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.

TO THE MOST RE∣VEREND FATHER IN GOD, GEORGE, BY GODS PROVIDENCE, ARCH∣bishop of CANTERBVRY his Grace, Primate of all England, and Metropolitane, and one of his Maiesties most Honourable Priuie Councell, I. D. wisheth all happinesse, temporall and eternall.

SEeing there is nothing (most Reuerend) so highly to bee esteemed, or so much to be desired of all Christians, as the glory of God in the saluation of his people, as be∣ing the principall and chiefe end of our creation and being, of our preseruation and continuing in the world; therefore it behoueth all men, who would not faile of their end, and so liue in vaine, in their seuerall callings wherein God hath placed them, to haue this alwaies in their eye, as their chiefe marke, and to propound it as the principall scope of all their actions, vsing all good meanes whereby it may be furthered and aduanced. As Princes and Magistrates, by enacting good lawes, and seeing them duely executed, making their owne liues (as it were) rules of that obedience which they require of the people, and liuely examples and patternes for their imitati∣on. Ministers, by leading those which are committed vnto their charge, in the waies of truth and godlinesse, not onely by their preaching and writing, instruction, admonition, perswasion and exhortation, but also by practizing those duties which they teach others, and shining before them in the light of a godly life. Finally, the people, by yeelding their cheerefull obedience to the godly lawes of Gouernors, and by imbracing the found and profitable doctrine, and

imitating the Christian and religious examples of their god∣ly Teachers. The consideration whereof hath moued me to imploy my talent both by preaching and writing, for the ad∣uancing (as much as in me lieth) the glory of my great Lord and Master, and the good & saluation of my fellow seruants; or rather, to cast my mite into the Churches treasury, hoping that he will accept it, though not in its own value and worth, yet because I haue desired to be faithful in a little, and willing in my penury to offer vnto him all that I haue. And study∣ing how I might best imploy my paines and indeuours for the aduancing of the former ends, I could finde no one part of Diuinity more profitable, in these times, for me to spend my strength vpon, then that which consisteth more in experi∣ence and practice, then in theory and speculation; and more principally tendeth to the sanctification of the heart, then the informing of the iudgement and the increasing of know∣ledge; and to the stirring vp of all to the practice of that they know in the duties of a godly life, and in bringing foorth the fruits of faith in new obedience; then to fit them for dis∣course. For as in the ciuill state wee neede not so much to haue new lawes enacted, as to haue the old executed, and obserued; nor to haue these cleared to the vnderstanding by the learned in that Science, as to haue them obeyed and pra∣ctized by all estates and conditions; so in the Church, know∣ledge so far exceedeth our obediēce (not that which is sauing and experimental, which is neuer seuered from vse & practice, but that which is curious and vselesse) that we more neede all good helpes to worke that we haue into our hearts, for the inflaming of them with feruent zeale and true deuotion, then to haue a greater measure of this light infused into our heads, which beeing destitute of feeling and practice, in which the power of godlinesse chiefely consisteth, doth (as the Apostle speaketh) but puffe vs vp, and maketh vs rather * 1.1 more learned, then more godly and religious. Againe, see∣ing the Lord, aboue all other parts, requireth the heart, as be∣ing the first mouer and chiefe agent in this little world of man, which ordreth and disposeth of all the rest, me thinks, his Ambassadours cannot better spend their paines, then in

wooing and winning, espousing and vniting them vn∣to him in those inuiolable and inseparable bonds of fer∣uent loue and deuout zeale; and in perswading and ena∣bling men to approue the sincerity of these holy affections, in their godly liues and vertuous actions Finally, these dis∣courses of practicall Diuinity tending to stirre vp deuotion, and to excite men to the duties of a godly life, are most fit and necessary for these times. First, because the world is already full of such bookes as doe fully handle the Doctrine of Di∣uinity in all the points and parts of it, and also of learned controuersies wherein the truth is sufficiently defended, and all errours, which doe oppose it, refuted & refelled. Second∣ly, because our long peace and prosperity haue much coo∣led and quenched the feruour of our zeale and deuotion, and haue caused vs (contenting our selues with some cold formalities, and slight profession) to neglect the sincere practice of those substantiall duties which are required to a godly and Christian life. Lastly, because in these declining times, wherein many men waxing weary of the Truth, and being glutted with long feeding on the spirituall Manna, do desire to returne to the fleshpots of Egypt, and for carnall re∣spects doe fearefully relapse into Popery and superstition; there is no meanes more effectuall to stay them from aposta∣cie and backsliding, then that first, by catechizing they should be soundly grounded in the knowledge of the Truth which we professe (In which regard wee haue iust cause to praise God for our Soueraignes care in reuiuing this holy ex∣ercise, which hath long languished in many places through carelesse neglect) And secondly, that being by this meanes inlightned in the knowledge of the Truth, they haue it by powerfull perswasions wrought into their hearts and affecti∣ons, that they may also practise it in their liues and conuer∣sations, without which, all other meanes will be vneffectuall, either for the inlightning of the minde with sauing know∣ledg, or the inclining of the wil to imbrace it, and to continue firme and resolute against errors and heresies. For whereas sound and sauing knowledge of the truth, and the constant acknowledgement and profession of it, are the gifts of God,

