# Samuel Smith on Meditation



## VirginiaHuguenot (Oct 13, 2008)

http://www.puritanboard.com/f118/samuel-smith-davids-blessed-man-34494/

Samuel Smith on meditation (re Ps. 1.2):



> _Doth meditate day and night.
> 
> Doct_. 3. Here we see still, that a godly man, and one that shall be truly blessed, the Lord requireth that he be no stranger, and such a one as seldom, or never searcheth the Scriptures, but that he be much and often exercised in the holy and serious meditations of God's law; in the diligent searching, perusing, and particularly applying of the heavenly doctrine of the word of God. And, indeed, this is here set down as a true fruit of our love to the word, as the love of the word is made a true fruit of a godly man; for as it is impossible a man should be truly religious, and fear God, and yet have no sound love nor delight in the word of God; so it is likewise impossible a man or woman should truly love the word of God in their heart, that seldom, or never bestow any pains in the serious or earnest meditation of the same. David calls God to witness, that the love he bore to the law of God was exceeding great, when he said, 'O how do I love thy law!' Ps. cxix. 97. And in the same verse he seems to prove the same to God, 'It is my meditation continually;' which indeed is a note of true love, to be ever thinking of the thing beloved.
> 
> ...


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## christianyouth (Oct 14, 2008)

Wow, amen. I'm always amazed at how much good things the Puritans have to say on meditation. Thanks brother. Andrew for always supplying these great Puritan quotes, I benefit greatly from these.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Oct 14, 2008)

christianyouth said:


> Wow, amen. I'm always amazed at how much good things the Puritans have to say on meditation. Thanks brother. Andrew for always supplying these great Puritan quotes, I benefit greatly from these.



You're most welcome, brother!  The Puritans also give us something to "chew" on.


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## VirginiaHuguenot (Oct 19, 2008)

Samuel Smith:



> _Use_ 2. This may admonish all men, as they love their own souls, to make more care and conscience of the performance of this duty, to call to mind that we do hear or read, to think and muse upon it, to chew the cud, to lay it to heart, yea, and to apply it to our own souls and consciences in particular. This is like the rumination or chewing of the cud to be found only in the clean beasts, whereas they which chewed not the cud were unclean, Deut. xiv. 6, 7. This is the mark and property of a godly and blessed man, whereas the not doing it is the mark of a wicked and ungodly man. Let us then remember that we make the word of God our meditation continually. Many men meditate much, some in one thing and some in another, as they are led by fond affection, some thinking of honours, some of pleasures, some of riches, some of one thing and some of another. And of these they doat and dream, talk and speak continually. But here we are taught another lesson, -- namely, that our minds must especially be set upon the word of God, that must be our delight and the joy of our heart.
> 
> The last point of this verse [Ps. 1.2] is is the circumstance of time, -- namely, not by fits. But the godly man keeps a continual course in the study and meditation of the word of God, so as he setteth apart some time for the worship and service of God, at least twice a day, to meditate and study in God's book.


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