A20762:220
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 after illumination there are three degrees of faith; and the manner how they are wrought in us.
§. Sect. 6 That after illuminatiō there are three degrees of faith; and the maner how they are wrought in vs.
So that after illumination there are three degrees of faith, the first is an effectual assent to the promises of the Gospel, which worketh in our hearts an hungering desire after Christ and his benefits, and in our wills a resolution to cast our selves upon him alone for our salvation. By which the Christian truly liveth, but yet like a new borne babe, who weakly performeth the actions of life, but knoweth not, that he either liveth or moveth. And so weak it is in apprehension and application, that he can hardly discern it, and often calleth in question whether he hath any hold at all or no. It is strong in desiring, but feeble in performing; resolved by all means to stick unto Christ, but yet scarce sensible of any union. It admireth the glorious beams and brightness of Gods love shining in the Word, but feeleth little warmth of joy and comfort by it in his own heart and conscience. It worketh in the weak Christian, an hungering after the sincere milk of the Word, that he may grow up thereby, but with little or no sense, that he is nourished, or any whit increased in the spiritual growth. He seeketh earnestly for grace and peace, but they seem to fly from him, and is still wishing for more and more, but hath little comfort in feeling and fruition. His desires so far exceed the proportion which he hath received, that it is swallowed up of them, so that nothing in appearance remaineth: And (like covetous men) he thinketh not on what he hath, but upon what he hath not, and spends a great part of that time in complaints of his wants, which should be employed in praising God for that plenty which he hath received. But this faith is still in growth, though they that have it, do not see it growing; for the Lord is no more ready to enlarge our hearts with hungering desires after grace, then to satisfy them; this being his main end why (like the Merchant) he stretcheth out these empty bags, that he may replenish them with a greater portion of these hid treasures.