A20762:2581
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 means whereby we may be freed from superstitious scrupulosity.
§. Sect. 2 Of the meanes whereby we may be freed from superstitious scrupulositie.
Now the means to be freed from this impediment, are, First, that we forsake our sins, and turn unto God by unfeigned repentance, and so apply his gracious promises unto us by a lively faith, that being reconciled unto us, he may keep us safe under his providence and protection, and not justly for our sins give us over to the Tempter, to be terrified with his fears, and turmoiled with his false suggestions. Secondly, we must labour to have our minds illuminated with saving knowledge, the light whereof will easily discover the falsehood and vanities of these superstitious scruples and fears, and to attain unto spiritual wisdom and sound judgement, that thereby we may be enabled to discern between our own thoughts, which we entertain ⟨p. 806⟩with consent of will, and the tentations of the devil which we have resisted; the good motions of Gods Spirit which are always agreeable to his Word, and the suggestions of the devil, which have no ground or warrant from it. Thirdly, we must take heed, that we do not take any thing upon the devils bare suggestion, seeing he is a liar from the beginning, who by his falsehood laboureth to deceive & destroy us (for what were this, but to believe in him by an absolute faith, when there is no reason for it?) but we must examine his tentations by the rule of Gods Word, which will easily discover the fraud, weakness, and maliciousness of them. For nothing giveth Satan more advantage against weak Christians, then their readiness to give credit to his tentations, without bringing them to the touchstone of Gods Truth. Fourthly, if Satan taketh advantage from the humour of melancholy abounding in us, to fill and fraught our hearts with these scruples & fears, we must use the help of the skilful Physician for the removing of this cause, that so the effects may cease: And withal ask the counsel of some judicious & faithful Divine, who may direct us in our ways, & resolve our doubts; upon whose judgement, grounded upon Gods Word, we must more rest, then upon our own weak conceit and opinions, especially being thus blinded with those black and foggy mists, which false fear and melancholy have cast before them. Fifthly, we must labour to have our hearts possessed and replenished with the true and filial fear of God, springing from Faith and Love, whereby we shall be made zealous in Gods service;