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.

CAP. III.

Of the maine matter of a godly life, namely, that it must be framed according to Gods will, in holinesse, righteousnesse, and sobriety.

§. Sect. 1 That wee can no otherwise please God, then by fra∣ming our liues according to his will.

WHat the person must be that is to leade a godly life, and how he ought to bee qualified that must offer vnto God any ac∣ceptable seruice, wee haue shewed in the former Chapter. And now it remaineth that we intreate of the latter part of the description, wherein the actions which in this life are to be performed, are generally expressed. And heere two things are to bee considered, first, the matter of this godly life, or the maine duties which are to be performed; and secondly, the forme and manner how they ought to be done. The matter is either generall, or more speciall. Generally, it is required, that we please God in all things, conforming our wills and actions, our thoughts, words, and workes, in all holy obedience to his will, leauing and forsaking whatsoeuer is displeasing vnto him, and re∣pugnant to his holy will and commandement, and contrariwise imbracing and practising whatsoeuer is acceptable in his sight; for his will is the per∣fect rule of righteousnesse, and whatsoeuer agreeth with it, is iust and good, but whatsoeuer swarueth from it, either on the right hand o•• the left, is crooked, euill, and wicked, and consequently odious and displea∣sing in his sight. And therefore if we would please God, we must in the first place deny our selues and our owne wills, saying with our Sauiour, Not my will, but thine bee done; neither must we aske counsell of carnall rea∣son, nor when we know Gods will, dispute with flesh and blood, whether it be fit or vnfit, profitable or vnprofitable, reasonable or against reason, to doe that which God commandeth, but we must yeeld vnto it absolute obedience, doing Gods will, as the Saints and Angels doe it in heauen, cheerefully and readily, without gainesaying, doubting, or replying. For if earthly Princes will not indure to haue subiects scan their Lawes, nor examine their Proclamations, to see with what reason they command, but require absolute obedience in all things not repugnant to the Law of God, and will not bee serued according to their subiects best intentions, but will haue their obedience squared by their Lawes: If euery master in a family will bee serued according to his owne pleasure, and will not for matter or manner leaue it to his seruants choise, to performe what seruice best sorteth with their owne humour and liking; And if the Captaine of a company, or Generall of an Armie, will not excuse in a Souldier the neg∣lect of their commands, vpon the fairest pretence, but seuerely punish euen prosperous disobedience, and succesfull disorder with great seuerity; then how much lesse will the King of kings indure to haue his will neglected, and ours preferred in his seruice? And how much more will he who is the Lord of hostes, be displeased with vs, if in our spirituall warfare we regard not what he commandeth, but performe such seruice as best suiteth with our owne conceites? No man that warreth (saith the Apostle) intangleth * 1.1 himselfe with the affaires of this life, that hee may please him who hath chosen him to be a Souldier; and if a man striue for masteries, yet is he not crowned,

except he striue lawfully; that is, according to the orders appointed by him who is master of the games. And therefore let vs not thinke to haue the Crowne and Garland of happinesse, if we stint God of this royaltie and priuiledge which we giue vnto men, not striuing for victory according to his will, nor offering vnto him that seruice which he requireth, but such as seemeth good in our owne eyes.

§. Sect. 2 That not Gods secret but re∣uealed will must be the rule of our liues and actions.

