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. XXV.

Of diuers other duties which wee ought to performe at our meales.

§. Sect. 1 That we ought to be content with our al∣lowance.

OTher duties there are which at our meales ought to bee per∣formed, in which I will be more briefe and sparing, because I haue beene larger in the other then I purposed, the excesse of diet in these times drawing me on, and making me also exceed in prescribing rules of moderation. The next duty then which we are to obserue at our meales, is, that we bee contented with our cheare, as being that portion which God in his wise prouidence hath thought fitting for vs; and not suffer our mindes to surfet by feeding on idle wishes of better cheere, when our sensuall appetites are stinted with ordinary fare and short commons. Neither let vs murmure and repine because we haue such meane allowance, nor enuie others their full tables; much lesse let vs (as it is the manner of many nice wantons) excuse our too little or too meane fare, when euen their owne consciences tell them that they haue too much, yea, when they are so proud of their cheare, that their dispraises serue but (as their salt meates to their drinkes) to draw on their ghests to giue more commendations. Nor yet let vs (like the same persons vpon other occasions) fret and fume when as our meate is not so curiously cooked as standeth with our nice appetite, chafing as much at the small errours of the Cooke, as if the good of the Common wealth, and our owne safetie and saluation wholly rested on it. But let vs that professe Christianity leaue these vanities, and learne of the Apostle to be contented * 1.1 with such food as sufficeth nature, and is fit to preserue our health and strength; for if we would but consider how vnworthy wee are of the least part of our prouisions, and how farre the smallest of Gods fauours doe exceede our greatest deserts: and how many of Gods deare children come

farre short of vs in these his blessings and testimonies of his loue, we should finde iust cause of turning our murmuring and repining into pray∣ses and thanksgiuings.

§. Sect. 2 That we may be merry at our meales.

Thirdly, so farre as will stand with Christian grauity and the occasions that shall be offred, wee must be merry at our meales; for seeing then the Lord conferreth his blessings vpon vs, and giueth vnto vs these testimo∣nies of his loue, shewing that hee watcheth ouer vs with his prouidence to preserue and nourish vs, it is a time of reioycing in the fruition of his fauours. And this is one speciall end for which the Lord giueth vs his benefits of meate and drinke, that in eating and drinking wee should de∣light * 1.2 our soules in inioying the fruit of our labours; and therefore hee hath bestowed vpon man, not onely bread and meat to nourish and strengthen him, but also wine to make his heart glad, and oyle to make him looke with a chearefull countenance. Which liberty and comfort of reioy∣cing * 1.3 at their meales, the holy Saints of the Primitiue Church tooke vnto themselues, and breaking bread from house to house, did eate their meate with * 1.4 gladnesse and singlenesse of heart, praysing God in the fruition of his be∣nefits. Againe, the chiefe end of our eating and drinking is, that being thereby refreshed, we may be made more fit for the duties of Gods ser∣uice; now the body is no more cheared with wholesome meates, then the heart and mind with honest mirth, and consequently the one is no lesse profitable then the other. Neither is it onely necessary for the soule, whose refreshing and recreation consisteth in delight, but also for the body and preseruing of health; and therefore mirth is worthily esteemed one of the chiefe doctors amongst Physicians, because if it be seasonable and mo∣derate, it cheareth the spirits, and so causeth better concoction; whereas contrariwise, melancholy and lumpish heauinesse, damping and dulling them, doth turne much of our nourishment into the same humour. But yet our care must be, that as wee season our meate with mirth, so our mirth with the salt of grace, that wee may glorifie God in it, who is the chiefe cause of our reioycing; and mutually profit one another. In which re∣gard, we must take heede that our liberty burst not out into licenciousnes, and that wee doe not make our selues merry with prophane iests, by abusing the Scriptures, and taking Gods holy name in vaine; nor with ribauldrie and scurrilous conceits, which tend to the corrupting of ma∣ners, and the poysoning of our owne hearts and theirs that heare vs; nor with biting and bitter gibes and frumps, which wound the good name of our neighbour, and as much vexe his heart with anger, griefe and dis∣content, as wee are delighted with the salty wittinesse of the conceit. Finally we must be carefull (because here going with the winde and tide, we may easily ouer-shoote our selues) that wee bee not immoderate in our mirth, but keepe our selues within the bounds of sobriety, lest our mirth degenerate into phrensie, and so iustly incurre the Wise mans cen∣sure, I said of laughter, It is madde; in which respect it is fit, that wee bee * 1.5 carefull to keepe the reines still in our hand, that we may checke and curbe in our mirth when it beginneth to gallop, lest it giue vs a fall, and cause vs to discouer much weakenesse and infirmitie. But as the Lord is the cause of our mirth, so hee must bee the chiefe end of it; and as our

reioycing is of and from him, so it must bee for him and in him; accor∣ding to that of the Apostle, Reioyce in the Lord alwayes, and againe, I say, * 1.6 Reioyce; so that wee may reioyce, euen with a double ioy, not onely in spirituall, but also in ciuill and temporall things, if our ioy and mirth be honest and harmelesse, witty, without the froth of vanity; and so ingenu∣ous and charitable, that it tend not onely to make our selues merry, but to delight them also that beare vs company.

