A20762:2342
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 Their conceits confuted, who imagine that God wholly reserveth the rewards of those that serve him, for the life to come.
§. Sect. 1 Their conceits confuted, who imagine that God wholy reserueth the rewards of those that serue him, for the life to come.
Having seen the benefits which accompany a godly life, let us now also consider of the privileges wherewith God crowneth those that lead it. Although in truth there is little difference between these two, seeing those benefits are privileges, as being peculiar prerogatives belonging only to the godly; and these privileges singular benefits, which are promised and given them as rewards of their godliness. But because I would not glut the Readers appetite with satiety, by setting before him all at once, a multitude of dishes cooked after the same fashion, I thought it not amiss to reserve these that follow (as it were) for an after-course or second service, dressed in somewhat a different manner; for as I considered the former benefits as the fruits of a godly life; so I will consider these, as privileges coming directly from God, wherewith he endoweth and investeth the persons of the godly, who desire and endeavour to serve and please him. Although here again I must confess, that those fruits of godliness are the free gifts of Gods grace, and these privileges wherewith ⟨p. 722⟩God peculiarly advanceth the godly, may in some sort be called the fruits of their godliness. But that we may come to our present purpose. It is the conceit of wicked worldlings, that God wholly deferreth to reward those that leave their sins, and devote themselves unto his service, till the Day of Judgement; and the punishments of those who neglect him, and serve their own lusts, to the same time, if at least they believe at all, that there will be such a Day, or such a retribution of rewards and punishments: And that in the mean while all things happen alike to all, to the righteous and to