readie to whip vs steppeth in between the Lord and the sinner and keepeth vs as the mother doth her child from the fathers rod. Yea as our aduocat our daies man who is ready to make our defence for our offence against God by pleading our weakneâ— â—our infirmities our childhood and young yeares to reconcile vs to God and mooue his father to pardoÌ„ vs. Yea as the bishop of our souls and that faithful high priest which ceaseth not day nor night to poure out his praiers with all watchfulnes and feruencie euen as he did vpon the earth as the holy Ghost beareth witnesse for vs vnto God the Father And this he doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coÌ„tinually because we continually sinning might continually be pardoned For if he ceased to make intercession for vs there would bee an intermission of remission of sinnes But when he neuer ceaseth to importune intreat the father for vs we are fully assured that al our sins are for euer washed away For the Father cannot by reason of his merite and will not by reason of his mercie denie any thing vnto his requests Father saith Christ I know thou hearest me in all things and thereby we know that he heareth him in the continual intercession that he maketh for the sonnes of men And this so much the rather may we assure our selues of for that the sonne is more deare vnto the father than the seruant the mediatour of the new Testament which is Christ than the mediator of the old which was Moses And Moses as we know stood in the gap and stopped the wrath of the Lord fell before the Lord on his face and fasted fortie daies and fortie nights for the sinnes of the people of Israel obtained pardon for the same much more then Iesus Christ who for euer and not fortie daies onely ceaseth not to make request shal obtain pardon at the hands of the Father himselfe being the Son for all the true Israelites euen Israell which is of God as Paul speaketh What shall I speak of Ezekiah who when the people sinned in eating the Passeouer being not before sanctified and hallowed praied vnto the Lord and the Lord healed the people What shall I speake of Iosuah of Elias of Dauid and other the men of God at whose intercession the Lord wrought wonders in heaueÌ„ aboue and in the eaâ—th beneath Do not euery one of these prooue vnto vs that the sonne of God making intercession for vs vnto the forgiuenes of our sins shall assuredly obtaine the same at the hands of his father And this is yet further assured vnto vs by considering on the one side the fathers gentlenesse and kindnesse who is not a chuâ—lish cuâ—rish God rough and full of displeasure but one in whome there is no anger as the Father himselfe protesteth in Esay who is therfore the slowest to conceiue a wrath and readiest to forgiue as Dauid singeth in his 103. Psalme and on the other side the sonne who by reason it is his office to pray for vs will not be negligent therein who because he hath been tempted in all thinges like vnto vs sinne onely excepted will be a faithfull and a mercifull high Priest in those things that are to bee done with God concerning his people who by reason of the loue hee beareth to vs ward in that he gaue his life for vs will be carefull and mindfull of vs who by reason of the oportunitie of the place in that he is in the heauens at the fathers hand euen at his right hand of the time in that hee liueth for euer of his grace and fauour in that he is the sonne of his loue of his merite in that hee hath deserued it shall bee heard in all whatsoeuer he shall craue at the Fathers hands in our behalfe For here meet together the sonnes readinesse the fathers willingnesse the sonnes carefulnesse the fathers cheerefulnesse the sons importunitie the fathers facilitie the sonnes merite the fathers mercie the sons mindfulnesse the fathers gentlenesse the sonnes disposition the fathers inclination the sonnes practise the Fathers purpose the sonnes grace the fathers graciousnesse the fauour of the sonne the fauour of the father they fauouring the one the other and they both sauouring vs the one readie to craue the other as readie to giue the one pâ—esent in representi g our prayers the other presently presenting him with his requests the one watchfull in asking the other striuing to bestow the sonne being glorious for asking the father being glâ—rified for bestowing the father willing to gratifie the sonne in all thinges and the sonne readie to craue all thinges from the father the one being not vnwilling to graunt the other not vnreadie to aske whatsoeuer we a ke no though it be euen his holy spirit much lesse if it be the forgiue-of our sinnes 2 I adde herevnto that the bloud 〈◊〉 Christ crieth vnto God the Father and speaketh vnto the Lord for mercie