Coxnfortablepreferuatíuesagainf deiperatron. ¿ 6S committed veto them, and they haue power giuen themoff fY1,ful1 r,. Godhere on earth to bind and loofe; not as though they h]a;cf1 16. couldby their owne authoritie,and in their owne naine giue pardon offinnes to whom they lift (as the Papi(lrs teach and pra&ife) for this is proper andpeculiar vntoGod alone, as euen the Pharifes well knew;whereofit was, that Peeing our Sauiour Chrifl take vpon him to forgiue finnes,whom they imagined to bee a meere man,theyaffirmed that heblafphe- med. For who (fay they) can forgiue fipne but Godonely ? but theyhaueauthoritie giuen them of'God vpon due cxa- tninationandtriall oftheir faith by the fruites thereof,vn- fained repentance, certainelie todeclare and pronounce vn- to them thattheir finnes areforgiuen. Whofoeuer therefore haue this teflimonieofGods faithful! miniflers who are well acquainted with their eflates giuen voto them, theymay af- fure thetnfelues that it is vndoubtedly trueandmofl certain ; for who is,it that dare oppofe himfelfe and contradi& the te- flimonie ofGods fpirit in themouth offo many his faithful! ambaffadours ? whodare bee fo prefumptuous as to take vp- ponhim thedifcerningofhis flarebetter then the Miniflers ofGod, who being appointed ofGod to this funelion are indued with agreat meafure ofhis fpirit, whereby they are inabled to difcerne and iudge ofmens eflates, better then they themfelues? for he that isfpirituall difcerneth al things, and is madeacquainted with the mind of Chrifl, as the A- pofile fpeaketh, i.Cora.i 5.16. And therefore ifdiuers of Gods faithful! Miniflers with one confect pronounce vnto anypenitent firmer the remiflìon of their finnes, andaffure themafter the examinationoftheireflate that theyare in the loue and fauour ofGod,it íhould be veto them ten thoufand times more forcible an argument to perfwade them{and to confirme their faith inÿaffurance ofGods loue,then the con- trarie teflimony ofSatan or their timorous vnbeleeuing flefh to moue them to doubting thereof ?Ifourbodies beficke,we commit our felues to the skill and care ofthe Phyftion, and good reafon,becaufevì'ee knowhe is better able to difcerne ofoureflate thenwe our felues,andbeleeuinghis iudgement tobee good wee fuffer him to applie fuch remedies as hee Hh thinketh
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