A20762:2320
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. 3 That by a godly life, Gods saving graces are much increased in us.
§. Sect. 3 That by a godly life, Gods sauing graces are much increased in vs.
The second sort of the benefits of this life, are Gods spiritual graces, all which are much increased by a godly life. And first, hereby our faith is much confirmed and increased, by our frequent performing the duties of holiness and righteousness. For as often Acts do confirm and increase an habit; and both our bodily strength, and all faculties of the mind, are not only preserved, but also much improved by continual exercise; so virtuous actions and works of piety and righteousness, being the exercises of our faith, do tend much to the strengthening of it; whereas contrariwise, by the neglect of these duties, it is much weakened, and by the contrary vices and acts of sin exceedingly shaken, and grievously wounded. In which regard, the Apostle joineth the holding of faith, and a 1good conscience, because the one will not stay without the other, being such loving twins as cannot be divided, but live and die together. More especially, the duties of a godly life, do confirm our faith in the assurance of our election, not as causes, for the election of God is free of grace, and 2not of works, but as the effects and fruits of it, and as the end unto which we are elected, for we are not chosen because we were holy, but to the end that we might be holy, as the Apostle showeth. Thus the Apostle Peter exhorting us to make our calling and election sure, 3prescribeth this as the only means, the joining of one virtue and Christian duty with another, telling us, that if we do these things, we shall never fall. The Psalmist likewise setting down the marks and signs, whereby we may know whether God hath chosen us to dwell in his holy mountain, maketh this the first & chief, to walk uprightly, and work righteousness,