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. XXXVII.

Two other reasons mouing vs vnto a godly life. The first, taken from Christ, giuen vnto vs by his Father; the other, from the Couenant of grace made in him.

§. Sect. 1 Of the inesti∣mable gift of Iesus Christ, which should moue vs to loue and serue God.

THe fourth mayne benefit which God hath giuen vnto vs, is his onely begotten and dearely beloued Sonne Iesus Christ, to be our Head and Sauiour, in whom we were e∣lected, & by whom we were to be saued & redeemed. For being falne in Adam, who was the head and roote of all mankinde, and not onely partakers of the guilt and punishment of his sin, but also of the corruption of nature deriued from him, whereby we were disabled to all good, and made prone vnto all euill, it would not stand with Gods Iustice to elect or saue vs, till it were fully satis∣fied, and wee freed from this sinfull condition. Which being a worke impossible to men and Angels, in respect of that infinite price which was to bee payd, God, of his free grace and loue ordained and appoin∣ted in his eternall Counsell, his Sonne to be our Sauiour and Redee∣mer; and to this end, to take our nature vpon him, that hee might be vnto his elect the second Adam, and the Head of his Church, in whom he chose them to life and saluation, which the first Adam lost both for himselfe and all his posterity. For howsoeuer the free loue, and meere grace and good will of God, be the supreme and highest cause of our election and saluation, and Christ, in respect of it, but a meanes or subordinate cause of working that for vs, which Gods loue had first decreed (neither was Christ the cause that moued God to loue vs with this first loue and free grace, but this loue, the cause which mo∣ued God to giue his Sonne vnto vs to be our Sauiour and Redeemer) yet may it be truely said, that wee could no otherwise be elected then in Christ, as our Head and the roote of all our righteousnesse, that iustice and mercy meeting together, God might be glorified in them both; although we be not elected for him, but of Gods absolute will and free grace, which moued him to giue vs his Sonne and all other good which wee receiue by him. And this the Apostle plainely af∣firmeth, that God hath chosen vs in him before the foundation of the world, and that he hath predestinated vs to the adoption of children by Iesus Christ, vnto himselfe, according to the good pleasure of his will; to the praise of the glo∣ry of his grace, wherein he hath made vs accepted in his Beloued, who were worthily reiected in Adam, both for the guilt of his sinne, and the corruption of our nature which we haue deriued from him. Now this benefit of Christ giuen vs of God, to bee the foundation of our e∣lection and saluation, may be vnto vs a most forcible argument to make vs loue God aboue all things, who hath so loued vs, that hee hath not spared to giue his onely begotten and dearely beloued Sonne vnto vs, and for vs, euen vnto the death, that wee by him might attaine vnto eternall life and happinesse, and also to expresse this loue, by la∣bouring and indeuouring to serue and please him in all the duties of a

godly life. For what should withdraw our hearts from God, which he hath tyed vnto him by such a bond of loue, that was much stronger then death it selfe? why should any hire intice vs to neglect his seruice, and to serue Satan, the world, and our owne lusts, by committing any knowne sinne, vnlesse it be of equall value to that gift that God hath giuen to vs and for vs, that he might redeeme vs from all iniquity, and appropriate vs vnto himselfe for his own seruice? But ten thousand worlds cannot match this gift, and why then should we lose the benefit of it, by neglecting the seruice of God, and hiring our selues to worke wickednesse, for the base hire of worldly vanities?

§. Sect. 2 That the work of redemption should mooue vs to serue our Redeemer in all duties of a godly life.

