A20762:94
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. 7 That only those can lead a godly life, who are in the covenant of grace.
§. Sect. 7 That onely those can leade a godly life, who are in the couenant of grace.
The third thing required is, that we be in the covenant of grace, made with us in Jesus Christ, whereby God hath assured us that he will be our God, and that we shall be his people; he our gracious Father, and we his children, whom he will accept in his best beloved. For until we be in this covenant, our persons are not accepted, we remaining the slaves of sin, and in the state of death and condemnation, and consequently, nothing which we can do, seem it never so glorious, is pleasing in Gods sight. We are till then under the law and covenant of works, if not as it was given to the Jews, yet as it was engraven in our hearts in our creation; and 1consequently under the curse which is denounced against all that do not 2continue in all which is written in the book of the law to do it, namely, in that perfection which the law requireth. Of which, failing innumerable times, we cannot, according to this strict rule, yield obedience, nor perform the duties of a godly life. But when we are admitted into the covenant of grace made in Jesus Christ, then this rigour of the law is remitted, and we are tied only to the obedience of sons, which consisteth more in our wills, desires, and endeavours, then in our abilities to perform our duty in perfection. The which obedience as this perfect law of liberty doth ⟨p. 10⟩