The mount of holy meditation: or a treatise shewing the nature and kinds of meditation the subject matter and ends of it; the necessity of meditation; together with the excellency and usefulnesse thereof. By William Gearing minister of the gospel at Lymington in the county of Southampton.

To the Vertuous Gentlewoman M^rs Elizabeth Ashe of Alsted, in the County of Kent; and to her Eldest and hopefull Son William Ashe Esquire.

THe great God needeth none of his creatures, nor any of their servi∣ces, all the service he requireth of his peo∣ple, tendeth to their own good, and is no way beneficiall to him; to think to add any thing to him, is to guild gold, or light a Candle at noon-day: God is eternall, and was everlastingly blessed, before one Angel was created to attend him, as now there be thou∣sands

ministring unto him, and be∣fore there was one man formed on earth to praise him, and do him ser∣vice, as now there are variety of creatures to set forth his praise: God is infinitely above all advantages, which any of the services of the sons of men can afford unto him: a drop is more to the Ocean, than all the ser∣vices of men are to God: If God had needed the world, or any thing there∣in, he could have made it long before; but Himself is his own blessednesse; he is fully satisfied in himself; it is es∣sentiall to him to be infinitely happy; therefore as his being, so his blessed∣nesse is essentiall to him: he is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, self-sufficient, and infinitely happy in his own most glorious and transcen∣dent excellencies. There is then in God enough to satisfie the souls of men and women; for if there be enough in him to satisfie himself, who is infi∣nite, then who cannot think but there is enough in him, to satisfie all the fi∣nite capacities of poor mortals? the

spring of all our wants ariseth from our distance from God; and indeed there is no want can make us truly mi∣serable, but our want of enjoying God. We may cast about us, thinking to help our selves in our straits and exi∣gences many wayes; but till we come to God, and feed upon his excellen∣cies, our disease will never be cured.

The proper habitation of the soul is God himself; and none are so well housed, as they that have God for their dwelling place; when God iS a man's habitation, there do the glori∣ous Angels keep the door: happy is that soul that lodgeth in the bosome of his love; that seeth his face, and walketh in the light of his counte∣nance; the more it is raised up above lusts and creature-comforts, the more taken up with the contemplation of the love of God, the more do the will and affections run out after him. Natu∣ralists tell us, that the Bees hate all artificiall savours; so he that hath been at the fountain of life, and

drunk a large draught of the river of his pleasures, will not seek to quench his thirst at any broken Cistern, that can hold no water. Our corrupt spi∣rits think, that unless we can satisfie such a lust, enjoy such a friend, and so much of creature-comforts, it will ne∣ver be well with us; but these are but meer delusions of the Devil; for a man that wanteth God, to be discon∣tented for any externall thing, and to think to help himself by the creature, it is but to adde vanity to vanity, and in fine misery to misery: for when a man expecteth satisfaction, and find∣eth nothing less, his misery is so much the more increased.

S^t Augustine tells us of three sorts of men, that be not happy in this life: The first, he that enjoyeth not the thing he loveth, whether the thing he loveth be good or evil: The second, he that enjoyeth what he loveth, but the thing that he enjoyeth is not good for him: The third, he that enjoy∣eth what is good for him, but he takes

no delight nor comfort in it: To all these he answereth in a word; Pri∣mus cruciatur, secundus fallitur, tertius aegrotat; The first is disquiet∣ed, saith he, vext and tormented, because he hath not what he would have; he is not happy, because he is disquieted: The second, (he that en∣joyeth what he loveth, but the thing he enjoyeth is not good for him) such a one is deceived and deluded with a shew of happinesse; the thing is hurt∣full to him, and therefore is not happy in his enjoyment: The third, he that possesseth what is good for him, but he loveth it not, he is sick and distem∣pered, his heart is very much out of frame: but he that enjoyeth God, hath that which is best for him, and possesseth him, and this is true hap∣pinesse.

It is altogether impossible for man to be made happy, by any thing infe∣riour to himself: there is something in man, superiour to any earthly crea∣ture, viz. a reasonable soul; and

there is nothing in worldly honours, riches, &c. that is comparable to the substance or faculties of man's intel∣lectuall soul: therefore if man cannot find happinesse in himself, it is in vain to seek it in any earthly and sub∣lunary thing; I mean true happiness, and reall satisfaction. Man can ne∣ver be happy, but by the possession of something more excellent than him∣self, and cannot possesse any true con∣tentment, till he comes to the possessi∣on of God. There is no one outward thing, that can relieve us in all our wants: meat nourisheth us, but cloaths us not: our garments cover us, but feed us not: gold enricheth us, but defends us not from any danger: one good produceth but one single ad∣vantage to us but those that daily me∣ditate upon God,* 1.1 do find enough in him to satisfie all their desires: he hath riches enough in himself to supply all our wants; and indeed such is the ca∣pacity of man's heart, that none but an infinite God can fill it.

And now the design of this Trea∣tise of Meditation (which I most humbly present unto you) is to lead us frequently to God, who leads us to Heaven; and what greater delight, than to be led to Heaven, by him that dwells there? our hearts are like a spring-lock that shut themselves, but do not open to any thing that is good; therefore we must open them every day with the key of meditation: and as in naturall things, those that be highest, and nearest to the Heavens, are pu∣rest and clearest, and come nearest to the nature thereof; as the Element of fire, and the upper region of the Air be more pure and free from gross matter, than the middle and lower region, where the clouds and mists be ingendred; so those that draw near to God by holy meditation, and are fre∣quent in this heavenly exercise, are pure from those grosse sins, with which others pollute themselves: otherwise men in high places may not unfitly be resembled to the Planet Saturn, of

whom Astronomers and Philosophers tell us, that in sphear and place he is nearest to the Heavens, but in nature and quality most unlike them, and least of all partaking of the influences of Heaven.

Let me beseech you still to keep close to God, and then the Lord will stick close to you, and vouchsafe his presence with you. Among all Rules of policy, these are the chiefest: to be faithfull and upright to the Lord; to aim at his glory; to be guided by his Spirit; and walk according to the rule of his Word; then may you be as∣sured, that you are more safe under his protection, than any arm of flesh can make you. I humbly crave your par∣don for this my boldness; and that the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, may bless you with all spiritu∣all blessings in heavenly things in Christ, is, and shall be the prayer of

Your most humble Servant in the Gospel WILLIAM GEARING.

From my Study in Lymington. Sep 30. 1661.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Phil. 4.19.