we haue of GOD that if wee aske any thing according to his will he will heare vs. And if we know that he heareth vs whatsoeuer we aske we know that we shal obtaine that we haue desired of him WE cannot be in doubt when we come to God in our prayers grounded on his commaundements and promise but that we shall be heard and receiue such things as we want which condemneth those men that call vpon strange Gods yea on those which are no Gods and pray to those which are departed out of this life who can haue no certaintie of their prayers But wee must bee certaine that GOD doth hearken vnto vs when wee pray to him as wee are taught in his holy worde for he hath promised to giue and graunt vs such things as we aske him being necessary and conformable vnto his will which are the meanes whereby he vseth to doe vs good and to giue vs his grace in full and conuenient tyme. Rom. Chap. 8. ver 26. Likewise the spirite also helpeth our infirmities for wee knowe not how to pray as wee ought but the spirite maketh request for vs with sighings which cannot bee expressed but he which searcheth knoweth what is the meaning of the spirite seing he maketh requestes for the Saincts according to the will of God AS by the holy Ghost wee are lead to the true knowledge of our saluation so by it we are made certaine of the same being the seale and earnest of our inheritaunce which testifieth with our Spirite that wee be the sonnes of God in that wee hate all euill and on the contrary take pleasure in the lawes of the Lord. For it is the Spirit which comforteth vs in our affliction and strengthned vs in our weaknesse in making vs beare paciently the burden of our tribulation and aduersities in so much that our affections being at variance among themselues many tymes slowe to prayer are yet stirred vp by the holy Ghost who teacheth vs to stay our selues vpon the promises that we are to aske of God with desire and earnest affection of heart which cannot bee declared in wordes By this meanes are our prayers exalted to God and accoumpted iust and reasonable being made by the holy Ghost which is the Spirite of God God who acknowledgeth and accepteth that which is his and proceedeth from him by giuing vs deliuerance and adiudge vs vnto saluation Seing then that our prayers ought to bee ordered according vnto the will of God and done in such sinceritie and singlenes of heart we may comfort our selues in the vertue of his grace and operation of the holy Ghost To this is added that which the Apostle teacheth in this Chapter that by the spirite of adoption wee may boldly crye abba father In this maner then ought wee to aske in faith and certaintie without doubting as S. Iames exhorteth vs being founded vpon the assuraunce that wee haue of the fatherly goodnesse of God towards vs by the holy Ghost Parables similitudes of the grace mercie of God towards poore sinners which do repent them selues IT is manifest not onely by all the sayinges which heretofore are shewed and other places of holy Scripture to the same purpose touching the grace of God proffered vnto vs by the forgiuenes of our sinnes but also by certaine Parables and Similitudes which serue vs as promises and which our Sauiour Christ hath vsed for our comfort as we may reade in the 15. of S. Luke The first is of the Sheepe that went astray and was lost in the wildernes whome the Sheepheard seeketh earnestly and finding it taketh it vpon his shoulders bringeth it home and reioyceth more ouer that one then for the nintie and nine which he had in like sorte saith our Sauiour is it in Heauen for one sinner that repenteth him selfe Hath sinne then deceiued thee hath it caried thee away from the flocke of Christ and made thee stray from the right path Art thou in the middest of a Desert in daunger of a roring Lyon the enemie to thy saluation Withdrawe thy selfe betimes and recant of thy straying and goe to thy flocke least thou perish vtterly returne vnto thy soueraigne Sheepheard Iesus Christ which will bee gentle vnto thee neither stande in doubt but that he wil receiue thee if thou returne to him seing he goeth seeking and calling those which goe astraye to bring them into his fould and when thou art returned be not afrayde but be sure of thy saluation and reioyce for the Angels in heauen reioyce for thee Luke Chap. 16. ver 18. As a woman which hath lost a peece of siluer after she hath found it againe reioyceth so doth the Angels of God for a sinner which doth repent ALthough we lose our selues by our owne fault bee guiltie of our estraying from God yet for all this he houldeth vs so deare and precious and hath such care of vs that he will neuer forget vs but prouideth for our saluation bringeth vs to himselfe keepes vs as his owne euen as though he should keepe some excellent treasure for which the celestiall and heauenly Angels doe sing for ioye and gladnesse Luke Chap. 15. ver 11.12 BY the goodnesse of the father towardes his prodigall sonne our Sauiour sheweth the great clemencie of God our celestial father towards poore sinners which conuert themselues vnto him If by the lightnes and foolishnesse of our mindes and by the vanities of our harts we haue abused the goodnes of God either temporally or spiritually by our owne meanes are drawne from his commaundements in slouthfull and dissolute life and so fallen into confusion by feeling our pouertie and miserie let vs not feare to turne againe to our God with true humblenes acknowledging our misdeedes seeing he is gentle and mercifull he will receiue vs as his children he will clothe vs with his benefites and spirituall graces with all ioye and mirth By the Parable and Similitude of the Publicane acknowledging himself a poore sinner standing a farre of and thinking him selfe vnworthie to lift vp his eyes to heauen striking his breastes and bewayling that he had neglected the mercies of God our Sauiour makes vs certaine and perswades vs of the iustification and mercie for our sinnes if truely we feele our selues guiltie if we be beaten and humbled in our harts if we haue a true displeasure and are sorie that we haue offended our God if wee be so touched wee shall finde him gentle and quiet towards vs. Worthy examples touching the great mercie of God towards poore sinners ALthough many promises and excellent proofes be here set before vs as sufficient to quiet the conscience of euery one notwithstanding it shall be needefull to set forth some examples for more certaintie and confirmation of the same seeing that such examples and instructions do stirre vs vp the more to consider better of the matter Wherefore as in our first father Adam sinne began to appeare so in him also God shewed the
