what the hand will of God had determined before to be done to CHRIST but they considered not that but were led vnto that sinne by the malice and couetousnesse of their owne wicked and enuious hearts which were the true causes thereof So that as Saint Augustine saith In one and the selfe same thing GOD is iust and Man is most vniust because in that one thing which they doe there is not one cause for the which they do the same Here further it is to be marked that the Decrée of God in respect whereof all things are necessary doth not take away contingency which is when a thing whē it is had a cause whereby it might haue béene otherwise As the bones of Christ must be vnbroken in regard of Gods Decrée and yet they might haue béene broken in regard of their owne nature and the fréedome of the mindes of the Souldiers Neither may any thinke that hereby are frustrated deliberations prudence and vse of meanes for as God decréeth the being of things so also the meanes wherby such things shall be As in regard of Gods Decrée Lot cannot be burut in Sodome but then he must escape and hie him away out of the Citty Dauid must ouercome Goliath but then he must take his Sling with the smooth Stones with him Manasses must be saued because God hath so decréed but then he must repent and beléeue which are the meanes of saluation appointed and decréed by God Vse 1. Labour soundly to vnderstand and with all thy wit to maintaine this doctrine for to deny the Prouidence is all one as to deny God Psal 14.1 Psal 10.4.11 Psa 14.1.2 and this indéede is a maine cause of the prophanenesse of vile men Wherefore denying a fatall destiny whereby all things euen God himselfe should be tied to the nature of second causes and abhorring all conceit of fortune and méere chaunce which are words fitter for Heathens then Christians which beléeue there is a GOD let vs hold fast this Doctrine that all things whatsoeuer are gouerned by an Ocular Prouidence Psal 58.11 Heb. 11.6 Yea if any thing fall out which wee might thinke to bee by chaunce because wee see not the cause of it yet to be perswaded that so it was fore-séene and fore-appointed and decréed of GOD as that place of Numbers 35.22 compared with that of Exodus 21.13 doth most plainely shew Vse 2. This Doctrine also comforteth many wayes First if wee as we ought carefully obserue the experiences of Gods prouidence towards vs in the often vnexpected successe of our affaires we must needes both be confirmed in our Faith the more stedfastly to depend and trust on GOD and also be hereby occasioned often to giue thankes Secondly if Affliction come it teacheth that it commeth not out of the dust but by the wise and iust appointment of GOD And this breedeth patience Thirdly whereas the Church and such as feare GOD haue many enemies this teacheth that they can do nothing but as GOD pleaseth yea the very Diuels themselues can neither hurt Iob nor enter into the Swine but as they are licenced by GOD and when he pleaseth to licence either Sathan or euill Men or other Creatures to hurt his Children or Seruants he both boundeth them beyond which they cannot go and also in the end turneth all things to the best Rom. 8.28 Psal 25.10 Fourthly neglect not lawful meanes for the accomplishing of thy lawfull desires for this were to tempt GOD And yet trust not in the meanes though neuer so likely for that were to sacrifice to thy worth and to commit a kinde of Idolatry Hast thou Bread Then that is a good meanes of Nourishing But God can breake the staffe of it and make it as a stone to thee For man liueth not by bread onely but by the word of Promise annexed thereto Deut. 8.3 In the vse therefore of all meanes concerning either Corporall or Spirituall things looke vp vnto heauen and pray for a blessing or else thou watchest in vaine thou labourest in vaine Ps 127.1.2 in vaine thou vsest any meanes yea in the midst of many difficulties though thou then sée no meanes yet trust in God Gen. 22.8 for God will prouide as Abraham said Wherefore go on cheerefully in thy calling seruing God and casting thy care vpon him Psal 55.22 1. Pet. 5.7 for hée careth for thée Nay commit thy very Soule vnto him in wel-doing as vnto a most faithfull Creatour For if God cloatheth the Grasse 1. Pet. 4.19 regardeth a Sparrow and numbreth thy superfluities euen the haires of thy head how much more will hée kéepe and prouide for thy Soule if thou fearest and obeyest him I say Him who regardeth all as one and one as if hée were alone who is neither detained about the care of one nor distracted about the care of more to whom nothing is hard because Almighty nor multitude of businesse can