hath done and boast of that none otherwise then if he shuld haue done it in his owne person Can this I say be thought reasonable vnto any that hath not had an other scholmaister then wit and reason to persuade him therein Can the naturall man bee persuaded that he must first be righteous and then do righteous things and not rather that in doing of many righteous deedes at length hee becommeth to bee accepted for righteous him selfe thereby Or can a naturall man bee persuaded that his fauour with God commeth wholy in respect of an other his doings who hath done him all this good and not rather that his owne doings haue done the moste for him and he that is especially beholding vnto them This commeth from an other teacher then any that wee haue at home it sauoureth not of the earth it is from aboue Ceasse therefore to maruell at suche diuersitie of doctrine when the scholemaisters that teach are so farre differing one from an other as heauen is from earth The seruauntes of God giue ouer their owne righteousnesse they finde nothing in it they doe clearely see it will not goe for payment and therefore doe betake themselues to the merites of an other Neither doe they onely say that they bee vnrighteous in them selues but with griefe doe finde and feele it to be so within them selues But howsoeuer they stand rotten in their own root they are notwithstāding strongly stayd in Iesus Christ whose obediēce they do make so great an account of as if it were their owne perfourmed by them selues The thirde thing that wee doe receiue with Christe is Sanctification or holinesse of life This sanctification followeth immediately after righteousnesse in the place which before I haue alledged For it is not onely requisite that wee should remaine righteous by the obedience of one man once perfourmed but that our whole life should continue consecrated vnto the seruice of him in bringing foorth such fruit as hee hath appointed That righteousnesse which before we haue heard of is as the tree and this holinesse is the fruit therof The nature of our Sauiour Christe was free from all infection not hauing in it any remnaunt or relique of sinne and therefore he was sanctification it selfe and perfectly sanctified When wee beginne to separate our selues from the common corruption of the worlde and bend our selues to purenesse of life approued before God this is the worke of Christe sanctifying and working true holinesse in vs For of our selues we are prophane and vnholy voyde of these fruites of righteousnesse whiche are wrought in vs by Christe The cause why a number do mislike such deedes and conuersation both in them selues and also in others which an other sort of men doe approue delight in following after them with all greedinesse of desire is for that Christ is become sanctification vnto the one sort of people and not vnto the other who continue in their prophane and corrupt wayes not finding any want therein when the other sort are vexed grieued to see such doings abound in others and tormented in them selues if at any time they shall of infirmitie slip into the like not ceasing to apply the meanes whereby they may get victorie ouer them Here ariseth a question necessarie to be discussed whether righteousnesse be in the children of God before sanctification and holinesse of life or good works and holy life do goe before iustification being in his before they be acceptable vnto god Wherein notwithstanding that which hath beene sayde alreadie may be thought sufficient vnto any indifferent man yet it shall not be amisse to adde some more force and strength vnto it It is proued that righteousnesse goeth before good workes Rom. 4.6 where the testimonie of Dauid is alledged pronouncing him blessed and happie to whome the Lorde imputeth righteousnesse without workes And leaste any man should thinke this to bee ment of the ceremoniall workes the verie wordes of the Prophete are cited in the next verse folowing affirming blessednesse to be in the remitting of sinns vnto vs and not in the admitting of good workes for vs If the Apostle doe ioyne with the Prophete in this that God imputeth righteousnesse without woorkes then must I demaund of the aduersaries whether this righteousnesse imputed without woorkes doth exclude all woorkes or but some woorkes If it be aunswered that all kynd of working is not seuered frō this iustification and righteousnesse the question is againe whether those workes that stand with iustification and righteousnesse goe before it or spring of it and so come after it Heere their aunswere is we are iustified withoute woorkes going before but not withoute workes folowing it making this iustification that is saide to be without woorkes to shut out onely those woorkes that are before a man be iustified but not the other For