Book Summary
Thomas Watson's "Christian Meditation", also known as a Christian on the Mount, (1660) presents a comprehensive guide to the spiritual discipline of biblical meditation, distinguishing it from both secular contemplation and empty mental exercises. The Puritan divine argues that meditation is not optional but essential for spiritual growth, presenting it as a bridge between biblical knowledge and practical godliness.
Watson begins by defining divine meditation as deliberate, focused contemplation of spiritual truths, particularly Scripture. He distinguishes between occasional meditation (prompted by circumstances) and deliberate meditation (scheduled time for contemplation), arguing that both are necessary for spiritual health.
The work provides detailed instruction on the method of meditation, including preparation of the heart, selection of suitable subjects, and practical application. Watson emphasizes that true meditation involves not just understanding truth but applying it personally and allowing it to transform both heart and conduct.
Watson identifies various subjects for meditation, including God's attributes, Christ's work, sin's nature, death, judgment, and heaven. He argues that each topic should be considered thoroughly, examining it from different angles and drawing practical applications for daily life.
The text addresses common obstacles to meditation, including wandering thoughts, worldly distractions, and spiritual dryness. Watson provides practical strategies for overcoming these challenges, emphasizing the role of prayer and persistence in developing this spiritual discipline.
A significant portion of the work focuses on the benefits of meditation, including strengthened faith, increased love for God, resistance to temptation, and preparation for trials. Watson argues that meditation transforms biblical knowledge from mere head knowledge into heart-changing truth.
The book concludes with practical guidance on implementing regular meditation, including advice on timing, duration, and method. Watson emphasizes that while meditation requires effort, it ultimately leads to spiritual delight and closer communion with God.
Christian Meditation
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Chapter 1: Introduction to the Words and the Main Point Explained
Grace creates joy in God, and that joy leads to meditation. Meditation is a key part of religion and keeps its essence alive. The Psalmist highlights how much a godly person is accustomed to this wonderful practice of meditation by saying, "in his Law he meditates day and night." This doesn't mean there are no breaks; God allows time for our responsibilities and some relaxation. When it says the godly person meditates day and night, it means they do it frequently; they're very engaged in this practice. "It is a command of God to pray without ceasing" (1 Thess. 5:17). This doesn't mean we should be praying all the time (as the Euchites believed), but that we should set aside time for prayer each day; that's how Drusius and others interpret it. In the old Law, it was called the continual sacrifice; not because the people of Israel did nothing but sacrifice, but because they had set times every morning and evening for it, so it was called the continual sacrifice. Similarly, the godly person is said to meditate day and night, meaning they do it often and are familiar with meditation.
The point being made from the text is this: Doctrine: A good Christian is someone who meditates. In Psalm 119:15, it says, "I will meditate on your precepts," and in 1 Timothy 4:15, "Meditate upon these things." Meditation is like chewing on the truths we've heard. In the old Law, animals that didn't chew the cud were considered unclean; similarly, a Christian who doesn't meditate and "chew the cud" is considered unclean. Meditation is like watering seeds, helping the fruits of grace to grow and flourish.
To illustrate the point, there are a few things we need to talk about:
1. I'm going to show what meditation is.
2. That meditation is a duty.
3. The difference between meditation and memory.
4. The difference between meditation and study.
5. The subject of meditation.
6. Why meditation is important.
Chapter 2: Explaining What Meditation Is Like
If you're wondering what meditation is, I'd say it's when the soul takes a step back so that, through serious and thoughtful reflection on God, the heart can be lifted to heavenly feelings. This description has three parts.
