N30392:367
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.
Fourthly, As touching what that timorous faint-hearted Fellow, Danger, laid before thee, in respect of letting in Melancholy, this is a mere Deceit; for there is a vast Difference between serious Consideration and destructive Melancholy: A Man is not therefore sad, because he will not swear, rant, whore, and be drunk. Consideration will let thee see, that those Men, who are taken so much ⟨p. 125⟩with vain Sports and Merriment, have the least Cause to rejoice of any Men in the World.
Fourthly, As touching what that timorous faint-hearted Fellow, Danger, laid before thee, in respect of letting in Melancholly, this is a meer Deceit; for there is a vast Difference between serious Consideration and destructive Melancholly: A Man is not therefore sad, because he will not swear, rant, whore, and be drunk. Consideration will let thee see, that those Men, who are taken so much ⟨p. 125⟩with vain Sports and Merriment, have the least Cause to rejoice of any Men in the World.
Jollities are, as one observes, much like Attila's Nuptials, whose Wedding-Day proved his Funeral. Who would hazard an Eternity of Joy for a Moments Time of vain and empty Pleasures? None can rejoice so heartily as he that hath God for his Portion, and hath his Name written in Heaven.
Consideration will let thee see, that whatsoever vain Men may say, prate and boast of, touching Joy and Pleasures, yet there is no Delight and Felicity like that which is found in the Ways of true Virtue; that Godliness is the best Security, and that the Joy of the whole Earth is Mount Zion; that in this Garden are the sweetest Roses, the most odoriferous Flowers, the most fragrant Plants, Roses which have no Prickles underneath, (nor like carnal Delights) whose Flowers fade and wither away; nor like the frothy Mirth, which the Laughter of Fools affords.