their opinion is that wee are iustified by them wherevpon it followeth necessarily that righteousnesse goeth before holinesse of life that good workes do followe from a man iustified alreadie and are not sent before to iustifie him therewith that was not accepted of God as righteous vntill those were perfourmed The Apostle is plaine in this matter to the Ephesians God which is riche in mercie euen when wee were dead in sinnes hath quickened vs c. There were no woorkes then that went before to quicken vs seeing it is sayde that when we were deade in sinnes not onely sinners but also deade in sinnes God hath quickened vs. This proueth plainely that our good workes and holinesse of life did not procure righteousnesse vnto vs when the matter is cleare that wee were dead in sinnes when he in mercie quickened vs. In like manner the Apostle proueth that holinesse of life is a fruite of them that bee alreadie the seruants of God but now sayth the Apostle beeing freed from sinne and made seruaunts vnto God you haue your fruit in holinesse and the end euerlasting life There is no woorke acceptable vnto God without fayth and persuasion of his good will towardes vs whether it be done at the desire of vaine glory or at the motion and instinct of nature iudging that woorke to bee lawfull and honest For it is fayth that doth purifie the heart and the ende of the commaundement is loue but so that it bee of a fayth vnfeined The tree must be good before the fruite can be good For an euil tree can not bring foorth good fruite Against this it will be excepted that Abraham in offering of his sonne Isaac vppon the altar as sayth the Apostle Iames was iustified and therefore that the works of men eyther vnrighteous before or else but in parte acceptable doe iustifie them and make them rightly to be accepted of God. It appeareth in Genesis that Abraham was iustified before Isaac was borne for the offering of whome vppon the altar the Apostle Iames sayth that Abraham was iustified For in that Chapter it is written
vs he wil blesse the house of Israel c. Wee do plainely se then by these testimonies that they doe not truely feare him that are not drawen by his goodnesse to the carefull louing and honouring of him This commaundement then toucheth al those that passe ouer their time carelessly without a lawe feare of the Lord as if there were nothing lesse belonging vnto them then by obseruing his wil to get honour to their God or as if their vngodlie and secure life shoulde neuer a whit impeache the glorie of his name By this commaundement we learne that not onely Atheists and godles persons haue to feare the iudgementes of God but also all those that are not touched with care and great desire by their good life to glorifie god For he will not hold thē guiltlesse that take his name in vaine not regarding his honour by careful attending vppon his pleasure Hereby also we are taught to ceasse to meruaile at the afflictions of those men in whose liues we haue espied no great outwarde offence For here we see the want of care to his glorie though it bee coupled with no outward euil hath matter in it sufficient to prouoke the iudgements of God against vs Doeth not that maister who at his comming home findeth the worke he had inioyned his seruant carelesslie loked vnto thinke there is occasion sufficient offered him to proceede to the correction of his seruant notwithstanding hee hath no other matter to charge him withall In this cōmaundement also is forbidden all swearing vainely or falsely all swearing by those things that are not God as particular thinges against his word and therfore against the glorie of his name For if the commaundement forbid the neglect of his lawe generally it must needes forbid seuerally and particularly that which is against some seuerall particular cōmaundement We haue learned that carelesse contemning of his worde is reproued in this commaundement and the reason is because the Lord doth communicate his name and his honour therevnto whiche we may not take in vaine or without reuerence The same thing is to be saide for the vse of his name whiche he hath graunted vnto vs to decide controuersies doubtes of great importance withall that because there is in it the marke and print of his glorie wee must haue the vse of it in those matters with reuerence accordingly We deale not with the Lord in any communicating with his essence and euerlasting beeing that a man should imagine that hee can offer him no wrong vnlesse he rush against the heauens and violently run vpon his person he dealeth with vs by his worde and by his name if there be any villany wickednesse nay want of reuerence that way it toucheth his glorie pearceth the honour of the highest Blasphemous mouthes therefore that cannot be stirred in their affections but they