dndgoddyobferuatrons. 23 we fee that a fchollerofa moff excellent wit,cannot attaine to greatlearning, ifhemedi tacenot ofthethings readvnto him: howmuch leffe canwee which aredull and blinde, concerning fpirituall things ? g Furthermore,che knowledgewhich onegets, whileft it fwimmes in the braine,and is notfetled in theaffeaions by meditation,is but a vanifhing knowledge.For if perfecn- tion befall vs,orif heretikes trievs with fubtill arguments, or ifSatan tempt vs, wee frail befbaken from ourformer knowledge. But contrariwife,afetled perfwafionofthe heart, ishardlyor not at all ouercome. 4 Tiiofe whoomit meditation,haue their knowledge for themoft part grounded vpon Herat. other mens fayings and writings,and they bringthemfluesinto this bondage,to beleeue;m verbaiu all to be true that their writerfaith ,becaufe they lime not examined it. rareroagi(tri. s Want ofmeditation deftroyeth the memorie,and caufechmen to eruft altogether ateditation to their bookes: fo as iftheybase time fufficient and ftoreof bookes, they are able to helpermema fpeakewithgreat ofthe hearers,andyet of thefamematters can fcarfe fpeako rie. to aprivate man tolerably tohis edification and comfort, becaufe hee hate but fpoken it out of thebooke,'and not laboured to make it his ownebymeditation,that thereby bee might findeout how to applie it to his ownevfe, and the benefit of others. Want ofme- ditationtakes awaythe vfeofknowledge. Rulesformeditation. r ltl'e,let thewordbe theobiebt,and bewareofmingling it withmensdeuices,Pfai.s. z.z6,119.99. Secondly, heart, reade,and conferremuch with reuerence and dili- gence,elfeour meditation maybeerronious,Pfa1. t tp.99.TheProphet waswiferthan his teachers : therefore hehad inf rucîions and conferencebeforehis meditation.Iojhuab,and 7imorhie were commandedto reade before,and then to meditate. a Meditate butofonethingatonce, andatonetime, accordingto the prouerbe:Hoc age. Though lie who is come to ftrengthofmeditation,can makehis vfeofall places and companiesr yet eventhefe, and much more other,not growne to filch ripenes,muft bee carefull to chafe time and place,and to fequeiter themfelues fromall lets,that might car rie them away,whentheywill glue themfelues toearneft meditation,as lobdid, who whi lefthisfonnes were banquetting,kept himfelfeapart.And theyare to vfe fafting,that they may bring themfelues intotheprefence ofGod, and fee into the depthof theirowne cor- ruptions. 4 In meditating of a poynt,wemuff firfttrauailewith ouriudgement andafl feaions, beforewe come tomakevfeof it inour hearts. 5 We muff knowthat there will neuer be found norabiding fruiteofineditation,vn- till ourheart be found and fìncere,and deporting others from finne, Tooke thatwee our fehies hate it. 6 Beforeand in allwe muft pray that the fpirit maybe givenvs,thatwe neither adde nor detraa,that we goenottoo farre,norcome not too Ihort. 7 Wee mutt euer be mindfull to be thankful' vnto God, when hee bleffeth vs in cur meditation ; elfe we thall bebuffeted in our nextmeditation. 8 Being often troubled fuddenlyinhis deepeltmeditations with difraffionsofmind,. Ile triedwhether theywere ofGod or not, in this manner : If they did eitherbring (time mill thingpaft into his mindetohumble him, or fomegood thing to comfort himand make himthankful!; or ifthey did inftruéthim inany thing tocome;leauing an admo- nition inhim to be circumfpe&.,then bee tooke themto be of God : but if they drew his mindefrom thethings prefent,toroue and wander after othermatters, bee prefcntly fuf pettedit,and fell toprayer,tobe eftablifsed in his prefent calling,fromwhence his owne corruptions and Satanwentabout toleade him. 9- Hehad often in his publikeminiftrie and privme conference, a hidden failing inHestofelpe memorie,fo as by no measles he could recouerlumfelfe inthofeehings heepurpofed to o gofde es., fpeake: in which cafehe vfed thisremedie,prefently to groanein hisheart,and-tohumble ,ie;npreach his ing theword.
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