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Meditatio pascit scientiam, scientia compunctionem, compunctio devotio∣nom.
Augustinus.
MEditation gives a man a sight and knowledge of himself, of his sins, of the riches of Gods mer∣cy in Christ; and such knowledge is it, which works compunction of spi∣rit, wee are to bee taken up in the
duties of Thanksgiving and to bee more than ordinarily inlarged there∣in. There is no such way to inlarge the heart in that duty, as by medita∣tion to heat, and warm our hearts. So Psal. 104. 33. 34. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live, my meditation of him shall bee sweet, I will bee glad in the Lord. There is nothing so feeds spiritual joy, and so maintains and holds up that holy flame that should bee in a mans heart, as doth meditation; that is the oyl and fuel that keeps such fire burning; the sweeter our meditation is, the more is the heart prepared and inlarged to prayses, and thanksgivings, and joy in the Lord. Therefore as in other Religious exercises, so more parti∣cularly in the Sacrament, one special duty to bee done, is to take up our hearts with serious meditation. And for the better raising and feeding this meditation, it is good when wee are come to the Lords Table, to do as Solomon wishes to do in that case. Prov. 23. 1. When thou fittest to eat with a Ruler, consider diligently what is before thee. Hee adviseth it for a
mans better caution, if hee bee a man given to his appetite, that hee may not bee desirous of such dainties as are set before him. But in this case it is good to consider what is set before us, to provoke our appetite, and to stir up in us a longing after those dainties. Consider therefore what is set before thee, what is done before thee. Consider the Sacramental pro∣mises, the Sacramental elements, the Sacramental actions. Behold then, and meditate what a feast God hath prepared for us, and set before us, such a feast as that, Isa. 25. 6. A feast of fat things, a feast of wine on the lees, &c. Alas how lean are our souls, what hunger-starved spirits have wee, but here bee fat things full of marrow to feed and fat our lean souls. How dead and dull are our hearts, but here is wine upon the lees, wine that goes down sweetly, That will cause the lips of those that are asleep to speake, that will refresh and quicken our spirits. Here wee see the bread broken, the wine powred out. Here wee see Christ crucified before our eyes; now wee see him
hanging, and bleeding upon the Crosse, we now see him pressed and crushed under the heavy burthen of his Fathers wrath. Now wee see him in the Garden in his bloody sweat. Now wee may behold him under the bitter conflict with his Fathers wrath upon the Crosse. Be∣hold the man, saith Pilate. This is our duty by meditation, to present unto our selves the bitterness of Christs passion, Exod. 24. 8. And Moses took the bloud, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the bloud of the Covenant. So here, Be∣hold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world: And be∣hold the bloud of that innocent, and spotless Lamb; yea behold him now shedding his precious blood to take away the sins of the world, and look upon him as the Scape-goat, bearing and carrying our sins upon him. Represent we unto our selves in our meditations, as lively as wee are able, all the sorrows of Christs passion. This Christ commands, and makes it one main end of the institution of the Sacrament, Do this in remem∣brance
of mee: Therefore appointed hee the Sacrament, that therein wee might in special manner meditate upon his passion, and his love to us therein. David had a Psalm of re∣membrance, Psal. 38. in the title. But for the death of Christ his love in it, and the benefits by it, wee have not onely some Psalms of remem∣brance, as Psal. 16. 22. and 69. and others; But besides, the Lord Christ hath to the worlds end appointed a Sacrament of remembrance, that this great work of Christs death, and his infinite love and mercy therein, might above all other works bee meditated upon, and had in remem∣brance.