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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A16573	The complaynt of veritie, made by Iohn Bradford. An exhortacion of Mathewe Rogers, vnto his children. The complaynt of Raufe Allerton and others, being prisoners in Lolers tower, & wrytten with their bloud, how god was their comforte. A songe of Caine and Abell. The saieng of maister Houper, that he wrote the night before he suffered, vppon a wall with a cole, in the newe In, at Gloceter, and his saiyng at his deathe	Bradford, John, 1510?-1555.; Rogers, Matthew. Instruction of a father to his children.; Allerton, Ralph. A lamentable complaynt of the afflicted, unto god our onely healper.; Allerton, Ralph. A briefe rehersal of parte of the aucthours trouble, entituled God is my comforte.; Allerton, Ralph. Songe of the poore prisoners in Lolers tower.; Hooper, John, d. 1555. Wordes of Maister Houper at his death.; Hooper, John, d. 1555. These are the wordes that Maister John Houper wrote on the wall with a cole, in the newe inne in Gloceter, the night before he suffered.	1559 (1559)	STC 3479; ESTC S112643	64,740	174

of Christ for ●he forgiuenesse of our sinnes And thirdly a purpose to amend or conuersion to a new life The which third or last part can not be called properly a parte for it is but an effect of penance as towards the ende yee shall sée by Gods grace But least such as séeke for occasion to speake euill should haue any occasion though they tary not out the end of this Sermon I therefore deuide penance into the thrée foresayde partes of sorrowing for our sinne of good hope or trust of pardon ▪ and of a new life Thus you now sée ▪ what penance is a sorrowing for sinne a purpose to amend with a good hope or trust of pardon This penance not onely differeth from that which men commonly haue taken to bee penance in saying and dooing our enioyned Lady Psalters seuen Psalmes fastings Pilgrimages Almes déedes and such like thinges but all from that which the more learned haue declared to consist of thrée parts namely Contrition Confession and Satisfaction Contrition they call a iust and a ful sorrow for their sinne For this word iust and full is one of the differences betwéene contrition and attrition Confession they call a numbring of all their sinnes in the eare of their ghostly Father for as say they a Iudge cannot absolue without knowledge of the cause or matter so cannot the Priest or ghostly father absolue from other sinnes then those which he doth heare Satisfaction they call amends making vnto God for their sinnes by their vndue workes Opera indebita Workes more then they néed to doe as they tearme them ▪ This is their penaunce which they preach write and allow But how true this geare is how it agréeeth with Gods worde how it is to bee allowed taught preached and written let vs a little consider If a man repent not vntill hee haue a iust and full sorrowing for his sinnes dearely beloued when shall he repent For in as much as hell fire and the punishment of the deuils is a iust punishment for sinne In as much as in all sinne there is a contempt of God which is all goodnes and therefore there is a desert of all ylnesse alas who can beare or féele this iust sorrow this full sorrow for our sinnes this their contrition which they ●e so discerne from their attrition Shall ●ot man by this doctrine rather despaire ●hen come by repentance If a man repent ●ot vntil he haue made confession of all his sinnes in the eare of his ghostly father if ● man cannot haue absolution of his sinnes ●ntill his sinnes bee told by tale and num●er in the Priestes eare in that as Dauid sayth none can vnderstand much ●esse then vtter all his sinnes Delicta quis intelligit Who can vnderstand his sinnes In that Dauid of himselfe complayneth else where how that his sinnes are ouerflowed his head and as a heauy burthen doe oppresse him alasse shall not a man by this doctrine bee vtterly driuen from repentance Though they haue gone about something to make plaister for their sores of confession or attrition to asswage this geare bidding a man to hope well of his contrition though it bée not so full as is required and of his confession though h● haue not numbred all his sinnes if so be● that he doe so much as in him lyeth deerely beloued in that there is none but that herein he is guiltie for who doth as much as he may trow ye that this plaister is no like salte for sore eyes Yes vndoubtedly ▪ when they haue done all they can for the appeasing of consciences in these pointes this is the summe that we yet should hope well but yet so hope that we must stand in a mammering and doubting whether our sinnes be forgiuen For to beléeue Remissionem peccatorum that is To be certaine of forgiuenesse of sinnes as our Créede teacheth vs they