Chap.'i3.Sect.4· ~~bthittotl. S E CT. 4· oj de!iberat: M:dit-<tion, ani the parts thereof. DE!zberate Mcd•tt<ttons arife, and are wrought out of our own hearts: Now ~very f~ch Meditation coufifl:s of thefe parts. { Entrance, The Proceedings. Conclufion. . . . . h J Common. I. The entrance lS ett er 1 Proper. I. The common entrance i_s fome fhort, yet )Jithy prayer, that God may guide and ifreet us therein, by the gracwus affifl:ance of hts holy Spmt. , 1 2 , . The proper and particula: entrance, ;is the choice of fome theam or matter, and a feiling of our felvcs on that whtch we have ch?fen: · 2 • The proceedings of our Med,tat•~n are m thts *M~thod. 1 I. To begin m the underftandmg. •conremplati; 2. To end in the affeCtions. onir •cce§•r · d~o {unr, unut I. Concerning that part which is in the underll:and'ing, it is good to keep that courfe in inreUetl•,al· which the common places of Natural and Artificial reafon do lead us unto: as to con- ur in.jfetl., lider the matter,of our Meditation; I . In_ its defcription _: 2. In it_s difiribution: :z~~ '"i~"'"'"'• 3 . In its caufes : :4· ln tts effeCts: 5. In tts ub• ; 6. ln tts properttes: 7:· In tts fervore. oppofites: 8. In tts Comparate5: 9· In tts Scnptural Tefitmomes, only m thefe Ber.-rd in heads obfcrvc thefe cautions. , Cant. s.46 1 • That we be not too curious in profecution of there Logical places ; the end ofthis Duty is not to praetife Logick, but to exercife Religion, and to kindle Piety and De– votion : Befides, every theam wilJ not afford all thefe places; as when we meditate of God,therc is n·o rodm for Caufes and Contp.<rifons: it will therefore be fufticient, if we take the moLl pregnant and voluntary places. 2 . That if we fiick in the difpofition of any df thefe places-(a>, if meditating offin, we cannot readily meet with material and formal caufes)we rack fiot our mindes too much with the inquiry~thereof, but quietly paffe over to the next. 2 . Concerning that part which is in the affecrion, it is good to follow that courfe which the common places of Rhetorick do lead us unto : Thefe are fix. r. *A relifh of what we have meditated on. ~ 2. Acomplaint, bewailing ollr wants of this relifh. . . 3 • Awifh of the foul for what it comp\aineth to want. vu:.. 4 .. A confeffion of our inabilities, to effect,\vhat we wi!h. 5. Apetition for the fupply of our inabilities'. ' 6. Aconfidence of obtaining what we petition fqr. 3. The condulion of the work contains there parts :· ~ I. A thankfgiving. . . . ) 2. A recommendation of our fouls and ways to God. I fha\1 adde no more, but only wifh the foul thus concluding, to lift up the heart and voice to G~d '·it;~ linging a Pfalm anfwcrable to its difpofition, and matter meditated. on; and by th1s means fhall the foul clofe up it felf with much fwee:ncfs arid Spiritual contentment. SECT. 5.An Example ofthe Souls love to Chrift. ) ' ., A. Fter entrance by Prayer, a~d-choice of this thean, the foul may proceed thus: • I. Defcription. 'This reli{fJit. rhenmr:gof o:1r ojfc:liionJ, aJrf(!ur hvt !J }l·,joy,drfir~, {re. orofhn– tredofJin,filial fear, godlJ jTMme,holy in– tiit,narion, un . . feigned rtpelt" rahce, rf!yc. ~ <;>my fuul, ...;hatis this fouls lo~ to Chrift, ~hereof thou flricliell:? It is a fpjri– tua. fi~e kmd/edfrom above m the hearts of his darlings, towarde their Bridegroom the Lprd Jefus Clmft.. Or, •t u qfparkJe of that fire of the Holy GhoftJ ftruck:;into the tinder ofourfouls, whnh <mmedtatclyfmoaksr '· andfends up the flame thithenvard, whcna it ftrft ~":' ttsr~.' Or, "u the Jo~tls rejf or rcpofal of it [elf irt the bofome of Chrift ,' with, content mfpeak_able andglom~~<, bemg perjivaded ofber mtereft in that Song ofthe Svoufe,I B b · ,;;,;'
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