- tber ext<!lllporall, and occafionedby outward occu!rences. offer<~ to ~he mind! or deliberate, andwrought out ofour own h~rr: wh1ch aga~n IS ~lth_cr ID matttt of Cow:ttrUng Meditation Extcmporall. Caudoas or Encmpora.D. Meditation. Knowledge, for the lindin~ outoffome hidden truth, and convmcmg olan herefie by profound ttaverfing ofreafon; or in matter of AffeCtion, for the enkindling ofourlove to God: the former ofthef• two !aft, we fending to the Scbooles and Mafiers ofConnoverlies, fearch after thelatter ; which is both oflarger ufe,and fuch as noChriftianC3n rejeCt, as either unn<eeflary, or over-c:lifficulc: for, both cv<ry Chriftian had need of fire put to his affeaioos, and weaker judgements are no ldfe capable ofthis divine heat, which proceeds not fo much from reafon, as from faith. One faith(and Ibeleeve him) that Gods Schoole is more of Affetlion,then Undcdlanding: Both leffonsvery needful!, very profitable; but for this age·, efpecially B thcJatter:forifthere be fome that have much zeale,lktle knowledge, thereare more that havemuch kn~wledge without zeale. And be that bath much skill , and no affcdioo,may doe good to othersby information ofjudgement, but fhall never have thank<ithcrofhisowaheart,., orofGod, who ufeth nott9cafiawayhis love on thofe,ofwbom fie is but known, not loved. CH AP. III. OF Extemporall Meditation there may be much ufe, no rule: forafmuch as our conceits herein varyaccording to the infiniremultitudeof objetls , and their diversmanner ofprofering themfdves to the mind; asalfo for the fud. C denneffe ofthis ad.Man is placed in this Stage ofthe world, to view the feverall naturcs;llld adions ofthe creature;to viewthem,aot idly,without hisufe, as they doe him: Godmadealltbefeforman, and man for his own fak<. Both thefepurpofes were ton, if man fhould let the croaturcs palfe careldly by him, ondy feen, not thought upon. He onlycall make benefit ofwhat hefees1 which if he doe not, it is all one as it hewere bltnd or brute.Whence it is,thatwife S•l•mon putteth the flug• gard to fchoole unto the Anr1and ourSaviour fendeth thedilhufifull to the Lillyof the field. In this kind was that Meditation ofthedivinePfalmifi, which upon the view of the glorious frame of the Heavens, was led to wonder at the merciful! rcfpet! God bath to fo poor<acreature as.man. Thus our Saviour took occafion of the water D fetcht up folemnly to the Altar, from rhoWell ofshi/•,on theday ofthe great H•- fu••h,to meditate and difcourfe ofrhe Water oflife_Thus holy & fweet A•g•JIIne from?'ealion ofthe water.cou!fe n~rto his lodging, running amo~g the pebbles: fomettmcs more filently, fomemnes mabafer murmur<, and fomeumes in a fbrillcr note, entred into the thought and difcourfe of that excellent order which God hatb fetled in all thefe inferiour things_ Thu!that learned and heavenly foulc of our lace E}lyt .when w_c fate together a?d hearda fweet comfort of Mufic~,feemed upon this occafion earned up for the ume before-band to the place oflus reft, faying not withoutfome paflion, What Mufickma~ w~ think .ther~ is in beaven! Thus l~ftly (forwhokoowes not that examples ofth1s kmd arc mfimte!) that faithfull and reve- : rend Deerlng, when the Sun fhinedon his face now lying on his death-bed fell intoa ;E f":eetMeditation ofthcgloryofGod', and his approaching joy. Theth~ughts of th1s nature are not only lawfull, but fo behovefull, that we cannot omit them, without oegltd ofGod, h•s creaturc;s, our fdves.The_creatures are balflofi, if we only employ them,not learn fomethmgofthem. God IS wronged, ifhis creatures be uoregardedlour fe!Yesmon ofall, ifwe read this great volume of the creatures aod take out no lelfoo forourinfirudion. ' CHA P. IV. VVHerein yet caution is to be had, that our Meditations bee not either too_farre fetcht, or _fayouring offuperftition. Farrc;fetcht I call thafe wbich have not a fatre and cafie refemblance unto the matter from whence
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