§. Sect. 3 Of our confe∣rences and dis∣courses at our tables.

The fourth Christian duty to be done at our meales, respecteth our spee∣ches and conferences, vnto which is required that they be profitable, ten∣ding to make vs more holy and religious, or more wise and morally ver∣tuous; or more liuely and cheerefull vnto the performance of all good du∣ties. The first kinde of Colloquies and discourses are chiefly to bee pre∣ferred, seeing wee must first seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteous∣nesse, * 1.7 and worldly things in an inferiour place, which are incomparably of lesse worth. Of which conferences wee may reape more fruit and be∣nefit then of our bodily nourishment, seeing that preserueth the outward man onely, but these are the spirituall food and repast of the soule, which is by much the more excellent part; that is but perishing food which corrupteth, and wee with it, but this food of our soules will indure to life eternall. Now because, our hearts being barren in good meditati∣ons, wee cannot easily finde out vpon a sudden, fit matter for these dis∣courses, and when wee doe, are easily put out, and drawne vpon euery occasion to fall againe to worldly and idle talke; therefore it were good for vs to thinke before-hand on some profitable subiect whereon wee may discourse and conferre; or at least, that wee doe lay hold on the best op∣portunities that for the present are offered vnto vs, and slightly passing ouer things which are impertinent and vnprofitable, as wee doe those meates which doe not please vs, pitch vpon that which best maketh for our purpose, and make our spirituall meale of it, as beeing that wholesome and well-rellishing dish, for which, putting all the other backe, wee haue all the while reserued our stomackes. But though these religious conferences at meales bee most profitable, yet may wee also lawfully talke of ciuill and morall points; yea, euen of our owne af∣faires and ordinary businesse, or things some way pertinent to the bette∣ring of our selues, or some in our company, either for the increasing of our wisedome and prudence, or the fitting of vs for action and imploy∣ment, especially when wee obserue that our company cannot bee easily drawne to entertaine such speech as wholly tendeth to piety and Reli∣gion. Yet may wee, as occasion serueth, powder euen these discourses with piety, and lying (as it were) at the spirituall lurch, take all good aduantages to insert and interlace into these discourses something pro∣fitable for the soule, and to bring, as much as wee can, ciuill premises to pious conclusions. Finally, it is neither vnprofitable nor vnseason∣able, if our speeches at our meales doe sometimes tend to the refresh∣ing of our wearied mindes after serious studies, with pleasant con∣ceits and honest mirth, because though these bee of no great worth in themselues, yet they looke to things of more value, and serue as helpes and meanes to fit and prepare vs for imployments of an higher nature.

The which, being a thing which wee chiefly ayme at in taking our re∣past, and in refreshing thereby both our mindes and bodies, I dare not exclude all pleasant discourse from such meetings; for though wee may not make our spirituall meale of such light meates, yet may they well serue as sawce to quicken our appetite; and though wee may not dwell in such merry conceits; yet when our wits are dulled and blunted with more serious discourses, wee may vse them (as the Israelites did the Philistines forges) for our necessity, and descend vnto them for a while to sharpen our tooles. The which course in our conferences I doe not commend as most excellent in it owne nature: for it were to be wished that wee were so spiritually and heauenly-minded, that our hearts might be at all times euen rauished with delight, when wee are exercised in high and holy meditations and speeches, or bringing them to their full effect in our workes and actions; but I onely allow it as lawfull and well agreeing and suteable to our present estate full of frailty and infirmitie. Vnto which, hauing respect, I will conclude this point with this one caueat; that neither in matters appertaining to Religion nor ciuill wisedome, we doe in these table-conferences, either propound or admit knotty and hard questions, or polemicall disputes, and difficult and subtill controuersies, both because these often-times through pride and ouer-eager handling, doe heate the heart, and cause wrangling and contention; and also because they are not suteable and seasonable to the time and the ends at which wee ayme. For it is a time of refection and refreshing, and not of toyle and labour either to body or mind, and we must let our bowes stand vnbent, that they may afterwards be more fit for shooting, and not be still drawing our ar∣row to the head. It is a time to recouer our spent spirits, & not to consume and waste them; which will not onely make our mindes vnfit for imploy∣ment (for if we toyle them when they should rest, they will bee dull and slothfull when they should labour) but also much hurt our bodies and im∣peach our health, whilst these ouer-earnest discourses about points of great difficultie, doe disperse the naturall heate, and dissipate the spirits, calling them away from the worke in hand, to assist the soule in the exercise of the braine, and so cause ill concoction and indisgested crudities.

