full vndoubted assuraÌ„ce of the forgiuenes of sin to theÌ„ that commit sin For howsoeuer the knowledg of the free grace of God offered in Iesus Christ in the word of peace and truth through the corruptioÌ„ of mans hart that turneth as the Spider hony into poison may wheras it should coÌ„fort the conscience corrupt the affections whereas it should take away dispaire increas senselesnes so while it should cure one disease procure another yet such shold be such is the power aâ—d profit therof in such as are ordained to eternall life shal be saued as that as it begetteth coÌ„fort in the mourners so obedience eueÌ„ in them that once were disobedieÌ„t it doth not only cheere but sanctifie the conscience and purge it from dead works For the same word of grace that containeth the promises is not only hidden Manna to feed vs but immortal seed to regenerate beget vs anew This preaching therefore of the kingdom of God the riches of the mercy of God offred vnto sinners should breed in theÌ„ repentance as well as saith newnes of life as well as peace in coÌ„science According as the holy Ghost beareth witnes saying dispisest thou the riches of this kindnes patience long suffering not knowing that the bouÌ„tifulnes of God leadeth thee to repentance The end therfore of all the gra es of God giueÌ„ offered and reâ—eiued is holines of life godliâ—es of conuersatioÌ„ For we are redeemed that we should be freed from euil freed vnto righteousnes VVe aâ—e reconciled by the body of the flesh of Christ that we should be without spot and blame before God we are mortified that sin in the body thereof might be abandoned we are iustified that sin in the guiltines therof might be abolished to speak in a word we are sanctified that we might be saints by calling That man therefore that laboureth not for the perswasion of the forgiuenes of his sin to this end that he may surcease to sin laboureth in vaine for he seeketh not and therfore attaineth not the end of his labor He laboreth therfore as the man that looseth his hire he striueth as one that ouerâ—eÌ„meth not he ruÌ„neth as one that getteth not the garland he trauaileth as one that attaineth not the end of his iourney he iourneieth as one that standeth in the middest of his course Alas brethren what is this but to fight as one that beateth the aire to striue but now lawfully to run but as one that getteth not the garland to labor but in vain So striue therfore that you may â—e câ—owned VVhat a perswasion were this I beseech you to thinke that therfore the Lord cleÌ„sed vs that we shuld bewary your selues washed vs that we shuld defile our selues purged vs that like dogs we should retâ—rn to our vomit tooke away our sins that we should sin still forgaue our offences that we should still offeed him and destroyed crucified sin in vs that we should liue in sin still Alas should the graces of God make vs more vngracious his kindnes more vnkind his loue more d â—sloi d were this to walk worthy of the Lord BrethreÌ„ deâ—eiue not your selues the same death of Christ that forgiueth your sins destroyeth aâ—so your sins For Christ by his own death once offering vp himselfe vpon the Altar of his crosse hath destroyed the body as well as the soule the being aswel as the guiltines the power as wel as the merit of sin be died as well to sin as for sin to destroy the old man as wel as to make thee a new maÌ„ as well to make thee liue purely as in thy life to be purified And therefore if thou art partaker of the death of Chrst thou must both attaine the forgiuenesse of thy sinne which is one fruit and part thereof and also the mortification and abolishing of the bodie of thy sinne which is the otheâ— part and fruit thereof As therfore this is true that there is no coÌ„demnation to theÌ„ that are in Christ so this also is as true that no man is in Christ but hee that walketh not afâ—er the flesh but afâ—er the spiâ—it and againe if any maâ— be in Christ he is a new creature In vaine therfore dost thou perswade thy self to be partaker of the forgiuenesse of thy sin if also thou doest not denie sin with the power therof For assure thy selfe that the samâ— spirit that washeth thee sactifieth thee also that clenseth thee renueth thee that taketh away thy sin destroyeth sin in thee And learn this that thy faith that apprehendeth the forgiuenes of sins worketh alwaies by loue which is the keeping of the coÌ„mandements of the Lord the fulfilling of the law If faith therefore purifie thy heart from sin thou wilt sease to sin For the hart being clean the hands wil not be vnâ—lean a good tree wil not bring forth euill fruit a sweet fountain sowre water a good man an euil life a man clensed froÌ„ sin a life stained corrupted