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. X.

Of those manifold impediments of a godly life, which arise from our sinne∣full and corrupt hearts and affections.

§. Sect. 1 The first impe∣diment is an heart hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne.

ANd thus haue I shewed, how we may remooue those im∣pediments of a godly life, which arise from the corrup∣tion of the intellectuall faculties. Those which respect the heart and affections, are many and dangerous. The first is, when our hearts are hardened through the deceit∣fulnesse of sinne, and so habituated and accustomed to euill courses, that it is death to vs, if we indeuour to forsake them, and to serue God in the duties of a godly life. Of this wee haue many warnings in the Scriptures, as being a most dangerous rocke, vpon which many haue suffred shipwracke: To day if you will heare his voyce, harden not your hearts. And, Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe, in departing from the liuing God. But exhort one another dayly, while it is called to day, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne. Which impediment if we would remooue, let vs withstand sinne in the first motions of it, and if at any time we be ouertaken, let vs care∣fully take heed, that wee doe not lie in sinne, but rise againe speedily by vnfained repentance. Let vs beware that wee doe not often

fall into the same sinnes, after wee haue repented of them; seeing by many acts, wee come at last to an habit and custome. Or if this cu∣stome hath already preuailed, and is now come to haue in it the strength of a Law, and to be (as it were) a second nature, let vs not suf∣fer it any longer to continue inuiolable, but bend all our power and strength to disanull and breake it. Neither let our corrupt nature pleade prescription for sinne, or the neglect of holy duties, as though because we haue long done that which God forbiddeth, or not done that which he hath commanded, therefore we must be borne with, if we doe so still; seeing this is no excuse at all, but rather the greatest aggrauation of our sinnefulnesse and negligence. For though they might be somewhat excused, if they were done but once or twice, they are altogether intolerable when they grow common and customable. And therefore our long liuing in sinne, and in the neglect of Christi∣an duties, should be so far from excusing our continuing in these cour∣ses, that it ought to be a strong motiue to double our diligence in re∣deeming this lost time, as the Apostle exhorteth. And this reason the Apostle Peter also vseth to perswade vs, that we should no longer liue the rest of our time in the flesh, according to the lusts of men, but according to the will of God, because the time past of our liues may suffice vs to haue wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciutousnesse, lusts, excesse of wine, reuellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries. Now the meanes whereby wee may be enabled to breake off this custome in sinning, and to performe the contrary duties of a godly life, is, to labour to haue our hearts pos∣sessed and fraughted with Gods feare, partly in respect of his Iudge∣ments denounced against sin, & partly in respect of his mercies and ma∣nifold blessings, promised to all that serue and please him. For nothing doth more powerfully ouer-master this tyrannicall custome, then the true feare of God; euen as the want thereof is the chiefe cause of falling into, and continuing in sinne. And secondly, our best course is to set our selues with a firme resolution to breake off, and discon∣tinue our custome in sinning, and to performe the contrary duties of a godly life, seeing many acts of wel-doing will at last bring vs to an habit and custome, and make them easie and familiar, which at the first entrance seemed difficult and almost impossible. The like impediment vnto all Christian duties, ariseth from security and hard∣nesse of heart, which taking away all sense and feeling, both of Gods mercies and Iudgements, and putting away the euill day farre from vs, doth make vs also therewith to put off the day of repentance, to neglect all holy and religious duties, and to goe on securely in our for∣mer euill courses. Of the remouing of which impediment I will not here speake, because I haue handled it at large in my Treatise of car∣nall security, and hardnesse of heart.

§. Sect. 2 Of the second impediment respecting the heart, which is 〈…〉〈…〉 the world.

