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

§. 8 That they differ in time of continuance.

Finally, the security of the unregenerate and the faithful differ in time. For they live always in carnal security, and their whole life is a continual sleep, unless now and then they be awakened and molested with some outward afflictions, and inward pangs of conscience; and then they do what they can to compose themselves again to their carnal rest. Yea, in truth, they are never throughly and truly awakened, but even in their waking they are spiritually asleep; and the pinches and nips of conscience make them to move but like those that are in a Lethargy, who know not what they do, nor to what end. They walk sometimes in some seeming good ways, which in respect of the deed done, might well become the watchful; but it is like those who talk and walk in their sleep, for though their eyes be open and their legs and tongues move, yet their hearts are possessed with drowsy deadness, so that they speak they know not what, and walk they know not whither. But the faithful, after their conversion, do continually keep the Christian watch, inwardly waking in their hearts, when they seem to sleep in some outward actions: or if they be indeed over-taken with carnal drowsiness, by reason of some relics of carnal corruption remaining in them, yet it is rather a nod or nap, then a deep sleep; or if also they fall into this through the violence and strength of their natural sluggishness, yet they do not live and die in it like secure Worldlings, but by the outward sound of the Word, and the inward voice and power of the Spirit they are awakened and roused up, and renewing their repentance, they do afresh betake themselves to the practise of all Christian and holy duties.

Finally, the securitie of the vnregenerate and the faithfull differ in time. For they liue alwayes in carnall securitie, and their whole life is a continuall sleepe, vnlesse now and then they be awakned and molested with some outward afflictions, and inward pangs of conscience; and then they doe what they can to compose themselues againe to their carnall rest. Yea, in truth, they are neuer throughly and truely awakned, but euen in their waking they are spiritually asleepe; and the pinches and nips of conscience make them to moue but like those that are in a Lethargie, who know not what they doe, nor to what end. They walke sometimes in some seeming good wayes, which in respect of the deed done, might well become the watchfull; but it is like those who talke and walke in their sleepe, for though their eyes be open and their legs and tongues moue, yet their hearts are possessed with drowsie deadnesse, so that they speake they know not what, and walke they know not whither. But the faithfull, after their conuersion, doe continually keepe the Christian watch, inwardly waking in their hearts, when they seeme to sleepe in some outward actions: or if they be indeed ouer-taken with carnall drowsinesse, by reason of some reliques of carnall corruption remayning in them, yet it is rather a nod or nap, then a deepe sleepe; or if also they fall into this through the violence and strength of their naturall sluggishnesse, yet they doe not liue and die in it like secure Worldlings, but by the outward sound of the Word, and the inward voyce and power of the Spirit they are awakned and rowsed vp, and renuing their repentance, they doe afresh betake themselues to the practise of all Christian and holy duties.