for them that are sanctified therewith For the sprinckling of the bloud of Christ speaketh farre better things than the bloud of Abel as the Apostle testifieth to the Hebrues For the bloud of Abel spake vnto the Lord for iustice but the bloud of Christ speaketh vnto the father for mercie The one cried for wrath the other for peace the one for vengeance vpon his brother for shedding of innocent bloud the other for pardon either for shedding innocent bloud or murder or theft or whoredome or vsurie or blasphemy or for any other whatsoeuer sinne If therfore the bloud of Abel cried so loud in the eares of the Lord that it moued him to execute vengeance vpon Cain much more the bloud of Iesus which stil crieth in the ears of the Lord will mooue him to mercie euen to pardon our sins and our offences For the crie of the bloud of the sonne of God which crieth vnto god for better things shall not haue worser entertainment thaÌ„ the bloud of Abel had 3 I adde further that euen the spirit as the Apostle speaketh in the eight to the Romanes helpeth also our infirmitie and maketh intercession for vs with grones vnspeakable So the spirit also of God intreateth for vs God intreateth God the spirit of God intreateth God the father for vs and how then can God denie any thing to God God the Father to his spirit which euen with vnspeakeble grones crieth within vs vnto his maiesty for pardon for our offences 4 I adde yet further that the Saints of God I say not which are in the heauens for as the Prophet saith Abraham knoweth vs not and Iacob remembreth vs not but the Saints of God which are on earth pray also for the forgiuenes of thy sins For Christ hath taught them to say Forgiue vs our trespasses as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs willing them thereby to make mention of thee also as well as all other the elect of God in their praiers And therfore he teacheth them to say
forgiue vs and not forgiue me onely but forgiue my brother also yea euen thee and all other that are as thou art afflicted and pressed down with the sight of thy sins So that the elect the holy and the beloued of God poure forth their prayers for thee that not one of them aâ—one althogh perchance some one more especially but all of them intreat the Lord for thy sinne euen for the paâ—don thereof Now thou knowest that the prayer of the faithfull auaileth much as Saint Iames telleth thee it caused the Sun to stand still it stopped the heauens it brought downe plentie of raine and is able also to bring downe plentie of grace of pardon and of mercie for thy sinnes to open the heauens and to stay the wrath of God against thee deserued by the same 5 Adde lastly hereunto thine owne prayers which thou continâ—est with the widow in the Gospell vn o the vnrighteous Iudge with the woman of Canaan vnto the righteous Christ with all feruencie in the spirit and importunitieâ— so that thy continuance in praier strengtheneth thee against all length thy importunitie against all sâ—rength in temptation the one against all delaies the other against all deâ—â—ies and assure thy selfe that thou shalt finde the Loâ—d as gracioâ—s vnto thee foâ— thy importunity as the widdow sound the vnrighteous Iudge and as merciful as the woman of Canaan found the righteous Christ For howe can the Lord denie so many so continuall so importunate so gracious and so earnest suiters in thy behalfe some of them hauing so well deserued that the father should gratifie theÌ„ herein His son intreateth for thee the blood of his sonne intreateth for thee his spirit intreateth for thee his spouse which is his Church and all his deeâ—e and beloued seruants intreat for thee thou thy selfe humblest thy selfe before God also for thy sins and how thinkest thou can God say nay to aâ—l these suiters in thy behalfe Imagine that thy seruant had offended thee and thy son readie to die if thou deniest him did intreat thee thy wife intreated thee thy seruaÌ„t intreated thee and the offendor himselfe intreated thee how harâ—ly couldst thou deny their requests The vâ—righteous Iudge could not denie the iâ—portunitie of one poor widdow and therefore the righteous God who is the iudge of all flesh cannot deny not one but many petitioners crauing pardon at his handes for thy transgressions Thus theâ—foâ—e thou maiest see how by the intercessioÌ„ of Christ thou maist assure thy self of the forgiuenesse of thy sinne And this is the second reason taken from the consideration of Christ that prooueth the same vnto vs which is also the same reason that Iohn in his first Epistle and first chapter vseth saying If any man sin we haue an Aduocate with the Father euen Iesus Christ the righteous The 7 Chapter VVherein the forgiunes of sins is proued by