we haue so often heard of before when he prayeth that the people of God may haue their punishmentes remoued when they call vppon him there is alwayes added the condition of turning from their sinne either in expresse wordes or else in wordes that necessarily importe the same As to take one example for many in that Chapiter hee hath these wordes When Heauen shall be shutt vpp and there shall be no rayne because they haue sinned against thee and they shall pray in this place confesse thy name and turne from their sinn when thou doest afflict them then heare thou in Heauen and pardon the sinne of thy seruauntes and of thy people Israel when thou haste taught them the good way wherein they may walke so that the turning from sinne is necessarily required of them that doe looke for the forgiuenesse of sinne And then especially when the Lorde shall testifie against vs from Heauen by punishments laide vppon vs wee haue to call to minde our former sinnes and ceasse to be carelesse and secure therein For when the Lord forgiueth sinne hee also cureth sinne not suffering vs any longer to sleepe in the same beeing snared with the baytes and allurementes thereof but begetteth in vs a new care to shake it off and a new watchfulnesse ouer it There is added to the end of this petition For thine is the kingdome the power the glorie for euer which doeth admonish vs of sundrie profitable instructiōs for by it we are taught what shuld be the end of our petitions why we would haue thē graunted euen that his kingdome power glorie may be aduāced For as we haue learned before while that the Lord frameth his to the obedience of his wil giueth good things vnto thē remoueth euil thinges from them his name is halowed his kingdome cōmeth his wil is done here in earth for by dealing thus with his seruaunts he will be knowen to rule and reigne here vpon earth be glorified in the same This desire therefore to haue him glorified should bee bothe at the beginning and end of our prayers whether our suit be for spirituall graces or for tēporall blessings By this also our faith is strengthened in the hope to obteine our petitions because the Lorde cannot neglect the glorie of his name and the honour of his kingdome whiche dependeth vpon the perfourmaunce of his mercies towardes his seruauntes that call vpon him therfore our hope cannot deceiue vs beeing ioyned so neere vnto the glorie of our God. Moreouer in this we are admonished that it is not the worthynesse of our selues nor yet of any other but the honour of his name that commendeth our suites and petitions vnto the lord Finally heerein we are admonished of a speciall worshippe and seruice which is thanks giuing vnto GOD when soeuer wee receiue any benefite of what kinde soeuer For we acknowledging in our prayers not onely that hee hath the disposing of these benefites but also that his kingdome glorie honour consisteth in the rewarding of his with the same shall be found traytors to the crowne of his kingdome if after benefites receiued wee doe not by thanks giuing confesse and acknoweledge the same This giuing of thanks is a speciall worshipp and seruice of God in somuch that the Lorde reiecting sacrifice placeth his honour in thanksgiuing Will I eate the fleash of Bulles or drinke the bloude of Goates sayth the Lord by his Ptophet Offer vnto God praise and pay the vowes vnto the moste high and call vppon mee in the day of thy trouble so will I deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie me And in the laste verse of that psalme it is said that he who offereth praise vnto the Lord doth glorifie him Whereby it appeareth that the Lord esteemeth thanksgiuing as a speciall worship and seruice of him whiche may well bee perceiued in sundrie places of the Scripture but especially in the booke of the Psalmes It is in deede a seruice of God peculiar and proper vnto the children of god For the wicked are not acquainted with it they see not the Lord his arme in their deliuerances they see not through the instruments that God vseth to helpe thē by into the especiall goodwill and fauour of GOD from whence the godly take those healpes to come as a plaine profe therof Therfore doth the Prophet say The voice of ioy and deliuerance shal be in the tabernacles of the righteous saying the right hand of the Lorde hath done valiauntly Hee maketh it the peculiar worke of the righteous to reioyce in the Lorde and in heart to prayse him For notwithstanding all people taste liberally of his benefits yet the feeling of his fatherly goodnesse whiche procureth giuing of thanks in deed is proper onely vnto the children of God. It is a singular priuiledge that he doth vouchsafe his elect alone when he giueth such a sweete taste vnto his benefites as driueth