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.

§. 1 Of naturall se∣curitie, which is in all men.

HAuing spoken of the causes of carnall Securitie, it now followeth that we shew the kinds thereof. And first it may bee distinguished by the diuers degrees of it. In which respect carnall securitie is either naturall, or affe∣cted and voluntarie. Naturall, is that which euery one bringeth into the World with him, and is a fruit or branch of originall corruption, and one kind of hardnesse of heart, whereby forgetting Gods Power and Prouidence, his Iustice and hatred of Sinne, and not obseruing his fearfull Iudgements executed vpon the wicked, nor his Mercies extended towards those that serue him, mens hearts are emp∣tied of the true feare of God, and so without checke and remorse of conscience, or griefe of heart, quietly and securely goe on in their sin∣full courses to their eternall destruction. And this is naturally bred and borne in all men alike without exception, although nourished and increased diuersly by those causes of securitie before spoken of, accor∣ding to that predominancy which they seuerally haue, in one more then in another. And continueth and wholly possesseth all the powers and faculties of Heart and Mind, as it were a spirituall Lethargie, till the Lord awakneth them out of it; as he doth euen the wicked some∣times, by the thundering threatnings of the Law and sense of his hea∣uie Iudgements for their sinnes, striking horror and despaire into their mindes, hearts and consciences, whereby it commeth to passe, that they who slept securely and neuer awaked, can now take no rest at all. And the godly alwayes whom he first rowseth out of this dead sleepe, partly by Legall comminations, and partly by some sharpe Afflicti∣ons, so as like the Iaylor suddenly awakned, they crie out to Gods Mi∣nisters; Men and Brethren, what shall we doe that we may be saued? and afterwards by the preaching of the Gospell, whereby the true feare of God is wrought in them, which maketh them to watch ouer their wayes that they may not, being ouer-come by tentations, doe any thing displeasing in the sight of God. So that euen naturally, this vaile of securitie is spread ouer the eyes of all men, whereby they see not, or seeing (like men asleepe with their eyes open) consider and regard not, the all-seeing Eye of God looking vpon them, yea, euen into all the secret corners of their hearts and reynes, the Iustice and Power of God, whereby hee is ready and able to punish sinne, nor his Loue, Mercy, and Goodnesse, towards all those that seeke and serue him, vntill by the preaching of the Word, and inward operation of the Spirit, applying vnto them the vertue of Christs death, this vaile is

rent in sunder, whereby they come to a sight of Gods sauing attri∣butes; which worke in vs a reuerent and filiall feare of him, which is alwayes accompanyed with a holy care and watchfulnesse ouer our selues, that we doe not any thing displeasing in his sight.

Notes

• Act. 16.