with sin I adde hereunto that there is no forgiuenesse of sin where there is not a true repentance for sin therefore the Lord lyeth alwaies his turning froÌ„ his wrath to our turning from our sins and telleth vs plainly that except we do repeÌ„t we shal all perish So that except thou leaue sinne thou art left in thy sin except thou foâ— goe sin God wâ—ll not forgiue sin except thou forsake thine offeÌ„ces thou forsakest Gods mercy How canst thou looke that the lord shuld forbeare his punishments wheÌ„ thou wilt not forbear thy sin how dost thou looke that the Lord should repent him of his wrath when thou wilt not repent thee of thine offences Moreouer know this if thou mean not to surcease to sin that the promises of grace benefits of Christ appertaines not vnto thee For as ther are 2. parts of the word of God I meane the law the Gospel so there are 2. kinds of men to whom these 2. parts especially appertaine The law belongeth to theÌ„ that are contemners of the law to the disobedient to the vvicked sinners to the vngodly prophaÌ„e to the killers of their father of their mother to manslayers te vvhoremongers to buggerers to theeus lyers to periured persons if there be any thing else that bee contrary vnto holesome doctrin But the Gospel with the promises of graue appertaineth vnto theÌ„ that are heauy loden that mourn are oppressed with their sins which being truly humbled are by the law as by a school-master brought vnto so into Christ in whoÌ„ whosoeuer is he is not vnder the law but vnder grace If therefore thou he not in some regard of the number of this latter sort assure thy selfe that the promiseâ— of mercie appertaine not vnto thee Anâ— therefore if thou being an obstinate person appropriate them vnto thy selfe thoâ— art but an Ammonite that incrochest vppon the possession of Israel and Esau thaâ—
Exodus where the Lord being to establish his fiâ—st which is that old couenant with the Iewes in the hand of Moses the Mediator of the old Couenant caused diuers beasts to be sacrificed and their bloods to be taken in two vessels acco ding to the two persons that is God and the Iewes with whom the Couenant was to be made and the blood to be sprinkled vpon the pillars erected for that purpose the one representing the Lord the other the people which being accordingly performed by Moses he added saying This is the blood of that couenant which the Lord hath made with you That is to say this blood is that blood by the which the Lord sealeth vnto you the couenant that before hee coâ—enanted with you Thus as the Lord sealed his old couenants with the blood of bullocks goats and rammes which were but tipes of Christ the body of all the shadowes So he sealed according to his vsuall maner this his Indenture of the new couenant in like maner with blood and that with the blood of his only begotten sonne And the reason why the Lord after this manner sealed his couenants was this for that vnto those people a will or a testament and a couenant were all of one nature And therefore the Apostle to the Hebrues the spirit of God in diuers places beside comprehendeth them both vnder one name or word which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth either a will or testament also a couenant Now we know that a testament or wiâ—l and so a couenant is neuer ratified vntill the death of the testator that is the man that made the will but he being once dead the will cannot be altered but must stand vnchangeably For a man that is dead cannot alter his will or couenant The Lord therefore being immortall and therefore could not die that he might by the same vnchangeable manner ratifie and confirme his promises caused certaine beasts which represented his bodie as tipes and figures of himselfe to be slaine for him and in his stead vntill that Christ himselfe who was aboue all things God blessed for euermore should in his owne person by his owne death and the shedding of his most precious bloud estab ish and confirme this his owne good will and testament that is this new couenant afore mentioned And thereby seale sinnes and purge iniquitie so bring in euerlasting peace as the Angell speaketh to Daniel in his ninth Chapter Christ therefore by his death and bloodshedding hath established this new couenant of the forgiuenes of our sinnes in such sort as that it cannot be changed For the man being dead as the Apostle sheweth to the Hebrewes the wil is not to be altered God therfore that he might assure vs that he would not alter this his good will couenant of grace laid downe his owne life and so by his death which was by the shedding of his blood hee hath so sealed this his couenant as that it cannot be broken nor disanulled And as hereby