and that not onely as in regard of seuerall senses of the same but also touching the very words themselues some supposing them to be maruellous easie and plaine othersome taking them to be wonderfull intricat darke and hard Of a truth freely to speake my mind in this behalfe what I thinke there is not to me any place specially in the bookes of the new testament I except alwayes many things in the Reuelation of S. Iohn more darke and difficult and that not so much by reason of it selfe either as in regard of the words wherin it is expressed or the matter therein contained though I denye not but that both those waies it is very hard as partly by those corrupt gloses that some haue made vppon it and partly also by such curious questions as othersome haue moued out of it and lastly by such vnresolute resolute conclusions as many fantasticall men haue laboured to raise and gather out of the same All which or any of which almost if a man should stand either to rehearse answere or confute it woulde be both tedious and vnprofitable also Neyther vtter I this wyth a dispitefull heart to twite men for their corruption and sins or with the iust dispraise of some to purchase an vniust commendation to my selfe or in declaring the hardnes of the word to hunt after worldly praise in the curious handling thereof vices foule faults that are too rife and common in the world nowadayes but rather dutifully to stir vp my selfe and all the faithful of God not only in this but in al such like places whatsoeuer to attaine and that with vnwearied labour and studie to the sound and sincere meaning thereof Wherevnto bicause we are altogither vnfit aswel by reason of the natural blindnes that is in vs before regeneration as of the remainders of our corruption euen after some measure of light and knowledge receiued we know that without some special grace from God we can neuer reach thereto that therfore we should be earnest with the Lord by prayer not onely by the bright beames of his blessed spirit to chase away the darknes and dulnes of our owne vnderstandings but euen to induce vs after a sort as it were with extraordinary iudgment and wisedome of heart and vtterance of mouth and words in as much as the places which we deal with are more than ordinarily or commonly heard The want or neglect of which duty maketh many of vs the Lord be mercifull vnto vs in the forgiuenes of all our sins to haue the worde when it is read and taught vnto vs Isai 29.11 to be as it were the wordes of a booke that is sealed vp and when we come to handle it wee deale with it vnreuerently as in regard of God and vnrightly as in regard of it self and coldly and carelesly as in respect of our selues vnfruitfully altogither and vnprofitably as in consideration of the people so that a man may safly say that without offence either of god or good men I assure you the more is the pity that there is little difference betweene some of our sermons and the bare reading of the ignorant ministers But to the matter it selfe in the diducting laying out wherof we wil keep this course as first propound the Apostle his general drift purpose as it were then afterwards come more particularly to handle the very words in order as they lie deliuering the sense obseruing such doctrines out of the same as it shal please god to make manifest vnto vs. The apostle Rom. 8. doth most fruitfully intreat of many notable points namely amongst the rest of such assured testimonies both outward inward as god hath bin plesed to giue to his faithful people for the certainty of their election that eternal life of theyrs that God hath in Christ laid vp for them with himselfe before the foundations of the worlde were laid The outward witnes therof are the infallible fruits of sanctificatiō that god frameth vs vnto by his word outwardly the powerfull working of his holy spirit inwardly The inward witnes is that same vndeceuable record of the spirit 2. Cor. 1.22 Ephes 4.30 that God hath giuen into our harts by vvhich vve are sealed vp to euerlasting life against the day of our redemption he declaring yet further that through Gods meere grace towardes vs in Christ onelie wee are become Rom. 8. not Gods seruaunts alone but his sonnes and not his sonnes onelie but heires also and not onelie his heires but euen fellovv-heirs togither vvith our sauiour Christ so that we are sure we shall enioye the selfe-same eternall blessednes in heauen Iohn 4.2 3. that he now doth VVhither he is gone before hand to prepare a place for vs and to take possession of it to our vse and behalfe that where he is as the head we might also be as the members Great graces certainly if either wee consider our owne wretchednes on the one side or the person of the giuer on the other