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. 8 Of the meanes of executing the Decree of reprobation.

Contrariwise, there is much matter of meditation afforded from the proper meanes of Gods executing the Decree of reprobation in the wic∣ked; as both from the foundation of it, the fall of Adam, and the hatred and wrath of God following vpon it, and also from the degrees of exe∣cuting this Decree in the wicked and vnfaithfull, which are proper to those which are either called or not called, or common to them both. The former are either hypocrites, or openly prophane. The degrees proper to these are an vneffectuall calling, and their relapse from it into their for∣mer wickednesse. Here we may meditate of the degrees of this calling, which are inward illumination of the minde in the knowledge of the truth, worldly and carnall penitence, and sorrow arising from terrour and feare, or sense and feeling of punishment; temporary faith, taste of heauenly gifts, and externall reformation of life. Where wee may consi∣der how farre a reprobate may goe in Christianity, and what reall and substantiall differences we can obserue betweene those shewes of graces which are in them, and the truth of them in our selues, that wee may be the better assured of our sincerity and vprightnesse before God. The de∣grees of relapse in those which are thus vneffectually called, are, first, that they are deceiued with sin, and the fraud of their owne deceitfull hearts, from whence their hearts become hardened, and from thence stubbornly peruerse, and so through incredulity not assenting to the truth of Gods

Word, they breake out to open prophanenesse, which is in the end ac∣companied with despaire and finall Apostacie. Vpon all which wee may meditate, that wee may make our owne calling and election sure, by withstanding the first degrees of Apostacie, watching ouer our selues (as the Apostle warneth vs) that we be not hardned and drawne away by the deceitfulnesse of sinne, that there be not found in vs an euill heart of vnbe∣liefe, in departing from the liuing God. The degrees of executing this De∣cree in those which are not called, who for the most part are ignorantly su∣perstitious, Idolaters, Pagans, and Atheists, are the holding and detayning of the truth in iniustice, naturall ignorance and vanity of mind, hardnesse of heart, a reprobate minde, and committing of sinne with greedinesse: And the degrees common to both, are their pollution with all sinne and wickednesse in their liues, and their entrance into condemnation at their death, when as their soules being separated from their bodies, are cast in the torments of hell, and pursued with the wrath of God. On all which we may meditate, that we may take occasion to magnifie Gods Iustice to∣wards them in their deserued punishments; and his free grace and vnde∣serued loue towards vs, who being in the same masse and lumpe of corrup∣tion, are separated from them, and made vessels of honour, that Gods grace and mercy might be magnified in our saluation.

Notes

• Heb. 3. 12, 13.
• Rom. 1. 20, 21, &c.