as it is set up by Satan with a terrible visage as it were to spit fire in the faces of the godly and faithfull seems very threatning and dreadfull But they are to know for certaine it is but a made thing there is no feare from the sins of Believers all the terror and fearfulnesse of sin Christ himselfe hath drunk it and in the drinking of it Christ himselfe our life was crucified and in that regard I say all the terror and gastlinesse and hideousnesse of sin as it is represented by Satan is spent and â—n it self is dead It is true indeed a living roaring Lion is a terrible creature but in a dead Lion there is no more feare then is in a stick or a stone to him that knows he is dead While sin is alive it is fearfull and corrible and deadly but when sin it self is dead then there is no more terror in it then is in a dead Lion Thus I speak concerning sin not as it smiles upon a man with a promiâ—ing countenance before it be committed for so it is most dreadfull and odious to the faithfull as that which crucified their sweetest Lord but as committed and lying upon the conscience of a Believer indeavouring to drive him to deny the love and free Grace of God to him and the all sufficiency of Christ For in this regard it is crucified by Christ and so a Believer need not be affraid of sin Indeed terrible it maâ— seem to be at first but there is no just cause of terriblenesse in it for it can doe no hurt Therefore the Apostle telling us of the Hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us and contrary to us saith that Christ hath nailed them to his Crosse So that the sins of Believers are crucified with Christ they that are Christs have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof We commonly understand this as if our mortification and denying of sin were the crucifying of the flesh but the Apostle speaks otherwise there and you may see he intends that they that are Christ are crucified with him as much as to say Christs dying upon the crosse for Beleevers his death became the death that is the expiation of sin for them that it should be no more terrible unto them nor affright the people of God I have inâ—isted the more upon this because indeed it is the root from whence all other feares spring For from crosses and afflictions which come upon persons of which we shall speake presently they run immediately to their sins and conceive that it is their sins that have put stings into them and makes them so bitter still therefore they are perplexed with fears as long as sin is upon them Certainly some fearfull thing wil come upon them Why they have committed such and such sins these be the cause of their fear But beloved either deny plainly that Christ dyed for your sins and that he hath borne the whole wrath of God that sin hath deserved or sit down by this truth that sin did hurt Christ so much that it cannot hurt the Believer for whom Christ did die Secondly as we should not fear our own sins being Believers and members of Christ so neither ought we to fear the sins of others Object You will say supposing there be no sins of our own to pull downe judgement yet the world is full of iniquity and abundance of sins there are upon the times that bring downe wrath from Heaven Answ Though it be true that Nationall sins bring downe Nationall judgements and wrath yet all the sins of the times cannot do a member of Christ a lot of hurt And therefore as they cannot do him any hurt so he need not be affraid of them I will make it appeare that the sins of the world the crying sins of the times can do a Believer no hurt at all Marke the plea of the Lord often mentioned in Ezekiel against the people that hit him in the teeth as if he were unjust The fathers say they have eaten sowre grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge He pleads his owne innocency in it and directly answers that the soule that sinneth shall dye As much as to say he that doth commit the fault shall bear the burthen of it thou that art not the committer of the fault thou shalt not bear the burthen of it Therefore the sins of the times that are committed by the wicked they cannot do Gods people any hurt The childrens teeth shall not be set on edge Object I but some will say I have had some hand in these sins I did not reprove these sins or I did not seperate my selfe from them Answ I answer suppose that the members of Christ are in some sort accessary to these sins yet so far as you in your owne persons have been actors or partakers of these transgressions Christ hath borne these transgressions and suffered for them It is not some sins that Christ bears and leaves some sins for Believers to bear and so also leaves some punishment for Believers to suffer for it is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world and that he doth take them all away appeareth 1 John 1.7 The blood of Christ his Sonne cleanseth us from all sins Whether then you consider every elect person as he sinneth by himselfe or as he shareth with others all these sinnes the blood of Christ cleanseth him from and therefore I say the sins of other people they shall not they cannot be imputed to him that is a Believer Object But you will say surely the Lord doth send crosses and afflictions upon his owne people as well as upon the people of the world many times and should we not therefore bee affraid of them Answ Therefore in the third place let mee tell you as there is