Againe, as Christ our Sauiour giuen vnto vs by God his Father; so also the great worke of Redemption wrought by him, may serue as a most powerfull argument to mooue vs vnto the diligent performance of all the duties which belong to a godly life: For though the worke of our Crea∣tion and preseruation are inestimable benefits, yet, this much exceedeth them, being farre aboue all humane conceit, and so vnspeakeable, that it can neuer be sufficiently expressed and magnified by the tongue of men and Angels. Yet let vs take, as we are able, some slender view of it; and with rauishing wonder, admire and adore the rest which we are not able to comprehend. And consider first, what wee were who were thus redee∣med, to wit, mortall men, dust and ashes, weake, and of no strength, stran∣gers, sinners, yea, enemies vnto God and our owne saluation. Secondly, from what we were redeemed, namely, out of the greatest and most des∣perate misery which could possibly bee incident vnto any creature. For Christ hath deliuered vs from the wrath of God, the curse of the Law, and all the fearefull plagues therein threatned, temporall and eternall, from the miserable bondage and captiuity of sinne and Satan, from death, hell, and euerlasting condemnation both of body and soule; and that when we were so desperately and vnrecouerably plunged into these fearefull mise∣ries, that wee were vtterly vnable to helpe our selues, yea, when all the power of men and Angels was altogether vnsufficient to doe vs any good. Thirdly, consider who redeemed such poore sinfull wretches out of this wofull plight, euen the glorious Sonne of God, equall to his Father in power and Maiesty; hee vouchsafed to pitty vs in our misery, and to take vpon him our deliuerance. Fourthly, consider the meanes which he vsed to effect this great worke of our Redemption, namely, by humbling him∣selfe, in taking vpon him our nature, and vniting it in a substantiall and inseparable vnion vnto his Diuine nature, that so he might in our stead, doe and suffer whatsoeuer was necessary for our saluation. Fifthly, consi∣der the manner of effecting this great worke, or the meanes which hee vsed, that he might redeeme vs; namely, by offering himselfe vnto God his Father, as a sacrifice for our sinnes, and an all-sufficient price for our Redemption, and to suffer in his body and soule, all those punishments which were due vnto vs for our sinnes. As all the miseries of his life, po∣uerty and meane birth, flight from his enemies, the tentations of the de∣uill, hunger, wearinesse, the persecutions, scornes, reproches, and slanders of the world and wicked men. And those especially, which he indured a little before his death; for he was betrayed by his owne Apostle, and for∣saken

by the rest, apprehended by his enemies, and by them most iniuri∣ously and barbarously abused, and haled from one Iudgement seat to ano∣ther, falsly accused, wrongfully condemned, blindfolded, buffeted, rayled at, spit vpon, scorned and mocked, whipped, crowned with thornes, and crucified; and so suffered for vs that cruell, ignominious, and accursed death of the Crosse, and his Fathers wrath due to our sinnes, which made him to sweate drops of Blood, and vnder the waight of this intolerable burthen, to complaine, as a man forlorne and forsaken of God. All which, he willingly, meekely, and patiently suffered for vs, that he might redeeme vs out of the hands of all our enemies, and purchase vs vnto him∣selfe as his owne peculiar people. So that wee are now his by a treble right: for he hath made vs, and therefore we are his, euen his home-borne seruants, who owe vnto him our birth and being; hee preserueth vs, and giueth vnto vs all the good things which we inioy, and so we are his hired seruants, who owe vnto him all loue and duty, for the rich wages of his bounteous benefits; and finally, he hath redeemed vs out of the hands of our mortall enemies, by giuing for vs, not siluer or gold, or any corruptible thing, but himselfe and his owne precious Blood, as a price to satisfie his Fathers iustice for our sinnes; and therefore we are no more our owne, but his by the Law of Redemption. What then remaineth, but that we yeeld vnto our Sauiour his owne right which hee hath so dearely bought? and seeing he hath giuen a price for vs, which is of ten thousand, yea, infinite times more value then his purchase; O let vs not defraud him of his bar∣gaine, but deuote our bodies and soules wholly to him, that we may glo∣rifie him by our seruice, and be sorry that we haue no more to giue vnto him. Wee owed our selues vnto him before, by right of creation, but by our sinnes robbed him of his due, by selling our selues ouer to Satan, as his slaues, for the base hire of worldly vanities; and now hee hath againe made vs his owne, by giuing himselfe as the price of our Redemption: and therefore let vs not againe depriue him of his right, and defraud him of his seruice, which if we vngratefully doe, there remaineth no further sacrifice for sinne. He hath giuen himselfe for vs; and shall we thinke it too much to giue our selues to him? He came, not to be serued, but to serue, and to giue his life a ransome for many; and shall the seruant detract his seruice, when his Lord and Master, his King and Soueraigne hath abased himselfe to doe seruice for him? Hee hath made no spare of his Blood for our sakes, and shall we thinke our selues prodigall in our duty, if wee take a little paines, and spend some sweate in his seruice? Yea, rather let vs thinke no time well spent, which is not thus imployed; and all our labour lost, which by holy duty expresseth not some loue towards him, to whom we owe so much, and are able to pay so little. Excellent is the meditation of a deuout Father to this purpose; If (saith he) I owe my selfe wholly vnto him, for my Creation; what shall I now adde for my restauration and Redempti∣on? especially being restored after this manner? Neither was I so easily restored as created. For to create me and all things else, God did but say the word, and it was done; but he that by once speaking made mee, said many things, wrought wonders, suffered things not onely grieuous, but disgracefull and vnworthy of him, that he might redeeme mee. What

