A20762:489
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. 6 Of the means whereby we may attain unto humility.
§. Sect. 6 Of the meanes whereby we may attaine vnto humility.
And thus, when our hearts are enlarged with that love of this excellent and profitable grace, let us in the next place carefully use all good means, whereby we may be decked and adorned with it. And first we must often and seriously meditate upon Gods excellency and infiniteness in wisdom, glory, power, justice, and goodness, and then the opinion of our own worth will vanish, like the light of a candle, when the Sun shineth in its full brightness, and our seeming perfection which much pleased us, when we beheld it alone, or compared it with others who come short of us, will appear to be nothing but imperfection, and we vile and of no worth in our own eyes. Secondly, let us compare our state as it is, with that it was in our creation, and there will be great cause of humiliation, in the best gifts and graces in us, seeing they are but the ruins of an old building, and like base worn-out rags of sumptuous apparel. Thirdly, let us compare our virtues and duties, with that which the Law requireth, and so we shall have good cause to be cast down in the sight of our imperfection, when we see what perfection, even upon the penalty of the curse it exacteth of us. Fourthly, let us meditate on the matter whereof we are made, and into which we shall again be resolved; and then may we in all humility say with Job to corruption, Thou art my father, and to the 1worm, Thou art my mother and my sister; yea with David, that we are worms and no men: And acknowledge with Abraham, that we are but dust and 2ashes, unworthy to appear in Gods presence, or to make any suite unto him. Fifthly, let us set our many and grievous sins before us, our original corruption, which is the root of all wickedness, and our actual transgressions, both of omission and commission; and withal, the wrath of God, and curse of the Law due unto them; and this will make us with the Publican to cast down our eyes, and smite our breasts, and with broken and contrite hearts to cry out, God, be merciful unto me a sinner.