1. Meditation is like giving your soul some alone time. When a Christian wants to meditate, they should shut themselves off from the world. The world can mess up your meditation; Jesus went up the mountain to pray (Matt. 14:23). So, find a quiet place when you want to meditate. Isaac went out into the field to meditate (Gen. 24:63), separating himself so he could have a moment with God through meditation. Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus, so he got out of the crowd, ran ahead, and climbed a sycamore tree to see Him (Luke 19:3-4). Similarly, when we want to connect with God, we need to step away from worldly distractions, climb the tree of meditation, and there we'll have the best view of heaven. The world's noise can either lull us to sleep or distract us during meditation. Just like when something gets in your eye and affects your vision, when worldly thoughts get into your mind (the soul's eye), you can't focus on heaven through contemplation. So, just like Abraham left his servant and donkey at the bottom of the hill when he went to sacrifice (Gen. 22:5), a Christian should leave all worldly worries behind when climbing the hill of meditation, so they can be alone and take a moment with heaven. If a bird's wings are sticky, it can't fly; meditation is the soul's wing, and if a Christian is weighed down by earthly concerns, they can't soar to God on this wing. Saint Bernard used to say at the church door, "Stay here, all my worldly thoughts, so I can talk with God in the Temple." So, tell yourself, "I'm going to meditate now, all you distracting thoughts, stay behind, don't come near." When you're climbing the mountain of meditation, make sure the world doesn't follow you and pull you down from the top. This is the first step: giving your soul some alone time; lock the door against the world.
2. The second thing in meditation is seriously and thoughtfully reflecting on God. The Hebrew word for meditate means to intensely gather and focus your thoughts. Meditation isn't just a quick, passing thought about religion, like the dogs of the Nile that lap up water and move on. Instead, meditation requires fixing your heart on the subject and immersing your thoughts in it. Carnal Christians are like quicksilver, which can't be made to stay in one place; their thoughts wander around and won't settle, like a bird that hops from branch to branch without staying anywhere. David was someone who knew how to meditate: "O God, my heart is fixed" (Ps. 108:1). In meditation, you need to keep your thoughts focused on the subject. A person who rushes through a town or village doesn't notice anything, but an artist or painter examining a detailed piece studies the entire design and portrait, observing the symmetry and proportion, noticing every shadow and color. A superficial Christian is like the traveler whose thoughts rush by without noticing anything about God. A wise Christian is like the artist, who seriously considers and reflects on the things of religion, just like Mary, who "kept all these things and pondered them in her heart" (Luke 2:19).
3. The third aspect of meditation is lifting your heart to holy feelings. A Christian approaches meditation like someone entering a spa, seeking healing. Meditation revitalizes the soul, curing its dullness and worldly focus; but we'll talk more about that later.
CHAPTER 3: Showing that Meditation is a Duty.
Meditation is something every Christian should do, and there's no arguing about it. Meditation is a duty:
- Imposed
- Opposed
1. Meditation is something we're required to do; it's not optional. God has commanded us to meditate just like He has commanded us to believe. In Joshua 1:8, it says, "This book of the Law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night." Even though these words were spoken directly to Joshua, they apply to everyone. Just like the promise made to Joshua applies to all believers (Josh. 1:5; Heb. 13:5), this command to meditate on the Law is for all Christians. It's hypocritical to expand the promise but limit the command. When it says, "Thou shalt meditate in this book of the Law," the word "Thou" is meant for every Christian. Just as God's Word guides us, His will should compel us to obey.
2. Meditation is a duty that often faces resistance. We can assume it's a valuable practice because it goes against our natural tendencies. Just like someone once said, you can tell a religion is genuine if someone like Nero persecutes it; similarly, you can tell a duty is worthwhile if the heart resists it. Naturally, we find ourselves strangely averse to meditation. We're quick to listen but slow to meditate. Thinking about worldly things all day is enjoyable, but when it comes to holy meditation, our hearts argue and resist this practice! It feels like a burden. Honestly, the reluctance of a worldly heart is enough proof that a duty is good. Take self-denial, for example. Jesus said, "Let a man deny himself" (Matt. 16:24). Self-denial is as essential as reaching heaven, but our hearts raise all sorts of objections against it. What, deny my reasoning and become foolish to become wise? Not only that, but deny my own righteousness? What, throw it away and rely solely on Christ's merits to reach heaven? This is a duty that the heart naturally opposes and disagrees with. This resistance is an argument that proves the goodness of self-denial; and it's the same with meditation. The hidden aversion our hearts have towards it shows it's a good practice, and that's reason enough to encourage meditation.
