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The Pathway of Safety; or, Counsel to the Awakened By the Right Rev. Ashton Oxenden, D.D. CHAPTER VI: HELPS BY THE WAY RELIGIOUS BOOKS – RELIGIOUS INTERCOURSE – MEDITATION – COMMUNION WITH GOD – SELF-EXAMINATION C. MEDITATION Good and helpful as Christian converse is, we may become too fond of it, and rely upon it too much. Persons when they first become religious are apt to crave after intercourse with others. I have observed this to be an error, into which many of God’s people fall. But surely it is very important for us frequently to get by ourselves, and think. A person who is always hearing and conversing, is like one who is for ever eating, but never digests his food. And what are the consequences? His health suffers, and what he takes in does him little to no good. And so it is with our spiritual state. Get into the way then of meditating on heavenly things. Think over the last sermon that you heard, and let your thoughts dwell upon it; or the last chapter you read in the Bible. Or take some one particular subject, and ponder it well on your mind—such as the goodness of God, or the joys of Heaven, or the love of Christ, or the perfectness of His character. You can do this when you are at work, or walking along the road, or sitting in your house. You will find it a little difficult at first, for it is no easy matter to keep your thoughts within bounds; but you will soon acquire the habit, if you persevere. There is another kind of meditation, too, which is very profitable—holding converse with our own hearts. David spoke of this, when he said, ‘Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still;’ and again, ‘I will meditate with my heart, and my spirit ponders.’ (Ps. 4.4; 77.6) And while we are ‘thus musing,’ the fire will oftentimes burn; our hearts will glow; and our love, and faith, and thankfulness, will be increased. Holy men have always made meditation a part of their religious exercises; and they embraced the most favorable opportunities for this devout practice. Isaac went out into the field to meditate in the stillness of the evening. David sometimes selected the morning; and at other times, he chose the night, when all was still around him; ‘I remember Thee upon my bed, and meditate on Thee in the night watches.’ (Ps 63.6) D. COMMUNION WITH GOD When we meditate on holy things, we turn them over in our minds, and dwell on them in our thoughts. But besides this, we should hold actual converse with our heavenly Father. This is what I mean by Communion with God. It is a most delightful and profitable exercise for the Christian’s soul. It is good for him to hold converse with God, to speak with Him as with a Friend, to walk with Him as Enoch did. It draws down constant blessings from above. A plant in your garden may be refreshed for a while by a sudden shower from the waterpot; but it is the gentle dew from heaven, descending morning after morning upon it, that will make it really thrive and grow. So it is with our souls: we must be daily receiving fresh supplies of grace out of His fullness, or there will be no real progress. Observe how constantly David and other holy men were engaged in this holy exercise. They were continually lifting up their souls to God. And if you follow their example, you also will succeed in this heavenly employment. **************************************************** The Pathway of Safety; or, Counsel to the Awakened, Ashton Oxenden **************************************************** PREVIOUS CHAPTER -- NEXT CHAPTER ©God’sGWG
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