count it a presumption O abomination and that not onely herein ▪ but in all their penance as they paint it As concerning satisfaction by their Opera indebita Vndue workes that is by such woorkes as they néed not to doe but of their owne voluntarinesse and wilfulnesse wilfulnesse in déede who séeeth not monsterous abomination blasphemy and euen open fighting against God For if satisfaction can bée done by man then Christ dyed in vaine for him that so satisfieth and so reigneth he in vaine so is he a Bishop a Priest in vaine Gods Law requireth loue to God with all our heart soule power might and strength to that there is nothing can be done to Godward which is not con●yned in this commaundement nothing can be done ouer and aboue this Againe Christ requireth to manwarde That wee should loue one another as hee loued vs ●nd trowe we that wee can doe any good ●ing to our neighbour ward which is not ●rein comprized Yea let them tell me when they do any ●hing so in the loue of God their neigh●our but that they had néede to crie Re●itte nobis debita nostra Forgiue vs our ●nnes So farre are we off from satisfying ●oth not Christ say When you haue done ●ll things that I haue commanded you say ●hat you bee but vnprofitable seruauntes Put nothing to my worde sayth God Yes ●oorkes of Supererogation yea super●bomination say they Whatsoeuer things ●re true sayth the Apostle S. Paul whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer thinges ●re iust whatsoeuer things are pure what●oeuer things pertaine to loue whatsoe●er thinges are of good reporte if there be any vertue or if there be any prayse haue For to omit the testimonies I brought out of Iohn and Paul which the blinde cannot but sée I pray you remember the text out of Esai which euen now I rehearsed being spoken to such as were then the people of God and had bin a long time but yet were fallen into grieuous sinnes after their adoption into the number of Gods children It is for mine owne sake sayth God that I put away thy sinnes Where is your parting of the stake nowe If it bee for Gods owne sake if Christ bée the propitiation● then recant except you will become Idolaters making your works God and Christ Say as Dauid teacheth Not to vs Lorde not to vs but to thy name be the glory And it is to be noted that God doth cast in their téeth euen the sinne of their first father least they shoulde thinke that yet perchaunce for the righteousnesse goodnesse of their good fathers their sinnes might bée the sooner pardoned and so God accept their workes If they had taken Satisfaction for that which is done to the Congregation publiquely by some notable punishment as in the Primitiue Church was vsed to open offenders sparkles whereof and some traces yet remayne when such as haue sinned in adulterie goe about the Church with a Taper in their shirtes Or if they had made Satisfaction for restitution to manward of such goods as wrongfully are gotten the which

Nam veniens veniet non tardabit Hee is comming and will not be long Thus haue you foure meanes which you must vse to the attayning of faith or certaine perswasion of Gods mercie towards you which is the second part of penance namely prayer the free and vniuersall promises of Gods graces the recordation of the benefits of God past and present the examples of Gods mercie Which although they might suffice yet will I put one more to them which all onely of it selfe is full sufficient I meane the death of the Sonne of God Iesus Christ which if thou set before the eyes of thy mind it will confirme thy placcard for it is the great Seale of England as they say yea of all the world for the confirmation of all patents and perpetuities of the euerlasting life whereunto we are all called If I thought these which I haue before recited were not sufficient to cōfirme your faith of Gods loue towards such as do repent I would tarie longer herein But because I haue béene both long and also I trust you haue some exercise of conscience in this daily or els you are too blame I wil but touch goe Consider with your selues what we are misers wretches enemies to God Consider what God is euen hée which hath all power maiestie might glory riches c. perfectly of himselfe needeth nothing but hath all things Consider what Christ is concerning his Godhead coequal with his Father euen hee by whom all things were made are ruled and gouerned concerning his manhood the onely Dearling of his Father in whom is all his ioy Now Sir what a loue is this that this God which néedeth nothing would giue wholy his owne selfe to thée his enemie wreaking his wrath vpon him selfe in this his Sonne as a man may say to spare thée to saue thée to winne thée to buie thée to haue thée to enioy thée for euer Because thy sinne hath separated thée from him to the end thou mightest come