What rash person is he that will undertake any work of difficulty or importance , but will predmeitate the means opportunities and advantages whereby to effect it , and often propound to himself both the end and means .

What little pleasure , delight or satisfaction doth he take in his business , that never thinks of it but when he is doing it ? or prepares not for it ? Certainly that work is but a burthen to him , and is performed of necessity only , not freely and cheerfully , of love or liking ; but God will have his servants to delight in him , Psal. 37. Delight thy self in the Lord . I sate under his shadow with delight . God loveth a chearful giver . And the Sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to him ; how much more when he giveth it with an evil mind ? Whatever we do unto him , we must do it heartily . I delight to do thy will O God , yea thy Law is my hope , Ps. 1.2 . His delight is in the Law of the Lord . What Art or Science can be attained ? what proficience can be made in any humane study without meditating and ruminating , weighing and considering , discussing and digesting in the mind every thing and term of Art ? So he that doth desire to be a proficient in the School of Christ as a good Disciple , must attain it by study , and must consider , weigh , examine and compare spiritual things with spiritual .

For example therefore consider , that great proficient that obtained so great and honourable an Epethite , as to be called , The man after God's own heart : how often doth he inculcate this very thing upon himself and others in the Book of Psalms , from the beginning to the end ? In the first Psalm , v. 2. he describes the blessed man thus , His delight is in the Law of the Lord , and in his Law will he exercise himself day and night . And this he avers of his own practice , Psal. 63. Have I not meditated of thee on my bed ? and thought upon thee when I was waking ? And Psal. 119. O how I love thy Law ! All the day long is my study therein ! Sometimes his meditation is of God's works , as in Psal. 8. I will consider the Heavens , the works of thy hands . And he affirms , That he will meditate of all his wondrous works . And sometime he is meditating of his Precepts , Psal. 18. And gives the reason of his so doing , Psal. 119. All his delight is therein . They are the joy of his heart ; sweeter to him than the Honey , or the Honey-comb . He had chosen them , and loved them exceedingly . And he esteemed them above all manner of Riches ; above all treasure of gold or precious stones , and above his necessary food . Having so great a value of them , and knowing the worth of them , it must follow that he loved them with delight , and that brings the other , frequent thinking of them ; and that brings the heart to a holy frame and disposition , and keeps it so . This is that which Solomon presseth , Keep thy heart with all diligence , And above all things keep thy heart . For if we do pray for a clean heart , Create in me a clean heart , and renew a right spirit within me . Yet , original corruption of nature , drawn from the loins of our first Parents , is such , that like a running sore , though it be wiped clean , yet still sends forth putrifaction , therefore hath continual need of spiritual medicaments to heal it , and keep it in health , and suppress and purge away peccant humours ; which medicaments , the Spirit by the word operates in those who seek them . If then our nature is corrupted and degenerate , and abominably wicked , and is prone to follow corrupt principles , and hardly restrained from them , as every mans experience tells him . Let him that hath tasted the heavenly gift , and the power of the world to come , if he like to retain the relish of it , let him ruminate upon it , keep it under his tongue , as Job speaks of the wicked , of their delight in sin . If like water that is heated , which soon will become cold again , our affections to heavenly things soon grown dull and decay , we must bring them again to that fire which first warmed them ; or ( if we can ) not to let this fire go out , as the fire upon the Altar did not . For in all duties of Religion , perseverance is enjoyn'd , and upon this very ground as that duty of prayer . Continuing instant in prayer , 1 Thes. 5. Rejoyce evermore , pray without ceasing , Matth. Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation . This assiduity doth not only shut the door against vain and evil thoughts , motions and imaginations , lusts and temptations ; but also keeps in the good and virtuous resolutions , and radicates them . Therefore seek the Lord while he may be found ; seek his face evermore , if thou have found him . How little treasure have I in Heaven , if my heart be not there often by holy meditation ? but if I am assured of my interest there , I shall sollace my self with that in all conditions ; as the Athenian in Horace sollaced himself with his chests full of money , which he contemplated : so heavenly souls , for whom those heavenly mansions are prepared , and the Crown of Life that never fadeth ; they keep their hearts from sinking , and sollace themselves in their distresses , by the hope that they have of their eternal salvation : This allays the bitterness of their affliction ; and so great it is , and wonderful , that the heart of man cannot conceive it . But if we have an interest in them , yet if we do not meditate of it , what are we the better for it ? therefore with Moses have an eye to the recompence of reward : And this makes it out that we have chosen God for our portion .

