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.

CAP. X.

Of the third ground of a godly life, which is a pure heart.

§. Sect. 1 Of a pure heart, what it is; and whence it ariseth.

BEsides those mayne grounds of a godly life before spoken of, sauing knowledge, and a liuely faith, there are two other which arise and spring from them, a pure heart, and a good conscience. By a pure heart, I doe not vnderstand such an one as is free from all sinne and corruption: for who can say, I haue made my heart cleane, I am pure from my sinne? But such an heart as being rege∣nerate by Gods Spirit, is in part purified and sanctified, hating sinne, and louing vertue and holinesse in the inner man; feeling the waight of cor∣ruption, and desiring to be clensed from it, and the want of grace, and resoluing to vse all good meanes, whereby it may be supplyed. And this is a fruit of sauing knowledge, which discouereth vnto vs how vgly sinne is in it selfe; and pernicious vnto vs, and the beauty and excellencie of grace and godlinesse in it owne nature, with the profit which redoundeth vnto vs by it; and also of a iustifying faith, which applying the vertue of Christs death and resurrection, doth mortifie our carnall corruptions, and quicken vs in the life of grace, making vs to hate that sinne which we for∣merly loued, and to loue and imbrace that grace and vertue which in time past wee loathed; and answerably to resolue, that wee will vse all good meanes to be freed from the one, and furnished with the other. All which proceedeth out of our assurance of Gods loue, which being shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost, doth worke in them vnfained loue towards God againe, whereby we desire, resolue, and indeuour, to leaue and for∣sake what he hateth and forbiddeth, and to imbrace and practise whatso∣euer he loueth and commandeth.

§. Sect. 2 That all true fruits of god∣linesse spring from a pure heart.

And this is that pure heart which is necessary to a godly life, as being a chiefe piller that supporteth it, and a liuely fountaine, from which all good and vertuous actions doe spring and flow. For if the heart be pure,

it will purifie all our words and actions: but if it be defiled, we can expect no pure streames from a polluted fountaine; according to that of our Sa∣uiour, Those things which proceed out of the mouth, come foorth of the heart, and they defile the man: for out of the heart proceed euill thoughts, murthers, adulteries, &c. And therefore as it is in vaine to purge the streames when the fountaine is defiled, because it will soone againe pollute them, whereas if the spring be cleere, it will soone clense the streames, though much de∣filed, that issue from it; so is it with the fountaine of the heart, and the words and actions, which from it, as streames doe spring and flow. The heart is the roote and tree, and the words and workes are the fruits it bea∣reth, which discouer what it is; for a good tree bringeth foorth good fruits, and a corrupt tree bringeth foorth euill fruits; neither can a good tree bring foorth euill fruit, nor a corrupt tree bring foorth good fruit, as our Sauiour hath taught vs. It is the treasurie of all our thoughts, speeches and acti∣ons. And a good man, out of the good treasure of his heart, bringeth foorth that which is good; and an euill man, out of the euill treasure of his heart, brin∣geth foorth that which is euill, for of the abundance of the heart, the mouth spea∣keth. It is the King and Monarch in the little world of man, which giueth lawes to all the other members, raigning and ruling ouer them as it see∣meth good vnto it. It is the primum mobile, and first moouer, which giueth motion to all other parts as inferiour spheares; and as it were the first wheele of the clocke, whose motion all the rest follow, standing still when it standeth, and going as it goeth. So that if the heart bee an inditer of a good matter, the tongue will be the pen of a ready writer; if the heart bee prepared, so also will be the tongue to sing and giue praise; if it nourish euill thoughts like vnto discords, there can be no good musike: but if it be well tuned, we shall, in singing Hymnes, Psalmes, and spirituall Songs, sing with grace, and make sweete melody in Gods eares. And therefore Dauid desiring to make good speed in the way of godlinesse, desireth first to haue his heart in larged with the loue of it; I will runne (saith he) the way of thy Commandements, when thou shalt inlarge my heart.

§. Sect. 3 That God chiefly desi∣reth the heart aboue all other parts.

