SECT. 1. All Faire.

ALl Christs Encomium's Psal. 45. 11. [...] Ʋnde nomen, Joppa à pul­chritudine & Elegantia, à [...] derivatur Leigh. Crit. sacr. are sweetly empharicall, beautifull; not onely in colour, but comely pro­portion and Elegancy; attractive beauty, such as drawes love and li­king, is the import of this word: [Page 2] and 'tis a word of double form, to note out double, q. d. very excel­lent beauty, and augment the sig­nification. The righteous is more ex­cellent Prov. 12. 26. then his neighbour, why? hee fulfils all righteousnesse? that's his comelinesse; it becomes us to ful­fill all righteousnesse said Christ : but Matth. 3. 15. the next neighbour to a righteous man fulfills but some righteous things onely, therefore not so excellent. Beautiful, in thy graces, the ornaments I have given thee; thou art comely through my comeliness Ezek. 16. 14. which I have put upon thee: thou art my Spouse; but I am thy beauty: thine owne is not, has lost its be­ing. Where's roome for vaine boasting, glorying in the flesh? Ʋxor fulget ra­dijs Mariti Velut inter Stellas Lund Minores. the Spouse shines out indeed, but 'tis in the rich rayes of her hus­bands beauty. Christs lustre shines out in Christians, as the Moone a­mong the lesser Stars, and their glory's but the sparklings forth of his spotlesse nature, in them; Christs beauty fils all the corners [Page 3] and concavities of the widest de­sires of soules. Thou O Lord art Psal. 3. 3. my glory, said David the King: we hold all things in Capite tenure from Christ, thence let us take our name: will you mind that satisfy­ing saying? that you may be filled Ephes. 3. 19. with all the fulnesse of God, filled with God, a full expression, with the fulnesse of God, that's more; yet higher, with all the fulnesse of God. Beauty in God is the a­menity and lovelinesse of his na­ture, and all infinite perfections, as they offer themselves to his owne understanding, and to the under­standing of men and Angels in their pleasantnesse; and this, even this, is the All of a Christians beauty. Is't queri'd how this can be, that Christ and Christians share in beauties? We answer,

SECT. 2.

'TIs 1. by regeneration and that into the union and samenesse of Christs nature: the Spouse of the first Adam came from his owne side or loynes, so did the wife of the second; see how sweetely divine favours hang together: the Father open'd his bosome, and the Sonne open'd his side, to make the chief of sinners, the chiefe of Saints; the Spouse opens too; I opened to my beloved said she; when once sweet Christ was opened in Pauls Ministery, Acts 16. 14. Lydia's heart opened too, that shee tooke in her husband and all his sayings; there's no love lost be twixt head and members you see. Cor. 7. 1. We are made partakers of the divine nature, & he's partaker of humane nature. Christ and Christians are Co-partners in natures divine, humane. Such soules are truly [...] superterrestrial, and the soul [...]eb. 2. 16. of such souls, i. e. Christ their life [Page 5] is so too. Christ matches with those of his owne Stocke, and Tribe, Husband and Spouse have but one and the same Father: the God and Father of our Lord Jesus 1 Pet. 1. 3. Christ hath begotten us againe, saith the Scriptures. Christ's a Chri­stians neer Kinsman, yea brother as well as Husband; goe tell my bre­thren I ascend to my Father, and your John 20. 17. Father, to my God, and your God. Sweete is the dew of such sweete lips, which lips, like Lillies, drop Cant. 5. 13. such sweet smelling Myrrhe.

SECT. 3.

2. BY Transnomination, the change of their names. To have a samenesse of name from the samenesse of nature with Christ, beautifies believers bountifully. When the match is made up be­tween Christ and the soule, that soule bears her Soveraign's name. The Spouse of the first Adam and [Page 6] her husband had both one name, God called their name Adam in Gen. 5. 2. the day that he made them: so the Spouse of the second Adam, in the change of her condition from a single, to a married estate with Christ, the Lamb, had a change of her name, the head is called Christ, Cor. 12. 12. [...]put & cor­ [...]s unùs est [...]hristus, Aug. [...]al. 3. 16. [...]rap in Locum. [...]cts 9. 4. [...]salm 24. 6. Chron: 22.9 [...]iodate on [...]ant. 6. 13. [...]insworth on [...]e same. and the members are call'd Christ. Why persecutest thou me, i. e. mysti­call Christ, my body. And God is called Jacob in the Psalmes; Christ is Solomon, in this sweet song, in Hebrew Sholomoh of peace; and his Church is called Shulamite by her Bride-groomes name; and therfore the forming of the word is rather active then passive; Christ and Christians are homonymon, of the same name; he's call'd the fai­rest among men, shee the fairest a­mong [...]sal. 45. 2. [...]ant. 1. 8. 5. women. Believers, these are sweets we speake of, Christ is cal­led your fulness; of his fulnesse have wee received: and ye are called his [...]ohn 1. 16. fulnesse; his body is the fulnesse of [...]phes. 1. 23. him that filleth all in all. 'Tis one [Page 7] branch of the new Covenant, that God would give his people a new Isa. 62. 2. name, yea a better name then is that of sonnes and daughters. Beauty is a taking thing, can doe much with Christ, thou hast ravished my heart, carryed, snatch'd away my heart, my Spouse, and God will do much for his names sake, 'tis a coercive▪ cogent argument, which takes with God, when nothing else wil; Thou O Lord art in the middes of us, Jer. 14.9. and we are called by thy name, leave us not, leave us not for thy names sake; Christ and Christians are name-sakes, have but one name.