hee hath inuincibly confirmed his couenants so hath he herein vsed no other seale to seale them withall thaÌ„ that which hath been alwayes vsuall in the like cases For as all his former couenants especially the old couenant were confirmed by blood so likewise is this his Indenture sealed and so ratified by the blood of Iesus Christ which is therfore as before I said verie fitly called the blood of the new couenant for that thereby this couenant is ratified sealed vnchangeably confirmed Thus then thou hast the Lords Indenture written with his owne hand and sealed with his owne blood which is that broad seale and that seale of Armes that is vsually affixed vnto such couenants escripts And herein least thou shouldest thinke that this seale were a counterfeit or added by stealth thou art to know that the institution of this seale or Sacrament came not from man but froÌ„ God himselfe who the same night that hee was betraied ordained the same coÌ„maunded it to be ioyned and added vnto the word of grace and the preaching of the forgiuenesse of sinnes as infinit proofes might be alleaged if it were a mater of any doubt The truth therfore and the lawfulnes of the seale is a matter out of all doubt and controuersie What is there els then that thou requirest for the confirmation of this his or rather thine euidence Desirest thou witnesse Behold the testimonie of all the Prophets and Apostles who were the pen-men and writers hereof who therfore ought to stand for double witnesses Behold the witnes of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost the witnes of all the faithfull of God who with one mouth as afterward in part shall appeare do confesse the same But what shalt thou need to bee carefull hereof when thou mayest bee assured that the lord if thou shew him his own writings and scriptures will neuer deny his owne hand Hauing therefore this Indenture writing of the Lords own hand follow herein the example of that godly king Ezekiah who wheÌ„ he had receiued letters from Zenacherib that were blasphemous against God entred into the temple of God vnfolded them and layd them open before God to mooue the Lord the rather thereby to bowe downe his eares and to heare his requests that hee powred out before him So thou hauing receiued not from maÌ„ but from God himselfe writing euideÌ„ces not of wrath but of his free meâ—cie and the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes enter into thy chaÌ„ber take these euidences couenants of the Lord with thee vnfold them spread them lay them open and read them before the face of God And withall after the example of Ezechiah poure forth thy prayers supplications before the Lord and say vnto him as followeth OH most merciful God the father o all comfort and consolation thou that art that strong God that forgiuest offences and passest by iniquitie in the remnant of thy possession thou that preparest the heart of the poore then openest thine eare to hearken therevnto Incline O Lord thine eare heare open O Lord thine eies and see behold O Lord the word of thine owne lips the writings of thine owne hand Of a truth Lord I haue sinned and done exceediÌ„g wickedly in thy sight I acknowledge it confesse it before the throne of thy grace But thou O Lord according to the riches of thy mercy and louing kindnes hast promised to forgiue mine offences Yea the more to shew the stablenes of thy counsell thou hast tied thy selfe by an oath thereunto And that which is more thou hast couenanted and indented with me by thiâ— thy couenant to passe by mine iniquities to remember my sinnes no more And now Lord regard I beseech thee thy gracious and free mercie the oath of thy holinesse and behold the words of thine owne mouth the works and the couenants of thine owne hands sealed with thine own most precious blood confirmed by thy death
to pardon and to procure the forgiuenes of our sinnes at the hands of his father laid downe his owne life much more hauing power in his owne hands to forgiue vs will giue vnto vs the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Being therefore iustified by his bloud much more being now iustified shall wee be saued from wrath by him For if when we were his enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne much more being reconciled shall we be saued by his life As Paul reasoneth in the fift to the Romans And therefore this first reason may perswade vs that Christ that hath power in his hands to forgiue vs our sinnes will easily be mooued to pardon them 2 Secondly this is farther perswaded vnto vs by the consideration of his practise and behauiour being here vpon the earth which alwaies was most ful of mercy of kindnesse of gentlenesse and of meeknesse