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
those lets which yet could not let the performance of his promises they will be little or none at all Why should that God that neuer was found to haue broken his promise be by thee accounted a truce-breaker And how canst thou thinke that that God that will reuenge with flaming fire and eternall reprobation from the face of his glorie brightnes of his presence all deceitfulnesse in man suffer the same to remaine and dwell in his owne person Adde herevnto that these promises of mercy are deliuered vnto thee in the word of God the truth whereof is such as that as Christ testifieth heauen and earth shall passe but not one iot nor title of his word And for this cause hath the spirit giuen vnto the word most glorious titles calling it sometime the immortall seed of God because it neuer dieth sometimes incorruptible because it neuer fadeth sometimes the guiles milke because it neuer deceiueth somtime the word of truth because it neuer lyeth Sometime he compareth it to siluer that hath been tried seuen times in the furnace that is without all drosse sometime to gold and precious stones built vpon the foundation Iesus Christ which when the fire commeth that shall trie euerie mans worke shall abide and shall not perish Sometimes he compareth it with the continuance and firmenesse of the heauens and the earth and preferreth it before all things whatsoeuer in the eternitie truth and constancy therof And therfore doth not the Prophet Dauid speake in vaine or vntruely of the word of God when he frameth as it were a whole Booke I meane the hundreth and nineteene Psalme for the most part in the extolling and magnifiing of the word of God wheâ—e he is not afraid to say and that according to the feeling of the spirit the same spirit bearing him record that the word of God is true yea that it is the truth it selfe For this cause is Esay bold to preach that which the Lord commandeth him to publish concerning the truth of this his way saying all flesh is grasse and all the beautie therof as the flower of the field the grasse withereth the flower fadeth away but the word of God indureth for euer And no maruaile for it commeth not from the chaungeable braine of mortall and corruptible man but froÌ„ the spirit of truth life which is not the author of lyes but the Father of light and of eternitie So that now these promises being contained and made part of the word of God are also immortall incorruptible guiles true yea the truth it selfe firmer than the heauens and the earth more pure than fined gold and vnchaungeable as the holy Ghost iâ— who is the author therof Either therfore thou must embrace and beleeue them or else thou must account that to be immortal that perisheth that which is guiles to bee deceitfull that which is more sure than the heauens the earth to be moueable that which is truth it selfe to be a lie Thou must denie the word of God to be the word of God and in flat and expresse termes tell the Lord and the holy Ghost that he lieth For God himselfe expressely and his spirit auoucheth vnto thee the forgiuenesse of thy sinne in his owne words If theâ—efore thou gaine-saiest either secretly in thy heart or openly in thy mouth thou giuest god the lie for thou deniest his words to be true And therfore is it that Iohn in his first Epistle telleth vs that hee that receiueth not the witnes and testimonie of the Lord hath made God a lier And now do but think what villanie thou offerest vnto God what bâ—asphemy it is to his person to account god to be a lier do but think with thy selfe whether it be more likely that either thou or God should lie Consideâ— with thy selfe that thou maiest erre lie and be deceiued for that is proper vnto man But giue vnto God his glorie beleeue in him as thou protestest that thou doest euen in the entrance of the Creed or els thou shalt be worse thaÌ„ the deuils for the deuils belieue treÌ„ble as the Apostle Iames beareth witnesse Let therfore God be true and euery man a her and therefore assure thy selfe that this is a lie in thee to say in thy heart that the Lord will noâ— foâ—giue thee thy sinnes and thine offeâ—ces For the Lord who lyeth not witâ— whom there is no change nor shadoâ— change hath promised and said that bâ— will forgiue thy sinnes and thy tranâ—gressions And this Lord as the Prophet Dauid telleth thee will not alâ—o that which he hath spoken with his lips neither will he lye against his truth I would willingly know of thee whether thou beleeuest that which thoâ— sayest that thou doest beleeue if thoâ— doest not beleeue it and yet sayest thâ—â— thou doest beleeue it thou proouest thâ— selfe to be a lyer and then what question is it but that thou mayest lye wheâ— thou sayest in thy heart that thy sins arâ— greater than that they can be forgiuen but if thou acknowledg thy selfe to belieue that indeed which thou saiest thou doest beleeue how cast thou say thy Creed wherin thou makest a confession of thy faith professest that thou beleeuest the holy Catholike Church and the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes except withall thou fulâ—y beleeue and bee perswaded that thy sinnes are forgiuen either therfore thou must deny thy faith and shew thy selfe to be a Christian or thou must on the one side acknowledg thy selfe and God himselfe to be a lyer or else on the other side thou must asâ—ure and fully perswade thy selfe that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee by Iesus Christ our Lord. I doubt not but that thou easily beleeuest the threatnings of God and that that is true which Christ sayeth that except thou repent thou shalt bee damned And that also which Paule testifieth who saith that no adulterer no idolater no theefe no murderer nor such like shall enter into the kingdome of God or Iesus Christ If thou beleeuest the threatnings why beleeuest thou not the promises are they not writteÌ„ all in one word by one spirit by one God did not the same God that said except thou repent thou shalt be damned and againe that no adulterer idolater theefe nor murderer shall enter into the Kingdome of God or Christ say also that at what time soeuer a sinner repenteth him of his sinne from the bottome of his hart that the Lord will blot our all his offences out of his remembrance or what is the Lord true when he treatneth arâ— a lyer when hee promiseth doest thoâ— count him iust in the one and false 〈◊〉 the other will he thinkest thou execuâ—â— his iudgements will he not performâ— his promises are not his promises paâ—â— of his word as well as his threatningâ— And then why doest thou beleeue oâ—â— part of the word more than the other 〈◊〉 are they not all alike the word of God is not the one the word of
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
beauty of their boies in the loue of their womeÌ„ in the furniture of their table in all other things besides And howsoeuer the wicked are lulled asleepe in securitie that they are carelesse and so come to be past sorrow hauing a brawne ouer their hearts and their consciences seared with a hot burning iron yet I am sure that the elect of God the vessels of mercie desire nothing so much as the assurance of his mercie And therefore euen their life it selfe is vnpleasant without the tast hereof Insomuch that they cannot rest in peace vntill by the peace of God raigning in their conscieÌ„ces his loue shed abroad into their hearts by the holy Ghost they are fully assured that they are washed they a e clensed they are iustifiâ—d in the name of Iesus Christ by the spirit of their God so the free ful forgiuenes of their sins be fully freely sealed vnto their own soules For they are not ignorant how loathsome a thing sin is in the face of God and how fearefull a thing it is to fall into the hands of the liuing lord Knowing therfore these things and the feare and terrour of the Lord I wil not cease during the time of my abode to put you in mind by those meanes that I can of these things that you may not rest contented as the world doth with earthly but may aspire higher seeking for heauenly comforts in the Lord labouring alwayeâ— for those things that are most excellent according to the excellencie of your place striuing to increase in all fulnes of God of the holy Ghost that you may be filled with comfort true ioyes and your ioy no man might take away froÌ„ you This because I could not otherwise do but by writing I haue vsed the same as that onely meaâ—s which the Lord hath left vnto mee and haue according both to your deserts and my debt at the last presumed notwithstanding that diuers reasons of no smal importance which would be neither pleasant nor profitable in their repeating might haue perswaded me to the contrary to dedicate this my labor which what it is I referre to the iudgement of others vnto your Worships the rest of the Churches of God about you to whoÌ„ I acknowledge my selfe a debter also howsoeuer I acknowledge notwithstanding my selfe not to haue receiued from some that experience of loue to speak no hardlier that I looked for And herein as neither the mutterings of others the suspition of flattery not the opinion of pride which might be by the malicious falsely couceiued against me haue more preuailed with me than dutie so I doubt not but that suspition disdain vices too great to raigne in personages of worship professors of the Gospell of God shall find no place in your very raines For both the good opinion that my selfe haue conceiued the world receiued coÌ„cerning your sinceritie will cleare you hereof neither suffer you to entertain any such affectioÌ„ nor me to admit any such suspition And now brethren worshipful beloued in the Lord what remaineth but that I shuld bow the knees of my soule to the father of our Lord Iesus Christ the God of all mercy the Father of al comfort consolatioÌ„ that according to the riches of his mercie he would make you feele and fill you with all spirituall comforts That you may with glorying in the lord look for the hope of glory and the appearing of the mightie God and our sauior Iesus Christ to whom with the father and the holy Ghost three persons and one God immortall inuisible and onely wise be all glory power praise dominion now and euer Amen Yours alwaies in the Lord Iohn Freeman The Epistle to the Reader A Son the one side gentle Reaâ—er I am not ignoraÌ„t either of the spee hes