PHIL. The first is, a very sorrow or mourning of the heart for the since committed against the will of GOD. The second is a constant faith, to believe that be the since never so great & manifold, yet if we repent & ask mercy, God the father will, not for the worthiness of any merit or work done by us, but for y• only merits of the blood and passion of our Saviour Jesus Christ, undoubtedly forgive us our since, repute us justified & of y• number of his elect children. The contrition of such a ⟨image 26⟩penitent sinner pleaseth God greatly, yea it is an acceptable Sacrifice unto him, as David saith, a 1Sacrifice to God is a troubled spirit, a contrite and humble heart God will not despise. God saith S. Austen, 2will not the Sacrifice of a slain beast, but of a slain heart. An heart that is humbled with the knowledge of the filthiness & abomination of her own since, & slain with the fear of God, and yet trusteth in the most comfortable promises of God the father, made unto us in Christs most blessed blood, thirsting for strength to do the will of God, can none otherwise but have God merciful unto her. God filleth them that 3are hungry with good things, saith the most glorious virgin, but he letteth go the rich empty. God resisteth 4the proud, but to y• humble he giveth grace. Blessed are they that 5hunger & thirst after righteousness, ⟨image 27⟩for they shall be filled. Who ever hath 6this godly contrition in him, can neither presume nor yet despair. For if he be unfeignedly contrite and sorrowful for his since, he must needs grant him self to be sinful, miserable, void of all goodness, bent unto evil, prone to naughtiness, which thing utterly subdueth presumption & engrafteth in the heart submission, obedience & humility of mind. Again, if he be truly contrite, be his since never so great & innumerable, yet casteth he his eyes on Gods mercy, set forth to all penitent sinners in Christ Jesus, that will lay hand on it with a sure and undoubted saith, which likewise maketh him, that by no means he can despair. For though his since be great, yet he knoweth that the mercy of God is greater, & therefore can not his sin condemn him. Why is Christ called a Physician, but because ⟨image 27⟩he is able to heal sinners? If 7our Physician be wise, saith Flugē tius, than can he heal all infirmities.
PHIL. The fyrst is, a very sorowe or mournynge of the herte for the synnes cō mytted agaynst the wyll of GOD. The seconde is a constant faythe, to beleue that be the synnes neuer so great & manifolde, yet yf we repent & aske mercye, God the father wyll, not for the worthynes of ony merite or worke done by vs, but for y• onlye merytes of the bloud and passion of our Sauioure Iesus Christ, vndou tedly forgyue vs our synnes, repute vs iustifyed & of y• nōber of his electe chyldren. The contricion of suche a ⟨image 26⟩penitent synner pleaseth God great ly, yea it is an acceptable Sacrifyce vnto hym, as Dauid sayth, a Sacri 1fyce to God is a troubled spyryte, a cōtryte and humble herte God wyll not despyse. God saythe S. Austen, 2wyll not the Sacryfyce of a slayne beast, but of a slayne herte. An herte that is humbled with the knowlege of the filthynesse & abhominacion of her owne synnes, & slayne with the feare of God, and yet trusteth in the moost confortable promyses of God the father, made vnto vs in Christes moost blessed bloude, thyrstynge for strēgth to do the wyll of God, canne none otherwyse but haue God mercyfull vnto her. God fylleth thē that 3are hūgry with good thynges, sayth the mooste gloryous virgyn, but he letteth go the rytch emptye. God resisteth 4the proud, but to y• humble he gyueth grace. Blessed are they that 5hunger & thyrst after ryghteousnes, ⟨image 27⟩for they shalbe filled. Who euer hath 6this godly contricion in hym, canne neyther presume nor yet despayre. For if he be vnfaynedly cōtryte and sorowfull for his synnes, he must ne des graunte hym selfe to be synfull, miserable, voyd of all goodnes, bent vnto euell, prone to noughtynesse, whiche thynge vtterly subdueth pre sumpcion & engraffethe in the harte submission, obedyence & humilite of mynde. Agayne, yf he be trulye contryte, be his synnes neuer so great & innumerable, yet casteth he his eyes on Gods mercy, set forth to all penitent synners in Christe Iesus, that wyll laye hand on it with a sure and vndouted sayth, which lykewyse ma keth hym, that by no meanes he can dispayre. For though his synnes be great, yet he knoweth that the mercy of God is greater, & therfore can not his synne condemne hym. Why is Christe called a Phisicion, but bycause
- 1Psal. l:
- 2De civi. de• lib. x. ca. iii•De ciui. de• lib. x. ca. iii•
- 3Luke. […].Luke. 〈…〉.
- 4i. Pet. v.
- 5Math. v,
- 6•rue Contrition dry •ethaway both presumption & •espetaciō•rue Cō tricion dry •ethaway bothe presumpciō & •espetaciō
- 7De Peniad venan.