As love is the principle of all Religion and Duty , which gives the life and heat to them , without which they are but mercenary , dull and formal , without power ; because faith doth work by love . The Spouse , Cant. 2. is sick of love . All the reciprocal society of the Spouse and her Beloved , is Love . So this practice of holy Meditation proceeds from Love , Psal. 119. O how love I thy Law ! all the day long do I meditate therein , Psal. 63. Have I not meditated of thee on my bed ? &c. Consequently the meditation of , and of upon our beloved object , is our greatest enjoyment and happiness if our affections be rightly placed ; this proves that the speculative life is most pleasant .

All our graces are kept alive ; all our virtues strengthened ; all our good resolutions put in execution by this means . And by the want and neglect of this they all slip out of our minds , are weakned , decay and dye , and the contrary invade us ; as we read in 1 chap. to the Romans , of those that God had given up to all wickedness ; they liked not to retain God in their thoughts or knowledge ; therefore God gave them up , Psal. 28. They regard not in their minds the works of the Lord , &c. therefore we often find illiterate persons who can discourse of most points of Religion , better , more knowingly , soundly , and more readily , than the learned , which comes to pass meerly by the help of Meditation , which these practice , and the others neglect . David , Psal. 92.5 . meditating of the wonderous works of God , and his thoughts which are to us-ward , calls him unwise who doth not consider it , and him that doth not regard it , a fool . But he that is wise ( he saith ) he will ponder them , and shall understand , &c. intimating , that without such pondering , he cannot understand his principal concerns : How then can the Law of God convert a soul if it be not meditated of by that soul ? or how can the Testimonies of God make wise the simple , if they be not studied and learned ? How can they rejoyce the heart , and comfort us in trouble , and afford us hope , unless the heart rejoyce in the meditation of them ? How could they be a light to our feet , and lanthorn to our paths ? How can we be guided by them , unless we thus keep them in our minds ? They can have no desire after the sincere milk of the word , who have not tasted it by holy meditation , nor can they grow thereby unless they thus feed upon it . How can the good seed of God's word take root in our hearts , and bring forth fruit in our lives , if the cares of this world , or deceitfulness of Riches hinder us from considering and meditating upon it , so as to fasten it in our hearts , and fix it upon our understandings and affections ? He that desires to draw near to God , or to walk with him , must do this duty . He that desires to be taught of God , and hear the voice behind him , saying , this is the way , he must be conversant in this . He that doth not this , must either be a luke-warm Christian , or an Hypocrite , or no Christian ; for an Hypocrite may discourse and talk of the things of Religion , Mortification , Renovation and Regeneration , Repentance , Conversion ; of forsaking the world , and taking off his affections from the things below , and setting them on things above ; but he doth little think of those things which be powerful to take off his affections from the lusts of the flesh , the lusts of the eyes , and the pride of life : and to fix them on God , and on the beauty of holiness ; but the Regenerate man that finds corruption in his heart , will be restless in his thoughts , when he finds some corruption ready to break out , and lead him captive to sin , until he hath found out some thing in the word of God that hath efficacy , and power by his endeavour , and the Assistance of God's Grace , to conquer every thought , inclination and imagination of his corrupt nature . As if peradventure a slanderous tongue hath provoked him with such slanders as he most abhors ; and he finds himself too prone to return the like , viz. Railing , for Railing , Cursing for Cursing . He thereupon retires himself , and either by his own memory calls to mind the behaviour of the Saints of God , and the holy commands of him that hath called us out of darkness into his marvelous light , out of sin , to sanctification and holiness ; ( And what he commands us to do , that he hath called us to ) not to serve sin , or live