A20762:2697
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 taketh away no lawful liberty, but rather establisheth it.
§. Sect. 1 That a godly life taketh away no lawfull liberty, but rather establisheth it.
The fourth objection which the flesh maketh against a godly life, is, that it taketh away all our liberty, and so checketh and curbeth us in all our thoughts, words, and works, within the strict limits of Gods Law, that we have no freedom like other men, to think, speak, or do such things as are most pleasing unto us. To which I answer, that it doth not deprive us of any lawful liberty, but only restraineth us from lawless licentiousness, and curbeth in the flesh, that it may not run on in exorbitant courses, and glut it self with sinful pleasures, which always end in grief and bitterness. Wherein it doth not take away any true liberty, but rather freeth us from the most miserable and grievous bondage, and basest servitude 1and thraldom unto Satan, sin, and our own lusts. Yea, rather by leading of a godly life, we are restored unto that ancient and true liberty in which we were created, even the glorious liberty of the Sons of God, resembling herein our heavenly Father, who, though he be most free to do whatsoever pleaseth him, yet in respect of his holy and pure nature, cannot sin, or do any evil which is contrary unto it. And as well may we say that the glorified Saints, who are crowned with joy and happiness, have lost all their liberty, because they are so confirmed by supernatural grace, that they cannot sin, as that we are deprived of it, because we are restrained by Gods Word and holy Spirit from all manner of wickedness; or that a son hath lost his liberty, when he liveth according to his Fathers will that dearly loveth him, and is freed from the government of some base slave, who egged and thrust him on in all wicked courses, which in the end would deprive him of his fathers love, and justly disinherit him of his desired patrimony. Yea, let us know, that as sin is the greatest bondage, so the service of God is the greatest and best liberty; when as we are stablished in all grace and goodness by his free Spirit,