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 Motiues to re∣pent, taken from the Au∣thour and ef∣ficient causes of this grace.

For who is the Authour of it, but God himselfe, who with his sweetnesse sweetens all things which he giueth to his children? and though they bee bitter in themselues, yet tempering them with his loue, hee maketh them to become pleasant, turning our mourning into reioycing, and raising out of the subiect of sorrow, matter of ioy. It is a cup of Gods tempering, and therfore refuse not to drinkt it; it must needs be good, comming from him, who being the chiefe Goodnesse, is Authour of all good. It is Gods gift (O my soule) and no naturall act in thine owne power; and therefore when thou wantest it, sue vnto him that giueth liberally to all that aske of him; & when thou hast it, ascribe nothing to thy selfe, but let him haue the glory of his owne gift. It is his gift, and not in thine owne power; take it then thankfully at his hand, whilst in his acceptable time he offreth it, lest pulling it back for thine vngrateful neglect, thou seek it too late and neuer findest it. It is a gift of the Spirit, which (like the wind) bloweth when and where it listeth, and not at thine appoyntment; spread thy sailes (my soule) whilest this gale lasteth, and open the dore of thine hart whilest the Spirit knocketh. It is the gift of grace, and not of merit, towards which thou hast brought nothing as the cause, but thy sinnes onely as the occasion; and therefore as it is giuen freely, so freely take it. It is the grace of God, which like the Sunne with kindly heate, doth with the beames of his fa∣uour dissolue the clouds of griefe, and causeth them to distill in repen∣tant teares; and not the strong and cold winds of his rigorous iustice and terrible threats, which either blow them quite away, or congeale them vnto an Icy hardnesse (making thy teares whilest they are dropping, like haile-stones, which will destroy thy fruits of obedience, rather then cause them to grow and multiply. It is not a common, but a sauing grace, see∣ing to whomsoeuer God giues it, he giueth them also saluation with it; and therefore (my soule) if thou wouldest haue the one, refuse not the other, for these gifts of grace must goe together. It is an Euangelicall gift, and not a legall, which haue such hard conditions, that they can seldome be obtained: whereas the Gospell not onely offereth to giue, but also in∣ableth thee to receiue what it offereth, and to performe what it requireth. The strong winde, thunder and earthquake of legall threatenings, doe onely prepare a way, but it is the still voyce of the Gospell which assuring thee by faith of Gods loue worketh it in thee. And therefore (my soule) despise not this Word of grace, but whilest thy God speaketh and allu∣reth thee by his sweet promises to repentance, hearken vnto him, and har∣den * 1.1

not thine heart. It is a gift of God, which thou returnest vnto him againe, and thy selfe with it. Feare not, lest it shall bee reiected, and thou with it, because it is small and worthlesse, for thy God requireth not perfection, but truth, and that his gifts bee not imbased by the mixture of thy hypocrisie. Hee looketh not to receiue much where hee giueth but little, nor will reiect any of his owne graces, as small and worthlesse, seeing though they bee but of small value as they are thine, yet from the Author and giuer they haue sufficient worth and excellency, for which hee will accept them. It is a gift which thy God hath freely giuen thee, but by and for his Sonne thy Sauiour. It came to thee of free grace from God by Christ, but to him by purchase. Thou hast it for nothing saue gratefull ac∣ceptance, but thy Sauiour bought it at a deare rate, euen with the inesti∣mable price of his precious Blood; nothing else could procure thy par∣don, without which there was no place to repentance; for neuer wouldest thou haue returned to God, whom thou hadst incensed to wrath by thy sinnes, had not Christ by that propitiatory Sacrifice reconciled thee and wrought thy peace. Besides, so was thy rebellious heart hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne, vnto more then an adamantine hardnesse, that nothing but the Blood of the slaine Goate, or innocent Lambe, could mollifie and soften it, that it might bee fit to receiue the impression of this sauing grace, and to melt and resolue in repentant teares. And therefore seeing thy Sauiour hath bought it at so deare a purchase, doe not now vngratefully refuse it, when hee so graciously offereth it vnto thee of free gift. Especially, seeing hee vseth such manifold and plentifull meanes to presse it vpon thee for thine owne inestimable benefit. For hee sendeth daily his Ambassadours vnto thee, to call and inuite thee to re∣pentance, by preaching vnto thee the glad tidings of reconciliation. Hee by them instructeth thee in the right way wherein thou must returne, ad∣monisheth thee of thy errours, reprooueth thy transgressions and wilfull wandrings, comforteth and incourageth thee against all difficulties and oppositions, perswadeth thee by his gracious promises, terrifieth thee in thy course of sinning with his seuere threatnings, allureth thee by his manifold blessings, discourageth thee in the way of sinne, by his cha∣stizements and gentle corrections; all which outward meanes he presseth vpon thee, that they may become effectuall by the inward motions of his Spirit, drawing thee from thy sins, and driuing thee to God. O thrice vn∣gratefull soule, if thou sufferest so great grace to be spent in vaine! O more then miserable, if thou, like the barren earth, drinkest so many gracious showres of heauenly blessings, and bringest forth no other fruits vnto him * 1.2 by whom thou art dressed, but thornes and briers, seeing then thou shouldest be reiected of God, and neere vnto his fearefull curse! But I am perswaded * 1.3 better things of thee (my soule) and things that accompany saluation, though I haue thus spoken. For though this and all other thy graces are but weake and imperfect, yet are they in sincerity & truth. Acknowledge with thank∣fulnesse Gods graces in thee, and thine owne wants. Behold with sorrow thy imperfections, & labour without discouragement after more perfecti∣on. He that could begin this worke of grace when it was wanting, can in∣crease * 1.4 it now it is begun. Hee that could raise thee who wast dead in thy

sinnes, can quicken thee more and more; seeing it is a farre greater worke * 1.5 to giue life to the dead, then health to the liuing.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Psal. 75. 7, 8.
• * 1.2

  Heb. 6. 6, 7, 8.
• * 1.3

  Vers. 9.
• * 1.4

  Phil. 1. 6.
• * 1.5

  Eph. 2. 1.