Exodus where the Lord being to establish his fiâ—st which is that old couenant with the Iewes in the hand of Moses the Mediator of the old Couenant caused diuers beasts to be sacrificed and their bloods to be taken in two vessels acco ding to the two persons that is God and the Iewes with whom the Couenant was to be made and the blood to be sprinkled vpon the pillars erected for that purpose the one representing the Lord the other the people which being accordingly performed by Moses he added saying This is the blood of that couenant which the Lord hath made with you That is to say this blood is that blood by the which the Lord sealeth vnto you the couenant that before hee coâ—enanted with you Thus as the Lord sealed his old couenants with the blood of bullocks goats and rammes which were but tipes of Christ the body of all the shadowes So he sealed according to his vsuall maner this his Indenture of the new couenant in like maner with blood and that with the blood of his only begotten sonne And the reason why the Lord after this manner sealed his couenants was this for that vnto those people a will or a testament and a couenant were all of one nature And therefore the Apostle to the Hebrues the spirit of God in diuers places beside comprehendeth them both vnder one name or word which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth either a will or testament also a couenant Now we know that a testament or wiâ—l and so a couenant is neuer ratified vntill the death of the testator that is the man that made the will but he being once dead the will cannot be altered but must stand vnchangeably For a man that is dead cannot alter his will or couenant The Lord therefore being immortall and therefore could not die that he might by the same vnchangeable manner ratifie and confirme his promises caused certaine beasts which represented his bodie as tipes and figures of himselfe to be slaine for him and in his stead vntill that Christ himselfe who was aboue all things God blessed for euermore should in his owne person by his owne death and the shedding of his most precious bloud estab ish and confirme this his owne good will and testament that is this new couenant afore mentioned And thereby seale sinnes and purge iniquitie so bring in euerlasting peace as the Angell speaketh to Daniel in his ninth Chapter Christ therefore by his death and bloodshedding hath established this new couenant of the forgiuenes of our sinnes in such sort as that it cannot be changed For the man being dead as the Apostle sheweth to the Hebrewes the wil is not to be altered God therfore that he might assure vs that he would not alter this his good will couenant of grace laid downe his owne life and so by his death which was by the shedding of his blood hee hath so sealed this his couenant as that it cannot be broken nor disanulled And as hereby hee hath inuincibly confirmed his couenants so hath he herein vsed no other seale to seale them withall thaÌ„ that which hath been alwayes vsuall in the like cases For as all his former couenants especially the old couenant were confirmed by blood so likewise is this his Indenture sealed and so ratified by the blood of Iesus Christ which is therfore as before I said verie fitly called the blood of the new couenant for that thereby this couenant is ratified sealed vnchangeably confirmed Thus then thou hast the Lords Indenture written with his owne hand and sealed with his owne blood which is that broad seale and that seale of Armes that is vsually affixed vnto such couenants escripts And herein least thou shouldest thinke that this seale were a counterfeit or added by stealth thou art to know that the institution of this seale or Sacrament came not from man but froÌ„ God himselfe who the same night that hee was betraied ordained the same coÌ„maunded it to be ioyned and added vnto the word of grace and the preaching of the forgiuenesse of sinnes as infinit proofes might be alleaged if it were a mater of any doubt The truth therfore and the lawfulnes of the seale is a matter out of all doubt and controuersie What is there els then that thou requirest for the confirmation of this his or rather thine euidence Desirest thou witnesse Behold the testimonie of all the Prophets and Apostles who were the pen-men and writers hereof who therfore ought to stand for double witnesses Behold the witnes of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost the witnes of all the faithfull of God who with one mouth as afterward in part shall appeare do confesse the same But what shalt thou need to bee carefull hereof when thou mayest bee assured that the lord if thou shew him his own writings and scriptures will neuer deny his owne hand Hauing therefore this Indenture writing of the Lords own hand follow herein the example of that godly king Ezekiah who wheÌ„ he had receiued letters from Zenacherib that were blasphemous against God entred into the temple of God vnfolded them and layd them open before God to mooue the Lord the rather thereby to bowe downe his eares and to heare his requests that hee powred out before him So thou hauing receiued not from maÌ„ but from God himselfe writing euideÌ„ces not of wrath but of his free meâ—cie and the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes enter into thy chaÌ„ber take these euidences couenants of the Lord with thee vnfold them spread them lay them open and read them before the face of God And withall after the example of Ezechiah poure forth thy prayers supplications before the Lord and say vnto him as followeth OH most merciful God the father o all comfort and consolation thou that art that strong God that forgiuest offences and passest by iniquitie in the remnant of thy possession thou that preparest the heart of the poore then openest thine eare to hearken therevnto Incline O Lord thine eare heare open O Lord thine eies and see behold O Lord the word of thine owne lips the writings of thine owne hand Of a truth Lord I haue sinned and done exceediÌ„g wickedly in thy sight I acknowledge it confesse it before the throne of thy grace But thou O Lord according to the riches of thy mercy and louing kindnes hast promised to forgiue mine offences Yea the more to shew the stablenes of thy counsell thou hast tied thy selfe by an oath thereunto And that which is more thou hast couenanted and indented with me by thiâ— thy couenant to passe by mine iniquities to remember my sinnes no more And now Lord regard I beseech thee thy gracious and free mercie the oath of thy holinesse and behold the words of thine owne mouth the works and the couenants of thine owne hands sealed with thine own most precious blood confirmed by thy death
THE Comforter OR A COMFORTAble Treatise wherein are contained many reasoÌ„s taken out of the word to assure the forgiunes of sinnes to the conscience that is troubled with the feeling thereof Together with the temptations of Sathan to the contrarie taken from experience written by IOHN FREEMAN sometime minister of the word in LEWES in SVSSEX AT LONDON Printed for Edw. VVhite and are to be sold at his shop at the little North dore of Paules at the signe of the Gun 1606. To the Worshipfull and his very good friends Maister George Goring the elder M. George Goring the younger his son M. Harbart Pelham M. William Morley M. Iohn Shurley M. Robert Chester M. Richard Shelley M. Henry Bowyer together with the whole congregation of Lewis Iohn Freeman wisheth grace peace from God the Father and from our Lord Iesus Christ TVllie hauing intreated much of old age knew not what fitter man to chuse to commit his writings vnto than Titus Pomponius Atticus a man well striken in age And hauing compiled a treatise of friend ship he picked out the same Atticus a man full of friendship to send the same vnto alwaiâ— chusing pratrons according to the matter Not much vnlike vnto Luke the Euangelist who writing of the things of God chose out Theophilus that is a freÌ„d of God as a most meet man to write vnto So I hauing according to my weaknes written somthing of comfort haue found none more meet vnto whoÌ„e to dedicate my writings thaÌ„ your worships at whose hands my self haue receiued as I must still acknowledge exceeding much comfort For who ought to haue more interest in comfort than the comforters And what fitter patrones of comfort can a man imagin to find than the authors fathers thereof For this cause therefore haue I made choise of your Worships and of your brethren beloued in the Lord as of all men most meet to commit these my writings vnto And this the rather haue I done as on the one side in regard of my selfe to whom there is nothing more deare or more due than to recompence spiritual for temporall things that you which haue sowne temporall might if there be any in mee receiue from mee spirituall comforts that thus you seeing a haruest of your corne fruit of your labor comforts to spring of your comfort mercies of your mercies that is the riches of the treasures of the mercies of God opened vnto you for the mercifull vse of your riches might not think that either you plowed the barren sand or sowed in a reproued field which bringing forth nothing but thorns or briars is therefore as some thought neere to the fire so on the other side in a more especiall regard of your selues to whom the Lord hath in a more plentiful manner opened the treasures of his hidden riches insomuch that you are filled therwith I therefore haue laboured it lieth in you that I may say I hope not in vaine that you might also abound with spirituall and inward comforts That thus you being comforted in bodie and comforted in soule comforted outwardly and comforted inwardly abounding in heauenly and earthly comforts in the honest comforts of the flesh and the glorious comforts of the spirit might want nothing that might be for your sound comfort especially for your spiritual comfort without the which all earthlie comforts are vaine and fruitles For what shall it profit a man to bee comforted in body afflicted in soule To haue the comforts of the flesh and to want the comforts of the spirit To liue as Diues deliciously and be cloathed in purple if after this life hee should be tormented with Diues in that flame What should it benefit a man to eat the fat and drinke the sweet to be fed with the kidneis of the wheat to eat the honie of the rocke the calfe of the stall the Lambe of the fold to drinke wine in bowles to haue instruments of musicke like vnto Dauid to stretch himselfe vpon his Iuorie beds and after this life to haue fire brimstone storme and tempest for to drink to haue his portion in that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death What shall it profit a man to haue Achabs life with Achabs death Hamans glory with HaÌ„ans shame Dauids musicke with Saules misery Salomons prosperity with Cains aduersity Darius his kingdoms with Iudas hellish paines Nay how is it possible that that man should haue much comfort in bodie that hath none in soule And what sound comfort can a man take in this life euen in the middest of his cheare his wife and his women his vessels of gold and of siluer if he should with Baltasher Dan. 7. see the hand of God writing against him that fearfull sentence Mene Mene Tekel Vphursin that is the Lord hath weighed thee in the ballance hath found thee too light And therefore should hea e as the rich man in the Gospell that saying of the Lord vnto him Thou foole this night shall they that is the Deuils fetch