A20762:2740
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. 5 That the duties of our particular callings, must give place to the general calling of Christianity.
§. Sect. 5 That the duties of our particular callings, must giue place to the generall calling of Christianity.
Thirdly, let them know, that the duties of our particular callings, must give place to the general calling of Christianity, when as both of them (as they ordinarily may) will not stand together. For by these duties we draw near unto God, and have communion with him, and no calling must call us from God, or withdraw us from this blessed fellowship. They ⟨p. 862⟩are the spiritual repast of our souls, by which they get spiritual strength, and live the life of faith; and therefore if we so highly prize the health and life of our bodies, that we think no business so important, that should make us neglect the means of preserving them, as eating, drinking, resting, sleeping, and such like; why should we imagine any to be so weighty and necessary, as that for the following of it, we should neglect the health and welfare of our precious souls? Let us consider, that our callings were made for us, and not we for our callings; for our good and benefit, and not for our hurt and ruin; for the glorifying of God, and furthering of our salvation, and not for his dishonour, by neglecting his service, and like snares to entangle us, that we cannot proceed in such holy duties, as will make our calling and election sure. When two things come together, which differ in their degrees of excellency and necessity, we can easily resolve, in earthly things to give priority and precedency unto that, which exceedeth the other in worth and use. O would we could be thus wise in this case; and seeing spiritual and heavenly things, and employments about them, which tend to the everlasting salvation of our souls, do as much exceed our earthly affairs, as heaven, earth, and those things which are permanent and everlasting, such as are momentany and of short continuance; I would we could be so wise for our own good, as to give those duties which excel, the first place and preeminence.