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 our daily exercise in renewing of our faith.

§. Sect. 1 That the daily renewing of our faith is ve∣ry profitable and necessary.

VNto this daily exercise of renevving of our repentance, vvee must adde also the renewing of our faith, which is no lesse necessary then the other; for as the vertue and vigour of our bodies soone fainteth and decayeth, if they be not often and daily nourished with those elements whereof they are made and composed; so will the strength of faith be weakened and abated, if it bee not daily sustained and refreshed with those meanes and helpes, by which it was begot and begun in vs, and therefore if vvhilest vve haue good stomacks in our youthfull dayes, vve thinke it not enough to refresh and nourish our bodies one day in a vveeke, nor yet once in a day; but must haue our dinners and suppers, breakefasts and beuers; let vs not thinke, that it is enough for the nourishment of our soules, and strengthe∣ning of our faith, to vse spirituall repast on the Sabbath onely, vvhich though it may hold life and soule together, yet shall vve not be thriuing and in good liking in our spirituall man, if vvee relieue and cherish it not vvith a more liberall hand, and allot some part of euery day to this spiri∣tuall

exercise. Againe, as faith in it selfe will faint and languish, if it be not daily refreshed and renewed, so are there also outward causes which shake and weakē it, if it be not duly, & euen daily nourished. For we daily wound and weaken it with our sins, whilst our inward guilt abateth our assurance of Gods loue, and confidence in his fauour, by laying to our charge our great vnworthines of his least mercies. And therfore we had need to renew daily our faith, as we daily renew our sins, by laying hold on the Couenant of grace, which assureth vs that our sinnes shall not stop the course of Gods mercies, because their current is free; and if the streames bee not dammed vp (as it were) in the fountaine with vnbeliefe, it is not our vn∣worthinesse can keepe them from vs. Finally, the spirituall enemies of our saluation doe daily and continually assault vs, and the chiefe meanes to repell the firie darts of their tentations, is the shield of faith; which in it * 1.1 selfe is not so impenetrable and of high proofe, (were it not strengthened and made effectuall to preserue vs by Christs mediation) but that it is of∣ten * 1.2 much battered and bruised in the conflict of tentations. And there∣fore seeing their malice neuer ceaseth, which maketh this shield of faith alwayes necessary, and their daily assaults doe cause it to be of daily vse; it is our wisedome to let no day passe, without reuiuing and renewing it, that we may by such meanes as God hath appointed, repaire and streng∣then it, so as it may bee fit to preserue vs against all assaults of tentation. Ioyne we then with the daily exercise of renewing our repentance, this also of renewing our faith; and the rather, because they mutually further and strengthen one another being conioyned; but being seuered, both are weakened and dismembred, and either cannot at all be exercised of vs, or but lamely and to little purpose, in semblance and shew, not in deed and truth. For faith is the cause and very life of repentance, none truely mourning for sinne, but such as by faith being assured of Gods loue, are grieued in their hearts, that they haue grieued so louing a God; and with∣out this filiall affection proceeding from faith, our repentance would be but like that of Cain and Iudas, a worldly and desperate sorrow that wor∣keth * 1.3 death. And contrariwise, repentance is the very breath of faith, which if it haue free passage, then faith not onely liueth, but flourisheth and thriueth; so that heereby, as by an infallible signe, we may know and discerne it from security and presumption; but if it faile, then the life of faith also faileth, and becommeth a dead carcasse, without all vertue and vigour, sense or motion.

§. Sect. 2 What this re∣newing our faith is, and the meanes wher∣by we may be inabled to doe it, which con∣sist, first, in di∣uers medita∣tions.

Now this daily renewing of our faith is nothing else, but after we haue humbled our soules in the sight and sense of our sinnes by vnfained repen∣tance, to refresh and strengthen it, and (as it were) to heale the wounds which our sinnes haue made, by applying Christ with the soueraigne salue of his precious blood, and the sweete promises of the Gospell made in him, assuring vs of the remission and pardon of all our sinnes. Now the meanes and helpes whereby wee may be inabled to renew our faith, and in the application of these benefits, may confirme and strengthen it against doubting and incredulity, doe either respect meditation or action. We must meditate on the eternall and immutable, free and vndeserued loue of God, euen before we were created, and after that by sinne wee had made

