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heb._n seven_o there_o melchisedech_n partake_v of_o both_o titâ—…es_n he_o receive_v tythâ—…s_n of_o abraham_n as_o priest_n of_o the_o most_o high_a god_n and_o questionless_a he_o take_v tribute_n of_o his_o own_o people_n as_o be_v king_n of_o salem_n also_o the_o scripture_n tell_v we_o of_o eli_n and_o samuel_n both_o judge_n successive_o invest_v with_o the_o same_o sovereignty_n and_o yet_o the_o first_o a_o priest_n the_o second_o both_o a_o priest_n and_o prophet_n in_o israel_n the_o gentile_n though_o as_o yet_o they_o have_v not_o attain_a to_o the_o faith_n of_o israel_n that_o be_v unto_o the_o true_a knowledge_n of_o almighty_a god_n and_o his_o law_n yet_o in_o this_o particular_a they_o think_v not_o amiss_o to_o imitate_v the_o custom_n of_o israel_n among_o they_o there_o be_v rexidem_fw-la hominum_fw-la phaebique_fw-la sacerdos_fw-la as_o virgil_n speak_v of_o anius_n who_o be_v both_o king_n and_o priest_n a_o king_n to_o delos_n and_o a_o priest_n to_o apollo_n who_o be_v there_o worship_v and_o it_o be_v not_o unworthy_a of_o observation_n that_o moses_n gen._n 41._o stiles_n potipherah_n his_o father_n in_o law_n {non-roman}_o {non-roman}_o {non-roman}_o {non-roman}_o {non-roman}_o on_o cohen_n which_o you_o may_v render_v either_o prince_n or_o priest_n of_o on._n probable_o it_o be_v to_o let_v we_o understand_v that_o egypt_n like_v well_o of_o the_o old_a conjunction_n between_o the_o sacerdotal_a and_o princely_a dignity_n thus_o do_v those_o elder_a time_n think_v holiness_n the_o chief_a policy_n and_o therefore_o hold_v he_o as_o most_o able_a to_o reign_v who_o they_o see_v to_o be_v most_o fit_a to_o sacrifice_n this_o ancient_a practice_n seem_v not_o a_o little_a to_o justify_v a_o maxim_n of_o our_o own_o time_n rex_fw-la lie_v we_o est_fw-la persona_fw-la mixta_fw-la cum_fw-la sacerdote_fw-la the_o king_n himself_o be_v partly_o a_o clergyman_n his_o office_n then_o
repossess_v and_o recover_v again_o the_o happiness_n of_o thy_o decay_a comfort_n repent_v as_o he_o do_v mourn_v weep_v pray_v yea_o let_v thy_o soul_n â—…e_v yet_o more_o afflict_v a_o strange_a remedy_n you_o may_v think_v to_o cure_v involuntary_a sadness_n by_o mourning_n willing_o be_v it_o not_o therefore_o to_o be_v esteem_v the_o more_o available_a because_o human_a wisdom_n count_v it_o foolish_a and_o improper_a but_o true_a religion_n prescribe_v antidote_n many_o time_n as_o full_a of_o wonder_n as_o health_n will_v thou_o live_v a_o christian_a life_n thou_o must_v die_v to_o thy_o own_o affection_n and_o inordinate_a lust_n will_v thou_o recover_v again_o the_o loss_n of_o thy_o spiritual_a comfort_n thou_o must_v mourn_v and_o be_v yet_o further_o afflict_v for_o sin_v let_v therefore_o thy_o eye_n become_v fountain_n of_o tear_n and_o mingle_v thy_o drink_n with_o weep_v let_v the_o sorrâ—…ws_n of_o thy_o afflict_a soul_n out_o cry_v the_o guilt_n of_o thy_o wound_a conscience_n so_o he_o that_o have_v not_o disdain_v to_o take_v thy_o body_n to_o be_v his_o temple_n may_v be_v please_v also_o to_o accept_v of_o thy_o tear_n for_o sacrifice_n nor_o do_v i_o still_o enjoin_v thou_o to_o call_v a_o confessor_n to_o witness_v as_o if_o thy_o repentance_n be_v of_o necessity_n to_o be_v as_o legal_a as_o thy_o testament_n if_o thou_o will_v confess_v only_o to_o that_o judge_n who_o alone_o can_v absolve_v thou_o yet_o sure_o i_o be_o in_o case_n of_o great_a distress_n open_a and_o free_a confession_n to_o a_o lawful_a minister_n be_v most_o available_a both_o to_o cure_v