their heartes to reioycing and giuing of thankes not onely in the comfort of the present benefite but also in that hauing receiued an assured token of his fauour they peaceably passe ouer the course of their life assuring them selues that they are had in especiall reckoning and account with the lord Therefore the Prophete is bolde to haue this speech of them Blessed is the people that reioyce in thee they shall walke in the light of thy countenaunce O Lorde they shall reioyce continually in thy name and in thy righteousnesse shal they exalt them selues He maketh it no common matter to reioyce in the Lord but matter belonging onely to the electe and blessed people of God how greatly it pleaseth the Lorde The Apostle wittnesseth in the Epistle to the Corinthes where hee requireth the prayer of the church of God for him in his affliction that when his deliueraunce is obteyned by the prayers of many many persons may giue thanks vnto god Which notably declareth how acceptable a seruice it is to giue thanks vnto God when the afflictions of the children of God serue therevnto and are beecome a speciall ende of the same As wittnesseth in like manner the Prophet The Lorde hath looked downe from the height of his Sanctuarie that hee might heare the mourning of the prisoner and deliuer the children of death that they may declare the name of the Lorde in Hierusalem and his praise in Sion Now if it be demaunded why the sacrifice of thanks giuing is so acceptable a worship and seruice of the Lord The answere is ready because it ascribeth the gouernment and distribution of all benefites vnto the Lord denying them to come by casualtie or chaunce as doe the vngodly whatsoeuer they say in that they are neither comforted truely in them nor yet thankfull for them Moreouer it acknowledgeth God not to be a dead thing and bare name that regardeth not men that serue him in the obedience of his will but that in trueth hee hath a care of his Church helpeth
life to come And as it appeareth in Genesis all the mercies that Abraham receiued were conteined vnder these wordes which are the wordes of the couenaunt I will be God to thee and to thy seede after thee The benifite that here is set downe of bringing thē out of the land of Egypt from the house of bondage is an experience whiche they had of this goodnesse of God wherin he did apparauntly declare him selfe to be their God and so likewise it is in other places brought in as a confirmation of the couenaunt Because the Lorde loued you sayth the holy ghost and because he would keep the othe which he had sworn to your fathers the Lord hath brought you out by a mightie hand and deliuered you out of the house of bondage from the hand of Pharao king of Egypt that thou mayest knowe that the Lorde thy God hee is GOD the faithfull God whiche keepeth couenaunt and mercie vnto them that loue him and keepe his commaundements This experience of God his goodnesse towardes them and the triall that hee is become their GOD maketh much to bring an obedience and therefore is placed with the couenaunt For when we haue tryall in deed that the Lord hath speciall good wil towards vs it hath greate force in it to bring vs willingly vnder his obedience Therefore we are taught by this alwayes to haue in memorie those benefits of God that haue in them the note and marke of speciall good will and lyking such as he beareth vnto his Children For the remembraunce of those will draw dueties from vs that shall proceed from a frank and free hart Let vs therefore haue a register of his greatest benefites done vnto vs Let vs call to minde what a speciall benefite this is if we had none other that when we were as is the disposition of all Adams children following the lusts and affections of our owne hart in that brode way that leadeth vnto death which so many followe it hath pleased him to pick vs out of so many to giue vs mysliking of that course of life whiche by nature we are so addict and inclyned vnto the earnest hungring and thirsting after that righteousnes that is approued by his worde His benefites may not be ouer passed without consideration they cary with them strong persuasion vnto obedience the faithful doe vse this helpe to further obedience vnto god In the last chapter of Iosua there is mention made of the seuerall benefites of God bestowed vpon his people and all for this end to reclayme them from sinne and to stirre them to free and willing seruice of the lord And the people in the same Chapter alledge his benefites receiued as a reason why they neither may nor wil refuse obedience vnto him God forbid say the people that we should forsake the Lord to serue other Goddes For the Lorde brought vs and our fathers out of the land of Aegypt from the house of