A20762:2316
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. 2 The second privilege is, that by a godly life we have title & interest in all Gods promises, and first, of temporal blessings.
§. Sect. 2 The second priuiledge is, that by a godly life we haue title & interest in all Gods promises, and first, of temporall blessings.
Secondly, by a godly life we have interest unto all Gods promises, whereby he hath assured us of all his blessings and benefits, both temporal 1and eternal, according to that of the Apostle; Godliness is profitable unto all things, having the promise of the life that now is, and that which is to come. So the Psalmist saith, that they which seek and fear the Lord, shall not want any good thing. For the Lord God is a sun and shield, he will give grace and glory; and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. And the Apostle Peter testifieth, that God, according to his divine power, hath given unto us (that is, all the faithful who serve him in holiness and righteousness) all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who hath called us to glory and virtue; whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, &c. Now these blessings and benefits which God hath promised as the gracious rewards of a godly conversation, are either temporal, and of this life, or eternal, and of the life to come. Those of this life; are either corporal, concerning the body and outward estate; or spiritual, respecting chiefly the good of the soul, by enriching it with all sanctifying and saving graces. The benefits of the former kind are promised to all those who serve the Lord, and carefully observe all his Commandments, although not absolutely, but conditionally, so far forth as the corporal blessings will best stand with Gods glory, and our spiritual and eternal good. Thus the Lord promiseth in the Law, that he will give unto those who observe and keep it, all the 2blessings of this life, respecting either their persons or states. As that he will bless them in themselves, and also in their children and posterity;