any longer therein , but that we should walk as Christ walked , and as he was Reviled , and Reviled not again , but submitted to him that judgeth righteously ; so he endeavours also , and praies to God that he may conform himself , or else he betakes himself ( for the help of his memory ) to the written word , and will search what holy Job did in the like case , being falsly accused by his Friends ; and there finding that the Holy man answered those false accusations thus , My witness is in Heaven , my Record is on high . This directs him , and inables him to conquer his passion , and he rejoiceth that he hath found such a powerful Scripture , and he endeavours to improve it by meditation , that he may be able alwaies to make use of it upon the like occasion . And God so much blesseth his people , and directs and guides them in this business , that he often helps them , when at a loss , and directs them by accident , to hear such a Sermon , or read such a place as most properly agrees with their meditation , and present occasion , whereby they receive satisfaction , and will never leave the meditation of it , till they conceive them selves able to conquer the like temptation . So if they be encountered with the love of the world , and find themselves hardly beset with the bate of covetousness , or with the lusts of the flesh , they intend with all their might , those arguments which are prevalent with the Saints of God to take them off this sensual love to the heavenly love ; to love God and his Grace , and spiritual gifts and injoyments , and Jesus Christ our blessed Saviour , and Redeemer , who shed his precious blood for us , and in deeds and words of the highest expressions , hath manifested his love to us , courting us to love him again with such significant , and full expressions of his love , as no tongue could ever express , unless they use his very expressions , which he useth in the Canticles , to endear thee ; wherein he both advanceth the commendation of the several parts of the body of his Beloved , and of the whole , saith , Thou art all fair my Love . And he also promiseth to give her his loves . Who so shall diligently consider of these , he will easily break out into that expression of his love to Christ , which the Spouse maketh , viz. Thy Love is better than Wine , and ver. 4. The King hath brought me into his Chambers ; we will be glad and rejoice in thee ; and will find great satisfaction , and delight in the name of him , as in a sweet perfume . Thy name is as ointment poured forth , therefore the Virgins Love thee . And with the Spouse , cannot but seek him , though she suffer injuries from rude persons , when she enquires after him , still she persists , Tell me where thou feeds ; for the inlightned , converted soul knoweth that it must not love the world , neither the pleasures nor profits ; and if it doth , the love of the Father is not in it , nor the love of Jesus Christ ; for this love expels all other ; he that drinks of this water thirsts no more . And when the heavenly Spouse hath sought her Beloved , and besought him for the kisses of his mouth , and is enamoured of his beauty , and is satisfied with his beauty only , and remembers his loves more than wine , and delights to hear his name , and is sick of love , he will not fail then to bring her into his banquetting-house , and defend her with his love , as with a banner , and stay her with flaggons , and comfort her with Apples ; and also he will bring her into his chambers , and unvail his beauties to her , and give her his loves : And now she may well despise all other Rivals of her love ; like the Eagle that catcheth not Flies ; or like him who hath drunk the sweet waters of the fountain , he will not presently drink in a muddy puddle , or seek to quench his thirst in broken Cisterns which hold no water .

And so for other temptations , and perils which the soul findeth it self to lye under through the temptations and snares of its spiritual enemy , and its own frailty and inbred corruptions ; she bestirreth her self till she hath gotten strength to vanquish her spiritual enemy ; which having obtained , she rejoyceth with joy unspeakable , and glorious in Christ , and is satisfied , and enjoyeth her self more than in the things of pleasure or profit , or any other worldly enjoyment ; and sings praises to God for giving such strength and assistance whereby it is able to overcome .