considering Iesus Christ as he is our king and spirituall prince THirdly this is prooued vnto vs by condering of Christ not onelie as the Priest but as the Princ of his church not onelie as our Aduocate but as our King not onely as our mediator but as our Iudge for he beareth both those offices As he beareth the office of the mediator he intreateth for vs as he beareth the office of a Iuge we intreat him as he beareth office of the mediatour we pray in his name as he beareth the office of the king we pray vnto his name as he is a Priest he praieth for vs as he is a prince we pray vnto him as he is our aduocate he intâ—eateth the father to forgiue vs as he is our king and gouernour he himselfe with the father forgiueth vs. For as himselfe testifieth of himselfe all power is giuen vnto him both in heauen and in earth and the father iudgeth no man but hath commmitted aâ—l iudgement vnto the sonne that all men should honour the sonne euen as they honour the Father Yea the sonne of man as he testifyeth to the Iewes in the healing of the man sicke of the palsey hath power also to forgiue sinnes And thiâ— as he saith hee would that they should know and therefore also that we should acknowledge and beleeue For that the knowledge hereof is especially profitable and comfortable to the soule that is burdened with the sight of his sins For what and bee more for our comfort than to know that our Prinâ—e is our Priest our aduocate iâ— our king our iudge is our Sauiour and that he that intreateth for â—he forgiuenes of our siâ—â— can of hiâ— self forgiue vs our sinnes To speake in a word what can be more comfortable than to know and to beleeue that Iesus Christ hath absolute power in himselfe to forgiue vs our offences For wheÌ„ the soule once knoweth that it hopeth easily to obtain the same and that for certaine especiall good reasons 1 First for that it knoweth that Iesus Christ to purchase the forgiuenes of our sinnes did lay downe his owne life and therefore hauing nowe purchased the same for vs he wil bestow it vpon vs. For hauing puâ—chased the same so deerly he will not let it perish vnprofitably which yet notwithstanding it should doe if it were not giuen vnto vs. For Christ gaue his life vnto death that he might giue vs the forgiuenesse of our sins for as for himselfe he had no need of the forgiuenesse of sins because he had no sin It was therefore for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes that he paid the ransome of his blood If therefore he hauing purchased the same for vs should not himselfe hauing no vse thereof bestowe it vpon vs in vaine should hee haue died in vaine should hee haue pâ—â—chased the same with his owne blood in vaine should he haue suffered the shame of the crosse and so the crosse of Christ should be made vain if the forgiuenesse of our sins should not be by Christ giueÌ„ to vs for the vse thereof is in vs as the end thereof was for vs. Now we know that Christ would not lay downe his life in vaine and tehrefore that he will readily and cheerfully forgiue vs our sinnes And this so much the rather we do beleeâ—e for that he gaue his life that he might giue it vnto vs and therefore much more hauing it in his own power to giue freely he wil most willingly giue it vnto vs The father that to purchase an inheritance to bestow vpon his son will indaunger his life would much more willingly if it lay in his hands his bands to giue the same freely freely bestow it vpoÌ„ him The friend no doubt that to saue the life of his friend and to purchase his pardon at the hands of the king would giue his life vnto death would much more willingly bestow his pardon vpon him if hee might doe the â—ame with the safety of his own life if â—e had power in himselfe to forgiue and â—o pardon his offence So that Lord that
secret counsell and hiddeÌ„ mysteries of God Giue therfore credit vnto the Lords ministers anâ— glory vnto God that hath giuen in hiâ— great loue this blessing and grace vnto thee that thou shouldest continuallâ— haue abiding with thee his Prophets his Angels at whose mouth thou maiâ— be certified of the forgiuenesse of thy â—â—ns Yea the Lord hath not giuen onâ—y this name vnto his ministers to conâ—inue vnto thee the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes but hee hath further giuen vnto them power authoritie vs ministers of the word to forgiue thee thine offences For is those keies of the kingdom of God that the Lord gaue in Peter vnto the Church saying Whose sinnes ye remit they are remitted whose sins ye retaine they are retained whatsoeuer ye bind in earth shall be bound in heauen whatsoeuer ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen So that if the Ministers of the Gospell of God shal in the spirit