SECT. 4.

3. BY hereditation or birth-right. Children of men are not all Heirs borne; but all Gods Children are first-bornes: great is the comfort of such; every Spouse of Christ is a lawful borne Heir of all Christs Ornaments, [Page 8] goodnesse, they are heires, heirs of God, and joynt-heires with Christ; words like Mountains of Pearles: Christians, Christs beauti's your birth-right, you'r black, but comely; black in your selves, but comely in Christ; Loathsome in your selves, but lovely in this Sonne of love, and the life of your Lustre is laid up in him; that when he appears, you also may appear with him in glory. A [...]oloss. 3. 4. believer (my friends) is very rich & very honorable; say he were a beg­gar on a dunghill, for Christ's not poore, and hee's joynt-heire with Christ; a Lazarus full of running sores, and bowed to reception of reliefe from dogs and cloathing of Rags; hee's all [...] [...]till, nor is his body like a Leopards that cannot change his skin. Pearls are pearls, though in midst of puddle. The Father of Christ hath begotten his Spouse to an inheritance incorruptible, and Pet. 1. 4. that fades not away, in which place of Peter, the Holy Ghost ex­presses their inheritance by two [Page 9] most fit words; the one is [...] Flos qui nun­quammarcescit, dictus indè im­mortalis ab a & [...]. Plin. lib. 21. cap. 11. the name of a precious Stone, which, though cast into fire and soyled, cannot bee blemished; but is the more brightened; the o­ther is [...], the name of a flow­er, which, Writers tell us, may be kept continually fresh and greene; all Saints are high born Children, of a Princely seed, bloud-royall; they are Lords of the Higher Luke 22. 30. House, divide the throne with Christ by birth-right, they are Christs assessors, & fellow-Peers, to judge the world with him; yea to 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 tis the co­vering of the uncomelinesse of all his Linage; sinfull deformity can [Page 10] 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, 'twill 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 thats good in thee, make it life-lesse, love-lesse, if once pre­cious Christ layes his skirt over [Page 11] 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. [Page 13] 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 'ith 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 'tis hee that heades all her glory, Crowns all her com­forts, [Page 14] 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, [Page 15] 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 [Page 16] 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.

SECT. 1.

ITs the good will of him that dwelt in the bush to call things Dent. 33. 16. Rom. 4. 17. which are not 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. its 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 [Page 18] love; Thou in love to my soule [...]sa, 38. [...]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,

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, Mum [...]: quo ver­bo L [...]x. illud frequenter red­dunt Macula, [...]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 [Page 19] 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. V [...]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. C [...]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 [Page 20] 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 t [...]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 [...]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, shees 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. M ^r. 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 [Page 22] 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 [...]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 [...]ioda [...]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, [...] full descrip­ [...]on of the sin [...]gainst the [...]oly Ghost. canst thou doe despight to the Spirit of grace, persecute the known truth, and the Author thereof, sinning [Page 23] 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; 'tis 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 thats good for thy better part, how will hee quicken thee no more, ne­ver [Page 24] 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 [Page 25] 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 servāt 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, den [...]'d him, did it thrice, bound his sayings with an [Page 26] 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 'tis dispersed into severall parts, & broken parcells: as a stone, thats broken all to pieces, is a stone still, retains its hardnesse in the least of its parts, as truly, as when 'twas u­nited, [Page 27] and in the whole thereof. There hardnesse is Homogeneous, Homogeneum est quod constat [...] ex partibus, i­dem nomen cun [...] to [...]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 heart­strings; a metaphor taken from hardest hands of hardest labourers; under a dead and dedolent dispo­sition, [...] De [...]olentes, Desperantes. Mo [...]tanus. desperately sinfull, and re­morslesse, fearelesse of the Maje­stie of God, to which is added a [Page 28] 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 [Page 29] 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 [...]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 [Page 30] 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 transgression David fear'd Psal. 19. 13. to cōmit, pray'd to be freed from; Keepe backe thy servant from pre­sumptuous sinnes; Let them not have dominion over mee, then shall I bee upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression. To sin this sin, is to sin contu [...]aciously, pertinaciously, maliciously, industrious­ly, with the highest hand, on pur­pose, as some will, to affront Gods good motions of grace, proudly; Ile give my opinion, 'tis a sin that looks like Hell, it has no home but Hell; Nifallor; all sin seems to be the Devills Creature, hee was the first that made sinne; but this sinne seemes to have been that which [Page 31] made him, Satan, a Devill, and to have transform'd him from an An­gel of light into a Prince of dark­nesse: This spot is not the Spou­ses. But behold another draught of this sin, 'tis so to sin, as that a man propounds pardon to himselfe be­fore the act of sinning, 'tis to ven­ture upon any sin, any uncleanness, on this ground, because God has mercy to forgive it, 'tis to multiply sins, because God can multiply pardons, 'tis to sin that grace may abound; And shall wee sin that grace may abound, said holy Paul? what, wee Christians? wee on whom Christs Love has laid all obligati­ons? wee who sin'd immensely, be­fore wee knew him, and yet found mercy with him? O God forbid; How can wee that are dead to sinne Rom. 6. 1, 2 doe so, wee cannot, wee cannot. q. d. that were unreasonable, and to an ingenuous heart impossible. To reason, from grace to sin, is the Lo­gick of the old Serpent, Satan. To apply that saying in John, That if 1 Joh. 2. 1. [Page 32] any man sinne, wee have an Advocate with the Father, who's a propitiation for sins: to apply it, I say before the sin is committed, and to ven­ture on sin upon that very ground is exceeding dangerous; but after, to the remorsefull exceeding cor­diall. 'Tis a certain Maxime, that to have a pardoning Master, and pittying Majestie, is a comfort un­der the fruits of sin, affliction; but no incouragement to the works of sin, rebellion. The spot of pre­sumptuous sin is not the Spouses.

