this matter and to shew the consonancy thereof both to the current of the Scriptures and also to the best and most Orthodox Protestant Writers Now to Mr. Geree's Advantages 1. To the First that the Dr. alledgeth places out of the Old Testament I Answer so he may so as that he alledge none proper to the Old Administration as many do to bring the Children of the New Testament into the same servile condition with those of the Old who albeit they were Sons and thereby truly Heirs of Life and Glory and as the Apostle saith Lords of all Yet in regard of that subservient Covenant and Administration they differed nothing at all from servants But onely such Scriptures as do prophesy and foretell the sufferring of Christ and the glory that should follow such as the Scriptures mentioned are Although a man may not alledge the Old Testament as I doubt not but Mr. Geree will confess for circumcision and observation of the Jewish Sabbath or sacrificing beasts Yet may he alledge it to prove that Christ is the substance exhibiting unto the Children of the New Testament all that was shadowed out by these Ceremonies Now there is the same reason of the whole Mosaical Administration So saith Pareus upon Gal. 4.3 By the Elements of the world saith he the Apostle understandeth not onely the Ceremonies but the whole polity of Moses the Levitical Priesthood and the very Moral Law it self affrighting them and compelling them to Obedience with threatnings of punishment and the fear of the Curse How proves he this For saith he Christ is said a little after to have delivered his Church from all these And therefore all these must be understood by the Elements of the world and bondage In a word although the Old Testament may not be urged upon the faithful as establishing the Old Covenant yet it may as foretelling the New His other Advantage he thinks he hath got by the Example urged is That David though justified prayed for forgiveness which he saith we deny Where or when O Mr. Geree you pretend you have matter enough in the Book to confute and do you leave that and run after slanders of your own devising This may well be put up on the file of those false and injurious reproaches which we dayly lye under For the contrary hath been publickly delivered by us both in print and pulpit namely That the faithful and justified are to pray for forgiveness of sins according as Christ hath taught Onely this we say with the best Protestant Writers that forgiveness is to be understood not of that in foro Coeli in the Court of Heaven which prevents and goes before all our prayers but in foro Conscientiae in the Court of our own Consciences That we may more and more have the fruition and enjoyment in our Consciences of that forgiveness established in Heaven before And so is that Petition of the Lords Prayer to be understood according to Mr. Walker in his Socinianism discovered pag. But the truth is men destitute of true Christian Love which thinketh no evil have made their own Uncharitable Collections from our Tenets and then fathered those Collections upon us Sect. 6. To evince the perfection of our justification the Dr. cited as is usual in extemporary expressions according to the matter though not exactly according to the words Eph. 5.25 and so forward that Christ presents his Church to himself not having spot or wrinkle wherein he takes notice that the Participle not having spot is of the present tense and therefore it is not onely to be understood of their future estate in the Life to come This Testimony saith Mr. Geree is clear against him How can that be I pray you His Point he desires to prove by this Text is the perfection of our justification which Point saith Mr. Geree in the last words of the former Section is granted How then can this Scripture be clear against it or against him if not against it Is one truth of Scripture clear against another Yea but he cites it saith Mr. G. for justification when as it is special for sanctification See what a Reason is given here Is it therefore clearly contrary to justification because it is specially for sanctification He dares not deny but it toucheth also upon justification And if it did but so I hope it doth not in that touch shew justification to be imperfect but rather perfect and without spot if so how is it then against the Dr. who alledgeth it to that purpose Doth the Dr. deny that they have reference to sanctification also No but he urgeth them onely for justification because that was the matter onely in hand But the words are not in the present tense What Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might present Did he say it was No but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not having spot I hope that is the present tense Yea saith Mr. G. but when was this to be in the present tense Even saith he when it was presented glorious that is in Heaven as Interpreters expound it See Piscat in locum But is it only to be expounded of the estate of God's Children in Heaven I think he dares not affirm it And if not why may it not also signifie our compleatness here on earth whereby we are said to be compleat in him even in this life Col. 2.10 Mr. G. might have noted that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Aorist noting the time past having cleansed us will rather evince that the spotlessness which immediately follows upon the cleansing is past than barely future in Heaven In the Conference at the Hague the Arminians say that this is their Judgment That to be Holy and without blame before God is the same with to be glorified in Heaven in this place Eph. 5.26,27 To which purpose they urge Piscater as Mr. Geree doth here Whereunto Amesius answereth in his Coronis Artic. 