of God and power of Christ forgiue thee thy sinnes if they shall say vnâ—o thee as Nathan did vnto Dauid The â—ord hath taken away thy sinne or as Christ vnto the sicke of the palsie Sonne by sinnes are forgiuen thee assure thy â—elfe that insomuch as they haue loosed â—hee from thy sinnes on earth the Lord â—ath loosed thee from thy sinnes in heaâ—en insomuch as they haue remitted and forgiuen thy sinnes they are reâ—â—â—â—ed and forgiuen indeed And taâ—â— heed â—hat thou do not as the most part of tâ—â— world doth that depriue themselues oâ— this comfort and other the like by the contempt and base account of the Ministers of the grace of God beleeue thâ— Lord and his Prophets saith Iehosophat and thou shalt prosper Despise not this gift which God hath giuen thee for it is one of the principall gifts mentioned by Paul in the fourth of the Ephesians that Christ when hee tooke his farewell from the earth gaue thereunto I speak not these things to maintaine the Popes auricular confession or vsurped authoritie but the lawfull power giuen by God to his ministers and theâ—fore herein must meet together I meane in the forgiuenes of thy sinne by the minister his discretion thy contrition his faithfulnes thy faith his wisedome thy repentance hiâ— calling and thy calling his calling must be lawfull thy calling must be true he must be faithfull thou must be penitent he must be faithfull thou must be faithfâ—ll he faithfull in his office thou in thy conuersion vnto the Lord. And then if these things be ioyned 〈◊〉 â—ether in thee and in him thou mai◠〈◊〉 assured that the Lord in heauen â—â—th forgiuen thy sinnes as his ministers on the earth haue pardoned them â—nd that God hath loosed thee in heaâ—en that art loosed in the earth from â—hy sinnes Thus from the testimonie â—itnes of the ministers of the kingdom of God thou maist approue vnto thine own conscience the forgiuenesse of thy â—ins And this shall be the more strongly confirmed vnto thy soule if thou shalt â—erevnto adde the testimonie of Moses Dauid Salomon Esay Ieremy Ezekiel Daâ—iel and all the rest of the Prophets the testimonie of Christ Peter Paul Iames Iohn Mathew Marke Luke and all the other Apostles Euangelists holy men of God who as it were out of the dead being dead speak vnto thee auouching and confirming with one voyce one mouth one spirit that thy sinnes are forgiuen and all in offences clean blotted out so that being compassed about with such a cloud of witnesses and those such as are gâ—eater than all exception wee ought to rest peaceably in the forgiuenes of our sins which these so many and so faithfull witnesses confirme vnto vs. These are the testimonies of men wstich confirme vnto as the forgiuenes of our sinnes The 17 Chapter VVherin is contained the third reason taken from others which is deriued from the Deuill he testifying and in his owne language confirming vnto vs the forgiuenesse of our sinnes THe third reason being taken from others is taken from the testimonie of the deuill who very sufficientlie in his naturall language if we rightly vnderstand the same confirmeth vnto vs the forgiuenesse of our sinnes And therefore for the better vnderstanding of his speech and language I will set thee down but two precepts rules as it were characters by the which thou shalt easily vnderstand the darkest and hardest words in the deuils toong and so shalt in short space become a good languager The first rule shall shew thee when he speaketh the second what he speaketh Concerning the first know for a certain that whensoeuer thou receiuest any answer in thy conscience contrarie to that which is promised or spoken in the word contrary to the forgiuenes of thy sin to the receiuing of the spirit of adoption to the increase of the graces of the holy Ghost to the attaining of the inheritaÌ„ce of the Saints in light or the possession of eternal life or any such like that then the deuill tempteth thee and speaketh that word and maketh that answere in thy soule For this perswasion and this answer and this word that the Lord wil not forgiue thy sin or giue thee his spirit or eternal life saluation commeth not froÌ„ God For the word of God saith the cleane contrarie And we know that the Lord speaketh not one thing in his word and another thing in thy conscience one thing in his scriptures another thing in thy soule Learne therfore this for a true and an infallible precept that whensoeuer thou receiuest an answere in thy self contrary to that which the Lord hath promised that then the deuill speaketh this thou must know to be true althogh the perswasion come from thine owne concupiscence corrupt nature For the Apostle calleth the prick of the flesh which is the motion and worke of original sinne the