eftsoones into his company againe and therein remaine hee himselfe became as a man would say a sinner or rather sinne it selfe euen a malediction or curse that wée sinners wee accursed by our sinne might by his oblation or offering for our sinnes by his curse be deliuered from sinne and from malediction For by sinne hee destroyed sinne killing Death Sathan and Sinne by their owne weapons and that for thée and mee man if wee cast it not away by vnbeleefe Oh wonderfull loue of God Who euer heard of such a loue the Father of Heauen for vs his enemies to giue his owne deare Sonne Iesus Christ and that not onely to bee our Brother to dwell among vs but also to the death of the Crosse for vs Oh wonderfull loue of Christ to vs all that was content and willing to worke this feate for vs. Was there any loue like to this loue God in déede hath commended his charitie and loue to vs heerein that when wee were very enemies vnto him hee would giue his owne Sonne for vs. That wee béeing men might become as you would say Gods God would become man That wee beeing mortall might become immortall the immortall God would become mortall man That we earthly wretches might be Citizens of Heauen the Lord of Heauen would become as a man would say earthly That wee beeing accursed might be blessed God would bee accursed That wee by our father Adam beeing brought out of Paradise into the puddle of all paine might be redeemed and brought into Paradise againe God would bee our Father and an Adam thereunto That we hauing nothing might haue all things God hauing all things would haue no thing That wee beeing vassailes and slaues to all euen to Sathan the Fiend might be Lords of all and of Sathan the Lord of all would become a vassaile and a slaue to vs all and in danger of Sathan Oh loue incomprehensible Who can otherwise thinke now but if the gracious good Lorde disdayned not to giue his owne Sonne his owne hearts ioy for vs his very enemies before wée thought to begge any such thing at his hands yea before we were who I say can thinke otherwise but that with him hee will giue vs all good things If when we hated him and fled away from him he sent his Sonne to séeke vs who can thinke otherwise then that now wee louing him and lamenting because we loue him no more but that he wil for euer loue vs He that giueth the more to his enemies wil not hée giue the lesse trow you to his friends God hath giuen his owne Sonne then which thing nothing is greater to vs his enemies and wee now béeing become his friends will he deny vs faith and pardon of our sins which though they bee great yet in comparison they are nothing at all Christ Iesus would giue his owne selfe for vs when wee willed it not and will he now deny vs faith if we will it This will is his earnest that hee hath giuen vs truely to looke indéed for the thing willed And looke thou for it in déed for as he hath giuen thee to will so will he giue thée to doe Iesus Christ gaue his life for our euils and by his death he deliuered vs. O then in that hee liueth now and can not die will he forsake vs His heart bloud was not too deare for vs when we asked it not what can then bee now too deare for vs asking it Is he a changeling Is he mutable as man is Can hee repent him of his gifts Did he not foresée our falles Payd not he therefore the price Because hee saw wee should fall sore therefore would hee suffer sore Yea if his suffering had not béene enough he would yet once more come again God the Father I am sure if the death of his Sonne incarnate would not serue would himselfe and the holy Ghost also become incarnate and die for vs. This death of Christ therefore looke on as the very pledge of Gods loue towards thée whosoeuer thou art how deepe soeuer thou hast sinned See Gods hands are nayled they cannot strike thee his feete also he cannot runne from thee his armes are wide open to embrace thee his head hangs downe to kisse thee his very heart is open so that therein see toote looke spie peepe and thou shalt see nothing therein but loue loue loue loue to thee hyde thee therefore lay thy head there with the Euangelist This is the clift of the Rocke wherein Helias stood This is the pillow of downe for all aking heads Anoint thy head with this oyle let this oyntment enbaulme thy head and wash thy face Tarie thou heere and cocke sure thou art I warrant thee Say with Paul What can separate me from the loue of God Can death can pouertie sickenesse hunger or any miserie perswade thee now that God loueth thee not Nay nothing can separate thee from the loue wherewith God hath loued thee in Christ Iesus

