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
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
words For this rule is generally true that a lier speaketh clean contrarie vnto the truth and the cleane contrarie of that which the deuil speaketh is true For in a lier the cleane contrarie part must be taken for the truth If therefore it euer hath beene said vnto thee in thy soule that thou shouldest not bee saued or that thy sinnes should not be pardoned it hath beene as it were the message of the Lord vnto thy soule to signifie vnto thee thy election and iustification that thou shouldest be saued and that thy sins were forgiuen And looke how often this hath beene vrged vnto thy soule so often hath it been told vnto thee by the Lord although by the message of the deuil if thou hadst rightly vnderstood his language And therefore when thou fearing the forgiuenes of thy sinnes receiuest an answer in thy soule that in vaine thou prayest that thou shalt not be pardoned because thy sins are greater as thou art perswaded then that they can be forgiuen so often cheare thy selfe and thanke God for his louing mercie and message that hath told thee and certified thy conscience though by the message of Sathan that thy sins are forgiuen thee For alwaies that which is cleane contrarie vnto the speech of a lier is the truth And therefore when Sathan saith that they are not forgiuen the cleane contrarie is true and that is that they are forgiuen If we haue once learned this lesson well and shall put the same in practise in our soules and consciences we shall find as much comfort in this reason I know what I speake as in any other reason whatsoeuer For her by the mouth of the deuill is stopped for euer and he goeth away raging not knowing what else to say For if he did flatter vs with the forgiuenes of our sinnes we would not receiue his testimonie as Paul would not receiue the testimony of the southsaier or Christ of the deuill that confessed him to bee the sonne of the liuing God but we would beleeue that to be true because the Lord in his word said it Again if he did terrifie the conscience denie the forgiuenesse of our sinnes we would beleeue it then most stronglie knowing that in that a lier did denie it the truth it selfe did affirm it Thus euery way Sathan should be taken in a Dilemma what argument soeuer he vsed it would be turned vpon his owne head and we should be more wise thaÌ„ the diuell was subtile we should haue better skill in the truth of Logicke or reason than he in Sophistry If he did flatter vs we would cheare vpon it if he did feare vs we would cheare also vpon it if hee did perswade the forgiuenes of our siâ—s we should be comforted if he did disswade the forgiuenes of our sinnes wee should be comforted also and thus euery way we should be strengthned cheaâ—ed and comforted The 18 Chapter VVherein is contained the last reason taken from others to pâ—oue the forgiuenes of sins which is drawne from the euill and daungerous counsell of Sathan THe last reason that wee will at this time consider is taken from that diuellish and daungerous counsell which Sathan giueth to the soule which beeing troubled with the weight of sinne desireth the forgiuenesse thereof For it is the fashion of Sathan when thou hast sinned to perswade thee to kill thy selfe to hang thy selfe to drowne thy selfe or at the least to cast off al confideÌ„ce in hope all vse of faith and fully to dispaire of the mercy of God Then the which what counsel can be more diuelish for Sathan to giue or more dangerous for thee to follow For dispaire is a sin of the first table against the first commandement and against the highest God And therfore without qâ—estion it is the highest and greatest sin of all other that great sin only which is the sinne against the holy Ghost excepted It is therefore a worser and a greater sinne to dispaire then it is to worship Idols to prophane the Saboth to blaspheme the name of the Lord to dishonor thy parents to kil thy father or thy brother to deflour thy neighbors daughter or wife to rob thy neighbor to beare false witnesse and to forsweare thy selfe or then it is to commit any other such like sinne And no doubt but that Caine sinned more greeuously in dispairing of Gods mercie then in the murdering of his brother Abel and Iudas sinned not so much in betraying as in distrusting Christ his treason was not so greeuous as his dispaire â—â—s And the fore if according vnto the counsell of the deuill thou shouldest ad dispaire to thy other sins to thy whoredome thy murder thy blasphemie or thy robberie thou shouldest draw sinne after sin as it were with cartropes adde drunkennes vnto thirst and so heaping vp of thy sins shouldest fulfill the measure of thine iniquitie and purchase to thy selfe swift damnation Beware therefore how thou follow this counsell of the deuill who as in all other speeches he sheweth himselfe most