SECT. 4.

3. THe spot of the reigning sin is not the Spouses; Sinne shall not have dominion over you; for Rom. 6. 14. you are not under the Law, viz. sins Law, but under grace, viz. the Lawes and Commands of grace, neither sins power of damning, nor domi­neering Destituitur pec­catum potentia damnandi & dominandi, as they say, Manet pecca­tum, dejectum quidem; sed non ejectum, evul­sum non expul­sum tamen. Bern. Psal. 19. 10. ha's its throne there; rebell it may, but reigne it do's not, its in [Page 33] them, but rules not over them, they know no Lord but King Jesus; sin is not in them King, but tyrant. Sin has a strong heart, is put to death with much a doe: yet done it is in them, and to them; its kept under though not cast out, irradicated though not wholly expeld. It fares with sinne, in Saints, as with those Beasts in Daniel, their dominion was taken from them; yet their Dan. 7. 12. lives were prolong'd for a season and a time: so God may suffer sins of Saints that have lost their do­minion & domina [...]ion to survive he may let thee fall, to try whats in thy heart. q. d. that thou mayst try and know it, and thy want of his power to subdue it; yet 'tis but for a season and a time, and then the King of Glory will come, and fill all the corners of thy heart with light, life, & liberty. Sweet Lord! shall thy Kingdome come into our hearts? shall thy will be done in our vile hearts, as 'tis done in thy pure heavens? What in ours, O [Page 34] Spouse, onely thy Husband ha's his dominium forte, mightie rule, his strong Lordship, his Empire in thy soule, sed suave, but 'tis a sweet one, blessed art thou under his principalitie. Germanicus reigned in the Romans hearts, Tiberius but in the Provinces; so 'tis with Saints, sin may reigne in their members, externalls, but Christ reignes in their mindes, internalls; sinne in Saints is dejected from its regen­cie, though not ejected from its inherencie: whilst they are here, the spot of the reigning sin is not the Spouses.

SECT. 5.

4. SHee do's not sinne longing, wishing there were no Law forbidding sin, no God to punish sin; the fooles heart sayes there's no God. i. e. wishes it were so, that he might sin unsmitten; ma­sterlesse Monsters send Messages [Page 35] after Christ, saying, Wee will not that this man reigne over us, long­ing to live without Law, lawlesse. Some have as many Lords as lusts, aut faciendum aut patiendum, such as will not be his throne, must be his footstoole; its a prison to sinners to be held in by Law, but 'tis a pa­radise to Saints: a good man is thankfull for every curbe of cor­ruption, the smitings of the righteous Psal. 141. 5. are kindnesses to him, an excellent oile; he dreads Ephraims case, to be let alone, sinning; Lex, Lux, said Solomon the wise, the Law's a light, and Lampe, for manifestation of Pro. 6. 23. sin, and manuduction of the soule to her Saviour; Saints sinne not, wishing there were no Law forbid­ding the evill thereof, yea, & which is more, they blesse God when cros­sed in an evill course; Blessed be the Lord God of Israel which sent thee this day to meet mee, and blessed be thy ad­vice, and blessed be thou which hast kept mee this day from coming to shed bloud, & from avenging my selfe with [Page 36] mine owne hand; for indeed the Lord God lives which has kept mee from hurting of thee, said David to Abi­gail, he blesses God, the advice, the woman, every thing that gave curb to his corruptions; gracious spi­rits thinke it a mercy to have the course of sinne stopped, love the meanes that effects it; to be given up to hearts lusts, is the greatest plague of all; they long not that there were no Law, but love it; O how I love thy Law, said the sensible Psal. 119. 97. Prophet, 'tis my meditation all the day, and I delight in the Law after the [...]om. 7. 22. inner man, said holy Paul; this is not the spot of Christs Spouse. A gra­cious Spirit do's with great attenti­on heare this Law-make [...], as those in Luke, who were so attentive to Luke 19. 48. his doctrine, that the Rulers found not what to doe; the people [...]anged on him, saith the Greeke word; [...]. all Christians hange on Christs lips, as the Bee doth on the flower, the babe on the brest, and the little bird on the bill of her dam, that [Page 37] they may receive the Law from his Mal. 2. 7. mouth.

