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. 3 Diuers reasons proouing the necessity of the daily exercise of a godly life.

Secondly, this daily practice of all Christian duties, in the whole course of our liues, and in euery particular action of them, may be inforced with these reasons; first, because the Lord hath created and redeemed, and doth continually preserue vs to this end, that we should spend our whole liues in his seruice, by performing the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse; and not some part onely, reseruing the rest for the seruice of the world, and the satisfying of our carnall lusts. Secondly, he giueth vnto vs the conti∣nuall wages of his blessings and benefits for the present, and hath promi∣sed to giue vnto vs the euerlasting reward of heauenly happinesse in the life to come, not that we should doe our owne wills and workes, much lesse of his professed enemies, but that wee approoue our selues and our seruice vnto him in all things, who hath giuen vnto vs this rich wages; and chiefly respect his glory in whatsoeuer we doe, either in his immediate ser∣uice, or in performing the duties which he hath commanded vs towards our neighbours and our owne persons; seeing wee are bought at an high price, that we might no longer be our owne, but his, and glorifie him both in our soules and body, by offering vnto him that seruice which he requi∣reth. Thirdly, seeing it is the best wisedome to imploy all and euery of our actions to the best purpose, and no time is so well imployed as in Gods seruice, whether we respect God our chiefe Goodnesse, to whose glory all should tend, as vnto their supreme end, or our owne saluation, which by this and no other meanes can be assured vnto vs; and contrariwise, the greatest folly to spend our liues or any part of them in vaine, to no pur∣pose or profit, as all that time is, which is not taken vp in Gods seruice, by performing some duty of piety, righteousnesse, or sobriety, seeing those maine ends, at which we ought in all things to aime, namely, Gods glory in our owne saluation, are not hereby aduanced and furthered, but crossed and hindred. Fourthly, to be daily exercised in Christian duties, is the best meanes to keepe our soules in good plight and state, by nouri∣shing in them all sauing graces; for as it is not enough to keepe our bo∣dies in a good case and habitude, that we preserue the vigour and strength of them, by seasonable and conuenient foode, vnlesse wee also digest it,

and confirme our strength by fit exercise; so for the preseruing of our soules in good state, it is not sufficient that we nourish Gods graces in vs, by hearing the Word, and feeding on this spirituall Manna, vnlesse wee daily exercise them in the performance of all Christian duties. And as it is the best meanes to preserue our soules in health, when they are well, so also to recouer them, when through surfets in sinne, it declineth and is im∣paired; whereas if we haue onely some generall purposes of liuing Chri∣stianly, or performe these duties but by fits and starts; wee shall easily fall into spirituall consumptions of grace, and dangerous sicknesses of sinne before we be aware, and when they haue by neglect and customable con∣tinuing in them taken fast hold of vs, wee shall either not recouer, or at least, with great difficultie.

Notes

• 1. Cor. 6. 20. Rom. 12. 1.
• Matth. 5. 16. 2. Pet. 1. 10.