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, thā 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 [Page 2] 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 frō 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 cōcludeth: 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 cōfort left vnto him, & so to all thē that come vnto the father, by Iesus Christ our Lord. For euen God the Fa­ther [Page 3] 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 [Page 4] & 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 [Page 5] 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 remissiō 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 [Page 6] 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 [Page 7] 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 second kinde of reason, is taken frō 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 next kinde of reasoni [...]g for the confirmation here­of, i [...] taken from the second person in the Trinitie: I meane the worde Incarnate, euen Ie­sus Christ, who is aboue all things, God blessed for euermore: who being in like manner as the father was di [...]ersly consi­dered, affordeth vnto vs diuers reasons for the proofe hereof. Fi [...]st therefore we will consider him as the vine, whereof we are branches, as the stocke whereof we are gtaftes, as the root whereof wee are boughes, as the bodie whereof wee are members, as the second Adam, wher­of we are new born. For we are bapti­sed into [...]hrist, and thereby by are borne of the fi [...]st Adam, and of the second A­dam, the sonnes of men, and the sonnes [Page 86] of God, of the seed of mā, which is mor­tall, and of the immortall seed of God, which abideth in vs, and maketh vs to crie Abba father. So that at one time we haue regeneration, and generation, we are borne, and new born, we are born of the children of man, who fadeth and wi­thereth a [...] the flower, and we are borne againe the sonnes of the eternall and euerliuing God. we are begotten of the first Adam, who is from the earth, earth­ly, and of the second Adam, who is the Lord from heauen, heauenly. And as this is true, that as we haue borne the Image of the earthly, so we shall beare the image of the heauenly: So this also is true, that as wee are partakers of the earthly sap, and sinne, so are wee also partakers of the heauenly seed, and righ­teousnes And as that which is borne of vnclean seed, no man can make cleane: so that which is borne of cleane seed, must needs be cleansed from all corrup­tion. And as man that is conceiued in sinne, and borne in iniquitie, must needs be full of iniquitie, and a sinner: so man that is new borne of water, and the holy Ghost, must needs be washed, and pur­ged from all his sinnes. For euen as the [Page 87] wild Oliue braunch, being grafted in­to the naturall Oliue tree, being made partaker of the fatnes, and nourishment the eof, is purged, and purified from his wild and bitter tast and sap: so wee being grafted into Christ the true vine, are made partakers of the heauenly na­ture, & so purged from the guiltines of all our sinnes and offences. And this reason is notably vrged by Paule in the fift to the Romanes, in these words, say­ing: But not as is the offence, so like­wise is the gift. For if by the offence of one, many died, much more the grace of God, & the gift, which is by the grace of one man, euen Iesus Christ, hath a­bounded vnto many. Neither is that which entred by one sinning, like vnto the gift: for the iudgement came by one vnto condemnation, but the gift of many offences, vnto iustification. For if by the sinne of one man, death raigned by one, much more they which receiue the abundance of the grace and gift of righteousnes, shal raigne in life, by one, euen by Iesus Christ. As therfore by one sin, sinne came ouer all men vnto con­demnation: so by one righteousnesse, righteousnes came vpon all, to the righ­teousnes [Page 88] of life. Therefore as by the dis­obedience of one man, many are made sinners: so by the obedience of one man many are made righteous. So that here­by the Apostles notably sheweth vnto vs, how that Christ was as able to wash vs, as Adam to defile vs, Christ as able to purge vs, as Adam to corrupt vs, Christ as able to take away death, and sinne, as Adam was to b ing both, euen death, & sinne. If therfore this be granted, which before hath been proued, namely, that we were borne of Ch [...]ist, as we were of Adam: it must also needs bee infe [...]red, that by Christ we are purged, and par­doned of all those sins, which wee drew with, and from the sin of Adam. So that thus we see how we may proue vnto our selues the forgiuenesse of our sinnes, by considering of Christ as the second A­dam, into whom we are grafted and bap­tised, as the Apostle speaketh.

1. SEcondly, this is proued vn­to vs, by setting Christ be­fore vs, as that mediator of the new Testament, a [...] the Apostle calleth him: as that high Priest, which was signified by Aa­ron in the lawe of Moses, who entring once into the holy place by his owne blood, maketh intercession for the sins of the whole people: and as our Aduo­cate, as Iohn in his first Epistle calleth him, who liueth for euer, to make inter­cession, & pray vnto the Father for all, that come vnto the Father by him. So that we are to consider of Christ, as our mediator, who, when the Father is rea­die to whip vs, steppeth in between the Lord, and the sinner, and keepeth vs, as the mother doth her child, from the fa­thers rod. Yea, as our aduocat, our daies man, who is ready to make our defence, [Page 90] for our offence against God: & by plea­ding our weakne [...], [...]our infirmities, our childhood, and young yeares, to recon­cile vs to God, and mooue his father to pardō vs. Yea, as the bishop of our souls, and that faithful high priest, which cea­seth not day nor night, to poure out his praiers, with all watchfulnes, and fer­uencie, euen as he did vpon the earth, as the holy Ghost beareth witnesse for vs, vnto God the Father. And this he doth ( [...]) cōtinually: because we continually sinning, might continually be pardoned. For if he ceased to make intercession for vs, there would bee an intermission of remission of sinnes. But when he neuer ceaseth to importune, & intreat the father for vs: we are fully as­sured, that al our sins are for euer washed away. For the Father cannot, by reason of his merite, and will not, by reason of his mercie, denie any thing vnto his re­quests. Father (saith Christ) I know thou hearest me in all things: and thereby we know, that he heareth him, in the conti­nual intercession that he maketh for the sonnes of men. And this so much the ra­ther may we assure our selues of: for that the sonne is more deare vnto the father [Page 91] than the seruant; the mediatour of the new Testament, which is Christ, than the mediator of the old, which was Moses. And Moses, as we know, stood in the gap, and stopped the wrath of the Lord, fell before the Lord on his face, and fa­sted fortie daies, and fortie nights, for the sinnes of the people of Israel, & ob­tained pardon for the same: much more then Iesus Christ, who for euer, and not fortie daies onely, ceaseth not to make request, shal obtain pardon at the hands of the Father (himselfe being the Son) for all the true Israelites, euen Israell which is of God, as Paul speaketh. What shall I speak of Ezekiah? who when the people sinned in eating the Passeouer, being not before sanctified, and hallow­ed, praied vnto the Lord, and the Lord healed the people. What shall I speake of Iosuah? of Elias? of Dauid? and other the men of God? at whose intercession the Lord wrought wonders in heauē a­boue, and in the ea [...]th beneath. Do not euery one of these prooue vnto vs, that the sonne of God making intercession for vs, vnto the forgiuenes of our sins, shall assuredly obtaine the same at the hands of his father? And this is yet fur­ther [Page 92] assured vnto vs, by considering on the one side the fathers gentlenesse and kindnesse, who is not a chu [...]lish & cu [...] ­rish God rough, and full of displeasure, but one in whome there is no anger, as the Father himselfe protesteth in Esay, who is therfore the slowest to conceiue a wrath, and readiest to forgiue, as Da­uid singeth in his 103. Psalme: and on the other side, the sonne, who by reason it is his office to pray for vs, will not be negligent therein: who, because he hath been tempted in all thinges like vnto vs, sinne onely excepted, will be a faithfull and a mercifull high Priest, in those things that are to bee done with God, concerning his people, who, by reason of the loue hee beareth to vs ward, in that he gaue his life for vs, will be care­full and mindfull of vs: who, by rea­son of the oportunitie of the place, in that he is in the heauens: at the fathers hand, euen at his right hand: of the time, in that hee liueth for euer: of his grace and fauour, in that he is the sonne of his loue: of his merite, in that hee hath deserued it: shall bee heard in all whatsoeuer he shall craue at the Fathers hands, in our behalfe.

