ComfortablePreferuatiues againft defperation. 429 peration, by Satans moll fubtill andviolent tentations, are notfo eafilyperfwaded that their fins are forgiuen them, and they reconciledvntoGod inChrif+; therfore Iwil fet dovvne forcearguments, whereby all thofe who truly repent, (that is,forrow for their finnes pall, and delire, and indeuour to forfake them in the time to come) andwithal], going out of doe earnef+lyhunger after Chriíl andhis righte- oufheífe, and reí+and relicvpon him for their faluation, may haue full affurance,that their finnes are forgiuen them, and that they are .in Chrift reconciled vnto God, and receiued intohis loue and fauour. The firíl argument, to affüre all ofthe pardon and for- giueneffeoftheir finnes, whowill come vnto him, may bee drawne from hismercie, which is oneof hisproperties and attributes, fo often attributed veto him in the Scriptures, Exod. 34.6.7. God thus defcribeth himfelfe : The Lord, the Lord,lfrong, mercifull andgratious, flow to anger, and a- bundant ingoodnesand truth. z.Referuingmercy for thoufands; forgiuing iniyuitie, trangrefonandfnne. Out ofwhich place thatfamous andgodly learnedman H.Zanchius bathobfer- uedmatter fit for ourpurpofe,and therefore it {hall not be a- miffe to fet downehis owne words:For befides(faith he) that theefenceofGod isonly one,c thateternal,mo,ll fmple,.no/lper- feEt,liuirág, immortall, imiifible, incorruptible,infin:t,orrnipotent, moll wife; he is alfowholly moffgood,in txhomnothingis wanting; R louer ofmen;mofl meeke,, mo/lgentle,flow to anger, moll roadie toforgiue incuries, moll patient, moll true, moll righteous, moll iufl,mofl faithfullinperforminghis promifes;finally he is nothing els then thefoueraignegoodnes,and thechiefe clemency,as hebath defcribed, and liuely deciphered himfelfe, Exöd. 34. and elfe- where. e4nd thereforewemuff note,although angerbe attr:bu tedvetoGod,yet notwithflanding,:t is in Godnothing elsbut the chiefegoodneffe and iullice, whereby he abhorreth euill, and ac- cording to his iuft iudgement doth at lengthpunafh it, :fit benot amended by his long fufering andpatience. This here-hence ma nifes` ly appeareth, becaufej7ealking ofreuene, or taking punífh- ment, whichis an effelt ofanger, he loth notfay thathedochpre- fend) infltl-tpunijhment, or'that hetisfo ready toinf it`t it, ad to Reafons to peifwadethe snake anofthefor- giueteffeofhis finales. The firfl argn ment dramme fromGods mercie. Exod.34.6.7 Zanch.de ,4ttrib.l.z. cap. i.q. :. Exod. 344
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=