Now whereas I say that we must please God in all things by doing his will, I doe not heereby vnderstand his secret will, which being vnknowne * 1.2 to vs we cannot obey. Neither doth this will appertaine to vs, according to that, The secret things belong vnto the Lord our God, but those things which are reuealed, belong vnto vs and to our children for euer, that wee may doe the words of this Law. Nor doth it need our indeuour to bring it to perfor∣mance: for who hath resisted this will of the Lord? What wisedome or vnderstanding can crosse his counsell? Seeing he who is infinite in power, * 1.3 and immutable in truth, hath said, My counsell shall stand, and I will doe all * 1.4 my pleasure. Yea this will is done by wicked men and the deuils themselues whether they will or no, and when they most seeke to resist it, they ac∣complish and bring it to passe. Neither are we with Euthusiasts and Fa∣milists to expect that the will, which must be the rule of our obedience, should be made knowne vnto vs by new reuelations: for the Lord hath once spoken vnto vs by his Sonne, the true and onely Prophet of his * 1.5 Church, and by him hath perfectly reuealed vnto vs his will and pleasure, with all things that are necessary for our saluation. All which is contained fully in the Booke of holy Scriptures which were indited by his Spirit, and * 1.6 written by holy men inspired thereby to this purpose, that reuealing per∣fectly the will of God, they might for euer serue to bee vnto the whole Church and euery faithfull member of it, the sole rule and squyre of all their actions, from which they are inioyned vnder that great penaltie of Gods curse, not to swarue, either on the one side or on the other. So by Moses the Lord commandeth, that the people should hearken vnto his Sta∣tutes * 1.7 and Iudgements to doe them, and that they should adde nothing to the * 1.8 words which he commanded them, nor diminish ought from them; and restrai∣neth them from their owne will in his seruice: Ye shall not (saith he) doe af∣ter * 1.9 all the things that we doe heare this day, euery man what is right in his owne eyes: whatsoeuer thing I command you, obserue to doe it; you shall not adde vnto it, nor diminish from it. So Iosuah is commanded to doe according to the Law, and not to turne from it, to the right hand, nor to the left. So Hierome * 1.10 speaketh to the same purpose; All things (saith he) are directed according to the rule, which sheweth whether they be crooked or straight. And so the doctrine of God is a certaine rule of speech, which iudgeth betweene things iust and vniust, which whoso followeth, shall haue peace in him∣selfe, that passeth all sense and vnderstanding; and with it the mercy of God which is aboue all.

§. Sect. 3 Reasons proo∣uing that wee can no other∣wise please God then by doing his will.

Vnto which testimonies diuers reasons might bee added, which eui∣dently prooue, that we can no otherwise please God by our liues, then by framing them according to his will, and doing such seruice as in his Word he requireth, both in respect of the matter, and also the manner. As first, because heereby wee shall preferre our owne wisedome before the

wisedome of God, neglecting that worship which he hath appointed, ei∣ther in respect of the matter or manner, because in our foolish conceit we suppose that wee can deuise a better; which is such an indignity offered vnto his Maiestie, that no earthly Prince would indure it at the hand of his greatest subiects. Secondly, we shall hereby disgrace Gods Law and Word, which he hath appointed to be the rule of all our liues and actions, as though it were insufficient to that end for which God hath ordained it; whereas the Apostle telleth vs, that they are profitable for doctrine, reproofe, * 1.11 correction, instruction in righteousnesse, that the man of God may bee perfect, thorowly furnished vnto all good workes. And the Lord himselfe hath inioy∣ned vs to goe vnto them as vnto the onely Iudge and counseller, to be re∣solued in all our doubts, and directed in all our actions. To the Law and * 1.12 to the Testimonie. And our Sauiour to the same purpose hath exhorted vs * 1.13 to search the Scriptures, because our ignorance of them, is the maine cause * 1.14 of all our errours both in doctrine and manners. Thirdly, whilest we neg∣lect Gods Word in seruing him, and follow our owne inuentions, wee shall not doe Gods will, but our owne, and in stead of doing him seruice, we shall serue our owne lusts which are most opposite vnto him, commit∣ting heerein a grosse absurditie, in thinking to please God, by offering vn∣to him a seruice, not which he in his wisedome hath prescribed as most fit, but that which is deuised and appointed by our owne fleshly wisedome, * 1.15 which is enmitie against him, and our naturall imaginations, which are only and continually euill. Fourthly, if we neglect the direction of Gods Word, in performing seruice vnto him, though it bee, not in the matter, but the manner onely, God will neglect our seruice, as being meere will-worship, and not that which he hath appointed, according to his saying to the Iewes by the Prophet Esay, Who hath required these things at your hands? yea he will reiect it as odious and abominable, as he did the sacri∣fices * 1.16 of the Iewes, who in seruing him, chose their owne wayes, and in their hearts and soules still delighted in their abominations, when in outward appearance they seemed deuout in offering vnto him sacrifices and obla∣tions, * 1.17 as elsewhere he protesteth by the same Prophet. Neither will our good meanings, blind zeale, and superstitious deuotion, make our will-worship accepted of God, seeing they are in themselues sinfull, and one sinne will not excuse another. Yea if we haue no better guides to direct vs, we shall for Gods true seruice, imbrace, and euen tire our selues in the seruice of the deuill, as we see in the example of the Iewes, whose blinde zeale misled them out of the way of saluation, into the way of destruction, whilest neglecting the righteousnesse of faith in Iesus Christ, they indeuou∣red to establish their owne righteousnesse. And of the Apostle Paul, who by * 1.18 an ignorant zeale was made (as hee confesseth) euen mad against the * 1.19 Saints, and with all raging crueltie, set himselfe to destroy the Church of God. And finally, of those honourable women spoken of in the Acts of the Apostles, who out of their blinde deuotion, raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts. Fifthly, if wee serue * 1.20 not God according to his will and Word, but according to our owne good meanings and blinde deuotions, it will not be pleasing to God, as not being done in faith, but doubtingly, not knowing whether the duties

