A20762:201
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. 4 Of the means of saving knowledge.
§. Sect. 4 Of the meanes of sauing knowledge.
And this is that saving knowledge which is necessary to a godly life; the which we have not of our selves; for every man is abeast in his own knowledge, bwise unto evil, and unto any good without understanding; but it is a grace and free gift of God, as before we have showed. And therefore if we would obtain it, we must carefully and conscionably use all good means which he hath appointed for this purpose. And first we must beg this grace of God by fervent and effectual prayer, according to that of the Apostle James, cIf any man want wisdom, let him ask it of God, that giveth all men liberally, and upbraideth not: and it shall be given him; as we see in the example of dSolomon: and desire him to send his holy Spirit into our hearts, which will elead us into all truth, and like a fprecious eye-salve, will open and enlighten the blind geyes of our understandings; that we may see the wonders of Gods Law. The which our prayer will be more effectual to prevail with God, if we crave this knowledge to this end, that we may glorify him by it, according to that of David, Make me 8to understand the way of thy precepts, so shall I talk of thy wondrous works; and make our knowledge the rule of our lives, practising the things we know in the whole course of our conversation, to which end David beggeth it of God: Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes, and I shall keep it