The Epistle to the Reader
Christian Reader,
There are some exercises of Religion which stand only in a form of godliness, when men draw near with their mouth and honor God with their lips, and bestow a little bodily exercise and attendance upon him, when in the meantime their hearts are far from him, running after other objects, Isaiah 29:13. Ezekiel 33:31. Other duties there are which are more spiritual, and wherein the life and power of godliness does consist. Among these, that of heavenly Meditation is one, when, (as the Apostle says of the blessed Angels, 1 Peter 1:12.) the heart desires to look into the mysteries of salvation.
Ever since the fall of Adam, sinful men have had the disposition of Adam, to fly away, and to hide from the presence of the Lord. Natural men are without God in the world, he is not in all their thoughts, they could be well enough content to have him cease from before them, Isaiah 30:11. He is everywhere else to be found, only shut out of the hearts of wicked men.
The heart never willingly fixes on God, till he be the Treasure of it; for where a man's treasure is, there will his heart be also. It cannot easily Meditate, but where it does delight, Psalm 119:97. Love is the weight of the soul, it readily moves to the object which it loves. Mary will not away from the empty Sepulcher, where a little before her Lord had lain. Every good man is of David's mind, Psalm 16:8. to set the Lord always before him, that he may be in his fear all the day long.
There is nothing of a more unstable and roving temper than the mind of man. Some have prescribed the study of Mathematics to fix the volatile agility thereof; but certainly the more serious, the more settled the soul is. Nothing therefore will so ballast and compose it, as true holiness, which does of all other things make it the most serious, the most willing to acquaint itself with God, that it may be at peace, Job 22:21. He is the Rest of the soul. Inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te. The more it knows of him, the more desirous it is to stay with him that it may know more. The more it tastes of his favor, the more it longs after his glory, as Moses did, Exodus 33:17, 18. What the Philosopher says of all knowledge, is indeed true only of the knowledge of God and Christ, that it is quies intellectus. And therefore our Savior calls it eternal life, John 17:3. In which alone the soul does Rest.
Now one excellent means of fixing the heart on God, is meditation, whereby a man calls together All that is within him to bless his name, Psalm 103:1. Meditation is the wing of the soul which carries the affections thereof to things above; by this, as Moses, it goes up to the top of Pisgah to take a view of the promised land. It is as Clemens Alexandrinus says of prayer, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], a conversing with God. As Chrysostome says of faith, so may we of Meditation, [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉]. It makes God, and Christ, and precepts, and promises ours, by giving us a fuller possession of them. Hereby we hold fast the things which we have learned, we awaken our faith, inflame our love, strengthen our hope, revive our desires, increase our joys in God; we furnish our hearts, and fill our mouths with materials of prayer, we loosen our affections from the world, we pre-acquaint ourselves with those glories which we yet but hope for, and get some knowledge of that love of Christ which passes knowledge. Meditation is the palate of the soul whereby we taste the goodness of God; the eye of the soul whereby we view the beauties of holiness; that [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] and [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉], whereby our spiritual senses are exercised, Acts 24:16. Hebrews 5:14. It is the key to the wine cellar, to the banqueting house, to the garden of spices, which lets us in unto him whom our soul loves; it is the arm whereby we embrace the promises at a distance, and bring Christ and our souls together.
Though some learned men of former times have written some few things upon this subject, yet of our age, and in our language, I do not remember any who have purposely handled it, but our Christian Seneca, the learned and Reverend Bishop Hall, which being one small tract in the midst of a voluminous work, may perhaps not be in every man's hand to peruse. The necessity, excellency, and usefulness of this Christian duty, the Reverend Author of this book has elegantly described, which is therefore worthy the perusal of such as desire to acquaint and furnish themselves with so excellent a part of Christian skill, whereby Time may be redeemed and improved unto the prepossession of Eternity. The Lord so fill us with the love of him, and with all the fullness of God; that we may be able continually to say, My heart is fixed O Lord, my heart is fixed, I will sing and give praise.
From my Study at Lawrence Jewry, November 7, 1657. Thine in the Lord Edward Reynolds.