For here meet together, the sonnes readinesse, the fathers willingnesse; the sonnes carefulnesse, the fathers cheere­fulnesse; the sons importunitie, the fa­thers facilitie; the sonnes merite, the fathers mercie; the sons mindfulnesse, the fathers gentlenesse; the sonnes dis­position, the fathers inclination; the sonnes practise, the Fathers purpose; the sonnes grace, the fathers gracious­nesse; the fauour of the sonne, the fa­uour of the father; they fauouring the one the other and they both sauou­ring vs: the one readie to craue, the o­ther as readie to giue: the one p [...]esent in representi g our prayers, the other presently presenting him with his re­quests: the one watchfull in asking, the other striuing to bestow: the sonne being glorious for asking: the father being gl [...]rified for bestowing: the fa­ther willing to gratifie the sonne in all thinges, and the sonne readie to craue all thinges from the father: the one being not vnwilling to graunt, the other not vnreadie to aske, whatsoeuer we a ke, no though it be euen his ho­ly spirit, much lesse if it be the forgiue-of our sinnes.

[Page 94]2 I adde herevnto, that the bloud [...] Christ crieth vnto God the Father, and speaketh vnto the Lord for mercie, for them that are sanctified therewith. For the sprinckling of the bloud of Christ speaketh farre better things, than the bloud of Abel, as the Apostle testifieth to the Hebrues. For the bloud of Abel spake vnto the Lord for iustice, but the bloud of Christ speaketh vnto the father for mercie. The one cried for wrath, the o­ther for peace: the one for vengeance vpon his brother, for shedding of inno­cent bloud: the other for pardon, either for shedding innocent bloud, or murder, or theft, or whoredome, or vsurie, or blasphemy, or for any other whatsoeuer sinne. If therfore the bloud of Abel cri­ed so loud in the eares of the Lord, that it moued him to execute vengeance vp­on Cain: much more the bloud of Iesus, which stil crieth in the ears of the Lord, will mooue him to mercie, euen to par­don our sins, and our offences. For the crie of the bloud of the sonne of God, which crieth vnto god for better things, shall not haue worser entertainment thā the bloud of Abel had.

3 I adde further, that euen the spirit [Page 95] as the Apostle speaketh in the eight to the Romanes) helpeth also our infirmi­tie, and maketh intercession for vs with grones vnspeakable. So the spirit also of God intreateth for vs, God intreateth God, the spirit of God intreateth God the father for vs: and how then can God denie any thing to God, God the Father to his spirit, which euen with vnspeake­ble grones, crieth within vs vnto his ma­iesty, for pardon for our offences?

4 I adde yet further, that the Saints of God, I say not which are in the hea­uens (for as the Prophet saith, Abraham knoweth vs not, and Iacob remembreth vs not) but the Saints of God which are on earth, pray also for the forgiuenes of thy sins. For Christ hath taught them to say. Forgiue vs our trespasses, as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs: willing them thereby, to make mention of thee also, as well as all other the elect of God in their praiers. And therfore he teacheth them to say, forgiue vs, and not forgiue me onely, but forgiue my bro­ther also, yea, euen thee, and all other, that are as thou art afflicted, and pressed down with the sight of thy sins. So that the elect, the holy, and the beloued of [Page 96] God, poure forth their prayers for thee, & that not one of them a [...]one, althogh perchance some one more especially, but all of them intreat the Lord for thy sinne, euen for the pa [...]don thereof. Now thou knowest, that the prayer of the faithfull auaileth much, as Saint Iames telleth thee: it caused the Sun to stand still: it stopped the heauens, it brought downe plentie of raine and is able also to bring downe plentie of grace, of pardon and of mercie for thy sinnes: to open the heauens, and to stay the wrath of God against thee, deserued by the same.

5 Adde lastly hereunto thine owne prayers, which thou contin [...]est (with the widow in the Gospell, vn o the vnrigh­teous Iudge, & with the woman of Ca­naan vnto the righteous Christ) with all feruencie in the spirit, and importunitie [...] so that thy continuance in praier, streng­theneth thee against all length, thy im­portunitie, against all s [...]rength in temp­tation: the one against all delaies the o­ther against all de [...]ies: and assure thy selfe, that thou shalt finde the Lo [...]d as gracio [...]s vnto thee fo [...] thy importunity, as the widdow sound the vnrighteous [Page 97] Iudge, and as merciful, as the woman of Canaan found the righteous Christ. For howe can the Lord denie so many, so continuall so importunate, so gracious, and so earnest suiters in thy behalfe; some of them hauing so well deserued, that the father should gratifie thē here­in? His son intreateth for thee, the blood of his sonne intreateth for thee, his spi­rit intreateth for thee, his spouse, which is his Church, and all his dee [...]e and belo­ued seruants intreat for thee, thou thy selfe humblest thy selfe before God also for thy sins, and how thinkest thou can God say nay to a [...]l these suiters in thy behalfe? Imagine that thy seruant had offended thee, and thy son readie to die, if thou deniest him, did intreat thee, thy wife intreated thee, thy seruāt intreated thee, and the offendor himselfe intreated thee, how har [...]ly couldst thou deny their requests? The v [...]righteous Iudge could not denie the i [...]portunitie of one poor widdow: and therefore the righteous God, who is the iudge of all flesh, can­not deny not one but many petitioners, crauing pardon at his handes for thy transgressions. Thus the [...]fo [...]e thou mai­est see, how by the intercessiō of Christ, [Page 98] thou maist assure thy self of the forgiue­nesse of thy sinne. And this is the second reason, taken from the consideration of Christ, that prooueth the same vnto vs, which is also the same reason that Iohn in his first Epistle and first chapter vseth, saying: If any man sin, we haue an Aduo­cate with the Father, euen Iesus Christ the righteous.

THirdly, this is proo­ued vnto vs, by con­dering of Christ, not onelie as the Priest, but as the Princ of his church: not onelie as our Aduocate, but as our King: not onely as our mediator, but as our Iudge: for he beareth both those offices. As he beareth the office of the mediator, he intreateth for vs: as he beareth the office of a Iuge, we intreat him: as he beareth office of the media­tour, [Page 99] we pray in his name: as he beareth the office of the king, we pray vnto his name: as he is a Priest, he praieth for vs: as he is a prince we pray vnto him: as he is our aduocate, he int [...]eateth the father to forgiue vs: as he is our king, and gouernour, he himselfe with the father forgiueth vs. For as himselfe testifi­eth of himselfe, all power is giuen vnto him, both in heauen, and in earth, and the father iudgeth no man, but hath commmitted a [...]l iudgement vnto the sonne: that all men should honour the sonne, euen as they honour the Father. Yea, the sonne of man, as he testify­eth to the Iewes, in the healing of the man sicke of the palsey, hath power also to forgiue sinnes. And thi [...] as he saith, hee would that they should know, and therefore also that we should acknow­ledge and beleeue. For that the know­ledge hereof is especially profitable, and comfortable to the soule, that is burde­ned with the sight of his sins. For what and bee more for our comfort, than to know, that our Prin [...]e is our Priest: our aduocate i [...] our king our iudge is our Sauiour: and that he that intreateth for [...]he forgiuenes of our si [...], can of hi [...] self [Page 100] forgiue vs our sinnes? To speake in a word, what can be more comfortable, than to know, and to beleeue, that Iesus Christ, hath absolute power in himselfe to forgiue vs our offences? For whē the soule once knoweth that, it hopeth ea­sily to obtain the same, and that for cer­taine especiall good reasons.

