Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulness of sin. The life…Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulnesse of sinne. The life…

Here then are two rules to be observed. First, by the ministers of the Word, that they so preach the Law as that it may still appear to be an appendant unto the Gospel, and •ot suffer the ministry to be evil spoken of by men who watch for advantages. We must endeavour so to manage ⟨p. 391⟩the dispensation of the Law, that men may not thereby be exasperated, but put in mind of the Sanctuary to which they should fly. The heart of man is broken as a flint, with a hard and a soft together: A Hammer and A Pillow is the best way to break a flint; A Prison and a Pardon, A Scourge and a Salve, A Curse and a Saviour, is the best way to humble and convert a sinner. When we convince the hearers that all the terrors we pronounce are out of compassion to them; that we have mercy and balm in store to pour into every wound that we make, that all the blows we give are not to kill their Souls, but their sins; that though our words bring fire and fury with them, yet they are still in the hand of a Mediator; that the Law is not to break them unto desperation, but unto humiliation, not to drive them unto fury but unto Faith, to show them Hell indeed, but withal to keep them from it; if we do not by these meane• save their Souls, yet we shall stop their mouths, that they shall be ashamed to blaspheme the commission by which we speak.

Here then are two rules to be observ'd. First, by the ministers of the Word, that they so preach the Law as that it may still appeare to be an appendant unto the Gospell, and •ot suffer the ministrie to be evill spoken of by men who watch for advantages. We must endeavour so to manage ⟨p. 391⟩the dispensation of the Law, that men may not thereby be exasperated, but put in minde of the Sanctuary to which they should flie. The heart of man is broken as a flint, with a hard and a soft together: A Hammer and A Pillow is the best way to breake a flint; A Prison and a Pardon, A Scourge and a Salve, A Curse and a Saviour, is the best way to humble and convert a sinner. When wee convince the hearers that all the te•rors we pronounce are out of compassion to them; that wee have mercy and balme in store to powre into every wound that we make, that all the blowes we give are not to kill their Soules, but their sins; that though our words bring fire and fury with them, yet they are still in the hand of a Mediator; that the Law is not to breake them unto desperation, but vnto humiliation, not to drive them unto furie but unto Faith, to shew them Hell indeede, but withall to keepe them from it; if we doe not by these meane save their Soules, yet we shall stop their mouths, that they shall be ashamed to blaspheme the commission by which we speake.