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

And this is that carnal security which is incident to Gods dearest Children; the which nevertheless may be distinguished, in respect of the divers degrees of it; for either it is insensible and not perceived, or else sensible and discerned. The former, like a deep sleep, doth stupefy for the time of the continuance of it, all their senses, and abuseth their mind and imaginations with deceiving dreams and false apprehensions, whereby they conceive that they are in good estate, highly in Gods favour, and free from all danger, and therefore securely go on in their sinful courses without repentance, and neglect the means whereby the fear of God might be renewed and repaired in them, or else use them after a cold and formal manner. And this was the case of holy David himself, after his fearful fall into those grievous sins of Adultery and Murder, till he was awakened out of this ¹dead sleep, by that message, which God by Nathan sent unto him; and of the Angel of the Church of Laodicea, who in his carnal security blessed himself with a false opinion, that his estate was in such a degree of excellency and perfection, that nothing was wanting unto ²him, whereas in truth he was exceeding miserable, poor, blind and naked, as our Saviour testifieth. The other security which is sensible, bringeth the faithful but into an heavy slumber, so as they may say with the Spouse in the Canticles, I sleep, but my heart waketh, or like