no occasion nor need nay as people ought not to be affraid for the sins of others so ought not they to be affraid for the chastisements of the Lord upon them Consider but the true nature of feare looke upon things as they are in themselves If there bee occasion of feare in any thing that may come there must be evill in these afflictions or else there need not be feare now there is no evill in them but all are exceeding good and they work for good and that that works for good is not evill every agent produceth effects answerable to its owne nature an evill tree brings forth no good fruit no more doth a good tree bring forth evill fruit so then if there be nothing but good in all the afflictions of the people of God then there is no cause of feare there is an apprehension of evill in a thing if there be feare but there is not a just apprehension of evill in a thing that is good be assured of this there is no feare to be had of afflictions let them be never so tart let them be never so great or many Oh saith
one I shall be undone as others are that are plundered here the heart is disturbed and distracted But beloved suppose you lose all that you have even the wife out of your bosomes and your children out of your arms so you be deprived of all yet there is no evill in them and therefore you ought not to be affraid There is nothing but good a them the Apostle in the 12. Hebr. tells us that it is true for the present no affliction seems joyous but grievous yet he takes away all occasions of feare though for the present they seem evill yet afterwards saith he they bring forth the peaceable fruits of righteousnesse to those that are exercised therewith What hurt is in them when they bring forth the peaceable fruits of righteousnesse In afflictions they are refined as Silver and as Gold What hurt is there to Silver in the fire when nothing is intended but the seperation of the drosse from the Silver When the Lord afflicts his people he sits as a Refiner to take away the drosse The afflictions of Gods people are nothing but the refinings of God to take away the rust What hurt is there in Physick especially in good physick when the body is distempered They that know the benefit of it will they be affraid of it though it make them sicke for a time It is true ignorance and suspition of the operation will make men affraid but the Lord hath made it known to us that all his chastisements are the fruits of his love and this is the end of all to take away their sins It is true men need not feare that the sins they commit shall do them hurt but the Lord makes use of afflictions to purge out sin from the conversation where it is a trouble and burthen both to the faithfull and Brethren though hee doth not revenge himselfe of any before committed Thirdly as wee ought not to be affraid of sin and afflictions in generall so for the present we should take notice that they that have Goâ— for their God must not be affraid of men The enemies of God they that fight against God there needs no feare either of their wrath oâ— of their policy nor of their meances nor oâ— their cruelty There is no cause of feare of anâ— of these It is true there is doubtlesse an implacablenesse of rage and an unchangeable resolution of revenge if possibly they could eveâ— to bring fire from Heaven to devour the servants of the living God But if their rage were more desperate then it is there is no cause at all to feare in as much as God is the God of such a people In the 120. Psalme you shall see that there is no cause to feare though there bee never so much evill approaching This Psalme was made of purpose to set forth this thing that the godly need not feare the fury of the oppressor If the Lord had not been on our side when men rose up against us they had swalloweâ— us up when their fierce wrath was kindled against us but blessed be the Lord saith the Psalmist that hath not given us as a prey to their teeth ouâ— soule escaped as a Bird out of the snare of the Fowler the snare is broken and wee are delivered Here is fierce wrath but yet here is escaping as a Bird out of the snare of a Fowler and how comes this to passe the Lord is their help and hee is on their side If the Lord had not been on their side they had been swallowed up quick and if so be the Lord be on our side what need of fear is there at all of their wrath The Psalmist tells us that surely the wrath of man shall praise thee and the remainder of wrath thou shalt restrain Psal 76.10 See what little cause there is of fear from the wrath and rage of men there shall nothing but matter of praise come forth to the Lord out of it Wilt thou be afraid of that by which the Lord shall bee praised The Lord is praised by the wrath of men and all the superfluity of wrath all that is over and above more then is for the glory of God the Lord will restraine that The wrath of man shall praise thee and the remainder of wrath thou shalt restraine The wrath that is more then for his praise the Lord will be sure to keep it in and the wrath that is for the glory of God wilt thou be afraid of it Moreover as you ought not to feare the wrath of men so you ought not to fear the policy of the enemies of God Though hell it self combine with them to lay snares to entrap the people of God there is no cause of fear of them â—et there be Achitephels among them whose counsell is as an Oracle of God yet the Lord will turn their counsell