effectual pledges vnto vs as of Gods great fauor shed abroad into our harts so of the crowning of those his graces in vs with wondeâ—ful honour and glorious immortality at the last Lastlie it seemeth vnto me Of sin it self that eâ—en from sinne it selfe though not in it owne nature for so it is abhominable in the Lords sight o Haâ—aâ— 1.13 whose pure eies cannot sâ—e euill neither yet in the effects that commonly it bringeth foorth for so is it alwaies bytter making a fearefull p Isaiah 59.2 seperation betweene the Lord and vs hauing for the q Rom. 6 2â— wages of it eternal death and damnation yet euen in the heynousnes and heyght thereof being accompanied with gods fauour in the forgiuenes of the same we should may reap an inuincible argument of much consolation and singular comfort For wherein shal or can the mercy of God in this life so much appear towards his people as in pardoning the sinnes of his seruants To whom had they not offended neither could gods mercie that way foorth haue bin declared nor Christ for theÌ„ haue bin r 1. Tim. 3.16 God manifested in the flesh who therefore came into the world not to call s Math. 9.13 the righteous but sinners to repentaunce and did therefore appeare amongest men not onely that he might t 1 Ioh. 3.5.8 loose the works of the deuil but also that he might take away our sins Outward tokens of Gods fauour All the outward fauours that wee haue in this life if we should reckon theÌ„ vp one by one as for example creation preseruation health wealth c. or binde them all in a bundle together cannot so sensibly set before vs Gods loue because some of them are in some sort commoÌ„ to other creatures with men reach but to the bodie for the most part this time present onely the wicked many times beeing before Gods saintes in some of the same God also v Ps 17.14 filling their bellies with his hid treasure their children hauing inough and leauing inough of their substance for their children Spiritual graces Nay I will say more many of those spirituall graces that God vouchsaseth vnto his Church as h s worde sacraments praier of which the holy ghost saith he x Psal 147.19 sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and his iudgments vnto Israell and he hath not dealt so with euerie nation doe not so plainâ—iy exâ—râ—sse the fauour and loue of the Lorde towardes hys people as the free pardon and full forgiuenesse of their transgressions the reason is because y Math 22.14 manye are called and fewe are chosen and diuers bee in the Churche that bee not of the Church This grace also extending it sâ—â—e not onelye to bodye and soule in says lyfe carrying with it comfort and the peace of a good conscience here but reaching euen vnto the life that is to come eternal saluation and life euerlasting being an inseperable companion to the forgiuenesse of our sinnes And that we might the better be perswaded that this is a verie speciall fauour God himselfe taketh vpon himself as a principall point of his glory this great worke of forgiuing laying z â—saiah 42.25 I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for my owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes And in an other Prophet rehearsing the graces that he will vouchsafe vnto his people in the newe Testament he reckoneth vp this as the last and chiefest a Iere 31 34. I wil forgiue their iniquitie b Rom. 5.20 and remember their sinne no more that beeing true here that the Apostle saieth that where sinne abounded there grace abounded much more To conclude then good Madam out of all that is gone before The coâ—clusion Sâ—â—h in thys poynt of the forgiuenes of sins God who is greater than al is b Rom 8 3 on our side therefore wee neede not care who be agaynst vs Iesus Christ standeth for vs who is c Math 3 17 his dearely beloued sonne in whome onely hee is well pleased and thorow whome he hath d 2 Cor 3 19 reconciled the world vnto himselfe the word generally partâ—cularly the promises in the same which are in Iesus Christ e 2 Cor 1 20 yea and amen speake comfoâ—table things vnto vs the holy sacramentes ordeined by God for the strengthning of our weake faith seale vp that great and gracious fauor vnto vs the disâ—pline and voyce of the Church which is the f 1 Tim 3 16 piller ground of trueth and as it were Gods owne voyce from heauen confirmeth it the particular examples oâ— his saintes hauing in former time found it and felt it true doe ratifie and confirme the same the peculiar fauoâ—s that God hath giuen vs our selues in this life and namely faith g 2 Thess 3 2 which all men haue not with the sound truâ—tes thereof doe pledge it vp and that god that maketh the h Psal 76 10 rage of men to turne to his praise and in the beginning commaâ—nded i 2 Cor. 4 6 the light to shine out of darkenesse now maketh sin to serue for the magnifying and manifesting of his mercie and the comfort and good of his children who is it that can distrust or rather who hath not iust cause with the Apostles and saintes of God to sing and say k 1. Cor. 15.54.55.56.57 death is swallowed vp into victorie O deathe where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the lawe But thanks be to God which hath giuen vs victorie thorow