A20762:1131
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. 2 That we must take all occasions of gaining others to Christ.
§. Sect. 2 That we must take all occasions of gayning others to Christ.
And as we must labour when we are in company to receive, so also to do what good we can unto those who associate us. Especially, we must endeavour to take and seek all good occasions and opportunities, of speaking or doing any thing which may further their salvation, and to use all good means, both to gain them unto Christ, if we see no signs of their conversion; or to build them up in him, to enrich them with all spiritual graces, and to confirm and strengthen them unto all Christian duties, if being converted, they belong to the same household of faith. Of the former, we have the Apostle Paul a worthy example for our imitation, who though 1(as he professeth) he were free from all men, yet he made himself servant unto all, that he might gain the more. To the Jews he became a Jew, that he might gain the Jews (that is, as he expoundeth himself in the next words) to them that were under the Law, as under the Law, that he might gain them that were under the Law; to them which were without Law, as without Law (though he were not without Law to God, but under the Law to Christ) that he might gain them that were without Law. To the weak he became as weak, that he might gain the weak; and in a word, made himself all things to all men, that he might by all means save some. And in the next Chapter he saith, that he endeavoured to please all men in all things, not seeking his own profit, but the profit 2of many, that they might be saved. In respect of our brethren, which are already converted, we must, when we keep them company, perform all Christian duties which may enrich, or confirm and strengthen in them all the gifts and graces of Gods holy Spirit. To which end, we must observe