into foolishnesse The Lord of such a people he confounds the wisdome of the wise and brings to nought the counsell of the prudent where is the Wiseman where is the Scribe Where is the Disputer of this world He hath chosen the foolish things of this world to confound the wise as well as the weak things of the world to confound the strong Now if the Lord choose foolish things to confound the wise or the wise things of the world to confound themselves why oughtess thou to be affraid Thirdly there is no occasion of fear to them that have God for their God of the instruments of cruelty Let them have all the instruments that cruelty it selfe can invent fear theâ— not fear not their swords fear not their guns fear not their engines of war No weapons formed against the Church of Christ shall prosper What need we to be affraid of that which shall not prosper Now the Lord saith plainly that no weapon formed against the Church shall prosper You know indeed that unto a naked breast a sword is terrible but where then is a coat of male to sence off a sword he thaâ— hath on this coat is or need be no more affraid of the thrust of a sword then when theâ— is no sword at all thrust against him especially when he knowes his coat of male is sword proof that a sword cannot pierce it Armoâ—â— of proofe you know will keep out a bullet when a man knowes his armour is of proof indeed he cares not whether he hath a dagger thrust at it or a pistoll shot against it or no he fears not he cares not The armour of believers is pistoll-proof it cannot be shot through Object But you will say many are slaine will you condemne all that are killed by their enemy as not Believers Answ Mistake me not I doe not say they are sword-proof so that the same thing may not befall unto them as unto others but only so that nothing that befalls them can be truly evill unto them and in respect of the soule all that the enemy can do cannot destroy the souls of Believers
Abednigo there was a hot fiery furnace prepared for them seven times hotter than ordinary the King proclaimes that what ever he be that will not fall down and worship his Image should presently be cast into this furnace This was enough to startle a person and make him tremble But how is the temper of the three children expressed there We are not say they carefull to answer thee in this matter These threatnings though very fearfull in the eyes of others seemed but a matter of nothing to them they made a tush at it We are not carefull to answer thee in this matter Even so people are then free from feare who when evill is comming care not for it a man when he cares not for any thing that assailes him hee rusheth in upon it and although it seeme to threaten unto him some mischief yet he is confident it cannot hurt him So far forth as youâ— can overlook evills drawing on upon you more or lesse not regarding them in respect of any hurt they can doe you so far forth are you free from feare Object You will say none in the world can have such a temper of spirit when dangers are growing especially great and thick upon them Answ No What say you of these three children I speak of men now they were carelesse Object You will say it may be that was an extraordinary case Answ Nay you shall finde that the very ground of the undauntednesse of their spirits was the same which the Lord proposeth in this Text to put us out of feare We are carelesse to answer thee in this matter Why Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us and he will deliver us The carelesnesse of their spirits was grounded upon a common principle of the whole Church and upon the same the Lord proposeth to all the rest of his people as well as to them they being confident God was their God neither the greatnesse of the King nor the violence of his threatnings could stir them a jot they were all nothing to God who was their God who was able to deliver them and would deliver them Their confidence in this was that which made them break forth into this bold expression We are carelesse to answer thee in this matter But now let us consider what the people of God should not feare Object What to be affraid of nothing doth not the Lord himselfe commend feare to men Nay is not God himselfe called the fear of Isaac and yet would you make us to believe that we should have no fear Answ I answer there is a threefold feare here is a naturall feare a religious feare and here is a turbulent feare A naturall feare is â—othing else but such an affection as is in men â—y nature that they cannot be freed from such feare was in Christ himselfe without sinne There is a religious and godly feare and that is nothing but an awfull reverence whereby people keepe a fit distance between the gloriouâ— Majesty of God and the meannesse of a creature and it is opposed to saucinesse And theâ— there is a turbulent feare and that is a feare 〈◊〉 disquietnesse now all disquieting feare is thaâ— which the Lord endeavours to take off froâ— his people Well but what are the things you will say we should not bee affraid nor dismayed atâ— Perhaps I shall pitch upon things people are much affraid of and will thinke strange theâ— should not be affraid of them First I must tell you the people of Goâ— his owne people they need not be affraid 〈◊〉 their sins And yet let me not be mistaken 〈◊〉 doe not say we must not be affraid to sinne bâ— they need not be affraid of their sins they thâ— have God