bondage and he did those greate myracles in our sight and preserued vs in all the way that we went and among all the people through whome we came and the Lord did cast out all the people euen the Amorites which dwelt in the land therfore will we serue the Lord for hee is our GOD. They gather by these benefites that he is their God and conclude therfore that they wil serue the Lord because he is their God and hath beene so singulerly good beneficiall vnto them And in very deede this persuasion that hee is our God and so tenderly affected towardes vs is the mother of all true obedience the founteine from whence floweth all true worship and seruice of God the note that discerneth betweene the workes of a true Christian and the deedes of an Infidel or heathen man The Christian worketh his obedience hauing this persuasion that God is already his GOD The Infidel and vnbeleeuer hath no suche persuasion and therefore his doinges come not franckly and freely from him to honour the Lorde but slauishly and seruilely to serue himselfe and after that manner as it were to get within the Lorde and to earne his saluation of him selfe It is this faith which made the difference betweene the sacryfice of Abell and the sacrifice of Cayne as the Scripture doeth declare It is this faith that maketh the difference betwene the continencie that we haue reade to haue beene in Infidelles and Paganes and that whiche is in Christians betweene the mercie and almes that procedeth oftentimes from ciuil men and that merciful reliefe that commeth from Christians It is this persuasion of his goodnesse that iustifieth the one whereas the other wanting this is odious hateful in his sight It is this persuasion that God is so rich in goodnesse as to accept of vs which sendeth vs to the true seruice of him The Lord is not only contented to say that he is their GOD but also to bring good euidence for the same in putting thē in mind of that singular benefite of their deliuerance from Egypt which he had bestowed vpon them Wee learne then in this Commaundemente which chargeth vs that we take the Lorde for our God that he hath taken vpon him selfe the prouision to stoare vs with graces and blessings bothe for this life and for the life to come and will haue the honour and glorie of it him self alone because he will declare the riches of his graces towards his faithfull people and by his dealing with them bee knowen to be their god Therefore he bindeth vs to seeke for all good things at his hands alone and in like manner when we haue receiued any thing by humble thanksgiuing to returne the whole praise therof vnto him again Now that we know the meaning of this cōmaundemēt it behoueth vs to apply it to our profit wherein we must first vnderstand that by the meanes of sin which is in euery man by nature man his wit vnderstanding hath receiued such a blindnesse as it cannot conceiue the trueth of this cōmaundement also his wil affection is so poysoned as it cannot take any ioy or lyking in it the tryall wherof may be had in this manner when the man that is not borne againe and receiued into mercie whome the scripture calleth the naturall man because all are such by nature whē he I say is in any streight or necessitie either because he wanteth necessary foode for this life or for that he is in dāger to loose welth credit or life seeth not the ordinarie meanes by which it is likely hee should escape the danger Let it thē be tolde him that God is his God hath a loue towards him and a care ouer him wil in his time by lawful meanes prouide for him yet notwithstanding his wit neither cōceueth this persuation nor his wil affection is any thing made ioyful or comforted therby as one that desirously enclyneth after the hope thereof which is declared by this that
kinde of sinne shall haue a godly wife whome the Lord shall preserue from this euill to yeeld vnto the wickednesse of others yet is his faulte neuer a deale the lesse heerein then if he should haue fallen into that extremitie of sinne because his deseruing hath called for that punishment from the Lorde which the Lorde in mercie towardes her hath withholden And in asmuch as the adulterer depriueth a man of the true comforte of his true and naturall seede and posteritie can we imagine otherwise of the Lorde but that hee will drawe one swoorde or other vppon some of his children that shall neuer ceasse to pursue them before it hath driuen them in at the dores of death Iob speaking of this sinne of adulterie sayeth that it is a fire that deuoureth all to destruction So that by this testimonie the house of the whooremonger must be consumed and there is a secret fier flaming there that threateneth to deuoure before it hath done and made a finall end which men might easily