For first of all, Meditation is a great help to Knowledge: The more you think, and meditate on what you read and hear; the more you know, and though you read never so much, and hear never so much, if you don't meditate on what you read, or hear, it will amount to little, you will be never the wiser: If a man doth meditate, he proves the wiser. Mark what David saith, Psal. 119. I am wiser then mine Enemies, v. 89. I am wiser then my Teachers, I am wiser then the Ancients, v. 98. Through thy Commandments, thou hast made me wiser then mine enemies.— ⟨p. 421⟩It may be so, they might be fools.— But saith he, I have more understanding, then all my Teachers, v. 99. I, but this Teacher may be some young man, newly come from the University.—I have more understanding then all my Teachers: I but, saith he, I understand more then the Ancients. Pray how? For thy Testimonies are my meditation. Through thy Commandments, thou hast made me wiser than my enemies; for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my Teachers, for thy Testimonies are my Meditation. Meditatio sapientiae Parens, Meditation is the P•rent of Wisdom. If you read over a Book, and there be many Notions and good things in the Book, yet if the Notions be not made your own, if you be not Master of the Notions you read, you are never the better. If I read, and read, and find such and such Notions in a Book, if I be not Master of those Notions, I am little the better for my reading. 'Tis Meditation that makes you the Master of the Notions that you read, or that you hear, otherwise, it is but the Book's Notion still. By meditation after a Sermon, a man may look further into a truth, than the Preacher ever intended: Meditation is a great help to Knowledge: that's the first.
For first of all, Meditation is a great help to Knowledg: The more you think, and meditate on what you read and hear; the more you know, and though you read never so much, and hear never so much, if you don't meditate on what you read, or hear, it will amount to little, you will be never the wiser: If a man doth meditate, he proves the wiser. Mark what David saith, Psal. 119. I am wiser then mine Enemies, v. 89. I am wiser then my Teachers, I am wiser then the Antients, v. 98. Through thy Commandments, thou hast made me wiser then mine enemies.— ⟨p. 421⟩It may be so, they might be fools.— But saith he, I have more understanding, then all my Teachers, v. 99. I, but this Teacher may be some young man, newly come from the University.—I have more understanding then all my Teachers: I but, saith he, I und•rstand more then the Antients. Pray how? For thy Testimonies are my meditation. Through thy Commandments, thou hast made me wiser than my enemies; for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my Teachers, for thy Testimonies are my Meditation. Meditatio sapientiae Parens, Meditation is the P•rent of Wisdome. If you read over a Book, and there be many Notions and good things in the Book, yet if the Notions be not made your own, if you be not Master of the Notions you read, you are never the better. If I read, and read, and find such and such Not•ons in a Book, if I be not Master of those Notions, I am little the better for my reading. 'Tis Meditation that makes you the Master of the Notions that you read, or that you hear, otherwise, it is but the Book's Notion still. By meditation after a Sermon, a man may look further into a truth, than the Preacher ever intended: Meditation is a great help to Knowledge: that's the first.