which none can attaine vnto, but those vpon whom he plea∣seth to bestow them; he vouchsafeth these graces vnto those alone who loue his Truth, and bring forth the fruits of it in their holy practice. To these only this rich talent of truth is intrusted; to these it is doubled and redoubled, who make best vse of it for the glory of him that gaue it, by causing it to shine in their liues and conuersations. As we see in the exam∣ple of Dauid, who became wiser and of greater vnderstan∣ding * 1.2 then the Ancient, yea then his Teachers, because hee kept Gods Precepts. Vpon these alone is bestowed the gift of discerning betweene the sauing Truth, and the traditions and precepts of men; according to that of our Sauiour, If * 1.3 any man will do his will, he shall know the doctrine, whether it be of God, &c. As for them, who hide this rich talent without vse, the Lord will depriue them of it, and giue them ouer to their owne ignorance and errours. And those who allow a place for it onely in their heads, and will afford it no roome in their hearts, by louing, imbracing and practizing it, it is iust with God to send them strong delusions, that they should be∣leeue * 1.4 lies, that they all might be damned who beleeue not the truth, but had pleasure in vnrighteousnesse. As we see in the example of many in these times, who hauing beene inlightned with the knowledge of true Religion, haue become a prey to Priests and Iesuites; and (though otherwise of good vnderstanding) haue beene seduced and perswaded to beleeue the most sot∣tish absurdities in all Popery, of which there can be giuen no other reason then this, that they did not loue the light of Gods Truth, nor were carefull to walk by it in an holy con∣uersation, but resolued to continue in such profane & wick∣ed courses, euen against knowledge and conscience, as would suffer them to finde no shadow of peace and comfort in the Doctrine of the Truth; and therefore they haue sought it in popish dispensations, and absolutions, which allow them, after that they haue, with the harlot in the Prouerbs, wiped their mouthes, to returne againe to their former vncleanenesse; in which regard I doubt not to affirme, that whereas errour and ignorance do make one Papist; loose licenciousnesse and resolued profanenesse doe make many. Finally, where∣as

those who haue the knowledge of the truth only seated in their braynes, and haue no feeling of the power and effica∣cy of it, for the sanctifying of their hearts, and the reforming of their liues, are easily seduced with cunning sophistry, when as they are puzzled with subtil arguments which they are not able to answere: they contrariwise who haue found and felt in themselues the efficacy of truth, for the changing of their mindes and hearts, and the renewing of their liues, will ne∣uer forsake it, but will imbrace and professe it vnto the death, and cheerefully seale it with their blood, when for want of learuing and Art▪ they are not able to defend it against the subtil obiections & cunning sophistry of their aduersaries, As we see in the example of many of the holy Martyrs, who being vnlettered, haue maintained the truth in the impregnable fort of their hearts, when their heads haue beene too weake to preserue it from violence. In which regard it were much to bee desired, that all Ministers, who haue the charge of soules committed vnto them, would be carefull, after that by catechizing they haue throughly grounded their people in the sound knowledge of the truth, in the next place, to worke it into their hearts and affections, and to perswade them vn∣to an holy practice of it in their liues and conuersations, both by shining before them in their light of doctrine, and also of an holy example; by the one, shewing vnto them the way of truth, and by the other, leading them in it like good guides, as it were by the hand. At which marks as I haue aymed in the whole course of my Ministery, both by preaching and wri∣ting; so especially in these my present labours; the which I haue made bold to dedicate vnto your Grace; that they may remaine vnto the world, as a testimony how much I loue and honor you, as being in these perillous times, a chiefe piller vnder his Maiesty, to vphold the sincere truth of Religi∣on, against all errors, nouelties and heresies which otherwise were likely to grow too fast amongst vs; and also a princi∣pall Patrone of sound and solid preaching, which you are ready vpon all occasions to countenance both with your au∣thority, and also by your painefull practice; as on the other side, to decry, as much as in you lyeth, that vaine or vani∣tie

of such Preachers, which only seeke to preach themselues, by making ostentation of their wit, learning and reading, without any care to speake vnto the capacity of the people, as though their maine end were rather to make the excellen∣cy of their gifts knowne, for their owne praise or preferment, then to communicate them vnto others, to the Glory of God that gaue them, or the good of their fellow seruants, for whose sake they were entrusted vnto them. The Lord long continue your Grace to be a singular instrument of his glory, by maintaining the purity and practice of his true Religion in his Church, to the ioy of all that wi••h well to Sion, and the increasing of your owne glory and happinesse in the life to come.

Your Graces humbly deuoted in all Christian duty and seruice, IOHN DOVVNAME.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Cor. 8. 1.
• * 1.2

  Psal. 119. 100.
• * 1.3

  Iohn 7. 17.
• * 1.4

  2. Thes. 2. 10, 11