compassion where none can have none And by him all that beleive are justifyed from all things from which they could not be justifyed by the law of Moses even for such sins as that afforded not a typical justification from but condemned the sinner to death under the mouth of two or three witnesses yet by him all that believe through this Name in which repentance and remission of sins is preached to them are justified from all things even from all things from which they could not be justified by that law yea this perfection of the righteousness of God and plentuousness of redemption even the forgiveness of sins in and through it is witnessed in the law and Prophets for to him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosoever beleiveth in him whosoever whatsoever they be or have been yet now beleiving in him that justifyeth the ungodly should namely through the same name of him through which they beleive receive the forgiveness of their sins it s to him not to or of us that the Prophets gave this testimony therefore 〈◊〉 his work and office as through his name his power which the Father by means of his death to blot them out in honour so through the opening of his Name in which they trust to make them partakers of it in their mind and conscience by his knowledge or still in and unto such things and so by or through the knowledg of himself shall my righteous servant justify many Here truly me thought she prevented with her understanding and with great refreshing and delight desired further to hear off express her understanding of this matter how through his name he gives the remission of sins and quickens to and nourisheth a lively hope by the resurrection of Christ from the dead and did her self very aptly oppose that name of the Lord to the fire of mens own kindling c. And with gladness still more clearly to see wherein she had exceeded did acknowledge her folly and take shame to her self for her eadiness to caâ—ch at any thing to kindle a fire to her self and compass her self about with sparks for a vain hope of this life when she had such a worthy name to trust in and the grace in Christ was sufficient for her to her to encourage defend and strengthen her in her expectation of the mercy of God unto eternal life so in whatever might most conduce to that which now she was well assured this should or else should not have come upon her but while she was thus with pleasure rejoycing in the name of the Lord and in the discovery of the vanity of other confidences and sparks of her own kindling and with gladness relinquishing them shem et with some tryal of her faith by means of some coming in happily some of them not having well learned the truth as it is in Jesus and so not enough acquainted with such rejoyceing in the Lord and in his name only or not acquainted with her former exercise in the time of her afliction who urged the necessity of seeking some certain evidence and assurance of the forgiveness of her sins and thereunto pressed to a particular confession c To whom she replyed that grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men in its appearance powerfully moves to repentance oh saies she they were her sayings oft and with an appearance of deep sence as having felt and proved the truth of what she said that melts and breaks the heart it turns all the inwards of a man as it were within him that not only teaches that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world but when through forgetfulnesse and departing from it we have sinned and sinned grievously yet it admonisheth and moveth to repentance and when the heart is turned again to that oh what sorrow and melting it works in the sight of such infinite grace to be so abused and shame with encouragement to hope that yet God should wait to be gracious to such she oft repeated and asserted that it did so work even to all such things in truth as they pressed too only upon the account of duty and as a work of the Law and for knowledge of the truth of her faith and repentance without declaring any certain ground that might be as a foundation for it and move to it and work it and told them it had so taught her though she had sinned against it and though she was a vile wretched sinner yet this grace of God was exceeding abundant to her with faith and love which was in Christ Jesus and she could not but desire oh that all other sinners knew this grace of God and the gift by grace For it is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom said she I am the cheif I am the cheif Howbeit he hath mercy on me for a pattern to others this grace is sufficient for me I have found it sâ—icient oh it is sufficient for you all oh that all knew it when some told her of what evidences some in her condition had sought and found of the truth of their repentance and graces and thence and from other like means got assurance of the forgiveness of their sins she replyed she knew no other sign or witness but the sign of the Prophet Jonah even him whom God had given for a witness to the people nor needed she any other for to him give all the Prophets witness that through his name whosever believeth in him shall receive the forgiveness of sins his name through faith in it had healed and made her strong when others urged she must take heed of resting in a false faith she again replyed 't is a faithful saying that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners no false faith 't is the true grace of God that bringâ— salvation to all men and she could not but wish for them that they all knew it when again they replyed upon her that it was not others concernment but her own that was now to be minded by her and that there was something necessary to be found in her faith and repentance more then in all cases was necessary to evidence the truth of it she pleaded that there was but one Faith she knew but one and that she knew nothing she had to do but now to believe on him that justifyeth the ungodly that imputes righteousness without works and that it is to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifyeth the ungodly that ceaseth from his own works to believe c when to this reply was made true this was one thing needful to be found in her repentance a ceasing from her own works that is said they from her evil works but this not all necessary in her case she again replyed nay from all my own works for the best of them are dead
and unprofitable and righteousness cannot be attained by them no nor by any of yours said she the best of you must acknowledge you have sinned and are sinners and that in your best righteousness therefore by the deeds of the law can no flesh be justifyed in the sight of God but now the righteousness of God is manifested without the law c. she earnestly pressed that that though they had not all sinned as she whose sins was manifest yet so unclean was their best works that if God should enter into judgement with them they could not stand nor escape the wrath of God it was said that was true according to the old covenant But now we are considering our selves under another covenant As intimating that according to the covenant given us in Christ men might be accepted and stand just before God in their own works not considering that God hath made him that knew no sin to be sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him but still in him she glorifyed nor would be beaten off from it nor moved to rejoyce in any thing else nor to seek after any other thing to rejoyce in but stood fixed like him God forbid that I should glory in any thing save in the cross of Christ by whom the world is crucyfied unto me and I unto it This I observed in her reasoning with divers that though somtimes she would to commend that grace in Christ tell them how it had taught her and had and did work upon her such humiliation willingness to take shame c. And to satisfie them did tell some that she had confessed her sins and declared her wayes so farre aâ— she knew them to her faithful friends and they had prayed for her and God heard them yet when she was urged to try the truth of her faith and repentance that way and from the truth of such things to gather or make to her self a ground and foundation for her faith and â—ope she would not plead them at all but relinquisht them as empty weak and unprofitable to that purpose and would glory in nothing as the ground of her faith and hope but the cross of Christ the grace in him to man ward who was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification that only through faith in it had healed and put strength in her soul and did strengthen her to plead for her hope of eternal life to good purpose against all that would have moved her from it I perceived also the too usual way that men walk in with sinners to urge repentance confession and sorrow for sin and that it iâ— such as doth not bring forth any such fruit in truth it worketh not the righteousness of God it is even such as in which they are teachers of the law nd know not what they say nor whereof they affirm urging Gospel precepts and duties on the terms of the covenant of works the man that doth them shall live in them and cursed is every one that comes short that is first telling them it is their duty to repent to believe c. without testifying to them any certain ground of repentance and faith in what Christ hath done and is become for them as true for them in Christ whether they belâ—ive of no yea before they dare assure them of any truth in the Gospel declarations for and towards them and then to provoke to it tell them if once they can find such a frme and that their graces are true according to such signes as they give they may thence conclude God loves them and Christ dyed for them c. In this they understand not what they say nor where of they affirme for as without opening a door of repentance in the redemption wrought and obtained from the curse of the law and preparation of forgiveness of sins in Christ through his blood and preaching it in his name there could have been no repentance towards God nor could it have been equally required and so had been nor mans duty having onâ—â— sinned and being sinners they must have been utterly and for ever shut out from God and from his mercy so neither is there any arme or power of God put forth to work repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ but in the testyfying or preaching the cross of Christ or in that which is equivalent the discoveries of Gods goodness and propitiousnesse to sinners that is in and through our Saviour so that as the Apostle saith Herein is not love that we have loved God but that he hath loved us first sent his Son the propriâ—iation for our sins so may I say herein is not repentance unto life that men first repent and beleive before they