neernesse and dearnesse of love as the word in the originall imports Christ considers accounts and concludes them as under the enjoyment of their distant and absent as well as present beauty and purity Sweet Christ can kisse them as eyeing them in their comelines which is to come when it shall be their glory to be lost in his glory and their throne that he has his throne and their greatest joy to live with him the joy-maker such heads are destinated unto the Diadem you have seen in Tertul. what sence Saints are sinlesse in what sence not the Lord make these things advantage to you godly gaine CHAP. 4. SECT 1. 1. WAtch thy way-ward heart that thou makest not God a lyer every sin is a lye t is cald in Scripture a lying vanity Jonah 2.8 and for a man to observe it is to forsake his owne mercies Saints sinning give God the lye Infidelity is a lye and gives God the lye and which is more maketh God a lyer he that believeth not God ha's 1 Joh. 5.10 made him a lyer and he that sai's he has not sinned makes God a lyer 1 Joh. 1.10 be not slow of heart to beleeve do's Christ account thee all faire make not thy selfe all â—oule do's he say thou art sinlesse and wilt thou canst thou sin senslesly 'T is true corruption edged with a temptation gets as it were the hill and the winde and upon such advantages too oft prevailes we can stay no more from sinning then the heart from panting the pulse from beating our lives we may feare abound more with sins then the firmament with stars or the furnace with Sparks which caused that saying Libera me Domine a malo homine meipso Lord free me from that evill man mine owne selfe in our hearts our sins are voluminous in our lives our errata's are in a sence infinite t is not falling into the water that drowns but lying in it so falling into sin sinks not thy soule but living in it and although sins of Saints are not in the account of God because pardoned yet when Trap. they see the sins of others have they cause to say with the good Martyr 〈…〉 Whether or why am not I such whether M. Bradford or no ha's God cleansed me and if so why ha's God done this for me What am I more then they Domine non sum dignus quem tu diligas Augustin that God should thus love me charge no sin upon me make not God a lyer though thou canst not escape sin whilst in the body yet do not make sin make a trade of sin not art it not sin artificially presumptuously delightfully willingly with the whole man industriously that were to damme up the way of donations divine SECT 2. 2. RUminate sensibly what this Lambe suffered to take away sin and make thee spotlesse he himselfe was made sin for us who knew no sin nor did sin neither was guiâ—e found in his mouth and when he was reviled he reviled not againe when he suffered he threatned not who his own self bear our siâ—s in his owne Cor. 2 5. â—â— â— Pet. 2. â—1 22 23. body on the treâ— saith the Scripture that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him he was a sinner not only by imputation Heb. 12.2 Luk. 23.5.11 but by reputation he was numbred among the transgressors he it is that did drink hell drie to the bottome ha's left no hell behind for thee He was slighted set at nought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 made no body derided 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they blew their noses at him he was railed on buffeted scourged had his agonies his bloudy sweating 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 clottie bloud issued through his flesh and skin in an aboundant measure and that without any externall violence Sanguinem congellatum quasi extruserit meerly by the force of his own saddest thoughts within him was strongly accused 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with great intention of Spirit and Mark 8. 12. Expletur Lachrimis egeriturque dolor Phil. 2.7 great contention of speech he sighed deepely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had a straightned heart and made himselfe of no reputation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 did exhaust Evacuavit se ex omni gloria aequalitate cum Patre Zanch. exanimate evacuate annihilate and empty himselfe of his all for a season he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 price and counter-price for lost undone soules and at last had his decease 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his exodus his departure out of that Egypt and Egyptian bondage a coercive cogent Ex omni ad nihil seipsum redegit Beza 1 Tim. 2.13 Luk 9.31 Esay 52.14 consideration to cause compliance with Christ O Saints in Sion behold your King First as weeping for and over you his face was foule with weeping and his visage marred more then any mans yea then any of the sons of men O what a sweetnesse of strength attractive there is in the sight of a Jesus as standing and knocking at the hearts door with a tear in his eye crying Open unto mee even unto mee my Sister I am