of those that cry out against the coÌ„fortable opening of the prom ses of the grace Gospell of God as that which wil breed as they thinke licentiousnes of life or of the corruption of mans harâ— that maketh his liberty a cloke for the flesh turneth the gâ—aâ—es of God into wantonnesse so on the other side the affâ—ictâ—ons of Sathan in mine own soule who haue been a man that haue had good experience of infirmities the manifold like temptations that I haue seeâ—e to be accomâ—l shed in others my brethren in the world haue been most profitable schoolemaisters to instruct mee in the fearefull miserable estate of the desperate man I therfore comparing the the danger that might grow by the manifestation of the comfortable promises of God in Iesus Christ to the senseles such as are intangled in security with the danger that the ignorance of the same promises of mercie might bring to them that are afflicted The corruptâ—ons of those that corrupt the promises of God with the corruption or â—ather the rottennes of the bones that cleaueth to them that are corrupted for want of the comfort of the promises and finding the one to be ready to peâ—â—sh for the abuse the other foâ— lacke of the vse of the comfoâ—ts of God the one to peâ—â—sh with comfort the other without comfort the one to be gorged or rather to be choked with plenty the other â—o pine away and to starue for want of sufficiâ—ncy and so the estate of them both to be dangerous the one for want the other for wantonnes I resolued in the end to follow the example of PhisitioÌ„s who if they find two or more diseases combined togetheâ— labour first to take away that disease that most endangereth the life or coÌ„meth nerest vnto the hea t. So I seeing the abuse of true coÌ„fort to be dangerous to the abusers but the want thereof to bee deadly to theÌ„ that are afflicted in conscience I haue wholly employed my selfe to take away this later with the effect therof which is despaire a disease that striketh imediatly against the life both of body soule for that it lyeth as we vse to say at the hart And that I might the beâ—â—er doe this I haue applyed cordials that is saâ— h things as are or may be coÌ„foâ—table for the hâ—râ— wherein I haue followed the prescriptioÌ„ of that aâ—â—ient of dayes that only wise Arch Phisit oÌ„ of our souls who giueth coâ—nsâ—l nay charge to comfort his people yea to â—omfort them at the hart which althoâ—gh pe chance by reason of mine owne weaknes or weaknes of the patient I haue not fully attained yet I doubt not but that it wil appear that I haue faithfully atteÌ„pted the performâ—â—e therof applying according to the mesure of the vnderstaÌ„ding of God giueÌ„ vnto me the coÌ„forts of the conscience to the bâ—oken and wounded hart that in such sort as that they may not only take away dispaire but also by the blessing of God security it self that liberty of sinning that some think perthance will ensue by the setting abroch the
by sorce vsurpest the inheritance of Iacob an Achab that oppressest Naboth with his vineyard a theefe that takest the goods of other men a dogge that eatest vp the childrens bread The curse of the law together with the threatnings therof arâ— those things that are proper vnto thee First therfore clense thy hands thou hypocrit thy hart thou doble minded man then come talke with the Lord anâ— then though thy sins be as the skarlet the Lord wil make theÌ„ as the snow thogh they be as the purple the Lord wil make them as the wooll then shalt thou finde comfort in the comforts of the Lord be comforted in deed It lyeth therfore in thee that both that which thou readest may bâ— comfortable that that which I haue written may be profitable The framing of thy self to the obedieÌ„ce of faith together with the right vse of these other the coÌ„forts of the Lord may both stop the mouths oâ— those that inueigh against ouermuch comfort as that which wil lay opeÌ„ as they say a gap to al sin Epicurisme also cause me not to repent my selfe of my labor wheÌ„ I shall see thee bettered the weak comforted thee cast downe the humble lifted vp thee to be full of obedience the mourners ful of comfort when God shall be glorified man shal haue cause to glorie in the liuing Lord. For these causes good brother haue I entred into this actioÌ„ contriued coÌ„piled this discourse concerning the forgiuenes of thy sins A matter though plentifull full of comfort insomuch that it might in either regard haue excited many to haue handled the same yet either with such breuity or with so light a hand passed ouer as that I feared not least I should as they say wash a tile sow of another mans seed if I wrote any thing therof I therefore although I acknowledge my selfe to be theÌ„ most vnfit of many or rather any other to wade in a mater of so great importance yet not at the least experieÌ„ced perchaÌ„ce of all other haue vndertaken this whether labor or losse haue committed to the presse that which I haue writteâ— here not preuenting any man hereby that meant to vndertake the managing of the matter for I haue left a sufficient large field for any other thâ— is better able to exercise himself hauinâ— only dilated at large that but rudelâ— in this discourse but those few principall reasons that I deliuered before iâ— one of my sermons vpon the Colossians froÌ„ vvhich by reason of the length I haue seuered this discourse into a seueral booke as that which exceedeth the length of a sermon but rather giuing an example by mine example to others of greater giftes to wade in this argument as that whicâ— requireth by reason of the depth of sathaÌ„ and the weaknes of many the care of â— saithfull the paine of a diligent the gift of a learned the feelings of an experienced man vntil the performance wherof accept of this my labour of loue vsing the same as to the gloâ—y of God so tâ— thine own coÌ„fort that this whiâ—h is written for thy comfort be not vnto thy condemnation either through the contempt or abuse thereof Now the God of al glory sanctifie thy heart throughout anâ— make thee to abound in all full and sound feelings of the manifold benefits graces of God in Iesus Christ our Sauiour and Redeemer Iohn Freeman The first Chapter Wherein it is declared that there is liuely hope of comfort left vnto all them that mourne vnder the burden of their sinnes As there is no estate either in bodie or soule more dangerous or more miserable than that which is desperate so there is no speech either more lamentable or lesse true thaÌ„ that which commeth therefrom which in effect is either the same that came from Cain that crieth out that his sins are greater than can bee forgiuen or that which came from Ieremie inferred as it were vpon the former that concludeth that there is no hope left for him in the lord Wherein albeit they speake according to the sight of their sinnes that seem to be monstrous and therefore vnpardonable or according to the feeling of the wrath of God which seemeth vnremoueable therfore intollerable yet not according to the verie truth it selfe For it is not to bee denied but that the blood of Christ which is that price wherwith they were redeemed froÌ„ their sins far excelleth the value of all sinne whatsoeuer in the sight of God that the holy ghost which is that sanctifying spirit that washeth vs from all our sins being God therfore of infinit power is able to clense vs and wipe away as all teares from our eies so all sins from our soule to make those offences that are as the skarlet that is the most bloody as the skarlet is mostred to be like vnto the snow and them that are as the purple to be like vnto the wooll For the Lord is rich in mercie to all them that call vpon him faithfully and abundant in kindnes And therfore as the Prophet Dauid coÌ„cludeth there is mercy with him that he may be feared and with the Lord there is plenteous redemption It followeth therefore that howsoeuer it appeareth not vnto that soule yet there is hope of coÌ„fort left vnto him so to all theÌ„ that come vnto the father by Iesus Christ our Lord. For euen God the Father is called by the spirit the God of all comfort and the Father of all mercy consolation and Iesus Christ is that fountaine of gardens as the spouse calleth him in whom all fulnes yea euen of the comforts of God dwelleth without measure and the spirit of God is called by Christ himself the comforter So that we being by the spirit which is the comforter lead through Christ the fountaine of the gardens of the comforts of the Lord vnto God the father the father of all comfort and consolation how is it possible that wee should want either comfort or spirituall consolation Aske them that haue been heretofore as thy selfe afflicted therfore for the present as thy selfe perswaded aske them I say whether though they spake according to their present feeling yet whether they spake according to the words of truth yea or no. They can tell thee and that both out of the word and by experience that although sorrow lodge with thee for a night yet ioy shall come in the morning that they are al blessed that now weep for they reioice that they are blessed that mourne for they shall be comforted that a broken contrite hart is a sacrifice sweet smelling vnto God the Father and acceptable in Iesus Christ our Lord and that both this thy sorrow which is for thy sins if it be so great as that it breed repentance and so little as that it breed not despaire is that godly sorow which is a notable
