A Guide to Godliness, Dedication 1
A GVIDE TO GODLYNESSE Or a Treatise of a Christian Life Shewing the duties wherein it Consisteth, the helpes Inabling & the Reasons parswading vntounto 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 JOHN DOVNAME Batcheler in Diuinitie and Minister of Gods Word.
Jeremiah. 6. 16.
Aske for the old pathes, where is ye Good way, and walke therein, and you shall finde Rest for your Soules.
Printed at London by Felix Kingstone For Ed. Weuer & W: Bladen at the North dore of Pauls.
Charitie
Humilitie
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Iohn Payne ſculpsit.
TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD, GEORGE, BY GODS PROVIDENCE, ARCHbiſhop of CANTERBVRY his Grace, Primate of all England, and Metropolitane, and one of his Maieſties moſt Honourable Priuie Councell, I. D. wiſheth all happineſſe, temporall and eternall.
SEeing there is nothing (moſt Reuerend) ſo highly to bee eſteemed, or ſo much to be deſired of all Chriſtians, as the glory of God in the ſaluation of his people, as being the principall and chiefe end of our creation and being, of our preſeruation and continuing in the world; therefore it behoueth all men, who would not faile of their end, and ſo liue in vaine, in their ſeuerall callings wherein God hath placed them, to hauehave this alwaies in their eye, as their chiefe marke, and to propound it as the principall ſcope of all their actions, vſing all good meanes whereby it may be furthered and aduanced. As Princes and Magiſtrates, by enacting good lawes, and ſeeing them duely executed, making their owne liues (as it were) rules of that obedience which they require of the people, and liuely examples and patternes for their imitation. Miniſters, by leading thoſe which are committed vntounto their charge, in the waies of truth and godlineſſe, not onelyonly by their preaching and writing, inſtruction, admonition, perſwaſion and exhortation, but alſo by practizing thoſe duties which they teach others, and ſhining before them in the light of a godly life. Finally, the people, by yeelding their cheerefull obedience to the godly lawes of Gouernors, and by imbracing the found and profitable doctrine, and imitating the Chriſtian and religious examples of their godly Teachers. The conſideration whereof hath moued me to imploy my talent both by preaching and writing, for the aduancing (as much as in me lieth) the glory of my great Lord and Maſter, and the good & ſaluation of my fellow ſeruants; or rather, to caſt my mite into the Churches treaſury, hoping that he will accept it, though not in its own value and worth, yet becauſe I hauehave deſired to be faithful in a little, and willing in my penury to offer vntounto him all that I hauehave. And ſtudying how I might beſt imploy my paines and indeuours for the aduancing of the former ends, I could finde no one part of Diuinity more profitable, in theſe times, for me to ſpend my ſtrength vponupon, then that which conſiſteth more in experience and practice, then in theory and ſpeculation; and more principally tendeth to the ſanctification of the heart, then the informing of the iudgement and the increaſing of knowledge; and to the ſtirring vp of all to the practice of that they know in the duties of a godly life, and in bringing foorth the fruits of faith in new obedience; then to fit them for diſcourſe. For as in the ciuill ſtate wee neede not ſo much to hauehave new lawes enacted, as to hauehave the old executed, and obſerued; nor to hauehave theſe cleared to the vnderſtanding by the learned in that Science, as to hauehave them obeyed and practized by all eſtates and conditions; ſo in the Church, knowledge ſo far exceedeth our obediēce (not that which is ſauing and experimental, which is neuer ſeuered from vſe & practice, but that which is curious and vſeleſſe) that we more neede all good helpes to worke that we hauehave into our hearts, for the inflaming of them with feruent zeale and true deuotion, then to hauehave a greater meaſure of this light infuſed into our heads, which beeing deſtitute of feeling and practice, in which the power of godlineſſe chiefely conſiſteth, doth (as the Apoſtle ſpeaketh) but puffe vsus vp, and maketh vsus rather 1. Cor. 8. 1.more learned, then more godly and religious. Againe, ſeeing the Lord, aboue all other parts, requireth the heart, as being the firſt mouer and chiefe agent in this little world of man, which ordreth and diſpoſeth of all the reſt, me thinks, his Ambaſſadours cannot better ſpend their paines, then in wooing and winning, eſpouſing and vniting them vntounto him in thoſe inuiolable and inſeparable bonds of feruent louelove and deuout zeale; and in perſwading and enabling men to approue the ſincerity of theſe holy affections, in their godly liues and vertuous actions Finally, theſe diſcourſes of practicall Diuinity tending to ſtirre vp deuotion, and to excite men to the duties of a godly life, are moſt fit and neceſſary for theſe times. Firſt, becauſe the world is already full of ſuch bookes as doe fully handle the Doctrine of Diuinity in all the points and parts of it, and alſo of learned controuerſies wherein the truth is ſufficiently defended, and all errours, which doe oppoſe it, refuted & refelled. Secondly, becauſe our long peace and proſperity hauehave much cooled and quenched the feruour of our zeale and deuotion, and hauehave cauſed vsus (contenting our ſelues with ſome cold formalities, and ſlight profeſſion) to neglect the ſincere practice of thoſe ſubſtantiall duties which are required to a godly and Chriſtian life. Laſtly, becauſe in theſe declining times, wherein many men waxing weary of the Truth, and being glutted with long feeding on the ſpirituall Manna, do deſire to returne to the fleſhpots of Egypt, and for carnall reſpects doe fearefully relapſe into Popery and ſuperſtition; there is no meanes more effectuall to ſtay them from apoſtacie and backſliding, then that firſt, by catechizing they ſhould be ſoundly grounded in the knowledge of the Truth which we profeſſe (In which regard wee hauehave iuſt cauſe to praiſe God for our Soueraignes care in reuiuing this holy exerciſe, which hath long languiſhed