Letter 61. To certain godly men, reliever and helpers of him and others, in their imprisonment
The peace of Christ, which passes all pleasure and worldly felicity, be daily more and more felt in your heart (my right dearly beloved in the Lord,) by the inward working of the Holy Spirit, the earnest at our inheritance, and guider of God's elect, with the which may God, our dear Father, more and more endue us all unto the end, for his beloved Son's sake, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Praised be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ which is a Father of mercy, and a God of all consolation who has blessed you with the knowledge and love of his truth, not only to your own comfort, but also the great ease and comfort of many, which, without the help of God by you hitherto, had been in much more misery. By your relieving the Lord's prisoners, I am brought to see the root whereof the work does spring, even the knowledge and love of God's truth, for which we are in bonds. Which knowledge and love is a blessing of all blessings the greatest, (for it is even eternal life, John xvii.) and I cannot but praise God for you on this respect, that it has pleased him to vouch you worthy of so excellent and singular a benefit, which is more to be esteemed, desired, and cared for, than anything else. The world, for all that ever it has, cannot attain by any means to this blessing, which God our Father has given you freely of his own good will through Christ, even before you were purposed to desire it; therefore, I beseech you all to be thankful with me, and to rejoice in the Lord. For if he has given us such a gift unasked, undesired, yea, unthought upon, how can he deny us any good thing now, which may be necessary for us? Will he, think you, sow his seed in the ground of your hearts, and not keep away the fowls from picking it up? Would he so bestow his seed in you as he has done, if he would not hedge in your hearts, as his field, from common paths, and from the breaking in of beasts to destroy it? Will he be more careless than a good husbandman to weed out the weeds which are in us, lest they should overgrow the corn of his word? Will not he bestow muck and marl upon us, that we may bring forth more fruit? If this be not lacking in a good husbandman alas! why should we think but that the Lord God, a good husbandman, and nothing but good, and only good, how I say, should it be, but that he is most careful to keep his seed already sown in your hearts, by the ministry of us and others his preachers, and that to the bringing forth of just and full fruits? Doubt not, my dearly beloved, but that he who has begun with you will happily make an end with you. He has begun to sow his seed in you, as I dare say you feel; be sure then that all this will follow. First, he will have scarecrows in your hearts, I mean such sparkles of his fear he will drop, yea, he has already dropped into you, that the birds of the air (vain and evil cogitations) shall not be cherished by you, but expelled by crying to the Lord for his help. Secondly, he will make such hedges as shall keep you from by-paths of all evil customs and usages and also preserve you from the poorer of evil and dominion of sin, which would have the upper hand on you. Thirdly, he will doubtless pour such showers upon you to supple you, so weed you, so muck and marl you by temptation and other exercises, that the sunshine of persecution shall do more for the ripening his seed in you than to the withering of it away.
These things, my dearly beloved, the Lord God, which has begun them in you and for you, will continue with you, that in the end you may be brought into his barn, there to rest with him in eternal felicity. For God's sake therefore wait, and look for no less than I have told you at his hands: a greater service you cannot give him. If God keep not the order I have told you; but begin to muck and marl you, to pour his shearers upon you, to nip you with his weeding-tongs, &c., rejoice and be glad that God will do that in you and with you at once, which he has been working in and for others a long time. Now undoubtedly great showers are fallen to supple our hearts, that God's word might enter therein, and take root. Now the Lord goes a weeding, to weed out of us our carnality, security, covetousness, self-love, forgetfulness of God, love of this world. Now the Lord does muck and marl us, loading us with heaps and burdens of crosses, that our hearts might be made good ground to bring forth fruit to God's glory by patience, in suffering inward temptations and griefs, whereof we must complain to the Lord that his scarecrows may drive them forth from us; and also in suffering outward assaults, for which we must cry to our Master for his hedges and defence, which have two parts; the one concerning us, to help and deliver us; and the other concerning our, or rather His obstinate adversaries, to take vengeance upon them, which he will do in his time.