away thy soule from thee then whose shall these bee that thou possessest My labor therefore is that with a good feast you might haue a coÌ„tinual feast that is a good conscience that in youâ— good cheere you might bee of good cheere in the Lord that you might eate of the fatted Calfe that immaculate and paschall lambe Iesus Christ that his blood might be your drinke and his bodie your meat that his righteousnes may be put vpon you as that armour of light that wedding garment full of glorie that you might eate that hidden Manna and drinke those waters of life of which whosoeuer drinketh shall neuer hunger nor thirst more that Christ that knocketh at the dores be not shut out of the gates but that he may come in and sup with you so that you eating with him of his mirrhe with his spices of his hony combe with his honie and drinking his wine with his milke may heare those often cheerings and welcomes of the Lord being at one table with him saying Eat oh my friends drinke be drunken oh my beloued That so you may not see the hand writing against you vpon the wall but fastened on the crosse may not heare that fearefull voice Thou fool this night shall they fetch away thy soule from thee but that comfortable saying of Christ Sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee Without the fâ—ll perswasion whereof I doe not a little marâ—ell how it is possible for any man to take plesure comfort in any eaâ—thly thing For euen this one bone to gnaw vpon might occupy them so that they should haue little pleasure or leisure to eate of their dainty dishes this one doubt of the mercy of God might bee like vnto Damacles sword which hanging ouer their heads as by a horse haire might make them to take little pleasure in the variety of their meats in the points of musicke in the
beauty of their boies in the loue of their womeÌ„ in the furniture of their table in all other things besides And howsoeuer the wicked are lulled asleepe in securitie that they are carelesse and so come to be past sorrow hauing a brawne ouer their hearts and their consciences seared with a hot burning iron yet I am sure that the elect of God the vessels of mercie desire nothing so much as the assurance of his mercie And therefore euen their life it selfe is vnpleasant without the tast hereof Insomuch that they cannot rest in peace vntill by the peace of God raigning in their conscieÌ„ces his loue shed abroad into their hearts by the holy Ghost they are fully assured that they are washed they a e clensed they are iustifiâ—d in the name of Iesus Christ by the spirit of their God so the free ful forgiuenes of their sins be fully freely sealed vnto their own soules For they are not ignorant how loathsome a thing sin is in the face of God and how fearefull a thing it is to fall into the hands of the liuing lord Knowing therfore these things and the feare and terrour of the Lord I wil not cease during the time of my abode to put you in mind by those meanes that I can of these things that you may not rest contented as the world doth with earthly but may aspire higher seeking for heauenly comforts in the Lord labouring alwayeâ— for those things that are most excellent according to the excellencie of your place striuing to increase in all fulnes of God of the holy Ghost that you may be filled with comfort true ioyes and your ioy no man might take away froÌ„ you This because I could not otherwise do but by writing I haue vsed the same as that onely meaâ—s which the Lord hath left vnto mee and haue according both to your deserts and my debt at the last presumed notwithstanding that diuers reasons of no smal importance which would be neither pleasant nor profitable in their repeating might haue perswaded me to the contrary to dedicate this my labor which what it is I referre to the iudgement of others vnto your Worships the rest of the Churches of God about you to whoÌ„ I acknowledge my selfe a debter also howsoeuer I acknowledge notwithstanding my selfe not to haue receiued from some that experience of loue to speak no hardlier that I looked for And herein as neither the mutterings of others the suspition of flattery not the opinion of pride which might be by the malicious falsely couceiued against me haue more preuailed with me than dutie so I doubt not but that suspition disdain vices too great to raigne in personages of worship professors of the Gospell of God shall find no place in your very raines For both the good opinion that my selfe haue conceiued the world receiued coÌ„cerning your sinceritie will cleare you hereof neither suffer you to entertain any such affectioÌ„ nor me to admit any such suspition And now brethren worshipful beloued in the Lord what remaineth but that I shuld bow the knees of my soule to the father of our Lord Iesus Christ the God of all mercy the Father of al comfort consolatioÌ„ that according to the riches of his mercie he would make you feele and fill you with all spirituall comforts That you may with glorying in the lord look for the hope of glory and the appearing of the mightie God and our sauior Iesus Christ to whom with the father and the holy Ghost three persons and one God immortall inuisible and onely wise be all glory power praise dominion now and euer Amen Yours alwaies in the Lord Iohn Freeman The Epistle to the Reader A Son the one side gentle Reaâ—er I am not ignoraÌ„t either of the spee hes of those that cry out against the coÌ„fortable opening of the prom ses of the grace Gospell of God as that which wil breed as they thinke licentiousnes of life or of the corruption of mans harâ— that maketh his liberty a cloke for the flesh turneth the gâ—aâ—es of God into wantonnesse so on the other side the affâ—ictâ—ons of Sathan in mine own soule who haue been a man that haue had good experience of infirmities the manifold like temptations that I haue seeâ—e to be accomâ—l shed in others my brethren in the world haue been most profitable schoolemaisters to instruct mee in the fearefull miserable estate of the desperate man I therfore comparing the the danger that might grow by the manifestation of the comfortable promises of God in Iesus Christ to the senseles such as are intangled in security with the danger that the ignorance of the same promises of mercie might bring to them that are afflicted The corruptâ—ons of those that corrupt the promises of God with the corruption or â—ather the rottennes of the bones that cleaueth to them that are corrupted for want of the comfort of the promises and finding the one to be ready to peâ—â—sh for the abuse the other foâ— lacke of the vse of the comfoâ—ts of God the one to peâ—â—sh with comfort the other without comfort the one to be gorged or rather to be choked with plenty the other â—o pine away and to starue for want of sufficiâ—ncy and so the estate of them both to be dangerous the one for want the other for wantonnes I resolued in the end to follow the example of PhisitioÌ„s who if they find two or more diseases combined togetheâ— labour first to take away that disease that most endangereth the life or coÌ„meth nerest vnto the hea t. So I seeing the abuse of true coÌ„fort to be dangerous to the abusers but the want thereof to bee deadly to theÌ„ that are afflicted in conscience I haue wholly employed my selfe to take away this later with the effect therof which is despaire a disease that striketh imediatly against the life both of body soule for that it lyeth as we vse to say at the hart And that I might the beâ—â—er doe this I haue applyed cordials that is saâ— h things as are or may be coÌ„foâ—table for the hâ—râ— wherein I haue followed the prescriptioÌ„ of that aâ—â—ient of dayes that only wise Arch Phisit oÌ„ of our souls who giueth coâ—nsâ—l nay charge to comfort his people yea to â—omfort them at the hart which althoâ—gh pe chance by reason of mine owne weaknes or weaknes of the patient I haue not fully attained yet I doubt not but that it wil appear that I haue faithfully atteÌ„pted the performâ—â—e therof applying according to the mesure of the vnderstaÌ„ding of God giueÌ„ vnto me the coÌ„forts of the conscience to the bâ—oken and wounded hart that in such sort as that they may not only take away dispaire but also by the blessing of God security it self that liberty of sinning that some think perthance will ensue by the setting abroch the
by sorce vsurpest the inheritance of Iacob an Achab that oppressest Naboth with his vineyard a theefe that takest the goods of other men a dogge that eatest vp the childrens bread The curse of the law together with the threatnings therof arâ— those things that are proper vnto thee First therfore clense thy hands thou hypocrit thy hart thou doble minded man then come talke with the Lord anâ— then though thy sins be as the skarlet the Lord wil make theÌ„ as the snow thogh they be as the purple the Lord wil make them as the wooll then shalt thou finde comfort in the comforts of the Lord be comforted in deed It lyeth therfore in thee that both that which thou readest may bâ— comfortable that that which I haue written may be profitable The framing of thy self to the obedieÌ„ce of faith together with the right vse of these other the coÌ„forts of the Lord may both stop the mouths oâ— those that inueigh against ouermuch comfort as that which wil lay opeÌ„ as they say a gap to al sin Epicurisme also cause me not to repent my selfe of my labor wheÌ„ I shall see thee bettered the weak comforted thee cast downe the humble lifted vp thee to be full of obedience the mourners ful of comfort when God shall be glorified man shal haue cause to glorie in the liuing Lord. For these causes good brother haue I entred into this actioÌ„ contriued coÌ„piled this discourse concerning the forgiuenes of thy sins A matter though plentifull full of comfort insomuch that it might in either regard haue excited many to haue handled the same yet either with such breuity or with so light a hand passed ouer as that I feared not least I should as they say wash a tile sow of another mans seed if I wrote any thing therof I therefore although I acknowledge my selfe to be theÌ„ most vnfit of many or rather any other to wade in a mater of so great importance yet not at the least experieÌ„ced perchaÌ„ce of all other haue vndertaken this whether labor or losse haue committed to the presse that which I haue writteâ— here not preuenting any man hereby that meant to vndertake the managing of the matter for I haue left a sufficient large field for any other thâ— is better able to exercise himself hauinâ— only dilated at large that but rudelâ— in this discourse but those few principall reasons that I deliuered before iâ— one of my sermons vpon the Colossians froÌ„ vvhich by reason of the length I haue seuered this discourse into a seueral booke as that which exceedeth the length of a sermon but rather giuing an example by mine example to others of greater giftes to wade in this argument as that whicâ— requireth by reason of the depth of sathaÌ„ and the weaknes of many the care of â— saithfull the paine of a diligent the gift of a learned the feelings of an experienced man vntil the performance wherof accept of this my labour of loue vsing the same as to the gloâ—y of God so tâ— thine own coÌ„fort that this whiâ—h is written for thy comfort be not vnto thy condemnation either through the contempt or abuse thereof Now the God of al glory sanctifie thy heart throughout anâ— make thee to abound in all full and sound feelings of the manifold