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 last means, which sanctifieth and giveth efficacy unto all the rest, is frequent and fervent prayer, that it will please the Watch-man of Israel, who neither slumbereth nor sleepeth to watch over us, and to preserve us in watchfulness, that we fall not into this sleep of carnal security, or being ready to slumber that he will awaken and rouse us up with the good motions of his Word and Spirit. And when we feel our hearts inclining to hardness by their neglect, or slothful, cold, and sluggish use of the means of our salvation, we must with the Church, expostulate with God, and cry out unto him: O Lord, why hast thou made us to err from thy ways, and hardened our ¹hearts from thy fear? And earnestly desire him with David, that he will create in us a clean heart, and renew a right spirit in us; and that ²according to his promise, he will take the stony hearts out of our bodies, ³and give us hearts of flesh, which will tremble at his Word, and fear him for his Mercies and Judgements. Finally, let us pray unto him, that he will give us grace with all care and good conscience, to use the means before spoken of, and so bless them unto us by his holy Spirit, as that they may be effectual for our preservation from carnal security, for the suppling and softening of our hearts, for the replenishing of them with his true fear, and for the stirring of us up to Christian watchfulness; that we may be in readiness against the day of the appearing of our Bridegroom, our LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST, and so may enter into that door of heavenly happiness, and communicate with him in those unspeakable and everlasting joys, which with his precious death and bloodshed, he hath purchased for us.