N30392:186
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.
6. Lastly, The disorderly Walking of Church-Members, as in not keeping their Places in those respective Congregations to which they belong, is no small Injury, Reproach and Scandal to True Godliness: Members act as if they were under no Government, nor Covenant to God, one to another, and unto the Church, and go astray from the Fold, by which they cast Contempt upon the Ministry where they are Members, and seem to charge God with Cruelty to them, in bringing them into a Church where they cannot Profit; whereas the Cause may lie in themselves, and by Reason of an evil Itch they have upon them; and by this Means God, no Lord's Day, hath a complete Church Sacrifice or Oblation, but a Part, or but a few Persons; and that which adds to his Reproach, is that unaccountable Practice of one or two Congregations, in the great City, who countenance Rents and Schism, and contemn the Authority of other Churches, by an irregular Reception of their Members.
6. Lastly, The disorderly Walking of Church-Members, as in not keeping their Places in those respective Congregations to which they belong, is no small Injury, Reproach and Scandal to True Godliness: Members act as if they were under no Government, nor Covenant to God, one to another, and unto the Church, and go astray from the Fold, by which they cast Contempt upon the Ministry where they are Members, and seem to charge God with Cruelty to them, in bringing them into a Church where they cannot Profit; whereas the Cause may lie in themselves, and by Reason of an evil Itch they have upon them; and by this Means God, no Lord's Day, hath a compleat Church Sacrifice or Oblation, but a Part, or but a few Persons; and that which adds to his Reproach, is that unaccountable Practice of one or two Congregations, in the great City, who countenance Rents and Schism, and contemn the Authority of other Churches, by an irregular Reception of their Members.
Now, from the Sense of these Things, True Godliness broke forth into this bitter Lamentation here following.