Chapter 3. Proving Meditation is a Duty
Chapter 3.
Proving Meditation is a Duty Meditation is the duty of every Christian, and there is no disputing our duty. Meditation is a duty that is 1. Imposed, and 2. Opposed.
1. Meditation is a duty imposed.
Meditation is not arbitrary. The same God who bid us to believe, has bid us to meditate: "This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night," Jos 1.8.
These words, though spoken to the person of Joshua, concern everyone; just as the promise made to Joshua concerned all believers
(Jos 1.5 compared with Heb 13.5).38 So this precept made to the person of Joshua, you shall meditate on this book of the law, takes in all Christians.
It is the part of a hypocrite to enlarge the promise, and to narrow the precept. You shall meditate on this book of the law; the word you is indefinite, and reaches every Christian. As God's word directs, so his will must enforce obedience to it.
2. Meditation is a duty opposed.
We may conclude it is a good duty, because it is against the stream of corrupt nature. Just as it was once said, "You may know that religion is right, which Nero persecutes;" so you may know that duty is good which the heart opposes. We will find, naturally, a strange averseness to meditation. We are swift to hear, but slow to meditate.
To think about the world, if it were all day long, is delightful. But as for holy meditation, how the heart wrangles and quarrels with this duty! It is like doing penance. Now truly, no other reason is needed to prove a duty is good, than the reluctance of a carnal heart to do it
— for instance, in the duty of self-denial. "Let a man deny himself,"
Mat 16.24. Self-denial is as necessary as heaven; but what disputes are raised in the heart against it! What! To deny my reason, and become a fool that I may be wise? No, not only deny my reason, but my righteousness! What! To cast it overboard, and swim to heaven upon the plank of Christ's merits? This is such a duty that the heart
naturally opposes and enters its dissent against it. Yet this is an argument to prove that the duty of self-denial is good. It is just so with this duty of meditation: the secret antipathy the heart has against it, shows it to be good; and this is reason enough to enforce meditation.