our Lord Iesus Christ And againe l Rom. 8 38 39. I am perswaded that neyther death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor height nor depâ—h nor anie other creature shal be able to separate vs froÌ„ the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Thus good Madame I haue as your honour seeth plainely deliuered my poore iudgement in this worthie point touching the comfortable feeling of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and some such assured seales and pledges of the same as by m Deut. 17 18 19 Ioshua 1 8 Psalm 1.2 Iohn 5 39 dayly reading of the holie scriptures and continuall meditation in the same holie duties that I and all other christians of what qualitie or calling so euer are bound vnto by Gods word to performe and woulde to God all did it as may knowe and confesse it the Lorde in much fauor I freely confesse it hath bene pleased in the dayes of my distresse to manifest to me miserable man that I am and that not onely for instruction and comfort vnto my self alone for God neuer bestoweth anie grace vpon vs much lesse such excellent fauors to that ende onely but for the good and consolation of others who being n 2
our corruption and sometymes agayne the power of oure iniquitie preuayling and alwayes getting the vpper hand the Lord no doubt thereby prouiding for hys glorye whilest wee attribute all the praise of our well doing vnto him to whome indeede alone all praise and honour belongeth and for our good and that in a double respect not onely whilest by this meanes wee are made humble and lowly before him and men and in our owne eyes especiallie hauing speciall recourse vnto him by praier for heauenly strength and comming to our brethren for such spirituall ayd as they haue receiued from him but also whilest we learne on the one side to loth that which is from our selues as corrupt and defiled and on the other side to cherish and foster that which is from him as good and pure according to that rule of the Apostle o 1. Thes 5.19 20. Quench not the spirits despise not prophesie A similitude The Sunne it selfe a verie glorious creature is not no not in the summer time alwaies alike hote and bright but sometimes is couered with cloudes that keepe backe the brightnesse hinder the heate of the same from vs. The like may we saie of another celestial body the moone it self An other which ouer and besides the ordinarie eclipses that it doth indure somtimes ascendeth higher sometimes commeth sower is many times in the winter season Others especially kept from vs by thicke mists and darke fogs Neither neede we for this to looke so high for from terrestriall or earthly bodies may we perceiue the same The trees in the fields and the plants and hearbs in the gardens all winter long not onely want any good fruite but seeme not so muche as to haue a leafe on them yea the verie truncke and stocke it selfe maketh shewe in mans eyes to be dead and to lacke that life that we call vegetatiue And yet there is a sappe or naturall moysture that lyeth hid in the root which when it is refreshed with the heate of the sinne and comforted as it were with the dewe that falleth from heauen will yet notwithstanding in due time proue vnto vs that the tree plant or herbe was neuer dead whatsoeuer we supposed But what neede we to go out of our selues and from our own bodies to viewe this matter we haue as plaine a demonstration as may be Our bodies to daie fresh and lustie and to morrowe wythered and dried vp p Psal 118.83 as a skinne bottle that hangeth in the smoke Another and yet in time raised vp againe to haue naturall moisture and to performe with strength and agilitie as woorthy deedes as before And euen such doubtlesse for a while is the state of the children of God The application of these similitudes who thorow the heynous offences that they haue committed the strength of temptations that they doe indure speecially when they are pressed vpon them by the sting of their own heart or Satans malice and wherein oftentimes thorow the power of naturall corruption they lie sleeping snorting as it were a great while appeare vnto men yea very many thinke and saie so of themselues as persons forsaken of God and remedie lesse in this life and past hope of recouerie for that which is to come It is true that such mens cases are for the time specially before men in theÌ„selues hard and heauie And if wee shoulde say or thinke otherwise wee shoulde contradict Gods truth which telleth vs that g Heb. 12 1â— no afflictions much lesse this great one is for the present ioious but grieuous rather and stand vp against common sense and reason which plainly prooueth to our faces their condition to be pitifull And yet for all this it is not as they affirme desperate and vnrecouerable but rather thought not as in respect of it selfe yet as in regard of the consolations that God interminglâ—th with it and the good fruites that he bringeth foorth by it very comfortable And therefore how ought you A consolation such as you are to be raised vp I come now to the second point namely consolation vpon whome the Lorde himselfe hath sette such infallible notes of your adoption and election vnto eternall life in