A treatise of divine meditation

We need not urge reasons to persuade old men, who have accustomed themselves to the practice of godliness, and by long custom have made that easy to them, which to another seems difficult (if not impossible) to continue the use of this exercise: for by experience they know the singular benefit and comfort of it; They have tasted many times how sweet a thing it is to commune with the Lord, how profitable to incite, and call upon their souls: and though the natural stomach be decayed, the spiritual appetite still increaseth in them^a. There is none so employed, or tied by any service or duty to man, but he may ⟨p. 16⟩find some time, either by day or night, to call upon God, to confer and talk with God, and with his own soul in the presence of God, especially upon the Sabbath day, wherein the poorest Artificer, and most painful Plough-man, Prisoner, and Galley-slave, must put apart some time, if not to hear and pray publicly (from which he is restrained) yet to behold, muse and meditate with himself, both of the word, and works of God. Canst thou find time to eat, drink, sleep^b? redeem some portion of time from worldly business to refresh thy self with sweet Meditation. ^cIs it not better to want thy full sleep, than to deprive thy soul of communion with God? It were a busy day when thou wouldest not a little attend to salute a kind ⟨p. 17⟩friend, who is come a far journey to visit thee in love: Let no day pass without some conference with God and thine own heart.

Wee need not urge reasons to perswade old men, who have accustomed themselves to the practice of godliness, and by long custome have made that easie to them, which to another seems difficult (if not impossible) to continue the use of this exercise: for by experience they know the singular benefit and comfort of it; They have tasted many times how sweet a thing it is to commune with the Lord, how profitable to incite, and call upon their souls: and though the natural stomach be decayed, the spiritual appetite still encreaseth in them