A20762:3259
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.
§. 6 The sixth means, contempt of the World.
§. 6 The sixt meanes, contempt of the World.
The sixth means to enjoy this spiritual security is, to cast out of our hearts all carnal love of earthly things, and so to contemn the world and worldly vanities, as that we can be content, if God so pleaseth, to leave them as well as enjoy them. For if having our desires mortified to the world, we have learned with the Apostle Paul, In whatsoever state we are therewith to be content: If we know how to be 1abased, and how to abound, and be every where, and in all things instructed, both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need: then may we in a great part be freed from all carnal fear, and both securely enjoy these transitory things when God giveth them, because ⟨p. 102⟩it will not much trouble us if it be his pleasure to take them away; and also securely want them, when God scanteth us of them, because our desires and hopes are moderate after their fruition. For our fears hold a proportion with our love and hope, neither can they 2be little if these be great, nor contrariwise excessive and immoderate, if these tempered and overruled with reason and religion. And therefore if our hearts be weaned from the love of earthly things, then may we hold them (as children their birds which they are weary of) in our open hands, being secure and careless, whether they stay with us, or (as Solomon speaketh) like the Eagle betake themselves to their 3