which wee performe, bee agreeable to his will or no: or rather without doubting we may know, that our seruice is not according to Gods will; and therefore displeasing vnto him, seeing he hath prefectly reuealed his will in his Word, both concerning that which he would haue vs doe, and * 1.21 that which he would haue vs leaue vndone; and consequently, such ser∣uice is not only without, but contrary to faith, and most odious vnto God. Sixthly, all our paines taken in this seruice, which is not warranted by Gods Word, but done according to our own inuentions, good meanings, and traditions of men, are in vaine, and all our labour lost, which is thus spent in will-worship and blinde superstition; according to that of our Sauiour, In vaine they worship me, teaching for doctrines mens precepts. Yea * 1.22 they are not onely vaine, and as the Apostle speaketh, perish in the vsing, * 1.23 but euil, both simply and by accident: for who can bring good out of euill? that which is cleane, out of that which is vncleane? or spirituall seruice vnto * 1.24 God, out of the forge of our carnall reason and euill imaginations? seeing * 1.25 our Sauiour hath taught vs, that, that which is of the flesh, is flesh; and that which is borne of the Spirit, is Spirit. And as it is simply euill in respect of the euill fountaine from which it springeth, so also accidentally, in that it is preferred before the Word and will of God, and by taking place of it, doth cause it to be cleane thrust out of dores, as we see in the example of the superstitious Pharises, who in setting vp their owne traditions, made * 1.26 Gods Commandements voyd and of none effect; and of the Papists, who by making roome for their blinde deuotions, haue quite exiled all the parts and meanes of the true seruice of God. In which regard, all the la∣bour which is thus spent, doth not only not please God, and so lose all re∣ward, but much displease him and prouoke his wrath, and pull downe his heauie iudgements vpon all such as tender such seruice vnto him, both in this life and the life to come. Of the former we haue an example in Nadab * 1.27 and Abihu, who were consumed with fire from heauen, because they offred strange fire vnto God, and did not vse that fire which he had sent downe from heauen to this purpose. In Saul, whose kingdome was rent from him, either for offering sacrifice himselfe which did not belong vnto him (for which sinne also Vzziah was smitten with leprosie) or for not staying the time appointed by God and his Prophet Samuel. And in Vzzah, who * 1.28 was smitten with present death, because being but a Leuite, he tooke vpon * 1.29 him to touch the Arke, which none might doe but the Priests, and suffered it to be carried in a cart, which should haue beene borne vpon their shoul∣ders. * 1.30 Vnto which punishments (and the like) of this life, God will adde those eternall punishments in the life to come, vpon those that adde vnto, or detract from his will, which the Apostle Iohn threatneth against those who adde vnto, or detract from his Prophecie, namely, losse of heauenly * 1.31 happinesse, and all the plagues written in that booke, among which are the torments of hell fire, & euerlasting condemnation of body and soule. And therefore when we come thus farre, as to haue feruent desires and great de∣uotion to serue God, let vs take heed that the deuill doe not delude vs, by perswading vs through his instruments, to spend all our labour, not onely in vaine, but also to losse, nor to lay out our good intentions (as it were) good coyne, vpon the base trifles of humane traditions, will-worship, and

our owne inuentions, as worshipping of Saints and Angels, Masses, Pil∣grimages, Popish Fasts, Penances, and punishing of our bodies, mum∣bling of Latine Prayers without vnderstanding, satisfactions, and such like; seeing these are not onely not commanded, but expresly contrary to Gods will and Word. And the Apostle also hath giuen vs warning to take heed of, and auoid them, as hauing only a shew of wisedome, in will-worship, and humilitie, and not sparing of the body, and in truth are meerefolly, be∣ing * 1.32 flatly opposite to the wisedome of God. But resoluing to please God by leading a godly life, let vs make his will reuealed in his Word, the rule and squyre of all our actions, resoluing and indeuouring to do that which in this Word is commanded and inioyned, and to leaue vndone what in it is forbidden and condemned.

