A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the dutiesA guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties

§. Sect. 2 Reasons moving us to perform outward service.

§. Sect. 2 Reasons mouing vs to performe outward seruice.

Now the reasons which may move us to join outward practice with inward integrity, respect God, our neighbours, or our selves. In respect ¹of God, first, because he commandeth that we have not only in our selves the oil of Grace, but that we also cause the light of it to shine outwardly before men. He would have us inwardly to repent with unfeigned contrition in our hearts, but withal, that we bring forth fruits meet for repentance in ²our lives. He desireth above all that we should love him with all our hearts ³and souls, but he would have us also to approve the sincerity of our affection, by keeping his Commandments; especially, by loving one another as Christ hath loved us. Secondly, we must bring forth the fruits of our inward sincerity in our outward practice, that men seeing the light of our ⁴godly lives, may take occasion thereby to glorify our heavenly Father, for herein he is glorified, if we bring forth much fruit; the which, being ⁵the main and supreme end of all things, we are, in whatsoever we do, chiefly to aim at it, as the Apostle exhorteth. Thirdly, we must join ⁶outward conformity unto our inward sincerity, to testify our thankfulness unto God for his innumerable benefits both spiritual and corporal, without which we shall fall into the vice of ungratitude, which is so odious both to God and men. In respect of our neighbours also, we must approve our inward piety by our outward practice, that we may edify them by our good example; for if our lights shine before them, they will glorify our Father which is in heaven; if we have our conversation honest among