who euer came vnto him for sight and went away blind for hearing and went away deafe for speech and went away dumbe for legges and went away lame for health and went away sick for comfort and went away sorrowfull for the forgiuenesse of hiâ— sinnes and went away a sinner who euer came to the Lord and went away confounded and ashamed The sicke of the Palsey vnto him but for health of the body and he gaue him also vnsought for the health of soule saying vnto him son thy sins are forgiuen thee The woman that was brought vnto him for iudgement being taken in adulterie found mercy at his hand in stead of iudgement and life in stead of death Woman quoth he where are thine accusers hath no man condemned thee neither do I go thy waies and sin no more The Iewes that crucified him and put him being the Lord of life vnto death beleeuing and being baptised into his name for the remission of their sins were receiued to mercie yea hanging vpon the crosse hee praied for his persecutors saying Father lay not this sinne vnto their charge for they know not what they doe His disciples would as Elias haue commaunded fire to come downe from heauen and consumed his enemies but he reproued them saying Yee know not of what spirit you are Such a one is Christ still hee hath changed his place but not his nature his mercie is rather increased with his honour and his meekenesse with his glory The heauens make him not more churlish which were rather hellish than heauenly but more kinde and louing to all that faithfully call vpon him For we must not thinke the God of all glorie to be like vnto corrupt prophane man whom honor puffeth vp and maketh so much the more proude and scornefull by how much the more glorious he is but we must rather take him measure him by the farthest distance therefrom euen by the cleane contrarie therevnto For therefore is the manner of Christ his life with men described that we may know how hee liueth with God That we knowing his meeknesse on the earth might looke for his mercie froÌ„ the heauens And this iâ— the second consideration that may induce vs thereunto 3 Lastly this his mercie and readinesse to forgiue vs may the rather appeare vnto vs by the promises of mercie made vnto all those that come vnto him As namely theâ—e where he saith come vnto me all yee that are heauie loaden and I will ease you And again standing in the temple in the great day of the feast he cried a loud saying If any man thirst let him come to me and I will satisfie him And again to the woman of Samaria if thou knowest who it were that saith vnto thee giue me water thou worldest haue asked of him and hee would haue giuen vnto thee waters of the well of life of which whosoeuer drinketh shall neuer hunger nor thirst more So that by these promises of Christ both to giue and to forgiue to giue graces and to forgiue our sinnes we are most fully resolued in this point Knowing that that Christ that is able is also wâ— ling that hath power hath also promised that hath full authoritie of himselfe hath also full will as himselfe to forgiue vs our offences So that Christ hauing full power of himselfe to forgiue our sinnes and we being assured of his willingnes therevnto both by his promise his practise and the bloud of his crosse we may be fully hereby perswaded of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Oh if a theefe had such assurance of his Iudge or a traitour of his king how would it cheâ—â—e his dying soule wee haue this strong assurance of our Iudg of Christ our Lord and King and why doe wee not cheere in the knowledge hereof Oh let no feare of death or sin feare vs so long as the Lord of life and â—ighteousnesse is our King and gouerneth vs it is the Lord that iustifieth and who shall condemne vs it is Christ that dyed yea which is risen from the dead yea which sitteth at the right hand of God the Father who also intreateth for vs. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall oppression or nakednesse or daunger or sword no we are more than Conquerours by him which hath loued vs as the Apostle teacheth vs in the eight to the Romanes This then is the third consideration of Christ that confirmeth vnto vs the forgiuenesse of our sinnes The 8. Chapter VVherein the forgiuenes of sins is proued by consideâ—ing Christ as hee is our Physitian that with his own blood cureth and healeth all our infirmities both corporall and spirituall FOurthly the forgiuenes of our sins is argued by considering Christ as a sacrifice for sinne sweet smelling holy and acceptable vnto God as a peace-offering Yea a sinne offering yea as that immaculate and Paschall lambe by whose blood we for euer attaine the forgiuenes of our sins and that in a double