Doct 2. Whosoever would lift up his hands to God's command- ments, and seriously address himself to a course of obedience, must use much study and meditation. On the one side, non-advertency to heavenly doctrine is the bane of many : Mat. xiii. 19, 'When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not,' fiy avvievro<;, non advertit animum, ' then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart.' And so James i. 23, 24, ' If any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like a man beholding his natural face in a glass ; for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.' God's great complaint of his people is that they will not con- sider : Isa. i. 3, ' The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib ; but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider.' So Jer. viii. 6, ' I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright ; no man repented him of his wickedness, saying, what have I done ? ' The heathens have commended such recollection. On the other side, the scripture recommendeth meditation, as one great help to obedience.
VeR. 48.] SERMONS UPON PSAL.M CXIX. 19
Lydia's conversion is described by attendancy : Acts xvi. 14, ' The Lord opened her heart, that she attended unto the things Avhich were spoken by Paul ; ' because that is the first step to it; minding, choosing, ])rosecuting. So the man that will benefit by the word of Grod is he, James i. 25, ' That looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and con- tinueth therein ; ' that is, abide th in the view of these truths ; for a glance never converted or warmed the heart of any man : ' This man being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer pf the word, this man shall be blessed in his deed.' Now, more particularly, why meditation is neces- sary:—
1. To know the mind of God and understand our dut)''. A super- ficial knowledge hath no efiicacy and hold upon us ; therefore, by deep meditation, search and study, we come to be more thoroughly acquainted with the mind of Grod revealed in his word. We are bidden, Prov. ii. 4, to 'dig for knowledge as for silver.' Mines do not lie on the surface, but in the bowels of the earth. Every day we should get more know- ledge : Piom. xii. 2, ' Be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds, that ye may prove what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God ; ' and Eph. v. 17, ' Be not unwise, but understancling what the will of the Lord is.' Now we cannot know this without a serious search and inquiry into the rule of duty : there must be an accurate search ; spiritual knowledge will not drop into our mouths. There are many clouds of ignorance and folly that yet hover in the minds of men, and they are dispelled more and more by a sound study of the scriptures.
2. To keep up a fresh remembrance of our duty. Oblivion and in- consideration is a kind of ignorance for the time. Though we habit- ually know a thing, yet we do not actually know a thing till we con- sider of it: Eccles. v. 1, 'They consider not that they do evil;' so Hosea vii. 2, ' They consider not in their hearts that I remember all their wickedness.' That which we consider is always before us ; but that which we consider not is forgotten, laid by, and the notions which we have about them are as it were laid asleep, they work not. But now frequent meditation keepetli these things alive.
3. Meditation is necessary to enkindle our affections. Affections are stirred by thoughts, as thoughts by objects. The truth cannot come home to our hearts till we think of it again and again. We have no other natural way to raise affection ; and we must not think that grace worketh like a charm, in a way contrary to the instituted order of nature. No; the heart of man must be besieged with frequent and powerful thoughts before it will yield to God and give entertain- ment to his truth and ways. There is no coming at the heart but by the mind ; and the mind must be serious in what it represents to gain the heart ; that is, we must meditate. The devil watcheth our postures ; he seeketh to catch these thoughts out of our mind as soon as he seeth that we begin to be serious, Mat. xiii. 19.
4. Meditation is necessary to show our love : ' I will lift up my hands also to thy commandments, which I have loved, and I will meditate in thy statutes ;' Ps. i. 2, 'His delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night ;' Ps. cxix. 47, ' And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.' The mind will muse upon what we love. As thoughts stir affections,
20 SERMONS UPON PSAL5I CXIX. [SeR. LV.
SO affections stir up thoughts ; for in all moral things there is a kvkXo- jev7}ac<i. A pleasing object will be much revolved in our mind, and frequently thought of.