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 of security is, to keep a narrow watch over all our ways, and often to examine our estates, & to cast up our accounts between God and us, and when we find that we are cast behind hand, to plead Christs payment by a lively Faith, that so we may get our Quietus est, and have the Hand-writing of the Law cancelled and nailed to his Cross. For this security is not caused like that which is carnal, by negligence and sloth, but by care and watchfulness; For then may we securely expect our summons to come to Gods Audit, when like the wise Steward we find the Book of our reckonings just and straight. Then may we with much peace and cheerfulness be called to give up our accounts, when we find, that we have profitably employed our Masters talents, and have increased them five or ten fold, by putting them out to the use of our Lord; that is, the advancement of his glory, and good of our fellow servants. Then may we with the wise Virgins securely expect the coming of our Bridegroom, though through natural heaviness, we be sometimes overtaken with drowsiness, and take a nap, if we do in our usual course stand upon our watch, and have the Lamps of a Christian profession, replenished and trimmed with the inward oil of Faith, and all other saving Graces, and the outward light of good works and a godly and righteous life; seeing when he cometh we shall enter with him into the bridal Chamber, and there solace our selves in his love, and in the fruition of those inestimable and eternal joys which he hath prepared for us; the which he grant unto us, that hath dearly bought them for us, Jesus Christ the Righteous; to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit, three Persons, and one Immortal, Invisible, only wise and infinitely good God, be ascribed all glory and praise, power, majesty and dominion, both now and for ever more.

The last meanes of securitie is, to keepe a narrow watch ouer all our wayes, and often to examine our estates, & to cast vp our accounts betweene God and vs, and when we find that we are cast behind hand, to plead Christs payment by a liuely Faith, that so wee may get our Quietus est, and haue the Hand-writing of the Law cancelled and nayled to his Crosse. For this securitie is not caused like that which is carnall, by negligence and sloth, but by care and watchfulnesse; For then may wee securely expect our summons to come to Gods Audit, when like the wise Steward we find the Booke of our reckonings iust and straight. Then may we with much peace and cheerfulnesse be called to giue vp our accounts, when wee find, that wee haue profitably imployed our Masters talents, and haue encreased them fiue or ten fold, by putting them out to the vse of our Lord; that is, the aduancement of his glorie, and good of our fellow seruants. Then may wee with the wise Virgins securely expect the comming of our Bridegroome, though through naturall heauinesse, we be sometimes ouertaken with drowsinesse, and take a nap, if we doe in our vsuall course stand vpon our watch, and haue the Lamps of a Christian profession, replenished and trimmed with the inward oyle of Faith, and all other sauing Graces, and the outward light of good works and a godly and righteous life; seeing when hee commeth wee shall enter with him into the bridall Chamber, and there solace our selues in his loue, and in the fruition of those inestimable and eternall ioyes which he hath prepared for vs; the which he grant vnto vs, that hath deerly bought them for vs, Iesus Christ the Righteous; to whom with the Father and the holy Spirit, three Persons, and one Immortall, Inuisible, onely wise and infinitely good God, be ascribed al glorie and prayse, power, maiestie and dominion, both now and for euer more.