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 Of the right ordering of our works and actions.

§. Sect. 3 Of the right ordering of our workes and actions.

Finally, our daily care and endeavour must be, rightly to order and dispose ⟨p. 207⟩of all our works and actions, that they may be conformable to the Law of God, both in doing the duties which he hath commanded, and in leaving undone the vices and sins which he hath forbidden and condemned, and that whether they respect God or our neighbours and our selves. For our time and strength must be spent either in the religious duties of Gods service, or in the works of justice, charity and mercy towards our neighbours, or of temperance, sobriety and Holiness towards our selves; either in the general duties of Christianity, or the special duties of our callings, or in using the means and helps whereby we may be the better fitted and enabled unto all and every of them: That so we may ¹glorify our heavenly Father, by having the light of our godly lives shining before men, edify our brethren by our good example, make our own calling and election sure, walk worthy of our high calling, adorn our profession, gain others to the profession and practice of the true Religion, and by our fruitfulness of obedience obtain a plentiful harvest of joy and happiness, when Christ shall come to Judgement, and render unto every one according to their works. Neither must we only take care, that our minds and hearts be taken up and furnished with good thoughts and holy affections, and our tongues exercised in Christian communication, and speeches savouring of grace and godliness; but also that we bring them to good effect, by practicing what we think and speak, in all our works and actions. Nor that we mortify sin in our souls and affections, but also in our earthly members,