thy Brother not a stranger and my locks are wet with the dew and drops of the night shal sweet Christ put his hand to the hole of the door and thy bowels not move for him shall no drops of Myrrhe sweet smelling Myrrhe fall from thy hands and fingers when thou layest hold on the handles of the locke Secondly Look Cant. 5.4.5 wishly on Christ as bleeding for in thee in drawing thy soule he drew till the bloud came clottie bloud Luk. 22.44 he then was begging strength to bear the rod for sins that were not his own Messiah was cut off but not for himself saith Daniel my sins and thy sinnes squeesed the bloud out of his blessed sides hands and feet and pierced him in the most nervous tender parts such foes were we to this good friend yet Jesus Christ is burnt up with love to poor sinners to make them rich Saints and wilt thou cast water on this fire by resistance Canst thou then hast thou bowels of iron and suckedst a Tyger when thou wast young Thirdly Cast thine eye on Christ as dying on a crucified Christ Christ on the Crosse now even now stretching out his arms holding out his breast opening his bosome and heart crying out who will whosoever will come let him come and lodge in this heart of mine Iohn 7.37 the sower crosse was sweet Christs death-bed there he made his last will and which is more then other dying friends can doe he dyed drawing pulling sinners into his own heart O saints and sinners M. Rutherford t is a most vile thing to meet dying Christ with disdaine Christ dying leap'd for joy that by dying he could keep sons alive Now tell me O my friend when thou seest him set a full
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
as though they were Holiest Majesty pleaseth to overlooke greatest impuritie sinnes of Saints are superlative as acted under the received Soveraigntie of Christ their King yet behold a wonder Saints sinne and doe not sinne have spots and are spotless Exod. 15. 11. it s his saying who 's wonderfull in Pro. 10. 12. holinesse There 's a sin-covering Love which has covered and conquered corruptions of Saints yea multitudes by multipli'd pardons her sinnes which were many are forgiven Luk. 7. 47. her this bids the godly Bee of good cheere Saints sins are ever before them yet cast behinde their God My sinne is ever before mee Psal 51. 3. sayes the soule in Languor and then makes melody with her fathers love Thou in love to my soule â—sa 38. â—7 hast cast all my sins behinde thy backe Their Crimson sinnes have lost their colour and had their Sepulture in their Saviours wounds their foule sinnes are lost in this open fountaine to whom themselves are a fountaine sealed yea Zech. 13. 1. his fountaine of purest springs and fairest gardens Thus speakes hee whose lippes like Lillies drop sweet Cant. 4.12 15 smelling Myrrhe There 's no spot in thee Cant. 5. 13. The word in the Originals of three Languages imports any out-ward blemish in the body as blind lame or deformed in any limbe or Levit. 21. 18. 21. Deut. 15. 21. and 17. 1. Rev. 14. 1. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 undè 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Chaldee Mumâ— quo verbo Lâ—x illud frequenter reddunt Macula â—â—abes vitium part and is here fitly appli'd by the Holy Ghost to blemishes in the soule h. e. sins vices and spots of the inward man Christ when he wooes his Bride to winne her works over those miracles on her soule which he was wont to worke upon bodies of old makes the blinde to see the deafe to heare the dumbe to speake the lame to walke and the dead to live againe sets all to rights where he comes to cohabite Christ is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spotlesse and a Christian is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 too they are both immaculate their union grounds it so in the Text the Spouse is said to have no spot in 1 Pet. 1. 19. Eph. 5. 27. Vâ—â—ij expers irreprehensibilis in quibus nec momos invenit quod carpat Cornelius a Lapide her too That place in the first of John the third ninth verse gives you a light into the opening of this phrase of speech Hee that 's borne of God doth not commit sinne for his seede remaineth in him and he cannot sin because hee 's borne of God he sins not viz. unto death as some will he sins not viz. he resists sin as others he sins not viz. as a servant or subject of sin say a third sort Propriè significat rem aliquam certis qualitatibus orno dicitur enim à nomine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qualis Leig Câ—â—r Sac. the Greek is very emphaticall and signifies so to sinne as to make a trade of sin to make it ones work and businesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q. d. hee do's not act the sin do's not sin artificially as doe others ha's no art in sinning though he act it he do's not art it do's not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make much of sin not curiously and industriously adorne and set it forth with all art and skill as the word properly imports One place more in he eight of John and the thirtie fourth verse where tâ—e same word is used 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin but the best of men commit sinne even of them who are Christs own servants freed from sin the meaning then of that place is this hee sins as a servant of sin who makes sin makes a trade of sinning So in the Romans that which our translation ha's Fullfill not the lusts of the â—om 13. 