A20762:2082
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 That we must not read the Scriptures only, but also other religious writings.
§. Sect. 4 That we must not reade the Scriptures onely, but also other religious writings.
But though a Christian man is to study and read the holy Scriptures chiefly, that he may out of them, as out of the fountain, know God and all the duties of a godly life, in which respect their practice is absolutely to be condemned, who are so wholly taken up in reading the Fathers, Schoolmen, and late Writers, that they can find little time to read and meditate in the Book of God, and so are greatest strangers where they should be best acquainted, and like ill merchants who buy all their wares at the second or third hand: yet we are not so wholly to be conversant in them, as to neglect or to want time to peruse the writings of godly and learned men, who by the help of their fervent prayers, the gifts of learning and tongues, and their serious studies and diligent labours, have given the true sense and meaning of them, and have distinctly handled and cleared the main points of Religion contained in them. Not that the Scriptures do not themselves sufficiently teach all things necessary unto salvation, without any humane addition; but because the Lord, intending to use the ministry of his servants the Prophets and Pastors of his Church, for the edification of his people, hath caused them to be so penned, as that there should be continual use both of their expositions and application. Which whoso contemn or neglect, and content themselves with the sole reading of the Scriptures, if they be not of eminent parts, and endued with a great measure of spiritual understanding, ⟨p. 636⟩they will but slowly proceed in the growth of their knowledge, nor without much labour, and long study, attain unto any great perfection, though they may get some such competency as is necessary to salvation. For many eyes see more then one, and great works are effected more speedily and easily, that are set forward with the help of many hands. And therefore I cannot commend their course, though otherwise they be godly and religious, and much less those who set them in it, that neglect the reading of all others books besides the holy Scriptures, because they have all-sufficiency in them; though in respect of the public means they much prefer (as they have good cause) the Word sincerely and soundly preached, before the Word barely read; notwithstanding that this public reading is to be preferred before private, as before I have showed.