side or the excellencie of the things bestowed vpon vs in the third place wee the most miserable and wretched of all his creatures excepting alwayes the diuels and damned spirites not so much as in regard of our creation for that way foorth we are the chefest of all his workes but as in respect of transgression and sinne which hath pulled all manner of iudgement both vppon our selues and the rest of the creatures for our sinnes sake Neither doth this circumstance of our own basenesse and vnworthinesse extoll the excellencie and worthinesse of the gift but his person also that hath bestowed the same vpon vs Psalm 50.1 1. Tim 6.15 who being God of gods and King of kings hauing all power in his own hand with the least blast of his mouth to ouerwhelme vs wyth all manner of iudgements hath beene pleased notwithstanding rather to manifest in vs the riches of his infinite grace in the sauing of our soules than otherwise to declare against vs the testimonies and tokens of his wrath to eternall condemnation Yea the very excellencie of that life it selfe dooth serue to the woonderfull commendation of that his vnspeakable goodnes towards vs it being so farre passing all the things of this life though otherwise neuer so glorious and glittering that they are not in deede and trueth so much as a shadowe of the good things to come Nay which is more man Psalm 8.5 6 the lorde of all though the thoughts of his hart may be extended very far nay I wil say more godly men though in the meditations of their minde they comprise great and excellent thinges yet can they neuer attaine in this life to the exquisitnes and excellencie thereof God hauing reserued that rather for the dayes and times of a better state and condition And all these things before recited are plainely affirmed and prooued also euen from the very beginning of this eight chapter vntill
it were and beating againe and that al to peeces the sweete perfumes that so we may haue all our senses seized and wholie taken vp not only with the wholesome but with the most pleasant and delightfull smell thereof I meane spiritually that is to say that so wee may come at the length to the full meaning thereof and to the fitte obseruation of such profitable doctrines as do arise and may rightly be gathered out of the same Vers 18 For I count c. The very word wherewith the apostle beginneth this verse being a particle causall as wee vse to say doth sufficiently proue that it is a reason of the premisses or things before going of which bicause we haue spoken sufficient already wee shall not nowe neede to stand much vpon it here And when the Apostle saith I hee meaneth it not of himselfe onely for it is the common iudgement and beleefe of all the faithfull and the whole church of God also who being inlightned by the same spirite either be of that minde togither wyth him or should so be bicause in this point he speaketh not by his own light but according to the truth and power of the spirit Neither yet doth he speake it of himselfe as of a natural man for the thing that he vttreth is far beyond nature yea altogither contrary to the same for what worldly wise naturall minded man can either see in afflictions the glory that the sons and seruants of God behold and fal in the same or else can oppose the incomprehensible ioys of eternall life against those exceeding hardnesses and great distresses They rather suppose all thinges to be directed by secondarie causes or to speake as they themselues say by the course of nature or direction of fortune who indeede are so far off from perceiuing these heauenly ioys and comforts that they are carried away with conceits eyther to vse vnlawfull meanes to free them from afflictions or else fearfully fall into all muttering and repining against God or to all impaciencie before men the reason is bicause they are not acquainted with the comforts of Gods children nor haue no feeling of the ioys of the life that is to come Alas alas they knowe not indeede what either the one or the other meaneth 1. Cor. 2.14 for these things are spirituall but they themselues are carnall sold vnder sin and therefore vnmeete to discerne of the same Rom. 7.14 bicause they must be spiritually iudged Out of all which laide togither wee may learne sundry good lessons as first that howsoeuer we do either for the expressing of our own feelings or the better fructifieng of the word in the hearts of those to whom it is directed speake particularlie of our selues or as it might seeme in our owne names yet that we neuer swarue from that trueth of doctrine that is commended vnro vs in the word written is sealed vp in our harts by the pledge of the spirit and is approoued by the common consent of the church of God The neglect of this