I should do so the further I should be from it For the eye hath not seen neither hath the ear heard nor is the heart of man able to conceive in any measure the joy mirth melody pleasure power wealth riches honour glory wisdom knowledge treasures security peace quietness and eternal felicity which you shall enjoy world without end with God the Father Son and Holy Spirit Amen O! wo to our blind eyes that see not this wo to the hardness of our hearts that feel not this wo to the deafness of our ears that hear not this in such manner as we should do whereby we should be so far from fearing death that we should rather wish and desire it To the Professors of the Gospel By Mr. John Bradford Martyr IT is I Lord that have sinned against thee it is mine hypocrisie my vain-glory my covetuousness my carnality security Idleness unthankfulness self-love and such like which have deserved the taking away of our King Edward of thy word and true Religion of thy good Ministers by exile imprisonment and death it is my wickedness that causeth success and increase of authority and peace to thy Enemies Let us reprove the works of darkness let us fly from all idolatry let us abhor the Antichristian and Romish rotten service let us detest the Popish Mass and forsake their Romish Idol let us prepare our selves for the Cross let us be obedient to all in authority in things that are not against God and his word for then answer with the Apostle It is better to obey God then Man If you find and feel in your selves an hope and trust in God that he will never tempt you above what he will make you able to bear then be assured the Lord will be true to you and you shall be able to bear all afflictions but if you want this hope and confidence fly and get you hence rather then by your tarrying Gods name should be dishonoured Hang on the providence of God not only when you have means to help you but also when you have no means yea when all means are against you Give God this honour which of all other things he chiefly and principally requireth at your hands namely To believe that you are his children through Christ that he is your Father and God through him that he loveth you and pardoneth you all your offences that he is with you in trouble and will be with you for ever that when you fall he will put under his hand and will not let you lie long in sin Let the life you lead be in the Faith of the Son of God for the just doth live by Faith which Faith flyeth from all evil and followeth the word of God as a Lanthorn to her feet and a light to her steps her eyes be above where Jesus Christ is she beholdeth not things present but rather things to come she glorieth in afflictions and knoweth that the afflictions of this present life are not to be compared with that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory which God will reveal to us and in us Now of this glory the Lord grant us a lively tast here then shall we run after the scent that it sendeth forth It will make us valiant men to take to us the Kingdom of God whether the Lord of his mercy bring us in his good time through Christ our Lord. To Dr. H. By Mr. John Bradford Martyr SEt before your eyes the end of this straight way rather then the narrowness of the passage so doth the husbandman in plowing and tilling the ground set before him the harvest time so doth the Fisherman consider the draught of his net rather then the casting of it in So doth the Merchant the return of his Merchandize and so should we in these stormy days set before us not the loss of our goods liberty yea of our very life but the reaping time the coming of our saviour Jesus Christ to judgment The more we lose here the greater joy shall we have in the world to come the more we suffer here the greater triumph shall we have there for corruptable dross we shall find incorruptable treasure for Gold we shall have glory for Silver we shall have solace and joy without measure for riches we shall have Royal Robes for earthly â—ouses we shall have eternal Pallaces we shall there have mirth without measure pleasure without pain and absolute blessedness felicity and happiness without end To certain of his faithful Friends by Mr. John Bradford Martyr YEe have cause to rejoyce my dearly beloved Friends in the days of tryal and confirmation in and by which God our Father maketh us like to the Image of Jesus Christ here that so we may be like unto him hereafter For if we suffer with him we shall raign with him if