A20762:2970
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.
§. 9 The ninth cause, hearing the Word without Faith.
The ninth cause, is the hearing of the Word without Faith, giving no credit either to the threatenings of the Law or promises of the Gospel. 1For as the Word is unprofitable, if it be not mixed with Faith in those that hear it, as the Apostle speaketh: so it becometh in this respect, by accident, through our corruption, dangerous and hurtful. Either it is the savour of life unto life, or the savour of death unto death. 2Either it weakeneth and killeth Vice, or giveth more strength and vigour to it; either it softeneth our hearts like Wax, or hardeneth them like Clay; either it worketh them to Gods fear, when we believe his Promises and Threatenings, or maketh them more carnally secure when we give no credit to them. For the Word of God proceeding out of his mouth, shall not return unto him void, but shall accomplish that which pleaseth him, and prosper in the thing whereto he sends it, 3as the Prophet speaketh. And as oft as we hear it, either it setteth us forward in the right way that leadeth to salvation, or through our ⟨p. 15⟩corruption and unbelief, it maketh us to go faster and more securely in the ways of death and destruction. It will make our hearts melt like the heart of good Josiah, or to become more hard like the heart of Pharaoh; and we shall receive Gods Ambassadors with fear and trembling, as the Corinthians did Titus; or with proud neglect, and