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.

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Title
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.
Author
Downame, John, d. 1652.
Publication
Printed at London :: By Felix Kingstone [and William Stansby] for Ed: Weuer & W: Bladen at the north dore of Pauls,
[1622]
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Subject terms
Christian life -- Early works to 1800.
Cite this Item
"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." In the digital collection Early English Books Online 2. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A20762.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 21, 2024.

Pages

§. Sect. 1 The summe of the seuenth Commande∣ment▪ The du∣ties which it inioyneth, and vices which it forbiddeth.

THe three following Commandements respect the adiuncts of our neighbours persons: for after that God had prouided for the life and person of our neighbour and our selues (which is the chiefe and principall) in the former Commandement he descendeth downe lower, to make prouision for the good, and preseruation of all that belong both vnto them and vs. And these are either internall or externall: internall, as the chastity and purity of our owne, and our neighbours persons, in the seuenth Commandement: ex∣ternall, as the preseruation of propriety in goods in the eighth, and our owne and neighbours good name in the ninth. Next vnto the Com∣mandement that respecteth life, the seuenth Commandement which pro∣uideth for the chastity and purity of the person, hath place, as comming neerest vnto life in worth and excellency, and to bee preferred before all outward things, either goods or good name. For if the persons of men bee vnchaste, and defiled with vncleane lusts, then must also marriage,

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which is the fountaine of life and generation, be defiled; and from such a fountaine what can spring, but an vncleane and filthy life, which is not to bee preferred before death it selfe? And therefore next vnto the preser∣uation of our liues, our chiefest care must bee to preserue our chastity and purity, which is the very life of our life, and without which, it would bring no true ioy or comfort vnto vs. The which, the Lord requireth of vs in the seuenth Commandement, in these wordes; Thou shalt not com∣mit adultery. In which words, the Lord forbiddeth all vncleane lusts, with all the meanes and signes of them, and also that wee should bee ac∣cessary vnto the vncleannesse of others; and contrariwise commandeth the preseruation of our chastity and purity, with the meanes and signes of it, and also, that as much as in vs lyeth, wee prouide for the chastity of our neighbours. Now this chastity is either inward in the soule and heart, or outward in the body. First then, wee must preserue the inward chastity of the soule, from all motions and passions of vncleane lusts, and vnlawfull concupiscence of the flesh, which is the adultery of the heart, that our Sauiour condemneth, and that concupiscence of the flesh, and euill concupiscence, which the Apostles forbid. Neither is all concupiscence euill and to bee condemned; for that is lawfull, whereby we desire the pro∣pagation of mankinde by naturall generation, being Gods ordinance, and inioyned in the state of innocencie; if it bee neither immoderate, immodest, nor vnseasonable. Secondly, wee must preserue our outward chastity, and possesse our vessels in holinesse and honour. Vnto which is required the chastity of our eyes, containing them from beholding wan∣ton and vncleane obiects; of our eares, stopping them against all rot∣ten, corrupt, and filthy communication; of our tongues, restraining them from all beastly and bawdy speaking; and of our actions, abstai∣ning from all acts of vncleannesse, wanton and vnchaste pleasures. And thus we are to preserue our chastity, either in single life, which is the gift of continency and pure abstinence, both from vncleane lusts, and also from marriage; or in wedlocke, vnto which is required coniugall fidelity, the moderate, modest, and seasonable vse of the marriage bed; and pure ab∣stinence, vpon necessary and iust occasions, as in time of absence, and of the womans separation, or that vpon fit occasions we may wholly giue our selues to fasting and prayer.

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