we be buried with him we shall rise with him if we are companions with him in affliction we shall rejoyce with him in glory if we sow with him in tears we shall reap with him in joy if we confess him before men he will confess us before his father in heaven if we take his part he will take ours if we loose any thing for his names sake he will give us all things for his truth and promise sake so that we ought to rejoyce and be glad for it is not given to every one to suffer loss of country life goods house and all things for the Lords sake What can God the Father do more for us then to call us into the camp of his dear Son what can Jesus Christ our Saviour do more for us then to make us his Warriors and fellow Souldiers what can the holy Ghost do to us above this then to mark us with the badg and cognisance of the Lord of Hosts Be of good comfort be of good comfort my dear hearts in the Lord confess him and his truth and fear not the prison loss of goods or life fear rather that prison out of which there is no deliverance fear rather the loss of those goods which last for ever fear rather the loss of that life which is eternal whereunto you are called and the way by which God will bring you to it because you know not certainly whether it will be by prison fire or halter whensoever these come let them not dismay you nor seem strange unto you for no small number of Gods children are gone that way The journey is but short though unpleasant to the flesh perchance if we should dye in our beds by a corporal malady it would be much longer and also more painful but in Gods sight it cannot be so precious and gainful as I know this kind of death is And now I commend my self into the hands of my Father by whose providence I came into this world by whose providence I have been kept in this world and by whose providence I leave and depart out of this world Let us make our selves ready to ride in
I do think my Sins are so great that it is impossible for them to be pardoned J. Do not think or say so for all things are possible to him that believeth Mark 9.23 P. But my Sins are so red I think all the Water in the Sea cannot wash them away J. Though thy Sins be as Scarlet they shall be as white as Snow and though they be red like Crimson they shall be as Wool if thou wilt turn to me from them for my Blood can cleanse thee from all Sin Esa 1.18 1 John 1.7 P. But Lord if I should turn to thee from them yet they are written down and thou wilt not blot them out Jer. 18.23 J. I am he that bloteth out thy transgressions yea have bloted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions and as a Cloud thy Sins return therefore unto me for I have redeemed thee Esa 43.25 44.22 P. But if I should return unto thee yet when I Sin again thou wilt remember my Sins J. No I will pardon thee and thy Sins and iniquities will I remember no more Heb. 10.17 P. Oh Lord I am the child of wicked parents and thou hast said thou wilt visit the Sins of the Father upon the Children to the third and fourth generation J. If a wicked Father begets a Son that seeth all his Fathers Sins which he hath done and considereth and doth not such like that Son shall not bare the iniquity of the Father Ezek. 18.14.20 Ezek. 16.3 to the 13. P. But Lord were there any wicked parents that had good Children J. Yes many as wicked a Ahaz had good Hezekiah So b Idolutrous Amon zealous Josiah and ungodly Saul had Godly Jonathan a 2 Kin. 16.20 with 2 Kin. 18.3 b 2 Kin. 21.21 22. with 2 King 22 2. P. Lord what if I be a Bastard and the Child of whoredom J. That doth not hinder thee neither to be saved for my servant c Jeptha was a Bastard so was my servant Phares who is reckoned in my own Genealogie Compare Gen. 38.18 29. Ruth 4.12 with Mat. 1.3 c Jud. 11.1 with Heb. 11.32 P. But Lord is there not such a Scripture that a Bastard shall not enter into thy Congregation until the tenth Generation J. Yes there is such a d Scripture and that should make People shun the Sin of Whoredome but that doth not exclude men that are born Bastards after the Flesh if they be Born again of the Spirit either out of my Church on Earth now in the days of the Gospel or yet out of Heaven Deut. 23.2 P. But what Lord if my Father was a Bastard J. Neither doth that hinder for Sarah the brother of Phares who was a Bastard begot my two wise and Godly Servants Ethan and Heman compare Gen. 38.30 1 Chron. 