N00497:58
Blessed unions. An union with the son of God by faith. And, an union…
Blessed unions. An union with the son of God by faith. And, an union in the church of God by love, importunately pressed; in a discourse which makes divers offers, for those unions; together with a copy of those articles, where-upon a most happy union, has been lately made between those two eminent parties in England, which have now changed the names of Presbyterians, and Congregationals, for that of United Brethren. / By Cotton Mather ; [Six lines from Mead]
Boston: printed by B. Green for Samuel Phillips, 1692
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
1. It is your Duty to beware of Sinning against God, with a Caution beyond what is in other men. Your Sins have Aggravations in them above ⟨p. 33⟩the sins of others in the World; for, as tis said, in 1 Cor. 6. 15. Know ye not, that your Bodies are the Members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the Members of an Harlot? God forbid: Even so, Know you not that you are United unto the Lord Jesus Christ? And shall that very Head which is United unto the Lord Jesus, become, A Shop of Wickedness? Or, shall that very Tongue, which is United unto the Lord Jesus, become, A Fire-brand of He••? Or, shall those Hands, and those Feet, which are United unto the Lord Jesus become, The Weapons of Unrighteousness! I say, God forbid! The Repenting David reckoned it an Aggravation of his Offences, (as 'tis carried by some Great Interpreters) That in the Hidden part, God had made him to know Wisdom; and if God have Raised us to an hidden Union with His own Son, it makes our Offences to have some singular Exasperations in them. The, Provocations of Sons and of Daughters, are more than Ordinary Provocations in the Resentments of our God; ⟨p. 34⟩His Holy Spirit, is more than Ordinar•• Grieved at them; and He is in the World usually most severe and most speedy in the Chastising of those Provocations; however, as to what concern the future World, He will forgive the•• Iniquities. O then, whosoever shall by Sin Dishonour the Lord Jesus Christ, […] Him not have cause to say concerning You, as in Psal. 55. 12,13. It was not […] Enemy; the […] 'could have born it; but […] was thou, a man, mine Acquaintance [and one United u•to my self!] A Wound from a Friend, how grievous is it!
1. It is your Duty to beware of Sinning against God, with a Caution beyond what is in other men. Your Sins have Aggravations in them above ⟨p. 33⟩