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. 4 A note of dif∣ference be∣tweene true zeale and de∣uotion, and that which is false and hy∣pocriticall.

So that heere we may haue an vndoubted and infallible signe, whereby we may know whether our zeale and deuotion be true and sincere, or false and hypocriticall; for if they be vpright and in truth, they will not be lost in euill places and times; if they be substantiall, and (as it were a new na∣ture) and not meere shewes and shadowes, they will still retaine it, and being of superiour vertue, will striue against and ouercome these corrup∣tions of the times, which are contrary to them. Whereas if they yeeld vnto them, and become prophane with the irreligious, neglecting all Christian duties, because they liue with those who doe neglect them; it is hereby manifest, that there was neuer any true change in their nature, but onely some accidentall alteration for worldly respects. Though cold water be made neuer so hot, yet the heat of it will soone be abated, when it is taken off the fire, and compassed about with the cold ayre, and be∣commeth more cold then it was at the first. And though the Iron being heat in the Forge, is much more hot and scorching then the fire in other combustible matter, yet being put into the water, or cast vpon the ground in the cold ayre, it becommeth more cold then either of them; because in this alteration there is no change of nature, but onely of the quality by outward accident. But contrariwise, the fire which is naturally hot, and the Bath which is naturally warme, are not cooled by the cold winter ayre which doth incompasse them. Yea by this antiparistasis and inclosure, their naturall quality being kept in and better compacted, is intended and increased, so that the fire which but moderately heateth in milde weather, scorcheth in cold frosts: and the Bath, which is but tem∣perately warme in summer, euen smoketh and scaldeth with heate in the

cold winter, because this heate is naturall, and no aduentitious quality. And so the religion and deuotion of hypocrites, being no kindly heate proceeding from a renewed nature, is quickly cooled in the company of the worldly and prophane, and returneth to more then natural coldnesse; whereas the feruor of true Christian deuotion is not abated, but rather increased, when they liue in corrupt times and sinfull places, because pro∣ceeding from a new nature, the inherent vertue and vigour of it, vniting it selfe together to withstand all contrary opposition, is better compacted and becommeth more strong and preualent. So that those euill examples which corrupt others, doe but the better arme their resolution to with∣stand them, and make them striue with more earnestnesse and deuotion, to fly such sinnes as they see committed, and to put in practice the con∣trary duties. And as the Ostrich turneth Iron it selfe, which would kill o∣ther creatures, into wholesome nourishment; and as some beasts and birds do conuert Spiders, and other poysons into cordials and and resto∣ratiues, which are deadly and pernicious vnto other liuing things of a different nature: so Gods children, which are renewed and regenerate by his holy Spirit, are not onely nourished and strengthened with their or∣dinary food; as hearing the Word, prayer, holy conferences and good company; but through Gods Spirit assisting them, are able to turne euen Iron ages into good nourishment, and the poyson of euill examples into cordials and preseruatiues, to strengthen them the more against common corruptions and raigning sinnes. And therefore to excuse our neglect of Christian duties belonging to a godly life, because we liue in euill places and times, what is it, but to proclaime that we are like vnto them, and are not yet regenerate by Gods Spirit, nor changed in our natures, but still remaine in the state of corruption, and consequently lyable to death and condemnation?