26. with Psal 88. and Psal 89. the titles of both being of Heman and Ethan P. Oh Lord I am a very old Sinner and have one foot already in the Grave and I fear it is too late for me now to be called J. No it is not too late for I call some at the ninth hour yea some at the e eleventh hour Which is but one hour before night or a little before death And I will pour out of my Spirit upon old men in these Gospel daies Mat. 20.6.9 Joel 2.28 with Act. 2.17 P. But Lord I have committed such great and hainous Sins both by speaking and doing that I am affraid it is in vain for me to seek Mercy J. Though thou hast spoken and done evil things as much as thou couldest yet return unto me and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon thee for I am merciful Jer. 3.5 P. How shall I look upon thee Gracious Lord for I have multiplied sins against thee J. As thou hast multiplied sin so will I (f) Or will abundantly pardon multiply pardons if thou wilt return unto me the Lord Esa 55.7 P. Oh but Lord I scarce think that any so wicked as my self were saved for I was an Idolater an Adulterer a Thief a Drunkard and what not that was wicked J. Such were many of my servants that are now in heaven but I according to my own kindness and pitty to them saved them by washing sanctifying and justifying them by my own (g) Or power Name Blood and Spirit 1 Cor. 9.6 9 10 11. Tit. 3.3 4 5 6 7. P. Oh but merciful Saviour I was a Ring-leader of others into sin and I enticed and drew many into wickedness and therfore my case is far worse then others J. As thou wast a Ring-leader and Enticer of others into sin so I can make thee a guide and leader of others into and in the way of righteousness as I made thy Country-man Levi and others P. But that which makes me fear most is because I was a Blasphemer Reviler and Persecuter of thy people yea many of thy Saints did I shut up in Prison J. Yet thou shalt have mercy because thou didst it ignorantly through unbeliefe 1 Tim. 1.13 P. Oh but Lord I finde my heart is hardened through the deceitfulness and custome of sin that I cannot hope it will ever be otherwise J. I can and will take the stony heart out of thy flesh and I will give thee a heart of flesh Eze. 36.26 P. Lord wilt thou do all for me J. I must do all for thee for without me thou canst do nothing Phil. 2.13 Joh. 15.5 P Lord what then shall I do J. Before I teach thee what thou must do I will first shew thee what I have done and suffered for thee P. Good Master I desire to know that J. 1. I left my own glory and came into the world to save thee and such sinners as thou art John 17.5 1 Tim. 1.15 2. Though I was the onely Son of my Father and in his own form and equal to him yet I took upon me the form of a servant for thee and thy brethrens sake Joh. 1.14 Phil. 2.6 7 8. 3. Though I was Heire of all things and Possessor of Heaven and Earth yet I became poor and hungary that thou mightest be made rich Heb. 1.2 Gen. 14.19 and 2 Cor. 8.9 4. Though I deserved honour and glory yet I was reviled threatned and perscuted by my own Creatures and all for my good will to thee Heb. 2.9 1 Pet. 2.23 5. Though I had no sin yet I was made sin that thou poor sinner mightest escape sin 1 Pet. 1.19 and 2.22 2 Cor. 1.21 6. Though I was a Law-giver and Law-maker yet I became under the curse of my own Law that I might redeem thee from that curse Esa 33.22 Gal. 3.13 7. When I had power over mine own life and no man could take it from me yet I laid it down for thee that thou mightest have life Joh. 10.18 Rom. 5.6.9 1 Joh. 3.16 8. Though I was my fathers delight and an object of his love from everlasting yet I became an object of his wrath for my love
to thee Prov. 8.30 Psa 88.16 102.10 9. When thou wast an enemy and stranger to God my Father I made peace between him and thee and reconciled thee to him by my death and sufferings Rom. 5.10 Col. 1.20.21 Eph. 2.12 13. 10. When thou wert a slave to the Devil and a fire-brand of Hell I did rescue thee from the power of the one and redeem thee from the plague and punnishment of the other 2 Tim. 2.25 Amos. 4.11 Heb. 2.14 1 Thes 1.10 P. Oh Lord I did not deserve any of this from thee J. True thou didst not deserve it but yet I did it freely and out of my love to thee Rom. 3.24 Eph. 5.2 P. Are all my sins Lord satisfied for and done a way by thy death J. Yes they are perfectly satisfied for and absolutely done away out of my fathers sight never to be imputed again to thee 2 Cor. 5.19 P. And is there nothing now in the way that hinders me to be saved J. No there is nothing for I have taken