Bradford who was the Prea●er and publisher of this Sermon of Repentance ●nd now to the end that we which do liue on earth ●ter him and are the posterity may take as much or ●ore profit by it then they did to and for whom in ●s life time he did both preach publish it the same 〈◊〉 labour is by newe Imprinting published againe ●othing is added to this Sermon or altered in it ●ely to the Sermon of Repentance before printed ●dded another Sermon of the Lords supper which ● also made was neuer printed before And aptly ●lt thou see good Reader these two Sermons ioy● together For in diligent perusing of the last ●u shalt see howe necessarily he draweth the do●ne of Repentance to them all which do with due ●paration receyue the holy Sacrament of Christ ●e not know which of the Sermons I should most ●se I wish that by reading both thou maist make ● great profit In both these Sermons thou shalt ●e Bradford preaching Repentance with his ●e penne They are counted the most profitable Teachers which haue themselues good experience by practise in themselues of that which they do teach to others ▪ such as may safely say Brethren be ye followers of me looke on them which walk so as ye haue vs for an example Phil. 3.17 And surely such a patterne was M. Bradford in his life time of this doctrine of Repentance which in both these Sermōs he teacheth that I which did know him familiarly must needs giue to God this prayse for him that among men I haue scarcely known one like vnto him I did know whe● and partly how it pleased God by effectuall calling to turne his heart vnto the true knowledge and obedience of the most holy Gospell of Christ our Sauiour Of which God did giue him such an heaue● hold and liuely feeling that as he did then knowe that many sinnes were forgiuen him so surely he declared by deedes that he loued much For where ● had both gifts calling to haue employed himse● in ciuill and worldly affayres profitably such 〈◊〉 his loue of Christ and zeale to the promoting ● his glorious Gospell that he changed not onely t● course of his former life as the woman did Luke but euen his former studie as Paul did change 〈◊〉 former profession and study Touching the first after that God touched ● heart with that holy and effectuall calling he s● his Chaynes Rings Brooches and Iewels of go● which before he vsed to weare and did bestowe the price of this his former vanity in the necessary reliefe of Christs poore members which he could heare of or finde lying sicke or pyning in pouerty Touching ●he second he so declared his great zeale loue to promote the glory of the Lord Iesus whose goodnes ●●d sauing health he had tasted that to doe the same more pithily he changed his study and being in the ●nner Temple in London at the study of the cōmon ●awes he went to Cambridge to studie Diuinitie where he heard D. Martin Bucer diligently was ●ight familiar dere vnto him In this godly course ●e did by Gods blessing so profit that that blessed Martyr D. Ridley then Bishop of London did as ●t were inuite him his godly companion M. Tho. Horton to become fellowes of Penbrooke Hall in Cambridge And afterwards the said D. Ridley ●alled our Bradford to London gaue him a Prebēd ●n Paules Church lodged him in his owne house ●here set him on work in preaching And besides often preaching in London at Paules Crosse and sundry places in the country and specially in Lancashire he preached before K. Ed. the 6. in the Lent the last yere of his reigne vpon the 2. Psalme and there in one Sermon shewing the tokens of Gods iudgement at hand for the contempt of the Gospel as that certaine Gentlemen vpon the Sabboth day going in a whirry to Paris Garden to the Bearebayting were drowned that a dog was met at Ludgáte carying a piece of a dead child in his mouth he with a mighty and propheticall spirit sayd I summon you all euen euery mothers child of you to the iudgement of God for it is at hand as it folowed shortly after in the death of K. Edward In which state and labour of preaching he continued till the cruelty of the papists cut him off so as thou mayst reade in the history of his life death compiled by that faithful seruāt of the Lord Iesus M. Iohn Foxe In deed he had many pulbacks but God still helped forward his chosen seruant in that trade of life to the which he had called him in which he ranne forward so happily that he did outrun me other his companions For it pleased God with great speed to make him ready and ripe to Martyrdome in which through Christ he hath nowe gayned the crowne of life But in all stops and stayes he was much helped forward by a continuall meditation practise of repentance faith in Christ in which he was kept by Gods grace notably exercised al the daies of his life Euen in this meane time he heard a Sermon which that notable preacher M. Latimer made before K. Edward the 6. in which he did earnestly speak of restitutiō to be made of things falsly gotten which did so strike Bradford to the heart for one dash of a pen which he had made without the