§. Sect. 4 Of the choyce of our compa∣ny at our meales.

The last duty in our eating and drinking respecteth the choyce of our company: for if we be of ability, it were to be wished, that we would fol∣low * 1.8 Iobs practice, who would not eate his morsels alone, making to this end choyce of fit company to consort with vs. Neither is it commendable in a Christian to keepe open house for all commers, and so to make it worse then a common Inne, a cage of vncleane birds, and a place of all mis-rule and disorder, which was the hospitality of able men in the dayes of igno∣rance, who are more to be praised for their bounty and zeale to house-kee∣ping, then for their piety and prudence. But seeing our ghests must be our companions for the time, of which there ought to be made great choyce; therefore besides those whom bonds of society, kindred, trading and com∣merce, and such like respects; and those that resort vnto vs as strangers, or by some casuall and extraordinary accidents; wee are in our common course, as neere as we can, to make choyce of such only, as are knowne vn∣to vs (at least in the iudgement of charity) to be vertuous and religious; and

among these, such especially as are most fit for our spirituall trading, either to make vs more rich in knowledge, faith, obedience, and all spirituall gra∣ces, or at least to be inriched of vs. By which kind of meetings we might re∣ceiue singular comfort and benefit, seeing this good society and kind fami∣liarity betweene Christians, is a notable bond of loue, and an excellent and effectual meanes for the mutual stirring vp of Gods graces in one another, and for their strengthning & incouraging vnto euery good duty. In which respect it were much to be desired, that that ancient custome in the Primi∣tiue Church, of loue-feasts among Christians, were more in vse in these * 1.9 dayes, that we might not so deseruedly lye open to that aspersion of world∣lings, namely, that where Religion is planted, there all good neighborhood and friendly meetings are almost quite laid aside. To which end let vs take notice of the causes of this decay, that so they being remoued, this commu∣nion and fellowship among the faithfull may be restored. And first, when men are wholly carnall, and set altogether on fleshly delights, it is no mar∣uaile if they take pleasure in one anothers company, seeing they are mutual helpers in this worldly ioy; and so if we were in any perfection spiritually minded, we would take much more delight in consorting together, be∣cause it would tend much to the increasing of our Christian comfort; but when by the preaching of the Gospell those carnall ioyes and vnlawfull pleasures are so cryed downe, that some forbeare them out of conscience, and some, to auoyd the shame of profanenesse; there followeth a breach of society and familiarity, because the bond is broken that held it together. The which is not repaired and re-vnited, till in stead thereof there be a spirituall bond to linke vs together; and this being so weake among most Christians, which still remaine more flesh then Spirit, it is no maruaile, if there be seldome any good meetings, seeing the bond is no stronger of such society and familiarity; whereas if they were more spirituall, they would finde in them more spirituall ioy, and so entertaine them with more ardencie of affection. Another cause, which is but a branch of the former, is, that in the time of the Gospell, carnall loue, which was of old a strong bond of fellowship, is not so hot and strong as it was, neither to mens persons, nor yet to the pleasures of sinne and delights of the flesh; nor spirituall loue so feruent as it should be, either vnto our neighbours them∣selues, or yet to Christian conferences, religious duties and exercises, and those sweet comforts which we should take in mutuall society, and should be the chiefe motiue to bring vs together; for were we inflamed with this ardent loue, it would make vs greatly delight in one another, and to seeke all good occasions of such sweete society.

§. 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 * 1.10 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 * 1.11 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 * 1.12 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 * 1.13 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 * 1.14 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 * 1.15 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 * 1.16 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 * 1.17 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?

§. Sect. 6 That after our meales we must shew our thankefulnesse by praysing God.