grace of God and a singuler vertue created in thee by the spirit consisting between two extreames despaire on the one side and sencelesnesse on the other side and also that euen this thine as it seemeth seruile feare is that spirit of bondage to feare which is mentioned in the eight to the Romans That is that fruit of the spirit of God wrought in thee to bring thee to the true feare of God which is as the holy Ghost beareth witnesse the verie fountain and offspring of wisdome And that therefore this sorrow and feare are but those foundations or ground workes vpon the which the spirit of God whose worke-manship now thou art in Iesus Christ will build the other graces of God euen sanctification that is righteousnes true holines the fruit wherof as the Apostle Iames telleth vs is sowne in peace spirituall comfort with the fulnes of God and of the holy Ghost which being once felt after thy sorrow will make thee sing a Psalme of thanksgiuing vnto the Lord and make thee to reioyce with ioy vnspeakable For the end of godly sorrow is ioy in the spirit comfort in the holy ghost After Peters teares ensued the fulnes of the holy Ghost Dauid that in one place complaineth that his sinnes are continually before his face and gone ouer his head as a burden too heauy for him to beare in another Psalme addresseth himselfe to sing of the mercie and iustice of the Lord and to extoll his long patience louing kindnes The Iewes that by the preaching of Peter were pricked in conscience were afterward by the same Peter baptised to the remissioÌ„ of their sins The Iaylor that had drawne out his sword to kill himselfe withall was after comforted by Paule and reioyced that he with his whole houshold beleeued in God And to conclude what one man hath there euer ben that rightly sorowed for his sins that hath not found his sorrow to be turned into ioy and his mourning into comfort Comfort thy selfe therefore with their comforts and so make thy selfe partaker of their comforts Knowing this that the Lord that hath giuen thee wine to glad thy heart oile to make thee haue a cheerful countenance sweete flowers to delight thy sences musicke to refresh thy mind generally to speake in a word manifold comforts for thy body is as rich in the comforts of the spirit which he will as richly in his time appointed shed into thy heart by the holy Ghost the knowledge wherof may be a good step to the attaining of that spiritual comfort that thou desirest and thirstest after For to a sicke man it is euen health it selfe to know that his disease is curable that there is remedie inough for the same But as it is not ynough to know that there is a salue for his sore except hee know the confection and the same be applyed so in this disease of the soule I meane despaire it is not sufficient to know that there is a remedie except the same be applyed accordingly The one which is to apply the remedie I commit to the worke of the grace of God and to thine owne care and desire of peace and ease The other which is to describe the comfort I will by the grace of God labour in And herein I will describe those particulars onely which my selfe know to haue been profitable vnto others that haue been as thou art afflicted The 2. Chapter In the first part whereof are set down the expresse pomises of God concerning the free forgiuenes of sins and in the later is declared first that the same promises of merâ—y are deliuered vnto vs in the word of God then that they are bound by his oath thirdly that they are also bound by his Indenture of couenants and lastly that they are confirmed by two visible signs tokens in sted of woÌ„ders to wit Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. The fi st Section FIrst therefore I will that thou mayest not relye vppon the vncertainety of man but the vnchaungeable truth of God set thee downe those expresse promises of God concerning the free forgiuenesse of thy sinnes that the Scriptures most euidently plentifully for the most part in euery one of the Prophets afford As namely in the 18. of Ezekiel where the Lord expressely promiseth that if the wicked will return from his sinnes that hee hath committed and keepe all his statutes and do the thing that is lawfull and right that he shall surely liue and shall not die and that all his transgressions that hee hath committed shal not be mentioned vnto him but in his righteousnesse that he hath done he shall liue And againe in his 33 Chapter the Lord by the mouth of the same Prophet promiseth that if the wicked turn from his sinne none of his sinnes that he hath committed shall euermore be mentioned vnto him And this is that also which is promised by the Lord by the mouth of his Prophet Ieremie in his 33 chap. to all them that repent who promiseth that he will cleÌ„se them from all their iniquities whereby they sinned against him yea that he will pardon al their iniquities wherby they haue sinned against him and wherby they haue rebelled against him And this is yet further confirmed by the mouth of the Prophet Esay who in his 43. chapter bringeth in the Lord himselfe speaking after the same maner and saying I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquitie for mine owne sake and will not remembeâ— thy sins any more And again in his 44. chapter he saith I haue put away thy transgressions like a cloud and thy sins as a mist turne vnto me for I haue redeemed thee Infinite are those promises of the Lord that are liuely and in euerie one of the Prophets euen as many as haue written from Moses from thence forward and that oftentimes expressed All which it shall bee needlesse to repeat These few in stead of all the rest may suffice to shew vnto thee that the Lord hath passed his promise to passe by thy sins and to forgiue thine offences trasgressions The consideration whereof may be a strong and infallible comfort vnto thy conscience Knowing that the Lord that hath promised is able by reason of his power to whome it only appertaineth to forgiue sins is willing by reason of his promise to performe it For we are not to set the Lord before our eyes ae those vaine men of the world that promise more than they are able to accomplish or as those deceitfull men which being in the ballance are lighter than vanitie it selfe who make a face but haue no heart make an offer but haue no purpose to performe that which they promise For who hath euer put his trust in the Lord and went away confounded Who hath euer relyed vppon the Lord and the Lord lied vpon him Who hath euer depended vpon him did not by experience find that it is better to trust in the
Exodus where the Lord being to establish his fiâ—st which is that old couenant with the Iewes in the hand of Moses the Mediator of the old Couenant caused diuers beasts to be sacrificed and their bloods to be taken in two vessels acco ding to the two persons that is God and the Iewes with whom the Couenant was to be made and the blood to be sprinkled vpon the pillars erected for that purpose the one representing the Lord the other the people which being accordingly performed by Moses he added saying This is the blood of that couenant which the Lord hath made with you That is to say this blood is that blood by the which the Lord sealeth vnto you the couenant that before hee coâ—enanted with you Thus as the Lord sealed his old couenants with the blood of bullocks goats and rammes which were but tipes of Christ the body of all the shadowes So he sealed according to his vsuall maner this his Indenture of the new couenant in like maner with blood and that with the blood of his only begotten sonne And the reason why the Lord after this manner sealed his couenants was this for that vnto those people a will or a testament and a couenant were all of one nature And therefore the Apostle to the Hebrues the spirit of God in diuers places beside comprehendeth them both vnder one name or word which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth either a will or testament also a couenant Now we know that a testament or wiâ—l and so a couenant is neuer ratified vntill the death of the testator that is the man that made the will but he being once dead the will cannot be altered but must stand vnchangeably For a man that is dead cannot alter his will or couenant The Lord therefore being immortall and therefore could not die that he might by the same vnchangeable manner ratifie and confirme his promises caused certaine beasts which represented his bodie as tipes and figures of himselfe to be slaine for him and in his stead vntill that Christ himselfe who was aboue all things God blessed for euermore should in his owne person by his owne death and the shedding of his most precious bloud estab ish and confirme this his owne good will and testament that is this new couenant afore mentioned And thereby seale sinnes and purge iniquitie so bring in euerlasting peace as the Angell speaketh to Daniel in his ninth Chapter Christ therefore by his death and bloodshedding hath established this new couenant of the forgiuenes of our sinnes in such sort as that it cannot be changed For the man being dead as the Apostle sheweth to the Hebrewes the wil is not to be altered God therfore that he might assure vs that he would not alter this his good will couenant of grace laid downe his owne life and so by his death which was by the shedding of his blood hee hath so sealed this his couenant as that it cannot be broken nor disanulled And as hereby hee hath inuincibly confirmed his couenants so hath he herein vsed no other seale to seale them withall thaÌ„ that which hath been alwayes vsuall in the like cases For as all his former couenants especially the old couenant were confirmed by blood so likewise is this his Indenture sealed and so ratified by the blood of Iesus Christ which is therfore as before I said verie fitly called the blood of the new couenant for that thereby this couenant is ratified sealed vnchangeably confirmed Thus then thou hast the Lords Indenture written with his owne hand and sealed with his owne blood which is that broad seale and that seale of Armes that is vsually affixed vnto such couenants escripts And herein least thou shouldest thinke that this seale were a counterfeit or added by stealth thou art to know that the institution of this seale or Sacrament came not from man but froÌ„ God himselfe who the same night that hee was betraied ordained the same coÌ„maunded it to be ioyned and added vnto the word of grace and the preaching of the forgiuenesse of sinnes as infinit proofes might be alleaged if it were a mater of any doubt The truth therfore and the lawfulnes of the seale is a matter out of all doubt and controuersie What is there els then that thou requirest for the confirmation of this his or rather thine euidence Desirest thou witnesse Behold the testimonie of all the Prophets and Apostles who were the pen-men and writers hereof who therfore ought to stand for double witnesses Behold the witnes of the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost the witnes of all the faithfull of God who with one mouth as afterward in part shall appeare do confesse the same But what shalt thou need to bee carefull hereof when thou mayest bee assured that the lord if thou shew him his own writings and scriptures will neuer deny his