There was a certain man that had committed treason against his king; but for as much as the king had compassion on him, he sent him, by the hand of a faithful messenger, a pardon under his own hand and seal. But in the country where this poor man dwelt there were also many that sought to trouble him, by often putting him in mind of his treason, and the law that was to be executed on the offender. Now, which way should this man so honor his king, as by believing his handwriting, which was the pardon? Certainly he would honor him more by so doing, than to regard all the clamors of his enemies continually against him.
"Just thus it is here. Thou having committed treason against the King of heaven, he, through compassion for Christ's sake, hath sent thee a pardon. But the devil, the law, and thy conscience, do continually seek to disturb thee, by bringing thy sin afresh into thy remembrance. But now, wouldst thou honor thy King? Why then, He that believeth the record that God hath given of his Son, hath set to his seal that God is true. "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son" (1 John 5: 11, 12). And therefore, my brethren, seeing God our Father hath sent to us, damnable traitors, a pardon from heaven, (even all the promises of the gospel) and also hath sealed the certainty of it with the heart-blood of his dear Son, let us not be daunted, though our enemies with terrible voices do bring our former life never so often into our remembrance."
