The works of the reverend and faithful servant of Jesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…The workes of the reuerend and faithfull seruant af Iesus Christ M. Richard Greenham,…

Now the causes why we are charged to keep such strait watch over our hearts, are in¹ number two. The first is, because the heart doth carry with it every way all our senses: so that as the Heathen said, It is not the eye that seeth, but the heart; it is not the hand that toucheth, but the heart: and so the other senses. So from hence it cometh that there be oftentimes great sounds and much noise: yet because our ears do attend upon our hearts, which are earnestly occupied about some other matter, we hear not the sounds, we do not listen unto the noise. From hence it cometh, that we see not goodly sights and shows when they be sometimes offered unto our eyes, because our eyes are set upon that thing, about thwich the heart is occupied. Yea from hence it cometh, that we sometimes stumble in the plain ground, and our feet do fail us even in •••• places, because our feet are carried with our heart, which is earnestly occupied on some other matter. Therefore although we ought to keep with great care our eyes, our hand•, our ears, and other parts of our body: yet doth it most stand us in hand to keep all watch and ward over our hearts, seeing they rule all the rest.

Now the causes why wee are charged to keepe such straite watch ouer our hearts, are in¹ number two. The first is, because the heart doth carrie with it euery way all our senses: so that as the Heathen said, It is not the eye that seeth, but the heart; it is not the hand that toucheth, but the heart: and so the other senses. So from hence it commeth that there be oftentimes great sounds and much noyse: yet because our eares doe attend vpon our hearts, which are earnestly occupied about some other matter, wee heare not the sounds, we doe not listen vnto the noyse. From hence it commeth, that we see not goodly sights and shewes when they bee sometimes offered vnto our eyes, because our eyes are set vpon that thing, about thwich the heart is occupied. Yea from hence it commeth, that we sometimes stumble in the plaine ground, and our feete doe faile vs euen in •••• places, because our feete are carried with our heart, which is earnestly occupied on some other matter. Therefore although we ought to keepe with great care our eyes, our hand•, our eares, and other parts of our body: yet doth it most stand vs in hand to keepe all watch and ward ouer our hearts, seeing they rule all the rest.