CHAPTER 4: Explaining the Difference Between Meditation and Memory
Memory, which Aristotle calls the soul's scribe, is an amazing ability that records everything that happens. Whatever we read or hear, memory registers it. That's why God performs all His works of wonder so they can be remembered. There seems to be some similarity between meditation and memory, but I think there are two key differences.
1. Meditating on something is more enjoyable than just remembering it. Memory is like a storage place to keep a truth, while meditation is like savoring it. Memory is like the Ark where the Manna was stored, and meditation is like the Israelites eating the Manna. When David started to meditate on God, it was as satisfying to him as rich food (Ps. 63:5-6). There's as much difference between a truth that's just remembered and one that's deeply thought about as there is between a drink in a glass and actually drinking it.
2. Remembering a truth without seriously meditating on it will just lead to regret later on. What comfort can it bring to someone when they're about to die, to recall that they remembered many great ideas about Christ, but never took the time to meditate on them and be transformed by them? A sermon that's remembered but not deeply contemplated will only add to our condemnation.
CHAPTER 5: Explaining the Difference Between Meditation and Study.
The student's life seems like meditation, but it's actually different. Meditation and study differ in three ways.
1. They differ in their nature. Study is a task for the brain, while meditation is a task for the heart; study engages your creativity, and meditation engages your emotions.
2. They differ in their purpose. The purpose of study is understanding, while the purpose of meditation is spiritual growth. The goal of study is to discover a truth; the goal of meditation is to spiritually enhance that truth. One searches for the vein of gold, while the other digs out the gold.
3. They differ in their outcome and result. Studying doesn't necessarily make a person any better; it's like a winter sun that has little warmth and influence. Meditation, on the other hand, leaves you in a more holy state. It melts the heart when it's frozen and makes it overflow with tears of love.
CHAPTER 6: Discussing What to Meditate On
The fourth topic to discuss is what Christians should meditate on. I've entered a broad area here, but I'll just touch on a few things. I'll be like the disciples, picking some ears of corn as I go along.
Some might say, "Oh no, I'm so lost, I don't even know what to think about." To help Christians with this important task, I'll share some key topics for meditation. There are fifteen things in God's law that we should focus on the most.
SECTION 1
1. Meditate on God's attributes. God's attributes are like the different rays through which His divine nature is revealed to us. There are six key attributes that we should focus our thoughts on.
1. Think about God's all-knowing nature. His eyes are always on us; He has a window into our conscience, and our thoughts are laid bare before Him. He knows the words we speak even in private (2 Kings 6:12). He's described as having seven eyes to show His all-knowing nature. "You count my steps" (Job 14:16). The Hebrew word means to take an exact account. God is said to number our steps when He makes a detailed and careful observation of our actions. God keeps track of every moment of our lives, almost like a daybook of everything we do, and writes it down. Spend a lot of time thinking about this all-knowing nature.
Thinking about God's all-knowing nature would have these effects:
1. It would act like a curb bit to check and restrain us from sin. Would a thief steal when the judge is watching?
2. Thinking about God's all-knowing nature can really help keep your heart sincere. God has a window into everyone's heart; doesn't He see everything I do? (Job 31:4). If I hold onto proud or malicious thoughts, if I prioritize my own interests over Christ's, or if I'm not genuine in my repentance, God notices. Reflecting on His all-knowing nature would encourage a Christian to be sincere in both their actions and intentions. You can't be a hypocrite without being foolish.
2. Meditate on the holiness of God. Holiness is like the fancy robe God wears; it's the glory of God's nature (Exod. 15:11). Glorious in holiness: "It's the most precious jewel of heaven's crown." God is the example and model of holiness. Holiness is originally and primarily in God, like light is in the sun. You might as well try to separate weight from lead or heat from fire as try to separate holiness from God's nature. God's holiness is what makes Him completely against any sin, as it's totally opposite to His essence (Hab. 1:13). "You are of purer eyes than to behold iniquity." Spend a lot of time thinking about this attribute.
