can speake so well and thou deservest so ill that thy name do's not stink with God what but free grace full grace rich grace has put a difference 'twixt thee and other men lay then the blame of future sufferings upon thy sinning and let every unkindnesse in carriage towards Christ be killing to thy very heart and ponder his great goodnesse till all time be lost in eternity SECT 5. 5. TAke thy stand in Christ Motion ha's no rest till in a fit place nor thou Chrstian till quieted in Christ no bird will prune her selfe and sing till she ha's taken a stand that 's pleasing Mat. 9 27. adult dost thou suffer for Christ thou maist afford it thou gettest and gainest well by it thou mayst lay out ones for him lend him ones and hee 'l retaliate hundreds an hundred fould and better God lets us suffer not to abuse us but to use us make the best use of us yea he ha's already done and suffered Non ad exiâ—ium sed ad exercitium more for thee then thou ever didst or canst do for him Believers in this strange land may you hang up your Harps upon the willowes yet sing your Hebrew songs and songs of Sion to your King but by Physick is the way to health and to joy you passe through sorrow you have but your seed-time here your harvest hereafter may sow in tears but shall reap in joy Fructus est ipse in semine and even the fruit it selfe is in the root not to be afflicted is not to be affected to cover the Altar with tears is not so comely as to Bern. in Psal 90. Serm. 17 Mal. 2. 13. Hosea 14. â— do 't with the calves of our lips every bird can sing in the Spring but Birds of Paradize heavenly ones should sing in Autumn waters of wels are warmest in Winter so should thy heart be with joy in sorrrow there 's a mirth of mourning Paul and Silas sang Psalmes in the stocks and had pleasure in contemptible comfortless Peter Martyr in 2 Sam. 24. chains Luctus gaudio mixtus mourning with mirth mixed best becomes Martyrs some can weep singing for joy of heart in frowning Habet lacryinagna voluptas Seneca Ipse dolor voluptas est Aug. Confes l. c. 2. dayes Spouse consider thy Husband the fountain of joy it selfe did not in the dayes of his flesh seem a man of much joy yet rejoyced in spirit the wine of the grapes of the Canaan above and the water of life with the immortall bread is sufficient to make man heartily hardie in greatest hardships under the Crosse of Christ Such as gather Simples take herbs in the Spring flowers in Summer fruit in Autumne roots in winter and why Roots in Winter because the sap is then gone downe is most in the root when least in the branch most under ground when least above it the richest vains of oare lye deepest dost thou misse the sappe of sweetnesse in thy selfe a branch Christ is thy Vine thy Root and secures it for thee gather thy scattered comforts into Christ enjoy him and them in him and thou choosest the better part wilt finde losses for Christ clear gaine being eased of thy sin the greatest work is done the greatest trouble is over God shootes his arrow as Jonathan not so much to harme as to warne thee SECT 6. 6. STay thy marvel that so many mind earth and so few mind heaven they 'r not married to the Lambe else would they live lye downe and rise with him such Terriginae fratres are written in the earth O Lord they that depart Jer. 17.18 from thee shal be written in the earth because they have forsaken thee the fountain of living waters these Grashopper-like breed live and dye in the same ground and though winged they are in some measure for higher things yet fly they do not sometime they hop heaven-ward a little but fall to the ground again and at last their earthly wombe they make their heavenly Tombe moyling like muck-wormes clogging themselves with thick cley till in judgement thei 'r cloi'd men of the first Adam onely from the earth of Homo ab humo an earthly breed and hence are they strangers to this second Adam the Lord from Heaven Poor souls what 's the world 't is but a Cipher in Gods sight look even in the profits and pleasures they are but as smoak which wrings teares from the eyes and then becomes nothing and all the joyes of life are but seeming ones unto what 's future all seen things are sweeter in the ambition than in the fruition they 'r too too cloying upon a review we in time loath what we have formerly lov'd as Amnon served Tamor Desideria dilata crescunt at cito data vilescunt we love our food when it is meat but loath it when 't is excrement prize it when we take it into us despise it when it passes through us all secular and sublunary delights are like Sodom's Apples Quae contacta cinerescunt the inside of whoe 's beauty is but ashes SECT 7. 7. LEt all goe whether t will that Christ may come where and when he will let all Aut pax aut pactio when Christ comes goe for him where ere you finde him hee 's the onely Peace-maker and peace-matter who alone under his father can turne Golgotha into â—abatha Moses could loose a fructill Egypt for Christ a place where Nilus over-flowes and seed being sowne yeilds foure rich harvests in lesse then foure months to the owners thereof Origen chose rather to be a poore Ephes 2. 