A Guide to Godliness, Book 4 · Chapter 2
CAP. II.
Of the meanes whereby we may attaine vntounto integrity and ſincerity.
§. Sect. 1 The firſt meanes is, to ſet God before our eyes, and our ſelues in his preſence.
NOw the meanes hereof are diuers. Firſt, wee muſt ſet God before our eyes, and our ſelues in his preſence, performing all Ier. 17. 10, 11.the duties of his ſeruice, not as thoſe who hauehave men onelyonly to looke vponupon and cenſure vsus, who alone behold the outward actions, but as in the ſight of God, who ſearcheth and tryeth the very ſecrets of the heart and reines, and knoweth whether our hearts be vpright, and our actions performed in ſincerity and truth, or deceitfull and done in hypocriſie, not aiming at his glory in obeying his Commandement, but at by-reſpects and worldly ends: Herein following the example of Dauid, who deſiring to walke in the way of Gods Commandements Pſal. 16. 8.with an vpright heart, vſed to ſet God alwayes before his eyes. For carrying our ſelues in all our conuerſation as in Gods preſence, is the meanes to make vsus vpright in all our wayes, whereof it is that this phraſe of walking with God, is vſed, to ſignifie the integrity of Gods ſeruants in all Gen. 5. 22, 24.their conuerſation; and God himſelfe perſwading Abraham to vprightneſſe, Gen. 17. 1.exhorteth him to walke before him, as a meanes thereof; Walke before me (ſaith he) and be vpright. So Dauid vſeth it as an argument to perſwade 1. Chron. 28. 9.Salomon to ſerue the Lord with a perfect heart, and a willing mind, becauſe the Lord ſearcheth all hearts, and vnderſtandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts. And Paul in his preaching ſhunneth all deceit in handling 2. Cor. 2. 17.Gods Word, and vſeth all ſincerity, becauſe he ſpake as in Gods ſight and preſence.
§. Sect. 2 The ſecond meanes is to meditate on the excellency, profit, and neceſſity of integrity and ſincerity.
The ſecond meanes is, to meditate on the excellency, profit, and neceſſity of this ſincerity and vprightneſſe of heart. The excellency heerein appeareth, Pſal. 8, 4. 11.in that the Lord ſo highly eſteemeth it, that he approueth them as perfect, who ſerue him with this integrity, though they bee neuer ſo full of wants and weakneſſes, and neglecteth, yea ſeuerely puniſheth the moſt glorious workes of Hypocrites which are done without it. It is moſt profitable, ſeeing God withholdeth nothing from them that walke vprightly; for he is vntounto them a Sunne and a Shield; a Sunne for conſolation, a Shield for protection; a Sunne to giuegive them life, a Shield to defend life giuen; a Sunne to make them fruitfull in all good, and a Shield to preſerue them from all euill; and hee will giuegive vntounto them grace in this life, and glory and happineſſe in the life to come. Finally, the neceſſity of this integrity and ſincerity hereby is manifeſt, ſeeing the beſt graces which are without it, are falſe and counterfait, our wiſedome diuelliſh, our faith dead, our repentance fained, our louelove worldly and carnall, our zeale diſſembled, our Religion hypocriſie, and all the ſeeming good duties which we performe, of no eſteeme in Gods ſight. For if ſincerity be wanting, our prayers are but lip-labour, our preaching a kind of merchandizing for the hire of worldly gaine, as the Apoſtle implyeth; our receiuing 2. Cor. 2. 17.the Sacraments no more accepted in vsus, then in Iudas, and Simon Math. 6. 2.Magus; our giuing of almes, not being done with vpright hearts to pleaſe God, but to be praiſed of men, ſhall hauehave the hypocrites reward; that is, glory before men, and eternall ſhame before God, his Saints and holy Angels.
§. Sect. 3 The third meanes of integrity and ſincerity.
