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.

§. 3 The third re∣medie is, to make great ac∣count of a soft and relenting heart.

The third meanes is, that we make great account of a soft and relen∣ting heart and tender conscience, when wee haue them, which will make vs tremble at the hearing of Gods Word, and euen melt like the heart of Iosias, and strict and scrupulous in auoyding all appea∣rance of euill. To which end we must shun all causes and occasions of sinne, as well as the sinne it selfe. Especially let vs auoid, as much as may be, the companie of such as are hard hearted and carnally secure, who are apt to infect vs with their contagion. For as bodily drowsi∣nesse goeth from one to another, and when wee see our Companion yawne we are readie to yawne also, being infected with his sluggish∣nesse; and the long fetching of his breath that sleepeth, is a meanes to draw sleepe on others that lye with him: so is this sloth of securitie alike contagious. Wee see that those who are fearefull and cowardly, are much emboldned to affront dangers, when being in the companie of such as are vndanted and desperate, they see them often escape ma∣ny perills, into which they haue rashly aduentured and thrust them∣selues; and so doth it make those that are fearefull to commit sinne, in respect of the manifold euills that doe accompanie it, to become more bold and aduenturous to run into it, and more secure and carelesse af∣ter it is committed, when wee haue before our eyes, the examples of those who daily commit greater sinnes with greater securitie, because for the present they liue in impunitie, and are not by God called to a reckoning. Againe, if we would preserue our hearts and consciences soft and tender, we must walke with God, and set our selues in his pre∣sence, as Enoch did; and so shall wee make scruple not onely of open and manifest, but of secret and vnknowne sinnes, because he being al∣wayes

present, they are seene and knowne of him. Not onely of such sinnes as are great and haynous, but euen of the least and first degrees of wickednesse; thinking no sinne small which will lesson those sweet ioyes and comforts we haue in our communion with God, and change his gracious smiles and influences of his fauour, into an angrie and frowning countenance. For if we doe without feare fall often into les∣ser sinnes, we shall in a while liue securely in those which are greater; and as Sheepe and lesser Cattle, though lighter of body, yet by their multitude trample a path-way, as soone as greater and heauier beasts, that come more seldome and in lesser droues; so will these lesser and lighter sinnes, in respect of their multitude and often hapning, harden the heart and cause it to become like a beaten path, vnfit to receiue the seed of Gods Word, or to bring forth any fruits of godlinesse. Final∣ly, wee must attentiuely harken to the voyce of conscience, when it checketh vs for sinne, or approueth vs for well-doing; restrayneth vs from euill, or inciteth vs to good; and not suffer the voyce thereof to be drowned with the clamour of our lusts, which will make it wearie of speaking and admonishing, when it admonisheth and speaketh in vaine, and willing to let vs goe on securely in our courses, seeing wee refuse to take counsaile and direction from it. And we must take heed of knowne and voluntarie sinnes which wound the conscience, and being often reiterated make it seared and benummed, and casteth it (as it were) into a trance, in which it hath no sense and feeling. For if this bee our case, needs must wee sleepe in deepe securitie, when as our Watch-man sleepeth, that should awake vs; needs must we, like de∣sperate Malefactors, be without feare of Law and punishment, when wee see no witnesse to giue euidence against vs. Our care therefore must bee, that wee may auoid this fearefull estate, to keepe the consci∣ence pure from the defilements of sinne, or if it bee defiled to purge it presently by renuing our faith and repentance. To preserue it in as much life and sense as wee can, or if wee perceiue that it beginneth to grow stupid and benummed, we must quicken and stirre it vp by me∣ditating in the Law, and by summoning it often to giue an account, be∣fore the supreme Iudge, of its neglect of dutie, and deadnesse and back∣wardnesse in giuing euidence.