A20762:3246
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.
§ 1 Th• •••st m[…]s, highly to esteem it and […]e i• […] and in him.
§ 1 Th• •••st m〈…〉s, highly to esteeme it and 〈…〉e i• 〈…〉 and in him.
Now it followeth in the last place, that we set down the means of obtaining and preserving this grace of Christian security. And first, if we would attain unto this rich gift (which maketh us with joy and comfort to enjoy all other blessings, because it secureth us of their fruition, quieteth our minds in the middest of all dangers, comforteth us against all afflictions, as a rich treasury supplieth all our wants, and is unto us an impregnable Fort to keep off all our spiritual enemies, and Armour of proof to beat back the darts of their tentations) we must in our judgements esteem it according to the worth and value, in our hearts and affections love and desire it, and so resolve, with all care and good conscience, to endeavour in the use of all good means whereby we may attain unto it, and preserve and cherish ⟨p. 97⟩it when we have gotten it. As first, if we would have the effect wrought in us, we must labour that the causes of it may be effectual in us to this purpose. And seeing God is the author of this excellent gift, and that rich fountain of all grace and goodness, from which 1flow these sweet and still streams of Christian security, let us beg it at his hands by fervent prayer, who is no niggard of his gifts, but hath promised to give them plentifully to all that ask them in the name of his Sonne. Yea, let us not only seek this security from him as the fountain, but ground it on him only as the alone foundation of it. For there is nothing in our selves or any creature, whereupon it may safely and surely rest, but only upon Gods infinite wisdom, beholding us and all things, with all means and opportunities to preserve us from all evil, and to confer upon us all good; and his omnipotent power, whereby he is able to do whatsoever in his wisdom he knoweth to be best; upon his all-sufficiency, whereby he sufficeth us by himself alone without all other help; his mercy and goodness, whereby he is as willing and ready, as able to help us; and his promises and trueth, which assure us of his favour, with all the fruits of it, and that he will never fail those who by a lively faith do rest upon them.