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. 4 The fourth reason, taken from the consi∣deration of our lost time be∣fore our con∣uersion.

The fourth argument may be taken from the consideration of our lost time, which we haue mis-spent before our conuersion, whilest we liued in ignorance, and in the state of Infidelity, when as we wholly neglected all duties of Gods seruice, and the meanes which might haue inriched vs with all sauing graces, and furthered the assurance of our saluation; and haue spent all our strength in pursuing of worldly vanities, and in the vn∣fruitfull workes of darkenesse, to the great dishonour of our good God, the wounding of our consciences, and the burthening and defiling of our soules with the guilt and corruption of sinne. The which should bee a powerfull reason, after that we are effectually called, to make vs more zea∣lous of Gods seruice, that we may in the remainder of our liues, as much glorifie him by our holy conuersation, as wee haue before dishonoured him by our sinfull liues, and that we may by our extraordinary indeuour and diligence, attaine vnto the treasures of his spirituall graces, whereby we may be inabled to trauaile in the wayes of godlinesse with so much the greater speed, by how much we haue beene more late in setting foorth in our spirituall Iourney, and more sluggish and slothfull in trauailing in this way which leadeth vs to our heauenly Countrey. And as those who haue mis-spent their youth in riotous liuing, neglected all meanes of thriuing, and wasted their states by prodigall courses, when they come to riper age, and see their folly, being beaten by their owne experience, doe not onely desist from their former vaine and prodigal courses, but are sorry and asha∣med of them, and set themselues with so much the more care and dili∣gence to recouer and repaire their decayed estates, and with the greater earnestnesse vse all good meanes of thriuing; And as those who being to trauaile about important businesse, neerely concerning them in their life and state, if they haue ouer slept themselues in the morning, or trifled out their time, about things of no worth; when they see their errour and folly, doe make more haste in their way all the day following, that they may not be benighted, and so comming short of their iourney, be frustrated of

their hopes: so must we doe in this case, labouring with so much more earnestnesse, after the spirituall riches of Gods grace, and the assurance of our heauenly hopes, by how much the longer wee haue neglected this spirituall thrift, and trauelling so much more speedily in the wayes of godlinesse, by how much the longer we haue deferred our iourney, and haue loytered by the way, fearing (as the Apostle speaketh) lest a promise * 1.1 being left vs of entring into Gods Rest, we should come short of it, for want of care and diligence. And this argument the Apostle vseth, that seeing wee haue formerly liued in darknesse, and haue spent our time in sleepe and sluggishnesse, we should now, when we are awaked, walke circumspectly, not * 1.2 as fooles, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the dayes are euill. And seeing we haue been scandalous in our sinfull courses, hindring others from the profession and practice of godlinesse by our ill example; therefore as hee exhorteth, we must now walke in wisedome towards them that are without, * 1.3 redeeming the time, by a more earnest indeuour in seeking their conuersi∣on, by our holy communication and gracefull speeches, and by shining before them in the light of Godlinesse, that we may mooue them to glo∣rifie our heauenly Father. So, perswading the Romans to sanctification and holinesse of life, he putteth them in mind of their former condition, and the little fruit which they receiued by it, that it might bee as a spurre in their sides, to hasten their speed in the Christian race. For as ye haue * 1.4 (saith he) yeelded your members seruants to vncleannesse and to iniquity, vnto iniquity (hauing no other fruit of sinning, but sinne) euen so now yeeld your members seruants to righteousnesse, vnto holinesse, &c. What fruit had ye then in those things, whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. But now being made free from sinne, and become seruants to God, ye haue your fruit vnto holinesse, and the end euerlasting life. And thus the Apostle Peter * 1.5 exhorteth vs, that we should no longer liue the rest of our time in the flesh, to the lusts of men, but to the will of God; because the time past of our life may suffice, to haue wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciuiousnesse, and in all wicked and sinfull lusts.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Heb. 4. 1.
• * 1.2

  Ephes. 5. 8, 14, 15, 16.
• * 1.3

  Col. 4. 5.
• * 1.4

  Rom. 6. 19, 21, 22.
• * 1.5

  1. Pet. 4. 2, 3.