our selues strangers and enemies, which mooued him to giue his best Be∣loued to the death for vs, and from hence conclude for the strengthening of our faith; that he will neuer cease to be gracious vnto vs, when as by Christ being reconciled, wee adhere and cleaue vnto him with vnfained loue and hearty affection. Secondly, on Gods inestimable and infinite mer∣cies, which are farre aboue all his workes, and therefore may assure vs, that they will bee much more powerfull and all-sufficient to saue vs, then our sinnes, though neuer so innumerable and grieuous, can bee to condemne vs. Thirdly, on Gods truth, which will neuer faile in any of his promises, and omnipotent power and wisedome, whereby he is infinitely able to ac∣complish them. Fourthly, on the all-sufficiency of Christs obedience and satisfaction, for the discharging of all our debts, and satisfying of Gods Iustice for all our sinnes, if wee make them our owne by a liuely faith. Fifthly, on the Couenant of grace, which is free, and assureth vs of the pardon of our sinnes, and saluation of our soules, vpon no condition of workes or worthinesse, but onely of faith, bringing foorth the fruits of vnfained repentance. Sixthly, on the promises of the Gospell, which be∣ing generall and indefinite, exclude none, though neuer so sinfull and vn∣worthy, if they will thankefully receiue them as they are freely offered, and apply them to themselues by a liuely faith. Seuenthly, wee must me∣ditate on the Sacraments and seales of the Couenant, whereby God hath giuen vnto vs (as it were) into our hands, Christ Iesus and all his benefits; and of his most infallible oath, whereby he hath confirmed his promises vnto vs; as also of his Spirit, whereby he hath inwardly sealed vnto vs our redemption and saluation. Eighthly, on the manifold examples of his mercy and goodnesse, extended to all repentant sinners, and that he being no respecter of persons, is as ready to make vs partakers of them, if wee doe not reiect them through vnbeliefe. Ninthly, on the manifold expe∣rience which we haue had of them towards our selues, both in temporall and spirituall benefits, and that being vnchangeable in his nature and gifts, he is still ready to be alike good and gracious, if by faith we will rest and rely vpon him. Neither is it enough that wee know, and habitually beleeue that God hath giuen vnto vs many and singular priuiledges; as his Sonne to be our Sauiour and Redeemer; his Word, Sacraments, and ho∣ly Spirit, by which he hath effectually called vs to the knowledge and par∣ticipation of this great worke of our redemption, iustification, and remis∣sion of all our sinnes, reconciliation and adoption, whereby we are made not onely children of God, but also heires of his Kingdome, assurance of continuall preseruation in this life, and of saluation and glorification in the life to come; but we must actually exercise our faith, by allotting some part of the day to thinke and meditate on the excellency of these priui∣ledges; as what a blessed thing it is to bee saued by Christ, and deliuered out of the power of all our spirituall enemies, and to liue and die in the state of saluation: What a singular benefit it is to haue all our sinnes par∣doned, and our debts cancelled, so that we neede not feare at any time to be called to Iudgement, and to giue vp our accounts, seeing Christ hath satisfied for all, and made our reckonings euen for vs: What a sweet and comfortable a thing it is to haue peace with God, and peace of consci∣ence,

and the beames of his fauour continually shining vpon vs, and war∣ming our hearts with ioy and gladnesse? What an inestimable priuiledge it is to be the child of God, and heire apparant to the Kingdome of hea∣uen? which considerations, if wee seriously thinke on them, will be singu∣lar meanes to inflame our hearts with Gods loue, to rauish them with spi∣rituall ioy, and to make them cheerefull in Gods seruice, throughout the whole day, yea to the very end of the longest life.

§. Sect. 3 The second sort of meanes consist in the performance of diuers actions.