SECT. 6.

5. THe spot of a beloved sin is not the spouses; her sin is by her loathed, but not beloved; the evill I doe, I hate, saith the Apo­stle; shee has as bad conceits of sin Rom. 7. 15. as ever she had, though once plea­sed in the act, her affections are crucifi'd to corruption, so is cor­ruption to them, they are dead to each other; sin in Saints is, 1. Dead judicially, dead in sentence, they adjudge it to death, resolve it shall die; they sin not with an esteeme of sin, their judgement's against it, they have laid hatred to the roote of sin, which will be the death out. [...]. Tis in them Civiliter mortuus, ci­villy dead; a man is dead, saith the Civill Law, when hee's in subjecti­on to another, is not acted and ani­mated by the power of his owne [Page 38] will, but by the will of him that rules over him; so here, sinne in Saints ha's not its own will, is not its own Master, is in subjection to them, because their love thereof, its life, is withdrawne, better be stowed, laid out. 3. Sin in them as loathed, not loved, is naturally dead : things are naturally dead two wayes, inchoate, consummate; in­choate, as when a tree is smote at the roore with an Axe, which is an omen it will wither, die, be fruit­lesse, for future; though for present it have leaves and fruit upon it: hence 'tis said to be dead, because it has received its deadly blow : so a man is said to be a dead man, when he has received a deadly wound, though hee may stirre, struggle, strive, and live a while after, to doe some hurt to him that did the deed; so a man alive in Christ, by vertue of his union with him, has a deadly blow given to the roote of his sin, not onely in the judge­ment, having lost its repute there, [Page 39] but in the affections also; it shall never any more [...]oost and roote there, never recover its strength againe; and though it have a little life for a while, and may be injuri­ous to the subject where 'tis, yet cannot last long and bring forth as before, but withers, growes lesse and lesse, till quite exhausted, wast­ed, notwithstanding its shew of leaves. 2. A sin not beloved has a death consummate, and it is so dead by this signe, viz. when it brings not forth in its season. i. e. when advantages and opportuni­ties of sinning, occur, accord, agree, and come together. In winter, Trees and Plants seeme as dead, but if in the spring, wee see neither Doct. Sib [...] fruit nor leaves, wee then say they'r dead indeed; so when a Christian has an advantage, an opportunitie to fall into sin, may doe it, yet not work himselfe into outward blame and shame, and sin do's not then beare fruit and bring forth in that fit season, 'tis dead indeed; for [Page 40] what the season of the spring is to trees and plants, the same, or the like, is an occasion of sinning unto sin. Josephs case, and his carriage Gen. 39. 7. to 13. in that case, cleeres this well; hee had an advantage, an opportunity, all advantages, and a fit season to sin in, a wanton Mistris, who woed him often, saying, Lie with mee, a continuation of her suit, shee did it day by day, her actuall assault, shee caught him by his garment, would have no nay, a place of privacie, there was none of the men of the House within, no likelihood of accruing shame, or blame, in publicke; and himselfe an high Officer, a man of credit, able to have crushed a ru­mor and bruit in the birth; yet sin in him was then dead, it could not live being loath'd; Hee hearkened not unto her to lie by her, or to be with her, saith the Text; he shunned and hated both the sin, and the occasi­on, Vitanda est gla­cies, si nolis Cadere. with the appearances thereof, would not lie by her, would not be with her; a good patterne of pietie [Page 41] for others: hee shunn'd the sin as crosse to God, not men; How can I doe this great wickednesse, and sin against God? yet then in, that case, his lust was life-lesse, brought not forth; Christs Spouse sins not with a love of sin, the evill shee do's, shee hates; There's no spot in thee.

SECT. 7.

6. THey sin not with the whole man, their fall is not Toti a toto in totum, they sin not with a cleare freedom and full consent of the will, there's still some reluc­tance, giving out, drawing back of some of the inward powers, they sin not with all their strength, gree­dily, with both their hands; not earnestly, as the Prophet speakes; Micah 7. 3. their conflicts with sin, when fal­ling thereinto, are an attestation of this: the minde, or soule, we say, is the man; but the minde sins not, [Page 42] With my minde I serve Christ, and Rom. 7. 5. 19, 20. the evill I would not, that doe I, saith the Apostle, they sin against their wills, cannot will sin; they nill and null, in the strength of Christ, all sinfull thoughts, words, and works. And if I doe that I would not, 'tis no Ver. 20. more I: Quasi dicat, there was a time, when I willed what I acted, and did what I would and could in sin; but now I am not the man, I am not I, 'tis no more I that sin, sin is in mee, but against my will, I cannot will to sin, choose to sin might I gain a world for so doing. Christs Spouse sins not, viz. not with cleare freedom, and full con­sent of will. Hence is said to be spotlesse, not to sin: for as to will Note. sin, is to commit sin in the account of Justice; so to nill sin, is not to commit sin in the account, of mer­cy. Man in the first Adam, when he Matth. 5. 28. stood in the glory of his best per­fection, the image of the invisible God, made out but a mutable will, a will he had to stand or fall which [Page 43] hee pleased; and hence did he will his fall freely; but a man in the second Adam ha's a better stand­ing, greater strength, and a better and more accomplisht will; hence no man in Christ can will his fall, will wandering from God, and a wavering heart, in the sence before asserted, viz. with the wills cleare freedom and full consent, so that Capell Tempt. pag. 36. God imputes no more to us, then is approved and allowed by us.