se by sundrie experiences in the world if there were no word of God to leade vs therevnto The hope to hide this sinne which bewitcheth the vngodly leadeth them into this fire of God his wrath must of necessitie be vaine because the Lorde him selfe hath taken vpon him to be reuenged of those that shall dare to breake that bond of wedlock which he hath made In the olde testamēt the Lord did by a special law made for the purpose take vpon him not only the knowledge reuealing and punishing of this sinne euen when it should be most secretly done without witnes of any other man yea or certeine knowledge frō the husbād him self but also the defence and clearing of the guiltlesse woman oppressed vexed with the vniust ielousie of her husbād who might presēt his wife whether she were guiltie in deed or onely in his ielous minde was thought to be so before the priest vnto that tryall which God had appointed established for the end After which matter solemnized with all the circumstances therof as it was appointed in the boke of Num. if the woman were defiled in deed then should her belly swel and her thighe rot if she were not defiled then should she not only be free from this punishmēt but also be blessed with fruitfulnesse as appeareth in the same place We see how greatly the lord doth abhorre adulterie taking vpon him to bewray the closest dealing in the wickednesse that can be and also what a care he hath of the vniting of their mindes who are become one by mariage in ordeyning a law to cure ielousie and so taking vppon him also the defence of the innocent partie That law is now ceased but that same God doth yet remaine bearing the same hatred to that sinne that he did before hath the like loue to innocencie that before he hath had So that there is small hope to be had when God is become the searcher him selfe when he who knoweth it is an vtter enimie vnto it and hath professed the reuealing of it yea and that more is the iust and deserued punishing thereof It would greatly feare the theefe if it were noysed that that man would searche him whome he doeth wel remember to haue passed by and behelde him while he was hiding of that whiche before hee had stolne Wee doe not reade through the whole testament the like solemnitie in the searching out of any sinne neither yet that in any other sinne the partie suspected was compelled to subscribe vnto certeine words of execration and calling for euil against himselfe if he had offended saue onely in this tryall of adulterie whiche may both teach vs in what place of sin to set this crime of adulterie and what measure of punishment to looke for after trespasse and transgression made in this parte The punishment whiche in the olde Testament was appointed to be executed againste it by the ciuil Magistrate was death according as it is written in Leuiticus The man that committeth adulterie with another mans wife because hoe hath committed adulterie with his neighbours wife the adulterer and adulteresse shall dye the death In this commaundement is not onely adultery forbidden which is when one of the offenders is ioyned or betrouthed to another in marriage but also fornication when bothe the offenders are single persons We haue learned before that it is vsuall in the commaundements vnder one kinde of euill to forbid all that bee of affinitie with it and like in wickednesse vnto the same Fornication is forbidden in expresse wordes in Deutero There shall be no whoore of the daughters of Israel neither shall there be any whoorekeeper of the sonnes of Israel The punishment of this sinne of fornication whiche was so fearefull among the people of Israel is brought in of the Apostle Paule to bring all men to suche feare of God as may restraine them from it Neither let vs commit fornication sayeth the Apostle as some of them cōmitted fornication and sell in one day twentie three thousand The life of man beeing so precious vnto our mercifull father as it is it can be no small sinne that prouoketh the Lord to procede in iudgemēt euen to the death of twentie three thousand And therefore is this notable punishment notwithout great reason ioyned to fornication which was the cause thereof For commonly this sinne is made as nothing hauing naturall infirmitie set beside it in the vsuall speech of men to hide it withall But the holy Ghoste doeth not so matche it in his speeche he doeth not set it before our eyes in a cloake of natural infirmitie whereby we should the lesse feare it but putteth vppon it the garment that in deede belongeth vnto it euen a cloake bathed with the bloud of xxiii thousand men There is great diuersitie betweene these two cloakes the one is farre vnlike the other in the eyes of the holy Ghoste this sinne is fearefully stayned