A20762:2250
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. 1 That the benefit of our effectual Calling should move us to serve God in the duties of a godly life.
§. Sect. 1 That the benefit of our effectuall Calling should moue vs to serue God in the duties of a godly life.
The sixth benefit, is our effectual Calling, whereby the Lord vouchsafeth, by the preaching of the Gospel, to make known unto us his good will and pleasure, concerning the eternal salvation of our souls, in and for Jesus Christ, and by the inward operation of his holy Spirit, working with the outward ministry, to beget in us a true and lively faith, whereby we apply unto our selves Christ Jesus and all his benefits. For in the ministry of the Word, God not only offereth unto us Christ to be our Saviour and Redeemer, but also prepareth and fitteth us to receive him, giving unto us a true sight of our sin and misery, by which our hearts are humbled and broken, and working in them an earnest hungering and thirsting after Christ and his righteousness, that by him we may be recovered out of our wretched estate, and attain unto life and salvation by his merits and obedience. The which fervent desires he graciously satisfieth, by working faith in us, grounded upon his infinite mercies, the all-sufficient merits of Christ, and his free and indefinite promises, whereby we apply him unto us with all his benefits. So that in this benefit of our effectual Calling, three things chiefly concur: first, the saving hearing of the Word, whereby our ears and hearts are opened, and our minds enlightened with the knowledge of the great work of Redemption wrought by Christ. Secondly, the donation of God the Father, whereby he offereth and giveth Christ unto us, to be our Saviour, and us unto Christ, to be saved and redeemed by him. Thirdly, incision into Christ, and union with him, he becoming our Head, and we his members, the bond whereof, on his part, is his holy Spirit, and on our part, a true and lively faith. All which afford unto us strong motives to persuade us unto all duties of a godly life. For first, what an incomparable benefit is this, that the Lord passing by innumerable others, who either never heard the sound of the Gospel, or hearing, have made no benefit by it, wanting the inward assistance of his holy Spirit, he should both grant unto us this light, and also open our eyes that we should behold it?