Chapter 10. A holy Persuasive to Meditation
Chapter 10.
A holy Persuasive to Meditation USE 3. Of exhortation. In the next place, I would exhort
Christians to this so necessary duty of meditation. If there was ever a duty I would press upon you with more earnestness and zeal, it would be this one, because so much of the vitality and spirit of religion lies in it. The plant may as well bear fruit without watering, the meat may as well nourish without digesting, as [to think] we can be fruitful in holiness without meditation. God provides the meat, and ministers can but cook and dress it for you. Meditation must make the concoction.74 For lack of this, you may cry out with the prophet, "My leanness, my leanness! 75 Woe to me!" Isa 24.16.
O let me persuade those who fear God, to seriously set about this duty. If you have formerly neglected it, bewail your neglect, and now begin to do it conscientiously. Lock yourselves up with God, at least once a day, by holy meditation. Ascend this hill, and when you have arrived at the top of it, you will see a fair prospect: Christ and heaven before you. Let me put you in mind of that sweet saying of Bernard,
"O saint, don't you know that your husband Christ is bashful, and will not be familiar with you in company? Retire yourself by meditation into the chamber or the field, and there you will have
Christ's embraces." "Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the field; ...there I will give you my love," Song 7.11-12. O that I could persuade
Christians to this rare duty! Why is it that you don't meditate on God's law? Let me expostulate the case with you: what is the reason?
I think I hear some say, We are indeed convinced of the necessity of the duty, but alas, there are many things that hinder us. There are two great objections that lie in the way. I will first remove them, and then hope to better persuade you to this duty.