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.

§. Sect. 3 Reasons mo∣uing vs to im∣brace integri∣ty and sinceri∣ty. 1. Because the Lord chiefly loveth and de∣lighteth in it.

Now because these two are neuer seuered, neither in the subiect, nor in our practice, I will not disioyne them in my discourse; but will shew, first, the reasons which may moue vs to performe all our seruice vnto God, and the duties of a godly life with integrity and sincerity; and then the meanes whereby we may attaine vnto it. For the former, wee are to im∣brace this integrity and sincerity, truth and vprightnesse of heart in all duties of a godly life, because the Lord chiefly loueth and delighteth in them, preferring them much before all outward duties, seeme they neuer so glorious. For he loueth truth in the inward parts, and esteemeth it farre * 1.1 aboue all legall sacrifices, and therefore after all they are abrogated and abolished, retaineth it still in all duties of his seruice. And as Dauid also * 1.2 speaketh in another place; He tryeth the heart, and hath pleasure in vpright∣nesse. Neither doth he see as man seeth; for man looketh to the outward appea∣rance; * 1.3 but the Lord looketh vpon the heart. Whereof it is, that hee chiefly re∣quireth this integrity and sincerity in all his seruice; Thou shalt keepe his Statutes and Iudgements with all thine heart, and with all thy soule. So Ioshuah: * 1.4

Feare the Lord, and serue him in sincerity and truth. And Samuel; Feare the * 1.5 Lord, and serue him in truth, and with all your heart. And this God requireth of Abraham, Walke before me, and be vpright: And Dauid of his sonne * 1.6 Salomon; Know thou the God of thy father, and serue him with a perfect heart, and with a willing minde. And finally, our Sauiour faith, that hee requireth it of all who offer to doe him any seruice, that as he is a Spirit, so also they * 1.7 should worship in spirit and in truth. And as we must generally obserue it in all Gods worship, so in all the parts and duties of it: For we must call vp∣on * 1.8 God in sincerity and truth, if wee desire that hee should heare vs; wee must with Dauid, Praise God with vprightnesse of heart; and, in singing * 1.9 Psalmes, and hymnes, and spirituall songs, we must not chiefly respect the vo∣call tune, but make melody vnto the Lord with our hearts, as the Apostle spea∣keth. * 1.10 We must keepe vnto God the spirituall Passeouer, not with the old leauen of malice and wickednes, but with the vnleauened bread of sincerity and truth. We must doe the workes of mercy, and giue our almes with our hearts, as well as with our hands, for the Lord loueth a cheerfull giuer: And * 1.11 in a word, whatsoeuer duty we performe vnto others, we must doe it hear∣tily, as vnto the Lord, and not vnto men. On the other side, he condemneth dissimulation and hypocrisie, as vices which are most lothsome and odi∣ous vnto him: yea so much doth the Lord abhorre it, that in the Law hee * 1.12 forbiddeth the very signes and shewes of it. He would haue no leauen in his Passeouer, nor their garments made of linsey-woolsey, nor their fields plowed with an Oxe and an Asse, nor sowne with seeds of diuers kinds; not that God cared for these things, but to shew, vnder these types and shadowes, how much he detesteth all hypocrisie and double-dealing.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Psa. 51. 6, 16, 17
• * 1.2

  1. Chron. 29. 17.
• * 1.3

  1. Sam. 16. 7.
• * 1.4

  Deut. 26. 16.
• * 1.5

  Josh. 24. 14. 1. Sam. 12. 24.
• * 1.6

  Gen. 17. 1. 1. Chron. 28. 9.
• * 1.7

  Iohn 4. 24.
• * 1.8

  Psal. 145. 18.
• * 1.9

  Psal. 119. 9.
• * 1.10

  Col. 3. 16. 1. Cor. 5. 8.
• * 1.11

  2. Cor. 9. 7. Col. 3. 23.
• * 1.12

  Exod. 12. 15. 1. Cor. 5. 8. Leuit. 22. 19. Deut. 22. 9, 10.