Forgiuen~ffe ofthe (reede. ' offinnes. Efa, 1 s, faith, Godbath caft thembehindhi< back!, allu- ·A ''• ding tothe manner of men, w~o when they I wil not rememberor regard athmg,doe turne! theirbackesvpon it. And Mich<M f~ith, that I Mi<h, 1 . Goddothcaftal/th:fmnesofhu peopk imothebot- ~ ,., romofrhtfta, alludingtoPbaroah, whom the Lord drowned in the bottome ofthe red fea. , And Chrifl hath taughtvs to pray thus : for- 1 M h giHtvsourdrbts, a~ WM forgmeoHrdebters: 111 1 ,~ " 9 • whichwordsisanalludingtocredilours,who j then forgiue debts, when they accom,tthat I which is debt,as no debt, & croffe the booke. HeAce it appeares that damnable and vile is the opinion ofthe Church of Rome, whic~ I holdeth that there is a remifsion of thefault without aremifsion oftbepnnijbmmt:&here- B withall fall to the ground,the dochine of llu-,4 mane fatisfaelions, and indulgences, and P\!1"1 gatorie' and prayerforrhedead, built vpon: thisfoundation,which are ofthe fame kiRd. Moreouer. wee mull: remember to adde ro this claufe, {beluHe, and then the meaning is rhis: I doe nor onely bdeeue that God dorh giue pardon oflin to his Church and people (forthatthe very diuels beleeue)but withal! I beleeue the forgiuenes of mine owne particu... larftnnes. Hence it appt:ares, that it was the iudgemet ofthe primitiue Church, that men fhould belceue the forgiueneffe oftheir owne ftnnes. . Bytllis prerogatiuewe reape endleffecom– fort:forthe pardon offinne is amoflwonder- C fullblefsing,andwithoutiteuery man is more mifcrable and wretched, then the moftvik creature that euer was. We loath the ferpent ortheto•d; but ifa man hauenotrhe pardon ofhis finnes,procuredby the death and pafsizar man full offorcs is vgly to fight, and wee cannot abide to lookc vpo1~ him: but no lazar is foloathfomctovs, as all finners are inthe fight of God : a"d tbnefore Dauidcounted him bldfed, whoft jinncs arc con<red. It may be, fomewill fay, tilt:re i., no caufe \vhyaman lhould thus magnifie the pardon offin, con– fideringit is but acommonbenefit. Thus in~ decde men rnly imagine, which neuer knew what finne meant: but let aman onely , as it wcre,but withthe tip of his finger haue alittle feeling ofthe fmart ofhis finnes,helhall finde hiseftate fofearcfull, thar ifthe whole world were fet before him on the one fide, and the pardon of his fin onthe other fide, bee would choofethe pardon of his fins brfore ten thou– fand worlds. Though many droufie Protc– ftants efleeme nothing of it, yet to the tou– ched confcienccit is atreafurc, whichwhen a man finds he hides it, and goes home, and fels allthatheharh, and cuies it. Thneforcthis benefit is mofl: excelknt, and for it themem– bers of~ods Church haue great caufeto giue God thankes wirhout ce.1fing. The duties to bee learned hence are thef<. on ofChrifl,he is athoufand-fold worfe then they. Forwhen they die, there isthe end of their woe and miferie: but when man dieth withoutthis benefit, thereisthe beginning of his.for firft in foule till the day ofiudgement, and then both in body & foule for euermore he fhall enter into the endleffe painesand tor: ments ofhell;in which ifone fhould continue fomany thoufand yeares as t:1ero are drops in the Ocean fea, and then be ddiuered, it were fome cafe:but hauingcotinued fo long(which D is an vnfpeakeable lengthoftime) he mufl re– maim:there as long againe, and after that for euer andcuer without releafe:ondtherefore a– m<>ng all the benefits that euer were or can And firft of all here comes acommon f.llllt of men to be rebuked. Euery one)vill fay,that he beleeneth the remitsion offinne<, yet no man almolllaboureth for atrue &certaine perfwa– fionhereof inhis owne confcience : and for proofe hereof, propound this queflion to the common Chriflian;Doefl thou perfwade thy felfe.that God giues remifsion offinnes vnro hi• Church? Theanfwer will bee,T know and beleeueit. Butaske him furrhtr: Docfl: thou beleeue the pardon ofthine ownefinnes? and then comes in a blind anfwer ' ·I haue a good hopem God-ward,but I cannot'tell, I thinke nomancanfayfomuch: for.God faith to no man,thy fin~ are pardoned.Butthis is to fpeak flat contranes, to fay_they belecne, and they · cannot tel:& It bcwratts cxceedmg n~.gl igece in matters of faluation. But let. rhem that feare God , or lone their owne foules health giue all diligence ro make fure the remiflio~ oftheir owne fins: withall auoyding hardneffe be thought of, this is the greatefl & moft pre– ttous. Among a)l the burthens that can befall ·~man,whatisrhegreatdt?Some wit fay,fick– ~clfe, fome ignominie, fome pouerty, fome cont<;mpt: butindeed among all, tae heauiefl and the greatefl,isthe burthen ofa mans own finnes, lyingvpon the confcience & prcfsing it 9owne, withoat any a!furance ofpardon. Da•id beeing a king had no doubt, all that heart could wi!h; and yet he laying afide all th~ royalties and pleafurcs ofhis kingdome, fatth this opethiogabo.ne al, that he u• bieflid Pral. J'·' man that i; eajid of thtburthmof hi<fnne. Alaofheart,& drowfinesoffpirir,the mofl feare– full iudgemems of God , which euery where take place. The foolifl> virginswent forrh ro Moth >s. rneete tht: bridegroom<: with lampesin their i• hands as well as rhe wife, but they ncoer lo much as dreamed ofrhe borne ofoylc, ull the comming ofrhe bridegroome. So many men liue in the Church of God as members there– of,holdiog vp the lampe ofglorious profefsion: but in the mearte feafon they fccke only forthethingsof this life; neuer cafling,how they may affure themfelues in confcience touchingtheirreconciliation with God, till the day ofdeath come. Secondly, ifwee be here bound to beleene the pardon ofall our fins, thenwemuft euery day humble our fdues before God, and focke pardon for our daily offences : for bee giues ) grace to the humble_?I contrite; he fits the 1Lu~.t. 3 . D d 4 - hungE_tL.____\
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