respect First for that Christ is that good Phisition who not by the roots of China or the trees of America by Paraâ—elsus his minerals or Gallens his simples but by his owne most precious blood helpeth all our infirmities For the blood of Christ is that purgation that clenseth and purgeth away euen from the verie soule and not from the bodie onely which were but small thing in respect of this all the corruption infection and filth thereof For as S. Iohn saith the bloud of Christ purgeth vs from all our sins that therefore is the onely purger of the soule which worketh according to the Dos or gift of Christ the phisition of the soule strongly vpon the corruptions thereof and bringeth them and expelleth them all quite and cleane out of the same Oh if Galle or Hyppoâ—rates or Paracelsus or other doctors of phisicke had been consulted with if they had ben sent for to practise vpon the same if they had ministred either pils or potions or confections or boles or electuaries if they had ministred Rubarbe or Cassia or Tamarnidi or the Greeke pill or any such
like perchance they would haue purged the bodie only the bloud of Christ is that strange and strong purgation that worketh vpon the very soule and purgeth the same euen as Rubarbe or any such like purgeth the body from the filth thereof yea the bloud of Christ is that water that washeth away the matter of our festered wounds and cooleth all the heat that flasheth in our soule being bred by the fierie darts of the deuill For as Iohn testifieth in his Reuelation Christ hath washed vs by his bloud it is that oyle that healeth all our wounds For as Esay saith by his stripes are we healed it is that Triacle or Cordiall more precious than the confection of pearles which maketh a man sound when he is readie to swoune for weaknes It is that Antidorum or preseruatiue more soueraigne than the Vnicornes horn that defendeth the soule from the poyson of the old serpent It is that restoratiue that euen then when we are readie to loose our life eâ—en the life of the soule which is faith and to die in dâ—spaire beeing taken into our soule râ—â—â—â—ueth cheareth and quickneth it and so maketh vs to liue when wee die For as Christ testifieth he that eateth his flesh and drinketh his bloud hath eternall life abiding in him so that though hee die yet shall hee liue It is that wine that cheereth the soule and that meat that strengtheneth the same being exceding weake To speake in a word it cureth all the diseases of the soule it cureth the pockes of the â—oule that commeth by adulterie the gout of the soule that coÌ„meth by ease the surfeting of the soule that commeth by gluttonie and drunkennes the dead palsie that commeth of the coldnesse in profession the consumption of the soul that commeth by decaying in religion I meane by Apostacie the burning ague of the soule that coÌ„meth by ouermuch choller anger the leprosie of the soul which is sinne And that which all other phisicke cannot doe vnto the bodie this doth vnto the soule For it cureth them that are loue sick euen sick for the loue of women gold siluer promotion of theÌ„selues yea it taketh away old inueterat confirmed diseases though they haue ben continued ten twenty fortie fourescore a hundred yeares yea our whole life yea it healeth naturall infirmities and those which were brought into the world euen originall sin which we had from our fathers infection And that which is more we are borne blind so that we could not behold the light of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ and yet this maketh vs see we were born deafe so that our eares aâ— the eares of the Adder were stopped against the word and this openeth them we were dumb that we could not speak to the glorie of God and this giueth vs speech we were born lame so that we could not walk in the waies of the lord this maketh vs whole for the blood of Christ is as able to cure the lame legs of the soule as the name of Christ in the Apostles spirite was able to cure him that was a cripple borne lay begging at the beautifull gate of the temple the blood of Christ is as able to cure all the diseases whatsoeuer of the soule as the word of Christ was to cure all the infirmities of the bodie whatsoeuer And yet I know not how we account not of this medicine either because it seemeth base vnto vs because wee knowe not the strength and vertue therof or els because wee neede it not For as whole men care not for phisicke them that are sound account not of purgations but cast theÌ„ in the fire or at their heels so they that are lusty in soule that think themselues sound as the Pharisie that are not wounded at the hart as the Iews in the second of the Acts contemne the blood of