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THE way of Thinking, whose Productions begin to be known by the name of Occasional Meditations, is, if rightly practis'd, so advantageous, and so delightful, that 'tis Pity, the greatest part, ev'n of serious and devout Persons,
should be so unacquainted with it: And therefore, Dear Sister, your Desire to bring this way of Meditation into Request, with some of our Friends, is that which I can∣not disapprove. But I am so far from ha∣ving the Vanity to think, that the Trifles of this kind, your Commands make me trouble you with, would recommend Occasional Reflections to those, whose Eyes they were not meant for, that I think my self oblig'd to premise something touching the Useful∣ness of this way of Meditating, lest the careless and unpolish'd Instances you will I fear meet with, among those I now present you, should disparage and bring a Prejudice upon Composures of this kind in general; Wherefore, judging it requisite, to premise something touching this way of thinking, I shall forth-with apply my self to that Task: And I should judge it a very natural Distribution to divide the following Dis∣course into two parts, the first of which should contain some Invitations to the Cul∣tivating this sort of Meditations, and the latter should offer something by way of Method, towards the better framing of them. But lest I should at this time be hinder'd from treating of each of them distinctly, I will at present omit that Di∣vision,
and indeavour in recompence so to deliver the Motives I am to propose, that the first part of the Discourse may not appear maim'd, though it be unattended by the second, and yet the Particulars that might compose the second, may (if it prove convenient to mention them at this time) be commodiously enough inserted in opportune places of the first.
Of Inducements to this Exercise, I might perhaps name many, but for order's sake, I shall comprize them in the ensuing five; the first whereof will take up the present Section, and the remaining four, as many others.
ANd first, the way of Meditating, I would recommend, conduces to keep the Soul from Idleness, and Employments worse than Idleness; for while a Man's thoughts are busi'd about the present sub∣jects of his Reflections, our Ghostly Ad∣versary is discourag'd to attempt that Soul, which he sees already taken up, with some∣thing that is at least innocent, if not good. If I had not elsewhere display'd the Evil
and Danger of Idleness, and represented it as a thing, which, though we should admit not to be in it self a sin, yet may easily prove a greater mischief than a very great one, by at once tempting the Tempter to tempt us, and exposing the empty Soul, like an uninhabited place, to the next Passion or Temptation that takes the opportunity to seize upon it: If (I say) I had not elsewhere discours'd at large against Idle∣ness, I might here represent it as so formi∣dable an Enemy, that it would appear alone a sufficient Motive to welcome our way of Meditation; That it banishes Idleness. He that is vers'd in making Reflections upon what occurs to him; He that (consequent∣ly) has the works of Nature, and the acti∣ons of Men, and almost every Casualty that falls under his Notice, to set his Thoughts on work, shall scarce want Themes to em∣ploy them on: And he that can (as it were) make the World vocal, by furnish∣ing every Creature, and almost every occur∣rence, with a Tongue to entertain him with, and can make the little Accidents of his Life, and the very Flowers of his Gar∣den, read him Lectures of Ethicks or Di∣vinity; such a one, I say, shall scarce need to fly to the Tavern, or a worse place, to
get a Drawer, or a Gamester (perhaps no better qualifi'd) to help him to get rid of his time, such a one will rather pity, than pursue those, who think it their Priviledge to spend their whole Life in Diversions from the main Business of it; and out of an unskilful, and ill govern'd self-love, are come to that pass, that they cannot endure to be with themselves. Such a one will not need to frequent the company of those Gamesters, that are sure to lose that, which all their winnings will never be able to buy, or to redeem, and expose themselves coldly to as many Casualties, as ev'n War could threaten; and voluntarily tempt those Pas∣sions, it is the Task of Wisdome to de∣cline, and a Virtue to suppress; losing no∣thing but their time, without losing their Patience too, and commonly a great part of that Reverence and Submission they owe to him, of whom the Scripture tells us,* 1.1 that ev'n of Lots themselves, the whole disposal is his. Nor will he need, for want of know∣ing what to do when he is alone, to make it his almost daily Employment, to make impertinent Visits, to unsanctify'd Com∣panies, where sometimes he may lose his good Name, often his Innocence, oftner his Zeal, and always his Time.
And, as the Exercise, I would perswade, will help to keep us from Idleness, so will it, to preserve us from harbouring evil Thoughts, which there is no such way to keep out of the Soul, as to keep her taken up with good ones; as Husbandmen, to rid a piece of rank Land of Weeds, do often find it as effectual a Course to sow it with good Seed, as to cut them down, or burn them up. And indeed, the Thoughts of many a Person, are oftentimes so active, and restless, that something or other they must, and will perpetually be doing; and like unruly Souldiers, if you have not a care to employ them well, they will employ themselves ill.
Wherefore, when a Man hath once ren∣dred this way of Thinking, familiar, some∣times the subject of his Meditation will lead him to Thoughts, and excite Affections, full of Serenity, and Joy, like those fair Mornings, where the cloudless Beams, and cherishing warmth of the Sun, inviting the Lark to aspire towards Heaven, make her at once mount, and sing; and when the Mind is rais'd to such a welcome and ele∣vated state, to listen to an ordinary Temp∣tation, a Man must forgo his Pleasure, as well as violate his Duty, and in the diffe∣rence
betwixt the Imployment that busies him, and that whereto he is sollicited to stoop, he will easily discern, that his Inno∣cence will not be the onely thing that he would lose by so disadvantageous a Change; And sometimes too, whether or no the Im∣ployment that busies his Thoughts, happen to be so delightful, it will however appear to be so considerable, that it will seasonably furnish him with that excellent Answer of Nehemiah, to those that would have diver∣ted him from building of the Temple, to come to a Treaty with them,* 1.2 I am doing a great Work, (and such indeed is the serving God, and the improving the Mind, whe∣ther we consider its Importance, or its Difficulty) so that I cannot come down; why should the work cease, whilst I leave it, and come down to you? Which last Expression suits very well with the present case, since, when a pious Soul is once got upon the wing of Contemplation, she must descend and stoop to exchange her converse with Heavenly objects, for one with Earthly vanities, and much more must she debase and degrade her self, if the things she is tempted to, be Lusts, which she will thence clearly discern, to be as Low as the Hell they belong to, and deserve.
And as these Objects will afford Em∣ployment enough to our Reflector, so will the wholsome Instructions they will suggest, incline him to shun those ways of wasting his time, which they enable him easily to avoid: For I have observ'd this Difference, betwixt Ghostly dangers, and ordinary ones, that, whereas in Military hazards, those that are the most forward to thrust them∣selves into dangers, are commonly the best able to surmount them; they on the con∣trary, are wont to be the most fearful of Temptations, that are the most resolv'd, and best qualifi'd to resist them.
NOr will the Meleteticks (or way, and kind of Meditation) I would per∣swade, keep Men alone from such gross and notorious Idleness, that they may be ask'd the Question, propos'd by the Housholder in the Gospel,* 1.3 Why sit ye here all the Day idle? But this way of Thinking, may in part keep Men from the loss of such smaller parcels of Time, as though a meer Moral∣list would not perhaps censure the neglect of them in others, yet a Devout person
would condemn it in himself: For betwixt the more stated Employments, and impor∣tant Occurrences of humane Life, there usually happen to be interpos'd certain In∣tervals of Time, which, though they are wont to be neglected, as being singly, or within the Compass of one day inconside∣rable, yet in a Man's whole Life, they may amount to no contemptible Portion of it. Now these uncertain Parentheses, (if I may so call them) or Interludes, that hap∣pen to come between the more solemn Passages (whether Businesses, or Recrea∣tions) of humane Life, are wont to be lost by most Men, for want of a Value for them, and ev'n by good Men, for want of Skill to preserve them: For though they do not properly despise them, yet they neglect, or lose them, for want of knowing how to res∣cue them, or what to do with them. But as though grains of Sand and Ashes be a part, but of a despicable smallness, and very easie, and liable to be scatter'd, and blown away; yet the skilful Artificer, by a vehement Fire, brings Numbers of these to afford him that noble substance, Glass, by whose help we may both see our selves, and our Blemishes, lively represented, (as in Looking-glasses) and discern Celestial
objects, (as with Telescopes) and with the Sun-beams, kindle dispos'd Materials, (as with Burning-glasses) So when these little Fragments, or Parcels of Time, which, if not carefully look'd to, would be dissi∣pated, and lost, come to be manag'd by a skilful Contemplator, and to be improv'd by the Celestial fire of Devotion, they may be so order'd, as to afford us both Looking-glasses, to dress our Souls by, and Perspe∣ctives to discover Heavenly wonders, and Incentives to inflame our hearts with Cha∣rity and Zeal; And since Gold-smiths and Refiners are wont all the year long carefully to save the very sweepings of their Shops, because they may contain in them some Fi∣lings, or Dust of those richer Metals, Gold and Silver; I see not why a Christian may not be as careful, not to lose the Fragments and lesser Intervals of a thing incomparably more precious than any Metal, Time; es∣pecially, when the Improvement of them, by our Meleteticks, may not onely redeem so many Portions of our Life, but turn them to pious Uses, and particularly to the great Advantage of Devotion.
And indeed, the Affairs and Customs of the World, the Imployments of our par∣ticular Callings, the allowable Recreations,
that Health, or Weariness requires, and the Multitude of unfore-seen, and scarce evitable Avocations, that are wont to share our Time among them, leave us so little of it, to imploy in the set and solemn Exercises of Devotion, and make those so unfrequent, that our Hearts are in great Danger, of being, by the Business, and Pleasures, and Hurry of the World, if not perverted from Aspiring to, at least too long diverted from Enjoying, Communion with God, and kept too much Strangers to Him, if in the long Intervals of our more solemn Exer∣cises of Devotion, we be not careful to lay hold on the short, and transient Opportu∣nities of Cherishing, and reviving, that Grace in us, and do not by the Rises given us by the Things that occur, take occasion to make frequent, though but short Flights Heaven-wards, in extemporary Reflections, serious Soliloquies, piercing Ejaculations, and other mental, either Exercises, or Ex∣pressions of Devotion, by which means, we may make those very objects, and occa∣sions, that would Discourage, or at least Distract, our Minds, elevate and animate them: As Jonathan made those very things, whereby his Enemies, the Philistims, sought to intrap, or destroy him, Incouragements
to fight with them, and Omens of his Vi∣ctory over them. And as scarce any Time is so short, but that things so Agile, and as∣spiring as the Flames of a Devout Soul, may take a flight to Heaven, (as Nehemiah could find time to dart up a successful Prayer to the Throne of Grace, whilst he stood waiting behind the King of Persia's Chair) so by these extemporary Reflections, as well as by other mental Acts of Piety duely made, a Devout Soul may not onely rescue these precious Fragments of Time, but procure Eternity with them.