znfaithfull so in this his perswasion to dtspaire most I know not whether I shall call him dangerous or doltish For to perswade to dispaire after sinne to commit one sin after another the greater after the lesser is as much as if an vnfaithfull phisition should prescribe a maâ— after he hath taken cold to take rats baue to driue it away or after he had caught the murre to drink cicuta or the iuice of hemlock to driue it away which being farre colder then the former cold would bring sodaine and speedy death euen such is the phisicke which that good phisition of the soule I meane the deuill giueth thee For when thou hast committed a great sinne against God he would haue thee commit a greater to driue away the fear of death he prescribeth the spedie death of bodie and soule to driue away the feare of hell fiâ—e he would haue thee presently to run to hell and to the deuill euen as if a man that feared the water should presently drown himselfe or if a man feared the fire he should presently goe burne himselfe and so presently feele that which hee feared because he would seare no longer Then the which what can be more foolish or contrarie vnto reason And yet so foolish thou art as that thou art ready to execute his counsell to think it the best couâ—se for thee to follow yea although thou canst hate other sins and crie out against the lothsomnes therof yet thou canst be ready to giue place to dispaire which is the greatest sin and to like that wel enogh to nourish it to think that thou mightest do well to dispaire and to cast off al hope of gods mercie Is it not a strange thing that thou shouldst loth whoredome theft murder and such like sins yea and if thou wert but mooued to them he greeued therat and yet like of dispaire a sinne farre greater than all the rest yea and that
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
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
vpon the crosse wherin thou hast promised to forgiue all my sinnes and my transgressions Be it vnto me thy seruant I beseech thee according to thy free promise and according to thy gracious couenant Oh let me feele I pray thee the accomplishing hereof in my owne soule And as thou hast written this couenant in thy word with thine owne finger and sealed the same with thy bloud So gracious Father vouchsafe to write it in my hart by thy spirite and to seale it vnto my conscience by the powerful applying of the same thy blood thereunto that it may wash me from all my sins and my transgressions and so create in me that peace of God that passeth all vnderstanding Gracious God thy free offer maketh mee freely to offer these my requests vnto thy name and with a full confidence of hope to haue accesse vnto the throne of thy grace knowing that thou O Lord that hast promised art able wilt according to this thy scripture the writing of thine own hands performe it This course if thou shalt take it is not to be doubted but that as thy hart shall find faith so thy soule shal receiue comfort in and from the liuing Lord feeling according to his couenant of the Lord thy selfe to be washed clensed and iustified in the name of Iesu Christ and by the spirit of our God The Fourth Section But yet further if with Gedeon we shal desire a token or with Ezekiah a signe to confirme our faith Behold the Lord fitteth not in a Rainebow in the clouds as hee did to Noah he maketh not the sunne to go tenne degrees backward as he did for Ezekiah he maketh not the fleece to bee wet in the drie floure nor drie in the wet deaw as he did for Gedeon but he giueth thee being but one man euen two signes nay more than signes euen two Sacraments the one of Baptisme the other of the Lords supper both of them being visible signes to confirm vnto thee the inuisible grace of the free mercy of god in Iesus Christ And therefore did the Lord himselfe in the seuenteenth of Genesis when he first instituted the Sacrament of Circumcision call it a signe saying vnto Abraham that it should be a signe of the couenant that was between himselfe and them that is that it should be that signe that the Lord would giue vnto him to assure and to approue vnto him the fulfilling and accomplishing of his couenant Whereupon the Apostle Paule in the fourth to the Romanes speaking of the same Sacrament calleth it in like manner a signe saying that Abraham receiued the signe of Circumcision that it might seale the righteousnesse of faith which was in his vncircumcision That is that he receiued circumcision which was an outward and an euident sign to confirme vnto him his free iustification by faith Thus as one of the Iewish Sacraments is called a signe so likewise was the other which was the Paschall lambe or Passeouer as plainely appeareth in the twelfth of Exodus where it is said of the bloud of the Paschall lambe which represented the bloud of Iesus Christ the vnspotted vndefiled lamb that it should be vnto them