A20762:619
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. 5 Of truth, which is required in the ninth Commandment.
§. Sect. 5 Of truth, which is required in the ninth Commandement.
1THE ninth Commandment is expressed in these words: Thou shalt not bear, or utter a false, or vain testimony against thy neighbour. Wherein is commanded, that we should think and speak concerning our neighbours, both that which is truth, and also that which is charitable, tendering his and our own credit and good name; and avoiding all speech which is false and uncharitable, especially such as tendeth to the reproach and defamation of our selves and our neighbours. And consequently, here is commanded the preservation of truth amongst men, and of our own and neighbours fame and good name. Now this truth is an agreement and conformity of our speech with our mind, and of our mind, with the truth of the things themselves; the which in all our speech is religiously to be observed, and all falsehood in speech to be avoided, whether we speak that which is false, or the truth falsely, and with an intent to deceive, whether it be in jest, or in earnest, either to help our neighbour with an officious lye, or to hurt him with a pernicious lie. The manner how the truth is to be professed, is first, that we do it freely and charitably, simply and with discretion; avoiding in the excess, undiscreete and unseasonable profession of the truth, to the unnecessary hurt or danger of our selves or others; and in the defect, the denying or betraying of the truth, out of fear or any sinister respect; as also a double and deceitful tongue. The means of this truth are to be carefully used of us, which are, First, to know it; to which end we must be lovers of it, and docible and teachable in learning and conceiving of it, and not voluntarily affect ignorance, nor embrace untruth out of vain credulity. Secondly, we must preserve and maintain it, using to this end constancy and steadfastness in the truth, and shunning unconstancy and pertinacie in error. Thirdly, profitable speech tending to Gods glory and our neighbours good, both spiritual, as tending to his edification, and temporal, serving for his honest delight and profit. Fourthly, that we use the means of entertaining profitable speech, as affability and pleasing communication, and the remedy against unprofitable speech, which is taciturnity and seasonable silence. And contrariwise, we are to avoid all speech which is either vain or hurtful, tending to Gods dishonour and our neighbours hurt;