ComfortablePreferuatiuer 4,04 ikfperation. 43.7 tweenewhich, there can bee imagined no degrees ofcom- parifon, fo much doth the mercie and bountieofGod, ex- , ceede thebountie and mercie ofmortall man. And there- fore ifvpon repentance for our fault and earnefl defire of reconciliation, wee hopeofmercie and wounted kindtaeffe, from our friend or neighbour, let vs not make..any qúefli- on, nor oncedoubt oftheLords loue and fauour towards vs, thoughour finnes bee neuer.fo grieuous, fowee truelie repentannd vnfainedly turneuntohim. Buthere the aflli6led confcience willbe readieto fay,that §.Seal. $. thoughtherebeenodoubt ofGodsmercie, but that it is in That doubting It felfe moll infinite, yet I doubt, lefl Ifhall neuer bee parta- ofGods mer- ker thereof, becaufe of my manifold imperfe6lions, and cies, revea great vnworthineffe. To which Ianfwere, that this diflru- IlingofGodsmercies, in refpe6l ofour ,vnworthineffe,pro- guetbpride. ceedeth not from true humilitie, but from our naturali pride: for if wee had denied our (clues, and were nothing in our ©vene eies, if wee had whollie remooued our owne righ- .teoufneffe;and did whollie and onelie .ref(on our Sauiour Iefus Chrill for our fatuation, wee would neuer hope the more in regard ofour owne worthinefífe, nor yet doubt in ;refpe6l ofour vnworthineffe. But it is our fecret and inbred pride. ofheart,whichmakes vs to doubt ofGodsmercie, vn- 1effeweebringhim abribe,and deferue it at his hands,and to ,defire to make the 'Lordbeholding vntovs,rather then wee would be any whitbeholding unto him. Which is nothing elsbut todifgrace Godsmercies,that we may grace our own merits;and by labouring we may be fomthing in ourfelues, wewill notallow that God fhouldbeal in all;and haue the wholepraifeofour faluation. But we are to roote out ofour leans this fpirituall°pride, and to plant therein truehumili tie,andthenwe may allure our felues,though ourfinnes bee great,yet the merciesofGod are farre greater,thoughwe be inofl beggerly in merites, yet wee (hall bee made rich by Chriíl Iefus righteoufneffe; for the poorer we are in defert, thericher Gods mercie will appeare in accepting vs tohis .,grace and fauour; and where finne hath abounded, there ;grace will.aba.und much,more. Ff I Seeing
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=