A20762:1743
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 we must watch over our selves, that we be not circumvented by our spiritual enemies.
§. Sect. 2 That we must watch ouer our selues, that we be not circumuented by our spirituall enemies.
Finally, in this our watch we must carefully take heed, that whilst we set our selves to perform the duties of a godly life, we be not hindered by 1the tentations of our spiritual enemies, or at least so disturbed and disabled, that not doing them in that manner as we ought, we lose all the fruit of our labours. In which respect, our Saviour exhorteth his Apostles to join watching with their prayer, that they might not fall into tentation, not only understanding thereby a bodily watchfulness opposed to natural sleep, but also the spiritual watching opposed to carnal security, the sleep of the soul, with both which they were at that time overtaken. For howsoever the consideration of the multitude, might, and malice of our spiritual enemies, is a motive sufficient to make us stand watchfully upon our guard, seeing they assault us on all sides with their engines of battery, lay secret ambushments in every corner, and fill all places so full of their nets and snares, that without singular circumspection we cannot avoid them: yet seeing they never bend their malice and might so furiously against us, as when they see us exercised about Christian duties, that they may either discourage us, or make them unprofitable; who seeth not that we had here need to keep a double watch? Like wicked thieves, often fleshed with blood and cruelty, they are always ready to do us a mischief, and to beat us even to the death when they find nothing about us; but then they double their watch and diligence, in surprising us by the way, when as we are going about the service of our heavenly Master, and carry with us the rich treasures of his graces; in which regard, we must be no less vigilant for our own safety, then they for our destruction; for our perseverance in the ways of godliness, and preserving of our spiritual riches, then they to stop us in our course, and to spoil us of all our wealth. The devil, like a roaring Lyon, goeth always about, seeking to devour