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.

§. 1 That carnall securitie depri∣ueth of Gods fauour and protection, and dispoyleth vs of all spirituall grace.

BVt that we may be moued to pursue this Vice with more deadly hatred, and more carefully vse all good meanes to be armed against it, let vs now further consider, that as it is the euill of sinne, and the cause thereof, as hath beene shewed; so also it is the cause of the euill of pu∣nishment; yea, it selfe is also a punishment of other sinnes. Concer∣ning the former: This securitie exposeth vs to many euills both priua∣tiue and positiue. For it depriueth vs of Gods assistance in the day of tentation, whilest it blindeth our eyes, that we cannot see the want of his helpe, hardneth our hearts that we cannot desire it, and shutteth our mouthes that wee cannot craue it by our feruent prayers. It di∣spoyleth vs of the rich furniture of Gods sauing graces, by causing vs to neglect, or formally and coldly to vse the meanes whereby they should be nourished and increased, as hearing the Word, Reading, Meditating, Prayer, and the rest, presuming that we are well enough, safe, and in good estate without them; whereupon must needs follow their languishing and decaying, if this securitie be still cherished in vs. For the strongest bodies will waxe faint and weake, if they bee depri∣ued of their food whereby they should bee nourished. The greatest flame and fire will soone goe out, if it be not fed with a new supply of fuell and kept in by blowing. The greatest state will soone bee consu∣med, if men lauishly spend vpon the stocke, and vse no meanes to adde vnto it. The best Vines will grow wild, and bring vnripe and sowre Grapes, if they be neglected and be not pruned and well ordered. The most fruitfull ground, will in stead of good Graine, bring forth weeds, Thornes and Thistles, if it be not husbanded and manured. And thus it fareth with vs in our spirituall estate, our strength of grace will turne vnto weaknesse, if in our securitie we thinke our selues so strong, that wee need not to cherish them with the spirituall Manna, and meanes of grace and saluation. The fire of the Spirit will bee extinguished, if wee cast vpon it this cold water of securitie, and doe not continually re-enliue it by blowing vpon it, and stirre vp the gifts and graces of God in vs, as Paul exhorteth Timothy. Wee shall soone breake and bee banke-rupted in our spirituall state, if thinking with the Laodi∣ceans, that we are rich enough and haue need of nothing, we neglect the meanes whereby the mayne stocke of Gods graces may be preser∣ued and increased in vs. Wee shall like degenerate Vines, in stead of sweet, bring forth nothing but sowre Grapes, if we neglect the conti∣nuall purging and pruning of our selues from our superfluous lusts, and doe not preserue our hearts well ordered and in the feare of God. Finally, in stead of the fruits of Vertue, we shall breed and bring forth nothing but the weeds of Vice and Sinne, if we neglect our spirituall

husbandrie, breake not vp the fallow grounds of our hearts, weed them not of thornie cares, manure them not by the vse of all good meanes, whereby they may bee made rich and fertile, and sow not in them the good seed of Gods Word, which will bring forth in vs the fruits of Holinesse and Righteousnesse.

Notes

• 2. Tim. 1. 6.
• Apoc. 3. 17.