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

But that this may not discourage us from entering into, and proceeding in the ways of godliness, let us consider, that whilst we study and endeavour to serve and please God in all holy and Christian duties, we are in his grace and favour, and under his protection, and having him on our side, we need not to fear, though Satan and all the power of hell bandy themselves against us. And therefore let us encourage our selves against the malice of the devil, by setting against it Gods infinite and inestimable love towards all that fear and serve ¹him, which is more powerful to save and defend us, then Satan's malice to hurt and destroy us. Let us remember, that the Lord hath loved ²us with an everlasting love, yea so loved us, that he hath given unto us his only begotten and dearly beloved Son to the death, that we thereby ³might attain to life and happiness. That he thus loved us when we ⁴were strangers and enemies, and out of this inestimable love redeemed ⟨p. 744⟩us out of the hands of all our spiritual enemies, that we might serve him in holiness and righteousness, and therefore much more will this love move him to save and deliver us from their malice and fury, when we have wholly consecrated our selves to his worship and service. That this love maketh him so jealous of our safety, that he who toucheth us,