A20762:2610
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. 1 That a godly life is possible unto us.
§. Sect. 1 That a godly life is possible vnto vs.
But the flesh doth not only hinder us in the duties of a godly life, by those real impediments, which it casteth in our way, of which I have before spoken; but also by suggesting into our minds, many strong objections, which tend to this main end, that we may be discouraged from entering into the course of Christianity. And first, the flesh is ready to object, that in this state of frailty and corruption, it is utterly impossible to lead a godly life, in that manner as it hath been before described. For who can bring that which is clean, out of that which 1is unclean? Who can lead such a life as is pleasing and acceptable ⟨p. 815⟩unto God, whose pure eyes can endure nothing which is impure and imperfect, seeing the Prophet telleth us, that our best righteousness is as 2a polluted cloth; and the Apostle, who so far exceeded us that now live in piety and righteousness, notwithstanding complaineth, that he could not do the good he would, but contrariwise did the evil he would 3not. And therefore it is in vain to weary our selves about impossibilities, and so to lose both the pleasures of this life, and that which is to come. And thus the flesh persuadeth us to play the bankrupts, and to resolve, that because we cannot pay all our whole debt, that therefore we will pay nothing at all. To which I answer with our Saviour Christ, that those things which are impossible to us, are both possible and easy unto God, who hath promised to assist us, if we desire and endeavour to serve and please him. Secondly, I answer, that though nothing will please God, but that which is pure and perfect, & all our best actions are full of corruption & imperfection; yet this need not to discourage us from doing the best we can, seeing Christ, who hath perfectly fulfilled the Law for us, covereth our imperfections, with his most perfect righteousness, & washeth away our corruptions, in his most precious blood, so that we may do the best we can, & then what is wanting on our part, shall be supplied on his. For what the Law could not do, in