A77360:753
Christ and the covenant the work and way of meditation
Christ and the covenant the work and way of meditation. : Gods return to the soul, or nation; together with his preventing mercy. : Delivered in ten sermons, (viz.) 1. Christs personal excellencies, the object of our love. 2. Christ crucified, the object of our faith. 3. The new covenant of grace opened. 4. Christ the mediator of the new covenant. 5. The way and spirit of the new covenant, or New Testament. 6. The blood of sprinkling. 7. The sweetness and profitableness of divine meditation. 8. The work and way of this meditation. 9. Gods return to the soul and nation. 10. Preventing mercy. / By W.B.
London: printed for N. Ranew, 1667
Sermons › Sermon 7: The Sweetness and Profitableness of Divine Meditation. SERM. VII.
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.
And it is a great help unto holy Conference, (which I am afraid is too much wanting among us) Private meditation on God and the things of God, is a great help unto holy Conference. Psal. 45.1. My heart is inditing a good matter — What then? I speak of the things which I have made touching the King: my tongue is the pen of a ready writer. — When? — When the heart hath been at work in Meditation, Psal. 77.12. I will meditate also of all thy works.— What then? — and talk of thy doings. See how Conference comes in. I will meditate also of all thy works, and talk of all thy doings. So that thus then, Meditation will fit and prepare you, and tune your hearts to Prayer, Thanksgiving, holy Conference, and other Duties.
6. As Meditation is a great friend to Prayer, and to other Duties; so it is a help unto growth in grace, and the Knowledge of Christ.
A help to grow: The more we meditate on what we read and hear, the more we grow. And what's the reason, that men grow no more after all that they have heard and read, but because they meditate no more. The best Scholar Reads and Meditates, and Meditates and Reads. And the best Christian reads and meditates, and hears and meditates. The growing Christian doth. Suppose now you have a load of Dung, or Marl, to lay upon the ground, you lay it ⟨p. 424⟩upon the ground, to make it fat and fruitful; but if it be laid upon the ground and not spread, will it make the grass or the corn grow; no, it will hinder the growth of the grass: The spreading of it makes the grass grow: So now, come and lay down a load of Truth upon a poor Soul, and let it lye unspread, it rather hinders his growth; but the Hand of Meditation spreads it. And, I say, What is the reason that s men grow no more, but because it may be Sermon, or Truths, like loads, are laid down upon the Soul, but no spreading by the Hand of Meditation.