The practice of piety directing a Christian how to walk, that he may please…

The fourth hindrance of Piety.

4. The presumption of God's mercy. For when Men are justly convinced of their sins, forthwith they betake themselves to this Shield, Christ is merciful; so that every sinner makes Christ the Patron of his sin; as though he had come into the world to bolster sin, and not to destroy the ⟨p. 122⟩works of the Devil. ¹Hereupon the carnal Christian presumeth, that though he continueth a while longer in his sin, God will not shorten his days. But what is this but to be an implicit Atheist? Doubting that either God seeth not his sins; or if he doth, that he is not just; for if he believeth that God is just, how can he think that God, who for sin so severely punisheth others, can love him who still loveth to continue in sin? True it is, Christ is merciful; but to whom?² only to them that repent and turn from iniquity in Jacob.³ But if any man bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, although I walk according to the stubbornness of mine own heart, thus, adding drunkenness to thirst; the Lord will not be merciful unto him, &c.⁴ O mad Men! who dare bless themselves, when God pronounceth them accursed? Look therefore how far thou art from finding repentance in thy self; so far art thou from any assurance of finding mercy in Christ.⁵ Let therefore the wicked forsake his ways, and the unrighteous his own imaginations, and return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he is very ready to forgive.

4. The presumption of God's mercy. For when Men are justly convinced of their sins, forthwith they betake themselves to this Shield, Christ is merciful; so that every sinner makes Christ the Patron of his sin; as though he had come into the world to bolster sin, and not to destroy the