1 First for that it knoweth, that Iesus Christ to purchase the forgiuenes of our sinnes did lay downe his owne life, and therefore hauing nowe purchased the same for vs he wil bestow it vpon vs. For hauing pu [...]chased the same so deerly, he will not let it perish vnprofitably: which yet notwithstanding it should doe, if it were not giuen vnto vs. For Christ gaue his life vnto death, that he might giue vs the forgiuenesse of our sins: for, as for himselfe, he had no need of the for­giuenesse of sins because he had no sin. It was therefore for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes, that he paid the ransome of his blood. If therefore he hauing pur­chased the same for vs, should not (him­selfe hauing no vse thereof,) bestowe it vpon vs: in vaine should hee haue died, in vaine should hee haue p [...]chased the same with his owne blood, in vaine [Page 101] should he haue suffered the shame of the crosse, and so the crosse of Christ should be made vain, if the forgiuenesse of our sins should not be by Christ giuē to vs, for the vse thereof is in vs, as the end thereof was for vs. Now we know that Christ would not lay downe his life in vaine, and tehrefore, that he will readi­ly and cheerfully forgiue vs our sinnes: And this so much the rather we do be­lee [...]e, for that he gaue his life, that he might giue it vnto vs, and therefore much more hauing it in his own power to giue freely, he wil most willingly giue it vnto vs The father that to purchase an inheritance to bestow vpon his son, will indaunger his life, would much more willingly, if it lay in his hands, & his bands, to giue the same freely, freely bestow it vpō him. The friend no doubt that to saue the life of his friend, and to purchase his pardon at the hands of the king, would giue his life vnto death, would much more willingly bestow his pardon vpon him, if hee might doe the [...]ame with the safety of his own life; if [...]e had power in himselfe to forgiue, and [...]o pardon his offence. So that Lord, that to pardon, and to procure the forgiue­nes [Page 102] of our sinnes at the hands of his father, laid downe his owne life (much more hauing power in his owne hands to forgiue vs,) will giue vnto vs the for­giuenesse of our sinnes. Being therefore iustified by his bloud, much more being now iustified, shall wee be saued from wrath by him. For if when we were his enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne: much more be­ing reconciled, shall we be saued by his life. As Paul reasoneth in the fift to the Romans. And therefore this first reason may perswade vs, that Christ that hath power in his hands to forgiue vs our sinnes, will easily be mooued to pardon them.

2 Secondly, this is farther perswaded vnto vs, by the consideration of his pra­ctise and behauiour, being here vpon the earth, which alwaies was most ful of mercy, of kindnesse, of gentlenesse, and of meeknesse, who euer came vnto him for sight, and went away blind: for hea­ring, and went away deafe: for speech, and went away dumbe: for legges, and went away lame: for health, and went away sick: for comfort, and went away [Page 103] sorrowfull: for the forgiuenesse of hi [...] sinnes, and went away a sinner: who euer came to the Lord, and went away con­founded, and ashamed.

The sicke of the Palsey vnto him but for health of the body, and he gaue him also vnsought for, the health of soule; saying vnto him, son thy sins are forgi­uen thee. The woman that was brought vnto him for iudgement, being taken in adulterie, found mercy at his hand, in stead of iudgement, and life in stead of death. Woman, quoth he, where are thine accusers, hath no man condemned thee? neither do I, go thy waies and sin no more. The Iewes that crucified him, and put him, being the Lord of life, vn­to death, beleeuing and being baptised into his name for the remission of their sins, were receiued to mercie: yea, hang­ing vpon the crosse, hee praied for his persecutors, saying: Father, lay not this sinne vnto their charge, for they know not what they doe. His disciples would, as Elias, haue commaunded fire to come downe from heauen, and consumed his enemies, but he reproued them, saying. Yee know not of what spirit you are. Such a one is Christ still, hee hath [Page 104] changed his place, but not his nature: his mercie is rather increased, with his honour: and his meekenesse, with his glory. The heauens make him not more churlish, which were rather hellish than heauenly: but more kinde, and louing, to all that faithfully call vpon him. For we must not thinke the God of all glo­rie, to be like vnto corrupt, & prophane man, whom honor puffeth vp, and ma­keth so much the more proude, and scornefull, by how much the more glo­rious he is: but we must rather take him & measure him, by the farthest distance therefrom: euen by the cleane contra­rie therevnto For therefore is the man­ner of Christ his life with men descri­bed, that we may know how hee liueth with God. That we knowing his meek­nesse on the earth, might looke for his mercie frō the heauens. And this i [...] the second consideration that may induce vs thereunto.

3 Lastly, this his mercie, and readi­nesse to forgiue vs, may the rather ap­peare vnto vs, by the promises of mercie made vnto all those that come vnto him. As namely, the [...]e where he saith, come vnto me all yee that are heauie loaden, [Page 105] and I will ease you. And again, standing in the temple, in the great day of the feast, he cried a loud saying; If any man thirst, let him come to me, and I will sa­tisfie him. And again to the woman of Samaria, if thou knowest who it were that saith vnto thee, giue me water, thou worldest haue asked of him, and hee would haue giuen vnto thee, waters of the well of life, of which, whosoeuer drinketh, shall neuer hunger, nor thirst more. So that by these promises of Christ both to giue, and to forgiue; to giue graces, and to forgiue our sinnes; we are most fully resolued in this point. Knowing that, that Christ, that is able, is also w [...] ling: that hath power, hath also promised: that hath full authoritie of himselfe, hath also full will as himselfe, to forgiue vs our offences. So that Christ hauing full power of himselfe to forgiue our sinnes; and we being assured of his willingnes therevnto, both by his pro­mise, his practise, and the bloud of his crosse, we may be fully hereby perswa­ded of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes. Oh, if a theefe had such assurance of his Iudge, or a traitour of his king, how would it che [...]e his dying soule? wee [Page 106] haue this strong assurance of our Iudg, of Christ our Lord and King, and why doe wee not cheere in the knowledge hereof? Oh, let no feare of death or sin feare vs, so long as the Lord of life, and [...]ighteousnesse, is our King, and gouer­neth vs, it is the Lord that iustifieth, and who shall condemne vs? it is Christ that dyed, yea, which is risen from the dead, yea, which sitteth at the right hand of God the Father, who also intreateth for vs. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ? shall oppression, or na­kednesse, or daunger, or sword? no, we are more than Conquerours by him which hath loued vs; as the Apostle teacheth vs in the eight to the Ro­manes. This then is the third conside­ration of Christ, that confirmeth vnto vs the forgiuenesse of our sinnes.

FOurthly, the for­giuenes of our sins is argued, by consi­dering Christ as a sacrifice for sinne, sweet smelling, holy and acceptable vnto God as a peace-offering. Yea, a sinne offering; yea as that immaculate, and Paschall lambe, by whose blood, we for euer attaine the forgiuenes of our sins: and that in a double respect. First, for that Christ is that good Phisition, who not by the roots of China, or the trees of America, by Para [...]elsus his minerals, or Gallens his simples, but by his owne most precious blood, helpeth all our in­firmities. For the blood of Christ is that purgation, that clenseth and purgeth away euen from the verie soule, and not from the bodie onely, (which were but [Page 108] small thing in respect of this,) all the corruption, infection, and filth thereof. For as S. Iohn saith, the bloud of Christ purgeth vs from all our sins: that there­fore is the onely purger of the soule, which worketh according to the Dos, or gift of Christ, the phisition of the soule, strongly vpon the corruptions thereof: and bringeth them, and expel­leth them all quite and cleane out of the same. Oh if Galle or Hyppo [...]rates, or Pa­racelsus, or other doctors of phisicke, had been consulted with: if they had ben sent for to practise vpon the same: if they had ministred either pils, or po­tions, or confections, or boles, or e­lectuaries, if they had ministred Ru­barbe, or Cassia, or Tamarnidi, or the Greeke pill, or any such 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 [Page 109] 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, e [...]en the life of the soule, which is faith and to die in d [...]spaire, beeing taken into our soule, r [...]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 [...]oule, that commeth by adulterie: the [Page 110] gout of the soule, that cōmeth 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 cōmeth 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 thēselues: 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, a [...] the eares of the Adder, were stopped a­gainst the word, and this openeth them: [Page 111] 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 thē 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 [Page 112] 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 thi [...] 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, [Page 113] would he value the same? But the death of Ies [...]s [...]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 c [...]ring of our infirmities.

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 redemptiō 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 [Page 115] 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, [...]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 auric [...]lar confession, if that would purchase him pardon for his sin: yea he would with the Iews, come into [Page 116] 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 Idolato [...]s did, make his sonnes to go through fire, and offer them to deuils, if all this would pr [...]cure vnto him pardon for his sin. Yea, what would not a wound [...]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 [Page 117] vs an assurance, for the attaining of the pardon of our offences. For far [...]e be it from vs, that we shuld account the Lord either a cosener, who would deceiue vs, or a [...] oppressor, or an extortioner, that would by violence keepe from vs any su [...]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 sh [...]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: a [...]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.

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 v [...] vnto repenta [...]ce, men­tioned (2. Cor. cap 7.) is also that sancti­fying spirit of God, which washeth and cleanseth vs from all our sinne [...]: and therefore it is compared to fire and wa­ter: because as fire it purgeth, as water it cleanseth vs from all our s [...]nnes: and therfore is it that the Apostle saith ( Cor. [Page 119] 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 thē, 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 [Page 120] 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 frō God considered in his persons; I will come vnto other reasons taken from man, being considered in his sins.