A Second Inducement to the Practice of making Occasional Meditations, is, that for an Exercise of Devotion, 'tis very delightful, and that upon sundry accounts.
For first, Variety is a thing so pleasing to humane Nature, that there are many things, which it, either alone, or chiefly, recommends to us, and 'tis rarely seen, that we love the same things very much, and very long; and of things that else would appear equally good, we usually think that the better, which happens to be another. Now, a Person addicted to make Occasional Meditations, may be suppli'd with Sub∣jects, whose Variety is scarce imaginable: For the works of Nature, and of Art, are not the onely Objects that often present themselves to our Reflector's Consideration;
The Revolutions of Governments, the Fates of Kingdoms, the Rise and Ruine of Fa∣vourites; and on the other side, the most slight and trivial Occurrences: And in short, all that he sees happen from the high∣est Transactions, to the slightest Circum∣stances, incident to humane affairs, may afford matter of Contemplation to a Per∣son dispos'd to it. The mind of Man is so comprehensive, and so active a faculty, that it can force its passage into those imaginary spaces, that are beyond the outermost part of the outermost Heaven, and can in a mo∣ment return back, to consider the smallest Circumstances of the meanest of humane affairs; so that the thinking faculty, being equally fit, and dispos'd to reflect upon the works of God, and the actions of Men, how unlikely is it, that it should want Va∣riety of Subjects to be imploy'd on, whilst the whole World makes but a part of its Object: And the several Productions of Nature, and Art, of the Providence of God, and the Will of Man, may be so many ways consider'd, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••••riously compoun∣ded, that they may 〈◊〉〈◊〉 be suppos'd ca∣pable of affording O••••••sions to Notions, and Reflections, far more numberless than themselves; so that the most vigorous, and the most active Soul, is in less danger of
wanting fresh Game, than Thoughts to pursue such endless Variety of it.
Besides, whereas Men are wont, for the most part, when they would Study hard, to repair to their Libraries, or to Stationers Shops; the Occasional Reflector has his Library always with him, and his Books lying always open before him, and the World it self, and the Actions of the Men that live in it, and an almost infinite Variety of other Occurrences being capable of proving Objects of his Contemplation; he can turn his Eyes no whither, where he may not perceive somewhat or other to suggest him a Reflection.
But, that which may much indear such Meditations, is, their suprizing ev'n him, whose Thoughts they are: For one of the chief accounts, upon which Wit it self is delightful, is, in very many cases, the un∣expectedness of the things that please us; that unexpectedness being the highest De∣gree of Novelty, which, as I freshly noted, does exceedingly gratifie most Men's minds. We need not in this case, as in most others, make an uneasie Preparation to entertain our Instructors; for our Instructions are suddenly, and as it were cut of an Ambus∣cade, shot into our Mind, from things whence we never expected them, so that we receive
the advantage of learning good Lessons, without the trouble of going to School for them, which, to many, appears the greatest trouble that is to be undergone, for the Ac∣quist of Knowledge. But though these Irradiations of Light, be oftentimes sudden, as that which we receive from flashes of Lightning, yet 'tis not always upon the single account of this suddenness, that the Instructions, presented us by Occasional Meditations, have an unexpectedness; for oftentimes, the Subject that is consider'd, appears not to be any thing at all of Kin to the Notion it suggests. And there are many of these Reflections, whose Titles, though they name the occasion of them, do so little assist, ev'n an ingenious Reader, to ghess what they contain, that if you tell him what is treated of, he will scarce ima∣gine, how such Thoughts can be made to have a Relation to such remote Subjects; And the Informations we receive from many Creatures, and Occurrences, are of∣tentimes extremely distant from what, one would conjecture to be the most obvious, and natural Thoughts those Themes are fitted to present us, though, when the Cir∣cumstances are throughly examin'd, and consider'd, the Informations appear proper enough: Thus, when a Navigator suddenly
spies an unknown Vessel afar off, before he has hail'd her, he can scarcely, if at all, con∣clude what he shall learn by her, and he may from a Ship, that he finds perhaps up∣on some remoter coast of Africa, or the Indies, meet with Informations concern∣ing his own Country, and affairs; And thus sometimes a little Flower may point us to the Sun, and by casting our eyes down to our feet, we may in the water see those Stars that shine in the Firmament or highest visible Heaven.
AND, lastly, the pleasantness of these Meditations, to him that hath at∣tain'd skill in making them, will, if he be not much mortifi'd, be much increas'd by their being Proofs, as well as Effects, of Skill. To be able to take up Instructions in Books that are replenished with them, and where they are purposely and distinctly ex∣hibited in the form of Instructions, requires rather that a man be docile than ingenious, but to be able to collect Moral and Spiritual Documents out of a Book of Hierogly∣phicks, or from a Lanscape or a Map, is more than every attentive considerer can
do, and is that which argues something of Dexterousness and Sagacity that is not very ordinary. And so, from Ethical or Theological Composures, to take out Lessons that may improve the Mind, is a thing much inferiour to the being able to do the like out of the Book of Nature, where most Matters that are not Physical, if they seem not to be purposely veil'd, are at least but darkly hinted. And me-thinks there is such a difference betwixt him that but takes up Instructions in Books of Mora∣lity and Devotion, and him that by Occa∣sional Reflections derives them from the Book of Nature, and the Accidents he chances to take notice of, as there is be∣twixt an Ant that contributes nothing either to the Production or Improvement of the Corn she lays up and feeds on, but onely carries away that which she finds ready form'd into its little Granary or Reposi∣tory, and the Industrious Bee, who, without stealing from Flowers any thing that can prejudice them, does not onely gather, but improve and transform, her food, and live on that which otherwise would be useless, and besides, not onely has the pleasure to gather its food from Flowers, and from va∣riety of them, but lives upon Honey, an Aliment that is as sweet and delicious as
nutritive. 'Twas doubtless a very great pleasure to Aesop, that by his ingenious Fi∣ctions he could, in a manner, lend Reason and Speech to Lions, Foxes, Crows, and other Animals, to whom Nature had deni'd both; and I know not why it should be less delightful, by Occasional Reflections, to turn not onely Birds and Beasts, but all kinds of Creatures in the world, as well mute and inanimate, as irrational, not onely into Teachers of Ethicks, but oftentimes into Doctors of Divinity, and by compel∣ling senseless Creatures to reveal Truths to us, that they were never acquainted with themselves, perform really something like that, which was but pretended by the an∣tient Augures and other Diviners the Hea∣then world admir'd, who took upon them, by the casual flights of Birds, and the In∣spection of the Intrals of Beasts, to learn the Will of Heaven. 'Tis a piece of skill, for which Mathematicians have been deserved∣ly admir'd, and which is little less plea∣sing to those that have it, than wonderful to those that have it not, that as if Artists were able to prescribe to the Sun and Moon, and the rest of the luminous Globes of Heaven, both their pace and their stages, they can make that inexhausted Fountain of Light, at so immense a Distance, by the Shadow of a
little Gnomon, fitly plac'd, give us an exact account of all the Journeys he performs in the Zodiack; but perhaps, 'tis neither a less noble nor a less delightful piece of skill, to be able, by an innocent kind of Necromancy, to consult the dead, and conjure up worm-eaten Carkases out of their Mossy Graves, without fearing to hear from them such dismal Discourses as Saul had from dead Samuel, and to make, not the Stars onely, but all the Creatures of Nature, and the various occurrences that can fall under our notice, conspire to inrich us with Instru∣ctions they never meant us; since the Mo∣tion of the celestial lights are known, cer∣tain, and invariable; but these particulars are neither to be defin'd by number, nor limited by Rules. Not to say, that this Se∣cret does as much excel that other, which recommends Astronomy, as Wisdom does Science, and is as much the more useful of the two, as to know how to pass away our time is more profitable, than to know how our time passes away.
But there is a fourth particular, which, though somewhat less directly than the three I have already discours'd of, may be reduc'd to the Pleasantness of Occasional Meditations; and it is, That whereas our innate Self-love is wont to make any thing
that minds us of our faults exceedingly un∣easie and unwelcome: in the Discoveries that, by this way of thinking, are made us of what is amiss, the uneasiness is very much allai'd, and the Pill very well gilt. For there are two main things that conduce to the sweetning of Reproofs▪ and to keep men from being offended at them; The one is, when they come from a person whom we love, and whom we believe to love us, and to have no other design in displeasing us than that of serving us: And the other is, That the Discovery that is made us of our faults be sweeten'd by Acknowledgments of our having Qualities of a commendable Nature, whence wise Reprovers usually mingle, and, as it were, brew their Repre∣hensions with Praises. Now, both these pleasing Vehicles, if I may so call them, and Correctives of Reproofs, concur in those we meet with in making Occasional Re∣flections. For, in these cases, being our own Instructors, and our own Consciences be∣ing the Makers of the Application, we can∣not suspect the Reprehensions to come from Persons, that either mistake us, or are par∣tial against us; and that Truth which a man's Conscience applies to him, being found out by the sagacity of his own Under∣standing, extracting from Objects that
which every Considerer would not have pick'd out thence; it may very often hap∣pen, that the same Reflection will discover to a man his Excellencies, as well as make him take notice of his faults; and that which makes him condemn the Disorders of his Affections, may argue, and thereby com∣mend, the Goodness of his Parts.