messenger of Sathan 2. Cor. 12. This then is the first precept by which thou maiest know when he speaketh The second rule which must make thee vnderstand his wordes must make thee first vnderstand his nature which is to lie For it is naturall for the deuill to lie For he is naturally a lyer as appeareth both by the testimonie of Christ in the eight of Iohn wheâ—e he saith the deuil was a murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth There is no truth in him as ofteÌ„times as he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own because he is a lier and the father of a lie and also by the practise of the deuil himself who both lied to our mother Eue saying that if shee did eate of the tree of the knowledge of good and euill that shee shuld be like vnto the gods in the knowledge of good and euill and that they should not die and also was a lying spirit in the mouth of the Prophets of Achab and so deceiued Achab and his Prophets Out of this knowledge of the deuils lying nature thou shalt presently picke the meaning of his speeches and
go back for Ezek ah and will it not suffice thee to haue not once bâ—t often one signe giuen nay to haue not one but two signs to coÌ„firm nay to performe vnto thee the thinges that are promised For the other were but signs coÌ„firming but these are more euen signs confirming and conferring signa confirmantia conferentia For that which is signified is giuen conferred so ioyned together with the sign it selfe And therfore the Lord to teach this soundly vnto vs calleth the outward signe by the verie name of the thing it selfe that is signified caâ—ling circumcision the couenant the Paschall lambe the Passeouer the water in Baptisme the fountaine of regeneration the bread in the Supper of the Lord the bodie of Christ and the wine the verie blood of Christ to teach vs that these signs are not as the raine-bow is or the going backward of the sun or the fleece of Gedeon which were bare signes that serued onely to confirme vs but that they are more euen such as alwaies haue the things themselus that are promised and signified annexed knit and ioined vnto theÌ„ in regard of the Lord. And therefore as verily yea and euen then when the water washeth thy body in Baptisme euen as veriâ—y yea and euen then when the bread is broken the wine poured out in the supper of the Lord and giuen vnto thee euen so verily yea and euen then if thou be rightly prepared doth the spirit of God wash thee by the blood of Iesus Christ from all thy sinnes and thine offences For these signes are not only significant but effectuaâ—l also they doe not only confirme but giue that which they should confirme thee in I meane not that the Sacrament ex opere operato that is by the verie bare worke therof giueth this grace but that the Lord giueth with by these signs his forepromised graces euen the forgiuenes of thy sinnes And so as hee giueth the signe to confirme thy faith so the thing signified to comfort thy conscience although perchance thou presently feel not the power therof So that sith the Lord is so gracious as by two continual visible signs which he will haue often shewed vnto thee euen as it were wonders more precious and of greater power and force than any signs or tokens in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath sith the Lord I say is so gracious as by two such signes to confirme vnto thee the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes nay to giue thee forgiuenes of thy sinnes with what reason canst thou doubt thereof For hee giueth it vnto thee verily and indeede if thou wilt receiue it together with the signe it selfe and then why doubtest thou whether thou shalt haue it when alreadie thou hast it What could the Lord doe more or thou require more than this Thou desirest forgiuenesse of thy sinnes and assurance thereof the Lord promiseth nay sweareth nay indenteth to giue it He sheweth and giueth thee two signes to assure thee thereof and that which is more with the signes hee offereth the thing it selfe And this is the first reason taken from the promises of God confirmed by so many vndoubted meanes The 3. Chapter VVherin the forgiuenes of sinnes is prooued by the consideration of Gods mercy which is one part of his essence substance and nature The first Section THe second reason to prooue vnto vs the forgiuenesse of our sinnes is taken from the coÌ„sideration of the essence and the substance euen the natures of the Lord which are part of the essence the substance and the being of God yea God himselfe For whatsoeuer is in God is God and in him there is no accident nor qualitie but whatsoeuer is in him is of his essence and his substance And therefore his nature as his mercie patience iustice and such