You have now seene what spots the Saints have not, what sins they commit not: But have Saints no sins? do's Saint-ship and Son-ship make sinlesse? No; If wee say wee have no sinne, wee deceive our selves, 1 Joh. 1. 8. and the truth's not in us, saith John; hee that, Donatus-like, sayes, I have no sin for Christ to cleanse mee Non habeo Do­mine quod ig­noscas. from, ha's no truth in him, is like to his father, who lyed ab origine, from the beginning.

1. Christs purest Spouse, has the tincture of sin in her selfe, it has befallen Christians, in this case, as it [Page 44] fares with a man who has fallen in­to a ditch, notwithstanding he has bin washed from the mud, yet may wee smell hee has been defiled: Christs time of suffering was the Disciples time of sinning.

But secondly, a Christian as hee injoyes himselfe in Christ, and so far forth as hee lives in Christ, hee's sin-lesse, and his sin is not im­puted to him, hee's all faire, has no spot in him.

SECT. 1.

Arguments are these;

1. EVery man is, and every man do's, in Gospel account; that which he is most active in; but a Spouse of Christ is most active in good, least of all active in evill, therefore said not to sinne. David had many failings, yet was he most in the practice of good, and least in the practice of evill; his heart, as well as hand, was more in the wayes [Page 45] of grace, than in those of sin; for hee sinned onely by accident, if I mistake not; minde that most sin­gular Encomium that's given him; hee was a man after Gods own heart; hee did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, all the dayes of his life, and turned not aside from any thing the Lord commanded him, save onely in the matter of Uriah the Hit­tite. 1 Kings 15.5. There's but one sin mentio­ned, and that one is not, because pardoned; hee was eyed, deemed, and prized according unto that he was most active in; so that in the account of mercy he had no spot in him: a gracious heart is active, most active in good, but passive, most passive in evill; hee suffers, when hee sins, then most of all; e­vills of suffering pinch him not so much, as evills of sinning▪ the one being but as a scar in the flesh, the other a wound in the heart, for such soules are most wounded in Christs wounds; as the loyall wife is most wounded in the wounds of [Page 46] her husband. Let complaints of Saints come forth, and they'l give evidence to this truth; many are judgement-sad, but few sin-sad; Christs spouse is one of those few, sinne is more her burthen then is suffering, shees a sensible sin-sick soule. On the contrary, a grace­lesse heart is passive, most passive, onely in good; suffers most, whilst it do's well, and esteems it not so much peace, as perplexity to walke with God, is active in goodnesse by accident, most active in evill, therefore a sinner, no Saint by na­ture or name, as Christ wills for one. Christians, consider, tis not your starting into duties, your ex­act performance of them, or your fastening on goodnesse onely by fits, that addes a beautie, a comeli­nesse to you, but tis that the hearts most in, that the hands most in, that your strength, all your strēgth is laid out upon, which shews what you are, in Gospel account: mark, O man, the bent of thy minde, the▪ [Page 47] might of thy motions, thy con­stancy of continuation in the ser­vice of Christ, that thou mayst be all fair, spotlesse by imputation.

ARGUMENT 2. SECT. 2.

EVery man is, and do's, in Gos­pell account, what he sincerely endeavours to do, but a Spouse do's not endeavour to sin, do's not put forth her might in sin, do's not strenuously perpetrate sin: Hence is said, not to sin; to be void of the spot of sin; to have no sin. Holy men, in Scripture, are said to have humbled themselves, and to have purged themselves, though the Lord knows the crea­tures insufficiency in such respects, and does the work himselfe; yet because they sincerely endeavour­ed to do it in his strength, they are said, in the account of mercy, to have performed it; and indeed the Scriptures are no way want­ing [Page 48] in producing presidents for proof; Manasseh, Josiah, Hezeki­ah, 2 Chron. 33. 12. & 32.26. & 34.27. Psal. 35. 13. 1 Joh. 3.3. David, and many others, are said to have humbled themselves; and he that ha's that hope, purges him­self as God is pure, saith John.

'Tis the good will of God, to crown imperfect actions of Saints with approbation, acceptation, to take a sincere will, and willing minde, for the deed it self: every man is, in the account of God, what he heartily endeavours to be, 2 Cor. 8. 12. in good or evil; but a godly mans heart is not in sin, not set to sin; he do's not presse on that way, but he presseth on to the way of escape from it, even the Lamb of God that takes away sin; I Presse towards the Phil. 3. 14. marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, [...], I per­secute the marke; its the same word that's used in the Acts, where Paul speaks to Agrippa, that he compeld men to blaspheme, and Acts 26.11. was exceedingly mad against Saints; did persecute them into strange Cities. [Page 49] Paul resolv'd, as he had been the chief of sinners, now to strive, if possible, to be the chief of Saints; now to excell in grace, as much, yea, much more, then before he had exceeded in sin; hence that saying in the Corinthians imports 2 Cor. 5. 12, 13. Paulus▪ in om­nia praeceps, nil actum ore­dens cum quid▪ superesset▪ a­gendum de Cae­sare. Lucan 2 Phar. as much; Whether we be besides our selves, it is to God, or whether we be sober, it is for your sakes; for the love of God constrains us. Paul sets be­fore them the coming of Christ, and their appearance before his judgement seat, with greatest in­tention of Spirit, and contention of speech. 'Tis said of Origen, that he was ever earnest, but never more then, when he spake of Je­sus Christ.