Therefore let us in patience possess our souls, knowing that they which persevere to the end shall be saved. Let us not be weary of well doing, for in our time we shall reap the fruits thereof; but rather, whilst we have time, let us redeem it in doing well to all men, but specially to the household of faith. Which hitherto you have done (the Lord therefore be praised, and in the day of his coming may he recompense you,) and for the rest I hope well; I mean, that you have declared no less by confessing he truth planted in your hearts, by your words and works. After your vocation to the glory of God, I hope you have behaved yourselves godly, not being as too many are nowadays, even mongrels, giving half to God, and half to the world, halting on both knees, going two ways; I mean the mass-gospellers, which are worse than any papists. In this point I hope well of you, my dearly beloved, that you have not contaminated yourselves, that you have both confessed the truth as often as need has required, and also have refrained from coming to church now, where is nothing but idolatrous service. I hope you have glorified God, both in soul and body. I hope you have gathered with Christ, and not scattered abroad. I hope you have drawn no yoke with unbelievers, nor communicated with other men's sins, but have abstained from all appearance of evil, confessing in heart, confessing in tongue, confessing in deed and act, the true knowledge of God, which he has at his great mercy given unto you, not to be as a candle under a bushel, but upon a candlestick, to give light, that men may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
All this I hope of you, my beloved, and also all purity of life and godly conversation, not doubting but in this behalf also you have declared God's verity in your heart, and for the Lord's sake do so still in all points. That is, in your vocations be diligent and righteous, towards yourselves be sober and pure, towards your neighbours be charitable and just, towards God be faithful and thankful, loving and obedient. Use earnest and often hearty prayer; meditate much upon, and often hearken to the word of God. If you are called, give with modesty an account of the hope which is in you. Be not ashamed of God's true service. Allow not that with your presence which is contrary to God's will. Make not the members of Christ's church, that is, yourselves, members of antichrist's church. Be not ashamed of the gospel, or of such as are bound therefore, but rather be partakers thereof, first inwardly by compassion, prayer, &c., then outwardly by giving according to that the Lord has lent you to that end; and, last of all, by suffering with us, if God so will, and if it is needful for you. For, my dearly beloved, be certain that no man can touch you, or lay hands upon you, but by the will of God, which is all good towards you, even as the will of a most dear Father, who cannot always be angry or otherwise use his rod, than only to chastise and correct, not to destroy his children. Again, be certain that no cross shall come unto you before you need it; for God in our physician, and when he sees our souls in peril, he prevents the peril by ministering physic, which is the cross. As therefore for the body we follow the advice of the physicians for the health thereof, thankfully using their counsel, and obeying their precepts; so, for God's sake, let us for our souls, being sick, thankfully receive the heavenly Physician's physic and diet, so shall we wax strong men in God and in his Christ; which I beseech thee, O Holy Spirit, to work in us all. Amen.
My dearly beloved, this I have briefly written unto you, not as one who seeks any gifts, as Paul says (Phil. iv.,) but as one that seeks abundant fruits on your behalf, and to your advantage; for it is better to give than to receive, says Christ by his apostle St. Paul, who testifies, that according to that we sow, so shall we reap. He that sows little, shall reap little; he that sows much, shall reap much. (2 Cor. ix.) Never should we forget, how that the Lord Jesus, being rich, for our sakes became poor that we might be made rich by him. Again, never should we forget that we are dead to sin, and alive to righteousness: therefore should we live wholly unto God, and for Gods and not for ourselves.
In all things therefore we must avoid the seeking of ourselves, as well in doing, as in leaving things undone. If the cross come upon us, then are we happy, for the Spirit of God and the glory of God rest upon us; therefore rejoice (says Christ,) for your reward is great in heaven. (Matt. v.) In this we are made like to Christ here, therefore we shall be so elsewhere, even in eternal joy and endless glory. The highway to heaven, you know, is affliction, so that all who will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution. If we were of the world, the world would love us; but we are not of the world, but bear witness against the world, and therefore the world hates us. But let us rejoice, for our Lord has overcome the world, (John, xv.); he suffered out of the city, bearing our rebuke, says the apostle. Let us then go out of our tents, and bear his rebuke; that is, let us deny ourselves, take up our cross, which is his also, and follow him. (Heb. xiii.) Let us know and esteem this greater riches than all the treasures of the world, as Moses did. Let us know that he who saves his life shall lose it. Let us know that the way to salvation is a strait way, and a way wherein we cannot carry our bags and chests with us. Let us know that no excuse of wife, farmhouse, or children, will excuse us. Let us know that in this case we must be so far from loving father, mother, wife, and children, that we must hate them and our own selves also. (Luke xiv.)