1 Caâ—… 12. That the sanctification spoken of by which word Mr. G. thinks he hath gotten something comprehends not onely Renovation but also Justification as Joh. 17.17 Heb. 9.14 20. 13. Because saith he the whole fruit of the love and death of Christ is placed in that sanctification which cannot be contained within the bounds of Heaven but presenteth the Church marryed unto him without spot even whilst she sojourneth and warreth here on earth And for Piscator he answereth That he doth not onely limit it to the state in Heaven but speaks upon verse 26. in Analys of that cleansing which consists in remission of sins And to this same purpose have many other approved Writers cited this Text and those parallel to it As the Holy Martyr Frith pag. 69.70 against Rastal where he saith That they to whom God imputeth not their sins are blessed righteous without spot wrinkle or blame And Mr. Ellis before the Parliament upon Micah 55. pag. 17. where he hath these faithful words That God is reconciled by the blood of his
Vindiciae Evangelii OR A VINDICATION OF THE GOSPEL WITH THE Establishment of the Law BEING A Reply to Mr. Steven Geree's Treatise ENTITULED The Doctrine of the Antinomians Confuted WHEREIN He pretends to Charge divers Dangerous Doctrines on Dr. Crisp's SERMONS as Anti-Evangelical and Antinomical The Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets Rom. 3.21 Do we make void the Law through Faith God forbid yea we establish the Law v. 31. Who shall lay any thing to the Charge of God's Elect It is God that justifieth who is he that condemneth It is Christ that dyed c. Rom. 8.33,34 The Stone which is set at nought by the Builders is become the Head of the Corner Act. 4.11 Psal 118.22 By ROBERT LANCASTER Late Minister of the Gospel sometime at Quarly and Amport in Hampshire LONDON Printed for a Friend of the Authors and Sold by Will. Marshall at the Bible in Newgate-street 1694. To the Reader READER IT may be expected by thee to have some short account of the late Reverend and Learned Author of this Treatise concerning whom they that knew him well can say That his Worth was little known in the World his whole LIFE being spent in a Retiredness from it for the most part It is the same Robert Lancaster who Wrote the Preface prefixt to Dr. Crisp's first Sermons where may be seen what design he prosecuted in his after-Writings in the Defence of the Doctrines delivered by the said Dr. Crisp and where may be had a taste of his sweet and gracious Spirit wherein he was a Teaching Example to all that were acquainted with his ordinary Conversation He walked in a chearful serious practice of Holiness and though his pilgrimage here was attended with a succession of great outward Afflictions yet he seemed to bear them without Murmurring and to live by Faith much above them Not long before he finished his Course here it was that he together with others were Removed from the Publick Exercise of his Ministry which was attended with many difficult Circumstances as to his outward concerns But yet the Bitter Opposition that had been and continued to be made against some great truths of the Gospel by persons of no small Figure caused him to set himself to the Vindication of them and to shew the great Mistakes of Mr. Rutherford Mr. Gataker Mr. Burgess and Mr. Geree and their Misrepresenting great Truths and in their Injurious charging of persons which he performed in a spirit of Meekness wherein he excell'd and manifested it in publick as well as private Disputes upon the same account when called thereto and with no less dexterity being thereto furnished not only by a distinct Understanding of Divine Mysteries but a great Accurateness in the knowledge of the Originals and of all the Oriental Versions being it may be one of the exactest Gramarians in all those Languages as well as in the other of his time He Published little in his Life being a man of a most peaceable and humble Disposition of great backwardness to shew himself whether this his Inclination or some other Reason hindred him from Publication of his Writings it is not easie to determine now neither is it of concern to us but whatever was the Reason delayed it was and God called him home to himself to rest from his Labours some of which the Intelligent Reader may see do here follow him for so God would have it to be his Friends entrusted with his Manuscripts of which more may follow this as a First Part being fully perswaded that they had a loud Call of Providence to bring out this Light that had so long been kept under a bushel and hold it forth now as in a seasonable time to the Church of Christ And lest any should be hindred from the benefit of it by a prejudicate opinion That the said Author was an Antinomian and Libertine an unbyast mind may be satisfied from his Preface to Dr. Crisp that he was neither if he retain a right Understanding of what those Sects hold and will but duly weigh what this Holy Man saith there in the just Vindication of himself and others from that Charge Part of which only for brevity sake and for the information of such as have not read the said Preface or have it not by them we may rehearse here As for us we make not void the Law but establish it We Affirm That it remaineth in its full force and power not only of commanding