owne hand Hauing therefore this Indenture writing of the Lords own hand follow herein the example of that godly king Ezekiah who wheÌ„ he had receiued letters from Zenacherib that were blasphemous against God entred into the temple of God vnfolded them and layd them open before God to mooue the Lord the rather thereby to bowe downe his eares and to heare his requests that hee powred out before him So thou hauing receiued not from maÌ„ but from God himselfe writing euideÌ„ces not of wrath but of his free meâ—cie and the forgiuenesse of thy sinnes enter into thy chaÌ„ber take these euidences couenants of the Lord with thee vnfold them spread them lay them open and read them before the face of God And withall after the example of Ezechiah poure forth thy prayers supplications before the Lord and say vnto him as followeth OH most merciful God the father o all comfort and consolation thou that art that strong God that forgiuest offences and passest by iniquitie in the remnant of thy possession thou that preparest the heart of the poore then openest thine eare to hearken therevnto Incline O Lord thine eare heare open O Lord thine eies and see behold O Lord the word of thine owne lips the writings of thine owne hand Of a truth Lord I haue sinned and done exceediÌ„g wickedly in thy sight I acknowledge it confesse it before the throne of thy grace But thou O Lord according to the riches of thy mercy and louing kindnes hast promised to forgiue mine offences Yea the more to shew the stablenes of thy counsell thou hast tied thy selfe by an oath thereunto And that which is more thou hast couenanted and indented with me by thiâ— thy couenant to passe by mine iniquities to remember my sinnes no more And now Lord regard I beseech thee thy gracious and free mercie the oath of thy holinesse and behold the words of thine owne mouth the works and the couenants of thine owne hands sealed with thine own most precious blood confirmed by thy death
the sicknes and weaknes of thy bodie The Lord is mercifull euen towards his enemies euen to the froward and vngodly man he maketh his rain to fall vpon the good and the bad his sun to shine vpon the iust and the vniust He giueth foode euen vnto the godlesse and vnrighteâ—us man euen to him that stubbornly opposeth himself against his maiesty If the Lord be so mercifull to his enemies how merciful will he be to his friends If to the reprobates what mercy will he shew to his elect If to his slaues what to his sons If to the vessels of wrath what to the vessels of mercie If to the froward what to the meeke If to the obstinate what mercie will hee shew to the mourners especially sith all the promises of God are made either only or especially to them that are filled with sorrow for their sinnes Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted Mat. 7. Blessed are they that weepe for they shall laugh and reioyce Luke 6. And againe to whome shall I looke saith the Lord Es 66. euen to him that is poor that is broken in spirit and that trembleth at my wordes and for the most part all other the promises of God are made to the sicke to the sinners to the lost and to them that are heauy loden Thou therfore that mournest that tremblest and art grieued with thy sinnes maiest after a more especiall manner assure thy selfe of Gods mercie to releeue thy miserie euen the miserie of thy soule and thy sinne Thou thy selfe shewest mercie euen vnto thy brother thy seruant offendeth thee and thou pardonest him thy sonne dishonoreth thee and thou for bearest him thy neighbor despiseth thee and thou forgiuest him yea thy dogge and thy beast resisteth thee yea displeaseth thee and yet thou passest by it is there more mercie in thee to thy neighbour than is in thy God to thee Art thou more kinde to thy seâ—uant nay to thy dog than God is vnto thee Canst and doest thou forgiue thy brother that offendeth thee aâ—d will not God forgiue thee offending his Maiestie Is there more mercie in man than in God Nay is not this mercy in man an image of the mercie of God according to the which wee were framed So that thou maiest behold the mercie of God towards thee in the vse of thy mercie towards thy brother Dooth not Christ plainly teach vs that if we forgiue men that trespasse against vs our heauenly Father will and shall forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs If therfore thou being greeued for thy sinnes desirest to be assured that they are forgiuen reioyce when thou seest any man offend thee Knowing that thereby the Lord hath offered vnto thee an outward signe and an assured argument to prooue the forgiuenes of thy sinnes vnto thy owne soule and conscience For if thou forgiuest thy brother thy God also will forgiue thee For the Lord will contend and striue with thee in the forgiuenesse of sinnes as whether thou shalt forgiue more offences to thy brother or thy God vnto thee and the Lord will ouercome and goe before thee herein For as he is infinit so his mercy is endlesse And as in a line one poiâ—t is continued to another so in the meâ—cies of God the end of one is the beginning of a new mercie from the Lord. It is therefore a very profitable way to feele the mercie of the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eueÌ„ to pâ—ouoke the Lord to mercie towards our selues by shewing mercie towards our brethren For if wee shall contend with the Lord in shewing mercie namely whether we shal shew more mercy to our brethren or our God to vs we shall be sure to be ouercome and the Lord will get the victorie And herein it is both glorious and profitable and also comfortable for vs to be ouercome of the Lord for his victorie is our triumph The wicked and those that are lulled asleepe in the depth of their owne sins can confesse and acknowledge the truth of the mercie of the Lord and can say though in the flatterie of their owne soules that God is mercifull that God is mercifull Can the Scorners to whom the mercie of the Lord doth not appertaine acknowledge the mercie of God and the forgiuenesse of their sins And canst not thou to whom all the promises of meâ—cie do belong apply the same vnto thy selfe and acknowledge with thy mouth and beleeue with thy heart that thy sins are forgiuen Why shouldest not thou doe that fruitfâ—lly which those men doe vnprofitably Why not thou do that truely which they do falsly Why not thou do that comfortably which they do but flatteringly Imitate the Bee that sucketh honie out of that flower out of the which the Spider draweth poyson This is the first reason that is taken from the mercie of God which is naturall vnto him The 4. Chapter VVherin the forgiuenes of sins is proued by the â—onsideratioÌ„ of Gods iustiâ—e which is aâ—other nature essentiall vnto him by three speciall wayes First by reason that the Lord both promised to forgiue our sins in regard wheâ—eof it standeth with hiâ—â—ustice to performe the same Secondly for that he hath already punished Iesus Christ for our offences and therefore cannot in iustiâ—e punish them in vs also And lastly because he hath alreadie punished our persons in Christ so cannot iustly punish vs againe THe second kinde of reason is taken froÌ„ the iustice of God which is another nature essentiall to the Lord. From which also as well as from his mercy there ariseth a necessarie reason to perswade vnto vs the forgiuenesse of our sinnes and that many waies The first Section First for that the Lord hath promised to forgiue our sins as before hath been sufficiently proued in regard whereof it standeth with his iustice to performe the same And that also in such a necessitie as that either he must forgiue vs our offences according to his word or els wee must account him vnfaithfull in the breach of his promises or els which were horrible to think or iudge him to be an hypocrite or a dissembler in pretending one thing and intending another or else inconstant in altering that which he hath spoken with his lips he must be thoght which were moÌ„strous to be vniust in lying against his truth For iniustice dooth not consist onely in workes but in words also and it appertaineth vnto a iust man to deale not only vprightly but truly also This iustice therefore of the Lord either must flatly be denied which were to denie God to be God or els the remission of our sins must of necessitie be both enforced and inferred And therefore Iohn in his first Epistle and first Chapter vrgeth this especiall reason saying If we confes out sinnes God is faithfull and iust to forgiue our sins and to purge vs from all iniquitie And Dauid in his 103 Psalme in effect vseth the same reason
like perchance they would haue purged the bodie only the bloud of Christ is that strange and strong purgation that worketh vpon the very soule and purgeth the same euen as Rubarbe or any such like purgeth the body from the filth thereof yea the bloud of Christ is that water that washeth away the matter of our festered wounds and cooleth all the heat that flasheth in our soule being bred by the fierie darts of the deuill For as Iohn testifieth in his Reuelation Christ hath washed vs by his bloud it is that oyle that healeth all our wounds For as Esay saith by his stripes are we healed it is that Triacle or Cordiall more precious than the confection of pearles which maketh a man sound when he is readie to swoune for weaknes It is that Antidorum or preseruatiue more soueraigne than the Vnicornes horn that defendeth the soule from the poyson of the old serpent It is that restoratiue that euen then when we are readie to loose our life eâ—en the life of the soule which is faith and to die in dâ—spaire beeing taken into our soule râ—â—â—â—ueth cheareth and quickneth it and so maketh vs to liue when wee die For as Christ testifieth he that eateth his flesh and drinketh his bloud hath eternall life abiding in him so that though hee die yet shall hee liue It is that wine that cheereth the soule and that meat that strengtheneth the same being exceding weake To speake in a word it cureth all the diseases of the soule it cureth the pockes of the â—oule that commeth by adulterie the gout of the soule that coÌ„meth by ease the surfeting of the soule that commeth by gluttonie and drunkennes the dead palsie that commeth of the coldnesse in profession the consumption of the soul that commeth by decaying in religion I meane by Apostacie the burning ague of the soule