The Sincere Convert

Secondly,¹ Therefore behold the insufficiency of all duties to save us; Which will appear in these three things, which I speak that you may learn hereafter never to rest in duties.

Secondly,¹ Therefore behold the insufficiency of all duties to save us; Which will appeare in these three things, which I speake that you may learne hereafter never to rest in duties.

1. 1The insufficiency of any duty to save a man.The insufficiency of any dutie to save a man.

First, Consider thy best duties are tainted, poisoned, and mingled with some sin, and therefore are most odious in the eyes of an holy God, (nakedly & barely considered in themselves) for if the best actions of Gods people be filthy, as they come from them, then to be sure, all wicked mens actions are much more filthy & polluted with sin: but the first is true,¹ All our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; for as the fountain is, so is the stream; but the fountain of all good actions, (that is the heart) is mingled partly with sin, partly with grace, therefore every action participates of some sin, which sins are daggers at Gods heart, even when a man is praying and begging for his life, therefore there is no hope to be saved by duties.

First, Consider thy best duties are tainted, poysoned, and mingled with some sinne, and therefore are most odious in the eyes of an holy God, (nakedly & barely considered in themselves) for if the best actions of Gods people be filthy, as they come from them, then to be sure, all wicked mens actions are much more filthy & polluted with sin: but the first is true,