Puritan Nuggets of Gold # 56

Meditation

Meditation is chewing the cud. (Thomas Watson)

Meditation is like the charging of a piece, and prayer the discharging of it. (George Swinnock)

Meditation is the best beginning of prayer, and prayer is the best conclusion of meditation. (George Swinnock)

Meditation will keep your hearts and souls from sinful thoughts. When the vessel is full you can put in no more. If the heart be full of sinful thoughts, there is not room for holy and heavenly thoughts: if the heart be full of holy and heavenly thoughts by meditation, there is no room for evil and sinful thoughts. (William Bridge)

The end of study is information, and the end of meditation is practice, or a work upon the affections. Study is like a winter sun, that shines, but warms not: but meditation is like a blowing upon the fire, where we do not mind the blaze, but the heat. The end of study is to hoard up truth; but of meditation to lay it forth in conference or holy conversation. (Thomas Manton)

Meditation applieth, meditation healeth, meditaton instructeth. (Ezekiel Culverwell)

If I have observed anything by experience, it is this: a man may take the measure of his growth and decay in grace according to his thoughts and meditations upon the person of Christ, and the glory of Christ's Kingdom, and of His love. (John Owen)

Singing God's praise is a work of the most meditation of any we perform in public. It keeps the heart longest upon the thing spoken. Prayer and hearing pass quick from one sentence to another; this sticks long upon it. (John Lightfoot)

What is the reason there is so much preaching and so little practice? For want of meditation. Constant thoughts are operative, and musing makes the fire burn. Green wood is not kindled by a flash or spark, but by constant blowing. (Thomas Manton)

Our design in meditation must be rather to cleanse our hearts, than to clear our heads. (George Swinnock)

We do not meditate that we may rest in contemplation, but in order to obedience. (Thomas Manton)

Accustom yourself to a serious meditation every morning. Fresh airing our souls in heaven will engender in us a purer spirit and nobler thoughts. A morning seasoning will secure us for all the day. The thoughts of God were the first visitors David had in the morning (Psalm 139:17-18). God and his heart met together as soon as he was awake, and kept company all the day after. (Stephen Charnock)

Continued meditation brings great profit to the soul. Passant and transient thoughts are more pleasant, but not so profitable. Deliberate meditation is of most use because it secures the return of the thoughts. (Thomas Manton)

There are two things that make meditation hard. The one is because men are not used thereunto, and another is, because they do not love God enough. Everything is hard at the first;writing is hard at the first, painting hard at the first - meditation will be hard at the first. There is nothing not hard to those that are unwilling. There is nothing hard to those that love, love makes all things easy. Is it a hard thing for a lover to think or meditate on the person loved? (William Bridge)

The only cause why you forget so fast as you hear, is because you went from sermon to dinner, and never thought any more of the matter; as though it were enough to hear; like sieves, which hold water no longer than they are in a river. (Henry Smith)

Meditate on our making, that we may fall in love with our Maker. (David Dickson)

I will conclude with that excellent saying of Bernard: "Lord, I will never come away from Thee without Thee." Let this be a Christian's resolution, not to leave off his meditations of God till he find something of God in him. (Thomas Watson)