A20762:3177
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 The second remedy is, to nourish in our hearts the true fear of God.
§. 2 The second remedie is, to nourish in our hearts the true feare of God.
The second means is, that we nourish in our hearts the fear of God, which is the Antidote that expelleth the poison of carnal security; and considering our great frailty, and the might and multitude, malice and policy of our spiritual Enemies, ⟨p. 75⟩let us follow the counsel of the Apostle, and work out our salvation 1with fear and trembling; assuring our selves that as our state is blessed, when we nourish this fear, so it is fearful, when as our hearts are hardened with carnal security. For as we are never further from falling, then when fearing that we may fall, we do with all care and watchfulness look to our footing; so we are never nearer to be overtaken with evil, then when thinking it farthest off, we fear no danger, nor use any means whereby we may prevent it; according to the saying of the wise Man; Blessed is the man that feareth always; 2but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief. For this fear will cause us to keep a narrow watch over our hearts, that they do not entertain, as other sins, so especially this carnal security, which will make way for all the rest, yea, and cherish and strengthen them after they are entered, so as they will never depart nor be thrust out till this security be expelled with them. It will set before us the examples of Gods chiefest Worthies, which have been assaulted and foiled with this vice; and therefore enforce our greater care and watchfulness, seeing we who are weak and feeble in comparison of them, may much more easily be surprised, if we do not continually expect the approach of it, and so with all diligence arm our selves against it.