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.

§. 5 The fift reme∣die is, to e∣steeme much of priuate ad∣monitions.

The fift meanes is, that wee much esteeme the priuate admonitions and reprehensions of our godly and faithfull friends. For in nothing more then this, is the saying of the wise Man verified; Two are better then one, for if they fall, the one will helpe vp his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when hee falleth; for hee hath not another to helpe him vp. When men are apt through their drowsie sloth to neglect their waightie businesse, or to forslow their iourney by ouer-sleeping them∣selues, they hold it a great kindnesse in those that will awaken them, and call them vp betimes, though it bee not pleasant for the instant to be broken of their sleepe. But what businesse so waightie, as to make our election and calling sure? what iourney more important then to trauaile towards our heauenly Countrey? and wherein are wee more sluggish and apt to lose our best oportunities, by ouer-sleeping our selues in carnall securitie, if wee bee not rowzed vp and awakned with the admonitions, exhortations, and necessarie reproofes of our faith∣full

friends? Those that are falling into a Lethargie, being vnable to refrayne sleeping, doe thinke themselues beholding after their reco∣uerie to such about them, as by their pricking and nipping them, haue kept them waking, though it may bee for the present, it was a thank∣lesse office, being so distastefull to their humour and appetite; but we are prone to fall into this spirituall Lethargie of carnall securitie, which is more dangerous and pernicious then ten thousand bodily deathes; and therefore by so much more are wee to esteeme the kind office of such a faithfull friend, who by the nips and pricks of admo∣nitions and reproofes, doth keepe vs from falling or continuing in this sleepe of death. When our bodily sores begin to fester at the bottome, and to breed dead flesh, and when our bodies abound with hurtfull humours, we not onely voluntarily send for the Chyrurgeon and Physician, but thanke and reward them, though to our smart and payne, they vse, to cure vs, corrasiues and strong potions. And shall we not be as carefull for the recouerie of our soules, and as thankfull to those who vse these good meanes to effect the cure, although they bee distastefull; yea, painfull and lothsome to our carnall sense and appe∣tite? But it is not enough that we highly esteeme those Christian du∣ties, for our spirituall good; if our friends bee not also willing to per∣forme them. Now to an ingenuous nature, it is in this cure as pain∣full and vnpleasant to bee the Physician as the Patient; to admonish and reprooue our friends, as to heare them admonishing and reproo∣uing vs; because it sauoureth of needlesse curiositie and censorious businesse. And therefore it is necessarie for vs to vse all good meanes, to moue one another to the performance of this dutie. And this wee shall doe if wee performe it mutually as there is need on either side, and watch ouer one another by turnes, either partie being readie to a∣waken the other, when hee seeth him falling into this deadly sleepe. For this libertie of loue being vsed on both sides, will make both more willing, both to speake and heare, prouided that it bee not by way of regeration, and by retorting the admonition at the same time; which sauoureth of some spleene, and argueth a willingnesse to re∣quite, and a kind of impatiencie to be in debt, or by our faultinesse to be obnoxious vnto our friend, vnlesse he be as deeply engaged vnto vs. And secondly, if our friend bee mistaken in vs, and we are able to excuse and defend our innocency by a iust apologie; yet this must bee done so, as it may not giue any distaste or discouragement vnto him, in performing the like dutie another time, not by harsh contestations, but with great mildnesse and loue, thanking him much for his care in the generall, although it causeth an errour in this particular. And to this end let vs remember that it was an error of loue, which as it is not suspicious, and hideth a multitude of sinnes, that they may not bee discouered to our hurt and shame; so it is sometimes iealous when it commeth to play the part of the Chyrurgeon, and whilest it searcheth our sores to the bottome, it may at vnawares goe somewhat too deepe and touch the quicke, fearing to leaue any of the dead flesh or core behind.

Notes

• Eccles. 4. 9, 18.