specially whilest men go about to magnifie their owne persons and opinions hath beene the meane heretofore of many heresies sects and errors in the church of God and may bring foorth the same bitter fruits hereafter except it pleased God to giue men better grace to looke vnto themselues Secondly it teacheth vs that so soone as God beginneth to lay vpon vs his rods and crosses of trial that then we should learne not only in the spirit of patience comfort to submit our selues vnder his mighty hand but with alferuency of praier to craue the clearing of our vnderstanding Iames 1.5 and all holy vvisdome also as S. Iames calleth it that we may both see his ways in his works learne to espie out and feel the consolations and comforts that he hath prouided for vs that so wee sincke not downe vnder the burthen of our calamities but be raised vp rather to al feeling hope A point that we had neede to striue vnto by al holy meanes possible aswell by reason of the blindnes blockishnes of our own nature and the diffidence and distrust of our own hearts as also bicause of Satans continuall malice who laboureth at all times but specially in the days of our greatest heauinesse our most fearefull destruction And whereas the apostle saith I count he meaneth that he commeth with an vpright iudgement in an euen pair of balance scales as it wer hauing rightly religiosly examined resons on both sides and gathering all into a iust summe to weigh the troubles of this worlde and the ioies of heauen togither not dealing therein as either the worldlie man doth who regardeth nothing but his miseries and afflictions by meanes whereof he becommeth not onely impacient and waiward but past all hope of admitting comfort and consolation nor playing the part of the prophane and insensible Stoiks who againe on the other side by reason of their beastlie blockishnes that they get vnto themselues hauing both their soules and bodies benummed as it were are no whit at all touched with the sense of the same nor yet being so rapt and rauished with these eternall ioyes that they vtterly forget or feele not at all the miseries and afflictions of this life a matter that the contemplatiue persons in their traunces dreames and reuelations make the height and top of all perfection in this world but as wise physitions yea as good christians intermingling sweet things and sowre things togither and comparing one of them so with an other that as they see in their afflictions an euident patterne of the miserie mortalitie of their own liues and a plaine proofe of the iustice and iudgement of God against sinne so they make the same a profitable meane to themselues not onely in a christian and comfortable death but in an holy life also so long as GOD will haue them to liue vppon the face of the earth to meete wyth the Lorde and to glorify his most blessed name And this doth teach vs vprightly to weigh and to examine as all things generally so specially and particularly spirituall points Which indeede by reason that they be more excellent than bodilie matters and in that respect also in their owne nature more remooued from our comprehension than the rest had therefore neede most deepelie to be looked into for though by the line and light of our reason we may be somewhat holpen to wade into worldly things yet in matters of faith and religion we cannot not only not perse any thing at all by the light sight of our owne vnderstanding but shall be much hurt and hindered thereby from the same if wee yeelde to followe it yea many times euen in the things of this life wee are so blockish deuoide of iudgement that what by reason of colours cast vppon worldlie thinges and what by the blindnesse and ignorance of our owne heart on the one side and the parcialitie that
hath quite and cleane altered vs can any manner of way further vs but hinder vs rather 1. Cor. 2.14 bicause the naturall man as the Apostle telleth vs perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God Rom. 8.7 And againe in an other place That the vvisedome of the flesh meaning thereby whatsoeuer is most excellent in it as of it selfe is enmitie against God for it is not subiect to the lavve of God neither indeede can be And therefore good reason haue we why we should refuse these dotages conceits Now then to conclude this controuersie if neither our workes before regeneration nor after regeneration are able to purchase any good thing from God as wee haue alreadie sufficiently proued the same and wee haue no workes at all but they must of necessitie be comprised vnder the one or the other number of this diuision then it plainely and truely followeth heerevpon that no deedes of ours whatsoeuer doe or can merite or deserue any good thing at Gods handes