A20762:1624
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 That the ministry of the Word is a chief means of our spiritual life.
§. Sect. 2 That the ministery of the Word is a chiefe meanes of our spirituall life.
The first means of a godly life, is the ministry of the Word; the which is the ordinary means of begetting us to the life of godliness, and of beginning in us all spiritual and saving graces, by which, as inward causes, we outwardly move in all Christian and holy duties. Of raising us from the death of sin, and cleansing and purging us from the guilt and corruption of it; and also of so quickening and reviving us, that we are enabled to perform the actions of holiness, and to bring forth the fruits of a godly conversation. Thus the Apostle calleth it, Gods 1strong power, whereby he pulleth us out of the state of death, into the the state of life and salvation; and the Apostle Peter, The immortal and incorruptible seed, which begetteth us unto God, living and abiding in us for 2ever. And hence it is that the Ministers of the Word are called our spiritual 3fathers, who beget us unto God, because being dispensers of the Word of grace, they are instruments and means of our Regeneration. Thus our Saviour saith, that the hour was coming, yea even then was, that 4the dead should hear his voice, and live; that is, those which were dead in trespasses and sins, should be quickened, and have their part in the first Resurrection, by virtue of his Word preached; for at this death and Resurrection