A treatise of faith divided into two parts. The first showing the nature, the…A treatise of faith diuided into two parts. The first shewing the nature, the…

The blood of Christ, which washeth away the guilt of sins before conversion, is sufficient to purge the conscience from sins after conversion likewise; We are commanded to repent of, taught to pray for the pardon of sins without exception. It is of free mercy that former sins are covered, and by the same mercy of God this transgression may be pardoned. The mercy of God is everlasting, his covenant unchangeable, though we be unfaithful, yet he cannot forget himself. He delighteth to show mercy, and rejoiceth in the soul that hath sinned, but now lamenteth, saying, I have sinned, and it did not profit me. The commandment of god, enjoining us to forgive our brother not seven times but seventy times seven times if he repent, is an expression of his readiness to show mercy to them who do oft and grievously offend, if they return by unfeigned repentance, and ⟨p. 237⟩sue for mercy. Oh, then take heed, that to other great and many sins infidelity be not added. Doubting begets deadness, whereas looking up unto the promises of mercy, will both ease and soften the heart. But they cannot believe. Indee•e they think there is no promise of mercy made to them, upon which they should ground their confidence. Therefore they must know; that God calleth them, in his word to come unto him, as if he did particularly name them, and promiseth to receive them unto mercy; and then they must consider of the fr•e grace of God in promising, and his faithfulness in making good whatsoever he hath promised, that neither want of feeling, nor conceit of unworthiness dis-hearten them from drawing nigh unto him. They must think seriously with themselves, I need mercy, and the Lord hath promised it: I thirst after it, and the Lord will grant unto me my desire according to his promise: I am utterly undone if I obtain not help; and help is not to be found, but in the Lord Jesus, who lovingly inviteth me to come unto him, that I may be refreshed. Seeing therefore I long for mercy &, the Lord makes offer of it in his dearly beloved Son, I will go unto him and humble my soul before the throne of his grace, I will entreat mercy, and roll my soul upon the promise of salvation.

The bloud of Christ, which washeth away the guilt of sinnes before conuersion, is sufficient to purge the conscience from sins after conuersion likewise; We are commaunded to repent of, taught to pray for the pardon of sinnes without exception. It is of free mercy that former sinnes are couered, and by the same mercy of God this trangression may be pardoed. The mercy of God is euerlasting, his couenant vnchangeable, though we be vnfaithfull, yet he cannot forget himselfe. He delighteth to shew mercy, and reioyceth in the soule that hath sinned, but now lamenteth, saying, I haue sinned, and it did not profit me. The commaundement of god, inioyning vs to forgiue our brother not seuen times but seuentie times seuen times if he repent, is an expression of his readinesse to shew mercy to them who do oft and grevously offend, if they returne by vnfained repentance, and