be made righteous by faith This Law that accurseth thee with such ◅igour and seuerity euen in that curse serueth as a Schoolemaister to instruct thee by driuing thee from all liking of thine owne waies to seeke thy iustification by Iesus Christ that died for thee As the tempest by Sea maketh men flie with all speed and skill to safe harbour and as a storme by land maketh men flie with all possible haste into the house Euen so the thundering of the Law denouncing curses against transgressors maketh them with all speed and skill to flie vnto Iesus Christ our Sauiour who onely is the sure harbour and house of rest and safetie to all poore and weather-beaten and distressed sinners To him truely and in the first place belong those words of the Prophet That man shall bee as an hiding place from the wind and as a refuge for the tempest as riuers of water in a dry place as the shadow of a great rocke in a weary land And as hunger and thirst kindle a desire of meat and drinke and as paine and sicknesse felt and knowne kindleth a desire of the counsell and helpe of the Physician so feare and anguish wrought in our hearts by the rigorous sentence of the Law accursing vs kindleth in vs a desire to slie vnto this man euen the man Iesus Christ our hiding place our refuge our fountaine of liuing waters our shadow that refresheth that in him we might find defence against the storme of curses that the Law powreth downe vpon vs. Be not therefore afraid of the Law but be aduised by it and confessing thy sinnes flie as the Law compels thee vnto Iesus Christ who as the Apostle Peter saith His owne selfe bare our sinnes in his bodie on the tree that we being deliuered from sin might liue in righteousnesse by whose stripes ye were healed Turne thee therefore from the ◅igorous face of the Law to the farre more cheerefull countenance of Iesus Christ and behold him hanging vpon the tree where he suffered for sinnes not for his owne for in him was no sin nor guile in his mouth but for thy sinnes imputed to him as the Prophet Esay teacheth vs saying All wee like sheepe haue gone astray we haue turned euery one to his owne way and the Lord hath laid vpon him the iniquitie of vs all Looke therefore from the Law that was giuen by Moses vnto Iesus Christ by whom grace and trueth are reuealed behold him sweating in the Garden till droppes of blood fell from him to the ground behold him scourged with whippes and crowned with thornes till the blood issued from all parts of his body behold him nailed to the tree there reuiled most disdainefully by the Priests and all the people heare him crying out vnder the weight of thy sinnes and of Gods displeasure indured for them My God my God why hast thou for saken me Behold him giuing vp the Ghost his life search whether it were departed from him or no with a speare Then O troubled sinner then did he sustaine the curse of the law when he was made a curse for vs as Saint Paul te◅cheth saying Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when hee was made a curse for vs. For it is written cursed is euery one that hangeth on tree that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ that wee might receiue the promise of the spirit through faith Dooth the law thunder out curses Iesus Christ stepped in betweene the law and vs and receiued the stroke of that curse vppon his owne head whereof he gaue all the world assurance when he humbled himselfe to the death of the crosse which manner of death was by a particular sentence of the law pronounced accursed and why should the law threaten againe the curse of God against thee which alreadie before it hath not onely pronounced but executed vpō another for thee Thou art discharged from the curse of the law in the curse that Christ sustained for thee yea thou art so fully discharged of the curse that in place there of thou art made heire of the blessing promised to Abraham for so are the Apostles wordes That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gētiles through Iesus Christ. Now this blessing of Abraham is the firme fauour of God to bee our God according to the couenant which hee made with Abraham and his seede after him in their generations for euer Which seed is not to be accounted by carnall birth but by spirituall faith without regard of line◅l discent in bloud for god is able of the stones that is of the heard stonie-harted Gentiles to raise vp children vnto Abraham For which cause it was said vnto him In thy seed shal all the nations of the earth be blessed By seed in this place he meaneth the Messias the redeemer that came of Abraham Isaack Iacob Iudah Dauid and in him all nations without respect of persons beleeuing