to them; but those that are good, they look upon all the chapters there as their Father's letters: and I will read it over for it is my Father's letter, and I will think on it much for it is my Father's letter. Thus, then, look upon the word as your Father's letter.

And look upon the Scripture also as your own evidence. A man hath an evidence for land, and it may be the parchment is a dusty thing, yet he takes a great deal of pains in reading it over and thinking on it. Why, saith one that stands by, why will you spend so much time in reading of a dusty parchment? But, O friend, saith he, friend, it is my evidence for my inheritance. So now, when men come to the word, and do not look upon it as their evidence for their land, they have no list to meditate on it; but when a man comes to the word, and can look upon it as his evidence for a great inheritance, then he loves to meditate on it. Remember, therefore, these two things, that all that is in the word is either commandment or promise, threatening or example. And look upon the word as your Father's letters and as your own evidence. And then,

In case that you would meditate on the works of God, be sure of this, that you look upon all the works of God as enamelled and embroidered with so many attributes of God; for the more you see the attributes of God shining forth upon his works, the more sweetness you will take in the meditating thereof. But if you do not see the attributes of God shining forth upon his works, you will take no sweetness in meditating thereon.

Then be sure that you do not take things apart and separate from another, but take all together; they are set one over against the other. If you part the works of God, you will find no beauty nor sweetness in the consideration of them; but put all together, the design and end of the work, and the wholeness of the work gives a beauty to it. Take heed, therefore, that you do not separate between piece and piece, but carry all together, and the end thereof.

If you would meditate on God in reference to his works, be sure of this, that you never go to read God's work but by God's candle. The work of God is a great book, but the work of God cannot be read but by God's word; God hath a candle of his own to read his work by.

When you go to

read his work, be sure you carry his candle along with you, and so shall you be sure to read it the better. I have done. Be sure you look upon every work of God as coming out of the hand of your Father, that you may say, Oh, this is my Father's work, and this is my Father's work. London is destroyed, but this is my Father's work. You have heard of that honest, good man of Chelmsford, when it thundered and lightened, insomuch as all the town were afraid that doomsday was come; how he got upon a stall in the street, and said, This is my Father's voice. And so when you look upon any work of the Lord, look upon it as your Father's work, and then you will take a sweetness and contentment in the meditation thereof.

And thus I have given you some taste. But how this work of meditation is to be carried on with sweetness I reserve for the next exercise; only for the present you have heard what a profitable thing it is to meditate on the things of God. What now remains but to get up and be thinking and meditating on God and the things of God.

SERMON VIII.

THE WORK AND WAY OF MEDITATION.

My meditation of him shall be sweet." PSALM civ. 34.

HAVING shewed how sweet and profitable the work of meditation is, to meditate on God and the things of God; we came the last day to this question or objection:

But if the work of meditation be so sweet and profitable, what shall we do that this work of meditation may be carried on with sweetness and profit?

I am a stranger to this work of meditation: I have often read the Scriptures and not meditated on them; I have often heard the word and not meditated thereon; I have sometimes begun to meditate, but finding it a hard work I have left it off again. And sometimes I have thought that this work is incumbent only upon students and preachers. But if it be our duty to meditate on God, and the things of God, what

shall we do that the work of holy meditation may be carried on with profit and with sweetness?

For answer hereunto, four or five things I shall speak unto. First, I shall labour to shew you, that it is our duty to meditate on God and the things of God.

Secondly, That this work of meditation is every man's work, and every day's work, and such a work as is consistent with every business and condition.

Thirdly, I shall lay down some means for the right performance of this work.

Fourthly, Give you some rules and directions, how this work of meditation should be carried on with sweetness and profit, in a right manner.

And then draw forth some arguments or motives to press you all hereunto.

First, It is our work and duty to meditate on God and the things of God. Will you instance according to our explication at the first.

