A20762:2158
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. 6 That we must consort our selves with the godly and virtuous.
§. Sect. 6 That we must consort our selues with the godly and vertuous.
The second point is, that as we are carefully to shun the company of the profane and wicked, as being notable pullbacks in the ways 1of godliness, so must we with no less care consort our selves with the godly and virtuous, as being a singular furtherance unto all Christian duties. For being naturally backward and averse unto all that is good, and after that we are regenerate, frail and feeble in all duties of a godly life, here, if any where, is Gods Word verified, that it is not good for man to be alone, but that an helper is needful unto him, and that 2two are better then one, because they have a good reward of their labour; for if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow, &c. And therefore we must not, to shun the company of the wicked, run into the contrary extreme, and keep company with none, seeing God hath made us political creatures, who are preserved by mutual society; and fellow members of the same body whereof Christ is the head: and therefore we must not by withdrawing our selves, make a Schism and rent, but continue together in loving society, that we may be ready to perform mutually all good offices whereby we may edify and benefit one another: According to that of the Apostle; Let us 3consider one another, to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of our selves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, &c. For the more we converse with the godly & religious, the greater increase shall we find in our Piety, Faith, Love, Zeal and all others graces, as coals laid together, do, if any of them be kindled, kindle one another, and so all together make a great fire, which if they be severed one from another, give but little heat, and in a short time will go quite out. And this we see in the example of David, who greatly rejoicing in the communion of Saints, and in the fellowship of the Faithful, excelled also in Piety and Holiness. So he professeth that all his delight was in Gods Saints; that his eyes were to the Faithful of the