all things out of the way that hindred thee to be saved Col. 2.14 P. And am I to do nothing to be saved J. No nothing at all towards thy own salvation for I have bought thee from death and purchased thee life and salvation 1 Cor. 6.20 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Eph. 1.14 P. Shall I then be saved Lord J. Yes if thou wilt believe and trust wholly and only upon me and upon my righteousness and merits thou shalt be saved Joh. 3.36 Rom. 9.33 and Rom. 10.9.11 P. Lord I would believe but I partly am afraid to believe and partly I am so weak I cannot believe J. Thou poor fearful heart fear not but be strong Esa 35.4 But tell me why thou are afaid P. Least I should presume or least I should believe and have no ground for my faith J. It is not presumption for thee to do what I command thee but it is obedience and is not my word of promise a sufficient ground for thy faith 1 Joh. 3.23 Joh. 5.24 P. Doest thou then Lord command me to believe J. Yes fear not believe on me and thou shalt be saved Lu. 8.50 with Act. 16.31 P. But Lord though thou commandest me yet I have no power to believe J. I will write my Laws in thy heart and will inable and give thee power to believe Heb. 8.10 Mat. 12.21 P. Lord if thou wilt also give me power to believe I will acknowledg I am nothing but what I am in thee and that I have nothing but what I have received from thee J. Doest thou not believe P. Oh yes now Lord I do believe Joh. 9.38 J. This is the work and gift of God that thou doest believe for flesh and blood hath not wrought this in thee Joh. 6.29 Eph. 2.8 P. Oh Lord I do acknowledg it to be thy work but I am afraid I shall loose this faith again J. I that am the Authour of thy faith will also finish it be therefore of good chear for thou art one of my Fathers children and of my Saints and my spirit shall abide in thee for ever Heb. 12.2 Joh. 1.12 Joh. 4.14 John 7.38 39. P. Lord I have sinned against thy Father and against thee and I am unworthy to be called either his Son or thy Servant Luk. 15.21 J. Son thy sins are forgiven thee sin no more Luk. 5.23 John 8.11 P. Lord I am afraid I shall sin again though I desire and resolve never to do it But what Lord if I should sin against my will J. Thou canst not sin willingly and wilfully for my seed of grace will remain in thee and if thou sinnest through weakeness and frailty I will be an Advocate propitiation for thy sins 1 Joh. 3.9 1 Joh. 2.12 P. Is it then thy will Lord that I should have forgiveness of my sins and doubt no more J. Yes sure for these things have I spoken that thou shouldest have a full assurance and doubt no more P. But what if Sathan when he sees me sin will tempt me to doubt again J. Say unto him that I am faithful and just to forgive thee thy sins and that my blood cleanseth thee from all sin 1 Joh. 17. P. But Lord wilt not thou have me to confess my sins J. Yes I will have thee confess them and forsake them 1 Joh. 1.9 Prov. 28.13 P. But Lord is it thy mind that I should always be sorrowful J. No but it is my mind rather that thou shouldest always rejoyce and have strong consolation Phil. 4.4 Heb. 6.18 P. Oh Lord I cannot chuse but cry and mourn and be ashamed and hate my self for all my former wickedness and ungodliness Ezek. 16.61 J. Thou maiest do that and yet hold fast thy confidence for the spirit of mourning and the spirit of grace and adoption may be in thy heart at once and the one not destroy the other Zac. 12.10 P. Lord how is that J. Thou maist mourn at the sight of thy sins as they were committed against me and for thy denying felling and crucifying me and yet thou maiest believe because I have said so that they are all pardoned As Josephs brethren cryed and complained for their guiltiness in selling him yet they were glad that he was alive and could help them in their distress Gen. 42.21 22. P. Now Lord thou hast taught me what I should do in respect of my self but now Lord I would do something for thee J. Come then and follow me Mat. 9 9. And be arose and followed him The second Conference between Christ and a Pharisee Pharisee THen one of the Pharisees came to him and asked him what shall I do to work the work of God John 6.28 Jesus This is the work of God that thou believe in him viz. me whom he hath sent Joh. 6.29 Ph. But Master what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life Mat. 19.16 J. If thou wilt be saved by doing then keep the Commandements Ph. I have kept them all from my youth Mat. 19 