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. 3 The difficulty of this religi∣ous exercise.

Which examples that we may imitate, I will first consider the reasons which may moue vs, and remoue the impediments which might hinder and discourage vs from the vndertaking of this exercise, and then set downe the doctrine and practice of it in a forme of meditation, that so we may be instructed in the right vse of it; and haue a plaine example to leade vs as it were by the hand, and to inable vs to frame the like vpon o∣ther occasions. The reasons may be reduced to the same heads which I propounded in the generall consideration of this duty; all which doe specially and chiefly belong to this kind of meditation, as being aboue the other much more excellent, profitable and necessary. For if it bee a priuiledge of excellency to come into Gods sight, then much more for some good time to continue and conuerse with him; if wee may thinke our selues highly aduanced, if we may for the least moment be admitted into his presence, and suffered to salute him: then how much rather, when we may be permitted to haue free conference with him, and our soules in his presence? But as it is truly said of all things excellent, that they are al∣so hard and difficult; so may both these be truly verified of this exercise, then the which, as no other is more excellent, (prayer and contemplation excepted, which exceed in some degrees in the same kind) so there is none besides them of greater difficulty. First, in that our corrupt nature is not more auerse vnto any other duty; both because we take our whole delight in things that are connaturall and subiect to the senses, and our mindes are soone tired with meditating seriously vpon those things which are meerly intellectuall and abstracted from the senses; and also because our carnall hearts, which take their chiefe pleasure and contentment, in think∣ing vpon, and affecting worldly things, are ready to murmure and repine when they are restrained of their liberty, and kept hard to this spirituall taske; and to breake loose and fly out euery hand-while, that they may roue and wander after their wonted delights. Secondly, because in other spirituall exercises, as hearing the Word, reading and conferring with o∣thers, we haue but to deale with men (as we conceiue it) at least in respect of immediate actions, obiects and intercourse, which wee performe with greater alacrity, because the senses are exercised in them about outward things: But in this exercise of meditation wee are soone wearied (as the senses exercized about excelling obiects) both because the subiect matter about which we discourse in our minds, is spirituall and heauenly, and al∣so because vve cast vp our accounts, lay open our sinnes, search out our vvants and vveaknesses, seriously examine our hearts hovv vvee haue be∣haued

our selues in the doing or neglecting of our duty, and laying them naked before God without all hypocrisie, confessing our sins of which we finde our selues guilty, accusing our selues where wee are faulty, discouer∣ing our wants and weaknesses wherein we are defectiue; all which are not done before our equals, but before the glorious King of heauen and earth (as malefactors before their Iudge) whose might and Maiesty, soueraign∣ty and power of life and death may iustly ouer-awe vs. The which diffi∣culties notwithstanding must not so much discourage vs from this exer∣cise, as the excellency must incourage vs to vndertake it with so much the more strong resolution and earnest indeuour.