because they would not frame themselues according to his abhominations For these thinges the wrath of GOD was kindled against him in so much that he was ouercome of the Asserians and lead captiue to Babylon bound with chaynes but being there in anguish he humbled himselfe to God confessing that he had beene wicked cruell and abhominable at whose complaint God had mercie on him deliuered him from such miserable bondage caused him to returne to Ierusalem and set him in his kingdome againe who beeing thankfull to his God for his goodnes tooke away the strange Gods pulled downe the Alters and established the pure seruice of GOD with a straight commaundement to all his people to obserue it giuing in this a ful testimonie of his true repentance and conuersion to God by this we haue an example and euideÌ„t apparant signe of the infinite mercie of GOD towards vs poore and miserable sinners to this end that none dispayre in his sinnes how great and filthie soeuer they bee for as I haue shewed out of Gods word where sinne aboundeth there grace aboundeth much more It was a great and filthie offence when many of the high Priests and Leuites in the tyme of the Captiuitie and when the wrath of God was spred ouer them and ouer al the people because of their iniquities who neuer thought on their transgressions nor sorie for their sinnes in turning to the Lord by a true repentaunce but forgat what he had commaunded them tooke strange wiues lincking themselues to straunge people betrothing their sonnes and daughters in mariage and mingling by this meanes the holy seede with prophane people a thing generally forbidden to all the people of GOD Deut. 7.3 but especially prohibited in Leuit 21.14 Yet when Esdras a soueraigne high Priest a Scribe of the law a rightuous man vnderstood this disorder and confusion he was very sorie and greatly offended making lamentation before GOD for it The people also were taken with feare and trembling acknowledging their faultes and by the commaundement of Esdras sent awaye their strange wiues with their children making certaine Offringes in respect of their sinnes and so the bountie and mercifulnesse of God remayned among them There was a woman sayth S. Luke in the 7. Chapter of the Gospell which was of euill life who hauing cast her self at the feete of Iesus Christ weeping receiued of him such ioye and consolation to assure her selfe that her sinne was forgiuen her though they were neuer so great There was also sayth the selfe same Euangilist in the 19. Chapter a man called Zacheus who was a principall Maister of the Custome rich and of a wicked life yet when Iesus promised to lodge with him he shewed that hee was come to seeke and saue that which was loâ—â— by which meanes this poore sinner was receiued into grace with a true repentaunce and goodwill to satisfie againe the hurt which he had done to others I pray you beholde the fall of S. Peter it is an example to euery one who being one of the twelue Apostles and Doctors of the worlde brought vp in the knowledge of the Lord by seeing his wonderful myracles and beeing one of the three witnesses which saued his glorie in the Mountaine promised neuer to forsake him neither in prison or in death yet his infirmitie was so great and so fearefull that he not onely forsooke him but forsware him three tymes yet the Lorde in mercie had compassion on him and behelde him though he had made himselfe vnworthie of the honorable office whereunto he was ordayned but repenting weeping in teares was one of the first which was called vnto his office and fitted with the giftes of the holy Ghost to be a seruaunt and faithfull witnesse a couragious and valiaunt Martyr of Iesus Christ The vnhappie and wicked man which for his misdeeds was hanged on the Crosse had his recourse vnto Iesus Christ in the tyme of death and was not cast away but receiued into ioye and consolation with promise that after his death not after many yeeres or some space of tyme or after he had bene in the forged fire of Purgatorie but presently wheÌ„ he should end this mortal life he should be with Christ in Paradise He was truely execrable which was cut of from the number of the faithfull by the Church at Corinth because against all honestie and ciuility he did entertaine and vncouer the nakednesse of his fathers wife for which cause although he well deserued to be deliuered to Sathan excommunicated and vtterly cut off from the misticall bodie of Christ yet the Apostle S. Paule seeing his repentaunce and vnderstanding the punishment which the Church had layd vpon him vsed clemencie compassion neither would haue the man to suffer any greater seueritie but to haue some regard in comforting him for feare hee should bee swallowed with too great sadnesse See here what examples the holy Ghost setteth forth in holy Scriptures as pure cleare testimonies to proue the great and inestimable mercies of God towardes poore sinners which doe conuert themselues with all their harts without dissimulation vnto him by a true repentaunce and amendement of life These examples be of some force to those whom God hath receiued lately