like are of his essence and are euen very God His mercie therefore is verie God and God is mercie it selfe Hee therefore that denieth mercie vnto God which is to forgiue our sinnes denyeth God to bee God denieth one speciall nature which the spirit of God ascribeth vnto God that verie often in the Scriptures and the written word of God As namely in the second of Ioel wheâ—e the Prophet speaketh thus of the Lord saying The Lord your God is gracious mercifull slow to anger of great kindnes such a one as repenteth him of the euill And again in the 34. of Exodus the lord himselfe proclaimeth his name before Moses all the children of Israel saying crying The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slow to anger abundant in goodnes truth reseruing mercy for thousaÌ„ds forgiuing iniquity sin transgressioÌ„ so forth as there followeth more at large again in the 103. Psalm the Prophet Dauid saith that the Lord is ful of compassion and merâ—ie slow to anger of great kindnes Many and manifest are those proofs that proue the Lord to be by name nature merciful Now we know that the nature work of mercie is to respect to pitie and to help our misery For euen as the eie hath colors the tongue tasts the eare sounds the nose the sauors for his obiect to be busied in to respect and worke vpon so the mercy of God hath mans miserie sinne the principall cause thereof as his obiect to worke vpon to cure and to remedie insomuch as if there were no miserie there could be no vse of Gods mercie And therefore the Lord shut vp all vnder vnbeleefe as Paule teacheth in his epistle to the RomaÌ„s that he might haue mercie vpon all and so by that meanes made away for his mercy which else could not so euidently haue manifested it selfe vnto our vnderstanding Herein therefore appeared the depth of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God so much admired of Paul in the same place in that he would rather haue man fall than his mercie faile he would rather haue man cease to be righteous than himselfe cease to be mercifull he would rather haue man cease to shew obedience than himselfe cease to shew mercie hee would that man should sin that he might appeare to be a gracious God in the forgiuing of his sin True it is that there appeared a notable euidence of the mercy of God in framing this beautifull world out of that deformed Chaos and rude eaâ—th in the begiâ—ning in making the Sun to rule the day and the Moone to gouern the night as the Prophet at large describeth in the 136 Psalme But the Lord not contented therewith as a sufficient manifestation of his mercie thought it not ynough to create except he did recreate man to giue life except he redeemed life to giue life to them that were not except he gaue life to them that were dead to make man righteous of nothing except he made him righteous of a sinner to giue him righteousnes except he did also forgiue him his vnrighteousnesse his disobedience and
sinne committed against his glorious maiestie So that it being the propertie of mercie to respect miserie and God being rich in mercie euen the God of al mercie the father of all comfort and consolation whose mercie reacheth vnto the heauens and his faithfulnes vnto the clouds we may no lesse truly then boldly inferre that as it is naturall for the fire to giue heat or the sun to giue light so is it naturall for God to forgiue thy sinnes and thy offences And as the fire giueth thee heat and is not moued as the sun giueth thee light and is not vexed and troubled therewith fith it is his nature so to do so the Lord forgiueth thee thy sinnes and is not as Sathan would perswade thy conscience either troubled or vexed or greeued or vnwilling therewith and why because it is his nature so to do And therefore as man doth those things cheerfully and willingly which he doth naturally so God doth forgiue our sinnes and that with out any trouble or molestation to himselfe because his heart driueth him thervnto as the Prophet speaketh Thou comest to the fire for heat and it is not painefull for the same to giue it thou coâ—est to the sun for light and it is no offeÌ„ce for it to afford it thou comest to God for mercy for thy sin and it is not troublous for the Lord to yeeld it No he taketh a singuler delight in forgiuing thy sins as Micah in his last chapter plainâ—y sheweth Where he saith VVho is so strong a God as thou art forgiuing sin passing by â—niquity in the remnaÌ„t of thy possession which keepeth not his anger for euer because he is delighted with mercy And the Prophet Dauid in his 147 psal telleth vs painly that the Lord delighteth in theÌ„ that feare him and come to him for mercy So that the spirit speaketh euidently that the Lord delighteth both in them that