6 r o Satins temptations alluring vs tocommitfin, e. the curfe.of the law, and the.punillzments threatned againfl finne,both in this life and the life to come. Why (will free fay)makefl thou filch fcruple ofcommitting this finne which is foplcafant or:profitable unto thee : feeing it is in it owne nature but verie fmal, and almofl no offence at al,beingcomma pared with the great tranfgreffions which others haue com- mitted, who r_otwithflanding are faideuen -in theScriptures to.haue been moil godly and righteous, yea, and highly in Godsloue and fauour;why therefore fhouldefl thou, who artfarre inferior veto them, fumble at this fmáll flraw, Pee- ing thefegreat blockes couldnot hinder euen the moll re- ligious from enioying the pleafures. of finne ? Confider al- fo the commot, frailtie ofmankinde,, and the naturall cor- ruptionsofthe befl, whereby they are--ready tofall when the leaft occafions are offered, in-to finnes farce greater then this which fomuch pleafeth thee. Remember that thou canf ot. beaSaint in this life, nor freed from that corruption which fofall cleaueth vnto thee; and therefore feeingqhou.. muti needs.finne ; now finne when therebythou maift ,haue plea- fure or profit, for doewhat that thoucanfl, yet thoufhalt.of- ten fall. And why wilt thou not rather be lead withdelight, then be drawnewith necef itie ? Confider likewifetbat thy; God is mofl merciful, and therefore f}il ready topardon thy hones ;and the rather,becaufe heknoweth thy fraile weake.. neffe inreffling finne, and:inability toperforme obedience tohis law; andalfo that Chrif+died, not forthe iufl,but the vniufl; not for therighteous, but for the rimier :.and there-, fore be thy finnes neuer fomany, yet applying the meritsof Chrifl byfaith,.neither their guilt nor punifhment fhall bee. imputed vino thee. Call to rninde alto thegracious promifes ofpardon and forgiuenffe,,which are made vnto thee in the Gofpell; for the obtainingwhereof, nothing is required of theebut faith and repentance: now this faith thouhaft alrea- dy, and this repentance thou maifl haue hereafter, when thouhaft enjoyed thepieafure or profit ofthis finne.Neither loth repentance goe before, but foiloweth the committing, ofenne fo that vnleffc thou firfl finne, thouhaft no caufeof repentance,nor.neede torepent. And
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