Though this be a hard saying, yet we must not leave our guide for a little foul way; yea, rather we should know indeed, that it is hard only to the flesh, which if she be handled daintily will be imperious. She must be kept under, that the spirit, which is a precious thing in God's sight, may have her advantage. If we should follow the fancy of the flesh, we could not please God. We have made a solemn profession against it in our baptism, as also against the devil and the world; and shall we now look for easy things from our enemies? Shall we not look rather to be hardly entreated of them? Oh! that we considered often, and indeed, what we have professed in baptism, then the cross and we should be well acquainted together. For we are baptised into Christ's death, that is, as to be partakers of the benefit of his death, which is remission of sins, so to be made like thereunto continually by dying to sin.
Oh! that we considered what we are, where we are, whither we are going, who calls us, how he calls us, to what felicity he calls us, whereby he calls us; then, my dear hearts in the Lord, we should say to all worldly persuasions and persuaders, Get behind me, Satan; thou savours not those things that are of God, but the things that are of men. Shall we not drink the cup which our heavenly Father has appointed for us? O Lord God, open thou our eyes, that we may see the hope whereunto thou hast called us. Give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to understand. In the favour thou bears to thy people, remember us, visit us with thy saving health, that we may see the good things thou hast prepared for thy elect children, that we may have some sight of thy heavenly Jerusalem, and have some taste of the sweetness of thy house. O dear Father, kindle in us an earnest desire to be with thee in soul and body, to praise thy name for ever, with all thy saints in thy eternal glory. Amen.
John Bradford.
Letter 62. Another letter to the Lord Russell
The eternal mercies of God in his dear Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, be more and more felt and heartily perceived of you, my good Lord, to your endless joy and comfort. Amen.
Because your Lordship looks not for thanks from me for God's benefits ministered by you, and I cannot duly declare in few words what I would do; I will omit the same, praying God, our dear Father, in the day of his retribution to remember it, and in the mean season to assist, counsel, and comfort you, as his child for ever in all things. I doubt not, but that you have that childlike opinion, yea, persuasion of his goodness in Christ towards you, than which blessing (my good Lord,) none greater is given to man upon earth. For assuredly, he that has it is the very child of God, elect before all time in Christ Jesus our Lord, and therefore shall enjoy everlasting felicity; although he is here afflicted and tossed in trouble and temptation for his trial, that when he is found faithful, he may receive the crown of glory.
The only thing that distinguishes the child of God from the wicked is this faith, trust, and hope in God's goodness through Christ, which I trust you have. May God increase it in you, and make you thankful. Certainly, such as enjoy it are happy; and if they are happy, and that happiness is not where any thing is to be desired, they cannot but for ever be most assured of perseverance to salvation. For if they fall, the Lord puts under his hand, that they shall not perish. They are beloved of Christ, who loves them to the very end. May God for his mercy sake in Christ open your eyes more and more to see his sweetness in Christ, to make you secure in him, and to awaken the flesh from her security, to be vigilant and heedful how you may best behave yourself in thankful obedience to God, and careful help and service to his people. So that all your whole life may tend to this, how by example and otherwise you may do good to others, and still confirm his true service and religion by your constancy, wherein if you continue to the end, you shall receive an incorruptible crown of immortal and unspeakable glory, but if because of God's tarrying, which is only to prove you, you relent, which God forbid; thinking it enough to serve God in heart, and in body to do as may make most to your temporal advantage, as many do; then undoubtedly your standing hitherto, (wherefore God's holy name be praised,) shall make much more for the papistical kingdom and the glory thereof, than if you had never done as you have done.
Whereof, my good Lord, be not weary nor unthankful; for with the godly and in the church of God you are and shall be had as a worthy member of Christ, worthy of double honour, because God of his goodness has vouched you worthy, without your deserts. In the one, that is, for lands and possessions, you have many companions, but in the other, my good Lord, you are A per se A (A by itself A, editor), with us for our comfort and joy unspeakable, so long as you continue, as I trust you will do to the end, and to our most heavy sorrow, which God forbid, if you should relent in any point.
Therefore I beseech your Lordship, in the bowels and blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ, to persevere and continue to the end. He that has not tried you hitherto above your strength, will continue so to the end. If for a time he hide his face from you, yet he does it but for a moment, to make you cry to him the more heartily; and surely he will hear you, not only when you are crying, but also whilst you are thinking how to cry. He is with you in trouble, and will deliver you. The longer he tarries, the more pleasantly and comfortably he will appear. Only believe and look for his help, and you shall have peace, such peace as the world knows not, nor can know; which may God give us a true feeling of, and then we shall not be grieved with afflictions, but rather rejoice in them, because they are but exercises and trials of faith, to the increase of faith and patience, with many godly virtues, &c.