I Know, it may be objected against the pleasantness of the Mental Exercise I have been speaking of, That to make Oc∣casional Meditations is a work too difficult to be delightful.
In Answer to this, I might represent, That there are employments wherein their being attended with somewhat of difficulty, is so far from deterring us, that it recom∣mends them: as we see that in Hunting and Hawking, the toil that must be under∣gone is so much an indearment of the Re∣creation, of which it makes a great part, that when it happens that we do not meet with difficulties enough, we create new ones, as when Hunts-men give the Hare Law, (as they speak) for fear of kil∣ling her before they have almost kill'd their
Horses, and perhaps themselves, in follow∣ing her: Yet I shall rather chuse to make a more direct Answer, by observing, That the difficulties imagin'd in the practice I am treating of, seem to arise, not so much from the nature of the thing it self, as from some prejudices and misapprehensions that are entertain'd about it, especially the follow∣ing two.
The first is a needless Scruple, which makes some fancy themselves obliged to confine their thoughts to the subject that set them on work. And this dwelling long upon one Theme is to many men a thing uneasie and tedious enough. But for my part, I see no necessity of such a strictness; and I have often observ'd the thoughts suc∣cessfully to follow objects of a quite differ∣ing nature from those that were first star∣ted, from which, perhaps, though more obstinately persued, very little instru∣ction or advantage would have been ob∣tain'd, and it not unfrequently happens, that men trouble themselves in vain to make any profitable use of the considerations of those first objects, where the thoughts be∣ing licens'd to expatiate themselves, they do often at length pitch upon somewhat or other that is instructive, and at which, per∣haps, they aim'd at the very first, though
they attain'd it but by degrees, and per∣su'd it by winding and untrac'd ways. As when we let a Grey-hound loose in a Warren, we confine him not to the first Rabbet he makes after, since we see it fre∣quently happens, that one sets him a run∣ning, and another proves his Quarry. Nor do I conceive such a practice disagreeable to the nature of Occasional Meditations, nor to be excluded by their name, for that appellation may well enough be appli'd to those emergent thoughts which fortuitous Occasions did awaken or suggest to us, nor is it necessary that our thoughts be always calculated for the subject that excited them, provided we thence took occasion to think: So that in some cases, the Occasion is not so much the Theme of the Meditation, as the Rise. For my part, I am so little scrupulous in this matter, that I would not confine Oc∣casional Meditations to Divinity it self, though that be a very comprehensive Sub∣ject, but am ready to allow mens thoughts to expatiate much further, and to make of the Objects they contemplate not onely a Theological and a Moral, but also a Poli∣tical, an Oeconomical, or even a Physical use. And I doubt whether the groundless Imagination, that Occasional Reflections ought to be confined to matters of Devo∣tion,
or, at furthest, of Morality, have not much helped to keep our Meleteticks so little cultivated as hitherto they have been. And indeed there is so perfect an harmony, and so near a kindred, betwixt Truths, that, in many cases, the one does either find out, or fairly hint, or else illustrate or confirm, the other. And 'tis no wonder that divers of them should belong to the same Object, and be deduc'd from it. And if men were sollicitous to apply the things they take no∣tice of in Occasional Objects, to the disco∣very or illustration of Oeconomical, Poli∣tical, or Physical matters, it would probably bring such kind of thoughts more into re∣quest with several sorts of men, and possi∣bly conduce to the improvement of those parts of Knowledge themselves.
THE other thing I propos'd to men∣tion, as that which discourages ma∣ny from the addicting themselves to make Occasional Meditations, is a fancy, That to practise this kind of thinking, one is oblig'd to the trouble of writing down every Oc∣casional Reflection that employs his thoughts; and they conclude it far easier to
forbear making any, than to write down all: But, to do this, were to undertake a task no less unnecessary than tedious. Those Meditations indeed that have some Excel∣lency in them, that fits them to instruct others, should for that purpose be kept from perishing, and those that were not conceiv'd without some extraordinary Af∣fection in a man's self, should be carefully persued, as Bellows to blow or rekindle De∣votion, by reminding us of the devout thoughts the like Objects had excited in us. But for the rest of our Occasional Reflecti∣ons, though they fill our heads, they need not employ our hands, as having perform'd all the service that need be expected from them within the mind already.
Nor would I have any man be discou∣rag'd from this way of thinking, that cannot express so much wit or eloquence in Occa∣sional Meditations, as perhaps he may aspire to. For, besides that much subtilty of wit is not to be expected, or at least exacted, in this kind of composures, where we com∣monly make use of things rather out of haste than choice, as frequently being but the first thoughts we meet with, not the best we have; besides this, I say, that which ought most to indear this sort of Reflections to a Christian, is rather that they cherish
piety, than that they express wit, and help to make the man good, whether or no they make his style be thought so. 'Twere inju∣rious to nature to fancy, that the Fig-tree derives no benefit from the Rain and Sun, because they do not make it, like other Trees, flourish with Blossoms, more gaudy than necessary, though without praevious Buds it brings forth welcome Fruits. Not to add, that the difficulty of framing Occasio∣nal Meditations, need not be estimated by that which we find when we first addict our selves to the making of them; for practice will by degrees so much lessen that difficul∣ty, that after a while we shall find, that Oc∣casional thoughts will need but small invi∣tation to frequent those minds where they meet with a kind entertainment. And though men should be reduc'd to purchase this habitude at the rate of a little difficulty, I doubt not but they will find the benefit of it, when gotten, richly to recompense the trouble of acquiring it. Nor will the pra∣ctice, that must contribute to the attainment of a reasonable degree of skill in making them, be half so troublesome when those Exercises but make up the habitude, as they will prove facil and delightful when they flow from it.
THe third grand Advantage that may be deriv'd from the custom of making Occasional Meditations, is, That it conduces to the exercise and im∣provement of divers of the faculties of the mind. And this it may do upon several accounts.
1. For, in the first place, it accustomes a man to an attentive observation of the Ob∣jects wherewith he is conversant. Where∣as there is scarce any thing that may not prove the subject of an Occasional Medi∣tation, so the natural propensity we have to manage well the Themes we undertake to handle, unperceivably ingages us to pry into the several attributes and relations of the things we consider, to obtain the greater plenty of particulars, for the making up of the more full and compleat Parallel
betwixt the things whose resemblances we would set forth. By which means a man often comes to discover a multitnde of particulars even in obvious things, which, without such an ingagement to at∣tention, he would never have minded, and which common beholders take no Notice of. And though it may seem, that the habit, produced by the practice of Oc∣casional meditating, should accustom a man to heed only such Objects as are like to suggest to him devout thoughts; yet, not to mention now that I shall advertise you anon, that there is no necessity of confine∣ing occasional meditations, to matters Devout, or Theological, I shall only represent, that, since we know not, before we have considered the particular Objects that occurr to us, which of them will, and which of them will not, afford us the subject of an Occasional Reflection, the mind will, after a while, be ingag'd to a general and habitual attention, relating to the Objects that present themselves to it. Besides, that though we should at first ap∣ply our heedfulness to circumstances of only some few sorts of Objects, yet the habit, being once acquir'd, would easily reach to others than those that first occa∣sion'd it; as men, that by Learning to sing
Anthems, are come to have critical ears, will be able to judge, much better than they could before, of the resemblances and differences of Tones in other Songs, and will take Notice of divers particularities in Voices, which would not be heeded by an unpractised Ear: And as we have made it appear, that the way of thinking we would recommend, does very much dispose men to an attentive frame of mind; so, that such a frame or disposition is a great advantage in the whole course of a man's life, will not appear improbable to him who duly considers, that since attention, like a magnifying glass, shews us, even in com∣mon Objects, divers particularities, undis∣cerned by those who want that advantage, it must needs make the things he is conver∣sant with, afford the considerer much more of instruction than they obtrude upon the ordinary regardless beholder, and conse∣quently, this exercise of the mind must prove a compendious way to Experience, and make it attainable without grey-hairs; for that, we know, consists not in the multitude of years, but of observations, from Numbers and variety of which it results: nor is there any reason, why pru∣dence should be peculiarly ascrib'd to the Aged, except a supposition that such
persons, by having liv'd long in the World, have had the opportunity of many and various occurrences to ripen their judg∣ment; so that if one man can by his atten∣tion make, as well he may in a small com∣pass of time, as great a number of Observa∣tions as less heedful Persons are wont to do in a longer, I see not why such a man's Experience may not be equal to his, that has liv'd longer; for it matters not much whether a man make a competent Number of Observations, in much time or in little, provided he have made them well.
II. THe Practice I would recom∣mend, accustoms a man to make Reflections upon the things he takes notice of, and so, by exercising, improves his reasoning Faculty. For, as most men have much more strength and Agility in the right hand than in the left, and, generally speak∣ing, those Limbs of the body that are most exercis'd, are stronger than the rest of the same kind, so the faculties of the mind are improv'd by Exercise, and those that we frequently employ, grow thereby the more vigorous and nimble. And, for my part, I
have been often inclin'd to think, that the chief advantage that the reasoning faculty de∣rives from the Institution received in Logick-Scholes, comes not so much from the Precepts themselves, which are pretended to make up an Art of reasoning, as from the fre∣quent exercises that, by occasion of such Precepts, the Students are put upon; and perhaps, if men were oblig'd to read the controversies of subtle Wits, and to engage in frequent Disputations, both premeditated and extemporary, it would add little less of readiness and acuteness to their wits, though they disputed of other matters than such as properly belong to Logick, and were not before imbu'd with the Precepts of that Art; as we see, that the use of singing with those that can sing well, does much im∣prove ones Voice, both as to strength and clearness, whatever the Tunes or Songs be that are sung, and how little soever those with whom one sings make it their Business to teach him the art of Musick.
