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. XXVI.

Of the last priuate meanes of a godly life, which is, experi∣mentall knowledge.

§. Sect. 1 What this ex∣perimentall knowledge is, and the pra∣ctice of it in many exam∣ples.

THe last priuate meanes (whereof I will speake) which may helpe and inable vs to leade a godly life, is experimentall knowledge, whereby wee apply whatsoeuer we know, ei∣ther concerning God, or our selues, vnto our owne parti∣cular vse, and indeuour to profit by it in the practice of holinesse and righteousnesse. Thus wee are not onely to know that God is a gracious Father in Christ, as to others, so vnto vs; but to labour to haue the experience of it in our selues, by feeling the beames of his fatherly loue warming our hearts, and inflaming them with vnfai∣ned loue towards God againe, by obseruing his fatherly prouidence watching ouer vs, and how often wee haue been thereby powerfully de∣fended from our many and mighty enemies, deliuered out of imminent dangers, freed from many afflictions, when as we saw no meanes of esca∣ping, and graciously relieued and prouided for in our wants and necessi∣ties, when we haue had no possible meanes to supply them. Thus knowing God to be Omnipotent in power, we must labour to haue a feeling expe∣rience of it in his continuall supporting vs, both in respect of our soules and bodies, notwithstanding our owne frailty and weaknesse, in which we should haue often perished, in respect of the one through worldly dan∣gers, and in respect of the other through spirituall tentations, did not he sustaine vs with his might, and glorifie his power in our infirmities and weaknes. And thus knowing God to be true of his word, yea truth it selfe, we must labor to haue the experience and feeling of it in our selues, by ob∣seruing how he hath at all times made good his promises vnto vs, euen then, when by reason of some delay we haue most doubted of them. Fi∣nally, knowing that he is good and gracious, mercifull and bountifull, both vnto all his elect, and particularly vnto vs, wee must seeke to con∣firme it vnto our selues, by our owne experience, and by calling to mind how often he hath pardoned our former sinnes, and sealed this pardon in our hearts and consciences by the testimony of his Spirit; how often we haue tasted how good he is in the fruits of his bounty, and in the sweet feeling thereof haue had our hearts comforted and refreshed. The which experience of times past, will much strengthen our faith and hope for the time to come, make vs wholly to depend vpon him, and to conse∣crate and deuote our selues to his worship and seruice, with all cheerful∣nesse and couragious resolution, notwithstanding all oppositions, seeing by manifold experience we haue found, that the God whom wee serue, is most mighty to defend vs, most gracious, true of his promises, and boun∣tifull in performance, richly rewarding all those who feare and depend

vpon him. Thus knowing the vertue and efficacy of Christs death, in ta∣king away, by the inestimable merit thereof, the guilt and punishment of our sinnes, we must striue to finde and feele it in our owne experience, by obseruing how it hath been powerfull and effectuall in vs, for the mortify∣ing and crucifying of our carnall lusts and sinfull corruptions, which here∣tofore haue ruled and raigned in vs. And this Paul meaneth, when hee saith, that he desired to know nothing but Iesus Christ, and him crucified; namely, this vertue and efficacie of it in himselfe, in the crucifying of his flesh, with the lusts thereof, and not onely to know the truth of it, which might easily be attained vnto by the relation and instructions of others. In which sense he saith in another place, that he accounted all things but losse, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus, and that he laboured aboue all things to know him, and the power of his Resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable vnto his death; that is, not barely to know these things, or to beleeue them by faith, but to haue the experience of the vertue of his Resurrection, in raising him from the death of sin, to holinesse and newnesse of life, giuing him a full conquest ouer his corrup∣tions, and spirituall life and strength to serue God in some perfection. Thus knowing the holy Ghost to be our sanctifier, we must neuer rest till we haue some good experience of it in our selues, in his purging vs tho∣rowout, body and soule from all sinfull pollutions, and in our spirituall re∣newing and reforming according to Gods Image, in wisedome, holinesse and righteousnesse. Thus we must know the workes of God both towards our selues and others, not onely by hearing, reading and discourse, but al∣so by our owne obseruation and experience. How liberally from time to time he hath rewarded our poore indeuours, and imperfect seruice, with manifold blessings; and how hee hath corrected our sloth, when as wee haue been cold and carelesse, formall and negligent in his seruice with his fatherly chastisements. How he hath visited our sinnes with crosses and afflictions; yea speciall sinnes with speciall punishments, which haue sprung as fruits from those cursed rootes, and by following them as at the heeles, haue plainly shewed from what causes they came, or else haue bin so fitted and proportioned vnto them, in likenesse and similitude, that the correction hath (as it were) by the hand led vs to the sight of our sinne. And how vpon our repentance and humiliation he hath graciously spared and freed vs from our afflictions, when wee least thought of any deliue∣rance. The which as it will notably preserue vs from falling into those sinnes, for which wee haue been formerly corrected; so when wee haue falne, it will effectually mooue vs to rise out of them by vnfained repen∣tance; and confirme thereupon our affiance in God, that seeing he is im∣mutable in his goodnesse, he will now againe be alike gracious vpon our humiliation, to deliuer vs from present and future euils. Thus also in Gods dealing with others, we may haue experience of his truth in his promi∣ses towards those that feare and serue him, and in his threatenings against those that are wicked, who make no conscience of their wayes, but rebel∣liously sinne against him; of his Iustice, by obseruing his Iudgements, exe∣cuted vpon the wilfull transgressours of his lawes, and his goodnesse and mercy towards those who indeuour to serue and please him; whereby we