sue to him for mercy and also in shewing of mercy and therfore in forgiuing our offences And no maruaile for first his mercie being one part of himselfe he must needs delight in the vse therof For aâ— man desireth delighteth in the vse of the parts of his body of his tongue to speak his eies to see his ears to heare his handâ— to feele his feet to walke withall insomuch that the contrarie therevnto is painefull as for to haue his tongue tied his eies closed his eares stopped his handâ— manacled his feet chained or fettered so is it a delight for the Lord to vse the parts of himself as of his iustice to the iudgement of the obstinat so of his mercie to the forgiuenes of the sin of the humble and the mourners and the contrarie therevnto which is to be debarred of the exercise and vse of his meâ—cie is rather troublesome and painefull vnto the Lord than is the fâ—rgiuenes of our sinnes For the forgiuenes of sinnes is the vse and exercise of Gods mercie which is one part of God himselfe yea God himselfe For as this is true God is loue so this also iâ— true God is â—ercie and therefore God must needs delight in his being euen in his being mercie in being merciful to his elect though miserable both men and sinners And in this first regard it is manifest that God taketh a singular delight in the forgiuenes of our sins Secondly lastly the forgiuenes of our sins turneth to the praise of the glorie of his grace For the Saints that tast and trie the mercy of the Lord sing praise in the memoriall remembrance thereof as Dauid willeth them yea and hauing felt the mercie of God in the forgiuenes of their offences with Dauid they acknowledge to the praise of the glorie of God that the Lord is very kind and mercifull also and that in God compassion doth plentifully flow And with the elect of God they fall downe before the throne of his grace giue honor and glory and power and praise vnto God that hath redeemed them from this wicked world their offences and made them kings and priests vnto the Lord a holy nation and a royall priesthood And as Schollers accept pardon from their Tutors seruants from their maisters sons from their parents subiects froÌ„ their priâ—ces with all humble thanks so the elect accept with all thanks vnto the Lord the cup of their saluation the pardon for their sins bowing the knees of their soules vnto the God of all mercie and the father of all comfort falling down vpon their faces giuing thanks to him that liueth for euer and euer that washeth them by his bloud from all their sinnes and transgressions And therefore sith it turneth vnto the aduaÌ„cing of the glory of God vnto the magnifying of his mercie and is also of the essence and nature of God to forgiue our sinnes we may be assured that as the Lord hath a singular delight therein so a speciall readines therevnto For euen men we see by experience willingly do those things wherein they are delighted We may therfore hereto conclude that as the fire cannot chuse but burn sith it is his nature so God cannot chuse but forgiue vs our offences sith it is naturall vnto him He is mercifull for he is mercie it selfe and that especially vnto miserable sinners for where there is no miserie there can be no mercie The second Section The mercie of the Lord stretcheth it selfe euen to the beastes of the field Thou Lord saith the prophet Dauid in his 30 Psalme doth saue both man and beast And againe in his 147 Psalme the Lord saith the Psalmist is good to all his mercies are ouer all his works Doth the Lord shew mercie to the beasts of the field and will he not extend the same to man created according to his own image is he gracious vnto sencelesse creatures and will he not be gracious vnto reasonable creatures Doth his mercie stretch it selfe to the baser workes of his hands and shall it thinkest thou be shut vp from thee the most excellent workmaÌ„ship of al other whatsoeuer creatures vpon the earth Thou hast had experience of the manifold mercies of God towards thy body He gaue thee life wheÌ„ thou wert not he brought thee vp vnto mans estate wheÌ„ yet thou wert but weak thou wert sicke and he healed thee weake and he strengthened thee hungrie and he fed thee thirstie and he satisfied thee naked he cloathed thee sorrowfull and he comforted theerin misery and he releeued thee he is the God of thy body and therefore good vnto thy body so is hee the father of spirits and God of all mercie and therfore will be fauourable vnto thy spirit I meane vnto thy soule as wel as vnto thy bodie For the father of all mercie is the father of spirits as well as he is the God of thy body And therefore thou maiest look for the same fauour in healing the infirmities euen the sinnes of thy soule that thou foundest in curing