but also of Exacting and Terrifying of Cursing and Punishing every Son of Adam that is under it without abatement of the least jot or tittle and whether this be Antinomianism or no let the Church of Christ consider and Judge by the Word of Christ And as for the Imputation of Libertinism if they mean that which Calvin Chargeth the Libertines with in his Book against them We utterly disclaim it c. Here it is most manifest That he is not for the vacating of the Law neither as to Precept or Sanction but holds exactly with the Assembly in this Point whereto Others that are so ready to make this Charge have sufficiently declared their Contrariety But yet it is not to be avoided but notwithstanding this or what else can be spoken some Men regarding not so much as common Ingenuity may charge the Doctrines here defended for Antinomianism as the Antagonists to them in his time did and many at this day do and no wonder if we are not without such now who brand the Preaching of the Gospel to distressed Consciences The pardoning of Sinners as Sinners And divers other Vital Doctrines of the Gospel for such Heresie yea ridicule and scoff at the inviting of wretched miserable Sinners unto Jesus Christ Must we therefore loath and abhor these Glorious Fundamental Truths because some men pretending their Figure in the Churches do thus reproach them No God forbid though this may be a stumbling-block laid before the eyes of the Blind yet Wisdom shall be justified of her Children and none shall always beguile them with enticing Words or affrighten them by cloathing Truth in a Bear-skin For such as have once truly tasted the Lord is gracious will not be soon moved from him who hath called them to Glory and Vertue according as his Divine Power hath given unto them all things that pertain to Life and Godliness through the Knowledge of him But as they have received Christ so they will walk rooted and built up in him established in the Faith as they have been taught abounding therein with Thanksgiving As for the ensuing short Treatise and what may follow if God please they will undoubtedly recommend themselves to the candid acceptance of the Intelligent and Unprejudiced Reader by their own Weight and Evidence taken from the Word of God and therefore need not a Prefatory Recommendation neither is it any way meet to impose upon the Reader or anticipate his Judgment by any Human
kindness of the Lord is better than Life in the 3d. Verse He adds in the 5th Verse That his Soul is filled as it were with Marrow and Fatness namely in the enjoyment of that loving kindness which is only manifested in his Son So when the Prophet Esay foretells the times of Christ chap. 25. ver 6,7 When the Lord will destroy the face of the covering cast upon all people then he will make unto all people a Feast of Fat things a feast of Wines on the Lees of fat things full of Marrow Which with out all doubt is the glorious Feast of the Gospel and the Benefits therein published unto the World Thirdly That he calls the same Doctrine Musick is not an unusual metaphor to the Holy Ghost We have Piped unto you saith Christ and ye have not Danced Mat. 11.17 And what did all those Instruments of Musick in the Old Testament represent but the delight that came by the preaching of the Gospel which caused great Joy wheresoever it came The Eunuch after he had learnt it went on his way Rejoycing Acts 8.39 And upon the preaching of it by Philip there was great Joy in the City of Samaria Act. 8.8 But the last expression that it hath an inebriating vertue is most urged and excepted against which yet the Holy Ghost will own Cant. 5. ver 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 drink and be inebriated O my Beloved ones so the best Translations extant have rendred it viz. the Greek Septuagint Junius and Tremellius in Latine and our last English in the Margin And they are the very same words though spoken in a spiritual sense with those said of Noah that he drank of the Wine and was drunken Gen. 9.21 neither is it unusual for the Holy Ghost to draw comparisons from things which are Vitious in themselves which in the spiritual sense of the scripture are nothing so Behold I come saith Christ as a Theif in the Night Whereby I hope Christ doth neither draw any stain of that Vice upon himself nor encourage nor maintain it in others So although the beloved ones of Christ are said to be inebriated with the sense of the overflowing of the Lords grace and mercy upon them yet thereby is not signified any vicious distemper in them or any patronizing of that loathsom sin of carnal drunkenness in others But more of this it may be at the 16 Sect. of the 4th Sermon all which he spends in exagitating this phrase Only for the present I desire the Godly Reader to take notice what an indignity is offered to the Holy Ghost that his words should be called the Enticing words of Mans wisdom Neither can he evade by saying that he had reference to the Drs. meaning contained under those words for it must be words not meaning that he calls enticing words And I believe himself will not deny that it was the very word inebriate which he excepted so against In the 2 3 4 Sections there is not any matter of moment but false accusations without proof and reviling words whereof his whole Book is full to which any indifferent Reader will bear me witness Whereunto our Answer shall be only to beseech the Lord that they may not be layd to his charge That the Dr. any where speaks against humble obedient