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

§. Sect. 1 That reading is a most profitable exercise.

The second main point which I propounded, is, that reading of the Scriptures, and other holy and religious books, is a notable help and furtherance unto a godly life. The which may easily be understood by that which is already spoken, and needeth not any large discourse to prove it. And yet it will not be amiss to say something of it, not so much to inform or convince the judgement of the truth, as to persuade the heart to put it in practice. And first, generally it may be said, that to what uses soever the Scriptures are profitable and necessary, to the same purposes reading of them, which is the means whereby we derive from them these benefits, is necessary and profitable; seeing though they be a most rich treasury of all goodness, yet they will do us little good, if they be locked up, and not by reading and preaching opened unto us. So that we may truly say, that reading of the Scriptures doth nourish our souls, seeing it conveyeth unto them the food whereby they are nourished; that it cureth us of all our spiritual sores and sicknesses, seeing it conveyeth and applieth unto us the sovereign salves and medicines whereby we are recovered; that it guideth us in the way of truth, because it openeth unto us the light, which serveth to direct us. Yea, it serveth to all uses and purposes, whereby we may be furthered in all duties of godliness, seeing it discovereth unto us that divine brightness of the supreme and uncreated wisdom, the reading whereof (as one ¹saith) sharpeneth the sense, enlargeth the understanding, heateth our lukewarmness, rouseth up our sloth, extinguisheth the darts of lust, moveth mourning, draweth from us tears, maketh us to approach near unto God, who when we read, conferreth with us by his holy Spirit. In which respects he persuadeth in another place, that it should be our chief care to study and know the divine Law, wherein we may see the examples of Gods Saints as present before our eyes, and by the counsel thereof, learn what is to be done, and what avoided. For it is a great help unto holiness and righteousness of life, to replenish the mind with the divine Oracles, and to be always meditating in our hearts upon those things, which we desire to practise in our lives.