ouerwhelme because infinitely Wise to whom bée praise for euer Amen Thus much of the generall workes by which God is described Creation and Prouidence which extend to all things Now of the more Speciall which concerne the Church which are Redemption Sanctification Quest You said that God is the Redeemer of his Church What is Redemption Ans Redemption is a worke of God whereby hee hath fully deliuered his Elect from sinne the curse of the Law Eternall Death and the power of the Deuill 1. Cor. 1.30 Col. 1.14 Tit. 2.14 by IEVS CHRIST to the praise and glory of his Name Expl. The deliuery of Mankind from sinne and death is significantly by the Holy Ghost called Redemption which signifieth a purchasing or buying againe or a Ransoming at a price as life for life of them which are in bondage Therefore is Christ called a Price Mat. 20.28 1. Tim. 2.6 Act. 20.28 a Counter-ransome The Flocke of Christ is said to bee purchased with Gods owne Bloud and Yee are bought with a price 1. Cor. 6.20 We were in bondage euen to the very Diuell of hell the great enemy of Mankind and therefore vngodly men and women 2. Tim. 2.26 are said to bee taken aliue in the snare of the Deuill at his will Also wee were in bondage to sinne the curse of the Law and to eternall condemnation from all which Christ hath deliuered vs Heb. 2.14 Gal. 3.13 Tit. 2.14 by a Price euen Himselfe But heere we must know that Christ ransoming vs out of the clawes of the deuill by a Price paies not this Price to the deuill but to God who deliuers sinners to the deuill as to his executioner to bee tormented And when this worke of Redemption is spoken onely of taking vs from sathan it noteth that wée are deliuered by power and force not by a price Therefore in the Gospell Christ in comparison of Sathan is called the Stronger who ouer-commeth him and diuideth his spoiles Luk. 11.22 Col. 1.13 Wée are said to bée
particulars contained in it Sixtly None can dispence against this Law but God onely either in whole or in part Vse 1. First we are to praise God for giuing the Law without the which wee could neuer attaine to the knowledge of sinne and so of our wretchednes thereby for by the Law comes the knowledge of sinne Of the which Rom. 3.20.7.7.8 so long as wee are ignorant we neuer séeke for remedy by Iesus Christ euen as that man neuer séekes the Physition which knoweth not that he is sicke Many thinke aswell of themselues as the Pharise till the Law come and then they appeare as blacke as hell Therefore when the pride of thine heart discouereth it selfe by any vaine conceit of thy owne worthinesse Looke thy selfe in the true glasse of the law that thou maist be humbled Vse 2. With all reuerence heare and with all care obey this Law for if the gining of it were so terrible how terrible shall the reuenging of the transgressions thereof be thinke you Vse 3. From the number of the Precepts being tenne we may profitably remember that as they are not many but few not confused but orderly and distinct not long and tedious but excéeding short that we should in no wise be ignorant of them the Lord hauing framed them so that they may be carried in minde as readily as the number of our fingers and toes Vse 4. In asmuch as the Lord forbiddeth all transgressions vnder the names of the greatest sinnes of that kinde as all oppression vnder the name of Murther all deceit vnder the name of Theft c. We are carefully to auoyde all euen the least sinnes euen sinfull thoughts for whatsoeuer we thinke no sinne is little but in the account of God euen vniust anger is murder Extenuate not therefore nor minse thy sinnes saying Oh this is a trifle I would no body did doe worse I hope I am neither whoore nor thiefe c. for all vnchaste and wanton lookes speaches c. is whoredome all couetousnesse deceit and griping in bargaining c. is theft in the sight of God But rather be humbled for them by true repentance that they may be forgiuen For the least euill thought shall damne a man without Christ according to the tenour of this law Gal. 3.10 Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things written in the Law to doe them Quest But is not this Morall Lawe abrogated by Christ Ans Not as it is a rule of our life for so it is eternall not to be abolished eyther heere or in the life to come Math. 5.17 18. but in regard of the appurtenances of it as the Threatnings and Curse Rom. 6.15 and 7.6 Galat. 