A20762:2538
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 impediments arising from special errors in judgement.
§. Sect. 5 Of impediments arising from speciall errours in iudgement.
The special and particular errors in judgement, which hinder men from resolving to lead a godly life, are innumerable; and therefore I will content my self to set down here some few of them, and but slightly to ⟨p. 790⟩touch them, because the bare naming of them, in respect of their invalidity and weakness, is a sufficient confutation. First then, out of an erroneous judgement concerning God, they falsely conceive, that he is so merciful, that either he will save all men, or at least, them who perform some kind of service unto him, though they be not like others, strict in their courses, but give liberty to the satisfying of their sensual lusts, and to lead such a life as best pleaseth them. Whereby they make an Idol of Gods mercy, in separating it from his justice and truth, which hath denounced death and condemnation against all that neglect his service, and live in their sins without repentance. So they think that God will accept of their good meaning, though being ignorant, they know not how to serve him as he hath required, notwithstanding that the Lord in innumerable places of holy Scriptures, professeth his hatred to superstition and all will-worship. That he will accept of us, if we go to the Church according to the Princes Laws like other men, and offer unto God the outward service of the body, in hearing the Word, and praying with the Congregation, and receiving the Sacrament at Easter, although all be done in mere formality and hypocrisy without any zeal and devotion, or desire to serve and please God, or to profit by these spiritual exercises for the increasing of his graces in us, notwithstanding that God in so many places rejects these heartless sacrifices, lip-labour, and hypocritical 1formalities, and being a Spirit, doth require of us such a service as is performed 2