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

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;

Now as wee must obserue a carefull watch in keeping out, or clensing our hearts from all sinne and corruption, so aboue all, that they doe not nourish in them such as are most dangerous to our soules health. As first and principally we must beware of those sinnes and vices, vnto which, through our naturall corruption we are most inclined, the which we shall discerne by our often falling into them, by our lothnesse to leaue them, and after we haue resolued to part with them, and haue already broken from them by vnfained repentance, by our hanging after them in our carnall loue, which maketh vs, after we are forced to leaue them for the safety of our soules, to looke backe vnto them (like Lots wife towards Sodom) with a desire to returne, were wee not beaten from them with the feare of Gods Iudgements. By which signes, when we haue discouered them, we must with greatest care watch ouer our hearts, that wee bee not againe ouertaken of them; first, because wee haue greatest cause to hate and abhorre them, seeing by them wee haue most dishonoured and displeased God. Secondly, because they haue most often wounded our consciences, and giuen vs the greatest foyles. Thirdly, because they haue most disturbed our inward peace, and depriued our hearts of spirituall ioy in the assurance of Gods loue. 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 carnall loue doting vpon them, are ready vpon all occasions to renew their league and giue them entertainement. And therefore as with greatest care and vigilance, wee arme our selues against such enemies, as haue a strong party in our owne City, and many secret Traytors, which are alwayes ready to open the gates and let them in; so must wee keepe the narrowest watch, and bend our chiefest force against such sinnes as our flesh and carnall lusts doe most affect, and are in greatest league and liking with them, seeing these secret Traytors are still in readinesse to giue them entertainement, and betray our soules vnto them, if wee doe but a little intermit our spirituall watch. Secondly, we must with singular circumspection take heed of those vices and sinnes, which doe most ordinarily waite vpon our speciall callings, seeing by reason that wee are daily conuersant in them, they doe make against our soules most often and fierce assaults;