A20762:1283
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. 8 That the profit of these duties will far exceed the pains.
§. Sect. 8 That the profit of these duties will farre exceede the paines.
Now if any object, that though these duties are good and commendable, yet they are hard and difficult, and that it bringeth great weariness 1thus to serve God both day and night in these spiritual and religious exercises: unto such I dare promise, that their profit will far exceed their pains; and their spiritual joy and comfort, will abundantly recompense that carnal distaste which our corrupt flesh causeth in them. For if our minds and hearts be thus continually night and day taken up for Gods use in these religious exercises, it will be a notable means to keep out Satan and his suggestions from entering and taking possession; as they easily will, if they be swept clean and empty of good meditations and desires. For they who are idle and do nothing, are at the next step to doing ill; and if we be not employed in the service of God, the devil will take us up like masterless men, and hire us with the wages of sinful pleasures, ⟨p. 373⟩to spend our time and strength in the works of darkness. Secondly, if they be thus replenished with good meditations at our lying down, it will be a notable means to preserve us from vain, idle and sinful dreams, and contrariwise dispose us even in our sleep to good thoughts and cogitations. Thirdly, if we thus keep them well-ordered at our going to bed, and throughout the whole night, we shall with much more ease and pleasure keep them in this state the day following, and have them apt and ready unto the well-performance of all good duties. For as those Ovens are easily heat in the morning, in which we baked in the night; and the fire soon kindled when we rise, which we well raked up and covered when we went to bed; so if we be thus exercised over night, we shall find the spiritual warmth thereof, making us able and active for all good duties in the morning, and by adding some new fuel unto this holy fire, we shall with much facility and comfort cause it to burn and blaze out in all Christian and religious duties. Finally, if with the five wise virgins we thus keep our lamps trimmed night & day, being always in readiness, we shall not need to fear the sudden approaching of the Bridegroom;