A20762:253
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. 3 That God respecteth no duty, unless it proceed from a pure and sincere heart.
§. Sect. 3 That God respecteth no duty, vnlesse it proceed from a pure and sincere heart.
Neither can any duty of a godly life which we perform unto God, be approved of him, until our hearts be first approved. And as David 1would not accept of Abners service, nor let him have the favour of seeing his face, except he brought his wife with him; so neither will the Lord regard any service which we offer unto him, if we leave our hearts behind us, which are above all other parts espoused unto him by solemn Covenant. In all our obedience the heart is chiefly required. These words which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: ye shall lay up these words in your heart, and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And again, Set your hearts unto 2all the words which I testify among you this day. In our conversion unto God, the heart must first turn unto him. Turn ye unto me with all your heart, &c. and rent your heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the Lord your 3God. Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns; circumcise your selves unto the Lord, and take away the foreskin of your hearts. In our 4spiritual warfare against the enemies of our salvation, the Court of guard must keep the carefullest watch about the Castle of our hearts, that it may not be surprised, neither by the secret treason of the flesh, nor the open violence of the devil or the world, seeing if we lose this fort, we shall lose the life of grace which is preserved in it; according to that of Solomon, Keep thine heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. The curing