shall be made fearefull to offend him, and carefull to carry our selues so in an holy conuersation, as that we may be accepted in his sight. And as this experimentall knowledge of God and his workes, will bee a notable meanes to restraine vs from all sinne, and to further vs in all the duties of a godly life: so also the like knowledge of our selues, and our owne courses and actions, will be a singular helpe to the same ends; as when we not on∣ly know that we are wholly corrupted in our soules and bodies with ori∣ginall sinne, but also experimentally feele the venome and vigour of it working in vs, disabling vs vnto all good duties, and making vs prone vn∣to all wickednesse; whereby we are made more carefull in the vse of all good meanes, by which wee may be inabled more and more to mortifie and subdue it: when as wee not onely after a generall manner know our naturall weaknesse and frailty, whereby we are often ouertaken with ma∣nifold actuall sinnes, but also obserue by particular experience, our speci∣all slips and falls, what corruptions are most potent in vs, and vnto what sinnes our nature is most prone, and wherewith we are most often foyled, to the end that we may not rest vpon our owne strength, which so often faileth, but vpon the power and promises of God; and with more fer∣uency craue the assistance of his holy Spirit, to strengthen vs against our corruptions, and to subdue their power, that they may not preuaile a∣gainst vs as in former times. When as we see that wee are defectiue in all good duties, we must also by experience obserue vnto what speciall duties we are most auerse, and which we performe with most difficulty, bewray∣ing in them our greatest wants and imperfections; that so wee may goe about them with greatest resolution, and vse our best indeuours to per∣forme them daily in more perfection. When as wee not onely know that we are continually tempted by our spirituall enemies, but also finde by experience their particular tentations, wherewith they most assault vs, and most often foyle and ouercome vs, that so wee may in these regards keepe a more speciall watch, take more paines in repairing these particu∣lar breaches, and arme our selues with more courage and resolution to withstand them in the next incounters.

§. Sect. 2 The experi∣mentall know∣ledge of our owne estates, in respect of our contrary courses.

Againe, wee are thus by our experience to marke and obserue our selues, in respect of our diuers and contrary courses in our liues and con∣uersations. As when we are watchfull ouer our wayes to please God in all things, and carefull to serue him in all Christian duties, what singular blessings and benefits wee reape thereby. How wee are comforted with Gods gracious presence, and feele the beames of his loue cheering our hearts, and the light of his countenance so refreshing them, that no af∣flictions can dismay vs; how our faith is strengthened against all tentati∣ons, in the assurance of the remission of our sinnes, and the saluation of our soules; how our heads are lifted vp with hope, ioyfully expecting the performance of all Gods promises, euen when they are delayed; and how confident we are in the middest of desperate dangers, in the assurance of Gods presence and protection. What peace we haue vvith God, and in our owne consciences, which passeth all vnderstanding, and how therein we triumph ouer all worldly oppositions, and the worst that the might and malice of the diuell, and all his adherents can doe against vs. Final∣ly,

what rauishing and vnspeakeable ioyes replenish our hearts, which none can take from vs, no not afflictions and persecutions, nor the dread∣full face of approaching death! On the other side, when wee neglect our watch, and are ouertaken with any grosse sinnes; when we carelesly omit the duties of Gods seruice, or performe them slothfully & negligently, af∣ter a cold and formall manner, wee may out of experience obserue, either how we are hardened through the deceitfulnesse of sinne, and lye snorting in carnall security, without any sense or motion of spirituall life; or if our consciences be awakened, and wee come to some feeling of our wretched estate, how we are dismayed with the absence of God, when he hath with∣drawne from vs the sense and feeling of his grace and fauour; how wee are terrified with the apprehension of his wrath, and with the sight of our manifold and grieuous sinnes; how our faith is assaulted with doubting and incredulity, our hopes vanished, our affiance weakened, yea often∣times turned into diffidence and distrust. Our peace disturbed with the accusations of a guilty conscience, and our ioy turned into sorrow and heauinesse. Of both which estates when we haue had feeling experience, it will be an effectuall meanes, as any other, to make vs flee all manner of sinne, to striue continually against our corruptions and imperfections, and to indeuour with all care and good conscience, to please God in all things, and to performe vnto him zealous seruice in all the duties of a godly life.

§. Sect. 3 That no knowledge is to be compa∣red with this of experience.

