A09364:11
The first part of The cases of conscience Wherein specially, three main questions concerning…The first part of The cases of conscience Wherein specially, three maine questions concerning…
The first part of The cases of conscience Wherein specially, three main questions concerning man, simply considered in himself, are propounded and resolved, according to the word of God. Taught and delivered, by M. William Perkins in his Holy-day lectures, by himself revised before his death, and now published for the benefit of the Church.The first part of The cases of conscience Wherein specially, three maine questions concerning man, simply considered in himselfe, are propounded and resolued, according to the word of God. Taught and deliuered, by M. William Perkins in his Holy-day lectures, by himselfe revised before his death, and now published for the benefit of the Church.
Cambridge: printed by John Legat, 1604Cambridge: printed by Iohn Legat, 1604
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
That every man ought to stand in fear and doubt of the pardon of his sins, 1and that no man can be assured by the certainty of faith, either of the present favour of God, or of his own salvation. True it is, that in respect of our own unworthiness and indisposition, we have just cause, not only to doubt and fear, but to despair and be confounded before the judgement seat of God. Yet that a man should not be certainly resolved by faith of the mercy of God, in and for the merit of Christ, is a comfortless doctrine to a distressed soul, and contrary unto the saving aword of the Gospel, which teacheth, that certainty floweth from the nature of faith, and not doubting. III. That every ⟨image 5⟩man is bound in conscience upon pain of 3damnation, to make special confession of his mortal sins, with all the particular circumstances thereof, once every year to his Priest. This doctrine and practise, besides that it hath no warrant of sacred writ, nor yet any ground of Orthodox antiquity, for 800 years more or less after Christ i• maketh notably to the disturbing of the peace of conscience▪ in time of extremity, considering that it is impossible either to understand or remember all, many being unknown,4 and hidden and the mind being informed that forgiveness dependeth upon such an enumeration▪ may thus be brought into doubt and distrust, and will not be able to rest by faith in the sole mercy of God, the only sovereign medicine of the soul. Again, the grief of the mind, doth not always arise from all the sins that a man hath committed, neither doth the Lord se• before the sinners eyes, whatsoever evil hath bin done by him▪ but some one or more particulars; and these are they, that do lie heavy upon the heart and to be eased of them, will be work enough▪ though e doth not exhibit unto the Confessor a Catalogue of all the rest. IV. That some sins are venial, because they are only besides the law of God not against it and because