knowledge of his master as full often I haue heard him confesse with plenty of teares being Clarke to the Treasurer of the Kings campe beyond the seas and was to the deceiuing of the King that he could neuer be quiet til by the aduice of the same M. Latimer a restitution was made Which thing to bring to passe he did willingly forbeare forgo all the priuate certaine patrimony which he had in earth Let all bribers ●olling Officers which get to themselues great reuenues in earth by such slippery shifts followe this example least in taking a contrary course they take a ●ōtrary way neuer come where Bradford now is But besides this our Bradford had his daily exercises and practises of repentance His maner was to make to himself a Catalogue of al the grosest most enorme sinnes which in his life of ignorance he had committed and to lay the same before his eyes when he went to priuat praier that by the sight remembrāce of thē he might be stirred vp to offer to God ●he sacrifice of a cōtrite heart seeke assurance of sal●ation in Christ by faith thanke God for his calling from the waies of wickednes ▪ pray for increase of grace to be conducted in holy life acceptable and ●leasing to God Such a cōtinual exercise of consci●nce he had in priuate prayer that he did not count himselfe to haue prayed to his contentation vnlesse ●n it he had felt inwardly some smiting of heart for sinne some healing of that woūd by faith feeling ●he sauing helth

Thou heardest Moses crying for the Idolaters Thou heardest Lot for the Zoarites Samuel Dauid and many other for the Israelites And déere Father I onely am thine owne sonne as thou hast said in whom thou art well pleased wilt thou not heare me I haue by the space of three and thirtie yeeres done alwayes thy will I haue so humbled my selfe that I would become an abiect amongst men to obey thée Therefore déere Father if it be possible graunt my request saue mankind now without any further labour salues or plaisters But yet sayth he not as I wil but as thou wilt But Sir what heard hée Though hée sweat bloud water in making his plaister for our sore of sinne yet it framed not Twise hee cryed without comfort yea though to comfort him God sent an Angel wee yet know that this plaister was not allowed for sufficient vntill hereunto Christ Iesus was betrayed forsaken of al his Disciples forsworne of his déerely beloued bound like a Théefe belyed on buffeted whipped scourged crowned with thornes derided crucified racked nayled hanged vp betwéene two théeues cursed and rayled vpon mocked in miserie and had giuen vp the ghost then bowed downe the head of Christ that is God the Father which is the head of Christ then allowed he the plaister to bée sufficient and good for the healing of our sore which is sinne Now would God abide our breath because the stinke that is damnation or guiltinesse was taken away by the swéet sauour of the breath of this Lambe thus offered once for all So that héere déerely beloued wée as in a glasse may sée to the brusing of our blockish hard hearts Gods great iudgement and anger against sin The Lord of lords the King of kings the brightnesse of Gods glory the Sonne of God the Deareling of his Father in whom he is well pleased hangeth betwéene two théeues crying for thée and mée and for vs all My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Oh hard hearts that wée haue which make tuttes for sinne Looke on this toote in the very heart of Christ pearced with a speare wherein thou mayst sée and reade Gods horrible anger for sinne Woe to thy hard heart that pierced it And thus much for the first part of Repentance I meane for the meanes of working contrition First vse prayer then ●ooke on Gods Law thirdly sée his curse fourthly set examples of his anger before thée and last of all set before thée the death of Christ From this and prayer cease not till thou féele some heartie sorrow for thy sinne The which when thou féelest then labour for the other part that is faith on this sort As first in Contrition I willed thée not to trust to thy frée will for the attayning of it so doe I will thée in this Faith is so farre from the reach of mans frée will that to reason it is plaine foolishnes Therefore thou must first goe to God whose gift it is thou must I say get thée to the Father of mercie whose worke it is that as he hath brought thée downe by Contrition and humbled thée so hee would giue thée faith rayse thée vp and exalt thée On this maner therefore with the Apostles and the poore man in the Gospell that cryed Lord encrease our faith Lord helpe my vnbeleefe pray thou and say O mercifull God and deare Father of our Lord Sauiour Iesus Christ in whom as thou art well pleased so hast thou commanded vs to heare him for as much as hee often biddeth vs to aske of thée and thereto