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. III.

Of such priuate impediments which the world vseth, to hinder vs in a godly life, and first, those on the right hand.

§. Sect. 1 Of the tentati∣ons of pros∣perity, which are most dan∣gerous impedi∣ments of a godly life.

WHat are the publike impediments, which the world casteth in our way, to hinder vs from proceeding in the duties of a godly life, we haue shewed in the former chapter: & now it remaineth that wee intreate of those which are more priuate. And these are either the tentations wherewith the World vsually assaulteth vs; or certaine scandals and offences which it layeth before vs, to discourage vs in the waies of Godlinesse. The World tempteth vs diuersly, both on the right hand with earthly prosperity, and on the left with crosses and afflictions. The more dan∣gerous of these two, are the tentations of prosperity, wherewith the world allureth vs (as by her bewitching baites) to make vs leaue the narrow & afflicted path of righteousnesse and holinesse, and to walke in the broad and easy way that leadeth to destruction. These are those intoxicating cups, whereby it maketh men so drunke, that they haue neither list nor power to walke in the path of piety; those false lights, which so dazle mens eyes, that they cannot discerne the excellencie of spirituall grace and heauenly glory; those inamouring potions, that make vs to loue the world, & to dote so on this painted Strumpet, that we thinke all time lost which is not spent in her seruice; those waters, which quench in vs the loue of God, the zeale of his glory, and all feruency of desire in attayning to heauenly happinesse; those thornes, which choake in vs all good motions of Gods Spirit; and finally, those

intangling snares which catch and hold vs, that wee cannot goe on in any religious duties or holy actions. Against these tentations, which as strong impediments hinder so many from the profession and practice of godli∣nesse, wee may best arme our selues, by considering that the loue of the world and the loue of God will not stand together, because, as the Apo∣stle Iames teacheth vs, The amity of the world is enmity against God, and hee who maketh himselfe a friend to the one, doth make himselfe an enemy to the other. That the prosperity of the world is vaine and vncertaine, momen∣tany and mutable, hard to get, and easily lost. And that it doth not vsu∣ally further vs towards the attaining of our mayne and chiefe ends, as neither adding any thing to Gods graces in vs heere, nor to our glory and happinesse in the life to come. Yea, by reason of our corruption, which is apt to abuse it to our owne harme, it vsually becommeth a great hinderance, and a notable pulbacke in running the Race of Chri∣stianity, making vs forgetfull of God and our owne good, proud and high-minded, worldly and carnall, doting so vpon the present fruition of earthly vanities, as that we vtterly neglect all meanes of our future hap∣pinesse.

§. Sect. 2 Of such impe∣diments as a life frō world∣ly things, as honours, ri∣ches and plea∣sures, and from the society and familiarity of wicked men.

Now the speciall impediments of a godly life are diuers and manifold; but the chiefe and principall which the world vseth to tempt vs on the right hand, are honours, riches, pleasures, worldly friends and acquain∣tance, whose society and conuersation are notable hindrances to a godly life. And these baites the world fitteth to euery mans seuerall humour and disposition; vnto the ambitious, it propoundeth honours and the glory of the world; vnto the couetous, riches and earthly treasures; vnto the vo∣luptuous, pleasures and carnall delights, causing them to bend their whole thoughts, and to spend their whole time in compassing them, so as they haue no leasure to thinke vpon, much lesse to performe the duties of a godly life. Which impediments if we would auoyd, we must learne to contemne these earthly vanities, as being vaine and worthlesse, vncertaine both in respect of getting and keeping, and vnprofitable, yea hurtfull and pernicious to all those who set their hearts vpon them. All which, with many other to this purpose, I haue largely handled in the second part of my Christian Warfare, and therefore doe heere thus briefly passe them ouer. Neither is it needfull that I should heere say much of the society, friendship, and familiarity with the wicked and prophane, seeing I haue already spoken of it in the former Discourse. Onely let vs heere take no∣tice, that it is one of the chiefe impediments which the world vseth to hinder vs in the wayes of godlinesse. For no more apt is the contagious ayre, which wee daily breathe, to poyson and infect the body, then the company of vngodly and vngracious men, to taint and infect the soule. And no more possible is it to walke daily among snares and not be caught, or to liue amongst the eues and not be robbed, then to preserue our selues from being intangled in the nets and grinnes of the wicked, and to bee spoiled of all Gods graces, if wee take delight to consort our selues with such as are gracelesse and vngodly. So Salomon telleth vs, that in the trans∣gression of an euill man, there is a snare, whereby he doth not onely more and more intangle himselfe, but also all others that beare him company. For