14. flesh the Greek ha's it Doe not make 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the lusts of the flesh Hee that committeth sin is of the Devill sayes the Scripture that is that creates sin for sin is the Devills Creature his workmanship and his Children his John 3. 8. works they will doe said Christ to the boasting Jewes There 's no spot in thee some spots are not the childrens wee 'l shew which they are next in what sence they 'r spoken spotlesse how and why so called SECT 2. 1. UNpardonable spots are not the Spouses shee cannot out-sin pardons shee may sin away the comforts of her body but can shee sin away her soule an unpardonable sin is a sin unto death such killing crimes shee perpetrates not sinnes against the Father and sins against the Sonne may be forgiven but sins against the Spirit shall ne're be forgiven shee s on the other side the grave of the last sin mentioned shee has no sin that God has not pardoned hence her sin is not now iniquities of Israel are sought for and there are none and Judahs Jer. 50. 20. Mr. Caryll on Job Chap. 7. v. 21. p. 717. sins shall not be found because pardoned as was promised as Jeremiah hath it pardon of sin destroys sin as to forgive a debt is to make it no debt so a pardon'd sin is in Gods account no sin pardon of sin is our acquittance from sin our quietus est sealed in the bloud of the Lambe all proscesse at Law is to to such staid prohibited as to them They have a Propitiator hee 's their propitiation saith John in Hebrew Copher he coffers up as 1 Joh. 2. 2. it were and covers all their sins hee 's their covering the Apostle seemes to speake him so in allusion to the Arke covering the two Tables within it The mercy-seate covering the Arke and the Cherubims covering the mercy-seate and one another so Christ has covered a Christians sins all his sins and the curse sins demerit and him has the Father set forth for the remission â—om 3. 25. of their sinnes set forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pointing out the same thing even with the finger as the word is for remission 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the relaxion â—iodaâ—e or releasement of sin as of bonds or fetters as the Greeke has it Christs Love cannot sin an unpardonable sin O Spouse speak thou â— full descripâ—â—on of the sin â—gainst the â—oly Ghost canst thou doe despight to the Spirit of grace persecute the known truth and the Author thereof sinning willfully what canst thou after Heavenly illumination partnership in the Spirit tasts of Heavenly gifts with the good word of God and the Powers of the world to come decline Father Sonne and Spirit prove an Apostate fall away and sin remorslesse thou canst not sweet Lambe is never Bride of his served him so had such straitned bowells towards him such sinners cannot be renewed by repentance shall never have
pardon in this world nor that which is to come 't is the saying of Christ the Judge and why for thou actest afresh Crucification of Christ to thy selfe art a Caitife shame-Christ fresh-kil-Christ Quasi dicat Christ was alive to thee and in thee not only in patefaction and manifestation but in operation but now he that lives in himselfe to others is dead to thee and with the life of Christ hast thou lost the life of all that 's good for thy better part how will hee quicken thee no more never intreate wooe or beseech thee any more never wil heavenly gales of the Spirit reach thy heart more Who reads these lines that trembles at truth and is void of regret now all ordinances duties services are life-lesse love-lesse to such a soule who will cry when too late as hee I wretched in my selfe dying Nil misero vivit moriente mihi nothing is alive to mee But I feare sometimes may a loyall soule say this is my spot and I have find in this very kinde I would faine know the worst by my selfe an universall hardnesse of heart attends it There 's a twofold hardnesse of heart one in those who never did or can sin in so high a measure the other in them who are flagitious in this highest degree of sinning hardnesse of heart in the first sort is like the hardnesse of water congealed an Isicle or Icie hardnesse which is such as that for some season it may bear burdens of weight and bulke but when once the Sun with its lasting heate of raies and beames smiles upon it dissolves melts away into its owne liquid moisture as at first so here poore soule thou criest out I have a hard heart O what shall I doe I reape no good from the word or works of God thrive not under thriving meanes and sometimes sayst thou hast sin'd this sinne Consider sad soule thou art hardned but by fits thy winter lasts not long thy summers Sun is coming and brings along with it the Sabbath of those thoughts Jesus Christ will shine out unto thee with a continued smile and then thy hardnesse will loose it nature mercy can mollifie such in a matchlesse manner Peter Math. 26. 