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. 3 Divers reasons proving the necessity of the daily exercise of a godly life.

§. Sect. 3 Diuers reasons proouing the necessity of the daily exercise of a godly life.

Secondly, this daily practice of all Christian duties, in the whole course of our lives, and in every particular action of them, may be enforced with these reasons; first, because the Lord hath created and redeemed, and doth continually preserve us to this end, that we should spend our whole lives in his service, by performing the duties of holiness and righteousness; and not some part only, reserving the rest for the service of the world, and the satisfying of our carnal lusts. Secondly, he giveth unto us the continual wages of his blessings and benefits for the present, and hath promised to give unto us the everlasting reward of heavenly happiness in the life to come, not that we should do our own wills and works, much less of his professed enemies, but that we approve our selves and our service unto him in all things, who hath given unto us this rich wages; and chiefly respect his glory in whatsoever we do, either in his immediate service, or in performing the duties which he hath commanded us towards our neighbours and our own persons; seeing we are bought at an high ¹price, that we might no longer be our own, but his, and glorify him both in our souls and body, by offering unto him that service which he requireth. Thirdly, seeing it is the best wisdom to employ all and every of our actions to the best purpose, and no time is so well employed as in Gods service, whether we respect God our chief Goodness, to whose glory all ²should tend, as unto their supreme end, or our own salvation, which by this and no other means can be assured unto us; and contrariwise, the greatest folly to spend our lives or any part of them in vain, to no purpose or profit, as all that time is, which is not taken up in Gods service, by performing some duty of piety, righteousness, or sobriety, seeing those main ends, at which we ought in all things to aim, namely, Gods glory in our own salvation, are not hereby advanced and furthered, but crossed and hindered. Fourthly, to be daily exercised in Christian duties, is the best means to keep our souls in good plight and state, by nourishing in them all saving graces; for as it is not enough to keep our bodies in a good case and habitude, that we preserve the vigour and strength of them, by seasonable and convenient food, unless we also digest it,