Holy Meditation (Manton)

Description

True meditation is not emptying the mind, but filling it. And everyone meditates on something.

The Puritans viewed meditation as essential for spiritual growth and effectiveness in spiritual duties—a crucial link between hearing, believing, and living God’s Word. Proper meditation cultivates discernment, deepens repentance, and fosters devotion.

Instructing us in occasional meditation and set meditation, this modernized version of Thomas Manton's work on a crucial spiritual discipline helps believers discover the transformative effect of biblical meditation on the mind and heart.

Contents

Preface
Introduction

1. Kinds of Meditation
2. A Definition
3. A Neglected Practice
4. Chief Among Duties
5. Profitable for the Mind
6. Profitable for the Affections
7. Profitable for Life
8. Helpful Guidelines: Part 1
9. Helpful Guidelines: Part 2
10. Love of Ease
11. Love of Pleasure
12. A Dull Heart
13. An Unruly Mind
14. Spiritual Barrenness
15. Contemplation
16. The Time of Meditation
17. The Object of Meditation
18. The Method of Meditation
19. The Chief End of Man
20. Enjoying and Glorifying God
21. Eternal Delight
22. The Sinfulness of Sin
23. The Nature of Sin in Relation to God
24. The Nature of Sin in Relation to Man
25. The Effect of Sin
26. The Aggravation of Sin
27. God’s Wisdom in the Gospel
28. The Beauty of the Gospel
29. God’s Glory in the Gospel
30. Man’s Comfort in the Gospel
31. The Mystery of Providence
32. The Grounds of Providence
33. The Acts of Providence
34. Providential Care and Comfort

Conclusion

Endorsements

“While reading Holy Meditation, my heart was stirred to increased love for the Lord because it so thoroughly fixated on the glory of God and the beauty of Christ. This new edition on meditation is particularly helpful because the chapters are brief, readable, and easy to digest. I would confidently pass it along to a new believer while at the same time knowing that any mature saint would be spiritually energized by its counsel. Manton’s consistently clear and practical use of Scripture is so convicting that it gave me a hunger to delight in God’s Word in a greater way.”
—David Saxton, pastor of Cambridge Bible Church, Cambridge, Ohio; author of God’s Battle Plan for the Mind: The Puritan Practice of Biblical Meditation

“Thomas Manton offers practical advice on how to meditate and profitable truth on which to meditate. Under his guidance, meditation prompts confession of sin, transformation according to Christ’s pattern, celebration of God’s grace, and adoration of and communion with the triune God. You need no further reasons to take up and read!”
—Jeremy Walker, pastor of Maidenbower Baptist Church, Crawley, UK

“Manton not only carefully defines and describes the duty of meditation but also provides guidelines for its practice, a consideration of its benefits, and helps for addressing its most common hindrances. But Manton also models meditation by reflecting on its proper objects—the chief end of man, the character of God, the sinfulness of sin, the wisdom of the gospel, and the mystery of providence. . . This is a richly edifying book that I hope many will read!”
—Brian G. Hedges, pastor of Redeemer Church, Niles, Michigan; author of Watchfulness: Recovering a Lost Spiritual Discipline

About the Author

Thomas Manton attended the University of Oxford at age 15, was ordained at 19, and later served as Oliver Cromwell’s chaplain. He joined other Puritans in opposing the 1662 Act of Uniformity and resigned his church in protest. Manton continued to preach from home until his death in 1677.