CONTEMPLATION CONSIDERED 243 the will, and that for the affections. Christ and hea- ven have various excellencies, and therefore God'hath formed the soul with different powers for apprehending those excellencies. What the better had we been for odoriferous flowers, if we had no smell ? or what good would' language or music have done us, if we could not hear? or what pleasure should we have found in meats and drinks, without the sense of taste? So what good could all the glory of heaven have done us, 'or what pleasure should we have had in the perfection of God himself, if we had been without the affections of love and joy ? And what strength or sweetness canst thou possibly receive by thy meditations on eternity, while thou dost not exercise those affections of the soul, by which .thou must be sensible of this sweetness and strength ? It is the mistake of Christians, to think that meditation is only the work of the understanding and memory ; when every school -boy can do this, or persons that hate'the things which they think on. So that you see there is more to be done, than barely to remember and think of heaven : as some labours not only stir a hand or a foot, but exercise the whole body, so doth meditation the whole soul. As the af- fections of sinners are set on the world, are turned to idols, and fallen from. God, as well as their under- standing; se must their affections be reduced to God, as well as the understanding'; and as their whole soul was filled with sin before, so the whole must be filled. with God now. See David's description of the bless- ed man, "His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night.(y) § 5. This meditation is set and solemn. As there is solemn prayer, when we set ourselves wholly to that ,duty and ejaculatory prayer; when in the midst of other business we sent up some short request to God; so also there is solemn meditation, when we apply our - selves wholly to that work ; and transcient meditation; when in the midst of other business we have some good thoughts of God in our minds. And as solemn (y) Psalm i. 2.
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