THe first whereof, is taken from the con­sideration of the naturall inclination of man vnto sinne. For as Dauid saith of himselfe, In sin [Page 121] 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 frō Adam our being, so our sinning: as our flesh and bone, so our corruption: as our nature, so our sinne naturally. And as there is in the seed of our parents, wherof we are born, a naturall inclination, by the blessing of God to growe: so there is in the same also a naturall inclination, by the sin of Adam, vnto sinne. And as the crabbed stock, sendeth forth his sower iuice into his braunches, which therfore natural­ly b [...]ing forth crabs, for fruits: so Adam being that sinfull stocke whereof we are the naturall braunches, sendeth forth his sinne into vs: who therefore natu­rally bring forth fruit vnto sin, in great plentie. So that looke how naturall it is for man to grow, to eate, to laugh, to reason, or to speak: so naturall also is it for him to sin. Therefore is it that sinne raigneth ouer all, in such sort, as that there was neuer heard of any such man, [Page 122] (besides Christ, who was not begotte [...] after the manner of men) as was void of sinne. For if we say we haue no sin, we deceiue our selues, and there is no truth in vs. Paul confesseth concerning him­selfe, that the euill which hee would not do, he doth. Daniel confessed in his pray­er vnto the Lord, his owne sins, and the sinnes of the people. Noah, his drunken­nes: Iobs cursing: Dauids adulterie: Sa­lomons idolatrie: Peters apostacie: and Moses infidelitie: are by the word, mani­fested vnto the whole world. And brief­ly, what man is he that may not learne to pray, as Christ hath taught him, say­ing: Forgiue vs our trespasses, as we for­giue them that trespasse against vs. True it is, that many there be, who haue prai­ed with Paul, to haue the Messenger of Sathan cleane remoued: yea, and haue striued to attaine vnto the power of the death, and resurrection of Iesus Christ, and vnto the resurrection of the dead: that euen in this life, they might be fre­ed fully from sinne. But neuer could ei­ther Paul, as him selfe confesseth, or any other therefore, attaine therevnto. And no maruell: for nature may well be cor­rected, but neuer by any labour cleane [Page 123] rooted out. And therefore as the Cat of the mountain cannot change her spots, nor the Ethyopian his skin, sith nature hath made them such: so neither can man cleane put away his sinne, sith na­ture hath made him a sinner. Which thing howsoeuer, it cannot excuse the obstinat, yet it may comfort the weake: knowing that the Lord wil be more ea­sily moued to pardon those our sinnes, which nature will we, nill we, inforceth vs to do. For when we sinne, we do but our nature. And therefore in reason, we the rather are to be pardoned. For euen with reason, this is a good, and therfore a common reason, why me should spare our brute beasts, behauing themselues more brutishly: alas, say we, let them a­lone, they do but their nature. And why should it not seem vnto reason, as good reason, why the Lord (in regard of whome, man is not so much, as a brute beast is vnto a man) should spare, & not for merit, but for pitie pardon man, who when he sinneth, doth nothing else but his nature: for his owne nature driueth him vnto sin. This reason therefore see­med so good vnto the holy Ghost, and so comfortable vnto Dauid, that he espe­cially [Page 124] vseth the same in his 103. psalm, to shew, that as a father pitieth his owne children, so the Lord (as mercie respec­teth miserie, so pitie respecteth frailtie) pitieth them that feare him. For, saith hee, the Lord knoweth our making, he remembreth that wee are but dust, and that the daies of mortall man, are but as the grasse, and that hee flourisheth, but euen as the flower of the field, when the winde bloweth vpon it, it is no longer, neither is the place thereof knowne any more. This therefore is the first reason, taken from the consideration of our selues, to whom being begotten in sin, it is naturall to sinne.

THe second reason is taken from the con­sideration of our in­fancie, which so lōg cōtinueth as we liue in this presēt world. For in regard both of God, & also of that perfect aged man in Iesus Christ, we are no more, nor bet­ter than new borne babes. And therfore doth the Apostle Peter in his first Epistle & second chapter, call vs babes, saying: as new-borne babes desire the spirituall and guiltles milke of the word. So like­wise doth Iohn in his first Epistle, & last chapter, call vs, saying: Babes keepe your selues from Idols. And for this cause doth the Lord appoint vnto his Church in this present life, Kings and Queenes, to be nursing fathers, & nursing mothers: and feedeth it as it were with pap, euen [Page 126] with the sincere milke of the word. And in all other actions dealeth so with vs, as parents with their yong infants. And no maruell: for in euerie action of this present life, wee shew our selues to bee more than babes. Our weak knees, our babish reason, our childish imagination, our dallying with God our Father, our vnseasonable cries, our vnseasonable re­quests, our fathers rod, the blaspheming of his name, the defiling of our selues, our beds, and our garments, and the of­ten fals which we catch, as children that are vnweaned, and cannot go alone, doe more than conuince the same. Ad here­vnto, how late it is since that wee were new borne, and (as babes) begotten by the immortall seede of the word: and this doctrine will shine as cleare as the sun, at the noone day. For what though wee haue beene regenerate an hundred yeres since: is it in regard either of God, with whom a thousand yeares are but as one day: or in regard of immortalitie, and that long aged life, that we, that are borne of the immortall seede of God, shall bee partakers of: is it, I say, in re­gard thereof, any more than yester­day? So that it appeareth hereby, that [Page 127] the strongest Christian, and the perfec­test man in God, is scarse a child of one daies age. And therefore are they sitly called by Peter, [...], euen now, not onely new borne babes: as it were in their blood. The full perswasion whereof, may breed in vs a liuely hope of the mercie and fauour of God to vs ward. Knowing that our parents, after the flesh, could euen then, when we plai­ed the wantons, defiled our beds, and our garments, miscalled our parents, yea disquieted them with our cries in the night season, be contented not onely to pardon vs, but also to laugh at vs, consi­dering that as yet we were but in our in­fancie. How much more then think we, will the Lord our heauenly father, euen when we liue wantonly, walke weakely, speake foolishly, thinke childishly, euen when wee defile our selues with blood, our beds with sin, or our souls with blas­phemie, and euill speaking, or with any other such like sin, be ready (bee it not spoken to the maintenance of any of these sinnes) to forgiue vs? considering our child-hood, our young and tender, and therefore indiscreet yeares: where­in albeit we worke foolishly, or speake [Page 128] vnseemly, yet we doe according to our vnderstanding, and speake, as they say of children, as well as their wit serueth them. Indeed, if after this present life, when wee shall come to the measure of the age of Christ, full growne, euen to a perfect man: if then I say, we should (as we are assured we shall not (commit any of these sins, and slip into any of these fals, then there were no such hope left vnto vs, by reason of our cōfirmed age: but now to sinne, is agreeable to our yeares: and to pardon sinne, is agreeable to Gods wisedome, who knoweth how childish we are. And these are those rea­sons taken from our selues, to proue the same. Now let vs consider those rea­sons, that are taken from sinne it selfe.

