Christian directions, showing how to walk with God all the day long drawn up…Christian directions, shewing how to walk with God all the day long drawn up…

Having in the foregoing Chapters given you several practical Directions for your Christian Conversation in the world, showing you how to walk with God all the day long, in your several Callings, Conditions, and Relations; I shall close this Treatise with one general Caution, namely, That when you have in some measure put in practice the forementioned Rules and Directions, you would beware of resting therein, and of looking for life and for salvation in and through them. And truly, there is good reason for this Caution, because it is natural for men out of Christ to seek for salvation by their own works, and to rest on them, which is one of the most dangerous things in the world; For so long as a man doth so, he is uncapable of Christ, as seeing no need he hath of a Saviour.¹ It is said of the Jews, that they lost salvation, because they sought it not by Faith, i. e. by Faith in Christs Righteousness, in what he had done and suffered, but sought it by the own Righteousness, i. e. by resting in their own works, which indeed is the high-way to hell and destruction, as well as the way of sin, though it be somewhat a cleaner way. For there is a double way to hell, The way of Sin, and the way of Duty. The way of Sin is a filthy, dirty way, whereas the way of Duty is a fairer, cleaner way; I mean Duties rested in are the ready way to hell and destruction. Whereupon it was the counsel of Luther, To take heed not only of our sins, but also of our duties, i. e. of resting in them, and building ⟨p. 157⟩our hope of salvation upon them. Therefore to take you off from that, I shall commend to your serious consideration two fundamental Principles, necessary to be known of all that will be saved.

HAving in the foregoing Chapters given you several practical Directions for your Christian Conversation in the world, shewing you how to walk with God all the day long, in your several Callings, Conditions, and Relations; I shall close this Treatise with one general Caution, namely, That when you have in some measure put in practice the foremetioned Rules and Directions, you would beware of resting therein, and of looking for life and for salvation in and thorow them. And truly, there is good reason for this Caution, because it is natural for men out of Christ to seek for salvation by their own works, and to rest on them, which is one of the most dangerous things in the world; For so long as a man doth so, hee is uncapable of Christ, as seeing no need hee hath of a Saviour.