ARGUMENT 3. SECT. 3.

THat which gives the deno­mination to persons, or things, is the predominant quali­ty in those persons, and in those [Page 50] things, but grace, in the gracious, is the predominant quality, though there be other ingredients in the compound; hence they'r called Saints, not sinners; and are ey'd in him that sanctifies, as sinlesse; no action denominates the effici­ent, but predominant qualities give appellation to the subject; Ʋna actio non denominat. particular actions prove not the soundnesse or unsoundnesse of the affections; for a good man may do an evill action, and an evill man a good action; but predominant qualities are the fairest and truest Characters of what our minds be, and such as our minds, and their objects be even such are we; grace rules in Saints, sin in sinners: on the contrary, the predominant quality in sinners is sin, hence they have the name Sinners; 'twas Pauls comfort, that his minde was Christs servant, though his flesh was the servant of sin, his minde had the mastery, was predominant; tis here, as in things naturall; water's [Page 51] our instance, which consists of ma­ny elements; but because moist­nes and coldnes are the principall predominant qualities in the com­pound, thence it ha's its denomi­nation, 1 Kin. 15. 14. is called water. Asa remo­ved not the high places, did evill in many things, neverthelesse his heart was perfect with the Lord all his days; uprightnesse and integrity of heart were predominant in his heart, therefore twas a perfect heart, and so called, mercy was the cause, would it should be so.

ARCUM. 4. SECT. 4

EVery man is, and every man do's, in the account of the Gospel, that which he is, and do's, when hee's most himself, but a gra­cious man, when he is himself least of all, when hee's most himself, self­renued, can he fall into sin? hence may be said not to sin. Man, when he sins, is not apud se, in his right [Page 52] minde, but doe's ex se ire, go out of himself; and therefore repent­ance, which is the change of the minde and man, by which he comes from a depraved to a renued self, is expressed by [...], a word that imports recovering of wits, lost wits, and is of some translated, af­ter-wisedome; the parable of the lost son conduces to the cleering Luk. 15. 17. A man in [...]uch a pang [...]f passion, is [...]id by an un­ [...]suall phrase, [...]on esse apud [...], and as 't [...]ssen's, ad se [...]diisse, to re­ [...]rn to him­ [...]lfe. of this; he craves his portion, takes it, leaves his home, and fathers bosome, travels, goes far, as farre as he could, spends his substance on his lusts, living loosely; but want makes him a ser­vant, and brings him to live on husks, could he get them; but all this while, he was not himself: but having received a sence of sin, next a sight of the meanes of escape from it, which was Gods way of striving to bring life againe into his dead child, he breathes after home, not being judged, according to what he was before, but accord­ing to what he was, when he came [Page 53] to himself, ver. 17. which appears by the sequel, from the 29. ver. to the end of the Chapter; for when his brother accused him to his fa­ther, for what he had been and done, no notice is taken of such things, nor answer given as was ex­pected, but words of grace and fa­vour are in the reply; Thy brother that was dead, is now alive, he that was lost, is now found; q. d. Hee's now another manner of man; there's a truth in what thou sayst, and I know it very well; but he was mad when he did those things, was not himself, was dead; but the case is altered: tell me not what he was, and did, but what he now is, and doth; thou wouldst have me kick, and kill, but Ile kisse; tis my live child, my found child, hee's now come to himself : there's a time when God doe's, and will make it out to his children, that their for­mer sins shall not be reviewed; tis that they are, and shal be, which his eye is upon, his heart most in: Is [Page 54] not God a good Father? hee's all bowels, very pitifull. and of tender Jam. 5.11. [...]. Jer. 31.34. mercy; one of many commiserati­ons saith the Greek word; Ile for­give their iniquities, and will re­member their sins no more. God do's Hanc veniam [...]etimusque da­ [...]usque viois­ [...]im. forget as well as forgive, and for­get all he forgives. Christians, this God do's for you, what do you for each other? we aske pardon, let's give it.

ARGUM. 5. SECT. 5.

