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. 6 Their obiecti∣on answered, who pretend, that it is not safe to be more forward then other men.

Finally, men mis-led by carnall corruption, are ready to excuse thēselues, for not entring into the course of Christianity, though their iudgements are conuinced of this truth, that it is aboue all others most excellent, profitable and necessary, by obiecting, that it is neither good nor safe to make greater profession then other men, or to be more strict in our liues, then ordinarie Christians; because we are not sure that we shall be able to hold out in our sincerity, and holy practice, and if we should relapse, our latter end would be worse then our be∣ginning. Neither can we tell, in respect of humane frailty, whether we may not fall into some grieuous and haynous sinnes, or at least such as

are contrary to our strict profession; which if we doe, our faults will be more obserued in vs, though they would be little regarded in ordi∣nary men, and more bitterly censured and condemned; yea, wee our selues shall be a wonderment to all that know vs, and both shame our selues and our profession. To which I answer, first, that none can make any greater profession of strict performing all Christian duties, then that which we all make at our Baptisme, when we enter into couenant with God, that we will renounce the seruice of sin and Satan, the world and our owne sinfull lusts, and betake our selues wholy to the seruice of God, in all duties of holinesse and righteousnes. Which if we doe not all still make, and renue vpon all occasions, what doe we but dis∣grace our selues, by casting off our Lords liuerie, denying and renoun∣cing our promise and profession, and returning into the ancient serui∣tude of sinne and Satan? Yea, what doe we else but dayly play the hypocrites, when as praying that wee may doe Gods will in earth, in that purity and perfection, which the Saints and holy Angels doe it in heauen, and that we may serue God in holinesse, righteousnes and so∣briety all the dayes of our liues, we are notwithstanding so farre from desiring, or going about it, that we are ashamed to professe that we haue any such meaning? Secondly, I answer, that wee are all bound, one as well as another, to make this profession of holinesse and since∣rity; neither is it left vnto vs as a thing arbitrarie, and at our owne choyce, but expresly commanded and enioyned, that we should glo∣rifie God, by professing our selues his seruants, and liuing according to this profession, which none refuseth to doe, but such as are destitute of a liuely Faith, whereby we are assured, that God is in Christ our gra∣cious Lord and Father, and we his seruants and people; for as with the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse, so with the mouth confession is made vnto saluation; According to that of Dauid, I beleeued, therefore haue I spoken. Thirdly, I answer, that feare of falling away, or of being ouer∣taken with some grosse sinnes, must not hinder our profession and practice of piety; but rather this profession and practice must there∣fore be vndertaken, that we may hereby be moued more carefully to vse all good meanes of perseuering in all grace and godlinesse, and to obserue our wayes with greater diligence, and make straight steps vnto our feete, that wee doe not slippe, nor hault, nor turne aside out of the way. And if wee with these mindes take vpon vs the profession of Christianity, and indeuour to bring forth the fruits of it in our holy practice, the Lord, who hath begunne this good worke in vs, will also finish it; he will vphold vs that wee shall not greatly fall; or if wee doe, yet hee will not suffer vs to lie still and perish, but will so assist vs with his grace and holy Spi∣rit, that wee shall rise againe by vnfained repentance. In the meane time no man hath iust cause to wonder, if wee fall through infir∣mitie, though it be into some greater sinnes then many commit, who make little or no profession at all; if either he consider humane frailty common to all, the reliques of corruption remayning still in vs after regeneration, and the combat which thence ariseth betweene

