1. The Meaning

We are here admonished to be displeased with ourselves, for our slack and imperfect obedience to God, and for our hypocrisy, private pride, presumption, deadness of spirit, and many other wants which break out when we are in doing God's will. There is no servant of God, but has wants in his best works, so we must understand Paul, when he says, To will is present with me, but I find no means to perform that which is good (Romans 7:18). Where he signifies thus much in effect, that he could begin good things, but not perfect them, and go through-stitch, as we say. When the godly do good works, as hear, speak God's word, pray, praise God, etc. they perform things acceptable to God: but in these actions they find matter of mourning: namely, the imperfection of the work: therefore David prays (Psalm 143:2): Enter not into judgment with your servant. And here we may see how far wide the church of [reconstructed: Rome] is, that holds good works to be any way meritorious, that be every way imperfect. If the men of that church had grace, they might see that the corruptions of the flesh were as fetters and shackles about their legs, that when they would gladly run the ways of God's commandments, they are constrained to halt downright, and to trail their loins after them.