3.13 and 4.5 and the seuere exaction of obedience in our persons vnto Iustification it is abolished to the children of God Explic. There are thrée voyces of the law The first is Thou shalt doe this and auoyde that This is neuer to be at an end but the law this way as it is a doctrine commaunding good and forbidding euill shall by vs be most perfectly fulfilled in heauen where we shall most perfectly loue God and our neighbour which is the whole law and Saint Paul saith 1. Cor. 13.8 That loue neuer is to be abolished The 2d voice of the lawis if thou dost this in thine own person thou shalt liue The third If thou doest it not or doest the coutrary thou arte accursed Now the Morall law is abrogated and the mouth thereof stopped to the children of God in these two last respects The Gospel teaching life and saluation by another which is Christ who also hath for vs and in our stead borne the curse of the law but of the vngodly the law still exacteth their personall obedience and thundreth out the plagues and iudgements of God against them for the want thereof Vse 1. Christ hath purchased thée liberty but not of the flesh that thou shouldest liue as thou list without a law but onely from the necessity of Iustification by the law and from the curse thereof But to the obedience thou art bound to doe thy vtmost endeuour more then before euen for the Redemption sake which thou hast obtained c. Vse 2. Hereby also we perceiue that Redemption from the Law is a benefite not to be valued by Gold Wée feare sathan and sinne as wée haue great cause But neither sathan without sinne nor sinne without the Law can any way harme vs for the sting of death is sinne 1. Cor. 15.55 and the strength of sinne is the Law Whether the Law require perfect obedience in our owne persons or threaten damnation for the least disobedience the voyce of it is more vnpleasant then the croking of the Frogs and Toads in Egypt more terrible then the noyse of thunder yea then the roaring of the deuils For euen the Iustest men how much more the wicked and profane euen the Iustest men I say are guilty of many sins and if there be no meanes to quiet the Law they must néeds bée subiect to the terrours of an accusing Conscience in this life which are the very flashings of hel-fire alas who can beare them and bee euerlastingly damned in the world to come And besides in as much as the Law requireth perfect obedience of parts and degrees euen to a haires bredth What peace can the best man or woman in the world haue in any thing they do for they must néeds méete with the curse euen in their best actions in as much as the best are imperfect and that which is imperfect is cursed by the Law No maruell then that the Papists and our Ignorants so do vpon the Law séeking to be iustified thereby Surely if there were no other way to Iustification but by the Law we should all be damned but there is another way which is the obedience of I ESUS CHRIST apprehended by faith c. Vse 3. If thou comfortably seekest the benefite of Redemption from the Law in thy conscience labour to preserue it by Faith Obedience Repentance Prayer and other holy exercises and carefully beware of all sinne least thou come within the dynt of the Law for sinne subiects vs vnto it as therefore the burnt child dreads the fire and euen the Bird that hath bene once shaken in the Net is not easily taken againe so if thou beest free keepe thy selfe so Sinne bringeth into bondage As therefore wee reade how the Romanes in detestation of the name of proud Tarquine who tyrannized ouer them banished a good Cittizen onely because h ehad that name euen so if thou truely knowest what a precious thing thy Redemption is it will make thee hate the very mention much more the practise of sinne which frustrateth the same c. Quest What is then the vse of the Law Ans The vse of the Law is three-fold First to restraine corruption from breaking forth into externall transgression Gal. 3.19 Rom. 7.7.8.9.10.11 Ezech. 20.19
also best stoppeth the mouth of Reprobates and taketh away all reasoning from them as was said when they must acknowledge that there was matter in them 〈◊〉 reprobation by the fall of Adam So doth this best set forth the rich grace of God to the Elect the vessels of Mercy then they shall consider that there was 〈◊〉 in them deseruing Reprobation And me thinkes when I consider that 〈◊〉 are elected in Christ it must néedes follow that they are to be considered salin for Christ presupposeth sinne which Christ was to satisfie for the elect For the second Proposition that God considered not man good is plaine because all promises of Gods eternal fauour both before the fall and after the same are made in the Scriptures to them which are good either by Creation or Regeneration and which continue in the same To conclude Election and Reprobation may be considered eyther absolutely as that God elected or reprobated