Iesus Christ that no cloude that the enemie hath interposed betwixt you and God or no myst that in imagination you haue raysed vp in your selfe to stoppe the comfortable Sunne-shine of Gods fauour vnto you nor no extreame frost or colde of winter howsoeuer it bee harde or sharpe for the tyme and sensibly felt of you can kill the seed that is sowen in your heart by Gods word and spirite or disanull the r 1 Iohn 2.27 annoynting s Ephes 4.30 wherewith you are sealed against the day of Christ so louing so faithfull and powerfull is God in and for his Saintes and that not onelie when they are assaulted with forraigne forces but when they are assayed from within and haue as a man would say the motions of their owne minde and the imaginations of their owne hearts and heades not only to conspire agaâ—nst them but euen to betraie them into the handes of their most cruell and deadlie enemies Obiections answered Howbeit it may bee that you will saie your selfe thinketh otherwise of of your selfe But be not your owne iudge I pray you as wel because iudgement in the especially beloÌ„geth not to you but vnto god t t. Cor. 4 4 to whoÌ„ only it appertaineth to pronouÌ„ce a right sentence as also because the way is slipperie here and men yea otherwise good men may easilie be deceiued For as in persons that are sicke in the bodie it sundry times falleth out A similitude that of som melancholike conceit in themselues or feare that they haue to die they receiue the sentence of death in theÌ„selues yea and sometimes the Phisitions giue him ouer and they are readye to take their leane of them and yet God the Lord of life saith they shal liue and as a proofe of his power restoreth them from deathes doore so is it many times with Gods children in this spirituall disease and sicknesse of their soule wherein as it is much more easie to bee mis-led than in bodily sicknesse so many times when al haue â—orsaken vs and we haue destituted our selues and failed in our own spirites yet God the v 2. Cor. 1.3 God of all mercie and father of all comfort renueth his vnspekeable fauour vpon vs calleth vs backe againe as if it were from death to life Againe Another as men that in their owne iudgments seeme sick vnto death and are so farre from hoping after health that they can not so much as thinke of it euen with imagination as many times wast and weare awaie aâ—d bee brought to deathes dore and yet for all that the standers by as learned phisitions and faithâ—ull friendes for certaine and vndoubted tokens of happie health and good recouerie
say but such n 1. Cor. 5.1 iniquitie as is not heard of no not among the Gentiles that one shoulde haue his Fathers wyfe Concerning which facte and reconciliation vppon repentaunce for the same the Apostle saieth els where o 2. Cor. 6.72 It is sufficient for the same man that hee was rebuked of manie so that nowe contrariwise you ought rather to forgiue him and to comfort him leaste the same shoulde be swallowed vppe with ouer much heauinesse wherefore I praye you that you would confirme your loue towardes hym In the holie scriptures or woorde of God we haue infinit store of examples Examples of Gods mercie and bee compassed about on euerie side as it were p Heb. 12.1 with a thick cloude of witnesses which both for their multitude and for their faithfulnesse are greater then al expectation and to whom for theÌ„selues and in whom for others God hath bene pleased plentifullie to declare as the riches of his mercie generallie so particularly that he q Deut. 7.9 2 Chron. 6.5 hath kept faith and trueth with them and will doe so for euer with al those that succeed them in faith and a Iame. 1.17 good conscience that so our hope and harte might relie vppon him alone with whom is no variablenesse neither shall neuer turne Let two verie woorthy and plaine one wherof is in the olde and the other in the newe Testament serue for all s Psal 32.5 Psal 1â— 3.3 Dauid from an vnfeigned heart acknowledgeth it and that more then once that the Lord in the multitude of his mercies forgaue both the punishment of his sinne and all his iniquitie whatsoeuer And Paule with a franke and free mouth openlie confesseth and that others might heare it and beleeue it saith t 1. Timoh 1.15 This is a faithfull saying and woorthy by all meanes to be receiued that Ieâ—us Chrâ—st came into the world to saue â—â—â—ers of whom I am chiefe And if wee respect their persons â—â—ey were men notwithstanding their â—â—â—â—s dearelie beloued of God the one taken t Psal 8 7â— by the Lord from the shâ—pâ—â—â—d and following the ewes with yong to â—eed his people in Iacob the other pulled from persecuting the church to preach to cary the Lords name among the gentilâ—s u Act. 9.15 If we consider the sins that they speak of we shall find them no lesse x 2. Sam â—1 than adulterie murther y 2 Sam 24. pride z â— Tâ—â— 1 1â— blasphemy persecutioÌ„ oppression suâ—dry such like If we regard the souâ—dnes sinceritie of their hearâ—s they speaking deliuering that as withouâ— a mind doubtlesse to deceiue otâ—eâ—s so without partialitie and respect as in regard of themselues and euen as they feâ—t Goâ—s fauour for themselues for others we cannot choose but beleeue