The souls humiliationThe soules humiliation

Though these duties be all good, honourable and comfortable, yet they are no gods at all able of themselves to save us, but they are the ordinances of God that lead us to God, yet they cannot give salvation to any that rests upon them. It is the nature of a sinful heart to make the means as meritorious to salvation; yet mistake me not, these duties must be had and used, but still a man must not stay here▪ a man will use his bucket, but he expects water from the well: these means are the buckets, but all our comfort, and all our life and grace is only in Christ; if you say your bucket shall help you, you may starve for thirst if you let it not down into the well for water: so, though you brag of your praying, and hearing, and fasting, and of your alms, ⟨p. 10⟩and building of hospitals and your good deeds, if none of these bring you to a Christ, and if these are not means to settle you on a Christ, you shall die for thirst, though your works were as the works of an Angel.

Though these duties be all good, honourable and comfortable, yet they are no gods at all able of themselves to save us, but they are the ordinances of God that leade us to God, yet they cannot give salvation to any that rests upon them. It is the nature of a sinfull heart to make the meanes as meritorious to salvation; yet mistake me not, these duties must be had and used, but still a man must not stay here▪ a man will use his bucket, but he expects water from the well: these meanes are the buckets, but all our comfort, and all our life and grace is onely in Christ; if you say your bucket shall helpe you, you may starve for thirst if you let it not downe into the well for water: so, though you brag of your praying, and hearing, and fasting, and of your almes, ⟨p. 10⟩and building of hospitals and your good deeds, if none of these bring you to a Christ, and if these are not meanes to settle you on a Christ, you shall die for thirst, though your works were as the works of an Angel.