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

The fourth means is, that we keep a narrow watch over our hearts, labouring daily to approve their sincerity unto God. For naturally they ¹are deceitful, and much hypocrisy and dissimulation lieth lurking in them. In which respect it is necessary, that we often examine them, with what purpose we perform good actions, what causes move us, and at what ends we aim. And if we find them worldly and carnal, let us labour to purge them from these corruptions, according to that of the Apostle James; Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double-minded. ²And when we find them ready to halt between God and the world, either for fear, or for the getting of some earthly benefit, and to start aside from their sincerity, we are to call them back, and finding other bonds too weak to bind these fugitives unto sincerity in Gods service, we are to tie them hereunto by solemn covenant, according to the example of Asa and Josiah, who thus bound themselves and their subjects, ³that with all their hearts and souls they would seek and serve the Lord.

The fourth meanes is, that we keepe a narrow watch ouer our hearts, labouring daily to approue their sincerity vnto God. For naturally they