The Christian warfare wherein is first generally showed the malice, power and politic stratagems…The Christian warfare wherein is first generally shewed the malice, power and politike stratagems…

§. Sect. 2 Secondly,¹ let us call to mind Gods justice, which is so exact, that rather then he would let sin go unpunished, he punished it in his dearly beloved son. If therefore thou sin, thou canst not corrupt him with bribes, nor pacify him ⟨p. 617⟩with fair words, nor overcome him by entreaty, nor stop the course of justice, with the intercession of friends. For, hath he not spared his son, and will he spare his servants? hath he punished sin in his own child, and will he wink at it in a common subject? could neither the entreaty, nor tears, nor groans, nor strong cries, nor bloody sweat of his best beloved son, appease his wrath and satisfy his justice, but that standing in our place he must needs bear our punishment, and being surety for sinners he must die for sin? and shall they who are the principals escape, who in stead of pleading his payment, do contemptuously refuse it, and as it were tread it under foot? It is true indeed that Christ suffered for us that we might escape, and paid our debt that it might not be required at our hand; but seeing all sinners have not their part of Christ and his merits, but only those that are in Christ; and those only are in Christ, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit; seeing also those only are partakers of all the gracious promises made in him, who approve their faith by the lively fruit thereof unfeigned repentance; and those only do truly repent, who sorrow for their sins past, hate their present corruptions, and desire and endeavour to serve God in newness of life; how can we have any assurance that Gods justice is satisfied for us, and that we have escaped condemnation, if we quench the good motions of Gods spirit, and obey the flesh in the lusts thereof, and if still being in love with our sins, we resolve to go forward in our course of wickedness?

§. Sect. 2 Secondly,¹ let vs call to minde Gods iustice, which is so exact, that rather then he would let sinne goe vnpunished, he punished it in his deerely beloued sonne. If therefore thou sin, thou canst not corrupt him with bribes, nor pacifie him ⟨p. 617⟩with faire words, nor ouercome him by intreatie, nor stop the course of iustice, with the intercessiō of friends. For, hath he not spared his sonne, and will he spaire his seruants? hath he punished sin in his owne childe, and will he winke at it in a common subiect? could neither the intreatie, nor teares, nor grones, nor strong cryes, nor bloodie sweate of his best beloued sonne, appease his wrath and satisfie his iustice, but that standing in our place hee must needes beare our punishment, and being suretie for sinners he must die for sinne? and shall they who are the principalls escape, who in stead of pleading his paiment, doe contemptuously refuse it, and as it were tread it vnder foote? It is true indeede that Christ suffered for vs that we might escape, and paid our debt that it might not be required at our hand; but seeing all sinners haue not their part of Christ and his merits, but onely those that are in Christ; and those onely are in Christ, who walke not after the flesh, but after the spirit; seeing also those onely are partakers of all the gracious promises made in him, who approue their faith by the liuely fruite thereof vnfained repentance; and those onely doe truely repent, who sorrow for their sins past, hate their present corruptions, and desire and indeauour to serue God in newnesse of life; how can we haue any assurance that Gods iustice is satisfied for vs, and that we haue escaped condemnation, if we quench the good motions of Gods spirit, and obey the flesh in the lusts thereof, and if still being in loue with our sinnes, we resolue to goe forward in our course of wickednesse?