that coÌ„meth by ouermuch choller anger the leprosie of the soul which is sinne And that which all other phisicke cannot doe vnto the bodie this doth vnto the soule For it cureth them that are loue sick euen sick for the loue of women gold siluer promotion of theÌ„selues yea it taketh away old inueterat confirmed diseases though they haue ben continued ten twenty fortie fourescore a hundred yeares yea our whole life yea it healeth naturall infirmities and those which were brought into the world euen originall sin which we had from our fathers infection And that which is more we are borne blind so that we could not behold the light of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ and yet this maketh vs see we were born deafe so that our eares aâ— the eares of the Adder were stopped against the word and this openeth them we were dumb that we could not speak to the glorie of God and this giueth vs speech we were born lame so that we could not walk in the waies of the lord this maketh vs whole for the blood of Christ is as able to cure the lame legs of the soule as the name of Christ in the Apostles spirite was able to cure him that was a cripple borne lay begging at the beautifull gate of the temple the blood of Christ is as able to cure all the diseases whatsoeuer of the soule as the word of Christ was to cure all the infirmities of the bodie whatsoeuer And yet I know not how we account not of this medicine either because it seemeth base vnto vs because wee knowe not the strength and vertue therof or els because wee neede it not For as whole men care not for phisicke them that are sound account not of purgations but cast theÌ„ in the fire or at their heels so they that are lusty in soule that think themselues sound as the Pharisie that are not wounded at the hart as the Iews in the second of the Acts contemne the blood of Christ make no reckoning thereof But when they are once wounded with the feeling of their sins then they take it to the hart that before they set at their heeles and neuer doth man know the profit of this bloud vntill hee haue ben sick in mind All other medicines of the body will not helpe some one disease thereof but this being but one helpeth all infirmities of the soule And if it were not for this remedy surely wee had beene dead long before thiâ— time for wee could neuer haue liued halfe so long But now hauing this it is a present remedie whereas otherwise euery light word and euery little fall would haue killed bodie and soule but such is the force of the bloud of Christ that hauing the same ready the strongest poyson of the serpent cannot ouercome vs the hottest firie dart burne vs nor the greatest wound kill vs we are presently whole so soone as we apply it Oh if a man had such a medicine for the bodie as would preserue him from the plague in all infections from the pocks after all adulteries from the gout after all ease from daunger after all surfets from death in all sicknesses and after all wounds that would cure old and confirmed diseases those also which were naturall of what price and that iustly would he value the same But the death of Iesâ—s â—hrist and the shedding of his blood doth as before was shewed bring present remedie for all diseases of the soule which are the sinnes thereof for the same is sin to the soule that is sicknesse to the bodie what account then ought we to make of this death which death ouercame death which ouercame hell and sin it selfe So that we may say away death thou art ouercom by death away death thou art ouercome by life his weaknes is ouercom by his strength our infirmitie by his power our sinne by his righteousnes his death brought our life he was weake to strengthen vs he base that we glorious he sicke that wee sound hee a banished man that we Citizens he flesh that we spirituall he shed his blood that we might be healed We may therefore conclude that no sin can hurt vs sith the death of Christ and his blood is a present remedie against all And thus in this first respect the blood of Christ being the phisicke for the soule argueth the forgiuenes of our sins in that it prooueth the câ—ring of our infirmities The 9 Chapter VVherin the forgiunes of sins is proued by coÌ„sidering Christ as he is our redeemer who hath with his own body purchased of his father the pardon of our sins and with hiâ— own bloud raÌ„somed vs paid the price of the redeÌ„ption of our sins IN the second respect the bloud of Christ proueth the forgiuenesse of our sinnes for that it is not onely the Phisick of the soule which purgeth the same from all corruptions that is the sinnes thereof but also that price by the which Christ purchased of his father the pardon for our sinnes For as the Apostle teacheth vs in this present verse
we haue redemptioÌ„ by his bloud the forgiuenes of our sins And Peter in his Epistle telleth that wee were redeemed from our vaine conuersation not with corruptible things as gold and siluer but with the most precious bloud of the sonne of God Whereby the Apostle teacheth vs that as the pardon of our sinnes from the hands of God is farre more excellent than the Popes pardon which may whether it be for murder or theft or whordome or any such like be purchased for gold or siluer or wool or such like trash so it is to be purchased with a price farre more precious euen with the bloud of the son of God which onely was able to purchase our pardon for vs. And therfore if the same had ben wanting alas what had there beene left in vs able to haue procured the same A man would fast water and bread all the daies of his life yea hee would trauell to Rome to Ierusalem and farther bare footed and bare legged yea he would whip himselfe with cords wreathed with yron yea launce himselfe with pennekniues â—s the Priests of Baal he would giue abundance of gold and siluer hee would keepe open house giue great doale releeue many poore by many trentall of masses build Abbies Monasteries Churches Schooles and Colledges as the Papists do for the Pardon of their sinnes yea he would as they lay open their shame to the Priestes eares in auricâ—lar confession if that would purchase him pardon for his sin yea he would with the Iews come into the courts of the Lords house and offer many Bullocks Rams and Goats he would shed riuers of bloud poure out streames of oyle vnto the Lord yea hee would as Micheas saith giue the fruit of his wombe for the sinne of his soule and as the Idolatoâ—s did make his sonnes to go through fire and offer them to deuils if all this would prâ—cure vnto him pardon for his sin Yea what would not a woundâ—d conscience giue to be disburdened of the weight of his sinne and to purchase vnto himselfe a pardon not from the Pope but from he Lord for his offences But it will cost to great a price for him to redeem his own soule or the sin thereof with any thing in himselfe He must therefore set that alone for euer and look for the pardon of his offences by the bloud of Iesus Chirst which is that onely price by the which it might be procured which being accordingly offered vnto God the Father and that vpon the aulter of the crosse he hath with the value and price thereof purchased that which all both heauen and earth could not otherwise haue procured euen the forgiuenes of our sinnes And thereby hath left vnto vs an assurance for the attaining of the pardon of our offences For farâ—e be it from vs that we shuld account the Lord either a cosener who would deceiue vs or aâ— oppressor or an extortioner that would by violence keepe from vs any suâ—h thing as we had right vnto by the way of purchase Hauing therfore right vnto the pardon of our sinnes because Christ hath purchased the same with his blood we are assured that our sins must and shâ—ll be for euer forgiuen and blotted out That Lord that giueth more than we deserue will not keepe from vs that which is our due aâ—d hee that giueth all thinges freely will not debarre vs of that which is purchased for vs so deerely as with the blood of Iesus Christ The 10 Chapter VVherein are touched two reasons taken froÌ„ the spirit of God the holy Ghost being the third persoÌ„ in the Trinity The first as the spirit is considered to work repeÌ„tance contrition in vs so washeth vs froÌ„ our sin The other as the spirit breedeth and worketh peace in our conscience wherewith the forgiuenesse of our sins is sealed VNto those reasons taken from the Father and the Son I might adde two other principall reasons taken from the spirit of God 1 The first whereof is this namely that one and the selfe same spirit that is called by Paule Rom. 8. the spirit of bondage to feare and also that worketh godly sorow in vâ— vnto repentaâ—ce mentioned 2. Cor. cap 7. is also that sanctifying spirit of God which washeth and cleanseth vs from all our sinneâ— and therefore it is compared to fire and water because as fire it purgeth as water it cleanseth vs from all our sâ—nnes and therfore is it that the Apostle saith Cor. 6. that ye are washed that ye are cleansed that yee are sanctified in the name of Iesus Christ and by the spirit of our God So that they that sorrow rightly for their sinnes and are possessed with the spirit of bondage to feare euen to feare hell Gods wrath the deuill and their owne estate may be assured that the same spirit that worketh the sorrow washeth the soule that breedeth the feare bringeth the fauour of God that defileth their cheeks with teares cleanseth their soules from sinne also for one spirit worketh all and in all the elect of God So that while we lay open our sins we lay them vpon Christ who beareth them and taketh them away While we hide not our sins the lord hideth them He that sorroweth rightly for theÌ„ looseth all sorrow for them and hee that rightly seeth them looseth the sight of them for euermore 2 The second reason is taken from the peace of conscience which the spirit working in vs dooth seale the forgiuenesse of our sinnes as the Apostle plainely sheweth in the fift to the Romans where he saith being iustified by faith we are at peace with God So that if euer since we sinned we felt the peace of conscience it was the worke of the spirit that sealed our iustification that is the full forgiuenes of our sinnes And therfore hauing once felt the same wee need not doubt whether our sinnes be forgiuen vs yea or no. But as I haue breefly omitted the other reason so I will defer this vnto a more proper place And so concluding those reason that arise froÌ„ God considered in his persons I will come vnto other reasons taken from man being considered in his sins The 11. Chapter VVherein is contained the first argument or reason which to proue the forgiuenes of sins is taken from the câ—eatuâ—e the reasons beiâ—g before taken from the creaâ—oâ— and that fâ—om man coâ—sidered in himselfe with his estate being naturally in lined to sin THe first whereof is taken from the consideration of the naturall inclination of man vnto sinne For as Dauid saith of himselfe In sin was I conceiued and in iniquitie did my mother bring me forth And Iob demandeth saying Who can make that cleane that is borne of vncleane seede And Paul plainely teacheth vs that by the sinne of one man sinne raigned ouer all and that in Adam all sinned So that as we drew froÌ„ Adam our being so our sinning as our flesh and bone so our corruption as our nature so