society and familiarity ariseth out of likenesse of mindes and manners, and cannot long continue, if it doe not either finde, or at least make this similitude and correspondence, according to that of the Prophet; Can two walke together, and not be agreed? And as possible it is to reconcile light and darkenesse, truth and falshood, good and euill, as the faithfull and infidels, godly Christians and prophane worldlings, both retaining their owne properties and dispositions. For an vniust man is an abomination to the iust, and he that is vpright in his way, is an abomination to the wicked. Neither let any so much presume vpon their owne strength, as to imagine that they can retaine their sincerity, though they keepe wicked company, and rather conuert them to good, then be peruerted by them vnto euill, seeing this is a matter of great difficulty. To bee good (saith one) among the good, hath in it health and safety; among the wicked to be so, is also com∣mendable and praise-worthy; in that, happinesse is ioyned with much se∣curity; in this, much vertue with difficulty. For as hee who is running downe the hill, can sooner pull with him one that is ascending, then hee who is going vp, can cause him to ascend that is running down: so he who holdeth an headlong course in wickednes, can more easily carry with him one that is ascending the hill of vertue, being a motion cōtrary to naturall disposition, then he can cause him to ascend with him. For in common ex∣perience we see, that the worser state preuaileth more, in altring the better to its condition, then the better to make the worse like it selfe. The infected are not so soone cured by the sound, as they tainted with their contagion; Rotten Apples lying with the sound, are not restored to soundnesse; but the sound are corrupted with their rottennesse. Dead carkases vnited to liuing bodies, are not thereby reuiued, vnlesse it be by miracle, as we see in Elizeus and Paul; but the liuing, if they continue any time vnited to the dead, partake with them in their mortality and corruption. And thus it is also in our spirituall state, wherein the worser more preuaileth to corrupt the better, then the better to reforme the worse. For they being wholly flesh, are more earnest and diligent in the deuils seruice, to draw others vnto his Kingdome, then true Christians can be in the cause of God, see∣ing they are but in part regenerate, and the flesh opposeth the Spirit in all good actions, which either respect themselues or their neighbours. And therefore wicked men will leaue no meanes vnassayed, but will imploy their whole strength and indeuour to draw others with them into the same excesse of worldlinesse and wickednesse. For first, they will infect them by their vnsauoury speeches and filthy communication, which is a powerfull meanes to taint those that beare them company with their wickednesse, according to that of the Apostle; Euill words corrupt good manners. Se∣condly, by their exhortations and perswasions, as the Wiseman excellent∣ly sheweth in diuers places, vnto which Syrens songs wee are apt to giue heed, vnlesse wee submit our selues to be guided and directed with the voyce of Wisedome, and be powerfully restrained with the contrary mo∣tions of Gods Spirit. Thirdly, wicked men doe much hinder them who keepe them company in the wayes of godlinesse, and prouoke them to ac∣company them in their sinnes, by their euill examples, especially when they see them thriue and prosper in their wickednesse, as we see in Dauid,

