A25294:30
The substance of Christian religion, or, A plain and easy draught of the Christian…The substance of Christian religion, or, A plain and easie draught of the Christian…
The substance of Christian religion, or, A plain and easy draught of the Christian catechism in LII lectures on chosen texts of Scripture, for each Lords-day of the year, learnedly and perspicuously illustrated with doctrines, reasons, and uses / by that reverend and worthy labourer in the Lord's vineyard, William Ames ...The substance of Christian religion, or, A plain and easie draught of the Christian catechisme in LII lectures on chosen texts of Scripture, for each Lords-day of the year, learnedly and perspicuously illustrated with doctrines, reasons, and uses / by that reverend and worthy laborer in the Lord's vineyard, William Ames ...
London: printed by T. Mabb for Thomas Davies, 1659
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
This Doctrine is thus raised and gathered; In that David proposeth this, as his only comfort which he regarded in the time of his affliction, and which he would regard all his life time. Now by the chief good▪ that properly is to be understood, wherein our felicity consists; in which felicity, is contained an affluence or fullness of all desirable good things. And this chief good, as it is imperfectly here attained to, and possessed in this life, is properly ⟨p. 4⟩called our consolation, or comfort: It is called Comfort, because it is that, which as it were strengthens and comforts the mind, and makes it strong and firm against all oppressing pains, griefs and terrors, for consolation or comfort is properly a mitigation of pain and grief, or a remedy against sorrow and fear.
This Doctrine is thus raised and gathered; In that David proposeth this, as his onely comfort which he regarded in the time of his affliction, and which he would regard all his life time. Now by the chief good▪ that properly is to be understood, wherein our felicity consists; in which felicity, is contained an affluence or fulness of all desirable good things. And this chief good, as it is imperfectly here attained to, and possessed in this life, is properly ⟨p. 4⟩called our consolation, or comfort: It is called Comfort, because it is that, which as it were strengthens and comforts the minde, and makes it strong and firm against all oppressing pains, griefs and terrours, for consolation or comfort is properly a mitigation of pain and grief, or a remedy against sorrow and fear.
Reason 1. The first reason of this Doctrine, is; because in this chief good the end of our life doth consist; and the end in all things is chiefly to be looked on; because whosoever doth any thing not in order to a fixed end, he doth it but rashly, and without reason. So he also, who lives without having his eye still fixed upon his chief good, lives but rashly and at random, and like unto a brute and unreasonable creature.