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.

§. Sect. 6 The second reason, taken from the pro∣fit of it.

The second reason, is the profit of Meditation, which is inestimable; seeing it is fit and vsefull to all purposes. For if we bind Gods will and Word * 1.1 continually vpon our heart, and tye it about our necks; when we goe, it shall leade vs; when we sleepe, it shall keepe vs; and when we are awake, it shall talke with vs. By the helpe of it, we make vse of all other helpes, it seruing to the soule, as the stomacke to the body, for the well disgesting of all spirituall nou∣rishment. In which respect, one holdeth it for no better then presumption, * 1.2 for any to take vpon them to teach any other Arts, vnlesse himselfe haue first learned, and made it his owne by intentiue Meditation. By it we come to the sight and sense of our corruptions, which lye lurking and hid∣den in vs, impossible to be purged and reformed, because they are not so much as discouered. By it we finde out our wants, that we may vse meanes whereby they may bee supplied; and discouer our weakenesses, that wee may labour to get more strength. By it we discouer the subtile stratagems of our spirituall enemies, that wee may auoyd them; and are fore-armed against their tentations, and strengthened to ouercome them. By it wee spie out the wiles of our owne deceitfull hearts, their shifts and cunning deuices, their windings and turnings, rouings and wandrings; and bring∣ing

them in subiection to the spirituall part, doe reduce them into some order. By it we banish vaine cogitations and lusts of the flesh, and cause our minds and hearts to be taken vp with such thoughts and desires as are holy and religious. It is the best preseruatiue against all sinne, and a most soueraigne antidote against carnall security, whilest it discouereth our spirituall danger, and mooueth vs to preuent it by timely repentance. It singularly improoueth our spirituall estate, by increasing sauing and fruit∣full knowledge, inward sanctity in our affections, and the outward pra∣ctice of it in our liues. It inricheth our soules with all spirituall and sauing * 1.3 graces, faith, hope, charity, affiance, and the true feare of God. It is the spur of our deuotion, the fuell of our zeale, and the common incentitiue to all vertue. It is the food of our soules, by which they are spiritually nourished, and euen the life of our life, as an Heathen could see by the light of nature. It weaneth our hearts and mindes from the world, and lifteth them vp to heauen. It maketh vs to walke with God as Enoch, and (like Elias his body in the fiery Chariot) it carryeth our soules into heauen. By it, in our solitarinesse, wee inioy God and our selues, and by conuersing with him, we are fitted and made profitable for all good com∣pany. In a word, as one saith, all spirituall profit and progresse in godli∣nesse, proceedeth from reading and meditation; for what wee know not, we learne by reading, and by meditation hold it when we haue it. And as it is the meanes of all grace and goodnesse in this life, so also it assureth vs of all glory and happinesse in the life to come. For, Blessed is the man who so delighteth in the Law of the Lord, that hee doth meditate in it day and night.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pro. 6. 22, 23.
• * 1.2

  Nulla ars doceri praesumitur, nisi intenta prius meditatione discatur. Greg. in pastor. lib. 1. c. 1.
• * 1.3

  Est animorum, ingeniorumque nostrorum natu∣rale quoddam pabulum, consi∣deratio, contem∣platioque natu∣rae: doctóque homini & eru∣dito, cogitare est viuere, Cicer. lib. 4. Acad. quaest. Omnis profectus ex lectione & meditatione procedit: quae enim nescimus, ex lectione dis∣cimus, medita∣tione conserua∣mus, Isidor. de summo bono. Psal. 1. 1, 2.