§ 21. (1.) By soliloquy, or a pleading the case with thyself, thou must in thy meditation quicken thy own heart. Enter into a serious debate with it. Plead with it in the most moving and affecting language, and urge it with the most powerful and weighty arguments. It is what holy men of God have practised in all ages. Thus David, Why art thou cast down, O my soul! And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.[393] And again, Bless the Lord, O my soul! and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul! and forget not all his benefits,[394] &c. This soliloquy is to be made use of according to the several affections of the soul, and according to its several necessities. It is a preaching to one's self: For as every good master or father of a family is a good preacher to his own family; so every good Christian is a good preacher to his own soul. Therefore the very same method which a minister should use in his preaching to others, every Christian, should endeavor after in speaking to himself. Observe the matter and manner of the most heart-affecting minister; let him be as a pattern for your imitation; and the same way that he takes with the hearts of his people, do thou also take with thy own heart. Do this in thy heavenly contemplation; explain to thyself the things on which thou dost meditate; confirm thy faith in them from Scripture; and then apply them to thyself, according to their nature, and thy own necessity. There is no need to object against this, from a sense of thy own inability. Doth not God command thee to teach the Scriptures diligently unto thy children, and talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up?[395] And if thou must have some ability to teach thy children, much more to teach thyself; and if thou canst talk of Divine things to others, why not also to thine own heart?
[393] Psalm xliii, 11.
[394] Psalm ciii, 1-5.
[395] Deuteronomy vi, 7.
§ 22. (2.) Heavenly contemplation is also promoted, by speaking to God in prayer; as well as by speaking to ourselves in soliloquy. Ejaculatory prayer may very properly be intermixed with meditation, as a part of the duty. How often do we find David, in the same Psalm, sometimes pleading with his soul, and sometimes with God? The apostle bids us speak to ourselves in psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs;[396] and no doubt we may also speak to God in them. This keeps the soul sensible of the Divine presence, and tends greatly to quicken and raise it. As God is the highest object of our thoughts, so our viewing of him, speaking to him, and pleading with him, more elevates the soul, and excites the affections, than any other part of meditation. Though we remain unaffected, while we plead the case with ourselves; yet, when we turn our speech to God, it may strike us with awe; and the holiness and majesty of Him whom we speak to, may cause both the matter and words to pierce the deeper. When we read, that Isaac went out to meditate in the field, the margin says, to pray; for the Hebrew word signifies both. Thus in our meditations, to intermix soliloquy and prayer; sometimes speaking to our own hearts, and sometimes to God, is, I apprehend, the highest step we can advance to in this heavenly work. Nor should we imagine, it will be as well to take up with prayer alone, and lay aside meditation. For they are distinct duties, and must both of them be performed. We need one as well as the other, and therefore shall wrong ourselves by neglecting either. Besides the mixture of them, like music, will be more engaging; as the one serves to put life into the other. And our speaking to ourselves in meditation, should go before our speaking to God in prayer. For want of attending to this due order, men speak to God with far less reverence and affection than they would speak to an angel, if he should appear to them; or to a judge, if they were speaking for their lives. Speaking to the God of heaven in prayer, is a weightier duty than most are aware of.
[396] Ephesians v, 19.
CHAP. XV.
Heavenly contemplation assisted by sensible objects, and guarded against a treacherous heart.
§ 1. As it is difficult to maintain a lively impression of heavenly things, therefore, § 2. (I.) Heavenly contemplation may be assisted by sensible objects; § 3. (1.) If we draw strong suppositions from sense; and, § 4-11. (2.) If we compare the objects of sense with the objects of faith, several instances of which are produced. § 12. (II.) Heavenly contemplation may also be guarded against a treacherous heart, by considering, § 13, 14. (1.) The great backwardness of the heart to this duty; § 15. (2.) Its trifling in it; § 16. (3.) Its wandering from it; and, § 17. (4.) Its too abruptly putting an end to it.
