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. 3 That the for∣mer poynt ought to be held with di∣uers cautions.

But yet some cautions must be heere obserued: as first, that howsoeuer we are not to loue the world, nor to maintaine neere and inward fami∣liarity with Gods enemies, yet in respect of our priuate carriage, we must behaue our selues innocently and iustly towards them, and as the Apo∣stle speaketh (as much as in vs lyeth) haue peace with all men. Secondly, we must so hate their sinnes, their worldlinesse and prophanesse, as that in the meane time we loue their persons, performing vnto them all ciuill and religious duties, whereby we may gaine them to Christ, and bee meanes (as much as in vs lyeth) of their conuersion and saluation. Thirdly, that vnder colour of hating the world, we doe not carry our selues cynically and harshly, peeuishly and contentiously with those which remaine still professed worldlings, but goe forward in the practice of all holy duties, with all meeknesse of conuersation, opposing them in nothing, but when they oppose vs in piety and righteousnesse. For the world is ready to hate vs too much already, for our profession and practice of Gods true Religion, though by our peruerse behauiour, and rigid stiffenesse, euen a∣bout things indifferent, we doe not giue it any cause to hate our persons. And therefore let vs auoyd their errour, who when they haue taken vpon them the profession of Christian Religion, thinke themselues bound to professe open enmity against all those who are contrary minded; and that they best approue their Christianity, when as the fire of dissension, by their tart behauiour, is kindled betweene them, because Christ came to bring a sword and fire vpon the earth, and to set at variance, euen those which are of a mans family. For in many other places, wee are earnestly exhorted to vse all meeknesse and loue, that we may win them by our con∣uersation who are without, vnlesse it be in the cause of God, and the de∣fence of his truth. And therefore that place of our Sauiour is not to bee vnderstood so much of the doings of the faithfull, whereby standing vp∣on tearmes of hostility, they should prouoke the enemies of the Gospell against them, but rather of their sufferings and persecutions, which for Christs sake and the Gospell they should indure at the hands of the wic∣ked, though they behaued themselues as meekly and mildly, as innocently

and louingly, as the cause of God and defence of his truth would suf∣fer them. Or if at all, of their doings and oppositions against pro∣phane worldlings, yet not in such things, wherein they might lawfully agree, but in matters weighty and important, as concerning Gods glory and their owne saluation; and not in spleene, and spite, or pri∣uate reuenge, but when they haue lawfull authority to suppresse their fury, & curbe in their malice; or by an open war, according to the Law of God and Nations proclaymed against them. Finally, we must take heed, that we doe not esteeme all them as worldlings, who goe not as farre as wee in the profession of Religion and the practize of holy duties; for there are Christians of all sizes and ages, and as well babes as growne men in Gods family. But those onely are to be ranked in this number of worldly opposites, who are professed enemies of Christian Religion, or onely haue the name of Christians, but are in truth grosse idolaters, or wickedly prophane, who in their liues deny the power of that truth, which they outwardly professe; maligning and hating all those who loue and feare God, euen for their godlinesse sake, and displaying their banners of impiety against all grace and goodnesse. Neither doe I thinke that formall Christians, who liue ciuilly amongst vs, professing Christianity, and ioyning with vs in the publique exercises of Religion, are to be reckoned amongst these worldlings, who oppose vs, and whom we oppose, though wee cannot obserue in them any signes of sound conuersion, or of the sincerity and power of godlinesse; (seeing our Sauiour himselfe is sayd to haue loued the yong man, who yet had not so farre proceeded in the course of Christianity) but prophane persons, lewd liuers, notorious blasphe∣mers, professed scorners, and malicious opposers against the Pro∣fessors and practisers of Gods true Religion.

Notes

• Rom. 12. 18.
• Math. 10. 34. Luk. 12. 49.
• Marke 10. 21.