A20762:3169
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.
§. 12 The eleventh remedy is not to misapply the promises.
§. 12 The eleuenth remedie is not to misapplie the promises.
The eleventh means is, that we do not make the Word unprofitable by misapplying it, as when we arrogate unto our selves the gracious promises of the Gospel, not performing the condition of faith and repentance; but that we learn rightly to apply it as our state ⟨p. 72⟩and condition duly examined and considered doth require. As we must apply unto our selves the threatenings of the Law, reprehensions and admonitions, when we find that we securely go on in our sins, and the comforts of the Gospel, when as we find and feel the weight of our sins, and are truly humbled under the burden of them. Otherwise the Word will have the same effects that physic and salves have being misapplied, as cordials to a strong body not well purged from gross humours, and strong medicines to a weak and feeble Patient; healing plasters applied to festered sores, which have more need of the lancer and strong corrosives, and these to small and green hurts that would be healed with some gentle salve; that is, it will cast those who are dejected and hopeless into deep despair, and make the presumptuous and hard-hearted the more reckless and secure.
The eleuenth meanes is, that we doe not make the Word vnprofitable by misapplying it, as when we arrogate vnto our selues the gratious promises of the Gospell, not performing the condition of faith and repentance; but that wee learne rightly to applie it as our state ⟨p. 72⟩and condition duely examined and considered doth require. As wee must applie vnto our selues the threatnings of the Law, reprehensions and admonitions, when we find that we securely goe on in our sinnes, and the comforts of the Gospell, when as we find and feele the weight of our sinnes, and are truely humbled vnder the burthen of them. Otherwise the Word will haue the same effects that physicke and salues haue being misapplied, as cordials to a strong bodie not well purged from grosse humours, and strong medicines to a weake and feeble Patient; healing plaisters applied to festred sores, which haue more need of the lancer and strong corrasiues, and these to small and greene hurts that would be healed with some gentle salue; that is, it will cast those who are dejected and hopelesse into deepe despaire, and make the presumptuous and hard-hearted the more retchlesse and secure.