N30392:123
The travels of true godliness. From the beginning of the world to this present…
The travels of true godliness. From the beginning of the world to this present day, in an apt and pleasant allegory: showing, what true godliness is; also the troubles, oppositions, reproaches, and persecutions he hath met with in every age. : Together with the danger and sad declining state he is in at this present time, by errors, heresies, and ungodliness, or open profaneness. / By Benjamin Keach, author of a book called War with the devil, and Zion in distress, and The travels of ungodliness.The travels of true godliness. From the beginning of the world to this present day, in an apt and pleasant allegory: shewing, what true godliness is; also the troubles, oppositions, reproaches, and persecutions he hath met with in every age. : Together with the danger and sad declining state he is in at this present time, by errors, heresies, and ungodliness, or open prophaneness. / By Benjamin Keach, author of a book call'd War with the devil, and Sion in distress, and The travels of ungodliness.
Boston: printed by B. Green and Company for D. Gookin over against the Old South Meeting-House, 1745
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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.
Godliness. Well Poverty, I expected but little less from you, when I perceived you were resolved to hearken to those graceless Villains you lodge in your* House: for they (I hear) would do their worst to keep me out; but I shall now however, to undeceive you, answer them all. First, As to those lazy Companions, Sloth and Idleness, who will not suffer you to labour for the good, neither of Body or Soul, they have in part brought you into this poor and miserable Condition you are in. Oh how many have they brought to beg their Bread from Door to Door! and stirred up others to Rob, and commit horrible Murders, for to uphold them in their lazy and ungodly Lives; by which Means they have brought, and daily do bring Numbers to the Gallows: But the greatest Mischief they do is to the Souls of Men; for they have cast thousands into such a deep Sleep, that they will never awake till they lift up their Eyes in Hell; they will not suffer Men to Labour to find out their Danger, till it is too late; and others, when they do perceive their woeful Condition, are hindered by them from endeavouring timely to get out; they many times cry Lord help us, and Lord have mercy upon us; but never strive to take hold of the offers of his Grace and Mercy by cleaving to Christ, and leaving their Wickedness. 'Tis the idle soul that suffers hunger, who shall beg at harvest, and have nothing, though there is Bread enough and to spare for you in God's House, yet they will not suffer you to seek out for it, but cause you to cry, yet a little sleep, yet a little slumber, yet a little folding of the hands to sleep, Prov. 24.33. O remember that Word, ⟨p. 49⟩Take the slothful and unprofitable Servant, and bind him Hand and Foot, and cast him into utter Darkness, there shall be Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth, Math. 25.30. And then, Secondly, As to Light-Fingers, he is a Thief, and if you follow his Dictates he will bring you to the Gibbet; besides, no Thief shall enter into the Kingdom of God, 1 Cor. 6.10. Thirdly, Wasteful his Brother, for all his Hussing is almost as bad as he; 'twas this vain Fellow that brought the poor Prodigal to eat Husks with the Swine,