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.

CAP. XVI.

Three other obiections of the flesh against a godly life, propounded, and answered.

§. Sect. 1 That a godly life taketh a∣way no lawfull liberty, but ra∣ther establi∣sheth it.

THe fourth obiection which the flesh maketh against a godly life, is, that it taketh away all our liberty, and so checketh and curbeth vs in all our thoughts, words, and workes, with∣in the strict limits of Gods Law, that wee haue no freedome like other men, to thinke, speake, or doe such things as are most pleasing vnto vs. To which I answere, that it doth not depriue vs of any lawfull liberty, but onely restraineth vs from lawlesse licentiousnesse, and curbeth in the flesh, that it may not run on in exorbitant courses, and glut it selfe with sinfull pleasures, which alwayes end in griefe and bitter∣nesse. Wherein it doth not take away any true liberty, but rather freeth vs from the most miserable and grieuous bondage, and basest seruitude and thraldome vnto Satan, sinne, and our owne lusts. Yea, rather by lea∣ding of a godly life, we are restored vnto that ancient and true liberty in which we were created, euen the glorious liberty of the Sonnes of God, resembling heerein our heauenly Father, who, though he be most free to doe whatsoeuer pleaseth him, yet in respect of his holy and pure nature, cannot sinne, or doe any euill which is contrary vnto it. And as well may we say that the glorified Saints, who are crowned with ioy and happinesse, haue lost all their liberty, because they are so confirmed by supernaturall grace, that they cannot sinne, as that we are depriued of it, because wee are restrained by Gods Word and holy Spirit from all manner of wicked∣nesse; or that a sonne hath lost his liberty, when hee liueth according to his Fathers will that dearely loueth him, and is freed from the gouerne∣ment of some base slaue, who egged and thrust him on in all wicked cour∣ses, which in the end would depriue him of his fathers loue, and iustly disinherite him of his desired patrimony. Yea, let vs know, that as sinne is the greatest bondage, so the seruice of God is the greatest and best liber∣ty; when as we are stablished in all grace and goodnesse by his free Spirit,

and submit our selues to be guided & directed by it in all our wayes, as the body by the soule. For as the Apostle speaketh, Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. Let vs know, that as our Sauiour Christ came amongst vs to take away the sinnes of the world, both in respect of the guilt, punish∣ment, and corruption: so also, as our Redeemer, to free vs out of bondage, and to purchase for vs perfect liberty, which is, that being deliuered out of the hands of all our spirituall enemies, wee should worship and serue him in holi∣nesse and righteousnesse before him without feare, all the dayes of our liues. Of which liberty himselfe speaketh; If the Sonne shall make ye free, ye shall bee free indeed. And therefore let vs not hearken to the flesh, which abuseth and deludeth vs, by giuing vnto things false names, gracing the bondage of sin and thraldome vnto our owne lusts, with the glorious title of liber∣ty, and disgracing our Christian liberty and freedome from sinne, with the name of bondage; but knowing that this was one speciall end of Christs comming and dying for vs, that hee might destroy the workes of the deuill, and free vs out of the bondage of sinne; let vs stand fast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath made vs free, and not bee intangled againe with the yoke of bondage. And seeing he hath called vs vnto liberty, let vs not abuse it for an occasion to the flesh, as the Apostle exhorteth.

§. Sect. 2 That a godly life doth not take away friendship and good society, but rather in∣creaseth it.

The fifth obiection against a godly life is, that it taketh away all fami∣liar friendship and good fellowship, all merry meetings and ciuill conuer∣sation from amongst men, estranging their minds one from another, and making them to delight more in solitarinesse then in company. To which I answere, that if by these glorious names of friendship, good fellow∣ship, and ciuill conuersation, bee meant the common commerce which worldly wicked men haue one with another, in the workes of darkenesse and pleasures of sinne, in gluttony and drunkennesse, in May-games, mis∣rule, and madde merriments, in carnall reuellings, Stage-playes, Wakes, and Morrice-dances, in swaggering, swearing, backebiting, and corrupt and filthy communication; in dycing, carding, and spending both their time and states in vnlawfull gaming; then is it no blemish or aspersion vnto a godly life, but rather an high praise and commendation, that it breaketh off such wicked and dangerous societies, and reformeth such pernicious disorders as alwayes end in griefe and vexation. But if hereby bee vnderstood true friendship, and Christian familiarity and acquain∣tance, lawfull meetings, and ioyfull feasting with one another in the true feare of God; then doth not a godly life abolish them, but rather confirme and increase them among all true Christians. For purging away the cor∣ruptions, and rectifying the disorders of societies and conuersation, and making them truely ciuill and religious, it causeth them to be much more comfortable and profitable, and consequently more frequently to bee af∣fected by all those who taste the sweetnesse and benefit which commeth of them, without any sting of sinne, or after-tang of bitter griefe. As wee see in the example of those Christians, which liued in the first age of the Primitiue Church, who tooke exceeding ioy in the Communion of Saints, in mutuall conuersing one with another, and in their frequent meetings, to eate and drinke and reioyce together. And therefore vnlesse any will presuppose, that sinne is the only bond of all good fellowship, and

