fcafon~blc time, ,nd when we _find our fpirits mofl: active and lit.for contemplation, then to pitch on that time. It is a choice part of a Chri!li1ns skill to obfcrvc the temper of his own fpiri t, and 1f befides he do obferve the gales ofgrace,and the Spmt of Chnfl: moving on his Spirit, it is good then to be doing, and the rather, becaufe at that time a little labour will fct 0ur hearts a going. 2 • For place. v.;e judge folitarinefs andfolitary places, fittdl: for Meditruion, efpeeially for Jet and fvlitary Meditation: Th_us we found Jefusmeditatingalone in the Mount, John Baptift mthe defert,Daz·•d on h1s bed, Dame! m his houfe, Ifaac m the lleld. The BridC"room ofour Soul, The Lord Jefus Chrift, is bajhful (fmd Bernard) and n"e'V~r comes to his~neditatiug Bf'ide in the prcfence of a multitude: Hcricc was the Sp'oufes invitation come my beloved, lrt ItS go forth into the field, letus lodge in the villages' let /IS go "Pearly to the viueyards, let "'.fee ifthe vmejlourijh, whether the tender grafes appear, and the pomlgranaccs put forth, there lVlll I gwe thee my love: We muft m tillS cafe abandon worldly focicty, both outward and inward: Many fcquefter themfelvcs from the vifible company of men, which yet carry a world within them; Both thefe focieties are enemies to this Mcdttation. 3 • For the Matt<r of o.ur Jlfeditation, it muft be Divine and Spiritual; viz.. Gods Word, or fome part thereof: It is woful to think how fomc meditate on fin, contrary to Gods Word, !ludyi'ng to go to Hell with the leaft noife of the world; others bend theirlhoughts onely on the fcarch of natural things; as, The motion of the Heovens, the reafon of the ebbin'g and flowing of thS Seas, the kindes ofSmples that grow out of the earth, and the Creatures upon it, with all their qualities and operations; but in the mean while, the God th~t made them , the vilenef~ of their nature, the danger of their fin, the multitu de of their imperfections, the Saviour that bought them, the heaven that he bougnt tor them, &c. are as unregarded, as if they were not: The matter ofour Meditation muft be fomething Divine; I remember thee on my bed, ;md , meditate on thee: - I will meditate ofall thy wor0, and talk_of thy doings. . 4· For the frmne of our fpirit, the fucceffe of the work doth much depend oti this: now then when thou fetteft on this duty. . I. Get thy heart as clear from the world as thott can!], wholly lay by the thoughts of thy bufineffe, of thy troubles, of thy enjoyments, . and of every other thing that may take up any room in thy foul. z. Set upon this work w,ith the greateft ferioufneffe tha~ J?Oflibly thou canfl:; labour to have the deepefl: apprehenfions of the prefence of Gocl; If forile Angel from heaven fhould but appoint to meet thee,how dreadfully,how apprehenfively wouldeft thou go to meet him?V\Ihy-;· confider then with what a fpirit thou fhouldil meet the Lord,and with what ferioufneffe and dread thou fhouldft converfc with him l SECT. 3· Of occafional Meditation, OCafional Meditation aiifeth froin'fuch things as God by his providence offers to our eyes, ears, or fenfe: Examples of th1s fort arc mfimtc, for a taile take thefe few. . . r. Uponour firfl: waking in the morning, meditat2'h6w the Lord can at the !aft day as eafily ra1fe up our dead bodiei from the dufl:, as he hath now awaked us out of– fleep; and as now we rife from··the grave o:tr bed, fo then we mtrft arife from that bed our gra7Je, ., 2. Upon fightof the moniing sky, meditate, That if one Sun make fo bright a mor-· ~mg, what a fhmmg morn~ng will that be, when Chrift (the Sun ofrighteoufnefs} fhall appear attended With all h1s bnght Angels, Arch-Angels, Cherubims, Seraphims,Bodies. and Souls of Samts ! When there fhall'be as many Sunnes on a day, as there arc fbrs on a bnght winters night! -- · ·' . 3- Upon the vie\~ of ~raffc, or flowers 1n our field, or garden, '!"ditace: .. 0 here"s a good!(' fh':w or pamtry, but alas thefc things are onlyfor fcafon, they will foonfade :nlr_ay O their o;v~ accord, but if the Sttnne arife with a&uming heat, Jam. 1. r 1. (or ~~ I~>s mthe Ongmal, with a b~trning wind) they will witherJooner. By this gra!Je and J.~wers are refembled ea:rthly riches,pnd by the Sun, or burning wind, the hand ofpro– vfdence_tha,t fometm1eli 1s ftr~tclie_d out againfl: th~fc ~iches :_ certainly' there is a time 6- ~ubllck.;.defolatwn,thcrc 1sa tune when God IS ovcrturnmg all there is a time when . . o 15oes 10rth to blaft all wordly glory. .A11d 0 my foul, tf th>S bethetime, ifnow the x towin,g· l'[al63.6• .,j 71 12.
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