benefits graces of God in Iesus Christ our Sauiour and Redeemer Iohn Freeman The first Chapter Wherein it is declared that there is liuely hope of comfort left vnto all them that mourne vnder the burden of their sinnes As there is no estate either in bodie or soule more dangerous or more miserable than that which is desperate so there is no speech either more lamentable or lesse true thaÌ„ that which commeth therefrom which in effect is either the same that came from Cain that crieth out that his sins are greater than can bee forgiuen or that which came from Ieremie inferred as it were vpon the former that concludeth that there is no hope left for him in the lord Wherein albeit they speake according to the sight of their sinnes that seem to be monstrous and therefore vnpardonable or according to the feeling of the wrath of God which seemeth vnremoueable therfore intollerable yet not according to the verie truth it selfe For it is not to bee denied but that the blood of Christ which is that price wherwith they were redeemed froÌ„ their sins far excelleth the value of all sinne whatsoeuer in the sight of God that the holy ghost which is that sanctifying spirit that washeth vs from all our sins being God therfore of infinit power is able to clense vs and wipe away as all teares from our eies so all sins from our soule to make those offences that are as the skarlet that is the most bloody as the skarlet is mostred to be like vnto the snow and them that are as the purple to be like vnto the wooll For the Lord is rich in mercie to all them that call vpon him faithfully and abundant in kindnes And therfore as the Prophet Dauid coÌ„cludeth there is mercy with him that he may be feared and with the Lord there is plenteous redemption It followeth therefore that howsoeuer it appeareth not vnto that soule yet there is hope of coÌ„fort left vnto him so to all theÌ„ that come vnto the father by Iesus Christ our Lord. For euen God the Father is called by the spirit the God of all comfort and the Father of all mercy consolation and Iesus Christ is that fountaine of gardens as the spouse calleth him in whom all fulnes yea euen of the comforts of God dwelleth without measure and the spirit of God is called by Christ himself the comforter So that we being by the spirit which is the comforter lead through Christ the fountaine of the gardens of the comforts of the Lord vnto God the father the father of all comfort and consolation how is it possible that wee should want either comfort or spirituall consolation Aske them that haue been heretofore as thy selfe afflicted therfore for the present as thy selfe perswaded aske them I say whether though they spake according to their present feeling yet whether they spake according to the words of truth yea or no. They can tell thee and that both out of the word and by experience that although sorrow lodge with thee for a night yet ioy shall come in the morning that they are al blessed that now weep for they reioice that they are blessed that mourne for they shall be comforted that a broken contrite hart is a sacrifice sweet smelling vnto God the Father and acceptable in Iesus Christ our Lord and that both this thy sorrow which is for thy sins if it be so great as that it breed repentance and so little as that it breed not despaire is that godly sorow which is a notable
neighbors beast sware that it perished not through his default the lender ought and that by the law of God to giue credit vnto him and to rest satisfied How much more then not man but the Lord hauing sworne to forgi e thy sinnes oughtest thou to rest satisfied So that now euen in reason in coâ—science in equitie and in law the forgiuenes of thy sinnes ought to be a matter out of all doubt and contâ—ouersie If thou receiuest the witnesse of men the witnesse of God is greater And yet euen with men if they haue not cast of al I say not feare of God but humanitie there is such a religion of an oath as that rather than they will forswear themselues they will sustaine any inconuenience Examples whereof we may haue plentie not onely from dayly experience but euen out of the testimonie of the word of truth Hâ—rod swore to giue to that dancing daâ—sell euen whatsoeuer shee asked yea though it were the one halfe of hiâ— kingdome she demaâ—nded the head of Iohn Baptist. The scripture testifieth that albeit Heâ—od feared the people and so a ciuill insurrection that might haue cost him his life kingdome also yet for his oaths sake hee sent his executioners I will not now dispute how lawfully to cut off his head Iephtha a Iudge of Israell if he returned with victory vowed to sacrifice vnto the Lord the first liuing thing that he met withall after his returne The Lord so disposed of the matter that his owne daughter was the fiâ—st that offered her selfe vnto him Neither the regard of nature nor of the life of his own daughter nor of his sinne against God although perchance hee knew not that hee sinned therein no nor any thing else could make him to break his though but vn-aduised vow But what shall I speake of these men with whom a shew of religion might seem thus to haue preuailed when it is manifest that there haue been amongst the heathen many such especially one Marcus Attilius regulus that would for their oaths sake returne againe from their owne friends countrey where they might haue rested iâ— peace and safetie into their enemies hands notwithstanding that they knew that there were most exquisit and picked torments theâ—e provided for them how many haue we known with vs who being constrained by their oath haue layd open their owne shame and secreâ—ie to their greatest and vttermost peâ—ill If such be the reuerence of an oath taken but by God what thinke we will be the reward thereof when it is taken of God If man whose heart is aboue al things most deceitâ—ull will not be mâ—oued to breake his oath doe we thinke that the Lord who is the righteous iudge of the whole earth can be moued to forsweare himselfe The Lord will not suffer that man that sweareth to his neighbour and disappointeth him to dwell within his tabernacle nor to rest vpon his holy hill and then is it likely that he will suffer the sinne it selfe for the which hee reprooueth the man to haue place in his owne person God forbid that we should so conceue of the Lord acco nting him to be lesse constant than inconstant man If it were possible that such an imagination shuld creep into our heads as that we should thinke that the Lord would lye yet far be it from vs that we should think that the Lord would forsweare himselfe EueÌ„ this one word therefore which is that the Lord hath sworne to forgiue vs our sins should strike into our hearts such a full assurance therof as that we should rest in peace be fully satisfied and resolued therin no longer wauering as the vnconstant doubtfull minded man but rather reioice be comforted glorie in the Lord euen as my selfe haue known many of the elect of god to haue done who although before they were horribly afraid and disquieted in their own souls yet so soon as they heard this once that God hath sworne to forgiue their sins haue been exceedingly comforted and refreshed therwith haue presently shaken cast off all feare together with their doubting so that they neither feared nor doubted any longer The third Section But yet further if we measuring the Lord by our owne foot shall not giue credit either to his word or to his oth but shall for better assurance require writings and as we say euidences thereof behod herein the loue of God also who hath by his Indenture of couenaÌ„ts bound himselfe to forgiue our sinnes all our offences The couenants for the more assurance you may see drawen as it were by the Lords owne hand in the 31 chapter of the prophesie of Ieremy set downe very authentically as in the very and right forme of an Indenture of couenants in this manner following This is the couenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord I will put my laâ—â—es in the r inward parts wrâ—te it in their haâ—ts I wil be their God they shal be my people And they shall teach no more eâ—eâ—y 〈◊〉 neighbour saying Know the Loâ—dâ— for they shal all kâ—ow me froÌ„ the least of theÌ„ vnto the greatest of the sa th the â—orâ— foâ— I wil forgiue their iniquities wil remember their sins no moâ—e This is the Indenture of the couenant of the Lord dâ—awn eueÌ„ by the singer of the Lord the holie Ghost Wherein in the very entrance thereof thou maiest see First the very stile of an Indenture contained in these words Thâ—s is the couenant so forth Secondly the parties themselues mentioned betweene whom this coueuant is made the Lord of the one side the house of Israel that is the elect houshold of God which is the Church Catholike on the other side contained in these wordâ— That I will make with the house of Israel Thirdly the time the date as it were the term of those couenants when they should enter begin and that was especially at the time of the death of Christ coÌ„prised in these words after those daies Fourthly the articles and coâ—enants themselues are set down and specified and they are three principally The first is that he will instruct them inwardly in their soules by his spirit which should write his lawes in their harts The second is that he would be their God they should be his people The third is that he would forgiue their iniquity and remember their offences no more So that here wee see the expresse Indenture of the Lord by the which he hath couenanted graunted to forgiue vs our sins and our transgressions And because that in Indentures it is not ynough to haue but one which is as the first draught but a paire that they may be giuen interchangeably therefore the Lord hath by the hand of the Apostle to the Hebrues in the eight chapter drawâ— the counterpane of the former word for word as it is in the former after this
