A Golden Chain

Object. 9. No man knows all his sins: no man therefore can certainly know that all his sins are pardoned, and that he is accepted of God. Ans. The ground of this argument is false: namely that a man cannot be assured of the pardon of his sins, if some of them be unknown. And to make this ⟨p. 881⟩manifest, I will lay down a more certain ground, which shall be this. As the case is in Repentance, so it is also in faith: but there may be true and sufficient repentance of unknown sins. God indeed requires a particular repentance for particular known sins; but if they be hidden and unknown, he accepts a general repentance. An example whereof we have in David, Who knows, saith he, the errors of this life? then purge me from my secret sins. If it were not as I have said, neither David nor any man else could be •aved. For when David repented greatly of his murder and adultery, yet we find not that he repented particularly of his polygamy: which in all likelihood, through the swing and custom of those times, was not then reputed to be any sin; specially in the person of a king: and yet because (as we know) he is certainly saved, this very sin is pardoned. Therefore when God pardons the known sins of men, whereof they do in particular repent, he doth withal pardon the rest that are unknown. And by this it appears, that the ignorance of some hidden sins, after a man with diligence hath searched himself, cannot prejudice an unfallible assurance of the pardon of them all and of his own salvation.

Obie•t. 9. No man knowes all his sinnes: no man therefore can certainly knowe that all his sinnes are pardoned, and that he is accepted of God. Ans. The ground of this argument is false: namely that a man cannot be assured of the pardon of his sinnes, if some of them be vnknowne. And to make this ⟨p. 881⟩manifest, I will lay downe a more certen ground, which shall be this. As the case is in Repentance, so it is also in faith: but there may be true and su•ficient repentance of vnknown sinnes. God indeed requires a particular repentance for particular knowne sinnes; but if they be hidden and vnknowne, he accepts a generall repentance. An example whereof we haue in Dauid, Who knowes, saith he, the errours of this life? then purge me from my secret sinnes. If it were not as I haue said, neither Dauid nor any man else could be aued. For when Dauid epented greatly of his murder and adulterie, yet we finde not that he repented particularly of his polygamie: which in all likelihoode, through the swinge and custome of those times, was not then reputed to be any sinne; specially in the person of a king: and yet because (as we know) he is certenly saued, this very sinne is pardoned. Therefore when God pardons the knowne sinnes of men, whereof they doe in particular repent, he doth withall pardon the rest that are vnknowne. And by this it appeares, that the ignorance of some hidden sinnes, after a man with diligence hath searched himselfe, cannot preiudice an vnfallible assurance of the pardon of them all and of his owne saluation.