Chap. s.s~~i~ . ' . C HA P. VIII. SEC T. 1. Of the Nature and Kinds of Meditation. Editation is a deep and earneft mufing upon[.me point ofChriftian btflruuion ~· to the jlrmgthemng of tu agamjt the jlejh, world and dcvtl , and to tht leading m forward towa,·d the Kingdome of Heaven ; or Me– ditation is ". ftedfaft bending. of the . mind ro fomc JPiritual matttr , difi'o~trjing oftt w.rh our[elves, ttlllve brmg the fame tofeme profitable iffu~. , Or" Meditatio~ is a feparating of our :houg~ts and affeiJiuns fron tbt. world ; a drarvmgfor~h ofall.ourgraces m thczr ordet, a.t1d an t:t:trcifing of each ofthem on its proper objeCf, and holdt'!g them to this, tillwe perceivefucceffi, and rill the JVor/z..dorh thrive, and profper irt' ottr hands, Now this Meditation is either fudden, o;·Jet; occafional, orfolenme; o:temporal, or deliberate . . 1, Su,dden, Occafianal, or Extemporal Meditation, arifeth from fuch things as God by' h1s provtdence.offers'to our eyes, ears and fenfes. W hen I confider the heavens, the work, cfthyfingers, the Moon and Stars whz,ch thou ha{f ordained : What is man that thou art mindful ofhim, or the fon ofman, that thou "Jijitejl him? This Meditmion of DMJids was' occajional. . 2. Deliberatc,ftt ,o'r f olemn Meditati~n arile;h outofour own ,hcarts,when pnrpofely' We{eparate our felves from all company, and go apart.to performe this c;xercife more throughly,making cho.icc ~f fuch matt~r,timc ~nd place as are m611: icquifite thereunto; Now tb1s Mcdt'ratton 1~double, for 1t ts e1th:r converfant about matters of knowledge, for the finding out of fome hidde~ truth, or about matters ofaffedion,for the cnkjndlmg ofour love unto God, or !(you Wlll, fw the arli11g ofthe all the powers ofourfml onfome JPirit~~al objeEf. The former of thefe two we leave to the Schooles and Prophets; th<;, latter we fhall fearch after, which is both of larger ufe, and fuch as no Chriil:ian can. reject, as either unneccffary, or over-difficult. SEC I'. 2 . The Ci-rwmftanrials ofM tditation. T He circumfbntials of our Meditation, arc time and place; I fhall adde to ihefr, , (though I cannot call them circumftanccs) the fubj e/1 matter, and the frame of o\Jr fpirit, which by way of preparation to the duty we may take notice of. . . 1. For the rime: No time can be prefcribcd to all men; for neither is God bound to hours, neither· doth the contrary difpolition of men agree in one chioce of op– llOrtunities ; fomc find their hearts moll: in frame ic. the morning; others learn wifdome· of their reins in the riight-feafon; others finde Ij'aae'; time the fitteft time, who"''"\ out in the evening to ,;,,dtt'aie: N 0 prall:icc of others can prefcribc to us in this ci~· cumftance; it is enough that we let apart that time wherein we are apteil: for that fcr– vjce. · Onely I like not their opinion who fay, that we fhould then only meditate, or then only pray when we find the fpirit provoking us to it; if the fpirit in Scripture bid me meditate; I dare not forbear it, becaufe I find not the fpirit within me to fecond the command; if I fi11d not incitation to duty before, yet I may find offiftance while I wait in performance ; but· I approve their advice who wifh us to cho6fe the moll: . fcafonable . '
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