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.

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Title
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.
Author
Downame, John, d. 1652.
Publication
Printed at London :: By Felix Kingstone [and William Stansby] for Ed: Weuer & W: Bladen at the north dore of Pauls,
[1622]
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Subject terms
Christian life -- Early works to 1800.
Cite this Item
"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." In the digital collection Early English Books Online 2. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A20762.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 21, 2024.

Pages

§. Sect. 1 Of the daily renewing of our couenant with God, by the renewing of our faith and repentance.

BY the testimonies and reasons before alledged, wee haue made it euident, that it is not sufficient to serue God by fits and at sometimes, neglecting his seruice, and seruing the world and our owne lusts at another; but that the daily exercise of a godly life, in the continuall performance of all Christian duties, is most profitable and necessary. And now it remaineth that we giue some directions, for the well-performing of this daily exer∣cise. To which end, wee are to know that these duties, wherein wee are daily to be exercised, are of two sorts. First, generall, which are not onely euery day necessarily to be in some degree and measure performed, but also to be obserued in euery part of the day, and in all the particular acts and exercises of it, as occasion serueth. The second more speciall, and belonging more principally and properly vnto the diuers parts and seue∣rall occasions of euery day. The former are more internall and spirituall

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betweene God and vs, seruing to set our hearts in due frame, and to make them constant and resolute to consecrate our selues wholly to Gods ser∣uice, and in all things to please him. The latter more externall for the most part, and visible, which are the outward exercises proceeding from the other, and (as it were) the pleasant fruits which spring from those in∣ward and hidden rootes. The first mayne duty, which ought to be of euery Christian daily and duly performed, is to confirme, and in some sort to renew the Couenant of grace betweene God and vs in Iesus Christ, wherein God for his part doth of his free grace promise the remission of all our sinnes, his spirituall graces, his fauour and reconciliation, iustifica∣tion and adoption, his holy Spirit with all spirituall and temporall gifts and graces in this world, and euerlasting life and saluation in the world to come, in and for his Sonne Christ. And we for our part doe promise and couenant, that we will receiue and imbrace Christ with all these benefits by a liuely faith, and bring foorth the fruits thereof in hearty repentance and new obedience. The which Couenant, is the maine ground and foun∣dation of all the good things we receiue from God in this life, and of all the ioy and comfort which wee take in them; and of our future hopes and happinesse in the life to come. And therefore as Citizens doe chiefly looke to the preseruation and establishment of the grand Charter, that containeth all their priuiledges: And as Souldiers in time of a siege, doe euery day looke vnto their mayne fortifications and bulwarkes, and if they be any way shattered and shaken in the last assaults, doe with all care and diligence repaire and strengthen them: So must wee who professe our selues Citizens of the spirituall Sion and heauenly Ierusalem, vse all good meanes to ratifie this Charter, which is the chiefe assurance of all the good which we either now can haue, or heereafter expect; and seeing in the time of our spirituall warfare, Satan with his assistants seeke to shake and weaken this chiefe Tower of our strength, with the engines and Ca∣non shot of their tentations; therefore we must daily haue a speciall eye to this our principall Bulwarke, and vse continually all good meanes, whereby the breaches may be repaired and strengthened against the next assault. And howsoeuer we are after a more principall manner to renew and confirme our Couenant with God at set and solemne times, as gene∣rally before wee come to the Lords Table, and specially in the time of thanksgiuing, for some singular and extraordinary benefits, or of extra∣ordinary humiliation in respect of some sinnes, into which, after our con∣uersion we haue relapsed; or some grieuous afflictions, from which wee desire to be deliuered; or some dangerous sicknesse, the vsuall fore-runner of death and Iudgement, as wee shall more fully shew heereafter: yet see∣ing wee must daily and hourely liue by faith; and seeing faith hath no other ground to rest vpon, for the applying and appropriating of any of Gods benefits, but the Couenant of grace which hee hath made with vs, the which, though on Gods part it be more immooueable then the rockes and mountaines, yet is often shaken in respect of our weake apprehension, euen as a rocke may seeme to mooue, when it is lightly touched with a trembling hand, & a mountaine to shake, when as it is beheld with a weak and quiuering eye; who seeth not how necessary it is to vse daily all good

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meanes, whereby wee may make this couenant which is so strong in it selfe, to be also strong vnto vs, and a firme foundation whereupon we may build our ioy and comfort?

Notes

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