that we cannot take pleasure in one anothers company, vnlesse wee ioyne together to displease and dishonour God, and that we can neuer be merry so long as he is with vs; And vnlesse we account that onely to be ciuility, when as we shew no dislike of sinne, but soothe and bolster, yea, incou∣rage and thrust on all that beare vs company in the wayes of wicked∣nesse; let vs not falsly affirme, that a godly life is any hindrance to ci∣uill conuersation, or that it depriueth vs of the mutuall ioy and com∣fort, which wee might otherwise take in friendship and fellowship one with another.

§. Sect. 3 That a godly life doth not bring with it want and po∣uerty.

The sixth obiection is, that godlinesse bringeth with it want and po∣uerty, as appeareth first by common experience, and innumerable ex∣amples of those, who being most religious and conscionable in all their courses, come as far short of other men in worldly wealth, as they exceed and go before them in piety and honest dealing, in so much as it is growne into a common, yet wicked Prouerbe, that plaine dealing is a Iewell, but he that vseth it, shall dye a begger. And secondly, it standeth with rea∣son that it should bee so, seeing piety letteth passe, and refuseth many aduantages, by which, those that want it, doe increase their wealth, and im∣prooue their worldly estate. For their thoughts lesse runne vpon earthly things, being taken vp with heauenly; their indeuours are more faint and weake in pursuing them, then theirs who haue set their hearts vpon them; their time and strength is not so wholly imployed in getting and kee∣ping riches. They lose much which they might get, because they will not vse vnlawfull meanes, as fraud and deceit, extortion and oppression; be∣cause they will not lye, and confirme it with an oath for their aduantage; nor prophane the Sabbath by selling and buying, and labouring in their callings; nor keepe seruants vnder them, who make no conscience of these things, though they bee neuer so profitable, nor follow the bent of the times, and soothe euery one in their humour, of whom they may make any aduantage. And finally, because they will not stoope to eue∣ry baite of profit which is cast before them, vntill by due examination in the Court of Conscience it may appeare to bee honest and lawfull. To which I answere, first, that though all this were true, that godli∣nesse should giue a Supersedeas to worldly thrift, so that it were not possible to imbrace piety, and escape pouerty, or to bee rich and reli∣gious both at once; yet this should not weaken our resolution to serue God in the duties of a godly life, seeing our spirituall gaines doe farre exceed our worldly losse. For godlinesse it selfe is the chiefest gaine, as bringing with it that contentation which all worldly wealth cannot pur∣chase. Secondly, though being godly, we haue but a poore estate, yet it is more to bee esteemed then the greatest abundance of the vngodly, ac∣cording to that of the Psalmist; A little that a righteous man hath, is better then the riches of many wicked. For the armes of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord vpholdeth the righteous. The little wealth they haue, is accompa∣nied with Gods blessing, by which it is made more sufficient and durable for their vse and comfort, then the rich Treasuries, and full store-houses of worldlings; their little pittance, being like the Widdowes cruze of oyle and handfull of meale, which as it was daily spent, so by the blessing

