A20762:1606
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 the Scriptures require this growth in grace, from the least degrees to the greatest.
The last rule of direction for the leading of a godly life is, that we content not our selves with that small measure of grace which we have received, nor rest in those duties which we have already performed, but that we labour to grow daily, and increase in grace, and in the Christian practice of a godly life. For as in nature, things stand not at a stay, but as weary of the state of imperfection, tend to perfection, gro[…]p therein from one degree to another, till they come to the high […] as the grain of come taking root in the earth, shooteth up into […]ade, and then groweth to have an ear, and so ripening, multiplieth it self in its kind; and the little kernel springeth first into a small shoot, and then groweth by degrees to a flourishing and fruitful tree; and man himself conceived of a little excremental matter, groweth first in the womb, by degrees to a perfect shape in all the parts and lineaments of a true humane body; and then after the birth, from childhood to youth, and from thence to ripe age and full stature) so the growth of grace proceedeth from imperfection, to one degree of perfection after another, until we come unto a perfect age in Christ. And as sick men newly recovered, cannot rest contented that they live, but long after their wonted strength, desiring first to sit up, and when they can do this, are not satisfied, but desire ability to walk, and to recover their stomach and appetite, and then to go abroad, and not so content, wish to be freed from faintness, to be restored to their former good habitude, plight, and liking, and in a word, are never quiet in their desires, till they have recovered their perfect health: so we, having been sick in sin unto the death, after we are revived and quickened by Gods Spirit, do not content our selves with some first degrees of spiritual life, and beginnings of health and strength, but long and labour by all good means, that we may daily increase in them, until we attain unto them in full perfection. And this growth in grace, and in the practice of all holy duties is commended unto us, both by testimonies and examples. The Apostle would have us to be no more