for a signe vpon their houses that the Lord when he destroyed the Aegyptians their and his enemies would passe ouer them so that they should liue in peace and rest when their enemies were consumed So that hereby it plainely appeareth that both the Iewish Sacraments were not onely seales of the couenants but also giuen for signs and tokens vnto them which shuld be continually before their eyes to confirme vnto them the graces of God in Iesus Christ Whereupon it foâ—loweth that as their SacrameÌ„ts were vnto them so are our Sacraments that is the Supper of the Lord Baptisme giuen for signes vnto vs to confirme as all other the graces of God so our free forgiuenes and pardon for all our offences For the same is Baptisme vnto vs that Circumcision was vnto them as plainely appeareth in the second to the Colonians the eleuenth twelfth verses And the same is the Supper of the Lord vnto vs that was the Paschall lambe vnto them as infinite places and the generall consent of all men approoueth The visible signe only according to the time being altered into another which is far more significant and more liuely to signifie and so to confirme vnto vs this inward grace of God of which now we speake And therefore is a Sacrament verie fitly according to this their vse defined by Augustine to be a visible signe of an inuisible grace As therefore the signe of the Rain-bow iâ— the clouds coÌ„firmeth vnto vs that promise of God which he made with Noah that is that hee would destroy no more the whole earth with waters as the returne of the Sunne tenne degrees backward was a signe vnto Ezekias that 〈◊〉 should be recouered out of that disease As the fleece of Gedeon being wet in thâ— drie and drie in the wet was vnto him a signe that hee should ouercome hiâ— enemies so is the water in Baptisme wherwith we were washed a signe and token vnto vs that we should be washed from all our sinnes and our offences So likewise is the breaking of the bread the powring out of the wine in the supper of the Lord another as euident a signe that by the death of Iesus Christ by the shedding of his blood we are purged from all our sins According to the saying of Iohn in his first epistle who saith that the blood of Christ purgeth vs from all our offences And againe in the ReuelatioÌ„ Christ saith he hath washed vs by his blood from all our offences And again in the the 5. to the Ephesians the Apostle Paul speaking of Baptisme saith that Christ sanctified the Church and purged it by the lauacre of water in the word So that now when thou seest other or remembrest that thy selfe was washed with water in Baptisme And again when thou seest the body of Christ to be broken in the Supper of the lord and his blood to be powred out and giuen vnto thee thou art to coÌ„sider with thy selfe that these are two signes tokens which are shewed giuen to thee of the Lord fully to assure and persuade thy conscience that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee and that thou art washed that thou art saâ—ctified and that thou art iustified by the blood of Iesus Christ and by the spirit of our God So that now doest thou seeke with the Scribes and Pharisies a signe Behold the Lord hath giueÌ„ vnto thee not one but two tokens in stead of other miracles and wonders euen two visible signes of this inuisible grace euen Sacraments to confirme thy faith and yet doubtest thou The incredulous Iewes said vnto Christ shew vs a signe and we will beleeue thee See the Lord sheweth thee two yet wilt thou not beleeue him One raine-bow was ynough for Noah one fleece for Gedeon the sâ—nne once to
into hell and had the portion of the reprobate and damned soule thou hast feet whatsoeuer punishment God in iustice could lay vpon thee And therefore the Lord cannot in iudgement and iustice exact againe the same rigor of the law vpon thee for thy sins So that euen by the iustice of God which dooth not punish I say not with two kinds of punishments but not twise for one sin thou art for euer fully freed and discharged from all sinnes whatsoeuer whether in word in worke or in thought whether of knowledge or of ignoraÌ„ce of weaknes or of wilfulnesse thou hast alreadie beene punished for them in thine owne person and therefore canst not in God iustice againe be condemned for theÌ„ in the day of iudgement in that day I say when the wrath of God shall bee reuealed from heauen vpon all vnrighteousnes disobedience of man Thy punishment therefore and thy paine is alreadie past and therefore feare it not there remaineth for thee no more recompence of sinne nor fearfull looking for of vengeance to come but altogether mercie and glory and grace and life and righteousnes in and by through with Iesus Christ our Lord to whome therefore be all glory and praise and power maiesty might and dominion for euer and euer Amen These reasons are taken from God the Father being considered in his promises and in the natures