their sins This I am sure you cannot be ignorant of that as the wicked want with profite continuance that sting of hart with profit I say because though they haue it it doth theÌ„ no good and with continuance because it is but as a flashe of lightning in them raysed vp for their greater iudgement as soone vanishing as it doth appeare so the godly looking too much vppon themselues The feeling of the godly and their sinnes and secluding both from sight and sense the viewe and memorie of Gods mercies lay to hard and heauie burthens vppon their owne soules Me thinketh this rather woulde be stood vppon that sith euen from that that woundeth them most I meane the continuall charging and accusing of themselues men that haue their minds inlightned from God may reape singular consolations they should labour euen from thence to gather strong comfortes vnto themselues against their temptations which they may doe by this holy consideration that the heart wounded with the dailie sight and sense of sinne that is past is pushed forward thereby to speedy and vnfeigned repentance God to that end setting the same before them that so in the lothsomnesse thereof they might make haste vnto him which otherwise as in the want thereof it could not so much as thinke vpon much lesse performe is strengthned also against sinne that is to come because hardly haue anie bene found to fall into that which they haue with vpright and dayly iudgement misliked in themselues principally and in others secondarily the fear of the former causing them to keepe a good watche ouer themselues in the latter and is prouoked in and by themselues tenderly to pitie earnestly to pray for such whose state that waie foorth they knowe and feel by experience in themselues to be as lamentable and as much to be regarded as their owne All which bringing with them the glory of God their own benefite and other mens good that euen in the least thinges cannot but yeeld them comfort that seriously thinke thereupon vnlesse they will deeme Gods honour light or their owne comfort base or the loue of the faâ—thfull and their welfare a meane yea a vilde thing But we will put the case that your sinnes were as huge and as high as your selfe take them to be yea let vs imagine that they had spread theÌ„selues throughout both heauen and earth and did reach from the one end of the world to the other yet who can will or dare denie but that as God himselfe so his mercies towardes vs in Iesus Christ c Co. 3.20 The mercy of God in this life chiefly appeareth in the forgiuenesse of sinne ouer reacheth them euery way and the rather sith his meanes are no waie in this life more euidently manifested than in the forgiuenesse of the sinnes of his seruantes Concerning which trueth we may and ought to be certainly perswaded not onely by reason A reason taken of Gods nature which is infinite taken from the infinitnesse of Gods owne nature who beeing infinite himselfe can haue nothing in him but that which is infinite and therefore his mercie beeing in him must also be infinite with whom howsoeuer our sins be in numerable as in respect of our selues d Psal 19.12 for who vnderstandeth his iniquitie or is able to account his transgressions yet they are finite and certaine as in regard of himselfe that e 147.4 counteth the number of the stars and calleth them all by their names but also from the large and moste faithfull promises Of Gods promises that in euerie place almost of his word for the vnderpropping of our weake fayth hee hath plainly and plentifully propounded vnto vs amongest which euen these most sweete sayinges seeme not of the least reckoning f 103.12 As farre as the East is from the West so farre hath hee remoued our sinnes from vs. Againe in another place g Isa 1.18 Though our sinnes were as Crimsin they shal be made white as Snow though they were red as Skarlet they shall be as wooll And again h Rom. 5.20 Where sinne hath abounded there grace hath more than abounded with sundrie suche like with which I knowe you are acquainted as hauing laid them vp in your heart for the peace of the same and hauing expressed them with your mouth for the testification of your ioy Hitherto I haue laboured neither vnsoundly as in regard of Gods trueth propounded nor vnprofitably as in respect of you afflicted nor vndutifully as inconsideration of my selfe trauailing generally to deliuer generall comfortes against generall transgressions Now it remaineth that I come to applie particular consolations as if it were speciall medicines and plaisters to those peculiar offences griefes that you saie are in your selfe and it hath pleased you to acquaint me withall to this end as I take it verily that of my poore store and penurie indeede you might yet receiue some spirituall reliefe and comfort What measure of mercie I haue receiued that way hee that hath bene pleased freely to giue the same vnto me best knoweth Howbeit howe small or great soeuer it be this doth not a little incourage me to a liberall vse of the same that I knowe certainly I shall not decrease mine owne by that I bestow vpon others but rather increase the same much it seruing me as the widdowes i 2 King 4 2. c. pitcher of oyle did in the