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. 9 Of the inesti∣mable bene∣fits which a godly life will bring in the world to come.

Finally, as a godly life is in this world profitable to all purposes, so is it most beneficiall in respect of the life to come. For thereby wee * 1.1 are secured from that euerlasting woe and misery, prepared for all those who liue and die in their sinnes, seeing there is no condemnation to those who are in Iesus Christ, which walke not after the flesh, but after the Spi∣rit, and the second death shall haue no power ouer them, who haue their part in the first resurrection, to holinesse and newnesse of life. Secondly, we are assured hereby of heauenly happinesse; For they that haue fol∣lowed * 1.2 Christ in the regeneration, shall accompany him in glorie. They that haue liued like Gods children in holinesse and righteousnesse, as in this life they haue the adoption of sonnes, and the Spirit of adoption, * 1.3 crying in their hearts Abba, Father, so shall they in the life to come, re∣ceiue from their Father their heauenly inheritance; whereas they who haue neglected these duties, can neither haue this hope here, nor that fruition hereafter, seeing without holinesse no man shall see God. For * 1.4 howsoeuer (as one saith) God made vs without our selues, yet he will * 1.5 not so saue vs. But hauing giuen vs a Being, reasonable soules, and his Word, whereby he hath made vs acquainted with his will, and re∣quired our conformity and obedience, he will haue vs ioyne with him in working out our owne saluation, by performing those duties * 1.6

which he hath prescribed; and to walke in the way of holinesse and righteousnesse, which leadeth to euerlasting happinesse. So that though our seruice of God in holy duties be not the cause of eternall life and glorie, but the free mercies of God and merits of Christ, yet being the way which leadeth vnto it, all may be assured that they shall attaine to heauenly happinesse, who goe constantly in it; whereas con∣trariwise they who neuer goe in this way, can neuer come vnto that glory vnto which it leadeth. Finally, a godly life is most profitable in respect of the life to come, because God graciously crowneth his owne graces in his children, and the fruits of them in their new obe∣dience, with a proportionable measure of glory and happinesse, so that they who haue in this life shined brightest in the light of grace * 1.7 and godlinesse, shall in that life shine brightest in glorie and blessed∣nesse. They who haue most glorified him by their holy conuersa∣tion, he will impart vnto them the greatest measure of glory, and both make them capable, and replenish them with greatest ioyes. So that if wee haue any care or desire to be secured from endlesse mise∣ries, or to be assured of eternall happinesse, let vs be moued hereby to serue and please God in the duties of an holy life; yea, seeing the Lord in some proportion fitteth his wages to our workes, and the rich rewards of his free grace, according to those indeuours which he hath wrought in vs of seeking his glory; let vs, being transported with an ho∣ly ambition, deuote our selues wholy to his seruice, & not only labour to keep an ordinary pace with others, but striuing for the richest prize, let vs indeuour to out-strip all that run with vs in the race of godlines.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Rom. 8. 1. Apoc. 20. 6.
• * 1.2

  Matth. 19. 28.
• * 1.3

  Rom. 8. 15.
• * 1.4

  1. Ioh. 3. 2, 3. Heb. 12. 14.
• * 1.5

  Augustine.
• * 1.6

  Phil. 2. 12.
• * 1.7

  Dan. 12. 3.