3. Meditation, a neglected thing: but it falleth under the Care of Godliness as well as others. It is not enough to exercise the Eyes and the Ears, but the Thoughts. God deserves the best Use, and the Flower and Strength of our Reason; and the things of God deserve Consideration, being so difficult and so excellent. Especially should we meditate upon the Word we hear, for then there's matter to work upon, and somewhat whereby to fix the Thought; Psal. 62.10. God hath spoken once, twice have I heard this. That which God speaks, we should go over again and again in our Thoughts: As when a Man hath been hearing of Bells, the Sound hovereth ⟨p. 92⟩in the Brain when the Bells cease. Thus and thus hath God spoken to day, and what shall I say to these things? This is like grinding of the Corn, it prepares and makes it fit Nourishment for the Soul. So meditate upon what you read, Josh. 1.8. The Book of the Law shall not depart out of thy Mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein Day and Night. And this I suppose is that Meditation which is required of the simpler sort of Christians. Certainly it is every one's Duty to meditate, but every one hath not Riches of Invention, and cannot command their Thoughts, they are slow of Conception: what then, shall they continually live in the Neglect of a necessary Duty? No, here is a Help, read, and ponder what thou readest; urge thy Soul, do as the clean Beasts, chew the Cud, go over and over it again. You have often seen the Beasts, when they have done feeding, chew over their Food again, and so prepare it for the Stomach: thus may the meanest Christians do, they may urge their Hearts with what they read; whereas their Thoughts are not like a Ball struck against a Wall, that cometh to hand again, but as a Ball struck into the open Air, that returneth not. Certainly Meditation is one of the Exercises of Godliness; and they that delight in the Law of God, will be meditating, pressing and fixing it on their Hearts; Psal. 1.2. His Delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in his Law doth he meditate Day and Night: for we muse upon what we love.
3. Meditation, a neglected thing: but it falleth under the Care of Godliness as well as others. It is not enough to exercise the Eyes and the Ears, but the Thoughts. God deserves the best Use, and the Flower and Strength of our Reason; and the things of God deserve Consideration, being so difficult and so excellent. Especially should we meditate upon the Word we hear, for then there's matter to work upon, and somewhat whereby to fix the Thought; Psal. 62.10. God hath spoken once, twice have I heard this. That which God speaks, we should go over again and again in our Thoughts: As when a Man hath been hearing of Bells, the Sound hovereth ⟨p. 92⟩in the Brain when the Bells cease. Thus and thus hath God spoken to day, and what shall I say to these things? This is like grinding of the Corn, it prepares and makes it fit Nourishment for the Soul. So meditate upon what you read, Iosh. 1.8. The Book of the Law shall not depart out of thy Mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein Day and Night. And this I suppose is that Meditation which is required of the simpler sort of Christians. Certainly it is every one's Duty to meditate, but every one hath not Riches of Invention, and cannot command their Thoughts, they are slow of Conception: what then, shall they continually live in the Neglect of a necessary Duty? No, here is a Help, read, and ponder what thou readest; urge thy Soul, do as the clean Beasts, chue the Cudd, go over and over it again. You have often seen the Beasts, when they have done feeding, chew over their Food again, and so prepare it for the Stomach: thus may the meanest Christians do, they may urge their Hearts with what they read; whereas their Thoughts are not like a Ball struck against a Wall, that cometh to hand again, but as a Ball struck into the open Air, that returneth not. Certainly Meditation is one of the Exercises of Godliness; and they that delight in the Law of God, will be meditating, pressing and fixing it on their Hearts; Psal. 1.2. His Delight is in the Law of the Lord, and in his Law doth he meditate Day and Night: for we muse upon what we love.
