A20762:2950
A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the dutiesA guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties
A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the duties wherein it consisteth, the helps enabling & the reasons persuading unto it the impediments hindering the practise of it, and the best means to remove them whereunto are added divers prayers and a treatise of carnal security by John Douname Bachelor in Divinity and minister of Gods Word.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.
London: printed by Felix Kingstone and William Stansby for Ed, 1622
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
§. 1 The first cause of Security, ignorance of God, and his saving attributes.
§. 1 The first cause of Securitie, ignorance of God, and his sauing attributes.
WE have seen what this carnal Security is; and now in the next place we are to consider of the causes and means, whereby it is wrought in us. The first whereof is ignorance either natural or affected, which like a thick cloud or foggy mist, doth hide from the eyes of ⟨p. 9⟩our minds all the motions of Gods fear, and maketh us secure in the middest of dangers, because we do not see the evils that encompass us round about. Like unto silly Birds which sit singing on the boughs, when the unseen Archer hath his Bolt upon the string, ready to shoot and smite them off; or which feed securely on the Bait, within the compass of the Net, because it lieth hidden from their sight. For we are beset on all sides with innumerable dangers, but yet remain secure, even when they are ready to seize upon us, because we see only the baits that delight us, but do not behold, by reason of our ignorance, the Nets and Snares which are ready to catch us. We see and taste the pleasures of sin, and the bewitching allurements of worldly riches and preferments; but because we neither know nor acknowledge the justice of God in punishing sin, his hatred of it, and inflamed wrath against it, which nothing could quench, but the streams of Christs precious Blood, his all-seeing Eye, which taketh notice of all sins though never so secretly committed, and omnipotent Power in punishing them; nor the malice of the Devil in tempting us unto sin, nor the manifold miseries into which we plunge our selves, when we yield to his tentations; therefore we bless our selves in this cursed estate, and securely go on in sin without repentance.