The real Christian, or, A treatise of effectual calling wherein the work of God…

Of the same opinion concerning meditation, was that judicious and able Divine, Mr. Nathaniel Rogers, of whom I made mention in my Epistle to the Reader, a man of solid judgment, a close walker with God, and awed with the reverent fear of God, who could not be persuaded to publish any thing, being troubled with an Haemoptysis, or spitting of blood, he thought it would kill him if he should go about such a work; this excellency he had in his work, that as he was very sound, clear, and searching, so he was ever very tender and careful that he spake nothing which should perplex or trouble a poor sincere Christian: Having handled a Christians daily walk with God, which he did to the life, and which deserved the Press, as well as any practical piece of Divinity that is printed: I observed he omitted that Head of meditation which I waited for. I asked him in private why he did not preach upon it, as others had done, and that in such a manner as now we are speaking of, as if meditation were not rightly performed, unless men did separate themselves unto this duty daily, as they do to prayer, besides that meditation which they had, as I instanced before? To which he answered: It is true, men had printed so, but he could not prove it out of the Word, and he did not love to impose that upon the people of God, which he could not find God himself to impose. That meditation was a duty was not the question, and so instanced how and when Christians might meditate: but the question was as to such a way and manner of performing the duty, which some Divines had set down, putting the stress in the performance of it after such a way and manner, binding all Christians to that, as if the duty were not performed, unless so performed, this he could not prove, therefore would not preach it, but omitted it.

Of the same opinion concerning meditation, was that judicious and able Divine, Mr. Nathaniel Rogers, of whom I made mention in my Epistle to the Reader, a man of solid judgment, a close walker with God, and awed with the reverent fear of God, who could not be perswaded to publish any thing, being troubled with an Haemoptysis, or spitting of blood, he thought it would kill him if he should go about such a work; this excellency he had in his work, that as he was very sound, clear, and searching, so he was ever very tender and careful that he spake nothing which should perplex or trouble a poor sincere Christian: Having handled a Christians daily walk with God, which he did to the life, and which deserved the Press, as well as any practical piece of Divinity that is printed: I observed he omitted that Head of meditation which I waited for. I asked him in private why he did not preach upon it, as others had done, and that in such a manner as now we are speaking of, as if meditation were not rightly performed, unless men did separate themselves unto this duty daily, as they do to prayer, besides that meditation which they had, as I instanced before? To which he answered: It is true, men had printed so, but he could not prove it out of the Word, and he did not love to impose that upon the people of God, which he could not find God himself to impose. That meditation was a duty was not the question, and so instanced how and when Christians might meditate: but the question was as to such a way and manner of performing the duty, which some Divines had set down, putting the stress in the performance of it after such a way and manner, binding all Christians to that, as if the duty were not performed, unless so performed, this he could not prove, therefore would not preach it, but omitted it.