know weather God hath had love of pitty and compassion towards them in Christ wheather Christ have by the grace of God tasted death for them or no and then ground their knowledge and assurance of that upon the truth of their repentance and graces What I observed bâ—â— bring to my mind a former passage that I shall now relate I went to visit a woman condâ—mned to death for killing her husband and met with one in the Prison coming from her that told me she feared iâ— was in vain for two godly Ministers had been with her and taken great pains and could not bring her to any plain confession nor perceive any such true contrition as mightgive them any hope concerning her and they had given over yet I desired I might see her and was permitted the woman being very 〈◊〉 on her bed spake frowardly to her that led me in what said she have you brouâ—ht me in another torm nâ—or to which I replyed that I came not to judge or torment or trouble her nor to ask or require any thing of her but to tell her good news the best for her that ever she heard and it was certain and true upon whichshe lift up her head and asked what it was I told her that Jesus Christ came into the world to save her from her sins even her by name for he came into the world to save lawless and disobedient sinners ungodly and prophane sinners even such as were Murtherers of Fathers of Mothers Man-slayers Whore mongers Adulterers c. Yea even Blasphemers of the name of Christ and Persecutors of the Church of God and such as were disobediently and rebelliously against light coming to them such such he came to save from their sins she said that was good news indeed but could I indeed shew it her in the word of the Lord that expresly for such Iesus Christ came into the world to save them I told her yea it was plain and fully there testyfied and did shew it her in that 1 Tim. 1.8.9.15 comparing the verses and that with other Scriptures I shall not enlarge this discourse to shew how I did evidence and shew it by that and other Scriptures and apply
the sight of God despise it not it s for every poor sinful wretch in the world prepared in Christ given with him to be put on in coming into his house and so unto him For he that knew no sin was made to be sin for us that we might be made the vighteousness of God in him and to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the â—ngodly his faith is counted for righteousness and to him God imputeth righteousness without works I hope you will excuse my weakness I had almost forgot what I was saying the man wâ— speechless and so the judgement following was according to truth as we are sure it is in all the revelations of his wrath present and eternal against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who hold the truth in unrighteousness Go take the unprofitable servant bind him hand and foot and cast him into utter darknesâ— where there shall be weeping wayling and gnashing of teeâ—h Go ye cursed into ever lasting fiâ—â— prepared for the Devil and his Angels depart from me alâ— ye workers of iniquity Oâ— most dreadful sentence most dreadful sentence and yet this the certain doom and judgement of all those that are incensed against him yea of all that are not found in him whether they have sinned grosly as I have done or no or whatever righteousness according to the law or other garments they be found in not being found in this they cannot be accepted with God and so not stand in that day nor escape that dreadful sentence it shall come upon all that â—anctifie themselves that purifie themselves behind one tree c. That feed not on the flesh of Christ that was given for the liâ—e of the world but eat swines flesh c. Oh this that I now suffer is nothing to that dreadful sentence which yet is the portion of all the ungodly that dye in their sins and it is his infinite grace not my deserving that I did not fall under it for ever all less that to me is infinite mercy but that also he should by these means graciously recal me to that resting place from which I had wandered and heal my backslidings love me freely own and call me by a new name in Heaven sprinkle my heart and conscience with that blood that speaks better things then that of Abel more powerfully for mercy and forgiveness and healing then that for vengeance which he hath done and doth abundantly I may truly say whence is this to me Behold what manner of love is this And this hath made me willing to accept of the punishment of my iniquity since my shame was discovered and heart brought down she oft said she never had any temptations since she was apprehended and in Prison such the mercy of God which she acknowledged in it to escape or use any means to get from under it either by making away her self or life privately as many had charged her with such enterprizes but there was sufficient evidence to the contrary or by getting out in which she much and often in the Prison magnifyed the mercy of God to her yea she admired at his mercy in thus judging her And that by this means she that had so procured these things in her self and blemished the name of God should so soon be delivered from all her trangressions and from the reproach of the foolish and from that mercy encouraged her friends to hope that though they must remain to bear the reproach of it longer then she yet not to be discouraged he that had found out a way to deliver her such as in which Righteousness and Mercy both was magnifyed would deliver them and his name and magnifie it by that which to outward appearance might seem to blemish iâ— he knows how to bring good out of evil to make grace abound where sin hath abounded but shall we therefore sin that grace may abound God forbid but when he hath magnifyed his grace in such forgiveness and healâ—ng such sinners and therein commended his righteousness and glorifyed his name oh sure said she she loved much to whom much was forgiven she often protested her great peace and joy of spiâ—it in the veiw of what she was hasting too and that all sorrow and shame would presently be at an end to her and God would wipe away all tears for his sons sake the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the wâ—rld and yet said that she was filled with shame and blushing for her own iniquity there called to remembrance but withal with great rejoycing in the Lord and in him only by means of whom her sin should be no more remembred and therefore did relinquish all confidence in the flesh in any works of her own according to the law or in any arguments or gracious frames of brokenness sorrow for sin meetings desires after his name which though she doubted not of his gracious acceptance of them pardoning the iniquities and mixtures in them through the mediator that lives to present them and take away those iniquities and mixtures and so make them accepted in himself yet did she not know or allow them at all in the ground of her hope and rejoyâ—ing in God nor needed them having enough in the flesh of Christ that was given for the life of the world to nourish her to eternal life nor in particular words of scripture brought to her mind and applyed by her to such her needs and conditions as she thought they answered too and though from such things she had conceived hopes of longer life here partly by reason of her desire of it for her childrens sake and cheifly as she thought that she might live to walk more close with God and with his people and glorifie his name as she had brought dishonour to it And those hopes were disappointed yet that did not move her at all from her hope and rejoycing in the hope of eternal life because that was begotten â—â—d she strengthned and quickned to it through the resurrection of Christ that foundation stands sure and hath this seal for confirming the goodness and sureness of it The Lord knoweth owneth approveth them that are his namely that are built and abide on this foundation yea though they have wandred from Mount to Hill forgot their resting place yet turn again hither and have their hearts and minds stayed here and though from all her sparks that she had bin kindling and composing her self withall she must lye down yet she had the name of the Lord to trust in and her God to stay upon and he was wonderfully a present help to her in the time of trouble and did through his name and the excellent knowledge of himself so sprinkle her heart and conscience and deliver her from blood guiltiness that her tongue did sing aloud of his righteousness did open her lips shut by her own iniquities and her mouth did shew forth his praise she appointed the 25 Psalm and sung with
good exhortations and instructions given them which they said they koped they should never forget some said they profited by it more then by many Sermons and much to that purpose yet as the elder Brother of the prodigal murmured at his too good and speedy entertainment by his Father and servants so their wanted not some that murmured against her to the mâ—st of which their murmurings sufficient answer may be found in my discourse about the reception of the Prodigal yet I shall ad something here with particular reference to her that was not so proper there to be made Object 1. Some thought her not humbled enough judgeing its likely by their not seeing her weep at the bar or as she went to execution or the like Answ To this let it be received what I say of the humbling God approves of in my said discourse and what is said in the passages in these papers related of her It s evident by them that she did ingeniously acknowledge her guilt and filth with many expressions of loathing her self with great detestation of her self and sins yea and that in the prison with many years whereof I my self was a witness yea she so loathed her self and saw and confessed her vileness as to take up no hope or confidence for deliverance no where but in the free and rich grace of God and the precious blood of Iesus which 〈◊〉 much and greatly magnifyed rejecting all other things that could be done by her as much to weak and vile to give her any release from her so great guilt or any boldness or hope towards God and she willingly and cheerfully yeilded her self to accept and bear the chastisement of her iniquity which is that which God himself gives as the product of an humbled heart in Levit. 