for their God there is no sin thâ— ever they commit can possibly doe them anâ— hurt Therefore as their sins cannot huâ— them so there is no cause of feare in their sinâ— they have committed Object Some will be ready to say This 〈◊〉 strange All the evils in the world that comâ— they grow up from the sinfulnesse of men If man be affraid of any thing he should bee aâ—fraid of sin from whence all evils do flow Answ I answer beloved it is true sin natâ—rally is a root bringing forth all manner of evill fruit The wages of sinne is death but yet I say what ever sin in its owne nature brings forth yet the sins of Gods peculiar people they that have God for their owne God their sins can doe them no hurt at all and in that regard there is no cause of feare from any of their sins that ever they have committed Beloved I conceive this may seeme somewhat harsh to some spirits touching the truth of it especially to such as misconceive the drift at which I aim which is not to incourage any one unto sin but to ease the consciences of the distressed I desire you to resolve with your selves this one thing so far forth as the Lord reveals it so far you will sit downe contented with the minde of the Lord revealed to you and I beseech you kicke not against the truth There is not one sin not all the sins together of â—ny one believer that can possibly do that belieâ—er any hurt real hurt I mean and therefore he â—ught not to â—e affraid of them How will that â—e made good you will say I will make it apâ—eare out of the seventh to the Romans from â—he midst of the Chapter to the end you see â—ow the Apostle carries it along especially â—bout the 15. and 19. verses where it is true the â—postle expresseth himself in heavy complaints â—gainst such sins as befall believers The good that I would doe that doe I not and the evill thâ— I would not do that doe I insomuch that in tâ— last verse but one the Apostle with much vehâ— mency puts the question thus O wretâ—hed mâ— that I am who shall deliver me from the body of thâ— death Some will be ready presently to saâ— here you see plainly is a fear of sin or ought 〈◊〉 be here is a body of death in men to be affraâ— of But give me leave to tell you that thâ— Apostle in this Chapter as I conceive doâ— personate a scrupulous spirit and doth nâ— speak out his owne present case as it was at thâ— time when he speaks it but speaks in the persâ— of another yet a Believer and my reason 〈◊〉 this Because the Apostle in respect of hâ— owne person what was become of sins wâ— already resolved therefore I conceive he doâ— act the part of a troubled spirit that in respeâ— of the multitude and prevalency of corruption was ready to cry out O wretched man who shâ— deliver mee from the body of this death But maâ—â— how the Apostle answers this question whâ—ther it bee his owne case or anothers foâ— will not stand upon that and you shall plainâ— see the Apostle concludes though there 〈◊〉 such marvellous filthinesse and prevalency 〈◊〉
act of justice and righteousnesse that the Father should justifie and acquit these persons for whom he hath received of Christ this satisfaction and accordingly hath acknowledged satisfaction under his own hand and acquitted them You know though it bee in a mans power and liberty whether hee will take a surety or the principall for his money yet when he hath taken a surety and he hath made payment it is an act of unrighteousnesse in the creditor after the acknowledgement of full satisfaction to come upon the principall again and to make him pay the money And it is a plea grounded in Law that if that cause come in triall again the Judge ought to acquit the principall if it bee proved that the debt is paid by the surety Now Christ hath paid all that the Father could ask and God hath acknowledged full satisfaction for all He beheld the travell of his soule and was satisfied Now being satisfied it is an act of justice and righteousnesse that the Father should acquit a person in this kind Suppose a person should bee brought before a Judge in a cause wherein hee oweth the Judge himself such a summe of moneyes and borrowed it of the Judge himself an Advocate comes and pleads the cause before the Judge that it is true there was so much money lent and borrowed but saith the Advocate I my selfe became the surety for that man I paid every farthing there is the acquittance you gave under your own hand Now I ask this question the Judge being convinced and a righteous Judge too of the truth of the plea whether in judgement he ought not to acquit that person whose cause is pleaded before him He tooke saits faction he acknowledged satisfaction he could have but satisfaction of him therefore in justice he must discharge him The same case is betweene God and us it is true indeed Beleevers doe commit those things that are in their own nature debts Forgive us our debts as the word is but when this cause came to be agitated and pleaded before God the Judge himselfe to whom the debt was owing Christ the Advocate came and stood up and pleaded that he himselfe being become the surety of a better testament upon it he came and paid the whole debt and hee having satisfied his Father hee received under his Fathers hand that he had paid every farthing and that he was satisfied and that upon that satisfaction his people should be discharged Now this plea is grounded upon iustice it selfe Observe but how fully and clearly the