wil by by be reuenged of the Lorde cast vp their choler in othes and blasphemie against his maiestie haue heere wel to looke aboute them and to remember that in such outrage they fight against the honour of the liuing Lord that wil aduance the same in the dishonour vtter confusion of them Is it not horrible blasphemie that a miserable man should seek to redeeme himselfe from contēpt by bringing the Lord vnder his foote and treading his honoure in the dust I doe not meane that periured persons who haue put vpon the Lord the person of Sathan in making him a protector of lyes be only these blasphemous mouthes that haue enterprised the defacing and dishonouring of the Almightie but those common swearers also in whose mouth the name of the Lord runneth so vsually so vnreuerently in common speeche The Lord hath lent vs the vse of his name to determine our doutes decide our controuersies that be of great importance and cannot otherwise come to light and that with such reuerence as vnto his honour apperteyneth He hath not left it to wait vpon our vaine words talke of no importāce to serue where our humor wil place it so that men are alwayes guiltie of high treson against his glorie in the vse of his name vnles both the weightines of the mater they haue in hand their reuerēce in the manner of dealing therin shall excuse them A man can no way be vnreuerēt toward his name but he shal in so doing be guiltie of his dishonour for those things wherin he hath left the marks of his glory as his name his word and sacramēts by the vse or abuse of them do truely witnes of the heart how it standeth affected towardes the honouring of him There was neuer man founde truely honouring God in his heart whose tongue was defiled with vsuall swearing and often vnreuerent vsing of his name Neither was there euer founde man truelie fearing the Lord that walked without all awe and reuerence of his worde The excuse therefore is vaine and vtterly vntrue that swearing is but a custome of the tongue and that their heart standeth reuerently affected towarde his name and glorie For it is the want of reuerence in the heart to God that fometh out such filthynesse at the mouth and the longe continuaunce of that impudencie in the heart hath brought the fruit thereof into the mouth which witnesseth sufficiently the corruption that is settled inwardly in the heart Let the common swearer then ceasse to seeke excuse by saying It is but a folish custome For that long custome of dishonouring the Lord in his mouth will proue that he hath had a custome to dishonour him in his heart of no lesse continuaunce Our communication must be yea yea nay nay that which is more commeth of euil But it is commonly said Something must be added or els men shall not be beleeued It is a pitiful thing that the credit of a Christian should be so little that to borrow beliefe for his common talke he must leaue no lesse pawne and pleadge behinde him then is his faithe and trueth the greatest treasures and iewels that he hath receiued from the Lorde If men would seeke credit by their wel dealing they need not to bring foorth so great assurance for it in their speaking It is likewise vnlawfull to sweare by creatures in asmuche as an othe giueth superioritie vnto that whereby they sweare and acknowledgeth it as a Iudge and discerner of secret hid things a bringer also of them vnto iudgement condemning the wicked in bringing his way vppon his heade and iustifying the righteous in giuing him according to his righteousnesse The giuing of this vnto creatures entreth vppon the right of the Almightie intituleth creatures vnto the honour of the creator who hath declared plainely that hee will not giue his glorie to another And therefore it is in the highest degree of reproching or rather blaspheming the Lorde in laying his chiefe honour open to the spoyle of a creature bringing a contemptible creature as it were to pray vppon the
to the defence of that holde whiche being taken by the enimies he is assured to receiue continuall shame and dishonour The Lord will be honored by hauing his word obeyed if we doe not conspire to mainteine his honour that way we are guiltie of treason against his glorie when we suffer sathan to batter downe obedience in vs to God and man we are as well accessarie to the betraying of his glorie as those souldiers that are quiet within the castle while their enimies sacke the same without Let vs therfore goe carefully aboute these matters of his honour let our care and sounde dealing be a recorde vnto our hartes that we are not conspired with his enimies There can be no better argument that men do willingly consent with sathan then to see them carelesse of his assaultes then neuer to see them stande vpon their watche especially dealing with the enimie who hath professed