I.Booke. Cafes ofCon(cience. 25 .SatJI,I~,lj by the PropherNathan 1 for his ilanesor a- A a kmde of reafomng .- the fira part whereor; dultene and murrher,prcfently madeconfefI• taken from the word of God; thefecond, fionof chem, a11dar the very (amcriruc, r~- from the: rcftimonie of the dillrcifcd confc1cctUedbythcProphet fenrence of abfoluu- <nee; and rhe condulion is the applying of on,euen trom theLord himfclfe,wheretn bee the promife on tbis manner: Hee thnr b,.th Maior .. coulJ not erre. anvnf•in~d diftre lr; repent AndbeleeHe, h111h reThe fourth Ground, To lou••any m•nbeml}/ionofjinn,,andlife merlajling: But rh•u haft Minor, cau(ehe iJ a{hrifiian, and achi!deof G•J, 14 a aneArnrftde(ireto repent And brke;u in Chrift. (cnfibleaudcertaine n91t of a"!an thatri pa~IA~cr Thereforeremif!ion ifjinnet,and lifenJrriA{/ing u ConcluGo, of t/)(trueloueof God in Chriji.Hmby(fanhS. tl;ine. Iohn) n•e kniiW that we 11re tranflt4ted from death And here remember, tlm it is moflconto life, be"""(e weloHelh:brethrm, 1.l~•h.3.14. uenicnt, this Application bee made by rhe Loue here is not acau(e, buronely a Ggneof Mmtllerofthe Gofpell, 1v,hoin frmu!l vfe Gods loue to vs. And our Sauiour Chriil his miniawall authoririe giucn him ofGod, faith,Matth.to 4t. He that rmiHetha Prsphet B to pronounce the pardon. For in dtl!relfe, I! inlhenameof"Prophet, fhallreceillt 11 Propheu is as hard a thing ro make the confcience reward. yeeld to rhe promtfe, a>to make fire and waNow rhanvee bee not deceiucd in thcfe ter agree . For though men haue fignes of grounds; tt mu£1 beeremernbred,that tbefe graceand mercie in them, yet wtll ther not beginnings of grace (be they neuerfo weake) acknowledge ir, by reafon_of the cxtremitie rnu!l not bee fiateringand Aectmg, but conoftheir dtHrclfe. In rhts manner,1·pon any of llantand Cerled, nortlayed or £lopped in the the former grounds, may the troubled and way, butfuch as daily grow and mcreafe: and perplexed foule beealfuted, that rnercie bethen they are indeed accepted ofGod. And longs to it.And this l take to be the onely gehcerhat can findedufe beginnings, or any of ncrallandrighrway,of comforting adiilrefrhem truely in himfdfe, bee mayalfure himfed confcience, Celfe rhcreby,thu he is the childe of God, Now rhar the promi(e thus applyed, may haue good fucc<lfe, thefe fixe rules mu a t)eSefl, 5, • cciTarily beobferued, Thetme Hauing rhus laid downe the Grounds of I. Oneis,thatthe comfortwhich ifminijlred, vvayofbrinw comfort: IcomenowtotheWay,bywhich 6ee111laJed withfomemi~·rureofrhe law; that ii gmg:~mJn the partie in di£1rclfe may be brought within c tofay : the promife alone mu!I not bee apwithinthe COUCIPnt. rhe compalfe of the promife of fitluatton. plyed, bur ""hall mention is tobee madeor This wa.y £lands in two things ; in makmg thdinne• of the partie, and of the grieuous Triall,and in Applyingthe prumtfe. punilhments,duevnto him for thefame. The Ftra then 'triall mu!! bee made, whether rea[on is, becaufe there is much guile in the the perfon diarelfed haue in him as yet, a· heart of man; in fo much, as otrcnrimes it ny of the fore-named grounds of grace or falleth out, thar men not thoroughly humnor, This trlall may be made by him that is bled, being cumforrcd either to foone,or too rhc cornforrcr, in the momJing of ccrraine much, doe afterward become theworll ofalt ~e£1ionsto the faid pcrlon. And firtl, let Inthtsrcfpect, not vnlike totheyron, which h1m aske, whether hee bcleeueand repent? beeing ea(! inro the fire vehemently hotte, The di£1re1Ted partieanfwers,no, beecannot and cooled againt",is much more bard, then lt repent norbeleeue. Thenweemull further would haue beene,ifthe heareba<l becnc mo· askc, whether hee defire to bcleeue and re. derate. And hence it is,thatin the minil!ring pent/ to this heewill anfwer, heedoth doofcomfort, wee mull fomcwhat kecpe them Gre it with all heart; in the fame fortis heeto downe, andbrtng them onby littleand little make triall of the other grounds. When a D to repenta<Jce. The fweetnelfe ofcomfort is man isin the fir of tentation ;heewill fay rethe greatcr,ifit be dclaied wirhfome tarrn<lfe folurely, he is Cure to bee damned, Askc him ofthe la~v. in rhi, 6ttc, of his louc to God, bee will gine I I. Another rule is .this: 1f th< diflrcfl'd anfiver,he hath none at all ;but askc hi in tUrparrie, bumu&h poff'Jftdwirhgriiftifhm1jdft, ther, whether heelouea manbecaufeheeis a hu muff not6u left alone, 6m 11iwaia t~ttemied Chriilian, and achilde of God, then will hee with good companie. For it is an vfuaU prafay,heedorh indeede, Thus after triall made Clife ofrhedtuell,to take theaduantage ofthe in this mancer,fomebeginnings of faith and place and time, when a man is Colirarie and repentancewill appeare, which at the firillay d<priued of that hclpe, which othmvife bee hidde. For God vfeth out ofthe time ofpro· might haue in focietie with others, Thus fperttie, by, and in dHirelfe and affliction ro bee tempted Eue, when flteewas apart from worke h1sgrace. l1er husband. And in this regard Salomon The fecond point followeth. Afterthat pronounceth a WO( to him thA.t iJ akne, Ecd.4. by triall fome of the forefaid beginnings of to.But horein doth his malice innil appcare, grace, bee found out, then comesthertghr 111 that hec IS a!way rcadjGU, when a m.an is Applying of the promife of life euerlafling in great ditlre!Te, and withal! (olitarie; then to the partic dillrelfed. And rhat is done by vpon the fuddcl) to tempt him to dcfpaire, c and
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