89:a A Di(cour{e of Divine Me.ditatiort. ~ his Fathe;-;-Now 'tis Meditati?n that op~;;;-;;s thefe. excellencies-of Chritt, and ~th~ Glonous Bleffings we recetve fro~ htm, and fo ratfeth Love of delight in him. 'TlS MeditatiOn that blows our Love mto a Purer flame, and raifes it to a higher degree; therefore as you defire to have your Love Refined and raifed towards God Meditate. ' Fourthly, Meditation, as it advanceth the Graces ofthe Soul, fo the Comforts of the Sotd. God c~nveyes comfort to us in a Rational way, and although he is able to RamMannah m theWtldernefs, and to cart m Comforts to our Souls, without any labour of ours, yet ufually he dtfpenceth Comforts according to this ftanding Rule : He that cloth not work, fhall not eat, he that cloth not labour in the Duties of Reli· gion, fhall not find the fweetnefs of Religion. Now Meditation is the ferious and allive performance of the Soul, to which God bath promifed Comfort. I will open 'this by this Confideration. .The promifes of the Gofpel do not convey Comfort to us, as they are recorded m the Word meerly but as they are applyed by Meditation : I will illuftrate it by this Similitude, The Grapes while they Hang upon the Vine, do not produce that Wine which chears the Heart of man; but when they are fqueezed in the Wine-pref.< then they yield forth their Liquor,which is offuch a Chearing Nature: So the promifes while they are in the word barely, do not fend forth that Soveraign J uyce, which Chears our Hearts; but when we Ponder them in our Souls, and Prefs them by Meditation, then the Promifes convey the Water of Life to us. There's an exprellionof David, which Suits with this, Pfo1.6j. compare the 5th and 6th verfes, When I remember th" upon my Bed, and Mrdiwe on thee in th< Night wAtches, My Soul fh•ll be Satisfyed as with MarrOJP and Fatneji; obferve the Connexion, Meditation turnsthe Promifes into Marrow, it conveys the ftrength of them to our Souls. One Morfel of Meat Chewed and Digefted, difpences more Nourifhmentthan a greater quantity that is [wallowed down whole; fo one promife that is ruminated upon,and digefted by Meditation,conveyes more Comfort than a bun. die of promifes in the Head, that arc not Meditated upon, which we do not confider. Nay, confider this, the Comfort which Meditation brings, is themoft Spiritual refined Joy that we are capable of. The Pleafures of the World may excite laughter, but theycannotproduceSolidJoy; but Meditation produccth Solid Joy in the Heart; the things of the World may gratifie the Bealtial part of our Bodies, but it is Spiritual Meditation that rejoyceth the Angelica! part of our Souls within us. Indeed Meditation is that which makes a Man to be a Citizen of the New 1rrufolem ; he can take a Walk intheParadice of God every pay, and Pluck fruits off the Troe of Life, and draw Water from the Wells of Salvation. He that performs Confcionably the Duty of Meditation, doth maintain fuch a Correfpondence with God as the Angels do : fuch a one he doth enter upon his poffeffion ofHeaven by degrees and fteps. Therefore if you defire the Comforts that are Spiritual and Heavenly, perform this D~ffthly, It is eminently ufeful to produce the Power of Holinefs in our Converfations. There are two parts of Holinefs in our Lives, the One is the difcharge of Reli· gious Duties, the other is the repelling of Temptations ; now Meditation enables us to both thefe. · r. It enables us to the difcharge of Religious Dutyes, becaufe it conveyes to the Soul the Lively Senfe and feeling of Gods Goodnefs ; .fo the Soul is encouraged to Duty. DAvid bath an exprellion, Thy Lovtng kmdneji tS before mtne Eyes, and I have walked in thJ Truth. Meditation i• that which makes Religious Duties to be Refrefhments to us ; we look upon them as our Ornamem, and not as Fetters, be· caufe Meditation makes them fweet to us. You fhall find in Scripture there is a Connexion between Meditation and Prallice, between Memory and Duty. Therefore it'• faid, Numb. 15. 40. Thou fhalt Remember the(i thingsto do them. and Pfal. 119· 11. TI!J Word have I hid in my Hrart, that I mt?,ht not Sm agamft tlm, and. verfe I 5· I wilt Meditate in tll) Precepts, and have refpeC! unto thy wa1es; Medaauon IS that which fills the Soul with a lively fenfe of Gods Goodnefs, and fo Incourageth us to Duty. 2 . Then SecoAdly, for repelling Temptations, and for the conquelt of them Meditation is eminently ufeful. For confider the Lapfes of Gods People proceed ufually from Incogitancy, and forgetfulnefs : If Peter had remembre~ that Pra:momtton of Chri!l,he had not fallen into that Sin ; but becaufe he was Incogttant and forgetful, .he fell into a Snare: fo we are furpnzed by Incogttancy and Neglell. Now MedrtatJon is that Duty that draws forth fuitable Truths againtt every Temptation, Thr MemoG
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