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. I.

That all duties vniuersally of a godly life, must be performed in sincerity and integrity of heart.

§. Sect. 1 Of that vni∣uersall and totall obedi∣ence which is required.

HAuing shewed what the godly life is, and the du∣ties which are required vnto it generally in the whole course of our conuersation, and more spe∣cially those which belong vnto euery day, it now followeth, according to that order which we haue propounded, that we intreate of the properties of this Christian life, and the duties belonging to it, which may serue as markes and signes, where∣by wee may know them, and also distinguish them from all other which are false and counterfeit. All which may be referred to two heads, the first sort, respecting the duties themselues, the other our manner of doing them, and that both in respect of the action, and also the time of their continuance. The first property respecting the duties them∣selues, or the matter and forme of them, is Vniuersality; for God being the vniuersall Creator, preseruer, and Soueraigne Lord of all things, will haue vs wholly taken vp in performing of all duties of his seruice, and re∣quireth of vs vniuersall and totall obedience, both in respect of the subiect and obiect of it. In respect of the subiect or person that performeth it, the Lord requireth the obedience, not of some few or many parts alone, but of the whole man, internally in the soule, and all the faculties of it, especi∣ally the heart and will; and externally, in all the powers and parts of the body, and chiefly our tongues and speeches, and our workes and actions. Internally, God inioyneth vs to serue him in the duties of a godly life, with all our hearts and soules, which is that wherein he chiefly delighteth, and without which, all outward actions, be they neuer so formall and glo∣rious, are vaine and worthlesse, yea lothsome and odious in his sight. And heereunto there are two things required, which are so like and neere in na∣ture, that they are commonly taken the one for the other, but yet (as I take it) they may be distinguished, though neuer seuered.

§. Sect. 2 Of integrity and sincerity.

The first is integrity, whereby we serue the Lord in all Christian du∣ties with our whole hearts, according to Gods Commandement; Thou * 1.1 shalt feare the Lord thy God, to walke in all his wayes, and to loue him, and to serue the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soule. The which Dauid performed, as he professeth: With my whole heart haue I sought thee; O let me not wander from thy Commandements. Vnto which is opposed, seruing God by the halues, lamely and haltingly, diuiding our hearts be∣tweene him and his enemies, the diuell, Idols, and the earthly Mammon; * 1.2 like the Israelites which halted betweene God and Baal, the true Iehouah, * 1.3 and Idols of the Heathens, and the Samaritans, who feared the Lord, and serued their owne gods. And of such the Prophet Hosea complaineth; Their heart (saith he) is diuided; namely, betweene the true Iehouah, and * 1.4 their Idols. And the Apostle Iames calleth them double-minded, who * 1.5 are vnstable in all their wayes, one while offering vnto God some for∣mall seruice, and another while seruing the world, and their owne lusts. And as they haue double hearts, so also double tongues, speaking vanity * 1.6 to their neighbours with flattering lips, and with an heart and an heart, or a dou∣ble heart. The second is sincerity and vprightnesse of heart, without any mixture of guile and falshood, when as wee worship God in simplicity, truth, and singlenesse of heart, and in performing the duties of his seruice, doe lay aside all carnall, worldly and by-respects, and doe them onely in conscience of his Commandement, and out of a desire to glorifie him by our obedience to his holy will, seeking him therein with our whole hearts, and not our selues and our owne worldly ends, like seruile mercenaries, who serue their masters, not out of any loue they beare him, but onely for their owne gaine and aduantage. Vnto which is opposed dissimulati∣on and hypocrisie; which maketh men to content themselues with out∣ward shewes, which haue no substance; with outward profession, without all sound practice; with a dead carcase of Religion, without the soule of sincerity, or any vertue and vigour appearing in their actions; and with a formall, false and counterfeit seruice in the outward man, without any sub∣stance or truth in the inward parts.

§. 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 * 1.7 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 * 1.8 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; * 1.9 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: * 1.10

Feare the Lord, and serue him in sincerity and truth. And Samuel; Feare the * 1.11 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 * 1.12 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 * 1.13 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 * 1.14 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 * 1.15 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. * 1.16 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 * 1.17 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 * 1.18 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.

§. Sect. 4 That our im∣perfect obedi∣ence is accep∣ted of God, if if it be done in sincerity and integrity.

