A20762:1419
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. 3 That Christian apology and outward profession of the Truth is required.
§. Sect. 3 That Christian apologie and outward profession of the Truth is required.
Now as we are to exercise the wholly body in the outward practice of obedience, and the duties of a godly life, as our eyes in seeing, our ears in hearing, &c. so especially must we approve our practice of piety, both by our words and works. By our words, both by Christian profession and holy communication. For if our hearts be upright before God, and serve him in sincerity and truth, then will we make an outward profession of what we inwardly believe, namely, that God is our God, and we his Children and servants, and that we embrace his truth of Religion, and will in all things conform our selves unto his revealed will So the Apostle saith, that, as with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, 1so with the mouth he confesseth to salvation. And the Psalmist; I believed, 2and therefore I spake; the which, as it was his own practice, as appeareth in those words, I will declare thy Name unto my brethren, in the 3middest of the Congregation will I praise thee: so in the next words he telleth us, that it is generally the practice of all that fear God; Ye that fear the Lord, praise him, all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him. The which profession of our faith ought not to be forced and constrained, but free and liberal, as oft as we have any hope thereby to glorify God, or edify those that hear us; according to that of the Apostle Peter; Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be ready always to give an 4answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear. For otherwise, if our profession is likely to tend to Gods dishonour, by exposing his Truth to scorn and blasphemy, and our persons to the rage and violence of profane miscreants, our Saviours rule must take place, Cast not that which is holy unto Dogs, nor pearls