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.

§. Sect. 4 That they who neglect the du∣ties of Gods seruice, cannot expect good successe to their labours.

Secondly, let all such know, that neglect the duties of Gods seruice, vn∣der the pretence of their great and waighty imployments, that they can∣not in so doing reasonably expect any good successe of their toylesome * 1.1 labours, or that they will answere their hopes, in the getting and preser∣uing of that wealth, which they so much loue and long after; for it is not their most carefull and painefull indeuours, but Gods blessing onely that maketh rich; It is he alone that giueth them power to get wealth. And how can they expect this blessing from God vpon their labours, when as they can finde no leasure to craue it at his hands? how can they thinke that he will, notwithstanding all their paines, prosper their worldly estates, vn∣lesse it bee for a further and more fearefull Iudgement, when as they haue no care to serue and please him? Yea, why may they not iustly feare that he will blow vpon their wealth, and cause it to vanish like smoake, and * 1.2 euen to melt like butter in the Sunne; or cause that riches, which is thus

wickedly gotten, by neglecting all duties of Gods seruice, to bee as wickedly spent by their heires and successours, seruing vnto them as in∣ducements and helpes to further them in all riotous and luxurious cour∣ses, to their ruine and destruction, as the getting of them hath beene the cause and occasion of many fearefull sinnes, and of the vtter neglect of all religious duties, that so both they and their heires, though they runne contrary wayes, may yet meete together in hell and condemnation. Let them also know, that if before they goe about the workes of their callings, they would renew their Couenant with God, by renewing their faith and repentance; and so being reconciled, vndertake their imployments with peaceable minds and good consciences; if they would first call vpon the Lord for his blessing vpon their labours, and resigne themselues and all their affaires to the gracious guidance of his good pro∣uidence; If they would propound his glory, as the mayne end of all their labour, and as they liue the life of faith, so also they would labour in the strength thereof; resting vpon Gods gracious promises, and way∣ting for a blessing vpon all their affaires; if they would sanctifie their * 1.3 workes by the Word and Prayer, vvithout which, euen those things which are in their owne nature pure and honest, become impure and * 1.4 prophane to the irreligious and vnbeleeuers, and desire the assistance of his holy Spirit for the directing of all their labours to a right end; Fi∣nally, if they would by all these religious exercises sharpen their tooles before they goe to worke, they should not heereby finde their labours put backe and hindered, but profitably aduanced, and better atchieued, then if they vndertake them being blunt and dull; seeing by the sharpe∣nesse of the instruments, they shall soone redeeme the time which is spent in whetting them. Neither would this hinder our Christian thrift, nor our godly and lawfull gaines, but much further and increase them; and repaire all wee lose, by that time which wee spend in Gods seruice with much aduantage, through his powerfull blessing vpon our labours, from which Fountaine alone, all lawfull prosperity springeth and flow∣eth. Whereas contrarywise, if neglecting these religious duties of Gods seruice, wee rest vpon our owne paines and prouidence, and as the Pro∣phet speaketh, sacrifice vnto our owne nettes, either God will curse and * 1.5 crosse our labours, and frustrate all our hopes, or if wee thriue by them in our worldly estates, all that wee get by this meanes, shall bee but like Naboths Vineyard to Ahab, which rooted out both him and all his posterity; like the Israelites Quayles, which came out of their no∣strels; like Iudas his sop, with which the deuill entred; or like cold wa∣ter, giuen to gratifie those who are sicke of a burning feauer; seeing it but inflameth the heate of their carnall concupiscence, and prepareth matter for their euerlasting burning in the vnquenchable flames of hell fire.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Pro. 10. 22. Deut. 8. 18.
• * 1.2

  Hag. 1. 9.
• * 1.3

  1. Tim 4. 5.
• * 1.4

  1. Cor. 10. 31.
• * 1.5

  Hab. 1. 16.