A20762:1506
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 The manifold evils which accompany unconstancy in good duties.
§. Sect. 2 The manifold euils which accompany vnconstancy in good duties.
Lastly, the manifold evils which are caused by unconstancy, may effectually move us to be constant in all good duties. For this various and often changing of our spiritual estate upon every slight occasion, maketh our service odious unto God, and all our actions unclean in his sight. The which is implied in the ceremonial Law, wherein the Chameleon ⟨p. 440⟩was forbidden, among the beasts which were unclean, whose property is to hold constantly no colour, but changeth as the things are changed which lye next unto it. Secondly, it hindereth our growth in grace, and maketh all the good means which we use to this purpose, unprofitable unto us. It disableth us in our spiritual race, from coming to the goal, and getting the garland, and causeth us to be prevented with their speed, who set out long after us. It maketh us unfit for all good duties, and not only more backward unto them by our intermission, but also more unable to perform when we do undertake them. For when we have for a time neglected prayer, meditation, hearing the Word, and such like spiritual exercises; our deceitful hearts, after they are broken loose out of the bonds of Gods fear, and have tasted the carnal sweetness of this slothful liberty, are hardly recalled & recovered; and not without much pains reduced into order, nor well settled and composed to religious duties. It hindereth us in our spiritual journey towards our heavenly home; and whereas those who are constant in their travel, and rid continually some part of the way, come seasonably and surely to their journeys end, though they seem to go a slow pace; these who go on by fits and spurts, tire themselves in the mid way, and though sometimes they seem to go a gallop, yet their many intermissions, and often stays make them to be benighted, and to give over their travel before they come to their journeys end. Finally, it greatly endangereth us unto final apostasy, for leaving those good duties undone, which our consciences approving, call upon us to perform, and by this negligence running into tentation, it is just with God to leave us in it, and to withdraw his grace, which only giveth unto us both will and ability for the well performing of any good duty.