20. J. Then thou art no sinner Ph. Yes we are all sinners but I thank God I am not as other men are Extortioners Unjust Adulterers or even as this Publican Luke 18.11 J. Why what doest thou more than this Publican Ph. I fast twice in the week and give tithes of all that I possess and concerning the Law I live blameless Luk. 18.12 Phil. 3.6 J. Hast thou never read that they which followed after the Law of Righteousness have not attained to the Law of Righteousness Rom. 9.31 Ph. No I never observed that but I remember another text where God saith I gave them my Satutes and shewed them my Judgments which if a man do he shall live in them Ezek. 20.11 J. Daest thou think to go to heaven by doing Ph. Not by doing only but by doing good and departing from evil J. But doth not the Law say cursed is he that observeth not all things that are written in the words
of the Law to do them Deut. 27.26 Ph. Yes that is whosoever breaks the Law is accursed unless he repents for it J. The Law doth not say unless men repent for breaking it they are accursed but it says absolutely they are cursed and I say whosoever keepeth the whole law and yet offendeth in one point he is guilty of all Gal. 3.10 Jam. 2.10 Mat. 5.19 Ph. I say so too that except men keep the Law of Moses they a cannot be saved and whosoever b know not and keep not the Law they are accursed Acts 15.1.24 Joh. 7.49 J. Doest thou know the Law Ph. Yes I know the Law for I am instructed daily out of the Law by our c Doctors of the Law and holy Priests c Zeph. 3.4 J. The Priests have done violence to the Law and they that d handle the Law know not the Lord d Jer. 2.8 Ph. Jehovah hath said that the Law shall not perish from the Priests for the Priests lips is to keep knowledg and we are to seek the Law at his mouth Jer. 18 18. Mal. 2.7 J God hath said also that the Law shall c perish from the Priests and that they f shall not every man teach his neighbour any more for all shall know the Lord from the least to the greatest Jer. 31.4 Ph. I perceive thou goest about to destroy the Law J. Think not so for I am not come to destroy the Law but to fulfil it Mat. 5.17 Luke 16.17 Ph. I Sir I like that that we should fulfil the Law that we should perform it J. Yes Moses gave you the Law but a none of you keepeth it but b you have been partial in the Law c Ye pay tithe of Mint Annis and Cumming and have omitted the weightier matters of the Law Judgment Mercy and Faith Joh. 7.19 Mal. 2.9 Mat. 23.23 P. It is true we may come shore in some things but he that keepeth the Law happy is he J. Thou that d restest in the Law and makest thy boast of the Law through breaking the Law thou doest dishonour God and causest many to f stumble at the Law verily I say unto thee thou g shalt be judged by the Law Rom. 2.17 ver 23. Mal. 2.8 Rom. 2.12 Ph. No I hope rather to be justified then to be judged by the Law J. Verily verily I say unto thee by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified in God sight Rom. 3 20â— Gal. 3.11 Ph. How then shall I be justified J. The righteousness of God without the Law is manifest being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets Rom. 3.21 Ph. What Righteousness is that J. Not a mans h own righteousness which is called the i righteousness of the Law but the k righteousness which is of God by faith h Phil. 3.9 i Ro. 2.26 k Ro. 4.13 Ph. What difference is there between the righteousness of the Law and the righteousness of faith J. Moses describeth the righteousness of the Law thus that the man which doth those things which the Law requireth shall live by them but the righteousness of faith saith whosoever believeth on me shall be saved Rom. 10.5.6 11. Ph. How can men be saved by believing in thee for thou art but one J. As by one l mans offence death reigned by one mucâ— mâ—â—â— they which receive abundance of grace and of the giâ—◠〈◊〉 righteousness shall reign in life by me Who am the m Son of righteousness n and made by God my Father to be righteousness unto men l Rom. 5.7 m Mal. 4.2 n 1 Cor. 1.30 Ph. Thou bearest record of thy self Joh. 8.13 J. o Though I bear record of my self yet my record is true p My Father also beareth witness of me and this is his witness that he hath given life and this life is in me his Son o Joh. 8.14 p 1 Joh. 5.11 Ph. But what say'st thou how was our Father Abraham and his seed who lived before thee justified and saved J. q Your Father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad for l I was