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

Our obedience therefore to the Law is required, seeing it is the rule of holiness and righteousness, according to which, all our thoughts, words, and actions are to be conformed; and our obedience to the Gospel, to supply and amend what is imperfect and defective through our frailty and corruption, and to make our works straight in Gods sight, when through ignorance or impotency we have swerved from our rule. The Law must be observed of all that will lead a godly life, because as a Schoolmaster it teacheth us, what is good, and what is evil, what we must do, and what we must leave undone; The Gospel also with no less care, because it showeth us how it is to be done, and also ministereth courage and strength, whereby we are enabled to perform our duties. We must make the Law the Canon, according to which, we must carry our selves in all our thoughts, words, and works, because so far forth only, as they are conformable unto it, they are holy and righteous; but withal, the Commandments of the Gospel requiring faith and repentance, must be obeyed, that what is imperfect in us, may be made perfect through Christ, and that our new obedience, which cannot be accepted according to the Covenant of works, as coming from servants, may be acceptable, according to the Covenant of grace, as coming from sons, whose desires and endeavours are pleasing to our heavenly Father, who accepteth the will for the deed. The Law prescribeth the way wherein all are to walk, that will lead a godly life; The Gospel, as a faithful companion, encourageth us to go in this way, and leading us by the hand, preserveth us from falling; and when through frailty we are fallen, it lifteth us up again.