In consideration, there is:
1. Application of the mind to an object;
2. Intention upon it;
3. Pondering of, or searching into it; And this,
4. thing, the dwelling of the thoughts for some due space of time, for viewing and reviewing, for second thoughts, bettering of thoughts, and better completing this great soul affair of meditation. This meditation needs must have that allowance that all great musings and considerings have. Such are rare artists, exquisite engineers, deep philosophers, and great statesmen, all noble and ingenious ways must have for their times of studyings: they must have their due space of time for thinking, and lengthen out their mindings in that time-- to make, as we say, no more haste than good speed. A staying awhile will make an end the sooner, make the work the surer.
Meditation is not a hasty hurry of thoughts: that is precipitation, not meditation. IT is not gathering half-ripe fruit, that which has not its time for the influence of heaven to come down upon it, and its own internal principle and power of its nature, to produce a kindly maturation, a kindly ripening. We will not have (for want of time) our bread dough-baked, or meat raw-roasted, knowing that what is not rightly prepared for the body may breed distempers, if it bring not death. It is not the way to thrive, look well, and be strong, lively, and cheerful: why should we gather our soul's precious fruits half-ripe? Feed our souls with dough-baked bread for want of a little time? Some things must have infusion for taking forth the spirits and tinctures of colors; others a due time for percolation and straining, for a separating of the finer parts from the feculent and dreggy; and some things a longer space, in a slow and constant fire in the operation, or the cost and labor is lost. Intentions for effecting things greatly beneficial and admirable are most freely allowed a larger proportion of time, both for frequencies and repetitions of musing seriously. But, oh, how too ordinarily do the best of saints fall short of the actings of rare artists in their higher operations, in their stands and abodes of thoughts for more curious observations, and intellectual satisfactions! Usually we are too hasty and eager to have duties over. The soul is in pain till it be delivered of them. In meditation it is hard (sometimes at least) to take off the thoughts for it from pre-engagements of other thinking, and apply them to the duty; but harder to become duly serious in acting in it; harder yet to dive and ponder; and hardest of all to hold up an abiding of thoughts and dwell long enough, and after views to make reviews, to react the same thinkings, to taste things over and over when the freshness and newness is past, when by long thinking the things before us seem old: we are ready to grow dead and flat in a performance, except we stir up ourselves often in ti. It is hard to hold on and hold up unless we hold up a wakeful eye, a warm affection, a strong and quick-repeated resolution; yea, and without often lifting up the soul to Christ, for fresh recruits of strength to hold on. David, that so excellent artist in this way, says he will meditate, often says he will. See Psalm 119. Doubtless he not only said I will, when he was to make his entrance into this hard work; but likewise for continuance in it, to keep up his heart from flagging, till he well ended his work. It is not the digging into the golden mine, but the digging long, that finds and fetches up the treasure. It is not the diving into the sea, but staying longer, that gets the greater quantities of pearls. To draw out the golden thread of meditation to its due length, till the spiritual ends be attained- this is rare and happy attainment.
Nathanael Ranew
Solitude Improved By Divine Meditation, pp. 28-29
No comments:
Post a Comment