of his mercie and iustice Herevnto I might adde diuers other reasons taken in part from the glory of his grace mentioned in the Epistle to the Ephesians and the first chapter and from his patience his long suffering and other the natures of God and in part from those titles that are by the spirit giuen vnto God the Father as that he is our father our husbaÌ„d our prince our friend and such like all which notwithstanding I wiâ—l let passe come to other more apparant reasons because it is my purpose to make not a booke but a sermon The 5 Chapter VVherin the forgiuenes of sins is proued by a reason takeÌ„ fâ—om the se oÌ„d person in the Trin tie to wit the woâ—d Incarnate euen Iesus Christ being considered as he is the vine we the bâ—aÌ„ches THE next kinde of reasoniâ—g for the confirmation hereof iâ— taken from the second person in the Trinitie I meane the worde Incarnate euen Iesus Christ who is aboue all things God blessed for euermore who being in like manner as the father was diâ—ersly considered affordeth vnto vs diuers reasons for the proofe hereof Fiâ—st therefore we will consider him as the vine whereof we are branches as the stocke whereof we are gtaftes as the root whereof wee are boughes as the bodie whereof wee are members as the second Adam wherof we are new born For we are baptised into â—hrist and thereby by are borne of the fiâ—st Adam and of the second Adam the sonnes of men and the sonnes of God of the seed of maÌ„ which is mortall and of the immortall seed of God which abideth in vs and maketh vs to crie Abba father So that at one time we haue regeneration and generation we are borne and new born we are born of the children of man who fadeth and withereth aâ— the flower and we are borne againe the sonnes of the eternall and euerliuing God we are begotten of the first Adam who is from the earth earthly and of the second Adam who is the Lord from heauen heauenly And as this is true that as we haue borne the Image of the earthly so we shall beare the image of the heauenly So this also is true that as wee are partakers of the earthly sap and sinne so are wee also partakers of the heauenly seed and righteousnes And as that which is borne of vnclean seed no man can make cleane so that which is borne of cleane seed must needs be cleansed from all corruption And as man that is conceiued in sinne and borne in iniquitie must needs be full of iniquitie and a sinner so man that is new borne of water and the holy Ghost must needs be washed and purged from all his sinnes For euen as the wild Oliue braunch being grafted into the naturall Oliue tree being made partaker of the fatnes and nourishment the eof is purged and purified from his wild and bitter tast and sap so wee being grafted into Christ the true vine are made partakers of the heauenly nature so purged from the guiltines of all our sinnes and offences And this reason is notably vrged by Paule in the fift to the Romanes in these words saying But not as is the offence so likewise is the gift For if by the offence of one many died much more the grace of God the gift which is by the grace of one man euen Iesus Christ hath abounded vnto many Neither is that which entred by one sinning like vnto the gift for the iudgement came by one vnto condemnation but the gift of many offences vnto iustification For if by the sinne of one man death raigned by one much more they which receiue the abundance of the grace and gift of righteousnes shal raigne in life by one euen by Iesus Christ As therfore by one sin sinne came ouer all men vnto condemnation so by one righteousnesse righteousnes came vpon all to the righteousnes of life Therefore as by the disobedience of one man many are made sinners so by the obedience of one man many are made righteous So that hereby the Apostles notably sheweth vnto vs how that Christ was as able to wash vs as Adam to defile vs Christ as able to purge vs as Adam to corrupt vs Christ as able to take away death and sinne as Adam was to b ing both euen death sinne If therfore this be granted which before hath been proued namely that we were borne of Châ—ist as we were of Adam it must also needs bee infeâ—red that by Christ we are purged and pardoned of all those sins which wee drew with and from the sin of Adam So that thus we see how we may proue vnto our selues the forgiuenesse of our sinnes by considering of Christ as the second Adam into whom we are grafted and baptised as the Apostle speaketh The 6. Chapter VVherin the forgiuenesse of sins is prooued by consideâ—ing Iesus Christ as he is our aduocate and intercessor and the mediator of the new Testament 1. SEcondly this is proued vnto vs by setting Christ before vs as that mediator of the new Testament aâ— the Apostle calleth him as that high Priest which was signified by Aaron in the lawe of Moses who entring once into the holy place by his owne blood maketh intercession for the sins of the whole people and as our Aduocate as Iohn in his first Epistle calleth him who liueth for euer to make intercession pray vnto the Father for all that come vnto the Father by him So that we are to consider of Christ as our mediator who when the Father is
