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.

§. Sect. 2 The third meanes is the remembrance of Gods Iudgements.

The third meanes is, often to call vnto our remembrance Gods fearfull Iudgements executed vpon all sinners, but especially vpon such as haue * 1.1 continued in their wickednesse with carelesse security, and wholly neg∣lected to keepe this watch; as of the old world, who liued in all rechlesse security, eating and drinking, buying and selling, marrying, and giuing in marriage, so doing these things, as that they neglected all things else which were necessary for their safety and saluation, vntill Noah entring into the Arke, they were all swept away with an vniuersall deluge. Thus also Sodom and Gomorrah liuing in their sinnes with all security, were at∣tached with Gods fearfull Iudgements when they least thought of them, and were wholly destroyed with fire and brimstone. Thus Babylon excee∣ding * 1.2 in security, as much as in all other sinnes, had those punishments which she least feared, inflicted vpon her. Thus the Lord threatened the Church of Sardis, that if they would not watch, he would come as a thiefe a∣gainst * 1.3 them; that is, bring vpon them suddenly vnexpected iudgements, with which, when they neglected this warning, they were afterwards fearfully surprized. But of this poynt I haue spoken at large in another * 1.4 Treatise; onely let it suffice here to shew, that as neglect of Gods Iudge∣ments

maketh vs secure and carelesse; so the often calling of them to mind, is a notable meanes to make vs watchfull, that wee may not haue the like, or greater inflicted vpon vs. The which is the principall vse that our Sauiour intended in propounding the former examples of the old world, and of Sodom and Gomorrah, fearefully punished, because they se∣curely * 1.5 went on in their sinnes, that wee might not be ouertaken with the like, but that continually watching and praying, wee might bee thought worthy to escape them, when God commeth in his visitation to take no∣tice of our wayes. And thus also the Apostle hauing called to remem∣brance Gods heauie Iudgements inflicted vpon the Israelites, saith, that all these things were written for our learning, vpon whom the ends of the world * 1.6 are come, that by flying their sinnes, wee might escape their punishments, and thereupon inferreth this vse, that wee should not presume on our owne strength, but that he who thinketh hee standeth, should take heed of fal∣ling.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Mat. 24 38.
• * 1.2

  Esa. 47. 8, 9.
• * 1.3

  Apoc. 3. 3.
• * 1.4

  Treatise of carnall securi∣ty and hard∣nesse of heart.
• * 1.5

  Mat. 24 3••, 42. Luk. 〈…〉〈…〉 35, 3••.
• * 1.6

  1. Cor. 10. 5. to 12.