Christ make no reckoning thereof But when they are once wounded with the feeling of their sins then they take it to the hart that before they set at their heeles and neuer doth man know the profit of this bloud vntill hee haue ben sick in mind All other medicines of the body will not helpe some one disease thereof but this being but one helpeth all infirmities of the soule And if it were not for this remedy surely wee had beene dead long before thiâ— time for wee could neuer haue liued halfe so long But now hauing this it is a present remedie whereas otherwise euery light word and euery little fall would haue killed bodie and soule but such is the force of the bloud of Christ that hauing the same ready the strongest poyson of the serpent cannot ouercome vs the hottest firie dart burne vs nor the greatest wound kill vs we are presently whole so soone as we apply it Oh if a man had such a medicine for the bodie as would preserue him from the plague in all infections from the pocks after all adulteries from the gout after all ease from daunger after all surfets from death in all sicknesses and after all wounds that would cure old and confirmed diseases those also which were naturall of what price and that iustly would he value the same But the death of Iesâ—s â—hrist and the shedding of his blood doth as before was shewed bring present remedie for all diseases of the soule which are the sinnes thereof for the same is sin to the soule that is sicknesse to the bodie what account then ought we to make of this death which death ouercame death which ouercame hell and sin it selfe So that we may say away death thou art ouercom by death away death thou art ouercome by life his weaknes is ouercom by his strength our infirmitie by his power our sinne by his righteousnes his death brought our life he was weake to strengthen vs he base that we glorious he sicke that wee sound hee a banished man that we Citizens he flesh that we spirituall he shed his blood that we might be healed We may therefore conclude that no sin can hurt vs sith the death of Christ and his blood is a present remedie against all And thus in this first respect the blood of Christ being the phisicke for the soule argueth the forgiuenes of our sins in that it prooueth the câ—ring of our infirmities The 9 Chapter VVherin the forgiunes of sins is proued by coÌ„sidering Christ as he is our redeemer who hath with his own body purchased of his father the pardon of our sins and with hiâ— own bloud raÌ„somed vs paid the price of the redeÌ„ption of our sins IN the second respect the bloud of Christ proueth the forgiuenesse of our sinnes for that it is not onely the Phisick of the soule which purgeth the same from all corruptions that is the sinnes thereof but also that price by the which Christ purchased of his father the pardon for our sinnes For as the Apostle teacheth vs in this present verse
thou being but moued therevnto shouldest giue place vnto it immediately If therefore other sinnes be loathsome vnto thee for the monstrousnes thereof let dispaire which is the most monstrous sinne of al other be most lothsome vnto thee If thou fearest and fliest other sinnes feare and flie especially dispaire which is a sinne farre greater than they all And if thou hauing committed adultery murder or theft or any such like art by Sathan tempted to dispaire answere him and say thus vnto him Sathan thou hast tempted me to commit this sin thou hast tempted me to lie to dissemble to commit adultrie and such like herein I haue yeelded to thee Is it not enough nay is it not too much that I haue thus farre yeelded vnto thee except I should now ad dispaire vnto the rest of my sins If it were now in my hand to vndo that sinne which I haue committed I would neuer surely by the power of the lord yeeld so much vnto thee as I haue done And therfore farre be it from me that I should again at thy procurement sin more greeuously in falling to dispaire of the grace and mercie of God Indeed if dispaire were any meanes to ease me of my sins then parchance I might easily bee brought thereinto but sith it is a meanes to increase my sinnes the burden and greefe of my soule and the punishment of my sinne sith it is a meanes to bring a certaine destruction to a destruction that was but feaâ—ed certain to an incertaine condemnation death of body and soule to the death of faith eternall to temporall griefe the paines of hell to the pangs of conscience hell fiâ—e to thy fierie darts that sticke in my soule I were bewitched and worse then mad if I would yeeld thervnto Thus thou must learne to stop Sathans mouth and to stay thine owne faith that it fall not into dispaire of which I would haue thee to be most iealous