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

Now that we may be moved with cheerfulness to exercise our selves in this daily duty, let us consider that the continual putting on and wearing of this Armour, is both exceeding necessary and profitable. It is most necessary, because the spiritual enemies of our salvation are always in readiness, watching their opportunity, when by their fiery assaults they may vanquish us, and bring us to destruction. And therefore it is as necessary that we should use like or greater diligence, and be always in readiness to withstand their encounters. Secondly, this daily use of the Christian Armour is so necessary, that all other helps are in vain, if this be neglected. For though we should be continually exercised in religious duties, as prayer, hearing the Word, reading, conference and meditation; and in the works of justice and charity, and the ordinary duties of our callings; yet if this Armour be not put on, they will do us no good, seeing they will not be done in truth and sincerity, faith and a good conscience: and therefore even in them our spiritual enemies will set snares to catch us, and finding us naked of our Christian Armour, will lay secret ambushments, even in these religious and charitable exercises, and assaulting us at unawares, will give us the foil, and lead us captive unto sin.

Now that we may be mooued with cheerefulnesse to exercise our selues in this daily duty, let vs consider that the continuall putting on and wearing of this Armour, is both exceeding necessary and profitable. It is most necessary, because the spirituall enemies of our saluation are alwayes in readinesse, watching their opportunity, when by their firie assaults they may vanquish vs, and bring vs to destruction. And therefore it is as necessary that we should vse like or greater diligence, and be alwayes in readinesse to withstand their encounters. Secondly, this daily vse of the Christian Armour is so necessary, that all other helpes are in vaine, if this be neglected. For though we should be continually exercised in religious duties, as prayer, hearing the Word, reading, conference and meditation; and in the works of iustice and charity, and the ordinary duties of our callings; yet if this Armor be not put on, they will do vs no good, seeing they will not bee done in truth and sincerity, faith and a good conscience: and therefore euen in them our spirituall enemies will set snares to catch vs, and finding vs naked of our Christian Armour, will lay secret ambushments, euen in these religious and charitable exercises, and assaulting vs at vnawares, will giue vs the foyle, and leade vs captiue vnto sinne.