A20762:1686
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 prayer is Gods ordinance to obtain his gifts and graces.
§. Sect. 1 That prayer is Gods ordinance to obtaine his gifts and graces.
The third means whereby we may be enriched with all saving grace, and strengthened unto all the duties of a godly life, is Prayer; Of which I shall not need to say much in this place, having before entreated of it at large. Only it shall suffice to show, that it is a singular means ordained of God, for the obtaining of grace and strength to serve God in all Christian duties. For of our selves we have no ability unto any thing that is good, no not so much as to think a good thought, or to entertain into our hearts 1a good desire, but whatsoever we have in this kind, it is the gift of God, according to that, What hast thou that thou hast not received? and that of the 2Apostle James; Every good and perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights. Now the means which God hath sanctified for 3the obtaining of all those gifts and graces which he hath promised, is fervent and effectual Prayer; for though he be most bountiful and ready to bestow all good things, yet not to the idle and slothful, but to such as acknowledging them to be his gifts, do sue and seek unto him for them; and though he infinitely abound with all blessings, yet he communicateth them only to those that crave them at his hands; according to that of the Apostle; The same Lord over all, is rich unto all that call upon him: and that 4of the Psalmist; The Lord is near unto all those that call upon him, to those that call upon him in truth. And the reason is, because such only do glorify 5