it that we haue our part portion in it the rathâ—r because God hath geuen vs thâ—se and 〈◊〉 like holy examples to be as it wer seals set vnto the promises for the more strong establishing of the same in our hearts we perswading our selues that as we may and ought to profit by the presidents of gods a 1. Cor. 10.11 iudgement to work in vs vnfeigned feare reuerence of his maiesty and care of a better course theÌ„ euer we haue practised b Rom. 15.4 so we shal make vse of exaÌ„ples of his mercy to styr vs vp to make in vs a holy feeling of all spirituall coÌ„fort heauenly ioy And that the graces of Gods holy spirite Tâ—e â—â—â—ces of â—ods â—pirit which hee himselfe in Christ hath bin pleased plentifully to bestow vpon vs moâ—e particularly that our c Iude. 20. precious holy fa th together with the sâ—uâ—rall fruâ—ts efâ—â—cts that flow froÌ„ the samâ— shold pledge vnto vs this great fauour of God in the forgiuenes of our siâ—s thorow the death obedience of his sonne it â—s as cleare as the sunne in his glorie and brightnesse and that not onlie becaâ—se if that which is from sinne and from our selues may iustlie discourage vs and beat vs downe then that which proceedeth from God who is d greater than all and e onely good can not choose but being liuely felt and sensiblie perceiued but raise vs vp againe also because the scripture it self in terms that will admit no darke or doubtfull interpretation aduoucheth that God f 2 Cor 8.12 accepteth vs according to that wee haue and not according to that wee haue not For fayth wee haue amongst others that comfortablâ— promise of holie writte Oâ— Fayth g Habaâ— 2.4 Rom 1.17 The iust shall liue by faâ—th which cannot be vnderstood of life here as well because it speaketh of the tune to come as also because as in respect of breaâ—â— and being in this world the wicked haue â—t as well as the godly and we knowe that it was the Lords purpose by his spâ—râ—â— in that speach to discerne betweene h Ezâ—ch 22.26 the pretious and the vile If we well consider Vnfained lâ—ue either the loue that God hath wrought in our heartes towards his saintes or the vâ—â—â—ygned mind that thorow his great goodnes we find in our selues to forget and forgeue other mens trespasses wee shall finde that to the one the other may giue vs firme hope assured comfort of the forgiuenes of our own sins the holy ghost affirming of the former that by this we i 1. Iohn 3.14 know wee are translated from death vnto life because we loue the brethren for the other our sauiour himselfe not only teaching vs to say k Math. 6.12 forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespas against vs but also declaring in plain tearmes that except wee forgiue from our heartes each one to his brother his trespasses l Math. 18 3i ther is no forgiuenes of ours before God declaring withal that wher that is the other cannot bee wanting because God is not onelye much more readye but infinitely much more able to shewe sinners that notable fauour then men are so manifest it one to another Wherein it shall not bee amisse for vs to marke this further Of merits that howsoeuer all the good things we are enabled to no cannot as they come froÌ„ vs nor yet of theÌ„selues in that respect merâ—te Gods mercie because m Esay 64.6 al our righteousnesses are as filthie and stained cloutes before him n Luke 17.10 when we haue done al that we can wee are yet vnprofitable seruants much lesse any one of theÌ„ seperated from the rest the weaknes whereof arising not from the good things themselues in their owne nature as they come from God for so they are and must be verie strong exceeding good but by reason of our corruption the imperfection the thorow the same cleaueth therto yet all of them together and euery one of them selues may bee
as a naturall passion for so that condition they haue common wyth the wicked of the world Of the feare of the Godly and some of the creatures of God Where it â—â—seth as hath in part bene prooued alreadie but prooceedeth also from an vnfaigned loue and a sincere reuerence of God his maiestie and whatsoeuer generallie is in him more particularlie his iudgementes groweth beeing shead abroade into their heartes and effectually planted continued and increased in them thorow the holy exercises of his word and powerfull working of hys blessed spirit accompanieng the same they beeing also styrred vppe thereto not for worldlye respectes or carnall considerations Continueth as shame before men or outward punishment that they must vndergoe for sinne committed or transitory glorie which they must forgoe and loose c. as the wicked and vngodlie but vpon holy regardes euen as wel be seemeth Gods saintes and seruauntes noâ— onelie professing but sincerelie imbracing godlinesse namely for that they haue set God against them selues not as a iudge sharpe and seuere but as a most louing tender father the remembraunce whereof euen in that respect as vnto them as if it wer the darts of death and the sensible feeling for the time of the verie panges and paines of hell and the state of the damned there being litle or no difference betweene the one the other but as in regard of length of time of this life present and the