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[Rule. 1] WHen thou goest to medi∣tate be very serious in the work. Let there be a deep im∣pression upon thy soul, and that thou mayest be serious in medi∣tation do these two things: 1. get thy self into a posture of holy re∣verence. Overaw thy heart with the thoughts of God and the in∣comprehensibleness of his maje∣sty. When thou art at the work of meditation remēber thou art now to deal with God. If an An∣gel from heaven did appoint to meet thee at such an hour,
wouldest thou not address thy self with all seriousness and solemness to meet him? Behold a greater then an angel is here. The God of glory is present. He hath an eye upon thee, he sees the carriage of thy heart when thou art alone. Think with thy self (O Christian) when thou art going to meditate, thou art now to deal with him in private be∣fore whom the Angels adore, and the Divels tremble. Think with thy self thou art now in his pre∣sence before whom thou must shortly stand and all the world with thee to receive their doom. Thou must be remo∣ved and how soon thou knowest not, from the closet to the tri∣bunal.
2. That thy heart may be se∣rious in meditation labour to possess thy thoughts with the solemnity and greatness of the
work thou art now going a∣bout. As David said concerning his building a house for God, the work is great, 1 Chron. 29.1. so it may be said of meditation, the work is great and we had need gather and rally together all the powers of the soul to the work. If thou wert to set about a business wherein thy life were concerned, how serious would∣est thou be in the thoughts of it: in the business of meditation thy soul is concerned; eternity de∣pends upon it; if thou neglectest or art slight in it thou runnest an hazzard of thy salvation. If Archimedes was so serious in drawing his mathematical line, that he minded not the sacking of the city, O how serious should a Christian be when he is draw∣ing a line for eternity. When thou art going to meditate thou art going about the
greatest work in the world.