A20762:1595
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.
§. Sect. 6 That we must not undertake too many things at once.
§. Sect. 6 That we must not vndertake too many things at once.
The third rule is, that we do not cumber our selves with too many businesses at once, but that we orderly proceed from one duty to another, not undertaking a new employment, till we have brought that which we had first in hand, to some good effect. For as nature intendeth not many things at once, because being of finite virtue and operation, it cannot ⟨p. 471⟩compass and achieve them all together, but uniteth all its forces and vigour, that it may perfect that at which it chiefly aimeth: so upon the same reason, grace followeth the same course, and because our understanding is but of small capacity and extent, and cannot without confusion comprehend many things at the same time; and our wills weak and unable to make sound and good choice, when as they are troubled with confused variety of many objects, and the zeal and ardency of our affections much weakened and cooled, when as they are distracted and divided between many things desirable; and finally, the wit dulled, the spirits spent, and the body tired, when as they are exercised about more employments, then by their virtue and vigour they can achieve; therefore it chooseth this as the best course, to do one thing after another, and undertaking the best and most necessary duties in the first place, not to think of or affect another, until that be brought unto some perfection. For as the fire lying together giveth great heat, but being scattered abroad, soon goeth out; and the River running in the same current, is of such force that nothing can stop it, but being divided into many little streams and rivulets, becometh weak, and of little strength: so, if the fire of our zeal be united about one object or Christian duty, it vvill be able to achieve it with great fervency, and the stream of our devotion, running wholly in one course and current, will be of such force, that nothing shall be able to divert or hinder it; but let them be scattered and divided about multitudes of employments at the same time, and their heat will be abated, and their strength so weakened, that they will not be able to bring any one good duty to any reasonable perfection.