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.

§. 5 That Carnall securitie expo∣seth vs to posi∣tiue euils, and first to all dan∣gers.

And thus we see that Carnall securitie depriueth vs of all good in this life and the life to come. But besides this priuation of good, it doth also expose vs positiuely to all euill. As first, it maketh vs subject to all dangers, and that in diuers respects. First, meritoriously and deser∣uedly it being just with God, that they should not bee shaded vnder the wings of his prouidence, who haue no awfull respect of his pre∣sence, but are carelesse and vnconscionable in all their wayes. Second∣ly, because they are improuident and negligent in the vsing of any meanes, whereby they may be preuented, either prayer vnto God for his protection, or repentance for sinne, which hath indangered them to Gods Iudgements, or Christian prudence, in fore-casting what euils may befall them, or if they happen, how they may preuent them. In

which regard, it is no more strange for secure men to fall into mis∣chiefe, then to see a man, who hauing blind-folded himselfe, and run∣neth he careth not whither with head-long haste, or that walketh in his sleepe, to stumble at blocks in his way, or to fall into Pits and Dit∣ches. Thirdly, because they alwayes lye open vnto their spirituall e∣nemies, and encourage them with their secure carelesnesse to set vpon them, because before the assault they are sure of victorie. Fourthly, because giuing themselues to sloth and ease, they neglect to buckle the Christian Armour vpon them, whereby they might be inabled to re∣sist their enemies in the day of conflict. And lastly, because they who through securitie are destitute of the feare of God, endanger them∣selues to all things else which are to bee feared; and howsoeuer they are void of all feare in the time of prosperitie; yet when the things they neuer feared fall vpon them, they are so amazed and astonished with approching dangers, and so depriued of all courage to resist, or counsaile to auoid them; that they doe through excessiue feare ineui∣tably fall into many of them, which they might haue escaped, if they had feared seasonably, and prouidently fore-seene them before they hapned. In which respect, one saith, that our prosperitie ought neuer to bee secure; because securitie is more dangerous to our mind, then aduersitie to our body. For things prosperous doe first corrupt vs, be∣fore those which are aduerse, can breake and hurt vs. And another Father giueth the reason of this danger, Because he that securely pre∣sumeth feareth not, and so is lesse cautelous and prouident, and there∣by more apt to fall into danger. Feare is the foundation of health and safetie; and presumption the impediment of feare. And therefore it is more profitable if we feare that we may fall, for by fearing we shall take heed, and taking heed we shall escape.

Notes

• Nunquam secu∣ra debet esse foe∣licitas, quia peri∣culosiora sunt a∣nimo secura, quam corpori ad∣uersa &c. Aug. in Sent. T. 3. c. 1059. Qui praesumit minus veretur, minus praecauet, plus periclita∣tur, &c. Tertul. de cultu Foe∣min. pag. 407.