A20762:2707
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 That though many godly men are poor, yet godliness is no cause of their poverty.
§. Sect. 4 That though many godly men are poore, yet godlinesse is no cause of their pouerty.
In the second place I answer, that though many are poor who are godly, yet their godliness is not the cause of their poverty; seeing it only findeth, but not maketh them to be in this penurious estate. For when the Gospel is preached, the poor rather receive it then the rich, seeing the little comfort which they have in earthly things, doeth make them to seek for it in spiritual and heavenly; whereas the abundance of the rich entangleth their hearts in the snares of worldly love, choketh in them the seed of Gods Word, and maketh them to neglect the means of their salvation. Thirdly, I answer, that godliness is a cause and means of riches, and not of poverty, seeking it hath the promises of this life, and that 1which is to come; and God hath undertaken (who is able and all-sufficient) seeing the earth is his, and all that therein is, and most true and infallible in ⟨p. 852⟩2his Word) that nothing which is good, shall be wanting unto those that 3fear and serve him; that if we will first seek his Kingdom and righteousness, all other things shall be cast upon us; that he will withhold no good thing from them that walk uprightly. That if we will cease to do evil, and learn 4to do well, if we consent and obey, we shall eat the good things of the Land. If indeed riches were simply our own earnings, and could be gotten by our own policies, care and labour, then those who exceed others in all these, might promise unto themselves the greatest plenty, though they utterly neglect Gods service; but seeing it is only Gods blessing that maketh rich, it is not to be imagined, that the Lord, infinite in bounty and goodness, will be less liberal in paying our wages, because we are more faithful and diligent in doing his work. And therefore if we fear want and poverty, it must not discourage us from the service of God, but rather be a strong motive to make us serve him with more earnest endeavour, seeing he will preserve those who serve him from poverty, so far forth as it is evil and a punishment of sin, and will give unto them all temporal blessings, so far forth as they are good and profitable.