A fort for the afflicted Wherein are ministered many notable & excellent remedies against…A fort for the afflicted VVherin are ministred many notable & excellent remedies against…

It is very evident that God his own children have not at all times the right knowledge of sin: that is to say, how odious it is before God: Much less have they the dolour of it, & hatred of it. Which if they had, as they could not sin, so could they never be able, having that same very sense of God his wrath against sin, to delight in any thing that appertaineth to the flesh, more then the woman whom God hath appointed by the help of man, to produce mankind, could ever delight in man, if at all times she felt the same pangs of dolour and pain, that she doeth in her childbirth. And therefore doeth God for such purposes as are known to himself, sometime suspend from his own children, this fore said sense and feeling of his wrath against sin. As no doubt, here he did with David, not only before his sin, but also sometime after.

It is very euident that God his owne children haue not at al times the right knowledge of sinne: that is to say, how odious it is before God: Much lesse haue they the dolour of it, & hatred of it. Which if they had, as they could not sinne, so coulde they neuer be able, hauing that same very sense of God his wrath against sinne, to delight in any thing that appertaineth to the fleshe, more then the woman whome God hath appointed by the helpe of man, to produce mankind, coulde euer delight in man, if at al times shee felt the same pangues of dolour and paine, that she doeth in her childebyrth. And therefore doeth God for such purposes as are knowne to himselfe, sometime suspend from his owne children, this fore saide sense and feeling of his wrath against sinne. As no doubte, heere hee did with Dauid, not onely before his sinne, but also sometime after.

But least the sons of God should become altogether insolent like the children of the world, he sendeth unto them some portion of this foresaid cup: in drinking whereof they come to such knowledge as they never had before. For first they feel the wrath of God working against sin: whereby they learn the justice of God, to be even such as he himself pronounceth that he may suffer no sin unpunished. And thus begin they as well to morn for their offences, as also to hate the same, which otherwise they could never do: for nothing is so pleasing to the corrupt nature of man, as is sin: and things pleasing to nature, cannot nature of it self hate.