A20762:849
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
Book 3 › Chapter 14 › Section 4: §. Sect. 4 That we must pray in faith.
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. 4 That we must pray in faith.
Secondly, it is required that we pray in faith; for we cannot come unto God, before we believe that God is; and as the Apostle speaketh, How shall 1we call upon God, in whom we have not believed? seeing no man is willing to pray, unless it be for form and fashion sake, but he who is persuaded that God will be gracious unto him and give ear unto his requests. Secondly, without faith our persons are not accepted of God, and they can no otherwise be accepted but in Christ, nor we be in Christ but by faith: and consequently our actions cannot please him, when our persons do not, yea being tainted with our corruptions, they are turned into sin. Thirdly, 2we can have no access unto God, but through Christ our Mediator, being naturally dead in sin, and the children of wrath as well as others; 3neither have we any interest in Christ, till by a lively faith we be ingrafted into him. Fourthly, without faith we have no hope to be heard, seeing the prayer of the faithful man only availeth with God, as the Apostle speaketh, and as we believe, so it shall be unto us. For we have no assurance but from 4Gods promises, which are always made upon the condition of faith, bringing forth the fruits of unfeigned repentance. In all which respects, it is most necessary that we join faith with our prayers, and first a justifying faith, which applieth unto us in general, the promises of the Gospel, Christ Jesus and all his benefits, and assureth us of the remission of our sins, of reconciliation with God, and that both our prayers and persons are accepted of him; whereby we are emboldened to approach unto the Throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of 5need. And secondly, some more special acts and branches of this faith, which persuade in particular, 1. That our prayers in their several parts are agreeable unto Gods will and Word; that the things we pray for be good and lawful, tending to the advancement of Gods glory and our own salvation, and such as the Lord hath promised to bestow upon us. Secondly, that thus praying according to Gods will, he will hear us graciously, and grant unto us even those particular blessings and benefits which we have