Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulness of sin. The life…Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulnesse of sinne. The life…

Thirdly, to show us¹ where we must fetch our cure, to teach us that he will be sought unto by us, and that we must rely upon his Power and Promises. Therefore He commandeth us the things which we cannot do, that we might know of whom ²to beg them, for it is Faith alone which obtaineth by Prayer that which the Law requireth only but cannot effect, by reason of the weakness of it. In one place the Lord commandeth, cast away from you all your transgressions, and make you a new heart and a new spirit. In another place he promiseth, I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you; A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh. and will give you an heart of flesh. How can these things consist together, He commands us to do that which he promiseth to do himself? but only to show that God gives what he requires. The things which he bids us do, (as if they were to be the works of our own will, and being indeed the duties which we owe) yet he promiseth to do³ in us, to show that they are the works of his grace, and that his promises are the foundation of all our performances. For we by working do not cause him to fulfil his promises, but he by promising doth enable us to perform our works. So then we cleanse our selves by the strength of his promises, they are the principles of our Purification. This the Apostle expresseth in the text. Having therefore these promises (dearly beloved) Let us cleanse our selves.

Thirdly, to shew us¹ where wee must fetch our cure, to teach us that hee will bee sought unto by us, and that wee must rely upon his Power and Promises. Therefore Hee commandeth us the things which we cannot doe, that we might know of whom ²to begge them, for it is Faith alone which obtaineth by Prayer that which the Law requireth onely but cannot effect, by reason of the weaknesse of it. In one place the Lord commandeth, cast away from you all your transgressions, and make you a new heart and a new spirit. In another place he promiseth, I will sprinkle cleane water upon you, and you shall be cleane from all your filthinesse and from all your idols will I cleanse you; A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stonie heart out of your flesh. and will give you an heart of flesh. How can these things consist together, He commands us to doe that which hee promiseth to doe himselfe? but onely to shew that God gives what he requires. The things which he bids us doe, (as if they were to bee the workes of our owne will, and being indeede the duties which we owe) yet he promiseth to doe