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 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 ⟨p. 804⟩scrupulous and superstitious fears, apprehending, upon every vain suggestion and slight occasions, some dreadful judgement threatened, if we do not yield to the tentation, do disturb and disquiet the mind, and take away all inward peace and tranquillity which should comfort and encourage us in well-doing, and so maketh us to neglect altogether all good duties, or to perform them to no purpose and profit, by reason of our doubting and incredulity, our trouble of mind and disquietness. Yea oftentimes the body is so enfeebled, partly by these inward vexations, grief and heaviness, and partly by being restrained from the comfortable use of Gods creatures, that they are disabled unto all good duties, and become weak, sick, and unfit instruments to be used by the soul in the service of God.

THe third sort of carnall 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, heauinesse and too much deiection of minde, feare and desperation. Superstitious scrupulosity is, when through naturall blindnesse and want of sound knowledge, we doubt of all our actions, whether they be lawfull or vnlawfull, and call euery thing into question, being ready to yeeld vnto euery tentation which abridgeth vs of our Christian liberty, when some fearefull iudgement is suggested and threatned by the deuil and our owne corruption, if we forbeare not the vse of things lawfull, or doe not such things as are vnlawfull. The which, we mistaking for our owne thoughts, and concluding that wee haue giuen our full consent vnto them (though in truth they are the meere suggestions and tentations of our spirituall enemies) doe yeeld our selues ouer vnto them, as though wee were bound vpon some fearefull penalty, to obey them, though they haue no ground or warrant out of Gods Word, yea in truth are expresly contrary vnto it. The which is a notable impediment to a godly life; First, because it maketh vs to spend our thoughts and time about toyes and trifles, as the vsing or not vsing such creatures, the doing or not doing of such actions, as are in their owne nature indifferent, and of small importance; whilst in the meane while, wee neglect the maine duties of Gods seruice and of a godly life. Secondly, because these