A20762:1545
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. 6 That we must take more care to approve our ways to God and our own consciences, then unto men.
§. Sect. 6 That we must take more care to approue our wayes to God and our owne consciences, then vnto men.
The second rule is, that we chiefly labour to approve all our works and ways to God and our own consciences, rather then unto men, the testimony whereof is much more to be esteemed then public fame, and humane censures. For fame being but a breath of the often deceived multitude, may also deceive us, by giving a false testimony, either on the worser or better part; but our consciences, which are privy even to our secret actions, and inward intentions in doing them, will not easily be corrupted to give in false evidence, especially in those who are sanctified and regenerate. Humane and vulgar censures are often false and frivolous, ridiculous and impious, applauding that which God condemneth, and condemning that which he commendeth; and commonly that best pleaseth the multitude, which displeaseth him. They call him honourable, not who honoureth God, and is honoured of him, who is a son of God, brother of Christ, and heir of heaven; but who is ennobled by the virtues of his parents, or who hath bought glorious titles (as it were a slave in the market, or as the Centurion his freedom) with a great sum. They call him rich and happy, who is poor, beggarly, naked, and utterly destitute of the riches of Gods graces, because he hath some worldly pelf, which every day may be taken from him, or he from it. And he of the world is esteemed valorous and magnanimous, who is so impotent in ruling his passions, that he cannot bear the least injury without taking revenge; and contrariwise he base and cowardly, who dissembleth wrongs, and according to Christs Commandment doth readily forgive them, leaving vengeance to God, unto whom alone it belongeth: Though nothing is more contrary to true fortitude, or the magnanimous constancy of a sound and well-settled mind, then with every wind of words to be moved out of a right state; and with other mens folly to become furious and frantic. But a good conscience giveth in true evidence, as witnessing with God, or that which he witnesseth, not out of a blind opinion mis-led by