarce an hour in dreſſing my ſoul. When you ſit down to dinner, let your Meditation feed upon this firſt courſe, how bleſſed are they that ſhall eat bread in the Kingdom of God *Lu. 14.15? What a Royall Feaſt will that be which hath God for the Founder? What a Love-feaſt where none ſhall be admitted but Friends?
When you go to bed at night, *Dic dormituro potes non ex pergiſci amplius, di experrecto, potes non dormi re amplius, Sen.imagine thus, ſhortly I ſhall put off the earthly clothes of my body, and make my bed in the grave: when you ſee the Judge going to the Aſſizes, and hear the Trumpet blow, think with your ſelves (as Hierom did) That you are ſtill hearing that ſhrill Trumpet ſounding in your ears, Surgite mortui, Ariſe ye dead and come to judgment. When you ſee a poor man going in the Streets, raiſe this Meditation, here is a walking Picture of Chriſt, He had no place where to lay his head *Mat. 8.20.. My Saviour became poor, that I through his poverty might be made rich: When you go to Church, think thus, I am now going to hear God ſpeak, let me not ſtop my ear; if I refuſe to hear Him ſpeaking in his Word, I ſhall next hear him ſpeaking in his Wrath, Pſalm 2.5. When you walk abroad in your Orchard, and ſee the plants bearing, and the herbs flouriſhing, Think how pleaſing a ſight it is to God to ſee a thriving Chriſtian; how beautifull are the Trees of righteouſneſs, when they are hung full of fruit *Phil. 1.11., when they abound in faith, humility, knowledge. When you pluck a Roſe bud in your Garden, raiſe this contemplation, how lovely are the early puttings forth of grace; God prizeth a Chriſtian in the bud, he likes the bloomings of youth rather then the ſheddings of old age. When you eat a Grape from the Tree, think of Chriſt the True Vine, how precious is the bloud of that Grape? Such rare cluſters grow there, that the Angels themſelves delight to taſte of. It is ſaid of Austin, he was much in theſe ex tempore Meditations; A gracious heart like the Philoſophers Stone, turns all into Gold; It is all the year ſtilling-time with a Chriſtian, he ſtilleth out heavenly Meditations from earthly Occurrences, as the curious Alchymist when ſeveral mettals are mingled together, can by his skill extract the Gold and Silver from the baſer mettals: So a Chriſtian by a Divine Alchymy, can extract golden Meditations from the various objects he beholds; Indeed it argues a ſpirituall heart, to turn every thing to a ſpiritual uſe, and we have Chriſts own example for theſe occaſional Meditations, John 4.7, 10, 13, 14. While he ſat on Jacohs well he preſently Meditates on that foreign and breaks forth into a moſt excellent diſcourſe concerning the Water of life. So much for occaſional Meditations.
2. Be exhorted to deliberate Meditations, which are the chief: ſet ſome time apart every day, that you may in a ſerious and ſolemn manner converſe with God in the mount; A Godly man, is a man ſet apart, Pſalm 4.3. as God ſets him apart by Election, ſo he ſets himſelf apart by Meditation.