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 Of the publike impediments which respect the people.

The common impediments of a godly life which respect the people, are also diuers. As first, when they content themselues with a forme of profession and Religion, without any desire to finde in themselues the power, efficacy and fruite thereof, for the sanctifying of their hearts, and reforming of their liues. As when they professe Religi∣on, because the State establisheth it; goe to the Church and heare the Word, because the Law requireth it; pray in the Congregation, and goe to the Communion, because it is the custome of the Countrey, and other of their neighbours doe it as well as they. But this is to rest in a shadow without a substance, and in a forme of godlinesse, but denying the power thereof. Which if wee would auoid, our care must * 1.1 bee to serue God in obedience to his Commandements, to wor∣ship him in Spirit and truth, and to ioyne the inward seruice of the heart and soule, with the ourward seruice of the body; and finally, that in all these duties wee propound vnto our selues right ends, namely, to profit by them in knowledge, faith, and the practice of all holy duties of a godly life, that we may glorify God in the fur∣ther assurance of our saluation. The second impediment respecting * 1.2 the people, is the neglect and contempt of the Preaching of Gods Word, as a thing vnnecessary for their saluation. For howsoeuer they suppose, that there is some vse of it for their conuersion vnto God, the inlightening of their mindes with some knowledge of the truth, and the working of faith in some first degrees; yet they hold it a needelesse taske to bee continually tyed to these religious exercises, and that it is sufficient to vse them sometimes at their best leysure. Which impediment if wee would shun, wee must remem∣ber, that as the Word and the ministery thereof, is the immortall seede which begetteth vs to God, so it is the spirituall food of our * 1.3 soules, whereby they must bee continually nourished, that the graces of the Spirit begun, may bee increased and confirmed in vs, vntill we come to a perfect age in Iesus Christ. That it is the sword of the Spi∣rit, whereof we haue daily vse in our spiritual warfare, (which lasteth as long as our liues last) for the repelling of our enemies, & the ouercom∣ming of all their dangerous temptations. That it is the only true light,

which guideth vs in all our waies, whereof if through negligence wee depriue our selues, we shall walke in darkenesse, and sit in the shaddow of death. That it is our counsellor in all our doubts, and our comfor∣ter in all our troubles; the meanes to strengthen and vphold vs when we stand, and to recouer and rayse vs when we are falne; the chiefe helpe we haue to keepe vs in the way of truth, and to recall vs when we erre and goe astray; our food in time of health, and our physicke to cure and restore vs when we are sicke. The third impediment to the * 1.4 life of grace and godlinesse is, when as the people are content to heare the Word, but without any cheerefulnesse and delight, with cloyed stomacks and lost appetites, whereof it is, that this delicious Manna is loathsome to their carnall and surfetted taste, and yeeldeth no whole∣some nourishment, because it is eaten against the stomacke. Which if we would remoue, wee must labour often to quicken our appetite, that wee may with Dauid finde and feele the sweetenesse of Gods * 1.5 Word, farre exceeding the hony and the hony-combe, and earnestly hunger and thirst after it, that we may profit by it, and haue the graces of Gods Spirit nourished and increased in vs. To which end wee must often meditate vpon the excellency, profit and necessity of it, as being a Pearle aboue all price, and the onely chiefe treasure which will make vs truely rich. The fourth impediment, is want of diligence, reuerence * 1.6 and attention in the hearing of the Word, whereby most of this pre∣cious liquor spilleth beside, and is vtterly lost; and want of care to trea∣sure it vp in our memories, or to meditate vpon it afterwards, that we may bring it home to our hearts and consciences, and practise it in our liues. Which if we would remoue, we must consider, that it is not the deede done, which will make Gods ordinances truely profitable, but the right manner of doing them; that God will neuer blesse vnto vs the meanes of our saluation, if wee only bring our lips and eares, and outward man vnto them, and do not performe these religious duties with our heart and spirit. And finally, that for our spirituall nourish∣ment it is not sufficient, that we haue plenty of food set before vs, vn∣lesse we feede on it with good appetites, retaine it in our memories (as it were) in the stomacke; and well digest and apply it to our vse by seri∣ous meditation: which duties if wee neglect, either not feeding vpon the food of our soules, or casting it vp againe as soone as it is eaten, we can neuer attaine vnto any spiritual strength, but must needs grow faint and languish in the life of godlinesse. The last impediment (which I * 1.7 will here speake of) in the people, is too much curiosity, both in their hearing and applying of the Word. For such itching eares haue ma∣ny, that they loath the sincere milke of the Word, and all ordinary points handled in an ordinary manner; and affect nothing but nouel∣ties, idle speculations and curious questions; witty discourses and fro∣thy conceites. But that we may shun this foolish curiosity, let vs know, that as the Ministers are bound to deliuer the sincere truth in the eui∣dence * 1.8 of the Spirit and power, so they no lesse to hunger after it, euen the sincere milke of the Word, that they may grow vp thereby: That * 1.9 as they are bound to teach, so we aboue all things must desire to know

Iesus Christ and him crucified. That they who desire to vnderstand aboue that which is meete, and affect onely nicities and nouelties, doe feede * 1.10 vpon froth and winde, which will puffe them vp, but neuer nourish * 1.11 them; and finally, that hungring after continuall variety, and strange dishes, is a signe of a sicke and weake stomacke, full of grosse humours, which needes to bee purged, before it can bee nourished. The like hinderance curiosity bringeth to our proceedings in godlinesse, in re∣spect of applying the Word; when as men will not bring it home to their owne hearts, but curiously prying into, and examining the liues and manners of others, doe put off all that is spoken from themselues, and apply it vnto them whom they thinke it more neerely concerneth. Which if we would auoid, we must conceiue that God hath purposely sent what we heare as a message vnto vs, that all that is spoken, is for our own learning and vse, as if there were none in the Church besides. That the Word which we heare wil not profit, vnlesse it be mixed with faith, & that there is no faith, where there is no application to our own vse. Finally, that y^e meate only nourisheth vs which our selues feed vpon and disgest, and not that which being carued vnto vs we doe not eate, but put it away from vs, or else lay it vpon another mans trencher.

Notes

• * 1.1

  2. Tim. 3. 5.
• * 1.2

  The second impediment.
• * 1.3

  Ephe. 4. 11, 12, 13.
• * 1.4

  The third im∣pediment.
• * 1.5

  Psal. 19. 10.
• * 1.6

  The fourth impediment.
• * 1.7

  The fifth im∣pediment.
• * 1.8

  1. Cor. 2. 4.
• * 1.9

  1. Pet. 21. 1. Cor. 2. 2.
• * 1.10

  Rom. 12. 3.
• * 1.11

  1. Cor. 8. 1.