Riches of mercy to men in misery, or, Certain excellent treatises concerning the dignity…

So that godliness hath another Alpha and Omega then either nature or moral virtues have. It hath a higher well-head then nature, and consequently, it looks higher, and runs higher then nature with all its strength. After this manner doth godliness teach a man to look to God, and to follow God in all things. It is the nature of every man living to look to himself, and that constantly, till he find something better then himself to rest upon. Now godliness enlighteneth a man, and teacheth him to know, that his good is contained in God, more then in himself, therefore he is willing, no longer to depend upon himself, and to seek himself, and to place his happiness upon himself, but in God. And then he is resolved to follow God in all things.

So that godlinesse hath another Alpha and Omega then either nature or moral vertues have. It hath a higher well-head then nature, and consequently, it looks higher, and runs higher then nature with all its strength. After this manner doth godliness teach a man to look to God, and to follow God in all things. It is the nature of every man living to look to himself, and that constantly, till he find something better then himself to rest upon. Now godliness enlighteneth a man, and teacheth him to know, that his good is contained in God, more then in himself, therefore he is willing, no longer to depend upon himself, and to seek himself, and to place his happiness upon himself, but in God. And then he is resolved to follow God in all things.

This is the property of godliness; this is a godly man. As we use to say in our common speech that, such a man is a Lutheran, because he follows Luther in all things: so such a man is an Aristotelian, because he follows Aristotle: such a man follows his Prince, or such a great man, and therefore so we term him by such a name: so I say, he is a godly man that looks to God in all things, that resolves to follow him, to set him up, to magnify him, that goes by the rule that he hath appointed, he is properly a godly man. Therefore the word here used will help in us the describing of godliness.

This is the property of godliness; this is a godly man. As we use to say in our common speech that, such a man is a Lutheran, because he followes Luther in all things: so such a man is an Aristotilian, because he followes Aristotle: such a man followes his Prince, or such a great man, and therefore so we term him by such a name: so I say, he is a godly man that looks to God in all things, that resolves to follow him, to set him up, to magnifie him, that goes by the rule that he hath appointed, he is properly a godly man. Therefore the word here used will help in us the describing of godliness.