A20762:1353
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 Of our hearing of the Word, and what is required unto it.
§. Sect. 2 Of our hearing of the Word, and what is required vnto it.
The third duty is, that we carefully and diligently hear the Word of God preached unto us, with all reverence and attention, alacrity and cheerfulness, faith, humility, and a good conscience. First, we must hear the Word with all reverence and fear; and to this purpose we must remember that we are in Gods sight and presence, who taketh notice of all our carriage and behaviour. Secondly, considering that the Minister 1speaketh not in his own name, but as Gods Ambassador, we must hear that which he speaketh, not as the word of a mortal man, but as it is indeed 2the Word of the everliving God, whereby one day we shall be justified or condemned. Moreover, we must hear it with all attention; and not suffer our eyes to rove, and our minds and hearts to be carried away with 3wandering thoughts, but our eyes must be fastened upon the Preacher, as the eyes of our Saviour Christs hearers were upon him; and like them, 4we must hang upon his lips, as the child upon his mothers breasts, to suck from them the sincere milk of the Word, that we may grow up thereby. 5Neither must we want only affect the froth of humane wit and eloquence, but the pure and powerful Word of God which is able to save our souls; not such flashes and idle conceits as tickle the ear, but never pierce the heart; and work a present delight, but neither inform the judgement, ⟨p. 394⟩