A20762:1687
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 by prayer we obtain Gods Spirit and the graces thereof.
§. Sect. 2 That by prayer we obtaine Gods Spirit and the graces thereof.
More specially, Prayer is the chief means on our part, whereby we obtain his spiritual gifts and graces, by which we are enabled to perform 1the duties of a godly life: For by it we obtain the Spirit of God, who is the Author of all grace and godliness, seeing, as our Saviour hath taught us, the Lord will give his Spirit to those that ask it. And if we want the graces of the Spirit, the Scriptures admonish us to use Prayer, as a special and chief means whereby we may obtain them. So the Apostle James; If any man want wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, 2and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. And the Apostle to the the Hebrews, setteth us in this course for the obtaining of all grace; Let 3us (saith he) come boldly to the throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Yea, these spiritual graces, whereby we are enabled to serve God in all holy duties, are things absolutely good for us in some degree and measure; and therefore we may absolutely pray for them, without interposing any condition; first, because our heavenly Father ⟨p. 502⟩is so infinitely gracious and true of his promise, that he will deny nothing unto us that is good; and therefore much less these things which are most necessary, and in an high degree of goodness. For if we being