7. I'll name but one more. Though there is a great deal of profit and sweetness to be found in this work of meditation, and it's every days work, yet take heed that you don't so meditate on one of Gods excellencies, as to neglect another; nor don't so spend your whole time in the work of meditation, that this work of meditation should eat up other duties: God would have us rise from this work of meditation, as from any other duty, with an hungry appetite. Friends, God would have us rise hungry from every duty, and not glutted, variety is refreshing, he hath given many duties that we may not pore upon one. In case therefore you have bin at the work of meditation, either God hath come in upon you with his special Influence, or not: if he hath, praise the Lord for his Aytance, it's mercy that you have had one good thought of God, but Meditation is more than a thought, meditation is thought upon thought; praise God, that's the way to have more,— And In case that God hath not come in upon you in the work of meditation; then yet be not discouraged, for God would not have you glutted, and God would lead you to some other work, and one duty, one work, is not to eat up and devour another. I say with one; Let not your time be the measure or rule of your Meditation, but your Meditation the rule of ⟨p. 456⟩your time; Yet take heed, that you don't spend so much time in musing and considering, and meditating, as that this work of Meditation should eat up any other Duty, but quicken thereunto. And thus you see some means, some helps, to this work of Meditation; Some Rules and Directions for the right carrying it on sweetly: What now remains, but that you up and be doing; turn your hand to it. You have heard the duty proved: You have heard the sweetness and profitableness thereof cleared: You have heard what Objects we are to lay our Thoughts out upon: And you have heard some means, as helps unto the Work: And some Rules and Directions for the carrying of it on: O then, you that never spent hour in meditation all your days, if there be any such here; Now bethink your selves, and now give up your Thoughts to God. —You that have gone one year after another, and one week after another, and never spent any time in meditating on God or the things of God, O now bethink your selves:
7. I'le name but one more. Though there is a great deal of profit and sweetness to be found in this work of meditation, and it's every dayes work, yet take heed that you don't so meditate on one of Gods excellencies, as to neglect another; nor don't so spend your whole time in the work of meditation, that this work of meditation should eat up other dutyes: God would have us rise from this work of meditation, as from any other duty, with an hungry appetite. Friends, God would have us rise hungry from every duty, and not glutted, variety is refreshing, he hath given many duties that we may not pore upon one. In case therefore you have bin at the work of meditation, either God hath come in upon you with his speciall Influence, or not: if he hath, praise the Lord for his AYtance, it's mercy that you have had one good thought of God, but Meditation is more than a thought, meditation is thought upon thought; praise God, that's the way to have more,— And In case that God hath not come in upon you in the work of meditation; then yet be not discouraged, for God would not have you glutted, and God would lead you to some other work, and one duty, one work, is not to eat up and devour another. I say with one; Let not your time be the measure or rule of your Meditation, but your Meditation the rule of ⟨p. 456⟩your time; Yet take heed, that you don't spend so much time in musing and considering, and meditating, as that this work of Meditation should eat up any other Duty, but quicken thereunto. And thus you see some means, some helps, to this work of Meditation; Some Rules and Directions for the right carrying it on sweetly: What now remains, but that you up and be doing; turn your hand to it. You have heard the duty proved: You have heard the sweetness and profitableness thereof cleared: You have heard what Objects we are to lay our Thoughts out upon: And you have heard some means, as helps unto the Work: And some Rules and Directions for the carrying of it on: O then, you that never spent hour in meditation all your dayes, if there be any such here; Now bethink your selves, and now give up your Thoughts to God. —You that have gone one year after another, and one week after another, and never spent any time in meditating on God or the things of God, O now bethink your selves:
