A20762:1440
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. 4 That our obedience cannot be sincere, unless it be universal.
§. Sect. 4 That our obedience cannot be sincere, vnlesse it bee vniuersall.
Secondly, if our obedience be not universal to the whole will of God, it cannot be sincere and upright; for if in the integrity of our hearts we yielded obedience to any of Gods Commandments, out of our love towards him, and because he requireth our obedience unto them, then would we upon the same ground and reason obey all the rest, seeing he is the Author of all alike, and by the same divine authority bindeth us to one as well as to another. And upon this reason the Apostle James doubteth not to affirm, that he who breaketh any one Commandment, is guilty of 1all, though he keepeth all the rest; for he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the Law. For there is a chain of virtues and vices, whereby they are so fast and inseparably linked together, that he who embraceth and practiseth any one virtue and Christian duty out of his love and obedience to God, embraceth and performeth all the rest; he that willingly liveth in the neglect of any one duty, or maketh no conscience of committing any known sin, neglecteth all, and is prepared to commit any wickedness. In which regard it may truly be said, that the unregenerate man breaketh all Gods Commandments, even those which he seemeth to keep, and that the sound Christian observeth all, even those which he seemeth to break. For howsoever the one doth not actually ⟨p. 419⟩transgress every Commandment, yet there is in him an habit of sin, and a natural disposition and readiness to break all when opportunity serveth, and when he is tempted thereunto with the alluring baits of worldly vanities. And though the other do not actually keep the whole Law, but faileth in many particulars, yet there is in him an habit of holiness and righteousness, and a disposition and desire, resolution and endeavour to observe all; for with the Apostle they consent unto the whole