A20762:3116
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 some special graces whereof carnal security depriveth us.
§. 2 Of some speciall graces whereof carnall securitie depriueth vs.
More particularly, our light of knowledge will soon grow dim, if we securely content our selves with that we have, and do not more illuminate our understanding by the light of Gods Word, from which (as the light of the Moon from the Sun) it was first borrowed. Or else, if it remain quick and sharp in theory and speculation, it will wax vain and unprofitable in respect of use, and no way further but rather hinder us in the ways of godliness. Our faith will become faint, if through security we carelessly neglect the means of Hearing, 1Reading, Praying, &c. seeing it is nursed and cherished by the same means, by which it was bred and borne in us. Our love will wax cold and fruitless, if we grow secure and sluggish with the Spouse in the Canticles, neglecting to see and seek the face of our Beloved in 2the use of his holy Ordinances, to hearken to his Voice, not meditating on his infinite love, wherewith he hath loved us: upon which cooling of our affection towards him, he will withdraw himself, and hide from us his loving Countenance (as it is in the same place) and so we shall also lose the sweet and comfortable sense and feeling of his love in our hearts, till we have shaken off our carnal security, and have diligently sought his face and favour by renewing our faith and repentance. Our affiance in God will soon languish, if we either securely flatter our selves with a conceit that we are out of danger, or have strength in our own hands to prevent or over-come it, neither can we catch sure hold of this staff of our strength, till we see what need we have of it, and have cast out of our hands the brittle Reed of our own abilities. Our fear of God will quickly fail and give place, if we nourish security, which is an utter enemy and opposite unto it; for contraries, without mean, cannot be in their strength and vigour in the same subject at the same time; and if we neglect, through this security, the means and causes of Gods fear, as the meditating on his Power, Presence, and Providence, his Mercy, Justice, Goodness, Truth; it must needs follow, that it self will decay in us.