and sanctified spirits as Mr. Geree charges him in Sect. 2. I doubt not but the contrary will be made evidently to appear by his own words when they come to be scanned Sect. 5. For the perfect discharge of Gods people from the fault and guilt of sin the Dr. urged Psal 51. Wash thou me and I shall be whiter than snow Here. Mr. Geree although he confesseth the truth of the Doctrine Sect. 3. yet he supposeth that he hath gotten a double advantage 1. That the Dr. alledgeth Texts out of the Old Testament which as he saith we will not admit of in matter of justification 2. That David in this Text prays for forgiveness of sins which saith he is contrary to the Antinomian Tenet To these Two briefly To the First concerning the state and condition of the Old Testament I confess there is some difficulty and almost in all Ages since Christ there hath been some dispute about it I shall not enter into any large discourse as not being suitable to our present occasion Onely because we have been exceedingly slandered and that by some in pulpits when men stand to speak in the Name of the God of Truth and therefore should have been so wary as not to speak a word but what the God of Truth would own for his that we denyed the whole Law by others that we denyed all the Old Testament and by others that we deny the whole Scriptures I shall briefly express what we hold in this matter and leave it to the judgment of the godly-wise to be examined by and judged of according to the Word of God First We do and have always acknowledged the whole Scriptures as the Apostle saith to be by Divine Inspiration And the Old and New Testament both of them to be of equal and indisputable Authority Secondly We acknowledge That all the People of God in the time of the Old Testament were equally justified before God and saved with those in the New And that by that one and onely means of justification before God and Salvation even Jesus Christ the Righteous who in that respect is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Heb. 13. Hitherto I conceive there is an Agreement All the rest and that wherein the difference lyeth I shall summ up in this third Conclusion Thirdly We say That the whole Administration and Dispensation of the Old Testament so far as it was typical ought not to be urged upon the Children of the New Testament And even in this Conclusion as it lyes in Thesi and in the general there will be little or no difference only in Hypothesi and in particular and in explaining how far this old Administration was typical there may be some â—ariety of Judgments which is a great cause as I conceive of the being and continuation of the present differences Fourthly Therefore to discern how far the Administrations of the Old Testament were typical I conceive there is not a more sure and infallible Rule than this namely ☜ That where any thing peculiar and proper unto Christ alone is attributed unto any action person or thing whether Ceremonial or Moral that Attribution is to be accounted Typical and to relate unto that action person or thing only as they were types and shadows of Christ to come And therefore Christ being already come now in the times of the New Testament no such Attribution ought to be given unto them although they be of such a nature as that they remain in use also since Christ's time because that typical administration is wholly ceased I desire to be fully understood and therefore shall explain my self a little further Observe therefore First That
such matter He himself in the same place confesseth the clean contrary How saith he to perform that which is good I find not And the good that I would I do not but the evil which I would not that do I. How then did he serve the Law of God will you say Read and observe the whole current of that Chapter that he never arrogates unto himself that service of the Law which consists in performing of it or that which is good according to it but onely by an acknowledgment that the Law was holy just and good and spiritual ver 12,14,16 This is all I can find the Apostle challenging to himself all along that Chapter Now whereas it might be objected against Mr. G. the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 15,10 as the Dr. doth here Not I but the Grace of God which was with me He answereth that the meaning is Not he chiefly or of himself Which exposition although it be true in some sence yet is it not suitable to the matter in hand It is true I say that Paul was in some sort active in this labouring not onely in the work it self but also in the goodness of it so far as the goodness of it is kept here below and commends us for good among men But if we ascend higher and bring it before the Tribunal of God so it had no goodness but what is passive and imputed it needed forgiveness of Sins So that although Paul was opperative in the work yet not properly in the goodness of it When I would do good evil is present with me Rom. 7. It is God that worketh both the will and the deed Phil. 2. In reference to which Calvin Inst lib. 2. Cap. 3. Sect. 9. Argues vehemently We steal from the Lord what we arrogate to our selves either in will or deed And again Ibid. lib. 3. Cap. 15. Sect. 3. saith he we do not as the Sophisters do part the glory of good works between God and man but reserve it whole and untouched unto the Lord. This only we assigne unto man that those things which were good he by his impurity doth pollute and defile But saith Mr. G. This is contrary to John 1 Joh. 3.9 He that