in him as Abrahams heires walking in the steps of his faith shall become blessed by inheriting the couenant euen Gods fauour according to the couenant and thou among the rest Feare not therefore the sentence of the law but from the law turne thy face to Iesus Christ and the feared curse shall not fall vpon thee Reuerence the law as it teacheth a rule of life and feare it not as it pronounceth sentence of death God made his sonne vnder the law to redeeme them that were vnder the law And the same sonne of God is called by Saint Paul The end of the law for righteousnes vnto euery one that beleeueth If therefore being in the hands of the law thou wilt looke vnto Iesus Christ tho◅ hast attained to the end of the law and so art no more vnder the lawe but vnder grace And remember what Iesus Christ hath said in the Gospell As Moses lifted vp the serpent in the wildernes s◅ must the sonne of man be lift vp that whosoeuer beleeueth in him might not perish but haue eternall life Looke vp therefore vnto that serpent lift vp vpon the tree of the crosse and the sting of death which is thy sinne and the strength of sinne which is the law shall neuer hurt thee Against all danger of death of sinne and of the law heare what the Apostle saith Thankes be vnto God which hath gi◅en vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. CHAP. XXV ALL that is hitherto spoken cannot giue peace to this troubled minde but as one waue followeth another in the sea so one feare followeth another in his heart and new feares afford new obiections Now he pleadeth thus against himselfe I haue no reason to hope for mercy for I haue no heart to pray for mercy I want all things that pertaine to true praier First I haue no God to praie vnto that will lend any care to my praiers I find this saying of Gods recorded
that may fall vpon vs as for example Ioseph was sould vnto strangers and imprisoned in Aegypt the men of Zeklag were spoiled of all that they had in their absence with Dauid Abiathar of the house of Eli was cast out by Salomon from being Priest vnto the Lord warre and famine and the anger of Princes yea many inferior causes breed many calamities the only sure way of casting our burden vpon God is to acknowledge the worke of God in our calamity patiently to beare what he laieth vpon vs and heartily to pray vnto him for succour That wee ought to acknowledge Gods worke in our calamity and patiently to beare his pleasure Iob doth teach vs saying Shall we receiue good things at the hand of God and not receiue euill Surely we doe neuer deserue any good at the hand of God and wee doe continually deserue euill what reason then haue we to desire euer to receiue good that we neuer deserue and neuer to receiue euill that we euer deserue Patience therefore in bearing the calamity that God laieth vpon vs doth well become the sonnes of men And that in our calamity wee ought to pray vnto God if wee would haue him to ease vs of our burden is so cleare that wee neede no proofe for it What man is hee religious or profane beleuer or vnbeleuer that doth not in his calamity remember God looke vp to heauen and pray to God the Mariners in the ship whereinto Ionas was entered when he fled from God when the storme vpon the sea was sore and the tempest proued a calamity vnto them so that they threw the wares out of the ship into the sea to lighten the ship for safty of their liues without instruction they could then according to their knowledge of God fall to praier For so it is written The Mariners were affraid and cried euery man vnto his God Though it be not generall with all men being in calamity and misery to beare it patiently yet it is generall with all men in calamity and misery to pray for ease So that a religious man being burdened with any calamity needeth not so much to be taught that it is fit for him to pray as hee needeth to be comforted by being put in hope that God will in due time answer his praier as surely he will if he be called vpon in the name of his beloued sonne For so hath the Lord Iesus assured vs saying Verely verely I say vnto you whatsoeuer yee shall aske the father in my name he will giue it you Let him pray therefore vnto God the father in the name of the Lord Iesus and patiently attend the Lords leisure and in due time he wil haue mercy vpon him This is when any calamity is fallen vpon vs to cast our burden vpon the Lord for our ease If it be the feare of death that is thy burden and perhaps with regard vnto others that shall be in some danger by thy death as wife children seruants and others that haue their education and maintenance vnder thee First the burden of feare of death is made easie to a godly man by