Chapter 13: For the Right Timing of Meditation

Question 1. What is the fittest time for meditation?

Answer. For the timing of it, it is hard to prescribe, because of men's various callings and employments. But if I may freely speak my thoughts, the morning is the fittest time for Meditation. The best time to converse with God is, when we may be most private, that is, before worldly occasions stand knocking as so many Suitors at the door to be let in: the morning is, as it were the cream of the day, let the cream be taken off and let God have it. In the stilling of strong water, the first water that is drawn from the Still is more full of spirits, the second drawing is weaker; So the first Meditations, that are stilled from the mind in a morning, are the best, and we shall find them to be most full of life, and spirits. The morning is the Golden hour. God loved the first fruits, Exodus 23:19. The first of the first-fruits thou shalt bring into the house of the Lord. Let God have the first-fruits of the day; the first of our thoughts must be set abroach for heaven. The student takes the morning for his study. The Usurer gets up in the morning, and looks over his books of account; a Christian must begin with God in the morning. David was with God before break of day, Psalm 119:147. I prevented the dawning of the morning.

Question 2. But why the morning for Meditation?

Answer 1. Because in the morning the mind is fittest for holy duties. A Christian is most himself then; What weary devotion will there be at night when a man is even tired out with the business of the day. He will be fitter to sleep than to meditate. The morning is the queen of the day, then the fancy is quickest, the memory strongest, the spirits freshest, the organ of the body most disposed, having had its recruits by sleep. It is a sure rule, then is the best time to serve God when we find ourselves most in tune. In the morning the heart is like a viol strung and put in tune, and then it makes the sweetest melody.

The morning thoughts stay longest with us the day after, the wool takes the first dye best, and it is not easily worn out. When the mind receives the impression of good thoughts in the morning, it holds this sacred dye the better, and like a colour in grain, it will not easily be lost. The heart keeps the Relish of morning meditations, as a vessel that receives a Tincture and savor of the Wine that is first put into it; Or as a Chest of sweet Linen, That keeps the scent a great while after. Perfume your mind with heavenly Thoughts in the Morning, and it will not lose its spiritual fragrancy; Wind up your heart towards heaven in the beginning of the day, and it will go the better all the day after: It is with receiving thoughts into the mind as it is with receiving Guests into an Inn, the first Guests that come fill the best rooms in the house, if others come after, worse rooms will serve them; So when the mind entertains holy Meditations for its morning-Guests, if afterwards earthly thoughts come, they are put into some of the worst rooms, they lodge lowest in the affections. The best rooms are taken up in the Morning for Christ. He that loses his heart in the morning in the world, will hardly find it again all the day after.

3. It is a part of that solemn Respect and Honour we give to God, to let him have Aurorae filium, the first thoughts of the day; we give persons of quality the precedence, we let them take the first place. If we honour God (whose Name is Reverend and Holy) we will let the thoughts of God take place of all other. When the World has the first of our thoughts, it is a sign the world lies uppermost, we love it most. The first thing a covetous man meditates on in the morning is dea pecunia, his money; a sign his Gold lies nearest to his heart. Oh Christians let God have your morning Meditations. He takes it in disdain to have the world served before him. Suppose a King, and a Yeoman were to dine in the same room, and to sit at two Tables, if the Yeoman should have his meat brought up, and be served first, the King might well take it in an high Disdain, and look upon it as a contempt done to his person. When the world shall be served first, all our morning thoughts attending it, and the Lord shall be put off with the Dregs of the day, when our thoughts begin to run low, is not this a contempt done to the God of Glory?

4. Equity requires it, God deserves the first of our thoughts, some of his first thoughts were upon us, we had a being in his thoughts before we had a being, he thought upon us, Ephesians 1:4. Before the foundations of the World. Before we fell, he was thinking how to raise us. We had the morning of his thoughts; Oh what thoughts of Free grace, What thoughts of Peace hath he had towards us! We have taken up his thoughts from eternity: If we have had some of God's first thoughts, well may he have our first thoughts.

5. This is to imitate the Pattern of the Saints. Job rose early in the morning, and offered, Job 1:5. David when he awaked was with God, Psalm 139:17. and indeed this is the way to have a morning blessing. In the morning the dew fell, Exodus 16:13. The dew of a blessing falls early; now we are likeliest to have God's company. If you would meet with a friend, you go betimes in the morning before he be gone out. We read that the Holy Ghost came down upon the Apostles, Acts 2:3, 4. and it was in the morning, as may be gathered from Peter's Sermon, verse 15. it was but the third hour of the day; the morning is the time for fruitfulness, In the morning shalt thou make thy seed to flourish, Isaiah 17:11. by morning Meditation, we make the seed of grace to flourish.

I would not by this wholly exclude evening Meditation. Isaac went out to meditate in the Eventide, Genesis 24:63. When business is over, and every thing calm, it is good to take a turn with God in the Evening. God had his Evening Sacrifice, as well as his Morning, Exodus 29:39. as the cream in the top is sweet, so the Sugar at bottom; in two cases, the Evening Meditation does well.

1. In case such has been the urgency of business that you have time only for reading and prayer; then recompense the want of the morning with evening Meditation.

2. In case you find yourself more inclinable to Good thoughts in the evening, (for sometimes there is a greater impetus upon the heart, a greater aptitude and tuneableness of mind) dare not neglect Meditation at such a time: who knows but it may be a quenching the spirit; do not drive this blessed Dove from the Ark of your Soul; in these cases evening Meditation is seasonable; but I say, if I may cast in my verdict, the morning is to be preferred; as the flower of the Sun opens in the morning to take in the sweet beams of the Sun, so open your soul in the morning to take in the sweet thoughts of God. And so much for the timing of Meditation.