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

§. Sect. 2 Reasons moving us to embrace piety, first, because it is most excellent.

§. Sect. 2 Reasons moouing vs to imbrace piety, first, because it is most excellent.

And thus we generally see what piety is. Let us in the next place consider briefly of some arguments which may move us to embrace and practise it, in the whole course of our lives. The first is, that piety and the duties of it are most excellent, and to be preferred before righteousness, both in regard of our judgements, which ought to esteem them above the other, in respect of the object, God himself, unto whom immediately they are to be performed, who infinitely exceeding men, the duties which we owe unto him, are incomparably to be preferred before those which are due to them. In regard also of our hearts and affections, which ought to embrace with greater love and desire those things which our judgements do most highly value; and in respect of our endeavour and practice, wherein we ought to give priority and precedency, in regard of time and place, unto the duties of piety, above all earthly things, according to that of our Saviour, First seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, &c. Again, ¹Christ calleth the first Table, enjoining piety, The great Commandment: ²unto which the second is like, but not equal. For piety is the fountain of righteousness, and the alone sure foundation, upon which it standeth; which if it wanteth, or is built upon any other ground, as it were, upon a quagmire or the sands, it will soon fall and come to ruin, seeing the building can stand no longer then it hath a foundation to rest upon; as we daily see in the Moral and mere civill righteousness of worldlings, which resting upon their credit, or profit, or fear of humane Laws, doth last no longer then they lust. It is the heart and head of Justice, which giveth life, heat, and motion unto it, without which, it is but a dead trunk, yea the very soul, which doth inform it, without which, it is but a loathsome carcass in Gods sight. And therefore in the practice of a godly life, we are more highly to esteem, and answerably with more care, earnestness and delight, to put in practice the duties of piety, which concern God immediately, then the duties of righteousness which respect our