vnto the communion of his grace when as he made a way vnto the Gentiles and called them vnto his Church All those then which haue bene before named were of the people of God of his house of which some haue sinned against the first Table others against the second others against both by monstrous misdeedes some haue robbed some murthered and done dissolutly Some haue committed Adultery Fornication and Incest Some Apostaties Idolators and reuolters from the trueth Some giuen vnto Witchcraft all they neuerthelesse haue bene receiued into the mercie of God O the wonderfull loue of the Lord how excellent and full of compassion is he Who would not be rauished to beholde his stedfastnesse Who would not trust in him to reioyce and comforte himselfe in his mercies who is a strong hould for the poore afflicted a refuge for those that be amased and desolate a comfort to those which are in calamitie the whole hope of the poore It is thou O Lord which doest surmount all our iniquities thou swallowest them downe and bringest them to nothing by acquitting and deliuering vs from them Is there any then that feeleth himself guiltie of any great fault or any sinne committed after they haue bin instructed in their saluation occupying a place in the Sheepe-fould of the Lord let him not dispayre in the clemencie of God seeing he hath here fayre examples before his eyes to followe for his comfort Seeing then it is so by so many places of holy Scripture and by the promises of God by good examples liuely exhortations of the grace and mercie of God offered to vs presently and set foorth by the loue of his beloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ let vs bee certaine and full assured that if wee beleeue and truely repent and call vpon him with a true heart and affection he will bee pacified with vs what offence soeuer wee haue committed he will wholly forgiue vs. This is then the consolation in myne affliction for thy word O Lord hath quickened mee Psalm 119. FINIS
THE Consolation of the Soule being an assurance of the forgiuenesse of sinnes with the most notable promises of God conteined in holy Scripture both in the olde and newe Testament briefly expounded and applied as hereafter followeth With certaine examples woorth the bearing in minde touching the great mercies of God towards poore and miserable sinners When I am troden vnder foote thy mercies doth lift me vp againe Psal 94. Made by Iohn Chassanion and englished by H.S. of Greyes Inne Gent. Imprinted at London for Symon Waterson ⧠To the faithfull of the refourmed Church of Metz grace and peace through Iesus Christ our Lord. SEING it hath pleased GOD deare bretheren to make mee an Instrument wherby to declare his holy worde vnto you I thought it very needfull to present this little Booke wherein I entend not to teach any newe matter but to put you in mind of your saluatiō which you haue of long tyme knowne and doe daily heare to the end it may be the better rooted in your hearts And so much the rather seeing by this you haue at all tymes such meanes to reioyce and comfort your selues in God whereby we may gather very many good instructions in Gods schoole if we bee certainly perswaded of his grace and indeuour our selues both to obey him and to amend that we finde to be amisse in vs. Also we shall cōtinually lift vp our harts towards him that we may be partakers of his felicitie bountifulnesse the very ground of our saluation After which maner doe the children of God truely exercise them selues in meditation looke throughly into the vnspeakable goodnesse of him by whome they are saued through Iesus Christ euen with an vndefiled thought and hope Also it is requisite that there bee a true amendment of life agreeable both to the seruice obedience honor which we owe vnto him and to cal vpon him vnfaynedly All which are the chiefest points comprehended in holy Scriptures and here summarily spoken of for the confirmation of our faith and hope the full assurance wherof is as it were the foundation of all others cōsisting in the certaine perswasion which we ought to haue of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes to which end also principally the preaching of the Gospell doth attende by reason whereof S. Paule calleth it the ministrie of reconciliation How happeneth it thē that the Cleargie men in our companie by an holie and religious custome euery Sonday in morning prayers declare the grace of God that is to say the forgiuenesse of sinnes to all true penitent Christians beeing necessarie for euery one to knowe Certainly principally for this cause that all may bee perswaded that their offences bee forgiuen them before God and that they bee reconciled vnto him and receiued into his grace what iniquitie soeuer they cōmitted And this certaine perswasion ought to be stedfast and deepely rooted in our hearts chiefly in the tyme of Calamities and great affliction whereunto the children of God are continually subiect hauing the obstinate and peruerse worlde their enemie which will neuer agree with them being set forward and inflamed by him which from the beginning is a murtherer and an aduersarie to all mankinde and neuer leaueth in rest those that giue themselues to the true seruice of their god but doth procure vnto them all hinderances and lets that he can and continually assaults them with mortall warres compassing them with euilles roūd about strangely oppressing them when they doe protract tyme. It may seeme then that for a tyme God doth giue them ouer and that he is very angrie with them and that he would vndo them and that they be lost but they hauing this ful knowledge that by his infinite bountie and clemencie he doth receiue them into his mercie and quiet orders See how they are reuiued and comforted and their consciences in rest And to this end is the worde of saluation giuen vnto them by the which God doth promise to be mercifull