70. ad sinem Luk. 22. 54. to 63. a good man yet had he a very hard heart for a time an unworthy unkind servaÌ„t to his Master the while when sweet Christ was had to the high Priests Hall hee would not own him was ashamed of him followed him a far off and when he had entred the House denâ—'d him did it thrice bound his sayings with an oath and a curse to prove he knew not the man yet for all this kinde Christ by one look of Love thawed his frozen hard heart that it melted like wax in the sight of the Sunne he wept bitterly not without cause But secondly hardnesse in such as have sin'd this sin is such as is the hardnesse of a Stone a stony hardnesse which the more it hath of the Sun the more its hardened still such wax worse and worse and after the hardnesse of their hearts heap up the reward of misdeeds hence the same Sun that softens wax hardens clay makes the soft iron hard and the hard steele soft the hot fire coole and the cold water warme Have such their hearts broken by judgements the hardnesse remaines still save that 't is dispersed into severall parts broken parcells as a stone that 's broken all to pieces is a stone still retains its hardnesse in the least of its parts as truly as when 't was united and in the whole thereof There hardnesse is Homogeneous Homogeneum est quod constatâ— ex partibus idem nomen cunâ— toâ—o habentibus Keck System Log. l. 1. c. 22 like that of a stone each small portion retaining the nature and name of the whole Quaelibet pars aqua est aquae every drop of water is water and every sparke of fire is fire so is such hardness though dispersed divided taken in pieces such may have their legall fractions but strangers they will be to all evangelicall contrition and spider-like sucke they poyson from the same flower the Bee sucks honey 2. Losse of feeling and alienation from the life of God as Paul to the Ephesians speakes darknesse Eph. 4. 18 19 of understanding and blindnesse of heart Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hardnesse brawninesse a hoofe upon their Collum obductum Trap. hearts brawny brests horny heart-strings a metaphor taken from hardest hands of hardest labourers under a dead and dedolent disposition 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deâ—olentes Desperantes Moâ—tanus desperately sinfull and remorslesse fearelesse of the Majestie of God to which is added a cauteriz'd conscience like Devills having nothing to doe with God loth to be tormented before their time and a contracted hardnesse through custome in sin so as neither Ministry nor misery nor miracle nor mercy can molifie their hearts being dry stiffe inflexible and sencelesse impenitent having a lifelesse frame as to the use of means being bereft of all and singular checks of conscience sinning unsmitten and not at all wounded in Christ his wounds the last degree and fullnesse of that sad alienation from the light and life of God Men when so sick that their excrementalls passe through them insensibly are then mortally sicke we say so such can thinke speake and act any thing all lasciviousnes and uncleannesse that with greedinesse voide of all sence and feeling which argues they have the initium pregustion beginning and Vide Mat. 13. 13 14 15. first tast of spirituall and eternall death already hence matter of holy and heavenly Melody is to them Simulata sanctitas est duplex iniquitas as Musicke in a dead mans eares or language to a stocke or stone which penetrates not That the Quondam high flowne but now â—ouly and low fallen professors of this age be not of this number faxit deus it is my desire if to God it seeme good O foolish and unkinde can loosenesse of life speake out your love to the Lord blush you not at all when you looke on the Lambe that was slaine must he indeed be twice slain what by you is Iscariot alive still can you like Caveatur osculum Iscarioticum that kill Christ kisse and kill together what againe and againe were not his wounds widened before canst thou adde afflictions to his bonds who owned and reliev'd thee in Chaines sought thee out and refreshed thy bowells Canst thou thou that didst once cry up Christ be vicious when he is gracious avertat deus Sipio when an Harlot was offered Vellem si non essem imperator him could say I would if I were not a Generall say thou if I were not a Christian will some doe so much for their honour and canst thou doe lesse for thy God SECT 3. 2. THe spot of presumptuous sin is not the Spouses that 's the great