much lesse eternall life the chiefest good of all and by consequent also that these popish distinctions are both blinde and blasphemous Nether are these things spoken as to cracke the credit of the good workes that God inableth his children to do for what are we miserable wretches that we should debase or deface his graces in our selues or others or to discorage men from the performance of the same whom we ought and that by the warrāt of the word christian charitie Hebr. 3.13 to draw on by al means possible to the dooing of them but rather to teach vs willingly to take shame and confusion of face vpon our selues by reason of the imperfectiō defects that cleueth to our good deeds that so God in our debasing may receiue all glorie of goodnes to whom indeed alone it belongeth yea and so to profit by these our wants weaknesses that it may appeare both to our selues and others that we haue not receiued the truth of this doctrine in vaine but referred it to the right endes the Lorde vsing it not onely as a notable meane to humble vs before him in whose sight all flesh must stoupe and be abased how righteous innocent soeuer they seeme to be before men but also to cause vs with more speede and earnestnes to looke vp to Christ and to repaire to him that is the only meane to cure our transgressions to couer al our imperfections whatsoeuer which of a truth none perform that any maner of way how little or much soeuer it be will plead merit or desert in Gods sight setting vp notwithstanding before vs Hebr. 6.1 Perfection as a butte or marke to aime at though we cannot hit it or attaine to it in this life making notwithstanding our care and conscience to appeare in a lawful striuing toward it as much as we may alwayes assuring our selues of this that God continually accepteth those that are his in his welbeloued son their onely sauior Christ According to that they haue 2. Cor. 8.12 and not according to that they haue not And let this suffice for a iust confutation of their conceit or dotage of deserts Nowe we come to our Rhemists and their assertions al that they say being of trueth scarse worth the answering neither indeed neede we to trauell in it were it not least they should waxe insolent in the fond imaginations of their hearts or should thorow their owne corruption cary men headlong thorow the blindnesse of their vnderstandings to error and heresie They tell vs in their notes here that we dare not much aduouch that Christs passiōs be not meritorious of his glorie To which we answere that what we dare aduouch concerning Christs passions they doe not well knowe bicause they will not or dare not be acquainted with our doctrine and writings absenting themselues from our publike assemblies and forbidding all of their faction some fewe onlie excepted to read our works If wee dare not much aduouch Christs sufferings not to be meritorious is there anie maruell sith it is a doctrine neuer propounded in the word nor deliuered by the fathers of right faith and religion Papistes thinke that all assertions are to be reiected that are not warranted either by the scriptures or by the consent and authoritie of reuerend antiquitie And why may not we then vppon the same groundes refuse this conclusion sith it hath not for it such proppes and foundations And if wee dare not aduouch much against the merites of Christs sufferings as they say why do they here and else-where in many places labour largely to confute that that is so fearfully affirmed and namely Philip. 2. where they say that we wickedly and vnlearnedly deny Christ to haue deserued for himselfe Belike our doctrine hath bitten them by the heart or else they woulde not make so long and often Apologies in so bad desparate causes Surely one of these two must of necessitie follow either that in vaine imaginations they doe fight against their owne shadowes a point of extreame follie specially if wee dare not or do not affirme that which they say we holde or else vtter grosse contradictions in themselues who in other places as before charge vs wickedly vnlearnedly to defend the same that they impugne But to the point we for our parts feare not plainly to expresse and that to the eies and eares of all the godlie yea to the wicked themselues that so they may be either conuerted or confounded by the glorie of truth what wee holde and maintaine herein first that this point of doctrine propounded by them is not crowned with the glorious garland of holie truth and reuerend antiquitie For proofe whereof we bid them shew vs if they can any plaine text of scripture or formall place out of the vncounterfeited writings of the sound fathers Those that haue bin produced we haue looked vpon and finde them very vnsauerly alleadged at the least