a_o conscience_n of_o sin_n as_o also_o to_o attain_v a_o sense_n and_o feeling_n of_o their_o forgiveness_n although_o the_o sentence_n of_o the_o minister_n it_o be_v confess_v be_v of_o itself_o no_o absolution_n for_o example_n who_o know_v not_o that_o god_n word_n bare_o speak_v be_v of_o itself_o able_a to_o challenge_v our_o belief_n yet_o have_v divine_a goodness_n be_v so_o indulgent_a to_o human_a infirmity_n as_o to_o make_v word_n visible_a for_o our_o sake_n that_o be_v to_o ordain_v sacrament_n which_o be_v common_o and_o not_o unfit_o call_v by_o divine_n visible_a word_n and_o to_o make_v we_o sâ—…e_v that_o in_o a_o sacrament_n which_o we_o can_v but_o hear_v only_o from_o a_o preacher_n that_o so_o our_o weak_a faith_n may_v stand_v the_o more_o firm_o be_v support_v by_o the_o evident_a information_n of_o more_o sense_n than_o one_o although_o therefore_o the_o promise_n of_o remission_n of_o sin_n at_o what_o time_n soever_o a_o sinner_n repent_v he_o of_o his_o sin_n ezek._n 18._o shall_v be_v as_o persuasive_a as_o it_o be_v certain_a and_o induce_v into_o we_o a_o confidence_n of_o forgiveness_n no_o less_o easy_o and_o effectual_o than_o the_o word_n sink_v into_o our_o ear_n yet_o have_v god_n be_v please_v also_o to_o invest_v his_o minister_n with_o the_o power_n of_o the_o key_n to_o the_o intent_n that_o see_v a_o man_n clothe_v with_o our_o own_o flesh_n to_o represent_v his_o person_n and_o now_o ready_a as_o from_o his_o mouth_n to_o pronounce_v our_o absolution_n our_o thought_n may_v be_v quicken_v our_o spirit_n revive_v and_o our_o conscience_n become_v as_o free_a and_o exempt_a from_o doubt_v as_o his_o promise_n be_v from_o mutability_n or_o change_n you_o know_v it_o be_v the_o very_a tenor_n of_o our_o great_a commission_n seal_v unto_o we_o by_o that_o king_n of_o king_n our_o most_o bless_a saviour_n in_o the_o 20._o of_o st._n john_n gospel_n receive_v the_o holy_a ghost_n who_o soever_o sin_v you_o remit_v they_o be_v remit_v unto_o they_o not_o that_o these_o word_n imply_v a_o judiciary_n power_n for_o in_o that_o sense_n the_o pharisee_n themselves_o be_v orthodox_a none_o can_v forgive_v sin_n but_o god_n only_o yet_o do_v they_o at_o least_o give_v we_o authority_n to_o declare_v what_o god_n have_v promise_v and_o at_o least_o to_o publish_v absolution_n though_o not_o decree_v it_o of_o what_o efficacy_n then_o you_o will_v say_v be_v this_o declarative_a power_n if_o it_o be_v but_o only_o to_o make_v a_o bare_a narâ—…ation_n of_o forgiveness_n to_o a_o penitent_a sinner_n it_o be_v no_o special_a power_n it_o be_v â—…o_o more_o than_o every_o christian_n may_v do_v yea_o ought_v to_o do_v towards_o his_o brother_n in_o case_n of_o spiritual_a distress_n and_o so_o by_o consequence_n it_o will_v follow_v upon_o this_o supposition_n that_o in_o the_o case_n of_o that_o cry_a adultery_n david_n conscience_n may_v have_v be_v sufficient_o pacify_v with_o the_o good_a word_n of_o any_o common_a israeâ—…ite_n as_o well_o by_o hushai_n the_o king_n â—…riend_n as_o by_o nathan_n the_o prophet_n but_o we_o must_v know_v in_o these_o case_n of_o conscience_n there_o be_v somewhat_o more_o in_o a_o prophet_n word_n than_o in_o a_o courtier_n hushai_n may_v do_v david_n good_a service_n in_o case_n of_o treason_n perhaps_o and_o in_o prevent_v the_o outward_a danger_n of_o a_o absalom_n conspiracy_n but_o in_o case_n of_o sin_n nathan_n be_v most_o fit_a to_o be_v call_v to_o counsel_n and_o it_o be_v his_o word_n not_o hushai_n that_o shall_v best_o appease_v the_o inward_a clamour_n of_o a_o accuse_a