fearefull and suspitious knowing the daunger and vnrecouerable euill thereof If thou haue robbed God of his glorie in dishonoring of him yet giue glorie vnto him in beleeuing of him so shalt thou get as much glory to his name by beleeuing him as thou diddest rob him of by disobeying him and purchase as great nay a faire more excellent righteousnes by faith then thou diddest loose by sinne For as Paule testifieth in the fourth to the RomaÌ„s to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the wicked his faith is imputed accounted to him for righteousnesse And this righteousnesse of faith is as in another place the Apostle testifieth the righteousnesse of God which is farre more excellent than the righteousnes of man And this righteousnes perchance thou wouldest neuer haue sought for if thou haddest not seene thy selfe naked and destitute of all righteousnesse in thy selfe and couered so ouer with the shame of thine own nakednes filthines that thou wert glad to runne vnto Christ for his righteousnesse to couer thee and buy of him eie-salue and white garments that thy nakednes might not be seene If therefore thou hast lost righteousnesse yet keepe faith if thou haue lost the brest-plate of righteousnesse yet keepe the shield of faith whereby thou mayest quench all the fierie darts of the deuill If thou haue lost the armour of light the cloth of my soule yet defend and keepe faith which is the life of the soule for the iust shall liue by faith Say vnto thy soul with Dauid Why art thou so vexed oh my soule and why art thou so disquieted within me O my soule trust in the Lord and wait vpon him for hee will heale thee Thou seest my soule what comfort the Lord hath left vnto thee in his word what liuely hope of pardon he hath promised to forgiue thy sinnes hath sealed the same vnto thee by his word his oth his couenant and by outward signs that mine eies haue seene his mercie his iustice his sonne his spirit confirme the same vnto me mine owne nature my yong yeares in the Lord and my sin it selfe the testimonie of the ministers of the Lord his seruants Embassadors and his Angels God and man my selfe and others Angels and deuils sin and righteousnes wine and water heauen and earth yea all things affirme the same vnto thee my soule Behold therefore and trust in the Lord and he shall satisfie thee with good things make the increase of thy lips create peace within thee and refresh thee with the waters of life and make thee see his sauing health The Lord will not lie that hath spoken it The 19 Chapter VVherein is largely and particularly declared how Sathan effectually to worke an infidelitie in vs and to make vs mistâ—ust and misdoubt nay dispaire of the forgiuenesse of our sins fetcheth reasons out of euery particular reason that we do as wee to perswade so he to disswade the forgiunesse of sinnes I Stand the longer in prouing of this one thing because there is no one thing more hardly perswaded vnto the soule than this is and that by reason of the subtiltie of Sathan who hath two generall meanes to make vs doubt hereof The one is by blinding the eies of our vnderstanding in such a sort as that the light of the glorious Gospell of God canot shine vnto vs. For he is that God of the world that worketh effectually in the hartes of many men yea of the best men sometimes and thereby so dapraueth and crooketh the right shape of their vnderstanding as that the truth of the generall promises of God the force of reason neither any thing else for the present time can make them to concerne and beleeue the mercy of God the forgiuenes of their sinnes because they are so couered ouer with darknes and as it were a thicke cloud of mist The other is by vsing our owne corrupt nature and infidelity which when wee haue said and done what we can do will stil stick in vs doubt hereof and therfore will be readie to say Well for all this I doubt whether the Lord will forgiue me yea or no be so good as his word This our corruption Sathan vseth to corrupt vs withall this our infidelity to make vs infidels and this our doubting to make vs dispaire of the forgiuenes of our sins And that he may worke the same more effectually in vs hee fetcheth reasons out of euerie particular reason that we do as we to perswade so he to disswade the forgiuenes of our sinnes And first as touching the promises of God which is our principall and first reason he will labor to make vs distrust them either by putting into vs a feare or else an euill suspition of the lord as to think nay to say in our harts I but what if the lord wil not be so good as his word who is stronger then the Lord to compel him to it or what law shall we haue against him hee is aboue all law and