and if they haue none more pregnant and pithie than they we tell them they are ouerfeeble for vs to fasten our faith vpon And if they send vs to Peter Lombard Thomas of Aquine and the rest of the schoole doctors that doe more curiously than christianly wade into these points we frankely and freely confesse that we dare not giue them the authoritie to be stampers coiners of new doctrine in the church bicause wee haue learned out of the word that there is but one only lavv-giuer God Iames 4.12 vvhich is able to saue and to destroy nor may not any maner of way stay and settle our conscience vppon them nor vpon those that be much better than they bicause Gods worde alone and not mans imaginations is the only ground and obiect therof Secondly though wee shoulde graunt that they speake heerein no false or erronious matter yet we affirme that this idle and vnprofitable thought of our owne harts and heads ought to be abolished not only in
his ascention into heauen and glorification hath hadde in respect of his humanitie or manhoode the vse of earthlie and corruptible thinges than the which what can be almost a more grose or intollerable blasphemie But letting these vaine speculations and odde conceits passe let vs see what profitable doctrines either for instructions or comfort wee may learne out of this discourse that the Apostle maketh touching the creatures and their restitution First in that God here sendeth vs vnto the creatures for our better instruction to learne of them he would thereby set out vnto vs our blockishenesse vnaptnesse and inabilitie to good things Neither doth the Lorde heere onely obserue this order but in many other places of his worde giuing vs thereby to vnderstand both how hard a thing it is as in respect of our corruption and howe necessarie for our good to represse and beate downe in vs that great ouer-weening which wee haue of our selues as for example wee see it vsed in Deuteronomie Deut. 31.1 Isaiah 1 2.3 Ierem. 2.12 Micah 6.2 and in the bookes of the Prophets oftentimes as in Isaiah Ieremiah Micah and sundrie others and yet for al this we wil not be humbled but many of vs in the height of our imaginations suppose that wee of our selues are apte and able to great matters whereas the Scripture sheweth the cleane contrarie affirming 2. Cor. 3.5 that vve are not sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of God And againe that it is God that vvorketh in vs both the vvill and the deede phil 2.13 and that of his good pleasure onclie assuring vs in an other place that the naturall man perceiueth not the things of the spirit of God 1. Cor. 2.14 and in this very chapter telling vs in plaine termes Rom. 8.7 that the vvisedome of the fleshe is enimitie against GOD for it is not subiect to the lavve of GOD neither indeede can be All which may teache vs to hate and condemne and that from the bottome of our hearts the dotages of Pelagians and Semipelagians as Papists and suche others who either in whole or in parte stande so stifelie for the maintenaunce of mans free-will and that in this mere naturalles as they call it and may instruct vs againe to walke in the simplicity and humblenes of our hearts before GOD as men that see nothing but botches and biles and all maner of corruption and weakenesse and wantes in our selues that so wee may be cured of him that onelie can heale vs and be strengthned and supplied from him that is the GOD of all might and power and hath all power in his owne hands to bestovve plentifully vppon them that in fayth Iames 1. and lovvlinesse of minde dravve nigh vnto him and yet neuer vpbrayd them vvith it neither Secondly in as muche as the creatures are become subiect to the vaine vse of man and to a flitting vanishing estate as in respect of themselues and al this is brought to passe by the means of sin we may learne not onely what stincke and corruption hangeth vpon iniquity as which tainteth both the parties committing the same and infecteth as it were al the rest of the whole order of nature but also that for as much as transgression brings forth these pestilent fruits effects and namely that besides other manifold inconueniences as gods dishonor slander of his truth offence of his children griefe of our owne soules c. it maketh the verie creatures vncleane and vnprofitable vnto vs that therefore we should learne to flie from sin as from the face of a serpent neuer to vse Gods creaturs but in all humble and vnfained confession of our sins on the one side and in reuerent reading hearing and meditation of his vvord 1. Tim 4. and in hartie praier vnto his maiestie for the sanctifieng of them vnto vs on the other side that so the pollution of sin being taken away holines from God being communicated vnto vs his