THe first reason for the proofe heereof taken from sinne it selfe, is drawn from that name, that the spirite of the Lord our GOD giueth, as in [Page 129] other places, so especially in the sixt of Mathew vnto sin, where it is called our debt, that wee owe vnto the Lord. For there the Lord teacheth vs to pray after this maner, saying. Forgiue vs our debts, as we forgiue our debters. For so the grek word? [...], & [...], do sig­nifie. Where it is manifest that by com­paring this place of Mathew with the 11 of Luke, & the 4. verse, that by debts he meaneth sins. For that which Mathew calleth our debts, Luke calleth our sins, saying. Forgiue vs our sins, as we forgiue euery one that is indebted vnto vs. So that hereby it is euident, that our sins are those debts of ours, which we owe vnto the Lord. Which being so, there a­riseth vnto vs a notable perswasion of the readines of the Lord, therby to par­don and forgiue them. For what do we thinke, that the Lord careth for such debts, that hee will exact them at our hands by the rigour of the law? That he will sue vs, arrest vs, implead vs, or im­prison vs for the same? Why is sin, which is our debt, so deare, so pretious, and of such account with the Lord, as that hee will strain vs, and so constrain vs to pay the same vnto his maiesty? Surely, if [Page 130] a man ought vs a boxe on the eare, Wee would scant straine him for such a debt. For we had rather loose it, then law for it: such is our debt of sinne, which wee owe vnto the Lord. For sin is as it were a box, giuen to the Lord in his face, stri­king immediately against the glorie of his maiesty; and then will the Lord, thinke we, driue vs by order of law to pay the same. Why, is the Lord so poor, and beggerly, that he were vndone, if we did not make paiment of this one debt vnto him? Hath he such need of sin, that he knew not what shift to make if he had not this debt of our sinne out of our hands? Why, would it so g [...]eatly hinder the Lord, to forbear it, or to for­giue it? No, no, it would turn exceeding­ly to the aduancing of the riches of the glory of his grace, to forgiue the same vnto vs, as before we proued. And ther­fore sith to forgiue vs our debts (as our Sauiour Christ calleth our sinnes) is no meanes to diminish, but rather to en­crease the riches of the glorie of the grace of God: sith the treasurie of his mercie is therby more & more ampli­fied, and inlarged: sith it turneth to the Lords aduantage: sith he getteth, while [Page 131] he giueth, and forgiueth: we may be ful­ly assured, that the Lord, who is (if I may so speake) couetous of his owne glorie, will easily and readily forgiue vs our offences. And this is the first reason, taken from the name of sinne.

THe second reason ta­ken from sinne, a­riseth from that ef­fect, which sin wor­keth, as we say, per accidens: that is, not from his owne and proper effect, but from the worke of the Lord thereby. For it serueth to the setting forth of the abundance of the grace of God: and to the magnifying of the power of the Lord. As plaine­ly appeareth both by the testimonie of Paul: who saith, that where sinne aboundeth, there grace aboundeth also: [Page 132] and also by the answere of the Lord made vnto Paule, who said vnto him (praying, as himself testifieth three times that the messenger of Sathan, the prick of the flesh, might be remooued away from him) my grace is sufficient for thee. For by thy weakenes is my power made perfect: or, as some translate it, made strong. This answere of the Lord vnto Paule, I take to be spoken vnto all men, and so especially vnto my selfe. For of a truth Lord, thy power is made strōg indeed by my weakenes. For now I be­ing (indued, though with some good gifts) ouercome by Sathan, do know the power of the spirit that dwelt in thee, to bee perfect, and powerfull, that neuer could be ouercome by Sathans assault. Thus is thy power made perfect by my weaknes, by comparison. Again, O Lord when I am ouercome, I feele the power of thy death, to ouercome Sathan, hell, and condemnation: and of a weake man to strengthen me so, that thy power is made strong by thy victory. For the po­wer of Sathan, and of my sinnes, cannot ouercom the power of thy death which is Sathans death, and of power against him. Againe my God, I being weak, do [Page 133] sometimes couercome, when before I was ouercom: by whose power was this but by thy power? which is so much the greater, by how much I am the weaker. For Sathan is wonderfull strong, and I wonderfull weake. How then could I o­uercome him being wonderfull strong, except thy strength were wonderfull in me, being wonderfull weak? Oh Christ be strong in me, for I am weak. Thy po­wer O Christ, is the greater, & thy grace so much the more abundant, by how much my sins are the greater, that thou pardonest. To pardon small sins, is great grace: but to pardon many sinnes, and those monstrous also, magnifieth the a­bundance of thy grace to me ward: and not onely vnto me, but it commendeth the excellency thereof, to all that tast thereof. Lord, I speake not these things to make them a cloke for my sinne, but a comfort to my soule: nothing doubt­tīg but that I doing that, which it is thy will I should do, and that for the glorie of thy grace, and the perfecting of thy power, shal easily obtian pardon for the same: yea, though it be sinne that I doe. Thus haue I by mine owne practise, shewed the force of this reasō, that thou [Page 134] maiest read it, know it, feele it, and prac­tise it at one time. To this reason, I might adde one other from that name of sinne, where it is called our infirmity, or disease, and our phrenzie, and mad­nes, as the Philosopher calleth it. Which might therefore seem the rather to bee pardoned, because it was done in our madnes. But I will omit this reason, and come to the consideration of other rea­sons, taken, not as these, from euerie man in himselfe, being considered with his sins: but from others, euen men and deuils.

ANd first we will consider the ex­amples of other men, by the which assurance of the forgiue­nesse of our sins, is yet further assured vnto vs. For what on sin haue we [Page 135] commited, which other the Saints of God haue not either before or after their calling committed? and yet, as the spirit testifieth, receiued pardon for the same. Hast thou committed a­dulterie? why so had the woman that was brought vnto Christ in the eight of Iohn: so had the woman of Samaria in the fourth of Iohn: for Christ said vnto her, thou hast had fiue husbands, and him whome now thou hast, is not thy hu bād. So had Dauid with Berseba, and yet the Prophet said vnto him, the Lord hath taken away thy sinne, that thou shalt not die therefore. Hast thou been possessed with the deuill? so was Mary Magdalene who had seaue [...] diuels cast out of her. Hast thou distrusted the Lord? so did Moses at the waters of strife. Hast thou as it were despaired? so almost did Ieremy, who said in the third of his Lamentations, that he was a cast away, and there was no hope for him in God So did Dauid in his 77. Psalm, say­ing; Will the Lord cast me off for euer? should he be no more intreated? should his louing kindnes faile for euer? & his promise from one generatiō to another, come vtterly to an end? Hast thou mur­dered [Page 136] and slaine thy brother? so did Da­uid murder Vrias. So did the Iews put to death, and slay the Lord of life, as Peter chargeth them in the second of the Acts, and yet they were by the same Apostle baptised to the forgiuenes of their sins. Hast thou stolne and robbed thy bro­ther? So did the theefe that was crucifi­ed with Christ, to whome notwithstan­ding Christ said, This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise. Hast thou been an oppressor, an extortioner, and an vsurer? So was Zacheus, who notwithstāding re­penting, and making restitution, heard that comfortable saying of Christ vnto him, happie art thou Zacheus, this day is health come vnto thine house Hast thou contended and fallen out with thy bro­ther? So did Paul and Barnabas: betwixt whom the contention was so hot, that they departed a sunder, one taking Luke and the other Iohn. But hast thou (be­ing but one man) committed all these sinnes? Hast thou beene an Idolater? defiled the Temple of God? beaten down his truth? erected Idolatrie? hast thou been a witch, a coniurer, a south­sayer? hast thou shed abundance of in­nocent bloud, so that the streetes flow [Page 137] therewith? hast than committed more abhominations, than the Cananites, or the Emorites, whom for their filthines the Lord cut out of the land of the li­uing? hast thou offered thy sonnes and daughters, and sacrificed them to deuils in fire? All these thinges did Manasses, as it appeareth in the 21. chapter of the second booke of the Kings: and yet he returned vnto the Lord, and found fa­uour and mercie for all his sinnes: as it appeareth in the 33. chapter of the se­cond booke of the Chronicles. Are thy sinnes greater than the sinnes of Manas­ses? or is the mercie, and the arme of the Lord shortened? is the Lord a respecter of persons? did he forgiue Manasses re­penting him of his sinne? and will hee not forgiue thee, returning vnto him­selfe, and calling vpon his name? is not the Lord rich in mercie vnto all them that call vpon him faithfully? whether they be Iewes, or Gentiles, Greekes, or Barbarians, there is no difference in the Lord. Are these things left vnto vs in the word, either to follow, or to comfort vs withall? Doth not Paule teach vs, that whatsoeuer is written, is written for our learning, that through the patience, and [Page 138] comfort of the Scriptures, we might haue hope? euen bee comforted, while wee hope, that the same Lord, that hath been thus mercifull vnto others, will as well be mercifull vnto vs also: that hee will make our sins, that are in like man­ner as red as skarlet, as white as snow: and that are like vnto the purple, to be as the wooll: as himselfe hath promised by the mouth of his Prophet Esay. This is the first reason, which is taken from other men.

