54.6 en/fatterGreenhorns `kadingi Meditation conferre,pray, and giuethankes often,yet we mutt meditate continually. For as it isab. medbecanti- furd to fay,that a man Mouldbe continually reading, conferring or praying ; fowe mutt Pfal.z.x. know, that it is fequifitein all thefethings toexamine our felues bymeditation, whether we reade proficabiy,conferreeffeEfually,orpray vnderftandingly. That wenow hauethis continuall meditation,we muttpray that wemay hauea loue to the word. Loue indeedwere of it felfeeloquent enough,ifwe had it in any goodmeafhre; but to (titre vp this loue,we mutt vfemany reafonsaboutthe natureof the word,how itis mylticall,pure,and eternal! ;which when we feein truth,we !halftonetheword. Wherehefaith, in itit rmy ineditation,wee muff vnderftand,that it was no rovingmedi_ Cation, but thatit was circumfcribed within the compafl'e ofthelawofGod. Now to our profit, let vs learnttomeditate according to the lawofthe Lord, and fo, as vuder thege- nerals wemaytouch the particulars,tomake the vfeofthem in our fettles. Thus weehaue frene the cattleofthis effedìcobeloue. Foras the richmenof this world meditateofga- thering in goods,nacuralllouersoftheir loue,and ambitious menof tlteirpreferinents;fo the manof God hailingno greater richcs,pleafurenor glorie,than inthe word, makethit his wholedelight and ftudir.Fer where wee loue,thitherloue cloth eafilydraw ouraffec- tions to it. Wehaue heard whymention is madeonely ofmeditation, namely, becaufèit is the life ofall the othermeanes,andmakeththemmorefruitfull,and whyhismeditationwas rna- ried to the law,enen becaufe it excludethall vanecollebtions, which proceede of general! al- West/ill knowledge. Betides, therefore ismeditation named, becaufe remit agreethwith the na- »eiesthiake toreofloue. For thoughwe cannot alwaies be reading, hearing,or talking ofthofethings andmeditate whichwe loue,wemay alwaies thinke and meditate of them.Now whatis the caufe,that oftbetbings fo much is preached, and fo little is praélifed, but becaufe wee vfefo little conference, we lone. prayer,and meditation?The remedie hereofis, to know what a finne it is, and that a- mong all croflès in the day of trouble, none fogreat as the torment of confcience, that wee liaise vetted ina general( hearing and readingofthe word, without applyingof it to ourfeurrall practifes. Hee bath (hewednow his loue,in the verfes followingheefetteth down thefruit of his loue. Forashe!hewed, tbatthewordofGod is offuck nature,that aboueall otherthingsit is eternal!: fo alfòhe fhewèth,that theeffects thereofare eternal!. Andwhereasmen defzrenotl more,than that wifdomewhereby they may excel!their enemiesin policie,their teachersindoarine,and theaged incounfaile, bee declareth that hemade not his choice,whenhefetteth hisloue onGods word,whichperformed' all theft things. As loue then is the mother that breedethmeditation,& meditationis thenurféto cherubthis lour: fohere,becaufe the argumentof the effect Bothmolt with menpreuaile, lie fheweththe mightiepower and operationof theword ofGod. What iethereafonwhy men doe not reft and fraythemfelues wholy onGods law ? Surely becaufe they arenot perfwaded,thatthere is fuel] excellent wifedome in the fame. We fee then, that weemolt learne forthe generals,to bewifein fobrietie,andaccording to the word ofGod,knowing that the Scripturesare fuficient to teach,to improue,endcorreit,and to infiruld in righteoufner, that theman ofGodmay beabfolute,being made perfebt vista all goodwarkr,z.Tim.3 .The Wife- man counfaileth vs,Ecclef.7.i 8. that weeAmid not betuft ouermuch, or make ourfelutsover- wife,leaft webedefolate. Wherebee Iheweth, that this is the way to bring blockifhnes, to make ourfettles wifer than God, and todeuife to become more iult than theword pre- fcribeth vs.. Whatis the taufe why fomanyare fo foolifh in their death, when theyhaue ouerreached themf luesiasAchitophel? Surely becaufe theLorddoth infatuate tlsem,whi- left they would be wifer than the Lord, fo that theirwifedome isçurnedinto childifhnes, and theirpolicie commeth to nothing. What is the caufe that weeare nomore occupied in thereading and hearingof theword? Doubtlelfe becaufe it is a bale and fimple thing in ourjudgements, and container] not fohigh myfteries in it, as the Prophet here fetteth downeby proofeinhis owne perfon. Neither mutt wethinke,that as itwerewith a trum- pet Lee doth here blow and found forth hisovinepraifè, but ratherby his example is defi- tous to thereothers vp. Verf.g$,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=