vnto them If then such a simple promise bee sufficient to make them certaine of his loue towards them how much more will it be when al other promises doe aboūd It is therefore for this cause that I haue gathered here a certain number of most singuler notes of the holie Scripture which consequently are added which are taken from one and the selfe same spring which shal be like towers strōg places most high to defend vs against the terrible and perilous assaults of the deuill and to put off from vs all incredulitie and mistrust That which I present vnto you welbeloued brethren I dedicate it to witnesse the good affectiō that God hath giuen me towards you wishing that more and more you may be stedfast and conformable in the faith and certaintie of the fatherly goodwill of our God We cannot but alwaies hope well of such a gentle and gracious father which haue looked on vs a long tyme with his owne eyes and hath visited vs as his owne only by the true happy light of his word and by excellent Shepeheards of which some are already receiued into perpetual rest with the Lord others serue him yet happely in other places he hath established the ministrie of his Gospell among you which you inioye at this present by his inestimable bountie although the blustringes of the tempestes lately past haue brought into many and diuers places some straunge troubles and calamities This good God neuerthelesse hath alwaies care to preserue you in such extremities that you haue continuall occasion to giue him thanks the very tokens and witnesses of your faith which may appeare in that that you neede not greuously to seeke for the nourishment of your soules three long myles farre from your houses neither in painfull and sorrowfull waies Continue alwaies therfore in this zeale for the glory of God and in the confidence of his goodwill and mercie towards you vnto the ende I desire those which bee slouthfull to come into the pasture of the Lord to consider what he sayth in this place when he sayth that his sheepe follow him and doe heare his voyce Ioh. 10. And what he sayth in an other place He which is of God heareth Gods worde Ioh. 8. I doe warne them therefore with my brothers and fellowes to be most affected in it not to bee giuen so much to the loue of the world to their vanities to the end that they maye not depriue themselues before they be aware from the celestiall goods and riches which are euerlasting Deare brethren I pray to our God father that in houlding you alwaies vnder the shadowe of his winges he may cause you to profite more and more in his holy knowledge and continually to fortifie you in his seruice and to replenish you withal the gifts of his holy Spirite to his honor and glory to your consolation Your humble and affected brother in the Lord. Iohn Chassanion ¶ The Consolation of the Soule being
an assurance of the remission of sinnes with the most notable promises of GOD conteyned in the holy Scripture as well in the old as new Testament briefly expounded and applied vnto the same IF hee to whome the forgiuenes of sinne is giuen froÌ„ whome sinne is put away bee happie as it is sayd in the xxxij Psalme Happie is the maÌ„ to whom God imputeth no sinne He needeth not to doubt but on the contrary parte he is vnhappie which is tyed and bound in sinne he must looke for none other thing but for his coÌ„demnation and ruyne onely Be it for a time he liues in ease takes his pleasure and altogether giues himselfe to delight though he be increased with honor and euery bodie doe loue and cheare him yet he is neuerthelesse vnhappie if he be not set at libertie by grace and forgiuenesse of his iniquities for sinne is a burthen so hard heauie that no man is able to beare it pulling downe euery one that is laden with it from whence it appeareth that some do bowe vnder it and falles into ruine and brings them selues into dispayre as it happened to Iudas Other being oppressed in such sort that they cannot scant receiue any comfort and rest I haue seene a man which hauing committed as himselfe doth confesse some great and notorious faults was so abated troubled in his spirite by the memorie of them that he did resemble a poore man which was indepted and condemned to a greeuous sufferance and shamefull death he did alwaies grone and sigh with the trouble and paine of his Soule feeling himselfe so guiltie and doubting of the mercies of God for the inormitie of his sinnes in such sort that he made not any account to eate any meate and refused to take any nourishment if hee had not beene carefully mooued thereunto by those which did keepe him companie his heart being so oppressed with dolor that sometimes he wished that his bodie might bee punished with Iustice and that hee might suffer some greeuous paine to make his torment lesse which hee thought hee had deserued in his soule Sometimes in his anguish he did require to bee comforted and receiued into the Church by publicke pennance but he was a straunger and did but passe away I haue seene an other which hauing a long time abused the true knowledge of God yet at the last had such remorse of conscience which did gnawe his heart so that he was constrayned to lye as sicke and out of breath See therefore how horrible heauie sinne is of it selfe from which whosoeuer is lightned though he bee neuer so poore miserable and dispised of the world or otherwise afflicted he is neuerthelesse an happie man The blinde man of this world doth not esteeme nor iudge of these things otherwise then by apparance of deceiptfull vanities and not in trueth as it appeareth daylie but the spirite of GOD doth teach the godly otherwise as it is afore sayd That man is then very happy that feeleth the grace of God to be such as to haue his sinne forgiuen him for then his coÌ„science is in peace and rest and he feareth not to perish neither hath he the iudgements of God in horror but assureth himselfe