26.41.42 and if God accepted of this or rather of her in and through his Son so as to speak peace to hir who then may fault her for not being more troubled seeing if he give peace who can cause trouble Job 34 29. she faid indeed as she went toward the place of execution that she thought God had wiped away all tears from her eyes before she dyed for she could not then weep as formerly she had done I might adde the observation and saying of Capt. Stiles a conscientious man so far as I ever heard who was upon some jealousies only upon National accounts all that time and more in the Prison and lodged in the next chamber to her who told me and some others that he thought he was the best witness of her penitency and that he heard her very frequently praying weeping and â—ying to God and that she was seldome alone but she was so exercised or in reading some good book and that he thought her 〈◊〉 very penâ—tent woman and that there waâ— nothing to be said to her but speak comfortably to her c. Object 2. Put should so great a sinner dye like a Saint Answ That 's spoke to in my discourse and there it sheweth both that great sinners may through the grace of God be made real Saints and bâ—ing so made bear their punâ—shment like Saints whether it be death as the malefactor on the cross Luc 23 40 41 42 or some other heavy judgement as David his flight from his son Absolom Psal 3. And truly there were many things in her of like good appearance to these things found in them in those their sufferings as what is mentioned before of her due evidence 1. She rebuked yet with compassion and admonished one whom she discerned or apprehended deciding what was spoken by her and admonished and warned all of sinning and hardning their hearts against Gods grace 2. She justified approved and owned Christ in his truth and people 3. And bear a good testimony to him and his grace and the vertue and preciousness of his death and sufferings 4. She confessed her own guilt and desert of what was ordered to her justifying God therein and confessing herself â—o have deserved ten thousand thousand times worse matters 5. She prayed for Gods blessing upon and testifyed love and charity to all the people and forgave those that had been more busie then they needed against her 6. She submitted to bear Gods chastisement and the punishment of her iniquity quietly and patiently c. 7. Having sought to God much before she then expressed great hope and confidence in Gods mercy and the blood of Christ shell for her c. And truly it is 〈◊〉 to â—y like a Saint so as to be one upon the galloweâ— then to dye as a wicked man without faith and kope in Christ the quietest death upon the bed as many that dye there doe better are like that Male factour on the Cross then as the rich man iâ— Luke 12.19 and 16.22 on his bed though yet in a sence she dyed not like a Saint namely as to the rejoceing and glorying in the cause of her death as they doe and may do when they dye for Christ his truth and righteousness Object 3. Some objected that she dyed like the Kings Judges Answ What the Kings judges mâ—t with from God in their death God best knowes But in this she much differed from them that they many of them justifyed the cause of their death she was much ashamed of the cause of hers and confessed it such as deserved that and far worse punishment Object 4. Some said she speak good things but they were but generals Answ 〈◊〉 Generall thing best become a numerous multitude for they would reach to them all so as particulars might not 2. God and Christ and the holy Ghost and his Apostles and Prophets speak general things two which are not therefore the less but the more useful and profitable as that all have sinned and are justified freely by Gods grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jefus Rom. 3.23 That Christ ayed for all and in the propitiation for the sins of the whole world 2 Cor. 5.14.15 1 Tim. 2.6 John 22. and it s well he did so and is so else 〈◊〉 might be worse for the objectors as well as for others that all shall dye and rise and be judged all that believe are justifyed 3. She spake also many particulars I wish the objector may speak as will when they come to dye as her particular hope for her self in God as well as of her particular guiltiness and submission to him Perhaps some would have â—ad her commended her self and spoken of some particular good things in her self as the ground of her hope and liked not to hear of so much hope and confidence upon the account of Gods mercifulness to sinners and the pretiousness of the blood of Jesus who gave himself a ransome for all if soâ— she did far better then they would have had her for Gods goodness and mercy and the blood oâ— Christ will hold when all particular frames will or may break or crack that 's the Pharisees way indeed
her and tend most to his praise I endeavoured then and in my several visits before the Sessions to open and apply that gracious instruction encouragement and warning in Isa 50.10.11 Both shewing who is the Lords servant there spoken off whose voice is to be obeyed in all things and why called Gods servant what his voice is and why called the voice of the Lords servant and how to be obeyed in all things in all it saith or testifieth instructeth reproveth requireth and how therein God is truly feared and worshipped by us and likewise that such true fearers and worshippers of God may sometime walk in darkness and have no light and in what fence that is to be understood and lastly that when so yet they are not left wholly comfortless or as Orphans but bave the name of the Lord to trust in their God to stay upon to lean and depend on and wait for though they know not what to pray for as they ought in such cases not knowing what manner of deliverance may be best for them and tend most to his praise nor see any way of escape looking on the right hand or on the left or