A65299:129
Heaven taken
Heaven taken by storm, or, The holy violence a Christian is to put forth in the pursuit after glory by Thomas Watson ...
London: printed by R.W. for Tho. Parkhurst, 1670
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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. Meditation is so cross to flesh and blood. Naturally we shun holy meditation. To meditate on worldly secular things, if it were all day, we can do it without any diversion*: But to have our thoughts fixed on God, how hard do we find it? how do our hearts quarrel with this duty? what pleas and excuses have we to shift it off? The natural averseness from this duty shows, we are to offer violence to our selves in it.
1. Meditation is so cross to flesh and blood. Naturally we shun holy meditation. To meditate on worldly secular things, if it were all day, we can do it without any diversion*: But to have our thoughts fixed on God, how hard do we find it? how do our hearts quarrel with this duty? what pleas and excuses have we to shift it off? The natural averseness from this duty shews, we are to offer violence to our selves in it.
- *Acies mentis ad levissima quaeque retimditur & resilit. Mornaeus.
2. Satan doth what he can to hinder this duty. He is an enemy to meditation. The Devil cares not how much we hear, nor how little we meditate. Hearing begets knowledge, but meditation begets devotion. Meditation doth ballast the heart, and make it serious; and Satan labours to keep the heart from being serious. What need therefore is there of offering violence to our selves in this duty? But me-thinks I hear some say, when they sit alone they know not what to meditate of; I shall therefore furnish them with matter of meditation.
2. Satan doth what he can to hinder this duty. He is an enemy to meditation. The Devil cares not how much we hear, nor how little we meditate. Hearing begets knowledge, but meditation begets devotion. Meditation doth ballast the heart, and make it serious; and Satan labours to keep the heart from being serious. What need therefore is there of offering violence to our selves in this duty? But me-thinks I hear some say, when they sit alone they know not what to meditate of; I shall therefore surnish them with matter of meditation.