A20762:163
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.
CAP. VI.
Of the object of saving knowledge, namely, God himself and his attributes, his Word and works.
Of the obiect of sauing knowledge, namely, God himselfe and his attributes, his Word and workes.
§. Sect. 1 That there is a God, and how we may know it.
And these are the causes of saving knowledge. The object of it is God, his will and works. Where first we are to know, that there is a God, who is to be worshipped and served of us. Unto which we attain by the light of nature, which revealeth this principle unto us, and convinceth all men of this truth, by the Book of the creatures, in which the infinite wisdom, power and goodness of the Creator shineth; by the terrors of conscience following the commission of heinous sins though never so secret; by the series and dependency of causes one upon another, in the disquisition whereof there is no end, till we come to the cause of causes, who having his being of himself, giveth being unto all things; by the goodly order which may be observed in the creatures, and the motion of the heavens and the celestial bodies; by the final causes, one thing being referred to another, till we come to the summum benum and supreme end of all things, which is God; by the accomplishment of Prophecies foretold long before their events; by the consent of all Nations, in acknowledging this principle; and finally, by the judgements and punishments executed upon the wicked, even in this life: by all which we come to the clear understanding of this truth, that there is a God; although in truth it is so evident in it self, that no argument can be brought to illustrate it, seeing nothing is so clear and manifest.