A20762:1590
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 we must exercise our selves in the duties of a godly life, according to the measure of grace received.
§. Sect. 4 That we must exercise our selues in the duties of a godly life, according to the measure of grace receiued.
To which purpose let us consider, that the Scriptures require, that we should exercise our selves in the duties of a godly life, according to the measure of grace given us, and not in such things as are above our reach and strength. They do not command that we should torture our devotion, by setting it upon the rack, and undertaking things above our ability, but that our service of God should be a free-will offering, and performed with cheerfulness & delight: not that Christians should be all of one size and spiritual growth, and perform their duty in equal perfection; but that we perform that which we are able, in sincerity and truth, according to the measure of the gift of grace received, and that we should grow up by degrees unto a perfect age in Christ. So the Wise man willeth 1us, not to be righteous and wise overmuch; whereby he meaneth, not only a righteousness and wisdom of our own framing and fancying, which is contrary to the Word of God; for so it is not lawful, not only overmuch, but not at all to be wise and righteous; but that we do not take upon us more outward show and semblance of wisdom and righteousness, then our inward substance of grace will bear out in sincerity and truth; or such a degree of it as is quite above our reach and strength. To which purpose the Apostle speaketh and exhorteth, that no 2