in many places through careleſſe neglect) And ſecondly, that being by this meanes inlightned in the knowledge of the Truth, they hauehave it by powerfull perſwaſions wrought into their hearts and affections, that they may alſo practiſe it in their liues and conuerſations, without which, all other meanes will be vneffectuall, either for the inlightning of the minde with ſauing knowledg, or the inclining of the wil to imbrace it, and to continue firme and reſolute againſt errors and hereſies. For whereas ſound and ſauing knowledge of the truth, and the conſtant acknowledgement and profeſſion of it, are the gifts of God, which none can attaine vntounto, but thoſe vponupon whom he pleaſeth to beſtow them; he vouchſafeth theſe graces vntounto thoſe alone who louelove his Truth, and bring forth the fruits of it in their holy practice. To theſe only this rich talent of truth is intruſted; to theſe it is doubled and redoubled, who make beſt vſe of it for the glory of him that gaue it, by cauſing it to ſhine in their liues and conuerſations. As we ſee in the example of Dauid, who became wiſer and of greater vnderſtanding Pſal. 119. 100.then the Ancient, yea then his Teachers, becauſe hee kept Gods Precepts. VponUpon theſe alone is beſtowed the gift of diſcerning betweene the ſauing Truth, and the traditions and precepts of men; according to that of our Sauiour, If Iohn 7. 17.any man will do his will, he ſhall know the doctrine, whether it be of God, &c. As for them, who hide this rich talent without vſe, the Lord will depriue them of it, and giuegive them ouer to their owne ignorance and errours. And thoſe who allow a place for it onelyonly in their heads, and will afford it no roome in their hearts, by louing, imbracing and practizing it, it is iuſt with God to ſend them ſtrong deluſions, that they ſhould beleeue 2. Theſ. 2. 10, 11lies, that they all might be damned who beleeue not the truth, but had pleaſure in vnrighteouſneſſe. As we ſee in the example of many in theſe times, who hauing beene inlightned with the knowledge of true Religion, hauehave become a prey to Prieſts and Ieſuites; and (though otherwiſe of good vnderſtanding) hauehave beene ſeduced and perſwaded to beleeue the moſt ſottiſh abſurdities in all Popery, of which there can be giuen no other reaſon then this, that they did not louelove the light of Gods Truth, nor were carefull to walk by it in an holy conuerſation, but reſolued to continue in ſuch profane & wicked courſes, euen againſt knowledge and conſcience, as would ſuffer them to finde no ſhadow of peace and comfort in the Doctrine of the Truth; and therefore they hauehave ſought it in popiſh diſpenſations, and abſolutions, which allow them, after that they hauehave, with the harlot in the Prouerbs, wiped their mouthes, to returne againe to their former vncleaneneſſe; in which regard I doubt not to affirme, that whereas errour and ignorance do make one Papiſt; looſe licenciouſneſſe and reſolued profaneneſſe doe make many. Finally, whereas thoſe who hauehave the knowledge of the truth only ſeated in their braynes, and hauehave no feeling of the power and efficacy of it, for the ſanctifying of their hearts, and the reforming of their liues, are eaſily ſeduced with cunning ſophiſtry, when as they are puzzled with ſubtil arguments which they are not able to anſwere: they contrariwiſe who hauehave found and felt in themſelues the efficacy of truth, for the changing of their mindes and hearts, and the renewing of their liues, will neuer forſake it, but will imbrace and profeſſe it vntounto the death, and cheerefully ſeale it with their blood, when for want of learuing and Art▪ they are not able to defend it againſt the ſubtil obiections & cunning ſophiſtry of their aduerſaries, As we ſee in the example of many of the holy Martyrs, who being vnlettered, hauehave maintained the truth in the impregnable fort of their hearts, when their heads hauehave beene too weake to preſerue it from violence. In which regard it were much to bee deſired, that all Miniſters, who hauehave the charge of ſoules committed vntounto them, would be carefull, after that by catechizing they hauehave throughly grounded their people in the ſound knowledge of the truth, in the next place, to worke it into their hearts and affections, and to perſwade them vntounto an holy practice of it in their liues and conuerſations, both by ſhining before them in their light of doctrine, and alſo of an holy example; by the one, ſhewing vntounto them the way of truth, and by the other, leading them in it like good guides, as it were by the hand. At which marks as I hauehave aymed in the whole courſe of my Miniſtery, both by preaching and writing; ſo eſpecially in theſe my preſent labours; the which I hauehave made bold to dedicate vntounto your Grace; that they may remaine vntounto the world, as a teſtimony how much I louelove and honor you, as being in theſe perillous times, a chiefe piller vnderunder his Maieſty, to vphold the ſincere truth of Religion, againſt all errors, nouelties and hereſies which otherwiſe were likely to grow too faſt amongſt vsus; and alſo a principall Patrone of ſound and ſolid preaching, which you are ready vponupon all occaſions to countenance both with your authority, and alſo by your painefull practice; as on the other ſide, to decry, as much as in you lyeth, that vaine or vanitie of ſuch Preachers, which only ſeeke to preach themſelues, by making oſtentation of their wit, learning and reading, without any care to ſpeake vntounto the capacity of the people, as though their maine end were rather to make the excellency of their gifts knowne, for their owne praiſe or preferment, then to communicate them vntounto others, to the Glory of God that gaue them, or the good of their fellow ſeruants, for whoſe ſake they were entruſted vntounto them. The Lord long continue your Grace to be a ſingular inſtrument of his glory, by maintaining the purity and practice of his true Religion in his Church, to the ioy of all that wi…h well to Sion, and the increaſing of your owne glory and happineſſe in the life to come.
Your Graces humbly deuoted in all Chriſtian duty and ſeruice, IOHN DOVVNAME.