THe second reason, is taken from the te­stimonie of others, who affirme, and so confirme this vnto vs. And here­in wee will first consider the testi­monie of the faithfull Ministers of the Gospell of God, to whom thou being af­flicted, oughtest to repaire for comfort. And that, both by the expresse comman­dement of the Lord himselfe, who by the mouth of his Prophet Malachy, saith that the Priests lips shall contain know­ledge, and the people shall enquire the law at his mouth. And also by the exam­ple of the Iewes, in the second of the Acts: who being wounded in consci­ence, [Page 140] came to Peter, and the rest of the Apostles, saying; Men and brethren, what shal we do? For the Ministers are the Phi­sitions & Surgeons of the soule, to heale the same, as well as they are the Lords warriors, and so by the force of his spiri­tuall weapons, of power to cast down e­uerie high hold, euerie strong thought, and euerie name that is exalted against the name of God and Iesus Christ. And therefore, as by the armour of God on the left hand, they can wound thy con­science: so by the armor of God on the right hand, they can wound the spiri­tuall enemy. As by the law, they can kill thee; so by the Gospel they can quicken thee: as by the one they cast thee down: so by the other they can lift thee vp. For they are the dispensers of the manifold graces of God, and the Lords stewards, to giue to euerie one his portion in due time. Iudgement, to whom iudgment appertaineth, and mercie vnto thee, vn­to whome mercie belongeth. So that if thou repaire to them for comfort, and [...]f they shal giue thee comfort, thou maist be comforted indeed. If they shall giue thee thy portion, in the forgiuenesse of sinnes, they giue vnto thee, as vnto the [Page 141] Lords seruant, that thy portion therein which is due vnto thee. If they shall say vnto thee, that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee, it is all one, as if the Lord himselfe had said so much vnto thee. For they are the Lords seruants, not onely as other men, to doe their maisters will, but his message also: not onely to serue him in doing, but with going also: not one­ly to come when they are called, but to runne when they are sent. For they are as it were the Lords footmen, which are sent by him to doe his message, and to signifie his minde vnto thee. And there­fore is it that the Apostle asketh in the tenth to the Romanes, how they shall heare without a Preacher, and how they shall preach except they be sent? So that when the Minister commeth vnto thee, to comfort thee, & to assure thee of the forgiuenes of thy sins, thou must know for a certaintie, that he is sent vnto thee by the Lord, to do this his message vnto thee, & to tell thee, euen from the Lords owne mouth, that thy sinnes are forgi­uen thee. And this thou maiest and must assure thy selfe of, whether he come vn­to thee, either voluntarie without thy procurement (as Nathan did vnto Dauid, [Page 142] who said vnto him (hearing the confes­sion of his sin) and the Lord hath taken away thy sinne, that thou shalt not die for it: and as Christ came voluntarily vnto the Iewes, without their sending for him, the spirit of God hauing an­nointed him, and sent him to preach the glad tidings of the Gospel, euen vnto so many as were a far off:) or whether hee come vnto thee, being sent for by thee, as Peter was by Cornelius, who although hee came vnto Cornelius, being sent for by him, yet both was Peter by the vision which hee saw, warned by God himselfe to goe: & also Cornelius commanded to send for him, by an Angell: but thou by the spirit. And therefore when the Mini­ster commeth vnto thee to tell thee that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee, assure thy selfe as the truth is in Christ Iesus, that whether hee come by thy procurement, or without thy procuremēt, he was sent to thee by the Lord, to signifie so much of his gracious pleasure vnto thee. For euerie faithfull Minister is the seruant of the Lord, sent from the Lord himselfe to doe his message: yea, he is the Embas­sador of the Lord. For as Paul sheweth, 2. Cor. 7.20. we are Christ [...] embassadors [Page 143] for you. As therefore the embassador representeth the person of the Lord his king that sent him: so doth the Minister of the gospel being the Lords embassa­dor, represent the person of the Lord, & his Prince Christ Iesus: and so ought to be taken, euen as an earthly embassador is, with the kings & princes of the world. As therefore this is true, which Paule in the fore-mentioned place saith, namely, that wee come as Embassadours in the name of Christ, as though God himself intreated you by vs, so we intreat you in the name of Christ to be reconciled vn­to God: So likewise this is true, namely, that wee come as Embassadours in the name of Christ, as though God himself spake vnto you: so wee say vnto you in the name of Christ, that your sins are forgiuen you. And therefore when thou seest the embassador of the Lord, which is his Minister, come vnto thee, and tell thee, that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee, think with thy selfe, that the Lord as it were by his owne mouth, hath now told thee, that he hath pardoned thine offen­ces. Yea the Ministers of the lord are the Angels of the Lord, and so are called in the third of Malachy, and the first verse: [Page 144] in the second and third of the Reuelati­on, & in diuers other places. For there Iohn Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, is called the Angell of God: & againe, the Minister of Ephesus, of Philadelphia, of Smyrna, of Pargama, is called the Angel of the Church of Ephesus, Philadelphia, Smyrna, Pargama, [...]nd so forth: to teach vs, that so we should account of the Mi­nisters of the Gospel, as of the Angels of God: and of their message in the name of Christ, as if an Angell of glorie from heauen, should haue told vs the same. Now if an Angel should haue spoken to thee, as he did vnto Manoah, or vnto Ma­ry the mother of Christ, at his concepti­on, or vnto Mary Magdalen at his graue, or the Disciples at his ascention, or vnto Iohn in the Reuelation, or as vnto Christ in his agonie, thou wouldest I hope be satisfied and comforted therewith. And why then art thou not aswell certified by the testimonie of the Ministers, which are in like manner (as thou knowest) as­wel the Angels of god, as they: although indeed herein they differ: the one is an heauenly, the other an earthly: the one a more glor [...]ous, the other a more baser Angell: yet they are both the Angels of [Page 145] the Lord, both the one, and the other. And the [...]fore thou oughtest in this mes­sage of God, to giue as much credite to the one, as to the other: as much vnto Esay, as vnto Gab iel: vnto Paul, as vnto Michael: if we may t [...]uely cal him an An­gell: as much vnto Moses, and the Pro­phets, as to a man rising from the dead: as much vnto the earthly Angels, as vn­to the angels of heauen For thou ough­test not to respect so much the messen­ger, as the Maister: the seruant, as the Lord: the Embassador, as the Prince: the beautie as the officer of the Messenger: except thou wilt be an accepter of per­sons. But if thou wilt needs respect the person, regard the person of God, which is common to the Ministers, with the Angels of glory. For aswell doth the Mi­nister of god, as the angels of God, beare and represent the person of God. Thou must not think the grace to be lesse gra­cious sith the messēger is not so graced: nor the treasure to be of lesse value, be­ [...]se it is brought vnto thee, by or in an ca [...]hē vessell. For the word of the Lord, is the same in the mouth of a man & of a throne: in the earthly, & in the heauen­ly Angell. Notwithstanding it is more [Page 146] for thy profit, to haue this message done vnto thee by a man, than by an Angel of glory. And that, both because such is th [...] excellencie of the glorie of an Angell o [...] light, that thou canst not endure th [...] brightnes of his presence: and also, be­cause thou neither canst bee so familiar with him, as thou desirest and shouldest be, to deliuer thine estate: nor yet canst at al times, when thou desirest, being o [...] the earth, haue conference and recourse vnto the Angels, being in heauen. The Lord therefore ascending vp on high, gaue among other gifts, this gift also of great value, vnto his Church, and vnto thy selfe, euen Pastors, & Doctors: th [...] is, the Ministers of the Gospell of God [...] euen the earthly Angels, that should b [...] continually and familiarly conuersant, [...] dwelling with earthly men: that migh [...] after a more familiar, & lesse fearful maner, declare vnto thē the secret counsell and hiddē mysteries of God. Giue therfore credit vnto the Lords ministers, an [...] glory vnto God, that hath giuen in hi [...] great loue this blessing, and grace vnto thee, that thou shouldest continuall [...] haue abiding with thee, his Prophets, & his Angels, at whose mouth thou mai [...] [Page 147] be certified of the forgiuenesse of thy [...]ns. Yea, the Lord hath not giuen on­ [...]y this name vnto his ministers, to con­ [...]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 vn­ [...]o thee, as Nathan did vnto Dauid, The [...]ord hath taken away thy sinne: or as Christ vnto the sicke of the palsie, Sonne by sinnes are forgiuen thee: assure thy [...]elfe, that insomuch, as they haue loosed [...]hee from thy sinnes on earth, the Lord [...]ath loosed thee from thy sinnes in hea­ [...]en: insomuch, as they haue remitted and forgiuen thy sinnes, they are re [...] ed and forgiuen indeed. And ta [...] heed [...]hat thou do not as the most part of t [...] [Page 148] world doth that depriue themselues o [...] this comfort, and other the like, by the contempt, and base account of the Mi­nisters of the grace of God: beleeue th [...] 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 the [...]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: hi [...] 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 faithf [...]ll: he faithfull in his office, thou in thy conuersion vnto the Lord. And then if these things be ioyned [...] [...]ether in thee, and in him, thou mai­ [...] [...] assured, that the Lord in heauen [...]th forgiuen thy sinnes: as his mini­sters [Page 149] on the earth haue pardoned them: [...]nd that God hath loosed thee in hea­ [...]en, that art loosed in the earth from [...]hy sinnes. Thus from the testimonie, & [...]itnes of the ministers of the kingdom of God, thou maist approue vnto thine own conscience, the forgiuenesse of thy [...]ins. And this shall be the more strong­ly confirmed vnto thy soule, if thou shalt [...]erevnto adde the testimonie of Moses, Dauid, Salomon, Esay, Ieremy, Ezekiel, Da­ [...]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 g [...]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 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 [Page 151] 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 inheritāce 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 frō 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, [Page 152] 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, whe [...]e he saith, the de­uil was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth. There is no truth in him, as oftētimes 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 words. For this rule is generally true, [Page 153] 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 [Page 154] 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: [Page 155] and we should be more wise, thā 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 si [...]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, chea­ [...]ed, and comforted.