these or that he elected or reprobated these and not these If you aske why God elected these I answer that his sole will without any the least respect in the Creature was the cause of it If you aske why God elected these and not those as Iacob and not Esau I answere after the same manner If you aske why God reprobateth these rather then these I answer as before that there is no cause thereof in the Creature but onely in him which is his will If also you shall aske why did God reprobate these I answere that his will also is the onely cause thereof in this sense namely that it was in Gods frée power notwithstanding sinne to elect or not elect to reprobate or not reprobate For God was not compelled by the sinne he considered in man to reprobate him for he might haue elected the same man in Iesus Christ if he had pleased And yet this we adde that in reprobation of these God had respect to mans sinne not actuall infidelity or sinne but originall not as a principall efficient or as a cause first moouing for God might haue not reprobated if he had so pleased but as a cause deseruing reprobatiō or as a necessary condition in the obiect without which GOD will not reprobate any For neither doth God in time deny his grace to any but to those who deserue to be denied neither decrées he before time to deny it but vnto such And whereas some will say An vniuersall cause bringeth forth an vniuersall effect If then sinne be vniuersall why is not Reprobation I answer that an vniuersall cause bringeth forth such effect actually if it be not hindered by a superiour ouer-ruling cause And so I yéelde that it is the natrue of sinne to depriue all of Grace and Glorie Rom. 3.23 and would haue this effect vpon all mankind if God should shew no mercy and the reason it hath not is because God is pleased out of his botomlesse mercie to accept of some and to elect them in Christ Vse 1. Beware of searching too farre into this déepe without the light of the Word The plaine way is the safest and in as much as the Scripture hath more sparingly spoken of Reprobation then Election Doe thou labour more to make thy election sure vpon good grounds then to conceiue euery quiddity of men concerning Reprobation Vse 2. If thou findest vpon good grounds that thou arte elected for euer acknowledge the rich mercy of God vnto thée who wert déepe enough in Adams transgression to be damned if God had not of his frée loue discerned thée therefore let it bind thée to all humilitie séeing thou hast receiued all and all thankefulnesse to him that hath shewed thée such mercy Vse 3. Beware of that damnable speach of profane men who say If I be predestinated and Gods decrée must take effect then I may doe what I will for if I be appointed to saluation I shall be saued and if to damnation I shall be damned whatsoeuer I doe Which is all one as if one should say God hath decréed that I shall liue or die If he hath appoynted life I shall liue though I eate not at all or though I eate poyson if he hath appoynted death t is not eating or not eating will saue me therefore I will either not eate at all or I will eate poison then which collection there can bee nothing more sottish If a man be reprobate he shall certainly be damned doe what he can T is most true But yet remember such an one can nay will doe nothing but that which shall more and more bring his damnation vpon him For the horrible disease of finne not being healed by Christ as it is only in the Elect must néeds bring forth fruit vnto death Indéed if a Reprobate had power to doe good and to repent and yet for all that and doing so he should be damned by the necessitie of Gods will there might be some colour but to reprobate is to be left in originall sinne which is the fountaine of all transgressions and the persons so left are iustly so left because they are left guilty in Adam and can do no good vnlesse God did giue them new grace which he is not bound to doe and they haue deserued not to receiue Likewise if a man be elected hee must néedes be saued not that God hath elected to saue any absolutely without grace but whomsoeuer he hath elected to saue he hath elected also to beléeue and repent that they may be capable thereof For God did as well decrée the meanes whereby we should be saued as that we should be saued which meanes are the merite of Christ effectuall calling Iustification Faith Repentance c. which whosoeuer attaineth may certainely conclude that he is elected and shall be saued as he that wanteth them to the end may certainely conclude that he shall not be saued and therefore neuer was elected Wherefore by the workes of Sanctification make thy Election sure as Peter aduiseth thée 2. Pet. 1.10 Phil. 2.12 c. And make an end of thy Saluation with feare and trembling as Paul councelleth thée Qu. Are then all which are in the Church of God on Earth predestinated to life eternall and effectually sanctified Ans No onely those are predestinated to life Mat. 13.24 25. Mat. 22.10 and effectualy sanctified which are of th'inuisible church many are in the visible which are hypocrites and profane Quest Are there then two Churches one which can not be seene and an other visible which may be seene Ans No there is but one Church which in diuers respects is said to be Inuisible or Visible Mat. 22.18 Rom. 2.28 29. 