many considerations in al which he casâ—…eth his burden vpon the Lord. First hee will consider that it is common to all Adams posteritie Aâ—… Dauid being ready to die saith vnto his sonne Salomon I goe the way of all the earth therefore death ought not to seeme fearefull to thee that is common to all Secondly hee will consider that hee cannot die before the time appoynted of God that gaue him life and assigned from euerlasting the certaine length of it as Iob saith Is there not an appoynted time to man vppon earth And shall any desire longer life then the giuer of life alloweth Or shall any be grieued to resigne his life into the handes of him that gaue it Thirdly hee will consider that the end of life shall bee the end of trouble vnto him that his death shall bring him rest from all troubles as the Spirit of God from heauen hath proclaimed saying ' Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord for they rest from their labor Rest and ease from weary labour is obtained by our death and departure out of this life Fourthly hee will consider that the sting and danger and all bitternesse of death is taken away by the death of Iesus Christ and death vnto the Saints is made the gate of life the Apostle saying O death where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the law But thankes be vnto God which hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ. Lastly for his ease of feare in the approach of death yea for the filling of his heart with all true comfort in death that he may rather desire and long for then any way feare the houre of his death he will consider that his death shal be the gathering of him vnto Christ his redeemer as the Apostle saith Desiring to bee loosed and to bee with Christ which is best of all For while we liue in the world we are absent from the Lord and we walke by faith and not by sight But when we depart this world wee are gathered vnto him to dwel for euer with him And that is performed which hee promised saying Though I goe to prepare a place for you I will come againe aud receiue you vnto my selfe that where I am there may ye be also By these considerations is the burden of the feare of death made easie to a beleeuer and in all these considerations doth hee cast his burden vpon the Lord for his ease If hee therefore feare his owne death because others shall want him his wife shal be a widow his children shal be fatherlesse his seruants shal be orphanes and many shall misse him that now haue a helper of him and for their sakes rather then for himselfe hee is afraid to die This burthen is to bee cast vppon God by commending them vnto his prouidence who giueth food to al flesh because his mercy indureth for euer and who is the keeper of Israel that neither slumbereth nor sleepeth And that hee may doe this the more comfortably for the ease of his heart let him remember that the Lord saith All soules are mine both the soule of the father and also the soule of the sonne are mine He that created thee and had a care of thee as the worke of his handes to maintaine thee created also thy wife thy children thy seruants and thy poore friends and therefore hath also a care of them as the worke of his hands to maintaine them And hee that gaue his Sonne for thee to redeeme thee and therefore had a fatherly care for thee to doe all things for thy preseruation and saluation did also giue his Sonne for them to redeeme them and therefore also hath a fatherly care of them to doe all
and said vnto me Goe prophecie to my people Israel That is I haue in those sermons which you call Conspiracie faithfully followed the commandement of the God of Israel So also did Ieremy when the Priestes and false Prophets and the multitude of the people had laid hands vpon him in the Temple and went about to kill him for his preaching he protested his innocencie saying The Lord hath sent me to prophecie against this house against this Citie all the things that you haue heard And thine innocency being thus protested made knowne then secondly turne thee vnto God appeale to his iudgemē◅ rest vpon him He is the true discerner of all mens doings to whō it is manifest both what things are done and with what mind they are done and he is the iudge of all men and of their doings and he will reward them that truly serue him therefore taking no discomfort at the vniustice and vnthankfulnes of men pray God to iustifie thy well doing against misreporters Thou hast a promise of such mercie made by the Prophet saying He shall bring forth thy righteousnes as the light and thy iudgement as the noone day and pray him to remember thee and giue thee thy reward in heauen because on earth good seruices