promiseth that thou wilt heare vs and graunt vs that which in his name we shall aske of thée loe gracious Father I am bold to begge of thy mercie through thy Sonne Iesus Christ one sparkle of true faith and certaine perswasion of thy goodnesse loue towards me in Christ wherethrough I béeing assured of the pardon of all my sinnes by the mercies of Christ thy sonne may be thankefull to thée loue thée and serue thée in holinesse and righteousnes all the dayes of my life On this sort I say or otherwise as God shall mooue thée pray thou first of all and looke for thy request at Gods hand without any doubting though foorthwith thou féelest not the same for oftentimes wee haue things of GOD giuen vs long before we féele them as we would doe Now vnto this prayer vse thou these meanes following After prayer for faith which I would should be first secondly because the same springeth out of the hearing not of Masses Mattins Cannons Councels Doctours Decrées but out of the hearing of Gods ●oord get thée Gods woord but not that ●art which serueth specially to Contrition that is the Law but the other part which serueth specially to consolation and certaine perswasion of Gods loue towards thée that is the Gospell or publication of Gods mercie in Christ I meane the frée promises But héere thou must know that there are two kinds of promises one which is properly of the Lawe another which is properly of the Gospel In the promises of the Law wee may indéed behold Gods mercie but so that it hangeth vpon the condition of our worthines as if thou loue the Lord with all thy heart c. thou shalt find mercy This kind of promises though it declare vnto vs Gods loue which promiseth where he néedeth not yet vnto him that féeleth not Christ which is the end of the Law they are so farre from comforting that vtterly with the Law they bring man to great despaire so greatly we are corrupt for none so loueth God as hée ought to doe From these therefore get thée to the other promises of the Gospell in which we may sée such plentie and francke liberalitie of Gods goodnesse that wee can not but be much comforted though we haue very déepely sinned For these promises of the Gospell doe not hang on the condition of our worthinesse as the promises of the Law doe but they depend and hang on Gods trueth that as God is true so they cannot but be performed to all them which lay holde on them by faith I had almost said which cast thē not away by vnbeliefe Marke in them therefore two things namely that as wel they are frée promises without any condition of our worthinesse as also that they are vniuersall offered to all all I say which are not so stubburne as to kéepe still their hands whereby they should receyue this almes in their bosoms by vnbeliefe As concerning Infants and children you know I now speake not but concerning such as be of yéeres of discretion And now you looke that I should giue you a taste of these promises which are both frée and vniuersall except none but such as except themselues Well you shal haue one or two for a say In the 3. of Iohn sayth our Sauiour So God the Father loued the world that hee would giue his dearling his owne onely Sonne that all that beleeue

in him should ●ot perish but haue euerlasting life Loe ●r hee saith not that some might haue life ●ut all sayth he And what all All y t loue ●im with all their hearts all y t haue liued a ●odly life Nay all that beléeue in him Al●hough thou hast liued a most wicked hor●ible life if now thou beléeue in him thou ●halt be saued Is not this swéet geare Againe sayth Christ Come vnto me all ●ee that labour and are laden and I will re●esh you Let vs a litle looke on this letter Come vnto me Who should come Lords Priests Holy men Monkes Friers Yea ●oblers Tinkers whores théeues mur●herers also if they lament their sinnes Come vnto me sayth he all ye that labour ●nd are laden that is which are afrayd of ●our sinnes And what wilt thou do Lord And I wil refresh you sayth he O what a thing is this And I will re●esh you Wot you who spake this Hée ●hat neuer told lye He is the trueth there ●as neuer guile found in his mouth and ●ow wil he be vntrue to thée good brother ●hich art sorie for thy grieuous sinnes No ●rsooth heauen and earth shal passe and pe●ish but his word shall neuer fayle Saint Paul sayth God would haue al men saued Loe he excepteth none And to Titus The grace of God bringeth saluation to all men As from Adam al haue receiued sinne to damnation so by Christ all haue grace offered to saluation if they reiect not the same I speake not now of Infants I say nor I néed not to enter into the matter of Predestination In preaching of repentance I would gather where I could with Christ As surely as I liue sayth God I wil not the death of a sinner Art thou a sinner Yea. Loe God sweareth hée