And hereof it is that the Lord chiefly requireth the heart, according to that of Salomon, My sonne, giue me thy heart. The which also Dauid chiefly required of him in the seruice of God; And thou Salomon my sonne, know thou the God of thy father, and serue him with a perfect heart and willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts. It is, aboue all other parts, the sacrifice which is most acceptable vnto God, according to that of the Psalmist, The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. An vpright heart is his chiefe delight, and though he requireth sincerity both in our words and workes, yet aboue all, he desireth truth in the inward parts. And if the heart be sincere, and desireth to offer vnto God perfect seruice, the Lord passeth by and pardoneth our imperfections, and accepteth as perfect, our weake and worthlesse indeuours; according to that of the Apostle, If there be first a willing minde, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. An example whereof we haue in Iehosaphat and Asa, who though their inward corruptions did breake out into diuers open sinnes, yet because they prepared their hearts to seeke the

Lord, he esteemed them as perfect, and what they did, seemed iust and right in his eyes. Whereas on the other side, how glorious soeuer our words and actions seeme to be, yet if we regard wickednesse in our hearts, the Lord will not regard vs nor our prayers; if we will not lay Gods Word to our heart, to giue glory to his name, he will send a curse vpon vs, by which, euen his bles∣sings shall be accursed.

§. Sect. 3 That God re∣specteth no duty, vnlesse it proceed from a pure and sin∣cere heart.

Neither can any duty of a godly life which we performe vnto God, be approoued of him, vntill our hearts bee first approoued. And as Dauid would not accept of Abners seruice, nor let him haue the fauour of seeing his face, except he brought his wife with him; so neither will the Lord re∣gard any seruice which we offer vnto him, if we leaue our hearts behind vs, which are aboue all other parts espoused vnto him by solemne Coue∣nant. 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 vp these words in your heart, and in your soule, and binde them for a signe vpon your hand, that they may be as frontlets betweene your eyes. And againe, Set your hearts vnto all the words which I testifie among you this day. In our conuersion vnto God, the heart must first turne vnto him. Turne ye vnto me with all your heart, &c. and rent your heart, and not your garments, and turne vnto the Lord your God. Breake vp your fallow ground, and sow not among thornes; circumcise your selues vnto the Lord, and take away the foreskin of your hearts. In our spirituall warfare against the enemies of our saluation, the Court of gard must keepe the carefullest watch about the Castle of our hearts, that it may not be surprized, neither by the secret treason of the flesh, nor the open violence of the deuill or the world, seeing if we lose this fort, we shall lose the life of grace which is preserued in it; according to that of Salomon, Keepe thine heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life. The cu∣ring our soules of their spirituall diseases, must beginne at the heart; and the inward cause of corruption must thence bee purged, before there can bee any true reformation, or sound health in the outward parts: Euen as the heate of the face is not much abated, by casting vp∣on it water or cooling things, but by allaying inwardly the heate of the liuer. Finally, our seruice of God (if wee would haue it accepted) must not bee performed onely with the outward man: for as the A∣postle speaketh, Bodily exercise profiteth little: but it must bee the ser∣uice of the heart, and performed in spirit and truth. Otherwise it will bee vaine, and but lost labour, according to that of the Pro∣phet cited by our Sauiour; This people draweth nigh vnto mee with their lippes, but their heart is farre from mee. But in vaine they worship mee, &c. If wee wash our hands, and not our hearts, and make cleane the outside of the cup and platter, and let the inside bee defiled with corruption and sinne, wee shall not exceed the Pharises, who by our Sauiours censure, did not exceede the hypocrites, and were worse then Publicanes and professed sinners: and if wee gild the outside by a glo∣rious profession, and inwardly in the heart nourish our corruptions, wee shall with them bee rightly compared to painted sepulchers, which were outwardly glorious, but within full of dead mens bones and all vn∣cleannesse.

§. Sect. 4 That all true reformation & repentance must begin with the con∣secrating of our whole hearts vnto God.

