A20762:1186
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 What things are required unto wise government.
§. Sect. 1 What things are required vnto wise gouernement.
And these are the duties of governors in families, which respect instruction. The second main duty, is wise and religious government, whereby they are to move and draw their inferiors to put in practice, and to make an holy use of all which they teach them, in their lives and conversations; unto which, some things are required in the persons of their governors, and some things in the administration of their government. In their persons divers things are required. As first, wisdom and Christian prudence in all their courses, that they may not only guide themselves in their own ways, but be able also to give direction unto all that belong unto them. For that which the Apostle Peter requireth specially of husbands, doth generally belong unto all governors, that they dwell with their 1inferiors, according to knowledge, as being a principal means to gain from them due honour and authority. Secondly, that they be not light and vain in their carriage and government, but behave themselves in all things gravely, and with a kind of Christian Majesty and authority; according to the example of Job, who observed such gravity in his carriage, that when the young men saw him, they hid themselves, and the aged arose and 2stood up; the Princes refrained talking, and laid their hand on their mouth. The which, as it gaineth authority to governors, so the contrary levity and lightness of behaviour, doth expose their persons to scorn, and their government to neglect and contempt. Thirdly, there is required, that piety, justice, and sobriety, do shine in the whole course of their conversation, that so they may become examples unto their inferiors, of an holy, ⟨p. 341⟩righteous and unblameable life, then the which, nothing is more powerful and effectual, to draw inferiors to imitation of those virtues which they observe in them. And therefore David intending a strict reformation of his house, beginneth first with himself, that he might be an example unto all the rest, and resolveth that he will behave himself wisely in a perfect way, and walk within his house with an upright heart, and then that he will banish out the wicked from his family, and entertain and countenance the religious and faithful of the land.