conscience_n a_o friend_n may_v advise_v best_a for_o the_o government_n and_o state_n of_o his_o kingdom_n but_o for_o the_o order_n and_o settle_v the_o peace_n of_o his_o soul_n let_v the_o prophet_n word_n be_v hear_v i_o say_v in_o this_o case_n let_v the_o prophet_n be_v hear_v for_o his_o word_n be_v in_o a_o special_a manner_n accompany_v with_o god_n own_o promise_n he_o will_v perform_v the_o counsel_n of_o his_o messenger_n isa._n 44._o at_o the_o 26._o verseâ—…_n among_o all_o the_o son_n of_o man_n we_o be_v say_v in_o scripture_n to_o remit_v sin_n not_o that_o we_o have_v of_o ourselves_o a_o absolve_a power_n but_o that_o our_o word_n may_v give_v the_o great_a satisfaction_n to_o afflict_a conscience_n that_o when_o we_o speak_v upon_o good_a ground_n they_o may_v be_v as_o full_o assure_v of_o their_o remission_n as_o if_o we_o indeed_o have_v forgive_v they_o so_o calvin_n upon_o that_o place_n of_o john_n in_o the_o 3d._o of_o his_o institution_n we_o can_v then_o of_o ourselves_o remit_v the_o crime_n yet_o god_n have_v give_v we_o power_n to_o cure_v the_o conscience_n it_o lie_v not_o in_o we_o to_o acquit_v it_o dâ—…eth_v to_o comfort_v a_o sinner_n which_o truth_n be_v yet_o further_o illustrate_v by_o that_o text_n in_o the_o 18_o of_o st._n matthew_n gospel_n whatsoever_o you_o shall_v lose_v on_o earth_n shall_v be_v loose_v in_o heaven_n first_o we_o lose_v on_o earth_n and_o then_o god_n in_o heaven_n but_o what_o you_o will_v say_v do_v the_o ministerial_a act_n go_v before_o the_o principal_a may_v we_o declare_v what_o god_n have_v not_o yet_o decree_v that_o be_v to_o play_v the_o king_n interpreter_n while_o he_o be_v silent_a or_o to_o publish_v a_o proclamation_n before_o it_o be_v pen_v these_o seem_v to_o be_v great_a inconvenience_n we_o must_v therefore_o understand_v that_o upon_o the_o hearty_a and_o true_a contrition_n of_o a_o penitent_a soul_n first_o god_n himself_o decree_v his_o absolution_n then_o after_o his_o humble_a confession_n the_o minister_n do_v publish_v or_o pronounce_v it_o to_o which_o act_n of_o the_o minister_n god_n by_o promise_n add_v the_o assistance_n of_o his_o persuade_v spirit_n and_o so_o the_o sinner_n become_v certain_a of_o the_o remission_n of_o his_o sin_n in_o this_o sense_n therefore_o it_o be_v true_a that_o we_o be_v first_o loose_v on_o earth_n and_o then_o in_o heaven_n because_o that_o after_o the_o ministerial_a absolution_n pronounce_v here_o on_o earth_n our_o conscience_n do_v by_o the_o spirit_n obtain_v a_o undoubted_a assurance_n that_o we_o be_v loose_v in_o heaven_n thus_o have_v i_o show_v you_o what_o this_o one_o remedy_n be_v to_o wit_n justification_n by_o the_o blood_n of_o christ_n the_o manner_n how_o we_o attain_v a_o sense_n of_o it_o the_o inward_a testimony_n of_o the_o holy_a ghost_n the_o mean_n how_o to_o recover_v this_o testimony_n when_o upon_o our_o sin_n we_o seem_v to_o lose_v it_o humble_a confession_n of_o our_o sin_n sometime_o to_o god_n only_o sometime_o to_o his_o minister_n also_o and_o this_o either_o private_a or_o more_o public_a as_o the_o case_n of_o the_o penitent_n require_v and_o of_o this_o confession_n to_o the_o minister_n i_o insist_v somewhat_o the_o more_o large_o because_o indeed_o to_o be_v as_o my_o text_n speak_v once_o purge_v of_o sin_n and_o yet_o to_o have_v a_o conscience_n not_o due_o sensible_a of_o this_o benefit_n i_o mean_v the_o benefit_n of_o absolution_n by_o the_o lawful_a ministry_n be_v but_o with_o those_o blind_a anamite_n to_o be_v in_o the_o midst_n oâ—…_n the_o people_n of_o god_n