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.

§. 7 The seuenth meanes to keepe our hearts vpright, and our con∣sciences pure.

The fift meanes of spirituall securitie is, to keepe our hearts vp∣right, and our consciences pure and vndefiled from sinne; especially from such sinnes as are committed, not through ignorance and infir∣mitie, but against knowledge and conscience. Or if we haue fallen in∣to any such, our second care must bee to arise out of them and forsake them, and to purge our consciences by bathing them in the blood of Christ by Faith, and in the teares of vnfayned repentance. For the conscience is of the nature of the eye, it must be kept cleane, and then it will be cheerfull and quiet; but if we nourish in it willingly the least sinnes (as it were little Motes in our sight) it will smart and rage, and neuer bee quiet till they bee cast out. And so long as we doe thus pre∣serue the peace of a good conscience, wee may bee secure and without feare, because we haue also peace with God, For if our heart condemne vs not, then haue wee confidence towards. God (as the Apostle speaketh) and whatsoeuer we aske we receiue of him, because we keepe his Comman∣dements, and doe those things which are pleasing in his sight. But if our heart condemne vs (then will not God acquit vs) for hee is greater then our heart, and knoweth all things. So that onely the pure conscience can be the secure conscience; for sinne is the onely cause of feare, and therefore if i•• be purged away, there is no place for feare to lodge in. But if sinne remayne and defile the heart and conscience, there is no roome for securitie; for how can a man be secure, that by guilt of sinne is liable to Gods displeasure, and hath broken the peace with him? how can he not be full of feare, that is daily in danger to be attached with his iudgements; and to beare the deserued punishment of his sinne? And this the Heathens saw by the light of nature, namely, that Guilt and Feare, Innocency and Securitie, like inseparable compani∣ons accompanie one another. For one being asked who they were that liued securely, answered, They onely who were not conscious

vnto themselues of any euill. And another affirmeth, that it is a great portion of securitie to doe nothing vniustly; in which regard men of might lead a life confused and disturbed, because looke how much they hurt, and so much also they feare. For though a man may be safe for the present, hauing an euill conscience, yet hee can neuer bee secure; and though when he sinneth he be not taken with the manner, yet he is alwayes in feare of being taken. He is troubled in his sleepe, and whilest any mans wickednesse is spoken of, he thinketh of his owne; and though the guiltie may haue the hap to bee hid, yet cannot they haue the confidence of it.

Notes

• Hic murus abe∣n••us esto ni•• con∣scire sibi, nulla pallescere cul a Hor••t. epist. l. 1. Epist▪ 1.
• Exemplo quod∣cu••{que} malo com∣mittitur, ipsi di∣splicet authori: prima haec est vl∣tio quod se iudice nemo nocens ab ••oluitur improba quam••is gratia fallacis prae••oris vicerit vrna. Iuvenal. Satyr. 13.
• 1. Ioh. 4. 20, 21.
• Quid prodest re∣condere se & o∣culos hominum a••res{que} vitare? bona conscientia turbam aduocat, mala etiam in solitudine anxia atque sollicita est: si honesta sunt quae facis, omnes sciant. Si turpia, quid refert neminem scire, cum tuscias? O te miserum si contemn•••• hunc testem. Senec. Epist. 43. Socrates interrega••us qui securè viuerent? qui inquit nihil sibi consciunt mali. Max. in serm. de Curios. Securitatis magna portio est nihil imqui facere, &c. Senec. Epist. 105.