Heaven taken

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.

1. Meditate seriously upon the corruption ¹of your nature. We have lost that pure quintessential frame of soul that once we had. There is a Sea of sin in us. Our nature is a source and seminary of all evil^*: like Peter's sheet, wherein were wild beasts and creeping things, Acts 10. 12. This sin cleaves to us as a leprosy. This original pollution makes us guilty before the Lord; and though we should never commit actual sin, this merits Hell. The meditation of this would be a means to pull down our pride. Nay, even those that have grace have cause to walk humbly, because they have more corruption in them than grace; their dark side is broader than their light.