are not worthily valowed and in expectation of that reward at Gods hands comfort thy soule in this case And thus haue we spoken of the fower secular burdens wherein immediately we haue to doe with men in matters concerning this life and shewed how the burdens may be ought to be cast vpon God for the ◅ase of our soules CHAP. XII THere are diuers troubles wherein the man that is troubled hath to doe immediatly and at the next hand with God and the things wherin he hath to doe with God and looketh directly vpon him do concerne our soule and inward man and the good estate therof for holinesse and happinesse both now and hereafter And in regard hereof those troubles I call spirituall troubles And those I reduce to two heads The first of these spirituall burdens is the powerful lusts of the flesh enemies to the holinesse of the soule The second is the feareful accusing thoughts that are enemies to the happinesse of the soule The first is the burden of the lusts of the flesh fighting against the soule The multitude of our corruptions and the law of sinne in our members so potent and strong that we cannot doe the good we would in doing whereof God should be serued and the euil we would not that we doe by doing whereof the diuell is serued This is a grieuous burden to an honest minded man that is desirous to please God and keepe a good conscience Hee considereth who made him and desireth to glorifie his creator He considereth the manifold mercies of God towards him and desireth to approue himselfe a thankfull man He respecteth the end both of his creation and of his regeneration and desireth to come neare vnto God and to haue fellowship with his redeemer and to resemble him in holinesse and righteousnesse hee seriously thinketh vpon the end of vertue and reward of vice the first to be eternall life the other to be eternall destruction and with his whole heart and soule he desireth and striueth to auoid euill which hee abhorreth and to do good which he loueth And while he striueth to goe on in this course nothing hindereth him more then the root of sin that is deeply fastened in his owne flesh The Diuell offereth a temptation and his false flesh yeeldeth presently vnto it The flattering world presenteth showes of vanity and the flesh greedily imbraceth them Occasions are offered and presented to our eies and our traiterous flesh suddenly apprehendeth them and our actions fall out to be sinfull and euill sometime at vnawares before wee haue leisure to consider what we ought to doe Sometime against fore-fight yea against repugning will For that corruption that is in our flesh which for the authority that it vsurpeth and for the power that it exerciseth in vs the Apostle calleth the law in our members that corruption rebelleth against the law of our minde and leadeth vs captiue into all actuall sinne And wee are compelled in the campe of our enemies to serue against our beloued Lord. And this is no small griefe vnto a sanctified soule that desireth to serue and worship God in spirit and truth How heauy this burden is the Apostles words doe teach vs crying out by reason of it in this manner O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer mee from this body of death It was vnto him more bitter then death that sinne was of such power in his mortall body Vpon men groaning vnder this burden compassion ◅is to be taken both in regard of God whom it grieueth them to offend and dishonour and also in regard of themselues so intangled and indangered not by any fo◅aine malice but by their owne inbred sinfulnesse Therefore for the case of such ouercharged soules to giue them some comfort notwithstanding the continuance of their burden these things are to be considered First that where God hath giuen an heart grieued for these infirmities he neuer imputeth vnto them the sinnes that they so vnwillingly and grieuedly commit their broken and displeased hearts being a pleasing sacrifice to him According to the saying of the Prophet The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite a broken heart O God thou wilt not despise So that God taketh more pleasure to see them sorrow for their committing sinne then he doth displeasure for the sinne that they commit for to commit sinne is common to all mankinde and we cannot chuse but to doe amisse while we liue in this flesh but to mourne and to be grieued for sin to striue against it and not to commit it but with dislike offence taken for it is proper onely to them that truely loue the Lord. Secondly though they cannot attaine vnto such perfect holinesse vppon earth as they desire nor vnto such an absolute conquest ouer their corruptions and such a full measure