EVery man is, and do's, in Gos­pel account, that which he is, & do's in sins consummation, in the finishing of sin; but the espoused of Christ do's not consummate [...]m. 1. 15. [...] sin, finish sin, therefore are they said not to sin, Sin when't is finish­ed brings forth death, viz. When full, perfect, compleat, through­ly and exactly made an end of, as the word is; but no sins of Saints do thus terminate, are thus mor­tall, [Page 55] can thus kill them; sins of Saints were crucified in Christs crucifixion, can never so revive in them againe, as to bring this death upon them. They do not crown sin, the end crownes and proves the action good or evill, Exitus acta probat, and end imports Finis coron [...] opus. perfection, i. e. an exact perfor­mance of the action; sins, in Saints, are broken, uncocted, evils not di­gested into full groath, and full strength; hence are they said to be mortified, washed, clensed: take an instance, Passion flowing thence 1 Cor. 6.11. where the grace of Patience is not whole but broken, wounded and maimed, not perfect passion, tis not commander, but commanded; not in them, as in others, they have but their pangs and fits of such fu­ries, do but start and startle into sin, tis not long lived in them, and that little dying breath it ha's, is as soon expir'd as inspir'd, as soon out as in, they'r not constant in sin: sed contra, some do some­thing [Page 56] about sin, little against sin. Peccata saepe radiuntur, sed non irradican­tur is most true of some. These are not such; sin in them has its deadly wound, the axe is laid to the root on't, ruin'd it is, or will be.

ARGUM. 6, SECT. 6.

EVery gracious man, is in the accompt of God, and his Gos­pell, that which he shall be in the state of perfection, hereafter; but men of grace, when men of glory, in perfect state, shall be spotlesse, have no more power to spot themselves; hence are they dee­med spotlesse here, by imputation, I meane. God, faith the Apostle, cals things which are not as though they were: tis granted, hee' [...] not that he shall be, in fulnesse; but hee's Rom. 4.17. Non quoad to­ [...]um, sed quoad [...]r [...]dus. [...] John 3.2. that he shall be, in truth; Christ minds not so much what we are, as what we shall be; We are now sons, saith John, and children have their spots, as the Scriptures speak, [Page 57] but it appears not what we shall be, for we shall be like him, and as Christ is, 1 Joh. 4. 17. so are we in this world; he minds not so much, what image we have marred, as what of God unto us hee's made; hee's made holy, and holinesse to us, comely, and come­linesse to us; hee's said to forgive, & forget sin, not to minde, to re­member it no more; he has a great­er memory of his peoples vertues, then vices; thinks more on their future then present state.

The first borne heire of a rich man, is in the account of his father, wealthy, say he has nothing but necessaries; because, Though he has little in possession, he has much in reversion, if he lives too't. So here, a Christians comelinesse is not so much in possession, as in re­version; not so much in his owne, as in Christs own hands; yea, the life of his lustre and grace, though in his owne possession, yet the meanes of preservation is not within, but without him, in Christ [Page 58] his head, from which well of Life he draws all his waters that are li­ving in himselfe: dying things ab­sent and far from us, are made present and nigh to us by imputa­tion, and fidei mendica manu; pro­mises afar off, were seen and em­braced Heb. 11.3. by Abraham, where the Greek has it, he saluted them, kis­sed [...] ab a [...] & [...]. Christ in the promise, and was interchangeably kissed of him, when Christ was then afar off and not incarnate; yet were they drawne together by mutuall 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; [Page 59] 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.

SECT. 1.

1. WAtch thy way-ward heart that thou makest not God a lyer; every sin is a lye, tis 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 [...]oule; do's he say thou art sinlesse? and wilt thou, canst thou sin senslesly?

[Page 60] 'Tis 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; tis 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 [Page 61] 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 gui [...]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 si [...]s, in his owne Cor. 2 5. [...]. [...] Pet. 2. [...]1, 22, 23. body on the tre [...], saith the Scrip­ture, that we might be made the [Page 62] 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 [Page 63] 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 [Page 64] 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 [Page 65] 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. tis 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 cup of wrath, death, and hell to his head, and seest him sigh, sing, and smile; for thy good; canst thou break that cup of trem­bling on his fair face, and not have thy heart fettered with Christs sil­ken love-cords, which are softer then oyle? sure, his love applyed to thy heart heartily, will make thee ingenuous, free, thankful, re­spectfull. Solomons honey, and Sampsons Dalilah are sweet drinks, that swell some, who are after glad to vomit them up againe, and are pained with sickness at the remem­brance of them; but 'tis not so here, that love that Christ ha's [Page 66] from us is better bestow'd; and stout-hearted sinners, Ile tell you your doom; Christs love comes neer you, but you fly from it, you wil need mountains to fall upon you, and hide you from his presence, sweet Lambe, that he is; thats an hell-like La [...]ere, erit impossibile, ap­parere, intolera­bile. Anselmus. sorrow, yet must be suffered, when to hide twill be impossible, and to appear intolerable: O think on the day of Christs appearance, when hee'l speak with a voice like thun­der; I am he, behold the man whom ye have crucified, the sides that you Ego sum, ecce hominem quem crucifixisti [...], ec­ce latus quod pugugistis, ecce vulnera quae in fiaeistis. Rev. 1.7. have pierc'd, my hands and feet; lo, see the wounds you made, and this will he say when he comes with clouds; every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him; and all kindreds of the earth shall waile because of him; They shall look Iisdem quibus videmus oculis flemus. and lament; then a good consci­ence towards God will more be­stead, then all the treasures in the world.

SECT. 3.

