A20762:2461
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 Of the worlds professed hatred, whereby it seeketh to discourage us in the duties of a godly life.
§. Sect. 2 Of the worlds professed hatred, whereby it seeketh to discourage vs in the duties of a godly life.
Now these afflictions and persecutions, which the world raiseth against us to discourage us in all the duties of a godly life, are manifold, which in their own nature are to flesh and blood bitter and grievous. And first, it pursueth us with professed hatred, maligning all, with all ⟨p. 762⟩spleen and spite, who leave the world, and love God. For though whilst we are of the world, it loveth us, because we are her own, yet when Christ hath chosen us out of the world, and we have given our names unto 1him, professing that we will be his soldiers and servants, then the world, out of that hatred which it beareth to our Lord and Master, will begin, for his sake to hate us. And as they who make themselves friends 2of the world, do, by reason of that enmity which is between them, make themselves thereby the enemies of God: so contrariwise, those that become friends unto God, do hereby make themselves enemies to the world. So David saith, that they who rendered evil for good, were his adversaries, 3because he did follow the thing that was good. And therefore he professeth the like enmity against them, because they were Gods enemies: Do 4not (saith he) I hate them (O Lord) that hate thee? and am I not grieved with those that speak against thee? I hate them with a perfect hatred, I count them mine enemies. The which hatred of the world, and malicious enmity against the faithful, is a strong tentation, and great discouragement, especially to those who are of mild, gentle and peaceable dispositions, to hinder their speed in the ways of godliness. Against which, that we may be the better armed, let us first consider, that it is a matter of mere necessity to undergo the worlds hatred, if we would be assured, that we either love God, or that we are beloved of him. For such enmity there is between them, that he who maketh himself a friend to the one, doth necessarily