words For this rule is generally true that a lier speaketh clean contrarie vnto the truth and the cleane contrarie of that which the deuil speaketh is true For in a lier the cleane contrarie part must be taken for the truth If therefore it euer hath beene said vnto thee in thy soule that thou shouldest not bee saued or that thy sinnes should not be pardoned it hath beene as it were the message of the Lord vnto thy soule to signifie vnto thee thy election and iustification that thou shouldest be saued and that thy sins were forgiuen And looke how often this hath beene vrged vnto thy soule so often hath it been told vnto thee by the Lord although by the message of the deuil if thou hadst rightly vnderstood his language And therefore when thou fearing the forgiuenes of thy sinnes receiuest an answer in thy soule that in vaine thou prayest that thou shalt not be pardoned because thy sins are greater as thou art perswaded then that they can be forgiuen so often cheare thy selfe and thanke God for his louing mercie and message that hath told thee and certified thy conscience though by the message of Sathan that thy sins are forgiuen thee For alwaies that which is cleane contrarie vnto the speech of a lier is the truth And therefore when Sathan saith that they are not forgiuen the cleane contrarie is true and that is that they are forgiuen If we haue once learned this lesson well and shall put the same in practise in our soules and consciences we shall find as much comfort in this reason I know what I speake as in any other reason whatsoeuer For her by the mouth of the deuill is stopped for euer and he goeth away raging not knowing what else to say For if he did flatter vs with the forgiuenes of our sinnes we would not receiue his testimonie as Paul would not receiue the testimony of the southsaier or Christ of the deuill that confessed him to bee the sonne of the liuing God but we would beleeue that to be true because the Lord in his word said it Again if he did terrifie the conscience denie the forgiuenesse of our sinnes we would beleeue it then most stronglie knowing that in that a lier did denie it the truth it selfe did affirm it Thus euery way Sathan should be taken in a Dilemma what argument soeuer he vsed it would be turned vpon his owne head and we should be more wise thaÌ„ the diuell was subtile we should haue better skill in the truth of Logicke or reason than he in Sophistry If he did flatter vs we would cheare vpon it if he did feare vs we would cheare also vpon it if hee did perswade the forgiuenes of our siâ—s we should be comforted if he did disswade the forgiuenes of our sinnes wee should be comforted also and thus euery way we should be strengthned cheaâ—ed and comforted The 18 Chapter VVherein is contained the last reason taken from others to pâ—oue the forgiuenes of sins which is drawne from the euill and daungerous counsell of Sathan THe last reason that wee will at this time consider is taken from that diuellish and daungerous counsell which Sathan giueth to the soule which beeing troubled with the weight of sinne desireth the forgiuenesse thereof For it is the fashion of Sathan when thou hast sinned to perswade thee to kill thy selfe to hang thy selfe to drowne thy selfe or at the least to cast off al confideÌ„ce in hope all vse of faith and fully to dispaire of the mercy of God Then the which what counsel can be more diuelish for Sathan to giue or more dangerous for thee to follow For dispaire is a sin of the first table against the first commandement and against the highest God And therfore without qâ—estion it is the highest and greatest sin of all other that great sin only which is the sinne against the holy Ghost excepted It is therefore a worser and a greater sinne to dispaire then it is to worship Idols to prophane the Saboth to blaspheme the name of the Lord to dishonor thy parents to kil thy father or thy brother to deflour thy neighbors daughter or wife to rob thy neighbor to beare false witnesse and to forsweare thy selfe or then it is to commit any other such like sinne And no doubt but that Caine sinned more greeuously in dispairing of Gods mercie then in the murdering of his brother Abel and Iudas sinned not so much in betraying as in distrusting Christ his treason was not so greeuous as his dispaire â—â—s And the fore if according vnto the counsell of the deuill thou shouldest ad dispaire to thy other sins to thy whoredome thy murder thy blasphemie or thy robberie thou shouldest draw sinne after sin as it were with cartropes adde drunkennes vnto thirst and so heaping vp of thy sins shouldest fulfill the measure of thine iniquitie and purchase to thy selfe swift damnation Beware therefore how thou follow this counsell of the deuill who as in all other speeches he sheweth himselfe most znfaithfull so in this his perswasion to dtspaire most I know not whether I shall call him dangerous or doltish For to perswade to dispaire after sinne to commit one sin after another the greater after the lesser is as much as if an vnfaithfull phisition should prescribe a maâ— after he hath taken cold to take rats baue to driue it away or after he had caught the murre to drink cicuta or the iuice of hemlock to driue it away which being farre colder then the former cold would bring sodaine and speedy death euen such is the phisicke which that good phisition of the soule I meane the deuill giueth thee For when thou hast committed a great sinne against God he would haue thee commit a greater to driue away the fear of death he prescribeth the spedie death of bodie and soule to driue away the feare of hell fiâ—e he would haue thee presently to run to hell and to the deuill euen as if a man that feared the water should presently drown himselfe or if a man feared the fire he should presently goe burne himselfe and so presently feele that which hee feared because he would seare no longer Then the which what can be more foolish or contrarie vnto reason And yet so foolish thou art as that thou art ready to execute his counsell to think it the best couâ—se for thee to follow yea although thou canst hate other sins and crie out against the lothsomnes therof yet thou canst be ready to giue place to dispaire which is the greatest sin and to like that wel enogh to nourish it to think that thou mightest do well to dispaire and to cast off al hope of gods mercie Is it not a strange thing that thou shouldst loth whoredome theft murder and such like sins yea and if thou wert but mooued to them he greeued therat and yet like of dispaire a sinne farre greater than all the rest yea and that
therefore wee can neither straine him nor constraine him to fu fiâ—l his promise wee cannot sue him vpon an assumpsit But be it that we couâ—d he would find some one cause or other he would finde some demurre or pick some quarrell against vs and so would easily find a staffe to beare a dogge as the prouerbe is And herein he setteth the Lord before vs as it were a tyrant who albeit he promise neâ—er so much performe neuer a deale yet no â—an is able by reason of his force to inforce him thereunto And by this counter buffe he so buffeteth vs that we are reaâ—ie to staggeâ— at the pâ—omises of God But if this will not serue he will run with vs to the second reason which is taken from the mercie of God And hee will graunt it yea and say it is true God is me cifâ—ll indeed he gaue thee this and that blessing and benefit thou wert sicke and he healed thee poore he enriched thee base and he honoured thee miserable and he releeued thee yea he gaue thee of his spirit the ioyes of the holy Ghost the peace of conscience hee lifted the light of his countenance vpon thee and reuealed vnto thee himselfe his sonne Iesus Christ These benefits will he say as thou knowest should haue mooued thee vnto repentance but thou according to the hardnesse of thine own hart that cannot repent hast sinned against the Lord and so heaped and hoorded vp wrath against the day of wrath the reuelation of the iust iudgmeÌ„t of God Indeed will he say if thou hadst neuer receiued these graces from God then had there been left vnto thee some more hope but now after thou hast receiued all these graces to fall away to quench the spirit and grieue the holy Ghost whereby thou wert sealed vnto the day of redemption is such a sinne as cannot be pardoned And to this purpose he will alledge the saying of the Apostle to the Hebrewes in the sixt Chapter where hee saith that it is impossible that they which haue been once enlightened and haue tasted the heauenly gift and been partaker of the holy Ghost and haue tasted the good word of God and the powers of the world to come if they fall away to be renewed by repentance And by this meanes and testimonie of the spirit of God hee exceedingly terrifieth the conscience and will neuer suffer it to haue peace vntill it shall please the Lord to giue thereunto the right vse sense of this place wherwith Sathan being repulsed assaulteth them afresh reasoning from the former mercie of God to the forgiuenesse of their sinnes after this manner saying thou haddest sinned before in the like maner and in the same matter and that not once or twise but oftentimes and the Lord pardoned thee and now doest thou think that he will pardon thee againe Why art thou not ashamed to come againe vnto the Lord and craue pardon for this sinne With what face will hee say canst thou look