13. to 17. Sic certaminis Moderatur Plotinus Phil. 3.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Catechist in Alexandria than denying Christ to be with his fellow Pupils in great authority and favour And all Pauls gaine was left deem'd losse drosse dunge and doggs meate for Christ such Quis non patiatur ut potiatur things if in competition with Christ are to such souls objects of loathing not of love and such great loosers for Christ are greatest gainers who repent they knew not the commodity sooner Deity rewards the devout SECT 8. 8 TAke comfort and be of good cheer that Christ accounts thee sinles thou art not such as the world would make thee thy worth is hid from their eyes when they'd minde nothing but thy failings let this refresh thy spirits for ever that thou art arayed with Christ in Christs attire thy nakednesse is not the shame and blame thereof is not thy sin is not but thy God is O heart open wide and well that Christ may fill thee now that which sought the life of thy glory beauty and comfort is dead now maist thou returne from the wildernesse of sorrow and solitarinesse and dwell in thine owne City not made with hands Now Christ is thy life and death will be thy gaine now maist thou sing triumphing O death 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. In Christ saies the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 super superamus we doe over over-come Rom. 8.37 where is thy sling O grave where is thy victory and give thanks to the father who ha's made thee victor through Christ his sonne yea more then Conqueror for thou hast over over-come as the word is in the originall now to die is no more to thee but repatriasse to reverse home go to heaven againe now maist thou joy in affliction stand in temptation be perfect in action and go freely to Bern. the full breasts of consolation in Christ O Spousel speak wel of thy husband where ere thou goest commend him to all both friends and enemies and sith the Peace-maker ha's spoken peace-matter returne no more to folly Dixi. Laus Deo FINIS
there is an assurance our sins are Sepultur'd in the Saviours wounds Master Knox a little before his death rose out of his bed and being asked wherefore he being then so sick as he was would do so he replyed that he had sweet meditations of the resurrection of Christ that night before and now he would go into the Pulpit and impart that to others he had felt in his owne soule The neerer any thing is to its center the stronger and swifter it moves the wine of the spirit of God and the water of life is strongest in Saints when drawing to an end Spirituall motions are quickest when naturall ones are slowest most sensible are they when the body begins to be sense lesse most lively when Saints lye dyeing the Sun shines most amiable towards the descent and rivers the neerer they runne to the Sea the sooner are they met with the tyde O 't is wondrous sweet to ponder the doings and sufferings of Christ by which he hath made some sinlesse all fair and comely in his owne ornaments Truely Saints should rise with their Saviour and thinke on their own countrey their fathers house and meditate the heavenly mansions above more then inferiour good This world 's but their place Fugiendum esâ— clarissimam patriam ibi pater ibi omnia Plotinus Discupio solvi tecumque O Christe manere Portio fac reg ni sim quota cunque tui Pareus a little before his death Vlteriùs was the Emblem of Charls the Fifth of commoration heaven 's their place of conversation that hath foundations but earth hangs on nothing as Job hath said and a sanctified fancie climbes upon creatures as on a Ladder to Heaven Saints have Heaven aforehand in praetio in promisso in primitiis Some have their non ultra are not winged for heaven but the gracious have their ulterius still on on farther yet and their sublimius yet higher still their profundius still deeper and the deeper the sweeter if we dive in the Ocean Christ and a Christians motto should be None but Christ none but Christ as said â—amberts â—cts and mon. the Martyr when he held up such hands as he had with his fingers ends flaming 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the more paine the more gaine said Ignatius I had rather be a Martyr then a Monarch it s to my losse if you bate me any thing of my sufferings said Gordius â—emporalia Dei â—â—vis imâ—ensa â—n pereunt sed â—rturiunt â—ishop of â—illaine â—oh Manlij â—â— com p. 539. â—ist holy war things laid out for God do not perish but flourish our dyeing comforts are alive in Christ our life and theirs The passion-dayes of Martyrs were called Natalitia salutis salvation birth-dayes the day break of eternall brightnesse The next thing is that we lissen and comply with the motions of the gracious spirit and withdraw our consent â— Saint in the â—ays of sin â—il nisi coaâ—â—us agit do's â—othing with â— good will from reiteration of sinne interceded for and by us forsaken a sinne which is directly against the sonne though 't is true in depraved