loo A PWWOcannot goe q Trid.con. q that aman regenerate may fulfill the whole lawe of God : that amanmay cíEcap. r s. preparehimfelfe to receiue grace, and after preparation merit grace at Gods hand : thathe maydoe worksofSupererogation,&c. By this it appeareth that rGen.6, theChurchofRome afcribeth toomuch to man,r 'hich in himfelfe is oneij EPhe.2.t.z. and altogether euill,dead in finne,chayned vp in miferablebondage vnder Sa- than the prince of darknes : and therefore it is euident,that all thepreaching that is vied in that Church,will not humble a finner,and make him denyhim- felfe, and therefore their preaching may peraduenture benumrre a corrupt confcience and make it fecure, but it cannot pacifie the troubled confcience, nor difquiet it by thethreatnings of thelawe;that by the promifes ofthcGof. pell it maybequieted. I I. Againe, rthis religion teacheth, that a man mull doubt of his faluation as I Trid.Con. longas he is in thislife : beholde a Racke or Gibbetereefed bythe Church of kid6.cap.9. Rome,forthe tormentingof tender confciences:for when aman doubtethof his faluation,he alfodoubteth ofGods loue andmercie to him : and he which doubtethofGods loue, cannot loue God againe : for hove can any man loue himofwhoregood will heedoubteth : and when aman bath not the loue of God inhim,he bath no graceinhim,and therefore hisconfciencemua needes be defiled, and voydoftruepeace, yea he muff needeabea wicked man, and tProu.28. that t PayingofSalomon muff needes agree tohim : The wicked flyeth when noman purfueth (byreafonofthe guiltinesofhisconfcience)but the godlie is u Pfal.32.1. bolde as a Lyon. Againe, u Blelhed is the man (faythDauid) s.hofefinges are pardoned : wherehemaketh rem iiTionoffinnes robe true fehcitie : now there is no true felicitiebut that which is enioyed,and felicitie cannot bee enioyed, vnleffe it be felt,and it cannotbefelt vnleffe a manknowhimfelfe to be in pot= feffion ofit, and aman cannot knowhimfelfe to bee in poffeffion ofit, if he doubt whether hebath itornot : and therefore this doubtingofthe remiflìon of Gnnes is contrarie to true felicitie, and is nothing els but a tormentofthe confcience. For aman cannot doubt whether hisfinges beepardoned ornor, but firaite way (ifhis confcience bee not fearedwith an hote yron) the very thought ofhis finne will 'hike a great feare into him : for the feare ofeternal! death,and thehorror ofGods judgements will come tohis remembrance, the confideration ofwhich is moll terrible. Vndoubtedly,this religionmull needs Heb.6. ra. bee comfortlefle. Alaspoore foules,we are no better than paffengers in this 9, world, our way it is in themiddleofthe Sea,where wee can haue no hirefoo- ting at all,and which wayfoeuer wecall our eyes,wee fee nothing but water, euen opening it Idle ro deuoure vs quiche : thediuell and our rebellious flelh rallevpagainfl vs infinite thoufands oftempeas.and florines to overthrow vs: but behold,God ofhisgreat and endles mercie bathbrought vs toChrifl,as to a lureAnchor-hold:he biddethvs to vndoourGables,& flingvpourAnchors Cant.r.s, within the vaile, and fallen them in Chrifl : wee doe it as wee arecommaun- ded:but a Sifter of'ours (1 meane the ChurchofRome)palling in the fhip with vs (as itfeemeth) who hath long taken upon her to rule thehelrne, dealeth
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=