of mortification that sin shal haue no life nor power of mou◅ng in them yet their good wil being true and vnfained and their holy desire beeing sound and not dissembled is before God as well accepted as if they were altogether without sinne Therefore is it that God requireth the heart saying My sonne giue me thine heart and let thine eies delight in my wayes He that can by the mercie of God attayne vnto this to delight in in the wayes of God and to haue a sound heart within his weake bodie he hath attained vnto as great perfection of holinesse as this present life is capable of if that desire and delight of his be ioyned with knowledge and vnderstanding so that hee be free from their errour whom the Apostle speaketh of saying They being ignorant of the righteousnesse
Commandements howsoeuer committed out of ignorance or out of knowledge out of weakenesse or out of malice suddenly or with premeditation be this sin against the holy-Ghost for that is a malicious striuing to disgrace the name or at the least the Religion of Iesus Christ knowne to be the true Religion rather then any prowd and licentious act in transgressing the precepts of Gods Law It is the sinne that neuer any of Gods Elect fall into though they fall into many particular enormious sinnes as of ◅olatry witchcraft blasphemy contempt of the Sabboth rebellion murder adultery drunkennesse theft lying periury and such like wherein many of Gods deare children fall oft and yet by Gods fauour rise againe by repentance Of that sinne and of the exemption of Gods elect from it is that saying of Saint Iohn to be vnderstood Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for his seede remaineth in him neither can hee sinne because he is borne of God No man regenerate nor any of Gods elect can fall into this sinne nor euerie reprobate for many of them through their ignorance that neuer come to know the truth of holy Religion cannot possibly become guilty of this blasphemy though for other sinnes wherof they obtaine not grace to repent they iustly perish from God and suffer the paines of eternall death When thou therefore findest that thou hast not sinned that vnpardonable sinne against the holy-Ghost and that thy sinne whatsoeuer and howsoeuer committed though deseruing a thousand Hels is yet by the mercie of God pardonable where he is pleased to giue repentance of that sinne and vppon that repentance to blot out the remembrance of it Dost thou not see a sweet possibility of deliuerance from thy sin fit to bee pursued with all strong desire and diligence of thy soule Dost thou not see a hole in the wall of hope through which some light though very small doth shine Then let it be thy care to digge in that hole by hearty praier and by humble deuotion that God may bee pleased at last to open a dore of mercy vnto thee and by faith and amendment of life to assure thee that thy sinnes shal neuer be laid to thy charge Thou hast his promises in which hee will not be found a falsifier and a couenant-breaker Hee saith by the Prophet If the wicked will returns from all his sinnes that hee hath committed and keepe all my statutes and doe that which is lawfull and right hee shall surely liue and shall not die All his transgressions that hee hath committed they not bee mentioned vnto him but in his righteousnesse that hee hath done he shall liue Make vse of this and such like promises and faint not in thy praiers This is to cast this burden of thine vpon the Lord. CHAP. XVII HItherto in an euē course the sinner is brought to se his sinne be pardonable When hereupon he should addresse himselfe to serue for that that may be obtained and to seeke for that that may be found euen the forgiuenesse of sinne for the quenching of his accusing thoughts and peace of his conscience Behold hee prepareth himselfe being instructed and prompted by the subtile enemie to obiect against the possibilitie of obtaining forgiuenes so weakening his owne hope and drowning his owne comfort Let vs heare his obiections that by answering of them we may at the last if God be pleased help him out of his feare bring him to reioice in God his Sauior First he obiecteth saying Though my sinne that I am in conscience charged withall bee not blasphemy against the holy-Ghost and therefore not vnpardonable Yet seeing I haue sinned notoriously not in time of ignorance but in time of knowledge when I was able to teach my selfe and others that such things ought not to be done and I was neither surprised with a sodaine temptation that gaue me no time to consider what was fit to be done nor forcibly led captiue by a strong temptation whereto my weaknesse was not able to make resistance but I