of his fauour and bountifulnesse which God is to be esteemed the greatest that a man can receiue in this mortall world Among the Sarasines those which haue not considered of thinges very narrowlie haue yet well knowne that it was a precious treasure not to bee troubled by any committed forfeite of which the most wittie and sufficient among them haue made a treatise which he calleth the quietnesse of the Soule but altogether ignorant of this poynt of the free forgiuenes of sinne as all other Philosophers not esteming any other rest of conscience but in vertue and integritie of life which is but an imagination of no value before God for this man is like vnto him which buildeth without foundatioÌ„ and would make a shew of that thing which is not For to come then vnto such blessednesse and to inioye so happie felicitie wee must knowe that GOD to whom we must giue an accompt is gentle and mercifull to whom wee ought to haue all our refuge being certaine that he will be quiet and mercifull towards vs neither imputing our iniquities but will forgiue vs them freely Then as the mâ—st sicke and lingering deseased haue more neede of remedies for to be helped and eased of their griefe and paine likewise also the most troubled soules which are tormented with sorrowe and anguish by feeling and acknowledging their greate sinnes dreading the anger and most feareful iudgement of God haue more neede of consolation and greater assurances of the mercie of God wherevpon their hope should be totally founded and rooted Who although some times they be debased by diuers temptations yet by the mercies of their God they neuer fall into any dissolation or confusion by dispaire although it happen that the most forwarde in Religion and in the feare of God haue to susteine many temptations of Sathan who doth often giue them hotte skirmishes and shooteth against them his poysoned and mortall arrowes for to abate their faith and to cast them into euerlasting distruction if it were possible for them so to fall and if they some times seeme to doubt being trobled by distrust and fearefulnes yet it neuer happeneth that they can fall vtterly from the trust which they once conceiued of the mercies of God Dauid was not without some anguish and perturbation of spirit when he cried My soule why art thou vexed and why art thou so disquieted within me But when he addeth by exhortation that it should hope still in God he declareth the stedfastnes and constancie of his faith wherein hee saith that he was shut vp from the sight of the Lorde it seemed that by the great aduersitie which hapned to him that God had cast him of and quite forsaken him yet he did not for all this leaue to call and to hope in him so that in the ende he was highly exalted And thus it happeneth oftentimes to the children of God finding them selues intangled with a gulfe of euils their hope seemeth to bee swallowed vp and drowned although in the end it freshly appeareth and lifteth vp the head and comming vnto it selfe againe wholy trusteth in GOD and resteth vnremoueable vpon his greate bountie and mercie in which onely they glade and comfort themselues and not by any vertue or desert which is in them aluding to that which is in the 9. Chap of Ieremie that he which glorieth may glorie in the Lorde that is in his blessednes and in his mercie In this point then consisteth our trust by the which wee must needes see what the foundation is and how farre it reacheth if so bee it bee firme and sure and because wee ought to bee certaine and resolued thereof for this cause wee will bring foorth the holy Scripture as wel of the Old
as Newe Testament which are most fit and notable promises of the grace and mercie of God for the forgiuenes of sinnes which beeing here set on a rowe one by another and placed as it were on a table all in sight it shall serue for the instruction of the poore penitent sinner and that in this wee may keepe some order we wil first shewe the testimonies which are apparant of the goodnes of God which is as it were the surest foundation and the first cause of all our hope In the second place we wil adde the causes which are as it were the matter and substance concerning the desert and intercession of our Lorde Iesus Christ the sonne of GOD then the causes of faith and repentaunce shall followe and finally that which belongeth to Inuocation and praier these are the poyntes and degrees by which the faithfull soule ought to goe vp to the throne and to the grace of God for to receiue the consolation and Spirituall health First therefore it must looke vppon the obiects of the loue and mercie of God and the benefites of Christ to haue therein a perfect knowledge then it must by Faith allie and whollie trust vpon him with a perfect consolation of God in calling vpon him it must I say perswade it self of the loue and mercie of God and after haue full assurance of the merites of Christ which caÌ„not be done without faith it is therefore requisite to vse this prayer which followeth Of the bountie and mercie of God Exo. Chap. xxxiiij WHen the Lord passed before Moses face hee cryed out The Lord the Lord strong mercifull and gracious slowe to anger abouÌ„dant in goodnes trueth reseruing mercie for thousands forgiuing iniquitie transgression and sinne not pardoning the wicked As God hath created the world mainteineth and preserueth it so doth he mainteyne nourish and giues vs health and prosperitie in this life wherein he shewes vnto vs his omnipotent and eternall power his wisedome and wonderfull foresight and his great bouÌ„tie but in that we haue offended him by our sinnes and iniquities yet he receiueth vs into his mercie againe reconciling himself to vs forgiuing vs our transgressions so that in this hee declareth vnto vs his clemencie and infinite mercie whereof he certifieth and giueth vs full assurance in his worde as he doth in this place to Moses saying