9.7 Expli Whosoeuer are of the Inuisible Church are holy not all that are of the visible Church which two tearmes of Visible Inuisible are in diuers respects giuen to the Church which is but one euen as if you should say the same man to be inuisible in regard of his soule and visible in regard
as other beasts nor clad in apparrell as now but of a soft smooth skinne and naked yet they were not subiect to the iniuries of the wether as raine wind heat cold c. They were not ashamed Not as though any vndecent thing were spoken of them as now he is accounted a beast that is not ashamed of his nakednesse but first to shew that inwardly in their mindes did shine the Image of God that is Innocencie sanctity and Integritie c. in which if they had continued they should not haue néeded their figge-leaues nor any apparell Secōdly that outwardly in their bodies there was excéeding beautie and perfection of all parts so that there was no vncomelinesse no not in those members which after sinne natural shame for their deformity and vnséemlinesse teacheth vs to couer Thirdly that in the inferiour parts of the minde and body there was no inordinat motion or appetite all members of the body and inferiour desires being ruled and gouerned by the Inward grace of the minde So that if wée meditate of these things we can not but conceiue that the happinesse of our first parents was very great Now we are to consider of the conditions on which this happinesse did stand for they were created thus but mutable and changeable this state to continue and in the end to be translated to a celestiall life Ge. 2.16.17 if they kept the Commaundement of God otherwise not The Commandement was about one of the Trées which were in the middest of the Garden namely the Tree of Knowledge of good and euill which was so called not of the effect as though it had a quality to sharpen the wit but of the euent being a Sacrament of triall and admonition to them that if they did eate of it then they should haue wofull experience of the good they had lost and of the euil they had gotten they hauing before a speculatiue knowlege but not a practical experience hereof The other trée was called the trée of Life both because it had a power or vertue to preserue life and health and also more principally because it was to our first parents a Sacrament of the continuance of their life in Paradise and after of their translating vnto a heauenly life if they continued in obedience The Commaundement concerning the Trée of Knowledge contained a Prohibition which was this Verse 17. Of the Tree of knowledge of good and euil thou shalt not eate This Commaundement God inforceth by two reasons The first from the liberty God gaue them to all the rest of the Trées of the Garden Therefore he might wel abstaine from this one Verse 16. The other reason from the danger ensuing if he did eate Thou shalt die the death Verse 17. that is Thou shalt certainely die temporally here in the seperation of the soule from the body and spiritually in loosing the graces before spoken of and eternally in the seperation of Body and Soule from God This was mans happinesse and it stoode on this condition if he obserued the Positiue Lawe giuen him of God Vse 1. Death to speake properly is not naturall namely according to the nature of man in his Creation Rom. 5.12 but against nature comming in by sinne Adam being created to immortality that is in such an estate that if he had neuer sinned he should neuer haue died For although Adams body was mortall in it selfe could die yet it had a power not to die through the gift of the Creator namely if he continued in his integrity So Adam in his state of innocencie was both mortal and immortal in diuers respects Immortall hauing not an impossibilitie of dying but a possibilitiy of not dying which possibility he lost by his sinne and instead thereof receiued a necessitie of dying Thou shalt die the death Hée was mortall not because he should haue actually