But this is only Conjecture; and whe∣ther it be true or no, yet this I am confident is so, That the bringing of a man to be a thinking and a reflecting Person, is to pro∣cure him so great an Advantage, as though it were the only one may justly endear to him the custom of making Occasional Medita∣tions;
and he that could bring this practice into the Request it deserves, would do a greater piece of service, not only to the par∣ticular Persons he perswades, but to man∣kind in general, than the greater part of good men themselves seem to be aware of. For though God having been pleased to make Reason the chief part of our Nature, among the various Objects that daily oc∣cur to us, it can scarce be but that some or o∣ther will in a manner obtrude some Notions ev'n upon the unattentive; yet certainly, all that has been found worthy of Mankind in Mathematicks, Philosophy, and other kinds of Learning, has been attain'd by thinking Men, or by a frequent and regular Practice of imploying the thoughts: And lest it should be objected, that these various, and Elaborate effects of assiduous meditation were the productions only of Philosophers or other men of speculative heads; Let us but consider, that though Gallants and Courtiers do seldom love to tire them∣selves with thinking, and are as seldom fond of writing Books, not to add, fit to write them, and though love be not the fruitfulest Theme that may be pitch'd on, yet that Passion, and some Particulars relating to it, frequently busying their thoughts, and being several wayes consider'd by them, has been
display'd and contriv'd ev'n by such writers as I have been just now mentioning, into those numerous Play's that daily imploy the Stage, and those Voluminous Romances that are too often the only Books which make up the Libraries of Gallants, and fill the Closets of Lady's. He that most truly called himself, the Truth, tells us, that the Devil is not only a Liar,* 1.4 but the Father of Lies, that is, the great Patron and Promo∣ter of falshood, and, as such, he studiously opposes all useful Truths; not only those for which we must be beholden to Revelati∣on, but those also which may be attain'd by Ratiocination, and the well regulated exer∣cise of our natural Faculty's; And he were much less an Adversary and an Old Serpent than he is, if his Enmity to God and Man, did not justly make him think that scarce any thing is more his interest than sollicitously to divert men from thinking, and discourage them in it, there being few things whereby he could more effectually oppose at once, both the Glory of God and the good of Men. And sure, if so subtile an Adversary did not think it very much his Interest to be sollicitous about this matter, it could not be that men should choose for a Priviledge, the laying aside that faculty of Meditating which is indeed so much their Priviledge,
that, if Experience did not convince the con∣trary, I could never suspect that the Non-employing of their thoughts could be their Choice rather than their Punishment, and that rational Creatures, especially professing Christianity, should either keep idle, or con∣fine to Employments worse than Idleness; so noble and improvable a Faculty, that enables an Ingenious Man to pry into the in∣nermost Recesses of mysterious Nature, and discover there so much of the Wisdom; Power, and Goodness, of the Author, as are most fit to give the Discoverer a high and devout Veneration for those Excellen∣cies. A Faculty, whereby an Inquisitive Soul may expatiate it self through the whole Im∣mensity of the Universe, and be her own Teacher in a thousand cases, where the Book is no less delightful than the Lessons are Instructive. A Faculty (to conclude) by whose help the restless mind having div'd to the lowermost parts of the Earth, can thence in a trice take such a Flight, that having travers'd all the corporeal Heavens, and scorn'd to suffer her self to be confin'd with the very Limits of the World, she roves about in the ultra-mundane spaces, and considers how farr they reach.
III. BEsides the two already mention'd Advantages, which the Intelle∣ctual part of the Mind may derive from the practice of Occasional Reflections, I should not scruple to add a third, if there were not too just Cause of apprehending, that my Writings may discredit any thing that comes propos'd of that Nature, by no better a Pen, and that the manner of what I am about to deliver, may disparage the Matter. But since, from the Experience ev'n of purblind and dim-sighted Persons, good Perspectives may be, not improperly, nor unsuccessfully, recommended, though their Native and peculiar Debility of Sight keep them from being able to see as clear, and as far, through such Glasses, as other Men can do, if themselves can, by the use of them, do far more than they could without them. I will adventure to speak of an improvement I cannot boast of, lest by sup∣pressing the mention of an Advantage, be∣cause I cannot make it, I should seem either Vain, or Envious, as well as Dull. I shall then take notice, that the Meleteticks we are considering, may, where it finds a ca∣pable
and dispos'd Subject, much improve that nimble and acceptable Faculty of the Mind, whereby some Men have a readi∣ness, and subtilty, in conceiving things, and a quickness, and neatness, in expressing them, all which the custom of speaking compre∣hends under the name of Wit, which plea∣sing, and (if well manag'd) useful, Qua∣lity, the exercise I am discoursing of, may three or four several ways promote.
For (first) the accustoming ones self to make Extemporal Reflections, and that upon all kind of Occasions, do's by degrees bring the Mind to a readiness of Conception, which keeps a Man from being easily sur∣pris'd by the Subject he has occasion to consider, and enables him oftentimes to surprise his Hearers; and that such a kind of surprise is one of the most endearing Circumstances of the productions of Wit, he must not have much consider'd the Na∣ture of them, that ignores.
Next, the same Exercise inures a Man to draw his Conceptions from the very Na∣ture of the thing he speaks of, which, a∣mong those that can judge of Wit, is held a far greater sign of it, than the saying things more specious, and elaborate, that appear to be Antienter than the Occasion, as is usual in Epigrams, and other solemn
premeditated pieces of Wit, where often∣times the Thoughts were not made for the Themes, but before them: Whereas, the suddenness of a good Occasional Refle∣ction, and its congruity to that which gave it Rise, persuades the Hearers, that the Speaker's Wit is of its own growth, and is rather suggested by the Occasion, than barely applied to it.
A third way, whereby our Meleteticks may conduce to Wit, is, by bringing those that use to write their Thoughts, to what may be call'd a certain Suppleness of Style; for when a Man treats of familiar, or of solemn Subjects, he is so much assisted by the received phrases and manners of speak∣ing, that are wont to be imploi'd about them, that being seldome at a loss for con∣venient expressions, his Wit is seldome distress'd how to furnish him with words fit for his turn. But the Subjects that in∣vite Occasional Reflections, are so various, and uncommon, and oftentimes so odd, that, to accommodate ones Discourse to them, the vulgar and receiv'd forms of Speech will afford him but little assistance, and to come off any thing well, he must exercise his Invention, and put it upon coining vari∣ous and new Expressions, to sute that va∣riety of unfamiliar Subjects, and of Occa∣sions,
that the Objects of his Meditation will engage him to write of: And by this difficult exercise of his Inventive faculty, he may by degrees so improve it, and, after a while, attain to so pliant a Style, that scarce any Thought will puzzle him to fit words to it, and he will be able to cut out Ex∣pressions, and make them sit close to such Subjects, as a Person unaccustom'd to such kind of Composures, would find it very difficult to write of, with any thing of pro∣priety.
IT remains, that I mention one way more, and that a considerable one, whereby the practice of Occasional Reflections may contribute to the Improvement of Wit; and that is, by supplying Men with store and variety of good Comparisons.
How great, and how acceptable, a part of Wit that is, which has the advantage to be express'd by apt Similitudes, every Man's own experience, if he please to consult it, may, in some measure, inform him. And certainly, there is no one part of Wit that is so generally applicable to all kind of Persons; for good Comparisons serve e∣qually
to illustrate, and to persuade; the greatest Wits disdain them not, and ev'n ordinary Wits are capable to understand them, and to be affected by them; and if a Sermon, or a long Discourse, be enrich'd with one apt Comparison, what part so∣ever else be forgotten, that will be sure to be remembred. And, a but plausible Ar∣gument, dress'd up in fine Similitudes, shall be more praevalent among the generality of Men, than a Demonstration propos'd in a naked Syllogism; and therefore, the an∣tient Sages did so much chuse to imploy a Figurative way of delivering their Thoughts, that when they could not furnish themselves with Resemblances fit for their turns, they would devise Parables, and Apologues, to recommend what they said to the atten∣tention and memory of those they would work upon. And those famous Orators, who, though they Liv'd in Common∣wealths, did, by their Eloquence, exercise a more than Monarchical Government there, and who, by their inchanting Tongues, rul'd those Warlick people, whose Swords had made them Masters of the World; those imperial Wits, I say, whose Oratory perform'd such Wonders, performed them chiefly by the help of their happy Com∣parisons, which alone contributed more to
their success, than almost all the other per∣suasive Figures of their Triumphant Rhe∣torick: Lucky Comparisons being indeed those parts of Wit, that as well make the strongest Impressions upon the Mind, as they leave the deepest on the Memory. Now, as the being furnish'd with apt Compari∣sons, do's so very much conduce to the making a Man's Discourses and Writings appear Witty, so there is scarce any thing more fit and likely to supply a Man with store and variety of Comparisons, than the Custom of making Occasional Meditations: For he that uses himself to take notice of the properties and circumstances of most things that Occur to him, and to reflect on many of them, and thereby observes the relations of things to one another, and con∣sequently discerns, how the properties or circumstances of one may be accommodated, by way of Resemblance or Dissimilitude, to somewhat that relates to the other, will often find, besides those things which afford him his Occasional Reflection, divers o∣thers, which, though less fit for the Medi∣tation, that invited his taking notice of them, may be very fitly applicable to other sub∣jects, and purposes, and will easily furnish him with Resemblances, wherewith he may, if he pleases, much increase the Books of
Similitudes, already extant: And the Com∣parisons that may be this way lighted on, may sometimes prove strange, and unob∣vious enough, to be surprising ev'n to Him∣self, as well as to his Auditors, or his Rea∣ders.
BUt, besides those Similitudes, we may be furnish'd with, by the things we ob∣serve, without turning them into Occasional Meditations, we may find in those very Subjects, whereon we do make Reflections, Circumstances, that, though improper, or at least unnecessary, to be taken into the Occasional Meditation, may be very fitly accommodateD to other things, and plenti∣fully contribute to the store and variety of Comparisons we lately mention'd; this must appear so much a Truth, to any that is exercis'd in making Occasional Refle∣ctions, that I should perhaps forbear to illu∣strate it, by any particular example, but that this part of my Discourse recalls into my Mind some Thoughts that were sug∣gested to me, by one of the last Occasions I had, to make Reflections of this Nature. I shall add then, that being all alone, and
diverted a pretty while by a sudden storm of Thunder, Lightning, Wind, and Rain, from the imployments I had design'd my self to, I had the unwelcome leisure to make some Reflections upon the rude Ob∣jects that obtruded themselves upon my Observation.
