A20762:91
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 That we must be ingrafted into Christ, before we can lead a godly life.
§. Sect. 6 That we must bee ingrafted into Christ, before wee can leade a godly life.
The second main thing required in those who are to lead a godly life is, that they be ingrafted into Jesus Christ, by virtue of which union he ⟨p. 9⟩becoming their head, and they his members, they have communion with him, and are made partakers of the virtue of his death and resurrection, 1whereby their sins are mortified and crucified, so as they can no longer reign in their mortal bodies, and they quickened unto holiness and newness of life, and so enabled to bring forth the fruits of obedience in the whole course of their conversation. For we are naturally dead and buried in the grave of sin, and not able to stir or move in the actions of godliness; but no sooner are we joined to him, and touch his body crucified by the hand of faith, but presently (like the body touched by Elizaeus 2in the grave) we receive such virtue and vigour from him, that we are revived and raised from this grave of sin, unto holiness and newness of life. We are by nature wild vines, who bring forth nothing but sour grapes of maliciousness and sin; but when we are ingrafted into the 3true vine Jesus Christ, we change our nature, and receiving the lively sap of grace from this root of righteousness, we bring forth the fruits of obedience, whereby our heavenly Father is glorified, and we assured of our election and salvation. Finally, without him we can of our selves do