the flesh and the Spirit; that, sometime preuailing, and this againe getteth the vpper hand; the malice of the deuill, who most fierce∣ly assaulteth with his tentations, those who haue renounced his seruice, and in whom the Image of God most clearely shineth; or else the ex∣amples of the Saints in former ages, who haue beene subiect to like frailties and infirmities, though they were iust and vpright in all their waies, and men in their ordinary and common carriage, according to Gods own heart, and haue beene sometimes, though rarely, ouertaken with grosse sins, as Noah, Lot, Dauid, Peter and the rest. And therefore it is no maruaile if wee, likewise haue our slips and falls, yea rather, it is a great wonder, if we, who come so far short of them in grace and obedi∣ence, should stand in such slippery places where they haue falne, and be supported so with Gods grace and holy Spirit, notwithstanding our greater frailty and weakenesse, that we may challenge all the world to accuse vs of any grosse sin. If indeede he who hath professed himselfe the child of God, and approued himselfe to be so, by his sonne-like o∣bedience, should, like the wicked, make sin his way and trade, defend it when he is reproued, and continue in it without repentance, this were a matter of deserued wonder; but not so, if walking constantly in the wayes of Godlinesse, they sometimes slip & get a fall, especially when they plainely shew by their sorrow insuing, that they are not pleased with their sin, but hauing done the euill which they hated in the inner man, do not continue in it, but rise out of it by vnfained repentance. But suppose for all this, that professing sincerity, we shall be wondred at of the world, if we hap to fall into any open and scandalous sinne; It is not better that with the godly wee should be wondred at for doing euill, then that with wicked men our good actions should cause wonder. For though it be our shame to sin, and thereby to expose our selues to won∣derment; yet this wondring it selfe, is rather a grace then a blemish vn∣to vs; seeing men wonder not at matters common and ordinary, but at such only as rarely happen. We wonder not at profane rakehells, when they breake their word, lie, sweare & deale vniustly; but to see one that is reputed iust and honest to doe thus at any time, doth make all that know them, to maruaile at it; & the reason is, because it is common and ordinary in the one, but very rare and a thing seldome or neuer before seene in the other. And yet there is no man that is not gracelesse & des∣perate, who would not rather chuse so to carry himself, as that he may be reputed an honest man, though his faults are more obserued & won∣dred at, then so as to gaine the reproch of a wicked person, although their faults being ordinary, are little obserued and lesse maruailed at. Though euery man wonder, when he seeth a botching piece of work to come out of the hands of a cunning and curious artizan, and maruaileth nothing at all, if he should see such an one or worse come out of the hands of a bungler; yet euery one desireth rather to be a skilfull work∣man, and to be so reputed, then a bungling botcher. And though a spot be sooner seene in a beautifull face, then in one foule and deformed; or a blot and staine in a fine piece of Lawne or Cambricke, then in some common rag, or coorse canuas; and a faithful seruant be more wondred

at, that is taken halting in some deceitfull action, then when a false fel∣low doth so, that maketh deceitfull dealing his vsuall trade; yet euery one preferreth beauty with some blemish, before foulenesse and defor∣mity; fine cloth, though a little spotted, before filthy & worne-out rags; and a faithfull seruant with his seldom slips, before a dishonest fellow, whose worst dealing rayseth no wonder, because being his ordinary custome, no man that knoweth him, expecteth better fruits from such a bramble: And so, though our profession of godlinesse, and indeuour to bring forth ordinary fruits of it in an holy conuersation, should more expose vs to be wondred at, when we fall through humane frailty and infirmitie; yet this should not hinder vs from entring into this Christi∣an course, seeing it is a meanes to make vs stand more vpon our credit, to restraine vs from all sin, whereby we might blemish it, and to keepe with Dauid a carefull watch ouer our selues, that our hearts being found in Gods Statutes, there may be no cause why we should be ashamed. And howsoeuer, when we are ouertaken, our faults are more obserued and maruailed at, yet though our sinne shameth vs, this wonder at it, is rather our praise and commendation. And when wee are at the worst, yet our state is better, and we preferred in Gods estimate and in the o∣pinion of all that feare him, before those who neuer tooke vpon them the profession of piety, nor cared to bring forth any fruits of it in a godly life, though their faults are little obserued or regarded, and not (like the others) matter of table-talke, because no man thinketh them to be any newes.

Notes

• Rom. 10. 10.
• Psal. 116. 10.
• Rom. 7. 20, 22.
• Psal. 119. 18.