A20762:1797
A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the dutiesA guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties
A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the duties wherein it consisteth, the helps enabling & the reasons persuading unto it the impediments hindering the practise of it, and the best means to remove them whereunto are added divers prayers and a treatise of carnal security by John Douname Bachelor in Divinity and minister of Gods Word.A guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties wherein it consisteth, the helpes inabling & the reasons parswading vnto it ye impediments hindering ye practise of it, and the best meanes to remoue them whereunto are added diuers prayers and a treatise of carnall securitie by Iohn Douname Batcheler in Diuinitie and minister of Gods Word.
London: printed by Felix Kingstone and William Stansby for Ed, 1622
Book 5 › Chapter 14 › Section 6: §. Sect. 6 The second reason, taken from the profit of it.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§. Sect. 6 The second reason, taken from the profit of it.
The second reason, is the profit of Meditation, which is inestimable; seeing it is fit and useful to all purposes. For if we bind Gods will and Word 1continually upon our heart, and tie it about our necks; when we go, it shall lead us; when we sleep, it shall keep us; and when we are awake, it shall talk with us. By the help of it, we make use of all other helps, it serving to the soul, as the stomach to the body, for the well digesting of all spiritual nourishment. In which respect, one holdeth it for no better then presumption, 2for any to take upon them to teach any other Arts, unless himself have first learned, and made it his own by intentive Meditation. By it we come to the sight and sense of our corruptions, which lye lurking and hidden in us, impossible to be purged and reformed, because they are not so much as discovered. By it we find out our wants, that we may use means whereby they may be supplied; and discover our weaknesses, that we may labour to get more strength. By it we discover the subtle stratagems of our spiritual enemies, that we may avoid them; and are fore-armed against their tentations, and strengthened to overcome them. By it we spy out the wiles of our own deceitful hearts, their shifts and cunning devices, their windings and turnings, rovings and wanderings; and bringing ⟨p. 538⟩them in subjection to the spiritual part, do reduce them into some order. By it we banish vain cogitations and lusts of the flesh, and cause our minds and hearts to be taken up with such thoughts and desires as are holy and religious. It is the best preservative against all sin, and a most sovereign antidote against carnal security, whilst it discovereth our spiritual danger, and moveth us to prevent it by timely repentance. It singularly improveth our spiritual estate, by increasing saving and fruitful knowledge, inward sanctity in our affections, and the outward practice of it in our lives. It enricheth our souls with all spiritual and saving