Thinking about God's holiness can have a powerful effect on us; it can help transform us to be more like God. God loves us when we reflect His likeness. There's a story told by Peter Martyr about a man who was not very attractive. He placed beautiful pictures in front of his wife so that their children would be beautiful, and it worked. Similarly, in Genesis 30:38-39, Jacob's cattle looked at rods with white stripes and ended up having offspring that looked like the rods. In the same way, when we meditate on the holiness that shines so brightly in God, we start to become more like Him and become holy as He is holy. Holiness is a beautiful thing (Ps. 110). It gives us a kind of angelic brightness; it's the only currency that holds value in heaven. By frequently thinking about this attribute, we are transformed into God's image.
3. Meditate on God's wisdom. He's called the only wise God (1 Tim. 1:17). His wisdom is clear in how He runs the world; He's at the helm, guiding everything smoothly and in harmony. He can bring light out of darkness and make a straight path using a crooked stick. He can use human injustice to achieve justice. He's infinitely wise, breaking us with hardships, yet using those broken pieces to bring us safely to shore. Think about God's wisdom.
Thinking about God's wisdom can really calm our hearts. 1. When things aren't going well in the world, remember that the wise God is in control; no matter who seems to be in charge, God is the one who truly oversees everything. He knows how to make everything work out for good, and His work will be beautiful in its own time. 2. When things aren't going well for us personally, thinking about God's wisdom can help us find peace. The wise God has placed me in this situation, and whether it's health or sickness, His wisdom will make it work out for the best. God can turn something harmful into something beneficial; everything will serve as a remedy or medicine for me. Either the Lord will remove some sin or strengthen some virtue. Thinking about this can stop us from complaining.
4. Meditate on God's power. You can see this power in creation. He hangs the earth on nothing (Job 26:7). What can't God do if He can create? Nothing can stand against a creative power. He doesn't need any pre-existing materials to work with, and He doesn't need any tools to get the job done. He's the one before whom angels cover their faces, and earthly kings throw down their crowns. He's the one who can move the earth from its place (Job 9:6). An earthquake might make the earth tremble on its pillars, but God can shake it out of its place. With just a word, God can unpin the wheels and break the axle of creation. He can stop natural forces, shut the mouths of lions, make the sun stand still, and prevent fire from burning. Xerxes, the Persian king, threw chains into the sea as if he could control the wild waters, but when God commands, the winds and sea obey Him. If He speaks, an army of stars appears (Judg. 5:20). If He stamps His foot, a host of angels are ready for battle. If He raises a banner and merely hisses, even His enemies will rise up to fight for His cause. Who would dare provoke this God? It's a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God (Heb. 10:31). Like a lion, He tears apart His adversaries (Ps. 50:22). Oh, think about this power of God.
Thinking about God's power can really strengthen our faith. A Christian's faith can safely rely on the solid foundation of God's power. Remember Samson's riddle, "out of the strong came forth sweetness"; while we're reflecting on God's power, sweetness comes from this strength. Is the Church of God struggling? He can make Jerusalem a place of praise. Are your struggles overwhelming? God can defeat this Leviathan. Is your heart hardened, like a stone? God can soften it. The Almighty makes my heart soft. Faith celebrates in God's power; from this strength comes sweetness. Abraham, reflecting on God's power, didn't waver in unbelief (Rom. 4:20). He knew God could make a barren womb fruitful and dry breasts able to nurse.