that hee will neuer be at truce with them And because the Lord giueth so glorious a title to christianitie as to call it his glorie making so neere a bonde betweene our saluation his honour let vs not sleepe in so earnest matters neither bring a slender and bare affection where there is the assured hope of a double commoditie Nowe let vs pray vnto our heauenly Father that we may more be humbled that wee haue so long liued to so litle honour of his name not only that we may thereby truly acknowledge the mercy of Iesus Christe that hathe put vppe so great dishonour at our handes washing it away no otherwise than with his bloud but also that in the remembraunce of so long time wherein we haue dishonoured him we may bee whetted to bestirre vs this time that we haue to liue bothe to pull downe our affections that would dishonour him in the plaine contempte or carelesse regard of obedience also to bring forth that fruite of newe life that may open the mouthes of many to speake of his praise for it whose workmanship it is The fourth Lecture vpon the eighth verse 8 Remember the Sabbaoth day to keepe it holie 9 Sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thy worke 10 But the seuenth day is the Sabbaoth of the Lord thy God in it thou shalt not doe any worke thou nor thy sonne nor thy daughter thy man seruaunt nor thy maide nor thy beast nor thy straunger that is within thy gates 11 For in sixe dayes the Lord made the heauen and the earthe the sea and al that in them is and rested the seuenth day therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbaoth day and halowed it THe rest from bodily laboures that was commaunded vpon the Sabbaoth day had in it this signification that Christianitie did consist in ceassing from sinne So doe the Prophets who are the true expositors of the law interpret it For thus we do read in the Prophet Esay Blessed is the man that doeth this and the Sonne of man that taketh holde on it he that keepeth the Sabbaoth and polluteth it not and keepeth his hand from dooeing any euill The Prophete doeth declare what it is to keepe the Sabbaoth by these wordes following And keepeth his hand from doeing any euil The euill that by this sabbaoth we are commaunded to rest and ceasse from is not a matter straunge and disagreeing from our disposition but rooted in our nature as nowe we haue it from Adam And therefore the same Prophet that here affirmeth the keeping of the Sabbaoth to consist in ceassing and resting from euill in an other place affirmeth it to be the ceassing from our owne wayes and workes declaring thereby this euill and iniquitie that we are commaunded to ceasse from to be no forrener or straunger but to keepe his house and home in our owne nature In that the Scripture termeth euil to be our own wayes and works according as it is written by the Prophete Isaie If thou consecrate the Sabbaoth as glorious vnto the Lorde and shalt honour him not doing thine owne wayes nor seeking thine owne will c. expounding the Not doing our owne ways nor seeking our owne will to be the consecrating of a glorious Sabbaoth vnto the lord The Sabbaoth then consisteth in keeping vs from doing euil so that necessarily we must conclude this euil to be in our owne wills and wayes This inwarde corruption wherewith bothe our wit and wil is poysoned was very fitly resembled in the outward obseruing of the Sabbaoth For vppon the Sabbaoth day the people were called from all their accustomed workes that they had beene occupied in the sixe dayes before So that a man comparing their doinges that day with those they were exercised in the other sixe dayes must of necessitie say they were cleane altered and chaunged in their doinges from that that vsually before they had beene and so diuerse as if they had not beene the same but other men A resemblance verie fitte and sitting to our spirituall Sabbaoth whiche consisteth in becomming newe men concerning our dooinges from that wee haue beene before wee knewe the Gospell The outward rest from bodily laboures whiche did shadowe out our true rest from sinne whiche is our accustomed way and worke was so strictely obserued among the Iewes that the neglect thereof in the least thinges as gathering sticks vpon the Sabbaoth day was punished with death as we do reade in the 15. of Numbers to declare some signification of greater thinges in it according as the Prophetes haue interpreted it The Sabbaoth then doth verie well point out the corruption that we haue receiued of Adam which ruleth and reigneth in the ways and wils of al them that are not borne againe and chaunged bothe in will and deede by the power of that his grace which only he bestoweth vppon his elect For thus it is written to the Ephesians Among whome speaking of the children of disobedience We also had our conuersation