that hee is not onely the eternall God almightie but also mercifull and gentle for to haue mercie and compassion vppon poore miserable sinners belongeth to God and in that he is of great patience he sheweth a manifest declaration that he neuer punisheth the wicked so soone as they offend but a long time staieth for their amendment before he makes them feele his wrath and indignation by which reason he accompteth himselfe to bee slowe to anger and of great patience And in the ende that none may thinke his mercie be either short or scant that it cannot suffice for diuers sinners he also addeth that he aboundant in benignitie shewing by the same that his bountie is so full that it can neuer bee emptied He is altogether infinite eternall and cannot be restrayned nor contayned in the heauen of heauens nor determined in the measure of any time it can neuer be stayed being a liuely flowing spring which cannot be dryed vp for most certaintie whereof he maketh meÌ„tion of his fidelitie repeating vp his promises by which he may assure vs that he will mercifull vnto vs wherein he sheweth himselfe alwaies to be true in that he is aboundant in benignitie and also faithfull in keeping promise how full of mercie he is he declareth in that which followeth that he is mercifull vnto thousands wherein wee may learne that he sheweth not his mercies vnto some little number or some particuler place but to many hundreth and thousands shewing by this word an infinite and the greatest number that can be expressed by which maner of speech diuersitie of ages and varietie of liues maye bee vnderstood as it is sayd in other places that he is mercifull gentle and faithfull in which words he expresseth that he is alwaies prone and readie to forgiue our sinnes and to pardon our misdeedes wherein we see that the true and proper effect of God is to haue forgiuenesse of our sinnes Then to the ende that none may think that he forgiueth some light offences onely he vseth diuers words which comprehende all kinde of sinnes not only naming the sinne whereby all offences are shewed but also the iniquitie which is done maliciously with deliberation and setled purpose when iniurie or hurt is wrought against others The meaning then of this worde transgression is a disobedience or rebellious action or intent against God which is a greeuous and horrible sinne which although of all others it be most detestable yet God doth here promise to make full remission and forgiuenes of sinne Let vs hold this then for a certaine and vnfâ—llible rule that there is no forfeite so great or transgression so monsterous but it is forgiuen by the meere mercie of God And wheras it is said in the end that he forgiueth none it is onely ment of those which are wicked and obstinate in their wickednesse and those which shall feele finally the seuere vengeaunce of God For so much then as he is named gentle it is to poore and penitent sinners which doe repent them of their sinnes committed so is he also termed a iust Iudge for to giue punishment to the hard and impenitent sinner to the ende that none should abuse his grace and clemencie ouer much Deut. Chap. 32. ver 4. Ye nations praise him praise him his people for he will auenge the blood of his seruants and will execute vengaunce vppon his aduersaries and will bee mercifull vnto his land and to his people MOses speaketh this here in the name and authoritie of GOD as a Prophet assuring the people of Israell that after GOD hath visited them with his rod and punished them with sudden and straunge calamities for their misdeedes he would also make punishment of their enemies and deliuer them from their miseries and tribulations being mercifull vnto the land that is to the inhabitants of the land The Children of Israell hauing purged themselues and made them cleane of their sinnes by Gods mere fauour and onely mercie that he might bee alwaies fauourable towards them and that forraine nations and straunge people might praise the children of God and haue them in estimation and accompt them happie in hauing the fauour of such a mightie God and that thereby others should haue occasion to reioyce together for so great and bountifull benefites froÌ„ the Lord. If then the Gentiles had receiued such ioye as to be partakers of so great happinesse we must needes esteeme this promise to pertaine to vs also and that continually though he doth afflict vs which is not but in good cause and iustly for to correct vs for our offences Yet he is
vertue that he can blot out our sinnes perticularly how many soeuer they be Iohn 1. Epist Chap. 2. ver 1. If any man sinne wee haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ the rightuous and he is the reconciliation for our sinnes and not for ours onely but also the sinnes of the whole world THere is none without sinne and consequently al are guiltie before GOD yet behold the Apostle witnesseth that the Lord Iesus Christ doth pray and make request for vs as it is sayd in the Epistle to the Romaines Chap. 8. and to the Heb. Chap. 7. which intercession betweene God and man was of such force and vertue that no others but he was found worthie and able to make vs vnderstande the gentle and fauourable goodwill of God the father for he dyed for our sinnes vndertooke to make an agreement and reconciliation for our misdeedes to God which excellent and worthy desert is not onely restrayned to some particuler person but reacheth to all generally that all might perceiue the loue of their Redeemer Iohn 1. Epist Chap. 3. ver 10. In this are the children of God knowne and the children of the deuill whosoeuer doth not rightly is not of God neither he that loueth not his brother and this is appoynted a reward for sinnes THis place is like vnto the place afore rehearsed contayning more fully the loue and mercifulnesse of GOD towards vs in that he hath brought vs againe vnto him by his welbeloued