will not thy death How canst thou now perish Consider with thy selfe what profite thou shouldest haue to beléeue this to bee true to others if not to thy selfe also Sathan doth so Rather consider with Peter that the promise of saluation perteineth not onely to them which are nie that is to such as are fallen a little but also to all to whō the Lord hath called be they neuer so farre off Loe now by mee the Lord calleth thée thou man thou woman that art very farre off The promise therefore pertayneth to thée néeds must thou be saued except thou with Sathan say God is false And yet if thou doe so God is faithfull and can not denie himselfe as thou shalt féele by his plagues in hell for so dishonouring God to thinke that hée is not true Will hée bée found false now The matter hangeth not on thy worthines but it hangeth on Gods trueth Clap hold on it and I warrant thée Christ is the propitiation for our sins yea for the sinnes of the whole world beléeue this man I know thou beléeuest it say therefore in thy heart still Domine audage mihi fidem Lord encrease my fayth Lord helpe my vnbeleefe Blessed are they which sée not by reason this geare but yet beléeue Hope man past all hope as Abraham did And thus much for a taste of these promises which are euery where not onely in the new Testament but also in the old Reade the last end of Leuiticus 26. The Prophet Esay 30. Where hee saith God tarrieth looking for thee to shew thee mercie Also the 40. and so foorth to the 60. Reade also y e 2. Reg. 24. Psa 33. Ioel. 2. c. Howbeit if this geare will not serue i● yet thou féelest no faith no certaine perswasion of Gods loue then vnto prayer and diligent considering of the frée and vniuersall promises of the Gospell Thirdly set before thée those benefits which God hath to foregiuen thée and presently giueth thée Consider how hee hath made thée a man or a woman which might haue made thée a Toade or a Dog And why did hée this Verily because he loued thée And trowest thou that if hee loued thée when thou wast not to make thée such a one as he most graciously hath made thée will he not now loue thée béeing his handy worke Doth he hate any thing that he made Is there vnablenesse with him Doth he loue for a day and so farewell No forsooth he loueth to the end his mercie endureth for euer Say therefore with Iob Operi manuum tuarum porrige dexteram that is To the worke of thy hands put thy helping hand Againe hath hée not made thée a Christian man or woman where if hee would hée might haue made thée a Turke or Paynim This thou knowest hee did of loue And doost thou thinke his loue is lessened if thou lament thy sinne Is his hand shortened for helping thee Can a woman forget the child of her wombe And though shee should doe it yet will not I forget thée sayth the Lord. He hath giuen thée lyms to sée heare goe c. He hath giuen thée wit reason discretion c. Hee hath long spared thée and borne with thée when thou neuer purposedst to repent and now thou repenting will hee not giue thee mercie Wherefore doth hee graunt thée to liue at this present to heare him to speake this and mee to speake this but of loue to vs all Oh therefore let vs pray him that he would adde to this that wee might beléeue these loue tokens that hee loueth vs and indéed hee wil doe it Lord open our eyes in thy gifts to sée thy gracious goodnesse Amen But to tarie in this I will not Let euery man consider Gods benefites past and present publike and priuate spirituall and corporal to the confirming of his faith concerning the promises of the Gospell for the pardon of his sinnes I wil now go about to shew you a fourth meane to confirme your faith in this geare euen by examples Of these there are in the Scriptures very many as also dayly experience doth diuersly teach the same if wee were diligent to obserue things accordingly wherefore I will bee more briefe héerein hauing respect to time which stealeth fast away Adam in Paradise transgressed grieuously as the painfull punishment which we all as yet doe féele prooueth if nothing else Though by reason of his sinne he displeased God sore and ran away from God for hée would haue hid himselfe yea hée would haue made GOD the causer of his sinne in that he gaue him such a mate so farre was he from asking mercie yet all this notwithstanding God turned his fierce wrath neither vpon him nor Eue which also required not mercie but vpon the Serpent Sathan promising vnto them a séed Iesus Christ by whom they at the length should be deliuered In tokē whereof though they were cast out of Paradise for their nurture to serue in sorrow which would not serue in ioy yet hee made them apparell to couer their bodies a visible Sacrament and token of his inuisible loue and grace concerning their soules If God was so mercifull to Adam which so sore