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

§. Sect. 3 How we may be armed against the derisions, and scorns of worldlings.

§. Sect. 3 How wee may be armed against the derisions, and scornes of worldlings.

But howsoever this is a great and grievous tentation, yet we must take heed that we be not so discouraged thereby, as to desist, or so much as slacken our pace in the ways of godliness; but though we sometime stumble at it a & catch a fall, yet we must not lie still & quite ⟨p. 770⟩give over our profession and holy practice, but rise up again, and go in our course with renewed resolution: According to the example of the Church of God, who though they were somewhat daunted and grieved with the scoffs and derisions of the wicked, yet they ¹did not forget God, nor deal falsely in his covenants; Their heart turned not back, neither did their steps turn from his way. And of holy David, who professeth, that though the proud had him greatly in derision, yet he ²declined not from Gods Law. Unto which resolution that we may attain, let us consider first, that herein no new thing doth betide us, but that which all Gods Saints and servants have suffered at the hands of the wicked from time to time. For thus Ismael derided Isaac, and ³(as it is probable) the promises of God made unto him, and all the faithful in his seed. Michol scoffed at the zeal of holy David, ⁴