5. Meditate on God's mercy; it's like a natural tendency in God to do good, just like the sun naturally shines (Ps. 86:5). "You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, and abundant in mercy to all those who call upon you." God's mercy is so wonderful that it makes all His other qualities wonderful too. Holiness without mercy and justice without mercy would be terrifying. Geographers say that the city of Syracuse in Sicily is so perfectly located that the sun is never out of sight; even though God's children might face some tough times, the sun of mercy is never completely hidden. God's justice reaches to the clouds, but His mercy goes beyond the clouds. God is slow to anger. He took longer to destroy Jericho than to create the world; He made the world in six days, but it took seven days to bring down the walls of Jericho. How many warnings did God give Jerusalem before He acted? Justice moves slowly (Gen. 18:21), but mercy is quick; the sword of justice often stays in its sheath and rusts until sin draws it out and sharpens it against a nation. God's justice is like the widow's oil, which flowed for a while and then stopped (2 Kings 4:6). God's mercy is like Aaron's oil, which didn't just stay on his head but flowed down to the edges of his garment (Ps. 133:2). In the same way, the golden oil of God's mercy doesn't just stay with a good parent but is poured on their children and continues to flow down to the third and fourth generation, even reaching the edges of a faithful family line. Take time to think about God's mercy often.
Thinking about mercy can be a powerful way to draw sinners to God through repentance. It's like a life jacket that keeps the heart from sinking into despair; imagine it as a safe place to run to. God is the Father of mercies (2 Cor. 1:3). Mercy flows from Him as naturally as a child comes from a parent. God loves showing mercy (Micah 7:18). Chrysostom said it's as delightful for a mother to nurse her child as it is for God to show mercy. Mercy seeks out even the worst sinner, bringing not just salvation but also healing.
Thinking about God's mercy could bring a sinner to tears. Someone reading a pardon sent to them from the king started crying and exclaimed, "A pardon has done what death couldn't do; it has softened my heart."
6. Meditate on God's truth; mercy makes the promise, and truth fulfills it. "Nevertheless, my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail" (Psalm 89:33). God can no more deny himself than he can deny his Word. He is full of truth (Exod. 34:6). What does that mean? If God has made a promise of mercy to his people, he will not only keep his Word but exceed it. God often does more than he has promised, never less; he often goes beyond the promise he has set, never falls short of it. He is full of truth. God may sometimes delay a promise, but he will not deny it. The promise may seem hidden for a long time, like a seed underground, but it is always maturing. The promise of Israel's deliverance was hidden for four hundred and thirty years, but when the time came, the promise was fulfilled right on time (Exod. 12:41). "And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent" (1 Sam. 15:29). Think about God's truth.
Thinking about God's truth would, 1. Be a strong support for faith. The world relies on God's power, and faith relies on His truth. 2. Reflecting on God's truth would inspire us to strive to be like Him. We should be honest in our words and genuine in our actions. When Pythagoras was asked what makes people like God, he answered, "When they speak truth."
Section 2
2. The second topic for meditation is to think about God's promises. These promises are like flowers growing in the paradise of Scripture, and meditation, like a bee, extracts their sweetness. The promises don't really benefit or comfort us until we meditate on them. Just like roses in a garden may smell nice, but their sweet essence is only released through fire; similarly, the promises are pleasant to read, but the essence and spirit of these promises are only absorbed into the soul through meditation. Incense smells best when it's crushed and beaten. Meditating on a promise, like crushing incense, makes it most fragrant and delightful. The promises can be compared to a gold mine, which only enriches us when the gold is dug out; through holy meditation, we dig out that spiritual gold hidden in the mine of the promise, and that's how we become enriched. Cardan says there's no precious stone without some hidden virtue. These are called precious promises (2 Pet. 1:4). When applied through meditation, their virtue is revealed, and they truly become precious. There are three types of promises we should focus on meditating upon.
1. Promises of forgiveness: "I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for my own sake, and will not remember your sins" (Isa. 43:25). A struggling sinner might say, "Oh no, I'm deeply in debt with God. I fear I haven't filled His bottle with my tears, but I've filled His book with my debts." Well, think about this promise: "I am the one who wipes out your transgressions." The original word for "wipe out" is a metaphor that refers to a merchant who, when his debtor has paid him, erases the debt and gives him a receipt. God says, "I will erase your sin, I will clear the debt book." But the troubled soul might say, "It might take a long time; I might be tormented by my conscience for ages; I might waste away, and my life might come close to the grave." No, in Hebrew, it's in the present participle. "I am wiping out your transgressions. I have taken my pen and am crossing out your debt." But the sinner might say, "There's no reason God should do this for me." Well, acts of grace aren't based on reason. "I will wipe out your sins for my name's sake." But the sinner might ask, "Won't the Lord remember my sins again?" No, He promises an act of forgetting: "I will not remind you of your sins or hold you to a canceled bond. I will remember your sins no more." Here's a sweet promise to think about; it's like a hive full of the honey of the Gospel.
