Divine consolations, or, The teachings of God in three parts ... with an answer to the objections made against it, and Doctor Crips [sic] booke justified against Steven Geree / by Samuel Richardson.

Meditation.

Meditating on the sweetnesse of outward contents, glues our hearts to them.

The more our thoughts are above, the more is our joy, and the more we avoyde the snares below.

It is no burden to fix our minds & thoughts on things above, where our life, joy and trea∣sure is.

There is much sweetnesse and profit in the consideration and view of the severall passa∣ges of Gods providence to us & ours, inward and outward, of the time past: if it were well minded, it might strengthen our faith, and draw out our hearts to God, and inlarge our thankfulnesse: who so is wise to observe these things, shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord.

By meditation we retaine truths, and are enriched by them; it makes them sweet to us, it's the way to knowledge, the mother of wis∣dome; it refines the judgement; it cuts off errors in judgement and practice; it makes the mercies of God fresh and sweet to us; it increaseth love; it's the life of hearing, read∣ing, conference, &c. it reveales truths to us, and acquaints us with our selves; it makes all to become our own; it settles truth upon our spirits; it removes lets, and breeds affections, and quickens them; it makes hard things ea∣sie; it fills the soule with experience, and in∣ableth us to apply it to our own benefit and others; it fires the soule with love, and sends it up to heaven.

By the neglect of meditation, we loose a great treasure.

Unlesse by meditation the judgement be refined and setled, and so work it upon our

affections, and lay it up in our minds, Gods meanes, and our hearing and reading comes to nothing.