before Abraham and he and his spiritual seed were justified and saved by faith in me r Rom. 4.3.11 13 16. Gal. 3.14.18.20 Ph. But was not Abraham justified by works J. If Abraham were justified by works be hath whereof to glory but not before God for what saith the Scripture It is true Abrahams faith was accompanied with works Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for Righteousness Rom. 4.2.3 Ph. If I be not justified by my good works to what end should I perform them J. Though thy good works cannot justifie thee before God yet they may glorifie God and be prafitable unto men Mat. 5.16 Tit. 3.8 Ph. Well then I am glad my good works be good for something J. Yes thy good works would be good for something if thy faith like Abrahams did work with thy works but thou doest not believe and all thy good works thou doest to be seen of men Jam. 2.22 Mat. 23.5 Ph. No I do not do my good works to be seen of men but to please God J. I tell thee that without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11.6 Ph. But God hath said if a man do well he shall be accepted J. It is not for their well-doing that men are accepted with my Father but they are made acceptable in me and their works are accepted for my sake Eph. 1.6 1 Pet. 2.6 Ph. But am I no nearer Heaven that perform good works than this finfull and ungodly Publican J. Thou Hypocrite that justifiest thy self and judgest another I tell thee that Publicans and Harlots shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven before such as thou art Mat. 7.5 and 21 31. Ph. Oh untrue and false doctrine to say that those cursed men who know not the Law should be saved before us who are the children of Abraham Joh. 7.49 8.33 J. Thou blind and self-conceited Pharisee understandest thou not the Scripture I will have mercy and not sacrifice for I am not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance And I say unto thee unless thou doest believe in mee thou art not the child of Abraham Mat. 9.13 Gal. 3.26 Ph. I believe in the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob whose child and servant I am J. If thou didst believe in God thou wouldest also believe in me but thou art the child of the Devil and in bondage to this day Joh. 8.44 Gal. 4.25 Ph. How am I in bondage J. Thou art under the curse of the Law and under the power of sin and Sathan and canst never be made free unless I make thee free Joh. 8.34 35 36. Ph. How doest thou free men J. By my a death and sufferings I satisfie the Law by the b power of my resurrection I overcome death and by my Spirit I m cast out Sathan and n subdue sin a Gal. 3.13 b 1 Cor. 15.55.57 m Mat 12.28
thou hast and take up thy crosse daily and follow me else thou canst not be my Disciple Luke 14.26 27. Ph. This is a hard saying who can hear it and he went away sorrowful and followed him no more Joh. 6.60.66 Mat. 19.22 The third Conference between Christ and a doubting Christian Christ COme unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Mat. 11.28 Christian Oh Lord I am a poor heavy laden sinner that would come unto thee but cannot come Ch. It is true O soul no man can come unto me except the Father which hath sent me draw him Joh. 6.44 Christian How then Lord shall I come unto thee Ch. I and my Father are one and we give power to the faint and to them that have no might we add strength Joh. 10.30 Esay 40 29. Christian Lord I am altogether without strength therefore draw me unto thee and I will come Ch. I will draw thee unto me with the cords oâ— a man with bands of love and with loving kindness Hos 11.4 Jer. 31.3 Joh. 12.32 Christian But Lord noâ— I look upon my selfe I see I am unworthy to come unto thee yea unworthy of the least of thy mercies Ch. So said my servant a John the Baptist and b Jacob and c others yet do not judge thy selse as the d Jewes did unworthy of eternal life a Mat. 3.11.6 b Gen. 32.10 c Luk. 7.7 Mat. 8.8 d Acts 13.46 Christian Iâ— such men as John Baptist and Jacob did judge themselves unworthy how many thousand times more unworthy am I a wretched and wicked sinner Ch. It is true neither they nor thou could be worthy of your selves but yet I am willing to account you worthy As the prodigals Father did his Son Luk. 15.21 22. Luk. 20.35 and 21.36 Rev. 3.4 Christi But Lord if therâ— were any thing that were good in me it might a little incourage me to come unto thee but I find nothing but evil in me Ch. Dost thou not knowâ— that without me thou canst e do nothing and that a man can f receive nothing except it be giveâ— him from heaven Why theâ— dost thou stay away from me who must g work all thy workes in thee And c Joh. 15.5 f Joh. 3.27 g Esa 26.12 2 12. 