indiscreet yeares wherein albeit we worke foolishly or speake vnseemly yet we doe according to our vnderstanding and speake as they say of children as well as their wit serueth them Indeed if after this present life when wee shall come to the measure of the age of Christ full growne euen to a perfect man if then I say we should as we are assured we shall not commit any of these sins and slip into any of these fals then there were no such hope left vnto vs by reason of our coÌ„firmed age but now to sinne is agreeable to our yeares and to pardon sinne is agreeable to Gods wisedome who knoweth how childish we are And these are those reasons taken from our selues to proue the same Now let vs consider those reasons that are taken from sinne it selfe The 13. Chapter VVherin is contained the first reason takeÌ„ from sin it selfe which is drawn from the name of sin being called our debt THe first reason for the proofe heereof taken from sinne it selfe is drawn from that name that the spirite of the Lord our GOD giueth as in other places so especially in the sixt of Mathew vnto sin where it is called our debt that wee owe vnto the Lord. For there the Lord teacheth vs to pray after this maner saying Forgiue vs our debts as we forgiue our debters For so the grek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do signifie Where it is manifest that by comparing this place of Mathew with the 11 of Luke the 4. verse that by debts he meaneth sins For that which Mathew calleth our debts Luke calleth our sins saying Forgiue vs our sins as we forgiue euery one that is indebted vnto vs. So that hereby it is euident that our sins are those debts of ours which we owe vnto the Lord. Which being so there ariseth vnto vs a notable perswasion of the readines of the Lord therby to pardon and forgiue them For what do we thinke that the Lord careth for such debts that hee will exact them at our hands by the rigour of the law That he will sue vs arrest vs implead vs or imprison vs for the same Why is sin which is our debt so deare so pretious and of such account with the Lord as that hee will strain vs and so constrain vs to pay the same vnto his maiesty Surely if a man ought vs a boxe on the eare Wee would scant straine him for such a debt For we had rather loose it then law for it such is our debt of sinne which wee owe vnto the Lord. For sin is as it were a box giuen to the Lord in his face striking immediately against the glorie of his maiesty and then will the Lord thinke we driue vs by order of law to pay the same Why is the Lord so poor and beggerly that he were vndone if we did not make paiment of this one debt vnto him Hath he such need of sin that he knew not what shift to make if he had not this debt of our sinne out of our hands Why would it so gâ—eatly hinder the Lord to forbear it or to forgiue it No no it would turn exceedingly to the aduancing of the riches of the glory of his grace to forgiue the same vnto vs as before we proued And therfore sith to forgiue vs our debts as our Sauiour Christ calleth our sinnes is no meanes to diminish but rather to encrease the riches of the glorie of the grace of God sith the treasurie of his mercie is therby more more amplified and inlarged sith it turneth to the Lords aduantage sith he getteth while he giueth and forgiueth we may be fully assured that the Lord who is if I may so speake couetous of his owne glorie will easily and readily forgiue vs our offences And this is the first reason taken from the name of sinne The 14 Chapter VVherein is contained the second reason taken fâ—om sin it self to proue forgiunes of sins which ariseth from the effect of sin seruing to set forth the abundance of the grace of god to magnifie his power THe second reason taken from sinne ariseth from that effect which sin worketh as we say per accidens that is not from his owne and proper effect but from the worke of the Lord thereby For it serueth to the setting forth of the abundance of the grace of God and to the magnifying of the power of the Lord. As plainely appeareth both by the testimonie of Paul who saith that where sinne aboundeth there grace aboundeth also and also by the answere of the Lord made vnto Paule who said vnto him praying as himself testifieth three times that the messenger of Sathan the prick of the flesh might be remooued away from him my grace is sufficient for thee For by thy weakenes is my power made perfect or as some translate it made strong This answere of the Lord vnto Paule I take to be spoken vnto all men and so especially vnto my selfe For of a truth Lord thy power is made stroÌ„g indeed by my weakenes For now I being indued