Certain sermons, first preached, and after published at several times, by M. Thomas Gataker…Certaine sermons, first preached, and after published at severall times, by M. Thomas Gataker…

^oAnd though a man, saith an uncertain Author, but alleged commonly by them, as Eusebius Emissenus, should with all the strength of body and mind exercise himself to the utmost, in obedience to God all his life long, yet could he bring out nothing, that by way of condigne merit could countervail Heavens happiness. For, considering the extent and continuance of it,^p if we cast our reckonings up aright, saith Augustine, it should be eternal travel at least, that should purchase eternal rest. And considering the dignity and excellency of it,^q Though a man, saith Anselm, should serve God in most fervent manner for a thousand years together, yet should he not thereby condignly merit to be but half a day in Heaven. And^r though the godly have done a whole million of good deeds, saith Chrysostom, yet that such a Crown, such an Heaven, and so great Honour should for so small piddling matters (in comparison thereof) be conferred on them, it is of Gods free Grace, and (as he there also implieth) not of due debt, or of their desert. For,^s It is of justice, saith he, that the other are punished; it is of grace that these are crowned, that is, there is^t deserved pain, as Augustine speaketh, repaid the one, Grace undeserved freely bestowed on the other. Anselm, it seemeth, thought he could not in an hundred, nay in a thousand years, do that, that they are able to do in less than an hour. He thought and taught that a man could not in a thousand years, by all that ever he did, or could do, merit half a days abode in Heaven; and they think and teach (if they think at least as they teach) that a man may in much less than half a days space do that, that shall merit more than a thousand thousand years, even an eternal abode in Heaven. Chrysostom thought a man could not with a million of good works do that, that they think they can do with any one alone. For so many thousands of them, saith he, cannot in justice deserve the Kingdom of Heaven. Any one alone, say they, of those that we do, can do it. Jacob deemed himself unable with all that he had done or could do, to require those favours, even in his Temporal estate, that God had conferred upon him: