The saints dignity and duty· Together with the danger of ignorance and hardness. /…The saints dignitie and dutie· Together with the danger of ignorance and hardnesse. /…

If you ask me the ground, or reason of Gods dealing thus with his Children. I answer, there is a double reason of it.

If you aske me the ground, or reason of Gods dealing thus with his Children. I answer, there is a double reason of it.

The first is, Because it is Gods purpose, that his children shall obey (in some measure) all his Commandments. It is the purpose of God, he hath decreed it from all eternity, that his people shall obey his Law; not perfectly, for that they have done only in Christ their Head, their Husband, their Undertaker; not legally, for that is impossible, considering their infirmities, but evangelically, in uprightness, though not in perfection; In truth, though not in measure and degree. This the Lord hath decreed from all eternity, that his people shall keep his Commandments, as you see it promised in Ezek. 36.17. They shall walk in my statutes, and keep my judgements, and do them. Now Gods promises, they are nothing else but the expression of his eternal purpose to his children: so that whatsoever God hath promised to his children, that he hath from all eternity purposed to his children: God therefore having purposed this, that his children shall keep his Commandments in an Evangelical manner, he must make them able to do it, for except God help them to perform what he requireth, it is not in their power to do it. In regard of obedience to Gods Commandments, Gods children are as the world was before ⟨p. 82⟩it was made, when it was nothing; there was no power in the world to have a Sun, or Moon, to have a Sea, or Firmament, to have men, or beasts, because the world was nothing. So there is no power in Gods children to obey any Commandment, for in regard of obedience to God, they are as nothing, they are dead in trespasses and sins: therefore they are said to be created of God unto good works, implying, that before they were nothing. If therefore God will have it done, God must give them a power to do it. Indeed it is true, they ought to do it though they cannot, for they had a power once in Adam, therefore God may justly require it of them, yet they cannot do it, for they are nothing. Here is then the first Reason, why God hath promised to enable him to do all that he hath commanded, because he hath purposed and resolved that they shall obey him, and without his ability, they cannot obey him, for they are dead in sins and trespasses.