2. Because thou seest nothing but evil in thee thou shouldst thee rather come unto me who am the h Fountain wherein thy unclean soul must be washed and unless I i wash thee thou canst not be clean nor have any k part in me h Zac 13.1 i Eze. 36.25 and 1.9 k Joh. 13.8 Christian True Lord thou art the Fountain and welspring of life and it is thy blood and nothing else that can wash a way my sins but how can I come near to thee who am so wicked that for â—ught I know have counted thy blood an l unholy thing l Heb. 10.29 Ch. Thou poor dear and doubting soul what if thou hadst had a hand in crucifying me as the Jewes had yet cannot I forgive thee as I did many of them But thou hast not counted my blood an unholy thing for thou still desirest to have thy sins washed away by it Act. 2.36.41 Christian What the Jewes did they did ignorantly but I have sinned against knowledge which makes my sins worse then theirs Ch. If thou hast sinned against knowledge ye thou hast not sinned so but that thou maist be forgiven For my dear Disciple Peter sinned against knowledg when he denied with an oath that he knew me not Mat. 26.72 Christian Oh but yet my sins are worse then his for his sin was but one sin and that a suddain and short sin but I have sinned many sins and continued long in them Ch. So did my beloved servant David who was a man according to my own heart commit several sins together as Murther Whoredome c. and continued a while too in his sins Christian Oh but Lord those servants of thine though they sinned against thee yet they expressed a great deal of sence of their sins and sorrow for them but I can neither be sensible of nor sorrowful for mine Ch. Oh sweet soul thou mistakest and forgettest thy selfe for thou dost often confess thy sins before me with sence shame and sorrow And I hear the daily bemoaning and complaining and saying I have n sinned against the Lord woe is me for I am undone n Job 7 20. Psal 51.4 Lam. 5.16 Christian Oh good Lord it is not without a cause that I cry woe is me I am undone for I think there is no soul in such a dangerous and desperate condition as mine is in Ch. Why doest thou think and say so Christian Because I have sinned that unpardonable sin against thy spirit Ch. Oh thou poor and precious soul thou dost but think so and fear so But tell me how canst thou sin that sin against my Spirit and yet pray for more of my Spirit and so much prize my Spirit as thou dost Christian Oh Lord I have often grieved and quenched thy Spirit and is not this to commit that unpardonable sin Ch. My own dear and loving children may and do sometimes grieve my spirit by sining and quench the gracious motions of it and yet do not sin that unpardonable sin Eph. 4.30 1 Thes 5.19 Esay 63.10 Christian Oh but I can â—â—â—nk no less but that I have â—â—â—â—â—red that sin for I have had hard cruel and desperate thoughts in my heart against the Holy Spirit Ch. Though my child thoâ— hast had such thoughts in thy 〈◊〉 yet thou hast noâ—â—â—oken evil of my Spirit as the Jewes did which is the sin of blasphemy and that unpardonable sin Mat. 12.24 28 31. Mark 3.22 to 30. Christian Lord I am not sure but that I have spoken evil words of thy spirit for I know I have many times uttered vile bitter and cursed words Ch. Notwithstanding thou didest through the violence of thy temptations and in the bitterness of thy Soul speak such words as my servants Job David Jeremy Jonah and Peter did yet thou hast not done despightfully nor sinned maliciously and wilfully against my Spirit of grace as Reprobates doe Heb. 10.29 Job 3. to 13. and 10.18 and 23.15 16. Psa 31.22 and 116.11 Jer. 20.14 c. Jonah 4.3 4 9. Mat. 26 27 74. Christian Oh I have been and still am very wilful and have often sinned wilfully and thou sayest in thy word that if any sin wilfully after they receive the knowledge of the truth their remaineth no more sacrifice for sins Heb. 10.6 Ch. Thou dear soul have not I heard thee often in prayer complaining of and bewailing thy sins and beging earnestly for power against them therefore it is rather against thy will then wilfully that thou dost sin Christian Oh but I find sins in power in my soul which if I were a Saint they would not be so Ch. My servant Paul found sin so strong in him that he confessed he was carnal