The saints delight. To which is annexed a treatise of meditation

1. Behold his misery that lives without Christ. He is very deformed and unlovely; for all loveliness flows from Christ. A sinner in the state of nature is like an infant tumbling in its blood, Ezek. 16.6. Thou wert in thy blood. The Leper in the Law was but the sad emblem of a sinner. 1. ^*The Leper was to live alone, as being unworthy to come into the congregation of the holy. 2. The Leper did wear three marks ⟨p. 380⟩to be known by, his garments torn, his head bare, his mouth covered. 3. He was to cry unclean, unclean. This spiritual leprosy is upon every Christless sinner. Therefore a man in a state of unregeneracy is in Scripture compared to things most unlovely and unbeautiful. To a dog, Revel. 22.15. a swine^*, 2 Pet. 2.22. a Viper, Mat. 3.7. ^*a Devil, Joh. 6.70. a sinners heart is a poisoned spring; 'Tis like a piece of muddy ground which defiles the purest water that runs thorough it. The Heathen had this kind of notion engrafted into them, for (as Authors report) they had their stone pots of water set at the doors of their Temple, where they used to wash before they went ⟨p. 381⟩to sacrifice; a sinner is blind, Rev. 3.17. and the more blind, because he thinks he sees. He is dead^*; and though he may be decked with some moral virtues, this is but like strewing flowers upon a dead corps