A20762:2678
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. 4 Of the divers objects of our spiritual joy.
§. Sect. 4 Of the diuers obiects of our spirituall ioy.
Now the objects of this Spiritual joy are divers, the chief and principal is God himself, his Christ and holy Spirit, for he being the summum bonum, the supreme joy and chief blessedness, the fruition of him and his grace, and the bright beams of his face and favour shining upon us, must needs be the matter & cause of supreme and unspeakable joy. And this is that joy, and rejoicing in the Lord, which is in the Scriptures not only permitted to the faithful, & restrained unto them alone as their peculiar and proper right, but enjoined & required as being a duty which we owe unto God, the performance whereof maketh them happy & blessed. Let not (saith the Lord) the wise man glory in his wisdom, 1nor the mighty man in his might, nor the rich man in his riches; But let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, &c. So the Psalmist exhorteth to this joy; Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous, for praise is 2comely for the upright. Of which he propoundeth himself for an example; My soul shall be joyful in the Lord, it shall rejoice in his salvation. And the 3Apostle likewise; Let him that glorieth, glory in the Lord. And again; 4Rejoice in the Lord alway, and again I say rejoice. In which himself took such abundant comfort and contentment, that he resteth in it alone, and renounceth all other joys; God forbid that I should glory in any thing, saving