with much bloud in the sight of fornicatours there is nothing in it whiche is not naturall and kindely so diuerse are their iudgements and so great is their disagreement of their opinions The Apostle Paule reasoneth against fornicatours by the worthines of our bodies whiche are the members of Christ howe great is that abasing and howe miserable to be diuorced from Christ and coupled to an harlot d ee ye not knowe sayeth the Apostle that hee whiche coupleth himselfe with an harlot is one bodie for two saith he shal be one fleshe Moste certeine it is that the bodie of an harlot can be no member of Iesus Christe And the fornicatour by the testimonie of the apostle is become one bodie with her hauing the same coniunction with her in wickednes that the husbande hathe with his lawful wife in holinesse and by the appointment of the Lorde There is great cause therefore why the holy Ghost shoulde so earnestly persuade vs to flie fornication making
dignitie and degree of countenaunce in their apparell that most lawfully they might otherwise clayme For therefore it is called temperaunce bycause it restraineth a man of his libertie But in this our age when almost all goe as farre as they may and the most part both of men and women a great deale beyond their compasse where is this temperance and sobrietie which is so highly commended in the Scriptures the verie walles of pure life and barres of chast conuersation This may be bewayled of all men but the disease is so vniuersall as it is impossible to be cured if the lord shall not put to his mightie hand from heauen It will be sayde that it is hard to measure these indifferent things but the trueth is otherwise for the holy Ghost hath sent vs a measure and meteyard euen sham efastnesse and temperance so that when there is no moderation or temperance but that by euerie indifferent iudgement they bee as farre as their estate can giue them leaue when there is no shamefastnesse but that they dare bee bolde to goe without blushing as farre as their place or abilitie can leade them maye wee not boldely say that they haue left the Lorde his measure and therefore their attire and behauiour must of necessitie be deformed in his eyes how wel soeuer it be pleasing vnto them selues This temperaunce is to be taught the yonger sort not onely from the mouth of the elder but frō their life and conuersation that they may be kept in those means which do vphold chast behauiour and therefore the Apostle Paule chargeth Titus that he stirre vp the elder both men and women to season yong yeares therewith Although this be the dutie generally of all elder people yet is it the speciall dutie of parentes to their children by their teaching and example of life thus to instruct thē And therefore in Deuteronomie it appeareth that the woman that had offended in her fathers house the matter not beeing knowne before marriage must be stoned to death at the doore of her fathers house But and if her husband should wrongfully charge her that he found her not a mayde after triall made to the contrarie he must pay an hundred sickles of siluer to the father of the mayde The reward of her innocencie as well as the punishment of her wickednesse reaching vnto the father for she must be stoned at his doore telleth vs what dutie belongeth vnto the parents in as muche as they had their parr as well in the dishonour as honour that followed the good education of their childrē The Lorde in forbidding vs adulterie telleth vs that our nature is inclined therevnto For what neede wee to be forewarned of that which we are in no daunger of It is required that we peruse diligētly the course of our life with due consideration how our intemperancie hath vttered it selfe in any of those things which we haue nowe learned to be forbidden vs and also in diligent consideration howe prone and tickle our affections be therevnto that we may in truth come from the opinion of our selues to betake vs wholy to that perfect obedience of Iesus Christ to rest in it as that onely which can abide the iustice of the righteous God then in thankful regard of those his mercies manfully to set vpon our in temperat desires for the mortifying therof that the Lord may haue the honour of our moderate and chast conuersation Which that it may so come to passe let vs call vppon our heauenly father saying The eighth Lecture vpon the fifteenth verse Thou shalt not steale IT hath bene shewed before that our neighbour is not to be considered in his person alone but in what so euer thing is deare vnto him as goods good name and suche like and therefore that the loue which we must beare towards him may not be towardes his body alone but also towardes his goods that our dealing with them may be so vpright as may