And the chief thing that presented it self to my Thoughts, was, a resemblance be∣twixt Prophane or Atheistical wits, and the black Clouds that then over-cast the Sky: For, as those Clouds are rais'd to an ele∣vated Station, and do afford flashes of Light; so these Irreligious wits are often∣times conspicuous enough, and may bring forth Notions that are surprising, and in∣structive; but as the same Clouds, whil'st they give us but their own momentany Light, obscure (by darkning the Sky) and hinder us, as much as they can, from recei∣ving that of the Sun, which reaches further, and is many other ways preferrable to vanishing Coruscations; so these Wits, whil'st they seem to enlighten those they dazle, with their own new Opinions, do really deprive them of the true Heavenly Light, that would else shine forth to them in the revealed Word of God: And as the Light that we do receive from the Clouds, may dazle and astonish us, but is
not sufficient for us to Travel by; so the admir'd reasoning of these Sophisters may surprise and amaze us, but will never prove sufficient to be, like the Scripture, a constant Lamp unto our feet,* 1.5 and Light unto our paths. And as the Light afforded by such Clouds, is not onely wont to be attended with af∣frighting Thunder, and hurtful Storms, but burns, and destroys, or at least scorches, and blacks, where it passes, and oftentimes falls upon Churches, Hospitals, Colledges, and brings such frights and ruins where∣soever it comes, that 'twere a great deal better Men wanted the Light of such flashes, than that they should be expos'd to such inconveniencies by them: So the in∣solent and irregular Wits, I am speaking of, do not onely make an unwelcome Noise in the World, but do oftentimes so deni∣grate the Reputation of them that oppose them, and bear so little respect ev'n to things sacred, or useful to Mankind, with∣out sparing the Church or Seminaries of Learning, if either come in their way, that they do far more Mischiefs by their errors, or their practices, than the little Instruction they give us, is able to make amends for.
This, if I forget not, was the substance of the Occasional Meditation, suggested to me by the Storm; but, besides that, there
are in this some particulars, which are not necessary to the Meditation it self, and may be fitly enough accommodated, by way of Comparisons, to other Occasions. I re∣member, the same Subject (the Storm) had other Circumstances in it, fit to afford Similitudes, applicable to other Subjects, and some of them unobvious enough: For instance, 'tis not easie to find so illustrious a Comparison, to set forth, how the most contrary Qualities may proceed from the same Subjects, as that which we may be suppli'd with, by considering, that, from the same Clouds, we derive both Light and Darkness; and a noble Comparison of con∣traries, conjoyn'd in one Subject, may be borrow'd from the same Clouds, which afford us Lightning, and Rain, shew, that they contain in them two of the eminentest and seldomest consistent contraries of Na∣ture, Fire and Water. And another Com∣parison may be deriv'd from the differing productions of these Clouds, to illustrate those things which do at once both much good, and much mischief, or sometimes the one, and sometimes the other: For the same Clouds both produce the Thunder, and the Lightning, and thereby blast Trees, kill Men and Beasts, fire Houses, and ruine the noblest Buildings, without sparing
Churches themselves; and, on the other side, plentifully afford us those refreshing and fertilizing Showers, that correct the heat of the sultry Air, and cure the barren∣ness of the parched Earth. And one that is skill'd in framing Comparisons out of Dissi∣militudes, and exercis'd in the other ways of turning and winding of Simile's, may easily enough find, in the Subject we have been considering, Circumstances capable of being conveniently enough accommodated to more subjects and purposes, than I have leisure now to take notice of. And since, as the being able to find the latent resem∣blance betwixt things seemingly unlike, make up a great part of what we are wont to call Wit; so the being able to discern the unobvious disparities of things manifestly resembling, is one of the chief things that displays the Faculty, Men call Judgment; and since both these are very much assisted by the Custom of making Reflections, wherein we must take notice of the several properties, wherein things either are alike, or disagree; Me-thinks it should not a little manifest the usefulness of our Meleteticks towards the improvement of Men's parts, that they not onely instruct the more serious faculty of the Soul, but sharpen the more subtile.
IV. BUt the Practice I have all this while been recommending, do's not onely dispose us to Attention, in obser∣ving the things that occur to us, and accu∣stom us to reflect on them seriously, and express them fitly, but do's also, though insensibly, suggest to us Ways and Methods, whereby to make the Objects we consider informative to us.
For by Example, Analogy, or some of those other ways which we may be invited, on another occasion, to insist on, we are, as it were, led by the hand to the discovery of divers useful Notions, especially Practical, which else we should not take any notice of. And indeed, the VVorld is the great Book, not so much of Nature, as of the God of Nature, which we should find ev'n crowded with instructive Lessons, if we had but the Skill, and would take the Pains, to extract and pick them out: The Crea∣tures are the true Aegyptian Hieroglyphicks, that under the rude forms of Birds, and Beasts, &c. conceal the mysterious secrets of Knowledge, and of Piety. And as Chymists boast of their Elixir, that 'twill
turn the ignoblest Metals into Gold; so Wisdome makes all Objects, on which it operates, inrich the Possessor with useful and precious Thoughts: And since, ev'n the illiterate Husbandman can, with the most abject Dung it self, give a flourishing growth to the most useful Grains, to Medicinable herbs, and ev'n to fragrant Flowers; why may not a wise Man, by the meanest Crea∣tures, and slighted'st Object, give a conside∣rable Improvement to the noblest Faculties of the Soul, and the most lovely Qualities of the Mind?
But the particular Method of deriving Instruction from the Subjects we consider, will be more fit to be particularly insisted on, when we shall have more time, or some other opportunity, to treat of the manner of making Occasional Meditations, and shew, how they may be fetch'd from Example, Analogy, Dissimilitude, Ratiocination, and other Topicks, which we must not now take any further notice of.
HItherto we have considered the Be∣nefits that may be afforded by the practice of Occasional Meditations to the Intellectual Faculties. We will now proceed to the Advantages that may accrue from the same Practice to the Will and Af∣fections. These advantages being not onely the most valuable in themselves, but those upon whose account I have been engag'd in the present Undertaking.
V. The last therefore and greatest Bene∣fit I shall take notice of, in the practice I would invite you to, is, That it awakens good thoughts, and excites good motions, in the Will and Affections. For since we have already manifested, that it is wont to sug∣gest variety of Notions to the Meditator, and such as are usually accompani'd with delight: This friendly property to Devo∣tion, which I now ascribe to our Melecticks, is a very easie and genuine off-spring of
the marriage of the two others: The Beams of Knowledge, acquired by such Reflections, having in them, like those of the Sun, not onely Light but Heat. And indeed it were somewhat strange, as well as sad, if a person disposed and accustomed to observe and consider, conversing with such instructive Books as those of God's Creatures and his Providence, with an intention to take out practical Lessons, should not find them. For amid'st that rich variety of Objects that in differing manners proffer them∣selves to his consideration, and suggest to him a great diversity of Reflections, it can∣not reasonably be imagin'd that he should not find subjects or circumstances, that are proper, either to afford him Examples to imitate, or shew him the Danger, or Un∣handsomeness, or Inconvenience of some thing that he should avoid, or raise his thoughts and affections Heaven-wards, or furnish him with some new practical con∣sideration, or shew him some known Truth in a varied and delightful dress, or (at least) recal some Notions his frailty makes him need to be put in mind of, or, in a word, either refresh his memory, or other∣wise cherish his Devotion. Let us suppose a person, who being qualifi'd and accu∣stomed to reflect upon various objects that
occur to him, mainly designs, in the exer∣cise of that faculty, the warming of his Af∣fections, and the improvement of his Piety, and we shall scarce doubt, but when he looks about him in the world, he will find it, what one of the Fathers loftily styled it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, (a Schole for Rational Souls to learn the knowledge of God.) There is scarce any thing that Nature has made, or that men do or suffer, though the Theme seem never so low and slight, whence the devout Reflector cannot take an occasion of an aspiring Meditation; as in a hopeful morning the humble Lark can, from the lowest furrow in the field, take a soaring flight towards Heaven, and ascend thither∣ward with a melody that delights both her self and her hearers. If such a person con∣siders how amongst such an admirable Va∣riety, and such odd Antipathies of the numberless Creatures that compose the Universe, the constant observation of the Laws of their Nature makes them univer∣sally, and, as it were, unanimously, to con∣spire to make the Author of it appear won∣derful in it, he cannot but be willingly pos∣sess'd with such an awful admiration of the matchless wisdom of their great Disposer, as made the Psalmist cry out, upon a some∣what
what like occasion,* 1.6 How manifold are thy works,* 1.7 O Lord, how wisely hast thou made them all? If he have occasion to consider the mer∣ciful Dispensations of Divine Providence to the Godly, or to take notice of the severe Inflictions of Di∣vine Justice on the Wicked, he will find himself powerfully engag'd to relie on the one, and to apprehend provoking the other. If he take notice that the World is but our Store-house, and that multitudes of admi∣rable Creatures seem to have had a being given them, principally for the use of un∣deserving Man, insomuch that many of the Beasts, and Birds, and Fishes, are but our Caters for one another, he will burst out into Mental, if not Vocal, expressions of Thankfulness and Humiliation to the Father of Mercies, for so unmerited and ill re∣turned a Bounty, and will be apt to say with David,* 1.8 What is man that thou takest know∣ledge of him? or the son of man that thou makest account of him? And if he compare this Munificence of God, in daily giving so many Creatures, that never violate the Laws of their Nature, nor endeavour to disappoint him of his Ends in creating
them, for the necessities, nay, for the plea∣sures, of rebellious and unthankful Man, he will resent an ingenuous shame, and a no∣ble disdain, That that Creature should be of all the least grateful that has received the most Benefits, and that he should of all others prove the most unruly, who alone has been endowed with Reason to rule him∣self withall. If in a Starry night he looks upon the Firmament, and considers how many fixed Stars there are, and how many thousand times more there might be with∣out wanting room, the least of which Astronomers teach us to be far bigger than the whole Earth, which yet, by the proba∣blest computation, contains above ten thou∣sand millions of Cubick German Leagues, (and consequently above threescore times as many English miles of solid measure) he will find abundant cause to exclaim with David,* 1.9 When I consider thy Heavens, the work of thy hands, the Moon and Stars which thou hast ordained, What is man that thou should'st be mindful of him, or the Son of man that thou visitest him?