2. Think about the promises of sanctification. The earth isn't as likely to get overrun with weeds and thorns as the heart is to get overrun with desires. Now, God has made many promises of healing (Hos. 14:4) and purging (Jer. 33:8), and promises of sending His Spirit. This Spirit, because of its sanctifying nature, is sometimes compared to water that cleanses the vessel, sometimes to wind, which acts like a fan to purify the air, and sometimes to fire, which refines metals. Think often about this promise from Isaiah 1:18: "Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow." Scarlet is such a deep dye that all human effort can't remove it, but look at this promise—God will cleanse the soul, turning a scarlet sinner into a milk-white saint. Through this refining and consecrating work, a Christian becomes a partaker of the divine nature and is prepared to have communion with God forever. Reflect a lot on this promise.
3. Think about the promises of reward: The haven of rest (Heb. 4:9). The blessed vision of God (Matt. 5:8). The glorious mansions (John 14:2). Reflecting on these promises will be like a healing stone to keep us from giving up under our sins and sorrows.
SECTION 3
The third topic for meditation is to think about the love of Christ. Christ is as full of love as he is of merit. What else but love would lead him to save us instead of the angels? Among the wonders of the magnet, one of the most remarkable is that it attracts iron, a less precious metal, instead of gold or pearls. Similarly, Christ chose to draw humanity to him, leaving behind the more noble spirits, the angels, like gold and pearls. How this highlights his love! Love was the wing that carried him into the Virgin's womb. 1. How extraordinary is Christ's love for the saints! The Apostle describes it as a love that surpasses knowledge (Eph. 3:19). It's the same kind of love that God the Father has for Christ, similar in quality, though not in equality (John 15:9). "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you." A believer's heart is the garden where Christ has planted this sweet flower of his love. It's the channel through which the golden stream of his affection flows. 2. How selective is Christ's love (1 Cor. 1:26). Not many wise, not many noble are called. In the old Law, God passed by the lion and the eagle and chose the dove for sacrifice. That God would pass by so many of noble birth and talents, and that the lot of free grace would fall upon you; oh, the depth of divine love! 3. How invincible is the love of Christ! It is as strong as death (Song of Solomon 8:6). Death might take away his life, but not his love. And just as death couldn't, neither could sin completely extinguish that divine flame of love. The Church had her weaknesses, her sleepy moments (Song of Solomon 5:2), but though tarnished, she remained a dove. Christ could see the faith and overlook the failings. The artist who painted Alexander with a scar on his face drew him with a finger covering the scar. Christ places the finger of mercy over the scars of the saints; he won't discard his pearls for every speck of dirt. And what makes Christ's love even more astonishing is that there was nothing in us to provoke or draw out his love. He didn't love us because we were worthy; by loving us, he made us worthy. 4. How unchanging is Christ's love? Having loved his own, he loved them to the end. The saints are like letters of gold engraved upon Christ's heart, which cannot be erased. Meditate deeply on the love of Christ.
Seriously thinking about Christ's love, 1. would make us love Him back. Can someone walk on hot coals without their feet getting burned? (Prov. 6:28). Who can reflect on the intense heat of Christ's love and not have their heart burn with love for Him?