is born of God sinneth not which saith he Mr. Eaton expounds thus He cannot chuse but wrestle and strive against all Sin and Zealously follow Holiness I answer that supposing this exposition he cannot evince that any thing we do is not Sin or Sinfull Paul strove and wrestled as it appears in that 7. to the Romans yet he concludes that when he would do good evil is present with him and that how to perform that which is good he finds not It is one thing to strive another to attain the one is the task of Works the other the Crown of Faith But saith Mr. G. If a Believer can do nothing but Sin then he must needs be subject to the Law For Sin is the Transgression of the Law 1 Joh. 3.4 I answer that Mr. G. is good at digressing and running from his Subject For Dr. Crisp hath no where medled with this Question Against whom then doth he make this inference Surely it must be against him that was the first Author of that assertion That Believers are not subject to or under the Law Who was that Even the Holy Ghost by Steven and Paul seven times as Whitaker observeth in defence of Luther against whom the Papists exclaimed for the same thing affirmeth that Believers are not under the Law but under grace And to say truth it is no new thing for them to be accounted Antinomians or Enemies to the Law for these and such like sayings The Pharisees that were of Old charged this same imputation upon them For Steven he is charged to have spoken blasphemous words against the Law Act. 6.13 And it was not without cause that Paul was forced to Apologize Do we then make void the Law through Faith God forbid nay we establish the Law Rom. 3.31 In like manner Mr. G. thinks he hath somewhat against us in the same matter although he hath found nothing in the book concerning that matter In the preface indeed somthing is briefly spoken concerning our judgment herein whereunto although he pretends a virtual confutation as he calls it yet the Christian Reader may observe that he hath not spoken one syllable concerning this subject of the Law which being the main matter in the world and in the front of Mr. G's book he ought not to have baulked it but either to have shewed that which is there spoken of the Law to have been unsound or else to have approved it Notwithstanding because we desire not to walk in darkness I shall more explain my Judgment herein First We say that the Law I mean the moral Law according to the Mosaical and typical administration of it as it is as Paraeus before-cited Saith one of those Elementa Mundi under which the Church of God in the nonage of the Old Testament was the Law I say in that Administration is now ceased To evince this is the main drift of the Apostle in the 3 4 and 5. Chapters of the Epistle to the Galathians and in a great part of the Epistle to the Hebrews where Chap. 10. ver 1. the whole Law is called a shadow of good things to come and in the 9. Chap. v. 19. and 20. even the Moral Law is included within their Covenant to wit as it stands in this Typical consideration not as a pure Covenant of works unvailed for so they were not able to bare it Secondly We say That the true Believer is not under the Law in that higher sense as it is a pure unvailed covenant of Works So it is a yoke indeed that neither we nor our fathers were able to bear Acts 15. so we are delivered from it by him that was made under the Law to redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoptions of sons Gal. 4.4 Yet not by abolishing or making void the law even in this sense For it remains an everlasting covenant of works in full force unto all that are under it Rom. 3.19 but only by a peculiar exemption of a little flock from under it Which exemption yet is not without a full and compleat satisfaction exhibited to the Law so that it loseth not one jot or tittle no not by those exempted persons but rather is by the exemption more fully established For a particular exemption as the Lawyers speak establisheth a Law for where no Law is in force there needs no peculiar exemption And Secondly because that exemption is grounded upon a full and present Satisfaction to the Law Whereas in regard of the persons not exempted it must be a receiving satisfaction world without end and yet never have one in actual being a present satisfaction Even as a man going out of the Kingdom and so from under the Laws of the Kingdom the Laws of the Kingdom are not
and of our selves even in the best of our works that is wretched men I say if we add that which follows in the Apostle viz. that we thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord namely that there is an alsufficiency in him for us though of our selves even in our best works we be worse than nothing yet you ought not to call it following the pharisee or boasting or if you do yet we shall alwayes desire thus to make our boast of the Lord and to glory in his strength Sect. 12. The Dr. had said that Christ subdues sin in the faithful as well as satisfies for sin But yet saith he we are not to seek or receive our peace from this subduing of Sin but from Christ alone These two Mr. G. thinks cross one another but yet he doth not shew wherein and therefore I shall not go to seek a knot in a bulrush Only I shall examine his reasons against the latter of these the first is this Let me tell them saith he that if Christs power be seen as well in Sanctification as in Justification what wrong can this be to Christ to seek and settle peace in our consciences as well by Sanctification as