§. Sect. 10 That the du∣ties of a godly life must pro∣ceede from thankfulnesse.
The sixth thing required vnto a godly life is, that we performe all holy and Christian duties out of our thankefulnesse towards God, as for all his benefits spirituall and corporall bestowed vpon vs, namely, our election, creation, preseruation, and the rest, so especially for that maine benefit, the great worke of our redemption by Iesus Christ, whereby he hath made vs, of the slaues of Satan, his owne seruants, of the children of wrath, his owne children by adoption and grace, of the seruants of sinne, the ser∣uants of righteousnesse, and of the heires of hell and condemnation, co∣heires with Christ, and inheritours of heauenly happinesse. The which benefits being rightly considered, must needs make vs truely thankefull vnto him of whom we haue so great saluation, and out of this thankeful∣nesse, truely zealous of his glory to whom we are so deepely indebted, and to expresse both the one and the other, by our earnest indeuour, and con∣scionable care to glorifie his holy name, by shining before men in the light of a godly life. And that this ought to be the maine motiue to incite vn∣to the practice of an holy conuersation; it appeareth heereby, in that the Apostles doe so frequently vse it as a forcible argument to prouoke vs vn∣to it. You are bought with a price, therefore glorifie God in your body and in * 1.1 your Spirit which are Gods. Ye were sometimes darkenesse, but now are ye light in * 1.2 the Lord, walke as children of light. And therefore we must take heede that we doe not performe holy duties out of an opinion of merit to make God beholding vnto vs, or to satisfie his iustice which is onely done by Christs perfect righteousnesse and obedience, or to leaue our workes of supererro∣gation as a treasure vnto the Church, to be sold vnto those, who most wan∣ting them, will buy them at the highest price; or to purchase by them Gods heauenly Kingdome, which is a free inheritance, and the meere gift * 1.3 of grace, which God hath of his sole bounty and good will giuen vnto vs, in and for Iesus Christ; but let vs doe what wee are able (and be sorry in our hearts that we can doe no more) out of vnfained thankefulnesse vnto God, for the many and inestimable benefits, which of his free grace and vndeserued goodnesse he hath multiplyed on vs.