A20762:233
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 Of the means whereby we may attain unto fullness of persuasion.
§. Sect. 3 Of the meanes whereby we may attaine vnto fulnesse of perswasion.
And these are the means of begetting and confirming of our faith, that it may not only assent unto the truth of Gods promises, but also apply and apprehend them to our own particular use. Now, that from these two first degrees we may grow unto fullness of persuasion, which, in assurance of our perseverance in the fruition of Gods love, doth make us, with the Apostle, to triumph over all difficulties and dangers, there are divers 1other things required. As first, that we esteem faith our chief riches; and this will make us spiritually covetous, and careful by all means to add unto this treasure. Secondly, we cannot come to this fullness of faith, but by often experience of Gods love, shining in the riches of his mercies, especially in things appertaining to grace and eternal glory. To which purpose we must be sensible of Gods goodness, and diligently observe his favours towards us, and so by induction of particulars (that seeing so often and many ways he hath bin gracious, and hath given unto us such innumerable testimonies and pledges of his love, hence) we may gather an experimental conclusion, that being immutable in his goodness, we shall live and dye in his favour, and nothing shall be able to separate us from it. Thirdly, we attain unto this fullness of persuasion, by becoming more and more acquainted with God in the use of his holy ordinances, as prayer, hearing the Word, receiving the Sacrament of the Supper, and meditation; for hereby our communion and acquaintance with God is increased; and the better we know him, the more firmly will we trust and believe in him, tasting hereby the sweetness of his goodness, and the infallibility of his mercy and truth. Fourthly, we attain unto certain and full assurance of Gods love toward us, by our often testifying and approving of our love towards God, in our care to keep all his Commandments, that thereby we may glorify his Name, by having the light of our holy conversation shining before men: seeing we could not possibly love