though with some good gifts ouercome by Sathan do know the power of the spirit that dwelt in thee to bee perfect and powerfull that neuer could be ouercome by Sathans assault Thus is thy power made perfect by my weaknes by comparison Again O Lord when I am ouercome I feele the power of thy death to ouercome Sathan hell and condemnation and of a weake man to strengthen me so that thy power is made strong by thy victory For the power of Sathan and of my sinnes cannot ouercom the power of thy death which is Sathans death and of power against him Againe my God I being weak do sometimes couercome when before I was ouercom by whose power was this but by thy power which is so much the greater by how much I am the weaker For Sathan is wonderfull strong and I wonderfull weake How then could I ouercome him being wonderfull strong except thy strength were wonderfull in me being wonderfull weak Oh Christ be strong in me for I am weak Thy power O Christ is the greater thy grace so much the more abundant by how much my sins are the greater that thou pardonest To pardon small sins is great grace but to pardon many sinnes and those monstrous also magnifieth the abundance of thy grace to me ward and not onely vnto me but it commendeth the excellency thereof to all that tast thereof Lord I speake not these things to make them a cloke for my sinne but a comfort to my soule nothing doubttiÌ„g but that I doing that which it is thy will I should do and that for the glorie of thy grace and the perfecting of thy power shal easily obtian pardon for the same yea though it be sinne that I doe Thus haue I by mine owne practise shewed the force of this reasoÌ„ that thou maiest read it know it feele it and practise it at one time
therefore wee can neither straine him nor constraine him to fu fiâ—l his promise wee cannot sue him vpon an assumpsit But be it that we couâ—d he would find some one cause or other he would finde some demurre or pick some quarrell against vs and so would easily find a staffe to beare a dogge as the prouerbe is And herein he setteth the Lord before vs as it were a tyrant who albeit he promise neâ—er so much performe neuer a deale yet no â—an is able by reason of his force to inforce him thereunto And by this counter buffe he so buffeteth vs that we are reaâ—ie to staggeâ— at the pâ—omises of God But if this will not serue he will run with vs to the second reason which is taken from the mercie of God And hee will graunt it yea and say it is true God is me cifâ—ll indeed he gaue thee this and that blessing and benefit thou wert sicke and he healed thee poore he enriched thee base and he honoured thee miserable and he releeued thee yea he gaue thee of his spirit the ioyes of the holy Ghost the peace of conscience hee lifted the light of his countenance vpon thee and reuealed vnto thee himselfe his sonne Iesus Christ These benefits will he say as thou knowest should haue mooued thee vnto repentance but thou according to the hardnesse of thine own hart that cannot repent hast sinned against the Lord and so heaped and hoorded vp wrath against the day of wrath the reuelation of the iust iudgmeÌ„t of God Indeed will he say if thou hadst neuer receiued these graces from God then had there been left vnto thee some more hope but now after thou hast receiued all these graces to fall away to quench the spirit and grieue the holy Ghost whereby thou wert sealed vnto the day of redemption is such a sinne as cannot be pardoned And to this purpose he will alledge the saying of the Apostle to the Hebrewes in the sixt Chapter where hee saith that it is impossible that they which haue been once enlightened and haue tasted the heauenly gift and been partaker of the holy Ghost and haue tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they fall away to be renewed by repentance And by this meanes and testimonie of the spirit of God hee exceedingly terrifieth the conscience and will neuer suffer it to haue peace vntill it shall please the Lord to giue thereunto the right vse sense of this place wherwith Sathan being repulsed assaulteth them afresh reasoning from the former mercie of God to the forgiuenesse of their sinnes after this manner saying thou haddest sinned before in the like maner and in the same matter and that not once or twise but oftentimes and the Lord pardoned thee and now doest thou think that he will pardon thee againe Why art thou not ashamed to come againe vnto the Lord and craue pardon for this sinne With what face will hee say canst thou look vpon the Lord Why me thinketh that thou shouldest be ashamed to trouble the Lord so often with thy prayers and requests Indeed will he say if it had been the first or second time then it had beene more tollerable but now after the fift or sixt time or more again to trouble the Lord with thy requests it is neither for thy honestie nor for the Lords ease to be troubled so often about