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

The duties which every man is bound to perform unto himself, are, first, a care to procure and preserve his good name and credit, and secondly, that he give a true testimony of himself. Our care to procure and preserve our good name, consisteth in using the means whereby ⟨p. 160⟩it is gotten; as glorifying God, seeking his kingdom and righteousness, walking uprightly, being such as we would seem to be, and ¹in keeping a good conscience. And also in avoiding the means, both of vain-glory; as seeking to please men more then God; hypocrisy, seeking commendation by vanity and vices, loving of flatterers; usual censuring of others, attempting matters above our ability and gifts. And also of infamy, which either arise from our selves, as all sins both open, with all appearances of them, and secret, which God to our shame will bring to light; or else from others, as all disgraceful lies, slanders, and opprobrious speeches, against which we ought (especially if we be public persons) to defend and maintain our credit and good name. The true testimony of our selves is either concerning good; which if it be true, we must upon just occasion confess it with modesty to Gods glory; or if false, with modesty and ²humility to deny it; or else concerning evil, which if it be true, we must confess it both to God with earnest desire of forgiveness, and also to man, when by our confession we may advance Gods glory, and either our own or our neighbours good; or if it be false, that we constantly deny it. Contrariwise we are by this Commandment bound to shun the contrary vices to these virtues; as to deny the good things in us to Gods dishonour that gave them, and to speak more basely and meanly of our own gifts and good parts then there is cause, or then that which we truly conceive, either to avoid boasting, which is no better then a modest lie; or to draw commendations