which way deliverance should come yet he that knows how to deliver doth also make intercession with God according to his will and hath the tongue of the learned and so knows how to speak a word in due season to him that is weary and is made perfect and infinitely fitted to all his work and office through sufferings this the rest this the refreshing But when we will be in such dayes of darkness kindling a fire and compassing our selves about with sparks we must expect this at the hands of the Lord to lye down in sorrow from them She much rejoyced in the word of the Lord which as she found she did eat and it was to her the joy and rejoycing of her heart yet was she not without some unsettlement and confusion or discomposure upon her spirit between fears and hopes as to this life being encouraged by many to hope for the saving of it and seek't to pervert the hope and perswasion given her in the mercy of God through Christ to an expectation and looking for it in saving her from this judgement and on the other hand by all the instruction and encouragement she met withal from the Name of the Lord and his grace in Christ led to rest and rejoyce in that which gave her hope in Death and therein willingly to resign and give up the hopes and desires of this life and to leave the matter to him quietly as accounting the hope of eternal life which God had given her in Christs infinite mercy and enough to sati-fie The Sessions being past and she condemned to death being found Guilty by the Jury upon little or no certain evidence of her guilt of the fact of which they found her guilty yet without any frowardness or prejudice I could perceive against the instruments she did acquaint herself with the Lord in it and accepted it as from his hand as a righteous and gracious punishment of her iniquity and was much more setled and composed in her spirits than before and so more fit to hear and receive the encouragements and instructions of his name as I found at my first visit of her immediately on her return from the Sessions when she had received her sentence When first I applyed my self to some reminding and further opening of the name of the Lord and particularly of that great instruction and encouragement in it that through and by the means of his death by which peace and atonement is made for sin and he impowered to forgive sins on earth he hath power to save from wrath to redeem from all iniquity to restore and bring back from all their wandrings to God to receive and make accepted on their turning to him in his gracious drawings even such as have sold themselves for their iniquities and for their transgressions are put away from sucâ— nighness fellowship mercy and good things as otherwise they might have enjoyed here and to this purpose be is Annoynted and consecrated for evermore having on his Ascention on high received gifts in the man not only for men as they are sinners in themselves and from their first natural root but from the rebellions also though rebellion be as the sin of witchcraft in which men make a new and personal compliance and confederacy with Satan as if the compliance made with him in their first natural root were not enough and sell themselves for their iniquities as if their being carnal and sold to their hand under sin through the disobedience of one were not sufficient they sin after the similitude of Adams transgression yet though they have so done to him belongs mercy forgive ness even for towards them see Dar 9.8.9 with Isa 50.1.3 There is help in him for such as have destroyed themselves Hos 13.9 'T is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners even such sinners as are lawless and disobedient sinners that will not be reformed or reclaimed by the law of grace but prophanely go on hideing and holding fast and allowing themselves in their sins and are murtherers of Fathers murtherers of Mothers Man-slayers Whore-mongers Adulters Abusers of themselves with mankind and if there be any thing contrary to sound Doctrine they are lawless and disobedient in going on in the trade and way of their own iniquities till the laws of God and men say hold on them yet such Christ came into the world to save and not for such only but for blasphemers of the Name of Christ and Persecutors of the Châ—rch of God which are mentioned by the Apostle there as his sins and greater then the former as to matter of fect and as in the sight of God yet such Christ Jesus Came into the world to save not to save them in their sins but from them And God hath exalted him a Prince ' and a Saviour for to give repentance and forgiveness of sins to such He is the propitiation now with God for sins of that nature that might have been prevented and might have been kept from by the Grace of God and that not only for those to whom he hath given an understanding to know him that is true and that are in him but also for the world for them who yet lye under the power of the wicked one that judgement may not be speedily executed but a door of mercy and life may be held open while yet he is by any means calling them that in turning their sins which yet are detain'd in heaven against them while they continue in them may be bloted out c through this man therefore is preached to you the forgiveness of your sins for he came because of that truth to forgive such sins as men cannot righteouslly forgive as in that Jer 3.1 c And can have