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.

§. 3 Of the diffe∣rences be∣tweene carnall securitie in the Faithfull and Wicked: and first, in respect of their causes.

And thus wee see, that howsoeuer the carnall securitie of the wic∣ked and godly, are alike in many things, yet there are diuers mayne differences betweene them, though it be considered in the regenerate in the highest degree, and so insensible that it depriueth them of all sense and spirituall feeling of their dangerous estate and condition. But if we compare that carnall securitie, which is ordinarily in the re∣generate, and is more subdued and abated by the Spirit of God, with that which is in the vnregenerate Worldlings, we shall find that the differences betweene them are many, and much more perspicuous and easie to bee discerned. For first, they differ in respect of their causes from which they spring, not so much because they are diuers in their nature, for, for the most part, they are the same, euen the same flesh and naturall corruption, and the same fruits which arise from it, but in re∣spect of their diuers measure and degree. For the securitie of the vn∣regenerate, is a fruit of flesh in its full strength and vigour; but that of the regenerate, as it is mortified, weakned and subdued to the spiri∣tuall part. That proceedeth from palpable ignorance, from vtter for∣getfulnesse, and totall neglect of God in his sauing Attributes, which are the onely causes that worke Gods feare in our hearts; and so

reigneth and ruleth in them without opposition and resistance, like a King in his Throne: But this ariseth from these causes as they are a∣bated, opposed, and in part subdued by their contrarie vertues, the Knowledge, Remembrance and Consideration of God and his Attri∣butes, of Wisedome, Iustice, Power, Mercy and Goodnesse. And therefore being much weakned in its naturall strength, like the causes of it; it doth not vsually in Hostile manner assault vs in the open Field; but like a Tyrant deposed from his Regency, or a slye Rebell that wanteth force, it secretly and cunningly stealeth vpon vs, insi∣nuateth and windeth it selfe into our hearts at vnawares, when wee least suspect it, and fighteth against the feare of God out of ambush∣ments and vpon aduantages, and sometimes giueth it the foyle, and for a time maketh it giue place; but being renued and strengthned by the Spirit of God, it re-encountreth carnall securitie, driueth it from its Holds, and againe bringeth it vnder subiection. And the like might be said of all other causes of securitie before mentioned, were it not o∣uer long to stand seuerally vpon them; all which in the vnregenerate are in their vigour, strength and sole Regency, hauing no opposites to moderate and weaken them: but in the regenerate they are in part mortified by Gods Spirit, subdued, and deposed from their Rule by those Graces which are contrarie to them, and answerably their secu∣ritie is either totall, or but in part, stronger or weaker according to the qualitie and nature of the causes from which it springeth.