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 [Page 156] 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 confidēce 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 q [...]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 [Page 157] was not so greeuous as his dispaire [...]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 ma [...] 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 [Page 158] 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 fi [...]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 cou [...]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 [Page 159] of dispaire, a sinne farre greater than all the rest? yea, and that thou being but moued therevnto, shouldest giue place vnto it immediately? If therefore other sinnes be loathsome vnto thee, for the monstrousnes thereof: let dispaire, which is the most monstrous sinne of al other, be most lothsome vnto thee. If thou fea­rest and fliest other sinnes: feare, and flie especially dispaire: which is a sinne farre greater than they all. And if thou hauing committed adultery, murder, or theft, or any such like, art by Sathan tempted to dispaire, answere him, and say thus vnto him: Sathan, thou hast tempted me to commit this sin, thou hast tempted me to lie, to dissemble, to commit adultrie, and such like: herein I haue yeelded to thee. Is it not enough, nay, is it not too much, that I haue thus farre yeelded vn­to thee, except I should now ad dispaire vnto the rest of my sins? If it were now in my hand to vndo that sinne which I haue committed, I would neuer surely by the power of the lord, yeeld so much vnto thee as I haue done. And therfore farre be it from me, that I should again at thy procurement sin more greeuous­ly, in falling to dispaire, of the grace and [Page 160] mercie of God. Indeed if dispaire were any meanes to ease me of my sins, then parchance I might easily bee brought thereinto: but sith it is a meanes to in­crease my sinnes, the burden and greefe of my soule, and the punishment of my sinne: sith it is a meanes to bring a cer­taine destruction, to a destruction that was but fea [...]ed: certain, to an incertaine condemnation: death of body and soule to the death of faith: eternall, to tem­porall griefe: the paines of hell, to the pangs of conscience: hell fi [...]e, to thy fie­rie darts that sticke in my soule, I were bewitched, and worse then mad, if I would yeeld thervnto. Thus thou must learne to stop Sathans mouth, and to stay thine owne faith, that it fall not in­to dispaire: of which I would haue thee to be most iealous, fearefull, and suspiti­ous, knowing the daunger, and vnreco­uerable euill thereof. If thou haue rob­bed God of his glorie, in dishonoring of him: yet giue glorie vnto him in belee­uing of him: so shalt thou get as much glory to his name, by beleeuing him: as thou diddest rob him of, by disobeying him: and purchase as great, nay, a faire more excellent righteousnes by faith, [Page 161] then thou diddest loose by sinne. For as Paule testifieth in the fourth to the Ro­mās, to him that worketh not, but belee­ueth in him, that iustifieth the wicked, his faith is imputed, & accounted to him for righteousnesse. And this righteous­nesse of faith, is, as in another place the Apostle testifieth, the righteousnesse of God: which is farre more excellent than the righteousnes of man. And this righ­teousnes perchance thou wouldest ne­uer haue sought for, if thou haddest not seene thy selfe naked, and destitute of all righteousnesse in thy selfe: and couered so ouer with the shame of thine own na­kednes, & filthines, that thou wert glad to runne vnto Christ, for his righteous­nesse to couer thee: and buy of him eie-salue, and white garments, that thy na­kednes might not be seene. If therefore thou hast lost righteousnesse, yet keepe faith: if thou haue lost the brest-plate of righteousnesse, yet keepe the shield of faith, whereby thou mayest quench all the fierie darts of the deuill. If thou haue lost the armour of light, the cloth of my soule, yet defend and keepe faith, which is the life of the soule; for the iust shall liue by faith. Say vnto thy soul with Da­uid. [Page 162] Why art thou so vexed oh my soule, and why art thou so disquieted within me? O my soule, trust in the Lord, and wait vpon him, for hee will heale thee. Thou seest my soule, what comfort the Lord hath left vnto thee in his word, & what liuely hope of pardon; he hath pro­mised to forgiue thy sinnes, & hath sea­led the same vnto thee by his word, his oth, his couenant, and by outward signs that mine eies haue seene: his mercie, his iustice, his sonne, his spirit, confirme the same vnto me: mine owne nature, my yong yeares in the Lord, and my sin it selfe: the testimonie of the ministers of the Lord, his seruants, Embassadors, and his Angels: God, and man: my selfe, and others: Angels, and deuils: sin, and righteousnes: wine, and water: heauen, and earth: yea, all things affirme the same vnto thee my soule. Behold there­fore, and trust in the Lord, and he shall satisfie thee with good things, & make the increase of thy lips, & create peace within thee, and refresh thee with the waters of life, and make thee see his sa­uing health. The Lord will not lie, that hath spoken it.