maner which I will also set downe that thou maiest conser them together saying This â—s the couenant that I wâ—ll maâ—e with the house of Israel after those daies saith the Lord. I will put my lawes in ther inward parts wr te theÌ„â—n the r harts And I wil be their God they shal be my people And they shal not teach euery man his neighbour saying Know the Lord for al shal kâ—ow me froÌ„ the least to the greatest of theÌ„ For I wil be mercâ—ful vnto their vnrighteousnes I will remember their sins and their iniquities no more In which words thou seest the very couÌ„terpane of the former IndeÌ„ture of the Lords couenaÌ„ts almost word for word So that now thou hast a pair of these IndeÌ„tures of couenaÌ„ts to warrant thee forgiunes of thy sins And least thou shouldst lose or lay vp that Indenture that is with thee at thy heeles and so should not haue it to shew when need requireth behold the kindnes of God to thee ward who hath taken the paine to coppie out the sum of the couenants in the 10. to the Hebrues in these words following This is the couenaÌ„t that I will make vnto them after those daies saith the Lord. I wil put my lawes in their harts in the r minds wil I write them And their siâ—s and iniquities wil I remeÌ„ber no more So that thou seest how faithfully the Lord as one that ment not to deale deceitfully with thee hath dealt in this behalfe What can he do more Thou wilt not take his word nor his oath he hath entred into couenants bound himselfe by his Indenture to performe his couenants And this Indenture he hath caused to be made interchangeably and so a paire of them to be drawn one for the principall on the behalfe of the Lord the other for euer to remaine with thee And that which is more he hath giuen withall a coppie thereof if thou shouldest forget where to find the Indenture it selfe And least thou shouldst take some exception against the hand or the scriuener that wrote the same the Lord as before I said drew the couenants Indenture it selfe with his owne hand and finger which is the holy Ghost who is with the father and the son God blessed for euermore As plainely appeareth by the witnesse of the holy Ghost himselfe who saith that no Scripture came of any priuate motion bâ—t holy men wrote as they were moued and g â—ded by the holy Ghost â—nd therfore Christ Peter and Paule with all the rest of the Apostles when they spake of the writings of the Prophets and their witnes called it the witnes and writings of the holy Ghost So that these Indentures were drawen and written by the holy Ghost which is the hand and finger of God So that thou hast the couenants of God drawne also with the Lords owne hand for thy better and full assurance And least that this Indenture should want any thing of his ful vertue power and strength the Lord hath added his Sacraments which are fitly by Paule in the fourth to the Romane speaking of circumcision which was a Sacrament to Abraham and the same that Baptisme is in the particular or that the Supper of the Lord is in the generall vnto vs called the seals of the couenant of God So that the Lord hauing added his Sacraments to his couenants hath therein added his seale to his Indentures For his Sacraments aâ—e his seales The matter whereof consisteth not as doe the seales of kings and princes of the earth either of yellow or greene or red wax but of the red bloud of the Imaculat and vnspotted Lambe the Son of God Iesus Christ which is visibly exhibited in the Sacrament of the Supper of the Lord. For which cause the Lord himselfe and the Apostle Paule in the 11. of the first to the Corin. calleth the cup in the Lords supper the bloâ—d of the new couenaÌ„t for that this new couenaÌ„t before set down is ratified established coÌ„firmed therwith sealed as it were with a seal Wherin also least thou shoâ—ldst take some exception against this seale as if it were either counterâ—ait or by stealth added and affiâ—ed thervnto thou art to vnderstand first that it is the Lords broad seale For euen as in the kings broad seale there is imprinted ingrauen and so represented the person of his maiestie so in this Sacrament of the Lords supper which is his seale is imprinted in grauen and so represented the veâ—y body and blood and so the very and liuely person of the son of God Iesus Christ the bread representing his bodie the wine representing his bloud that in such a liuely maner forme as that Christ himselfe calleth the bread his body and the wine his bloud it selfe So that the person of the King is not so liueâ—y represented in his broad seale as the person of the Son of God is represented in his broad seale Secondly thou art to know that therein also is his seale of armes ingrauen For therin is shewed forth the arms of Christ nailed to the crosse which is the cognisance of a true Christian his bodie broken and his bloud shed for the remission of thy sinnes And this is in such a liuely maner by the breaking of the bread which is his bodie and the shedding of the wine which is his bloud shewed forth vnto the eies of our body as that we there behold visibly as in a mirror Christ crucified before our eies his body broken and his bloud shed for the forgiuenesse of our sins So that our eies may there see the worke of our redemption fulfilled so with all his seale of armes his armes being spread vpon the crosse and his bodie wounded for our transgressions So that euen as the broad seale of England hath on the one side the person of the Prince and on the other side the armes of the land ingrauen so hath this seale of God fixed to his Indenture of couenants the person of the Lord on the one side his armes on the other side liuely and euidently imprinted Thirdly thou must coÌ„sider that this is his seale which is vsually affixed in such cases and to such writings For it hath been alwaies the vse of the Lord to seale these and such like couenants of spirituall graces by the shedding of blood As may appear in the 15 of Genesis where the Lord confirming and sealing his couenant of the land of Canaan which represented that heauenly Ierusalem vnto them which he promised vnto Abâ—aham and his seed caused him to slâ—y a calfe a goat and a ram of three yeares of age and to cut them a sunder according to the vse of those nations So the Lord in the 17 of Genesis being to enter into a new couenaÌ„t with Abraham concerning the child of promise sealed the same with circumcision which was a Sacrament of blood But most liuely of all this appeareth in the 24 of
vpon the crosse wherin thou hast promised to forgiue all my sinnes and my transgressions Be it vnto me thy seruant I beseech thee according to thy free promise and according to thy gracious couenant Oh let me feele I pray thee the accomplishing hereof in my owne soule And as thou hast written this couenant in thy word with thine owne finger and sealed the same with thy bloud So gracious Father vouchsafe to write it in my hart by thy spirite and to seale it vnto my conscience by the powerful applying of the same thy blood thereunto that it may wash me from all my sins and my transgressions and so create in me that peace of God that passeth all vnderstanding Gracious God thy free offer maketh mee freely to offer these my requests vnto thy name and with a full confidence of hope to haue accesse vnto the throne of thy grace knowing that thou O Lord that hast promised art able wilt according to this thy scripture the writing of thine own hands performe it This course if thou shalt take it is not to be doubted but that as thy hart shall find faith so thy soule shal receiue comfort in and from the liuing Lord feeling according to his couenant of the Lord thy selfe to be washed clensed and iustified in the name of Iesu Christ and by the spirit of our God The Fourth Section But yet further if with Gedeon we shal desire a token or with Ezekiah a signe to confirme our faith Behold the Lord fitteth not in a Rainebow in the clouds as hee did to Noah he maketh not the sunne to go tenne degrees backward as he did for Ezekiah he maketh not the fleece to bee wet in the drie floure nor drie in the wet deaw as he did for Gedeon but he giueth thee being but one man euen two signes nay more than signes euen two Sacraments the one of Baptisme the other of the Lords supper both of them being visible signes to confirm vnto thee the inuisible grace of the free mercy of god in Iesus Christ And therefore did the Lord himselfe in the seuenteenth of Genesis when he first instituted the Sacrament of Circumcision call it a signe saying vnto Abraham that it should be a signe of the couenant that was between himselfe and them that is that it should be that signe that the Lord would giue vnto him to assure and to approue vnto him the fulfilling and accomplishing of his couenant Whereupon the Apostle Paule in the fourth to the Romanes speaking of the same Sacrament calleth it in like manner a signe saying that Abraham receiued the signe of Circumcision that it might seale the righteousnesse of faith which was in his vncircumcision That is that he receiued circumcision which was an outward and an euident sign to confirme vnto him his free iustification by faith Thus as one of the Iewish Sacraments is called a signe so likewise was the other which was the Paschall lambe or Passeouer as plainely appeareth in the twelfth of Exodus where it is said of the bloud of the Paschall lambe which represented the bloud of Iesus Christ the vnspotted vndefiled lamb that it should be vnto them for a signe vpon their houses that the Lord when he destroyed the Aegyptians their and his enemies would passe ouer them so that they should liue in peace and rest when their enemies were consumed So that hereby it plainely appeareth that both the Iewish Sacraments were not onely seales of the couenants but also giuen for signs and tokens vnto them which shuld be continually before their eyes to confirme vnto them the graces of God in Iesus Christ Whereupon it foâ—loweth that as their SacrameÌ„ts were vnto them so are our Sacraments that is the Supper of the Lord Baptisme giuen for signes vnto vs to confirme as all other the graces of God so our free forgiuenes and pardon for all our offences For the same is Baptisme vnto vs that Circumcision was vnto them as plainely appeareth in the second to the Colonians the eleuenth twelfth verses And the same is the Supper of the Lord vnto vs that was the Paschall lambe vnto them as infinite places and the generall consent of all men approoueth The visible signe only according to the time being altered into another which is far more significant and more liuely to signifie and so to confirme vnto vs this inward grace of God of which now we speake And therefore is a Sacrament verie fitly according to this their vse defined by Augustine to be a visible signe of an inuisible grace As therefore the signe of the Rain-bow iâ— the clouds coÌ„firmeth vnto vs that promise of God which he made with Noah that is that hee would destroy no more the whole earth with waters as the returne of the Sunne tenne degrees backward was a signe vnto Ezekias that 〈◊〉 should be recouered out of that disease As the fleece of Gedeon being wet in thâ— drie and drie in the wet was vnto him a signe that hee should ouercome hiâ— enemies so is the water in Baptisme wherwith we were washed a signe and token vnto vs that we should be washed from all our sinnes and our offences So likewise is the breaking of the bread the powring out of the wine in the supper of the Lord another as euident a signe that by the death of Iesus Christ by the shedding of his blood we are purged from all our sins According to the saying of Iohn in his first epistle who saith that the blood of Christ purgeth vs from all our offences And againe in the ReuelatioÌ„ Christ saith he hath washed vs by his blood from all our offences And again in the the 5. to the Ephesians the Apostle Paul speaking of Baptisme saith that Christ sanctified the Church and purged it by the lauacre of water in the word So that now when thou seest other or remembrest that thy selfe was washed with water in Baptisme And again when thou seest the body of Christ to be broken in the Supper of the lord and his blood to be powred out and giuen vnto thee thou art to coÌ„sider with thy selfe that these are two signes tokens which are shewed giuen to thee of the Lord fully to assure and persuade thy conscience that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee and that thou art washed that thou art saâ—ctified and that thou art iustified by the blood of Iesus Christ and by the spirit of our God So that now doest thou seeke with the Scribes and Pharisies a signe Behold the Lord hath giueÌ„ vnto thee not one but two tokens in stead of other miracles and wonders euen two visible signes of this inuisible grace euen Sacraments to confirme thy faith and yet doubtest thou The incredulous Iewes said vnto Christ shew vs a signe and we will beleeue thee See the Lord sheweth thee two yet wilt thou not beleeue him One raine-bow was ynough for Noah one fleece for Gedeon the sâ—nne once to