did runne vpon it wilfully wildly furiously striuing to delight my selfe with the pleasures of sin to inrich my self with the wages of iniquity euen with contēpt of God whose iudgemēt at the same time I remēbred yet would not feare him◅ whose mercies and goodnes to me and mine I remembred and yet would not loue him and whose commandements requiring the contrary I remembred yet wold not obey him seeing I haue sinned in this manner so boldly and so prowdly my sin if it bee not that blasphemy against the holy-Ghost yet it comes very neere vnto it and so neare that I feare the angry eye of heauen wil see no diffrence betwixt them then where am I with this possibility secōdly thogh that blasphemy be only vnpatdonable yet I am sure it is not the sin onely vnpardoned it is not the sinne that is onely punishable and that shall onely be punished my sinne is also punishable and may be punished for so it deserueth and then what am I better to heare it is pardonable when I perish in it Lastly I know that lesse sinnes then mine and more easie to bee excused are punished in hell with euerlasting death What then must I looke for but the flames of vnquenchable fire and haue I not already by my abhominable sinne kindled that fire euen the fire of Gods fierce wrath against mee which hath already begun to torment and waste my conscience This obiection consisteth of three branches the first is this that his wilfull sinne comes so neere to the height of that vnpardonable sinne that the angry eye of heauen hee feareth can and will see no difference betweene them This will easily bee answered And to beginne our answer I must intreat this afflicted sinner to remember that it hath been already declared that his sinne though grieuous yet is pardonable And let him to this purpose againe heare the words of our Sauiour Iesus All sinnes shall be forgiuen vnto the children of men and blasphemies wherewith they blaspheme And how neere soeuer his sinne commeth to the vnpardonable sinne yet not being it it remaineth pardonable And this ground of trueth can neuer bee ouerthrowne And the anger of heauen being alwayes iust euen and holie doth neither shaddow the vnderstanding nor disorder the iustice of God that hee should not be able to discerne the difference of things that are not the same or infold them rashly and disorderedly in the same sentence Anger is not in God a disturbing passion as it is in men But it is the most euen and holy carriage of his iustice as becommeth the righteous Iudge of all the world pouring out his plagues vpon sinners and executing vengeance vpon contemners according to the rule of his owne word where with hee hath made vs aforehand acquainted and according to the merites of mens workes against which their owne consciences iustifying God
bluddie handes cruell hearts and cunning and deceitfull heades But such an one am I I haue wrought wickednes I haue done euill I haue through the foolishnes of mine heart committed much iniquitie I haue beene a lyar my handes are full of bloud I haue beene cruell deceitfull therefore I am depriued of Gods loue I shall not dwell in his kingdome not be able to stand before him in iudgement I am iustly hated of him and shall bee iustly destroied by him and hee must needes abhor me as a thing most vile Who can speake against these things grounded on such authoritie must not the seuere iustice of heauen condemne such sinnes as mine are must not the pure holines of heauen exclude such vile sinners as I am surely it may be called prodigall mercy if such sinnes as mine escape vnpunished and if such a sinner as I may euer be saued This obiection seemeth to consist of two parts inregard of iustice that cannot suffer sin to escape vnpunished in regard of holines that will admit no vncleane person to haue fellowship and cohabitation with it But they ioyne together in one to increase this poore mans feare yet let vs helpe him with our answere It is a comely thing to to thinke reuerently of the iustice and holines of heauen for certainely iustice will not suffer the least sinne to escape vnpunished neither will holines euer suffer any vncleane thing to enter into the kingdome of heauen Yet that cannot hence be concluded that thou gatherest namely that therefore mercy can find no free passage to forgiue thy sinnes and to bring thee to glory for the wisdome and power and loue of heauen which are able to worke wonders aboue the reach of mans vnderstanding will find yea haue found out a way to satisfie iustice by the punishing of sinne and to satisfie holines by the purging of sinne and yet to saue the sinner that committed that sinne Lift vp thine heart and eares and harken to that