_3dly_, Let us consider, that God oftentimes designs to make us better by the sharpest trials, which are an ordinance to bring us nearer to himself. Thus David says, _Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now have I kept thy word_, Psal. cxix. 67. _4thly_, We ought to consider that God’s design in these dispensations is, to _try our faith_, and that it _may found afterwards unto praise, honour, and glory_, as it will be, with respect to every true believer, _at the appearing of Jesus Christ_, 1 Pet. i. 7. And to this we may add, _5thly_, That there are many promises of the presence of God, which have not only a tendency to afford relief against uneasiness or dejection of spirit; but to give us the greatest encouragement under the sorest afflictions; particularly, that comprehensive promise, _I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee_, Heb. xiii. 5. Footnote 9: _See Page 509._ Quest. CXLIX. QUEST. CXLIX. _Is any man able perfectly to keep the Commandments of God?_ ANSW. No man is able, either in himself, or by any grace received in this life, perfectly to keep the Commandments of God, but doth daily break them in thought, word, and deed. Having considered man’s duty and obligation to keep the Commandments of God; we are now led to speak of him as unable to keep them; and, on the other hand, chargeable with the daily breach thereof, which is an argument of the imperfection of this present state. We have, under a foregoing answer[10], endeavoured to prove that the work of sanctification is imperfect in this life; so that all the boasts of the Pelagians, and others, who defend the possibility of attaining perfection therein, are vain and unwarrantable. We have also considered the reasons why God orders that it should be so. And therefore we shall, without enlarging so much on this subject, as otherwise we might have done, principally take notice of what is to be observed in this answer, under two general heads.