Solitude improved by divine meditation, or, A treatise proving the duty and demonstrating the necessity, excellency, usefulness, natures, kinds and requisites of divine meditation first intended for a person of honour, and now published for general use by Nathanael Ranew.

CHAP. VII. Of the next particulars, the incumbent Duties of the day.

3. THE Ordinances of Christ are the next ge∣neral things Meditation may fix on: The Ordinances are our ways of communion with God, the ways whereby God conveighs himself to us, the King of Heavens high-ways of spiritual Commerce and Trade. The Roads and Paths wherein the Ho∣ly Spirit walks, and comes to apply himself to us; and our ways in which we are to go forth and meet him, apply our selves to him, fix an heavenly inter∣course and acquaintance with him.

The Winds blow from all the Quarters of Hea∣ven, and the Holy Spirit breaths and blows from all his heavenly Ordinances: We may therein look for the breathings of the Spirit, but we must not look for the Holy Spirit out of his own ways.

The Prerogative of the Spirit is, not to be abso∣lutely tied to Ordinances; but our liberty, is not to be loosed from them: We are tied to the ways of Christ, which are our warrantable ways for commu∣nion, and waiting his Spirits comings and assist∣ings.

The Eye of Meditation should act daily in such fresh and vigorous lookings on the Ordinances, as may more highly commeid them, raise their price, represent them more lovely, reduce us to more even∣ness in performance, by finding them more easie and sweet in continued use, and exercising our selves in

them; and induce still higher admirations, by expe∣riencing their help and efficacies. The Ordinances of Christ have their high ratification in the Holy Scriptures for their power and efficacy. The Saints in all Ages, have given their great confirmation, set their probatum est to every of them, by millions of encouraging experiences.

When that Ordinances are more precious, they are the more efficacious: O let our Meditations daily scope be, to make them more precious, that they may prove more efficacious.

Like that eminent pattern, that great Meditater David; that high progress he made in Meditating of the ways of God, set the Price higher, made his heart warmer.

He Meditated and he valued more, admired more, and he acted more eminently, and arrived at last at that pitch, which hath left him on Record in the highest rank of Saints that ever lived. The Ordi∣nances therefore are most worthy our daily musing on, as for their own excellency, as the King of Hea∣vens high Institutions; so, as the Holy Spirits walks, wherein he comes to meet us, and have communion with us, and apply Christ more unto us.