A20762:105
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. 12 That we must propound Gods glory as the end of all our actions.
The last thing required unto this godly life is, that we propound Gods glory as the main end of all our actions, not doing them for worldly respects, 1or our own profit either temporal or spiritual principally, but that Gods will may be done in them; for he is the summum bonum, and supreme end of all things, and for his glory we were elected, created, redeemed, justified, sanctified, and shall be glorified. And when we have attained to heavenly happiness, and have the possession and fruition of Gods everlasting Kingdom, the main end of all our glory shall be, to glorify God, who hath thus advanced and glorified us. For the four and twenty 2Elders (in the Revelation) fell down before him that sate on the throne, and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, and honour, and praise; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. The which their practice we must imitate in the Kingdom of grace, if ever we mean to reign with them in the Kingdom of glory; labouring to do Gods will in earth, as it is done in heaven, with all alacrity and cheerfulness, speed and diligence, that his name may be hallowed and glorified, and his Kingdom advanced and magnified, as we beg in the Lords prayer. For as it is the subordinate end of our election, that we may be holy, so the main and supreme end of this end is, that our holiness and glorification may be to the praise of the glory of Gods grace, 3who of his free mercy hath sanctified and glorified us. And therefore in all our actions we must propound Gods glory as the supreme end of them, according to that of the Apostle; Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do,