And these are the duties which ought to bee performed at our meales. The dutie to bee performed afterwards, is true thankefulnesse in the heart, and outwardly expressed both by our words and actions. Vnto in∣ward thankefulnesse of the heart is required, that wee know and acknow∣ledge that wee haue receiued our foode at Gods hand, and that by his bounty and gracious prouidence we are fed and nourished, and not by our owne policy and power, industry and labour. The which Moses pres∣seth * 1.18 vpon the Israelites to make them thankefull; for if wee know, that God of his rich mercy hath bestowed these blessings vpon vs, and hath fed and nourished vs with his good creatures, it is a notable meanes

to make vs also acknowledge it, with all due thankfulnesse. Euen as con∣trariwise when we take no notice of this bounty and prouidence of God in feeding vs, wee are ready to sacrifice vnto our owne nets, and to as∣cribe the prayse of our prouision to our owne wisdome, and indeuours, * 1.19 and so to make Idols of them. And of this we haue an example in the Is∣raelites, who receiued Gods blessings for their vse, but not as frō his hand, * 1.20 and therefore were not thankeful vnto him, but gaue the praise to their lo∣uers. The which vngratitude God will punish by depriuing vs of his blessings, that by our wants we may be driuen to goe vnto him by prayer for a supply, who in the time of plenty would not goe vnto him by thankesgiuing, as not acknowledging the Author of these benefits; the which also the Lord threatneth against his people of Israel in the same place. Secondly, vnto this inward thankfulnesse there is required, not * 1.21 onely that wee know and acknowledge the Lord to be the Author of our food and nourishment habitually, but that we also actually remember this his bounty and goodnesse, and hauing them in fresh memory, that vpon all new occasions we blesse his name for them: According to that commandement: When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt blesse the * 1.22 Lord thy God, for the good land which he hath giuen thee; beware that thou for∣get not the Lord thy God, &c. Outwardly vnto this thankfulnesse is required, that wee expresse it, first, by our words, in returning thankes and praise vnto God for our food and nourishment, and for all other good blessings spirituall and temporall which wee haue receiued at his hands; the which in companie is to be performed by one as the mouth of all the rest, and most conueniently by the master of the family and feast; and ioyntly to∣gether, as occasion, company and other circumstances will permit, by ad∣ding hereunto singing of a Psalme, according to the example of our Sauiour Christ himselfe at his last Supper with his Apostles. Secondly, we * 1.23 must expresse our thankefulnesse outwardly in our workes, in imploying that strength which wee haue renewed by our nourishment, in the seruice of God, by performing the generall duties of Christianity, and the spe∣ciall duties of our callings, that by both wee may glorifie his most holy name, who hath so graciously fed and nourished vs. For if wee expect this at the hands of our seruants; that being nourished at our cost and finding, they should not waite vpon themselues and spend their time a∣bout their owne pleasures, but in our seruice from whom they haue their maintenance; which if they neglect, we are ready to turne them out of the dores, as vnprofitable drones good for nothing, but to liue vpō the spoile of our goods: thē how much more wil the Lord, who is a much more absolute owner then we, iustly require at our hands, that after he hath refreshed vs with his creatures, we doe not spend our strength in fulfilling the lusts of our owne flesh and the pleasures of sinne, but imploy it in all such good duties, as most tend to the aduancement of his glory from whom we haue all our maintenance? And so much concerning the second kinde of cessati∣on from our labours; of the third and last kinde, which is taking of our rest by sleepe, I will not here speake, hauing a more conuenient place for it, when wee haue finished all our day labours, and are come to speake of the duties in the night.

Notes

• * 1.1

  1. Tim 6 6, 8. Phil. 4. 12.
• * 1.2

  Eccl. 2. 24.
• * 1.3

  Psal. 104. 15.
• * 1.4

  Act. 2. 46.
• * 1.5

  Eccles. 2. 2.
• * 1.6

  Phil. 4. 4.
• * 1.7

  Matth. 6. 33.
• * 1.8

  Iob 31. 16, 17.
• * 1.9

  Act. 2. 46.
• * 1.10

  1. Cor. 11. 17.
• * 1.11

  Phil. 3. 15, 16.
• * 1.12

  Luk. 14. 12, 13.
• * 1.13

  Iob 31. 16, 17.
• * 1.14

  Mat. 25. 35, 36.
• * 1.15

  Nehem. 8. 18.
• * 1.16

  Hest. 9. 22.
• * 1.17

  Iohn 6. 12.
• * 1.18

  Exod. 16. 15. Joh. 6. 31.
• * 1.19

  Hab. 1. 16.
• * 1.20

  Hos. 2. 8.
• * 1.21

  Ʋers. 9. 10. 11.
• * 1.22

  Deut. 8. 10, 11.
• * 1.23

  Matth. 26. 30.