causes moouing such distresse in also which they are lead not so much to respect themselues for many of them in vnfeigned loue to others haue after a sort desired their own destruction as the glorie of God their most gracious father the honour of that blessed religion which they professe and loue of others that not onely in the flesh but also in the faith are deare and precious vnto them fearing indeede least all or any of these should in them or by them bee any manner of way though neuer so smallie wounded or hurte hauing alwayes and that in such a portion as God seeth fit for his glorie and their good notwithstanding their manifold wantes and vnwoorthynesse that pretious gifte of faiâ—h which as it commeth from God alone and is begun continued and encreased in his children by the ministerie of preaching perticipation of the sacramentes and powerfull working of his owne spirit so is it peculiar to the elect onelie to appropriate Gods mercies vnto them selues for the coÌ„fort of their own soules and to sanctifie as other things â—o them so this naturall feare within them and to keepe it in so that it bâ—eake not forth either into sinne against God or offence before men And as concerning the effectes or fruites the which they yeeld and bring foorth which is the seconde difference betweene them wee shall find as great ods and diuersitie as in the causes whereof also there is good reason because such as the cause is such is the effecte which who is it almost that knoweth not and then the causes being sundrie the effectes likewise must be so too Concerning the feare that is in the wicked it either maketh them frefull in themselues as we may see by that little quietnesse they haue whether they be at home or abroad sleepâ—ng or waking in sicknesse or in health The effects of feâ—â—◠〈◊〉 the wiâ—ked their life being nothing els but a sea of continuall troubles which fire though they seeme for a time to rake vp vnder the ashes of counterfeyt rest and dissembled ease In themselues yet will it at the length breake foorth as a mightie flame to consume them or els causeth them to be much disquiet towardes others â—owards oâ—â—ers they plainely bewraying the same either by some hard woordes or sharpe deedes or furious countenances that many times not onely against them whom they cannot abide but against them also that in manifolde respectes should be dear vnto them as their wiues that lie in their bosomes theâ—r children that issue out of their loines their frieÌ„ds that be as themselues their seruauntes that haue walked dutifullie towardes them c. Impacience or murmuring against God Or prouoketh them to bee impatient and murmuring euen against God himselfe not only because his hand for sinne lieth hard heauy vpon them but also because they can see or finde no way how eyther to soften or to shift or to auoid the same For though they seek to run away would gladly flie if they could tell how from the face presence of his eternal maiesty as we may see in our first h Gen. 3.8 parents Adam and Heuah and in the practise of all ages and euen of this present time who bitten as it wer with the teeth wounded with the dart of this deadly feare do not only faint in theÌ„selues and i Dan. 5.6 strike their knees together but manifest to men by sorrowful sighes lamentable coÌ„plaints yea and desperate dealings also sometimes against their own soules bodies that without any remorse of heart or godlie griefe at all whereof wee haue manyfold examples both in the holye scrpitures other writers also knowne I am sure vnto you so well exercised in the word as I take and iudge you to be yet they know there is no way to escape his reuenging hand against them for their sinnes and Rom. 2.5 hart that cannot repent and that is it that increaseth their feare and augmenteth their wo and causeth them to enter into these furious both wordes and deeds Th'effectes of feare in the godly But the â—eâ—e that is in the godly being yet notwithstanding mingled both with hope and ioy as we may perceiue by the Apostles wordes who speaking of the faithfull-saith l 2. Cor. 4 8 We are afflicted on euerie side yet are we not in distresse we are in doubt but yet we despaire not and by that which is reported in the gospell of the women which came to Christes sepulâ—hâ—e of whom the Euangeâ— st Matthew affirmeth that m Math 28.8 they dâ—parted with fear In themselues great ioy maketh them in the daies of their prosperitie considering in what a ticklysh estate In the daies of prosperitie they are and howe easily caried into pride against men I time of aâ—uersitie and forgetfulnesse of God carefull and watchfull ouer themselues ta walke in a good conscience before God and men according to the measure of mercies both past and present that they haue receiued from God and causeth them in the middâ—st of their distresses weighing how quicklie by the remainders of since they may be thrust into impatiencâ—e to labour the attaining of a quiet spirite within themselues beeâ—ng assured that n Râ—m â— 28 all things shall worke toge her to the best for them that loue and feare God yea it prouoketh them to be humble lowly yea and that in all sound maner towards others before