A20762:3076
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
A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the duties wherein it consisteth, the helps enabling & the reasons persuading unto it the impediments hindering the practise of it, and the best means to remove them whereunto are added divers prayers and a treatise of carnal security by John Douname Bachelor in Divinity and minister of Gods Word.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.
London: printed by Felix Kingstone and William Stansby for Ed, 1622
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§. 8 The fourth sign, is hypocrisy.
§. 8 The fourth signe, is hypocrisie.
The fourth sign, is Hypocrisy, when as we make outward show of holiness, and nourish corruption in our hearts; tipping our tongues with a golden and glorious profession; and angling for praise and commendations, by presenting unto the sight of men, some seeming good actions, that we may more cunningly hide and disguise our secret sins. For as sincerity and Gods fear accompany one another, according to that of the wise Man; He that walketh in his uprightness 1feareth the Lord, as we see in the example of Job, who is said to have 2been a man perfect and upright, and the cause thereof is rendered, because he was one that feared the Lord▪ So Security and Hypocrisy are never severed, but as the Cause and Effect go still together. For if we were not blinded with security, we could never be so foolish as to imagine, that we may please God with outward shows, that being a Spirit he will be content with outward and bodily service, that he can be satisfied with the service of the outward Man, and that in the Church only, and when we are in good and religious Company, and let the Devil and the World have the heart at all times, and the whole Man in places secret and unseen? How could we hope to be out of danger, when we are in the dark, and doing the works of darkness, seeing Night and Day are to God alike, and his piercing eye searcheth and seeth even the hidden secrets of the heart and reins, if our carnal security did not make us believe, that as we regard not God, but have removed him far from our thoughts, so he as little respecteth and thinketh of us. Like the foolish Lapwing, who having hidden his head, becometh secure, thinking that he is no more seen, then he himself seeth others.