A20762:1739
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. XI.
Of the ends at which we must aim in the Christian watch.
Of the ends at which we must ayme in the Christian watch.
§. Sect. 1 Of three special ends of our Christian watch.
§. Sect. 1 Of three speciall ends of our Christian watch.
And these are the things wherein our Christian watch chiefly consisteth, and about which it is exercised. The next point to be considered, is, the ends at which we must principally aim in it, the which are divers. The first and chief is, that we may please God in all things, for which use, this watch is most profitable and necessary. For seeing naturally our ways are wholly corrupt, so as we can please him in nothing, it is not possible, without singular care and circumspection, that we should so carry our selves in our whole conversation, as that all our actions may be acceptable in his sight. Secondly, we must thus watch over our selves, that we may daily more and more mortify our corruptions, especially those which bear greatest sway in us; and that we may avoid all manner of actual transgressions, and those, above all the rest, wherewith we have been most often overtaken, because Satan and our own corruption are most ready to use those weapons of iniquity to foil and overcome us, which they have found by experience most potent to prevail against us. Nor must we think any sin so small that we may neglect it, seeing the least is strong enough to make way for greater. Neither must we only watchfully avoid the sins themselves, but also all the occasions and means which may allure and draw us unto them. For where God hath forbidden any vice, there he also forbiddeth the occasions and means of it, which if we neglect and run wilfully into tentations, it is just with God, when we thus tempt him, to withdraw his grace, and to leave us to the Tempter; and then what can follow but our shameful foils and falls? For who can carry fire in his bosom, and not be burnt? who can hope to live unto old age, that maketh it his daily sport, to be dallying