dayes of Elisha being miraculously increased not onely to inable me in some sort to pay my debts though it be but fiue shillinges in the pound as we saie but the rest being sufficient for my selfe and my children to liue vpon But to those thinges which you obiect against your selfe and to that first which you first put downe Obiections answered You saie you are greatly troubled with manifold feares much doubting I beleeue it to be true And who would not be of that minde if they considered you but as a man howe much more then if they behold you as a godly man in whom such things are better seen because naturall blindnesse is somewhat remoued and more felt because hardnesse of hart and benummednesse is in some measure taken away yea I am so farre of from thinking these thinges to be discomfortable to you though as feare doubting are in you I cannot approoue them because they are in vs tainted thorow the corruption of nature that froÌ„ the same as I take it you may reape and receiue singular consolation not onely in this respect that they bring forth in you good and gracious effects of hartie praier to almightie God carefull watching ouer your selfe tender pitie and compassion towards others c. and all these in a greater measure than you feel wil confesse yet herein me thinketh you should do wel to giue glory to God and according to grace receiued yeeld his children a notable portion of comfort but whilest you are herein become
1.17 as wauering as mutable man and then to be subiect to alteration change when they idessie fantasie or imagine the same Yea they speake contrarie to common sense and reason for if the sins that are from our selues may as they ought indeede iustly cast vs down shall not the graces that are in vs from god be much more mightie to raise vs vp What is God become lesse than man or are his mercies inferiour to mans transgressions But we will put the case that we failed in those good workes that that hitherto hath bin put downe that out of the very word of trueth concerning the fruites of our faith were false yet see what euen in such a case also if it wer so the holy Ghost saith for our full perswasion and resolute comfort e It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth The whole worke of sâ—luation dependeth altogether on Gods mercie in Iesus Christ but in God that sheweth mercy that so the whole worke of our saluation and euerie part and peece of it bee ascribed onely and wholie to his free fauour towardes vs in Iesus Christ For as this is sure that God saueth not vs for our good workes be they neuer so manie or excellent because hee shall haue alwaies some thing for matter or maner or ende and all to saie against them and vs for their sakes and to holde that were indeede to euamate Gods free mercie and to annihilate Christes sufferings and to puffe vp fleshe and bloud beyond all measure and trueth so he will not condemne vs vs I saie and not men because of our euâ—ll woorkes though they be neuer so manie and grieuous alwayes prouided that no man abuse this doctrine of trueth and comforte to licenciousnesse and carnalitie nor extend it beyond the persons of whome we meane it namely the elect and faithfull who as they haue receiued this sweete promise from God f 8. â— that to them that are in Christ there is no condemnation so they haue this giuen vnto them that they walke not after the flâ—she but after the spirite g Exod. 33.19 Rom 9. â— For hee will haue mercie on him to whome he will shewe mercie and he wil haue compassion on him on whome hâ—e will shewe compassion And this is it that the Lorde hym selfe sayth in Esaiah h Isa 43 25. I euen I am hee that putteth awaie thâ—ir iniquities for myne owne sake and will not remember theyr sinnes And in Ieremiah establishiâ—g as â—t were a newe contract with hys Seruauntes hee make Iesus a principall part of the couenaunt i Iâ—re 31.34 Heâ— 8.12 That hee will forgiue all theyr iniquities and remember theyr sinnes no more or as it is alâ—eadged by the holie Ghost in the eight Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrues I will be mercifull to theyr vnrighteousnesse and I will remember their sinnes and their iniquities no more vsing all these wordes of vnrighteousnesse sinnes iniquities c. to assure vs that neyther the heynousnesse nor the multitude of our transgressions shall for euer separate betweene the Lord vs but that of his infinite mercie he will receiue vs though we had not offended A comparison or similitude Of which wee may be the better assured by this that if we would giue credit vnto the worde of an earthly man speciallie if wee had some experience of his fidelitie and that in matter of greaâ— importance and yet we know meÌ„ to be but men that is fraile inconstant we should much more beleeue the trueth of the eternal our God confirmed vnto vs by the deathe and bloudsheding of hys sonne the best pledge of immutabilâ—â—â— that can be and that in causes of greatest weight concerning vs who alwais k Mala 3.6 remaineth like vnto himselfe and who rather than he will fayle vs in hys promise or falter with vs in the performance of the same giuing vs lesse thâ— hee hath said will inlarge himselfe I cannot saie beyond