I Stand the longer in pro­uing of this one thing, because there is no one thing more hardly per­swaded vnto the soule, than this is, and that by reason of the subtiltie of Sathan, who hath two generall meanes to make vs doubt hereof. The one is, by blinding the eies of our vnderstanding in such a sort, as that the light of the glorious Gospell of God canot shine vnto vs. For he is that God of the world, that wor­keth effectually in the hartes of ma­ny men: (yea of the best men some­times) and thereby so dapraueth and crooketh the right shape of their vn­derstanding: as that the truth of the generall promises of God, the force [Page 164] of reason, neither any thing else for the present time, can make them to con­cerne and beleeue the mercy of God, & the forgiuenes of their sinnes: because they are so couered ouer with darknes, and as it were a thicke cloud of mist. The other is, by vsing our owne corrupt nature, and infidelity, which when wee haue said, and done what we can do will stil stick in vs, & doubt hereof, and ther­fore will be readie to say, Well, for all this, I doubt whether the Lord will for­giue me, yea, or no, & be so good as his word. This our corruption Sathan vseth to corrupt vs withall: this our infidelity, to make vs infidels and this our doub­ting, to make vs dispaire of the forgiue­nes of our sins. And that he may worke the same more effectually in vs, hee fet­cheth reasons out of euerie particular reason that we do, as we to perswade, so he to disswade the forgiuenes of our sinnes. And first, as touching the promi­ses of God, which is our principall and first reason, he will labor to make vs dis­trust them: either by putting into vs a feare, or else an euill suspition of the lord: as to think nay to say in our harts, I but what if the lord wil not be so good [Page 165] as his word: who is stronger then the Lord, to compel him to it? or what law shall we haue against him? hee is aboue all law; and therefore wee can neither straine him nor constraine him to fu fi [...]l his promise: wee cannot sue him vpon an assumpsit. But be it that we cou [...]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 ne [...]er so much, & performe neuer a deale, yet no [...]an is able by rea­son of his force, to inforce him thereun­to. And by this counter buffe, he so buf­feteth vs, that we are rea [...]ie to stagge [...] at the p [...]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 cif [...]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, [Page 166] 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 iudgmēt 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 [Page 167] 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 [Page 168] maketh vs sometime for shame to ru [...] From the Lord, and with Ad [...]m, being a­shamed to hide our selues in the woods f [...]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 sha [...]e aside, to re­tu [...]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 hi [...] 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 hi [...] enemies, and auenged himselfe of thy sinnes. And the rather to perswade this, he will tell vs, that it is a fearefull thing, [Page 169] 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 frō Sathan, nothing els but mercy, [Page 170] 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, [Page 171] a iugler, a false Christ, sent into the [...]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 [Page 172] 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 soon [...] 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 [Page 173] 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 mā that doubteth, think he shal receiu [...] 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 th [...] image of an Angel of light: yet not in­to the like working of the spirit of God: [Page 174] for that he cannot create, either ioy, or peace of conscience. or the spirit of a­doptiō 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. [Page 175] 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, frō the greater, to the lesser: an Arithmetitian, that hath skill in multiplying: a Musitian, that can make the lowest cord, accord, and sound equallie w [...]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 [Page 176] 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 so. The law saith, no idolater, nor fornica­tor, nor vnclean person, shall enter into the kingdome of God, or Christ: the de­uil saith so: the conscience saith so. The law saith, the Lord hateth such: the deuil saith, the Lord hateth such: and the con­sciece feareth, that the Lord hateth such: and it knoweth it selfe to bee such. So [Page 177] that Sathan affirming, the lawe confir­ming, the conscience consenting sinne is made out of measure sinfull, by the law, and the art of Sathan. and so it seemeth to be so great, & immeasurable, as that it exceedeth the greatnes of the mercie of God, & the value of the bloud of Ie­sus Christ. And yet further, the more to increase the greatnes of our sin: he wil­leth vs to weigh the weight therof, which we feel sensibly to lie verie heauy on our souls, after we haue cōmitted the same. And therefore is it, that Dauid counteth him happy, that is lighted of his sin: and Christ willeth thē that are heauie laden to come vnto him, & he will case them. Now Sathā by [...]e heauy weight of our sin, perswadeth the h [...]inous work in sin­ning: and concludeth, that because our fin is intollerable, it is immeasurable: & therefore, that as it presseth vs vnto the earth, so it will into hell: as it casteth vs vpon our face, so it will cast vs from the face & presence of the Lord. Vnto this weight of sin, he addeth the monstrous­nes that is in the same. For as righteous­nes is a most glorious vertue: so is sinne a most vglie, deformed, and monstrous thing; and so as it is, Sathan maketh it [Page 178] appeare to the soule. For howsoeuer be­fore when Sathan inticeth vs to sin, wee are blinded, that we cannot behold the monstrousnes thereof, because he coue­reth it ouer with a pleasant and delight­ful cloake; yet after that the fact is com­mitted, he openeth our eyes: to that the flithines and monstrousnes thereof ap­peareth at large vnto the soule. Out of which, as Sathan reasoneth, that there­fore, sith sin is a monster, it is mōstrous: sith it is monstrous in shape, it is mon­strous in shew, & measure. So the soule easilie is resolued thereof: and that so much the rather, because it is an eie wit­nesse of that which Sathan saith. And yet the more to increase the horror and greatnes of our sins: he addeth the mul­titude therof: which are more in num­ber, than either the haires of our head, or the starres of the skie, or the sands of the sea shore, which are innumerable: & that therefor [...], albeit our sins were not mightie, as we would beleeue: yet in so much as they are so many, he will easily infer, that they are exceeding great. For that which wanted in the greatnesse, is [...]ecompenced in the multitude: and that which wanted in the weight, is repaired [Page 179] with the number: wherby our sins haue ben so exceedingly multiplied: as that what with the greatnes, and what with the multitude, our measure of iniquitie is fulfilled, our viall full, and the treasu­rie and hoord of our sinnes, filled to the top: & that therefore the wrath of God must needs immediatly smoke against vs. And thus, partly by the law, partly by the weight, partly by the monstrousnes, and partly by the multitude of our sins: he by this his art so increaseth our sins, that he decreaseth our faith: and maketh them to be so great, that our faith is lit­tle, or none at all: he so filleth our Lord with sins, that hee emptieth the heart of hope: and maketh vs readie to thinke indeed with Cain, that our sins are grea­ter than that they can be forgiuē. Thus, as Sathan reasoneth from sin in the first place, from the greatnes thereof, to dis­swade the forgiuenes thereof: so in the second place he reasoneth from the pre­sence therof, which by the force & work of Sathan, euen after the forgiuenesse therof, and the peace of conscience, and the righteousnesse of Christ giuen vnto the soule, is put in the memorie, and re­presented vnto the soule: and that in [Page 110] such a liuely shape, idea, and forme, as they are, and were in their owne nature. And this made Dauid complaine in his 51. psalm, that his sins were continually, before his eies: yea, after that the Pro­phet Nathan hath told him, that his sins were taken away, and that he should not die therefore. And this made the same Prophet count him happie, whose sins were couered ( Psal. 32) namely, that they were no longer present before the eie of his conscience, as well as the eies of the lord And this is that, that maketh the godly, at the hour of their death, or the day of their triall, to doubt, to feare, and to tremble, because they see their sins stil before their face & fresh in their conscience: which of it self were enough to make them doubt of the forgiuenes of their sins. How much more? when Sa­than shal reason frō thence, and perswade them, that therefore their sinnes are not done away: sith they are still as fresh in their cōscience, as if they were but now done: that therefore they are not blot­ted out, sith they are imprinted in their consciences: that they are not defaced, sith they are before their face: and that they are not taken out of their soul, sith [Page 181] they are still therin. And wheras before they were couered, he will tell vs, that that was but with forgetfulnes or with securitie, or hardnes of hart, or pleasure, or some other fancies, that crept into the soule, in stead the [...]of. But now when these things were gone, he might see, as Sathan will say, that the guiltines of his sin, still guilded ouer his conscience: and the deformitie, and filthines therof, was but stubbered ouer with vntempered morter: and not washed cleane out, by the bloud of Iesus Christ, and the spirit of our God. And by this meanes, how he troubleth, feareth, casteth downe the soule, and beateth downe faith, no man knoweth, but he that feeleth: & he that feeleth it, knoweth the strenght of Sa­than, & of this reason, against the for­giuenes of our sin. And yet further, be­cause he would leaue no stone, as the Prouerbe is, vnremoued: he reasoneth from the name, as before he did frō the nature of sin. And he telleth vs, that our sins are our debts, which we must make paiment of: for the Lord will not, as Sa­than wil tell vs, be any looser by vs. And here, when he hath told vs. that we are not able to satisfie the debt: he will tel v [...] [Page 182] withall, that he is the Lords attorney to arrest vs, his man of law to wage the law against vs. his laylor to take vs into hell, which is his prison And herein indeed he wil begin to execute his office, to lay the law to vs, to sue vs, to implead vs, & wil bring the matter to an execution, or a Nisi prius. For if we haue not before a quittance to shew, sealed, and written with his owne finger, against this debt: he will make vs glad, to keepe our hou­ses, yea, our beds, or els to run away (if we can) to hide 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 [Page 183] Salomon, or Manasses, by their examples to comfort themselues: where also hee will be sure to meet with them: and tell thē, that as for Dauid, Salomon, Manasses, and such like, they were the elect vessels of God: but as for thēselues, they were no such, they were vessels of wrath, and appointed by the Lord vnto reprobatiō: and therfore, although no sin could se­parate Dauid from the Lord, yet some one, should for euer cast thē 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 cānot by the prouidence of God hinder this purpose and practise in vs; hee will [Page 184] 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 f [...]ō 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 d [...]struction was at hand. And as for absolution of the minister: hee [Page 185] 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 delusiō 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 [Page 186] 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, thē 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 a [...] 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 [Page 187] 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 [Page 188] 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.