A20762:3094
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 That Christ hath given us special warning to flee security.
§. 2 That Christ hath giuen vs speciall warning to flee securitie.
The danger of this disease hereby appeareth, in that Christ the great and chief Physician of our souls, doth so carefully give warning of it; using all means to let all those that are his to see the danger, and to take such courses as they may prevent it, or being tainted and over-taken with it, may be awakened and roused up out of this sweet, yet pernicious slumber. And this he doth both by Parables, Examples, and Admonitions, and Exhortations, which he presseth and enforceth from them. For first, this is the main scope of the Parable of the wise and foolish Virgins, of which, they being possessed with the true fear of 1God, stood carefully upon their watch, expecting the uncertain coming of the Bridegroom, and so when he came, were received with him into the bridal Chamber of eternal blessedness; but the other being secure and reckless, spent their time in ease and sloth, not using any means to be prepared against the time of his approaching, who being taken upon the sudden, unprovided and unfurnished of the oil of saving grace, and the light of an holy life, were excluded from the marriage feast, and deprived of the fruition of heavenly happiness. To this end also tendeth the Parable of the wise and faithful, and the evil and unfaithful Servant; the one expecting daily his Masters coming, carrieth himself in all his affairs, and towards his fellows, so wisely and honestly, as if his Master were already present, and he is for his 2reward pronounced blessed, and made Ruler of all his Master hath, for his fidelity and care at his coming. The other being made secure, because his Lord delayeth his coming, behaveth himself so as though he thought he would never come, smiting his fellow servants, and eating and drinking with the drunken, who is taken upon a sudden by his Master, and in a day when he looketh not for him, and for his reward is