As concerning the number and charges of us here, which this day I heard your Lordship desired to understand, this is so much as I know, that we are four in number together, whose names this bearer will tell you. The charges of the least is 12s. a week; there are five others, whose charges are not so great, but as tines will themselves; I mean, they pay daily as they take, and that to the uttermost; these were never ministers. I trust there is no urgent need in any of us all, and I think, least in myself, through God my Father's providence, the which I have and do daily wonderfully feel, his name therefore be praised. Other things I would write, but because they may be more safely told by this bringer, I have omitted the same for that purpose. May God of his goodness ever be with you, and keep your Lordship to the very end as his dear child. Amen, Amen.
Your humble to command
John Bradford.
Letter 63. To his godly friends, G. and N., encouraging them to prepare themselves to the cross, and patiently to endure afflictions for God's cause and his holy gospel
The God of all mercies, and the Father of all consolation, show unto you more and more the riches of his mercies in Christ Jesus our Lord, and grant you a lively faith to apprehend and pull unto yourselves the same, to your everlasting comfort. Amen.
Because my mind will not let me rest to think upon, and as it were to see, sore storms like to fall more felly (severely, editor) than any we have yet felt, (I should rather say, you have felt, and are like to feel, if you continue to confess Christianly as you have begun,) thought it my duty to admonish you, that you should not therefore be dismayed, or think it any strange thing. For undoubtedly you, confessing Christ according to the truth taught you, yea, received of you, though trouble come, the same shall be so far from hurting you, that it shall profit you exceedingly, making you thereby like to Him who for your sakes suffered much greater sorrow than all men can sustain. As well that your sorrows and afflictions, whatsoever they are that shall come unto you, should be sanctified in his cross, and that which he suffered; as also that in him you might both have example how to order yourselves in the cross, and how soon, shortly and gloriously, the end of your cross will be. Therefore, I say, be not dismayed that the cross cannot but conform and make us like unto Christ, not simply of itself, but by God's Spirit, which makes it his chief mean thereto. First, in putting us in mind of our corruption received of Adam, the cause of all care. Then by occasioning us to remember as well our most secret sins, as also our more manifest evils, that we thereby might be provoked to repentance, and asking of mercy; which undoubtedly God will give us for his Christ's sake, and thereto also his Holy Spirit to sanctify As, if we ask the same.
Now this Spirit wild not cease more and more both to mortify the old man with his desires, end also to renew: and repair the new man, daily with augmentation and increase; so that at the length we shall be made so like to Christ, that we cannot but be coupled unto him. I mean not by faith, as we now are, but even in deed, leaving here behind us, like Elias, our cloak, the flesh, which one day God will call and quicken again, to be like unto the glorious and immortal body of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; after that it has suffered and slept, as his has done, the afflictions and time which God has already appointed.
My dear brethren and sisters, this is most certain that God has already appointed for you the afflictions and crosses which ye shall suffer, so that they are not in the power, choice, and will of your and his enemies. If you would fly them you cannot, but, will ye, nill ye, needs must you have them. If you will not carry them in the love of God, you shall carry them in his displeasure. Therefore, cast your care on him, which cares for you, and has counted all the hairs of your heads, so that one shall not perish, if you commit yourselves to his ordering; whereas else your heads and bodies, yea souls too, shall perish, if you withdraw yourselves as unwilling to take his cup and drink of it. Not that I would have you thrust yourselves headlong and rashly to take or pull trouble unto you, or that I would not have you use such honest and lawful means as you may, in the fear of God and with good conscience, to avoid the cross, and give place to evil. But I would have you willing to put forth your hand to take it when God offers it in such sort, as that with good conscience ye cannot escape. Then take it, kiss it, and thank God for it, for it is even a very sacrament (or sign, editor) that God loves you; as he says, Whom I love, them I chastise; and if you are not partakers of correction, surely you are not children. But if he once chastise you, and you kiss the rod, verily he will cast the rod into the fire, and embrace you and kiss you, as the mother does her child, when she perceives the child takes the correction in good part. But why do I compare God your Father's love to a mother's, for it far passes it? For, says he, though it be possible that a natural mother should forget the child of her womb, yet will not I forget thee, says the Lord our good God and Father through Christ. Though he seem angry towards evening, yet in the morning we shall find him well pleased, if in Christ we come to him, and cry, Abba, dear Father, help us, and (as thou hast promised) try us not further than thou wilt make us able to bear.