2. Thinking about Christ's love would bring tears to our eyes because of how we've treated the Gospel. How could we sin against such a kind Savior? Was there no one else to mistreat but our friend? Did we have to go against such deep love? Didn't Christ suffer enough on the Cross? Do we really need to make him suffer more? Are we giving him more gall and vinegar to drink? If anything can break our hearts into mourning, it's the thought of being unkind to Christ. When Peter remembered Christ's love for him, knowing that Christ would deny him nothing, yet he denied Christ, it made him cry. Peter went out and wept bitterly (Luke 22:62).
3. Thinking about Christ's love would help us love our enemies. Jesus Christ showed love to his enemies. We read about the fire consuming the water in (1 Kings 18:38). Normally, water puts out fire, but for fire to dry up and consume water, which can't burn, that was miraculous! Christ showed a similar miracle; his love burned where there was nothing suitable to work on, only sin and hostility. He loved his enemies, and the fire of his love consumed and dried up the water of their sins. He prayed for his enemies, "Father, forgive them"; he shed tears for those who shed his blood. To those who gave him gall and vinegar to drink, he gave his blood to drink. O amor his plagis membra cruentat amor. —
Thinking about this love would soften our hearts to love our enemies. Augustine said that Christ turned the cross into a pulpit, and the important lesson he taught Christians was to love their enemies.
4. Thinking about Christ's love can help us when we feel like he's not around. Sometimes he chooses to step back for a bit (Cant. 5:6), but when we remember how deep and unchanging his love is, it helps us be patient until he shows himself to us again. He is love (1 John 4:16), and he won't leave his people for too long. He might step away, but it's not a permanent goodbye. Just like the sun might leave our skies for a while, it always comes back in the spring. Reflecting on Christ's love can help us wait for the return of this "Sun of righteousness." "For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come" (Heb. 10:37). He is truth, so he will come; he is love, so he will come.
SECTION 4
The fourth topic for meditation is to think about sin.
1. Think about the guilt of sin. We were in Adam, like in a root or common head, and when he sinned, we became guilty (Rom. 5:12). In whom all have sinned; his betrayal tainted our blood, and this guilt brings shame with it as its twin (Rom. 6:21).
2. Think about how dirty sin is; not only do we inherit the guilt of Adam's sin, but his sinful nature spreads to us. Our pure nature is tainted, our hearts are stained; so how can our actions be pure? If the water is dirty in the well, it can't be clean in the bucket (Isa. 64:6). We're all like something unclean. We're like a patient under a doctor's care with no healthy part in us: our head is bruised, our liver swollen, our lungs damaged, our blood inflamed, our feet gangrenous. That's how we are before grace comes—our mind is dark, our memory unreliable; our heart is hard; our will is stubborn. From the sole of the foot to the crown of the head, there's no soundness, just wounds, bruises, and festering sores (Isa. 1:6). A sinner covered in sin is no better than a devil in human form; and what's even more troubling is how sin clings to us. Sin is part of our nature; the Apostle calls it an "encompassing sin" (Heb. 12:1), a sin that's not easily cast off. A person might as well try to shed their skin as get rid of the sin in their soul; it clings like ivy to a wall. There's no shaking off this viper until death. Oh, think often about this contagion of sin. How strong is that poison, a drop of which can poison an entire sea? How venomous and malignant was that apple, a taste of which poisoned all humanity? Reflect deeply on this. Thinking about sin would make our pride fall; if our knowledge makes us proud, we have enough sin to make us humble. The best saint alive, even when taken out of the grave of sin, still carries the smell of the grave clothes.
3. Think about the curse of sin. "Cursed be everyone that continues not in all things written in the book of the Law" (Gal. 3:10). This curse is like a blight on fruit, preventing it from thriving. Sin is not just something that makes us dirty; it condemns us. It's not just a blemish on the face but a stab to the heart. Sin hands us over to the Devil, who, like Draco, writes all his laws in blood. Sin ties us to God's wrath, and then what are all our earthly pleasures but like Damocles' feast, with a sword hanging over our heads? Sin brings forth the scroll written with curses against a sinner (Zech. 5), and it's a flying scroll (Zech. 5:1-2), coming swiftly unless mercy stops it. "You are cursed with a curse" (Mal. 3:9). This is how it is until Christ cuts off the chain of this curse. Oh, think about this curse that sin brings.