his word and trueth for that remaineth alwaies as large as himselfe and God the God of trueth shall neuer bee found a lier but beyond our heart and hope I am sure And surely for your selfe in my mind this is one point that much perswadeth me and may yeeld you comfort that neuer can be vtterly taken awaie howsoeuer it may for the time be somewhat lessened that you belong vnto the election of God are as it were l Isa 49.16 grauen vpon the palme of his right hand that you haue not onely patiently susteined which is a rare vertue but mightely vanquished and subdued which is a greater grace doubtlesse in him that is the God of your strength many and the same long and bitter temptations which had you not belonged to God and hee himselfe had not reserued you for daies and times not onely of comfort in this life but of eternall ioy you coulde not haue indured much lesse ouercome for as this is a certaine trueth that m Psal 34 19â— manie are the miseries of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth him out of all and that hâ—s children are conquerours ouer many assaults by the strength and power that they haue receiued from n Iohn â—6 33. Rom 8.37 him lo our onely temptation and the same as short and small as may be is able to quaile the strongest Giaâ—t amongst the reprobate and to throw him downe headlong into the bottomlesse pit of hell as experience of the wicked who in this respect to withstand aâ—t weaker then waâ—er and sundrie particular examples of former ages and of our present time doe playnely pâ—oue vnto vs if I thought it conuenient to alleadge them Thus you see my minde and poore iudgement concerning your scruples in such measure and maner deliâ—â—red as God hath inabled me Where also I must confesse I woulde gladly end as beeing almost wearie in my selfe and tedious I feare me vnto you sauing that the dutie of holie loue that I beare you will not suffer mee to let slippe a neceâ—sarie admonition that euen nowe commeth to minde and sauing also that your present distressed estate as I feare calleth for the inlarging of my selfe so farre as I may accomplishe some more particular course of comforte than as yet I haue deliuered Touching the former of these two An admonition let mee intreate you I beseeche you as the trueth is not to imagine as I knowe some doe that there are alwayes like effectes and fruites of Gods grace in the heartes and conuersation of hys people I meane eyther as in regard of feeling or action for wee knowe by that that we haue noted in others and obserued in our selues if euer God gaue vs grace to marke the one or the other that there is euerie day yea almost euery houre in a daye an entercourse of the same God by hys spirite manie tymes mouing vs to good thinges and ouerruling in the strength thereof
the holie commandementes of it call vs and in the comfortable promises thereunto adioyned and conteyned therein allowe vs that notwithstanding the haynousnesse and heauinesse of our sinnes yea the rather for that because without the sense of it neither can we well perceiue our owne estate and miserie nor effectually feele the excellencie and riches of Gods mercie and fauour to n Iames. 4. draw nigh vnto God that so he may draw nigh vnto vs who neuer thrusteth them backe much lesse driueth them awaie that come vnto him In the olde testament none seemeth vnto me more plaine and pregnant then these that are in the book of the prophet I say the holie ghost ther saying o Isay i 18 Come now and let vs reason together saith the lord though your sinnes were as crymosin they shal be made white as snow though they were redde as Scarlet they shall be as wooll And in an other place p Isay 55.1 biddeth euery one that is thirstie come ye to the waters and ye that haue no siluer come buy eat Come I say buy wine and milke without siluer and without money In the new Test And in the new Testament these of our sauiour Christ which is the eternall wisedome of the eternall father are most comfortable and sweet sayings q Math. 7.7 Aske and it shall be geuen you seeke and ye shall find knocke and it shall bee opened vnto you and againe r Math. 11.28 Come vnto me all ye that are wearie and heauie laden and I will ease you Take my yoake on you c. and you shal find rest vnto your soules for my yoke is easie my burthen light What can be more lightfull or delightfull By this commandement we knowe that our comming to him shall bee accepted of him for hee commaundeth not the dooing of that which he abhorreth And by the promises wee are incouraged yea assured to receiue because s Mat. 5. â—1 no one iot or tytle of his woord much lesse his faithful promises shal fall to the ground it is yet more and more coÌ„firmed vnto vs in the person of of him that speaketh it I meane Iesus Christ who being t Iohn 1.18 in the bosome of the father hath fully reuealed him al his wil vnto vs. As for the sacraments The Sacraments the end why the they were ordayned the very cause end of their institution doth propound comfort vnto vs in this point they being ordained by God appointed to be administred in his Church not only to put vs in mind of him and his graces but to be as helpes aides to guide our weak faith to Christ himselâ—e yea to make vs partakers of him all his merites specially the forgiuenes of our sins In whoÌ„ sith there is not onely of himselfe all fulnesse but that that also is true v Iohn 1 â—6 which is els where spoken in the Scripture of him that of his fulnesse wee haue all receiued and grace for grace that is grace vpon grace or graces heaped one vppon another or as a man woulde saie all aboundaunce of all manner of grace we may assure our selues that with him and in him we shall finde thys grace of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and eternall life also because as there is no other sacrifice for remission of sinnes but he alone as the Apostle plainelie proueth in the epistle to the Hebrues so ther is no other x Act 4. i2 name geuen vnder heauen wherein men must bee saued but the name of Iesus That which is spoken indefinitlie of both the sacraments together shal better appeare in the particular consideratâ—on of them by theÌ„selues and a part Concerning baptisme Gods spirit in many places affirmeth that it Baptisme saueth vs which yet least any shold ty to the deed done c Mark 16.16 it adioineth with it faith the z Titus 3.5 renuing that is wrought in vs by the holy ghost termeth it a 1. Peter 3.21 not a putting away of the filth of the flesh but a confident demanding that a good coÌ„science maketh to god which yet it could not do without forgiuenes of sins before going b â— Cor. 15.50 for flesh blood cannot inherit eternal life but to what end we vrge this sith Peter Acts 2 saith be baptised euerie one of you in the name of Iesus Christ for the remission of sinnes And that which the seruant sayth yet by the spirite of God touching Baptisme that the maister himselfe d Iohn 4.34 The Supper who hath not the spirite by measure auoucheth in plaine tearmes touching the supper saiing e Math. 26.28 this is my bloud of the newe testament that is shed for many for the remission of sinnes And that the holie Discipline of the Church it selfe Discipline of the Church should affoord vs much comfort against this temptation who is it that either can will or dare denie that will either consider the author of it euen God himselfe in Iesus Christ f Psal 56.5.15 most inclinable to mercy and of great goodnes or the endes whereunto it was ordayned it being appointed not onely for the preuention of euill g 2. Thes 3.14 in the seuerall members and whole bodie but for the h 1. Tim. 5.20 gaining of men vnto God euen after sinne and transgression hath enâ—red or preuailed they being i 1. Cor 5.5 chastised a little in this life that their soules might bee saued in the daie of Christ or the persons exercising or executing the same that is the Church and such woorthie men therein as the Church from among theÌ„selues for their rare excellent graces bestowed vpon them from God haue choout vnto themselues who hauing not onelie the promise of the presence of god that is that k Mark 18.20 whersoeuer two or three are gathered together in his name hee is in the middest of them but also the assistance and direction thereof for where the spirite is there is power also ready to receiue admit vpon repentance euen as the Lord himselfe whereof that we our selues might be the better assured the holy ghost hath bin pleased to coÌ„mit into their handes and to giue vnto them power also l Iohn 20.23 to absolue to loose such as are bruised in spirite and touched with a godlie sorrow for their sin yea for the further strengthening of our weake faith therein hee hath not onelie graunted them and vs together with them his most certaine promise m Mat. 18.18 that whatsoeuer they loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen hee meaning thereby a most sufficient and full confirmation thereof ratifieng it as verelie to our spirites euen as though we had heard hys owne voyce speaking vnto vs out of the cloudes but also hath left vs some example of it in the Woord and that not of one man committing some smal transgression or petie sinor offence as wee
effectual pledges vnto vs as of Gods great fauor shed abroad into our harts so of the crowning of those his graces in vs with wondeâ—ful honour and glorious immortality at the last Lastlie it seemeth vnto me Of sin it self that eâ—en from sinne it selfe though not in it owne nature for so it is abhominable in the Lords sight o Haâ—aâ— 1.13 whose pure eies cannot sâ—e euill neither yet in the effects that commonly it bringeth foorth for so is it alwaies bytter making a fearefull p Isaiah 59.2 seperation betweene the Lord and vs hauing for the q Rom. 6 2â— wages of it eternal death and damnation yet euen in the heynousnes and heyght thereof being accompanied with gods fauour in the forgiuenes of the same we should may reap an inuincible argument of much consolation and singular comfort For wherein shal or can the mercy of God in this life so much appear towards his people as in pardoning the sinnes of his seruants To whom had they not offended neither could gods mercie that way foorth haue bin declared nor Christ for theÌ„ haue bin r 1. Tim. 3.16 God manifested in the flesh who therefore came into the world not to call s Math. 9.13 the righteous but sinners to repentaunce and did