to perswade the forgiuenesse of our sins saying The mercie of the Lord endureth from age to age towards them that fear him and his iustice or as some translate it his righteousnes towards Childrens childreÌ„ And againe in his 116. Psalme the Prophet gathereth the saâ—ing health of the Lord not onely from his mercy but also from his iustice and therefore he ioyneth them both together to approoue the same saying The Lord is gracious iust our God I say is mercifull the Lord that saueth the simple when I am brought low sheweth his saluation vnto me Many other are those places that vrge the same reason to confirme vnto vs the forgiuenes of our sins and therfore in this first respect we may boldly and truely proue vnto our selues the remission of our sinnes from the iustice of God for it is a iust thing with the Lord according to his promises to forgiue vs our offences The second Section Secondly the Lord hath already punished Iesus Christ for our offences therefore cannot in iustice punish them in vs also For as Esay testifieth in his 73 chapter hee was punished for our sins he was broken for our iniquitie we all erred as a sheepe euerie one of vs turned to his own way and the Lord made the punishment of vs all to fall vppon him What could be spoken more plainly for the proofe hereof than this which the Prophet heâ—e by the spirite of God deliuereth vnto vs For we offended Christ was punished the seruaÌ„t displeased his Lord the father beat his son for it dealing herein with vs as hee did with Dauid Dauid coÌ„mitted adulterie and the child that was borne in adulterie died for it Dauid caused his subiects to be numbred and the people in great multitudes were slaine therefore Or rather as Tutors vnto Princes childreÌ„ deale with their pupils if they commit a fault their seruants are beaten but herein is the difference there the seruant is beaten for the son but here the son for the seruant the naturall sonne for the vnnaturall child the onely begotten for the adopted son the gracious son for the sonne by grace the beloued for his enemies So Christ was punished and we are pardoned Christ was charged with and wee discharged from our sins For the Lord tooke him for the offendor and punished him as the offendor It standeth not therefore with Gods iustice to punish those our sins in our selues that he alreadie charged vpon his son and our Sauiour Iesus Christ But the equity of this shal the better appeare if we shall consider that our sins are called and are indeed those debts which wee ought vnto the Lord. For the payment whereof Christ entred into bonds with this condition therein â—ndorsed that if we in any part failed he of his owne substance would satisfie the whole Now such was our beggery that we were not able to satisfie the same such was the wisedome of God that he would not seek by rigor of law to recouer the debt of vs poore men the best richest of vs being but beggarly mates and therefore in no likely-hood able to make payment therof to his Maiesty albeit he troubled suâ—d vs neuer so loÌ„g The lord therfore seeing that it was but lost lâ—bor that was spent vpon vs commenced his action in great wisedome against Christ being fully as rich in glory in graces righteousnes as hiâ—self therfore euery way able to satisfie the whole who accordingly of his owne substance euen of the substance of his bodie and blood paid vnto God the Father whatsoeuer in iustice either hee could demand or we ought We ought to die he satisfied the same we ought to haue born the heauie wrath and displeasure of the father he satisfied the same we ought to haue ben cast into hell and he satisfied also the same as we beleeue in our Creed and generally whatsoeuer we ought he fully contented and payd vnto the Lord insomuch that the father himselfe acknowledged and confessed in thunder from heauen that in him hee was well pleased euen fully satisfied and contented So that eueÌ„ by the confession of the Father himselfe solemnely made from the heauens by his owne mouth in the hearing of many witnesses who haue left the same for a matter of record for our selues our heirs and all posteritie it plainely appeareth that by Christ he himselfe is fully satisfied contented paid and pleased and wee therfore and therby are fully and freely acquitted and discharged from the beginning of the world vnto the end therof froÌ„ all whatsoeuer debt of sin we ought vnto the Lord. And that euen in the iustice of the Lord who cannot demaund that as debt of vs which Christ hath so fully satisfied for vs especially hauing for euer this general quittance writteÌ„ by the Lords own finger to shew for our full discharge So that euen by law we haue a discharge from law and from all our offences and sinnes which were those debts for the paiment wherof we were bouÌ„d vnto the Lord. So that the Lord cannot enter into iudgement with vs nor by the rigour of the lawe claime any debt at our hands For with what iustice can the Lord demaund any debt at our hands when Christ our suretie who stood bound for vs hath by the Lords owne confession satisfied whatsoeuer he could demaund and hath cancelled the hand writing that was against vs So that how or by what means would the Lord recouer any debt from vs can bee sue his band against vs why he hath none for it is cancelled Or be it that he hath why yet we haue both the Lords own confession recorded and also sufficient witnesses yea a generall quittance in these words mentioned and fully set downe written by the Lords owne hand for our full discharge The Lord hath quite claimed all interest in our debts and therefore can claime no interest in them against vs The law of nations the law of nature the law of our land and the law of God cleere vs of all euen of all our debts of all our sinnes of all our transgressions and offences whatsoeuer Thus then it appeareth euen by the iustice of god that our sinnes are cleane blotted out and forgiuen And this is the second reason therfrom that argueth the same The third Section Lastly the Lord hath alâ—eady punished not onely our sinnes but for and with them our owne persons in Christ For Christ did not beare onely the punishment for our sinnes but our sins themselues also According as Esay beareth witnesse in his 53 Chapter where hee speaking of Christ saith that hee bare our infirmities and caried our griefes And againe in the same place My iust seruant saith hee shall iustifie many whose sins he hath taken vpon himselfe And again he carying the sins of many made intercession for sinners For he is that true Goat mentioned in the 16 of Leuiticus vpon whome the sinnes of all the people of God were
readie to whip vs steppeth in between the Lord and the sinner and keepeth vs as the mother doth her child from the fathers rod. Yea as our aduocat our daies man who is ready to make our defence for our offence against God by pleading our weakneâ— â—our infirmities our childhood and young yeares to reconcile vs to God and mooue his father to pardoÌ„ vs. Yea as the bishop of our souls and that faithful high priest which ceaseth not day nor night to poure out his praiers with all watchfulnes and feruencie euen as he did vpon the earth as the holy Ghost beareth witnesse for vs vnto God the Father And this he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coÌ„tinually because we continually sinning might continually be pardoned For if he ceased to make intercession for vs there would bee an intermission of remission of sinnes But when he neuer ceaseth to importune intreat the father for vs we are fully assured that al our sins are for euer washed away For the Father cannot by reason of his merite and will not by reason of his mercie denie any thing vnto his requests Father saith Christ I know thou hearest me in all things and thereby we know that he heareth him in the continual intercession that he maketh for the sonnes of men And this so much the rather may we assure our selues of for that the sonne is more deare vnto the father than the seruant the mediatour of the new Testament which is Christ than the mediator of the old which was Moses And Moses as we know stood in the gap and stopped the wrath of the Lord fell before the Lord on his face and fasted fortie daies and fortie nights for the sinnes of the people of Israel obtained pardon for the same much more then Iesus Christ who for euer and not fortie daies onely ceaseth not to make request shal obtain pardon at the hands of the Father himselfe being the Son for all the true Israelites euen Israell which is of God as Paul speaketh What shall I speak of Ezekiah who when the people sinned in eating the Passeouer being not before sanctified and hallowed praied vnto the Lord and the Lord healed the people What shall I speake of Iosuah of Elias of Dauid and other the men of God at whose intercession the Lord wrought wonders in heaueÌ„ aboue and in the eaâ—th beneath Do not euery one of these prooue vnto vs that the sonne of God making intercession for vs vnto the forgiuenes of our sins shall assuredly obtaine the same at the hands of his father And this is yet further assured vnto vs by considering on the one side the fathers gentlenesse and kindnesse who is not a chuâ—lish cuâ—rish God rough and full of displeasure but one in whome there is no anger as the Father himselfe protesteth in Esay who is therfore the slowest to conceiue a wrath and readiest to forgiue as Dauid singeth in his 103. Psalme and on the other side the sonne who by reason it is his office to pray for vs will not be negligent therein who because he hath been tempted in all thinges like vnto vs sinne onely excepted will be a faithfull and a mercifull high Priest in those things that are to bee done with God concerning his people who by reason of the loue hee beareth to vs ward in that he gaue his life for vs will be carefull and mindfull of vs who by reason of the oportunitie of the place in that he is in the heauens at the fathers hand euen at his right hand of the time in that hee liueth for euer of his grace and fauour in that he is the sonne of his loue of his merite in that hee hath deserued it shall bee heard in all whatsoeuer he shall craue at the Fathers hands in our behalfe For here meet together the sonnes readinesse the fathers willingnesse the sonnes carefulnesse the fathers cheerefulnesse the sons importunitie the fathers facilitie the sonnes merite the fathers mercie the sons mindfulnesse the fathers gentlenesse the sonnes disposition the fathers inclination the sonnes practise the Fathers purpose the sonnes grace the fathers graciousnesse the fauour of the sonne the fauour of the father they fauouring the one the other and they both sauouring vs the one readie to craue the other as readie to giue the one pâ—esent in representi g our prayers the other presently presenting him with his requests the one watchfull in asking the other striuing to bestow the sonne being glorious for asking the father being glâ—rified for bestowing the father willing to gratifie the sonne in all thinges and the sonne readie to craue all thinges from the father the one being not vnwilling to graunt the other not vnreadie to aske whatsoeuer we a ke no though it be euen his holy spirit much lesse if it be the forgiue-of our sinnes 2 I adde herevnto that the bloud 〈◊〉 Christ crieth vnto God the Father and speaketh vnto the Lord for mercie for them that are sanctified therewith For the sprinckling of the bloud of Christ speaketh farre better things than the bloud of Abel as