in time past in the lustes of our flesh in fulfilling the will of the fleshe and of the minde and were by nature the children of wrath as wel as others We haue to marke here that speaking of his sinne he describeth it to haue beene done by following the wil of the minde whiche is the reasonable part as well as in following the will of the flesh which is the affection vnreasonable part And lest we shuld ascribe this only to his custome in sinne as if hee had not beene borne with this disease nor by nature inclined therevnto he putteth himselfe and others vnder the wrathe of God by nature saying We are by nature the children of wrath as well as others making it the common case of all men as naturally to be inclined to euill as they are to eate and drinke in their hunger or thirst It is worth the noting that he putteth himselfe in the number for he saith of him selfe to the Philippians that his life was not outwardly to be reproued no not before his calling
of them But when it pleaseth God to pull any out of their corruption and to begin Christianitie in them hee doeth let them see with assurance of his mercie towarde them but so as notwithstanding he bringeth them not onely to the sight and bewailing of that rebellion which they feele in their affections against his wil but also to the mortifying and subduing thereof The man therefore that will truely examine him selfe hath to consider what resisting of his affections hath beene in his life so shall hee soone perceiue what neede he hath to betake him selfe vnto the mediatour CHRISTE IESVS while his conscience shall wittnesse either of no profiting at all herein or at the least so little as shall sufficiently conuict him and force him to lay holde vpon the righteousnesse of Christe as his only refuge yet so as his care to suppresse his affections be no lesse because hee vnderstandeth what mercie is in Christe but so much the more increased as he perceiueth that trauaile to please the Lord euen as the best thankfulnesse that wee can performe for the great benefite of our redemption Now let vs pray that we may beare such an enimies heart against our owne corrupt affections as may not spare to treade vppon them when soeuer they shall ryse vp against the Lord. ¶ The fifte Lecture vpon the twelfth vearse 12 Honour thy Father and thy mother that thy dayes may be prolonged vpon the land which the Lord thy GOD giueth thee THe former commaundementes doe perfectly instructe vs in all the dueties that apperteine directly to god These following doe giue vs rules and preceptes for the dueties that wee doe owe vnto men The Lord our God being perfect in all happinesse by him selfe alone hath no neede of our seruice yet will he haue tryall of the loue that wee beare vnto him not onely by deedes done immediatly vnto him selfe but also by deedes done for his cause vnto men He therefore meaning to make a tryall of our loue towardes him hath commaunded vs that we should not be altogether our owne men closed vp within our owne profites and pleasures onely regarding and procuring them and wholy taken vp of them but that we should go out of our selues at his commaundement to the good of our brethren witnessing our thankfulnesse vnto God in giuing for his sake this seruice vnto men The dueties vnto GOD going in order before these vnto men do admonish vs of this doctrine that all our doeings towardes men are nothing where Gods glorie doth not go before as it is written in the Epistle of Sainct Iohn In this wee knowe that wee loue the children of GOD when wee loue God and keepe his commaundementes And like as our dealing with men is nothing when the true seruice of God is either not knowen or not regarded so that seruice that is giuen vnto GOD is not accepted when our brethren are neglected of vs. Therefore doeth our Sauiour Christ in Matthew charge vs that when our neighbour hath any thing against vs wee should not presume to offer any gift vnto God before we be reconciled so greatly doeth the Lorde esteeme of this louing conuersation with men that the holie Ghoste maketh it the proofe of our blessed estate as it is written in Iohn Wee knowe that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren Concerning that which we do owe vnto men the honourtng of father and mother hath the firste place By Father and mother are all those vnderstoode who are the instruments of GOD in any of his speciall goodnesse towardes vs whome because hee hath vouchsafed to be his meanes in the conueying of that grace that we doe inioy by them he cannot abide that they should be without honour at our handes By honour whiche is required to be giuen vnto them wee are taught so to behaue our selues towardes them in all our dealinge as may wittnesse that in heart wee doe honour them and therefore this honour