The second impediment of a godly life, respecting the heart, is worldly concupiscence, and immoderate and excessiue loue of the world and earthly things, and chiefely of honours, riches and plea∣sures, and that carking care which ariseth from it, for the getting or keeping of them. Concerning the former. As the loue of God

and the loue of the world will not harbour together in the same heart, be∣cause the amity and friendship of the one, is enmity against the other, as the Apostles Iohn and Iames teach vs; so neither can we performe faithfull seruice to them both, being Masters which stand in flat opposition one to the other, as our Sauiour hath told vs. In which regard, Demas is said to haue forsaken the Apostle Paul, and with him, his Master Christ and his truth, assoone as he begun to loue this present world. For when men haue once fixed their hearts vpon earthly vanities, all their cogitations are so taken vp with them, that they haue no leisure to thinke vpon any Christi∣an duties; and so wholly are they besotted with the loue of this painted strumpet, that they thinke all time lost, which is not spent in winning and gaining her. So that when Christ inuiteth them vnto his Marriage Sup∣per, to feast them with spirituall delicacies, that Gods graces may bee so strengthened in them, as that they may bee inabled to serue him in all Christian duties, they presently pretend excuses, and will not come. For the remouing of which impediment, wee must vse all good meanes to weane our hearts from the loue of the world, that wee may contemne it as vaine and worthlesse, in comparison of spirituall grace, and heauenly glory. To which purpose we must consider, that the worlds prosperity which we dote so much vpon, will, being thus abused, become a notable tentation to draw vs into all manner of sinne, to our perdition and de∣struction; according to that of the wise Salomon; The prosperity of fooles shall destroy them: And, What will it profit vs to gaine the whole world, and lose our owne soules? as our Sauiour speaketh. Let vs consider, that these world∣ly things are momentany and mutable, hardly gotten, and soone lost; vn∣certaine in the pursuit, whether after all our labour we shall obtaine them or no, and no more certaine in the possession, seeing they may euery day be taken from vs, or we from them. Let vs consider, that they are vaine, and satisfie not, but the more we drinke, the more we thirst; the more we abound, the more we want; and that they bring not any sound content∣ment to their owners, but labour in getting, care in keeping, and feare in losing them. That they doe not at all profit vs for the assuring of those things which are chiefly to be desired, nor at those times when wee shall stand in most need of helpe and comfort; namely, at the houre of death, and day of Iudgement. Yea, if we immoderately dote on them, they will become exceeding hurtfull and pernicious, being those thornes which will choke in vs the seed of Gods Word, from which all sauing graces doe spring; those snares of the diuell, which intangle vs to our perdition; those heauie burthens, which hinder vs in our iourney towards our hea∣uenly home, and Cammell-like bunches, which will keepe vs from entring into that straight and narrow gate.

§. Sect. 3 The third im∣pediment ari∣sing from worldly cares.

The cares also of this world are a great impediment to a godly life. For first, they hinder vs from performing religious duties, as we see in the example of those, who being inuited to the Marriage Supper of the Kings Son, refused to come; and of those, who being called to be Christs Disciples, were so taken vp with the care of their worldly businesse, that they could finde no present leisure to follow Christ. Yea of Martha her selfe, who though she were a good woman, yet was so cumbred with care,

