A20762:722
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. 8 That we must seek to have and hold Gods grace and favour in Jesus Christ.
§. Sect. 8 That we must seeke to haue and hold Gods grace and fauour in Iesus Christ.
Finally, to this duty of seeking God, is required, that we seek to have and to hold his face and favour in Jesus Christ; desiring nothing more in 1the world, then to have the bright beams of his countenance continually shining upon us, and to find and feel the sweet and vital influences of his favour, warming our hearts with joy and comfort; for in him we live, and move, and have our being: and if he graciously behold us with the benign aspect of his mercy and love, we live and flourish; but if he do turn away his face, we are troubled; and if he but blow upon us with the 2breath of his displeasure, our breath will fail, and dying, we shall return to our dust. He is the life-giving Planet, and Sun of all comfort and joy, who by the beams and influences of his favour, both giveth us life, and preserveth us in our well-being. And therefore as the inferior creatures are much endamaged, when in the eclipses of the Sun they are for a short time deprived of its presence and vital influences; so cannot our souls but receive much hurt and spiritual detriment, if the beams of Gods favour be for the shortest moment eclipsed from us. Hereof it is, that we are exhorted to seek the Lord and his face, because in him, our ⟨p. 191⟩3life and strength, virtue and vigour chiefly consisteth. Seek the Lord and 4his strength, seek his face evermore: And therefore no sooner was David moved to perform this duty, but presently he undertaketh it, as being above all other things most pleasant and profitable. When thou saidest