N30392:65
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.
Vain-hope. I am of the Mind with my Brother Unbelief; and 'twas I, also you know, who have kept up his Spirits all along, and did what I could to stop Steward Conscience's Mouth from giving way to Mr. Fearful, to open the Door, let him therefore but put his Trust in me, and I warrant you he will fear nothing.
Presumpt. Come, cease this Noise, all is well enough yet, Godliness is not let in, and our Master is much better than he was; and tho' Conscience incline to embrace this our Enemy, yet you will find he will not be regarded ere a little while: Pray let us all agree at present, to stir up Riches eldest Son, whose Name is Honour, the Father's Darling, and the hopes of all the Family, to see what he can do, in order to keep our Enemy Godliness out. Now, our Friend Pride is the fittest to be employed in this Work, for he is much in Favour with our Master's Eldest Son, and his own-Child too. After a short time thus it fell out: Riches being recovered, he consulted with Worldly Honour, a great Enemy to True Godliness, which was one Reason why the Father and true Image of Godliness said a great while ago, How can ye believe, that receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God alone, John 5.44. Now, Pride, Ambition and Honour, being all three the […] Off-spring of Riches, got so much into his Ass•••ion, that […] •••liness was kept out, (making good that Word, The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts) and Conscience being at this time almost stifled, Fearful was forced to fly and hide himself in some hole, till another Season: But Godliness remained at his Door ⟨p. 22⟩for a long Time, even till he waxed old, and Conscience having recovered a little Strength, (by reason of his going now and then to hear a Sermon) stirred up Mr. Fearful again to open the Door, and had almost prevailed, had not a cursed Servant of Riches, who, I take, was his Purse-Keeper; be-stirred himself, whose Name was Covetousness, an implacable Enemy to True Godliness, who, when he perceived, Godliness was like to meet with some seeming Entertainment, spake to Riches after this sort.