one matter and by this means he maketh vs sometime for shame to ruâ— From the Lord and with Adâ—m being ashamed to hide our selues in the woods fâ—om the presence of the Lord and not to dare to craue pardon againe for our sins vntill wee haue learned the nature of the Lords mercie with the prodigall sonne setting all shaâ—e aside to retuâ—ne to our father and to confesse that we haue sinned against heauen and against our God that we are not worthy to be cal ed hiâ— sons and also that shame and confusion belongeth to vs but mercie forgiuenes vnto the Lord If he see that this reason will not serue the turne hee will turne ouer the leafe with vs and come to the third reason which is taken from the iustice of God And from thence hee will reason after this manner saying Thou knowest that the Lord is a iust God a reuenger of all disobedience offered vnto his Maiestie and such a one as in the middest of his mercie thinketh on iustice and therefore he will not no nor cannot bee appeared vntill he hath eased himself of hiâ— enemies and auenged himselfe of thy sinnes And the rather to perswade this he will tell vs that it is a fearefull thing to fal into the hands of the liuing Lord and that no adulterer fornicator couetous person murderer or such like shall enter into the kingdome of God or Iesus Christ but shall haue his portion in that lake that burneth with fire brimstone which is the second death as the spirit testifieth And the more deeply to perswade this vnto the conscience hee will set before vs the son of Gods loue Iesus Christ and tell vs that the Lord spared no not his owne sonne who had put our sinnes vpon him and how then shall he spare vs yea he will set before our eies the wrath of God poured vpon Cain for his murder vpon the Beniaminites for their adulterie vpon Corah Dathan and Abiram for their rebellion who went downe quicke into hell and vpon the Sodomits whom the Lord destroyed with fire and brimstone from heauen for their sinne yea he will set before our eies the threatnings of God who hath threatned death and damnation to all that shal transgresse his laws and those curses contained in the law of God denounced against the wicked And as they which are in securitie shall hear froÌ„ Sathan nothing els but mercy mercie so they that are afflicted shall find nothing from Sathan but iustice iustice wrath vengeance and displeasure And by this means it is incredible what feare and trembling he breedeth in the hearts of the mourners and by that means how hardly they are broght that hear nothing see nothing feele nothing but Gods iustice to imbrace and beleeue his mercie And by this reason he continually terrifieth the conscience vntill it knowe that both the wrath of God was appeased in Christ Iesus who in our person and for our sin was punished and so the iustice of God was executed in and vpon him and also that as the law with the threatnings thereof appertaineth vnto the obstinate so the promises with the grace of God not the lawe appertaine vnto them that are trulie humbled and in Iesus Christ For they that are in Christ saith the Apostle are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace Now if Sathan see that none of these reasons from the Father will serue his turne hee will run with vs vnto Christ and will tell vs that there was neuer any such man as Christ was or
so The law saith no idolater nor fornicator nor vnclean person shall enter into the kingdome of God or Christ the deuil saith so the conscience saith so The law saith the Lord hateth such the deuil saith the Lord hateth such and the consciece feareth that the Lord hateth such and it knoweth it selfe to bee such So that Sathan affirming the lawe confirming the conscience consenting sinne is made out of measure sinfull by the law and the art of Sathan and so it seemeth to be so great immeasurable as that it exceedeth the greatnes of the mercie of God the value of the bloud of Iesus Christ And yet further the more to increase the greatnes of our sin he willeth vs to weigh the weight therof which we feel sensibly to lie verie heauy on our souls after we haue coÌ„mitted the same And therefore is it that Dauid counteth him happy that is lighted of his sin and Christ willeth theÌ„ that are heauie laden to come vnto him he will case them Now SathaÌ„ by â—â—e heauy weight of our sin perswadeth the hâ—inous work in sinning and concludeth that because our fin is intollerable it is immeasurable therefore that as it presseth vs vnto the earth so it will into hell as it casteth vs vpon our face so it will cast vs from the face presence of the Lord. Vnto this weight of sin he addeth the monstrousnes that is in the same For as righteousnes is a most glorious vertue so is sinne a most vglie deformed and monstrous thing and so as it is Sathan maketh it appeare to the soule For howsoeuer before when Sathan inticeth vs to sin wee are blinded that we cannot