that shal be deliuered thou shalt find an helmet of the hope of saluation to couer and saue thy head withall The glorious Trinitie by an eternall decree ordained defore all time and effected in the fulnes of time sent downe the eternall word the second person called the sonne who being conceiued by the holy Ghost tooke flesh and was borne of the virgin Mary of the linage of Dauid and was made man true man the sonne of man the sonne of Adam of Abraham and of Dauid in all things like vnto vs yet without sinne and him the father gaue vnto vs to be our mediator and to be the Lord our righteousnes and to the satisfying of the iustice of heauen God laied vpon him our sinnes and he willingly submitted himselfe to the burden of our sinnes to the curse of the law to the death of the crosse and to the wrath of his father for those sinnes of ours Excellent to this purpose is the testimonie of Esaie speaking more like an Euangelist or an apostle then like a Prophet saying He was wounded for our transgressions hee was broken for our iniquities the chastisment of our 〈◊〉 was vpon him and with his stripes are we healed all we like sheepe haue gone astray we haue turned euery one to his owne waiâ—… and the Lord hath laied vpon him the iniquitie of vs all We are the men that haue sinned and gone astray from God stripes woundes and death were due to vs for sinnes God imputed to him our sinnes and he was contented to stand before God a sinner in our name The stripes the woundes the death that we deserued hee receiued sustained and indured for vs. Thus iustice is satisfied our sinnes being in him punished it were iniustice to punish the same sinnes againe in them that plead the suffringes of Iesus for them Thus are his stripes our cure his woundes our health and his death our life Vnto that saying of Esaie let vs ad another of the Apostle Saint Paul Christ hath redeemed vs from the curse of the law when hee was made a curse for vs for it is written cursed is euery one that hangeth on tree that the blessing of Abraham might come vpon the gentiles through Iesus Christ. The law curseth euery one that abideth not in all that is written in that booke to doe it and we haue failed in all or in most and the sentence of the curse did lie vpon vs then it pleased the Lord Iesus Christ by yeelding himselfe to the cursed death of the crosse to take vpon him the curse that should haue fallen vpon vs. So was iustice executed according to that sentence of the law iustice so satisfied giueth waie to mercy for the curse being borne by Iesus Christ the blessing promised to Abraham is our inheritance Here the one halfe of thy feare is remoued because in the death of Iesus Christ iustice hath receiued satisfaction for thy sinnes if thou plead this satisfaction by what iustice art thou to be punished for thy sinnes The other halfe of thy feare is this that the holines of heauen will neuer suffer such an vncleane sinner as thou art to enter into the kingdome of God to remoue this feare vnderstand that the same Lord Iesus Christ that bare ouâ—… sinnes imputed to him and suffered for them to satisfie iustice doeth also inuest and cloth vs with his perfect righteousnes both originall and actuall impuâ—…ed to vs that all our vnrighteousnes and vncleanenes both originall and actuall being therewith hidden and couered from the view of God most holy wee might appeare cleane spotles in him to the satisfying of the holines of heauen Therefore is it that Paul saith speaking of Iesus God hath made him to be sinne for vs which knew no sinne that we should be made the righteousnes of God in him This place plainely sheweth that God made an exchang betweene Iesus Christ and vs. He knew no sinne that is he had no acquaintance nor fellowship with sinne in him was no sinne to deserue death That sinne abounded in vs and God laied it vpon Iesus and he died for it On the other side we had no righteousnes no righteousnes of God that is no such pure and perfect righteousnes as God requireth and as might commend vs vnto God to be admitted for it into heauen That righteousnes was in Iesus Christ who fulfilled all righteousnes keeping the law bearing perfect loue both to God man and performing all offices pertaining to that loue and that righteousnes of his doth God impute vnto vs making vs righteous in him Therefore is it that the Prophet Ieremie calleth him the Lord our righteousnes And this is the name whereby they shall call him the Lord our righteousnes Not our iustifier that pardoning our sinâ—… pronounceth vs righteous by holding vs excused which thing also verely he doeth for vs but our righteousnes because in him we are accepted and his righteousnes