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

CAP. XVI.

Containing answers unto divers objections made against this exercise of Meditation.

Containing answeres vnto diuers obiections made against this exercise of Meditation.

§. Sect. 1 The objection of difficulty acknowledged and answered.

§. Sect. 1 The obiection of difficulty acknowledged and answered.

And thus I have spoken more largely of the profit & necessity of this holy exercise, then some, perhaps, will think either necessary or profitable; because I well knew how averse & backward our corrupt nature is unto it. In which regard, we no more need to be instructed in the knowledge of it, how we may do it aright, then strong motives & inducements to enforce the practice of that we know. For when our judgments are enlightened in the right use of this exercise, we are still ready to frame excuses, to blind and delude our reason, and to stop the cry of our consciences, when they accuse us for the neglect of so necessary a duty; and even when we are ready to go about it, our sloth and security pretendeth such necessary impediments, and casteth such stumbling blocks in our way, that we are discouraged from proceeding in it. As first, we are ready to allege, that it is a matter of great difficulty for us that are in the world, to sequester our minds wholly from worldly things, that they may be wholly taken up with those which are spiritual and heavenly, and are so far out of the reach of our natural abilities. And surely it cannot be denied, but that this duty, as all other things excellent, is hardly achieved; for being but children in knowledge, and weaklings in grace, it is no more easy to attend any serious exercises, profitable for our souls health, then it is for boys to banish out of their minds childish vanities, and to apply themselves wholly to their studies, that they may get learning, and become good scholars. But this must not make us to neglect this exercise, but considering how excellent, profitable, and necessary it is, we must be so much the more earnest in our resolutions, and diligent in our endeavours, to set our selves seriously about it, by how much it appeareth to be of greater difficulty. To which purpose, let us know, that as children find most discouragements, and greatest difficulty in attaining to learning in their first entrance, but afterwards, when they are come to some proficiency, find it more easy, and tasting the sweetness of it, go on in their studies, with cheerfulness and delight: so the greatest difficulty is in the first beginnings of this holy exercise; seeing use and practice will make it easy and familiar;