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.

§. 6 The sixt cause of Securitie, is the present im∣punitie of sin∣ners.

The sixt cause of this carnall Securitie, is impunitie of sinners, after much wickednesse committed by them. For although God out of his goodnesse, patience and long suffering, differreth the execution of his righteous Iudgements, and after sinners haue often deserued Death and condemnation, doth giue vnto them many Repriualls, that in the meane time they may sue out their Pardon and escape punishment, by turning vnto him by vnfayned repentance; yet the vessells of wrath ordayned to destruction, through the hardnesse of their hearts which cannot repent, take occasion vpon this Mercy and Patience of God, of liuing securely in their wicked courses, and so by multiplying their sinnes, treasure vp vnto themselues wrath against the day of wrath, and reuelation of the righteous Iudgement of God, as the A∣postle speaketh. Like herein to desperate Malefactors, who because they haue often escaped, securely goe on in their wickednesse, as

though they were free from all danger; or rather to such as being ap∣prehended, arraigned and adiudged to die, are through the fauour of the Iudge repriued for a while, that they may vse meanes to procure their pardon. But they, because day of Execution is a little deferred, conclude with themselues, that all the storme of perill is ouerblowne, and (with Agag) that the bitternesse of death is past, and therefore spend their whole time in Pleasures and Delights, in Dancing and Re∣uelling, Drinking and Whoring; yea, securely returne to their for∣mer wicked courses, Stealing and Robbing, Quarrelling and Killing, till the Iudge seeing his Mercy and Patience thus abused, doe giue out his Warrant for their speedy Execution. So the wise Man telleth vs, that because sentence against an euill worke, is not executed speedily, there∣fore the heart of the sonnes of men is fully set in them to doe euill. An ex∣ample whereof wee haue in the Israelites, who because God held his peace for a long time, therefore they feared him not. Yea, it grew to a wicked prouerbe amongst them; that the dayes were prolonged, and e∣uery vision fayled, that is, because the Iudgements of God, threatned by the Prophets, were deferred, therefore their prophesies were wor∣thy no credit, as being neuer likely to be fulfilled. So Scoffers of these latter times, securely walke after their owne lusts, and say, Where is the promise of Christs comming to iudgement? seeing since the Fathers fell asleepe, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation, as the Apostle Peter hath fore-warned vs. And what is the cause of all this, but the abuse of Gods patience and long-suffering, and a false and blasphemous conceit of his Nature and Actions arising from it. For when hee delayeth to inflict his Iudgements vpon the wicked for their sinnes; they conclude, that there is no God, or no Proui∣dence, that hee sitteth in Heauen, and either seeth not, or regar∣deth not what is done on Earth; yea, that hee is like them, allow∣ing and approuing of their wicked courses, as the Psalmist speaketh; and therefore they may securely proceed in their sinnes without feare or danger.

Notes

• Rom. 2. 4, 5.
• Eccles. 8. 11.
• Esa. 57. 11.
• Ezecb. 12. 22.
• 2. Pet. 3. 3, 4.
• Psal. 50. 21.