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. 8 Of weariness in well doing, and how it hindereth us in all Christian duties. And first, that which proceedeth from an ill disposition of the body.

§. Sect. 8 Of wearinesse in well doing, and how it hindreth vs in all Christian duties. And first, that which proceedeth from an ill disposition of the body.

The last impediment which hindereth us in the duties of a godly life, is weariness in well-doing, which proceedeth from a twofold cause. The first outward, which is the ill disposition of the body to the performance of Christian duties; proceeding either from external causes, as hunger, thirst, heat, cold, excessive labour in worldly employments, and such like, or from inward infirmities and diseases, which make the body faint and feeble, weak, and unable to take any pains in the duties of a godly life. For seeing the soul useth the body as its organ and instrument, for the performing of all outward actions, and seeing there is such sympathy and familiarity between them, that they mourn and rejoice together; hereof it must needs follow, that when the body is indisposed to the duties ⟨p. 813⟩of Gods service, the soul is thereby unfitted for them; when the body is feeble and faint, the faculties of the soul cannot be strong and vigorous in their actions and operations. When the body is weary and full of pain, it must needs affect the mind, and much distract it in all good duties. And finally, when the tool and instrument is blunt and dull, unfit and untoward, the most cunning Artificer must needs be hindered, and much fail in his curious workmanship. For the removing of which impediment, we must use our best endeavour, that we may have a sound mind in a sound body, and to use all good means of diet and Physic for the preserving or recovering of our health, and to avoid intemperance, insobriety, and excessive labour about worldly employments. Yea, we must avoid immoderation and excess, even in the exercises of mortification, as fasting, watching, and the rest; For as luxuriousness, delicacy, and sloth, do weaken the body for want of exercise, and intemperance and insobriety do make it feeble and unfit for any employment: so likewise the contrary extremes, and over-rough and rigorous handling of it, do exhaust and consume the spirits, and make it so weak and faint, that it is ready to sink under every burden. And therefore we must carefully observe the mean, and avoid both extremes, especially that unto which our corrupt nature inclineth and carrieth us, whether it be to sensuality, which pampereth the body with excess, or willworship