e conspiracy of one of his chief minions, Cinna,
whom he had made a friend of an enemy, by kindness and courtesy, takes the
same way to make of a traitor a constant friend. He doth not punish him as
he had done others, but calls for him, and declares unto him his vile
ingratitude, that when he had given him life and liberty, he should
conspire to take away his prince's life. Well, when he is confounded and
astonished, and cannot open his mouth, saith Augustus, I give thee thy
life again, first an open enemy, and now a traitor, yet from this day, let
an inviolable friendship be bound up between us, and so it proved, for
this way of dealing did totally overcome his heart, and blot out all
seditious thoughts.(252) But, O how incomparably greater is his
condescendency and clemency, whose person is so high and sacred, whose
laws are so just and holy, and we so base and wretched,--to pardon such
infinite guilt, rebellion, and treachery, against such an infinite
majesty, and that, when a soul doth but begin to blush, and be ashamed
with itself, and cannot open its mouth! I say, this rare and unparalleled
goodness and mercy being considered, cannot but tame and daunt the wildest
and most savage natures. Wild beast are not brought into subjection and
tamed, but by gentle usage. It is not fierceness and violence can cure
their fierceness, but meekness and condescendency to follow their humours
and soft dealing with them. As a rod is not bowed by great strength, but
broken, even so those things of the promise of pardon for sin, of the
grace and readiness of God to pardon upon the easiest terms, are written
for this end, that our wild and undaunted natures may be tamed, and may
bow and submit willingly to the yoke of his obedience, and may henceforth
knit such a sacred bond of friendship and fellowship with God, as may
never be broken.

But, say ye, who is he that sins not? Who can say, my heart is pure, and
my way is clean? Who can say, I have no sin? And therefore that cannot be
expected which you crave. Nay, but saith the apostle, "These things I
write unto you, that ye sin not." Because sin is in all, therefore you
excuse yourselves in your sins, and take liberty to sin. But the very
contrary is the intent of the declaring unto us that we have sin, he shows
that none want it, not that ye may be the more indulgent towards it, but
the more watchful against it. It is not to make you secure, but rather to
give you alarm. Even the be