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.

§. Sect. 5 That the Spirit inlighteneth vs in the wayes of godlinesse.

Secondly, hauing giuen vnto vs this life of grace, hee will in the next place indue vs with spirituall light, and illuminate the blinde eyes of our

mindes, that we may vnderstand the will and wayes of God reuealed in his Word, and attaine vnto such a measure of sauing knowledge, as may be sufficient to direct vs in all our thoughts, words, and actions. And this is that voyce of the Spirit, which in our conuersion vnto God, secretly whispereth in the eare of our minds, as it were behind vs, saying, This is the way, walke yee in it, when ye turne to the right hand, and when yee turne to the left. This is that day-spring, which the Sunne of righteousnesse with his arising hath caused to appeare and visit vs, to giue light vnto vs, who sate in darkenesse and in the shaddow of death, and to guide our feete into the way of peace. This is that Comforter which our Sauiour promised to send after his resurrection, who should leade his Disciples, and with them, all the faithfull into all truth. This is that grace of God, which hath appeared, tea∣ching vs to deny vngodlinesse and worldly lusts, and to liue soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. This is that holy oyntment and precious eye-salue, which openeth and illighteneth the blinde eyes of our minds, that we may know all things appertaining to our saluation; so as we need no Tutor to teach vs any other doctrine, but as the same anoynting hath taught vs of all things. Whereof he is called the Spirit of truth, not onely because he is most true, and Truth it selfe, but also teacheth and guideth vs in the wayes of truth. And the spirit of illumination and wisedome, not one∣ly because there is in him a measure, without measure, of light and know∣ledge, but also illighteneth our minds darkened with ignorance, and ma∣keth vs who were only wise vnto euill, wise vnto good, and to the eternall saluation of our owne soules. And vnlesse we be thus illightened by the Spirit of God, and haue the way of saluation reuealed vnto vs, it remai∣neth an hidden mysterie, of which we are not capeable in our naturall vn∣derstanding; for as the Apostle teacheth vs, The naturall man vnderstandeth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishnesse vnto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned, and the things of God know∣eth no man, but the Spirit of God, and they vnto whom by the Spirit they are re∣uealed. Vnlesse this light shine in our hearts, we remaine in more then an Aegyptian darkenesse, sitting still in errour and sinne, and not being able to mooue in the actions of holinesse and righteousnesse; neither is it pos∣sible that we should walke in the wayes of God, vntill by the light of his Spirit they be reuealed vnto vs. Finally, we must first know the will of God, before wee can doe it, and so attaine vnto euerlasting blessednesse. And therefore in the next place, if we would leade this godly life, we must de∣sire to be inlightened by Gods Spirit in the knowledge of his will, and to haue the light of spirituall wisedome added to the life of grace, that know∣ing it in our vnderstandings, we may yeeld obedience vnto it in our liues and conuersations; praying to this purpose without ceasing for our selues, as the Apostle for the Ephesians; That the God of our Lord Iesus Christ, the Father of Glory, would giue vnto vs the spirit of wisedome and reuelation in the knowledge of him; the eyes of our vnderstanding being inlightened, that we may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inhe∣ritance in the Saints, &c.

Notes

• Esa. 30. 20.
• Luk. 1. 78, 79.
• Iohn 16. 13. Tit. 2. 11, 12.
• 1. Ioh. 2. 20, 27.
• Ioh 14. 17, & 15. 26.
• Ier. 4. 22.
• Eph. 3 3, 5.
• 1. Cor. 2. 14.
• Vers. 10. 11.
• Ioh. 13. 17.
• Eph. 1. 17, 18.