A20762:2786
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.
neither is it left unto us as a thing arbitrary, and at our own choice, but expressly commanded and enjoined, that we should glorify God, by professing our selves his servants, and living according to this profession, which none refuseth to do, but such as are destitute of a lively Faith, whereby we are assured, that God is in Christ our gracious Lord and Father, and we his servants and people; for as with the 1heart man believeth unto righteousness, so with the mouth confession is made unto salvation; According to that of David, I believed, therefore have I 2spoken. Thirdly, I answer, that fear of falling away, or of being overtaken with some gross sins, must not hinder our profession and practice of piety; but rather this profession and practice must therefore be undertaken, that we may hereby be moved more carefully to use all good means of persevering in all grace and godliness, and to observe our ways with greater diligence, and make straight steps unto our feet, that we do not slip, nor halt, nor turn aside out of the way. And if we with these minds take upon us the profession of Christianity, and endeavour to bring forth the fruits of it in our holy practice, the Lord, who hath begun this good work in us, will also finish it; he will uphold us that we shall not greatly fall; or if we do, yet he will not suffer us to lie still and perish, but will so assist us with his grace and holy Spirit, that we shall rise again by unfeigned repentance. In the mean time no man hath just cause to wonder, if we fall through infirmity, though it be into some greater sins then many commit, who make little or no profession at all; if either he consider humane frailty common to all, the relics of corruption remaining still in us after regeneration, and the combat which thence ariseth between ⟨p. 878⟩the flesh and the Spirit; that, sometime prevailing, and this again getteth the upper hand; the malice of the devil, who most fiercely assaulteth with his tentations, those who have renounced his service, and in whom the Image of God most clearly shineth;
neither is it left vnto vs as a thing arbitrarie, and at our owne choyce, but expresly commanded and enioyned, that we should glorifie God, by professing our selues his seruants, and liuing according to this profession, which none refuseth to doe, but such as are destitute of a liuely Faith, whereby we are assured, that God is in Christ our gracious Lord and Father, and we his seruants and people; for as with the