nature the act and consent goe both to evill the stubborne voice whereof is I doe evill and will do it yet in grace though the act go sometimes to sin the consent is absent and its mournfull voice is the evill which I would not that doe I in Glory the act and consent goe both to good and all good and neither of them to any evill the triumphant voice of which is the evill which I would not I doe not and the good which I would that doe I. Sirs We live in an age wherein there 's a succession of raw and unconcocted conjectures and conceptions Sinceritas serenitatis mater Rev. 3.4 of good and evill be you instant and constant with God for soundnesse of judgement and sinceritie which is the Mother of serenity now alas Pseudo-Christ s have brought forth Pseudo-Christians yet happy is the man that defiles not his garments hee shall walk with God in white for hee 's worthy Let fallen brothers be restored in the Spirit of meeknesse set in joynt againe as the Greek word is as Chyrurgions Gal. 6.1 and bone-setters who handle their patients tenderly from whom this metaphor â—e hodiè â—go cras he â—ll to day â— may I to â—â—orrow Bern. â— Tim. 2.8 â—antillùm tan â—llùm adhuc â—usillum â—hrist will â—me ere â—ng is taken some saith the Apostle have erred concerning the truth or as the word is have missed the marke like unskill full Archers or inconsiderate Marriners by mis-reckoning of one point have missed the Haven and run on the Rocks airie contestors and empty strivers that have not onely cumbred but almost covered this part of the earth but stand you fast quit your selves like men be strong hold fast what you have received of the Lord let no man take your crowne and pray â—uando Chriâ—â—s Magister â— am cito diciâ—r quod doceâ—r August you may ever lie and live under the dew of Christs lips Honorable Sirs You have honored God and God hath honored you I hope Theodosius his opinion is yours â—eronimus â—â—r laudat aâ—lator sed non â— verus ama who would rather be MembruÌ„ Christi then Caput Imperii a member of Christ then the head of the Empire Suis quisque laudibus favet I thinke not true of your Honours Sine blanditia dico I flatter not but I am ambitious to animate your courage and candor for God I blesse God I judge it a greater mercy to imitate then to encomionize vertue many future generations will better expresse the worth of such worthies works than can the extentions of my Pen when the History of common-wealths Patriots shall be made extant Finally You have here stamped the impresse of my obliged respects to allow Phil. 1.7 Sanctior est copula cordis quam corporis Illi linguarum ego aurium Dominus Tacit. fie on a Zoilus hee 'l carpe at an Homer Quem in intimis visceribus habeo ad convivendum commoriendum said Bradford in a Letter to Lawrence Saunders his fellow Martyr Act. Mon. fol. 1483. an oblivion of your love to me and the truth would be ingratitude in the highest degree I have you in my heart and that not without cause nor doe I forget how you held your selves concern'd in all my sufferings under the lash of lewd tongues neither that incouragement which in the course of my Ministery I received from you truly thankfullnesse is not measured of God or good men by the weight but by the will of the retributor I assure my selfe that a publike acknowledgement of your publike favours towards me will be as kindly taken as given And if by these labours which are not unto lassitude you may reape a yet farther profit from your very humble servant and loving friend and debtor you will glad his spirit who is
judge Angels beauties their birth-right inheritance heritage 1 Cor. 6.2 3. SECT 5. 4. BY propagation Christs beautie's of a spreading nature ther 's a vastnesse in its extentions it goes far and wide and t is the covering of the uncomelinesse of all his Linage sinfull deformity can goe a great way it can staine all externalls internalls too yet Christs beauty out-vies out-runs and out-lives it will spread all over the black Spouse till shee 's comely without and within Sprincklings of Christs bloud spreading inwardly being first shead abroad will fetch out all sinfull spots stains 't will make a man shine like the Sun in the kingdome of his father this heavenly Pellican revives his dead young ones with scattering Revel 1. 5. his own hearts bloud among them and when wrath burnt about them cast himself into the mid'st thereof to quench it all this from the appearance of Christ in them He appeared to put away sin viz. in the same sence the Lawes are said to be made voide when they loose their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 9. 