Perkins - BX9315 P465 1597

a» this ltfe. 37 b I ftretchedfoorthmyharddrrolto thee:fny f thedeftreth after theesu the thir- bP[al.t4s. PeAnd. Lafzly,after this delirehebegins to pray,not for anyworldly benefit, 6 but onely for the forgiuenes of his finnes, crying with the poore Publican, t rthlepar- 0 Godbe mercifulltome a inner. Now this prayer,it ismade,not for one day don offin. onely,but continually from day to day : not with the lippes,but with greater fighes and groanes of the heart than that they can bee expreffedWith the tongue. Now, after thefe delires and praiers for Gods mercie, arifethin the A finely afä heart a liuel.ie afurance oftheforgiuenesoffinne. For God,who cannot lye, furance- bathmade his promife, c Knacl¿e,it ¡hall bee opened: andagaine : Before they c i 3atth.7. call lrri/lanfwere, andwhile they fpeakZe [will heure. Therefore when anhum- Efày.b 5.24. bled innercomes crying andknocking at his mere iegate for the forgiuenes offinne,eitherthenor fhortlyafter theLord worketh in his heart a finely aflu- rance thereof. And d whereas heethirfed in his heart, being fcorchedwtth dRe.zt,à5. the beateofGods difpleafurebeating vpon his confcience, Chrifi Iefas gi- Ioh4r ueth him to drinkeofthe well of the waterof life freely : and hailing drop- ken thereof, he fhall neuer be morea thirff,but (hall haue in hima fountains ofwater fpringing vp intoeuerlafling life. XV. For thebettervndertlanding ofthis, that Godworketh fattingfaith in the heart of manafter this manner ; it muff beobferued that a fanner is compared *toa fickeman oft in theScriptures. And therefore the curing ofadifeafefit- tik44S. ly refembieth the curing offinne. A man that bath a difeafe or fore in. his Matth.9. i bodiebefore he can be curedof it,he mufffee it,feelepaineofit,andbee ina 126' feare leaf+ it bring him into danger of death : after this he mall fee himfelfe to (land in needeofphificke,andhelongeth till hebe with the Phifitian : when he is once come tohim,hedeureth himofall loues to helpe him : and to íhew thebefl skill he can : he will not fparefor anycoil : then heyeelds himfelfe in- to thePhi fitianshands, pertwading himfelfe, that byGods bleflinghe both canand will helpe him : after this he comes to his former health againe. On the fame manner,euery man is wounded with the deadlywoundof fin at the very heart: and he that wouldbee faued and efcape damnation, muff fee his 'finne,be forrowfull for it, andvtterly defpayreofhisovine ílrength to attaine faluation thereby : f rthermo: e hemuff feehimfelfe toEland inneed ofChrifl, the good Phifitianofhis foule, and Iong afterhim,&cryvntohimwithdeepe fighes and groanes formereie: after this,Chrifl lefuswill temper himaplafler ofhis owne heartblond; which beingapplied,he fhall find himfelfe reuiued, and (hall come to a liuely affuranceof the forgi; enes of all ïisfinnes. So it was inDauid,whenhe repented ofhis adulterie and tnurther. Firfl,God made . him' fee his finnes : for he fayth, e I knowmine inigtáities,and anyfinnes areeuer pftl.s beforearse. Secondly, he feltGods anger for his finnes, f mareme (fayth he) f Vèrf.8. toBeare ioyand gladnes, that the bones :which thoti ball broken may reioyce, 4hirdiy'he utterly defpairedofhis owne flrength, inthat he fayd, g f abl,Jh me g Yetf.i 2. ith.th freefiirit;fignifying thereby, vnleífe the Lord would flay him with his

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