died if he had not sinned but because if he sinned it was possible hée should or hée might die Death then commeth not from Nature but from Sinne. Vse 2. The remembrance of this happinesse of our first parents which they lost to themselues and to vs by their fall should moue vs euen with teares of bloud if it were possible to bewaile our present misery in which we are which is 〈◊〉 farre from that happinesse as the Earth nay as Hell is from Heauen Then Man was the Cedar of Paradise the Picture of Heauen the Glory of the Earth the Ruler of the World and Gods owne delight But now he is the Fire-brand of Hell the Picture of the Diuell more base then the basest creatures on the earth clothed with no lesse dishonour and shame then he was before crowned with honour and glory Not onely as Nebuchadnezzar trans-formed into a beast but being made of the Temple of God a Cage of vncleane Spirits yea the very habitation of the Diuell Wherefore let vs all take vp a grieuous lamentation when we looke backe to our first glory and to Paradise our antient right And if there be any sparke of Heauenly courage wisedme in our breasts let vs endeuour to recouer that by Christ which we haue lost in Adam Nay God offers in his beloued Sonne more glory better happinesse let vs not be so besotted as to suffer Sathan to deceiue and depriue vs of the Recouery of Gods fauour by our continuance in sinne which first he made vs loose by committing sinne c. Vse 3. Man in Paradise in the time of his Innocency might not be idle nor without a positiue law for obedience so that neither lobour in dressing the Garden nor to be tyed to speciall duty by the law was any impeachment of his happinesse Those therefore which place any pleasure or happines in idlenes or in desiring to liue as they list and to be lawlesse do excéedingly manifest the vile corruption of their hearts for idlenesse and lawlesse liberty was not permitted to Adam in Paradise Q. I something conceiue the happinesse of man in his creation and the conditions of the same Now I pray you shew me what was the manner of his fall Ans The fall of our first parents was their voluntary transgression of the commandement of God in eating of the fruit of the forbidden tree caused by the subtill malice of the Diuell and their owne infidelitie Gen. 3. through the whole chapter Expli Out of the third chapter of Genesis which is called of some The Patriarkes Catechisme we are taught of the fall and sin of man of the anger of God of the punishment of sinne and of the beginning of mans misery vnto the which he was not created but into the which he fell by the iustice of God through his sinne points hidden from the wise and reuealed by the word by which we come to know the cause of all the miseries which follow our nature which miseries the Philosophers saw and confessed but the wisest of them could neuer conceiue the cause thereof
Psal 19. 119. Secondly to discouer make worse and condemne sinne Thirdly to instruct vs in the true worship of God and to rule our liues Expl. If a man know not the vse of that which he possesseth or haue a Iewell and know not what it is good for it is vnprofitable to him So the Law is good to him which knoweth how to vse it 1. Tim. 1.8 And a man may so vse it that it may bee most hurtfull vnto him as namely if he seeke Iustification by it which is onely by faith in Christ It may not be vsed as a healing Plaister for it hath no such nature but as a Corrasiue that the dead flesh of our proud hearts being eaten out by the sharpenesse of the Law we may be fit to be healed by the Bloud of Christ First therefore the Law serues by the threates of it to restraine vs from sinne and to keep and containe vs in obedience and this is the vse which the Pharisies and Hypocrites make onely of it being indeed proper to the vnregenerate and therefore also dealing with the beleeuers so farre as they are vnregenerate For otherwise as they are spirituall they are a Law to themselues and the Law not put for them they doing of themselues by the guift of Sanctification willingly that which the Law enioynes vnder the penalty of the curse and would also do it though the Law threatned not Euen as a mother loues her child of her olune accord though the Law also require the same Secondly it serues to discouer sinne and to prouoke it and to damne it The first and last of these three being naturall to the Law the second the effect of the law not of it selfe but through our corrupt nature which takes occasion by the Law which is good and forbids euill to bée the worse Now in these respects the Law is said to worke anger Rom. 4.15 1. Cor. 3.7 and to be the