26. power and force Art thou Christs Spouse sin shall never so spread in thee so as to cover and over-power all that 's good in thee make it life-lesse love-lesse if once precious Christ layes his skirt over thee the shame of thy nakednesse which is thy deformity will be invisible Light from Heaven will first or last shine round about thee and then darkest night will be lightest day then thou wilt see no corner in thy heart where Christs beauty has not been this ocean of glory has his rivers running out from him which when they have cleansed hearts returne into him againe Let sweet Christ load thee with fetters of Love that thou maiest sinke deepe even downe to the bottome of this Sea of grace if not a bottomlesse fathomlesse one The brightnesse of pearles is from the frequent beatings of the Suns beames upon them thence become they radiant every Christian is Christs pearle and all his beauty is beaten in by beames of Christs beautie SECT 6. 5. BY paction comes beautie too Thou shalt not be for another Hosea 3. 3. for all so also will I be for thee Christ keepes himselfe and gives himselfe for Christians they doe the like for Christ when hee bestows himselfe on a soule he brings his Dowry with him Christians doe you note this in the league of Christ with the soule there are exchanges made of glory for shame beauty for deformity sweet Christ makes such matches as never man made gives gold for dirt cloaths earth with Heaven gives glory for shame a massie Crowne for a massie Crosse takes off a poore soules ragges and returnes robes and gets nothing with us but a burden of sinnes as heavy as a mountaine of iron as hell it selfe a burden which hee must beare and burie yet wee poore soules can be shie of this Suiter and often say him nay Ah Lord what a wonder is this will no body take it up stand arnazed and amused in earnest a Christian being married to Christ in 1 Cor. 3. 21. Psal 37. 11. League with Christ makes all things thine by paction art thou hungry all the bread 'i th world 's thy fathers art thou in a Ship at Sea thou ' art in thy fathers waters art thou in the fields they are thy redeemers thy husbands and what seest thou which is not his all the Woods Trees Flowers Corne Cattell and birds in every bush call thy God father and they are all thine not in possession but in a choice free-hold Heritage thou hast the best income of all and thy Land is named all things the worst things are thine by way of reduction Rev. 21. 7. and the best things are thine in way of reversion Tanquam haeres ex asse There 's a sweet communication of all Christs beauty goods and goodnesse to the wife of his bosome and 't is hee that heades all her glory Crowns all her comforts and converts all her crosses into contentments his presence is her Paradise his victory her safetie O! Christ is a condition sweetning Husband he makes our soure herbes and bitter pills sweet our rough wayes smooth and doth plaine all mountaines that intervene twixt us and him our soules and his blessed bosome and all this to strengthen our motion that way Christians by Covenant are coupled to Christ the Tabernacle Col. 3. 14. Curtaines had their juncture by Loopes Christ and his members their juncture by Love the bond of perfection or couple thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SECT 7. 6. BY Speculation Spirituall or Contemplation of the same kinde Roses Lillies Medowes Gardens and all things faire and pleasant ravish the sight first and then wooe and win the heart next and so take rooting there sights of Christs beauty if cleare are transforming Colamus huncdeum reverenter donec a spead speciem transeamus and the more the eye receives that light the more is its strength of sight Christs beautie being more quickening then killing to the optick nerves and powers beleevers doe contemplate by faith the glorious Light of God his mercy truth and goodnesse in the Gospells Glasse thence they receive his impresse Image and likenesse Wee with open face beholding 2 Cor. 3. 18. the Lords glory are changed into the same Image Where the Apostle Diodate on the place intimates a likenesse or samenesse of Glorie coming in by holy speculation and a graduall likeness too from glory to glory i. e. say some from grace to grace for fullnesse of grace is the best thing in Trap. in locum glory next to its Author other things as joy peace and love are but the shinings forth of this fullnesse of grace in glory The parts of vision are precedēt to the parts of action hence the right eye is preferred before the right hand God himselfe although he had neither accession nor intermission of delight yet by way of Emphasis to us-ward seemes to give his vidit the precedence of his fiat q. d. hee Rein. Pass facul p. 204. joyed not so much in that hee had given the Creatures their natures as in that hee saw their goodnesse Hence say some the day of his rest was more holy than the day of his labour that being appointed for Contemplation as the other for production of his Creatures Holy Speculation and Contemplation of Christ has a great hand in letting in the light of the beautie and Glory of Christ He that studies Moses his Optickes and ha's a Patriarches eye makes the best choice by the sight of the invisible Essence an elegant contradiction seeing him who is invisible Christs Heb. 11. 27. Spouse is all faire in what sence and sort you have seene There is no spot in thee CHAP. 2. SECT 1. IT s the good will of him that dwelt in the bush to call things Dent. 33. 16. Rom. 4. 17. which are not