A Guide to Godliness, Book 1 · Chapter 1
CAP. I.
Containing the Preface to the following Treatiſe, which ſheweth the excellencie, profit and neceſsity of the ſubiect matter therein handled.
§. Sect. 1 That the end of eueryevery thing is to be preferred before the meanes which are deſtinated vntounto it.
ACcording to the rules of reaſon, wee eſteeme the end of al things to be the beſt, and to be preferred before the things which are deſtinated to the atchieuing of it; and eueryevery thing as it doth more of leſſe conduce hereunto, ſo doth it gaine or loſe a higher place in the worke of excellency; becauſe that which aduanceth the end, moſt furthereth that which is moſt to be deſired, namely, perfection and fruition. Thus the end of Phyſicke is health, and therefore, that Phyſicke is to be eſteemed beſt, which moſt ſoundly and ſurely confirmeth or recouereth it. The end of Lawe is Iuſtice, that eueryevery man may quietly inioy his owne, and therefore, that Law and practice of it, is to be chiefely eſteemed (not which through the helpe of Sophiſticall wit and audacious skill, filleth the Lawyers purſe, by protracting ſuites, and hindering or delaying the courſe of Iuſtice, but) which beſt helpeth the Clyent to the ſpeedieſt and ſureſt recouery of his right. The end of Warre is Peace, and therefore, that warre to be preferred, which being iuſt, alwaies endeth in ſuch a peace as is ſure, ſecure and permanent. Thus man, being the end of all vnreaſonable creatures in the heauens and earth, they being made for his vſe and benefit, is in this regard to be aduanced in excellency aboue them all; and eueryevery creature to be eſteemed more or leſſe good; as they more or leſſe tend to mans benefit and bleſſedneſſe. And finally, becauſe Almighty God is the ſupreme end, he is alſo the chiefe Good, and all creatures to be eſteemed in worth and excellency, as they moſt ſerue for the magnifying of their Lord and Creator, and the aduancement of his glory for which end they hauehave their being.
§. Sect. 2 That the practice of Religion and godlineſſe is to bee preferred before the theory and bare knowledge of it.
And thus the end of all arts and ſciences is the practice of them, and therefore the habit of skill ſhewed in the exerciſe of the artſman, is much to be preferred, becauſe it is the end of theorie and ſpeculation. And as this is to be confeſſed in all other arts, ſo cannot it be denied of Diuinity and Religion, the practice whereof doth in excellency ſurmount the knowledge and theorie, as being the maine end whereunto it tendeth. For to what purpoſe doe men ſpend their ſpirits, and tire their wits, in diſcerning the light of truth, if they doe not vſe the benefit of it to direct them in all their waies? Why doe they riſe betimes to ſee the Sunne, if they meane to ſit idly ſtill and doe nothing, which better ſuiteth with palpable and Aegyptian darkeneſſe? Why doe they with ſuch care and labour, heape vp theſe rich treaſures of learning and knowledge, if (miſer-like) they onelyonly looke vponupon them, and neuer make vſe of them for the benefit of themſelues and others? Why doe they ſpend their whole liues in ſowing the ſeede, and neuer reape the crop? or hauing brought in the harueſt, and filled their barnes and granaries: what good will all this doe them, if they let it there muſt and mould, and neuer eate the fruit of their labours? How vaine therefore is their practice, who ſpend all their ſtrength in polemicall diſputes, to euince errour, and finde out the truth, if when they hauehave found it, they will not walke in this light, nor let it be the guide of their liues? like herein to fooliſh boyes, who ſtriue for a ball, which when they hauehave gotten with much ſweate, and hauehave no competitour to contend further for it, they caſt into a corner with careleſſe neglect; or hauing fought euen vntounto blood, to beate others off a Mole hill, as from a fort of ſtrength, doe make no further vſe of it when they hauehave gotten quiet poſſeſſion? How fruitleſſe are the labours of ſuch Paſtours and Preachers, who ſpend all their time in painefull ſtudies, to barrell vp that knowledge, which they meane neuer to vſe, propounding no other end of their knowledge but to know, and as though they enuied all others their eſteemed Iewell, neuer communicate it by painefull preaching vntounto their people; who through their negligence hauehave no more vſe of their gifts, then poore neighbours hauehave of a miſers treaſure, which is faſt locked vp from them in their barred cheſts; nor are more edifyed by their knowledge, then if they were ignorant ideots, and deſtitute of all learning? Heerein alſo rich miſers indeed, in that they doe not only depriue others of the vſe of their wealth, but defraud their owne ſoules of the benefit of it, letting it ruſt without the vſe and practice of it in a godly life; whereby as they ſhould ſhine vntounto others by a good example; ſo they ſhould make their own calling and election ſure, and ſtrengthen their faith in the aſſurance of eternal bleſſednes, which is not promiſed to them that only know, but alſo do the will of their Joh. 13. 17.Maſter? Finally, how bootleſſe and vaine is the practice of ſuch profeſſors of Religion among the people, who in their diligence to heare Sermons, and reade the Scriptures, take care onelyonly to inlighten their braines with knowledge, which they wholly ſpend in proud diſputes and lauiſh diſcourſe, but neuer ſuffer it to deſcend into their hearts, to warme and cherriſh any holy affections, nor to ſhine out vntounto others in the light of a godly life, to the glory of God, and edification of their brethren by their godly example?