doeth not so much exact any one seuerall thing as it putteth a qualitie and condition vppon all our behauiour towards them that it should be such as it may be a wittnesse of our hearte howe highlie it doeth reuerence and regarde them If it be demaunded why the Lorde by Father and mother should vnderstand all the instrumentes of his goodnesse towards vs whereas hee maketh mention but of one sorte it may be required of them againe why the Lorde forbidding all kinde of violence should make mention onely of murther For as by murther beeing the chiefe he comprehendeth all of that kinde so by one instrument of his speciall goodnesse hee leadeth vs to the consideration of all the like Moreouer we must reuerence the wisedome of the onely wise GOD heerein who by the moste grosse euils laboureth to worke the loath-thing of all the like and by benefites and good thinges in them selues moste amiable to further the cause of all the rest setting the ouglyest shape he possiblie can vppon euils to terrifie vs withall and giuing to good thinges the countenaunce that may best commend them Our trauaile therefore muste bee to searche into these good thinges which wee receiue by others that when we shall haue founde them wee may as by dutie apperteyneth honour the owners of them Nature may preuaile with them that bee of any consideration for the conceiuing of those benefites whiche they inioye by meanes of theire Parentes so that the trauaile neede not to be muche heerein Reason may persuade euen the moste simple that if wee haue any good thinge in this life or any blessing following it they who haue brought vs into life may iustely clayme a parte therein The matter of Magistrates is not so plaine what good wee receiue by them therefore it craueth more time to be giuē vnto it The Magistrate is the instrument of GOD to preserue that life whiche the Lorde in mercie hath giuen vnto vs For by the administration of iustice and execution of good lawes the outrage of the wicked with whome the worlde is alwayes pestered is restrained from laying violent handes vppon the good which otherwise would at all times burst foorth because the occasion which is the good workes of the one and the euill of the other can neuer bee separate from their liues And that this is the occasion may be proued out of the Epistle of S. Iohn where after inquirie had what it was that moued Caine to slay Abel he answeareth Because his owne workes were euill and his brothers good And least wee should note some extraordinarie thing in Caine hee putteth all the wicked in the ranke with him making it the common disposition of them all and therefore saying We may not bee as Caine which was of the wicked and slew his brother It is therefore no small blessinge and benefite of God that keepeth the sword of the vngodly from our throte whiche is euery houre drawen out and shakē at vs with whom we
the eyes of others What shall we say then to those teachers that say there is no daunger nor feare saue when conception is perfected and the will hath wholy relēted and is with delight set downe in it Can there be any conference about the begetting of suche monsters that shall not haue great blame iustly layde vnto it Can thoughts that are married vnto the Lord euer approch vnto the bed of such desires and not bee conuict of faith and fidelitie broken with the Lord him selfe Can she any longer be accounted chaste that admitteth conference of long continuaunce about the enterteinment of others besides her lawfull husband Yet would the Papistes haue such blamelesse howe often soeuer they haue such vnchaste and vngodly meeting if by cōceiuing and fully consenting they bring not foorth sinne The counsel that is giuen vs by the Prophete Dauid is farre otherwise whervnto no doubt the apostle did allude in the place before alledged out of the epistle to the Ephesians for there we are charged that we should shake at such thinges and not perseuere in them but deale earnestly with our heart against them in our chamber and not suffer such continuance in meeting nor continuall meeting whereby this monstrous byrth and conception might iustly be feared There is then occasion offered to stand vpon our watche and to strengthen our affections against suche coueting desires whensoeuer they arise least this cōcupiscence by long dallying with our affections at length get within them and so ouerthrowe them The infection of sinne is so vniuersally dispersed ouer our nature that there is no part free from it for it hath entred and infected the thoughts thē selues and they are poysoned with it so that there is deadly daunger in following and persuing after the will of our owne thoughts The Apostle Paule when he setteth foorth the fearefull estate that hee was in before his conuersion which all men are in by