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

Again, the corruption of our intellectual faculties, doth exceedingly hinder us from serving God in the duties of a godly life, not only as it blindeth them with ignorance, and misleadeth them with error; but also as it poisoneth them with cursed infidelity, which is the root of all other sins, and the chief impediment of all Christian duties, the ground of all which is a lively faith. For as the Apostle speaketh, No man can come unto God, until he first know that God ¹is, nor perform any faithful service unto him, until he be persuaded that he is a rich rewarder of them who diligently seek and serve him. Again, Without faith it is impossible to please God, because whatsoever is not ²done of Faith, is sin. Without Faith we cannot be ingrafted into Christ, seeing it is the bond of this union, nor bring forth in him any fruits of new obedience, for without Christ we can do nothing. Unless ³by Faith we be assured of Gods love towards us, we cannot love him (for as the Apostle John saith, We love him, because he loveth us first) and ⁴without love there is no obedience, seeing it is the sum of the whole Law. And therefore if we would lead a godly life, we must with all care and endeavour remove this impediment, then the which, none is more pernicious (for how should we flee from that sin, which we naturally love, or practise those duties, unto which our natures are averse, if we neither believe Gods threatenings restraining us from sin, nor his promises alluring us to obedience?) And to this end we must carefully use all those means of which I have before spoken, both of begetting Faith in us, if it be wanting, and of confirming and increasing of it, if it be begun.