§. Sect. 3 That the practice of godlineſſe is an infallible ſigne of the ſincerity of our knowledge and profeſſion.
Againe, as the practice of all Chriſtian duties in a godly life, is to bee preferred before knowledge and profeſſion of Religion; ſo is it the ſigne and ſeale whereby we may know if our knowledge bee ſound and ſauing, Luk. 12. 47. Ioh. 13. 17. Luk. 11. 28.and our profeſſion in truth and without hypocriſie. For an idle and fruitleſſe knowledge furthereth not our ſaluation, but rather leaueth vsus without excuſe, aggrauateth our ſinnes, and increaſeth our condemnation: for they are not bleſſed, who know the greateſt myſteries of Chriſts Kingdome, but they who make an holy vſe of what they know; not they that know theſe things (ſaith our Sauiour) but they who doe them: not they that heare the Word onelyonly, but they who keepe it, are bleſſed. Not the hearers of the Law, but the doers thereof are iuſtified, ſaith the Apoſtle Paul. And the Rom. 2. 13.Apoſtle Iames exhorteth vsus to be not onelyonly hearers of the Word, but doers alſo, ſeeing otherwiſe we ſhall but deceiue our ſelues, and vtterly loſe all the Jam. 1. 22.fruit of our labours. Without which practice, knowledge puffeth vp: not 1. Cor. 8. 1.making vsus ſolidly wiſe, but (like bladders filled with winde) eaſily toſſed vp and downe at the pleaſure of thoſe who extoll vsus with their praiſes: and is no chriſtian knowledge, though it comprehend the greateſt myſteries of Chriſtianity, ſeeing we truely know onelyonly what we practiſe. For as the Apoſtle Iohn, teaching vsus to examine the truth of our knowledge, ſaith, Heereby we know that we know him, if we keepe his Commandements. And hee 1. Ioh. 2. 3, 4.that ſaith, I know him, and keepeth not his Commandements, is a lyer, and the truth is not in him. Finally, the more wee know, the more grieuous ſhall our ſinne and puniſhment be, if we doe not practiſe it; For the ſeruant that Luk. 12. 47.knoweth his maſters will, and doth it not, ſhall be beaten with many ſtripes. Our profeſſion likewiſe, without this practice, is but hypocritical, making vsus to reſemble the ſtony ground, which brought foorth a faire greene blade, but no fruit to due maturity; like the fig-tree, which hauing leaues but no figs, was accurſed; like the tree in the Garden, which cumbring the ground with its fruitleſſe preſence, was threatned to bee cut downe; like Glowwormes, which hauehave ſome luſtre and brightneſſe, but no heate; ſeeing ſuch Profeſſours ſhine with ſome light of knowledge, but without all warmth of Chriſtian charity. Neither is that pure Religion and vndefiled Iam. 1. 27.before God, which like an emptie barrell, maketh a great ſound in an outward profeſſion, but that which exerciſeth it ſelfe in the duties of Chriſtianity, as to viſite the fatherleſſe and widdowes in their affliction, and to keepe a mans ſelfe vnſpotted of the world.
§. Sect. 4 That the practice of godlineſſe is the touch-ſtone of our faith.
