A20762:2520
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.
CAP. IX.
Of the impediments of a godly life, arising from the flesh: and first, such as arise from the intellectual faculties.
Of the impediments of a godly life, arising from the flesh: and first, such as arise from the intellectuall faculties.
§. Sect. 1 That the most dangerous impediments arise from our own corrupt flesh.
§. Sect. 1 That the most dangerous impediments arise from our owne corrupt flesh.
IF there were no other, or greater impediments, to hinder us in the ways of godliness, then those which are already handled; yet were there no cause why we should flatter our selves with a vain conceit, that we may go forward in this course with much ease, as being a thing so slight and ordinary, that the achieving of it needeth little care and small endeavour. But how much more will this fond opinion vanish, and the necessity of uniting all our forces clearly appear, for the attaining unto any perfection in spiritual graces, and the outward practice of them in the duties of a godly life, if we further consider, that there are many more, and far more dangerous impediments which arise from our sinful flesh, and the inbred corruption of our polluted nature, the which is so averse and contrary unto the sincere and spiritual service of God, that nothing in the world seemeth more irksome and tedious unto it? In which regard, we can no sooner set our selves seriously to serve and please God in those holy duties which he requireth, but presently it opposeth us, discourageth us in all good courses, hangeth (as it were) about our necks as an heavy