A20762:549
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. 9 The properties of lawful self-love.
§. Sect. 9 The properties of lawfull selfe-loue.
Now the lawful and right love of our selves hath divers properties; for first it is unfeigned, and not counterfeit and dissembled; and seated and settled in the heart, and not in the tongue and lips only. Secondly, it is fervent and effectual, and not cold, remiss, and careless. Thirdly, constant and permanent; and not fickle and mutable, alienated and estranged by frailties and infirmities. And such ought our love to be towards our neighbours, sincere and unfeigned, fervent and effectual, seeking by all means their good, not only in word, but in deed and action, doing 1that unto them, which we would have them do unto us: and finally, we must love them with a constant love, and not alienate our affections from them, in regard of their frailties and imperfections. And thus we are to love our neighbours, either with a common and natural love sanctified by Gods Spirit, or with a special and spiritual love. In respect of the former; as every man out of a natural love doth seek his own good, the preservation of his life, the welfare and health of his body, the chastity of himself and his wife, the prosperity of his estate, and his own credit and good name; so ought we with like love to seek by all means the good and preservation of our neighbours, in every of these, and all other respects. The special and spiritual love, whereby a man loveth himself, causeth him chiefly to seek the enriching of his soul with all sanctifying grace, and to further by all means his everlasting salvation; and with such love also we must love our neighbours; doing them all the good we can, both in respect of their bodies and states, but principally in seeking their spiritual good, and the eternal salvation of their bodies and souls.