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 Of the mani∣fold abuses of our feasting one another.

Vnto these we may adde the many abuses of these meetings, which are notable meanes of their dissolution; as because we faile in the maine ends of them, not chiefly ayming at our spirituall good, and that we may mu∣tually stirre vp Gods graces in vs by Christian conferences, edifie and strengthen one another vnto all good duties, and reioyce together in the Lord by setting foorth his praises, the which were the ends that the Saints in the Primitiue Church propounded to their feasts of loue; but for the most part inuiting one another to pamper the belly with good cheere, and to please the flesh with carnall pleasures, which leauing behind them a

sting of conscience, it is no maruaile if we take small comfort to meete af∣ter this manner often together, seeing the sweete is exceeded by the sowre; and keepe our hand from tasting of the honey, which indangereth vs to be wounded with the sting of sinne; and though it be sweete in the mouth, yet is turned in the disgestion into bitter choller. And as wee faile in our ends of meeting, so also in our carriage, when wee are met together, in which regard we iustly deserue the Apostles censure, that wee come together not for the better, but for the worse. For either the time is spent in idle and vaine talking, vnprofitable discourses, hurtfull inuitations, to excesse in eating and drinking. Or if some religious conference bee admitted, yet through pride and want of charity it is often crossed of the mayne ends. For not being, as we ought, fast linked together in the bond of loue, euery difference in opinion disioynteth our affections; and wanting charity to beare with one another, and humility to thinke that we may erre as well as our brethren, or patience to waite vpon Gods leasure till he be pleased to reueale the truth vnto them as well as vnto vs; and vnanimity to walke by the same rule, and minae the same thing, whereto we haue already attained; we commonly take delight to spend our speech in questions and contro∣uersies, and in shewing wherein we dissent, rather then wherein we agree, which oftentimes draw men to heate and contention, yea to wrangling and hard speeches, which alienate their hearts, and make them part more cold in loue, and remisse in friendship, then when they met together. Whereas if selfe-loue did not wed them to their own opinions, and pride made them not impatient that any should dissent from them, but that in charity and Christian humility, they desired to edifie one another, not so much desiring to make them their schollers in imbracing their priuate opinions, as the Disciples of Christ, by knowing better the mayne points of Christian Religion, or more conscionable in imbracing holinesse and righteousnesse in their liues and conuersations; there would bee much more fruit and benefit of such conferences, and much more incourage∣ment vnto our often meetings. Finally, the great cheere, and excessiue cost, and trouble to prouide it, which is commonly vsed at these mee∣tings, is one speciall cause why we meete so seldome. Which though all mislike and speake against, because they cannot meete often that meete so chargeably, their state and meanes being not able to beare it, yet it fareth heerein as in the case of braue apparell; all complaine of it because of the cost, but none will reforme it because of their pride; whereby in their mutuall entertainement, one seeketh to out-vie another, till at length it come to that height of excesse, and groweth so ouer-chargeable to their purse, that they leaue off such meetings altogether. Let no man therefore complaine of the hardnesse of the times, which will scarce affoord meanes of necessary maintenance, and much lesse of entertaining our friends to eate and drinke together. For howsoeuer it may bee true that these times will not beare vs out, if wee bee resolued to bee still excessiue in our cheere and cost; yet if wee would chiefly ayme in our meetings, at the maintaining of loue, comfort and ioy in one anothers company, stirring vp Gods graces in vs, and our building vp vnto all good du∣ties; I see no cause why wee should not, to inioy these Christian com∣forts

and spirituall benefits, be contented with lesser cheare in our neigh∣bours house, then when wee eate our meate solitarily at home; and consequently, no reason why the hardnesse of the times should bee pretended, vnlesse our hearts bee more hard then they, and will by no meanes be reclaimed from this fault of excesse. Now as we are for these ends to inuite one another, so are wee especially according to our ability to make the poore our ordinary ghests, because therein wee shall doe a worke of mercy acceptable vnto God, who hath giuen vnto vs our greater prouision, that wee may impart it vnto those who haue lesse, and out of our plenty minister vnto them that want necessaries. And thus our Sauiour requireth, that when wee make a dinner or supper, wee should not inuite our friends, brethren, kinsmen and rich neighbours, namely, not to these ends, eyther to receiue recompence by the like inuitation, or to approue our charitie, seeing men out of naturall selfe-loue or car∣nall affection, may doe the like; but the poore, maymed, lame and blind, because they being vnable to make any recompence, it will bee a good signe, that wee doe it out of simple charity, and pure respect vnto Gods Commandement, and not out of selfe-loue, and such respects as are na∣turall and worldly. And this was Iobs practice, who as hee did not eate his morsels alone, so the ghests whereof hee made choyce, were the poore, widdow and fatherlesse, as he professeth. Which example if wee imitate, we shall in them feede Iesus Christ himselfe, and be richly re∣warded at his appearing. Or if wee cannot inuite all to our table whom wee desire to relieue; our care must be to send, according to our ability, such reliefe as wee can spare from our selues and families, vnto those whom we know doe stand in neede; for though God alloweth vs to eate the fat, and drinke the sweete, yet withall hee requireth, that wee send portions vnto the poore for whom nothing is prepared; according to the example of the Iewes at their feasts of Purim, who sent portions one to another, and gifts to the poore. To which end wee ought to vse all good prouidence and frugality, not suffering any thing to bee lost, though we haue neuer so much; for if our Sauiour, after that hee had fed the poore by miracle, though he was able as easily to haue done it againe, yet would not let any thing bee lost of his prouision through negligence, but would haue all the remainder reserued for another time; then how much more should wee be prouident, whose bounty is limited by our meanes, that we may releeue those poore, who are still hungry, and neede our help for their comfort and reliefe?

Notes

• 1. Cor. 11. 17.
• Phil. 3. 15, 16.
• Luk. 14. 12, 13.
• Iob 31. 16, 17.
• Mat. 25. 35, 36.
• Nehem. 8. 18.
• Hest. 9. 22.
• Iohn 6. 12.