And vnto these meditations, we are for the renewing of our faith to adde diuers actions; as first, we must daily renew our promises vnto God made in baptisme, and bewayling our manifold frailties and imperfecti∣ons, whereby we haue often failed heerein, we are to resolue and promise, that if God will accept of vs, and passe by our former infirmities, we will with more intire affection renounce sinne, Satan and all our spirituall ene∣mies, and consecrate our selues wholly to his worship & seruice, and with greater zeale and deuotion labour in the vse of all good meanes, whereby we may attaine to more perfection. Secondly, wee must labour to finde and feele our hearts more and more inflamed with vnfained loue towards God, in respect of his infinite goodnesse and absolute perfection in him∣selfe, and graciousnesse towards vs, shining in his vnspeakeable and innu∣merable blessings and benefits bestowed vpon vs, which loue towards God will strengthen our faith in assurance of his loue towards vs, seeing it is but a drop that distilleth from this fountaine, and but a sparke that ariseth from this infinite flame. Thirdly, we must exercise our selues in the daily practice of religious duties, as prayer, meditation, holy conferences, and such like, which will increase our communion and acquaintance with God, and more and more assure vs of his fauour. And finally, we must re∣solue to take all good occasions of doing daily the workes of mercy and Christian charity towards our neighbours for Gods sake, whereby our faith will get daily new assurance, that seeing we are willing and desirous to glorifie God in all things, by causing the light of our godly liues to shine before men, hee will bee no lesse willing to glorifie vs before his * 1.4 Saints and holy Angels in his heauenly Kingdome. For these duties of piety and righteousnesse, are the fruits which spring from the roote of faith, the flames and heate which proceed from this fire, the very breath whereby it liueth, and the actions and motions wherein it is exercised; and therefore if it bringeth not foorth these fruits, it is but a barren tree and dead stocke, a vselesse fire, which being couered, giueth no light or heate; a dead carcase without breath, an idle habite without vertue or vigour, and for want of exercise languisheth and decayeth daily in strength; whereas contrariwise, if the strength thereof were vsed, and seasonably imployed in holy and righteous actions, it would (like the strength of the body) bee confirmed and redoubled by this daily ex∣ercise.

§. Sect. 4 The manifold benefits which would arise from the daily renewing of our faith.

But that we may be the better perswaded vnto this daily exercise of re∣newing our faith; let vs consider more particularly the manifold and in∣estimable benefits which would thereby accrew vnto vs. For first, we shall liue in couenant with God, haue assured title and interest vnto all his pro∣mises, without any intercession or intermission of our comfort and hope,

seeing God requireth of vs no other condition. Secondly, wee shall no longer liue the life of the flesh and corrupted nature, but the life of faith, * 1.5 which is principally sustained by God, and holdeth dependancie, not on earthly things, but chiefly on his Word and promise, which can neuer faile; and the life of Christ, subiecting our selues in all things to the regi∣ment and gouernment of his holy Spirit; so as we may say with the Apo∣stle, I liue, yet not I, but Christ liueth in me, and the life which I now liue in the * 1.6 flesh, I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God, who loued mee, and gaue himselfe for me; which life of grace certainely assureth vs of the life of glory. Third∣ly, heereof it will follow, that all our thoughts, words, and workes, shall be voluntarily subiected to the good will and pleasure of God, and being daily in couenant with God, we shall, by vertue of his Spirit assisting vs, keepe all our faculties and functions, senses, and actions, in couenant with * 1.7 vs, that they shall in all things obey him, and doe nothing which is dis∣pleasing vnto him. Fourthly, by renewing our faith daily, we shall with it renew all the sanctifying and sauing graces which issue from it, and de∣pend vpon it, and by watring the roote, giue vertue and vigour vnto all the branches and fruits which spring from it; whereas contrariwise wee shall spend all our labour in vaine, if neglecting faith, we vse all diligence and indeuour to increase in loue, patience, hope, or any other grace, or to bring foorth plentifull fruits of them in a Christian conuersation, and the workes of mercy and charity; like those who take much paines in wa∣tring the boughes and branches of a tree, and neuer take care to water the roote. More especially, if wee daily renew our faith, wee shall heereby confirme our affiance and confidence in God, in all things, and at all times; for when we firmely by faith apply vnto our vse the power, wisedome, goodnesse, promises, and prouidence of God, and with strong imbrace∣ments vnite them vnto vs, we may easily with all safety and security rest and rely vpon them. We shall heereby also strengthen our hope, which is nothing but an expectation of the things beleeued; and according as our faith is strong or weake in apprehension of the promises, so also is our hope which waiteth for their fruition. Wee shall increase by it our loue towards God: for the more and oftner we apprehend the diuine fire of his loue towards vs, the more our cold hearts are thereby inflamed with the heate of it, so that we returne vnto him loue for loue: And our zeale of Gods glory, there being no stronger argument to make vs in all things earnest to glorifie him, then to be fully assured that he will glorifie vs. It will worke in vs, and daily renew our patience, when as we daily renew our assurance, that all our afflictions are the chastizements of a louing Fa∣ther, and not the punishments of a seuere Iudge; that they are stinted and measured out vnto vs, both in respect of their quantity and continuance, by a most wise prouidence, which will not let them exceed either our strength or necessity; that they are inflicted out of meere loue, and are signes, not of our reiection, but adoption and saluation; that they shall * 1.8 haue a good issue, and worke together for the best, for the inriching of vs with spirituall grace, and the furthering of our eternall glory. It will in∣crease our peace of conscience, when as our assurance is daily renewed of our peace with God, the remission of all our sinnes, and victory ouer all

