A20762:1076
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. 1 That civill conversation excelleth solitariness.
§. Sect. 1 That ciuill conuersation excelleth solitarinesse.
But howsoever there is a fit time for solitariness, where in the former duties belonging to it, are to be practised of us; yet we are not chiefly to affect it, much less to put such perfection in it, as to devote our lives wholly unto it, contemning and shunning all civill conversation, and all intercourse and dealings with one another; but leaving unto it due place; and deserved commendation if it be seasonable, we are, if they come in comparison, generally, both in respect of persons and times, to prefer civill conversation before solitariness, and a life taken up in virtuous action, before that which is spent in bare theory and contemplations. For God is more glorified, the Kingdom of Christ advanced and enlarged, the good both of Church and Common wealth with all the members of them, both more furthered and increased, and our own present comfort and future joys ⟨p. 303⟩in our heavenly happiness, much more multiplied and augmented, when by our Christian conversation and virtuous actions, our holy profession and good example, our admonitions, exhortations, counsel, consolation; our works of justice, charity and mercy, and all other good offices mutually performed, we edify and build up those which are about us, in their most holy faith, and draw many others to accompany us unto the Kingdom of heaven; then in the strictest course of a solitary life, to go by our selves alone unto this place of happiness. And this the Lord hath ratified by his Word, when as he said, that it was not good for man to 1be alone: and two are better then one, because they have a good reward for their labour, (namely, in that mutual society, and in those good offices of piety and Christian charity which they perform to one another) for if they