therefore shall I returne vnto the Lord, for all the good things which hee hath done vnto me? In his first worke he gaue me vnto my selfe; in the se∣cond, he gaue himselfe to me; and by giuing himselfe, restored me vnto my selfe. Being then both giuen and restored, I owe my selfe vnto him for my self, & so am twice due. But what then shal I giue vnto God for giuing himselfe? for thogh I could giue my selfe a thousand times for recompence, what am I in comparison of him? Besides which argument of thankfulnes, which might mooue vs to performe all duties of Gods seruice, there is ano∣ther of necessity, which like a strong chaine tieth vs vnto them: Seeing our Sauiour Christ hath propounded this as the maine end of our Redempti∣on, yea, hath also ratified it by his solemne Oth, that all those who are by him redeemed out of the hands of their spiritual enemies, shall serue him in holines and righteousnesse, before him, all the dayes of their liues. He therefore died, that he might be Lord of all, not in bare title & profession only (for that wil nothing profit vs at the day of Iudgment, as himselfe telleth vs) but in deed & truth, by performing vnto him faithfull and diligent seruice. Hee hath bought vs, that we should no more be our owne, (and much lesse the deuils or the worlds) but his, & glorifie him both in our soules & bodies, seeing they are his, as the Apo∣stle telleth vs. And therefore vnlesse we thinke that Christ may faile of his end which he hath propounded, & so die in vaine, yea, if he may not faile of his truth, & falsifie his Oath, let vs not imagine that we are his redeemed, or haue any part in that great worke of saluation wrought by him, vnlesse we labour and indeuour to serue him in the duties of holinesse and righ∣teousnesse, and that not by fits and flashes onely, but, from the time of our conuersion, all the remainder of our liues.

§. Sect. 3 That by the Couenant of Grace we are strongly bound vnto all Chri∣stian duties of a godly life.

The fift benefit, is the Couenant of Grace, which God hath made with vs in Iesus Christ; for being redeemed by his full satisfaction, death, & obedi∣ence, the Lord hath made a new Couenant with vs, not like that vnder the Law, the condition whereof, was perfect obedience, the which being im∣possible vnto vs, by reason of our imperfections and corruptions, the pro∣mise was made voyd and vnprofitable; seeing this new Couenant is not grounded vpon our workes and worthinesse, but vpon the free mercies of God, and the all-sufficient merits of Iesus Christ. In which, the Lord promiseth for his part, that he will be our gracious God and louing Fa∣ther, that he will pardon and forgiue vs all our sinnes, and giue vnto vs all good things spirituall and temporall in this life, and glory and happinesse in the life to come. And we for our part promise vnto God againe, that he shall be our God, and we his people, and that wee will receiue and im∣brace all his blessings promised, by a true and liuely faith, and especially, Iesus Christ and all his benefits, and wholly rest vpon him, for our iustifi∣cation and saluation, that he may be all in all, and haue the whole glory of his owne gracious and free gifts. And because a dead and fruitlesse faith cannot doe this, therefore by a necessary consequence wee promise, that we will approoue our faith to be liuely and effectuall for these vses, by bringing foorth the fruits thereof in vnfained and hearty repentance and amendment of life. Now whereas we couenant that he shall be our God, and we will be his people, we doe not promise that wee will make a bare profession of these things in word onely, but that in deed and truth wee