All which matters are the meditations of the gracious soul , which seeks Gods face evermore .

And these be the means by which it endeavours to be prepared for every good work . Although the gracious soul hath in a great measure conquered the corruptions of nature , and is sure of its salvation , and God doth say to it , I am thy salvation , yet is she not satisfied , quiet , at rest , or contented , unless she enjoy her Beloved in a close communion , sollacing her self with him in reading his word , praying , and meditating of him , and praising him . The Spouse knew her Beloved was hers , and she his , but was not satisfied , unless she might lay him all night as a bundle of myrrh between her breasts . The enjoyment of his person , the kisses of his mouth , and his favours and new pledges of his love , is that which satisfieth her : The Flaggons and the Apples are the things which stay her , and comfort her , and she must and will have them , and will not be satisfied without them , because she is sick of love , ( and as Lovers use to do ) so she museth and meditates in the night of the favours she hath received ; and also designs and contrives which way to obtain them again , because she remembers them more than wine ; for they refreshed her more , and were more sweet to her taste , and for desire of these , she is often melancholly , though she be sure of her interest in him ; that her Beloved is hers , as she was when she run seeking him about the City ; for his coming to her door at such an hour of the night , and his sollicitations and addresses to be let in , and the difficulties which he went through to come to her , though the weather favoured not ; all shewed her love ; but this enflamed her love the more , so that she would not be satisfied without the enjoyment of his person , and all other favours that Lovers have to bestow and can desire . She must sit under his shadow with delight , and eat that fruit of his which is pleasant to her taste , and be brought into his banquetting house , and repose her self in his arms ; because she admires him in all things , and in all his parts she sees such ravishing perfection , that she will not enjoy her self at all , unless she may see his countenance , hear his voice , or embrace him in her arms , and in her bosom , in which enjoyments she is fully taken up , as well waking as sleeping ; for though she sleep , her heart waketh : This fire never goeth out , but is alwaies burning upon her heart , as that upon the Altar was , which was the type of this ; and so must it also be with those who profess to be , and are his servants , and peculiar people . And they shall also be endeared to Christ their Beloved ; and he will see all loveliness in them as his Spouse , his Garden inclosed , his Sister , his Beloved ; his Friend ; he will delight frequently to come into into his Garden and gather his pleasant fruits , flowers , and spices ; drink of the wine of the Pomegranate pressed , eat his honey-comb with his honey ; and he will be found of his Beloved in the duties of reading , meditation , prayer , and the holy Supper , which is his banquet , which he giveth her ; But she gets many a kiss from him in fervent prayer and meditation : And when she hath found him , she will not let him go ; she holds him fast in her arms , and hangs about him : But if she is but in pursuit of him , her heart is warmed with his love , by such impressions as she will not loose till she enjoy him .

All which enjoyments of the heavenly soul are the operations of the holy Spirit , and the graces of God working in the heart , whose conversation is in Heaven , by heavenly meditation of the things of God , and keeping in those meditations which otherwise the world would justle out , if she should not be as a garden enclosed , as a fountain sealed , that is ( as if he should say ) springing waters that admit nothing to pollute or defile them , or to disturb or muddy them . And the inclosure of this garden signifieth , that fence of watchfulness in this duty whereby those things are kept out , which would crop off those pleasant plants , and rich spices there growing , for the use , service and delight of her Beloved , and are for him preserved , guarded and secured .

This duty is often enjoyned as a most necessary part of Divine Worship , and pressed with very large promises ; and by the experience of all the Saints of God found to be the most available means for the avoiding of that sin which doth so easily beset us , and for getting and improving of every grace . For reading God's word , without thus retaining God in their thoughts , is little available ; no more is prayer ; for we find there be many who have frequently both read and heard it , who still remain unconverted from the errours of their waies , and do neither live upon it , or by it , nor endeavour to come up to it ; nor to be changed from what they are by nature , nor retain it in the love of it .