ANd since our Discourse has led us to the mention of a Text, where the truly inspired Poet (who, by his omitting to speak of the Sun, seems to have compos'd this Psalm in the night) makes the Moon the chief subject of his Meditation, it will not perhaps be amiss, if, on this occasion, we add a few short Reflections on the same Theme, and thereby confirm what we lately noted about the differing Reflections, and Simili∣tudes, which may be afforded by the same subject, as its several Attributes may be differingly consider'd.
If then, in the first place, when our Con∣templator takes notice of the greatest Brightness of the Moon, he remembers too, that 'tis when she is at the Full, that she is subject to be Eclips'd, it would put him in mind of the mutability of humane things, and that oftentimes Prosperity proves ne∣ver the more secure for appearing the more full and resplendent.
Next, our Reflector may find in the Moon, a lively Emblem of a true Minister of the Gospel. For, as the Moon commu∣nicates to the Earth, the Light, and that
onely, which she receives from the Sun; so the Apostles, and first Preachers of Chri∣stianity, and (in their measure) their true Successors, communicate to Mankind, the Light, which themselves have receiv'd from the bright Sun of righteousness. And the Similitude may be advanc'd, by adding, that as the Moon shines not on the Earth, with any other Beams, than those she de∣rives from that fountain of Light, the Sun; so the true Preachers of the Heavenly Do∣ctrine mingle not their own Inventions, or humane Traditions, with that pure and sincere Light of Revelation, they are em∣ploi'd to dispense; it being safest, and most desirable, for the Church, that Christians should receive the Bread of Life, as the Jews are recorded to have receiv'd the ma∣terial Bread,* 1.10 in a passage of St. Matthew's Gospel, where 'tis said, that Christ first brake, and gave to the Disciples, the Bread, which they afterwards, from Him, distri∣buted to the People; so that they might each of them, in a literal sence, imploy that expression of St. Paul,* 1.11 I have received of the Lord, that which I delivered unto you.
And as though the Moon be destitute of native light, yet by vertue of that borrow'd one, which she plentifully receives from the Sun, she affords more to Men than any
of the Stars, which, upon the score of their vast distance from the Sun, are, by modern Naturalists, suppos'd to shine by their own Light, so those illiterate Fisher-men, whom the Sun of Righteousness call'd, and made the Light of the world, did, by vertue of the copious Irradiations he vouchsaf'd them, diffuse far more Light to mankind, than the greatest Philosophers, that, being unassisted by Divine Revelation, had onely their own native beams to shine with.
And as oftentimes the same Subject, but variously consider'd, may afford both some∣what fit to be shunn'd, and somewhat fit to be imitated; so, in that which we suppose our Reflector now considering, he may ea∣sily discern the Emblem of an ungrateful person: For as the Moon, though she re∣ceive all the Light that ennobles her from the Sun, does yet, when she is admitted to the nearest Conjunction with him, eclipse that bright Planet, to which she owes all her splendour; so unthankful men abuse those very favours that should endear to them their Benefactors, to the prejudice of those that oblige them.
And 'tis like that our Reflector may, by the way, take notice, That as what passes betwixt the Moon and the Sun, does thus afford him a Simile, whereby to set forth
Ingratitude; so what passes betwixt the Moon and the Sea, may supply him with an example of the contrary quality, and put him in mind, that a thankful man will be true and obsequious to his Benefactor, though the person that oblig'd him have lost that Prosperity that before made him con∣spicuous, and attracted vulgar eyes, as the Sea follows the course of the Moon, not onely when she shines upon it with her full Light, but when at the Change she can communicate little or no light to it.
To the two above-mentioned Attributes, upon whose account the Moon afforded a comparison for humane Prosperity, and an∣other for Preachers of the Gospel, we will now add, That she may afford us a Simili∣tude to set forth a liberal Person by: For as the Moon freely communicates to the Earth, the Light she receives from the Sun, so the bountiful person imparts to indigent men the Largesses he receives, from the exuberant goodness of God. And as to Intellectual Communications the Parallel will hold further, since as the Moon en∣joys not the less of Light, for her imparting so much to the Earth; so in Mental Com∣munications Liberality does not impove∣rish, and those excellent gifts cease not to be possess'd, by being imparted. And 'tis
very possible, (to add that upon the By) That after the light of the Moon has (accor∣ding to what I lately noted) represented to our Contemplator the qualifications of a Preacher, it may also put him in mind of the Duty of a Hearer. For, as it were very foolish in us, and unthankful towards the Father of Lights, not to make use of the great Light we receive from the Sun, by the Moon, or not to acknowledge the Moon to be a very useful Creature, upon the score of that Light, wherewith she shines upon the Earth, though, in her, that Light be destitute of Heat; so it were unwise and ungrateful for Hearers to refuse to acknow∣ledge, or to be guided by, the conspicuous Endowments of Learning and Eloquence, that God vouchsafes to great Scholars, though they themselves were but illustra∣ted, not warmed, by the Beams they re∣flect. But therefore, as Oysters, and other Shell-fish, are observ'd to thrive at the In∣crease of the Moon, though her Light be unattended with Heat, and though even when she is at Full, she wants not her spots, so devout Hearers will be careful to pro∣sper proportionably to the Instructions they receive even from those Preachers, whose Illuminations are unaccompani'd with Zeal and Charity, and who, when they shine
with the greatest Lustre, are not free from their Darknesses, as to some Points, or from notorious Blemishes.
And as the Moon may thus furnish our Contemplator with Similitudes, to set forth both a Vertue and a Vice of the Mind, so may it supply him with an Emblem of its Condition: For as the Light of the Moon is sometimes Increasing, and sometimes in the Wane, and not onely is sometimes to∣tally Eclips'd, but even when she is at the Full, is never free from dark Spots; so the mind of Man, nay, even of a Christian, is but partly enlighten'd, and partly in the dark, and is sometimes more, and some∣times less, Illustrated by the Beams of Hea∣venly Light, and Joy, and not alone now and then quite Eclipsed by disconsolate Desertions, but even when it receives the most Light, and shines the brightest, knows but in part, and is in part blemish'd by its native Darknesses, and Imperfections. And these Resemblances are not so appro∣priated to the mind of Man, but that they might easily be shewn to be applicable to his condition, in point of outward Prospe∣rity, and Adversity. And to these Resem∣blances other Reflections on the several Adjuncts of the Moon might be also added, together with several Examples of this na∣ture
on other Subjects, were it not that I think my self to have spent time enough already upon a Theme, that fell but inci∣dentally under my consideration; and were it not also, that the Reflections which might here be annex'd upon the Attributes of other Objects, may be more properly subjoyn'd to what may be on another occasion pre∣sented you, by way of Illustration of some Particulars, that belong to the fourth part of the precedent Section, in which my haste, and some other reasons, made me content my self, to give some few general Hints about such Reflections, and an Intimation of the Topicks whence I am wont to fetch them.
ANd having given you this Advertise∣ment, en passant, we may now proceed a little further, and add, that if we suppose our Contemplator's thoughts to descend from Heaven to Earth, the far greater mul∣titude and variety of Objects, they will meet with here below, will suggest to them much more numerous Reflections. But because so spacious a Field for Meditation as the whole Earth, would afford us too
vast a Theme to be attempted on this oc∣casion, we will confine our Contemplator to his Garden, or rather to any one of the Trees of it, and take notice, not of all the Meditations he might fetch thence, but onely of four or five of the considerablest of those, that the viewing it, may, as he walks by at several times, supply him with.
In then, in the Spring of the Year, our Reflector see the Gardener pruning a Fruit-tree, we may suppose him invited by that Object, to reason thus within himself: Though one that were a Stranger to the Art of Gardening, would think, that that Man is an Enemy to this Tree, and goes about to destroy it, since he falls upon and wounds it, with a sharp Iron, and strikes off several of its Youthful parts, as if he meant to cut it in pieces; yet, he that knows, that the Gardener's arm is not set on work by Anger, but by Skill, will not conclude that he hates the Tree he thus wounds, but that he has a mind to have it Fruitful, and judges these harsh means the fittest to pro∣duce that desirable Effect. And thus, what∣ever a Man, unacquainted with the ways and designs of Providence, may surmise, when he sees the Church not onely expos'd to the common Afflictions of humane Soci∣eties, (for that is but like our Trees being
expos'd to be weather-beaten by Winds, and Rain) but distress'd by such Persecu∣tions, as seem to be Divine Inflictions, that invite Men to say of the Body, what the Prophet fore-told should be said of the Head,* 1.12 We esteem'd him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. Whatever, I say, a carnal, or a moral, Man would be apt to imagine, upon sight of the Churches distresses; the knowing Christian will not from thence infer, that God hates Her, or that he has abandon'd Her, since 'tis He, that lov'd his Church so well, as to give Himself for it, who declares, that as many as He loves, He rebukes, and chastens. And this is so fitly applicable also to particular Believers,* 1.13 that the Divine Son of the great* 1.14 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 do's not onely give us cause to think, that Afflictions do not suppose God's Hate, but to hope that they may not always suppose Man's Guilt, but sometimes rather aim at his Improvement; since they are the me∣morable words of our Saviour, speaking of his Father,* 1.15 Every branch in me, that beareth not Fruit, he taketh away, and every Branch that beareth Fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more Fruit. And it may some∣what illustrate the Similitude, to add, that the Husbandman uses onely to prune the Trees of his Garden, not those that grow
wild in his Woods: But though he oftner wound these, yet he wounds the other more fatally, imploying but the pruning Hook to pare off the superfluous Twiggs, or, at most, Branches, of the one, whil'st he lays the Ax to the root of the other, to fell the Tree it self.
