How to live, and that well in all estates and times, specially when helps…How to liue, and that well in all estates and times, specially when helps…

That this obedience, which we give to God by trusting his very word, may be right obedience, it must have six conditions. First of all, it must be absolute, §1for we must (as it were) shut up our own eyes, and simply without any more ado trust god upon his bare & naked word, and suffer our selves to be led by it. In natural things experience is first, and then faith comes afterward. And Thomas following ⟨p. 12⟩nature desired first to feel, before he would believe. But God must be trusted, though that which he saith be against reason and experience. Thus Abraham believed God against all humane hope. §2¹The second condition is, that this obedience must be sincere. For we must trust Gods word for it self, because it is Gods word; all by-respects set apart. They, which are as the stony ground receive Gods word and rejoice in it: and yet afterward in time of temptation go awry. The reason is, because they receive the word, & rejoice in it not properly for it self, but in respect of honour, profit,² or pleasure, which they look to reap thereby. ⟨p. 13⟩John the Baptist was a burning candle:³ and the Jews rejoiced in his light, only in respect of the novelty of it: and therefore the holy ghost saith, they rejoiced in it but for a season. §3The third condition is, that we must trust God not in a part, but in his whole word: and therefore many fail in their faith, that are con tent to trust him in his promises of mercy & salvation, but list not to believe him in his commandments and threats.§4 The fourth condition is, that we must trust God in his word, with all our hearts, that it may take deep root and be an ingrafted word.⁴ It is not sufficient for us to have a taste of the good word of God, and to receive it with