A20762:1681
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. 9 Because thereby we are occasioned to renew our Covenant with God.
§. Sect. 9 Because thereby we are occasioned to renew our Couenant with God.
Finally, the Lords Supper rightly used, is a notable means, to confirm and strengthen us unto all duties of a godly life; because it giveth us occasion in our preparation, (that we may come as worthy guests to the Lords Table) to renew our Covenant with God, by renewing our faith in Christ, our repentance for our sins, our love towards God and our neighbours, and all other saving graces in us. We renew our faith, by meditating upon Gods infinite mercies, and Christs all-sufficient merits, the gracious and indefinite promises of the Gospel, and the truth and omnipotency of God, whereby he is willing and able to perform them; upon Gods Commandment, enjoining us to believe, and his bounty and goodness, in giving his Word and Sacraments made effectual by his Spirit, whereby he enableth us to do that which he commandeth. We renew upon this occasion our repentance also, by bewailing our sins past, and strengthening our resolution, to leave and forsake them for the time to come, and to serve God in the contrary duties of holiness and righteousness. And seeing our great wants and imperfections in all Gods graces and Christian duties, we promise and vow in our selves, and unto God, that we will carefully use all good means whereby we may attain unto them in more perfection. So likewise after the receiving of this Sacrament, we take occasion to examine our selves, how we have profited and increased in spiritual strength and growth of grace, by being feasted at the Lords Table with this food of our souls; and being mindful of our promises made before we come to the Lords Table, we become more diligent in using the ⟨p. 500⟩means whereby Gods graces may be perfected in us, and we strengthened unto all good duties. And that we may not appear to be Covenant-breakers with God, and to have received his grace in vain, we are made more careful and conscionable in looking to all our ways, for the avoiding of all those sins wherewith formerly we have been overtaken, and practicing those duties which we have heretofore neglected, and so to carry our selves in the whole course of our lives, that we may at all times and in all things please the Lord, whom we have found and felt so gracious unto us.