A20762:926
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. 2 That it is Gods ordinance that we should labour in our callings.
§. Sect. 2 That it is Gods ordinance that wee should labour in our callings.
Again, let us consider that the Lord himself is the Author of our callings, and that it is his ordinance that we should labour in them. It is he that created, and redeemed, and continually preserveth us, who hath called and set us in our places, and hath appointed unto every one their work and task; and hath not only promised his help and assistance in all our labours, but also hath encouraged us to take pains, by assuring us, that he will richly reward them when we have finished our work. And therefore, if after all this, we will detract our labour, and spend our time in sloth and idleness, what is it but to leave our standings, and to withdraw our selves from under his government? to neglect Gods work, and to do service unto Satan, and the sinful lusts of our own flesh? what is it but to deprive our souls of that comfort which we might have in his company and assistance; and by pretending difficulty in the achieving our labours, to argue and accuse him of insufficiency, who hath undertaken ⟨p. 253⟩to assist us, and by his help to give good success unto all our just endeavours? what is it, but for the enjoying of short and carnal ease to our flesh, to forfeit all hope of obtaining those rich, heavenly, and everlasting rewards, which he hath promised unto us, as the free and gracious wages of our momentany labours?
Againe, let vs consider that the Lord himselfe is the Author of our callings, and that it is his ordinance that we should labour in them. It is he that created, and redeemed, and continually preserueth vs, who hath called and set vs in our places, and hath appointed vnto euery one their worke and taske; and hath not onely promised his helpe and assistance in all our labours, but also hath incouraged vs to take paines, by assuring vs, that he will richly reward them when wee haue finished our worke. And therefore, if after all this, we will detract our labour, and spend our time in sloth and idlenesse, what is it but to leaue our standings, and to withdraw our selues from vnder his gouernment? to neglect Gods worke, and to doe seruice vnto Satan, and the sinfull lusts of our owne flesh? what is it but to depriue our soules of that comfort which we might haue in his company and assistance; and by pretending difficulty in the atchieuing our labours, to argue and accuse him of insufficiency, who hath vndertaken