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

But though this sign, where it is to be seen plainly, showeth the grossest security, yet there are other sorts of it more subtle and refined, which cannot be discerned by it, seeing there are many men carnally secure, who seem to make conscience of many sins, and of performing many duties. And if we look upon them in some fits of their devotion, especially in the time of affliction, we would think that they had in them a great measure of Gods fear. And therefore in the next place, for discovering of them, we are further to know, that it is a sign of carnal security, when as we yield obedience but by fits, and are unconstant in our good desires, endeavours and actions, no longer fearing and serving God, then whilst his Judgements are imminent or inflicted upon us. For as it is the property of the fear of God to be constant it self, and to make us constant in our obedience; according to that in the Proverbs: Blessed is the man that feareth always. ¹So is it a sign, that our hearts are destitute of Gods fear, and possessed by carnal security, when we are fickle and unconstant, serving God, shunning sin, and doing that which is good only, when the good mood is upon us, or when we are driven thereunto either by ⟨p. 44⟩some approaching or present punishment. For even the negligent Steward looked about him, when his Master called him to give an account of his Stewardship. And the most careless Slave that securely neglects all his Masters commands, will begin to fear him, when he seeth him take the Cudgel into his hand to beat him, or when he feeleth the smart of the whip: whereas he that feareth God with a son-like fear, is always constant in his duty (although not continually in like measure) because the Arguments inciting to this fear, are continually the same in themselves, and he doth constantly consider of them.