Apostle speakes the same things in the 1. of John 1.7 the Apostle tels us expresly that the blood of Christ his Son cleanseth from all sins and here If any man sinne we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and hee is the propitiation for our sins and againe in the former Chapter If we confesse our sinnes God is faithfull and just to forgive us our sins Mark well that the Apostle grounds himself upon Christs satisfaction namely his blood that doth cleanse us from all sin Upon this ground hee doth conclude that it is an act of faithfulnesse and justice in God to forgive sinne I dare say none are so ignorant in these daies of light as to thinke there is such a proportion between confession of sin and forgivenesse of sinne that confession can ballance forgivenesse and so consequently make it an act of justice No the Apostle doth ground the force of justice upon the blood of Christ that is shed Therfore if you do observe it well you shall find that the Apostle speakes of confession by way of anticipation or prevention of fear you know the common Proverb in the world concerning a Malefactor apprehended is Let him confesse say wee and he shall be hanged Why so because if it be disclosed the Law lays hold upon him and hee shall be sure to die for it and therefore in naturall policy his safety lies in concealing of it But now if satisfaction hath beene made by a friend of his to the Law and accordingly a pardon sued out for him there is no danger in his confession at all Now the Apostle in this place having before said that the blood of Christ his Sonne cleanseth us from all our sinnes from hence he gathers incouragement unto the people of Christ that they should not fear so as to conceal their sins lest being known they should do them a mischief But saith he lay all open before the Lord there is nodanger to be supected now For God is faithfull and just to forgive them therefore the hiding of them should prevent no evill because no evill should come upon them for them though they were laid open never so naked Therefore was this spoken by the Apostle to take away fear and this is the â—rue meaning of the Holy Ghost therein I say to take away fear from the damage that would ensue if we should confesse our sins what they are Paul writing to Timothy mark what he ascribes to participating of the excellencies of Christ even of righteousnesse and justice I have fought the good fight I have finished my course I have kept the faith henceforth is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse Marke a crown of righteousnesse is laid up in which is included the discharge from sin and participating of glory and a crown of righteousnesse prepared and laid up But mark the foundation of his confidence that he shall partake of it It is a righteous Judge that shall give it he shall give it out of righteousnesse it self justice shall prevail with him to do this thing for him Whence it is that Christ is called so frequently Righteousnesse The Lord our righteousnesse as you have it in the 33. of Jeremiah a Prophesie concerning the righteous Branch and his name shall be called The Lord our righteousnesse that is the Lord that is righteous makes us one with God and doth communicate his own righteousnesse unto us that we may be the delight of the Father Give me leave to tell you beloved that God is so unchangeable in all his Attributes that even Christ himself is not able to obtain any thing of the Father that may be any wayes prejudiciall to the nullifying of any attribute whatsoever I say Christ himself can get nothing of the Father whereby his justice may suffer or be violated Christ must make it clear that justice shall have its full due and God shall not need to bate one grain of what justice doth expect or else Christ himselfe can have nothing of the Father For Christ came not to destroy the Law and so he saith himself much lesse did Christ come to destroy that which is essentiall unto God Gods justice is essentiall unto him If Christ violate justice he should destroy the very being of God himselfe Therefore without giving justice satisfaction this would be a derogation to the Father therfore when Christ doth plead with the Father for the
say this sealing up follows after the bringing in of everlasting righteousnesse and this everlasting righteousnesse is the righteousnesse of Christ Therefore in the 4. of Malachi and the 2. verse you shall find there is heath apprepâ—â—ated unto Christ and there you shall finde where the â—â—tue lies that Christ hath such a bealing Vnto them saith the Text that feare my name shall the Sun of righteousuesse arise with healing in his wings therefore a healing Sun because he is the Sun of righteousnesse and the vâ—tue in the wing of Christ to heale is the righteousnesse of Christ I have been more copiou in these passages of Scripture before the coming of Christ that people may not think that to depend only and 〈◊〉 upon the righteousnes of Christ for security and comfort is a new thing but was knows and was a refuge from the beginning The Apostle Paul speaks more clearly then any of the rest I shall instance but in two passages for the truth is all the Epistles of the Apostles are full of the thing The strength of the plea of Christ in the behalf of his people sinning doth stand in his righteousnesse For this purpose look into the 3. Chapter to the Remans in the begioning of which Chap. you