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. 1 That we must pray daily and continually.

THe last daily duty to be performed of vs, is, effectuall and fer∣uent prayer, from which not any day, nor any part of the day is to be exempted; for we must, as the Apostle speaketh, pray without ceasing, alwaies watching thereunto with all perseue∣rance. To which end tendeth the parable of the vnrighteous Iudge, propounded by our Sauiour Christ. In which regard, that may be said of prayer, which the Apostle requireth in preaching, namely, that it must be done in season and out of season; if at least any time may bee said vnseasonable for this holy duty; whereby we are not to vnderstand with those ancient Heretikes, that we must spend our whole time in pray∣er and doe nothing else; for the Apostle Paul himselfe spent much of his time in preaching, writing, disputing, and in other duties of his cal∣ling, and yet as hee exhorted others, so hee often professeth, that it was his owne practice to pray continually and without ceasing. And our Sauiour Christ also, who requireth this at our hands, and propoun∣ded himselfe as a patterne of his owne precept, spent much of his time in other exercizes, as preaching, conferring, doing miracles, and

such like: But that wee alwaies bee ready, and haue a disposition to prayer at all times; that we thinke no time exempted, when any fit and good occasion is offered, whether it bee night or day, or any part of either of them, nor any place excluded, if there bee cause and opportunity: for we must pray euery where, lifting vp holy hands without wrath or doubting, at home and abroade, in our businesses and vacancie from labour. And thus hee expoundeth himselfe, interpre∣ting these words, without ceasing and alwayes, of euery opportunity and seasonable time, when God either ordinarily or extraordinarily giueth vnto vs any fit occasion.

Notes

• 1. Thes. 5. 17. Ephe. 6. 18. Luke 18. 1. & 21. 36. 2. Tim. 4. 2.
• Rom. 1. 9. Col. 1. 3. Eph. 1. 16.
• 1. Tim. 2. 8.
• Ephes. 6. 18.