3▪ LOve him, and live to him, who Plus valebit conscientia pura quam marsupia plena. Bern. accounts thee lovely; truly, without halting, wholly, without halving; let Christs love be thy patterne; a Sea of love ha's a bot­tome, an Heaven of love, a brim; but infinite love is limit-lesse, such is his; the infinite love of God in Christ, moves in a circle of life; Christs heart is the spring and fountaine there; all rivers and streams of love meet as a congre­gation of all good, and ther's the Ocean, the Sea of love and loveli­nesse: Christs Chariot runs on wheels of love, and the pace is ea­sie and sweet, and he breath's with Probatio dilec­tionis exhibitio est operis. Greg in Evang. Hom. 30. Mat. 22. 37. his Aura levis, his gentle gales, that are cheering, that thou maist breath like him: Christs love is an Elixar, which by contaction, if there beany dispositiō of goodnes in the same mettal, twill render't of the same property it selfe is; [Page 68] 'tis a rarity, a great one, and a mer­veilous Lenocinium, inticer of desi­res. Luk. 8.4.7. Melancthon. One conflicted under the pangs of death, and at last comforted, breath'd out her thoughts thus; now, and not till now, understand I the meaning of those words, Thy sins are forgiven thee; then, and not till then, it should seem, was heart rais'd and ravished with un­speakable love, to this lovely Lamb, which love is the fruit of remis­sion of sin; tis a sad thing to have a selfish, circular love, that ha's no center but self, ascends no higher, goes no farther. Among the Ro­mans, they who were saved, were wont to crowne him that saved them, and to honour him as a fa­ther, all their dayes; so Christians should take the Crowne of glory, of all their salvations, and good [...]uot verba [...] absurda. actions, and set it on Christs head, who best becomes it; he that speaks of himself seeks his own glory, said Christ; selfe-seekers, and Thra­sos boasters of your selves, wher's [Page 69] your esteeme of Christ? is this your best [...] example you give? 1 Tim. 4. 12. Magno conatu magnas agere nugas. Magni nugato­res. 1 Tim. 6.4. do's this make the stampe on your coyne? then it's not current with Christ. Some are in Pauls language, proud [...], blown, and swolne up, knowing nothing a­right, and as they ought to know; a tu­mor in the body, is a symptome sad enough, in the soul, saddest of all, doters on questions and strife of words, [...], question-sick, the best successe whereof will be lan­guor in the end; such must be with­drawne from us; [...], stand off, keep at a distance from such, know­ledge Socrates. without love, is like raine in the middle region; that was a grave speech, I know that I know nothing. Some get the tree of knowledge but loose the tree of life, saies one; Apostates from first love frowne on your faces; some are at first warme, next luke­warme, of a middle temper, but at last freezing could in affection to Christ.

SECT. 4.

4 Follow thy husband, begin Principlum fervet, medi­um [...]epet, exi­tus▪ ulget. Hymnus evan­gelisisslmus. w ^th thanksgiving, sing to this Jesus the Canticle most evangeli­call; as thou didst put no bounds to thy self sinning, being now sa­ved from it, put no bounds to thy thanksgiving : Ingratitude, say some, is a Monster in nature, a So­lecisme Let thy mo­dus be sine mo­do. Bern. Luk. 1.68. Arbor honore­ [...]ur, cujus nos unbra tuetur. in manners, a Paradox in grace, damming up the course of donations divine and humane. We respect the tree; who's shade's, our defence; Thanksgiving was Lu­thers Sancti crapula, the stomack should be full out, and then there's no ease or rest, till the heart's un­laden in Christ: ha's God let thee see thou'rt sinlesse, that he has put away thy sin? then cover 1 That thou maist do, and suffer as much, and more, now sin is pardoned, as thou wouldst have done and suffer­ed for a particular knowledge of it; before thou hadst it, then thou [Page 71] wast all action to have it, nothing was irksome which was a leading meanes to it; O then, what run­ning to God, and the godly, for information? what praying, hear­ing, reading and enquiring was there then? then thou thought'st it more worth then are worlds, and what's the mercy the lesse, be­cause out of Christs hand into thine owne? 2 Be active in sancti­fication, because formerly thou wast passive in regeneration, and in Gods the A­gent, mans the Patient then. 2 Cor. 7.1. making satisfaction for the trans­gression, having through great and precious promises, received the divine nature; where's the clensing from all filthinesse of flesh & spirit? 3 Spend, and end all thy dayes in meditati­on and admitation of what the Lord thy God ha's done for thee, who was once under the curse, the law, the lash; cry as the Prophet, O who is a God like to our God, that par­clons iniquity, transgressions and sins, Micha 7.18, 19. who delights in mercy, and casts our sins into the depths of the Sea, won­der [Page 72] thou art not so vile as the vilest in Gods esteeme, that he beares thee any good will, gives thee one good word, 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 [Page 73] 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 exi [...]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. [...]. 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 [Page 74] 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 [Page 75] 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. [Page 76] 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? 'tis 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 [Page 77] 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 'tis 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 twill, 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 [...]abatha; Moses could loose a fructill Egypt for Christ, a place where Nilus over-flowes, [Page 78] 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, [Page 79] 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 [Page 80] 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.