A20762:3008
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.
§. 2 Of the differences between the carnal security of the unregenerate, and that which is in the regenerate in the highest degree.
§. 2 Of the differēces between the carnall securitie of the vnregenerate, and that which is in the regenerate in the highest degree.
But yet howsoever in many things they agree, notwithstanding in some things they differ. For the security of a Christian, though in the highest degree, springeth from the flesh, as it is in part mortified, and so together with it hath received a deadly wound by the Spirit of God, of which it shall never recover, although like a Man mortally wounded, it may for a while perform some actions in as great strength, as when it was in perfect health and vigour, and like a Candle give as great a blaze, when it is ready to go out, as ever it did before: but the security of a Worldling is a fruit of the Flesh in its full vigour, and as it were the child of his strength, and therefore like the Father, vigorous and long lived, and daily increasing and growing in force and might, as it increaseth in age. The security of a Christian is the fruit of his worst part, even of the old Man and part unregenerate, and so like an old mans child, decrepit with age, having almost quite spent his natural heat and moisture, it is weaker in his constitution, and shorter of life, though for a while it may seem in all things to match a child gotten in maturity of age and full strength; but the security of a Worldling is the fruit of the whole Man, and in his full vigour, without any abatement. That like Esau, is but a Twin in the wound, resisted by one that is stronger then he, and will prevail, and howsoever it hath the priority of Birth and Age, and for a time may seem stronger, and to carry all before it with force and violence; yet it is matched and resisted by the true fear of God, which (like Jacob) in wrestling with it will prevail, and in the end supplant it and get the upper hand. In the Christian, even in the height of his security, there is the root of Gods fear, though in the winter of tentation it lieth hid and bringeth forth no fruits; and there is a seed of Gods