A20762:1717
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. 8 That we must chiefly cleanse and keep our hearts from those corruptions which are most dangerous.
§. Sect. 8 That we must chiefly clense and keepe our hearts from those corruptions which are most dangerous.
Now as we must observe a careful watch in keeping out, or cleansing our hearts from all sin and corruption, so above all, that they do not nourish in them such as are most dangerous to our souls health. As first and principally we must beware of those sins and vices, unto which, through our natural corruption we are most inclined, the which we shall discern by our often falling into them, by our loathness to leave them, and after we have resolved to part with them, and have already broken from them by unfeigned repentance, by our hanging after them in our carnal love, which maketh us, after we are forced to leave them for the safety of our souls, to look back unto them (like Lots wife towards Sodom) with a desire to return, were we not beaten from them with the fear of Gods Judgements. By which signs, when we have discovered them, we must with greatest care watch over our hearts, that we be not again overtaken of them; first, because we have greatest cause to hate and abhor them, seeing by them we have most dishonoured and displeased God. Secondly, because they have most often wounded our consciences, and given us the greatest foils. Thirdly, because they have most disturbed our inward peace, and deprived our hearts of spiritual joy in the assurance of Gods love. Fourthly, because we are still most prone to fall into them, by reason that our corrupt natures are so much inclined towards them; and our carnal love doting upon them, are ready upon all occasions to renew their league and give them entertainment. And therefore as with greatest care and vigilance, we arm our selves against such enemies, as have a strong party in our own City, and many secret Traitors, which are always ready to open the gates and let them in; so must we keep the narrowest watch, and bend our chiefest force against such sins as our flesh and carnal lusts do most affect, and are in greatest league and liking with them, seeing these secret Traitors are still in readiness to give them entertainment, and betray our souls unto them, if we do but a little intermit our spiritual watch. Secondly, we must with singular circumspection take heed of those vices and sins, which do most ordinarily wait upon our special callings, seeing by reason that we are daily conversant in them, they do make against our souls most often and fierce assaults;