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. 2 Other reasons shewing the necessity of keeping this watch.

The second reason to inforce the necessity of this watch, is taken from our estate and condition heere on earth. First, because through our cor∣ruption we are exceeding weake, and full of frailty and infirmity, by rea∣son whereof we are prone vnto sinne, and easily ouercome with the tenta∣tions of our spirituall enemies, if wee neglect the keeping of this vvatch, and be taken vnprouided. The which reason our Sauiour vseth to inforce the necessity of vvatching and praying. Watch and pray (saith he) lest ye fall into tentation: The Spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weake. So the Apo∣stle in this regard, vvilleth him that thinketh he standeth, to take heed lest he fall; and exhorteth vs to worke out our saluation with feare and trembling. And the Wiseman pronounceth him blessed, vvho in the sight and sence of his ovvne frailty and infirmity, feareth alwayes. For as it is necessary for those vvho haue vveake and sickly bodies, to obserue a strict diet; and for those Citizens, vvho being besieged by mighty and malicious enemies, and haue many breaches in their vvalls, to be very diligent to make them vp againe, and in the meane time, to keepe a carefull and strong vvatch ouer those vveake places, because their enemies are ready to take all ad∣uantages, and to giue the fiercest assaults vvhere they are likeliest to haue the speediest entrance and least resistance: So vve vpon the same grounds, must thinke it necessary to double our vvatch, because our soules are sick∣ly, and full of vvants and vveaknesses, and many breaches are made in the chiefest Bulvvarkes of our ovvne strength, by the cruell and continuall as∣saults of our spirituall enemies. Secondly, our care is necessary in keeping this vvatch, because naturally vvee are drovvzy and sleepy, like those in a Lethargy, vvho need to haue some continually standing by, and to keepe them avvake, by pricking and pinching them, that they may not fall into the sleepe of death. Yea, and after that vve are regenerate, and are espou∣sed vnto Christ, vve are apt vvith the fiue vvise Virgins, to nod often, and take a nap, vvhen as vvee should vvaite for the comming of our Bride∣groome. And if hee did not avvake vs daily, by his Spirit knocking at the doore of our hearts, and his gracious call sounding in his Word, saying

vnto vs, Awake, thou that sleepest: and Open vnto me, my sister, my loue, my doue, my vndefiled, we would quickly fall into our old Lethargy of carnall security. In respect of which drowzinesse of nature, by reason of the re∣liques of sinne remaining in vs, we are vnfit to keepe the spirituall watch, vnlesse we continually rowze vp ourselues, and shake off this sloth of car∣nall security. And therefore as it is said of the Nightingale, that being to delight her selfe with her night songs, and fearing lest falling asleepe, shee should indanger her selfe to birds of prey, doth set her brest against a thorne, to keepe her waking; so we, being to sing the songs of Sion, and to spend our time continually in holy duties, must vse all good meanes to keepe vs waking, because wee are euery hand-while apt through our sluggishnesse, to take a nap, and thereby to indanger our soules to those rauenous and hellish fowles, who take their chiefe delight in the workes of darkenesse, and are ready to seaze vpon vs, if they find vs sleeping. Third∣ly, this watch is necessary, in regard of the wickednesse and deceitfulnesse of our owne hearts, which are ready continually to withdraw themselues from God, to start aside like a deceitfull bow, when wee aime at any good duty, and so make vs to misse the marke; and to breake from vs when wee set our selues to performe any religious exercises, distracting and pulling our minds from them, that they may wander about in worldly cogitations. And therefore seeing it is such a slippery Eele, we must take the surer hold of it, seeing it is such a false and flitting seruant, which hath often deceiued vs, accompanying vs into the Church, and euen vnto our Pewes, and then secretly slipping frō vs, that they may spend the time allotted to Gods ser∣uice, in ranging abroad about worldly vanities; there is no way but to set it before vs in Gods presence, and to keepe it continually vnder the straight watch of a vigilant eye, that it may not slip away at vnawares, as it hath done often in former times. And this the Lord requireth as necessary in this case; Take heed to your selues, that your heart be not deceiued, and ye turne aside; that is, lest you heart deceiue your heart, your corrupt and deceitfull heart, preuailing against your heart which is sanctified and regenerate; for neither can the world, nor the deuill draw vs away from God, till our sinfull flesh and corrupt nature betray vs into their hands. And of this also the Apostle giueth vs warning; Take heed (saith he) brethren, lest there bee in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe, in departing from the liuing God. Fourthly, this watch is necessary, because without it we are apt to relapse into our former condition of the sleepe of sinne. For wee are in this life like men not thorowly awaked, but betweene sleeping and waking, so as we may say with the Spouse, I sleepe, but my heart waketh: and if we be not continually vsing all good meanes to keepe vs waking, wee will but open our eyes and shut them againe, and (as it vvere) but turne vs to the other side, and so returne to our former sleepe. Wee are like men but nevvly re∣couered out of dangerous diseases, vvhich haue great need to looke vnto themselues, seeing vpon euery slight cause, the least taking of cold, or di∣stemper through ill diet, they are ready to relapse into their former sicke∣nesse. Wee are like vveakelings, that can but hardly goe, and yet must needs trauell in slippery places, or (as it vvere) aloft vpon a narrovv beame, vvhere vve often slip, and are sure to catch grieuous falls, vnlesse vvee care∣fully