therefore appeare amongest men not onely that he might t 1 Ioh. 3.5.8 loose the works of the deuil but also that he might take away our sins Outward tokens of Gods fauour All the outward fauours that wee haue in this life if we should reckon theÌ„ vp one by one as for example creation preseruation health wealth c. or binde them all in a bundle together cannot so sensibly set before vs Gods loue because some of them are in some sort commoÌ„ to other creatures with men reach but to the bodie for the most part this time present onely the wicked many times beeing before Gods saintes in some of the same God also v Ps 17.14 filling their bellies with his hid treasure their children hauing inough and leauing inough of their substance for their children Spiritual graces Nay I will say more many of those spirituall graces that God vouchsaseth vnto his Church as h s worde sacraments praier of which the holy ghost saith he x Psal 147.19 sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and his iudgments vnto Israell and he hath not dealt so with euerie nation doe not so plainâ—iy exâ—râ—sse the fauour and loue of the Lorde towardes hys people as the free pardon and full forgiuenesse of their transgressions the reason is because y Math 22.14 manye are called and fewe are chosen and diuers bee in the Churche that bee not of the Church This grace also extending it sâ—â—e not onelye to bodye and soule in says lyfe carrying with it comfort and the peace of a good conscience here but reaching euen vnto the life that is to come eternal saluation and life euerlasting being an inseperable companion to the forgiuenesse of our sinnes And that we might the better be perswaded that this is a verie speciall fauour God himselfe taketh vpon himself as a principall point of his glory this great worke of forgiuing laying z â—saiah 42.25 I euen I am he that putteth away thine iniquities for my owne sake and will not remember thy sinnes And in an other Prophet rehearsing the graces that he will vouchsafe vnto his people in the newe Testament he reckoneth vp this as the last and chiefest a Iere 31 34. I wil forgiue their iniquitie b Rom. 5.20 and remember their sinne no more that beeing true here that the Apostle saieth that where sinne abounded there grace abounded much more To conclude then good Madam out of all that is gone before The coâ—clusion Sâ—â—h in thys poynt of the forgiuenes of sins God who is greater than al is b Rom 8 3 on our side therefore wee neede not care who be agaynst vs Iesus Christ standeth for vs who is c Math 3 17 his dearely beloued sonne in whome onely hee is well pleased and thorow whome he hath d 2 Cor 3 19 reconciled the world vnto himselfe the word generally partâ—cularly the promises in the same which are in Iesus Christ e 2 Cor 1 20 yea and amen speake comfoâ—table things vnto vs the holy sacramentes ordeined by God for the strengthning of our weake faith seale vp that great and gracious fauor vnto vs the disâ—pline and voyce of the Church which is the f 1 Tim 3 16 piller ground of trueth and as it were Gods owne voyce from heauen confirmeth it the particular examples oâ— his saintes hauing in former time found it and felt it true doe ratifie and confirme the same the peculiar fauoâ—s that God hath giuen vs our selues in this life and namely faith g 2 Thess 3 2 which all men haue not with the sound truâ—tes thereof doe pledge it vp and that god that maketh the h Psal 76 10 rage of men to turne to his praise and in the beginning commaâ—nded i 2 Cor. 4 6 the light to shine out of darkenesse now maketh sin to serue for the magnifying and manifesting of his mercie and the comfort and good of his children who is it that can distrust or rather who hath not iust cause with the Apostles and saintes of God to sing and say k 1. Cor. 15.54.55.56.57 death is swallowed vp into victorie O deathe where is thy sting O graue where is thy victorie The sting of death is sinne and the strength of sinne is the lawe But thanks be to God which hath giuen vs victorie thorow our Lord Iesus Christ And againe l Rom. 8 38 39. I am perswaded that neyther death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor thinges to come nor height nor depâ—h nor anie other creature shal be able to separate vs froÌ„ the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Thus good Madame I haue as your honour seeth plainely deliuered my poore iudgement in this worthie point touching the comfortable feeling of the forgiuenesse of sinnes and some such assured seales and pledges of the same as by m Deut. 17 18 19 Ioshua 1 8 Psalm 1.2 Iohn 5 39 dayly reading of the holie scriptures and continuall meditation in the same holie duties that I and all other christians of what qualitie or calling so euer are bound vnto by Gods word to performe and woulde to God all did it as may knowe and confesse it the Lorde in much fauor I freely confesse it hath bene pleased in the dayes of my distresse to manifest to me miserable man that I am and that not onely for instruction and comfort vnto my self alone for God neuer bestoweth anie grace vpon vs much lesse such excellent fauors to that ende onely but for the good and consolation of others who being n 2