18z TheBa(ke-prtr oflehouah. o Luk,t ç 7, repentance°. As concerning thenecefsity ofthisdo&rine therefore, thisI fay, it is an eafie thing to abaft Gods mercy, but a hard thingto lay holde vponGods mercy: Toprefume upon Godsgracioufnef e, is a thing (Donedone, but to bee well grounded in the affuranceofGods loue, is a matterofmoredifficulty. I de- fine no better witnes herein, then atroubled foule,awounded fpirit,one that fee. eth thebottom offine, and feeleth (as it were)the very (torchingof hell fire; wholecoafcience is let uponthe rack: filchan onewill tell you, what a hard mat- ter it is tobeperfwaded ofGodsmercy. Ifyou thinke Imakeá wrong fuppofrti- on,Tooke vponDanid; Aman would thinke that fuch anone as hee was, should neuer hauebees brought to fuch aftrajr,as to hauedoubtedofGods fauour,yet I,Pfd.;r,as. hearewhathimfelfefaith, lfaidinmyhafie, ?amcafioutofthyfghte,and,WeMthe y Pfh77.7 Lordabfent himfelfforrner,wighefbeW nomorefauourv?&c. and in anotherplace, cPLat, ire.u. }Paid in myfeare, allmenare liars r: he thoughtthat Samnelthe Propher,and all o- . ther that had preached to himofthe mercyof God, had vtterlydeluded him. And we findwhat great reafoninghe had with hisowne foule,beforehe could be per- (Pfal.4r.;,tr, (wadedofGods goodnesonto him;whyart thou raftdowse my/onle,Wa,t on God rf- muchadoehehad before hec'ouldouercomehis owne dif}ruflfulneffe. But what fhould 1 fpeake ofhim ? Looke upon Chrift in thedates ofhis fleth, when he bare ti Pegx.54. onrfinnet,, and was made a mire for vs.; what acombate beehad betwixt theap- uGa1.3,r#. prehentionofGods wrath due mevs, and thefitted perfwaftonof his mercy ,the fpeechutteredby himmay.teflihe. Foras before in thegarden, he notonly began e Mat, to Waxe forrovefn4*,and to be afraid, but alto indeed tobe in an agony, fo that his :Marraa.;7; ;. , [heat was likedropsofbloodY; foafter vpon the cr911,he tryed our in the anguil a yLeO,ti.an. ofhisfoule,Mygad,myGod,Whjhaftthouferfakesme .1Sothatbythisappeareth zMar, 27 es. thenccefsity ofwell opening and proouing this do&rine,becaufeoutof thereex- amples I may bee bolde to affure thee, that whatfoeuer thou now fecurelydoeft imagine,or whatfoeuer thou thinkeliof others, whoare troubled in minde and vexed in fpirit, ifthou dopft belong toGod, thou (halt finde it the hardelt thing that thoueuer vndertoolïeft,robe perfwaded,that notwithlandingthe multitude . and groffenesof thy frnnes,yét Godwill receiue theevntomercy.This maycleere this point, touchingtheneceluity ofthis do&rine. The game Now forthe partiesto whom it belongs, that isa point whichmull beeadded towhom ié allot for thoughno truth which Godbath revealed mull befecreted,yet all truth behangs, mutt warily bedeliuered. Thedo &rine ofGodsmerry is to be taught with that caution and difcretion,that ifany man doeabufe it, the fault may bee hisowne, and the occalionofprefuming may be found tobe rather takenby him, then gi lien to him. For thething it felfe therefore, thisd fay : This do&rine is the Got 114142'4o. pelt, and the Gofpell isghsdeidin,goo: but towhom? To a/lobepeople.faid theAngel to the thepheards, that is, to thole which pertaine to Gods chafing. More bIfatSt.t. ;. plainly: it isglad.tidìngs to thepeore,rothebrokenhearted, to themthat monrne': to inch this indent placeof Scripture appertaines (in refpea of the comfort ofit) & to noothers. Aman canneuer knowthe lengrh,&depth, and bredth,&height ofGods mercy, until} bee know the length, anddepth, and breadth, and height, ofhis owne mifery. If thoube a man of acontrite heart, that tremble[} at Gods iulice, that groneft under the burdenofthy fins, and feel thewofulnesof thy e- ftate,then thisdo &rineappertaines to thee,it is thyCoale that I mill (peakveto, s Peo.3s, I am lureit will be health to thy nauill, and marrow tothy banes', andwill make thy heart toleapwithin thee, as Marier voice made the babefpring inthe wombeof dLukr.al Étizabeeba, Butifthoubeamanoflitt lefeeling,thathalnotruetouch,thouart enen frozen in the dregsof thineown fecurity, &bleffel thy fellwithout a caufe, I fay tothee asPeter laid toSimon Magus, Thou buffneither parr norfellorefhipitt oA&S,ar. chie bn/' nos°; there isanother Fong tobefung tothee, & that is which followeth my text touching the iulice ofGod,&thou (halt be forced towring oat earn the fPfil,7SS, dregs ofthat redwineof Gods indignations, buto the cupofmercy &faluation, thou
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