A51842:690
One Hundred and Ninety Sermons on Psalm 119
One hundred and ninety sermons on the hundred and nineteenth Psalm preached by the late reverend and learned Thomas Manton, D.D. ; with a perfect alphabetical table directing to the principal matters contained therein.
London: printed for T.P. &c, 1681
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. Let us enquire what Meditation is, because the practice and knowledge of the duty is almost become a stranger to us. Before I can define, I must distinguish it. Meditation is, 1. Occasional. 2. Set and Solemn.
1. Let us enquire what Meditation is, because the practice and knowledg of the duty is almost become a stranger to us. Before I can define, I must distinguish it. Meditation is, 1. Occasional. 2. Set and Solemn.
1. Occasional Meditation is an act by which the soul spiritualizeth every object about which it is conversant. A gracious heart is like an Alembic, it can distil useful thoughts out of all things that it meeteth with. Look as it seeth all things in God, so it seeth God in all things. Thus Christ at Jacobs Well discourseth of the Well of Life, Joh. 4. at the Miracle of the Loaves, discourseth of Manna, Joh. 6. and Joh. 7. at the Feast of Tabernacles, of living waters; at the Pharisees Supper, discourseth of eating bread in the Kingdom of God, Luke 14. 15. There is an holy Chemistry and Art that a Christian hath to turn water into wine, brass into gold, to make earthly occasions and objects to minister spiritual and heavenly thoughts. God trained up the old Church by types and ceremonies, that the things they ordinarily conversed with, might put them in mind of God and Christ, their duties, and dangers, and sins. And our Lord in the New Testament taught by parables and similitudes taken from ordinary functions and offices amongst men, that in every Trade and Calling we might be employed in our worldly business with an heavenly mind; that whether in the Shop, or at the Loom, or in the Field, we might still think of Christ, and Grace, and Heaven. There is a parable of the Merchant-man, a parable of the Sower, a parable of the man calling his servants to an account, &c. that upon all these occasions we might wind up our minds, and extract some spiritual use from our common affairs. Thus the creatures lift up our minds to the Creator. David had his night-meditation,