A20762:129
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 all Evangelical obedience consisteth chiefly in these desires, resolutions and endeavours.
§. Sect. 2 That all Euangelicall obedience consisteth chiefly in these desires, resolutions and indeuours.
And in these desires, resolutions, and endeavours doth consist the very form and essence of a godly life, it being the top of that perfection which 1we can attain unto in this state of imperfection. This is that Evangelical obedience which in the Gospel is required of us, as we see in the Acts of the Apostles, where Barnabas exhorteth the Church of Antioch, not to perform that perfect obedience which the Law exacteth, which was a yoke too heavy for any to bear, but that with purpose of heart, they would cleave unto the Lord. Unto which also the Gospel enableth us, being made powerful and effectual by Gods grace, and the inward operation of his holy Spirit. This is that son-like obedience which God now requireth of us, which if we perform, we and our service shall be accepted of God in Christ, our imperfect righteousness being covered with his perfect obedience, and our corruptions washed away in his blood. For he spareth us, as a loving father spareth his son that serveth him, who in the duties 2which he requireth, respects his affection, more then the action, and the intention and desire of his heart to please him, more then of his abilities in performance; according to that of the Apostle; If there be first a willing 3mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. An example whereof we have in David, who having in his heart