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

The last scandal & offence, whereof I will speak, by which men are hindered from entering into, & proceeding in the duties of a godly life, ariseth from those that make profession of Christianity and sincerity, whether they be private persons, or public, as the Ministers of the Word and Sacraments. The first is that which is given by hypocrites, who making profession of the true Religion, do in their lives deny the power thereof, falling into many gross and grievous sins; especially such as are committed against the second Table, as uniustice and uncharitableness, fraud and deceit, cruelty and oppression, pride and covetousness, falsifying of their covenants and promises: And also by such as profess the truth in sincerity and uprightness of heart, and yet through humane frailty and infirmity, are sometimes over-taken of these and such like sins. Both which cast before the feet of those, who are unregenerate, such stumbling blocks of offence, that they are thereby brought out of love with Gods true Religion, presuming that there is little good in it, when as they discern no better fruits of it in their lives: and so hate not only such professors; but also their profession for their sakes, resolving with themselves, that they will never be of their religion, which is so disgraced in the world by the evil conversation of these seeming forward men. Yea, not only those which are without, are wholly hindered from entering into the course of Christianity, but those also that are already entered, are hereby so discountenanced and disheartened, that they proceed in the ways of godliness, with much discomfort and discouragement. For they are not only hindered from making any profession of Religion more then others, when they see it thus infamed, lest hereby they might seem like unto them, and so bring ⟨p. 782⟩upon themselves the disgrace and reproach of hypocrites, but also out of the same respects shun the practice of all Christian duties, which have at least any appearance of Piety, as hearing the Word with any extraordinary diligence and devotion, Holy communication, Christian admonition, strict observation and sanctification of the Lords day, prayer in their families and such like, because they would not incur among worldlings, the suspicion of being hypocrites.

The last scandall & offence, wherof I will speake, by which men are hindred from entring into, & proceeding in the duties of a godly life, ariseth from those that make profession of Christianity and sincerity, whether they be priuate persons, or publique, as the Ministers of the Word and Sacraments. The first is that which is giuen by hypocrites, who making profession of the true Religion, doe in their liues deny the power thereof, falling into many grosse and grieuous sinnes; especially such as are committed against the second Table, as vniustice and vncharitablenesse, fraud and deceit, cruelty and oppression, pride and couetousnesse, falsifying of their couenants and promises: And also by such as professe the truth in sincerity and vprightnesse of heart, and yet through humane frailty and infirmity, are sometimes ouer-taken of these and such like sinnes. Both which cast before the feete of those, who are vnregenerate, such stumbling blockes of offence, that they are thereby brought out of loue with Gods true Religion, presuming that there is little good in it, when as they discerne no better fruits of it in their liues: and so hate not onely such professours; but also their profession for their sakes, resoluing with themselues, that they will neuer be of their religion, which is so disgraced in the world by the euill conuersation of these seeming forward men. Yea, not onely those which are without, are wholy hindred from entring into the course of Christianity, but those also that are already entred, are hereby so discountenanced and disheartned, that they proceed in the waies of godlinesse, with much discomfort and discouragement. For they are not onely hindred from making any profession of Religion more then others, when they see it thus infamed, lest hereby they might seeme like vnto them, and so bring