And therefore when we goe about the reformation of our liues, let vs first begin witht he purging of our hearts, and offer them vnto God, as a free-will offering, and the first fruits of our new obedience, if wee meane to haue a good crop of godlinesse, and the whole haruest sanctifyed to our vse. And this was Dauids practice, watching chiefely ouer his heart, that he might consecrate it, aboue all other parts, to the Seruice of God. I delight (saith he) to doe thy will, O my God, yea thy Law is within my heart. And againe, I haue inclined mine heart to performe thy Statutes alway euen vnto the end. My soule hath kept thy testimonies, and I loue them exceedingly. So Moses prayeth vnto God, in behalfe of himselfe and the people, Teach vs so to number our dayes, that we may apply our hearts to wisdome. Nei∣ther is it sufficient, eyther to please God, or to attaine vnto sanctification and a godly life, to consectate our hearts in part only vnto Gods seruice, and to reserue part for the seruice of the world. For wee cannot serue two masters so contrary in disposition, nor at once please God and Mammon, as our Sauiour hath taught vs. We must not halt betweene two opinions, but if God be God, wee must serue him: If Baal be God, we must serue him. God is a iealous louer, and will indure no corriuals in the heart, which aboue all parts he chiefely loueth. And therefore if we intend to leade a godly life, and to please God in all our courses, wee must set our whole hearts to seeke and serue him, and as he requireth, loue him with all our heart, and with all our soule, and with all our mind. So Dauid; With my whole heart haue I sought thee, O let me not wander from thy Commandements. Giue mee vnder∣standing, and I shall keepe thy Law; yea, I shall obserue it with my whole heart. And thus Asa and his people entred into a Couenant to seeke the Lord God of their fathers, with all their heart and with all their soule.

§. Sect. 5 That we must take speciall care for the purifying of our hearts, and wherein it chiefely con∣sisteth.

By all which it appeareth how necessary it is, that intending to lead a Godly life, we deuote and consecrate our hearts, yea, our whole hearts, to the seruice of God. And because he being most pure, can indure no corruption or pollution, and therefore will abhorre our most formall ser∣uice, if our hearts continue and delight in their abominations, yea, will as much hate the heart it selfe polluted with sinne, if it be offered vnto him, as Swines blood, or a dogs head; therefore from hence also it appea∣reth how necessary it is, when we set our selues to please God by a godly life, to take speciall care to haue in the first place, our hearts purged, and purified from the filth of sinne. For naturally our hearts are full of all vn∣cleanenesse, fountaines of maliciousnes, and sinkes of sinne, spiritually blind and foolish, but vnto all impiety, witty, sharp-sighted, and, as the Prophet speaketh, wicked and despightfull aboue all things; auerse vnto all good, and prone to all euill, dead and dull to Gods seruice, and full of life and vigour to the seruice of the diuell, the world, and our owne car∣nall concupiscence. Finally, they swarme with all noysome lusts, as pride, hypocrisie, couetousnesse, voluptuousnesse, ambition, malice, enuie, dis∣daine, worldly loue, and all manner of carnall corruption. And there∣fore it is most necessary that our hearts be first cleansed and purged, be∣fore wee can offer vnto God any acceptable seruice: for what can issue out of these sinks and puddles of corruption, but all manner of sinfull impiety? and what streames of Gods seruice so pure in themselues, which will not