Furthermore, the iuſt doe liue by their faith, which doth ingraft them into Chriſt their life and righteouſneſſe; and a godly life is the touch-ſtone Hab. 2. 4. Ioh. 15. 2, 5.which diſcerneth a true and ſincere faith, from that which is falſe and hypocriticall. It is the ſigne of our ſpirituall vnion and inciſion; for they that are ingrafted into the true Vine Chriſt, doe bring foorth much fruit; and they who doe not, are either no branches at all, or ſuch as are dead, and ſhall bee cut off. It is the fruit which the tree of faith beareth, by which wee may diſcerne a liuing from a dead faith, Iam. 2. 8.and approoue and manifeſt it vntounto others. It is the breath of this life of faith, and the operation of this facultie, whereby wee may diſcerne whether it bee a liuing body, and liuely ſacrifice acceptable vntounto God; or a dead carcaſſe, which hath onelyonly the ſhew of a true body, but ſtinketh in his noſtrils, when for an oblation wee offer it vntounto Iam. 2. 26.him.
§. Sect. 5 That though a godly life is not the cauſe, yet it is the way to euerlaſting happineſſe.
Finally, a godly life, though it doe not merit euerlaſting happineſſe, with which it holdeth no proportion, yet it is the way that leadeth vsus therunto, Heb. 12. 14.in which, whoſo trauaile, ſhall at the end of their iourney ſurely attaine to eternall bleſſedneſſe. And they who neglect it, being quite out of the way, can neuer come vntounto that place of ioy: For without holineſſe wee ſhall neuer ſee God. If we hauehave not our part in the firſt reſurrection to newneſſe of life, we ſhall hauehave no part in the ſecond, to glory and immortality, but liuing and dying dead in ſinne, the ſecond death alſo will ſeaze vponupon vsus. And if we walke not in this ſubordinate way of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, which leadeth to life and happineſſe, wee can hauehave no part in the Ioh. 14. 6.chiefe and principall way Ieſus Chriſt, without whom there is no ſaluation: 2. Cor. 5. 17.For as many as are in Chriſt, are new creatures; They that are Chriſts, hauehave crucified the fleſh, with the affections and luſts; They that are baptized into him, Gal. 5. 24.are buried with him by baptiſme into death, that like as Chriſt was raiſed vp from Rom. 6. 4.the dead, by the glory of the Father, euen ſo they alſo ſhould walke in newneſſe of Rom. 8. 1.life. They that are in Chriſt, walke not after the fleſh, but after the Spirit, and to ſuch onelyonly there is no condemnation. Finally, they that are ingrafted into the true vine Ieſus Chriſt, ſhall bring foorth in him, the ripe and ſweet Grapes of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, and bearing fruit, ſhall be more and more Ioh. 15. 2, 6.purged by our heauenly Father, that they may dayly increaſe in fruitfulneſſe: So that there is no other way to aſſure vsus of Chriſt and his benefits, no other meanes to make our election and calling ſure, then by adding 2. Pet. 1. 10.one grace vntounto another, and bringing foorth the fruits of them all in a Chriſtian life and holy conuerſation.
§. Sect. 6 That all Gods Miniſters ſhould much inforce this doctrine and practice of a godly life.
All which, as it euidently ſheweth the excellencie, profit, and neceſſity of walking in this way of holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, (as I ſhall more plentifully prooue hereafter) ſo alſo how neceſſary and profitable it is for Gods Miniſters, who are appointed for guides vntounto others, that they doe not onelyonly themſelues walke in this way, and ſhine as lights and patternes of godlineſſe in their holy and Chriſtian conuerſation; but alſo that they ſhine vntounto them in the light of their doctrine, teaching them the way which they ſhould chooſe, and what the acceptable will of God is, vntounto which they ſhould conforme themſelues in all holy obedience, perſwading and exhorting them to goe forward when they are dull and ſluggiſh, that their words may (as the Wiſe man ſpeaketh) ſerue for goades to haſten their ſpeede; and admoniſhing and reproouing them when they leaue Eccleſ. 12. 11.this way, and wander in the by-wayes of ſinne and wickedneſſe, without which, the godly life of the Miniſter is not ſufficient, and his exemplary actions but dumbe ſignes, and oftentimes (through humane frailty) erroneous patternes, if the Word preached doe not giuegive light and life vntounto them. In which regard, among diuers of my worthy and godly brethren, who hauehave profitably laboured in this Argument, and offered vntounto God their free-will offerings of great value, I likewiſe hauehave aduentured to caſt my poore mite into this Treaſury, that I may not only hereby more and more ſtirre vp and prouoke my ſelfe to walke more carefully, conſcionably, and cheerefully, in this path of piety, but alſo may, as much as lyeth in mee, both by word and writing, perſwade many others to beare mee company.