A20762:2479
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. 2 Of derision and scoffs, which the world useth to discourage the godly.
§. Sect. 2 Of derision and scoffes, which the world vseth to discourage the godly.
The second impediment is the derision, scoffs and scorns of wicked worldlings, whereby they disgrace the persons of the godly, and discountenance and discourage them in all religious and holy duties. The which they do either by their words, as in taunting speeches, making a jest of their profession and holy practice, their hearing; reading, and studying of the Scriptures, praying, godly communication, and such religious exercises; or by branding them with opprobrious names, as Lollards, Huguenots, Puritans, Sectaries, Bible-bearers, Holy brethren and such like; or else by scornful gestures, as nodding, shaking the head, mowing, jeering, laughing at them, and the like. The which is a great impediment that hindereth many (especially such as are of mild, modest and ingenuous natures) from making any outward profession of Gods true Religion, and performing of any religious exercises; or at least, to proceed in them with much discouragement and disquietness of mind; as appeareth by those pitiful complaints which they have from time to time made unto God, of these indignities offered unto them by their spiteful adversaries. Thus the Church complaineth, that Gods enemies did hiss and gnash their teeth against 1them; that they were a derision to all the people, and their song all the day. And that in their bitter mourning and day of affliction, they in a taunting manner required of them, that they would be merry and sing one of the 2songs of Zion. That they were become a reproach to their neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that were round about them. That they were made a by-word 3among the Heathen, a shaking of the head among the people. Thus Job complaineth; I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, & he answereth