A Di[courfe of Divine Meditatiort. ::::::::;::_,.. God in N--;,;;;;~ this, be~aufe they do not M-;ditate upon. them?-So that -;;;;;;y Chap. 1 • Perfons fet God beneath a Pamter or Carver. Praife and Admiration is · the going ~forth of the Under/landing upon ~n Excellent Obje&. . Now when you !hall read ~~~ ~a031~~~/~~e~~;~~~~d ~~d ~~~1a~!;~~eaf~~. t~hr%f:d~~:t:~~hdrt~[e\ot:h~f this, That Bright Su" is but a Shadow of God. It is God that hath ftrctched torth that Rich Canopy over our heads. When you caft your Eye down, and confider the vaft body of the Earth, it hangs in the Air, which is fo weak a thing that it cannot hold C a Feather, it's founded upon the Power of God. When you confider ~~~n~~~ wi~~~·t~!0;and~ :~~hris ~hetl~e~:~ft t~~~;~c~:;aa;~~~J~I:::e~:a~0~;t:.: wife to Admire his Power ? He that will but converfe with the Creatures thus by way of Meditation, will learn to admire the Unfearchable Wifdom, the Unfpeakal>le Goodnefs, and the Infinite Power ofGod. 2. As it will difpofe the Soul for Praife, fo for Thankfgiving. Now this differs from Praife thus; When I Praife a thing, I Refpea the worth of it ; When I am Thankful for a thing, I Refpea my Intereft in it. Now when a man Jball Ccnfider this great World, and all things here below were made for the Glory of God, and the ufe of Man, this will raife our Thankfgiving to God, and Inflame our Love to him. What's the Reafon that we are more Grateful for [mall Courtefies of Men, than for the Rich Benefits of God? But becaufe we do not Meditate on them. ~· This Occafional Meditation upon the Crbture without us, will be an excellent Ground for our Faith and Dependance upon God. Our Lord Jefus doth urge his M•tth. 6o •6. Difciplcs to believe upon this Account. Saith he, Do yo• nor fie the LiUies, they neither [01P nor [pin, Jet thq Are clothed witb A rhher garmtnt than S~lomon? Do you not foe the SpArrows ? there'! not one of them falls ~o t!Je ground wuhout a Providence, Alid yoa art of more worth than many Sparrows . When a Chr iftian !hall confider thus; God is the great Mafter of the Family of Heaven and Earth, he makes Provifion for all his Creatures.; and if my God takes Care of thefe things that are Inferiour to me, much more will he take care of me ; for 'tis Chrifi's Argument, Te 11re of more value then man] _Sp~rrows .. Nay, 4 . This occalional Meduatton, will be a means to cure the moft vicious part of our Lives; For what is the wickedefi part o.f a mans Life ? it is his. vam T houghts. As in Nature there !S no Vacuuy or Emptmefs, but a Veffel !S Clther filled with ~/i~~\;~u~~eb!:rdo~~:u~h;o~~r~i~ i!,~(e~~f."liu~ni;l ;;~~i~~~i~n~i~tg,":;uldr;hr~fr out vain and vile Thoughts•. Oh 'tis a Rare Temper when a Chriftian is alwayes upon the Wing. When he IS hke the Beams of the Sun, they touch the Earth, but the Body of the Sun is fixed .in Heaven. So 'tis with a Chrifiian when he converf. eth with the World, bul' enJoyes God. S· This Occafional Meditation will enliven thy Obedience to God. When thou h?~~r~:i~e~~~~ ci,\~h !':fi ~~~o~~~~!h~~e:ri'nah'r.a~:~vTc~ntaX'e~~Je~?!o~~;fu:~~! Service of him he feeds and maintains ; fo if you confider you are alwayes fuppor· ted by the Charges of Free Grace, and every good thing given, is the Fruit ofGod's ' Bounty; nay, that all the Creatures obferve God by a perpetual Law, this will likewife raife thy Obedience to htm. The Sun alwayes Rnns his Courfe, without Errour or Alteration. All the CreaW~r ~r~~1, 0ruch'u~~:Ii:..rt~~~~a~h~~~reW:i,r~rit:enN~~~e ~~e~~~~:.rer~!~n~"~ t~; aU ; Occafional Meditation brings this Advantage to us, The World, which is the ~~~~i~: ~~~~ ~er.:~~~~·e;d~f~o:l~ ro~~hi~hn~h~~·~e~~ec~~a:~J. ~~~~~~~; t~~fe Beams of Goodnefs which ihme from the Father of Ltghts, are Reflc&ed upon hnn again. Secondly, There is D•liber•r• Meditation, and that is Two·fold : It is either Direc1 or Reflexive. r. Direc1. When the Underftanding fixeth it felf upon Come Truth, and draws from it thofe A'dvantages which may be proper to it. ftlf. . W, e read .of Ifo.ac, that Gen. 24.ti• he went o•t into the Field to medtt•te. The Word 10 Jts pnmmve ligmficauon bath this Import; that be wem {Qrth to C.,;fer with truth ; When <hete is a mutual and rectprocal
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