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

For neither the Gospel, nor the Sacraments, no nor yet Christ himself, will bring unto us this peace of conscience, unless we receive and ¹apply them by the hand of faith: as the best salve will not heal, unless it be applied to the wound, nor meat nourish us, unless it be received into the stomach; nor the purest water purge us from our filth, unless we be washed in it. But when this precious balsam is applied to our wounded consciences, and when by the hand of faith they are washed in the Laver of his precious blood, then they are healed of the sores of sin, and being rified from the guilt, punishment, and power of it, do speak peace unto us, and are the messengers of such joyful tidings as cannot be damped with any worldly tribulation. According to that of the Apostle, Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we ²have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God; And not only so; but we glory in tribulation also, &c. Whereof it is, that in the Scriptures, faith and a good conscience, are as the ³cause and effect joined together, so that one of them cannot miscarry in the storm of tentations, but we shall make shipwreck of them both, and, together with our faith, lose both our peace with God, and our peace of conscience. Whereas our assurance of faith will embolden us to draw near to the Throne of Gods grace, with a true heart, having our hearts sprinkled