A20762:340
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.
§. Sect. 1 That a good conscience witnesseth unto us our sanctification.
§. Sect. 1 That a good conscience witnesseth vnto vs our sanctification.
And as the conscience thus beareth witness of our justification, and reconciliation, so also of our sanctification, namely, that being freed from sin, we are become servants of righteousness, and not only delivered from the guilt and punishment of sin, but also from the corruption, power, and dominion of it, so that though it dwell in us, as a traitorous slave, yet it doth not reign and rule in us, as in times past. And though we be not wholly freed from all relics of sin and corruption, nor can perform unto God that perfect obedience which the Law requireth; yet our consciences give in evidence with us, that we are in part sanctified, and shall in Gods good time have this work thoroughly perfected, and that in the mean while, we hate the evil we do, and love the good we do not, delighting in the Law of God in the inner man, even when we 1are led captive unto sin; that we desire and resolve to please God in all things, and endeavour in the use of all good means, to have our desires satisfied; and consequently, that we perform that Evangelical obedience which God requireth, and are through Christ accepted of him. In which regard we may say with Paul, from the time of our effectual calling, that we have lived with all good conscience until this day. Again, a good conscience is our warrant for all our actions, testifying unto us, that what we 2have done, and are about to do, is commanded of God, whereby we are comforted in those duties which we have performed, and encouraged to proceed in well-doing, because we do not our own will, but the will of God. And though our actions be imperfect in themselves, yet being done in sincerity and with upright hearts, we shall not be discouraged in the sight and sense of our imperfections, yea, rather we shall find cause of rejoicing and glorying in them, because being done with a good conscience, it will justify and give witness unto us, that we are also justified and approved of God, and have both our persons and works accepted of him through Jesus Christ; according to that of the Apostle John, If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God. And this