Secondly, this may mooue vs to imbrace integrity and sincerity, be∣cause the Lord so highly esteemeth it, that he accepteth of our obedience as perfect which springeth from it, though it bee stained with much cor∣ruption, and ioyned with many imperfections. Whereof it is, that in the Scriptures integrity and perfection are promiscuously put the one for the other; and those are said to haue been perfect before God, who in simpli∣city and vprightnesse of heart laboured after perfection, and serued God in sincerity and truth; as Noah, Abraham, Iob, Dauid, Asa, Zachary and Elizabeth, though they had many corruptions and imperfections, which in the Scriptures are recorded of them. And contrariwise the best graces, or rather the most glorious shewes of them, and the most resplendent and formall actions which are not ioyned with it, are no better at the best then glorious sinnes in Gods sight: whereof it is that the Lord specially * 1.19 requireth in all our graces and vertuous actions, that they bee in sincerity and truth, without dissimulation and hypocrisie. So that wisedome which is from aboue, is without hypocrisie and dissimulation, though carnall men thinke them most wise who most excell in it. Our faith must bee vn∣fained, and so must our repentance also, and with our whole heart; and not like Ahabs, in outward shew onely, dissembled and disguized. Our loue must not be in speech and tongue onely, but in deed and truth: we must call * 1.20 vpon God in truth and sincerity, or else our prayers will be but meere lip∣labour, which God will not heare or regard. And therefore Dauid vseth his sincerity in praying, as an argument to perswade the Lord to giue him

audience; Giue eare (saith he) vnto my prayers, which goe not out of fained lips. And Ezechias his integrity of life, as a reason to moue him for there∣pealing * 1.21 of the sentence of death, and prolonging of his dayes. Remember now, O Lord, (saith he) I beseech thee, how I haue walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, &c. Finally, our preaching must not bee deceitfull, like those which make Marchandize of the Word; but as of sincerity, of God, and * 1.22 in the sight of God. And our hearing likewise of the Word, must be in sin∣cerity, as in Gods presence, and as those that heare the Word, not of man, but of God. For otherwise our seeming graces and vertuous actions, like beautifull pictures which want life, spirit and motion, are not substantiall in Gods sight, but shewes and shadowes onely, if integrity and sincerity be wanting, not looking vnto Gods glory, or shewing any loue and obedi∣ence vnto him, but onely vnto our worldly and carnall ends and by-re∣spects of our owne pleasure, profit or preferment.

§. Sect. 5 That the soundnesse of all graces and holy duties consisteth in the sincerity of them.

Thirdly, we must performe all holy duties of a godly life in sincerity and integrity, because otherwise wee cannot approue our selues for sound * 1.23 Christians accepted of God, what outward shew soeuer wee make; nor our badges and signes of Christianity such, as will giue vnto vs any assu∣rance that we are in the Couenant of grace: for as the Apostle saith, Hee is not a Iew which is one outwardly, neither is that Circumcision which is out∣ward in the flesh; But he is a Iew which is one inwardly, and Circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men but of God. And though such duties as are done in hypocrisie, may get the ap∣plause of men, and gaine their praises, causing them who doe them to be magnified and extolled; yet God no further regardeth them, then to vi∣lifie, condemne and punish them; For hee seeth not as man seeth, for man * 1.24 looketh but to the outward appearance; but God looketh vnto the heart: In which regard, that which is highly esteemed amongst men, is abomination in the sight * 1.25 of God, as our Sauiour speaketh.

§. Sect. 6 Of the re∣wards of sin∣cerity and integrity.

Fourthly, because the Lord doth richly reward this integrity and sin∣cerity, with the blessings of this life, and that which is to come: For the * 1.26 Lord is a Sunne and a Shield, he will giue grace and glory; and no good thing will he withhold from them that walke vprightly. In this life hee multiplyeth all his fauours vpon them who serue him in sincerity and truth. For, he is good vnto them which are cleane in heart. And to such he limiteth all his gra∣cious * 1.27 promises, which he performeth vnto them vpon this condition only. So he promiseth vnto the Kings of Israel and Iudah, that hee will con∣firme * 1.28 their Kingdome vnto them, and their posterity after them, if they would walke before him in truth, with all their heart, and with all their soule. Whereof it is that Salomon affirmeth, that the Lord kept Couenant, * 1.29 and shewed mercy vnto his seruants that walked before him with all their hearts. And therefore Ezechias intreateth God to performe this promise vnto * 1.30 him and his posterity, grounding his faith on his obseruing this con∣dition, seeing hee had walked before God in truth, and with a perfect heart. So God is neere vnto them that call vpon him, to all that call vpon him in truth; * 1.31 and will saue and deliuer them from all perils and dangers, and out of the hands of all their enemies: For he saueth the vpright in heart, as Dauid af∣firmeth. * 1.32 And so Salomon saith, that the righteousnesse of the vpright shall de∣liuer * 1.33

