A20762:805
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. 5 Of the means whereby we may be stirred up to thankfulness.
§. Sect. 5 Of the meanes whereby wee may be stirred vp to thankfulnesse.
Now the means of yielding unto God this daily and continual thankfulness, is partly to remove the causes and occasions of ungratitude, 1and partly to use all helps whereby we may be furthered in this duty. Concerning the former, we must take heed of pride, and all opinion of our own merits, which will make us to think that all which we receive, is less then we deserve; and contrariwise embrace humility, and wholly deny our selves with our own works and worthiness, and so we shall be thankful for the least benefits, when we consider that they are more then we deserve. Secondly, we must not attribute the good things which we 2receive, unto secondary causes and inferior means; as to our own wisdom, power, and industry, but ascribe them wholly unto God, whose gifts they are, for otherwise we shall not give God the praise, but sacrifice 3to our own nets. Thirdly, we must not think how much we want, but what we have; not how many are preferred before us, but how many better then we come behind us, and want the good things which we enjoy. The helps whereby we may be furthered in this duty of thanksgiving, are first, to take notice of those manifold blessings which the Lord heapeth upon us, & even of his particular gifts, at the very time they are received; for whilst they are new, they more affect us, and stir us up to greater thankfulness. Secondly, we must highly value them in our judgements, if not in their own worth, yet as they are love-tokens sent from God, pledges and pawns of his favour, and earnest-pennies of everlasting life and happiness; for the better we conceive of Gods benefits, the more thankful will we be unto him for them. Thirdly, we must keep blessings received in former times, in faithful memories, that we may often recount