A20762:2500
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. 5 Of the patience which the Saints have showed in suffering persecutions.
§. Sect. 5 Of the patience which the Saints haue shewed in suffering persecutions.
Fourthly, let us encourage and comfort our selves against all persecutions, by remembering the patience and meekness, the joy and thankfulness which the Saints and holy Martyrs of God have showed, in suffering all crosses and calamities, tortures and grievous pains which the wicked world could inflict upon them. For well may we go forward in this afflicted way with joy and comfort, when as we have the Word of God to be our guide, the holy Martyrs of former ages, as precedents for our imitation, and the faithful that now live with us, to bear us company. Thus we read that the Apostles rejoiced, that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the Name of Christ. Thus the Saints took joyfully the spoiling of their 1goods, knowing in themselves that they had in heaven, a better and more enduring 2substance. And when they were tortured, accepted not deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Others had trial of cruel mockings 3and scourgings, bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, sawne in sunder, tempted and slain with the sword, &c. And thus the holy Martyrs of the ⟨p. 777⟩Primitive Church, and of later days, even tired their tormentors with their patience and constancy, out-faced their most bitter tortures with their cheerful countenances, rejoiced in the scorching flames, and even before they died, triumphed over death. And therefore (as the Apostle exhorteth) seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us