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 The fourth reason taken from the bene∣fit of our crea∣tion.

The second fruit and effect of Gods Loue, and cause or meanes of our saluation and happinesse, is our creation by his Almighty Word; and preseruation, being thus made by his powerfull prouidence. Con∣cerning the former, whereas God might haue left vs without a being, which is to be esteemed amongst the greatest euils, he created vs of nothing, or which is all one, of the dust of the earth, which came of nothing, by sole vertue of his powerfull Word; and whereas hee might haue made vs the vilest and basest of the creatures which creepe vpon the earth, yea worse then they, euen wicked deuils, or∣dayned to condemnation, he created vs according to his owne image, in wisedome, holinesse and righteousnesse, indued vs with an immor∣tall and reasonable soule, and made vs Lords ouer all the rest of the creatures vpon the earth, and onely inferiour to himselfe, that wee might bee ruled and gouerned by him; and by our seruice glorifie him who hath created vs, and giuen vs our being. The which, if it be rightly considered, is an vnspeakeable benefit, as being the ground of all that follow it. Neither could wee euer attaine vnto well-being, vn∣lesse we had first a being; nor vnto our finall end, eternall saluation, vnlesse wee had found an entrance and passage vnto it by our creation. In lieu of which great benefit, God requireth nothing at our hands, but that by our seruice we glorifie him, for which end he gaue vs our be∣ing. Not that his glory needs our seruice, seeing it is in it selfe abso∣lute & infinite, but out of the same loue which moued him first to make

vs, that hee might honour vs in this life, by vsing vs as instruments to manifest his glory, and might hereby take occasion to glorifie vs in the world to come, by crowning our seruice, of his meere grace, with hea∣uenly ioy & happines. The which also is a most effectuall reason to per∣swade vs, that we deuote and consecrate our selues vnto Gods seruice in all duties of a godly life, seeing hee is our Lord and Maker, who hath created vs vnto good workes, that wee should walke in them, to the glo∣ry of him that hath giuen vs our being, and that to this end, that wee should for euer bee partakers with him in glory. For what can bee more iust, then to giue euery one his owne? that hee who sow∣eth his owne seede in his owne ground, should reape the fruit of his labours? that he who buildeth a house, should haue the benefit of dwelling in it? that he who planteth a Vineyard, should eate of the grapes, and drinke of the wine? and that he who lendeth any thing vnto another, should haue his owne repaide vnto him? And how much more iust then, and equall is it, that the Lord, who hath not fashioned and framed vs of pre-existent matter, but of nothing hath created our soules and bodies, should haue them wholy deuoted and consecrated to his seruice, which was the end for which he made vs and gaue vs our being? vnto which end if wee attaine not, it is a signe that we neuer thinke of the end for which we came into the world; or imagine that wee were sent by God hither, that we should serue our owne lusts, and in fulfilling them, the diuell himselfe, and not that wee should serue him, who hath right vnto vs by this great benefit of our creation. Yea if we doe not spend our time in Gods seruice, we fayle of the mayne end for which wee came into the world, and so spend all our life and strength in vaine. But though we faile of our end, which is, by seruing and glorifying God, to attaine vnto happinesse, (which also is Gods end reuealed in his Word yet we shall neuer frustrate the end of his secret counsailes, which is, either to glorify his mercy in vs, if we feare and serue him, or his Iustice, if we neglect his seruice, and yeeld obedience to sin and Satan. For the Lord being the summum bonum, and supreme end of all things, hath (as the Wise man speaketh) made all things for himselfe, euen the wicked forthe day of euill.

Notes

• Ephe. 2. 10.
• Ephe. 4. 24.
• Pro. 16. 4.