bee polluted, if they runne thorow these dennes and ditches of all abomi∣nations? Now this purging of the heart consisteth in the mortification of the flesh, and its sinfull lusts, and in spirituall renewing vnto holinesse and new obedience, whereby we begin to hate all that euill which we former∣ly loued, and to loue that good which we formerly hated; to loath the ty∣ranny of sinne and Satan, vnto which, with all willingnesse we subiected our selues in time past, and to imbrace the true seruice of God, in all sin∣cerity, which before, we eyther neglected, or performed after a formall, cold and careles manner: And finally, haue our hearts and affections wea∣ned from the loue of the world and earthly vanities, vpon which, in the dayes of our ignorance, wee wholy doted, as on our chiefe delight and treasure, because we now see that they are vncertaine, momentany and mutable, worthlesse and vnprofitable; yea, to those that set their hearts vpon them, hurtfull and pernicious. And contrariwise, adhere and cleaue vnto the Lord, with all our soules, as being all-sufficient, and infinite in all perfection, chusing him for our portion, and inheritance, our rocke and refuge, and farre preferring him before all earthly treasures and delights. And thus the Lord, when he called Abraham out of Vr of the Chalde∣ans, to bee his seruant, withdraweth his heart from the loue of worldly things, as being insufficient to preserue him from euill, or to furnish him with any true good, by promising that he himselfe would be his shield and exceeding great reward. And thus he perswadeth him vnto vprightnesse of heart, and to walke before him in holinesse of life, because, if hee would chuse him for his portion, he should finde him almighty, and all-suffici∣ent, and therefore able to preserue him from all danger, and to relieue and supply all his wants, though for his profession and practice of Gods true Religion, he should be abandoned of all worldly helpes, & exposed to the malice of many and mighty enemies. And thus Moses contemned the world, and refusing the pleasures of Egypt, and the honours of Pharaohs Court, adhered vnto God and his pure Religion, chusing rather to suffer affliction with his people, then to inoy the pleasures of sinne for a season. So Dauid being in his heart and affections, like a weaned child, and lothing the worlds brests, from which he had formerly sucked the sweet milk of earth∣ly vanities, with so much delight, doth with all his heart and soule cleaue vnto the Lord, chusing him for his portion, and inheritance, and estee∣ming him as his sole treasure. The Lord (saith he) is the portion of mine in∣heritance, and of my cup; thou maintainest my lot. The lines are falne vnto me in pleasant places, yea, I haue a goodly heritage. And when he was forsaken of all worldly helpes in the day of trouble, hee was not (like worldlings) as a man forlorne and desperate, but, he cryed vnto the Lord, and said, Thou art my refuge and my portion, in the land of the liuing. So elsewhere he pro∣fesseth, that all his ioy and comfort was in the Lord, and the assurance of his loue, the which was better and greater, then was incident to world∣lings in all their posterity. There be many (saith he) that say, Who will shew vs any good? Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs. Thou hast put gladnesse in my heart, more then in the time that their corne and their wine increased. And thus the Church in the Lamentation, was not in her grea∣test misery, left hopelesse and helpelesse, but cleauing to the Lord with

her heart, shee cryeth out; The Lord is my portion, saith my soule, therefore will I hope in him.

§. Sect. 6 Of the causes of the hearts purity.

And these are the things wherein this purity of heart doth consist. The principall efficient which worketh it in vs, is the whole Trinity, the Fa∣ther, Sonne and holy Spirit. God the Father beginneth this sanctificati∣on and holinesse in our hearts, by taking away their hardnesse, and ma∣king them soft and tender, and by giuing vnto vs his Spirit, to purify them from the filth of corruption, and to quicken them in the life of grace; ac∣cording to that promise; I will giue them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their bodies, and will giue them an heart of flesh. And againe; After those daies, saith the Lord, I will put my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts. And therefore if we would haue this grace, we must with the Apostle haue our recourse to God, praying for our selues, as he did for the Thessalonians: The very God of peace sanctifie you wholy; and I pray God, your whole spirit, and soule, and body, be preserued blamelesse vnto the comming of the Lord Iesus Christ. God the Sonne purifieth our hearts by shedding his precious blood, that it might be a Lauer of regeneration, wherein our polluted hearts might be cleansed. For so deepely are they engrayned in the skarlet dye of sinne, that nothing else will take away their spots and staines, and bring them vnto snowy whitenesse. It is onely his Crosse, that crucifieth these carnall corruptions, and the vertue of his death, that killeth and mortifieth sin in vs. And this is that Fountaine which the Lord promiseth should be opened to the house of Dauid and Hierusalem, for sinne and for vncleanenesse: in which if our hearts be not washed, they will remaine in their naturall filthinesse. God the holy Ghost purifieth our hearts, by vniting them to Christ, & by dipping and washing them in this Fountaine of his blood; and so maketh the death and merits of our Sauiour, which are sufficient in themselues, effectuall vnto vs for our purification. For as the Poole of Bethesda had, by the mouing of the Angell, vertue in it to cure diseases, but yet did good to none, but those only which were put into it; so though the blood of Christ be sufficient to cure the heart of the leprosie of sinne, and to make it cleane, yet it is of no efficacie vnto any, sauing those who are by the holy Spirit dipped and washed in it; seeing, like the poore lame crip∣ple, wee are naturally impotent, and cannot make any vse of these meanes of our recouery, vnles we be assisted by the holy Spirit. The instrumentall cause of this purificatiō is a liuely faith wrought in vs by the Spirit to this end, the which we may apply vnto our selues, Christ his death and preci∣ous bloodshed, for our spirituall purging from sinne: which is perfected in our iustification, in respect of the guilt and punishment, and begun in our sanctification, by purifying our hearts from their natural corruptions. In which respect, faith is said to purifie our hearts, not materially or for∣mally, by any vertue inherent in it selfe, but instrumentally, by applying vnto vs the vertue of Christs death and bloodshed. And vntill we haue this faith wrought in vs by the Spirit, whereby we are assured of the rich∣es of Gods grace in this life, and glory and happinesse in the life to come, our hearts remaine it their naturall filthinesse, and are full of all carnall and worldly lusts, neither is it possible that they should be perswaded to

