A20762:2116
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.
§. Sect. 6 That we must join with our reading, serious Meditation.
§. Sect. 6 That we must ioyne with our reading, serious Meditation.
The sixth rule of direction in our reading, is, that we join with it serious meditation, pondering and weighing well the point in hand, before we pass to another, when we find it of special use; either that we may more fully conceive it in our understanding; if it be a material thing which we knew not before; or better imprint it in our memories, if knowing we had forgotten it; or work it into our hearts and affections, if we had not a lively sense and feeling of it; or fruitfully practise it in our lives, if we have formerly neglected it, especially when as we find it powerfully pressed by the Author upon the heart and conscience. And thus it is profitable, after that we have privately read a Chapter of the Bible, to meditate a while upon it, and to recall unto our remembrance what remarkable things we have observed for the better informing of our judgements and sanctifying of our hearts. As what doctrine we have learned for our better instruction; what error in our judgement hath been refuted; how we have been admonished or reproved for any sin, which we are prone unto or have committed; what promises made to any virtue and grace or holy duty, for our better encouragement to embrace and practise it; what threatenings against vice and sin to withdraw us from them, or to move us to rise out of them by repentance, if we have fallen into them; what examples we have observed of Gods Judgements upon the wicked for their sins, or of his blessings and benefits upon the faithful, whereby he hath richly rewarded their service, and thereby encouraged us to follow them in their holy practice; what gracious deliverances we have noted of those who have trusted in God, for the confirmation of our Faith and affiance in him; finally, what comforts and consolations, we have observed to encourage us in Gods service in the middest of all afflictions and persecutions. Which course if we should take in our reading, it would not be much less profitable then meditation, of which we have before entreated, seeing it would not only increase our knowledge, and enlighten our minds, but also work the things known into our hearts and affections, and move and enable us to put them in practice in our lives. Whereas though we read much, and do not use this help, it is but like the eating of much meat, that is never digested in the stomach;