.11 'Treatifi of Confcience. 545 I end whereof is to apply them to the perfons A Obieft. 8. In refpe{l ofGod, who is truth ofmen,partly by preachiAg, ~ndpartly byad-~ it fdfe,we are to beleeue thepromife in paniminiftringthe Sacraments ot Baptlfme, and cu1ar:yet 1fwe refpcd: our owne vnworthmes the.Lords (upper, which are fcales ofrighte• and indifpofition, we arc to feare and in fome oufnes offaith.Now the promife applied ,and part todoubt. Forthe promife ofremifsion of (as I may fay) particularized to the members iinnes, is notabfolutc, but depends vpon the ofthe Ch•rch, is by the venue of Gods ordicondition ofour works.Therfore ourcertainnance as much , asif God himfclfe had giuen tic is only conitfiuraU•.Anfi anfiver,tirllthat the promife particularly , and am1exed mens in rcfpc::Cl: ofour owoevnworthindfe, we are names vnto it. It is furtherrepljed, that the not to doubt ofour faluation, but to ne out of promife ofremifsio of!in.is preached not fim- · al doubt,yea do defpaire before the iudg< ment ply but vpon conditionof mens faith and refearofGod.Forrhey which areofthe workcs pe;tance, which indeede cannot be certainly I ofthe law,arevnder the curfe, G41.J·IO· and knownc.I anfwet again(as I haue already proP4u/fairh ofhis own workes ofgrace./n this I ued)thathewhichrruly beleeueth& repeteth, amnotiujlified. r.Cor-4•4· And 'lJauidbeeing knoweththathedoth certely beleeue& repet. B outofall doubtofhis own deferued damnatiObieft. 7• Tobeleeue the pardon ofa mans on,in regardof~isownevnwonhvne!fe, faith owne fins,isnone ofthe articles offaith, pra.. freely,ErJternot into i11dgement withthyferuttf!t, pounded in any Crced,eitherofthe Apoltles, 0 LordfornoflefhjhaObeiHjliftedin thyfight.Aor the Nicene fathers,or .AthanAjiJU, or any ogaine, rhe confidcration 0fanwo1 thmdfe in ther Creed•.Anf.This faith is contained vnder our fdues, dothnot hinder a rtfolution con thefe words:/befeeHeremijfionoffim:& I proue • ccrningGods mercie in Chrifl. For true faith it thus.Thefe words are an article ofChrillian makes anentrance vnto God with boldm:Jfo, (I faith, & therefore they mull infeofe containe faywithboldne!fe)euen forrhofe perfonsrhat more thenthe diueldothor can beleeue; now arevnworthy in themfelues. Eph. 4-12- And the diuel belecueth thus much, that God giues Abrabam(whofe faith is to be tollowedofvs) remifsion offinnesto his Church. Chrifiian did notvponrhe confideration of hisold demen therefore mult goc one llep further, and caied body,relt himfelfe with bare hope,vpon bcleeue. particularly the remifSion of their a likelihood ofthe accompli!hmentof Gods owne fins. Otherwife,ifthe Papills will haue promife,but he belemedvnderhope, eoenagainfl • the Catholike faith to beleeueno more in this hop<,Ro.4.18.Lafrly,I anfwer,that theground point,then thedamned fpitits beleeue, letthe C ot the formerobiefiion is erroneous; namely, take it io themfelues. But they reply further, that the promife of uluation depends vpon thatifthere wereany fuch article offaith,then the c6dition ofour works: becauli: the Smpfome perfons mull beleeue, that they are iuft, ture Gtith,It is made& accornpliilied on mans though they willingly commit mortall finne, part freely.! grant indced,that to the promife which is 'W euident fal!hood•.Anf.He that bethere is annexed acondition offaith: yet faith leeues the pardon of his owne finnes by true mull oot here be confidcred as a worke, but as faith,hath the fpirit ofGod in him 1 and a conan infirument apprehending Chrill with his llant purpofe not to fin againll God, & therebenefits: and withal!, rtpentance with the foreifhe fin,it isagaintl his purpofe,and withfraitsthereof,are on ourpart required ; yetno outany full confent ofwill: & it is not he that otherwife, butas they are necelfary c6feqeers doth it, bntthe fin that dwelleth in him. But offaith, & the!ignes and documentsthcreof> ifit fo fallout,that the childe ofGod be ouerObieft,9.Noman knowes alhis fins: no man · taken with any ac9:uall fin, then hiscafe ftantherefore can certainly know that all his fins deth thus:he bath byhis fal wounded h!s con- 'aropardoned,and that he is accepted of God. fc1ence,weakened his faith,bereaued lumfelfe .A><fw. The ground of this argument is falfc: ofGods fauour, as much as in him lieth;made D namely, that a man cannot be affured of the himfelfe guilty ofafinne, and worthy of dam. pardon ofhis iios,iflome oftr.e be vnknown. natici: & God for his part accordingly turnes And to make this manifell, I will lay down a the woonted £ignes of his fauour , into £ignes more certaine ground,which !ball be this. As of anger and difpleafure: an~ though it bee the cafe isin Repentance, fo is italfoin faith: pardoned in the purpo(e ofGod, y_er it is nor butthere may be true& fufficientrepentance afiually pardoned, nll the partle repent. ofvnknowne finnes. God indeede requires a Thi•gs llanding thus , we teach not that men particular repcotance for particular knowne mufr beleeue the pardon oftheir finnes, white finnes: but if they be hidden and vnknowne they liue and liein them; forrhat were flatly he accepts a general! repentance. An exampl; ~oteach fal!hood for truth: butourdotlrine whereofwe hauein DaRid, Pfal, 19· 12. Who Is, that fuch perfons mult tirll o~all humble cyowes,faithhe, theerroRrs ofthis life?thenp 11 rg• themfelues, and fity With theptodigallchtlde, ""ftommyftcretfinnes. I fit were notas I haue that they haue finned againlt God, and are faid, neither 'lJaHid, nor any man elfe could be, not wotthy eo bee called his children any faued. For whea Dauid repented greatly of , more: and againe renue their decaied faith his murder and adulterie, yet we find not that and repentance, that they may beleeue (as be· hee repented particularly of his polygamic: fore)thmperfefireconciliation with God. which in all likelihood, through tbe fwin~;e and
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