creatures may be profitable to nourish our outward man not onelye in some outward duties of this life but in all obedience of his blessed truth through Christ Thirdly me thinketh we may here very plainely beholde and see Gods great and vnspeakable mercie towards vs poore and miserable men that wee are Psal 8 for wheras by the meanes of transgression we had iustly depriued our selues bothe of that soueraigntie ouer all the creatures mentioned manie times in the worde and of the vse of them also making them what wee could thereby altogither vnproficable vnto vs it was is yet notwithstanding his good pleasure who hath prepared the hope of a better life for vs to allow vs and let vs haue euen in this life not only a sober and reuerend but euen a most large liberall vse of thē that so we being by them for a while fostered fedde here wee might in the ende come to the full fruition of that glory which he hath laide vp for vs in the heauens which rich and abundant kindnes of his bestowed euen then vpon vs vvhen vvee vvere his deadly ennimies shold prouoke vs not onely to humble thankfulnes towards his maiestie both in word and deed for his infinit mercie but should instruct vs to striue with care and conscience to walke euen in the days of this our flitting and transitorie life woorthy so great grace bestowed vppon vs. Yea it should further teach vs in a frantike and free heart not only to vse as in respect of our selues but to communicate to al others particularly to our enimies according to the measure of mercie that GOD hath dealt with vs as their necessity shal require anie of the blessings that the Lord hath powred vppon vs according to that holy commandement Rom. 12.20 Prou. 25.21 If thine enimie hunger feed him if he thirst giue him drinke Lastly wee may heere plainely see to the wonderful ioy and peace of our bodies and of our souls into what great excellencie of glorie GODS children at the resurrection shall be aduanced for the illustrating and inlarging whereof all the creatures shall then be renewed and restored euen as they were at the beginning made also for them And this shoulde teache vs all to spend the dayes of our pilgrimage here in feare and trembling that at the length wee may thorough the goodnesse of GOD in his Christ be gathered home into our eternall tabernacles there to raigne with him for euer He that will giue and gather any other either sense or doctrine out of this place than as before may shew himselfe to be drunken with vaine speculations yea drowned in them but shal neuer attain to that edification vvhich is of God and wherevnto indeed they that are of God should striue setting aside all vaine iangling and curious questions whatsoeuer not determinable by the rule of the worde Hitherto for this matter which being concluded as before
let vs come to that verse which remaineth of this text wherein the Apostle affirmeth that which he had doone before touching the groanings of the creatures and the sighs and sobs as it were of the children of God And yet this is no vaine tantologie or idle repetition but a more vehement affirmation of that whiche went before which may appeere in that the Apostle vseth this terme not onely and a more plaine and particular declaration of that which he had somewhat darkely expressed before namely in the 22. verse affirming that the creatures vvith vs did groane and trauell in payne togither not onelie shewing heere what he meant by that terme vs which hee expoundeth in these words vve vvhich haue receiued the first fruits of the spirite but also what it is that vvee both sighe and vvayte for to wit our adoption that is the full manifestation and declaration of it which shall then indeede and not before bee perfectly accomplished When that our bodies shall be raised againe out of the dust of death and vntied to their owne soules and so wee both in bodie and soule made perfect partakers of eternall life and blessednesse But let vs more particularly examine the wordes and obserue some doctrines out of the same that so also we may come to the end of this treatie Vers 23. And not only the creature To wit groaneth and trauelleth in paine as before verse 23. vnderstanding the worde Creature here as there True it is that the word creature is not in the Greeke text but yet it is wel supplied both by reson he hadde made mention of it before twice or thrice and minding also by amplification to inlarge the point by that terme not onelie hee sheweth that that affection is not proper to them alone but that the sons and seruaunts of God haue it in greater excellencie by much than the creatures themselues If any man therfore should not thinke well of laying that word to the rest he hath his answere before and yet may the