declare in deede that we doe loue the man For if any thing of his passing through out handes shall not finde fidelitie and faythfull dealing but deceitfull conueyaunce of it or some parte thereof to oure selues can it bee truely sayde wee loue the man there is no man that can so iudge of it that can I say persuade him selfe that hee is beloued of those men when nothing of his goodes commeth to their handes but it is sure to be fleeced and to pay toll before it shall depart The Lord therefore commaunding safe passage and louing dealing towardes our neighboures goodes when so euer according to the manifold necessities of euerie man to deale and communicate with an other in buying and selling or otherwise they haue occasion to passe through our handes hath forbidden stealing and all vnfaithfulnesse in their goods condemning it of want of charitie and loue towardes them selues whose goods are diminished by vs when so euer we shal haue dealing with thē And bicause we goe so closely to work and are so cunning to deceiue our selues imagining that wee loue our neighbours when in deede there is no such affection in vs the holy Ghoste is compelled as it were to trace vs and by such vnfaithful footesteps as these be to descrie vs For when we are so often taken with vntrustie dealing and vnfaythfulnesse in our neighbours goods good name and such like is there not iust cause to arest vs for not discharging this duetie of loue which is so due vnto them This vnfaythfull dealing with the goodes of our neighbour howe greatly it did displease the Lorde and with what lawes he did restraine his people of Israel from the same the statutes and orders of that gouernement can best declare from whence it shall not be amisse to take some helpe in the interpretation of this commaundement In Exodus we doe reade that if any man should steale a sheepe and kill it or sell it he should restore for that one sheepe foure but if any man should steale an oxe and after kill it or sell it hee should restore fiue oxen for that oxe The reason why he must pay more for the oxe then for the sheepe was for that his neighbours losse was greater in the want of the one then of the other as bringing more profite to the owner thereof But if they were found with the theefe aliue not solde nor killed then must hee restore but the double of the oxe asse or shepe for that his obstinacie in this euil did not appeare so greate as when hee should make sale of them and turne them into gaine For it might be while they were aliue that he being touched with repentaunce woulde restore them againe but when they were solde or killed the theefe gaue greater token of his impudencie and confirmed obstinacie and the owner also was one degree further from any likelyhoode to come by them againe If the theefe be nothing worth and so not able to make restitution then as it
our face c. But the godliest man that euer liued was neuer free from all those punishments that there are appointed for the transgressours of the lawe nor yet blessed with all those blessings in all thinges which are promised to them that keepe the lawe and therevppon we may safely conclude that the godliest man that euer liued did neuer fulfill the lawe For then surely the Lorde woulde haue stoode stedfast to his promise both to haue procured all these blessings promised vnto him and also to haue kept euerie part of those punishments from him whiche are appoynted for the transgressours of the commaundements of God. In this manner dothe the Apostle proue that righteousnesse commeth by the mercies of GOD taken holde on by faythe bycause the wrath of GOD is reuealed from heauen againste all vnrighteousnesse and vngodlinesse of men withholding the truth in vnrighteousnesse proceeding to the punishment of the Gentiles ▪ to declare what did befall them declaring also as concerning the Iewes that the name of GOD was euill spoken of for them that calamitie was in their wayes and that they had not knowne the way of peace taking his ground from the punishments that light vpon them to proue that they did holde the truth in vnrighteousnesse that their obedience did not aunswere vnto their knowledge whiche they had of GOD that they coulde clayme nothing in respect of their deedes whiche the Lorde from heauen had reproued by punishmentes brought in vppon them And therefore hee doth strengthen his former affirmation that the iust man shall liue by faythe which was his purpose to proue vnto them and vnto the whiche ende he directeth all his speache in those foure chapters In like manner the Apostle proueth to the Romanes that all men had sinne euen children that did neuer committe any actuall offence bycause death which is the punishment of sinne did take holde vpon all This