A20762:2392
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 seventh main privilege, is, that God granteth unto them the means to build them up in grace unto salvation.
§. Sect. 2 The seuenth maine priuiledge, is, that God granteth vnto them the meanes to build them vp in grace vnto saluation.
The seventh privilege peculiar to the godly, is, that God granteth unto them the means to build them up in grace, and to bring them to salvation, with hearts to use them, and the inward assistance of his holy Spirit, whereby they become profitable and effectual to their ends. The which is to be understood, first, of the public means, as hearing the Word, Sacraments, and Prayer, which the most in the world have not at all, but those only that live in the Church, of which the fewest, and least number enjoy them to their use and benefit, either because they neglect and contemn them, or use them after a cold, careless and formal manner, without any desire and endeavour to profit by them, wanting in themselves faith, and a good conscience, and also the inward co-operation of 1Gods holy Spirit, to bless and sanctify them to their use. By reason whereof it cometh to pass, that after they have long been partakers of ⟨p. 737⟩Gods holy •dinances, they are never the better, but remain as ignorant and full of fidelity, as impenitent and unprofitable as they were at the first; yea in •uth much the worse, seeing for want of faith and preparation, the preaching of the Word, which is in it own nature, Gods strong 2power to thei• salvation, and the savour of life unto life, becometh unto them the sa•ur of death, to their deeper condemnation; and the Sacrament,