better beare it also bicause it is doone for euidence and explanation sake Neither should any man thinke this short kinde of speaking strange sith it is vsuall in our owne toong and very rife and common with the Apostle as in other his writings so in this his epistle to the Romans for proofe whereof the learned reader may look vpon Rom. 5.3.11 Rom. 9.10 But vve also I take it to be as much as if he shold say euen we our selues do perform the self-same duty that the rest of the creatures do although as was said before in a more excellent sort and maner that this should be the Apostles meaning we haue not onelie this reason for it bicause they do it not by others neither indeede can others besides them performe it for them but also bicause the Apostle himselfe doth afterwards emphatically as wee saie repeate the same againe in this verse saying euen we doe sigh in our selues By which also the Apostle woulde teache vs both how necessary this duty is and how carefull we our selues shoulde be to do the same But alas wee are so farre off from the practise of it that our thoughts are not busied about it or anie such other good matter but rather as the Prophet saieth Our hearts goeth after our couetousnesse VVhich haue the first fruites of the spirit He meaneth by that worde haue Ezec. 33.31 not onely the receiuing of those graces but euen the very actual and present possession of them yea the perpetual possession of them which may appeere by this that he vseth a participle of the present tense noting as it were thereby not onely the beginning but euen as it were the continuaÌ„ce of them The knowledge whereof is not onely profitable to confute suche as suppose that the spirite it selfe and the graces of it go and come according to the seueral state of goodnes and euill wherein menne are by reason of their sinnes and their disposition to better thinges as they imagine but also comfortable for suche as through the erroneous opinions of other men and the want of feeling in their owne soules are greatly distressed and beate downe as in that respect Now whereas hee addeth the first fruits of the spirite wee are to knowe that it is a metaphor borrowed from the ceremoniall lawe The Lorde appointing that the first fruits of all their increase should be dedicated as a holie thing vnto his maiestie and serue for these two endes specially the one was the maintenaunce of the priests and the other to be a pledge that the remainder that was left in the handes of the owners for their lawfull vse was nowe sanctified vnto them in as much as God the author of holinesse hadde vouchsafed to receiue a portion of it for his owne seruice and other holy vses all which is plainely putte downe in manie places of the bookes of the lawe and namely in Leuiticus and Deuteronomie From which wee may learne many good and profitable instructions as first in that the first fruits of euerie thing were consecrated to the Lorde that therefore in the seruice of our GOD wee shoulde imploie not onelie the meanest thinges that wee haue a fault as heeretofore so nowe Mal. 1.8.9 c too common in this vnthankefull worlde either in contempt will yeelde GOD nothing or in carelesnesse offer him the woorst of all the flocke but euen the best wee possesse and inioye if wee haue any thing better than an other either within vs or without Neither was this obscurely onely figured in the lawe by this ceremonie but plainelie and expresly putte downe in these termes Deut. 6.5 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God vvith all thyne hearte vvith all thy soule and vvith all thy minde wee knowing and confessing that wee haue nothing more excellent than our inward partes as wherein consisteth all our affection reason yea and naturall life it selfe Secondly in that the Lorde in this behalfe demanded nothing of them that was in their owne power to performe but that which hee had commaunded the earth to yeelde them euen as his owne speciall blessing vppon the earth and them also for though their labour might seeme somewhat and the earth naturallie to giue her increase yet wee knowe on the one side that it is in vayne for men to rise early and to lie dovvne late Psal 1â—â— â—â— and to eate the breade of affliction or sorrovv and on the other side that it is the Lords blessing that maketh men rich and prosperous 〈◊〉 10. â—â— with which also hee addeth no sorrovves as the Holie-ghost telleth vs he would hereby teach vs not onely howe vnapte and vnable wee are to the performance of good and holie duties before him a matter which ought to humble vs greatly in our owne eies but also that hee will not refuse but accept rather the best good grace that he himselfe hath giuen vs though sometimes it sauor of the naughtinesse