244 el Letterconfolatorie - allfo furnifbedvnto your comfort,that youmay thinke, theywereas fo manyhands ftretched outfrom heaven to fupport andftrengthen yourweaknes withall. IfI fhould let :djetti fa- n,yfelfcto remember how many other the feruantsofGod haueby .diuineprouidenee baue hisfúth- beendireaed tomil-tiller comfort voto you,the number wouldbe innumerable:Mafter S. f uferaantrto Maffer F.Mailer D. MatterB. Matter G.MafterG.and ahnoft whonot,ofthole that háue poem.inour been trained and broughtvp in that fchoole. Confider how great a mercie thisbath been, *aims. thatfo many excellent Phifitionsofthe foule,fhould at feuerall times apply thernfelúes,if notvoto the cure,at the leafc untothe mitigatingofyour difeafe. I will not examinehow many and great comfortsyou haue received from them by word in prefence, and by let_ tensin abfence: thisonely Iaske ofyou, whether you haue not knowneall chefe to beare vntoyou theCaine teftimony,to fpeake the fain comfort,and to confinneyou in th-efame affuranceofthe loueofGod towardsyou. Now what fpirit inult that be,that fiall contradiEt the fpiritof Godin the mouthesof fo many and faithfullwitnefles?Mygood fricnd,tnarl:e what I willfay vino you : as the. patient that is ficke inbodie Willinglyrelìgneth himfelfe visto thefentence and direaion ofhis skilfulland faithfull Phifition ; fomuítthe children ofGod in their (piricuall mala- dies, yeeld theinfelues vnto the Phifitionsof their foules, fo much the.inure, becaufethe Maub.r8a8. Lordbath giuen vnto the rniniftersofhis Gofpell thepower ofbindingand loofing, both in the publike minitterieofhis word,and alit> in the prorateconfolationofhis children. I willnot fpeakeofthat which is publike, although not altogether vnfitvetomy purpofe, confideringthat that which is publikely fpoken as vnto all,hathalfo a particularaddrefle Efay untothole that are the Lords. Aswhê the Lord faithby hisProphet,Bleffedare allthey that mourneinSion.I will for theprefent reft in that vfe ofthis powerof bindingand lóofing Iamsrf which is privace and particular. Remember that of SaintPones, who kith,that vpon the prayers ofthe Elders oftheChurch,the finnesof thedifeafed (hall be forgiuenhim:which wordscan haueno other fenfe, bút that by them Ihall be pronounced unto him thefor- giuenesof fins.A moft excellentpraaifewhereof,we haue inourSauiour himfelfe,Luk.y: Verf.4r. wherefirftheprouethby argument vnto Simonthe Pharifie,that themOurningfirmer was pardoned allher finnes,and thereforewas now no (inner andwickedone, as heevnchari- tablyefteemed her to be ; then turning himfelfevnto the diftreffedfoule, firft faith,Tby finnesareforgiuen thee ; and afterward,Thy faithbathlaved thee,goe in peace. Wherein, though there be fome things extraordinarie inour Sauiour Chrift as the tonne ofGod;yet 1oh.zo.z3. isit that power which hehathcommunicatedvnto alibisferuants, faying,Whofefoodesyeu HovGedr forgine,they areforginn,&c.w(rich is nothing elfe,but,whofefinnes opon due examination f ithfuUmini- and triall of their repentance,youpronounce to be forgiuen,they are forgiuen.Hereagain Piers 6indeartd remeinber(my dearefriend)how manyof the faithfull and expert feruants ofChrdf haue kufe. examined yourefface by cónferencewith your felfe,and havefound allfignes untohealth and faluation. Vnleflè therefore Satan dare contradilt the Ipirit ofGod,fpeaking by the mouthes of fo manywitneffes,hecannot fay but you are the Lords. Now for your felle, I amaftured that youwill not nor dare not fay,butthis -bath beenthe confiant teftimocie ofall the feruantsofGod featvntoyou ; and that theywere fuck as youhad no caufeto fufpe&their partialitieor flatterie ihany fort. How is it then, that the voyce of fo many fhouldnot be vetoyouas the voyce ofGodhimfelfe ? Who,though Ise doe not fpeake tovs now immediatlyfrom heauen,asin fometinacopart ; yet heefpeaketh vnto vs by the mouthesof his feruants, hisProphets. When Dautdfaid in the horrorof hisfoule,Ihaue o.Saiu.tz.13. finnedagain!? theLord; was it(think you)a finall comfortthat Nathan faid immediatly vn- tohini,The Lordbath.pardoned I will fay nothing ofthe prayersof fo manyofthe feruants ofChriff as haue commendedyour caufevnto the Lord , which cannot befru- ftrate,the Lord himfelfedireeling themtopray according tohis word, andvpon theallù- Notesastaf ranee of his promife. Readepb.3 3.zg. If therebeprefint with him (chat is, with the Iob.33.i+fir Eted foule,as verfez 2.).a mefingerfrom God, aninterpreter (of thewill of God) figh4$ thecomfòrtof .one ofa thoufand i who may fienifie vnto man the equine ofthe Lorde,and intreating theafiais. -him for fauour (hall fay : Redeeme thou him that bee got not down into the pot, by that redemption which I haue found; when bee huhhumbliebefought theLord, lien Both gracioully
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