A20762:1716
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 we must chiefly watch over our hearts.
§. Sect. 7 That we must chiefly watch ouer our hearts.
But above all other our internal parts, we must keep our watch with greatest care over our hearts, according to the Wisemans counsel; Above 1all keeping, or with all diligence keep thy heart, for out of it are the issues of life: and the admonition of the Apostle; Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. For the heart is the treasury either of all good or evil, and out of it the tongue speaketh, and the hand worketh. It is the fountain of all our words and actions, and if it be corrupt, it will defile them too; but if it be cleansed and purified by faith, it will also purify the streams which flow from it. 2It is a vessel apt to receive all liquors good or evil, and therefore our care must be to replenish it with the best, and then to cover and keep it close, that nothing be spilt and lost, and lest it receive soil, or have any evil thing infused into it; for as the Wise man observed, dead Flies taint the whole pot of precious ointment. It must be kept carefully as an enclosed Garden and Vineyard, that all annoyances being kept out with the fence, it may bring forth good fruits and ripe Grapes pleasing to Gods taste; and not suffered to lye open as an high-way, where all things are trampled under-foot or stolen away, and nothing suffered to thrive which is profitable for use. Now by heart, here I chiefly understand all the affections and desires, both concupiscible and irascible, all the passions of love, hatred, hope, despair, joy, sorrow, anger, and fear. And by keeping of them, their holding in subjection unto reason, it self being first made subject to the Word and will of God, and the right employing of them about their fit and proper objects, only loving that which is good, and hating that which is evil, rejoicing in the testimonies of Gods love, and sorrowing for sin, because he is displeased with it, hoping in Gods mercies, and despairing