Sonne who gaue himselfe for vs. Of faith in Christ Ioh. Cap. 3. ver 16. God so loued the world that he hath giuen his onely begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting THe beginning and first cause of our saluation is in GOD who in his mercie and fatherly loue saued vs. The second is in Christ who by the merite of his death passion redeemed vs the onely instrument and meanes to obtain such great good is by faith in Iesus Christ which is of such vertue and efficacie that by it man is reconciled vnto God by the free remission of sinne wherfore he cannot fall vtterly in as much as he is deliuered from eternall death and made partaker of an happie life Iohn Chap. 5. vers 24. Verely verely I say vnto you he that heareth my words and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shal not come into condemnation but passeth from death to life THis is to confirme our selues in the assurance wee haue in Christ and in the certaine perswasion of his doctrine when as wee doe vnderstand that our faith resting in him is not founded vppon a mortall man but on the very and true sonne of God wherefore it is sayde that we are iustified that wee are sanctified in and by the bloud of Christ Iesus Rom. Chap. 3. vers 27. we be absolued from our sinnes neither can bee condemned any wise beeing so warranted by him which is eternall by whome we obtaine life and felicitie which continueth for euer Rom. Chap. 10. vers 9. If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Iesus and shalt beleeue in thy heart that God raysed him vp from death thou shalt be saued HOw easie the way of saluation is vnto vs S. Paule sheweth in this place not vsing many words neither sending vs backe to the profound and deepe secrets of almightie God but giueth vs to vnderstand that by the grace of God which is in vs we are saued if so be we hould fast the faith not lightly in the Braine but rooted profoundly in the heart apprehending perfectly Iesus Christ which once died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification as it is in the 4. Chap. of this Epistle And although the confession of the mouth bee required which principally serueth for an outward testimony and a manifest declaration of the hope which is in vs yet especially wee must haue the heart lyne lye touched with a sure perswasion of faith whose mouth will not bee stopped Seeing that with the heart we beleeue and with the mouth declare our iustification as the Prophet saith in 116. Psalme vers 10. I haue beleeued and therefore I haue spoken Acts Chap. 10. ver 43. To him do all the Prophets giue witnesse that through his name all that beleeue in him might receiue remission of sinne IT is thē by the meanes of faith in Christ that we doe obtaine forgiuenesse of sinne if so be we assure and rest our selues wholy vppon the merrit and intercession of him following the predictions and writings not only of the Prophets but of those also which haue Prophesied in the vnitie of the same spirite whereby we attaine fully all the promises of eternall life by and through the meanes of Christ Iesus and let this be for a full confirmation of this Article Of Repentance FOr so much as the grace of God and saluation hath appeared to al men to the end we might giue ouer al vnfaithfulnesse and worldly desires and that we should liue iustly in all christianitie seeing we be bought by the bloud of the immaculate Lābe Iesus Christ and therefore ought to bee vnto him a peculiar people giuen vnto all good workes for this cause we must take great heede that we abuse not the great benignitie and long sufferance of God by continuing in sinne and iniquitie which is the only meanes to heape vppon vs his wrath and vengeaunce to our condemnation For whensoeuer we erre or fall into sinne whether it be by the imperfection of our nature or frailtie of our flesh sufficient meanes to heape the burning coles of Gods seueritie vpon vs if in iudgement hee should stand against vs yet we must not deferre from day to day but rent our heartes not our garments and in earnest contrition of our soules and sincere repenting by confessing our miserable estate and desirous to bee loosed from the heauie burden of our sinnes shewe all duetie and amendement of life For as saint Cyprian saith that the first degree of our felicitie is to commit no sinne so the second is to acknowledge our sinne committed Therefore whensoeuer we fall as who is not vncleane in the eyes of his Creator And the righteous man sinneth seauen times aday yet we must not lye groueling on the ground but rayse vp our selues by faith in the promises of God in the hope of eternall life assuring our selues that he will receiue vs to mercie and spred vpon vs his grace for he is our Shepheard and wee shall not want he hath placed vs as a signet on his finger and printed vs in the palme of his right hand so that none shall be able to plucke vs of or blot vs out of his remembrance but of his mercie he hath regenerated vs and made vs partakers of the inward washing sealed into vs in the outward Baptisme and grafting vs into the bodie of Christ by receiuing vs into his Church neuer to be hereafter excluded