But these are not the onely Thoughts, which the pruning of a Fruit-tree may sug∣gest to our Reflector: For if he considers, That by cutting off several of the parts of the Tree, and by Nailing many of the rest to the Wall, the Gardener do's not onely secure the Tree from being blown down, or torn, by the rudeneness of boisterous Winds, but makes it look well shap'd: So the Divine Husbandman, (as we have late∣ly seen God stil'd in the Scripture) by the wise, and seasonable, though seemingly ri∣gorous, and usually unwelcome, Culture, he imploys upon those Children of his whom he afflicts, do's not onely protect them from several dangers, whereto, without those harsh restraints, they would be expos'd; but as he makes them amends in point of Safe∣ty, for what he denies them in point of Li∣berty, so he adorns them by VVounding them. His kind and skilful stroaks adding as much to the Beauty of a Christian's Mind, as they cut away from the Super∣fluities
of his Fortune: For the pressures of Affliction do give so much smoothness and gloss to the Soul that bears them patiently, and resign'dly, that the Heathen Moralist ventur'd to say, That if there were any Spectacle here below noble enough, and worthy to entertain the Eyes of God, it was that of a Good Man, generously con∣tending with ill Fortune. And the Hyper∣bole (though after this manner somewhat loftily expressed) will appear the less strange to him that considers, That Job had not onely his Patience, when it had been tried to the uttermost, crown'd with a For∣tune double to that which had been the fairest in the East; but before his constancy was tried near so far, receiv'd that much higher recompence of an Honour never vouchsaf'd to Mortals until then, when God himself did not onely approve, but (if I may so speak with reverence) make his boast of, a Man. Hast thou consider'd (says he to Man's great Enemy) my Ser∣vant Job,* 1.16 that there is none like him in the Earth, a perfect, and an upright Man, one that feareth God, and escheweth Evil? and still he holdeth fast his Integrity, although thou moved'st me against him to destroy him with∣out cause. Sure one may call him more than happy Job, since, if, as David tells us, the
Man is happy whose sins God is pleas'd to cover;* 1.17 what may that Man be accounted, whose Graces he vouchsafes to proclaim?
ANd as the consideration of the pruning of Trees, under the Notion of that which wounds them, may afford our Contem∣plator the Reflections already pointed at; so the considering of the same Action, under another Notion, may lead him to Refle∣ctions of another Nature: For if he ob∣serves, that, in certain cases, Gardeners of∣tentimes do not onely prune away all the Suckers, and many of the Luxuriant sprigs, but cut off some of the Branches themselves, provided they spare the Master boughs; and yet these Amputations, though they take much from the Tree, are design'd to add to the Fruit, as accordingly they are wont to do: If, I say, our Reflector takes notice of this, it may easily supply him with an illustration of what he may have observ'd among some Men, who, by Af∣flictions, ev'n in point of Fortune, are brought to be far more charitable than they would have been, if their peace and plenty had continued unimpair'd. As, besides that
Saint Paul, speaking of the Macedonian Churches,* 1.18 gives them this Character, That in a great trial of Affliction, the abundance of their Joy, and their deep Poverty, abounded unto the Riches of their Liberality; We have in Zacheus a memorable Instance to our present purpose, since, after his Repen∣tance had,* 1.19 by his own consent, cut off from his Estate more than all that Slander, Op∣pression, and other unjust ways of Getting, (which us'd to bring in but too great a part of a Publican's) had added to it; he gave away more, out of the Remainder of his Estate, than every liberal Man would have done out of the Whole. His Wealth, like a skilfully prun'd Tree bore the more Fruit to Piety; for having had some parts of it cut away, he grew Rich (in good works) by being despoil'd, and his Charity in∣creas'd as much as his Fortune was les∣sen'd.
If, towards the end of the Spring, our Reflector see the Ground under his Tree strowed with the Blossoms, that Time and Winds may have cast down thence, 'tis like it would furnish him with this conside∣ration, That, as though the Blossoms are in themselves great Ornaments to a Tree, and oftentimes both useful and pleasant things, yet to be seasonably depriv'd of them, is
not a mischief to the Tree that loses them; since, till the Blossoms are gone, the Fruit, which is a better and more lasting thing, and more principally intended by Nature, cannot be had: So it will not always fol∣low, that because certain things are in their kind desirable, and therefore may be rec∣koned among Goods, the loss or depra∣vation of them must necessarily be an Evil. And so, though a fair and healthy Body may be look'd upon as a Blessing, yet it will not follow,* 1.20 that a Death (as the Scripture speaks) either in or for the Lord, because it throws this flourishing Body to the Ground,* 1.21 and makes it rot there, must needs be a deplorable Evil; since, as the Blossoms falling off, is, according to the course of Nature, necessarily praevious to the formation, or at least the perfection, of the Fruit: So the being depriv'd of this Life, is, according to God's Ordination, a necessary Antecedent to our being inrich'd with those more solid and durable blessings of perfect Virtue and Happiness.
And if, whil'st our Contemplator's Tree is adorn'd with Leaves, as well as Blossoms, (as we often see several of the former come before all the latter are gone) he chance to take notice how busie the Bees are in suck∣ing these, whil'st they leave the others un∣touch'd,
he may peradventure make this, or some such other Reflection on it; That, though the Leaves be not onely Ornaments of a Tree, but Productions, often useful to shade and shelter the Fruit, and are of a more solid Texture, and a more durable Nature than the Blossoms, which seem to be of a slighter make, and rather gawdy and delightful than lasting; yet 'tis not about the Leaves, but the Blossoms, that the in∣dustrious Bee assiduously imploys her time, as sucking from those gawdy productions of the Tree, store of that Honey which the Leaves would not afford her.
Thus, though the Books written about Dogmatical and Controversial points in Divinity, may be in their kind valuable and useful productions of skill in Theology, and may seem more strong and substantial Com∣posures, and likely to retain their Reputa∣tions longer, than Books of Devotion; yet 'tis of these, rather than those, that the de∣vout Christian will be a sollicitous Peruser; since 'tis not from barren, though solid As∣sertions or Disputes, but from florid and pathetical Books of Devotion, which first allure the Reader, and then affect him, that the devout Soul extracts her Honey, I mean those Caelestial pleasures that result from, as well as maintain, a free communion with
God, which does at once both exercise her Devotion, and recompense it, and afford her, as Flowers do the Bee, an Aliment equally Nutritive and Delicious.
And he may somewhat illustrate, as well as continue, the Allusion further, by consi∣dering, That Silk-worms that live upon Leaves, and Bees that feed on Flowers and Blossoms, do indeed both of them thrive upon their respective Aliments, and are thereby enabled to present Men with useful productions, but with this difference; That the subtil threds of Silk-worms serve prin∣cipally to cloath others, whereas the Honey that is elaborated by the Bee, does not onely supply others with a healing and cleansing Medicine in some Distempers, but affords a great deal of pleasure to the Bee her self: For thus, though as well the diligent Studiers of Speculative and Polemical Divinity, as the careful Perusers of Books of Devotion, may be advantag'd by what they Study, yet this difference may be observ'd betwixt them, that the former may, by the Discourses they read, be assisted to write others of the like Nature, whereby their Readers may be enabled to talk with more Acuteness, and Applause, but the latter may not onely be assisted by making such Composures as they assiduously converse with, to contribute to
the cleansing of Men's Consciences from Dead works, and as well pacific the troubles of their Minds, as heal the Wounds which Schism or Scandal may have given to the Church; but do often, in the first place, feel themselves all the Joys, and Advantages, they would procure to others, and they hap∣pily find Pious Reflections, Devout Solilo∣quies, Ardent Ejaculations, and other Mental Entertainments of a Religious Soul, to be of a Nature not onely so sweet, but so im∣proving, and so advantageous, that whil'st many other laudable Imployments recom∣mend us to the Students of Theology, these more especially recommend us to the Au∣thor of it, and indear us to God himself.
If when our Fruit-tree has chang'd its white Livery for a Green, our Considerer chance to take notice how thick 'tis set with Leaves, of which it had not one some Moneths before, it may possibly put him in mind of the Instability of their condition, that are undeservedly envied for a Nume∣rous train of such seeming Friends, and gawdy Attendants, as are so to the Fortune, rather than the Person: For, as in the Sun∣shiny moneths of Summer, when the fair weather would keep the Tree warm enough without the help of Leaves, it is wont to be cover'd with those Verdant Ornaments, but
loses them all in Winter, when it needs their shelter from the Rigors of that Cold season: So those, that during the Sun-shine of prosperity, are beset with seeming Friends, of which they had no need, find themselves left naked, and forsaken of them all, when Adversity would make their Com∣pany of some Advantage. If our Contem∣plator chance to observe how his Tree flou∣rishes with verdant Leaves, and gawdy Blos∣soms, at that Season of the Year, when it is providing to bring forth Fruit, it may put him in mind of the pleas'dness and alacrity, with which a Charitable person should set himself to the doing of good, and mind him, That as the God of Nature loves a cheerful Giver, so the temper of a liberal Person is pointed out by Nature her self, in a Tree, which seems to triumph in all the Ornaments it can put on, when it is about to exhaust the greatest part of its own stock of Sap to pro∣duce Fruits which onely others are to eat.
If he take notice of the order wherein 'tis usual for the Leaves and Blossoms to pre∣cede the Fruit, it may possibly invite him to look with a more favourable Eye upon the green and immature Essays of early Wri∣ters, if they discover, that the Author aims at good things, though he does not yet per∣form great ones: For, however these Youth∣ful
productions of the Pen are commonly rather pleasing and florid, than otherwise considerable, yet if they be good for their Season, and in their Kind, though that kind it self be not of the usefullest, they may de∣serve pardon, and perhaps incouragement; since, though they be not yet solid, they may promise something that will be so; and ev'n the best Trees present us their Blossoms, before they give us their Fruit.