vpon the Lord Why me thinketh that thou shouldest be ashamed to trouble the Lord so often with thy prayers and requests Indeed will he say if it had been the first or second time then it had beene more tollerable but now after the fift or sixt time or more again to trouble the Lord with thy requests it is neither for thy honestie nor for the Lords ease to be troubled so often about one matter and by this means he maketh vs sometime for shame to ruâ— From the Lord and with Adâ—m being ashamed to hide our selues in the woods fâ—om the presence of the Lord and not to dare to craue pardon againe for our sins vntill wee haue learned the nature of the Lords mercie with the prodigall sonne setting all shaâ—e aside to retuâ—ne to our father and to confesse that we haue sinned against heauen and against our God that we are not worthy to be cal ed hiâ— sons and also that shame and confusion belongeth to vs but mercie forgiuenes vnto the Lord If he see that this reason will not serue the turne hee will turne ouer the leafe with vs and come to the third reason which is taken from the iustice of God And from thence hee will reason after this manner saying Thou knowest that the Lord is a iust God a reuenger of all disobedience offered vnto his Maiestie and such a one as in the middest of his mercie thinketh on iustice and therefore he will not no nor cannot bee appeared vntill he hath eased himself of hiâ— enemies and auenged himselfe of thy sinnes And the rather to perswade this he will tell vs that it is a fearefull thing to fal into the hands of the liuing Lord and that no adulterer fornicator couetous person murderer or such like shall enter into the kingdome of God or Iesus Christ but shall haue his portion in that lake that burneth with fire brimstone which is the second death as the spirit testifieth And the more deeply to perswade this vnto the conscience hee will set before vs the son of Gods loue Iesus Christ and tell vs that the Lord spared no not his owne sonne who had put our sinnes vpon him and how then shall he spare vs yea he will set before our eies the wrath of God poured vpon Cain for his murder vpon the Beniaminites for their adulterie vpon Corah Dathan and Abiram for their rebellion who went downe quicke into hell and vpon the Sodomits whom the Lord destroyed with fire and brimstone from heauen for their sinne yea he will set before our eies the threatnings of God who hath threatned death and damnation to all that shal transgresse his laws and those curses contained in the law of God denounced against the wicked And as they which are in securitie shall hear froÌ„ Sathan nothing els but mercy mercie so they that are afflicted shall find nothing from Sathan but iustice iustice wrath vengeance and displeasure And by this means it is incredible what feare and trembling he breedeth in the hearts of the mourners and by that means how hardly they are broght that hear nothing see nothing feele nothing but Gods iustice to imbrace and beleeue his mercie And by this reason he continually terrifieth the conscience vntill it knowe that both the wrath of God was appeased in Christ Iesus who in our person and for our sin was punished and so the iustice of God was executed in and vpon him and also that as the law with the threatnings thereof appertaineth vnto the obstinate so the promises with the grace of God not the lawe appertaine vnto them that are trulie humbled and in Iesus Christ For they that are in Christ saith the Apostle are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace Now if Sathan see that none of these reasons from the Father will serue his turne hee will run with vs vnto Christ and will tell vs that there was neuer any such man as Christ was or
if there were that he was but a deceiuer a iugler a false Christ sent into the â—orld to seduce the wicked and them that are appoynted to reprobation as shall more at large appeare in another place But if this will not serue the turn he will perswade vs that Christ came to be a iudge to condemne the world and to leaue them without excuse as he did Martine Luther and so will he set him frowning vpon vs as a Iudge that is displeased with vs. Or if this will not serue hee will tell vs that Christ came not to die for vs but for Peter Paule Dauid and such like but as for vs hee knew vs not we were not then and therfore he could not then die for vs. But yet if this will not suffice hee will euen chide with the soule and ask him whether hee will make Christ a bawd for his sinnes And this especially he vrgeth while wee seeing our own nakednes do seeke and sue for the righteousnes of Christ to put vpon vs as a white garment to couer vs so as our nakednesse the filthinesse of our sins be not seene For then hee will stil vrge this one thing saying Oh thou wouldest haue Christ to be a couer a cloake yea a bawd for thy sin but all in vaine will he say And for the proofe hereof he wil straight alledge the saying of the Lord in the 70. psalme which is to be applied to the obstinate and such as hate discipline and cast the wordes of God behind their back as there plainely appeareth where he saith As soonâ— as thou seest a theefe thou consentest vnto him and thy portion is with the adulterers Thou openest thy mouth to euill and with thy toong thou framest deceit Thou sitting speakest against thy brother slaunderest thy mothers son While thou didst these things because I made my selfe as it were deafe thou thinkest me to be such a one as thy selfe is but I will reproue thee and set before thine eies thy sins in order as they were done And herby he excedingly trobleth the conscience and filleth it with feare and dispaire vntill such time as we feele our selues verely and indeed to be couered ouer with the righteousnes of the son of God Iesus Christ who is made vnto vs of God the Father wisedom holines righteousnes and redemption If this reason will not preuaile against vs he wil reason as wel as we from the holy Ghost and will tell vs that the feare that is bredde in our conscience for our sinnes is not the worke of the spirit of God to frame vs vnto repentance and to breed in vs a godly sorow to amendment of life but rather that it is a seruile fear such as Iames saith is in the deuils who fear tremble yea a doubting such as is in the infidels of whome the same Iames speaketh saying Let not the maÌ„ that doubteth think he shal receiuâ— any thing yea that it is a fore-tast of the displeasure of God and of the fearefull estate of the reprobat And as touching the peace of conscience albeit we haue aboundantly felt the same yet hee wil perswade vs that it was not the peace of conscience but rather an illusion of the deuill sent vnto him by the Lord to deceiue him and so to destroy him by a false flattering of himselfe And for the better perswasion hereof he will tell vs that the diuell can change himselfe into the image of an Angell of light and by that meanes so deceiue vs as that we cannot as he will say discerne the worke of the spirit from the illusion of the deuill To whom if we shal answer that albeit hee can change himselfe into thâ— image of an Angel of light yet not into the like working of the spirit of God for that he cannot create either ioy or peace of conscience or the spirit of adoptioÌ„ in vs. For these are proper works of the spirit yea euen in them that haue a temporarie faith and fall away againe vnto perdition his mouth is stopped he will leaue this reason and come vnto our naturall inclination to sin from thence he will reason after this manner saying Thou knowest that the Lord wil forgiue the sinnes only of the penitent and them that doe repent that leaue their sinnes and neuer commit them againe for that will he say is true repentance But thou ceasest not to sinne for as thou wert conceiued in sinne so thou continuest in sin and then continuing in thy sin how doest thou repent thee of thy sinne and then thou not repenting thee of thy sinne how canst thou looke that thy sinne should be pardoned And thus by a false perswasion that repentance consisteth in a cleane abolishing of sinne and not in the amendment of life as the truth is that it doth hee deceiueth the conscience and perswadeth it that therefore their sinnes are not pardoned because they are not for euer abandoned And vnto this perswasion he addeth diuers other reasons taken from sinne it selfe and first from the greatnes thereof which hee amplifieth and increaseth very artificially shewing himselfe herein a Grammarian that can frame of the positiue which is the lowest the superlatiue which is the highest degree a Rhethoritian that hath a notable facilitie grace in Hyperbole a Logitian that can reason from the lesser to the greater as also if occasion serued froÌ„ the greater to the lesser an Arithmetitian that hath skill in multiplying a Musitian that can make the lowest cord accord and sound equallie wâ—th the highest a Geometritian who as he can describe the whole world in a little paper so infect much paper with the description of a little countrie and to speake in a word a right deuill that make a mountaine of a moule hill For these are the arts or rather deceits of Sathan whereby hee can notably increase the greatnes of our sin If it be but in consent he will perswade vs that it is all one as if it were done And to this purpose he will alledge the saying of Christ in the fift of Mathew where he saith that the that looketh on a woman to lust after her in his hart hath committed adultery with her alreadie If it be committed after grace receiued of knowledge he will perswade vs that it is the sin against the holy Ghost which shall neuer bee pardoned in this world nor in the world to come If it were committed before our calling grosse also he wil tell vs that our sins are greater then that they can be pardoned as he perswaded Cain that his were And for the better perswasion hereof he addeth the testimonie of the law which confirmeth as he pretendeth that which he himselfe affirmeth As for example if a man haue with Salomon committed idolatry or with Dauid adulterie or with Peter apostacie here the law saith that adulterers idolaters fornicators such like the lord wil iudge Sathan saith so the conscience knoweth
