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.

§. Sect. 8 That by daily and constant practice we may easily o∣uercome all difficulties.

The last meanes whereby we may be inabled to ouercome all difficul∣ties, is the daily and constant practice of all Christian duties; seeing how∣soeuer they may seeme at the first, harsh and vnpleasant to our corrupt na∣ture, yet continuall vse will make them easie and familiar, and bring vs at length to such a custome and settled habit, that wee shall performe them with much comfort and delight. For as the mind is more and more dar∣kened by the often acts of sinne, and so loseth the light of truth, that no sauing knowledge remaineth in it, but malignity onely and pollution; so by the many and often acts of piety and righteousnesse, the mind is more inlightened, and aspireth vnto a greater measure of true wisedome, this righteousnesse and holinesse offering themselues as cleere glasses, vnto the eyes of the vnderstanding, as Chrysostome hath well obserued. Besides, * 1.1 the more often that we performe these Christian and religious duties, and the longer and more constantly that we continue in them, the more we shall rellish and taste their sweetnesse; so that though at first they see∣med to our carnall appetite as bitter and vnpleasant, as the infusion of gall or wormewood, yet continuall vse and daily practice, will make them sweeter to our mouthes then the honey and honey combe, as wee see in Dauids example; by reason that we shall finde in our owne good ex∣perience, the manifold comforts which accompany the diligent perfor∣mance of these Christian duties; as peace with God, and the beames of

his loue and fauour shed abroad in our hearts, and shining vpon vs, the peace of a good conscience, and inward ioy of the holy Ghost, sweete communion with God, accesse and increase of all spirituall graces, con∣tentation in all estates, and assurance of our saluation, and that in the meane time, all things whatsoeuer, and euen afflictions themselues, shall turne to our good. These, and many such like benefits, accompanying our constant walking in the wayes of godlinesse, will make them not onely easie, but sweet and delightfull. And whereas at first wee came to the per∣forming of Christian duties, as a Beare to the stake, and found nothing in them, but vexation and irksome wearinesse; by vse and custome comming to know and rellish their profit and excellency, wee finde such spirituall sweetnesse, that it is our meate and drinke to be exercised in them. So that now we esteeme Gods Sabbaths our delight; heare, reade, pray, meditate, conferre, and doe the workes of mercy with much ioy and cheerfulnesse. Now the meanes to attaine vnto this daily and constant practice, which taketh away all difficulty and distast, is to inure our selues thereunto by degrees, and with a firme resolution, to break off all excuses, and set apart some short time, as a day, week, or month, for the strict leading of a godly life, in the performance of all Christian duties, as they haue bin before set downe. Which when we haue done, let vs looke backe and examine our selues, if we can in our consciences find any cause of repenting this course, in leauing worldly and wicked delights and the pleasures of sinne, and betaking and consecrating our selues to serue God in the duties of holi∣nesse and righteousnesse: yea, if we doe not finde in this short time, more sound comfort and true ioy, then in many yeeres before, when wee neg∣lected them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Sicut enim qui peccat, dum peccat, magis atque magis te∣nebrescit mens eius, &c. Chrysost. in Mat. 7. Hom. 18 Psal. 19. 10.