If the same Contemplator happens to see young people first shake the Tree in vain, and then climb it to gather unripe Fruit, it may afford him a representation of Men's over-eager and untimely persuits of several desir∣able things, and especially of Honour: For, as green Fruit, though of a good Kind, will not easily be shaken down by them that would gather it, but reduces them either to climb the Tree, or forcibly strike it off, which commonly bruises, and disfigures what it procures; and as the Fruit, when thus ob∣tain'd, is but sowr, and unwholsome, being neither sweetned nor concocted by Maturity, so that it usually both sets the Teeth on edge, and breeds Sickness in the Body, whereas, if the same Fruit were let alone till it were fully Ripe, and in Season, it would both rea∣dily drop into the Eater's mouth, and prove delicious, and more wholsome Food: So,
when we greedily pursue after Honour, and Pleasure, of which this Life is not the proper Season, we not onely meet with Difficulties in acquiring them, but find not, in possessing them, either that Satisfaction, or that Advan∣tage, that the Eagerness of our unruly Appe∣tites promises us; whereas, if we would stay contentedly till God's time be come, (which is always the best, and fittest) we should not steal, or force, but receive unfading Ho∣nours, and uncloying Delights, by being pre∣sented with Incorruptible Crowns of Glory,* 1.22 by him, with whom there is fulness of Joy, and at whose right hand (the Station design'd for those that overcome the World's Allure∣ments,* 1.23 and their own Impatience) there are Pleasures for evermore; that is, Eternal ones.
Lastly, if towards the end of Summer, or of Autumn, our Reflector, coming to visit his Instructive Tree, find it present him store of Fruit, and perhaps observes it to be grown taller since the last Winter, each Bough will afford him a lively Emblem of a true Believer. For, as the loaded Branch makes use of the moisture it attracts from the dirty ground, to recede as much as it can from the Earth, and spends its sap in shoot∣ing up towards Heaven, and bearing Fruit for Men: so the devout Christian im∣proves
the Blessings he receives of this in∣feriour World, to elevate his mind above it: And the use that he makes of earthly Goods, and Advantages, is to raise his grateful Soul nearer to God, and dispense them by works of Charity to men.
THese (Sophronia) are some, and but some, of the Thoughts, which the Occasional Consideration of a Fruit-tree might suggest to a Considering Person. And if we should lead our Reflector from the Garden to the Woods, or to the River side, or into the Fields, or to the Street, or to a Library, or to the Exchange, or, in a word, to I know not how many other places I could name, I have some reason to think, that each of them would supply him with variety of Occasional Meditations. Where∣fore, since the want of Themes will not, 'tis fit that somewhat else should, place Bounds to this Discourse. And since, by finding, that I my self begin to be weary of writing, I have too much cause to fear that you are quite tir'd with reading, I think it high time to hasten to a Conclusion: Onely, before I make one, I must do our Meleteticks the
right to advertise you, that you would do them wrong if you should imagine, that in the pass'd Discourse I have either carefully enumerated, or fully displai'd, the Advan∣tages, which a devout and ingenious Con∣templator may derive from the Exercise of the ways of Thinking I have been treating of. For, though I have in the past Discourse, especially those parts of it that are contain'd in the 3d precedent, and in this present 4th Section, said enough to recommend the Sub∣ject to any that is not much indispos'd to be prevail'd with; yet I will not deny, but that, even in those two Sections, I have left much unsaid.
For, besides the several Advantages and ways of making Occasional Meditations al∣ready pointed at, there are other accounts upon which the practice I would persuade may both benefit a pious Soul, and be made use of by an ingenious one. For the respects one thing may have to another are so num∣berless, and the mind of a rational man, vers'd in Meditations, may compound and disjoyn Notions so many ways, and may make such Inferences from them, and such Applications of them, that it frequently happens, that besides the Reflection, sug∣gested by that which gave the first Rise to his Meditations, he lights upon Conceipts
differing enough from them, and perhaps better than they: As when Hounds, hunting a Hare, meet in their way with a Stag. For, though Philosophers seem to have justly enough rejected the Opinion, attributed to Plato, That all Knowledge is but Reminiscence, yet certainly the Mind of a Man well fur∣nish'd with variety of Notions, is, by the Ana∣logy or Contrariety of Things and Notions, in reference to each other, so easily and rea∣dily excited to lay them together, and dis∣course upon them, that he is oftentimes by any sleight occasion helped to light (and that with a strange and almost surprizing fa∣cility) upon things that he would else have scarce taken the least notice of. When the Mind is once set on work, though the Occa∣sion administred the first Thoughts, yet those thoughts themselves, may, as well as the Object that excited them, become the Themes of further Meditation: and the Connection of Thoughts within the Mind, may be, and frequently is, so latent, and so strange, that the Meditator will oftentimes admire to see how far the Notions he is at length lead to, are removed from those which the first Rise of his Meditation sug∣gested. And by these Incidental Excursions he may sometimes be as much delighted and surpris'd,* 1.24 as Samson was, when going aside
to look upon the Carcass of a Lion, he met with a Stock of Honey.
But I can add one thing towards the in∣ducing you to exercise your self in the way of Thinking, we have all this while been speaking of, which though I had almost for∣got to take notice of, it will, I doubt not, seem important to Sophronia, to whom it need not be a discouragement from aiming at one of the noblest uses of Occasional Re∣flections, that it supposes not a bare acquain∣tance with them, but springs from an entire and (if I may so speak) intimate familiarity with our Meleteticks. For this use of Occa∣sional Meditations, though it do but gradu∣ally differ from some of those that have been already mentioned, will perhaps by the de∣vout (and consequently by Sophronia) be esteemed the highest Advantage that this way of Thinking can confer; and it is, That the custom of making Occasional Reflections may insensibly, and by unperceiv'd degrees, work the Soul to a certain frame, or temper, which may not improperly be called Hea∣venly Mindedness, whereby she acquires an aptitude and disposition to make pious Re∣flections upon almost every Occurrence, and oftentimes without particularly designing it. But as this privilege will, as I was intima∣ting, scarce fall to the share of any but those
that, by long or frequent Exercise, have so accustom'd their minds to reflect upon what they see, that they continue that practice, as it were, of their own accord; so when once, by such a constant kindness and hospitable∣ness to such thoughts, that they will, as it were, come to the mind without calling, and make themselves its guests, without parti∣cular Invitations, the Soul has attain'd that desirable Frame we lately call'd Heavenly mindedness, which is a Disposition and a Readiness to make Spiritual uses of Earthly things, both the Advantage and the Delight of that frame of heart cannot but be extra∣ordinary. It must surely afford a great deal of satisfaction to an Ingenious and Devout person, to be able to make the world both his Library and his Oratory. And which way soever he turns his eyes (not onely up∣on unobvious things, but even upon the most familiar ones) to behold something that instructs, or that delights him. And to find that almost every object that presents it self to his notice, presents also good Thoughts to his Mind, to be gather'd with as much Innocency and Pleasure, and with as little prejudice to the things that afford them, as Honey is gather'd by the industri∣ous Bee from the differing Flowers she meets with in her way. Certainly, if we
would carefully lay hold on, and duly man∣age, this help, it would prove a powerful Remedy to prevent or cure much of that Dulness and Drousiness, that do so fre∣quently smother or blemish our Devotion. There would scarce any thing pass us, out of which we would not strike some spark or other of that Heavenly Fire, or that would not contribute something, either to kindle it, or to feed it, or to revive it. If but half the pretious time we impertinently trifle, or squander away, upon Employments that will be sure to cost us either Tears or Blushes, were carefully laid out in the culti∣vating of this kind of Thoughts, it might of∣ten save our Ministers the labour of insisting so long upon the Uses of their Doctrines, when the whole VVorld would be a Pulpit, every Creature turn a Preacher, and almost every Accident suggest an Use of Instru∣ction, Reproof, or Exhortation. No Burial but would toll a Passing-bell to put us in mind of our Mortality: No Feast but would make us aspire to the Marriage-feast of the Lamb: No Cross but would add to our De∣sires to be dissolv'd and to be with Christ: No Mercy but would be a fresh Engage∣ment unto Obedience to so good a Master as the Author of it: No Happiness of others, but would prove an Encouragement to serve
him that can give That, and much greater: No Misery of others, but would awake and heighten our Gratitude, that we are privi∣ledg'd from It: No Sin in our Neighbours, that would not disswade us from what we see look'd so unhandsomely in others: Nor any Virtue of theirs, but would excite our Emulation, and spur us on to imitate or sur∣pass It. In a word, when the devout Soul is come to make that true use of the Creatures, as to look upon them as men do upon water, that the Sun gilds with his Beams, that is, not so much for it self as for the Reflective vertue it has to represent a more glorious Object; and when she has, by long practice, accustom'd her self to spiritualize all the Objects and Accidents that occur to her, I see not why that practice may not be one of the most effectual means for making good that magnificent Assertion of the Apostle, That all things work together for good to them that love God.* 1.25 A devout Occasional Medi∣tation, from how low a Theme soever it takes its Rise, being like Jacob's Ladder, whereof though the foot lean'd on the Earth,* 1.26 the top reach'd up to Heaven.
Prov. 16. 33.
Nehemiah 6. 3.
Matth. 20. 6.
Jo. 8. 44.
Psal. 119. 105.
So Juni∣us and Tremelius translate the place, Quàm ampla sunt opera tua, O Jehova, quàm ea omnia sapienter fecisti? and so the Origi∣nal will bear, if the Hebrew Ma, be made applicable as well to the latter, as to the former part of the words.
Ps. 104. 24.
Ps. 144. 3.
Psal. 8. 3, 4.
Mat. 15. 36▪
1 Cor. 11. 3.
Isaiah 53. 4.
John 15. 2.
That is, Cultivator of the Ground.
John 15. 2.
Job 2. 3.
Psal. 32. 1.
2 Cor. 8. 2.
Luk. 19.
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.
Revel. 14. 13.
1 Pet. 5. 4.
Psal. 16. 11.
Judges 14. 8.
Rom. 8. 28.
Gen. 28. 12.