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

The next point to be considered, is the means whereby we may both be stirred up, and also enabled to keep this Christian watch, which are partly reasons that may move us to undertake it, and partly helps enabling us to perform it. The reasons which may persuade us unto this watchfulness, are divers; all which may be reduced unto two heads. 1. Because it is most necessary. 2. Because it is exceeding profitable. The necessity of it appeareth divers ways. First, because God hath expressly required it; Take heed to ¹thy self, & keep thy soul diligently, &c. Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye your selves, like unto them that wait for their Lord, when he will return from the wedding, that when he cometh and knocketh, ye may open unto him immediately. So Joshua exhorteth the people, to take diligent heed to do the Commandment and the Law, to love the Lord their God, and to ²walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him, and serve him with all their heart, and with all their soul. And our Saviour Christ exhorteth all to watch and ³pray, because we do not know when the time of his coming should be. And stirreth up the Church of Sardis to be watchful, and to strengthen the things ⟨p. 524⟩⁴