the Apostle testifieth to the Hebrues For the bloud of Abel spake vnto the Lord for iustice but the bloud of Christ speaketh vnto the father for mercie The one cried for wrath the other for peace the one for vengeance vpon his brother for shedding of innocent bloud the other for pardon either for shedding innocent bloud or murder or theft or whoredome or vsurie or blasphemy or for any other whatsoeuer sinne If therfore the bloud of Abel cried so loud in the eares of the Lord that it moued him to execute vengeance vpon Cain much more the bloud of Iesus which stil crieth in the ears of the Lord will mooue him to mercie euen to pardon our sins and our offences For the crie of the bloud of the sonne of God which crieth vnto god for better things shall not haue worser entertainment thaÌ„ the bloud of Abel had 3 I adde further that euen the spirit as the Apostle speaketh in the eight to the Romanes helpeth also our infirmitie and maketh intercession for vs with grones vnspeakable So the spirit also of God intreateth for vs God intreateth God the spirit of God intreateth God the father for vs and how then can God denie any thing to God God the Father to his spirit which euen with vnspeakeble grones crieth within vs vnto his maiesty for pardon for our offences 4 I adde yet further that the Saints of God I say not which are in the heauens for as the Prophet saith Abraham knoweth vs not and Iacob remembreth vs not but the Saints of God which are on earth pray also for the forgiuenes of thy sins For Christ hath taught them to say Forgiue vs our trespasses as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs willing them thereby to make mention of thee also as well as all other the elect of God in their praiers And therfore he teacheth them to say
forgiue vs and not forgiue me onely but forgiue my brother also yea euen thee and all other that are as thou art afflicted and pressed down with the sight of thy sins So that the elect the holy and the beloued of God poure forth their prayers for thee that not one of them aâ—one althogh perchance some one more especially but all of them intreat the Lord for thy sinne euen for the paâ—don thereof Now thou knowest that the prayer of the faithfull auaileth much as Saint Iames telleth thee it caused the Sun to stand still it stopped the heauens it brought downe plentie of raine and is able also to bring downe plentie of grace of pardon and of mercie for thy sinnes to open the heauens and to stay the wrath of God against thee deserued by the same 5 Adde lastly hereunto thine owne prayers which thou continâ—est with the widow in the Gospell vn o the vnrighteous Iudge with the woman of Canaan vnto the righteous Christ with all feruencie in the spirit and importunitieâ— so that thy continuance in praier strengtheneth thee against all length thy importunitie against all sâ—rength in temptation the one against all delaies the other against all deâ—â—ies and assure thy selfe that thou shalt finde the Loâ—d as gracioâ—s vnto thee foâ— thy importunity as the widdow sound the vnrighteous Iudge and as merciful as the woman of Canaan found the righteous Christ For howe can the Lord denie so many so continuall so importunate so gracious and so earnest suiters in thy behalfe some of them hauing so well deserued that the father should gratifie theÌ„ herein His son intreateth for thee the blood of his sonne intreateth for thee his spirit intreateth for thee his spouse which is his Church and all his deeâ—e and beloued seruants intreat for thee thou thy selfe humblest thy selfe before God also for thy sins and how thinkest thou can God say nay to aâ—l these suiters in thy behalfe Imagine that thy seruant had offended thee and thy son readie to die if thou deniest him did intreat thee thy wife intreated thee thy seruaÌ„t intreated thee and the offendor himselfe intreated thee how harâ—ly couldst thou deny their requests The vâ—righteous Iudge could not denie the iâ—portunitie of one poor widdow and therefore the righteous God who is the iudge of all flesh cannot deny not one but many petitioners crauing pardon at his handes for thy transgressions Thus theâ—foâ—e thou maiest see how by the intercessioÌ„ of Christ thou maist assure thy self of the forgiuenesse of thy sinne And this is the second reason taken from the consideration of Christ that prooueth the same vnto vs which is also the same reason that Iohn in his first Epistle and first chapter vseth saying If any man sin we haue an Aduocate with the Father euen Iesus Christ the righteous The 7 Chapter VVherein the forgiunes of sins is proued by considering Iesus Christ as he is our king and spirituall prince THirdly this is prooued vnto vs by condering of Christ not onelie as the Priest but as the Princ of his church not onelie as our Aduocate but as our King not onely as our mediator but as our Iudge for he beareth both those offices As he beareth the office of the mediator he intreateth for vs as he beareth the office of a Iuge we intreat him as he beareth office of the mediatour we pray in his name as he beareth the office of the king we pray vnto his name as he is a Priest he praieth for vs as he is a prince we pray vnto him as he is our aduocate he intâ—eateth the father to forgiue vs as he is our king and gouernour he himselfe with the father forgiueth vs. For as himselfe testifieth of himselfe all power is giuen vnto him both in heauen and in earth and the father iudgeth no man but hath commmitted aâ—l iudgement vnto the sonne that all men should honour the sonne euen as they honour the Father Yea the sonne of man as he testifyeth to the Iewes in the healing of the man sicke of the palsey hath power also to forgiue sinnes And thiâ— as he saith hee would that they should know and therefore also that we should acknowledge and beleeue For that the knowledge hereof is especially profitable and comfortable to the soule that is burdened with the sight of his sins For what and bee more for our comfort than to know that our Prinâ—e is our Priest our aduocate iâ— our king our iudge is our Sauiour and that he that intreateth for â—he forgiuenes of our siâ—â— can of hiâ— self forgiue vs our sinnes To speake in a word what can be more comfortable than to know and to beleeue that Iesus Christ hath absolute power in himselfe to forgiue vs our offences For wheÌ„ the soule once knoweth that it hopeth easily to obtain the same and that for certaine especiall good reasons 1 First for that it knoweth that Iesus Christ to purchase the forgiuenes of our sinnes did lay downe his owne life and therefore hauing nowe purchased the same for vs he wil bestow it vpon vs. For hauing puâ—chased the same so deerly he will not let it perish vnprofitably which yet notwithstanding it should doe if it were not giuen vnto vs. For Christ gaue his life vnto death that he might giue vs the forgiuenesse of our sins for as for himselfe he had no need of the forgiuenesse of sins because he had no sin It was therefore for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes that he paid the ransome of his blood If therefore he hauing purchased the same for vs should not himselfe hauing no vse thereof bestowe it vpon vs in vaine should hee haue died in vaine should hee haue pâ—â—chased the same with his owne blood in vaine should he haue suffered the shame of the crosse and so the crosse of Christ should be made vain if the forgiuenesse of our sins should not be by Christ giueÌ„ to vs for the vse thereof is in vs as the end thereof was for vs. Now we know that Christ would not lay downe his life in vaine and tehrefore that he will readily and cheerfully forgiue vs our sinnes And this so much the rather we do beleeâ—e for that he gaue his life that he might giue it vnto vs and therefore much more hauing it in his own power to giue freely he wil most willingly giue it vnto vs The father that to purchase an inheritance to bestow vpon his son will indaunger his life would much more willingly if it lay in his hands his bands to giue the same freely freely bestow it vpoÌ„ him The friend no doubt that to saue the life of his friend and to purchase his pardon at the hands of the king would giue his life vnto death would much more willingly bestow his pardon vpon him if hee might doe the â—ame with the safety of his own life if â—e had power in himselfe to forgiue and â—o pardon his offence So that Lord that
to pardon and to procure the forgiuenes of our sinnes at the hands of his father laid downe his owne life much more hauing power in his owne hands to forgiue vs will giue vnto vs the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Being therefore iustified by his bloud much more being now iustified shall wee be saued from wrath by him For if when we were his enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne much more being reconciled shall we be saued by his life As Paul reasoneth in the fift to the Romans And therefore this first reason may perswade vs that Christ that hath power in his hands to forgiue vs our sinnes will easily be mooued to pardon them 2 Secondly this is farther perswaded vnto vs by the consideration of his practise and behauiour being here vpon the earth which alwaies was most ful of mercy of kindnesse of gentlenesse and of meeknesse who euer came vnto him for sight and went away blind for hearing and went away deafe for speech and went away dumbe for legges and went away lame for health and went away sick for comfort and went away sorrowfull for the forgiuenesse of hiâ— sinnes and went away a sinner who euer came to the Lord and went away confounded and ashamed The sicke of the Palsey vnto him but for health of the body and he gaue him also vnsought for the health of soule saying vnto him son thy sins are forgiuen thee The woman that was brought vnto him for iudgement being taken in adulterie found mercy at his hand in stead of iudgement and life in stead of death Woman quoth he where are thine accusers hath no man condemned thee neither do I go thy waies and sin no more The Iewes that crucified him and put him being the Lord of life vnto death beleeuing and being baptised into his name for the remission of their sins were receiued to mercie yea hanging vpon the crosse hee praied for his persecutors saying Father lay not this sinne vnto their charge for they know not what they doe His disciples would as Elias haue commaunded fire to come downe from heauen and consumed his enemies but he reproued them saying Yee know not of what spirit you are Such a one is Christ still hee hath changed his place but not his nature his mercie is rather increased with his honour and his meekenesse with his glory The heauens make him not more churlish which were rather hellish than heauenly but more kinde and louing to all that faithfully call vpon him For we must not thinke the God of all glorie to be like vnto corrupt prophane man whom honor puffeth vp and maketh so much the more proude and scornefull by how much the more glorious he is but we must rather take him measure him by the farthest distance therefrom euen by the cleane contrarie therevnto For therefore is the manner of Christ his life with men described that we may know how hee liueth with God That we knowing his meeknesse on the earth might looke for his mercie froÌ„ the heauens And this iâ— the second consideration that may induce vs thereunto 3 Lastly this his mercie and readinesse to forgiue vs may the rather appeare vnto vs by the promises of mercie made vnto all those that come vnto him As namely theâ—e where he saith come vnto me all yee that are heauie loaden and I will ease you And again standing in the temple in the great day of the feast he cried a loud saying If any man thirst let him come to me and I will satisfie him And again to the woman of Samaria if thou knowest who it were that saith vnto thee giue me water thou worldest haue asked of him and hee would haue giuen vnto thee waters of the well of life of which whosoeuer drinketh shall neuer hunger nor thirst more So that by these promises of Christ both to giue and to forgiue to giue graces and to forgiue our sinnes we are most fully resolued in this point Knowing that that Christ that is able is also wâ— ling that hath power hath also promised that hath full authoritie of himselfe hath also full will as himselfe to forgiue vs our offences So that Christ hauing full power of himselfe to forgiue our sinnes and we being assured of his willingnes therevnto both by his promise his practise and the bloud of his crosse we may be fully hereby perswaded of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Oh if a theefe had such assurance of his Iudge or a traitour of his king how would it cheâ—â—e his dying soule wee haue this strong assurance of our Iudg of Christ our Lord and King and why doe wee not cheere in the knowledge hereof Oh let no feare of death or sin feare vs so long as the Lord of life and â—ighteousnesse is our King and gouerneth vs it is the Lord that iustifieth and who shall condemne vs it is Christ that dyed yea which is risen from the dead yea which sitteth at the right hand of God the Father who also intreateth for vs. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall oppression or nakednesse or daunger or sword no we are more than Conquerours by him which hath loued vs as the Apostle teacheth vs in the eight to the Romanes This then is the third consideration of Christ that confirmeth vnto vs the forgiuenesse of our sinnes The 8. Chapter VVherein the forgiuenes of sins is proued by consideâ—ing Christ as hee is our Physitian that with his own blood cureth and healeth all our infirmities both corporall and spirituall FOurthly the forgiuenes of our sins is argued by considering Christ as a sacrifice for sinne sweet smelling holy and acceptable vnto God as a peace-offering Yea a sinne offering yea as that immaculate and Paschall lambe by whose blood we for euer attaine the forgiuenes of our sins and that in a double respect First for that Christ is that good Phisition who not by the roots of China or the trees of America by Paraâ—elsus his minerals or Gallens his simples but by his owne most precious blood helpeth all our infirmities For the blood of Christ is that purgation that clenseth and purgeth away euen from the verie soule and not from the bodie onely which were but small thing in respect of this all the corruption infection and filth thereof For as S. Iohn saith the bloud of Christ purgeth vs from all our sins that therefore is the onely purger of the soule which worketh according to the Dos or gift of Christ the phisition of the soule strongly vpon the corruptions thereof and bringeth them and expelleth them all quite and cleane out of the same Oh if Galle or Hyppoâ—rates or Paracelsus or other doctors of phisicke had been consulted with if they had ben sent for to practise vpon the same if they had ministred either pils or potions or confections or boles or electuaries if they had ministred Rubarbe or Cassia or Tamarnidi or the Greeke pill or any such
indiscreet yeares wherein albeit we worke foolishly or speake vnseemly yet we doe according to our vnderstanding and speake as they say of children as well as their wit serueth them Indeed if after this present life when wee shall come to the measure of the age of Christ full growne euen to a perfect man if then I say we should as we are assured we shall not commit any of these sins and slip into any of these fals then there were no such hope left vnto vs by reason of our coÌ„firmed age but now to sinne is agreeable to our yeares and to pardon sinne is agreeable to Gods wisedome who knoweth how childish we are And these are those reasons taken from our selues to proue the same Now let vs consider those reasons that are taken from sinne it selfe The 13. Chapter VVherin is contained the first reason takeÌ„ from sin it selfe which is drawn from the name of sin being called our debt THe first reason for the proofe heereof taken from sinne it selfe is drawn from that name that the spirite of the Lord our GOD giueth as in other places so especially in the sixt of Mathew vnto sin where it is called our debt that wee owe vnto the Lord. For there the Lord teacheth vs to pray after this maner saying Forgiue vs our debts as we forgiue our debters For so the grek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do signifie Where it is manifest that by comparing this place of Mathew with the 11 of Luke the 4. verse that by debts he meaneth sins For that which Mathew calleth our debts Luke calleth our sins saying Forgiue vs our sins as we forgiue euery one that is indebted vnto vs. So that hereby it is euident that our sins are those debts of ours which we owe vnto the Lord. Which being so there ariseth vnto vs a notable perswasion of the readines of the Lord therby to pardon and forgiue them For what do we thinke that the Lord careth for such debts that hee will exact them at our hands by the rigour of the law That he will sue vs arrest vs implead vs or imprison vs for the same Why is sin which is our debt so deare so pretious and of such account with the Lord as that hee will strain vs and so constrain vs to pay the same vnto his maiesty Surely if a man ought vs a boxe on the eare Wee would scant straine him for such a debt For we had rather loose it then law for it such is our debt of sinne which wee owe vnto the Lord. For sin is as it were a box giuen to the Lord in his face striking immediately against the glorie of his maiesty and then will the Lord thinke we driue vs by order of law to pay the same Why is the Lord so poor and beggerly that he were vndone if we did not make paiment of this one debt vnto him Hath he such need of sin that he knew not what shift to make if he had not this debt of our sinne out of our hands Why would it so gâ—eatly hinder the Lord to forbear it or to forgiue it No no it would turn exceedingly to the aduancing of the riches of the glory of his grace to forgiue the same vnto vs as before we proued And therfore sith to forgiue vs our debts as our Sauiour Christ calleth our sinnes is no meanes to diminish but rather to encrease the riches of the glorie of the grace of God sith the treasurie of his mercie is therby more more amplified and inlarged sith it turneth to the Lords aduantage sith he getteth while he giueth and forgiueth we may be fully assured that the Lord who is if I may so speake couetous of his owne glorie will easily and readily forgiue vs our offences And this is the first reason taken from the name of sinne The 14 Chapter VVherein is contained the second reason taken fâ—om sin it self to proue forgiunes of sins which ariseth from the effect of sin seruing to set forth the abundance of the grace of god to magnifie his power THe second reason taken from sinne ariseth from that effect which sin worketh as we say per accidens that is not from his owne and proper effect but from the worke of the Lord thereby For it serueth to the setting forth of the abundance of the grace of God and to the magnifying of the power of the Lord. As plainely appeareth both by the testimonie of Paul who saith that where sinne aboundeth there grace aboundeth also and also by the answere of the Lord made vnto Paule who said vnto him praying as himself testifieth three times that the messenger of Sathan the prick of the flesh might be remooued away from him my grace is sufficient for thee For by thy weakenes is my power made perfect or as some translate it made strong This answere of the Lord vnto Paule I take to be spoken vnto all men and so especially vnto my selfe For of a truth Lord thy power is made stroÌ„g indeed by my weakenes For now I being indued though with some good gifts ouercome by Sathan do know the power of the spirit that dwelt in thee to bee perfect and powerfull that neuer could be ouercome by Sathans assault Thus is thy power made perfect by my weaknes by comparison Again O Lord when I am ouercome I feele the power of thy death to ouercome Sathan hell and condemnation and of a weake man to strengthen me so that thy power is made strong by thy victory For the power of Sathan and of my sinnes cannot ouercom the power of thy death which is Sathans death and of power against him Againe my God I being weak do sometimes couercome when before I was ouercom by whose power was this but by thy power which is so much the greater by how much I am the weaker For Sathan is wonderfull strong and I wonderfull weake How then could I ouercome him being wonderfull strong except thy strength were wonderfull in me being wonderfull weak Oh Christ be strong in me for I am weak Thy power O Christ is the greater thy grace so much the more abundant by how much my sins are the greater that thou pardonest To pardon small sins is great grace but to pardon many sinnes and those monstrous also magnifieth the abundance of thy grace to me ward and not onely vnto me but it commendeth the excellency thereof to all that tast thereof Lord I speake not these things to make them a cloke for my sinne but a comfort to my soule nothing doubttiÌ„g but that I doing that which it is thy will I should do and that for the glorie of thy grace and the perfecting of thy power shal easily obtian pardon for the same yea though it be sinne that I doe Thus haue I by mine owne practise shewed the force of this reasoÌ„ that thou maiest read it know it feele it and practise it at one time
