Again, sthis religion teacheth, that a man must doubt of his salvation as §IIlong as he is in this life: behold a Rack or gibbet erected by the Church of Rome, for the tormenting of tender consciences: for when a man doubteth of his salvation, he also doubteth of Gods love and mercy to him: and he which doubteth of Gods love, cannot love God again: for how can any man love him of whose good will he doubteth: and when a man hath not the love of God in him, he hath no grace in him, and therefore his conscience must needs be defiled, and void of true peace, yea he must needs be a wicked man, and that tsaying of Solomon must needs agree to him: The wicked flieth when no man pursueth (by reason of the guiltiness of his conscience) but the godly is bold as a Lyon. Again, uBlessed is the man (saith David) whose sins are pardoned: where he maketh remission of sins to be true felicity: now there is no true felicity but that which is enjoyed, and felicity can not be enjoyed, unless it be felt, and it cannot be felt unless a man know himself to be in possession of it, and a man cannot know himself to be in possession of it, if he doubt whether he hath it or not: and therefore this doubting of the remission of sins is contrary to true felicity, and is nothing else but a torment of the ⟨p. 646⟩conscience. For a man cannot doubt whether his sins be pardoned or not, but strait way (if his conscience be not feared with an hot iron) the very thought of his sin will strike a great fear into him: for the fear of eternal death, and the horror of Gods judgements will come to his remembrance, the consideration of which is most terrible. Undoubtedly, this religion must needs be comfortless. Alas poor souls, we are no better then passengers in this world, our way it is in the middle of the sea,4 where we can have no sure footing at all, and which way soever we cast our eyes, we see nothing but water, even opening it self to devour us quick: the devil and our rebellious flesh raise up against us infinite thousands of tempests & storms to overthrow us: but behold, God of his great & endless mercy hath brought us to Christ, as to a sure anchor-hold: he biddeth us to undo our gables, & fling up our anchors within the veil, and fasten them in Christ:5 we do it as we are commanded:
Againe, sthis religion teacheth, that a man must doubt of his saluation as §IIlong as he is in this life: behold a Racke or gybbet erected by the Church of Rome, for the tormenting of tender consciences: for when a man doubteth of his saluation, he also doubteth of Gods loue and mercie to him: and he which doubteth of Gods loue, cannot loue God againe: for how can any man loue him of whose good will he doubteth: and when a man hath not the loue of God in him, he hath no grace in him, and therfore his conscience must needs be defiled, and voyd of true peace, yea he must needes be a wicked man, and that tsaying of Salomon must needes agree to him: The wicked flieth when no man pursueth (by reason of the guiltines of his conscience) but the godly is bold as a Lyon. Againe, uBlessed is the man (saith Dauid) whose sinnes are pardoned: where he maketh remission of sinnes to be true felicitie: now there is no true felicitie but that which is enioyed, and felicitie can not be enioyed, vnlesse it be felt, and it cannot be felt vnlesse a man know himself to be in possession of it, and a man cannot know himselfe to be in possession of it, if he doubt whether he hath it or not: and therefore this doubting of the remission of sinnes is contrarie to true felicitie, and is nothing els but a torment of the ⟨p. 646⟩conscience. For a man cannot doubt whether his sinnes be pardoned or not, but straite way (if his conscience be not feared with an hote yron) the very thought of his sinne will strike a great feare into him: for the feare of eternall death, and the horror of Gods iudgements will come to his remembrance, the cōsideration of which is most terrible. Vndoubtedly, this religion must needs be comfortlesse. Alas poore soules, we are no better then passengers in this world, our way it is in the middle of the sea,4 where we can haue no sure footing at all, and which way soeuer we cast our eyes, we see nothing but water, euen opening it selfe to deuoure vs quicke: the deuill and our rebellious flesh raise vp against vs infinite thousands of tempests & stormes to ouerthrow vs: but behold, God of his great & endles mercie hath brought vs to Christ, as to a sure anchor-hold: he biddeth vs to vndo our gables, & fling vp our anchors within the vaile, and fasten them in Christ:5
- sTrid. Confess. 6. cap. •.
- tProu. 2•.
- uPsal. 32. •.
- 4Heb. 6.10, 1•.
- 5Cant. 1.5.
