A20762:2126
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. 10 Of the woeful neglect of this holy exercise.
§. Sect. 10 Of the wofull neglect of this holy exercise.
But though this counsel be good, yet few in these days do greatly need it, seeing it is so woefully neglected amongst the most who profess Christianity, that there is much more need of a spur to hasten our speed, then of a bridle to restrain us from running our selves out of breath. For many there are, who otherwise in their judgements hold this exercise of reading as commendable and profitable, that are yet so wholly addicted to the world, that they can scarce find any leisure in any one day of the week, to spend some time in this religious exercise, but are wholly taken up with such employments, as will bring unto them some earthly profit, or with the cares of this life, and forecasting of their business for their best advantage. Others abounding in leisure, rather then they will spend any time in this profitable exercise (the which notwithstanding is irksome and tedious, when they are idle and have nothing to do,) do wholly give themselves over to sports and pastimes, hunting and hawking, carding and dicing, dancing and revelling, or else idle and vain communication, and complementall visitations, hereby preparing against themselves a fearful reckoning, when being called to give up their accounts, before the supreme Judge of heaven and earth, how they have spent that precious time which he hath allowed unto them to glorify him, and make their Calling and Election sure, they shall be constrained to give evidence against themselves, out of the books of their own consciences, that they have spent almost all their time in things vain and wicked, serving thereby the devil, the world, and their own carnal lusts, and little or none at all in spiritual exercises, and in the duties of Gods service. Neither will it (at this day) any thing avail us to say, that we had so much worldly business, that we could not intend this, and such religious exercises, seeing God in his Law hath absolutely required them, not dispensing with us upon any