watch ouer our selues, and looke diligently to our footing; and be∣ing falne, are sure to perish, vnlesse wee rise vp againe, and recouer our selues by vnfained repentance; according to that of our Sauiour; Re∣member from whence thou art falne, and repent, and doe thy first workes, or else I will come against thee quickly, &c. The which relapses and falls be most dangerous vnto our spiritual life, because they make our estate worse then it was before our conuersion, when as we were sicke in sinne and death, seeing we are but like men who in their departure are dawed (as they say) and wakened by the out-cries of the standers by, who reuiue not to liue, but to dye againe, and so to indure the paines of a continued sicknesse and double death; in which respect our Sauiour Christ saith, that the end of such is worse then their beginning. And the Apostle Peter affirmeth, that it had been better for them, not to haue knowne the way of righteousnesse, then af∣ter they haue knowne it, to turne out of it, like the dog to his vomit, or the washed sow to her wallowing in the mire. Lastly, in regard of our selues this watch is necessary, because without it we can haue no assurance that we are spiri∣tually inlightened and awakened out of the sleepe of death. For this is the difference which the Apostle maketh betweene the faithfull and the vnbeleeuer, that these still lye sleeping and snorting in the darke night of ignorance and errour, doing in the darke, the workes of darknesse, and wholly neglecting the Christian Watch; but the other being children of the light, and of the day, doe not sleepe as doe others, but watch and are sober; and being of the day, doe the workes of the day, putting on the brest-plate of faith and loue, and for an helmet, the hope of saluation. And as there are great and manifold causes respecting our selues, which make this watch necessa∣ry; so also in respect of the enemies of our saluation, who being power∣full and politicke, farre mightier then we, and yet many to one, doe labour by all meanes to worke our destruction. The which argument alone should keepe vs waking, (for when should we vvatch, if not in the time of our Christian warfare, when as we are beset on all sides with such dan∣gerous and malicious enemies?) especially if we consider that the chiefe commander of all these forces, Satan, that roring & rauening Lion, neuer slumbreth nor sleepeth, but goeth continually about, and watcheth all op∣portunities of working our destruction. And therfore if they be so watch∣full that they may worke our ruine, by casting vs into the deep sleepe and spirituall lethargie of sin & death, how vigilant and carefull should we be, by preuenting their malice, to escape this imminent & desperate danger?

Notes

• Mat. 26. 41.
• 1. Cor. 10. 12.
• Phil. 2. 13.
• Pro 28. 14.
• Eph. 5. 14. Cant. 5. 2.
• Ier. 17. 10.
• Psal. 78. 57.
• Deut. 11. 16.
• Heb. 3. 12.
• Cant. 5. 2.
• Apoc. 2. 5.
• Math. 12. 45.
• 2. Pet. 2. 21, 22.
• 1. Thes. 5. 5, 6, 7.
• 1. Pet. 5. 8.