shall see how mightily the Spostl pleads to the convincing of all the world of sin and the fruit of that sinfulnesse you shall finde from the 13. verse forwards a description of the sins of men In the 20. verse he makes a conclusion Therefore by the deeds of ehe Law shal no flesh be justified in his sight Now after he had taken off all that might possibly be in man towards his remedy and refuge all that possible might be in the Law for the people to rest in he begins to establish the foundation upon which the safety deliverance and security of Gods people doth indeed depend But now saith the Apostle in v. 21. The righteousnesse of God without the Law is manifest being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets even the righteousnesse of God which is by faith in Iesus Christ unto all and upon all that doe believe for there is no difference for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God being justified freely by his Grace through the redemption that is in Iesus Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse for the remission of sins to declare his righteousnesse at this time that he might be just and the justifier of those that doe believe in Iesus You see here is an inculcating again and again that it is a righteousnesse namely his righteousnesse which God hath set forth to be a propitiation that is the righteousnesse of Christ to declare his righteousnesse saith the Apostl upon all imports unto us the sole refuge for the remission of sins is only the righteousnesse of Christ Look also into the 5. of the Romans 18. 19. verses As by one mans disobedience manywere made sinners so by the obedience of one many shall be made righteous Our transgressions are the issue which Adams disobedience brought forth that obedience of one man is our security and deliverance from Hell and death which one mans disobedience brought into the world all of it is frustrated and evacuated by the obedience of one and by the righteousnesse of that one Nothing but the obedience and righteousnesse of Christ setting persons free from the fruits of unrighteousnesse and disobedience in Adam is able to make them righteous I hope by this time the truth is cleered enough that there is nothing to be mentioned but only his righteousness nothing can hold water nothing can hold plea but this righteousnesse of Christ You shall therefore consider out of all these passages what that righteousnesse is that hath efficacy and prevalency with the Father for the discharge of a member of Christ when he sins First you shall see this negatively Secondly positively and therein we shall endeavour to declare what righteousnesse of Christ that is that doth relieve us First negatively there is not any righteonsnesse of a Believer which he acts which can possibly have any force in plea with the Father for the discharge of a person that hath committed a sin I say no righteousness of a Believer which he acts and I mention that righteousnesse which he doth act because the very righteousnesse of Christ it self is indeed the righteousnesse of a Believer For he is our righteousnesse The Lord our righteousnesse as you have heard As he was made sin for us and became our sin by impuration so we are made the righteousnesse of God in him that is Christs righteousnesse is as much become our own righteousnesse as our sins became Christs sins And as Christ bare the whole fruit of our sins by being made sin for us so we enjoy the whole fruit of Christs righteousness by being made righteous in him therefore I say not simply no righteousnesse of a Believer but no righteousness of a Believer which himself doth act hath the least force in plea to prevaile for the discharge of 〈◊〉 I must â—ell you there is no divine Rethoricke there is no omnipotent excellency in any righteousnesse whatsoever which a Believer can put up unto God It is not your turning from your evill wayes it is not your repentance though never so cordiall and large it is not your departing from iniquity it is not your doing good hath the least force or power of plea with the Father to prevail with him for your righteousnesse for your discharge or to move him to give the sentence upon you that you are discharged No righteousnesse I say whatsoever you can doe For the best righteousnesse that ever man did performe Christ only excepted hath more in it to make against the person that did it then it hath to make for him to obtain a sentence of discharge and my reason is this In the best righteousnesse of man in turning from sin or in repenting or mourning or what ever else there is to be thought of there is abundance of sin even in the very best actions that are performed And where there is sinfulnesse there is a plea against the person so that if you bring that righteousnesse to plead with God to prevail with him you bring that which may be objected against you and may prove a strong plea to mar the cause that is in hand I beseech you beloved observe the Apostle in the 7th Chapter to the Romans where I think I shall meet with these things which most people in ignorance do most commonly make their chiefest plea whereon they build their own comforts and their whole comforts as if all were well between God and them thereby yet you shall their finde how the Apostle though qualified in that manner as he was doth both renounce any such plea and also doth betake himself to that plea we are now in hand with The