Chapter 8. Showing the reason why there are so few Good Christians
Chapter 8.
Showing the reason why there are so few Good Christians USE 1. Information. It gives us a true account why there are so few good Christians in the world; namely, because there are so few meditating Christians. We have many who have bible ears — they are swift to hear, but slow to meditate. This duty has almost grown out of fashion: people are so much in the shop, that they are seldom on the mount with God. Where is the meditating Christian? Diogenes,70 in a full market, was seeking up and down. And being asked what he sought, he says, "I seek a man," that is to say, "a wise man, a philosopher." Among the crowd of those who profess Christ, I might search for a Christian, namely, a meditating Christian. Where is the one who meditates on sin, hell, eternity, the recompense of reward?
Who takes a prospect of heaven every day? Where is the meditating Christian? It is to be lamented in our times that so many who go under the name of professors, have banished good discourse from their tables, and meditation from their closets. Surely the hand of Joab is in this! (1Kng 2.32) The devil is an enemy to meditation. He doesn't care how much people read and hear, nor how little they meditate. But he knows that meditation is a means to compose the heart, and bring it into a gracious frame. Now, the devil is against that. Satan is content that you should be hearing and praying Christians, just so you are not meditating Christians. He can withstand your small shot, provided you do not put this bullet in [the chamber].