of God it was daily renued and replenished, that there might bee no want, when the full barnes were emptied, and the storehouses of the rich without food; like Daniels pulse, which made him and his fellowes fatter and in better liking, then the prouision which was brought to others from the Kings Table. Finally, like the small streames of a liuing fountaine, which continue running in the greatest drought, when great standing waters, and huge torrents arising from land waters are dryed vp. A∣gaine, though the godly haue but little, yet that which they haue, they haue receiued from Gods owne hand, as a testimony of his loue and fa∣uour, as Iacob acknowledged to his brother Esau, Take, I pray thee, my blessing which is brought to thee, because God hath dealt graciously with me, and I haue enough. Yea, they receiue it from him as his free gift, and shall neuer be called with wicked men to account for intrusion and vsur∣pation. Neither is it a gift to bee esteemed onely in its owne value, but as an earnest-penny, which bindeth a greater bargaine, and giueth them assurance of their heauenly inheritance, and euerlasting happinesse in Gods Kingdome. Finally, though they haue but little, yet they haue with it a good conscience, seeing they haue gotten it by lawfull meanes, the which will be in stead of a continuall feast, and make a dinner of cold herbes, or simple rootes, better then a stalled Oxe, or the greatest dainties to them that want it. Whereas contrarywise, the greater plenty of wicked men bringeth no such comfort with it; because it is mutable and momen∣tany in it selfe, and giueth no assurance of better and more durable riches which shall succeed it. Because their worldly abundance is often ioyned with many and great discontents, which depriueth the owners of all their ioy, as we see in the example of Saul, Ahab, Haman, and many others. Be∣cause their prosperity slayeth them, whilest it serueth as a snare, to intangle them in all maner of sins; as a pasture, to fit and prepare them for destructi∣on; as an intoxicating cup, to bewitch and inamour them with worldly loue, and to make them neglect spirituall and heauenly things; because af∣ter their great cheere, they shall haue such an heauy reckoning as wil quite dampe all their musicke and delight. And finally, because they are no gifts of Gods loue and fauour, but rather of his clemency and forbearance; like the liberall allowance which Princes make to great and noble Traytors, vntill they be brought foorth to tryall and execution, according to course and extremity of the Law.

§. Sect. 4 That though many godly men are poore, yet godlinesse is no cause of their pouerty.

In the second place I answere, that though many are poore who are godly, yet their godlinesse is not the cause of their pouerty; seeing it onely findeth, but not maketh them to bee in this penurious estate. For when the Gospel is preached, the poore rather receiue it then the rich, seeing the little comfort which they haue in earthly things, doeth make them to seeke for it in spirituall and heauenly; whereas the abundance of the rich intangleth their hearts in the snares of worldly loue, choketh in them the seed of Gods Word, and maketh them to neglect the meanes of their saluation. Thirdly, I answere, that godlinesse is a cause and meanes of riches, and not of pouerty, seeking it hath the promises of this life, and that which is to come; and God hath vndertaken (who is able and all-sufficient) seeing the earth is his, and all that therein is, and most true and infallible in

his Word) that nothing which is good, shall be wanting vnto those that feare and serue him; that if we will first seeke his Kingdome and righteous∣nesse, all other things shalbe cast vpon vs; that he will withhold no good thing from them that walke vprightly. That if we will cease to doe euill, and learne to doe well, if we consent and obey, we shall eate the good things of the Land. If indeed riches were simply our owne earnings, and could be gotten by our owne policies, care and labour, then those who exceed others in all these, might promise vnto themselues the greatest plenty, though they vtterly neglect Gods seruice; but seeing it is onely Gods blessing that maketh rich, it is not to be imagined, that the Lord, infinite in bounty and goodnesse, will be lesse liberall in paying our wages, because we are more faithfull and diligent in doing his worke. And therefore if wee feare want and pouerty, it must not discou∣rage vs from the seruice of God, but rather be a strong motiue to make vs serue him with more earnest indeuour, seeing he will pre∣serue those who serue him from pouerty, so farre forth as it is euill and a punishment of sinne, and will giue vnto them all temporall bles∣sings, so farre forth as they are good and profitable. And if he scant them of these earthly trifles, it is but to fit them for the receiuing of his greater and better gifts, euen the rich treasures of his spiri∣tuall graces, faith, hope, patience and the rest, and for the euerlast∣ing riches and glorie of his heauenly Kingdome. For he that re∣warded Salomon with peace, wealth and honour, because in the first place he desired ciuill wisdome to gouerne the people, will not deny them vnto those, who affect aboue all things spirituall Wisdome, consisting in true godlinesse; if in his diuine Wisdome, he doth see that it is better for them to haue them, then to want and be scanted of them.

Notes

• Ioh. 8. 34.
• Psal. 51. 12.
• 2. Cor. 3. 37.
• Luk. 1. 74, 75.
• Ioh 6. 36.
• 1. Joh. 3. 8.
• Gal. 5. 1, 13.
• Act. 2. 46.
• 1. Tim. 6. 6.
• Psal. 37. 16, 17.
• Gen. 33. 11.
• Pro. 15. 15, 17.
• Pro. 1. 32.
• 1. Tim. 4. 8.
• Psal. 24. 1.
• Psal. 34. 10. & 84. 11.
• Esay 1. 17, 18, 19.
• 1. King. 3. 9, 11.