A09466:497
A treatise tending unto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of…A treatise tending vnto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of…
A treatise tending unto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of damnation or in the estate of grace and if he be in the first, how he may in time come out of it: if in the second, how he may discern it, and persevere in the same to the end. The points that are handled are set down in the page following.A treatise tending vnto a declaration whether a man be in the estate of damnation or in the estate of grace and if he be in the first, how he may in time come out of it: if in the second, how he maie discerne it, and perseuere in the same to the end. The points that are handled are set downe in the page following.
London: printed by R. Robinson for T. Gubbin, 1590
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.
Satan. Indeed, this is very true in the children of God: but thou art sold under sin, and with great pleasure doest commit sin, & lovest it with thy whole heart: otherwise, thou wouldest not fall to sin again after repentance, and commit even one and the same sin, so often as thou doest. Thou hypocrite, this thy behaviour turneth all the favour of God from thee.
Sathan. Indeede, this is verye true in the children of God: but thou art solde vnder sinne, and with great pleasure doest commit sinne, & louest it with thy whole heart: otherwise, thou wouldest not fall to sinne againe after repentance, and commit euen one and the same sinne, so often as thou doest. Thou hypocrite, this thy behauiour turneth all the fauour of God from thee.
Christian. Nay, it is the order of the Prophets,1 to call men to repentance, which have fallen from the fear of God, and from the repentance, which they professed: and God in thus calling him, putteth them in hope of obtaining mercy. And the law had sacrifices offered every day, for the sins of all the people, and for particular men, both for their ignorances, and their voluntary sins: which signifieth, that God is ready to forgive the sins of his children: yea if they sin daily. Abraham twice lied and swore that Sarah was not his wife. Joseph 2swore twice by the life of Pharaoh. David committed adultery often, because he took unto him Bathsheba, Uriahs wife, & also kept six wives, and ten concubines. Gods will is, that men forgive till seventy seven times: and therefore he will show much more mercy. ⟨p. 249⟩And for my part, so oft as I shall fall into the same sin, so oft I shall have Christ my advocate and intercessor to the father for me, who will not damn me for the infirmity which he findeth in me. I will abstain from external iniquity, and I will not make my members servants unto sin: and so