who though hee were a man according to Gods owne heart, yet his foot had almost slipt, when he saw the great prosperity of the vngodly, being ready to conclude, that he had clensed his heart in vaine, and washed his hands in innocencie. The which tentation is of greater force, when wee haue the euill example not of some few, but of the multitude, or of some great and eminent persons, whose actions aboue others, are most exemplary. Final∣ly, wicked men draw on those who keepe them company, to haue fellow∣ship with them in their wickednesse, by their faire promises, alluring baites, and liberall offers of rewards. And thus those sinfull wretches of whom Salomon speaketh, draw on their companions to ioyne with them in violence and oppression, by offering vnto them part of the spoile, and large rewards, to incourage them in their wickednesse: Wee shall finde (say they) all precious substance, we shall fill our houses with spoile. Cast in thy lot among vs, let vs all haue one purse. Which dangerous impediment if wee would auoyd, let vs with all care and diligence make choyce of good company, which will both by their words, mutuall exhortati∣ons, and good examples, helpe vs forward, and better our speed in the wayes of godlinesse, like runners in a race, who by striuing who shall out-runne one another, doe all come to the goale in shorter time and with much more speed, then if they should runne alone, and haue no other to contend with them. And contrariwise, let vs with like care shunne familiar society with wicked men, though in worldly respects it is profitable vnto vs, assuring our selues, that though for the pre∣sent, wee finde some benefit by such society, yet in the end our spiritu∣all losse will farre exceed our worldly gaine. Or if wee bee so settered and hampered with such neere bonds of consanguinity, alliance, ne∣cessary intercourse of dealing, or neere neighbourhood, that wee can∣not goe farre from them, yet at least let it bee our griefe, that wee are constrained to liue with them, and come into their company more of∣ten then wee would, according to the example of holy Dauid, who cryed out in this case; Woe is mee, that I soiourne in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar; and of Lot, whose righteous soule was much grie∣ued, when liuing among the Sodomites, hee was forced to see their filthy conuersation. And to this end, let vs remember first the many ex∣hortations vsed in the Scriptures, inciting vs, with all care and circum∣spection, to shunne and auoyd the society of the wicked: Bee yee not partakers with them; neither haue any fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse. Separate your selues from them, and come out from amongst them, lest you bee partakers of their plagues. Secondly, when their prospe∣rity allureth vs to accompany them in their euill courses, let vs not iudge according to outward appearance, nor consult with flesh and blood, but with Dauid goe into Gods Sanctuary, and there wee shall learne the end of these men▪ namely, that being set in slippery places, they shall quickly catch a fall, and be so wholly rooted out, that their place shall no more be found. Thirdly, that if we keepe company with the wicked, we shall not only communicate with them in their sinnes, but also in their pu∣nishments; for the companions of fooles shalbe destroyed; and they that will not come out of Babylon, shall be partakers of her plagues. Finally, let vs remem∣ber,

that they are blessed, who walke not in the counsell of the vngodly, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornfull. But of these motiues I haue before spoken, and therfore content my selfe here, thus briefefly to haue touched them.

Notes

• 1. Ioh. 2. 15.
• Iam. 4. 4.
• Pro. 1. 32.
• Sicut malu•• ••••r assiduo statu tractus inflicit corp••••; ita per∣uer•••• l••••••tio assi¦d••••è infirmanti∣um infi••it ani∣mum, vt tabes∣cat delectatione praui operis, assi∣duitate curiosi sermonis. Greg. super Ezech. Pro. 29. 6.
• Amos 3. 3.
• Pro. 29. 27.
• Inter bonos bo∣num esse, salutem habet, inter ma∣los vero etiam laudem, &c. Bern. in Epist.
• 1. King. 4. 34. Act. 20. 10.
• 1. Cor. 15. 31.
• Pro. 1. 10, 11, 12. & 5. 3. & 7. 13, 14, 21.
• Psal. 73. 2, 13.
• Pro. 1. 11, 13, 14.
• Psal. 20. 6.
• 2. Pet. 2. 7.
• Eph. 5. 7, 11.
• Num. 16. 26. Apoc. 18. 4. Exod. 23. 1.
• Psal. 73. 17.
• Pro. 13. 20.
• Psal. 1. 1.