them; which maketh them bold and confident as Lions in perillous times, as elsewhere he speaketh. In the life to come, God also crowneth the * 1.34 sincere and vpright seruice of the faithfull with ioy and happinesse: for he giueth not onely grace in this life, but glory also in the life to come, to those that walke vprightly. And such shall here dwell in his Tabernacle, and * 1.35 hereafter in the Mountaine of his holinesse. So Salomon saith, that he who walketh vprightly, shall be saued: and Dauid affirmeth, that the vpright shall dwell in Gods presence: and our Sauiour Christ saith, that they shall bee blessed in the vision and fruition of God, which is the height and perfe∣ction of our heauenly happinesse. And therefore seeing this integrity and sincerity is such a precious treasure, as maketh vs both happy and blessed here, and in the world to come; it is no maruell if the faithfull haue al∣wayes esteemed it as their chiefest and choycest Iewell, preferring it be∣fore all earthly things, yea euen life it selfe; as we see in the example of Iob, who patiently suffered himselfe to be stripped of all his worldly substance, but clasped so fast to his integrity, when his wife and friends would haue pulled it from him, that he would not leaue his hold to the very death; God forbid (saith he) that I should iustifie you, (to wit, whilest you goe about * 1.36 to censure and condemne me of dissimulation and hypocrisie) till I dye, I will not remoue mine integrity from me. My righteousnesse I hold fast, and will not let it goe, my heart shall not reproch me, so long as I liue. If then we delight in that wherein God chiefly delighteth, and will doe that which he requi∣reth, and flee from that which he abhorreth; if wee would haue our selues and our seruice accepted of him as perfect, which notwithstanding are full of imperfections and corruptions: If we would haue any true sauing grace, or performe any Christian duty pleasing vnto God; if we would be numbred amongst sound Christians, or would inioy any of Gods bles∣sings in this world, or in the world to come, then let vs labour daily in the vse of all good meanes whereby we may attaine vnto this sincerity and integrity of heart, and performe all the duties of Gods seruice and of a godly life in vprightnesse and truth.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Deut. 10 12. and 6. 5. and 26. 16. Math. 22. 37. Psal. 119. 10.
• * 1.2

  1 King. 18. 21.
• * 1.3

  2. King. 17. 33.
• * 1.4

  Hos. 10. 2.
• * 1.5

  Iam. 1. 8.
• * 1.6

  Psal. 12. 2.
• * 1.7

  Psa. 51. 6, 16, 17
• * 1.8

  1. Chron. 29. 17.
• * 1.9

  1. Sam. 16. 7.
• * 1.10

  Deut. 26. 16.
• * 1.11

  Josh. 24. 14. 1. Sam. 12. 24.
• * 1.12

  Gen. 17. 1. 1. Chron. 28. 9.
• * 1.13

  Iohn 4. 24.
• * 1.14

  Psal. 145. 18.
• * 1.15

  Psal. 119. 9.
• * 1.16

  Col. 3. 16. 1. Cor. 5. 8.
• * 1.17

  2. Cor. 9. 7. Col. 3. 23.
• * 1.18

  Exod. 12. 15. 1. Cor. 5. 8. Leuit. 22. 19. Deut. 22. 9, 10.
• * 1.19

  Iam. 3. 17. 1. Tim. 1. 5. Joel 2. 12, 13.
• * 1.20

  1. Iohn 3. 18.
• * 1.21

  Psalm. 145. Esa. 29. 13.
• * 1.22

  2. Cor. 2. 17. Act. 10. 33. 1. Thes. 2. 13.
• * 1.23

  Rom. 2. 28, 29.
• * 1.24

  1. Sam. 16. 7.
• * 1.25

  Luk. 16. 15.
• * 1.26

  Psalm. 84. 11.
• * 1.27

  Psal. 73. 1.
• * 1.28

  1. King. 2. 4. and 3. 6. and 9. 4, 5.
• * 1.29

  2. Chron. 6. 14.
• * 1.30

  Esa. 38. 3.
• * 1.31

  Psal. 145. 18.
• * 1.32

  Psal. 7. 10.
• * 1.33

  Prou. 11. 6. and 28. 1.
• * 1.34

  Psal. 84. 11.
• * 1.35

  Psal. 15. 2. Prou. 28. 18. Psal. 32. 2. and 119. 1. Math. 5. 8.
• * 1.36

  Iob 27. 5, 6.