nature for he putteth him selfe in the ranke with others speaketh no otherwise of it but thus That he followed the will of his owne flesh and of his owne thoughts No other guide had hee but run after the direction of his owne thoughts euen then whē his estate was most dānable We must therfore learne to suspect our thoghts if we wil be aduised by the Apostle and not to imagine with the doctours of Rome that our estate is good so long as the will when it shall haue wrastled at length getteth out not hauing wholy yealded nor flatly falne downe Thoughts therfore rūning this way after any thing of our neighbors in so doing make manifest declaration of their poyson corruptiō which if they shal haue no resistāce do carie vs headlong through the broad way into destruction If by grace they shall be stopped and resisted in that grace God is to be magnified yet we in that our corruption notwithstanding iustly are to be blamed and admonished therby to seeke for more ayde in that part of our thoughtes least if the tentation should lye sore vpon vs sathan shoulde that way get entrance into the heart It seemeth a hard doctrine that thoughts wishes and desires should be condemned that lawes should bee made for them and men charged with the ordering of them and no maruel if it appeare so vnto vs for it appeareth that the apostle Paule wold neuer haue suspected any danger in concupiscence lustes and desires if the lawe had not sayde Thou shalt not lust or desire Nay it appeareth plainely in that place that hee thought maruellous well of him selfe before he came to this commandement He tooke him self before to be liuing and in good liking towards God and godlinesse but as he confesseth after he had looked vpon this cōmandement and beheld him selfe a while in this part of the glasse he sawe him selfe plainly to be no body a dead man sold vnto sinne Howe necessarie then is it to sift our selues to examine vs in this commandemēt throughly that we may be humbled vnder the grace of God as apperteineth For if he so singular a man was not throughly cast down before he had wrastled with the iustice of god in this cōmandemēt how requisite is it that we shuld truly trie vs here least that in supposing that to be in vs which we want we becom carelesse in seeking the mercie of Christ without the which there is no hope In this commaundement therefore aboue all the rest it is required that wee be diligent and true tryers of our selues For those who haue no misliking of them selues for the lusting and coueting after the thinges of their neighbours whiche they doe perceiue to be in their thoughts haue no Christianitie in them to be accounted of Euill beeing misliked in trueth will be misliked wheresoeuer it shall be whether in worde thought or deede Euil being truly resisted wil be resisted euē in thought and therfore certein it is that he who neuer hath strouē with euil in his thoughts hath neuer truly strouen with sinne It was meete that the law should vtter all our euil and hide nothing of our vnrighteousnesse from vs that the manifolde corruption therof might force vs to seke the mediatour and peace-maker Christ that we beeing so many wayes conuicted of corruption in our selues might wholy giue ouer the opinion of our owne workes and meriting and so make much of the mercie offered by Iesus Christe which is so muche the more made of by how much we doe more cleerely see our vtter vndoeing without it If onely the acte of murther adulterie thefte and false wittnesse-bearing or the deliberate and setled consent vnto any of those should alone come in question in the cause and matter of sinne against our neighbour many an euil man would hope to make good shifte but when thoughts and desires vnto any of those are called for and examined it will cause any man to cast downe his courage and to fall a pleading of his pardon As before we were endaungered by the doctrine of Rome to conceiue sinne when they notwithstanding bad vs liue without any feare in that respect of sinne so long as we keepe our consent cleare in the matter So here if we shall hearken to their doctrine we come in daunger neuer to magnifie rightly the mercyes brought vs by Christ Iesus while we see not halfe the neede that we haue of him nor the halfe parte of the miserie that we are in without him For a mā may make good shifts if onely deedes and full consents be asked after and so in his owne iudgement no great benefite is obteyned by him that shall supply that whiche is lacking in his behalfe and therefore he maketh no greate haste to seeke after him But when thoughts desires are sifted he must of necessitie acknowledge him selfe greately befriended if so great want of his shal by an other be found answered We must looke in this glasse of the commandements and into this infinite nature of