An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-fifth, thirty-sixth, and thirty-seventh chapters of…

Secondly, If what we do, adds nothing to God, if he receive nothing by our most righteous services: then surely God shows ⟨p. 46⟩wonderful goodness towards us, in that he is pleased to make so great an account of, and set such store by our services and righteousness, even of any, the least good we do in uprightness. Is it not a singular comfort that the Lord puts so much worth upon what we do, though what we do be of no worth to him? and that God should bind himself to us, when he is not at all beholding to us? The Lord doth not say, What do you give me? or, What do I receive at your hands? thereby to put a slight upon our performances and services; 'tis far from the Lord, that because he hath no need of us, therefore to contemn us; no, he declares a great acceptance of any, the least faithful service to himself, or to our brethren, which we do at his command. Though, should we stretch our endeavours, and strain our wits to the utmost, to do him good we cannot, yet he doth not undervalue what we do, but takes what is well done, well at our hands, and puts all our good deeds into his Book of Remembrance, and we shall one way or o•her hear of them again to our comfort. Hence,

Secondly, If what we do, adds nothing to God, if he receive nothing by our most righteous services: then surely God shews ⟨p. 46⟩wonderful goodnesse towards us, in that he is pleased to make so great an account of, and set such store by our services and righteousnesse, even of any, the least good we do in uprightnesse. Is it not a singular comfort that the Lord puts so much worth upon what we do, though what we do be of no worth to him? and that God should bind himself to us, when he is not at all beholding to us? The Lord doth not say, What do you give me? or, What do I receive at your hands? thereby to put a slight upon our performances and services; 'tis far from the Lord, that because he hath no need of us, therefore to contemn us; no, he declares a g•eat acceptance of any, the least faithfull service to himself, or to our brethren, which we do at his command. Though, should we stretch our endeavours, and strain our wits to the utmost, to do him good we cannot, yet he doth not undervalue what we do, but takes what is well done, well at our hands, and puts all our good deeds into his Book of Remembrance, and we shall one way or oher hear of them again to our comfort. Hence,