A20762:272
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 The means of a pure heart, is, highly to esteem▪ it.
§. Sect. 3 The meanes of a pure heart, is, highly to esteeme▪ it.
Now when by these signs, as it were, by the pulse, we come to know the state of our hearts, whether they be choked up with the gross humours of sinful lusts, or inlived and quickened with purity and holiness, as it were the vital spirits of grace, which enable us to the actions of a godly life: in the next place we must carefully use all good means, whereby we may attain unto this purity of heart, if we have it not, or preserve it in us, if we already have it. And first, we are to have it in high esteem, as being a ⟨p. 60⟩most precious jewel, not to be valued with any worldly wealth. For it is the fountain of love, from which all true obedience floweth, according to that of the Apostle; The end of the Commandment is love, out of a pure heart, a good conscience, and faith unfeigned. So that if the heart be not purified 1by faith, this holy guest of divine love will not lodge in it, without which, we cannot perform any duty commanded towards God or our neighbour; or if we do, yet not growing from the root of love, it faileth of its end, and consequently is done in vain. It is the chief place of residence where Gods holy Spirit dwelleth, exercising his virtue, and showing his divine power and Majesty; for if our bodies be the temples