ministery of death Thirdly the Law serues for a doctrine to instruct vs not what to do to be iustified but to shew vs wherein stands our duty to God and man and what to do to shew our selues thankefull for our Iustification by Iesus Christ Vse 1. Héere we may take knowledge of the vilenesse of our Nature which is the worse for that for which it should bée the better turning that into death which was ordained for life For euen as a corrupt stomacke turnes good meate into the nature of the disease so till grace come by Christ wée are the worse for the Law longing after that which is forbidden Euen as there was but one Trée forbidden and that must Eue haue or none So is it with vs our corruption iudging stollen waters swéeter then those of our Fountaine For as a Riuer when the course of it is stopt it riseth and swels against the impediment So doth our vile nature against the Law being so much the more euill by how much the more the Law commands vs to be good This should serue excéedingly to humble vs and to séeke for the renouation of the Spirit that wée may loue the Law and obey it For heere is the weakenesse of the Law it shewes that which is good but giues no power to do it But the Gospell teaching vs better then the Law learnes vs ouer the same lesson againe and giues power also to do the same Vse 2. Héere also we sée how necessary the Preaching of the Law is to prepare men for Christ though it haue no skill or power to apply him Euen as the Néedle is necessary to make a way for the thred whereby the rent is sowne vp though it bée the thrid that fastheth the péece together not the Néedle and without the Néedle the Thrid cannot do it Euen so it is the Gospell which blesseth the Conscience with Peace but first the Law must make way for the same For euen as the Land is not fit to receiue the Séede till it bee torne vp with the Plough So neither are wée fit to receiue Grace vnto Life till we being humbled by the Law be made to sée what néede we haue of a Redéemer Of this vse of the Law wée haue example in Dauid 2. Sam. 12.1.15 Act. 2.37 Examine then how thou camest by the perswasion thou hast of grace by Christ if thou wert neuer vnder the hammer of the law and bruised by it thou art not healed by Christ but if thou camest by thy comfort this way after an vnfeigned humiliation by the law and now thou endeuourest and hast respect to all the commandements thereof then thou mayest haue assurance of the goodnesse of thy estate otherwise thou mayest iustly doubt of it Q. Can you perfectly keepe the law Ans I confesse that no man liuing is able to performe that perfect obedience which the law requireth Iames 3.2 Psa 143.2 Expl. Adam in his innocency was able to haue performed perfect obedience to the law both in regard of perfection of parts and also of degrées which in the state of corruption is impossible euen to the regenerate in their owne persons in this life though in the life to come they shall most perfectly fulfill the same in their owne persons when the Image of CHRIST shall perfectly be renewed in them Now if any should say that it is vnméet to thinke that God should punish for the breach of that law which is impossible to be kept It is answered that the law was possible to man as God made him though it be vnpossible as man made himselfe As iustly then as a man may require his debt of him who through his owne vnthriftinesse hath made himselfe vnable to pay it Euen so may God most iustly require that of vs vnto the which he did inable vs though we wantonly haue dis-inabled our selues Wherfore if at any time we read that the Saints are said to be perfect and to kéepe the law it is not to be vnderstood of perfection or obedience legally taken according to the strict rigor of the law but Euangellically or according to the mitigation of the Gospell which is first when the party obeying is in Christ in whom all our imperfections are expiated and our spirituall sacrifices accepted 1. Pet. 2.5 Secondly when the heart is vpright and sincerely affected to all the Commandements of GOD. Thirdly in comparison of others as Noah a perfect and iust man not simply but in his generation as Iudah cals Thamar more righteous though sinfull enough Fourthly when we aime at perfection the Lord in mercy accounting vs not as we are according to the strict rule of his iustice but as we would be through the worke of his Spirit in our hearts If any shall obiect that the workes of the Saints are the workes of the Spirit therefore perfect It is safely answered that if they were the workes of the Spirit alone it were true but they are so the workes of the Spirit that they are our workes