in prouiding for Christs entertainment, that she could finde no time to heare his heauenly Sermons, and enuied her sister, for performing this high and holy duty. Or if we set our selues to performe any seruice vnto God, these cares interpose themselues, and distract vs with worldly and wandring thoughts, so as we cannot performe it with any fruit and bene∣fit: as we see in the Parable of the Sower, where he that receiued seed among thornes, is (as our Sauiour expoundeth it) he that heareth the Word, and the cares of this world, and the deceitfulnesse of riches choke the Word, and hee be∣commeth vnfruitfull. In which regard, our Sauiour giueth vnto vs a speci∣all caueat (whereby we may be fitted for his comming) that wee should take heed to our selues, lest at any time our hearts be ouercharged with surfetting and drunkennesse, and the cares of this life, and so that day come vpon vs at vnawares. For as the one surchargeth the stomake, and maketh vs vnfit for any bo∣dily imployment, so the other oppresse and intoxicate the mind and heart (as it were) with a kind of spirituall gluttony and drunkennesse, that they become altogether vnprofitable for any religious exercise. Now the meanes to remoue this impediment are first, to contemne these worldly things, as being of small value, in comparison of sauing grace, and hea∣uenly glory: For what we can despise, we will not pursue with ouer-much care. Secondly, let vs learne to liue the life of faith, and not resting vpon our owne prouision, cast our selues vpon Gods all-sufficient prouidence, and neuer-failing promises, who will assuredly prouide for vs, if we whol∣ly depend vpon him. And this meanes and motiue the Scriptures offer vnto vs, to preserue vs from couetousnesse and carking care, according to that of the Psalmist, Commit thy way vnto the Lord, trust also in him, and he shall bring it to passe. And that counsell of the Wise man; Commit thy workes vnto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established. So the Apostle; Let your conuersation be without couetousnesse, and bee content with such things as ye haue; for he hath said, I will not leaue thee, nor forsake thee. And the A∣postle Peter; Cast all your care vpon him, for he careth for you. But most ex∣cellently doth our Sauiour Christ, with many strong arguments, arme vs against this carking care: Take no thought (saith he) for your life, what you shall eate, or what you shall drinke, nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. First, because he that hath giuen vs that which is the greater and better, he will not, if we depend vpon him, deny vnto vs that which is lesse and worse. Is not the life more then meate? and the body then rayment? Se∣condly, because he who is so gracious, bountifull, and prouident, as to prouide for the Fowles of the ayre, and the Lillies of the field, without their care and paines, will much more prouide for his children that rely vpon him, and with their reasonable paines and moderate care, doe serue his prouidence. Thirdly, because this carking care is bootlesse and vn∣profitable, seeing God, according as it seemeth best to his infinite wise∣dome, hath allotted vnto euery one a stint and proportion in their estate, as well as in their bodily stature, vnto which they shall come, and not ex∣ceed it. And therefore as no man can adde one cubit to his stature of bo∣dy, though he take neuer so much care and paines; so also it is alike im∣possible hereby to adde one mite vnto that dimension of our estate, which God by his wise and powerfull prouidence hath allotted vnto vs. Fourth∣ly,

because this immoderate care is more fit for Infidels, who rest wholly vpon themselues and their owne meanes, then for Christians, who ac∣knowledge God, most wise, and all-sufficient, to bee their Father; seeing he is omniscient, and taketh notice of all our wants, and omnipotent, and most gracious and bountifull, and therefore most able and willing to sup∣ply them. Fifthly, because the best meanes to be assured of all earthly bles∣sings, in such a proportion as is most fit for Gods glory, and our saluation, is aboue, and before all things, to seeke Gods Kingdome and righteousnesse, because we haue his infallible promise, that if we so doe, other things shall be added vnto vs, as it were small aduantages to this maine bargaine. The which Salomon found verified in his owne experience; who being put to his choyce, and preferring wisedome, before riches, honour, and long life, did not onely obtaine it at Gods hands, but all these things likewise for which he made no suit. Lastly, because it is extreme folly to anticipate fu∣ture cares and troubles before they come, no not those of the next day, seeing when they come, they will bring griefe and vexation enough, though we doe not preuent them before they happen, and so redouble our sorrowes. Neither in truth can we tell whether those things whereof wee take care, will befall vs or no; and therefore what folly is it to vndergoe certaine trouble and care about vncertainties? or if they shall happen, we may haue wit to foresee them, but no power to preuent them; and there∣fore to vexe our selues before they come, is to bee miserable before the time.

Notes

• Psal. 95. 7, 8.
• Heb. 3. 12, 13.
• Eph. ••. 16. 1. Pet. 4. 2, 3.
• 1. Joh. 2. 15. Jam. 4. 4.
• Math. 6. 24.
• 2. Tim. 4. 10.
• Luk. 14. 16, 17.
• Joh. 12. 42, 43.
• Prou. 1. 32. Mark. 8. 36.
• Math. 13. 22.
• 1. Tim. 6. 9, 10.
• Math. 22. 5. Luk. 14. 18. and 9 59, 61. Luk. 10. 40.
• Math. 13. 22.
• Luk. 8. 14.
• Psal. 37. 5.
• Prou. 16. 3.
• Heb. 13. 5.
• 1. Pet. 5. 7.
• Math. 6. 25, 26, &c.
• 1. King. 3. 9, 10, 12, 13.