# Meditation



## Pilgrim72

I'm not sure if this is the best place to post this -- it has a devotional type of reference, but I also have a question (hopefully, some of you can help me in this).

Well, I've been thinking about doing this for a while now, and I've finally decided I'd like to do it. Especially after I read this wonderful quote from Matthew Henry on Psalm 1.



> To meditate in God's word, is to discourse with ourselves concerning the great things contained in it, with close application of mind and fixedness of thought. We must have constant regard to the word of God, as the rule of our actions, and the spring of our comforts; and have it in our thoughts night and day. For this purpose no time is amiss.



I was really blessed by that, and I'd like to (as a part of my own devotions) do a study of writings on the subject of Meditation. I was reading Thomas Watson's "A Christian On The Mount" and found a wealth of material on the subject. I know there's got to be more out there, and was wondering if anyone knows where I can find them... Or maybe just a list of writings on the subject.

It seems in our time, the Christian exercise of meditation is sorely missing. And I would really like to put in a lot of study on this and hopefully incorporate it in my own life.

Thank you for your help.


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## Presbyterian Deacon

A google search on the two words "Puritan Meditation" finds 201,000 results.

The first couple look good:

Puritan Meditation Tradition

Banner of Truth Trust General Articles

Isn't google wonderful?!


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## VirginiaHuguenot

I commend you for looking into this brother. These threads / resources may be of some interest:

http://www.puritanboard.com/f15/what-exactly-meditation-5518/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f36/thomas-watson-christian-meditation-24363/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f15/bea...puritan-meditation-seventeenth-century-20940/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f36/george-swinnock-christian-meditation-24808/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f36/robert-bolton-christian-meditation-25002/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f36/richard-greenham-christian-meditation-25243/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f29/solitude-improved-divine-meditation-nathanael-ranew-25403/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f36/oliver-heywood-christian-meditation-25481/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f36/james-janeway-christian-meditation-25484/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f36/john-brown-haddington-christian-meditation-25564/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f24/concentration-27096/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f29/reflect-what-you-read-edward-bickersteth-27762/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f36/father-brakel-christian-meditation-26672/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f23/art-meditation-cornelis-pronk-25976/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f24/puritan-piety-28905/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f25/theological-reading-meditation-29824/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f35/prayer-reading-temptation-meditation-luther-29808/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f36/william-gurnall-christian-meditation-28887/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f36/john-wells-christian-meditation-33534/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f36/william-spurstowe-meditation-promises-god-33536/

Links and Downloads Manager - Christian Walk Links - The Puritan Practice of Meditation - Joel Beeke - The PuritanBoard

Links and Downloads Manager - Christian Walk Links - Solitude Improved by Divine Meditation -- Nathanael Ranew - The PuritanBoard

Links and Downloads Manager - Christian Walk Links - "Beating a Path to Heaven": English Puritan Meditation in the Seventeenth Century - The PuritanBoard


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## Pilgrim72

WOW! Thank you both for all those references!!! This will keep me busy for quite a while!!! 
I'm actually amazed (well, I shouldn't be) that there's so much out there.

Funny, when I first saw that huge list, my heart just about lept out of my chest in excitement. lol
I'm just glad that I'm able to get excited over heavenly matters and not other worldly things...

Thanks again!


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## Presbyterian Deacon

*Puritans on Meditation*

Meditation

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 

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 no 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 

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 toanother; 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 

It is not the bee's touching of the flower that gathers honey, but her abiding for a time upon the fower that draws out the sweet. It is not he that reads most, but he that meditates most, that will prove the choicest, sweetest, wisest and strongest Christian. 
—Thomas Brooks 

When we find our souls at all declining, it is best to raise them up presently by some awakening meditations, such as of the presence of God, of the strict reckoning we are to make, of the infinite love of God in Christ and the fruits of it, of the excellency of a Christian's calling, of the short and uncertain time of this life, of how little good all those things that steal away our hearts will do us before long, and of how it shall be for ever with us hereafter, as we spend this short time well or ill. The more we make way for such considerations to sink into our hearts, the more we shall rise nearer to that state of soul which we shall enjoy in heaven. 
—Richard Sibbes


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## VirginiaHuguenot

Here are some additional posts on the subject from the Puritan Conventicle and others:

The Conventicle: Puritan Meditation
The Conventicle: A Puritan Self-Inventory
The Conventicle: Monday Meditation: On Meditation
The Conventicle: Humbled again ...

http://www.puritanboard.com/f36/william-mewan-meditation-36316/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f36/william-gearing-meditation-35988/


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## VirginiaHuguenot

More meditation posts upon which to meditate:

http://www.puritanboard.com/f36/samuel-smith-meditation-38625/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f36/meditations-anne-bradstreet-38254/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f36/stephen-egerton-meditation-36422/
http://www.puritanboard.com/f18/joseph-bentham-puritans-39216/

Also, take special note of Oliver Heywood, _Heart Treasure_, in which he discourses at length about meditation (pp. 250-315).

Internet Archive: Details: Heart treasure : or, The furniture of the soul


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## VirginiaHuguenot

Deus Pro Nobis: Puritan Meditation: The Gateway from the Head to the Heart (November 15, 2008)

-----Added 12/8/2008 at 08:49:11 EST-----

Puritan Meditation 1 « Reformed and Baptist (December 8, 2008)

-----Added 12/23/2008 at 08:14:16 EST-----

Summarize the practice of Puritan meditation in terms of its...¦ « Gospel-Centered Musings (December 12, 2008)


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## Iakobos_1071

Pilgrim72 said:


> WOW! Thank you both for all those references!!! This will keep me busy for quite a while!!!
> I'm actually amazed (well, I shouldn't be) that there's so much out there.
> 
> Funny, when I first saw that huge list, my heart just about lept out of my chest in excitement. lol
> I'm just glad that I'm able to get excited over heavenly matters and not other worldly things...





It's like I find myself more excited about getting a good puritan/reformed book or audio sermon now where I used to be excited about movies and music... I went from being amused to mused...LOL

I also want to thank them for the massive amounts of reference material on this as that the Lord is pulling me in that direction as well!


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## JM

Cornelis Pronk.


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