Therefore, my dear hearts in the Lord, be of good comfort, be of good comfort in the Lord; confess him and his truth, and fear not prison, loss of goods, or life. Fear rather that prison, out of which there is no deliverance. Fear rather the loss of those goods which last for ever. Fear rather the loss of the life which is eternal, whereunto you are called, and the way by which God will bring you to it, since you know not certainly whether it will be by prison, fire, halter, &c.; whenever these come, as I said before, let them not dismay you, nor seem strange to you. For no small number of God's children are gone that way, and we are a good company here together, which are ready to follow the same way through God's grace, if God so will. I beseech you make you ready, and go with us, or rather be ready, that when we come we may go with you. The journey is but short, though it is unpleasant to the flesh. Perchance, if we should die in our beds of a corporeal malady, it would be much longer, and also more painful. At the least in God's sight it cannot be so precious and painful as I know this kind of death is, whereto I exhort you to prepare yourselves, mine own dear hearts in the bowels and blood of our Saviour Jesus Christ, to whose tuition, grace, governance, and protection, I heartily commend you all, and beseech you that you would do the like unto me in your hearty prayers.
Out of the Tower of London, 1554.
By your own to use in the Lord for ever,
John Bradford
Letter 64. To my dearly beloved in the Lord, Mrs. W. and Mrs. W.
Almighty God, our dear and most merciful Father, be always with you both my entirely beloved mother and sister in the Lord, and may he for ever keep you as his babes unto his eternal kingdom through Christ our Saviour. Amen.
I purpose not to render thanks to you for God's great goodness towards me by you, because I cannot. Each of you has so heaped benefits upon me, that it were hard for me to reckon the tenth part. He for whose sake you have done it, and all the good you do, one day recompense you after your heart's desire in him! In the mean season I beseech him to reveal unto you more and more the riches of his grace and love in Christ, by whom ye are beloved, and were so before the world was, and doubtless shall be world without end. According to the revelation, and your sense or faith herein, so will you contend (strive for, editor) to all piety and godliness; as St. John says, He that has this hope, will purify himself as Christ is pure. (1 John iii.) For how should it be otherwise, than that if we are certainly persuaded that heaven is ours, and we citizens thereof, then (I say) we should desire the dissolution of our bodies, and death to despatch us, and to do his office upon us.
If we certainly believed we were members of Christ and God's temples, how should we but fly from all impurity and corruptions of the world which comes by concupiscence? If we certainly believed that God indeed of his mercy in Christ is become our Father, since his good will is infinite, and his power according thereto, how could we be afraid of man or devil? How could we doubt of salvation, or any good thing, which might tend to God's glory and our own weal? Now mark whether all things teach us not that we should be certain and sure that we are God's children in Christ. Behold the creation of this world, and the gubernation (government and direction, editor) of the same; do not these teach us that God loves us? And is God's love out of Christ the beloved? Is not his love, as he is, unchangeable? Does not St. John say, that he loves to the end whom he loves? (John xiii.) Therefore I say, the very creatures of God both as to their creation and preservation tell us, that God loves us; that is, that we in Christ are his children and dearlings, although in ourselves and of ourselves we are otherwise, namely, children of wrath. Again, look upon the law of God, and tell me whether it does not require this certainty of you, namely, that you are God's dear children in Christ? Does not God plainly affirm, and say, "I am the Lord thy God?" Does he now charge you to have none other gods but him? How then can you perish, if God be your God? Does not that make God no God? Does not David say, that those people are happy which have the Lord for their God? Ps. cxliv.
Besides this, look on your belief; do you not profess that you believe in God? your Father Almighty, who wants not power to help you, as he wanted no good will in Christ to choose you? Do you not say that you believe remission of sins, resurrection of the body, life everlasting, fellowship with the saints, &c.? But how do you say you believe this, and are not certain thereof? Is not faith a certainty? Is not doubting, against faith? as St. James says. Pray in faith, and doubt not; for he that doubts obtains nothing. When Peter began to doubt, he had like to have been drowned; (Matt. viii.) beware of it therefore.