will haue him to be our God, in our hearts by desiring and indeuouring to cleaue vnto him alone, louing, fearing, hoping, and trusting in him and no other, and that in our liues and actions we will labour to glorifie him, by liuing as it becommeth his people, and bringing forth the fruits of ho∣linesse and righteousnesse, in the whole course of our conuersation. The which Couenant strongly bindeth vs to these duties; seeing as it is on Gods part most vnchangeable, being effectually ratified and confirmed by the blood of Christ, by Gods owne hand-writing in his Word and Gospell, whereunto he hath annexed his seales and Sacraments; yea, by his solemne Oth, wherein it is impossible that God should lye; for hauing no greater to sweare by, he hath sworne by himselfe, that hee will not faile of any of his promises made in Christ: so is it confirmed on our part by our solemne Vow in Baptisme, where (as it were) by a sacramentall oath we haue bound our selues to renounce the seruice of sinne and Satan, the world and the flesh, and that we will serue God and no other, in the du∣ties of holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our liues. To which end we make a solemne profession of our faith, and take vpon vs Gods Li∣uery and Cognizance, promising, that we will fight vnder his Colours and Standard, against all the enemies of our saluation. And therefore see∣ing we haue made this vow and promise vnto God, and haue, vpon many occasions, renewed our couenant, that we wil in all things serue & please him; we must, in the whole course of our liues, carefully indeuour to per∣forme what we haue promised, vnlesse wee would bee esteemed couenant∣breakers, falsifiers of our word and promise, not to men, but to God him∣selfe, yea perfidious traytors to him and our owne soules. The which will be much more intolerable and vnexcusable, seeing in this Couenant of Grace, God doth not stand vpon strict termes with vs, exacting legall and perfect performance, but onely Euangelicall sincerity and truth, and that we desire and indeuour to keepe our promise as much as we are able. And seeing also, because our strength is but small, the Lord hath graciously promised the assistance of his holy Spirit, to strengthen vs in our good indeuours, and inable vs to performe what he requireth, and we haue vn∣dertaken, in some such manner as may be acceptable in his sight. Now what stronger motiue can there be vnto the duties of a godly life, con∣sisting in a liuely faith and vnfained repentance, then to consider that wee are tyed hereunto by this couenant, which is the maine ground of all our good, the remission of our sinnes, grace and glory, which if wee make voyd, by our impenitency and infidelity, wee can haue no part in Gods mercies and gracious promises, nor in Iesus Christ and all his benefits? Especially considering, that if we but resolue and indeuour to please God in these holy duties, both wee and our seruice shall bee accepted in Iesus Christ, our imperfections being couered with his perfect obedience, and our corruptions washed away with his blood: which if we neglect to per∣forme, and liue stil in our infidelity and impenitency, without any serious desire or constant indeuour to know God, or to feare and serue him, what∣soeuer profession and shew we make to the contrary, yet most certaine it is, that we are not yet in this Couenant, nor shall, as long as we continue in this state, haue any part in the benefits promised; seeing the Lord, who

cannot faile of his word, hath in this couenant assured vs, that he will not onely bestow his blessings, but will also fit and inable all his Elect, with whom onely he maketh it, to performe what he require that their hands, that he will inlighten them with the knowledge of himself & his will, and write his Law in their hearts, thereby working in them these resolutions and indeuours to obserue and keepe it; that he will be their God, and they his people; and that he will knit them so vnto him, as that they shall ne∣uer depart from him; and therefore so long as wee finde no such things wrought in vs, we can haue no assurance, that as yet we haue any part in this Couenant, or in any of the benefits therein promised.

Notes

• John 3. 16.
• Ephe. 1. 4, 5.
• Rom. 5. 8, 10.
• Psal. 100. 2.
• 1. Pet. 1. 17, 18.
• 1. Cor. 6. 20.
• Heb. 10. 26.
• Mat. 20. 28.
• Quòd si totùm me debeo pro me facto, quid ad∣dam iam & pro refecto, & re∣fecto hoc modo, &c? Bern. lib de diligen. Deo. c. 1.
• Luk. 1. 74, 75. Rom. 14. 9. Mat. 7. 22. Mal. 1. 6.
• 1. Cor. 6. 20. Col. 1. 22. 1. Pet. 2. 24. Esa. 44. 22. 1. Pet. 1. 17, 18.
• Heb. 6. 18.
• Ier. 31 33, 34, 35. and 32. 40.