A20762:1467
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. 1 That this diligence must be used in all good duties, and about the means of them.
§. Sect. 1 That this diligence must be vsed in all good duties, and about the meanes of them.
The properties which respect the whole man, are two; diligence and constancy. By diligence, I understand that sedulity and assiduity, industry and labour, which we are content to use and take for the compassing and obtaining, effecting and achieving of those things whereupon we have set our hearts and affections. The which property doth always accompany the duties of a godly life, if we rightly perform them as God requireth of us; and is an inseparable fruit of those which went before. For when we perform them with alacrity and cheerfulness, and do esteem them our chief delight, then are we not only in our hearts zealously affected towards them, but so industrious and diligent in pursuing of them, that we think no pains or labour too much, that we may bring them to good effect. And then shaking off all natural sloth and sluggishness, all idleness and unprofitableness, we will set our selves close to our Christian task, and perform those religious duties, and that holy and spiritual service which our heavenly Lord and Master requireth of us. The which diligence we will show, not in doing some or many duties, neglecting the rest, using our industry and labour about one, as a veil to cover our sloth in omitting another, but in the general performance of all and every of those Christian duties which God in his Word imposeth upon us; and like the good Widow described by the Apostle, we will diligently follow every good work; yea, we must approve our diligence, not only 1in performing those good duties which offer themselves unto us, but in seeking all good occasions and opportunities of this Christian employment, that we may not stand idle, and be unprofitable for want of work, which indeed is never wanting, if we want not eyes to see it, and hearts to undertake it in due time. Neither must our diligence and laborious endeavours be only spent in the duties themselves, but also about the means whereby we may be enabled to perform them. For in vain he pretendeth diligence in attaining to the end, who neglecteth the means which conduce unto it, seeing the means and end do inseparably go together.