A20762:349
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 The first sign are the causes of it.
§. Sect. 1 The first signe are the causes of it.
The next point to be considered, is the signs whereby we may discern whether we have a good conscience, or no; that if 1we have, we may with Paul rejoice in it, if not, we may labour to obtain this precious jewel. Besides therefore these signs, which by the diligent Reader may be easily gathered out of the former discourse, there are divers others which may be added. And first, if we have a good conscience, we may discern it by the causes of it; for it is not the work of nature, which by the fall was corrupted in this, as in all other faculties; but the free gift of God; not purchased by our own merits, not purged from natural defilements with our own satisfactions, but purified from dead works by the precious blood of Christ, 2applied unto us by his holy Spirit and a lively faith. And therefore if we feel no change in our consciences, but that they still remain the same which they always were; if they be not washed with the blood of Christ, which purgeth them, not only from the guilt of sin, but also from dead works, that we may serve the living God; or if their purity and peace proceed from any thing then from this, that being bathed in this fountain 3opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness, they are assured that their sins are pardoned, and shall never be imputed nor laid to their charge; if they be not purified by faith, which both assureth us of salvation, and also worketh by love; but 4