A20762:953
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.
§. Sect. 4 That the impotent are not bound to labour, but may with good conscience take their case.
Now concerning those who are impotent and cannot work, being disabled by age, sickness, lameness, or other infirmities, they are not by the former reasons bound to labour in their callings, because God himself hath exempted them from the common rule and law, and hath left their consciences free from guilt of sin, in the omitting of those duties, unto the performing whereof he himself hath disabled them. And therefore if they be rich, they may live at ease, and enjoy thankfully their portion, as the gift and blessing of God. Or if they be poor, they may with good conscience live upon those charitable benevolences which others shall be pleased to bestow upon them; praising God for raising up such good instruments to serve his providence for their relief and maintenance; and praying unto him daily for their benefactors. Yea, in this case men are bound in conscience to lay open their wants, if others take no notice of ⟨p. 262⟩them, and to crave and receive their help and assistance; which if out of an high stomach in a low estate, or out of a proud modesty and bashfulness, they neglect to do, and so perish for want of relief, they are injurious to their able and willing neighbours, in refusing to be subjects of their charity; and so hindering them of that heavenly harvest which they should reap of it; and guilty also of their own death, in not using those lawful means whereby their lives should be preserved. And of these also the rich are bound to take care, that according to order and Law in this case provided, nothing which is necessary be wanting unto them; for God hath lent them their wealth to this end, that what they can spare from their own necessary expenses, they should cheerfully bestow for the relief of others; which if they neglect to do, they shall have a fearful reckoning to make at the day of Judgement. But of this I have largely written in a Treatise of this Argument, and therefore here pass