§. Sect. 4 The speciall duties in which a godly life chiefly con∣sisteth.

And thus we see what is the maine and generall matter of a godly life, namely, such a carriage and conuersation whereby we please God in all things, by doing his will reuealed in the Scriptures; more specially a god∣ly life consisteth in our walking before him in the duties of piety, righte∣ousnesse and sobriety, with faith, a pure heart, and good conscience all the dayes of our liues. In which words, three things are contained. First, the duties which in this godly life are to be performed. Secondly, the founda∣tion vpon which they are grounded, and the fountaines from which they ought to flow. Thirdly, their time of continuance, and how long by vs they are to be performed. The duties of a godly life are all referred vnto three heads. First, piety towards God which compriseth in it all Religi∣on, the whole worship and seruice of God both publike and priuate, with the matter, manner, time, meanes, and all circumstances, and in a word, all the duties required in the first table. Secondly, righteousnesse towards our neighbours, whereby we deale with them, as we would haue them to deale with vs, and giue vnto euery one their owne, behauing our selues iustly with all, and mercifully with all those who need our helpe. Thirdly, sobriety and temperance towards our selues, whereby we possesse our ves∣sels in purity and honour, as it becommeth the Temples of the holy * 1.33 Ghost. Secondly, there is heere expressed certaine fundamentall vertues, vpon which, our vertuous and godly actions ought to bee grounded, and from which they must spring and flow, if we would haue them acceptable vnto God; namely, a liuely faith, without which wee cannot please him; a pure heart, from which as a fountaine floweth all true obedience; and a good conscience, purged from dead workes by the precious blood of Christ, which warranteth all our actions done in faith, as approoued of God, and so inciteth and incourageth vs to bring foorth the fruits of new obedience, when as wee know that our persons and all our actions are accepted of God in Iesus Christ. And lastly, heere is expressed the time how long wee are to continue in the doing of the duties of a god∣ly life, namely, not for a while, no nor yet for a long time together, but indefinitely wee are to continue in bringing foorth these fruits of obedience, throughout the whole course of our liues, and as the A∣postle teacheth vs, neuer bee weary of well-doing. But of these points I shall haue occasion to speake more largely afterwards, and there∣fore * 1.34 will content my selfe for the present, thus briefly to haue touch∣ed

them, for the explaining of the former description of a god∣ly life.

Notes

• * 1.1

  2. Tim. 2. 4.
• * 1.2

  Deut. 29. 29.
• * 1.3

  Rom. 9. 19. Pro. 21. 30.
• * 1.4

  Esa. 46. 10.
• * 1.5

  Heb. 1. 1, 2.
• * 1.6

  2. Pet. 1. 21.
• * 1.7

  Deut 4. 2.
• * 1.8

  Deut. 12. 8, 32. Num. 15. 39.
• * 1.9

  Deut. 5. 32. & 28. 14.
• * 1.10

  Ios. 1. 7. Ad normam omnia dirigun∣tur, &c. Hieron. in Galat. 6.
• * 1.11

  2. Tim. 3. 16, 17.
• * 1.12

  Esa. 8. 20.
• * 1.13

  Joh. 5. 39.
• * 1.14

  Matth. 22. 29.
• * 1.15

  Rom. 8. 6, 7, 8. Gen. 6. 5.
• * 1.16

  Esa. 1. 12.
• * 1.17

  Esa. 66. 3.
• * 1.18

  Rom. 10. 3.
• * 1.19

  Act. 26. 11.
• * 1.20

  Act. 13. 50.
• * 1.21

  Rom. 6. 23.
• * 1.22

  Matth. 15. 8, 9.
• * 1.23

  Col. 2. 22.
• * 1.24

  Iob 14 4.
• * 1.25

  Gen. 6. 5. John 3. 6.
• * 1.26

  Math. 15. 4, 5, 6.
• * 1.27

  Leuit. 10. 2. & 9. 24.
• * 1.28

  2. Chro. 26. 19.
• * 1.29

  2. Sam. 6. 6.
• * 1.30

  Num. 4. 15.
• * 1.31

  Apoc. 22. 18.
• * 1.32

  Col. 2. 23.
• * 1.33

  1. Tim. 2. 5.
• * 1.34

  2. Thes. 3. 13.