That ourfinnes cannot ((C- haste vs of Gods mercy, f cvee repent and beieeue. Era.t.ló. Tit.n,i4. i.Iohn. t 7, 9. 418 Comfortable Perfertattuesag:ainf def)eration. thebenefit. ofGods mercie and Chriflsnae.rits,fowee repent and belecue, as may appeare alto by plaine teflimonie, Efay I . I 8. The Lord thus fpeaketh to the Iewes, whom hee had defcribed to bee rebellious, and tnofi outragiouflie wicked. Come now (faith the Lord) and let z'.r reafon together: though roourfnnes wereas crtmfon, they &all bee mode white in- [now : though they were red 45 fcarlet, they Jhall bee as wooll. The Apoflle Paul likewife witnefteth, Tit.2.14. that our Saui- our Chriflgaue hrmfclfe for v.r, that hee might redeenevs from alliniquitie: And the Apoflle lohn faith,that thebloodofChrifit cleantb vsfrom allfnne, andifwee acknon-leake ourfnrmes, hee xs faithfatlland th/I to for iue, vs ourfannes,and to cleanfevs from all vnrighteoufnefe. So that here is no mentionmade of any finnes which are excepted, or which exclude vs fromGods mercie and Chrifls merits, fo that wee repent and beleeue; neither are the promifes oftheGofpell limited or reflrained in refpeel ofthe number or grieuoufheffe ofour finnes, fo weperforme the conditionoffaith and repentance,for who-. foeuer ishartilie folic for his finnes pall, and purpofeth for the time to come to leaue and forfake them,whofoeuer doth beleeueGodspromifes, and refleth vponChrifl Iefus alone, for his faluation by a true and liuely faith, he may becertain- lie affured,that the Lord hath pardoned and forgiuen all his finnes, and receiued him intohis grace and fauour, though his finnes be neuer fo many and hainous; andon the other fide,whofoeuer continueth in his vnrepentancie and infide- litie,fhal be condemned though his other finnes beneuer fo few and finali; neither will all our other finnes debarre vs ofGods mercie,vnleffe theybee ioyned with vnrepentancie and vnbeleefe, for obferue the condition of the promifes, faith and repentance, and all thepromifes oftheGofpell be- longvnto thee, though thou were the greatcfl tanner that e- uer lined. For whereas it maybe obieeled that the finne a- gainíl the holyGhofl is vnpardonable, we are toknow it is not fo much in regard of the hainoulneffe of the finne, as that becaufe it is alwaies fcuered and difìoined from faith and repentance, Goddenying thefehis graces to thole who vpondefperate malice haue made a generall A.poflafie, -and haue I
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