the enemies of our saluation; of our safety vnder his protection, and that nothing shall be able to separate his loue from vs. It will daily replenish our hearts with renewed ioyes in the holy Ghost, and after that they are exhausted with our infirmities and miseries, renewed faith will like afresh * 1.9 hand draw new supplies from God the fountaine of our ioy, vntill they be replenished and ouerflow. Yea, it will make our ioy, not like that of worldlings, in the fact, and not in the heart, momentany and mutable, like the cracking of thornes vnder a pot, whilst the brushie fewell of pros∣perity feedeth it, but constant and permanent, euen in afflictions, and * 1.10 nothing shall be able to take it from vs. It will fill our hearts daily with the comforts of the Spirit, when as being daily renewed, it doth afresh assure vs of our communion with God, and that Christ and all his bene∣fits doe belong vnto vs, which either respect this life, or the life to come.

§. Sect. 5 Of diuers o∣ther benefits which follow the daily re∣newing of our faith.

Fifthly, the daily renewing of our faith, is the most effectuall meanes of our vnfained repentance; For what can bee so powerfull an argument to make vs mourne for our sinnes with bitter griefe, as with the eye of faith to looke vpon him whom by our sinnes we haue pearced, and through the wound in his side, to see his heart so replenished with di∣uine loue, and as it were, supplying the place of that blood and water that issued out of it? and what can make vs more hate sinne, or to resolue to please God in all holy and righteous duties, then beleeuing that the Lord being so infinitely iust, and abhorring sin with such implacable ha∣tred, that he spared not his onely begotten and most dearely beloued Sonne, but when he bore our sinnes, caused him to beare also our griefes and sorrowes, wounded him for our transgressions, and bruized him with the paines of death, and fearefull burthen of his wrath for our iniquities; to beleeue also that he is towards vs, so infinitely merciful, that he gaue his Sonne to vs, and for vs to suffer all these torments for a time, that wee might not suffer them for euer; that he wounded him for our transgres∣sions, that we might be healed by his hurts, cleansed and purified from the guilt, punishment and corruption of all our sinnes with the streames of his blood, acquitted by his condemnation, and reuiued by his death? For who is so audaciously desperate, as to dare by voluntarie sinning prouoke such a Iustice? who is so hard-harted and vngratefull, as would be inticed with the baites of worldly vanities, to neglect in any thing to please so infinite a goodnesse? So what can more powerfully moue vs to flee all sinne, and to practise with all diligence all Christian duties of holinesse and righteousnesse, then by faith not only to inioy Gods present blessings in their owne worth and excellency, but as earnest pennies and first fruits, pledges and pawnes of heauenly and eternall reward, where∣with God of his free grace hath promised to crowne all our labours and * 1.11 holy indeuours? whereas if there were no beliefe and expectation of re∣ward, wee should faint vnder the waight of afflictions, languish in the performance of Christian duties, which are so ill esteemed and accepted in the world, and be wholy taken vp in the pursuite of earthly vanities, be∣cause we haue entertained no better hopes. For as one saith, They sauour earthly things, which beleeue not heauenly promises; They wholy addict