thou being but moued therevnto shouldest giue place vnto it immediately If therefore other sinnes be loathsome vnto thee for the monstrousnes thereof let dispaire which is the most monstrous sinne of al other be most lothsome vnto thee If thou fearest and fliest other sinnes feare and flie especially dispaire which is a sinne farre greater than they all And if thou hauing committed adultery murder or theft or any such like art by Sathan tempted to dispaire answere him and say thus vnto him Sathan thou hast tempted me to commit this sin thou hast tempted me to lie to dissemble to commit adultrie and such like herein I haue yeelded to thee Is it not enough nay is it not too much that I haue thus farre yeelded vnto thee except I should now ad dispaire vnto the rest of my sins If it were now in my hand to vndo that sinne which I haue committed I would neuer surely by the power of the lord yeeld so much vnto thee as I haue done And therfore farre be it from me that I should again at thy procurement sin more greeuously in falling to dispaire of the grace and mercie of God Indeed if dispaire were any meanes to ease me of my sins then parchance I might easily bee brought thereinto but sith it is a meanes to increase my sinnes the burden and greefe of my soule and the punishment of my sinne sith it is a meanes to bring a certaine destruction to a destruction that was but feaâ—ed certain to an incertaine condemnation death of body and soule to the death of faith eternall to temporall griefe the paines of hell to the pangs of conscience hell fiâ—e to thy fierie darts that sticke in my soule I were bewitched and worse then mad if I would yeeld thervnto Thus thou must learne to stop Sathans mouth and to stay thine owne faith that it fall not into dispaire of which I would haue thee to be most iealous fearefull and suspitious knowing the daunger and vnrecouerable euill thereof If thou haue robbed God of his glorie in dishonoring of him yet giue glorie vnto him in beleeuing of him so shalt thou get as much glory to his name by beleeuing him as thou diddest rob him of by disobeying him and purchase as great nay a faire more excellent righteousnes by faith then thou diddest loose by sinne For as Paule testifieth in the fourth to the RomaÌ„s to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the wicked his faith is imputed accounted to him for righteousnesse And this righteousnesse of faith is as in another place the Apostle testifieth the righteousnesse of God which is farre more excellent than the righteousnes of man And this righteousnes perchance thou wouldest neuer haue sought for if thou haddest not seene thy selfe naked and destitute of all righteousnesse in thy selfe and couered so ouer with the shame of thine own nakednes filthines that thou wert glad to runne vnto Christ for his righteousnesse to couer thee and buy of him eie-salue and white garments that thy nakednes might not be seene If therefore thou hast lost righteousnesse yet keepe faith if thou haue lost the brest-plate of righteousnesse yet keepe the shield of faith whereby thou mayest quench all the fierie darts of the deuill If thou haue lost the armour of light the cloth of my soule yet defend and keepe faith which is the life of the soule for the iust shall liue by faith Say vnto thy soul with Dauid Why art thou so vexed oh my soule and why art thou so disquieted within me O my soule trust in the Lord and wait vpon him for hee will heale thee Thou seest my soule what comfort the Lord hath left vnto thee in his word what liuely hope of pardon he hath promised to forgiue thy sinnes hath sealed the same vnto thee by his word his oth his couenant and by outward signs that mine eies haue seene his mercie his iustice his sonne his spirit confirme the same vnto me mine owne nature my yong yeares in the Lord and my sin it selfe the testimonie of the ministers of the Lord his seruants Embassadors and his Angels God and man my selfe and others Angels and deuils sin and righteousnes wine and water heauen and earth yea all things affirme the same vnto thee my soule Behold therefore and trust in the Lord and he shall satisfie thee with good things make the increase of thy lips create peace within thee and refresh thee with the waters of life and make thee see his sauing health The Lord will not lie that hath spoken it The 19 Chapter VVherein is largely and particularly declared how Sathan effectually to worke an infidelitie in vs and to make vs mistâ—ust and misdoubt nay dispaire of the forgiuenesse of our sins fetcheth reasons out of euery particular reason that we do as wee to perswade so he to disswade the forgiunesse of sinnes I Stand the longer in prouing of this one thing because there is no one thing more hardly perswaded vnto the soule than this is and that by reason of the subtiltie of Sathan who hath two generall meanes to make vs doubt hereof The one is by blinding the eies of our vnderstanding in such a sort as that the light of the glorious Gospell of God canot shine vnto vs. For he is that God of the world that worketh effectually in the hartes of many men yea of the best men sometimes and thereby so dapraueth and crooketh the right shape of their vnderstanding as that the truth of the generall promises of God the force of reason neither any thing else for the present time can make them to concerne and beleeue the mercy of God the forgiuenes of their sinnes because they are so couered ouer with darknes and as it were a thicke cloud of mist The other is by vsing our owne corrupt nature and infidelity which when wee haue said and done what we can do will stil stick in vs doubt hereof and therfore will be readie to say Well for all this I doubt whether the Lord will forgiue me yea or no be so good as his word This our corruption Sathan vseth to corrupt vs withall this our infidelity to make vs infidels and this our doubting to make vs dispaire of the forgiuenes of our sins And that he may worke the same more effectually in vs hee fetcheth reasons out of euerie particular reason that we do as we to perswade so he to disswade the forgiuenes of our sinnes And first as touching the promises of God which is our principall and first reason he will labor to make vs distrust them either by putting into vs a feare or else an euill suspition of the lord as to think nay to say in our harts I but what if the lord wil not be so good as his word who is stronger then the Lord to compel him to it or what law shall we haue against him hee is aboue all law and
therefore wee can neither straine him nor constraine him to fu fiâ—l his promise wee cannot sue him vpon an assumpsit But be it that we couâ—d he would find some one cause or other he would finde some demurre or pick some quarrell against vs and so would easily find a staffe to beare a dogge as the prouerbe is And herein he setteth the Lord before vs as it were a tyrant who albeit he promise neâ—er so much performe neuer a deale yet no â—an is able by reason of his force to inforce him thereunto And by this counter buffe he so buffeteth vs that we are reaâ—ie to staggeâ— at the pâ—omises of God But if this will not serue he will run with vs to the second reason which is taken from the mercie of God And hee will graunt it yea and say it is true God is me cifâ—ll indeed he gaue thee this and that blessing and benefit thou wert sicke and he healed thee poore he enriched thee base and he honoured thee miserable and he releeued thee yea he gaue thee of his spirit the ioyes of the holy Ghost the peace of conscience hee lifted the light of his countenance vpon thee and reuealed vnto thee himselfe his sonne Iesus Christ These benefits will he say as thou knowest should haue mooued thee vnto repentance but thou according to the hardnesse of thine own hart that cannot repent hast sinned against the Lord and so heaped and hoorded vp wrath against the day of wrath the reuelation of the iust iudgmeÌ„t of God Indeed will he say if thou hadst neuer receiued these graces from God then had there been left vnto thee some more hope but now after thou hast receiued all these graces to fall away to quench the spirit and grieue the holy Ghost whereby thou wert sealed vnto the day of redemption is such a sinne as cannot be pardoned And to this purpose he will alledge the saying of the Apostle to the Hebrewes in the sixt Chapter where hee saith that it is impossible that they which haue been once enlightened and haue tasted the heauenly gift and been partaker of the holy Ghost and haue tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they fall away to be renewed by repentance And by this meanes and testimonie of the spirit of God hee exceedingly terrifieth the conscience and will neuer suffer it to haue peace vntill it shall please the Lord to giue thereunto the right vse sense of this place wherwith Sathan being repulsed assaulteth them afresh reasoning from the former mercie of God to the forgiuenesse of their sinnes after this manner saying thou haddest sinned before in the like maner and in the same matter and that not once or twise but oftentimes and the Lord pardoned thee and now doest thou think that he will pardon thee againe Why art thou not ashamed to come againe vnto the Lord and craue pardon for this sinne With what face will hee say canst thou look vpon the Lord Why me thinketh that thou shouldest be ashamed to trouble the Lord so often with thy prayers and requests Indeed will he say if it had been the first or second time then it had beene more tollerable but now after the fift or sixt time or more again to trouble the Lord with thy requests it is neither for thy honestie nor for the Lords ease to be troubled so often about one matter and by this means he maketh vs sometime for shame to ruâ— From the Lord and with Adâ—m being ashamed to hide our selues in the woods fâ—om the presence of the Lord and not to dare to craue pardon againe for our sins vntill wee haue learned the nature of the Lords mercie with the prodigall sonne setting all shaâ—e aside to retuâ—ne to our father and to confesse that we haue sinned against heauen and against our God that we are not worthy to be cal ed hiâ— sons and also that shame and confusion belongeth to vs but mercie forgiuenes vnto the Lord If he see that this reason will not serue the turne hee will turne ouer the leafe with vs and come to the third reason which is taken from the iustice of God And from thence hee will reason after this manner saying Thou knowest that the Lord is a iust God a reuenger of all disobedience offered vnto his Maiestie and such a one as in the middest of his mercie thinketh on iustice and therefore he will not no nor cannot bee appeared vntill he hath eased himself of hiâ— enemies and auenged himselfe of thy sinnes And the rather to perswade this he will tell vs that it is a fearefull thing to fal into the hands of the liuing Lord and that no adulterer fornicator couetous person murderer or such like shall enter into the kingdome of God or Iesus Christ but shall haue his portion in that lake that burneth with fire brimstone which is the second death as the spirit testifieth And the more deeply to perswade this vnto the conscience hee will set before vs the son of Gods loue Iesus Christ and tell vs that the Lord spared no not his owne sonne who had put our sinnes vpon him and how then shall he spare vs yea he will set before our eies the wrath of God poured vpon Cain for his murder vpon the Beniaminites for their adulterie vpon Corah Dathan and Abiram for their rebellion who went downe quicke into hell and vpon the Sodomits whom the Lord destroyed with fire and brimstone from heauen for their sinne yea he will set before our eies the threatnings of God who hath threatned death and damnation to all that shal transgresse his laws and those curses contained in the law of God denounced against the wicked And as they which are in securitie shall hear froÌ„ Sathan nothing els but mercy mercie so they that are afflicted shall find nothing from Sathan but iustice iustice wrath vengeance and displeasure And by this means it is incredible what feare and trembling he breedeth in the hearts of the mourners and by that means how hardly they are broght that hear nothing see nothing feele nothing but Gods iustice to imbrace and beleeue his mercie And by this reason he continually terrifieth the conscience vntill it knowe that both the wrath of God was appeased in Christ Iesus who in our person and for our sin was punished and so the iustice of God was executed in and vpon him and also that as the law with the threatnings thereof appertaineth vnto the obstinate so the promises with the grace of God not the lawe appertaine vnto them that are trulie humbled and in Iesus Christ For they that are in Christ saith the Apostle are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace Now if Sathan see that none of these reasons from the Father will serue his turne hee will run with vs vnto Christ and will tell vs that there was neuer any such man as Christ was or