one punishment therefore if there were no other may suffice to proue that no man euer did keepe the lawe bycause death whiche is a punishment for transgressing the lawe dothe seaze vpon all men of what estate degree or yeares so euer It is the reason of the Apostle in that place that bycause all had sinned therefore death came vpon all prouiding by the dealing of GOD against man in punishing of him that man had dealt against GOD in transgressing of his lawe and commaundements nay prouiding which is yet more that bicause GOD punished al men therefore euerie man hathe offended against him in transgressing his lawes and commaundementes so that there is no man that can say hee hath or doth fulfill the lawe For if it might in trueth be vttered of any man that hee were able to fulfill the lawe it might in like manner as truely bee affirmed and hoped for that the same man should neuer dye or chaunge this corruptible estate Wherefore then serueth the lawe May it stande with the righteousnesse of GOD to commaund any thing that we can not doe Or to make promises of lyfe for the keeping and obseruing of that which hee knewe assuredly wee coulde not perfourme Firste that the Lorde might righteouslye require that kynde of obedience at our handes though it were not possible for vs to perfourme it may bee proued heereby bycause we should haue had power to haue perfourmed it if wee had continued in that estate that he had lefte vs in Oure sinne therefore and weakenesse by the meane of sinne whiche is our owne offence can not nowe make that vnrighteous in GOD whiche before was righteous Our vnrighteousnesse and sinne can not make vs lesse indebted vnto GOD then before we were Is it not blasphemie to say that bycause we had offended more therefore the iustice of GOD should bee lesse then before it had beene Wee confesse it was iust before the fall of man to require all these duties at our hands bycause he had giuē vs power and abilitie to be able to performe them And can our sinne so pull in the iustice of GOD that nowe it shall no longer bee lawfull for him to keepe the same rule of equitie which he did obserue before Moreouer who can lett the Lorde who is indebted vnto no man to promise eternally lyfe vnder what deedes or couenauntes so euer seeme good vnto him Shall it be vnlawfull for a man who hath some portion of lande to sell to saye vnto a poore man who is not able to gyue halfe so muche as hee dothe offer to sell it for and as it is woorth in deede Thus muche I meane to haue for it of him who so euer shall inioy it Is it vnlawfull thus to price it bycause the pore man is not woorth so muche as will purchase it Dothe his pouertie make the lande of lesse value eyther else make it vnlawfull for him to require any thing like as the goodnesse of the ground doth deserue No man will thinke this to haue any equitie or right in it No more surely hath this other that our pouertie and want shoulde make it vnlawfull for the Lorde to esteeme the treasures of his kingdome aboue all the obedience that wee can perfourme and to set them at a greater price then this pouertie and want that wee are in shall euer bee able to reach vnto If it bee further demaunded what meaning the Lorde had in promising lyfe vnto vs for doing of that which hee knewe wee neuer coulde perfourme and bring to passe it is to bee aunswered that the Lorde did it to let vs who are so well persuaded by the nature of our owne abilitie see clearely into our pouertie and wante howe great it is that wee might haue true triall within our selues howe greatly wee are beholden vnto the free mercies of GOD in Iesus Christe When wee shall haue seene plainely by the lawe howe vnable wee are to perfourme that there is required to bee done of so many as hope for wages by reason of their woorke and that if wee will lay clayme to the mercyes of GOD for our woorkes wee remaine accurssed for euerie sinne and offence against the law committed by vs bycause it is the written sentence of the lawe that Hee is curssed that continueth not in all thinges that are written in the booke of the law to do them Then not from the bare speeche of our mouth but from the true tryall of our heart wee are sente to the mercies of GOD alone to stick wholy vnto them acknowledging all our goodnesse to proceede from thence alone and are compelled by the sense and feeling of our owne wantes made knowen vnto vs by the law to let passe all that opinion of our owne workes which we before were so well persuaded of As if some impotent and lame childe that were in deede able to doe nothing towardes the earning of his liueing beeing chargeable to his father not onely for him selfe but also for one that should giue attendaunce vnto him should in the foolish persuasion