themselues to things that belong vnto this transitory life, which ap∣prehend not those things which are eternall. They feare not to sinne, who thinke that it shall haue no punishment; and finally, they become slaues to their vices, who expect not the future rewards of vertue, &c. Sixthly, by this daily renewing of our faith, wee shall bee strengthened against all the tentations of our spirituall enemies, so as they shall not be * 1.12 able to hurt and wound vs, whether these darts be cast against vs from the right hand, or from the left. For faith, as an impenetrable Shield, ena∣bleth vs to ouercome and beate back tentations arising from worldly pros∣perity; whilst apprehending heauenly and euerlasting excellencies, it maketh vs to contemne these base and momentanie vanities; and the ten∣tations which arise from crosses and afflictions, by perswading vs that they are the straight way that leadeth to happinesse, that they are not worthy * 1.13 the glory that shall be reuealed; that these light and moment any afflictions worke for vs afarre more exceeding and eternall waight of glory; and that if we suf∣fer with Christ, we shall also raigne with him. Finally, faith thus dayly renew∣ed, not onely effectually perswades vs vnto an holy resolution of leading a Christian and godly life, but also powerfully enables vs to performeall the duties thereunto required, with alacrity and cheerefulnesse, ioy and delight; for it moues vs to consecrate our selues wholy to the seruice of him, who hath graciously redeemed vs out of the hands of all our spi∣rituall enemies, and to testifie our loue and thankefulnesse vnto him, who hath done all this for vs, by our new obedience. It vnites vs vnto Christ, and applieth vnto vs the vertue of his death, by which sin is mortified and crucified in vs, & we vnto it, & to the world, so that we wil no longer serue them in fulfilling worldly and carnall lusts; and the vertue of his resurrecti∣on, whereby we are enabled to rise from the death of sinne, to holinesse and newnesse of life. It giueth vnto vs with spirituall life, spirituall moti∣on; it cleanseth and changeth our hearts, and taking away the old, it worketh in vs a new nature, which is actiue and operatiue in all holy and righteous duties, and diligent and cheerefull in the performance of them. And whereas before we either did them not at all, or but in outward shew formally and coldly, and that not without much paines and difficuly; it enableth vs now to performe them like naturall actions, with much ease and delight; so as wee can say with Dauid, that the Law of God is our * 1.14 chiefe delight, better vnto vs then thousands of gold and siluer, and swee∣ter then the hony or hony-combe; And with our Sauiour, that it is our meate * 1.15 and drinke to doe the will of our heauenly Father. And as vnnaturall mo∣tions are not without outward violence, lasting no longer then it lasteth, but natural are easie and permanent, as the Sun shineth, and the riuer run∣neth of their owne accord, freely and without compulsion; so by helpe of this new nature which faith worketh in vs, our actions and motions in the waies of godlinesse are easie and pleasant, which vnto corrupt nature were, euen in respect of the outward act, harsh and difficult, continuing no longer then some outward cause of feare or reward doth set them on going. And as the heate of a bath continueth alwaies, because it procee∣deth from an inward cause, which changeth the nature of the water; whereas the waters of a pond cannot be made warme, but with much la∣bour

and and difficultie, and continue in their heate no longer then the outward cause worketh it in them: so when as faith hath warmed our hearts with zeale of Gods glory, and made them actiue and operatiue in perfor∣ming the duties of his seruice, this heate and motion continue with ease and cheerefulnesse, because they are spiritually naturall, and proceede from an inward cause; whereas if worldly causes worke this heate of zeale (as honour and preferment in the heate of Iehu) it being vnnaturall and forced, soone returneth to its wonted coldnesse. Finally, faith thus renew∣ed, will make vs to serue God with cheerefulnesse and delight, because it incourageth vs in our labours, by apprehending and putting into our hands, not onely the present pay of all Gods temporary blessings and be∣nefits, but also the euidences and conueighances of our heauenly happi∣nesse, which God of his free grace hath by his writings in the Word, and his seales the Sacraments, made ouer vnto vs. And who wouldnot cheerefully and with ioy doe him faithfull seruice, who giueth vs present pay aboue the worth of our worke; and for our better encouragement assureth vs, that all this shall be but a small earnest in respect of the mayne bargaine, and but the first fruits of that full crop and plentifull haruest of heauenly happinesse?

Notes

• * 1.1

  Eph. 6. 16.
• * 1.2

  Luk. 22. 32.
• * 1.3

  2. Cor. 7. 10.
• * 1.4

  Matth. 5. 16. 1. Sam. 2. 30.
• * 1.5

  Hab 2. 4. Mat. 4. 4.
• * 1.6

  Gal. 2. 20.
• * 1.7

  Iob 31. 1.
• * 1.8

  Rom. 8. 18. 2. Cor. 4. 17.
• * 1.9

  Rom. 14. 17. Heb. 12. 11.
• * 1.10

  Rom. 5. 3. Iohn 16. 22.
• * 1.11

  Illi terrena sapi∣unt, qui coelestia promissa non habent. Illi bre∣ui huic vitae se totos implicent, qui aeterna nes∣ciunt, &. c. Hieronym. ad Celantiam.
• * 1.12

  Ephe. 6. 17.
• * 1.13

  Acts 14 22. Rom. 8. 18. 2. Cor. 4. 17. 2. Tim. 2. 12.
• * 1.14

  Psal. 119.
• * 1.15

  Iohn 4. 34.