contemne the baites of worldly vanities, and to tread vnder-foot the plea∣sures of sinne, with which they are naturally so much delighted, till they haue an offer of better things from God, and haue some assurance, that vpon their renouncing of the world and fleshly lusts, and seeking after these richer gifts, they shall most certainely attaine vnto them; according to that of the Apostle, Blessed be God, and the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, who according to his abundant mercy, hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuely hope, by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and vndefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserued in heauen for you. And this purged Moses heart from the loue of the world, and made him willing to suffer afflictions with the people of God, because with the eye of faith he looked vpon the recompence of reward. And this caused the Saints of God to content themselues to dwel in tabernacles, & not to regard any earthly mansions, because they looked for a City which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God: & the holy Martyrs, to indure with patience & ioy most cruell persecution, not accepting deliuerance, because by faith they were per∣swaded, that they should obtaine a better resurrection. Of which comforts of fayth, wee haue great neede to be thereby supported vnder the Crosse, and perswaded vnto the contempt of the world; seeing Iesus, the Author and finisher of our faith, who was free from all worldly lusts and carnall corruption, was by his heauenly hopes incouraged in his earthly suffe∣rings: for as the Apostle testifieth, He, for the ioy that was set before him, endured the crosses, despising the shame, and is set downe at the right hand of the Throne of God.

Notes

• Prou. 20. 9.
• Rom. 5. 5.
• Mat. 15. 19.
• Mat. 7. 17, 18.
• Luk. 6. 45.
• Psa. 45. 1. & 57. 7. & 108. 1.
• Col. 3. 16.
• Psal. 119. 32.
• Pro. 23 26. 1. Chron. 28. 9.
• Psal. 51. 17.
• Vers. 7.
• 2. Cor. 8 12.
• 2. Chr. 19. 3.
• 1. King. 15. 11.
• Psal. 66. 18.
• Mal. 2. 2.
• 2. Sam. 3. 13. Deut. 6. 6.
• Deut. 11. 18. & 32. 46.
• Ioel 2. 12, 13.
• Ier. 4. 3, 4.
• Pro. 4. 23.
• 1. Tim▪ 4. 8.
• Ioh. 4. 23.
• Matth. 15. 8.
• Mat. 23. 25, 27.
• Psal. 40. 8. Psal. 119. 112, 167 & 141. 4.
• Matth. 6. 24. 1. King. 18. 21.
• Deut. 6. 5. Mat. 22. 37. Psal. 119. 10, 34.
• 2. Chro. 15. 12.
• Esa. 66. 3.
• Ier. 17. 9.
• Gen. 15. 1.
• Gen. 17. 1.
• Heb. 11. 25.
• Psal. 131. 2.
• Psal. 16. 5, 6.
• Psal. 142. 5. & 119. 57.
• Psal. 4. 5, 6, 7.
• Lam. 3. 24.
• Ezech. 11. 19. & 36. 26.
• Ier. 31. 33.
• 1. Thes. 5. 23.
• Zach. 13. 1.
• Ioh. 3. 5.
• Ioh. 5.
• Act. 15. 9.
• 1. Pet. 1. 4.
• Heb. 11. 25.
• Heb. 11. 9, 10.
• Heb. 11. 33.
• Heb. 12. 2.