.r.Per.r. ~. aBelbr. dc~;tlt.&: lib. 2rbit. I.r c:.t>,111 fi11e. Luthcr. that is,thepowerto nilhhat that is euill,& to A God and his will, in faith, hope, lotie, pariwill that that is good: And where iS no power ence, and rlie fubiection of our thovghts, to refift,there canbe no refillanc_e: ·When we wills,and afl~ctionsto rhe v;,illofGod. Jn«· pray to God,and fay, LeAde vs not into tempta ~ lpeft ofthis inward and fpirituall ob~dientc, tiow, we acknowl<dge thattnecc4sRO cempra- . the holy Ghofr faith, the law is impofsible, tionar all that we can ofour felues wirl1£land Rom 8. 3. and that the wifedome of tl:e Brfh withou~the helpeof God. Pet-<r bids vs Re. cannot be fi>biect torhe lawofGod, v. 7 that fijl S4ttm onr AdHerforie: and hc:e fhev..·c:s the this isthe yoake, which ntither we nor our I right means when he addesthefe words, fledf•therscould beare, .AI1.1 5 .J o. fAjlinfAitb. Againe, it was ththeretie of7'el~giom,that Itisobiellcd,tbatanaturalmancaneither a man by the frrengrh of his own< tree-will A d finnc,ornot finne.l anfwcr;Tis true in regard may keepe all the commandementsof God i h;~~r.:~ of actions pertaining to ourward goucrncthough (as they fay) hce doth it fomewha~ S3.lnnoment, and io r{'gard of open finnes, murther, hardly. And the Papifis are no: farrc flom ccnr. c:pi. theft, adultery, &c. yernot alwaiestrue, but this wb<n they fay, that man by narurall 9l·'P"d onely at fometimes. For euen rhe righteous B llrtngrh may kcepe the whole law for Come I Augufr. fometime fallinro open off'<nces. And rhough little rime. the nature man orcafioned to finn<, abftaine Th<fourthquellionis,whethernaturalcorfromopen oflence' yet gets hee no vitloryrupred will ·can any way prepare and difpof< Forthough bee auoid~ rhe ~ltward all, yet ir fclfe to hi<owne oonuerlion and iullificano: con he norauoid the wicked mclmanon ofhiS that is,tako awaythe impediments and make hearr. And rhe ab!linence from outward fin, himfelfe,aro;ihd capable ofhis iufrification. is nor without linne. Becaufe it procetds from The (b) 4o6•ine bath bin for diners hundreds , 5 , 0 ,"' aperfon vnreconci!edto God, ithath not his ofyea~t'!,rharwil can doe it:and rhe doctrine in,, difr, beginnino from faith: againe, itis for by-reofthoi'apifrs now is,tharthewill,foit be llir- 18. Dufpetts,fo~ tpe getting of a praif<,rhe auoiding_ re0.vp by God, can doe it. Butthocertaine undibid. of open flume, and not for the honour of j truth is,rhar will cannot. Theconuer6on ofa Go.d~ ,~ £inner is acreation: and no creature can preThe third quellion is, whether anvnrege· {'are it felfe to !:is owne creation. That very nerate man by the power of his will can obrhing (c)wherel;y a man fhould prepare llitll- , Libcuic feruerhe law, though not fully., yer in re- C fdfe to anygood duty, is lofrby ..A.Um1falh of g<ace. fpectofthefubO:anceofrhe act. The donrine and therefore the worke of preparation I. of~ong timehath bin in fchooles and Church, Gods and not o~rs; vnltlfe >t be pofsiole for a that he can: and thatby hisowne frrengrh,hec man dead in his finnes ro prepare himfelfe r 0 may keepe all rhe morali precepts, fo as no his owne fpirit!t.lll viuificarion: by nature we Cin be commirrcd, (a) for fome fhort fpace of are feruanrs offione, and our liberty beginncs cime. But the truth is,he can not. Forifwee in our iu!lification. Therefore before we arc; graunr and fuppofe an anion, wee mull preinfrificd;wccannor fo much as will that wh7ch 1 fuppofc the ground and beginning thereof. is good. ln~ede the Ifraelites prep4rcdcbeif Now rhe intcgcitie or f.tnitie ofwill,whereby h(4rts tofte~ e_he Lord: and Ez;:r>f preparulhU r.Sarn. 1· it was able to will that which is good , is the ht4rt tofitk!th• l•w of tb' Lord. But rhis was ~zra 7 , grountlofagood att: and it is loll: and therethe work< of.men regenerate, whereby they ro. fore there qn be no keeping ofthe law in rerenewed in rhemfelues the purpofe of obey• fpect of IUbllance. The fubfrancc of the firft irig God, and ofperfeuering in duries ofGodtable is,toloue God withall the heart, foule, lincll'c. ·I llrength : and the IUbfhnce of all negatine , The fiftll ~nd principall qud!ion of all is, commandements is , Th•u Jh•lt notlujl. And · whethera.naturall man canwill his owne con– the naturall will cannot pofsibly reach to the D uerfion or «generation. The learned among doingof rhefe. lrisalleadged, that anarurall the Papills reachon this manner. J That will man maygiue almcs anddo iufrice to others, alone by it felfe cannot: yetthatwiilcao ifit ~B.!!or. and'(ucb like. Ia•fwer,in thdt<bllance ofany bet preucnrcd and frirrcd vp by fome gi>od li~g:~~ ' dutycommandedrhereberworhings,theaa cogitation call into the mind and fomc good J.d.c. ,~: robedone,and the tnannerofc:!oingit: & that defire llirred vp in the heart, and be.withall isro<loeitinfaith, With a mind tooheyGod, helped anddirctltd by God- They vfeto.oand.ro intend his honQutthereby. And this pe~rbeir mindes by thefe comparifons:Tbe manner ofdoing a worke isthe forme ofeueeye in darkenes.fees nothing, and is as it were ry worjtc, that make~ it to be g90.d indeedc: without the faculty ofk:eing: y<t ifan obiell and wirhout ir,wor~scommanded llithdaw, be fcr beforerhceye~ and light be brought in, arc but asa body Wlth9ut hfe o• foule '· ot as then can It fee,, Agame,a man hesafleepein a matt,er Without forme, Will the,~fore ISVOadungeon, aRd he doth not fo much as thinke Co~"· bletoobferue any<>ne command~ment in his ofcomming forth 1 yet l<:t a man come and ;~,l,lfb. ow9e-intire f~b(lance. , call him; aud.rcachdowoe acorde vnto him .rblc. And it mull bee remembred ~s a _maine he will tben awake,take hold ofthe cord, pu; ·; groond,rhar the law befide ~xterna! duties rertvndcr hiS arme boles,as leremydid & bang 'luires inward obedience, jn knowledge ofi thereupon. And being thus hclpcd , 'he both can
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