A20762:1838
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
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.
CAP. XVII.
Of the circumstances of Meditation, as the place, time, and gesture of the body.
§. Sect. 1 Of the place of meditation.
IN the doctrine of meditation (which is the next point to be handled according to that order which I before propounded) I will entreat, first of the circumstances of this duty, and then of the substantial parts of it. The circumstances are either the subject place, or the adjuncts, which either respect the time of it, or the disposition and gesture of him that meditateth. The place ought to be private, that being solitary and alone, we may be free from outward distractions, which would hinder us in this exercise, and that being wholly sequestered both in mind and body from all worldly impediments, we may entirely and seriously devote our selves to the service of God in the performing of this duty. And thus Isaac when he would meditate, walked solitarily in the field; our Saviour retired himself sometime to the Desert, sometime to the Mount of Olives. David meditated 1upon his bed, Daniel in his chamber, and by the river of Ulai, Peter upon the house top. So that there is no place limited to this exercise, seeing God is present every where, and will be found in all places alike, if we seek him with devout and holy hearts. And therefore it is not much material whether we meditate either upon our bed in the morning, evening, or in the night watches, or in our secret closets, or in the fields, and in our retired walks. Only these two things are to be observed in our choice of the place; first, that it be free from company and noise; for our meditation must be a soliloquy with God and our own souls; and secondly, this private place must be such, as in our experience we find freest from distraction, and fittest to further us in our devotion. In which regard (as I take it) those places are most convenient, wherein there are fewest objects to draw away the senses with unusual delights, seeing they are ready to carry to the imagination, what they observe with pleasure, and that being distracted, withdraweth also the mind and heart from this exercise.