A20762:194
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 Of the quality of our knowledge, that must be effectual.
§. Sect. 2 Of the quality of our knowledge, that must be effectuall.
The last thing required in our knowledge, respecteth the quality of it, that it be sanctifying effectual, and saving knowledge. Neither doth every kind of knowledge make us and our lives acceptable unto God; for 1there is a false knowledge, consisting in vain speculations, fables, quirks, and conceits of wit, endless and useless genealogies, which minister questions, rather then edifying which is in faith, and making men rather more proud and contentious, then more holy and religious, which is odious unto God. And there is a literal or speculative knowledge swimming in the brain, which not being effectual for the sanctifying of the 2heart, and amendment of the life, doth not profit, but rather hurt those that have it, puffing them up with pride, and making them disdain those that want it. The which, as it increaseth their sin, because it is committed against knowledge and conscience, and leaveth men without excuse, so doth it make their punishment more grievous, and their condemnation more intolerable; for the servant that knoweth his masters will and doth 3it not, shall be beaten with many stripes; and it shall be more easy for Sodom 4and Gomorrah at the day of Judgement, then for Corazin and Bethsaida, because, hearing Christs Word, and seeing his works, they repented not. This knowledge, though it be true in respect of the object, which is the Word and truth of God, yet is it vain in regard of the effect, being uneffectuall to a godly life, and to the assuring us of life eternal; in which, when we excel never so much, yet shall we come short of many wicked men, who are in the state of death and condemnation, yea of the devils themselves, who in theory and speculation know more then we. Yea, in truth such knowledge is no better then ignorance in Gods estimate, seeing we know only so much in Christianity as we bring into use and practice, according to that of the Apostle; Hereby we do know that we know God, if we keep his Commandments; he that saith, I know him, and keepeth not