Moreover, to certify your consciences that you are God's children, and shall never finally perish, through God's goodness in Christ, behold your Head, your Captain, I mean, Christ Jesus. Wherefore came he into this world, but to redeem you, to marry you unto himself, to destroy the works of Satan, to seek and save that which was lost? Wherefore suffered he so great and bitter passions (sufferings, editor)? Did he not do it to take away your sins? Wherefore did he rise from death? Did he not do it to justify you? Wherefore did he ascend into heaven? Did he not do it to take possession there for you, to lead your captivity captive, to prepare and make ready all things for you, to appear before the Father? always praying for you? If these are true, as they are most true? why then stand you in doubt? Do you not thereby deny Christ? Wherefore were you born of Christian parents and in God's church, but because you were God's children by Christ before you were born? For this cause you were baptised; and hitherto the Lord has thus dealt with you, sparing you, correcting you, and blessing you; but why? Verily because you are his children, and shall be for ever through Christ. Tell me, why has God kept you till this time, but that he will for his sake have you, even here, be made like unto Christ, that elsewhere you may be so? Why has he opened your eyes from popery, but because you are his children indeed? When you pray, do you not call him Father? Why then do you doubt of it? Why will you believe the devil more than God your Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost? More than the holy word of God, both in the law and in the gospel, more than all the blessings and castigations of God? Do not all these preach to you and tell you, that you are God's babes through Christ? Therefore, my dearly beloved, believe it, and give not place to the devil, but withstand him strong in faith. Say with the poor man, I believe; Lord, help my unbelief. Say with the apostles, Lord, increase our faith. Mark ix. Luke xvii.
This, mine own hearts in the Lord, I write not that you should live more securely and carnally, doing as the spiders do, which gather poison where bees gather honey, but that, as the elect of God, you might live in all purity, godliness, and peace, which may God increase in us all for his Christ's sake. Amen.
I pray you heartily pray for us, that to the very end we may, as I hope we shall, go vigorously and cheerfully whithersoever our heavenly Father shall bring and lead us. His will, which is always good, be done in earth as it is in heaven. Amen.
Your brother in bonds for the testimony of Jesus Christ,
John Bradford.
Letter 65. To my good sister, M. H.
The peace of God, with increase of faith and feeling of his mercy to your comfort in Christ, the Holy Ghost work in your heart now and for ever. Amen.
As it is much to my comfort, that God has given you such a love and zeal to his truth, so I exhort you, my good sister, diligently to labour by continual reading and meditation of God's holy word; and by earnest prayer and other godly exercises to maintain and increase the same, that by the feeling of God's gracious Spirit working in you good fruits as witnesses of your faith, you may grow in strength thereof, and certainty of God's favour and good will towards you. For, above all things, of this I would have you to be most assured, that you are beloved of God, that you are his dear child, and shall be for evermore through Christ, in whom you are by faith, and he in you. Out of this certainty, the cause whereof is God's own goodness, grace, and truth, springs true love, and loving fear, and obedience to God continually and in all things. Where it is, I mean this faith, certainty, and persuasion of God's eternal goodness to you in Christ, there no sins are imputed to you, or laid to your charge, to condemnation, nor shall be, though for correction's sake now and then your heavenly Father visit them fatherly, or rather you, for them. Where it is not, there is nothing that pleases God, be it ever so well done. Labour therefore for this certainty of faith through Christ;owhenever you doubt, you heap sin upon sin. If Satan, your conscience, or God's law accuse you, confess your fault, and hide it not before the Lord: but when they would infer that because of your sin you are condemned, and cast away; then answer them, that it is only their office to accuse and witness, not to give sentence and judges, it only appertains to God to give judgment. Paul says, It is God that absolves, who then shall condemn us? God himself promises, before he demand any thing of us, that he is our Lord and our God; and are not they happy who have the Lord for their God? Is he God to any whose sins he remits not? Through Christ he is our Father, and therefore we are commanded so to call him; and can there want any fatherly kindness in him towards us, who are his children? No, verily; therefore be sure, and waver not of God's love and favour towards you in Christ. The cause of his love is his own goodness and mercy: this lasting for ever, his love lasts for ever. How can you then but be quiet and happy? Use this to comfort the weak conscience, and not to unbridle the mighty affections of the flesh or old Adam, which must have other meat.