So we see that there are many that fast , and pray , and preach too , and yet are not cleansed from sin ; however they are pure in their own sight , and say , Stand off , for I am holier than thou .

Wherefore the wise man exhorts to be swifter to hear , rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools : And a type of this was that ceremonial Law , that those beasts that did not chew the cud should be unclean , and not to be sacrificed . And for want of this , the word preached to men often slips out of their minds : their worldly affairs that take up their thoughts , give them no time to fasten the word in their hearts , so as to take root , and bring forth fruit : but like the seed sowed on stony ground , or thorny ground , or that falls by the way , it comes to no perfection . Hence it is that the Lord commanded the Israelites , Jos. 1.8 . Let not this Book of the Law depart out of thy mouth , but meditate therein day and night , that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein ; for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous , and then thou shalt have good success . The Apostle Paul , Phil. 4.8 , and 9. saith , Think on these things which ye have both learned , and received , and heard , and seen in me , and the God of peace shall be with you , Psal. 107.17 . The loving kindness of the Lord endureth for ever to them which think upon his commandments to do them , Isa. 12.3 . With joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation : Which promise ( I conceive ) extends to all duties of Religion , and so to this a-among the rest : But ( sure I am ) that without this a man cannot be well disposed , nor well perform any other with comfort : the more we make use of this , the more joy we have in us : and this is to be alwaies performed , others cannot be so , Psal. 4. Commune with your own hearts , and in your Chamber be still . What comfort and satisfaction doth it yield to the virtuous mind , to contrive and meditate how to do well , holily , and according to vertue , the very Idea of the action hath beauty , and delight , though peradventure we are not able sometimes to do according , because of our infirmities ; and likewise the evil mind delighteth in evil , Jer. 11.15 . And this delight in good , and the impression of the beautifulness and decency of the action , excites to the Act. Although evil be present with us when we endeavour our selves to do the thing by reason of our corrupt nature , and our Ghostly enemy .

If this were not a clear truth , it might be sufficiently demonstrated by its contrary . The contrivance or remembrance of any unseemly or impious action , how full of loathing and horror is it ? or if they be but vain thoughts that lodge in us , as they must needs do in those who read ludicrous , vain and scurrilous books , or spend their time in the Theatre , the mind and manners will be formed accordingly , unless we disgust them . I mean not that the sins of God's people are often premeditated ; for if they did premeditate them , I suppose they would avoid them ; but yet sometimes they do consider of sin , but most commonly break off their consideration , and purpose with loathing of it , and themselves too , for their thoughts and assayes of sinning ; but those sins which they committed before their conversion , they remember after their conversion , with the contrivance of them , with loathing ; and the sins which they see others contrive , or read , or hear of : And often the wickedest persons that are , when they remember their foulest sins , they abhor them , and tremble , and endeavour to put out of their minds the remembrance of them , for the horrible foulness which they then perceive in them , and for the offence which they yield them .

This Duty then being enjoyned us by God as most necessary and powerful for attaining and improving of every grace , and for the avoiding of all , and every sin and temptation , that our nature is inclined to , or liable to be drawn to . Let these reasons be sufficient to convince us of the necessity and utility of it , and the delightfulness of it , both to God and our selves , and put us upon the practice of it , that we may be Royal Priests to God , and our bodies may be the Temples of the Holy Ghost , and our hearts God's holy Altars , upon which the fire shall ever burn , and Incense without ceasing , Exod. 30. v. 73. The Corrolary .

Holy Meditation is the thing whereby we edifie our selves ; and holy life and conversation is that whereby we edifie one another in the most holy Faith .