Justification To the matter of this and what we hold in this Point I have answered before To the inference I say there is no strength in it that because they are both effected by the same power therefore the same effects are to be attributed unto both Mr. G. himself I doubt not will grant my inference unsound if I should reason thus Sanctification is effected by the same power of Christ with Justification therefore Sanctification presents just before God as well as Justification If he allows not this argument then he may see the face of his own in this glass As for our peace it is necessary that we have a firm rock to seek it from that is able to speak peace at all times even in the deepest plunges which our Sanctification is not able to do being feeble and dark and weak at all times especially when it self is questioned And therefore David said I will make mention of thy righteousness only And our Saviour saith in me ye shall have peace And therefore we dare expect no peace from any one below him Besides he demands where we read in all God's Word that he was ever angry with his People for seeking comfort in sincere sanctification and holiness I Answer That when the Apostle would shew the true positive Grounds where Consolation is to be sought he fixeth them onely upon two things First the free promise of God without any respect had unto or condition of works Heb. 6.13,14,15,16,17,18 Surely saith he in blessing I will bless thee and in multiplying I will multiply thee And the Apostle saith Gal. 3. That that same blessing of Abraham comes on the faithful through faith freely not through works And the other thing that the Apostle mentions is the Oath of God to perform his promise which Oath as the Psalmist saith admits of no repentance or recalling back that which is sworn unto The Lord swears saith he and will not repent And these two the Apostle acknowledgeth to be sufficient ground of consolation and that is the end of God's proposing them to wit That by two immutable things in which it is impossible that God should lye we might have strong consolation who have fled to the refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Now because Christ with all that he hath done suffered and purchased for us is the substance of this Promise therefore it is called Consolation in Christ Phil. 2.1 who is the consolation of Israel Therefore till there be an insufficiency of consolation in Christ and in what he is unto us we need not seek for consolation elsewhere in any other thing whatsoever And in particular if we seek for it in or by our own doings we shall surely be disappointed The consolations of a Christian are in the ground of them and therefore ought to be in the exercise of them everlasting consolation But the truly experienced Christian finds dayly that when he sets himself before the glorious Tribunal of the Lord all his goodness becomes as the Morning Dew and vanisheth in a moment And if it be not able to stand by me there what comfort can it be unto me that thus leaves me in my greatest straits and terrors What 's all my comfort but to be found there without spot and blameless That onely that can stand me instead there is able to comfort All other are miserable Comforters and Physitians of no value Consider I pray thee good Reader that of Calvin worthy to be written in Gold and I beseech the Lord thou mayst be so affected as I was in the consideration of it Consider thy Judge before whom thou standest as he is in himself not according to thine own imagination but such an one as he is painted out to us in Scripture with whose brightness the stars are darkned with whose strength the mountains are melted by whose anger the earth is shaken by whose wisdom the prudent are caught in their own cunning and by whose purity all things are found to be defiled whose righteousness the very Angels are not able to endure who will not account the guilty inncocent whose vengeance when it is once kindled peirceth unto the neither most Hell Let him I say sit in his Throne to examine the Actions of Men that according to his sentence of them they may receive comfort and then who can stand secure before his Throne Who can dwell with devouring Fire Who can abide with everlasting Burning He that walketh in Righteousness and speaketh the Truth c. let such a man come forth whosoever he be Nay verily that Answer makes that we dare not appear For on the contrary that terrible voice soundeth out If thou Lord shalt observe iniquities Oh Lord who shall abide Instit lib. 3. c. 12. Sect. 1. It may be some will Object That Calvin speaks this of Justification which I confess he doth yet notwithstanding he speaks fully to the Point in hand For whereas there are but two Tribunals at which the Conscience of a man needs securing and accordingly gathers Peace and Comfort viz. The Tribunal of Man and the Tribunal of GOD At Man's Tribunal the Conscience is at peace and comforted when it hath a Righteousness as is acceptable among Men and here we grant Works of Sincerity and Love their place But at the Tribunal of GOD we say with Calvin That before this terrible and consuming Fire this stubble vanisheth into nothing it is able to yield no peace to give no comfort Here there is no comfort but by being in the hole of that sure Rock Jesus Christ the Righteous whilst that dreadful and unapproachable Presence passeth by This is the onely refuge of safety wherein exercised Consciences perceive that they may safely breath But if Men yet will needs be