A guide to godliness or a Treatise of a Christian life showing the dutiesA guide to godlynesse or a Treatise of a Christian life shewing the duties

And yet alas how many of us, who seem most forward in the profession of Christianity, that have not in the greatest part of their life, come to any settled constancy in performing the duties of godliness? How many profess themselves travellers towards our heavenly Country, and yet are unconstant in all their ways, and unsettled in all their courses, sometime performing the duties of a godly life, and sometime neglecting them altogether; serving God one day, or in some small part of it, & spending the rest of their time in serving Satan, the world, and their own lusts? How many that make a fair show, as though they would run the Christian Race, who one while go forward, and another while, as out of breath, and weary of holy exercises, do stand still, or turn back again into their old sinful courses, and in stead of seeking the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, do spend the chief of their strength in pursuing of worldly vanities? How many of those who would be thought good husbands for their souls, that are wholly negligent in the spiritual husbandry, every hand while intermitting their pains and diligence, sometimes using the means of growing and thriving in grace, and sometimes neglecting them, praying only when they are pinched with afflictions, hearing the Word at their best leisure and most ease; in the Country, when the weather is warm and the ways fair; in the City, when they cannot walk abroad about their pleasures or profits, as in time of winter, when the foulness of the way, and weather and darkness of the night leaveth unto them no other employment; and at no time taking any care after the seed is sown, to cover it in their hearts by Meditation or conference, that it may not be stolen away, but take root, and bring forth fruit in due season? So also receiving the Sacrament only at Easter, or some of the chief festivals, and neglecting to come to the Lords Table, though often invited all the rest of the year besides; and finally, reading the holy Scriptures, and other profitable writings unconstantly, and by uncertain fits, when they have nothing else to do, or cannot well tell how to put away otherwise the tediousness of idleness.