Will you instance in the nature, titles and attributes of God? Why, it is our work and duty so to meditate on God; for wicked men are blamed that God is not in all their thoughts. If they be blamed for this, that God is not in all their thoughts, then surely God is to be in all our thoughts. Good and holy men are commended and rewarded for this. 66 They that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and a book of remembrance was written for them that feared the Lord, and that thought on his name." They are commended, and they are rewarded. In the day when God makes up his jewels, they shall be found among them. Mal. iii.

And who doth not know that it is our duty to praise the Lord. Not only to be thankful to God upon the account of benefits received, but to praise the Lord upon the account of his own excellencies. And how should the heart be tuned and framed unto this praising of God, but by meditation on the name and nature and titles of God? "Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised," Psalm xlviii. 1. How doth he tune his heart to this praise? "We have thought of thy loving-kindness, O God."

The more that the heart of any man is laid in with meditation, the more pregnant will his words be in the praises of

God. So that thus then, it is our duty for to meditate upon this account.

But will you instance in Christ the Son of God? As it is our work and duty to meditate on the nature, titles, and attributes of God; so to spend and to lay out our thoughts upon Christ the Son of God. You may observe therefore, that this word "Behold," is oftener prefixed and set before the mystery of Christ, than before any other depth or mystery in Scripture. And why so? But to show that this depth and this mystery is that especially that calls forth our consideration and our meditation. There are four things concerning Christ which do call for our meditation.

The personal excellency of Christ. The offices of Christ. The life, and the death of Christ.

As for the personal excellencies of Christ, you read what the apostle saith, Heb. vii. 4, " Now consider how great this man was," Melchizedek, the type of Christ; and if the type were so great, Christ is greater. And if we are to consider the greatness of the type, much more to consider and meditate on the greatness and personal excellencies of Christ typified.

66

And as for the offices of Christ, you read what the apostle saith in chap. iii. 1, “ Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus."

And as for the life of Christ, you know what the apostle saith, in chap. xii. 2, " Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith."

And for the sufferings of Christ, you read what follows: "Who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame; for consider him (verse 3) that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself," &c. So that thus then, we are to meditate on God upon this account; laying out and spending our thoughts and meditations upon Christ the Son of God.

But, will you instance in the word of God? Why, as we are to meditate on Christ, the Son of God, so we are to meditate on the word of God. Psalm cxix. 15, " I will meditate on thy precepts." Verse 23, "Thy servant did meditate on thy statutes." Verse 48, " And I will meditate on thy statutes." At the 93rd verse," Oh how I love thy law, it is my medita

tion all the day." The word of God we are to meditate on ; to meditate on God, and the things of God upon this account, Now here are four things that will lead you out to meditation :

The exactness of the commandment.

The faithfulness of the promise.
The terror of the threatening.

And the weightiness of the examples; all which meet in the Scriptures, and in the word of God. And accordingly we are to meditate on the word of God, upon this account.

Will you instance in the works of God? Why, as we are to meditate on the word, so we are also to meditate on the works of God. The work of creation, the work of providence, and the work of redemption. The works of God are sought out of all those that have pleasure in them. "I remember the days of old, I meditate on all thy works, I muse on the work of thy hands," Psalm cxliii. Thus David did, and thus should we also do; so that thus then you see, that it is our work and our duty to meditate on God and the things of God, in reference to his nature, name and attributes; in reference to his Son; in reference to his word; and in reference to the works of God. And that is the first general.

Secondly, Now this work of meditation is every man's work, it is every day's work, and it is that work that is consistent with every business and condition.

I say it is every man's work; it is the work of the wicked, and it is the work of the godly.

"I con

It is the work of the wicked, for it is their first step unto conversion. The prodigal bethought himself, and returned unto his Father's house. The prophet Haggai calling upon the Jews to repent saith, "Consider your ways." sidered my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies," saith David. Consider your ways; or, as in the Hebrew, set your heart upon your ways. upon your ways. And when doth a man set his heart upon his ways, but when he doth seriously ponder and meditate on his ways? This work of meditation therefore, I say, it is the work of the wicked, it is their first step unto conversion.

And it is the work of the godly; meditation work is a godly man's work. For either he is weak or strong: