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 That carnall securitie expo∣seth vs to Gods fearfull Iudge∣ments.

Secondly, this carnall securitie bringeth vpon vs Gods fearefull Iudgements, as appeareth by many testimonies of Scriptures, where∣in they are denounced, and many examples of secure sinners, vpon whom they haue beene inflicted. So the Lord threatneth, that if any hearing the words of the Curse recorded in the Booke of the Law, doe blesse himselfe in his heart, saying, I shall haue peace though I walke in the imagination of my heart, to adde drunkennesse vnto thirst; hee will not spare him, but then his anger and jealousie shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in that Booke shall lye vpon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from vnder Heauen; and the Lord shall se∣parate him vnto euill. Thus, because the Rulers of Ierusalem said, We haue made a couenant with Death, and with Hell are wee at agreement, when the ouerflowing scourge shall passe through, it shall not come vnto vs; for wee haue made lyes our refuge, and vnder falshood haue wee hid our selues; therefore the Lord threatneth, that their couenant with Death shall be disanulled, and their agreement with Hell shall not stand, and that when the ouerflowing scourge shall passe through, they should be trodden downe by it. So because the residue of Israel, liuing in great iniquitie, blood and peruersnesse, said in their securitie; The Lord hath forsaken

the Earth and seeth not; the Lord threatneth that his eye should not spare them, and that he would haue no pitie, but would recompence their way vpon their head. Thus the more carelesse and secure the Iewes were in examining their wicked works and wayes, saying in their hearts; The Lord will doe neither good nor euill, the more curiously he threatneth to search them out, and to punish them with greater se∣ueritie; the which hee implyeth by that borrowed speech, that hee would search Ierusalem with Candles, and punish the men that were setled on their lees, making their goods to become a booty, and their houses a desolation. So, because Babylon liued in her sinnes with great secu∣ritie, and promised vnto her selfe impunitie, and the continuance of her prosperitie, the Lord denounceth those iudgements against her, from which specially shee blessed her selfe, euen losse of Soueraigntie, slaughter and desolation: the which is also threatned against the An∣ti-type the Romish Babylon, and in Gods good time shall be inflicted. And thus doe secure sinners who through hardnesse of their heart can∣not repent, treasure vp for themselues wrath against the day of wrath, and the reuelation of the righteous iudgement of God, who will render vnto e∣uery man according to his deeds.

Notes

• Deut. 19. 19, 20, 21.
• Esa. 28. 15, 18.
• Ezech. 9. 9, 10.
• Zeph. 1. 12, 13.
• Esa. 47. 8.
• Apoc. 18. 7, 8.
• Rom. 2. 5, 6.