And if there be any individual person or persons who do , or doth deny God , or his Worship , the same have nothing of the Image of God left in them ; nor any thing of the holy Spirit of God in them . That wisdom and knowledge which they have in them , thus corrupted , is the Image of the Devil , or the Image of the brute beasts ; as St. James calls their wisdom , carnal sensual , and devilish : And what they know naturally as brute beasts , in those things they corrupt themselves ; as St. Jude speaks : Their chief study , care , labour and industry ; all their designs , providence , and all their wisdom , is to satisfie their sensual appetites , and to provide for back , and belly ; therefore the Apostle saith of them , their God is their belly , and they mind earthly things . This wisdom doth expel and extinguish the wisdom which is from above . So that they become Atheistick .

The Apostle Pet. 2 ep. cap. 3. Hath prophecied that such scoffers shall come in these last daies , & he saith that they are willingly ignorant . Ignorance makes them fearless , shamless and hopeless .

That these Atheistick principles are not from our Nature , nor born with us , but the contrary , are from the light of Nature , and by our corrupting of our selves we become Atheists , is further proved by this .

That to us who live under the preaching of the gospel , and have liberty to read it our selves , the glorious light thereof would shine into our hearts , if we did not like , love , cherish , and improve that corruption of Nature which was contracted by the fall of Adam .

But our blessed Saviour hath told us this truth , Light is come into the world , but this is the condemnation , that men love darkness rather than Light , because their works are evil . If they affect Darkness , they will improve it , and the more evil their works are , so much the more will they improve their darkness , and endeavour to extinguish their light hate it , and fly from it , because it reproves them . And they desire not the knowledge of the Most High , because it makes against them , and their designs , and against their impudence and desperateness .

Besides which the Apostle sheweth another cause whereby this blindness is contracted , viz. The God of this world hath blinded their eyes . If they have chosen the God of this world to worship , and serve him , they must needs pull out their weak eyes , which nature corrupted had contracted , or suffer him to put them out . Such terms as Nahash would have imposed upon the men of Jabesh Giliad , 1 Sam. 11.

From these two causes it proceeds , that men who profess themselves wise , and have excellent parts , yet knowing him to be God , they love him not , nor like they to worship him , nor to retain him in their thoughts , but become vain in their thoughts and imaginations , and harden their foolish heart . The Lord will not by his Spirit alwaies strive with them , but gives them up to their affected blindness , and to serve such gods as they have chosen : Their bellies and their lusts : And he takes away his holy Spirit from them , and that talent which he had given them : And yet the gifts and graces of God are without repentance , for they are changed , and not God . For seeing that neither the word of God , which is the power and wisdom of God contained in the Gospel of our Blessed Lord and Saviour will convince them : Nor yet his great and mighty works of the Creation of the world , and the preservation thereof . The hanging of the Earth upon nothing , and the other wonderful works of God mentioned in the 25th . of Joh , nor the usefulness & convenientness of the seasons of the year , and the benefits which they themselves reap thereby , is not by them considered , Psal. 19. Nor yet God's extraordinary providences , when their mighty preparations of forces and Armies are defeated by silly and weak means , as those of the Moabites were by Gideon : Or when they are subdued and overthrown as it were by the Heavens , as the Poet Claudian expressed it , & conjurati veniunt in classica venti ; yet they will not see God's hand , but say , Though the bricks are fallen down , we will build with hewn stone . Nay , though the Lord doth destroy them by his Angels , as in Isa. 37. the Angel destroyed 185000. of Senacharib's Hoast ; they will not see God's hand . Nor when an arrow shot at a venture shall find out and smite a disguised murtherer between the joints of his armour , 1 Kings 22.33 . yet others will not fear his justice , nor see the hand of the Lord . What can the Lord do more ? Either he must give them up , or put them to shame with further miracles : And try whether Xerxes will fetter the Winds as wisely as he settered the Hellespont , and chastise them also with stripes . But the Sea did not for all that acknowledge any Allegiance to him , more than ours did to the good King Canutus , who tryed it , but only to rebuke and disprove the flattery of some of his flattering Courtiers , who vainly and prophanely called him God .