vs or els to flie to some man to succour vs or els to some priuiledged place euen to Christ the sanctuary place of refuge for them that flie dare not shew their faces for the debt of sin that they owe to their Lord. To whome if they shall flie Sathan will labour to outrun them will be there at the leastwise in shew before them then when they would step vnto Christ Sathan would step vp between them Christ and taking vpon him the frowning person of Christ as he is man hee wil make the conscience beleeue that it is Christ that frowneth vpon him so if it be possible he wil make them to fly from Christ and driue them to Dauid or Salomon or Manasses by their examples to comfort themselues where also hee will be sure to meet with them and tell theÌ„ that as for Dauid Salomon Manasses and such like they were the elect vessels of God but as for theÌ„selues they were no such they were vessels of wrath and appointed by the Lord vnto reprobatioÌ„ and therfore although no sin could separate Dauid from the Lord yet some one should for euer cast theÌ„ off from the loue of the Lord as one sin did the deuils as one offence did Saule and as one murder did Caine and that therefore it is in vaine to trust by their examples to be pardoned Now if being dashed by this perswasion we shall leaue Dauid Salomon and the rest determie to haue recourse vnto the Ministers of the Gospel either he wil labor to hinder vs that we shal not manifest our estate to them that either for fear or for shame that thus our greefe beeing not imparted might not be impaired being not parted with others might not depart from our selues but grow as confirmed diseases to become incurable or els if he caÌ„not by the prouidence of God hinder this purpose and practise in vs hee will labour either on the one side to driue vs as he hath driuen many to the popish reconcilers to the priests of Baal and to Balam for counsell and so to seeke case from the deuill from Antichrist from crosses from crucifixes from holy water from Campions bones fâ—oÌ„ reliques of Saints from our owne workes from the popes absolution or from his pardon and not from Christ and so bring vs in a worse case then we were before or else on the other side he will breed in vs such a dislike of the ministers of the gospell for their contempt for their pouertie for their infirmities or for some other such like cause that he will make vs thereby out of conceit with them And therwithall perswade vs that they are the false and not the true prophets of the Lord. And that whereas they comfort them they do but flatter them And therwithall he will not stick to say to the conscience I go to flatter thy selfe but thou shalt find in the end my words to be true and that euen as I told thee also when thou shalt see that thou criedst peace peace when suddaine dâ—struction was at hand And as for absolution of the minister hee will either demaund what authority he hath to forgiue sinnes or els hee will crie out that that is flat poperie and so where as he hindereth some from the truth by a feare of poperie he draweth some other from the truth vnto popery knowing that his scope is to hinder vs from the true comfort of the Lord. And this so that it be done hee careth not whether it be by a face of poperie or by force vnto poperie so that we be damned whether it be by thy delusioÌ„ or by dispair he is satisfied but dispaire in this case is the most vsuall and also the most perilous estate to the which that he might fully draw vs hee in our praiers in our sights and grones vnto the Lord will take vpon him the person of the Lord and will euen answere within as if it were the spirit of God that spake vnto vs and tell vs that in vaine we pray in vaine we seeke in vaine we call vpon the Lord for he will neuer beare vs nor forgiue vs nor neuer receiue vs againe vnto fauour And this hee will so const ntly and with such a feare auouch vnto the soule as that if we doe not relie vpon the Lord in his word wee shall be most greeuously afflicted and cast downe which if Sathan once perceiue and tee that wee giue ground vnto him hee will follow vs at the heeles and not giue vs an inch respite but will still lie vpon vs so as we shall scarse find a breathing time And so giuing vs no rest he will perswade vs to dispaire to destroy ourselues and that it were better for vs to be out of our liues theÌ„ to liue in such garboils such feares such fightings and such trouble and thervpon hee will not stick to persuade vs to destroy our selues to kill our selues to break our necks to hang our selues to drown our selues or to cut our owne throats as Iudas Achitophel and many other with vs most lamentably haue done being destitute of comfort deceiued by these and such like perswasions of the deuill Whome that we might the better resist I haue considered these reasons out of the word and committed them to writing that aâ— Christian that is to war and fight with Sathan might not bee vnfurnished nor vnprouided of spiritual armor especially of the word of the spirit which is the word of God a most forcible weapon to repulse driue back the deuil withall with the which if we assault him as wise warriors we shal be more then conquerors by him that hath loued vs and giuen himselfe for vs and these comforts vnto vs in his sacred word Which that wee may rightly profite by let vs read them with deliberation and meditation And withall let vs learne this one point against Sathan that is out of the same reason that hee gathereth matter of feare and dispaire out of the same let vs seeke and sucke comfort If he taketh his reason from the merccie of God or from his iustice if from his promises or from Christ if from our nature and sin it selfe if from the answers in our soule or from dispaire it selfe out of the very same let vs reason against him And we shall be better able to answere than he to replie or at the least better able to replie thn he to answere If he shall say that we can doe nothing but sinne let vs answer it is natural If he shal say that our sinnes are monstrous let vs say that they are our debts If he shall say that God is iust let vs answer that therefore he must forgiue our offences If he shall tell vs that it was answered vs within that in vaine we praied let vs answere that it was a lier that so answered vs and so foorth in the rest And thus by this meanes wee shall cut
the diuels throat with his owne sword and as a bee suck hony out of that flower out of the which he as the spider sucketh poyson FINIS The Contents of the Chapters contained in this Booke Chap. 1 Wherein it is declared that there is liuely hope of comfort left vnto all them that mourne vnder the burden of their sinnes Fol. 1 Chap. 2 In the first part whereof are set downe the expresse promises of God concerning the free forgiuenes of sins in the latter is declared first that the same promises of mercie are deliuered vnto vs in the word of God then that they are bound by his oath thirdly that they are also bound by his Indenture of couenants lastly that they are confirmed by two visible signs and tokens in stead of wonders to wit Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord. Fol. 7 Chap. 3 VVherein the forgiuenes of sins is proued by the consideration of Gods mercy which is one part of his essence substaÌ„ce and nature Fol. 55 Chap. 4 VVherin the forgiunes of sins is proued by the consideratioÌ„ of gods iustice which is another nature essentiall vnto him by three especiall waies First by reason that the Lord hath promised to forgiue our sins in regard wherof it standeth with his iustice to performe the same Secondly for that he hath alreaddy punished Iesus Christ for our offences and therefore cannot in iustice punish them in vs also And lastly because he hath already punished our persons in Christ and so cannot iustly punish vs againe Fol. 69 Chap. 5 VVherin the forgiuenes of sins is proued by a reason taken from the seâ—ond person in the Trinitie to wit the woâ—d Incarnate euen Iesus Christ being considered as he is the vine and the braunches Fol. 85 Chap. 6 VVherein the forgiuenes of sins is pâ—oued by considering Iesus Christ as hee is our aduocate and intercessour and the mediator of the new Testament Fol 89 Chap. 7 VVherin the forgiuenes of sins is proued by considering Iesus Christ as he is our king and spirituall prince Fol. 98 Chap. 8 VVherein the forgiuenes of sins is pâ—oued by considering Christ as hee is our Physition that with his bloud cureth healeth all our infirmities both corporall and spirituall Fol. 107 Chap. 9 VVherin the forgiuenes of sins is proued by considering christ as hee is our redeemer who hath with his own body purchased of his Father the pardon for our sins and with his owne bloud ransomed vs and paid the price of theredemption of our sins Fol. 114 Chap. 10 VVherin are touched two reason taken from the spirit of God the holy Ghost being the third person in the Trinitie The first as the spirit is considered to worke repentance contrition in vs and so washeth vs from our sin The other as the spirit breedeth worketh peace in our conscience wherwith the forgiuenes of our sins is sealed Fol. 118 Chap. 11 VVhereâ—n is contained the first argument or reason which to proue the forgiuenes of sins is taken from the creature the reasons beeing before taken from the creator and that from man considered in himselfe with his estate being naturally inclined to sin Fol. 120 Chap. 12 VVherin is contained the second reasoÌ„ taken from man to proue the forgiuenes of sins by the consideration of our infancie we neuer being but new borne babes so long as we liue Fol. 125 Chap. 13 VVherin is contained the first reason taken from sin it selfe which is drawne from the name of sin being called our debt Fol. 128 Chap. 14 VVherein is contained the second reason taken from sin it selfe to proue forgiuenes of sins which ariseth from the effect of sin seruing to setforth the abundance of the grace of God and to magnifie his power Fol. 131 Chap. 15 VVherin is contained the first reason taken from man as he is considered in others which is drawne from the examples of other men by which the eternity of the forgiuenes of sins is further assured vnto vs. Fol. 134 Chap. 16 VVherin is contained the second reasoÌ„ taken from man being considered in others which is drawne from the testimony of others as of the Ministers of the word of God of the Prophets of Christ himselfe of the Apostles and all other holy men of God who as faithfull witnesses announce confirme the furgiuenesse 〈…〉