from his grace and forgiuenesse of sinne though wee fall by infirmitie into the same sinne againe which may bee a confutation of the irronious and detestable opinion of the Nouations renewed by certaine Heritickes in our time but sufficiently reproued and condemned by the fathers out of the word of God For seeing the promises of God bee made onely for his people and his Church through grace and mercie vnto them which may appeare in the effects of the same by notable example of worthy memorie hereafter declared that if in the tyme of the Law and old Testament GOD hath shewed himselfe fauourable towards those which of good wil haue drawne themselues towardes him how much more will hee spred abroade the bright beames of his mercie to vs vnder the raigne of his sonne Iesus Christ by whom and through whom he maketh vs free inheritours of the treasures of his grace Let vs see now what declaration wee haue of these thinges in holy Scripture Deut. Chap. 4. ver 30. When thou art in tribulation and all these things are come vpon thee if thou returne to the Lord thy God and be obedient to his voyce for the Lord thy God is a mercifull God he will not forsake thee neither destroy nor forget he sware to thy fathers to performe it MOses speaketh in this place vnto vs vnder the person of the people of Israel that thereby wee might make our selues sure that if by the vanities of our mynde wee commit Idolatrie and worship strange Gods therby corrupting our selues and deseruing the wrath of our God vpon vs by falling into diuers euilles and calamities yet if wee repent and bee displeased with our selues in hauing offended such a mercifull GOD and desiring to serue him hereafter in holinesse and rightuousnesse all the daies of our life he will cease from punishing and performe his promises made in and by the meditation of his Sonne Christ Iesus Psalm 51. ver 19. The sacrifice of God is a holy spirite a contrite and broken heart O Lorde thou wilt not despise THese are the wordes of Dauid which he setteth downe as a patterne and example of a true penitent man strucken by the spirit of God who declareth vnto vs that in the feeling of his weakenes and vnworthines he is ouercome he is afflicted in his soule and sorowfull in his heart complayning for his sinnes watering his couch with his teares greeuously pained lyeth groning all the day long he repenteth that he hath done amisse he humbleth himselfe before his God in Sackcloth and Ashes This is the man whose Sacrifice the Lorde receiueth whose broken and contrite hart he neuer despiseth who pleaseth him more then all the Sacrifices of the Beasts that haue hornes and houfes then the offrings of their newe Monies and the giftes of high and proude hippocrites then all the vanities of the supersticious Idolatours which thinke to honour and serue him with any faith and repentance Prouer. Chap. 28. ver 13. He that hideth his sinnes shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercie THe holy Ghost doth certifie vs here that although there can no euill happen vnto him which humbleth himself before God by acknowledging his sinne and that there is grace forgiuenesse mercie offered to those which feele themselues guilty and acknowledge their transgressions asking absolutiō and deliuerance by a true amēdment of life I doe thinke this place of Scripture principally to be touched among the rest because the holy Ghost of purpose setteth it downe to comfort the penitent Sinner which are very sorie that they haue offended so heauenly a father who is of long suffring and compassiō who is in Scripture named the God of all comfort and consolation and therefore they will not hide their sinne but confesse it vnto the Lord who will heale all their infirmities and cleanse them from their sinnes for the Lord is mercifull vnto al such as call vpon him yea al such as call vpon him faithfully Hast thou then bene a blasphemer a robber a lyer Hast thou giuen thy selfe to Vsurie Art thou couetous Hast thou bene a Fornicator an Adulterer If thou leaue thy blasphemie forsake thy euill doing shun couetousnes as a Serpent if thou flye from the paths of the strange woman and the delicious pampering of the belly if thou flyest from euill and doest the thing that is good if thou abhorrest the bosome of the light woman the alluring bed of the Harlot doubt not but thy sinnes be forgiuē the debt payd the wrath of God against thee is pacified by the sight of the Lambe which stādeth on the Mount Heare the wisedome of God which sayth he that leaueth his sinne shall obtaine mercie Hast thou then left thy wickednesse Art thou become a newe man Hast thou amended thy euill life God will shewe thee mercie and compassion we neede not to goe farre to seeke proofes and testimonies of the grace of God towards vs the very amendement of our life is an euident demōstration of the same which the Prophet Dauid felt in the 32. Psal when he sayth then I acknowledged my sinne vnto thée neither did I hide myne iniquitie for I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my fault Therefore shall euery one that is godly make his praier vnto thee in a time when thou maist be found surely the flood of great water shall not come nere him Thou art my secret place thou preseruest me from my trouble and compasses me about with ioyfull deliuerance Esay Chap. 55. ver 7. Seeke ye the Lord while he may be found call vpon him while he is neere Let the wicked forsake his owne waies and the vnrightuous his owne imaginations and returne vnto the Lord he will haue mercie vpō him for he is ready to forgiue For my thoughtes are not as your thoughtes neither are your waies as my waies saith the Lorde For as the heauens are higher then the earth so are my waies higher then your waies and my thoughts aboue your thoughts ALthough by our offences we estrāge and withdrawe our selues greatly frō God he is neuerthelesse nere at hand if we draw our selues from our euill and sinfull life if we be touched with a true repentance if wee commit our selues vnto him if we call vpon him with all our hearts with all our soules we may be sure he wil be mercifull vnto vs as the Prophet sayth And although our sinnes abound yet his mercie aboundeth much more though our iniquities as we thinke are infinite and without pardon not esteeming the goodnes and clemencie of God according to his greatnesse and infinite mercies but according to the weaknesse and frailtie of our vnderstanding yet wee see that the Lorde sheweth by his Prophet that his thoughtes and his workes doe surpasse all that is in vs or can come from vs. For although our sinnes were in number as the sande of the