The third meanes is, to conſider that nothing ſhall be wanting vntounto vsus, for protection from dangers, or ſupply of neceſſaries, if we will ſerue God in ſincerity. For he is all-ſufficient without the helpe of inferiour meanes, and a moſt powerfull and bountifull Maſter, who is both able and willing to reward and protect all ſuch as doe him faithfull ſeruice; ſo as there is no cauſe why we ſhould halt betweene him and the world, or giuegive any place to diſſimulation and hypocriſie, for feare or fauour, as though wee could no otherwiſe eſcape danger, or obtaine things neceſſary for the ſupplying of our wants, vnleſſe we be more carefull to pleaſe men then God; ſeeing he is all-ſufficient in himſelfe to protect and prouide for vsus, and hath both the hands and hearts of all men at his diſpoſing, ſo as they can neither helpe nor hurt vsus, but ſo farre forth as he is pleaſed to vſe them as inſtruments to ſerue his prouidence. And this argument the Lord vſeth to perſwade Abraham vntounto this ſincerity; I am God all-ſufficient; walke before Gen. 17. 1.me and be vpright. As though he ſhould ſay, Though thy idolatrous friends forſake thee, and thy heatheniſh enemies oppoſe thee, becauſe thou haſt renounced their Idols, and wholly deuoted thy ſelfe to worſhip me in truth; yet let not this diſcourage thee in thy ſincerity, ſeeing I am all-ſufficient to reward and defend thee. So the Prophet telleth Aſa, that 2. Chron. 16. 9.there was no cauſe why he had relyed vponupon the King of Syria, and not vponupon the Lord his God, ſeeing he is mighty and all-ſufficient to preſerue all thoſe whoſe heart is perfect towards him.
§. Sect. 4 The fourth meanes is, to watch ouer our hearts.
The fourth meanes is, that we keepe a narrow watch ouer our hearts, labouring daily to approue their ſincerity vntounto God. For naturally they Ier. 17. 10.are deceitfull, and much hypocriſie and diſſimulation lyeth lurking in them. In which reſpect it is neceſſary, that we often examine them, with what purpoſe we performe good actions, what cauſes mooue vsus, and at what ends we aime. And if we finde them worldly and carnall, let vsus labour to purge them from theſe corruptions, according to that of the Apoſtle Iames; Cleanſe your hands, ye ſinners, and purifie your hearts, ye doubleminded. Jam. 4. 8.And when we finde them ready to halt betweene God and the world, either for feare, or for the getting of ſome earthly benefit, and to ſtart aſide from their ſincerity, we are to call them backe, and finding other bonds too weake to binde theſe fugitiues vntounto ſincerity in Gods ſeruice, we are to tye them hereunto by ſolemne couenant, according to the example of Aſa and Ioſiah, who thus bound themſelues and their ſubiects, 2 Chron. 15. 12. and 34. 31.that with all their hearts and ſoules they would ſeeke and ſerue the Lord.
§. Sect. 5 The fifth meanes, to meditate on the Day of Iudgement.
Finally, let vsus often meditate on the Day of Iudgement, when as the ſecrets of all hearts ſhall be diſcloſed, and all hidden things brought to Eccleſ. 12. 14. 2. Cor. 5. 10.light, and laid open to the view of men and Angels; according to that of Eccleſiaſtes; God will bring eueryevery worke into Iudgement, with eueryevery ſecret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be euill. And of the Apoſtle Paul: Wee muſt all appeare before the Iudgement ſeat of Chriſt, that eueryevery man may receiue the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it bee good or bad. And then naked ſincerity will ſhine moſt gloriouſly, when the gilded vaile of hypocriſie being pulled off, the filthy corruption which was hid vnderunder it, will appeare vgly and abominable in the ſight of the holy Saints and bleſſed Angels. Then ſhall the vpright in heart hold vp their heads in the confidence of a good conſcience, when the hypocrites and diſſemblers ſhall be confounded with ſhaine, their deceit and ſecret wickedneſſe being diſcouered in the ſight of all men. Then ſhall they who hauehave ſerued God in ſincerity and truth, receiue their heauenly Inheritance with triumphant ioy, when guilefull and double-hearted men ſhall bee baniſhed out of Gods preſence, and caſt into outer darkneſſe, Math. 24. 51.where ſhall bee weeping and gnaſhing of teeth.