Thinking about this curse would make us afraid of holding onto sin. When Micah stole his mother's money and heard her curse him, he didn't dare keep it any longer and returned it (Judg. 17:2). He was afraid of his mother's curse; so how much more should we fear God's curse? Thinking about this curse would make us afraid of welcoming sin. We wouldn't willingly let someone with the plague into our house. Sin brings a curse with it, which is like a plague from God that sticks to a sinner; sin is like the water of jealousy that made the belly swell and the thigh rot (Num. 5:22). Thinking about this would make us run from sin; while we sit under the shadow of this bramble, fire will come out of the bramble eternally to consume us.
SECTION 5
The fifth topic for meditation is to think about the emptiness of worldly things. When you examine the best that the world has to offer, you'll find something that either leaves you unsatisfied or even disgusted. The best wine has its foam, the sweetest rose has its thorns, and the purest comforts have their drawbacks. The world can only be said to be full of vanity, much like a balloon filled with air. "In the midst of plenty, he will be in trouble" (Job 20:22). Those who seek happiness here are like Apollo, who hugged the laurel tree instead of Daphne. Reflect on this emptiness. The world is like a mirror that shows a face that isn't really there.
Thinking about this emptiness, 1. would be like digging around the roots of a tree to loosen it from the soil; it would really help loosen our hearts from the world and be a great way to prevent overindulgence. Let a Christian reflect like this: Why am I so focused on emptiness? Even if the whole earth were turned into a globe of gold, it couldn't satisfy my heart.
2. Thinking about how temporary everything around us is should make us seek out more lasting comforts: God's favor, Christ's sacrifice, and the Spirit's guidance. When I realize that the life I draw from temporary sources is meaningless, I'll turn more towards the true source; in Christ, there's an endless supply. When someone feels the branch they're on starting to break, they let go and grab onto the main tree; similarly, when we realize that worldly things are just weak branches, through faith, we'll hold onto Christ, the tree of life (Rev. 2:7). The world is just a fragile reed, but God is the eternal rock.
SECTION 6
The sixth topic for meditation is to think about the excellence of grace. Grace is: 1. Precious in itself (2 Pet. 1:1) - precious faith. Grace is precious: 1. In its origin, it comes from above (James 3:17). 2. In its nature; it is the seed of God (1 John 3:9). Grace is like the spiritual enamel and embroidery of the soul; it's the very signature and engraving of the Holy Spirit. Grace doesn't lose its color. It's such a valuable thing that the longer we keep it, the better it becomes, eventually transforming into glory. 2. Just as grace is precious in itself, it also makes us precious to God, like a rich diamond that adorns those who wear it (Isa. 43:4). "Since you were precious in my sight, you have been honorable." The saints who are blessed with grace are God's jewels (Mal. 3:17). Even if they are sullied with reproach or stained with blood, they are still jewels; everything else in the world is just clutter. These are the jewels, and heaven is the golden cabinet where they will be safely kept. A gracious person is the glory of the age they live in, like Melancthon, who was called the phoenix of Germany. So brilliant in God's eyes is a soul adorned with grace that He doesn't think the world is worthy of them (Heb. 11:38). "Of whom the world was not worthy." That's why God calls His people home so quickly, because they are too good to live in the world (Prov. 12:26). "The righteous is more excellent than his neighbor." Grace is the best blessing; it has a superiority and transcendence above all other things. There are two things that sparkle a lot in our eyes, but grace infinitely outshines both. 1. Gold. The sun doesn't shine as brightly in our eyes as gold does; it's the mirror of beauty, and money answers all things (Eccles. 10:19). But grace weighs heavier than gold; gold draws the heart away from God, while grace draws the heart to God. Gold only enriches the mortal part, while grace enriches the angelic part. Gold perishes (1 Pet. 1:7), but grace perseveres. The fuller a rose blooms, the sooner it sheds, serving as a symbol of all things besides grace.