behold the monstrousnes thereof because he couereth it ouer with a pleasant and delightful cloake yet after that the fact is committed he openeth our eyes to that the flithines and monstrousnes thereof appeareth at large vnto the soule Out of which as Sathan reasoneth that therefore sith sin is a monster it is moÌ„strous sith it is monstrous in shape it is monstrous in shew measure So the soule easilie is resolued thereof and that so much the rather because it is an eie witnesse of that which Sathan saith And yet the more to increase the horror and greatnes of our sins he addeth the multitude therof which are more in number than either the haires of our head or the starres of the skie or the sands of the sea shore which are innumerable that thereforâ— albeit our sins were not mightie as we would beleeue yet in so much as they are so many he will easily infer that they are exceeding great For that which wanted in the greatnesse is â—ecompenced in the multitude and that which wanted in the weight is repaired with the number wherby our sins haue ben so exceedingly multiplied as that what with the greatnes and what with the multitude our measure of iniquitie is fulfilled our viall full and the treasurie and hoord of our sinnes filled to the top that therefore the wrath of God must needs immediatly smoke against vs. And thus partly by the law partly by the weight partly by the monstrousnes and partly by the multitude of our sins he by this his art so increaseth our sins that he decreaseth our faith and maketh them to be so great that our faith is little or none at all he so filleth our Lord with sins that hee emptieth the heart of hope and maketh vs readie to thinke indeed with Cain that our sins are greater than that they can be forgiueÌ„ Thus as Sathan reasoneth from sin in the first place from the greatnes thereof to disswade the forgiuenes thereof so in the second place he reasoneth from the presence therof which by the force work of Sathan euen after the forgiuenesse therof and the peace of conscience and the righteousnesse of Christ giuen vnto the soule is put in the memorie and represented vnto the soule and that in such a liuely shape idea and forme as they are and were in their owne nature And this made Dauid complaine in his 51. psalm that his sins were continually before his eies yea after that the Prophet Nathan hath told him that his sins were taken away and that he should not die therefore And this made the same Prophet count him happie whose sins were couered Psal 32 namely that they were no longer present before the eie of his conscience as well as the eies of the lord And this is that that maketh the godly at the hour of their death or the day of their triall to doubt to feare and to tremble because they see their sins stil before their face fresh in their conscience which of it self were enough to make them doubt of the forgiuenes of their sins How much more when Sathan shal reason froÌ„ thence and perswade them that therefore their sinnes are not done away sith they are still as fresh in their coÌ„science as if they were but now done that therefore they are not blotted out sith they are imprinted in their consciences that they are not defaced sith they are before their face and that they are not taken out of their soul sith they are still therin And wheras before they were couered he will tell vs that that was but with forgetfulnes or with securitie or hardnes of hart or pleasure or some other fancies that crept into the soule in stead theâ—of But now when these things were gone he might see as Sathan will say that the guiltines of his sin still guilded ouer his conscience and the deformitie and filthines therof was but stubbered ouer with vntempered morter and not washed cleane out by the bloud of Iesus Christ and the spirit of our God And by this meanes how he troubleth feareth casteth downe the soule and beateth downe faith no man knoweth but he that feeleth he that feeleth it knoweth the strenght of Sathan of this reason against the forgiuenes of our sin And yet further because he would leaue no stone as the Prouerbe is vnremoued he reasoneth from the name as before he did froÌ„ the nature of sin And he telleth vs that our sins are our debts which we must make paiment of for the Lord will not as Sathan wil tell vs be any looser by vs. And here when he hath told vs. that we are not able to satisfie the debt he will tel vâ— withall that he is the Lords attorney to arrest vs his man of law to wage the law against vs. his laylor to take vs into hell which is his prison And herein indeed he wil begin to execute his office to lay the law to vs to sue vs to implead vs wil bring the matter to an execution or a Nisi prius For if we haue not before a quittance to shew sealed and written with his owne finger against this debt he will make vs glad to keepe our houses yea our beds or els to run away if we can to hide