A20762:3181
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.
§. 4 The fourth remedy is, examination of our estate.
§. 4 The fourth remedie is, examination of our estate.
The fourth means is, that we often and seriously examine our estate in the Audit of conscience, and as in Gods presence, how it standeth 1between him and us, and whether it thriveth and groweth better, or decayeth and waxeth worse in spiritual graces, and in the practise of Christian and holy duties. As whether sin and corruption increaseth in strength, or whether it is daily more and more mortified and subdued in us. Whether we profit or thrive in our spiritual growth, by the means of our salvation, and the use of Gods holy Ordinances, and wax richer in all spiritual graces, or whether we spend of the stock and grow more faint and poor in them. With what appetite we feed on the food of our souls, and how we are strengthened and increased thereby in knowledge, faith, affiance, love and the fear ⟨p. 77⟩of God, and with what alacrity and cheerfulness we serve God in all holy duties. Whether we get or lose ground in the spiritual Warfare, or have the better, or go by the worst in the conflict of tentations against the Enemies of our salvation. Whether we go forward, or backward, or stand at a stay, in our own conceit, in the spiritual Race; and whether we be in such an estate, as that we could be content to hear our last summons, to give an account of our Stewardship before Gods Tribunal. How we have and do spend and employ his Talents committed to our keeping, whether to the honour or dishonour of our Lord and Master, and the profit or hurt of our fellow servants; and whether we in these respects keep our accounts so even, as that we are daily ready to give up our reckoning, if our great Lord and Sovereign do call us to it. And if we exercise our selves much and often in such trials and examinations, we shall daily grow in Gods fear, and leave no place in our hearts for carnal security to lodge in; we shall like those that do often look their faces in the glass, keep our souls and consciences from these sinful spots, and from being besmeared and over-grown with this dirt and filth of carnal security; and like good Factors, we shall become wary and careful in managing our Masters business, if with them we often look upon our Books of account, and sum up our reckonings between him and us.