In a word, there is no knowledge alike vsefull and profitable vnto this, which is seasoned by obseruation and experience. For as in ciuill affaires, that knowledge which is gotten by reading and mentall discourse, is of little vse or worth, vntill it be perfected by practice and experience; so is it much more true in the knowledge of Christianity. Wee see that men by much reading and speculation, attaine vnto great knowledge, but seldome to sound wisedome, which hath giuen way to that common Prouerbe, that The greatest Clerks are not the wisest men. It is no lesse cer∣taine (though it may be lesse obserued) that speculatiue knowledge, not being seasoned with experience, doth not make men spiritually wise vnto saluation; whereof it is that the great Doctours of the world, who are richest in it, are commonly poorest in grace and godlinesse, hauing no sense and feeling of those things, whereof in their learned discourses they make a great shew, and are well able to teach others that way which them∣selues neuer trauelled. It is not much reading, nor speculatiue skill in the writings of State-policy, that will make a wise Councellour, and much lesse a prudent Prince and Gouernour; but when this knowledge is sea∣soned with experience, which teacheth where the rules hold, and where they faile, and how they are varied by circumstances, which being innu∣merable, cannot be comprehended in any precepts, but are onely to bee determined by wise prudence, which is gotten by experience. It is not on∣ly booke-knowledge that will make a good Generall, or skilfull Pilot; no not so much as a cunning Artificer; but when this knowledge is perfected by practice and experience: and so surely, though wee abound neuer so much in litterall knowledge, it will be farre from making vs good Chri∣stians, vnlesse wee bring precepts into practice, and by feeling ex∣perience

apply what we know, to our owne particular vse and benefit. Yea, in truth amongst all those poynts of Religion which wee comprehend euen by the sauing knowledge of faith, those aboue all others are most sweet and comfortable, vsefull and beneficiall, which haue been confirmed and sealed vnto vs by most experience. A man truly wise, may cleerly dis∣cerne of good and euill, and of that which is either safe or dangerous, and may not onely beleeue without any doubting what he knoweth, but may be able, by effectuall reasons to perswade others, either to imbrace or shunne them; and yet neuer come to a sound vse of his knowledge, till it be seconded and better cleered by experience. As for example, hee may know the danger of suretiship, and how many men haue been vndone by it, losing not onely their wealth, but also their friends for whom they haue been ingaged, and yet be so blinded with deceiuing hopes, that with some little importunity he is content to be ingaged: but if his generall noti∣ons be seasoned by experience, and if being left in the lurch, he hath found and felt the smart of his forwardnesse, afterwards a threefold Cable is not strong enough to draw him into bonds, and hazard himselfe vnto so many miseries. So a man may know that this or that meate may bee dangerous and of hard digestion, and yet be drawne by his appetite to feede vpon it; but if he haue once surfetted, and haue felt the smart of a tedious sick∣nesse which hath indangered his life, he is afterwards alienated from it, both in iudgement and appetite, so that hee will bee sure to take heed of that dish, though he will venture to feed on another no lesse dangerous in his opinion, but not tryed to be so by experience; and thus it is in all other dangers, which wee more carefully shunne, as wee haue with more difficulty escaped out of them. So contrariwise, that which our iudge∣ments approue as good, is not so much loued and imbraced, till we haue by experience found it to be so vnto vs; neither haue we euer so much desire of the wholesomest food, though we know it to be so, as when wee haue by experience found, that it is pleasing to our owne taste, and affoor∣ding vnto vs good nourishment, hath been a notable meanes to preserue our health, and increase our strength. And thus also it is in spirituall things. Though we see the danger of our corruption, with the manifold euils which doe accompany them, and thereby are made carefull in some degree to auoyd them, yet we may be ouertaken, and with the violence of our lusts and passions be drawne to fall into them: but if by experience we haue felt the smart of them, how their poyson hath wrought in our hearts, infeebled our graces (as it were the vitall spirits) and weakened and disabled vs vnto all good duties, wee will euer afterwards mortally hate them, and more carefully shunne them then in former times. And contrariwise, though we know and beleeue, that such graces and duties are excellent, and therefore to be loued and imbraced of vs; yet shall wee neuer doe it vvith that ardency of affection, as vvhen vvee haue tasted the svveetnesse of them in themselues, and the manifold comforts and singular benefits vvhich doe accompany them; as peace vvith God, and peace of conscience, assurance of Gods loue and our ovvne saluation, invvard re∣freshment and ioy in the holy Ghost; and such other blessings of like na∣ture. All vvhich considerations should povverfully persvvade vs, not to

content our selues with the knowledge of Christianity, but to labour af∣ter the feeling and experience, the vse and practice of what wee know, which will be a singular helpe to further vs in all the duties of a godly life.

Notes

• 2. Cor. 12. 9.
• Rom. 5. 4.
• Dan. 3.
• 1. Cor. 2. 2.
• Phil. 3. 8, 9, 10.
• 2. Cor. 1. 10.
• Eccles. 8. 12.
• Psal. 84. 11. and 27. 1, 3.
• Psal. 23. 4. and 3. 5. Joh. 14. 27. Rom. 8. 31, 32, &c.
• Ioh. 16. 27.
• Rom. 5. 3.
• Cant. 3. 1. and 5. 6. Psal. 23. 1. Psal. 32. 3. Psal. 6. 1, 3, 6. Psa. 38. 1, 2, 3, 4. Psalm. 77. 2, 7, 8, 9. Psal. 88. 15.