§. Sect. 4 The third rea∣son, which is taken from the necessity of piety.
The third reason is taken from the necessity of piety, seeing without it wee can haue no assurance of any spirituall benefit, neither in this life, nor in the life to come. For it is the end which God hath proposed vnto * 1.1 them all, vnto which he most certainely attaineth, if we euer attaine vnto them; seeing he who is infinite in wisedome and power, can neuer faile of his end which he propoundeth to his actions. Now the Lord hath cho∣sen vs, that we should be holy; hee hath redeemed vs out of the hands of all our * 1.2 spirituall enemies, that we should worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our liues. We are reconciled by Christ in the body of his flesh, through death, that hee may present vs holy and vnblameable in Gods sight. He hath adopted vs for his children, that wee may be holy, as he is holy. He hath iustified and pardoned all our sinnes, that being freed from * 1.3 sinne, wee may become the seruants of righteousnesse. And therefore without this holinesse we can haue no assurance that we are elected, redeemed, re∣conciled, adopted or iustified, and consequently that we shall be saued: for though it be not the cause of our happinesse, yet it is the way that leadeth vnto it; in which if we walk not, we shal neuer come into that place of bles∣sednes: for without holinesse none shall see the Lord, as the Apostle teacheth vs. * 1.4