A20762:2572
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.
CAP. XII.
Of the third sort of carnal affections, which are impediments to a godly life; as superstitious scrupulosity, dejection of mind, fear and desperation.
Of the third sort of carnall affections, which are impediments to a godly life; as superstitious scrupulosity, deiection of minde, feare and desperation.
§. Sect. 1 That scrupulosity is a great impediment to a godly life.
The third sort of carnal affections which are impediments to a godly life, are such as are in the quite contrary extreme to the former, as anxious and superstitious scrupulosity, heaviness and too much dejection of mind, fear and desperation. Superstitious scrupulosity is, when through natural blindness and want of sound knowledge, we doubt of all our actions, whether they be lawful or unlawful, and call every thing into question, being ready to yield unto every tentation which abridgeth us of our Christian liberty, when some fearful judgement is suggested and threatened by the devil and our own corruption, if we forbear not the use of things lawful, or do not such things as are unlawful. The which, we mistaking for our own thoughts, and concluding that we have given our full consent unto them (though in truth they are the mere suggestions and tentations of our spiritual enemies) do yield our selves over unto them, as though we were bound upon some fearful penalty, to obey them, though they have no ground or warrant out of Gods Word, yea in truth are expressly contrary unto it. The which is a notable impediment to a godly life; First, because it maketh us to spend our thoughts and time about toys and trifles, as the using or not using such creatures, the doing or not doing of such actions, as are in their own nature indifferent, and of small importance; whilst in the mean while, we neglect the main duties of Gods service and of a godly life. Secondly, because these